#“we purchased Louisiana”

[erinwantstowrite]

The way that my brain broke at your last post - oh my goodness Peter didn’t really go to school and is missing so much information and doesn’t know JFK. He only knows the Founding Fathers from Hamilton the Musical. Well, the obvious solution is the musical-ify all of US History.

he's been taking remedial classes but if he's not interested in smth it's impossible for him to retain the information. he's like "yeah i know the laws of thermodynamics. i am confused about the branches of the government." he's knows about the boston tea party and he hates christopher columbus but he does not understand what the stock market is. it is entirely a gamble on what peter will know. well not really a gamble because it's mostly 7th-9th grade history that he's confused about

[tklpilled]

cute names for wanderer!!

arashi

zephyrus

kiyoshi

saisei

shadow

pinocchio

josh

pisslauncher 3000

[witches-come]

This is extremely off topic but I have to do it on here for reasons:

If we're interpreting Land Back the way Zionists / Professor Flowers do, who TF gets the Great Lakes?

I know they don't actually care BUT this keeps me up at night.

[iamthepulta]

Do tell me more about Lizzie 👀

Lizzie is ADORABLE.

(top art by me, bottom art by @lettuce-shoes)

For as long as she could remember she grew up in an orphanage in the Reach, run by the nefarious Madame Florence. The younger children, five and under, were allowed a bit of freedom, but were restricted to the orphanage grounds, cleaning, and keeping the rooms orderly. The older children were sent out pickpocketing with their "wages" garnished to keep the orphanage (and Madame Florence's lifestyle) running.

Lizzie ended up being quite valuable with the highest pickpocket rate of any of the children. She was the perfect height to slip away unnoticed and after roaming the streets for a bit, looked so sooty she could blend into any alleyway.

However, being Madame Florence's "prize" picker ostracized her from most of the other children, and she only had two friends: Benji and Sally. When she turned 8 - old enough to make proper decisions for herself thank you very much - she decided to run away from the orphanage with Benji and Sally. They got separated in the hubbub of escape, but Lizzie snuck aboard the Pyrrhus and hid in their pantry (a respectable hiding place, of course) and tried to lay low until they reached the Elutheria relay.

She also loves kipper snacks. :) (Sunless Skies equivalent of hardtack.)

[allylikethecat]

So glad you’re a fellow chiefs hater. I hope that whiny Kermit looking little boy gets his butt absolutely kicked to mars on Sunday

*Disclaimer* My hatred of the Chiefs is long standing and has NOTHING to do with Taylor.

HOWEVER, I have been talking a big game and a whole lot of crap recently so the 49ers better not let me down 😂 I am full bandwagon on this situation, I ordered a tee shirt to wear I am READY (okay I will admit though I have always liked Deebo Samuels and usually have him on my fantasy team)

Kermit looking little boy I'm dead you are spot on 💀 as a Pat's fan I'm like seriously? You're going to compare him to BRADY, to TOM BRADY the GOAT?! The very same TOM BRADY who BEAT HIM IN A SUPER BOWL when he was in his FORTIES and Mahomes was supposably in the start of his prime? Regardless if you actually look at the stats, they don't lie.

I apologize to everyone who has followed me for my '75 fan fiction and is instead being subject to my VERY CORRECT FOOTBALL TAKES, just know the Chiefs are not as good as they think they are, their TE is a bag of dicks who also isn't even as good on paper as people try and say he is, and their QB is a whiny little fuckboy that has only made it this far do to some VERY generous reffing. Like we all watched (ok well some of us hopefully) watched the games and could see with our EYE BALLS how bias the refs were being.

On that note Go 49ers! I am going to be insufferable this weekend 😂

Thank you for sharing the correct sports opinions! I hope you are having a great week and that we all have a very happy Sunday (my the correct red team win!)

❤️Ally

[noyzinerd]

More Than Just A Body (Swap)

Thinking about a post-body swap Sterek fic.

One that fully takes place after a body swap has already been reversed (like, a sequel to a non-existent fic--where they swapped bodies, had to live as the other, got switched back, yet didn't get together by the end--that's constantly alluded to, but we never actually get to read), so we only see the aftermath.

Derek is super irritated and snippy for days after they get back into their own bodies. Stiles thinks it's because Derek feels pissed and humiliated he had to relive to highschool with insufferable teenagers, be helplessly human and weak, and generally listen to authority again (his dad). It definitely bums Stiles out to think that Derek found living his life so deplorable that he's still angry about it. So now both of them are upset and sort of avoiding each other.

It isn't until two weeks later, when their stand-off is starting to effect pack business, that Stiles gets fed up and confronts Derek.

"What's your deal, man? You've been super shitty ever since we swapped back. It's been two weeks. How can you still be mad about living as me? What, was doing the dishes and being forced to write 5,000 words about the Louisiana Purchase seriously that terrible? Look, I'm sorry you had to deal with my stupid, tissue-paper body for so long, but you can't just-!"

And before you know it, Derek has him shoved up against a wall. He's still pissed, yeah, but, for some reason, he also looks...hurt and broken inside.

"Your body isn't stupid, Stiles! It was the best thing to happen to me in years!"

Stiles is stunned speechless. Derek's fingers are trembling around the grip he has in Stiles' shirt. There's so much pain in those green-blue eyes that it actually aches to look in them. It looks almost like grief.

Like Derek is in mourning.

Derek's not crying, but his eyes are definitely shinier as he continues, "You have no idea what you have, Stiles. What I had. For the first time since the worst fucking day of my life, I got to do normal things, like chores and sports. Not a single person expected anything of me o-or looked to me for answers. I didn't have to worry about fucking up and getting people killed, because the smartest guy I knew was taking care of my body like it was something precious. And all I had to do in return was live your beautiful, quiet life. A life where someone gently woke me up for school and nobody found me too intimidating to get close to.

"I got to know what it was like to be loved by a father again, Stiles! To say the words 'I love you, too, Dad' when I didn't think I'd ever get another chance. I-I got to be hugged and have people smile at me like they were glad to see me and I'd get to look in the mirror in the morning to the sweetest smile at the start of my day and hear your voice every time I talked. It was perfect." Somehow, Stiles has found his face streaked with tears even though the tears valiantly sticking to Derek's lashes still haven't fallen as his voice breaks over his words.

"A-and now? All I get to wake up to is me." The word is spit out with acid and venom. "I get to wake up alone in a cold, silent, empty, concrete room and look at a face in the mirror that makes me sick. I get to go back to my pathetic fucking life where I have to choose between literally fighting against an endless wave of people out to kill me or using my family's blood money to buy myself a microwavable dinner for the night. The only difference is that now...now I'm haunted by the feel of your fingers through my hair, your arms wrapped around me," at this, Stiles can feel his heart cracking apart at the thought of Derek using his body to simply hug himself, "y-your voice telling me that I'm going to be okay, and just-just the sight of your skin and your eyes and-and-I just, I can't, Stiles, I-I can't-!"

Stiles is clutching Derek so tight to him in an instant, tucking him into his neck and slowly lowering them to the ground as Derek collapses and sobs into him.

---

Once the tears are all dry, Stiles finally picks up the courage to be vulnerable too. He owes it to Derek.

At least it'll be easier now that he can't see the werewolf's reactions.

So, as he's stroking the other's hair, Stiles tells him about how he wishes Derek could see the man he fell in love with the way Stiles can.

He tells him about how he fell in love with a man whose heart is so big and full of kindness that he physically cannot stop himself from helping people, no matter how much he likes to pretend that he doesn't care.

The man he loves is powerful, resilient, and stronger than any one person has any right to be, yet so fragile as to be afraid of loving someone too much because he might be shattered.

The man Stiles loves is smart, sassy, thoughtful, stubborn, awkward, grumpy, sweet, and so so deserving of hugs and smiles and kisses and praise, because Derek is and has always been more than just a body.

Stiles tells him about how, during their swap, he made sure to take warm baths with nice smells, nap in cozy blankets, and massage his hands and feet with lotions because Stiles wanted to take care of Derek's body as much as he could while he got the chance. He did it because he wanted to help Derek and this was the only way he thought he could.

If there had been even the slightest indication that anything more would've been well received, Stiles would have already done it. All he wants is permission.

"Please...let me take care of you?"

---

So, slowly, day by day, Stiles enfolds Derek into a gentle life.

Stiles is Derek's strongest advocate, his extra set of hands to help carry his burdens, his pillow, his introduction to new things and new people.

They're always wrapped around each other, all the time, almost like Stiles is scared of Derek getting cold.

Despite the confession, things remain G-rated for a while. Cuddles, hand-holding, caresses, just touching. Shy kisses eventually make an appearance after some time, but they remain sweet, loving little things.

Stiles makes it perfectly clear that he's fine waiting to make a move until he's sure being intimate can't possibly be mistaken as anything else. He needs Derek to understand that this isn't obligation or pity. Stiles loves Derek. And Stiles is going to take his time because he wants Derek to feel loved beyond his body, no matter how long it takes.

By the time Derek feels whole again, now living with the Stilinskis and smiling softly as a default expression, they find themselves in front of the bathroom mirror having their first time together.

It's definitely not kinky. Mostly reverent, full of "It's okay, I'm right here", fingers laced tight together, flashing eyes, and a bit of emotional tears. It's gentle and assuring, with promises of never being alone again, and whispers of "so beautiful" and "so sweet" and "so perfect". Climax is rewarded with praises, hands stroking up arms and down backs, and "I love you"s are slurred through dropped fangs and traded back and forth between kisses

But as expected, finally having sex doesn't magically make Derek love himself. It's still a long road. Because even if Derek doesn't completely hate his life anymore, there are those hard days where he still has problems with 'being Derek'.

And maybe one day Derek will learn to love the body he lives in.

Until then, Stiles will just have to love it for him.

[ciderjacks]

also look I get that alastor is really just creole bc vivziepop wanted an excuse to excuse her (sort of iffy) portrayal of voudou, but would it really kill people to do any research on us beyond the barebone “look up basic definitions and call it a day” thing. Especially as an Indigenous Cajun, I’m sick of being erased by not only history, not only the U.S. government, but also by society all together. And I’m sicker of people who aren’t Cajun or Creole contributing to that by attempting to define shit when it’s clear they got no clue what they’re talking about.

the worst thing that came out of the hazbin fandom is everyone attempting to define creole and doing a really bad job

[dovesndecay]

Hey! I saw your post on diet culture and fast food and wanted to know what you mean about "diet culture would rather us starve than admit fast food is an accessible food resource"? Could you elaborate? (sorry for the paraphrase, I'm on mobile.) Thanks!

So, I'm disabled in a number of ways. I struggle really hard with executive function, appetite, sensory issues, and pain/fatigue/brainfog that makes deciding on food, and then following the process of making that food very difficult on a good day.

I've always had food issues -- I've snuck whole mouthfuls of food I could not physically make myself eat into the bathroom to spit it out in the toilet because I'd been told I had to eat it. I've puked from the texture of food. And I've gone hungry because food that was prepared is food I could not eat, for a number of reasons.

I'm also really fucking poor. I cannot work a regular job anymore. Groceries have actively skyrocketed to the point where our household is spending less than HALF of what we should be for the number of people. The difference between buying a bunch of groceries that we may or may not eat before they expire or our tastes for them die and simply purchasing a meal from a fast food joint is literally just the cost of labor -- saving us from expending spoons on deciding, buying ingredients, preparing, cooking, and then eating that food, which I will again stress that we might not actually eat.

There's only so many times you can have Walmart brand chicken nuggets before you physically cannot choke it down again.

Diet culture has a huge focus on eating the "right" kind of foods as well as this weird "self-sufficiency" fetish for cooking that can be fine but has a bad habit of edging into ableism. If you physically cannot cook on a regular basis, for any reason, and you have a lot of fast food meals, you get judged a lot for it. It's labeled "unhealthy" and "lazy". I am often told that I just "haven't found the right recipes" or "cooking hacks". No, man, I'm just fucking disabled.

Personally, I'd label starving as more unhealthy than eating fast food, but people don't like hearing that you aren't willing to swallow whatever gruel society thinks people in poverty deserve to have.

For me, fast food is predictable, safe, filling, often less expensive, convenient, spoons-saving, and it means I will eat. I also just genuinely think a lot of fast food tastes good. Sure, it's not fresh veggies and fruits, but I'm not getting those anyway. When I buy groceries, it's the cheapest items possible which means a lot of frozen foods, packaged pastas, and cereals.

And this isn't even looking at food deserts where grocery stores are few and far between, but fast food chains are everywhere. Even my Louisiana hometown, boasting a population of 10,659 people as of 2020, has a Burger King, McDonald's, Hardee's, Wendy's, Taco Bell, Popeyes, and numerous pizza delivery places. Y'know what closed down though? The Piggly Wiggly, one of the more affordable grocery stores -- my grandmother actually worked there during my childhood -- and I don't think the Winn-Dixie is even open there anymore either. So all they've got is a Walmart.

Fast food is an accessible food resource, and diet culture would rather see us starve than acknowledge that.

[hooked-on-elvis]

ᴇʟᴠɪꜱ' ᴏᴡɴ ᴛᴀꜱᴛᴇ ɪɴ ꜰᴀꜱʜɪᴏɴ ɪɴᴛᴏ ʜɪꜱ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀꜱ' ᴄᴏꜱᴛᴜᴍᴇꜱ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏᴠɪᴇꜱ

A personal Elvis touch to some of his characters's wardrobe.

Recently me and @jhoneybees were drooling over Elvis in Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962) and Fun In Acapulco (1963). I couldn't stop thinking about the backwards rolled up cuffs shirts that his characters wear in some scenes in both films because they look so good in him! Then I realized that Elvis used to wear his shirts just like this occasionally in the 1950s, before his Hollywood career had begun.

(2-3) Elvis on May 21, 1955 backstage at the Louisiana Hayride at the Municipal Auditorium in Shreveport, Louisiana. (4-6) January 25, 1955. Elvis Presley. Tyler, TX. backstage Mayfair building.

(7) Elvis in Graceland in 1960. Here Elvis' acting career was already happening but he hadn't used the rolled-backwards sleeve cuffs shirts in the movies just yet (at least that I remember of), but that's gonna change in a couple of years.

(8-10) Elvis as Ross Carpenter in Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962).

(11-13) Elvis as Mike Windgren in Fun In Acapulco (1963).

Looking at those pictures I can imagine that Elvis himself did some styling to his character's wardrobe occasionally, very seldom I think. However it doesn't stop at the early 60s films… I noticed that again in Charro! (1969).

(14-15) The King as Jess Wade, with his one of his signature looks, the high collars (the jacket just appears for a brief moment in the film but when I saw it I was like 'Oh, Elvis... anyone could recognize you just by looking at your back from miles away...'

It's not like we need any pictures to proof high-collars were his thing but it won't cause any harm too, so...

Cool, isn't it? But, wait a minute, there's more! The next one was prior to Charro!

Right now, I can't say that Elvis in fact had any say-so concerning his characters costumes but that's my assumption based on a little studying on his history and by watching his movies but another thing gave me the idea he could do something about his costumes for the films.

Sandi Miller (fan/gate girl) shared on her Facebook account that she and another fan gave Elvis a jacket in 1966 while Double Trouble (MGM, 1967) was in production. Principal filming for Elvis's twenty-fourth movie began on July 11, 1966 and was finished by August 30, 1966. After the movie was released, visiting the fans as usual, Elvis told Sandi to watch a specific scene in the film and there it was! He was wearing the jacket she gave him.

August 3rd, 1966. Elvis off to the studio to film 'Double Trouble'. Candids by fan Sandi Miller.

On the pictures above, Sandi (on her Facebook account) said: "Elvis on his way to the studio to film 'Double Trouble.' On his lap is a jacket we gave him purchased from St. James mens shop in Fullerton." Fan Kathryn Harper Sherrill then asked Sandi: "And didn't he tell you to watch closely part of that film & your jacket was used in a scene of the film when he was packing or unpacking?" For what Sandi replied: "Yes, he did!"

On that post Sandi doesn't specify which jacket it was, unfortunately, but I followed the hint and looked for a scene Elvis' character was packing in the film. The jacket Sandi Miller gave EP is most likely this one below. He's wearing it while he sings 'City By Night' and also 'Old MacDonald' in that portion of the film.

Wasn't it thoughtful of him to wear a jacket gifted to him by a fan in one of his films?

This is Elvis in 1966, returning or leaving his Hillcrest home in California, during the Double Trouble movie production period. The jacket looks like the same he wore in the film for those scenes I mentioned previously.

Conclusion: I guess it's safe to say that Elvis sometimes would style his costumes a little bit, putting something more of himself into his characters beyond the unmistakable charm, humor and talent. i don't know if that's a good thing to do because most actors' goals is to have a character that requires them to transform their image and behaviors to a point the characters don't resemble their off-screen personas in the slightest but, knowing how Elvis' movies were so… unusual… specially made to please Elvis' audience as they were (always craving for more) and how that caused the screenplays not to have real efforts put into that would give EP the need to really become someone else for his movies, it's not exactly wrong of him to incorporate his own persona (to a given extent) into the characters he played. All in all, I guess that makes his acting career even more unique. Elvis was not an ordinary artist after all. At times being that spectacular human being backfired, and Elvis just… went with the flow.

Those are just a few moments I noticed when Elvis' fashion style was lent to his on-screen characters. Have you noticed any other moments in the movies where this happens?

[lionheartapothecaryx]

The Vodou Files

Diddy & his entitlement an blatant disrespect of Lwa Ezili Dantor/Black Madonna

For all intent and purposes, the following information is alleged and for entertainment only.

In year of 2024, it’s no secret that Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is a polarizing figure. After his recent arrest and federal indictment this September on charges of s*x trafficking and more, and with multiple lawsuits alleging a multitude of abuses against men and women, this cannot be denied.

Let’s get into the possible spiritual implications of his recent arrest. In 2017 Diddy tattooed the Black Madonna aka Ezili Dantor on his back, for protection. The Black Madonna syncretism is often been used in Vodou to represent the Lwa Dantor.

Here’s a rending of the photo of Ezili that he seems to have taken inspiration from for his tattoo.

Ezili Dantor is the patroness and holy mother of Haiti. She is known as a protector of women and children, and was one of the petro or war spirits who were instrumental in the Haitian Revolution of 1804, allowing the Haitians to lead the first successful slave uprising. She assisted with giving them the strength in battle to defeat their colonizers and inspired others to resistance in the Diaspora. France went bankrupt during the Haitian revolution and had to sell off their land to pay off the massive debt this caused, spurring the Louisiana purchase and leading to creation of America as we know it, today. These acres of land make up the states of Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, North & South Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming and Montana. There would be no American Independence, if it hadn’t been for the Haiti.

While Ezili does not own my head, I know her children. They are usually women who are family matriarchs and mothers, who are incredibly kind, patient and strong and actively involved in their communities. They tend to be well respected within their communities and usually involved in community activism to varying degrees. They generally have a pleasant disposition but can be dangerous fighters when challenged spiritually and physically. They make great leaders and can be very wise. It is common for children of certain Lwa to take on similar traits of said Lwa & I believe this aspect can especially be seen in her children, who she claims. While I do not have her in my court, I do carry her sister aspect the darker, merciless and vengeful Le Rouge.

The Ezili are a powerful class of spirits within the Vodou pantheon. Ezili Dantor is an example of a very powerful spirit who can shift fate and reality. She is the peaceful mother but can exhibit extremely controlled violence when necessary, a triumphant warrior queen personified. She does not take disrespect or injustice lightly.

Diddy invoking her essence and protection, with this tattoo while assaulting and harming people continuously would draw her ire, wrath and ultimate disrespect. Some think someone recommended he do this to hasten his downfall or he did this out of pure stupidity.

Others of the Catholic faith, see it as the Holy Mother, the Blessed Black Madonna looking out for her children and protecting them.

Either way it’s clear the drums of justice have begun to beat for Diddy and it’s time for him to account for what he has done.

[thechanelmuse]

How genealogy is used to track Black family histories

Our names are important to us. They tell us who we are and often, who we come from. So imagine suddenly discovering the last name you’ve always carried… might not actually be the name you should have. 

Alex Neason began looking into her family’s history after discovering her great grandfather’s name was different from what she believed for her whole life. In her search to discover the story of that last name, she enlisted genealogist Nicka Sewell-Smith.

For Black Americans, genealogy can fill in the blanks left by the legacy of slavery and racism in the U.S. Services like the Freedmen’s Bureau and Slave Voyages provide free access to records and documents to help with that search. We talk about the power of genealogy in fostering knowledge and connection for Black Americans.

Source

If you click on the word “source,” it’ll take you to the article where you’ll see a LISTEN button. It’s a 30-minute audio that discusses the info provided in the article even further. Y’all know I’m big on getting people to trace their lineage. All that “we don’t know where we come from.” Who told you that? Everything in the US is in plain sight. Everything.

Discover your fam. 

I assist others when they reach a roadblock, like getting past the “1870 wall.” But you can’t beat the feeling of you discovering them on your own. Unearthing your history, seeing photos, reading stories that were stored, and saying their names that haven’t been said for centuries. I’ve been tracing mine (scanning, logging) since my family reunion in 2005 through oral family history and obituaries (those are records), and since 2011 through databases of US archived records like ancestry.com (purchased by BlackStone) and familysearch.org (free database owned by the Latter-day Saints Church). There are others, but those are the main two I use for comparative results.  

Archiving Centers, Census Records & Other Records

There are archiving centers in every state and DC that also keep records for those particular states and the federal capital. There’s a footnote on all records that tells you where they are housed. And please...Don’t just do a simple pedigree chart of your family tree. Get to know your great-aunts, great-uncles and cousins. It’s also helpful for seeing who lived around who (fam often lived next door to each other) and puts more of the pieces together of your complete family story. You can see the land and acres they owned or your fam today still owns, as well as if that land was stolen from them.

US census records go back to year 1790. Depending on when or if your ancestors were enslaved or free: you’ll find them attached to slave logs that have been made available online or kept in archiving centers (you go there), or or they’ll be listed on census records as free persons (1790-1710), free colored male/female (1820-1840), Black (1850-1920), Mulatto (1850-1890, 1910-1920) or Negro (1900, 1930-1950). “New” census documents are put on sites, like ancestry.com, every 10 years. As of 2023, you can only trace from 1950 to 1790. The 1960 census will be out in 2030. How to trace from 1950 to today, birth, death and residential records. So again, depending on the census year, you’ll notice your ancestors racial classification change throughout documents for obvious reasons. 

Keep in mind that the the largest slave trade for the United States was the domestic slave trade. In house human trafficking and selling (in addition to property insurance of enslaved people and the selling of enslaved people as the building block of Wall Street’s stock exchange) is how US capitalism was built. So just because you know a lot of your people are from Tennessee, for example, it doesn't mean that’s where that line stayed. I’ve found my ancestors throughout 7 states (so far). Another example, people with Louisiana roots damn near always have ancestors who were trafficked from early Virginia. Going beyond year 1790, records were kept in Christian and Catholic churches and old family history books so most of those documents are scanned online and/or still kept in the churches. I’m talking books books. 

If your ancestors walked the Trail of Tears, or were caught as prisoners of war or trafficked to Indian Nations to be enslaved, you’ll find an Oklahoma Indian Territory and Oklahoma Freedmen Rolls section on ancestry.com. You can discover more info on sites, like the Oklahoma Historical Society. (Every state has its own historical society for archived genealogical records.) 

Here’s the National Archives.

Also for Oklahoma, you may also find your ancestors in Indian Census Rolls (1855-1940) as [insert tribe] Freedmen, depending if they weren’t rejected through the “blood quantum” Dawes Rolls for not being the new light to white status. You’ll see their application and the listed questions & answers with or without a big void stamp. And on the census, you’ll even see the letter I (pronounced like eye) changed to the letter B. This is also for those in Louisiana.

Freedmen’s Bureau & Bank Records 

There were Freedmen’s Bureau records and Freedman’s Savings Bank records in other states. To see if your ancestors had their records in those systems, you can search by their name. The state and age will pop up with people having that name. It’ll give you a wealth of other info, like all of the kids and other fam if they were present or mentioned to the person who logged that info in. With the Freedmen Bank records, you can see how much money your ancestors put in there (that was later stolen from them by way of the United States government), which is still there today. It’s the biggest bank heist in US history (that they try to keep hush hush) with the equivalence of more than $80 million in today’s value stored in there today. Back then, it was valued almost close to $4 million. Stolen wealth met with bootstrap lectures. 

Here’s a short video on that heist:

Today the bank is called the Freedman's Bank Building, located right on Pennsylvania Ave. Plain sight. 

Trace your lineage. 

There’s a lot more that I can list. But this is just the basics. Like I said before, it’s a more rewarding feeling when you discover your ancestors by yourself. You may reach roadblocks. Take a break. Try going the “Card Catalog” route on ancestry.com’s search engine. Don’t skip the small details. 

SN: Slave Voyages isn’t a genealogical site, but rather a database for slave ship logs and the estimates of purchased Africans who became human cargo to be enslaved by country like USA, or by colonizers like Spain, Great Britain, etc.

[hdra77]

Well, Seymour, I made it, despite your directions.

Ah, Superintendent Chalmers, Welcome! I hope you're prepared for an unforgettable luncheon!

Myeh.

[GASP] Oh ye gods, my roast is ruined! But what if... I were to purchase fast food and disguise it as my own cooking? Ho ho ho ho ho, delightfully devilish, Seymour!

Ah-

Skinner with his crazy explanations,

The superintendent's gonna need his medication,

When he hears Skinner's lame exaggerations,

There'll be trouble in town tonight!

SEYMOUR!

Superintendent, I was just- uh, just stretching my calves on the windowsill. Isometric exercise! Care to join me?

Why is there smoke coming out of your oven, Seymour?

Uhh, oh! That isn't smoke. It's steam. Steam from the steamed clams we're having! Mmm... steamed clams!

Phew!

Superintendent, I hope you're ready for mouth watering hamburgers!

I thought we were having steamed clams.

D'oh, no. I said steamed hams! That's what I call hamburgers!

You call hamburgers "steamed hams"?

Yes! It's a regional dialect.

Uh-huh. Eh, what region?

Uhh, upstate New York?

Really? Well, I'm from Utica, and I've never heard anyone use the phrase "steamed hams".

Oh, not in Utica, no. It's an Albany expression.

I see. You know, these hamburgers are quite similar to the ones they have at Krusty Burger.

Ho ho ho ho, no, patented Skinner burgers. Old family recipe.

For steamed hams?

Yes.

Yeah, so you call them "steamed hams" despite the fact they are obviously grilled.

Ye- uh- you know, the- one thing I should- excuse me for one second.

Of course.

[YAWN] Well, that was wonderful. A good time was had by all, I'm pooped.

Yes, I should be- Good Lord, what is happening in there!?

Aurora borealis?

Ah- aurora borealis!? At this time of year, at this time of day, in this part of the country, localized entirely within your kitchen?!

Yes!

May I see it?

No.

Seymour, the house is on fire!

No, mother, it's just the northern lights!

Well, Seymour, you are an odd fellow, but I must say, you steam a good ham.

Help! Help!

Crispy, spicy chicken tenders are better than the fast food favorite. The meat is tender and juicy and the coating is perfectly crisp and spicy. Deep fryer, skillet, and air fryer instructions included. Because of the hot oil this recipe is not recommended for young cooks. Difficulty level 2/10

Copycat Popeye's Chicken Strips

Published: Mar 26, 2020 Last Updated: Sep 26, 2023 by Marye 1773 words. | About 9 minutes to read this article.

Crispy, spicy chicken tenders are better than the fast food favorite. The meat is tender and juicy and the coating is perfectly crisp and spicy. Deep fryer, skillet, and air fryer instructions included. Because of the hot oil this recipe is not recommended for young cooks. Difficulty level 2/10

Prep Time15minutes mins

Cook Time20minutes mins

Marinate30minutes mins

Total Time1hour hr 5minutes mins

Jump to Recipe

Good news! You're about to save a lot of money! This Copycat Popeye's Chicken is so easy you'll never go back to fast food again

Shopping list

If you don't have a Popeye's Chicken in your neck of the woods then you don't understand the enormity of posting this recipe. Popeye's makes fried chicken like no other — spicy, smoky, crispy perfection. They have their own special sauce to dip it in but my kids like honey mustard sauce or bbq the best.

Or Ranch. You can't go wrong with Ranch.

Boneless chicken breast or thighs

Louisiana hot sauce

Buttermilk

Peanut oil (if deep frying)

Chipotle powder

All-purpose flour

Smoked paprika

Eggs

Salt

Instructions

There are three ways to make these:

In a deep fryer

In a cast iron skillet

In an air fryer

To me the very best flavor is when they're done in a deep fryer but I think it's good to have options, right?

No matter which way you make these chicken strips you'll start the same. Always marinate for 30 minutes in the buttermilk mixture but not more than an hour.

Remove a chicken bread strip from the marinade and dredge in flour.

Dip in the egg mixture.

Dredge with flour again. Set aside.

Bring oil to 360F.

Add the chicken a little at a time without crowding.

Fry until golden.

Remove to a paper towel covered plate. Keep warm.

Serve hot.

Add your favorite dipping sauce.

[zoteboateveryday]

Drawing Zote every day until we get Zoteboat: Day 239

“Holy crap Bretta this is like the time I was at the Louisiana Purchase!”

[nancydrewwouldnever]

RANDOM MUSING: How to know Donald Trump has really never read a single thing on U.S. history: his new labeling of Kamala Harris as "worst Vice President ever."

Nah, old boy... that would be Aaron Burr. You know, the former Vice President who was arrested for treason (oh, don't want to think about that word, do you Donnie?) by Thomas Jefferson, the very President he had served. Why? Because Burr was literally trying to create an independent country in lands between Florida, the Louisiana Purchase and the Ohio Valley, where he was going to crown himself King. And all this after he shot and killed Alexander Hamilton. (Actually, he was Vice President after killing Hamilton, and I always wondered if Jefferson secretly loved that, having Hamilton's killer as his Vice President.)

Or, you know, we could also label your former ass-licker Mike Pence as that, because of his complete ineptitude and cosigning all your seditious talk.

[inuhalfdemon]

Dirty Dealings (4/21)

Word Count: 2,460 Words

Chapter 4: The Grave

“I’m a demon, my dear.” Alastor told her warmly. “I really don’t give a damn.”

Lafayette, Louisiana

June 25th, 1970

“I’m not fucking around, here.” The guy yelled in Addie’s face, shoving her hard so that she stumbled and fell backward into the alley behind the apartments. “I told you to get lost, bitch!”

“But…” She gasped, shaking from his escalated aggression. “I-I paid for-“

“You fucking didn’t!” The man screamed at her. “You’d think I’d forget a face that’s staying in my apartments!?”

There was a sound of someone clearing their throat. The man who had shoved Addie, whirled around, his eyes finding Alastor leaning against a brick wall – ‘dressed-to-the-nines’- in his human form with a smile on his face.

“My good man,” He said, casually “Is there a problem?”

“Luc…?” Addie breathed, shakily.

“This broad here thinks she can get away with staying in my apartments rent free.” The guy spit, turning back toward Addie. “I was just seeing her out.”

“Hm…well.” Alastor pushed off from the wall and strolled over to where Addie was, offering his hand to help her from the dirty cement. “Perhaps, a tad excessive.”

“Excuse me.” The guy turned on Alastor. “You have something you want to fucking say?”

“How about a magic trick!?” Alastor snapped his fingers, bright green smoke bursting in the man’s face. The man wobbled backwards. He shook his head and blinked at Alastor and Addie in confusion.

“I-uh…” He grunted. “I’m sorry, what were you saying?” He asked, all anger gone now.

“We were just discussing my sister-in-law.” Alastor explained to him happily. “You see, she needs a place to stay when she comes here for work. We were interested in one of your apartments but she will be new to the area, you have never met her before and I worry that you won’t know who she is when she comes to stay in a room that’s already been paid for.”

“Oh,” The guy started to say, “Well, I suppose-“

“You were just getting ready to sign this document!” Alastor smiled, suddenly showing him a paper and pen. “It will provide your signature in the event that if any problems should arise, my dear sister-in-law could produce it and provide to you the proper proof of purchase.”

“Of-of course.” The man stated, fumbling for the pen. He continued to blink repeatedly, his hand sweeping clumsily across the page as he signed.

“Pleasure doing business with you, my good fellow!” Alastor exclaimed happily, flourishing the document and pen back into his hand. “But, now, my friend and I must be off.”

Turning away, Alastor led Addie quietly away from the man and out of the alley.

Addie paused, glancing back into the alley briefly. “Did you just…?” She looked at him pointedly.

“Heaven’s no!” Alastor waved a hand. “This was for you, not me.” He handed her the document. “You show that to him at anytime and he won’t be giving you any more trouble. Stay there as long as you like, it won’t make a difference, the paper will still do the trick.”

Addie took the page from him. It glowed briefly, warm in her hands before the ink melted into the paper, fading away. The paper had become blank but she could feel it thrumming softly against the skin of her fingers. She carefully folded the sheet, placing it within a pocket of her jeans.

“Well, thank you…I guess.” She told him, not quite sure how she should feel about the situation. “You do realize if I use this, it will be stealing…”

“I’m a demon, my dear.” Alastor told her warmly. “I really don’t give a damn.”

“Thank you, then.” Addie told him. “Truly.”

“Think nothing of it.” He told her. “Now, there is the matter of our anniversary. I am afraid that I have a pressing engagement that will require my absence from you tonight. I’m sure you are quite devastated.”

“Not really.” Addie told him.

“I thought as much.” He chuckled softly.

“However, why don’t you get settled in to your new place? I have an errand to run in New Orleans; won’t take me long. I can come back…say…in the next couple of hours?”

“You’re going to New Orleans?” She asked. “I-I haven’t been there in…ages…” She suddenly realized.

“You are welcome to join me, if you’d like!” He happily offered.

“…really?” She asked. “I mean, I-I think I’d like to.”

“Splendid!” He took a large, sweeping step back. Snapping his fingers, green sparked and formed into whirling pool of smoke that spun beside them.

“Ladies first,” He dipped, an arm out toward the portal.

She hesitated.

“It is quite safe, I can assure you.” He promised.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped through the spinning portal, preparing herself for all sorts of…unpleasantness.

As she stepped through though, nothing happened. She simply stepped out into the same exact bright daylight she had left and felt entirely the same.

A young black man, hurriedly stepped directly into where she was standing and she gasped loudly, surprised. When the man never stopped or even touched her, she whirled around, disoriented. He and the friend that was with him had kept walking - somehow - right through where she had been without seeing or touching her.

“Quite, alright.” Alastor told her, stepping beside her. “These things do have their ‘fool proofs’.” He glanced around briefly, checking that no one was looking, before snapping his fingers. Addie realized that a soft green glow had been surrounding her and it dissipated immediately – fully materializing her to the spot. They were standing just off from a quiet street in New Orleans.

“Can all demons…do that?” She asked him.

He was swiping at his hair, trying to get the sweep just how he liked it. “No.” He answered, simply. “So, would you like some time to see the town? I can pop back by when I’m done.”

“I thought you were going into town yourself.” She said, confused.

“Oh, no. I have another outing in mind.” He told her. “Another kind of anniversary, in fact.”

“Oh, well, I-“ She wasn’t sure how to admit it. She was excited to be back in New Orleans. She hadn’t been back here since…well, since returning to the swamps the night after their deal had been made. That was 1950…had it really already been 20 years?

“You are welcome to come along.” He told her, still fussing with his hair. “I can’t say that it will be especially exciting for you.”

“You really wouldn’t mind?” She asked him.

“Not at all.” He smiled at her and she smiled back.

“Oh, blast it.” He sighed, done trying with his hair. “Would you mind terribly if I…well, if I took a more comfortable form? This one suited me fine for quite some time but it gets rather….stale, after awhile.” He was trying to explain.

“I guess not.” She said, having seen him in a few forms now and wondering why he even felt the need to ask.

“Humans will not be able to see me,” He explained. “You will, but others will see you talking only to yourself.”

“They would forget about me doing anything as soon as they no longer saw me, so why do I care?” She asked him dryly.

“Well, I’m just being polite.” He told her, before producing a long black cane and spinning it agilely about. In an instant, he was no longer human. He took the form of the dealer demon she had shook hands with those many years ago out by the bayou.

Obvious relief brightened both his smile and his mood. His long black cane now was a red and black staff with a microphone fixed to the top. He wore the same bright red, flashy clothing he had the night of their deal and his ears and antlers were even more pronounced in the light of day. Spinning the staff with the microphone, he began to walk away down a dirt road that led away from the city of New Orleans. The staff disappeared entirely, before he crossed his hands to the small of his back and whistled happily as he strolled away.

“Wait.” She said.

He paused, tilting his head and smiling at her.

“If you could already do all that…why even bother?” She asked.

He didn’t reply. He simply, happily shrugged.

She sighed, going over to where he had stopped. “Well, if you don’t know then I’m not going to try to understand it.”

“So, where are we going?” She asked him, falling in-step beside him when he turned to continue his jaunt.

“To visit someone very dear to me.” He told her but then saying nothing else. She noticed his voice had that same crackling-old radio sound it had had before as well.

They walked quietly for a few moments, Addie wanting to know more but also not wanting to annoy him.

“You know,” He said. “These were my old stomping grounds when I was alive.”

“Really?” She thought about it briefly. She supposed it made sense.

“Were you anyone I would know or remember?” She asked him.

He laughed. “Hardly. No, my dear, I spent my time in much different circles of society than you would appreciate, I think. But, I was a host to one of the earliest radio broadcasts in our lifetimes.” He proudly told her.

“That’s…interesting.” She admitted. “I can’t say that I’ve accomplished much myself…even with our deal that we made.”

He didn’t offer any comment to this, but if his ears were any indication, he was listening to her as they kept walking.

“The clause you added…” She told him. “It makes everything too hard. I want to do meaningful things, travel, see the world, find something I’m good at but…” She vented to him, frustratedly. “I can’t. No one remembers me long enough to make an impact or get anything done. I can’t apply for travel documents, I can’t get a job….I can’t even fucking write or draw, everything I ever make an impression on just…fades away.”

Alastor chuckled. “I made it so you can never be remembered, Adeline. Part of that is not being able to make any meaningful impact or form any meaningful relationships with others.”

“Not to mention that even just day-to-day tasks are…incredibly difficult now.” She sighed.

“Yes, well.” He giggled. “That’s just a bonus.”

She glared at him. Of course he was enjoying this. He would.

They were approaching the end of the dirt road now, an old rusted black metal fence encircled what looked to be an old cemetery. Alastor never slowed, but went to the old gate at the fence and swung it out wide, the metal screeching. He waited politely for Addie to walk through before following her, closing the gate behind them.

Addie paused, looking around the graveyard. There was a much nicer cemetery actually in New Orleans but she saw that these headstones were…very old. The most recent date she saw were ones that had the year 1929 but there were many other stones that were there dating back into the 1800’s.

She followed Alastor as he kept his strolling gait between the rows of long-since dead. At the edge of the graveyard, a large, beautiful oak grew just beyond the perimeter fence. Its branches casted long and twisting limbs over and into the yard. Just beneath, engulfed in shadow, was a lone headstone.

Alastor stopped at the grave and Addie watched him. He still wore a large smile across his face, but his eyes had softened and there was a gentle sadness there that she didn’t expect to see from him. Several moments passed with him standing there, just like that, completely and utterly still.

Addie thought about stepping away and leaving him alone, when he told her, “She was my mother.” 

“Your…mother?” She wasn’t sure what she had anticipated. Looking more closely at the gravestone now she saw that the day of death was June 25th…

“You come here…” Addie said, starring at the worn stone. “Every year? On the day she died…” Addie hadn’t visited the grave of either of her parents. Not once.

“Not every year.” He told her, almost as if they were chatting happily. “But, every year that I am able.”

“Isn’t the day though…” Addie wasn’t sure how to ask it. “I mean, it’s kind of depressing right? Why not visit on another day of the year? Her birthday even?” Addie couldn’t fathom it.

“I wasn’t around when she was born, Adeline.” He told her. “I was there when she died.”

Addie didn’t know what to say to that.

“Do you…? She offered, after some time.  “Do you want me to go-?”

“No, no that is quite alright.” He told her. Snapping his fingers, he produced a brilliantly colored, red rose. Bending down, he tenderly placed the rose atop of the grave’s headstone.

“Do you…?” Addie fumbled, not sure if she should even be asking him this. “Do you know where she is now?”

“Heaven.” He told her. “But, even it doesn’t deserve her.”

“What do you think she’d say…? You know, about you being what you are now?” She wondered.

“Oh, she would be horrified.” Alastor laughed. “Absolutely, and truly mortified. But,..” He looked at Addie, now, the radio static falling from his voice briefly. “She would still love me.”

Addie suddenly was fighting back tears. “Wow..” She breathed.

He looked at her, his expression happily curious.

“It’s just…” She sighed, really trying not to cry. “I really miss my dad.”

He watched her, not saying anything.

“He died before…well, before our deal so it’s not like that changed anything… But, you come here every year you possibly can to visit your mom? I’m not even sure I know where his grave even is…” She said it, realizing it was true. “What kind of a person does that make me?”

Alastor offered her no reply.

“My dad…” Addie wanted to explain but she just didn’t know how to do his memory the justice it deserved. Instead, she told him, “You probably wouldn’t remember it…but I gave you a ring. A wooden ring. He had carved it for me just before he died…” She was losing her words, unsure of how to say just how much her father had meant to her.

“You mean,” Alastor snapped his fingers, and in a rush of green the wooden ring appeared in his hand. “This ring.”

Addie starred at it, uncomprehending. “B-but you-you burnt it. You said it was worthless and you burned it away right in front of me!” 

“I never said it was worthless, darling.” He smiled coyly back at her. “I said it held no value to me. It obviously had meant quite a lot to you, however, and there is much greater worth in that. So, I kept it.”

She starred back at him. She was torn between wanting to scream in his face for all of this petty-shit-stuff he was putting her through - just for his own amusement – but then, also in being overwhelmingly grateful that he had kept the ring all this time, safe and sound.

He chuckled deeply when some time passed and she still hadn’t sorted through all of her feelings.

“Well, my dear, Adeline.” He smiled. “Happy 20th Anniversary.” And he, gave her the ring.

______________________________________________________________

Chapter 5

[sadalmostlesbian]

Sooooo what did you think of my work? I need my ego stroked after the BS I just went through lol

I also feel motivated to write something I've been putting off for ages (along with lots of other things, it's a long list) so maybe I'll do that!

Hi! I’ve been drafting something in my notes to send you after reading your posts cause LET ME TELL YOU, you have so many good ideas I love your posts. I want to start by saying they are so so well researched and I adore how much effort you put into each one. I was particularly interested in onyx being given as a labor stone, not only because I wasn’t aware of the connotation (and it’s so so cool and such a well thought out and realistic tradition in D2, you have a really in depth knowledge of culture as a whole and you’re an excellent world builder) but also because I live in Colorado and wasn’t aware we had onyx quarries! I knew about limestone and quartz, and of course silver, gold, and coal in the mountains, but onyx is very very cool. I also love the concept of a home name and a home naming ceremony, again such a good analysis of culture.

As for future posts, I like the idea that D2 has a large Latino population, especially because it fits so well geographically (with New Mexico making up a decent part of D2). One thing that is cool about Colorado and Northern New Mexico is that there is a unique dialect of Spanish spoken there that is a remnant from North America before the Louisiana purchase which made Colorado a part of the US. The like to the article can be found here!

Thank you so much for the ask! Also I'm totally down to chat about D2 if you ever want to!