#Fast Food Forecast

[karan777]

https://akvisintelligence.com/reports/fast-food-market

[biteyoubiteme]

melon float

yeonjun x fem!reader

synopsis: a picnic in the park is always fun with your boyfriend

warnings: 🔞!!! semipublic/public sex, oral (f!rec), no protection, creampie, breeding kink if you squint kinda, Yeonjun calls reader baby once or twice, prob forgot some sorry

wc: 1.9k

an: feedback is appreciated!! this is apart of my float event! check out the other members fics [float m.list]

[m.list]

Yeonjun had been so excited this morning, for over a week he had been planning your next date, picking out every detail. He had gotten up early to get all your food ready, making sure to keep you out of the kitchen to keep the surprise up. “you should get ready I have this handled, maybe you could wear that pretty white dress you just got,” so you complied dressing up and after he was ready you hopped into the car asking him to reveal where you were going.

“to eat out,” was all he gave you to work with, hand on your thigh as he drove.

when you got to the park you knew he was taking you on a picnic. The past couple of days were too unbearable to be outside in the sun but the forecast had shown a few days of cooler mornings with partly cloudy skies. the two of you had been locked up in your apartment sticking to waiting until it was late to go out even when it still felt hot without the sun. you had complained about the heat and not being able to really enjoy the summertime. Now he's gone and found the perfect spot for a picnic, a little secluded patch of grass, the hanging trees giving peaks of the little stream they rest next to. you can hear the twittering birds, and the rambel of water, all of it the perfect soundtrack to summer.

everything had started innocently enough, Yeonjun set up the blanket for the two of you and unpacked his little basket of prepped foods. he had taken the time to cut all the fruit up into cute little shapes, some of them rough around the edges but his clumsiness only ever made the effort so thoughtful. he set up all the little things around to make them look put together to take a photo. “smile,” his little happy grin behind the camera making you blush. “look at how pretty you are,” he flipped his phone towards you to look at, “I'm going to make it my lockscreen,”

“Wait, you can see my underwear in this photo,” you laugh, zooming in on your panties to prove your point. your legs had been up, knees closed as you leaned back on your hands showing your cute outfit. you hadn't noticed how your dress had slipped down your thigh, low enough to show the lacy fabric.

“My favorite ones too,” he states, “they look so good on you, even better off,” the little grin he has is wicked enough to know exactly where his mind is going.

“you can wait until we get home to give me flirty looks like that,”

“I really can’t do that at all,” he looks around at the empty space we are in, “No one really comes around here anyways and we are blocked by all the trees…”

even just the idea of doing anything out in public was a little bit hot to you. Yeonjun was fully into pda, he loved to show you off, hand in the back pocket of your jeans, making out at the club like you'll never get the chance to kiss again, nay excuses to put his hands on you to let people know you were his and his alone. he wasn't shy when it came to people watching the two of you, if you let him he would stick his hand up your skirt in the back of a cab so this wasn't so different for you two. so he didn’t even have to ask for you to know what he wanted now.

“you don’t think anyone will catch us?” you ask but you don’t need to answer because even if there was a possibility of getting caught Yeonjun wouldn't admit it outright but he wouldn't let the two of you go far enough without caution. you stand up and trying not to lift your dress too much you hook your fingers into the waistband of your panties pulling them down. Yeonjun is fast to lean over so that he can help take them off fully, balling them up and tossing them over to the basket half-open behind him.

he slides his hands up the back of your thighs, sitting criss cross in front of you looking up like he found everything he's been missing. he's grinning as he cups your ass, pulling you closer to him, chin on your thigh. “I thought those were your favorite?” you brush his hair behind his ears.

“On the list of my favorite things, they come second to what's standing in front of me. no need to admire them when I could admire you,”

you roll your eyes but even if he was cheesy it always got you. He was rubbing up and down the back of your legs, fingers slipping to your inner thighs making you shiver. every drag of his fingers getting closer and closer to your center. “you know what?”

“hum?” you hummed the tips of his fingers only just grazing over your folds.

“I think I’m starving,” he pulls you back down to the blanket, your laugh cut off by his kiss. hands moving to your waist, body pressing you into the blanket. when he pulls away he keeps his mouth on you, lips down your jaw, down your neck. “and I just happened to bring my favorite meal,”

he lays himself down between your legs lifting the hem of your skirt peeking under to see how wet you've gotten for him. Since you’ve gotten together it was so easy to get wet from a few kisses, for him to look at you the right way and he would just know if he reached down to check he could slip in without any prep.

“You said earlier we were going to eat out, not this,” you’re sitting up on your elbows watching and Yeonjun is giving you a cocky smile, tongue running along the inside of his lip as he shrugs. “You must have misheard me, I was trying to say I wanted to eat you out,” pushing your dress up and bunching it at your hips he leans down blowing over your clit, your knees pulling in at the cool air.

“don’t tease me,” you whine but you don’t expect him to listen, he was always a tease, drawing out your pleasure like it was a test he knew he would pass with flying colors. but there was no time when someone could walk by secluded as the spot was or not Yeonjun didn’t need anyone else to see you falling apart on his tongue namely because he didn’t want to be interrupted. he licked up your wetness, circling your clit before giving precise controlled flicks of his tongue. your head rolls back and you bite your lip to keep quiet only it's harder than you thought when he starts to suck on your clit.

your knees try to pull together and he has to push them back apart, ravaging your cunt, swirling his tongue over and over. He had full control over your body pulling your orgasm from you slowly until you were combusting. hips sinking, hands fisting the blanket, your moans were not silent anymore as you fluttered around nothing, Yeonjun pulling away to let you calm down from your high. but you didn’t feel satiated, not when you felt so empty, it was almost painful. “please jjunie,” you whined sitting up.

“hum? Does my pretty girl need to be stuffed,” knowing exactly what you wanted. he was hard as he sat up, unbuttoning his jeans, “come here,”

you didn’t need to be told twice, crawling over to him before straddling his waist, sensitive clit rubbing over his bulge making the both of you moan. you didn’t even hold yourself back as you started to grind down on him, your arms wrapping around his neck and fingers tangling into his hair. He grabbed your waist trying to still you, “Hold on baby I won't last like that,” he pulled his cock free from his last layer of fabric. you were already clenching at the sight, watching as he gave two slow pumps, thumb running over the tip collecting his precum to spread around the veiny shaft.

you sat up on your knees lifting as he used one hand to guide himself in and the other to hold your dress up. your soft whine turned into a throaty moan as he sank into you, slow to inch as he stretched you open. when you were fully seated the both of you caught your breath, your dress falling from his hands before he pushed your hair away from your face. “you’re so pretty when you sit so well on my cock,” he could feel you pulse around him at his praise, gummy walls warm enough to make him weak. he pulls you in for a kiss on hand at the base of your neck, the other on your hip helping you rock forward on him.

finding a rhyme the both of you melt together, your drawn-out movements deepening your kiss. pressed so deep inside you, you swear you can feel him in your throat, every movement brushing him against your g-spot, knees weak from the feeling. tugging on your hair he leans your head back to expose more of your neck, kissing down the column of your throat and to your exposed cleavage he nips over your skin.

you can feel your second orgasm build aided by the way your clit is rubbing against him but you’re restless, needing more than every slow drag. “I want more,” you breathe trying to pick up the pace but failing to when you’re this close, “please I need more,”

he doesn't even pull out as he flips the two of you, pushing you down on your back and wrapping his arms around you before he starts to pick up the pace on his thrusts. “better baby?”

you can’t even speak as he frantically pumps into you, hips knocking into yours. his mouth at your ear he's moaning, “You feel so good- fuck- I'm gonna fill you up- I-“ he cut himself off on a whimper, “I wanna fill you up so bad, I can’t take it, I need to please,” he presses his face into your neck as he begs. “please,”

he twitched inside you, thrusts turning sloppy as you wrap your legs around his waist. his soft mewls sending you over the edge, your back arching as you came, dots forming in your vision. you’re clenching so much that he can hardly move anymore, hips pressed flush against yours as he stills, warm cum filling you.

Yeonjun pressed a messy kiss to your lips, going back to his slow thrusts to feel how slick you were with both of your cum. every other thrust he pressed into your womb feeling the way your pussy fluttered for him. He gave a lazy smile into your kiss before pulling out. you gave a shaky breath from the loss, your legs falling from around his waist as he leaned back to look at the mess he had made of you. “my pretty girl looking her absolute best,” you could feel the cum slipping out of you and he scooped it up with his thumb to push it back in, “stuffed full of my cum just as she should be,”

[aturnoftheearth]

what if we were staying at a hotel and we checked in at 4pm and wheeled all our luggage in and got lost looking for the elevator and immediately turned the thermostat to 67 degrees and opened the curtains and claimed our beds by throwing our bags on them and chilled out for a few hours before deciding what to do for dinner and stopped at a convenience store for snacks on our way back and went swimming at night and shivered in the elevator on our way back up to our room and took turns deciding who showers first with hotel soap and snacked in bed while watching silly tv shows with too many commercials and then fell asleep with the light from late night fast food and gas stations still open gently filtering through and the sound of the cars on the interstate and guests in the hallway arriving late to their rooms humming through the room and what if we woke up too early the next morning and shuffled to get whatever pair of shoes on so we could go downstairs and get our free breakfast and we made waffles and got juice and tea and coffee and came back upstairs and turned the weather channel on while we packed so we could see the forecast and we went downstairs to check out and get one last beverage for the road before setting off on our next stop. any takers …

[galaxysupreme17]

The Storm and Revelations

Y/n = Your Name

AgathaRio x daughter!reader

It was a perfect autumn day in Westview, making the whole town seem as if it had been plucked straight out of a postcard. The air was cool and crisp, but the sun's warmth kept the slight chill at bay. Orange and red leaves drifted gently through the air as families bustled toward the town square for the annual Harvest Festival.

Agatha and Y/n agreed to meet with their neighbors, Wanda and Vision, along with their twin sons, Billy and Tommy, for an afternoon of games, food, and laughter. Y/n, eager to escape the house's stillness, had convinced her mother to come out, even though Agatha had initially grumbled about being surrounded by mortals for hours.

"You're cheery this morning," Agatha teased as they approached the event. Her lips curved upward in amusement as she caught sight of Y/n's eager pace. "What, no moody teenage brooding today?"

Y/n rolled her eyes but smiled back. "I thought it'd be nice to get out for once and enjoy the day." She adjusted the scarf around her neck, trying to hide her excitement.

"Just so we're clear," Agatha added with a sly smirk, "if you end up covered in caramel or dragged into a pie-eating contest, you're on your own."

Y/n snorted. "I'll keep that in mind."

As they walked, they spotted Wanda and Vision waiting by the festival entrance, and Billy and Tommy were already running ahead toward the booths.

"There you are!" Wanda called out, waving enthusiastically. She looked radiant in her red jacket, her auburn hair catching the sunlight. "I thought you two were going to ditch us."

"You know me, darling. Never one to miss out on a spectacle," Agatha replied, her tone playful but with that edge of dry humor Wanda had grown used to.

Vision smiled warmly, ever the picture of calm and composed. "The boys have been talking about this all week. They may exhaust themselves before we even reach the games."

"They're kids," Y/n said with a chuckle. "I doubt anything could tire them out."

With that, they all headed deeper into the festival grounds. The town square was alive with activity. Booths lined the streets, offering games such as tossing rings or popping balloons to win prizes. Food stalls filled the air with the mouthwatering scents of kettle corn, roasted nuts, and apple cider. A local band played upbeat folk tunes from a stage at the center of the square.

Billy and Tommy were already darting between booths, dragging Y/n along.

"I bet you can't hit all three targets!" Billy shouted over his shoulder, eyes glinting with mischief.

"Oh, you're on!" Y/n called back, laughing as she followed.

Agatha watched them go, her usual aloof exterior softening slightly. "She's been spending too much time with those two troublemakers," she remarked to Wanda.

Wanda chuckled, her eyes following the kids as well. "They bring out the best in her."

The group spent the next hour enjoying the festival. Billy and Tommy pulled Y/n into nearly every game while Vision dutifully carried their growing pile of prizes. Agatha and Wanda strolled behind, occasionally stepping in when the twins tried to use their powers to cheat.

"Not so fast," Wanda chided when Tommy attempted to use a burst of speed to swipe an extra prize. He flashed her an innocent grin, but she wagged her finger at him. "Play fair, or we're leaving early."

It was all going perfectly. Everyone was laughing, eating, and just enjoying the carefree day. But then, without warning, the mood shifted.

Dark clouds rolled in overhead, casting long shadows across the town square. The once lively chatter of the crowd grew tense as a biting chill swept through the air.

Y/n, standing near one of the booths with Billy and Tommy, looked up at the sky, frowning. "That's weird," she muttered. "There wasn't any storm in the forecast."

Agatha's eyes narrowed, and her senses were immediately on high alert. "Wanda," she murmured, stepping closer to her friend. "This storm... it's not just weather."

Wanda looked up as well, her expression hardening. "I know. Something's off."

The wind began to pick up, stirring the leaves into a frenzied dance around the festival. The once lively chatter of the crowd grew tense as families started packing up, rushing to get away from the brewing storm.

"We need to get the kids inside," Vision said, his calm demeanor slipping as he noticed the growing agitation in the crowd.

"Our house is closest," Agatha said quickly, moving toward the square's edge. "Follow me."

They gathered the children, looking around with wide, confused eyes, and rushed toward Agatha and Y/n's home. The storm seemed to chase them, the wind howling at their backs as they hurried up the front steps.

Agatha waved her hand, the front door swinging open just as the first raindrops began to fall. They all rushed inside, slamming the door behind them just as the sky opened with thunder.

The sudden silence inside the house was jarring. The thick walls muffed the storm outside, leaving the group standing in a heavy, tense quiet. Agatha took a deep breath, her sharp senses scanning the house, ensuring they were alone.

Or at least, that's what she thought.

"Mom?" Y/n's voice cut through the silence, confusion lacing her tone.

Agatha turned toward her daughter and immediately felt the air leave her lungs. Sitting casually on the couch, as if she had been waiting for them all along, was a woman Agatha hadn't seen in years.

Rio.

Agatha's ex-wife and Y/n's other mother.

For a moment, Agatha felt time slow down. Her heart raced a mixture of shock, anger, and something more profound-something she had long since buried-rising to the surface. Rio hadn't changed much. Her long dark hair framed her face, her eyes sharp and calculating, just as they had been the day she left. But there was something different now, an edge of weariness, perhaps regret, that Agatha couldn't quite place.

Rio's eyes flicked up from where she sat, landing directly on Agatha. "Hello, Agatha."

Agatha's breath caught in her throat, and her entire body went rigid. "What are you doing here?" Her voice was sharp, laced with a barely concealed fury.

The tension in the room was palpable. Everyone remained still as they sensed the sudden shift. Wanda glanced at Vision and then at Agatha, reading the unspoken energy between the two women. Something was wrong.

"Let's give them some space," Wanda said gently, herding Billy, Tommy, and Y/n toward the kitchen. Y/n tried to protest, her eyes wide with confusion, but Wanda shook her head. "Come on, let's make some hot chocolate. Agatha will explain later."

Reluctantly, Y/n followed, though her eyes kept darting back to the woman on the couch-the woman she didn't know but who, somehow, seemed to know her mother very well.

Once they were out of earshot, Agatha crossed her arms tightly over her chest, her magic sparking faintly at her fingertips. "I asked you a question. What the hell are you doing here, Rio?"

Rio stood slowly, her movements graceful but deliberate. "I came to see my daughter."

Agatha's expression hardened. "She's not your daughter anymore. You left. You gave up that right."

Rio's eyes softened slightly, though there was a steely determination behind them. "I never wanted to leave her-or you."

Agatha's breath hitched at that admission. Her pulse quickened, and her heart raced. "What?"

"I never stopped loving you," Rio said, her voice soft but firm. "Not for a second. Leaving you both... was the hardest thing ever, and I regret it daily."

Agatha's chest tightened. It had been years since Rio walked away, years since she had allowed herself to think about the love they once shared. Hearing Rio admit she still loved her stirred emotions Agatha had tried so hard to bury. She clenched her fists, willing her magic to calm, but it flared at her fingertips, betraying her inner turmoil.

"Then why?" Agatha demanded, her voice trembling with anger and hurt. "If you loved us so much, why did you leave?"

Rio's eyes filled with regret, her posture stiffening slightly. "I didn't have a choice. There were... forces at play, things I couldn't control. I thought I was protecting you and Y/n."

Agatha's laugh was bitter and sharp. "Protecting us? By abandoning us?"

Rio winced, her expression pained. "I didn't want to. But I thought if I stayed, I would bring danger to our door. I thought leaving was the only way to keep you safe."

Agatha shook her head, her anger and pain swirling in her emotions. "You should have trusted me. We could have handled it together."

"I know," Rio said quietly. "I realize now that I made the wrong choice. I thought I was doing the right thing, but all I did was hurt the two people I love most in this world."

Agatha's heart clenched at those words, their weight pressing down on her chest. She had been so angry for so long, so focused on protecting Y/n from the pain of losing her other mother. But now, standing here, hearing Rio admit her regret, Agatha felt something inside her shift-just a little.

Rio took a tentative step closer, her eyes searching Agatha's face. "I'm not asking for forgiveness. I know I don't deserve that. But I'm here now, and I want to make things right. For Y/n. And for us."

Agatha swallowed hard, her mind racing. She didn't know if she could ever truly forgive Rio for leaving, but she also knew that Y/n deserved the truth, even if it was painful. And maybe, just maybe, there was a part of her that still cared for Rio despite everything.

"I don't trust you," Agatha finally said, her voice steady but cold. "But for Y/n's sake, I'll give you a chance to explain. Just know this-if you hurt her again, I won't hesitate to make sure you regret it."

Rio nodded, her expression softening. "I understand."

Just then, the kitchen door creaked open, and Y/n poked her head out. Her eyes flicked nervously between her mother and the strange woman in their living room, and she cautiously made her way into the room and toward her mother.

"Mom?" Y/n asked hesitantly, her voice small. "Who is she?"

Agatha's heart clenched as she looked at her daughter standing there. She was so young and vulnerable, unaware of the complicated history she was now caught in.

Taking a deep breath, Agatha met her daughter's gaze. "Y/n... this is Rio. She's-" Her voice wavered momentarily, and then she steadied herself. "She's your other mother."

The room fell into an almost suffocating silence as Y/n's eyes widened in shock, her gaze shifting between Agatha and Rio. "My other mother?" she said barely above a whisper. "But... I don't remember her."

"I know," Agatha said softly, gently stepping forward to place a hand on Y/n's shoulder. "She left when you were very young."

Y/n's gaze snapped back to Rio, her expression a mixture of confusion, hurt, and something else-something Agatha recognized all too well. "Why?" Y/n asked, her voice trembling. "Why did you leave?"

Rio took a step forward, her face etched with guilt. "I... it isn't straightforward. I didn't want to leave, but I had to. I thought I was protecting you."

"Protecting me?" Y/n echoed, her eyes narrowing. "From what?"

"That's enough for now," Agatha interjected, sensing that Y/n wasn't ready to hear the truth yet. "We'll talk more later. But for now, know that I've always been here for you. And I always will be."

Y/n looked between them again, still reeling from the revelation. She bit her lip, then nodded slowly. "Okay."

Agatha smiled gently, pulling her daughter into a protective hug. Over Y/n's shoulder, she locked eyes with Rio, her expression hardening again. Whatever Rio's reasons for leaving, whatever danger she thought was coming, Agatha wouldn't let her hurt Y/n again.

No matter what.

[kawaiijohn]

Good morning. Where do I even start today- trying to keep up with disaster relief is tough since a lot of my normal sources are without power or incredibly focused on doing the actual recovery.

I guess I'll start with one of the sources I get a lot of breaking news from and what he said yesterday:

Ryan Hall is a YouTube weatherman with an incredible team that delivers free weather broadcasting through his YouTube lives during major events. He's from east Kentucky and is very invested in Appalachia weather recovery and awareness. The man's a local and he's part of the reason I'm even aware of the risks heavy rains can bring in this region of the states.

And this post from the national weather service office in Greenville - Spartanburg SC, that serves a wide area around it;

"this is one (forecast) we wanted to get wrong. this is the worst event in our office's history."

This thread concludes: media was sent to Florida and so a lot of people don't quite know what's going on in appalachia- if you can I suggest reading this person's entire thread, which is too long for me to type or try to post on here and keep it readable, so try the second link under here for an unrolled thread that'll be easier for screen readers;

Minor update from yesterday's post: the governor of Tennessee finally fucking declared a state of emergency after his shitty day of prayer and fasting announcement. It took him like six hours to get off his ass and do it.

The power is still majorly out as of this morning in a vast area of the states. As you can see, a majority is in Appalachia, central Georgia, and the Florida big bend. Florida, I know for a fact, has tons of electrical technicians working to restore power and cell service.

This map really highlights the state divide from eastern Tennessee/Kentucky and the Carolinas too.

Despite the doom and gloom, a few things are starting to get better.

Quite a few dams managed to hold, and some roads in west NC are more passable, but there are so many people reporting that it was taking them upwards of seven hours to get out of Asheville, which is a major city.

Below has a few pics and statements about the state of roads late last night/early today.

The end of this tweet says "this is an absolute mega disaster for Western NC on the order of hurricane Katrina."

With how long the recovery might actually take, I'm certainly hoping it's handled better. One of the responses on this thread mentions no military presence/help as of 20 hours ago, but this has since changed with the national guard finally deploying in some areas.

Overall, fooding hit historical levels in a lot of states, with Atlanta GA even declaring a flash flood emergency at one point, which is the highest risk level of a flash flood warning - it means "get out and get up high NOW"

Rescue and recovery operations are on the way.

Local groups, storm chasers, and organizations are on the way. The national guard is deploying and helicopters are coming from volunteers and the military alike in the most affected areas.

Chris Hall, a storm chaser who works with a lot of organizations, has been driving around doing things like setting up starlink access in Asheville and helping serve hot food with a Florida based disaster recovery group since Friday.

Hell he even posted this, which if you know the waffle house index, is a little neat to see- for context, fema will look at waffle house closures in areas hit by natural disasters to gage preliminarily relief need.

Waffle houses are infamous for never closing. So for a limited menu to be served, it means this spot in GA was still hit pretty hard.

If you want to and can, here is one place with local donation resources for west NC

And different organizations and weather community types to help that are boots on the ground type volunteers with a bit more of a national focus;

If you are good at adding alt text or doing text description for screen readers, please help me with these posts. It is incredibly hard to do those sorts of things on mobile due to my own limitations.

Please be safe.

[dokries]

april shower

pairing: wen junhui (jun) x gender neutral reader

genre: fluff, established relationship

word count: 795

warnings: mentions of food near the end, classic kiss in the rain (gone wrong)

author note: this is another repost haha i find it funny that i never posted it in april actually; the first time was the last day of december, and now it’s may already! lots of love <3

masterlist

running ahead of him, you stop under the only street lamp on the street to jun’s apartment that isn’t lit up. as you turn around, your mouth stretches at the edges at the sight of him coming closer and his childlike smile, even as his dark dress shirt—which he had on because you had gone to a fancy restaurant for dinner—was turning a colour similar to how the midnight sky looked in winter thanks to the rain shower that had started as soon as you left the restaurant.

it was april, and the two of you should’ve expected it to rain, but the forecast earlier had said there was a low chance, so you decided to not take an umbrella (oh, how you were regretting your decision now).

“are you cold? i know i gave you my blazer but…” jun’s voice shakes you from your thoughts, hesitation clear in his tone.

with the mentioned fleece-lined garment perched on your shoulders, you shake your head. “i’m fine moonjun! your blazer is very warm.”

“this night feels so…magical, doesn’t it, moon pie?” you ask, moving closer to him. at that moment, to jun, your eyes look even brighter than the night view of the city he saw every night from on the 7th floor (which is saying a lot, considering the light pollution in his area).

“every day is magical with you,” he responds, winking jokingly, though you know he means his words.

sticking your tongue out, you venture out closer to the middle of the road, disregarding all the warnings you had been told by your parents when you were younger. “you know how in most of the movies we watched last week, there was a scene where they kissed in the rain?” you mention offhandedly, reminiscing on the rom-com marathon you had with jun on the comfy loveseat in his living room.

“yes, my love?” jun says, walking fast to catch up with you before you go too far; though there were no cars to be seen this late, he still didn’t want to risk you getting hurt.

turning back to look at him, you snake your arms around his neck, jun’s arms automatically finding their way in a comfortable position around your waist. you give him a lopsided smile before speaking lowly, “we should have our own rom-com moment, shouldn’t we?”

seeing the confused look on your boyfriend’s face, you giggle. “close your eyes, jun!”

once he follows your instructions—not without grumbling about how you never tell him what you’re going to do under his breath, eliciting an eye roll from you—you make sure his eyes are completely closed, and he’s not pulling some sneaky trick on you. once you’re satisfied, you cup his face with your hands, tracing over the small moles all over his face, before placing a prompt peck on his left cheek and taking a step away from his warm arms.

his eyes remain closed for a few seconds, a crease in between his eyebrows forming as time passes before he opens them to see you facing him with a wide, mischievous grin. he lets out a huff of disappointment before rolling his eyes. “come on, that’s not what you’re supposed to do after all that hype!” he whines, grabbing your arm and clinging to your side.

you stare down at him—he’s made himself look smaller so you pity him more, and it works. he looks like a poor stray cat, and the fact that his hair is wet and sticking together strengthens that image in your head.

“aw…my poor meow meow, do you want another kissy kissy?” you tease, faking a pout before giggling at jun’s deadpan expression as he pulls himself away from you.

“…okay, fine.” he starts, looking away from you with a pout. “be that way, and you’re the one who’s gonna have to make hot chocolate once we get to my apartment!” he finishes with a huff—missing the way your eyes turn into hearts at his cuteness.

“well…if you say so. race you home, junnie!” you yell at him before running off, sending your flabbergasted cat-like boyfriend a teasing look: your tongue out and one eye closed, like the emoji he uses ironically all the time. turning back to the goal of the apartment building, you swear you can hear the sound of him running after you—or maybe that’s just the result of the rain picking back up again, dousing both you and jun in water as you run.

sure, you’ll both be shivering once you get to the elevator and grin at each other when you realize you’re dripping water onto the green carpet of the entrance, but when else would you get to enjoy an april shower with the love of your life?

[lvlyynim]

bestfriend!mark who’d remember your usual drink and pastry order so he’d have an excuse to crash your study session in the library.

bestfriend!mark who always has a spare charger in his bag whenever your phone is running low.

bestfriend!mark who would lull you to sleep with a few plucks from his guitar and soft singing.

bestfriend!mark who keeps small gifts you gave him and stores them in a cupboard box, calling it his memories box. (from the first movie ticket you two went together to the polariods of you and him)

bestfriend!mark who has a crush on you ever since 9th grade, you skipped school to take care of him when he was sick.

“don’t you have that very important history test? the one you spent weeks studying for”

“oh shush, you’re more important than that stupid test. now shut it and drink this”

bestfriend!mark who has a drawer full of his shit in your closet cause he’s constantly over at your place.

bestfriend!mark who would stay up all night stargazing with you from the small balcony.

bestfriend!mark who nearly burned down your kitchen, trying to make a sunny side up.

“you are never ever entering my kitchen again. at this point mark, you’re setting yourself up everytime you grab a pan”

“at least this one is better than the rest-”

“THAT’S NOT THE POINT”

bestfriend!mark who always know when something is wrong and shows up with your favourite snacks and his hoodie.

bestfriend!mark who sents you sunset pics daily saying it reminds him of you. he’s also your personal weather forecaster.

bestfriend!mark who orders fast food and eats them with you in his car, in an empty parking lot.

bestfriend!mark who holds your hand in crowded places out of fear of losing you in a sea of people. (also your hands will stay interlocked for the whole day)

bestfriend!mark who’s your biggest supporter and constantly encourages to face your fears, reminding it’ll always work out in the end.

bestfriend!mark who dyed his hair blue after losing his bet with haechan (and it was probably the best thing to happen cause it suits him, to the point where you can’t stop staring at him)

“you look great with blue hair”

“hm? dang really?”

“mhm probably my favourite colour out of the all other ones”

“damn you liked it that much huh? is that why you keep staring at me?”

“shut up and finish your food”

bestfriend!mark who rubs his hand up and down your back whenever you two hug.

bestfriend!mark who stays sober if you two go out for drinks or during parties so he could take care of you in case you do too many shots.

bonus nsfw cuts

bestfriend!mark who jerks off to a photo of you almost every night before being consumed by guilt and shame. (and does it again the next night)

bestfriend!mark who shamelessly checks out anytime you wear something a tad bit revealing. (his favourite : you in skirts)

bestfriend!mark who finally had the chance to pour his feelings out to you and fuck you senseless afterwards.

“you have no fucking clue how long i’ve wanted this” you let a broken sob, feeling as if his cock is gonna split you in half with how deep he is. how big he is.

mark just chuckled at your disheveled state, legs pinned to your body, eyes rolled back in euphoria, body littered with his mouthwork.

“taking me so good baby, so fucking good” he’s losing it by the second. with how you’re clenching around him, he’s not gonna last long. your high pitched moans is a telltale sign you’re in the same boat as well.

mark was a gone man when you wrapped your legs around his waist and pushed him deeper into your dripping cunt. leaning a whine of your name, he came hard. you took advantage and pushed him onto his back, straddling him.

wind knocked out of mark’s lungs seeing you bouncing on his cock, desperate for your own release. mark was choking on his sobs, his cock overstimulated to the point where he could cry any moment now.

“ba-baby please ngh please come please”

“fuck mark, i-i’m cumming”

it didn’t take long for the knot in your stomach to snap, orgasm washing over your body with a long whine of mark’s name.

[techploration]

A Cascading Fix

The floating garbage patch in the Pacific Ocean a huge ongoing issue. Plastic is the worst offender (and no it’s not all drinking straws and plastic bags— it’s mostly discarded fishing nets). Skimming would be too costly and unrealistic (it’s country sized— big country). Plus is almost a biome at this point— you couldn’t scoop out the trash without also scooping animals/eggs/plants basically causing more havoc trying to clean it up.

So what do you turn to? Bacteria

So this area has been in active research for 25+ years as the ultimate solution to dealing with plastic waste.

Should be great right? The lifespan of a bottle in a landfill falls from centuries to weeks in a vat. It’s such an alluring goal that people gloss over the path

Brute forcing thousands upon thousands of mutations on an enzyme that specializes in breaking down hydrocarbons sounds wildly risky.

Because what if you get one that does too well?

Future Forecaste

Silicon Valley Tech Bro Billion wants to try and improve his image as a part of the private jet class by holding a big public competition for innovative solutions for the garbage patch. Encourages all of his tech bro buddies to pitch their ideas. Billionaire promises to fund a pilot project for the top idea.

What wins out? Bacteria

And they apply the Facebook ‘move fast and break things’ philosophy to brute forcing mutations. Garbage patch is in international waters, so no approval (or oversight) to go and test your ideas.

In fact, with being out in the middle of the ocean, you can build your lab right on a boat and sail out there. And test your iterations right there. In the ocean. Why test on a simulated garbage patch when the real one is right there?

Success! A strain that breaks down plastics in a short timeframe in the cold of the ocean! Your test site quickly goes from floating landfill to. something?

The enzymes broke the plastic into component nutrients. So you now have effectively dumped a whole flood of nutrients into the water. Kinda like dumping fertilizer

Cool. So now you you have turned garbage patch into the Great Pacific Algal Bloom and Dead Zone

And the bacteria isn’t staying put. Oceans have a way of moving things, and you just built a hardy sailor with a plentiful food supply.

The bacteria makes it to shore and suddenly, plastic isn’t permanent. Plastic isn’t safe in water. Every seal and gasket is now prone to failure. There is a rush to figure out which types of plastics are susceptible, which are resistant. New plastics with bacteria resistance are developed.

But that’s not even going to be the biggest issue

We’ve Got a Fuel Pox on our Hands

If it likes to eat plastic know what it’ll love? Gasoline and any other hydrocarbon

This bacteria would essentially turn gas into soy sauce. Think about fuel rotting

Suddenly world’s energy supply is at risk. Fear of contamination becomes the oil and gas industry’s number one concern. Gas becomes an even more precious commodity, and is only used when application demands. The industry takes on surgical level of cleanliness.

Meanwhile other people are prepping ‘Kombucha’ for their local pipeline

[andy-wm]

Jungkook's GOLDEN moment

Or, the media journey of our Golden Boy's debut album, and what it all means.

This post grew out of a question that popped into my head a couple of days ago.... "what are we really getting on 3 November?"

Sometimes ADHD is a blessing. Other times it's a curse. It all depends on your perspective.

I was going to write a few words - just share an idea - but part of my day job is getting the facts right (and doing the research and validating information) so what started as a quick idea has grown into a long, long story.

As I said, ADHD can be a blessing. I may have resorted to cutting my own hair yesterday because I keep forgetting to make an appointment with the barber, but I can go without food or sleep if something sparks my curiosity. And this has. And the good news is, I'm sharing all that with whoever wants to read it. The other good news is that fortunately, hair grows back.

So I suggest you either grab a snack and get comfortable, or skip to the end to read my conclusion. Because in Tumblr, as in life, my ability to talk nonstop for hours about random shite is unmatched.

Where did all this begin?

When did we first hear about Jungkook's debut solo album? I believe the original announcement came from the annual forecast/investment report documents, which I found out about via tw in May this year.

Jungkook's album was officially forecast for release in the fourth quarter according to the HYBE and Hanwha Investment report.

We were all thrilled and excited! I certainly was.

JK's voice is the aural equivalent of an ice cream sundae - refreshingly cool and softly warm, and multi-layered with all the fancy toppings. He can do pop-sugar sprinkles, he can do fancy slivered almonds, he can do spicy peaches in brandy, lit on fire.

His voice flows into your ears, sweet and hot, just like him.

It was good news but not surprising. Because by the time that report came out we had already had albums (or news of albums) from Hobi, Namjoon, Jiminie and Yoongles. We had figured out they were all going release something. It would have been odd if Jungkook DIDN'T join his bandmates in this. ARMY knows he's a prolific and talented songwriter from way back. He's been writing and producing songs for BTS's albums from as far back as 2015. With instant ARMY favourites like Still With You, Decalcomania, and Your Eyes Tell to his name, Jungkook's album was an exciting prospect.

In June and July, rumours about the album surfaced:

On 4 June, Korean news website Sports Chosun, released an article about Jungkook's debut album - claiming the release date as 14 July. The article toted an English song on the album as 'a huge hit'.

BigHit responded, slapping the news website on the wrist and stating that THEY would make announcement when the release date was confirmed.

ARMYs and everyone else lit up the ether with chatter about the announcement, but where many news sites were simply regurgitating the Sports Chosun article, we were wondering where they got that information, and why they were talking about this English song being a hit as though that would be something new for a BTS song.

Um... do you know BTS?

Fast forward to 14th July... and the release of SEVEN (ft Letto).

A single, not an album, but it was HUGE.

Most ARMYs loved it but some were shocked... at the revelation that their darling Jungkookie is in fact a horny young man who enjoys pleasures of the flesh. And thank god he does, honestly, because the thought of his youth and beauty being wasted on abstinence is devastating to me. He works too hard not to enjoy a good fuck - hopefully seven days a week.

We all know the explicit version had a few people clutching their pearls and petticoats, but on the whole the reception was good. SEVEN (ft Letto!) sailed majestically to the top of the charts all across the globe and settled in alongside Like Crazy as a long term resident on the Billboard Hot 100.

Jungkook travelled abroad for the promos (with Jimin) and sang his song everywhere from New York to London.

But he also visited us, often.

He made time to chat for hours with ARMY, telling us how much we mean to him, and how he has decided to trust himself, and how he hopes WE would trust him too. He told us over and over that he has decided to do what he wants. That this is what he wants. That he hopes we love it.

It was clear he was having a lot of fun with SEVEN.

The MV, and the making of the MV, were a hit in themselves, and we got to see JK's acting chops (clearly SO MUCH better than Yoongi's he told us).

And then came more news about the album...

It wasn't long after that, only three days in fact, before another article about his upcoming album surfaced. This time it was on the (apparently very factually reliable) music news site, Hits Daily Double.

The article sat strangely askew for many ARMYs. For OT7 fans of BTS it felt more than a little off.

From the opening sentence...

Jung Kook's "Seven" f/Latto (HYBE/Geffen) set records in its first 24 hours on Spotify.

...to the brazenly competitive comparisons with BTS and the other members achievements, the tone of the article was smug and divisive and frankly not very Bangtan.

For a short puff piece, it managed to put a good half of the fandom's nose out of joint. I have no doubt that was the intention, that it aimed to sow dissent and push JK ahead of his members in ARMY's - and the world's - eyes. We weren't mad at JK - far from it - we could see right through the writer's intent. And we knew who was behind it...

Enter stage left: The Villain, Scrotum Balls

"HYBE Chairman Bang Si-Hyuk's trust in HYBE America CEO Scooter Braun is continuing to pay off. Braun found the song and connected Jung Kook with the Grammy-winning Producer of the Year he reps, Andrew Watt."

Did SB write this bollocks himself?? What a twat, seriously.

But wait, there's more...

"Those involved with Jung Kook's forthcoming debut album, which will be an all-English effort, are very bullish on the project and see it as a pivotal moment in the BTS solo campaign. Jung Kook's embrace of sexuality and profanity is giving new life to BTS fans..."

This is where it all starts going a little pear shaped. I can almost see the smile melting off Jungkook's face as he read this article.

Not a word about the themes this album would explore, or the music itself, or even a word from the artist. Just SB crowing about the 'project' that those involved were so bullish about.

In other articles on this site from the same time, Jungkook is referred to as an alumnus of BTS, and the erstwhile bandmate of V. Both of these terms insinuate that he has left BTS, which is very misleading.

At that point, some of us were very worried. It was starting to look like Jungkook himself was the project - a little project for SB to use as a self promotion tool. The sacrificial lamb he was going to offer to the gods of commercial radio and the plastic world of pop stardom to redeem himself for the absolute fucking mess he made when he tied up his label's artists with red tape and held them hostage.

Did anyone watch the movie TAR?

Spoiler alert, but the main character Lydia's attempts to regain her influence after she destroyed her own empire, are not dissimilar to SB's. The only way she could rise from the ashes after figuratively burning her house to the ground, was to reinvent herself in a new environment. She started over, with her trademark ego-driven confidence not dented in the least, believing herself the ultimate maestro as she took on a new project to mould into her image of success.

The parallels are uncanny.

Moving on...

Suchwita with Jungkook was revealing, in that it revealed nothing...

Specifically the nothing that had happened with the mini album!

Jungkook said he hadn't started working on the album, he was still searching single #2. He said after the second single he would release a mini album in November.

"Are the songs for the album ready?" Yoongi asked.

"No" replied Jungkook, "I have to start working on them now."

At the time Suchwita was filmed, Jungkook had yet to start working on the songs for the mini album he was due to release in November.

In a previous Weverse live he also said he hadn't started working yet. He had no songs. The extended break was so good that he would have been happy to keep resting, until SEVEN came along.

Confirmed in the AUDACY interview in NY:

In his interview with Audacy (recorded around 14 July in NY) Jungkook's message was consistent with what he said to Yoongi.

There were 'no specifics set yet' when asked about an upcoming album... certainly no mention of ALL ENGLISH SONGS.

When asked "How do you want to make your solo work special and unique to you?" Jungkook responded that he didn't want to chase anything. That he 'wants everything to become special naturally, because he does his best.' He says SEVEN wasn't released because he had specific plans, it just happened. He wants the next song to come along naturally too.

That's a very different message from the brash, aggressively confident stance taken in the Hits Daily Double article - I think we we can safely assume they were SB's words - and it's also not shining a light on SB as the hero of the moment the way the article tried to do.

Jungkook had either not been briefed on SB's vision for the album, or he wasn't on board with it. Either way, the album was not mentioned again until early October.

Let's return to Suchwita and to Tae's interview.

*this is focused on the conversation about JK's album, no disrespect to our smooth operator.

"This album is the last solo album," says Yoongi.

When I watched this episode I first thought Yoongi was talking about the order that the Suchwita episodes were filmed, when he said Tae's album was the last. He clarified in the next sentence that he was talking about the release date.

"You're the last one," says Yoongi.

&lt;<Wait... so what happened to JK's album?>>

"That's right. I feel so much pressure," continues Tae.

"Everyone was like, I don't want to be last," laughs Yoongi.

What Tae says next is pivotal:

"But if I didn't like it, I wouldn't have released it. I would have said I'm sorry, but I can't."

Oh really?

So THAT'S AN OPTION? He could say "No, I don't like it so I'm not releasing it."?!

They go on to talk about promotions for all the members and how they differed, as though everyone else has done all the promotions they have lined up, but all I can think about is...

Did Jungkook say NO to SB?

Maybe he hadn't agreed to anything when that Hits Daily Double article was published. Maybe SB shot his mouth off before JK had even listened to the songs he was proposing. Jungkook told us he's doing what he wants to do.

Maybe Jungkook didn't like the songs, or the direction the album was taking. Our Jungkook can be stubborn and he knows his worth. Maybe he said he didn't want to be SB's little project?

That would explain why we heard nothing else about his *All English*mini album. Between July and the announcement of the release date in early October, there wasn't even a whisper.

On 3 October, Hits Double Daily released a second article:

The tone of this release couldn't be more different from the first article.

No mention of SB

No mention of ALL ENGLISH

Jungkook is suddenly back in the BigHit stable, whereas before he was being associated with Hybe/Geffen

The source is clearly stated as BH

The forceful language of the first article is notably absent. This piece is purely factual, short and to the point.

Tags for this article are: JungKook, BTS, GOLDEN, BIGHIT. Compared to the first article which was additionally tagged with HYBE, Geffen, Scooter Braun, Bang Si-Hyuk, Andrew Watt.

This sentence: Jung is known as the “golden maknae” (“golden youngest”) of BTS. Suddenly Jungkook is back in BTS (as opposed to an alumnus of BTS). His status as the maknae also firmly grounds him in his Korean roots, a fact which was hardly mentioned in other articles. (and they got his name wrong ffs...)

There's also the MAJOR fact that unlike SEVEN, Jungkook is performing the debut of this album in Korea, not in the USA. That also says to me that SB is not involved (or less involved).

Other evidence of Jungkook's autonomy in this, is his unexpected performance of Still With You at the GCL concert. You could tell he was nervous, he lost his performance presence a little - standing awkwardly with his hand on his hip - and I think it was because there was something more at stake with that performance. All my fingers and toes are crossed for it's inclusion on the album.

Where does that leave us with GOLDEN?

My conclusion is that there has been some level of disagreement between SB and Jungkook about the album. And that Jungkook has stood his creative ground (YES!) and put some distance between himself and SB.

I fervently hope this is true.

Remember that Yoongi said Jungkook is the most talented musician he's ever met.

Yoongi, who I would trust with my soul even if he had horns and called himself the prince of darkness.

well that picture's kinda hot!

...

...

...

(I lost my train of thought thinking about Yoongi with horns)

Yes, Yoongi said that.

Yoongi who works with dozens and dozens of musicians including 6 of the most successful artists in the world...oh, and PSY.

The suggestion in the first article - that Jungkook's debut album was being designed with strategic market-oriented goals in mind - was so disturbing, when we know what a brilliant artist he is.

Sure it would be advantageous if Jungkook could access the networks and opportunities that come with an association with SB.

But if having an introduction to SB's circle means he's handcuffed to the strategic vision of a person who sees music as a corporate commodity, and Jungkook as a project, I truly hope he said 'I'll pass thanks.'

And let's not forget the album went from being a mini album (2-6 songs) to ELEVEN songs. In my minds eye I see Jungkook saying 'you think I can't come up with a whole album in two months? Hold my beer.'

Jungkook doesn't need SB to be successful...

He is after all...

THE GOLDEN MAKNAE

Here are the sources, if you want to see where this info came from...

[balkanradfem]

I am reporting live from the SlugVillage, which is something we all agreed to rename this city into. There are slugs wilding in the streets, there are slugs on every strand of glass, if you stop and stand anywhere for a minute, a slug will find you. And climb you.

In this time of slugness I am still determined to grow those damn beans if it's the last thing I do, so I have been in the garden every morning at 6am, and every evening at 8pm, collecting endless amounts of slugs and relocating them to places that are not my garden. I have now confirmed that there is a limit of how many slugs a person can experience in a day without getting mentally affected by it; unfortunately I have breached this limit on the first day after rain. I come over there and there's a conference of 320 slugs in my strawberries, they're all discussing which ones of my plants to devour first. I have been trying to appeal to their emotions; every time I see them eating a baby plant, I go 'That is a baby! How could you?' and thus far they did not care for my antics. This morning I've seen a centipede strolling in my garden and I went 'What a beautiful and sleek creature, bless you!' and I don't even have a special place in my heart for centipedes, I was just so damn happy to see one creature that isn't a slug.

Other gardeners have also been doing the same thing as me, and constantly complaining about the biggest epidemic of slugs this place has ever seen. One of them is very smart, so she poured down sawdust around each of her bean plants, the idea being that slugs won't touch sharp stuff.

Yesterday morning I saw a slug going 'sawdust shamwust I have a bean plant I need to eat'. It slid directly on the sawdust without a care in the world.

I've even seen them eating potatoes! I could not believe my eyes, what are the potato bugs supposed to eat? They're gonna be out of a job! The slugs are not considering the economy and the potato bugs will go unemployed if this continues.

I believe that slugs need their designates spaces, that is not 'the community garden' and they need to change their dietary preferences because we all know this is not about survival. I've seen them eat nettle. They'll eat anything. But the garden is 'snacks', this is their version of gorging on potato chips and fries, they're eating fast food produced by human gardeners, it's not sustainable. They need to go back to their roots and by this I mean spain from where they were imported from and became invasive species immediately.

The only thing that could stop the slugs is scorching sun that makes it too hot and dry for them to live, but.. the forecast says rain. We shall continue being in the slug era.

[foxholewriting]

Long Days

Ren/Male Reader - Fluff/Comfort - Words/ 765

Pronouns - He/Him ; Pet name(s) - Angel/Good Boy

Mention - Anxiety Attacks/Not taking care of yourself

This is how I see Ren, it maybe ooc of character but that's okay

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

Your phone beeped a few times before the soulless alarm started blaring, earning a hard smack from your head, it was hard to get up in the morning, especially on days like today. It was cold and the weather forecast said it would be in a constant downpour for the next few days and the warm clothes you had bought got lost in shipment so everything you had that could keep you warm on a normal cold day didn’t stand a chance on days like this.  

As if your day couldn’t get any worse Violet was out on vacation and so was Elanor, taking on extra jobs to help them both. Mostly keeping Violet’s plants alive and taking over Elanor’s tasks at work which made zero room for Ren who was desperately trying to get some of your attention. Two more days then you’d be free, you get a week paid time off which would be used ceremoniously for binging anime and eating take out. Just needs to last a few more days, things were only made worse since you don’t remember the last time you’ve eaten. 

A quick shower and changing into your uniform filled you with dread, but nothing that was unfamiliar at this point. A water bottle covered with anime stickers crossed your path for a quick second before your attention switch over to putting your shoes on, maybe when you got home you’d take the time to care for yourself. 

The day started off as rough as you could have imagined, boxes of books were left by the back exit being well past ruined by the time you had gotten to work, people yelling at you for not having books that had just been released which would have been physically impossible to have by now, and a child spilled juice on one of the books making it the fourth time this week you’ve had to point to the sigh saying no food or drink in the library. The father didn’t want to pay but after a talk with your boss he reluctantly paid, giving you a death glare. 

Lunch break couldn’t happen fast enough as you slumped down on the cool tile floor of the bathroom, before you knew it tears streamed down your face. Started off slowly but soon became uncontrollable, snot mixed with the hot tears as the stress of the last two weeks flowed out. Completely missing the sound of someone coming in and their shoes thumping on the tile, they only got your attention when they touched you. 

“WHAT!” You jumped and blurted out, Ren stood there concerned but also an underlying anger seemed to emanate from him it was hard to pin point where it was directed. You wiped away some of the tears as Ren sat next to you and gently pulled you to his chest, it was a bit messy as his sweater started to get stained with the snotty tear mixture on your face. 

“It’s okay Angel, it’s going to be okay.” His voice was soft and his firm grip on you truly made it feel like everything would be okay, that the world didn’t exist outside the two of you. 

“I’ve just had so much to do- never ending running around I just can’t- why can’t I-” You tried to start a sentence but it was cut off by another thought or another anxiety that was bubbling up inside, Ren was getting more worried knowing that situations like this caused unbearable anxiety attacks that could potentially end you up in the hospital. 

“You’ve been such a good Angel, a good boy that you’ve haven’t been taking care of yourself. Why don’t I take you home and stay with you tonight?” Their voice was so soft and gentle it was hard to deny the request, you reluctantly nodded. The next few minutes were a blur but you ended up at home in bed with Ren lecturing you as he made you drink water, it was hard to focus on what he was saying but you nodded. You didn’t realize you absentmindedly agreed to him living with you for 75% of the time for health reasons, but that was future yous issue. After the lecture was over and you emptied several bottles of water then some take out he finally cuddled with you in the bed so close together it was like you fused into one. 

The rain outside hitting the window was long forgotten as you tucked away into Ren’s body, silent words of praise and comfort came from the lovable pink man. 

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

@14dayswithyou

[secret-inevertell]

📝 Astro cheat sheet

A basic how-what-where guide to astrology

Sign (how things play out)

Aries: aggressive, impulsive, brave, competitive, direct, excessive, selfish, childish, action-oriented, intentional, sudden, masculine, assertive, sharp, inspiring, fierce, decisive, bossy, hostile, angry

Taurus: persistent, trustworthy, stubborn, patient, stable, enjoyable, fashionable, visible, touchable, valuable, delicious, organic, natural, earthly, elegant, calm, vocal, self-indulgent, lazy

Gemini: clever, mischievous, communicative, inconsistent, youthful, witty, inquisitive, bright, chatty, agile, dual, skillful, refreshing, nervous, eloquent, brief, quick, comical

Cancer: nurturing, supportive, compassionate, soft, sensitive, fragile, emotional, sincere, encouraging, unconditional, comfy, gentle, cosy, harmless, transparent

Leo: brave, loyal, playful, charismatic, confident, prideful, proud, upright, outgoing, honest, courageous, protective, entertaining, eye catching, popular, childlike, romantic

Virgo: particular, organized, rational, detail-oriented, analytical, critical, nitpicking, intelligent, tiny, helpful, useful, productive, clean, plain, fussy, healthy, neat, precise, fit

Libra: friendly, sociable, diplomatic, charming, balance, easygoing, thoughtful, beautiful, indecisive, flighty, flirty, superficial, fair, symmetrical

Scorpio: secretive, bold, deep, intensive, controlling, strategic, transformative, paranoiac, jealous, clingy, intimidating, investigating, dark, scary, creepy, insightful, spiteful

Sagittarius: optimistic, versatile, adaptable, adventurous, rebellious, religious, wild, gullible, lucky, careless, clumsy, risky, open-minded, spontaneous, oblivious, clueless

Capricorn: disciplined, responsible, pessimistic, humble, hardworking, slow, patient, ambitious, old, rigid, tough, strict, gloomy, difficult, reserved, respectful, timeless, practical, stingy, filtered, effortless

Aquarius: random, rebellious, distant, emotionally detached, fast-moving, progressive, unexpected, crazy, odd, brilliant, disorganized, distinct, unusual, oblivious

Pisces: intuitive, spiritual, idealistic, dreamy, ambiguous, confusing, sensitive, accepting, passive-aggressive, helpless, defenceless, vulnerable, unreliable, sickly, bizarre, drunk, addicted

Planet (event or thing that takes place)

Sun: one’s existence, self-awareness, consciousness, enlightenment, intelligence, purpose, attention, popularity, fame, recognition, ego, the light

Moon: the need, emotion, family, home, selfless love, water, sincerity, mood, atmosphere, comfort, care, compassion, safety, food, femininity

Mercury: skill, communication, message, critical thinking and judgment, information sharing, speech, reason, logic, business, task, problem-solving, networking

Venus: the senses, high quality experience, pleasure, desire, luxury, generosity, romantic love, romantic gestures, relationships, voice, mannerism, spending

Mars: passion, fight, war, explosion, abuse, burn, thorn, speed, initiation, intention, direction, leadership, risk-taking, anger, inflammation, burst of energy, violence, pain, fire

Jupiter: growth, truth, wealth, religion, authority, teacher, travel, inheritance, justice, lottery, opportunity, joy, celebration, reward, expansion, belief, experience

Saturn: responsibility, authority, depression, criticism, frustration, guilt, time, repetition, fear, lession, maturity, recognition, acknowledgment, vintage, tradition, rejection, challenge, discernment

Uranus: complete change, technology, electricity, revelation, advancement, invention, innovation, freedom, forecast, shortcut, astrology, group, community

Neptune: dream, confusion, idealism, delusion, mysticism, addiction, art, charity, hospital, disease, loss, fish, victim mentality, drug, sacrifice, imagination

Pluto: power, control, deep emotion, fear, betrayal, jealousy, traumatic experience, insecurity, adversity, death, sex, massive wealth, crime, lust, secret

House (where things play out)

1H: identity, character, first impression, presence, existence, general apperance, subconscious attitude, approach to life, intention

2H: finance or income, possession, self-esteem, material desire, pleasure, value, eating habit, sense of security, bank, restaurant, the park, gallery, supermarket

3H: immediate environment, neighborhood, short distance travel, errand, sibling, peer, school, class, the mind and thinking, communication, skill, the media, the news, transportation, library, car park

4H: family, root, parents or guardians, foundation, emotion, home life, home country, domestic issues, real estate, private space, kitchen

5H: hobby, interest, romance, love, love affair, heart desire, gambling, children, creative pursuit, talent, bar, club, casino, concert, theater, stage, spotlight

6H: daily routine, health, colleague, workplace, office, service to others, hygiene, problem-solving, assistance, the gym, pharmacy

7H: partnership, business contract, marriage, rivalry, shadow self, client, the other party, advisor, dating app, intermediary

8H: inheritance, tax, debt, death and transformation, intimacy, sex, mediumship, fear, grief, secret, joint venture, occult, unearned wealth, under the surface, dark space, funeral

9H: religion, long distance travel, wisdom, culture, fortune, church, foreign country, vacation, apprenticeship, university, stadium, academy

10H: public reputation, aspiration, career, career goal, expertise, long term goal, recognition, responsibility, pressure, public life, status, company, museum, clock tower

11H: friend, group, social awareness and responsibility, the audience, follower, fan, hope and wish, social media, organization, airport, apartment, mall, crowded place

12H: isolation, seclusion, faraway place, prison, hospital, addiction, escapism, dream, unconsciousness, foreign land, past life, hidden place, repressed thing, bedroom, beach, pool, hotel, waterfall

*couldn’t help but added more keywords outside of the how-what-where so use this how it makes sense to you

Feel free to add to the list.

[alpineshift]

Hello! My end of week plans have been ruined by non-stop rain & localised flooding 😭 (everyone is safe, the dog is mad I won’t let him out to splash in the newly formed lake in our yard) if you are still doing the prompts, please could I request number 17 - dewy meadow perfect for a picnic, but much like here, it’s pouring with rain & we have some very wet, bedraggled, throughly unhappy hockeys?

Thanks for all the stories so far!

oh no I'm sorry to hear about your plans 😢 I hope the rain lets up! I'm glad you're all safe!

#17 is yours ❤️

[17] a dewy meadow perfect for a picnic (except it's not anymore)

"Well. I don't think we can do a picnic anymore."

It's worse than the weather forecast had predicted. Nico had been particularly agitated by the storm overnight, pacing back and forth until Jack had called him to bed. And now, he's standing under the awning of the porch outside, expression faintly devastated by the ongoing inclement weather.

Jack walked up behind his boyfriend and rubs his back soothingly; Nico had been so excited about this trip, eager to organize their picnic after Jack had looked through the rental property photos and mentioned how beautiful the nearby meadow was. Now, he's looking like someone's just canceled the hockey season again.

"It's okay, babe, I'm sure there's other things we could do--"

Of course, that's when they hear the short bark, a bang as the screen door flies open, and see Rosie shooting off into the rain, paws splashing through the puddles and mud as she makes a break for it.

Jack has never run faster in his life.

Two soaked outfits, a very zoomie'd out dog, and a long, hot shower later, Jack's finally plodding back into the main area of the cottage, drying his damp hair, dressed down comfortably in sweat pants and Nico's long sleeve.

He feels awful; he's the one who didn't latch the door shut properly and they'd returned looking like drowned rats, but Nico hadn't even gotten mad--just sighed fondly at their mischievous dog after they'd washed and dried her, pecked Jack on the lips and let him take a shower in the master suite while he used the downstairs bathroom.

"Neeks?" Jack calls. "Babe? Are you done showering?"

"Yeah--over here, Jack."

He's in the den, and Jack happily heads that way, a suggestion for a movie and popcorn on his lips, only for the words to vanish and his jaw to drop when he enters the sitting area.

Nico's rearranged the entire place, clearing the floor for their picnic blanket, sitting cushions, and all the food, including two bubbling glasses of champagne. The lamps are dimmed and there are fairy lights strung up, glowing warmly. Rosie is sitting dutifully on one of the cushions, her tongue lolling happily as she smiles up at Jack, wearing a very cute red ribbon around her neck.

Nico's at the edge of the picnic blanket, and he's down on one knee with a little velvet box in hand.

Jack drops the towel. "Oh my god," he says faintly.

"Surprise," Nico manages, a grinning shyly up at him. "So, uh, this isn't a picnic in the meadow that you liked, but I figured we could make the most of it. I had a whole speech planned and it was very cliched and you would've called me cheesy, but I think the universe has a different plan for us."

"Oh my god," Jack repeats. "Is this why you were so upset about the rain?"

"Partly," Nico admits. "But honestly--I don't think it matters anymore. Life is kind of crazy and things can go sideways so fast and dogs can just run outside before you can stop them, but if anything, today's just proved that being with you makes it all easier, rain or shine. And I hope that we'll have that with each other forever."

He takes a deep breath and cracks open the lid; the ring inside is so handsome, so elegant, so perfect. "I love you so much, Jack," Nico starts, a faint tremble in his voice. "Will you--"

He doesn't even get to finish. Jack is already tackling him into the cushions, shouting his yes in delight, feeling Nico exhale in relief and hug him back and laugh happily into the curve of his neck. Rosie immediately leaps over them, wriggling excitedly into their arms, and Jack can't think of a better surprise to turn the gloomy grey day around.

"I love you, babe," he whispers back, curling into Nico's warm, adoring hold. "I love you so much too."

[cyarsk52-20]

JEWISH

What is Rosh Hashanah and how is it celebrated?

Rosh Hashanah, meaning "head of the year" in Hebrew, is the celebration of the Jewish New Year. It’s commemorated with prayers, food and gatherings.

By Danielle Abreu • Published 6 hours ago •Updated 5 hours ago

Rosh Hashanah is a two-day holiday celebrating the Jewish New Year and kicks off the start of the Jewish High Holiday season. Here’s everything you need to know about this important holiday celebrated by people around the world.

The two-day holiday known as Rosh Hashanah kicks off the beginning of the Jewish "High Holidays," a ten-day period of repentance and reflection that culminates with Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.

But what exactly is Rosh Hashanah and how is it celebrated? Here's everything you need to know:

What is Rosh Hashanah?

Rosh Hashanah, meaning "head of the year" in Hebrew, is the celebration of the Jewish New Year. During Rosh Hashanah, Jewish people around the world ask God for forgiveness for mistakes they’ve made over the past year and remind themselves not to repeat those mistakes in the coming year.

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What is Yom Kippur?

Yom Kippur comes on the last of the 10 days of repentance that began with Rosh Hashanah. The day is usually observed with fasting and extended time in deep prayer, before ending with the sounding of a "shofar," a trumpet made from a ram's horn.

When is Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur 2023?

Rosh Hashanah is observed on the first day of the month of Tishrei on the Hebrew calendar, which falls in September or October on the Gregorian calendar, the calendar commonly used throughout the world.

This year in 2023, Rosh Hashanah begins at sunset on Friday, Sept. 15, and ends at sunset on Sunday, Sept. 17. Yom Kippur will begin next week on the evening of Sunday, Sept. 24, and ends the evening of Monday, Sept. 25.

How is Rosh Hashanah celebrated?

Rosh Hashanah observances include special foods, traditions and mitzvahs, or commandments, and celebrations can vary from family to family. Many people attend services at a temple or synagogue, where a special service is held with messages of hope and atonement in the new year.

A hollowed-out ram’s horn, called a shofar, is blown during services to awake any spiritual slumber and remind worshipers to return to God and reflect on their sins.

Another important part of Rosh Hashanah is Tzedakah, or giving back to those in need. The belief is that by carrying out good deeds, God will notice these efforts and bless them with a fruitful new year.

Some Jewish families toss bread crumbs into bodies of water to symbolize the discarding of their sins, a tradition that dates back centuries.

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What Do People Eat During Rosh Hashanah?

Fish is a traditional meal at Rosh Hashanah as it symbolizes fertility and abundance. Some people will eat the head of the fish to express the desire to be leaders and not followers in the year.

Many Jewish families also eat challah bread and apples dipped in honey, symbolizing the sweet hopes for the New Year.

Some families will also eat pomegranate fruit as its many seeds represent the many blessings in the coming year.

What Are Rosh Hashanah Greetings?

Because Rosh Hashanah celebrates the Jewish New Year, the most common greeting is "Happy New Year." The equivalent in Hebrew is "Shanah tovah," (pronounced shah-NAH toe-VAH) which literally means "good year."

Shanah tovah is the condensed version of a longer greeting L’shana tovah u’metukah, which means “for a good and sweet year.”

You can also say "chag sameach" (pronounced KHAHG sah-MEY-akh) which means "happy festival," the Hebrew equivalent of Happy Holidays."

This article tagged under:

JEWISHROSH HASHANAHYOM KIPPUR

SHANA TOVA to my fellow Jewish people around the country and the world

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

I asked chatgbt to make an image of Florida running out of homeowners insurance and flooded by a hurricane.

* * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

September 27, 2024

Heather Cox Richardson

Sep 28, 2024

Last night, at about 11:10 local time, Hurricane Helene made landfall in the Big Bend area of Florida, where the state’s panhandle curves down toward the peninsula. It was classified as a Category 4 storm when it hit, bringing winds of 140 miles per hour (225 km per hour). The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane wind scale, developed in 1971 by civil engineer Herbert Saffir and meteorologist Robert Simpson, divides storms according to sustained wind intensity in an attempt to explain storms on a scale similar to the Richter scale for earthquakes. 

The Saffir-Simpson scale defines a Category 4 hurricane as one that brings catastrophic damage. According to the National Weather Service, which was established in 1870 to give notice of “the approach and force of storms,” and is now part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a Category 4 hurricane has winds of 134–156 miles (209–251 km) per hour. “Well-built framed homes can sustain severe damage with loss of most of the roof structure and/or some exterior walls. Most trees will be snapped or uprooted and power poles downed. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months.” 

Hurricane Helene hit with a 15-foot (4.6 meter) storm surge and left a path of destruction across Florida before moving up into Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Kentucky with torrential rain, flash floods, high winds, and tornadoes. A record level of more than eleven inches of rain fell in Atlanta, Georgia. At least 45 people have died in the path of the storm, and more than 4.5 million homes and businesses across ten states are without power. The roads in western North Carolina are closed. Moody’s Analytics said it expects the storm to leave $15 to $26 billion in property damage.

Officials from NOAA, the scientific and regulatory agency that forecasts weather and monitors conditions in the oceans and skies, predict that record-warm ocean temperatures this year will produce more storms than usual. NOAA hurricane scientist Jeff Masters noted that Helene’s landfall “gives the U.S. a record eight Cat 4 or Cat 5 Atlantic hurricane landfalls in the past eight years (2017–2024), seven of them being continental U.S. landfalls. That’s as many Cat 4 and 5 landfalls as occurred in the prior 57 years.”

President Joe Biden approved emergency declarations for Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina before Helene made landfall. Tennessee governor Bill Lee, a Republican, did not ask for such a declaration until this evening, instead proclaiming September 27 a “voluntary Day of Prayer and Fasting.” Observers pointed out that with people stuck on a hospital roof in the midst of catastrophic flooding in his state, maybe an emergency declaration would be more on point. 

After a state or a tribal government asks for federal help, an emergency declaration enables the federal government to provide funds to supplement local and state emergency efforts, as well as to deploy the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help save lives, protect property, and protect health and safety. Before Helene made landfall, the federal government placed personnel and resources across the region, ready to help with search and rescue, restore power, and provide food and water and emergency generators. 

The federal government sent 1,500 federal personnel to the region, as well as about 8,000 members of the U.S. Coast Guard and teams from the Army Corps of Engineers to provide emergency power. It provided two health and medical task forces to help local hospitals and critical care facilities, and sent in more than 2.7 million meals, 1.6 million liters of water, 50,000 tarps, 10,000 cots, 20,000 blankets, 70,000 gallons of diesel fuel, and 40,000 gallons of gasoline to provide supplies for those hit by the catastrophe. 

FEMA was created in 1979 after the National Governors Association asked President Jimmy Carter to centralize federal emergency management functions. That centralization recognized the need for coordination as people across the country responded to a disaster in any one part of it. When a devastating fire ripped through Portsmouth, New Hampshire, the day after Christmas in 1802, Congress agreed to send aid to the town, but volunteers organized by local and state governments and funded by wealthy community members provided most of the response and recovery efforts for the many disasters of the 1800s. 

When a deadly hurricane wiped out Galveston, Texas, in 1900, killing at least 6,000 residents and destroying most of the city’s buildings, the inept machine government proved unable to manage the donations pouring in from across the country to help survivors. Six years later, when an earthquake badly damaged San Francisco and ensuing fires from broken gas lines engulfed the city in flames, the interim fire chief—who took over when the fire chief was gravely injured—called in federal troops to patrol the streets and guard buildings. More than 4,000 Army troops also fed, sheltered, and clothed displaced city residents. 

When the Mississippi River flooded in 1927, sending up to 30 feet (9 meters) of  water across ten states, including Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana, killing about 500 people and displacing hundreds of thousands more, President Calvin Coolidge appointed Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover to coordinate the federal disaster response and pull together the many private-sector interests eager to help out under federal organization. This marked the first time the federal government took charge after a disaster. 

In 1950, Congress authorized federal response to disasters when it passed the Federal Disaster Assistance Program. In response to the many disasters of the 1960s—the 1964 Alaska Earthquake, Hurricane Betsy in 1965, and Hurricane Camille in 1969—the Department of Housing and Urban Development established a way to provide housing for disaster survivors. Congress provided guaranteed flood insurance to homeowners, and in 1970 it also authorized federal loans and federal funding for those affected by disasters. 

When he signed the Disaster Relief Act of 1970, Republican president Richard Nixon said: “I am pleased with this bill which responds to a vital need of the American people. The bill demonstrates that the Federal Government in cooperation with State and local authorities is capable of providing compassionate assistance to the innocent victims of natural disasters.”

Four years later, Congress established the process for a presidential disaster declaration. By then, more than 100 different federal departments and agencies had a role in responding to disasters, and the attempts of state, tribal, and local governments to interface with them created confusion. So the National Governors Association asked President Carter to streamline the process. In Executive Order 12127 he brought order to the system with the creation of FEMA.

In 2003, after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the U.S., the George W. Bush administration brought FEMA into its newly-created Department of Homeland Security, along with 21 other agencies, wrapping natural disasters together with terrorist attacks as matters of national security. After 2005’s Hurricane Katrina required the largest disaster response in U.S. history, FEMA’s inadequate response prompted a 2006 reform act that distinguished responding to natural disasters from responding to terrorist attacks. In 2018, another reform focused on funding for disaster mitigation before the crisis hits.  

The federal government’s efficient organization of responses to natural disasters illustrates that as citizens of a republic, we are part of a larger community that responds to our needs in times of crisis.

But that system is currently under attack. Project 2025, a playbook for the next Republican administration, authored by allies of the right-wing Heritage Foundation and closely associated with Republican presidential candidate Trump and vice presidential candidate Ohio senator J.D. Vance, calls for slashing FEMA’s budget and returning disaster responses to states and localities. 

Project 2025 also calls for dismantling the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration and either eliminating its functions, sending them to other agencies, privatizing them, or putting them under the control of states and territories. It complains that NOAA, whose duties include issuing hurricane warnings, is “one of the main drivers of the climate change alarm industry and, as such, is harmful to future U.S. prosperity.” 

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[artemisbarnowl]

What is life like in Melbourne? I’m looking into moving there from the UK and would love some insights and whatever else from people who live and work there 💕

I've only visited the UK briefly as a tourist so I'm not sure how to compare them in a way that's going to give you useful info. But I'll give you info at least. Please sit comfortably and we'll begin.

Melbourne has 5 million people in it, but is also quite a large sprawling urban area, so it doesn't feel really packed and busy. It sits on a bay, so it doesn't get freezing but does have the '4 seasons in one day' jokes which are true. I never really got in the habit of checking the weather in the morn before I left for work until I moved away from melb where the forecast was such that I could dress appropriately without surprise.

When I talk about what I love about Melbourne I mean inner suburbs and CBD (which is a beautiful grid and shining example of urban planning for the now that is weighed down by no plans for the future). Public transport connectivity is decent (comparable to London imo) but wait times, delays, and travel times on trams and buses might be relatively crap depending on your experience. It's no Moscow metro (my beloved), but you can probably get to where you're going somehow. Also e scooters have popped off. Further out there's no trams and there's more big gaps between train stations (the train lines are arranged like spokes of a wheel around a central city circle. There will be another city loop slightly overlapping the current one in service next year). This is what I despairingly call The Suburbs. Where you probably need a car to get around and it's like at least 20 mins drive to Anywhere for dinner, groceries or fun activities. Mostly Melbourne is not overly hilly so bikes are an option but infrastructure such as bike lanes is really hit or miss depending on area. Especially good in the inner north. Melb inner suburbs are very walkable and I love love love that. I lived in the inner north and could walk into the CBD to do whatever.

In terms of culture things I think Melbourne is the most international of Aus's capitals in that it has a lot of different people but also that there's a lot open late. Sydney probably can and will make the same claim. But that's it. The rest of Aus is a country town. Major shops will probably close 5.30 or six mon to wed but there's plenty of stuff that's open later. You can always find a bar* or 8. There's plenty of different cuisines in gourmet or fast food dining. There's a cafe in the CBD that's open 24 hours where I can sit outside and have a pot of green tea WHENEVER I WANT. Bookstores open til 10pm. There are lots of events throughout the year and lots of cultural institutions to visit on a whim for free! Some are paid also obvi but I find it difficult to be bored when I can go to the museum to see taxidermy or the NGV for art for free whenever. I am a zoo member which means I get to hang out in a beautiful park/garden which creatures for free whenever I want. Again as you go out further this becomes less true. Fringe cities at the ends of train lines are likely to have what you need to live but less fun activities less often. Not nothing though!

Melbournians really do love wearing black. Especially in winter. They also love strategic Grey. I thought people were exaggerating until I left. A head to toe black outfit is uncommon enough to be remarkable where I live now. Even in a regular boring office where people wear very muted colours I'm the only one who does it. There is no functional difference between the a mourning outfit and one of a Melbournian. it's common wear sneakers with a lot of seemingly formal or corporate outfits, but not thongs with jeans. That's some weird Sydney nonsense.

Being around the bay there's plenty of places to swim in summer! Most of the bay is bordered by beach, most famous and reachable from the city is St Kilda beach. Which is excellent and beyond reproach if you're not Australian and 'fine' if you are. Traveling down towards Mornington Peninsula they get better. 5km makes a difference to the grain of the sand. Some are more fine, can get more coarse and shelly as well. Never stony. Only a little bit of seaweed here and there.

There are parks in the heart of the city (nothing huge like Hyde though) and little wildlife corridors or reserves in most suburbs but it's not an especially Nature city. It's only one hour by train and bus or by car to the Dandenongs (a low mountain range, not to be confused with hugely underated immigrant suburb of Dandenong in melb) though which have cool temperate rainforest national park, lots of gardens (huuuuuge rhododendron garden up there), little b&bs, english style cafes (miss Marples in Olinda is the most famous) and lots of walking and biking. I say one hour but Melbourne as an area reaches right to the base of the range, which is why you can get a bus from the shops. There are national parks that are native woodland or grasslands closer to the heart of the city but these are less special to me because that's the standard nature I see every day of my life. There's a pink lake in south melb which is fun. But I love tree ferns and fresh damp dirt and the tallest flowering trees in the world!!

If you have more specific Q's feel free to ask. I am a city gal at heart but did live rurally originally and frequently do short stays (2 weeks to a month) in rural or remote areas so I am used to comparing amenities and connectivity.

*Melbourne has regular bars but also is very big on rooftop bars. Sydney has some, but other cities hear rooftop bar and think 'bar inside but with views or on top floor of building. Probably formal'. Melbourne roof top bars are on the roof. In the open air (maybe some shade sail) and it's very much a casual thing. Jugs of beer or sangria, chips, feels like a good barbeque rather than a refined cocktail bar. Those are often in basements.