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astrobiscuits · 1 year ago

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Astro obs part 9

🐌 The planets in your 12th house indicate your sleeping style:

Sun in 12th house - their sleep schedule is extremely messed up; for them, daylight hours = nighttime hours and vice versa, so they have trouble being themselves during the day; their true self comes out at night

Moon in 12th house - goes to sleep very late; full moons have a special effect on these people; their intuition is more clear at night; as kids, they probably slept a lot with their mother

Mercury in 12th house - loves texting/calling people late at night; they might journal their thoughts before sleep because they overthink a lot and it helps to clear their mind or maybe they just like to relax by reading a book at night

Venus in 12th house - cares a lot about getting their "beauty sleep"; sleeps with sleep masks on, buys expensive bed lingerie, skincare night routine might be very important; loves sleeping in general lmao

Mars in 12th house - enjoys working out before going to sleep, can go to sleep angry because they tend to get into conflict more at night than during the day

I have Uranus in 12th house and i can be both a light sleeper or a heavy sleeper, depending on where i am. For example, when i'm traveling, during the first night i wake up several times, but from the second night on i sleep like a baby lmao. Another thing would be that i can't sleep in a quiet car but i don't have any problem sleeping during a thunderstorm

🐌 Mars in fire signs (Aries, Leo, Sag) and Mars in 3rd house individuals love riding motorbikess

🐌 While Mars in 9th house peeps would probably love to go on a world tour on their motorbike. The sign ruling their 9th house represents the countries they would love to visit (i'm aware that some of these can only be visited by plane, take it with a grain of salt):

♈ in 9th house: Ireland, Poland, Japan, Zimbabwe

♉ in 9th house: Cuba, Paraguay, South Africa, East Timor

♊ in 9th house: Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Montenegro

♋ in 9th house: Canada, USA, Bahamas, Argentina, Slovenia, Madagascar

♌ in 9th house: Hawaii, France, Italy, The Netherlands, India, South Korea, Peru, Bolivia

♍ in 9th house: Switzerland, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Vietnam

♎ in 9th house: Belgium, Portugal, China, Equatorial Guinea, Lesotho

♏ in 9th house: Panama, Spain, Turkey, Arab countries (Saudi Arabia, UAE), Palestine, Lebanon

♐ in 9th house: Finland, Lithuania, Romania, Tanzania, Thailand

♑ in 9th house: UK, Germany, Czech Republic, Australia, Camerun

♒ in 9th house: Greece, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka

♓ in 9th house: Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Mauritius, Saint Lucia

🐌 I have a feeling Pisces Suns like to spend their time in a garage lmao. Mostly because their opposing sign, Virgo, would hate to spend time in a garage due to how dirty it can get.

🐌As a 7th house Sun who's been in love for almost a year now (haha, are we surprised, ofcours not; i'm not even in a relationship with him but ugh we're so perfect for each other), i realised that Sun in 7th house people tend to behave differently with their partner when they're in a healthy relationship vs when they're in a toxic one

Sun in 7th house in:

♈ Aries in a healthy relationship: empowers their partner, knows how to balance me time vs us time in a healthy manner, encourages their partner to take safe risks

♈ Aries in an unhealthy relationship: impulsive, impatient, selfish, dismisses their partner's feelings, often controlled by rage, prone to abusing their partner

♉ Taurus in a healthy relationship: veryyy generous (their love language is gift giving), accommodating to their partner's wants and needs, cooks for their partner

♉ Taurus in an unhealthy relationship: stubborn af, hard to please, focused more on the material gain from their partner rather than the love they share

♊ Gemini in a healthy relationship: curious, always lightens the mood of their partner by cracking up tons of jokes or telling them funny stories, knows that communication is key to everything so they're not afraid to discuss serious topics, teaches their partner a lot of random stuff

♊ Gemini in an unhealthy relationship: superficial, doesn't have a problem moving on from their partner to another person in a matter of seconds, if they're still in school/college, then they prioritize studying over their partner

♋ Cancer in a healthy relationship: nurturing, knows how to balance babying their partner vs being babied by their partner, emotionally vulnerable, feels safe enough to present their partner to their family early on in the relationship

♋ Cancer in a unhealthy relationship: if they don't trust their partner, they tend to become emotionally closed off to hide their deep sadness; defensive, but if their partner attackes them, then they'll hide, worries excessively, avoids presenting their partner to their family

♌ Leo in a healthy relationship: treats their partner like the king/queen they are, keeps their ego in check so it doesn't interfere with the relationship, if they've got artistic talents (music, acting, art etc.), they'll show their love for their partner by performing in front of them

♌ Leo in an unhealthy relationship: egocentric, shows off their partner/relationship too much out of pride, often feels entitled in the relationship and wants to be put on a pedestal by their partner

♍ Virgo in a healthy relationship: selfless to a healthy degree, remembers every lil detail from every casual conversations with their partner just to please them, remembers every important date and plans ahead for it, takes care of their partner when they're sick

♍ Virgo in a unhealthy relationship: critical, overfixates on past hurts and mistakes that their partner made in the relationship (often times their partner doesn't even remember those things because they're usually not that serious), loves their pets more than their partner

♎ Libra in a healthy relationship: romantic, charismatic, truly values their partner and the relationship with them, acts fair in the relationship, teaches their partner lovingly about the importance of honesty, truth and a healthy give and take dynamic in a relationship

♎ Libra in an unhealthy relationship: doesn't prioritize the relationship; instead, they flirt with others despite being in a relationship, emotionally detached, cold and calculated in their current relationship

♏ Scorpio in a healthy relationship: loyal, loves their partner deeply and intensely, but without suffocating them, keeps their partner's secrets like they're a locked safe box with no public access

♏ Scorpio in an unhealthy relationship: obsessive, manipulative, seeks to dominate their partner, displays stalkish behaviour in the relationship, liar

♐ Sagittarius in a healthy relationship: exposes their partner to various cultures, belief systems and philosophies to expand their mind and form their own opinion on certain topics, loves freely but is still able to maintain a long-term relationship, improves their partner's mood, usually brings an element of surprise and excitement to the relationship

♐ Sagittarius in an unhealthy relationship: travels in order to avoid dealing with their partner, parties a bit too much, doesn't take the relationship seriously

♑ Capricorn in a healthy relationship: loves their partner in a mature, serious and secure manner, doesn't shy away from improving their partner's social status and/or career if they can, discusses plans for the future (getting married, having kids, adopting pets, buying a house) with their partner early on in the relationship, they make time for their partner, despite the fact that they're busy most of the time

♑ Capricorn in an unhealthy relationship: displays no emotions or physical affection in the relationship, has a hard time communicating their thoughts with their partner, settles in a relationship for the wrong reasons (money/kids/safety/"i'm getting old and i need to have my life established"), prioritizes work/career over their partner

♒ Aquarius in a healthy relationship: flexible, makes their partner's dreams and aspirations come true (whether they're related to the relationship or not), has got a very open-minded attitude towards their partner's opinions, lifestyle and identity, takes the time to become friends firsts with their future partner because they value a relationship built on solid foundation (often times their partner is also their best friend), knows how to balance couple time vs time with friends

♒ Aquarius in an unhealthy relationship: displays wishy-washy behaviour, emotionally detached, prioritizes their friends over their partner, seeks online validation from strangers and acquaintances to fulfill their needs

♓ Pisces in a healthy relationship: sensitive to their partner's emotions, knows how to balance wearing their heart on their sleeve vs hiding their emotions in unfavourable circumstances, always honest with their partner

♓ Pisces in an unhealthy relationship: prone to drown their relationship problems and sorrows in alcohol, drugs and meds for mental health issues, runs away from problems instead of dealing with them with their partner, displays dishonesty to a fault, prone to self-sabotage

#astro #astro community #astro placements #astrology #astro observations #astro posts #astro notes #astro blog #astroblr #astrology notes #astrology observations #natal chart #sun in 7th house #sun in 12th #12th house #mars in 3rd house #mars in 9th house

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bruhnze · 2 months ago

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Vacationnn - Lucy x Ona

Summary: Lucy wants to go to the Philippines and Ona agrees to go there over Christmas break.

Warnings: this is a fanfiction, this is fake, this is a made up story. A good old smut fic. Fluff. Smut. Minors DNI. Maybe a bit long build up, but i just can't help myself :) Ona being a brat. I repeat long-winded and wordy (the smut too). PART ONE NO SMUT YET BUT PT 2 IS BASICALLY ALL SMUT.

Words: ~4k

Written based on a request from @pinkygirl28 <3.

“Christmas in the Philippines?”

Ona had paused for just a moment when Lucy first suggested it. With both of them balancing their careers, with Ona playing for Barcelona and Lucy for Chelsea, it wasn’t easy to find time together. But she usually visited her family during the holidays. After some consideration she figured she would just do that before and after. A week away with Lucy was too good to pass up on, actually just a week would´ve been enough for her but Lucy really wanted to go to the Philippines, she had wanted it for a while now.

Once they’d booked everything during their next FaceTime call, Ona couldn’t stop thinking about it. The warm sun, the beaches, and most importantly, an entire week alone together. She couldn’t wait.

Finally, December had arrived, and with it, the long-awaited holiday break. Ona still remembered the excitement in their last few calls, packing their suitcases over FaceTime, laughing about how excited they both were for some nice weather, and the late-night conversation the night before they were finally going to see each other again.

The next day, Ona had flown from Spain to England first, meeting Lucy there, from where they boarded their flight to the Philippines.

It had been a while since they’d last seen each other in person, and though it felt bittersweet being in public for their reunion, the privacy of their first-class seats allowed for a few stolen kisses and lingering touches.

The, more then 16-hour flight, had been long but in some way it was nice. They had time to catch up, to talk about everything the other had missed while they weren’t together. They whispered quietly, holding hands around the divider between their seats.

But eventually, fatigue started to set in. Lucy had fallen asleep somewhere over the Pacific, her fingers still intertwined with Ona’s even in her sleep.

Ona, though exhausted, couldn’t seem to settle. She watched a series on her screen, glancing over at Lucy from time to time, smiling softly at how peaceful she looked. It had been a long flight and she felt exhausted, but seeing Lucy so relaxed made her happy anyways.

When they finally landed, the humid warmth of the Philippines wrapped around them like a welcome embrace, a sharp contrast to the biting cold of Europe.

Lucy had taken the lead in collecting their suitcases and getting the two of them to their destination.

They first took a cab to a little harbor, from where they sailed for about thirty minutes and then they had another car waiting for them. This time not a cab, but a car with a staff member from the resort, welcoming them heartily.

Lucy was still focused during the last part of their travels, paying attention to everything that was said and done, though Ona could see the soft glow of affection in her eyes each time she glanced over.

Eventually Ona dozed off against the window, lulled by the steady hum of the car and the hand on her leg that reminded her of Lucy’s presence beside her.

After about forty five minutes later they reached the villa. The sun was high in the sky. The villa was perfect, it was private, serene, tucked between lush greenery and with a glimpse of the ocean in the distance. It was the kind of place that felt like a dream, a perfect escape from the busy lives they led.

Exhaustion from the long journey hit them both as soon as they stepped inside and Lucy suggested for them to take a nap before dinner, knowing Ona hadn’t slept much during the flight.

Ona stifled a yawn and nodded, too tired to even think about anything else. They set their bags down and agreed to set an alarm, just enough time to recharge before the evening but not ruin their sleep for the night.

As they laid down, they instinctively curled against each other, their bodies fitting together as if no time had passed. The rustling of palm trees outside and the gentle hum of the air conditioning added to the peaceful atmosphere. Ona rested her head on Lucy’s chest, breathing in the scent she had missed so much and within minutes, she drifted off.

The alarm went off far too soon for Ona’s liking, she groaned in protest as the piercing sound dragged her from sleep. Face pressed against the pillow, she stubbornly resisted, not ready to leave the comfort of the bed.

Lucy, on the other hand, turned off the alarm with a quick tap and stretched lazily.

When she noticed Ona’s unwillingness to move, a chuckle escaped her lips. She rolled over and wrapped her arms around her grumpy girlfriend, pulling her close.

Without warning, Lucy launched a playful attack, peppering Ona’s face with kisses, on her forehead, cheeks, nose, anywhere she could reach.

When Ona didn’t budge she placed some kisses in her neck, whispering in her ear. "It’s alright, bebe. We’ll grab dinner and then you can crawl right back into bed."

"I don’t want dinner," Ona murmured, fighting to free herself from Lucy’s antics.

Lucy chuckled. "Ah come on babe, remember that we’ve got Christmas with 25-degree weather while everyone back home are freezing their tits off, especially in England." She chuckled in Ona’s ear, still tightly holding her close. Acting as if Ona’s squirming wasn’t happening.

Her light tone, combined with the reminder of their tropical paradise, tugged a reluctant smile from Ona’s lips. As much as she wanted to stay in bed forever, Lucy made her give in, even if it was begrudgingly.

"Alright," she grumbled, turning around and weakly pushing Lucy away, though there was a spark of happiness back in her voice. ‘’Let’s go then.’’

Their first evening was peaceful. After a simple yet delicious dinner at a local restaurant, Ona's fatigue won out. She was practically begging Lucy to go back to their villa and come to bed early with her.

"Please, Luce," Ona murmured, when they barely stepped foot back in the house. ‘’Can you come to bed too?’’

Lucy was not really one to go to sleep early, but she agreed and followed her girlfriend into the bedroom anyways, because nights together where sacred now that they lived apart.

After getting ready for the night they got in bed and Ona settled on top of her, falling asleep almost instantly with her head nestled on Lucy’s chest.

Lucy felt contend, holding her girlfriend close with one arm tracing slow, soothing patterns across Ona’s back. She stayed awake a bit longer, scrolling through her phone with the other hand, but her attention was mostly on the weight of Ona resting peacefully against her.

It wasn’t long before Lucy also fell asleep, lulled by the steady rhythm of Ona’s breathing and maybe because she was secretly pretty tired from the trip too.

The next morning, Ona stirred first, woken up by the shadows that disrupted the sun shining directly in her face. She was blinking groggily as she sat up in bed, leaning against the headboard.

She watched as a worker in a neat blouse and apron quietly entered their little private garden outside.

The worker placed a basket on the table without so much as glancing toward the bedroom, respectful of their privacy. But Ona made a mental note to close the curtains next time, they had forgotten to close them last night.

Next to her, Lucy began to stir now too. With a sleepy groan, she reached out instinctively, looking for Ona in her half awake state. Her hand found Ona’s legs instead, and Lucy clumsily bumped her head against Ona's hip.

"Oh," Lucy mumbled, half-asleep, but when she realized what had happened, she laughed softly and kissed Ona’s leg instead of the face she had expected.

"Good morning," Ona chuckled, watching as Lucy rolled back and stretched languidly across the bed, her long limbs sprawled out.

"Good morning," Lucy replied, her voice husky with sleep, a smile spreading across her face as she blinked up at Ona. "Did you sleep well?"

Ona reached out to gently brush Lucy's hair from her face, her fingers grazing her forehead. "Mhm, did you?"

"Yeah, slept like a log," Lucy said with a smile. "Have you been awake for long?"

"No, I just woke up," Ona said, glancing toward the garden. "Saw them deliver breakfast a few minutes ago."

At the mention of food, Lucy sat up, her expression lighting up. "Mmm, breakfast," she hummed, stretching again. Ona couldn’t help but laugh at how predictable Lucy was when it came to food.

"I'm curious what breakfast here is like," Ona said, "in the Philippines."

Lucy rolled out of bed, her energy already returning at the thought of food. "Well, let’s find out," she replied, flashing Ona a bright, eager grin.

The villa was perfect, but their little outdoor area might have been even better. A private pool glistening under the morning sun, there was an outdoor shower, sunbeds, and a small table with two chairs. Tall walls and greenery surrounded the space around them, creating a cocoon of privacy.

Even though the resort was already tucked away, with just a couple villas spread out across a big private piece of land, the seclusion of this space made it feel especially intimate. It made it seem like the rest of the world was far, far away.

The air outside was already warm and welcoming as they sat down to breakfast, the soft sounds of nature around them. It truly felt like vacation.

Unlike their usual vacations full of activities like cooking classes or tours, this trip was different. It was meant for relaxation. They had only planned dinners, with a special one on Christmas Day.

They had planned this to be a ‘chill by the pool’ type of vacation. Though knowing them, a bit of adventure, a hike or maybe kayaking, probably would sneak in at some point. But relaxation was the goal.

Lucy took the lead and unpacked the breakfast basket. "Uff, this looks amazing," she said, laying out fried rice, eggs, fresh mango, and a variety of other dishes. She set the empty basket aside and sat down.

Ona nodded in agreement. They’d pulled their chairs close together, but as Lucy glanced over at Ona next to her, she wanted her even closer. She reached out, tracing fingers gently along her back as Ona was adding pieces of fruit to both their plates.

With a piece of mango on her fork, Ona turned to Lucy and fed her, watching as Lucy happily accepted the bite. Ona took a piece herself, humming in delight at the sweet taste of the mango.

Lucy looked at her adoringly. "D'you want to sit on my lap?" she asked, chuckling at herself for her silly question.

Ona raised an eyebrow, a smile tugging at her lips. "Now?"

Lucy nodded. "If you want..."

Ona chuckled. "Is someone feeling a little clingy?"

"Mhm," Lucy admitted without hesitation. "I’ve missed you."

Ona’s teasing attitude shifted to tenderness, her gaze softening. "Aww Luce" She set down her fork and, without hesitation, climbed onto Lucy's lap, facing her.

Lucy welcomed her with open arms, her hands instinctively resting on Ona’s ass. "Hmm, perfect," she said with a grin. "But wouldn’t it be easier the other way around?"

"I’ll turn around in a bit," Ona whispered.

"But first?" Lucy asked, smiling cheekily, seeing Ona eying her lips.

"First, a kiss." Ona leaned in with a smile. "I’ve missed you too."

Their lips met in a sweet, lingering kiss. It wasn’t rushed. Both of them savoring the moment.

When they finally pulled apart, Lucy rested her forehead against Ona’s, smiling.

"I love you," Ona whispered, her fingers lightly brushing Lucy’s jawline.

"I love you too," Lucy murmured back, her hands comfortably settled on Ona’s hips. "I’m so happy we have some time together."

‘’Mhm, me too.’’ Ona smiled and gave her another quick kiss before sliding off Lucy’s lap, and sitting back down, now facing the breakfast. She shifted to sit sideways so Lucy could reach her food as well.

They happily ate their breakfast, taking in the scenery around them.

As Ona put another piece of fruit into her mouth, she glanced over at the pool, then beyond it, to where she could hear the faint sound of waves coming from and saw bright blue water and white sand.

"What do you think about going to the beach after breakfast?" Ona asked. "It’s so close. Do you think we are aloud to swim there?"

Lucy nodded eagerly between bites. ‘’Mhm, you can swim there, it’s part of the resort."

‘’You want to go?’’

‘’Yeah, sounds good.’’

Ona leaned back against Lucy, smiling. "It feels good to have days without plans for a change."

"Yeah," Lucy agreed, pressing a soft kiss to Ona’s temple. Lucy hummed as she lingered, placing soft kiss after soft kiss to the soft skin of her adorable girlfriends face. "I can’t wait to see you in those bikinis you packed," she murmured with a grin.

Ona turned her head and leaned in, smiling. Her hands moving up to cradle Lucy’s head as their lips met.

Her fingers slipped into the loose strands beneath Lucy’s bun, and with a small shift on Lucy´s lap, she deepened the kiss. Desire stirred inside her as she felt Lucy’s hands roaming her body, reminding her just how long it had been since they’d been close like this.

"You know," Lucy mumbled against her lips, "if we keep this up, we’ll never make it to the beach."

Ona pulled back slightly, biting her lip as she eyed Lucy´s lips when she spoke. "Maybe that’s not such a bad thing."

Lucy chuckled but leaned back in her chair, tilting her head. "Didn’t you want to go to the beach?"

Instead of voicing the desire stirring in her mind, Ona decided she’d rather make Lucy feel the same, she wanted Lucy to want her too. With a mischievous smile, she kissed Lucy once more before pulling back and turning her attention to breakfast. "Yeah, mhm" she said casually, as if nothing had changed. ‘’I want to go the beach..’’

To Ona’s frustration, Lucy seemed to not pick up on how she felt. She almost seemed unbothered, calmly continuing her meal as though nothing had changed. Pressing a kiss to Ona’s shoulder every now then.

Once they’d finished eating, they cleaned up the table together and putt everything back into the basket. As Ona fastened the leather clasps, the soft morning sun bathed her in a golden glow, and Lucy paused to take it in, admiration flickering in her eyes.

Ona noticed and playfully raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Nothing," Lucy said softly. "Just… that you’re gorgeous."

Ona rolled her eyes with a grin, she couldn’t hide how much she loved the compliment. She liked to hear Lucy still found her pretty.

She walked back inside, Lucy following close behind, as they made their way to the bedroom to get ready for the beach.

Lucy opened her suitcase, already knowing what she wanted to wear. She quickly laid her chosen bikini on the bed and started undressing, slipping out of the boxers and sports bra she had slept in.

But Ona had other plans. She grabbed her own clothes from her suitcase and headed toward the bathroom. Getting dressed there to keep Lucy from seeing her bikini just yet.

Lucy was too focused on getting dressed to notice Ona slipping into the bathroom. She was just done putting her clothes on when Ona reappeared, now dressed in loose shorts and a cropped top that showed off a hint of her toned stomach.

"Huh, did you change in the bathroom?" Lucy asked, visibly confused, glancing over to her girlfriend.

"Yeah," Ona replied casually, running a hand through her hair. "I wanted to see how my bikini looked, so I needed the mirror."

Lucy raised an eyebrow, a playful smile forming on her lips. "You could’ve asked me," she teased, stepping closer with a smirk. Wrapping her arms around Ona’s waist, she gave a cheeky squeeze to Ona’s ass, pulling her closer. "If you want, I can do a final check." Her hand slipped under Ona’s shirt, fingers grazing her skin.

Ona smiled. "You’ll see it at the beach," she teased, gently removing Lucy’s hand from under her shirt.

"Mm, okay," Lucy murmured, leaning in for a kiss, but Ona dodged it with a mischievous grin, leaving Lucy hanging.

Lucy huffed in mock frustration, "What’s that for? Can’t I get a kiss?"

"Nope," Ona smirked, playing with Lucy’s fingers. "Maybe later, when you behave better. For now, let’s get our stuff so we can go."

Lucy stared at her, mouth slightly open in disbelief. "Behave better?"

"Mhm," Ona chuckled, planting a soft kiss on Lucy’s cheek. "Like helping me pack, for starters."

With a playful roll of her eyes, Lucy followed Ona’s lead, moving around the room to gather what they needed for the beach. Ona grabbed their tote bag, packing towels, sunglasses, and a few snacks that where left over from the flight. Lucy added a bottle of water and found the sunscreen.

Sliding up behind Ona, Lucy let her fingers trace lightly over Ona’s exposed abs, pressing a kiss to the back of her neck. "How about I put on some sunscreen? Protecting you is good behavior, no?"

Ona laughed softly, shaking her head. "You can do it at the beach," she said, her tone firm but teasing as she pulled Lucy’s hands away.

‘’But.. why?’’ Lucy frowned, ‘’is something wrong? I.. what did you mean with behave better? Where you for real? Did I mess something up?’’

Ona didn’t respond right away, she just turned away with a cheeky smile, her eyes beaming with mischief she couldn’t hide.

It wasn’t until Lucy caught the look on Ona’s face, that the realization hit.

Ona was teasing her, she was playing a game. She’d been enjoying it all along. An amused grin spread across Lucy’s face as she realized she’d walked right into it.

Lucy’s eyes narrowed, studying Ona as she casually continued packing the bag, pretending to be innocent.

Biting her lip, Lucy couldn’t help but think about how she was going to handle her girlfriend, who had clearly woken up feeling like a bit of a brat today.

"Alright," Lucy finally said, still thoughtful but her voice lighter now. She watched Ona carefully, slinging the tote bag over her shoulder. The playful gleam in Ona’s eyes confirmed what she already knew. The game was on.

"Let me hold that for you, babe," Lucy offered with a grin.

Ona raised an eyebrow in playful suspicion, but handed over the bag anyway. She knew Lucy had caught on now.

As they headed out, the warmth of the sun greeted them, and the tension between them hung in the air. Walking hand in hand, Ona glanced at Lucy from time to time, noticing her being in her thoughts. But the gentle brush of Lucy’s thumb over hers let Ona know she was contend.

When they arrived at the beach, Lucy and Ona naturally gravitated toward the sunbeds positioned farthest from the others, preferring the bit of privacy it offered.

Lucy immediately pulled off her shirt, revealing her toned body in a way that Ona couldn’t help but roll her eyes at. She knew Lucy well enough to recognize when she was flexing her abs.

After putting her shirt and the bag down, Lucy unrolled the parasol between the beds, securing it in place with ease. Then, after that, she turned to Ona, sunscreen in hand.

"Are you finally ready for me to apply this now that we’re officially on the beach?" Lucy asked, wiggling the bottle playfully.

Ona rolled her eyes dramatically, but a small smile tugged at her lips. "Yes," she said, peeling off her clothes and tossing them onto the bed. Underneath, she was wearing a sleek bikini that hugged her curves just right.

Lucy’s eyes travelled along the freckled skin before she squeezed some sunscreen into her hands.

She started slowly, spreading the cool lotion over Ona’s shoulders and back, her fingers lingering a little too long in certain spots. "Mm, this bikini really looks incredible on you," she murmured as her hands slid down Ona’s arms.

Ona didn’t respond, enjoying the feeling of Lucy’s touch.

Lucy’s fingers grazed the edge of Ona’s bikini top, her lips brushing close as she murmured, "you prefer to go without this, right?" Her voice was teasing, just above a whisper, with a hint of a smirk.

Ona glanced around. Though the beach wasn’t packed, there were still a few couples lounging nearby, and the staff moving about were all fully clothed. She rolled her eyes again, this time at Lucy’s suggestion. "Yeah but it’s not the place or time for that, now" she replied.

Lucy pouted playfully. "Want to head back and sunbathe by our pool, then?"

Ona arched an eyebrow, chuckling. "You just said you liked my bikini and now you want it off." She tutted with disproval.

Lucy grinned, leaning down to kiss her, the kind of kiss that made it clear she wasn’t going to give up easily. But before she could push her luck any further, Ona took the sunscreen from her hand and, with a chuckle, ordered, "Come, take your pants off."

Lucy grinned. "For you? Always," she teased, chuckling about herself as she quickly unbuttoned her shorts and slid them off.

Shaking her head, Ona began rubbing sunscreen onto her silly girlfriend's back.

Her silly, but undeniably hot girlfriend she thought. She bit her lip as her fingers glided over Lucy's skin, feeling the firm muscles beneath her hands, every touch making it harder to stay focused.

Lingering here and there, she eventually was done and noticed Lucy was looking at her with a smirk, if she hadn’t so distracted she might’ve be annoyed by it, but it was only fair. She leaned over to the bag and put the sunscreen back.

With the sunscreen now applied, they both laid down to let it absorb into their skin.

Lucy quickly grew bored, it was hard for her to sit still. She glanced at Ona, who was lounging seemingly relaxed and unbothered.

"I’m going to grab us some drinks," Lucy announced, getting up and heading over to the beach bar.

Ona nodded and called after Lucy about the cocktail she wanted. She watched through her sunglasses, taking in how stunning Lucy looked in her bikini. Her gaze roamed over Lucy's toned legs and the way her sinfully good ass looked as she walked. It was a good thing Ona was wearing shades, hiding her eyes as she admired her girlfriend from afar.

Ona looked back at the water again, taking in the idyllic scenery.

After a while she noticed Lucy’s laughter in the distance. She looked to the bar and watched as she exchanged playful banter with the staff. Lucy's easygoing charm was infectious, and Ona couldn't help but smile at how effortlessly she drew people in. The staff members were clearly enjoying her company.

As Lucy was finally turning around and heading back to the beds Ona notices how the staff’s eyes followed Lucy as she walked, her athletic frame clearly drawing attention. She smirked knowing it was all hers to enjoy.

When Lucy was back, carrying two cocktails, Ona sat up. Lucy leaned down to hand her the drink, and she took it from her with a kiss in return.

They sat sipping their drinks, but Lucy’s energy hadn’t settled. Finishing her cocktail in record time, she stood up, stretching.

"I’m going swimming, see if the temperature is nice. I think it is, cus there’s a few people in, hm" she said, standing next to the bed digging her toes in the sand. ‘’I guess you don’t want to swim yet?’’

“Mhm,” Ona replied, taking another sip of her drink. She was perfectly comfortable, her head resting in the shade while the sun warmed her body.

“Alright, we can go together later.” Lucy said with a smile before heading toward the water.

“Mhm, later,” Ona hummed back, watching Lucy as she made her way to the ocean. Lucy stepped into the water without hesitation, clearly unfazed by the cold.

Ona settled back into her spot, soaking in the sun and enjoying the view of Lucy swimming through the clear, sparkling bright water.

After a while, Lucy noticed Ona was watching her and decided to put on a bit of a show.

She tossed her wet hair back as she emerged from the water, walking toward Ona with her abs flexed just a little harder than usual.

As she reached Ona, she leaned purposefully over her, letting droplets of water fall onto her girlfriend. She pretended to rummage through the bag.

Ona rolled her eyes, but the playful glint in her gaze gave her away. Unable to resist, she cupped the back of Lucy’s neck and pulled her in for a kiss. Lucy grinned into it, satisfied that her teasing had finally worn her down.

When the kiss eventually broke, Lucy smirked. "Mm, that was nice."

"Whatever," Ona muttered, but her flushed cheeks told a different story.

"Come swim with me, the water is nice" Lucy urged, still dripping water. "and tanning goes faster in the water anyways."

Ona chuckled, shaking her head as she looked up at Lucy. "You´re dying for me to swim with you, aren’t you?"

Lucy nodded, reaching out her hand. "Mhm.’’ She smiled her brightest smile. ‘´So can you please please please come with me."

With a playful sigh, Ona gave in, taking Lucy’s hand to let her pull her up before they walked together towards the water.

The ocean was cool against their skin, but it wasn’t long before Lucy’s hands found their way to Ona’s waist, pulling her close offering her some warmth.

Lucy’s body warmth against her in the cool water made Ona shiver slightly, and soon they were chest-to-chest, drifting closer as Lucy leaned in to kiss her.

What started soft quickly turned heated, Lucy’s hands slipping down to grab Ona’s ass, pulling her in tighter. Ona couldn’t help the surge of warmth that spread through her, the feel of Lucy’s strong grip making her head spin. But as much as she loved it, she couldn’t shake the awareness of being so exposed, swimming right in front of the sunbeds.

Reluctantly, Ona pulled back, breathless, her heart racing. "Babe," she murmured, glancing toward the beach. "We’re right infront of people."

Lucy pouted slightly, but her grip loosened. ‘’Mm sorry I got carried away,’’ she said, her voice a little lower, filled with disappointment. "But you’re right."

Not long later they got out of the water again. The swimming not interesting them both in the least.

As they toweled off, Ona caught Lucy’s eye. "Maybe we can walk a bit? I think there’s a smaller beach around that bend, maybe it’s a bit more secluded," she added.

Lucy’s expression lit up. She grinned. "Mm sure, you lead the way."

Grabbing the tote bag with their phones. They slipped their sunglasses back on and began walking hand in hand along the shore.

As they rounded the corner, disappearing from view of the other beachgoers, Ona abruptly stopped, tugging Lucy toward her and crashing their lips together in a heated kiss.

Lucy blinked in surprise, not expecting the sudden intensity. When Ona pulled away after only a few seconds, Lucy chuckled. "You were waiting for that, weren’t you?" she asked, her voice low and breathless.

Ona didn’t answer, she just grabbed Lucy by the waist, pulling her back in, her lips hungrily finding Lucy’s once more. Her hand slid to Lucy’s abs, feeling the hard, toned muscle beneath her palm.

The feeling of Lucy’s body against hers sent a surge of heat rushing through her, making her head swim. Ona's breath hitched, her mind going completely blank as the kiss deepened, her lips parting with a soft moan when Lucy pressed herself against her.

Lucy, sensing the tension rise between them again, grinned against Ona’s mouth. Her hands moved to grip Ona’s ass, squeezing firmly before lifting her effortlessly off the sand. Ona gasped as Lucy backed her up against a nearby palm tree, her legs instinctively wrapping around Lucy’s waist. The tote bag slid from Lucy’s shoulder, landing in the sand, but neither of them cared.

Lucy’s focus was entirely on the woman in her arms, the soft, desperate sounds escaping Ona’s lips driving her wild.

Ona’s hands slid up Lucy’s sides, slipping beneath her bikini top, her fingers brushing over sensitive skin. Her thumbs circling her nipples. It made Lucy shiver, her breath catching as the kiss grew even more heated.

"Babe..." Lucy murmured, barely managing to pull away enough to speak. She chuckled softly, her lips brushing against Ona’s. "We can’t do this out here-"

Ona groaned in frustration, pressing her forehead against Lucy’s, her body still trembling with need. "Then we should head back to the villa," she whispered, her voice thick with desire, ‘’now’’.

They both took a deep breath, laughing breathily as they looked at each other, still flushed and full of tension. Gently Lucy put Ona back on the floor and took the bag from the sand.

Hands interlinked, they walked back to their sunbeds, trying to act casual as they gathered their towels, clothes and slippers. The empty glasses had already been cleared away.

With one last desperate glance at each other, they headed back to the villa.

...

Part 2 :)

masterlists

#lucy bronze smut #woso smut #woso fanfics #lucy bronze x ona batlle #lucy bronze #lucy bronze x reader #woso imagine #ona batlle smut #woso #ona batlle

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kamotecue · 1 year ago

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the transfer ✯ a. bonmati

pairing: aitana bonmati x reader

summary: the spanish defender tried to get you out of her mind, but she couldn’t. little did she know, she would see you sooner than she thought.

part two of here

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ⋆✦⋆ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

you didn’t know how to feel about the transfer, it was a shocking move that no one expected. yet here you were on a plane to spain, more specifically barcelona to sign a two year contract with the team.

but thankfully, the team had hired someone to drop you off at the training grounds where you’ll sign the contract. after that, you’ll have the whole day to yourself.

as you arrived at the training grounds, you took a deep breath.

“nervous, ms. l/n?” the driver had asked as you chuckled at his words.

“just a little bit.” you timidly said, giving him a soft smile. he hummed at your words, completely understanding it.

“i’m sure you’ll do well, you had a fantastic season at arsenal.” he commented as you gave him a small nod. you had exited the car, and immediately someone had guided you to a room.

you talked about the contract, the essentials like the kits, the clubs sponsors and etc. you had finally signed the contract, posing for a few pictures as they would release it on their official social media page later.

“would you like to meet the team? i heard they are currently training.” a staff had asked, as you politely declined as you had to set up your apartment.

you bid goodbye before swiftly leaving but only to be stopped by a staff.

“what number would you like on your jersey?” she asked, as you gave her a small smile.

“number 17 is still available, is it not? i’d love to have that number.” you said, as she hummed in acknowledgment.

you had already set up the guest bedroom, and the kitchen. the living room was a mess as it had the cardboard boxes from the furniture you had ordered. your room was close to being complete, you just needed the finishing touch.

but the next day, you grabbed a light breakfast before heading to the training grounds. you had two pairs of football boots in your kit bag, followed by shin pads and a fresh pair of clothes. you were clad in the barcelona training kit, and it was quite stunning.

you watched from the corner of your eye as the team did their stretching. you were having a small talk with the physiotherapist about your recent knee injury that you sustained during the world cup, it was the final game against norway.

“muy bien chicas, tenemos un nuevo fichaje. [alright ladies, we have a new signing.]” jonatan, the head coach said as the players had stopped their stretching—a late signing? whispers had broke out, a late signing was always interesting.

“¿vamos? [shall we?]” he commented as you took a deep breath before making your way to the field, aitana’s eyes had widened on realization. while the rest looked a bit curious.

you weren’t from world class national teams like they were. but you were signed to a well known club in london, arsenal was always a talk of the town.

“este es y/n l/n, nuestro nuevo fichaje. y/n, puedes presentarte. [this is y/n l/n, our newest signing. y/n, you can introduce yourself.]” he gave you a small smile, as you softly nodded.

“hola, soy y/n. anteriormente jugé para el arsenal, y juego para el equipo nacional femenino de filipinas. [hello, i’m y/n. i previously played for arsenal, and i play for the philippine national women’s team.]” you fluently said in spanish, as a few players furrowed their eyebrows.

you had locked eyes with aitana as she gave you a soft smile, little did you know—that was the start of a developing relationship.

#aitana bonmati #aitana bonmati imagine #aitana bonmati x reader #espwnt x reader #woso imagine #woso x reader #woso one shot #barca wfc imagine

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startrekfangirl2233-writes · 1 year ago

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'Tis The Damn Season

Javy 'Coyote' Machado x Reader

Description: You've made your closest friends over the past decade as a Naval Aviator. That close friend group only expanded when your best friend fell in love when you were in flight school. Nat and Jake are cute together, you can't deny that. It helps that you get along well with Jake. Sadly, where Jake Seresin goes, so does Javy Machado. You can fly with the man, be the perfect wingman, but when both your feet are on the ground, you can't stand him. You're so sure the feeling is mutual. 48 hours in a car with him teaches you differently. Javy Machado is sweet and funny and you might just be falling in love with him. Or have you been in love with him all along?

Themes: Stuck in the snow, showers, shower-thoughts, hate-to-love, stranded in the snow,

Warnings: Female!Reader This fic is for adults age 18 and older, only! There are some fairly spicy thoughts in this part and 100% spicy happenings in the next part! Please do not read if sexual intimacy is disturbing to you!

Word Count: 3938

Author Note: This is part one of two of Gypsy and Javy's story and was written for @bellaireland1981's Winter RomCom Writing Challenge! I had an absolute blast writing this fic for Trope #17, Stuck Together/Snowed in/Stranded. I hope you all love reading this fic as much as I loved writing it! All my thanks go to @desert-fern who was instrumental as I bounced ideas back and forth for this fic, as well as for beta-reading it for me!

Cross Posted on AO3 Here!

My Masterlist

It was supposed to be the start of a fabulous holiday - supposed to be, being the key words. It’s rare, honestly nigh on impossible for you to end up having vacation leave lined up at the same time as your friends. You’re in the Navy, you’re a pilot; it kind of comes with the territory. But what is the likelihood you’d find yourself stuck in a car in the middle of a Colorado snowstorm with none other than Javy Machado? You’re unsure who you should blame because the universe clearly has it out for you.

Well, it's either the universe or Natasha Fucking Trace. Honestly, between mystic powers controlling everything that has been or will be and Nat, you’d pick her any day. A part of you has some sympathy for her. It can’t be easy dating a guy and knowing your best friend and his can’t stand each other. It’s the truth, too. You can’t remember why or when you started to get angry at the sight of his smiling face. Still, it was probably sometime between when he asked you if you needed a booster seat to see out of the cockpit and when he blitzed you on the first of the many flights you’ve taken with him.

Why the fuck isn’t he going home to Louisiana? That’s what he usually does. God, if there’s anyone who’d know, it would be you. After all, you’ve been flying with Coyote Machado for the better part of the past decade. Every year, he’d cash in all his leave and fly home. Like clockwork, he’d return after the new year more infuriating than ever. But your knowledge of his behavior doesn’t explain why he’s in Colorado. You were both on an aircraft carrier in the Philippines, for fuck’s sake. There had to have been a transport to Louisiana via the East Coast. But against all odds, the two of you had been on the same transport and flight, hell, even the same bus to the terminal once you landed in Denver.

Now he’s staring at the same board you are, with flickering red signs as flight after flight gets marked as canceled. Including the one you were supposed to be on. It’s just your luck that Tash and Jake are reporting to Norfolk Naval Base right now. It’s just your luck that the only transport you’d been able to get on had landed in San Diego. And it’s just your luck that the cheapest flight you could get had been via Denver in the midst of what has to be the worst snowstorm the region has ever seen. Reception is spotty, but you huddle in a corner, praying to all the gods you don’t believe in that your call connects.

“Tash?” Her voice is grainy and barely audible, but god, if it doesn’t make you want to cry. “I’m in Denver, yeah. There’s a colossal snowstorm blowing in. My flight’s been canceled.”

“I don’t think I’m going to make it in time.”

“I know.”

“I know. I’ve missed you so much. But I don’t see a way for me to get out of here and get there in time?”

“Yeah, Javy’s here.” You can’t control your eye roll as you say his name. “Yeah, I’ll give him the phone.”

“Yo, Machado. Tash wants to talk to you.” He takes the phone from you like he doesn’t want to touch you, which shouldn’t hurt as much as it does.

It’s loud and crowded at the airport, so you can’t hear a word of what he says to Nat. There’s nothing else to do but stand at the window and watch the snow fall and fall and fall. There’s already close to a foot accumulated on the ground, and while you’d been wishing for the snow in the heat and humidity of the ship, you hate it now.

“Here, Gypsy.” You accept the device with a half-smile. “Tash had a pretty good idea, y’know?”

You can’t help raising your eyebrow. Javy swallows, more than a little discomfited at your gimlet gaze. “She suggested we rent a car and drive out to Norfolk together.”

Eighteen hundred miles, and he wants to spend all of that time and distance stuck in a car with you? You scoff, “You couldn’t pay me to do that, Machado.”

“Yeah, I know.” There’s something sad and haunted in his eyes. “I know. Believe me, I do. But this isn’t about you and me. This is about Jake and Nat. They want us there, celebrating Christmas with them. So don’t think about doing this with me. Think about how you’re doing this for them.”

Damn him. Damn him for being right. “How are we going to get a car in this?” People are yelling at the poor airline staff behind the counter, kids are screaming, and Christmas Carols are pouring out of the speakers. It’s chaos - loud, unmitigated chaos.

“You leave that to me. You have your bags?” Before you can think or even respond, he’s cutting a swathe through the crowd, and you’re left standing near two Navy standard-issue duffel bags and your one small rolling suitcase. It takes half an hour before he comes back. In that half an hour, you find you’re glad you’d opted for carry-on bags because the mob at the counter waiting to collect check-in bags descends into an outright fistfight.

Javy’s rumpled, his sweater mussed when he lopes back to you, thankfully with car keys in hand. “I got ’em. We have to head down to the main concourse.”

“Anything to get out of this shitshow.” He chuckles and grabs your bags and his own despite your protests.

The car is old but functioning. It’s tiny, though. It's so small that you’re not sure he’ll fit behind the wheel. It can’t be comfortable when he does end up in the car. It looks like his knees are pressed against his chest, even with the seat pushed back as far as it can go. You’re in the passenger seat because he refused to let you drive, and as expected, you’re surrounded by snow the minute the car leaves the parking garage. Visibility is shit, and it feels like the car is moving at a glacial pace. You’re surprised the roads are open at all, and to add insult to injury, you’re sitting in silence. The radio isn’t working, there is more snow - this time of the feedback variety, ironically - and the car is old, so there is no auxiliary cable or USB cable to connect your phone to. And, well, you’re not a fan of the man you’re stuck in the car with for the next 24 to 36 hours, so the less conversation you have, the better. It’s not even like you can read. You’ve only been on the road for an hour at most when the sun sets. But the roads are still open, and traffic is still moving.

As the minutes turn into an hour on the dark, snow-covered roads, you feel your exhaustion setting in. You’ve never slept well on planes - go figure that ninety percent of the time you’re in a cockpit, you’re flying - but flying commercial somehow makes it work. Strap yourself into a jump seat on a cargo plane, and you’re out like a light. Sleeping on a carrier with planes taking off round the clock and midshipmen screaming outside the door, you’re snoring like a baby. But flying economy? Forget about it. So, besides the few hours of fitful sleep you’d gotten on the cargo plane - because you can’t sleep where Javy Machado can make fun of you - you’ve been awake for nearly 48 hours. Your eyes feel itchy and hot, each blink torturous as you fight exhaustion. The car is so warm, and Javy's silent. Even he can't object if you rest your eyes a little, right?

You wake up to a roar of the word, ‘SHIT’, echoing through the car. You startle, and if you were a cat, you’d be stuck to the upper upholstery, fur ruffled and back arched. A coat covers your lap, the soft, rich wool imbued with spicy cologne. It has to be Javy's coat. When did that get there? The visibility out of the windshield is even worse, if possible, and Coyote’s arms are corded as they clutch the wheel in an iron grip.

“Hey, how long was I out?” He doesn’t even look at you when usually he’d be more than ready to tease you on how you probably have drool on your face.

“Coyote? ‘Yote? Hey?!”

“Javy? What’s going on?” You place your hand on his arm, pretending not to notice how firm and warm it is under the bunched-up sleeves of the soft sweater he’s wearing. “Javy, you’re scaring me. C’mon. Tell me what’s happening. What’s a wingwoman for if she can’t help?”

“We’re somewhere in Kansas, and the snow makes this really hard.” There’s something unreadable in the expression on his face as he snarls at the other, far slower drivers on the road in front of you.

“We should stop for the night then.”

“No.” He snarls the words at you, and that’s when you know something is wrong. “No, I can keep going.”

“Javy, maybe you can, but I can’t. I need to take a break, hit the head, and stretch my legs.”

He doesn’t respond, content to make you worry the longer the silence spirals between you like an oppressive living thing. He pulls off the highway when the next exit presents itself. The motel he pulls up to on the side of the road is rough-looking. It’s small and old, but at least it smells clean, or well, at least clean-ish. As luck would have it - because your luck couldn't be any shittier - there’s only one room left for the night. You slap your credit card down on the counter before he can object. He’s Javy Machado. You know what he’s like better than almost anyone else. You may not like him very much, but you can read all of the signs. He’s not the type to let a woman pay for anything, not when he can pay for her. He can take it up with you when he’s not acting weird.

You push him into the shower once you’re in the room, content to just sprawl out on the bed until he’s done. Really, all you're hoping is that the hot water is enough to snap him out of this eerily quiet, angry mood and back to the pain in your ass you're used to. When he steps out, it’s wrapped in one of the motel’s paper-thin towels, and you have to avert your eyes. There’s just a shadow of a smirk on his face as you pass under his arm with all of your clothes bundled up against your chest, trying and failing to avoid making eye contact with all of his wet, glistening muscles. It takes you far too long for your brain to reboot after that sight, and mortification and anger are your companions as you hurriedly strip off your snow-laden clothes.

You’re grumbling the entire time it takes the shower to heat up because it is not fair that Javy Machado looks like that under his uniform. No wonder every girl within a ten-mile radius of base wants to get into his pants. You step into the shower nearly too early, stifling squeals as the too-cold water splatters across your skin. After a few minutes of determined shivering, you finally step under the warming water, coming out in a steady, roaring stream. At least it’s getting hot now, though it’s not as hot as you’d like. You let the spray beat your muscles into submission, relishing the first moment you’ve had by yourself since you left the carrier fleet hours ago. But you’re left in peace only for a few moments. Unbidden, your one-track mind finds its thoughts consumed by Javy Machado again. It starts off with an innocuous thought, “How did a man that large fit into this tiny shower? He could probably see over the curtain rod!” Then you’re wondering if he’s alright. But as your soapy hands trace over your skin, you start to imagine other things.

You start to imagine water droplets sliding over the ridges of his muscles, skating over defined abs, and collecting in the dip of his collar bones. His hands are big and calloused as they lather soap across his skin and then over yours. Shit! When did you start dreaming of yourself in the shower with Javy Machado? There’s an ache in your pelvis as you clench your thighs together as you dream of how those calloused fingers feel on your skin. You get yanked violently out of the vision when the water goes cold on you. It feels like you’ve been immersed in one of the snowbanks outside. You almost fall as you step out of the shower, but it’s silent. Your face is flushed in the fogged-up mirror, your eyes fever bright as your blood pulses in your veins in the same rhythm as your aching cunt. You inhale and exhale raggedly, trying to get your libido under control. Please let there be a bar near Nat and Jake’s place - please - you need to get fucked so bad that you’re fantasizing about your wingman, of all people, now.

It’s getting cold in the bathroom as the steam dissipates when you finally pull yourself together and get dressed fast in a bid to escape the cold. But it is still silent outside the bathroom - almost too silent. You expect laughter at the very least when you open the door because your warmest pajamas are covered in dancing penguins. Instead, Javy’s sitting on the bed, staring out the open window at the milling snow, looking for all the world like he’s lost something he’s just found.

It’s cold in the room, the motel’s shitty heating is barely able to combat the frigid snow outside, and he’s not wearing a shirt. But he doesn’t even notice the gooseflesh on the smooth, broad expanse of his back and chest. The cold blue light reflecting off of the snow piling up outside makes the room even colder, casting deep purplish shadows over his face and making the room eerie. You check that the door is latched and bolted before walking back towards Javy. He doesn’t move a muscle when you take his hands in your own. They’re like ice. He doesn’t even seem to care when you put the pillows down and fish one of your warm fleece blankets out of your bag. Bless Nat and Jake for not having a fully set up guest room yet because there’s no way you’re sleeping in this bed using sheets you’re not sure are clean. The blankets you brought are going to be perfect for the night. He doesn’t move or do anything until you intertwine your fingers with his own and tug on his arm's broad, burly expanse. He lists to the side without protest, and now you know something is wrong. Javy's not the type to do anything quietly. He's the type to shit-talk all the way while flirting endlessly. He turns towards you as you tuck the blanket around his big form, and when you move to pull another blanket out, his hand tugs you in until you’re in his arms.

The pinched furrow creasing his brow finally dissipates slightly. Something’s wrong, and you’re not sure what it is. If this helps, you’ll stay where you are. After all, you’ve slept in far more uncomfortable beds with much worse companions. Javy smells incredible, like soap, cologne, and something you can't place. You curl in closer despite yourself, letting him drag the blanket even further up around your shoulders. Everything is muffled around you. All you can hear is your breath and the soothing thud of his heart. It would be easy to curl in and fall asleep, but you can’t until you know your wingman is alright. But he seems content to lie there, brown eyes glittering with emotions you couldn’t read even if you tried. There’s barely any space between the two of you. Every breath you take has your chest brushing against his.

With the howling wind and the tink of snow against the window, you feel like you’re in a dream. Finally, Javy’s eyes close, even if he is still indescribably tense. You can feel it in the arms wrapped around you and in the muscles jumping in his jaw. His eyes fly open when your fingers trace the stressed tendons lightly.

“What’re you doing, Gypsy?” You’re unsure how to respond; instead, you trace your fingers over the furrow in his brow. Maybe your touch will wipe the stress frown away from his usually jovial face?

“You’re being awfully sweet, Gyppie.” You snort at the diminutive form of your already short callsign. “And here, I thought you hated me.”

Your gasp is barely audible, but you’re sure he can hear it anyway. “You never let it affect things between us when we fly, but I know you can’t stand me.”

“I’ve spent over a decade wondering why.” His next exhale is a harsh whoosh of breath. “But you’ve never told me, and right now, I think I know exactly why. It’s just me, isn’t it, Gyp? Just me and everything that I am.”

Your voice feels stuck. Trapped, lost, chained up behind a decade of hatred, hatred which wavers like it’s standing on a stool that may just have had all of its legs cut out from under it. You curl into Javy’s embrace, wrapping your arms around his waist like it’ll show him you feel differently. Because you do. At first, you had hated Javy Machado. You hated his effortless grace, charm, and ability to pick up concepts you’d had to work to understand yourself. But then he’d been persistent, and you’d been thrust into his company by the presence of Nat and Jake.

That’s when you’d been able to see past the bravado, the mask he put on every day. That’s when you’d fallen headlong into a more profound and long-lasting crush than any relationship you’d found yourself in. But by the time you realized your feelings, he’d picked up on your stand-offish behavior and realized he couldn’t befriend you. Your crush never faded, but it’s evident that Javy had noticed your initial feelings and acted accordingly. But why would he blame everything that happened on himself?

“I know you’re probably wondering why I’m not home for the holidays right now.” What does that have to do with what he was just talking about? “Just chalk it up to another textbook case of me being myself.”

“I can't say I didn't wonder. But it's not my place to poke and pry. Why you're not heading home to Mama Machado is your business.”

“But you can't deny that you're curious, can you?” You shrug as much as you can with your arms wrapped around him.

“Of course you're curious. But how could I have gone home, Gyppie? How?” There's so much pain in his voice as he growls the words out.

He goes silent then, a frown creasing his face as his jaw moves under your fingertips. Your gentle touch doesn’t seem to bother him, just like the prickle of his stubble doesn’t bother you. In another world, in another life, could you have been sleeping every night in his arms like this? You’re not sure you deserve it. Javy was right earlier. You’ve been rude ever since the day you met him. Would anything have changed if you’d acted differently? If you’d been shy and withdrawn instead of angry and argumentative? That water’s long since flowed under the bridge. Too much time, too much history, too much animosity. All you can hope to do is listen. For your wingman, that’s the least you can do.

But your little nap in the car hadn’t been of much use. The longer you spend pressed against the human equivalent of a space heater, the sleepier you feel. You have to stay awake. This could be your one chance to go from rivals or enemies or colleagues to friends. Maybe you could even casually ask Javy to grab a beer after the holidays? But the first step to all of that is to stay awake.

His hands slide up until they're cradling the back of your head, pulling your face level to his own.

“You're not falling asleep on me, are you, Gyppie?” You shake your head wordlessly, captivated by how you can feel his breath against your lips, practically taste the mint from his toothpaste, and how you could kiss him if you leaned in just a bit further.

“It's okay if you do. You barely slept on the plane. My problems don't mean a thing in the face of your exhaustion.” Once again, you're speechless. How is he so selfless? How did you not notice before this very moment?

“I'm okay, Javy. Tell me one thing that's bothering you, the most important thing.” Your voice is the barest whisper, a sigh as he maneuvers you closer and traps your feet between his calves.

“Well, your feet are like itty-bitty ice cubes, Gyppie. The fuck did you do? Stick ‘em in a snowbank before you get into bed?” You gasp and growl playfully at him, pushing at his chest until he pulls you in even closer.

“But in all seriousness, you've been wondering why I didn't go home.” His words are expelled on exhales of breath, just as quiet as yours were earlier, spilling out in stops and starts. “I can't go home, Gyppie. My brother's wedding is on Christmas Day. But it's not that I'm against my brother's marriage. It's more like his fiancée is against having me there.”

You can’t believe anyone would go so far as to ban Javy from his brother's wedding just because she didn't want him there. You cup his jaw gently, letting your hand curl around to cradle the back of his in a position mirroring how he's still holding you.

“You want to know the kicker, Gyppie? She was my fiancée first. She dumped me because she couldn't stand the deployments and fell into bed with my brother days after.”

“What a stupid thing to do.” You're no longer looking into his eyes, focused on his collarbones. “That was a dumb move, and you know it, Machado. She just alienated herself from most of your family. Your Mama first and foremost.”

His laughter has you giggling, too. When your laughter and his finally taper off, you're left to marvel at how much things have changed.

“You want to know the best part?” You hum in response. “The reason why we broke up was because I was already in love with someone else.”

He doesn’t wait for you to ask or even allow you a chance to get past your shock. His hands tip your head up again until you're face to face, and he kisses you, slow and sweet. Your moan takes you by surprise as you try to pull him even closer, letting him imprison you in his embrace.

“Fuck, this Christmas would've been so different if I'd just told you how much I loved you before we left flight school, Gyppie.”

This time, you tug him in, kissing him slow and sweet until there's molten lava in your veins and there's snow in your mind. It's beginning to feel like a holly jolly Christmas indeed.

I DO NOT CONSENT TO HAVE MY WORK POSTED, TRANSLATED, OR PUBLISHED ON ANY SITES OTHER THAN HERE, ON WATTPAD, OR ON TUMBLR BY ME. IF YOU SEE MY WORKS ANYWHERE OTHER THAN HERE, ON WATTPAD, OR TUMBLR, THEN THEY HAVE BEEN POSTED WITHOUT MY PERMISSION AND I WILL BE WORKING TO TAKE THEM DOWN.

Taglist:

@chaoticassidy @kmc1989 @shanimallina87 @desert-fern @horseshoegirl @dakotakazansky @sarahsmi13s @teacupsandtopgun @footprintsinthesxnd @roosterforme @beyondthesefourwalls @mak-32 @thedroneranger @cherrycola27

#star writes #top gun fanfic #top gun fanfiction #top gun maverick fanfic #top gun maverick fanfiction #javy coyote machado x reader #javy machado x reader #coyote x reader #WinterRomComChallenge #'tis the damn season #gypsy x javy #the coyote and his gypsy #coyote x gypsy

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crwdgoinapeshit · 7 months ago

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Thony's Character

I know most find Thony to be an irritating character and believe me when I say I'm one of them, but I do think(or at least hope) that last episode's opening is foreshadowing to her becoming head of the Sin Cara Cartel.

Now I know that makes absolutely no sense given that Thony has not a clue on how to run a cartel, let alone how to be a successful criminal. However, this is a show that had a cardio-thoracic surgeon, who hadn't preformed a single surgery in half a decade, do a pediatric liver transplant on her own. So you know suspend disbelief.

Deadline recently did an article where they spoke on the future of the show. In the article, they mentioned that the show runners pitched some ideas on where to take things without Adan no longer being a part of the show and those ideas were "well received".

I get the feeling those ideas involved a more empowered Thony going forward and with Ramona's health in question I can see the writer's finding a way to place Thony in her position.

*There are some big spoilers under the cut at the veryyyyyyyyyyy end so be mindful* I'll put SPOILERS so you know when to get out!

In a earlier episode this season, Jorge's character did theorize that Thony likes the chaos of crime and that's why she's "there." I'm starting to believe that to be true.

In the beginning, when Hyak, Garrett and Arman were lording over her she did the best she could with the circumstances she was in. Personally, I think that's why Thony's character was more likable in season 1, she wasn't choosing this. However, at the end of season 1 she actively made a decision to stay in America. She wanted to run an illegal clinic at the back of their cleaning shop, all while both she and Luca are undocumented.

Thony not wanting to go back to the Philippines because of Marco made sense, she wouldn't have been able to divorce him given the laws there. To be frank, the show's writing never left me feeling she stayed in America because she was running from Marco, but rather she was running towards Arman. There were no scenes post Marco's death where she toyed with the idea of going back to the Phillippines to resume her career as a high powered surgeon and freely have access to the anti-rejection meds Luca would need for the rest of his life.

I can't remember which episode Arman got out of jail, 2 or 3, but in her first conversation at La Habana she begged arman to ask Bosco to move a couple of boxes through Sin Cara's routes. Thony was now actively choosing to engage in illegal activities even though she could go back to the Philippines where not only she could buy these meds legally, she could go back to work as a surgeon, but most importantly Luca would be much safer and not undocumented.

Thony's circumstances post season 1 are her own fault. I think that's why a lot of watchers are irritated with her character. Watching her judge other people, beg people to help her out of her own mess, shame people for not risking their livelihoods to help her or Luca has grown annoying. Season 2 was the start of that type of character writing, but I do think season 3 has been a bit of an improvement.

I know Fiona going to Russo was stupid, but I can see why she did it. Fiona has lived the entirety of her children's lives in America and no trouble like this has come her way. She kept her head down and focused on providing an education for her children. She wasn't perfect, but she surely didn't get into the crosshairs of criminals along the way lol. I can see why Fiona is on edge. Thony is afterall living under Fiona's roof and driving around in her car. I'm sure they split the bills, but still Fiona and by extension Chris and Jaz will pay the price for Thony's responsibilities. I mean Fiona did get arrested and deported because of the hospital fiasco. A situation that wouldn't have occurred back in the Philippines because the life saving treatment Luca needed was not experimental there. Funny how that works.

Ultimately, my hope is that Thony gets some power in her hands because three seasons of her getting tossed around and blaming other people isn't going to keep the show around. She needs to become more likable. Likable characters aren't synonymous to "decent people", but savvy, humorous, loyal, etc. This recent episode's ending with her and Ramona was a damn good start. I'm just praying that the writer's keep that tone going. I want to see Thony own her situation unapologetically and do what needs to be done. Jorge's line earlier about Thony liking the chaos seems to ne an accurate estimation of her character. Now I need Thony to commit to this life and actively make alliances/choices to protect her family, while she delves deeper into the life.

I know the Russo/Jeremy/FBI bomb is on the table waiting to go off, but I need it to stay ticking until season 4. I'm still praying we get a season 4 and we see Thony switch from working for the Sin Cara Cartel to one of the heads of the snake.

SPOILERS

I can see Jorge surviving the season. He was in an instagram video with our little Lucas' last scene at Thony's house.

I'm not sure Ramona makes it out because Kate posted an instagram video while they still filming episode 10. that made it seem like she was now working on a new project. Granted my Spanish is not great, but I could make out her asking for well wishes on her new project.

I unfortunately don't think Nadia makes it out, because the actress posted a farewell insta. Then there was that picture that Elodie posted and then IMMEDIATELY took down. Yikes on bikes!

So my prediction is Jorge and Thony are the ones left standing to run the cartel. I saw Jorge's face on Russo's board, so I think moving forward they'll be doing everything they can to get out from under the FBI's crosshairs.

Maybe Ramona takes the fall to protect Jorge and to make sure Violetta has him. Either way, I just DON'T want Thony behind bars. I'm tiredddddddd of her being metaphorically on her back, always fighting to get up on her feet, I want her to end the season empowered. Last season ended that way, but I think given Adan's health coming into the new season they had to pivot.

Sorry for the LOOONNNNGGGGG post :)

#the cleaning lady #thony de la rosa #arman morales #nadia morales #fiona de la rosa #armany #thony x arman #tcl #jorge sanchez #ramona sanchez #kate del castillo #elodie yung #eva de dominici

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bfpnola · 2 years ago

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Hey. It's @reaux07. If you remember my last angry history rant on Paul Robeson, I'm back for Part 2. This time? King Leopold II and his relationship to the Congo. I just finished writing a 5-page, single-spaced essay on this for class, so I'll do my best to summarize in bullet points this time rather than chunky paragraphs. This will still be long though, as a warning, but it's a necessary read. Please let me get through this, because y'all know this hurts to write.

Trigger warnings for... just about everything typically associated with mass colonization (e.g. rape, murder, torture, etc.). Tiktok below as a brief introduction first:

King Leopold II of Belgium, due to his personal unpopularity and lack of love from his parents, had low self-esteem. As his father had already made 50 attempts to colonize foreign lands to no avail, Leopold felt the only way to uplift both himself and his country was to take take control of his own colony.

He checked Sarawak, the New Hebrides, the Fiji Islands, and the Philippines. Nothing. But what was left? The Congo.

How did he learn of the Congo? Leopold hired Henry Morton Stanley, a famous Welsh explorer of the time, to cross Africa from east to west, walking and canoeing 7,000 miles.

Upon the Congo's discovery, Leopold turned his palace into a luxury hotel for the delegates of a new conference to discuss Africa's colonization, supervising every detail. He successfully lied to the major powers of Europe, making claims of charitable and philanthropic aims, and that there would be free trade amongst the African colonies. (And yes, he did give every single attendee a painting of his face... Because he could.)

Meanwhile, back in the Congo, Stanley (the explorer I just mentioned) used bribes and trickery to provide official treaties with the various chiefs of the land in case Leopold ever needed legal proof of land ownership. (Ex of said trickery: One report noted that a village assumed "the white man controlled the sun.")

In 1891 and 1892, Leopold released decrees stating that both vacant land and produce of the forests exclusively belonged to Belgium and that natives could only harvest for the state.

Enforcing Leopold’s rule were 16,000 Africans equipped with modern Belgian-made automatic rifles.

Outing Attempt #1: One African American man, George Washington Williams, during his trip compiled a report to be sent to the American secretary of state. In this letter, Williams remembers bets being taken on who could shoot the native people in the head first, among other instances of vile treatment. While the document never made it back to Williams’ home country, it was eventually found in Europe where he later died.

By this point, the Congo was actually ruining Leopold’s finances and he was growing desperate. But to his surprise, he happened to pick the one spot where rubber grew in abundance, just as the demand for cars and bicycles rose internationally, John Dunlop, a Scottish veteran, having just invented the first pneumatic tire.

Because of this, rubber-prominent areas were the targets of mass exploitation and punishment if daily and weekly rubber quotas were not met.

Missionaries began to write not just to one another, but back home in disgust of these aforementioned ��punishments,” one man’s writings put in missionary magazines and national newspapers in Europe. These punishments included rape, tying people up to trees, cutting off men's heads and genitals to be displayed along the fences of Congolese villages, cutting women’s breasts off, and most notably...

Attempt #2: The world, if only momentarily, saw BASKETS after BASKETS of right hands that had been cut off as proof that each of the cartridges given to the Africans had been fired and killed one of their own people. These hands were then smoked for preservation and brought back to their officers.

What did Leopold do once this information came out alongside photos of child mutilation? Acknowledge the abuses and moved on almost immediately.

In Europe, the rubber was processed in a city called Antwerp, ironically named after a mythological giant who also cut off hands. To this day, the connection between such a name and Belgian history has not been made by the general public as countless documents by the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs are kept secret to maintain an image of untouched royalty.

One commissioner in charge of a district in Congo, Leon Fievez, produced one ton of rubber a day, boasting of 1,000 people killed, 162 villages destroyed, burning gardens and plantations so people would starve, and having “only” used 3,000 cartridges. He was nicknamed the “Devil of the Equator” and rightly so.

Attempt #3: One day, a man named Charles Stokes, a British trader working for the Germans, entered the picture. Stokes was arrested for trading in state territory, despite those former claims of free trade, and sentenced to death. Leopold was forced to pay compensation to both Britain and Germany for his death, both countries now increasingly aware of the Congo’s dark reality.

To cover it up, Leopold made claims of the Congo opening up to new companies. Let's be real: His men were on the boards of all these new companies and he took 50% of the profits.

In particular were these "concession companies" where the "hostage system" was set up. Agencies, with official hostage licenses authorizing such, would take the wives of rubber collectors for up to 15 days until the quota was met.

On the 15th day, the men of the Congo either got their wives back or faced further punishment, often death. For the agents, the 15th day meant it was time to calculate commissions, and for the king? It was proof that this new hostage system worked.

These abusive concession companies lasted over 10 years until formal competition arose in South America and Asia.

Attempt #4: Then came Edmund Dene Morel, a half-French, self-taught shipping clerk turned investigative journalist who wrote in The Speaker of the abuses faced by the Congolese, backed up by evidence, not just speculations.

Due to Morel’s growing specialization in West African affairs, he was able to not only send out 15,000 brochures and 3,700 letters in six months after his move to Wales, but start his own newspaper, West African Mail.

By 1903, Roger Casement, an ally to Morel’s cause, spent two months traveling the upper Congo, recording African testimonies. He, too, realized that missionaries were key witnesses and went to visit Joseph Clark (a missionary of 20 years) for 17 days.

Through these reports, which grew to 50 pages in length, Casement and Morel were able to solidify Belgium as perpetuating the worst colonial system Africa had ever known. Punishments included Africans performing public incest for the colonists' entertainment, decapitation, women being stabbed with wooden spikes up their vaginas, and one woman tied up to a tree and slashed straight in half from her left shoulder through her abdomen and out the other side.

The West African Mail even reported on a part of Congo no one knew existed, private property within private property called the “Crown Domain” on the other side of Lake Tumba, which gained 231 million euros alone, all sent directly to King Leopold II. Crown Domain was 10x 5)3 size of Belgium.

Founded by Morel, Liverpool became the headquarters of a coalition called the Congo Reform Association. He also published a book called Red Rubber (1906). I think you’ll find the cover particularly striking! Check out the hand in the bottom right corner being weighed against King Leopold II on the left.

Leopold obviously not having this, commissioned a number of books and monthly magazines to clear up the mess. This didn't work. Obviously.

He even tried to send his own international commission to control what the Congolese said in 1904, to no avail. This was due to a missionary named John Harris who had taken the accounts of various people in the area and sent them back to Morel.

In one particularly heartbreaking moment, a chief brought to Leopold’s judges 110 twigs for each of the entire villages, not just people, killed by the Belgian state, naming every last one.

By the time they returned to Europe, the governor-general committed suicide and, upon being asked, Harris suggested Leopold should be sent to the gallows by the relatively new International Court of Justice.

The commission's report vindicated Casement and Morel. Leopold had tricked no one. EVERYONE in Belgium was calling him out.

Leopold ordered all of the Congo State Records to be burned.

In 1908, the Congo became a Belgian colony, not longer Leopold’s personal property. The state still made claims of "civilizing" the Africans after Leopold's death though, utilizing the leftover mineral exploitation industry with no guilt.

At least during his funeral, which he was denied of having privately, the entire city booed his body <3 well deserved. By this point, he had become Europe’s most hated man of the time.

And in case you were wondering, Casement and Morel were both accused to pro-German sympathies during WWI and executed.

I would like to add more detail but I think I’ve hit a character limit. Just know that Congo’s population was cut in HALF, in some places as much as 60-90%. Villages after villages were burned, as shown through so many soldiers’ and missionaries’ journals. This was a genocide of over 10 MILLION PEOPLE y’all. Hearing this story was truly SICKENING, but here’s the BBC 4 documentary we watched for class for more: Congo: White King, Red Rubber, and Black Death.

What truly gets me is just how OTHER colonizers were calling this man out after finding out the full truth… For me, that feels like extra proof of how truly messed up this was if THEY were disturbed too.

And what feels truly insidious was how Leopold made sure to institutionalize all of his wrongdoings and was so… obviously knowing about every wrongdoing, I mean writing in letters to make sure no one else found out. Please…

Linking my angry history rant on Paul Robeson from last semester here.

Happy Black History Month.

#belgium #king leopold ii #democratic republic of congo #history #black history month #colonialism #tw genocide #tw rape #tw torture #tw massacre #the congo #tw incest #resources #bipoc #undescribed #reaux speaks #black lives matter

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sirensea14 · 20 days ago

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GRAVITYFALLSOCCUZIMFIXATINGITRN

Initially a self insert but changed it cuz i thought to myself that the "self inserts i do might be repetitive and annoying at this point"

Still kinda modeled from me appearance-wise (u can see the similarities from my PPT playersona)

Anyway she has the "2 names and a nickname" curse (if u get it). Here's her lore:

South east asian tourist that went to Gravity falls (bc she heard the scenery was beautiful)

Artist: always having a pen, sketchbook, pencil, eraser and whatnots drawing tools in her bag

Personally impressed by how the shack deceives its customers (she likes the souvenirs tho)

She's travelling the world (with part-time jobs on the way)

Current part-time jobs: Shack employee, Greasy's Diner staff, ranger, mechanic, security guard (if theres even any) and cashier in any stores there (some restaurants and in the mall) tough schedule but the woman has to earn money, she's usually halfday on the jobs so she can have time for hiking, sight-seeing and sketching

Travelled thruout the philippines, Italy, japan, venezuela, indonesia, Zealand, and currently is the US

28 yrs old, good ol' choice of words, pepper spray, punches and speed saved her throughout her journey

Her and stan may get along due to some similar experiences

(warning: attempted SA, racism mention ahead)

And the not so good lore (this was before Gravity falls)

She frequently experience racism before GF, got in jail twice or thrice for punching a man/woman bc of his/her sexual and racist remarks

Almost got assaulted when she was forced onto a car but she ran her way out–with some gunshot wounds

Police never listening to her was more than otherwise

She actually has a pocket knife, but doesnt use it much cuz she's too scared, also its a bit new compared to her tactics

One time she disguised as a man just to avoid some people out there

Rebelled against her parents who wanted her to become a lawyer, she reasoned "it was not in her interests" and that it was an unfinished dream of her father. She cut them off

Siblings were also cut off. They know she was travelling and they often ask her for money. And when she doesnt, they dont even lend. RJ learnt her lesson

relatives are also cut offdue to similar reasons, theyre much more vile tho. But some cousins are still in contact with her cuz theyre in good terms. Prolly 1 or 2 cousins.

RJ is part of a small but genuine circle of friends

Anyway thats the end of my yapping

#gravity falls #gravity falls oc #original character #oc #sirensea

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90s-shitbox · 5 months ago

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TOM'S Corolla Turbo

The TOM'S Corolla Turbo project in 1999 was a notable effort by TOM'S Japan to bring its high-performance tuning expertise to the Southeast Asian market, particularly the Philippines. By collaborating with Kilton Motors, TOM'S aimed to enhance the Toyota Corolla Altis, a popular sedan, to compete directly with the Honda Civic SiR, which was a favorite among car enthusiasts.

Key Features and Components

Aero Kit and Turbo Unit: The project included a stylish aero kit and a bolt-on turbo unit designed to boost both appearance and performance.

Components and Fabrication: Various off-the-shelf Toyota parts, like the turbo and intercooler, were utilized to keep costs down. Custom components included a welded tubular stainless steel turbo manifold and downpipe, aluminum intercooler piping, and a 3-inch mild steel exhaust.

ECU Tuning: TOM'S used its own programmable ECU for tuning, achieving an estimated 150hp at the wheels.

Driving Experience and Performance

Test Vehicle: The test vehicle, equipped with the TOM'S kit, showcased a sporty bodykit with a hood scoop, front bumper air dam, and a tall rear wing. It also featured exclusive 15x7 alloy wheels.

Turbo Performance: The small turbo provided quick spooling and minimal lag, making the car very responsive. The engine's power delivery was strong, easily lighting up the front tires up to third gear.

Publicity Stunt: In a drag race event, the car, driven by actor and TOM'S works driver Jomari Yllana, reportedly achieved an 11+ second, 167kph run down the 1/8th mile.

Market Reception and Rarity

High Cost: The TOM'S package had a high price tag of around P160,000, in addition to the cost of the Corolla Altis, making it affordable only to a few.

Limited Sales: Despite the efforts to market the car, only a handful of body kits and four complete vehicles were sold. These vehicles are now considered rare, with some still believed to be in their original condition.

The TOM'S Corolla Turbo remains one of the fastest and most powerful Corollas ever sold by local dealers in the Philippines. While opinions on its aesthetics varied, its performance and rarity have cemented its status as a unique and notable part of automotive history in the region.

#TOM'S #TOM'S Racing #トムス #株式会社トムス #TOM'S Corolla Turbo #TOM'S Version #TOYOTA #COROLLA #TOYOTA COROLLA #ALTIS #JDM #PHDM #brochure #Legends of the 90's

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allamericanb-tch · 4 months ago

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philippines recap !!

@vbbaby-girl still no pics yet. also hoping and praying no one from my trip sees this because multiple people told me i seemed like i was like batman (in the sense that i am leading a secret double life) and i don’t need them finding this blog

stuff we did:

13 hour flight, then a 3 hour flight (they took our phones before we left but the plane had little tv’s so it was okay) (watched la la land, played plants vs zombies, journaled, read the secret history, talked to the guy (also on the trip) who sat next to me, slept a bit, and didn’t get up once.)

we skipped wednesday basically

met my twin (sat by him on both plane rides actually) (literally he looked exactly like me. it was so strange.)

went to the beach (SO FUN. except, there were sea urchins. i only saw one and it was already dead.) (we also played ultimate football. it was fun but also scary because i was worried about sea urchins.)

swam with whale sharks (not in captivity guys i’m not a monster) (it was scary but also cool. i am actually terrified of fish. but it was cool.) (the boat we took was like the ones in moana)

went zip lining (SO FUN so beautiful)

saw tarsiers (so creepy. so off putting. yet so cute? their hands were so.. human. but mini. it was so creepy. but cool.)

saw the chocolate hills (they looked like regular hills. i thought we were getting chocolate there and we did not. disappointing but also it was cool.)

went snorkeling (took another moana boat and the shorts i was wearing got SOAKED) (me and my cousin and one other girl on the trip were together and taken away really far from the rest of the group so we lowkey thought we were getting kidnapped) (part of our group came by us a little bit later and we were in fact not kidnapped and actually had the coolest guide ever. most of the guides wouldn’t let you take pictures of the fish and turtles and stuff but our guide took my cousin’s gopro and got AMAZING pictures.) (i had a wee panic attack bc fish are literally my biggest fear and there were SO MANY FISH. it was okay though.)

had the weirdest dream. (the words directly from my journal: “i was at a gas station and this lady got in my car and threatened me with a knife and i drove us to this warehouse where this massive guy and his kid were. then i woke up.” it was so weird and lowkey scary.)

worksite! moved a bunch of chairs and desk and stuff to the basement. so many spiders. so many cockroaches. also moved a lot of trash. so many spiders. we also bended rebarb, mixed cement, chiseled, and painted a mural. lowkey we did nothing except like odd jobs on the site. fun but like. meh. (most of the time we spent was at the worksite. 9 am to 4 pm monday-friday.)

had another crazy dream. “i was with [cousin] and [1] (the same 1 in the later story) and i left and went to this rinky dink circus. it was a big concrete pit with painted horses. then one of the horses got out and started running at us. i was freaking out and i was getting out of the way and pushed 1 off the circus pit thing and she fell down the stairs and her face got all busted up.” so basically i almost killed her in my dream.

canyoneering!!! so cool. so fun. lowkey scary, but i did all the cliff jumps and the rope swing.

mall! so fun.

free time!!!! it was so needed. a chill day that was not planned but the best day ever.

had another CRAZY dream. i was basically reading a fan fiction about me and my friend who i used to have a crush on.

saw an overview of the city. so beautiful.

had one last fun night with the locals. so sad but did lots of fun things.

had a meeting with my trip leaders. they got me ice cream.

fun goodbye ceremony at the school (the worksite)

food:

- we ate two meals on the plane. what meals those were? i have no idea. it was lowkey nasty and i did not eat it. also, im only writing down the meals i wrote down. i also mixed up the order so much in my journaling so it doesn’t really match up with the days.

dinner: pizza with mango and parmesan cheese. it was weird but good. mostly good.

breakfast: toast (untoasted bread), egg-beans (gross. i don’t know why i ate it. i hate eggs and beans.), mango (AMAZING. the mangoes in the philippines were the best ever.), and sausage (yummy)

lunch: floating restaurant (a boat) buffet. i do not remember what it was and i did not write it down :( OH WAIT this was the peppers!! we had these super tiny peppers and they were SO SPICY and we took a couple back with us and snuck them into each others pockets.)

breakfast: (we had a snack instead of breakfast because we ate breakfast at the snorkeling place) mango juice, this cake thing, and fake oreos

brunch: fried eggs (i gave mine away since i don’t like eggs), rice, chicken adobo, watermelon, and cucumbers

lunch: family style. lowkey i forgot what we had. we also got ice cream! but my stummy was hurting so i didn’t have any.

breakfast: pancakes (i put nutella on mine) with fruit cocktail

lunch: rice and this tomato chicken with pineapple

dinner: the most DELICIOUS potatoes i’ve ever eaten and chicken and rice

lunch: chicken adobo and rice

dinner: spaghetti

second dinner: we were at a members house and had dinner there too. we had pasta with a creamy sauce, pizza, and this filipino drink thing. it was cream with mangoes and green jello. it lowkey made my stummy hurt but it was SO GOOD

breakfast: waffles (with nutella)

breakfast: eggs (did not eat), hash browns, and grapes

lunch: rice, orange chicken, and pineapple. (SO GOOD. top 3 meals.)

breakfast/lunch/dinner: i only ate crackers because i was sick oops

breakfast: nutella sandwich. so yummy. mango juice, but it was lowkey bad.

snack: granola bar thing. so yummy. also this fried banana thing. so yummy.

lunch: vegetable rice and grilled chicken. i only ate the rice.

dinner: mall stromboli. so good.

breakfast: hash browns, eggs (did not eat) bacon, grapes.

lunch: chicken, rice, and the delicious potatoes.

breakfast: chicken nuggets (did not eat), pancakes, and mangoes. i put nutella on my pancakes of course.

lunch: rice, rice noodles, orange chicken, and oranges

ice cream! so yummy. i got strawberry.

dinner: spaghetti with chicken parm

had the most delicious chocolate cookies.

breakfast: hot ham and cheese with oranges

lunch: rice and beef stroganoff

dinner: tacos (i slept through this and lowkey i was so sad about it)

breakfast: waffles (with nutella) and mangoes and one pop tart

lunch: sweet n sour pork, rice, rice noodles, and cinnamon rolls. SO GOOD

dinner: chicken, rice, and rice noodles

breakfast: french toast and mangoes

lunch: this one i wrote so much about. “holy moly i just had the most scrumptious meal i have ever eaten. we had rice, potatoes, pasta salad, this fried meat thing, and red velvet cake.” and then i wrote about how delicious it was.

dinner: pizza and fries. then we got ice cream and cake for a birthday.

bonus things

so many bug bites.

was so sick for 5 ish days

got my ears pierced at the mall for 250 pesos with all but two of the girls in my group (the company office called all of our parents because it is “against the rules” even though there was no official rule (we checked) and the trip leaders both knew and were okay with it)

cried on my cousins shoulder and she thought i was drooling on her (i was sick, literally so nauseous, but i still was at the evening activity (going to a basilica and then going to get halohalo (which i did not eat because i was so nauseous. this was the day i only ate crackers.) because i didn’t want to be left out again because we were pushing day 4 of me being sick at home.) and i felt SO sick and i felt like no one really wanted to be around me and everyone was getting close without me and like i was just on the outside of everything. we were on the bus and i was laying on her shoulder and then i was crying and my tears were rolling down my face onto her shoulder and she thought i was asleep and drooling on her.

learned 2 card tricks

filled up 44 pages in my journal (so far.. i haven’t done today yet.)

did karaoke (love story) (with 4 other people)

played a filipino game (we passed a spoon and a fork around and said “this is a spoon/fork” and “ah spoon/fork” and if you messed up or had both at the same time you had to do a talent)

played john the baptist (the person in the middle had a cup of water and a spoon and was thinking of something in a category. everyone in the circle had to say a thing from the category and if they said what the middle person was thinking of or repeated something that was already said they got water poured on them and became the new middle person)

made a list of all the foods i won’t eat (will share later upon request)

“[name] is a quiet girl with strong opinions. such as her love for taylor swift and dislike of many foods.” (we did a spotlight every day and at the end of the day we went around in a circle and said what we like about them. one guy wrote a little paragraph for each person and that was the first thing he said about me. i did in fact cry, but it was when i was saying what i like about the other spotlights.)

we couldn’t flush the toilet paper. i am not used to flushing it now.

we also couldn’t use the tap water to rinse our toothbrush. it feels weird to do it now.

left someone at home (the drive was an hour because of traffic and then we realized we forgot him. the drive back was only 15 minutes.) (we are always supposed to be in a group of three and we left him by himself at home. it was so silly because the guy we left behind was high key everyone’s favorite person in the group.)

tried balut! it wasn’t bad. i was lowkey terrified to eat it but i ate the whole thing. the soup just tasted like chicken broth and the duck tasted like a bite of chicken and the egg tasted like a hard boiled egg. all of it with no flavor except salt really. not bad but mostly likely would not eat again.

strap in for this story guys. so this girl (1) shared a room with this other girl (2). 1 had seen this towel in the bathroom and had been wiping her butt on it after showering or using the bidet (they ran out of toilet paper a lot) or whatever. so basically 1 had been wiping her but with this towel for three days. THEN 1 sees 2 wiping her face with the towel. as it turns out, the towel is 2’s face towel. 1 steals the towel and hides it in another group of girl’s room. 2 has no idea where the face towel went and has no idea that it was being used to wipe 1’s butt for three days. 1 tells everyone in the group (including the trip leaders and trip parents) so we ALL know except 2. then a few days later, the girls are all together in one room and the boys are all together in another. the adults are all having a meeting. the boys pass the girls a note under the door saying “pooker is coming” and the girls respond “do you want the towel” and the boys respond “yes”. so, they take the towel and throw it in the boys room. the towel lands on the pillow of the trip dad. he finds out and is PISSED. he strips all the sheets with everything on them off of the bed and leaves them in the living room. the sheets and towel end up in my closet and were still there when we left at the end of the trip.

i haven’t pooped in like 5 days

passed around my copy of the outsiders between 4 people (they each finished it completely on the trip)

had the most delicious strawberry oreos. i have thought about them every day.

pillows!!! my favorite filipino snack. my love. my everything.

so many mango flavored things.

everyone was so friendly. they always waved at us and smiled at us. one time i was on the bus and we were stopped for a bit because of traffic and i played rock paper scissors through the window with a filipino kid on a different bus.

used a bidet for the first time. lowkey scary and did not feel like i was clean. but there was no toilet paper.

went to church for 5 hours

counted how many times my trip leader said “like” during one sitting (84)

did the cube ladder field test. i think i messed it up lowkey.

took so many naps. (i am not a napper ever)

played 4 kings. so fun. so basically each king is a dare. you decide the dares before the game starts. each card is spread out on the table and everyone takes turns picking the cards. the other cards decide who picks and there’s like mini games and stuff. so fun.

was deemed the third flattest person in the group (i mean. it was true.)

had a super in depth conversation about harry potter lore with my trip leader

for some reason i could not wash my hair. the back was greasy every day.

all the girls did nightly debriefs.

lived the same day twice. my flight landed two hours before it left because of the time difference, so we time traveled basically.

SO MUCH MORE STUFF HAPPENED but i can’t write it all out

#it is 5:30 am and i have not slept #so much for trying not to be jet lagged

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robbiemd · 4 months ago

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I have finally settled after 36++ hours of travel.

The drive that I have to endure ever f*****g time.

I recently traveled from Manila (MNL) to Puerto Princesa (PPS) via 2Go Travel, on board M/V St. Francis Xavier. It had been over 20 years since I last took a sea voyage. I used to travel this way when I was younger, often with my parents and sister, or with my grandparents and cousins. It was a more affordable option than flying. At that time, budget airlines like Cebu Pacific and AirAsia didn't fly to Puerto Princesa, and Philippine Airlines tickets were quite expensive (over PHP 3,000 for a roundtrip fare in the 1990s).

Fun part was still seeing these kinds of sceneries.

It was the perfect time for a trip by sea. If I'd taken a flight, I would have been delayed by 1-2 days due to the global Microsoft glitch a few days ago. The voyage was supposed to leave at 7 pm but got delayed for five hours. Five hours isn't too bad compared to 1-2 days.

Aboard M/V SFX.

Sea travel alone bored me quite a bit. There was no one to talk to, and all I wanted to do was lie down on my bed, read, study, and take notes. A few strangers tried to talk to me, but I was never good at small talk, so the conversations were terminated after a few exchanges. Apparently, sea travel was a lot better when I was a kid.

I arrived at PPS around 3:30 in the morning of yesterday after a 24-hour travel and a 3-hour stop at the Port of Coron.

Port of Coron. 20 July 2024

After more than a month, I met with my dad and mom so I could get my car. I noticed that my father’s legs have progressed to swelling and oedema, which started more than 6 months ago. I’ve already put him in diuretics and had him undergo tests for several tests to rule out heart, lung, and kidney conditions. Everything was fine except for a mild pulmonary regurgitation on his 2D echo. His Ejection Fraction was good. His AV duplex a few months ago was normal as well. In other words, all tests were inconclusive.

So today, I decided to start him on anticoagulants. I should have started him earlier but DOACs are expensive as hell.

“Iinumin mo ba ito kahit 92 pesos per tab?” I asked him.

“Oo, kung kailangan talaga.”

“Sige, ipa-labs muna kita. I need baseline labs para malaman kung pwede sa’yo yung gamot.”

Sometimes, treating family members can be more challenging than treating regular patients. I'm not sure whether it's due to non-compliance or the comfort of being able to share everything, including bizarre symptoms.

See you again next time, parents.

That's them in front of me.

22 July 2024 3:02 AM El Nido, Philippines

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carpartsph · 3 months ago

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Anis Car Repair Now Offering Electric Vehicle Repair Services in Metro Manila, Philippines

As the electric vehicle (EV) market continues to grow in the Philippines, the demand for specialized repair and maintenance services is also on the rise. Recognizing this trend, Anis Car Repair, a well-established name in the automotive repair industry, has recently expanded its services to include electric vehicle repair in Metro Manila. This moves positions Anis Car Repair as a pioneer in the local market, offering a much-needed service to the increasing number of EV owners in the region.

Meeting the Needs of a Growing EV Market

The adoption of electric vehicles in the Philippines has been steadily increasing, driven by rising environmental awareness, government incentives, and the long-term cost benefits of owning an EV. However, with this growth comes the challenge of maintaining and repairing these technologically advanced vehicles. Traditional car repair shops often lack the expertise and equipment necessary to service electric cars, leading to a gap in the market that Anis Car Repair is now filling.

Specialized EV Repair Services

Anis Car Repair’s new electric vehicle repair services are designed to address the unique needs of EV owners. The shop has invested in specialized training for its technicians, ensuring they are equipped with the knowledge and skills required to handle the complexities of EV systems. This includes:

Battery Diagnostics and Repair: The battery is the heart of any electric vehicle, and its proper functioning is critical. Anis Car Repair Shop in Manila offers comprehensive battery diagnostics, maintenance, and repair services, including battery health checks, cell replacement, and software updates.

Electric Drivetrain Maintenance: Unlike traditional internal combustion engines, electric vehicles use electric motors and drivetrains that require specific maintenance practices. Anis Car Repair provides services such as motor diagnostics, inverter repairs, and cooling system maintenance to keep EVs running efficiently.

Software and System Updates: Electric vehicles rely heavily on sophisticated software systems to operate. Anis Car Repair offers software updates and diagnostics to ensure that all electronic systems are functioning correctly and that the vehicle is operating at peak performance.

Charging System Repairs: Proper charging is essential for the longevity and reliability of an electric vehicle. Anis Car Repair can diagnose and repair issues with charging ports, cables, and onboard chargers, ensuring that EV owners can recharge their vehicles safely and effectively.

General EV Maintenance: In addition to specialized services, Anis Car Repair also offers general maintenance for electric vehicles, including tire rotations, brake inspections, and suspension repairs, all performed with an understanding of how these components interact with EV systems.

State-of-the-Art Equipment and Facilities

To provide these services, Anis Car Repair has upgraded its facilities with state-of-the-art equipment designed specifically for electric vehicles. This includes high-voltage safety tools, diagnostic scanners compatible with various EV brands, and specialized lifts for working on electric drivetrains. These upgrades ensure that Anis Car Repair can offer the highest quality service to its customers while maintaining safety standards.

Commitment to Sustainable Practices

In line with the ethos of electric vehicles, Anis Car Repair is also committed to sustainability. The shop has implemented eco-friendly practices in its operations, such as recycling old batteries and using environmentally safe products for cleaning and maintenance. This commitment to sustainability not only benefits the environment but also aligns with the values of EV owners who are often more conscious of their environmental impact.

A Trusted Name in Automotive Repair

Anis Car Repair has built a strong reputation in Metro Manila over the years for its quality service, transparency, and customer satisfaction. By expanding into electric vehicle repair, the company is not only responding to market demands but also reinforcing its position as a trusted leader in the automotive repair industry.

Convenience for Metro Manila Residents

Located in the heart of Metro Manila, Anis Car Repair offers convenient access for EV owners in the area. The shop’s expansion into EV repair services means that local residents no longer need to travel long distances or wait for extended periods for their electric vehicles to be serviced. With the introduction of these services, Anis Car Repair is making it easier for Metro Manila residents to maintain their EVs and ensure their vehicles remain in top condition.

As the electric vehicle market in the Philippines continues to expand, the need for specialized repair and maintenance services becomes increasingly important. Anis Car Repair’s decision to offer electric vehicle repair services in Metro Manila addresses this need, providing EV owners with reliable, high-quality service backed by years of experience in the automotive industry. With its skilled technicians, state-of-the-art facilities, and commitment to sustainability, Anis Car Repair is set to become a go-to destination for electric vehicle maintenance in the region.

#Car Parts Philippines

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gatheringbones · 1 year ago

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[“Mainstream feminism too often puts ‘police violence’ and ‘male violence against women’ into different conceptual categories – if, indeed, it considers police violence to be a topic of feminist concern at all. This is especially the case for the violence that is ‘normalised’ as part of policing: arrests, most obviously, but also violations such as intimate searches, and harassment such as stop-and-frisk. The result is that police violence gets left out of mainstream feminist anti-violence work. However, when we think of police violence not only as state violence but also (often) as male violence against women, the criminalisation of prostitution comes into focus in a new way: as a key driver of male violence against women.

The infrastructure of criminalisation saturates our political consciousness. It is the bobby on the beat, the jail on the Monopoly board, the crime-drama TV show (with its inevitable murdered prostitute), the car-chase footage on the news. In this saturation, such images are rendered mundane, sidelining questions of the legitimacy or purpose of these modes of control. As Angela Davis writes, the prison ‘is one of the most important features of our image environment’, yet it

functions ideologically as an abstract site into which undesirables are deposited, relieving us of the responsibility of thinking about the real issues afflicting those communities from which prisoners are drawn in such disproportionate numbers. This is the ideological work that the prison performs – it relieves us of the responsibility of seriously engaging with the problems of our society, especially those produced by racism and, increasingly, global capitalism.

Theorist Beth Richie uses the term prison nation to mean a ‘broad notion of using the arm of the law to control people, especially disadvantaged people and people from disadvantaged communities’. Her term encompasses not only the physical infrastructure of prisons and jails, but also ‘surveillance, policing, detention, probation, harsh restrictions on child guardianship … and other strategies of isolation and disposal’.

Perhaps the key trick of the prison nation is ‘now you see it, now you don’t’. Prison vanishes people; criminalisation renders those same people hyper-visible. The deeply racialised, anti-Black figure of the Pimp looms large as the perpetrator of ‘slavery’ – while the prison system itself, one of the key material legacies of chattel slavery in the Americas, is filled with ever more Black inmates.

Through the intensifying militarisation of police departments, there is a direct link between the foreign wars at the frontiers of the contemporary American empire and the hyper-carceral state at home. As the New Yorker reports, since the 1990s, ‘local governments have received approximately thirty-four billion dollars in grants from the Department of Homeland Security to buy their own military equipment … That brings the total [spent by American police departments on military equipment] to thirty-nine billion dollars – more than the entire defense budget of Germany.’ The same trend is visible even in the histories of policing; early-twentieth-century American policing drew on the US Army’s experience imposing brutal colonial rule in the Philippines, just as UK policing explicitly drew on tactics developed by the British Army in subduing colonised populations.

Communities feel the police are an occupying army; the police feel themselves to be an occupying army, and the police respond to the people they encounter with the hostility that engenders. Some of the most powerful photography emerging from the ongoing fight for Black lives in the US speaks to the visual dimension of this: an iconic photograph taken in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, shows Ieshia Evans, a young Black woman in a summer dress, calmly facing down two oncoming police officers in full body-armour. Meanwhile, the overlapping military and prison industrial complexes drain hundreds of billions of dollars from the American public purse, outfitting the police who rushed Ieshia in futuristic ‘protective’ armour – alongside cuts to Social Security, healthcare, and education, and catastrophic divestment from Black communities.”]

molly smith, juno mac, from revolting prostitutes: the fight for sex workers’ rights, 2018

#molly smith #juno mac #currently reading #history stuff #cw racism

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mariellaolden · 11 months ago

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NO TO JEEPNEY PHASEOUT !!!!!!

SAY HELLO TO A WORSENED TRANSPORT CRISIS BY 2024

By: Mariella Angela H. Olden (December 28, 2023 | 9:25 PM)

Following a meeting with transportation officials, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on December 12 that no further extensions for consolidation of public utility vehicles (PUV) shall be granted.

One of the cultural markers of Philippine identity is the jeepney. Jeepneys have been the primary mode of transportation for Filipinos due to its affordability and accessibility, particularly for students and workers. Furthermore, it has traditionally been the primary occupation of drivers and operators.

In June 2017, the government established the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP), intending to replace and eventually phase out traditional jeepneys to improve public transportation. However, with the impending phaseout of jeepneys by December 31, 2023, drivers and operators will be forced to purchase costly modern vehicles supported by the government.

Data from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) indicates that five days before the consolidation deadline, 31,058 traditional jeepneys, or 73.5% of them in Metro Manila, have yet to be consolidated. These unconsolidated units are highly not a minority.

Why should drivers, operators, commuters, and workers fight back? Among the many effects of the PUVMP is the increase in the minimum fare that will continue to make Filipinos suffer. The PUV Modernization program is a business. Corporations and large businesses will take over and have the advantage of raising fares to pay for expensive "modern jeeps." In contrast, this is a big disadvantage to the families of the drivers and operators, who will sink into debt due to the burden of the monthly payment of the modernized vehicle.

In addition, the Department of Energy and LTFRB has reported that the number of registered vehicles in the Philippines exceeds 9 million. Just over 250,000, equivalent to 2% of jeepneys, make up the total.

More detrimental effects of this program include the modern jeepney being way more expensive than the traditional jeepney. The price of a typical jeepney ranges from P150,000 to P250,000. The cost of operating a modern e-jeepney will rise by 1,766.7% to P2.8 million for drivers and operators. Although P160,000 will be given as a subsidy according to LTFRB, which amounts to a mere 5.7% of the jeepney's entire cost, jeepney drivers will be forced to make at least more earnings each day to be able to settle their loan if they were to switch to the modern jeepney.

By the year 2024, the mass transport crisis in the country will worsen. The government cannot fill such a large and significant gap in public transport in the country. With the influx of imported cars, many local manufacturers and industries will be affected.

The PUVMP program is forcefully erasing one of the main parts of our identity as Filipinos and only in favor of a few rich and foreign interests, making the Filipino masses suffer, further impoverished, and left behind.

Drivers, operators, commuters, and workers—

Unite and fight for #NoToJeepneyPhaseout #NoToPUVPhaseout #NoToPUVModernizationProgram!

#philippines #news article #news writing #journalism #writer #publication #jeepney #notopuvphaseout #notojeepneyphaseout #notopuvmodernizationprogram

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mariacallous · 8 months ago

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Out of sight, out of mind. That’s the fate of global shipping, even though all of us depend on it for our daily supplies. Everything from bananas to toilet paper to iPhones travels by sea at some point. But we only pay attention when something goes wrong, whether that happens in the Red Sea, the Suez Canal—or underneath what used to be Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge. This week’s accident, which occurred when the container ship Dali lost power and headed straight into a support pillar, has delivered a reminder of the sheer overlooked scale of the shipping industry—and how unprepared many systems are to handle it.

Part of this is the massive size of today’s container vessels themselves. A few minutes before 1:30 a.m. on March 26, the Singapore-flagged container Dali issued a mayday call, which allowed construction workers on the Key Bridge to get a few cars to turn around. Down below, the Dali appeared to have engine problems; camera footage shows its lights flickering before smoke emerges and it hits the support pillar. Within seconds, the bridge collapses into the water. Some of it collapses onto the Dali, too, and with the bridge, cars plunge into the water. At the time of writing, six people are unaccounted for and presumed dead.

Now lots of ordinary citizens around the world are discovering marine websites such as vesselfinder.com and marinetraffic.com, which track merchant vessels. They will have learned that the Dali has a gross tonnage of 95,128 tons, a summer deadweight of 116,851 tons, and that it’s 300 meters (nearly 1,000 feet) long.

When it struck the Key Bridge, the Dali had 4,679 TEU (20-foot-long shipping containers) onboard and was crewed by 22 Indian seafarers, who had been joined by two pilots from Baltimore. Merchant vessels are predominantly crewed by relatively tiny staffs that are usually made up of people from India, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Russia, and Eastern European countries. Indeed, it has been decades since it was common for Western Europeans and Americans to go to sea. Today’s seafarers are skilled, but they do hard and lonely work with long absences from home—and when disaster strikes, shipping can be extremely dangerous. Earlier this month, a Houthi attack in the Red Sea cost the lives of three seafarers—two Filipinos and one Vietnamese.

All this is in service of the goods that make our lives so convenient—and which require a vast and largely invisible ocean network to support.

Just consider the arrivals, off-loading, loading, and departures at the Port of Rotterdam, which is merely the world’s 10-busiest container port. Last year, Rotterdam handled 13.4 million TEU at its 14 terminals. That’s 36,712 TEU every day of the year. In the afternoon on March 26, 149 ocean-going ships were docked in Rotterdam, where cargo containers were being offloaded and new ones added. Another 132 were about to arrive, and another 161 had just departed. The expected arrivals included the Ever Living, a sister to the ill-fated Ever Given, of Suez Canal fame.

At a length of 335 meters (nearly 1,100 feet), width of 45 meters (145 feet), and with a deadweight of 104,653 tons, the Ever Living is almost as massive as the Ever Given. But only almost. With a capacity of nearly 10,000 TEU, it’s very similar to the Dali. The Ever Given, by contrast, has a capacity of just over 20,000 TEU, and it’s not even one of the world’s largest container ships.

Indeed, these days, the world’s fleet of ultra-large container vessels (ULCVs)—vessels of more than 14,500 TEU capacity—features a growing number of beasts that can transport 23,000 TEU and more. The MSC Irina, for example, can carry an astounding 24,346 TEU. Today, in fact, the Dali’s capacity of 10,000 makes it a midsize box ship. Compare that to container ships in 1972, when construction began on the Key Bridge: Back then, the largest container ship in the world had a capacity of a mere 2,984 TEU.

The shipping industry keeps making things more efficient—and thus more cost-effective and more attractive. It’s thanks to shipping that it has made so much sense to build a globalized economy: It’s so cheap to ship goods globally that people in wealthy nations can have them made elsewhere, transported across a few oceans, and still pay less than if they were made at home.

But the massive ships come with equally massive logistical demands. Ports have to be expanded to be able to receive and service them. The port service, for example, involves higher cranes with a wider reach: just imagine 24,000 containers stacked upward and sideways. The ports also need larger storage facilities to hold such vessels’ cargo until it’s picked up by trucks. The financial picture involving ULCVs is clear on the vessel-owner side, because buying a ULCV eventually pays off.

Ports are usually public-private partnerships, which means that investment often involves the taxpayer. The Port of Virginia in Norfolk, which the Dali had left just before its ill-fated call at the Port of Baltimore, has just allocated $1.4 billion to widen the port to make it accessible for two-way ULCV traffic. Norfolk is also currently being dredged to the tune of $450 million, after which it’s expected to have the deepest and widest channels on the east coast of the United States.

“This is a true advantage for anyone delivering to or from America,” said Stephen A. Edwards, the CEO and executive director of the Virginia Port Authority, in an interview with World Cargo News. “Our wider channel sets The Port of Virginia apart by allowing for consistent vessel flow, increasing berth and container yard efficiencies, and further improving harbor safety.” It’s a competitive marketplace, and lots of Chinese ports are already set up for ULCVs. Ports and countries that can’t afford ULCV-worthy expansion are out of luck.

And as the Dali has taught the world, accommodating large vessels is not just about ports. They traverse oceans, sail under bridges, and sail through canals. Imagine if the Ever Given or another ULCV were to strike a bridge. Even a sturdier bridge than the Key Bridge (which received a rating of “fair” during its most recent federal inspection) would struggle to withstand such a blow.

Such calamities happen very rarely. It would be extraordinarily expensive for cities and countries to strengthen bridges and other infrastructure that a massive container ship might hit. The Dali’s crew and pilots appear to have tried their hardest to steer the ship away from the Key Bridge when the power supply failed, and they issued a mayday call to alert authorities to the fact that the ship was approaching the bridge. This, though, is unlikely to be the last time that machines fail man.

Even as ships get bigger and bigger, with more and more sophisticated technology, the human brain and hands are an indispensable backup. Giving crews a few more tools with which to manually counteract technology may be the best way of avoiding another Key Bridge disaster.

Shipping—an industry that involves ratings, officers, stevedores, crane operators, ship managers, insurers, and many others—goes on delivering your favorite consumer goods around the clock. It remains a miracle that mishaps involving their floating fortresses occur so rarely.

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justforbooks · 8 months ago

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Eleanor Coppola

Chronicler of the making of her husband’s Apocalypse Now whose footage and recordings were the basis for a documentary and book

In March 1976, Eleanor Coppola arrived in the Philippines, her three young children in tow, to film behind-the-scenes footage on the set of her husband Francis Ford Coppola’s new movie Apocalypse Now, which transposed the plot of Joseph Conrad’s 1899 novella Heart of Darkness to late-1960s Vietnam.

No one could have known then that production on this war epic would stretch on for more than a year, delayed by catastrophic weather, medical emergencies, military conflict, an incomplete script and plain old creative differences, making it one of the most infamously turbulent shoots in cinema history. As it rumbled on, newspaper headlines plaintively asked: “Apocalypse When?”

Principal photography added up to a staggering 238 days in total. Eleanor, who has died aged 87, was there for every one of them. As well as documenting the chaos as it unfolded, she secretly recorded conversations with Francis for the purposes of her diary.

He can be heard confiding gravely: “The film will not be good … This film is a $20m disaster. Why won’t anyone believe me? I’m thinking of shooting myself … This is one crisis I can’t pull myself out of.” He nicknamed the project “The Idiodyssey”.

The material Eleanor gathered – amounting to 60 hours of film and 40 hours of audio – was put into storage after squabbles over the point of view that her film (originally shot for promotional purposes) should take. Fax Bahr and George Hickenlooper’s documentary Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse (1991) later drew heavily on her extraordinary footage and tape recordings. Highlights included Francis frantically typing new scenes moments before shooting; arguing with Dennis Hopper, who had not learned his lines; and conferring at length with Marlon Brando, who arrived on set hugely overweight, not having read Heart of Darkness and seemingly intent on dragging his heels in the hope of reaping multimillion-dollar overtime bonuses.

Hearts of Darkness showed belatedly that Eleanor was not merely an observer on set, but also a facilitator. It was she, for instance, who convinced Francis to watch the sacrificial culling of a carabao, a water buffalo, by the Ifugao tribespeople, a gruesome spectacle that he eventually incorporated into his film’s climax.

The documentary was also narrated by Eleanor, incorporating parts of her book Notes on the Making of Apocalypse Now (1979; updated in 1995). She is heard reflecting that “it’s scary to watch someone you love go into the centre of himself and confront his fears – fear of failure, fear of death, fear of going insane. You have to fail a little, die a little, go insane a little, to come out the other side.”

She was invested in Apocalypse Now in more ways than one: Francis had put up their home as collateral. A fortnight into production, he sacked his lead actor, Harvey Keitel, replacing him with Martin Sheen, who later suffered a near-fatal heart attack.

Actors would turn up to set with no idea what they were shooting; the phrase “scenes unknown” was a regular fixture on the daily call-sheets. Helicopters loaned to the production by Ferdinand Marcos, the country’s strongman president, were abruptly recalled for his war on communism. During a typhoon that destroyed sets and halted filming, Francis cooked pasta and played Puccini’s La Bohème at high volume.

He took what Eleanor later called “an Italian approach” to life: “Very theatrical, throwing stuff up in the air and screaming.” Through it all, she was undaunted, even sanguine, no matter how high the stakes. “What’s the worst that can happen?” she asks in Hearts of Darkness, looking back on the mounting threats to the family’s home and finances. “They take away your big house, they take away your car, so what? … I really wasn’t frightened by it.”

Born in Los Angeles, California, she was raised in Huntington Beach by her mother, Delphine (nee Lougheed); her father, Clifford Neil, a political cartoonist for the Los Angeles Examiner, died when Eleanor was 10. She was educated at Huntington Beach high school, and graduated from UCLA in 1959 with a degree in applied design, going on to do freelance work at architectural installations.

Eleanor and Francis met in Ireland in 1962 on the set of the Roger Corman-produced horror film Dementia 13, which Francis directed; Eleanor was the assistant art director. They married a year later and had three children: Gian-Carlo, who died in a speedboat accident in 1986 at the age of 22; and Roman and Sofia, who both became film-makers.

In 1971, Francis rushed from the set of The Godfather to film Eleanor giving birth to Sofia. Eleanor later used the footage as part of an art installation. She also created an artwork in response to Gian-Carlo’s death, Circle of Memory, a chamber of straw bales that she installed in several sites over the years.

Even after the children were born, it was rare for the family not to leave its Napa Valley estate (which the Coppolas had bought after the success in 1972 of The Godfather) to accompany Francis wherever he happened to be working. After the Philippines, Eleanor and the children moved to Los Angeles to be with him during production on his musical One from the Heart (1982). They then decamped to Tulsa, Oklahoma, while he directed his back-to-back teen movies The Outsiders and Rumble Fish (both 1983). On the set of The Godfather Part III (1990), Eleanor recalled how Francis claimed to “[hate] the process of making movies … he talked about his family and complained about me. I sat there while he ran it all out, not agreeing, and not yielding to the temptation to give my point of view. I just tried to be present and listen.”

Nevertheless, Eleanor confessed in her 2008 memoir Notes on a Life that she sometimes regretted not having pursued fully her own artistic ambitions. In 2023, she told the New Yorker that Francis “made it very clear that my role was to be the wife and mother”.

The Coppolas’ wine and hotel businesses occupied some of her time in later life. She also returned to textiles, one of her great passions, as well as designing costumes for the dance company ODC San Francisco.

She directed two narrative films – Paris Can Wait (2016), starring Diane Lane and Alec Baldwin, and Love is Love is Love (2020), with Rosanna Arquette and Cybill Shepherd – and filmed documentary footage on the set of some of Sofia’s movies, including the irreverent costume drama Marie Antoinette (2006). Sofia dedicated her most recent film, Priscilla (2023), to her mother.

Eleanor is survived by Francis, Roman and Sofia, six grandchildren, Gia, Romy, Cosima, Alessandro, Marcello and Pascal, and a brother, William.

🔔 Eleanor Jessie Coppola, writer and film-maker, born 4 May 1936; died 12 April 2024

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

#just for books #Eleanor Coppola #in memoriam

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