#and he is loving getting to be fun uncle (and has 0 desire to be dad haha)

[pynkhues]

Different anon here- I’m generally ok with mpreg existing. But the sheer volume of it in this fandom is pretty weird. Especially considering the source material… one of the great things about the unholy family (to me) is that it’s this family unit without the necessity for sexual reproduction. It’s so interesting because they all had lives outside of each other at some point so it’s part found family, part queer and yet biological parents. I think that’s one of the things I first loved about the 1994 movie and it’s a shame that aspect is overlooked

(x)

Yeah, I totally agree on all counts. Like I don't usually bat an eye at mpreg (whatever floats your boat! I'm very good at scrolling, haha) but there have literally been times I've opened ao3 and have counted five or six fics on the front page of updated works that are mpreg which feels really disproportionate to the amount of fic that actually gets posted in this fandom?

I - - mmm, kind of wonder a little if its tied to some of this gender essentialist stuff that's coming up more and more both in this fandom, and in social media generally? There feels like there's this real desire to shoehorn them into a quote-unquote 'traditional nuclear family dynamic' which really feels like it's the antithesis of the show. Like you said, the fact that they've all had lives outside of each other is, and the fact that as a family they are both one found and made is, I feel, pretty crucial not just to their interpersonal dynamics, but also to each individual character?

[shepherds-of-haven]

Lena, who's the best with kids and who just can't deal with them?

Best to worst with kids:

Trouble - all children who meet him are instantly half-obsessed with him even if he is paying them no mind, he radiates fun young uncle energy, even the neighborhood kids adore him and all rush and clamor to talk to him as he's walking down the street. Although he's definitely capable of entertaining them and having fun with them, he's usually not even that excited to hang out with kids, he just treats them casually like "oh hey kids, scoot on out of the way would ya" and they're obsessed

Shery - she adores hanging out with kids and is very sweet with them (I'm half-convinced she'd make an excellent daycare worker or grade school teacher in a modern AU), and the older ones like her enough to take pity on her and not let their unruly peers run roughshod over her, so she's very well-liked by children!

Chase - he is instantly popular and well-liked by kids, but has 0 interest typically in hanging out with them or talking with them beyond exchanging pleasantries. It's like if he happens to be passing through, he'll tousle Caine's hair and give him a toy he swiped picked up from somewhere and wink and be like "it's our little secret" or idk take some time out of his day to set a bad example for them and teach them how to pick a lock or something, but he's not volunteering to babysit, like "okay kids, who wants to go to the zoo??" In short, he prefers adult company, but is at ease and affable with kids as he is with pretty much everybody, and they tend to love him!

Briony - she is always excited to hold babies and really young kids/toddlers gravitate to her and really cling on to her! She will cheerfully talk to little kids around Caine's age, but half of them are in awe of her and get quite shy, and half of them sense her desperate desire to be liked by them and are not too impressed with her, if that makes any sense, lol. Like, the harder she tries to have fun with them and be cheery and enthusiastic, like "Oh, what are you playing, that looks fun!", some of them may be like "😒... yeah it is... so anyway, we were going to play Rangers of Blest... (making it clear she's a poser)" but 75% of the time, she is great with kids!

Red (pretty much tied with Briony) - pretty good with kids both in attitude and as a caretaker/babysitter (like he's definitely one of the more responsible caretakers you could pass a kid off to), but not typically super interested in hanging out with them or playing with them as their sole guardian for an extended period of time unless he has to. They usually like him well enough but tend to be more interested in the more exotic Shepherds! Caine's friends tend to assume he's boring for some reason without even ever talking to him lol

Ayla - pretty good with kids, they love that she cusses and talks to them like they're adults, and I could totally see her being the fun, badass aunt, but she can also be a bit straightforward/harsh and typically has no patience for crying or big emotions, so it really depends on the kid! Kids of Caine's age and hardiness are obsessed with her, but she'd probably do worse with younger kids like toddlers, especially if they're sensitive!

Tallys - she is excellent with infants and taking care of them, but just so-so with kids who are a little older (like 5-11 years old). She tends to be a bit privately annoyed by their incessant talking or questions if they're chatty, but commands an effortless authority just by speaking quietly to them, and they tend to be really in awe of her and obey her instantly. So it doesn't tend to be a really warm, fun relationship where she matches their energy and is like "yeah!! let's play pretend and act like we're pirates!!", but she'd probably be a really great instructor!

Halek - kids tend to be OBSESSED with him--probably because he's so tall and he just tiredly lets them climb all over him like a swarm of monkeys without doing anything--and he's a fairly decent caretaker, but the look on his face is usually just one of miserable patience, it's not like he's having fun lol

Lavinet - kids tend to be indifferent to her, and she of them. Unless they're quiet, well-behaved, really articulate children (usually this applies to the noble class, the way she grew up) she hardly notices them and will exchange token courtesies and pleasantries before turning her attention back to their adults. I don't think most children register as speaking presences to her until like 13 lol, she usually just doesn't notice them! Kids who are screaming or throwing tantrums or acting up really shock her, though, she does not handle that kind of chaos well!

Blade - kids around Caine's age tend to both love and fear him, and he's either utterly indifferent to them (like Lavinet, he barely notices them unless they register as 1) potential threat or 2) potential victims to be protected from whatever danger is at hand) or he has 0 idea how to talk to them and hardly ever tries unless it's in a professional capacity. Like I think he's probably said maybe ten words directly to Caine since he's joined, lol. And I don't think he's ever held an infant in his life and will look absolutely petrified the first time he does.

Riel - you'd better not even bother talking to him if you're under the age of 15, honestly. Kids think he's just another boring old adult and he thinks of them as nuisances (if he thinks of them at all). If he does attempt at conversation, it comes off like an alien wearing human skin attempting to communicate with a fellow life form. Very stiff, very awkward. "Have you... been to the opera lately?" I'm not even sure he can accurately gauge children's ages, that's how foreign they are to him and his existence. He could look at like a five year old, like a kid clearly just barely out of diapers, and if you were to ask how old they are he'd be like, "....Eight?"

[absolutepokemontrash]

MC is Half Demon and Blah Blah Blah-

Time for the Group Retreat!

Part 1 Part 2 Lessons 1-5 Lessons 5-6 Lessons 10-12 Lessons 13-15 Part 3 Part 4

I’m quite hyped for this one, ladies, gents, and esteemed readers! For simplicity’s sake, since this is before M!MC and A!MC arrive, L!MC will go back to being referred to as just MC. Enjoy the Headcanons!

Since the previous Underground Tomb incident ended much less violently, Lucifer is now more worried than angry about MC’s rampant shennaniganery.

Like... his kid was poking holes in his totally foolproof “Your cow-uncle went to live on a farm in the human world” story. What if MC somehow got into the attic and got hurt?!

It didn’t help that they were still in this weird phase of their father/child relationship. On one hand, Lucifer obviously cares for his kid, and his kid likes him... but it’s also only been less than three months and we all know how emotionally constipated Lucifer is.

MC’s also getting REAL sus of all the secrets their dear old dad is keeping... doesn’t help that they STILL haven’t went up into the attic.

Anyhoo~ the announcement for the retreat was a barrel of laughs.

“I’m proposing, a group retreat!”

Everyone met Diavolo’s announcement with the exact same confused reaction. It’s like the entire assembly hall was doing the ‘Guy Blinking’ meme.

“A... group retreat?” Lucifer repeated slowly. “For what reason exactly, Lord Diavolo?”

The Crown Prince was giddy with excitement as he explained. “MC told me about their middle school overnight trip and it sounded like it would be quite fun!”

Simeon, Luke, MC, and Solomon were all seated next to each other in the ‘exchange student seats of less importance’. Luke leaned over and whispered a question to MC.

“Why are you so friendly with the crown prince?”

MC smirked and shrugged. “Lucifer had the Demon-Flu and couldn’t go meet with Lord Diavolo last week so I went for him. Lord Diavolo’s surprisingly bad at Connect Four but has really good luck in Snakes and Ladders.”

Luke’s jaw dropped in complete and utter shock and horror.

“We’re playing CandyLand and the Game of Life next time, want to come?” MC added.

“Play CandyLand... with him..?” Luke looked at Diavolo, who was still explaining his plan for the retreat, then looked back at MC. “I’ll only go to shield you from his corrupting influence.”

“Yeah... Corrupting...” MC had to hold back a laugh at the thought of Diavolo, who during MC’s visit lit up like a Christmas tree upon being called ‘Dia’ and believed that Mood Rings were the greatest human invention ever, being a corrupting influence.

“MC! Torture dungeon or no!?” MC was snapped out of their conversation by Mammon shouting at them from his seat.

“What?”

“Do ya think there’s a torture dungeon under the castle, or not?”

“I’m not sure,” MC turned to Diavolo. “Lord Diavolo, is there a torture dungeon under the Demon Lord’s Castle?”

There is in fact, no torture dungeon. Presumably...

Everyone packed up and headed out to the Demon Lord’s Castle!

The fabulous seven all broke several speed limits and traffic laws in order to be there early. Listen, they had to get there before Purgatory Hall, it was a matter of pride.

Besides, what’s the Royal guard going to do? Arrest six of the seven rulers of hell and a kid? Ha. No. Not when Diavolo controls their paychecks.

The rooming situation remained the same, Asmo, Simeon, and MC were roomed together, and MC got to watch Asmo get psychologically profiled by Simeon. It was truly a sight to behold.

MC was nice enough to assure Asmo that they really liked him and thought he was very sweet.

Asmo, not used to being complimented on his personality, almost started openly weeping.

So, the tour of the Demon Lord’s Castle began! Asmo got yelled at by his ex in the painting and the usual batch of idiots got sucked into the catacombs under the castle.

Lucifer wasn’t terribly sure how or if he should express his concern for MC being stuck in the labyrinth.

All these new fatherly feelings of worry are very very odd. He didn’t worry this much for Satan, mainly because Satan was usually the threat.

Even as a baby...

Lucifer found himself checking his DDD every few minutes to see if MC had texted or called from wherever the painting dragged them to, never mind that if they did text he’d hear the phone ding.

“Lucifer, don’t worry too much,” Diavolo patted Lucifer on the shoulder, a bright smile on his face. “Your brothers and MC will be perfectly fine! There’s nothing too dangerous in the catacombs that they wouldn’t be able to take care of.”

Resigning himself to the fact that MC was under the care of his last choices for babysitting, Lucifer put away his DDD. “I know they’ll be fine, but I’m not overly pleased with the situation.” He shot a glare at Helene in the portrait, who rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

“Lucifer worrying about someone, I’m truly, genuinely shocked.” Hearing Satan’s attempt at goading him, Lucifer, flawless demon that he is, resisted the urge to throw his DDD at his brother.

“Quiet, Satan.”

————

“WHY THE FUCK IS A SNAKE DOWN HERE?!”

“ITS HENRY 1.0!”

“YEAH THAT REALLY CLEARS STUFF UP, LEVI!”

MC and Levi continued their screaming match as the group ran for dear life from a giant snake.

Yeah... nothing the brothers couldn’t handle... sure, Lord Diavolo...

They made it out of the scary catacombs... don’t worry.

Lucifer did that parent-thing where he cleaned the catacomb dust off MC’s face with a napkin.

Yay! Parenting!

Failed pillow fight attempt #1 happened that evening. Because Mammon was obsessed with being the fun-uncle and saw his brothers encroaching on his place as favourite uncle.

MC doesn’t know how to break it to him that he’ll probably always be the favourite uncle and he doesn’t have to be such a dumbass to keep his spot.

Scavenger hunt went on as canon dictates.

Asmo had his diva tantrum and stormed off, but MC also wanted to win so they didn’t go after him.

Clearly expecting someone to go beg him to come back, Asmo was very annoyed when no one went after him.

“Um, helloooo? Anyone going to comfort me~?”

“Nope.”

“Well I don’t want your comfort anyway, SOLOMON.”

It was very close, L!MC insisted their loss came from sabotage. No evidence was found but just LOOK at Satan’s face.

Time for the Formal Dance~

If you’re wondering why Luke didn’t say anything when MC was suddenly poofed into their demon form, you’re assuming that Mammon wasn’t in on the “let’s prank the chihuahua” plan.

“Mammon..? Is MC behind you?”

“Nope! Why?”

MC was able to get to the other side of the ballroom with Luke none the wiser! Hell yeah, nothing like screwing with your friend!

So it’s canon that Lucifer is like, a solid 20/10, therefore MC is ADORABLE. What I’m saying is, some of the younger demons asked them to dance.

Asmo was also being MC’s hype man, which was very nice of him. Mammon also tried to give advice on how to be cool and suave. Beel was there for moral support.

“Alright kiddo, you need to be aloof and mysterious! People love aloof and mysterious, that’s why I’m so popular.”

“Don’t listen to him, MC. He flew into a wall as a kid and it killed all his brain cells. Just be proper but not snooty, sweet but not saccharine, friendly but not annoying,”

“Ask them if they want to share some of the hors d’oeuvres.” 

“Okay, first, aloof and mysterious are the last words I would ever use to describe you, Mammon. Second, Asmo I have no clue what you’re asking me to do. Third... Beel that’s the best advice I’ve received in recent memory.”

None of that mattered anyway because MC got swarmed with dance offers.

“Well,” MC smirked and held out their hand at the demon that was bold enough to ask them to dance first. “I admire the confidence.”

The demon’s smile brightened, then dropped completely when their gaze drifted behind MC. “I uh... on second thought... I’m gonna...”

MC’s potential dance partners all quickly scattered to the snack table. The half demon growled and turned around to see their father acting like he didn’t just scare away MC’s groupies.

“Father! What was that for?!” MC huffed, Lucifer rolled his eyes and grabbed MC’s wrist and began to pull them away from the dance floor.

“You’re too young to dance.”

“That’s crazy! They looked like they were my age.” MC protested, their wings fluttering in annoyance.

“Even if they looked to be your age, MC, they’re hundreds of years older.” Lucifer said calmly.

“What about that equivalent age stuff you told me about? Like how Luke is hundreds of years old but by angel/human standards he’s technically younger than me?”

“That doesn’t matter right now.” Lucifer lightly pushed MC towards the hallway that led back to their room.

“But I want to dance with someone!” MC felt their wings involuntarily fluff up.

Lucifer turned and smiled at his dear little brat, crouching slightly to get to their level. “Not on my watch.”

MC’s face was literally this: >:0

Lucifer is out here being the dad in every comedy that involves someone bringing home their partner to meet their parents.

MC was banished to their room, they spent their time angrily reading the manga they had packed.

When Levi escaped the party slightly later MC grilled him for details of what went on after they left.

“Nothing too interesting... except... um...”

“Spit it out, Levi!”

“...lrddiavlondlucferdnced”

“I can’t understand you, stop mumbling.”

“Lord Diavolo and Lucifer danced together...”

“...”

“...”

“I MISSED THAT?!”

So yes, MC’s desire to get a picture of Lucifer sleeping stems from VENGEANCE!

How DARE their father send MC up to their room and make them miss their OTP dancing together!?

So they call up their troupe of idiots and get ready to go be menaces to society.

MC also invites along Asmo because he seemed like he could use the adventure.

And because MC couldn’t plan the prank without Asmo noticing so it was better to just implicate him as well...

“Grrr...”

MC brightened and clapped their hands. “I know that growl!”

“It’s not my stomach, I packed snacks.” MC couldn’t see this, considering the room was pitch black (it must’ve been some kind of magic because demons have excellent night vision), but Beel waved a bag of chips in the air and got to eating.

“No, I’m not talking about your stomach, Beel.” MC skipped towards the source of the growling despite Mammon and Levi’s pleas for them to stop.

Ah! There he was!

“Cerberus!” MC cooed, the three headed dog stopped growling and barked happily. “Whose a good boy? Is it you?”

Cerberus let lose a bark that would probably make anyone crap their pants, but MC giggled and kept petting him. “Yeah! You’re the good boy! You like cuddles! Yes you do! Yes you do!”

A flash of light from a camera caused MC to drop their baby talk voice and stare angrily in the direction where the light came from.

“Whoever took that picture better delete it or I’m going to feed you to the dog.”

Cerberus growled in agreement. What a good boy.

“Well, as nice as this is...” Asmo huffed. “We’ve clearly been duped because this is not Lucifer and Diavolo’s room.”

“Oh well!” MC chirped and continued to pet the three headed dog. “Look at the doggy!”

“MC, you’re crazy. Dontcha ever forget that.” Mammon whimpered as Cerberus growled at him.

So yeah, they couldn’t get out of the room, so they ended up opening up the other door and falling into the catacombs like a bunch of lemmings.

Asmo charmed Henry, and they got out of the labyrinth no problem.

Yay! No consequences! Oh no- hi Lucifer.

Lucifer gave them all the mother of all lectures. Satan showed up with the rest of the gang and brought popcorn.

Belphie wasn’t there, okay? Satan needed to be a little shit for him.

Ah yes, the pillow fight... Mammon’s crusade to be the best uncle culminated in a massive pillow fight that ended with MC, Lucifer, and Diavolo standing over everyone’s unconscious bodies.

So they uh... won the pillow fight.

MC couldn’t sleep. They legitimately couldn’t. As exhausting as the pillow fight victory had been, everyone was snoring, and MC was bleary eyed and awake at one in the morning.

They eventually sat up and looked around, Asmo was passed out in a very unflattering position, Solomon was chanting god knows what in his sleep, Levi was half hanging off Simeon’s bed, Simeon and Luke were sleeping like angels (hehehehe-), Beel was in the middle of eating his pillow in his sleep, Mammon appeared to be dreaming about winning the lottery, and Satan was... suspiciously absent.

He was there a minute ago... weird.

Deciding that this wasn’t worth it and they should just go sleep somewhere else, MC got out of bed and avoided stepping on anyone as they vacated the room.

The Demon Lord’s Castle at night could rival the House of Lamentation in terms of overall creepiness. MC had gotten used to the spirits and curses that littered their home, but they had only been to the Demon Lord’s Castle once before, so they were extra careful not to accidentally touch anything. Their stomach rumbled and they frowned.

Damn, they had the midnight munchies... they needed a snack.

MC made their way to the kitchen and on there way, noticed a peculiar room through a half open door. Taking a few steps back to peek into it, they noticed... doors. A lot of doors. And ivy covered steps. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to any of the placements, and the room was... weirdly chilly.

“You can come in if you’d like, MC.”

Barbatos’ voice nearly caused MC to hit a high note that they hadn’t been able to hit since their voice began to change. They straightened out their wrinkled pyjamas and stepped inside.

The butler himself was walking down one of the flights of stairs.

“Um...” Quickly remembering their manners, MC straightened their posture and cleared their throat. “Good evening Barbatos.”

Barbatos smiled and inclined his head in turn. “Good evening to you as well, MC.”

“How did you know it was me outside? You were up there a second ago.” MC asked.

“It’s a part of my powers. I can see possible futures, and I foresaw you passing by my room and getting curious.” Barbatos explained.

“Oh,” MC said, half nodding and continuing to look around. A the sound of a door closing out of MC’s vision made them squeak and look around for the source of the noise. “What was that?!”

“It’s nothing to be worried about.” Barbatos raised his hands in a placating gesture. “These doors in my room are gateways to different timelines and some are gateways into the past of this particular timeline. That was another version of me passing by.”

“Does this... happen often?” MC knitted their eyebrows.

Barbatos hesitated before answering. “Not really. It’s quite rare. Lord Diavolo has expressly forbidden me from using my full powers freely.”

“Ah... makes sense...”

“Now, I believe you came down for snacks?”

MC blinked in surprise. “How did you- oh... the time magic...”

“Yes, the time magic. Now, would you prefer yogurt and fruit, or apples and peanut butter?”

“Yogurt and fruit please!”

I’m sure MC’s knowledge of how Barbie’s room works will totally not come into play later. I’m sure.

Solomon and MC graced the brunch table with their cooking. I think you can guess how it would have turned out if Barbatos hadn’t intervened.

Rest In Peace to Beel’s tastebuds.

Anyway, the rest of the retreat was all fun and good.

MC may or may not have slipped up and called Diavolo ‘Dia’ in front of Lucifer. It would’ve sparked a lecture if Dia’s puppy-like excitement wasn’t so damn adorable.

Lucifer’s got a heart... somewhere... it’s probably all shrivelled up and tiny, but I’m sure it’s there.

Everyone went back home, brought closer together through... pillow fights and surviving Solomon’s cooking I guess..?

Anyway, MC got home, unpacked their stuff, watched Kakegurui with Levi and Mammon, let Asmo paint their nails, made and ate dinner with Beel, continued their piano lessons with Lucifer, and received a 100% fake smile from Satan.

It was a nice day with their new family, MC curled up in their bed and prepared to go to sleep.

“Help me!”

MC lurched upwards in their bed, whipping their head from side to side, trying to find the source of the voice. Their room was completely empty, the perks of being half demon extended to being able to see in the dark. No new smells either, they were alone in the room.

Auditory hallucinations were common before falling asleep after being sleep deprived, creepy, but not too unusual.

“MC!”

Okay- that one couldn’t be ignored. It was common knowledge that the House of Lamentation was definitely haunted in some capacity, but the ghosts never really bothered the demons living inside, MC was partly convinced that some of the ghosts didn’t even notice that the demons were there. So it couldn’t have been a ghost calling their name.

“MC! I need help!”

The voice reverberated through their head, like it was trying to hit every part of their skull to make sure it was at least felt if MC couldn’t hear it. MC massaged their scalp and got out of bed.

The House of Lamentation at night truly lived up to its haunted reputation. Cold, clammy, dark, even by demon standards. No spooky old house was going to scare MC though, they walked down the hall with their head held high.

They walked closer to walls and furniture, knowing that the floor was less likely to creak in those areas. How did they know that? Mammon had told them it worked like a charm. Well, it’d work better for him if he stopped tripping over the furniture and alerting Lucifer.

MC was much more nimble and careful, stepping slowly and lightly around the hallways until they reached the door to the attic. They reached out to clasp their hand around the doorknob, then froze. It smelled like…

Oh no.

MC leapt away from the door like it was rigged to explode if they touched it and practically dove for cover into an alcove. The all too-recent smell of Lucifer’s fancy cologne and the increasing sound of someone coming down the stairs made them clamp their hand over their mouth and crouch down.

What was their father doing up there?

He had said the attic was full of old junk and there was no reason to go up there, so why exactly did he-

The door slammed open and Lucifer stomped down the hallway back towards his room, MC presumed. They were about to let out a sigh of relief when the footsteps paused. MC felt their heart drop right into their gut when they heard the footsteps coming back in their direction.

What were they going to say to him when he found them? ‘Sorry! This isn’t where the bathrooms are!’ The last thing MC wanted was to add to their father’s ever growing list of stresses. MC was totally responsible and grown-up, their father didn’t need to worry.

MC clamped their eyes shut and tried to slow their heart rate. Demons were beings of darkness and shadow, they could blend in quite easily. They took a deep breath, cleared their head, and felt the shadows of the hallway shift and cover them like a blanket.

Lucifer’s footsteps stopped, MC heard a tired sigh, then the footsteps started up again, this time in the direction of his room.

They allowed themselves a sigh of relief before relieving themselves of their hiding space and opening the door leading to the attic staircase.

If the rest of the House of Lamentation was considered clammy, cold, and foreboding, the attic staircase was that multiplied by a factor of twelve. MC felt themselves shudder involuntarily when they stepped closer to the staircase. Every primal part of their brain was telling them to turn around and walk away, but one tiny part was holding them back. They placed their foot on the first step, waiting for any kind of resistance, nothing other than the feeling of passing through invisible cobwebs.

“MC?”

Upon hearing their name, MC craned their neck to try and get a look at what could be waiting for them at the top of the stairs.

“Are you coming, or not?”

The cascade of warning sirens that began to blare in MC’s head went ignored as they continued to scale the staircase.

When they reached the final step, they were met with a long hallway, with a single door on the right side of the wall.

“H-hello?” MC tried to instill some force into their voice, but it still ended up quavering a little.

“Down here.” Someone knocked on the wall next to the door, almost causing MC to jump.

Oh. Oh no. MC stood straight in front of the door, and when they saw who was looking back at them they nearly passed out.

“Belphegor..?”

Belphegor’s eyes flashed as he gave MC a once over. His eyes narrowed when his gaze snapped to MC’s. The analytical expression melted into a lazy grin.

“That’s me,” he said softly. “Nice to finally meet you, MC.”

[ibijau]

40. Pride parade. Wangxian go, Jiang Cheng (and juniors?) go to be supportive, and may or may not enjoy themselves. --HLS (resend to sign it)

Oops, this ended up being pretty much 0% about wangxian, and 100% about Jiang Cheng and his litter of adopted nephews!

Jiang Cheng leans against the kitchen counter, arms crossed on his chest.

“I just don’t get why I have to go. Wei Wuxian and his giant ice cube are already going, can’t they keep an eye on the kids?”

Jiang Yanli gives him A Look from over the snacks she’s preparing, and Jiang Cheng can’t help a small grimace.

“Ok. Point taken. But that was ten years ago, I’m sure he’d be more careful these days.”

“Would he, now?” Jiang Yanli retorts as she starts putting the snacks into individual little fabric bags, alongside small water bottles. “He’s going to his first Pride since coming out, with his brand new boyfriend who he’s been in love with for over ten years… an even that is loud and bright, might I add, and you think he’ll stay focused enough to keep an eye on the kids?”

Jiang Cheng grunts, refusing to acknowledge defeat, and pinches the bridge of his nose.

“Why do the kids have to go anyway? I’ve seen Pride on tv, it’s hardly child friendly. There’s all those…”

He starts miming for breasts, then remembers who he’s talking to and quickly drops his hands. Jiang Yanli, damn her, bursts out laughing at his embarrassment.

“Jin Ling is fourteen, if he can’t see breasts without thinking they’re sexual, I’ve done a poor job of raising him.” She looks at the table, and nods with satisfaction at the little care bags she’s prepared before turning her entire attention to Jiang Cheng. “Listen, they want to support A-Xian, and I think that’s wonderful of them. I also think they’re all at a questioning age, and it’s good for them to see there’s a whole community out there, should they need it.”

Jiang Cheng sighs, but nods. Jin Ling is… Well, Wei Wuxian is probably not the only bisexual in the family, that’s for sure. And then, there’s Jin Ling friend from school, the one who now asks to be called Zizhen but only where her (his? their?) parents can’t hear it.

That whole little group is frequently crashing at Jiang Cheng’s place, because he is, apparently, the cool uncle. What that mostly means is that he’s got a big tv, several consoles, and too much soda in his fridge, which Jin Ling and his friends love. But he’s also the first adult who was brought into the Zizhen situation, and while he doesn’t get that stuff, he knows Zizhen always had that small smile when someone says that name instead of the old one, and Jiang Cheng has come to hold the odd belief that kids should, in fact, be happy.

“It’s just for a few hours,” Jiang Yanli says, handing him one of her little care bags. “And who knows, maybe you’ll have fun?”

-

For the hundredth time this afternoon, Jiang Cheng does a headcount. Jin Ling, Lan Sizhui, Lan Jingyi, Ouyang Zizhen… 

They’ve lost Wei Wuxian and his iceberg boyfriend a little while ago, but that’s not Jiang Cheng’s problem. Those two are grown adults, and Jiang Cheng is sure they can take care of themselves. Knowing them, they’re either making out somewhere or fighting with some homophobic assholes trying to ruin everyone’s good time.

Quite possibly they’re making out in front of homophobes, because Wei Wuxian does love to multitask like that.

But that’s not Jiang Cheng’s problem. Jiang Cheng’s problem is to keep an eye on four excited teenagers who look like they want to run off in different directions, and keep chatting with strangers just so they can get a collection of flyers about different identities, like they’re window shopping for a label.

“Can’t you kids stay put for five seconds?” Jiang Cheng growls, grabbing Jin Ling by the collar when he starts darting to the side.

“But that’s the people from Aven!” Jin Ling retorts, pointing at some weirdos in purple, grey and black. “Sizhui, didn’t you say someone from your club mentioned Ace people a while back?”

Lan Sizhui suddenly gets that very intense look on his face and nods firmly while staring at that group in purple. That actually surprises Jiang Cheng. Lan Sizhui is a good two years older than the other kids, though he’s still in the same class as the rest because of health problems when he was little. He’s a quiet kid, who doesn’t make any waves, and in spite of being Lan Wangji’s son, Jiang Cheng likes him and thinks he’s very reasonable. He wouldn’t have expected Lan Sizhui to be shopping like the others for an identity, but if he is…

“Then we’re all going to go there,” Jiang Cheng barks. “As a group, like you guys promised. Nobody runs off on his own!”

Everyone nods, trying to look guilty but ultimately too excited to mind the scolding. Ouyang Zizhen has a particularly wide grin on his face. But then, he’s been like that since someone gave him a little blue, pink and white sticker with a ‘male’ symbol on it which he stuck on his chest. He looks so proud of himself, and Jiang Cheng kind of sees the point of this whole parade now.

So they all head toward the purple people, and Lan Sizhui gets to ask a few questions while Jiang Cheng browses the flyers for this newest of identities he’d never heard about before.

It says “An asexual person does not experience sexual attraction – they are not drawn to people sexually and do not desire to act upon attraction to others in a sexual way. Unlike celibacy, which is a choice to abstain from sexual activity, asexuality is an intrinsic part of who we are, just like other sexual orientations.” and Jiang Cheng forgets how to breathe for a second because that’s…

He didn’t expect there was a word for that.

He’s always figured he’s just picky, or that he’s weird. He’s dated a few people here and there, women mostly but a few men as well, just to see if that was what didn’t feel right, only to always break off when his partners started asking for more. He’d tried that whole sex thing even, only to find that even if it was nice, he’d rather have been cuddling in front of a movie, or playing a video game. He’d thought there was a problem with him, but…

But there’s a word for that.

There’s a word for it and maybe Jiang Cheng isn’t a weirdo after all, no more than Wei Wuxian who used to feel so guilty about looking at other men as well as women, no more than Lan Wangji who only likes men (though Lan Wangji is definitely a weirdo for other reasons).

There’s a word for how Jiang Cheng is, and there are other people like him, and…

“Jiujiu, are you ok?” Jin Ling suddenly asks.

Jiang Cheng startles, the little purple flyer crumbled in his hand, and finds four pairs of eyes staring at him with open concern.

Good kids, all of them, and Jiang Cheng feels so light all of a sudden that he nearly tries to hug them all.

“I’m fine,” he says instead, before waving the flyers he’s holding. “That stuff, that’s… is there anywhere I could read more about that?” he asks the volunteer handing out the papers.

The young man smiles.

“We’ve got a website for information,” he explains, pointing to the back of the flyer. “And it has a forum attached if you want to ask questions or chat with people. Are these your kids?”

“He’s the communal Jiujiu,” Ouyang Zizhen announces proudly. “Jin Ling shares him with all of us.”

They all laugh at that, even Jiang Cheng, though Jin Ling complains he never agreed to this.

They stay a little longer with those Asexuality people, because Lan Sizhui has a few more questions, then eventually move on because there’s more identity window shopping to be done.

For the rest of the day, Jiang Cheng keeps touching that flyer which he shoved in his pocket.

There’s a word for it, and he’s not alone.

[merlin-wolfgang-trades-hale]

Alpha, Hey!

For your ask request. Aside from Shape Shifters/Werewolves, what, if any, mythical creature/supernatural being would ascribe/create out of Chin, Kono, Steve, and Danny, (or at least McDanno)?

Secondly. Just how are you, how have you been?

Feel free to be as detailed about either of these as you desire.

I think Kono would be a Teen Wolf version of a Kitsune. A water elemental one, which is why she had a very strong pull to the ocean and why as a surfer it was almost as if she walked on water. She was one with the water! This line comes from her mother, who’s own tails might have been hurt/broken by hunters which is how she became ill. Kitsunes are foxes...and Kono is a damn vixen, no one will argue that! She’s also mischievous and fun! Mischief doesn’t equal to malevolent, but never doubt how dangerous a fox can be.   And because they’re cousins, is part of that kitsune family. Maybe Kono has a more direct line of succession while Chin’s is more watered down. He doesn’t have the tails and the transformation but he has the nature. That silver tongue and calming zen about him as if he were over 900 years old, that can read people and talk them into giving him the information he needs to get. And much like in mythology when the fox in a lot of folklore is seen as the villain for their cunningness...what happened to him in canon kind of reflects a bit on that. The nature of how things went down and all.... I’m inclined to give Steve the merman slot. Because of the navy and being a SEAL and his love for the water. Mythology about mermaids is different because on what you read and even mermaids around the world are different based on location. The siren-esk-ness is something I wanted to put into Steve. He’s got this musical side to him that’s sprinkled in but he’s shy about it. As would a merman living on land who knows how powerful his singing voice an be. Steve’s inner struggle might be more so my headcanon of him. Of him struggling to be out of the Navy, he’s still a soldier even if he’s out of uniform. He’s still has his rank and power, but the world he’s living in isn’t what he was used to. And if that’s not a metaphor for literally being a (merman)fish out of water then...idk what is xD! So maybe he’s a half-breed. And Doris leaving was her really having to return to the sea and leaving behind her son because maybe she didn’t want to tear him away from his home or family, and/or she knew he wouldn’t be well received in her home...and this is kinda the plot of Aquaman isn’t it? xD Sort of. But yeah, Steve being part merman/siren, being unsure where to call home. No place really feeling completely right. The Navy being the most fitting because it involved a lot of the sea, as well as letting him use any and all pent up anger he had inside of him...until he met other ‘fishes out of water’. And then, quoting Inuyasha a bit “There were two worlds and I thought I didn’t fit in either...but I did have a place. I was just the only one in it.” I’m paraphrasing but yeah. Then he met his Ohana.  Danny we’re going straight demigod. I debate on making him a demigod himself or a legacy. But pulling things from canon, something that could have torn or really been a thorn in Danny’s parents marriage could be that either of them weren’t Danny’s biological parent. And because it was his mom who went to visit him, Danny’s dad being any of the gods could have been a sore point. And then it’s always fun deciding who said godly parent that is. I’ve actually made a Hawaii 5-0/Percy Jackson crossover series where he was the son of Zeus. Reason I chose the head honcho himself is because Danny carries that regal son of a King of Gods tude, but also being forced to move to Hawaii was hell for him as a parent, but imagine being forced to move to a place surrounded by your uncle’s domain....who, though chiller than your own dad, your life and the life of your kids could be at risk if your uncle’s beef with your dad takes a bad turn. Also maybe being surrounded by water affects his powers? Maybe he’s not as welcomed into the waters, which would explain Danny’s reluctance to it. Hawaiians being aggressive to Danny by instinct could be just...a vibe. They know he’s the direct child of a god that’s got nothing to do with any of their religions/pantheons and feel threatened, and that just kinda slips in with the white blonde guy with blue eyes on an island that was conquered...in the stories itself, I had that Danny had to pay proper tributes to the spirits and deities of the island as a demigod task to keep the peace between his family and the island. A lot of his work on Five Oh would help him be recognized as a hero to those in the know. Which would be another challenge to Danny. Because back east where the Greek Gods were known and common place among that ‘supernatural world’, Danny as a son of Zeus would be assumed to be a ‘hero’ automatically and deemed a good guy, but on the island that wasn’t immediately given but had to be earned.  Me? I’m hanging in there. My writing comes and goes. I’ve been on tumblr but more so on my rping blog. I’ve recently just got my second dose of the vaccine and I’m waiting to hear if I might have a shot at a job. I’ve done more bread baking, and also more desserts in the Mexican culture because food’s the way I connect with my culture and heritage since I can’t easily go to Mexico(even before the pandemic). I’ve began to dabble in digital art. I’m nowhere near good but I’ve began. With practice I’ll hopefully be able to create visual works of my ships and not just written stuff! I’ve been okay! With how the world is at the moment I’m grateful for what I have and how lucky I’ve been. Thank you, friend! <3 

[alice-in-wonderart]

I have found your blog and I love it!! Good look with it! Can you do headcanons for pregnancy and post-delivery for the juniors? (I see you write about them, and I don't know which other characters you are comfortable to write for). Thnkx~

I write for right about all characters! The Nies, the Jiangs, the Wens, the Lans, even all of the Jins (except Jin Zixun he can go be mean somewhere else) + Yi City power characters are all characters I write for ✌️ (I may have missed a few names) That aside, thank you so much for reading my stuff! I'm glad you enjoy them ❤️❤️ Aside from having 0 time management skills, running such a blog is so much fun! Here is your request about the Juniors being...well- themselves.

Ouyang Zizhen

You're what now?

OYZZ.exe stopped working.

Then he realised three fundamental truths at the exact same time. (if u get the reference, bless ✌️ )

Once the realization of the situation hit, his eyes watered and a loud, yet emotional whail escaped his lips, before engulfing you in a big hug. He was going to be a dad! You two were going to have a baby. And then realization hit him again.

Shit. He was going to be a father. A father to a baby - his baby. That was a lot of responsibility he was about to take. A lot of work, a lot of sleepless nights, a lot of time and energy. Babies are hard.

And then realization hit him a third time. He was going to have an actual family with you. And you were the mother to his child. YOUR child. He almost couldn't believe it.

Cue OYZZ becoming 70 times more affectionate and careful. You want to go outside? By all means, but let your gentle lover accompany you. Just in case, y'know. You want something sweet? By all means, what kind of sweets does the queen desire? You need new clothes because of the baby bump? By all means, what kind of silk do you want? Colour? Pattern? Style? You want to sleep? 3, 5 or 50 pillows?

OYZZ is a walking panic bomb when it comes to your pregnancy. Conveniently, he also knows how to mostly hide said panic. But you being in pain, having morning sickness and and in general feeling off is not something he signed up for. So, he will dote over you as much as humanly possible.

But then judgement day arrived. And he was out of it. He somehow never considered the fact, that you were going to one day have to give birth to that baby.

You have never seen a more distressed looking man than OYZZ when he finally got the permission to see you. His eyes were puffy, his lips were quivering and he was so pale, he could easily pass for a corpse. It seemed as if he was the one giving birth, not you.

And he immediately dropped to his knees next to your bed, gently taking your hand in his. You were alive. You were alive and argueably healthy and that was what he needed to hear.

But then! In comes the medic, holding your child in pure white blankets, gently letting you take it. And the moment his eyes landed on that baby he knew, that his heart was stolen once more.

"Congratualtions! It's a girl."

Guess who is about to become "Daddy's little princess".

Jin Ling

"Hahahahahhahha. Funny. Oh wait, you're serious?!"

PaniK

What do you mean you're pregnant? When did that happen? When did you learn? How were you sure? Wait, you were how many months in?!

Give him time. It's not, that he isn't happy. He's just panicking like crazy. Of course, once the initial mental breakdown™️ wears off, he'd come up to you and give you the most emotional hug you've ever experienced. He'd hide his face in your hair, as he mumbled into you how incredibly grateful he actually is.

Now, as the Lanling Jin Sect's leader, of course it was expected of him to have an heir, so such news travelled quickly. Immediately this became the gossip of every household and ultimately led to you receiving a metric ton of gifts from all over the place. Jin Ling would also make sure you were living the most lavish, yet healthy lifestyle possible.

The truth is, he was utterly terrified. After all, he grew up without parents, lived only with his uncle and as a result was quite hot-tempered. More than anything, he wanted to be the best dad possible. He wanted his children to grow up in a loving family, with their parents next to them, with a mother to care for them and a father to teach them. And he was afraid whether he was capable of even being a good father. But of course, you knew he was going to be the best father in the world.

Now, speaking of hot-tempered, Jin Ling honestly would throw more hissy fits than you. In fact, he'd get more mood swings than you too. In fact, even when pregnant, you're the calm one. Because if you think he's snappy and over-protective of you usually, wait 'till you see him once he learns you're pregnant. Hoo boy.

He was at work, dealing with the pressures of leading a sect when one of Lanling's servants hurriedly burst into the room, giving him the news that made his tough guy act crumble in seconds - his wife was giving birth.

At the time, he was surrounded by now Sect Leader Lan Sizhui, (idk it's a hc), Nie Huaisang and of course - his uncle, who all ushered him to go see you. Thus, he stormed out, running towards the nursery like his life depended on it.

"What do you mean I can't enter yet, my WIFE is in there." You haven't seen scary until you've seen Jin Ling, amidst an utter mental breakdown, being held down by a few nurses, trying desperately to stop him from going in.

Once they DID let him in, he'd be by your side in 0.001 seconds, only to see you holding not one, but two babies.

"A-Ling, look. They're twins. Say hello to papa, little ones." For once, Jin Ling didn't mind the tears that began falling from his eyes, as he gently held one of his two sons in his embrace. Perhaps, being a father wouldn't be that bad after all. Not with you by his side.

Lan Jingyi

*dramatic gasp*

For once the loud, wild Jingyi was left speechless, unmoving, utterly starstruck by the news. He'd never admit it, but for a while he'd been dreaming of having a family with you. So, when you told him the news, his heart skipped a beat. His dream was coming true.

And then, with the biggest smile on his face, he'd lift you up, carrying you to your now shared room, stating how you shouldn't strain yourself and how he'd take care of everything you need.

"Er-gege, I'm only 3 months in, it's barely noticeable yet, I can take care of myself."

Denial.

Lan Jingyi will be there for you at the cost of right about everything, even if it meant breaking Lan's rules, much to yours and everybody's dismay. Macho man™️ will protect his darling flower. What he wasn't ready for was how complicated pregnancy actually is.

Whenever you're more moody, he'd be quick to anger as well, so small and pointless arguments wouldn't be uncommon. But for every little argument, there is also a sleepless night where he'd cuddle you, whenever your stomach would hurt, or you'd feel uncomfortable.

Now Lan Jingyi is a cool dad. He is a cool dad before he is officially a dad. Whenever you two are alone, lying in bed, he'd lean in to rest a hand on your stomach. And he'd always give a happy yelp whenever he felt his little one move. And gosh, how much he'd talk to the baby. He'd tell your stomach stories of his great adventures, he'd joke around and believe me, he's planned every family outing for next 10 years.

Absolutely everybody thought it was going to be a boy. Ouyang Zizhen and Jin Ling even bet on it, OYZZ being ABSOLUTELY sure it would be a boy.

Giving birth was a whole new adventure. He'd wake up much too early for his liking with you frantically shaking him awake.

"The baby is coming." "Who's coming?" "The baby." "THE BABY?!"

Cue, Lan Jingyi losing his damn mind. He'd be up and running in a blink of an eye, casually scaring the medics and waking up the entire Cloud Recess in his hurry. Don't run in Cloud Recess? He's not running. He's SPRINTING. Do not shout in Cloud Recess? He's not shouting, he's SCREECHING. Do not speak out of turn? FOR GOD'S SAKE MY BABY IS COMING. And he'd be like that the entire time, until he's allowed to see you. He'll write the rules a thousand times if he has to later. He won't, Lan aren't heartless.

Seeing his healthy little baby, he was right about ready to pass out. He almost didn't hear you joking how your little girl was a loud crier and was about to be just as wild as her dad.

" Wait. It's a girl? We have a little girl!" Cue Ouyang Zizhen screaming in misery, as Jin Ling victoriously smirks his way.

Lan Jingyi on the other hand couldn't have been happier.

Lan Sizhui

QWQ

"This is the best day of my life, I can't believe we're going to have our own family!"

With a bright smile, he'd pull you in for a sweet kiss, shaking with excitement. Honestly, he'd have the best reaction out of all the Juniors. He's a family guy, who gets to witness true love everyday around his fathers, so having a child of his own with you was one of his long-term goals. He was old enough and wise enough to be absolutely ready to embark on an adventure through fatherhood.

Lan Sizhui would be so loving and gentle with you. You'd have him wrapped around your finger, he'd respond to your every beg and call. He'd minimize any work-related travelling to make sure he could be as close to you as possible.

When he wasn't there, he'd assign his cultivation partner and trusty bestie Lan Jingyi to take care of you and look after you. Did you necessarily need it? No. But you understood his worry, so you let him be.

He'd be there for you when you were feeling down, through your mood swings, morning sickness. He never complained, never fought with you, never gave you anything short of his unconditional love.

In fact, he was so SO compassionate, that he'd get pregnancy cravings WITH you. Nothing like the two of you, sitting awake at 2 am, (uncommon for him) eating chocolate-covered cucumbers and apricots.

Similarly to Lan Jingyi, everybody were already 100% sure the two of you would have a little girl. With Sizhui's sweet soft-spoken behavior and big warm heart, having a little gentle flower to spoil rotten seemed like the obvious outcome.

Lan Sizhui, on the other hand, refused to give into all of those "what ifs". Only time could tell. Besides, he'd be just as happy and proud no matter what gender the baby would be.

With his careful planning and skillful avoidance of any travelling, thankfully he was there when the due date was up. On the outside, he remained as calm as physically possible, but oh, on the inside it was a storm. Few could see through his façade, but by the trembling of his fingers, discreet chewing on the inside of his lip and eyes darting all around him, his true feelings came to light.

And when he finally got to see you, you've never seen him more unlike himself. With a worried expression and hasty movements he'd make his way to you, trembling hand reaching out to cup your face. He'd leave a gentle kiss on your forehead, before turning to the newborn in your hands.

"Sizhui. Say hi to your son."

A single tear rolled down his face, carrying the weight of all of his love in it. One look at his child and his heart was pierced by a million arrows. At that very moment he vowed, that he'd protect this child with all he's got, teach him all he knows and love him with all of his heart.

Thank you for reading~

[everydisneymovie]

Review #38: The Light in the Forest

Post #42

8/4/2020

Next up is 1958′s The Light in the Forest

Enjoyment : [1]

Watching this movie feels like pissing blood. Watching it actively gave me a throbbing headache I was so furious with it. There is almost nothing enjoyable about this garbage and I actively think lesser of people who defend it. The issue is that the entire premise of the movie is racist and hateful so you can never get on board with the story unless you are also racist and hateful. The story is about a boy named True Son who was adopted by a tribe of Native Americans. Due to a treaty he is forced to return to his biological family where is then tortured and brainwashed until he finally acts ‘white enough’ for their approval. Even if True Son is ethnically white, he was raised by a loving Native family and this movie acts like none of that matters. From the first frame the moral of this movie is “The Races don’t mix, stay with your own kind” and it boils my brain to try and think why Disney thought this was ok.

Quality : [1]

The filmmaking is fine. Camera, lighting, sets, costumes, it probably would have gotten a 4 if the plot was anything other than the shit show it turned out to be. Because the writing is so unbelievably hateful this movie gets a 1. The reason this devalues the quality of the movie as a whole, is that the way scenes are structured is now fundamentally flawed. The writing tries to frame the racist white cultists as villains, but then also does nothing to refute them. The racist villains say something racist, True Son looks sad, and the film moves on like there is nothing else to be said. You can’t possibly write likable character when they are just awful from start to finish. Besides some musical stings, there is nothing behind the camera to display that these racists are wrong, if anything I think the framing supports their arguments and it ends up ruining everything.

Hold up : [0]

The second ever 0 given on this blog, and boy does this movie deserve it. I have already gone over how hateful the core premise is. A ‘respectable white family’ tries to ‘tame a savage native’ because ‘this is where he belongs!’ It is lazy, stupid and spiteful writing. However, what makes this movie truly awful is the ‘both sides!’ angle it tries to push and utterly fails at. The opening scene has the Native chieftain arguing with a British general. The Chieftain says that the British troops have been raping and killing men, women and children that were not part of any war party, to which the general snaps “Yeah but they only killed the civilians because they were scared of facing your savage warriors.” and then they just moves on like that was a fair answer to those accusations. You cannot compare the violence the Natives committed against the Pioneers to the violence the Pioneers committed against the Natives. One side was an invading army and the other was made up of civilians defending their home. Whenever a scene tries to ‘both-sides’ the argument it just sounds like “Why do the people we keep killing say they don’t want us to kill them? That’s so rude of them!” Fuck off movie this is pathetic and you know it. This movie is also truly horrible in its depiction of adoptive families. Despite the fact that True Sons Native family knew him most of his life and provided nothing but stability, the movie frames his racist, abusive biological family as his ‘true family’ since being related by blood trumps everything else. Like honestly fuck that, adopted families ARE real families regardless of race.  On a final absurd note, as if this movie couldn’t get any worse, the final conflict revolves around True Son fighting his uncle, who has been shown to not only be a racist murderer, but also an attempted rapist. And yet, True Son explicitly states he is going to fight his Uncle not because he is evil, but because “he wants to prove his is a white man and wants to earn his respect.” Yeah I am sure the respect of a monster like that is really that important to True Son. Go rot in hell Disney.

Risk : [2]

This movie is once again drenched in the sloppy discharge of American Exceptionalism and Manifest Destiny. I have already gone into detail about how horrible the ‘both-sides’ argument is since it paints the past as an inevitable conflict where the genocide of the Natives was just an unfortunate side effect. The only reason this movie doesn’t get a lower score in terms of risk, is that there WAS actually some attempt to humanize the Natives. They are shown to have complex inner lives and for the most part True Son remains steadfast in his refusal to give up his upbringing. He still ends up ‘turning white’ by the end but his determination made him the only likable character. Even though it was handled poorly, this movie actually acknowledged the existence of the Native genocide rather than painting over it like Westward Ho, The Wagons! did.

Extra Credit : [2]

There was one scene that actually was fun to watch. After True Son has been pushed around by his awful family for most of the movie, he is reunited with one of his Native cousins and it is genuinely joyful. The two wrestle and run around laughing, just happy to be in each others company. It made me smile and I hate that it didn’t lead into True Son going home to be with the family that actually loves him. If this movie had the balls to pick a side, this could have been a really wonderful moment, but spoilers: It wasn’t.

Final thoughts:

This is easily the worst movie on this list so far. Worse than the true life documentaries and worse than Peter Pan. It has been a long time since I sat through a movie that I could describe as ‘genuinely hateful.’ You get the feeling that the people who made this movie actually hated Native Americans and set out to intentionally demonize another race. I didn’t even get around to talking about the bland love interest who ‘fixes’ True Son with love because as we all know the best way to cure racism is good old fashioned heterosexual marriage. The best way to sum up this movie is with this simple fact. The main characters name is True Son, but his biological parents want to call him “Johnny” The scene were he meets his biological mother for the first time, instead of hugging, or getting to know each other, the mother simply says. “Your name is Johnny, you won’t leave this room until you say your name and act like a civilized gentleman.” Her concerns are not about True Sons mental wellbeing or safety, she just wants him to act ‘white’ so SHE is comfortable. There is ZERO love between them and yet the movie frames this like a heartfelt reunion between long lost family. After this scene, no one calls him True Son anymore, not even his love interest. They all call him Johnny and it has the same vibe as a someone getting dead-named over and over until they finally submit. I hate this movie and what is worse, I don’t think this will be the worst movie I’ll watch by the end of this project. God help me, this movie took years off my life. If I have to watch something this bad again I will dig up Walt myself and beat his zombie ass senseless. 

Total Score: 6/50

<- First <- Previous 38 out of 431 Next ->

the list

Edit: I would like to make a minor note about this movie. It is implied through dialogue that True Son was not adopted by kidnapped by the Native Americans. Which does make his biological families desire to bring him home understandable... HOWEVER: The way the movie is shot and written, it is clear that True Son is happy and treated as an equal while in the tribe, and he is emotionally abused the moment he is brought into the white town.  While he was not adopted in the text of the movie, it is clear that the movie frames and interprets True Son as an adopted child being ‘saved’ by his biological family. Either way Disney did a crappy job with this movie.

[jackpans]

J A C K  ♡ P A N

G E O M E T R I C S

↬ Full name ↫

Jack Darling Pan

↬ Nickname ↫

She hates being called Jackie but otherwise she gets Pan sometimes.

↬ Birthday ↫

June 3rd

↬ Birthplace ↫

Neverland

↬ Zodiac ↫

Gemini

↬ Height ↫

5′4

↬ Orientation ↫

Pansexual

↬ Social Class ↫

Middle Class

↬ Wealth ↫

Their parents don’t focus much on money and material things so neither has Jack. She’s always been comfortable.

A P P E A R A N C E

↬ Tattoos ↫

She has a bunch of little tattoos. A flower with stem on the inside of her arm, an arrow behind her ear, a constellation on her wrist, a couple drawn stars on the inside of her fingers. She plans on getting more.

↬ Piercing ↫

Jack has three ear piercings on each ear.

↬ Outfits ↫

She loves to experiment and wear whatever her mood is that day. There’s a lot of color but nothing that really fits the social norm of what is trendy, she goes with what she likes. Whether that’s a girly gingham dress with sneakers or chunky boots with a button down another, you never know what to expect from her but somehow it always works.

↬ Accessories ↫

Jack actually does need glasses thanks to the Darling side of the family but only wears them on occasion..again depending on her mood and outfit.

P E R S O N A L I T Y

↬ Normal mood ↫

She’s bubbly and quirky most of the time. Jack is someone who is typically happy and trying to just have fun.

↬ Temper ↫

She can be immature and pick fights when she shouldn’t so she can have a temper when she gets fired up.

↬ Discipline ↫

Oh she doesn’t know the definition of discipline. She struggles with being patient and following the rules

↬ Strengths ↫

Jack is confident and strong but her immaturity tends to make people underestimate her. She doesn’t really care enough to fight physically with someone but will try and hold her ground in another other fight. Although, it doesn’t usually end well for her and she usually puts her foot in her mouth.

↬ Weaknesses ↫

Her carefree attitude can be her weakness since people assume she doesn’t care. And lately Mr Henrizzle has become a bit of a weakness since she L words him.

↬ Drive/dreams ↫

Yeeeaaahhh....this is her struggle. She can’t commit to something to dream about it. She wants to explore and experience everything imaginable. (True flakey gemini just sayin)

↬ Fears ↫

Not much scares her. If anything the only thing that scares her is growing up.

↬ Likes ↫

Flying, exploring, Henry, wine, ice cream, Henry, pixie dust, swimming

↬ Dislikes ↫

Pirates, responsibility, driving

↬ Soft spot ↫

Henry :) And actually Jacob. She wouldn’t let anyone hurt him.

↬ Depression ↫

It’s very hard to get her depressed - she can’t even remember a time.

↬ Inspiration ↫

Her parent’s story and Auradon in general. It’s a small part of the world but there’s so much to see and do.

↬ Role model ↫

Her dad but her mom too. She loves them and their relationship, she’s always looked up to them.

↬ Mental disorder ↫

She’s crazy but nothing that crazy.

↬ Habits ↫

She picks at her split ends when she’s bored.

R A T I N G S

(5 Stars means very high strength, 1 star means very low strength aka weak)

↬ Psychological strength ↫

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑ - At least she thinks so. She’s very cocky.

↬ Physical strength ↫

⭑⭑⭑⭑ - Okay listen she’s not that strong but don’t let her hear you say that. SHE THINKS SHE IS OKAY.

↬ Leadership ↫

⭑⭑⭑⭑ - Jack was always in charge of all the kids who lived on Neverland. Is she great at it? No. Think about that bossy little girl who tells you what to name your dolls and how to play with them. But she doesn’t really care to lead but she can if she needs to.

↬ Wisdom ↫

⭑ - I'm just gonna go with no. Homegirl does not think before she acts. I’m sorry.

↬ Intelligence ↫

⭑⭑⭑ - It’s the classic case of ‘if she applied herself’ but she doesn’t. Jack actually knows a lot and picks up street smarts but she just doesn’t care enough to do anything in school.

↬ Confidence ↫

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑ - She’s got confidence up the wazoo. 

↬ Endurance ↫

⭑⭑⭑⭑ - Jack doesn’t have a lot of hardships but she actually thrives on change and can adapt quickly. She loves it since she gets bored easily.

R E L A T I O N S H I P S

↬ Father ↫

Peter, one of her favorite people in the world. He’s funny and has the best stories. Jack has always been close with him.

↬ Mother ↫

Wendy who is a little bit harder on her to do well in school and grow up a little bit. She looks up to her mom and wants to make her proud but the desire to have fun and be a dummy is stronger right now.

↬ Siblings ↫

Oh Jacob...she loves her little brother but he can be such a wet blanket. She wants him to loosen up and have fun but when he doesn’t she gives up and moves onto to something or someone else.

↬ Other relatives ↫

No it’s only the four of them. They don’t really see their uncles or cousins that often since they are in another area of Auradon.

↬ Enemies ↫

Carson but not really, Jack just thinks she wants Henry so that makes her MAD

↬ Rivals ↫

Same as above ya know

↬ Friends ↫

Henry, Sam, Mei, to everyone’s dismay Cora.

↬ Best friend ↫

Cora was always her best friend since becoming her roommate in Auradon Prep but truthfully they’ve grown apart. Jack loves magic and Cora is a scared little bitch. So Henry has become her best friend.

↬ Love interest ↫

Henry :)

↬ Marital status ↫

She be dating that hot, sometimes too serious VK boy

↬ Children ↫

Someday - Celeste & Sawyer

↬ Pets ↫

Not yet - she wants a dog when she moves away from Cora bc that girl has a lizard of sorts and it would eat it.

P A S T - T I M E

↬ Hobbies ↫

Flying, going to parties, exploring & finding treasures, practicing self care

↬ Talents ↫

Uh..truthfully not much. She’s good at talking herself into trouble?

↬ Sports ↫

Nah

↬ Classes ↫

She says she’s undeclared but she’s actually picked a communications major to appease her mother. Jack thinks it’s easy and broad enough that she could get any job whenever she does graduate.

↬ Occupation ↫

No job - she’s too busy flying around and being cute. Truthfully i think once she gets her act together will go into some kind of creative job with either fashion or maybe even home interiors. It’s a good way for her to express herself and still be creative.

H O M E   L I F E

↬ Location ↫

She lives in an apartment building with Cora in Auradon City

↬ House size ↫

It’s a fair size for two people. Cora pays more bc she’s a princess and asked for the bigger room.

↬ House type ↫

Jack has mostly decorated it - it’s a very fun and cute apartment. She had a lot of fun actually.

↬ Level of luxury ↫

It’s modest but newly renovated.

↬ Outdoor description ↫

It’s an apartment but the roof top is nice that they can utilize. Jack flies off of it a lot.

↬ Indoor description ↫

Jack decorated it similar to her style of clothes. Colorful and fun but random sometimes. She throws in random things she’s found around Auradon in her exploring. Cora keeps it neat and clean for them though.

↬ Bedroom description ↫

It’s colorful but cozy. A lot of throw pillows and art on the walls.

L I F E    S T O R Y

↬ Age 0-12 ↫

Jack’s world was mostly just Neverland and any adventures her dad would take them on. Their family and the community in their neighborhood was a great way to grow up. She learned a lot about pixies and faeries during this time. Even though Jack knew her dad and Jacob fought a lot, she didn’t think much of it and thought it was just a game they played.

↬ Age 13-18 ↫

Jack finally got to play with pixie dust on her own. She started to travel all over Auradon without the knowledge of her parents. Peter never seemed to care where as Wendy was always worried about her.

↬ Age 19-25 ↫

Living in Auradon City full time has been fun for her. She loves meeting new people and especially when the VKs really started to come over from the Isle. Eventually she started to see Henry and it slowly and slowly became more serious. Babies probs gonna move in together next - GOOD LUCK HENRY that’s all I gotta say.

↬ Darkest secret ↫

Jack lost her virginity to Kit

[mrsvasiliev]

Guess what I did instead of working on that Shobbs fic?

So instead of writing that fic I promised @thefuckingwarship, I compiled a list! A list that is fueled by my love for Jason Statham.  But this is not a typical “actor crush” where I think an actor is hot or charming. This is what I call a “dad crush” where I often find myself wishing his badass characters would be my dad. It probably has to do with the fact that he spends two movies bonding with little Chinese girls. As a former little Chinese girl, I am very affected. So I made a list, with notes, ranking every character I’ve seen him play in order of my dad preference. Please feel free to add to this or disagree with me. I’d love to hear other people’s opinions on his dad potential.  (I’ll get back to working on that fic I swear!)

Metrics: 

Ranking: My order of preference for how much I want them to be my dad. Not necessarily logical. Not fully based on other ratings.

Fun factor: how much fun you have when you are with him. How funny/cool they are. Does not indicate care/ reliability/ bond.

Dad factor: reliability. emotional availability. protectiveness. General dad qualities. 

1. Jonas Taylor - charming and good with kids. Not an “emotionally stunted tough guy”. Has good healthy relationships with everyone. Lives in a world where it’s “take your kids to work day” every day, which means awesome ocean adventures and learning how to fight sharks. Fun Factor: 10/10   Dad Factor: 9/10

2. Phil Broker -  Like Jonas, he is also good with kids, emotionally available and balanced.  Stay at home dad, with dad powers at 1000%. Will rescue you single-handedly from kidnappers. Will go horseback riding with you after school. Will do literally anything for you, from kicking asses to licking boots. Loses first place to Jonas because he has no personality/hobbies outside of being the best dad ever. I can see the relationship being a little suffocating as you grow older. Won’t take you on cool adventures like fighting biker gangs and blowing up meth labs, because he’s too protective. :( Fun Factor: 7/10   Dad Factor: 100/10

3. Luke Wright - Cool, laid back dad. Treats you as an equal. Will respect your autonomy and intelligence. Happy to let you spread your wings, but always there to catch you when you fall. Will run your enemies over with a car several times.  Fun Factor: 7/10   Dad Factor: 10/10

4. Deckard Shaw - Displayed a lot of cool uncle vibes with baby Brian, so definitely great with kids. Psycho-bananas for family. Probably will be a very involved and protective dad. Unlike Phil, who completely divorces himself from his job to be a dad, being a badass assassin is basically the Shaw family business. You will learn how to make bombs and kill people. Will have many cool adventures saving the world. Fun Factor: 15/10   Dad Factor: 8/10

5. Jensen Ames - Good solid family man type. Works hard to provide for you. Breaks out of jail and murders people to get daughter back. Will raise you in a dystopian Mexican junkyard. Fun Factor: 2/10   Dad Factor: 9/10

6.  Rick Ford - Most embarrassing dad ever! You will probably not survive past puberty because you would have died of embarrassment at some point. Will tackle being a dad with as much intensity and enthusiasm as everything else. Honestly kind of cute in his earnestness. Fun Factor: 4/10   Dad Factor: 11/10

7. Danny Bryce - Emotionally stunted tough guy. Is responsible and competent. Like Phil, he leaves his badassery behind for his family, so no awesome adventures. :( Cares about you in his own gruff way, but has trouble expressing it probably. You can always depend on him. Fun Factor: 4/10   Dad Factor: 7/10

8.  Turkish - Great sense of humour, cool dude, seems like a good time to be around. Hustling to make a living and provide for you. Lost to Danny because he is a little bumbling and not very competent. You might lose your dad because he got killed by gangsters or arrested by the police. Fun Factor: 7/10   Dad Factor: 6/10

9. Lee Christmas - Lee seems like a cool dude too. Not around a lot, but shows a genuine desire for family (i.e. the Lacy debacle). Would treasure his relationship with you. You’ll have a good time whenever he is around, but he would be gone for months at a time. Expect to have 20 badass, doting aunts/uncles. Fun Factor: 7/10   Dad Factor: 4/10

10. Quentin Connors - Intelligent and competent. He has a sense of loyalty but ultimately is selfish and a little narcissistic. Not a good man. But he does have one billion dollars. My moral compass kind of goes haywire from the magnetic pull of one billion dollars. Fun Factor: 7/10   Dad Factor: 4/10

11. Tony Leather - Family man with questionable priorities. Claims to be pulling jobs to provide for his family, but clearly attached to his criminal buddies and lifestyle. Disregards his wife's concerns and protests. Tony cares about his family but can’t prioritize it over the con. Good with his kids though. Fun Factor: 5/10   Dad Factor: 4/10

12. Chev Chelios- Human disaster. Trying to improve himself. Probably not a responsible dad, but will make an honest effort. Will bring you to some horribly inappropriate places. Will let you get away with a lot. Fun factor: 6/10  Dad factor: 4/10

13.  Jack Crawford - Obsessed with finding his partner’s killer. You’ll always take a backseat to the case. Total disappointment of a dad. Does care about you and will try, but expect to be tossed to the side as soon as he gets a lead. Fun Factor: 2/10   Dad Factor: 3/10

14. Bateman - Loving guy. Seems smart and charming. Like Christmas, he has a longing for family and will likely treasure his relationship with any children of his. Is, unfortunately, a crackhead, therefore cannot be trusted to be responsible for kids. Fun Factor: 5/10   Dad Factor: 2/10

15. Nick Wild - Has a strong sense of loyalty and responsibility. But is also a self-destructive, compulsive gambler. Is definitely an “emotionally stunted tough guy”. Will care about you, but will not be emotionally available. Can count on him to avenge you for your murder at least. Fun Factor: 3/10   Dad Factor: 2/10

16.  Bacon- Immature, deadbeat dad. Seem like the type of guy who dumps the heavy lifting of parenthood on his partner. Will be around to play with you when it’s convenient for him. More likely to hang out with his mates. Maybe 1 hour/week of dad time. Fun Factor: 4/10   Dad Factor: 1/10

17. Tom Brandt - Another entry for embarrassing dads as well as “emotionally stunted tough guy” dads. Total fashion disaster. That lumpy-ass-old-man-sweater with baggy sweatpants?!! Ewww…. No social grace or manners. Will kill you with embarrassment just like Rick Ford. Proven time and again to be prone to excessive violence. A domestic abuse case waiting to happen. Fun Factor: 0/10   Dad Factor: 1/10

18/19 Arthur Bishop/ Handsome Rob - Does not know you exist. You don’t even know their name. Your mom doesn’t know their name either. Fun Factor: 0/10   Dad Factor: 0/10 (Resurrection does not exist to me)

20. Joey Jones (Smith) - Clearly cares about his family. Provides for you. Protective too. Has debilitating PTSD. Lives in self-imposed exile. Would be a great dad if he weren’t so FUCKING SAD and full of self-loathing. Could be #4 or 5 if he got help. Fun Factor: -100/10   Dad Factor: 5/10

BONUS: Frank Martin - Ultimate responsible parent. Has a lot of rules. Tells you to take your feet off his furniture. Will complain about you getting his upholstery dirty. A constant air of exasperation. Uses “I’m going to count to three” as a threat. Will make you get to the airport 3 hours early and sit in the terminal. Will drop you off at school, appointments, and extracurriculars with military precision. Fun Factor: 3/10   Mom Factor:10/10

[gnomadictarot]

4.1-4.4.19

Recap

Well I missed a few days posting there, so here it is all at once! I’m going to start including some direct references to relevant writing from biddytarot.com as I am frequently using this to help deepen my understanding of the cards. Quotes from biddytarot are in italic.

4.1.19 Three of Cups

The three of cups came as a nicely timed reminder to celebrate what has been achieved and to remember how important supporting and being supported by friends and family is. I have been staying with my Aunt, Uncle, Mum, and Dad for about a week and a half and have deeply benefitted from remembering where my roots are and how far I have come. The Three of Cups encourages me to keep working towards supporting my family in their journey towards health and elevated consciousness. 

If the path of my highest potential to serve the highest good for all is leading me to support the mental, physical, and spiritual well being of my community, what better place to start than with my family? How can I help my Uncle come to grips with his shifting perspective on his faith? How can I support my mother to keep moving towards improving her physical health and to bring balance to her relationship with her career and feelings of loyalty and obligation to the point of complete negligence for her own self care? How can I help support my Aunt to connect her deep experiential faith and devotion to her spiritual path to her day to day life to temper her tendency to focus on the worst case scenario and fear of the what-if? How can I help my father to rejoice and embrace his role as caregiver for my mother and his mother? I am so proud of his humble devotion to the women in his life. He is the exact kind of man that the world needs more of in order to heal our societies relationship to the divine feminine. I hope to be blessed with powerful women in my life who I can support and care for like my father does. I hope to become actively empowered to do more to care for my mother myself through leading her towards making healthier lifestyle choices in relation to her career, mental, and physical wellness.

“The ground is layered with flowers, fruit and a pumpkin, symbolising the celebration of an abundant harvest and the goodness in life... Your friends and family are here to support you and lift you up to even higher levels of success. Celebrate with them and enjoy their camaraderie... This card also invites you to collaborate with others on a creative project and inspire one another to reach new heights. Collectively, you are working towards a common goal for the greater good of others, and by reaching out to others and banding together, you can achieve a great deal by sharing your positive energy and passion with the wider community.”

4.2.19 The Fool (one day late, just like a fool should be)

Wow. I love this card. It feels deeply confirmational that the tarot is truly speaking to me on an inuitive level that I chose The Fool as my profile picture for this blog before ever reading about or spending any time with The Fool. I simply knew, “that’s me” when looking through the cards trying to find one to use to represent myself. Much like Campbell’s Hero archetype, The Fool is very much the protagonist of the story of the tarot, my story. Your story. The story of how all of us transit back to perfect union with the all that is. Plus, it feels much more playful and realistic to think of myself as a fool than as a hero.

“The Fool is numbered 0 – the number of unlimited potential – and so does not have a specific place in the sequence of the Tarot cards. The Fool can be placed either at the beginning of the Major Arcana or at the end. The Major Arcana is often considered the Fool’s journey through life and as such, he is ever present and therefore needs no number.

On the Fool Tarot card, a young man stands on the edge of a cliff, without a care in the world, as he sets out on a new adventure. He is gazing upwards toward the sky (and the Universe) and is seemingly unaware that he is about to skip off a precipice into the unknown. Over his shoulder rests a modest knapsack containing everything he needs – which isn’t much (let’s say he’s a minimalist). The white rose in his left hand represents his purity and innocence. And at his feet is a small white dog, representing loyalty and protection, that encourages him to charge forward and learn the lessons he came to learn. The mountains behind the Fool symbolise the challenges yet to come. They are forever present, but the Fool doesn’t care about them right now; he’s more focused on starting his expedition.

Just like the young man, you are at the outset of your journey, standing at the cliff‘s edge, and about to take your first step into the unknown. Even though you don’t know exactly where you are going, you are being called to commit yourself and follow your heart, no matter how crazy this leap of faith might seem to you. Now is a time when you need to trust where the Universe is taking you.

As you undertake this new journey, the Fool encourages you to have an open, curious mind and a sense of excitement. Throw caution to the wind and be ready to embrace the unknown, leaving behind any fear, worry or anxiety about what may or may not happen. This is about new experiences, personal growth, development, and adventure.

The time is NOW! Take that leap of faith, even if you do not feel 100% ready or equipped for what is coming (who knows what it could be?!). Seriously, what are you waiting for? Do you think you need to have everything mapped out before you can begin? No way! Not with the Fool. He ventures out on his journey with just his essential belongings – and now he invites you to do the same. You don’t need to wait for someone to give you the green light or hold off until you have all the skills, tools and resources you think you might need. You are ready! If you’ve been watching for a sign, this is it!

This is a time of great potential and opportunity for you right now. The world is your oyster, and anything can happen. Use your creative mind with a dash of spontaneity to make the most of this magical time and bring forth your new ideas in powerful ways.

The Fool is your invitation to relax, play, and have fun. Treat life like one big experiment and feel yourself in the flow of whatever comes your way. This card asks you to embrace your beautiful, carefree spirit, allowing yourself to connect to the energy that surrounds you and flows through you. Tap into your fullest potential by stepping into a place of wonderment, curiosity and intrigue. Live life as though you were a child once again. Laugh more, dance, and let your heart go free.

This is an excellent card to meditate on if you are struggling with dread, worry or self-doubt in your life. The Fool is your guide, as someone who is daring and carefree. He is the embodiment of who you really are – your free spirit, your inner child, and your playful soul. Any time you experience fear, remember the essence of the Fool as he encourages you to acknowledge that fear and do it anyway! You never know what the future holds, but like the Fool, you must step into the unknown, trusting that the Universe will catch you and escort you along the way. Take a chance and see what happens.”

4.3.19 Eight of Pentacles Reversed

This is the first card I have ever drawn in response to a specific question. I asked the cards “Do I need to delay my journey North by a day so that I can go to the dentist to have my teeth looked at?” (I had some fillings done 2 weeks ago and it’s still a bit painful to chew with that side of my mouth). The tarot gave me a pretty clear answer with the Eight of Pentacles Reversed not only to the question I asked but also to how I’d been spending my time over the last couple of days — shopping and working on projects with the car in an effort to perfectly prepare myself with all the things I thought I needed for my summer on the festival circuit. This cards screams, “stop spending your time focused on material things and trying to perfect the unperfectable.” So, I took this as a pretty clear sign to start the journey North, stop planning and preparing and start doing!

“The Eight of Pentacles reversed may indicate that you are focused on creating perfection, but to your detriment. When you focus on every tiny detail, you lose sight of the bigger picture and why you're doing the task in the first place. Similarly, your need for perfection may be getting in the way of your ability to adapt and change. You may like to have things done in a certain way, but what if the circumstances change?... Know that perfection is a myth and surrender to the art of imperfection... The reversed Eight of Pentacles suggests that you are working very hard on a project, but it is not leading to the desired outcome... you might be keeping yourself busy with small tasks, but struggling to make progress towards your bigger goals. It is time to take a step back and assess whether you are indeed focused on the right things, or if you need to shift your focus to bring your activities back in alignment with your broader goals.”

4.3.19 Nine of Cups

I drew this card as more of “card of the day” since the Eight of Pentacles Reversed was drawn in response to a question. I did ask the deck a question on this draw as well, but it was more general, “is there anything I need to be aware of as I begin my journey North?” To me this says, “nope! You have everything you need. You’re as prepared as you can possibly be (perhaps even a bit too prepared) Quit fiddling around with trying to perfect the unperfectable and go do the thing that you really need to be doing! Get on with it!

“When this card appears in a Tarot reading, you are content in all aspects of your life – relationships, work, lifestyle, well-being and more... the Nine of Cups is often called the wish card. It comes as a sign that the planets aligned and you have everything you wished for. You could not be happier! If you made your wish and are patiently waiting for it to come to fruition, then this card is an excellent omen that it will soon be granted... When you see the Nine of Cups in a reading, remember to count your blessings and express gratitude for what you have... One thing to keep in mind with the Nine of Cups is that he is sitting on a wooden bench that is comfortable for only a limited period. Realise that contentment and fulfilment, too, are only temporary as everything is always in a state of change. That’s why it is so important to appreciate what you have now and cherish it because it may disappear later or you may need to adjust and adapt.”

4.4.19 The Sun

Today is the first morning I woke up away from friends and family since arriving at Keiths place after leaving the desert. I’m back out on the road again. It feels free, but it also feels very uncertain. The Sun came as a welcome reminder that everything is in perfect alignment with the path that my higher self has laid out for me. I am doing my job, walking off the cliff into the unknown, and the rest will be taken care of. The Sun shows a cherubic young child crowned with flowers and a single red feather, arms spread wide to embrace the world, riding a white horse forth from his castle walls, and supporting a flowing red standard under the approving gaze of the beneficent sun. To me this says to rejoice in my inner child’s connection to my golden path and to embrace all that lies ahead. All things coming my way are in perfect alignment with the aims of the source of all energy on the planet. Keep moving forward mounted atop your pure intentions to serve the highest good for all.

“The Sun Tarot card radiates with optimism and positivity. A large, bright sun shines in the sky, representing the source of all life on Earth. Underneath, four sunflowers grow tall above a brick wall, representing the four suits of the Minor Arcana and the four elements.

In the foreground, a young, naked child is sitting on top of a calm white horse. The child represents the joy of being connected with your inner spirit, and his nakedness is a sign he has nothing to hide and has all the innocence and purity of childhood. The white horse is also a sign of purity and strength.

The Sun represents success, radiance and abundance. The Sun gives you strength and tells you that no matter where you go or what you do, your positive and radiant energy will follow you and bring you happiness and joy. People are drawn to you because you can always see the bright side and bring such warmth into other people’s lives. This beautiful, warm energy is what will get you through the tough times and help you succeed. You are also in a position where you can share your highest qualities and achievements with others. Radiate who you are and what you stand for; shine your love on those you care about.

The Sun connects you to your power base... You’ll sense it in your Solar Plexus chakra, calling you to express yourself authentically and be fully present in the world around you. You have what others want and are being asked to radiate your energy and your gifts out into the world in a big way. Tap into your power and use your Divine will to express that power in positive ways.”

[marilynngmesalo]

John Candy’s loved ones on his enduring legacy, 25 years after his death

John Candy’s loved ones on his enduring legacy, 25 years after his death John Candy’s loved ones on his enduring legacy, 25 years after his death https://ift.tt/2ISDlFx

TORONTO — Monday marks the 25th anniversary of Canadian comedy star John Candy’s death, but his family and friends say it feels like he’s still around.

With his legacy enduring to this day — through the impact of the sketch-comedy series SCTV and revered films including Splash, Uncle Buck and Planes, Trains and Automobiles — his children say their father is still fresh in the minds of many fans who often regale them with tales of meeting him or watching his movies.

“It’s something that can go from generation to generation to generation, so I don’t see that slowing down any time soon, just because of everyone who loved him and the work that he created was timeless,” his daughter Jennifer Candy said in a recent phone interview from Los Angeles.

“It’s interesting for us, too, because we’ve been in the centre of his life that’s lived on past his passing,” added son Christopher Candy.

“And to see all of the people who are still interested in wanting to write emails about him to us or want to do projects about him or whatnot, he’s still very much desirable for people to talk about. He’s still very loved.”

Born in Newmarket, Ont., the jovial actor honed his comedy chops as a member of Toronto’s Second City sketch troupe and then a cast member on Second City Television.

His memorable SCTV characters included TV personality Johnny LaRue, and clarinetist Yosh Shmenge of the Shmenge Brothers polka duo.

Candy went on to a major career in Hollywood, with other films including Stripes, Summer Rental, Home Alone and The Great Outdoors.

Behind the scenes, Candy was able to shut off work and focus on his family, said the siblings, who were born in Toronto and moved with their parents to Los Angeles in the mid-1980s. The family still has a farm in Queensville, Ont., and is often in Canada and in touch with the SCTV gang.

Jennifer Candy marvels at how much of a multitasker their dad was, juggling his family with his acting career and business ventures, which included running his own production company and becoming co-owner of the Toronto Argonauts.

Wayne Gretzky with Raghib Ismail, Bruce McNall and John Candy after purchasing the Toronto Argonauts.

Through all that, the only thing he neglected was himself, admitted the two, who both followed in their father’s footsteps by becoming actors.

“He was just overworked, he had too much weight on,” said Christopher Candy, 34.

“The interesting thing with him is, he was beginning to turn his life around. I remember right before he passed he was starting to go to a cardiologist and doctors and he was in therapy and was beginning to start working on himself.”

Candy died on March 4, 1994, after suffering a heart attack while shooting the film Wagons East in Durango, Mexico. He was 43.

While he died young, he made a huge mark on the lives of his co-workers, who describe him as incredibly warm and authentic with everyone around him despite his massive fame.

“I loved John dearly,” said Eugene Levy, who played the other Shmenge brother on SCTV and the villainous scientist in Splash.

“We were very, very close friends. I think I worked with John more than anybody else in TV, and on four or five movies. John was a lovely man, first of all, who cared deeply about people. And he was, I think, one of the most gifted comedic actors that honestly has ever been in the business.

“He made such an impact in his movies and people truly loved him. And as an actor, I have to say I think he was kind of underrated…. It always seems like John is still around. That’s how much of an impact he made on your life, you know? You’re still kind of waiting for a phone call.”

Fellow SCTV alum Catherine O’Hara said Candy was “just as wonderful and fun and sweet and great as you would imagine he would be,” and got a kick out of fan interactions.

“If they started doing some little bit with him, he would pick up on it and throw something back to them and they would look at him like, ‘Well, I didn’t expect that,'” she said.

“But he would also treat them as an equal,” added O’Hara, who delivered a eulogy at his memorial service in Toronto.

Clockwise from bottom left: SCTV cast members Catherine O’Hara, Eugene Levy, John Candy, Dave Thomas, Rick Moranis, Andrea Martin and Joe Flaherty.

For many years, his children found it too difficult to visit his resting place of Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, Calif.

Now, on March 4, they try to drop by with flowers. They also remember him in other ways throughout the year, sometimes getting together at his favourite restaurant or going to his favourite movie theatre.

Jennifer has also revisited his career through her Couch Candy stage series, featuring Q-and-A’s with Second City alumni.

“I honestly can’t believe this much time has passed,” said Christopher Candy, who was eight years old when his father died, while Jennifer had just turned 14.

“I know, 25; it’s like you’ve lived longer without him than you did with him,” added Jennifer, now 39, who recently gave birth to the first Candy grandchild — a four-month-old boy named Finley John William Sullivan.

“But it feels like he’s never left.”

COMEDY STARS REMEMBER JOHN CANDY

Canadian comics remember John Candy as a genuine talent whose legacy continues to reverberate among new generations of fans.

Here is what some comedy stars told The Canadian Press about Candy, who died 25 years ago on Monday:

JAYNE EASTWOOD

Jayne Eastwood. ORG XMIT: CPT126

The Toronto actress, who knew Candy through the SCTV gang, remembers being on a plane with him rehearsing for an appearance on The David Steinberg Show and not being able to get through a line without laughing.

“He was adorable,” Eastwood said. “John was as nice as you think he was, if not nicer, and he just wanted to laugh all the time and have fun. He made me howl.”

MARY WALSH

Mary Walsh.

The St. John’s-born creator of This Hour Has 22 Minutes recalls “yelling” at Candy for five minutes about his use of the term “Newfie” in a Second City show he directed in the 1970s.

She quickly backed down after he showed tremendous empathy.

“I would have yelled much longer but he was just the nicest man, it seemed to me, so I had to go, ’Well, I mean, it’s not right,’ and he was going, ’Yeah, it probably isn’t,’” Walsh said.

“He was the most agreeable fellow. He certainly damped down my righteous rage.”

RICK MERCER

Rick Mercer.

The political satirist from St. John’s said Candy was an influential and beloved part of his generation.

“Everyone watched SCTV and John Candy was the big breakout star, and that was in a room of people who all became giant movie and film stars,” Mercer said.

“So everyone is impacted by him. These days, of course, his legacy lives on because SCTV is bootlegged the heck out of on YouTube. I think at least a dozen times in my life I’ve spent the night watching John Candy clips, and of course he lives on in Planes, Trains and Automobiles, which will be a classic as long as there’s an Earth.”

JENNIFER WHALEN

Jennifer Whalen.

The Baroness Von Sketch Show cast member said Candy connected with a lot of people.

“There was something about him that you just want to hug him and be around him and near him,” she said. “I went to go see the SCTV panel last summer and they were talking about how he had an entourage … because people just liked to be near him, so they would just follow him around.

“He had that amazing thing of just so funny but so warm and so human, that he drew you in and you just can empathize with him so much.”

//<![CDATA[ ( function() { pnLoadVideo( "videos", "-yIqgICSXCE", "pn_video_664856", "", "", {"controls":1,"autoplay":0,"is_mobile":""} ); } )(); //]]> Click for update news Bangla news https://ift.tt/2Up6N7D world news

[traviswsoul]

Day 27 Portland to Brooks Memorial State Park 0 miles

July 31 3:49 time, 2.004 calories, 13.2 avg mph 1,014' climbed Portland, as it does, sucked me in, I stayed for almost a week between my Uncle's and my friend Terron's. I was only going to stay at Terron's for two night but doubled that to stay and watch the UFC 214 on paper view which he and his brothers were getting.  I'm glad I did, I have always enjoyed UFC, obviously for same bazaar, primal, man reason that had tens of thousands of Romans watching hundreds of gladiators and beasts tear each other apart regularly, I don't claim to understand it but I am glad that it is now a much more tame and civil servicing of our brutal desires.  I also really appreciate watching people do things they are very good at and train hard for, my guilty pleasure is the TV talent show extravaganzas that dominate pop culture like the Voice and America's Got Talent.  Of all the crap on TV I have nothing to say bad about these types of shows, celebrating talent will always be better than another mindless reality show glamorizing drama and dysfunction.  However, cutting to commercial break right before the big moment almost ruins it for me every time knowing how it really is only about money and manipulating us but Grace Vanderveer's performances or seeing anyone be validated with admiration when they are terrified and self doubting is always worth the wait.  I love them because they remind us that people are awesome and despite the highly competitive nature of this dog eat dog world we get to see people rooting for people and being excited about positive things,  we could us more of that, and I'll sit through the commercials for it.  I'll probably complain about capital and consumerism as I do but I'll wait.  The UFC is an exhibition of the top tear of overall human athleticism and even if there wasn't something in my wiring that was pleased by watching men hurt each other (a primal things that baffles me and I'm not proud to admit) I would still be intrigued by these specimens of commitment, determination, nutrition, breadth of study, strength, endurance and will.  It was different this time because I was right in the middle of personally treating  my fitness with more awareness and respect than I ever have. I'm working harder than ever on this trip, observing my bodies adaptations is intriguing, seeing the results is awesome, yet I am no where near the physical capacity or knowledge that a champion fighter has.  This heightened my interest when the opportunity arose to watch what was being hailed as the UFC's most exciting ticket ever, so I stayed and me and Terron got to catch up, talk about life, our struggles, our dreams, women, work and we did some really fun stuff along the way. The first  night at his crib was low key, I arrived before he was done working and luckily there was a key under the mat (don't tell anyone).  I introduced myself to Salmon, his soft, sweet, fat cat and we were soon napping together on the couch.  I fully embraced the nap this Portland vacation knowing well enough how much rest my body was asking for.  I woke up starving as usual and the house he was painting took longer than usual so I went out to find the German spot I knew he was wanting to take me to.  I found Steigelhaus down the street and ordered the pickled vegetable plate, a pretzel of course, and a beer, it was all delicious and soon enough my old buddy showed up and we were thrilled to see each other, a big hug later and we were reunited, it had been years,  he and I met when we starting modeling about the same time in Milan, Italy. We've since been all over the place together as we were the faces of Polo for several years and ended up living near each other in Brooklyn. Oh the memories!  There are several things in my life that I have to give credit to Terron for, none less than Yoga! Terron is the one that took me to my first Yoga class at the Bikram Studio in Union Square in NYC.  That changed my life.  I absolutely would not be who I am or on the path I am had it not been for that. I will forever be grateful to my friend Terron for that blessed gift.  We have had a few ups and downs over the years but when I knew I'd be in Portland he jumped to the top of the list of who I had to call, he's one of those guys you know you could call for anything and he'd do all he could to help you.  A big part of our relationship is how much each of us discovered our selves and grew up along the way parallel to each other.  We were both having exceptional careers in our generation of models and were the stars of our agency for that time.  We both owe a lot to our agent (and my dear friend) Jason Kanner, the man who shaped my 20's more than any other and to whom I'm the most grateful! We made a lot of money, we spent a lot of money, we traveled the world, we became NYC locals and unbeknownst to us great friends along the way.  The second night I was there Brendon, Terron's older brother, drove us to Salem for Karaoke.  The Woods brothers are great singers and karaoke naturals, I wish I could sing like that! They sang the Killers, King's of Leon, Matisyahu, and several other challenging vocalist's hits.  I enjoyed the music and, again, seeing people who are good at something they love and going out and doing it as this was not an amateur karaoke night.  The next day, after a nap of course, we went to the old swimmin hole Terron grew up in and floated the river for an hour.  There was a house there that had a huge telephone pole stuck in the ground,  I assume it was there for exactly the  reason I observed because it had a small platform mounted on top that a hawk had made a nest on.  It was really beautiful, I watched it as long as could,  there were two hawks with white heads and black and gray bodies, absolutely regal and majestic.  I didn't get to see them fly off or see any others arrive although I kept hoping to.  After we got out we recovered the longboards we had stashed in the blackberry bushes at our exit point before we drove down and jumped in so we skated back through a neighborhood, found the truck, and went for prime rib and mashed potatoes, with plenty of Horseradish Cream sauce, just like my brother has always had it and now I guess I'm the same because I ordered a second serving of it!  We were sufficiently sun beat and digesting meat, we called it a day.  The next day the great idea was to drive half an hour to play disc golf. This is something I have been wanting to do for my entire adult life and never had the chance.  Terron is pretty good at it and has a full collection of discs.  That is an activity I could, and plan on, really getting used to!  It's super chill, it's outside, requires very honed skill, there are endless way to improve, it's basically free and required minimal exertion.  Most of my activities require high levels of exertion so I really appreciated the laid back nature of this sport, it's like golf, minus all the country club-ness.  After that we made our way to his parents place for the fight, which was everything you want out a fight night you pay fifty bucks to watch.  Terron and Brenden are certainly UFC super fans and were great to watch it with.  The next day it was back to the real world, err, my real world for the time being. Because I had stayed two extra days Terron drove me 100 miles down the road and up the hill.  It was a 3,000 foot climb and I don't have any part of me that tells me I don't succeed if I don't ride every single mile so we road tripped down along the Columbia river on highway 84 then turned north on 97, crossed the river which is the border and found ourselves in Washington state.  This was the only part of eastern Washington I have ever seen, Maryhill, an uber famous  downhill run that we have had world cup races at every year that was traveling and racing downhill skateboards.  We pulled off at the overlook where you can see most of the hill and I had a mini sentimental moment there with all the memories from a very different part of my life.  It was weird being there and not having a skateboard or a hundred of my friends,  I miss those days, there not over!  The nearest town is Goldendale, another easily missed little town if not for that hill.  We used to stay in the hotels or campsites there and I know it well.  Fifteen miles past that we found the Brooks Memorial state park on the west side of the street and I was "home."  I set up camp while Terron napped on the picnic table and eventually we said our goodbyes, I hope it's not so long again until we reunite.  I climbed into my tent and read more of Thomas Paine's classic The Age Of Reason, I suggest this for everyone.  It's brilliant, it's so many things I have spent the last decade of my life coming to understand all distilled into easily consumed pages and I have been pouring over it, I can't believe this book didn't some to me sooner except for the fact that I know everything that teaches me comes to me at exactly the right time.  The title "The Age of Reason" caught my eye at the Nakima RV Resort on a "give one take one"'  bookshelf in the laundry room.  It sat there amongst fiction and self help books and called to me, I took it, I didn't have one to leave but I was grateful and I don't think my karma will suffer.  It took a few days to make time read among all the demanding writing schedule I have made for myself but now that I did I'm hooked! If you have ever struggled with why religion seems to be such a big shitty man made monster now but can't jump straight to nihilism/ atheism then this books for you.  Paine essentially shits all over religion while maintaining and true scholar's approach to scientific and rational deduction of knowledge.  His point so far is not just that religion is wrong and stupid but that it was flawed from the get go because it was crafted by men in order to make populations more moldable and profitable. We don't need any structure to teach us about God! Creation is the only case that needs to be made or observed in order to understand divinity and our place in it.  I'm only in  the first half but he's already gotten into the triangle being the foundation for math and then science and understanding the rules of the universe. Namely, the movements of the heavens which parallel the law  of physics on earth from which we can understand the magnitude and omniscience of our God, creation, our place, our divinity and reason all without needing any hint of dogma, fundamentalism, sin, shame

[drumpadvideo-blog]

New Post has been published on http://www.drumpad.video/mexico-tv-news-documentary-avery-molek-6-year-old-drummer/

Mexico TV News Documentary, Avery Molek, 6 year old Drummer

Mexico TV News Documentary, Avery 6 year old Drummer. Visit Avery on Facebook at http://www.AveryDrummer.com/facebook/ or at http://www.AveryDrummer.com

Translation:

“INTERNETS YOUNGEST AND MOST FAMOUS DRUMMER”

0:22 scs “A special morning in Avery Molek daycare,

0:34 … the director decided to organize a festival were children can show their skills and talents; what took them and his parents by surprise was that the shy kid with tender eyes became the internets’ youngest, as well as most famous, drummer.

1:06 … Born Sept 11, 206 in small town in Pittsburg, PA, Avery Molek grew up in music-loving family. At 2 y/o Santa Claus got him a guitar and a drum set that he learned to play by himself. His parents said that Avery liked to watch music videos rather than cartoons; but what started as a kid games became a serious and compromise hobby. To start he ask his mom to get him records from his favorite rock groups, then he painted his face like “Kiss” members and finally memorize dozen of classic rock songs like Van Halen, Guns and Roses and Def Leppard, among many others. All this was taped by his parent and upload to “Youtube” so his uncles, cousins and grandparents could enjoy his extraordinary talents. At 5 y/o Avery received an invitation from a company to play a small concert for his employes; when they found out that he had a video channel in “Youtube” his fame grew as froth.

2:35 Currently, Avery Molek is 6 y/o, his Youtube channel is being seeing more than7 millions times and 26,000 subscription. In his later videos Avery appears with “French Kiss” a group that invited him to play across USA. How about that ? But even thought his been watch by music producers, his only desire is have fun and play drums to his favorites fans: his parents !

[itsworn]

A Woman Shows Men How A Charger Ought To Be Built & Driven!

Back in 1982, this guy named Bruce Feirstein wrote a book called “Real Men Don’t Eat Quiche.” Meant satirically, most diehard Mopar guys still fondly remember the part about what sort of cars real men drove. Yep, good ’ol real Pentastar muscle iron, even if only a few of us ever got the chance to swap pistons out in our blown Hemi Road Runner as a regular, fun afternoon activity. Despite its politically incorrect undertones, it is not yet banned in the 21 century, and it might be worthwhile finding a copy of this former New York Times best-seller, just for old times’ sake. But, hey, we digress…

Meet “real woman” Jennifer Galambos. She and her husband John live in Anaheim, California, and they have spent the past few years upgrading one of the most iconic muscle car packages to ever come from Detroit: the 1968 Charger. While values have pushed a lot of these examples into the realm of “restore for the trailer” crowd, the Galambos crew decided it would be better to live up to the reputation these machines created, building the Dodge into a street-track cruiser that trips the timers down in the ten-second zone.

“My first muscle car was a ’69 Chevelle that I purchased from my uncle and drove as a daily driver in the late ’90s,” she told us. “I didn’t know too much about cars back then but had the desire to learn more and do my own tinkering. I always loved the bad guy’s car from the movie Bullitt. After my husband John told me that the hit man car was a ’68 Charger, I decided to focus on finding one that I could make my own.”

That effort led to a real R/T that was located in Las Vegas, which is where we also shot this story over a decade later. Jennifer and John made the purchase and she soon began to get busy with learning some of the ins and out of getting the Dodge back in shape. Though the car was already a driver when bought, it needed some work fairly early on. A real woman, she jumped right in.

“That was the beginning of a long road of work to get her to the shape and condition she is today,” admits the 37-year-old company comptroller. “We started with the dreaded wiring; I became very familiar with a soldering gun. Then the 440 engine that was in the car when we bought her had issues and I ended up throwing a rod out of the bottom of the block on the freeway heading back from a drag race at Barona.”

We have shown a lot of Chargers on these pages in the last three decades, but what made this one special is how it is used. Since the couple works in the real world like most of us, there was a limited budgeted, and many of the cosmetic things they wanted were put on the back burner for things the car needed for driving and racing. That’s ok, because it’s more fun embarrassing that loudmouth with the bright shiny Corvette by beating him in front of his girlfriend, especially when he sees afterward that Jennifer did the deed.

“The car was off the road for a while as we saved funds to build a stroker motor,” says Jennifer. “So while the engine was out of the car, I sanded and painted my engine bay. We also prepped a fiberglass hood as the engine would no longer fit under the factory one and I didn’t want to cut a hole in the original. The rest of the body we haven’t done a lot with. That Viper Red paint is probably around 17-plus years old.”

The body is still all steel save for the hood, which now has an opening made for the scoop to protrude through. By carefully considering other parts, the car hits the scales at 3,660 pounds even with a full interior. One change that helps in this was going to the Caltracs mono-leaf rear spring and bar layout, pulling off the heavy OE multi-leaf pack. The suspension is tunable by using Calvert’s adjustable shocks on all four corners as well. Welded-in subframe connectors tied it all together, and then adding fresh PST polygraphite bushings freed up the front end, an important consideration since the Charger has manual steering. Braking was also upgraded, with 11.75-inch sliding caliper 1978 Cordoba front discs and rear Wilwood discs now mounted on the Dana 60 housing. A dual master cylinder from Wilwood balances it all out.

Since we are still talking about a streetable package, the rolling package doesn’t feature skinny dragster wheels. Rather, under the nose are vintage 15×7 Indy Slots rims with 235/60R15 BFGoodrich rubber. Wider 15×10 ET III slot-type rims hosting Hoosier 325/50R15 drag radials are out back. What is coolest is that custom backspacing on these rims meant they snugly fit into the OEM wheelhouses. No minitubs on this one! The car still retains the OEM torsion bars and front sway bar. These are all very reasonable adaptations, and looking like the sort of mods that keep ’em guessing just what is possible once the red Charger pulls up next to you at the traffic signal.

“Everything needed to be beefed up so we wouldn’t have to worry about parts failure on the track or in traffic,” Jennifer notes. “I also can drive my car pretty much anywhere except when it’s raining, so I enjoy taking family and friends for rides down to the beach for a cruise or to pick up some yummy sushi or tacos locally. In fact, there are even a few valets who know me well and let me park my own car! I’ve also taken her on several car cruises, one of them being an annual Anza Borrego cruise which puts the car through corners and mountain terrain.”

Power for the program came from a noteworthy source, the legendary Joe Jill at Superior Automotive in Placentia. Again, nothing exotic was used here, but the circa-1968 440ci RB wedge pegged the dyno needle at 651 ponies once it was back together. Following machine work, pieces from Eagle and Ross pushed the displacement to 511 inches. That mill now sports 10.43:1 compression pistons, one of Jill’s well-selected cam grinds, and a timing and valve gear combo from Manley, Cloyes, Manton, and Harland-Sharp. Eye candy that also puts power down on pavement came from Edelbrock in the form of weight-saving aluminum RPM Performer cylinder heads and a matched low-profile dual-quad intake hosting a pair of ex-Carter Edelbrock 750 AFBs. These are topped by the injector-shaped air box that now comes up menacingly right through the hood.

Other upgrades helped as well. Spark comes from aftermarket parts including a Mopar distributor, MSD Blaster coil, and MSD 8.5mm wires. TTi long-tube headers and Dynomax Race Bullet mufflers rattle the windows next door. Keeping it all cool meant taking that power-robbing factory fan off the pulley and replacing it with twin electric units mounted behind a big Mark 7 radiator.

Making the driveline work in a street/strip car is never as easy as it seems. Spending money here is smart and it went into an A727. Protrans took the Torqueflite apart, added upgraded planetaries and lightweight internals, then capped it off with a reverse valve body and a 3,400-rpm stall converter. Though it retains the OEM ratios, the benefit is less horsepower-robbing weight in the driveline itself. Behind this is a Dana 60 with an Auburn SureGrip set-up and a 3.54 final gear ratio. Coupled to the larger rear tire, the car can hook and go but remains reasonably sane on the boulevard.

“Typically, I’ll fill the tank in Anaheim and drive to Famoso or Vegas, drag race all weekend, then drive her home. That’s what our goal was, to make a true street/strip car.”

Jennifer noted that the interior is just as God and Chrysler intended, and again, there is nothing here done for sheer appearance value. The factory steering wheel and dash are still in place, and a locking-design B&M Pro Ratchet shifter is in the console. Aftermarket gauges note what is going on under the hood. Legendary supplied reproduction seat upholstery and the fun began. “Yes, I learned the frustrating art of using hog ring pliers,” she joked.

“I started out not knowing a whole lot about drag racing, but after my very first trip down the quarter mile at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2003, I was hooked,” she says. “The Inaugural Mopars At The Strip, my husband and I both had our Chargers in the Mopar Muscle True Street Challenge. Her best time so far was at March Meet 2017 at Famoso, where she ran 10.94 at 121 mph running the Hoosier DOT drag radials and leaving the line at idle. We didn’t want to chop up the pretty body, so she’s running cage-less for now,” then added, “but the car sometimes runs a little quicker than the 11.49 cage requirement.”

As a life-long fan of real horses, Jennifer even uses distaff terms like “her” and “she” when referring to the car. All in all, here is a classic Charger that handles, runs hard, stays off the trailer, and gets driven like it should. As a result, we think Jennifer could probably even teach some of the hobby’s real men how to enjoy that classic iron. And if they don’t like it? Let ‘em eat quiche…

Fast Facts

1968 Dodge Charger R/T Jennifer Galambos Anaheim, CA

ENGINE Type: 511ci wedge design based on factory RB block Bore x stroke: 4.375 (.055-inch over) x 4.25 Block: OEM cast; cleaned and machined at Superior Automotive, clearanced for Eagle reciprocating upgrades Rotating assembly: Eagle crank, Eagle rods, Ross pistons, Total Seal rings ARP fasteners Compression: 10.43:0 Cylinder heads: aluminum Edelbrock RPM Performer Camshaft: Comp custom-grind solid roller, Intake 230/236 degrees duration at. 050-inch lift, .603-/.608-inch lift Valvetrain: Harland Sharpe 1.6 rockers, Manley valves, Manley springs, Manton pushrods Induction: Edelbrock low-profile dual-quad Fuel system: 2x4BBL Edelbrock Competition Series AFBs Exhaust: TTi headers, Dynomax Race Bullet mufflers Ignition: MSD and Mopar Cooling: Mark 7 aluminum radiator with twin electric fans Fuel: 91-octane pump gas Other: injector replica scoop from Summit, Braille light weight battery, high-output Mopar alternator Output: 651 hp and 720 lb-ft torque Engine built by: Superior Automotive, Jennifer and John Galambos Best quarter-mile e.t.: 10.94/120 mph

DRIVETRAIN Transmission: 1968 A727 by Dave and Darren Smith of Pro Trans (manual reverse pattern valve body, Pro Ratchet shifter, custom Continental torque converter (3,400 rpm stall) Driveshaft: American Drive Lines shaft with 1350 U-Joints, Mark Williams yokes front and rear Rearend: Chrysler Dana 60 with Dutchman axles, 3.54 ratio, Auburn SureGrip, factory width

CHASSIS Construction: Factory with Mopar welded-in subframe connectors Front suspension: factory torsion bars, PST bushings, Calvert adjustable shocks Rear suspension: Caltracs mono-leaf springs with adjustable bars, Calvert adjustable shocks Steering: OEM manual Front brakes: conversion to big-bearing—spindle 11.75-inch rotor with sliding caliper (circa 1978 Cordoba) Rear brakes: Wilwood disc layout, associated dual master cylinder

WHEELS & TIRES Wheels: 15 x 7 Indy Slot Mags (front), 15 x 10 ET Fueler with custom backspace (rear, no mini tubs) Tires: BFG 235/60R15 (front), 325/50R15 Hoosier DOT drag radial (rear)

INTERIOR Seats: Legendary replacement, black Instruments: OEM cluster, Stewart-Warner aftermarket gauge set, large-face tachometer Stereo: dual exhausts! (factory thumb-wheel AM Music Master) Shifter: B&M Pro Ratchet with T-handle top, console-mounted

The engine bay is clean and functional, while 511 inches of dual-quad RB wedge allow for serious performance. Due to the tall scoop design, a fiberglass hood was used, the only body-lightening component in this build-up. Note the small Braille battery, selection of black and bare metal cues on components, and nicely-smoothed firewall.

Upgrading suspension and braking pieces makes a difference, especially when you intend to drive the car. This master cylinder made the use of front and rear disc brakes of differing design possible, while PST’s polygraphite bushings throughout the front suspension helped the machine handle better. Jennifer gets to use it all, as the car has manual steering, eliminating yet another horsepower-robbing accessory.

Running 10s in any street car is a challenge, so two things are paramount: saving weight and taking drag off the drivetrain. This Mark 7 aluminum radiator and twin electric fans do both; the only pulley still working off the front of the motor drives the alternator. Selecting aluminum heads and intake, a smaller battery, and fiberglass hood helped get the car to scale at 3,660 lbs. event with Jennifer in the driver’s seat.

The factory interior remains intact, indeed, some small details have been left unattended to so that the money goes into making the rear tires work better. Jennifer used Legendary covers on the seats and handled some of that fun electrical harness wiring. The car uses S-W gauges and a B&M Pro Ratchet shifter with a Hurst T-handle over the reverse valvebody ‘flite by ProTrans.

Want to see what a functional 21st century rear set-up looks like? This is John Calvert’s race-designed-but-street-capable Caltracs mono-leaf spring and associated pre-load bar. The layout is behind an ET Fueler custom back spaced 15×10 rim, which allowed a 325/50R15 tire from Hoosier to fit under here without using minitubs. Finally, note the Wilwood disc outfit through the wheel openings.

Seen from behind is the business end of the driveline. The Dana 60 is bulletproof, with a nice 3.54 gear set. The short tailpipes exit just ahead of the wheel wells. Meanwhile, that relocated fuel line and filter on the big OE 22-gallon tank help make sure the 500 inches up ahead never gets too thirsty.

Jennifer Galambos has spent many years and hours building this Charger into a true street-strip beast. She admits that she takes it anywhere, and often refers to the car as “her.” A cruiser capable of 10-second times, few ’68s are still set up for this much fun.

The post A Woman Shows Men How A Charger Ought To Be Built & Driven! appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

from Hot Rod Network http://www.hotrod.com/articles/woman-shows-men-charger-built-driven/ via IFTTT

[littleshopofreaders]

Title: Redeemed (Love Seekers #2) Author: Maria Vickers Genre: Contemporary Romance Cover Designer: T.E. Black Designs Release date: 3/17/2017

✨ Add to Goodreads ✨ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32991824-redeemed

✨ Blurb ✨

Chad Alexander is a playboy that leads a life full of comfort, ease, and fun. With enough women at his beck and call to keep him from getting bored, he doesn’t understand why there is one woman constantly on his mind. She infuriates him, gets under his skin, and makes him desire her more than any other woman he has ever known. He loathes Rayne for the way she treats people she thinks are beneath her. In fact, he wants to teach her a lesson that will leave a lasting impression on her. But when it’s all said and done, why can’t he leave behind the one woman he can’t stand? Rayne Sampson is a beautiful woman who has men throwing themselves at her feet with one bat of her eyelashes. She is a woman that men write sonnets about, but she isn’t happy. Disgusted by her brother’s new wife, Rayne refuses to accept Emma in her life. Rayne knows that Chad has it out for her, however, she’s decided she’ll be the one teaching the lesson this time. Can she ignore the way her body yearns for his touch long enough to prove her point? Fighting each other, the passion between them ignites, leaving them both burning. Will they survive “the lesson” Chad sets out to teach her? Or will they both be incinerated before they reach the end of the line? Sometimes facing defeat is the only way to find yourself redeemed.

➡Want to start from the beginning? ⬅

Exposed (Love Seekers Book #1)

✨ Add to Goodreads ✨

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31367213-exposed?from_search=true

✨ Blurb ✨

Your twenties are supposed to be some of the best, and certainly the most fun of your life, but for Emma Taylor, turning twenty-five brought her world crashing down around her. Four years after being diagnosed with a debilitating disease, her love life is non-existent. A series of failed blind dates–courtesy of her friends–has left her feeling depressed and defeated. Intent on turning to her best friend for a vent session, Emma sends off a rapid-fire instant message, except her message ends up in someone else’s inbox. The inbox of hot Navy pilot, Bryan Sampson–her friend Mel’s best friend, and Emma’s secret crush.

Bryan Sampson has only met Emma Taylor one time during a night of karaoke while on leave, but in one night, she managed to make an impression. She seemed timid and uncomfortable in her own skin, but underneath it all, he could see how strong she had to be in order to cope with her disease. So when her message catches his eye, he opens it without a second thought and realizes almost immediately it isn’t intended for him. Now that he’s read it, though, he can’t turn his back on her and feels duty bound to help the cause. Besides, what else is he supposed to do with his free time? He vows he will help her find love never suspecting that the more he talks to her, the more he finds out about himself…the more she occupies his thoughts.

Emma is determined to face her demons thanks to Bryan’s encouragement, but little by little she begins falling harder for the one person who isn’t ashamed of her or her disease. Can she put her heart on the line and take the risk? Can she convince Bryan that love, her love, is worth it?

Sometimes all it takes is one person to expose the beauty within.

✨ Buy Links ✨

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2jIV41g Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2jhlkU3 Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2kzdphW Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2kFBo2l B&N Paperback: http://bit.ly/2jhrMdR

✨ About the Author ✨

Maria Vickers currently lives in St. Louis, MO with her pug, Spencer Tracy. She has always had a passion for writing and after she became disabled, she decided to use writing as her escape. She has one novel published now and will be publishing her second novel in September 2016.

❤✨ From the Author ✨❤

Life is about what you make of it. You have to live it to the fullest no matter the circumstances.

I have always loved books. Not only creating the stories but reading them as well. Books transport me, and when I was younger, I would run into walls because I refused to put my books down even for a second. Take note, walking with books is not advised. LOL.

With my books, I just want to share my stories with the world. I want others to be transported or to feel the emotions my characters feel. That is my goal with my writing. If I can do that for one person, I succeeded.

Getting sick changed me and my life, but it also opened doors that I thought were closed. Today, even though I cannot do much, I still have my mind and I can write.

✨ Stalk the Author ✨

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariavickersbooks/

IG:@authormariavickers

Twitter:@mvauthor

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/mvickersamazon

Goodreads: http://tinyurl.com/mvickersgoodreads

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cvH8tX

Join her reader group, Maria’s Love Seekers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1362108480474447/

Title: Redeemed (Love Seekers #2) Author: Maria Vickers Genre: Contemporary Romance Cover Designer: T.E. Black Designs…