#I just took this really seriously I guess

[yoyomomiko]

Headcanon of reader cooking with Sanji?

— SANJI ☆

pairings: sanji x female reader

cw: not proofread, probably contains grammar mistakes, english isn't my first language!!

— (a/n): this is such a cute idea I just HAD to write it (⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦⁠) so sorry of this is too short or boring!! -> m.list

Sanji is an absolute perfectionist in the kitchen, so if you're not experienced, he'll gently guide you. If you are, he'll still lowkey try to take over so that everything comes out perfect.

He loves seeing you in an apron. Bonus points if it's one that he picked for you. If it has ruffles, a cute design or is a bit too big for you so he can tie it snugly around your waist? He's in heaven.

I feel like Sanji would stand behind you while you chop ingredients, hands brushing over yours or gently grazing your hips, praising you for what a good job you are doing.

If you happen to be struggling with anything, Sanji will drop everything to help you. Even if something is burning on the stove, you take priority.

The moment he sees you lick a bit of sauce off your fingers, he's completely gone. He WILL grab your hand and kiss your fingertips, muttering about how even the food tastes better on you.

If you ask him to taste test something, expect him to be overly dramatic about how delicious it is.

When you try to feed him yourself, he melts. It's a special kind of intimacy for him. He'll take your wrist and kiss the inside of it before taking a bite of the food you're offering him.

If you attempt to cook a meal just for him, he will treat it like a 5 star meal. Even if it's something simple. It could have a terrible taste, yet he would still eat every bite with a straight face and praise you anyway.

If you get something on your face, he will chuckle and gently wipe you clean with his thumb.

He will not let you lift heavy pits or trays. "That's my job, love. I can't let your delicate hands get tired."

If you accidentally cut or burn yourself, he will PANIC like you've been mortally wounded. You won't be touching another knife until he's personally bandaged you and kissed it better

If you feed Luffy before Sanji gets to try your food, he will pout for hours, sulking like a child because he was supposed to try it first.

Also, you are NOT ALLOWED to cook for Zoro. No way, nope.

——☆

You stood side by side with Sanji, sleeves rolled up, both focused on preparing tonight's dinner. It was rare for him to let anyone help him in the kitchen, but for you? You were an exception.

"You're doing really good." He chuckled, watching as you sliced the vegetables in front of you. "I might have some competition."

You snickered, concentrating with steady hands. "You say that, yet you've already corrected me three times."

"Can't help it, love. Perfection is key." Sanji grinned, flipping something in the pan effortlessly.

You bumped your shoulder against his on purpose, a smile tugging at your lips. "Or maybe you just like bossing me around."

He dramatically placed a hand on his chest, acting offended. "I would never!"

The two of you worked comfortably, moving around each other easily. When you reached for the flour, Sanji was already handing it to you. When he needed an ingredient, you passed it before he even asked.

At some point, Sanji leaned over your shoulder, watching as you finished chopping up the vegetables. "You know..." He started, voice thoughtful. "I really like cooking with you."

You glanced at him, raising a brow as you smirked. "Yeah?"

He nodded, his eyes softening. "Mhm. Feels... Nice."

A few minutes later, Sanji finished one of the many dishes, holding it up and letting you inspect it. "What do you think, sweetheart?"

You took a bite, pretending to judge it seriously. "Not bad, cook."

Sanji scoffed, laughing. "Not bad?! That's all I get?"

"Maybe you need a little more practice." You replied with a smirk, shrugging.

He huffed, but there was something soft in his expression, his gaze gentle as his eyes scanned your face. "Alright then. Guess I'll have to keep cooking with you until I get it right, hm?"

★yoyomiko ★miko

[neferaskingdom]

Best Valentine’s Day Ever | OP81

NEFERASKINGDOM

Summary: She thought Valentine’s Day couldn’t get any worse—then her ex showed up. Enter Oscar: best friend, unexpected fake boyfriend.

Previous | Series Masterlist | Next

She grumbled, kicking at a stray piece of gravel as she and Oscar wandered through the carnival. “I hate Valentine’s Day.”

Oscar hummed in response, stuffing his hands into his jacket pockets. “Yeah, it’s kind of a scam. But hey, at least we have each other.”

She snorted. “Romantic.”

“We could always hold hands and pretend,” he teased, wiggling his fingers at her.

She rolled her eyes, but her lips twitched into a smile. “I think I’ll pass.”

The two of them had made last-minute plans to hang out when they realized neither of them had anything—or anyone—special to do that night. A carnival seemed like the least offensive Valentine’s option: it wasn’t drowning in candlelit dinners or heart-shaped nonsense, and it had good food. They were both content with their choice, and after a few rounds of games (where Oscar had somehow won a stuffed koala and insisted on naming it after himself), they now found themselves in line for the Ferris wheel.

“I’m gonna grab us some cotton candy,” Oscar said, nodding toward the food stalls. “Hold our spot?”

She nodded, watching as he disappeared into the crowd. Left alone, she sighed and shuffled forward as the line moved. That was when a voice behind her made her stomach drop.

“Well, well. Fancy seeing you here.”

She turned, and sure enough, it was him. Her ex. Mike. And standing beside him, practically glued to his side, was a girl who looked like she was styled straight out of an Instagram model’s lookbook.

Her shoulders tensed, but she refused to let him see her flinch. “Mike.”

He smirked, eyes flicking over her in a way that made her skin crawl. “Didn’t think I’d run into you here. Alone. On Valentine’s Day.”

She crossed her arms. “I’m not alone.”

His new girlfriend let out a soft, patronizing laugh. “Oh?”

Mike tilted his head, clearly relishing the moment. “You sure? Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you’re just standing in line all by yourself. Waiting for a ride. Kind of sad, don’t you think?”

She took a slow breath, forcing herself to stay calm. “Not really.”

Mike shrugged, his smirk growing. “Guess I shouldn’t be surprised. You were always a little—”

“Hey, is that—?” Mike’s eyes widened as he suddenly looked past her, his entire demeanor shifting. His smugness vanished, replaced with something that almost looked like excitement. “Holy shit, it is.”

Her stomach twisted as she realized what was happening. Mike wasn’t even looking at her anymore. He was looking at Oscar.

Oscar, who was now approaching with two sticks of cotton candy, his eyes locked onto her and Mike, his expression sharp, knowing.

Mike’s expression transformed into something eager, almost giddy. “Dude, I’m a huge fan. I mean, Oscar Piastri, right?”

Oscar didn’t blink. “Yeah.”

Mike let out a breathless chuckle. “Man, this is crazy. I watch all your races. You’re seriously talented.”

Oscar nodded, his grip on the cotton candy firm. “Thanks.”

Mike grinned, clearly relishing this moment—until Oscar’s arm snaked around her waist, pulling her into his side with casual ease.

“Babe, you okay?” Oscar murmured, his voice soft but laced with enough warmth to make her heart stutter.

Mike’s jaw practically unhinged. His eyes darted between her and Oscar like he was trying to solve an impossible equation. “Wait. Her?”

Oscar cocked his head. “Yeah. Why?”

Mike blinked, completely thrown. “You—you’re dating her?”

Oscar tightened his grip on her waist. “Mhm.”

Mike scoffed, regaining some of his smugness. “No offense, man, but—”

Oscar cut him off, voice smooth but carrying an unmistakable edge. “Why is it any of your business?”

Mike hesitated. “Well, I’m just saying—”

Oscar tilted his head. “No, really. Why are you even talking to us? Because from where I’m standing, you’re just making my girl uncomfortable.”

Mike flushed. “I’m her ex, actually.”

Oscar let out a low chuckle, completely unimpressed. “Oh. So you’re the one she used to pay for.”

Mike’s face darkened. “Excuse me?”

Oscar’s grip on her waist tightened slightly. “Yeah. The one who used to live off her. Ringing any bells?”

Mike’s girlfriend shifted awkwardly, her smirk faltering. Mike, on the other hand, bristled and turned to her. “So you’ve been telling people shit about me?”

Before she could say anything, Oscar stepped in smoothly. “If it’s true, it’s not ‘shit,’ is it?” He tilted his head, his tone deceptively light. “Why don’t you take your ego and your Instagram girlfriend somewhere else? We’re busy.”

Mike didn’t move, lingering behind her with a glare. Oscar, as if sensing her discomfort, gently shifted, pulling her closer so that his arm fully wrapped around her. His chin rested lightly against her temple as he murmured, “Ignore him.” He shifted slightly, blocking her view so she couldn’t look back at Mike’s scowl. “You cold?”

Before she could answer, he was already draping his jacket over her shoulders, his fingers brushing over her arms in a lingering touch. She glanced up at him, still reeling from everything, but he just gave her a look—play along—so she did, silently munching on the cotton candy he had handed her.

Oscar exhaled as the Ferris wheel cart rocked gently, settling into its slow ascent. The city stretched out below in a blur of lights, but he was more focused on the girl sitting across from him, arms crossed, expression uncharacteristically serious.

“That guy was a nightmare,” he muttered, shaking his head.

She let out a small laugh, still feeling the warmth of his jacket draped over her shoulders. “You didn’t have to do all that.”

Oscar shifted, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yes, I did. He was treating you like crap, and you don’t deserve that.”

Her heart clenched at the sincerity in his voice. “Oscar…”

He huffed out a breath, staring out at the view like it might help him collect his thoughts. “I just don’t get it. He was acting like you weren’t good enough when it’s so obviously the other way around. Like—” He gestured vaguely, his words coming faster now. “He’s an idiot. Actually, no, he’s worse than that. He’s—he’s, like, some advanced level of idiot that I don’t even have a word for.”

She laughed softly. “Oscar—”

“I’m serious!” He turned to her, expression frustrated but earnest. “I just—God, it made me so mad. The way he was talking to you, like he thought he still had some kind of power over you? He doesn’t. He never did. He’s just some loser who couldn’t appreciate what he had.”

She blinked at him, caught off guard by the emotion in his voice. “You really mean that?”

Oscar scoffed. “Obviously. Anyone with half a brain would see that. I mean—” He stopped abruptly, as if realizing he had said too much. His mouth opened, then closed. Then opened again. “Uh.”

She tilted her head. “Oscar?”

He cleared his throat, suddenly looking very interested in the cotton candy he still had clutched in one hand. “So, um. The whole fake-dating thing just now—that was mostly to get him to go away, but also… not? I guess?”

She raised an eyebrow, amused. “Not?”

His ears were turning red now. He shifted in his seat, his foot tapping restlessly against the floor. “I mean—okay, so—” He exhaled sharply, ruffling his hair with his free hand. “God, I suck at this.”

She smiled, charmed by his rare nervousness. “You’re doing fine.”

“Debatable,” he muttered.

Then, he took a deep breath and finally said it.

“I like you.”

It was simple. No grand declaration, no poetic speech—just honest words, spoken with the quiet certainty that only Oscar could manage.

She stared at him, her brain short-circuiting for a second. “…You what?”

Oscar groaned, tipping his head back against the seat. “Come on, don’t make me say it again. My ego can only take so much.”

She blinked, still processing. “But—you never—”

“I didn’t think I had a chance,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. “We’re friends, and you’ve never given any sign that you’d want more, so I just… left it. But then tonight happened, and that guy was acting like a complete tool, and I realized I couldn’t stand the idea of you thinking he was right. Because he’s not.”

Her heart was doing something ridiculous in her chest, an embarrassing mix of fluttering and pounding. She opened her mouth, then closed it, unsure of what to say.

Oscar watched her carefully, his fingers gripping the edge of the seat like he was bracing for impact. “Look, you don’t have to say anything. If this is weird, I can pretend I never said it—”

“It’s not weird,” she interrupted, the words tumbling out before she could stop them.

Oscar froze. “It’s not?”

She bit her lip, suddenly feeling very warm despite the cool night air. “No. I just—this is a lot to process.”

He nodded slowly, his expression carefully neutral, but she could see the flicker of hope behind his eyes. “Take your time.”

She exhaled, glancing down at her lap. “I mean, I’ve always felt comfortable with you. You’re… easy to be around. But I never really let myself think about it like that.”

“Fair,” Oscar said, nodding. “I wasn’t exactly throwing out obvious signals.”

She snorted. “Understatement of the year.”

Oscar grinned, a little more relaxed now. “Well, if it helps, I am very open to helping you think about it like that.”

She rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t help smiling. “You’re such a dork.”

“And yet, you’re still sitting here with me.”

She hummed, pretending to consider. “I guess I am.”

He shifted in his seat, “I mean—okay, so—” He exhaled sharply

She smiled, trying to urge him to speak “You’re doing great.”

“Again, Debatable,” he muttered before taking a deep breath. “Alright, look. What I’m trying to say—very, very badly—is that I like you. A lot. And I have for a while now. And maybe I should’ve said something sooner, but I didn’t want to screw things up, and I didn’t know if you felt the same, and then tonight happened, and I just—” He groaned, dropping his head into his hands. “Wow, this is awful. I’m so bad at this.”

Her heart swelled, warmth blooming in her chest. “Oscar.”

He peeked at her between his fingers. “Yeah?”

She grinned. “You’re an idiot.”

His face fell comically. “Okay, rude—”

She cut him off by leaning forward and pressing a soft, lingering kiss to his lips. He went still, utterly frozen for a second before melting into it, his hand instinctively reaching out to cup her cheek. When she finally pulled away, his eyes were wide, his lips parted like he had forgotten how to speak.

She smiled. “I like you too.”

It took a solid three seconds for her words to register. When they did, his entire face lit up. “Wait. Really?”

She laughed. “Yeah.”

His expression flickered between disbelief and joy. “Like—actually? You’re not just saying that because you feel bad for me?”

She rolled her eyes, nudging his knee with hers. “Yes, actually. And I don’t feel bad for you, idiot.”

Oscar let out a breathless laugh, looking down at his lap as if trying to process what had just happened. Then he grinned, bright and boyish. “Huh.”

She arched an eyebrow. “Huh?”

He shook his head, still smiling. “Just… didn’t think this would be how today turned out.”

She leaned against his shoulder, sighing contently. “Me neither.”

After a moment, he hesitantly intertwined his fingers with hers, giving her hand a small squeeze. “Still the worst Valentine’s Day ever?”

She tilted her head, pretending to think. “Well… I mean, my ex did show up, so that sucked.”

Oscar nodded. “Fair point.”

“But,” she continued, shifting so she could look him in the eye, “on the other hand, my best friend—who I just found out likes me back—totally defended my honor in the most badass way.” She grinned. “Which was, honestly, kind of hot.”

Oscar choked on air. “What?”

She laughed, watching as his face turned an alarming shade of red. “I’m just saying, watching you shut him down was…” She bit her lip, enjoying his flustered expression. “Attractive.”

His mouth opened and closed a few times before he managed, “I—I was just stating facts.”

She smirked. “Uh-huh.”

Oscar groaned, covering his face with his free hand. “God, you’re going to be insufferable about this, aren’t you?”

She leaned in, pressing a teasing kiss to his cheek. “Absolutely.”

He sighed but smiled, shaking his head. “I should’ve known.”

She squeezed his hand again, feeling the warmth of it settle in her chest. “Still. This was actually the best Valentine’s Day ever, though.”

Oscar chuckled. “Yeah. Definitely.”

[positively-knotted]

Fuck it, full list + review:

First year

Linear Algebra: easy, boring.

Group theory: marginally harder, significantly more interesting.

Real analysis: one of the hardest, but only because you do it right at the start. Really one you only appreciate once it's over.

Probability: I really enjoyed this actually - not too hard if you're ok at analysis.

Statistics: it's like they took probability and took out the interesting parts.

Intro calculus: mostly very very boring, but some neat problems I guess. Also badly named, this means intro to differential equations.

Multivariable calculus: honestly one of the easiest courses I've taken. Slightly more interesting than intro.

Fourier analysis: terrible course, only taught for applied people. Everyone else should be allowed to wait until they've done functional analysis.

Geometry: mostly linear algebra tbh, with some random calculus problems thrown in. Fine, but felt very thrown together.

Dynamics. This was the hardest course I ever took. Wtf was happening. How did I get a first in this. I had no idea what I was meant to do at any point.

Algorithms: can you learn an algorithm and apply it by hand? Then you can pass this course!

Second year:

More linear algebra: Spectral theorem is useful, otherwise by far the easiest second year course.

Ring theory: vital for any pure mathematician. The course was very hard, but mostly because the lecturer was the kind of person to define a subring as "an injective morphism" to second years. Modules are cool tho.

Complex analysis: also very very hard, but mostly because it was badly taught. I see why people like it; I didn't.

Measure theory: the end of real analysis! Nice to finally define an integral, and definitely nicer arguments than other analysis courses. Overall fun if tricky.

Metric spaces: sick. It was taught by Ben Green. Need I say more?

Topology: I am doing a PhD in topology, so very biased. You spend a lot of time doing fairly boring analysis-y stuff, but the payoff is great.

More differential equations: this was fantastically taught and actually very fun, although partly because I was good at it. That said, actually solving the damn things wasn't always that fun compared to the theory.

More probability: Markov chains are cool and also just easier than everyone thinks they're going to be? Ended up being my best second year exam somehow lol, but fairly mid-tier for interest.

More statistics: I only took this because I felt I should know Bayesian stats. I have forgotten Bayesian stats.

Quantum theory: did you know that everything is a Hilbert space? And do you know your trig identities? If yes, you might like this course! More seriously, this is just "intro to Lie algebra representation theory" but they don't tell you that.

Short courses (more group theory, number theory, projective geometry, multivariable analysis): these courses were badly designed so no comment

Third year

Representation theory: sick. Do this. It's just algebra but done better.

Commutative algebra: ill. is how I felt. Don't do this. Well do it's very important in pure maths but make sure you find a good teacher. You probably should do it though I guess.

Galois theory: everyone interested in pure maths should do this, but personally I hated it. I do not care sufficiently about polynomials.

Algebraic number theory: if you care about numbers, this is cool. I found it fairly easy/boring since it wasn't aimed at people who'd done as much algebra as I had, but was nice to see.

Surfaces: a weird sort of intro to classical differential geometry, focusing on smooth surfaces and Riemann surfaces. It was nice and very easy, but the course was very weirdly designed imo. Other unis also seem to have similar courses though, which confuses me, since I feel it makes more sense to just teach general manifolds then Riemannian geometry, and use surfaces as simple examples throughout.

Algebraic curves: massive overlap with surfaces since both needed Riemann surfaces but neither was a prereq for the other. Then also covered all of projective geom, and rushed through the interesting stuff. Having now relearnt it though, it's super cool and I would recommend to everyone pure or not.

Baby AlgTop: basically Ch0+1 of Hatcher, dealing with cell complexes and the fundamental group. Everyone should know what the fundamental group is, but tbh I don't think everyone needs to sit through a course that proves the simplicial approximation theorem.

Functional Analysis: quite easy if you have finally internalised the lessons that undergrad analysis was trying to teach you, very hard if not. Basically did everything you've already seen more generally, imo should be compulsory.

More Functional Analysis: this time it's topology! Seriously though. Do it if you like topology, otherwise just trust people.

More quantum theory: this time it was "intro to Lie group representation theory". Then it became perturbation theory and I stopped going.

Master's year:

All of these reviews will be useless because the masters I did was weird.

Homological algebra: why was this taught before category theory??? Useful tool, but a hard course. Especially before category theory.

Category theory: should be compulsory for pure mathematicians. Also should be an undergrad course, since all my other masters courses assumed you knew basic category theory. (And so did some 3rd year algebra courses).

Algebraic geometry: I dropped it after 3 lectures bc the lecturer was bad. But if you have a good lecturer, maybe it might not be? Im unconvinced.

Proper Algebraic topology: the classic course covering Ch2+3 of Hatcher. If you like pictures and sign errors you should do it. If not, you probably still should.

Manifolds: this could also be an undergrad course tbh. Do you love vector bundles? You should love vector bundles. I love vector bundles. De Rham cohomology is underwhelming though, sorry @lipshits-continuous.

Lie groups: I think there is no good way to teach Lie groups to geometers. At least to me. I have absolutely no idea how I got 70% in this exam I did not deserve it.

Riemannian geometry: my best exam ever I think, somehow. It's kinda just analysis, except for geometers so there's much more handwaving and fewer δs. It's pretty boring at points, but the interplay between topology and curvature is fascinating imo.

Low-dimensional topology: this is now my PhD, but also the course was atrocious. Do with that what you will.

Uhh that was a good use of time while I waited for my rice to cook

Math enthusiasts of tumblr. What math subjects have you studied and which ones were your favorite? Which ones were your least favorite? Which ones were the hardest?

[rekino2114]

I've got a few Lacey requests, if you don't mind! Could you do either: 6. or 20. for Jay with a male reader 12. for Lacey with an equally insecure transfemme reader. You can do any or none of them if you like! Thank you for considering!

Jay being your secret admirer

Pairing:Jay x male reader

A/n:Sorry, I don't write for trans readers just because I'm not trans myself and don't think I could write them well. Hope you still enjoy this. Also, I did this because I wanted to start writing for Jay and Maisie too to celebrate the lacey games trailer. Also, all of my lacey posts will take place in the same au where all of the main girls are dating their own version of y/n cause they need love.

Lately, you've been receiving some weird things on your doorstep. It's nothing creepy, quite the opposite, in fact, it's very romantic things.

It's mostly love letters in which the mysterious sender writes about how much they admire you and love everything about you. They describe everything about you in details and compliments.

The letters are always signed "your secret admirer" and are often accompanied by flowers, your favorite type nonetheless.

While the content isn't creepy in on itself, the fact that your dear friend Lacey had a similar experience with a stalker, which she thankfully managed to get out of, made you uneasy to accept the letters as actual love notes so you decided to talk to your friends about it.

"You have a secret admirer? Dude That's so cool"

"Is it? It kinda makes me uncomfortable"

"O-oh does it?"

"Yeah i mean, remember what happened to Lacey?"

"......yeah"

"It's not that bad, thankfully but still"

"Don't worry if you're ever in danger just tell us, we can help you"

"Thanks girls, you're the best"

"Don't mention it, it's the least we could do"

You all fist bumped each other and then you started talking with Jay, which seemed uncharacteristically nervous

"Hey Jay, wanna go skating today I know-"

"N-no it's fine I'll just hang out with Lacey and Maisie"

You looked at her a bit suspiciously but shrugged and left, saying goodbye to everyone. Jay breathed a sigh of relief seeing you go away, since she probably couldn't have kept a straight face anymore around her crush, but quickly got worried again as she saw her friends approaching her with teasing smirks on their faces

"Soooo when are you gonna tell him?"

"Eh? W-what are you talking about dude, I don't have to tell h-him a-anything"

"..............."

".....is it that obvious?"

"I mean........."

"It's a miracle he didn't find out yet"

".....y-yeah"

"Why didn't you just confess?"

"You have any idea how hard it is? I was sweating just writing the letter"

"But why? I'm sure he loves you too, you two basically always hang out"

"I don't think so, he probably thinks of me as just a friend"

"Why do you think so?"

"I mean I'm not girly like you two I don't think he-"

"Stop it there, Jay, you're amazing in your own way, and if y/n really loved you, then he'll do it because of who you are"

"Oh.....thanks lacey...i-i didn't expect you to say that"

"O-oh thank you, m-my partner says stuff like these all the time to me so......it just stuck I guess"

"Well did you hear her? Go and get your man, it's even valentine's day so it's perfect"

"Yeah! Thanks dudes!"

Jay said goodbye to her friends and quickly skated away to pick up another bouquet of your favorite flowers and one of the letters she had already written, then rang the doorbell to your house and took a deep breath to calm herself as she saw the door opening

"Hm? Jay? What's with......the....flowers"

"Hey dude, i-i mean y/n, so yeah I'm your secret admirer, please don't think I'm weird I wasn't stalking you or anything I just really know your face, a-and was too scared to confess. I want you to know that everything I said in the letters was true, I really, really like you.....a-and so....wanna be my boyfriend?"

"......I'd love to"

".....wait seriously?"

"Of course, I love you too Jay, I never confessed cause I thought you only thought of me as a friend"

"Really dude!? Me too! I thought I was way too boyish to be your type"

"What are you saying? I love tomboys and you especially"

"Really?"

"Yeah, you're so cool, I love how boyish you are if anything, it makes you special and so I love that"

"W-wow that's great! So are we like a thing or something now?"

You smiled and hugged her, making her blush, then proceeded to kiss her on the lips. She loved your lips so much that she couldn't help but feel disappointed when you pulled back

"Does that answer your question?"

"D-definitely"

"OK so now wanna go skate? As a couple"

"Sure thing dude! I bet it feels so much better than skating as just friends"

"I'm sure it does"

[socra-time]

Socra’s Naruto Liveblog, Ep. 111-120:

Also known as “Socra grows progressively distressed as everyone gets the shit beaten out of them”

Ep 111:

-noooo Sasuke don’t take the unknown drugs these cult-y strangers are offering you-

-I liked that Orochimaru’s theme came in when Sasuke took the pill

-so like if the squad didn’t happen to include Kiba and Akamaru, how would they have tracked Sasuke? I guess Neji can track to a certain extent, but his tracking is more limited by range… in conclusion Akamaru is the squad MVP

-Shikamaru hanging onto Choji’s scarf for balance when he stopped Naruto from triggering the tripwire was funny

-I can’t believe Orochimaru’s goons are just lugging Sasuke around in a barrel

-I don’t believe Shikamaru would let himself get thwarted so easily so I feel like getting caught was part of his plan somehow?

Ep 112:

-so I get that Kiba’s attack doesn’t break the dome’s wall and shows that the dome regenerates, but couldn’t Naruto just try smacking it with a rasengan (aka the single strongest jutsu any of them have)? I feel like that could do some insane damage at least

-this is so random but istg if anything happens to Akamaru on this mission I’m gonna riot

-oh now Naruto doesn’t have enough energy for the rasengan. Almost like he should’ve tried it earlier…

-honestly these last couple episodes have made me like Choji a lot more. He’s chill, even though I think his human boulder attack looks stupid

-also I like Shikamaru and Choji’s relationship a lot

-Shikamaru and Neji are really holding all the braincells in this group lol

Ep 113:

-Naruto and Kiba highkey share a braincell (aka they’re both dumbasses)

-a lot of this fight animation is really wonky so far. I’m guessing they’re saving the better quality stuff for the more important fights

-oh shit Choji’s getting serious

-I actually quite like Choji’s dub voice when he’s speaking more softly

-Choji really pulled a Popeye by taking a spinach pill and getting stronger

-I’m sorry Choji I was unfamiliar with your game

-lmao I spotted an animation error where Kiba’s face markings disappeared for one scene

-as much as Choji has grown on me recently I will never think his ball attack looks good

-aw Shikamaru is a good friend

Ep 114:

-bruh why does this episode title make it seem like Choji’s gonna die

-Jirobo is so mean for no reason. Like yeah I know you’re gonna kill the kid but you don’t have to be such an ASSHOLE about it

-man between Choji, Sakura, and Naruto’s backstories, why do Konoha kids suck so much

-awwwwwww poor Choji he just wanted to be included :((((

-the scene of little Choji helping a butterfly caught in a web was such a good little character moment

-given how intertwined their clans are, I wouldn’t think that Shikamaru and Choji only met when they were like 5 (they don’t necessarily have to be close just because their dads and clans are, but you’d think they’d at least KNOW OF each other). I’d personally headcanon they were introduced basically as babies

-aw little Choji and Shikamaru are so cute, my hearttttt 😭

-skinny Choji is kinda uncanny-looking

-I love how defensive Choji is over Shikamaru and how seriously he takes someone insulting Shikamaru

-GOOD JOB CHOJI but also omg pls rest

-(also, assuming that Jirobo is dead, I’m pretty sure this makes Choji the first of the Konoha kids to kill someone onscreen)

-the voice acting of Choji’s pained gasping as he tries to follow the others and then as he starts crying and reads the messages the others left for him was so good, I literally almost cried

-god this arc has done wonders for Choji’s character and we stan

-NOOOO CHOJI (I know he doesn’t die obviously but still, goddamn)

-god the whole last part of that episode was really good. Honestly this episode in general is one of my favorites so far

Ep 115:

-whyyyy does spider guy (Spiderman, if you will) have six arms????? Like I still need to know what his and two-headed guy’s deal is

-the sticky spiderweb sounds are kinda uncomfy, it’s like gross ASMR

-ayyyy Neji to the rescue!

-Neji acknowledging Naruto and saying “sometimes your eyes are even better than mine” was nice and a good subtle nod to how their fight in the chunin exams helped Neji

-anyways I still don’t know spider dude’s name so I’m just gonna refer to him as Spiderman

Ep 116:

-GET HIS ASS NEJI

-damn Spiderman copied Gaara’s sand shield defense

-idk why but it’s interesting to me that one of Neji’s biggest moves is a defensive one

-“what kind of a freak is this guy?” says the dude with six arms and metal-emitting sweat glands

-EW OMG THERE’S SO MANY SPIDERS

-yeah no if I were Neji I would have run away from this fight screaming

-I like how shook Spiderman is by Neji’s abilities. Compared to Choji’s fight, this fight holds far less emotional weight, but it does a good job of showing off Neji’s strength as a prodigy

-this is so stupid but the pose Neji fell over in reminded me of the Family Guy death pose 💀

-damn Neji’s hair slays

-oh Spiderman’s name is Kidomaru. I’m still gonna call him Spiderman tho.

-okay Spiderman’s second stage form is pretty cool

Ep 117:

-jesus Neji is going through it

-I wonder if the squad’s headbands getting knocked off is gonna be a recurring thing in these battles

-damn I gotta give it to Spiderman, he does have incredible aim

-oh my godddddd Neji got fucking impaled. Istg these fights are doing horrible things to my poor heart

-welp rip Spiderman

-it’s heartbreaking seeing Naruto and Kiba still think Choji is coming while Shikamaru knows he’s probably dead

-POP OFF NEJI

-hm this fight was nice and all but it definitely didn’t hit the same emotional beats Choji’s fight did

-literally every fight Neji’s in makes me sad tho because of what I know happens to him. Ahhhhhhhhh I hate it here.

-also I just thought about how Neji took a BEATING from Spiderman but somehow got taken out by one punch from Naruto in the chunin exams lmao

-this is a much less convincing fake-out death than Choji’s but also awww poor Neji I wanna give him a hug (actually I think I wanna give all of the squad a hug after this tbh)

-I bet people were losing their shit over these fights back when the show was airing on TV and the squad’s fates were left unresolved

Ep 118:

-I like the way Akamaru’s ears flap when Kiba runs

-I hate Tayuya’s weird headpiece thing

-jesus Orochimaru is going through it

-also I don’t think I’ve said this before but Orochimaru’s dub voice is great

-every time I see Kabuto I instinctively start feeling annoyed, even when he hasn’t even started talking. So yeah fuck Kabuto all my homies hate Kabuto

-hearing Kimimaro refer to Kabuto as “Kabuto-Sensei” was so weird

-wow Kimimaro has only had like a minute of screentime and he’s already contemplating his purpose in life

-OOH Orochimaru’s theme abruptly starting when he revealed his face to his new vessel was so good, it jumpscared me a little tbh

-I’m getting the feeling that Kabuto WANTS Orochimaru to use him as a vessel and I’m not sure why he’d want that. Idk maybe I’m reading into things too much

-Kiba doing his drill attack straight through Naruto’s shadow clone was cool. Hooray for teamwork lol

-also Shikamaru using shadow possession to make Tayuya get in Sakon’s way was clever, I hadn’t thought about that kind of application of his powers before

-my horrible confession is that half the time when I hear “Sakon” I immediately think “Sakon deez nuts”. I hate this for myself :/

Ep 119:

- Akamaru setting off bombs was unintentionally kinda hilarious (he looked so smug about it too)

-NOOOO DON’T YOU DARE HURT AKAMARU

-welp Kiba, Akamaru, and Sakon are dead I guess (I know they aren’t but how the fuck do they survive that giant fall)

-I know it was supposed to be badass but Kimimaro dropping down behind Naruto and Shikamaru was kinda funny to me

-I like Kimimaro’s hair beads and makeup. He’s creepy tho

-I kinda hate her design but I do have to give Tayuya props for being more of a loud/brash character. This show could use more rowdy girls

-oh shit Naruto’s looking pretty feral

-I love how Tayuya summons a bunch of giant demonic-looking dudes and Shikamaru is just nonchalantly like “oh well that’s not good.”

Ep 120:

-since Orochimaru’s goons are from the SOUND village, I wish more of them had sound motifs and powers. The only people with sound-based fighting styles are Tayuya and that girl from the chunin exams

-okay Sakon’s powers are really fucking disturbing

-aw Akamaru jumped in front of Kiba to protect him despite being tiny, he’s such a good boy<3

-ah hell yeah dog piss jutsu

-BIG DOGGO

-wow okay so Kiba and Akamaru just RIPPED A DUDE IN HALF

-dog piss jutsu strikes again. Ngl if a dog peed directly in my eyes I’d be pretty upset about it too

-STOP HURTING AKAMARU HE’S JUST A LIL GUY

-okay so I said that the twins’ powers were disturbing before but OH MY GOD THEY FUCKING TAKE OVER PEOPLE’S BODIES WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCKKKKKKKKKK (it reminds me of that one fungus that slowly takes over the bodies of insects, which I’ve always found super disturbing and scary)

-so yeah I know Kiba isn’t going to die, but if he did, that would be an absolutely horrifying way to go out

-Neji and Choji’s “deaths” both had flashback sequences, but they actually made sense and were (mostly) short enough to not distract from the moment. On the other hand, the flashback sequence of Kiba and Akamaru was sooooooooooooooooooo unnecessarily long and annoying. Like we really didn’t need to see the whole fucking Kiba vs Naruto fight again

-congrats to Kiba for somehow having the most hardcore moment in this whole arc so far. Like bro STABBED himself in the stomach and was like “time for you to die” while fucking GRINNING? Kind of iconic I fear

[yours-the-author]

Spoilers for Princess Peach: Showtime

...Kind of? It's less about the overall story and more about my thoughts about some of the individual plays. I'll put my brain words under the cut if you want to avoid those kinds of spoilers.

I had a lot of fun with this game. Still am, actually; I'm really just completing the ninja hide and seek challenge, beating the final boss again, and buying the last decorations for the Sparkle Theater (I already got all the ribbons and sparkle gems on the first playthrough because I am shy and quirky :))

I've heard mixed opinions about the game from varying parts of the internet. Mostly things about the simple game play and story, that kind of thing (I think someone said it felt condescendingly easy? Which... feels too intentionally meanspirited? I don't know, I like to think the better of people and things), but in my honest opinion, I'm having a great time.

I guess I'm mostly writing to talk about the plots of some of the individual plays. Most of the time, you get something straightforward and fairly benign: Magical thorns have trapped the king in the castle and you have to cut them down with your sword! All the cookies were stolen before the baking festival and you need to make new ones! Some scientists were taken to an alien world and you have to beat up the aliens to save them! Someone stole something from the museum and you have to solve the case!

...But then you get some plays that are just... too real? Or at least super serious. Things like:

People turn into sweet-ravenous zombies on Halloween after eating a strange guy's "delicious and dubious" cookies (just for you!) and you have to cure them with your better baked goods before they stampede the bakers to death (Pâtissier Level 2)

An old man kidnaps four young women from a village for purposes that are never actually mentioned or explained (Kung Fu Level 2)

There's a plot to plant a bomb in a building and you have to find it before the whole town blows up (Detective Level 2)

You have to race against the clock to save the Cowgirl Sparkla from getting run over by a train (Cowgirl Sparkla Level)

A group of bandits are actively demolishing entire towns and leaving people homeless with a big evil train (Cowgirl Level 2)

The Dashing Thief Sparkla is being suspended with electric shackles and you have to free him one lock at a time by going through wormhole doors (this one's more of an interpretation, but I can only imagine how painful being suspended in a big electric orb is) (Dashing Thief Sparkla Level)

And those are just the ones I remember off the top of my head! There might be other ones I'm forgetting about that are also bizarrely serious!

This isn't to say I don't like these levels; I had/have a lot of fun with them! I really like the outfits and the gameplay of each level! And a few of the villains are fun and memorable, too (the snake boss, the kung fu mini boss, and the ice skater mini boss in particular come to mind).

I guess I just wanted to know if anyone else who played this game saw these levels I mentioned and thought: "huh... they are a little weird, aren't they?"

[mourn-and-watch]

the way cole makes varric conflicted is so delicious i think. most of the characters are uncomfortable around him because they're genuinely terrified of demons and the fade and magic in general but varric is a completely different case. the thing is, he doesn't see cole as a demon at all because he doesn't want to.

he acts like he doesn't care about this stuff. that's a little weird kiddo around here and he wants to befriend him. teach him something even. why not. that's a little guy who's a little too good with knives and can't pick up a single social clue at the same time.

but there it is. the "he could have been a person" line if cole is made more spirit. varric is so upset about it because it's not like he saw cole as, well, a spirit who got a little too human. for varric, he was a human first, a weird kid second. the spirit part didn't even come into consideration because. well. it would make him question things. you know where it goes.

every time he starts bitching about anders he brings up justice. justice drove him mad. justice took over him. justice this, justice that. justice is a scapegoat because the thought that someone varric was friends with was actually willing to blow up the chantry and it wasn't just some evil demon's wish is a very unsettling one. varric's friends may be crazy but they're cool and make no irreversible life decisions of that extent, don't they? blondie turned out this way because he let a demon possess him and make him do terrible things. completely out of the blue.

it's either varric's ex-friend has never been driven crazy by some inherently evil entity and there was a whole other person around him all along and that anger he used to mock was coming from the same place as compassion's urge to become a killer or that little weird but kind kid he started to care about has never been and will never be a real kid. he can't have both. a bitter pill to swallow for someone who has never picked a side in his life

[if-we-are-free-tell-me-why]

every time I hear someone say "oh you have to listen to Dear Evan Hansen it has such good mental health representation" I cry in Next to Normal

[batsplat]

do you know why vale seems to have a soft spot for pedrosa?

there's not any single one reason, I don't think, but here's are a few contributing factors that come to mind:

history! in large part because of the honda link, dani's the alien he's known the longest... valentino was the number one honda rider at a time at which dani was honda's rising star. photo on the right is from the 2001 honda celebrations at the last race of the season (when dani was sixteen); from oxley's valentino rossi: all his races: "that night vale celebrated in style at a raucous honda victory party, where he taught honda youngsters daijiro kato and dani pedrosa how to drink". they've known each other forever! valentino was getting teenage dani drunk! quite natural to be fond of someone you've seen grow up like that, even if they are being moulded to be your next big rival

circumstance! the way it basically works with valentino is that if you want to have a feud with him, you generally need to have a title fight with him when you’re already ‘established’ rivals (ignore marc, that’s its own thing, 2015 is a freaky season). biaggi and valentino were enemies headed into 2001 and then were worse enemies, he was cool with sete in year one but not year two, mostly *wiggles hand* the same with casey and jorge… feuds aren't build overnight. valentino and dani weren’t ever really direct title rivals - closest they got was 2006 and 2008, but in both cases valentino probably didn’t see dani as his main problem that year. there wasn't really any competitive necessity for valentino to get nasty... also with one or two notable exceptions, valentino did kinda have dani handled in their actual wheel-to-wheel fights, which let’s face it probably didn’t hurt

yapping! so this is just a theory but it’s one I believe strongly in. you know how valentino loves to talk, right? the thing about pressers and podiums is that you're always going to have a few regular attendees, if you will, corresponding to the front runners in any given year. now, unfortunately for valentino, there were periods of time where almost every other regular attendee was someone he had pretty active beef with. that doesn’t mean he always avoided yapping at them, but relatively speaking you want a guy you can build up some good repartee with to pass the time. dani was his guy… less complicated than casey and jorge, plus dani is polite enough to go along with it and maybe even enjoy chatting to valentino (it’s been known to happen). pressers can be boring and at podiums you're still full of adrenaline, valentino wants to share a joke with someone! my completely unscientific sense is that valentino does this a lot with dani around 2008-ish to 2012, then for two years marc is the number one yap victim, then for a while it’s a bit…? oddly valentino does seem to chat quite a lot with jorge in 2015... he likes to throw in a quirky behavioural pattern sometimes to keep you guessing. anyway then in 2016 he is Actively Ignoring two of these men so vale goes!! hi there dani!! and takes it from there (though the field is more mixed up post-2015 so he becomes more of an opportunistic yapper). in general, valentino will chat to pretty much anyone with A Few Exceptions, but he does usually have a bit of an order of preference

dani’s personality! now, obviously dani is very much capable of feuds, but he’s not that naturally combative a character. valentino generally needs a competitive justification for beef, though some personal animosity can help too… but he never really hated any of that trio of young riders to come through. valentino's known dani forever, he’s been around dani a fair bit because of their respective statuses in the sport, dani isn’t going out of his way to pick fights with valentino, so no reason not to get on! he does clearly quite like chatting to dani and seems pretty fond of him even towards the start of the alien era, at a time in which it was broadly expected that dani not casey would emerge as vale's primary challenger... god knows if the relationship would have soured if dani had assumed that mantle (probably at least a little lol) but failing that, valentino does just seem to quite like him. y’know, sometimes it’s like that

They Have Also Had Their Disagreements, But There Hasn’t Been Much Cause For It To Escalate Further. these disagreements have tended to be over racing standards, where dani is generally in the ‘you people are all insane’ camp and valentino is generally in the ‘ah it’s fine’ camp (though, obviously, there is nuance here… cf vale also criticising sic over the le mans 2011 incident that left dani with the broken collarbone). generally, they don't get into direct conflict over it, more of an underlying difference in positions (hey, aragon 2013 is an example)... but there’s been dani’s suggestion that valentino’s sepang 2015 stance is inconsistent with his generally laissez faire approach, and also some other isolated little scuffles over the years like say 2017 aragon (see below). pretty small scale stuff in the grand scheme of things and if you've been on-track rivals for that long it's kinda inevitable you'll eventually disagree about some stuff, but perhaps worth bringing up

went through all of the alien combos in my head and these two slot in just behind dani/casey as probably the two most consistently beef-free inter-alien relationships? dani/casey gets extra credit for surviving The Teammate Test. but, y'know, the thing about valentino is that he's a sociable, outgoing guy... he likes talking to people... he's actually interested in them... he's a decent conversationalist, easy to get on with, all that stuff. so if you expose valentino to this nice fella who at most was like... perhaps a bit more reserved towards the start of his time in the premier class (partly due to his mentor's approach), but really was generally pretty chill... well, if valentino isn't given any reason to hate dani, then default state is that he won't. good on them etc

[skitskatdacat63]

Fernando S1E5 - “Mission Accomplished”

[sirthinks]

What’s the history of the Bloody Mary cocktail?

In 1917, Chef Louis Perrin, working in a hotel in French Lick, Indiana (what a name for a place) ran out of oranges and used tomatoes instead, inventing tomato juice as we know it today.

(Citation needed, this is a topic with a fair amount of discussion and it's almost certain that Perrin did not actually invent tomato juice. I mean... it's juiced tomato, a fair argument is that it's nature's creation or Gods', whatever keeps your boat afloat. It is mainly put to emphasize that the popularity of tomato juice was burgeoning or resurging at this time.) (I do think he was the first to use it in drinks? But I haven't done any juice research, I beg of you, there is other stuff to talk about (although now; I am intrigued.)

it should also explain why then, in France 1921, we finally have our first claim of the Bloody Mary!

Stating that Fernand Petoit created it in the New York Bar (Now called Harry's New York Bar) in Paris.

The confusion starts here folks!

I don't quite believe Fernand Petoit was the originator of the Bloody Mary. Frankly I'd love to be proven wrong and have this be the easiest question to answer so I can move on with the rest of it's history, but there are two things that frustrate me to think about.

1: I can only find the claim of 1921 being attributed to his grand daughter, rather than him directly. I'd be inclined to just believe historical wear-and-tear on this one, but:

2: He does have a direct quote in 1934 that describes a modernization of the Bloody Mary:

" -it was really nothing but vodka and tomato juice when I took it over"

I may be picking at words. But who says 'take it over' when they are confidently sure they've created it, If it were 1921 -way before all other claims?

To clarify, he's also right. He took the Bloody Mary and ran with it, most people site him as the creator for certain.

All the stories from here get even less clear, to prepare you.

If we zoom a decade forward to the early 1930s, and across the globe to actual New York: We find Henry Zibikiewicz.

There is almost zero information about Henry Zbikiewicz I could find, apart from that he worked as a bartender at 21 Club in New York, and that the bar claims he invented the Bloody Mary.

Let's take a short interval to talk about Henry Zbikiewicz and dead-end research.

I am under the belief that Henry Zbikiewicz was a bartender at 21 Club, and existed. I have found many different utterly too brief ancestry reports and other personal profiles of him (that state that he lived and died, but nothing else), besides this I have no confirmation.

While I would love to search the ends of the earth to discover the truth behind him and his background, I know it either does not exist, or doesn't exist to be found by amateur researchers (self-reference). A lot of information these days is behind pay-walls and internet dives about as deep as the Mariana (trench), and I unfortunately do not have all the time in the world.

What is especially upsetting for me though is finding enough.

I'm certain he existed.

I'm certain he lived.

I am not certain on anything else.

Let's take a longer interval on the nature of death and memory, along my journey to finally discover the Tumblr max word count.

Throughout my life I have always enjoyed graveyards. They are quiet, serene, undeniably holy/weird/sacred/creepy (change as required); the perfect place to be alone with this feeling of connection still running through the stones and the ground you walk beneath.

I'm quoted as saying 'I could die before you' as a small child, in response to my mother telling us about her refusing medications.

I feel as if this explains my relationship with death quite well, I was aware of it and have interacted with it in a casual way for my whole life.

Ramble, ramble, blah, blah, blah, this is all to say:

I don't fear death. I don't remember a time in my life I did fear death, honestly.

But; being forgotten?

That has always terrified me more than perhaps anything else in this world.

So the grim reaper will have to hold off. Till I do something memorable (I already have, and so have you, it's called being loved and loving).

I hope Henry Zbikiewicz is resting comfortably, I hope somewhere there's a family that is his or a friend that has told a tale of him.

These aren't answerable research questions, they'd be intrusive to find the answers to if they were, but they are so hyper-specific I doubt anyone has taken the time to find and ask.

I'd like to offer my favourite remembrance ritual to you, in trade for giving you existential dread: Go into a graveyard, find a grave (I prefer the older ones or ones that are not up kept, but any is perfectly fine) and recite their name for the week.

This way their memory continues, a little tiny bit of it. A name, alas cannot possibly contain all the things that anything is and was, or all the journeys it went down to end in our same shared fate of belonging to the ground.

A Bloody Mary is in this way quite cyclical. Tomatoes natively grow in France, so along with being a cheap post-war resource, (and good lord did France take a huge blow after The Great War (or WW1) but this is a different subject) it is a symbol of new life. Vodka, is a process of decomposition and fermentation (as all alcohols are) and so I feel represents death in a way.

The other well-known (how much knowledge do normal people have of any of this?) story of invention includes George Jessel, noted 1920's comedian and a socialite named Mary (which is where I swiftly transition from invention to naming).

Apparently he fixed the concoction in order to sober up quickly while hiding the smell of alcohol from his wife, then, when his friend Mary asked to try, it was spilled on her. To which she reportedly said:

'Now you can call me Bloody Mary!'

From the 1920's (anecdotal) it is posited that it was made for a Vladimir Smirnoff (yes, of vodka fame) and named Bloody Mary after the inability to pronounce the Slavic syllables in the name (???).

That absolutely STUMPED me until I actually said it aloud a couple times, in a really bad French accent. The 'Vl' quickly turns into a 'Bl' and can see how the rest slips into place. I hope it was something they were laughing about rather than laughing At Vladimir for.

But according to the manager of that same bar (In the 1920's again, he claims), the drink was named after the first person who ordered it. The first said it reminded him of his girlfriend, who he met in a cabaret called The Bucket Of Blood (naming convention match, not the same show), her name of course being Mary.

But! In the 1930's, where Fernand's cocktail is confirmed, he says himself it was called the 'Red Snapper'!

It was called the 'Mary Rose' in a publication from El Floridita in 1939, and claimed as a new cocktail in Life magazine (MAY be the December 7, 1942 magazine as I can find no other mention of drinks on the extensive list of life magazines (yes I looked through all of them)) as the 'Red Hammer'.

So, everyone says something different, and you have to be a special kind of crazy to look through all of it (you're welcome).

There's one more story, and then I'll leave you, I do hope this has been entertaining, I have worked really hard at this in my spare time to make this awful jumbling mass of spoken word information. I do think I've failed slightly at that.

I'm sure all you brits have been waiting, but bide your time just a couple more seconds before I say one more thing:

There is another story of the Bloody Mary, but I don't want to tell it, because it's not history yet. The violent crime in Chicago and the amount of bars playfully nicknamed 'The Bucket of Blood' there over the years are a later claim to the Bloody Mary. It's a story of a waitress called Mary at one of these 'Buckets' and as much as I think that deserves light shed on it, frankly my mental state is not stable enough to.

I want to try my best to be an ethical source of information, and because of this I do want to mention it, but a longer discussion is not going to be healthy for me right now.

So, with that in mind, I have one last story to tell you.

The nickname 'Bloody Mary' for Mary Queen of Scots, or Mary I is first seen written in a historical series by Charles' Dickens named 'A Child's History of England' in early 1851 to late 1853.

She got her name from the over 280 protestants she had burned during her reign (July 1553- 17 November 1558), although it's disputed whether she was called 'Bloody Mary' by her protestant opponents.

Although this name is indisputably much older than any of the 1900's claims to the name 'Bloody Mary', it's hard to pinpoint if it is the true origin for the cocktail being called the 'Bloody Mary'. If it is the true origin, the people who invented the cocktail have tried very hard to find original reasons to call it that. If it isn't true, it is an odd but not implausible coincidence.

In the very end, when all the Mary dust has settled and all the peppercorns have been crushed into the mix, it's always a story of history and memory.

When the tomatoes are squeezed, the vodka added or left out, celery or parsley garnish presented, lemon juice, salt or just tomato juice.

What is the history of the Bloody Mary?

And who says there has to be one?

My first Bloody Mary was in London in a restaurant I don't remember the name of, before seeing Hadestown, a musical about memory and oral tradition, for my longstanding historical advisor (bullshit checker) 's birthday, it's all memory and perception, even at the beginning.

Now, in this moment, and in the past already for those reading (and you, future Tyler, editor extraordinaire). I sit eating eggs and drinking coffee and writing in a cafe I frequent in my town.

There will be a day I don't remember what the interior looks like, how the coffee tastes, what books I rest one of my arms on, and maybe it will haunt me, or maybe I won't care.

If you haven't had a Bloody Mary before, do!

It might not be your cup of Mary, but it tastes like spicy gazpacho soup and I really like it.

There will be a day you don't remember where you were when you first sipped one, what it tasted like, how much pepper was in it, what kind they used, if it had a full stick of celery in it or just the leafy bits or if it had no garnish at all-

-and maybe it will haunt you. You might go back on your memory and overwrite a grand experience of falling off a cliff, Bloody Mary clasped in one hand as the rocks narrowly avoided, you might tell yourself the harsh bite of the wind rushing by you, you may create perilous rocks below;

or maybe you won't care.

But wouldn't you rather have it (the memory) and decide how you feel about it later?

Try new things, or historical revisionism is kinda fine, whichever lesson you'd rather take,

Enjoy your Bloody Mary.

-Ace x

Indirect/various sources:

-A few drinks blog: Who invented the original bloody mary?

-Fernand Petiot: Wiki and Granddaughter blog post

-Life magazine 1942 Archives

-It always begins with a simple search. (Bloody Mary wiki)

Big thanks Henry Zbikewicz, and all the beautiful stories people tell about things, for existing.

And my Sibling, or my historical advisor, for giving me this idea at the restaurant. I almost lost my mind TWICE (Henry Zbikewicz and trying to find the exact Life volume) but it was overall, a very enjoyable experience.

Maybe the next post will take me less than 3 months to write! I doubt it, but the night is young.

[the-vibing-ghoul]

some people will be all about mental health awareness and leftist ideals of at least tolerating the mentally ill who show ''ugly'' symptoms until it's someone they know and ''care'' about having a bad day and acting like it in a way they don't find appealing

[louwhose]

thanks for the tag @nocturne-side-blog!!

tag game rules: make a poll with five of your all-time favorite characters and then tag five people to do the same. See which character is everyone's favorite!

and before I forget lemme tag @dawn-the-rithmatist @whogirl2011 @adrift-in-thyme @onceuponaladye @tired-twili

[sskk-manifesto]

Atsushi's back in the game!!! ۶( ˆ o ˆ )

[rainingincale]

.

[lesbiangiratina]

Not very fond of people like waving off testament’s gender as just a Gear Thing but well at least it becomes funny when people apply it to gears as a whole. Like yeah i can agree with that. It has nothing to do with being a gear tho theyre all just transgender