#fooling ourselves

[pratchettquotes]

"Now, have you ever heard of Boffo?"

"What is this Boffo? It was not in the song!" said the Wintersmith, looking uneasy.

"Oh, Boffo is how humans change the world by fooling themselves," said Tiffany. "It's wonderful. And Boffo says that things have no power that humans don't put there. You can make things magical, but you can't magically make a human out of things. It's just a nail in your heart. Only a nail."

Terry Pratchett, Wintersmith

[artisticsarcasm]

Fooling ourselves pt. 1

Pairing: Sweet pea x Sierra Harkins (OC)

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Sierra sat on the bar stool picking at her nails and bobbing her head to the 90's rock music. It wasn't usually her preference but she enjoyed it well enough. She looked over towards Toni who was running the bar. It was one of the few nights she wasn't spending with Cheryl.

It still stung a little. Though they had broken up quite awhile ago, Sierra was still had a bit of a soft spot for the pink haired beauty. Considering Toni was the first person she could admittedly say she was in actual love with, seeing her falling in love with someone else was sometimes hard. Some days were better than others. When the whole jughead epidemic came up she didn't mind as much she saw that despite whatever the two did they were destined for a loving platonic relationship, and she had to admit with how dreary and droopy that Jones boy could be lord knows he needed a good freind.

But Cheryl was diffrent she could see it in the way Toni talked about her and how her eyes would shine. She was happier and brighter than ever. And so when Sierra was invited by some of the younger serpents to hang out, though hesitant, she decided it was her turn to find a guy or girl and move on weather that means a one night stand or simply finding someone to dance the night away.

"Hey you, head in the clouds again?" Sierra's eyes snapped up to Toni's who was currently cleaning out a glass and giving her a sly smirk.

"I guess, i mean I came to flirt and hook up," she laughed "It's just the same old, maybe I should head over to the northside and see what I can find there" she was joking of course and gave an unlady like snort at the thought.

"I sure as hell hope you were joking Harkins," sweet pea took the seat beside her followed by fangs. He took a swig of his beer and gave her a side stink eye.

Her face twisted up and she rolled her eyes. "And what would you do if I wasn't hm?"

He gave a light laugh "well perhaps I'd have to show you a real good time, punish you perhaps?"

"Okay, Do not make me laugh!" She placed her drink down on the counter and her grin turned wicked. "Please tell me why the hell I'd be interested in exploring the world of sex kinks with a guy nicknamed sweet pea, talk about a turn off"

He finished up his beer and and turned to face her his eyes blazing "oh really? A lot of girls beg to differ, in fact many take distinct pleasure in moaning and screaming my name through the night"

"Whatever pig"

"No need to get mad now princess"

She glared daggers at him, he had the audacity to call her 'princess'. So She dressed classier and nicer then most southsiders, choosing to add more to her wardrobe than leather and plaid, big deal!

"Your all talk, I bet I could get way more numbers and hook ups tonight, than you've honestly gotten in the last month, pig"

He turned and gave fangs a knowing look and looked back to her while folding his arms over his chest. "Is that a challenge...princess?"

She squared her shoulders glad that this night was finally going somewhere, "perhaps...we see who can get with the most numbers or hook ups by closing time?"

"Aren't you at a bit of an advantage Har?" Toni interjected "You've got the girls and the guys to work with"

"Pffft," she let out a snicker "have you seen the way him and fangs look at each other he's so bi for him I mean-"

"Fuck you" sweet pea laughed

"She's not wrong" Fangs sniggered "I'm surprised we haven't kissed already!"

They all chuckled and sweet pea gave her and fangs a playful punch to the arm.

"You guys suck ass," he muttered "any way are we gonna start or what?"

"Yep let's state the rules!" Toni announced while pouring one of the older serpents a shot. " Age, and gender don't matter, you guys have to stay inside the bar-"

"Unless you're leaving out to get laid!" Fangs shouted which caused a few to stare there way.

Toni rolled her eyes "Whatever, you guys keep track of your own numbers and pick ups-"

"Can we start already!?" Sweet Pea groaned, "who gives a shit about these imaginary rules get on with it"

"Fine, go ahead then" Toni raised her hands in defeat and walked to the other end of the bar.

"Let the games begin Har," he smirked

 And the two of them scaned the crowd for there first victims

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[artisticsarcasm]

Fooling ourselves Pt.2

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Sierra got the first number but he was ahead by 3. She blamed her impulsively picky nature. She kept questioning herself like asking if she should go for the guy playing pool or the one who is drinking leisurely by the door and trying to plan her approach. Whereas sweet pea just went after the closest one to him.

"That's number 7!" He slapped the slip of paper on top of his stack and gave a triumphant smirk "I will take a pre-victory beer Toni"

"Oh, whatever Pea the nights still young" Sierra snapped. Though her words were more confident than her true feelings. She looked down at her pile a sad total of 4 numbers in hers. She decided she needed to up her game and quick.

She scanned the crowd and her eyes set on a boy who looked to be about 18 or 19. He had light brown hair and a light olive tan. She took a breath and downed a shot and headed over to him.

"Hey! where-?" Sweet pea's question was cut short when he saw her walking up to the booth.

"Hey there, mind if I sit?" She asked sweetly. The guy looked up his hazel eyes seeming dazed almost. He gave a small smile, and she had to admit he was very cute.

"Must be my lucky day, sure thing" he slid over making room for her. She removed her serpent jacket revealing her low white V neck crop top. Though it was a bit chilly, her matching pencil skirt not helping one bit, it amped up the flirt factor. She laid her jacket on the back of the booth and scooted in beside him.

"You don't look familiar, new to town?" She leaned in a bit closer to him.

"Uh, yeah I am actually, is this town really that small?"

"Yep, it is but that doesn't mean I can't give you a tour sometime, if you'd like" he gave a grin at her suggestion and nodded his head in agreement.

"I would love that"

Sweet Pea looked over at Sierra for what felt like the hundredth time. She had been talking to some guy a lot longer than the other's she's met up with and he saw them exchange numbers already. So now he wondered why the hell she was still with him. They weren't supposed to be picking up dates just getting numbers maybe a quick make out.

He didn't know why he cared or why it bothered him. Sierra was his friend who cares who she's flirting and meeting up with, he didn't.

So then why throughout the night every time she got close to someone, or some girl came and danced seductively with her, did he get a hot burning in the pit of his stomach. How come every time a guy whispered in her ear did he want to slam the nearest chair into his head.  Sweet Pea blamed it on the beer. It was obviously getting to him.

When he looked back towards them and saw the mystery guy put his arm around her and gave her a light kiss on the cheek he had had enough.

"Woah what's the problem sweets?" Toni smirked when he got abruptly off his seat his eyes hard. "You seem upset"

He didn't answer her as he marched over to their booth.

"Hey Harkins" he placed his hands on the edge of the table and gripped it as he leaned in. "Just got 3 more puts me at 10 hope you're catching up" yes it was a lie, no he didn't care. As long as it got her ass away from her current target. He didn't trust the guy.

He could see her startled expression turn to one of urgency.

"Oh, fuck" she muttered.

"Who's this?" The guy asked.

Sweet Pea had to refrain from rolling his eyes.

Sierra turned back towards him "This is my good friend sweet pea, sweet pea this is Damian"

"Didn't ask" he snapped. She gave him a weird look before turning back to Damian.

"Could you give us a second please?"

She stepped out of the booth and grabbed sweet pea's arm and led him back to the bar counter.

"I'm calling it off"

"What?! Why?" He asked already knowing the answer

"Because he's super cute, available, nice and into me," she said as if it was the most obvious reason in the world.

"Oh my gosh" he groaned in annoyance "it's not like everyone else you talked to was cute except for that one chick I was surprised you even- Ow!!" She punched him in the arm too hard for kidding.

"Don't call people ugly it's rude"

"Says the lightweight who just punched me"

"Lightweight!" She glared him down "how so?"

"Meet a guy for 30 minutes and already agreeing to date him"

She let out an irritated breath "first off you have had sex with people you've known for 5 minutes"

"Prove it, I think that's exaggerated" he smirked

"Fuck you," she said as if an afterthought "and second I never said I was going to date him I just want to see where this goes, where's the harm"

His face turned serious and he folded his arms across his chest as he leaned against the counter " the harm? Let's see, where's the harm? Well he could be a killer or a rapist, for all you know he's gay-"

"With the way, he was checking me out and all the little nothing's he whispered I'd beg to differ on that theory"

Sweet Pea let out a low growl though he didn't mean to. The thought of that bastard whispering seductively in her ears made him furious and he regretted ever agreeing to this challenge. He just wanted to get under her skin prove he was the best flirt and have them move on he didn't expect her to actually connect with someone. He felt like an idiot.

"Whatever" he shrugged "he could still be dangerous he could be a spy for the ghoulies for all we know"

She started to giggle and his eyebrows knit together in confusion.

"Okay Pea" she coaxed "I'll be careful, but really you need to calm down and also" her voice lowered into a mock "if I didn't know any better I'd say you're jealous" and with that she sashayed back towards Damian's booth, in fact, leaving sweet pea in a jealous rage.

[seasurfacefullofclouds1]

What if 30 or 40% of notes on our posts are from burner accounts ?

[daveinediting]

On top of streamlining my thought process, live broadcast news also equipped me with another annoying habit: a way of perceiving options. As in: we always have options.

But.

I also believe we're undeniable experts at railroading our thoughts. I believe we can be incredibly narrow-minded in our assessments.

And I think we do all this naturally.

I can't do this.

There's just no way.

You see this every day. Our critical judgments are often ruled by emotion and preconceptions rather than by logic and reason. You see emotion and preconceptions are pretty much just as good (if not better) at spinning narratives that make sense. That feel right.

Of course live broadcast isn't about what you feel. I learned that lesson real quick. Because I was terrified.

Because I came to believe the job for which I was hired was beyond my ability.

The emotion was paralyzing.

To move beyond that, though, and keep my job, I had to master my job. No matter how I was feeling. And I had to embrace whatever it took to make that happen. Even if I had to endure days of mistakes and insecurity.

So.

I set the bar for myself like this:

Whatever the mistake is, never make it twice.

Whatever the mistake is.

Never.

Make it.

Twice.

Since I felt so far out of my depth, I knew there wasn't a way to avoid mistakes. So there wasn’t any point to the anxiety of trying to avoid them.

Therefore: I'd have to run into them at full speed as if everything I was doing was the right thing to do. I had to invoke a confidence that wasn’t warranted.

It was pretty much learning to embrace my mistakes.

Instead of embracing the anxiety of making one.

For that first pair of weeks, though, the experience was very much

I can't do this.

There's just no way.

And had I lived in that emotion, had I firmly set up shop there, I would never have mastered my job. Could not... have done it.

It’s a lesson that’s followed me throughout my career... and one that finds new expression in other areas of life. Call it a commitment of sorts. A commitment to never being stuck. Never being boxed in. Never being without options.

And in that way... always maintaining my own agency. Always assuring that the choice, whatever the choice is...

Is mine.

[simple-real-talk]

Activism nowadays - putting up a plaque changes nothing!! Without corresponding action the plaques you all endorse are pointless!!

[sos-ptc]

Lets_Stop_Fooling_Ourselves

The romance has left me and all I want to do is 

Fuck

To grind

To suck

No more pretty lies and pitiful cries No more shallow compliments 

Cute pecks 

Or cold hugs as we both stare in to the distance wondering.. “did I settle?”

“did I setup camp at a rest stop?”

“did I plant the seeds out of season?”

What ever the reason lets stop the treason against our hearts

For we dont love each other 

We live the pattern

We love the nostalgia

We love the memories which made our souls race faster than a sky regalia

So let's put away the love

Lets put away the white doves 

Wedding bells and beach shells

And go back to when we just fucked 

Let the lust take over

Let it engulf us with the truth of our carnal desires

So as my tongue licks you all over 

Tasting every flavor

Exploring every area

We can then be one again

We can be whole again

We can be.. 

..true again 

[learntobuckup]

If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 

1 John 1:8 (NLT)