#and my husband is South African so

[shenji-yei-v2]

just made mysefl a lovely Damascus rose drinc folowing the low quality recipe I found on da internet. well its not that bad but I think I’m losin consciousness y’all 😄🤣🤣 bruh that was too flavored 4 me lol gotta post it before I forget my own ass name 😂🤣🤣🤣

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

New Rule: Gender Apartheid | Real Time with Bill Maher

And finally, New Rule: if you're out protesting for a couple of hours wearing this...

... you have to go all the way and spend an afternoon running errands wearing one of these.

You can't side with the people who ruthlessly oppress women without at least getting a taste of what you're supporting.

Well, now that summer is here and the Hamas-backing college protesters have dispersed back to their summer internships at Goldman Sachs, I thought it might be a good time to say this: I actually admire your youthful idealism, and our world would be poorer without it. Much like your parents who just wasted 300 grand on that ignorance factory you call a college.

Not that I think it's your fault, being this poorly educated and morally confused. That takes a village. Shitty schools, overindulgent parents, social media, that priest who rubbed lotion on you.

But three cheers to you for at least having the impulse to seek a cause in something bigger than yourself. It's just that the one you picked, you missed the boat by a fucking mile.

But here's the good news. You want a cause? Cuz I totally got one for you. Apartheid. Yeah, apartheid, the thing you've been shouting about with Israel for months. Never mind that Israeli Arabs are actually full citizens. You learned that word from a 2 Chainz song and discovered that protesting South Africa's apartheid in the 80s was a righteous cause, and so it was. To this day, when celebrities are asked, who is the person they most admire, one name is always the safest choice.

So, naturally, when you heard that Israel was an apartheid state it gave you such a boner you literally pitched a tent.

You knew how wrong it was when tens of millions of South Africans had been treated like second class citizens just because of their race.

But here's the thing. Today, right now, hundreds of millions of women are treated worse than second class citizens. When you mandate that one category of human beings don't even have the right to show their face, that's apartheid. And it goes on in a lot of countries.

For the last couple years, women in Iran have been saying, "take this hijab and shove it." Because in 2022, a young woman named Mahsa Amini was arrested for wearing her mandatory hijab incorrectly and then died in police custody. And now security forces have killed over 500 people protesting her death and this obvious human rights violation. How about defunding those police?

Amnesty International says that, "Iranian authorities are waging a war on women that subjects them to constant surveillance beatings sexual violence and detention." What P. Diddy calls a hotel stay.

In Iran, MeToo isn't a movement, it's what a woman says when another woman says, my life sucks.

Yasmine Muhammad is a human rights activist who got married off to a Muslim man with fundamentalist views about women not exactly uncommon in the Muslim world. He forced her to wear the niqab all the time, including once beating her because she took her hijab off at home, because the apartment had a window through which people might see in. And this was in Vancouver.

Here's what Yasmine said about veiling.

"It just suppresses your humanity entirely. It's like a portable sensory deprivation chamber and you are no longer connected to humanity. You can't see properly. You can't hear properly. You can't speak properly. People can't see you. You can only see them. Just little things. Passing people on the street and just making eye contact and smiling, that's gone. You're no longer part of this world, and so you very quickly just shrivel up into nothing under there."

And that's my answer when someone says "Islamophobe."

Really, feminists? Come on, there's got to be a happy medium between a husband making his wife wear this, and a husband making his wife wear this.

I know 1619 was bad, but this is happening right now, right under your nose rings. And it's not just the clothes. 15 countries in the Middle East, including Gaza, have laws that require women to obey their husbands. Laws. Not just Harrison Butker's opinion.

And those societies also have guardianship laws, which means a woman needs permission from her husband to work, to travel, to leave the house, to go to school, to get medical attention. Nothing?

Honor killings, where women are murdered by their own fathers and-or brothers happen so frequently they can't even have an accurate account of how many.

In 59 countries, there are no laws against sexual harassment in the workplace, and many have no laws against domestic violence or spousal rape. 20 countries have marry-your-rapist laws. Multiple societies have laws about what jobs women can and can't do. Make a Barbie movie about that. 30 countries practice female genital mutilation, and 650 million women alive today were married as children.

Kids, if you really want to change the world and not just tie up Monday morning traffic, this is the apartheid that desperately needs your attention. Gender apartheid. This is what should be the social justice issue of your time. How about, from the river to the sea, every woman shall be free?

But in reality, it's not an issue at all. For one reason: the people who are doing it aren't white. I hate to have to be the one to break it to you kids, but non-white people can do bad things too. Now, white on black racism certainly has been of one of history's most horrific scourges. But also, it's true that in today's world being non-white means you can get away with murder.

So good on you kids for following your instinct to protest social injustice. Just remember, when it comes to finding a cause, pulling your head out of your ass is an important rite of passage.

==

They won't do it not just because it's Intersectionally inconvenient, but also because it would require admitting that, as citizens of first world countries and students of Ivy League universities, not only do they not live in a "patriarchy," but they're some of the freest, most privileged, most self-determining people who have ever lived in the world at any time, ever.

And, having spent decades crafting a narrative of being long-suffering and "oppressed," they'd have to surrender the significant social, political and economic capital that narrative affords, by fighting for women in Iran, Gaza, Afghanistan and other countries to have the same rights and privileges they take for granted. And regularly spit on.

[stranger-fanfiction-n-things]

DATE NIGHT

written December 14, 2023

a/n: I've read the first ACOTAR book in the series and a bit of the second book in the series. I immediately gravitated towards Azriel and of course wrote a blurb? one shot? About him and an oc. Her name is Ori, short for Aurora and she is the bastard child of Mr. Archeron. I picture her resembling Carmen Solomons the South African model. This thing in my head was inspired by the tiktoker ShannBailee. There's a video of her husband washing her hair and it was so sweet and beautiful to watch that I had to write something involving Azriel. I'm rambling. Enjoy.

Word Count: 3043

When Ori and Azriel decide to stay inside for date night, the Shadowsinger proposes a question that catches his mate off guard. 

“Can I wash your hair?” 

I stop detangling my hair turning to look at Azriel. He gazes down at me, honey brown eyes burning bright under faelight. I swallow, blinking slowly and open my mouth to answer, but the words die on my tongue. Azriel was well aware of my hair washing routine and often left me alone, not wanting to intrude on the vigorous and lengthy regimen I curated. Sometimes he would stay with me if we were deep in conversation, watching me detangle and coat my hair with various conditioners and hair masks. But wash my hair? The question caught me off guard. 

His mouth twitches, a faint smile appearing on his face. I realize I'm gawking at him and close my mouth, shaking my head. A flush creeps up my face and I turn back to the mirror playing with my ends. A trickle of cool air whispered against my skin. Black shadows grazes my shoulders in attempts to get my attention. I glance at Azriel through the mirror where he lounged on the bed, leaning back on his hands, legs spread. He blinks at me, tilting his head to the side waiting patiently for my answer.

“You want to?” I breathe. 

Azriel gave a nod, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, hands dangling in between his legs. 

“Are you sure?” 

Azriel chuckles quietly. “Yes. I’m sure.”  

I stare at him for a long moment before nodding my head. “Okay.” I note the way his eyes gleam with mirth, but don't comment. “I’m almost done detangling my hair. I’ll set up the bath when I’m done.” 

Azriel rose from the bed, walking to the vanity. He places his cold hands on my shoulders and bent down kissing the exposed skin. “You sit and finish with your hair. I’ll set up.” 

“Wait,” I say, holding his hand before he left. “You don’t know what products I use. I can show you—”

“I’ve seen you wash your hair several times.” 

“But—” 

Azriel brings my hand to his lips, kissing my skin. “I can figure it out, Ori.”

I watch him walk to the bath and after a few moments the sound of running water fills the room. I turn to the mirror returning to the section I was at and scoop a considerable amount of product into my hands, rubbing them together. I start from my scalp and run my hands down to my ends then comb my fingers through my curls making sure I remove all the knots. I crane my neck using my enhanced hearing to listen to what Azriel was doing in the bath, but his damn shadows. I can’t hear anything. 

“I can feel you staring.” Amusement laces his tone. I can feel it through our bond. I fix my posture responding to the bond feeling bashful. Azriel chuckles quietly and I smile fondly focusing on detangling my hair. 

+ 

The aroma of apples and water lily filled the air when I ease the door open. I peer around the door and find Azriel sitting on a stool hunched over with his hand in the water testing out the temperature. Bottles and jars of my hair products line the stone ledge of the bath along with a wide-tooth comb. I linger by the doorframe in awe of the set up. From my favourite candle lit on the other side of the bath, the light blue ceramic pitcher, to the goblet of red wine—when did he get wine, I thought in disbelief. 

“I told you I’d figure it out.” Azriel spoke. 

“How did you—” I struggle to find the words. Azriel smiles, big enough for his dimples to make an appearance, one very few got to see. 

He rose to his feet strolling toward me. I take a step back to look up at him, his large stature overwhelming my pixie-like height. Azriel takes my hand in his leading me toward the bath. He stops right in front of the pool of water and I admire the pungent fumes of apples and water lily.  

“Wow,” I gasp, gazing up at Azriel. “This is just—wow.” 

“The water is at the temperature you like.” 

I gaze up at Azriel lost for words at his attention to detail and begin to unwrap my silk robe. Azriel helps me out of the garment and assists me into the tub. I instantly sigh the moment my body descends into the water. It was the perfect temperature. Azriel sits on the stool beside the bath, thick, long legs spread open to accommodate his large size. 

I turn my body to the side, placing my forearms on the ledge of the bath gazing warmly at him. 

My stomach feels like it's full of butterflies fluttering around. I've always known Azriel was observant but this was…everything. Azriel picks up the light blue ceramic pitcher dipping it in the water, lifting it out when it was full. I wait for him to pour the water but he pauses for a moment leaning forward, placing a gentle kiss on my forehead. My heart hums at the loving gesture. To the outside world, Azriel was distant and cold, observing the world from the outside looking in. But when it was only the two of us, he was gentle and loving; affectionate and doting.  

I face forward, sitting upright in the warm bath with my arms wrapped around my shins, gazing at the rippling water. Warm water trickles down my head splashing back in the bath. I feel my long cinnamon red curls flatten along my back as Azriel fills the pitcher again, pouring water on my head in efforts to rinse out all the product in my hair. He repeats the motion again and again, running his scarred fingers through my hair, kneading my scalp to get the leftover product. I watch him in silence as he worked, my mind buzzing like a bee. 

“What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours?” 

I watch Azriel pick up a bottle of cleansing shampoo, pouring the smooth paste into the palm of his hand. He rubs his hands together until bubbles form. I turn around to face him, holding the ledge and he combs his fingers through my hair kneading my scalp.  

“Nothing. It’s just…” I sigh as he began to scratch all around my head. My eyes nearly roll back to my skull at the pleasurable feeling. I am quiet for a couple of minutes revelling in pampering. Azriel stops to add more shampoo. “Why do you want to wash my hair? We could’ve done anything else for date night.”

Azriel lathers the soap onto the back of my head. A slight frown puckers between his brows in concentration. I bite back a smile, admiring his features. The elegant slope of his straight nose and refined tip, his high cheekbones and chiseled jaw. The way he bites his lower lip when he is lost in thought or a task. Light freckles dusted over his nose, giving him a boyish, youthful look, I always adored. 

“I don’t know…” he mumbles, lifting a shoulder. “I just wanted to do it.”

Azriel was a man of few words and it was an issue in our relationship we constantly worked on. I found it difficult to open up to people, even my sister Feyre sometimes when things became too much. But with Azriel it was much more than not talking about things. He kept it all bottled inside and I want him to feel safe enough to let whatever was going on in his head, out. It took us both a while to get comfortable enough to communicate our feelings. It didn’t mean we didn’t struggle with it daily. 

I stare up at him with round eyes. Azriel fills the pitcher with water pouring it over my head to rinse out the shampoo. He blinks at my silence peering down at me and I lean forward resting my chin on my arms, waiting for the rest of his answer. He gazes at me, golden brown eyes trailing over my face and hair. I lift my head feeling uncertain about what he was looking at and thinking about. Reassurance pulled on my heart, rippling through the bond. 

“How do you use this all the time?” he asks, referring to the pitcher. 

“I usually dunk my head in the water to rinse my hair. Using the pitcher all the time would take way too long.” 

Azriel chuckles quietly setting the pitcher back on the ledge. I giggle turning to the front and ease down to my elbows, tilting my head back submerging my long hair in the water. Balancing on my right elbow, I used my left hand to knead the remaining shampoo in my scalp out. A flush crept up my chest and the back of my neck feeling Azriel’s intense stare on my body. The water, though sudsy, barely covered my nakedness. I arch my back more and my chest hovers out of the water, the cool chill prickling my nipples to hard peaks.   

I swish my head from side to side before sitting up, feeling the warm water trickle down my back. Azriel’s eyes flickers up to my face at the last second. His eyes darkening and I can feel his desire reverberating through the bond. 

“What?” I ask softly, feigning innocence. 

Azriel licks his lower lip. “Turn around.” 

From the corner of my eye, I notice the gold goblet of wine. “Wait,” I said reaching for the glass. “I can’t forget about this.”

I sit on my backside holding the stem of the glass between my fingers. I take a sip of the cool red wine humming in content at the acidic and sweet tangy taste bursting in my mouth. Azriel scoops up my long hair, wringing out the excess water before letting it hang over the edge of the bath. He opened up a jar of my conditioner scooping out what I hoped wasn’t a considerable amount based on the size of his hands and runs his fingers through my hair. 

I sink deeper into the bath letting the water reach just above my chest as he repeats the motion, evenly distributing the product so that no strand is left untouched. Azriel rearranges himself on the stool grabbing the wide tooth comb on the ledge and sections my hair into four. I feel him hold the first section in his hands and the scraping of the comb against my ends. He combs my hair from the ends to my scalp, untangling any knots I may have missed when detangling my hair prior. 

We fall into our usual comfortable silence. Azriel taking his time to comb through each section of my hair and I sipping leisurely on the glass of wine. I never gave much thought on how intimate the act of washing someone’s hair was. The gentle attention and appreciation for your mate. The trust and vulnerability.

My stubbornness gets the best of me. I'm still not satisfied with Azriel’s answer. 

My mate kisses my temple breathing deeply and I lean into his touch before turning back around to face him. Azriel takes the goblet of wine out of my hand setting it down on the ledge and inclines forward nuzzling his nose against mine. I gaze up at him waiting for his next move. Azriel closes the distance between us, pressing his full soft lips against my own. My eyes flutter close, smiling into the kiss knowing he couldn’t go five minutes without touching me in some way. He pulls away not before kissing me again, this one quicker than the last. His hand lay on my knees rubbing small circles on my skin while the other grabbed the pitcher again, filling it up to pour water on my head. 

I play with his fingers, softly trailing my fingers against the intricate designs of his marred skin. It took some time to be able to touch his hands without feeling sadness through ripple through our bond. It was still an adjustment but slowly and surely, he was learning to like the scars. 

“Az,” I spoke. 

“Mm?” 

“Why did you really want to wash my hair?” 

Azriel pours the water on my head again and shrugs. I almost zap him with my powers. Sensing my impatience, a faint smile ghosts his lips. I open my mouth to protest but he speaks. 

“I watch you do your hair all the time,” he begins filling the pitcher with water.  “And I love how much time and effort you put into your routine.” I kiss his palm coaxing him to continue. “I’ll admit though, sometimes when you talk about your hair products and a new regimen you came up with, I’m looking at you, nodding my head as if I understand what you’re talking about but honestly, I don’t. I’m not listening.” He laughs when I squeeze his hand at the confession. Azriel pause and looks at me. “It’s not because I don’t want to,” he explained. “It’s because I can’t stop admiring you. Your hair is your expression, creativity, your freedom and I want to completely immerse myself in that part of you.”

Azriel returned to his task as if he said something so casual it didn’t require much thought. I shake my head. 

“Gods, you’re so frustrating.” 

Azriel stopps mid-pour. My response catching him off guard. 

“Why?” He frowned.

I scoff. “Because how could you be any more perfect.” 

Azriel rolls his eyes and continues to pour, shaking his head. “I’m not perfect,” he said flatly. 

I hold his other wrist, halting his movements and bring his arm down. I gaze in his beautiful hazel eyes. “You are to me,” I say strongly. “You’re perfect and thoughtful and loving and—” Azriel cuts me off with his lips on mine.  

I giggle leaning away from him, smiling when he purrs, chasing my lips. I indulge him closing the distance. The kiss deepens, Azriel licking into my mouth. My heart stutters at the fierceness of the kiss. Passion and devotion thrums through our bond as Azriel brings his hand up the back of my head, curling his fingers through my wet hair. I lean forward fisting his black shirt in my wet hands, desperate to feel his body against mine. A low groan escapes his lips sensing my desire and Azriel nips my bottom lip pulling away.

“You might take back those words when I’m done with your hair.” He breathed against my lips, amusement in his tone.

I grin. “So far you’re doing well for someone who doesn’t listen when I’m talking about my hair care routine.” Azriel growls playfully and the sound sent vibrations between my legs to my core. He leans back, the tips of our nose touching. 

“That’s all you took from what I told you?” He spoke lowly, carefully. 

“Yup.” I respond cheerfully, pulling away.

Azriel smiles, kissing my cheek before asking me to dip my head in the water again. 

“I think we should think about your hair care regimen.” I muse, rinsing my hair out. It feels so silky and smooth against my fingers. Azriel hums a response, pulling strands of hair out the comb. “Yes, so you can stop using my shampoo.” I arch my brow knowingly at him. His hair has been smelling like pears and roses lately. 

He grins, white teeth shiny and straight; dimples indenting his cheeks. It takes my breath away. 

“What do you suggest?” 

I sit up treading my hands through the soapy water. The tips of my fingers tingles with power surging through them. The soap in the water faded away becoming fresh and clean. I manipulate the temperature of the water making it a little hotter. Steam soon wafts in the air. Leaning back on my elbows again, I purse my lips in thought.  

“A hair mask to lock in moisture. Flying dries out your hair,” I say. “Oh, and there’s this conditioner for wavy hair I saw at the market the other day.” Azriel rinses his hands in the water and combs his wet hands through his dark hair. I sit up observing him. “Other than that, I just think you need a haircut.” 

“I thought you liked my hair.” 

I do like it. I love it actually. He had grown it out, thick waves falling just above his shoulders. I was accustomed to his low taper fade, thick waves falling above his hazel eyes. Long hair somehow made him look older, despite his boyish looks. I love playing with his hair when he snuggles up against my chest or helping him put half his hair in a bun before training. But I miss his short hair. 

“I do!” I promise, sitting up on my bottom. “But any longer and you’ll look like Cassian.” 

Azriel tips his head back and laughs. I join rising to my knees, reaching up to card my fingers through his hair moving the strands of hair that fell over his face.

“I’m done,” he said, golden eyes trailing down my exposed body, drinking me up. I shiver at his intense stare. He drags his gaze up to my face looking into my eyes and I wrap my arms around his neck pulling him close. Azriel’s arms envelopes around my small figure, not caring I am wet. 

“Thank you,” I murmur in his ear. 

Azriel pulls away reaching a scarred hand up to caress my cheek. I lean into his touch and his cool finger brush my lips. I take the tip of his thumb into my mouth, biting softly. Azriel’s eyes darkens and desire thrums through the bond. He lowers his lips to mine in another deep kiss. His lips were warm and soft, parting slightly allowing my tongue to slip inside. I press into him feeling his heartbeat against my chest. Azriel sucks on my tongue eliciting a whimper from my lips. He pulls away, breathing deeply against my lips. 

“You’re welcome, baby.” 

[allgirlsareprincesses]

Star Lovers in Folk Tales: A Primer

Adapted from my Winter 2022 Twitter thread

One common variation of animal spouse tales is the star husband or star bride. In this case, the lover is a celestial creature from the otherworld of the sky. Sometimes they fall to earth, and other times they beckon a mortal to join them.

Star husband tales are common to North American indigenous cultures, often featuring pairs of maidens who long for more than mortal lovers and so are whisked into the sky to marry star husbands.

In these tales, the mortal brides are compelled to dig, either to find roots or other food on earth, or to escape the sky world. In either case, the digging is a transgressive act, one that triggers the bride’s passage from one world to another.

Another star husband tale comes from Korea, merged with another animal husband tale in which he is banished from the sky by his father, the King of the Stars, cursed to live as a frog in a pond until he can marry the most beautiful woman on Earth.

In this tale we find motifs of the frog consuming all the water and fish in the pond, and the bride cutting away (rather violently) the frog’s animal skin to reveal a handsome man. The happy couple then returns to the sky, and two new stars appear in the heavens.

Star brides have much more in common with swan maidens. Many myths compare the sky to a body of water, and in some tales, celestial beings are actually aquatic creatures as well. These brides are often captured by a mortal hunter or held captive by a mother goddess.

Like the mortal wives of star husbands, star brides often come in groups, like the Pleiades in a South African tale who send their husband on a hunt from which he never returns. Similarly, a group of 10 Hungarian star brides take mortal husbands only to lose them in a war.

In all of these stories, the fall to earth is a kind of death, whereas the ascension is a rebirth or even the achievement of immortality. Water, hunting, and agriculture are prominent in these stories, indicating the importance of celestial patterns to human subsistence.

Obedience or defiance to parental figures is another major theme in star lover tales. While it is defiance that opens the path to the otherworld, the lovers are often punished for it until they show obedience to the parent.

Lastly, while not every star couple gets a Happily Ever After, they usually leave some eternal mark on the earth or sky. The tears of separated star lovers sometimes form fresh springs or even monsoons, bringing new life to the earth.

Sources:

In Search of the Swan Maiden: A Narrative on Folklore and Gender by Barbara Fass Leavy

[sgiandubh]

Your fitness anon has an excellent point. I noticed months ago that those photos of Edinburgh published by AM (D) were gone, she also stopped following that couple of South African leeches. Everything is gone. Now, if it were a romance or adventure, why be ashamed? She is young, beautiful and single. Supposedly, so does Sam. That weekend in Paris was quite public. It's almost as if it was a fact from her past that brought her shame. Almost as if it was just one of those small jobs that are best left undisclosed…

Dear Everything is Gone Anon,

She is now a Soccer Wife and Mom. For knowing pretty well these types in my own country, I can tell you those people don't exactly like their wives to fuck around, nor their more colorful past. It's a pretty closed up world, where scandals are rare, but particularly dirty: the last one we had was between a very loud and trashy woman soccer referee turned agent and her ex-(soccer player, then coach) husband. Still makes headlines in our very trashy yellow press.

She made it to Bild, Anon. Granted, as pointed out by several German friends in DM, this is yellow press, too. But it is successful yellow press, that could make or break your reputation in five seconds, especially when you are a foreign Nobody on their own turf. She is just sanitizing her socials, in order to avoid prying journalist's eyes and embarrassing questions.

The only ones who will remember her and S being a fake item, in five years from now, will be this fandom's trolls.

[alliluyevas]

dream historical American Girl year/place/demographic etc???

Oh, great question! As I said earlier, I think the most glaring gap in the American Girl historical canon (both current and retired dolls) is the lack of an Asian-American doll. I've seen people say that Julie's Chinese-American Best Friend character, Ivy, should have been the central character of the 1970s arc, and I personally also think there's no reason why Courtney from the 1980s couldn't have been written as Asian and added elements of her cultural traditions in with her general 1980s storyline. (I believe she likes video games? I haven't read her books. A little Asian-American girl can also enjoy going to the game arcade and having Care Bear pajamas). That being said, since I think it's more interesting to come up with a new addition than to retroactively change an existing character, here are some ideas.

This is definitely not my area of historical expertise, so I'm probably going to be a bit vague here. I think AG could potentially do a Chinese-American doll set during the big blank period in between Addy and Samantha. The main issue here in terms of historical accuracy is that immigration even before the Chinese Exclusion Act was heavily weighted towards single Chinese men (or potentially married, I guess, but if they had wives already they often remained home in China and the husbands came over as lone men). So there was not as much of a family life and community culture involving children. However, our character could be either the product of a relatively rare but not unique family immigration unit, or potentially biracial with a Chinese father. (There were legal restrictions on interracial marriages between Chinese men and white women, but still some marriages happened, and actually a lot of Chinese laborers in the South married African-American women, apparently.)

Another alternative would be to have a Chinese-American character whose storyline is set during the 1950s or 1960s, after anti-Chinese immigration bans were lifted and more people started to come to America. Obviously, we already have 1950s Maryellen and 1960s Melody, but we have overlapping dolls from the 1940s as well (Molly and Nanea), and I think it could potentially be very interesting to be able to compare girls with very different cultural backgrounds living in the same time period. (I'm inspired a bit here by one of my favorite children's historical novels, In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson, about a little Chinese-American girl who comes to New York with her parents in 1947.) Depending on what works best time-frame wise, the character could be either an American-born child of immigrant parents or have immigrated along with her parents. (Kirsten herself is an immigrant, and Rebecca iirc is supposed to have been born after her parents came to America, but either "type" of immigrant story could be very interesting looking at a different time in American history and a different country of origin.)

I think a Japanese-American character could also have interesting potential. I do think that having a storyline that directly includes experience in an internment camp would be inappropriate. There's a lot of discussion about "struggle narratives" versus narratives that are a bit more...idk, affirming? when it comes to writing historical stories about children of color. I think you can have a story that acknowledges racism and oppression without centering it in a way that can be traumatic for readers who share the characters' identities. (Or go the route that Addy's books do. They don't shy away from the trauma of slavery on Addy's family, but the first book is mostly about her and her mother escaping and the rest of them are about her life in newfound freedom.) If they were to do a Japanese-American character, they could also do something in the 1950s or 1960s, which could work with acknowledging the impact of internment camps (perhaps through the remembered experience of the character's parents or older siblings) while not feeling like trauma-dumping. Or they could go for something older, like a character set in the 1920s.

I also have some more ideas about potential storylines for a historical Mormon character, but I think that might have to be another post. (And, as previously stated, I think the lack of an Asian AG historical doll is much more glaring.)

[myemuisemo]

We finally meet the naturalist Stapleton in chapter VII of The Hound of the Baskervilles from Letters from Watson!

Before I get into that fascinating duo, a few thoughts so disjointed that I'm giving them subheads so as to move quickly.

Trains

Thanks to @stephensmithuk pointing out that the rail trip from London to Devon would have taken 5-1/2 hours at the time of the tale (and promising more about trains! I love hearing about trains!), I was prepared to abandon my suspicions of Barrymore. But then it turns out, nobody saw him when the telegraph was delivered!

It's a lesson to me in how being from the future affects my expectations. I read and re-read a lot of Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers, so when presented with a train and a limited time frame, I assume it's a timetable problem. Nope -- it was a social engineering problem.

Mrs. Barrymore and invisible people

after breakfast I met Mrs. Barrymore in the long corridor with the sun full upon her face. She was a large, impassive, heavy-featured woman with a stern set expression of mouth. But her tell-tale eyes were red and glanced at me from between swollen lids. It was she, then, who wept in the night, and if she did so her husband must know it. 

Mrs. Barrymore's grief -- or the possibility that her husband is beating her -- gets no sympathy from Dr. Watson, and little interest beyond what it means about her husband as a suspect in Sir Charles' death. She's coded as absolutely failing at Victorian standards of femininity, so while she may or may not be a villain, nobody cares if she's a victim.

“There are only two women in the house, Sir Henry,” he answered. “One is the scullery-maid, who sleeps in the other wing...."

We were told in the prior chapter that this house is minimally staffed. I'm now wondering how many other unnamed servants are present but not mentioned even as witnesses. There must be a gardener to maintain the Yew Alley, though he may not sleep in. (A scullery maid is a servant to the household servants, with a life of drudgework. This description from Manor House covers it. She's probably too hired to hound anyone to their death.)

When Sir Henry has "numerous papers to examine," is he meeting with an estate manager? There would ordinarily be a professional, non-servant person charged with keeping the estate running smoothly.

Chekhov's Swamp

After all the build-up that Grimpen Mire gets, there had better be a desperate chase across it.

The Stapletons

The Stapletons are not gentry: they're tenants of Merripit Hall, not its heirs, and Mr. Stapleton says he used to run a boy's school far enough away that nobody will check his story. They appear to be roughly equal in class with James Mortimer -- a tier of educated professionals who don't hold land or titles.

If Stapleton lost his savings when his school failed, and he has no paying work in Devon, how are he and his sister affording Merripit Hall. Even if we assume it's a modernized Dartmoor Longhouse, it's a chunk of property bigger than a cottage in a village.

(House to the left, original stables to the right. By Derek Harper, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9244192 )

That said, I do heartily agree with @thefisherqueen that Jack Stapleton is coded as harmless. Slim, flaxen-haired, and eccentric is the English coding for "harmless" -- to the point that Dorothy Sayers will, decades later, call it out in her depiction of Lord Peter Wimsey (who is mistaken for harmless, but is not harmless). Margery Allingham does the same when she introduces Albert Campion (who is mistaken for harmless, but is not harmless).

Here's Peter Davison as Albert Campion. Stapleton to the life.

When Stapleton goes romping after a cyclopides -- a sort of South African moth-like insect not found in England -- a wild sister appears!

Okay, in normal daily life, if a brother and sister look different, I figure "genetics are weird" and roll with it. But this is a constructed narrative, where details are chosen for a specific effect (or because it was top-of-mind for the author, but that's more for small details). Beryl Stapleton is distinctly coded as non-English.

she was darker than any brunette whom I have seen in England

Since we've already established that the Baskervilles run to black hair, this must mean skin color. Now, the standard "English rose" is very pale, so being darker than that could be any shade of tan at all.

That "unusual lisp" in her speech suggests that she grew up somewhere that Spanish was spoken and where the "upper class" accent included the Castilian distinción. if this were a modern story, that would rule out South America, but in 1889, I don't think it does.

The fact that she can run points to her being somewhat of an avante garde and artistic type. Fashion of the late 1880s combined corsets with tight skirts, bustles, and miles of heavy trim, so a good sprint was not indicated. Beryl Stapleton most likely wears some sort of "artistic dress," "aesthetic dress," or "liberty dress," which was constructed to allow more freedom of breath and movement. (Maggie May Fashions has a page comparing artistic dress to mainstream fashion; it also includes less binding clothing worn for cycling and tennis, raising the possibility that Beryl Stapleton is athletic rather than artistic.)

My original hypothesis about Miss Stapleton being "a young lady of attractions" was that she had a large dowry. Now I question that! If there is family money, it must have been settled on her separately and protected from her brother's bad luck. But this Miss Stapleton does not appear to want to be married, since she believes she's warning Sir Henry, the most eligible bachelor for miles, to leave.

Her words say "victim" (since she's warning people to leave but seems trapped herself), yet she's coded as a femme fatale. Given this week in history, I'm feeling very, very squeamish about how narrow codings of "feminine" are used against women who don't fit that mold, so I'd love to discover that Beryl is simply a dark-complected woman who isn't delighted by what's going on around her.

Now I want to walk the moors and brood around the neolithic ruins, being careful not to fall into mires.

[strawberryqueen00]

Hell no we are not letting this OFMD finale distract from that THIS LETTER.

Had a signature from Taika Waititi. I understand the sensitivity here this issue with Taika being Jewish(and that’s not my place as someone that’s Not Jewish or in those regions to condemn him on that perspective’s behalf) but this letter is directly bastardizing the situation.

Now, when there is a major production from a major figure in this platform that did this, is when we can make the most impact. Remember our values, even when those values involve a show that is strengthening the LGBTQ community.

Because this letter tore down the strength of the movement in support of Gaza. There are going to be so many people that saw this letter and take it completely uncritically, unchallenged.

Standing up for our values means sacrificing our interests, holding accountable the things we enjoy.

And also. I don’t want to see ANYONE. Being fucking antisemitic or racist towards Taika here. That is never appropriate and absolutely inexcusable behavior. You should he ashamed if you think that’s okay even after Taika’s actions.

[Text of Letter]

October 23, 2023

Dear President Biden, We are heartened by Friday's release of the two American hostages, Judith Ranaan and her daughter Natalie Ranaan and by today's release of two Israelis, Nurit Cooper and

Yocheved Lifshitz, whose husbands remain in captivity. But our relief is tempered by our overwhelming concern that 220 innocent people,

including 30 children, remain captive by terrorists, threatened with torture and death.

They were taken by Hamas in the savage massacre of October 7, where over 1,400

Israelis were slaughtered - women raped, families burned alive, and infants beheaded. Thank you for your unshakable moral conviction, leadership, and support for the Jewish people, who have been terrorized by Hamas since the group's founding over 35 years ago, and for the Palestinians, who have also been terrorized, oppressed, and victimized

by Hamas for the last 17 years that the group has been governing Gaza. We all want the same thing: Freedom for Israelis and Palestinians to live side by side in peace. Freedom from the brutal violence spread by Hamas. And most urgently, in this

moment, freedom for the hostages. We urge everyone to not rest until all hostages are released. No hostage can be left behind. Whether American, Argentinian, Australian, Azerbaijani, Brazilian, British, Canadian, Chilean, Chinese, Danish, Dutch, Eritrean, Filipino, French, German, Indian, Israeli, Italian, Kazakh, Mexican, Panamanian, Paraguayan, Peruvian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, South African, Spanish, Sri Lankan, Thai, Ukrainian,

Uzbekistani or otherwise, we need to bring them home.

Sincerely,

[Text of the names presented. This isn’t all of them, just the copy of this with Taika’s name on it)

Jessica Biel

Jessica Elbaum

Jessica Seinfeld

Jill Littman

Jimmy Carr

Jody Gerson

Joe Hipps

Joe Quinn

Joe Russo

Joe Tippett

Joel Fields

Joey King

John Landgraf

John Slattery

Jon Bernthal

Jon Glickman

Jon Hamm

Jon Harmon Feldman

Jon Liebman

Jon Watts

Jon Weinbach

Jonathan Baruch

Jonathan Groff

Jonathan Marc Sherman

Jonathan Ross

Jonathan Steinberg

Jonathan Tisch

Jonathan Tropper

Jordan Peele

Josh Brolin

Josh Charles

Josh Dallas

Josh Goldstine

Josh Greenstein

Josh Grode

Josh Singer

Judd Apatow

Judge Judy Sheindlin

Julia Fox

Julia Garner

Julia Lester

Julianna Margulies

Julie Greenwald

Julie Rudd

Julie Singer

Juliette Lewis

Jullian Morris

Justin Theroux

Justin Timberlake

KJ Steinberg

Karen Pollock

Karlie Kloss

Katy Perry

Kelley Lynch

Kevin Kane

Kevin Zegers

Kirsten Dunst

Kitao Sakurai

Kristen Schaal

Kristin Chenoweth

Lana Del Rey

Laura Benanti

Laura Dern

Laura Pradelska

Lauren Schuker Blum

Laurence Mark

Laurie David

Lea Michele

Lee Eisenberg

Leo Pearlman

Leslie Siebert

Liev Schreiber

Limor Gott

Lina Esco

Liz Garbus

Lizanne Rosenstein

Lizzie Tisch

Lorraine Schwartz

Lynn Harris

Lyor Cohen

Madonna

Mandana Dayani

Mara Buxbaum

Marc Webb

Marco Perego

Maria Dizzia

Mark Feuerstein

Mark Foster

Mark Scheinberg

Mark Shedletsky

Martin Short

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

Mary McCormack

Mathew Rosengart

Matt Geller

Matt Lucas

Matt Miller

Matthew Bronfman

Matthew Hiltzik

Matthew Weiner

Matti Leshem

Max Mutchnik

Maya Lasry

Meaghan Oppenheimer

Melissa Zukerman

Melissa rudderman

Michael Aloni

Michael Ellenberg

Michael Green

Michael Rapino

Neil Blair

Neil Druckmann

Neil Paris

Nicola Peltz

Nicole Avant

Nina Jacobson

Noa Kirel

Noa Tishby

Noah Oppenheim

Noah Schnapp

Noreena Hertz

Octavia Spencer

Odeya Rush

Olivia Wilde

Oran Zegman

Orlando Bloom

Pasha Kovalev

Pattie LuPone

Patty Jenkins

Paul Haas

Paul Pflug

Paul & Julie Rudd

Peter Baynham

Peter Traugott

Rachel Douglas

Rachel Riley

Rafi Marmor

Ram Bergman

Raphael Margulies

Rebecca Angelo

Rebecca Mall

Regina Spektor

Reinaldo Marcus Green

Rich Statter

Richard Jenkins

Richard Kind

Rick Hoffman

Rick Rosen

Rita Ora

Rob Rinder

Robert Newman

Roger Birnbaum

Roger Green

Rosie O’Donnell

Ross Duffer

Ryan Feldman

Sacha Baron Cohen

Sam Levinson

Sam Trammell

Sara Berman

Sara Foster

Sarah Baker

Sarah Bremner

Sarah Cooper

Sarah Paulson

Sarah Treem

Scott Braun

Scott Braun

Scott Neustadter

Scott Tenley

Sean Combs

Sean Levy

Seth Meyers

Seth Oster

Shannon Watts

Shari Redstone

Sharon Jackson

Sharon Stone

Shauna Perlman

Shawn Levy

Sheila Nevins

Shira Haas

Simon Sebag Montefiore

Simon Tikhman

Skylar Astin

Stacey Snider

Stephen Fry

Steve Agee

Steve Rifkind

Sting & Trudie Styler

Susanna Felleman

Susie Arons

Taika Waititi

Thomas Kail

Tiffany Haddish

Todd Lieberman

Todd Moscowitz

Todd Waldman

Tom Freston

Tom Werner

Tomer Capone

Tracy Ann Oberman

Trudie Styler

Tyler Henry

Tyler James Williams

Tyler Perry

Vanessa Bayer

Veronica Grazer

Veronica Smiley

Whitney Wolfe Herd

Will Ferrell

Will Graham

Yamanieka Saunders

Yariv Milchan

Ynon Kreiz

Zack Snyder

Zoe Saldana

[kanona56]

Do you have any headcanons for Philip or any of the other killers/survivors?

Oh goodness, I have loads. I could go on and on really, but for this ask I'll stick with Philip. Let me know if you'd like to know about some others. ^^

I hc Philip as ethnically Igbo, which is one of the larger tribes of Nigeria and are mostly found in the southeast areas of the country. There's lots of evidence in his lore that points to this being the case, and I've made a Tumblr post about it before detailing how I came to this hc!

Adding onto my first hc, Philip's tome lore hints that he not only was there during the war, but was also a survivor of the Anti-Igbo progrom of 1966, in which a massacre was committed against the Igbo people, presumably from soldiers of the opposing Hausa-Fulani people and/or those native to Northern Nigeria who aligned with the growing hatred of the Igbo people during that time. I therefore like to hc that Philip is also a genocide survior.

His adoptive mother, Funanya, was born Igbo but married Hausa. When war broke out and she lost her husband, she tried to flee to the south with her children when she found Philip. Because it was extremely dangerous for an orphaned Igbo boy to be in the north where the war and killings took place, she taught him everything she could about the Hausa culture, including their muslim-based religion, language, and traditions. It's because of her that Philip was able to survive by pretending to be Hausa.

I'm sure I've made it obvious enough, but Philip has some severe and untreated C-PTSD. C, because his trauma spans over years of his life and cannot be considered one singular event. His symptoms tend to manifest as psychogenic tremors, prone to panic attacks, dissociation, heightened anxiety and vivid nightmares. Daytime flashbacks are rare for him, but if stressed out enough and exposed to a major trigger, they can and will happen to him as well. The smell of blood, the sound of gunfire and fire are his three biggest and most prevalent triggers.

Philip developed alcoholism as an unhealthy coping mechanism. He's an extremely emotional and depressed drunk, the kind of person who's pretty much the opposite of the fun party drinker. He's prone to very quickly losing control of his own emotions and crying instead. Drinking is the only way he knows how to knock himself out enough to avoid vivid, PTSD driven nightmares of Nigeria.

On a way less depressing note, Philip is lactose intolerant! But he'll 100% sacrifice his tummy every now and then for a good bowl of ice cream.

Philip is left-handed, but learned very early on to not use his left hand when interacting with others because it is considered rude and taboo in Nigerian culture (and generally in many other African cultures). His parents understood that his brain is just wired differently so they never forced or trained him into right-handedness, but they both kinda taught him early on to be mindful to use his right hand in public for things other than throwing or writing.

I hc Philip as a demisexual (possibly biromantic as well, but that's not something he's ever bothered to explore). He's the kind of person who definitely strikes me as ace, not ever having a sexual interest because he's such a lonely person and is just not immediately attracted to anyone at all. However, Philip is also a deeply emotional man and relies on them a lot, so it's only when he's developed a bond with someone that he'll start to develop that physical attraction. He quite literally NEEDS that emotional/romantic connection in order to be able to engage in sex, let alone enjoy it. Casual stuff is a total no for him. He tried it only one or two times as a troubled teenager and quickly found that he did NOT enjoy the experience. He just can't do it.

Philip's love language is both touch and undivided attention. He's the kind of person who is deeply devoted to his partner and, once he feels safe and secure in the relationship, will give you his whole heart. He's kind of terrible at speaking because he's such an introverted person, so he expresses his love through physical touch as well as almost always paying attention to his partner and their needs.

In terms of intimacy, Philip as an ace person isn't really all that excited about sex. He'll still definitely enjoy it with his special person, and he'll most definitely initiate it every now and then because he does find his partner physically attractive since he's deeply emotionally connected to them, but to him sex is a bonding experience and less of something to do just for fun. He's extremely romantic in bed - eye contact, kisses, little praises, holding hands, slower pace, you name it. His entire focus will be to please his partner and not himself. He doesn't need or care much about reaching climax, he'll be perfectly fulfilled with the experience knowing his partner feels good and is satisfied.

Since he'd moved to the US, Philip is a bit insecure of his accent because it really makes him stand out. Over time he's managed to tone it down significantly, but it's still there and still very noticeable, just perhaps easier to understand. When he'd first moved, he had a hyperfixation on touching up his English and sounding as well spoken as possible in hopes it would minimize his chances of being picked on as a black immigrant in the country. This was the 1970s, after all.

I'm sure this also goes without saying lol, but Philip is way more attractive than he gives himself credit for. Yes, half his face has been burned, but he'd been lucky enough to put himself out when it happened fairly quickly, so the damage didn't get too far deep into his skin. The burn scars haven't really disfigured his handsome features all that much, just changed the texture and color of his skin. Still, he often feels ugly because of how he looks.

Because Philip had nearly starved to death as a child in Nigeria a number of times, he kinda has an obsession with being as physically healthy as he can be. He runs a lot and does a decent amount of exercise to keep himself lean and in shape, because it feels good having a sense of control over his own body. He never EVER wants to feel malnourished again in his life.

Philip is a very tall man, like 6 feet and some inches and fairly broad in the shoulders. Despite his size, he's developed a natural talent for being extremely silent and light on his feet. When he wants to, Philip can move as quietly as a mouse and is pretty agile on top of that. It's a useful trait to have in the realm (in the context of OIN at least)- you'd think a big guy like him is an easy target to chase, but Philip has the impressive capacity to be deceivingly stealthy and hard to track.

Math (unsurprisingly) is his favorite subject, and Philip is also highly intelligent in this regard. He's a very quick analytical thinker and can do complex math problems in his head fairly well. It comes in handy with his job in Autohaven, to be able to make quick calculations and measurement conversions.

I definitely have more hcs but these are some of the big ones that I can articulate off the top of my head. Thanks for asking!

[fantastickkay]

Album Review of the Week: Cher - Backstage (1968)

1968's Backstage is Cher's fifth album and first commercial failure. The album and its two singles failed to chart at all. While it is not specifically noted, this may also be the beginning of the end for husband Sonny Bono being her main producer.

This is an album of covers, and while most have great vocal delivery, some leave me scratching my head as to why the song was chosen at all in the first place!

We start on a high note with Go Now. This is a great track, perfect for any strong vocalist - like Cher. The instrumentation is a little too much, very whimsical and does not really match the mood of the song. Lots of organs, indicative of the times. Her vocals, as great as they are, could have been mixed better. It sounds like they were recorded on a rather cheap microphone. There are points where they suddenly become quite loud.

Carnival (Manha de Carnaval) is another gorgeous tune. I really enjoy the soft guitar - this time, the music matches the tune. This has a really nice lounge feel (although the vocals are mixed a little loud, again).

It All Adds Up Now brings up the tempo. I especially enjoy the vocals on this track, we get some nice flourishes here and there!

Reason To Believe has some great violin going on! Makes an otherwise boring ballad fun to listen to!

Here comes the sitar! Masters of War makes use of the instrument that The Beatles had popularized for the West. Is it executed well? No, not at all. One short riff is repeated throughout and the vocal melody/mixing actually makes it rather irritating to listen to. Lyrically, it is a pretty good anti-war song, complete with threats of violence! This is very of its time in a not-so-good way.

In a crazy pivot, we end side 1 with a cover of The Lovin' Spoonful's Do You Believe In Magic? It has a subdued tone that I enjoy, her vocals are mixed better in this one and sound great.

Organ vibes are back with I Wasn't Ready, although they are done much more tastefully this time! While Cher sounds good, this does sound more like a rough vocal demo than a finished product.

A House Is Not A Home is a pretty ballad and quite well done in comparison with the rest of the album. The strings are gentle and Cher's vocals are lovely.

Take Me For A Little While was one of the singles. I can understand why radio did not embrace the track. It's fine, but is not on par with what was popular at the time nor interesting and different enough to break the mold. I do really enjoy the chorus, however. The vocal layering sounds really nice!

The Impossible Dream (The Quest) is a very popular song that has been covered numerous times over the years. (Most notably by Niles the Butler in the Nanny, just kidding!) This version is nice, but there is not really anything special about it.

According to Google, The Click Song is a traditional song of the Xhosa people of South Africa. Why Cher did a song in an African language baffles me. Even worse, it was the lead single for this album!! Obviously, I'm sure, I don't know this language well enough to judge her delivery although some YouTube comments are quite scathing.

The album closes with Song Called Children, a whimsical ballad. Once the instruments really kick in, the song is quite cute. Has some nursery worthy instrumentals, although it kicks back and forth from slow to fast at a dizzying pace. At times it is a slow piano ballad, then the fast violin kicks in every so often.

While Cher's vocals are quite good, the mixing, overall production and song selection help me understand why this album did not do very well. Go Now, It All Adds Up Now and Do You Believe In Magic are the only real standouts.

[gusujay]

Haven’t been able to play red dead 2 since last Friday. Going through withdrawal symptoms. My hand yearns for the cold shell of my Xbox controller. My eyes glance longingly at my extra hdmi cable that I keep in my laptop bag as it looks back at me with mourning as it has no Xbox nor tv to connect to. I think about my Xbox as it sits in my cupboard back at home containing the red dead 2 disk and sigh. When will my husband return from the war? Only 4 more days until I get back home. I must hold on. I must persevere. I yearn for the small town in the middle of nowhere I grew up in and know I can never go back. That the semblance of it I get from red dead 2 is the closest taste I can get because there is nothing for me there and I need to go to uni. Am I being overdramatic? Perhaps. But I haven’t heard Charles Smith’s voice in days. I contemplate once again buying the game on steam so that I can play it whenever I want, but alas, it is R1000 (the South African currency conversion of 60 dollars) on steam and I cannot afford to spend that much on a game I already own on Xbox. I should’ve bought it during the Christmas sale on steam when it was way cheaper but I didn’t know then what it would do to my life. I yearn. Gonna start carrying little pictures of Arthur Morgan and Charles Smith in my wallet.

[theemporium]

Idk man, my best friend’s husband and his whole family are South African - they came to the US when he was a kid and he’s the youngest so they all have varying degrees of accent and Lando doesn’t sound like any of them

I suddenly need this man to go south africa and talk to people to see if it sounds the same😭

[tom--22--felton]

I’m South African and there’s these competitions for ‘bride of the year’ in SA, I’m sure there’s similar in most countries. One of my close friends was a finalist in 2020 (very well deserved, she and her husband are just gorgeous and they had the most beautiful and genuine wedding and her entry into the competition was just so lovely!). Obviously I was curious and loved reading the other entries…I tell you what, you get all sorts! It was very amusing! Entries ranged from those that were absolutely gorgeous, really cute, to those that were funny and were a great laugh, really genuine, some you would just read and think really? There were a few that had delusions of grandeur or you’d think what possessed you enter this in the first place? Some were completely OTT, more money than they knew what to do with. Then there were the ones that were such over-sharers with entries that were literal essays and too much information. One such entry the bride was talking about her wedding panties 🤣🤣🤣🤦‍♀️I was like what am i reading?!! Anyway it didn’t mean anything at the time but it was something that I found amusing but also a little strange and peculiar to be sharing those kind of private details. 

Anyways since then someone told me who it was 😝. I won’t mention any names (you can prob guess) , but it might explain why R wants to keep a low public profile and be distanced from some family. 

I never took time to read about SIL's wedding to be honest, so I'm not sure if it was embarassing :)) But I don't think seahorse wants to be distanced from her family. Yes, we don't know much about them, but it always seemed to me she's very close with her parents and brother.

[piratefalls]

Top 5 non fiction books ? (i liked your last book rec post!)

Top 5 animals you wish you could cuddle/pet ? (if there was absolutely no risk of being mauled in the process ofc lol)

I LOVE TALKING ABOUT BOOKS LET'S GOOOOO. I knew my English degree would come in handy at some point. I've read a decent amount of non-fiction, so I'll try to cover a number of topic bases here:

5 non-fiction books

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah. I'll admit I didn't know much about apartheid going into it and I found it to be a decent primer. It's been a while since I've read it, but I remember not being able to put I down. It is as heartbreaking as it is humorous as it is enlightening.

Hunter: A Memoir of (My) Body by Roxane Gay. This may no be for everybody as it deals with the trauma of rape and also living in this world in a fat body. As someone who has had body issues pretty much her whole life, this book really made me feel understood. But like I said, heed the warnings. (If you can't find it in yourself to read this book, Bad Feminist is an excellent essay collection from her.)

This Will Be My Undoing: Living at the Intersection of Black, Female, and Feminist in (White) America by Morgan Jerkins. A++, the chapter on Michelle Obama made me cry.

Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies by Michael Ausiello. Pop culture fans know Ausiello, but this is a book about the love he and his husband shared that was cut short by a severe form of cancer. It is incredibly sad - the tittle really doesn't leave anything to the imagination - but at its core this is a story about love. I cried through the last 50 pages so, you know, fair warning. (They just turned this into a movie too.)

Tomorrow Will Be Different: Love, Loss, and the Fight for Trans Equality by Sarah McBride. Once again, someone dies, but her story is pretty remarkable. I picked up a few trans-centric memoirs after reading this and while I still haven't read them (it's been a bad reading year for me) I did find this, like Born a Crime, to be a pretty good primer about the legal side of existing as a trans person.

Bonus: Life Will Be the Death of Me...And You Too! by Chelsea Handler. Explores privilege, dealing with grief, and what we can do to make the world and ourselves better with her usual amount of humor and a big heaping of heart.

General nonfiction authors I enjoy for essay collections: Michael Arceneaux, Samantha Irby, Sarah Colonna (comedian, very funny stories),

5 animals I'd cuddle or pet:

I'd cuddle a fennec fox in a heartbeat. I love their big ears and tiny bodies. I saw a TikTok once where someone described them as Versace chihuahua and I died.

I'd love to pet a great white shark. I've loved sharks since I was 8 and I just think they're equal parts terrifying and majestic.

Cuddle an otter. I'm obsessed with their tiny hands.

Also cuddle a lion cub. Tthey're just really fucking cute.

I'd also love to pet a rhino. They're just so cool and what's been done to their populations is so sad and they're also just very very cool animals.

put “top 5” anything in my ask

[alex-innes-ardn516]

History of Albert Park

Albert Part has become one of my favourite places in Auckland City and so i wanted to do some research about the history of it.

The postcard above shows two people resting at the park with the fountain in front of them (1882) at the centre and the band rotunda (1901) off to the right.

Before Albert Park was a park it was military barracks/accomodation during conflict in the Northland form 1845 to 1846 and troops where stationed there until 1871 as the buildings were demolished when the barracks were no loner needed .

The park was then built ten years later and named after Queen Victoria's husband Prince Albert and designed in a public competition in 1881, by architect James Slater. Sir George Grey previously the governor donated 200 plants and trees to the park and more donated by prominent colonial resident Judge Thomas Gillies. Notable trees include an ombu tree, a South African coral, a monkey claw tree, and a circle of English oaks. with some of theres trees still their today.

““Victorians loved walking in their parks, and the area surrounding Albert Park became a wealthy neighbourhood in the 1880s with beautiful ornate merchant houses surrounding the Park” says Mica Plowman, Principal Heritage Advisor at Auckland Council."

(https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/news/2024/04/unearthing-albert-park-s-history-for-archaeology-week/)

Albert has a long history and it is amazing that the land and park has be preserved all these years so thousands of people can enjoy visiting it every year.

[scentedchildnacho]

My genetics teacher told me I had respiratory arrest from codeine and that's why my toothpaste is from China now.....I don't have those enzymes

My dental group does need to stay away from me forever

That's bad outcome in track and field in high school....I had respiratory arrest as a child

Why so phobic and earth now policy....

Warfarin....no white people needing aid to be free from religion or we are all of Africans is about white manifestations of post modern self governing systems....I maybe through homelessness have acquired Asian capabilities

The migrant agricultural policy in California appears more asian....

They were like what is your ethnicity so I told them there are several myths to attempting land use.....she was.....Hispanic and her police husband would really beat up this population and her and she would gift certain practices so

Others the international executive important in white hospitality is south east Asians or the bamboo

The Mexican revolution has been influential in continuing resource trade with Britain....