#26 day study challenge

[alfalfaaarya]

26 day Study Challenge 👒

Hello guys

Sooo this month is gonna be superr busy, not because of academics but because we have a festival in college - Ganesh Utsav ,in September and our batch is organising it this year. So along with extra curricular activities I'd like to be on track with my academics as well ! 2nd semester exam will be in September .

So I'm gonna do a study challenge !

We will try to do atleast one study session of 40 mins every day + watching a study video and give some time for journal completion.

Start : 6 August 2024

End: 31 August 2024

Tag me or use #26daystudychallenge if you're joining.

Comment, Tell us your goals !!

Letssss gooooooo 🔥

[morgan-angel]

Day 26 of my art challenge. ⚔️

#morgan challenge

The un-zoomed version :

Twenty-sixth day of september (September theme's is finding my art style. I've got a lot of references for this theme, I want to be confident with an art style. So here am I !). 🌱

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Okay so, late post right here. I did continue this piece today but I'm counting it for yesterday only. Today I'm starting the "big illustration" and I'll not share anything until I finished it. Like a big surprise for us !

So, I will describe everything like it was today's drawing. Btw, go check my others drawings/posts if you want to and have the time ! Thanks y'all ❤️

Sooo, you saw the first steps of the process last post ; here is the final illustration. It was not supposed to be an illustration at first but here you go. Today's was about digital painting, color studies, anatomy, and art-style. I know it's a bit "static" and not anatomically correct but y'all... I'm actually in love. The vibe and the coloring, the HAIR ? That's it. That's my style. It's a very good end to this month, before the big illustration (see the ping post in my profile for context).

Like I said, no post 'til end of the month with the big finale drawing. I hope y'all will like it, I'm currently working on it. Thanks for all of the support during this month. I love y'all sm ❤️

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Go see the pin post on my profile if you need some context :)

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Working on opening a lil shop on Kofi tho. I really want to do some commissions. If you want to just follow me, here is the link : https://ko-fi.com/eishi_h

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Also, if you want some better quality photo or just want to see more of my art, go on my insta : https://www.instagram.com/eishihashimoto1?igsh=N2MycDh6NnE4cDMw :)

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See y'all in 3 days !

⚔️

[small-spark-of-light]

day 5 was more figure studies, but specifically quick gestural ones!! these are messier than the ones id post normally but thats kinda the point XD

[soophia-studies]

100 days of code - day 26

WEDNESDAY - NOV 15, 2023

Hi! What I studied:

Read about CSS frameworks, also watched some videos to understand its usage.

Read about CSS pre-processors.

Read about HTML forms.

Didn't do anything too practical, just tested what I was reading on my text editor.

That's it.

[munthersahweel1]

‼️Please Help Munther Sahweel Family 🙏

Help Munther to get him treatment

We are the Munther family, from Gaza, a family of 6 members.

✅️Vetted by @gazavetters, my number verified on the list is ( #256 )✅️

I have witnessed a tragedy in our lives in Gaza, where my family and I have survived many wars before. But today, we are facing the most dangerous and fiercest battle of the current war. The need is urgent for us, as we have nothing left and cannot secure our basic needs such as food, water, medicine and safe shelter.

Here is our story - On October 7th, our lives changed forever. My family and I left northern Gaza for southern Gaza, hoping to return soon, but that was not to be. Our home was surrounded and destroyed. Our home, once a bastion of hope, now lies in ruins, a stark reminder of our shattered dreams.

We left our home, and we left behind everything we had in our home: clothes, important official documents, literally almost everything - the magnitude of our loss weighed heavily on us.

Our home it was where we found hope, safety, and made precious memories. Losing it felt like losing years of our lives, leaving us adrift amidst the wreckage of our shattered existence.

I am Munther, I suffer from kidney problems (kidney stones) and chronic diseases (diabetes and high blood pressure). I face difficulty in obtaining the necessary medications.

My story with my sons, Karim 28 years old Information Technology major , Samir 26 years old, Bachelor of Accounting, Aseel 24 years old, studying business administration, and Layan 13 years old, a student.

We all feel psychological pressure and extreme anxiety. The war hasn't been limited to external attacks but has deeply infiltrated our daily lives. We search among the rubble for a little safety and the basic resources for survival. Every day comes with a new challenge that we must overcome.

As we sway amidst the rubble of shattered dreams, our souls wrestle and our hearts beat strongly challenging the ravages of war.

I need to build a better future for my sons, full of hope because we deserve life with all its meanings of comfort and peace.

Perhaps this fundraising campaign represents a light in the midst of darkness, it is indeed the only hope we cling to firmly.

I appeal to the world as a whole to hear my cry and the mournful cry of my family in Gaza. We need the helping hand that reaches out to wipe our tears and build a bridge to safety.

Your donation is not just a donation; it's an opportunity to rebuild life and brighten a better tomorrow. Be part of our hopeful story, for we need your hand to start anew.

The aim of this fundraising campaign is to save my family - we have no source of income to provide food, drink and medicine, this campaign is our only chance to survive, and I humbly ask for your help in this critical time.

✅️Vetted by @gazavetters, my number verified on the list is ( #256 )✅️

Donation link on GoFundMe

Thank you for your kindness and support.

[holyspiritgirl]

What is Spiritual Warfare and how to overcome it with the help of God?

• Spiritual warfare is the idea that there's a battle going on between good and evil forces. In Christianity, this means a fight between God and His angels against the devil and his demons. It mainly happens in our minds, hearts, and spirits. It’s about resisting bad thoughts, temptations, and influences that go against what God wants for us. Though we believe that Jesus has indeed already defeated Satan by dying on the cross and coming back to life, the enemy still tries to lead us to sin in order to push us away from God, thus spiritual warfare.

• “Symptoms” vary since the devil attacks you where it hurts the most, to make you as vulnerable as possible; but here are some of the most common ones:

- believing that your not worthy of having a relationship with God or talking to God therefore feeling the need to distance yourself from him

-self destructive / sabotage / harm temptations

-paranoia / overthinking

-strong headaches / body aches

-temptations towards sin such as lust, gluttony, laziness, anger.. etc, depends on your weaknesses

-self hatred & self doubt / doubt in faithfulness

-hopelessness, fear, anxiety

-random depressive moods & replaying bad memories … the list goes on!

• Living a life more aligned with God’s will is seen as a threat to Satan and his purposes, leading to increased attempts to discourage or derail one’s faith journey. With a deeper relationship with God often comes a greater sense of purpose and mission, attracting more challenges and obstacles from evil forces trying to prevent one from fulfilling God’s plans. Our Father allows these intensified battles to refine and strengthen our faith, helping us rely more on Him and grow spiritually.

• Here are some bible verses that may help you during those tough times battling spiritual warfare :

-Corinthians 10:13

- Psalm 91

-Ephesians 6:11-18

-Isaiah 54:17

-Galatians 5:17-26

- Peter 5:8-9

-Romans 8:37-39

-Luke 10:19

-James 4:7

-John 16:33

-Deuteronomy 3:22

-Matthew 4:10-11

• Let me know if you’d be interested in me posting those verses and talking about some of them with you guys, sort of like a bible study kind of thing. It’d be a pleasure ;)

Have a blessed day 💞💓👼🏻

[a-fox-studies]

January 26, 2025 • Sunday

--- 15 days of productivity • COLLAB CHALLENGE WITH @winryrockbellwannabe and @nanthegirl • Day 8/15 ---

📝 AJ'S study time: 6h

📝 Nan's study time: 2h 44min

📝 Iris's study time: 3h

I got something done. It definitely wasn't enough, but it's something. I thought of taking a nap but ended up sleeping through the night soooo...

I'm doomed basically 👍

🎧 Kill and Destroy — Sam C. S.

[covid-safer-hotties]

Global Emergency Compounded by the AIDS-like Features of SARS-CoV-2 Infection - Published Sept 1, 2024

Over a million people in the US are being infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) every day.

Originally named after the acute respiratory syndrome it can cause as a consequence of blood vessel damage in the lungs, SARS-CoV-2 is actually primarily a blood vessel virus that spreads through the airways. It causes a complex multisystem disease (1). It is airborne (2). It can persist in the body, and is detectable in body and brain tissue even at autopsy of “recovered” patients (3).

Each infection ages the body, causes damage to the blood vessels and the immune system, and affects organs including the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, bones, etc. (4, 5, 6)

Each infection ages the brain. Specifically, it reduces gray matter and cognitive ability (7), and potentially IQ score (8). It increases the risk of psychiatric disorders (9). SARS-CoV-2 has also been identified as contributing to accelerated dementia (10).

The potential post-acute phase impacts of SARS-CoV-2 include long COVID, some manifestations of which are chronic conditions that can last a lifetime, including heart disease, diabetes, myalgic encephalomyelitis and dysautonomia (11).

The Economist has estimated excess deaths from the beginning of the Pandemic through May 2024 at up to 35 million people worldwide. (12)

In Addition, Many Scientists Are Now Issuing Warnings… SARS-CoV-2 triggers a new airborne form of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (13, 14, 15) (some are proposing specific terms such as “CoV-AIDS”).

This is not AIDS as we know it from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, it is a new type of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome with different deleterious effects on immune function (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21), but both resulting in increased vulnerability to infections (22). Immune system deficiency and other COVID properties also suggest a potential link to greater risk of cancers (23, 24, 25, 26, 27).

The “original” AIDS caused by HIV takes up to around 10 to 15 years to make its presence felt, with the initial infection usually barely noticed and often resembling the common cold or a flu-like disease until its damage manifests itself leading to death in the absence of treatments (28, 29).

With SARS-CoV-2, immunodeficiency develops in the weeks and months following infection. It involves reduction and functional exhaustion of T Cells (30), enhanced inhibition of MHC-I expression (31), downregulating CD19 expression in B cells (32) and other evidence of immune dysregulation (33, 34). In one study, the dysregulation persisted for 8 months following initial mild-to-moderate SARS-CoV-2 infection, the length of the study (35). There is no “cure” for any of the damage caused by SARS-CoV-2 including immune dysregulation.

Did You Know? Repeated infections are leading to prolonged immune dysregulation, and increase the risk of progressive disability and death.

Long COVID is a multisystem disease with debilitating symptoms, which has had a profound impact on society and the global economy. In the USA, economists have estimated that long COVID will incur cumulative future costs of more than US$4 trillion (36, 37).

The worldwide devastating economic consequences of this mass disabling event have been measured in terms of total work hours and GDP lost around the world (38).

It theoretically only takes a single viral particle to initiate an infection, and most infections are initiated by very few viral particles (39).

Despite current popular belief, the immune system is NOT a muscle, and does NOT benefit from being repeatedly challenged with disease-causing microbes. In fact, its finite resources are depleted with each new infection.

Herd immunity is unattainable for a rapidly mutating, immune-disrupting virus, and there is no basis to believe that a vascular infection will evolve into the common cold. Continuing to ignore SARS-CoV-2 will not make it go away. Depriving the virus of publicity does not deprive it of its continuing lethal effects.

SARS-CoV-2 is continuing to evolve and mutate – it is not running out of evolutionary space. It is not a cold or the flu, but primarily a blood vessel disease. It is damaging society as we know it.

How many repeated infections can we expect young people to endure and survive? Even if they get only 1 infection each year, that’s 10 infections in 10 school years. This is not compatible with health and a long life. Repeated infections can lead to long COVID and shortened lifespans.

How Do We Protect Ourselves, How Do We Protect Our Children, When Government Public Health Advice Has Failed?

By reducing transmission so that R0 remains less than one (meaning that each person infects less than one other), we can suppress and gradually eliminate the virus, targeting a safer return to pre-2020 normal.

Handwashing is helpful, but it is not the main way to stop the spread of this airborne virus.

Respirators can block 95% or more of virus particles through electrostatic action, and are therefore highly effective at reducing infection even if only one person in a conversation is wearing them. They are far more effective if all people are wearing them (40).

Transmission can be reduced with HEPA filtration and ventilation of indoor air.

The virus spreads more quickly in indoor settings, but also spreads outdoors.

For medical facilities, it is essential to clean the air with ventilation and filtration and require universal high-quality masking (with N-95/ FFP3 respirators or better) to protect medical staff and patients.

For workplaces, clean air will reduce transmission; and encouraging employees to test and stay home when infectious is essential. High-quality masking should be encouraged in the case of symptoms, a sick person at home, or any other suspicion that one could be carrying the virus. Remote work should be normalized and encouraged wherever possible.

For entertainment venues, events should be held outdoors when possible; and if indoors, clean air is key to protecting audiences. Audiences should also be encouraged to wear respirators to avoid getting infected and infecting others. Digital streaming options should always be offered.

For restaurants, an emphasis on outdoor dining will substantially reduce transmission. Patio service should be encouraged, and indoor dining areas should be well-ventilated with a high level of air-exchanges. Home or curbside delivery offers a safer alternative.

For schools, clean air will reduce transmission; encouraging students to test and stay home when infectious is essential to preserving their health. Masking or remote learning should be initiated whenever a case is detected or the incidence in the general population sharply increases. A permanent hybrid model / digital option can accommodate children with disabilities or those who simply do better learning from home.

Teachers and medical professionals may prefer to use transparent masks, or to wear HEPA-filtered headgear equipment that may be more universally tolerated/accepted.

To track our progress, we need sustained wastewater and population-level testing.

With just 60-70 percent of people taking mitigation measures such as masking, testing and isolating when infected, we can dramatically reduce forward transmission of the virus.

Even with very imperfect measures, as long as one infected person does not infect more than one person on average, the virus will eventually die out. The fewer people each person infects on average, the faster it will happen.

We still have a window of opportunity. Protecting ourselves and our families is in fact protecting the economy and the continued orderly functioning of our society.

[athenanfaymont]

🔥 The Superbat Slow Burn: A Love Story Decades in the Making 🦇❤️🦸‍♂️

The relationship between Superman and Batman is one of the most fascinating and emotionally charged dynamics in comic book history. From their early interactions to their most recent team-ups, their bond has evolved into something deeply layered—what some might call the ultimate slow burn romance.

💥 The Early Days: From Allies to Something More

📖 First major team-ups: “World’s Finest Comics” (1940s - 1986)

Back in the Golden Age of Comics, Superman and Batman were just two heroes who happened to exist in the same universe. Their team-ups in "World’s Finest Comics" started as fun, lighthearted adventures, but as DC storytelling matured, so did their relationship. Over the years, their trust in each other grew, laying the foundation for the bond we see today.

⚡ Opposites Attract: Tension in "The Dark Knight Returns"

📖 Key moment: “The Dark Knight Returns” (1986) by Frank Miller

If the World’s Finest era was their “getting to know each other” phase, The Dark Knight Returns was their first big fight™. Frank Miller redefined their dynamic by pushing them to ideological extremes—Bruce as the rogue vigilante, Clark as the government’s golden boy. But despite the brutal showdown, there was still an understanding beneath the conflict. It was never about hatred, but about two men who refused to let go of their beliefs… and of each other.

🖤 Trust, Understanding, and... Inner Monologues?

📖 Best Superbat character studies: “Superman/Batman” (2003-2011)

The "Superman/Batman" series gave us one of the best insights into their relationship, told through their own internal monologues. And guess what? They think about each other A LOT.

"Superman/Batman #1-6: Public Enemies" → Peak we against the world energy. These two face off against the entire world (literally) because they trust each other above everything else.

"Superman/Batman #26" → A heartbreaking issue featuring multiple guest writers, dedicated to Sam Loeb (Jeph Loeb’s late son). The way Bruce and Clark understand each other in this one? Devastating. Beautiful. Unmatched.

💫 A Bond That Defies Time

Through every crisis, betrayal, and universe reset, Bruce and Clark’s connection has only gotten stronger. They challenge each other, they fight, they save each other (sometimes literally, sometimes emotionally). Their relationship is built on contrasts—light and dark, hope and cynicism, steel and shadows.

Superman and Batman may not call it love, but… we all know better. 😉

[Dan Mora]

[larstudy]

🌙 18.04.2025 // I only studied a bit today, I had a babysitting in the afternoon which went great! I was just extremely tired and took more time cleaning and listening to podcasts than studying ahah

📖 1984 - George Orwell

🎧 Sober to death - Car Seat Headrest

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📚 30 days of productivity — collab challenge with @studaxy @a-fox-studies @winryrockbellwannabe and @nanthegirl — Day 26/30 📚

[mochirizu]

A collection of WK headcanons because I can

MARTIN - 28, 5'10, he/him, December 23rd(Capricorn)

BIGGEST heart on the team. Sees good in everybody

He's like if someone gave a golden retriever a human suit.

BANNED from the kitchen he CANNOT COOK at his ancient self

He pulls the 'big brother card' a LOT

He LOVES to sing, but nobody has the heart to tell him he sucks so they just...let him

He loves so easily

Martin makes the stupidest dad jokes

He labels his things with a blue sticker so he can keep his stuff organized... he still loses things

He taught himself Mandarin Chinese out of sheer boredom; he is now almost fluent

He needs people to like him or he will DIE

Do not give him coffee; he will be insane and hyperactive and then go awol for the rest of the day

CHRIS - 24, 5'8, he/him, July 19th(Gemini)

Burned-out gifted kid? Yes

His experiments normally consist of him using Martin as his guinea pig for payback for all the jokes he got pulled on as a kid

Loves cinnamon-flavoured anything

He also has a pretty high spice tolerance

Used to be friends with Zach in preschool, but it stopped not long after that

He climbs trees because he's a sensory seeker.

Chris is an avid tea drinker

He is also the best dancer on the team

Chris was such a geek in high school, he didn't 'glow up' until he was 17

Since the Tazzy incident, Chris occasionally has cravings for raw meat but chalks it up to low-iron

The only one on the team with a consistent sleep schedule

AVIVA -26, 5'5, she/her, April 5th(Aries)

Her dad raised her to be tough and strong, therefore making her a perfectionist and a maniac lol

Aviva loves Hot chocolate with Marshmallows, and watching nostalgic cartoons

She has a nasty habit of comparing herself to others and gets ridiculously insecure when anyone challenges her opinion. She masks it by being defensive and doubling down

Beautiful by default(duh) but she doesn't see it

She has a nasty older brother who was the stem of all her insecurities

She found a grey hair once and cried

She was cheer captain in high school, hence her athleticism

Aviva is messy as hell. Like, more messy than Martin.

She also dislikes mud

The worst dancer on the crew(I'm sorry), but she's the most talented singer

NEVER lets her hair down, it gets in the way too much.

KOKI - 27, 5'4, she/they, Feburary 13th(Aquarius)

Raised by a single dad(parents divorced)

Grew up basically rich, but was kept humble

Koki's uncle taught her mechanics before he passed away when she was in middle school

She had a pet canary named Booboo

She has pent-up anger issues

LOVES Zytago music as her family comes from New Orleans

She 100% has muscles and biceps. Martin is jealous

"No, I'm not gay. Everyone wants to kiss their girlfriends at some point....right?"

When it comes to cooking, she's Jimmy's sous-chef

HATES being in tight or confined spaces

Wants to style her hair in something else other than a single puff, but always gets busy before she can book an appointment with a stylist

JIMMY - 25, 5'9, he/they/doesn't care, August 20th(Leo)

Had a very normal childhood. Like, eerily normal.

Has a younger brother and an older sister and they are ALL GINGER.

Everyone in his family is a Ginge except for his mom

Jimmy can speak nearly fluent Korean because he took a gap year in South Korea after High School.

He studied software engineering but dropped out to attend culinary school instead

He is the COOKING MASTER EVER

His family is secretly wealthy as FUCK

He has his own power suit, just never uses it

Had an emo phase

Jimmy's full name is James Coleman Benedict Zeigler

Grandma Jimmena has a bunch of random stories from her childhood and they are all UNHINGED

[anime-academia]

It is somehow already November??! and I promised myself that in Nov I'd get back into language learning consistently again (since work - tutoring for uni - is done and I'll have time). I also promised myself that I would start learning Thai (because Jeff Satur and the Thai alphabet are both beautiful and amazing).

I won't have time for a lot of intense learning, since I am still working on my dissertation and it is my priority, so I've decided to kinda combine two langblr challenges I've seen! First is @/langvillage 's one sentence club and second, so I don't have to expend energy thinking of what to write, is @/spraakhexe2 's 30 day language challenge.

I have changed some of spraakhexe2's prompts because I don't think I have the ability or time for the more complicated ones lol, and my goal really is to just write one sentence every day.

The prompts are under the cut.

This is mostly just to keep myself accountable lmao, but anyone is free to do it as well lol (if you do, and esp if you're handwriting please tag me or smth, I'd love to see it!)

[1] Introduce yourself

[2] What is your favourite animal?

[3] What is your favourite song?

[4] What is your favourite movie?

[5] What is your favourite season (and why)?

[6] What is your favourite food?

[7] Describe your room

[8] What is your job/What are you studying/What language are you learning?

[9] Describe your morning or night routine

[10] What is your favourite colour (and what objects are that colour)?

[11] What is something that annoys you?

[12] What is your dream house like/what is something that has to be in your dream house?

[13] Write a grocery list

[14] Do you dream often? (Describe a dream)

[15] Describe a vacation (either one you have been on or would like to go on)

[16] What country/countries would you like to visit?

[17] What would you do with $1 000 000?

[18] What joke/idiom/phrase from your TL do you like?

[19] Is there a poem in your TL that you like/know?

[20] What superpower would you like to have (and why)?

[21] What is your favourite time of day?

[22] What is something you (have to) do daily?

[23] What is something you are scared of?

[24] What do you do to relax?

[25] Describe something you love

[26] Something you would tell your past self, or would like your future self to remember

[27] Favourite folktale/urban legend

[28] Favourite app

[29] What is your favourite book?

[30] Write a short paragraph - it can be a full intro in your TL, a little story, anything you want!

[ohtobeleah]

Grief in Grace and Memory // A Goodbye

Woah…guys. 🥹 The love and support in my asks and DMs is beyond my ability to express my thanks.

If you missed episode three (the month that was March) of season 26 of Leahs Life, heres a recap. This is my experience and a little of Dads eulogy I wrote. Tw: surgery/death

On Monday the 10th of March, I underwent a exploratory laparoscopy to diagnose suspected endometriosis. I also underwent a tubal dye study to confirm the viability of my fertility and fallopian tube quality.

-> Diagnosis: Endometriosis and a non-viable left tube. 🥲

Four days after surgery, on Friday night, my dad had a major medical episode that required immediate medical attention and care. I was told not to lift anything substantial for a few weeks. Because although routinely done through keyhole, a laparoscopy is still major abdominal surgery that requires recovery.

However, dad needed help and at the time I was the only one who could. I made sure to get him off the floor before paramedics arrived.

Adrenalin is a fantastic biological response to emergency situations. With less than 45 minutes of sleep for Friday night, as I'd gone to bed close to midnight, it kept me going for the next 17hrs.

My sister (who joined us at 4am after 41 missed phone calls and a frantic dash to her house) and I, made sure all of dads advanced care directives were followed. My mother was inconsolable.

I've never experienced anything like this before. The ICU. The family waiting room that's off to the side where doctors ask you and your loved ones to wait for hours on end while they do everything humanly possible to keep your loved one alive.

I remember about 10 hours into the traumatic experience, I was lying on the floor of the waiting room with my legs bent at the knees on the nearest chair. My stomach was in fire. My incision sights were burning, and the gas trapped in my right shoulder was extremely uncomfortable.

But my dad was dying…the emotional toll of knowing that was far worse than the physical pain I was in.

I had a doctor in emergency check my stomach and administer some pain relief to get me through the next 7 hours of pure hell. (I am still under strict recovery orders)

The waiting. The unknowing. The sadness. The sorrow. The sound of delusional laughter that sets in as your husband and brother in law try their best to keep your mother, a soon-to-be widow, occupied by infomercials that repeat over and over again.

And then comes the hardest conversation you ever hear and never want to be apart of again. Its the conversation that the doctor has with a patients family when all avenues have been explored…Dads not coming home…

The disbelief sets in quickly. I'd grown up believing in the theory that Dad was going to be the only person who survived the end of days. He was always so indestructible. Immortal. Even though the last seven years of his life as he battled two aggressive forms of throat/tyriod cancer.

But here I found myself, saying goodbye to my Dad for the final time. My mother, my sister, my husband, my brother-in law, and later my grandmother would all say goodbye. And at 6:30pm on March the 15th 2025, my Dad passed away.

He chose to go when we weren't there. He didn't want us there to see him like that.

And the truth is, I’ve been trying to write this all week. I've been too preoccupied by this one bumblebee that won't stop harassing me around the house. I've convinced myself it’s Dad.. and don't get it twisted either, it’s not just a regular bee.

There's a difference, bumblebees are much larger and fly without any sort of conviction. So, instead of writing this, I've been researching bumblebees and why this one specific one keeps trying to fly into the house and keeps making a B-line straight for the garage.

I’ve found it quite challenging to commemorate and summarise my dad’s entire 61 years in a eulogy. I’ve had way too many memories clashing around in my head to really sit and organise any of the chaos and pick out a select few. But four things came to mind every time I tried to sit down and express our family’s love.

Dad was never a man of frills. I was ever convinced he owned anything but work shorts and tracksuit pants until I was at least seven. He’d wear the same shirt until it was falling off. But that was just Dad. He never turned down grabbing a beer or two at the ‘Redacted’ Tav with his mates, he lived for family barbecues on a hot summer’s afternoon with all the cousins, aunties, uncles and friends... And whenever the opportunity presented itself, Dad loved to grab the paper and sneak down to ‘Redacted’ Beach to watch the waves, listen to the races and enjoy his vices.

If you passed Dad on the road, you were sure to receive the classic one-finger wave of acknowledgement, or in dad code, the ‘ol mate’ in the old Rodeo Ute that’s held together by hopes, dreams and a hell of a lot of bog. A blessing so meaningful, that if you were ever lucky enough to receive an ‘ol mate’ I wholeheartedly believe that it is now one of the most lucrative clubs to be a member of. The old mates club.

I’ll forever cherish the memories of butcher runs and icy poles, the laughs shared during late-night holiday fun, and the adrenaline rush ‘redacted’ and I felt when we would steal Dad’s high-quality concrete sand for our much more important backyard cooking show.

I'm sure it was a joint effort, but to my very core I attribute my first real-world experience to the whole ‘actions have consequences, even though the consequences were not a direct result of my own actions’... to Dad. you see, it may not look like it now, but I was well and truly a ratbag of a kid. So much so that if I didn't knock it off and knock it off quickly, that brand new fibreglass pool that had only just been installed, would be up in the air faster than I could blink.

I knocked whatever I needed to right off because summer was right around the corner and I wasn't hightailing it to the beach every day. So I worked on fixing the attitude I’d come across. Only to come home the next day to the same fibreglass pool I had made my entire personality for at least six months, was in the air, as promised by my dad who was actively encouraging the crane to lift it higher.

Cut back to little Leah for five seconds…Picture the tears, the crying, the guttural pain of a little girl whose pool was being taken away before she even got the chance to swim in it. I was, rightfully so, devastated beyond belief. And if you could suspend your belief in reality momentarily for me, I can not stress to you all how much I thought the world was ending and I would never recover from the fact my Dad had followed through with his promise of taking away my beloved pool.

If you’re still tuned in, amongst my grief and completely understandable crash out, I missed a crucial piece of information. It had rained the night I had been up sorting my attitude out. The pool had popped out of its hole and rain that had made its way under the pool, needed to be drained…

In hindsight, and the point of telling this specific memory, is perhaps if I had taken a second to look at the bigger picture around me, I would have seen that, although my world was ending and my brief run-in with what a heart attack must feel like, scared be into rethinking my entire personality, that if I took a moment to process the situation, I’d be sad for a while about my pool, but life would keep going, the tides would still push and pull, the earth would keep spinning and the sun would rise the next day.

As an adult, I keep thinking back to this moment, because while we try to process living in a world without Dad, the tides will continue to push and pull. The world will continue to spin, but the sun will always look a little more impactful now that someones up there to paint the skies and keep the cold ones cold.

Although actions have consequences, the biggest consequence Dad ever had to deal with was having a family that loved him till his last breath…

Because like fuck was he gonna go through life without one.

***~***~***~***~

[aaseelgaza]

*Support Aseel and Her Children Through Their Time of Crisis*

*A Message from Aseel:*

Hello, my name is Aseel, and I am a 26-year-old widow from Gaza. I have two beautiful daughters who are orphaned, and since the tragic death of their father, I’ve struggled to meet their most basic needs. My daughters have suffered not only the loss of their father but also the devastation of war, bombings, fear, and hunger. I find myself playing the role of both mother and father now, doing my best to care for them, but it’s a constant struggle.

My beautiful daughters ❤️

I’ve thought long and hard before writing this, but the truth is, I’m out of options. I need help. The urgency to save my children from further hardship, to meet their needs, and to secure a future for them, has led me to make this request. Before the war, we lived a simple but beautiful life. We were a family, with my husband working hard to support us, even though we didn’t have much. My dream was to become a mathematics teacher, but due to the financial struggles my family faced, I was unable to continue my studies.

Then, after I married, life seemed to improve, but soon after, my husband died in the war. We lost our home and everything we held dear. The war has stolen so much from us, and now my children are living through a reality I never wished for them. They are deprived of the most basic rights and have experienced more trauma than any child should.

I never imagined that my children would grow up in such conditions, surrounded by destruction and fear. I dreamed of a better life for them, a life free from the constant shadow of war and deprivation. But here we are, struggling each day just to survive.

This is how my daughter grew up , in fears 🥺🥺

It is with great sadness and hesitation that I ask for help. I feel embarrassed to be in this position, but I have no other choice. My heart aches to ask, but I know that without help, I will not be able to provide my children with even the basics they need to survive and thrive.

I truly believe in the goodness of others, and I hope that there are people who will see this and feel the compassion to help. Your support, no matter how small, will bring hope into our lives and will provide us with the means to rebuild what we have lost.

Every donation you make will go directly to providing food, medicine, shelter, and necessities for my children. It will give them the chance at a future they deserve. No amount is too small, and your generosity could make a world of difference.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m here and happy to share more details or clarify anything you need to know.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kindness and support during these very challenging times. Your help will give us the strength to face the hardships ahead and the hope to see a brighter tomorrow.

---

*How You Can Help:*

- Any amount of donation will be deeply appreciated. Your generosity will go toward providing essential needs like food, medicine, and shelter for Aseel and her children.

- Sharing this campaign with others can help spread the word and encourage more support. The more people who know, the more likely we can make a real difference in Aseel’s life.

---

Please join us in supporting Aseel during this crucial time. With your help, we can bring light into a life that has been overshadowed by unimaginable hardship. Thank you for your compassion and for believing in miracles, just as we do.

❤️‍🩹

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Tessa Stuart at Rolling Stone:

Illinois 9th District has only been represented by two people since 1965, and there hasn’t been a competitive primary since the race Democratic Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, the district’s current representative, won in November 1998. “I wouldn’t be born for another four months,” deadpans Kat Abughazaleh, the TikTok-famous political commentator now running to represent the district.  Abughazaleh is transparent about the fact that she is not what anyone thinks of as shoe-in for Congress: a 26-year-old narcoleptic freelance social media creator who doesn’t live in the district and has only lived in the state for less than a year, challenging a Democratic Party leader who has represented this part of Illinois for more than a quarter of a century.  That’s kind of the point: She is a normal person — with a rental lease she can’t break before it’s up, financial pressure bearing down on her, and prescription medication that she needs to function properly and that has been challenging to obtain since Elon Musk went after her employer, and she and many of her colleagues were laid off.  And when she looks to Congress, not only does she not see enough people who are concerned with the practical day-to-day challenges she and so many of the people she knows are struggling with — the costs of housing, health care, groceries, transportation — she also doesn’t see anyone confronting with any level of seriousness the peril of our current moment, two months into Donald Trump’s second term.  “We are in an emergency,” Abughazaleh says. “Right now, the answer to authoritarianism isn’t to be quiet. It’s not matching pink outfits at a state address. It’s not throwing trans people under the bus. It’s not refusing to look at the party at all and see where it could be better. The answer is to very publicly, very loudly, very boldly, stand up. The only way to fight fascism, and this has been proven over and over and over again, is loudly, proudly, and every single day.”

Abughazaleh may be young, but she is a wildly successful, incisive communicator who is stepping up at a time when it is clear that the party is in desperate need of new messengers. And she is popular on the social media platforms where sitting Democrats’ posts are continually flopping, ridiculed for their tone deafness.  The day after the 2024 presidential election, Abughazaleh thought she would wake up with an irrepressible urge to flee the country. Instead, she says, it was the opposite: “I woke up and thought, ‘You’re gonna have to drag me out by my dead body’ … I just got really angry, and I thought about running at that moment, but I was like, ‘No, I’m sure Democrats will do something,’ and then they haven’t — and it’s just been not only disappointing, but scary to watch.” Schakowsky, currently representing the district, “has had a pretty great track record on her voting,” Abughazaleh admits. But she is also 80 years old, and hasn’t had a competitive primary in decades. “She’s been a good congresswoman, but I want to be better.”

[...] Abughazaleh was born in Texas and raised as a Republican — really Republican. Her maternal grandmother, Taffy Goldsmith, was such a legendary GOP operative that when she died, the flag at Texas state capitol was flown at half mast. (Abughazaleh inherited the mink coat Goldsmith wore to Nixon’s inauguration.) Her father is a Palestinian immigrant. Both her parents, she says, were Reagan Republicans whose relationship with the party has ruptured since Trump took it over. Abughazaleh’s own political views took shape at college in Washington, D.C. She studied at George Washington University, and went to work at Media Matters after graduation, where she was employed until 2024, after Musk sued the organization, and she and 11 others got laid off.  The day the news broke, Musk tweeted “Karma is real” and his coterie of sycophants, including Libs of TikTok, piled on. Abughazaleh says it was one of the worst days of her life. The saga didn’t end there, either — Abughazaleh was deposed as part of Musk’s lawsuit against Media Matters, questioned on video for seven hours. (The lawsuit is ongoing.) After she was laid off from Media Matters, Abughazaleh did freelance video production with Mother Jones and Zeteo, but she is stepping away from work with both outlets during her campaign. “It’s terrifying… I don’t have health insurance, I have no income coming in, and am using GoodRx like my life depends on it — because it kind of does.” 

Progressive social media influencer and former MMFA journalist Kat Abughazaleh (Kat Abu) is running for a US House seat in #IL09, currently occupied by Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D).

[maaikeatthefullmoon]

This week I have mostly been reading...

May 13-19th, 2024

New idea I've had, and hopefully something I'll have time to do once a week on a Sunday. Over the past seven days, I have devoured the following Good Omens fanfics, and I recommend these most heartily to you:

Completed works I've read this week:

Boyfriend Debut by snae_b Rated E - A & C are both porn actors. It sounds seedy. It's not. Holy Hell, it's not. It's one of the hottest things I've ever read, but also so, so sweet and delightful.

They Drink Tea At The End by @knifeforkspooncup Rated T - After a year spent in Heaven, A returns to C in the bookshop completely and utterly overstimulated in every sensory capacity. A wonderful, sweet story of them truly knowing each other and an excellent example of how the fandom relates to GO in so many beautiful ways.

Pay Per View by IneffableToreshi Rated E - A lovely story set in Canada, full of our so frequently seen miscommunication between A & C. And, as the author says: "Also, why the fuck is Aziraphale watching porn in their hotel room?! And taking notes?!"

Cranking Up The Heat by @vavoom-sorted-art Rated E - Well, the title says it all, really. And the fic's description: "The equivalent of that hot wings challenge, but with porn." Don't really want to say much more, as you've gotta see it to enjoy it.

On The Same Page by Chekhov Rated E - A fake marriage fic with Only One Bed. A & C are both authors, but two very different ones. Excellently written with very vividly described mental struggles with internal homophobia & self loathing.

A Model Guardian by Fuuma_san Rated E - As a former model, I found this fic really interesting. I'd genuinely love to know what the author's tie/experience in the industry is. C is a model, A is their bodyguard. An interesting tale which involves some great discussion on gender.

In The Room Where You Sleep by @mrghostrat Rated E - Another banger by ghostrat, posted in its entirety this week. In a reversal to many other fics I've seen, A is a vampire and C is a vampire hunter. *Homer Simpson voice* With sexy results. ;)

WIPs which have updated this week (which I devour as soon as I get the update!)

There Is A Light And It Never Goes Out by @phoen1xr0se Rated M - A is a researcher (puffins!), C is a lighthouse keeper on the island where A has run away to to escape his problems and do his research. The author has recently spent a week studying puffins - which is the ultimate dedication, if you ask me. Ch 9/26 posted this week

Find The Light by @klikandtuna Rated E - Headmaster A and Rockstar C. The story teases out a fraught history between them whilst keeping a tension between them in the modern day. Ch 4/? posted this week.

Terminus by @emotional-support-demon-crowley Rated T - Astronaut A is guided back to Earth by controller C after 92 years in space. There are many difficulties both of them have to face and they develop an amazing rapport. Ch 15/17 posted this week.

Oddity by @tsyvia48 Rated E - Actor C is contracted by (useless) Gabriel to guest curate an exhibition at the museum where A works. After getting off on the wrong foot, can they work together to pull off this show? Ch 22/24 posted this week.

Under The Summer Stars by @pannotbread Rated E - This wonderful fic has taught me more about physics than school ever did (mostly because I never did any physics, but...well). A & C have to share their time at an observatory because there is Only One Telescope. Not only will you learn about astrophysics, astrobiology, and astroecology, you'll also read some of the most poetically, beautifully written masturbation scenes I've ever seen. *ahem* Ch 6/13 posted this week.

Free by well, me: imposterssyndrome Rated E - A & C meet (again?) in an acute mental health ward after both having had mental health crises. A runs a bookshop but is very much under his parents' control. C has been homeless since childhood and has struggled his entire life. They do not trust each other when they first meet, but feel strangely drawn to one another all the same. Where will this lead them? This is a passion piece for me. There is a lot of lived experience in it, and extensive research from both professionals and peers. It has been a real journey for me to write it, and as I'm coming closer to the end it's becoming very emotional for me. Ch 43/? posted this week