#accepting applications fr

[ryokawa]

[tennessoui]

ko-fi fic uploads

hey guys, I'm going to start putting some of my new tumblr prompt fills and writing warm-ups (ficlets of 4k-6k length) up on my ko-fi!!

Monthly supporters will be able to go into the gallery tab on my ko-fi and click on an uploaded image. The title will be which tumblr-based au the ficlet fits into and how many words it is. The description beneath the image will be a quick summary of the au and a link to the google doc containing the ficlet. The "root" au post, aka the post that started the au on my blog, will be linked as well on that google doc.

This will not affect my wips and progress on them in any way! I feel like that's very important to state - I write these sorts of ficlets all the time because it helps get me in the writing mindset for writing ao3 fics. I will just be spending a little extra effort on them to put them up on ko-fi.

I will NOT be posting any ficlets on my ko-fi that you need to read to understand a fic on ao3 - that's some disney monster conglomerate kind of shit. I will also still be posting shorter ficlets (1k-3k) on tumblr as I write them, especially if I'm answering a prompt someone sent me here. Again, I think it'd be a bit of dick move to not do that

I'll try to vary which ficlets go up on ko-fi and every time I upload one, I'll make a post about which au it is as well as a link to the page in case anyone wants to, idk, unsubscribe for a month because they hate the hopeless in coruscant au, and then refollow next month because they enjoy the playmaker au etc etc

I'm definitely still trying to figure out what I want this to look like and what feels fair or reasonable, so hopefully this isn't a huge mess on my end!

All this being said:

I've posted the first ficlet/fic on ko-fi: it's for the Senator Menace AU, an au that's basically "What if phantom menace but reversed? how fucked up would anakin get over the youngling his father master died to protect?"

the first au post is here // my ko-fi is here

[by-dying-i-live]

Ready to have a life-long friendship with a female, follow God together, and have little ones that look like me and her.

[drewtanakagf]

okay guys. I Will Be Applying To Do A Creative Writing Thesis.

[agayconcept]

.

[doctor-mccoys-sanity]

Someone be in a gay neurodivergent t4t relationship with me😭

[akascow]

just remembered i got ghosted by amazon💀

[tame-the-lion-writes]

love your catreader au so much hanxgajid i came for dogshifter au, but ended up loving all your stuff

anyways, for catreader au, do you think she's the type of cat that acts graceful but do dumb stuff? and when they're caught doing the said dumb stuff they do the "you did not see me do that" kind of thing and just ignore your whole presence. cats are actually so goofy and adorable like that

also, is there a specific fur color for the catreader that i may have missed? I'm kinda curious since often, stereotypes about cat's behavior are often associated with their fur color. i think catreader gives black cat vibes, but it would also be really funny if she was an orange cat with orange antics too (playing in that one braincell fr)

Oh, car (LMAO THAT WAS NOT INTENTIONAL BUT I'M KEEPING THE TYPO) reader is definitely too stubborn to accept when she's clumsy. If she knocks something over unintentionally or slips, etc, she'll probably glare at one of the boys like it was their fault.

"Soap, what happened to the pantry shelves?"

"Why ya lookin' at me?! It was her!" Points to innocent-looking reader licking her paw across the room.

Also, nah, I don't have a specific fur color/breed/look for the reader. I want her to match whatever image you guys think you'd be as a cat. That's my general rule for writing reader inserts: I try to avoid writing descriptions of the reader, especially if I mark a fanfic as GN (not exactly applicable to my Tumblr, since most is automatically AFAB insert, but my longest x reader fic on AO3 is GN)

Personally tho, I visualize myself as a grey tabby :P

[elliespassagerprincess]

Hey so could you maybe do ellie with “I was all over her” by salvia Plath

I was all over her - (ellie williams x reader)

Hi anon! i tried a different format because im still trying to get used to how to write and stuff lol, also the song choice??? hello??? one of my favorite crying songs fr, i hope you enjoy <3

This story is based off the song I was all over her by Salvia Palth! if you can please listen to the song as you're reading:)

Pairing: ellie x fem!reader

requests are open again! send me your silly thoughts

warnings: murder, angst, sadness, mommy issues

Summary: in which she wanted to be all over you

authors note: uni applications are open this month im so nervous that i wont get accepted... im stress writing bro

masterlist

The light was really bright, it hurt her eyes. Ellie hates bright lights.

The buzzing also bothered her.

"How can you be so bright and also make such an annoying sound at the same time?" she wondered as she stared at the lights on the roof.

It was cold in here too.

Fuck

it was really cold. She should've worn a jacket.

The room was plain too. There was just a table a few chairs.

Who decorated this place?

Ellie was snapped out if her judgmental thoughts when detective Miller walked into the room, and he sat across her.

"Do you know why you're here?" he asked coldly.

Ellie's handcuffs rattled as she sat up straight.

"I don't" she lied.

"Do you know y/n?" he suddenly asked.

Ellie's eyes widened slightly at the mention of your name. She knew you were. She knew you very well.

You guys were at the same party that night.

That night.

The night she wanted to forget so badly. But how could she? It was engraved into her mind.

She remembered everything.

"She's missing" he said.

"I know"

"I need you to be very honest with me. Do you know what happened to her?"

"No" Liar.

She knew what happened. She was the reason everything happened. She was already drowning in her own guilt.

Detective Miller leaned back into his chair and he let out a dramatic sigh. He knew Ellie knew something, he could sense it.

"Tell me what you remember from that night"

Her muscles tensed when she started telling the story.

"Don't know what I wanted, I have a memory"

Ellie walked into the party, and her nose scrunched up at the smell of weed. Wherever she looked there were people either smoking or drinking, or they were half naked and making out. The room was packed and there was barley space for her to walk.

Ellie hated small spaces, that's why she hated parties. The big crowds, the smells and liquids everywhere, she hated it.

She doesn't know why she was there.

She remembered finding you all alone and sitting at the top of the staircase. She remembered sitting next to you. She remembered how you looked at her.

She remembered, she remembered, she remembered, she remember-

"and then what happened" the detective asked her, bringing her out of her thoughts.

"I don't remember" she lied.

"People saw the two of you go into a room together. What happened in there?"

"Back at that party, I was all over her, We didn't make out or do anything, I just remember I was lonely"

You were so sweet. You were so nice and caring. You were the opposite of who she was.

What was a sweet thing like you doing at such a party?

She remembered how you told her that you enjoyed her company, and how you asked her to go somewhere private so the two of you could get to know each other better.

Lavender.

You smelled like lavender.

As she laid next to you on that bed listening to you ramble about why social media is bad for kids she realized how empty she felt.

You made her feel so full, so loved but when you went home she had no one. You guys didn't even have to do anything, as long as she is in your presence.

You made her happy. She needed to keep you. She needed to feel full.

She remembered you falling asleep, she remembered how peaceful you looked, she remembered how she got up and locked the door.

She remembered, she remembered, she remembered-

"Ellie" detective Miller called her. Ellie looked at him with a hum.

"Let's talk about your personal life"

He needed to dig deeper. He knew she was hiding something. He could tell.

"What do you want to know?" Ellie asked with caution.

"Tell me about your mom"

Oh.

"She left"

"I know she did, but do you remember anything about her?"

She let out a sigh, the handcuffs rattled and she realized that she was still being questioned.

She can't get soft now.

"My mom always made me feel like i was a problem, she made me feel... useless." She watched as he wrote down her words.

"Do you think she was right by calling you useless?" He asked, as if he cared. He didn't care, it was his job.

After a few seconds of silence Ellie answered: "I guess I am always, it's not a problem, it's just something, I got used to it"

Ellie locked the door and she slowly walked to where you lay. You looked so peaceful. She touched your hair gently. She wanted to remember you. Ellie took the pillow she was laying on a few seconds ago and she placed it on your face.

She remembered how you screamed, she remembered how you fought back, she remembered how you begged, she remembered her mother.

Her mother left, but you wont right? this way you'll stay with her right?

She remembered how her mom made her fell, she remembered how heartbroken she was.

she remembered, she remembered, she remembered-

"what did you do to her?" Miller asked.

Tears filled Ellies eyes "i killed her"

She just wanted to keep you. She wanted you to be with her. She wanted to be all over you.

The detective let out a sigh "Ellie Williams you're being arrested for murder"

<3

[th3-c0ll3ct3r]

I hate how when people talk about Smajor letting Sapnap play MCC like 10 days after he signed the kick contract, was smajor letting himself go/he doesn't deserve to be in the life series

Babes, do you not know how contract or application works???

TLDR: Scott realistically didn't have enough time (and the legal team) to say no

Like once you agree to let him in he couldn't just turn around 20 days later and say no. It had already been agreed on per the terms of the application but he would play and they obviously isn't a stipulation in the application about what streaming service you use because it would be kind of stupid to have to write a whole list of streaming services that you couldn't use

Furthermore, Scott didn't even know. If Tubbo, Ranboo, George, BBH etc... they don't know then why the hell would Scott because of the time of the application, he wasn't officially signed to kick, so Sapnap probably just put down twitch or smth like that

And then there's the possibility that the question wasn't even asked because kick wasn't really a big thing so no one had really taken into consideration that anyone they would know would join the site

And his respond of "if you don't like it then don't watch" is so vaild BECAUSE TF WAS HE MEANT TO DO??? FORCE YOU TO WATCH IT THEN BE SASSY ABT IT?? Like there was a genuine choice turn up watch his POV

And then afterwards he never really came back.

Scott's underrated because he is definitely firm and mature, with his viewer while also keeping it fun. He doesn't go into a lot of details for obviously legal reason (the right to privacy and confidentiality from Sapnap and Scott), the only people were complaining of the people who genuinely don't understand how if something's already agreed upon their be a certain amount of evidence and truth to not let them continue with the agreement

Like Sapnap fr could (by a technicality) sue Scott for some level of discrimination or something similar if he was not allowed to participate in a stream of event because of the platform that he was using.

It would literally be indirect discrimination if Scott told he no after finding out (in the UK) - defined as: indirect discrimination - putting rules or arrangements in place that apply to everyone, but that put someone with a protected characteristic at an unfair disadvantage.

Characteristics is very broad intentionally. Characteristic can be defined as your means of employment, and if Sapnap is a streamer and that's his form of employment it could be argued that Scott is discriminating against his form of employment and who provides it

So yeah. Scott both (possibly) legal and literally could not tell him no until AFTER all the events he was assigned were done out

Sincerely, someone who is way to tired of telling other fellow Genz people that no, isn't sometimes legally acceptable and shit happens

[mediumgayitalian]

fic rec friday 10

hi!! welcome to fic rec friday. every week, i pick five fics i have bookmarked and rec them with a little review. check them out!

something borrowed by @rosyredlipstick

In the Solace Wedding Planning agenda, on the fifth page into their summer schedule, there are carefully scrawled out notes reading this: Bride and Groom - Hazel Levesque & Frank Zhang Best Man & Maid of Honor - Percy Jackson & Piper McLean Wedding Court - Annabeth Chase & Jason Grace Mellie & Gleeson Hedge Reyna Ramírez-Arellano & Leo Valdez Ring-bearer - Chuck Hedge Flower-boy - Nico di Angelo - Will plans wedding and now, apparently, Nico stars in one. Except...sometimes there's a bit more confusion on that last part. AKA the AU where Will plans weddings and thinks Hazel and Frank are going to have to cutest, gap-toothed ten year throwing flowers down the aisle, all while wondering why this 'Neeks' guy is always hanging around, and what business he has looking that good.

yes i am back on my rosyredlipstick (dude she's GOOD okay). however this one is my favourite i think. this is the kinda story you could use to explain to people what dramatic irony is bc LORD i wanted to SHAKE THEM 😭😭 will falling like deeply in love with nico and being intensely stressed about everything the whole time is so real and on brand. i love him and i love the fond exasperation that just bleeds from this fic its GREAT

2. Rental Love by @rosyredlipstick

*Read Terms & Conditions - Male/22/Long Island N.Y.C. Tired of showing up stag at holiday events? Want your family to stop thinking there’s something wrong with you? Just want some arm candy for a work event? Look no further. Your solution is here! I will attend holiday events with you as your paid date. Accepting all genders as applicants. Email solace.w@fastmail.com if interested. Interview & application will be set up there. - Nico di Angelo has been telling Hazel Levesque about his boyfriend for weeks. The bad part? Nico doesn’t have a boyfriend, the holidays are coming up, and not all of Jason’s ideas are horrible. They’re all a bit surprised about the last one.

THE LEVEL OF STUPID THAT THEY ARE...😭😭 kills me fr. like this whole fic is just a manifestation of truly one of the best tropes of all time…..like what if we took a hallmark movie and made it gay as all hell. iconique indeed

3. A Match in the Making by @coconutcranberries-blog

“You’re a morning person,” Nico muttered, rubbing his eyes with the heel of his palms. He ran a hand through his black hair, which stuck up in disarray, the same way it did every morning. He was a mess, and Will Solace looked annoyingly put together, and Nico didn’t even care, really, he didn’t.

friendship is the core of romance!! it is!! every time!!! and it's such a core in this fic....which is fucking??? ten years old??? im just realising?? jesus christ??? anyways. "Nico had the sudden, warm feeling that Will Solace had never bought his act." i YELLED

4. Perception by scorchedtrees

In which everyone thinks Nico and Will are together.

i love this trope i love it SO BAD. both ways. when your love is so obvious that no one misses it.....love to see it truly. and will can have one second of beingn smooth and not a dweeby loser. as a treat

5. the world is brighter than the sun now that you're here by @finalizer

It was hard, Nico eventually concluded, to maintain one’s air of spooky otherworldly detachment with a blinding ray of sunshine trailing one step behind him every minute of every day.

grouchy nico my beloved truly. honestly hes such a bitch i love him like "Seriously, give the guy a perm and a few cats and he’d be that weird aunt that everybody avoided around the holiday season." why does he ALWAYS have something vile to say 😭😭 hes a mood fr

thank you for joining me this saturday friday!! happy reading!!

[writermai05]

Arsonist's Lullabye

Chapter 1: A Burning Flame 

Summary: Y/n and Zuko ponder about a potential friendship. 

Pairing: zuko x fem! reader (Live Action or Animated) 

A/N: And so the slow burn starts! I’m pleasantly surprised by the positive feedback on the prologue, and I’m hoping to keep pumping out these chapters for y'all (and for myself LOL). As always, I would love any feedback / constructive criticism to help me improve on the story. Enjoy! 

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Avatar: The Last Airbender, I am merely a nerd who hyperfixates a lot. Lots of divergence from the canon story lol. 

Warnings!: Mentions of Ozai (yes he deserves his own warning), Zuko’s scar, Talks of self loathing, and insecurities (give Zuko and Azula therapy fr!). 

Y/n moved in two weeks before classes started at the University of Ba Sing Se. 

She was looking forward to the change of scenery. It was a tough decision to leave Agna Qel’a, but it had to be done. She desperately needed a chance to live apart from her family for once. When she had gotten a spam email asking her to apply for a transfer, she jumped at the opportunity. When she was accepted, she was encouraged to apply for Shui, A scholarship program. 

Shui was a program for students of water tribe descent, regardless of where they were from. It would pair her up with an incoming first year student to mentor and guide through college. It was a pretty intense application process, writing essays, getting interviewed by university representatives and moving in early. The first week was rather uneventful, meeting all the first years and doing an assortment of different icebreaker activities in an attempt to find the perfect mentor-mentee match. 

But all of it was leading up to this big moment. She was about to learn who her mentee was. The program coordinator for Shui had given all the mentors and mentees a piece of paper with their person’s name on it. The atmosphere in the room was full of energy as  all of the students waited impatiently to learn who they would be paired with. 

“Alright everyone! On the count of three…” 

They began to countdown altogether. “Three…Two…One!”

Chaos broke out in the room with lots of cheers and laughter. Y/n opened her piece of paper. 

Katara

She had talked to Katara a lot the past week. Y/n liked Katara. She was sweet, and particularly snarky to her older brother, Sokka, who was also a mentor this year. Y/n also vaguely remembered a mention of her being a water-bender, just like herself.  Katara locked eyes with Y/n from across the room, and they quickly started to walk towards each other. 

“I’m so glad I got you! You were like, the number one person I had on my list!” Katara squealed with excitement and Y/n laughed at the younger girl's antics, bringing her in for a hug. The two rocked side to side, before Y/n released Katara from her grasp.

“Let’s go get lunch. My treat, obviously.” 

Katara let out a sigh, “You are amazing. This is going to be a fantastic year.” 

As the pair walked off campus and into the city, Y/n passed the tea shop she had visited a mere two days ago. The cashier, Zuko, she remembered, looked about her age. She had thought about him a lot. Like being drawn to a treasure chest, eager to uncover the secrets hidden within its lock. Did they attend the same university? What major had he chosen to study? Where exactly was he from? Is he a bender? Of course there was another part of her brain, the nosy part, that wondered, 

How did he get the scar on his face? 

She came back to the present once she realized she had stopped in her tracks, causing Katara to stop alongside her.

“Y/n? Are you alright?” Katara asked attentively. 

Y/n shrugged off her concerns, waving a hand dismissively. “I’m fine. Do you know any good Southern Water Tribe restaurants nearby?”

“Um, of course I do! This one restaurant has the best stewed sea prunes in Ba Sing Se!..”

While Katara rambled on about food, in the back of Y/n’s mind Zuko permeated her thoughts. He was like a burning flame the way that thoughts of him danced around her mind, filling it with visions of an all encompassing fire. 

She wanted to know him. 

~

On the days where the shop was closed, Zuko didn’t do much. He had no hobbies, no life outside of the Jasmine Dragon. He was very much aware of this fact, as Iroh constantly lectured him on it. The words replayed in his mind frequently. ‘You need to hangout with people your age, Zuko.’ 

He was actually starting to agree with his uncle on something. 

When he had moved in with his uncle as a 14 year old, hanging out with people his age was out of the question. With his bandaged face and newly shaved head, he knew that his peers would have ulterior motives for interacting with him. In return, he had reverted into exactly the kind of son his father had always wanted. Stuck up, authoritative, even cruel. It’s why he was ostracized in highschool. He recalled how his first year of university had completely gone up in flames, but then again, that was all his fault. Everything was always his fault. He was fortunate that Iroh was a thousand times more forgiving than his father. Iroh hadn’t so much as batted an eye when Zuko told him that he would need to restart his freshman year of college. 

Zuko realized he would need to try harder than that this year. He held out hope that his sophomore year would be different. 

Maybe Y/n could help with that. She seemed friendly enough when they met at the shop?

Zuko shook the thoughts from his head. ‘You don’t even know her!’ his head screamed. If he were more rational, he’d berate himself for being so invested in a girl he knew virtually nothing about. But he can’t seem to bring himself to actually think logically right now. The desire for connection burns in the pit of his stomach, and he can feel himself growing frustrated at his inability to just be cool for once in his life. 

The boy pushed the negative feelings away, taking a couple of deep breaths like his therapist had taught him. Zuko was determined to be better. To be good. And he knew exactly where to start. With the people he tormented for years. 

He knew he had to make amends with Aang and the others. 

[mostlystablechrisrodriguez]

I'm just holding your hand. Couples tend do that when they walk together, yknow.

He squeezed her hand, his tone just a little bit teasing.

“Chris, go back and sleep. I told you I don’t need help, I’m just checking the border to be sure.”

- @aerios-daughter

I know you don't need help. But you do need to go to bed, and if I help you you'll be done and go back to bed faster.

Chris smiled hopefully, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

[rosesocietyy]

Brilliant people have said everything that needs to be said about this much much better and I don't got anything substantial to add but I just have to get this off my chest cause y'all I'm still in disbelief

like this is a grown ass person btw oh I simply have to laugh😭

this perfectly exemplifies literally everything cringe af and wrong with these "assigned welcomers". this is just my scapegoat but there are way worse I've seen

First of all, get a job. how, at your fossil age, do you have time to spend all day scrolling through every single iwtv related post and arguing with people who say anything even slightly damning about lestat (which mind you, is literally just objective facts about things he did). I'll dm you a McDonald's application hell I'll even put in a referral for you out of the goodness of my heart.

Second, Lestat is not a real person. he's fake, a made up character, the figment of someone's imagine, non-existent, people hating him will not affect your life in anyway shape or form. He didn't assign you as his PR agent I promise you'll live. "They'll never accept him" ok and?!?

Question, and I'm genuinely asking, is this their first time in a fandom? why is someone having a different opinion about a character they love enough to send them into hysterics like?? 13 year olds on anime twitter have a better grasp on reality that y'all do get a grip!

And like the above posts have talked extensively about, I most definitely noticed whose posts a specific bunch of them love to go under to share their dog shit "explanation" that nobody asked for. When a black person sees Louis being brutalized by his white lover what do you expect their reaction to be? oaur wow this white french slut is so pussy cunt slay period queen? "but louis is flawed too" do you hear yourself? do you listen to yourself when you speak? can you activate the barest hint of brain activity to understand why we would react differently to what we're watching than you would and that knowledge of the source material has nothing to do with it? Just because you read those shitty books and posses no empathy for black people in media doesn't mean you gain some higher understanding of "gothic romance ".

"No but the thing is you don't understand this is a gothic romance and they're supposed to be monsters and lestat has suffered saur much and he's also the real main character so you must love him" so now how exactly does that negate their point about him being an abuser? quickly! sit the fuck down and shut the fuck up when black people are sharing their thoughts on the show cause who the fuck are you fr and what convinced you that you have the right to argue with them about THEIR experiences. that tweet that said white people act like God left them in charge, yeah.

Funny enough, half the people that are so gung ho about him now didn't even fw him at all when they only read the first book. wow it's almost like you were allowed to sort out your feelings about him on your own without insects disguised as people in your mentions calling you slow for not licking his feet.

I despise so much in this fandom. From the bottom of my heart I really truly do. I don't know what I was expecting, I guess more common sense and maturity because the average age in the fandom is quite high compared to other fandoms I've been in but nah, just mfs screaming and crying bc ppl don't jump up and down and scream yipee! everytime their white fav commits abhorrent, disgusting crimes.

I was so caught up in the euphoria of an anne rice property finally being given to skilled creators who'll pick it apart and say something poignant with it that for a moment, I forgot I lived in a world where majority of its audience would sadly be the anne rice crowd.

[mariacallous]

Donald Tusk has criticised Berlin’s decision to introduce controls on all its borders, arguing that it is “unacceptable” to “de facto suspend Schengen on such a large scale”.

Tusk, who was speaking during a meeting of diplomats on Tuesday in Warsaw, said he would discuss the matter on an EU level with all other countries affected.

Under the Schengen Borders Code, member states and the European Commission are entitled to table a proposal to the Council of the EU to introduce temporary restrictions, including entry, across the passport-free Schengen Area.

Earlier this week, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser announced that her country would introduce spot controls on all of its borders following a fatal knife attack by a Syrian asylum seeker, who was about to be deported, in the Western town of Solingen. The knife attack, in which three were killed and others were wounded, was later claimed by Islamic State.

Such border controls were already in place with four of Germany’s neighbours – Austria, Poland, Czechia and Switzerland – in a bid to stem the flow of migrants. Entirely new controls will now be introduced on Germany’s borders with France, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark.

The temporary controls already in place on the border with Austria are due to expire in November, while those with Poland, Czechia and Switzerland were just extended until the end of 2024.

Faeser’s announcement comes amidst intense debates on the matter in Germany, with the government facing pressure to deport illegal immigrants and asylum seekers as soon as possible. In the first half of this year, Germany sent back to Poland over 4,600 migrants who had entered the EU via Poland and then moved onwards to Germany; according to the EU Dublin system, migrants should be processed in the first EU country they enter.

“Such actions are unacceptable from the Polish point of view, because I have no doubt that it is the internal political situation in Germany that is causing these more stringent steps, and not our policy towards illegal migration on our borders,” Tusk said, criticising the border controls and referring to the anti-immigration party AfD winning its first state elections in eastern Germany earlier this month.

“Poland does not need anyone to lecture us on this issue,” Tusk said, meaning illegal immigration. “We have been the most consistent country when it comes to warning against ill-advised decisions concerning Ukraine, Russia and migration policy.”

Poland has built a border wall on its border with Belarus, which is also the eastern border of the EU, and this year it has “prevented” over 24,000 “attempted entries” while accepting only 1,900 asylum applications, according to data provided by the Polish Border Guard to BIRN. In contrast, Germany has accepted 110,000 asylum applications this year alone.

Other countries affected by Germany’s measure also expressed dissatisfaction. Gerhard Karner, Austria’s interior minister, said his country would not take in any asylum seekers rejected by Germany. “There’s no room for manoeuvre there,” Karner told Austrian media.

The nationalist-populist government of Hungary, on the other hand, which takes a much harder line on immigration than other member states, welcomed the announcement from Germany.

“Scholz, Welcome to the club!” Prime Minister Viktor Orban tweeted to the German chancellor on Tuesday.

The same day, the European Commission vowed to use all its powers to prevent Hungary from carrying through with its threat to bus illegal migrants at its borders to Brussels, in a stunt similar to what the US’s border states like Texas have done to highlight the issue of migration. According to the New York Times, in two years Texas has bused more than 119,000 people to Democrat-led cities.

On Friday, Hungary reiterated its threat to flood the EU with illegal migrants unless Brussels withdraws the 200-million-euro fine for failing to comply with EU asylum rules. “If the EU forces us to let in migrants, we will offer them free transport to the EU,” Hungary’s state secretary of the Interior Ministry said.

“In terms of the announcements made by the Hungarian authorities that they would transport irregular migrants from the Hungarian Serbian borders to Brussels, in one word, basically, it is unacceptable,” an EU Commission spokesperson was quoted as saying on Tuesday.

[orthodoxsoul]

Orthodox priest and teacher Fr. Thomas Hopko, who passed away eight years ago this week, wrote many wonderful things in his life. One favorite is this list of 55 Maxims for Christian Living. They're applicable, I think, to non-Orthodox Christians and, many of them, to non-Christians too

Here they are:

1. Be always with Christ.

2. Pray as you can, not as you want.

3. Have a keepable rule of prayer that you do by discipline.

4. Say the Lord’s Prayer several times a day.

5. Have a short prayer that you constantly repeat when your mind is not occupied with other things.

6. Make some prostrations when you pray.

7. Eat good foods in moderation.

8. Keep the Church’s fasting rules.

9. Spend some time in silence every day.

10. Do acts of mercy in secret.

11. Go to liturgical services regularly

12. Go to confession and communion regularly.

13. Do not engage intrusive thoughts and feelings. Cut them off at the start.

14. Reveal all your thoughts and feelings regularly to a trusted person.

15. Read the scriptures regularly.

16. Read good books a little at a time.

17. Cultivate communion with the saints.

18. Be an ordinary person.

19. Be polite with everyone.

20. Maintain cleanliness and order in your home.

21. Have a healthy, wholesome hobby.

22. Exercise regularly.

23. Live a day, and a part of a day, at a time.

24. Be totally honest, first of all, with yourself.

25. Be faithful in little things.

26. Do your work, and then forget it.

27. Do the most difficult and painful things first.

28. Face reality.

29. Be grateful in all things.

30. Be cheefull.

31. Be simple, hidden, quiet and small.

32. Never bring attention to yourself.

33. Listen when people talk to you.

34. Be awake and be attentive.

35. Think and talk about things no more than necessary.

36. When we speak, speak simply, clearly, firmly and directly.

37. Flee imagination, analysis, figuring things out.

38. Flee carnal, sexual things at their first appearance.

39. Don’t complain, mumble, murmur or whine.

40. Don’t compare yourself with anyone.

41. Don’t seek or expect praise or pity from anyone.

42. We don’t judge anyone for anything.

43. Don’t try to convince anyone of anything.

44. Don’t defend or justify yourself.

45. Be defined and bound by God alone.

46. Accept criticism gratefully but test it critically.

47. Give advice to others only when asked or obligated to do so.

48. Do nothing for anyone that they can and should do for themselves.

49. Have a daily schedule of activities, avoiding whim and caprice.

50. Be merciful with yourself and with others.

51. Have no expectations except to be fiercely tempted to your last breath.

52. Focus exclusively on God and light, not on sin and darkness.

53. Endure the trial of yourself and your own faults and sins peacefully, serenely, because you know that God’s mercy is greater than your wretchedness.

54. When we fall, get up immediately and start over.

55. Get help when you need it, without fear and without shame.