#Kevin R Free is perfect

[bearfacedcheek]

Just discovered and am immediately obsessed with the Murderbot Diaries. Very excited for a tv show but am concerned about a) how they'll convey murderbot's sardonic internal dialogue, social anxiety, and media addiction b) casting one of the world's hottest men as a genderless secunit, that said I love Skarsgård as an actor as well as person of extreme pretty so hopefully he'll pull it off. c) also, I'll accept a white murderbot because his colouring isn't specified (at least not to book 4) so its whatever but most of the human characters are described as dark skinned in the books so the cast better reflect that That said I can't wait for this show

[denimdepression]

very happy that the All Systems Red audiobook is narrated by Kevin R. Free

[catboygretzky]

Exyblr Dashboard Simulator based on what I personally see on sportsblr:

1/?

👑 girlbossriko follow

how many bro jobs do you think it took before riko moriyama and kevin day realized that uh.....maybe this wasn't just a bro thing

👢exyinaphonebooth follow

how many times do they have to come out and say they're like brothers before you freakos stop shipping them

👑 girlbossriko follow

????? do i know u

#it's a tumblr post about two exy players that you'lll never meet in your life it really isn't that deep

558 notes

💃fox-me-up follow

ngl that newest fox is kinda 👀

#psu lb #exy lb

8 notes

👨🏻‍❤️‍💋‍👨🏻 talk-exy-to-me

The NARRATIVE that kevin day and neil josten have........son of exy! scouting the rookie-est of rookies from fuck knows arizona........no listen you dont GET IT winning is EVERYTHING TO KEVIN and he would risk it on the foxes? And NEIL? who has only played exy for a year! NEIL Gets his attention!!!!! And hes good and he's getting better every game and he keeps bitching about kevin's ex on live tv BUT WAIT!???? NOT QUITE WHAT YOU EXPECT! Bc then neil shows up with a number on his cheek BECAUSE WELL it turns out they've known each other since they were KIDS! how is everyone not insane w me THEY'RE LITERALLY PERFECT

#where r my fellow njkd truthers #how r u all not here with me this isnt even the start #kevneil #210 #psu #njkd

102 notes

☀️ usctrojanny

every smiley blonde striker (jeremy knox) needs a brunette wet cat emotional support backliner (jean moreau)

#jerejean #usc trojans #i'm just saying 🤷‍♀️

58 notes

👸🏻 kevindazed follow

did he just......

👸🏻 kevindazed follow

guys please tell me i'm not insane

👸🏻 kevindazed follow

HE'S NEVER BEEN????? SKIIING???? KEVIN WHAT DOES THAT MEAN ?????? KEVIN PLEASE

#i i'm going insane i will literally die if someone doesn't explain this to me HE'S NEVER BEEN SKIING?!!!!

407 notes

🧚 goalie-stan

oh....i'm feeling so weak......it'd sure be nice to have a big strong goalie (renee walker) hold me up (renee if you're free on tuesday i am also free on tuesday.........on tuesday this tuesday, any tuesday?)

#literally passing out just thinking about her holding me don't call don't text i'm busy

84 notes

🌄 softkevinday follow

do u think if u offered kevin day essential oils to heal his hand he'd beat you to death

#it'd be hard for him bc he only has one hand but he could probably do it #legally this is a joke don't do this

284 notes

🗣️ jeremyknoxes follow

feeling normal

215 notes

📜 realexyblog

actually exy rpf is fine, i asked kayleigh day herself and she told me it was fine

112 notes

🐋 sexyexy

'exy is a stupid name for a sport' have you considered that a) i don't care and b) it's named that solely so i can make sex jokes about it

11 notes

🏳️‍🌈 gay4stickball follow

is he, ya know *mimes jerking off* an ncaa exy player

#i don't believe that straight exy players exist

56 notes

🙈 ittybittyminny follow

Andrew Minyard!!!!!!! 🥰🥰 short king!!!!🤏🤏😋😋 Awwwwwwww the scrunkly!!!!! 🤗🤗🤗 My boinky boy!!!!!🥺🥺 Crinkly doo,,,,shronkle scrimblo......🥺🥺🥺 rb if you'd scrunkle!!!!!!! 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

📖 sapphic-exy follow

he literally killed someone

🙈 ittybittyminny follow

And? God forbid women do anything

#also no proof he did that #yeah there's proof his twin bro killed someone but that's not the same bc theyre different people #almost killing someone doesnt count

807 notes

🐦‍⬛ edgarallenexy

got told i'm problematic for liking the ravens? THAT'S LITERALLY MY SCHOOL OH MY GOD

2 notes

🌸 softexy

Kevin Day - A Study

#kevin day #psu foxes #palmetto foxes #exy #web weave #poetry #psu foxes #palmetto #edgar allen

378 notes

[giraffecatfish]

Cecil Baldwin looks exactly like he sounds and Cecil Palmer also looks exactly how he sounds, but not like Cecil Baldwin in the slightest. Dylan Marron looks like he sounds, but Carlos doesnt, he looks like Kevin R Free looks(but with more hair). Kevin R Free doesnt look like he sounds, but Kevin does look like he sounds, which is like Dylan Marron looks (but with more blood and teeth). that makes perfect sence

[riseandfallofsecunit]

I love the Murderbot audio books for a lot of reasons, but one of the biggest is that it’s so perfect to listen to while running/exercising. It’s fun and adventurous and the narration is so great you can get lost in it and forget you’re essentially torturing yourself. Also Kevin R. Free is the perfect narrator <3

[julianalvarez9]

"don't you know what you're doing to me? " "you look good with my hands around your throat." w Ruben Dias pls

attention / rúben dias

summary: wearing your brother's best friend's jersey, in normal circumstances, wouldn't mean anything other than your support for the club where your brother plays. except, you have a slightly more complicated relationship with the owner of the last name displayed in your back.

pairing: rúben dias x stones!reader

prompts: "don't you know what you're doing to me?" + "you look good with my hands around your throat" from this list.

mentions of: unestablished relationship, bit of vulgar language, implications of past sexual encounters (?

author's note: not as smuttish (? as i'd like it to be, but i loved the concept of rúben x stones!r too much 😮‍💨 if anyone has any ideas or concepts for this pair i'll work on them right away 🙏🏻

wc: 1.2k

you never really cared what you wore inside your home, which you shared with your older brother, john. it was always baggy shorts or joggers, depending on the weather, and a random shirt: more often than not, belonging to his wardrobe, fitting you like a dress due to the size difference between john and you.

but today, you did it on purpose.

you knew messing around with rúben wasn't the smartest idea: not only due to him being a footballer, which was bad enough on its own, since your brother made you swear when you were fifteen that you'd never date one, but because he was your brother's best friend.

and if the whole ordeal wasn't bad enough for you, rúben had the audacity of ghosting you for a week, before coming to see your brother, not even sparing a glance at you.

truth was, last time you two were together, his mind slipped. he had told you the infamous three words in the heat of the moment, and although you two hadn't discussed it when you finished your funny business, rúben was punishing himself for it. he knew he said it because he meant it, but he also knew that there was no possibility of you two ever getting together. that's what you had told him from the start: "1. we're not friends. 2. no feelings involved. 3. john can't know".

so, it was understandable, from an outsider's point of view, why he was trying to distance himself from you, but since rúben never told you the reason, you were pissed. rightfully pissed.

that was the reason behind today's attire: shorts and rúben's number 3 on your back.

when john saw you this morning, at breakfast, he didn't even spare a glance. he knew you had a few jerseys belonging to his teammates, including a kevin de bruyne one that you cherished with your life, almost never wearing it, only on special occasions. but john had seen you repping the dias surname on your back, and not once questioned it. not even today, when he knew that his friend would be coming to play some video games, enjoying the free day off training that the team got after the fa cup final won the day before against man united.

staying seated on the couch after breakfast, wasting time scrolling on your phone wasn't strange behavior for you, either. you stayed there until you heard your brother open the door and greeted his friend in, giving you the perfect excuse to go back to your room: they were gonna play their video games for hours, and you weren't about to be hours on end looking at a screen, enduring the angry shouts of two grown men.

you jumped up, picking up your phone and water bottle to go, just when rúben was walking onto the living room now, happily chatting to john until he saw you standing there. you waved, displaying a friendly smile on your face, even if your blood was boiling at the sight of the portuguese who couldn't even text back, but who could come to your house so shamelessly -even if he wasn't planning to see you. still, you made sure that he could see your figure disappearing when you left the room, and with it, his name clearly printed across your back.

you weren't even thinking about rúben anymore the next time that you exited your room. you simply were trying to get to the kitchen to refill your water bottle, and you did just that. yeah, it should have seemed a little strange to you that you couldn't hear any shouts from your brother's best mate, but you attributed it to the fact that he was generally calmer than john; he was competitive, but not at your brother's level. you didn't think anyone could match him, to be honest. so, it shouldn't have surprised you to find him, seated on your bed when you came back to your room, but still, it did.

"you're doing it on purpose, aren't you?" he questions, his tone not wavering once. you try not to look into his face when he gets closer, bringing you all the way into the room to close the door behind you softly, as to not raise suspicions. when you murmur a soft "i don't know what you're talking about" you can't see how his browns crease due to your gaze being focused on the ceiling above to avoid his eyes. he can still see the lie painted all across your face, and most importantly, the proof resting on your figure, so he forcefully angles your face by your jaw to finally connect his brown eyes with yours.

the act takes you by surprise, and you shove his hand out of your face. "what the fuck, rúben!?" you whisper-shout, and you worry when you remember your brother's not too far away from the room in which you two are in.

he scoffed. "don't ignore me now" rúben scolds, and you roll your eyes at him, annoyed, which only infuriates him more. he has to stop his desire to smash his mouth into yours, because after a week, he does think he'd be able to stop, not even when his best friend could walk in on you any minute. "acting innocent now," he continues, holding onto your waist with a bruising force. "don't you know what you're doing to me? flaunting my name on your back" he says, tugging your shirt one, two, three times, with so much force you think he's gonna rip it off your body. "while i can't do anything about it?".

you laugh bitterly at his argument. "well, that's entirely your fault, big boy".

the mocking way you use to refer to him has him laughing bitterly and throwing his head back in resignation. "how is it my fault?", rúben questions, and it's like he genuinely doesn't know, which only fuels your anger more. "i don't know, maybe try not messing around with your best mate's little sister and then ghost her for a week, right?".

"stop with the attitude," he scolds, and his hand, previously grasping your cheeks to get your full attention, slides down your throat, pressing onto it lightly. you gasp at the small pressure, and his eyes shine with lust. "you look good with my hands around your throat, did you know that?".

he grins when your whimper at his filthy praise, and you use the small moment of distraction to reach for the back of his neck to draw him in. its been a couple of days now, longer than it has ever been since your little arrangement started, at least, so the kiss is anything but gentle, tongue and teeth clashing against each other. you know that, if you continue this path, your floor will be covered with your clothes and his, so yo need to stop it, with the last bit of clear judgment you have in your brain. "we're not fucking with my brother in the next room".

he laughs against your neck, and it has your neck erupting in goosebumps with the way his hot breath fan across your skin. "who said anything about fucking?" he asks, continuing with the neck kisses after the rhetorical question, and his touches leave you forgetting everything, including that your brother is probably looking for him.

"i won the game, rúben! 5-0!" john screams, and by the way it sounds so far away, you can breathe since he's still in the living room. "where the fuck are you?".

[loycspotting]

6. Ewan McGregor Movie Review: Trainspotting (1996)

We've made it to another year and it's a big one! That's right, Ewan only had two projects in 1995, but that's because our boy was extremely busy in '96. He released FOUR movies that year! What's really wild is that isn't even his record number for movies released in one year. 😱

A quick fun fact before we get started: The producer of "Trainspotting", Andrew Macdonald, has a cameo in the movie as a prospective renter. He was also the producer for "Shallow Grave"!

Genre: Crime/Drama

Rating: R

Director: Danny Boyle

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Jamie Lee Miller, Ewen Bremner, Robert Carlyle, Kevin McKidd, Kelly McDonald

Movie Review: The movie "Trainspotting" reunited Danny Boyle as director, John Hodge as screenwriter, and Ewan McGregor as leading man. "It is about a group of friends/heroin addicts living day to day in Edinburgh, Scotland. Their only goal is to score their next hit of the drug by any means necessary. The story is told from the perspective of the main character, Mark Renton, who attempts and struggles at getting clean. The movie is essentially a day in the life of an addict. Like a train wreck, you can't look away, even as the characters speed towards death. It's unflinchingly honest, gritty and captivating. It was also a smash hit! Nowadays, people primarily know Ewan McGregor for his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi but may not know that his role in Trainspotting is what actually launched his career.

Ewan Review: Ewan McGregor plays the main character Mark Renton aka Renton. Renton is a junkie who loves being a junkie. For him, there is no greater pleasure than being high. Though he sometimes realizes that sobriety is the better choice, he can't help but to fall back into addiction. He's a selfish asshole (a recurring theme with Ewan characters) who is friends with selfish assholes. Renton also has a sexual relationship with a child. The movie doesn't frame this relationship negatively or explore any repercussions so do with that information as you will. Ewan gives a stellar performance and even lost around thirty pounds for the role!

Screentime Percentage (Numbers are rounded to the nearest whole number): Ewan is on screen for a total of 52/94 minutes making his SP 55%. This is his highest score yet!

To Ewan or not to Ewan: Is the movie worth watching for Ewan McGregor content alone? Yes. Is it worth watching in general? Yes. Fair warning, the movie can be dry-heave inducing. There's nudity, graphic depictions of drug use, lots of blood, two feces scenes, and decaying bodies.

Where to Watch: "Trainspotting" is currently for rent on YouTube or you can watch it for free on soap2day. You can also stream it if you have a subscription to Paramount+, MGM+, or Amazon Prime Video.

Conclusion: "Trainspotting" is a movie deserving of its accolades. The writing is phenomenal, the actors gave it their all, the soundtrack is perfect, and the opening monologue is iconic. It's my belief that everyone should watch this movie at least once.

[cloverdaisies]

[🗝️] cloverdaisies’ navigation: the garden

➵ feel free to explore the garden & stay as long as you like ! ♡

[ (* )-my personal favorites / SEARCH! [🔎] FIC LIST SO FAR….. ]

‘TOSS YOUR DIRTY SHOES IN MY WASHING MACHINE HEART’

➵ OT11 / MULTIPLE MEMBERS

nowhere to run ⊹ horror *

— if the landline rings, remember to answer the questions 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭. you don’t want to be locked in a house with a masked killer. a tbz au based on & inspired by (scream 1996).

black heart ⊹ thriller

— a mysterious trio rules the night, masked in balaclavas armed with whatever they could get their hands on… one favor can reveal a whole lot more than you expect. this is not your first visit to the black hearted universe.

… NEXT

96’ ➵ SANGYEON

insanity ⊹ angst

— “i want you to make the darkness disappear. i want to drive to crazy. my love is dangerous.”

how to build perfect humans ⊹ thriller / romance * 2.3k

— somewhere in the f u t u r e, undercover agents are trailing the government creation of microchips, inserted into the human brain to collect information in order create a generation of ai that will infiltrate and eventually eliminate all need for the last survivors of the human race. time is ticking…

… NEXT

97’ ➵ YOUNGHOON

gingerbread man ⊹˚. fluff / 0.8k

— “a late night stroll through the xmas markets with boyfriend!younghoon, carols being sung in the distance, the smell of freshly baked gingerbread men and children building snowmen nearby; the feeling of christmas.”

… NEXT

97’ ➵ HYUNJAE

hey chat! ⊹ fluff / streamer au

— two streamers get paired to win a competition between their fellow streamers! most popular man on the app, jae.mp3 ! gets paired with smaller streamer y.n.xi ! will they win? or will they not be able to work together at all? let’s see how they get on! &lt;3

… NEXT

98’ ➵ JUYEON

slow it down ⊹ thriller

— hi (your name) you’ve been invited to play RACEFORTIME! do you accept yes or no? nerve au

nearly witches ⊹ angst

christmas lights ⊹ angst / fluff / 2k+

— the city was lonely, as they say home is where the heart is. as you return to see your childhood friends for the annual christmas get together, old faces resurface unhealed wounds that you wish you could rewind

series: genesis angst / fluff / post apocalyptic au

— ‘the world was destroyed by nuclear warfare, 177 years later the only survivors were those living in a large system of underground bunkers, with food supply running short and rationing proving no longer effective. the higher council decide to send the younger generation of juveniles to the surface to test the earth’s survivability.’

… NEXT

98’ ➵ KEVIN

earth to kevin ⊹ fluff / safe place au

— the boy that lives in outerspace has to make contact with the real world eventually, this short piece documents his small amount of contact with earth. when someone with a raincloud over their world collides with someone that lives in complete disassociation from reality.

… NEXT

98’ ➵ CHANHEE

# ur such an emo! ⊹˚. angst / fluff * / 4.1k+

— “a preppy boy meets his unconventional match in one of the school’s most hated emo’s. from lab partners to cleaning buddies: the events that caused social royalty to fall in love with someone from the very bottom of the high school food chain.”

… NEXT

98’ ➵ CHANGMIN

wish you were sober ⊹ angst / suggestive.

— “nineteen but you act 25 now. real sweet but i wish you were sober.” a ji changmin very lightly suggestive? angst? based on conan gray’s wish you were sober.

art class ⊹ fluff * 5k+

—“your crush on your art professor might be affecting your grades, he was just perfect but you’re just a student. how you accidentally fell in love with art class for the wrong reasons…”

… NEXT

00’ ➵ SUNWOO

media studies ⊹ fluff / diary au

— this document contains a letter to the pretty boy who sits quietly in the back of a poorly lit media studies classroom. ☆

fantasize ⊹ suggestive

— “i fantasize about it all the time if you were mine.. ♪” there was something about your coworker that made you want him, maybe it was his cherry red lips or every charming word that slipped from them - whatever it was, you couldn’t resist. ʚїɞ

piece of string ⊹ fluff

— dear sunwoo, autumn nights are always better when they’re spent with you. please don’t hide yourself, you know you’re safe with me.

… NEXT

00’ ➵ ERIC

trouble to me ⊹ suggestive ish

— should’ve known he was a bad guy, maybe all the red flags would be a good sign? are you really gonna let eric sohn take you on a test drive?

how to survive senior year ⊹˚. fluff * 5k+

— a chaotic how to guide on surviving high school with an 𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 crush on the skater boy with the locker next to urs.

COMING SOON…

97’ ➵ JACOB

𝗈𝗈𝗉𝗌 ! 𝗇𝗈𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗁𝖺𝗌 𝖻𝖾𝖾𝗇 𝗉𝗅𝖺𝗇𝗍𝖾𝖽 𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝗒𝖾𝗍!

99’ ➵ HAKNYEON

𝗈𝗈𝗉𝗌 ! 𝗇𝗈𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗁𝖺𝗌 𝖻𝖾𝖾𝗇 𝗉𝗅𝖺𝗇𝗍𝖾𝖽 𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝗒𝖾𝗍!

‘I KNOW WHO YOU PRETEND I AM’

I KNOW.. WHO YOU PRETEND I AM’

[contemplationofapoint]

Somewhere In A Song 10.16.24 By Kevin R. Mitchell

Different covers form same old books For reflections from disaffected youth Silently watching to exchanging looks Baselining structures for flashy hooks

Something buried in a report Of how what was used to be Willing memories to comport Foraging through what’s free

Living past on borrowed time Moving too fast to read signs Measure marking a finite line Stories from a forgotten tooth

Carbon copied triplicate Illuminated manuscripts Buy digitized adventures In divested dot dispersal

Giving life likened to rehearsal Playing paves against reversal Practicing forms a perfect path Winding down differential math

Dimensionless potential to a point Rasterized moments of will anoint Disjointed dreams shaving thought Sculpted into visions from what not

Starting to ending into some middle Embarking to win that golden fiddle Four two three’s classic times riddle Making deals as better lines to steal

Remembering into maybe how to feel Baselining structures for flashy hooks Silently watching to exchanging looks Different covers form same old books

Anointing stories for a misplaced tooth Form rejections from disaffected youth Starring in past strife from every booth Waves into reduction remain the same

[bisexualfagdyke]

HEAVY on shipping andreil with other ppl inherently mischaracterizes them!! i truly believe anyone who ships andreil with others just doesn't actually like them. not truly. and doesn't understand why their relationship works in the first place.

it's especially funny when ppl are like "you can see the remains of kandreil"... no u can't 🤨 andreil are both very clearly not into kevin lol and both also very clearly don't care about him anywhere near as much as they care about each other. he doesn't fit into their relationship at all lol. not to specifically hate on kandreil, its just that it's the most popular "andreil with other ppl" ship and ppl do try to argue that there's evidence in the book for it working when there's clearly not. like I said, I think anyone who sees kandreil in the books just doesn't GET andreil, yknow?

EXACTLYYYY ANON!!! EXACTLY MY THOUGHTS!!! Ur so real. You get it. Controversial, but I fear it is just the truth. It would never happen in canon, they don't work together, they are explicitly not interested in Kevin. If ppl r going to ship kandreil, they could at least acknowledge it is an entirely fanon ship that doesn't work and has no basis in canon (and you have to actively mischaracterise multiple characters to make it happen 🫣) .... when they insist there is implications of it in canon I kind of giggle bcuz like.... be serious. be so actually serious. I honestly feel like it's an insult to Kevin to consistently shove him into ships he doesn't fit into, like .... FREE HIM? 😭😭 if kandreil worked or was supposed to happen, it would be canon, bcuz it literally was in previous drafts, like... there is a Reason it isn't a thing in the final draft.

And then there's the specific ways that andreil work together, their mutual understanding of each other than nobody else quite gets. And then ofc Neil's demisexuality, which people love to ignore – this bothers me so much bcuz we barely have any canon aspec characters, nevermind demisexual SPECIFIC characters (and representation of acephobia), to erase that is so...... 🤕 like damn I lowkey hate you! Why are ur fanon ships and smut more important than canonical representations of asexuality, of an underrepresented queer identity? This is an issue that goes beyond just this fandom, also. People LOVE erasing aspec characters bcuz they're too obsessed w shipping and smut to just respect their canon identity. Anyway, andreil work together so specifically, they understand each other in a way nobody else understands them. They are perfect for each other and made for each other etc etc !!!! No other character could connect w Neil or Andrew like they connect w each other!!!

Tbh, I've never even understood the appeal of shipping andreil w other ppl bcuz they are so perfect together and they have a beautiful relationship. They are enough by themselves, together, with each other. They don't need anybody else, they don't need to be individually shipped with different people (this gets me worse than kandreil tbh. Like how DAREEE you separate them. Jail.) They are an incredible ship, they changed my life and have consumed my brain for Years. I, for one, would never change them or separate them >:(

[penna-nomen]

9 Favorite Books

Thanks for the tag @cultofsappho!

It was a pleasure to think about favorites, and it was a challenge. What can I say? English major who devours books, with 36 books marked as comfort reads in the Libby app! My favorites change at least monthly… So I went with some that are favorites because of the memories attached / impact on my life, and some that are favorite examples of a theme I enjoy.

Harold and the Purple Crayon series by Crockett Johnson - These are the first books I remember my Mom reading to me, and they're associated with my first memories of visiting a library. A couple of years ago I picked them up again to see if they were as delightful as I remembered, and they were! The themes of creativity wrapped themselves around my heart.

Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen - This was the book that shook my world my first year in college, when I'd decided that "literature" meant depressing. It was a shock to realize the book really was SUPPOSED TO BE FUNNY. This and books inspired by it are frequent re-reads for me. Runner up is If On a Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino, which I read my senior year.

The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett - My best friend in college recommended this when I mentioned that I was only reading class assignments and I'd gotten out of the habit of pleasure reading. The Discworld series pulled me back into reading for fun, and it inspired me to write again, so it will always have a place in my heart. Plus, Pratchett's style and sense of humor are truly amazing. And in case you're wondering, yes, I love Good Omens, too.

Absolutely, Positively by Jayne Ann Krentz - This represents my post-college romance phase. I picked this one because of the humor, the hints of sci-fi elements, and the fact that JAK's Seattle settings were one of the things that convinced me I'd like living in the Pacific Northwest. Runner up from my romance phase is Getting Rid of Bradley by Jennifer Crusie. I just this summer heard that she has new books out, and I really hope the new ones live up to my memories of snarky humor.

Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Li - Now we're moving on to themes and tropes I love. As a writer in the White Collar fandom, it's not a big surprise that I love a good heist story, and this one had excellent twists. Runner up is Little Thieves by Margaret Owen, which has a fantasy/fairy tale setting.

Paris Daillencourt is About to Crumble by Alexis Hall - This represents my love of stories about cooking and baking. Extra ingredients include romance, humor, and a well-balanced story about mental health. I've enjoyed several books by Alexis Hall, and I'm looking forward to reading more.

The Twelve Points of Caleb Canto by copperbadge on AO3 - Music, musicians, singers -- love, love love these elements. Plus a sweet love story for a neurodiverse character. Runner up is the Tinkered Starsong series by Gail Carriger -- so far I've read the first two books in the trilogy, and it's a fun combo of pop singers and sci-fi.

Artificial Condition by Martha Wells - I adore the whole Murderbot series, but if I had to pick a favorite, this would be it. This fills my need for sci-fi and snarky narrators, and sometimes it's nice to take a break from romances with an aroace lead character. And the audiobooks narrated by Kevin R Free perfectly capture the distinctive voice of Murderbot. These books got me through the time last year when I needed to escape from a toxic job and needed an escape from the pressures of job interviews. And I keep listening to the audiobooks now that I’m in a great job, because they're such perfection.

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune - This fills my need for gentle stories with limited conflict, the kind of stories that teachers used to tell me weren't valid. I have so many favorites in this category! Runners up include: A Psalm for the Wild-Built, Legends & Lattes, and Sal & Gabi Break the Universe.

Such a pleasure to think about books I love!

I'll gently tag @edupunkn00b and @silbrith and @thesymphonytrue if you want to participate

[cyarsk52-20]

FOOD & DRINK

So, Here Are Some Teas That Will Make Your Sex Life So Much Better

SHELLIE R. WARREN

MAR 22, 2023 07:00 AM EST

Even though we’re officially exiting one season (winter) and entering another (spring), that doesn’t mean that your tea game has to slow down. Aside from the fact that springtime tends to still have some pretty chilly nights, there is nothing like a tall glass of herbal iced tea that’s been sweetened with honey and a bit of fresh fruit on the days when it’s warmer outdoors.

And while we’re on the topic of teas, why not consume some that will make things hotter in the bedroom? Yep, there are certain ones out here (12 in this article) that have some strong data to support the fact that they can do wonders for your libido — on a few different levels.

So, after reading this, commit to picking up some loose-leaf tea (oftentimes it’s best). Boil for 20 minutes, let it cool, put it in a mason jar and let it steep for 48 hours (with your favorite sweetener). Then add some ice and take it all in. You’ll have an all-natural concoction that will get you maximum herb intake and quite possibly some pretty intense orgasms too (whew-whee!).

1. Ashwagandha Tea

If there’s one artist who tickles me as much as he low-key terrifies me when it comes to the random ish that comes out of his mouth, it’s Kevin Gates. On the laughing tip, I literally cried as I was reading the comments under this particular Twitter post because it’s clear that either he doesn’t know how to pronounce maca (maa·kuh) or ashwagandha (aash·wuh·gaan·duh) or he was really going out of his way to make the cadence work in this song. LOL. Anyway, he does help to prove the point that this herb is that one when it comes to boosting libido levels.

Since ashwagandha has a solid reputation for reducing stress and anxiety, improving athletic performance, and even making depression-related symptoms easier to bear, it would make perfect sense that it’s known for being an aphrodisiac too.

There are studies that support that it can be helpful when it comes to strengthening women’s orgasms, in part, by reducing vaginal dryness and discomfort during intercourse. Some studies reveal that it can help to increase testosterone levels in both men and women as well.

A word of caution on this one, though. If you’re diabetic, breastfeeding, have an overactive thyroid, or take sedatives, run this one by your physician first. As with just about any herb, ashwagandha can be potent and come with unwanted side effects for certain types of individuals.

2. Green Tea

Okay, so from what I’ve read and researched, on average, a cup of brewed coffee is gonna have somewhere around 96 mg of caffeine per cup while that same cup of green tea is gonna land at around 28 mg. So, if you’re someone who wants to ease off of caffeine a bit this year or you want a pick-me-up that doesn’t pack as big of a punch as coffee does, green tea will do it. Some other benefits include the fact that it’s loaded with antioxidants, it can help to improve your brain function, it fights off the free radicals that are in your system and it can help you to lose weight.

On the sex tip, aside from the fact that the caffeine that’s in it can give you a boost of energy on the days/nights when the mind is willing but the flesh is weak, green tea also can improve and increase blood circulation which results in longer erections for him and better orgasms for you.

3. Saffron Tea

The brief backstory on saffron is it’s a spice that comes from a flower. It’s said to have originated in Greece and is one of the most popular spices when it comes to cooking. It ain’t cheap, I’ll just tell you that now. Still, it’s got some benefits that are worth noting.

Saffron reduces body inflammation, helps with weight loss, is effective at minimizing PMS-related symptoms, helps to put you into a better mood, and is said to lower blood sugar levels and heart disease risks too.

The reason why the tea form of it made it onto this particular list is that some studies say that saffron is beneficial in naturally treating men who deal with erectile dysfunction (ED) while also improving the libido of women who take antidepressants.

4. Vanilla Tea

Vanilla tea is dope on a few different levels. It’s slightly sweet even without anything like sugar or honey in it. It contains quite a few antioxidants. It’s got a way of increasing your metabolism while decreasing your stress levels at the same time. It also contains properties that help to soothe your nervous system and improve your quality of sleep.

Since I already know that vanilla is an aphrodisiac scent, I’m not surprised at all that it’s also a libido booster in tea form. Some studies say that it helps to heal erectile dysfunction while increasing arousal. Others say that it can enhance a man’s sexual performance over time. 

And again, since the scent of vanilla alone can increase arousal in men by almost 10 percent, that sounds like a solid enough reason to have a sip — or two.

5. Damiana Tea

One day, I’m gonna share my journey with Damiens. I’ve had three in my lifetime and whew, chile. Anyway, when it comes to damiana tea, one of the things that it’s most known for is improving the quality of sex lives.

As a shrub that is quite popular in traditional Mexican medicine, damiana has been used for everything from bronchitis and fevers to fungal infections, anemia, and gastrointestinal issues.

What makes it a win in the sexual pleasure department is it contains a powerful amount of flavonoids (compounds that are found in fruits and vegetables) that can intensify your natural sex hormones. The stronger your hormones are, honey…I’m pretty sure that you already know the rest.

6. Cinnamon Tea

I can’t believe that it’s (almost) been four years since I’ve talked about how applying cinnamon essential oil on your partner’s genitalia can make for a really good time (hey, don’t knock it until you tried it; I talk about all-a-dat right here).

As far as cinnamon in tea form goes, it’s another one that’s filled with antioxidants. Cinnamon tea also helps to lower inflammation and blood sugar levels, contains powerful antibacterial and antifungal properties (which is great when it comes to treating tooth decay) and it can make period cramps less painful. As a serious bonus, it also helps to fight certain HIV-related strains (the more you know).

And what makes it great for your libido? For one thing, the lower your blood sugar levels are, the less stressed you’ll feel and the less constricted your blood flow will be; this means longer and more intense orgasms. Also, because cinnamon is spicy, the turn-up of heat in your body can also heighten your arousal levels.

7. Maca Tea

If you clicked on that Twitter link, you heard Kevin (attempt to) combine maca with ashwagandha — and honestly, that’s one hell of a combination, y’all. That’s because maca is well-known for being an aphrodisiac too.

Before getting into how/why, some other benefits of this herb are it helps to keep free radicals out of your system, improves your memory, and is also pretty good at reducing symptoms that are directly associated with menopause.

As far as coitus goes, it’s got all kinds of ways to improve it. Maca has been proven to increase a man’s sex drive, make sex more pleasant for postmenopausal women, improve a man’s sperm quality and put you and your partner into a better mood. So, if you’ve never had a good reason to try maca before, now you’ve got a few of ‘em.

8. Ginger Tea

Ginger is another popular spice that comes with some strong medicinal properties. That’s why a lot of people use it to treat motion sickness, keep their blood pressure in check, help keep cancer cells at bay, and to reduce bodily inflammation.

Since ginger is also seen as being a natural stimulant that increases blood circulation while reducing oxidative stress, it’s just one more tea that can help your sex life out. Oh, and if you’re trying to get pregnant, that’s another reason to add it to your diet. That’s because the properties of ginger can improve the quality of sperm while also strengthening ovarian follicles. How dope is that?

9. Rose Tea

If you’ve always wondered what rose tea is made from, you can literally create it yourself by steeping fresh rose petals. As far as the reasons why it can be good for your health, rose tea is high in vitamins C and E, it contains properties that help to lower your blood pressure, the polyphenols in it can help to reduce pain and discomfort, it can help to keep your skin radiant and your hair healthy and it’s a great immunity booster.

And why would your sex life appreciate it so much? Rosewater, period, helps to decrease stress and increase blood flow. The calmer you are and the more blood that’s flowing to your genital regions, the better your sexual experiences can be!

10. Spearmint Tea

Off the rip, one of the things that I like about any mint tea is it can help to make my breath smell fresher. When it comes to spearmint specifically, it gets applause for also treating motion sickness and nausea, lowering blood pressure levels and even improving your memory. Some other things worth noting are the fact that spearmint tea helps to fight bacterial infections and decrease the pain that’s related to arthritis.

Sex-wise, because spearmint tea is a stress reducer, it can also help you to feel calm and relaxed. And, since it also is known to be a hormone balancer, it can make getting in the mood easier when you’re PMS’ing or you’re going through menopause.

11. Ginseng Tea

If there’s any herb on this list that you probably already knew was good for your libido, ginseng would have to be it. We’ll get to why in just a moment. For now, let’s tackle some other reasons why you should consume it more (or more often).

Ginseng helps to do everything from reducing fatigue and fighting inflammation to improving brain function and strengthening your immune system. In fact, if you feel a cold coming on, a few cups of ginseng, very early on, can help to knock it right on out.

Your sex life will appreciate ginseng because it’s another tea that helps to treat erectile dysfunction by reducing oxidative stress that may be lurking around in a man’s blood vessels (especially in the ones down below). Ginseng is also a winner because it can give women more energy to even want to have sex. Definitely something to keep in mind on the days after work when you want some, but you need a pick-me-up to get the engines started (if you know what I mean).

12. Horny Goat Weed Tea

I mean, for real, though, anything that has the word “horny” in it must work…at least a lil’ bit, right? Believe it or not, horny goat weed (also known as Epimedium) is popular in the traditional Chinese medicine world and has been linked to helping people who deal with asthma, osteoporosis, PMS and Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s Diseases.

BY FAR (and yes, I am yelling it), what it’s best known for is getting bedrooms in check. It’s got a great reputation for naturally treating ED (which is why it has the nickname “natural Viagra”). It contains phytoestrogens which is a plant-based form of estrogen (which can help with natural vaginal lubrication, for starters). It can also balance out your cortisol levels (your natural stress hormone) and strengthen your libido. So, if feeling horny is what you want to do, horny goat weed can make that happen — and then some, chile.

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Featured image by Dean Mitchell/Getty Images

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SHELLIE R. WARREN

After being a regular contributor for about four years and being (eh hem) MIA in 2022, Shellie is back penning for the platform (did you miss her? LOL).

In some ways, nothing has changed and in others, everything has. For now, she'll just say that she's working on the 20th anniversary edition of her first book, she's in school to take life coaching to another level and she's putting together a platform that supports and encourages Black men because she loves them from head to toe.

Other than that, she still works with couples, she's still a doula, she's still not on social media and her email contact (missnosipho@gmail.com) still hasn't changed (neither has her request to contact her ONLY for personal reasons; pitch to the platform if you have story ideas).

Life is a funny thing but if you stay calm, moments can come full circle and this is one of them. No doubt about it.

Sent from my iPhone

[dollfat]

yoooooooo murderbot is narrated by kevin r free!! i totally missed that!! he's perfect for a sympathetic monster!!!!!

[ledebat]

Indulge in these delightful no-bake sugar-free lemon coconut truffles. They are a perfect blend of citrusy lemon flavor and the tropical goodness of coconut, all without the guilt of added sugars.

Ingredients: 1 cup shredded coconut. 1/2 cup almond flour. 1/4 cup coconut flour. 2 tablespoons powdered erythritol or your preferred sugar substitute. Zest of 1 lemon. 3 tablespoons lemon juice. 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Pinch of salt.

Instructions: Shredded coconut, almond flour, coconut flour, and powdered erythritol should all be mixed together in a bowl. Melt the coconut oil and add the vanilla extract, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt. Mix the ingredients together well until they are well mixed. Form the mixture into small balls about the size of truffles with your hands and set them on a tray lined with parchment paper. The truffles will get firmer if you put the tray in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. The truffles are ready to be served when they are firm. Put any food that you have left over in the fridge.

Kevin R

[inarpa]

August's books (IV)

So I finished the first four audiobooks of Murderbot and I am now with the long novel, Network Effect. I didn't remember a single thing of it, and with the narration of Kevin R. Free, it's like a new book for me and I'm enjoying it.

I also finished, Come Closer, by Sara Gran, and it was okay. Not scary at all, just spooky. For me was really straightforward, but a friend told me there was room for interpretation (?)

And then I submerged myself into a romance, Hellfriend, by Myriam M. Lejardi, which, in spite of the title, is in Spanish. Lejardi writes mostly romcoms full of queer people and fun and sex and deep messages. This one had less sex than I expected, but I devoured it in a weekend. It has demons and angels and the threat of an antichrist, so it was perfect after Good Omens 2.

Now I have started another novella, Thornhedge, by T. Kingfisher, one of my favorite authors. I have set aside Possession for now, because August has jumped on me and I have to read a long book for a bookclub!

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