#I didn’t spend my entire spring semester on the execution to NOT POST THIS

[tallmadgeandtea]

It is in my informed historical opinion that John Andre has already lost the Hot Bracket. Here is my evidence.

[honeyrose-tea]

this has been a strange start to the new year for sure. how are you doing? what did you think of the situation in the capitol? any thoughts or worries about the rest of the month? I'm curious to hear your thoughts on everything. -🌙

thank you so much for the ask💞 almost every day I check my inbox anticipating the next time I'll hear from you. just knowing that someone cares.... it really does a lot for my self-esteem. I don't have many friends right now and the few I do are very busy and have a lot of things they would rather do than talk to me. thank you for making time to listen to me and ask me how I'm doing. you wouldn't believe how many people don't. I haven't always been the most consistent presence for you and I'm sorry. I'm trying to do better and be less selfish because I know how it feels to be on the receiving end of that. thank you for always being kind to me, pen pal.

there is a lot I want to say regarding the capitol and the situation in the country in general. as a social science student (and hopefully one day a professor!) these situations are of great academic interest to me. as a bisexual woman and an informed US citizen who cares about my rights I am also very personally vested in American issues. but first I would like to tackle your question regarding how I'm doing:)

I'm doing pretty good. classes have started back up but most of mine are online. I'm thinking of switching to online exclusively because of how much emotional (and sometimes physical) labor in-person classes are, and also for the sake of my health and my parents'. it's funny how so many things we did with ease before the pandemic seem so burdensome now. even small interactions are anxiety-inducing now, and I find myself having a hard time socializing even casually. like a muscle that has atrophied without use, my social skills are awful now. on a happier note, my productivity and creativity are both at all-time highs since social interactions aren't using up all my energy anymore. I brought my record player to my dorm room and I've been listening to a bunch of music, I've also been writing and recording some music of my own. I have a couple of demos and if you or anyone else is interested, I'll post them on here. once I record and edit full band versions I'll put them up on my soundcloud. I've tried sharing some of my stuff with some friends but none of them really care and I don't want to annoy them. besides, it's more for myself anyway. I wang to prove to myself that I can make music and that I can say something worth saying. a lot of my struggle over the past 6 months has been that I feel as though nothing I do or say can change anything, that none of my actions matter. I struggle a lot with control and I've been working on it for years, but it's still really hard for me. anyway. I'm enjoying class and what I do outside of it. I've been in my element living alone again (in my dorm) and feeling free to wear/do/say what I want, when I want. I wash my dishes and sing to myself and manage my time and drink lots of artificially sweetened and heavily flavored coffee without anyone around to judge me. and I get to cry and masturbate when I want, both of which are helpful in regulating my moods. I don't know. it's not like I'm doing anything exciting, but I am doing each thing I do well and with a happy heart. I feel like this portion of my life is something of a hibernation- the winter seasons combined with the pandemic have me in a cozy little daydream, reading and self-reflecting and getting back in tune with myself and my passions. I have a feeling that the spring and summer will be very vibrant bustling months so I am trying to enjoy my rest and soak in as much knowledge about myself and the world around me as I can. it's hard for me to live in the present and not get antsy (connected to control issues, I think) but I'm getting better at it. on the subject of the future, I've also been using this time to look into grad school and prepare for the GRE (a standardized test required for most grad school applications, similar to the ACT/SAT). I'm learning a lot that I didn't know since neither of my parents went further than undergrad, and I'm getting excited. I'm really looking forward to doing research. I've already been collecting some thesis ideas for an undergraduate-level thesis that I have to complete next year for the honors college, and hopefully I can turn that into a masters and/or PHD thesis when the time comes. now, on to more important matters than my silly little life.

I have very complicated feelings about america. I do have some attachment to some of the original ideas that are at the foundation- "bring me your huddled masses...", "all men are created equal", the general spirit of democracy, etc.- all of these are valid and worth keeping (in some form) to me. I think a lot of good people and ideas exist around us and I believe that we must be as empathetic and kind as possible to one another in order to navigate the current climate and preserve the good that we do have. that said, america was also founded on some pretty terrible, bigoted principles and our history- as well as our present- is marred by injustices. our society has become highly individualistic because of capitalism, and it has resulted in considerable division on every level. the competition that fuels capitalism is like an invasive species of plant, it does not only exist within our economy but it slithers out into our social world and the way we relate to others. I think capitalism coupled with our post-enlightenment founding is the source of most all of our problems as a country. capitalism has taken root in america in a way more malicious and all-consuming than in any other culture, because it was there at the beginning of our country and all of our social norms have grown out of it. many other cultures have existed long before capitalism and though it has modified their culture, it has not altogether become it. because america was founded on capitalism, we have no cultural identity outside of it. america is, itself, capitalism. that is precisely why america is experiencing all of the best and worst parts of capitalism at their most extreme. it is why, as I mentioned previously, we are perhaps the most divisive and competitive society in the modern world, and probably in history. we are the richest and most powerful country but we have the largest wealth gap and incarceration rate, among many other extremes.

all of this is to say that the rise of Trump and fascism in this country has been a long time coming, and unmistakably inevitable. to defeat it we will have to break america down to its fundamentals, throw out everything that is unethical and unjust, and rebuild our entire society from there. this is radical and hard to imagine, it will also be very difficult to execute, but I strongly believe that much of our societal systems just cannot be reformed, they must be thrown out and replaced.

the capitol riots were inexcusable and sickening but decidedly inevitable. this has been steadily building for america's entire existence. I think it will get worse before it gets better, as there are already plans for bigger and more numerous protests across the country in the following weeks. that said, I feel hopeful as I see the anti-fascist movement grow in the wake of fascism, I am hopeful as I see many people being radicalized and awakened to the realities of this country's failings. I don't know how exactly we will even begin to rid ourselves of the biases, prejudices, and downright hatred that plagues our country. I don't know how we will relate on an individual level to those with such deeply-ingrained hate in their hearts. I don't know how we will change our systems of government and economy to reflect new cultural values that we begin to build together. I am not sure what the future will hold. I do believe, however, that we will triumph over this moment and that the future will be better. I think that the only way to radically change and unite so many vastly different people and remove the blinders from their eyes is through a terrible, historic awakening like the one we are having now. the situation itself is awful, but I am hopeful that out of this mess we become a nation more committed to justice and to some of the ideals which we have falsely claimed to be emulating for our entire history.

so yes, I am worried about the next few weeks, months, and even years. there is no end to the pursuit of a just society, and I think every informed citizen is always a bit apprehensive about certain aspects of their culture. there will always be problems to combat and injustices to rectify, but I think that we will soon be moving to a better place, that we will remember these moments and say, "never again". I am hopeful, despite seeing some of the worst of humanity in recent days, that these atrocities will bring positive change.

I know that was long and instead of discussing issues about the capitol, or even just current political issues, I expanded the scope considerably and dragged in a lot of things from history and grander sociopolitical theories. still, I think it is hard to talk about the insurrection attempt without talking about a lot more. thank you for reading my takes and caring about them. I spend a lot of time thinking about these things, and it feels nice to share them with someone other than my annoyed professors who want me to shut up so they can finish the lecture and stick to their semester schedule.

I hope you're well and that you're staying safe and healthy. are you in school now too? have you or your family had the virus? thank you for coming to talk to me, I always enjoy it. I'll talk to you again soon💞

[thisweekingundamwing]

TWIGW March 18-24th

Happy Spring, amazing fandom!

Check out all the cool stuff we have for you this week below, and remember to show the creators some love!

Thanks for all you do!

-Mod CB

Fanfiction:

A Little Piece of Gundam Wing

The archive is being ported to AO3! Check it out!

Amberly with @yourbloodlikewine

In This Light

Duo spent the last semester working in his older brother's coffee shop. He's resigned himself to a boring spring when a stranger appears, shaking up his entire life. Eli left home last fall, choosing to spend the last six months living out of his van on his travels from the Midwest to the East Coast. By the time he arrives at Ink's, the novelty of traveling alone has started to wear off. Still, the last thing he's expecting is to meet someone who's going to change all that for him

Pairings: 2xOMC, 3xOMC, Solo x OMC,

Warnings:  Rape/Noncon, Original Characters - Freeform, Alternate Universe, child abuse mention, Sexual Assault Mention, homophobic parents, Re-Written Characters, Drug Use, Violence, off screen murder, gratuitous author indulgence

@anaranesindanarie

The Shinigami and The Silencer

They say a person only needs three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for.  I had all three, despite my rough start in life. I had a lover, a hobby that I loved, and I had a hope… hope that my lover would get better, that we would be together forever. But he didn’t. He died in a hospital bed, cold and alone as I watched through a window, my body covered in chains. I wasn’t even allowed to bury him as the prison sent his body off to be cremated. My heart broke that night and the next day, on the way to my execution, I killed five of my guards before the others opened fire. I was dead before I hit the floor, my blood staining it. Why was I being executed you ask? Let me tell you the story of The Shinigami and The Silencer.

Pairings: 2x3

Warnings: Major Character Death, death, angst

@claraxbarton

Singularity

Dr. Trowa Barton has a problem - he's this close to figuring out the secret to manufacturing a nanocarbon black pigment that could compete with Vantablack.  But he's also hit a dead end, and he's tired and maybe a night of drinking beer and painting Beagles is exactly what he needs to get his research back on track.

Pairings: 2x3, 3x5, 2x3x5

Warnings: Art, Science, Chemistry, singularity - Freeform, AU, ex-lovers now friends, Threesome, Threesome - M/M/M, drunken sexy times, sober sexy times, weird art, i mean. maybe it's not weird. to each their own, nanocarbon black, paint pigments, what are these tags, Quatre is a good wingman

Silver Strand

Summary: The world had shifted, boundaries had been crossed, right and wrong had long ago been abandoned. A dark story of revenge, love, loss and drug smuggling. AU set in Coronado, California in the 1970s. Based on/Inspired by Joshuah Bearman’s “Coronado High”

Multiple pairings including but not limited to: 1x2, 2x5, 2x3, 2x3x5, 13x2, RxH, 9xS, 6x4

Warnings: Angst, drug use, Vietnam-era politics

@claraxbarton , @kangofu-cb

Bad Company

"The only hell and the only paradise are the ones we build ourselves." - Unknown Years after the wars, Preventers has decided to tackle one of the most powerful and oldest of all the Terran crime syndicates. Embedded dangerously deep in an undercover operation targeting the violent and bloodthirsty Sinaloa Cartel, Trowa Barton is pushed beyond even his flexible morals - and when his new "partner" arrives in the very unexpected and unwelcome form of Duo Maxwell, the one person he'd been trying to protect at all costs, both men must deal with the realization that preserving peace for humanity is turning into a bloodsport.What follows is race against time to uncover the evidence they need to bring Sinaloa, and its beautiful but deadly leaders, down - all while keeping each other alive in the process

Pairings: 2x3

Warnings: Post-Canon, Undercover Missions, Undercover as a Couple, Implied/Referenced Torture, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Human Trafficking, Gang Violence, Canon Typical Violence, Explicit Sexual Content, Moral Dilemmas

Foopy, kirallie

Knights of Avalon

Multi-series crossover fic

The Galaxy is a weird, wonderful and dangerous place. There is far more to history than anyone remembers.

Warnings: Very AU, Stargate pushed up to movie in '04, sentient weapons, many dates have been played with to fit

@kangofu-cb

If You Let Me

If Trowa could give the new residents one rule for surviving the ICU, it would be ‘Don’t Touch Anything. (Especially The Patients.)’.  In reality, he’d actually give them a lot of rules, possibly with diagrams for clarity.  But his main rule essentially covered the bases. When you worked in one of the largest ICUs, in the biggest medical center in the country, at a hospital known for taking on unstable patients for the most complex and risky surgeries that were performed no-where else, new residents were a menace. Until he meets Dr. Maxwell, the newest anesthesia resident.

Pairings: 2x3, background HxD

Warnings: Alternate Universe - Medical, Doctor/Patient, Nurses & Nursing, Fluff and Smut, this is literally my feel good thing guys ok, I mean I'm not saying there won't be any angst, but basically this is all WAFF, Explicit Sexual Content

@ladyjstruth-blog

Friend Zone

Duo and Hilde's wedding is fast approaching but after a heartwrenching breakup, how will Trowa and Quatre get through the weekend?

Pairings: 3x4, 2xH, 1xR

Warnings: Drama and Romance, Post-Canon

LadyLilyAnne, Melfice13

The Trials & Tribulations of a High Society Shinigami

Duo was a very caring woman, an open book so to speak, always there to help those that needed it with a smile on hand. The problem was she was surrounded by insane men who needed to be watched over like kids and her fellow women left her to it. Resigning herself to being the team mom Duo did her best, but she hadn't planned on Heero admitting he loved her. Things are weird now...

Pairings: 1x2, 3x4

Warnings:  Fem Duo, oblivious characters, Developing Relationship, Obssessed Relena, Obssessed Zechs, The Pink Thing, Explosions, Non-Graphic Violence, Duo and Trieze Have a Weird Friendship, Non-Chronological, Related Drabbles, gratuitous cursing

LavenderKisses

Stay

Duo watches Heero leave his bed every time the phone rings. All he wishes is that, for once, he would stay.

Pairings: 1x2, 1xR

Warnings: Angst, Songfic

Lil_1337

2018 Comment Fic_Feburary

Drabbles and short fics written for the Live Journal community Comment Fics which can be found here: http://comment-fic.livejournal.com

Multiple fandoms/pairings, please see chapter specific warnings

Lthanz

Life is War

Multi-series crossover fic

Sequel to 'Life is Fringe'. Five years later, Max, Chloe, and Kevin have settled into their new lives. However, they soon find themselves caught up in a power-struggle between two powerful men competing to control the fate of the world. Loyalties will be tested but a greater threat looms in the darkness, ready to strike.

Characters: Maxine "Max" Caulfield/Chloe Price, Kate Marsh/Original Character(s), Maxine "Max" Caulfield, Chloe Price (Life Is Strange), Kate Marsh, Olivia Dunham, Treize Khushrenada, Natasi Daala, Lucrezia Noin, Lady Une

Warnings: Science Fiction & Fantasy, War, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Original Character(s), Post-Canon, Crossover, Multiple Crossovers, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, pricefield

Luvsanime02

The Taste of Peaches

A @gwcocktailfriday submission

Relena's had a long day, and so she stops off somewhere for a drink or two.

Pairings: none

Warnings: AU- modern setting, introspection

Maldoror

The Source of All Things

Center, a planet where magic and technology blend. Or more accurately, fight tooth and nail. A planet of Sources, holes in our boring dimension letting through arcane power, chaos and pseudo-deities. In this hot-house of myths and very real dangers, Trowa and Quatre find a mysterious man at the end of a shamanic voyage. Portents suggest this Heero Yuy is crucial to Center’s survival. He’s important enough to have some interesting enemies after him, at any rate: a devious killer and thief called ‘Shinigami’, and a very irate Dragon. Beyond them looms an even greater threat. Indeed, the greatest of them all.

Pairings: 3x4, 2x5, eventual 1x2x5

Warnings:  alternative universe, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Plot Twists, fairly graphic depiction of sex, Mild description of self-harm, Mathematical Magic, weird science, crones - Freeform, Magic and Technology brawling and eventually screwing, Eventual Threesome, Kinda, Insanity of arcane origin, The universe is a pile of marbles and other dubious allegories

Two Halves

The two kingdoms of Sanq and Lin were at war for years; a conflagration involving magic, armies and political murder. The conflict left both nations devastated and strewn with refugees. The king of Sanq finds his infant son, lost at birth, among the death and the ruin, a miracle he barely dared to hope for. But there isn't just one boy, there are two, clinging together like two halves of a whole that cannot be separated. Decades later, the truth behind that second child’s existence will put a hole in the world, or possibly save it.

Pairings: 1x2

Warnings: Fantasy AU, medieval setting with magic, starts with our heroes as children, Cousin Incest, sort of, eventually, being royalty this is in fact the norm and rather expected of them, Canon-Typical Violence

Merula31

Sleepless

It started that first night that I got him out of the hospital. I don't know where he found the time between raiding my gundam for parts and fixing his, but he did. He slipped into my room, managing not to wake me up until he got into bed with me.

Pairings: 1x2

Warnings: Yaoi, Lime, Implied Lemons, post war-ness, Angst, Sappy, POV Alternating, Spoilers, but if you haven't seen the series by now - what's wrong with you???, Original Character(s), Preventers (Gundam Wing), but no action, well - not THAT kind, Suicide Attempt, Misunderstandings

@miss-m-muses

The Cabin

Trowa’s debut novel became a best-seller and now he is failing at writing a follow up. In order to find peace and quiet to write, he rents a secluded cabin near a small town to find inspiration. Yet writing becomes hard when he keeps hearing howls from the woods in the middle of the night and even harder when he meets a charming diner owner named Duo…

Pairings: 2x3

Warnings: Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Explicit Sexual Content

@noelleian

Open Book for @weiclown (Moreena)

One would think being skewered on a rapier was the worst part, but then Quatre was always full of surprises.

Pairings: 3x4, 1xR

Warnings: Humor, Canon Compliant, Takes Place Between the End of the Series and Odds and Evens, Trowa's POV, Injured!Quatre, Delirious!Quatre, Love Doctor!Duo, Iatrophonia - Fear of Doctors and Hospitals, At Least Sally Has Her Shite Together, Fluff, Friendship

@noirangetrois

The Story of Wrong

Duo recounts his experiences during the war in order to explain... well, why he was wrong.

Pairings: 1x2

Warnings:  Angst, Drama, Tragedy, slight AU, Spoilers, very dark, Heero and Duo don't dieI,  promise, Yaoi, slowburn, Mental Instability, Mental Health Issues, Mental Breakdown, If those are in any way an issue for you then go ahead and skip this, Eventual Smut, VERY eventual, this is mostly canon-compliant but I've changed a couple things here and there

@passingdestinies​ (MorbidBirdy)

Animus

A ghost of Heero's past takes possession of his life, relationships and his identity.

Pairings:  1x3, 2xH

Warnings:  Post-Canon, Psychological Torture, Blood and Violence, Explicit Sexual Content

PubLicEneMyNumBah1

Super Robot Wars GQ

Multi-series crossover

Long gone are the Ancient Ones and the will of Mankind triumphs, yet with catastrophes and wars that beset them, will their reign soon end?

Original Character(s), Mecha, Giant Robots, Gundams, Crossover, Multiple Crossovers, Action/Adventure, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Alien Invasion, War, Canon Rewrite, Space Battles, Cthulhu Mythos, Pseudoscience

QMC

Over Tea & Other Things

The first fan-fiction piece that I wrote back in 2010 on FF.net. I've edited it a little. "Tea" is the first of a series I decide to write about general moments and life rather than on any significant story line or plot point. They're all stand alone pieces so I'll keep them here as chapters rather than in separate posts. Comments are welcome. :)

@remsyk-blog

Souls for the Bayou for @maevemauvaise and written for @fandomtrumpshate

For Trowa Barton, exploring the bayou is the ultimate adventure. Drawn to its borders since before he could walk, he spent his childhood learning its paths and uncovering its secrets.  But a chance encounter sets him on a path that spans across time, challenging everything he thought he knew, plunging him deeper into its mysteries than he ever thought possible.

Pairings: 2x3

Warnings: Supernatural - Freeform, Fae & Fairies, Fae Magic, Bayou, Cajun, Childhood Friends, Childhood Memories, Mystery, Slow Burn, Technically Speaking, Young Love, Use of accents, Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, I don't want to give it all away at once, Fandom Trumps Hate

Robot_Qwerty

Finding Home Again

Harry Potter crossover

Morgan lost any family he had left during the horrors of the Canadian Civil War, he lived on his own and carved out his own existence at eighteen years old. Adventure and magic only existed in fairy tales and daydreams, survival is all he knows anymore. The Civil War ends a little before the Eve Wars. So when the new laws after the Eve Wars come into place, his world was turned upside down and Canada's new government left little choice to the die-hard patriots. Finally escaping to the Sanq Kingdom wasn't the sanctuary he had hoped it would be. Add the former Gundam Pilots to the mix and he might just find his escape, or will he never find the freedom he craves?

Pairings: 4x5, 1x2, 3xOMC, Sx11xOFC

Warnings: Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Mental Health Issues

sylvieforaday

Neighbors

A/U - Meilan is learning, not everything happens the way you thought it would. Sometimes you fall for the perfect girl next door when she gets knocked off her pedestal.

Pairings: Meilan x Relena

Warnings: None

@the-indomitable-bhg, @passingdestinies (BHG and Morbidbirdy)

End of Line

The Grid, the legendary Tron System, has always intrigued Duo Maxwell. After years of dreaming and months of tireless work, he finally receives the final part he needs to unlock the door to the digital frontier. A blast of a digitizing laser later he finds himself in the world of his dreams. However, soon that dream becomes a nightmare as he comes to realize that his existence in this new world is both a danger to him and to the programs who reside there. With the help of Security Program Trowa and a mysteriously damaged and glitchy program named Heero, he embarks on a journey through The Grid to seek help from a mysterious entity known as the Gatekeeper. Will he be able to get out of the Tron System, or will the organizations who are hunting him manage to derez him first?

Pairings: 1x3, 3x4

Warnings: Slash, AU, Angst, Post-Tron: Legacy, Action/Adventure, implied sexual violence, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Complete

white_fox

Life Is A Highway

On an impulsive plan to travel from California to New York City to propose to his longtime girlfriend, Heero Yuy did not plan to pick up a hitchhiker in nowhere Texas. Faced with some setbacks and a growing attraction to his passenger, Heero goes through more challenges than he planned on facing.

Pairings: 1x2, 1xR

Warnings: light slash, Fluff, Road Trips, Dubious Morality

Snippets:

@lifeaftermeteor

LAM!verse - Duo and Trowa chatting

@ransomedbard

Snippet Saturday

Photo Edits/Manipulations

@gundamwing-ellesmith​

What if Gundam Wing was real? - Chang Wufei’s office ft. Sally

What if Gundam Wing was real? - Une

What if Gundam Wing was real? - Sally’s table ft. Wufei

@kangofu-cb

Whose Line photo edit - “Gundam Wing, where everything’s made up and the ‘canon’ don’t matter.

Multiple Contributors

Come at me Yuy

Headcanons / Meta / Discussions:

@lifeaftermeteor

L1′s origins and history

@ransomedbard

GW and cars headcanon

Fanart:

@downwarddnaspiral

Relena ice skating

@duointherain

Duo

@hackedmotionart​

Just Wild Beat

@huehanya

Gundam Wing re-watch comic

@lemontrash

Heero doodle

@noelleian

Human Sandrock

@noromax

Wufei

Calendar Events:

Cocktail Friday

https://gwcocktailfriday.tumblr.com/

A new prompt every Monday!

Submissions should be posted Fridays between 3 and 5pm EST, and tagged with @gwcocktailfriday

Interview with a Creator by @remsyk-blog @interview-with-a-creator

Remsyk has created an online interview for fandom creators to fill out and then she features one each week so that everyone in the fandom can learn a bit about each other.

If you haven’t filled out her interview, go! do! now!

This week’s featured creator is @cosmostar - check her interview out here!

Calling all GW COSPLAYERS by @ahsimwithsake

Metrowing—our gundam wing cosplay group that comes to metrocon (Tampa Florida) every year—will be hosting a panel at Metrocon 2018!

We’re looking for additional cosplayers to round out the cast for a Q&A panel on Friday 7/20 at 4 pm.

If you’re interested, please private message me here on tumblr. I can provide you with more information and set you up with a group Skype chat with the metrowing cosplayers.Help us celebrate 25 years of Gundam Wing!

Check post for more information.

NHK is running a poll for the 40th anniversary of Mobile Suit Gundam!

Voting is open here

You can vote for your favorite series (TV, OVA, and Movie only), mobile suit (pick 3), characters (pick 5), and songs (pick 2). Unfortunately the site is in Japanese but with the help of Google Translate, it’s easy enough to navigate. Let’s vote our GW boys to the top!

Gundam Wing Stream Rewatch by @the-indomitable-bhg and @amyole

Post found here - they are currently looking for interest/time suggestions/platform suggestions.

[cacoethess-scribendi]

TWENTY SEVENTEEN.

What a year. 

A year of growth, love, heartache, identity, learning, happiness, travel, challenges, friendship, and everything in between. 

I began the year in Colorado, celebrating the new year with the Siegerts - snowboarding at Loveland, hiking the mountains after a blizzard, and four wheeling around their yard. 

From there I returned home to enjoy more crazy nights with the babe cave and focused on school and growing my art during awkward seasonal change. I became closer with Bree and visited Jess at her pageant by my self in Onalaska. 

I was feeling a need for change and cut my hair in half on January 22nd. I did it myself and felt extremely clean, but was very nervous. I feel like doing this at the beginning of the year was a reflection of what would come with the year. Being so used to something, then taking my own scissors to it, letting go, and learning how to start fresh and learn to accept the new. 

I began to work closer with KJP as a remote intern. I was hired to do a valentines day photoshoot with Marin. We got a free night at the Charmant Hotel and my photos were admired by KJP, Jeremy, and Sarah themselves. 

Jake came to visit La Crosse for the first time. We did an escape room and I showed him around for a few days. He sent my a dozen roses and a long letter for Valentines Day. During this time I was scrambling to find a way to get out of UWL for a semester and applied to be in NSE. 

Kelsey and I had the privilege to watch Theresa Caputo live at Mystic, and it opened my eyes to heaven, loved ones, and how fragile and special life is. 

I visited TCU and met the infamous house puppy. We made home cooked meals and visited an art museum together. 

In March I took another trip to Ixtapa, my 11th time I believe, with my family, Haley, and Maya. We took amazing photos, partied on a  private boat, and the BVG staff treated us to four coconuts with hibiscus flowers. It was here that I got the shocking news that I was placed at Rhode Island College. 

After that, Jake visited again and we went north to my cabin. We played in the put-put tournament and spent time with the aunts and uncles. 

I started working on an app called Sipp and won an entrepreneurship award. I helped with marketing, strategy, and went to meetings with lawyers and owners of restaurants. I had drinks with executives and was in conversation with the marketing department of Brothers. This was a huge part of my spring semester.

Then I went to TCU again for Jake’s last SigEp formal. We dressed to the nines and partied with all of their friends. We had dinner in downtown Fort Worth in a skyscraper and drank lots of drinks. This was an absolute blast. 

Finally spring rolled around and I turned 21! Finally! After a year of having to be cautious, I could finally go out downtown. I had the biggest surprise of my life that day, when Jake walked into my party and gave me the biggest hug. I still can’t believe that happened. Haley chauffeured him down and we got a short 20 hours together. 

Immediately after my last final, I flew to TCU to spend the weekend with the Siegerts and watch Jake graduate. It was a very exciting weekend with so much joy. We spent time with Yvonne and her kids, and partied the celebration away at the local bars. Dick and Lisa took us out to an insanely expensive dinner and we laughed and did high-low-ha’s around the table. 

From there, Jake and I drove all of his belongings up through Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and into Nebraska. We were greeted at the lake house with an incredible sunset and a new boat to take a cruise on. After bike rides and lots of cards, we drove through Iowa into Minnesota to spend time with my family. We took a tour of Summit Brewery and Jake met my hometown friends at the speakeasy. We took photos together with Whitley and went to a Twins game. It was amazing. Little did I know that this would be the last time I saw him. 

Over Memorial weekend I went to the cabin for one last piece of MN before I took off onto the biggest adventure of my life thus far. 

Rhode Island. 

I’m still not sure how to put all of this and my emotions into words, but here’s my best shot. I arrived at the airport alone with my things and got picked up by Jeremy. We immediately drove to Massachusetts to check up on the sweaters they were about to launch. I went to the factory and met Kiel, Sarah, and Dave, and then was sent to my hotel room in downtown Providence. I had no idea what was going on. 

The next day I found myself on the southern coast of Rhode Island with my feet in the sand, saying a big hello to the Atlantic ocean. The beach was empty and I walked around for a bit. This was the day I met Sophie and us three bonded over how much we despised the landlord of our new home. 

We moved in and for the week I drove to the factory in Jeremy’s station wagon Mercedes. I got the feeling for URI, Narragansett, and hung out with Taylor Pennell. This is when I met Newport. I explored around Jamestown by myself and instantly fell in love with Beavertail State Park. I took a weekend trip home to shoot a beautiful wedding in Duluth. Jake and I began having distance issues at this point because we didn’t know when we would see each other next. Jake was beginning a new 60 hour/wk job, and I couldn’t leave on weekends due to KJP events. 

I was so excited to return to RI, where I spent time building the new store, starting to be a part of photoshoots and then met Merle. That weekend I had the privilege to meet Cape Cod with the KJP crew. They threw a huge party with the Keel Vodka people and I finally got to show off my skills. We ate oysters, drank way too much champagne and ran around the hotel like kids. Kiel treated us to sushi and took us bar hopping. It was insane, in the best way. On this trip we met Abbey and Windsor, two bloggers from Boston that invited us to visit. 

Made it to Boston. It was a quick day trip, but they were determined to give us the best experience. Dave and I went with Charlie and his girlfriend Katie. We walked around the entire city, took the subway just to say we did it, made it to little italy and got to see all of the historic sites. SUCH a cool city. Ended the trip there with a sunset on a pier overlooking the skyline. 

A few days later I walked in the house to see two people that I’d only known from photos and texts for the last two years. Erick Dent and Jacob True. I had no idea how much these people were about to change my perspective on living. I walked in the door and was immediately shocked at how tall Erick was when he gave me a hug, I had the absolute biggest smile on my face. I remember shaking because this day had been talked about for so many years and it was finally happening. It’s a very unique feeling to have known someone for so long, and then finally meet in person and see them in your living room. Starstruck is my best way to explain it. We had dinner at my favorite restaurant in town, The Coast Guard House. There was an incredible sunset, we ate right on the water with the salty air, and watched a baby whale play in the bay. 

From there, we woke up at sunrise to capture the morning rising over the Atlantic. We all sat at the Point Judith cliff, waved hello to the sun, and took lots of photos. From there we walked out on the Jetty’s and watched Erick fly fish and catch one! Days from here consisted of several trips to Newport, where we would eat meals at The Landing and get Daiquiris. The first day we all ordered one, we were crying laughing because we were drunk off life and some pink smoothies. It was so. much. fun. 

Our group took the old cars to Second Beach in Newport where we got to hang out at the Newport Film Festival for the first time. Kiel had a sponsored post for Land Shark, and they were just starting to release their “Newport” crewnecks so we spent a lot of time on the beach shooting. Sarah was pregnant so she sat back in the cars with Sophie, Jeremy, and Merle. Once the sun started to set and the documentary (Under An Arctic Sky by Chris Burkard) was about to begin, Erick pulled me aside and motioned towards the beach. The two of us ran barefoot out to the beach, where it was empty except for a few lifeguard chairs. It was our first real second alone together and it was such a fun time to catch up and finally get to shoot together after so many years. We ran up to the lifeguard stand and took photos with the sunset and he let me wear his hat. I remember my jaw dropping and being so excited because nobody had taken such cool photos of me before. It was one of my favorite moments of the summer. 

The next day we all went out to shoot a bit, watched some more fly fishing, and we found crabs all over the rocks! We picked them up and took fun photos and videos with them. We took more trips to Point Judith for sunsets and Crazy Burger runs with Dave’s friend Charlie Turchetta. One day we went out of our way to take photos of the KJP bracelets because we knew it would make Kiel happy. We searched all over for fun props to use, but we couldn’t find anything. Jacob and I walked with our heads down back to Erick on the rocks, where he stood with live starfish in his hand. We flipped. Well, I flipped. We ended up finding at least 15 of them and got the most fun photos ever. I could feel them all moving on my legs, and I was at an all time high. 

The Eno’s were set up from the tree to the car almost every day when we got home. All of the roommates would sit outside, telling stories, editing, listening to music, drinking, and swinging. We spent so much time soaking up our little Fortin yard, I will never take that place for granted. It gave us so many conversations, laughs, and “little” moments. 

Somewhere in here, Erick broke up with Olivia and we sat out on the rocks in front of the coast guard house several nights in a row for HOURS just talking about anything and everything. It was so peaceful. We watched tides rise and fall. 

The day before Dave’s birthday, we got to take Kiel and Sarah’s spots at the Oliver Hazard Perry Newport Owners event. We had a strict dress code, and walked up to a booth where our names were on the list. Immediately after arrival we were greeted with pear champagne and lots of old rich people. Needless to say, we were way out of place. But damn was that one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. This was the day I found out Erick liked me. We had a wonderful dinner as a band played for all of us. We were a little past tipsy at this point and all began to dance. I taught Erick how to dance and it was such a blast. We sat down at a high top to take a breather and an older woman walked up to us, looks at Erick, and says “You’re a lucky guy.”

On Dave’s birthday, Erick bought us all tickets to go to Block Island. We woke up early, and rented mopeds as we arrived to the island. We drove them all over with the wind blowing in our hair and the bright green bluffs surrounding us. We stopped at all the local beaches, and then biked to the final bluffs. Wow, was that a view. The stairway to the ocean left me speechless. We walked all along the rocky beach and just enjoyed each other’s company. We ended the day with Coldstone and a trip to the local bar. 

A few days before the 4th, we watched fireworks with thousands of other people off the Jamestown bay with the Newport bridge lit up in the background and a massive American flag blowing in the wind. The real 4th was spent first at Carlton’s lake, wake boarding and taking a dip in the water. From there we all went to Kiel’s and had a huge float party, lit fireworks off the dock, drank with friends, and I said cheers to the first month of my summer in RI. 

I spent July at home with my family, shooting weddings and seniors back to back to make some extra money. My 420 roommates visited MN for a day and I got to enjoy a lunch with them at Starks. I saw Bree again, and spent more time at the cabin with my family singing and dancing our asses off at birdies. 

At the end of July, I picked Erick and Jacob up from the MSP airport so they could help me shoot a wedding. We took a quick stop at the cabin to shoot some Great Lakes swimsuits at the mine pits. From there we made the long road trip back to RI. 

It started in La Crosse, where the boys met the girls and we took some photos at granddads. We then drove to Chicago and spent a night there. Most of the time was spent walking around admiring the city and shooting. The next day we drove 13 hours straight back to Rhode Island and tried not to go crazy in the car.