#Alaskas race rambles

[alaskas-space-project]

It was just one more way to erase Logan Sargeant from the world. Formula One would forget him, the fans barely knew him, and Williams Racing had never accepted him as one of their own. In a few years there would be a vague memory that an American had once raced in F1. And then that would be forgotten too. Goodbye, Logan Sargeant, we hardly knew you.

[alaskas-space-project]

it was actually Oscar that did it!

logan sargeant what fucking curse did you put on williams and can i have the phone number of whoever helped you enact that curse?

[goldenotebook]

i finished all stars 2 today and i got to say the one i was so excited to see was katya (because i love her) but seeing alyssa was so cool and knowing she is on GAS makes me so happy, i feel like she was the one who showed more growth from her previous season. in fact i found it crazy that phi phi was so mad at alyssa for voting ginger out, because she was so right in looking at people's performance during the competition and not only the weeks challenge (and you can see that the whole reason why alaska has her breakdown is because she's afraid of being judged based on the day and not her consistency throughout the season - like being so close and having one thing making you lose everything), she truly comes out as the most honest and sweet of the whole AS2 bunch and although I'm grateful for roxxxy's awful iconic line on read u wrote u i do wonder what would've happen if detox saved alyssa instead... (not that i think it would've changed top three but well)

[ghostlyglimmer]

Unlikely Roads: Chapter 1

Summary:

Danny and his rival, Wes Weston, as they join forces to escape the GIW. On a tense road trip, they uncover personal truths and forge an unexpected bond while battling both the GIW and their own conflicts.

Fic is inspired by @greenglowinspooks's post!

The quiet of Amity Park’s night was shattered by the frantic pounding on Danny’s window.

Danny Fenton sat bolt upright in bed, heart racing. His first thought was that some ghost had decided to wreck his night. Again. But when he glanced at the clock—2:17 AM—and looked outside, what he saw wasn't a ghost at all. It was Wes Weston. Bruised, bloody, and visibly shaking.

“What the hell?” Danny muttered, more annoyed than alarmed at first. Wes had always been a thorn in his side. Always trying to "out" him as Danny Phantom to everyone in school, even though no one ever believed him. But this? This was...different.

“Fenton!” Wes’s voice cracked through the glass, desperate and raw. “Open up!”

Still half-asleep, Danny threw back his blanket and padded across the floor. He opened the window just a crack, enough to hear the panic in Wes’s voice more clearly. “Do you have any idea what time it is?”

“They’re after me,” Wes gasped, leaning against the window frame, struggling to catch his breath. His face was pale, and his clothes were torn, as if he’d barely escaped something—or someone. “The GIW… they’re after me. And you.”

That got Danny’s attention. “Wait, what?”

Wes took a shaky breath, wincing as he touched a cut on his forehead. “They’ve been watching me. For weeks. Ever since I started poking around, asking too many questions. An hour ago, they got a warrant. They want me in custody because of what I know... and they want you for what you are.”

Danny’s stomach flipped. The GIW—the Ghost Investigation Ward—had been a constant threat ever since they’d set up camp in Amity Park, hunting ghosts with their high-tech weapons and zero tolerance. But for them to be after Wes too? That was new. That was bad.

He could feel the cool buzz of his ghost sense curling in his chest, a sign that danger was near, though not supernatural this time. It was human—and that made it scarier. He narrowed his eyes at Wes. “Why should I believe you?”

“Because I didn’t have to come here!” Wes snapped, his voice breaking. “I could’ve run. I should’ve run, but I didn’t! They’ll kill me just for knowing your secret, and you? They’ll do worse to you if they catch you.”

Danny clenched his jaw, weighing his options. Wes had been a royal pain for so long—constantly badgering him about being Phantom, always trying to expose him. But Wes looked absolutely terrified. There was no mistaking the desperation in his eyes.

“Look,” Wes pleaded, his breath ragged. “You’ve got powers. You’ve got a chance. But I can’t... I can’t do this alone.”

Danny stood frozen, staring at Wes. The easy thing would be to slam the window shut, let Wes deal with his mess. But if what he said was true—and Danny's gut told him it was—they were both in deep trouble.

“Fine,” Danny grumbled, yanking the window open fully and helping Wes climb inside. “But we’re gonna need more than your paranoid rambling to get out of this.”

“I have a plan,” Wes said, his voice still shaky but firm. “My uncle. He lives out of state. He doesn’t trust the government, hates the GIW, all that. He’ll help us, no questions asked.”

Danny raised an eyebrow. “Your uncle? And where does this government-hating conspiracy theorist live?”

“Florida.” Wes rubbed his hands together, trying to shake off the cold sweat from his skin. “Or Alaska. Either one works. The farther the better.”

Danny groaned. “Great. So, what? We hitchhike to Florida?”

“I have a bike. It’s my brother’s old one.” Wes hesitated. “But it’s in bad shape.”

“You think?”

“I didn’t have time to fix it, okay?! They showed up out of nowhere. We don’t have time to be picky.”

Danny frowned, pacing. He didn’t have many choices. If Wes was right, the GIW could be busting down the door any minute now. His parents were out of town, Jazz was staying at a friend’s, and Tucker and Sam were both unreachable at this hour. Danny didn’t know how much he trusted Wes—actually, he didn’t trust Wes at all—but he knew one thing: the GIW wasn’t going to stop until they had him. And if they thought Wes was connected to Phantom, they’d take him down too.

“Fine,” Danny said. “Let’s go.”

They crept downstairs as quietly as possible, slipping out the back door. As promised, Wes’s “bike” sat at the edge of the driveway, looking like it had seen better days—years ago. Rust clung to the metal frame, the engine sputtered when Wes tried to start it, and the tires were half-deflated.

“Oh, this is just great,” Danny muttered sarcastically, arms crossed. “We’re going to outrun the government on this thing?”

“Shut up and help me,” Wes hissed, yanking on the choke to get the engine going. Danny rolled his eyes but grudgingly stepped in, using his powers to subtly jumpstart the engine. After a few coughs and splutters, the bike roared to life—well, more like it wheezed to life, but it was running.

Danny climbed on behind Wes, the smell of gasoline thick in the air. He glanced behind them, half-expecting to see the black vans of the GIW pulling into his neighborhood. Nothing yet. But he knew it wouldn’t be long.

“Alright, Weston,” Danny muttered, gripping the back of the seat. “Let’s see how long we last before this thing breaks down.”

Wes glanced over his shoulder, his expression a mix of fear and determination. “Let’s just hope we make it out of town first.”

With that, Wes twisted the throttle, and they shot forward down the empty street, the wind biting at their faces as they sped into the night. Danny could feel the weight of the situation pressing down on them. He didn’t know how far they could run, or how long they could hide, but one thing was clear: for better or worse, they were in this together now.

As they tore through the deserted streets, the tension between them simmered. Danny kept one eye on the road ahead, the other on Wes. Part of him still wondered if this was some elaborate trick—if Wes would sell him out the second he got the chance. But then Danny saw the way Wes’s knuckles whitened on the handlebars, his breath hitching every time they passed a streetlight.

For the first time, Danny realized Wes wasn’t just scared of him. He was scared of the same thing Danny was: the GIW.

[alaskas-space-project]

Next celebration ideas: “chingo bingo!!” “Skibidi toilet Baku!!!” “Boom bam bong!” “Tiddily wink!”

the fuck are the noises George and his engineer making??????

[stolasbuckzo]

Hazbin Hotel Headcanons:

- Bee & Angel would be best friends (the common denominator being that they’re both insects and have musical abilities)

- Angel Dust doesn’t know the rest of the Seven Deadly Sins except Asmodeus the King of Lust (cuz go figure 🤭) which is his favourite

<> His least favourite Deadly Sin is Mammon (because he reminds him too much of Valentino)

- Angel & Husk have private conversations in Italian because no one else understands

- Husk has reading glasses (boat-shaped) but refuses to use them 😂

- Anthony (Angel Dust) definitely watched RuPaul’s Drag Race when he was alive

- Emily is actually Charlie’s half sister (staying here until confirmed otherwise 🤭)

- Despite being annoyed with Angel Dust (as a person); Alastor gets taught the “gay language” like ‘that’s the tea' etc

- Angel Dust definitely now sings “Loser, Baby” all the time to himself (like the rest of us 🤣)

- Cherri Bomb feels inferior to Husk because 1. She’s Angel’s best friend first and 2. He stops him from being “fucked up”

- Angel Dust has characteristics of ASD (considering that his personality is based on Alaska Thunderfuck who’s definitely on the spectrum with a combination of Trixie Mattel) and also ADHD

- It was stated that Husk was/is family oriented so I definitely have a hunch that he’d would have a family before he died

- Angel Dust (due to the abuse from Valentino) would have a praise/validation kink with a significant other

- Husk’s room is a representation of Las Vegas and has a poker table (for sure!) and a scratching post to file down his claws 😂

- Angel unofficially dated (?) Valentino before things started going downhill (increasingly fast & really bad)

- Alastor had a passion for dad jokes (and annoys everyone with it 😂)

- Husk was definitely friends with good Bee back when he was an overlord (common denominator being their passion being honesty and authenticity)

- Angel habitually locks his door (even at the Hazbin Hotel) because it makes him feel safer

<> Because of this Husk either respectfully knocks on the door or leaves his gift (a bottle of alcohol) outside

- Frank (one of the Egg Boiz) becomes roommates with Angel after he saved his life in 1x08 🥹

- Angel Dust ironically has arachnophobia 🤣 (AKA “fear of spiders”)

- Husk is a gentleman (more implied than HC) in a 101 ways and definitely would be the “old-fashioned” type

- Alastor forces Husk to keep his “overlord attire” to as a reminder of what he had lost

- Angel Dust’s best feature of his body (canonically implied) is chest however — outside of work — will only let certain people touch it

<> Which kind makes sense since he shows off his chest (proud) but keeps his feet hidden (insecure)

- Charlie and Angel Dust have a sibling relationship (definitely canonically implied) but extended of that she’d ask for his opinion or ask him to do her makeup for a big event or something more significant

- When drunk and angry Angel definitely rambles in Italian but no one else understands (except Husk)

- The Seven Deadly Sins are all best friends (except for Mammon)

- Angel Dust has age regression (which is very common victims who have PTSD)

- Husk always makes gambling idioms ~ ie: “I keep my cards to my chest” (translation: I’m a private person)

- Angel Dustdied on his birthday date which is why he doesn’t like to celebrate it anymore

- The minute Charlie learns that Angel is Italian; she goes out of her way to learn the language (as any good surrogate sibling would 🥹)

- Husk doesn’t enjoy card games that don’t involve gambling (so ie Blackjack which is more about getting the numbers than betting money) but sometimes would do it for fun ~ very rarely though

- Niffty & Charlie are actually huge “Huskerdust” fans and would do anything to get Angel and Husk together

- If Husk ever drank coffee he’d have a short or long black without sugar or milk (which often shows maturity)

- Once Angel Dust is comfortable with someone he’d constantly lay on the dad jokes (especially the 18+ 🏳️‍🌈 fruity 🏳️‍🌈 ones)

- Husk waits up for Angel Dust — whether it be 5 AM in the morning— before packing up the bar

- Every 🩷 motif on Angel Dust are the places he’s most sensitive area (so technically his sweet spots)

- Despite Husk being an alcoholic he has actually has a high tolerance of alcohol and would take a lot to get to that point (something emotional related)

- Husk’s real name is either a “Henry” (most likely), “Huxley” or a “Henrik”

<> Henry means “estate ruler” which I thought made the most sense because he owned a casino at one point 🤔

- Adam admires Angel Dust and his porn videos so much he copied his eyeliner (same shape and everything 🤣)

- Alastor cheated when he challenged Husk to a game of cards (there’s no way he wouldn’t have)

- Husk’s casino is called “The Lucky Cat” (or something like that) which is funny because it’s the opposite of him

- Vaggie mistakes Huskerdust’s flirting (who are clearly dating) as Angel sexually harassing Husk 🤣

- Husk zodiac sign is a Leo ♌️ (🐱)

- Angel definitely teases Husk about his age despite being 12 years younger than him (or supposed to be if he hadn’t died in his 30s)

- Husk hates cats which is why he hates his sinner form so much and hates the animal noises that comes out (particularly when matching with the right mood)

- Niffty definitely “ships” Huskerdust and definitely makes fanfiction about them 🤭

- Angel Dust would definitely get triggered by Alastor if he pulled Husk’s chain in front of him (because it mentally brings the former right back to Valentino again)

- Whenever Cherri Bomb and Husk argue Angel Dust is quick to diffuse the situation (not canon but definitely implied in 1x06 “Welcome to Heaven”)

- Husk can read nonverbals not just because it’s necessary for a bartender but also necessary for a gambler (literally need exceptional body language skills to see if someone is bluffing etc)

- Angel Dust becomes “Anthony” whenever he’s severely intoxicated or drugged up

- Fat Nuggets acts like a emotional support animal which is why Angel Dust doesn’t have the heart to rehome him (despite being gifted by Valentino)

- After watching Princess and the Frog for the umpteenth time Angel officially calls Husk “Shadowman” (IFYKYK 🤭) much to his annoyance 😂

- Husk was a bouncer before he died (he definitely had that “bouncer” energy in episode 1x04)

- Angel Dust doesn’t have Voxflix so he has to sometimes miss RuPaul’s Drag Race (and gets irritable when he has sacrifice missing it 🤣)

- Lucifer brings in the other Deadly Sins to help out with Charlie’s hotel as a side job thing and make them become “teachers” for their respective sins

- Angel Dust’s Italian surname would either be:

<> Romano - (inside joke of his VA’s surname)

<> Soprano - (classic Italian surname 🤣)

<> D'Amico or D'Angelo

- Husk was/is also very good friends with Beelzebub (back when he was overlord) because of their common interest in authenticity and alcoholism 🤭

- When Angel said “Gawd Niff why you being such a mess?!” in 1x06 he was probably quoting off something that Henroin, his father, said to him

- Viv may have based Husk, ironically, on her cat called “Valentino” (minus the wings obviously 😂)

- Angel swore off dating after what happened with Valentino (albeit may potentially think about starting dating again with the right person demon *coughs* — Husk)

- Husk always talks / texts — depending on how Angel feels like doing — until he falls asleep whether doing it via platonically or romantically 🥹

- Angel often catches Husky singing to himself (either “Too Sweet” by Hozier or “Loser Baby” and would watch him for a moment 🤭

<> In other words he enjoys just listening to him sing and watching him be in his own world as he gets more and more into it

- Husk has poker-themed songs on Spotify — who definitely has '60s - '70s music — (but he doesn’t know how to separate them into playlists so he has them in the “Liked Songs” category 🤣)

- Alastor messes with Husk’s Spotify playlist (despite not enjoying technology but likes watching him suffer)

Huskerdust / Anthusker edition:

- Angel is terrified of horror movies (however picks them out regardless for the sake of jumping into Husk’s arms when picking out movies 🤣)

- Husk is definitely “forced” (metaphorically) to watch RuPaul’s Drag Race with Angel Dust and would be the type to get upset if he watched it without him 🤣

- Husk & Angel call each other “baby” and “loser” (affectionately) because it reminds them of their duet

- Fat Nuggets, Frank (post 1x08 🤭), & Niffty are definitely Angel & Husk’s “children” 😂

- Husk due to being the “King of Consent” always fusses about being able to touch Angel even when given the okay 🤣

- Angel goes to Husk’s room whenever he has PTSD / nightmares about Valentino (platonically)

- Husk keeps the “Huskerdust dynamic” with Angel Dust in front of other people; but in private he’s more laidback towards him

- Husk is actually sensual and clingy within the relationship with someone (which is why he’s so emotionless before getting intimate with someone)

- Angel & Husk sing/dance to each other when feeling down to make each other feel better

- Husk definitely watches Angel Dust’s porn movies in private in his spare time (mainly at bedtime where there’s no one around 🤭)

- Angel uses the white noise of Husk’s saxophone to help him sleep (especially after a nightmare about Valentino)

- Husk sings / whistle “Loser, Baby” constantly to himself (and sometimes Angel Dust joins in)

<> Huskerdust have a sort of “pact” that if Angel wants any sort of physical contact with Husk he either has to make the first move or give him a “green light” (because Husk won’t take initiative until allowed )

- Anthony first fell in love with Husk (who fell harder) — since the pilot episode 🤭 — but didn’t know how else how to react so he relied on “Angel Dust’s” personality

- Husk is the “take it slow” type of person (implied) and not the one to always rush into a relationship

- Angel & Husk would definitely go for midnight flights with this soundtrack in the background:

- Husk always gets roped into cuddles & purring (particularly when Angel has one of his rough nights of being SA'd 💔😭)

- Angel is obsessed with Husk’s tonality and gets all sorts of worked up (in a good, sexual way)

- Huskerdust constantly argue about whether Angel should go to Heaven or stay in Hell with Husk ~ which often lead to a heated make out session 🤭

- Angel goes to Husk’s room whenever he has PTSD / nightmares about Valentino (platonically)

<> Husk cuddles Angel — for the umpteenth time — he’s had any sort of nightmare & or PTSD (intimately)

<> Husk’s favourite part of Angel’s body would be his chest and his gold tooth every time he smiled

- Angel always sends acronyms to Husk which irritates the latter in frustration not knowing what it means (ie BAE etc) 🤣

<> Huskerdust would come to an agreement of having an “open relationship” (practically polygamous) due to the fact that Angel Dust is a sex worker & pornstar

- Angel Dust is foreign to lubricants (or if he does know he’s used to it in a very little amounts) and might need a “reintroduction” to a brief sex-ed lesson with the right person

- When in a very drunken state Husk always subconsciously finds himself in front of Angel’s door and knocks on it without thinking 🤭

- Even as Anthony — Angel Dust — will make occasional dirty jokes or sexual innuendos (even in front of Husk) but it’s genuine rather than OTT hypersexuality

- Husk always thinks (internally) that Angel is beautiful every day but really falls hard when he’s just woken up with disheveled hair and no makeup on

Credits to: @a-schmoozer-and-a-dummy

- Even when dating Angel Anthony gets a little anxious about the topic of sex when talking to Husk (and quickly shuts it down)

- Husk always puts planning his dates with Angel 200% effort and goes to great lengths (also always thinking of the best romantic spots to take him)

- Angel always end up falling asleep against Husk’s chest (especially when the purring starts 🤭)

- Post episode 4+ (hopefully gonna happen in S2) Husk lets Angel rest his legs over his lap

Credits to: @huskerdustfanart for giving me this idea

- Angel tries to teach Husk how to use his phone and what certain apps actually do 🤣 (much to his irritation of being able to use it)

- Husk doesn’t like other people sitting on the counter of his bar however will let Angel do it (which is saying a lot in itself 🤭)

Credits to: @triona-tribblescore for giving me this idea

- Angel often suggests Husk to give him a massage after he’s finished working (knowing full well he loves them) which the other always consents to and ends up sighing with absolute satisfaction 🥰

- Huskerdust actually met as humans (since their timeline is roughly within each other) but forgot they met by the time they arrived in Hell — what with being 12 years apart — and chose different names for themselves entirely

- Angel teaches himself how to read non verbals (by being around Husk so much 🤭) and roast people

- Husk loves Angel Dust’s New Yorker accent but enjoys his Italian one even more — even when he rambles in fluent Italian — because he likes to think that was his “real self”

- Huskerdust often do slow dancing together (like Sway with Me or the Tango)

- Despite being a bottom Angel will rarely suggest he becomes a top with Husk once he starts to see the other get slightly exhausted 🥰

- Husk takes care of Fat Nuggets for Angel Dust whilst he’s at work (bonus points if he ensures their “children” are safe and looks after them as well)

- Angel doesn’t like anyone else using the term “loser” (takes it as an insult) unless it’s Husk as if it’s one of those inside joke things

- Husk always gives Angel a piggy back ride when he’s either really drunk or emotionally exhausted after work

- Angel boasts to everyone that he’s in the one in “charge” (as a top) of his and Husk’s relationship 🤣

- Huskerdust would definitely be the type of couple to always be in their “honeymoon phase”

- When Angel gives cuddles to Husk he always gives him head scratches and rubs his ears (where cats like it the most in real life)

- Husk always gives Angel a “Sex On The Beach” cocktail ad an inside joke about their past relationship

- After work Angel always gets escorted at night by Husk (like the minute his shift ends 🥰) to protect him from both Valentino and any unsavoury people

- Husk puts music on and starts to dance around (ie dramatically impersonating Elvis Presley) just to make Angel Dust even if it meant he gets to mock him for it

- Angel loves everything about Husky (although he’d love him 10x more when he’s his usual grumpy self)

- Husk would be the type of dad to build stuff from scratch for his kids (besides Angel loves his men with a tool; so it’s a win-win situation 😜

Angel pulls a “Gloria” (from Modern Family ) when it comes to refusing to take his heels off — even when they start to hurt his feet

<> Which makes Husk — being the gentleman he is — go and buys something comfortable for him 🥹

- Husk buys a pink set of cards for Angel (so he can play against him for fun 🤭)

- Angel sneezes mouse-like (small and feminine) and Husky sneezes whale-like (large and loud)

- Husk gets ferally overprotective particularly when unsavoury comments are made about or to Angel 😏

- When Husk goes to Angel’s shows the latter puts 200% extra effort into his performance

[rockanroller]

opinions on angel dust... overall critique: angel dust feels less like a gay gangster from the 40s and much more like a modern-day drag queen. he's p much just alaska thunderfuck with a new yorker accent. (yes i know viv listed alaska as an influence, i'm just saying there's *so* much of the alaska vibes that i hardly see any 40s gangster vibes) specific ramble of today: the glitz and glam associated and portrayed with angel dust is much more burlesque/cabaret-adjacent, with aesthetics that are more associated with the 70s-90s, and everything sensationalized about its aesthetics in pop-culture after. pole dancing itself didn't start to get popularized or utilized the way we know it until the 50s, and even then it's so glitzed and glammed up in angel's portrayals that it reads more like a rupaul's drag race superstar performance than anything else. he also doesn't really feel like he's from the 40s to me. he feels much more like a young but traumatized 20-something from a more recent decade. and yes if he died in the 40s then he's been in hell for a long time where he'd've been introduced to these more modern things, but that kinda brings up another question of how are hell's aesthetics influenced, if at all, by the modern-day culture on earth? has hell just always existed with the modernism of the 21st century or does it align with earth's culture, and for that matter which part of earth's culture, only america? TL;DR: i think angel dust would be a stronger character if viv just ditched the 40s gangster bit altogether and had him be a 20- or 30-something drag queen from new york sometime around the 80s-90s (when there was an active drag scene, and there was also drug-use in the clubs which would also play into his character). it makes his aesthetics make more sense, plays into his story, keeps his accent everyone loves, and he would still have been existing in hell for multiple decades prior to the present day.

[dbhstruggleposting]

Detroit: Become Human OC posting!🧡

I will try and fit everything into one decently sized post, but I'm MEGA AUTISTIC about my own OC, so lol! Some context: Finn was made before I even owned DBH, and before I saw anything related to DBH. He's actually originally a TF2/COD OC, but he's become just a DBH OC. He's a RP OC, specifically for a plot post in-game events (Failed Revolution, Deviant Connor).

!!!ACTUAL STUFF BELOW CUT!!!

Name: Finnigan 'Finn' Ryan

Age: 25 (12/24/2013)

Gender/Sexuality: Cis Male, Bisexual

Physical Appearance: 5'10", pale white with freckles across his entire body, green eyes, curly/fluffy ginger hair, Sleeper Build (strong twink)

Fun Facts: Has a very expansive CD collection! Owns a male betta fish named Sail! Him and his brothers all have names with double letters! He's a retro game/music nerd! Allergic to Pineapple but eats it anyways!

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Lore!🧡

Born and raised in Ancorage, Alaska, Finn used to be a quiet shy kid who spent a lot of time taking care of his twin younger brothers Matthew (Matt) and Maxxwell (Maxx), before moving to Detroit, Michigan and getting into street racing and drugs during college (weed, he's clean now, but still likes to drive real fast). He graduated with a Masters in Criminal Justice and joined the Dertroit Police Force as a cop/detective, specifically working on civil and family cases Pre Android Revolution. In all that time, he avoided androids due to his mild phobia of them, a result of strong Uncanny Valley feelings, and preferred to work without any Android interference. Despite his fear, he ended up purchasing a cheap domestic Android, which he named Micha. He treated Micha like a science project, keeping him deactivated at all times to allow Finn to literally fiddle with the Androids insides, trying to understand the mechanics and code. It was a bad attempt to combat his fear and only made it worse. Post Failed Revolution, in which Hank dies, he's offered the opportunity to work with Connor in Hanks place. He takes the job, convincing himself it'll pay better, and he can work on his phobia if he's directly partnered with an Android. During the first mission, he feels out of place and anxious, having to shoot a deviant to save Connor. He's borderline terrified of Deviants, of how *human* they are, and almost immediately regret taking the job. The regret gets worse and worse as each case seems to result in nothing but him and Connor in danger. He yells at Connor, gets frustrated at himself, ect. Even so, he and Connor get closer and closer. No longer does Finn feel gross looking Connor in the eyes. Hell, he starts to *like* being around Connor. Only after a bunch more cases, some drunken/sleepy rambling, and a run-in with Gavin and Kamski does he realize he is, in fact, in love with Connor.

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ANNNND I DONT WANNA RE WRITE THE WHOLE ROLEPLAY PLOT HAHA I MIGHT POST ABOUT IT OCCASIONALLY THO CUZ MAG IS SO GOOD AT WRITING AND I LOVE THE PLOT SO FAR!!!💙

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A silly character sheet made by https://x.com/cparrisart/status/1475535559984656392?t=C0mS8IXcyrh4209yGACaWg&s=19

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I WILL be self-indulgent. I literally made Finn and started the role play BEFORE I even knew the actual plot of DBH!🧡💙

[howwelldoyouknowyourmoon]

Barrytown: We talked to our son “for over 12 hours and he was shaking and vomiting”

Voices of parents of children lost to the moonies 7

March 22, 1976

To whom it may concern:

Our son joined Moon’s group in late 1971 and was coaxed to join by a room-mate. Our son was taking graduate courses. He was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of a U.S. University in the mid-west. He was definitely idealistic, because he quit his job in his hometown because he felt the institution he worked for charged exorbitant interest rates to under-developed countries.

Mike (this is not his name) has never been home since he joined the group, because we told him we felt he was wasting his life working for Moon. We believe he has been in practically every state in the union, even Alaska, but not Hawaii. We had cards from many places. However, we did visit him twice. We noted the houses were clean where he lived. But I thought the food was not adequate. Both places had an open jar of peanut butter sitting on a table and a loaf of bread. Coffee and tea seemed to be available, but we saw no fresh fruit nor vegetables.

Mail from Mike has been infrequent and short, usually cards. However the very first letter was frightening—rambling and 10 or 12 pages long, trying to tell us why he joined this movement. He talked about the drug problem, the race problem, poverty in the world, etc. And he implied that those who joined this group had all the answers. He never mentioned the name Unification Church nor Moon for over a year after he was in the group.

We seemed to get no Christmas or Easter greetings. One Christmas we got a Christmas greeting with a snow scene. Our family always sent religious cards at Christmas. But Christmas 1974 we got no word at all. Then in February we got word Mike was married by Moon in a mass wedding in Korea. He was married to a German girl we had never heard of.

He said he worked with her in the group for a year, but our daughter, a nurse went to hear one of Moon’s talks the November before and met all the young people with him and this girl was not one of them. So we feel Mike lies to protect Moon. Later (in March) we received a letter from “our daughter-in-law”. She said, “I know you must wonder about your son who went out into the world and married someone you never met before”. But she gave no explanation of this.

Then later we received a letter from our son’s father-in-law from Germany. He and his wife are very good Christian people and they went to the trouble to find a student to write to us in English. They wanted to know about the family now related to their daughter. We immediately told them we did not approve of the Moon Movement and they too said it has been the heartbreak of their lives. She, the daughter-in-law, was still being held in Germany after being flown from Japan in December. They are having visa problems we hear.

Our son was taken back to the States in early November 1995 to Barrytown, N.Y. The father-in-law of our son told us about this and we called for several days before he finally called us back. Then we took a chance on going up to see him, my other son, an ex-Moonie and I, Mike’s mother. The ex-Moonie told him the movement was a big rip-off. We talked to him for over 12 hours and he was shaking and vomiting. It was terrible to see him so programmed that if he broke in the middle of an explanation, he would have to start all over again just like a record. He told us he just read that Franco of Spain died that morning, after we told him he does not read nor listen to TV or radio. Franco, in fact, did not die for several days. Anyway, I stepped into the bathroom for a minute and he fled, because his brother fell asleep. He left his coat and ran out into the rain. We looked for him for a while and then called the ex-Moonie’s mother and she told us to get out of New York quick or we would be arrested. We left and I was so shaken from this experience, I spent 10 days in a mental hospital for my nerves. After witnessing the fear and vomiting, I was relieved to see him go. But later I still cry for what has happened to my intelligent son.

I want to add here too that my son gave Moon $1,400 he had in a local bank. And when he married he defaulted on a state school educational loan. I received a letter about this in January 1975 and I gave the state all the recent addresses I had for my son. My son told me when we saw him November 1975 that he thought Moon paid off his loan. We heard also from a reliable source that Moon charged each person he married $400. Moon now is sending out booklets “Way of World” to presently active Moonie’s parents to make us more understanding. The NERVE he has—we now NEVER get a letter from our son at all. I cannot understand why the U.S. government lets this terrible thing happen to us, the tax paying citizens, and this foreigner with a permanent visa makes fools of us. Someone must be getting paid off. The First Amendment we need, but our judges and law makers administer the law.

Name withheld

_____________________________________

A visit to Ann at Barrytown (1975)

At Barrytown all members must continually strive to lose their identity and become one with Moon’s will (1976)

Ken Sudo and the secret Barrytown 120-day training manual and Unification Church telephone fraud

Physically restrained against his will at Barrytown

Voices of parents of children lost to the moonies 2 Moon’s mass marriages are “a form of sex perversion”

Voices of parents of children lost to the moonies 3 Our son “seemed to be in a bizarre world of science fiction”

Voices of parents of children lost to the moonies 4 “only if she got rid of the baby and gave it up for adoption”

Voices of parents of children lost to the moonies 5 Moon is a man devoid of of human compassion

Voices of parents of children lost to the moonies 6 “One of your ancestors was a peeping Tom.”

Voices of parents of children lost to the moonies 8 Many parents suffered heartbreak after losing their children to the Moonies

[alaskas-space-project]

okay i know its objectively a good thing that the Williams looks decent for Sainz

but god fucking damn if it dosen't make logan sargeant's story even sadder??? Like, maybe im hung up on this (I am 100%) but it really just... i'll never like Williams. Nothing they do will ever make up for the way they treated Logan, which was near criminal. Do yall remember when he crashed and they asked if the car was okay? and logan responded with "I'm okay"? girl. comparing that to ollie's spin out in AusFP1 today, where they immediately asked if he was okay and told him that that was all that mattered. Like I'm so fucking mad with Williams. I don't think ill ever be truely happy for Sainz there because that seat is covered in blood

[nanamimizz-archived]

okay. Erm. hsr maid self insert rambling under the cut fr

basically she comes from a race similar to the foxians in the xianzhou and im going to make her rabbit ears have a more biological purpose rather than just aesthetics so im making the planet that her people originally came from have a climate and yearly cycle similar to that of alaska where its freezing cold + dark half the year and lush the other half.

the planet experienced a great climate change via a stellaron at such a pace that it killed off a large part of the population of the planet and made the planet unlivable for these people who are very designed to live in colder climates and they escaped to penachony as refugees and they abandoned the hunt to worship the harmony as the family requested for them to assimilate.

this self insert still follows the path of the hunt however and is the 2nd generation of the population that came to penachony where they live in the poorer district and why she is a maid in the hotel as its a position that puts her in closer proximity to the main service of the family so its like a “step up” in penachony.

and despite being rabbit people the population were keen hunters and they had huge trade in leather and furs and agricultural goods from how lush and brimming with natural life their planet was before it was destroyed

im developing a second hsr self insert thats a maid for the hotel in penachony and she is either going to be an ice or quantum hunter character and i want her animatios to be like shes an exterminator getting rid of pests

[sweet-s0rr0w]

Ever wondered what Harry and Draco might get up to if they visited your country? Maybe you’re longing for a holiday (who isn’t?) or want to wallow in nostalgia about your favourite destination. Here I present the solution! Inspired by @the-starryknight’s Drarry Round The World challenge and @graymatters’ fabulous Big Bang fic set in Alaska, I’ve put together four reclists of fics featuring our favourite boys abroad.

A few notes on the lists: all the fics are >1.5k words (ish) and I did not include AUs eg. Beauxbatons!Draco. I also haven’t added Major Archive Warnings so please check these before reading.

All of my lists are absolutely works in progress and I’d be very happy to make additions if you fancy recommending me a fic! Thanks to all who made suggestions for this part, especially @sitp-recs and @onbeinganangel!

This final list features both multi-state/country road/rail trips, and other multi-destination fics. Please note some of the previous recs do feature intra-country road trips :)

Part One: Africa, Asia, Oceania and Antarctica | Part Two: Europe | Part Three: The Americas | Part Four: Road Trips

A Guide to the Morphology of Magic by wendlaa (E, 64k) – USA

Between the Power Lines by @tackytigerfic (M, 3.3k) – USA

Cup of tea, love? by @orange-peony (E, 15k) – The Netherlands, Belgium, Italy

He Tastes Like Home by @graymatters (T, 2.5k) – USA

in a rambling way by @fw00shy (T, 7.6k) – USA

it all starts here by @softlystarstruck (T, 2.3k) – USA

like freedom by @softlystarstruck and @babooshkart (M, 4.3k) - USA

The Habit of a Foreign Sky by Etalice (E, 20k) – Switzerland and Sweden

Wide Open Spaces by @corvuscrowned and @sorrybutblog (M, 13k) - USA

Crossing Lines by Ren (E, 48k) – Europe (the route of the European Express train)

And Save Me From Bloody Men by @blamebrampton (T, 10k) – USA

Destination: Wedding by AhaMarimbas (E, 32k) – Norway, Chad, USA

The Ever-Changing Room by @cavendishbutterfly (E, 34k) – Slovakia, Germany

Ice Snakes, Glow-worms and Wolverine Stew by khalulu (M, 8.4k) – Papua New Guinea, USA, Canada

The Incredible Race by dysonrules (M, 51k) – discovering each destination is part of the fun of this fic so no spoilers here!

Last City by @lol-zeitgeistic (E, 27k) – Australia, Greece, Spain, Brazil, USA

Life has a firm grip by @shealwaysreads (M, 3k) – France and Italy

Owlcards and Letters from Beyond the Storm by @potteresque-ire (M, 3.6k embedded in images) – Egypt, China, Ukraine, India

Snaps & Snacks by @vdoshu (T, 5.5k) – Costa Rica, USA, Canada, Greece

Time and Again by lauren3210 (E, 28k) – Canada, USA, Peru, Chile

We’ll Always Have Paris (and London and Madrid and Tokyo and Cairo) by themostepotente (E, 10k) – France, Spain, Japan, Egypt

What Country, Friends, Is This? by khalulu (M, 8.4k) - France, Italy, Albania

Where the Shore Ended and the Sea Began by Penguin (M, 17k) – France, Italy, Greece, Ireland, Finland

[imthefailedartist]

Rambling Thoughts. Spoilers.

Wow it looks like a real movie.

There is proper lighting and cinematography. Wow.

I hate how he's walking through this field.

Amira Vann is a performer.

Should've killed her grandaddy.

Too much narration.

These letters a little too detailed. Show don't tell.

I'm gon be honest, Tyler is the last person on earth who should tackling race.

I know Buster don't think Willie Earl is his child. Sir your colorism and self hatred can't be that severe that you think Bayou is half white. Sir! Open your eyes. He called him HALF BREED! Bruh. Delusional men are pure comedy.

I like that he calls her Lil Anne

Bayou is not it. I just don't think he's worth all the drama. He is boring. He doesn't even write songs. For a movie called A Jazzmans Blues Bayou has no interest in music. He doesn't write songs/music or play an instrument. Paper Airplanes isn't even written by him. He doesn't even really take singing seriously its just something he does.

Ooh he on that stuff.

Bucket better watch who she put her hands on. We know your truth and the only ones who gone help you.

Bayou has no stage presence. I'm not braving the Chicago winters to see a ni**a standing still. Willie Earl on the other hand, stage presence but I hate him so I never want to see him win.

"We don't allow coloreds to sit at our table". Sir that is the kitchen table! That is for the servants to sit and prep it is not the dining room table.

Soon as her momma said that lie Leanne should've blew up their spot. "Okay mama. Okay. Well guess what, we are negroes."

They stopped the car cut it off slammed doors, threw up, swap stories get back in cut the car back on and not once does Willie Earl wake up. Don't do drugs kids.

They never call it heroin. Why? It can't possibly change the rating to call it by name over showing the needle in his arm.

Ira do know he talking to a black man in the Jim Crow Era South?

Ira telling Bayou his survival story to tell him to survive so you can help others.

Me: Ira save that story for someone else. Bayou ain't got that dog in him.

Citsy is great. She needs more story.

This needs a good editing. It needed another script edit. Its much too long and the timeline gets a little jumbled. After Leanne comes back. I have no idea how much time has passed we needed more time with them at 16 & 17. This is where their performances shine. Also we needed them sneaking around more after she returns to see that it wasn't just puppy love taken too seriously.

This heffa bes better hope that baby don't come out chocolate.

Everything happens to Bayou. He is never in charge of his own story. He is very hard to root for. And the one time he makes his own choice it's the dumbest decision ever.

The Debbie Allen did the choreography for this movie and we never get to see it shine.

What is the audience of the Royale? Why are these white folks coming to see what seems like an all or majority Black Revue?

Only nine months have passed since he left?

Did she come to Hattie Mae for comfort and familiarity or because she was scared that baby was gon come out dark.

You can't take your aunty some money to make sure she is able to live and feed herself? Ni**a kill yourself.

How you the headliner but your brother, high out of his mind has more stage presence than you?

Bayou joins the military but it has no effect on his character. It doesn't make him braver or stronger or more sensitive. He just joins and immediately gets out.

Ira wasn't on heroin? Then what the hell was wrong with him? Heat stroke?

I think he's getting darker. She says about a baby the color of alabaster.

Baby the color of fresh fallen snow in Alaska, freshly painted apartment walls, unseasoned mashed potatoes, the color of the crowd at a Train concert

His momma: is he getting darker?

Ira saw him perform and thought he was the star compared to Willie Earl? Absolutely not. Now if it was that he had that sweet, innocent charm that would stretch across to white markets I could believe it but it wasn't so it's unbelievable.

Look I'm all for resilience in the face of adversity but as Tyler Perry himself once said. If you can't get peace where you are, MOVE. Hattie pack your shit and go.

How you mad cause you let heroin get in the way of you auditioning?

Being a woman is dangerous business. This man would rather kill her than just admit she couldn't stand The South. Imagine if he found out she was Black? He'd of killed her and the baby. Imagine if that baby came out brown. They'd have burned the city down.

Her mom's crazy for bringing them back to the South. That's the one place where black folks are in abundance. Passing is easiest when you isolate. That's what's missing from this story. The husband and sheriff are never suspicious.

This movie is too long to cut that out. We should've seen more of her life with her husband and bonding with Citsy.

So she's a quarter or a half? What is her mama?

Bayou is a fool. Not a fool, a damn fool. Why the hell would you go back to Georgia?

Willie Earl ain't shit.

Yeah, Bayou is not worth all this. Neither is Leanne.

There should've been more cuts to the eighties.

See you gotta be careful who you have ya kids around. How you 50-75% percent Negro and racist.

Tyler really put effort into this movie. The sets fell and look real.

Someone said Leanne aged like a yt woman and said that was her punishment? Y'all!!! I laughed.

Did Hattie give him the letters because he's her grand baby and she's tired of his racist bullshit or because she was serious about the investigation?

I did not need the nurse pointing out who he was.

The credit version of Paper Airplanes is really beautiful.

[mademoiselleseraph]

Yep. I told my mom about it when it was still news and her reaction was something to the tune of "you're fucking kidding"

Some context:

We're King Islanders.

My grandma was of the last generation to live on the island before the BIA decided they weren't gonna send a teacher there anymore but still demand that native kids go to a BIA school and so everyone was made to leave the island and settle permanently in a recently desegregated Nome.

You weren't allowed to speak Eskimo in school.

My grandma didn't try to teach her kids, my mother among them, our language. The majority of my life I only knew three Inupiaq words. I can introduce myself now. I know how to say this is my eskimo name and that is my English name, but not much more than that. King Island, or Uguivok as we called it before, had its own unique dialect, as many villages do. We were such a small village, and with how endangered our languages are, I may never learn my ancestral tongue. I can't afford to go to Nome, and I don't know if I ever will. I don't know if I'll ever get a chance to see the Island.

People were able to make excuses when it was "just" racism. They were able to call us unfair and say that she probably didn't know any better or even that she maybe asked other Native people and we were the real racists for calling her out on the appropriative bullshit.

But once they realized she could be ignorant and bigotted against people who were also like them, then suddenly it's "we should have seen it all along."

The fact that people are boycotting JK Rowling for her blatant transphobia and not mentioning her blatant racism exemplifies why people are white before they are trans or gay.

The Wizarding school North America (Ivermory) is riddled with blatant appropriation of Native American cultures, but no one gave a shit.

But no one gave a shit until she started starting transphobic rhetoric.

She literally takes Native American beliefs and... I don't know what the words are for this bullshit. Misrepresents them to capitalize on them? Appropriates them? Completely ignores the original beliefs in order to make up her own?

Although the new insights into the universe of Harry Potter were welcomed by many, the author was strongly criticised online by a number of voices from Native American communities, particularly over her writing about skinwalkers, which in Navajo legend are said to be evil witches or wizards who can take on the form of animals.

Rowling writes that the myth “has its basis in fact … A legend grew up around the Native American Animagi, that they had sacrificed close family members to gain their powers of transformation. In fact, the majority of Animagi assumed animal forms to escape persecution or to hunt for the tribe. Such derogatory rumours often originated with No-Maj medicine men, who were sometimes faking magical powers themselves, and fearful of exposure.”

Responding to a question on Twitter, Rowling said that “in my wizarding world, there were no skinwalkers”, with the legend created by those without magic “to demonise wizards”.

But yeah. The transphobia is why we're boycotting her.

(This isn't to say the transphobia is okay or to minimize trans issues. This is to point out that white people only care about issues that effect other white people.)

Look. All I'm saying is if you're going to make a post about why we don't like JK Rowling. Say "we aren't going to support JK Rowling because of her racism and transphobia."

Not to mention. How shitty of a writer must you be if you can't create b your own myths and legends? The fact that she's gotta steal from others completely exemplifies how shitty of an author she is.

-fae

[saharamae21]

Before He Was JJ (Rudy Pankow Imagine - Part One)

Author: sguymon21

Summary: Can you do a Rudy imagine of what’s it’s like to be with him outside of his career and if not you can do just a bunch of cute compiled moments between JJ and reader Requested by @ampanonyg 

This is part one! I really want to write more about what it’s like to be with Rudy. This is more of a background story of how you got together and the next part will be more about what your relationship is like!

Warnings: None

Get Added To The Tag List!

_____________________________________________

Before he was JJ, he was Rudy. A hard working, Alaskan native, and my best friend. When he left, I think we were all worried if he would come back the same. I was worried. I hoped the boy I fell in love with wouldn’t change. A month into filming, the calls stopped. Messages became sparse. Then one day, silence.

The Pankow’s were close family friends of mine. I’d known Rudy since I was five and I’ve been in love with him since. That’s why the silence killed me so much. After about four days and nine unanswered texts, Rudy finally texted me back. It was a short message.

From Rudes 💜

Hey! Sorry super busy, sent u something I think u might like! Check the mail

I smiled and ran to my mailbox. Sure enough there was a letter addressed to me. I tore it open and a plane ticket dropped out. South Carolina. The date of the ticket was for tomorrow and I ran to get packed. I texted that I couldn't wait to see him.

I was antsy on the plane. I was jittery and excited. My mind began to race with all the things that Rudy and I could do together when I got there. We could kayak and surf together. I looked forward to being with him like the old days. I looked out the window and my head truly was in the clouds.

I grabbed my bags from the luggage area and ran quickly to the exit. There was my best friend. He was in this faded blue shirt, cargo shorts, and boots. His blonde hair was long and wild and he held this sign that read my name. I dropped my bags and ran into his arms. He lifted me up and swung me around. I was so happy to see him, I didn’t even notice his friends next to him until he put me down. I only saw him. “It’s about time we met you,” Chase said. I recognized him from the pictures Rudy sent. I watched as all of them introduced themself while Rudy grabbed the bags I dropped.

“We’ve all heard so much about you,” Madelyn said.

“He left out how beautiful you were though,” Drew said. I felt myself blush and then a bag slammed into him. Rudy looked at him.

“Sorry,” he said. “Thought you wanted to help.”

Over the next few days, I watched filming. Rudy made the perfect JJ. I saw many similarities to his character and his normal behavior. He was funny and joking with friends. He was also protective and wanted the best for everyone, just like Rudy. I ran around the set with them, enjoying the company of the whole crew. I’d never been on a set before, but I never imagined it like this. Everyone was having a blast. After filming had wrapped for the day, Rudy let me know that we were heading to the beach. We hadn’t been there yet since I got here and the excitement ran through me like electricity.

“Y/n! Come tan with us!” Madison said. I smiled and laid my towel out next to them. I watched as the boys played Spikeball. Rudy’s hair bounced as he dove for the ball. He was having the time of his life and I could see why he didn’t respond as often.

“So,” Madelyn began. “How long have you and Rudy known each other?”

“Since we were little,” I said, never taking my eyes off of him.

“And how long have you been in love with him?” she asked. I was so focused on him, that I answered subconsciously.

“As long as I’ve known him,” I answered. As soon as the words left my mouth, I snapped out of it. I looked at the two girls who were smiling from ear to ear. “I’m not in love with him. I just-uh…”

They chuckled at my rambling and looked back at the boys. They were arguing about how the teams were stacked. They bickered back and forth like children. I giggled at them and laid back, staring at the sky. The sun was going to start it’s descent soon. I heard something drop into the sand and turned to see what it was. Next to me was a cooler and firewood. Chase stood there proudly, having thought it was a perfect night for a fire. We couldn’t agree more.

It was well into the night and the beer was starting to take effect. I laid in the sand with Rudy at my side. He wasn’t laughing or joking around like usual. Instead, it felt like one of the nights back in Alaska. The serious nights where we shared secrets and just enjoyed each other’s company. I could hear everyone else dancing around to music somewhere down the beach. I looked at him to see what he was thinking. There was no sign of him wanting to join the others. Instead, he looked completely content here with me. The moon was shining brightly on us and the waves created this relaxing vibe around us. I looked away from him and smiled.

“I don’t want you to go home,” he said, staring straight up at the stars. My head shot back to look at him.

“What do you mean?” I asked. I needed to know what he meant by that.

“I like having you here,” he said. “I like having you next to me.” Was this a confession? I could feel my heartbeat increase dramatically. I rolled onto my side so that I could stare at him. He turned to look at me and when our eyes met, I knew what he felt. I knew that we were on the same wavelength. We were in love with each other. His stare made me self conscious and neither of us was making a move. Neither of us knew how to. How do we go from best friends to lovers? I smiled and sat up.

“Wanna go in the ocean?” I asked, trying to clear the air a little bit. He chuckled and nodded. I pulled off my tank top and shorts and went running. He followed me into the cold water and splashed me. I giggled and splashed him back. We swam around, playful interacting with each other.

The moonlight was illuminating the water, sending shimmers all around us. It was magical, but not as magical as what happened next. I felt him snag my arm and pull me towards him. I could feel his bare chest against my skin and his hand on the back of my neck. His lips met mine and it was everything I had ever dreamed of. My hands found their way into his hair as the kiss deepened. I wrapped my legs around his waist and let him support me. When we pulled away, there were stars in his eyes.

“God, I’ve been waiting to do that for forever,” he muttered.

“Me too,” I said, grinning ear to ear.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Tag list : @justcallmesams @jellyfishbeansontoast @prejudic3 @queenofthebees003 @jjtheangel

[mercerislandbooks]

Try Audio Books for Book Bingo!

Thanks to the recent Seattle Times article with the reminder that listening to an audio book constitutes reading a book for the purposes of Book Bingo, I was able to use some of my recent audio book “reads” to fill in a few Book Bingo squares!

For me, audio books have been a fun way to squeeze in a few more titles per month. I listen when I work out, on my way to and from work, when I’m knitting, and, when I’m really into an audio book, on my lunch breaks. I especially like listening to YA (bonus points if they have dual narrators, so fun!), romance, and some nonfiction, which is often narrated by the author, as you’ll see below. Every so often I’ll add in a literary fiction, like Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet. The pleasure of truly excellent prose spoken aloud adds a depth to my experience of the story. I can’t listen to an audiobook as fast as I can read a book, so it gives me more time to think about the characters, what is happening in the plot and speculate about what might happen next. When I listened to The Dutch House (read by Tom Hanks) I was continually surprised by the twists of the plot. When I listened to Gold Diggers, I was able to step away long enough to remind myself these were fictional characters, because I thought they were making so many bad choices!

Island Books partners with Libro.fm, a local independent audio book platform. Readers who want to support Island Books and get downloadable audio books can purchase a monthly subscription, or buy audio books a la carte, while designating their chosen independent bookstore. Most of our staff uses the Libro.fm app, and whenever I personally mention in a recommendation card or in a blog that I listened to the audio book, it has been exclusively using Libro.fm.

Here are my recent audio book “reads” that are helping me fill in my Book Bingo!

The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green

I’ve read several of John Green’s YA titles, (The Fault in our Stars, Looking for Alaska, and Turtles all the Way Down) and heard he had a podcast, but never listened to it. So when I saw he had a book of essays coming out, and that he was reading the audiobook, I thought it would be a nice change of pace from all the YA rom-coms I’d been devouring. There’s something lovely about hearing an author read their personal essays aloud, knowing that they are acutely aware of the intent they are trying to convey to their reader/listener. Having no preconceptions, I found this a delightful ramble through John Green’s thoughts about things as varied as the Indy 500, Kentucky Bluegrass (which I initially thought was the music genre and was confused as to all this discussion of lawn care), and Air-Conditioning. Green gives a concise deep dive into each subject, but always circles back to his own, quite moving, personal experience. The through line in each, either explicitly or not, is the disruption of the Covid pandemic, and he imbeds in each essay a snapshot of whatever uncertainty we were all contending with at that particular time. I used The Anthropocene Reviewed for my “Poetry or Essays” square.

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston

I know this has already been one of the big books of the summer, especially among the late teens and early twenties readers. I had it in my to listen queue when I found it listed on the Seattle Public Library’s “Peak Picks” page - perfect way to fill in that square! I listened to the bulk of it on a recent road trip and, for me, the audio book was the perfect way to submerge myself in the story without overthinking the moments that slightly strained my credulity. August has recently moved to New York City as a way to hopefully finish college, extract herself from her mother’s obsession with a particular cold case, and be alone without feeling lonely. She stumbles into an apartment situation with a handful of quirky characters, a job as a waitress at a pancake restaurant, and a commute on the Q train to school. Which is where she meets Jane. August has a crush at first sight, especially after Jane rescues August with a scarf to cover her coffee ruined shirt. But August starts to realize there’s something different about Jane - she listens to cassettes on a Walkman, she’s always wearing the same outfit, and she’s always, always on the Q train whenever August gets on. This is certainly a romance, and there’s plenty of steamy moments, but the relationships between August and her roommates moved me the most as they slowly break down her protective shell. August struggles to let herself love others, and to let herself be loved, so listening to her gradual change was tender and sweet. I loved seeing her find her people, a place where she felt like she belonged, and realize how full and good her life could be. One Last Stop would also work for Romance, QTBIPOC and Coming of Age Book Bingo squares.

The View Was Exhausting by Mikaella Clements and Onjuli Datta

This one I didn’t start for any particular Book Bingo square, but The View Was Exhausting would work for Romance, Beach Read, QTBIPOC, or Recommended by a Local Bookseller (me!).  All I knew going in was it was a romance with the fake dating trope and set in the upper echelons of Hollywood society. I figured it would be a fun escapist look behind the scenes of a lifestyle a million miles away from my own. Whitman “Win” Tagore is an A-list British Indian actress chasing after a coveted role in a Hemingway film adaptation when scandal erupts in her personal life. She retreats to Saint-Tropez to do damage control by calling in her on again off again “boyfriend”, society darling/male model Leo Milanowski. The world thinks that Win and Leo have a love story for the ages, but since the moment they met at age 20, it’s been about public image - fake dating on a global stage. First I was captured by narrator, Tania Rodrigues, and her precise English accent that she molds to fit every character. Her voice reading Mikaella Clements and Onjuli Datta’s words made me feel like I was in each exotic location. Second, the whole concept raised really interesting questions about the double standard for men and women in the film industry, and especially for women of color. Win feels like she has to faultlessly maintain her image in order to have the career she wants, and so as not to make it harder for any other British Indian actresses coming up behind her. She goes to great lengths, with her loyal publicist, to craft the image she thinks the public wants, the producers and directors want, and is exhausted by the effort. I found myself wondering if Win could just refuse to play the game? This is an audio book I raced through because I couldn’t wait to see what would happen!

I hope everyone is finding something fun to read or listen to this summer. If you want to sign up for a Libro.fm membership, go to the sidebar on our website, islandbooks.com and click on the link. Time for me to pick my next listen!

— Lori