#3500 follower celebration

[bouncyballcitadel]

IT'S HERE

Case Three: Chapter Two of Citadel is now widely available! Enjoy the longest chapter of Citadel so far - can your intern survive night shift in the surgical ICU?

In celebration of the new chapter release and for hitting 3500+ followers, 3 lucky winners will receive the choice of either a short snippet or the ability to name a side character in Citadel.

If you like this post, you’ll be entered into the raffle once.

If you reblog this post, you’ll be entered into the raffle twice.

If you like and reblog, that's a total of 3 raffle entries!

Raffle will close Saturday, July 6th at 9:00 pm EST.

Psst...don't want to replay the game from the beginning to explore different character builds and different romance options? Members of Patreon resident tier and up (starting at $5/month) will have access to a Patreon-exclusive demo that will allow you to change your character and romance stats before beginning Case Three: Chapter Two.

If you run into any coding errors during your playthrough, please send me an ask with the line number of the code.

Cheers!

-Bouncy

Links:

TUMBLR INTRO POST

DEMO || DISCORD || PATREON || KO-FI || AO3 ||FORUM||

[twinsimming]

Level Up! Video Game Skill by Twinsimming 🎮

Happy New Year 🥳 Here's my first mod for 2024!!

This mod expands on The Sims 3's hidden Video Game skill by making it similar to the skill of the same name in The Sims 4.

This is a script mod that can be placed in your Packages folder. It was built and tested on 1.69 but should work fine on 1.67.

Requirements

This mod requires The Sims 3: University Life.

Overview

New Video Games

Tournaments

Stadium Tournaments

New Moodlets

Video Games

Sims can now play all 6 computer games available in The Sims 3, regardless of their Nerd Influence level. They also have access to 9 additional computer games from The Sims 4. All of these games will raise their hidden Video Game skill.

If you have @olomaya's Voidcritters mod installed, your sims can also “Play Voidcritters” on the computer to level up their Voidcritters skill along with their hidden Video Game skill.

The “Play Chess” interaction has been moved out of the “Play Video Game…” pie menu to avoid it getting lost among all of the new options.

Tournaments

Teen and older sims with level 2 hidden Video Game skill or higher can compete in video game tournaments on the computer. There are five tiers of tournament, each costing more in entry fees and being harder to win, but offering larger cash prizes.

The tournament tiers, required levels, lengths, entry costs, prize amounts, and chances of winning are as follows:

Amateur (Level 2) - 2 hours, §25 entry fee, 1st Place (§150), 2nd Place (§100), 3rd Place (§50), 40% chance of winning

Novice (Level 4) - 3 hours, §50 entry fee, 1st Place (§450), 2nd Place (§300), 3rd Place (§150), 35% chance of winning

Semi Pro (Level 6) - 4 hours, §75 entry fee, 1st Place (§750), 2nd Place (§600), 3rd Place (§450), 30% chance of winning

Pro (Level 8) - 5 hours, §100 entry fee, 1st Place (§1050), 2nd Place (§900), 3rd Place (§750), 25% chance of winning

Elite (Level 10) - 6 hours, §125 entry fee, 1st Place (§3000), 2nd Place (§1500), 3rd Place (§1000), 20% chance of winning

If your sim cancels the tournament interaction for any reason (mood failure, buff timeout, etc.) they will automatically forfeit the tournament. But they can enter a new tournament right away without a cooldown.

Placing in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd grants positive moodlets (Winner!, Runner Up, or Bronze Baby), along with prize money. If your sim doesn’t make the podium, they don’t get anything but a negative custom moodlet called Loser.

Win or lose, your sim won’t be able to compete in another tournament until their moodlet expires.

Certain traits can either increase or decrease your chance of winning a video game tournament by 5% (note: this value stacks the more traits your sim has):

Increased Chance Traits - Lucky and Computer Whiz

Decreased Chance Traits - Unlucky, Absent Minded, and Loser

A sim’s hidden Video Game skill and hidden Arcade Machine skill also factor into their overall winning chance.

Stadium Tournaments

If your sim is at least level 6 in the hidden Video Game skill, they can compete in video game tournaments held at the stadium rabbithole on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays @ 1:00pm.

There are Semi Pro, Pro, and Elite level tournaments available, with a slightly higher entrance fee than computer tournaments, but they offer much more prize money and celebrity points if your sim comes in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place.

The chances of winning these tournaments is the same as their computer tournament equivalent listed above.

Semi Pro Stadium Tournament (Level 6) - 4 hours, §150 entry fee, 1st Place (§3000), 2nd Place (§2000), 3rd Place (§1500)

Pro Stadium Tournament (Level 8) - 5 hours, §175 entry fee, 1st Place (§6500), 2nd Place (§5000), 3rd Place (§3500)

Elite Stadium Tournament (Level 10) - 6 hours, §200 entry fee, 1st Place (§10000), 2nd Place (§8500), 3rd Place (§7000)

New Moodlets

*Winner!: Given when a sim comes in 1st place in a video game tournament, lasts 8 hours, +25 mood

*An existing moodlet that is repurposed for this mod.

Runner Up: Given when a sim comes in 2nd place in a video game tournament, lasts 8 hours, +15 mood

Bronze Baby: Given when a sim comes in 3rd place in a video game tournament, lasts 8 hours, +5 mood

Loser: Given when a sim fails to place in a video game tournament, lasts 8 hours, -25 mood

Tuning

All of the tunable values can be found on the mod download page under the header “Tuning”.

Mod Recommendation

I recommend using Dandelion Sprout's Unhide Hidden Skills mod to track your sim's hidden Video Game and Arcade Machine skills.

Conflicts & Known Issues

This is a new script mod so there shouldn’t be any conflicts.

Credits

EA/Maxis for The Sims 3 and The Sims 4, Visual Studio 2019, ILSpy, s3pe, Notepad++, and Script Mod Template Creator.

Thank You

Thank you to @simbouquet for extracting the video files and answering all of my questions!

If you like my work, please consider tipping me on Ko-fi 💙

Download @ ModTheSims

[whencyclopedia]

Ancient Egypt

Egypt is a country in North Africa, on the Mediterranean Sea, and is home to one of the oldest civilizations on earth. The name 'Egypt' comes from the Greek Aegyptos which was the Greek pronunciation of the Ancient Egyptian name 'Hwt-Ka-Ptah' ("Mansion of the Spirit of Ptah"), originally the name of the city of Memphis.

Memphis was the first capital of Egypt and a famous religious and trade center; its high status is attested to by the Greeks alluding to the entire country by that name. To the ancient Egyptians themselves, their country was simply known as Kemet, which means 'Black Land', so named for the rich, dark soil along the Nile River where the first settlements began. Later, the country was known as Misr which means 'country', a name still in use by Egyptians for their nation in the present day. Egypt thrived for thousands of years (from c. 8000 BCE to c. 30 BCE) as an independent nation whose culture was famous for great cultural advances in every area of human knowledge, from the arts to science to technology and religion. The great monuments which ancient Egypt is still celebrated for reflect the depth and grandeur of Egyptian culture which influenced so many ancient civilizations, among them Greece and Rome.

One of the reasons for the enduring popularity of Egyptian culture is its emphasis on the grandeur of the human experience. Their great monuments, tombs, temples, and artwork all celebrate life and stand as reminders of what once was and what human beings, at their best, are capable of achieving. Although ancient Egypt in popular culture is often associated with death and mortuary rites, something even in these speaks to people across the ages of what it means to be a human being and the power and purpose of remembrance.

To the Egyptians, life on earth was only one aspect of an eternal journey. The soul was immortal and was only inhabiting a body on this physical plane for a short time. At death, one would meet with judgment in the Hall of Truth and, if justified, would move on to an eternal paradise known as The Field of Reeds which was a mirror image of one's life on earth. Once one had reached paradise one could live peacefully in the company of those one had loved while on earth, including one's pets, in the same neighborhood by the same stream, beneath the very same trees one thought had been lost at death. This eternal life, however, was only available to those who had lived well and in accordance with the will of the gods in the most perfect place conducive to such a goal: the land of Egypt.

Egypt has a long history which goes back far beyond the written word, the stories of the gods, or the monuments which have made the culture famous. Evidence of overgrazing of cattle, on the land which is now the Sahara Desert, has been dated to about 8000 BCE. This evidence, along with artifacts discovered, points to a thriving agricultural civilization in the region at that time. As the land was mostly arid even then, hunter-gatherer nomads sought the cool of the water source of the Nile River Valley and began to settle there sometime prior to 6000 BCE.

Organized farming began in the region c. 6000 BCE and communities known as the Badarian Culture began to flourish alongside the river. Industry developed at about this same time as evidenced by faience workshops discovered at Abydos dating to c. 5500 BCE. The Badarian were followed by the Amratian, the Gerzean, and the Naqada cultures (also known as Naqada I, Naqada II, and Naqada III), all of which contributed significantly to the development of what became Egyptian civilization. The written history of the land begins at some point between 3400 and 3200 BCE when hieroglyphic script is developed by the Naqada Culture III. By 3500 BCE mummification of the dead was in practice at the city of Hierakonpolis and large stone tombs built at Abydos. The city of Xois is recorded as being already ancient by 3100-2181 BCE as inscribed on the famous Palermo Stone. As in other cultures worldwide, the small agrarian communities became centralized and grew into larger urban centers.

Early History of Egypt

The Early Dynastic Period in Egypt (c. 3150 - c. 2613 BCE) saw the unification of the north and south kingdoms under the king Menes (also known as Meni or Manes) of Upper Egypt who conquered Lower Egypt in c. 3118 BCE or c. 3150 BCE. This version of the early history comes from the Aegyptica (History of Egypt) by the ancient historian Manetho who lived in the 3rd century BCE under the Ptolemaic Dynasty (323-30 BCE). Although his chronology has been disputed by later historians, it is still regularly consulted on dynastic succession and the early history of ancient Egypt.

Manetho's work is the only source which cites Menes and the conquest, and it is now thought that the man referred to by Manetho as 'Menes' was the king Narmer who peacefully united Upper and Lower Egypt under one rule. Identification of Menes with Narmer is far from universally accepted, however, and Menes has been as credibly linked to the king Hor-Aha (c. 3100-3050 BCE) who succeeded him. An explanation for Menes' association with his predecessor and successor is that 'Menes' is an honorific title meaning "he who endures" and not a personal name and so could have been used to refer to more than one king. The claim that the land was unified by military campaign is also disputed as the famous Narmer Palette, depicting a military victory, is considered by some scholars to be royal propaganda. The country may have first been united peacefully, but this seems unlikely.

Geographical designation in ancient Egypt follows the direction of the Nile River and so Upper Egypt is the southern region and Lower Egypt the northern area closer to the Mediterranean Sea. Narmer ruled from the city of Heirakonopolis and then from Memphis and Abydos. Trade increased significantly under the rulers of the Early Dynastic Period in Egypt and elaborate mastaba tombs, precursors to the later pyramids, developed in Egyptian burial practices which included increasingly elaborate mummification techniques.

Continue reading...

[bullet-prooflove]

3500 Follower Celebration: Germany - Beau Simpson x Reader (NSFW)

Tagging: @justameresimp @agentorange9595 @handsupforamiracle @lxaah11 @librarian1002 @imaginecrushes @flrboyd @@nani-kenobi @areamir @b-bradshaw @adaydreamaway08 @crimeshowjunkie @shepgurl @inkandarsenic @caffeinatedwoman @tortilla-maria1 @lemmons1998 @dr-alan-grantler @dizzybee03 @burningpeachpuppy @penguin876 @deliriousfangirl61 @goosterroose @kishie8 @skyesthebomb @olymosity @@marshmallowflufffox @whateversomethingbruh @@4everademigod @reneejett4 @notanotherpotter @yousigned-upforthis @silversprings-mp3 @words-and-seeds

Hitting the “Shit baby— that’s it. Fuck me, sweet thing.” Bingo Sqaure

It’s the evening before Beau’s deployment to Germany and you’re in a hotel room off base giving him the ride of his life. Until now everything between you has been tender, loving but tonight it’s messy, raw. Your thighs straddle his hips, your palm coming to rest on his chest as you grip him so tightly it feels like he’s died and gone to heaven.

“Fuck sweet thang.” He drawls, his hands fastening on your waist as he thrusts up into you. “That’s it.”

Your hand slips up to his throat and he smiles that devil may care grin because his baby has a wildness in her tonight and he’s loving every second of it. You squeeze just enough to constrict his oxygen and it sends him through the stratosphere, hips arching, burying him even deeper as the ecstasy surges through his veins.

“Harder.” He murmurs, his voice rough as you increase the pressure just a little. “Give me something to think about when I’m fucking my hand in Germany.”

Love Beau? Don’t miss any of his stories by joining the taglist here.

Interested in supporting me? Join my Patreon for Bonus Content!

Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[annaphoenix1994]

Uncharted Territory

Previous Chapter - Masterlist - Next Chapter

»»-------¤-------««

To say that I wasn't nervous was bloody lie. My stomach was turning knots during the whole flight, looking down at my lap as the plane landed. Kiera sat close by, but not too close as she wanted to give me space, subconsciously knowing that I was overwhelmed with a turn of events.

"Alright, we're here," She smiled at me. "You nervous?" 

"No." Yes, I bloody am, but I'd die before I told you the truth about it.

She cocked her head, her gaze knowing that I was lying - but she didn't acknowledge it. She noticed how nervous I was by her constant gaze on my lap, watching my left leg bounce up and down frantically, my tense shoulders, and my shaky breathing. She probably began to wonder why I felt this way, but she tried to understand me for what she could gather during the flight. I had no family waiting for me back in Manchester, no friends aside from my comrades, no usual fling waiting to happen at my local pub, nothing. Usually, I just went home to my flat and spent a few days there, sleeping and pushing my body's limits by going to the gym located on the bottom floor before going out into the town to drown my loneliness by nursing on a bottle of bourbon before hopefully finding a fling for the night. Perhaps this new experience would be good for me, and another reason to get closer to her. 

I followed her out of the terminal into the parking garage, the cold Wyoming air making goosebumps erect on my forearms under my jacket. Personally, I loved cold weather so I could keep my body concealed, including my face, but since we got onto the plane, my balaclava had been stuffed into my jacket pocket with no intentions to put it back on until I returned to duty. I watched as she dug into her pocket, pulling out a key fob before pressing a button, unlocking the massive RAM 3500 that sat in an isolated parking spot. Bloody fucking hell, there's no way she drives this thing. But if she does, it's so fucking hot. And fitting, to say the least. 

"We can put everything in the backseat. I'm so ready to go home." 

"I say you are." I replied, going to the passenger side to toss my duffel back into the backseat before climbing up into the passenger seat. The truck smelled of leather and coconut from the bottle of hand lotion in the cupholder. It was an odd mixture, but it was also comforting. 

"Alright, baby, please start." She said to herself, putting the key into the ignition. He watched her turn the key to the right, the diesel working hard to start in the cold weather, hoping that it did as she kept her eye on the instrument cluster as she waited for the glow plugs to do their job. 

After another try, it fired up, a thin cloud of black exhaust coming from the tailpipe. 

Diesel trucks were rare to see in the U.K., but when they were spotted, I was no better than a young boy looking at them in awe, desperate to hear the turbo whistle with acceleration, except most diesels were just box trucks instead of pickups. The biggest pickups commonly seen in the U.K. were smaller than an American 1/2-ton truck. Please rev it, love...  

She plugged in her phone while the truck was warming up, going through new notifications before breaking the silence, "Let's drown out the silence with some music. What do you say?" 

"I'm just a guest here, love. You can play your music as loud as you want to for all I care." I shrugged. 

"I don't play it loud unless I'm mad, but I'm in a fairly good mood right now, so I'll keep it down," She giggled, putting the phone in the cupholder before putting the truck in reverse, backing out of the parking spot and making her way out of the parking garage. "My parents don't know I'm back home. I'm going to surprise them. We got back just in time for Thanksgiving with about a week to spare. Do you celebrate Thanksgiving, Simon?" 

"Some of us do, but I personally don't. Never had a reason to." I frowned, turning my head to hide my frown from her, hoping she didn't notice. 

"Well, that's going to change for you this week. You're looking a little thin, Simon. We have some work to do." She teased. I was in no way thin, and I knew she was joking. I weighed 230lbs for Christ's sake and nearly took up this seat with my wide frame, physically having to move the seat back to keep my knees from kissing the glovebox, but I was giddy with excitement when I was offered to attend a feast with a bunch of Wyoming ranchers. 

One thing I knew about ranchers is that they knew how to feed people and worked twice as hard as the normal person. This was going to be a vacation for a man like me: work and food - I couldn't be happier. 

And with a woman I was interested in? Fuck, that was more than a bonus. 

"You're right, love. My spine was showing this morning." I chuckled. 

"Don't you worry about that. You'll be fattened up by the time our leave is over. Might even have to hit the gym before we go back." 

"Or you could put me to work." 

"Be careful what you wish for." 

"I'll be alright," I smirked. "Weather usually get this bad at this time of year?" 

"This isn't even a lot of snow compared to what we get in the winter. Last year, in January, our temperature for the high was twelve degrees with a windchill, making it to feel like negative twenty. It comes in waves, but we're prepared for it." She explained. 

It was near the end of November and snow was already on the ground? This is my kind of place. 

I couldn't help but notice her faint southern accent, and I couldn't help but pry. "Where are you from originally?" 

"Well, I was born in Montana. My dad was retired from the Marine Corps at the time, but he was working for a powerline company, and we stayed in Montana for a few years. The ranch has been in our family for seven generations, but my uncle was running it at the time with my grandfather, and we couldn't focus on running the ranch when he was moving around so much due to work. I was seven when we moved out of Montana and then moved to Tennessee for a few years. When my grandfather passed away, my uncle decided to move to New York after he decided that he didn't want to ranch anymore, so we moved to Wyoming to take it over and keep it in our family." 

"So that's where the accent comes from." 

"Couldn't help but pick it up." She shrugged, giggling. 

"Of all places, why'd your uncle move to New York?" 

"He didn't want the ranch life anymore. All of us born into the life had no choice but to adapt to it. He wanted to start over for himself, I guess. He didn't want to be into politics or be a livestock commissioner like my dad ended up being after he got out of the powerline work. He's been a police chief in New York since ninety-three, and by how he puts it, he's loving it." 

"I barely like living in Manchester and couldn't imagine living in New York. Too many people for my liking." 

"I'm in the same boat with you on that one." 

"I only like living in a city for the convenience, but other than that, even being here, makes me wish I would've moved off the grid." 

"When you get to the ranch, you might not want to leave. Our nearest neighbors are miles down the road." 

As long as I can wake up to you every day, I'll take you up on that. 

"You've got it made, love. How far away is it from the airport?" 

"About an hour," She explained, looking over at me, seeing how exhausted I was. "You can get some rest. You look like you need it." 

"I don't want to be rude and sleep in your truck." 

"That's not rude, Simon. Get some rest." 

I reclined my seat, taking a deep breath before realizing that the heated seat feature was on, slowly dragging me into a comforting darkness. 

That nap was well-deserved, but not long enough. By the time I woke up, it was to the feeling of Kiera's truck coming to a complete stop. My first thought drifted back into my military instincts, thinking that we were stopping because of an ambush or having to exit to return fire, but when I looked around, I saw that we were in a McDonald's parking lot. "Do you mind if I make a stop and get something to eat? Are you hungry?" 

"Why would I mind?"  

"Just figured I should ask. I'll give you a warning, though, don't be surprised when I'm stuffing my face with chicken nuggets because I'm starving." 

"I won't look when you're stuffing your face with chicken nuggets, love."

"I don't give a damn if you look or not," She teased. "Just wait until Thanksgiving. You'll wonder where it all goes." 

It'll all go to your ass. And I won't be complaining. I like what I see. Fucking hell, Simon, stop sexualizing her!

"If you say so." 

"Well, are you hungry?" 

"Not at the moment. Want me to go in with you?" 

"Stay in here and rest, Simon. I'll be fine. I'm not going into enemy territory here." 

"Never know. Might run into a feral teenager willing to fight for chicken nuggets." 

"Well, I'd feel sorry for him, then." 

"I would, too." 

She breathed a laugh, "I'll be right back. Lock the doors after I get out. Can't have someone stealing this truck and running off with you." 

Why? Don't want me going anywhere, angel? Think I won't be able to find my way back to you? You don't know all about me yet, sweetheart. 

"I will. Nobody is going to run off with me." 

"Okay, well hold down the fort. I'll be right back." 

Moments later, she eventually returned with two drinks and a bag in her hand. This lass still got me something to drink when I told her I was fine, and I think I just fell in love. She had proven to me right there that she was considerate of my well-being, putting a thought of me along within hers. 

"I didn't know what drink you like, so I just got you an iced water," She explained, putting the straw into the cup for me as if I couldn't do it myself, but all I could do was sit and admire her caring attitude towards me - a stranger in her world, yet she treated me like a friend, and hopefully more. "And I also didn't know what food you liked or if you even ate at McDonald's, so I got you a chicken sandwich and some of their famous fries." 

"I usually don't, but I'm not complaining. Thank you, love. You didn't have to do that." 

"I wanted to, Simon. You look about as tired of MRE's like I am." 

"That I am," I chuckled. "Is it alright if I eat it later?" 

"Of course! I just wanted to get you something to eat because I knew you wouldn't let me get you something if I would've offered." 

"Yeah, I can be stubborn." 

I dozed off yet again when Kiera got back onto the main road, the lyrics of Zach Bryan's Open the Gate keeping my mind occupied after closing my eyes until I woke up again after she had stopped on the gravel driveway that led into the ranch, and when I felt the truck going over the gravel, I immediately shot up as if we were being ambushed, the sensation all-too familiar. "Relax, Simon." 

She drove slowly along the driveway while I looked out the window, seeing two men on horseback, what Kiera called wranglers, each equipped with a rope and a rifle in the scabbard on their saddles. "It's normal here," She spoke up. "We're close to the mountains. Never know when a wolf or a bear will surprise you." 

"Oh," I nodded. "So, I guess the Alejandro was right." 

"Right about what?" 

"He said you were a true cowgirl." 

She blushed, "I guess you can say that, but cowboys and cowgirls never have to introduce themselves as one. It's one hell of a life running a ranch. You'll see." She then stopped next to one of the wranglers on horseback, recognizing him as her younger cousin. 

"Well, well, well!" He shouted, stopping his horse. "Go on leave for three months and come back with a husband!" He poked. 

"Shut the fuck up," She scoffed, hiding her blush from me, but I saw right through her already. "Don't tell mom and dad I'm back. I was gonna surprise them." 

"They're out in town anyway getting lunch," He waved her off. "They'll be back for dinner. Your daddy's got to pick up a load of calves. They took the trailer with him." 

I watched her roll her eyes before looking over at me, "My dad is damn sixty years old, and he doesn't stay still. Always doing shit he doesn't need to be doing when he's got young men around here to do all the hard work for him." 

"I see where you get it from." 

"Frankie, this is Simon," She introduced. "He's our guest." 

"Guest as in guest, or boyfriend?" He poked. 

She glared at Frankie, "A guest I'm about to give permission to hurt you if you don't shut the fuck up." 

"Copy that, Officer," He snickered, readjusting himself in the saddle, mocking his cousin playfully. "I'll see you at dinner. Gonna go push some cattle to the front pasture for the winter." 

"That should've been done already." 

"Shit, you ain't been back for an hour and already runnin' this place. This ain't that much of a tight ship, cousin. Simmer down." 

I didn't like how her cousin was talking to her, mainly because I wasn't used to watching relatives bicker in play. I had hoped, for Frankie's sake, that he was joking. Otherwise, he'd be getting a death glare from me every time I laid eyes on him. 

"Yeah, yeah. I'll see you around." 

"When you get a minute, you need to exercise that blonde horse of yours. The fucker has been batshit crazy since you left." 

"Maybe because nobody else besides me is supposed to be riding him." She retorted, rolling up her window before accelerating the truck forward, curving around a bend and passing the main lodge. My eyes were glued to it - it was a modern log cabin with exquisite taste and class that was at least two stories. It was huge, and I wouldn't complain if I was stuck in there for a week without even going outside.

"Why isn't nobody else supposed to ride your horse?" I asked with curiosity. 

"It's a rule around here. Not just for me, but for everyone. You don't ride another cowboy's horse. We have horses that are a free-for-all, but a wrangler's main horse or one of the family's, it's a big no-no. Our horses are our partners. You bond with them to work together. If you put another person on them with different buttons, you can get yourself in a bind." She explained. 

"Never thought of it that way." 

"It's no different than military dogs," She shrugged. "You get used to a dog that's your partner in the field and expect them to be the same with another handler? No, they change completely because the energy is different. Same concept." She said, slowing the truck down to a stop outside her house. It too was one of class. It was a log cabin as well, but only one story. A pair of elk antlers hung above the front door and decorative lights lined the walkway. But what really caught my eye were the view of the snowcapped mountains behind the house. 

The interior smelled of leather and preserved wood. It was comforting, to say the least. And warm. God, I had been itching to get somewhere warm since the last mission on the ship, swearing I could still feel the water in my boots. I watched as she turned on the lights, seeing how well-lit the interior was. Everything was uniform and had a place. 

"I'll show you to your room. Make yourself at home, Simon." 

I was expecting a small room that was once used as storage instead of a guest room, mainly because it was something I wasn't used to. Something small and simple. No - this room looked like a master bedroom. A queen-sized bed, two side tables with lamps, a desk, a wardrobe, a television mounted on the wall, a longhorn cowhide separating my feet from the floor, and a joined bathroom. The room also smelled like warm apple cider, courtesy of the plug-in warmer. 

"I'm sure you're eager to get in bed." 

"I am," I nodded, setting my duffel bag aside. "Thank you, Officer, really. I-"

"It's Kiera, Simon," She corrected, catching eye contact with me. "We're off duty. We leave that behind us here. When I'm home, I don't want to even think about my next job. I enjoy what I have before I have to leave it behind again. I suggest you do the same." 

She didn't have harsh intent with her words, but they struck me as one to have a point. I could see in her eyes that her job took a toll on her, which was something we both had in common, except she seemed to decompress herself better than I could. 

Maybe I can learn a thing or two...

[ivystoryweaver]

Based on this request by @themarvelousbee: Affectionate things that make me fall in love prompt #12: “the hand behind their nape, when they're embarrassed” drabble with poe dameron my entire world

Pairing: Poe Dameron x gn!reader Content: fluff Word Count: 252

Happy Poevember!

Finn and Rey see you there.

But Poe has his back to you. You've all just returned from a successful mission and Leia has announced a celebration.

A brief indulgence to lighten the strain of war.

Drinks and dancing are the main priorities and everyone seems to be pairing off with a loved one or hanging out with a group.

"Don't tell me you're gonna hang around with us all night," Finn teases, winking past his best friend's shoulder at you. Subtle.

A protesting Poe's hands land on his hips. "You guys are ditching me? Seriously?"

"Come on, Poe," Rey goads, "there's no one you want to take dancing? You of all people."

Poe Dameron never wastes a chance to shake his hips.

"Well...actually...there is someone," he confesses, "but you can't tell them - "

"Tell who what?" You pipe, appearing behind Poe with a devilish grin on your face.

Poe's head snaps around so fast at the sound of your voice. "Uh, no one. Nothing," he lamely attempts, scrubbing his hand over the nape of his neck as his eyebrows shift boyishly, as if he's in trouble.

"So...you don't want to dance with me tonight? Okay, come on, Finn," you tease, watching in amusement as his mouth falls open.

Rey and Finn chuckle at their oblivious best friend.

"So...you knew? All three of you?" He narrows his gorgeous, dark brown eyes.

"I knew there was someone," you shrug, biting your bottom lip flirtatiously, "but thanks for confirming it's me."

✧ ˚ · .✧ ˚ · .✧ ˚ · .✧ ˚ · .✧

Poe Dameron Masterlist

Main Masterlist

IvyStoryWeaver's 500 Follower Celebration

Follow @ivystoryupdates and turn on notifications to never miss an update

Join my tag list - for chaptered fics and short stories only (3500+ words)

[r0-boat]

I know how we can celebrate 3500 followers drunk

I'm setting up a drunk Chao garden stream

I haven't streamed in a while but I think you guys deserve a special treat

Follow me on twitch and you'll get the notification when I'm ready!

[madame-fear]

Back again with another poll. Remember when I mentioned having a slumber party event to celebrate a new milestone? Well, I have it nearly finished in drafts!

I’m close to reaching 3.5k followers! I was wondering if you guys wanted me to make the (rather short) event for the 3500 followers, or wait until we reach 4k?

[girl-next-door-writes]

So, I borrowed this Build-A Blurb idea for my last follower milestone and I thought it would be a great way to celebrate hitting 3500 followers!

Rules:

Step 1- Pick a character that I write from the list below.

Step 2 - Pick angst or fluff. (If you don't specify then it will be fluff because this is me writing things)

😢 Angst

🥰Fluff

WARNING: If you pick angst I will not be writing a part 2 to fix what I have broken.

Step 3 - Pick up to 4 emoji's, one from each category you will find beneath the cut. You don't have to choose one from EVERY category, you can simply pick fluff and 1 emoji if you wish.

Step 4 - Send me your choices in an ASK! I will not be accepting dm's for this one guys.

THINGS TO NOTE:

All my blurbs will be character x reader because that’s the lane I am sticking in.

I will only be accepting 8 because I have a bit of a request backlog and a couple of series playing around in my mind, so get your requests in asap.

Characters I will write:

SUPERNATURAL: Crowley, Gabe, Sam

STAR TREK: Scotty, Bones

MARVEL: Loki, Clint, Scott, Bucky, Steven Grant

STAR WARS: Hux, Poe

HARRY POTTER: George Weasley, Remus Lupin

SHERLOCK: Mycroft

ALSO... Spencer Reid, Steve Harrington and Bruno Madrigal.

Set 1: Choose 1 from this list.

👀best friends to lovers

👫 fake dating

😍 mutual pining

🤫 secret relationship

🤯 They were roommates

Set 2: Choose 1 from this list

😙 A chaste kiss

💋A fierce kiss

👄 A gentle kiss

😘 A hello/good-bye kiss that is given without thinking

😳 An unexpected kiss

Set 3: Choose 1 from this list

🤬 blurting out a confession of love in a stressful moment

🤮 drunkenly confessing feelings

🤡 everyone Knowing™ before they do

🤝 taking each other’s hands during a stressful situation

👩‍❤️‍👨 people thinking they’re already together

Set 4: Choose 1 from this list

😴 accidentally falling asleep on/next to each other

🍕cleaning food off someone’s face

👕 sharing clothes

👗 helping each other dress/fixing someone’s outfit

💭 dreaming about a love interest

[transgenderer]

In northern and western Europe, some Neolithic communities celebrated their hauling capacities by moving gigantic stones to make megalithic community tombs and stone henges; other communities hauled earth, making massive earthworks. These constructions demonstrated in a visible, permanent way the solidity and strength of the communities that made them, which depended in many ways on human hauling capacities. The importance and significance of the village community as a group transport device changed profoundly with the introduction of wagons, which passed on the burden of hauling to animals and machines, where it has remained ever since.

Although the earliest wagons were slow and clumsy, and probably required teams of specially trained oxen, they permitted single families to carry manure out to the fields and to bring firewood, supplies, crops, and people back home. This reduced the need for cooperative communal labor and made single-family farms viable. Perhaps wagons contributed to the disappearance of large nucleated villages and the dispersal of many farming populations across the European landscape after about 3500 BCE. Wagons were useful in a different way in the open grasslands of the steppes, where the economy depended more on herding than on agriculture. Here wagons made portable things that had never been portable in bulk— shelter, water, and food. Herders who had always lived in the forested river valleys and grazed their herds timidly on the edges of the steppes now could take their tents, water, and food supplies to distant pastures far from the river valleys. The wagon was a mobile home that permitted herders to follow their animals deep into the grasslands and live in the open. Again, this permitted the dispersal of communities, in this case across interior steppes that earlier had been almost useless economically. Significant wealth and power could be extracted from larger herds spread over larger pastures.

-David W. Anthony. The Horse, the Wheel, and Language

interesting but im not sure how valid the idea that the wheel was essnetial for long-ranging pastroalism is. transhumance is common in mountainous regions, presumably some of which are too mountainous for wheels? also there's the travois, which let the plains aboriginals do pastoralism (i mean. sort of). maybe a difference of degree not kind?

[ducktaildl]

Soon 3500 followers, is that not amazing?! I am so happy. Is there something you want me to do to celebrate my coming 3500 follower?🥰

[recurring-polynya]

Writing/Art Update 7/25/2023

Well...I'm kind of in the same state I was last week, which is to say, I have not done much in the way of art or writing. Lots happened last week! The frogs arrived! My son and I built a Corsi-Rosenthal box! I celebrated hitting 1500 followers by posting a bunch of deleted scene from my old fanfics!

Anyway, I feel like I am having a small amount of time freeing up, so I am trying to get back into my "write something every day, even if it's just a little" thing. I started yesterday, and wrote 508 words, which is...my writing for the entire week.

Since I haven't talked about it in a few weeks and someone asked today, I am back to working on Ductwork, the next part of the Heart is a Muscle. My goal for the summer is to be +20k words on it from where I started. It was at 7700 words in May, and the main document is at 17,638, which does contain a small amount of trash, but let's ignore that for now, and say I am currently at a net of 9,938. I also started a secondary document for flashbacks, which is at 508. I'm not entirely sure at this point whether or not all the flashbacks will make it into the main fic, but I wanted to write them, and it's often helpful to write stuff that happened so that I know. Odds are, I will probably cram them all in, because I am very bad at throwing out writing, but we'll see. I am going to need to re-write the Renji Breaks an Arm story to better fit into the narrative. I've been putting it off, but I feel like maybe I'm up to it. It's about 3500 words, and it feels a little cheap to count that as new writing, but on the other hand, rewrites are Hell, so maybe I do deserve credit for it. I am sort of planning that the first half of the fanfic is going to switch off between Inuzuri flashbacks and current time. I'm not sure how well that's going to work, which is probably why I've been putting it off, but maybe it's time to give it a shot. How many interwoven hurt/comfort stories can I fit into one fanfic? I am attempting three. I wouldn't have to do this if Soul Society had therapy, but instead what it has is Byakuya, so here we are.

When I was digging through my deleted scenes, I found at least two short stories that were, like, 90% complete? I pulled them out and stuck them in new files in my WIP folder, and I might try to finish them if I get desperate to Post. It's tempting to do that now, but I really do want to make some progress on The Monster. Alsoooooo I wrote, like two paragraphs of an adult fanfic that I would like to work on, in theory, but I just have too much else going on.

I can't believe it's Tuesday already. I am tired. Anyway, I am trying hard to have a productive week, let's see how it goes.

[linaharutaka]

did i seriously never celebrate my 3000/3500 or even 4000 followers??? thank you all so much what the hell. im at 4250 now, i feel very grateful. thank you guys for staying! :)

[bullet-prooflove]

3500 Follower Celebration: Say It Again - Sean Renard x Reader (NSFW)

Tagging: @kmc1989 @kabloswrld @words-and-seeds

Hitting bingo square: "I'm yours." "Say it again."

It’s almost violent the way that Sean loves you. It’s a furious, rampant emotion that sears through his nerve endings as he pins you against the penthouse door. He’s still wearing his shirt but his trousers are down by his ankles, his dick buried deep inside you as he fucks you like his sanity depends on you. In a way it does, because he needs you to see how much he wants you, how deep his feelings run. You’re hitched breathing rings in his ears as you bundle his shirt in your fists, grasping at the fabric as his cock rakes over that deviant little spot inside you, the one that makes you moan like a whore.

“Do you understand how much you mean to me?” He asks you, his voice a little rough. “Do you see it?”

You tilt your head away but Sean captures your jaw, gently guiding your gaze back to his.

“Madelyn, look at me.” He whispers, his nose trailing along yours. “Look into my eyes and see that I’m yours.”

You gasp as he hits that perfect place inside of you and he holds himself there, hips rocking just a little as the pleasure begins to build to a crescendo.

“Say it again.” You breathe as his thumb ghosts over your parted lips.  “Please, I just need…”

He knows what you need. You crave the same thing that he does, security, reassurance. This whole thing tonight had started because you’d been forced to watch him with another woman, her hands on him, touching him, her lips ghosting over his skin as she whispered in his ear. He hates that he can’t be with you the way he wants to, that he can’t love as openly as a normal man could. To do so would put a target on your back and Sean, he just can’t do that, so he plays the game the same way he always has.

For both your sake and his.

“I’m yours.” He promises you, his thumb ghosting over the apple of your cheek. “For as long as you’ll have me, I always will be.”

Love Renard? Don’t miss any of his stories by joining the taglist here.

Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[rabbitcruiser]

National Canoe Day

National  Canoe Day is celebrated on June 26 every year. Though it is a Canadian  holiday, it’s celebrated in the U.S. as well. Canoeing is both a sport  and a recreational activity — one that’s relaxing and good for the  environment. Wherever there is water, there are canoeists. On National  Canoe Day thousands visit their favorite waterways, exploring their  lakes and rivers or participating in competitive aquatic events.  Canoeing is a fun activity that’s easy to learn and friendly to people  across different age groups. It’s also a low-impact form of exercise, so  it’s good for your health too.

History of Canoe Day

Canoes  have been around for millennia and used by different cultures and  civilizations throughout the ages. The oldest canoe in existence dates  back to 8000 B.C. It was carved out by hand with basic flintstone tools  from the hollowed-out trunk of a pine tree. Canoes predate the arrival  of Europeans on the American continent. They were widely used as a  method of transport, catching food, trading items, and even in warfare.

Native  Americans used canoes made of birch-bark trees, tying together strips  of wood with strong roots, then sealing them up with a pitch to prevent  leakage. In 3500 B.C. the design of South American canoes was simpler  but still effective. They made their boats from hollowed-out logs, which  they expanded with heat and sharpened on both ends. This made them cut  through the water faster. Around 1500 B.C. Polynesians had very  elaborate, colorful canoes equipped with sails and crossbeams. They were  much larger and sturdier than conventional canoes as their purpose was  ocean voyages.

By the 19th century, the techniques and technology  for building canoes had evolved thanks to centuries of interaction with  Europeans. Canoeing became a popular activity in the Western world as a  result of this. In a world when ships and railroads existed, there was  no need for canoes to be utilized for maritime transportation. Instead,  Europeans used them for recreational and sporting purposes. John  MacGregor, an English explorer who popularized canoeing in the United  States and Europe, created the Royal Canoe Club of London in 1866.  This  was followed by the “American Canoe Association” formed in 1880. In  1946, the International Canoe Federation was founded, acting as the  umbrella body for national canoe organizations worldwide.

Canoe Day timeline

1924 Canoeing Joins the Olympics

Canoeing debuts as an Olympic demonstration sport at the Paris Olympics.

1944 The Introduction of Aluminum Canoes

William  Hoffman, Vice President of Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation,  comes up with an idea for a lightweight canoe made of aluminum.

1955 The Discovery of the Oldest Canoe

The ‘Pesse’ canoe — considered the world’s oldest known boat — is discovered in the village of Pesse in the Netherlands.

1987 The Discovery of the Second-Oldest Canoe

The ‘Dufuna’ canoe — the second oldest canoe — is discovered by a cattle herdsman in Nigeria while he is digging a well.

Canoe Day FAQs

What is a canoe person?

A canoe person or canoeist is someone who paddles a canoe.

How many miles can you canoe in a day?

You  can canoe for roughly 20 miles in one day, factoring in things like  speed and mileage. This adds up to about seven hours of non-stop  paddling for an entire day, with breaks in-between.

How difficult is it to canoe?

Canoeing is not a difficult task. Most people learn how to paddle solo canoes in an hour or two.

Canoe Day Activities

Go for canoe lessons

Attend a canoe race

Buy a canoe

Learning  how to row a canoe is a great way to celebrate National Canoe Day. It’s  not a difficult skill to pick up at all, it just takes a bit of  practice and dedication. You can learn with a solo canoe, a two-person  canoe for someone special, or a four-person canoe for larger groups.

Whitewater  canoeing is an exciting sport. As you watch the races you’ll quickly  realize that it takes great skill to navigate rapids without flipping  over or crashing. As a spectator, you get to experience the thrill with  none of the risks.

Buying  a canoe can prove quite convenient if you live near rivers or lakes.  This way you can celebrate National Canoe Day each year by taking your  craft out for a spin on the water. Besides, canoeing is a peaceful,  relaxing activity that keeps you in shape.

5 Interesting Facts About Canoeing

The longest canoe trip

Florida has the eldest canoes

Hungarians are canoeing champions

Canoes are different from kayaks

Canoes were used during WW2

In  1980, Don Starkell and his teenage sons paddled from Winnipeg, Canada  to the Amazon River, covering more than 12,000 miles over two years.

Florida has more than 400 old, dug-out canoes preserved in their original state — the highest number in the world.

Hungary has won 41 medals in canoeing since 1980, with 18 of them being gold medals.

Canoes  have open decks with rowers sitting or kneeling inside the canoe, while  kayaks have closed decks with a hole cut in the center where the rower  sits.

During  Operation Frankton, canoes were used to transport commandos to raid  ships in the French port of Bordeaux, which was under German occupation  at the time.

Why We Love Canoe Day

It highlights an obscure sport

It teaches us to appreciate the environment

It keeps canoeing relevant

Canoeing  is one of the lesser-known watersports. It doesn’t get much mainstream  coverage compared to other events like swimming, sailing, or diving.  National Canoe Day brings awareness to this activity and its competitive  watersports variants.

Whether  you’re doing it recreationally or competing in an event, canoeing takes  place outdoors. On National Canoe Day, we get in touch with mother  nature and deepen our appreciation for the environment.

National  Canoe Day doesn’t just celebrate one of the oldest forms of transport  and recreation. It also keeps the conversation on this activity going.  Every year on June 26, more people get to know about canoeing and its  history.

Source

[ivystoryweaver]

500 Follower Celebration Masterlist

My masterlist

500 Follower Celebration Main Post

Drabbles (100 words)

Made for You || Orestes

Ficlets (<1000 words)

Moonglow || Marc Spector, Steven Grant

Saw You Standing There || Marc Spector

There is Someone... || Poe Dameron

One-Shots (1000-3500 words)

Purple || Marc Spector

Relief || Poe Dameron || 18+

Upside Down || Miguel O'Hara

Left Behind || Duke Leto Atreides || 18+

Can't Stand It || Marc Spector || 18+

Chaptered Fics

On My Knees || 3 parts || Steven Grant || 18+

Headcanons

Spector Acts of Service || Marc Spector

Moodboards

Marc Spector

Jake Lockley

Get-to-Know-You asks

Random Asks #1

Random Asks #2

Celebrations Mastlerist

My masterlist