#@ gaea @ women who think otherwise

[crookedghosts]

casually making myself cry while creating Esperanza Valdez' (highly inaccurate idk) political career in the rwrb au bc escapism... only so much of this will be featured, frankly, bc this is a story about Leo/Piper/Jason and it's the only reason they need a backstory made but I adore it anyway so I'm gonna share lol:

(Pre-Early-AU) Tristan McLean is born into an affluent family in California, where his family is involved in philanthropy and Indigenous historical preservation. He's charming and easily a star in California politics, advocating for Indigenous people and the environment. Piper's mother passes early in her life, leaving Tristan as a single father, deeply devoted to raising Piper while managing the demands of his political career.

As Tristan works his time as a U.S. Senator from California, his priorities begin to shift as he struggles with balancing raising Piper with his growing political role. There is work to be done as the Aeneas/Chiron campaign pushes for BIPOC voices to be heard and represented in the late 2000s, and he is on the trail with them.

Meanwhile, Esperanza Valdez is born into a working-class Mexican-American family in a small Texas town. Her father (Leo’s grandfather) works as a skilled mechanic and runs a small auto repair shop. Esperanza grows up witnessing her father’s dedication and the tight-knit community he serves. She became known for her sharp mind and strong voice, often advocating for fair treatment and opportunities for local workers. Her natural leadership and willingness to speak up make her a community figure, even before she considers a formal career in politics.

With time, Esperanza graduates college and becomes involved in community advocacy and organizing, focusing on education access and labor rights. When she has Leo, she begins actively organizing for women's rights, particularly women's reproductive rights in Texas, as someone who is very publicly pro choice and pro family (not mutually exclusive things). Leo's abuelo is the best father figure he could ask for growing up.

2008 (Aeneas/Chiron Administration): As Esperanza gains recognition for her effective grassroots efforts, she is encouraged to run for the Texas state legislature during the Aneas/Chiron wave. Initially hesitant, she agrees, driven by the chance to make broader change in the 2010 midterms.

2012 (Aeneas/Chiron 2nd Term): Esperanza runs for Congress and wins, and her reputation grows as she fights for working-class families and educational reform while representing a diverse district in her home state of Texas. Leo, now 7, is a part of her public story (her little helper). Her career steadily grows 2012-2016.

2013-2014 : Esperanza meets Tristan McLean, a career politician known for his early success but disillusioned by the limits of the system and pivoting careers. Realizing he can be more effective in non-political advocacy, he shifts focus. They meet during initiatives promoting educational reform and child welfare. Leo and Piper, both around 8-9 and often with their parents for events, develop a quick bond.

2015: Tristan and Esperanza are married, driven by their shared values. Esperanza has been in congress for 3 years and Tristan has taken his step back to focus on family and philanthropy for the last 5. Piper gains a strong female role model in Esperanza, and Leo, 10, becomes Piper’s new stepbrother. While Tristan supports Esperanza’s career, he is cautious about Piper being too involved in politics, creating a complex family dynamic as Piper looks up to her stepmother and becomes drawn to her causes.

2016 (Kronos v Creon): Kronos wins the presidency in the race against Helene Creon, the first female identifying presidential candidate who fought a tight race that the Valdez-McLean family fully supported. Esperanza, now a Congresswoman, becomes one of the leading progressive voices in the fight against regressive policies.

2016-2020: As Esperanza’s political career accelerates, Tristan supports her from the sidelines, using his experience to guide her through challenges but maintaining his wish for Piper to have options outside of politics. The Kronos years are in Leo and Piper's early teenage years, from age 11-15.

2018 Midterm Elections: Esperanza leads significant efforts in the 2018 midterm elections, advocating for progressive candidates and policies. At 13, Leo and Piper begin making more appearances and volunteering publicly, despite Tristan’s concerns. Esperanza’s work in the midterm campaigns pays off when she becomes the House Minority Leader, bringing her national prominence and solidifies her as a key contender for future higher office.

2020 (Chiron/Valdez vs Kronos/Typhon): Former Vice President Joe Chiron selects Esperanza as his running mate for the presidential election. She becomes Vice President after their victory, making history as the first Latina to hold the office. The family dynamic shifts as the Valdez-McLean family moves into an even bigger spotlight. Tristan takes on a quieter public profile but remains active in philanthropy, focusing on arts and environmental causes while encouraging the kids through high school, which they are finishing as the family enters the 2024 race.

2024 (Valdez/Chase vs Kronos/Typhon): Kronos can't lose enough, but the Valdez/Chase administration wins with President-Elect Esperanza Valdez as the first woman of color to hold the office. Leo and Piper, freshly starting University, become the First Son and First Daughter of the US, forming a White House Trio with Annabeth Chase, the Vice President's niece.

2027-2028 (present day in the Valgrace RWRB AU): Leo and Piper are both 23ish, finishing uni, with Annabeth already a year out and deep in the world of political analysis. The Valdez/Chase administration is running the country while running a campaign against an unknown Repu blican ticket, and shenanigans ensues.

[high-wired-stuff]

Ecce Homo

“time does not efface what noble men leave behind, and there prowess shines forth when they are dead” – Euripides, Andromache 775. But what do monsters and terrors leave behind in history?

Countdown

Activity

Time used

Years spent

Remaining

Lifetime

75 years

75 years

75 years

sleeping

8 hours per day

-25 years

50 years

eating

1.5 hours per day

-4.68 years

45.32 years

housework

1.5 hours per day

-4.68 years

40.64 years

work

160 hours per month for 45 years

-9.04 years

31.60 years

travel

1 hour per day

-3.12 years

28.48 years

Personal hygiene

1 hour per day

-3.12 years

25.36 years

Doing activites that turned out to be a waste of time

7 hours per week

-3.12 years

22.24 years

Die young mind set e.g wasting money damaging health

1.5 year sustained period plus 24 hours a month for 30 years

- 2.5 years

19.74 years

Picking yourself up out of depression

2 hour per day for 10 years

-0.83 years

18.91 years

On the phone lectures from your mum

1 hour a week from 18 to 28

-0.6 years

18.31 years

Being a lover

Average relationships a life time 8. Expected exponential growth in relationship length. Expected half all time spent with partner.

Total 126,504 hours

-14.4 years in relationships

3.91 years

Being a loner

2 days a week for 12 years

Add 4 years for after partner dies

-4.79

-0.88 years

1/3 of your life is for enjoyment (25.36 years) or things you want to peruse yourself. Nut if you are ill or have an accident this will affect your enjoyment years severely.

The Titans

Once upon a time, or below a time, or in a time that there was no time, that is our time, there was a man named Kronos, otherwise known as Saturn, husband of Rhea, Son of Uranus and Gaea. He is the God of time who effects the course human life.

In short, he was obessed about his future. He wanted power. So he castrated his father, the king of the gods. But whats a king without his bollocks? Kronos became king and his father fell from power.

Cronos and his wife Rhea already had children, 4 boys in fact. Years past and Cronos remained firmly in his throne but his obsession about his future only got tighter. Then Cronos received a prophecy that he would be overthrown by one of his sons. He would not let this happen. Determined to take control over his destiny, Cronos ate all 4 of his sons. Or what he thought was all of his children. 3 of the boys were gobbled alive but Rhea had replaced one of her sons with a goat. The Boy Rhea saved was named Zeus.

Some more years past, Cronos unaware that he had been deceived. Zeus was now grown up. He wanted to bring retribution and justice to Cronos for the castration of the his grandfather. Zeus raised an army and waged a mighty war against Cronos. It was fought for many years. But Zeus was triumphant. As punishment for his crimes, Zeus tied Cronos to a mountain. Cronos’s liver was to be eaten by a hawk every day until the end of all time. Zeus says to his father “one has to think about the choices one makes to avoid being the prisoner of one’s own making”. Cronos fate was sealed.

Fuck You

Can I just say a few things.

Fuck you to all the men at school who took the piss out of how I dressed

Fuck you to the men that don’t listen

Fuck you to the men that speak for you

Fuck you to the arrogant rich men who demand to be called sir when pouring them a pint

Fuck you to the boys who saw I was cicrumised and wouldn’t let I drop

Fuck you to the sqaudy who took the piss out of my teeth and used it as an excuse to chat up my girlfriend

Although I love you dad, fuck you fo only telling me I had an older brother when I was 16 years old

Fuck you to the regular pisshead at my bar who says anything to make you feel bad about yourself

Fuck you to my best mate you slept with my girlfriend in a really tough time of her life, I know were friend still but I will not forget that mistake

Fuck you to the shity ruling class

Fuck you to the company I work for who pays me shit all.

Fuck you Peirs Morgan – I hate you

Fuck you to gentleman who accidentally kicked me on the tube, an apology would have been nice

Fuck you to the man I know who ignored me on the street after I said “hello”, “how you doing”

Fuck you to the man who touched me inappropriately in Hampstead pools

Fuck you to male pornstars that make you feel insure and inadequate

Fuck you to the porn industry making it seem that its okay for men to dominate and abuse women

Fuck you to my mums step-dad who told her at 15 her place was in the kitchen and theres no point to attend her exams as they are all pointless as a women

Fuck you to all the men in suits who are just a bit threating and arrogant – we should ban suits

I am going to be who I am. Because of you all im determined to be the best man possible. So in a way I should thank you too. But also one last fuck you.

This is Amy

This is lovely women, this is bright women, this is take no shit woman. This women is a mother, a teacher and a wife. She is a wife to a husband battling his fifth bout of cancer. This is strong woman, this is rock women, this woman is selfless. She is selfless but she’s not on the side-lines. She still leads me to make my best choices. She is impacting so many young people. She is giving them options. She is a women who values everyone and everything in life. She has taught me that every second in life needs to have your heart in it. This is the women who taught me how to breathe. This women helped me stand up to my dad and express to him what I want to get out of my life. She is like a piece of long unbreakable thread that lead me somewhere, inviting me to follow my own voice into the future rather than sitting in a dark crowded room. This is bright woman, this is shining woman, this is the women who never loses hope. Her tickling west Yorkshire accent. I think her kindness, her warmth and unbelievable smile and freckles are just pure inspiration. This women just keeps on going and defies all limitations.

This is Gacko

This is simple man, this is funny man, this is strong touch on the back goes a long way man. This Dame man, missing a few teeth man, wears a straw hat man. This is “if you love it, go for it” man. This man is cheeky man, travelled the US of A with only an accordion and bag clothes man. This is “do you know how to play poker?” to a 15 year old boy man. This Funny bones man, Strong touch on the back goes along way man. I have only ever seen this man involved in performances. Is there another side to this man? This man is roll a few dice see how it goes kinda man, this is drifter “I love to road” man. This is “Give a cuddle you little twerp” man. This man shows of his kid with his chest puffed out man, glad to be a father man. Is he free man, understanding husband and good father man? This is a tad bit racists because he’s from Yorkshire man. This man changed to course of my life. He’s the kinda man that whispers in your mums ear to help you. Now he’s gone with the wind man.