#Fitness Classes Houston

[bomber-grl]

Hugging Leo

Pairing(s): Leo Valdez x Gn!Reader

Req ~ Hello!! Can I request a Leo Valdez x reader where Leo really likes readers hugs and just melts into them

A/n: I added some extra

You two met, fell in love and got together

Someway, somehow, Leo had not given you an actual hug

Like you two would joke, lean on each other, you’ve even kissed idk how many times

But the hugs you’ve shared only ever lasted for like a second

Then, one day you just decide to hug him

It was random and out of nowhere, not that it mattered

This was the first time that the itch Leo had for physical affection was finally scratched

He doesn’t remember how long you two stood there, just embracing, but he does remember how much he loved the hug

He practically melted, molding to fit in your arms perfectly

This doesn’t go unnoticed either

He teases and makes jokes, but you can tell he really looks forward to any affection you give him, especially these hugs of yours

So give them to him, we all know how desperately blud needs them

Eventually it becomes a daily occurrence

So much so that Leo becomes absolutely and utterly shameless

Always going to see you (whether you’re at camp, the Waystation, your house, etc) just to receive some affection

(The distance won’t be too long since you’re inseparable)

Others begin noticing and your friends at camp, Emmie and Jo, even Festus 😭 begin to tease him

I mean Jo was one of the people that Leo talked to about you (mainly for advice) so it was inevitable

Aside from just liking them, Leo feels absolutely safe when you hug him

He’s barely been introduced to the demigod lifestyle (in comparison to you probably)

So being able to relax is a limited luxury

There was always this or that, and if it wasn’t, it was something entirely else

Even before he met Piper and Jason, went to camp half blood and built the Argo-

He was couch surfing for a good while (can only be described that way since he was hardly ever at his foster homes) no security whatsoever and had no idea what tomorrow would be like

Especially when he’d sleep under the Houston bridge

At least now when you hold him he allows himself to be himself than just joking all the time as a way to cope

Plus, you really just make him feel like he isn’t the “7th wheel”

Honestly a firm believer that you hugging him would cure all his problems

Which is why he always goes to you when he’s had a bad day

Maybe it was when you guys visit camp and he has to wait to see you, or after school when you guys have no classes together and he’s just exhausted

Even without an excuse he’ll still look for you.

-

Today a friend and fellow camper had gotten harmed while you two practiced (truly a story for another time) and so you had to accompany her to the infirmary. Not just because you cared, but was also just worried overall.

Leo must’ve heard from a Dionysus kid through the grapevine because one moment you’re by your friends side as Will is treating her and the next Leo is at your side.

At first he’s apprehensive and skims his eyes over you from head to toe, once he sees that you’re not hurt he sighs and starts sulking.

Just a playful and weirdly funny habit he’s learned (?)

“I thought you were hurt when I heard that you had come to the infirmary” honestly a pretty valid assessment.

“Awww” you’re babying him, just to tease his previous behavior “I’m sorry I worried you”

You went in and gave him a wholehearted hug, just to emphasize your point you began soothing the back of his head.

And to add some theatrics, you began swaying him back and forth.

Usually Leo loved to be affectionate and open back, but seeing as he got caught in his arguably cringe response, well…

Leos face immediately flushed and despite it, he still hugged you back, melting into your arms.

He didn’t argue, didn’t say anything really. Maybe he just wanted to get rid of the humiliation he felt.

Sometimes he just gets a bit shy at the affection is all

-

So sorry it was short, i literally could not rack my brain for the life of me

Also, The friend watching: 🧍

[solar-sunnyside-up]

Community gardens-

Community gardens are a piece of land gardened or cultivated by a group of people, which you can do individually or collectively. So they can be done on private or public land. 

Community gardens are not only a testament to community care and mutual aid, it's also almost a radical act of protest and activism. You're combining and sharing resources, which is inherently anti-capitalist, and you're actively protesting climate change by cultivating the land and bringing back native plants. They exist in various forms, it can be located in the proximity of neighborhoods or on balconies and rooftops. They are far from a one size fits all, they are built to meet the needs of the people cultivating them.

History-

this is gunna be a long one yall--

1890s-- Rapid urbanization in Europe and North America lead to community ran gardens to supplement food stocks that the city couldn't maintain causing an obscene cost of food. Thus lead to cities across the world attempting in their own ways to handle the problem-

1893 - Detroit Mayor Hazen S. Pingree took office with citizens even calling for “bread or blood”. In the mist of this crisis the city establishes a program that required vacant lots to be used as gardens and farms for the unemployed citizens have access to food. The deal the city basically makes is 'we will provide the land for you to farm, you feed yourself by farming it!' Later called "Potato Patches" would convert thousands of acres of vacant and idle land in the city for subsistence gardens, then cultivated by the unemployed in order to ensure citizens access to food regardless of the employment or economic status. At its peak, 1563 families participating over 430 acres of donated or City land. This would become so successful that later other cities like Boston and Buffalo would later adopt similar programs.

In England, “allotment” gardens were created to improve working-class people’s food provision, living conditions, and overall health of people living in suddenly crowded city centers.

Marseille in 1896, “les jardins d’ouvriers”, or ‘the workers’ gardens’, were created by a clergyman, with the purpose of reducing the misery of the working class and improving living condition.

1917- The War Gardens Commission was established to call on citizens to become, "Soldiers of the soil," planting gardens to meet some of their own domestic need for food as well as solider rations. (talk about abandoning your citizens for the sake of war >.>) Providing booklets, cartoons, and plenty of propaganda to teach everyone able to grow and preserve their own food supplies. War and Victory Gardens running well through the 1920s into the 50s. Often communties would have a vacant lot or shared spaces to also fullfill any need that wouldnt fit on private land. By 1944, between 18 to 20 million families with victory gardens were providing up to 40% of the vegetables in America.

1970s - In major cities that were fighting both economic crisis and urban decay as a result of white flight to the suburbs. Bringing rise to community groups like The Green Guerillas-  built of horticulturalists, gardeners, botanists, and planners who work to turn abandoned or empty spaces in New York City into gardens. The group threw "seed grenades" into derelict lots and developed community gardens, often without going through official channels. It became especially popular after the concerted redevelopment of a dangerous, trash-filled space at the corner of Houston Street and Bowery in Manhattan.  That first and now oldest recognized community garden in New York City on a street corner, grew to be over an acre and remains active as of 2023 now named the Liz Christy Garden after its founder who wanted a safe space and good food for children in her community.

2010-Current

Millions of community gardens spanning across the entire world have been reestablished. Particularly over the course of 2012 on wards in order to get back to connecting with the soil and feeding low income housing. Many of the gardens today also hold other community functions like yoga and woodworking classes, socializing centers, holding events, and act as a 3rd space where there are so few these days. Becoming more like a community hub over just a simple source of food.

How do I join or create a community garden?

Join an existing garden- look up one in your area here

To create your own, you will need to do your own research on your city or towns bylaws but generally you'll need a few things-

Gather friends/group to garden with

Secure a place to garden, as well as access to water

Gardening Equipment

Happy Gardening!!

Also @solarpunkani this is for you!!!

[folk-enjoyer]

Song of the day

(do you want the history of your favorite folk song? dm me or submit an ask and I'll do a full rundown)

"The Dying Cowboy" Cisco Houston, 1952

"The Dying Cowboy " or "Cowboys Lament" is based on an old sailors poem, written by Edwin Hubbell Chapin and published in 1839, "The Ocean Burial"

Edgar Allan Poe's "Southern Literary Messenger" vol V, pp.6l5-6l6, 1839

here's an example of the traditional song put to music by Eugene Jemison in 1954

by the 1880s, the lyrics had morphed into the famous cowboy song we all know and love, but it wasn't until 1910 that it was pared with its well-known melody by John Lomax in the album, "Cowboy Songs And Other Frontier Ballads" here (recorded 1942)

by far, the most interesting thing that happened to the song is that its meaning was reversed. in 1934, Carson Robison changed the lyrics and the song and titled it "Carry Me Back to The Lone Prairie" (recorded 1941) and several other contemporary famous country artists

like Sons of the Pioneers,

Riders in the Sky,

Gene Autry,

Johnny Bond,

and Roy Rogers.

covered this song.

this more Hollywood country version of the song changed the story away from the bitter toiling of cowhand workers and towards nostalgia for the West that fit right in with other popular country music of the 40s and 50s. At the same time, the song was covered by Cisco Houston, a leftwing activist and official Union Boy, among other progressives, as a criticism of working class conditions. This song is so utterly fascinating to me and the best way to visually and auditorially explain the historical split manufactured between folk and country.

[henriediosa]

palatawan: the old money families

one of the things that i think makes palatawan really work as a tagalog translation of the world of hatchetfield is the class divide. if i could drive you through manila right now, you'd get it — the high-rises next to the slums, the sheets of metal covering the shanties next to the highway. there's something very filipino about an island with resorts and mansions on one side and a trailer park on the other.

i think the old money of palatawan are the panginoong maylupa, the landlords who bought up the land and built the mansions. so let's start with the people who made hatchetfield their own little satanic paradise:

the waylon family

Agatha and Mathias Flavio - so waylon is from the old english name weland, which probably means "cunning". it's the name of a legendary smith. someone who makes metal implements is a very cool namesake for the family who built hatchetfield. so i went for the name of our own legendary smith, ang panday (which is just The Smith in tagalog). he's a comics character. but it felt too on the nose to just use panday (after all, they're not the smiths, that would be too plain) so i went for his first name.

the perkins/houston family

Ma. Emmanuella de los Reyes Perez - it's emma! yeah, i think she comes from old money — her parents had land that she turned into perky's buds, and she had the freedom and resources to go backpacking as a young woman. we don't see it much from her because emma's trying to distance herself from her family, and i bet the backpacking has sort of roughed her up a good bit. perkins and perez both derive from the name peter.

Ma. Janella Perez Corazon - áte (big sister) janella. i changed her name because jane in a filipino accent sounds too much like jenny, and they could be confused with each other. going into psychology is a really interesting choice for her, because we don't actually have psychiatric workers for our population right now. so i think it speaks to how perfect and pure of heart she seems.

Tomas Corazon - the hugh in "hugh's town" (houston) means heart, and so does corazon. i think it works for a guy with such big feelings, who cares so much about his family.

Timothy Corazon / Tim - this is a personal thing that you may have noticed if you look at how i name my own characters, but i like it when characters have full names that they can derive nicknames from. he can't just be tim on his birth certificate, that's not a whole name. give your babies (characters) whole names.

the murray/monroe family

Rosalinda Iñiga Camella Villar Rivera - you bet i gave linda a long fancy name. camella villar is a reference to an actual filipino land-owning political family, and iñiga is a reference to one of my exes. hey, i can be petty too.

Gerald Rivera - so fancy and yet so generic. he stays in the background and that's exactly where he should be

Rio, Abra, Pasig, and Chico Rivera - all of linda’s children are named after rivers. is it because the monroe also means (the mouth of a) river? i’m not sure why, but i am keeping the pattern.

Roman Milagroso Villar - he just felt like he needed a second name. why not miraculous? it fits his ego. murray comes from an old irish name that means "master", so i picked a surname derived from the latin word for a village. they own the village (the hatchetfield boating society and the honey queen pageant board)

the young family

Sherman and Sheila Cabataan - this one's easy because the name is obviously a nod to their eternal youth. so it's kabataan, "youth" but spelled with a c to make it look vintage. (when the philippines was colonised by spain, the /k/ sound was spelled with a c like it is in spanish.)

so i've already done CCRP and the nerdy prudes (+ max); which section of hatchetfield population would y'all like to see translated next?

[kaylinalexanderbooks]

OC intro - Noelle Bishop

Been a bit since I posted one of these, so here's this! Feel free to ask any questions about Noelle!

Basics

Cis girl she/her

At the start of the series, Noelle is twelve

Noelle has light brown hair that reaches her shoulderblades, mostly straight but has a slight wave to it. She usually puts it in a ponytail and even keeps extra hair ties on her wrist. She has fair skin, brown eyes, and due to being Alii (who have a wider variation in height), she's 6'9, which is still tall for an Alii her age, but not unheard of.

I don't have a sexuality set in stone for her

Noelle is a very talented and powerful telekinetic, picking up on it very quickly and precisely to a frightening degree.

Noelle is Alii, like I said, which is for all intents and purposes human, just a tall one with powers from another dimension. She did however grow up in the suburban Houston area.

Character/Personality

In a word, Noelle is logical. If something doesn't make sense, she dismisses it. If it does make sense, she embraces it. This is a fundamental truth, and it's very hard to change her mind. Especially if it has to do with her mother. She respects her mother tremendously, and will do anything she asks, believe everything she wants.

Noelle's main passion is cooking. She had to learn at a very young age because she lived in a single-parent household. And in doing so, she found out that she loved it. It's one of the few things she likes testing. One of the few things she finds joy in. She doesn't do anything too crazy, but she has a wide breadth of knowledge of what foods are perfect for a specific diet or preference or making something efficient and healthy.

Noelle doesn't have many interests at school. Sure, she likes math, but there's no need to take a culinary class (she knows it all), so for her extracurricular she selected art, mainly due to her mom telling her to not pick anything that would require after school rehearsals. Her height has caused her to be approached by coaches for basketball, but she could not care less about sports.

Other Notable Things

While Noelle doesn't wear the same shoes every day, she does have a favorite: green tennis shoes with white laces. She usually just wears whatever fits her, so she's not picky on the shirts and capris she wears.

Noelle's real name is Carissa. Noelle came from a misunderstanding that her name was Clarissa. (Her name has no L. No-elle.)

Noelle is an only child.

Noelle is closest to Lexi and Ash. While she and Rose are very different, she does hang out with her often. However, she feels like Gwen doesn't like her too much, even though she does.

Tag Games for More Noelle

OC in three

OC in fifteen

Picrew

Fun facts

Questionnaire One

Questionnaire Two

Questionnaire Three

Outfit

Origin

Bag

Filled-In Bingo

Deep Dive

Cuddleability

Interview

TSP intro

TSP tag list (ask to be +/-): @thepeculiarbird @illarian-rambling @televisionjester @finchwrites

@nebula--nix @literarynecromancy @honeybewrites @the-golden-comet

[roughentumble]

trying to figure out a last name for Darcy, considering Houston because its Scottish origin literally means "Hugh's town" and that just feels fitting but idk if I really like the cadence of Darcy Houston

i feel like that strikes a nice balance between common and fancy. i could imagine a houston being a sort of rough/"""lower class""" name about as easily as i could imagine a "ms. houston" getting introduced at a fancy ball with leo. i think it works because its like, a name that has potential in either direction, so she looks at it and thinks she's plain and thinks she'll never be like the people in her books, and he looks at it and thinks she sounds absolutely amazing

[andromedas-pearl]

She's a little more of Spider-Man 2004 oc, she has PLENTY of me sprinkled in. But here's Ingrid!!

Ingrid's Backstory 🦋

Dr. Ingrid Mariposa Marshall was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. But raised in Houston, Texas, with her veteran father, Lieutenant Terrence Marshall, and her wealthy, socialite mother Maria.

Ingrid constantly moved around the country since her father was in the military and eventually moved to New York to settle down and give her a stable life. But she was always a Texas girl at heart and retained her Southern accent and mannerisms.

Her parents instilled a sense of perfectionism due to her strict upbringing, and it conflicted with her free spirit and bug-loving nature. Hence, her middle name, Mariposa.

She eventually went on to become a cheerleader in high school and doubled as a ballerina outside of class because of her parents pushing her to be a competitive athlete and social climber. Causing her to have a bit of a mean streak, looking down on others, she perceived as beneath her, especially when it came to nerds.

Deep down, Ingrid's arrogance and ambitious nature gave her a bad case of impostor syndrome despite all her awards and popularity. She always felt guilty for hurting others and she also was insecure about her own body. Her efforts never seemed to appease her parents even decades into adulthood.

She met Otto in her physics class back in the day. Even though she had a shallow appearance and prom queen reputation, she was gifted in biology and had a secret love for insects. But she usually played dumb to fit in with her athlete peers. All other sciences seemed to come easy to her except physics. After failing her physics midterm, her teacher suggested him to tutor her and they became close friends.

She got over her past distaste for him, and Otto realized his former high school bully was a biology genius behind her vain exterior. He was never one for the life sciences, but he loved it when she showed her authentic, albeit nerdy self when no one was watching.

He was drawn to her compassion for insects and the environment.

She doesn't admit it, but he inspired her to become an entomologist and embrace her intelligence as much as her beauty.

Ingrid got back with Osborn in college, becoming known as the "partners in crime," as they partied the first few years of college away. But Otto's interventions and talks with Ingrid in college made her get serious, and she went on to become a biology teacher.

Eventually, becoming Peter's biology teacher. Years passed, and she became a doctor in entomology and got out of the classroom to work at Oscorp (Not like Osborn had any residual feelings, lol).

She became a lead insect geneticist and experimented on bugs to become more intelligent and resilient against humanity. She called it "Project Insectiva," hoping it would be used to keep pollinators like bees and butterflies around New York.

For a while, Ingrid was married to her work and entomology was her first love. But running into another familiar face at Oscorp shifted her focus 💜

[newbookcats]

Ten Noteworthy and Unforgettable Stories to Stash in Your Travel Bag to Explore Both Real and Fictional Worlds on Your Next Vacation or Olympic Games

Originally posted on my blog: https://newbookcatsreads.blogspot.com/2024/08/ten-noteworthy-and-unforgettable.html

Unless you live in the sun-blazing heat and humidity of Houston or anywhere close to the Earth's equator, Summer rolls around only once a year. Nonetheless, summer in the United States is a time of change: the weather itself turns warmer as the sun works overtime, tropical storms and hurricanes become more occurrent as beach attendance rises, another academic year ends and readies for the subsequent classes to come later, and the awaited summer vacation and family traveling. 

Whether I went to my local park or partook in a family road trip to Florida, each vacation was the most anticipated part of my summer. Moreover, partaking in exciting adventures only gave me more brownie points when I inevitably returned to school and expressed all the amusement to my classmates and friends. Nonetheless, I still left energy to read imaginary stories as well as listen to my classmates' summer stories. 

Meanwhile, to distract myself from the never-ending wait to reach a destination (seriously, how many times is too much to ask a parent "Are we there yet?"?) to the inevitable downtime needed for my family to recharge after too many waves on the lazy rivers, my requirement for serious entertainment was delivered in the form of binging episodes of true-crime from Forensic Files or a murder mystery novel...and from the title of my blog, I do not have a doubt which of the two choices I or you chose on our previous vacations. 

Thus, here are ten noteworthy stories to stash in your next vacation's travel luggage! In between glimpses of dragons and historical romances, do not forget to look up from the imaginary universe in your hands to explore reality outdoors! 

Ten Noteworthy and Unforgettable Stories to Stash in Your Travel Bag to Explore Both Real and Fictional Worlds on Your Next Vacation

 1. The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

Need a break from home? If yes, then may I suggest traveling with Monty along with his younger sister Felicity and his best friend/crush Percy on their Grand Tour of Europe set in the 19th century?! Not only is Monty perfectly sassy and desired by the likes of many women and men, but his desires for trouble and flirts with danger only lead this trio to life-threatening adventures only heard in tall tales. Watch out for this impeccable novel that tackles both pirates and social issues in the midst of a historical comedy and romance!

Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men. But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy. Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.[Goodreads]

2. My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

From the book that inspired the hit Amazon Prime series, it's only fitting to read the book before summer ends and compare the book to its television adaptation. Then, we may all decide whether the book is better than the series?

In My Lady Jane, coauthors Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows have created a one-of-a-kind YA fantasy in the tradition of The Princess Bride, featuring a reluctant king, an even more reluctant queen, a noble steed, and only a passing resemblance to actual history—because sometimes history needs a little help. At sixteen, Lady Jane Grey is about to be married off to a stranger and caught up in a conspiracy to rob her cousin, King Edward, of his throne. But those trifling problems aren’t for Jane to worry about. Jane gets to be Queen of England. Like that could go wrong. [Goodreads]

3. The War Outside by Monica Hesse

It's 1944, and World War II is raging across Europe and the Pacific. The war seemed far away from Margot in Iowa and Haruko in Colorado--until they were uprooted to dusty Texas, all because of the places their parents once called home: Germany and Japan. Haruko and Margot meet at the high school in Crystal City, a "family internment camp" for those accused of colluding with the enemy. The teens discover that they are polar opposites in so many ways, except for one that seems to override all the others: the camp is changing them, day by day, and piece by piece. Haruko finds herself consumed by fear for her soldier brother and distrust of her father, who she knows is keeping something from her. And Margot is doing everything she can to keep her family whole as her mother's health deteriorates and her rational, patriotic father becomes a man who distrusts America and fraternizes with Nazis. With everything around them falling apart, Margot and Haruko find solace in their growing, secret friendship. But in a prison the government has deemed full of spies, can they trust anyone--even each other? [Goodreads]

4. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Rachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She’s even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. If only Rachel could be that happy. And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Now Rachel has a chance to become a part of the lives she’s only watched from afar. Now they’ll see; she’s much more than just the girl on the train...[Goodreads]

5. Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco

Although this is my current read, Maniscalco has me completely trapped in impulsively purchasing a one-way ticket to Italy and engulfing plates of pasta while reading. Be sure to bring this book and a bookmark with you wherever you go to vacation because it will keep you hooked!

 Emilia and her twin sister Vittoria are streghe - witches who live secretly among humans, avoiding notice and persecution. One night, Vittoria misses dinner service at the family's renowned Sicilian restaurant. Emilia soon finds the body of her beloved twin...desecrated beyond belief. Devastated, Emilia sets out to find her sister's killer and to seek vengeance at any cost—even if it means using dark magic that's been long forbidden. Then Emilia meets Wrath, one of the Wicked—princes of Hell she has been warned against in tales since she was a child. Wrath claims to be on Emilia's side, tasked by his master with solving the series of women's murders on the island. But when it comes to the Wicked, nothing is as it seems...[Goodreads]

6. The Woman in the Window by A. J. Finn

Anna Fox lives alone, a recluse in her New York City home, unable to venture outside. She spends her day drinking wine (maybe too much), watching old movies, recalling happier times . . . and spying on her neighbors. Then the Russells move into the house across the way: a father, a mother and their teenage son. The perfect family. But when Anna, gazing out her window one night, sees something she shouldn’t, her world begins to crumble and its shocking secrets are laid bare. What is real? What is imagined? Who is in danger? Who is in control? In this diabolically gripping thriller, no one—and nothing—is what it seems.[Goodreads]

7. Angelfall by Susan Ee

It's been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back. Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel. Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl. Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels' stronghold in San Francisco where she'll risk everything to rescue her sister and he'll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.[Goodreads]

8. Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller

If you are still mourning the last book of Sarah J Maas' Throne of Glass series, I highly recommend Miller's Mask of Shadows. The story follows Sallot who is training to be a royal assassin...but only if someone does not kill them first!

Sallot Leon is a thief, and a good one at that. But gender fluid Sal wants nothing more than to escape the drudgery of life as a highway robber and get closer to the upper-class—and the nobles who destroyed their home. When Sal steals a flyer for an audition to become a member of The Left Hand—the Queen’s personal assassins, named after the rings she wears—Sal jumps at the chance to infiltrate the court and get revenge. But the audition is a fight to the death filled with clever circus acrobats, lethal apothecaries, and vicious ex-soldiers. A childhood as a common criminal hardly prepared Sal for the trials. And as Sal succeeds in the competition, and wins the heart of Elise, an intriguing scribe at court, they start to dream of a new life and a different future, but one that Sal can have only if they survive.[Goodreads]

9. Any Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys Mystery

If your ideal read on a vacation is short but still encapsulates all the features of well-thought stories, then I highly recommend choosing a novel from either the Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys series. I might also recommend bringing several of these novels, particularly if you plan to travel for several days, as they might just leave you wanting more adventure after your first look.

10. Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold by Iain Reading

Reminiscent of the Nancy Drew series, this novel is for those who have read all the Nancy Drews and are looking for more history, action, and adventure!

Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold is the thrilling first installment in a new series of adventure mystery stories that are one part travel, one part history and five parts adventure. This first book of the Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency Series introduces Kitty Hawk, an intrepid teenage pilot with her own De Havilland Beaver seaplane and a nose for mystery and intrigue. A cross between Amelia Earhart, Nancy Drew and Pippi Longstocking, Kitty is a quirky young heroine with boundless curiosity and a knack for getting herself into all kinds of precarious situations. After leaving her home in the western Canadian fishing village of Tofino to spend the summer in Alaska studying humpback whales Kitty finds herself caught up in an unforgettable adventure involving stolen gold, devious criminals, ghostly shipwrecks, and bone-chilling curses. Kitty's adventure begins with the lingering mystery of a sunken ship called the Clara Nevada and as the plot continues to unfold this spirited story will have armchair explorers and amateur detectives alike anxiously following every twist and turn as they are swept along through the history of the Klondike Gold Rush to a suspenseful final climatic chase across the rugged terrain of Canada's Yukon, the harsh land made famous in the stories and poems of such writers as Jack London, Robert Service and Pierre Berton. It is a riveting tale that brings to glorious life the landscape and history of Alaska's inside passage and Canada's Yukon, as Kitty is caught up in an epic mystery set against the backdrop of the scenery of the Klondike Gold Rush. Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold is a perfect book to fire the imagination of readers of all ages. Filled with fascinating and highly Google-able locations and history this book will inspire anyone to learn and experience more for themselves as Kitty prepares for her next adventure - flying around the world![Goodreads]

Love,

newbookcats

What stories that you read on vacation were so noteworthy that it surpassed your trip experiences? Were any of the novels so good you felt forced to shout its praises from clifftops, or were any so bad that you hid the evidence of your bookish guilt in a dark cave for only Wilson volleyballs to find? Which of my above picks would receive Gold at the Olympics? Correspond with me in the comments below or via my social medias. Talk to you soon!

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[kuramirocket]

The air was polluted for three miles in any direction from the Asarco smelter plant, which was near the U.S.–Mexican border in El Paso, Texas.

After a 1970s CDC study showed that the mostly Mexican-American population of this Texas town had dangerously high blood lead levels, its buildings were demolished and its residents were booted.

The American Smelting and Refining Company owned a smelter in El Paso that, starting in 1910, refined hundreds of thousands of tons of lead and copper harvested from its mines in Mexico. It did so with the help of “an army of Mexican contract workers" according to a University of Houston associate professor of history.

Mexican workers who labored in Asarco mines began migrating north, lured by that new operation on the U.S. side of the border. Many settled on company land below the foothills of Mt. Cristo Rey. In the early years of the 20th century, Smeltertown lay outside El Paso city limits, a few miles from the city’s downtown.

By this time, Smeltertown had evolved from a small border town into an industrial hub for ASARCO. In 1900, Smeltertown had a population of 2,721. By 1920, the number grew to 3,119. Of this number, 95% were Mexican.

Smeltertown was designed by ASARCO to revolve all aspects of life around smelting. By creating a monopoly over labor in the town, the company could max their potential output for profit. To do this, managers needed an untainted focus on smelting at all hours of the day. Therefore, ASARCO strategically planned Smeltertown to invite and keep laborers.

The most enticing method in which ASARCO attracted foreign labor was company provided housing. Small tenement style apartments were constructed for all migrant employees. Located a short walk from the factory, it ensured that smelting was always on the minds of their workers. Homes lacked electricity, indoor plumbing, or furnished floors. These conditions were intentional. Not only did a lack of appliances keep costs cheap for ASARCO, it also kept laborers out of the comfort of their homes and therefore smelting more frequently.

A home in Smeltertown, April 27, 1957, University of Texas at El Paso Library Special Collections Department, Cassola Studio Photographs, PH 041

Racial Hierarchy

Smtertown was divided into an upper section, El Alto, where the Anglo managers lived, and a lower section, El Bajo, where the Mexican workers lived.

Migrants were easily exploited by Anglos in positions of power. St. John describes, “The borderlands labor market was segmented by race… working-class ethnic Mexicans who labored as cowboys, miners, and smelter workers earned lower wages and were denied better-paying jobs in favor of Anglo-Americans and European immigrants."

Poverty in Smeltertown could be extreme. Residents built and invested in their homes, but the company owned the land. As in other single-industry towns, Smeltertown’s residents fashioned their own way of life in the world the company made, one marked by inequality, racial segregation, and corporate paternalism.

This discrimination was most noticeable in the physical makeup of Smeltertown itself. Company owners and managers lived atop the hill in the gated Smelter Terrace, coined the "hidden oasis." These Anglos enjoyed paved driveways, green lawns, and swimming pools. A woman who grew up in Smeltertown notes, “I never went to Smelter Terrace, and I assume my mother did not either. There was no interaction between the workers and management children, I am now ashamed to say.”

On the contrary, blue collar immigrants lived at the bottom of the hill in adobe shacks that lacked running water and electricity. These row style living quarters were designed for single men working the smelting factory. Thus, when families followed along across the border, they were forced to squeeze into these tiny spaces. Children often slept on the dirt floors in order to fit everyone comfortably.

According to Daniel Solis, a former resident, “Smeltertown essentially was an eyesore for El Paso” an embarrassment to city officials and the company.

Sewage and water systems were built by the residents.

Daily Pollution Ignored by the City

The residents of Smeltertown also experienced the discomforts of living with ASARCO’s emissions on a daily basis. Sulfur dioxide, a major by-product of smelting, creates foul odors and can cause breathing problems and irritation of the eyes, throat and lungs. Daniel Solis recalls:

"In July and August … our folks would bring us into the house, because the smoke, the pollution, the sulfur, would settle into our community for about 2 or 3 hours every day in the mid-day when there was no breeze to take it away. When we would breathe that, we could not be outside because we were constantly coughing. So nobody can tell me that there was no ill effect on the majority of the folks that lived in Smeltertown."

Mary Romero writes that Smeltertown families tried early on to get the city to respond to problems of pollution.

Residents had organized in the 1950’s in an unsuccessful attempt to get the city to pave Smeltertown streets and thus control the dust problem. Several parents had sought medical attention for children born with brain damage and other illnesses; not one case, however, had been diagnosed as lead poisoning. Past attempts to label health problems as pollution-related illnesses had been unsuccessful.

Given the arduous work and poor living conditions, everyday lives of workers consisted of making the most of their situation.

ASARCO's company reign did not stop at housing. They constructed all resources necessary to function in Smeltertown in order to keep Mexicans from finding work elsewhere. Examine the list below to see all facets of life ASARCO controlled for their laborers.

Company Owned Estbalishments

Hospital

Supermarket

General Store

Jail

Post Office

A Closer Look: Company Store

The company store stocked items adapted to the needs of an isolated industrial community. Citizens could buy groceries, clothing, and even ship mail from the facility. The Smelter Store functioned by extending credit to workers that would eventually deduct from their weekly paycheck. ASARCO kept prices relatively high in comparison to their laborers' respective salaries in order to keep workers hungry for the money necessary to pay. Angel Luján, a former smelter explains, “it was like I owe my soul to the company store." Most laborers lived on a paycheck to paycheck basis due to this loan structure designed by ASARCO. To live a standard lifestyle in Smeltertown, Mexicans had to "sign away their paycheck and their lives" to the company.

“A Silent Poison”

In March 1971, a team of Epidemic Intelligence Service officers from the CDC arrived to investigate lead exposure connected to the Asarco smelter.

The El Paso City–County health commissioner, had called the CDC after his department discovered that Asarco was discharging large quantities of lead and other metallic wastes into the air. Between 1969 and 1971, the smelter’s stacks had spewed more than 1,000 tons of lead, 560 tons of zinc, 12 tons of cadmium, and 1.2 tons of arsenic into the atmosphere. Soil studies showed the highest concentrations of lead and other metals in surface soil closest to the smelter—essentially, in Smeltertown. 

Smeltertown children on the way to school in a horse-drawn wagon, El Paso, ca. 1900, El Paso Historical Society

Although the CDC team found no cases of overt lead poisoning, 43 percent of people in all age groups and 62 percent of children 10 and under living within one mile of the smelter had blood lead levels of at least 40 micrograms per deciliter. That’s eight times the level at which the CDC recommends a full-fledged public health response today.

The CDC team quickly followed up with a second study in Smeltertown in 1972, examining the health consequences of lead exposure in children. The CDC team administered IQ tests and a finger-tapping test of physical reflexes to the Smeltertown kids with elevated blood levels; a control group of children with blood lead levels below 40 micrograms per deciliter was also tested. The study found that children with elevated blood lead levels tested as many as seven points lower on the IQ test than the control group; they also showed much slower reaction times on the physical reflexes test.

Initially, the families reacted to the disclosures of lead contamination with great concern and cooperated with the research teams and doctors who came to test and treat the children. Some children were taken out of the community to be tested—the 4 year-old sister of Daniel Solis was taken to Chicago, although, as Daniel recounts, “She had never been to the airport, much less on an airplane.” Most of the children were treated at local hospitals, using chelation therapy, a drug regimen designed to remove heavy metals from the blood. The treatment is painful, and can be prolonged.

Daniel recalls that his young siblings were terrified of the painful injections.

This is what scientists now know: Lead in the air or in dust, paint, or fumes can work its way into the human body. In children, lead can permanently damage the brain and nervous system. It can slow a child’s growth and development. It can cause learning, hearing, speech, and behavior problems. Studies—the Smeltertown study being among the first—have linked early-childhood lead exposure to reduced IQ, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, juvenile delinquency, and criminal behavior, according to the CDC.

The consequences of early-childhood lead exposure can be moderated by educational enrichment, something that may not be readily available in poor communities with fewer opportunities and resources.

The pediatrician who led the CDC team stated, “I’m convinced one of the reasons our society has allowed it to go on is because the effects disproportionately fall on poor and minority children. In Smeltertown, people were almost universally immigrants from Mexico.”

During the trial, Ken Nelson, Director of Environmental Sciences for ASARCO, testified that lead contamination in Smeltertown had been “overlooked” by the company ASARCO officials said it had “never occurred” to them to include Smeltertown in the company’s air pollution monitoring system.

Asarco fought hard against the notion that the elevated blood lead levels in Smeltertown had anything to do with the smelter, or that lead exposure was harming children’s development.

The company claimed that elevated blood lead levels were caused by lead paint and gasoline emissions. It commissioned its own parallel study of the health effects in children and found no evidence of IQ loss. But the findings by the health department and the CDC team contradicted the company’s. The closer to the smelter the sample, the higher the concentrations of lead in the air, dust, and soil; human blood levels mimicked that pattern. And the CDC's team findings on the children’s IQ and physical reflexes were irrefutable.

It is worth noting that despite their groundbreaking nature, the study findings received little national attention at the time; A report by the New York Times in 1972 was the lone article that the newspaper wrote about Smeltertown.

As part of the settlement, the city and Asarco decided Smeltertown would be demolished, its residents forced to relocate. In October 1972, not two years after the lead studies began—eviction notices went out to all Smeltertown residents ordering them to clear out of their homes by January 1.

It should also be noted that the demolition of Smeltertown represented the least expensive solution for the city and ASARCO.

A statement by ASARCO’s physician that if Smeltertown had been allowed to remain, it would have required a greater commitments of funds and services than either the city or company was willing to provide.

The demolition of Smeltertown did not solve the problem of ASARCO’s emissions. Although the problem was first defined as a community health problem; it was later redefined as a problem specific to Smeltertown.

Restricting government action to Smeltertown fulfilled several objectives for various local interest groups. Business and industry were reassured that environmental policies would not threaten future growth. Pollution abatement would be placed second to economic stability, and therefore the chances of plant shutdowns or corporate flight were lessened … city and state officials were able to ignore contamination and possible health threats in other parts of Texas, New Mexico and Mexico.

Daniel Solis argues that the eradication of Smeltertown destroyed a significant part of Mexican-American history in El Paso. Like Romero, he points out that the solution chosen by the city and the company redirected attention away from the wider problems of contamination that was affecting children, workers and communities in the region.

The problems resulting from ASARCO’s emissions resurfaced continually over the years of ASARCO's operations in El Paso. Although the plant closed in 1999, the toxic contamination from ASARCO continued to be the focus of community struggles with the company, as community members pressed for information about the extent of contamination on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border.

Everything that made up Smeltertown—every home and shop—would be bulldozed. Everything but the smelter itself, which would run for another 26 years.

Tight-Knit Comunidad

Mechanical department workers at Asarco, November 16, 1950

Outside of the work itself, laborers grew to establish unique cultural communities through their shared experiences. By mutually bonding over the challenges posed by the comany town, Esmeltianos banded together. Mexican migrants created their own binational "Mexican town" in Smeltertown.

Many Mexicans created their own Mexican establishments such as general stores, restaurants, and push cart vendors. Providing a wide labor market, El Paso inspired many Esmeltianos to extend their communities outside the company lines of Smeltertown. By 1930, various Mexican neighborhoods and establishments sprawled out in the El Bajo area, completely unaffiliated with ASARCO. One such example was the town YMCA, developed as a communal space for Mexican children to socialize and exercise. Efforts like these developed a deeper kinship in Smeltertown, away from the grave reality of smelting for a company. Instead, Mexicans claimed the borderlands as their own by branding cultural ties to the region.

Simple beautfication projects such as gardening gave citizens agency over the lives they lived in Smeltertown. Esmeltianos placed a large focus on simple tasks that emphasized aspects of life away from the company. Across the highway, many of the adobe shacks rented by the families were transformed with household money. They did not earn any home equity or even reimbursement for their efforts, just the pride in making a comfortable home for their families. In doing so, Smeltertown veered further and further away from the corporate grasp of ASARCO. Esmeltianos curated their community by naming streets and organizing sub barrios of El Bajo with Mexican influence. The combination of these efforts manifested into a town with a purpose far deeper than smelting.

What was originally intended to be a regimented camp strategized to produce maximum smelting output morphed into a binational community dense with culture. ASARCO may have owned Smeltertown, but it was its Mexican inhabitants that transformed the border town into a vibrant community.

Rubén Escandon has been collecting oral histories about the town for years from his own relatives and others as a member of the committee that protects Mt. Cristo Rey and the giant white cross Smeltertown residents erected at its peak.

“Everybody knew everybody,” says Escandon, who was born in 1965 in the satellite community of La Calavera, or Skull Canyon, near the Smelter Cemetery.

Gabe Flores, born and raised in Smeltertown in the 1940s and ’50s, remembers that the local señoras would pay him a few coins to walk hot lunches of caldo de res (beef stew), tacos, and fresh corn tortillas up the hill to the smelter men, who would be black with soot. When times were lean, Flores recalls, neighbors would borrow from each other: a little food, money, whatever was needed.

“It was all family,” he says. “Nobody was ashamed. Everybody was the same. Maybe they went through harder times and just realized they had to help each other. The fact that we would help each other, it bonded us together.”

Gloria Peña, an El Paso field nurse independently contracted to help with the lead testing in Smeltertown, recognized “the deep sense of loss” residents felt at the prospect of losing their community. “This is the beauty of our language because when you say ‘community’ it doesn’t have the same impact on us as if you say ‘comunidad.’ That is what Smeltertown had.”

A blood test being prepared for one of 500 children being tested for blood lead poisoning, March 30, 1973

Former resident, Cecilia Flores Marquez stated about her three children, “When they were young, no [they did not have health issues]. But they are having issues now.” Her youngest daughter became allergic to metal in her 30s, she says—something the doctors say could be related to the lead exposure.

There were no long-term studies of the former residents of Smeltertown to measure the health outcomes of their exposure to lead. Today former residents are left guessing whether this or that disability, defect, or illness could have been caused by lead. They have no way of knowing for sure.

Smeltertown after it closed down, January 5, 1973

Asarco would run its smelter for another quarter century after bulldozing Smeltertown. It was not until the decline of world copper prices in 1999 that the smelter halted production and the company mothballed the facility, keeping only a skeleton crew on board. Ten years later, the smelter sat silently on the bluff, atop a century’s worth of hardened black slag.

Asarco’s towering smokestacks finally came down in 2013. Today there is almost nothing left of the company or Smeltertown but the slag-coated hillside and the graves in the Smelter Cemetery.

Sources: (×) (×) (x)

[actorguy104]

Imagine being a 9 year old boy who was still trying to find out where to fit in. you have tried baseball, soccer, and even considered fencing. Then suddenly you are in a theatre, the hobby center in Houston to be exact. Suddenly the lights dim and then a huge orchestra booms throughout the theatre, the organ blares through you, you feel like it could blow your hair back, and then you are introduced to a man simply known as THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. cut to the end of act one where suddenly this phantom appears in mid air on top of a floating statue looking like a fallen angel, and then he belts out YOU WILL CURSE THE DAY YOU DID NOT DO ALLL THAT THE PHANTOM ASK OF YOUU. Then after that, during intermission you turn to your mom and say " I wanna do stuff like that". Yeah that ladies and gentleman is what Phantom of the Opera did for me. Tonight is the closing night of phantom on Broadway and I have been a low key emotional mess. I am so grateful that I got to see it on a class trip back in 2014 with Norm Lewis as the phantom no less. If you ask me Broadway will never be the same without phantom, but the show must go on right?

Broadway or not the Phantom will always have a theatre in my heart and the music of the night will never end so long as I keep doing the things that 9 year old me was so inspired by all those years ago. So happy closing to the cast of Phantom of the Opera,

it's over now the music of the night

[playedbetter]

Dallas' Father

Mr. Steele was a distant father to Nathan and a difficult husband for Mrs. Steele. He rarely had time for Nathan, instead focusing on his white collar job and providing for the family and their middle class lifestyle.

He was somebody who earned his life.

Nathan was a lot closer to his stay at home mother, who confided in him about the troubles she was having with his father, which as a child he tried to comfort her about. As he got older and his little brother was born it became frequent for him to hear them argue. He also overheard that his dad was abusing drugs of some kind.

Mr. Steele left the family and disappeared when Nathan was 14 and Houston was 1. In his wake their mother had to start working and so did Nathan to try to provide a middle class life to his mom and little brother. His fist job was at a car wash that he was unaware was a laundering front. Eventually as he got older he'd learn, and he'd use those connections for a better shot at providing for himself and others.

When he started making real money, and getting involved with the Mafia, Nathan sent money home under his father's name, trying to make it seem like willing child support. His mom saw through it, but didn't see fit to tell Houston.

As an adult Nathan did eventually track down where his dad ended up. The answer was rather unfortunate as the man had his life take a tailspin after leaving his family, and ended up dying of an overdose.

Nathan never would forgive the drug trade for the harm it did to his family, and hated when the gang had to work with it. He also swore to never take anything stronger than nicotine or alcohol recreationally, knowing he could easily fall to the same habit that his dad did to manage the stress.

[heraheir]

GET TO KNOW THE MUSE

Name: Camilo Alejandro Cruz

Deity Connection: Champion of Hera

Nickname(s): Cammy

Age: 20

Date of Birth: December 12

Religion: N/A

Place of Birth: Houston, TX

Race / Ethnicity: Mexican and Italian - German

Gender: Cis Male

Pronouns: He/Him

FAMILY

Father: Hector Cruz

Mother: Maria Cruz

Siblings: Thalia, Edward, Ricardo

Children: None

APPEARANCE

Height: 5'8"

Weight: 150lbs

Build: Slim- Athletic

Hair Color: Black, brown highlights

Eye Color: Dark Brown

Usual Expression: Bright with a room lightning smile.

Tattoos: None

Piercings: none

Clothing style - He has a mixture of flamboyant and masculine styles. Often sheer or see through tops or crop tops mixed with blue jeans. Or polo shirts or jerseys complemented with booty hugging shorts. He is very fond of his shoes, he will always be in a pair of Air Jordans, Nikes, or Chuck Tyalors.

Distinguishing Features: Soft Boyish Looks, Bright and Innocent Smile.

PERSONALITY

Positive Traits: Nurturing and Kind

Negative Traits: Passive and Emotional

Hobbies & Interests: Medicine, Gardening, Swimming, Writing, Music

Sleeping habits: He tends to wake up early in the morning no matter how late he goes to sleep. And when he has the opportunity, he loves to shower before bed because he doesn't sleep well if he has the dirt of the day on him, or enjoy the cool breeze of the night.

Living Arrangements: Hera's Cabin

Position: Bottom

BIOGRAPHY

He grew up in a upper middle class family, where he didn't want for much but his family still worked hard to maintain everything that they had.

He was always a outgoing kid, but he was never one that was wild and playful like most boys - he was someone that would tend to gardens, cook, clean, and things that the girls or women did, it often pissed his father off, because he wanted all of his son's to be tough - but his eldest brother and his mother always protected him from his father's traditional viewpoints.

His school life was very fun for him, because he was popular and fit in with a lot of the crowds - he was cool and laid back, so he could fit in with the popular crowd or those that didn't care to be seen or recognized.

He got his first boyfriend in high school and it was a big deal, because he was captain of the lacrosse team and his boyfriend captain of the football team - they were the couple of the year. But little did Cammy know was the cheer captain was sleeping with his boyfriend... everyone knew. And it wasn't until a high school party that he found out. Embarrassed, hurt, and scorned Cammy wanted to act out and do something dangerous - but he felt a presence... a Godly presence that stopped him and told him to move on.

It wasn't another two years when he felt that presence... when he was in the same situation, he had forgive said boyfriend, but he was back dealing with his infidelity and this time he was about to show his boyfriend and the mistress his wrath - but before he could he was met by Hera. And she told him that she was picking him to be her Champion.

Leading him to head towards the camp to learn how to fully be a Champion or whatever that meant.

TBC.....

[calypso-finale]

Hundred Eleven. Part 7

Tianna keep giving me the side eye and I don’t know, maybe it’s because I just wanted to go to Houston and then be there for a few days, but I guess she wants to do this, but she is taking forever in the bathroom “Cench, come here bro” YB said, getting up from the seat “does that mean we staying here in Kansas?” Rimz asked and I just shrugged nothing I can do with that, I guess we are really “we need to go, what you mean staying here bro?” licking my top lip “erm Rylee wants to erm, take me out” I shrugged “ok but she can do that in Houston, bro we have time and a place. The bus is waiting we need to go, we got to keep to the schedule” I don’t know what he want me to do “grow some balls and just say it” I laughed “I did say it, but I saw the look on her face, look just go, you and everyone else go, I will meet you in Houston and whatever, just go” what else can I say “you really just going to stay behind? I hope you get your dick wet for this, Rimz!” YB walked around “Tianna and YB come, we going leaving these two here, unless you staying behind Tianna?” I mean I wish that she could have done it in Houston but it’s not that deep really, I will catch a flight to Houston “ok bro, talk to me and make sure you tell me when you coming” dapping him “Tianna is staying behind, she crashing your meal” I chuckled, my eyes bulged out “what is this?” I pointed at Rylee “oh” Rimz said “we going to eat” Rylee said but she is dressed, like I mean dressed with the high waist split, oh she showing legs, dragging my eyes down. Licking my bottom lip and dragging my eyes back up, peeping Rimz just rubbing his chin “why are you still here bro?” he laughed “nah, nah I am going. I was just telling you look amazing; I mean no I mean. Have an amazing time” rolling my eyes “bro just fuck off” pushing him as he left “yes sister” Ti said that dress went to places, she looks amazing “you should have said?” she never told me anything, I am stood here with a tee and cut offs, she ain’t said shit, I look lame now “tell you what, I said we going for a meal. And Oakley, this is you. So I accept that, I am going to get my bag be back” smiling at her as she walked off, oh Rylee look too good “she looks good doesn’t she, have fun” Ti smiled “are you staying behind?” I pointed “yep, see you tomorrow, have fun” that smirk alone is giving something, she knows something I don’t.

I look so odd, I mean I don’t care but she could have said, I would have worn some jeans instead but the whole staff is looking at me like I do not deserve but I guess whatever “it’s weird” I said looking at the menu “what you mean weird? Because it isn’t a chicken shop” I chuckled “erm maybe, just very upper class but I could have put on some jeans, my stuff is on the bus, I have no clothes? Wait, that just hit me, now I have no clothes. I have to get a hotel now too to leave in the morning for Houston” now I have to plan it all myself “why you sat there just planning, just relax. Everything will be fine, I promise you let’s just have fun and eat this lovely seafood, ok?” I grinned “yeah” the waiter came back over “can I have another water please and thank you” Rylee grinned “we in a fancy place and you still having water, I am paying you know” I pulled a face “why? Let me pay, I don’t mind you know?” Rylee shook her head “I took you out, so shut up. So you like my dress? I bought that when I went out with my sister” she looks so proud of it “so you bought that for me?” I pointed at myself “well, who else” my smile grew “nah, I am just, I don’t know. But you look amazing, like wow. This whole fit, I mean dress. I look at you and I think what the fuck am I doing with you, like how. Shit is wild, and I don’t know. But you look amazing, I don’t deserve you” Rylee put her head down, she is blushing “no Oakley, I do not deserve you. The way you have forgiven me for what I have been like, I do not actually deserve such a good man, you have a good heart and I really want us to start a new chapter. The both of us, you know like you was saying” rubbing my face “I have said a lot” I laughed “so you was joking” furrowing my eyebrows “nah, not saying that” I think she got offended by that “I need the bathroom” I huffed out.

She is banging, her body is fucking amazing and them boobs, my god “why did you go to the bathroom, I wasn’t joking with what I said. I do remember it, I think it’s hard when you think you don’t deserve me, and it sounds weird but like, they don’t know what happened really but me Lee, I do forgive you so if like you want us to move then it has to be fully, you cannot be tracking back to what happened, or anything. Same with me like shit can’t be about what happened to you, but you already know that, like physically Rylee, you look so fucking bomb. Like shit, me compared to you, man I am lucky to have you. I love you, and when I look at you my heart skips a beat sometimes, and shit sounds corny but it’s true, when I see you, any time. When I pick up Aziel, when I just see you any day, any time. I get shy, it’s weird but I fucking just have feelings that I still can’t explain, I erm, I love you a lot and out of my love for you I would do anything for you, and that don’t mean I accept anything, but I know, like in my heart I know that you are sorry, and I see you have been working on you a lot, and I appreciate it and it doesn’t go unnoticed. You have grown a lot, I see it” she has become a woman, I see it “thank you, I appreciate that you see that because it’s only you that I want to care about me like that, and Oakley you say you have these feelings, so do I. I always wanted a man like my dad and” she is smiling “he is right here, you are what I want, and I want it, what can I say, I can’t lie and say it’s just friends because it isn’t, you fit into my family so much and my parents treat you like their son, and I love to see it. I think my parents would disown me if I ever hurt you and I respect that because you deserve to be loved” putting my head down “you deserve it Oakley” I swallowed hard “not easy though” I mumbled.

Rylee is a baddie, that thigh split is giving and I want it bad “I have sorted it” she said walking back over to me, her body is the one “hey” she waved in my face “yeah, you get the room” she nodded her head “I will walk you to your room” nodding my head “I feel like a bitch, I am supposed to walk you to your room, you go first” I gestures “so you can see my ass” I chuckled not denying it, I want that badly but we being good. Pressing the elevator button “what floor? Since you paying for everything, better be penthouse with your tight ass” walking into the room “trust me, it is” seeing that she pressed the top floor “oh so you got me top floor? All to myself” she shrugged “maybe, maybe not” smirking at her “cool” pressing my lips into a hard thin line, her body looks so good “you really look beautiful Rylee, wow” I said again, and she got so shy “stop it, embrace it, you are beautiful. And you deserve the world, whoever that lucky man is” she is so cute “this is me then” the doors opened but it’s already on the floor “woah?” I said and then peeping the roses “huh” looking at Rylee “after you” she just said, “I am confused” she shushed me “please, let me do this for you” staring into her eyes “me?” I pointed; this is not what happens to me “for me?” I said again the elevator door about to close “just get out!” Rylee spat “for you” she added, I am shocked like what the fuck is happening, roses for me.

I am in shock, it’s something I didn’t think would be happening to me, who does this for a guy though “what” I said seeing the bed “Rylee what is this?” I said pointing seeing the bed is just filled with flowers, there is champagne, and then a photo frame with both of us on there, looking behind me “really?” She just smiled at me “I wanted to surprise” I am stumped, I don’t know what to say “wow” holding my hands out and she placed her hands in mine “I am shocked, I don’t know what to say you know” pulling her into me as I hugged her “you deserve to be loved too, men deserve it too” this is so weird to see, I don’t even know what to say. She is too romantic for me sometimes “this is, a lot” moving back from the hug “in a good way?” Nodding my head, she tried to move back “I’ll be back” she said to me “where you going” leaning down to peck her lips but she moved her head back “I need the bathroom, I’ll be back” nodding my head “alright” nodding my head as she walked off, she turned back to me smiling, she is driving me crazy “wow” walking around the bed, this is crazy. Picking the photo up of Rylee and I “this picture, was this just after you had Aziel?” I am sure I am right “yeah, how do you know” I grinned “observant like that” I grinned, that is cute. Turning around to place the frame on side “my clothes?” I said, I didn’t even peep that “I didn’t want you complaining about clothes” she has planned all this “wow” nodding my head smiling, she thought ahead. I sighed out “what you doing?” She taking ages “that seafood backing up on you” I laughed “Oakley, shut up!” She spat; I can’t believe how she planned this out. Getting my phone out, YB has messaged me, but he’s just said that he’s booked my flight tickets, he’s a good guy for that. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, answering Wadz call “bro” I said, “I woke up and you ain’t here” I chuckled “I don’t know you know, Lee kidnapped me and I’m in a room with rose petals and shit” Wadz snorted laughing “she proposing to you!?” I shrugged “bro I don’t even know, but yeah. Maybe” Wadz sniggered “you going to say yeah?” Wadz is stupid “be quiet, that is so dumb, but I feel like a shy bride right now. This is crazy, you wouldn’t believe it, a guy like me though. Come on, just sat on the bed full of rose petals” Wadz is laughing at me “you’re full on being proposed too, she knows you the bitch in the relationship” he’s got jokes “aye, rumour has it you know. Juke and Imani been getting close” I groaned “I beg please make sure you don’t allow it, you be on their ass. You get him, he’s a dumbass” Juke fucking up my vibe with Rylee with this shit “can you get off the phone!” Rylee spat “uh damn I’ve been told to come off; I’ll speak to you soon bro” Wadz ain’t even speaking he’s laughing so hard right now so I just disconnected the call “why?” I asked, she is crazy “because” she said as she came from around the corner, my eyes bulged out in shock.

Morning call with Damson is the sweetest thing, the way he always sends the morning messages or if he is on set like today he is still talking to me or he just has me on the phone while he works and I just listen “I am so tired peaches” I am going to kill him “why do you keep calling me peaches, please stop” I sound awful in the morning, I hate it but he loves it “why don’t you go to sleep, I am sure they are done now on set right?” I am sure they are done now “I am waiting for the SUV but yeah I am done, so what did you decide, are you staying behind now? Come on set and see the real peaches” I scoffed “yeah whatever but I have decided to stay in LA now, also Oakley is staying in LA for a while too so I am staying at my sister home and he will be there” he let out an oh “is your crazy ex still on your case, if you need me to protect you I got Jerome for you, Jerome Saint” he knows damn well “I need a real man please” I said “I promise you now that is not Oakley” we both laughed “hey, leave him. He is so sweet, he said he would protect me, one second” answering the call from Rylee “are you awake?” she asked but of course I am, I answered did I not “yeah I am, why?” I wonder what happened now “I will come down to you” she put the phone down “I have to go now, but text me when you get back to your place. And I cannot wait to meet your onset family, it’s cute that you want them to see me though” he is really adamant “I have a plan Tianna, but I shall text you and speak to you soon, take care” I would speak to him longer but Rylee will be here any moment “take care, bye” disconnecting the call, that was so nice.

Opening the door to my sister and I just raised an eyebrow as soon as I saw her, oh she gave me a giggle “I’m guessing good news” she walked into me and just hugged me “oh this is extra good news Rylee” hugging her back and walking into the room with her “you come to drop details, where is he?” She is skipping, this girl is too happy so it went well, she fell onto my bed “he’s asleep, like he isn’t waking up I fear, that man is knocked out. I fear he is gone, I mean he is asleep but I tried waking him but he’s asleep, like a deep one” I cackled sitting down “so what happened; you’re happy. I did worry, I was waiting on your call” crossing my legs Indian style ��so when he entered the room he was like what the fuck is this shit, I don’t get it and he was very much thrown back by it, I was like oh shit, this is like a honeymoon suite, I was sweating at that point, so I said wait there I’ll be back, he was still bewildered, he was weirded out by it, so I put on the lingerie. Sprayed a little something and walked out” Rylee is giggling “shut up bitch, keep going!” I spat “so I walked out, his mouth fell open like he wasn’t ready at all, he dropped his phone and he didn’t even bother to pick it up, so I thought let me do a little slut drop, I did and erm, yeah I picked it up, placed it on the side, he was so quiet Ti. So I’m like I need to play this shit out, my hands on his legs I just pushed them open, his eyes widened and I just thought, I need to do this” she covered her face “oh my god, I can’t believe I did that. Face to face, I did that, I controlled him. Me” I fist pumped and then gave her high five “he was the bitch wasn’t he?” She nodded her head “he was under my spell like he was well and truly just was doing anything I say, he was shocked and he got hard so quick” I snorted “but then he wouldn’t stop, I got tired so he then went on top of me instead but he was giving me eye contract, like it was deep” I clapped my hands together “and that’s how you do it, you ran the show. You’re glowing, your happiness is radiating” she stifled out a yawn “I need to brush my teeth” I pulled a face “girl, take your ass somewhere else. But now, you know what to do, hear me out. He’s asleep, get room service. Bring breakfast in, wake him. Feed him and then send him on his way by giving him a little goodbye sex” waving her off to go “how do you know this shit?” She asked “keeping men is easy Rylee, you both at that stage anyways, you know him, he knows you. Just this is going to get you married, I am helping. But sorry if you get pregnant” Rylee scoffed “never” she walked off, least it worked for them both, I mean really she was ready and he was ready.

I was not waiting for them, I needed lunch, I had to do late checkout and pay that fee so I went to the cafe down the road and waiting for them really, Damson messaged that he got back safely. Rolling my eyes, my to do list is my number change when I get back to LA, I can’t be dealing with this because Taylan is too much, he is begging me back and saying I know you’re in America, of course he knows it was posted but still, I can’t live my life hiding from him because I refuse, he was a lesson in my life and it was lesson learnt from him “you want anything?” Dragging my eyes up seeing Oakley and Rylee are here hand in hand too “erm, get me another Latte please” a small smile played on my face watching Oakley lean to Rylee and kissed her cheek, oh it’s worked. She sat down across from me “I am sore now, officially. I wasn’t before” I snorted laughing “you got him sister, you have him. You got him, listen to me. Don’t fuck it up now, please. He doesn’t deserve to be hurt either” Rylee shook her head “no never, I won’t. I want him, I am sad I’m going but Grace said Aziel is not well but he’s said that I’m not there, I don’t want that either. I feel so close to him, he held my hand I didn’t hold his” I grinned “imagine it, if Damson and I make it, we could be neighbours” Rylee clapped her hands laughing “I pray” Oakley made his way back over to us “she will bring it over to us” he sat down “don’t tell me you’re sore too” he looked at me laughing “be quiet, you know everything don’t look at me like that” I shrugged smiling “I don’t actually” Oakley placed his hand on the back of Rylee chair, tilting my head to the side “less heavy now?” He shrugged “you’re silly” he shook his head “well we will be dealing with each other with me staying” he rolled his eyes “awww Oakley looks so good, happiness is beaming through” this man is too happy “how many times” I asked “a few” I chuckled “well isn’t this the reunion we needed” I am glad really “need it official soon, so my mother can put her guns down, at this point she will have you in makeup next” my mother don’t give up “you seen what lingerie she had?” Nodding my head “of course, she got a good body” that smirk from Oakley, it made me laugh out “you are whipped, my god. Good girl Rylee” she did herself proud “that mouth do more then just talk” he sighed out smirking to himself “baby number two on the way” Rylee groaned out “bitch shut up” I grinned “TT baby number two” I just know it, I sense it, it’s in the air “I didn’t expect to be a dad to one so that would be crazy to think” Rylee shushed him “this is why you don’t think pookie” laughing at Rylee, she better hope those swimmers don’t work at all, I know she bought no condoms.

[tallulahcarter]

full name: tallulah monqiue carter

nicknames: lulu, lu, lala, tiger

age: 27

star sign: june 18th (gemini)

hometown: fairford, wa

occupation: part time fitness coach at fitness factory

pronouns/gender: she/her, cis female

time in town: 26 years (away for training and olympics)

current residence: house share in coral coast

tw please be aware that this bio contains mentions of unsuccessful surgery, disability, and prescription drugs

general facts

tallulah carter started out her existence by stealing the spotlight from her twin -- a habit that never really stopped. while lulu was expected, her completely blocked her brother out in the first sonogram images.

as a child, she was was an agile and talented daredevil -- attempting to climb trees and scale bookshelves almost as soon as she could walk. looking to channel her athetlicism (or just to at least wear her out), her parents enrolled her in gymnastics classes at the age of three.

she quickly excelled past the other children her age level, flying past sommersalts and cartwheels in exchange for handsprings and balance beam tricks. she was crowned the youth champion at every compeition in the state, which was followed by being recruited by team USA coaches when she was eleven years old.

while she stayed on top of her schooling, the rigourous training as far more appealing to lu, having her full focus while she handled most other things on autopilot

joined USA olympic gymnastics team as an alternate at fifteen, formal member at nineteen and again twenty three -- closest she got to the podium was a fourth for vault (she missed out by a 10th of a point)

determined to make one more run and finally get a medal, tallulah was relentless in maintaining her training (something every one of her coaches advised her against), pushing herself over the limit the way she had seen many great atheletes do in order to become the best

years of training and competition had taken their toll, and tallulah was required to get hip surgery in hopes to repairing the damage. unfortunately, the surgery didn't heal correctly -- lulu was forced so retire from gymnastics at the age of twenty-five

as a result of the surgery ending poorly, tallulah was given prescription drugs to manage the constant pain. when she started physical therapy she was told to slowly wean herself off of them, but she wasn't able to cope. after a tumultous eight months and a hard rock bottom, she was sent to rehab.

has been out of rehab about six weeks at the time of arrival to the game

personality

blunt, sarcastic, doesn't pull punches, high expectations, fun-loving, lost, holds grudges, petty, protective

fun facts

while not a "fun" fact, please note that tallulah walks with the aid of an elbow crutch

smoothie obsessive -- if you can blend it, she'll find a way to put it in a smoothie

bisexual and has been publically out since the age of 14

lost a brand deal with covergirl after her oxy habit was discovered

karaoke song of choice is 'so emotional' by whitney houston

has broken approximately two playstation controllers over lost rounds of mario kart

current connections

twin brother @thaddcarter

older sister @its-blakecarter

high school ex turned best buddy @mackmontgomery

wanted connections

childhood friends, coworkers, exes from all ages, fwb, roommates, neighbors, drinking buddies etc

i'm open to any and all other ideas you may have too if something sparks to mind!

hmu on discord at bendela#8730

[nsfwhiphop]

Part 9 - Incoming Text for Gabrielle Union-Wade (@itsgabrielleu) and Rihanna (@rihanna) and Lauren London (@laurenlondon) and Kim Kardashian (@kimkardashian) - “An Idea Worth 500 Million Dollars”

Question:

"Could you please explain to Gabrielle, Rihanna, Lauren, and Kim that they need to reach out to Bokeem Woodbine to play the role of a boxing coach from Houston, Texas, in the reimagined Top Secret supernatural fantasy crime thriller reboot?"

To explain Bokeem's role as a boxing coach in the film, you could say:

"Bokeem portrays a dedicated and gritty boxing coach, embodying a mentor figure who not only trains the protagonist in boxing techniques but also instills discipline, resilience, and the mental strength needed to face life's challenges. His character serves as both a physical and emotional cornerstone for the lead, guiding them through struggles in and out of the ring."

This description highlights his role's depth and the impact he has on the story.

Here is the wiki link with his name:

Bokeem Woodbine - (click on the blue link)

ChatGPT Answer:

Certainly! Here’s a point-by-point detailed explanation to clarify why Gabrielle, Rihanna, Lauren, and Kim should reach out to Bokeem Woodbine for this role in the reimagined Top Secret:

1. The Role of the Boxing Coach and Its Importance:

The character of the boxing coach is central to the storyline in the Top Secret reboot. As a mentor figure, the coach must guide and inspire the protagonist (or another key character) while embodying the rugged, determined persona of someone who has dedicated their life to the sport. Set in Houston, Texas, this role also requires cultural authenticity and a strong sense of place, connecting the character’s backstory to the region’s boxing legacy.

2. Why Bokeem Woodbine Is Perfect for the Role:

Bokeem Woodbine is an actor known for his versatility and ability to bring depth to his characters. Let’s examine why he’s an ideal fit:

Gravitas and Emotional Range: Woodbine has portrayed a variety of characters with complexity and intensity. Whether playing a calm yet intense mentor or a no-nonsense, tough-as-nails figure, he can bring the emotional depth required for this role.

Authenticity: His ability to fully embody his characters makes him perfect for portraying a boxing coach from Houston. He can connect with the gritty realism of the sport and reflect the cultural nuances of the city.

Screen Presence: A boxing coach is not only a mentor but also a central figure in key emotional and action-driven moments. Woodbine’s commanding screen presence will ensure the character resonates with the audience.

3. The Supernatural Fantasy Crime Thriller Element:

This reboot blends supernatural fantasy crime thriller, which requires actors who can handle layered storytelling. While Woodbine is known for his dramatic roles, he has also showcased his ability to work in lighter or genre-bending projects. His experience would allow him to adapt to the film’s unique tone—balancing seriousness as the coach with moments of levity and fantasy.

4. Connection to Houston’s Boxing Culture:

Setting the coach’s background in Houston, Texas, ties the character to a rich tradition of boxing. The city is known for producing world-class athletes and trainers. Casting someone like Woodbine, who can authentically represent this environment, adds credibility to the story while also paying homage to Houston’s legacy in the sport.

5. Why Gabrielle, Rihanna, Lauren, and Kim Need to Act:

As key decision-makers in this project, Gabrielle, Rihanna, Lauren, and Kim must ensure that the cast includes individuals who can elevate the story. Reaching out to Bokeem Woodbine is a critical step in assembling a talented ensemble that can bring authenticity, emotion, and star power to the reboot.

Gabrielle could lead discussions on character dynamics and how Woodbine fits into the ensemble.

Rihanna might focus on branding and how Woodbine’s involvement aligns with the project’s tone and appeal.

Lauren and Kim can manage outreach and facilitate discussions with Woodbine’s team, ensuring the collaboration aligns with the creative vision.

6. Immediate Next Steps:

Reach Out to Bokeem Woodbine’s Representation: Begin the conversation about his potential involvement in the film and share the character’s background and significance.

Provide a Detailed Script or Character Brief: Help him understand the unique blend of supernatural fantasy and crime thriller and how his role fits within this world.

Discuss His Vision for the Role: Collaborate to ensure his interpretation aligns with the reboot’s creative goals.

By taking these steps, Gabrielle, Rihanna, Lauren, and Kim can secure a talented and versatile actor like Bokeem Woodbine, ensuring the boxing coach character brings depth, authenticity, and charm to the Top Secret reboot.

[gabicna]

Open Your Future: Top CNA Evening Classes for Busy Adults

Unlock Your Future:​ Top CNA Evening Classes for ​Busy Adults

Are you a busy adult looking to jumpstart your ‍career in healthcare? ⁣Certified Nursing ​Assistants (CNAs) play a crucial role in patient ​care, providing essential support to medical staff while ⁢ensuring patients receive the attention they need. ​Evening classes for CNA training offer a flexible solution‌ for working adults eager to enter ‍this ⁢rewarding ⁢field. In⁤ this ⁤guide, we’ll explore the top CNA⁢ evening classes available, their benefits, practical tips for enrollment,⁣ and real-life⁤ experiences from graduates.

Why Choose CNA Evening Classes?

The decision to pursue a⁤ career as a CNA while managing work and family commitments can be​ challenging. However, evening‍ classes provide several advantages:

Flexibility: Classes are scheduled after traditional working hours, accommodating ⁣your personal ‍and‍ professional obligations.

Accelerated Learning: Many programs‌ are structured⁢ to allow you to complete your training in‌ a condensed timeline.

Hands-On Experience: Evening classes often include clinical hours, ‌gearing you up ‍for real-world patient care.

Networking Opportunities: Connect with fellow students and instructors⁢ who can guide you in your career journey.

Top CNA Evening Classes

School/Program

Location

Duration

Cost

Website

Health⁢ Career Institute

Los Angeles,‍ CA

4 Weeks

$1,200

healthcareerinstitute.com

National Nursing Education

Houston, TX

6 Weeks

$900

nationalnursingedu.com

ProHealth Training Institute

Miami, FL

5​ Weeks

$1,350

prohealthtraining.com

Everest College

Atlanta, GA

8 Weeks

$1,500

everest.edu

CNA ⁣Training Center

New York, NY

4 Weeks

$1,100

cnatrainingcenter.com

Benefits of Becoming a CNA

Investing your time in‌ CNA evening classes not only paves the ⁣way for a stable career in healthcare but⁢ also offers several personal and professional benefits:

High Demand: The growing healthcare ​industry ensures ample job opportunities for certified CNAs.

Job ⁢Satisfaction: Make a ⁢meaningful impact in patients’ lives, ⁢fostering a deep sense of fulfillment.

Career Growth: Start ⁢as ​a CNA and ⁣explore opportunities to advance into nursing or specialized healthcare roles.

Skill Development: Gain essential healthcare skills and training applicable in various healthcare⁣ settings.

Practical ⁢Tips for Enrollment

Here are some practical tips to help you navigate the process of enrolling in CNA evening classes:

Research⁤ Schools: Look for ‍accredited programs‌ that fit ⁣your schedule ‍and budget. Verify ‌their licensing and ​reputation.

Prepare for Classes: Gather necessary materials,​ including textbooks and supplies, and familiarize yourself​ with the course structure.

Seek Financial Aid: Many schools offer ‌financial assistance options. Check if you qualify for ⁢grants or scholarships.

Connect with Alumni: ⁤Reach out to past graduates for⁤ insights and ⁤advice about ‌their experiences‌ and⁢ the job market.

First-Hand Experience: A Graduate’s Journey

To ‍understand⁣ the real ‍impact ⁣of CNA evening classes, we spoke with Sarah, a graduate⁤ from the Health Career Institute in ⁤Los⁢ Angeles. Here’s her inspiring ‍story:

Sarah’s Testimonial: “I ⁣was working a full-time job in retail and felt stagnant. I knew I wanted ‌to work in healthcare, but ‍I didn’t think‌ I had​ the time. The evening classes⁢ made it possible for me to pursue my passion without sacrificing my​ job. The instructors⁤ were incredibly supportive, ‌and ⁤I‍ gained hands-on experience during my ⁤clinical hours. Now, I work‌ as a CNA in a⁤ hospital, and I ‍couldn’t ‌be happier!”

Conclusion

Unlocking your future as​ a Certified Nursing Assistant‍ doesn’t have to be a⁣ daunting task, even for busy adults. With the flexibility‍ of evening classes and a growing ⁣demand for healthcare professionals, now is the perfect time to embark on ​this fulfilling career. By exploring the top CNA evening classes, understanding the benefits, and implementing‍ practical tips, you can‌ take ⁢the crucial steps toward ⁣a rewarding healthcare career. Start your journey today and make a difference in the lives of others!

https://cnatrainingprogram.net/open-your-future-top-cna-evening-classes-for-busy-adults/