#FRIED CHICKEN MY RELIGION

[tarta-de-limon]

How's your bd? :D

I promised (almost) back, soooooo

At this moment I'm in the car and this is the best I can do (I really wanna do it right now, sorry) :")

K, here's few questions:

How u celebrate your birthday? How old are u now (if it's not secret)? Aaaand what u planning to eat? :₽

Oh, on pic I wrote everything without translator and I hope that at least something was written right :")

✨🎉Happy birthday🎉✨ again

OMG YOU'RE BACK, AND DW BECAUSE THE DRAWINGS ARE AMAZING TY SO MUCH, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU💖💖💖💖 😭😭😭😭‼️‼️‼️‼️

THE CUTE HEART POSE, IS THAT A BOUQUET? OMG 😭👐💖💖💖💖💖‼️‼️‼️‼️

Today I'm going out with my family😭👐!!! there's this awesome buffet with ALL THE TYPE OF FOOD YOU CAN IMAGINE. Like there's desserts, and pizza, Chinese food and sea food and just EVERYTHING.

...

But I have the palate of a five year old so I'll eat FRIED CHICKEN AND FRIES, LET'S GOOOO🗣️‼️🗣️‼️🗣️‼️🗣️‼️🗣️‼️🗣️‼️ I also happen to loose my appetite when there's too much people around, so I won't eat much probably. But hey, FRIED CHICKEN 💃💃🎉💃🎉💃🎉💃‼️

I might buy a lemon pie for myself, although I don't like how the bakery nearby does it. Too sour!!!! I like my lemon pie to be acidic and sweet, not sour, if yk what I mean.

And I'm turning 18 rn!!!! So LET'S GOOOO, I'M AN ADULT NOW

(I'm scared of adulthood, help).

[chai-en-kaadhale]

you know the cravings bad when you can physically feel the ghost of the texture/taste in your mouth

[slyandthefamilybook]

I remember being taught in school around Yom Kippur time that you cannot ask G-d to forgive something you did to someone without asking that person to forgive you first. The reason Judaism is so legalistic is precisely because of this attitude. You can't find absolution in G-d if you're not willing to repair your connections with your fellows

One of the philosophical/theological differences between judaism and other religions is how we conceive of the consequences of doing bad things.

I just heard someone say, "well jews don't believe in hell, so why don't you-" and just never sits right with me that the only thing that could prevent you from acting in bad ways are the threat of an eternal punishment. The implication that you shouldn't care about the consequences of your actions on the worldly level are astounding as well.

I care about not doing bad because it hurts people - myself included. Even if I did believe in hell... It wouldn't factor into how I live life. I fundamentally don't agree that we should treat this life and this world as a temporary home - a rest stop - where our actions only matter insofar as it affects where you go in the afterlife.

[love-minor-poltergeist]

A/N: I saw the positive reception that my Barbi hcs and I wanted to say, from the bottom of my heart, thank you kindly!! I always find myself feeling apprehensive on deviating from the fandoms I usually write for, so the fact that you all seemed to liked my Barbi content means a lot! (〃＾▽＾〃)

In the spirit of things, I decided to try my hand at baking a batch of hcs for our lovely, awful Police Sergeant Coyle! I will admit that his character was a little bit more difficult to write for since there's a lot uncomfortable themes and ideals related to his character. However! I welcome the challenge and hope that these turned out okay. Lemme know what y'all think!!

!Content Warning!: There's a passing mention of CSA/Childhood Sexual Abuse since the comics implied that it happened, and while it's only mentioned very briefly, it's better to play it safe

General Leland Coyle Headcanons:

╔═══━━━─── • ───━━━═══╗

Ever since his father served in the military briefly in WWII, which subsequently left the older man an invalid– having lost a foot and permanently unable to walk normally– Leland was left to carry out most of the physical labor around him and his family’s cattle farm. Pa would still insist on bossin’ him around, though, and Leland usually had to be the one to help him walk the fields while dealing with the cattle. Of course, once he joined the local police force, most of those duties fell upon his ma. 

Granted, in his ever charming views, he always thought Ma did a crap job of the physical work, so he’d usually take over anyway. All the while he and Ma argued back and forth on the fields.

An average day, if he wasn’t off dealing with police duties, he’d watch the cattle and make sure they’ve eaten and prod any escapees back into the fields. He was none too gentle, either, and he’s earned his fair share of bruises and narrowly avoided a few nasty kicks. Leland’s even got a particularly nasty scar on his lower abdomen from getting gored by a rowdy heifer. It luckily wasn’t deep enough to get him sent to the hospital, but boy did his parents ridicule him for being dumb enough to let it happen in the first place. 

Cannot cook for the life of him. Pa drilled it into his head that cooking was a woman's job, so he never really bothered to learn. All of the housework was handled by his wives, and god forbid if they wanted a break from it… During the brief stints between each marriage, Leland’s survived off diner food, cigarettes, coffee, and the occasional frozen tv dinner. 

On the other hand, however, he’s completely fine with a man cooking if it’s to handle a grill. Hell, Pa was the one to teach him how to prepare meat after they’ve sent their cattle off to the slaughterhouse, and goddamn can he cook a mean steak. Now that he thinks about it, Leland sometimes wished he paid more attention on how to make fried chicken when his Ma tried to show him… 

The Coyle family were devout Christians and attended Sunday mass each week. Of course, Leland doesn’t practice the religion much as he grew older, but much of the values taught to him remained; most of them perverted to fit his ideals. 

Thanks to his chronic smoking habit, Leland’s appetite is close to nonexistent. He does it so much that the other officers of the Blackwell Police Department often joked about how Sergeant Coyle’s office may as well have been an oven with how much smoke emanated from his office. However, given how he’s the one to handle most of the paperwork until the asscrack of dawn, and with only a cigarette and numerous cups of coffee littering his desk to keep him going, no one really complained. 

Usually shaves his head during the summer time. Sure, he’s a vain man, but it’s become a habit after his time in the military. Not to mention that it usually helped him keep cool during the days where he toiled in the fields with the sun beating down on he and Ma. The habit followed him into the Sinyala facility, where staff usually had to shear him down since, though he’s a Prime Asset and thus has special privileges, he’s still not to be trusted with anything sharp. 

Has extensive firearm training. Pa first showed him how to handle a rifle whenever the farm had to deal with coyotes and stray dogs that harassed the livestock. On the offtime there wasn’t anything to shoot, young Leland was usually spotted by the fence posts in the outer perimeter of the farm, practicing his aim with a few cans and empty bottles. Which eventually graduated to shooting at any unlucky birds or cats that wandered too close to the property. He was also put in charge of putting down any sickly cattle, too, after Pa was left crippled.

His aim only got better thanks to his time in Okinawa. He’s got more experience in rifles and pistols, but he has a natural knack for machinery, and he’s a quick learner. Not to mention that he follows gun safety to a fuckin’ T…. Which only made him even more offended when he learned that some deformed, baby-talkin’ runt got a gun before he did in Sinyala. 

Usually has a sore back after trials. Sure, he can handle lugging around that pontiac car battery on his back for hours if he needed to, but goddamn is that thing heavy. First thing he does after a trial is stretch until he hears his back pop. 

Suffers from really nasty night terrors. Going back to his comic and how it briefly touched on how Leland’s exhibited signs of CSA, it’s highly possible that much of the abuse occurred behind closed doors and at night, where everyone else was asleep. He’s avoided sleep like the plague since then. Both as a means of trying to protect himself and not have to deal with constantly reliving the incident. He’s never talked to anyone about it, and refuses to do so. 

He’s also coped with it via hypersexualising himself and inflicting pain on others. It gives him a sense of control and a rush of power that was stripped away from him. Silently vowed to never let himself be that vulnerable again.

╚═══━━━─── • ───━━━═══╝

[girlactionfigure]

JEWS DON'T PROSELYTIZE

So let’s get onto the topic of Jews and proselytizing. It’s a topic that surprizes me when I reflect on how strongly I feel about it. I’ve noticed that others also feel very strongly about it. I wanted to unpack why it triggers something so powerful in me when I see Jews appearing to proselytize - that is - attempting to convert non-Jews to Judaism. It’s precisely because proselytizing is so alien to Jews in feeling and practice that I was struck by the posts of this online account:

Similar messaging even appeared on, (what presumably are), paid for adverts on roadside billboards:

Firstly, let’s not allow people of bad faith or bad intellect to pretend there’s some kind of anti-convert sentiment behind my reaction to this advert and my antipathy towards proselytizing. Converts are as Jewish as the prophets. My two favourite Jews in real life happen to be converts and they’ve enriched and deepened my relationship with my tribe. 

The question is really one of how non-Jews come to Judaism. 

As I understand it, converts are people who come to Judaism of their own volition. They are not caught by casting out a net as these billboards attempt. Following the compass of your own heart which points you towards the Jewish people is a beautiful power. The unique, organic footsteps that bring each convert to the true home of their soul are less likely to be reversed, retraced and tip-toed back out of than someone who was sold the religion as if it was a Subway sandwich. These are people who truly want to bind their destiny with us because they truly are us. Those who fall in love with Jews and convert before marriage have also experienced a calling of the soul - the organic flourishing of love within their heart. 

None of these converts were cold-called by a telesalesman offering them an opportunity too good to be true. They weren’t cynically recruited as an exercise in numbers. They weren’t randomly solicited, persuaded, manipulated, hunted or worked upon - which is exactly what these billboards are doing. They are trying to manipulate and work on non-Jews in order persuade them to abandon who they are - as if whoever they are is inherently a lesser thing - and to become Jewish. These adverts are capitalism in action. They are as tawdry as an advert for Doritos. Surely advertising the Torah like it’s some cleaning product competing against other cleaning products is rank? And I write this as a secular Jew. If you want Judaism to compete in the marketplace like Kentucky Fried Chicken or Mountain Dew - then I think that cheapens and degrades what you’re “selling”.

Adverts also target our insecurity. The heart of advertising is to tell us we’re not good enough unless we own this product. You smell bad. You look ugly. You’re uninteresting. Firstly, a non-Jew is as perfect as a Jew. They don’t have to become Jewish to have value - and Jews don’t need others to become Jewish for our tribe to have value. We don’t need to be validated by getting non-Jews to join us. Secondly: I think it’s irresponsible and distasteful for Judaism to proselytise as it risks taking advantage of the weak and vulnerable. If someone succumbs to your idealistic sales pitch when not at their best - you’re inflicting a lot of damage if they decide it’s not for them in the future. Someone extricating themself from a religion they adopted whilst in a bad place is more emotionally complicated than someone trying out a hair product and deciding it’s not for them. 

I also think we should be unashamed in saying it’s better to have quality over quantity. We don’t need members of the tribe just for the sake of it. In any venture in life, it’s better to have a small group of people whose hearts are truly into something than simply going for numbers. We have to ask the question: why proselytize in the first place? What’s the goal? We’re a tiny minority but our numbers are fairly stable. We’ve been around for thousands of years and aren’t going anywhere soon? Why proselytize? Why would we want to go out converting non-Jews? And why don’t we?

This leads to the most profound reason for not proselytising - one that’s important not just for the Jews - but for the world at large.

Jews choosing not to proselytize is the most beautiful rejection of an anti-totalitarian instinct. We don’t proselytize precisely because we’re not trying to take over the world. We just want a small corner of it where we can be free. And we’re happy for others to be free. We’ll mix and get on with everyone and participate fully in the world. But we’d be awfully unhappy if people didn’t accept us as we are and tried to stop us being Jews. We hope that everyone else mixes, interacts and participates as fully as they want to with the world. But we don’t think they should have to stop being themselves to do so. 

Whether people like it or not there’s a totalitarian instinct ingrained in the act of proselytizing. And it’s not just confined to spiritual faith groups. Political sects such as communism are also on a mission to convert people.

The starting point and end goal of those who proselytize is thus: if everyone is the same then the world will be a good place. If everyone accepts Jesus there will be heaven on earth. If everyone accepts the prophet Muhammed there will be peace. If everyone accepts the teachings of Marx there will be utopia. 

By NOT proselytizing, Judaism communicates that people can be different and the world can still be a good place. We don’t all have to think the same. We don’t have to dress the same. We don’t have to pray to the same God. We don’t need to dominate others and turn them into us. People are allowed to be different. It is the most profound example of live and let live in action. It is a rejection of mass uniformity and global group think. Jews - with their passionately held convictions and belief they possess certain truths - are not trying to force it on others. 

We need to absorb how revolutionary and powerful this concept is. To have ideas you cherish and believe are life enhancing - and to be able to enjoy them without trying to force them on others. It is bizarre that some people’s enjoyment of a thing is reduced if other people aren’t enjoying it too. To then go out and try to convert others by persuasion or the sword is an insane level of insecurity.

Proselytizing is not just questionable because it leads harassment, bullying and domination - the goal of global group think would be awful if achieved. A healthy nation, a healthy civilisation, a healthy planet will venerate difference - not domination. The friction of different perspectives is absolutely essential for human vitality and progress. 

So I honestly don’t know what the people who post materials that stray into proselytizing are playing at. Converts will come - as they do and as they always have done. And they are among the best of us. But going out hunting them isn’t bringing something to Judaism. It’s taking something away.

Anyway, it doesn’t affect me - I worship Zeus.

Only joking.

Thanks for reading. I hope I’ve converted you to the beauty of accepting converts without actively trying to convert people. 

Sending love to all Jews who are beautiful and perfect as Jews - and love to all non-Jews who are beautiful and perfect as non-Jews.

Once again, if you think my articles are welcome contributions to ongoing debates and have some value, please do subscribe:

LEE KERN

[rainbowxocs]

Name: James DuPont.

Alt Names: C.A.T, Pluto, Charon, Jane Doe.

Special Titles: Dr. James DuPont, Grandmaster, God Killer, Cat Burglar, EOD, Lieutenant Colonel, Sharpshooter, False God, The Star.

Old Titles: Knight, God of Duality, God of Judgement, God of Eternity, God of Chaos, Servant, Empiric.

Username: @kitty9lives

Nicknames: Bad Omen, Kit Cat, Cat Boy, My Rose, My Star, Stray, Blue Bird, Kitty, Chaton, Bunny, Phoenix, Holmes, My Beloathed, Final Girl, The Prophet, Schrodingers Cat.

Chronological Age: 4.5 Billion.

Vessel Age: 605.

Age: 45.

Pronouns: Switches between He, She, and They. Depending on what gender he is that day. (Switches between il or elle in French)

Sexuality: Gay.

Gender: Genderfluid, Catgender.

Base Species: Starling.

Current Species: “Human” (Pure Hybrid)

Hybrid Info: (Sphinx, Litch, Witch.)

Disorders: CPTSD, Autism, Insomnia, Selective Mutism, Night Terrors, BPD, Anorexia.

Physical Disabilities: Blind, Deaf (Has a Cochlear Implant), Ambulatory Wheelchair User (Occasionally uses crutches or a cane as well), Has two arm prosthetics and two leg prosthetics, Chronic Pain.

Recovering Addictions: Alcohol, Weed, Nicotine (Cigarettes), LSD, Self Harm.

Religion: Pagan.

Job: Professional Villain, Chemist.

Degree: M.D, Chemistry, Robotics, Computer Science.

Lives in: NYC, New York, 2306.

Languages: French, English, Hindi, ASL, LSF, Spanish, Italian, German, Danish, Dutch.

Height: 5’7”.

Ethnicity: French, Portuguese.

Accent: Brooklyn Accent with a hint of French.

Other Form: Purple Goop.

Animal Form: Giant Purple Isopod.

Spirit Form: Headless, Covered in Roses.

Spirit Level: Acceptance.

Powers: Reanimating, Creation Magic, Death Magic, Prophetic Visions, Judgement, Potions, Alchemy, Shapeshifting, Strings, Pandora’s Box, Lightning Magic, Technology Manipulation, Lie Detection, Time Magic, Forbidden Fruit.

Tech: Holograms, Robotic Minions, Smoke Bombs, Paint Bombs, Teleporters, Lock Picks, Lazers.

Weapons: Sword, Pistols, Sniper Rifle, Bombs, Rocks, Scissors, Various Witchcraft Supplies such as salt, wards, etc, Scissors.

Also Can Use: Muskets, Rifled Muskets, Rifles,

Wand: Uses his hands.

Alignment: Chaotic Good.

Text Color: Purple, Sometimes Black.

Main Animal: Cat.

Main Hobbies: Reading, Video Games, Sculpting, Yugioh, Violin, Otamatone, Puzzles, Robotics, Scientific Experimentation, Coding, Chess, Letter Making, Tambourine, Photography.

Favorite Drinks: Peppermint Tea, Coffee, Classic Boba.

Favorite Snacks: Queso, Saltines, Apples.

Favorite Meals: Garlic Bread, Dino Nuggets and Fries, Mushroom and Olives Pizza, Pancakes, Veal Stew, Pigs in a Blanket, Hot Dogs, Tuna, Chicken Wings, Mac and Cheese, Ham Sandwiches, Maki Rolls, Sashimi, Bagels.

Favorite Candy: Pez, Oreos.

Favorite Dessert: Gingerbread Cookies, Frosted Sugar Cookies, Birthday Icecream.

Favorite Flower: Roses, Purple Forget Me Not.

Scent: Roses.

Handedness: Left Handed.

Blood Color: Bronze, Sometimes Red.

Awareness: Very Aware. (Effect: Negative.)

Birthday: December 1st 1701.

Theme:

Playlist:

Fun Facts: He is always wearing cat patterns and tends to have toe beans on his shoes and gloves.

Special Interests: Technology, Robotics, Chemistry, The Sims, The Path, Sailor Moon, Disney Fairies, The Owl House, Steven Universe, FNAF, Kitty Love: Way to Look for Love.

Stims: Tangles, Cat Noises, Lazer Pointer, Yarn, Pressure Stims.

Stimboard: COMING SOON.

Moodboard: COMING SOON.

Fashion Board: COMING SOON.

Comfort Objects: Wedding Ring with Gold Band and Amethyst, Journal, Furby, Freddy Plush, Old Cat Plush, Gloomy Bear, Fuggler.

Family: Unknown Birth Parents.

Eurydice DuPont (Daughter.)

Eeshani Dupont (Daughter.)

Aurora DuPont (Step Daughter.)

Friends: Joan (Henchman.).

Romance: Jonah Francois, Aditya Ravi. (Spouses.)

Enemies: Jonah Francois (Mortal Enemy), Michael Ansley.

Patrons: Bastet, Santa Muerte, Hecate.

Pets: Eyeball (Robot), Chain Chomp (Roomba), Mr Terminator (Black and White Cat),

Reincarnations: 𒆠𒋫 (Kita), חַוָּה (Eve), Πανδώρα (Pandora), दिया (Diya), Juliet, Other Unknown Reincarnations.

Brief Personality: James is a bit of an enigma. He doesn’t get close to many people, often his ramblings about taking over the world push people away. However if you are persistent, he will warm up to you like a stray. He is incredibly intelligent, and also very very VERY stubborn. But he is incredibly loyal to the people he loves. If you are able to gain his trust he would let the world burn for you, without any hesitation.

Brief Backstory: [COMING SOON]

[rjmartin11]

Earth Angel, Heavenly Boy Part 3

Pairing: Angel!Elvis & OC!black!female

Summary: After a nearly fatal car accident, a mysterious man saved the life of a young woman who believes the young man is more than what he seems.

Word Count:???

Warnings: Slowburn, talks about God, Biblical stuff like angels, demons, the devil, spirituality, and realism.

Author's Notes: Welcome to Part Three. Bring a little religion in here. I hope that's okay. I'm an open Christian, meaning I gladly speak on God. Elvis was an open Christian, which I find sexy as all get out. As beautiful as he was, he could have been a narcissist, vain, boastful, arrogant, exectra. But he was humble. There's nothing more sexy than a humble man. At least, in my opinion. 😊😊😊

If you enjoy this chapter, like, comment, repost, and follow for more fun!

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・🪽・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Noel was silent on the drive home. She contemplates her life, and all she can do is remain quiet.

"Nole?" Trish asks. "Are you hungry?"

"Yeah."

"What do you want to eat?"

Noel turns to look at Trish and says, "Everything that I've denied for the last two years of this diet. I want burgers and fries and hot dogs and fried chicken and cake and brownies! I've only lost his forty pounds, and I work myself to the bone to make ends meet! I want to go to Italy and eat pizza and pasta and gelato. I wanna drink wine and rum and vodka!"

"Nole! Take a breath!" Trish says.

Noel takes a breath, and the flood gates open. Everything she's holding in comes out all at once. Having a death experience puts a lot in perspective for a woman who had very little.

"Nole, breathe. Take a deep breath and breathe," Trish says. "It's late, but I'll get you something good to eat."

It's fifteen minutes after one in the morning. Trish was able to find an old Mom and Pop restaurant open late. They order up chicken alfredo, spaghetti with meatballs, salad with the fixings, and a large pizza with a bottle of red wine.

By the time they get to her house, Noel and Trish unpack the car and head into Noel's apartment. Noel is thrilled to be home after a long, exhausting day. She's been faithful to her diet, but she needs a cheat day.

They set up her dining table with on the food, grab some plates, and wine glasses. The next thing Noel does is pour herself a glass of wine. Then Noel and Trish begin to indulge quietly in their dinner. Noel eats her dinner like it's going to disappear before she's done.

"Nole, slow down," Trish says.

"Sorry," Noel says, a mouth full of pizza. "I missed this type of cuisine."

Noel sips her wine and thinks about Dr. Elvis Carpenter. What he said about calling him. She was going to need someone to speak to about her issues. She held her glass to her lips.

"Penny for your thoughts, Nole?" Trish says. "I know this is a dumb question to ask, but are you okay?"

"Trish, did you know that the guy who hit me was in the ICU?"

"No, I didn't."

"I kept hearing them say that I shouldn't have survived the crash. I should be dead. They questioned how I'm still here... I know I should be dead. I was dead, Trish." Noel takes another sip from her glass.

"I'm sure you were just terrified, Trish."

"You said you saw my car? How bad was it? Honestly."

Trish looks her in the eyes but remains silent. She can't look in Noel's eyes for long, knowing the truth.

"Your silence speaks volumes."

"Nole... your car was totaled. It flipped over several times, it seemed. All the windows were shattered. There was blood on the driver's side, and a part of the driver's seat was crushed." Trish pauses at the mere thought of it all.

"Physically, you shouldn't be here drinking wine with me. It's theoretically impossible! But here you are without anything close to a scratch on you. Nole, you know I'm not really into the Christian stuff because I'm a realist, but the best word to describe this situation is..."

"Miracle," Noel whispers.

Trish tears up at the word.

"Yeah, Nole. It's a miracle that you're still here. I thought I lost my best friend."

Noel puts down her glass, stretching her arm across the small table to Trish. Trish takes her hand gratefully. A forever bond could have been broken tonight. Some bonds are stronger than others. It's a funny thing how one life can touch so many other lives.

"I love you, Nole."

"I love you too, Trish," Noel says. "I'm not planning on going anywhere for a while. I believe God wants me here just a bit longer."

"Maybe I'll go to church with you on Sunday," Trish said.

"You know, I've been doing bedside Baptist for a while. But I will go back. I think my guardian angel wants me to."

"Guardian angel?"

"Yes. I believe I was saved by an angel. As I woke up, I saw a pair of blue eyes... I believe. Then I fell asleep again."

"You shouldn't go to work tomorrow, Nole," Trish says. "You really need a break."

"I know. I wish I got a doctor's note," Noel said, putting her hand into her scrub pocket.

She feels around for a moment and realizes there's paper in her pocket. She remembered Dr. Carpenter gave her his card, but she didn't recall him giving her a doctor's excuse from work.

"Whoa..."

"Is that a doctor's note?" Trish asks.

"I believe it is. Now, all I have to do is text my boss about what happened."

"Was it that sexy doctor I saw with you?"

Noel cuts her eyes at Trish. Of course, she recognized that Elvis was gorgeous. It was undeniable, but he was out of her league.

"I believe it was Dr. Carpenter. It's his signature," Noel said.

"Dr. Carpenter? Did he give you his first name?"

"Yeah. It's Elvis, but I don't have time."

"If the accident has proven anything tonight, it's we don't have all the time in the world, Nole! Did he give you his number?" She asks Noel.

"Yes, on the professional basis that he analyzes me and sees that I'm okay. Not that way, Trish."

Noel had other things on her mind. She had this sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. She didn't want to lie to her boss, but she felt the boss wouldn't be understanding at the situation. It would be one thing if she was in the hospital banged up from the accident. But she came out untouched. Her car is totaled, and she needs to make plans for a loaner vehicle to get from place to place. But if she feels great, she should go to work. She'll worry about it in the morning. Not now.

"Do you need company?" Trish asks.

"I'm fine. You go home. Thank you for bringing me home and picking up dinner. I appreciate it more than you know, Trish."

"You're my best friend. If you need it, you got it. I know you're proud, but I'm here for you. Plus, you had a rough day."

"Yeah."

Noel and Trish kiss each other's cheeks and hug before Trish heads out on her way home. Noel tells her to drive safely and locks the door behind her.

Noel takes this time to clean up the table and put her leftovers in the fridge. Trish bought her enough food to last her the rest of the week. She was grateful for that. She finishes up her glass of wine and gets ready to shower.

When she sits in bed, Noel's mind is still running wild for the evening's events. She doesn't know how to slow her thoughts down. She gets herself a bottle of water and brings it back to her room. She takes a sip, turns out the light, and gets into the bed, resting her body. She closes her eyes and tries to sleep.

Taglist: @missmaywemeetagain @beeandheroddobsessions @headfullofpresley @everythingpresley @epforeverohyes @vintagepresley @pianginferno @powerofelvis @ab4eva @foreverdolly @searchingforgravity @thatbanditqueen @daffieapple @18lkpeters @dkayfixates @epsgirl @richardslady121 @literally-just-elvis-fics @eptodaytommorowforever @vintageshanny @iloveelvis @dreamingofep @aliypop @littlehoneyposts @msamarican

[chronicas]

Okay just because this has been on my mind for weeks now. You should never have to choose between food and rent. One, if such a choice comes up, always choose rent, obviously. BUT if not being able to afford food is the problem, there are options. Sorry this post got so long it wasn’t meant to..

Apologies in advance I only know how this works in America, but it’s likely your country has something similar. What you’ve gotta do for this is go to your state government page and find your state’s food assistance program, SNAP, Food Stamps, whatever it is, find that and apply. You’ll probably get around $250 a month for a single household. If you’re low income, you should be eligible. If you’re on SSI/SSDI or Medicaid, you are almost certainly eligible. On top of that you gotta find a local food bank. They might ask you for your income, but they likely won’t bar you from their services if they’re a good food bank. This is a good place to get any kind of canned food and pasta, but good food banks will likely also have meat, eggs, and milk. A lot of food banks have even started delivering straight to your home. I’ve also worked with a lot of Churches to get food. I’m sure plenty of Synagogs and other religions orgs have similar programs, but it depends on how well funded they are.

Use any money you save from this for your fresh produce, but I recommend getting frozen vegetables as they have just as much nutrients as fresh produce would. I also recommend getting an instant pot or slow cooker if you can afford it. Thrift stores might have some that still work decently. I got my instant pot and my slow cooker second hand from family members so I got lucky, but if you can afford them they’re seriously a life saver.

My biggest recommendations of food to keep on hand is bread and stuff you like on sandwiches, always have eggs, always have rice, and always have some frozen vegetables. Invest in spices wherever you can, you can make a lot or really delicious meals that are super simple just by having some good seasonings. If you get on food assistance, spices are covered by that, basically everything consumable is except alcohol.

Spices I recommend to keep on hand: Sea Salt, Black Pepper, Basil, Thyme, Oregano, Ginger, Red Pepper, Garlic, Onion, any Umami/Mushroom Blend, Rosemary, Marjoram, Sage. That’s everything I use for 90% of my meals.

Also grow your own food! Mainly herbs! The easiest one to start with is green onions, you can buy some from the store, put the bottoms in a small cup with just enough water to reach the roots, let the roots grow a bit then put them in soil after about a week. Basil, thyme, parsley, and rosemary are my other favorites to grow. You can get a devoted pair of kitchen scissors to just cut your herbs directly into whatever you’re cooking! If you have enough space and time on your hands I really recommend growing tomatoes and bell peppers!! Feel free to ask me about gardening!

My Favorite Easy Meals:

Spaghetti with meat sauce: Get canned tomato sauce and diced tomatoes, mix those in a pan and add as many spices as you want until you like the flavor, you can look online for common spaghetti sauce seasonings. Get some ground beef (btw meat can be frozen indefinitely) and cook that up then throw it in your sauce. Cook noodles while you’re doing that, the whole process shouldn’t take more than an hour if you have an extra pair of hands, hour and a half if you’re by yourself at max.

Teriyaki Chicken: Easiest thing ever, just buy some chicken strips and some teriyaki sauce, marinate that shit then pop it in the oven for like around 20min or until it’s cooked to 165°F.

Egg Fried Rice: One of my favorite easy meals. Pop the (WASHED!!) rice in an instant pot or rice cooker (if you don’t have either a pot with a lid will work fine!), toss in about a tablespoon of mirin in with your rice then let it do it’s thing following instructions. About 15min before your rice is done throw some frozen vegetables in a pan (whatever kind of vegetables you like!! It really doesn’t matter!) cook those a little, put em aside in a bowl. Then take some eggs, scramble em in the same pan, put aside. Throw your cooked rice in the pan then add soy sauce, red pepper, umami blend, and any other spices you’d like (but no salt! There’s plenty of sodium in the soy sauce!).Then add your ingredients you put to the side. If you add enough eggs or are just tired, this can be it’s own meal! Or you can have it as a side with teriyaki chicken or anything else you think it’d taste good with!

Ramen: Get a bunch of packs of cheap ramen noodles but don’t use the soup packet. Make your own soup with any kind of broth (chicken or seafood works best, but just pick a favorite), add a tablespoon of soy sauce to a cup of broth, a teaspoon of mirin to cup of broth, some minced ginger (or powered) to taste, any spices you want (I like to add the mushroom blends and some seaweed flakes), cook the noodles for the recommended time in the broth then add an egg cooked in any style you want. You can get fancy with a soft boiled egg, but those take a while to learn to get right. I normally fry my eggs. And if you have any ham or beef strips those also go good with it! Top it with green onions! Takes about 45 minutes roughly.

Omelet: Whisk some eggs in a cup and add some spices (and fresh green onions if you want!), throw it in a pan, add any cheese, meat, or veggies you like on it (I like cheddar, bell peppers, and bacon in mine) then wait for it to cook on one side then fold it in half, after it’s cooked on one of the half sides, flip it over to get the other side, you can stab it in the middle to see if it’s fully cooked in the center. Takes less than 20 minutes.

Buttered Potatoes: You can get some small potatoes, cut em up, throw them in an oven-safe dish with some butter (1/4-1/2 a stick depending on how many potatoes you’re making), salt, rosemary, and black pepper. Cook them in the oven on like 350°F for about 25-30min. You can use this as a side with any kind of meat or anything else you feel it’d go good with! Sometimes it just makes a good snack as leftovers.

Things you can cook up and add to other stuff: cook a bunch of bacon and you can crumble it into stuff like omelets, mac ‘n cheese, salads!

Feel free to ask me for cooking advice! It’s one of my favorite things to do and there’s a good chance I can help you figure out how to make something. I’m happy to help talk to you about dietary restrictions and substitutes also!

I do all this and never spend a penny from my paycheck on my food! Good food is obtainable! Look online for more recipes or try and use some of these methods to enhance a simple recipe you already know!

And remember to fight to keep food assistance programs open and available! It’s an insanely valuable resource for folks in poverty! If your local government acts against these programs, speak up against them! If you can, please donate to your food bank and ask them what kind of food they need. Volunteer with them also if you can!

[elysian-gh0st]

Introduction Post!

Hello!! My name is Jack and I'm going to be posting blogs about me and whatever I'm interested in. I'm heavily influenced by the arts in any form, but mainly paintings and fashion 🌺

These are some of the things I really like:

Shows:

Gilmore Girls, Nana, Chainsaw Man, JJK, NBC's Hannibal, Fairytale, MoonKnight, Good Omens, Strawberry Shortcake

Movies:

Monster High, Coraline, Alice in Wonderland (live actions and cartoon), Twilight (all of them), Fantastic Mr. Fox, 10 Things I Hate About You, Princess Bride, The Mask, White Chicks

Games:

Wuthering Waves, Alice: Madness Returns, Assassin's Creed: Odyssey, TLOU, Dress To Impress, Resident Evil 8, At Dead of Night (I don't play a lot of games 😭)

Food and Drinks:

Spicy crab onigiri, fried sushi, chicken and potato curry, loaded potato soup, mangoes, most fruit, lychee Ramune, Arizona Green Tea, most types of boba

Music:

Sade, A$AP Rocky, Bôa, Mazzy Star, Mareux, Ethel Cain, Jeon Soyeon, Jack Off Jill, Sleep Token, Crosses, Chappel Roan, Erykah Badu, Miki Matsubara, Kate Bush, Ley Soul, etc.

Books:

If He Had Been With Me, A Good Idea, ACOTAR, If Only I Had Told Her, Animal Farm (I don't read much either 😭)

Other(s):

Perfume!! I love perfumery so much

Replica's By The Fireplace, Versace's Crystal Noir, and lots more

Youtubers

Brittany Broski, Danny Gonzalez, Kurtis Connor, Ted Nivison, Eddie Burback, etc.

Spirituality and religions

I hope you enjoyed learning more about me! Tysm if you ended up reading all of it 😭💗

[ramblingdisaster73]

Rambling thoughts while rewatching Episode 4x12 “Swipe Left”

Carlos tells TK he is putting too much pressure on this – but says that after listing out his whole ass tea box

Lol – it’s supposed to be fun

My research had told me that the Rabbi would most likely want Carlos to convert.

My 42 years on this planet told me that Tom would be a douchey religious dude that thinks any and all queers are going to hell – I have quite literally heard it my entire life

No wonder that I am so repulsed by organized religion (I don’t care what you practice – just don’t put your beliefs on me.)

I do agree with the Rabbi on not listening to outside forces

TK thought that when Carlos told him that he was married – it was the last of the “difficult conversations”.

Like I said before – If your partner says there is a gaping chasm – there is one.

When can we stop using comas for why we don’t communicate? There have been 26 episodes since the last coma. Just fucking talk.

Or making the secret wife jokes – Each time – TK’s face has NOT been amused – but ha ha funny fucking joke. Please keep joking about the lie you kept from me for our whole relationship.

Carlos’ tone is very dismissive in the kitchen – I get that he likes to avoid things, but that was really trying to avoid it. Not just about the kids thing – but about TK telling him that he feels a rift growing due to their lack of communication on the subject.

I really strongly dislike Mitch Geralds, his wife too but he is just so instantly punchable.

He is lucky he met the 126 post Owen’s punching people stage

He reminds me of a creepy dude that I know – appearance and personality.

High quality manure for a low-quality couple

I love that they brought him in for her love interest.

She really is/was the only one not currently coupled off

I feel like Marjan has had the most consistent storyline this season.

I love the pre-dating training sessions

“How many princes did you kiss babe?” Mateo – I love you – never change

Also – so valid of Nancy to just move on with her dating tutorial as if he hadn’t spoken.

So, is Owen’s safe word rutabaga?

Not sure who was more enamored with the cheating cheater who cheats, but I think it might have been Owen – Marj didn’t go on a fried chicken bender

No fucking thank you on 8 kids – also especially not with that super douche. However – at least he is up front with his preferred spawn count.

I love that she asked on how they would feel about her working after marriage – For her – that is such a huge part of who she is.

“In a teahouse?”

Are people still that nuts about Harry Potter? I know that they had to movies & the stupid game that is/coming out, but are people still as into it as that dude was?

So, do we think he really does dog rescue crowd sourcing or did he just google image a dog with deformities for compassion points?

How many days passed in this episode? There were 4 dates in one day, right?

So the training was 1-2 days (I am guessing based on clothing) they probably started the training sessions that shift – so that would be day 1, then day 2 was with Tarlos.

Then the dates – all 4 in one day makes sense – but would it really be that easy to set all 4 up with a 1-day notice?

Plus the officiant day before the shift

Then the shift where they commiserate over dating issues

Leading into the pregnant lady rescue

Then Tarlos talk to their parents – another day (Could be the same day as the shift of commiseration)

Then the next day when they talk at the end

So at least a week total?

This talk in the bunk room makes me very happy that I haven’t had to date since 2007.

Dating rules are fucking stupid and I LOVE NANCY for that.

“You sure you’ve never dated before?” – Mateo

She is so cute though when he texts her – but not as cute as she is with Yusef.

At first, I thought that they set her up with the guys and chaperoned for the one they set up – until Owen fell in love & Mateo made a new friend.

I feel like working the desk in a no-tell motel would be both fascinating and sad as fuck.

I guess Judd had the day off

I do like the parent talks

“Avoid? I don’t avoid.” says Carlos Avoid & Deflect Reyes

This is among the best advice that Owen has given throughout the series

I like that throughout the episode neither of them doubts the love of or for the other.

The only irritating thing for me was Andrea telling Carlos it wasn’t true when he told her that he had only had a relationship with Gabriel until 2 years ago. – That isn’t for her to decide or determine. I would love to get to explore that a bit more – but with Gabriel

I do think that my spec fic was pretty right in the big ways (other than the very self-indulgent venue burning).

I like that we got a confirmation that Paul & Asha are together

Babe - you could have bought a cat – it would be a pet you could pet & wouldn’t cause too many nightmares.

Also – I don’t love that impression either, but I love that they are comfortable being dorks together.

The closing scene in this is the growth I needed to see in Carlos. This was him actually speaking, something that he was truly worried about (he even said as much to his mother in why he hadn’t talked about it before), but doing it anyway. Telling TK that he didn’t want kids, may not ever want them. He knew that TK might not be ok with it, but he still did it.

Through the episode, it felt to me that TK was trying to come to terms with his life picture changing, leading him to the conclusion that, for him, being with Carlos is the more important part of the picture, and he was ok with that. It just took time and thinking.

Lets hope that Carlos can continue having the hard talks instead of deflecting from them.

[nyansatan]

for the obey me! mc ask game―

🦄, 🐃, ✝️, & 🦴

🦄: what is your favorite mythical creature?

Nolan: "Dragons, no doubt about it. I have always loved fantasy books ever since I was a little kid and the ones with dragons have always been my favorite ones."

🐃: what is your favorite devildom food?

Nolan: "As a drink I really enjoy a basic Hell Coffee, I have at least two cups a day. As for food I prefer Fried Devil Chicken and Hellfire Curry Rice."

✝️: are you religious?

Nolan: "Not at all. My mum is a Christian and she believes in God, so because of her I was also raised as one. However, I never was a believer and I'm still not. Religions are an interesting concept to me, though. I love learning and hearing about them."

🦴: would you make a deal to come back?

Nolan: "I would. I feel like Devildom is more like my home than the human world is. Before I came to Devildom, I felt like my life served no purpose and I was going nowhere with my life. In Devildom I feel like my life and existence has a purpose, if that makes sense?"

[tequila-daisies]

thank u for the tag @heartofannie 🫶🏻 here goes...

Relationship status: in one!

Favorite colour: baby pink, mauve and black are all tied first place

Song stuck in my head: New Religion by All Time Low

Last song I listened to: Horror Show by Hot Milk

Three favorite foods: anything potato-related, fried chicken ?? and a home-cooked roast dinner idk

Last thing I googled: "find my MOT date" lmaooo adulting

Dream trip: too many! probably island hopping around Thailand or Bali

@you-are-the-juan-i-want @tombofmemories @silent-cha0s @emophaseforever @r893020 @adriaan-draws you're up if u want x

[ur-local-guanche-scenekid-2010]

🌸Welcome to my blog!🫧

About me:

Age: 14

Disability(!?): Autism, Asperger

Identity: Fictiosexual and pangender

Nationality: Spanish and colombian

MBTI: ISTP

Language: Español/English/日本語

Light/multi/selfshipper

Pronouns: Ella/la/she/her/hers/they/them/any neo/xenopronouns

Favorites:

Foods and drinks: French fries, Coca-Cola, Colombiana, hot dogs, hamburgers, fried chicken, mangoes, arepas, avocados, buñuelos, Postobón acqua, Doritos, ramen, raviolis, chocolate cake

Fandoms: Pretty Cure, Sanrio, Dragon Ball, One Piece, Touhou, Super Mario Bros, Sonic The Hedgehog, Crash Bandicoot, Rayman, Disney, Countryballs, Madoka Magica, My Little Pony, EBF, Pretty Blood

Styles, aesthetics and subcultures: Gyaru, scene, cutecore, emo, Decora, frutiger aero, acubi, y2k

My OCs:

Blua-Chan (She's my main OC)

Kandy

Riosu

Krystal

Rocker

Milly

Demetre

DNI list:

Interact: Antiproship, LGBT, straights(who respects LGBT), straights ally, atheist, satanists, shares interests with me, people from religions that are not the abrahamic ones, agere, Fictiosexual, people with xenogender identities, selfshippers, lightship, furries, therians

Thin ice: Christians, muslims, Jewish, people that are 12 or younger, content farms(!?), femboys and twinks, ai artists (J's don't "steal" my art), lesboys

Do not interact: proship, zoos, pedos, groomers, terfs, anti-lgbt, antifurry, antitherian, aeca, against selfship, against xenogender identities, racist, blackwashing believers, rcta

[devoutpriest]

I think I might buy fried fish and chips at seafood stall, probably before or after I go to coles, soon. With chicken salt, as I like how it tastes. One of the times I went there, I walking there with using TripView, a moment that stuck out to me was I asking for that kind of salt on my chips, and I said it pretty softly, and they were a bit annoyed, yet i then said it louder.

I discovered a lot of new music this year, it blurring a bit in taste the year before / and before that. it is surprising skin of a saint is the first one on my spotif.y wrapp.ed, even though he with the butterfly on his nose was interesting, as it showed up on my app. I thought Livingston would be, as Athelstan era. *shrugs* Oh I love Sebastian Schub so much atm!

i am thankful for the nice reception athelstan received in the vikings community, he means a lot to me. I found him really interesting, I watching Vikings initially because of George Blagden, yet I found his journey interesting, I found his visions and his belief of Christ and Norse interesting.

I am thankful I found the Catholic Youth bible that eluded me in 2015 (when I first wrote him — so, my tangent of memory from living life especially in high school & what I felt from the show & looking at bible verses online), my high school bible that I learned a lot about Jesus.

I liked the bible, when I was in high school, yet okay, I quite hated Religion Class, ironically. -laughs- I liked watching Prince of Egypt in class. For Year 11 & 12, it ended up being life skills for me and Juliette. No HSC for that, just for English, which was gr9. <3 I heard bad stories about HSC, during my time at school, because students are so stressed they.. y’know. there literally is a bridge I walk across to go to school, stretching over the road. Hmm, well, Year 7 - 10 was stressful as it is.

I could understand about The Gospel of St John, and the Letters, in its beautiful papyrus smell in an olden day-esque backing, which I understand Athelstan had at the time, when he was painting at the monastery. So I touched a bit upon what his mind was like with that belief rememberance, as well as when he sub-consciously remembers other excerpts from religiously reading throughout his time living there. And of course, when he is with Ecbert at England.

I am glad I decided to have miles heizer here as a modern athelstan, as he was living on my multimuse. modern and historical lives in me, though, and I am mainly on here & sansa, as a clear window, of understanding where I am on my personal living discord. so with my phone note discord, I can talk either ic or ooc on sansa and athelstan in some colours of brilliance, which I outlined a bit in clear chronological, which watching TV / YT / Spotify / just natural air helps. Oh also, I could sometimes pop in on actual discord too, ( yet that is less predictable as I needed that for so long, just to know myself & reality ) as it is one clear space (well, more than one space, but still just one app) to centre me. I am just invisible now, so even if i am actually on there or not, I am okay with knowing what it is, as well as it being in the background at times in my life. So grey area, crow fluttering.

i could continue stories on S & A, referencing from when I felt at peace with them living on my mumu ( they would originally stay as they are ). another reason, well, that I need miles here as a visual remember as I live my life in the present, is that alex standall is struggling to just live life in this modern world ( he is ‘nice’ with his soft voice and jess says he is quiet yet I see his anger ), and I also see in general that shy sensitive boys remind me of athelstan. for example, singers like alec benjamin sing in a high sweet ballad voice & is hurting yet then I literally just see him in a car and eating a sandwich and singing to people on the street.

I talked to my friend luuk, who does asmr. I watched the glasses one all the way through again on my iPhone 8 Plus, it a bit weird of his whispering. He’s cool.

I am thankful my friend invited me to a certain discord, as I needed that medication supplement. I spoke a little there, that helping with the ❌ in my brain. people are nice. I know a certain person has been really cruel for a long time ( yet okay - I needed a perspective email window ), mocking me as I try and try to be good, as I try and try to live my life, as I see specific rule guides that come into mind, they were haunting me, like billing / card & signature guideline. I was coughing really bad, and my brain felt like it was splitting / trying to not make me, well, die. I felt hot and cold sensation, I needing to touch the bathroom wall when I was showering, to steady me. I felt this dull indignancy of my body, which I needed to watch youtube on my 8 plus, like GOT7. I felt a bad chronic emptiness, as well as violent car crash dreams and people shooting me. I felt I was barely holding on in the world, I would be gone in the next second. okay, im describing different moments in time here, but you know. I know that was only one person at specific times in my life, yet the ensnarement was bad, affecting me and my judgement. It is also fucking evil how my surroundings treated me badly in its external validation / gaslighting / relatable stories, as I gasp for breath and my brain whirring to understand, while treating me like an anonymous insect fly, I feeling like my brain is like sour worms, with its scattered disarray. Yet I have user-run windows / could have one, now too, so that helps me breathe, to communicate better, even just a little to literally anyone in my vicinity, so the relational comm is not as bad. i need my natural surroundings to stay, okay, yet I have my tools for knowing my reality with that, so… -sighs- HMmm, I see you say I am a leftist, I fought to build my house with community building tools, and acknowledged / am so kind and nice to them too. So, I see on a site that explains quite clearly about catfi.shing, and speaking specifically about posts and messages in which one generally tries to live their life with hobbies. So for example, someone might receive a message or post they see on some site I’m trying to express myself in and post in their little clique in its context as it is + as well as surrounding links, as I noted in my little things observations ( stemming a lot on my mumu & fb initially ) as I was literally in fairytale television land / not understanding reality / drowning in terror of my whole life especially && I just…am known as that simply now ; yet just I hopefully calmer regaining my balance in the world. Just know, I say to myself, the little things observations article does portray by itself how scared and knowing I was of that very real conspiracy.

I also touched upon my very long disjointed jigsaw phone bookmarks that were the in the moment / aftermath of a site’s uprising ( I panicking and not understanding the settlement of my body of just really being with community after overworking for so long in silence ) in internal and external operation of my personal discord, as well as just mentioning their alreadied presence.

[oldsalempost-blog]

THE OLD SALEM POST

Our  Local Tamassee-Salem SC Area News each Monday except holidays           Contact: theoldsalempost@gmail.com                              Distributed to local businesses, town hall, library.                            Volume 7 Issue 33                                                                                  Week of August 5,  2024                https://www.tumblr.com/settings/blog/oldsalempost-blog                                                  Lynne Martin Publishing EDITOR:   I don’t prefer the rules people agree with to live in a HOA.   I pay taxes and should be able to live the rural life I love, and have a boat or chickens in my yard.  Recently we visited a friend in Easley.  The big joke was that we were driving “Pa’s hideous truck” nicknamed by our grandchildren, and in this HOA the homeowners cannot have a truck in the yard.  We did not get towed, but it was a good joke, but in reality, it is no joke.  Although, I understand people can choose to live in HOAs, just as I choose not to live in one.  Zoning, Land Trusts and Conservation easements are forms of land and property protection.  Most people say they don’t worry about the land because nothing will happen until they are dead and gone.  But it could happen while you are living.  Now is the perfect time to keep your family property, and keep it safe from development and an HOA butting right up beside you possibly placing requirements on you and your property.  LRM                                                                          

TOWN of SALEM: 5 Park Avenue  Monday-Friday 8AM-5PM. Closed 12-1 for lunch.  * Visit the Downtown Market every Sat, Hours 8am-12pm.    A new water line project is coming soon through downtown Salem.                                                                                                                  SALEM LIBRARY- Open Mon-10-6, Tues-Fri 9-5  Closed each day for lunch 12-1.   

Jottings from Miz Jeannie  by Jeannie Barnwell     Cognitive Dissidence                                                 Have you ever been frustrated by seeing BOTH sides of a situation?  Here is an example: A teenage girl comes sneaking back into the house at 3:00 AM clutching a Gideon Bible. Among the conclusions that her parents consider are: Praise God, she's found religion! or She's stolen this Bible from a hotel room. or She told us her boyfriend was taking her to the movies, but they really went to a motel! Is the sight of the daughter clutching a Bible to be celebrated or despised?    Here is my situation of COGNITIVE DISSIDENCE.  I love going down to my dock, BUT there is this gigantic black snake residing under the gazebo. On one hand, I know the black snake kills copperheads.  On the other hand, I am chilled to the bone at the sight of ANY SLITHERING CRITTER. This situation brings me angst.  What I've decided to do is to retrain my brain to equate the Black Snake to a CIA agent.  If I see her, I thank her for keeping me safe.  And I have seen her kill a copperhead. She stretched out  tall and swayed back and forth as she subdued the poisonous snake and then devoured him

SONY 107.9 WFBS-  Jeff Bright with the 107.9 WFBS nonprofit radio station in Salem  has almost met the $1500  goal to meet the expenses for a new antenna to be able to continue his unselfish service to our communities and enjoy the music of  the 60s, 70s, and 80s!  Mail donation to Jeff Bright 178 Madison Pointe Drive, Seneca SC 29678.

ASHTON RECALLS by Ashton Hester   CACHE OF OLD GERMAN RIFLES FOUND IN TREE TRUNK -    (The following story was in the July 16, 1964 Keowee Courier). . .How a cache of seven German Mauser rifles came to be hidden in a hollow chestnut tree deep in the woods of the upper Cheohee Valley--as well as who put them there and why and when--is a mystery two Salem young men would like unraveled. . .The young men, Edward Talley, 20, and Tommy Queen, 19, were starting to return home from a fishing trip Monday about noon when they found the firearms near the banks of Crane Creek, a stream which flows into Lake Cherokee. . .The firearms, ranging in vintage from 1900 to 1918 models, came to light when they spotted the partially decayed butt of one of them sticking out of the hollow trunk of the old tree, which had died and fallen to earth. . .When they pulled it out another came with it, since they were caught together. They then widened the opening and found five others. Two were still in fairly good condition although the ravages of time had worked on the stocks and other wooden portions. . .All but one had their muzzles closed with metal plugs, a precaution taken by the unknown person who hid them there to keep their bores clean. . .Queen and Talley brought the rifles back to their homes on the Jocassee Road, near Salem. Not certain what steps they should take, they called the FBI office in Greenville and carried the guns over for the agents to examine. That was where they learned they were German Mausers and the years they represented. . .The agents told them there was no reason they shouldn't keep the guns, so they carried them back home with them. . .Since then, speculation regarding the mystery has run high among those who have seen the rifles. The most plausible theory seems to be that some local man who fought in World War I brought them back home, and decided that the hollow chestnut tree would be an ideal place to store them.

JOCASSEE VALLEY BREWING COMPANY,(JVBC) & COFFEE SHOP* 13412 N Hwy 11 Opening on Tuesdays 12pm-7pm during the summer season. Wed–Sat 9am-9pm and Sunday 12pm-7pm. Events this week: Wed:  FOOD TRUCK:  BLUE RIDGE GRILL  Music: BLUE GRASS JAM 6:30PM    Thursday: Food Truck:  BLUE RIDGE GRILL 4PM  OLD TIME JAM 6:30PM  Fri: Music:  Mark Campbell 6:30PM   Food:   MAC ATTACK  Sat–  Food:  Pa Chuys  Music:  FINKELSTIEN 3  at 6:30PM   Sun: 12pm-7pm Food: BLUE RIDGE GRILL    Music:   GOERS & ALLEN  4PM.    

2024 UPCOMING EVENTS     Treasure Store open every Sat morning 9AM-12PM.  For donations  call 864-557-2462.   

August 24th, 7PM  Make Reservations for Dinner and a Show with Luke Riley Smith– Enjoy  the tunes of the Big Band Era, Swing and more! Fried Chicken, 2 sides, roll, dessert, tea or coffee. Tickets $25 Call 864-280-1258.

YOUNG APPALACHIAN MUSICIANS– Sign up for YAMs for an evening class each week on Tuesdays at 5:30PM. Cost is $50 each month.  3rd grade through adult.   Call 864-280-1258                                                                                                                                                         

HOMETOWN PROUD:   BEVERLY CHESSER was our speaker on Saturday, August 3, 2024.  She arrived early so I suggested Sister’s Restaurant to enjoy some food and rest before she spoke.  Beverly reported how thrilled she was about her whole trip to Salem and raved about the food and friendliness of the people at Sisters and at the speaking engagement at ENAC.   LRMartin

                                             CHURCH NEWS  Bethel Presbyterian Church (PCUSA),  580 Bethel Church Rd Walhalla, 29691. Worship at 10:30 a.m. August 11 Mel Davis. Come Visit Us!                                                                                                                                Boones Creek Baptist Church, 264 Boones Creek Road, Salem invites you to join us for regular worship service on Sunday morning with Sunday School at 10am and followed by worship at 11am.  

Salem Methodist Church, 520 Church Street, Down town Salem.  Salem Methodist is an independent church.       Sunday Breakfast at 9AM with Sunday School at 9:15AM and Worship Service at 10:30AM.   Holy Communion the first Sunday each month.  All welcome! Tune in to our live service on Facebook or view it later on our website.   Women’s Community Bible Study each Monday morning at 10AM led by Sherill Carothers. NEW PRAYER GROUP: To begin August 8th at 7 PM at the Salem Methodist Church every second and fourth Thursday  each month. 

Clemson Rural Health Mobile Unit Coming to Salem:  August dates are Aug 13th and Aug 29th Time: 9AM-3PM Location: gravel parking lot across from the Salem Fire Department.  They will offer comprehensive primary care that includes chronic disease management and acute care.  The website: https://www.clemson.edu/cbshs/clemson-rural-health/patients.html     I will update the scheduled days each month.    .

MOVIE SUGGESTON:  A 2024 Disney movie Young woman and the Sea  is based on the true story of Trudy Ederle who changed the coarse of women in sports forever when she became the first woman who swam the English Channel and beat the men’s record by 2 hours.  

FOR YOUR HEALTH— “There is no pill that will replace the health benefits of exercise.” “ Make Exercise a priority and make it part of your day.  You will feel better about yourself, look better, and will boost your mood. “ (Beverly Chesser)

FRIENDS OF JOCASSSEE  FALL EVENT– Sept 14th 9AM-NOON  VIP DAY   Volunteer, Improve, and Protect.  This is the clean and sweep of areas.  We welcome divers, boaters, kayakers and more to help!  Come be a part of protecting and preserving this beautiful lake we all love and enjoy.   See friendsof jocassee.org for more information.                        Be a blessing this week!  LRM

[richs-japan-tabi]

May 29 - Nara Day Trip

Nara was today's scheduled excursion. Taking the express train, it took a little over an hour to arrive there. Upon leaving the station, immediately deer could be seen everywhere. A local cart was selling senbei, crackers that could be fed to the deer. I bought a stack of them for 200 yen and began handing them out. Eventually, there was a swarm of deer around me, and I started generously handing out my stack to avoid them biting me. Some of my other classmates got bitten, but not with enough force to leave a bruise or anything. If you bow at the deer they would bow back, which was adorable. Before today, I wasn't much of a deer fan. However, after seeing Nara's deer I have changed my opinion of them. Look at these pictures I took of them!

After playing around with the deer for a while, we went to Kasuga-Taisha, a shrine known for its rows of donated lanterns and thousand-year-old trees. I couldn't help but imagine how pretty the shrine must be at night. Unfortunately, it was still morning, but all hope wasn't lost. We went into a dark room with some of these lanterns, and it almost felt like night. I also got to take some pictures of a tree that is over a thousand years old.

When we finished looking at the lanterns, it was time for lunch. We stopped by a busy restaurant with various different types of burgers ranging from chicken to sukiyaki. I decided to get the Tonkatsu burger and it was pretty good! I also got a side of french fries, but I didn't expect it to be such a large portion.

After lunch we went to Todaiji Temple. Todaiji temple was a truly impressive structure, being one of the largest made of wood. It is so massive, that it almost doesn't feel like a temple from the outside. The inside was even more impressive, boasting a massive statue of the Buddha made in bronze since the 12th century. It is often said that if you are able to climb through the Buddha statue's nostril that good karma in the next life will come. As a result, they have a wall with an opening of the same size that you can try to climb through. I narrowly made it through!

Academic Reflection

Today's reading talked about Vairocana. The reading mentions that Vairocana has three different bodies including a dharma body, an enjoyment body, and a transformation body. It is for this reason that something like a robot can be seen as a Buddha, as Vairocana can take any form with his enjoyment body. Thus, the Mahayana explanation for the historical Buddha was that he was simply one of Vairocana's manifestations. It is for this reason that something as absurd as a robot can be accepted and normalized as a manifestation of Vairocana. When Buddhism first came to Japan this also explained its coexistence with Shintoism, as Shinto gods were said to be manifestations of Vairocana.

Being arguably the most important of the gods in the Buddhist religion, it makes sense why there would be such a large statue of him. I found it especially impressive that it was made of bronze. Unfortunately, the statue is not the same one that was originally built in the Heian Period due to fires.