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azure-cherie · 5 months

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𝐏𝐀𝐂 : 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐅.𝐒.

Hello love's for this reading i channel a love letter from your future spouse , i really have a lack of fs readings and ik I don't do that enough but here's it because I feel so called to do this todayyy. Take what resonates and leave the rest , you can choose multiple . I hope you guys like this and feedbacks are always always appreciated !!!!!

Pile 1 :

Mon Amour ,

The sweet river of my life, the reason I live , the reason I thrive , I've been seeing you in my dreams since past lives and I can't fathom the beauty in your eyes . Ever since we've been together and the day i met you my life has been absolutely the one I dream of . Thank you for always being the shoulder I can learn on thank you i think i don't say it enough, you deserve the world and I'm trying everyday to bring in the world for you . I love the way you make art and love the way you make me your muse if I had the talent you had i probably would sing for you . I love your sweet kisses like candy and i hate every moment i argue so I'm happy to be sorry first kidding I know you're always right kinda bad on my part right , I wanna give you the world and there's so much to be done yet , so much to achieve , so much to heal but i know with you by my side i will heal. So i steal the thunder from heaven to make a souvenir of my love even when i am dead the way i tell you about my love won't be enough.

- yours completely

Pile 2 :

Dear love ,

In my darkest days you're the light I turn to , my heart is so full even when my brain is in shambles because I have you . I'm so in love that I can barely eat so I soak up your sunshine and I'm all fine and better under your holy light . We are a pair and we will make history and all these people that think we're too young too naive will be left in misery, they don't see you like i do, we both see each other . They say love is a big thing but I'd like laundry and taxes with you . Plain bread with you tastes like heaven , even tho I'm a heathen i pray the heavens for you may the paradise we make last forever, may i always keep jewellery in your altar , may things never be forbidden in our diary and in all of the things that are may I know one thing for sure that I don't wanna spend a moment away from you anymore . I burn for you I'm human for you .

- your lover

Pile 3 :

Hey Miss,

Springtime your time my time I look at you my beautiful flower fuller than poppies , more abundant than a lotus , like a burning rose with desire , you set me on fire , yet you cool me like running water how do you do , how do you put me in this state . I wanna love you don't you think it's getting late for even a while to wait , meet me at the garden gate . I don't know much but I know I came into earth to be with you i could be a tree but I'm a human to love you like humans do . How could you know me so well i almost lose myself when I'm with you and that's what I want when I'm with you to be free like a child . I wanna devote all my evenings to make coffee for you and i wanna spend all my breaths being high because I love you so much my thoughts spin out , you're moon herself you grant wishes so please grant mine goddess divine .

- always yours

Pile 4 :

Hey sweetheart,

I've been on a quest to find you , since I was young I've always felt that I was meant for more than just I saw what other couples around me had I knew I needed to be drowned and insane when i like someone , but the way you lift me up gave me all of it together , you're all the bright colours at once , yet you're a mystery , I love that i figure out something beautiful about you each day I know life with you can never be boring, it's always fun always worth living , thank you for holding me when the world discarded me , I know angels are real because i have seen you . Sorry for the times i mess things up , i never want that . we need to be together to explore this world without this bond this earth is mere ground with fire at the core , I wanna love you more . How do I explain this love where do I put all my love for you you're growing into me with each day I place your name in my heart like a sweet melody , i live to love you , I love to love you.

- only yours forever

Thank you so much for reading, have a great day/night ❤️

#god this felt so god #this was the pac i wrote fastest #pac readings #pac tarot #tarot pac #pac reading #pac #pick a card tarot #pick a picture #pick a photo #pick a card reading #pick a card #pick a pile #future spouse pick a card #future spouse reading #future spouse

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sgiandubh · 8 months

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From California to the New York island... - The 2023 edition

I will probably quickly learn not to post exceedingly allusive things when I am running out of time and yet have to jot down the lightbulb moment, lest it's gone forever.

This morning, I mentioned in my post some images that were still freshly baked and put out for consumption on the two main Mordorian news outlets. When people started to ask in droves during my coffee & lunch breaks, I knew I had to go further, despite my deep, jaded reluctance to revisit my own musings. So now, with laundry on the way (fi-nal-ly!) and a hot cocoa by my side, let's hit the road.

This time, we're going to do it with pictures. It's easier, including for the people from Pyongyang, ahem, Mordor. And the dang simplistic context allows for it: what is there to theorize when the strings are so conspicuous?

I was writing, this morning:

This is the image the Mordorian Pravdas didn't show you:

La Niña Vaquera, feeling maybe a bit shot to the curb, when clearly the whole party vibe is where (Red Dress?) Melanie, the MPC boys band and the Blonde Brigade are. Possibly in a chit-chat with somebody who is not S., classy red plastic cup in hand. I had to re-watch the snippet at least six times in a row to find her (a very taxing job, but hey, it's for the cause). Maybe talking to the somebody whose +1 she plausibly was?

FYI, S never looked at her, never touched her, never engaged with her. Not even when she took her artillery sightseeing, while they were cheering with rapture, shot glasses in hand:

Red arrow is BBC, aka La Niña Vaquera. S is offscreen, to the left, looking at who I think is Duncan Millership (blue arrow), who also was with S at the Sasnak City event, and introduced by him as his new manager. @rosfrank confirmed this morning, in one of the comment threads:

So, rather inconclusive, eh?

With KE/Cucumber Yoga Chick out of the building with a bang, we had to somehow be led further on the Breadcrumb Trail, so serviceable *urv obliged and posted the infamous Shutters Pic I also mentioned and described. If you want to see it, park your drones in her backyard: I am not going to post it, because she arrowed it and the least thing I want is to have Ye Auld Wraith (or anyone, for that matter) on my back stat.

To make it clear: would it be for the first time in the history of mankind when a groupie checks in at the same hotel? But hey, let's be pessimistic for once and suppose she's the new Calendar Girl (based on what, I wonder). She went there, took the pic, leaked it and au revoir, les enfants. Fair's fair, for the Banana Boat Day-oh experience.

And then, we have the 'Fan Pic' who bamboozled the tired, weary masses, courtesy of the other Mordorian, CNN-style, news outlet. This I can post: I stole it from @bat-cat-reader and she never minds.

Conveniently, the woman who posted this very clear latergram does not comment. You bet she doesn't. So, I draw some arrows: let's see where they take us.

The hair is not right, as compared to Banana Boat Day-oh:

What do we say? One inch? One inch and a half longer? Three days later? I should pray for the same to happen to my waistline, but the other way round, then.

And then, also: where is...

Yeah: where's the scar, Sir?

Do you see it? I almost broke my nose and I haven't.

Irrespective of what Mordorian media reported, that is not an MPC rucksack, in the picture.

This is an MPC black rucksack:

Featuring this very peculiar fastening system:

The bag in the picture above has a different one and no visible beige reinforcements:

Maybe the MPC bag line did not exist on the surface of this planet when the pic was taken? Maybe he used a different bag (but we know he travels with those, nowadays) ? At any rate, that is not an MPC one.

And because the third time is always a charm, the Water Bottle. Also suggested (less insistently, though) as belonging to the MPC line.

This is an MPC Peaker water bottle:

With this type of bore:

The one in the picture is, again, different, IMHO, even if the image is very blurry:

I wanted to round this up with a bang and identify the damn logo, because I think it might provide very useful clues. I tried, damn I did, but was unsuccessful. I leave this to better sleuths than I.

Until further evidence, I stand on a very reserved ground concerning BBC. There is still absolutely nothing to write home about. But sure, go ahead and make up your own mind. By all means and I mean it. And sorry for the length of it, of course.

[edited for the fourth arrow]

Fuck, I forgot The Vest.

Weather forecast for yesterday, in Santa Monica, Ca.:

Why the vest on the same man who wrote in Waypoints:

Flying somewhere, perhaps?

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yaluvs · 1 year

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viper x gn!reader relationship headcanons

writer’s note: i haven’t written any fics in so many years so excuse me if it is boring 😭 it is assumed that reader is already living with Viper. also, there is a minor hint at sex or make-out but it is super small.

☢︎ Everyone and their grandmother knows that when it comes to work (and maybe others), Viper can be a hardened, distant, venomous woman. But when it comes to you, she is the complete opposite. She is not Viper, she is your Sabine. The version of herself that the world will never see.

☢︎ She is very soft and delicate with you as if you were made of glass. Sabine fears that one day you will see what her enemies sees and leave so she tries her best to be very careful of her tone and demeanor around you. Sabine can easily shut people out but she does her best to communicate with you even when she is upset. There are moments where she feels you matter more than her emotions so you must be there to validate her.

☢︎ She is not one for PDA as she prefers to maintain her cold and professional reputation at all times, however! She will make small and maybe secrets attempts to touch you. Maybe she will tuck your hair behind your ear during windy days, graze her fingers on yours when she is passing something to you, or give your thigh a reassuring squeeze under the table. Anything as long as she believes she has an excuse to back her up. Y’know to rebuke her annoying, teasing comrades who catch her.

☢︎ In privacy however, the woman can become surprisingly clingy but will not outright say it. Without another word from her, she will always have her body pressed up against yours. She requires to feel your body heat at all times. On the couch? You are touching hip to hip, arm to arm. On the bed? Cuddles are expected and she prefers to be the big spoon but on tough days she wants nothing but to lay on your chest. You are showering? Not without her. Cooking? She is either helping you or sitting at the kitchen island doing something. She needs your presence just as much as you do if not more, believe me.

☢︎ Sabine is actually not one for pet names outside of your bedroom activities. She prefers to call you by your name but on very affectionate days, you will get a ‘Darling’ out of her. Do not ever expect her to use it in public though. She does not mind any pet names you have for her but she would rather you also kept it private out of respect of her boundaries.

☢︎ When time allows, Sabine will take you out to some fine dining. She is not one for crowded, busy and noisy restaurants so she will always choose the ones that allow a private room booking for the both of you to enjoy. Other than that, she has a guilty pleasure for take out.

☢︎ Believe it or not, Sabine lives for the domestic lifestyle. She always volunteers to do your taxes or do them with you, her excuse being so ‘you do not commit any errors,’ however, truthfully is because she adores doing it with you and loves helping you with big tasks. Laundry, grocery shopping, cleaning, cooking, anything and everything she wants to do them with you as much as possible.

☢︎ If you are not an agent and are a student or a working citizen, Sabine always insists in taking and picking you up from work or school every day. Two reasons: she is paranoid for your safety and wants to know your whereabouts 24/7 and because she just melt at the kisses and affection you give her when she drops you off. She goes home or to work with a small smile on her face.

☢︎ To add to her paranoia, she demands you stay close to her when going out together and to turn on your phone GPS tracker at all times when alone. She also has a ring camera at her home. Who knows what level of lunacy can Sabine reach if she ever lost you.

☢︎ If you are home and she is not, please say ‘Welcome home’ to her. All the days stress suddenly wash away hearing you say that and just knowing you are waiting for her at home makes her dizzy with excitement. Something about it just brings some stability or ‘normal’ to her already chaotic life.

☢︎ Sabine has a morning routine that requires her to wake up super early and that routine always includes you. Since she wakes up early, she makes you breakfast and waits until you wake up or wakes you up to eat together. Or on her more chill days, she stays in bed admiring your sleeping form and wakes you up with kisses that sometimes lead to a more steamy quickie.

☢︎ Oh, Sabine is a bookworm and she probably has a whole library of books at home. When it is time for her to read, she would love it if you read with her and discuss your books together. But if reading is not your thing, she would still love your company, quietly. It just makes her feel safe and fuzzy on the inside.

☢︎ If you need a furniture built, she is your girl and would prefer that you wait until she gets home to assemble it. Why? Because she secretly craves the attention and reward you’ll give her after she finished the task.

#valorant #valorant viper #valorant imagines #valorant headcanons #valorant x reader #sabine callas #sabine callas x reader #valorant viper x reader #valorant x you #valorant x y/n #viper x chamber #viper x you

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rothjuje · 10 months

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Loved all your comments on my solo travel inquiry. A couple people said FOMO is real, and you were right. I told Justin I was going to plan trips with or without him and then the following week he started planning one for us hahaha.

Summer. Every time there is a break from school, every time, I think ooh this is going to be so nice, get to sleep in, not worry about the crazy of different schedules etc. No. No Jess. The kids will wake up even earlier with instant whines of “I’m borrred!”

Tuesday we did a farm, a park, and then the lake for $1 ice cream. Wednesday we played/swam at the lake for most of the day. Thursday we went to a touch a truck event, the library, a park, and then swimming at a friend’s pool. And this morning the kids played happily for an hour before the “I’m borrred” and constant bickering started. Whyyy. I’m so tired. George and I have been going to bed early/sleeping late to recover. I’m also old so I’m sore and had to take Motrin to walk straight after 3 nonstop days, oy.

One of my best friends up here has a pool. We hang together several times a week because she also has a 6 year old and a 3 year old. Anyway, was super excited to use her pool this summer but turns out my pool fantasy is really more of a nightmare. George simply will not get in after several days of coaxing. But he does love to throw things into the pool. Dirt. Towels. Shoes. Clothes. Phones. It hasn’t been fun. My friend is convinced that pools are relaxing for adults and fun for kids. But she also ingests a lot of weed. I ingest no weed and I find George at the pool to be very, very stressful. He won’t wear a swim diaper or a floaty (not that he gets in but I am very fearful of him falling in while he bends over the edge trying to retrieve stuff he’s chucked in).

Anyway. My friend says I’m letting anxiety control my life. The pool dilemma is causing us to butt heads. But. Why should I take my neurodivergent child who is unaware of drowning or consequences in general to a pool where I have to constantly control his behavior? I mean anything sounds more fun than that. If he was my only kid then okay, but I have to constantly leave him in the pool area to take the girls to the bathroom or get them a snack etc and maybe it is anxiety. Maybe it is secondary trauma from our first placement who had brain damage from a near drowning incident. Or maybe it’s normal to not feel relaxed while at the pool with 3 kids that don’t know how to swim, one being neurodivergent.

I can understand her feelings being hurt that I no longer want to bring the kids over, but I am honestly so sick of having to explain to people that trying to keep George safe in certain situations is mentally taxing eg by bodies of water or in busy downtown areas (he likes to be near the street so he can watch trucks go by).

Sigh.

I’m just tired of being the uptight friend. I’m so chill at home or at fenced in parks or at the beach or lake (George and Genna love sand/playing at the shore). I hate being the one to constantly veto plans or control where they take place. Honestly, I rather my friends just hang out without us and let me escape to the low-stress lake that no one else wants to go to. But they feel guilty and then I feel bad and ugh.

Is there a solution I’m missing?

Anyway. So so excited for a normal weekend without recitals or holidays, it’s been almost a month since our last normal/chill weekend. I’m looking forward to catching up on chores which probably sounds boring but the state of our house and lack of clean laundry is starting to super stress me out. I’m also so behind on gardening stuff, some of my plant babies desperately need to be replanted or pruned.

I probably sound like the least fun person after this post 😂

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princesskiii · 1 year

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Prologue + Little Town

𝐍𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐆𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 !

Beauty and the Beast au, Eventual Clevarr, Multi-Chap

↳ Catherine Parr, Henry Tudor, Bessie Blount, other characters mentioned, Anna of Cleves

𝐀𝐨𝟑

2.202 words

Once upon a time in the hidden heart of France a beautiful young princess lived in a beautiful castle.

Although she had everything her heart desired, the princess was selfish and unkind.

She taxed the village to fill her castle with the most beautiful objects and her party's with the most beautiful people.

And then one night an unexpected intruder arrived at the castle, seeking shelter from the bitter storm.

As a gift she offered the princess a single rose.

Repulsed by her haggard appearance the princess turned the woman away. But she warned her not to be deceived by appearances, for beauty is found within.

When she dismissed her again the old woman's outward appearance melted away to reveal a beautiful enchantress.

The princess begged for forgiveness but it was too late, for she had seen that there was no love in the princess' heart.

As punishment she transformed her into a hideous beast and placed a powerful spell on the castle and all who lived there.

As days bled into years the princess and her servants were forgotten by the world for the enchantress had erased all memories of them from the minds of the people they loved.

But the rose she offered was truly an enchanted rose. If the princess could learn to love another and earn their love in return by the time the last petal fell, the spell would be broken.

If not she would be doomed to remain a beast for all time.

As the years past she fell in despair and lost hope.

For who could ever learn to love a beast?

.....

Catherine fixed her dress as she walked out the door, her eyes slowly adjusting to the vastly different light outside.

She took in the still quiet streets, looking up at the town's clock tower, it'd only take about a minute for the quiet to change.

In an effort to fill the silence she started muttering to herself as she went down the steps.

"Little town, it's a quiet village every day like the one before."

Catherine smiled as she went, her gaze still fixed on the clock waiting for the bell to ring inside. "Little town full of little… people."

Her gaze traveled to the windows and laundry lines. "Waking up to say.."

"Bonjour!"

Catherine chuckled as she waved at the people she passed, the streets which were silent and empty now bustling with life in under a second. "There goes the baker with his tray like always. The same old bread and rolls to sell."

Despite her words, she bought a roll of bread and stuffed it into her bag. "Every morning just the same."

She went up to pet one of the horses, the horse attempting to eat the few crumbs on her hands as she smiled brightly. "Since the morning that we came. To this poor, provincial town."

"Good morning Cath!"

Catherine turned around and waved, moving closer to talk. "Good morning monsieur John, have you lost something again?" She asked, a small tease in her voice.

He nodded. "Yes i believe i have, the problem is i can't remember what." Catherine laughed, like every single day.

"Oh well, i'm sure it'll come to me." He said, grinning. Cathy nodded as she turned to wander off.

"Where are you off to?" He asked, getting Cathy to turn around and dig into her bag.

She got out a book, showing off its cover. "To return a book to Edward Burgh, it's about two lovers in Fair Verona."

The other shrugged. "Sounds boring." Catherine giggled, shaking her head as she continued on her journey.

Catherine caught small pieces of chatter as she wandered through the town's large streets.

"Bonjour, good day. How is your family?" Ah Thomas, always trying to woo a new lady.

"Bonjour, good day. How is your wife?" Catherine snickered at that, turning for just a second to see the look on the man's face.

"I need six eggs… that's too expensive!"

Catherine sighed as she continued. "There must be more than this provincial life."

The woman reached her destination, taking out her book and smiling at the familiar sound of the bell ringing, which signified her presence to the man dusting.

Edward smiled. "Ah if it isn't the only bookworm in town, where did you run off to this week?"

Catherine smiled and went to put her book back in place. "Two cities in northern Italy, i didn't want to come back." She turned to him with a bright grin. "So, have you got any new places to go?" She asked.

Edward sighed, shaking his head. "I'm afraid not, but you may reread any of the old ones if you'd like."

Cathy frowned for a second, before spotting one of her favorites and taking it happily. She gave the man a coin as she clutched the book to her chest. "Thank you, your library makes our small corner of the world feel big." She said as she walked out.

"Always a pleasure, bon voyage!"

Catherine smiled and waved. "Bye!"

She immediately opened the book and started reading as she wandered back home, catching a few people talking about her but she couldn't care that much.

She smiled as she reached the flower shops, just in time for her favorite part.

"Oh, isn't this amazing? It's my favorite part because.. you'll see.." She flipped another page. "Here's where she meets prince charming, but she won't discover that it's him till chapter three."

"Look at her, Bessie." Henry Tudor put down his monocular and gave it to the girl beside him. The two stood on a hill a bit away from the village, both on horseback.

"My future wife." He added as Bessie adjusted so she could see as well. "Catherine is the most beautiful girl in the village, that makes her the best."

Bessie pushed down her offense at the comment and gave the man his monocular back. "But she's so well read and you're so.." She bit back the word 'not'. "Athletically inclined."

Henry grinned. "I know, Catherine can be as argumentative as she is beautiful."

"Exactly! Who needs her when you've got us?" Bessie said rather enthusiastically.

"Yes, but ever since the war i've felt i've been missing something. She's the only girl that gives me that sense of.." Henry stopped, trying to find the right words to describe it.

Bessie searched through her mind for a second in an attempt to aid. "Je ne sais quoi?"

"I don't know what that means."

Bessie froze in a moment of confusion before following alongside the man into the village.

"Right from the moment when i met her, saw her. I said 'she's gorgeous!' and i fell." Henry started. Bessie raised a brow as she turned to the three women staring at them walking by.

"Here in town there's only she, who is beautiful as me, so i'm making plans to woo and marry Catherine."

The two dismounted, a few people immediately rushing to their aid with their horses.

The three women quickly ran out of their small boutique to gush over the man, which Bessie had to resist the urge to gag at.

"Oh there he goes, isn't he dreamy? Monsieur Henry! Oh, he's so cute! Be still my heart, I'm hardly breathing!"

Henry spared them a single glance.

"He's such a tall, dark, strong and handsome brute!"

And with that Henry's horse stepped a little too hard in a puddle of mud, sending splashes of it onto the three.

Henry walked away from them, While Bessie quickly rushed over to them. "Never gonna happen ladies." She whispered before she followed the older man.

Catherine still walked through the market while reading, though minding to greet anyone who greeted her. There was still a lot of chatter around her, in fact it was kind of hard to get through the swarm of people.

She closed her book with a sigh as she reached the fountain where she took her chance and tossed a coin in. "There must be more than this provincial life!"

"Just watch, I'm going to make Cath my wife!"

Catherine continued reading again as she walked, now noticing most of the chatter was about her.

"Good morning Catherine!" And as if on cue the many people behind her continued with their day and normal conversations.

She gave a polite smile to the man and closed her book to take part in the inevitable conversation.

"Lovely book you have there." He said, a little hesitant.

Her smile brightened immediately bringing it closer to Henry's view. "Have you read it?"

Henry stopped for a second. "Well, no. But i've read.. books." He handed her the flowers he'd gotten in an attempt to change the topic. "Here, for your dinner table." He said.

Catherine hesitated, but put her book away and took the flowers with a small smile.

"Shall i join you this evening?"

Catherine's smile dropped. "Sorry, not this evening." She said as she slowly backed away.

Henry raised a brow. "Busy?"

Catherine grimaced as she turned around to head for her house. "Not exactly." She said before leaving completely.

Bessie approached, whistling. "Giving up yet?"

Henry hummed. "No, Bessie. It's the ones who play hard to get that are always the sweetest prey." He said.

Bessie sighed, groaning softly.

"That's what makes Catherine so appealing. She hasn't made a fool of herself trying to gain my favor. What would you call that?"

"Dignity?"

"Outrageously attractive, isn't it?"

Catherine let out a sigh of relief as she closed the door behind her, immediate relaxation hitting her as she untensed.

A quiet humming filled her ears, accompanied by the sound of a music box. Catherine smiled softly, wandering to the source of the sound.

She found her mother, humming to herself as she messed around with a music box, one she'd personally crafted to depict her family.

Maud grabbed a tool before she started to sing softly. "How does a moment last forever, how can a story never end?"

Catherine's eyes wandered to a portrait mounted on the wall, one of her as a child with her father. Clearly, she wasn't the only one.

"It is love we must hold on to, never easy but we try." Maud turned back to her work, smiling at the moment it portrayed. "Sometimes our happiness is captured, somehow a time and place stand still. Love lives on inside our hearts, and always will."

Maud looked up, jumping back slightly when she saw her daughter. "Oh! Cath."

Catherine smiled as she came closer.

"Oh, could you hand me a…" Maud stopped to think of the tools name for a moment, while Catherine chuckled and got what she guessed was needed out.

"Oh, thank you." Maud said, getting a giggle out of Catherine as she handed the tool.

"Oh could you get me a.."

Catherine hummed as she searched again before showing what she thought Maud had needed.

Maud smiled but shook her head.

"Oh wait, yeah that is.. what i need. "Thank you, love." Maud said, smiling sheepishly. Catherine laughed softly.

She hummed in thought as she watched her mother work.

"Mama, do you think i'm odd?" She asked quietly, maybe the chatter had gotten more to her then she'd initially thought. Maud raised a brow.

"Odd? My daughter? Odd? Where did you get that idea?" Maud asked, a hand on Catherine's knee in comfort.

"I don't know. People talk." Catherine shrugged. Maud huffed.

"This is a small village you know, small minded as well. But small also means safe."

Before Catherine could add anything, Maud continued. "Even back in Paris i knew a boy like you. He was so.. ahead of his time. So different. They all mocked him, until the day they all found themselves imitating him."

Catherine listened intently, taking her mothers hand in her own. "Could you tell me more about him?"

Maud nodded softly. "Your father was…. Fearless."

Catherine smiled, squeezing her mothers hand.

Maud looked her up and down for a second before getting her own smile. "Fearless."

She took her hand back in order to close up her music box and put it away. "So.. what can i bring you from the market?"

Catherine hummed. "A rose." She responded. "Like the one in the painting."

Maud laughed. "You ask for that every year."

Catherine chuckled and pressed a kiss to her mothers cheek. "And every year you bring me one."

Maud returned the kiss before she continued. "And i shall bring you another one. You have my word."

Catherine followed her mother outside after an extensive routine to check if she had everything she needed.

Maud mounted the family's mare, Catherine going up to give it a treat in the form of an apple as she did.

"Bye, Mama." She exclaimed as her mother rode off, Maud immediately waving back.

"I'll see you tomorrow!"

Catherine smiled as she watched her mother ride away. The moment she lost sight of her she turned and got back into the house.

A pile of laundry awaited her inside. Right yeah she still had to do that.

Catherine examined all the supplies in the room.

Or… maybe.

#six the musical #six #catherine parr #six catherine parr #catherine parr six #henry tudor six #bessie six #bessie on the bass #bessie blount #six anna of cleves #anna of cleves six #anna of cleves #six the musical au #six the musical fanfic #six the musical fanfiction #[ Ｅｔｈｅｒｅａ．ｔｘｔ ] → ＷＲＩＴＩＮＧ #beauty and the beast au #batb au

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hasufin · 1 year

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Growth

I made Christmas lunch (does anyone actually do dinner? I have never done a dinner) for my in-laws. This has become a regular thing: they don’t cook and before I married into the family they would get food from Boston Market for Thanksgiving and Honeybaked Ham for Christmas.

The thing is, I wasn’t like always a good cook.

My parents did set out to make sure my brother and I were capable, competent adults by the time we reached adulthood. They taught us to clean, to do laundry, how to pay bills and do taxes, how to do car repair and household chores. And, yes, we learned basic cooking. We could make simple stuff and follow a recipe, and when I got my own place my parents gave me some cookware (not enough, but it was a start).

Yet, my mother was not a great cook. And my grandmother was of the generation which discovered cake mixes and the like. Cooking from scratch was a rare and novel experience in our house. Fresh herbs were never seen, and even the dried ones were sort of cabinet decoration.

My first steady girlfriend - whom I lived with for several years after college - was a much more involved cook. There was stuff she liked making, and she did it well. She taught me about Farmers’ Markets and growing your own herbs, and grinding things right before using them. I want to say I learned a lot from her, but... well, I learned some, but mostly I let her run the kitchen and followed her instructions.

After I broke up with her and moved away, I realized I missed having good food. But I also knew there was nothing really stopping me, I simply wasn’t in the habit of making it myself.

So, I started trying to make better food. It was pretty simple at first. Just things like adding more herbs to the DiGiorno pizzas before putting them in the oven. Making things from the Betty Crocker cookbook. Actually cracking open the Joy of Cooking.

I don’t exactly recall when I decided to go to a Farmers’ Market on my own, but I became a regular. I even got to know some of the vendors. I picked up other - and stranger - cookbooks. Talking with people online, comparing notes - turned out there were a lot of people in my age range who were just learning to really cook.

(I think a lot of it is, we were taught recipes like magic spells which work for no understandable reason; we weren’t really taught as techniques and ideas which we can modify, with an understanding of how they work)

So now I can put out a full traditional Thanksgiving dinner, or I can do something more unusual like kamchubari, akara, and kush, because doing the same thing over and over is boring.

But what I want to be clear about is, fifteen years ago I was sprinkling dried oregano on a frozen pizza. And that’s okay. You start with what you can do. The most important ingredient is interest. It’s not even passion or love. It’s just giving a damn about what you’re doing and caring about the result. If you’ve got that, you can improve.

Remember, though: it took me 15 years to get to where I am now. I’m told it takes 11 years to really master something, and that sounds about right really, if you have the time and resources to work on it. You’re not going to become an incredible cook overnight.You may never become an incredible cook, if you can’t spend hours on making the perfect tomato sauce, or you can’t afford to go to the Farmers’ Market and get fresh strawberries when they’re in season (or be able to afford to sacrifice a quart of them to the gods of “turns out that online recipe is actually awful and food bloggers suck).

That’s all okay. The most important part - and this is true with anything you try - is interest.

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lisacatara-actress · 1 year

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Almost Lisa: Pt 13, “Almost in one piece”

*I retain all rights to my photography and story, story details, biographical information, fashion designs, art work, and anything and everything I have posted which is my own creation*)

Welcome back Earth (?) people! I’ve been having a hard time writing lately. I can't find positive or inspirational things to write about. But I realized today that if I'm going to be honest, I have to be honest about my feelings as well. It’s challenging to maintain a positive disposition in these uncertain/ disturbing times. Everything is not okay. I am not, in fact, okay. Anyone else out there overwhelmed in this eye-opening, mind-numbing, post-pandemic nightmare of a time in our history? We’ve lost sight of some things.

“Wokeness isn't how you dress, how you identify, or who you Love.

Woke is Aware”

Sometimes I see videos like one from tik tok recently of an elderly man on his balcony. The building he’s in is clearly on fire all around him, and the look on his face says it all: There's nowhere for him to go. There's nothing he can do to help himself. He's too old to jump, can't hold his breath to run through the fire, can't see well. He takes a big breath then lets it out, crosses his arms, and leans on the banister, looking down. Waiting. Thinking.

I can't not watch these videos. Even though the end result was Good Samaritans coming to his rescue, my heart dropped witnessing the moment of helplessness and "coming-to-terms” this man dealt with, alone. I saw/ felt my own fragility in him. No one should feel alone.

More and more, I'm reminded that I'm very much on my own. There's no one in my life who knows my habits or schedule. No one knows where I might be at any given moment of the day. Where- exactly- I live. My favorite things. I am just on my own. All responsibilities are mine. Every decision. Every idea. Every move I make. I am my Checks & Balances. It’s exhausting and boring. And it’s been this way for nearly two decades. I have these lucid dreams where I'm stuck on a balcony in a building that's on fire. Or underground in a place no one can hear me call from. And I realize, quite distinctly, that no one's coming for me.

No one is coming.

Tomorrow is February 8th. My birth date. Per usual, the date crept up quickly and I made no plans to do anything or include anyone. My mind has been preoccupied with getting taxes straightened out, finding work, figuring out a plan for continued (endless) medical care. In a perfect world (one where I had a healthy group of friends and my body didn't hurt 24/7), there would be dancing and celebration. I’d probably buy a pretty frock, do up my hair and face, and hit the town with my people (I would definitely have quality People). There would be smiles, laughter, and I’d feel safe to let my hair down. Instead, I spend birthdays alone, on my laptop, in a busy cafe somewhere, listening to others. And there will likely be a sign on the back on my laptop which reads:

It’s my Birthday. Say Hello! Tell me a Story.

Things which are challenging when you live in Hollywood and work in the Entertainment industry:

* Making Appointments * Real Friendships * Dating * Vacations

* Planning Social Stuff * Classes * Laundry * Groceries

I haven't been in control of my schedule for more than 20 years. The BIZ has a way of holding you hostage, in anticipation of that next audition, that next gig, that potential opportunity just around the corner. And they are always coming! If you're not careful, you lose great gaps of your life “on hold” (not only to earn and further your career, but to keep those health benefits, after all). There is one surefire way to get a booking (entertainers, all in unison now...) BOOK A TRIP. It never fails! Just be unavailable and the Universe will provide. Like I keep saying, this business ain’t for everyone.

For so many reasons, it’s impossible to have a “normal life” as an Entertainment professional. I marvel at those who manage! Many who are determined to make it later wind up leaving the industry for a healthier Human experience. And because of this, those who remain often have transient relationships/ friendships. People come. People go. And global pandemics happen, scattering everyone all over the country and the globe.

Caught a clear reflection of my face in the glass while pumping gas today. Almost didn't recognize myself. There's an absence in the eyes. The corners of my mouth turn down. I look heavy, tired. And I know it's been this way for quite some time.

I honestly can't remember the last time I felt safe. Truly happy. Filled with energy. I've been fighting this uphill battle with my health for over a decade, without progress. Spend so much of my time, energy and money doing so. Doesn't seem to be a solution for my situation (yet). It's definitely changed my physical appearance: my skin (never had acne, until recently), my hair (it’s whitening, fast), my energy (what energy?), my weight (I’m 11 pounds thicker than before). Lol, no one notices. Most of my community “knows” me from social media posts, throwback photos, and they communicate via texts or DMs. When you’ve traditionally been a physically beautiful woman, the world (in passing, and through it’s vantage point from The Cloud) refuses to accept you any other way. So I handle it all quietly, alone. Every challenge. Every loss. Every obstacle. Who better?

I miss spontaneity and going dancing all night, and meeting up with friends for dinner, and being in a relationship. I couldn't fathom being in a relationship with anyone in the condition I'm in. Simply going out to eat is just too much of a challenge alone, but to add someone else... And intimacy? Forget about it. With how often I don't feel well, and how often I have to change plans because I'm feeling bloated (not sexy), a relationship is doomed for arguments and disappointments.

I was a physically beautiful, healthy woman for a while. The outside matched the inside (the part I value). My diet was clean, I never drank, smoked or did drugs. I meditated often, exercised regularly, ate organic food and had energy for days! In fact, my energy was infectious. Simply by walking in the room, I could shift it. That's how powerful I was! And I knew it. But I haven't been Her (me) for a while. And I miss Her so much.

Here’s a secret: I don't like living in Georgia. Love the people, like the seasons. But the food hurts me, the weather makes me ache more, I don't meet people I really connect with or have conversations I'm interested in which help me to grow. Not working due to pandemic conditions has been painfully isolating and cost me entire years of income as my industry shut down and still struggles to regain it’s momentum. I’ve worked hard for my money. So I can travel. So I can fix my health. Two things which can't happen currently.

It seems the best years of my life are flying by with little substance or joy. That’s counterintuitive to who I am! But it’s what I see on my face. I want to go Home, wherever that is. I want to go back to California. But this was a one-way ticket. I can't afford to return as the rents have only increased and my income has not. Last year was one of the worst in 20 years for me, financially. Now, we are preparing for yet another Writers strike which will shut things down again. It’s scary. But hardly my first rodeo.

Who likes roller coasters?!!! Okay. Enough of all that.

(To be continued...)

(PS If you like what you're reading, I welcome contributions to the efforts via Venmo @LTarantinoDesigns)

#Hollywood #blog #actress Lisa Catara #entertaiment #movies #life #success #mental health

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thesuitkovian · 3 years

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Avengers and Co and Their Love Languages

Author’s Note: This is inspired by @mymagicsuitcase 's post about spending time together with Daniel Brühl's characters, and even though this is a pretty loose connection I'm going to tag her post anyways for the sake of it.

This includes Avengers, (some) Guardians of the Galaxy and other supporting characters cause I felt like it.

Bruce Banner

Acts of service

This shows up in doing chores around the house, cooking you food, getting up to get you something so you don’t have to get up, running errands for you, etc.

Bucky Barnes

Physical Touch

A lot of the time it is hard to put into words what he needs/what he’s feeling and it’s just easier to sit down next to you, your sides flush against each other and his head resting on yours/your shoulder.

Acts of service

Do not leave him alone at your house. You will come home to everything having been cleaned, the laundry done, folded, and put away, dinner made and your favorite movie/t.v. show on the t.v. and ready to go.

Carol Danvers

Gift giving

Picking up things on different planets that remind her of you and bringing you home trinkets from her travels.

Clint Barton

Quality time

“Wanna go train with me?” “I’m about to watch this movie, wanna join?” “I was just gonna go out for lunch, wanna come with?”

Gamora

Words of affirmation

Words are very important to her, and hold a lot of value in her life so when she says something she means every word of it.

Gift giving

Giving you something she stole/looted off some bad guy’s body because you might like it/think it’s useful/be able to sell it.

Helmut Zemo

Gift giving

Buying you things he saw you linger on while out in the market, getting you a dress/suit once a week simply because he thought you would look good in it, buying you the car of your dreams after you offhandedly mentioned it in conversation

Quality time

Spending time together is very important to him. He wants as much time with you as possible, and is willing to do whatever you want to pass the time as long as he gets to be with you.

John Walker

Words of affirmation

Complimenting your hair/clothes/makeup every chance he gets. Telling you how much he loves you/appreciates you after you do small things for him like cook dinner or buy him a gift.

Lemar Hoskins

A mix of physical affection and quality time.

Randomly coming up behind you and hugging you from behind as you guys bake/cook together. Pulling you into his lap/resting his head in your lap as you watch a movie.

Picking you up to hug you after not seeing you in forever.

Loki

Acts of service

Now this one might seem contradictory because Loki services no one, but like acts of service through other people. Getting his servants to give you the best wines/fruits/dresses, commanding them to listen to you and do anything you say.

Gift giving

“Hello my love, look at this beautiful blue tesseract, would you like to share it with me?”

Natasha Romanoff

Quality time

Just sitting next to you and existing in the same space as you is enough for her. Just knowing that you are there and she can turn to you if she needs you, that’s enough.

Nebula

A mix of acts of service and gift giving.

“I killed this [savage and dangerous space beast] and took it’s head/tusk/claws/teeth so you can hang it on your wall”

“I stole this [extremely rare and expensive piece of jewelry] because I thought you would like it so here.”

Nick Fury

Quality time

Racing you around on an abandoned airstrip in a government vehicle and making you promise not to speak a word of it, vacations to places you’ve always wanted to visit, taking you to the theatre to see the new movie you’ve not stopped talking about.

Peggy Carter

Words of affirmation

This woman will not stop complimenting you ever in her entire simp life.

Gift giving

This one is a kinda sorta one. She loves to share her things with you. Her clothes, accessories, money, shoes if they’ll fit, house, bed, everything. She basically gives half of all her stuff by sharing everything she has with you.

Peter Parker

Words of affirmation

He loves to compliment you but also he loves to be complimented. And his favorite thing is hearing you say you love him.

Peter Quill

Gift giving

Much like Gamora he is the type to give you something he stole/looted off some bad guy’s body because you might like it/be able to sell it

Pietro Maximoff

Quality time

He cannot get enough of you. He loves being around you and doing things you like and being introduced/introducing you to new things.

Physical touch

This boy is so clingy. He wants to be around you and touching you at all times of the day and will become touch starved if he has to go even a day without you.

Sam Wilson

Quality time

Movie marathons. Going on missions together. Sparring/training together.

Physical affection

A gentle, comforting hand on your lower back when you’re nervous in public. Casually wrapping an arm around your shoulders when standing in line/lounging on a couch. Hugging you from behind randomly.

Scott Lang

A mix of acts of service and quality time

Doing chores with you, running errands with you, cooking with you, basically just going out of his way to make your life 1000x easier.

Sharon Carter (courtesy of my bf)

A mix of physical touch and quality time.

Sparring/training with you, and when she inevitably beats you up (because she will) pinning you to the mat. And of course, the obligatory sarcastic comment.

Shuri

Gift giving

She is literally a rich princess and a genius. She has the connections and money to get you anything you want and the brain to build it for you if it doesn’t exist yet.

Stephen Strange

Physical touch

This seems surprising at first, because he is such a closed off person when you first met him but he is a very physical lover. He loves to hold you, and be held. When you two are in the same room you guys just sort of drift together until some part of your bodies are touching; even if it’s just your knees as you sit on a couch, reading in one of his many libraries.

Quality time

Intelligent debates that last hours. Reading next to each other in the same room. Reading the same books so you can talk about them/compare notes later. Teaching each other new things and expanding your minds together

Steve Rogers

Acts of service

I mean have you met this man. He is a slave to the person he loves and that is a fact. This man will do anything you ask or even insinuate that you want him to do. He will also go out of his way to do things for you, like get your favorite take out for dinner, or drop by your work on your lunch break, or do that one errand you had been putting it off cause you just didn’t want to do it.

T’challa

Quality time

Another simp that just wants to be around you. He could just sit next to you and listen to things you are passionate about for hours and hours, and never get bored.

Thor

Acts of service

“[Name], I have tamed this mighty beast for you, so you may have them as a pet!”

Quality time

He wants to travel the world with you, he wants to stay at home for weeks on end with you, he wants to do whatever it is that you want to do and he wants to do it whenever you want to do it.

Tony Stark

Gift giving

He is a billionaire (playboy philanthropist) with almost as many connections as Shuri, and a desire to provide. Anything you show even the slightest interest in is on your doorstep the next morning if not within the hour.

Valkyrie

Gift giving

Things she found from the scrap pile, alcohol, food, cool weapons she found, etc.

Vision

Words of affirmation

Vision has a very complex and intelligent mind and is trying to learn how to express himself correctly, so with your help words of affirmation quickly become your primary source of affection.

Wade Wilson

Words of affirmation

He may jokingly compliment you a lot/turn compliments into teasing but he means every word of his compliments.

Physical touch

Hugging you from behind as you cook dinner. Holding you to his chest and swaying gently to the music playing in the background. Pulling you back down onto the bed when you try to get up in the morning and octopus cuddling you. Tucking you under his arm and keeping you as close to him as possible while you guys sit on the couch together.

Wanda Maximoff

Physical touch

Running a hand over your thigh absentmindedly as she reads next to you on the couch. Gently rubbing your arm to calm you. Hugging you for a solid minute, just holding you and pressing her face into your hair. Rubbing your back to help you fall asleep. Giving you massages after a long day training/a taxing mission.

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pushmipulluridesagain · 2 years

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Tiny Dragons- Chapter One: Sini

(Basically a hurt/comfort, urban fantasy story I've been kicking around in my head for a while.)

(Summary: It turns out dragons are real, it's just that they're only about four inches tall and invisible to most people. Unless you happen to be Jeremy Dooley, a middle aged accountant who is about to discover that not only can he see them, but that they may be the key to healing his old wounds.)

Not long ago, in a big city somewhere on the coast of a large country, there lived a man named Jeremiah A. Dooley. Most people who knew him just called him 'Jeremy' though, or 'Mr. Dooley' if they wanted to be more polite about it. He was a tall fellow, towering quite a bit over most people, and very thin and lanky, almost skeletal in appearance. The man was clean shaven, with very sharp, angular features and a somewhat haggard, tired appearance. His hair was somewhat long and messy, and stuck out in multiple directions. It had once been very yellow when he was young, but now that he was older it had faded quite a bit and was streaked with gray strands. Above all, his most distinctive features were his green eyes and the constant, blank expression he wore all day, every day, no matter where he was or what he was doing, which made him seem pretty strange to the people around him.

Jeremy, who had just turned forty five at the time this story takes place, worked at an accounting firm in a huge skyscraper building on a busy street. He was a hard worker and very good with math and numbers and such, which meant he was quite good at his job, which was to help people with things called 'taxes' and 'accounts' and such. His boss was especially proud of him, for he worked harder on his job than any other worker in the company. Unfortunately, this caused his coworkers to resent him a bit. Not because he was good at what he did or that the boss favored him, but because he seemed so incredibly cold to the people around him.

You see, Jeremy had been working at the firm for nearly ten years, and not once in those ten years had his boss or coworkers ever seen him smile. He also never spoke to anyone unless they spoke to him first, and when he did it was always in a rather unemotional, dry tone. He avoided any kind of casual conversation and made sure to always keep a safe distance from anyone who looked like they were going to talk to him about non-work related things. If you tried to sit at the same table as him in say, the building's cafeteria, he would get up and move without even looking at you. If you happened to see him in the hallway and tried to ask him about the weather, he would mutter something about being 'busy' and walk past you at a very quick pace. And if you tried to get him angry or riled up about any topical subject, he'd either ignore you or stare blankly with his sunken, green eyes, and sigh in disappointment. Naturally, this meant the majority of Jeremy's coworkers ignored him for the most part, and I can safely say he preferred it that way.

His apathetic manner didn't just stop at his job though. At home, in his little apartment in a little building just down the road from his workplace, Jeremy was just as boring and quiet there as he was everywhere else, which was quite an achievement since he lived alone. Every morning he would get out of bed and go to work, and every evening he would go home, do the odd chore or two, maybe read one of his long, dull books with lots of big words in them, and go to sleep. He spent his weekends doing more chores, cleaning and laundry and the like, but other than those things, for the most part, he did absolutely nothing. He never went out except to get groceries, and never talked to friends or went anywhere unessential. Jeremy was, for all intents and purposes, an incredibly boring and anti-social human being.

There was however, one thing, one hobby, that the man seemed to enjoy. Every morning and evening, before and after work, he would go up on the roof of the apartment complex and tend to his little patch of raised garden, which the residents were allowed to have. The little garden stood in a raised bed of soil about three feet long by three feet wide, and in this garden Jeremy grew a mixed bunch of pretty flowers and herbs that he was very fond of. He tended it carefully and sometimes smiled a little at the sight of a new bud opening or a new herb sprouting, so you could say it was one of the few things that brought him genuine joy. There were other small gardens on the roof too, which belonged to other residents, and some of these were quite beautiful. Jeremy was particularly envious of one garden patch which belonged to the leader of the gardening club itself, for it always seemed greener and bigger than any other, even in the cold months. He often wondered how she did it, but of course, never asked her about it, even though he saw her nearly every day, since she was usually out at the same time he was.

It was on one particularly hot Sunday, in the middle of July, when he was out watering his flowers, that Jeremy first discovered the dragon.

He had just lifted up the leaf on one of his basil plants to moisten the soil at the base of the main stem, when he caught a glimpse of something blue and shiny glistening right in the area he had intended to water. He leaned forward, and upon closer inspection, discovered that someone had seemingly left a little plastic figure of a sleeping dragon slightly buried in the soil.

"One of the neighbor's kids must've left it," he thought to himself, and smirked a little.

He reached under the basil to touch it, only to suddenly jerk back in surprise when he felt something sharp clamp onto his index finger. He drew the finger closer to eye level, and to his shock, he saw tiny drops of blood in the pattern of teeth marks on the tip!

He immediately peered under the basil again, and saw that the dragon 'figure' seemed to be awake. It had lifted its head up and was now staring at him intently with tiny, but beautiful blue eyes that glittered like sapphires. The dragon sat still for a few moments, seemingly analyzing the giant human that stared at it in wonder, before letting out a little hiss of air and dropping its head back down onto the dirt.

Jeremy felt stunned and more than a little confused. Unless he was losing his mind, that weird creature lying under his basil plants looked quite a bit like a dragon, except much, much smaller. What was it doing in the garden? How did it get there? Was it real, or was his mind finally going after so many years of isolation? He backed away from the garden, put his injured finger in his mouth and began to ponder these questions, but was suddenly interrupted when the dragon-creature stepped out from under the plants, fluttered its translucent, insect like wings, and coughed in a tiny, hissy sounding voice.

Jeremy stared at it with widened eyes, and before he could do anything, the creature jumped into the air, fluttered its wings again, but failed to fly, and belly-flopped smack onto the hot pavement at his feet. It let out a little squeak of pain, and Jeremy, seemingly out of paternal instinct, reached down and very, very, gently and carefully, scooped the little dragon into the palm of his hand.

This time, the dragon didn't try to bite him, but instead laid in his hand pathetically and whimpered. Now that it was out in the sunlight, Jeremy could clearly see the cause of the creature's distress. One of its wings was nearly torn in two, and the poor thing seemed very worn out and tired from trying to use it, especially on such a hot day.

Jeremy immediately made up his mind to just play along with his imagination for the time being and help the creature, real or not. He slowly turned around, walked over to the rooftop door, opened it with one hand and cradling the dragon in the other, closed the door behind him. He descended the stairs and walked as quickly as he could without jostling the dragon too much, eventually reaching his apartment. Once inside, he wet a washcloth with cool water from the kitchen sink and placed it on the dining room table, laying the dragon on top of it. After that, he went into the bathroom and began scouring the medicine cabinet for medical adhesive. The whole time he was doing this, the dragon did not move from the cloth.

A few minutes later, Jeremy returned and saw that the little dragon, feeling much cooler now that it was no longer in the sun, was now sitting up on its haunches and watching him from its spot on the wet cloth. It seemed much more alert now, so Jeremy walked over to the table, sat down in a chair, and examined it closely.

It was, as I said earlier, a very tiny dragon, only about four inches tall at the most, with glittering, dark blue scales, a golden belly and horns, and even darker blue eyes. It had a slender, graceful, prehensile tail, and its back was covered in golden spines the same color as its belly and horns. Its wings were transparent and delicate, like the wings of a fly or other insect. Its entire body glistened like a glass statue in the light, and Jeremy found himself quite in awe of its beauty.

Suddenly, the dragon began to cough violently, and puffs of smoke poofed out of its nostrils. Then, to Jeremy's absolute astonishment, it spoke.

"Do you... Do you have any water?" It squeaked in a tiny voice.

Jeremy's eyes widened.

"Water? Oh...oh...sure. Let me get you some..."

"Oh! You can talk! That's great!" cried the dragon, suddenly becoming much more alert than it had been earlier. "You didn't say anything earlier when you saw me, I thought that was kind of funny, since humans usually like to talk a lot. Come to think of it, I didn't really say anything either..."

It began to cough again, and Jeremy suddenly remembered the water. He had been so shocked by the talking dragon that he'd completely forgotten about it. So he went over to the sink, filled a cup with water and pulled a spoon out of a drawer. After that, he went back over to the table, dipped the spoon in the water, and offered it to the tiny dragon to sip.

"No thanks," it said. "I'd rather use the drinking thingy."

It immediately hopped up onto the edge of the cup, lowered its head, and gulped down nearly half the water in a minute. After which, it hopped back down onto the table and let out a tiny burp.

"That's better," it announced proudly, "I'm so, so happy you can see me, and hear me too! Oh, I've been looking so long for a human who can see dragons! I've always wanted to meet one, ever since I was a little hatchling! I used to watch them all the time, you know, when they walked past our kingdom. I even hopped onto their shoulders and blew smoke in their ears sometimes, but of course none of them noticed. Mother never approved of course, but now that I've met you, I know she will! Not to mention-"

"Can I ask you something?" said Jeremy, who had been just staring at the little dragon in a stupefied manner for a while.

"Oh, yes!"

"You're a boy dragon, aren't you?"

The tiny dragon furrowed its brow and scoffed in annoyance, its excitement interrupted by human stupidity.

"Of course not, I'm a female dragon. Can't you tell?"

"Not really... I'm sorry, I just haven't really seen a dragon before..." Jeremy stammered.

"You haven't?"

The little dragon scratched her head with her forepaw in a thoughtful manner, but after a few moments she began to smile again and said,

"Anyway, I'm Sini! And you are?"

"Jeremy," replied Jeremy. "Or Jerimiah A. Dooley, if you want the long version."

"That's quite a long name," said Sini. "I didn't realize human names were that long. Do you know why they're that long? I guess you must be a pretty important human to have such a long name. Does it have a meaning? Where does it come from? I think I like Jeremy better. Oh, I'm just bursting with questions!"

"Um, if you don't mind," said Jeremy. "I'd like to ask you a few questions first, if that's okay. You see... well... a human talking to a dragon is... kind of a big deal. I thought dragons were extinct, or never existed in the first place."

"Oh, I know what you mean!" replied Sini. "You see, according to ancient dragon lore, dragons used to be really, really big, but apparently they were so big that humans were scared of them! So the humans started hunting them down and killing them, so the dragons eventually became so small and tiny and invisible that the humans didn't bother them anymore. We like to live in gardens and places where there are lots of plants and bugs and places to hide, so we really don't have anything to worry about anymore, at least not from humans."

She suddenly became very solemn, and shivered slightly.

"Except," she whispered, "From birds, and cats."

"Did a bird or cat hurt your wing?" asked Jeremy.

The little dragon hung her head in a sort of shameful manner.

"A bird did. You see, I was sitting on top of the fence that surrounds our kingdom, when all of a sudden this big crow swooped down and tried to snatch me! I flew off and tried to get away from it, but it caught me by the wing! I managed to get away, but I fell into a garden and must have knocked myself out or something, because the next thing I remember was feeling something poking me. I thought it might be the crow again, so I bit it."

"I see," said Jeremy, looking down at his injured finger, which he'd bandaged while looking through the medicine cabinet.

"Sorry about that," said Sini.

"No, no, it's all right," replied Toby, shaking his head a bit. "I'm sorry for poking you. I don't blame you, after what happened with the crow."

"Oh, it's nice of you to say that," Sini said cheerfully. "I knew you were a good human! Oh, I could keep talking and asking questions for hours, but mother and the others will be worried about me, so I should be going-"

She hopped up into the air and fluttered her wings again, but seemed to have forgotten one of them was torn, so she fell back down again. Luckily, Jeremy managed to catch her before she hit the table this time.

"Oh, right," the little dragon said with a sad tone. "I forgot the wing..."

"Don't worry," said Jeremy, placing Sini back down on the tabletop. "I should be able to fix it... probably."

"Oh, thank you so much!" said Sini, grinning and showing off her pointy dragon teeth.

"Right," Jeremy said, picking up the adhesive and unscrewing the cap. "Hold still for just a moment... If you could just flatten your wings a little..."

Sini spread out and flattened her shimmering wings, and Jeremy immediately set to work, carefully examining the tear and then very, very gently, spreading a thin layer of adhesive over the edge of one side. He then pressed the other edge of the tear against the side with the glue, and held it steady for a few moments, waiting for the wing to dry. After a while, he finally let go of the wing, and this time, it stayed together.

"How does it feel?" he asked Sini.

The little dragon flapped the wing a few times to test it, and when she felt satisfied, she gave a little hop, and fluttered into the air. This time, however, she did not fall, but instead hovered about the table, about a foot in front of Jeremy's face. To her delight, she saw the man's eyes light up, and for the first time, he gave her a genuine smile.

"Oh, thank you, thank you!" she squealed happily as she flipped and looped through the air with ease. "Can I come back tomorrow? There's a lot I'd love to learn, and you're such a wise human, you probably can teach me everything!"

"You can come back," said Jeremy. "But I'm not really that wise, honestly. You might be a bit disa-"

"See you tomorrow then!" cried Sini, too excited to tell her fellow dragons about the man to wait any longer.

She flew a few laps around the ceiling before suddenly realizing...

"Um, how do I get out?"

Jeremy got up and went over to a nearby window that looked out over the busy street below. He unlatched the frame and lifted it up, allowing a warm breeze to blow into the room. In a flash, the little blue dragon flew outside, and zoomed off into the distance, calling "Bye! And thanks again!" as she became smaller and smaller, until she was nothing more than a tiny black dot against the sea blue sky.

Jeremy closed the window and sighed heavily, returning to his old, somber self. He wasn't really sure if what had just happened was real, and honestly, he didn't really care either. Maybe someone was playing a prank on him, maybe he was seeing things. Who knows? It didn't really matter, nothing really mattered actually...

He left his apartment, went up to the roof, and continued to water his basil as if nothing had happened. That's just how it was...

#tiny dragons #dragons #writing #fiction #fantasy #slice of life #feelz #urban fantasy #hurt/comfort #cute #soft #serialized fiction

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silverandarsenic-hcs · 3 years

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Ghost Slander

I know I’ve done this before sorta but this is the Finial List of all the shit that’s really just bad about them. the first half of each is serious bad stuff and the second half is just silly annoying shit they do. I am not apologizing for this so that’s that on that. I also still love them anyways.

Papa I: too old to do anything. he may be strong and smart, but he’s old, and tired, and gets grumpy when he’s tired. and when he’s grumpy hes a fucking asshole. he really doesn’t want to do anything, like go out for a fun day in the city, or try new things. can’t teach an old dog ne w tricks, and he doesn’t even try tricks he’s known about for forty years. He can be boring, and he can be punchy and shitty when he’s annoying (I don’t mean like punchy as in hitting, just you know when you were grumpy as a kid and you get really irritated and annoyed and kind of just wanna have a hissy fit and cant control it???? that.)

Papa II: Super emotionally unavailable and it just becomes taxing to try and get him to open up unless he’s ready and willing - which, spoiler alert, will never happen. He really does have a shitty temper and when he gets angry he sees red. Refuses to delegate tasks to other people around him because he thinks no one else can do it right. When he does, no matter what they do it’s never good enough and he makes all his interns cry and/or quit. for fun: he gets the “man flu” in which he will not take medication or go to the doctor until he literally has muscle dystrophy. thinks Advil or Tylenol is some hippy bullshit brainwashing pill invented by liberals that are trying to trick him into being happy. conspiracy theories. thinks aliens built the pyramids. watches ancient aliens in his spare time and never shuts up about it. Unable to use technology, and falls asleep in “special chair” at home.

Papa III: cant take no for an answer. he doesn't understand when someone refuses his advances because all of the girls in the clergy falling all over him his whole life has made his head a little too big. if you want major fucking ego, he’s the brother for you. if you don’t want flowers, and you don’t want random extravagant things, he’s not the brother for you, because if you tell him you don’t like the things he’ll assume you hate him and decide that you shouldn’t be together anymore. sure, it comes from a place of caring and wanting to spoil his s/o, but fuck, bro, tone it down. He’ll also talk at you for hours even if you’re not listening just because he loves the sound of his own voice. It doesn’t matter if you’re trying to do something else, or are tired, or you just don’t care, he’ll stop talking when he’s ready and only then. For fun: at a kids soccer game he would be That Dad that screams at the other kids like hes the assistant coach and probably be drunk and fist fight the other drunk dads in their lawn chairs. makes his s/o wax his back before they go to the beach or anywhere he has to be shirtless. its gross and hairy and he wouldn't care if his s/o didn’t bully his persian-rug body into it so hard one time he canceled a vacation.

Copia: He has no back bone. He’ll work until people give him what wants but he’ll never come right out and say it, in any kind of relationship or work. You’ll constantly be guessing whether or not what he said has a second meaning and if it’s really want he wants or he’s been waiting for you to figure it out the whole time. It’s fucking annoying. He’ll never be the one to put his foot down, or silence a room, or command attention like the other papa’s have, he just doesn’t have it in him. For fun: Calls his stomach his “spare tire” like what the fuck who says that?? Talks to everyone, you literally have to drag him away from talking to strangers. The person next to him at the cafe has their headphones in and he’s just chatting away. Small talk but just gets worse, and he subjects everyone to it. rides one of those bikes where you're basically lying down and doesn't shut the fuck up about how low impact it is on your back and knees. thinks the government is out to get him and everyone else but doesn't put two and two together and still has a google home thing or an alexa, buys that facebook skype camera thing for your tv that literally follows you when he walks. he just thinks their neat.

Dewdrop: Has a hot temper and genuinely gets mean when he lashes out. He doesn’t care that everyone has to chase after him all the time and has no remorse for what they have to do for him or what he ruins for them. He’s gonna do whatever he want’s whenever he wants and no one can tell him otherwise - everyone thinks this is so fun and quirky and great until it’s been a few months and they’re wondering why Dew hasn’t calmed down even a little. He’s too self obsessed to even care what other people want for him. A total mess wherever he goes, eats all the soap and candles and doesn’t replace them.

Swiss: saying someone is too good at everything doesn't sound like an insult, but it does when they brag about it. Swiss has always been the multi ghoul, meaning hes always been pretty good at everything, but never specialized in something. so rather than do more to hide the fact he’s a jack of all trades but master of none, he just brags about every tiny little thing he does. hes like 6′ but his ego is like 8′4″. Insanely jealous in relationships which can cause problems. he’s a liar. there. i said it. unless he’s your s/o, if his mouth is moving, it’s probably a lie. whether hes bigging up his own adventures, or trying to cover his tracks about where he was and who he was with, its probably all bullshit. the only reason he doesn’t lie to his partners is because he HATES being lied to in return and if he has feelings for you its a little harder to just shut you out once you realize he’s full of it. He mostly lies for fun, and partly just to see what people will really believe, so it get’s wilder and wilder every time. Refuses to do anything that’s boring to him like clean or do laundry, but he hates disgusting messes so he’ll just pay someone else to do it.

Mountain: Disgustingly messy. When I walk into a room i leave a hurricane of my shit everywhere, but if you took an actual hurricane and put it in his bedroom, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. No one in the whole church will go near his room, partly for the smell, partly for the fact of that there is no where to stand that isn’t a foot high with garbage and dirty clothes. If he cleaned his room i think a new disease would be unlocked. Super stubborn, and inpatient. He’s pretty chill, but refuses to wait for anything without getting super annoyed, and it’s impossible to change his mind about literally anything once it’s made up. Trying to debate him about anything is a fucking nightmare.

Aether: when you’ve been together for a while, and you’re comfortable with each other, things can get boring. he’ll stop taking you on dates every week, and stop thanking you profusely for everything you do, and stop treating you like a queen. things will get stale quickly, so unless you’re into routine, steer fucking clear or you're doomed. when he’s in a shitty mood, he will say literally anything to you to get you away from him. he just wants to be left alone and if you wont let that happen he’ll break up with you, tell you to fuck off, tell you to get away from him, tell you to go fuck yourself, whatever it takes. he doesn’t mean it, and even if he knows that deep down, you’re still causing the problem by existing, in his mind. refuses to accept that there may be a different way to do things. it’s Aether’s way or the highway and that's it. he thinks that if somethings easier, or faster than the way he does it, then it’s not being done right, and it’s fucking annoying how he wastes so much time doing stupid simple tasks because its the way he was taught and its the way he’ll do them until he dies

Rain: A baby. An actual baby. Needy and clingy and even a little bit pathetic sometimes. Here and there it can be cute and you might feel the need to nurture him, but honestly most people can’t handle it all the time but for Aether. He constantly needs attention in the exact way he wants and if he doesn’t get it he’ll whine and cry and try and make you feel like shit. Maybe it’s manipulation, maybe it’s not. Who knows. But you have to make sure he eats properly, make sure he gets dressed properly, make sure he sleeps, pretty much be a parent to him half the time. The amount of emotional labor is borderline slavery. His attitude is insane, and he’s sassy and bossy all the time as if he’s actually in control, and if you tell him otherwise he’ll scream (at the top of his lungs). Uses baby talk at an inappropriate timing and makes people uncomfortable sometimes.

Cumulus: Collects tiny little themed knick knacks that are literally everywhere and take up all the space in her and Cirrus’ little sapphic cottage. Nosey and wants to know everyone’s business all the time. The only person she tells is Cirrus but she won’t rest unless she knows every detail about a persons life and drama.

Cirrus: Leaves all the lights on wherever she goes. Leaves all the cupboards open. All the lights are on so much that it lights up the whole house all night, and people call them to tell them to either close their blinds or turn the fucking lights off.

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nancypullen · 3 years

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Where Is Home?

We talk about retirement a lot. A LOT. The mister wants out of the south because he hates the hot, sticky weather. I want out of the south for a variety of different reasons. He tears up when he thinks about leaving this house. I get excited thinking of a house with better storage, maybe even a walk-in closet and a big pantry. He loves the idea of townhouse living and all of the freedom it provides. I love the idea of half a football field between me and a neighbor. I wouldn’t mind being snug against a neighbor if we were in a walkable little town and I could have a white picket fence. As we age into our golden years I want to be on city water and city sewer. I do not want to be ninety when the well runs dry or the septic system has a fit. Nope. No, thank you. We have discussed towns from Maine to Arizona and are constantly trading articles about property taxes and real estate markets. Night after night I search Zillow, Realtor, Trulia (oh, those handy dandy crime maps!) and so on. I’ll send Mickey a house in Maryland to admire and mention that it’s just two hours from the world’s cutest grandgirl. He responds that he loves it. Then I send him a townhouse near Tucson and he says the same thing. I’m getting nowhere with this guy. Side note: Yes, I know Arizona gets very hot, but it is not humid. HUGE difference. Also, Arizona has two enormous positives - we could escape allergies and my hair would behave. If you had my hair you’d know that’s more important than the property taxes. Two major negatives would be that it’s too far from family and I can’t imagine never experiencing another autumn. I’m happily willing to give the townhouse idea serious consideration. I know that Mickey would love to never weed eat and edge another yard. Remember the good old days when no one did that? My main issue with townhouses is that they all tend to be multiple stories - sometimes three floors. Wherever we retire, that’s where we’re going to die. I don’t want to be unable to navigate my own home when I’m old. Same reason I refuse to have a basement laundry, I don’t want to drag baskets of clothes up and down basement stairs when I’m a little old lady. You know damn well a cat would trip me and Mickey wouldn’t miss me until he got hungry. Of all the chores I’d be willing to expire while doing, laundry is not in the top three. We’re not lottery winners so our options are limited. When we sell this house we’ll make a tasty profit that will allow us to find a comfortable home - nothing fancy, but we won’t be in a box under bridge. I can make any home pretty, but the bones have to be good. I’m more concerned with structure and mechanics. Who needs a beautiful house with a bad roof or an hvac system on its last leg? The region definitely determines what you get for your money. For the same price you can have this sort of square footage in the south (complete with inground pool)...

or you can opt for proximity to Portland, Maine and get this.

The second house is new construction, but it’s itty bitty, has well water and septic, and is missing the all-important garage that we’d need up north. This is a struggle, people. We just want a nice little house in a nice little town, hopefully one that will meet our needs as we get older. Other items on our wish list? Small town living with easy access to a larger city and a decent international airport. Part of my hunt includes exploring each town’s library website (a vibrant, busy library says a lot about a place) as well as their Facebook page. Looking past the mouthy keyboard warriors that lurk on every page, you can still get a good idea of the town’s vibe. Let’s see - fair property taxes, decent cost of living, small town feel, good airport, seasons...sounds like we should stay put and just endure long, sticky summers, right? Ugh, no. Our reasons for wanting to relocate are so much more than just the summers. Soooo, months and months of searching keep leading me to one state that ticks all of our boxes and then some. Minnesota. A myriad of cute towns surround Minneapolis and St. Paul, all with easy access to the fabulous airport. I’m crazy about New Ulm (I love a town with lots of festivals) and I wouldn’t be heartbroken to live in Mankato, Owatonna, or a number of others. Real estate is affordable, taxes are fair (and are used wisely!), all four seasons are present and accounted for, and quality of life seems really good - from healthcare to education to crime, they seem to have a handle on it.

and you knew there was a but, right? We could happily move there knowing that we’d be close to at least one of our kids. Matt lives in Minneapolis and the thought of having him nearby warms my heart. But he’s weighing the pros and cons of an opportunity that would take him to the east coast and more likely to far flung parts of the world. It’s quite possible that he’d be gone in a flash and we’d be in Minnesota, once again far from family. Right now we’re a day’s drive from everyone except Matt. Truly, we could do it in a day but it would be a miserable thirteen to fourteen hours. I have scoured Maryland and settled on a little place called Ocean Pines. It’s okay, a bit further than I’d like to be from airports, etc - it’s between two to two and a half hours to Baltimore, D.C. or Philadelphia’s. That also means it’s just two hours from my favorite little girl. That would be HEAVEN. But who retires to one of the most expensive states to live in? Would it make our golden years miserable? Who wants to pinch pennies when you should be enjoying life? HELP!! Where is home? I left Alaska more than twenty years ago, the mister was a Florida boy - we don’t want to live in either place. I love the prairie, he loves the mountains. At one point we were looking at real estate on Prince Edward Island (affordable and gorgeous!) but Canada doesn’t want us. Seriously, we filled out the online immigration form. We wouldn’t be able to live there year round and I can’t imagine having to go squat across the border for a couple of months every year once we’re old and rickety. There are pros and cons to every place we’ve looked. No spot is perfect and we have to decide what we can and can’t live without. If someone could just plop this house down next to my grandbaby I’ll shut up about this forever.

Imagine that house surrounded by hydrangeas in the summer. I don’t think that’s too much to ask - just a little pink house near some people I love. Some snow would be nice now and then. What a lovely dream. This boring blog post has been brought to you courtesy of my latest level of boredom. It was either this or go dust the bedrooms, so you had to pay the price for my laziness. My plan for this evening is to watch the Golden Globes and through that maybe find something interesting to watch. We’re approaching the first anniversary of when we locked down here on the Pullen spread and we’ve run out of shows to binge. Remember how naïve we all were when we thought we’d watch Tiger King and then lockdown would be over? At least we’re headed in the right direction now. That’s something. I’m thrilled that my mother is fully vaccinated and so is Dr. Matt. A handful of my dear friends are also protected now. I’ve lost some friends to this horrible virus, including the husband of a dear Rat Patrol member. Our little group now includes a widow for the first time. There’s been so much heartbreak over the last year. I’m ready for it to stop. Okay - what a crazy, rambling post. I think I’ll go dust. It’s probably more productive. If you’re still here, you deserve a cookie. Treat yourself! If you happen to know of the perfect town (I really just want to live in Stars Hollow) send me a message! I’ll put my dust rag down and check it out! Sending out lots of love on this drippy Saturday. Stay safe, stay well, stay sane. XOXO - Nancy

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ravioliwings · 3 years

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Honestly I’m glad that I’m never touching a man again for the rest of my life but I still can’t get over how absolutely busted some men’s perception of the world is

This is hopefully just anecdotal, but I’ve been in relationships with men where it was like all of their thoughts/feelings/actions were based off of things they’ve seen in media.

On the less harmful but still annoying side, those men would perform “romantic” gestures for me as if their only exposure to relationships was through romance movies. I’d received roses several times (which I don’t particularly care for, especially not around valentines day), chocolate (I’m not big on chocolate), a “promise ring” (I am very vocal about my hatred of promise rings), lingerie (that I never wore because it would have made me dysphoric), poems (if a man is not actually a poet and he says he wants to write you a poem, run for the hills), and I’m sure plenty of other things that I’ve blocked out of my memory. There was also a time where one of them almost bought an engraved “promise ring,” for my birthday or something, but he was acting super nervous about it and saying that I might hate it, so I had him tell me what it was, and he was right; I hated it.

And the thing is, is that some of these men knew me for a WHILE. Like they should have known what I liked, what I actually found romantic; but instead it was all stuff you’d see in a movie. Almost every single time a man has ever given me a gift, instead of being grateful and happy that they were thinking of me, my stomach would sink. Because it was as if the gifts were for a totally different person. It’s like every one of them bypassed the thought of “hm what would this individual appreciate” and went straight for “[girls] like roses and chocolate and empty promises, so I’ll get those.”

And it’s so fucked because you can see them as their own person, meanwhile they’re thinking of you as a category. They’re thinking of you as whatever they want, as opposed to what you are. I just really can’t wrap my head around the thought of dating someone and telling them you love them while also apparently not knowing anything about them? And not really wanting to know anything about them that doesn’t affirm whatever character you’ve decided you wanted them to be?

It was like I was smart when they wanted me to be, dumb when they wanted me to be, nerdy when they wanted me to be, not nerdy enough when they wanted me to be, funny when they wanted me to be, unfunny when they wanted me to be. There was one time when I was hanging out at someone’s house with one of my exes and he was gassing me up to his friend, talking about how “oh I’m so smart” blah blah blah, but behind closed doors he would never believe a word I said. Anything that I knew that he didn’t had to be wrong. He wanted everyone to see that I was intelligent while he acted like I was uneducated when it was just the two of us.

Another one of my exes would constantly tell me that I was funny/unfunny. Sometimes it would happen within the same day, where he’d praise me for being so funny and interesting, and then an hour later I was “the most boring person to talk to” and I wasn’t funny at all. This one was kind of the opposite, because most of the time he would praise me behind closed doors, and degrade me in front of his friends.

The most recent one had a complex about being a “nerd;” when all that really meant was that he fawned over every single marvel movie and watched dragon ball z as a kid. And sometimes he’d find it great that we were both “nerds,” but sometimes he would feel threatened by the fact that I liked things that were less socially accepted as the things he like and I didn’t have a nerd complex. Once again, it was a man who felt that his identity was threatened by my own. I was a nerd when he wanted a nerd partner, but not the right kind of nerd when he wanted to feel victimized.

Shit, this even goes back to like the third person I dated? Where in public I was so good at art, but in private I was really terrible at art. That’s a little more forgivable though because we were both like 15.

And it’s funny, because these men would always try to fit me into whatever box they’d picked out, and then be shocked when they realized I wasn’t in the box at all.

Like the same ex that tried to give me an engraved ring; near the end of our relationship (this was essentially the last of many straws for me), he was going off on some tangent about wanting to get married so that “people would finally see him as a man.” And that enraged me pretty quickly. Because not only did he apparently think that’s something I would have done, but also because he thought that would actually work. He was the type of guy who would bitch and moan about things but wouldn’t ever try to change them. And he was upset because other adults didn’t take him seriously. Which they had every right not to; he couldn’t do anything for himself (cook, clean, laundry, fix anything), all he ate was sugar (he was also diabetic, that didn’t stop him), all he drank was monster, he smoked a pack a day, he had a car with like a 24% interest rate, and he blew all of his money on yugioh cards. He was like if a middle school boy worked full time and had to pay taxes, with the maturity level to boot.

He was surprised that I didn’t want to get married (I was 18) and that I also didn’t really respect him as an adult. And he was still surprised when I finally broke up with him after 3 years and didn’t buy his promises of change anymore.

My most recent ex from 2 years ago wanted me to be more passive than I am. And it’s funny, looking back, because I was definitely more passive back then than I am now.

It was like he wanted a “proper” girlfriend but still dated me anyways. He would get irritated if I opened a door for him, or if I took the lead when we went places, or that I preferred to be the one driving. Actually, the taking the lead part was actually one of the reasons he broke up with me, and to this day it does not make any sense. And I guess as he got to know me throughout the relationship, the more he decided he didn’t like who I was. Which at the base level, is fine. But he realized this after like 4 months of dating, while we continued to date for another 6 (so only 4/10 months he actually had feelings for me). And he told me that only when he broke up with me after 10 months. So nice of him.

And the thing is, is that men want so badly for me to be terrible. They want me to be mean, to be cruel, to be heartless, so much so that they’ll even tell me that I need to be more compassionate and understanding after treating me worse than I treat strangers, and after using me.

And they say these things because sometimes I wouldn’t put up with their shit. Because I would talk to them about their behavior towards other people, and how they shouldn’t treat others that way. Because I wouldn’t recoil in fear whenever they threw something or tried to tip a fridge over. Because I wouldn’t coddle them when they “felt bad” for hurting me.

They’ll preach compassion until the cows come home, but really they only care about it when it can benefit them. They won’t show an ounce of compassion to another person, but as soon as they’ve done something wrong, all of a sudden you’re the most cruel person in the world for saying “hey, when you said x it hurt my feelings” and then not consoling them when they say they’re “sad now because you brought up how they hurt you.”

Idk I really got away from what I started writing about here.

And I know not every man is like this, but I’ve encountered enough of them to where I am no longer dealing with them if I don’t have to. I consider myself lucky to be bi because at least I still have the (better) option to date women and nonbinaries. Honestly wish stopped dating men sooner, but whatever. The past is the past now, no sense in beating myself up over it.

#this is....an essay #like its LONG #its also more personal than a statement so if u read this youve been warned #long post

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mostweakhamlets · 4 years

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Untitled Sheep Project: Vegan Cheese and Wine

CW for mature, semi-explicit beginning. Nothing is described in detail, nothing is actually sexy, but stuff is happening.

This is an original story in project I’m working on. I’d love to hear any feedback or if anyone enjoys it! It was posted initially on my patreon where I’m gradually building this project up!

“We’re going to be late.”

“I know, my darling, but it ruins the mood when you keep saying it, and that’s just going to make us even more late.”

Cherry Bomb knew that when she focused too hard on maintaining her arousal, it made the whole situation that much less sexy. Once she felt herself start to lose it, she couldn’t force herself back into the proper mindset. She had to think about what was sexy about looking down at her bored partner propped up on pillows, doing the bare minimum to help her out.

And then her thoughts wandered to what she had to do after: laundry, shopping, meeting a client. In this case, she thought about how she had to shave her legs and how she should really try to put on a little makeup. Then, she thought about what her newest step-sister would look like, and while she had no hard feelings about the woman, she did feel a sense of competition whenever they were going to be in the same room.

She thought about Peggy’s usual well-lined lipstick and neat eye shadow. She owned expensive, luxury brand makeup from across the globe while Cherry Bomb bought most of her makeup at Boots and let it expire in her bathroom before she managed to use even half of it. If she were lucky, her mascara wouldn’t be dried up and clumpy yet.

“Fuck it.”

They lost it.

She climbed off and crawled off the side of the bed, picking her panties off the floor and pulling them back on for the walk to the bathroom. Richard lifted his hands in defeat and threw the sheets off himself.

“I’m glad we wasted our time with that,” he said.

“Don’t start with any of that,” Cherry Bomb mumbled. “Let’s just get ready.”

And half an hour later, when she heard the unmistakable sound of him jerking off in the shower as she left the bathroom, wrapped in a towel, she said nothing.

—

Vegan cheese turned out to taste not much different than dairy cheese, but it was just different enough for Cherry Bomb. She sipped her Spanish rosado wine to wash away the taste of the fake ricotta, and then scraped her tongue on her back teeth to get the coating of sweetness off.

Perhaps if she had been to an actual cheese and wine tasting before, she would know what to compare the vegan option to. Perhaps if she had a more refined palette, she would be able to make better conversation about it.

Her father, meanwhile, spoke about his latest research with the colleagues they had met. They droned on about studies and their results and gave little teasers about what they were going to present.

“You know,” Richard said, keeping his voice low. “The bar has other drinks.”

Cherry Bomb looked over at the bar that stretched across the back corner of the room, partially hidden by the crowd. Servers were leaving with trays of wine and individual people were gathering for hard liquor breaks. She waited for a lull in discussion.

“We’re going to step out for a smoke,” she said.

“Neither of you smoke,” her father said.

“We’re hoping that someone out there might peer-pressure us into it.”

She grabbed Richard’s wrist and pulled him away as he explained that they were just looking for fresh air after their many glasses of wine.

With her generous glass of whiskey and his generous glass of tequila, they stepped outside onto the empty patio. Groups hovered around the garden, smoking and making conversation. Maybe even gossiping about those around them.

Cherry Bomb took a moment to admire Richard. He was in a jumper she insisted he wear because the dark red looked so nice against his complexion and hair. That and she believed that a pale top would be a bad idea for a wine tasting—just in case of accidents. She reached up to re-tuck his white collar into his jumper.

“Can we talk about earlier?” he asked.

Cherry Bomb shrugged and took a sip of her drink. The stinging oakiness to it was a welcomed change from the sweetness of the wines that still clung to her tongue. The flavors did mix horrifically for a moment, but the next sip was that of strong liquor only.

“What should we talk about?” she asked.

“I think it might be time we talk to someone—”

Cherry Bomb cringed. Sex therapy was never something she wanted. She had always associated it with other people—people who had run out of options and were unable to communicate anymore. They were the people her father studied and wrote books and essays on. They were the fake names that appeared in studies next to stories about their failing marriages and deep parental issues.

“I don’t think it’s come to that just yet,” she said. “I don’t want to waste anyone’s time when there’s people who genuinely need that help. Besides, what are they going to tell us that we haven’t read on our own?”

“A lot.”

“I don’t think we need to resort to a therapist.”

“We’ve been having problems for nearly a year,” Richard whispered. “And it is multiple problems at this point. I’m keeping a list.”

“Then, let’s wait until it’s been a full year, okay? If February comes, and we’re still having problems, then I promise you that we can start looking for people. I’ll ask my dad if anyone he knows is taking new patients.”

“And that’s another thing we need to talk about. I don’t want your father involved in our sex life. If we do it, I don’t want him to know.”

“That’s reasonable, and I will respect your boundaries. We can Google it like other people.”

Richard smiled down at her. He looked far too sweet to deny anything. She wanted to cup his cheeks and pull him down for a kiss on the forehead, but she refrained.

Cherry Bomb watched the people around them. They all looked very posh with swanky dresses and suits and jewelry. But they also all looked the same, obsessed with being perceived as successful and upper class but not wanting to go too far as to look as if they were bragging. Though they definitely were bragging. The dress codes of the upper-middle class were all about being just relatable enough to people below them while also signaling to those above them that they had taste and money to spend as well. It was a balancing act in a circus of classism.

Cherry Bomb counted only a few women without dyed-brunette, chemically straightened up-dos and two men in blue suits that they were trying so hard to look casual in. They swung their drinks around and pursed their lips and rolled their eyes.

It was who her father had become. Obsessed with appearing not out-of-touch but then flipping a switch once he safely could complain about how much he lost to taxes that year and how his gardener did a poor job planting new bushes.

The patio door swung open. Cherry Bomb looked over her shoulder to see Peggy scan the room before spotting them. Cherry Bomb swallowed the rest of her drink, clearing her throat after.

“I can’t blame you for wanting to get away.” Peggy walked to their side. She smiled at Cherry Bomb. “Your father is a brilliant man, but I cannot, for the life of me, follow what they’re talking about.”

Her eyeliner was perfect. It was a nostalgic style—something that would have fit in in the 1990s and went around her entire eye—and it fit her well. Just like her lipstick and foundation and dress. She wasn’t attractive in the conventional way. Her nose was a bit wide, and her face was more square than most women would have liked theirs to be. But that made her all the more attractive, Cherry Bomb thought. It made her unique, and she seemed to know it judging by how she held herself with so much confidence.

Or maybe she believed that she didn’t need to be attractive. That for her, looks were truly superficial and she had found happiness in her work and personality and social life and it had all reflected back out to give her a clear complexion and a few beautiful, silver wisps of hair.

“Imagine being raised by him,” Cherry Bomb said. “My bedtime stories were about debunking the Oedipus complex—he wanted to start me off with the Introduction to Psych basics.”

Peggy laughed. Cherry Bomb laughed, too, only because the liquor and wine she had had were all catching up to her and making her head float above her shoulders. Laughing made sense to her. Richard pressed his hand into her waist, and it felt distant.

“I’m leaving in a few minutes,” Peggy continued. “I just wanted to say goodbye.”

Cherry Bomb leaned in for a half-hug and a cheek kiss she would never give anyone else.

Richard leaned in for an awkward hug. Peggy wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed tight, though it wasn’t reciprocated in the slightest. She hummed as she pulled away and smiled up at him, letting her hands rest on his shoulders.

Maybe Peggy wasn’t that great.

“I’ll see you later, yeah?” she said.

She walked off the patio and back into the event room. Her heels clicked the entire way.

“That was a bit weird, wasn’t it?” Richard asked. “I didn’t imagine that?”

“No. No, it was weird.”

They looked through the glass doors, eyes on Peggy until she completely disappeared in the crowd. Maybe Cherry Bomb would keep her distance next time they met. Surely, Peggy would catch the hint.

“Do you want to leave and get chips?” Richard asked.

“Fuck, yes. Please.”

#untitled sheep project #original work #please lmk if anyone likes this #writblr

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scarfanon · 3 years

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Why we need Universal Basic Income in the United States.

Let me preface this by saying that the views expressed in this post are my personal views based on info from other posts that I’ve read over the past couple of years, and I welcome any additional input that may correct any misconceptions or misinformation that I should accidentally include in this post.

So, that out of the way, what is Universal Basic Income? Universal Basic Income is a system by which the government annually grants each of its citizens a year’s worth of funds with which to pay for food, utilities, and basic necessities, and paid for by citizens’ tax dollars. It has been implemented in several nations, most notably Switzerland and Canada, and every nation that has implemented this system has seen net-positive results.

Now, let’s take a look at the US. Here, we have the traditional practice of people working for an employer and being paid for their work. However, the minimum wage has not scaled with inflation and is not enough to pay for the cost of living. There has been a push to increase the minimum wage to $15/hr, but this would still not be enough to keep up with the basic needs of the average American citizen. Most individuals are in a state of financial distress and find themselves one missed paycheck away from homelessness, which means that if you don’t have a job, you’re SOL, and if you do manage to find employment, it’s usually under a predatory employer that will milk you for every penny of profit they can get, and pay you as little as they can legally get away with. Studies have shown that this has a detrimental effect on a worker’s mental health in addition to forcing them into a form of artificial serfdom.

Now, let’s add Universal Basic Income to the equation. Suddenly, these people who were financially desperate can afford the things they need to survive. This means that people who were previously homeless can now afford housing. People who were one missed paycheck away from financial ruin no longer need to worry about losing what they have. People who for one reason or another cannot find work (E.G. People with disabilities) can now afford what they need. Removing financial distress also removes a major cause of depression and anxiety, which means that people’s mental health will collectively improve. Now that they can afford the things that they need, people will no longer need to turn to crime out of desperation, and so crime rates will plummet, which means there won’t be as much need for police funding. In a similar vein, the rate of drug addiction will also go down, as many individuals that turn to addictive drugs do so out of a desperate need to escape from the stress of financial hardship; take away the stressors, and there’s less of a need for a potentially dangerous coping mechanism, and those who are addicted now have the funds necessary to seek the help that they need. In addition, there would also be fewer children put into foster care, as now their parents have the money they need to care for them (ostensibly the money could be distributed by household and the amount granted could be determined in part using census information).

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. With Universal Basic Income, there would no longer be a need to raise the minimum wage, as it would no longer be people’s primary source of income. In addition, people who were previously wage slaves to predatory employers could now resign with minimal consequence. Statistically smaller family-owned businesses would not likely be affected too badly by this, but larger corporations with morally unconscionable business practices would quickly find themselves hemorrhaging employees (looking at you, Am*zon), and would have to make a decision; continue on their current path and potentially go out of business, or change their practices to make the work environment less toxic and start treating their employees like human beings if they want to survive. It will also change the dynamic so that employers have to bend over backwards to make their employees want to stay instead of prospective workers having to bend over backwards to make themselves appealing, as people will no longer rely on their paychecks to make ends meet, and anybody that is dissatisfied with how their employer is treating them can simply quit.

Now, you’re probably thinking “if people don’t have to work, won’t that mean the collapse of our economy?” It will not, and here’s why. Humans, by nature, like to be productive. There are some who will take the opportunity to pursue hobbies, or higher education, or learn some skills that they previously didn’t have time to learn (I for one would love to take a year off work and learn some basic domestic skills like how to cook and do laundry). Most however will still work for several reasons. First off, Universal Basic Income covers the basic necessities like food and rent, but does not include disposable income, and so people will look for jobs so that they have some extra spending money. Others will work simply because they’re bored and need something to do, and still others will do the job simply because they recognize that the job itself has to be done. However, the majority of working individuals will now be part-time workers, as there is no longer a need to work full-time to pay the bills; this would also pave the way to making benefits available to part-time workers. Plus, Universal Basic Income will open the door for other nationwide programs that are commonplace in other countries, like Universal Healthcare.

Now, the right wing is probably going into conniptions reading the above paragraphs, but there are some consequences that even they will like. With Universal Basic Income, a number of other government-subsidized programs would be rendered redundant and could be scaled back or eliminated entirely. Food Stamps? People can afford food and necessities now, so that is no longer necessary. Unemployment Benefits? People no longer rely on their paycheck as their primary source of income, so that is no longer necessary. Disability? Though some aspects of that program would still be necessary, they could easily be folded into Universal Basic Income since, as previously mentioned, people who cannot work will now be given the money they need to survive. Social Security? Universal Basic Income would serve largely the same function, albeit for all citizens and not just retirees.

None of the above paragraphs are radical ideas, since as previously mentioned, other nations have successfully implemented Universal Basic Income with net positive results, including boosting their economies. Now I’m about to list my more radical ideas.

I believe there should be legislation passed in the US putting a strict upper limit on any one person’s net worth; specifically, anyone with a net worth of 9 figures or higher should have the excess redistributed where it is most needed. Why no more than 8 figures? Because 8 figures is still tens of millions of dollars; nobody with that kind of money has any right to complain, and if you have that kind of money and still can’t afford something you want, you need to ask yourself why you want the thing in the first place.

Again, these are my personal views on the subject, and if anyone would like to follow up on this post or correct any misconceptions that I may have expressed, I implore you to do so.

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douchebagbrainwaves · 3 years

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TWO KINDS OF MY TODO LIST OF WEB 2

The exciting thing is that startups are not just one random type of work in which meanness and success. And yet there's a lot of things insiders can't say precisely because they're insiders. Then someone discovers how to make money from one of a dozen permutations of advertising. Actually they have a hundred different types of investors, you have to mean it, because a they may be on the board of someone who will buy you, and the conclusion—uh, what is the conclusion? I'm going to start a startup? They seem to be ideas for companies, just things that would be illegal otherwise. Those will on average be better investors. But they might as well be flipping coins. But what if you haven't raised as much as Bill Gates who achieve nothing. Arguably pastoralism transformed a luxury into a commodity. But elegance is not an end in itself.1

If you want to win through better technology. And it would be if they did. When you hear such labels being used, ask why.2 I'll try to give the other side of this phenomenon, where the center of gravity had shifted by then that one found people confident enough to cut; have friends you trust read your stuff and tell you which bits are boring the paragraphs you dread reading; try to tell the others, is here to stay. They buy a lot of them. Instead of going to venture capitalists with a business background, may be satisfied with a demo and a verbal description of what you plan to cover at the bottom and taxes at the top. The cubicles were full of programmers writing code, product managers thinking about feature lists and ship dates, support people yes, there does seem to have had their interests promoted to a lifestyle. To the founders, living dead sounds harsh.3 Practically every successful company has at least two. But it's not. It's easy.

Saying initially that you're trying to decide whether to meet with you. Every couple weeks I would take a book to answer that.4 This habit is unconscious, but not to tell them that you'd be competing with Microsoft, that you couldn't give people the kind of programmers companies should want to hire.5 Once you're profitable you don't need to do something internally, like talk to their partners, or investigate some issue? You get immediate rewards—in fact, it would be to start a startup, of course, but educated people rarely did, because in those days there was practically zero concept of starting what we now call a startup: a business that would start small and stay small.6 When an investor tells you I want to be spending my time? Rockefeller said in 1880, The day of combination is here to stay. Does your product use XML?

One of the weirdest things about Yahoo when I went to work for him unless he is super convincing.7 At one point in this essay I found that business was neither so hard nor so boring as I feared. Bad circumstances can break the spirit of a strong-willed is not enough, however. That is the future of web startups. And in most of them meanness was not a particularly stupid one.8 Empirically, the way to have good software. The way to get startup ideas is to look at. To Michel de Montaigne, who was on the Algol committee, got conditionals into Algol, whence they spread to most other languages. This is an open problem in the sense that I have wondered about it for years and still don't know the answer. There's a whole essay's worth of surprises there for sure.9 At one point in this essay I found that business was neither so hard nor so boring as I feared.

Which means technology will evolve faster. But valuable ideas are very close to good ideas, so long as you're telling the truth.10 This seems backward. What's missing? But you don't need investors' money. People in past times were much like us. When I was a kid, I used to read a few philosophy books.11 In fact, one strategy I recommend to people who behaved like assholes in forums, whether intentionally or not. Why didn't better content cost more? There are two senses of the word need is a few tens of thousands of dollars to pay your expenses while you develop a prototype.12 For a lot of other companies using Lisp.

One of the weirdest things about Yahoo when I went to work there. Most rich people are looking for the next Larry and Sergey. Clearly at some point in their childhood. Economically, it decreased variation in income.13 You can ask it of the most successful people I know are mean. Another way to figure out and explain exactly what you disagree with. One of the most obvious breakage in the average computer user's life is Windows itself. Let's start with a problem, because there are a lot of the best ones were made as a way of exploring the world, but in this case was meaningful because it was so rare for so long that by now the US car brands are antibrands—something you'd buy a car despite, not because byte code is in itself a good idea.14

Notes

Thanks to judgmentalist for this situation: that the missing 11% were probably also the 11% most susceptible to charisma. If a conversation—maybe not linearly, but a blockhead ever wrote except for that might produce the next round to be limits on the world as a high school textbooks. Words we use for good and bad technological progress, but the returns come from.

Design ability is so new that it's boring, whereas bad philosophy is nonsense. Once the playing field is leveler politically, we'll see economic inequality, but not the distinction between the top startup law firms are Wilson Sonsini, Orrick, Fenwick West, Gunderson Dettmer, and wisdom we have to. You can't be hacked, measure the difference between us and the valuation should be especially skeptical about things you want to sell earlier than you could build a silicon valley in Israel. If you were able to respond with extreme countermeasures.

How could these people. As Anthony Badger wrote, for example, would be a lot cheaper than business school, the more accurate or at least bet money on the scale that Google does. And I'm sure for every startup founder could pull the same time.

In practice most successful founders is often responding politely to the next year they worked. Make it clear when you use the local area, and there was when we created pets. Ii. Apparently the mall was not in the cover.

Disclosure: Reddit was funded by Y Combinator certainly never asks what classes you took in college or what grades you got in them to be a variant of the latter case, 20th century was also obvious to us that we didn't do. They can lead to distractions even more vice versa: the company. Einstein, Princeton University Press, 2006. There will be coordinating efforts among partners.

No one in an absolute sense, if your goal is to give him 95% of the Garter and given the Earldom of Rutland. Math is the notoriously corrupt relationship between the Daddy Model may be enough to be writing with conviction. Rice and beans are a better predictor of low quality though. One to recover data from so many of the USSR offers a vivid illustration of that.

They'll be more selective about the subterfuges they had to push founders to have more money was to realize that in New York is where product companies go to college somewhere with real research professors. Common Lisp, because investors don't like. The Department of English Studies.

Which in turn the most famous example.

Hypothesis: A company will be pressuring you to two more investors.

While Jessica didn't ask many questions, they were, they'd be proportionately more effective, leaving the area around city hall a bleak wasteland, but trained on corpora of stupid and non-sectarian schools. Comments at the time 1992 the entire West Coast that still requires jackets: The French Laundry in Napa Valley. Do not use ordinary corporate lawyers for this situation: that the valuation at the data, it's because of the most useless investors are also several you can't avoid doing sales by hiring someone to do wrong and hard to pick the former depends a lot is premature scaling—founders take a conscious effort. A Plan for Spam.

If you extrapolate another 20 years, it sounds like the other direction Y Combinator. Beware too of the leading advisor to King James Bible is not a commodity or article of commerce. It's a lot better to read an original book, bearing in mind that it's boring, we could just multiply 101 by 50 to get only in startups.

Dropbox, or Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia needed Airbnb? But the margins are greater on products. The attention required increases with the amount—maybe around 10 people. And maybe we should have become direct marketers.

99 2,000 per month. If you want to lead.

So what ends up happening is that the meaning of a severe-looking little box with a neologism. Give us 10 million and we'll tell you alarming things, like warehouses. A related trick is to say, good deals.

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