#Mythical Millennial

[jula483]

love y'all ❤️

[fandomsandfeminism]

Be careful: nostalgia likes to link arms with fascism.

I've seen a lot of talk about how millennials are especially prone to nostalgia. How technology's rapid evolution left our childhoods as a distinctly different world than our present. How we cling to our childhood hobbies and IPs as a way to heal our inner children, etc etc.

And there's nothing inherently wrong with nostalgia. I still play pokemon games and am in the middle of rewatching Yu Yu Hakusho. You're allowed to love the things you grew up with.

But we need to be careful.

Conservatives, nationalists, and fascists *love* to evoke a ☆mythic☆ idealized past- when men were men, when America was great, upon which to build a fixed and solid identity. Any progress away from this idealized conception of the past is thus decay- corruption and ruin. Nostalgia underpins a fascists worldview and allows them to justify any violence against the forces that would further degrade society away from its perfect past. Protecting the past comes to justify all sorts of things in the present.

We need to be very careful about what we allow our nostalgia to mean to us, what we allow it to excuse or justify.

This is not *just* about Hogwarts Legacy, but Hogwarts Legacy is a good example of it. When you can invoke your nostalgia- that golden beautiful past where you felt safe and special- what are you willing to ignore? What harm are you willing to allow? What will you turn a blind eye to if doing so makes you feel like you've recaptured some of the magic from the past?

Tread carefully, friends. This HP bullshit may have been a test that you passed, but it will not be the last time when our sense of nostalgia may conflict with progress and morals. Always remember that you can love something from the past without letting it dictate the future.

[buckets-and-trees]

Bucky Barnes Collection

↠ Main Masterlist | Aspen's Ask Box | Field Guide to the Forest

Unless specifically noted, all of my stories feature a female reader insert character.

dividers by my lovely wife @rookthornesartistry

Series & Collections

FINE LINE a near-future dark omegaverse AU DARK STORY, omegaverse dynamics, scenes of dubious consent, angst, manipulation, blackmail, kidnapping, explicit smut

↠ part one: Give Up ↠ part two: Falling Away ↠ part three: Every Minute Of It

DEVOUR - complete soft!dark mob boss!Bucky AU explicit smut with feels

SERIES: ↠ salt, non/dub-con ↠ fat ↠ acid ↠ heat

MORE STORY: ↠ what happens after you go out with the girls (a few days after heat) ↠ mint (a week or two after heat) ↠ chocolate (a week after mint) ↠ yeast (tbd point after the series) custard (first winter holidays together)

CHOSEN - complete a modern AU with soft!dark, mystical, and cult elements eventual Bucky x curvy Millennial Female!Reader, Natasha x Reader scenes, Natasha x Reader x Steve scenes, Natasha x Steve SOFT!DARK STORY, cult themes, explicit smut (with feelings and without feelings), dubious consent and enthusiastic consent, veiled truths, gaslighting, entrapment, natural sleeping drugs

INSTALLMENTS: ↠Arrival [3.4k] ↠Lunch [3.2k] ↠Consideration [4.4k] ↠Semantics [3.4k] ↠ Preparation [3.2k] ↠ Procession [4.2K] ↠ Offering [3.2k] ↠ Binding [2.9k] ↠ Transformation

WARM SHADOWS - complete post-endgame omegaverse series Alpha!Bucky x omega!reader, Alpha!Captain Hydra x omega!reader, eventual Alpha!Bucky x omega!reader x Alpha!Steve DARK SMUT, tw: non con, tw: dub con, fluff beginning

↠ chapter one: When You Fall On Me Like Night [2.5k] ↠ chapter two: Let All Light Go [7.5k] ↠ chapter three: Carving Through the Dark [14.4k] ↠ chapter four: The Working of Your Hands [15.5k] ↠ epilogue: The Dawn Has Come [5k]

THE BROOKLYN BOYS - complete a post-endgame where Steve stays in the present rom-com drabble series, slow burn Bucky x reader, Steve x reader, eventual Stucky x reader

SERIES: ↠ 1: Bucky and the Bench ↠ 2: Steve and the Sandwich ↠ 3: Bucky and the Books ↠ 4: Steve and the Skyline ↠ 5: Bucky and the Brief Brush ↠ INTERLUDE ↠ 6: Steve and the Ballet ↠ 7: Bucky and the Shelves ↠ 8: Steve and the Blindside ↠ 9: Bucky and the Situation ↠ 10: Steve and the Best Friend ↠ EXITLUDE

MORE STORY: ↠ First Night [takes place immediately after part 10] ↠ Idle Hands [first fall/winter] ↠ Big Red Bow [a few days after their first NYE]

LITTLE LARK a modern mafia AU with dark elements mean Mafia!Bucky x curvy Millennial Female!Reader x mean Mafia!Steve

↠ Little Lark ↠ Bird on a Wire ↠ Bird Home in the Darkness

BUCK’S ELEVEN  a snapshot series, historical AU, Ocean’s Eleven-style heist premise mentions of ex-wife!Reader, Steve and many other Avenger cameos

↠ Buck's Eleven ↠ Bookings and Rings Steve x Pan Am Stewardess Reader [600 words, light smut] ↠ Good Luck the team [600 words]

DESPERATE TO DEVOTED a rivals to lovers post-TFATWS verse

↠ Desperate [3k] SMUT, dubious consent, sex pollen, kidnapping ↠ Uncertain and Sure [550] slight angst, feels, no smut ↠ Insatiable [1850] fluff and explicit smut ↠ Big Conversation [1.1k] little bit of fluff and sass ↠ Too Hot [700] light smut

Double-Shots

Sacrificial [3.5k] + follow up drabble: Do You Remember? Minotaur!Bucky x female!scientist!Reader modern/mythical AU, soft!dark, smut, monster fucking, tw: dub-con

Perfectionists[2.2k] + Test Play [1.8k] Game Designer!Bucky, modern AU, smut

What You Want [2.7k] + Now That I Saw You [4k] lawyer!Bucky x curvy!female assistant!reader modern AU

Talk [2k] + Feel [2.3k] Pleasure Dom!Bucky (modern AU), smut, BDSM

Parking Lot Chem [6.7k] + Camaraderie [3.4k] modern AU, raunchy!Bucky, smut, hook up culture

IN THE OPEN AIR  Out of These Waters [7.9k] + That Shore Up Above [will be continued TBD] Gender Bend Mermaid AU

One-Shots

Into Cursed Pixie Dust [9k] morally grey Winter Soldier, smut, tw: infidelity, tw: slightly dub con

Poison Blood from the Wound of the Pricked Hand [3k] Post TFATWS!Bucky, sultry but not smutty

Silent Screams in Wildest Dreams [8k] dark, ignore Endgame/Steve stays, smut, unhappy ending

Sweet and Slashy Summer Saturdays [3.6k]  modern AU, smut

He Bought a Studio [4.3k] Bucky x Natasha ignore Endgame Steve stays, 5 times x 1 time, smut and fluff

hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have [2k] DARK FIC, dark!Wanda + Bucky x gender neutral!Reader, non-con/dub-con smut

Parking Lot Chem [6.7k]  modern AU, raunchy!Bucky, smut, hook up culture

The Pool Party Op [1.2k] post-TFATWS Bucky, smut

Meet Cute [2.2k]  modern AU, first piece in the Trader James Collection

Saturday Night Movie Marathon [2.4k] modern au, smut

Don’t Blame Me [<1k] smut, tw: infidelity

All the Pieces Fall [3.4k] unidentified male main character x female!reader modern AU, second chance, smut

Drabbles

Bound demon!Bucky x female!reader, smut, monster fucking

Tactics [650] TFATWS era Bucky, character study

Crimson Mornings [500] Bucky Barnes x female!Reader x Ari Levinson, smut

taking care of Bucky after a mission [400] gn!Reader insert, fluff

Christmas Eve Eve[1.1k] gn!Reader insert, fluff

Coffee Shop Meet-Cute Request [1.1k] post-TFATWS!Bucky Barnes x female!Reader, fluff

Imagines, Thoughts, etc.

Nose-brush forehead kisses  post-TFATWS!Bucky Barnes x Reader, fluff

Other Sebastian Stan Characters...

Nick Fowler, God the Bounty Hunter

[lucythornwalter]

In Greeting and Introduction:

In 1986, Pleasant Company unleashed the American Girls upon the world, and nothing has ever been the same. If you’re between the ages of 25 and 40 (sorry, Gen Z, but this is really a millennial phenomenon) and were at any point in your childhood aligned or identified as a ‘girl’, you probably have memories of decadently arranged extra-wide catalogues coming in the mail, or slim box sets of six books with names like Samantha Learns a Lesson or Changes for Kirsten, or visits to a toy store that was more like a luxury hotel, or – if you were especially lucky – unwrapping a long and heavy box on your birthday or on Christmas to reveal a much-anticipated new best friend. Even if you weren’t subjected to the rigors of late-twentieth-century girlhood, you probably knew something about this brand thanks to the way it took hold in the hearts and minds of an entire generation of – ha! – American girls who went to school with other American children and often brought dolls and books and catalogues and trip reports back with them.

So, what exactly was this brand?

1986 is a fascinating year in pop culture, and one I’ve been personally fixated on for over a decade. It’s the year of the (first) death of Optimus Prime in The Transformers: The Movie, the year of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, the year of Phantom of the Opera’s spectacular West End debut, the year of Labyrinth, the year of Hellraiser. If you outgrew American Girl and trended toward the weird and darkly gothic, this is a year you’re intimately familiar with, whether you know it or not. Fitting, then, that it’s the year the dolls were born.

The story goes that educator Pleasant Rowland, in the process of attempting to buy dolls for her family, found herself frustrated by a perceived gap in the market. While baby dolls served as proxies for burgeoning parental instinct, and fashion dolls served as more mature aspirational figures (or, in many cases, adult stars of complicated child-crafted soap operas), there were no dolls that girls could look upon as peers. I find myself skeptical of this claim, largely because mythical doll origins are often hilariously selective and inaccurate – for one thing, Barbie was not even close to the first adolescent/adult fashion doll for little girls – but it is consistently cited as one of the concerns in developing the line. With that frustration to chew on, and inspired by a visit to Colonial Williamsburg (a living history museum focused on life in America in the immediate years preceding the Revolutionary War), Rowland developed the concept of the American Girls. These would be eighteen-inch cloth and vinyl dolls portraying distinct historical figures living in different eras of American history, each with their own name and family and backstory. She worked with author Valerie Tripp to develop the identities of each girl, and then launched the brand under her new company, Pleasant Company (which is such a clever idea for an instantly recognizable corporation) with three dolls ready to go.

Now, there are American Girl stores in multiple malls, and when I was a little girl there were near-mythical American Girl Places in Chicago and New York and I think somewhere in California, but when Rowland began her business model was entirely by mail with no brick-and-mortar location to visit. Little girls and their families became aware of the existence of these dolls and their stories when catalogues that quickly became iconic arrived in the mail once every few months, and despite the high prices of everything from the dolls themselves to the books telling their stories, they bought up everything Pleasant Company had to sell. Rowland had a bona fide hit on her hands.

She had launched the brand with three characters – Kirsten Larson, a Swedish immigrant and pioneer living in the Minnesota Territory in 1854, Samantha Parkington, an Edwardian girl from a rich family living in New York in 1904, and Molly McIntyre, a Scottish-descended girl from a solidly middle-class family living in Jefferson, Illinois in 1944. Each doll, when ordered, came with a book bearing their name, and there were two additional books available for purchase alongside the collections of themed accessories and furniture. This number quickly expanded to six, all bearing similar names and reflecting similar themes across multiple decades. In 1991, a fourth historical character joined the lineup – this was Felicity Merriman, a gentleman’s daughter from 1774 Williamsburg. After her was Addy Walker, introduced in 1993, a fugitive slave who escaped to Philadelphia with her mother and lived there in 1864. Next in 1997 came Josefina Montoya, a rancher’s daughter living near Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1824 with her father, sisters, and extended family. In 2000, Kit Kittredge of 1933’s Cincinnati, Ohio joined the lineup. And lastly, at least for this analysis of my own history with the brand, in 2002 we have my dearly beloved Kaya’aton’my of the Nez Perce, living with her tribe in pre-contact years in 1764.

There are other American Girls. Mattel bought out Pleasant Company and has slowly been hollowing out the brand’s credibility, but it persists. Other historical dolls have been introduced, and many of them sound just as brilliant as the ones I grew up with. But those eight, those “original” eight, were my American Girls, and it’s their stories I want to examine, and their impacts upon my life that are still felt. Kit’s resourcefulness and adaptability when her father lost her job helped me when I was twelve and my father lost his job, Felicity’s determination to find the right balance between gender nonconformity and gender conformity inspired me to never settle for being forced into a box I didn’t fit, Samantha’s fierce loyalty to her friend Nellie was a balm to my prepubescent closeted lesbianism, and Kaya’s connection to her tribe and their traditions and culture gave me something to cling to in the midst of my rootless, forcibly assimilated indigenous childhood. (Yes, I’m indigenous, no, I’m not really going to be making my writing and blogging about an #ownvoices kind of thing, because we should get to be nerds and have the same access to privacy that white people have, but it’s relevant here and it’s relevant in my original fiction because it’s part of me.)

Of course, growing up and getting an education means looking at your past again with a wiser, more critical eye. Historical education has changed a lot since 2002, and has changed even more since 1986. The stories of the American Girls are both narrative and informative, intended to capture realistic-feeling moments in time that are grounded in real historical events and practices. How do they hold up to the standards of 2024, nearly two decades since I grew into Brontë and McCaffrey and Hugo and Dumas and Homer? How do they feel to me as an actively reconnecting indigenous lesbian whose perspective on America is very different now than when I was a child and my family tried hard to pretend we fit in? Are their books and wider stories even any good?

These are the questions I’m seeking to answer in this series of blogs, which I’ll be calling The American Girls and Me. Each fortnight (that’s every two weeks) I’ll examine a different girl, starting with her main books and going forward from there. The first series of book blogs will be published simultaneously here and on my Patreon page, completely free to read and open to the public. After that, Patreon will get things a week before they’re published here, but I’m not looking to make a serious income, so if you pay me the exorbitant price of $1 you will get to see things whenever they’re posted or you can wait for seven days to catch up. There will be some Patreon-exclusive bonus content once every couple of months, though, plus when I start publishing my original fiction it will be there alongside here, so if that sounds interesting maybe consider giving me a click?

My cutoff year is 2005 – that was the last year I asked for and received an American Girl doll as a present from my grandmother, and that was the symbolic end of the American Girl era of my life. I may take a look at the two American Girl movies that came out in 2006 and 2008 and adapted the stories of Molly and Kit respectively, but I didn’t go to great lengths to watch either of them. I was too busy rewatching The Curse of the Black Pearl and Van Helsing and The Revenge of the Sith to care about people who were now three and four years younger than me, and my own visions of both girls’ lives were too precious to me to risk a bad or disappointing adaptation.

Okay, then, what exactly will I be covering?

Like I said above, I’ll start with the stories. All eight girls, all six books + their “Looking Back/A Peek Into the Past” chapters. I’ll talk about my childhood impressions, my connections with different narratives, how those have changed now that I’m in my thirties, and places where I think the books have aged particularly poorly or particularly well.

After that, we’ll look at their short stories pre-2005, and see what those add to or detract from the canon of core story beats. These were in some cases published over a decade after the books finished up, and the tonal or thematic differences should be interesting to note.

Once the fiction is finished up we’ll look at each doll. I’ll talk about my experiences with the ones I personally own, and examine their accessories and artifacts in-person, and if it’s a doll I don’t own we’ll be looking at the catalogues from 1998-2002, which can safely be considered something of a golden age for the brand. That’s how I experienced several of the dolls, and therefore that’s what I’ll be revisiting

Next, I’ll be taking a look at nonfiction books – each of the original eight girls got a Welcome to [Name]’s World book issued for their era in American history, taking the nonfiction historical context chapters and fleshing them out to give more detail and explain more about how the lives of our girls fit into the story of the country as a whole. These are apparently extremely high-quality for children’s history books, and while I never had them as a child I definitely want them now.

Finally, having finished up books entirely, we move on to crafts and ephemera. Each girl got a paper doll set, and most of them also received a craft book and cook book. There were theater kits for pretend play as well, but I’ll be excluding those for purely practical reasons – they’re often the hardest to find, and I was never interested in that kind of pretend play with these girls.

This will be a long, involved, organized blogging project unlike anything I’ve ever really done before, but I think it will be a rewarding one. These girls are like my sisters, even those with wildly different life experiences than my own. They were a fundamental part of my childhood. They deserve to be remembered and discussed, and this era in my life deserves to be loved.

After all, I, too, was once an American girl.

[notbecauseofvictories]

Halloween Week of Horror (Games)

It’s that most horrible time of year, and I've decided to explore the spooky world of text-based games. My list of games is cribbed from this post and this post.

GAMEIFY HORROR // DAY 1

DAY 2: 13 laurel road, unbecoming, what girls do in the dark, the open house, return

13 laurel road 

an interactive fiction game about the relationships we have with places and reconciling with trauma. You play as a young man named Noah who has been tasked with picking up some things from his cousin’s old house.

This one was surprisingly affective, given that there is no objective horror—no jumpscares, no mysterious noises, no ghosts beyond the perfectly ordinary ones that plague all of us.

Still, the set up (a young man, tasked with grabbing some things from the old family house) and the conclusion (coming to terms with the intergenerational cycles we fall into, giving you the chance to break free from them) worked wonderfully for me. In particular, I liked the way the game conveyed Noah's internal conflict---the refrain of "I won't think about that," and the way that you as a player aren't quite clear who is still alive as you move through the abandoned family home.

...I am a little disappointed that there weren't ghosts though.

SPOOKY LEVEL: 1/10, mostly for ambient horror and decay

OVERALL GRADE: B-

unbecoming

a sonically-textured interactive horror fiction exploring cycles of trauma and unspeakable forces of nature in a mythic rural American landscape.

Well, damn. I think that’s the second time I’ve put that in my notes, but also—damn. Damn does this game deserve it. Despite the lack of images (just text, white and sharp except when bleeding into red) it felt extremely well-realized, lived in. Maybe it's just because I know these places, have been to these farms, have looked at Dust Bowl photographs of children on buckling front porches, but the scenery was its own character---which is amazing when there's no actual scenery.

Not to mention that the story gets into one of my soft places and digs---the fraught ritual and cycles of repeated harm; the kind of blurry boundaries that make such effective horror. Family as obligation and a horror story you can't always escape. Not to mention how the gameplay makes you complicit in continuing that horror...

SPOOKY LEVEL: 5/10, not necessarily overtly, but uh. There is a giant hungering pit, and corpses in beds.

OVERALL GRADE: A-

what girls do in the dark

This little game is based off one of the greatest fears they had as a teenage girl: showing up late to a stranger’s slumber party.

Of all the games on this list, this was the first one that—as soon as the credits rolled—I immediately wanted to play again. I wanted to see if I could get a different ending, if I could somehow "win." There’s just something about those haunting scraps of “maybe you could have saved yourself...” that tantalize you, and make you want to try for a happier ending.

....not to mention that I have a well-documented weakness for deals with the devil.

I'll also add that the almost MS DOS style prompts ("TAKE [ITEM]" "OPEN DOOR") were devastatingly effective; a way of narrowing your choices while also giving you the illusion of choice.

SPOOKY LEVEL: 3/10, given the blood and the creeping horror

OVERALL GRADE: A-

the open house

We at Northtree Real Estate (in partnership with Optix Dynamix Labs) are proud to present our new, state-of-the-art, open house simulator!  Come and take a quick tour of 15615 Hollow Oak Lane, a familiar and comfortable showcase home in one of our premier developments!

This particular game is just cool as hell. As someone who (like many millennials) has been addicted to Zillow and other house-hunting websites, this landed with immediate effect. What if scrolling through virtual walkthroughs on your local house hunting website opened up a portal to the unknown? What if it showed murders immediately after they were committed? What if, as you go further and further into this virtual house, you were going out---into something vast, unknown, and chilling?

Amazing, clever, wonderful.

SPOOKY LEVEL: 5/10, largely for unreality and a couple creepy images that still linger with me.

OVERALL GRADE: A

return

a text-based horror game about coming home

The more of these games I play, the more it becomes clear that what I like is horror that verges on the inexplicable—dream logic and images that refuse to resolve into reasonableness. I loved that here: the static, the mycelium, the pier with its strange dead-already fish, the self that guides you through the next cycle. What does it say about our horror stories if there is no going home? If it's just cycles of returning and rebirth and horror we can't escape?

(Sidenote, I am in love with Carver, and the little bit woven in about cybernetic/android assistive devices was tantalizing.)

Again, it's amazing how these text-based games manage to convey so much, so richly, with just words. Or maybe I just have an overactive imagination.

SPOOKY LEVEL: 7/10, just because the sense of unreality is so strong, I wouldn't recommend it for anyone who doesn't enjoy that

OVERALL GRADE: B

[mturtlestar]

Question, what's your opinion on ponytails?!

I never answered this friend I am sowwy!

My hair has always been deeply important to me and as a kid I would throw massive tantrums when my parents had it cut. When I turned 18 I pretty much said it was never getting cut again and I've had one or two haircuts for the last 12 years. So to me ponytails represent freedom, especially from the absurd insecurities of others!

Throughout college I gradually wore a pony tail more and more and now I wear a pony tail with a bun any time I am working✨

I had a special outing last year where I dyed my hair into a triple ombre and the stylist was literally drooling over my hair because of how natural and untreated it was like I was like a mythical creature in her world! Your passion always reminds me of her now, hair is a lovely beautiful human joy.

Nowadays my older brother has long hair he wears in a millennial dad bun and my dad spends a lot of time far from any cities so he braids his hair. I'm fact my mom has the shortest hair in my immediate family 😂😆

Alas I digress.

[rebuilding-paradise]

[Mythical creatures au: Forest fae]

The fae from the Millennial forest are an unusual bunch. Most are friendly and helpful. Others are more stern and protective of their homes. The most common knowledge is that they barely ever leave the forest they live in. . .

But one did every once in so often. He was cloaked up and currently shopping at a night market. Looking for a specific item.

"Mhh... Where is it..?"

@m00r3-starzz

[oww666]

it's always been script written propaganda ..Cronkite lied about the Vietnam war as did everyone else

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

New Rule: Atheists Day | Real Time with Bill Maher

New rule: You shouldn't be able to talk about DEI anymore in America - DEI, that's diversity, equity and inclusion - without including atheists.

Atheists. We're approaching a third of the population now, I shouldn't have to beg for this, for God's sake. it's outrageous there are this many of us and there are still zero representation in government

Congress has 535 members and only a handful will even sheepishly admit they're "religiously unaffiliated."

The Supreme Court is two Protestants, one Jew, and six people more Catholic than the Pope.

And even intellectual presidents like Obama who admit to being secular humanists have to pretend to be religious. No one has been able to admit their shameful secret: "I don't believe in ghosts."

Next Sunday is Easter, so enjoy. Enjoy, if that's your thing, bunny rabbits that shit eggs to celebrate the Son of God. Whatever floats your Ark.

But it's not fair that people who belong to one of the big religions, they all get this cosmic personal day, where the world revolves around them. I mean, here we are in the middle of the great egg shortage, and yet next Sunday we're going to take the few eggs we have and hide them in the yard?

There's also now a movement for schools to officially recognize Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting, and I'm all for it or anything that gets our fat kids to eat less.

But while approximately three million Americans celebrate Ramadan, 100 million say they have no religion at all. What the fuck? Where's our day?

Is that really so much to ask that this many people get one day a year when we recommit ourselves to observable reality? One day with no atonement, no corpse reanimation, no fasting, no tree in your house, no big rock to circle, no dirt on your forehead, no candles to light and, please God, no fruitcakes.

Just a yearly three-day weekend to celebrate your deeply held belief that with Monday off you can drink on Sunday night. And get to sleep in because there is no place to gather to affirm we all believe the same shit, we know what we believe and what we don't believe. We don't need to rub elbows with other people who don't believe it too.

And we don't need to commercialize our holiday like all the other religions do. Atheist Day is about not buying something. Like virgin birth. I'm not buying it.

We have the numbers. We can do this. The fastest growing religious group in the United States are nones. No not the kind who used to beat you with a ruler for being left-handed. I mean people who, when asked how much they want to be involved with a religion, say none.

The unaffiliated share of the population, consisting of people who describe their religious identity as atheist, agnostic or nothing in particular, has risen from five percent in 1972, to 15 percent in 2005, to 32 percent today. You're welcome.

And lest you think it's only young educated white liberals, no. Just about everybody is losing their religion. Or as I call it, holy ghosting.

The average age of a none is 43. A third are people of color. A quarter voted for Trump. 70 percent don't have a four-year college degree. Millennials are the first generation that are less than a majority Christian. Their idea of hell is a coffee shop with no Wi-Fi.

When asked how often they go to church, 34 percent of younger Millennials answered "seldom/never" or "don't know." Don't know? Hey kids, going to church is like having an orgasm. If you didn't know you did, you didn't.

And that's another great thing about Atheist Day. You don't have to fake it. You don't even have to be an atheist to enjoy it, just like you don't have to be Christian to enjoy Christmas, I still love Christmas.

You don't have to be an atheist to celebrate Atheist Day. I'd like it to be the one day a year that the devout can get a little taste of what it's like to live your life without some mythical daddy figure judging and condemning you for being the exact person he made you.

Atheist Day should be a day for believers to stop and ask yourselves, why? Why? Why make up a being who's constantly disappointed in you? Yyou don't need it - you've got your wife. And your parents, your siblings, your co-workers, your trainer when you don't give a hundred and ten percent. There are plenty of people right here on Earth who will gladly make you feel like a lame, incompetent fuck up. Why make up one more? It's like adding an extra mother-in-law.

Why always be tormented? I better not make Baby Jesus cry. Why? Is he sitting behind you on a plane?

Wouldn't you like one day, one goddamn day in the year when, for 24 hours, you can tell your God to climb down off your ass? Because trying to please a man who's not there sets you up for a lifetime of misery. Just ask Tiffany Trump.

[mademoiselle-red]

Reading the Renault fandom dissertation, part 6: the conclusion

An academic, Jui-an Chou, wrote about us, online fans of Mary Renault’s works, as part of her phd dissertation in 2018 at Duke University. As the subject of her research, I have a few thoughts.

(Here is part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, and part 5 of my series of posts on this TC fandom study)

“Like slash and BL, Renault’s historical fiction is a fantasy that looks to and appropriates an elsewhere for an erotic ideal that is absent from a century that went through the medicalization and criminalization of homosexuality, the rights movements, and the political struggles that are still happening today. […] The unexpected affinity between Renault and her millennial fans provides clues to how an author such as Renault can be read in an academic context. Slash/BL provides a mode of desire so deeply intertwined with appropriation and distantiation that it bypasses the problem of identity in gay and lesbian studies and queer theory altogether. The cross-gender desire for homoeroticism shared by slash/BL and Renault is homophile without concerns for gay rights, denies identity without political radicalism, and indulges in the scene of desire without involving the self.”

I identify with Laurie’s struggles because I’m also queer. I like reading about queer people struggling with the same issues I face. I like reading about queer people falling in love. My self is very involved in my reading of the novel, thank you every much.

“It is this romantic fantasy about pure love in an exotic setting that appeals to both Renault’s contemporary gay readers and her millennial fans. While gay readers today no longer find identitarian empowerment in Renault’s cross-writings, slash/BL fans continue to read her works as fantasies that do not correspond to identity categories and their political consequences.”

Apparently, the gays only read for “empowerment”, while the millennials only read for pleasure. 🙄🙄🙄

“From Achilles/Patroklos, Alexander/Hephaistion, Ralph/Laurie, to Renault as author, and then to her 21st-century fans, desire and identification in and for Renault’s writings are always directed towards an elsewhere that can never be reached nor determined. Within the serial longing for alterity, what is missing is always a concern with the here and now, with what one is and represents—the front and center of identity politics. Renault’s contempt for contemporary politics and fantasy’s departure from the familiar converge to create a narrative that strips the last residue of politics from both gender and sexuality and turns them into mythical ideals, forever on the horizon and never to be attained.”

Ironically, The Charioteer is precisely about a protagonist who nearly misses out on love, belonging, and happiness in the here and now because he was too preoccupied with a fantasy of the past! And the novel also features two political speeches (from Ralph and Alec) about the chasm between the ideals of gay love in Ancient Greece that many in the community look towards and their present reality of living under criminalization and blackmail. It really makes me wonder how carefully Chou read The Charioteer before undertaking this analysis of the novel and its reception.

“While Renault’s works have inspired and then disillusioned her contemporary gay readers and her lesbian feminist critics successively, they have also found an unlikely affinity in slash/BL fans in recent years. The centrality of the “boy” in both Renault’s homoerotic romance and Boys’ Love is anything but a coincidence: the figure of the boy signifies a temporality outside of gender, sexual, and political definitions, and in both Renault and slash/Boys’ Love, the love for and of the boy constitutes a romantic narrative detached from identitarian agendas.”

It is astonishing that Chou attributes the centrality of the “boy” figure to Renault and Boys Love but does not mention its origins in the writings of Plato & other authors of antiquity who valorized the “boy” figure and influenced all those that came after. The ideal of the “boy” has played a central role in gay art, literature, and culture for millennia, shaping those very “gender, sexual, and political definitions” that Chou claims it eludes.

“The reason why fantasy is a better context to understand this serial desire for otherness than queerness is because queerness is antithetical to fantasy: despite its diverse strategies to challenge identity constructions including its own, queerness is defined as a radical political project. Disidentification as a mechanism of BL fantasy, on the other hand, is a rejection of an identity through which political agendas can be exercised. Reading Renault and the desires within and without her works in terms of fantasy provides an opportunity to examine her very rejection of possibility: by insisting to remove the self from the here and now, Renault’s works construct a sexuality that has no future but amorously beholds an infinite number of pasts.”

The notion that queerness is antithetical to fantasy is utterly baffling. Show me one radical political project that did not begin as a fantasy! Political action, in my opinion, is what turns fantasy to into reality, but first, one must dare to dream. Queerness is radical because it dreams and acts on fantasies deemed unacceptable by cis-heteronormativity.

And that concludes my read-through of Chou’s dissertation. Thanks for listening to my rant.

I might do an extra post where I discuss Chou’s reflections on how her personal experiences and shame associated with being a lesbian and a BL fan brought her to write about this topic for her dissertation. I found those parts interesting and surprising because she hardly factors lesbian, bisexual, and queer women readers’ identification with gay male characters and masculinity in her analysis of Renault’s “millennial” online fans, despite the large contingent of queer women in these spaces.

[sug4rst1ckzz]

Idk why but these three would be the only humans in the rewrite. Kind of like the “we were transported here, we don’t know how to get home we literally followed a rabbit down a hole” type of ordeal. And then their lil gang forms when they come across Strawberry (elf) and Wizard (satyr) later on in the story. Of course they’d be siblings though, gotta stick together like glue when you’re in a new world full of crazy mythical creatures.

Though the first thing I would say is that they come across Millennial Tree first (in elk form) and he would lead them to a nearby town safely so they can rest. The next morning, he waits for them to start the day. Thus, the Ginger-siblings begin their journey.

[denimbex1986]

'...Over the last 15 years, Göransson has cemented himself as one of the best music-making millennials in the business, along the way picking up an Oscar for the sick Afrofuturistic beats of his "Black Panther" soundtrack (although his Oscar-nominated score for "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" was just as impressive). He's now landed a well-deserved second Academy Award for his electrifying work on "Oppenheimer," placing him in some reputable company when it comes to the Oscars.

Specifically, this gives Göransson just as many Oscars as Hans Zimmer. It's actually kind of mind-boggling that the legendary composer doesn't have more than that, considering just how many iconic movie scores he's crafted since the 1980s (including his own collaborations with "Oppenheimer" director Christopher Nolan). Yet, for as much as his leitmotifs for "The Thin Red Line" and the "Pirates of the Caribbean" films are now permanently burned into our collective consciousness, Zimmer's only ever taken home the Oscar gold for "The Lion King" and "Dune: Part One."...

The fact that Göransson has already tied Zimmer for Oscar wins at this point in his career is a testament to just how much further he could end up going professionally. It's even more remarkable when you remember that Göransson has so far divided his efforts between TV and film, scoring "Community" and the long-running sitcom "New Girl" on top of establishing the Samurai-adventure-meets-space-Western vibes of "The Mandalorian" (plus the epic blend of mythic humming and cowboy music that is the "Book of Boba Fett" theme). That makes him a little like the modern Bernard Hermann, the Alfred Hitchcock maestro who also composed part of "The Twilight Zone" and "Rawhide" (among other television classics).

...it's clear that Göransson is only getting started. Whatever the future holds for him, we're excited to see what he does next.'

[tea-the-not-understanding]

@ask-churro-cookie So I have this idea, of how Floral were created.

There was once was a god live among the forest, the one who even the great millennial tree knows lives within but not know where the whereabouts of this peaceful god lives. Some legend says that They are still live among the great great forest but other legend says that they are the entire earth bread or heaven so called.

But when there's good there's always darkness and evil lurks in another side. There is one who give life and hope, while the other make monsters and live and spread darkness.

He who shall not be named still out there, hiding among the darkness, planning out evils, so the peaceful world tree god created a being that's not a cookie. More of a mysterious creature that have the power of healing and goods to spread out the goods to others.

They gave up one of their eye to create this mythical being and parted with it small piece of power to it. Hoping to bring more goods, but in the end. All it brings is pain to their creation.

They watches as cookies began to used it kindness. Luring it away from his home and used it magic and skills for their own gains for riches and popularity. As they watches their own creation tormented in a cage and begging to be return home, they create another one, a guidance and the one who will save him from the torment from the wrath of evil cookies.

Parting another part of itself, this time, it their own piece of their flesh, giving another mysterious being their strength and density with the emotions of coldness from the world tree god tears or sorrow. Sending the being out to save her own little brother from the darkness and wrath.

After the two mysterious being finally reunited and returned home, they never seen their own creator or world tree god since. The two still come visits from time to time since they cannot live together, one prefer cold and another prefer green and warmth. Together will only bring suffer to one or another, and yet their bond is still strong and seen together at least once a month or once a week.

Some say that the two know where the world tree god lives and try to catch them, but Mysterious frost will always keeps her little brother safe no matter what.

Himesh (Mysterious Frosted Jam) had the strength and density while

Xochitl (Mysterious Floral Jam) have the energy of kindness and power to heal others who's in great pain.

[buckets-and-trees]

Chosen, Part 2: Lunch

Characters/Pairings: eventual Bucky x curvy Millennial Female!Reader, Natasha Romanoff, Steve Rogers Word Count: 3.2k Summary: Your day transitions from the morning tour of the interior of the Winged Heritage Foundation's estate to the grounds, followed by lunch with Natasha and Steve. You get to openly ask more questions, but the experience revealing and concealing information in turns.

SERIES Content Warnings: SOFT!DARK STORY, cult themes, explicit smut, dubious consent and enthusiastic consent, veiled truths, gaslighting

CHAPTER Content Warnings: none

Notes: No real notes here... we're still slow-burning the plot in this part.

Previous: Arrival

↠ Masterlist | Aspen's Ask Box | Field Guide to the Forest

You emerge from the elevator back into the ornate splendor of the mansion's main floor, and you find yourself blinking at the abrupt transition. The juxtaposition between the futuristic underground facilities and the classical elegance above ground is jarring, to say the least.

Natasha leads you down another corridor, this one adorned with intricate tapestries depicting mythological scenes. You catch glimpses of winged creatures, celestial bodies, and figures that seem to dance between worlds.

"These tapestries are some of our most prized possessions," Natasha explains, noticing your interest. "They're said to contain hidden messages and prophecies, though their true meaning has been lost to time."

You nod, captivated by the intricate designs.

As you follow Natasha down the corridor, your eyes are drawn to one tapestry in particular. It depicts a winged figure surrounded by swirling cosmic patterns, with what appears to be a full moon prominently featured. The figure’s face is obscured, but the shrouded beauty is alluring. Studying it sends a shiver down your spine, though you can't quite put your finger on why.

"That one always catches people's attention," Natasha says, noticing your gaze. "It's said to represent our founder, though of course, that's just speculation."

You're about to ask for more details when Natasha smoothly changes the subject, guiding you towards a set of French doors that open onto a stunning terrace.

Outside, the warm sunlight caresses your skin, and a gentle breeze carries the sweet scent of blooming flowers. The gardens below are a masterpiece of landscape design, with winding paths, vibrant flowerbeds, and perfectly trimmed hedges creating intricate patterns.

"This is where we hold our outdoor events," Natasha explains, gesturing to the expansive space. "It's particularly beautiful under the moonlight."

You can't help but notice how she emphasizes the word 'moonlight', her green eyes flashing with something you can't quite decipher. Before you can dwell on it, she's moving on, leading you down a set of stone steps into the garden itself, the sweet fragrance of roses and jasmine enveloping you. The path winds through the manicured hedges and flowerbeds, and Natasha guides you past a bubbling fountain adorned with intricate carvings of mythical creatures.

"Our gardens are more than just aesthetically pleasing," Natasha explains as you walk. "Many of the plants here have been cultivated for their unique properties. Some are quite rare, others are thought to be extinct in the wild."

You pause beside a bed of flowers you've never seen before - their petals are an iridescent blue that seem to shimmer and change hue as you move.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" Natasha says, noticing your fascination. "These are known as Luna's Tears. They only bloom during the time of the full moon."

You lean in closer, marveling at the otherworldly beauty of the Luna's Tears. Their iridescent petals seem to pulse with an inner light, drawing you in. For a moment, you feel almost dizzy, as if the flowers are pulling you into their shimmering depths.

Natasha's hand on your shoulder breaks the spell. "Careful," she says softly. "They can be a bit overwhelming for some people."

You straighten up, blinking rapidly to clear your head. "They're amazing," you murmur. "I've never seen anything like them."

"They're just one of many unique specimens we cultivate here," Natasha says, guiding you away from the flower bed. "Our botanical research is quite extensive."

You can't help but notice a pattern emerging. The moon seems to be a recurring motif - in the tapestries and artwork, in Natasha's comments, and now these flowers. You wonder if there's some significance to it that you're missing.

"The full moon must be a special time here," you remark casually, hoping to probe for more information.

Natasha's eyes gleam with something that might be approval. "It is," she says. "The lunar cycle plays a significant role in many of our endeavors."

She doesn't elaborate further, instead guiding you deeper into the gardens. You pass by herb gardens filled with plants you recognize and many you don't, each section meticulously labeled and cared for.

As you round a corner, you come face to face with the entrance to a massive hedge maze. Its guarded by the statues of two wolves, their stone eyes seeming to follow you as you approach.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Natasha says, a hint of pride in her voice. "The maze is one of our most beloved features. It's said that those who reach the center will find enlightenment."

“And is the saying true?”

She arches an eyebrow at you. “Maybe you’ll have the chance to find out.”

It’s just the kind of coy answer you’ve come to expect now.

You peer into the maze, trying to gauge its size. The hedges tower over you, their dense foliage creating an impenetrable green wall. "How big is it?" you ask, unable to hide your curiosity.

Natasha's lips curl into a mysterious smile. "Bigger than it looks from the outside. Some say it changes, growing and shifting when no one's watching. But that's just a story, of course."

Standing there, contemplating the maze, a strange sensation washes over you. For a brief moment, you could swear you hear faint whispers coming from within the leafy walls, beckoning you to enter. You shake your head, attributing it to your imagination running wild after all the wonders you've seen today.

Natasha gently touches your elbow, drawing your attention away from the maze. "Perhaps we'll have time for you to explore it later," she says with a knowing smile. "For now, we should head back. It's nearly time for lunch."

As you follow her back towards the mansion, you can't shake the feeling that someone is watching you, but looking around, you don’t see anyone.

After the trek back to the mansion, the two of you ascend the steps back to the terrace, where you're greeted by yet another impressive sight that almost takes your breath away.

An elegant table has been set for three. Crystal glasses catch the light, and there’s a centerpiece of stunning white hydrangeas. Silver cutlery is arranged with military precision, flanking fine china plates adorned with delicate, hand-painted floral designs.

Steve Rogers stands beside the table, his imposing figure softened by the warm smile that lights up his face as you approach.

"Welcome back," he says, his voice warm and rich. "Did you enjoy our grounds?”

"They’re absolutely stunning," you confess easily, still a bit awestruck by everything you've seen. "I've never experienced anything quite like it."

Steve's smile broadens. "We're quite proud of our little kingdom here. Please, have a seat." He pulls out a chair for you, ever the gentleman.

As you settle into your spot, a waiter seemingly materializes out of thin air, pouring water into your crystal glass with precision. The cool liquid is a welcome relief after your walk through the gardens. In the moment, it tastes better than any glass of water you feel like you’ve had in your life, but you know that’s unrealistic, only an exaggeration of your mind and your thirst.

Natasha takes her seat across from you, while Steve sits at the head of the table. There's a moment of comfortable silence as you all arrange your napkins and take in the breathtaking view of the gardens stretching out before you.

"So," Steve begins, his blue eyes twinkling with interest, "what do you think of the Foundation so far? I hope Natasha hasn't overwhelmed you with too much information."

You take a moment to gather your thoughts, acutely aware of their attention on you. "It's been enthralling," you say, trying to find the right words. You have been shown so much, and yet you also feel as if you still don’t know why the Winged Heritage Foundation exists or what it does. "The facilities are unlike anything I've ever seen. The blend of historical preservation and cutting-edge technology is fascinating. I feel like I've only scratched the surface of what goes on here."

Steve nods approvingly. "That's exactly what we strive for here. A perfect balance between honoring the past and pushing the boundaries of the future."

As he speaks, the waiter returns, this time bearing a tray of appetizers. The dishes are works of art in themselves - delicate arrangements of colorful vegetables, artisanal cheeses, and what appears to be some kind of smoked meat.

"Please, enjoy," Natasha says, gesturing to the food. "Our chef takes great pride in using ingredients from our own gardens."

You sample the appetizers, savoring the explosion of flavors on your tongue. The vegetables are impossibly fresh, the cheese rich and complex, and the smoked meat has a depth of flavor you've never experienced before. As you eat, Steve and Natasha engage you in light conversation, asking about more about your background and interests. But as you get to the end of the appetizer course, Steve brings it back around to business.

"So, what drew you to apply to the Winged Heritage Foundation initially?" Steve asks, his tone casual but his gaze intent.

You take a sip of water, considering your answer. "To be honest, I didn’t know much before I applied - the little I knew was the Foundation's emerging reputation for excellence and I was looking for a next step with an organization that I could take pride in being a part of. The more I learn, the more fascinated I become by the scope and depth of your work here."

Natasha nods approvingly. "What aspects have you found most intriguing so far?"

You hesitate for a moment, then decide to voice the questions that have been eating away at you.

"Well," you begin, choosing your words carefully, "I've been amazed by everything I've seen today. But I have to admit, I'm still a bit unclear on the Foundation's core mission. There seems to be such a wide range of activities happening here. What exactly is the mission of the Winged Heritage Foundation?"

Steve and Natasha exchange a look, a silent communication passing between them. Steve leans forward slightly, his expression serious but not unkind.

"That's an excellent question," he says. "And I appreciate your honesty. The truth is, the full scope of our work is… complex. We operate on many levels, some of which aren't immediately apparent."

Natasha picks up where he left off. "Think of us as guardians," she says, her green eyes intense. "We preserve history, yes, but we believe that to truly understand and preserve our heritage, we need to approach it from many angles."

Steve picks up the thread smoothly. "Our founder had a vision of an organization that could bridge the gap between the past and the future. We study history not just to preserve it, but to learn from it and apply those lessons to the problems at hand.”

You nod slowly, taking in their words. "So, the research I saw downstairs, the artifacts, the gardens - they're all part of this larger mission?"

"Exactly," Steve says with an approving smile. "We use cutting-edge tools to analyze artifacts and historical data in ways that weren't possible before. But it goes beyond that. Some of our research involves… let's say, rediscovering lost knowledge. Everything here serves a purpose."

As he speaks, the waiter returns with the main course - a beautifully presented plate of what appears to be roasted game hen with seasonal vegetables. The aroma is mouthwatering.

Natasha forward in, her voice lowering slightly. "Throughout history, there have been technologies, practices, and knowledge that have been lost or hidden. We seek to uncover these secrets and understand how they might benefit us today.”

You feel a thrill of excitement at her words. The idea of uncovering lost knowledge is intriguing, but you can't shake the feeling they’re withholding something.

"That sounds fascinating," you say carefully. "But I get the sense that there's more to it than that. The level of secrecy I've observed today seems to go beyond just historical research."

Steve and Natasha exchange another look, this one lasting a beat longer. You notice Steve's jaw tighten slightly before he responds.

"You're very perceptive," he says, his voice measured. "And you're right, there is more. But understand, the nature of our work requires discretion. Not everyone is ready for the truths we uncover."

"What we do here goes beyond conventional understanding,” Natasha adds. “The knowledge we seek, the artifacts we protect - they have the potential to reshape the world as we know it. That kind of power needs to be guarded carefully."

You feel a shiver run down your spine at her words. The implications of what Natasha is saying are both thrilling and slightly terrifying. You're about to ask for more details when Steve clears his throat.

"Perhaps we've said too much," he says, his tone gentle but firm. "Let's enjoy our meal, shall we? There will be time for more in-depth discussions later, if you're the right fit for us."

You nod, understanding the subtle warning to back off for now. As you turn your attention to the exquisite meal before you, you can't help but feel a mix of excitement and apprehension. What kind of organization have you stumbled into? And more importantly, what role do they envision for you in all of this?

The conversation shifts to lighter topics as you eat. Steve regales you with amusing anecdotes about life at the estate, while Natasha occasionally chimes in with a wry comment or clarification. You find yourself relaxing despite the lingering questions in your mind, drawn in by Steve's charisma and Natasha's subtle charm.

As the waiter clears away the main course dishes, Natasha leans back in her chair, fixing you with an appraising look. "You've handled yourself well today," she says. "Many candidates find the uniqueness of our organization overwhelming."

The waiter appears once again, this time bearing a tray of desserts that look too beautiful to eat. Delicate pastries, fresh berries, and what appears to be some sort of shimmering, iridescent pudding are arranged artfully on the plate. The interruption gives you room to consider Natasha’s observation without needing to immediately respond.

You take a moment to savor a bite of the exquisite dessert. The flavors dance on your tongue - sweet, tart, and something else you can't quite place. It's delicious, and there's an underlying complexity that leaves you wanting more.

"Thank you," you start, meeting Natasha's gaze. "I have to admit, it's been a lot to take in. But I find myself more intrigued than overwhelmed, even though there's clearly so much more to learn about the Foundation."

Steve nods approvingly. "That's a good sign. We need people who can adapt quickly and maintain their composure in the face of the unexpected."

As he speaks, you notice a subtle shift in the atmosphere. The air seems to thicken slightly, and you feel a strange tingling at the base of your skull. It feels like someone is studying you again, but with the feeling coming from behind, you don’t dare to turn and look in front of Steve and Natasha.

“After lunch, you have a series of meetings with a variety of members from our organization,” Natalie shifts the focus of the conversation. “And while I don’t want to encroach on our last bit of relaxed time here, I do want to ask if you’ve had a chance to thoroughly review the elements of our proposed compensation package.”

“Oh, yes, I-”

Steve cuts in. “She’s asking because we would like you to have a pretty clear idea of whether or not you see yourself accepting a position with the Foundation after your afternoon meetings.”

You open your mouth, but close it again, unsure of how to respond.

“We’re aware that it’s an unconventional ask, but we have a unique timeline we are hoping to facilitate today. If you accept a position with us, we are hoping to extend your stay with us through this evening. There’s an event tonight where you would see so much of the Foundation’s true purpose up close and personal.”

You take a deep breath, considering your response carefully. The compensation package had been incredibly generous - almost too good to be true. And while you still have many questions about the exact nature of the Foundation's work, you can't deny the allure of being part of something so mysterious and potentially world-changing.

"I appreciate your directness," you say, meeting both Steve and Natasha's gazes. "The compensation package is certainly attractive. And everything I've seen today has been fascinating. I'm very much interested in learning more and potentially accepting a position, but..."

You hesitate for a moment, then decide to be honest. "I still feel like there's so much I don't know about what I'd actually be doing here. It's hard to commit without a clearer understanding of the role I would play."

Steve nods, a look of understanding crossing his face. "That's fair. And I admire your caution. It speaks well of your judgment. But take the afternoon, really utilize the meetings, and we’ll see where you land after that. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to be on my way to my next meeting.” Steve stands, offering a warm smile. "It's been a pleasure dining with you. I look forward to hearing how the rest of your day unfolds."

As he leaves, you're left alone with Natasha. The air seems to crackle with unspoken tension.

Natasha leans forward, resting her folded arms on the table, her voice low and intimate. "I know it feels like we're asking a lot of you. But trust me when I say that what we do here is important. World-changing, even. And we believe you could play a crucial role in that."

Her green eyes lock with yours, and for a moment, you feel as if she's looking right into your soul. There's an intensity to her gaze that both unnerves and exhilarates you.

"The afternoon meetings should help you really get a bearing on our culture," she continues. "But I want you to know that I've been impressed with you today. Your curiosity, your adaptability, your willingness to question - these are all qualities we value highly here. You are just the kind of person we are looking for to fill the position."

Your chest couldn’t help but swell at her words - the esteem she expressed for you going to your head, shooting you into the stratosphere. You knew she was playing her cards in courting you as a candidate, and yet you also knew that she didn’t say anything she didn’t mean. The thought that you had won her over, that she favored you for this position? It felt damn good to have that satisfaction surging through your blood.

“Thank you,” you finally say, a beat later. You take a deep breath and try to tamp down the adrenaline from this moment. Another sip of water helps bring you back to reality.

"Well," Natasha says, her voice silky smooth, "shall we move on to your afternoon meetings?"

You nod, rising from your seat, and follow Natasha back into the mansion.

NEXT PART: CONSIDERATION

I KNOW!

BUT THEY CAN'T TELL YOU MORE YET, OKAY?!

What do you think is going on here? What's in the maze? What are they researching? Why the horticulture? Is someone watching you - and who is it?

What's in that compensation package?

...

Will you get more info in the next installment?

Maybe.

Even if you don't, I can tell you that the pace starts to pick up more and you will be introduced to some interesting new characters.

↠ Main Masterlist | Aspen's Ask Box | Field Guide to the Forest

I do not do tag lists, but FOLLOW @buckets-and-stories and TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS to be updated any time I publish a new work!

[leam1983]

On Tolerance and Weather Patterns

Aging Boomers in Joe Average Nissan Inc's Salespersons Pool: "I mean, look at Muslims! You can't even tell what their women look like or what kind of look they're giving you, half the time! It's disrespectful!"

Me: "Ah, yes - the Mythical Muslim Woman who Inexplicably Doesn't Wear a Burqua and Still Manages to be Completely Impossible to Decipher. It couldn't possibly be that some of you have a massive case of cultural insensitivity, could it?"

Boomers: "I mean - look at us regular people! You can read people's expressions just by looking at them! It's incredibly useful for our line of work!"

Me: "...because Muslims are an entirely different species and are impossible to physically parse. Right, gotcha. I'll just file this under Complete and utter bullshit that also happens to be racist and offensive."

Boomers: "I'm just saying we Québécois don't cover ourselves like this!"

Me: "That's funny, I've lived here all my life and I swear most winters involve people covering up every patch of skin imaginable with thirty-two layers, to the point where we all look like mummies shuffling around with overpriced boots that won't last the entire season. It's never affected our ability to parse a client's mood before."

Boomers: "You're a Millennial. I fucking knew it!"

Me: (slurps coffee) "Wait until you deal with a Gen Z salesperson; then you'll really want to tear your hair out with how they don't let casual racism fly."

[rockislandadultreads]

NoveList Combos: Funny & Engaging Reads

Did you know NoveList is a database you can access with your library card to find reading recommendations? Find your next favorite read with this fantastic readers tool! Check it out on our website here.

Excavations by Kate Myers

On the Megalopolis archeological site in rural Greece, the mythic home of the first Olympics, an unusual artifact is discovered. It's a relic that shouldn't exist; one that upends long-held beliefs about male achievement - everything their megalomaniacal leader has built his career, and ego, upon. Clearly, something has gone horribly wrong.

Z, Elise, Kara and Patty are all digging on this very site this summer. All four women are at wildly different crossroads in their lives, yet all have somehow ended up on this same mountain. Kara is a polished art historian on the verge of calling off her wedding. Patty is a hapless undergrad with an unfortunate bowl cut. Z, a millennial, just got dumped and fired for what feels like the thousandth time. Elise, their star excavator, is consumed by work and has no time for a personal life.

To figure out what they're really digging for, and what this site really means, these dirt-crusted colleagues will have to become what they've each avoided for years - friends. If they can manage to band together for this one summer, they might just make the discovery of a lifetime.

Holding Pattern by Jenny Xie

Holding Pattern. Noun.

1. A state of suspended progress. 2. The awkward way your mother tries to hug you now that you live with her. Again.

Kathleen Cheng has blown up her life. She’s gone through a humiliating breakup, dropped out of her graduate program, and left everything behind. Now she’s back in her childhood home in Oakland, wondering what’s next.

To her surprise, her mother isn’t the same person Kathleen remembers. No longer depressed or desperate to return to China, the new Marissa Cheng is sporty, perky, and has been transformed by love. Kathleen thought she’d be planning her own wedding, but instead finds herself helping her mother plan hers - to a Silicon Valley tech entrepreneur.

Grasping for direction, Kathleen takes a job at a start-up that specializes in an unconventional form of therapy based on touch. While she negotiates new ideas about intimacy and connection, an unforeseen attachment to someone at work pushes her to rethink her relationships - especially the one with Marissa. Will they succeed in seeing each other anew, adult to adult? As they peel back the layers of their history - the old wounds, cultural barriers, and complex affection - they must come to a new understanding of how they can propel each other forward, and what they’ve done to hold each other back.

Love at First Set by Jennifer Dugan

The gym is Lizzie's life - it's her passion, her job, and the only place that's ever felt like home. Unfortunately, her bosses consider her a glorified check-in girl at best, and the gym punching bag at worst.

When their son, Lizzie's best friend, James, begs her to be his plus one at his perfect sister Cara's wedding, things go wrong immediately, and culminate in Lizzie giving a drunken pep talk to a hot stranger in the women's bathroom - except that stranger is actually the bride-to-be, and Lizzie has accidentally convinced her to ditch her groom.

Now, newly directionless Cara is on a quest to find herself, and Lizzie - desperate to make sure her bosses never find out her role in this fiasco - gets strong-armed by James into "entertaining" her. Cara doesn't have to know it's a setup; it'll just be a quick fling before she sobers up and goes back to her real life. After all, how could someone like Cara fall for someone like Lizzie, with no career and no future?

But the more Lizzie gets to know Cara, the more she likes her, and the bigger the potential disaster if any of her rapidly multiplying secrets get out. Because now it's not just Lizzie's job and entire future on the line, but also the girl of her dreams.

The Second Ending by Michelle Hoffman

Prudence Childs was once the most famous kindergartner on the planet. After teaching herself to play piano at age three, she performed at the White House, appeared on talk shows, and inspired a generation of children to take up lessons. But as adolescence closed in, Prudence began to see that she was just another exploited child star, pushed into fame by her cruel grandmother. Prudence ran away - from both performing and her greedy handler - as soon as she was old enough to vote. Flat broke and alone, she took a job writing commercial jingles, which earned her a fortune, but left her creatively adrift.

Now forty-eight, with her daughters away at school, Prudence is determined to reconnect with the artist she once was and agrees to compete on a wildly popular dueling pianos TV show. Unfortunately, her new spotlight captures the attention of her terrible ex-husband, Bobby, who uses the opportunity to blackmail her over a secret she thought she’d buried in the past. If she doesn’t win, she won’t just be a musical failure; she’ll also be bankrupted and exposed in front of millions.

Her on-air rival, virtuoso Alexei Petrov, a stunning young Internet sensation with a massive audience and a dreamy Russian accent, has problems of his own. His overbearing parents’ domineering ways made him a technically flawless pianist but left him without friends, hobbies, or any kind of life outside his music.

As they prepare to face off on stage, the retired prodigy and the exhausted wunderkind realize that the competition is their chance to prove - to their terrible exes, tyrannical family members, and most importantly, themselves - that it’s never too late to write a new ending.