#Frozen S'more

[rabbitcruiser]

National State Fair Food Day

This year, Food Service Direct will be celebrating the first-ever National State Fair Food Day on July 11. There is much to love about state fairs — the rides, competitions, stalls, and the best part, food! While nothing beats attending a state fair, sometimes we just want to enjoy all the great food without waiting in lines with crowds of people. Instead, you can order state fair food from Food Service Direct, prepare simple recipes, and enjoy fried and delicious food straight out of the oven.

Check out the State Fair Food section at Food Service Direct and bring the fairgrounds to your backyard this summer with easy-to-follow recipes of classic state fair foods. Whatever your food needs are, wherever you are, Food Service Direct has you covered — build your unique menu today.

History of National State Fair Food Day

State fairs are a summer staple. Taking place once a year, people flock to the fairgrounds to enjoy the stalls, livestock, rides, and gifts. But let’s be honest, it’s all about the fried and delicious food, on sticks, and otherwise. The food is memorable and we look forward to enjoying it again all year long. Some of the best state foods include corn dogs, cotton candy, funnel cakes, deep-fried cookies, cheese on a stick, and chicken wings.

The first U.S. state fair was held in Syracuse, New York in 1841, and has been running successfully every year since. The second state fair was in Detroit, Michigan, which ran annually from 1849 to 2009.

Originally, state fairs were a display and celebration of the country’s agriculture; the produce, crops, and the growers who worked dedicatedly to cultivate a successful harvest. It highlighted the agricultural pride of each state, its local vendors, and regional foodways. As the structure of the country gradually shifted from agrarian to industrial, state fairs evolved to include music, amusement rides, games, and more industrial products.

But why wait for the state fair every year when you can enjoy the mouthwatering state fair food at home? Food Service Direct has you covered with everything you’ll need — from supplies to ingredients, for recreating foods-on-a-stick, cultural dishes, over-the-top desserts, and more. It’s the choice marketplace for local distributors and large manufacturers, offering a vast variety of food and related products for creating tasty meals.

National State Fair Food Day timeline

15,000 B.C.

The Beginning of the Hospitality Industry

The ancient Lascaux caves in France are used to provide accommodation for other tribes.

19th Century

The Beginning of State Fairs

State fairs are organized to display and promote state agriculture, livestock, and farm products.

20th Century

A Shift Occurs

As societies shift from agrarian to industrial, modern state fairs expand with the addition of amusement rides, exhibitions of industrial products, entertainment, and more.

July 11, 2022

The First Celebration

Initiated by Food Service Direct, the first-ever National State Fair Food Day is celebrated.

2022 State Fair Food Index Key Stats

Methodology

Food Service Direct, the first food-focused online marketplace, executed a survey in July 2022 with 2,051 adults from all 50 U.S States. To discover how U.S. consumers love state fair food the most, what are their favorite state fair food items, and how it impacts their enjoyment and quality of life. 

*Fairgoer is somebody who has gone to a state fair at least twice.

State Fair Food Favorites

#1 Fries

75% of the fairgoers in Maine always get fries at the State Fair, followed by 70% of the fairgoers in Pennsylvania.

#2 Corn Dogs

50% of the fairgoers in Arkansas and Texas always get Corn Dogs at the State Fair, followed by 45% of the fairgoers in Idaho.

#3 Roast Corn

43% of the fairgoers in Florida always get Roast Corn at the State Fair, followed by 40% of the fairgoers in New Mexico and Wisconsin.

Desserts

#1 Funnel Cake

83% of the fairgoers in Mississippi and Arkansas always get Funnel Cake at the State Fair, followed by 80% of fairgoers in Oklahoma.

#2 Cotton Candy

43% of the fairgoers in Vermont always get Cotton Candy at the State Fair, followed by 60% of the fairgoers in Mississippi.

#3 Snowcone

45% of the fairgoers in Mississippi always get Snow cones at the State Fair, followed by 40% of the fairgoers in Florida, Missouri, and South Carolina.

National State Fair Food Day FAQs

What is the most popular state fair food?

Some of the most popular state fair foods are deep-fried Oreos, fried chicken in a waffle cone, deep-fried Snickers bars, pizza cones, and cotton candy.

What is a state fair?

A state fair is an annual display of the best of a state’s local produce and products, as well as a recreational gathering for people in the U.S.

What is the most popular state fair?

The State Fair of Texas attracts a staggering 2.25 million visitors every year, making it the largest state fair in the country.

How To Celebrate National State Fair Food Day

Order your favorite state fair foodsHead over to Food Service Direct’s website. Browse and order from their large variety of state fair foods.

Try new recipesRecreate state fair foods by following different recipes. You won’t miss out on anything!

Host a state fair partyInvite your friends and family to a backyard state fair gathering. Include your favorite state fair food on the menu, and include games and other activities.

5 State Fair Foods You Can Easily Make At Home

Corn dogsCorn dogs on a stick can easily be made at home, and our pro-tip is to dunk the dogs in a tall jar full of batter for an even coating.

No-fry fried ice creamEnjoy the great taste with a crispy cinnamon coating, minus the oily mess.

Deep-fried cookiesA true indulgence that is a hit with kids especially.

Turkey legsThe best marinade for turkey legs or any other state fair meat dish is available at Food Service Direct.

State fair lemonadeSip on this thirst-quenching beverage, close your eyes, and imagine you’re at the state fair.

Why We Love National State Fair Food Day

For the love of foodWe at National Today love food holidays best. And if it is a day that celebrates countless well-loved dishes? We just can’t contain our excitement.

Bringing state fair food to your kitchenWhy not enjoy great state fair food in the comfort of your home without having to stand in sweltering temperatures and long queues. We are all for it.

Services making life easierFood Service Direct is dedicated to making the distribution of food easier for home cooks, chefs, food vendors, manufacturers, and event planners. With everything you could possibly need for creating culinary delights under one roof, what’s not to love?

Source

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Reference: Food History

B.C.

10,000 - almonds, cherries, bread, flour, soup

8,000 - wheat ⚜ 7,000 - wine, beer, pistachios, pig, goat, sheep, lard

6,500 - cattle domestication, apples ⚜ 6,000 - tortilla, dates, maize

5,000 - honey, ginger, quinoa, avocados, potatoes, milk, yogurt

4,000 - focaccia, watermelons, grapes, pomegranates

3,200 - chicken domestication ⚜ 3,000 - butter, onion, garlic, apricots

2,737 - tea ⚜ 2,500 - olive oil, seaweed, duck ⚜ 2,300 - saffron

2,000 - peaches, liquorice, marshmallow, pasta, ham, sesame seeds

1,500 - chocolate, vanilla ⚜ 1,200 - sugar ⚜ 1,000 - mangoes, oats, pickles

900 - pears, tomatoes ⚜ 700 - cinnamon ⚜ 600 - bananas, poppy seeds

500 - artichokes ⚜ 400 - pastries, appetizers, vinegar

300 - parsley ⚜ 200 - turkeys, asparagus, rhubarb ⚜ 65 - quince

1st—13th Century

1st Century - chestnuts, lobster, crab, shrimp, truffles, blueberries, raspberries, capers, kale, blood (as food), fried chicken, foie gras, French toast, omelettes, rice pudding, flan, cheesecake, pears in syrup

3rd Century - lemons ⚜ 5th - pretzels ⚜ 6th - eggplant

7th Century - spinach, kimchi ⚜ 9th - coffee, nutmeg

10th Century - flower waters, Peking duck, shark's fin soup

11th Century - baklava, corned beef, cider, lychees, seitan

12th Century - breadfruit, artichokes, gooseberries

13th Century - ravioli, lasagne, mozzarella, pancakes, waffles, couscous

14th—19th Century

14th Century - kebabs, moon cakes, guacamole, pie, apple pie, crumpets, gingerbread

15th Century - coconuts, Japanese sushi and sashimi, pineapples, marmalade, risotto, marzipan, doughnuts, hot dogs

16th Century - pecans, cashews (in India), Japanese tempura, vanilla (in Europe), fruit leather, skim milk, sweetbreads, salsa, quiche, teriyaki chicken, English trifle, potato salad

17th Century - treacle, pralines, coffee cake, modern ice cream, maple sugar, rum, French onion soup, cream puffs, bagels, pumpkin pie, lemonade, croissants, lemon meringue pie

18th Century - root beer, tapioca, French fries, ketchup, casseroles, mayonnaise, eggnog, soda water, lollipops, sangria, muffins, crackers, chowder, croquettes, cupcakes, sandwiches, apple butter, souffle, deviled eggs

19th Century - toffee, butterscotch, cocoa, Turkish delight, iodized salt, vanilla extract, modern marshmallows, potato chips, fish and chips, breakfast cereal, Tabasco sauce, Kobe beef, margarine, unsalted butter, Graham crackers, fondant, passionfruit, saltwater taffy, milkshakes, pizza, peanut butter, tea bags, cotton candy, jelly beans, candy corn, elbow macaroni, fondue, wedding cake, canapes, gumbo, ginger ale, carrot cake, bouillabaisse, cobbler, peanut brittle, pesto, baked Alaska, iced tea, fruit salad, fudge, eggs Benedict, Waldorf salad

20th Century

1901 - peanut butter and jelly ⚜ 1904 - banana splits ⚜ 1905 - NY pizza

1906 - brownies, onion rings ⚜ 1907 - aioli

1908 - Steak Diane, buttercream frosting ⚜ 1909 - shrimp cocktail

1910 - Jell-O (America's most famous dessert)

1910s - orange juice ⚜ 1912 - Oreos, maraschino cherries, fortune cookies

1912 - Chicken a la King, Thousand Island dressing

1914 - Fettuccine Alfredo ⚜ 1915 - hush puppies

1917 - marshmallow fluff ⚜ 1921 - Wonder Bread, zucchini

1919 - chocolate truffles ⚜ 1922 - Vegemite, Girl Scout cookies

1923 - popsicles ⚜ 1924 - frozen foods, pineapple upside-down cake, Caesar salad, chocolate-covered potato chips

1927 - Kool-Aid, s'mores, mayonnaise cake ⚜ 1929 - Twizzlers

1930s - Pavlova cakes, Philly cheese steak, Pigs in blankets, margaritas, banana bread, Cajun fried turkey ⚜ 1931 - souffle, refrigerator pie

1933 - chocolate covered pretzels ⚜ 1936 - no-bake cookies

1937 - Reubens, chicken Kiev, SPAM, Krispy Kreme

1938 - chicken and waffles ⚜ 1939 - seedless watermelon

1941 - Rice Krispies treats, Monte Cristo sandwiches ⚜ 1943 - nachos

1946 - chicken burgers, tuna melts, Nutella ⚜ 1947- chiffon cake

1950s - chicken parm, Irish coffee, cappuccino, smoothies, frozen pizza, diet soda, TV Dinners, ranch dressing ⚜ 1951 - bananas foster

1953 - coronation chicken ⚜ 1956 - German chocolate cake, panini

1957 - Quebec Poutine ⚜ 1958 - Instant ramen noodles, crab rangoon, lemon bars ⚜ 1960s - beef Wellington, green eggs and ham, red velvet cake

1963 - black forest cake ⚜ 1964 - Belgian waffles, Pop Tarts, Buffalo wings, ants on a log, pita bread ⚜ 1965 - Gatorade, Slurpees

1966 - chocolate fondue ⚜ 1967 - high fructose corn syrup

1970s - California rolls, pasta primavera, tiramisu ⚜ 1971 - fajitas

1975 - hicken tikka masala ⚜ 1980 - turducken

1980s - Panko, portobello mushrooms, bubble tea, chicken nuggets, Sriracha, Red Bull energy drink, everything bagels

1990s - artisan breads, Jamaican jerk ⚜ 1991 - turkey bacon, chocolate molten lava cake, earthquake cake ⚜ 1993 - broccolini

1995 - Tofurkey ⚜ 1997 - grape tomatoes

21st Century

2002 - flat iron steak, tear-free onions ⚜ 2007 - Kool-Aid pickles, cake pops

2008 - Mexican funnel cake ⚜ 2013 - cronuts, test tube burgers

Source ⚜ Writing Notes & References

[mapiforpresident]

Cooking Together

Claudia Pina x reader (blurb)

warnings: none

~~~

You and Claudia were currently at your childhood house in the states. You were visiting home during an International break since neither of you were playing and your girlfriend had never been to the states with you before. She was excited to see where you grew up and your home you spent your teenage years in

Tonight your parents were out for dinner with some family friends, so it was just the two of you. The two of you decided to cook dinner, while you decided to since Claudia was not that good of a cook besides a couple things.

"What should we make amor," Claudia asked as you were cuddled on the couch watching The Voice.

"I don't know we don't have that much. We could make fried chicken and waffles, its one of my favorites," you replied as you leaned in to kiss her before standing up to look in the pantry.

"You eat them together, chicken and waffles,... why... that doesn't sound very good." She sounded so adorable with her Spanish accent and you couldn't help but let out an amused laugh at her confused face.

"I swear it's good amor, I used to eat it all the time. I guess it does sound weird if you have never tried it." You pulled all the ingredients out including the bag of frozen fried chicken.

"How do you make it," she asks moving to help you.

"While normally I make it with fresh chicken and fry it myself that would take forever and I don't have any fresh chicken so we can make it in the air fryer. I also have a waffle maker, somewhere, ah-ha, here it is," you said pulling it out and plugging it in. You had a lot of fun as you helped teach her how to use the air fryer and making the waffles.

Not that long after the food was done and you set up TV trays to sit in front of the TV and continuing watching your show.

"This is actually a lot better than I thought, amor."

"I'm giving you the full American experience while you are here love," you replied leaning over to kiss her cheek. "Save some room for desert we can make s'mores out by the fire pit in the backyard."

"Te amo mi amor, thank you for showing me your childhood, it is cool to see, especially your purple bedroom." You blushed at this and pulled her in for another kiss.

[rottenpumpkin13]

The asks that are written directly to the characters, or at least answered that way, are so funny to me. It could be a random disembodied voice, JENOVA, even the goddess herself speaking to them. Speading the word that Sephiroth is a bottom but SH! Don't tell.

Anyway, hey Zack, what's your preferred pop tart flavor and temperature? Toasted, normal, or frozen? Does the flavor preference change with each version?

Zack: Aw man, I've been waiting for this question forever. The way you prepare pop tarts completely changes the flavor profile, so what I do is I categorize them by type and prep method. Okay, so for fruit flavors like strawberry, I pan fry them to enhance the sweetness and give it a perfect crunch, though sometimes I freeze it and eat it like a crunchy ice snack. Then for dessert flavors like s'mores, toasting melts the marshmallow and chocolate just right, so it tastes way better, but I have a neat trick! if you get a flame thrower—*he continues to wax about pop tarts*

*Genesis and Sephiroth watch him from afar*

Sephiroth: Genesis? Why is Zack talking to the wall?

Genesis: Don't be ignorant, Sephiroth. He's obviously having a revelation from the goddess.

Sephiroth: Oh, okay. I thought the other mother had found a new disciple.

Genesis: I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that so I don't have to ask about it.

[mosaickiwi]

“Bad” Gift Giver Angel Headcanons

Just some ~silly and wholesome thoughts~ I put on disc but wanted to share here too! I'm a lil spammer. cw// Slight mention of violence at the end.

14 Days With You is an 18+ Yandere Visual Novel. MINORS DNI

Ren/dacted with an Angel that gives weird ‘just because’ gifts but they don't realize how strange they are since he genuinely cherishes everything they give him. <3

🎁 Giant 5 pound gummy bear! Ren tries like hell to finish it, but his tummy hurts. He ends up preserving it in epoxy to put on a shelf. Half of its head is missing.

🎁 Angel finds one of those train sets that hung from the ceilings in some McDonalds stores way back in the day. (video) Ren sets it up in his room and rigs it to work as a morning wake up alarm. Or just lays down and watches it go when he’s trying to sleep. He might paint over Ronald's face though.

🎁 Customized Furby that looks like an eldritch horror? They thought it matched his vibes and now they regret giving it to him. 

💝 When Angel stays over, it scares them when they wake up in the middle of the night. Ren imprisons it in his shrine room after Angel wakes him up in tears begging him to move it somewhere else. The battery died a long time ago, but sometimes Angel still hears it laughing through the walls.

🎁 The UGLIEST sweaters imaginable. They light up, they make noise, they itch, they burn the eyes of all who see them. Dude is overheating himself in the summer cause he just feels so loved every time he puts one on.

🎁 There’s a phase of food gadgets and utensils, despite neither of them being a decent cook. Angel is disappointed since some of the items simply don’t work the way they wanted, but Ren adores the small everyday use ones. 

💝 A tabletop s'mores maker—it takes too long to burn marshmallows the way Angel likes, but Ren is endlessly patient about it while he hands them a blowtorch. Tiny novelty gumball machine that he puts on his desk and fills with mint chocolate candies. Hello Kitty waffle maker but they both keep burning it. 

💝 A pizza cutter shaped like an axe, Thor’s hammer meat tenderizer that he uses incorrectly, cat paw oven mitts, tongs, and serving spoons. Imagine this tatted, grumpy eboy pulling a frozen pizza out of the oven with his cute little paws??? He totally wears the matching apron if Angel asks.

🎁 It’s almost suspicious how he’s never surprised at a gift, but Angel still tries to catch him off guard. They’ll not so discreetly leave tiny presents around his apartment for him to find. Whether they’re just love notes, weird greeting cards for holidays he wasn’t aware of, or hand sized plushies in brightly colored capsules so he can experience some type of surprise at the very least. Even so, he always spots them immediately, but pretends it's taking him a few hours or so to notice anything different. Once he 'finds' one he'll teasingly thank them for the scavenger hunt.

🎁 Ren absolutely SEETHES on the inside whenever anyone else gets a gift, no matter how ridiculous it is. He wants the exact same thing immediately and drops the most obvious hints possible. 

💝 A hideous, singing, wall mounted fish for Teo’s birthday? Ren’ll talk all about how he’s always found them entertaining, his favorite fish is a bass—what do you mean he used to make a weird face whenever he caught one in Stardew? The moment it gets thrown away he’s digging through the garbage and bashing Teo over the head with it for not appreciating such a thoughtful present.

[mcrdvcks]

hey, y'all! college has been hectic, but i hope to have the teacher!reader x old man logan sometime between tomorrow and tuesday.

but, i thought i'd show a sneak peak :)

---

Much to your dismay, you had to go to the store once you were already clad in your loungewear. You wanted to make pasta, only to remember you forgot to get milk after work.

So now, here you were at the small local grocery store grabbing milk and a pint of ice cream for your troubles. The store was quiet at this hour, a few other people milling about but otherwise uneventful. You grabbed a basket and made a beeline for the dairy section, trying to get in and out as quickly as possible. Loungewear was great for a lazy evening at home, but not exactly your first choice for public appearances.

Once you made it to the frozen section, you looked at the pints of ice cream, specifically looking for one of your favorites, Ben and Jerry’s s’mores. “Fuck.” You muttered, seeing a pint of cookie dough in the spot of the s’mores.

You angrily grabbed the cookie dough ice cream to look behind it, only to find a chunky monkey pint. With a huff, you looked at the pint of ice cream, mentally cursing your luck. Just as you were about to put it back onto the shelf, a deep voice spoke from beside you.

"Didn't figure you for a chunky monkey type."

Startled, you looked up and found Logan standing there, one eyebrow raised, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. He was holding a six-pack of beer and a carton of eggs in one hand, the other casually resting in the pocket of his jeans.

You blinked, thrown off by the sudden appearance. "What? Oh, no, I was just... I was looking for s'mores," you explained awkwardly, holding up the ice cream like it was evidence.

He nodded, his smirk deepening a little as he glanced at the shelves. "Guess they’re out, huh?"

"Yeah, my luck tonight," you muttered, a little embarrassed to be caught standing here obsessing over ice cream in your loungewear. Not exactly how you wanted to run into the guy you were definitely not crushing on. How could you? He was the Wolverine, around 200 years old, and looked to be the age of your father. Well, if your father was still alive. Or if you ever got to know him.

Logan glanced at the shelf again and shrugged. "S'mores is overrated anyway."

You quirked an eyebrow at him, momentarily forgetting your embarrassment. "Oh really? What’s your go-to then, Mr. Anti-S'mores?"

He smirked, that same low, gravelly voice coming through as he responded. "Not much of an ice cream guy, but if I had to choose… probably plain vanilla. Simple. Not too sweet."

You couldn't help the chuckle that escaped you. "Of course you'd go for the most basic flavor."

His eyebrow twitched slightly at that, and you could see the playful glint in his eyes. "Sometimes simple’s the best option."

You rolled your eyes, grabbing a pint of vanilla. "Well, I guess I'll take your advice tonight, then. Not like I have much of a choice."

He gave you a brief nod, and for a moment, it seemed like the conversation would end there, but then Logan shifted slightly, his weight on one leg, clearly trying to mask the limp you'd noticed earlier. You weren’t sure if it was from the adamantium or something else, but it definitely wasn’t healing like it should. You found yourself biting your lip, wanting to ask but knowing better.

Instead, you went for something safer. "Laura’s doing well in class, by the way. She’s sharp. A little stubborn, but sharp."

He glanced down at you, a flicker of pride crossing his face. "Yeah, she’s a tough one." His expression softened as he added, "She doesn’t talk about it, but I know she likes you. Keeps her distance with most people."

Your heart fluttered a little at that. Laura was a bit of a mystery, rarely engaging much with the other teachers or students, so hearing that she’d let her guard down even a little with you meant more than you’d expected. "Well, she’s a good kid. I try not to push her too much."

Logan nodded, his gaze lingering on you for a moment longer than you expected, like he was sizing you up in that quiet, brooding way of his. It made you feel both exposed and… oddly seen.

"Anyway," you said, breaking the silence, "I’ll let you get back to your shopping. I’m sure you’ve got more important things to do than stand around talking about ice cream."

He gave a small grunt that might’ve been a laugh, but it was so subtle you couldn’t be sure. "Yeah. See you around, Ms. Aberra."

"Y/N," you corrected, feeling a little awkward. "You can just call me Y/N."

He hesitated for a split second before nodding. "Y/N, then."

[scarecrow-collective]

Domestic thoughts

- Soil fights in Mountain's garden.

- Horror movie nights. Oddly enough, Mountain is the most terrified and clings onto Phantom.

- The ghoulettes did the trend with bracelets made with beads of each other's eye colors.

- Aurora and Swiss are Just Dance champions.

- Cumulus teaching Phantom, Dew, and Swiss how to ice cupcakes because they're always so sloppy with it.

- Cumulus and Cirrus making flurries for the ghouls on hot summer days (referencing that scene at the end of Frozen).

- Swiss throwing "dancing parties" for all the ghouls to let loose and have fun.

- Dew letting the others make s'mores with his fire element.

- Aurora and Swiss sharing a kiss at the top of a Ferris wheel.

- Arts and crafts night. Cumulus and Mountain thrive.

Yes...yes.... this fuels my happiness.....give me more....

[tinsyfairy]

09.15 food diary ! 🍂

* note this is not intended to encourage anybody or follow my habits i'm just documenting my life and i want to find others who are like me :)

₊⊹ intake limit : 1.3k

₊⊹ water intake : 1.5L

₊⊹ f4st¡ng time : 18 hrs

⌗ breakfast : pumpkin spice coffee & oats

��� 8oz black coffee

– 2 tbsp pumpkin spice creamer (70)

– 4 oz unsweetened almond milk (15)

– date and walnut oatmeal (140)

– 1/2 cup frozen berries (35)

> total : 288

⌗ lunch : veggie omelette + fruit and veg

- 1 egg (70)

– 2 egg whites (36)

– 1/3 bell pepper (15)

– 2 slices of roman tomato (2)

– 1 cup of spinach (7)

– cheese (35)

– 1 mandarin (45)

– 7 baby carrots (29)

> total : 247

⌗ dinner : soup :)

– 2 cups of spinach (12)

– 1.7 can of broccoli and cheddar soup (272) ~ didn't eat all of it so it's a estimate

> total : 284

others :

– choban¡ flip s'mores (150)

– other stuff (~230)

> total : 380

☆ total : 1.2k

☆ burned : 456 / 13k st-ps and 15 min p¡lates

☆ net : 744

— log :

hi friendsss i had sm today- its whatever because I did say i was going to up my intake.. but tmrw I might om4d ngl I feel guilty T_T plus ik i retained some water after today.. I had a 3 bites of a turkey burger + 4 fries and 1/2 of a cookie (estimated 230). gonna do more activity tommorow to make up for it!!

I was feeling a bit weird today too my left arm was tingly and i had sleep par4lys¡s TWO times this morning. anyways I hope you guys are doing good I swear tmrws log is gonna be better T_T

[delopsia]

Thinking about autumn in Wabang.

When the sweltering heat subsides into chilly afternoons and crisp breezes that nip at your skin. The crickets chirp a little louder, and the tree in the front yard transitions from vivid green to warm yellows and reds. Delicate leaves falling from sturdy branches and landing in the driveway, crunching beneath the tires of an old blue GMC Sierra.

It's that time of year when Rhett comes home with furrowed brows and frigid hands, grumbling about how "it's 'bout time we get them damn shirts outta the attic again." And gradually, his wardrobe begins to shift to thick flannels, cozy hoodies, and hefty jackets that insulate heat a little too well.

Those rodeo nights grow colder, and the adrenaline-laced kisses that follow get a little warmer. Festivals pop up in the fields around town, pumpkins mark the corners of Wabang streets, and corn fields are converted into twisting mazes. Fragments of broken leaves cling to the wild curls that rest on the back of Rhett's neck, picked up from wrestling with farm dogs and napping beneath trees.

Saturdays are consumed by venturing to neighboring towns to visit festivals, buying decor that you don't need, and sharing treats that you've never heard of before. The house perpetually carries the warm scent of the season. Rhett's lips taste like caramel apples and cider.

"Rhett," your palms roam across those thick, broad shoulders as you sneak up behind him, "is that apple cider or beer?"

His head tilts backward, messy hair bumping into your cheek, peering up at you through thick lashes, "You'll have to kiss me to find out."

You already know that it's cider.

It's always cider.

But you kiss him anyway.

Cowboys are the first to notice the change in the seasons. Can detect the first golden leaf of the season simply by the scent of the air. Overly familiar with the sight of extravagantly colored leaves and the musky, sweet scent that they bring. Seeing it so often that such a sight should be boring.

Yet, Rhett insists on those cheesy nature walks anyway. Content to hold your chilly hand in his as your shoes crunch through a leaf-littered path, marveling at the beauty of the season.

Sometimes those walks are filled with endless conversation, laughter loud enough to rattle leaves off trees, so wrapped up in your stories that you hardly recall what you saw. Others are quiet. No need for words as you sit on a frigid bench, unable to shiver because a warm arm has long since wrapped around your shoulders.

Sometimes the days are too cold for just an arm.

Those days end in a heavy jacket resting over your shoulders instead. Your hands tucked into pockets filled with hard candies and an oddly shaped rock that he found. And it's like the first days of your relationship all over again, giggling, bickering about who needs the jacket more, and rubbing cold noses together.

There are things that never change.

Just as the forests change color every year, Rhett brings you his jacket during every frosty rodeo. Always seems to come wandering over when the temperature drops and your skin has begun to go numb from the sharp bite of the wind.

"Y'look awful cold, darlin'," he hums, his breath like smoke, puffing past his lips in thin, wispy clouds.

"Aren't you supposed to be getting ready to ride?" The crowd erupts into a roar of cheers as you speak, nearly erasing your voice entirely.

That big arm slides around your waist, drawing you up to his burning chest, frozen lips stealing a kiss, "I got a couple minutes to spare."

He leaves you with a heavy coat draped over your shoulders, a lazily scrawn note hidden in the left pocket.

'Everything s'more fun with you :)

Archie's having a bonefire tonight. Wanna go?'

And, of course, your answer is yes, because Archie's bonfires are nothing short of spectacular. His speakers always softly hum the tune of indie artists you've never heard of, and though there's alcohol, it's never the center of the event. His wife ventures out in her pajamas, sleepily making conversation with you as Rhett and Archie argue over their idea of a perfect roasted marshmallow.

"Y'aint got a fuckin' lick of sense 'n you know it, Rhett!" If Archie's hands weren't preoccupied with crafting his wife's obligatory s'more, they'd be waving in the air. "What kinda fool chooses to char the shit outta their marshmallow?"

Rhett's head shakes, fumbling with a graham cracker, "I do!"

And that's all it takes before Archie's attention turns to you, defiantly ignoring Rhett. "Yer boyfriend's got more teeth than he does sense."

Despite the warm, crackling fire, these nights always end the same. Tumbling through the front door, all cold noses and frozen hands as you both make a mad dash for the shower, each vying to be the first to hop beneath the hot water. Limbs awkwardly tangling and bodies bumping into one another because this shower wasn't meant for two.

Then comes the honorary plaid blanket as you snuggle on the couch, not ready to sleep yet, but getting there. Your head against Rhett's chest, heart thumping in your ear, his unshaven chin scratching at your forehead.

You don't recall falling asleep, but the next time you open your eyes, you're in bed. Wrapped up in the arms of a snoring cowboy, flakes of snow pitter-pattering off the windows, listening as he sleepily asks for just five more minutes.

[sparklyaxolotlstudent]

Turns out, that having Heath's hoodie backwards do change the look for the better (although I still like it like normal)

I think a black shirt would look better, but for now I like it.

The hood itself is now useless, but it is not like it wasn't that useful before.

So yeah, mini re-style, and I also finally took some pictures of him with his new pet

I got this very wonky Bruni(from Frozen 2) figurine at the flea market and decided to repaint it for Heath. I'm not 100% convinced of the golden eyes, but I like how he looks overall.

Name pending, but I sorta have the backstory of the salamander being a gift from Draculaura, and I'm Choosing between Torch, Scorch, Agni, Candle or S'more.

[dickarchivist]

Hey, Archie! I hope you make it through your stressful week with as little damage as possible!!

I tried to think of serious or meaningful questions, but my brain isn't cooperating.

So...I was wondering about each member of Grave Squad, The Cold Command, or the Jedi and flavors of ice cream. Either what flavors you think would be their favorites or if they'd like to answer themselves (whichever you'd prefer.) And you don't have to do everyone, you can pick and choose if you'd rather.

Thanks and sending you much love! <3

Carol (@clonethirstingisreal)

Hi Carol ♡ thank you for the ask, it's very summer appropriate ♡♡♡ 🍦 🍨 🍦

Dax: my diet consists of mostly meat, I do not eat ice cream. However, there is one that I can eat without much ill effect. It is a bone marrow and black cherry ice cream, very delicious

Athena: I like s'mores ice cream!!!

Ghost: sea salt custard with a ribbon of caramel, please

Phantom: chocolate cherry for me!

Specter: I'm a fan of mint chip.

Banshee: Pineapple sorbet is my go-to

Wraith: Lavender honey ice cream is my favorite

Stone: >angry he can't say his favorite because his favorite is also Ghost's favorite< vanilla... tch.

Zeros: I don't like sweets, so I don't eat ice cream, so sorry if that's a disappointment.

Frost: moose tracks, the peanut butter one for me.

Shiver: peach cobbler frozen yogurt is the way to go

Winter: Cotton candy ice cream!

[st0rmyskies]

Stormbae, who in the townhouse has a sweet tooth, and what's everyone's favorite treat?

Time - He's a sucker for dairy treats. Ice cream, milkshakes, cheesecake, the fresher the milk the better.

Twilight - Peach cobbler is where it's at for our bumpkin. Bonus if it's accompanied by a side of vanilla bean.

Wild - Anything, everything, he LOVES his sweets.

Champion - He'll squirrel away in his room with a good frozen treat like a Drumstick and savor that shit like nobody's business.

Warriors - Chocolate-covered strawberries, cherries, other fruit. The more decadent, the better.

Sky - Candy bars are his guilty pleasure. He has some stashed in drawers in his room.

Four - Lemon-based treats, like limoncello bars, are where it's at for him.

Wind - He's a sucker for boba tea, specifically coconut.

Legend - He prefers savory to sweet, but he'll always split something with a friend.

Hyrule - He's a simple boy. If not s'mores, then even toasted marshmallows will do.

Dark - Anything and EVERYTHING chocolate, thanks much.

[seaside-writings]

Hello and hi, all you wonderfully, jolly people! I'm back with yet another prompt list for my "12 Days of Prompts!"

This one is based on the hot chocolate-themed gifts that I made for my managers and co-workers that some of you might have seen.

Because what's the Winter and Holiday season without some good, old-fashioned hot chocolate and some new-fashioned hot chocolate!

I hope you all stay blessed and safe throughout your day.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays: Celia ❤💚❄⛄🎄☕

"You know, I heard that hot chocolate makes everything better," - "Whiskey? In hot chocolate? Really?" "You want it or not," - "We could make hot chocolate and go walking around the neighborhood to look at the Christmas lights," - "How many cups of hot chocolate have you had?" "I stopped counting after ten," - "One hot chocolate coming right up!" - "Drink your hot chocolate and then we'll see about opening a present or two," - "When I was your age hot chocolate was one of my favorite drinks," - "Finish up your hot chocolate and then it's off to bed with you," - "Come on, I know a place that makes amazing hot chocolate," - "Whoever invited hot chocolate knew what they were doing,"

Types of Hot Chocolate: ☕ Hot Chocolate ☕ Spiked Hot Chocolate ☕ White Hot Chocolate ☕ Mint Hot Chocolate ☕ Candy Cane Hot Coco ☕ Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate ☕ French Hot Chocolate ☕ Vanilla Hot Chocolate ☕ Sugar Cookie Hot Chocolate ☕ Nutella Hot Chocolate ☕ Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate ☕ Snickerdoodle Hot Chocolate ☕ Chocolate Chip Hot Chocolate ☕ Cookies and Cream Hot Chocolate ☕ Red Velvet Hot Cocoa ☕ Cheesecake Hot Chocolate ☕ Irish Cream Hot Chocolate ☕ Frozen Hot Chocolate ☕ Lavender Hot Chocolate ☕ Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate ☕ Hot Chocolate Float ☕ Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate ☕ S'mores Hot Chocolate ☕ Maple Cinnamon Hot Chocolate

[topazadine]

Mindset Shifts: Fandom -> Original Fiction

Having been writing in fandom for .... far too long, I felt like I could handle original writing, easy-peasy. Words, am I right?

Now, one published book, five completed drafts, and nine planned books into The Eirenic Verses, I realize that there's a huge mental shift that happens when you go from writing for funsies versus writing fiction for a larger, paying audience. As in, you go from a writer to an author.

I'm still learning, obviously, and there's a lot of work left to do before I'm at the level I want to be (particularly in marketing, my beloathed). However, there are a few lessons I have learned so far that might be helpful to other people looking to make the leap from fanfic to original fiction.

Here is the summary, and then we'll get into the specifics after the cut.

Preset characters/world -> Whole-cloth design

Writing for yourself -> Writing for an audience

Immediate gratification -> Long-term slog

External motivation -> Internal motivation

Community -> Audience

Promotion -> Marketing

Freedom -> Strategy

DLDR -> Critique

Typical disclaimers: This is my opinion based on my experience. I'm not the ultimate authority on writing (no one is). I am not perfect and I'm not always correct. When I say "you," I am not talking about you personally. This is not an attack on any individual. Take what you like and leave the rest, etc etc, you get the point. Ok, let's go.

Preset characters/world -> Whole-cloth design

Fanfic is so great for beginner writers because you already have things to play with. People understand the characters, so you don't have to spend a lot of time explaining them; they also have a basic understanding of the plot and world, meaning you won't need to build it all yourself.

This is wonderful when you're learning to characterize and worldbuild. You already have deep, interesting characters that you know are popular, and you can instead focus on fleshing them out or putting them in situations that interest you. Similarly, you don't need to come up with all the rules for the world you're playing in, nor do you have to spend a lot of time setting up the scenes.

Of course, when you start writing original fiction, all that vanishes ... sorta. You build upon the skills you have learned and the character aspects you've identified as interesting; many popular characters are just altered copies of another famous character, after all. That's why we have so many authors who jump into original fiction with only lightly adjusted versions of their faves.

But ultimately, the character's backstory, quirks, dialogue, etc, has to come from you, as does the plot. You have to learn to describe characters and new settings in a way that isn't infodumping, and you must balance backstory with plot. This is a complicated skill that only comes from practice.

The best way to do this, in my opinion (again, all of this is my opinion), is to start slowly introducing OCs into your fanfic, then coming up with AUs, and finally swapping out the fandom characters with OCs. That is, in fact, what many famous fanfic-writer-to-author people have done.

Writing for yourself -> Writing for an audience

Fandom is wonderful because ultimately, you are writing for your own amusement. You can write the weirdest, dumbest things and it doesn't matter if someone else liked it: you liked it, and that's all that matters in fandom.

Professional fiction isn't the same way. Yes, you're writing because you love the worlds you've created and you're passionate about your work, but you also have to consider an audience if you want someone else to buy your book.

There's money on the line here; it may not be a lot (my book 9 Years Yearning is only $2.99, which is less than a Dunkin Donuts medium Bonfire S'mores frozen coffee), but people are hesitant to click "buy now" anyway. So you have to make it clear that you have thought about what they would want and are not being utterly self-indulgent.

Anyone who says "authors only need to write a book that they like!" are ... not thinking very pragmatically about the business of selling books. If I had my way, I'd just write nothing but hurt/comfort with zero plot whatsoever, but then no one would ever read it and I would need a beautiful woman to stroke my hair and assure me that I'm the best writer ever.

This is especially true because fanfic, wonderful thing that it is, exists. You're competing not just with other authors, but also incredibly talented and prolific fanfic writers. People already know that they like those characters, and they also don't have to pay anything for it, so why should they read your stuff?

Immediate gratification -> Long-term slog

With fanfic, you can write your piece, lightly edit it, and bam, it's up and ready to go. Many fanfic writers create schedules, such as posting one chapter once a week, but that's still a very short time in comparison to publishing.

If you're tradpub, it could be well over six months before you get an agent, even if you are the best author ever. Some people have to keep trying for two years, three years, ten years before someone listens to them.

Then your agent needs to sell your book, and then the publisher needs to edit it again, and then they do the formatting and have the design team in to make the cover, and then the marketing team prepares, and ... it's a long time.

And then, when it's all ready to go, the publisher will schedule the publishing date a good few months out. They might push it back multiple times, as happened to Bethany Baptiste with The Poisons We Drink (very good book!!), because of whatever internal issues there are.

Even with indie pub, you've got to take your time. You need to get beta readers, and then editors if you can afford them, and have a cover designed, send it out to reviewers and build hype (which I did not do for my first book and regret, but will do for Pride Before a Fall).

It took me about four months to get my first book ready, and that was after I had already written several other manuscripts, so it had sat for a while and I was sure it was ready to go. And, frankly, I should have waited longer - not because the book needed more work, but because I should have prepared my marketing strategy ahead of time so I wasn't messing around after it was published. My next book, Pride Before a Fall, is going to take much longer because there's so much prework to do.

There is also the fact that the best way to market a book is to write another book. 9 Years Yearning will likely not break even until I am to the third book, Funeral of Hopes. So you have to keep going, even if it's not with the same series.

External Motivation -> Internal Motivation

Fandom is so wonderful because we can get feedback on our writing and chatter about it with people who also care. We have a readymade audience who is actively seeking out things about their blorbos. You can promo your stuff, of course, but for the most part, people come to you. Like, when I was still writing for Touken Ranbu, I had people message me out of the blue wanting to commission me (which I didn't do because it's technically illegal).

You aren't going to get that right away as an original fiction writer because no one is actively searching for your specific things. If you have fandom friends, they may support you in your original endeavors, but other people don't know you from Adam. Potential readers are going to be hesistant to waste their time when, again, they can find something they know they will probably like ... for free.

Yes, obviously people search for certain types of books on Amazon or Goodreads. Otherwise no one would be reading anything but assigned reading or personal recommendations. However, you're competing with thousands of other similar books, and you're asking the person to make an investment in your work by paying for it. That's challenging and, at times, very demoralizing.

As such, you must have strong internal motivation to keep going. It can't just be about the money, because most of us are not going to become rich from our work. Statistically, most books sell less than 300 copies - and that's trad published books with marketing teams.

90% of self-pubbed books sell less than 100 copies, and 20% of self-published authors make zero income from their books.

A lot of people go into the hole for their first book, which is why most authors do it as a side hustle - they need another source of income to fund their publishing endeavors. If you check out the selfpub reddit, you'll see a lot of people talking about how they have to save up for the many expenses of publishing.

What I'm saying here is that you have to be willing to withstand months and years of no one caring about your stuff. You have to do it because you want to share a story with other people so that they can experience the same fun and enjoyment that you had writing it. And you have to do it because you believe you're good enough to do it.

A healthy sense of self-esteem is vital for authors: knowing that even if the sales aren't where you want yet, you've built something you love and that it's worth peoples' attention. That's what will get you through the horrors of marketing.

Community -> Audience

Fandom is all about community. That's why fanfic writers get so annoyed that people will talk about their stories on Discord servers but won't bother to comment: the point of fanfic is to share it with someone else and to start a conversation. Fanfic writers do this for free, out of love for the characters and stories that they admire. No money exchanged hands; it's more like a "take a penny, leave a penny" kind of thing. Take this story, leave a comment!

Not so with original fiction you want to publish. Many authors have a strict "don't look at Goodreads reviews" policy because those reviews aren't really about us: they are for other readers.

Authors who respond to mean reviews are lambasted for being unprofessional and rude, just like business owners who fight with customers on Google reviews. The reviews there aren't for you! They to tell other customers that this book is worth their time or is a piece of garbage.

Sure, you can look at reviews, but don't respond to them. Take the nice ones to pull out and show other potential customers, but leave the rest of them alone. Flag and report them if they are obvious personal attacks, but otherwise, you've got to swallow your pride and let them stand.

Once I finish a project, it's done. I'm not going to go fix it even though I technically could republish it. As such, any harsh comments are feedback I can use for my next project, not this one.

There's no point in arguing with strangers about my work, because it just makes me look like a defensive bitch who can't take criticism. The best way to not look like an idiot when someone says my book sucks is to just not say anything.

And yes, you can talk about your WIPs and your OCs on Tumblr or wherever. You should talk about your WIPs and your stories with other people! It can build hype and it's fun to chat with others about what you're working on to get some positive feedback. Of course that's wonderful.

But still, there's not going to be the same feeling about it, because this isn't technically a community centered around your work - it's a community of other writers, who all have their own stories, who all want and deserve attention. Other writers here are both your audience and your peers. (Not your competitors, get that out of your head. Don't be like Cait Corrain.)

And that's normal and okay. Hype other people up when you can, appreciate those that engage with you, and don't get into fights about your book. Go fight about things that really matter, like whether equestrian sports belong in the Olympics.

Promotion -> Marketing

Fanfic doesn't really need any promotion if it's good because people will seek it out on their own. Again, people are actively searching for the things you write about, and if you tag it correctly on places like AO3 or Wattpad or wherever, you're bound to get at least a few hits. If you're lucky, you'll get wonderful comments, too!

Any promos are basically just "hey look at this" with tags that are relevant or peer-to-peer recommendations. Some places like Wattpad will promo your stuff to the audience on their own.

Alas, original fiction has no such blessings. You have to do work to get readers, because again, people are suspicious of new authors and want to ensure they're getting something good.

It's funny, because most people won't think much of buying a $5 coffee, but they'll agonize over whether to spend $0.99 on a book. Maybe it's a pre-sunk-cost fallacy, I don't know. Regardless, it sucks, and it's no one's fault, but it's something you have to consider.

I hate marketing, and I am not good at it, but I'm learning. A lot of writers also hate marketing. It's annoying and confusing. But, alas, it's what I must do if I want anyone to buy my book. I have to search keywords and post on promo pages and adjust ad campaigns and get book covers and so on and so on. It takes far more time than the actual writing, and I still have a LOT more to do before I'm at the level I want.

Please learn from my mistakes and bone up on marketing well, well before you prepare to publish. I really like this (FREE!!) course by David Gaughran that goes through everything you need. I'm still working through it but what I have learned so far is incredibly helpful.

Freedom -> Strategy

This point and the next one are the fundamental crux of the fanfic versus original fic divide, and it creates a lot of bitterness on both sides that really doesn't have to be there.

Fanfic is about freedom. You can do whatever you want. Write omegaverse, write vore, write fluff, write hurt/comfort, do WHATEVER! It's all good. No one's spending money and no one's getting hurt. Be as weird as you want, use odd formatting styles, get super experimental. Anything goes.

It's not the same with original fiction, unfortunately. Of course, you should have your own unique style, and you can publish whatever you want if you're doing self-pub. But you might not get any sales whatsoever, and that's entirely valid. Readers are spending money to read your things; they deserve to get something good. They have the right to complain or tell people your writing sucks and they shouldn't waste their money.

This is why I get annoyed with people who say things like "authors should only write for themselves!" No, fanfic writers should only write for themselves. Authors should enjoy what they write, but they should write for other people as well if they want to make any money. If they don't consider audience, then they have no right to complain when they get no sales.

As such, you need to balance your own happiness with your work and the demands of an audience. This means no 1102910212-page long screeds about worldbuilding, no abrupt self-indulgent sex scenes in a story that doesn't need them, no bizarre formatting (if you write in all lowercase in a published book so help you god).

No parenthetical asides in published work unless that's an essential part of your fiction style. That's a note to myself.

You must be strategic with the way you develop a story and how much you provide. It's no longer anything goes if you want to sell anything.

If you want to just provide your stories for free on Amazon or Wattpad or AO3 or whatever, that's cool, and you can keep on keepin' on. And good for you! Thank you for sharing your work with the world.

DLDR -> Critique

I have left the final boss for last. This is the most excruciating mindset shift, and it causes a lot of squabbles.

Original fiction authors often come in to fanfic spaces with this ruthless mindset of critique. They say that if someone published something on the internet, they should expect people to point things out and tell them that they are wrong. They sniff that if someone wants to improve their fanfic, then they need to get a thicker skin and suck it up when someone rips their work to shreds.

This is a fundamentally wrong way to approach fandom. A lot of fanfic writers are just writing for fun. They don't care about improving; they're rotating their faves in a microwave as a hobby. Not every fanfic writer wants to transition to original professional fiction, and that is OKAY! It's okay to just do it as a hobby.

And so, bursting into fanfic spaces with unwanted criticism is no different than acting like Gordan Ramsay at Thanksgiving dinner. It's rude and goes against the golden rule of fanfic: Don't Like, Don't Read.

If the fanfic writer wants criticism, they'll say so. If they want to learn, they'll read up and practice (through fanfic) until they're ready. Rando snobs on the internet need not intervene.

BUT when you transition to selling books, you need to seek out critique, and you need to learn to parse between good and bad critique. Yes, not every beta reader is going to be an excellent resource (even paid ones). Not every rando opinion matters.

Some people are just bitter and looking for a fight, and other people have no idea what they are doing but think they do. Not everyone has been trained in how to give constructive criticism, so they just blurt out whatever they feel like and don't consider whether it's actually useful.

Regardless, you have to be willing to swallow your pride and take at least some criticism into consideration. Some of the critique I seethed about the most was actually the best, even if the person was kind of an asshole about it. I might roll my eyes and go "uuugh that's such idiotic advice" and then sleep on it and sheepishly slink back to my keyboard with my tail between my legs, realizing they were 100% correct. That's normal, especially if you're a special snowflake like me.

This is another reason why publishing takes time: you have to be able to sit with criticism and think about it rather than knee-jerk dismissing it out of hand. And you have to actually seek out the critique in the first place, which means swallowing your pride and opening your precious baby up to the cruel shocks of misfortune.

That's about it!

I hope this was interesting to you. Maybe you disagreed with every single point, and that's fine. Again, this is my perspective and my experience as someone who wrote over 120 fanfics before switching over to original fiction.

If you liked this, maybe you'll consider buying my book, 9 Years Yearning.

It's a gay coming-of-age story set in a second world with poetry magic! And yes, there's poetry in it. Also horses and fistfights and near-death love confessions.

Oh, and it's $3. Less than a Dunkin Donuts medium Bonfire S'mores frozen coffee.

God I hate promoing someone please shoot me or buy me a coffee maybe idk

[dyxtd21]

All of my AU Transformers and their candy-motif:

Primus = Primallow (Marshmallows) (Any kind)

2. Unicron = Unicane (Candy Canes) (Christmas kind 👇)

Autobons (Autobots):

Optimus Prime = Optimus Peppermint

2. Bumblebee = Bumblegum (Bubblegum) (Any kind)

3. Arcee = Arcreme

4. Hot Rod = Hot Rolo

5. Wheeljack = Wheeljell-o (Any flavor)

6. Ratchet = Ratchups (Chupa Chups) (Any flavor)

7. Alpha Trion = Alpha Toffifee

8. Jetfire = Jetflake

9. Jazz = Jazzeight (After Eight)

10. Blurr = Blurzzard (Blizzard) (Any flavors)

(I had this concept in my mind for a long time 😅)

11. Windblade = Windbounty

12. Prowl = Proworeo (Oreos) (I prefer basic but any flavors would do)

More to come...

Decepticorns (Decepticons):

Megatron = Megatwix

2. Starscream = Starcream (Cream + Cherry)

3. Soundwave = Soundwafer (Wafers)

4. Shockwave = Shockwerther (Werther's Original)

5. Thundercracker = Thundercrunch (Nestle Crunch)

6. Skywarp = Skymelon (Anything that has to do with melon-flavor and so on)

7. Blitzwing = Blitzwhite (Anything that has to do with white chocolate)

8. Lugnut = Lugnutella

9. Lockdown = Lockdrop (Gum Drops)

10. Astrotrain = Astrotaffy

Frosties:

Scorponok = Scorponshake (Milkshakes)

2. Cyclonus = Cyclos'mores (Frozen s'mores)

3. Tarn = Tarnstard (Frozen Custard)

4. Bludgeon = Bludgmochi (Frozen Mochi)

More to come...

[paxtonrp]

THEY SAY SMALL TOWNS ARE BORING...

PAXTON, AZ may just be a blip on the map, but there's plenty to do if you pay attention to your surroundings. Below are some of the events the town has to offer for the month of October.

OR SO THE STORY GOES

. . . . . . OCTOBER EVENTS - From Oct. 1st - 31st.

DANNY BANDITS - Tuesday Trivia Nights (Every Tuesday; 6-10p)

Listen...even bandits need to know some random tidbits of knowledge. Take a crack at random trivia games hosted every two hours (6-8; 8-10) and try to win yourself a free meal (drinks included). Trivia is western-themed -- we had to stay a little on brand. Cheaters not tolerated.

PAXTON FRONTIER ARENA - Drive-in movie (Fri. October 4 & 18th)

The arena isn't just for rodeos. Specifically, the parking field occasionally sets up shop to show a few movies during the slow months. Tickets start at $8 dollars per adult, and $5 dollars per child. Refreshments and concession stands will be available and are not included in adult ticket pricing. All children get a free bag of popcorn and a bottle of water. As always, bring your own vehicle and blankets.

October 4 @ 7:00p - Howl's Moving Castle (Genre: Animation; Rated PG) October 4 @ 10:00p - The Shining (Genre: Horror/Thriller; Rated R) October 18 @ 8:00p - Never Let Go (Genre: Horror/Suspense; Rated R) October 18 @ 11:00p - Speak No Evil (Genre: Horror; Rated R)

PRAIRIE PIES - Pick n' Play Games (Every Wednesday & Sunday; all day)

If you can pick up the board game or the pack of cards then you can play all day with a pie on the side. One game per table. At the counter there are card game competitions. Competitors are able to pick from a variety of prizes (i.e. a free dessert, a specialty soda, or a Prairie Pies t-shirt).

PRICKLY PERK - Late-Night Flights (Available every day from 8:00p - closing)

Perk is trying something a little different this October -- extended hours. So for all you coffee connoisseurs, stop by and enjoy a late-night flight (exclusive fall flavors described below). Flights are only sold between 8:00pm and this month's new closing time (midnight). Caffeine-free and frozen versions are available upon request. All flights include five 8 ounce drinks of your choice.

* All lattes can be made with ice - Apple Butter Americano An indulgent blend of sugar-free apple syrup, sugar-free caramel, honey, cinnamon, and espresso. A perfect treat for those who want their sweets without all the calories. - Apple Cider Cappuccino Silky light espresso, apple syrup, cinnamon syrup made with your choice of milk (skin, almond, oat, or half and half). It's a little like a warm hug. - Caramel Pecan (available as a latte or macchiato) Available with low-sugar and sugar-free syrups. A simple, but well-loved creamy blend of caramel and pecan syrup. Add a dollop of whip cream and sprinkles of pecans for some extra crunch! - Peach Cobbler Latte Who says peach cobbler is only for summer? Well, not around here. Peach and vanilla syrup come together with a rich espresso to make a sweet and bold drink. - Pumpkin Perk Spice (available as a latte or cold brew) The belle of the fall ball. You know her and you love her. Rich espresso combined with velvety steamed milk, and infused with our signature pumpkin spice mix. - Saguaro Sunset Small but mighty, this espresso shot has a sweet, dark chocolate flavor with a hint of smokiness. - S'mores Cold Brew Who doesn't love a fall bonfire? We'll bring the bonfire to your table as a smooth cold brew coffee. This cold brew features marshmallow fluff and mocha syrup. Optional toppings include whipped cream or cold foam, and graham cracker crumbs. - Spiced Pear & Honey Latte A combination of (you guessed it) espresso and ripe pear with a touch of honey and cinnamon syrup. It's a fresh and fragrant flavor meant to warm the body and soul. - Spicy Mocha Latte It's coffee with a kick, and we think it sums up these parts pretty well. Espresso, chocolate, and a hint of chili spice, and your choice of milk. You'll thank us later.

RUNAWAY BAY - Fall Falls (Every Thursday-Saturday; 9pm-midnight)

Prickly Perk isn't the only Paxton business extending their hours -- come by to Runaway Bay and bring your suit to enjoy the Fall Falls. Runaway's Fall Falls feature a late night drift through the lazy river, which features dark waters, gothic scenery, and frightful sights. Don't worry, though -- the only chills you'll feel will be from the thrills and not the weather. Runaway is fully-indoors and heated all year round.

TRAILBLAZER THREADS - Clearance Clear-Out (All Spring and Summer items)

Summer's over, but the sales are not! Stock up now on your favorite styles from spring and summer and get a head start for next year! All clearance items are an additional 30% off.

. . . . . . ROLLING EVENTS — Will occur every month from here on out.

BACKYARD BUS - Backyard Games (every third Saturday of the month)

It's like the Olympic Games but the only medals are a free 55 ounce margarita for you (and your friends if you like to share). The Backyard Bus hosts the Backyard Games every third Saturday of the month. The Games include corn hole, life-size Jenga, UNO, and Mexican Train. The winner of 3/4 games earns their prize.

DESERT BLOOM WINERY - Winery Tours (Last weekend of the month; weekdays by appointment only)

When a town has a winery there are tours naturally. Desert Bloom Winery tours operate by appointment only Monday-Friday. However, if having a schedule isn't your thing, you can always stop by on the third Saturday of the month to join one of the open tours. As a note, these tours are first come, first serve. Desert Bloom has four tours of up to 10 on any given day. Wine tasting is included of course.

THE GLASS CACTUS - Genre Bend (First Friday of the month)

Small towns may have a reputation for being close-minded, but that's not the case when it comes to the Glass Cactus. On the first Friday of every month, the Cactus introduces the public to a new music genre -- it's ultimately the DJ's draw, but you're guaranteed to find some new tunes.

MAIN STREET MARKET - Artisan Alley (First and third Saturday & Sunday of the month)

Paxton's Main Street Market features a rotating group of local artisans on the first and third weekends of the month. Tent locations are random and fully based on availability when a vendor registers. It's a ten dollar flat rate for registration.

PRICKLY PERK - Open Mic Night (Monday, Thursday, & Saturdays)

Prickly Perk hosts local bands, poets, and singers every Monday, Thursday, and Saturday evening. New acts always get assigned to Monday, but can work up to Thursday and Saturday night performances based off how well the community turns out for their shows.

THE SILVER SADDLE - Wednesday Woes & Saturday Specials (Every Wednesday & Saturday)

The Silver Saddle offers drink deals two nights a week. Wednesday Woes is a buy one get one free deal and, well, it's mainly to drown in the woes of it only being Wednesday. Saturday Specials includes discounted prices on whatever drink the bartenders' choose. Sometimes the bartenders pick margaritas, other times they pick shots of whiskey -- it's one big surprise.

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COMMUNITY EVENTS at PAXTONRP are more or less ideas for how the writers can utilize locations in their threads/to get an idea of some activities available in town. They are not mandatory for writers to use in threads/have their muses participate in. You also do not have to wait until the day the event starts to make a thread (i.e. if you want your muse to view a movie showing on October 18, you can post your thread at any point in October). As a note, the admins do not center events around holidays since we know not everyone celebrates holidays/the same holidays. However, writers are more than welcome to have holiday-centered threads and HCs for their muses and the locations their muses are visiting.