#Post Precipitation Rainbows

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Mike Luckovich

* * * *

Pride Month and the fight against fascism.  June 5, 2023

ROBERT B. HUBBELL

JUN 5, 2023

         June is Pride Month, a celebration that commemorates “the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in New York and celebrates the LGBTQ community and the fight for equal rights.” For decades, Pride Month celebrated the annual incremental gains in the liberties and progress toward full personhood of LGBTQ people under the law. Today, Pride Month is marked by renewed urgency to protect the rights of LGBTQ people as extremist legislators and governors seek to turn back the clock on rights that were hard won over the last half-century.

         The assault on LGBTQ rights is being promoted by politicians whose aim is to stigmatize a small population to gain power. At its core, attacking vulnerable populations to gain political power is fascism. Commentators and politicians were initially reluctant to label such efforts as fascist, but the historical parallels are inescapable. Comparing MAGA extremism to its historical antecedent is appropriate and necessary to raise the alarm about the ultimate threat posed by the new American fascism embedded in the MAGA base of the Republican Party.

         Of course, the MAGA extremists who are targeting LGBTQ people are also attempting to suppress the rights of Black and Latino Americans and women. But they are engaged in a stepwise process: Their most ferocious and transparent attacks are currently focused on LGBTQ people, but they intend to target minorities and women next—after they have normalized hate against LGBTQ people. We must stop them.

         Over the weekend, reader Doug S. suggested in the Comments section on Saturday that I “devote a couple of newsletters to the issue of fascism in America . . . which is a huge and growing problem much misunderstood.” Doug’s comment prompted a thoughtful discussion of the issue of fascism in America. He wrote, in part,

Although Hitler is an extreme example of fascism, fascism is about much more. It requires a strong leader, millions of followers (e.g., Brownshirts), an objective of some kind of societal purity, a demonization of groups of people in an objective to advance the power of the leader and his followers. Here are some current examples: Trump and “Mexican rapists;” Asians and “Kung flu,” the “Muslim ban,” DeSantis and LBGTQ people; and Marjorie Greene and white Christian nationalists.

         Reader Jody W. expanded on Doug’s point, noting the early efforts in pre-WWII Germany to discriminate against gay men:

Thom Hartman has been focusing strongly on fascism in his Substack blog (Thom Hartmann | Substack). One feature Hartmann points out that I hadn't given much attention is how fascist leaders find a small subset of the population that can be demonized easily with the right propaganda.

Once they have achieved their objective of eliciting hatred and violence toward that group, they know that their success then allows them to broaden propaganda efforts outward to other larger groups. I think that Hitler focused on gay men.

         Many readers pointed to Heather Cox Richardson’s essay in Letters from an American on May 29, 2023, in which Professor Richardson described a US Army pamphlet distributed in March of 1945. The pamphlet was entitled “Fascism” and was designed to inform and equip US soldiers in the WWII version of the information war. Per Professor Richardson, the pamphlet included the following:

They [fascists] maintain themselves in power by use of force combined with propaganda based on primitive ideas of ‘blood’ and ‘race,’ by skillful manipulation of fear and hate,

If we permit discrimination, prejudice, or hate to rob anyone of his democratic rights, our own freedom and all democracy is threatened.

         The above sentence from the Army pamphlet bears repeating:

If we permit discrimination, prejudice, or hate to rob anyone of his democratic rights, our own freedom and all democracy is threatened.

         Pride Month reminds us that if we “look the other way” as dozens of MAGA-dominated state legislatures discriminate against LGBTQ people, their actions “threaten all democracy.”

         The initial anti-LGBTQ bill in Florida has spawned a dozen imitators. See NPR,  (4/10/22), More than a dozen states propose so-called 'Don't Say Gay' bills. Targeting speech related to LGBTQ people is patently unconstitutional. Indeed, fascism itself is, by definition, contrary to the US Constitution. To the extent that MAGA-fascists use the authority of the state to discriminate against subsets of the US populace based on race, gender, or sexual orientation, such efforts will likely fail. See, for example,

CNN Politics, Tennessee anti-drag show law deemed 'unconstitutional' by Trump-appointed federal judge,

ABC News, Oklahoma agrees to not enforce gender-affirming care ban while temporary order sought; and

Lambda Legal, Advocates to File Lawsuit Against New Law Banning Healthcare for Transgender Youth in Texas.

         But even as courts and litigants seek to stop the tide of legislation targeting LGBTQ people, Ron DeSantis is busy signing new legislation intended to stigmatize people based on their gender identity and sexual orientation. See CNN (5/17/23), DeSantis signs into law restrictions on trans Floridians' access to treatments and bathrooms.

         What can we do to stop the creeping menace of fascism? The most obvious solution is to seize control of the state legislatures and state houses that have become the breeding ground for fascism. We are already hard at work on that task, but we must ensure that our efforts are informed by the underlying threat posed by MAGA legislatures—fascism.

         We must raise the alarm in plain words backed by unassailable facts and an accurate recounting of history. I can hear some readers pleading for restraint, for lowering the temperature, for avoiding ugly words that will cause offense. It is not the word “fascism” that is ugly; it is the underlying hate that is ugly. We will never defeat the hate and animus of fascism if we are too polite or timid to call it by its name.

         Many passed the threshold of acknowledgment long ago, while others are coming to that realization now. For some, January 6th was the turning point; for others, it has been the spate of legislation targeted at LGBTQ people over the last eighteen months. Others may be uncomfortable using the term. Wherever you are on that spectrum, we must agree that the fight to protect the liberties and human dignity of LGBTQ people is important for the defense of democracy itself. It is not “their” fight. It is “our” fight. If MAGA extremists succeed in normalizing hate against LGBTQ people, you may be next on their list.

[a-book-of-creatures]

One of the notes on the sea serpent post had this to say and I think it’s a very good point!

I’d say it’s all in how you frame it. It’s the age-old question. Like, what is a dragon? Is it “any large mythical reptile”? Or is it “a mythical serpent from European folklore that originated in the Greek drakōn, itself almost certainly an exaggerated description of a python or other large snake”? The first description could include the Chinese long, the North American horned serpent, the South American boiúna, the Australian rainbow serpent… the second, meanwhile, is a lot more restrictive.

So, in this case, what is “the sea serpent”? If the description is “a serpent that lives in the sea”, then yes, Leviathan could indeed be one of the older versions.

However!

The legend of Leviathan is that of the chaos battle, the defeat of an older water or water-adjacent deity to create order out of chaos. This is derived from the likes of Lotan and Tiamat, and there’s a clear degradation of the concept, from chthonic deities gradually being demoted to dragons/serpents of chaos and eventually great beasts that inhabit our world. It’s complicated. Leviathan also sometimes has multiple heads, something which I don’t associate with sea serpents. Tangential but worth mentioning.

Serpents that live in the sea have existed for a long time. Laocoon and his sons were killed by them. Aelian mentions them. Jormungandr is a big serpent that lives in the sea.

But it was the Scandinavian sea serpent that created the modern conception of the sea serpent as a serpent that lives in the sea which exists, and can be seen. It precipitated the whole sea serpent craze. Sober eyewitnesses reported sea serpents from all over the world.

Also it is literally called “sea serpent”. Not Jormundandr or Leviathan or Tiamat or whathaveyou, but “sea serpent”, not a proper name but the name of an animal. The great Scandinavian sea serpent is, indeed, referred to as such (sjøorm).

It was Olaus Magnus’ account that created a mythic landscape in which just about every unfamiliar thing in the sea became a sea serpent, from decomposed whales to long strands of kelp

to large sea life towing marine debris

to skim feeding sei whales

to whale penises

to stranded oarfishes

to whales tangled in debris (or maybe just another whale penis)

So yes, Leviathan (and Jormungandr) precede the sea serpent, and could be considered the origins of the myth, I agree! But for a more restrictive definition, I would say the sea serpent as we know it was born with Olaus Magnus’ account.

[steele-soulmate]

Tattooed Wings, CHAPTER 613, Peter Steele & OFC, Soulmate AU

SUMMARY: Mary Claire Bradley meets her soulmate- literally- the famous Peter Steele of metal group Type O Negative. But will obstacles including trauma, stalkers, and toxic family members get in the way of their life?

WARNING: mentions of child rape (nothing graphic) PTSD, milk kink, soft smut, grinding, assault, fingering, hand jobs, blow jobs, 69, P in V sex, blood, noncon rape, violence, death, vandalism, graffiti, attempted kidnapping, break-ins, wild animal attacks, terrorist attack (sabotage) consensual impregnation, bareback, impregnation kink, creampies, terrorist attacks (shootings) hit and run pedestrian accident, precipitous labor, neonatal death, abandoned baby, child intoxication, death of a minor character, injured baby, kidnapped child

WORDS: 1072

“Okay Katie, here we gooooooooooooooooooooooo…!” Ryley started up the saw and began to slice Katie’s cast off of her leg.

When Peter and I had returned with Katie for another X-ray for her broken foot six weeks previously, my husband’s doctor niece had wanted to refit Katie with another plaster cast, this one being a hot pink color. Now, we were back again for yet another X-ray and to make plans as to what we should do if the break hadn’t healed to the point where Katie could run about, then surgery would be heavily considered.

Peter had lobbied a lawsuit against the parents of one Daryll Johnson- while on the one hand I understood that there was only so much that could be done to tame the disabled child. But both little girl and Katie had Down’s Syndrome, the two special little ladies were not as wild and untamed as other children, and so this led me to believe that Daryll reined terror over his household, using his disability as an excuse every time someone would try to discipline him.

“Okay- wow.” Ryley pried the cast away from Katie’s foot and was rewarded with a bright purple bruise. “Yes, I would definitely say that we have something to be worried over. I would need to have more X-rays done before I can come to a conclusive diagnosis though.”

“Daddy, can you carry me?” Katie threw her arms up as Peter stood, taking her into his arms and following after his niece, leaving me with Elizabeth and the babies.

I smiled as Elizabeth began to wrangle the toddling babies, smiling and cooing down at them as they bopped around the exam room, doing adorable little babying things.

“Mommy?” Baby Tommy meeped as he toddled up to me. “Ca’ mesies bitday be at bouncy housey?”

“You want your fifth birthday at a bouncy housey?” I repeated. “What a fun idea!”

“I was telling the babies about a birthday party that one of the girls from my ballet class went to,” Elizabeth explained. “And oh, speaking of which, there’s a set of fraternal twins- one takes ballet, the other takes jazz. Mary Hope gave me a birthday invitation to their twelfth birthday party next month. I told her that if I was unable to attend, that I would bring a gift for her and her twin. I completely forgot about the party- I’ll get you the invitation when we get back home again, alright?”

“Ah, okay,” I hummed, understanding at once before returning my focus back onto Baby Tommy. “Let mommy and daddy talk about it, alright.”

“Their names are Mary Hope and Faith Ellan Wilson,” Elizabeth continued to chatter on. “They’re both really sweet and enjoy knitting- I taught them how to knit and they’re working on making Christmas jumpers for their parents!”

“Fun!” I knew of Elizabeth starting a knitting club at the dance studio, where she and the students would all congregate together whenever they could do so to exchange balls of colorful yarn and pattern ideas. Pictures had been posted to the dance studio’s Instagram and FaceBook pages, along with a monthly pizza party for the newfound club. So far, there were twenty four little girls already committed to the club, and the pictures of little girls in a rainbow of leotards and a mashup of colorful tights giggling as they knitted quietly together was so sweet.

@Mary_Claire_Ratajczyk_Official, Elizabeth started up a knitting club at ballet school!

#ballet #dance #bunhead #knittingclub #likemotherlikedaughter #lookatmylittlegirl #livelaughlove

@kellykent, NICE

@agrannyandherneedles, oh how it warms my withered heart seeing a new generation of little knitters hard at work!

@Pete­r_Steele===========8) AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW

@midnightshadowpuppet, #gogolittleknitters

@chocolaterobotchicken, wow, now I want to pick up knitting!

@lzziegreen, KNIT KNIT KNIT KNIT

@therealpetersteeleoffical, that’s my Bitty!

@MissMittensthemotherlycat, MEOW

I giggled at the responses marching downwards in the comment section before tucking my cell phone away into my bra once more. I looked upwards as Peter came back into the exam room, his handsomely bearded face pinched with rage and worry.

“Katie needs surgery,” he announced in an abrupt tone of voice, settling the battle wounded little girl back onto the uncomfortable bed.

“Katie needs a strip of metal screwed into her foot to ensure that it heals completely,” Ryley clarified, entering the room and shutting the door behind her. “I can go grab the paperwork you need to fill out to move forward.”

“Yes please.” Peter looked PISSED. “Can you do the surgery today?”

“I’m not a surgeon, I’m a trauma room doctor” Ryley commented dryly, handing over a clipboard and a pen.

I quickly signed everything, eager to have Katie feeling well once more as she and Elizabeth had fun with the babies. Meanwhile, Ryley was telling Peter and I what to do before the surgery- don’t eat after midnight, eat a healthy meal of vegetables, lean meats and whole grain and get plenty of rest.

“Alright, that should do it now!” Ryley announced as Peter was handing her the filled out paperwork. “I’ll see you all tomorrow, alright?”

TAGLISTS ARE OPEN/ ASK BOX IS OPEN/ REQUESTS ARE OPEN/ PLOT BUNNIES ARE WELCOMED

If you liked this, then please consider buying me a coffee HERE It only costs $3!!!

PETER STEELE TAGLIST

@rock-a-noodle

@elianafilthyrose

@ch3rry-c01a

@rockstarslutt

@angelxfuckk

[cosmichalo]

✳️✳️FIRST MEETINGS MEME;;

Gender:  Masculine. Feminine. Non-Binary.   Notes: Magdelena identifies to an extent as female, but overtime post-op has come to realize there's more fluidity to the understanding of her own gender identity.

Complexion: pale, almost vampiric; flawless (uncannily so) skin that betrays the scars she keeps hidden beneath very strategically placed clothing.

Height: 5'7" Body Type:  Endomorph.   Mesomorph.   Ectomorph.   Other. More Details:  It is difficult to deduce what her features were like prior to being a Faller; though, through reconstruction, she's acquired an athletic, albeit slim, build.

Body Build:  Small. Medium. Large. Athletic. Slender. Muscular. Soft. Curvy.  Voluptuous. Other. More Details:  60% of her is mechanized, so body-build is something she can alter to certain degrees.

Body Hair:  None.   Shaves/Waxes.   Trims/Grooms.   Untamed.   Color:  N/A Head Hair:  Bald. Buzzed. Short. Medium. Long. Very Long.   Color:  White, with pastel rainbow streaks/highlights. Style:  Split bob with blunt bangs. 

Eyes:  Red/purple, but can change hues due to her cyberoptics.  Scars:  The craftsmanship that went into "rebuilding" her was incredibly meticulous, though scarring was inevitable. Precise incision scars run along her inner arms, along her chest, her thighs, and down her back. They're astoundingly geometrical, running parallel to exposed wire in places, and along her prosthetic left leg and left arm.

Fashion Style:   Vintage. Traditional. Casual. Artsy. Vibrant. Geeky/Nerdy. Tomboy. Sporty. Trendy. Preppy. Girly. Bohemian. Elegant. Formal. Grunge. Punk. Rocker. Gothic.   Color Palette:  Monochromatic with pops of color: deep red; purple; pastels (pink, yellow, green, blue); silver.  

Piercings:  Ears, navel, septum. Tattoos:  Foreign symbols down the nape of her neck; she's desperately looking for a way to translate it...

General Facial Expression:  Distant and unreadable when around strangers/people in general; with her Pokemon partners and closer acquaintances, she is much more comfortable with being expressive. General Movements:  Confident, though subtle.

Presence:  Intimidating initially, Mag will command a room whether it's her intention or not; she typically stands out, people noting her powerful poise and sharp glare. During bouts of hysteria, her mannerisms become more animalistic in a way; poise is sacrificed for movements more gangly and ruggedly precipitous. And those she knows on a personal level, guards drop and she's able to be more humorous/relaxed.

Appearance:  Well kempt and hygienic to a sterile degree, Mag is big on maintaining her appearance and her grooming; this includes removing her left leg and left arm routinely to disinfect them, as she likes keeping all of her 'parts' in pristine condition. She's fond of make-up and accessories, and showing the parts of her skin that aren't decorated with implantations.

Scent: gasoline; smoke; burnt hair; lemongrass; spring bamboo. Voice Description:  Surprisingly feminine, though middle to lower in tone. There's a power to it that's amplified when her emotions are heightened. There's also a noticeable buoyancy when she's amused, or in a good mood. But, if she doesn't know you? Monotone, if anything at all. Accent:  yes / no.   More information: It isn't Orrean, that's for certain!

[spaciousreasoning]

A Rainy Wednesday

My blood sugar was down to 153 this morning. Not the lowest it has been but nearly there. It might be related to taking one of my prescriptions, but the last pill was Tuesday night and there’s not likely to be any more until after our PCP appointments on Friday. Perhaps not until next week, since the local pharmacy is not open on weekends.

The rain began during the early morning and continued through until shortly after noon. There was no chance to get out and walk. After our coffee and brain games we had oatmeal for breakfast. Then I got a massage treatment from Nancy.

I heard from Joe on the Stream Team at church that he will be away for the next three Sundays, so he emailed me a copy of the procedures for running everything. Joe and Ann are off to a wedding this next weekend, and after that they will be off visiting family in Michigan.

Nancy had an appointment for a massage herself at 2:15 p.m. over near Valley River Center. While she was getting her treatment, I walked two miles along the East Bank Trail, going past the Greenway Pedestrian Bridge and into the Delta Ponds area. The healthy riparian and aquatic habitats of Delta Ponds provide a home for many different kinds of wildlife, and I managed to get pictures of an otter, some ducks, geese, a snowy egret, and a great blue heron.

Once Nancy’s massage was done, we swung by the Subaru dealer to see if they had any containers for use in the back area of our Outback. They only had a couple of options, and we didn’t care for either of them, so we decided to go back and look online for something to keep things from rattling around in the back.

We came home and cooked up an enchilada casserole using some of the leftover Greek chicken, chopped up and heated in enchilada sauce and spiced with more chipotle, plus black beans, lots of cheese and corn tortillas. Topped with sour cream, it made for a very tasty dinner.

After dinner I walked another 2.2 miles, which took me through the magnolia garden again, and along a stretch of neighborhood where I was caught in a very heavy mist. The presence of precipitation at that time also helped produce a very large and bright rainbow.

The evening’s streaming included Colbert’s post-debate show, featuring newsman John Dickerson, the next episode of “Bad Monkey” and “The Magician’s Nephew” episode of the 11th series of “Midsomer Murders.”

[cedarboughs]

What follows is an excerpt from the July 12 2023 entry in my hiking journal. I’m not an influencer and I believe that some places are best kept less advertised, so precise locations are redacted.

Driving the Columbia Highway between Golden and the South Country, it’s well worth the slowdown to drive the left bank road between ——————- and ———. South of ——— the road is too rough for old Sylvia*, but this section is lovely and graded. In fact I had to pull over to let a grader pass not long after I crossed the broad wetlands on a series of low bridges. There are splendid roadside views of the green marshy Trench behind small farms with solitary grazing horses. Last time I was here, I stopped at the ———- Falls trailhead and left, disappointed, realizing I didn’t have bear spray. it turns out I didn’t really need it. The trail is short, well-trodden, and busy. That’s July in the post-quarantine Scattering, even on a cool Wednesday with a dark stratonimbic blanket hemming in the Trench, threatening to break again into the rain that pummelled Golden last night, and left the woods here still damp and fragrant. There are lovely thick gnarled douglas firs along the short trail, and the occasional cedar taking advantage of the spray. The falls are spectacular, a thundering main torrent, a bridal veil on the right bank, and a forceful faucet shooting from a tunnel on the left. There are lots of precipitously jutting bits of rock along the bank for getting nerve-wrackingly awesome views. As I did, the sun emerged, refracting bright rainbows.

*My ‘98 Honda sedan

[blogshee]

Explore the Different Types of Digital Marketing: Comprehensive Guide

Digital Marketing has changed how enterprises put up their products and interact with guests. Traditional marketing tactics have taken a terminating seat. have taken a terminating seat in the age of digital marketing tactics have surfaced on the internet as the driving force behind brand visibility as well as participation. This essay investigates the rise of digital marketing, its variegated factors, and the massive impact it has had on the present business scene.

Read about SMX[Social Marketing expo]

Website Optimization

The website of an establishment is constantly the original point of contact between an implicit patron and the brand. As a result, creating an engaging, addict-friendly, and responsive website is critical. runner draft speed, mobile benevolence, and a visually engaging design all play an important part in keeping frequenters on the point. Optimizing website content for seek machines( SEO) is also important for adding organic business.

Content Marketing

In the world of digital marketing, quality content reigns supreme. material marketing entails developing and propagating precious, applicable, and harmonious material to attract and maintain a certain public. Effective content formats include blog entries, papers, size recordings, infographics, and social media posts. The thing is to place the brand as an authority in its specialty as well as to enlighten and engage.

Social Media Marketing (SMM)

Social media platforms have evolved into a focal point for brand marketing and account connection. Having a strong social media presence enables businesses to engage with their target cult, distribute content, and run focused advertising sweats. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn give several chances to engage with rainbow populations.

Dispatch Marketing

Dispatch marketing is still an effective way to nurture prospects and develop patron connections. individual dispatch marketing can give subscribers edited content and offers, boosting the possibility of alternation. Businesses can use Robotization results to shoot timely, applicable dispatches to their dispatch list.

PPC( Pay– Per- Click) Marketing

PPC advertising, ditto as Google Advertisements and Facebook bulletins, enables businesses to reach implicit guests through paid placements in pursuit of machine results and social media feeds. These bulletins can be primarily targeted, allowing companies to reach specific demographics, locales, and interests.

Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing makes use of the credibility and reach of people who enjoy a sizable following in a certain field. Businesses can earn the trust of their followership and access to influencers’ devoted addict networks by working with them.

Video Marketing

Video material is still growing more and more popular since it efficiently grabs watchers’ attention. Businesses have the chance to make engaging videotape content on websites like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram Stories.

Data Analytics and Metrics

Digital marketing has the benefit of being suitable to cover and estimate the effectiveness of marketing exertion. To get useful information on prospect geste

crusade efficacity, and ROI, businesses can make use of technologies like Google Analytics and social media perceptivity. This data-driven methodology promotes optimization and well- informed decision- timber.

Mobile Marketing

The thing of mobile marketing is to connect with and interact with consumers via their mobile bias, analogous to smartphones and tablets. Businesses are precipitously using mobile marketing to interact with their target consumers as the mobile operation expands encyclopedically. also a summary of mobile marketing, including its essential rudiments and recommended practices

Chatbots and Artificial Intelligence( AI)

important technologies like chatbots and artificial intelligence( AI) are revolutionizing numerous angles of marketable operations, client service, and digital marketing. They give associations the chance to more consumer connections, automate operations, and make data-driven opinions. Let’s claw deeper into chatbots and AI.

Chatbots are computer programs that replicate mortal commerce and respond in real-time to stoner orders or questions. They comprehend and give textbook-rested responses that act as those of humans using natural language processing( NLP).

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

A vital element of digital marketing is hunt machine optimization( SEO), which aims to raise a website’s exposure and position in hunt machine results runners( SERPs). It entails a collection of styles and strategies intended to raise a website’s authority and connection in the eyes of hunt machines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo. also’s a thorough explanation of SEO.

Affiliate Marketing

In a performance-rested digital marketing fashion called chapter marketing, companies or advertisers pay publishers or mates who relate guests to their websites or make deals on their websites. It’s a mutually profitable agreement where both parties have the occasion to earn commissions or freight, making it a well-liked and provident system of promoting goods and services. A figure of chapter marketing is given below

Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing is a well-liked digital marketing tactic that entails working with people or influencers that have a sizable and engaged following in a certain assiduity or area. Its ideal is to use the influencer’s authority and cult to request goods, services, or brand dispatches to their followers. also’s a detailed explanation of influencer marketing.

[pcttrailsidereader]

The End of Fire Season?

Here we are a few weeks from Thanksgiving. It is early November and it appears, according to the Washington Post, that the California Fire season may be over for 2022. November? It has been another long fire season in the west.

Rain and mountain snow pounded California and parts of the intermountain west on Election Day.

Several feet of snow fell in the Sierra Nevada, including 29 inches in Wishon and 28 inches near Devils Postpile. The Central Sierra Snow Lab tweeted that it received 34.3 inches, boosting 2022’s precipitation to 115 percent of normal.

At lower elevations, numerous locations in California set daily rainfall records Tuesday, including Los Angeles, with 1.31 inches.

Ahead of the storm, forecasters said the rain and snow were likely to end the fire season in much of California.

This is potentially very good news for the battered and burned western states. Of course, when it comes to fickle the weather in the west can be all of that despite predictions from knowledgable sources.

If you have visited Devils Postpile along the PCT you will likely recall the surrounding burned out forest. It is not until you break out of the trees at the Devils Postpile do you really see the devastation left from the Rainbow fire from 1992.

Here is a short fire chronology of the fire that devastated the area around Devils Postpile from a Forest Service study covering the past thirty years since the original fire.

Rainbow Fire •Ignited by lightning Aug. 20, 1992 six miles below the monument on Inyo N.F. •High winds (60+ mph) spread the fire to 2,400 ha in 24 hr. •By Sept. 8 about 3,378 ha had burned including 265 ha (82%) of the monument. •Large portions of the burn were high severity.

In the thirty years since the Rainbow Fire the forest is slowly re-generating. When we were there nearly twenty years post fire, we camped among some gray snags looking out on a broad burned out forest. News of a substantial snow in the Sierra offers a sense of respite from the intense battering due to fire that has plagued the west since last January. Then, a surprise wildfire devastated a suburban housing development near Denver and the hits just kept on coming.

If this recent storm is a precursor for a cold and wet winter that will be something to celebrate. If, on the other hand it turns out to be an anomaly then that will be another issue altogether. Fingers crossed and let's hope the snow gods smile on the west in 2023.

[aisla229]

Finished the first arc of the tabletop rpg game I’m GMing, I can finally post all the art! More about the worldbuilding under the cut:

Sauris is a white moon who’s visible surface is mostly composed of clouds. It orbeting around a gas giant, Caelophy. Millenias ago one of the pieces of the crust rolled over in the sea, exposing its side to the sunlight above, past the violent chemically active (and colorful) clouds inbetween. Life boomed on the continent, giving birth to complexe lifeforms such as plants and animals. Currently, civilisation is on the verge of an industrialisation, with a wide and diverse range of trades, for the first time spanning the massive and entire continent.

The active Inner Cloud layer, in an event called the Cloud’s Shift, can burst outwards. When it touches the continent it is believed to be the cause of creation of magic, causing all kinds of odds events as well, like making felines walk on two legs, plants change color, or give mysterious abilities to hidden creatures.

Any magic needs to be cast with a magic circle, each categorised by naturally occuring sigils at the centers. There is 13 known sigils, each named and tide to the planets and moons of Sauro. However tides are about to move, with a few wary travellers coming across a 14th unknown sigil, with the only proof of it being a reserved kid and a suspicious necklace.

Dinosaurs are the prominent life form on Sauris, with only a few mammals (mostly rodents and our beloved humanoids), fish in the rivers, and giant insects in the bogs. Here is a world where dinosaurs are found as locomotion, pets, food, and terrifying predators. It being very cold on Sauris, all year round, they also all rock some fluffy feather/proto-feathers coats.

The seasons no Sauris, are divided into two summers and two winters, spending a large portion of the year partially obscured of Sauro by Caelophy. The highest temperature is around 10°C , and the lowest -30°C

Here on the continent:

- The Tower of Almonious: A distant land discovered by a great sorcerer who has constructed a massive tower on top. Not much is known to the common people of Sauris, and stays inaccessible even today.

- Pol Malleo: An Active volcano, that unlike the ones on Earth does not eject lava, but a hot water-like liquid. Said liquid, named Azura, has a bright blue-turquoise color that glows a powerful green when it comes in contact with certain gases. The jets can go as high as 50 km high in the sky, forming a long colorful trail as it floats away.When an eruption occurs during Altieme, the droplets of liquid tend to freeze instantly in contact with the cold air, forming icicles that drop on the land below, often causing great problems as they bullet the surface.

- Tiacus Mire: It is currently the land in which resides the biggest city of Sauris; Aegyp. It also has the biggest lake: Great Ophora. During Primaestas, the majority of its land gets flooded, creating humid bogs, prospice to massive creatures, such as insects, Spinosaurus, and water dwellers like the massive mosasaurus.

- The Isles of Breviq: It probably has the most unique land shapes of the entire Continent. Long, relatively thin pillars of land have slowly come apart from the main land mass over many centuries, resulting in its numerous islands appearing to float between the clouds. The people of Breviq are known for having tamed the difficult beasts of the sky; riding pterosaurs.

- Pol Incus: The tallest mountain of Sauris, and so the tallest point of the entire moon. Its difficult climb has challenged many minds to reach its freezing top where the air grows thin. Temples and even old artefacts lie across the peaks or hidden under it’s rocks, proving the curiosity this mountain has always inspired.

- Thyreophor: The biggest land of Sauris. Thyreophor is most defined by its lush forests with massive trees and year-long colorful plants capable of holding under massive amounts of snow. It still holds the title of largest population in total.

- The Sdomorphia Wild Plains: Long stretches of grass and brush-like plants extend for as far as the eye can see. Sdomorphia is the land of nomads and the biggest of the animal kingdom: the Sauropods. It might not contain many streams or lakes, but it’s vast stretches borrow perfectly for herd hunting.

- The Austro Tundra: Unlike the other more South lands of Sauris, the Austro Tundra’s soil never melts away. Its rock-solid earth and ice makes it difficult to build houses on, but it has not stopped villages from sprouting even on the coldest land.The Austro Tundra is the land of Theropods, having the biggest number of raptors alike, many of which have prized feather coats.

- The Coelorus Coast: It has some of the biggest rate of precipitation of Sauris, standing on the right side of Pol Malleo against the strong air currents brushing the clouds below. Perhaps from the warmth created by Pol Malleo, the snow in Coelorus tends to melt a lot quicker than the other lands, and with the high amount of rivers and streams lining the soils, it also is one of the most fertile places. The steep sides of the volcano create perfect ranges for step agriculture, and primarily corn and rice.

- Cephalia: It currently has the title of the land with the biggest number of farm-land. Cephalia is often defined as the most friendly populace. With its loudest voices being farmers and workers, it has a particular streak of freedom and carelessness attached to its name.

- The Shantung Sway: A land carrying its own ecosphere, the people of Shantung have remained centuries without connection to the rest of Sauris. The current path to its land is extremely recent and trades have yet to be initiated. Apart from a very few explorers that have left Shantung to see the lands, and all described as fairly eccentric, interactions have been minimal so far.Shantung has been described as odd and fairy tale-like. With plants that glow in the dark, upside-down trees that prevent snow from reaching the ground, and weird spiky structured rocks. With bizarre animals, dinosaurs naked without feathers, small floating octopus creatures, and long leg-less organisms that slithered like tree branches.

- The Tenonto Canyon: The great divider between Malleo and Incus, the canyon expands down as far as can see, battered with wild winds and dangerous looking tornadoes beneath the clouds. A single bridge has been built on the closest edges, where the trade route quickly bustled with life, and ultimately created Mer, an unique city split in two across each side, one in the Tiacus Mire and the other in Thyreophor.

I’d like to say a big thank you to the players for being so patient and being so invested in this world i created, I love you guys. And thanks to anyone who actually read this!

[outofangband]

Environment and Geography of Dor-lómin Part 1/3, Overview

Flora, fauna, geography and environment of Arda masterlist

Part Two will focus more on Northern Dor-lómin and the Caves of Androth!

I was asked for environmental or landscape headcanons climate headcanons from this headcanon ask game here for Dor-lómin

I actually have a flora and fauna of Hithlum post but I’m making a new one with more information divided into different sections so I wanted to do a few general environment and geography posts like I did with Dimbar in preparation

I am also going to do another post on Hithlum and Mithrim

Dor-lómin’s geography and landscape is fascinating to me! I’ll give some canon information first (I spent like half an hour or more with maps out)

Dor-lómin is in the Southwest of the region of Hithlum surrounded on all sides except the North by mountains. The Ered Wethrin border the South, the Mountains of Mithrim on the East and the Ered Lómin on the West. On the Northwest corner there is the Cirith Ninniach or Rainbow cleft which connected Hithlum by a ravine to the Firth of Drengist, a bay. Through a tunnel in the ravine a waterfall fell into a stream that lead to the Annon In Gelydh or the Gate of the Noldor. South of here was the caves of Androth, a system of caves

This and the description of Nevrast as hollow reminds me of what I was talking about here and inspired by @quixoticanarchy who is brilliant with geography and geomorphology. I headcanon much of Western Beleriand (and some of East) is karst terrain, that is, a topography formed when soluble rocks such as limestone dissolve creating extensive underground drainage systems, sinkholes and caves.

The climate is similar to that of Hithlum as a whole, cool climate with cool summers and cold winters but fertile ground. The humidity of Dor-lómin is likely higher than Mithrim and the rest of Hithlum and there is higher levels of rainfall.

A real world biome that might describe Dor-lómin is the montane grassland and shrubland . It is also likely a steppe ecosystem, that is, a grassland with taller trees and shrubs near bodies of water. Like the rest of Hithlum, Dor-lómin has a cool climate. I think it has higher humidity and precipitation than Mithrim. Mists and fog are common as are summer rain and thunderstorms.

Alpine meadows are another possibility for ecoregion inspiration. Rhododendron is highly associated with these ecosystems. I definitely want to explore this more if there’s interest

In the Southeast corner is the House of Húrin and Morwen near Amon Darthir, the mountain where the spring Nen Lalaith is sourced is located. This area of the land is more forested with groves of flaky Juniper and birch trees. There was also a passage through the mountains here that was largely unknown to Morgoth’s side

Feel free to ask more about here and elsewhere! A location can be as small or specific as you want

[everyhowlmarksthedead]

❛ A FIRST DATE ❜

with Johnny ‘Coco’ Cruz.

Request: Can I request a fluffy Coco imagine?? From his POV about their 1st date and his thoughts abt her and stuff? I really want some coco fluff lol. ❤❤🔥

BY ANON

Word count: about 1.7k

Aurora says: this writing hasn't been edited, you may find some grammar mistakes, I'm sorry about that!

Gif credits: to the author.

Masterlist. You can subscribe to my broadcast list, to be notified whenever I post a writing!

“Brother, just be yourself”.

Angel thinks that Coco is giving it more importance than it really has, after trying different outfits, without finding the perfect one. He doesn't have many clothes, because he doesn't really need it. But now, he's really pissed off.

“If I act like usually, she'll kick ma' ass in fucking seconds”. He grumbles sitting over his bed, rubbing his face with both hands.

You two met at the hospital some week ago, when he suffered some kind of accident that left him blind in one eye, for some time. He felt his heart pumping because of love for the first time, when he saw you after cleaning his healthy eye. And before that, he was already truly fascinated by the way you had to calm him down using your voice. A sweet and honeyed tone that he could be listening to his whole life. He couldn't help but think how good falling asleep every night hearing you talking would be. It took him almost two weeks to ask you out, but he couldn't feel more happy when you said yes without letting him finish the question. Coco felt strange when he left the hospital after it, experimenting a bunch of sensations stuck in his chest that made him feel better than ever.

Now, his insecurities are coming into the light. Everything he touches ends up destroyed, broken. You are too pure for his shit. You don't deserve to take that risk. Taking off his phone from his pocket, he searches for your number. Gilly and Angel are looking at him intrigued, until they find out what he's going to do. The big one takes the phone off from his hands, while the oldest Reyes holds him to guide him towards the door.

“You're not gonna flake on her, pendejo”. He grunts, pushing him outside his house.

His brothers follow him to the meeting place, watching you sit on a bench waiting for him, after twenty minutes standing up and walking around the big fountain. You look beautiful, dressed with a pair of shorts, a baggy white shirt with the sleeves rolled up on your shoulders and black sneakers. He turns around, trying to run away from your life again, facing his friends.

“I can't”. He just says, with his hands almost sweating. “She's too much for me”.

“She's perfect for you, man!” Gilly rolls his eyes.

“C'mon, Coco, don' be a chicken and get the girl”.

Licking his bottom lip, he just nods in silence, trying to find the perfect words to encourage himself. Turning over his Vans, he starts his way towards you, doubting for some seconds. And he's about to leave when you raise your eyes from your phone. The smile you draw with the corner of your lips gives him a heart attack, knowing that he could die full of happiness right now.

“Hey, I thought you weren't coming”.

Maybe it wasn't the greeting he was expecting and he feels so sorry for having made you wait. Stroking the back of his head, he forces a grin.

“Yeah… I was… 'bout to not comen'”.

Your gesture turning from enthusiasm to disheartening, causes him some bitter shivers inside his chest. He has already fuck up the good vibes between you two, that borned in the hospital. Seeing you nod in silence, shrugging your shoulders, makes him feel out of air; trying to think something to fix it up.

“I really… appreciate that, at least, you came to tell me that this isn't going to happen… It would be… humiliating”. You whisper putting your gaze away from him.

Coco can see the way your lips are trembling, as if you were about to cry, and it's painful. For him, it's painful.

“No, mami, lis—”.

“It's okay, Johnny, you don't have to excuse yourself”. Waving a hand on air, you try to make it easy for him. “I get it”.

He's missing the boat, watching you turning around and focusing your attention on the screen of your phone again. Maybe typing to some friend to pick you up, maybe about to call anyone else. But finally, the orders from his brain move his body to stop you.

“No, wait!” He says somewhat loud, grabbing your left wrist. “I wanna date you. I wanna have a lot of dates with you. This ain't you, mami, but me”.

Looking at his hand confused, you travel his arm until finding his dark and desperate eyes, talking to you in silence. Begging you to listen.

“My life is a shit. A mess... A chaos. I… had this accident with my eye because… of a dogfight with another gang. I didn' wanna lie to you, you know? I think you're smart, and pretty and… you don' deserve a guy like me who is… always in fuckin' trouble and that… used to ride a bike that probably would never ride again, just… with a shitty work on a scrapyard”. Coco is getting more and more nervous because you're not saying a single word back. He gulps with some difficulty, taking a step closer to you. “I ain't a good man, I don' do good things, but… I really wanna date you, mami. I've never been so true in ma' life”.

And he's about to give up with a crappy sensation running his body, when you tangle your finger with the ones that were gripping your arm.

“Maybe you can teach me to drive a bike, so I can ride for you”. You just say, hoping that it's enough for him.

“That sounds good, ma'”. He replies with no hesitation, feeling like for the first time he's having a good opportunity in his life.

Watching you smile again it's like seeing a rainbow after a destructive storm, putting his arm over your shoulders to start a low walk.

“Do you like pizza?” You ask then, raising your head toward his.

“Yeah, 'course”. He answers with an incredulous gesture on his face.

“Okay, do you know a food truck close to the hospital, with red and blues stripes?”

“No”.

“Seriously?” You almost scream, breaking into laughs. “You like pizza and you have never tried it before?”

Coco shakes his head, falling in love a little more after hearing your laughter. That simple gesture has made him feel more happy than ever before.

“You're gonna really, really love it”. You say with emotion, moving a hand on air to highlight your words.

“I'm sure”. He chuckles nodding. “You look pretty convinced”.

And you weren't wrong. Maybe not everybody would think that sitting on an edge of a sidewalk, eating pizza, it's the perfect date. But for him, it's the perfect one. He can ask for anything else that hearing you talk for hours about your hobbies, about what you would like to be in five years, about the things the two of you have in common. And he has never talked this much, either. But it's too easy for him to follow the conversation and flow it into another one, until the night falls over the town.

Coco insists on walking with you back to your home, just to be sure that you come safe. And even if he has had so much fun, he's doubting if you would like to repeat it. Maybe at the end you were just trying to be kind with him, because he seemed so desperate for being with you for a couple hours, to not make him feel bad. And maybe that was the reason why you didn't want him to take you home. But the real reason is that your housemates are waiting on the porch for you to tell them how it was. As soon as they see you coming closer, they run into the house ashamed and laughing, making your cheeks burn when Coco notices what is going on.

“Sorry, they're like children…” You say hastily, stopping your steps and placing yourself in front of him.

“It's okay, ma'. My… friends are waiting too”.

Between the two of you gets installed an uncomfortable silence for some seconds, until he sees you holding your bag, looking for something inside it. He breaks into loud laughs when his healthy eyes focus on the heart shaped lollipop, that you're offering him.

“I heard you the day you visited the hospital, so… there's your reward for being a good boy”.

Coco takes it, shaking his head and showing you a funny smile, before catching you between his arms. Embracing you tightly, he places a kiss on your cheek. A lovely one. Pulling himself away, he opens the candy to tuck it into his mouth.

“The best one”. He says tasting the strawberry flavor of it.

“Okay, ah… I have three kids to take care of”. You joke about your friends, pointing at your house for a second. “I had so much fun today…”

“Yeah, me too… We can repe—”.

“I'm free tomorrow”.

Hearing you interrupt him, after realizing that he wants to have another date with you. Taking off the lollipop from his mouth, he leans forward to press your lips with his, shortening the distance between both. Feeling your fingers getting tangled in his shirt give him some pleasant chills, ending up pecking your lips gently.

“What about breakfast? I know a place with the best pancakes”. He proposes then, giving you an eskimo kiss.

“I like it”. You nod, kissing his lips a last time.

“Pick you up at ten?”

“Pick me up at ten”.

“Have a good night, mami”.

“You too, pirate”. Puckering your lips, he laughs again. “Enjoy it, you're gonna see again in a couple months”.

He frowns a little confused, drawing slowly a huge smile on his lips.

“Spoiler of your next doctor appointment”.

“Is tha' why you told me tha' I could teach you?”

Walking backwards to your house, he sees you happily nodding.

“'Am gonna marry you one day, you know'et?”

These words may have been somewhat precipitate, or at least that's what he's thinking until seeing you nod again.

“I hope it”.

“Shit”, he thinks to himself, licking again the lollipop; not leaving your hood until you're inside your house.

[upst--rs]

adam splitter

outer space in bedsheets, for naked eyes; stargazing nebulously, still; xcore spectacles; we telescope ourselves, split, multifariously, over the many islands of our own minds.

you quote scripture like Ron Hextall saves; an adroit skeleton comports with any angle; Greek Gods can also be pronouns; he/she/they/Zeus; Mark 5:9, “My name is Legion ... for we are many".

we learn that ants are each other's unit of time; colonizing memories, like a station sans reception; adjusting antennae, we try to tune into our past-future; we are always one "hello" away from hi-def infidelity.

ghosts precipitate, make a melting pot of the sky; anagrams of former flames rename the seasons; weather forecasting your unconscious, constantly; a silhouette shimmies, beneath shallow ice sheets.

you hold hands like there is a cold war inside of you; every photo is a stump speech, written in a gray sleet; frozen smiles, upon examination, melt like snowmen.

silence refracting voices; a stairwell made of prisms; wavelengths rainbow, and are heard only in the dark; we meet again, finally, in a space without a universe; "dark matter" holds us together, through confession.

anonymity bends physics; hourglass figures run thin; a sex addict writes the first manual on how to be 2D; flat earthing body, barenaked ladies sing "pinch me"; byzantine, post-Romance; intangible, alternative fat.

the way you look at me says now is a kind of tinnitus; it's like your life flashing before Call ID; only ringing.

[carryonsimoncarryonbaz]

SKIN DEEP—a fic

So Rainbow had a pretty funny exchange on Twitter yesterday about the Watford crew and teenage acne, and in particular if Baz would have acne. Which she said he most certainly would. So, being me, I had to go write a fic about it. Because I have no chill and even less self control. So here is a slightly crack-y fic, set at pre-canon era Watford, as hormones start to surge and Simon becomes pimple obsessed.

Screen shots of Rainbow’s tweets at the end of this post, to prove this lunacy had a real life prompt.

Simon and Baz fourth year, as the ravages of adolescence commence. Pimples, blemishes and spots. Questionable concoctions. The roots of Baz’s immaculate skin care regimen. Some things even a vampire can’t avoid.

Skin Deep

Year Four

Simon

I’m just about to splash water on my face when I notice them in the mirror. I mean, I’ve been expecting this to happen. I saw the older boys go all spotty at the homes. There’s no way I’d be lucky enough to be spared.

But fuck it all. I’ve got one on the side of my nose, two on my chin and one right between my eyebrows. How did I get all these pimples in one night?

I’m half tempted to think Baz spelled me. But that’s not his style, he doesn’t sneak about doing something like this, even though he’s a prick and a plotter. No, he did things like this when we were first years, but now when Baz spells me he wants everyone to know what he’s done.

Makes a production of it, the wanker.

Like when he knocks my boater off. Spells my shoes untied during class, so I trip when I stand up. Or seals the lid on the butter dish at breakfast.

If Baz was going to spell me spotty he’d do it in on a Monday, right before class, when everyone would notice. Not in our room, on a Saturday morning, when we’ve got nothing to do and nowhere to go.

He’s still asleep so if he did do it, it must have been in the night and really what would be the bloody point of that?

I have to reluctantly admit it’s probably not him this time. It’s me. I was just hoping this particular stage of puberty would just pass me by.

The other milestones have been coming one right after another though, so I guess I’m not that lucky.

I’ve got hair in more places now.

And I grew three inches this summer (Baz grew four, the tosser, so he’s still taller than me).

He’s taller but it’s like he fits in his body. Glides when he walks. Smooth as silk on the pitch. Bloody infuriating, is what it is.

I feel like a marionette on a string, my arms and legs all out of sync, knocking into furniture and tripping over my own feet, even when my shoes are tied.

And my voice has been doing that stupid thing where it gets all deep mid-sentence, and then it goes up so high I sound like Madame Bellamy. It’s bloody awful. Baz always gives me shit about it --“going to break into song for us, Snow?”

He’s such a prick.

I lean in closer to the mirror. The ones on my chin are small. It’s the nose one that’s a disaster.

No help for it. I’ll ask Penny if there’s a spell at breakfast. Though I doubt there is, seeing as Agatha’s been spotty for weeks and I know she’d use a spell, if there was one. Penny says Agatha spells her hair to be that straight and shine like it does. I wasn’t sure I believed her but some days it’s got a bit of an uneven wave to it so I wonder if Penny may be right.

*******

“No, Simon, there isn’t a spell.” Penny is using her patient voice with me, which means she thinks my question is unbearably stupid. She leans across the table to peer at me over her glasses. “You’ve hardly got any.”

“I might only have four now. But just you wait. They’re bound to get worse. With my luck I’ll be covered in them.”

“You don’t know that. And even if they do get worse it’s human nature! The universal teen experience!”

I groan.

“It won’t be that bad, Simon. Besides everyone’s spotty.”

“Baz isn’t spotty.”

She rolls her eyes. “Not Baz again, please.”

“Have you seen him, Penny?”

“I see him every day, Simon.”

“Yes, but have you really looked?”

“Obviously not as intently as you.”

“I live with him!”

I get another eye roll.

“He’s not got one spot! I tell you, it’s proof he’s a vampire. You can’t go through normal adolescence and be as pristine as all that.”

“Everyone goes through puberty at different times. He’s probably not at that stage yet.”

“He’s taller than me!”

“He’s always been taller than you.”

“Don’t I know it.”

“It’s not like he has any control over that, Simon. It’s genetics.”

I know that. I know height isn’t something that you can magick. But it just doesn’t seem fair that each time I grow enough to catch up to him, he grows too.

He did it last summer. Did it again this summer. Even grew over the Christmas holiday this year, the jammy bastard.

And now I’m sprouting pimples right and left and he’s across the dining hall with his flawless, pearly grey skin. Not a spot to be seen.

Typical.

****

I can tell I’ve got more when I wake up. Bloody hell. The old ones dry up and get crusty and new ones take their place.

My face feels heavier this morning. I grimace and I know there’s one on the side of my nose again. It pinches when my cheeks move so it must be massive. And the one on my chin itches— it’s probably grown overnight, red and welted around that nasty white center. I can’t even imagine what my forehead looks like.

I’ve tried everything.

Washing my face twice a day.

Alcohol to try to dry them out (didn’t do a thing, except make my skin all flaky so I looked like I had dandruff and the pox).

I borrowed some ointment off of Gareth. (He’s worse off than me, the poor sod, just a face full of them.) (Which should have tipped me off that whatever he was using wasn’t working.) (Got an earful from Penny about that.)

I had some sort of allergic reaction when I used his, so my face was itching, red even in the areas between the spots, and felt like it was on fucking fire.

Practically scrubbed my face off trying to wash it away.

Of course, Baz walked in right as I came out of the en suite. Did a double take at the sight of me, the wanker, then raised that eyebrow of his and curled his lip up in a sneer. Leaned forward and studied me for a moment. My face got even hotter. I don’t like it when he stares at me like that, all intense and focused. Like he’s plotting the best way to end me without triggering the Anathema. Makes my stomach twist, it does.

Made me wish my wand wasn’t half way across the room.

But I know Baz won’t risk the Anathema. He’s never done anything remotely threatening in our room. (It’s another story out of our room.)

He’d crossed his arms over his chest after he was done inspecting me and smirked, the tosser. “You know, Snow, between the excessive quantity of moles, infinite number of freckles, and extraordinary collection of pimples you have on your face, I don’t think I can actually see anything resembling skin anymore.”

He’s going to make me trigger the Anathema one of these days.

I ended up having to see the nurse for it, when I couldn’t stop scratching at my face. She rolls her eyes almost as much as Penny. It’s not like I can help being there so often. I’ve got missions. Important work for the Mage. It’s what I do.

She’d shaken her head at me and cast some spell that made the itching go away but didn’t do a thing for the bloody spots. Looked bored and put upon even doing that, she did.

This teen experience is a bloody nuisance.

I’m more and more convinced Baz is a vampire. The entire class looks poxed except for him. Like we’re in the middle of a plague while he’s all alabaster skin, unblemished and smooth, immaculate and bloody flawless.

Perfect, just like he always is.

Wanker.

Baz

Snow is an absolute spotted mess. It was entertaining at first, to watch him peer at himself in the mirror, hear the muttered curses as he would catch sight of each new blemish.

But I’m actually finding myself almost feeling sorry for him now.

Almost.

He’s standing at his mirror, turning his face this way and that, grumbling to himself as he inspects his reflection.

It’s something he does on a daily basis since his skin condition deteriorated so precipitously. I should probably stop needling him about it.

But I won’t because he actually seems quite bothered by it. Can’t let him think I’m going soft.

I wasn’t joking the other night, when I mocked him. I don’t think he has a span of skin left that doesn’t have some manner of spot or blotch or freckle on it. At least he’s stopped with the alcohol washes. He was shedding more than a snake when he was doing that, leaving errant flakes of skin all over the bathroom sink.

Disgusting.

Whatever he’s doing certainly isn’t making anything better. Making it a far sight worse by my estimation.

He’s literally a textbook illustration of acne vulgaris. The full range: from red and bumpy spots, to glaring pustules, to crusted over, scabby craters.

More like a walking dermatologic visual in actuality. You could slap a label on him: progressive stages of teenage acne and the entire range of pigmented facial anomalies.

Although they weren’t really anomalies before the acne got to Snow. His moles and freckles just seem to fit with his tawny skin—vast arrays of constellations scattered across his face, mapping out patterns against the smoothness of his complexion.

I don’t know what I’m thinking. What absolute nonsense. Snow’s freckles are a travesty.

And he’s anything but smooth complexioned. He’s more of a lunar landscape than Shakespeare’s damask’d roses.

I can’t be arsed to mess with him now though. I’m too comfortable under my blankets.

It’s far too early for anyone to be up, but Snow’s probably readying himself to head off on one of the Mage’s blasted missions again. Despite the fact that it’s a Sunday morning and by all accounts he should be doing what the rest of us are—having a lazy lie-in.

I watch him from under half-lidded eyes, the blankets pulled up to cover the bottom half of my face. He growls one last time, savages his curls in an attempt to tame them, and then charges out the door. It slams shut behind him, further proof that Snow has no regard for the niceties of sharing a room.

Thanks to all his thumping about, I’m now wide awake. I try to go back to sleep, try to will myself into a drowsy oblivion, but that ship has sailed. No Sunday lie-in for me and I lay the blame directly on Snow.

I stay under the covers for a bit longer, dreading the chilly walk to the en suite, but eventually my need to piss outweighs the comfort of the bed.

It’s not until I’m washing my hands and happen to glance up at the mirror that I notice.

There’s a pimple on my nose. Not just on my nose—at the very tip of it. Right in the fucking center of my face. If it were anywhere else—my forehead or my cheeks, for example—I’d have some chance of hiding it. But this. I can’t hide this.

And I can’t hide the one on my chin either. Bloody hell.

I shouldn’t even have pimples. I should by all rights be immune to this. I don’t get sick, I’m not prey to infections—how the bloody hell have I ended up with acne, for Crowley’s sake? It should be one of the perks of being undead—imperviousness to the ravages of teenage skin eruptions.

For half a minute I wonder if Snow has spelled me, in retribution for my insensitive commentary on his facial imperfections. But there is no possible way Snow could have managed a spell this precise, this nuanced. I’d be covered in boils, like Job himself, if Snow had attempted to pox me.

That’s not to say that this is acceptable. It most assuredly is not. And there’s no bloody spell for it. Dev’s been spotty since last year and he and Niall have yet to find anything that does more than slightly diminish the redness.

It’s fine. This is fine.

It’s not fine.

I need to call home and talk to Daphne. Surely she’ll have some advice for me.

Simon

The sunlight filtering through the window wakes me up. I’m still knackered from yesterday. Didn’t get back until well after midnight and I’ve got class in just a bit. I stretch and groan as my shoulder pops. I wrenched it trying to free my sword from that basilisk’s skull last night. I roll my neck and pull myself to a seated position.

Baz is already up. The door to the en suite’s closed but I don’t hear the water running.

My stomach growls. I’ll have time for seconds if I get to breakfast early enough. I’m just about ready to head down there when Baz comes out of the bathroom, steam drifting behind him and bringing the scent of his shampoo with it. It’s some posh brand, in sleek, artistically shaped bottles.

Penny says it smells like cedar and bergamot. I’m not sure what cedar and bergamot smell like. All I know is that the scent is unfairly pleasant.

Unlike Baz, who isn’t pleasant at all.

He looks murderous at the moment, eyebrows lowered, eyes narrowed. He’s an arse in general but more so in the mornings. He’d sleep late if he had the chance—he’s rarely out of bed before nine on weekends, the tosser, not unless he’s got exams to study for or an away match.

I’m trying to stay out of his way as I leave but I make for the door right as he crosses the room to his wardrobe and we do this awkward half step to avoid each other.

And that’s when I see it.

He’s got a pimple on his nose. Right at the tip of it, where it comes to a bit of a point. It’s nothing compared to any of mine. I’d hardly notice it on anyone else but this is Baz.

It’s stark against his pale skin, raised and just slightly reddened.

Fuck. He’s got one on his chin as well. Two, actually.

Baz has spots.

Trivial and hardly noticeable ones, but still.

I open my mouth to say something then think better of it and hightail it down to breakfast.

I still can’t quite believe it.

Baz has spots.

Penny is disappointingly unimpressed by this unexpected and highly irregular development.

“Simon, we all have spots. This is not some earth-shattering revelation. It’s puberty. A normal part of human development. We’ve been over this.”

“No, but this is Baz. Baz, Penny. He’s not human.”

Penny rolls her eyes again. She rolls her eyes rather a lot, I’m thinking. “He is if he has spots, Simon. I’d say this disproves your vampire hypothesis for good.”

“Maybe vampires aren’t immune to acne.”

“Simon.”

“Maybe it’s some plot. He probably magicked them up himself, the scheming prick.”

“You’re relentless! First you’re outraged that he doesn’t have spots, now you’re complaining that he does! For Merlin’s sake, Baz has finally shown himself to be as imperfect as the rest of us, so let it go, Simon.”

“He’s not imperfect. Far from it. Even his pimples are impeccable—small, unobtrusive, uh . . . restrained.”

Penny stands up, takes her plate and glares at me over the top of her glasses. “That’s enough, Simon. You’re being absurd. No one has perfect pimples.” She stomps across the hall to deposit her dishes, turning back to give me a disapproving look.

I scowl at her. Baz walks in as Penny goes out.

She’s wrong this time. Penny’s not wrong about much, but she’s wrong about this.

Baz’s pimples are fucking perfect.

It’s so fucking unfair.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/23383057

[steele-soulmate]

Tattooed Wings, CHAPTER 613, Peter Steele & OFC, Soulmate AU

SUMMARY: Mary Claire Bradley meets her soulmate- literally- the famous Peter Steele of metal group Type O Negative. But will obstacles including trauma, stalkers, and toxic family members get in the way of their life?

WARNING: mentions of child rape (nothing graphic) PTSD, milk kink, soft smut, grinding, assault, fingering, hand jobs, blow jobs, 69, P in V sex, blood, noncon rape, violence, death, vandalism, graffiti, attempted kidnapping, break-ins, wild animal attacks, terrorist attack (sabotage) consensual impregnation, bareback, impregnation kink, creampies, terrorist attacks (shootings) hit and run pedestrian accident, precipitous labor, neonatal death, abandoned baby, child intoxication, death of a minor character, injured baby, kidnapped child

WORDS: 1070

“Okay Katie, here we gooooooooooooooooooooooo…!” Ryley started up the saw and began to slice Katie’s cast off of her leg.

When Peter and I had returned with Katie for another X-ray for her broken foot six weeks previously, my husband’s doctor niece had wanted to refit Katie with another plaster cast, this one being a hot pink color. Now, we were back again for yet another X-ray and to make plans as to what we should do if the break hadn’t healed to the point where Katie could run about, then surgery would be heavily considered.

Peter had lobbied a lawsuit against the parents of one Daryll Johnson- while on the one hand I understood that there was only so much that could be done to tame the disabled child. But both little girl and Katie had Down’s Syndrome, the two special little ladies were not as wild and untamed as other children, and so this led me to believe that Daryll reined terror over his household, using his disability as an excuse every time someone would try to discipline him.

“Okay- wow.” Ryley pried the cast away from Katie’s foot and was rewarded with a bright purple bruise. “Yes, I would definitely say that we have something to be worried over. I would need to have more X-rays done before I can come to a conclusive diagnosis though.”

“Daddy, can you carry me?” Katie threw her arms up as Peter stood, taking her into his arms and following after his niece, leaving me with Elizabeth and the babies.

I smiled as Elizabeth began to wrangle the toddling babies, smiling and cooing down at them as they bopped around the exam room, doing adorable little babying things.

“Mommy?” Baby Tommy meeped as he toddled up to me. “Ca’ mesies bitday be at bouncy housey?”

“You want your fifth birthday at a bouncy housey?” I repeated. “What a fun idea!”

“I was telling the babies about a birthday party that one of the girls from my ballet class went to,” Elizabeth explained. “And oh, speaking of which, there’s a set of fraternal twins- one takes ballet, the other takes jazz. Mary Hope gave me a birthday invitation to their twelfth birthday party next month. I told her that if I was unable to attend, that I would bring a gift for her and her twin. I completely forgot about the party- I’ll get you the invitation when we get back home again, alright?”

“Ah, okay,” I hummed, understanding at once before returning my focus back onto Baby Tommy. “Let mommy and daddy talk about it, alright.”

“Their names are Mary Hope and Faith Ellan Wilson,” Elizabeth continued to chatter on. “They’re both really sweet and enjoy knitting- I taught them how to knit and they’re working on making Christmas jumpers for their parents!”

“Fun!” I knew of Elizabeth starting a knitting club at the dance studio, where she and the students would all congregate together whenever they could do so to exchange balls of colorful yarn and pattern ideas. Pictures had been posted to the dance studio’s Instagram and FaceBook pages, along with a monthly pizza party for the newfound club. So far, there were twenty four little girls already committed to the club, and the pictures of little girls in a rainbow of leotards and a mashup of colorful tights giggling as they knitted quietly together was so sweet.

@Mary_Claire_Ratajczyk_Official, Elizabeth started up a knitting club at ballet school!

#ballet #dance #bunhead #knittingclub #likemotherlikedaughter #lookatmylittlegirl #livelaughlove

@kellykent, NICE

@agrannyandherneedles, oh how it warms my withered heart seeing a new generation of little knitters hard at work!

@Pete­r_Steele===========8) AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW

@midnightshadowpuppet, #gogolittleknitters

@chocolaterobotchicken, wow, now I want to pick up knitting!

@lzziegreen, KNIT KNIT KNIT KNIT

@therealpetersteeleoffical, that’s my Bitty!

@MissMittensthemotherlycat, MEOW

I giggled at the responses marching downwards in the comment section before tucking my cell phone away into my bra once more. I looked upwards as Peter came back into the exam room, his handsomely bearded face pinched with rage and worry.

“Katie needs surgery,” he announced in an abrupt tone of voice, settling the battle wounded little girl back onto the uncomfortable bed.

“Katie needs a strip of metal screwed into her foot to ensure that it heals completely,” Ryley clarified, entering the room and shutting the door behind her. “I can go grab the paperwork you need to fill out to move forward.”

“Yes please.” Peter looked PISSED. “Can you do the surgery today?”

“I’m not a surgeon, I’m a trauma room doctor” Ryley commented dryly, handing over a clipboard and a pen.

I quickly signed everything, eager to have Katie feeling well once more as she and Elizabeth had fun with the babies. Meanwhile, Ryley was telling Peter and I what to do before the surgery- don’t eat after midnight, eat a healthy meal of vegetables, lean meats and whole grain and get plenty of rest.

“Alright, that should do it now!” Ryley announced as Peter was handing her the filled out paperwork. “I’ll see you all tomorrow, alright?”

TAGLISTS ARE OPEN/ ASK BOX IS OPEN/ REQUESTS ARE OPEN/ PLOT BUNNIES ARE WELCOMED

If you liked this, then please consider buying me a coffee HERE It only costs $3!!!

PETER STEELE TAGLIST

@rock-a-noodle

@ch3rry-c01a

@elianafilthyrose

[nickgerlich]

As The Market Turns

The whims of the stock market may never be explained. If anything, over time analysts have concluded that the day-to-day data, while still subject to trends and outlier occurrences, exhibit a random walk. You could ask a drunk to walk a straight line and get as good of a prediction from a scatterplot of his steps, as any scientific forecast.

Yesterday the Dow Jones Industrial Average catapulted more than 1000 points by afternoon, eventually settling in at an increase of 829 points. Why? Because the most recent jobs report was not as grim as expected, and the economy added 2.5 million jobs in May, dropping unemployment to 13.3%. Analysts had predicted we would actually shed another 8 million jobs.

And all the stock market cowboys rejoiced, throwing their hats in the air. Heck, with the Dow at 27,110 points, we are now at 90% of our pre-pandemic high of 29,551 on 12 February. Things surely are looking good, right?

Right?

Not so fast there. Second-quarter earnings reports will be coming out soon, and I just don’t see how they can all be rainbows and unicorns, especially with retail sales getting hit so hard. Where is all of the investment money coming from? Are people scooping up bargains with all of their wealth, or--as some have suggested--are they using the liquidity of stimulus payments to buy stock? That’s false money in my book.

If anything, the stock market is giddy--or might I say drunk--with optimism, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s probably not too realistic, especially when you look at the data that caused the precipitous slide in the first place.

For example, Texas reported 2080 new COVID-19 cases yesterday, its biggest one-day jump. Florida reported similarly, and California has also been knocking it out of the park. In fact, if you look at each state, the three are all on a growth trend, all the while the entire nation is finally showing some signs of flattening. We have a long way to go to get as flat as Germany, but when the three biggest states in terms of population (about 90 million total, or 27.3%) are surging, you cannot ignore it.

So why are they surging? Wasn’t the virus supposed to go into decline once we hit the warm summer months? Or can we explain away, like a Florida official tried to do yesterday, by saying the spike is a result of more testing, and--duh--you need tests to have cases? We can probably attribute the recent spikes to reopening, and the current wave is the result of some pretty heavy partying and gathering over Memorial Day weekend. The tests have been available for weeks now, so it’s not like we just had a bunch of new capabilities hit these states in the last week. As for summer temps, the virus is surging right now in Brazil and India, both with tropical and subtropical climates. If anything, summer sends the warm-weather locations back indoors whenever possible, because air conditioning.

Which is all another way of saying the celebrating over at the stock market may be a little bit premature. I don’t like to be a Nicky Naysayer, but this is still a very different place from February, and we have a long way to go.

As one of my Facebook friends pointed out during the night after I posted this graph, it may just be that governors are taking very calculated gambles, trying to balance an “acceptable” number of infections against hospital capacity, along with trying to jump start the economy. I agree to a point, because a public health problem is separate from an economic problem, even if they are related, and they can both be addressed simultaneously.

Great care must be taken lest we lose a lot of people--the lifeblood of any economy--along the way. I understand the temptation to try to manage both risks. This is a tightrope act over a 1000-foot chasm. And every one of us wants to see the economy rebound because we need jobs, we have bills, we want to retire someday. I get that. You get that.

But let’s keep things in perspective. We are not even close to February yet, even though many people are acting as if nothing happened. The rush to return to old normalcy may very well be a bit hasty. Let’s try not to be charging through the stock market like a drunk bull.

Dr “Walking On Eggshells“ Gerlich

Audio Blog

[mleighlikes]

M’L Instants post #23 :) Summer from Around the World Series

Hey Inter World, I hope you guys and gals enjoyed my Rainbow Colors series this week. If you missed it or any part of it of course feel free to check back through the posts. It wraps up as of to day. This M’L Instants post is made up of this months “the word Summer” in different languages posts. I hope you enjoy them. Don’t forget to check out my Patreon as well as my Facebook, and Instagram, Much Love to you all :)

MidSummer…

A name used to describe a seasonal time. Centered upon the summer solstice. Day’s of warmth, collaboration with friends, family, ; food and drink are in abondance. Nights filled with marryment, song and dance fill the air. Days and nights of sweet heat passing the time without worry or care. Run through the fields, sit out among the stars of the night sky. Dream of past days such as this long gone by…

SummerTide…

It washes over you, the feeling of the seasons change. You can feel fall coming even at the hight of the sun being aligned over head. Take in the life that you see, the warmth that you feel even when it’s oppressive and sticky. Days pass in this way, it’s time for all to play. The world gives birth at this time, all know what they must do. Soak in all the sun’s rays for in time, it will be to late by August or September to enjoy only that which comes in July and June.

IndianSummer…

The hight of heat, to move is to strain. Humid, heavy, to breathe is to gasp for air. A cool breeze is a joke given by the sun bathed sky. That it in, and exhale it out, the sun has you in it’s oven, ding goes the bell; turn you over time to burn the rest of you to a crisp. Shade becomes your best friend that you annoying cling to as it tries to ghost you repeatedly. A cool drink as it touches your lips evaporated into thin air. Don’t move, think, blink or touch anything anymore. The oven has you, ding I guess your done.

Verano…

Staying in the height elevations of it’s part of the world. Heat is no joke. Extreme temps of 100 or more you can not only feel but see the heat rising into the air. Breathe in moisture, exhale condensation, quickly lost to the evaporated atmosphere. Feel the sweat bead on your body, yet live to feel the cooler night after a sweltering day. As the sun goes down those around finally come out to play.

E'te’…

Lush and moderate down to the coast. A rainy season is ahead, year round precipitation is common among the land. At the foot of the Alps, the north beyond brings in such weather as to dampen one’s spirits. Yet, protection ate these mountains making life on the other side the warmest it could possibly be. Temperate times can lead to regional differences. Mild is the feel, until the Mediterranean has other ideas.

Xi'aji…

Heat heralds in, the equator position helps this along. North and East welcome the hot and the dry. The middle is drowned by downfalls of water from the sky. Great variety is found over all, the South is mild and calm. Here the heat can be found every where one may look. Yet turn your eyes to thee highlands and high mountains if relief is what you seek.

Estate…

It’s so hot, nearby meditation climate bakes one’s existence. Thunderstorms bring little to no nocturnal relief, the Southern peninsula is beautiful yet fired. Diverse areas bring forth diverse extremes. The islands, dance in the coastal waters as hush puppies in boiling oil. Only the hottest places can beat out the rest, share the heat with me, a cool drink is a requirement.

Kauwela…

Born of the volcano, heat beyond measure. Yet, calm seas, warming oceans, you can swim all year round. Sunshine reins supreme, as waves crash lightly on nearby Sandy beaches. Quite pleasant, the light rain as a summer shower keeps the dew moist. For some say it’s the low season there, yet the sun is high and the waves are clear.

Natsu…

Oppressive are the day’s. Escape only to the mountains or a small northern island. The rains begin to fall, and the sky’s tears don’t stop any time soon. The eye of the nearby typhoon has you on it’s sight. Come to this land not during the time of summer but either before or after. When you do the sky’s will clear, the rain will drizzle and Cherry blossoms will be there to greet you.

Yeoleunm...

Short, hot, humid are used to describe the days. The other seasons take over for longer periods of their supposed shared time. Clear blue skies ripe for the picking. To see the sights are a feast for the delighted senses to be sure. At times slightly wetter than other's so clothing adjustments are from time to time made. Enjoy a time of year I such a place, in such a land, in such a space...

Sommer...

Totally continental in a geographical climate. Warm with s bit of rain are the norm for most days. Feel the heat in July, it's mild and fleeting as the days pass by. If of course you desire the warmest of such a place head towards France an the Schwarzwald hills, turn north at the pass, the border will guide your search...

Letom...

Influenced to be hot and dry, desert as well as tundra conditions rule such a place. Vary dramatic ate the days, searing heat dessert scorch the inland areas. Cycle only from heat to cold and back to the heat, they are like spells of lingering change yet no change at all. Warmest of all is near the Black Sea, mild subtropical moments are felt there. To the Adriatic coast, the times of summer sun come to play there.

Let me know what you think and pass the thought along.