#Wit McKay

[funstealer]

Untitled #1093 (Buddha Boy), 2001 - 03 by Petah Coyne

Specially-formulated wax, cast-wax statuary figure, pigment, silk flowers, synthetic feathers, acetate ribbon, tassels, white pearl-headed hat pins, artificial pearl strands, horse hair, chicken-wire fencing, wire, acrylic primer, plywood, metal hardware, aluminum 52 x 51 1/8 x 52 inches. Photograph: Wit McKay

[hailturinturambar]

Thoughts on J.D and Patrick's interview

Loving the new interviews and I hope we get more content. It will be a while before season 3 is released, so anything we get is very important. And since an interview with J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay came out, I decided to share my opinions again.

I'm biased, because I have a visceral obsession with Jack Lowden, but I agree with Patrick and J.D. Jack as Sauron/Mairon rescued the beauty of the Elder Days and the delicacy of the Maiar and Elves of the First Age.

When we look at Jack Lowden's Sauron, we glimpse what Tolkien described in his books. As Patrick and J.D. say, aneglical, cherub. And this is how I imagine Sauron when he was in the service of Morgoth.

It is interesting the changes that Sauron undergoes physically when his new form is destroyed. And not only in appearance, but we have a change in his characteristics. Jack and Charlie are Sauron and the similarities are obvious, but we still notice that each one represents a phase of Sauron.

As for the time in Númenor, I admit I'm worried they'll change the actor, but considering Charlie remained as Annatar, I don't see why it would be any different. After all, he's now known in Númenor as Sauron in his Halbrand form. Charlie mentioned in an interview (I don't remember which one) that he's looking forward to the Sauron armor. So I assume he'll remain as the main form.

In my opinion, one of the biggest hits of the second season was Sauron's prologue. In the first season, we have Galadriel's prologue and she is narrating her story and the Elder Days.

This point of view, let's say, is the point of view of the heroes. Of the Elves who knew the beauty of Valinor and witnessed the evils caused by Morgoth and Sauron in Arda. This changes abruptly in the second season.

It's like one book told by the hero and the other by the villain. It's Sauron who is now telling his story. We get a more detailed introduction to Adar and his sons, how they were in Sauron's service and why they betrayed him.

What interests me most about the prologue is that we get an explanation for how Sauron came to be the mortal man Halbrand. We have a Sauron who is without a master and has to make his own way in Middle-earth, and then we see a broken Sauron struggling to survive. Until we finally meet Halbrand.

And indeed, Sauron's past explains much about his hatred of Elves and Orcs, and how he sees himself and the goals that will guide Sauron to Celebrimbor's path in Eregion.

When Tom's first episode came out, I saw a lot of negative comments about the character's portrayal. I like almost all of Trop's decisions in how the characters are presented, so I can't be impartial at times, but I still don't understand the criticism.

When we think about Tom Bombadil, we can't base ourselves on all previous sources. PJ fans often criticize the choices made by TROP, but Tom was an interesting addition. Is he different from the LOTR period? Of course he is! We are too far removed from Frodo to use such a comparison. LOTR Tom is not TROP Tom. He still has a long way to go.

Saruman was a general assumption, I would say. But I wouldn't want it to be Saruman. That character, in my opinion, can wait. I don't see a need for him in the plot right now. And I would like to know who this new character is in TROP. I like the characters created in the show, so I'm curious.

My opinion on this point may be a bit controversial. The mystery of who Sauron is in the first season was intriguing, I think for all of us. Even though we suspected Halbrand, we thought that many characters could be Sauron or that perhaps Sauron would not be introduced at all.

And I particularly enjoyed the reveal of Sauron at the end of season 1. This new form with new traits and deceptions was different from the Sauron in the books and I enjoyed how they set up the Halbrand/Sauron storyline.

As for Gandalf/The Stranger, well, I found it a bit tiresome in the second season. It was generally obvious in the first season and I was following the revelation closely. But I don't think it needed to be dragged out until the second season. Anyway, it wasn't that bad and maybe I'm being harsh.

I don't see how this could have worked and I don't like it one bit. I'm glad they changed it.

Sauron in Adar's camp doesn't make sense to me. Sauron was in Eregion forging the rings, why go to Adar's camp? We already had Halbrand meeting Adar at the beginning of the season. Galadriel and Adar meeting again didn't need Sauron's intervention or influence. It was time for us to glimpse the reunion of these two.

I can't think of Sauron in Adar's camp as anything other than an attempt to maintain the idea of ​​Sauron and Galadriel's romance. Other than that, it wouldn't add anything to the story. And I liked how they did it better.

I love SW, so I think this was the ideal reunion. Two opposing forces of Light and Darkness dueling, each trying to resist the temptation of the other, while being influenced by them.

I never thought of Elendil and Míriel as a couple when I read the books that featured the tales of Númenor. But as soon as I laid eyes on them in the series, oh my!

The chemistry was right there, being rubbed in my face. And if we think about Míriel and Elendil's future after the arrival of Sauron and the Fall of Númenor, that's what attracts everyone the most, isn't it? All the anguish and the impossibility of being together. I'll pick up my crumbs!

I was so infuriated by the comments on the internet when the Orc family was introduced. In short, I think it proves how ignorant people are of Tolkien's work if they didn't understand what was being represented there.

Everything in TROP talks about the tragedy that befalls all beings in Middle-earth. Why would it be any different with the Orcs? We know about all the evils caused by the Orcs, but in a war, evil comes from all sides, right? Comments about "TROP humanizing the Orcs" make no sense and are only said to harm the audience's view of the series.

TROP simply presents the point of view of all the characters and how they see themselves. Feeling sympathy or not for each one is not forced, it is just presented. And I like this dynamic.

The most important thing in Tolkien is the duality of the characters. Even though in the Third Age the line between black and white is more defined, in the first stories it is not. And TROP explores this well.

Because for Adar, they are not Orcs, they are children, and that is how they also see themselves. Because they are like the Elves, they have lives and families and live like all beings. But it is their choices that separate them from Men and Elves and that is where we enter the tragedy.

They are seen as monsters, so they do not fight for a different vision, because they would never be able to be seen any other way. Even though Adar's actions are wrong, like Sauron's, with both Adar and Sauron, we end up becoming attached to these damaged characters and we feel sorry for them.

No, don't be mean and tell me about season 3!

J.D. and Patrick's love for the history of Middle-earth is truly infectious. It's remarkable that they put their souls into the show and are committed to telling a beautiful story that honors Tolkien.

Don't judge me if you like the movies (I like LOTR, but not more than the series) but I feel that in TROP we really travel to Middle-earth, in a way that connects different people from different places and different ages.

I first watched the LOTR Trilogy (I hated The Hobbit movies, don't judge me) when I was a child or almost a teenager, I don't remember well. And although I liked it, I didn't feel completely connected.

But that's how I feel about TROP. When I watch an episode, I feel the same way I do when I'm reading one of Tolkien's countless books. And that feeling is so good.

TROP makes me feel at home, living the story. TROP means comfort to me and I hope the series lasts a long time.

[nerdygaymormon]

President Spencer W. Kimball received a revelation to approve the sealing of an MTF trans woman to her husband in the Washington DC Temple in 1980. The sealing was performed by a Elder Hugh W. Pinnock of the Seventy.

Dr. Gregory Prince wrote about it on the blog By Common Consent (BCC) in Nov 2015.

In January 2016, a blogger wrote about the BCC post. In the comments section, a person identifying as Ann wrote to say that she is the person who was sealed. She provides some detail, including the date of the sealing and the name of the Seventy who performed the marriage.

Unfortunately, I don't know an official Church source for this, so I don't know how much it will matter to your family.

It’s important to understand that Dr. Prince is credible because it’s his eye-witness account that we have about a trans woman being sealed to a man in the temple.

Dr. Gregory Prince has a PhD and his career was in the prevention and treatment of pediatric infectious diseases. 

He took the research skills in the medical field, combined it with his interest in history, and wrote several books on religious history and theology:

Having Authority: The Origins and Development of Priesthood During the Ministry of Joseph Smith (1993) 

Power from On High: The Development of Mormon Priesthood (1995)

David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism (2005) 

Leonard Arrington and the Writing of Mormon History (2016)

Gay Rights and the Mormon Church: Intended Actions, Unintended Consequences (2019) 

He was also interviewed as part of the 2007 PBS documentary The Mormons

————————————————

This woman was sealed to her husband. So either she's gonna be a woman in the eternities, or if not then this is a same-sex sealing. It's an interesting example of how we could expand our use of the sealing power if we chose to

[vampirecorleone]

"There are some experiences worse than death, Renfield. Such as spending the remaining years of your miserable life knowing all the depravity you've witnessed in the last century will be nothing compared to the the suffering I'm going to unleash on this world. The world you chose over mine. When I'm finished, the entire human race, everyone you cared about, will suffer. Because you betrayed me."

Renfield (2023) dir. Chris McKay

[hikarielizabethbloom]

Thoughts on TROP and Galadriel and Sauron

Since things have finally returned to normal (or perhaps I simply blocked the people who were annoying me; I’m not sure), I want to address a few issues I commented on last week. This time, I want to do it properly—no more replies while multitasking. I will be brief (I admire brevity) and hopefully pain-free. 

Let’s get started.

Galadriel and Halbrand's relationship in canon

Season 1

The showrunners have expressed that their vision for Galadriel and Halbrand's storyline was not meant to emphasize a romantic angle, reflecting their creative intentions.

"Gennifer Hutchison, an executive producer in the first two seasons, [and] writer on the show, she said 'everyone's gonna ship these two!'" McKay reveals. "We're like, 'that's crazy. They're enemies. What? What are you talking about?' So, Genny, you were right."

I believe in the concept of the "death of the author," so to me, it doesn't matter what the author's intentions were; I perceived the relationship between Galadriel and Halbrand/Sauron as entirely romantic—complicated, but romantic nonetheless. 

Payne adds: "I think whenever you have two talented, thematic people like this in scenes together it's very natural [that] people [are] gonna pick up on the chemistry that they have between them. It's just part of the nature of their drama, and so it's not so surprising."

However, I also recognize that interpreting Galadriel and Halbrand/Sauron as mere enemies is just as valid as my interpretation (maybe more). I simply choose not to let others dictate how I should enjoy fiction. We should learn to distinguish between antis and people who have different opinions. Everyone deserves the right to share their views in the ship tag. Respect is the key.

Season 2

In season 2, the relationship between Galadriel and Sauron is presented with more subtlety than in the previous season. Some (myself included) see this as a positive development. Throughout the season, Galadriel and Sauron seem to carry the weight of each other’s absence, adding a poignant layer to their connection. The themes of longing and absence resonate deeply, reflecting the complexity of their experiences. As we reach the final confrontation, we see Galadriel in a state of vulnerability that we’ve rarely witnessed before, especially when she comes face to face with Halbrand once more. Yet, this Halbrand feels off, as Sauron has transformed in ways she/we (the audience) can't fully grasp. In that moment, Galadriel steps up to fight for herself, and it’s beautiful.

But the question remains: was it definitive?

What to expect?

While I don’t believe the creator’s intentions should dictate how we interpret canon, it is impossible to forget their intentions when it comes to what to expect from the show. 

"And I think that will endure as long as the show endures, because they represent good and evil, right? They haven't fought their last battle yet.”

I believe that the story of Galadriel and Sauron is still unfolding and will likely be a recurring theme throughout the series. However, I am curious about how this will be portrayed in future seasons. Based on what we’ve seen so far in Season 2, it appears their relationship may continue to develop, though I don't foresee numerous romantic scenes, love declarations, or physical expressions of affection such as kisses or intimacy. A tender moment like a forehead touch might be the extent of it, but even that could just be hopeful speculation. I like this approach, though I can understand that it may not resonate with everyone, particularly those who are invested in the romantic aspect of the story. 

I want to add that it’s great that Charlotte confirmed Galadriel's feelings for Halbrand! However, if the show had plans for a significant love confession later on, they probably wouldn't have talked about it in interviews, right? Nonetheless, I truly appreciate her for recognizing this interpretation and sharing it.

This brings me to another important point.

Is Galadriel and Hilbrand’s relationship the most important one on the show?

Thematically I’d say yes. They represent the two major forces in this conflict. Light vs Darkness. Good vs evil. That will never change. 

However, narratively, I don’t think that perspective is accurate. Other relationships are just as important, if not more so. Not to be controversial, but especially in Season 2, the relationship that the writers seem to find more interesting is between Galadriel and Elrond. This makes sense, considering they are the ones who survive in the end. Although I often joke about Elrond being exasperated by Galadriel's feelings toward Sauron, that dynamic never actually occurs in the show. Their conflict is not about Sauron; it revolves around the broken trust between Galadriel and Elrond.

It is essential to recognize that while some may consider G/S to be the focal point of the show, that perspective doesn’t justify feelings of anger toward those who appreciate different aspects or have contrasting views on the canon. Everyone has their interpretations and preferences, and it's perfectly valid for fans to connect with various elements of the story.

The demand for more scenes in the show because "that's what the fans want" is really absurd. Just because one person's experience differs from another's doesn't mean everyone feels the same way. I watch the show because I love Tolkien and the world he created, and I want to see more of it. Reducing the show to just "The Ballad of Galadriel and Sauron" is simply not accurate.

And reducing Galadriel’s story to just her relationship with Sauron doesn’t fully capture her character's depth. She is much more than a romantic figure, and her narrative goes far beyond just grappling with her feelings for Sauron. That relationship is just a small part of her overall journey, and there’s so much more to appreciate about her story!

There are so many wonderful stories to tell! While I absolutely adore these two characters, I think it would be a bit of a missed opportunity to limit the show to just their love story. Exploring a variety of storylines will make the whole experience more enjoyable for everyone, rather than just focusing on what a few fans might wish for.

There is probably more but right now I’m fused so… 

I won’t post this in the ship tags because I don’t want to upset others or cause emotional reactions to fictional characters. Perhaps I should share this in the silvergifting tag, as I was advised to do. According to the lore, good H*ladriels belong in the h/s tag, while the "bad" H*ladriels go to silvergifting heaven! (Just a joke—hope that's okay!)

[isabelleneville]

𓅃 ANNE BOLEYN APPRECIATION WEEK 𓅃

Day Five - Favourite Family Dynamic: Anne and her brother George Boleyn The pair were close and similar in temperament, sharing the same intellectual and aesthetic interests, and developing a passion for ‘new learning’ – the liberation from the old dominant way of thinking – that was inspired by the Renaissance. Perhaps the strongest evidence of their bond can be found in two religious texts by the French humanist Jacques Lefèvre d’Étaples, which Anne asked her brother to translate. These beautifully bound works from George to Anne still survive in the British Library, and not only suggest was a man capable of deep spirituality, but also a devoted brother. In his dedication, George wrote: “I have been so bold to send unto you, not jewels or gold, whereof you have plenty, not pearl or rich stones, whereof you have enough, but a rude translation of a wellwiller, a goodly matter meanly handled, most humbly desiring you with favour to weigh the weakness of my dull wit.” — Lauren McKay

[thatndginger]

A Little Intro

Let's try this again, shall we?

I’m K (she/they), an overworked, perpetually exhausted cog in the corporate machine who's chosen method of staying sane is writing about queer idiots getting into trouble.

I live in the northern half of the US Rockies with my partner Cryptid, who features fairly often on this blog. Other featured family members are my four dogs and one cat. Since this is a personal blog as well as a writing one, you'll find occasional posts about my interests outside of writing as well. You have been warned~

My primary WIP is an urban fantasy project called Shapeshifter.

Set in a modern-day version of our world, Shapeshifter is a low-magic urban fantasy setting. Magic is a subtle force, incapable of knitting wounds back together or creating fireballs, but a force all the same. Werewolves, vampires, witches, and all manner of supernatural creatures exist openly in the world in small numbers. In the United States, the largest numbers congregate in the city of Moressau on the coast of Washington.

Morressau has all the problems of a major city and then some. Vampire queens and werewolf mob bosses vie for territory and political power while the powers that be turn a blind eye as long as they get a cut. The regular folk do what they must to get by, carving out lives for themselves in a city that only sees the sun thirty days of the year, determined to find happiness in the dark corners of a city that cares for them as long as they care for it.

Most of the current focus of Shapeshifter is on the first book, Into the Storm, and the trio of main characters. As a bonus, I've started a second wip following two other characters in a tiny mountain town in Wyoming called The Runaway. You can find out more of both below.

General tags: #wip: shapeshifter, #shapeshifter vibes

There’s a routine to Kerr McKay’s life. Help his not-a-boss smuggle goods around the city, get into fights with vampires and werewolves, run from cops, go drinking with his best friends Jay de Lange and Warrick Salehrad. Oh, and occasionally turn into a dog. Just a day in the life of a shifter living on the fringes of society.

You can read the first three chapters on AO3!

Until a new face appears at his favorite bar, a new gang starts trying to weasel it’s way into his territory, and his not-a-boss makes it clear that the last thing Kerr should be doing is getting himself involved.

Kerr has never been good at taking orders.

Tag: #shapeshifter: into the storm

Temperance Maddox is running from his past.

All he wants is to forget. The things he's done, the things he's witnessed, the things he knows. And the best way to forget is to put a couple thousand miles between himself and the place that haunts his nightmares. Until Temperance finds himself stranded in a middle-of-nowhere town and relying on the kindness of strangers as he re-learns what it means to be a human being.

You can read the first two chapters on AO3!

Dean Matthews is trying to build a future.

He's got people who depend on him, who love him despite all that he is. And he'll do whatever it takes to make sure he never lets them down. Even if it means learning how to be something he never thought he could be. Then a stranger finds their way into Dean's quiet, routine life and challenges everything he knows about himself and the life he's built.

Tag: #shapeshifter: the runaway

If you've made it this far, you may as well get to know the extra extra bonus wip of this blog: The Dragon Project. Borne of a particularly rough patch of overtime-induced burnout, The Dragon Project is a fluffy, lighthearted wip for when I just need something easy and fun.

Set on the fictional continent of Ostrera in a time period similar to our own 1860's, this is a world where people ride domesticated dragons. These dragons are of average animal intelligence and lifespan, more like horses than the sentient, talking dragons commonly found in fantasy stories. I don't have much for this wip other than artwork and vague ideas, but it's here all the same.

Tag: #the dragon project

[dr-futbol-blog]

Duet, Pt. 14

And then we get to the part where we see a man kiss another man, and somehow this isn't even close to the parts of the episode where McKay's preference for men over women is most firmly established. Now, McKay doesn't actually kiss anyone in the episode. We see Cadman kiss two people, once a woman and once a man. Cadman just happens to be possessing McKay's body at the time, and she uses him to make advances on two people that she is interested in. And it's worth reiterating that she seems much more interested in Katie Brown than McKay does.

Cadman's actions have been morally dubious from start to finish but perhaps we can give her some leeway here when they don't know that they are going to survive the dematerialization-rematerialization process. It's the last meal of the condemned, one for the road. And the fact that she does this here, in front of all the people that have gathered to witness the procedure and they all (should) know that it is her and not him makes this a hell of a lot less abusive than her using his body to trick someone into believing that it had actually been McKay that did it. So, the kisses themselves don't tell us a lot about McKay, but his responses to being forced to participate in them do. We get a lot of reactions here from many different characters, all of them interesting in their own right.

First, Zelenka tells everyone to step back so that they don't accidentally get caught up in the beam. And note that Sheppard steps back the minimum amount, he's as close as he possibly can be to McKay. Sheppard is closest to the beam, placing himself half-way between McKay and the machine as though he might jump in and draw the beam to himself as a moment's notice. Hands at his sides, Sheppard really looks like he's ready to pounce if and when needed.

Before Zelenka gets the chance to start the machine, McKay puts his hand on his hip and lifts up one finger (right hand!). Now, while we don't actually know that Sheppard knows that Cadman is and has been able to take control of McKay's body, he likely would be able to tell that this isn't McKay's body language. We can compare how a man looks taking the same position as Sheppard himself was just standing with his hand on his hip earlier. The angle of the pelvis is different. While largely subconscious, with Cadman the pose is meant to draw attention to her waist by shifting her weight onto one leg where as Sheppard is standing on both legs because what he is doing is half of a power stance, meant to reassure himself. His other hand is by his side instead of on his hip both not to block Weir from seeing McKay but also as a barrier between them, as he often seems to need one, his right hand blocking his crotch from her.

This kind of body language is not the result of conscious choice to occupy space in certain ways, it's largely instinctual. And given that Sheppard seems to know McKay's body language better than anyone else, he would immediately clock that something here wasn't right. So McKay walking up to Beckett to kiss him would not be the first indication that something wasn't quite right.

In fact, you can see that Sheppard is looking at Zelenka to see if something was wrong where usually he would be looking at McKay to tell him things. Getting mixed messages from McKay made him turn to Zelenka as though he would be able to tell him if something was wrong here. And given that Zelenka had been ready to push the button, he may also have just wanted to look away.

Regardless, Cadman walks up to Beckett and grabs him by the collar to kiss him, and the kiss is very different from the one she gave Katie Brown earlier although not necessarily any less theatrical. With Katie, she was performing the role of a man as she understood it where as here she is doing this as herself, as a woman.

Beckett was an unwilling participant in both of these kisses. While he's surprised by this kiss from his best friend, he will at least momentarily get that it wasn't McKay but had, in fact, been Cadman. And since he couldn't quite believe what his eyes were seeing earlier, he has to come to the conclusion that the person kissing Katie Brown was not his best friend, either. Beckett seems completely blindsided by this, and doesn't have time to react to either push her away or to draw her in, the situation probably far too confusing for him to be anything but paralyzed by it. But he looked way more bewildered watching McKay kiss Katie Brown than he does by this kiss which is in itself pretty telling.

Cadman tells Beckett "Just in case this doesn't work out," emphasizing the fact that this may well have been their final moment. What they were about to undertake was dangerous and everyone gathered here understood that they might not be able to walk away from this. And like noted before, in their final moments people often show who they really are and what is important to them. Death's door is the place where one might want to do things that they would otherwise never do. Cadman wanted to kiss a man that she seemed mostly to be attracted in while occupying McKay's body (and not so much prior or after this), the desire to try this out overriding her sense of decorum. Fair enough, good for her.

I find Weir and Sheppard's reactions to this very interesting, and Weir's probably even more so than Sheppard's. Weir sees McKay kiss a man and she looks down, abashed by witnessing such a private moment in public, and then looks at Sheppard for his reaction. Her eyes are wide open, her eyebrows are drawn so far up that her entire forehead crinkles, seeming to signal both surprise and bewilderment. It's not the look of someone that sees a public display of affection and has to immediately look at the object of their longing, it's a look that says "Are you seeing this shit?" She is looking at Sheppard to both confirm to her that she's actually seeing what she thinks she's seeing and to tell her how she's supposed to be reacting to this.

Now, we don't actually get to see Sheppard's initial reaction to this. By the time the camera shifts to him, Weir has had the time to look at three different directions. Sheppard has his brow furrowed like he's confused, perplexed, nonplussed. He's not upset, he's not enraged, and he's certainly not disgusted which I'm sure some people have read into this. He seems like he doesn't quite know what he's looking at. But then, just as soon as Weir turns to look at him, he glances at her, returns her gaze with his frown deepening, his eyes narrowing as they shift to her. The look that he gives Weir is cautious, warning even. Sheppard himself is trying not to react here, and by looking at Sheppard Weir is drawing attention to him. People often look at the direction they see other people looking at, and by looking at him, looking for his reaction to this, Weir is inviting other people to look for his reaction too. And Sheppard is warning her not to draw attention to him here. As far as he's concerned, there is nothing going on here. As far as he's concerned, there is nothing out of the ordinary taking place. He is perfectly neutral.

Now, the way Cadman kisses Beckett is probably not the way McKay has (and he definitely has) kissed Sheppard. This is a first kiss, a woman kissing a man. Although not necessarily less passionate or even less desperate, their first kiss had likely been different. The context was different, the motivation was different, the build-up had certainly been much longer. I would place their first kiss in the time they had at the end of The Defiant One (S01E12) as they were waiting for the other jumper to make it to the planet, the two of them all alone, no other living things (apart from the glowy bugs) around that they needed to worry about. And almost certainly Sheppard had been the one to initiate it because although they both had felt it, had felt the pull toward each other, Sheppard was the one that had been trying to fight against it. And just then, having watched McKay take on the wraith for him, he had no fight left in him. Nothing to resist the irresistible with.

And while they certainly had had their share of desperately passionate kisses too, that's not what the first one had been like. The first one had been careful, hesitant, searching, seeking both for permission and forgiveness, absolution, and for what, he wasn't even sure. For them, the act was stolen and forbidden, and they both knew that with it they had crossed a line they could never walk back, they had gone all-in on something they could never undo. With them, it had been very different. And the thousand kisses that had followed had all of them been secret, hidden, always fearful of getting caught, always aware of the moment, their surroundings, where they were, making sure that they would never be found out. McKay had to die (or for Sheppard to believe it had happened) for him to let anyone in on what he felt for that man, and here she was now, looking at him to give her direction on how to react to the scene unfolding before them. He didn't know how he was supposed to react to this. He would have been more than glad to take her lead on this.

What ever John Sheppard felt here, seeing this, he would not allow himself to react to it until much later, when he was alone, where no one could see. This is not his reaction to seeing McKay kiss another man in front of him. This is him trying not to react and warning Weir not to draw any undue attention to him. And given the bitterness with which he looked at the (likely) newly wed couple at Weir's office, the most painful thing about this is the knowledge that no matter what kinds of threats or dangers they face in the service of mankind, this could never be them. They would never be allowed to do this in public, no matter if one of both of them were dying. They both have had to experience thinking that the other had died, and it had been made perfectly clear to both of them that they were expected to keep the depth of their pain hidden even in those moments. It wasn't fair, but it was what it was.

People often project homophobia onto both McKay and Sheppard's reactions here. That McKay is upset about having kissed a guy in particular, the idea of two guys kissing being mortifying to him, and that Sheppard looks on in disgust at the display before him. Yes, McKay is upset. But there are so many reasons for McKay to be upset about this that the mere idea that two men may be kissing as the root cause of his upset doesn't even begin to factor into it. And also note that no part of McKay is disgusted by this. Hurt, yes. Mortified, definitely. He looks at his own hands like there is blood on them, like he had just killed someone. He hides his face with his (left!) hand as though he doesn't want anyone to be looking at him, especially Sheppard. He turns his face away from him in particular, once more screwing his eyes shut so that he would not even accidentally look at him. Where Weir immediately looked for Sheppard's reaction to this, McKay knows not to draw any attention to him right then. It's not even that he personally can't face seeing Sheppard's reaction to what just happened, he understands the gravity of what just took place.

But for him, the two main sources of upset are the fact that this is his best friend with whom he would definitely like to keep things platonic and who he knows prefers women, and the fact that this is happening in public, in broad daylight, in front of all manner of civilian and military personnel--not to mention the man that he loves and whom he knows he would never be able to do this with in public, ever. McKay has made painstaking efforts over the years that he has been civilian contracting for the military to cultivate a public persona that is crassly interested in women so that homosexual and bisexual servicemen in his company would not draw suspicion upon themselves from mere contact with him. It's not something he enjoys, it is something he feels like he needs to do to keep people in more vulnerable positions than himself safe. He understands the game and how it is played, and the sacrifices required from him.

And the person whose position seems to be the most vulnerable in this regard is the recently promoted commander of the expedition. The higher up one climbed on the ladders of power, the more untenable their position became. One didn't even have to be interested in men for someone's career to be destroyed by aspersions of dishonorable conduct, and if it actually was something that one had to live with and conceal to the best of their ability, it was crucially important to keep from becoming the object of talk, of rumours, of any kind of suspicion. And here, unthinking and unaware of the delicateness of the situation, Cadman uses McKay's male body to kiss the chief medical officer of the expedition in front of the Lieutenant Colonel that is his team leader and whose promotion has been grinding his heart into mincemeat ever since he learned about it back on Earth, because he knew what it meant for Sheppard, what it meant for the two of them, how difficult it would make it for the two of them to be seen anywhere near each other even after they had agreed, however begrudgingly on both sides, to end their affair.

Even after no longer getting the benefits of a relationship they were still required to keep up the pretense, to participate in the masquerade, to play the game, to live out their lives like nothing had happened, like their hearts hadn't been broken by each other and by circumstance, like every time they saw the other man it they didn't feel such deep hurt it was sometimes difficult to even breathe. And here she was, the young and clueless soldier, making all that sacrifice meaningless, giving anyone who wanted to harm Sheppard ample cause to flush his entire career down the drain just like that, with only a dishonorable discharge and a one-way trip back to Earth to his name. What happens here is played out for comedy but it is not amusing in the least, in context. It's tragic. It's so goddamn sad, all things considered. And you can see this play out on McKay's face as he realizes what she had done, again without his consent. Because he would never have consented to this. And it has nothing at all to do with whether he personally prefers the company of men or women.

And so, with McKay clearly wishing the floor would open up and swallow him whole since he has reached levels of his personal hell he had never even knew could exist, he tells Zelenka to get on with it, which he does with no further ceremony.

Zelenka: OK, it's reading as two life signs. Power levels are steady-- Sheppard: Get 'em out of there!

While Zelenka is still going over the readings, Sheppard is suddenly entirely out of patience and he tells him, orders him, to get them out of the machine right now. He can't stand not knowing whether McKay is alright or not for one moment longer. He needs this to be over. He needs McKay to be alive and well and he needs to be somewhere where there are no people around so that he can come apart. But note how he keeps his eyes fixed to the machine where McKay is, only briefly glancing at where he was but otherwise not letting the place storing McKay right now out of his sight.

Zelenka does as ordered, and McKay and Cadman both pass out, falling to the ground. The same thing happens here as it did back on the planet the first time. Where Sheppard was the person closest to them, he is not the one kneeling by their bodies (we see his face briefly in the upper right corner of the screen). We see that he wants to approach but he keeps himself back, only watching from further on. Back on the planet, he had allowed himself to forget for a fleeting moment everything that now stood between the two of them. But here, now, he had just received a grim reminder of why he needs to stand back and let someone else take care of him. Why he can't be seen reaching out to McKay even when he is in need of medical assistance. Why they can never be.

Continued in Pt. 15

[cosmicanger]

Untitled #1093 (Buddha Boy), 2001 - 03

by Petah Coyne

Specially-formulated wax, cast-wax statuary figure, pigment, silk flowers, synthetic feathers, acetate ribbon, tassels, white pearl-headed hat pins, artificial pearl strands, horse hair, chicken-wire fencing, wire, acrylic primer, plywood, metal hardware, aluminum 52 x 51 1/8 x 52 inches. Photograph: Wit McKay

[werdlewrites]

masterlist - ao3 - kofi - twitter @djomamma

show support through likes, comments, and reblogs!

summary: Steve had said things would get worse with secrecy and lies, but Hopper can’t stomach the look in her eyes when he strips away the only life she had ever known. Parents she may or may not remember, and how she wound up beneath someone else's roof. His heart is already racing with anticipation from what he’s about to do, fingers tight and trembling around a file until it crinkles. He sits in silence at their small table, elbows hoisted up with fingers tangling in his mess of hair as he stares down at the bold, printed words at the top of the paper. Temporary Guardianship Agreement. warnings: parental abandonment?? mentions of death, mentions of foster care wc: 3,024

MCKAY-HOLBROOK 1961

"By a ceremony performed Saturday evening, June 24th, by Rev. Charles O’Connell at 234 Washington St, Columbus, Indiana, Miss Lynn Joy Holbrook and Mr. Warren Don Mckay, were married. The bride wore an ivory dress with lace throughout. The groom wore two-toned ivory white and midnight blue trousers in compliments to the bouquet. The bride and groom will be celebrating at the groom's family home with few guests."

Hard-working hands have dried as they sift through delicate and aged papers. History is inked in the newspaper for all to bear witness. No one would care about the small print; they would flip to the next page, where more important articles awaited them in long paragraphs. Times changing, big events yet to come for readers or receiving a summarized version of what's already passed. But to him, this tiny article was everything. He stood on a rotted bridge above treacherous waters, planks falling away with every moment spent in the unknown. Never knowing where to turn until taking that leap of faith, only to have the wood crack and send him back toward safety. Now, he had names. Names to give the faces that smiled on splotchy brown paper, unaware they were being photographed in the courthouse. Hopper was closer than he had ever been—the end of this bridge in sight, where a new world awaited him.

"Mr. and Mrs. Eugene and Ruth Mckay are the parents of a son born Monday, April 5th, 1937, at The Birthing Center at Columbus Regional Hospital."

There’s a small stack dedicated to the boy. Birth, achievements, and changes in life, including his marriage to Lynn. His parents had been proud enough to pay for small spots in the paper, putting their only child on a pedestal for all to see. A man dedicated to education, pursuing a career on that very path despite the low pay. You could see him smiling in front of the class as he tutored young minds. The very school he worked for earning a place in the local paper for high praise. However, a darker turn awaits at the end for the boy named Warren. His father, Eugene, dies of a sudden heart attack in 1964 while working in the factories. A large funeral is held for a gone man, seemingly well-loved and dearly missed. Jim can barely make out the faces in the crowd—a shorter woman with a tissue concealing her face—while her son and daughter-in-law stand just beside the grieving widow. Everything seems to go silent after that. There are no more reports; safe for the one article to come years later, the couple already long gone from their quiet home. His wife offers even less help, though it’s intriguing enough.

"Lynn Joy Holbrook, born Monday, February 21st, 1938, at Trinity Health Birth Center, in Grand Rapids, Michigan."

There’s no mention of her parents or explanation as to why she wound up in Indiana. There were no achievements or events in her family name until her sister, Beverley Holbrook, makes a declaration of her disappearance in 1958. It’s a plea for her safe return, should she have been taken away. She was unaware that her baby sister was building a new life in a different state, and no one bothered to seek closure for the hole she left behind. There are no mentions of a child being born, though evidence in a stolen Polaroid proves otherwise— - keeping the joy to themselves, with purpose. He sees more of her in their faces—nearly identical to the woman with few features gifted by a father. It’s a deep and tangled web of mystery, eating away at his mind as the spiders crawl along for a feast. When and where did Ian Reid or Dr. Brenner come into play? Warren had no siblings to entrust his daughter to, and Beverly remained behind in Michigan with her husband, Mick— most likely even unaware there had been a niece to dote upon. And right now, he wasn’t about to show up on a stranger's doorstep with good news, handing the girl over and leaving unknowing of her fate. But he did need to do something.

The paperwork is abandoned in his truck, locked up with only one key to get in or out. It had become the safest place to keep prying eyes away from his research, no matter if it involved her or not. Steve had said things would get worse with secrecy and lies, but Hopper can’t stomach the look in her eyes when he strips away the only life she had ever known. Parents she may or may not remember, and how she wound up beneath someone else's roof. His heart is already racing with anticipation from what he’s about to do, fingers tight and trembling around a file until it crinkles. He sits in silence at their small table, elbows hoisted up with fingers tangling in his mess of hair as he stares down at the bold, printed words at the top of the paper.

Temporary Guardianship Agreement

It’s not been discussed—not even a whisper. Autumn had said he needed to figure something out, and this was it. Legally, she still needed someone to shelter and guide her. Someone to make sure schoolwork was done and keep her far from a rebellious path. He pictures the fear in her face as she’s carted away once again, forcing her to surrender to the foster care system. She’ll bounce around. Back and forth between families until she falls numb to abandonment, receiving little love and unable to give it back. The word would have become foreign. Then, she’ll turn eighteen and be cast out into the wilderness. Wolves either devour her whole as she moves on unsteady feet, or she takes the pain to become part of the pack. Unrecognizable to not only others that once knew her but to herself. Hopper had been there when she needed him, and he would be damned if he left her now.

He can hear the roar of an engine in the distance—slow-moving tires as they creep up onto the cabin. In such a quiet place, it’s enough to pull him back into reality. He checks his watch, and the time reads 3:46 p.m. School had just gotten out, and with strict orders to come straight back to the cabin, the timing matches. Just like the day before. Only this time, there’s no comfort in her return—only dread. She’s racing up the steps, eager to be freed of the cold winds, and sit right by the fireplace, homework in hand. But she spots his disheveled state, slowly easing off her coat with a weary look in her eye.

“Hi,” she greets in an uncertain tone, testing the waters before she dares to inch closer. The officer can’t even bring himself to reply, only nodding in acknowledgment of her arrival. The discomfort is hard to miss. “What’s-whats up?”

His body shifts then. Arms crossing over the table as he leans into it, obscuring the paperwork between them. “Nothing,” he sighs out. “Just, uh, just a long day.” It wasn’t entirely a lie, but something remained hidden nonetheless, and Autumn seems to notice.

She mouths an “Okay” as she continues to wade through shallow waters, not yet confident enough to swim and meet him at the depths. But the girl looks at him as she fusses over her bag, trying to appear casual, but the raging waves are difficult to ignore. She braces for impact. “Are you sure?” Blue eyes look up to her again, and he wears a forced smile. Nothing like what she had seen on their shopping spree, and certainly not similar to the one he wore next to Joyce. She teeters around it, sensing danger far worse than blackened waters. “What’s that you got there?” His attention is snapping back down to the papers, his heart racing, and leaving him too sick to speak. “Important cop business?” She’s trying to lighten the mood. Hoping to ease the wrath of Poseidon so that they may be spared.

“Uh, no, actually,” his words come out soft, and pained. There is no liferaft to be seen as he dives headfirst, accepting what’s to come. “It’s our business.” He pulls back to reveal the file, though she’s still too far away to know what it all means. A hand lazily gestures towards the chair just across from him, asking for her to sit.

She elects to let him drown. Arms crossed with a head held high to avoid the rising tides. “I’ll stand, thanks.”

Her stubborn attitude has an open hand tighten into a fist, a heavy sigh of defeat falling from his chest. Would he ever be ready for this? “Look, uh,” the words are building up in his throat, creating a blockade he has to either choke down or spew across the table for another breath. “Your dad’s been gone for a while.” The girl’s weight shifts from one leg to the other, her tongue pressed to the inside of her cheek. “Y’know, eventually his absence will get brought up. The school making phone calls, but never hearing anything back. Not showing up for parent-teacher conferences.”

“What’s your point?” She bites back. Somehow he can sense that she already knows what’s just over the horizon, yet she can’t bring herself to voice it out loud.

“My point is… I don’t want t’see you wind up in some stranger’s house.” She’s chewing at her lip anxiously, a deep, unsteady breath filling her lungs, preparing for what awaits her as the level threatens to rise above her.

“Don’t want to? Or can’t?” She questions.

The quiet cabin is suddenly flipped by the loud squeak of a chair sliding across the wood. His haste in closing their distance is almost alarming, leaving her to flinch but keep a steady gaze on him. “Look, kid, this ain’t no walk in the park. This isn’t your two-story, white picket fence home. It’s cramped, and isolated, and maybe you feel out of place. But that man is still out there, and if there’s the slimmest chance that I can protect you here, I’m going t’take it. So, no, I don’t want to.” Her focus hasn’t broken, though the lines of his face begin to blur. Wrinkles of stress and sleepless eyes blend together in a haze. The pleading in his tone is all she needs. Drinking in his ache, while her own heart slowly dies. “If you want t’risk it, you have t’tell me. But I can’t protect you out there.”

A shaken breath falls, unaware she had been holding it hostage. Without another word being spared between the two, cautious steps carry her away from Hopper and towards the table. Autumn is far too fearful to get too close, merely leaning in as if the paper would somehow wound her. She blinks frantically to clear her sight, letting fresh tears fall as she reads the title in bold. She’s grateful but can’t ignore the heartbreak, growing necrotic inside and withering away with a gust of wind. In a fury, her coat is pulled back into her arms—keys still in hand as she rushes past him. “I need t’go.”

“Autumn-”

“Hopper,” she warns with a fiery look in her eyes, a pointed finger held between the two. The girl seems unaware of the flickering lights from within, though he can’t help but look around the small room in worry. “I-I need t’go. I just need t’breathe.”

He towers before her with fists at his sides, fighting back the instinct to pull her back into safety. “Where will you go?” Glossy eyes flicker around the room in thought, before Jonathan’s name fumbles out of her mouth in a lie. Hopper is reluctant to let her go, but with Joyce there to watch out for her where he couldn’t, he ultimately agrees. Just before she’s gone from the threshold, he manages to slip the walkie-talkie in her hold. It was a miracle that she even allowed him that peace of mind. “If anything happens on the way.”

Autumn hardly remembers the drive as she escapes into the evening. Her thoughts spiral, distracting enough to nearly end in a fender-bender. The aggravated voice of the driver ahead manages to spike already high stress levels, and she elects to seek shelter somewhere nearby while the storm settles. A quiet diner—one she’s all too familiar with from previous visits. It’s just before dinner, and she knows this peace won’t last long, so she’s quick to grab a seat and plant herself there until her ass is numb and her legs forget to work. Long after a slowly enjoyed meal, despite the unsettling nausea. In her haste, she's abandoned homework at the cabin and is left to the lonesome of her mind. Thoughts were screaming loud enough to drown out the chitchat around her or the clank of silverware. It renders her frozen in time—dissociated as vacant eyes stare down at a half-eaten meal of sandwich and fries. The tsunami has followed her out of that cabin, crashing into her and leaving her bones to ache. Autumn is logical; she’s aware this won’t kill her, but it’s the journey out of harm's way she struggles to cope with. Her father was out there and very much alive. Possibly even far from Hawkin’s. Another state entirely. She digs away at the flesh of her lip, picturing his lies as he dresses himself in a lab coat with no car oil or grease to dirty his skin. Not the blue-collar lifestyle he claimed to live. She was more than just logical; she was goddamn gullible.

She conjures up an image of that man at his side. A sickening smile on his face as the screams of children rang out in her mind. He calls himself a stranger, but somehow, she knows it’s more than that.

There’s a commotion just next to her as the empty stool is filled, her body reacting on impulse to escape, though settling once she registers the new company. Heather sits with a duffle bag slung across the counter, a smile quickly vanishing into a look of concern. “You look like shit.”

A relieved sigh falls through, eyes now studying the mirror just across, almost anticipating to find that man in the reflection. “Thanks.”

“No,” the girl blurts out, now frustrated with herself. “I-I didn’t mean like that. I just meant-”

“I know what you meant.” Autumn humors, the faintest smile at the corner of her lips. “I do look like shit.” They fall into a brief silence. Autumn finds comfort in having someone familiar nearby, while Heather mentally kicks herself, lost on how to continue. “Aren’t you,” Autumn begins, now twirling the base of a tall glass across the surface. “Aren’t you supposed t’be, I don’t know, fighting monsters with Eddie?”

The girl at her side makes a face, her eyes narrowed. “I don’t just play Dungeons and Dragons, y’know. I have things.” Autumn spares a look of doubt, a single brow raised to lure out the truth. “Besides, everyone’s busy.” She mumbles, almost too embarrassed to admit that if it were any other day, she would have been at the game table. There’s a huff of amusement, and focus is redirected to stir the milkshake. Heather seems to notice how her smile doesn’t reach her eyes. “What’s wrong? Aside from your questionable taste in drinks in winter.”

Finally, the joy shifts and appears more sincere. Though she doesn’t take the playful bait laid out for her. “Just-just shit. Family shit.”

Heather holds out a hand for pause, a look of genuine sympathy in her eyes. “Say no more. I’m familiar with ‘family shit.” Somehow, Autumn doubts that.

Heather begins flipping through the plastic menu, humming to herself, and Autumn can’t help but wonder if she’s set up for the long haul. Ready to dine with a friend. “So, are we running away from family shit?”

The girl snorts, finding her appetite with a distracted mind, helping herself to room-temperature fries and a slow-melting drink. She mumbles around the straw,

“Nowhere t’run to.”

Heather scoffs at her pessimism, waving a hand in her direction. “There’s plenty t’run to. Chicago? Maybe go swim with some sharks in Florida? That’ll get your mind off it.”

“Sounds like you’ve thought some things through.”

Their eyes meet, and the girl wears a small smile. The menu is folded back up and pushed to the side. “Doesn’t everyone think about traveling? Seeing more than just Hawkins, even if it’s temporary.” The teen locks eyes with the waitress, and a silent conversation is had, nodding in acknowledgment before she dips into the back, the door swinging as she leaves. “We talked about making it big in the cities. Big cities. Like New York, or something.” Autumn can see the way her focus flickers out. A light in her eyes shifts and sways as she dances through a future of wants and desires. All before she plummets back to reality. “Can’t leave my mom behind, though. Plus, I’m not gettin’ very far on a bike.”

Her face contorts in amusement, just at the edge of laughter. “Mom doesn’t want t’move t’New York?”

“My mom? She’d have a heart attack.”

They linger in the moment. Hearts suddenly warmed and troubles were forgotten—at least forgotten enough to enjoy the company. Heather swivels impatiently on the stool, her eyes locked on the metal door that remains still. The shouts of the cooks and the waitress were heard booming just beyond the wall. “You got plans tonight?”

“Other than plotting my escape into the big beyond? Not really.”

Heather nods along in understanding, her tongue clicking against the roof of her mouth. “I’m waiting for my mom’s food. I was going t’head home and, I don’t know, probably get up t’no good. You want t’come?”

Autumn isn’t sure if she means it. Whether they’ll wind up with red and blue lights flashing at their backs, or if it’s as simple as watching a movie. But she’s desperate, and takes the offer with an eager, “Abso-fucking-lutely.”

[malinastharlock]

Hi everyone I have been ask to judge a costume contest at the LGBTQ+ Halloween party, QueerNavil, in Winston-Salem. If you live in the triad area and looking for some fun this Saturday just head to:

Fair Witness Fancy Drinks

290 4th St E, Winston-Salem, NC 27101

It starts at 7:00 PM

Grand prize for best overall costume wins

$100 Brookstone Gift card

Other costume categories are:

Scariest

Funniest

Most Creative

Best Group

Each winner will receive a Ed McKay's 25$ gift card.

This is all put together by North Star LGBTQ+ Community Center of Winston-Salem. So head out this Saturday and say hi to me 👋😁

[positivelybeastly]

Okay but is Cable worthy of your BFF Tess

"Tess McKay is a fully grown, mostly mature woman with a sharp mind, a formidable wit, and an incredible bearing about her. If Nathan were not worthy of her, he would know it. Loudly."

"That being said, if it's my blessing they want, then it's my blessing they have. I shan't lie and pretend that it's not weird, knowing that my best friend is having carnal relations with a man that I've seen spit up Pablum all over Jean's face, sitting in a high chair, but my life is just weird in general."

@themckaytriarchy

@wintercosmickillsx

[spnfistfight]

Welcome to spnfistfight, round two, child edition!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉

After a stunning victory by Ms. Eileen Leahy, we're following up with a second brawl. This time, with children. The rules are simple:

1. The character must be or have been under 18 during the course of the show. If they have aged over 18, the under 18 version of the character will be used. Possession does not count if the supernatural being is an adult.

2. No weapons or superpowers are permitted in the ring. Only their wits and their fists.

Submissions are to be sent through the ask box. I am looking for preferably 64, so we can go twice as long as last time, but 32 is the minimum. Submissions are closing on June 4, and Round One will begin shortly after.

The child fights will be tagged as both #spnfistfight and #spnchildfight. Personal posts are under jes.txt.

If you have any questions about submissions or rules, send me an ask, I'd love to help.

Participants are under the cut :)

Aiden (8x18)

Alex Jones

Allen (7x22)

Asher (1x18)

Barry (4x13)

Ben Braeden

Ben Colins (1x02)

Bela Talbot

Bobby Singer (7x10)

Bobby John (6x02)

Caitlin Johnson (15x16)

Callie Garrison (3x05)

Castiel, Gertie, and Sam Fitzgerald

Channing Ngo (7x21)

Claire Novak (10 Years Old)

Cyrus Styne (10x22)

Daphne Blake

Dean Winchester (9x07)

Dean Winchester II

Dirk (4x13)

Eileen Leahy (11x11)

Elliot (14x13, 14x16)

Emily (7x22)

Emma Winchester

Evan McKay (1x15)

Family Remains Girl (Unnamed) (4x11)

Fred Jones

Gary (5x12)

Jack Kline

Jacob Pond

Jesse (The Antichrist)

John Winchester (?) (8x12)

Jordy Pinsky (11x05)

Josephine Barnes (8x18)

Kate (8x04, 10x04)

Kevin Tran

Krissy Chambers

Lily Shoemaker (1x05)

Lizzy Gibson (4x11)

Lora (14x03)

Lucas Barr (1x03)

Magda Peterson (12x04)

Maggie Thompson (2x11)

Matt Pike (1x08)

May Sunder

Max (14x13, 14x16)

Melanie Merchant (1x19)

Michael (1x18)

Mick Davies

Missy Bender (1x15)

Oliver (8x16)

Owen Mills

Patience Turner

Peter Sweeny (1x03)

Sam Winchester (4x13)

Shaggy Rogers and Scooby-Doo

Stacy (14x13, 14x16)

The entire cast of Supernatural: The Musical (10x05)

The Gore Boys (5x09)

Timmy (9x07)

Toni Bevell's Son (11x23)

Tod (4x08)

Travis Johnson

Tyler Thompson (2x11)

Velma Dinkley

[scotianostra]

On January 26th 1861 Edinburgh heard the sound of the one o'clock gun for the first time.

Walking along Princes Street when the gun goes off separates the locals from the tourists, one group stand in bewilderment, while the Edinburgh populace just walk on as if nothing has happened.

With an electric cable stretching over 4,000 feet from the rear of the gun to the Royal Observatory on Calton Hill, the original 18-pound gun was operated via a mechanical trigger at precisely 1pm each day apart from Sunday, Good Friday and Christmas Day.

The 94-pound artillery weapon was provided by the Royal Artillery, and intended as an alternative to the Calton Hill Time-Ball. This other method of telling the time, positioned atop the Nelson Monument, was hindered by the infamous Haar rolling in from the North Sea, causing the ball to be out of the line of sight, with the definitive report of a cannon favoured over the Time-Ball.

Since its early days, the gun has moved from the Half Moon Battery over to Mill’s Mount Battery, and the weapon of choice is now a L118 Light Gun. This particular weapon has been in service for over twenty years, and is traditionally fired by a volunteer District Gunner from the 105th Regiment Royal Artillery.

To date, the longest-serving gunner has been Staff Sergeant Thomas “Tam the Gun” McKay MBE, who fired the Edinburgh landmark daily from 1979 until his retirement in 2005.

His nickname was passed onto a GNER locomotive during a naming ceremony at Edinburgh Waverley train station in 2006 to commemorate his career.

Tam was never short of an audience, folk from all over the world wanting to witness the firing of Edinburgh’s one o’clock gun, the firing of the gun is still a highlight for those visiting the castle.

In 2002 he published a book of anecdotes and history relating to the gun entitled ‘What time does Edinburgh’s One O’clock gun fire?’ the proceeds of which went to t the Army Benevolent fund for whom he had undertook fundraising work for.

Tam is in three of the pics I have posted.

[alliluyevas]

remembering fondly when i witnessed someone claim in all apparent seriousness that david mckay's elevation to lds prophet was groundbreaking for mormonism's presence in the mainstream because he was the first prophet to have neither plural wives nor...a beard.

[dorkofclanlavellan]

Dusk Til Dawn - Prologue

Pairing: book!Finnick Odair x OC (later chapters)

Warning: Canon typical violence and death.

Each breath triggered another wave of pain for Nerida as she fought her final opponent. The cruel boy from District 1, Jasper, was in worse shape than she was, though.

She may not have directly witnessed his kills over the last two weeks but she had heard the screams, no matter how distant they were. That made killing Jasper easier for her, so Nerida told herself.

She ducked around Jasper's right side and with all the adrenaline in her she drove her blade into his chest just as his own sank between her ribs.

She doubled over, barely catching herself on the stone banister beside her, breathing heavily as Jasper's body fell to the floor. She watched the ragged and slowing rise and fall of Jasper's chest for a moment as she pressed a hand to the wound in her side. Taking a moment to compose herself, Nerida could feel the blood seeping between her fingers.

Then she turned and, though clearly fatigued, practically sauntered to the end of the room, across from her opponent's corpse, and plopped down into the intricately designed throne at the top of two curved steps. The canon fired almost perfectly in time.

A mere moment later Claudius Templesmith's voice filled the air, "Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to present to you the victor of the 67th Hunger Games. Nerida McKay, the tribute from District 4!"