#I was thinking making a paper craft of a flower in a pot

[werewolfdog]

By the stars, I HAVE to make something for M.

[ad-caelestia]

spell jars 101 ✧

updated version

how to craft a spell jar: 

cleanse your jar

gather your ingredients

charge and program them, and then add them to the jar

close and seal with wax, ribbon, string, etc. to finalize and cast the spell

decorate your jar however you'd like, or not at all - up to you

what you can use as a jar:

tiny glass jars with cork lids

mason jars

pickle/pasta sauce jars

old medication bottles

food storage containers

bead storage tubes

what you can add to a spell jar: 

dried herbs

dried citrus peels

dried flowers

magical powders

small crystals

gem chips

essential oils (a drop or two will go a long way)

infused oils (carrier oils such as olive or grapeseed oil that have been infused with herbs)

a few drops of charged water (storm water, war water, sea water, holy water, rain water, moon water, sun water, etc.)

paper (with sigils/symbols/glyphs drawn on it, an incantation, a name, a phrase, etc.)

coins

beads

glitter or confetti 

seashells/shark teeth/sand, etc.

leaves/acorns/sticks/bark/moss

animal fur, nail clippings, teeth, or whiskers that have fallen out naturally (if i catch you trying to pull out your pet's whiskers or fur, i will fight you)

nails, glass, pins, needles, thorns, and other sharp objects (great for cursing, binding, banishing, or protection)

vinegar, lemon juice, pickle juice (mostly for “souring” a situation)

honey, sugar, syrup (to “sweeten” a situation or for attraction)

pretty much anything that fits and corresponds to your intent

what you should avoid putting in a spell jar: 

unless your intent correlates with the contents of the jar spoiling or going bad - don't use anything biological in nature (think bodily fluids), don't use fresh produce or herbs, and be mindful of water content inside the jar. you don't want a moldy, biohazardous mess on your hands (unless you do, then that's cool, too).

what spell jars are good for: 

containing your spell, theoretically making it easier to manipulate and control

manifesting goals/intentions continuously or over time

passive manifestation that doesn’t require much ongoing participation from the caster but is subject to regular maintenance

what to do with your spell jar once it’s been crafted:

keep it on your altar

keep it in an area that's appropriate for goal manifestation (for glamours, keep it in the bathroom; for sleep or dreams, keep it in the bedroom; for safe travels, keep it in your vehicle; for cursing, keep it concealed in a black box; etc.)

wear it as jewelry

put it in your pocket, purse, or backpack

bury it in your backyard or within a potted plant outside (for spells you don’t plan to undo or want to last indefinitely) - if burying is not an option, hide it somewhere on your property

leave it at a crossroads

recharging spell jars: 

shake it up

light a candle on top of or next to it

submerge it in a bath of herbs or crystals that are associated with energy

submerge or surround with sea salt (a natural conductor of energy)

anoint with oil/blessed or charged water

pair with a tarot card or rune stone that matches your intent

suffumigate with incense smoke

energy work and visualization

disposing of and reversing spell jars - when you feel like the spell has done its job or you need to undo its effects:

remove the contents from the jar and either destroy them, bury them, or throw them away

for items you wish to save, cleanse them thoroughly before using them again

take the jar and cleanse it in whatever manner you choose and either save it to be reused; or dispose of it safely

© 2025 ad-caelestia

[super-lovely-star]

🍁Fall Activities and Stuff for Middle Regressors🍁

Go outdoors and stomp in some crunchy, dry leaves. Bonus points if it’s at an empty playground!

Pick out a spooky movie and have a movie night. It doesn’t have to be horror, there are plenty of cartoon/kids show Halloween specials that aren’t too scary! It’s even more fun when you have pizza or some other nostalgic food to snack on.

If you go to school/classes, you can pick out fun stationary like folders with characters on them, cute notebooks, and scented pencils.

If you don’t go to school but would still like a back to school experience, you can set up a little classroom for your plushies and read chapter books with them

Think of fun Halloween costumes to make. It doesn’t have to be expensive. A pair of animal ears for your favorite animal has never failed me.

If you don’t want to dress up personally but still want to make a costume, you can make some for your favorite plushies out of materials like craft felt or construction paper.

If there’s a farm near you, they might have apple/pumpkin picking!

Another outdoors activity is taking a nature walk! The trees look so pretty during fall, so make sure to bring some plushies so they can see them too! You can take pictures of them in the fallen leaves.

Speaking of leaves, you can find the most perfect ones and press them in a book. Just make sure they aren’t completely brittle or they’ll break!

You can go camping, for real or for pretend. I don’t like real camping, so I make a fort out of blankets and use an LED lantern and make s’mores in the microwave lol.

Go check out a thrift store for cozy sweaters and other stylish fall clothing. If you go close to Halloween, they’ll have interesting stuff that you can make costumes out of!

For some reason I find going to the library very nostalgic around this time of year, so I recommend doing that! Most libraries have middle grade chapter books.

Set up a cozy corner in your room with lots of blankets and pillows and plushies, for reading or gaming in!

Plant some seeds or bulbs for the summer. This generally works best outdoors, but if you don’t have a yard you can probably still have luck planting it in a flower pot.

Research the seasonal behaviors of your local wildlife! You can watch squirrels burying acorns, and birds migrating. Just be sure to do so from a safe distance,

Make something tasty, like candy apples or a sweet with lots of cinnamon! Make sure you have supervision if you need it.

Happy Fall and have fun!

[yuvany]

#LOVE IN THE AIR

𝐄𝐍𝐇𝐘𝐏𝐄𝐍 and their date ideas𐙚

OT7 ENHYPEN x Female reader ;; CONTENT/WARNING(S) :: fluff + est relationship + kisses + not proofread. . . WORD COUNT . 964 ;; CHECK BOX !!

yu-note :: writer's block is kicking in again, and school work is piling up...

( reblogs + feedback always appreciated !! )

𝗟𝗘𝗘 𝗛𝗘𝗘𝗦𝗘𝗨𝗡𝗚 - KARAOKE

Serenades you as much as he can. Sings ballads, pop songs about love and some of his own music. You cheer him on and clap to the beat of the music and applaude after each round. He courtesy in a low bow in a joking manner before walking over to you, holding the microphone in front of him, asking you to sing this time. "I can't sing, Hee." You try to avoid the microphone that is getting closer and closer to you. "Don't lie, I've heard you sing in the shower, sweetie." You are embarrased by this and you feel your cheek turn red as you grip onto the handle. Heeseung chuckles and press a soft kiss to your cheek.

𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗞 𝗝𝗢𝗡𝗚𝗦𝗘𝗢𝗡𝗚 - COOKING

He invited you over to his place. At first, he did most of the cooking as you watched him from the side lines, but you weren't complaining. Jay was certainly art to look at. Later though, he realises that he accidentally left you out. "baby, come here." He motions for you to stand beside him. "Yes?" You ask and he takes out a glass pan from the storage underneath the oven. "please layer the lasanga while I wash the dishes." Jay pats you on the back before walking over to the sink and letting the water run. When you're finished, you wait for him before putting it in the oven. Jay returns and sees that you've done an awesome job, and he rewards you with a kiss.

𝗦𝗜𝗠 𝗝��𝗬𝗨𝗡 - POTTERY

Thought it would be nice as he likes doing new stuff. You entered the workshop with aprons on you, the instructor walked in and introduced herself, explaining the short agenda. After the short walk-through, you and Jake are left to experiment with the clay on your own. You decided to make a smll heart shaped pot with low edges to give to Jake, and he had a similar idea. As you knead into the clay and shape it into your desired form, you snatch glances at him with his tounge out and you can't contain your smile. The two of you paint them together, and then walk out of there proudly. "I think you'll like what I made." He says. "I think you'll like mine too." You reply.

𝙋𝘼𝙍𝙆 𝙎𝙐𝙉𝙂𝙃𝙊𝙊𝙉 - PHOTOGRAPHY

Sunghoon had already envisioned you as his model weeks before he finally asked you to go to a park with him. His hand let go of your waist as he sees a beautiful garden and asks if he could take a photo of you. "Here?" You ask, walking over to where he is pointing, he nods and picks up the camera that hung from his neck. "Now strike a pose, baby." You followed and heard the shudder of the camera go off. Sunghoon takes a look at it before smiling to himself. You are curious and walk over to him and try to sneak a glance at it. He sees this and shows you. "Let me take a picture of you now." You offer with a sweet smile and he nods. "I'm sure you'll do great."

𝗞𝗜𝗠 𝗦𝗨𝗡𝗢𝗢 - DIY CRAFTS

Wanted to stay inside with blankets and pillows making a fortress around the two of you as you observe a youtube video on how to make a paper bouquet. Papers of different colours were scattered all over the floor with the ipad admist all the chaos. It felt like an impossible tast to finish, but Sunoo manages to do the difficult past faster than you, and you plead for him to do it for you as well. "Honey, pleasee." He eventually gives in with a roll of his eyes after rejecting it a couple of times. After creating the first flower, Sunoo accidentally scrunched the paper and gives up. "For you, my love." He hands you the single flower he made with a wide smile and the two of you burst into laughter.

𝗬𝗔𝗡𝗚 𝗝𝗨𝗡𝗚𝗪𝗢𝗡 - CAFE HOPPING

It was initially a normal walk, but he spotted a new cafe that had opened and was itching to try it, so he pulled you along with him. The sound of a bell was heard upon entering the small atmosphere. He holds your hand as you two look at the menue by the register, and you tell him what you want to order, and he orders for you while you go and search for a seat. He finds you and shrug off his jacket and hangs it on his chair. "They also had your favourite here, so I ordered that as well, babe." Jungwon says and you nod. "Strawberry cake?" You question and he nods. "I heard that there's another popular shop a couple of minutes away from here, wanna go?" You see the excitement in his eyes, and can't tell him no.

𝗡𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗠𝗨𝗥𝗔 𝗥𝗜𝗞𝗜 - PAINTING

He is talented for sure. He invited you over to a workshop with him. His plan was to impress you with his talent, and you are indeed impressed by how well he can paint. If you're an artist yourself, Riki will sit and watch you in awe, his mouth hanging agape as he observes the brush sliding acorss the canvas. If you don't know how to draw or paint, worry not. He comes and saves you. Riki holds your hand that holds the brush and guides you through each step. When doing individual projects, he sneaks peaks at you from above the canvas and paints you a portrait of yourself. "I have a gift for you." He says, and you try to see what he's hidng behind his back, but he moves aside and hands you it before backing away shyly waiting for your reaction, "It's wonderful."

[ehlnofay]

49 - Arabella :')

49: nightfall

This had better work – Arabella is using up good vellums for this, and they’re not cheap.

She’s crouched on the hall’s smooth stone floor, half-listening to the soft crackling of the hearth and the rattling of pots and pans, all her papers spread out in unruly glory before her, half-covered with scribbled ink. The concept, she’s quite sure, is sound; it’s figuring out how to properly execute it that gives her trouble. She’s no scholar. She’d probably qualify more as a hobbyist. The things she has in mind would doubtless be a bit beyond her on a good day – trying to craft them herself is likely, logically, an exercise in futility. Arabella does not do things that are futile.

She traces her finger down the side of a page – a scribbled transcription of a description of an illusion spell that’s well beyond her grasp, broken down as best she can make it into its bare components. She doesn’t need all of it; almost the whole first half can be thrown away, and she can adapt the second half to her foundation. If she can figure out how, of course – what she can do is not a spell, so grafting one onto it is a complicated process. It’s all very finicky.

It's a problem to circumvent. Arabella loves those.

It takes her a moment to realise the sound of the fire has died down. It’s her only warning before  Karliah’s voice, carried on footsteps that cannot make noise unless she tries, comes down like a thunderclap. “Arabella.”

“Karliah,” she replies brightly, twisting her head up to meet her eye. It’s a strange angle; she can see up her nose, this way. Karliah raises a brow. She only carries one bowl. Arabella asks, “You didn’t make me anything?”

“You can cook for yourself,” Karliah says. Arabella pouts. “Arabella, really? A gift from a Daedric Prince isn’t enough for you?”

(Arabella stepped onto that half moon and gained the ability to make herself unrecognisable – to wipe herself clean from the slate of others’ minds, just for a little bit. There have been times in her life when she would have killed for that ability. There are times in her life now when she’s sure it will come in handy. But why stop there? Total erasure doesn’t have to be an end in itself. It’s fresh ground for building.)

Arabella shrugs, turns back to the mess of her papers. “It’s not a gift if I paid for it,” she replies, “which I did, and will continue to do. This is my end of the bargain. I’ll use it as I see fit.”

She can positively hear Karliah’s raised eyebrow as she says, “How irreverent of you.”

She’s never really been one for reverence. Pledging herself to a deity that bestows her bounties as business transactions is not likely to change that. 

Arabella shrugs again. “Besides,” she says, flippant, “It’s a fun challenge.”

“Is it.” Karliah’s trousers rustle as she shifts her weight. “You came here to test it on me, didn’t you?”

“Only partly,” Arabella admits, smiling, and waves her down.

Karliah sits. She’s wearing her lazy tunic, the one with the stitches drooping at the hem and flowers embroidered about the cuffs. Soup dribbles down the edge of the bowl as she adjusts her position. It’s green. She bends to lick it off her knuckles, which kind of spoils her stern demeanour.

“Not really, actually,” Arabella amends. “It’s not nearly ready for testing. I might need to go up north to get a refresher on some of these ideas, because spellcraft is, surprisingly, quite hard.”

Karliah sets the bowl with a clink on the stone floor. “You know, I never pegged you for an academic.”

“Oh, I’m not.’ Arabella pinches a page between finger and thumb. “I don’t have the temperament for it.” Study requires patience; patience makes Arabella feel like crawling out of her own skin. If she stays still for too long she starts spitting sparks. “That’s rather the problem, isn’t it? This would be a lot easier if I knew what I was doing.”

“Which is altering Nocturnal’s gift,” Karliah says, patient, “so that you can make people think that they know you. Even though the point of yours is to make sure they don’t.”

She sips a spoonful of her bright green soup.

Arabella tips her head back and says, “The thing about illusion magic –”

“You’re workshopping on me during dinner?”

“Well, it’s not my dinner – abominable treatment of your guests, by the way, I can’t believe you didn’t give me anything – the thing is that it can’t take. Illusions can’t enforce an absence, they can only impose a presence. You can’t take away someone’s hearing, you can only impose a space of silence. You can’t make someone forget, you can only replace a memory. The mind doesn’t respond well to a vacuum. The rules of magic don’t allow for it. All spells can do is cover up the truth.” Karliah isn’t wearing her hood; her hair is down. It’s always startling to see, somehow; makes her whole face look different. She keeps placidly sitting her soup. Arabella taps at one of her vellums. “What I can do – it takes. Which is, I understand, magically unprecedented, but also very jarring for anyone who witnesses – like how you tried to kill me earlier, when I –”

“I thought you were a stranger in Nightingale Hall,” Karliah says, “and I wasn’t going to kill you.”

“You found it off-putting,” Arabella insists, “on some level, because the mind doesn’t like a vacuum. But when I figure this out – I could layer spells on top. Oh, yes, I’m supposed to be here – oh, yes, we’re dear friends – all that sort of thing. And it would be almost impossible to see through if I linked them right because there would be no truth to cover up! Just a vacuum! And the mind would take almost anything over a vacuum.”

Karliah looks at her, unblinking. “You’d be a menace,” she says.

Arabella smiles. “Am I not already?”

There is a space of silence, for a moment. Karliah’s spoon clanks against her bowl. Arabella can hear the water gently running in the other room, the soft creaking of the stone, the airy breath of the low-burning hearth. Nightingale Hall is very quiet, and very full of ghosts.

“So,” Karliah says, “are you just here to tell me your magic ideas and criticise my hosting, or was there something else?”

Arabella tips her head to look her in the murex-purple eye. Lightly, she says, “You never come into town.”

Karliah holds her gaze. “I’m fine here,” she says.

Arabella shrugs. “I know.”

There is a pause.

Karliah sighs. “I think we’ve got some smoked fish strung up somewhere,” she says. “I’ll get it for you.”

Arabella presses tongue to unsmiling teeth. “Thank you,” she says primly, and jabs a finger at her higgledy-piggledy stack of vellums. “This is hard work.”

Outside, beyond the rock walls of the hall, night falls. The moons rise, a dim red half-moon and a narrow crescent, to their place in the star-spattered sky.

[sillygoose0-0]

I'm the kind of person who will gather a little list of things you like so I can slowly but surely start gifting you things. I think gift giving is one of my biggest love languages.

Specifically, this applies to, art.

I almost exclusively hand make cards for people. It makes Christmas a pain, but I love customizing what I think people will like.

I've made paintings and taught myself new crafts like I made a pack of my friends favorite pens into paper flowers with pen stems, I learned to make pipecleaner flowers and a pot for somone in the past and I once recreated starry night because the person liked the painting.

(I sadly only have progress photos)

If you even call me pretty once , it will be the start of my mission gathering Intel on you because I want you to know you are special to me, that i listen, and I want to know you, and everything you care about so i can be the best me I can for you.

I am not great with words, so instead, I want to show you just how much you occupy my mind.

[nancypullen]

Thursday Night

The mister has gone out to take some night photos of possibly creepy places, so I’m at home watching Dateline.  I made big salads for dinner and then we ate coconut ice cream bars. Those two sentences sum up our Thursday night.  This is retirement, folks.  I actually spent a good fifteen minutes watching the sprinkler today.  A couple of weeks ago we raked up the three inch layer of small landscape rocks that the previous owners used for their fire pit.  It was right off of the patio, they hadn’t used any sort of weed cloth or barrier, and it was an awful, messy, weedy spot.  Once we got the rocks up, Mickey spread some dirt and grass seed and now we’re babying that little patch to make sure the grass grows.  That’s why I spent fifteen minutes watching the sprinkler today - that actually sounds better than I was watching grass grow. I’ve been foofing up my little spot on the porch.  It’s quickly becoming my favorite hangout.  It’s shaded, hidden from the street, and has views of all the gardens.  I found a cheap metal table that was sort of an ugly putty color, and painted it white and red.

I slapped a placemat on it and then added a little pot of lobelia.  

Presto change-o!

You know how much I love red gingham. If I can squeeze it in anywhere, I will. So I did.

That wreath may need a birdie on it or something.  I need a second pillow too.  Maybe a pale green with roses? 

Eh, maybe not.  I’ll dig around and see what I’ve got and go from there. Probably should have used red flowers in that pot, but lobelia is what I had. This is all subject to change but it’s a nice space for now. I love sitting out here in the morning, listening to the birds and contemplating the day. What’s that poem about birds singing despite the world being a wreck?  I can’t think of it, but I appreciate their songs in a world gone mad. We thought about driving over to Rehobeth Beach this week, it’s only about 45 minutes away and there’s a mile-long boardwalk where we could have lunch and check things out.  The days got away from us and tomorrow is supposed to be rainy, maybe next week.  We did snag tickets to see/hear David Sedaris at the BrowseAbout Bookstore there at the end of May.  That’ll be fun.  He’s always entertaining.   Aside from watching grass grow and painting anything that doesn’t run away from me, It’s just been cooking and cleaning. We did run a couple of errands earlier this week and made a pit stop at  the Ridgely Pharmacy lunch counter for a sandwich.  They have the best chicken salad in three counties. I finally worked my way through the delicious crabs our neighbor brought over.  I used the last bit for breakfast.  A toasted sandwich thin, a mound of crab, a little gouda and a generous sprinkle of Old Bay made my mouth very happy.

I don’t normally eat breakfast, but I’ll make an exception for crab.

I’m itching to get into my craft room and do something creative.  I’m overdue.  I’m hoping that tomorrow’s rain will give me the time at my desk that I’m craving.  I haven’t touched clay or even paper for over a month.  I get cranky when I don’t have that time. Mickey moved my cabinet into place for me and I put my Cricut on top which frees up loads more work space for me.  I mostly use the Cricut to cut out my dead people, and I need to commune with them soon.

It’s a perfect fit for the space and the storage is wonderful.   It’s calling to me. Pray for rain so I can play inside.

This blog post is a discombobulated bunch of nonsense.  No one wants to read this boring stuff.  I started this little corner of the web back in 2007.   Can you believe it?  It used to be a hoot.  I had great material - kids, animals, my job in the school system. My stint with Clinique was blog-worthy too. The many, many years where I was on my own while the mister traveled every week - I got up to all sorts of hijinks that were worth writing about on Tumblr.  Now we’re just a couple of old fogies who think it’s a big deal to stop for a chicken salad sandwich. Help.  I’m five months from turning 60 and I want my life to be funny again.  I’m staying busy making this house our own, but if I buy much more spray paint I’m sure I’ll be on some sort of DEA watchlist.  If we’d moved somewhere that I could go to water aerobics or craft fairs, I’d have made friends by now and had some adventures.  We’re almost at the one year anniversary of our move here and I’m still counting my once-a-week grocery haul as an outing. Help.  I have no girlfriends to talk to (I just offended the cats by saying that), no one to meet for lunch.  Where are the fun ladies of Denton?  There’s no jazzercise or Zumba classes, where am I supposed to meet my people?  The nicest person (and the most fun person) I’ve met so far is the program director for the Caroline County Arts Council.  She’s an absolute delight.  But she’s also very young and is busy with a young person’s life. I’m looking for someone with some mileage who knows how to talk about perennials and peri-menopause. Who am I kidding? Full blown menopause, I just liked the alliteration with perennials. So there you have it, I’m home alone and watching Dateline, missing my sweet friends, and thinking that I’d better go take a bubble bath and lose myself in a good book.  Tomorrow I hope I wake up to rain and spend my day creating some silliness.  Maybe even something worth sharing here! Until then, stay safe, stay well, and take good care. XOXO,

Nancy

[archaeopter-ace]

Back in January I decided that my To Do list needed to be more ~tactile~, and since my new system has been working well going on four months now, I thought I’d share it here

[Image ID: a one-foot square of corkboard in a rustic brown frame, displayed flat on a surface. An eight-pointed compass rose has been painted on it in gold and dark teal, with a circle in the center left bare. At the points of the compass are tiny pins holding metal numbered circular tags in place; visible are numbers 9 through 12. Placed on top of the compass are an assortment of small objects; each object occupies no more than two halves of a point. Object include a Dirt Devil pin, a soda can tab, a yellow push pin, a frying pan and iron from a Monopolgy game, a brown fake leaf, a puzzle piece, a red carabiner, an AO3 Kudos pin, a tiny raven, and white buttons glued together with an charm-sized metal spoon. Off to one side is an upside-down 1.5 inch pot with a strawberry eraser on top. / End ID]

I painted a compass rose onto a square of cork that I had from a previous craft project (the frame is a super-lucky find from Goodwill!). Each point represents one hour, divided into half-hour increments. Number tags are used to indicate time, e.g. I set this one up to start getting things done at 9 AM. (I use a 24 hr clock, so 1 PM is represented with 13)

It only runs for 8 hours unless I go back and update it in the middle of the day, but 8 hours of being productive is enough to be getting on with, and if I don’t hit my targets, then there’s just flex time built in.

Every morning I populate my daily schedule with tokens from a pool of possibilities. And that’s one of the things I really like about this, over conventional To Do list making: I feel encouraged to vary my routine, do something different than I did the day before, give a token I like but haven’t used in a while a chance to come into play.

[Image ID: A large round wooden serving platter covered with small objects, like something out of a kid’s ‘I Spy’ book. Included are: various buttons, a tiny birdhouse charm, a mini Swedish Dala horse, LEGO Spider-Man, two disembodied hands, a 9V battery, toy Mini Cooper convertible I got out of a Kinder egg, white elephant bead, snowflake earring, plastic rat, carved wooden lion, chess piece, supermarket member token, piece of rose quartz with a wolf engraved on it, headphone, rubbed lizard, a 1 centimeter microchip, cardamon pod, fake yellow and blue flowers, plastic shapes, mini halogen bulb, pizza charm, brown glass apothecary jar, and an antique toy refrigerator for a dollhouse. / end ID]

The advantages I have found to using this system:

No red-text OVERDUE designation like on some to do list apps. I get done what I can and that’s good enough. And unlike when I was writing out my list on a piece of paper, it’s super easy to re-arrange as the day goes along.

A lot of people say the fun part of making To Do lists is crossing things off. That is only true if you succeed and actually manage to cross things off. Otherwise you are left with a lot of uncrossed items, which can make you feel worse. Under my new To Do list, the fun part is adding things to my list. I start my day thinking about what I want to fill my day with - fun leisure activities included - and even if I have a very unproductive day and hardly get anything done, just starting out the day every day with this attitude has been a tremendous help.

It only covers one day at a time. I save tomorrow’s worries for tomorrow, just focused on Today

It doesn’t tell me I need to complete given tasks, just that I need to work on them for the allotted time

Brains will read text automatically. I can’t look at a word and Not read it. Which means that with a traditional To Do list, I can’t help but look ahead and worry about an upcoming task I might be dreading. With this tactile to do list, everything is representational. It makes it easier to compartmentalize and deal with one task/activity at a time. Relatedly, it makes it easier to engage with tasks I really dread by giving them a cool token.

It’s flexible. Partly because it’s vibes-based and just needs to make sense to me, but also because I can combine established tokens together. So if I combine ‘Doctor’ with ‘Telephone,’ I need to call to my doctor. But if I combine ‘Telephone’ with ‘Friend’s Token,’ it means I want to call that friend, and if I combine ‘Friend’s Token’ with ‘Computer,’ I should email them instead. ‘Computer’ can be combined with ‘Organize Files,’ etc.

Fun Things and Chores are treated equally. They are all just how I want to be spending my time. This has helped me find time to draw and go for walks, instead of getting stuck in a rut of scrolling on my phone or reading endless fanfiction. There are many and varied ways to entertain my brain, and seeing the maximalist clutter of possibilities every morning helps to remind me of that.

[Image ID: The same board arrangement as the first image, this time close-up from a lower angle. / End ID]

This was my planned schedule for today.

9AM: Dirt Devil pin says clean up house. Paired it with soda can tab for take trash and recycling to dump, and the white buttons and mini spoon that means do dishes.

10AM: large flat brown leather button resting on a Lord of the Rings ring of power, with a one-inch miniature book on top. Go to library, I have some things I need to return. While I’m there, I can take advantage of the distraction-free environment to

11AM: paperwork. It was very satisfying to hammer that nail through a stack of scrap paper. 11:30 This is the token I made to represent Writing. A hexagonal piece of plastic covered in newspaper for the base, onto which I glued a circular bronze-colored button and topped with another button, this one with a swirly green gemlike qualities and gold accents.

12 o’clock: Lunchtime! It’s a frying pan.

1PM has a unicorn-head pushpin and a cast iron raven figurine, representing tumblr and discord, respectively. (For me, ‘tumblr’ here means ‘hey, how about finally getting around to reblogging things from my 4000+ drafts? Or the stuff I’ve been liking since Goncharov that I intended to reblog just as soon as I had the time to go through likes?’)

At 2PM brown leaf says go outside, red carabiner on top says go hiking.

3PM jigsaw puzzle piece says work on a jigsaw puzzle, that one’s pretty straightforward. 3:30 has the iron from a Monopoly game, so I will be putting laundry away.

4PM has an AO3 kudos tag, to remind me to leave one of those comments I’ve been meaning to get around to for ages...

And that’s my planned schedule for the day! If I get even half of these things done it will have been a pretty successful day, lots to feel good about.

[ID: The small brown apothecary jar, sitting in a sunny windowsill. Inside are what appear to be dead insects. /End ID] Bonus! A close-up of the jar of wasps I use to represent doctor business. I think it sums up how I feel about making appointments nicely. (Actually going is fine, finding a doctor and making appointments is the struggle).

[kmmsthings]

Earth Day Craft Ideas for the Whole Family

Earth Day is a day the whole family can enjoy together. You can take advantage of this day to teach your children about caring for the earth. Also consider doing some pottery work together. I have come up with a few ideas that would be fun for all ages, and help bring the family together for one of the most important days of each year, for thinking about ways we can help Mother Earth. #1 Nature Walk/Art Project Go for a walk and have each family member collect five to ten items from nature. For example, they can pick up a leaf or a petal. Ask them to bring a bag so they can collect their belongings. Take them home and make a collage. You can use the collage to make place mats, wall art, or even a desk mat or mouse pad. What you also create gift cards using leaves as the design for the front of the card. I have a good friend who dries flowers from her yard and then applies them to the front of cardstock by gluing them. You will need: laminated sheets, card stock, scissors, clear glue or hot glue, and any other materials you have on hand. Be creative and have fun. Many of these items can be purchased at your local dollar store. If not, here are some options from Amazon - White Thick Paper Cardstock and Self Stick Laminating Sheets and Scotch 5" Soft Touch Blunt Tip Kids Scissors #2 Tie Dye Party Tie dyeing is fun! When natural food coloring is used, it becomes an eco-friendly activity. If you want to add some education to the project, talk to your kids about why you chose to use natural dye instead of chemical dye. Discuss how chemicals harm the planet. You can use carrots, beets, berries, turmeric and other natural products to make the dye. My family makes tie-dye for a living! You can check out all that they have to offer at https://jamminon.com/ #3 Stuffed Animals Make stuffed animals with materials you find everywhere in the house. For example, a black sock can be used to create the body of a penguin. Cut out the white t-shirt material and glue or sew it to make the belly. A few buttons for the eyes. A felt or foam triangle for the beak and legs. Kids and adults can also create fun monster animals. You can use old corduroy skirts or pants for the bodices. Buttons, ribbons and fiberfill take care of the rest. Each sample can be unique. Since you're using items you already have in your home, talk to your kids about why repurposing and repurposing items is good for the planet. #4 Bracelets or cuffs. Cuffs are in style right now, and old wool sweaters can make beautiful cuffs. Your children can have fun with this craft using buttons, flowers and old decorations. You can too! To make old wool sweaters work for this project, you'll want to 'feel' them. This means that you shrink them until the wool is thick. It won't come apart. Simply cut the yarn to size. Try it on your wrist. Secure it with Velcro, buttons, or even sew it closed. Add embellishments and you will have a beautiful fist. If you are a Taylor Swift fan? You can create friendship bracelets to wear in pride! #5 Can you garden? If you are a family of gardeners, start collecting cans. This is a recycling project and a garden project in one. Decide how you want to decorate the outside of the can. You can create your own labels using a computer, but you can also draw or paint them. Painting works well because you don't have to worry about water ruining the paper decorations. Yeah, If you are going to paint the cans, consider using a primer beforehand so that the paint adheres well to the can. You can also decorate it with stickers. Poke a few holes in the bottom of the clean can before decorating the outside. These holes are for drainage. Place some stones in the bottom of the can. Fill the can with potting soil and plant seeds or plants. Place in a sunny location. Your children will be able to see their plants grow. Note: If you each plant a different herb, you can create a herb garden on your windowsill. I would recommend herbs you know that you would use in your cooking overall. Basil, Cilantro, Oregano, Thyme, Parsley are the most common use daily. Once the herbs have grown, you can demonstrate how they are used to preparing dinner. This way, your children will also learn about the life cycle. Consider your children's age and attention span before choosing a craft. Earth Day is a day that can be both fun and educational. Help your children learn about caring for the earth in a fun way. Header Photo by Artem Podrez Read the full article

[wicca-foxes]

Witchcraft and recycling

Wicca, and by extension witchcraft, value nature as both a host and a guest in our lifes. Making the most of our resourses is both financially wise and respectful of our believes and values. It is very easy to emast a wide catalogue of stuff in our every day lifes, harvesting what we can to reuse can be a fun way to recycle.

A few examples of using "scraps" for witchcraft:

recycling paper at home, using opened envelopes to write your spells/notes on;

collecting rainwater to use in spells and for watering plants;

using kitchen scraps (like lemon peels, orange peels, used cinnamon sticks) as offerings;

using the coffee zest for fertiliser (do not worry it is around pH7 and it's perfectly safe for plants and/or composting - I have tested it) or lose tea;

using old/damaged chopsticks as a "beginner wand";

the bottles from cooking extracts (vanilla extract, orange extract) or essential oils bottles are PERFECT for storing seeds and for being spell jars (bonus points because they're so small and cute!);

re-melting remaining wax from candles to form new ones;

using old paintbrushes as a "beginner broom" (especially good for a hidden/small-pocket sized altar);

using an old pot as a cauldron, or thrifting one as needed;

using pressed/dried flowers as offerings;

considering a digital book of shadows (Word is excelent for this, combining it with Excel, can be used in browser for free);

using digital libraries for books of study (@coreycore420 mentioned https://z-lib.org and it's a godly recommandation and tool!);

avoiding essential oils;

using dried pine needles as incense sticks (for outdoor use only);

growing a few herbs used in both spells and cooking in tin cans (starters) then thrifted pots is amazing!;

going around your neighborhood, take a look around the dumpsters or glass collectors, people can throw away usable pots, plastic storage boxes, baskets or jars and glass bottles (make sure to properly clean and clense the item);

if avalable - trade and swap local groups on Facebook can help you thrift with ease, especially if you don't have thrift stores where you live;

using old papers/magazines as packaging/wrapping paper (hello holidays).

With all these corner-cutters, you need to be careful to not hoard items. I have made the mistake of holding to items thinking I can find them an use, my rule of thumb is that 1 month is enough to plan a craft/purpose, and 2 months to execute it, ajust the time to your liking, but don't keep it longer than 6 months overall. Also be prudent with what you plan to reuse, as certain ideas can be dangerous (not me looking at my idea to reuse burned out lightbulbs and cutting myself by mistake), so don't force anything.

I want to highlight an important aspect: you doing all these things, bending your way back to have a lesser impact on the environment, is not going to make the big impat you dream of. Take it as "I'm doing my part to respect my host and my believes", or as a challange. Do not sadden youself for your waste, as most of the time it is forced upon you.

Nowadays you can opt out of certain waste (opting for no cutlery if buying takeaway, bringing your own coffee cup/thermos to a coffee shop to avoid the paper cups, bringing your own reusable straws, using trays or silicone ice cubes instead of using the plastic ice-maker packs, etc.). There are little changes you can make, or ask for, in your life in order to minimise your waste, or just to save some money.

Please take care of yourself out there!

[formeandmyfics]

Jugenea Fan fiction

ARE YOU READY?

Gene Kelly looks back on the specific moment when he and Judy Garland realized they’d be in each other’s life for the rest of their lives. 

(photo cred: ohmygarlands)

Excerpts from the Gene Kelly Autobiography

“Dancing Over the Rainbow”

You know, after all the on-and-offs and up-and-downs between Judy and I for all those years, I must say there really was a defining moment when Judy and I realized we would spend the rest of our lives together. We didn't know what that would entail, because we were still married to other people, but we knew at that moment, we'd be together somehow, someway. We used to call it our 'ah-ha' moment.

We were about to start pre-production on our last film together, and Judy's last finished film for Metro, 'Summer Stock'. Leading up to starting work again, Judy was very nervous about working again since her return from Boston. She wanted to clear her head and stay stress free. Stress free was not an option at home.  

As much as Judy loved the house she shared with Vincente, little Liza was away at the time and by late 1949 she hated being alone with Minnelli. They were now just 'housemates that passed the kid back and forth' as she once put it. Though Vince didn't have a say either way, he willfully accepted her decision to have some space. It was only a few weeks. So, she stayed at a friend's vacant apartment in Beverly Hills, on North Beverly Drive.  

As you guessed it, I took every opportunity I could to be there with her and that's when it happened...

***

Benny Goodman's orchestra glided out of the radio of Gene's new car as he waited at a red light on the corner of Sunset and Beverly Drive, kiddy corner of the Beverly Hills Hotel. He loved this area during sunset. The orange and pink sun always set through the palms there, at the same spot, making everything seem like a dark silhouette. Tapping his fingers on the steering wheel to the tune, he leaned his head back against the seat and smiled as he admired his new two-seater convertible; a 1940 Coach Craft Roadster.  He was driving his dream car on his way to be with his girl and it was a gorgeous evening. Life was good.  

Gene could hear the same Benny Goodman station playing as he approached the apartment door. He could also hear pots and pans from inside. He used the spare key and quickly went inside with curiosity, and a bouquet of yellow roses hidden behind his back.

The apartment had an open layout, so before he could even shut the door, he saw Judy scrambling around the open-air kitchen. She was completely oblivious to his presence as he stood there watching her cute, little, aproned-self walking from the stove to the cabinet to another.

Judy smiled, but didn't look his way, when she heard the apartment door swing shut. She knew he'd be surprised and she took joy in that as she stirred the spaghetti noodles in the boiling water.  

"Oh...my...God...you're cooking," he said walking into the kitchen, "Did Chasen's burn down?"

"Yes, it di-id," she said in a sing-song voice, "And your sex life went with it."

Chuckling, he walked up beside her and gave her a kiss on the cheek, which then she turned her head to accept a peck on the lips, too.

"Next time, when you respond with a catty remark, use something that won't punish us both," he instructed and Judy giggled. He then tugged at the bow of her apron, "When did you turn into Betty Crocker?"

Judy turned away from the stove to pose, "What do you think? Do I look as homey now as the papers say I do since returning home?"  

"What the papers say is bullshit, but you do look cute. Here, sweetheart, these are for you," he smiled and revealed the bouquet of her favorite flowers.

Judy gasped and took them with awe, "Darling, they're beautiful."

“I wanted to do something nice for you."

"Thank you. That's so sweet," she said and leaned forward for another kiss.  

"Here, I'll put them in water so you can do whatever it is you're doing," he teased.

"Well," she said going back to the stove, "I think I'm cooking. Am I doing it wrong?"

"I don't know if you're doing it wrong, baby, I just didn't know you could cook."

"I've cooked plenty of times but I don't think I'm good at it and I usually have no time. I figured I'm here in my own place for a bit, not working yet, so I wanted to do something nice for you, too."  

Gene placed the flowers in water in vase on the island counter and came up behind her to look over her shoulder, "I'm flattered you wanted to cook for me, but you didn't have to do that."

"I know. But I wanted to."

"What are we making?"

"Pasta. I'm afraid it's the only thing I can cook decently without ruining. When I was with Dave, I burned our meals way too often. And with Liza, I've messed up way too many pancakes."

Gene chuckled and embraced his arms around her waist hugging her close as he leaned his chin on her shoulder, "I like pasta."

"Oo, good."

"How about dessert?"

Judy thought a moment and became disappointed, "Oh, I didn't even think about dessert. I don't think there's even ice cream in the ice box."

"I didn't mean food," he said his voice becoming low and seductive as he softly swayed them.

"Oh," she smiled sheepishly, "Then, yes, there will definitely be dessert."

"I know that dessert usually comes after the meal..." he started placing kisses on her neck distracting her, "...but I think I want dessert first."

Judy closed her eyes and leaned her head back against his chest as his seductive kisses now hit under jaw slightly sucking.

"Mmm," she let out when she felt his hand softly cup her breasts over her apron as his mouth slightly bit her jawline, breathing out against her he almost made a sound himself.

DINGGGGGGGGGGGGG!

Judy jumped startled when the timer on the oven went off. She immediately pushed Gene back and grabbed her oven mitts.

"You're using the oven? I thought you said you usually burn things?"

"I took the chance. You can't have spaghetti without garlic bread," she said as if insulted.

"You're absolutely right," he said seriously and then giggled to himself.

"Ta da! Look, not one piece is charred."

Proudly, she stood with her hands on her hips and looked back at him for approval.

"Congratulations," he said amused.

"Don't poke fun," she pouted, "I want to make a nice dinner for us."

"I'm not. I'm surprised but I'm really happy you wanted to do this for me, thank you."

Gene went to embrace her again, but she quickly pushed against his chest, "Nuh uh. Stop distracting me."

"Fine," he said with his hands up in defense, "I won't touch. Do you want help?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I don't trust you."

"You're the one that burns things and you don't trust me to help?"

"I don't trust that you won't touch. You've been here two minutes and you've already gotten to second base."

Gene laughed loudly leaning his head back which made her giggle, "Shoo, get out of my kitchen."

"Well, damn," he said eyes wide but with a smile.

"Go and get relaxed and I'll finish up here."

"Yes ma'am."

After finishing cooking, Gene told her he'd set the table up for them as she got freshened up. When she returned not a few minutes later, the room was dimmed to just the lights in the kitchen as he had lit candles and poured some wine. The music had been lowered as well.  

"Oh, honey," she exclaimed, "This is so romantic."

"You cooked for me. I thought the best I could do was add some atmosphere."

"I love it."

As Gene pulled out the chair for her, Judy noticed a small bag next to his shoes.

"What's that?"

"My overnight bag."

"Why do you have that?"

"Because I plan to stay overnight."

"Are you serious?"

"If you'll let me."

"Well, of course," she said happily surprised as she took her seat, "You just usually don't stay the night. Are you telling Betsy you're doing an overnighter?"

An overnighter was what was referred to when an actor worked overtime into the night and had an early call the next morning so they would sleep in their trailers. Gene had used it as an excuse more times than he actually really needed to do it. He did that a lot when they were doing 'For Me and My Gal' early on in their affair. It was a way for them to be together. Betsy asked no questions back then. It was harder for him to do that now. Judy was so far up on Mr. Mayer's list, it would be unheard of for her to have to do that. It was so unheard of that it would have caused suspicion from Dave or Vince if she used it as an excuse so she always had to be more creative or simply just didn't say anything.  

"Nope. Her friend in San Diego had some trouble with her husband so Betsy took the train down. She'll be gone a few days."

"Did she bring Kerry?"

"No, but Kerry's at a sleepover tonight. You have me all to yourself the entire night and all morning. All we have is that pre-production meeting at 10."

"That's all you have to do at the studio tomorrow?"

"Yup."

"Golly. Seems a little surreal."

"I know it. But Kerry is being dropped off there at noon just to let you know."

"That's alright. I get you all to myself for the entire night without you having to slip away. I'll take it. Why don't you and Kerry have some bonding time together after you leave the studio? Take her out for ice cream or have a picnic."

"That sounds like a great idea, actually. She likes the beach. Maybe I'll take her out for a ride to Santa Monica and have a picnic there."

"There you go."

"After we eat here, would you like to go for a ride?"

"Well, that depends on what you mean by that. Because fifteen minutes ago, dessert meant something entirely different than a chocolate sundae."

Gene laughed again, "I actually mean go for a ride, but dessert still comes later."

"Sure, if you want to."

"It's a beautiful night for a drive...in a convertible."

"You don't have a convertible," she said taking a bite of garlic bread.

"I do now," he said trying not to smile as he took a sip of wine.  

"You bought a new car?"

"Yep."

"Why? You love your Cadillac," she practically shrieked, "I loved that car, Gene. It held a lot of memories for us."

"Calm down. I still have the Cadillac."

"What did you buy?"

"Go look. It's parked right out front."

Seeing the funny look on his face, she wiped her mouth with her napkin and got up heading for the large window in the open living room.

"It's the black convertible," he said getting up to meet her at the window.

"Gene. You bought yourself a roadster?"

"Yep."

"Why?"  

"I've always wanted one. I went and got it today on a whim."

Judy raised her eyebrow, "While the wife was out of town no less. I bet she doesn't want you racing any more than I do."

"I'm not going to race it."

"Liar. I bet Lawford put you up to it."

"He didn't put me up to it. I make my own decisions," Gene said sternly, but when he saw the 'wife' expression on her face, Gene sulked just a little, "But he did kind of talk me into it."

"Mm hm. Well, you just be careful."

"I will. I would never do anything to jeopardize my safety, honey. But I have always wanted this car since I seen it at a 1939 car show in New York. I'm excited."

Judy smiled and peeked through the sheer drapes to look at it again and joked, "I don't think I'll be able to fit into that."

"Stop it. Come on, let's finish eating," he said grabbing her hand.

"Maybe I should have made chicken and vegetables instead."

Gene laughed and urged her to finish their dinner.

***

Judy tightened her head scarf around her head as they pulled up to a stoplight.

"See, you fit fine, don't ya," Gene teased.

"More leg room than I thought but it's still tiny."

"Sport cars are meant to be smaller."

"I still like the Cadillac better," Judy smiled and pointed her thumb to the back of them, "No back seat in this one."

Gene shifted gears as they rolled through the green light, "You're right about that. There isn't room for fooling around in this car."

He switched through some radio stations and immediately stopped when he heard Judy's Decca recording of 'If I had you'.  

"Oh, no, please Gene, no."  

"What?"

"Turn it off."

"Why?"

"Please."

"Will you sing it for me then?"

"Absolutely not."

Judy switched the channel and he just smiled letting her have her way. He slapped her thigh before holding onto it in comfort. As they pulled up to another red light, they didn't notice the notable couple next to them until they heard a shriek.

"Judy, doll, is that you?"

They looked next to them and noticed Lana Turner and her husband Bob in their Mercedes convertible. Gene slid his hand off of Judy's thigh before they noticed and smiled.

"Hi, honey," Judy gleefully stated back.

"Gene," Bob shouted happily, "When did you get that ride?"

"Today. Isn't it sweet?"

"Kick ass ride, my man."

Lana sat up on her knees, leaning her elbows against the door frame, "You giving Judy a ride in your new car?"

"You got it," Gene played along.

"Can I have a ride, too?"

"Anytime you'd like, darlin'."

"Then you got yourself a deal, buddy."

"Just hands off," Bob played along and leaned forward to look at Judy, "That goes for you, too, toots. Remember, he's a married man."

Gene looked at Judy chuckling knowing she would be annoyed and all she did was force a laugh.  

"She's married, too, ya know" Lana said to her hubby.

"Ha ha ha," Judy continued laughing then her smile disappeared as quick as it appeared and she poked Gene's leg when the light turned green, "Go."

"See you later guys," Gene waved and sped off.

"Hands off, my ass," she said and wrapped her arms around his right arm to cuddle.

"That a girl.

In a preppy voice she did her best impression of her friend, "Can I have a ride, too," Judy then lowered her voice to imitate a male, "Anytime you'd like sweetheart."

"That supposed to be me?" When she didn't respond, he continued sheepishly, "Well, if it is supposed to be me, I didn't say sweetheart. I said darlin'."

"Oh, excuse me."

Gene glanced at her as she picked off some invisible lint and looked irritated, "Don't be getting all jealous on me now. What did you expect me to say? I'm sorry I can't, I only let Judy handle my stick?"

Judy's eyes widened, "She asked for a ride, not to drive your car."

"Oh, excuse me," he mimicked her and she couldn't help but smile.  

"Can we drive somewhere out of all the traffic at least? There's absolutely no privacy. I'd like to at least hold your hand without someone spotting us."

"Let's go up Mulholland. It's darker there in the hills, no traffic."

"Oh, darling, let's go to our old spot and watch the lights like we used to."

"Just what I was thinking."

***

Driving around the winding roads on Mulholland, with only a passing headlight here and there, Judy slid over to cuddle Gene. He immediately swooped his arm around her shoulder and slowed down so he could enjoy their closeness with the warm evening air swooshing around them.  

When they reached a part of the mountain, they got no more radio service but static. Judy turned it off and started humming. Then...she started singing.

"I could show the world how to smile

I could be glad all of the while

I could change the grey skies to blues

If I had you."

Gene smiled and kissed her head as she continued.

"I could leave the old days behind

Leave all my pals, I'd never mind

I could start my life all a new

If I had you," Judy reached up and pinched his cheek, "That's all you get, buster."

"I'll take it. That was beautiful, baby."  

Only a few minutes later, they pulled into a scenic overlook which wasn't currently occupied which they were grateful for. It was nestled in the shadows, only lit up houses above and below them on the mountain and the shimmering lights of Burbank shone below. There was one large tree and a single bench there. The couple got out of the car and leaned back on the hood of his car side-by-side watching the lights.  

Judy crossed her arms and sighed, "Remember when we first found this spot?"

"Ah huh."

"The very first time? I don't believe you."

"I sure as hell do. It was the night after our first cast read-thru of the script. It was before we even got together. We went for dinner and..."

"I didn't want to go home," she said softly.

"You said 'just drive'," he added, "And we wound up here."

"The perfect little spot."

"Yeah."

"We had long talks. I like to think it's where we became best friends," she was silent a moment, "Gosh, it seems so long ago, doesn't it?"

Gene pushed himself off of the car to stand in front of her and embraced her around the waist, her tush pushing back against the hood a little more.

"It does, but it really wasn't."

"Bittersweet memories," she smiled.

"That bench is where I first kissed you."

"I kissed you first," she said matter-of-factly.

"You were teaching me how to kiss on camera, that doesn't count."

"Oh, I don't know," she said with an innocent voice, but her eyes penetrated with seduction as she slowly slithered her hands up his chest and around his neck, "It kind of counted for me."

Gene smiled, licking the bottom of his lip feeling arousal start in the pit of his stomach, "Just 'kind-of', huh?"  

"Well, it made me interested enough to let you kiss me over there," she nodded her head behind them towards the bench.

Gene softly placed his palm on her jaw to gently hold her face steady as he stared into her eyes. They were met with such warmth.

"And look at us now, still kissing after all these years."

Judy traced her finger over the scar on his cheek and looked down at his lips, "You're such a good man, Gene Kelly."

He met her lips with a soft kiss.  

Once. Twice.  

Sliding his tongue against hers even softer than the slight tugs of his lips on her plush lower one. There was no need to hurry, no need to rush.  

Gene leaned his forehead against hers as her fingers played with his collar, looking down almost bashful.

"How about dessert?"

***

The fireplace crackled. The orange hue, from the fire, was the only light in the room as the two embraced on the couch. Gene was leaning back against the sofa, his hands were flat up against Judy's bare back as a kind-of-support, as her hips slowly glided back and forth on his lap.

She wove her arms around his neck pushing closer to him as she stared down at his handsome face. Like their kissing earlier, there was no rush in their love making. Even though the passion was there, it was always there, the two just seemed to enjoy the closeness of being together.  

Judy lifted her face from his, and rested her chin on top of his head as he kissed her neck lovingly. Her mind raced of their lovely evening together, the reminiscing they did, the memories that they had shared together after all those years. She had done a lot of thinking about the past between them since recovering in Boston. That summer away from him, though they spoke on the phone and through telegrams, she knew she was head-over-heels in-love with Mr. Gene Kelly and always would be no matter the circumstances.  

He must’ve sensed her distraction, because she felt him give her sides a squeeze which prompted her to look back down at him and gave him a reassuring smile. Gene continued to let her keep the pace, but her could tell her mind was going elsewhere, not in a bad way however. He gave her a curious expression but when she genuinely smiled at him, reassuring him that her thoughts were only of him, he relaxed again and leaned in kissing her.  

Rearranging herself a bit, to make her movements a bit steamier after feeling those tingle sensations between her legs and up to her nipples get stronger, Judy untangled her arms from his shoulders and held his hands in each of hers, their fingers intertwining as she sped up the pace.

When she did this, Gene didn’t respond in a heated way as usual. Instead, he brought one of those hands up to kiss the back of hers. Judy caught her breath as he did this, as it seemingly it looked like he did it for his own pleasure and her respect. Then, he scooped some hair behind her ear looking at her with such love and adoration. It was almost overwhelming what she suddenly felt.  

Gene felt her movements get slower and slower and her eyes become glossy with tears. Suddenly, she stopped all together and her bottom lip quivered. Gene immediately became worried and he sat up straight, with her still straddling him, and he cupped her face in his hands.

“Darling, what’s wrong?”

Judy couldn’t help but giggle as she wrapped her arms around his neck, “You know what an emotional wreck I've been lately.”

“But why now,” he said wiping a tear away with his thumb.

Judy’s smile faltered and she blinked a few times before answering, “I just love you, you know.”

“Well, that’s good,” he smiled, “cause I love you just the same,” Gene kissed her and they hugged tightly, “Probably even more than you.”

“Oh, I beg to differ,” she giggled.

Leaning back to look at her face again, he showed her some determination, “Wanna bet?”

Before she knew it, Judy shrieked amused as she was swiftly flipped over onto her back on the sofa.

***

Judy listened to the clock tick on the night stand of the master bedroom as she lay next to Gene. Laying side by side, on their sides, nothing but a sheet over their bottoms, Judy admired his sleeping face.  

Looking down at his hand resting beside her, she saw the reflection of the moon from the window hitting his silver wedding ring. Putting her left hand next to his, their rings side-by-side, she had a beautiful, but remorseful, thought. What if, one day, they would wear rings that was a symbol of their love not their current marriages.

“Darling,” she whispered.

“You’re awake,” he sleepily mumbled.

“You’re awake,” she said back amused and fully of smile. It widened when she saw him mirror her and then his eyes met hers.

“Why aren’t you asleep?”

“You know my sleep patten is all over the place.”

“I’m surprised you’re not tired.”

“I am. I just have a lot on my mind.”

“Does it have anything to do with what you were thinking about when we were making love? Which I hope to God was about me.”

She laughed and he chuckled pulling her to him. She got comfortable on his chest and playfully tickled his side to which he swatter her hand away, “Don’t worry. It was.”

Feeling his chest rise up and down, feeling his heartbeat against her ear, feelings his warmth, she never wanted to leave.

“Feels good to be with you like this, doesn’t it, honey?”

She didn’t respond but he could feel her nod. Again, she got quiet.

“What are you thinking?”

Again, she didn’t respond, but her hold on him got tighter.

“Talk to me,” he urged.  

“We’ve gone on getaways in the past.”

“Right.”

“And we’ve been alone before. We’ve slept in each other’s arms before.”

“Yeah,” he said getting more curious.

“But for some reason, lately, it’s felt different.”

“Different how?”

“It just all feels so right. I feel like I’m at home with you. And right now it almost feels like...we’re married,” she leaned up to look at him and her interest was peaked like a child’s, “Is that odd?”

Gene gently sat up so he wouldn’t startle her and turned on the bedside lamp. Judy lifted the covers around her chest and became a little uneasy when she saw him reach for the cigarettes next to him. He only reached for a cigarette in the middle of the night when he was stressed. She leaned over him and grabbed his arm to stop him. She didn’t want to believe he was stressed.

“What?”

Gene sighed and cracked his neck before looking at her seriously, “I’ve felt it, too.”

“You have?”

“Yeah.”

“How does that make you feel?”

“Like you said, a bit odd, but a good odd.”

“A confusing one.”

“I’ve been in love with you, kiddo, for years, but you’re right. Lately our relationship and our time together has felt different.”

There was silence between them before she scooted closer, on her knees, and became like a playful child again, “You wanna know what I think?”

“What,” he chuckled never knowing what would come out of her mouth.

“I think we’re going to be in each other’s lives, for the rest of our lives.”

“I know we are. I’ve already concluded that. I just don’t know the ‘what were when why how’ part yet.”

“Even if we’re 80, somehow, someway, I know we’re going to end up together with the world knowing about us.”

What Judy and I didn’t know, at the time, was how much sooner the world would end up knowing about us. 32 hours from then, our worlds would change, and all because of one newspaper headline. We could have easily denied it, but we were tired...and were done hiding.  

***

Judy tossed her ‘Summer Stock’ script on top of Gene’s which lay on the small coffee table in his trailer.  

“The meeting went well, don’t you think,” he asked getting comfortable on the couch.

Judy nodded but looked a little apprehensive as she sat down next to him.

“Gene.”

“Yeah?”

“I don’t want anyone to feel sorry for me or baby me, you know?”

Gene sat up concerned, “Why do you think that?”

“I’m just a little nervous.”

“Honey, everyone, and I do mean everyone, on this film, cast and crew, are all doing it for you, for us. Because, they all love you and want you to succeed. Of course they’re all going to know one thing or another about what you’ve been through, if they read the papers, but I don’t think there will be any patronizing going on.”

“You mean that?”

“You know I do.”

“I know this picture is way beneath you. Thank you again for doing it.”

“This picture is way beneath you, too, so that makes it perfect for us to do together. I told you, if I *really* didn’t want to do it, I wouldn’t have, even if that meant not working with you again. But I love you. You asked for my help and I’d do anything for you. Just like you’ve done for me.”

Judy giggled and leaned over to kiss him, “I love you.”

“Besides, I am looking forward to the dances. And that ‘Wonderful You’ sequence, I’m gonna sweep you off your feet.”

“Oh, darling,” she laughed and leaned on his chest, “You don’t have to dance with me to sweep me off my feet I can attest to that.”

The two embraced into a longer lip lock when there was a knock on the door. Startled, the two immediately sat up and separated, a dance their bodies did instinctively now after all those years.  

As Gene got up to answer the door, Judy opened her script to make it look like they were working.

“Hi, daddy!”

Gene was surprised to see Kerry there with one of the studio’s PA’s.

“Hi, honey. You’re early. Thank you, John.”

John nodded and walked off as Gene lead Kerry inside. She dropped her book bag on the floor and was surprised to see Judy.

“Auntie Judy!”

“Hi, darling.”

Kerry immediately embraced her.  

“Oo, you look so pretty,” Judy said tugging on the bottom of her dress.

“And I’ve got ‘Dorothy’ braids, see?”

Judy laughed and playfully tugged on them, “You sure do.”

“Whatchu doin’,” Kerry asked sitting down on the couch.

“We’re going over a script for a new movie your Daddy and I are going to be in.”

“Is it a fun movie?”

“Is sure is,” Gene said confidently, “Remember, I told you it takes place on a farm.”

“Will there be lots of animals?”

“Oh, I would think so if it’s a farm,” Judy stated.

“And Daddy, you’ll dance?”

“Your daddy better dance,” Judy teased.

“And Judy better sing,” Gene teased back, “Did you have fun at the sleepover, sweetheart?”

“Uh huh.”

The phone ringing tore Gene away from the conversation. As he took the phone call, Judy had Kerry tell her everything she did at the sleepover.  

“Alright, girls,” Gene said walking back over to them, “We’ve got a little bit of a pickle. That was Pasternak. He and Freed need to speak to me about some chorography stuff.”

“What’s choreography stuff,” Kerry asked curious.

“Dancing. Steps and how to create dances,” Gene said crossing his arms.

“How long do you think you’ll be gone,” Judy asked.

“Maybe 45 minutes, an hour at most.”

“I’ll stay with her.”

“You sure about that?”

“Of course. I don’t have any place to be.”

“Will you be ok with that, Kerry? Just for a little while?”

“Sure, daddy.”

“Ok. I won’t be long. I also thought once we leave here, we can go have a picnic on the beach. Would you like that?”

“Oh, yes, Daddy, please,” the little girl exclaimed excited.

Gene looked at Judy smiling as if thanking her for the idea.

“Alright. I’ll see you girls in a bit,” Gene gave a knowing wink to Judy before walking out.

***

The ‘Disney hour’ was playing over the radio as Judy and Kerry both drew together. Judy hadn’t even paid attention to the time until she heard footsteps up the ladder steps.

The door swung open and Judy was shocked to see it wasn’t Gene but Betsy. Betsy stopped in her tracks stunned to see Kerry sitting there with Judy, with no Gene in sight.

For a moment they were both silent.

“Hi, Mommy!”

Betsy’s shock wore off and, even though she tried to hide it, Judy could see the woman was angry. She walked in and looked around as if looking for her husband. When she didn’t see him, she started urging Kerry to grab her things.

“Come on, sweetheart. Grab your things.”

“Look, Auntie Judy and I were drawing pictures. I drew Daddy and I on the beach.”

“That’s swell. You can leave it here for him.”

“But I want to give it to him.”

Betsy picked up her bookbag, “You can give it to him at home. How was your sleepover?”

“Good.”

“Do you have everything?”

“Yep.”

Without even acknowledging Judy, Betsy took the little girl's hand and walked her out of the trailer. Judy immediately followed them out.

“Betsy.”

Betsy stopped and turned around, clearly vexed.

“I was only staying with Kerry because Gene had a...”

“Ms. Garland...” Betsy cut her off, “You took my husband away from me, so stay the hell away from my daughter.”

Turning around, she started towards the car again. Kerry, looking confused and a little sad, looked over her shoulder at Judy. Judy immediately put on a reassuring smile and waved her fingers ‘goodbye’.  

***

With his leather-bound script tucked beneath his arm, Gene rolled up to his trailer in his studio golf cart when he noticed Judy down the street walking away. And, he didn’t see Kerry next to her.  

Confused, Gene turned the cart back and sped after Judy.  

“Hey.”

Judy slowed her walk when Gene rolled up next to her.

“Hi,” she checked her watch as they both came to a stop, “You were taking longer than we thought. I thought I’d get going.”

“That’s fine, but where’s Kerry?”

“Oh, ah,” Judy remained as casual as possible, “Well, Betsy came and got her.”

“Betsy? She’s supposed to be out of town for a few more days.”

Nervously, Judy giggled, “It was a surprise to me, too, when she came walking into your trailer.”

“Oh, shit. Was everything ok? What did she say?”

“Oh, nothing. She was in a hurry.”

Gene gave Judy a funny look. Something felt off. Judy could tell he was going to pry so she spoke up, “You should probably head home, though. Yeah?”

Gene checked his watch, “Yeah, probably.”

“You call me, hm?”

Gene smiled flirtatiously, “What if I want to do more than call you?”

Judy smiled back, “You know where to find me.”

With a wink, she walked away.

*** When Gene rolled up into the driveway of his home, he noticed Kerry swinging on the tire in the backyard and decided to go in through the backyard gate.

“Hi, Daddy.”

“Hi, baby.”

“You have good meeting?”

“I did. I’m sorry it ran late. Did you have a good time with Judy until Mommy came and got you?”

“Yeah. We drew.”

Gene could tell his daughter not only looked a little curious, but melancholy.

“What are you thinking about, kiddo,” he asked spinning her gently.

“Just something Mommy said to Aunt Judy.”

Gene immediately froze and felt a bad feeling in his gut. Not only because Judy fibbed, but because whatever was said was enough to trouble his daughter.

“What did she say?”

“She told Auntie Judy to stay away from you.”

Gene closed his eyes and let out a deep exhale through his nose, “She, ah, she did?”

The little girl nodded and looked up at her father, “Mommy said to her that she took you away.”

Gene bit his bottom lip feeling blood boil.

“What did she mean?”

Gene squat down placing both his hands in hers on her lap, “Mommy was just upset. It’s grown-up things that you’ll understand when you’re older. I know that might not seem fair to you right now, because you’re confused, but just know that everything is ok and I’m right here.”

Kerry smiled when Gene placed a big kiss against her cheek.

“I drew something for you. It’s on the kitchen table.”

“Oh. I like drawings. I’ll go look right now.”

Gene walked through the patio kitchen door and immediately saw the drawing of stick people on the beach. In her sloppy handwriting, as best as she could do, she wrote Daddy and Kerry over the Dad and daughter. Gene smiled, but felt disappointed when he suddenly remembered he was going to take her on a picnic there. How excited she must have been to draw it.  

“Dammit,” he murmured as he put it up on the fridge.  

Gene poured himself a glass of water and watched Kerry out the window as she did twirls and entertained herself. Even though he was watching a joyful scene, he was very angry inside. Why did Judy lie? It must have really hurt her. Why the hell hadn’t she told him? I suppose to not make the situation worse. Maybe to not make him angry. Boy, he *was* angry. Angry at Betsy.  

“Don’t ever leave my daughter with your whore again.”

Gene hadn’t even heard his wife walk into the kitchen, but her heard her voice loud and clear. And that statement was like some kind of forbidden language that one just did not say. It felt like a red-hot knife enter him. Suddenly all his muscles became stiff, his biceps flexed, his heart started pumping faster. He knew what this kind of adrenaline was. It was rage. It was the kind of feelings he got before he was about to hit a guy for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. But, he wasn’t in a bar or a nightclub with a drunkard. He was at home, in his kitchen, with his wife, a woman, and his little girl playing ten feet away.

Gene forced himself to relax, and his shoulders dropped back down, as he continued at the sink washing out his cup not saying a word.

“What,” Betsy asked leaning to the side to get a better look at his face, “I’m sorry dear...is that not accurate?”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he mumbled.

“I’m sorry. Opening her legs for a married man doesn’t constitute as a wh-”

Gene banged his fist against the counter rattling the silverware, “Shut your God damn mouth, Betsy, I mean it. I would never let anyone speak about you that way and I sure as hell am not going to let you speak about my best friend just the same.”

“Ooo, now he’s getting angry,” she said unphased as she crossed her arms.

“Yeah, I am angry,” Gene turned around, “I’m angry that you had to go and say that Judy took me away in front of *OUR* daughter. Kerry’s out there confused at why you said that as she knows I never left. She’s a little girl now asking questions. We promised no matter what happened, we would never fight or discuss anything like that in front of her! JESUS! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!”

“I WASN’T THINKING! I came into your trailer to find you and instead my daughter is all cozy on the couch with my husband’s girlfriend!”

Gene looked at her ridiculously, “She’s not my...”

Betsy held up her hand cutting him off, “She’s your girlfriend.”

The tears in her eyes made Gene feel immediate guilt, but the way she said it proved a point that he could not argue. Instead, he placed his hands on his hips and looked down for a moment before going on.

“The two of us just got done with a meeting for the new film when Kerry was dropped off early. Then I was called away to another meeting. Judy was gracious enough to stay with her. Kerry was fine with it. She sees Judy as friend, as Liza’s Mommy, there was no harm in that, Bets. She was doing me a favor.”

Betsy perched her lips together, thinking, and then pointed at him, “Unless the Minnelli kid is present, I don’t want Judy around my daughter. I mean it, Gene.”

“So, what? Now, Kerry can’t visit me when I’m working? This film is with Judy. She’s going to be around.”

“That’s not my problem. Get yourself a different movie.”

To her it seemed so simple, but there was a lot more at stake with this film than just switching actors. Something she had no idea about.

“I can’t do that.”

“Why not? You’ve done it before.”

“Because, I’m doing this film as a favor for Judy. She asked for my help.”

“Help? Yeah, I bet,” she said with a ridiculous giggle.

“You have no idea, so cut it out,” he hissed.

“Excuse me?”

“She . Needs . My . Help,” he emphasized.  

“Yeah, yeah, I read all about her little escapades. Can’t you just see she’s crying wolf? A lot of movie Princesses will find anything to get their names in the papers or snag the guy they want. They’ll fake a pregnancy, fake an illness or in Judy’s case, hurt myself a little, I’ll get the attention that I want.”

Betsy suddenly stepped back flinching when Gene spun around, muscles popping as well as veins. Growling, he grabbed the kitchen chair and flung it across the room, breaking against the wall.  

Betsy made a small sound as he walked up on her, her back against the wall. She wasn’t afraid, she knew he’d never physically hurt her, but she was very startled.

“She could have died! Forget what you think of her. She is my friend. She’s a mother, just like you, and she could have died. No one seems to FUCKING UNDERSTAND THAT! It was a cry for help which she desperately needs.”

“Well, she got it didn’t she?! She went away to a hospital, didn’t she?! Where’s her husband in all this?! Let him help her.”

“If he could help her, she never would have gotten as bad as she got. He treats her like a god damn porcelain doll. He doesn’t know how to handle her, just like the studio doesn’t either. Vince is my friend, but he doesn’t know shit, Bets. But what he understands, and appreciates, is how *I* help her. For some reason, something I never even asked for, I’m the one that can keep her stable. I don’t know why, but I do. Did you know, he once thanked me?”

“For fucking his wife?”

Gene let that comment go and tried to make her understand, “He said he would have lost his wife a long time ago if I wasn’t around. Judy is back working again, with everyone scrutinizing her. Her mental health is far more important to me than what any asshole writes in the paper on what they *think* they know about Miss Judy Garland. I understand you feel betrayed, as you have every fucking right to be, I get that, but DON’T be one of those assholes. She asked for my help on this project and if you think for one second that I won’t let Kerry come on set, something that she loves doing, and be around us even without Liza there, then you are very mistaken.”

Betsy was silent a moment before she pushed against her husband’s chest, “And what about how I feel?”

“Before or after you opened *your* legs, dear?”  

Betsy stopped and brushed some hair away from her forehead a little taken breathless, “What?”

“Judy didn’t take me away, or steal me away. I’m still here aren’t I? After all these years, I’m still here. We agreed to work on it for Kerry growing up. If I wanted to leave, I would have left a long time ago. I also would have left when I found out you were out fucking other men.”

“You’re crazy,” she said and pushed past him.

He grabbed her elbow to spin her around, “You continue to make me feel guilty, because you feel guilty, too. Victor Rogan.”

Betsy sucked in a breath at the name of her lover, one that had been a friend of theirs since Gene had been in theater in New York, who now worked at Fox. That was an affair going on for over 6 months now.

“Yeah, you didn’t think I’d find out about that one, did ya?”

“Why didn’t you say anything,” Betsy spat out trying to turn the tables.

“Why would I after what I did first? I cheated first.”

“Well, at least you have the balls to admit it. Congratulations.”

“Don’t be too proud there, babe. You see, Judy and I didn’t look for this to happen. All those years ago, it was just something that did. We even tried to stop it. She was married, too. Still is. And I even pushed my friendship away with her for some time after to focus solely on you and our daughter. But, inevitably, we just kept...we couldn’t stay away. We have respect and honesty and protect each other. I never wanted this to happen with her. I don’t know why I couldn’t stay away. I don’t know what it is. But after all this time, I still haven’t left. That has to mean something, right? It means I still love you and our family.”

Betsy’s demeanor dropped a little, softening, hearing her husband more honest about what she already knew, than she had ever heard him before.

“But you...you didn’t end up fucking other men because you fell in love. You did it out of spite for me and, now with Victor, just a fun time in the sac. You can never compare what I have with Judy to what you did.”

“You’re right.”

Gene’s arms dropped not believing what he was hearing. Betsy never just gave up and said he was right...with anything.

“You’re right. And I want you to say what you just said about Judy.”

“What?”

“That I didn’t fall in love with other men,” she looked him square in the eyes, “Have you fallen in-love with Garland?”

Gene knew the answer. Hell, he and Judy had already admitted it to one another, but now the sound of it made the color drain from his face. Emotions swelled up deep inside of him that even his eyes started to swell up with tears. Betsy could see the sincere shame written on his face, she could see him fighting his demons.

“I’m an honorable man,” he said choking up and he pointed at himself whispering, “I’m a good man.”

“Gene,” she sighed, “This isn’t a psychiatrist’s office. The sooner you admit it, maybe the sooner we can move on.”

When he still didn’t say anything, she got angry and impatient and raised her voice, “ADMIT IT!”  

“Yes,” he backed up leaning against the opposite counter and crossed his arms for his own comfort, “I love her.”  

Admitting to my wife that I was in-love with another woman was the hardest thing I ever did. At that point in time, it should have made me feel a little relieved, but it scared the shit out of me. I didn’t regret saying it, because it was true, but it didn’t taste good coming out of my mouth either. I left home shortly after our confrontation, to get my bearings. I chased my bearings all the way to a bar on Highland.

I drank so I could think and then I stopped thinking so I drank some more. I didn’t know how long time had passed as I drank my feelings. I still thought it was light out when a cop showed up inside the bar and ruffled my feathers. Next thing I knew I was in handcuffs. I didn’t know Judy was about to save my ass, and exploit her own.

***

Judy slammed on her breaks in the middle of Hollywood and Vine.  A car swerved around to avoid backending her. She didn’t even notice the driver lay on their horn as they sped past because her eyes were on Gene’s new car parked on the street just up above and a cop car behind it with the lights.  

Judy squinted in the bright nightlife of Highland to see where they were at. Of course, he was parked in front of a bar. What did he get himself into now, she thought. Through the lights of the cop car, Judy noticed Gene being moved towards the police car and he was handcuffed.

“Oh, no,” she cried and got out of her car.

Judy rushed up to them, startling the cop some. Gene looked worse for wear. His eyes were half shut, so he didn’t notice her yet. When she spoke, he did.

“Officer, what do you think you’re going?”

Gene’s eyes popped open and he immediately turned to look away from her more annoyed than embarrassed, “Christ.”

“Ma’am, do you mind. I’m doing my job,” the officer said and went to move Gene into the back of the squad car but Judy blocked them.

“I do mind. I mind a lot.”

“Miss, I’m going to have to ask you to move.”

“Not until you tell me why you’re arresting him.”

“Judy,” Gene warned her with a slur, clearly drunk.

“No,” she spat back at him.

“This man is being arrested for...”

“Do you know who this man is,” she interrupted.

“I am aware.”

Judy raised her eyebrow, “Mm. Do you know who *I* am?”

“I recognize ya, Miss Garland, and with all do respect, none of that is relevant right now. He is being charged with public intoxication and aggravation and resisting arrest.”

“Resisting arrest? He looks pretty calm to me.”

“He wasn’t in the bar. Now, if you’ll kindly move so I can...”

“Officer, please,” she said with her most put-on, sweetest voice she could muster up.

“Oh, here she goes,” Gene murmured all too familiar with her ‘Dorothy’ voice.

“I know this man very well. He’s never been arrested before. He’s a good, decent citizen. If he was aggravated, it’s because he’s been going through hell lately. Can you please just let him go with a warning? Please?”

Gene looked at the officer and saw the man was falling for her charms.

“It is a first offense...” the officer looked at Gene...”I suppose I can let you off with a warning but I can only release you to a spouse, next of kin or significant other.”

“Can you release him to me? I promise I won’t let him drive. I’ll take him straight home.”

“I’m sorry, Miss Garland. Policy stats only to spouse, next of kin or significant other. How about a wife, Mr. Kelly?”

“Might as well throw me behind bars,” Gene stated.

Judy licked her lips nervously and looked at them back and forth before she blurted out, “I’m his significant other.”

Gene looked over at Judy wide eyed.

“And I’ll sign whatever you need me to, to prove it.”

***

The sun was shining bright into the master bedroom of Judy’s apartment as Gene walked out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist. He smiled as Judy stirred and hopped onto the bed making her sleepily moan.

“Good morning,” he said cuddling her from behind.

“Don’t you have a hangover,” she mumbled sleepy.

“I did, but the shower washed it away. You should have joined me.”

When his lips landed upon her neck, Judy flinched and swatted him away.

“Nah, uh. You’re not getting off that easily.”

Gene chuckled, “No pun intended.”

Judy sat up looking quite serious, “I mean it.”

Gene sighed and laid on his back, his arm resting behind his head.

“I was stupid.”

“Yeah. You almost got arrested, buster.”

“Again, I was stupid.”

“You want to finally tell me what happened yesterday?”

Gene sighed and held his palm out for her to link her fingers with this which she did.

“I drank my feelings.”

“Your feelings?”

Gene nodded, “But first, would you like to tell me why you lied to me?”

“What on earth did I lie to you about?”

“That everything was fine when Betsy came and got Kerry.”

Judy lowered her eyes and her hand started to pull out of his but he grabbed onto it knowing she wanted to escape but if he had to explain, so did she.

“No. Tell me.”

“I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it.”

“What she said to you was a big deal. And I reprimanded her already for what she said in front of Kerry.”

“Gene, I let it go in one ear and out the other because I know I would feel the same if I were in her shoes.”

“But if it was Liza, would you have said that in front of her?”

“No, of course not.”

“Exactly. Don’t worry about it. Kerry will be visiting the set. You’ll get to see her.”

“Darling, that’s the least of my worries. I want to know what caused you to get angry enough to nearly be thrown in jail.”  

“Bets and I had a fight. She confronted me about you and I confronted her about her affairs. I laid out some things to her and it shook us both up.”

“Laid of what things?”

Gene sat up and bit on his knuckle, “How I feel about you.”

Judy caught her breath and this time she let her hand slither out of his as she stood up, “What did you tell her?”

“She asked if I fell in love with you,” Gene looked up at her, “I couldn’t deny it.”

“Oh, Gene. You said that...you actually told Betsy?”

“Yeah. Told her I love you.”

“And she kicked you out and you went to the bar?”

“No. Oddly enough she seemed impressed I actually had the guts to admit something like that. She said something about us being able to move on now.”

“What does that mean?”

“That’s why I got drunk, Judy. I don’t exactly know what it means. Does it mean we can move on together from the things we admitted to one another or do we move on from our marriage?”

Their eyes stared as the phone rang, loud and stinging to both their ears. Gene picked up the receiver, but handed it to her, the cords stretching over him.

“Hello? Oh, good morning, Kay. Hm? No, I haven’t. I just woke up. Why? What happened? Yes. Ok. Yeah, I will right now. Ok. Yes, I’ll call you. Bye.”

Judy reached across Gene to hang it up and immediately bounced out the room.

“What’s wrong,” he called out.

“I don’t know. That was Kay. She said I have to look at the morning newspaper right now in the entertainment section.”

Judy opened the front door and the newspaper, as usual, laid on the ground with fresh milk. Bringing both in, Judy didn’t see anything unusual on the front papers. Placing the milk on the counter, Judy opened the paper to the entertainment section. There, on the front page, top billing, is when she saw it.

“GENE!”

Gene had put on his pajama bottoms when he heard Judy’s frightened shriek. Running out of the room, he met her in the kitchen looking at the paper in horror.

“What? Did my almost arrest make it to the papers?”

Looking up, Judy just nodded but didn’t say anything more. Confused, Gene took the paper to read himself.

GENE KELLY NEARLY ARRESTED. PUBLIC INTOXICATION. RELEASED TO JUDY GARLAND. STATES SHE’S SIGNIFICANT OTHER.

Gene didn’t need to read the article. The headline said it all. Folding the paper up, Gene tossed it aside and looked at her. Her hands were locked in a prayer pose under her chin staring at him with big eyes as if waiting his decision. It wasn’t just his decision, however.

“What do you think,” he asked softly.

“We’ve dealt with slander and fake news before.”

“But this time, it’s true.”

“We can deny it.”

“Do you want to?”

“No.”

“You sure about that?”

“I’m tired of hiding,” her eyes teared up.

Gene took a step to her and took her face in his hands, “You realize what that would mean?”

“Aren’t you tired of hiding?”

“I’m tired of hiding and running and lying.”

“Maybe this one, we just leave alone. And let everything else play out the way it’s supposed to.”

“You realize that means sooner or later, we will finally be able to be together...with others knowing about us. I want you to think about this.”

Judy giggled through her tears and reached up to run some damp hair behind his ear, “Darling, I’ve been thinking about this since 1942.”

Gene laughed and kissed her.

“Are you ready,” she asked asking just as softly as he had.

“I’ve been ready since 1942.”

[moonyswriting]

Pride

Happy Pride Month everyone! Whether you queer or questioning, closeted or out, I am so proud of you, you are valid and perfect! Remember that you never have to come out if you don’t want to. You’re not lying to anyone if you don’t. You don’t owe them to come out. Only do it if you want to. Also remember that labels can stay forever or can change and both is perfectly normal. You're fantastic the way you are. <3

So, I managed to write a pride fic for the first day of pride month! yay me. I hope you like it :)

Thank you for the idea @moonofthenight

Characters by @lumosinlove

When Pascal came into their living room it had never looked more colourful, but it had also not looked this messy in a long time. There was tape on all four sides of the table, paper and little paper cut outs all over the floor and in the middle of everything, all his four children, looking like deer in the headlights.

“What happened?”, he asked slowly. There would be a reasonable explanation for all of this, he was sure. Celeste had probably helped and they would clean everything back up in no time, leaving no trace of a mess before the team came over for dinner tonight.

Adele shuffled over looking at the floor. “Um,” she stared before glazing back at her siblings, who nodded at her encouragingly. “So, we decided to make some things for the others. You know, since you’re having that Pride Party tonight? We thought we’d make little gifts for the team.”

Oh, Pascal’s heart was already a puddle. “You-”, he stared, but couldn’t continue. He had questioned a lot if he should have raised his children differently, more open to the rainbow or attractions and genders (or lack thereof) that was out there, but this made him feel like he and Celeste had at least done some things right.

Pascal only realised he hadn’t properly said anything yet when Katie rushed towards him, hugging his hip. “Please don’t be mad. I promise, we’ll clean it all up. Mama said she’d help us!”, the big eyes of his youngest daughter stared up at him, guilty, but hopeful.

“I’m not mad, mon chou.”, picking her up, he turned towards the other three, still standing in front of him. “Not at any of you. This is an incredible idea! The team will love them. Thank you so much, it’s really thoughtful.” Leaning down, he placed a kiss on each of his childrens’ foreheads, including Katie’s before setting her down to get back to the others. Celeste walked through the door the next moment, flowers of all colours in her hand.

“You found our little pride squad then?”she asked, walking past him and into the kitchen, probably to cut off the ends of the stems. “Don’t worry, I’ll help them clean up and we’ll be done before any of your teammates even leave their houses.”

His wife knew him too well. He hated when other people visited them and their house was messy. Of course there had been times where he couldn’t really keep it clean with four toddlers running around, but he still always tried and his family knew that and helped him. It wasn’t really that it bothered him that visitors could see that they were possibly not clean people, it was just the principle. He thought it should that they were prepared and anticipated someone’s visit. He never wanted them to think it was a bad time to visit because he would eventually excuse the mess. He always wanted everyone to feel welcome.

And that’s what tonight would be about. Making his team feel always welcomed and loved and accepted.

Celeste returned back to their dining room without the flowers, kissing Pacal’s cheek and then turning towards their children. “Did you show him what you made already?” they shook their heads but quickly climbed up onto chairs and sorted through the things they had made. “They’re all really cute, I already saw some of them.” Celeste whispered giddily into his ear, as excitement bloomed in his chest and they walked over to look at the crafts.

“Here!” Katie waved a piece of paper in the air and Pascal walked around the table to look at what she had made. SHe beamed up at him as she explained, “This is for Tremzy! And Harzy and Knutty! It’s a card and I drew Lo, Leo and Finn on the front, see!” The man took the card in his hands. There were three stick figures on it, the smallest with brown hair, the next one with bright red hair and the last, taller than the other with yellow hair. In the back there were blue, red and black dots. “Why did you use those colours, ma petite?” He did have an idea, but with the many coloured pens on the table it could have just been a coincidence.

He could see Katie look over to Adele and Marc, before her eyes met his again. “Del and Marc said that those are the colours when you have more than one love and Logan has Finn and Leo, so they said I should use those. They look good together right?” Pascal could see that he wasn’t the only one close to tears after glazing over at Celeste smiling brightly. “Yes, Katie, it looks beautiful. Lo, Leo and Finn will love it! Adele, Marc, thank you for helping your sister. I know that this will mean a lot to Logan.” then as if he couldn’t help but to add, “I’m also very proud of you for looking up pride flag colours. I’m really happy you're informing yourself about these topics. They’re important.”

They all smiled at him. Pascal went over to Louis next. “I made two! This one is a card for Olli and Del and Marc also helped me with colours, so it's black, grey, white and this really nice purple that Katie gave me. It didn’t really match the photo, but I liked it better than the really dark one. Do you think he’ll mind?” The fact that his youngest son actually looked concerned staring down at his work had a tear spilling over. He let out a wet chuckle. “Non, je pense qu’il va l'adorer, c’est parfait. For who is the green one?” Louis pulled it out from under his other one and now Pascal could see it was not just green. There were black, grey, white and purple stripes on it too. “It’s for Reg! See, it’s got these stripes and then I drew this heart above it, cause even though he doesn’t want a boyfriend like Siri, he still gets all the love he needs from me and Siri and you and Re and the rest of the team!” Celeste came over and placed a kiss on his cheek, “He loves you too, mon lapinou. They look amazing.”

He walked over to his older son, he didn’t know if he could be any prouder of them. “ I made one for Kasey, Nat and Alex.” Marc stated as he handed his father one of the cards he had made. There were three heads on it, one with long blond hair and hoop earrings, one with light brown hair to the shoulders and one with dark red hair, freckles filling up more of his face than the light pink his son had used for all their skin tones. Pascal was about to compliment it, when Marc gave him another one. “This one is for Nado and Kuny. I made it full of hearts in pan and bi colours, because you mentioned that once and I really hope it’s right.” before Pascal could even think his next thought a stack of cards was placed in his hands. “And then for some of then we didn’t know, but we didn’t want them to feel left out or asume, so I made some rainbow ones for Pots, Talker, Sergei, Timmers, Cookie, Bluey, Ringer, Volley, Wrangler, Sunny and Foxy.”

Pascal was a bit shaken, not only that his son even remembered everyone of his teammates, without missing a single one, but at him having crafted every single one of them a rainbow card. “They will all love them, I’m sure. They look incredible.”

He saw Adele look down at her cards and moving them slightly out of view. Frowning, he walked over to her, “Did you also make something, ma colombe?” She nodded, pulling out one of her cards and holding it up for him to see. It was beautiful. She had glued blue magazine cut outs on the top of the cards, which got lighter til they reached a white in the middle and to green ones at the bottom. Over it there was a heart which read “Some hockey players marry their PT, get over it” He didn’t know how she had thought of that, but it was true and funny and so Adele, Pascal had no choice but to love it.

“These are all perfect. Thank you so, so much for making them, they’ll all love them I’m sure. We can tell them to all sit down in the living room so you can give them their cards later, sounds good?” They all nodded, seemingly happy with the idea. “Now let’s clean up before they come here and don’t recognize the place, eh?” All of them nodded as they got up, Celeste telling them where to start and how to clean it.

Pascal moved to the kitchen with the tray of now empty glasses Celeste had no doubt gotten them earlier, when he heard something behind him. Once he had carefully placed down everything he turned around to see Adele standing in the kitchen, arms behind her back. He waited for her to speak for only a moment until she did. “So, you saw that we made cards for everyone, because they’re all great and we should let them know we love and support them, right?” Pascal nodded, letting her continue, “But there’s one more card I made,” Pascal had counted before, his children hadn’t forgotten a single one of his teammates, he had no clue what that last card could be for. “because it’s important that they know they’re loved right?” she continued, “that’s a really important part of all of this. So,” she slowly pulled out a card from behind her back, “this one is for exactly that. Just because someone’s not queer or questioning, doesn’t mean they’re not important this month. It’s not the main focus of it, of course, but having allies is a big part of being able to be proud of who they are for some people. I wanted to thank you for that. I could have gotten some homophobic dad like some of my classmates, but I’m really, really glad I got you.”

She handed him the card she had made, similar to the collage of magazines but in black and white stripes with a rainbow A covering it. He couldn’t help the wetness that gathered in his eyes again. And here he had thought the emotional stuff wouldn’t be until the team arrived. He walked forward and hugged his oldest daughter. “Thank you so, so much,” he whispered, since he didn’t trust himself with anything else to come out anywhere close to evenly, “Thank you, ma petite. I am so proud to have you as my daughter. You’re the best children I could have ever asked for.”

[kpopcrockpot]

OnlyOneOf as Boyfriends

Summary: My headcanons on what I think the OOO boys would be like as boyfriends. These are just for funsies and just my own entertainment. Let me know what you think! 💕

A/N: Proofed by @bfsubin​ whom I love dearly 💕

Categories: fluff, shameless flirting

KB

Coffee shop dates where you sit for hours and talk about anything and everything

Always makes time to check in with you, even when he’s busy

Holds your hand while he’s driving

Would absolutely make a song for you, and play it for you in his studio

He looks so relieved when you tell him you love it, and kisses you under the multicolored lights

You own several items of clothing from him, whether he gifted them to you or you “borrowed” them and he “forgot��� to ask for them back

He invites you with him to all the random places he goes for inspiration--museums, cafes, shops, parks, etc.

Conversations with Kyubin are never boring-- he’s got loads of random knowledge and loves sharing all of it with you if you’ll listen

He loves to see you laugh, so any joke he can crack to make you smile is a win in his book

Professional Big Spoon, can’t fall asleep without you tucked into his arms

If you’re upset about something, he’ll hold you to his chest, facing him, and kiss the top of your head

Love

Food is very important to him okay

He’s either cooking for you or bringing takeout when he knows you’ve had a long day

Has definitely puppy-eyed his way into feeding you once or twice

His lockscreen is a picture of you with his dogs, and he is known to refer to you as their mom

He tells you he loves you all the time, like he thinks you’re gonna forget if he doesn’t

Likes to have you nearby when he’s composing a song

He’ll never run out of inspiration that way

--all he has to do is look up at you and the music just comes to him

Makes his own vlogs just for him to look back on later, and includes you in them

He’s really good about letting you pick where you visit or eat

He often buys you plants while he’s out, even if it’s just a potted orchid or a little succulent

His entire family and friend group know about you before long, and Love nervously asks you if you want to meet them

It makes him so happy when you do, and everyone loves you just as much as he does

Rie

Loves to dance with you and show you his choreography before he brings it to the group

Very affectionate, and has no hesitation about kissing you whenever/wherever

Loves to tease you and joke with you-- cute banter is his preferred mode of communication

Sticking tongues out at each other from across the room

Plays with your fingers absentmindedly while he’s watching tv

When he sleeps, he curls up against you and hugs you close

If you move, he doesn’t wake up-- he just pulls you closer and hums in his sleep

Touches your butt a lot

Likes to give you his hats to wear if it’s cold out, especially the cute ones with ears on them

Deep conversations when you stay up late at night

He loves to put his arms around you from behind and rest his head on your shoulder

Always makes it a point to make you feel included in group activities

Chooses you for his team every single time

Yoojung

Making tea for the two of you and then sitting down to do crafts together

Plays with your hair if you’ve had a bad day, or if you can’t sleep, or if he just wants to

Self-Care King is 100% gonna make sure you’re taking care of yourself too

Face masks and scented candles are frequent gifts from him

His favorite way to spend a Friday night is having a Harry Potter marathon with you, complete with popcorn and a blanket fort

Likely to surprise you with flowers--a bright, mixed bundle of them bound in paper and twine

If not flowers, then coffee

The man knows that the key to keeping you happy is keeping you caffeinated

His camera reel is full of selfies of the two of you trying out various and increasingly ridiculous snapchat filters

Pulling pranks on the others together

Generally just being weird and dramatic together

He’s shown you his signed Taemin CD like five times but he’s cute when he’s excited

Any time he falls or trips over something, he comes pouting to you for a kiss to make it better

Junji

Shy boy at first, but once he gets comfortable around you, he opens up a bit

With Junji, comfort also means he can be weird around you

From strange little inside jokes to doing weird dances together

Jokingly gifts you with a comb as a symbol of his love

But he still looks very proud of himself when he makes you laugh

His phone is full of videos of you playing with his cat

He makes a point to ask you often, how you’re feeling and if there’s anything he can do to make you happier

He watches horror movies with you even though he’s terrified of them

Which means he usually lets you lean against him on the couch so he can hide his face in your shoulder during scary scenes

Sometimes when he does crafts for a vlog, he gives you whatever he made instead of keeping it for himself

Especially if it’s a theme or color you would like

His eyes light up when he sees you, no matter how long it’s been since he saw you last

Favorite couple activity? Taking naps lol

Invites you to his horseback riding events, and always finds you in the crowd

Mill

Not the most physically affectionate, but he insists on taking a million pictures with you

You figure out pretty quickly that that’s his way of showing he loves you

If that didn’t make his feelings obvious, they certainly are when he lets you win at MarioKart

He doesn’t just do that for anyone you know

You’re also the only one that can convince him to stop stealing Love’s food, and this does not go unnoticed

The guys make fun of Mill for being whipped, but he takes it in stride

You balance out the affection by roasting each other alive at every opportunity, even in public

He gets butthurt over third-wheeling with Love and Nine during group activities so he comes to you for comfort

You realized you’re his comfort human after he got a haircut that he hated and needed many, many reassurances (specifically from you) that he still looked cute

He picks out movies to show you because he thinks you’d like them

Gives you his cardigans to wear and loves seeing you in them

Nine

Plays guitar for you

Prefers to play video games with you near him

Whether it’s with your head on his chest or him leaning against you, he just feels comfier that way

Whines when you’re not giving him attention

Especially if you’re giving more attention to one of the guys

When things get more serious, you notice that Nine listens to you

Like really listens to you

He hears everything you say and responds to it in kind, respecting your ideas and feelings

That being said, he’s also a mischievous person

He’s most likely to flirt with you shamelessly around others, even (especially) if it makes you blush

Even if you scold him, he just does aegyo and uses his cute charms until you forgive him

Every time he buys himself a plushie, he buys you one too

You have a quickly-growing pile of them on your bed, but they’re nice to snuggle with when Nine is away

[rfadaydreaming]

the rfa playing minecraft

oh the chaos a mysme minecraft server would bring ♡

jumin

• does not know how to move in any direction except straight

• keeps falling into caves because he just… walks

• stands there in the dark for a few seconds to process what happened

• “the game broke, i cannot see”

• yoosung is like wtf how is it broken

• cave noises start to happen

• “h elp”

• seven has to track him down and it takes absolutely forever just because jumin does not know where he is… not even a hint... he was just walking around

• finally seven finds him and brings him up with a fishing pole, but when he finally gets him up, they both get blown up by a creeper

• “i don’t like this game very much.”

• has a house with v because there’s no way in hell he’s about to share a home with zen

• their house is actually so cute, modern on the outside but super cozy and cute on the inside

• here’s some reference pictures of what i think their house would look like !! starter home / end game home

• his room is so naked omg v comes in and adds a desk, some pictures, plants, just to make it more homey

• has so many cats to the point where it lags HEAVILY when you enter his room, it’s just a giant barrage of meows

• his playstyle is fishing, taming cats, naming cats, fishing again

• he gets lost in the boats so much though, you have to come save him because he’s stranded in the middle of the ocean

• you show up and there’s a cow stuck in the back of his boat, he’s starving to death, the phantom is killing him

• but the nice part about fishing all the time is he gets really good loot and enchantments so he’ll give them to whoever wants them since… well he doesn’t really need them

• except zen omg he gives him like. chain link boots, seaweed, paper

• zen breaks into his room and takes whatever he wants though because jumin doesn't know how to make a locked chest

• he’s honestly just here for the vibes, he’ll lay on his bed even when no one else is sleeping and listen to what everyone’s talking about in the voice chat

• you cannot even see him on his bed because it’s just a sea of cats + a drop in frame rate the second you open up his door

zen

• he’s so bad with technology so he has to read the tutorial like three times before he plays

• takes awhile to get used to the controls so he’ll stop walking, jump over a block, pause, keep on walking

• it’s cute to watch actually

• he follows everyone else around and likes to pretend he knows what he’s doing? but really doesn’t

• beats the shit out of jumin for just existing

• gets stuck in a village well and silently flips out because he’s too embarrassed to ask for help

• jumin finds him and they just stare at each other in silence… jumin figures out how to hit him one singular time before running away

• he lives in a dirt home with the green top for so long it’s actually embarrassing

• inside is just a torch, furnace, crafting table, basic bed and chest literally just a straight mans home

• it’s so ugly

• v tries to spruce it up a little because he just does not like to look at it… every time he walks by he gets the ick

• jaehee eventually adopts him out of pity and they live together, but she has to do all the hard work

• their house looks like this

• he mooches so hard oh my god she’ll spend an entire day cycle mining only for him to take all the iron and make himself a silly little outfit

• she never complains though because he’s really appreciative about it

• will give her little flowers in exchange for outfit materials

• and of course gives you flowers just because you’re you

• leaves them in a pot in your room with a sign that has a little winky face

• is always changing his clothes, every time he wakes up he changes into something different

• jaehee works so hard to find diamonds for him so he can be the first to have some diamond armor

• seven kills him the second he steps out of his house and snatches it from his dead corpse

• zen’s playstyle is just following everyone else around and pretending to help but he doesn’t do much, being sweet to jaehee and you, annoying jumin

• he gets bored easily so he doesn’t play for very long :( also gets mad at jumin and rage quits omg

yoosung

• absolutely loves minecraft and he’s been playing for years, he’s really good at it!!

• so sweet and fun to play with hehe he’s like the cheery little team leader

• helps everyone get settled and works hard to make sure the newbies have a nice amount of starter materials

• even if they die and lose them all he’s like “oh that’s okay don’t sweat it you guys!!” and runs to get them new stuff

• hums to the music while he’s playing, always updates people on what he’s doing and asks if anyone needs anything

• a man on a mission, gets to work on gathering materials with jaehee the second the game loads in, knows exactly what he’s doing

• he’ll move fast to make a quick little community house for everyone to sleep in for the night

• doesn’t like the day one dirt homes it gives him anxiety

• it’s a little small but cozy!! makes everyone a chest and puts a sign above it with their name on it

• adds a “:D” at the end of everyone’s names on the signs, but a “♡” to your name only!!

• zen goes off and makes his gross little dirt house because he doesn’t wanna sleep next to jumin

• he ends up just expanding off the community house once everyone leaves and lives solo with his little parrots

• unless you want to join him!! go ahead he’d love the company

• so nervous in caves and will only go into the shallow parts where the sun still hits, a very silent miner because he’s concentrating

• he’ll go deeper into mines when seven and saeran are with him but he almost pees his pants when the cave noises start to play

• gets startled so easily and screams whenever something happens, it's so loud that the mic automatically cuts it off– so you hear 0.2 seconds of a scream, dead silence, then suddenly “yoosung fell from a high place” it’s so funny

• 9 times out of 10 seven pushed him off too

• takes it seriously, wants to play until the end of the game but everyone else is busy running around with gremlin energy

• his playstyle is a little bit of everything, he’s not a bad builder but he doesn’t spend too much time on it. goal for him is survival and exploration

• if anyone needs anything he’ll run to get it without a second thought doesn’t get the appreciation he deserves >:(

• seven picks on him so much oh my god, once he asked him to come help mine diamonds but actually pushed him into lava and yoosung started to cry

• everyone made seven feel kind of bad for it so he apologized with a full set of diamond armor, tools, flowers and a cake… it still hurt though

jaehee

• minecraft queen

• plays by herself a lot, the music, building on peaceful mode, all the alone time she gets

• loves it a lot actually, especially after a hard day at work

• but she gets so stressed out playing with everyone else

• it’s kinda bad for her health

• sighs into the mic whenever someone’s acting like an absolute fool

• tolerates no bullshit

• do not hit her. not even by accident. do not do it

• it’s so tense, she slowly turns around stares at them for what seems like forever it’s actually so scary

• only you’re allowed to hit her because for the two of you it’s not a smack, it’s a boop

• she does it back too

• “boop!” with a cute little giggle afterwards

• instantly goes to get the basics set up when the game loads in, sticks with yoosung in the beginning to get a bunch of starter materials gathered together

• is always running around doing something but no one knows exactly what because she doesn’t share. she is doing something though, a very productive crafter

• she has never died, ever. probably the highest level here out of anyone else

• the resident necessity provider, will throw you stacks of bread exactly when you need some, it’s like a 6th sense

• has basic mining chests set up for everyone to take from if they want to, so torches, food, tools, dirt, armor etc

• she really likes to decorate more than build, but she’s still really good at it!

• loves designing up floor plans

• not the best at adding the little details though

• her homes always look kinda square so v helps her out with that

• she organizes other people’s chests because she just hates how messy it looks, seven gives her so much anxiety especially

• she’s always cleaning up after him and shutting his doors since he leaves them open constantly

• her play style is a little bit of everything, not afraid of the caves whatsoever so she’ll mine if no one else wants to do it

• you can usually find her decorating though

• spends so much time making a cute little kitchen in her house especially

• a “coffee machine” is definitely a must in her house, also has a really pretty and huge bedroom

• white concrete and dark wood slabs, her house looks so lovely

• decorates zens room for him too

• she doesn’t talk much in the voice chat when jumin’s in there because she doesn’t wanna get fired

• likes to come into peoples houses and jump around a few times to say hi before running off again

• her and zen throw flowers back and forth to each other while crouching up and down like a couple of nerds ♡

seven

• the second the game loads he is off to the races, he is gone baby!! no one knows what he’s doing but everyone knows he fears nothing so it must be exciting

• “GOD707 was slain by enderdragon”

• we’ve been in the game for an hour max how did he- nvm don’t question it

• he’ll randomly show up to the community house out of nowhere, do a few random things here and there, leave again for a few days

• comes back on a skeleton horse, enchanted diamond armor, a fleet of dogs, elytra, the wandering trader enslaved on a lead

• saeran follows him around most of the time so they’ll usually be off doing something together

• seven dies so much omg every five minutes there’s a death message in the chat

• if you manage to track him down you find that he is living absolutely lavish

• has so many bases scattered around like this, this, or this

• spends a lot of time building once everyone else goes offline, does not sleep until his base is done and he’s actually an amazing builder

• v loves to go around in his bases and just gawk

• he does not decorate whatsoever, that's for saeran to do! jaehee comes and organizes because he just throws everything into a chest and leaves

• his playstyle is chaotic horrifying, he does a bit of everything but the main goal is to get to the void and beat the ender dragon with his bare hands, he wants to become god

• never shuts his doors so there’s just big creeper explosion holes in his home that he’s too lazy to fix, claims it adds ~character~

• he loves spelunking so you can find him running around in caves most of the time, there is no fear in this man's soul whatsoever, loves battle and fighting mobs, insults them most of the time while killing them

• throws his diamond armor into lava just for the funsies, always parkouring in caves, you will get so much anxiety being around him

• sometimes mimics the cave noises just to scare yoosung

• burns down villages, starts random fires, jumps into holes, beats up any animal he sees

• sometimes he comes in to hit jumin’s cats just to hear him raise his voice a little and be like “Hey!” it’s really funny but annoys jumin

• he edges the creepers omg gets them to the point where they almost blow up but backs up before they actually do

• redstone master!! builds so many insane things out of it, has an entire theme park dedicated to himself, definitely has a torture room somewhere in his mansion

• he’s always joking around with everyone, especially with you

• “hey mc, hold this for me?”

• he slowly gets real close to you until your hands are touching and your heads are almost morphing into each other

• “bro... are we ab to kiss rn...”

• will come into your bedroom when everyone’s asleep does NOT knock first this man barges right in and stands over your bed, silent for a few seconds before suddenly tossing hundreds of diamonds down on you, throws back some ass a few times before running off once again

• hits people for absolutely no reason and yes he will hit with the intention to kill

• “no swearing in my christian minecraft server”

v

• gets motion sick at video games usually but he actually really likes minecraft!!

• a complete dad so he takes a little bit getting used to the controls but warms up quick

• don’t you dare hit him. that’s evil. he’s like “woah!! something just happened, i got attacked out of nowhere!! we have to be more careful you guys!”

• he’s genuinely so confused and concerned for everyone’s safety

• adores building so much, not just houses but also little structures here and there

• he’ll make greenhouses, vineyards, beach homes, treehouses, statues

• villages get completely revamped if he thinks they’re ugly which most of the time, he does

• his playstyle is completely just building and decorating, sometimes he’ll send jumin out for supplies but it ends badly most of the time

• aka jumin gets lost and/or dies

• he helps build everyone their own little structures so jumin gets a luxury cat mansion, zen gets a shrine dedicated to himself, yoosung gets a stage for his parrots to dance on, jaehee gets a coffee shop in the village, seven gets a giant ph pepper statue, saeran gets a sunflower farm all to himself, and of course you get whatever you want! omg he’d make you a heart shaped nether portal

• he’ll help when he’s needed but he doesn’t really play, he just builds

• everyone brings their spare materials to him if they don’t need them, yoosung and saeran help him farm for stuff if he needs something in particular

• really loves giving house tours when he’s done with a build and it is the cutest thing in the entire world

• he is just so insanely giddy and excited as he shows off all the little details, you can hear the smile in his voice

• everyone validates him and matches his energy too it’s so sweet :’)

• he’s always complimenting everyone on anything and everything they do

• “look at you, finding diamonds! good job!”

• “this house is so very lovely, i love the warm energy it brings.”

• he likes to wander around and find white cats for jumin to tame

• on the rare occasion he comes caving, he’s always the little cheerleader for everyone else of course

• “good luck down here everyone, please stay safe and call out if you need anything. we’re all here to help each other, alright?”

• two seconds later yoosungs drowning in lava, seven is mining bedrock, jumin is being shot by a skeleton, jaehee is fighting off a mob spawner, zen is lost, saeran is riding minecarts around

saeran

• he’s pretty quiet while he plays so no one ever knows what exactly he’s up to, he’s just shy

• picks flower fields absolutely clean, not a singular flower in sight, only if he finds a beehive somewhere then he’ll leave some for them

• has a lot of dye because of that, resident banner creator!!! he’ll make anything that you’d like

• he follows people around– especially seven, and just goes with the flow of whatever they’re up to, chaotic or not

• sometimes you think he’s afk so you just stop and stare at him but then he moves and you jump a little

• yoosung and him will just spam crouch for minutes on end together when they’re bored

• by himself a lot of the time, you can find him playing with some turtles on the beach somewhere or planting flowers

• builds a lot on his own solo server, but doesn’t really like to in the main one because he gets insecure comparing it to v’s and seven’s work.

• he does have his own little house away from seven’s mansion basement though

• if you come in and start complimenting it he gets so shy and blushy

• “thanks… it’s not that impressive i just whipped it up really quick…”

• seven knowing damn well that house took him several hours: 👁_👁

• he hits people to get their attention and then crouches all guiltily when they turn around, throws them a quick little flower before running off

• he has a ton of pink sheep collected outside his house, an army of jebs live in his basement

• his playstyle is just doing whatever he feels like. sometimes he’s getting materials for everyone, other times he’s just sliding around on ice with the polar bears for awhile

• he likes enchanting potions and that kind of stuff

• smacks seven with random potions like slowness, fire, poison

• had a pet fish in a little aquarium at his place, one day it despawned and he nearly burnt down his whole house from being so upset

• still convinced seven killed him

• he doesn’t get scared from the mines

• the nether though is is a different story, it’s terrifying to him

• especially ghasts and the sounds they make. will not go in there unless you are and you beg him to hold your hand or something

• has secret little minecraft pinterest boards full of silly statues and stuff that he likes to build around randomly

• blames herobrine for all of them which scares yoosung

mc (hey thats you!!!)

• jumin lets you name his cats, dye their collars, anything you want even if it’s silly. if you have your own cats then sometimes he brings his favorites over and they have little baby kittens together, you both spam crouch and jump around afterwards from the excitement of it all. don’t worry he pays child support !! you don’t know where he got diamonds but. you’ll take them anyways

• zen brings you random little presents that he thinks are super useful but… are not. you don’t have the heart to tell him that though. thinks spider eye is like the rarest thing in the entire game, secretly comes in to give them to you and message you something like “shh… keep it secret jagiya~ ;)” it’s the thought that counts

• yoosung is always so sweet with everything he does, he’ll bring you any sort of materials, tools. anything you need it’s yours. once he ran in front of you to take the hit from a poison spider when you know he’s absolutely terrified of them so you could get away safely. he tries his best to be brave for you <3

• jaehee invites you to her kitchen for taste testing, you’ll come in and try all the lil cakes she has sitting out while giving your feedback on all them in detail. mm yes very good, love the electric taste of the pixels in this one! finally she’ll be like wtf are we doing

• seven surprises you by making a cute little heart shape out of redstone, you press a button and it lights up red, fireworks go off, he’s jumping around throwing flowers and diamonds at you. he’ll put a sign down that says “will you… put your minecraft bed next to mine?”

• v is constantly checking in on you, he’ll say “knock knock!” before coming into your room, you’re like hey what’s up!! he replies i missed you! i just wanted to say hi :) before leaving again, comes in every day cycle with snacks to make sure you’re eating properly of course

• saeran brings you flowers all the time, he’ll shyly sneak into your room, crouch over to the bed super slowly, suddenly start throwing stacks of flowers all over you, crouch up n down a couple of times before running for the hills. forgets to shut your door and runs back real quick to shut it before leaving again

thanks for reading! find more on my mysme masterlist ♡!

[wtfisgoingonanymore]

Birthdays In Camelot

Sooooooooo three of my very good and very dear friends had their birthday and I wanted to do something for them. I know this isn’t much, but 1. I am dead inside and school continues to kill me, and 2. …yeah. I’m dead inside. I just wanted to dedicate a little something to you three amazing beautiful perfect angels because you guys are some of the best people ever and you’re always so kind and nice to me. I wanted to return the favor somehow someway. I probablyyyy should’ve made three separate ones for each of you, but I have multiple papers to finish up for next week. I’ll try and do better next time, but for now this is all I have.

So!!! in the spirit of @gayfirebender @thatone-nerdygirl and @junemo10 , this is for you.

Birthdays:

Birthdays are a big thing for Merlin. When he was in Ealdor, he and his mother didn’t really have enough money to celebrate in a big way.

It was usually a slightly better porridge or a new tunic if they were REALLY lucky.

So when Merlin started earning his wages, he immediately looked for the best present he could ever get his mother and then he one upped it the next year

It started out with a delicious meal stolen from the royal cook herself and worked it’s way up to a dress that looked simple enough for a peasant but felt like it was made for a queen

Having ties to Arthur sure helped that out

SO! because of Merlin’s love for birthdays, you know he goes all out for all his friends

It makes Percival so. soft. whenever Merlin skips to him on his birthday and gives him a present

His favorite, by far, is when Merlin gave him an amazing little tree that he takes care off very well. (It’s a magical bonzai.)

Elyan is excited for his birthday cause Merlin gave him the best gifts. His favorite is definitely the new armor design that Merlin drew up based on different knights from different kingdoms. Elyan made it and uses it for himself and himself only.

Leon was very surprised to get a gift from Merlin. It was long long ago when Arthur was still prince and they barely spoke at all.

He was surprised to catch him in his room- setting down a basket full of large bottles.

Merlin was a blushing embarrassed mess at being caught. He and Leon had never had a proper conversation since before that.

He stuttered his way to explain that he knew Leon was constantly aching from past battle wounds, so he made large batches of Gaius’ special salves and potions for Leon to use. That is objectively the best gift Merlin ever got for him because of the memory that came with it.

However, Merlin setting him up on a date with George will soon be the best one yet.

Gwen is a pouty baby because “Merlin! You didn’t have to get me anything! I’m already happy with our friendship.”

She accepts the gifts anyway. Her favorite is definitely the specially made and designed family seal that is dedicated to her father. She cried so much and keeps it with her all the time

Gwaine. Ohhhhh Gwaine. His gifts started out fun, you know? A pint of mead, Finally being able to take Merlin out for a pint, A fully paid night of drinking. Those sort of stuff

But then Merlin goes and starts writing him all these long ass letters. All these letters that talk about how much Merlin appreciates him and how great of a person he is

And Gwaine never fails to ugly cry on those letters. He keeps them all in a special box- it remains his most prized possession.

Lancelot counted himself lucky. With Magic now an available option, Merlin gave Lancelot the best of the best presents from day one of their friendship.

His absolute favorite present, however, is the magichand made knight’s armor, outfit, and sword that Merlin made for him after becoming a knight. It was enchanted too because obviously

Gaius, like Lancelot, got some of the best gifts ever with the help of magic.

Merlin gave him tons of very exotic and new herbs and plants to work with. He’d summon them from a land far away just for Gaius and then plant them somewhere, so he’d have more.

But the best one by far is the new equipment Merlin got for him. Each and everyone had words painted or etched onto it: “Best Father Figure” “Best Physcian” “Best Mentor”. It was nice little reminders that touched Gaius’ heart constantly

Before Morgana left, Merlin’s gift to her were not at all the exquisite gifts that she normally got. No, it was much much better.

Merlin always gave her a peasant’s dress and snuck her out to explore the lower town with him. They’d buy little random trinkets and food and then go out to play and eat in a forest clearing far away from the tyranny and the hate and the duties of royalty.

She didn’t realize until later on that those were the best presents because Merlin always took her to a place where magic was most alive and beautiful and calming and thriving.

Arthur’s birthday was always a tricky one for Merlin. This was his other half and the man he was kinda a little bit very in love with- it had to be perfect.

But in the end, it didn’t really take much thinking at all. This was his other half and the man he was very much in love after all.

Arthur would never be able to decide what his favorite gift from Merlin was. Anything that man gave him, he absolutely loved with all his heart

He didn’t know if it was the refurbished painting of his mother or the tiny farm that was set up for the both of them when they needed a break or maybe all the necklaces and letters and bracelets and tunics Merlin crafted especially for him.

He does know which one he takes especially good care of- even more so than his farm and painting. The most precious gift Merlin has ever given him: His magical heart.

And so obviously, Merlin had to have the best birthday of them all. While everyone got him nice gifts too, they had to give him the best one after a very stressful and bumpy magic and love revealing year.

Normally, it would’ve been a feast. Arthur knew that was definitely not the case. This was Merlin- he wanted it small and intimate.

They set up the nice round table dinner with just their group of friends.

Merlin was already crying when they brought them there.

After eating, they’d all give their gifts to him one by one. Just seeing his friends line up made Merlin cry with appreciation again. Arthur made him sit on the throne for this one.

Percival grinned wide as he gave Merlin pots of the most beautiful flowers and herbs that would typically be needed in potion making.

Elyan was practically bouncing off the walls as he presented a staff he made alongside the druids.

Gwen had to shove Elyan out of the way to present the very special hand made outfits she made for him- fit for royalty.

Leon smiled and chuckled as he gave him the exact same potions and salves Merlin gave to him that first time because now he knew that Merlin needed it too.

Gwaine smirked and stuck his tongue out as he went out and brought back Hunith with him. While they were greeting each other, he slipped his very long and more tear-inducing letter with the rest of Merlin’s gift.

Gaius smiled as he gave Merlin a key. A key to his new magical workshop that Gaius and his very bad back worked on. Later on, Merlin would cry in there as he read all the labels Gaius put everywhere: “Best Son” “Best Warlock” “Best Student” “My Best Merlin.”

Arthur was nervous ash he walked up to Merlin. He tried to speak three times before sighing in defeat. He handed him a scroll that officially declared the magic ban lifted.

Merlin was sobbing at that point. He didn’t know how it could get any better really.

Except that Morgana burst in with a gust of wind in a true dramatic fashion.

Everyone was on defense immediately as they turned to face her.

They all let out different gasps and choked sobs when they were not faced with a wild haired all black outfit Morgana, but with a Morgana in a peasant dress, a basket in hand full of knickknacks and food, and tears in her eyes.

Later on in the night when Merlin slipped into Arthur’s arms, he got his final greatest present.

Ygraine’s ring and four words.

“Will you marry me?”

[easterncurvegarden]

Welcome to the ‘Little Museum of Spring”, April 2022

Historical ‘cabinets of curiosity’ and natural history displays are just some of the inspiration behind our recently installed ‘Little Museum of Spring’ at the Garden. Curated by artist Laura Halliwell, our own natural history museum is filled with paper birds, freshly cut botanical specimens and nature-based paper artworks, which explore and celebrate our favourite season. 

Many of the exhibits were crafted over several months by members of our Tuesday morning group for older people, led by Laura and supported by regular volunteers Corinne and Rachel and others in a drop-up community workshop at the Garden.

On an unseasonably cold Sunday in early April, artist Kathryn Holt invited Garden visitors to join in an afternoon of crafting to add even more exhibits to the Museum. Here she describes her inspiration and approach, her collaboration  with Laura and the afternoon of crafting:

“We wanted to find a way to entice and inspire visitors of all ages to play with materials and create exhibits that would mean something to them, but that would also resonate with others.

I’d looked at what was in flower in the Curve Garden and had spent happy hours painting a spectrum of papers to use for collage that reflected not just the fresh pastels and jewel brightness of Spring flowers but also the vivid greens and earthy tones of the waking garden.

We set up our crafting tables in the heart of the garden, underneath the Birch trees, with the first vivid green leaves bursting out of the buds above our heads and visitors began to arrive, curious to know what we were doing.

Fibre pots, tiny boxes and cabinets, little labels, twigs and sticks, paper and card, little envelopes and labels, old paper bags and the painted papers were all set out for participants to work with, alongside exhibits made by me to introduce them to collage.

Curator Laura took participants to visit the Little Museum and we talked about how they could help make new exhibits that could represent a memory, a feeling or a hope they had about Spring, or that might visually represent a word associated with blossom or bud or bulb. It could also be an abstract exploration of the colours of Spring or something like a botanical specimen created in collage or a spring scene. It could be two or three dimensional…… in fact it could be whatever their own ideas and the exploration of the materials generated.

What resulted was three hours of delightful activity with people aged from two to 70, who gathered materials and set to work with imagination, scissors and glue. Three generations of one family worked together to create an impossibly high nest. A two year old delighted in the repetition of using a paper punch to fill his nest to overflowing with eggs. Young adult friends who had come in for a coffee and chat in the Garden and had not expected to find themselves writing poetry, constructing nests, or finding just the right combinations of painted paper to represent birch bark, found themselves quietly absorbed in their creative projects, despite the cold. The afternoon was summed up by one of the child participants, Annie:

“People say Christmas is the season to be jolly but I think they’re wrong… It’s Spring!”

Finished exhibits were proudly delivered to the museum and with Laura’s help labels were created and the Little Museum of Spring came to life, and Annie was right, it really was rather jolly.”

You can see more examples of Kathryn Holt’s work at: https://www.kathrynholt.com

The ‘Little Museum of Spring’ is part of the Curve Garden’s year long season of events and activities exploring and celebrating Nature and Biodiversity,  supported by Hackney Council’s ‘Hello Again Hackney’ initiative. The Museum will remain open until the end of May 2022. 

You can find out about free upcoming events and activities in the ‘SpringBurst’ season at our What’s On listing, where events and activities continue to be added to on an ongoing basis. 

Photographs of the ‘Little Museum of Spring’ installation are by Erola Arcalis and copyright of Dalston Eastern Curve Garden, with additional phone pics contributed by workshop volunteers.