#It is actually possible to not be able to afford an email address and that is so stupid

[alex51324]

Mohela Saga Resolution

So, the whole experience with my Mohela student loans, from a couple of weeks ago has resolved (kinda) and I know I'm not the only one having a terrible time with this company, so I wanted to share.

The saga, as briefly as I can summarize it, is that my loans keep popping back into full-price repayment status because of the IBR freezes, and a couple of weeks ago, I spent and entire work day on hold with them, their phone system did some weird shit, and I was D-O-N-E done with trying to reach them by phone.

See here if you want to read the whole thing, but if you've dealt with these chucklefucks before, it probably won't be anything earth-shattering.

What's important is that I did eventually get my problem fixed, and I'm going to tell you how.

First, I wrote a letter. Here's what I included in it:

A brief summary of the history of my problem.

A description of my efforts to contact them by phone. I did, at one point, manage to speak to a first-level customer service rep, who said that they had to escalate me to the next level, so I summarized that conversation.

The resolution I sought. I said what I actually wanted (for my account to be in an income-based repayment plan) and that if that was not possible, I would accept a processing forbearance. I stated directly that I consented to either of these solutions.

My contact information. I provided a mailing address, email, and phone number, and stated that if they called and left a message, they would need to provide me with a way to get back to them, because I was not able to spend another entire work day on hold for them.

A list of all of the ways that I was transmitting this letter to them (mail, fax, email, uploaded document).

Note that, if your problem is anything to do with a payment you can't afford, and there is relief that is available to you in theory but not in practice--e.g., because the forms have been frozen due to ongoing litigation, or because you have a special situation that needs to be addressed by a human being, or even because you turned everything in and they haven't gotten to it--then the magic words are processing forbearance. This puts your payments at zero until they get around to putting you into IBR or whatever else you're supposed to be in. Interest does continue to accrue, unfortunately, but you don't have to make payments and your account won't go into collections.

Once I had my letter written, I sent it to them through every means I could find:

Postal mail to their "request for assistance" address, as shown here.

MOHELA 633 Spirit Drive Chesterfield, MO 63005-1243

2. Fax, to the number 1-866-222-7060 , as shown here.

3. The "contact us" form, here.

4. Uploaded as a document in the "inbox" section of my account.

Additionally, I put the full text of the letter, into the complaint form at Studentaid.gov, along with a brief note about why I was sending it to them. (Basically, because I didn't trust Mohela to actually do anything with any of their copies.)

After doing all that, every few days I checked on my account on the Mohela website, and about 10 days later, my account was back in a processing forbearance, with my payment set to Zero and nothing showing as overdue.

Nobody has contacted me, so I don't know which of these methods actually worked. But one of them apparently did!

For the postal letter, I thought about doing a registered letter--so I'd have proof of delivery if questions arose later--but I wasn't going to be able to get to the Post Office for at least a few days, so I just dropped it in a mailbox with a regular first-class stamp. I thought I'd do it all again, with a registered letter that time, if about two weeks went by and nothing happened. I ended up not having to, but that's an option.)

[twdteacakes]

Writing Commissions Open!!!

It is my pleasure to announce that for the first time ever, I am taking requests for writing and fanfiction commissions! If you would like examples of my work, then you can head over to AO3;

AO3 does not contain my full portfolio, only everything I have wrote post-2018. I have been writing for ten years but I will not subject you to my old work, because that would class as torture.

PRICES:

SFW - £10 – 1500 words

NSFW – The Ace Tax - £15 – 1500 words

After these thresholds, every extra 100 words costs £1

If you cannot afford it, then I am willing to negotiate a lower price, so feel free to have a chat with me, I don't bite! I’m sure we can work something out.

WILL DO:

Any genre and fandom, first person POV, third person POV, ships, OCs, original stories and more.

FANDOMS I AM FAMILIAR WITH: Telltale’s The Walking Dead, Sonic the Hedgehog, Pokemon, The Legend of Zelda, Uncharted, The Last of Us, Resident Evil, Five Nights at Freddy’s, Bugsnax, Alan Wake, A Plague Tale, Lucifer. If the fandom you want me to write a story for is not listed here, then just ask me, I might be familiar with it and if not, then I am willing to dive into uncharted territory.

RULES:

Please give me plenty of time to finish commissions, I have a full-time job that keeps me very busy. I’ll update you on my progress every 2-3 days, but if you haven’t heard from me, then I don’t mind if you shoot me a message, just don’t push me too hard.

Once we’ve agreed on the price, I humbly request that you pay half upfront and half after completion.

You must be 18+ to request a NSFW story. I will not under any circumstances write incest, r*pe or anything sexual involving minors. I reserve the right to turn down a request if it makes me uncomfortable.

If you’re unhappy with the finished product then I’m more than willing to edit it, free of charge, until you’re satisfied, but I don’t do refunds after completion, due to the time and energy I have spent.

If you contact me here on tumblr, we can discuss matters further or move the conversation to discord or email, which ever you prefer (I will, of course, provide you with my username/email address depending on what option you choose)

I accept payment via either Paypal or Ko-Fi.

Side note; If you've been following me for a while and enjoy my work, then you can leave me a tip on Ko-Fi, but only if you are financially able and actually want to, no pressure whatsoever!

Thank you so much for reading this long winded announcement, I look forward to possibly working with you in the future :D

[merlumina]

hi there, tumblr

So after quitting all other social media (twitter, instagram, facebook), I found myself 1) pretty lonely tbh and 2) at a loss for how to keep myself creatively motivated and inspired with nowhere to share my work. I'd heard from several people that tumblr is way more chill these days, and while I hesitated at first, I finally decided to give it a try. After a few weeks of waiting from tech support to regain access to my account (pro tip: don't sign up for anything important with your college email address), I regained access yesterday and spent some time doing some tidying up (i. e. deleting most of my old posts and likes).

So...hi! Feels weird to be back. Life has changed so much in the past seven years. It was interesting going back through old posts to relive those times. Since I was last here, this is what I've been up to:

hollowforest and I got married in 2020. While he was unfortunately not able to propose to me at MAGFest after a particularly victorious round of Gundam Xtreme VS, which would have been rad, we settled for eloping at county jail, which is also a cool story.

Ringo, my cat, is still with us! But now we also have a dog, Haru (named after Persona 5 Haru). Yeah I like dogs now. I like pitt bulls now. 2012 me would never.

After years of self-doubt and self-loathing about my life choices, I actually became what I wanted to be when I grew up - a software developer! In late 2020 I took the plunge to do a coding bootcamp and got really lucky being hired into an apprenticeship program before I'd even graduated. Now I'm making those big coding $$$ working from home, literally living the dream and still kind of in awe.

I joined the Diagnosed with ADHD in My 30s club! (Also, I'm in my 30s now)

We bought a house in October, 2022! I did not think it would be possible for the longest time, but due to the big job upgrade we were finally able to afford it.

I've played a lot of video games, but not beaten that many.

I picked up game dev as a hobby and have made a few small games during game jams.

My mental health is overall a lot better now! Part of that is from therapy, part of that is from self reflection, part of that is maybe just growing up. See also: quitting aforementioned social medias.

Improved mental health aside, my hangups about my artistic abilities and creative capacity still haven't improved any in the past 10 years. It's one of my biggest personal insecurities, but also one of the reasons I'm trying Tumblr again! I wanted somewhere to post my practice routine to keep myself accountable, as well as a place to get inspiration from other artists.

I'm going to make a concerted effort to keep this blog focused on art and personal things that make me happy. After I left Tumblr in 2016 I started working on myself and trying to focus on bringing more empathy into my interactions with others. Whether or not I've been successful at that is another matter, but in general it has helped me be a happier person. I am not interested in participating in Discourse. I don't think you can judge the "goodness" of a human based on a handful of things they've said/done online, and I won't be made to cast judgment on anyone. I think we should spend less time tearing down people in our own communities and more time asking why it's so easy for the people in power to trick us into fighting each other. In general, the overall vibe that everyone's social media account is a personal soapbox where they can make declarations about what is Right and what people Should be doing makes me uncomfortable. So I'm going to try not to do any more of that here. I do like still having those discussions sometimes, but I prefer a more personal venue, where I feel like I'm talking with people rather than at them.

Let's be cool to each other! -Liz / merlumina

[a1flooring1]

Experience The Difference With Professional Floor Sanding And Polishing In Adelaide

Our floor sanding and polishing Adelaide

Floor sanding and polishing Adelaide is an effective and affordable way to add a contemporary feel to your space, without compromising the traditional character of your existing flooring.We do the research to recommend the most reputable products in floor protection; designed to withstand wear and tear while highlighting the unique wood grains that give your floor an exclusive look.While the quality of products and coatings have an impact on the life of your flooring, workmanship is crucial to the final result. That’s why A1 Flooring deliver a holistic service, enabling us to oversee quality control from end to end. To achieve the best results, we invest in the most advanced technology and practice methods for tidy and efficient service. Our European dustless floor sanding equipment is a good example of this; significantly reducing the amount of dust left after our floor sanding and polishing Adelaide.

Floorboard repairs and replacements

Floor sanding and polishing Adelaide is ideal for old floor in heritage homes that need to be renewed. In many cases, old floorboards have actually been covered up by carpet or floor coverings, which may even necessitate some repair work. If this is the case for you, the A1 Flooring team are able to carry out high-quality repairs and replacements using genuine recycled floorboards. We blend the floorboards as closely as possible with your existing flooring for a seamless blend. Using this same method, we can also replace out old fireplace hearths. Capture the natural ambience of your wood by taking advantage of our professional floor sanding and polishing Adelaide. If you live in an older home, it might be worth scoping out your flooring to see if you have traditional floorboards that are waiting to be restored! We’re simply a phone call away for your free measure and quote.

Choosing the right floor coating for you

We recommend different coating options to finalise our floor sanding and polishing Adelaide. For example, if your floor is in a commercial space where it’s subject to more foot traffic, we might recommend a more hardwearing option like the Water Based Polyurethane. Here’s a little bit more information:

Wattyl Estapol Oil Modified Polyurethane: This option provides a durable finish that helps improve resistance against chipping and cracking. It has a relatively low toxicity level in comparison to other coatings.

Water Based Polyurethane: This is a commercial-grade product available in a matte, satin or gloss finish. It has excellent wear-resistance and is non-yellowing. However it’s also a more environmentally friendly alternative to solvent based coatings.

Solvent Based Polyurethane: This selection offers the highest gloss finish, and is the most durable option. However, it is advisable that application is carried out when the premises is vacated due to strong fumes.

Our team will take care of the entire process of floor sanding and polishing Adelaide to completely revive the look and feel of your interior space. Give us a call on 8333 2999 to receive your free measure and quote, or stop by our showroom to compare the difference between coatings!

For More Information

call-  8333 2999

Email- sales@a1flooring.com.au

Address- 228 Magill Rd Beulah Park SA 5067 Website-https://a1flooring.com.au/floor-sanding-and-polishing-adelaide/

[just6f]

PLUSH OCTOPUS HAND WARMER DOLLS STUFFED, 13% OFF! A good sale only comes every so often -- so don't miss out on our amazing low price on Plush Octopus Hand Warmer Dolls Stuffed Round Octopus Pillow Sofa Cushion Sleeping Toys. At this store, we guarantee a quality selection of products including our {mainword for a wonderful shopping experience. Buy now and enjoy our worldwide shipping. Take a look at the sections below to learn more about our product. SEE MORE DETAILS Filling: Pp cotton Material: Cotton Gender: Unisex Features: Stuffed & plush Sounds tempting, doesn’t it? Moreover, it’s your chance to buy this premium quality product at a low price! However, if you don’t believe us, look at the feedback our previous customers left and hurry up to click on ADD TO CART before we’ve sold it out! PRODUCT QUESTIONS & ANSWERS Are the colors real? All the colors shown on the pictures of our Plush Octopus Hand Warmer Dolls Stuffed are real. However, keep it in mind that the exact shade you see on your screen depends on your device specifications and other technical factors. Do your products meet the manufacturing standards? We can assure you that our goods, including the Plush Octopus Hand Warmer Dolls Stuffed, strictly live up to the necessary manufacturing standards because we care about their quality. Is the purchase tax-free? The terms of taxation that are going to be applied to your purchase depend on your country’s legislation. However, you will be able to see the final purchase cost on the checkout page. Is it actually affordable? Having completed our own market research, we can assure you it will be challenging to find something of identical quality for a lower price than $29.32. Is it OK if I write a review on the Round Octopus Pillow Sofa Cushion Sleeping Toys I bought? Customer reviews are highly important for any online store. Therefore, you are more than welcome to email us your feedback or share it on any external platforms! If I put my photos with your product on social media, is it alright? You can freely share the photos of our products. Moreover, we’d be happy if you did. ORDERING & STORE POLICIES Can I order two or more products at a time? Please, order as many products as you want because there are no limitations. How do you prevent the package from damage during shipment? We try to foresee all the problems that your package may face and, therefore, use the most secure ways to ensure its safety. How to get in touch with the support managers in your store? You are more than welcome to contact our support team through any of the contact channels listed at the bottom of the page. How to buy it? Click on the Color you want to buy, then click ADD TO CART button. After that, you will need to indicate your first and second names, address, etc., and pay for the order. Then relax and wait! We will do everything possible to send your package in the shortest time. Can I trust this store? As you can see it from our buyers’ reviews, there is nothing to worry about. We value our online reputation and do our best to treat the buyers with the highest quality service. There are tons of other online stores. Why should I buy from you? Our main priority is to build friendly relationships with our clients. We do our best to make our business mutually beneficial both for us and our clients. That’s why we always offer quality products and set fair prices. https://just6f.com/plush-octopus-hand-warmer-dolls-stuffed-round-octopus-pillow-sofa-cushion-sleeping-toys/?feed_id=6877&_unique_id=65db17ae02682

[mesadentalsandiego1]

Best Dental Implants San Diego @ Mesadentalsd to Transform Your Smile

Mesa Dental San Diego is your one-stop for natural-looking, natural-acting and natural-feeling teeth replacement options! Helmed under the able guidance of Dr. Qadeer, Mesa Dental San Diego is your trusted cosmetic implant dentist in San Diego.

Benefits of dental implant are immense and dental implants in San Diego team at Mesa Dental San Diego ensure that you have a tooth replacement that feels and looks better than your original teeth.

Dental implants San Diego are high-tech replacement tooth that mimics the whole tooth structure. A titanium “root” is snugly inserted into the bone and is used to support a crown, bridge or denture. Your dental implant looks feels and acts like a real tooth and can last a lifetime if properly cared for.

One Goal of team Mesa Dental San Diego is “At Mesa Dental, we have just one goal, to put the patient at ease and make the experience of Dental Implants as clear as possible. From your consultation, lab work, the creation of your teeth, to the procedure and recovery after treatment, have all been categorized and made simple and easy to understand.”

The board-certified surgeon at Mesa Dental San Diego uses a medical-grade titanium implant fixture that, over time, actually fuses to the living bone cells of the jaw. This fusion forms a durable and robust anchor for your new teeth, meaning there’s no slippage or other movements after affordable dental implants.

The Mesa Dental Implant team have worked closely together for more than a decade; treating complex implant cases. With best dental implants San Diego from Mesa Dental so many people have got a second chance to enjoy the foods they love and cherish the most, to smile with confidence and to get their lives back after tooth loss.

Michele C, one of the many happy patients at Mesa Dental San Diego says, “Dr Qadeer is very caring and will always make you feel comfortable. I have been taking my family to Mesa dental for 12 years now! I also recommend all my clients to Dr Qadeer!!! Best dentist in San Diego!!!”

About Mesa Dental San Diego:

At Mesa Dental, you will find superb dental treatment by experienced doctor. You can trust Mesa Dental for dental implants, teeth whitening and emergency dental care as well as complete oral health. Mesa Dental offers a complete range of cosmetic treatments for residents in San Diego, managed by expert San Diego dentist. They also offer free consultations for dental implants, Invisalign retainers, and 2nd opinion consultations.

Contact Details-

Address- 6215 Beadnell Way, San Diego, CA 92117, United States

Phone No. / Fax- 858-877-9540

Email- info@mesadentalsd.comDental Implants San Diego

[arthropooda]

Duckduckgo search: email provider that isn't by subscription and doesn't require existing phone numbers and email addresses

[noodyl-blasstal]

JustIn from the Beyond!

Do I have plans for this? Yes! Do I have time to make them happen any time soon? Debatable! So you can have what'll hopefully be the first chapter, as a treat. -

Kravitz frowned down at his phone, double checking the address from the email was the same spot the map app had led him to. The office block in front of him didn’t seem like the kind of place that would contain Justin From the Beyond: your direct line to the spirit world, he was expecting some kind of difficult to find Victorian building, not a grey box with wildly unhelpful company names like Loccarion, Applewell, and Plaxistics on the sign. People in suits kept striding past him doing what he could only assume were important business things. Actually, scratch that, they all had a whiff of stock market about them, so maybe not that important. In fact, with that in mind, the location made a lot more sense - ghosts were a lie and so were stocks, of course they were in the same building. Maybe he could try and get an interview with some of them for his next block of episodes… no, one job at the time. He was a nightmare for dropping projects for the next fancy idea, but this week he was fighting ghosts, next week he could take down the stock market.

He glanced down once more, just to be sure, and the map pin stayed resolutely in front of him, definitely no GPS wizardry, this was the right place. It had taken him 10 months to get this appointment so obviously he’d shown up two and a half hours early. By the time Kravitz accounted for traffic, his own disorganisation, and the possibility of unreported strikes, break downs, and walking at half pace from the very furthest possible station in the city (‘just in case’ he missed four other stops) he might have slightly overestimated his actual travel time. He couldn’t leave though, if he went to grab a drink or something time would disappear and he’d end up late. Better to just stay put. In fact, if he could sit in the waiting room he might even be able to get an idea of the other clientele, all good background for his report. Flawless planning, every inch of it on purpose.

Kravitz gave himself a critical once over in the window, smoothed his long woollen coat, put on his very best business face, and headed inside. The email had instructed him to head to the 13th floor. Kravitz rolled his eyes when he read it - although on reflection, it was impressive dedication, it must have taken an age to find a building which actually had one. Oh, maybe the rent was cheaper because of the luck thing? He made a quick note in his phone to look into it - spooky aesthetic, money saver, or both? Probably both, Justin was smart, he marketed well, was consistently in demand, and somehow every public review was positive - regardless of where it was posted.

Sure, Kravitz could have investigated any old grifter and done it much faster, but the cons with a veneer of legitimacy were his actual targets. Most people knew that the bloke on the street corner offering you a direct line to death for a few dollars wasn’t likely to be the real deal - at least he wasn’t exploiting people as much. Justin though? This guy had a massive waiting list and prices to match. Most people could only dream of getting an appointment, let alone three. Thankfully Kravitz could afford it and the revenue from the episodes should more than cover the cost. Kravitz, of course, tried to keep his ethics intact but it was hard to turn down ads when they let him break stories that helped. If keeping people safe meant he occasionally had to extol the benefits of certain underwear brands or enthusiastically tell his listeners about his pubic grooming regime then sobeit.

The display ticked from twelve to thirteen, the lift binged pleasantly, and the doors slid smoothly open. Kravtiz stepped straight into a waiting area, “News JustIn!” was scrawled across a banner facing the lift, a ghostly phone cord underlined the writing. He’d clearly escaped faceless, corporate McBusinessland.

“Welcome to Justin from the Great Beyond, handsome. How can I help you out today?” The receptionist asked from behind an ornate wooden desk which appeared to rest on chicken legs, the work on the feathers was exquisite and Kravitz only tore himself away from admiring the craftsmanship to admire the man behind the desk instead. The receptionist was perched on a dusky pink cocktail chair which clashed marvellously with the fluffy mustard carpet (the kind Kravitz would love to bury his toes in). The receptionist was long and lean, clean shaven and his eyeliner was smudged just enough that Kravitz couldn’t tell if it was on purpose or not. His roots were showing, there was a gap in his front teeth, and Kravitz thought he might possibly be the most beautiful man he’d ever met. Before he could talk himself out of following that line of thought, the receptionist noticed Kravitz’s roaming eyes and winked lasciviously. Was Kravitz allowed to flirt on the job. Probably not? He’d better check with HR… He was HR and it was very important that he made the man call him handsome again.

“I have an appointment with Justin, my name’s Dante Bellefleur.” 

“Ah yes, Mr…” The receptionist paused and side eyed him. “...Bellefleur. You aren’t booked in for a while, are you happy to wait?”

“Of course, I was so worried about being late that I made it a little bit early instead.”

The receptionist snorted loudly and Kravitz glared before he could stop himself. Fuck, he couldn’t be sulky at work, that was how he lost opportunities. This guy could get him booted and it had taken enough effort to get this appointment, falling at the final hurdle because he couldn’t take a bit of light mocking would be mortifying. At least if the guy was going to mock him Kravitz could write off the flirting. He tried to settle his expression to something more neutral and looked anywhere but at the man behind the desk… which was a shame because even if the guy was a prick he was nice to look at. Maybe he could sneak a few glances as he waited? It was perfectly reasonable to occasionally look at the other person in the room.

Kravitz spent a few more moments staring placidly at the wall before subtly shifting in his chair and looking quickly towards the desk. Taako looked right back at him, Kravitz hurriedly looked away again and focused on retrieving his book from his bag. He could just chill out here, see if anyone else came in, see what Taako actually did. 

It turned out that the answer to that question was ‘Not Much.’ Every time Kravitz glanced over Taako had moved slightly, knee tucked up under his chin, one leg splayed out and the other curled under him, legs crossed under him. Every time Kravitz glanced over Taako noticed and smiled his handsome smile right back. Kravitz knew he should say something, but he didn’t know where to start. All he wanted to do was get a good long look at the other man. Instead he had to focus on his book, which of course was one he was reading for show and not enjoyment. After a painful hour in which he made it through three pages, retained none of it, and pointedly avoided looking at the man directly, Kravitz tried again.

The receptionist was now sideways, legs slung up on one arm of the chair, and, worse than improper use of furniture, he grinned wide and wiggled his fingers at Kravitz as if he’d been waiting for this. “So, come here often, kemosabe?”

“You’re the receptionist.” Kravitz replied flatly. “Wouldn’t you recognise me if I did?” Was this some kind of trap?

“Great point… So what’s a guy like you doin’ in a nice place like this?”

“The same thing as everyone else I imagine.” Kravitz’s tone remained placid and polite but if this guy wanted to get under his skin he was certainly doing a good job of it. He could smile his stupid lovely smile all he wanted, but that was outright rude. Sure, Kravitz was accustomed to this - personal insults weren’t uncommon when your job was uncovering dirty secrets, but that usually came after he’d been busted not before. Usually at that point he could give back as good as he got, but this guy might not even know what he was part of. There was no way he could retaliate though, he had to be on his best behaviour until he’d got what he needed, and that included not snarking or sulking. He took a moment to stamp out the sparks of irritation that ignited in his gut and decided to attempt redirection, may as well get some information out of this exchange. “Although, having said that, what’s the main reason people come?”

“Conversation with yours truly, mostly.” The receptionist replied. He slid a drawer open, slapped a magnetic badge on (Kravitz didn’t have any thoughts about the swathe of brown skin this motion revealed), then tapped it. “Taako Taco, here to blow your mind before Justin gets the chance to.” He wriggled until he was sat cross legged again, uncapped what looked to be a sparkly gel pen, and started doodling on the desk planner. Kravitz wasn’t sure if he hated or envied him - how much did this gig pay? It wasn’t like the phone was ringing off the hook. In fact, he couldn’t actually see one on the desk. “Is that why you’re here, Dante, to be blown away?” They made eye contact about that comment, they made eye contact about it really hard. Maybe he should look at a sexual harassment angle for the episode, but honestly, he had stared at the guy so much that he didn’t have a leg to stand on. He was going to choose to believe this treatment was specifically for him and not the usual experience clients had, certainly none of the extensive reviews had mentioned it.

“I’m here to get the answer to some questions I have.” That was true, he wasn’t going to lie if he could help it… well, any more than he had already, but there was only so much you could do when you were the first google result for ‘Kravitz’. “Have you ever…” Kravitz trailed off.

“There isn’t much Taako hasn’t done.” He uncapped another few pens and switched between them as he doodled. 

Kravitz wanted to see what he was drawing, Taako was concentrating so intently that his brow furrowed and Kravitz needed to know what was important enough to make that happen. More importantly, he needed to stop staring, he needed to remember that Taako was ridiculous and rude and bold and terrible at customer service. This wasn’t someone he should be interested in, Taako was hot as fuck and he knew it, he was conceited and unkind. That wasn’t what Kravitz wanted. 

“Spotted something interesting, Dante?” Taako had stopped drawing. He’d stopped drawing because Kravitz was staring right at Taako and Taako had noticed and fuck this was going badly. It was fine, he could fix it.

“I was admiring your name badge.” Kravitz said, gesturing at the incredibly ordinary badge with zero distinguishing features to offer any follow up on.

“Uh huh. Which aspect?” Taako didn’t resume drawing, of course he didn’t. Instead he smirked and waited patiently for an answer, the bastard. He knew why Kravitz was staring at him and sure it took a lot of bravery to investigate crime and put yourself in compromising positions with dodgy people; but telling a guy he was hot and you’d quite like to get into some compromising positions with him? Absolutely not. Especially not when that guy was doing his job - no matter how loose that concept seemed to be for Taako.

“The typeface.” The fucking typeface? “It’s satisfying to look at.” Just like the guy wearing it. This was fine. “I wasn’t bold enough to say it before, but I think I’m justified.”

Taako looked horrified. “Did you just…? Bad, terrible, illegal.” He paused for a moment and Kravitz felt anxiety bubbling in his gut. He was trying to make things better, but maybe puns would be what got him kicked out, not his snarky attitude. Then Taako continued drawing. “I’m going to have to do a citizen’s arrest because right now we’re Sans Sheriff.” Oh, oh okay, Kravitz could work with this.

“Oh no, did the last one experience some hard Times?” That earned Kravitz a long glare.

“Don’t make me curse…ive” Taako grimaced even as he said it.

Kravitz snorted. “Well now who’s going to pun jail?” Taako was hot, Taako was interesting, Taako was willing to play in this stupid space with him. Kravitz wanted to take him out then take him home. Could he just ask Taako out? It didn’t have to be weird. “Hey, can we go on a date, also I’m using a fake name and I’m probably going to be the reason you lose your job because I’m here to expose your employer as a con artist…” Maybe it had to be a bit weird. Kravitz should at least wait until this was over. If he did that Taako might appreciate his integrity? Surely he’d understand why the fake name was necessary. He’d think Kravitz’s dedication to doing the right thing was sexy. Obviously. Just like all his other boyfriends who were definitely still with him and didn’t break up with him because he was too busy doing the right thing and being boring.

“The view’s gonna be good at least, Taako could do some rotting in a cell if you we…” He stopped mid sentence and noticeably clammed up. As if this was the point where Taako decided he had professional boundaries, Kravitz wanted to know where that was going. Did he mean Kravitz would be a good view to see? Good company to be stuck in pun jail with? If Taako thought that then Kravitz could definitely ask him to dinner. Taako stood abruptly, knocking one of his pens off the desk and abandoning it to the floor. “What are you waiting for, kemosabe? I thought you were desperate for your appointment with Justin.” Taako didn’t look at him, just walked towards the door in the corner of the room. Kravitz had no idea what just happened, he didn’t even say anything, was he doing something weird with his face? Looking too eager? It was bang on his appointment time, so maybe Taako just had to be really prompt? Maybe this Justin guy was a horrible boss? If that was the case Taako would surely give him an interview for the podcast. He’d definitely understand why Kravitz had to lie if Justin was treating him poorly. He might even be a little bit grateful for Kravitz’s intervention!

Taako cracked open the door and slipped inside without looking back. Kravitz reached to push the door wider and follow, but paused. He didn’t know what was going on, but it felt wrong. He didn’t want Taako to be in trouble, but he also didn’t want to leave him upset. Kravitz quickly doubled back to the desk and picked up the gel pen from the floor - it was gold and glittery and boy if that wasn’t Taako all over. Kravitz quickly scribbled out a note on the jotter. “Sorry if I overstepped, it was lovely to meet you Taako.” He placed the pen neatly on the desk and, feeling mildly absolved, walked into Justin’s office.

Sat with his legs kicked up on the desk was a man wearing the most ridiculously elaborate wizard hat he’d ever seen. The brim was strung with rows of tiny stars and pom poms, there was an iridescent sheen to the fabric, and a spindly moon charm hung from the crooked peak. The hat was new, but the face it did very little to obscure was familiar.

“Taako? What’s going on? Is there a problem?” 

“Nope, you’re here to have a natter with the world beyond, I’m your guy.”

“But you’re Taako.”

“Nope. I’m definitely Justin.”

“You just said your name was Taako?”

“And you said your name was Dante. Apparently that’s what we’re doing here.” Kravitz didn’t flinch, but he didn’t say anything either. He waited an incredibly normal amount of time while the gears in his brain turned. This was a puzzle, he loved puzzles, he could solve puzzles. Sure, no one had ever questioned him so directly before, and okay, he didn’t really have a plan for this. Why didn’t he have a plan for this? Stupid, stupid overconfident prick. There was something about fake names, pride, and infernos in this, but he wasn’t calm enough to make the joke right now. Thank the goddess that Taako didn’t know who he actually was.

“So, Krav, are you going to call me Taako, or will Justin call you Dante?” 

Fuck.

[sineala]

How would you say fandom culture has changed over the years? What are some differences you notice between older and younger fandom folks?

I’ve been thinking for a while about how to answer this, and I’m not sure I have a really good answer, but I’m going to try.

I’ve been in fandom since approximately 1995. Maybe 1994. At that point, the world wide web was a relatively new part of the internet, and the fandoms I was in had most of their activity on privately-hosted mailing lists (predating eGroups/OneList/Yahoo Groups) and on Usenet newsgroups, with fiction beginning to be available on websites as part of either fandom-specific or pairing-specific archives as well as authors’ individual pages. Fanfiction.net did not yet exist. LiveJournal did not exist. AO3 definitely did not exist. If you wanted real-time chat, there was IRC. I was coming in basically at the tail end of zine fandom; zines were no longer the only way of distributing fanfiction, as fandom started to move online. So I have a selection of zines from 90s-era Western media fandoms but even by then zines weren’t where I was doing most of my reading.

I think in terms of generally “what it was like to be in fandom,” the big-picture stuff hasn’t changed. Fandom still produces creative fanwork and likes to, y’know, get together and talk about fandom. Also, almost every fight or complaint that fandom has about something is a thing that has been going on for actual years. People complain that, say, the kudos button is ruining comment culture because back in the LJ days the only way you could comment on a story was, well, by leaving an actual comment, or sending an email on a mailing list, and this might mean that people who would have otherwise commented have left a kudos instead. But back in the LJ and mailing list days, people were complaining that commenting was going downhill since the days of zines, when in order to comment on a story you had to write a real paper letter and mail it and because you had to do that, the quality of feedback was so much better than you got nowadays because people could just dash off a quick email or comment. You get the idea. Top/bottom wars are not new either. Pairing wars are not new. If you’ve been in fandom a while, you will pretty much have seen all the fights already. I think one thing that is new, though, is the fandom awareness of things like privilege and intersectionality and various -isms, as well as things like “providing warnings might be nice” (do you know how much unwarned deathfic I have read? a lot!) and I sure won’t say we’re perfect at any of this now, but I think fandom is trying way way more about all that stuff than it used to.

There are some fights we actually don’t have anymore, as far as I can tell. I feel like it’s been years since I’ve seen the “real person fiction is wrong” battle, but also I don’t hang out in a whole lot of RPF fandoms, so it’s possible that’s still going and I just don’t see it.

There also used to be a recurring debate about whether gay relationships that were canonical were slash or not. When slash started, obviously this wasn’t a question because there weren’t canonical gay relationships in fandoms, period. But as gay characters began to appear in media, people started to wonder “does slash mean all same-sex relationships, or does slash mean only non-canonical same-sex relationships?” Now, you may be reading this and think that sounds like an incredibly weird thing to get hung up on, but that’s because what appears to have happened is that the term “ship” (originally from X-Files Mulder/Scully fandom) has, as far as I can tell, come up and eaten most of the rest of the terminology. Now people will just say, “oh, I ship that.” For any pairing, gay or not, canonical or not. Fandom seems to have decided that for the most part it no longer actually needs a term specific to same-sex relationships as a genre.

Similarly, there are a few genres of fic that we used to have also pretty much don’t exist anymore. There are also plenty of genres that are well-entrenched now that are also extremely recent -- A/B/O comes to mind. But there are some kinds of fic we don’t write a lot of now. Like, I haven’t seen smarm in years! I also haven’t seen We’re Not Gay We Just Love Each Other in a while. There was also a particular style of slash writing where you’d basically have to explain, in detail, what made you think that these particular characters could be anything other than straight. You’d have to motivate this decision. You’d have to look at their canonical heterosexual relationships and come up with a way to explain why all those had happened in order to reconcile how this one guy could have romantic feelings for another guy. When had he figured out he wasn’t straight? Who might he have been with before? How does he interact with people in ways that make you think he’s not straight? That kind of thing. You had to, essentially, show your work. And these days a lot of fanfic is just like, “Okay, Captain America is bisexual, let’s go!” It’s... different.

Fandom also used to skew older, is my sense. A lot older. I don’t know, actually, if it really was older, but I get the sense now that there are some younger people who are surprised that adults are still in fandom. I have seen people saying these days that they think they’re too old for fanfiction because they are not in middle school anymore. And I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that the barriers to access fandom are a lot lower than they used to be. You used to basically have to be an adult with disposable income (or know an adult with disposable income who was willing to help you out; but even then if you were reading explicit fiction you also had to swear you were 18+, usually by sending in an age statement to whoever you were buying the zine from or to the mods of the list you wanted to join, so a lot of fandom was very much age-gated). Internet access was not widely available. Even if you had internet access, you maybe didn’t have your own email address, so you couldn’t sign up for mailing lists; free email providers didn’t exist. If you wanted to buy zines, you had to have money to buy them. If you wanted to go to cons, you had to be able to afford the cost of the con, travel to the con, et cetera. If you wanted to have a website you had to know HTML. Social media did not exist. You want to draw art? Guess what, you’re probably drawing it on paper! You might be able to upload a picture to your website if you have a digital camera or a scanner, but both of those things are expensive, and also a lot of people don’t have the capability or the money to download pictures from the internet (some people have data caps with overage charges, and some people have text-only connections!), so they won’t get to see it. Maybe you can sell your piece at a con! You want to make a fanvid? We called them songvids, but, anyway, you know how you’re doing that? You’re going to hook two VCRs together and smash the play and record buttons very fast! If you want anyone else to watch them, you are either making them a tape personally and mailing it to them or bringing your vids to a convention. Maybe you can digitize them and upload them, but it’s going to take people hours to download them!

(Every three hours my ISP would kick me off the internet and I’d have to dial in again. If it was a busy time of day, it might take me 20 or 30 minutes to get a connection again. And that was assuming no one else in the house needed to use the phone line. Imagine if your modem went out every three hours now.)

And now, for the cost of my internet connection, I can read pretty much whatever fanfiction I want, whenever I want it. I can see all the fanart I want! I can watch vids! Podfic exists now! Fanmixes exist! Gifsets and moodboards exist! If I want to write fic I can write it with programs that are completely free, and as soon as I post it everyone in the entire world can read it. If I want to draw or make vids that may require some additional investment, but I may also be able to do it with things I already have. Do you have any idea how good we all have it?

There are a couple of kinds of fan activity that don’t seem to exist anymore, though, and I miss them. I know that roleplaying still goes on, but I feel like these days most people who do real-time text roleplay have switched to things like Discord. I know that in the LJ days, RP communities were popular. But I really miss MU*s (MUDs, MUSHes, MOOs, MUXes..), which were servers for real-time text-based RP with a bunch of... hmm... features to aid RP. There were virtual rooms with text descriptions, and objects in virtual rooms with descriptions, and your character had a description, and they could interact with the objects as well as with other characters, and you could program things to change descriptions or emit various kinds of text or take you to different rooms, and so on. Just to, y’know, enhance the atmosphere. It was fun and it was where I learned to RP and I’m sad they’re pretty much gone now.

I also don’t think I see a lot of fanfiction awards in fandoms. Wonder where they went.

Going back to the previous point, the barriers to actually consuming the canon you are fannish about are way, way, way lower now. You can pretty much take it for granted that if right now someone tells you about a shiny new fandom, there will be a way to read that book or watch that show or movie right now. Possibly for free! Of course you can watch it! Why wouldn’t you be able to?

This was absolutely, absolutely not the case before. I’m currently in Marvel Comics fandom. If there is a comic I want to read, I can read it right now on the internet. I have subscribed to Marvel Unlimited and I can read pretty much every comic that is older than three months old; the newer ones cost extra money. But I can do it all from the comfort of my own home right now. I was also, actually, in Marvel Comics fandom in the nineties. If I wanted to read a comic, I had to go to a comic book store and hope they had it in stock; if they didn’t, I had to try another store. Not a lot of comics were available in trade paperback and they definitely weren’t readable on the internet. I used to read a lot of Gambit h/c fic set after Uncanny X-Men #350. I never found a copy of UXM #350. I still haven’t! But I did eventually read it on Unlimited.

Being in TV show fandoms also had similar challenges. Was the show you were watching still on the air? No? Then you’d better hope you could find it in reruns, or know someone who had tapes of it that they could copy for you, otherwise you weren’t watching that show. It was, I think, pretty common for people to be in fandoms for shows they hadn’t seen, because they had no way to see the show, but they loved all the fanfic. The Sentinel had a whole lot of fans like that, both because I think it took a while for it to end up in reruns and because overseas distribution was probably poor. So you’d get people who read the fic and wrote fic based on the other fic they’d read, which meant that you got massive, massive amounts of fanon appearing that people just assumed was in the show because it was a weirdly specific detail that appeared in someone’s fic once. Like “Jim and Blair’s apartment has a small water heater” (not actually canonical) or “Blair is a vegetarian” (there’s an episode where his mother visits and IIRC cooks him one of his favorite meals, which is beef tongue).

Like, I was in The Professionals fandom for years. I read all the fic. I hadn’t seen the show. As far as I know, it never aired in the US, and it certainly never had any kind of US VHS or DVD release. I’d seen a couple songvids. I eventually saw a couple episodes in maybe 2003, and that was because my dad special-ordered a commercial VHS tape from the UK and paid someone to convert it from PAL to NTSC. I didn’t get to see the whole show until several years later when I got a region-free DVD player someone in fandom sent me burned copies of the UK DVD releases and then I special-ordered the commercial release of the DVDs from the UK myself. But if I were a new fan and wanted to watch Pros right now? It is on YouTube! For free!

I think also one of the things about fandom that’s not immediately evident to new fans is the way in which it is permanent and/or impermanent. There are probably people whose first fannish experience is on Tumblr or who only read fanfic on FFN and who have no idea what they would do if either site, say, just shut down. But if you’ve been in fandom a while, you’ve been through, say, Discord, Tumblr, Twitter, Pillowfort, Imzy, DW, JournalFen, LJ, GeoCities, IRC, mailing lists. And sure, if Tumblr closed, it would be inconvenient. But fandom would pack up and move somewhere else. You would find it again. It would, eventually, be okay. Similarly, if you’ve been in a lot of fandoms, if you’ve made a lot of friends, drifting through fandoms is like that. You’ll make a friend in 1998 because you were in the same fandom, and then you might go your own ways, and ten years later you might be in another fandom with them again! It happens.

But the flip side of that is that I think a lot of older fans have learned not to trust in the permanence of any particular site. If you like a story, you save it as soon as you read it. If you like a piece of art, you save it. If you like a vid, you save it. Because you don’t know when the site it’s on will be gone for good. I have, like, twenty years of lovingly-curated fanfic. And I feel like people who have only been in fandom since AO3 existed might not understand how much AO3 is a game-changer compared to what we had before. It’s a site where you can put your fic up and you don’t have to worry that the webhost is going out of business, or that the site might delete your work because they don’t allow gay fiction or explicit fiction or fiction written in second person or fiction for fandoms where the creator doesn’t like fanfiction, or whatever. Because all of those things have absolutely happened. But, I mean, I still save pretty much everything I like, even on AO3, just in case.

So, basically, yeah, fandom is a whole lot more accessible than it used to be. I think fandom is pretty much still fandom, but it’s a lot easier to get into, and that has made it way more open to people who wouldn’t have been able to be in fandom before. There is so, so much more now than there ever was before, and I think that’s great.

[cybersecuritynews2]

The reason why Your Small Business Needs Such 6 Tech Resources

cybersecurity news

Technology plays a progressively integral role in corporate. It can open opportunities and create extraordinary opportunities for forward-thinking small businesses. If you’re looking to move while using times, here are 6 tech tools your business interest needs.

cybersecurity news

1 . Fog up Solutions

Cloud precessing is increasingly popular amongst small businesses. Cloud offerings offer an array of gains, including flexibility together with scalability, reduced will cost you, seamless software integration and improved collaborative working. With fog up systems, businesses will eliminate risks involving downtime and spar for customers on a level using field with opponents who have already bought innovative IT assistance.

Cloud computing is furthermore a more cost-effective replacement of the more traditional kinds of technology, and it gives safe access to data, programs and reports on the go, which is important for remote teams and additionally individuals who are working from home.

2 . not Voice over Web Protocol (VoIP)

VoIP (Voice over Online world Protocol) phone devices are incredibly valuable for small businesses.

Because of this type of phone program, you can lower the buying price of making and getting calls significantly and you'll enjoy a range of elements, including video in addition to conference calls. VoIP affords seamless shopper interaction and it’s also reliable along with secure.

Organization Management Platforms

Effort is key so that you can successful teamwork. Nowadays, small businesses can take benefit for a variety of tools together with platforms, which are meant to make life less difficult for groups and let teams to get with each other and work on jobs virtually.

Outsourced Managed IT Products and services

If you run a company, there are significant important things about outsourcing IT. Handling an experienced IT supplier will give you peace of mind, give back time to focus on your core aspects of jogging your business and show you how to benefit from expert tips and tailored THAT services.

Outsourced was able IT services include everything from security and additionally cloud services to be able to consulting, infrastructure in addition to disaster planning, which happens to be essential for companies working with where there is a possibility of hurricanes along with storm damage.

THE APPLICATION experts will work on hand to draw up a good package that caters to your requirements and your funding. With managed products and services, you’ll have access to THIS support and your specialist will also help you make best use of efficiency and work flow to boost performance together with save money.

VPN

Cybersecurity is an significant consideration for decision makers. Although many people anticipate that hackers solely target large firms, small businesses are actually a lot more vulnerable. Statistics declare that over 40% from cyber attacks include small companies. Being business owner, there are various steps you can take to try and limit risks and look after your business.

A VPN, or virtual exclusive network, encrypts your home business data and your speaking, preventing anyone who’s not authorized to find your systems out of getting hold of your data. In addition , a VPN definitely will strengthen security concurrently as allowing fast and simple access for certified employees.

Fraud Blocking Software

Junk emails account for greater than 50% of all e-mails. Spam blocking program is designed to prevent inboxes clogging up along with fake emails and additionally junk. It is estimated that relating to 2019 and 2023, around 60 thousand spam emails shall be sent every day.

Like cybercrime becomes far more sophisticated, investing in fraud blocking software is normally increasingly useful for business owners. With the right application in place, you can steer clear of potentially dangerous e-mail addresses from reaching inboxes and increase staff member productivity.

At the moment, by using millions of people working remotely, and Internet application at an all-time high due to Coronavirus lockdowns, spam postings are more common than ever before. Google alone can be blocking around 17 million Coronavirus rip-off emails daily.

It’s important to note that designed for business owners and their particular employees, being aware of a signs of phishing emails and junk can be extremely beneficial, even so the best thing to do is usually to install spam preventing software. This will give up spam from approaching your business inboxes in addition to save your employees time frame when managing e-mail.

Technology has revolutionized the way businesses get the job done. If you run small businesses and you’re hoping to push your business in front, save time along with money, minimize cybersecurity risks and provide your visitors and employees by having a superior experience, think about investing in these ground breaking tech tools.

[a-nice-and-interpretive-fanzine]

[ID: A cream-colored banner that says "A Nice and Interpretive Fanzine: essays and art about the meanings we've found in Good Omens." There is a photo of a book page with a key on it behind the banner text. The photo source is rosy_photo on Pixabay. /end ID]

A Nice and Interpretive Fanzine: Information Masterpost

Welcome!

This is a zine for those of us who love the subtle, complex work that is Good Omens, and who’ve enjoyed the thoughtfulness of the fandom as people interpret how the many moving pieces of the story come together, creating a slightly different meaning for each of us.

To put it simply, it’s a book full of the fandom’s own analysis and commentary about the Good Omens TV show, enhanced with illustrations from our brilliant artists.

This zine is analytical in the sense that all the writers are expressing their own nonfiction thoughts and feelings about the show, rather than writing fanfic, but it is not meant to be heavily academic. Anybody who likes to pick apart the series and discuss it should be able to enjoy it.

The zine will contain essays by fans who are passionate about analyzing and interpreting different parts of Good Omens - the characters, the plot, the writing techniques for the book and script, the cinematography of the TV show, the popular content of the fandom itself. Accompanying these essays will be black and white illustrations from our artists.

How are you organizing this process?

May 1-May 15: Everyone submits their application to do writing or art through a Google form. Behind the scenes, I’ll be setting up a separate email and Discord.

May 16-20: Applicants will be screened during this time.

May 20: I’ll email everyone to let them know the outcomes of their applications. The final participants will get a link to the Discord server for the zine (totally optional, of course).

May 21: If there’s any clarification or solidifying of ideas that needs to happen, I’ll contact you and discuss with you by this point. This is also when artists will be matched up with essays.

May 22 to August 14: This will be a period of just working on our essays and art. The Discord chat and Tumblr will be there for support and for exchanging ideas!

August 15: Participants need to email their full works to the zine’s email address by this date. No special formatting is needed; I’ll do that in InDesign.

August 15 to August 31: I’ll be putting the zine together in InDesign.

September 1: Preorders will open.

September 30: Preorders will close.

October 1: The zine order will be placed!

October 15: Assuming all goes well with printing and shipping, the zines will be shipped out in waves starting on this date. If the printing or shipping from the manufacturer is delayed, then shipping will just start ASAP.

Writer Application HERE Artist Application HERE Asked and Answered Questions on Tumblr The Fanzine's Page on Twitter

Read below for more detailed information about the zine in a Q and A format!

What are the specifications for the zine contributions?

For writers, I’m starting with 3k words or fewer per essay (approximately 10 pages at the size of this book). This depends heavily on how many participants we actually get, so it may change!

For artists, I’d be looking at black and white works, 300 DPI, 5.5 x 8.5 inches or smaller. If your art is supposed to fill up the entire page (i.e. no white space), please make it a total of 5.75 x 8.75 inches with nothing too important around the edges to account for bleed during the printing process.

Can I submit an essay to this zine if I’ve already posted it on Tumblr?

Not as you’ve already posted it. We don’t want to just copy/paste the exact thing that hundreds or perhaps even thousands of people have already read.

However, it IS fine and maybe even a good idea to take the same thought from your post and refine it, preserving your same thesis. For example, a lot of Tumblr posts are just us fans jotting down 5 or 6 paragraphs of random thoughts at 2 AM, but some of them are really cool thoughts! Expanding them and turning them into a bona-fide Essay would make those posts into excellent zine chapters. And you can copy small pieces of your own language as long as the whole thing isn’t just pasted word-for-word.

How long do essays have to be? Is there a limit?

With the number of writers we have, I've calculated that each person should ideally keep their essay to about 6000 words. There is wiggle room.

There’s no real minimum for your contribution; some analytical ideas are really good but can be expressed concisely, so it’s okay if your essays only come out to a few pages typed. For reference, with our book size, a page is about 300 words.

What happens if the zine sells a lot and you end up not only breaking even, but turning a profit?

It’ll go to charity. While I’ll ask the participants what they want to do for certain if we do make enough money, my suggestion will be donating it to Alzheimer’s Research UK in honor of Sir Terry Pratchett.

I’m not really comfortable calling this a “charity zine” up front since I simply don’t know if it will raise a significant amount. For the most part, I just want the thing to physically exist, which means breaking even, and don’t want to make it more expensive for buyers than it needs to be to afford the printing costs.

What kinds of essays are you talking about? What could be included?

In short, any analytical thoughts about the Good Omens TV show - and possibly even the fandom as it interacts with the show - are possible inclusions for the zine.

To expand a bit, think about the meta posts you see floating around Tumblr. Often these involve analyzing characters, or picking up on patterns in the plot. Sometimes fans use their own background knowledge to write posts about the significance of certain costume choices or the way music plays into each individual scene. Some posts examine the ways the series approaches gender, while others might discuss ways that the characters present as neurodivergent. That’s how diverse the pool of possibilities is for subjects in this zine.

How does art come into this?

Images will be black and white, to match the bookish mood of the project overall. Images can range in size from a half page to a full page.

I’m planning to talk to the artists and authors and loosely pair artists with essays that appeal to their personal interests.

I know how to illustrate a story, but how do I illustrate an essay?

There are infinite answers to this! I’ve seen some beautiful symbolic artwork in the fandom already (e.g. a number of takes on Aziraphale munching on an apple with Crowley in snake form curving around him), and there are tons of symbolic motifs to draw from, but these are not the only options. An artist illustrating an essay about cinematography, for example, could draw a well-known scene from an alternative angle. An essay about Heaven as a capitalist corporation could be illustrated with a cartoon of Gabriel giving some sort of excruciating PowerPoint presentation. A character analysis could be accompanied by a simple portrait. And on and on. I’m not interested in limiting the possibilities by trying to make a list, but just know that there are many and you don’t have to make it complicated if you don’t want to.

If the writers can reuse their essay ideas, can artists reuse their drawings?

Similarly to the writers, if you already have an interpretive drawing that you’re in love with, artists can use the same ideas and the same fundamental composition that is present in their own existing work. However, it has to be redone in some significant way. Whether it’s taking something you drew in 2019 and redrawing it using an updated style, taking a sketch and turning it into a lined and shaded piece, or redoing a full-color drawing so it presents more strikingly in black and white, it shouldn’t be identical to the thing you’ve already posted.

So how are you choosing participants here?

It’ll be based on what people are interested in writing about (or illustrating). I’ll be looking for people who are passionate about their essays, but I’ll also be looking for variety. It all depends on what people want to offer, so I won’t know for sure what it will look like put together until everyone’s application is in.

For artists, I’ll be trying to figure out whose style looks like it would adapt well to illustrations in black and white, and also who demonstrates an interest in the same subjects as the writers.

If we don’t get a lot of applicants, I’d love to simply include everyone, but I can’t commit to that without knowing for sure how many people are involved.

Do I have to use a formal writing style to participate?

No. You should use a style that makes your thoughts and ideas as clear as possible, but as long as it’s understandable, you can also get a little artistic with it. You can “write like you speak,” though perhaps in a more organized way. You definitely don’t need to worry about stylistic rules like not using the first person. This is not academia.

Is this zine going to center only on Crowley and Aziraphale?

That remains to be seen! It depends on what ideas show up in the applications. There will be a lot of the ineffable partners for sure, but whether the whole zine will center on them or whether there’s plentiful stuff about other characters will depend on what the participants suggest.

Do we have to agree with all your personal interpretations of Good Omens to be in the zine?

No! In fact, I’m assuming that a number of essays will contradict each other, too, and that’s perfectly okay. The zine is a sampler of fan interpretations meant to inspire, not instruct. It’s not “Here’s a fan-made guide on how to understand this TV show,” it’s “Look at all these moving parts and how many meanings we can find in them. What does it mean to you?”

However, there are some basic rules and assumptions by which I’m working here.

I don’t personally have the energy to include essays that are highly critical (“negative”) in this zine. It’s analytical but also meant to be fun.

I’m pretty focused on the TV adaptation. This isn’t “no book analysis allowed” but just that the essays will end up being weighted toward subjects that apply to either the TV show or both the book and the show.

Each writer should focus on making their own points over disproving other fan interpretations. If you’re writing in an expository style, it’s normal for the essay to contain rebuttals to opposing ideas, but these should be minor supporting points, not the heart and soul of your essay. For reference, I’d say the majority of meta I see floating around on tumblr would follow this rule just fine.

Essay ideas that seem to contain bigoted or exclusionary sentiments will not be accepted (no TERFy stuff, for example).

What kinds of editing will go into the zine? Are you going to argue with us about the contents of our writing?

While I might ask you to elaborate on certain points in your writing or clarify your thoughts about your subject, I’m absolutely not here to ask you to change the thesis, opinions, or headcanons on which your writing is based. If I really have a problem with your initial idea, I’ll tell you that up front and politely decline the contribution.

While formatting the zine, I’ll make minor edits if I think I see a typo or misspelling, something small and obviously unintentional. As with any other zine, your content won’t be changed without consulting you.

Is this a SFW zine?

Yes. If people want to discuss sexuality in a theoretical way, like erotic subtext, that would be allowed. There are canon references like Newt and Anathema’s moment under the bed that might come up, too. But there will be nothing explicit, and since these are essays instead of stories, there will be no “action” going on between characters. Let’s just say sex isn’t a forbidden topic, but it will be like discussing it in English class.

As for other topics that could make the zine NSFW, like gore or extreme language, I don’t think they will be an issue. Some dark topics, like abuse by Heaven and Hell, may be discussed, but they will be warned for, and these are not stories, so you aren’t going to see violent actions playing out.

Will there be any “extras” like charms or stickers?

I’m not sure yet. I’m most inclined to keep it simple, because of the nature of the zine, but would be open to including some bonus items if there’s an artist who’s really passionate about it.

With that said, I am pretty committed to making a hardcover edition of the book available, in addition to the standard softcover version.

You’re doing this with only one mod?!

Yes. I personally find it easiest. While I’ve worked on multi-mod projects in other domains and adore all of my co-mods, it’s a little bit different when it’s a project with this many moving pieces that includes real-life components like printing and shipping. Though there are a lot of individual things to be done, I am experienced with all of them, so it’s less overwhelming to just take on the whole project. That way, I know exactly what needs to be done and when, and there are no issues with assigning tasks.

What qualifies you to run this zine?

The résumé answer: in fandom, I successfully solo-modded a large not-for-profit zine in the past, the @soulmakazine2018, and while I can’t speak for the whole fandom, it definitely seemed to be well-received. <3 In real life, I’m a case manager and this involves coordinating and communicating with a lot of different people including my 100-person caseload, budgeting services, and filling out all kinds of paperwork on the fly, all skills that can be imported into zine work.

The practical answer: well, I’m the one who decided to start this project, so if you like the sound of it, you're stuck with me. I say with encouragement and enthusiasm that if you’d like to do a different take on a commentary zine, you should absolutely do it.

[coderfortourette]

Kentucky and California

Kentucky and California are friends who know absolutely nothing about the other person. Most of their friendship just involved info-dumping about something they like to the other.

It started because Kentucky loves basketball and wanted to talk about it with somebody. The only team with more wins then him? UCLA, located in California. Now, Kentucky is bit of a snob when it comes to basketball. But he can appreciate a team that does well.

It's been established during a sketch that California doesn't really keep track of all his sports teams. Granted, that was a football sketch, but the point still stands. So when Kentucky approached him to talk about basketball, he's lost and confused.

Even though he doesn't understand, California doesn't turn Kentucky away when he starts talking. He knows what it's like to want to share information and have somebody listen.

And this grows into a mutual relationship for the both of them. One of them will talk on and on about something. And the other will sit their the whole time and 'listen'. (Neither one actually retains what the other says).

State: Hey Cali, you and Kentucky are friends. What would he like for his birthday? California: Oh... yeah... I think it's something sports related. Basket weaving? Maybe? I'm not really too sure.

I also have a universe where Kentucky and California are pen-pals to lovers. Except... they have no clue they are each other's pen-pals. At all. Even though it's been nearly 200 years since they started writing them. And no mortal human could have survived that long to keep writing.

Kentucky sent the first letter. He was bored and interested in what was going on out west. The letter wasn't really addressed to anybody. It just said "California" across the top. As such, the letter was handed to California, who decided to respond because "why not?"

California would sometimes send flower pressings and even a tiny gold nugget with his letters. Kentucky has kept all of them safe.

During the Civil War Kentucky was not able to respond to the letters. He was too busy trying to avoid the fighting. Especially since his state was a 'border' state. Before he fled up north, he wrote a short letter to Cal F. informing him of the situation. Kentucky signed it "Still alive. Look forward to reading your letters".

After the war the letter writing went back to a normal pace until the Great Depression. Kentucky didn't have much money and couldn't afford to spend it on paper. So he took one of the letters Cal F. sent him and wrote to him, telling him supplies were tight.

California responded with a 1-page letter telling him to keep safe and worry about surviving. He included extra papers in the envelope. Try to send one every 2 months if possible.

Until the economy recovered, their letters were short pages. All of them consisted of the phrase "Still alive. Look forward to reading your letters".

During the modern day, they can use email and stuff to communicate, but they prefer sending letters still. And their send off is always "Still alive. Look forward to reading your letters". Their version of the Princess Bride's "As you wish".

Everybody else at the statehouse has already figured out that they are pen-pals. Except these two. Because they are just oblivious idiots who share 1 brain cell. And it takes a vacation every time they send a letter.

Kentucky is freaking out one day to Virginia that he's having troubles with his love life. You see, Kentucky really really likes California. But he also really really likes his pen-pal. What does he do?

Virginia, the state for lovers, is not impressed with his brother's idiocy. He teams up with Oregon to sit Kentucky and California down to explain.

V + O: Here are the facts. You both have a pen-pal. This pen-pal has been sending you letters since the 1850s, longer then any human can live. These letters are going between California and Kentucky. You two are literally the only states to have pen-pals. K + C: Ok yeah. So where are you going with this?

On the other side of the statehouse you just here anguished screaming.

They actually have matching tattoos as well. A parchment with a fountain pen next to it. There's writing that reads "Still alive. - Ken T./Cal. F." (Kentucky got the one that reads Cal. F. and it's in California's handwriting. California got the Ken. T. one and it's in Kentucky's handwriting.)

They got these tattoos at separate times without discussing with the other. California got his first. And when Kentucky went in to get his, the tattoo artist noticed how similar it was to Cali's. Kentucky just gave them a blank stare.

During a pool party or something, that's when they notice each other's tattoos. And it's just a simple "oh, nice tattoo". Virginia lets out some northeastern words that he learned from Massachusetts. Because this is just ridiculous at this point.

They do realize they are each other's pen-pals a few days later though. And they pretty quickly start dating after that.

[ingek73]

Stifling, Toxic and Racist—Duchess Meghan Never Had a Chance at The Palace

Royal editor-at-large Omid Scobie sounds off on the outdated practices and attitudes within the royal family that left the Duke and Duchess of Sussex forced to make a change.

BY OMID SCOBIE

MAR 10 2021, 3:20 PM EST

I remember the feeling of frustration well. My work on an extensive biography of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Finding Freedom, was coming to an end. After hearing countless stories from multiple people close to the couple about how they felt unsupported and unprotected by the institution of the monarchy, it was time to address the matter with the palace side. A chance for them to respond.

“This is nonsense. … We did absolutely everything [for Meghan],” the senior aide told me over the phone. I asked for examples. “Everybody welcomed her, and she was given all the support she needed,” they continued. I asked again. “They forget how accommodating we were when it came to navigating the duchess through her first steps [as a working royal],” the aide added, somewhat curtly. I had several conversations like this over the weeks that followed—each party, be they from Clarence House, Buckingham Palace, or Kensington Palace, for the most part seemingly baffled by the Sussexes’ grievances. Finally, I took what I had and moved on.

Well over a year has passed since these calls, and the full severity of Harry and Meghan’s situation has finally been laid bare. Sitting in front of Oprah Winfrey, the duchess tearfully opened up about her darkest days as a working member of the royal family. Unprotected, undefended, and left to face a near-daily barrage of hateful commentary and negative stories, Meghan revealed how her circumstances had, at times, seen her virtually stuck indoors for weeks on end. Lunch with friends could have momentarily lifted her spirits, but social outings were dismissed by royal family members and aides who said it would be better to lie low. Her image was “everywhere right now,” they told her. Her isolated existence stood out in particular to her worried mother, Doria Ragland, who during a summer 2019 visit to Frogmore Cottage was surprised to discover that neither she nor her daughter was able to go out into Windsor town to pick up coffees. “You’re stuck in here,” Doria told Meghan at the time, according to a source.

The Oprah interview was the world’s first time hearing Meghan describe the true toll of the palace’s “no comment” policy when it came to dealing with inaccurate press coverage. One report that caused Meghan particular upset was the November 2018 allegation that she’d made the Duchess of Cambridge cry during a children’s bridesmaid dress fitting for her Windsor Castle wedding. Though the palace knew the claims were untrue (and that it was, in fact, Kate who made Meghan cry), Meghan was repeatedly told that it would not be possible to set the record straight, despite it being a story that fed into a stereotype-laden narrative. Other royal family members were often afforded more sympathetic support when it came to dealing with inaccurate press (officials even issued a statement to deny Kate’s use of Botox in July 2019), but both Harry and Meghan felt they did not have access to this same privilege.

The couple’s exasperation came to a head in January 2020, when Kensington Palace urgently requested that Prince Harry cosign a statement against an “offensive” newspaper report stating Prince William “constantly bullied” the Sussexes before their decision to step away. “Well, if we’re just throwing any statement out there now, then perhaps KP can finally set the record straight about me [not making Kate cry],” Meghan emailed an aide, asking why side of the story public image was never considered important to anyone. But, as with many requests made by the couple, her suggestion was ignored. The Duchess of Cambridge, she was told, should never be dragged into idle gossip.

Meghan’s state of well-being deteriorated as the institution refused to defend or protect her during her toughest moments. Talking to Oprah, Meghan revealed that her mental health was so fragile during her pregnancy that she “didn’t want to be alive anymore.” She turned to senior staff—including the palace’s own HR department—but her plea for help in January 2019 was repeatedly shut down. It’s not a good look for the family, she was told. Even friends who wanted to help her or speak up in her defense were regularly reminded by palace aides to keep quiet. As the cruel commentary, racist attacks, death threats, and negative tabloid stories piled up—and the institution continued to ignore the problem—Meghan later likened the experience to a friend as “death by a thousand cuts.” Her reference to an ancient Chinese execution method was no coincidence.

For the millions around the world who watched Meghan share her story, some of the experiences shared were perhaps all too familiar. Princess Diana revealed in several interviews that she considered suicide during her marriage to Prince Charles and spoke candidly about her battles with bulimia and mental distress, both of which were ignored by the institution of the monarchy. Sarah, Duchess of York, was also open about how the pressures and loneliness that came with palace life led to her own struggle with eating disorders.

When Kate quickly found public adoration as the Duchess of Cambridge, the palace would proudly tell members of the press that lessons from the past had been learned. “There has been a concerted effort to ensure that history never repeats itself,” one senior staff member working for the Cambridges told me in 2014. Yet, here we are in 2021, with a very real image of Britain’s oldest and most revered establishment once again engaged in neglect and gaslighting, and dismissing mental health.

When Kate quickly found public adoration as the Duchess of Cambridge, the palace would proudly tell members of the press that lessons from the past had been learned. “There has been a concerted effort to ensure that history never repeats itself,” one senior staff member working for the Cambridges told me in 2014. Yet, here we are in 2021, with a very real image of Britain’s oldest and most revered establishment once again engaged in neglect and gaslighting, and dismissing mental health.

This time, however, race—or more specifically, racism—plays a major role. Harry and Meghan’s revelation that a member of the royal family (not the queen or Prince Philip) had expressed “concern” over how dark the skin of the queen’s great-grandson might be, left many, including Oprah herself, openmouthed. But for those familiar with the institution—which on Sunday celebrated the diversity of the Commonwealth realm’s population of 2.4 billion—it comes as less of a surprise. This is an establishment that only last week briefed The Times of London that Meghan wanted to be royal “the Beyoncé way,” and that the help offered to her included establishing the queen’s Black equerry (a senior attendant, if you will) as a “mentor.” Princess Michael of Kent’s ignorance regarding wearing a blackamoor brooch during her first encounter with Meghan is a reminder that even racial sensitivity can be lacking within the family. An establishment that, as Meghan herself explained, has yet to learn the difference between rude and racist press coverage. The stiff upper lip, no matter how painful the attacks, was expected to remain impossibly rigid at all times.

The palace has continually proven itself to be unable to empathize with any person who crumbles under the pressures of its outdated and unreasonable expectations.

But when does forced silence turn into abuse? Ignoring gossip and drama may fall under the royal family’s famed (but questionable) “never complain, never explain” mantra, but expecting the victim of racism to remain voiceless while sections of the press call her “ghetto,” “straight outta Compton,” and “un-royal” borders on complicit with the attacks. As does refusing to learn how to identify the existence of the very racism that fuels them.

If it’s not considered appropriate to acknowledge racism or racial ignorance when aimed at a mixed-raced senior royal, then how should the 54 countries of the Commonwealth and its predominantly Black, Brown, and mixed population feel about the realm’s figurehead belonging to an institution that claims to celebrate “diversity” but in practice appears to uphold white supremacy? And if the lack of awareness Harry described to Oprah is true, then were race-related public duties, including Prince William recently calling out racism in British soccer and Prince Charles speaking out about racism in architecture in 2000, simply performative? It’s hard to forget that across the full lineup of working royals, all failed to acknowledge last year’s Black Lives Matter movement, which saw just as much protesting across the United Kingdom as the United States.

A brief, 61-word statement shared on behalf of the queen by the palace on March 9 revealed that the family is “saddened” by how challenging recent years have been for the Sussexes. But with the note also admitting that the family are somehow only just learning of the “full extent” of the couple’s experiences, isn’t it all a bit late? With yet another “commoner” leaving the House of Windsor emotionally battered and bruised, the palace has continually proven itself to be unable to empathize with any person who crumbles under the pressures of its outdated and unreasonable expectations. A glass-half-full view is that recent events could perhaps serve as a catalyst for change (and I hope they are). But given Harry’s own admission that his family is trapped within a “system” so fearful of the British press and public that they’re often unable to live up to their own ideals, is it actually time for us to just finally set them free?

[unironicduncanstan]

Randi’s Kustom Kandi! (Comes with free stickers!)

🌈💖 Hello, I’m a queer autistic low-income artist selling completely customized Kandi bracelets for $1 a piece ! 💖🌈

😘 Details and how to start your order below 😘

💲 COST: Pony bead bracelets, with colors, b&w words, or plain star beads, are $1 each, no taxes, just $1.00 flat. The use of colored letters and iridescent stars are $1.25. As of right now to keep stock up, bracelets consisting of Only star beads aren’t available to order. Charm options are not yet available, but will eventually be added, and prices may range. This is all just based on how much it costs to buy the beads to make these bracelets! 💲

📦 SHIPPING: Each order will end up with a different estimate for shipping costs, based on where you live, and how many bracelets you order. I ship through USPS and I should be able to ship almost anywhere, but the further away you are, the higher shipping will be. I’m shipping out of Kansas. Domestic shipping will probably start at around $3 - $8, international shipping will just have to depend. If you want an estimate before starting an order, just give me your address and an idea of how many bracelets you might want, and I’ll get back to you asap. 📦

🤷‍♀️ AVAILABILITY: I have a full rainbow array of pony beads including b&w, some neons and pastels too, I have a nice color range of star beads including b&w and transparent, and some iridescent star beads as well, and then for letters I have black on white, white on black, color on black and color on white. A lot of these can be seen in the example image above!  🤷‍♀️

IMPORTANT TO NOTE;;; My pony beads are all around 6x4mm, and the letter beads are 6x6mm. This is considered somewhat Small for kandi bracelets. This isn’t a choice I made to skimp out, this size is actually more expensive and harder to find than the usual 6x9mm, I just very much prefer this size to work with and wear. It’s only a tad bit more subtle, but it fits most people a lot better and I would Definitely recommend it for people with smaller wrists or who are just starting out with Kandi.

🤔 HOW TO ORDER: So basically, how you choose to tell me the pattern you want is up to you, you can draw it out if you want or just try to explain it with words, or whatever else works. Once you explain what you want, I’ll show you what beads I have that match your request, and you can decide what you want out of those options. 

An example could be; “I would like a bracelet with a repeating pattern of red and blue pony beads, with the word PLUR in black on white letters, and two pink stars on each side, just like this!” 

To which I might say; “Ok, here I have 2 shades of red and 4 shades of blue, and I have plain pink stars or iridescent pink, which ones would you like me to use?” and then I’d show you a picture of all of these colors for you to decide! Once we have all your bracelets planned out, I’ll ask for a few more details to give you your total price. Then once the payment goes through, I’ll start working! Whenever your bracelets are all complete, I’ll send you pictures of the finished products to make sure you like them (if not I’ll redo at no extra charge). After you give the OK, I’ll ship them out! (You can also ask for some ‘random/surprise me’ bracelets if you aren’t sure of any patterns, of course.)

What I have in stock might vary, I will try to update this post as that goes, so please make sure to visit this posts SOURCE instead of a reblog before you start an order to check for availability. Please send your order requests to THIS blog, through PM if you can. If you want an alternate way of communication, contact me however you can and we’ll go from there. I have discord, facebook messenger, email, etc. 🤔

🤷🏻 WHAT ELSE I NEED: When confirming your order, I’ll need your shipping address. I’ll then be able to calculate shipping cost and give you a full price. (Again, zero hard feelings if you can’t afford the price I give, like, bad vibes in the NEGATIVES, been there done that, and I’ll be available if you ever do have the funds, but please understand I can’t change shipping costs, I really would make it free if I could.) After that I’ll ask for your paypal and send a payment request, once that payment goes through is when I start your order! I’ll have to ask a few more questions, like your wrist measurements (or an estimate, since the bracelet is made of elastic it’ll have a decent amount of stretch, but this may warp how spaced your beads are if it’s too inaccurate.), and i’ll need your first and last name (it doesnt have to be a legal name, just something to put on your package). 🤷🏻

📫 SHIPPING TIME: Once again, this will depend on how far you are, and because of c0v1d it may be more delayed than expected. I’ll try to send you a tracking number as soon as your item ships. 📫

📿 CHARMS: If you’d like more options, the best solution I’ve been able to think of for now is that if you’d like, you could surf Ebay, Etsy, Etc. till you find some charms you’d want me to use, and then if you’re okay with covering the cost to get them (typically $5 to $15 for a decent lot) and then waiting a bit extra for me to receive them, I would have no problem using those for you! :) Someday I’d really like to stock up on popular charms to have more choices available, but I don’t quite have the funds quite yet. Thank you for your understanding. 📿

😷 ALLERGY/SENSITIVE SKIN NOTICE: I seal small parts of my bracelets to reduce the chance of breakage. I use a very tiny drop of Loctite Super Glue Gel on the knot. This glue does not keep the beads from moving freely or lock them into place, it’s used sparingly as a sealant. If you ever receive a bracelet that is locked or sticky, I would fully refund you and offer to send another. You can also absolutely opt out of this, Just add “No glue” somewhere to your order. Just be warned that your bracelet will be less protected from breakage. 😷

❗ DISCLAIMER: Either way, I cannot take responsibility for a bracelet eventually breaking down. Kandi and elastic bracelets in general are a bit prone to snapping, but mostly over time and especially if used in rave settings. I use high quality jewelry elastic from amazon, very high rated and recommended by other Kandi makers, and I knot them 3 times, so mine should last as long as they possibly can. Please make sure your wrist measurements are as accurate as they can be, and please be gentle when taking them on or off, just being careful will help prolong it’s usage by a lot. Now if a bracelet arrives broken, I will of course replace it, no extra charge. ❗

🦄 STICKERS: Order 5 bracelets and get one free sticker! Order 10 and get two, so on and so forth in a pattern of 5. The stickers are hand cut by me from large books and sheets, so the edges might look odd but the sticker itself should be unharmed. These are completely random, and based loosely around a scenecore aesthetic. Most are pretty ‘medium’ sized, but they do range quite a bit. 🦄

✍ CONTENT: Kandi, scene and rave culture, is in a general sense, a very upbeat and supportive based environment. I do not want to make bracelets with negative messages on them. I will obviously NEVER make any with hate speech or rude remarks, but beyond that, please keep your phrases positive. If you want something thats meant to fight hate, like “kill all n*zis” or something, I'm not opposed to that as it’s for justice, it’s just that most Kandi is focused on ‘happy party vibe’ messages. As far as media or interests, like if you want a bracelet that says “Gir” or “100 gecs”, or uses ship names, etc. I will not deny you any interest you choose. BUT, I am personally uncomfortable with d.dl/g and won’t make bracelets based on that, nor will I ever make bracelets supporting ped0ph1lic or 1ncestu0us content, including if they’re based on medias or fictional ships. As far as pride bracelets, I would LOVE to make those for you, and I will Never deny working with your identity, pronouns, etc. once again, unless it’s a p/ed0 flag or something. I will never deny working with any mental or physical disability/illness or other kind of divergency pride. Race and/or religion pride is also great except for “White pr1de” because of the violent connotations behind that concept. NSFW Kandi is fine, cussing is fine, I hope this goes without saying but please only ask for Kandi with a slur on it if you can reclaim that slur, and overall, just be mindful with what you ask for if you plan to wear it in public settings like raves. If you have any controversial ideas you felt this didn’t cover, please feel free to ask, I will not get angry at you for your request, even if I have to deny it. ✍

Thank you for reading! I look forward to doing business with you 😊

[everybodyscupoftea]

this is the life

ole miss rafe x reader

you and your boyfriend deal with your ~futures~

literally no one asked for this lol, i’m sorry

(warnings: cursing)

Your animal and dairy sciences seminar had a report due that you’d stayed up very late making last minute edits to because you were stressed it was really bad. The next morning was brutal. Not only was in an 8 a.m. lecture, but your coffee machine was out and you overslept, barely giving yourself enough time to get to class before the professor checked attendance.

You slid into your seat, out of breath, just as started scanning the seating chart for attendance. The boy who sits next to you turned to ask, “Library was backed up this morning?”

“What?” you asked, halfway paying attention, still scrambling to get your notebook out.

“Since you’re running late, I’m assuming it’s because the library was busy when you went to print your report.”

Your stomach dropped and you swore, “Fuck. I forgot to print it. Fucking fuck. I submitted it online but I forgot we needed to hand him a physical copy too. Oh god I can’t afford to fail this class.” You were getting worked up and the boy was starting to look more and more like he regretted talking to you in the first place.

“I mean he’s pretty chill, so I’m sure if you explain he’ll let you bring it by his office later.”

The boy had a point, but you were already too far gone. For the rest of the class, you were unfocused, and if someone asked you what he lectured on, you’d have no clue, so preoccupied with rehearsing how you were going to beg him for an extension. You only had one other class, and you’d definitely be able to print it out and run it to him between them, but that was depending on if he let you.

Just as class was ending, your phone vibrated in your hoodie pocket, and you checked it, immediately calmed at seeing a text from your boyfriend. Rafe sent Can’t wait to see you this weekend and whatever had a grip on your chest loosened enough for you to take a full breath for the first time since waking up.

After speaking to your professor and his reassurance that you didn’t really need to worry much about the written report, that it was just to ensure everyone had it turned in prior to class, you left, much happier, but the exhaustion hitting you straight in the gut.

Thankfully, all you had left that day was a communication elective and then to drive to Rafe’s apartment in Oxford. He’d convinced you to make the trip because he wanted to show you around the place he’d called home for four years after leaving behind his “hometown trauma.” His words.

Your class flew by, people were giving speeches and you’d given yours Wednesday, so you sat there mindlessly, half asleep, until she dismissed the class for the weekend. Stopping back by your apartment to pick up your overnight bag, you decided to last minute check your PO Box, it had been a while. To your shock, you actually had mail, and when you saw the return address, the sick feeling returned to your stomach.

There was about a two-hour drive to Rafe’s apartment from Starkville, and you had the option of opening the letter containing either the best news or the worst news of your life before the drive or at Rafe’s apartment. Part of you wanted to know then, but a stronger part of you wanted to be with Rafe so he could comfort you if necessary.

Instead of making a decision, you felt your tired brain could not, you called Rafe. He answered before the second ring and you couldn’t help yourself.

“I see that receptionist job taught you some useful skills.”

“What?” he asked, sounding confused.

“Answering my calls fast, that’s good because my time is money.”

Rafe sighed, “Can I help you?”

“Someone’s mad. But, yes, should I open the letter from the vet school now or wait until I get to Oxford.”

You heard some shuffling around before he answered, “You think you can wait? I actually have something to tell you too.”

“Yeah, um, sure,” you were a little worried, “Is everything okay?”

“I think so. We just need to talk.”

“Right, talk, are you sure everything’s good?”

“Yeah, stop worrying. Just drive on over.”

You had been excited to go visit, but after that phone call you wanted to go back to bed. With a deep sigh, you rubbed your eyes with the heels of your hands and slumped backward. Blinking away the spots, you buckled up, pit in your stomach, and drove to your favorite coffee shop in Starkville. If shit was going to go down in Oxford you were going to have your comfort drink.

StrangeBrew’s drive-thru was packed and you tapped your fingers anxiously on the steering wheel as you waited to order your blueberry cobbler cold brew with soy milk. Right as the barista handed you the to-go cup, your phone vibrated and Rafe had sent drive safe!! <3. The fuck did that mean in the context of your earlier phone conversation?!

The drive to Oxford was boring as hell. You’d made it before, a band you liked had played there one night, and you and some friends had made the reluctant trip to see them. Turning on your podcast, you focused on nothing but the drive, pushing aside relationship doubts and the growing anxiety about the letter sitting in your passenger seat.

You called Rafe when you got close, and he was waiting outside his building when you finally found a visitor’s spot. He jogged over to grab your overnight bag and bent down to give you a quick kiss, before greeting you with, “Hey, baby, how was the drive?”

“Boring as fuck, nothing new.”

“Went smoothly?”

“About as smooth as possible. I’ve had to pee for the last like 40 minutes though, so it’d be great if I could do that now.”

He laughed and turned to walk to his building, motioning for you to follow him. You did, scampering a little to keep up with his long strides, and he unlocked a door on the first floor, holding it open for you, “Bathroom’s down the hall to the left.”

Rafe was sitting on the couch when you made it back out to the living room, and you finally took a good look at him. His laptop was on the coffee table and he was wearing a pair of Ole Miss sweats, a worn-out t-shirt, and a pair of glasses you were unaware he needed.

“Take a picture,” he interrupted your train of thought and you rolled your eyes.

“Shut up, Cameron. Now, tell me what you want to talk about so I can open my letter.”

“No, open your letter first and then we’ll talk.”

You weren’t sure why he was so insistent or why your heart rate tripled, but you were pretty sure it wasn’t the coffee. With shaking hands, you held up the letter from the MSU Vet School. All of your undergrad work came down to that letter, whether you’d have to take a gap year and try to find work to apply again or whether you could move forward in your career path.

Rafe watched on eagerly as you carefully tore it open and started reading. Eyes jumping across the page, unable to focus, you barely made out, Congratulations and We welcome you and We look forward to seeing you next fall.

With a gasp, you launched yourself at an unprepared Rafe and latched on, arms wrapped around his neck. He ran his hand up and down your back soothingly and asked, gently, “Good news?”

“I’m going to Vet School,” you whispered, voice cracking in the middle of your sentence.

“Fucking right you are, my little Rockstar.”

Your face heated up and you buried it in the crook of his neck, feeling a weight lift off your shoulders. Only to come crashing back down a few seconds later as you remembered Rafe wanted to talk. Pulling back slowly, you asked, “So, what was it you wanted to talk about?”

His face lit up and he leaned forward, hanging on to you so he didn’t accidentally dump you onto the floor, and grabbed his laptop. Clicking to his email, he showed you the message he had pulled up from Mississippi State University Department of History Admissions.

“So, you know I’ve been interested in teaching,” he started, “and I’m debating whether I’d like to teach college or not.”

“Yeah, last we talked, you were leaning toward college professor, right?”

“Right. Well, I applied to a few schools that had a PhD program I was interested in, and I heard back from my top choice.”

Your mind was racing, still not connecting the dots, until he motioned at his laptop. Looking back down, you skimmed the email, telling him that he’d been accepted into MSU’s PhD in European History program and gasped, turning back to him in excitement, “No way?!”

“Way,” he told you, wide grin on his face.

Jaw dropped, your mind raced to put together a coherent thought, “How long have you been planning this?”

“The program is good, this isn’t a new thought, but MSU obviously jumped up my preference list to the top after we got together.”

“Fuckin whipped,” you teased and he tilted your chin down to kiss you.

Pulling away he brushed some of your hair back, “Only for you.”

As he leaned in again, you were the one to pull back, “Wait, we have to celebrate!”

Rafe groaned, “No, let me kiss you.”

“No! I want food, I spent the entire ride thinking I was going to get dumped when I got here.”

He furrowed his eyebrows, “What?”

“We need to talk,” you quoted, “that’s one scary fucking sentence, Cameron.”

He smiled sheepishly, “Sorry, sweetheart, I just wanted to keep it a surprise.”

“Well you did.”

Rafe leaned in to kiss you again and pulled back to add, “You really think I’d make you drive all the way here, just to break up with you. I’m wounded you think that lowly of me.”

“You are an asshole.”

Rolling his eyes, he pinched your cheek gently, “Be nice to me, I’m sacrificing my dignity and lowering myself to Mississippi State’s standards.”

Blinking a few times in surprise at his sudden switch, you told him back, “Fuck off, I’m sure you were last choice as soon as they saw where you got your undergrad degree.”

Without saying anything else, he kissed you again, gripping behind your knees and shifting so your back was on the couch. As he lowered himself down on top of you, you decided that food could wait. You had your future to celebrate.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

There is a part of me that wants to reach into the TV and grab not just Joe Manchin by the throat, but Pramila Jayapal too…not to mention every single one of the talking-heads who have been wringing their collective shirt-fronts all week as Democrats have tried to get their act together to pass this goddamned infrastructure bill and whatever they’re calling the reconciliation bill this week.

And then I remember that at least they’re trying to get something done.  They’re doing it the way Democrats always do – by forming and reforming circular firing squads while never quite getting around to picking up guns and shooting each other – but at least they’ve got a goal, and at least that goal actually means something.  They’re old-fashioned in that way, aren’t they?  Trying to Do Good for the American People.

You almost forget that was what not only Democrats, but the United States Congress used to do on a regular basis.  Remember the Environmental Protection Administration?  It was created by an executive order issued by none other than Richard Nixon on July 9, 1970.  The House and Senate held hearings that summer and voted to ratify it later the same summer.  The EPA began operations on December 2, and its first administrator, William Ruckelshaus, was sworn in two days later.

How’s that for getting things done, huh?  A Republican president and a Democratic House and Senate actually coming together in less than 6 months to create an entirely new department of government that everyone seemed to agree was necessary and a good thing.

Compare that to the Affordable Care Act.  Announced by President Obama in his first address to a joint session of Congress in February of 2008, it took two years to pass, without a single Republican voting for it.  Not one.  The day after its passage, before it was even signed into law, Republicans introduced a bill to repeal it.  They would go on to vote more than 60 times to repeal all or parts of the ACA over the next seven years.

Today, some 26 million Americans who would not otherwise be able to afford health care are protected under provisions of the ACA, including expanded Medicaid.  Thirty-nine states, including Washington D.C., have expanded Medicaid coverage under the ACA.  Twelve states, all controlled by Republicans, haven’t expanded coverage, a fact that has had very deadly consequences across rural America since the onset of the COVID epidemic.

I’ve spent much of the day watching MSNBC on the television or at least listening to it in the background.  I hardly have to go into detail about all of the machinations that have consumed Capitol Hill all week, with Manchin finally coming out with his “number” and Sinema still silent about hers, the seeming recalcitrance of the Democratic Progressive Caucus over linkage between the infrastructure bill and passage of the reconciliation bill by the Senate – in short all the squabbling that has been going on, overseen by the amazing Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, and President Joe Biden from the White House.

But at least they’re squabbling over something that sets out to correct deficiencies in this country that a large percentage of Americans agree need correcting.

Republicans aren’t squabbling at all.  They’re just sitting back waiting as they did with the ACA to vote “no.”  If I hear “failure is not an option” one more time, I’m going to spit, but at least it’s a cliché that’s true.  Democrats are trying -- in the great and honorable tradition of Yesteryear, when Washington D.C. and the United States government existed to do things like protect the environment, provide healthcare to needy people, bring horrors like segregation to an end and protect people’s civil rights – to get things done that need to be done.  And because of that, failure is indeed not an option.

For Republicans, on the other hand, failure is the point.  Mitch McConnell said as much when he announced in May that “One hundred percent of our focus is on stopping this new administration.”  They’re not merely the “party of no.”  They’re the party of destruction.  They want to take away women’s right to control their own reproductive lives.  They want to take away the right to use contraception, for crying out loud.  They want to take away the right to vote.  Even now they want to take away the long agreed upon bedrock principle of democracy that if you win the most votes, you win the election.

The bills that are up for passage by the Congress really are a breaking point for this country.  Passage in some version by the House and the Senate represent not only the possibility of improving roads and bridges and people’s lives.  It is a test of whether our system of government is healthy enough to survive.

Stick with it, Democrats.  Failure is not an option.