#I WAS CHECKING NY REFERENCES

[poisonousquinzel]

"a dude in Texas legally changed his name to "Literally Anyone Else" and he's attempting to run for President against Biden & Trump" [source]

okay, but putting aside the comedic aspect of this, it is concerning the amount of people who are prompted to vote for candidates just because it's funny. I'm not the biggest fan of how his policy about the boarder sounds [Site], but I do implore anyone who is able to vote in the 2024 US election to please research other candidates.

The media is only going to continue pushing the idea it's inevitably going to be Trump vs Biden 2.0 and we have no other options, that we have to vote for Biden again because of Project 2025. Is that whole thing terrifying?

Yeah, fucking absolutely.

But voting for Biden will not solidify our safety from that. Biden is exactly like the rest of them. He always has been. You can't make the lesser of two evils argument when they're both just plain evil.

You cannot say that Biden is even mildly a better choice than Trump when he is currently directly involved in a genocide. That is not some little fucking thing. That in and of itself disqualifies him as a lesser evil. Biden is just as bad as him and he will not save us because he doesn't fucking care.

Cornel West [Site] is an Independent candidate running for President in the 2024 Election. [Policies]

Claudia De la Cruz and Karina Garcia [Site] are running for President and Vice-President as the candidates of the Party for Socialism and Liberation in the 2024 Election. [Policies]

There are options.

There are people trying to change the corrupt foundation our system is built on, but we have to help amplify them because the mainstream media will not.

[sectumsempraaa]

Taking a flight with the Slytherin boys (headcanons)

i wrote these while delayed for several hours at the airport yesterday 🫶🏼 a lil something for y’all while i work on requests!

feat. Draco, Mattheo, Theo, Blaise, Lorenzo x reader

Draco:

- is extremely confused why he has to take off his shoes at security

- threatens the TSA agent during a pat down

- refuses to eat airport food

- pays his way into one of the airline lounges to get away from the public

- doesn’t “trust” the muggle pilot- asks if he can fly the plane instead

- “Draco this is a Boeing 747 not a Nimbus 2000”

- upgrades you both to first class and orders you expensive drinks

- aisle seat kinda guy

- booked a car service for y’all to be ready immediately upon landing

- asks his dad if they have a private jet bc he literally never wants to do that again

Mattheo:

- oh no

- where is he

- you’re not even there for 10 minutes before you lose him

- you find him signing up for Clear bc he hates waiting in lines

- sets the metal detector off bc he “didn’t know” that knives are prohibited on planes

- buys way too much stuff at the grab and go store bc he doesn’t want y’all to be hungry

- teasing you with his hands between your thighs before takeoff

- falls asleep on your shoulder for the entire flight

- big time nuzzling his face in your neck

Blaise:

- airport dad energy

- gets y’all to the airport 3 hours before takeoff

- has everyones documents photo copied in a physical folder

- if the whole group is there he is doing a headcount every 15 minutes

- puts airtags in everyones backpacks in case someone wanders off

- orders you a fancy meal on the plane. this man won’t let you settle for snacks

- makes sure you’re extremely comfortable (seat all the way back, borrowing his pillow, adjusting the air temp bc he knows you get cold)

- not a fan of heights!! plays with your hair to distract himself

Theo:

- showing up to the airport with minutes to spare

- checks all your bags bc he won’t let y’all carry that crap around

- knows your coffee order and is also a caffeinated king

- downloaded a carefully selected line up of his and your favorite films on his ipad

- buys you both painfully cheesey matching airport merch (ie: I ♡ NY shirts)

- if your flight gets delayed he is buying y’all mimosas at the airport bar

- buys the third seat so it’s just you guys in your row (so he can makeout with you whenever he wants)

Lorenzo:

- mans is dressing SO comfy

- hand on your lower back at all times

- staring at your ass all day, he lovesss when you wear those yoga pants

- gets yelled at for trying to go through the metal detector with you

- striking up conversation with strangers who have service dogs

- taking pictures of EVERYTHING

- mega turbulence anxiety but tries so hard to keep his composure for you

- definitely curated a soothing playlist for the flight

- “Y/N, you’re missing the safety demonstration”

- asks for a blanket and drapes it over both of you bc this man wants to cuddle until the wheels hit the ground

- 100% tries to sit on the actively moving baggage claim carousel

—

ALL of them refer to you as their “wife” for fun whenever talking to strangers or employees. “my wife would like a glass of champagne.” “a blanket for my wife and i, please.” “me and my wife are headed back home for the holidays.”

[taylorswiftstyle]

Out and about | New York City, NY | November 9, 2024

Vivienne Westwood 'Sunday Striped Cotton Dress' - $2,390.00 Jacquie Aiche ‘3 Graduated Teardrop Sophia Diamond Chain Double Stud’ - $3,200.00 For Future Reference ‘Vintage 1970s Ancient Bronze Coin Necklace’ - $12,750.00 Ben Amun 'Luigi Bracelet' - $245.00 Vivienne Westwood 'Granny Frame Purse' - $210.00 Aquazzura ‘Twist 95 Pleated Sandals’ - $795.00

This outfit has a lot of recognizable, repeat elements going on for it which is something Taylor does a lot with her fashion. Weaving new but familiar pieces in with repeat pieces keeps her wardrobe consistent, but fresh.

Take the dress for starters. For every era there is often a silhouette or item that Taylor has elevated to be its most iconic or associated. For TTPD, it’s definitely been the bustier/corset. And in terms of designers, Vivienne Westwood was an early pioneer in bringing the style to the masses making the house a natural choice to wear.

If the silhouette of the dress looks particularly familiar, it’s because we have actually “seen this film before.” Taylor has worn the checked version of this ‘Sunday’ top to the Chiefs vs Saints game and the blue version of the ‘Sunday’ dress in personal photos shared by Brittany Mahomes from Amsterdam, Netherlands in the summer.

The layering of colours on the bodice feel like a painting of a sunset to me. By Taylor's admission, there was a period of time when she near exclusively "dressed like a 1950s housewife." In some ways, this silhouette feels like a callback to the prim retro dresses of that time, splattered with a war paint of defiance.

Ancient coin jewelry has been a bit of a micro trend in Taylor’s wardrobe of late. In this outfit alone, she pairs a new coin bracelet by a new-to-her brand with a vintage coin necklace. A part of me wonders if their frequency / repetition in her jewelry collection plays a similar role to the number of evil eye pieces she’s worn over the last year given that they’re also often believed to be pieces that bring protection and luck. 

The teardrop earrings are repeats Taylor has worn on a number of occasions since around October 2023. 

If you’ve been following along with Taylor’s fashion, you’ll likely recognize this bag immediately because of the adornment on its front. As a fashion refresher, the symbol is the Vivienne Westwood ‘orb’ logo - an iconic design within VW house codes. It was designed to be a take on the Sovereign orb of the British Royal Family and a cheeky reference to Vivienne’s self-described title of “queen” of fashion.

VW describes the bag as a “a vintage-inspired silhouette and a kiss-lock closure, recalling antique coin purses from the early 20th-century.” Fitting given the vintage coin necklace she’s wearing around her neck, don’t you think?

Despite the “vintage” vibes of the bag, I can’t help but feel that it’s a bit stark and disjointed against the rest of the outfit.

Taylor has also previously worn both the necklace and shoes here. The oversized coin necklace has been seen on two occasions. Its debut was at the Chiefs season opener against the Ravens back in September and its first repeat just a few days following paired with a Gucci monogram dress (For Fashion History lovers, shall share in Stories!).

Of its three outings, this is my least favourite styling of this necklace (the Chiefs game ‘fit was my fave of the three). I would guess based on the cut of the dress Taylor may have been going for a throwback / vintage look my first impression was renaissance fair meets oil painting) but something about the pairing of the scale of the necklace here isn’t working for me.

The necklace itself was a special one-of-a-kind vintage piece from the 70s that For Future Reference founder Randi Molofsky told me was “heavily influenced by the disco movement and Italian resort style.”

To pick up on the colours in the bodice of her dress, Taylor wore a coordinating pair of repeat velvet sandals. You might recall that Taylor previously wore these in September 2023 while out and about in NYC (That particular outfit was a noted copy + paste for me. Will share to stories!).

The velvet here adds a lush, seasonal texture to a going out ‘fit.

Photo by Aeon via Getty Images

[kodiescove]

So

I just looked into something that.... Essentially explains my life.

If you are not from Buffalo NY, you've probably never heard of a doctor named Dr Gosy. I do not know how far this case spread.

In 2020, Dr Gosy, a neurologist who prescribed pain killers, was convicted of conspiring to distribute controlled substances and health care fraud. This is like, a HUGE case here in Buffalo. Dr Gosy (I really hate calling him doctor) was like THE doctor to go to if you were in pain, because, well... He handed out opioids like they were Altoids.

I just read the department of justices article on the case, and to sum up how horrific this man contributed to the opioid epidemic , they say that he prescribed more opioids than any other prescribers, INCLUDING HOSPITALS, in the ENTIRETY of New York state. Not just the city of Buffalo, the whole fucking state.

This isn't even getting into the other atrocities he committed to line his pockets while endangering people's lives with opioid prescriptions.

Now, I am angry about this because of course I would be angry about a doctor caring more about money than the safety of their patients.

However

This man was my step dads doctor.

This was who was giving my step dad his opioids.

This is who my step dad went to for help, and instead of giving him help he saw my step dad as a check, a dollar sign.

We can talk about personal responsibility, but it is proven in a court of law that that man was knowingly over prescribing people pain killers, and even when either patients or patients family members were going to him about concerns of abuse he did nothing but write another prescription for more opioids, not even lessen the dosage or the quantity of pills, not even recommended or referring the patient to an addiction specialist.

Six people died under his care. Six people.

If a street drug dealer was linked to the overdose deaths of six people, that dealer would be in prison for the rest of their life.

Gosy is serving just under six years.

That man ruined my fucking life. Ruined my family. Ruined countless of lives, countless of families, on a scale that a single drug dealer could never manage.

And he barely gets six fucking years in prison.

His life is stopped for six years, and I have a ruined life, my step dad has a ruined life, my mother has a ruined life, my sister has a ruined life, and so many other of his patients and his patients families have ruined lives.

SIX PEOPLE ARE DEAD.

And all he has to do is sit his ass in prison for six years while we try and survive the mess he made because he decided that making money was more important than actually treating people in an appropriate and ethical way.

He ruined lives and killed people, and all he gets is six years.

[galaxygolfergirl]

WIP WIP WIP drawing a Modern Helsa AU that I haven’t thought about in a long time

I was a dumb teenager who boldly proclaimed that I’d make a modern Helsa AU novel a few years ago after assessing the shortcomings of Frozen 2, but then I got bored and never actually did it. However, I recently came across some of my old brainstorming and got inspired again, so I thought I might share some sketches that I was working on tonight.

This AU was called "Queens" (in reference to Elsa and Anna's royal status) and the basic idea is that Irene Everett (Elsa) is a graphic designer living in Queens, NY, in the late 80s-early 90s trying to be a single parent to her son, Oliver (Olaf) and that her sister Allison (Anna) and her boyfriend Joshua Borden (Kristoff) all help co-parent since Irene has to work late. Irene eventually runs into Hank Weston (Hans), working as a janitor at her job. He's trying to rebuild his life after spending time in prison for endangering Irene and Allison during a car accident and for driving drunk. Hank and Irene reconnect and form a relationship through trial and tribulation, romance and drama, and all that ensues.

If you wanna read up on what the full premise was, check out this old, silly post I made in the link here. Will I pursue it further? Who knows at this point, don’t believe a word I say. 🙃

Also BONUS because aaaaarrrmmms.... 🫠🤤

[eugenedebs1920]

When we look back at dictatorships, whether in fascist regimes, communist states, autocratic rule, and totalitarianism, ect. the philosophy’s don’t have all that much in common. One thing they do have in common is a “great leader” or an “emperor”, and more so nowadays a “strongman” who lords over the population with ”an iron fist”, a fancy way of saying they oppress thier people.

Let’s look at WWII. What did Germany’s leader (I heard we weren’t supposed to use the H word but you know who I’m referring to) and the emperor of Japan share in similarities? Not much, if anything at all. After Pearl Harbor America declared war with Japan and as a result of the treaty between Japan and Germany, Germany declared war with America (DUMB!!). What did germanys leader and the emperor of Japan have in common? Did they share any common ground other than the leader was almighty and the subjects were expendable? No. What they had in common is their oppressive rule and the fact that the free countries condemned their style of governance. So whether you have any similarities or not, as an oppressive regime, your only allies are other oppressive regimes. The idiom, your enemies, enemy, is your friend.

Fast forward to now and we don’t have the same style of fascism and dictatorships, in the more developed countries, as back then. Hence it’s not the same kind of harsh oppressive system. More of a soft autocracy. Orban in Hungary and Erdogan in Turkey are a prime example of the “soft autocracy”. Russia is an authoritarian state. Their sham government is a front for the pleasing of the world but, Putin rules Russia as a dictator.

The last thing these authoritarians want is their people to get any wild ideas of individual freedom and liberty. We did screw Russia over good after WWII, and I promise they didn’t forget, but beyond that, they want any democracy to fail. They don’t want their people to see that it is possible to have a thriving free nation. Who is the most power, wealthiest, freest nation on the planet? The United States of America.

China, Russia, Turkey, Hungary, North Korea, they would LOVE to see us destroy ourselves. All that they can do without invoking a military conflict, they will to undermine us, make us seem as if our system of government is feeble, flawed, corrupted, they will, and are. They want to rule over their citizens with fear and divisiveness. Making the population too scared to rise up against them.

This is why, in particular, Russia has been caught meddling in elections all throughout Europe and here in America. It is also why it’s so troubling that Republicans, and Trump in particular, are so keen on people such as Orban and not willing to help a democracy like Ukraine. Trump and Putin being “friends” is not a good thing. Trump is the easiest person to manipulate! All you have to do is complement him or offer him money and he’ll do whatever you want. Orban is an authoritarian! Why is he going and having private meetings with Trump directly after he met with Putin. This isn’t a Sherlock Holmes mystery here! It’s pretty damn easy to see!

Long story shorter than it could be. Russia will be putting out all kinds of misinformation and deepfakes, false stories and made up articles. Check the source! Despite what Trump says, because he only says it due to them being critical of him and covering him appropriately, the established sources, your NBC’s, CBS, ABC, CNN, Washington Post, NY Times, ect. these are credible sources. Are they corporate money making organizations? Yes. Does the press situation in this country need an overhaul? Yes. But these aren’t fake news (I had to laugh while typing that because that’s LITERALLY what Trump calls them) their flawed news but they aren’t social media deepfake, made up, complete fabrications to throw our democracy into turmoil. They will tell you the story as it is happening. The first step in autocratic rule is to limit information to what suits your narrative. Thats why Trump calls them fake. I can’t believe I’m sticking up for the media so much right now but , for reals!…

Check your sources. Know that their is forces that want to see us fail. Want us to be angry and rioting and questioning if democracy works. It does. Trump is a Russian asset, that’s why all this nonsense is amplified the way it is. In 248 years, 60 presidential elections, only the three involving Trump has this whole fraud, stolen election, noncitizen voting bullsh*t ever came up. Just Trump being a traitor. Don’t let the country’s most notorious conman con ya.

[tragedry]

What headcanons do you have for the spider-man Tyler AU? (It's awesome btw!!). How did he get bit? Does Taylor know? What are the others up to?

sorry for the late response anon, life got a bit busy (projects, responsibilities, getting sick, etc)

anyway, this ask has been haunting my narrative for so long and i really wanted to go ham with my answer, and now that i'm in bed rest (as per my doctor's advice) and bored out of my mind, i feel like i can finally settle down and answer your questions!!

1. how did Tyler get bit?

he got bit during the summer, specifically on a trip to savannah. okay, so in this AU the location is set to NY bc i really can't imagine spiderman being anywhere else lol, which means this AU is very different from the canonverse.

though the twins were still born in Georgia, they're now studying in NY with full scholarships (to get that 🤑🤑) they still make the effort to visit home every weekend if they can (for their mom)

which brings us back to how Ty got bit.. so during the summer, the twins spent most of their time at home, and on their way back to campus, they went to Savannah on a whim and that's where they came across the weird haunted house and Ty got bit by a radioactive spider.

(i don't really have much thoughts about the details, but the event was very wild for the both of them, hence why the two have a matching 'I survived my trip to Savannah' t-shirt lol)

2. Does Taylor know?

Yes, her sibling intuition was definitely telling her something was up after their weird trip to Savannah, and the more Ty seemed to change and keep away from her, the more she needed to know what was going on.

She finds out eventually, but the cost is very high... (referring to my last spiderman tyler art)

3. What are the others up to?

As of the moment, i've only ever thought about Ashlyn in this AU apart from the twins.

Basically, she's Ty's lab partner.

(i already have a fic i plan on writing for this, but it's not gonna be ready for a while)

HEADCANONS:

Ty is still part of the varsity (for hus scholarship)

Tay is in the mechanics club (she ends up helping Ty with his spiderman suit later on once she finds out about his double life)

The scars on Ty's face is from the traumatic accident™

Ashlyn is the second to suspect Ty's hiding something, though she doesn't really pry him for answers

Everyone's a bit older in this AU, i'm thinking 16 or older tbh

alright, i think that's it for now. thank you for letting me yap about this AU of mine, and if anyone's interested to know more, feel free to ask me stuff!!

(you can also check out the tag 'AU: SPIDERVERSE' for any updates!)

[divorcingjimmatthews]

jim/jade/tabby post-escape scenario

i know they won't escape this season but what if they did. and they were poly about it

jade goes back to NY to sort out his financial business and get his life back in order

he hasn't seen jim and tabitha in a few months now, but he misses them like crazy, specially tabitha

he finally reaches out to ask how they're doing, tabitha says its hard dealing with the separation, etc.

the kids are specially struggling to adjust back to their normal lives, and she feels like she's losing control of the situation

jade asks if money would help. she tells him that actually, if he came for a visit it might really help ethan because he keeps asking about him and victor and everyone else from the town

jade shows up on tabitha's doorstep looking his best, and holding a bouquet of roses

jim is there when she opens the door

"i thought you said you had separated"

turns out, they didn't want to shake up the kids lives even further, so they agreed to keep living together for a couple of years until julie went off to college

apparently the separation really helped the friction between them decrease, so at least the constant arguments are no longer a problem in the household

but jim is still definitely not ready to watch someone else try to woo his ex-wife. he can't decide if it being jade makes it slightly less terrible or a million times worse

he grabs his coat off a hanger in the hallway and walks towards the door

tabitha: "where are you going?"

jim: "for a walk!"

he storms past jade, not caring that he's shoving him with his shoulder as he does so, and closes the door behind him

tabitha takes the flowers and shakes her head with a sigh. "he always does this!"

her accent comes through as she complains

jade can't stop staring at her. he missed her so much, and he realises that he never wants to be far from her again if he can help it

"i'm sorry. this was probably a terrible idea."

tabitha sighs again, but she smiles. she smiles, and it makes his heart swell three times its size

"i really missed you." he points at the roses. "just. ignore those. it just felt right, but, you know—i can be a fucking idiot sometimes, so..."

she just lets him talk. there's a fondness in her eyes.

"can you say something?"

"i... i don't know" she says with a shrug "i don't know. if you want an answer—i don't know"

"no, of course, i... i don't know what i expected. listen, i'll come back later, just text me when the kids are back from school, okay?"

tabitha nods, and he leaves. he runs into jim on his way out, who was just sitting in his car parked right around the corner. jade gets in the car

"look, i can't blame you for trying"

"she said 'i don't know'. what do you think that means?"

"i think it means that you might be in for one hell of a ride."

later, ethan is so happy to see jade, and julie pretends to be barely tolerating him but makes no efforts to leave the room

they all notice how tabitha looks happier with jade around, except for jade who has no frame of reference and assumes she must be just tolerating his presence after the confession

jade offers to take the whole family out for dinner, but julie is working hard to catch up with her studies to graduate with her friends so it's just them and ethan (because jim and tabitha promised julie that they wouldn't make her babysit ethan anymore)

the dinner —at the fanciest restaurant in town, which made jim roll his eyes but provided lots of fun and entertainment for ethan—goes surprisingly well, just like the afternoon went

jim takes ethan and leaves to refuel the car while jade takes care of the check (ethan loves it when his dad explains how cars and fuel work)

"i want this" tabitha says out of the blue while they wait for jim to come back

"what?"

"you wanted an answer. i don't want jim to move out. and i don't want you to leave either. i just want this. i want today, every day. is that crazy?"

"it's not crazy. it sounds—perfect, actually"

he sounds like he's about to tear up

they're standing next to each other outside the restaurant. they nod to each other, and her hand finds his own, and her fingers tentatively find their way to interlace with his

he actually does tear up when she does this, and starts apologising

"fuck—sorry, i..."

he needs to take deep breaths

and no, neither of them have the slightest idea of how they're going to bring this up to jim

[shu-of-the-wind]

saw some tags on a reblog i did but yes, iroquois is a derogatory term. it's a french bastardization of (i believe) the algonquin word for "snake." the term is used to describe member tribes of the haudenosaunee (approximate pronunciation ho-di-no-SHO-ni) confederacy in the capital region of the us and up into canada, which include:

Mohawk / Kanienʼkehá꞉ka (approximate pronunciation "gah-nyen-geh-hah-ga") - “People of the Flint." Also referred to as the “Keepers of the Eastern Door” because they are the nation furthest to the east in the Confederacy. (alix note: mohawk communities are predominantly in canada but there are bands in northern new york as well.)

Oneida / Onyota’a:ká (approximate pronunciation "oh-nyo-DA-aw-GA") - “People of the Standing Stone” (there are two Oneida nations in the US, one in NY, one in Wisconsin, because of,,,y'know. displacement.)

Onondaga / Onöñda’gegá’ (approximately pronounced "ohnen-DA-geh-GA") - “People of the Hills.” Also referred to as the “Keepers of the Central Fire” because they were the center and capital of the Confederacy

Cayuga / Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫ' (approximately pronounced "guy-yo-KO-no") - “People of the Great Swamp”

Seneca / Onöndawá'ga (approximately pronounced "Oh-nown-da-WA-gah") - “People of the Great Hill.” Also known as the “Keepers to the Western Door” because they are the nation furthest to the west in the Confederacy

Tuscarora / Skarù:ręˀ (approximately pronounced "ska-ruh-reh") - “The Shirt Wearing People" or "the hemp gatherers" In 1722, the Tuscarora moved from North Carolina to the Haudenosaunee area to seek refuge and they were invited to join the Confederacy

all nations in the confederacy are still extant and all (to the best of my knowledge) have programs to keep their languages alive; i've linked to the govt websites for each nation.

just like...as a general rule of thumb if something sounds french (or european, tbh) and it's being applied to indigenous peoples of the americas it's safe to assume it's probably not the right word to use. (exceptions exist: the st croix band of ojibwe, etc.) rule of thumb is double check and you can do this very easily by searching "[name of nation] tribal government website" to see what names and terms are acceptable.

(i keep forgetting to put this on posts but yeah, i'm white. i grew up in haudenosaunee territory, i work in indian law [canadians don't fight me, that's the legal term in the us, i don't like it either], and this is basic 101 stuff that every settler in the us needs to fuckin know.)

eta: this should also be obvious but if a mohawk, tuscarora, seneca, cayuga, onondaga, or oneida person self-describes as iroqouis, leave them the fuck alone. same rule of thumb as a lesbian self-describing as dyke. as a lesbian, i get to reclaim that word. as a white person, i do not get to reclaim iroquois. it's that simple.

[thesith]

— Marching Far Away

tech x reader, implied echo x reader (she/her pronouns)

this is a one shot (1.1k)

warnings: heavy angst, hurt/comfort, death, involves the stages of grief. slight canon divergence. S2 E16 SPOILERS

notes: this fic is in tech’s POV, so be aware of that as you’re reading!

mando’a translations: cyar’ika: darling, sweetheart; yaim’ol: return, homecoming; usen’ye: go away (very rude); ni su’cuyi, gar kry’adyc, ni partayli, gar darasuum: i’m still alive, but you are dead. i remember you, so you are eternal (daily remembrance for those who have passed.)

the title is in reference to a mando’a saying, ny kyr’aduc, shi taab’echaaj’la, meaning “not gone, merely marching far away” in tribute to a dead comrade.

summary: tech watches you from afar after plan 99

“There is no time, Wrecker. Plan 99.” I reached for my blaster - a weapon I’ve become most familiar with over my time as a soldier. Though I’m proficient in many weapons, my favorite is my mind - the most dangerous weapon of them all.

Wrecker groaned at my conclusion - presumably out of frustration. “Don’t you do it, Tech.”

I sighed, knowing this was the only way to ensure their survival. The odds of us all making it out in time is 24 percent - the odds of them making it out if Plan 99 is executed jumps to a staggering 76. I know what must be done, but do they?

“When have we ever followed orders.” I stated, precisely aiming my shot to sever the hinge prohibiting their escape. I watch Wrecker, Omega, and her eyes widen at my rash decision, though one that was most honorable in my culture.

The fall isn’t as… painful, as I’d anticipated. No statistic could lead me to the conclusion of how painful it’d be to fall from 200 feet up, let alone watch my comrades' reactions. The impact comes shortly after, leaving me in a less-than optimal state.

Crying; originating from sadness. A sound I’ve gotten used to over my solitary time. From my batchmates, my younger sister, and her. God, her, what I wouldn’t give to be back in my cyar’ika’s arms safely, not having to watch her suffering from afar.

The days after my passing were evidently rough for my crew, though it should not have been - I am a soldier, meant to be expendable. Though, if the roles were reversed and it’d been any one of them, my reaction would be one and the same.

In my previous research, I discovered that the first stage of grief is denial. After much observation, I see this to be correct. Between Hunter’s “I’m waiting for Tech’s yaim’ol,” and her constant whispers of this situation not being reality, this stage is confirmed. It is… painful, for me to watch as they put themselves through this unnecessary self-inflicted torture, but they must to find themselves to be happy again. This, I suppose, I am content with, as I long for them to be satisfactory and functional without me.

I’ve found that she spends much of her time alone, which is not the most optimal way to grieve. I believe she misses me, just as I miss her - an astute observation from the past two months of watching.

When Crosshair returned to my absence, I believe it affected him as well. Though he’s in the anger stage of grief. Whenever she attempts to check up on him, despite her own longing to be alone, he sends her away with “usen’ye!”. Though I wish for him not to speak to her in that tone, I comprehend that it is just part of who he is - the prodigal brother; my twin.

She’s opening up more to my brothers, which I find to be an incredible step forward. Echo has been a support system for her in my absence, which I appreciate greatly. Though I do sense some awkwardness, it’s to be expected. She does seem a bit perturbed with my decision, which I hope will curb soon. I do not wish her to see me in a negative light.

Echo has taught her the Mando’a phrase of remembrance, which she speaks daily, multiple times a day. The “ni su’cuyi, gar kry’adyc, ni partayli, gar darasuum Tech,” falling from her lips in almost perfected Mando’a gives me pride - she is so intelligent, even in the darkest of times. I hope I will have eternal life, if only just in her memories.

She speaks to Echo about what she could’ve done differently to prevent the loss of myself - the answer being nothing. She’s punishing herself for my decision, one that had the best overall outcome for the group - though I’m realizing how this affected them as a whole and as individuals.

“What if I was the one to restore power instead? What if I took the risk of pulling him up? What if…”

Cyar’ika, nothing could’ve changed this outcome. Our deaths are all inevitable, some more imminent than others. All we can do, as living beings, is accept that.

I have never been more enraged than I was at the sight of Hemlock giving her my goggles. All of the progress she’s made seemed to melt away just at the sight of the broken lenses - it all faltered, just as she did in Echo’s arms. Though this is an unfortunate circumstance, I am glad she’s finding much needed solace in him - she understands that she is not alone.

She rests for most of the day, forgets to eat, isolates herself. All of the progress made has refreshed to what she was before, just from one object. Though Echo tries his best, there isn’t much he can do to motivate her - he can just watch as she withers away, just like I can. In the stage of depression, we are all rendered hopeless.

At night, I find her and Omega to be in an embrace - platonic cuddling for comfort, a healthy way of recovering. Her connection with my siblings has only grown stronger, despite the setbacks along the way. Her, Echo, Hunter, Wrecker, Crosshair, and Omega were learning to live without me, and it is not upsetting. I would find comfort in knowing they can go on with their lives and find happiness.

She seems to be prospering, which gives me a sense of pride. I am proud that she has overcome my loss, and continues to thrive with the help of her support system. Things seem to be looking up for my cyar’ika, which I have never been more grateful for.

Her strained relationship with Hunter has been all but mended, little to no animosity remaining between the two. With Echo’s assistance, she is beginning to complete the puzzle of her life once more, without my pieces in it. Though the puzzle may never be completed for her again, she is learning to live without them.

All I wish is for her to be happy, which comes about with the acceptance stage of grief. She is beginning to greet this new reality with a small smile, rather than tears more aggressive than the storms on Kamino.

Three years later, I am still observing her and my siblings, but I thought that was obvious. I acknowledge that I have and will always be a large part of their lives, but it is simply thrilling seeing their adventures and new lives - not as clones, but as free people.

She has come so far since that day, and viewing her with Echo gives me faith that even in the most difficult times, one can come through.

“Ni su’cuyi, gar kry’adyc, ni partayli, gar darasuum Tech,” is still heard daily, and that is more than enough for me.

fin.

thank you for reading! check out my masterlist!

[fwckriley]

If anyone still remembers me, I’m back (briefly) to let you guys know that I haven't forgotten about my blog. I’m just busy lately studying like crazy. 😮‍💨

Anyway, I received a request about an SWF/NSWF of Ghost and I’ll start to work on it. Please check out my blog at 00:00 on Saturday (Brazil time, but since most of you aren’t brazilians, for reference, it's -1 hour from NY, -4 hours from LA, +4/+5 hours for most of Europe/Africa, and approximately +12 hours for Asia/Oceania).

xoxo

[beating-a-dead-plot]

Please Read If You Live In The USA

Hi! My name isn't actually Petunia, it's just a nickname, and I used it so I could maintain some level of anonymity on here and protect myself from shame and awkwardness. That is no longer an option to me.

I live in New York state, not the big city, a different region. If you are female, non-binary, or transgender and over the age of 18, living in a state that isn't so fun as mine, maybe you could come visit me? Maybe you finally decided that your random internet bestie should be your real life bestie and you just have to meet each other! After all, good friends are so hard to find these days! I live with family currently, so you would have to find a place to stay for your visit, but I would just love to finally get to meet you!

I mean, we could check out Niagara Falls, it's basically in my backyard, or we could take a little food tour of Western New York! If money is going to be tight, maybe it'll be on me if I'm in a decent spot with money, but if we're just two broke idiots, well, public parks are always a great option to hang out in, or we could hole up in your staying place and have some fun talking about all our favorite fandoms and characters! Also, we could take a little day trip to Canada, border's right there and and as long as you've got your documents and behave going through customs, it's fun! The butterfly conservatory is amazing, I bet you'd really love it! Think about how fun it could be to just have a little get-away with your internet bestie?

I don't care about my own embarrassment anymore, I will take being embarrassed for being a freak over not being at least offering to help people who need it right now. I'm nobody, I have like four mutuals and only one talks to me consistently (Which is my fault, NOT theirs, not playing the blame game here, not even close), but if someone needs a justifiable excuse to hang out in NY for a bit, send me a private message.

I don't care if we're mutuals or not, I don't care if you're even in the Star Wars fandom, I'll read up on something if you need me to. I can help with finding activities and resources in my area, I will gladly scope out the best hotels/motels/rentals in my area if you need me to.

Even if no one sees this post or takes me up on this, I just want to know, I tried. I tried to do something to keep people from being hurt when they shouldn't have to be. I'm currently a part-time college student and looking into getting applications in for jobs, but if you need help, if you need someone to be on your side when your own family isn't, come to me.

At this point, if you voted for the person hurting us? Still message me if you need help. I loathe your choice but I am not going to let you be hurt or worse because of it. Don't get me wrong, I am furious with those who voted him in, but if I let you suffer because of him, I would be no better than the hateful bigots on the other side from me.

And if immigration is what your goal is, I will gladly try to help you with Canadian immigration or coming to NY to explore your options. I will not help you cross with the intent to do so illegally, but a day-trip to check out Ontario? I will do it. I will not help with anything outright illegal, but if you need help and are willing to be close enough to legal not to get me arrested, I'm here.

There's this thing I saw people saying on social media "I could hate her more than anything in the world, and I still wouldn't leave her alone with that weird man at the party." You are now all in that first category, I don't care if you're a Trekie (I had to add humor, I'm losing it), you will never catch me leaving you alone at this party unless I am truly unable to, which would be if I'm arrested and/or dead.

Reach out if you need someone, there's none of you who should be left to the wolves now. <3

I am AFAB, cis-gender as far as everyone knows, I will now be referring to myself as straight but I used to go by bisexual as a label, and 23 years old. For more details, DM me and we can see what we need to do.

[gettingfrilly]

Where is Peach Creek?

People have been theory crafting this for decades and the canon answer is somewhere in America and that's about it. BUT if you have my flavor of autism and require accuracy and details then here's my own personal headcanon.

Here's all the canon information we have:

According to the series bible, Peach Creek is an American suburb.

Peach Creek experiences all four seasons. We've seen a hot summer, fall foliage, and a snowy winter, so it can be assumed there's a spring time as well. This combined with the broad leaf forest between the cul de sac and the trailer park places Peach Creek in a temperate deciduous forest biome.

Peach Creek has a peach orchard that was there since settlers first arrived in the area. The peaches native to North America grew solely in the southwest.

Peach Creek was founded over 300 years ago by pilgrims. We don't have an exact canon time period for when Ed Edd n' Eddy takes place, but its safe to say it's somewhere towards the end of the 20th century, which would mean Peach Creek was founded some time in the 17th century (the 1600s.) This would place Peach Creek east of the Mississippi, as the west was being colonized by Spain at this point.

In BPS, we learn that Peach Creak is a day's walk away from what APPEARS to be the ocean (more on that later.)

Between Peach Creek and the possible Ocean exists rural farmland, a desert, and a swamp. There is also a snowy capped mountain range visible from Peach Creek Junior High.

This is all a lot of conflicting information! There's no place in America that checks all these boxes. I commonly see people place the Eds somewhere on the north or central Atlantic Coast, because of the possible ocean seen in BPS and the fact that Peach Creek was founded by pilgrims in the 1600s. This checks the most important boxes for me, too, and I would agree, however...

Pop. The kids call carbonated beverages pop. NO ONE on the north or central east coast calls it pop. We call it soda. This is a minor detail for sure and considering all the conflicting information about Peach Creek's location, one that can very much be ignored. But as someone who grew up in New England, I can't ignore it (refer to beginning of post, my flavor of autism.)

"But HOW could they be so close to what looks like the ocean, live in a town founded by pilgrims, and NOT live on the east coast?" I hear you ask. Well, here's my answer: The body of water in BPS isn't the ocean. It's one of the great lakes.

Picture id: Hamburg Beach, Hamburg New York, on the shore of lake Erie.

Sure, Mondo A-Go Go is very ocean themed (the whale trailer, the shark head, the wild prawn) but it could be just that; a theme.

Another reason I like this theory is that THIS GUY:

Picture id: Danny Antonucci, creator of Ed Edd n' Eddy

Also grew up in The Great Lakes region.

And to cinch the deal:

Picture id: Color coded map displaying which U.S.A. regions predominately say pop, soda, or coke.

They say pop!

The further east the Eds are, the more their location makes sense, so I place them in western New York, near lake Erie. It's a rural area with a large city sky line nearby (Buffalo, NY) and there are also Appalachian ski resorts, which would explain the mountain range. There's some swamp land as well, which ticks off all the landmarks seen in the show other than the desert and native peach orchard (though peaches can certainly be cultivated in this biome!)

Also, when looking into travel times in the area, I came across this:

Pictue id: Google map screen shot with a town called Cherry Creek in the center.

Picture id: Incredibles meme. Top text: Coincidence? Bottom text: I think not!

SO that's my theory. The Eds grew up in rural western New York, close enough to the shore of Lake Erie that they could get there in a day's walk. Thanks for coming to my TED talk, etc. etc.

[bignaz8]

Mark Twain and his close companion, John T. Lewis, were captured standing side by side at Quarry Farm in Elmira, New York, back in 1903. Many have speculated that Lewis served as the inspiration for the character "Jim" in Twain's famous novel, "Huckleberry Finn."

John T. Lewis, born a freedman in Maryland in 1835, eventually settled in Elmira, NY. One fateful day, as he was returning from the market, his life took an unexpected turn. A carriage pulled by a runaway horse came hurtling down the road towards him, carrying three terrified women. Reacting swiftly, Lewis leaped from his wagon and managed to grasp the bridle, bringing the horse to a stop and saving the lives of the frightened passengers.

The women turned out to be the wife, daughter, and nurse of the wealthy Charles Langdon family, residents of Quarry Farm. As Charles Langdon was related to Samuel Clemens (known by his pen name, Mark Twain), the family was deeply grateful to Lewis for his heroic act. General Langdon presented Lewis with a generous check of one thousand dollars and later gifted him a gold watch engraved with a heartfelt message, commemorating the date of the brave rescue.

During this incident, Mark Twain happened to be visiting Quarry Farm and witnessed Lewis's heroism. In admiration and appreciation, Twain personally bestowed fifty dollars and a set of books with inscriptions to Lewis. With these gifts, Lewis was able to clear his entire sixty-four-acre farm. Furthermore, he became employed by the Langdons on Quarry Farm, strengthening his bond with Mark Twain.

This bond between Lewis and Twain grew into a close and enduring friendship that lasted for over three decades. The two were often photographed together, especially during Twain's visits to the Langdon residence, where he frequently engaged in his writing. Twain once expressed, "I have not known a honester man or a more respect-worthy one." when referring to his esteemed friend John T. Lewis.

[ok-albumreview]

Everything Is A Lot by Will Wood and the Tapeworms (10/10)

BEST SONGS: "Skeleton Appreciation Day in Vestal, NY (Bones)" WORST SONG: "Destroy to Enjoy"

I know what you're thinking; "Austin, 'Destroy to Enjoy' isn't a separate track on the original release! Isn't that kind of a (6up 5oh) copout?" And, to that, I have the following response; "Shut up."

Phenomenal album. Instrumentals feel like they're played by a manic cabaret band, the tracks with lower intensity keep the pacing in check, whimsical lyrics composed of philosophical references and words that I'm pretty sure are usually only found in either police reports or somebody's personal poetry journal.

[reasonandempathy]

how can you reblog a Zionist post criticizing people who support Palestine for allowing themselves to be harmed in an effort to support Palestine (https://www.tumblr.com/reasonandempathy/743584944850354176/politics-is-fucking-soul-churning-it-really-is) while also seeming to respect Aaron Bushnell, who made the ultimate sacrifice in an effort to support Palestine? is it so unthinkable that people would be willing to act against their own interest to stop a genocide?

TLDR; that post isn't denying people can self-sacrifice to stop a genocide. That post is about taking the broader context into perspective, and remembering that Trump Is Still So Much Worse, so you should vote against him.

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

Was thinking about this one, actually.

Didn't know the person's broader political views until checking them out, and while it's important context for that person individually, but the post at large still, broadly, stands.

There is, undoubtedly, an aspect of political discourse that promotes people who would vote for Biden to stay home or vote for someone not Biden and not Trump, rooted in (to a much lesser extent than Bushnell, who was being compelled to be an active participant) not wanting to be complicit in that genocide.

What I took to be the main thrust of that post was to point out the unfortunately very, very real dynamic of not helping Biden win would, objectively, be worse for everyone including Palestinians if Trump wins. And in a truly, honestly Binary choice between D or R, there is a correct choice to make. It's Biden.

The first few paragraphs of that post are basic "don't be selective with your care." Which is true.

The rape of Israeli women, the Jewish Diaspora, The various tortures and war crimes inflicted by Hamas and the Houthis are not things to be forgotten nor supported. The world is fucking complicated and "Good Guys" are in incredibly short supply, but "Hooray Huthis" is what I'd call an incredibly fraught tightrope to walk.

----------

The main thrust of that post, though, is referring to people who know Trump is worse and have done extensive work broadcasting that Trump is, objectively, Worse for Palestinians. Worse for Women. Worse for the LGBTQ community. Worse for Non-Christians. Worse for BIPOC. It's pretty simple and reasonable to think that if Trump was in the White House he would find some way to be even worse right now than Biden is being.

But they still can't endorse or support Biden. Who is definitely horrible, but also objectively the better of the 2 options we have.

Which is why I said Politics is soul-churning. Because it is. Because, outside of any actual plan to get anyone else into the White House, it is objectively Better for the people I care about.

My fiance.

My friends.

My extended family.

My Neighbors.

My trade union (though I haven't been in it for a few years).

My city.

My values.

It is objectively Better for Biden to be in power than Trump, which, again, is the only realistic alternative to Trump. But it does mean voting for the guy. And, yeah, I'm in NY (not a secret). Maybe I could vote for the Justice Party or the Green Party or something else.

But I can't assume nobody else will do that, and ceding what small influence I have (.000008% of Biden's popular vote in 2020) to actually help people to instead assuage my personal beliefs is putting my comfort over that small, minuscule, but very Real influence in being able to help people.

I...have blood on my hands. (broadly) We all do. I just want to add less to it.