#Connecticut isn’t real

[iaminyourbones]

Do you have a proof that Connecticut doesn’t exist?

Do you have proof that Connecticut DOES exist?

[iaminyourbones]

Wow

I never thought they would brainwash you

Im so sorry for your loss

Soldier

Do you believe in Connecticut

-you know who this is

"OF COURSE I DO!" Soldier said, sounding defensive. "How else does this God-made country have 50 States!?" He proudly put his hands on his hips. "So DON'T EVER ASK THAT AGAIN, MAGGOT!"

[scholarhect]

it’s so crazy to me how many people give birth. you would think maybe 50% of people who are capable of giving birth would make the decision to. but people do it all the time. ok to be fair i am young and most of the people who have kids i know are. like. my friends’ parents. so it’s obviously a skewed pool. but. so many people do it. it really seems like apart from lesbians who get to choose who wants to be pregnant and who doesn’t, everybody who wants a kid just gives birth to one. would it be selfish to want a kid and not want to give birth to one even if you can? when couples who can both give birth have the conversation do they feel selfish… i was pretty sure at this point in my life i don’t see myself having kids, but honestly i would not mind being the other parent. i kind of forget that’s an option. and there’s also adoption of course but i don’t know it’s not that common really. i heard breanna stewart had a kid during the olympics a few years ago & was like “oh so did she not get to compete” no lol she’s a lesbian. actually they used a surrogate that time but they have a second kid and her wife was pregnant that time. but either way it was kind of a weird relief to realize she got to have a kid and keep competing. also i kind of forget lesbians exist in real life and not just in internet discourse and The Bars that may or may not really exist out there in the promised land. also i like how they call her stewie it’s kind of awesome shout out lesbians for real. what was i saying

[ravenkings]

Bernie is wrong. He has always been wrong and is still wrong. The flaw in his theory is what he deems the “wealthy elite” versus what everyday Americans consider them to be. Voters don’t see all billionaires as the elites. They see college-educated liberals on the coasts, some of whom are billionaires, as elites.

Bernie-style populism didn’t land because billionaires figured out long ago they could undermine it by being socially right-wing, and the working class would forgive their wealth and privilege. That’s why this same demographic is willing to make it rain for grifters like Joel Osteen and Pat Robertson. That’s why they worship the wealthiest man on the planet like a God and consider him some real-life Tony Stark. People dismissed Donald Trump as a shameless attention-hungry New York oligarch until he called Mexicans rapists. Then he shot up to the top of the GOP primary polls. The working class didn’t think much of Elon Musk until he said “pronouns suck.” Then he became their hero. A scion of working-class Pennsylvania lost his US Senate seat last week to a hedge fund manager from Connecticut. West Virginia elected their richest man to the Senate after electing him governor – as a Democrat and later a Republican. Ohio tossed out their longtime Democratic senator, known for his strong support of labor rights, for – literally, no joke – a used-car salesman.

You can’t tell me the working class in America thinks being a billionaire alone is what makes one a “wealthy elite.” There are significant factors at play here Bernie is either oblivious to or purposely ignorant of.

In college, a professor once told me that Communism never succeeded in the United States because we are too religious and proud as a country. Religion, traditions, and culture were never widely discredited the way they were in Europe and Asia, where the clergy and nobility kept the bourgeoisie in figurative chains for centuries. The relative ease of social mobility made America unique compared to its Western counterparts. Historically, American progressivism has been focused on expanding social mobility – initially limited to only white men – to identity groups who had been denied it at the start: blacks, women, and immigrants. We have done it, with various amounts of success. While it may seem counterintuitive, Americans pride themselves in being the nation that pioneered the idea that wealth and status can be achieved through ingenuity and hard work and not just based on a lucky roll of the genetic dice, as it was in the Old World. It doesn’t mean we don’t have generational wealth in our country; we do, but since it isn’t the sole way to achieve wealth and power, we don’t care nearly as much about destroying all of it. Further, we will happily endorse it if the oligarchs and the aristocrats vow to promote and protect the social values we care about and the social hierarchy that benefits us.

It’s one of the reasons I believe Bernie could never beat Trump. If you ask working-class people what they want: an anti-immigrant, anti-intellectual billionaire or a Vermont socialist backed by kids from Harvard and UC Berkeley who hate our traditions and customs, the working class will always back the billionaire.

–Nick Rafter, "Bernie Sanders Can Take a Seat"

[justliketoreadsowhat]

Sweater Weather ✰

✩𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐛𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐛 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐟𝐟 & 𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 ✩

𝐀/𝐧; 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐬 & 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐧𝐨 𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭, 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥�� 𝐈 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭

_______________________________________________

𝐈’𝐌 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐈 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐅𝐈𝐓“ 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐦𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫, 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐟𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐳𝐨𝐧𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭. 

Today was one of the last college visits you had scheduled for the week, Becoming a transfer student was not something you had planned, but you no longer felt the desire you once felt as a freshman attending Ohio State University for the first time. 

The dire decision was made to pick your top 5 schools and visit them, one of them being Uconn. 

Traveling out of state was one obstacle, but attending a school that was strongly known for their sports was a different type of catch. 

“Girl please!” your sister Breah scolded as she sat on the edge of the bed watching you go back and forth on what to wear. “Your best bet is to wear bright colors and stand out on this huge campus, do you know how many fine athletes walk around here daily?!” she spiraled, throwing herself on the bed to her detriment. 

“Breah, we are not here for athletes remember? we’re here for a new environment and better educat-“ 

“DON’T give me that speech again, you have to realize college just isn’t about academics. Let yourself live a little at least” 

You’ve heard that line at least 20 times this week, and it’s only Wednesday, yet you’d be lying to yourself if you said she was wrong. 

“I am I am, I just want to get a good feel for everything before I make my decision y’know?” you said fiddling with your pedant that hung way too low on your chest for your liking. 

“Oh, sis this is it! you must’ve for Paige Bueckers goes here” she stated sitting up swiftly, ready to defend her statement, she knew you’d disagree.  “What more do you need from a University?” 

An immediate nerve struck throughout your body listening to the words flow from her mouth at a fast pace. Your eyes couldn’t resist rolling, “You will not focus this visit all on one girl you saw on TikTok!, be so for real right now” 

She busted out laughing from your reaction, almost as if she was in disbelief, “We both know she’s not just some girl y/n, she’s quite literally everywhere we look, social media, advertisements, I mean we haven’t even been on this campus for 30 minutes and I have seen her face on every poster possible!” 

She wasn’t lying either, Paige’s face was plastered on every corner possible here in Connecticut. You didn’t even want to mention the TIktok epidemic that had flooded your “for you page” after liking one singular video. 

“Yeah well she’s just.. a good player and-“ 

“She’s fine human and she just so happens to be good at many things, now let’s go tour this place, it’s going to be your new home for the next 3 years whether you like it or not” jumping from the spot she’s been sitting in for a prolonged amount of time, she grabbed your hand dragging you out the door from your shared suite.  You didn’t feel the need to argue with her anymore, the feeling of nervousness began to replace the urge for another bickering episode between the two of you. 

Moving the the double doors, the cool air hit your face sending goosebumps to greet your skin. “I thought it was supposed to be a little warmer down here” 

“Mm.. me too but, maybe if we walk a little faster we’ll warm up, just hold tight in your cute little sweater” Breah beamed at you before continuing her tug at your hand walking toward a path with brick and a sidewalk that could barely fit two people. 

“Do you even know where we’re going?, you’re just following your thoughts with no directions, can we at least ask someone where the student center is?” you pleaded, hoping her eager tangent would be put to a halt. 

“No we’re fine, how hard can it be to find a brick building that literally has “student center” right in front of it. she panned shrugging her shoulders without a care in the world. There had to be at least 10 buildings that were brick and ironically, the names were not in big and bold letters. 

The two of you stop dead in your tracks as you realize you’re now faced with 3 brick buildings that look nearly identical, unfortunately, there are no names, just 4 digit numbers painted and embossed on the front right above the large windows. 

“How hard could it be right?” you mocked her, letting go of her hand, fishing for your phone in your back pocket in need google maps assistance. 

"Well, I guess it's time to find out"

Before you could protest, her grip tightened on your hand as she led you right into the buildings, the automatic sliding doors revealed a spacious lobby, navy blue and white accent colors surrounded the walls. 

The scent of warm amber and fresh linen filled the air,  everything had a sense of calmness. 

"You know.. you had a point about her face being everywhere" taking a couple of steps back trying to examine the huge headshot of Paige's face aligned against the wall, accompanied by the rest of her teammate’s pictures all in unison. 

Your amusement quickly faded as you soon realized this was in fact, NOT where you were supposed to be. 

"Breah this is not the right place!" barely reaching above a whisper, praying nobody noticed the two of you sticking out like sore thumbs. 

"Well it might be.. maybe I can help, there's a map behind our pictures somewhere" an familiar voice chimed in with a soft yet high-pitched tone, causing your eyes to meet direct contact with a girl who was at least 3 times your height, big curly hair that nearly covered her eyes, vibrant brown skin that complemented her stature. 

And to no surprise, she was wearing a "UCONN Women's Basketball" long-sleeve shirt with matching sweats accented in navy blue. 

Great

"Um, that'd be great actually-" you paused frantically looking over all of the headshots searching for the familiar face that was standing nearly inches away from you. 

"Oh! my fault, I'm Aubrey" she smiled pointing at her picture proudly.

She was stunning, her smile was perfect, your sister quickly caught onto the thought roaming through your mind. 

"Oh! nice to meet you Aubrey, I'm Breah and this is my sister y/n!, we were looking for the student center, but this could work" interjecting herself with great stealth, it hardly ever fails. 

You carefully watched Aubrey's body language as she shamelessly let her eyes wander between the two of you, her eyes drifting back to your sweater, you could nearly see the whirlwind behind her eyes, you could slowly feel the sensation of regret grow seemingly stronger within yourself, this was a terrible idea. 

"I can walk you guys over there if you want, it's not that easy to find honestly" she shrugged, her tall frame leaned up against the wall, "but first, I think we need to take y/n to see the person who stole her fit" she smirked, motioning you to follow her lead down the long, brightly lit hallway" 

"I- I'm sorry who??" you staggered trying to gain an answer from her, if she thought playing a joke on you about the sweater was going to reel you in, this was definitely the last time you'd be seeing this place. 

You soon found yourself speed walking, trying to keep up with her legs was not anything you had prepared for. Glancing back to your sister behind you, she was smiling to herself admiring the entirety of the situation unfolding right before her eyes. 

The three of you came to a stop mid-way through the pursuit, Aubrey opened a transparent door that led to a well-furnished living room, gray couches, maple brown tables, and of course, navy-colored carpet covered the floor. 

Safe to say you were a sucker for good color coordination, that was until you saw a figure with colors that didn't match the area not one bit. 

"Aye P look! I found your twin, Nikka has some competition now" Aubrey laughed gently patting your shoulder, her large hands held the weight you were not expecting, but the feeling soon subsided as your eyes met Paige’s blue irises. They were way brighter in person, but not as bright as her sweater as she was dressed in the same one you wore, a long white t-shirt flowed beneath hers that fit perfectly with her tall stature. Her cream-colored cargo pants had enough pockets for two people, yet she somehow made the outfit look so well put together.

She was gorgeous

“I mean I’d like to say I wear it better but, you look pretty good in it yourself” her eyes roaming your figure, causing heat to rise throughout your body, she knew exactly what she was doing. 

Forcing a small smile to form upon your lips to prevent your knees from buckling, “Well thank you...” words were not forming in your brain “Where’d you get yours from? you asked pointing at her fit. 

“I thrifted it” she said proudly, looking down as if it was her most proud possession. There’s no way a woman as wealthy as Paige willingly goes to the thrift store, or so you thought.  

“Yeahh, what she won’t tell you is that I’m the one who found it for her” Aubrey chimed in shaking her head in disbelief “give credit when it’s due”

“Well you guys all have a good sense of fashion soo, why don’t you guys take pictures!” Breah examined yanking out her digital camera she had been dying to use ever since she bought it. 

Paige laughed at her sudden burst of energy, but the idea riddled something in her mind. “We can go downtown and take some when the sun goes down, the scenery always looks better at night, it’ll make your colors pop”

“You mean our colors pop, you’re taking some flick’s too right?” hoped laced in your tone.

“Oh most definitely, I would never turn down the opportunity to take pictures with someone as beautiful as you"

Suddenly there was no need search any farther, you officially knew where you wanted to spend the rest of your years.

[bestfictionalnewenglander]

Hello! I’m starting a third tumblr tournament before my first one even officially starts because I cannot be stopped. This one is to find tumblr’s favorite New Englander! People from those six states in the United States northeast now have their time to shine.

So you all have them front and center, the six New England states are Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont

They can be raised in new england but moved away long ago, moved to new england from somewhere else, never left their hometown, anything as long as it’s part of their story! I’ll be accepting submissions for one week, until 3pm est on May 29th

Rules and submission form under the cut:

- As the title suggests, fictional characters only!! That means no real people (because I KNOW tumblr: Jerma counts as a real person), but also no historical figures or characters based on historical figures, or self-insert ocs like the pcs of MCYTs. (So no Hamilton characters, but for example Clone High or Fate Zero characters are fine because they’re not literally the historical figure)

- Submit as many characters as you like as long as you don’t submit the same one twice! Pls don’t spam as I’m gonna try to include as many as I can no matter how many submissions they get. Also please use the submission form, don’t send your submissions to my inbox!! If you do I’m just deleting it because it shows you didn’t read the rules

- If the state they’re from isn’t listed on the submission form it’s not a New England state. Most prominently, please don’t try to submit any characters from New York

- They can be from a fictional city as long as it’s at least implied to be in a new england state! For example, Star City (where Green Arrow lives) was stated once to be in Connecticut, and Derry, Maine is the fictional town from It

[embraceyourdestiny]

tell me about the two vanitases. vaniti

Post I made a while ago about it (might be slightly awkward / messy bc it’s from 2 years ago) :)

Essentially, at the end of bbs Vanitas and ven have a “battle of hearts” (similar to Roxas and sora in kh2) and Vanitas, as the weaker heart, loses and retreats back into his “origin”, ven’s heart. We see sparkles dissipate into vens stain glass, signifying that Vanitas has become embedded into ven’s heart. THEN ven becomes embedded in Sora’s heart, thus making a sort of matryoshka effect inside of sora;

sora<-(inside, ven [<-inside, vanitas])

Cut to ddd where sora is DEEP inside his own heart and thus coming across a lot of shit embedded within. Including Vanitas who appears as a fractured vision saying Sora’s heart is a prison “even if he’s not the prisoner.” Upon hearing this most people’s immediate thought would be *terra/aqua voice* ven!! But most people miss the hidden layer (cleverness intended) that would also mean Vanitas since he’s inside ven. Of course if someone is locked inside a prisoner in jail that also means they’re in the prison, whether them also being locked up was intentional or not

Cut to kh3. The first instance we see Vanitas is monsters inc. but we don’t see Vanitas first, we see the manifestation of his power because as he explains he needed enough energy to come back to life. The clever part about this is this only happens because sora is there with ven in his heart, thus physically bringing Vanitas’s heart to a place where he can regenerate and, if the plan works out, extract himself/ven from Sora’s body. There’s an extra bonus that the power becomes even more potent by upsetting sora and therefor having a STRONG sense of negativity which had been building in our poor boy all game, and as Ansem The Wise said, sora is able to make things be real and that means he was able to make Vanitas come back to life without whatever Xehanort did to make him, even though he didn’t mean to

Then Vanitas gets bodied by scully and thrown into a door, seemingly gone forever

Then like 3 seconds later we see him again in the land of departure. But. Wait. Didn’t scully just throw him to somewhere in Connecticut?

Act II: The second Vanitas

This Vanitas is a replica Xehanort pulled from the post. Xehanort had no fucking clue where Vanitas went after bbs bc he just disappears and honestly he clearly didn’t care because hes always known could just make another one so he does. The reason I know this isn’t monsters inc Vanitas is because one that’s impossible, it was 100% intentional this scene happens after yeetus Vanitas, and two Vanitas acts. Different. For one he’s much more brazen than he was in MI, instead of just his long winded monologuing he’s actually goading them on and being arrogant and feisty and trying to fight, immediately transporting us back to the kind of personality he had before. You know. Ven kicked his ass. And he also teleports and does magic and is way stronger than MI Vanitas because that Vanitas had just formed. There’s no possible way he had all his strength back after being rebirthed for 3 seconds so the fact that he was able to hold his own against aqua who’s been fighting nonstop for 10 years definitely raises an eyebrow and points to this theory because how was that possible and why didn’t he fight in MI if this was the case.

Some people have pointed out that it’s weird Vanitas wears a cloak of darkness in MI and thinking about it I think there’s two answers. The first is he was weak and I think it’s possible the cloak could protect him, esp if he’s not fully darkness anymore bc he has his own heart, has regenerated on his own instead of being extracted by Xehanort’s dark power, and was touched by two very powerful lights for like 10 years (they probably got their light cooties on him lol) and two, I think he was hiding from Xehanort. Vanitas likely knew of his plan since his conception even though he might not have fully understood was it was and therefore he would’ve known what was going on in kh3 and been like “shit. I’m not following the plan bc I’m not even a part of the plan anymore so Xehanort can’t find out.” Because if you remember in com DiZ says the cloaks can hide you from anyone and if Xehanort knew Vanitas was back he would at the very least force him to do his plan again or at the worst destroy him because he’s an unknown factor

Then sora fights replica Vanitas and he goes back into the past and somewhere out there Vanitas is walking around the streets of New York (or shibuya) having no clue what the fuck is going on

So yes. Two Vanitases bc we can’t get enough of this boy. Two of them

[male-body-swap-lover]

Alcohol Led Me Down a Path to Age Progression

Note: Alcoholism is a real disease and if you are having issues with it, please seek help.

Picture it. 1990. I am a senior at Princeton. Colin Vanderway, only heir to the Vanderway fortune. I am on the top of the world. Rich. Hot. Smart. A different girl every week. I am one of the luckiest men in the world. It’s another Saturday night kegger. I love beer so much. Probably my only weakness. Derek, Nathan, and I went to Kappa Kappa Delta for one of the last blast nights before our graduation. The night is wild. One of the best nights of my life. But man I have had so much to drink. Fucccckkkkk. I’m going home. I get behind the wheel of my car. I’m falling asleep and I can barely see. I’m serving. Almost back to my apartment. Suddenly, an old woman comes out of nowhere and I hit her with my car. Oh God!

I get out and try to find a pulse. I can’t find one, but I am drunk. I yell for help but no one is around. Suddenly a man appears from out of nowhere.

“I can help you”, he says.

“I need to go find a pay phone. I need to call 911.”

“If you do, you’ll be arrested. Why don’t I help you.”

“Are you a doctor?”

“No, I’m your guardian angel. This woman is dead. There is nothing the paramedics can do. However, I can save her.”

“Then do it. Hurry! It was an accident.”

“Hold on. If I save her, then you will face my consequences. It won’t be the cops, but you will pay.”

“It’s fine. I’m rich. I can pay you whatever you want.”

“Oh I don’t want money.”

“I don’t care. Just save her!” I start crying.

“Okay, here goes”

Suddenly the winds start whipping and the woman seems to wake up. Suddenly, it’s like I’m sucked up into a vortex. I’m tossed around and and scream for help. Finally after what feels like eternity, I’m dumped in a dirty apartment. There are beer cans everywhere. Instinctively I burp and my stomach starts to rumble.

“Look familiar”. He appeared out of nowhere.

“Fuck, where did you come from. Where am I”

“You’re in the future. October 23, 2023 to be exact”

“This is like Back to the Future man! Why’d you bring me here?”

“This is how I am making you pay. You see, you had two options. Option one was to leave that woman on the street dead. Option two was to save her and you pathetically chose to save her. Had you chosen option one, your father would have helped you cover up her death and your life would have gone on like normal. He would have paid her family to be quiet. You would have taken your place as rightful heir to your father’s company. Married a girl from a wealthy family and had multiple kids. You would have amassed power and become a republican senator from Connecticut. And yet, you somehow have a soul, and chose option two.”

“What’s wrong with you. We saved a life. Why are you upset. You are my guardian angel”

“Yes, but I’m a fallen angel. I love evil. And that’s who I thought you were, which I why I appeared to you. Alas, you chose to be good, and now we are here.”

“A fallen angel. So you work for the devil”

“Hahahahaha yes I do. The mighty lord”

“So if this is option two, what does that mean?”

“So because she survived, she sued your family. Your father almost lost his company. He disowned you and kicked you out of the family company. He gave it to a distant cousin. Due to your college partying, you have had trouble finding work and have mostly worked factory and maintenance jobs, just enough to pay your bills, and enough left over for beer. You never got away from beer. You’ve been married and divorced three times with two kids who hate you. This is all you can afford between your alimony payments and beer. Isn’t it depressing. Oh, have you paid the price for being nice.”

“Wait, if it’s 2023, that means I am 55 years old. I still look like I am 22.”

“Oh yes, let’s fix that.”

Suddnely my stomach rumbles. I start burping repeatedly and my breath reeks of beer. My arm hair starts getting thicker. I feel a beard sprout on my face as hair falls out of my head. My chiseled jaw dissapears under a layer of fat. The worst is my stomach. It’s pressing out and turning into a big ball. My clothes are so tight, and then they change as well. My shirt turns into a pale button up that is left unbuttoned and underneath it, my undershirt turns grey and seem to barely fit me. My acid wash jeans turn into dad jeans and my belt gets thicker to hold up my new pants. My stomach finally stops growing and my grey shirt can barely cover it. The age lines come in everywhere on my face and my back starts killing me. With one final loud belch, the transformation finishes. I waddle to the bathroom and look in the mirror.

“I’m old and ugly and fat.”

“Yes, well that’s your punishment for choosing to save someone’s life. No good deed goes unpunished. Oh and one more thing!”

Suddenly, a mug of beer appears in my hand. The intoxicating smell of barley reaches my nose. I start drooling for a minute before taking a big gulp.

“Good luck. Your life is pathetic, but at least you have your beer. Your new memories should come to you soon. At the rate you drink, I give you fifteen years max. Bye”

My guardian angel, or guardian devil dissapeared.

I sigh dejectedly, realizing my life had not turned out how I wanted. I sit down in my recliner, turn on the football game, and eat some peanuts that were on the table next to my chair. Beer. The killer, but one would say my best friend. Lucky me. I drink my beer and scratch my new belly absentmindedly. Maybe this won’t be so bad after all.

[rjzimmerman]

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Northeast Is Burning. (New York Times)

Excerpt from this New York Times story:

The smoke around New York City is back. But don’t blame Canada.

In Vancouver, British Columbia, where I’ve lived for 25 years, we used to blame California and Washington for our occasionally smoky skies. Then in the summer of 2015, Vancouver’s air turned Martian orange, just as the air on the East Coast did last year. Only this time, the fires were ours. It wasn’t just a bad year; something fundamental had changed. Since then, almost every summer has brought red suns at midday, health advisories, broken heat records, anxiety and, when fires get close, real fear: Our old house is a tinderbox. Where would we go?

Red flag warnings in New England indicating fire weather — that is, hot, dry, windy conditions — have been issued repeatedly since late October. These warnings are common in the West, but they are extremely rare in the Northeast, where I grew up and where my base line was established, my notion of what normal weather is. And I can tell you: This isn’t normal. Back in the 1970s, the idea of wildfires along the I-95 corridor in November was simply inconceivable.

This fall, more than 500 wildfires have ignited in New Jersey alone. And in the past two weeks, in parts of Connecticut and Pennsylvania where developments end and wild lands begin, known as the wildland-urban interface, fires have been threatening homes, too. New York City’s fire department responded to 271 brush fires across the five boroughs just in the first two weeks of November. A 5,000-acre fire has been burning for more than a week on the New York-New Jersey border, prompting voluntary evacuation orders on Saturday, after the fire broke through containment lines.

Last month a firefighter was killed and two more were injured by a vehicle while fighting a wildfire in Berlin, Conn. On Nov. 9 an 18-year-old New York State employee was killed fighting a fire in Sterling Forest State Park. Wildfire fighters getting killed? Maybe in Colorado or California. But in the Northeast, hardly ever.

Two weeks ago, a newspaper reporter from Provincetown, Mass., called me. Could the pitch pine and scrub oak forests of Cape Cod burn like the Western forests I described in my book “Fire Weather”?

“Yes,” I told him. “Maybe not in the past, but now they can.”

It felt strange, almost traitorous, to say that, because I’ve been going to the cape since I was a child. I know the smell of those pine needles in summer, the soft crunch of the cones underfoot. The idea of those trees burning never occurred to me before this year.

We are being reminded the hard way that we share this world. Smoke knows no boundaries, and neither does fire. It’s not a Southern problem or a Western problem; it’s our shared reality. This is not just a “bad year.” Globally, 2023 was the hottest year in recorded history, and that record is already being broken. This year is on track to be not only one of the driest autumns in U.S. history since records have been kept but also the first full year in which global temperatures rose 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above preindustrial levels. That doesn’t sound like much, but when this kind of elevated heat is prolonged, it stresses natural systems, killing marine creatures and making forests and grasslands more flammable.

[edoro]

so hey. consider this. “everyone is regular humans in the modern world” au, right.

approximately 13 years ago, a Terrible And Unsolved ‘Accident’ befell Caleb and Evelyn Clawthorne, and their three year old child disappeared without a trace from the scene. the missing persons case is still open, but at this point, pretty much everyone assumes the kid is dead. the most likely suspect is Caleb’s brother Philip, who also disappeared after that night and hasn’t been seen since, and who Evelyn’s family report seemed to have some issues with the happy couple.

fast-forward 13 years, and Hunter is living with his beloved Uncle Philip on a two person commune in the woods of Connecticut. they live in an off-grid cabin where they make their own clothes, grow their own food, keep some livestock, hunt, and endeavor to be as self-sufficient as possible. once or twice a month, he drives into town to pick up supplies they can’t make themselves, like fuel for the generators and whatnot

Uncle Philip has some very particular beliefs about the degeneracy of these corrupt modern times, and releases sermons over YouTube (Hunter maintains the channel) to a small group of followers who send him money in order to buy themselves a place on his commune - you see, when the end times come and the sinners all descend into bloodshed and barbarism, he will make a safe haven for the believers to come together and live in peace and unity

their property adjoins a public park, and when he isn’t busy with chores - so many chores - Hunter likes to go walking along the fenceline, back in the woods where no one can really see him, and watch the Normal People Going About Their Sinful Lives

he starts to recognize some regulars. there’s a girl who often comes out to the woods to exercise or just be by herself. one day, though, she’s not alone - there’s a group of other girls there, and they’re obviously picking on her.

Hunter watches them verbally tear her to shreds and push her around, then finally leave. when they’re gone, she gets up and takes her anger out on a couple of branches nearby - breaking them, swinging them around, etc.

he creeps closer to the fence, clears his throat, and says, “hey, you seem pretty strong. wanna learn how to fight?” (his uncle has taught him hand-to-hand combat so he can be ready to Defend Their Property from The Unworthy when the End Times come)

and this is how he meets Willow, once he convinces her that he isn’t some kind of weird voyeur but that this is like, his yard technically, and he saw what happened and he wants to help

neither of her friends believe her about the boy in the woods who is teaching her how to fight - Gus’s going theory is a head injury, Luz 100% believes that he’s a ghost, neither of them thinks he’s a real boy until Willow drags them out to meet him, at which point they all collectively agree that he may be real but he’s also definitely some kind of weird prepper or like, Amish or something

Hunter, being a deeply isolated and fucked up little guy, is pathetically glad to have made friends and takes every possible opportunity to swing by and meet them and talk, or show them stuff, or join in their games when they invite him. he also, of course, tries to sell them on his uncle’s cult, because he’s been raised in it for most of his life and he is a True Believer

once he gives them his uncle’s YouTube channel, they go from making jokes about him being in a cult among themselves to realizing, oh, he is Legitimately For Real In A Fucking Cult, Yikes, but they’re kids and he seems fine, if a little weird, so what are they going to do?

(they all collectively agree that they are not going to show any of their parents Uncle Philip’s Video Sermons, because none of them are going to be allowed within 100 feet of this kid if they do)

one day, they’re all hanging out when a huge storm breaks suddenly. it’s a nasty one - wind, lightning, pouring rain, and then the tornado sirens start going off. tornadoes aren’t common in Connecticut, but Hunter lives his life by the adage that it’s better to be safe than sorry, so he grabs his new friends and drags them home to the shelter they have, pushes them all downstairs while he goes to help his elderly and frail uncle

so now they’re all just kind of sitting in there. here’s Philip, very surprised that his wayward nephew appeared with three random teenagers. here are Luz, Gus, and Willow, all kind of wondering if they’re ever going to LEAVE this bunker because, wow, there is a Vibe in here for sure.

and here’s Hunter, excitedly pointing out all the features of the bunker, like the beds and the shelves and the kitchenette and bathroom and separate generator from the house and supplies, because he is just so happy to have friends over and very proud of this little doomsday prepper homestead he and his uncle have made together

so from here on out, Hunter’s friendships aren’t quite so under-the-table, because Philip knows about them, but it also means that Philip is checking in on Hunter’s progress with converting his friends and a lot more vigilant about where he is and who he’s with and what sorts of ideas he’s being exposed to

[lovevalley45]

#fictober24 - day eight

"Are we happy?"

original fiction (power payback)

word count: 605

“Geez, isn’t it supposed to be fall?” 

“Global warming,” Magni said. “And the fact that we live in a desert doesn’t help.”

Sprout joined him at the patio table, shucking off her gardening gloves. “Yeah, but I’m not moving to Connecticut or whatever.” She sighed. “You feeling better?” she asked, pouring herself a glass of lemonade. 

“I’m out of bed,” he answered. It was good enough. 

Magni’s involuntary sabbatical from Hillson Consulting had started when he realized he’d been ignoring his boss’s calls for a week. He hadn’t been feeling well, staying in bed during the day and unable to sleep at night. Sprout rightfully called him on the fact that he only left his room to make them dinner, then barely ate what he actually made. It was then that he could step back and remember this wasn’t normal.

“I need some time,” he’d told Hillson over the phone. “Just a couple of weeks.” 

“I ought to give you one week since you’ve been ghosting me. Is that what the kids call it? Ghosting?” With a huff, Hillson had finally said, “Hell, fine. You haven’t been as sharp lately. Rest up.” 

It wasn’t his first time finding himself in such a slump. But since his first bout of depression in college, he’d never dipped so low. 

“Did you call Dr. Perry?” Sprout asked him. 

“No,” he admitted. “I know, I should. But she’ll just try to prescribe me antidepressants again.”

She took a long sip of lemonade. Magni knew she was holding her tongue against telling him he was wrong, and some part of him knew she was. He’d dug his heels in then, still sore from his bad stint of suppressors. 

“I’ll call her tomorrow,” he caved. 

Sprout sighed. “Alright.” She leaned back in her seat.

“You know, you didn’t have to take time off to watch me.” 

She glanced his way. “Who said I took time off to watch you? I took a day off because I wanted to.”

Magni picked up his lemonade. “Insurance getting too boring?” 

“Yeah,” Sprout said. “When I convinced you to switch your major to criminal justice with me, I figured it’d be… more exciting. Your job is plenty exciting. But I sit in a cubicle and make sure shit adds up. I just got hired because I was good at memorizing insurance law.” 

“You could always go to law school like my mom keeps telling you,” he said. “And consulting isn’t that exciting, anyways. Not when I get pinged with ‘hey Magni, use your technopathy for this case’ every damn day. I’m stuck in a damn cube and feel like a zombie walking out.”

The complaints spilled out of him like a confession. No wonder he was so drained. His throat suddenly felt dry, and he picked up his lemonade.  

“Wow.” She drummed her fingers against her glass. "Do you ever wonder… are we happy? Like, really happy. We've got good jobs, but-" She stopped, and shrugged. 

Magni chuckled. "Yeah. I know." He shut his eyes. The warmth of the day still seemed so heavy in the afternoon shade. "I remember that conversation. Obviously. We had dreams that we'd try and get our PI licenses and go into business together." 

"We still can," Sprout said. "We're still young. You know, study together, do the exam." 

"Come on. Be real. We were just college kids, fantasizing about the future." 

She leaned over the table, grabbing his hand. "We can try."  

"Hell." He turned his hand to give hers a squeeze, feeling the scars against his palm. "I guess it won't kill me." 

Sprout grinned. "Famous last words."

[lukehughes43]

MASTERLIST!

NHL

ryder donovan: about last night  → When your parents go out of town for the weekend, your friends begin to pressure you into throwing a part. A small get together of friends soon breaks into a full blown party, one your next door neighbor can’t help but attend.

joel farabee: distractions all parts [mafia au] [nsfw. 18+] → Being born into the South Philly mob could be seen as a dream, or a nightmare. For Joel Farabee it was a dream, the dream. If only he knew exactly all that came with it.

jack hughes: all over again → A seemingly perfect relationship between Jack Hughe and yourself had been put to the test a mere handful of times due to petty fights, and social media. However, when the same thing occurs for a second time, you can’t seem to let it go.

hot chocolate  → Christmas Eve in the Hughes house is always one to remember. This year is even better as Brady made the time to come down for a visit, or for some meddling and a cup of hot chocolate. You’ve yet to decide. 

my angel  → The biggest moment of Jack’s life is about to happen without the most important person in his life: you. Now his real life angel, Jack must fight through the emotions of draft day without you by his side like he had always dreamed of. 

not my fault → Jack finds himself in a hard spot after a party and having too much to drink. You decide his actions from that night are something that you can’t ignore.

old town road → After a burst appendix and emergency surgery, Jack enlists the help of the USNTDP team to make you feel better.

Superstar → Once Jack is drafted first overall, he’s whisked away to Jersey for his media tour and development camp. While it’s a routine trip away, you can’t help but feel like there’s something he isn’t telling you. 

through a lens → Watching one too many YouTube videos after boredom, Y/n gets Jack to start a vlog with her.

when we were young → Since Jack Hughes was born, you were always in his life. Wherever he went, you went. If he played hockey, you played hockey. For every big moment and birthday you were by each other's side. It only made sense that over time a relationship was born. And with that, you got to watch your best friend live his life long dream: playing against his brother in the NHL.

thunderstorms  → A hard fought playoff win is rewarded with a thunderstorm. That thunderstorm just happens to bring an extra pair of feet to sleep in yours and Jack’s bed. 

not before dinner → Dinner’s right around the corner, but Jack can’t say no to his oldest daughter. Especially when you disappear upstairs to take care of the baby. 

luke hughes: No time for goodbyes [luke hughes x coug!reader] → With Luke leaving for the Frozen Four, reality has begun to seep in that the life you had built with him over the past 4 years in Ann Arbor was coming to a close. Who knew leaving Michigan behind would cause so many tears?

nye traditions  → Playing a World Juniors game on New Years Eve wasn’t going to stop Luke from getting his New Years kiss from you. That and he would have 3 disappointed teammates if he missed the kiss. 

kasperi kapanen: i see you → Kasperi still wasn’t sure what caused the end of your relationship. All he knows is that it’s been weeks since he last heard from you, and you’re still all he can think about. Hoping to find a new distraction out with the rookies he runs into what he least expects.

8 letters → A past relationship has affected your ability to let people in, and say the simple phrase everyone longs to hear. So much so that it ruins the relationship with the only man you’ve really loved.

spencer knight: beg for it [nsfw. 18+] → You know what they say, if the boats rockin’ don’t come knockin’. 

family affair → A Connecticut thunderstorm has broken the once peaceful sleep you were enjoying. It also disturbs the slumber of Spencer, Hannah, Claire, and the family dog Baylor. The only place left to find comfort? Spencer’s bed.

heart stops beating → It has felt as if this all your life, and all of Spencer’s life, have led up to the utterance of three little words. 

mitch marner: why won’t you love me? → Time changes a relationship more than Mitch or yourself could’ve expected as teenagers in love. Now in your early twenties, do both of you understand just how much it has changed you.

auston matthews: all I know → On a visit back to your hometown, Auston realizes there’s so much more he doesn’t know about you. As he watches your past cause you to crumble, he has to fight to pick up your pieces. 

and they were roommates → Two best friends who have gone through everything together. Birth. Birthdays. High school. NHL draft. Every big moment they’ve been there for each other. What happens when one of them realizes they’ve been in love this whole time?

prank war → An uneventful off day for Auston, catapults a month long prank war everyone on the Maple Leafs can’t help but get involved with. 

casey mittelstadt: “who’s crosby again?” → Casey and yourself have always never seen eye to eye when it came to favorite players in the NHL. So much so that you can’t help but poke fun at the legendary Penguin to get under your boyfriend's skin.

the ways i love you → A person can say, “I love you” in more ways than just saying the three words. Over the course of a year, Casey’s actions have shown you all the ways he loves you.

william nylander: the bull cut → William’s mother Camilla makes a quick visit to Toronto carrying old photographs of Will as a child. In those photos he’s sporting a very interesting haircut, one that you can’t let him live down.

the blue’s in your eyes → On a dark Toronto afternoon, one cheesy pick up line changes the relationship between Will and yourself forever.

alex turcotte: the story of us → While making dinner one night, your son can’t help but ask how you and his father met. What started as a simple story to occupy your son while making dinner, soon turned into a full story over the remainder of the night.

trevor zegras: dial drunk → When you had ended your relationship with Trevor almost three years ago, he wasn’t sure why. Even now, back in your shared hometown he couldn’t find the answer. Instead he found bottle after bottle of alcohol to drown out the memory of you. Only, some memories refuse to go away, and the memory of you was one he couldn’t drown away.

[crumb]

hi! i watched the passenger back when it came out but recently your sets popped up in my dash and i ended up rewatching it and that led to me watching dinner in america which i loved! i was wondering if you have any other kyle gallner films you liked beside from jennifers body and smile. also love all of your gif sets :).

That’s so awesome to hear! I’m glad you enjoyed The Passenger and Dinner in America. They’ve quickly become two of my favourite films. And thank you! I work hard on the gifsets so it's nice to know people like them. ☺️ As for other film recommendations in Kyle Gallner’s filmography, here are some that I enjoyed/thought were worth the watch and my thoughts: Note: If you have any specific triggers/aversions please check a site like doesthedogdie.com first before watching these. Mother, May I? (2023) — I wasn’t a fan of Holland Roden’s performance (I know she can act so it was a little disappointing) but the movie was interesting and I enjoyed Kyle’s performance. I mean, I liked Holland’s too at times but some parts were really bad imo. What Comes Around (2022) — I liked this one. The synopsis I glanced at beforehand wasn’t really accurate to the film’s contents but I still liked the film overall. It wasn’t crazy good like The Passenger or anything close to it but it was still interesting. Ghosts of War (2020) — I really liked this up until the last 30 minutes. But! Kyle gives a great teary-eyed/deranged monologue in this that honestly makes it worth it. The Cleansing Hour (2019) — I actually turned this one off in the first like 10 minutes but then I went back and watched the rest and ended up liking it! Once things start really rolling it’s a fun ride. Alien Code (2018) — Concept was too big brained for their tiny budget which results in some real goofy stuff BUT I really liked the story it was trying to tell and pretty much all the actors give decent/great performances. Zen Dog (2016) — It’s a weird little indie film but I liked it. It’s always nice to watch something and know everyone had a blast making it. (There’s a 30 min BTS on Vimeo that proves this lol) The Cleanse (2016) — Kyle is a supporting actor in this so if you only want to watch stuff with him as a lead then you might want to pass. I ended up kinda liking this. It was slow at parts, but it was still kinda cool. Could have done with like 10 more minutes of story to wrap things up but yeah. The Finest Hours (2016) — Again, Kyle is only a supporting actor in this but he looks real cute in this 1950s era film. Band of Robbers (2015) — I really liked this!! It has a great cast and a fun script. It’s a quirky indie comedy and Kyle holds his own alongside some great actors & comedians. Magic Valley (2011) — It’s dark and haunting and shot really beautifully. It’s a slow ride but not boring at all. Losers Take All (2011) — So much of this movie is kinda corny but it was fun and you get to see Kyle in a band singing which is a bonus lol. The Haunting in Connecticut (2009) — I really really liked this. I’m not sure why it has such terrible reviews. There are other films in the haunted house sub-genre from around this time that are much worse but somehow have better reviews than this movie which is baffling to me. I’ve been working my way through his filmography and you can see my ratings and reviews for his films over on my letterbox account. There are more of his films I didn’t include in this list either because he only had a small role, it wasn’t a very good movie, or I haven’t seen it yet. My main take away after, so far, watching 25+ films and a number of television episodes he’s been in is that he ALWAYS gives a great performance. The only time it falters is when the script/dialogue is weak which isn’t his fault. It’s kind of insane that I have yet to find something he’s been in where he’s given a mediocre performance. At this point I don’t think he’s able to give a mediocre performance. He’s super consistent with the quality of his acting. So honestly, no matter what films of his you watch, good or bad, you’re still gonna get a great performance from him.

[sunnyuto]

Connecticut has had an unprecedented 51 brush fires in the last two weeks. We have had, for the first time in living memory, a “fire season” that resulted in the governor declaring a state of emergency. That red dot in the middle, the Hawthorne Fire, has been burning for 10 days, caused one line of duty death, and is only 30% contained as of this morning. But climate change isn’t real right?

[mightyflamethrower]

They tried electric buses in Connecticut. Because of their tendency to burst into flames, the entire fleet was pulled from service. They tried them in Wyoming. At last word, none works. Edmonton blew a fortune on 60 electric buses. Most of those don’t work either. Turns out electric vehicles don’t make sense in the cold. Naturally the next step was to try them in frigid Minnesota:

In 2015, Duluth received a $6.3 million federal grant for six, ultimately seven, battery-electric buses from Proterra.

Proterra has gone bankrupt, leaving customers trying to keep their vehicles running in the lurch.

In Minneapolis,

Metro Transit followed in 2017 when it received a $1.7 million federal grant to buy eight battery-electric accordion buses…

They got free money and saved the allegedly imperiled climate from harmless carbon emissions. Everyone lived happily ever after �� until reality set in:

Both the Twin Cities and Duluth have had problems with their battery-electric buses. For one, they can’t go as far as their builders advertised, in part because of the cold weather.

Too bad the global warming hoax isn’t real. If temperatures would rise by more than the current insignificant fluctuations, EVs would be less insane.

Metro Transit’s battery-electric buses are also less reliable than their diesel-fueled counterparts. A September 2023 presentation to the Met Council’s Transportation Committee showed the battery-electric buses broke down twice as often.

The outlandishly expensive batteries frequently fail, as do the chargers.

Duluth also had problems with its battery-electric bus fleet. Between April 2019 and February 2020, the fleet averaged 7,717 miles between breakdowns, four times as often compared to their diesel counterparts. … The buses struggled to make it up the city’s storied steep hills and to keep riders warm in the winter.

The federal government continues to throw our money at the quixotic cause of electrifying buses in frozen Minnesota:

In August, the Federal Transit Administration awarded Metro Transit a $17.5 million grant to buy 12 battery-electric buses… Since Duluth and Metro Transit rode the electric wave, other agencies joined in on the current. With $5.4 million from two federal grants, Rochester placed into service four battery-electric buses of the exact same make and model as Metro Transit’s…

Another federal grant for electric buses in Minnesota will cost us $8.1 million.

It’s almost as if our rulers couldn’t care less how hard we have to work to create the wealth they waste.

[omegawolverine]

what kyle gallner movies have you watched? i’ve watched uhm. 4 at this point! i think he’s a really great actor but man some of these movies SUCK. well they’re alright, just psychological horror isn’t exactly my thing i’ve figured out. do you have any recs (if you have watched other movies he’s been in) that aren’t “dinner in america,” “the passenger,” “smile,” or “mother, may i?”? i finished “mother, may i?” today and it was not exactly what i expected. a review i liked a lot was “mommy issues: the movie.” which is absolutely right, but still really funny. also pointing at that man and clocking him for his very evident bpd.

(i have a tiny hyperfix on kyle gallner right now if that weren’t obvious lol)

i have honestly watched very few movies with him and most of the ones i have seen he's like barely in (scream and jennifer's body for example, plus the like multiple shows he did one episode in- speaking of which he was in one episode of twd as beth's boyfriend who immediately dies. he's the one who kept guessing what daryl did before the outbreak).

i just watched the passenger today on a whim and it was very much not what i expected based on how people talked about it but it was good enough. if im being so real he's in a lot of movies that just do not seem to appeal to me (and im not much of a movie person in general so if a trailer doesnt appeal to me im not trying it on my own) but im planning to watch strange darling which ive heard good things about and probably the nightmare on elm street movie he's in. also the haunting in connecticut just bc i live so close to CT i can be judgey about details. i might watch smile just bc i think id find it laughably bad but besides that idk! maybe ill watch mother may i bc mommy issues the movie sounds right up my alley LMAO

wishing u the best in finding more movies of his that appeal to u tho...some of the best actors have the most busted filmographies </3