#assisted living in Pittsburgh

[assistedlivingpittsburgh]

The Green Thumb Guide: Gardening Tips for Senior Assisted Living

Embracing the joys of gardening can be a therapeutic and fulfilling experience for seniors in assisted living. With a little know-how and the right approach, cultivating a green thumb becomes an accessible and enjoyable activity. Let's explore the Green Thumb Guide, offering gardening tips tailored to enhance the lives of seniors in assisted living!

Selecting Senior-Friendly Plants: Blooms for Every Season

Choosing the right plants is the first step in creating a vibrant and accessible garden for seniors. Opt for low-maintenance and senior-friendly plants that bloom throughout the seasons. This ensures that the garden remains a source of beauty and inspiration year-round. Consider varieties like lavender, marigolds, and petunias for an easy-to-care-for and visually appealing garden.

Raised Beds and Container Gardening: A Comfortable Approach

For seniors who may face mobility challenges, raised beds and container gardening provide a comfortable and accessible solution. These methods eliminate the need for excessive bending or kneeling, making it easier for individuals in assisted living to tend to their plants. Raised beds also offer better soil drainage and pest control, contributing to a healthier garden environment.

Engaging in Therapeutic Horticulture: Nurturing Mind and Body

Gardening is not just about plants; it's a holistic experience that nurtures both the mind and body. Seniors in assisted living can benefit from therapeutic horticulture by engaging in activities like weeding, planting, and pruning. This hands-on approach promotes physical activity, mental well-being, and a sense of accomplishment, contributing to an overall healthier lifestyle.

Creating a Social Garden Space: Building Community Bonds

Gardens have the remarkable ability to bring people together. In assisted living communities, creating a social garden space fosters a sense of community and connection among residents. Encourage group gardening activities, where seniors can share gardening tips, swap stories, and collaborate on projects. This communal approach not only enhances the garden but also strengthens the bonds between residents.

Blooming Happiness: The Senior Garden Legacy!

In conclusion, the Green Thumb Guide opens the door to a world of possibilities for seniors in assisted living. By carefully selecting plants, embracing raised beds and containers, engaging in therapeutic horticulture, and fostering a sense of community, seniors can cultivate their own garden legacy. The joy and fulfillment derived from blooming flowers and shared gardening experiences contribute to a richer and more vibrant senior living environment!!!

The Senior Garden Legacy blooms with the shared experiences of cultivating vibrant flowers, connecting with nature, and fostering community bonds. Each raised bed, every carefully chosen plant, and the therapeutic embrace of gardening activities contribute to the blooming happiness that defines the assisted living landscape for seniors with a green thumb.

[uwmspeccoll]

Staff Pick of the Week

My staff pick this week is the trade edition of The Tale of the Shining Princess by Japanese-born writer Hisako Matsubara (b.1935) and Japanese-Canadian artist-printmaker Naoko Matsubara (b.1937), published by Kodansha International LTD. Tokyo, Japan in 1966. 

As a artist-printmaker and bookmaker who makes woodcuts, I am greatly inspired by Naoko’s prints. Naoko Matsubara’s work carries on traditions of Japanese printmaking while having its own contemporary flavor. Her woodcuts are ecstatic, they are vibrating with movement. Her use of bold shapes and the white line of the the carving tool makes the most of what woodcut has to offer. In the book form, the active images carry the reader’s eyes through the book space. Her use of negative space activates the page. Additionally, her woodcuts have translated beautifully to commercial printing. 

The Matsubara sisters are daughters of a senior Shinto priest, and were raised in Kyoto. Both studied, lived, and worked in the United States. Hisako received her Master of Arts degree from Pennsylvania State College, moving to Germany where she continued her studies and became a prominent writer, publishing her work in Japanese, English, and German. In the 1980s she moved back to the United States, this time to California where she worked at Stanford University. 

Naoko received her Master of Fine Arts from Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh, now Carnegie Mellon University. After her studies she traveled across Europe and Asia. She returned to the United States and became the personal assistant to the artist and wood engraver Fritz Eichenberg, an artist who has been featured many times on our blog. Naoko taught at Pratt University in New York and at the University of Rohde Island. She also lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts for a time. Naoko is currently living and working in Canada in Oakville, Ontario, where she continues to work and exhibit nationally. 

The work of both Hisako and Naoko have had great influence inside the United States and around the world. So lets celebrate their accomplishments! 

This book has end sheets of mulberry paper with inclusions of Bamboo leaves, the cover is a red textured paper with a gold stamped design by Naoko. 

View some of our other AAPI selections for this month.

View our other Staff Picks.

- Teddy, Special Collections Graduate Intern

[hockeylovee12]

A Closed Book-Luke Hughes

Summary: you and Luke had been dating for a year long distance and in secret but now that he’s in New Jersey permanently it gets a little harder to keep a secret.

Warnings: 18+, Smut, Sex

Luke Hughes had always been a very private person even to the people close to him. His brothers like to tease him and say he’s a closed book with about 17,000 different locks.

Personally Luke didn’t mind he knew he is a private person and you quickly realized that and had no problems with it. Sure you would have liked to post your boyfriend and engage in all the conversation with your friends when they brought up their own but at the same time you loved the idea of having someone and something special that you never had to talk about or share with the world. Something that was only yours and that’s what Luke was.

The two of you met one of the first times Luke had came to visit his older brother Jack. You were only 17 at the time and Luke was nearly 19. The two of you hit it off at a coffee shop that was close to your high school. Luke and you exchanged numbers and when you turned 18 you two made it official.

After finishing high school you choose to stay in state so the first few months of being official you two were long distance. It was a lot of work a lot of late night phone calls and texts but you made it work and it was worth it.

Now Luke has officially signed with the New Jersey devils and he’s here permanently and you’re both thrilled.

November 7th marks the date of both your birthday and your one year anniversary so Luke wanted to do something special unfortunately the Devils had a four day road trip the last game being against St Louis on the 7th but two days later they were home for a game against the Pittsburgh penguins and even better they had the next day off.

So knowing Luke’s brother would go out after the game with his teammates probably to a bar which Luke couldn’t join because he is only 20 Luke had the brilliant plan of spending an evening in together and you were all for it.

11/09/2023 Jack and Luke’s Apartment

The devils won in overtime leading the score 5-4. Luke had a pretty good game he had a single assist for which he was proud of and after the game the two brothers headed back to their apartment.

“Luke are you sure you don’t wanna come out with us you know we can get you into the bar it’s not a big deal” Jack offers his younger brother

“Nah it’s ok I’m kinda tired anyway I’m probably just gonna order a pizza and watch some tv you go have fun” Luke says

Jack looks at his little brother with a slight smile while he couldn’t be more happy to have his brother playing with him and living with him apart of him wishes Luke would go out more often because he doesn’t hang out with the team as much as Jack does.

“Also what time you think you’re gonna be back?” Luke asks trying to ask as casually as possible so he knows how long he has with his girlfriend

“Um I don’t know I think we’re gonna hit a few bars see where the night goes I’ll probably be around 3” Jack says

“All right see you later” Luke says waving his brother goodbye as his brother leaves the shared apartment

Almost immediately Luke pulls out his phone and sends you a text.

Then Luke heads to his room to take a shower and get dressed. He puts on a pair of blue jeans and a white t shirt that you told him makes his muscles look big.

Beep beep

From Y/N❤️

I’m here

Luke walks outside his room and comes gets you from the hallway.

“Hey there” Luke says wrapping his arm around you and pulling you inside.

Once the door shuts Lukes lips immediately find there way to yours.

The next three hours the two of you spend your time watching movies cuddling and eating Chinese takeout.

Near the end of the 2nd movie Luke whispers in your ear and asks if you want to go to his room.

A smirk appears on your face and you nod.

“I’ll be right there” Luke says

You walk to Lukes room while he throws out the trash and cleans up before meeting you in the bedroom where he sees you in a gorgeous black lacy bra.

Luke shuts the door with his foot and walks towards you picking you up and placing you on the bed.

Luke takes off his shirt and throws it on the ground then starts unbuttoning your pants and slips them off of you and starts making his way down your stomach with kisses and stops right before he gets to your pussy making you let out a frustrated sigh causing him to smirk

Luke leans over you and reaches into his night stand and grabs a condom

You watch as Luke takes off the rest of his clothes and rolls on a condom then he regains his previous position and starts rubbing his hands on your body. Soon he grips the sides of your panties and yanks them down. Before roughly pushing himself into you.

You let a loud moan.

“Luke” You moan out as Luke continues thrusting in and out of you. Within minutes you both cum and Luke rests his head on your stomach both panting a little bit.

“You ok?” He asks after a minute

“I’m great” You smirk

After laying down for about an hour the two of you decide to take a shower which results in more sex under the warm water.

Around 3am Luke checks his phone

“Oh shit Jack’s gonna be back soon” he says

You quickly realize what he said and jump up quickly putting on your clothes as he does the same.

Once your both dressed the two of you walk out of his room and back into the living room.

“I love you” Luke says pulling you in for a kiss

“I love you too” You reply

“What the hell?” A voice says and the lights flicker on

You both jump seeing Jack standing there

“Jack jeez I didn’t hear you come in” Luke says with an arm still wrapped around you

“Who’s this?” He asks

“Um this is uh” Luke starts to say

“I’m Y/N” you introduce

“Are you dating her?” Jack asks

Luke and I both look at each other

“Um well ya” he says after a moment of silence

Jack looks at him

“How long?” He asks taking a sip of water

“It was a year on the 7th” Luke replies

“A year?!!” Jack exclaims

“How the hell did you keep this a secret for a year?!!”

“Well um you know I’m like a closed book”

“Alright I’m gonna go to bed but it’s late so you both should as well” Jack says walking towards his room

“You wanna spend the night?” Luke asks

“Sure” you reply and the two of you head back to Lukes room and you strip and take one of his t shirts and put it on.

Luke changes into sweats and you both lay down in bed with your head on his bare chest.

A few minutes later the door opens and Jack steps in

“This door stays open all night” Jack says

Luke takes a pillow off the ground and throws it a Jack causing him to laugh

“Goodnight Luke and goodnight Y/N” Jack says retreating back to his own room and leaving the door wide open.

[swissboyhisch]

All-Star Love

Pairing: Matthew Tkachuck x Lemiuex!Reader

Summary: The NHL All Star weekend is always fun. But bring in a romance... Then that's when it becomes interesting.

Word Count: 1742

Warnings: None I think. Please tell me if I'm wrong.

A/N: This comes from a fanific I've written myself. I adjusted it for this but I loved this idea/scene.

THE MASTERLIST JOIN THE TAGLIST HOCKEY DISCORD

All-Star weekend 2020. This year it was being held in St. Louis. You had arrived on the Pittsburgh plane with Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang and Tristan Jarry since you were currently working with the team. Despite being Lemiuex’s child, you had earned yourself a position as an assistant coach at such a young age. You grew up playing the game. Now you were also the captain of the Canadian Women’s team. 

The last few years, you had attended the games alongside Sidney, who was an older brother after he lived with you and your family after he was drafted in 2005. It was a staple weekend in the season schedule. You had the chance to see all the friends and players you were close with and get to have some fun. Often you could even find yourself doing media stuff. 

This year the NHL had introduced the Elite Women’s 3 on 3. You were the youngest on the Canadian team by 5 years. They also have allowed the women on the teams to compete in the skills competitions. You had been placed into the Shooting Stars event. This meant that you were competing against your boyfriend, Matt, and his brother, Brady. Others in the skills competition include Mitch Marner, Patrick Kane, Tyler Seguin, David Perron, Hillary Knight, Danid Pastrnak and Ryan O’Reilly. 

Right now you were dressed in a pair of jeans and your team jersey. Standing in line waiting to be called to the stage where you’d be shooting from. With Mitch, Matt and Brady in front of you, the four of you were chatting and laughing. Each of you were excited to shoot off the platform. 

“Now your Gatorade Shooting Stars… from your St. Louis Blues, number 57, David Perron!”

The arena came to life, all cheering on one of the home team players. Perron, with his son in his arms, made his way up the stairs from ice levels. Handing out beanies and high fiving the fans as he went up to the platform.

“From the Toronto Maple Leafs, number 16, Mitch Marner.” 

Mitch followed Perron up the steps. Handing out hats as he went. Matt stepped forward to the bottom of the stars, looking up at all the fans. He had a hand on your lower back. Brady had let your stand next to your boyfriend whilst you three waited.

“From the Calgary Flames, number 19, Matthew Tkachuk.” Matt follows Mitch up. “From the Ottawa Senators, number 7, Brady Tkachuk.”

“The Canadian Women’s All Star, number 11, (Y/N) Lemieux.”

As you walked up the many stairs, you handed out rolled up t-shirts to fans. It was weird to have this many cameras in your face though. If you were honest, the walk up to the platform looked a lot shorter from the bottom. Especially the amount of stairs you had to climb. You reached the platform and waited for the rest of the players to join herself,Matt, Brady, Mitch and Perron. When everyone had gotten there, it went straight into the competition. First to shoot was Perron. He scored a total of 14 points. Mitch was next on the platform. He scored an awesome 22 points.

“Our next shooter, Matthew Tkachuk,” Nick started. “Your brother Brady is following you so we thought, hey, why not get one more Tkachuk up here. Why not bring up your Dad. Give it up St. Louis, for all-star Kieth Tkachuk!”

Yourself and Brady grin, tapping your sticks as you watched Keith join Matt on the platform, an arm around his shoulder with a wide smile on his face. Nick motioned for Brady to join them as well. You decided to give him a light shove as a joke.

“You should be up here as well,” Brady commented as he joined his brother and father.

You laughed at Brady’s comment. Sending a wink to Matt as well who had the biggest smile on his face.

Keith turned to face you, giving you a joking look, “I think we’re missing someone up here.”

“I ain’t no Tkachuck,” You reply. “Enjoy the moment, big guy.”

Matt stepped forward from where he was standing, holding his hand out for you. “Well, maybe we should change that, hey?”

“What?”

Keith, Brady and Nick stepped back from the platform and Matt grabbed your hand, pulling you to the centre of the platform they were standing on. Your hands flew to your mouth as you watched Matt slowly kneel to one knee and open a ring box. In the box sat the most perfect engagement ring you had ever seen.

“No way,” you breathed, looking at Matt who had the biggest smile on his face.

“You’ve been my best friend since we met all those years ago right here in this very arena. When little (Y/N) bumped into me as she ran to get away from her dad. You’ve been considered part of this family since then but I think I need to make it official, make sure you don’t stand out too much with that last name. Will you do me the greatest honour of changing your last name from Lemieux to Tkachuk?”

You nodded, too shocked to answer in words. The arena roared to life when Matt stood up and kissed you. He pulled the ring out of the box as you dropped your gloves. You cried as Matt slid the ring on your finger. Once he had sealed the deal, you lunged at him, wrapping your arms around his shoulders excitedly.

The players around them and on the bench, as well as the whole arena, were screaming and cheering. Mitch and Brady made sure they were heard over everyone else. 

“I can’t believe you,” You laughed as you pulled away from Matt. Brady was the first to hug you congratulations. He had the biggest grin as well. The smile gave him away. “You knew!”

“Of course I did,” Brady chuckles, “I helped choose the ring.”

Brady was interrupted when Keith pulled you into a hug. “I think you should just keep your last name, it’s more recognisable.”

“Tkachuk is better, that's for sure.”

Nick soon joined the happy group. You were tucked into Matt’s side like usual. Nick held his hand out to Matt who shook it happily before handing Matt a new jersey. It was a grey All-Star Canadian jersey like you were wearing. You grabbed it from Matt, checking the back which now had Tkachuk on it.

“Oh my god,” You grinned, pulling off your current jersey for the new one.

“Hey, have a look at the photo up on the board you guys.” There was a photo of Keith kneeling by the bench in front of a young Brady, Matt and yourself. You had attended the weekend with her father and hung out with the boys. One of the rare times you got to see the Tkachuk brothers as a kid. “How exciting is it to be on this platform being here, history in the making, with your sons and soon to be in-law?”

“I’m so proud of these guys,” Keith stated, smiling at you three. “They’ve earned being here. Matt and Brady grew up here, watched me play here. I mean, Matt met (Y/N) just outside the home change rooms in this arena.” At that, there was a picture of Matt, Brady and Taryn, the youngest Tkachuk, standing with Keith now on the screen.  “I love these guys. I know they love the Blues deep down.”

“Oh, we’re excited to have you here. 18000 people wanna know, how many pucks can Tkachuk chuck, chuck? So why don’t you have a go at this.” Keith took Matt’s stick from him as the three young adults stepped back. “Come on, Keith Tkachuk everybody!”

Keith shot the puck, nearly getting it in the 10 pointer net. “Not a lot of love for that arch there Tkachuk,” You chirped as he turned to give Matt his stick back.

He hugged the three of you before Matt stepped up to the platform. But only after a kiss from you. Keith’s arm wrapped around your shoulder as they watched Matt drop his gloves.

“How characteristic…” You giggles, stopping when he pulls off his Calgary jersey to reveal an old St. Louis Cardinals jersey.

“Who’d he fight?” Keith laughed. “He won’t touch you.”

“He’ll fight me,” Brady mumbled from beside you.

The three of you chuckled as you watched Matt take his first shot. As he took his next few shots, you listened to Brady and Keith chirp your boyfriend, well now Fiance. Matt ended up with 24, getting a 10 on his last one.

“Look at you go,” You smiled, pecking Matt when he switched spots with Brady. 

Brady stepped up to the plate. Matt pulled from under his dad’s arm into his. Having you stand in front of him with his arms around you. When Brady took his first shot, Matt laughed at the fact his brother didn’t do anything special as a tribute to their hometown. 

“Next up we have the last of the three musketeers.”

You stepped onto the platform, with a good luck kiss from Matthew. You had 7 shots to hit the targets laid out on the ice below. With the first shot you hit a 5. After your 6 other shots, you came to a total of 24 as well. Tie with Matthew. After everyone else had taken their shot, it was only Matthew and yourself that had the highest score. No-one had outshot you two. 

“Since you both scored an amazing 24 points, we go to a sudden death shootout. One shot. Highest score wins.”

Matt shot first, missing the arch but a hair. You shot next. The puck went flying over the arch. Actually hitting Jarry who was chilling at the end of the end with some of the other goalies. 

“Injure your goalie, why don’t ya?” Matt chirps as he steps up once again. 

Round two. Matt shoots and hits the 5 points. Only way for you to beat that was to score the same or hit the arch for 10 points. You took a moment before finally shooting the puck. It went straight into the arch. You grin, cheering as you turn to where Matt was standing.

“Better luck next time Tkachuk!”

He smiled, coming up to congratulate you. He pressed a kiss to your lips. “Next time, you’ll be a Tkachuk as well.”

TAG LIST:

@findapenny @mp0625 @hischierhaze @11zegras @lvrzegras @francesfarhadi @cixrosie @daisysthings

[palmtreepalmtree]

He lives in Finleyville, Pennsylvania, a town 45 minutes south of Pittsburgh, and receives $1,022 a month in Social Security, according to documents viewed by BI. He earns roughly $800 every two weeks from his job at Walmart, and he has a few thousand dollars stashed away in case of an emergency.

"I live within my means," he said.

....???????

This whole article is journalistic malpractice.

They quote this man as saying he wouldn't know what to do with the money if he had over a $1 million in retirement savings. And then they proceed to talk about his meager retirement lifestyle, like they're interviewing a kindly content hermit and it's the rest of us who have materialistic and outrageous savings needs.

What will he do in case of a longterm medical disability? No answer in the article.

Does he rent or own his own home? What happens if his rent goes up? No answer in the article.

Does he think he'll be able to work as a part-time stocker forever? What happens if he gets laid off or can't lift or walk anymore? No answer in the article.

What happens if he needs memory care? Assisted living? Caregiving? No answer in article.

WHY IS THIS ARTICLE IN MY FEED? WHAT IS IT TRYING TO CONVINCE AMERICANS? WHY IS THIS WHOLE THING FUCKING DELUSIONAL?

[portraitsofsaints]

Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos 1819-1867 Feast Day: October 5 Patronage: against cancer

Blessed Fr. Francis Xavier Seelos was beatified by Pope Saint John Paul II in 2000. Born in Germany, he was inspired to be a Redemptorist missionary priest in the U.S. to serve the German immigrants.  At St. Philomena’s Parish in Pittsburgh, he was the assistant to St. John Neumann, who was his spiritual director and encouraged him to preach missions. Fr. Seelos lived a simple lifestyle, serving the poor and abandoned. He was called the “Cheerful Ascetic,” the “American Wonderworker,” the “Doctor of Souls,” for his intercession in healing bodies and souls. He was assigned to parishes in Detroit, Baltimore, and New Orleans, where he died from yellow fever contracted from caring for victims of the disease. 

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase here: (website)

[rimouskis]

In the interest of wanting to love life again: what was your favourite moment of the Penguins season this year? Any happy memories?

I had a really great season, man.

I saw games with seven different fandom friends and got to introduce three of them to the city for the first time. I got to see so many wins alongside them, including several friends' first pens wins. I got to watch the Pens win a Pride game, which was amazing and so fun.

I got to see Geno's 1000th game in Chicago (with my family, who'd never been to a hockey game before), and then flew back to Pittsburgh to see them celebrate it on home ice—with Geno winning it in a shootout that was probably the coolest experience I've ever had in a hockey arena.

I got to see Tanger's 1000th game and share that with a friend. Seeing the funky fun little warmups (which I missed for Geno's in Chicago because the arena workers were mean 😂) was super special and cool.

I got to go to the night of assists, which was a lifetime experience, special and made all the better by getting to share it with a fandom friend.

I got to go to a Geno fan signing with another friend, and say hi to him as he signed my jersey and thank him for signing with the pens. he said he was glad to sign, too:)

I got to live through contractgate, which was horrible-at-the-time but also a really unifying experience.

I felt a thousand, no, a million times worse when Geno pulled that dumbass "I'm gonna test free agency 💅" move this summer that made me just SOB in the arrivals lane at an airport on the very first business trip I've ever made in my career ahahaha.

and it's weird and silly, because I'm a person who really needs to reframe those upsetting moments into something good. it's how I live with them. I remember how hopeless I felt—my plane had been turned around, I was late to my first business trip ever, I was about to meet my high-powered boss in person for the first time, I was standing in the Detroit heat waiting for 45 minutes for a shuttle to take me to the grimiest hotel I've laid eyes on because my connecting flight had been delayed until the next day... and I was just crying into my mask as I tried to console my fandom friends and keep my wits about me because it kind of felt like the world was ending.

and it wasn't... about... the team. in a way it wasn't even fully down to being about geno. do not get me wrong: I was personally devastated by the idea of him not coming back. he's one of My Guys. I was in denial about what I would do if he didn't sign with the Pens. I was so torn up about it that I stayed up for hours even though I was exhausted.

but the fear that kept me up in that really weird, shitty hotel room was the thought that my fandom was going to circle the drain because of it. we saw what a ship split did to tk/np, didn't we? their situation was different from sidgeno's... they lacked the amount of history, the sheer years... but nonetheless, I'm really, really aware of how small and tight-knit our corner of hockey fandom is. I was terrified of the possibility of geno leaving and that fracturing this really beautiful chunk of the internet that I've called home for the majority of my adult life, at this point.

that didn't happen. not only did it not happen, but I was in a vacation dreamland, barely needing to work on a business trip in the most gorgeous fantasyland location I've ever seen, having impressed my boss and nailed my part of the trip. all my anxiety—over the trip, over my job, over my fandom, over geno, over sid, over my friends dealing with this—was real, but it didn't win. instead I practically experienced euphoria on the shoreline.

I remember getting the text from a friend at close to midnight or whenever it was. geno had signed. things were going to be okay. things were going to be great.

and they were. I had so much fun this season, man. I really did. I wrote 14ish new fics this season. I participated in three (four? maybe more?) fic fests. I went to so many games that I felt gluttonous about it. I talked to tons of people all over this fandom. my friendships grew stronger. I traveled to two different states to visit fandom friends. I'm flying across the ocean to see more in the coming months.

and like... that's what matters. that ACTUALLY impacts my life, more than a man leaving a team, more than a team losing games. as important as certain players or records are to me, that's all stuff I can come to accept (well... some things I can accept. I don't think I'd ever have gotten over geno had he left. I get nauseous thinking about it. let's not muse on it. it didn't happen and that's what matters).

what I wouldn't have been able to accept was this space—this fandom, this lovely little corner where we talk about and joke about and blog about and meme about and write about the pens—unraveling. I'm not naive enough to expect this place to be around forever, and it already looks radically different from what it was when I joined it, but I'm determined to help preserve it for as long as I can. I want this to be a fun space. A creative one. Someplace where we're having a good time but also talking about things that matter to us and learning about the sport.

I told you all in a post a long while ago after I went to seattle that I want to be more assertive and honest about how much online friendships mean to me. the fact that there's this online community is sick. we're all in this cool little boat together and that is impressive and interesting and unique and I love it. I love fandom, and I love THIS fandom, and I love Sid and Geno and what we do in the name of their friendship. this place has enriched my life in ways I can't even tell you about. it's so cool. it is SO cool.

so.... I don't know what else to leave you with but this picture of the coastline I sat at on a cool July night, with my career changing in amazing ways and my anxieties quelled and my body flooded with adrenaline over the news that Geno Was Back and my mind BURSTING with creativity over a new story idea that was billowing out of me like smoke.

I sat there, headphones in, a song by one of my favorite bands playing on repeat as the sun set and the world turned the most intense shade of blue I'd seen in my life. I kept mouthing along to the words—Die if I must, let my bones turn to dust, I'm the lord of the lake and I don't want to leave it.

I just couldn't get over how lucky I felt. what a life I had. what fortune had come into my life. how crazy it was that things, like they seemingly so often do, worked out.

if I REALLY wanted to be trite, I could say something right now like "well, it was about time my luck ran out." but I don't feel like it has. tonight wasn't fun, but this season isn't about tonight for me.

this season is about:

the look on my friend's face as we caught sight of Sid at the night of assists and had that christ-he's-real moment

starting a podcast with my friends and getting to create silly goofy stuff in fun new ways

my dad being kind of alarmed at me screaming down at the ice and getting to explain to my sister what a power play was

getting to boo and cheer with the fans (and my friends). during overtime and the shootout for Geno's 1001th game, and the ecstasy of him winning it all.

having players walk past me and my friends at our dinner tables randomly in the city and getting to laugh about how cool/funny an experience that is 😂

having geno help me win a game of blackjack, which will forever be one of the coolest things I've been able to experience

organizing trips for people who've never seen the city before and having them tell me how fun experiencing pgh is, which is so meaningful as someone who's done a lot of growing up here

meeting new friends, both online and in person, and getting to learn about them and write with them and create with them

writing. writing. writing. the thing I've loved to do since I was a child. the thing I want to dedicate myself even more fully to.

reading the works people in our fandom write and share, which is such an overwhelming act of community and passion that I need to remind myself of how extraordinary it is

sitting out on the edge of the water and marveling at what a life I had, literally none of it possible without fandom. nothing in my life has shaped my literal life path as much as this fandom and S+G.

this is overly sentimental and perhaps cloying, but god, do I mean it. I mean it so earnestly I can't even be embarrassed about it.

life is good. tonight was hard, and I saw things that are going to stick with me and probably upset me, but the positives outweigh the negatives as a rule in my life. I can't live otherwise. I won't tell anyone else how to deal with stress or fear, and I'm trying to get better at that, but in the meantime I'll leave you with that image of the big blue world all laid out in front of me and me feeling every feeling in the world there was to feel, because I was so overwhelmed with the previous 24 hours that it was all I could do to sit there and let it run its course.

I'm an optimist, for better or worse, because it's the way I make life bearable. and, because I'm also kind of corny, I'm going to go back to that blue dusk eating up the whole sky and melting into the water and remember how I felt.

that's why I'm here. I hope there are moments from this season that made you feel like that, too. I hope you, like me, feel that those moments greatly and meaningfully outweigh bad ones.

it was a good year. I can't wait for whatever comes next.

[boltupbitches]

Crème Brûlée and Sweets - Chapter 2

"Holy shit!" Josie whispered to herself. She was sitting outside the Bengals practice facility, nervously waiting for Joe to meet her at her car. She texted him as soon as she arrive (a few minutes early at that) and was waiting for him now to text back.

Lost in her train of thought, she was startled by her phone binging. She picked it up out of her cup holder and looked to see Joe's text.

Joe Omw out now. see you in two minutes.

Josie ok

Josie immediately reached for her purse, shoving her phone into it and applying some chapstick. She then got out of her car and made sure to grab the pastry box that held the Finnish tiger cake for Joe.

"Hey! So glad you could make it!" A voice called out.

She turned around to see Joe approaching her with a welcoming smile and she could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks, nervous at the site of her celebrity crush. 'Get it together Jo,' she mentally chastised.

"I wouldn't miss this opportunity for the world! Thank you so much for reaching out to me. It's, uh,  it's wow." Josie chuckled, looking down shyly and shuffling her feet. "Sorry, that's not very articulate, but I'm very happy I am there. Thank you so much, Joe." She looked up from underneath her lashes at him, silently cursing herself for not wearing any makeup today. She was almost certain she was as red as a tomato right now and it definitely wasn't from the sun beating down on them.

Joe stared at her with a smile still on his face, his eyes holding a soft look as he took her appearance in. He wouldn't tell her this right away out of fear of making her uncomfortable, but she was beautiful. Even more so bare-faced and not behind a camera on the screen. He took in her blonde locks tied up in a half-hazard bun, the freckle next to her green eyes and her reddened cheeks. She was really here.

When he had sent that DM and retweeted her video while tagging her, he didn't think anything would come of it. A normally confident man, Joe had a brief moment of panic and uncertainty hit him when he realized that many on Twitter would see this and start retweeting it, making it a trending topic. She would see it, and he wasn't sure if he was he should be happy or embarrassed at the possibility of being shut down or worst - completely ignored.

"That's no problem at all, Josie. It's my pleasure." He gestured back towards the sidewalk leading towards the facility. "Let's head inside where it's a bit cooler."

Josie nodded and held out the cake to him. "I brought some cake for you by the way! I wasn't sure if you were serious about wanting it or not, so if not I'm sure there's maybe someone on the team or staff who would like it." She rambled.

'She's cute.' Joe thought to himself, watching as she shifted the cake in her palms. He decided to take the cake and save her some of her nerves. "Nah, the guys get enough stuff given to them. This is all mine for sure. There's a staff fridge I'll ask one of the assistants to put it in for me before we start our tour."

They started walking towards the security doors and Joe swiped his access card to get into the facilities, stepping back to allow Josie in first. "Ladies first." He pretended to do a little bow, the cake box still securely in his arms.

Josie smiled and walked through, turning towards him and pretending to do a curtesy. "And who said chivalry is dead, Mr. Burrow?"

Joe laughed a bit at that. "Sadly I don't have a sword or shield to fight for your honor, Ms. Black. I don't film Tik-Toks though, so I think I get some points towards chivalry."

Josie got the reference and laughed. "No brothers to film them either?"

"Nope. I mean, I have two older brothers and thank god they don't!" He turned towards her as they continued walking. "And you? Any siblings?"

Josie nodded. "Yep. I have two older sisters. My one sister is living back in Pittsburgh, close to my dad's family. My other sister lives in Boston with her wife. I'm the baby of the trio."

"Yeah? Honestly, it's the same with me, being the baby I mean. I'm the youngest of the kids. There's a few years between us, so it's always been interesting. You close in age to your sisters?"

Josie shook her head. "Not really. My oldest sister is 12 years my senior and my other sister is 6 years my senior. So, I was closest with Gabby more than Hannah. We all get along, but Hannah is older so, by the time I was entering 1st grade, she graduated high school and was in college."

Joe stopped near an office and leaned in the doorway. "Hey, Drew. You think you can do me a quick favor?"

A guy with long brown hair looked up. "Yeah, sure. What's up Joe?"

"I'm going to be giving my friend here a tour. Can you put this cake in the break room for me? It already has my name on it. I just don't want it getting smashed up in the locker room."

Drew stood up and reached for the box. "Sure, man."

Joe thanked him and out the door they went. They reached another set of doors and they stopped for a moment. "Alright, JLB. You ready to see where the magic happens?" Joe smiled. 'That sounded way smoother in my head.' He fought the urge to cringe.

Josie didn't seem to think so and nodded. "Aboslutely! And JLB? Aren't you also technically JLB?"

Joe laughed at that. "I swear I only just now realized we have the same initials. Anyways, we'll start the official tour beyond these doors. We'll hit the gym room, film room, PT room, and a few other key points before heading out to the field. I was told that photography is allowed, but definitely not in locker room or of any players practicing. We good?"

Josie nodded at that. "Fair. I wouldn't want someone taking pictures of me looking like a sweaty mess either." Her cheeks flushed read as her mind went south at that. "I mean, post workout of course!"

Joe bit his lip to keep from grinning. His own mind conjuring up some not so PG thoughts of other activities. 'Don't be a creep, man. You can see it in the news now. Bengals rookie QB harasses Youtuber.'

Josie took his silence the wrong way and rubbed a hand down her flushed cheeks. "I swear I just made it worse trying to explain myself. Didn't I?"

Joe tried to keep his face neutral, but she could see the mischievous glint in his eyes. "Maybe."

She groaned at that. "Great. Now I made an ass of myself."

"Nah, you didn't. I'm just teasing you. Just know you can sweat around me all you want and it won't be gross." The second he finished that sentence he felt his own brain shut down. "Well -  I guess you're not the only one making explanations worse?"

Josie giggled at his flushed cheeks. "Maybe."

Joe licked his lips and nodded. "Fair enough. Let's go ahead and start this tour before someone overhears us and I accidentally make us both headlines news for all the wrong things."

He opened the door and made a sweeping gesture with his arm. "After you."

"At least you didn't say m'lady."

Joe took that as a challenge and raised his eyebrow. "My pleasure.." 

"Don't say it."

"M'lady." 

Josie turned back around and pretended to walk back the way they came. "I'm out."

Joe laughed and jogged after her, "Wait - wait." He moved ahead of her and held his hand out. "I won't say it again - but the look on your face? Was worth it, Josie! You really don't like that word?"

Josie shot him a look and answered, "Nah, not really. It gives me incel vibes too much. All you need now is a sideways fedora and some suspenders."

"Well, thanks for the fashion advice, but I think I'll pass." He said sarcastically. 

Josie rolled her eyes and gave his shoulder a shove. "Joey Franchise with a fedora and suspenders. Can you imagine that?"

"I have a pair of hipster glasses but that is as far as I'm going." He admitted. 

Josie went to open her mouth, but someone else shouting down the hallway caught her attention. "Hey Joe! That your new lady with you?"

Joe's face went red a bit as he turned to see C.J. approaching. "Hey man." He avoided the question, "What are you doing here?" They did their manly hand shake which amused Josie.

"Had a PT session. Anyway, who dis?" He turned his eyes on Josie. "Ayy I know you! You're the murder mystery baking girl. Was this the girl you were shooting your shot with last night, Joe?" C.J. teased.

"Dude? Uncool." Joe muttered at C.J., not daring to look at Josie.

"Oh? Oh. Yeah. My bad, dude. Well, I gotta go - water my dog? Yeah, water my dog. Later, man!" C.J. did a speedy exit and it was just the two of them once again.

"So," Josie started, hands on her hips. "Let's do this tour and then, you can tell me all about what that was at lunch."

Joe nodded at that fair. "Yeah, [clears throat], that sounds like a plan."

'Smooth, Joe, smooth.'

[thasallweare]

Mark Bradford, Noah’s Third Day (detail), 2007, Carnegie Museum of Art, Gift of Milton and Sheila Fine © Mark Bradford, Courtesy of the artist and Hauser & Wirth

The Milton and Sheila Fine Collection celebrates the Fines’ landmark gift of more than 100 works of painting, sculpture, photography, and time-based media. From the 1980s through the 2000s, in close conversation with Carnegie Museum of Art’s directors and curators, the Fines created Western Pennsylvania’s most significant and boldest private collection of contemporary art. What distinguishes their collection from others of its kind is the Fines’ enduring intention to donate it to the museum for all of us in the region and beyond to appreciate in perpetuity. Perhaps even more notably, Milton and Sheila Fine collected directly from the museum’s Carnegie Internationals, making their collection a living archive of the longest-running survey of international art in America.

The Fines leaned toward vanguard art that challenged tradition, acquiring works from some of today’s most prominent artists, such as Jeff Koons, Cindy Sherman, Gillian Wearing, and Mark Bradford. From private collection to public art museum, these artworks enter a new context where they will become an integral part of our shared experiences within the galleries of the museum that Milton and Sheila loved. This exhibition is a celebration of their generous gift, as well as a remembrance of Milton Fine, who passed away in 2019. We invite you to discover and explore the many histories and art practices that give powerful expression to the Fines’ 45-year relationship to art and the museum.

The exhibition is organized by Eric Crosby, Henry J. Heinz II Director, Carnegie Museum of Art, and Vice President, Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, with Tiffany Sims, Margaret Powell Curatorial Fellow, and Cynthia Stucki, curatorial assistant for contemporary art and photography.

[aceduchessdragoness]

Uploaded on Instagram by harvxrdpsc on April 24, 2024.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[id: photo text

1st:

Harvard joins Columbia, MIT, Emerson, Tufts, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, University of Pittsburgh, University of Maryland, Berkeley, Cuny, The New School, Washington University in Saint Louis, UNC Chapel Hill and more as it establishes Liberated Zone

The bold text makes it look like ‘HARVARD ESTABLISHES LIBERATED ZONE’

2nd:

Harvard Out of Occupied Palestine Coalition: Who We Are.

3rd:

We, the Harvard Out of Occupied Palestine Coalition, are a group of students and student workers at Harvard University committed to Palestinian liberation. We are part of a rich tradition of students who stood up to U.S. imperialism in Vietnam and Iraq, rallied against apartheid in South Africa, fought for Black liberation in the United Staes, and built national living wage campaigns on university campuses. We understand that all of our historic movements for freedom and justice are intertwined. The Palestinian cause if not for Palestinians alone – it is a cause for people of conscience, concerned with humanity, freedom, and justice.

We have established this Liberated Zone to call for an end to Harvard’s moral and material complicity in the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people.

Over the past seven months, we have witnessed Israel and the United States unleash unimaginable cruelty in Gaza. As we write this, Israel has murdered more than 34,000 Palestinians, including 14,000 children. Every day brings more horrifying images than the last: families facing starvation, people undergoing amputation without anesthesia, newly discovered mass graves, entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble.

4th:

These atrocities are not new. Since the original Nakba – Arabic for catastrophe – of 1948, when 750,000 Palestinians were ethnically cleansed from their land, Palestinians have been dispossessed and fragmented by a pernicious apartheid regime, a brutal military occupation, and a suffocating blockade. Zionism, the political project rationalizing this violence, requires the subjugation of Palestinian life and the continued colonialization of Palestinian land. There can be no equivocation: Palestine is occupied from Gaza to the Galilee, from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea.

This oppression is co-signed and co-sponsored by the United States government and its institutions. The U.S. continues to sustain the Zionist colonial regime with billions of dollars in military funding. Since its founding, Israel has been the largest cumulative recipient of U.S. foreign aid, receiving approximately $300 billion in economic and military assistance.

5th:

As we walk the halls of Harvard, study in its libraries, and sleep in its dormitories, we are acutely aware that there are no universities remaining in the Gaza Strip. Israel has robbed Palestinians of their rights to education by systematically destroying academic infrastructures and communities. Professors, teachers, students, and academic workers have been targeted and killed along with the rest of Gaza’s population. As students, educators, and graduate workers, we have a duty to fight against this genocide.

Palestine is not only a moral issue. It is an issue that affects our campus, one that fundamentally implicates Harvard University. As of 2019, Harvard had invested at least $200 million in companies with ties to illegal Israeli settlements, a flagrant violation of international human rights law, and at least $86,625 worth of investments in the Israeli military. Today, the Harvard Management Company, which oversees the world’s largest university endowment of $51 billion, discloses no information about the scale of natures of its investments in Israel.

6th

On its campus, we have witnessed the university relentlessly suppress voices in its community speaking out against the actions of the Israeli state and for the rights of the Palestinian people. Time and time again, we have seen Harvard pioneer and affirm the “Palestine exception to free speech,” silencing professors and students when they speak out about Palestine or include Palestinian liberation in their ethic of social justice. The university is also failing to protect its community from violent and racist anti-Palestinian harassment. Just this week, Harvard has unilaterally suspended the Palestine Solidarity Committee after months of administrative persecution and discriminatory measures.

Enough is enough. In the past seven months, our protests against the intensifying genocidal campaign in Gaza have been met with repression, administrative targeting, willfully racist attacks (including from politicians and faculty members), and arbitrary policy changes designed to silence our voices. We will not be deterred. By launching this demonstration, we renew our commitment to protest Harvard’s moral, institutional, and financial complicity in the genocide of Palestinians.

7th:

As student governments in schools across Harvard pass resolutions for divestment, the University must contend with the facts that its students will not tolerate its support for genocide, violence, and apartheid. In doing so, we proudly continue Harvard’s legacy of anti-war, anti-racist student organizing, from the mock “shanty towns” established in Harvard Yard in 1986 to protest apartheid in South Africa, to the 1969 University Hall occupation protesting against the war on Vietnam.

Our movement is one part of the tapestry of liberation movements. Harvard itself is a product of land theft and indigenous erasure: the initial funds to establish this university were used for the ‘education and conversion’ of indigenous people. By creating this Liberated Zone, we hope to begin the work of building the world we want to inhabit: a world free of the shackles of colonialism.

8th:

The Palestinian people, like all oppressed peoples, have a right to resist their annihilation. We hold this to be a precondition for Palestinian liberation, as we do the inalienable right of return, a fundamental value that challenges and denaturalizes the colonial fragmentation of the Palestinian community. Our act of civil disobedience here at Harvard is grounded in Palestinian values of sumoud – Arabic for steadfastness – and love for life.

We are driven by the belief that a better world is possible: a world free of racism, white supremacy, cishetero-patriarchy. Ableism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, and all forms of hatred. It is for this reason that we are compelled to take action.

9th:

Our demands: Following the lead of our brave comrades on campuses across the country, this Liberated Zone is a demonstration of our love of justice, our hope for a free Palestine, and our dream of a liberated future for all. We see our institution’s complicity as one link among many that must be severed on the path to liberation.

As such, we demand that Harvard University:

1. Disclose any and all investments – both institutional and financial – in Israel, the ongoing genocide in Gaza, and the occupation of Palestine.

2. Divest from all such investments, and reinvest resources in Palestinian academic initiatives, communities, and culture.

3. Drop all charges against students for their organizing and activism, and commit to ending the weaponization of disciplinary policy.

The whole world is watching a genocide unfold before its eyes. We raise our voices to join the chorus of millions demanding an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, an end to the occupation, and a free Palestine from the river to the sea. /id]

[adamt101904]

Episode 4

The next afternoon Sebastian called the number on the card.

"Hello, VonFranken talent how may I help you."

"Yes hello my name is Sebastian and I need to speak to Mr. VonFranken please."

Sebastian waited on hold listening to heavy metal elevator music.

"Hello you got Viktor" said the voice on the phone in a heavy German accent

"Yes sir my name is Sebastian and with the band The Black Plague "

"I heard you guys burned it down at the Rocktober show last night"

"Yes sir thank you" Sebastian continued " A friend gave us your card and said we should call."

"Yes and I am glad you did" said Viktor. "We should get together and discuss some business."

"Ok sir, when should we come out to your office."

"Well you could definitely do that or you could just ring me up"

Sebastian looked out his window and saw a Lamborghini parked in the street in front of his place. How the hell did you know where to find them.

"Well you letting me up or not" said Viktor

Sebastian rung the man into the loft. The elevator opened up revealing a tall man with dark tied back in a ponytail dressed in a black suit carrying a brief case.

"Can I come in?" asked the man

"Yeah of course come in" said Sebastian

"Hello everyone my name is Viktor VonFranken and I am going to make you rich and famous. I want to sign you guys right now, got the contracts ready if you are."

"Man you don't fuck around do you Vik" said Dimitri

"No sense in it, I know what I want and I go for it" said Viktor.

"So what's the verdict you in or not"

The band looked at each other and made their decision.

"Yeah, were in" said Sebastian

"Outstanding" Viktor reached into his briefcase and brought out two sets of contracts. "This is your standard talent contract, sign here at the bottom."

The six put there signatures on the paperwork.

"Next is your standard 6 album deal contract" said Viktor. "Sign at the bottom."

"Six album deal!" yelled JJ and Tabitha together

"Yes that is right. Six albums with Cataclysm Records, the hottest metal label on the planet." said Viktor "So, we gonna sign or what guys"

The six friends signed the contract. The band couldn't believe it. Everything the rock demon had told them was coming true. Last night changed their lives forever.

"By the way, I talked to Johnny Rock, you guys are opening on the main stage at Rockfest." Viktor said" Your welcome" he closed the elevator door and took off.

Several days later Viktor called Sebastian and told him to be in Pittsburgh in three days to start recording their first album. They loaded up in the van, equipment in the trailer and headed out to Pittsburgh.

Three days later they showed up at Cataclysm Records. Viktor met them there and got them all set up. After four long weeks of rockin and rollin the album was done. The band celebrated by going too the Crypt, the hottest metal club in the east.

Beers and shots were downed, the girls danced their asses off. They had a hell of a time.

The next afternoon they went to see Viktor at his office.

"We have some important things to do today." he told everyone.

"First we need to agree on the cover art for your album."

"How do we do that" asked Dimitri

"Well I had the art department do some mockups for you all to check out."

Viktor had his assistant set up the six options on the room for them to see. JJ was the first one to speak up.

"I like number four." The others shook their heads in agreement.

Number four looked like an old movie poster with the bands name at the top, the album name at the bottom and an animated picture of the band in the middle.

"Ok, number four it is, you guys will still have to do a photoshoot for the inside art." said Viktor.

"Now, let's talk about your names" said Viktor " We need to come up with your stage names"

"What is the matter with our names" asked Marky

"Nothing per say they just don't fit your rock personas" said Viktor

"What names fit our persona's then" asked Tabitha

"Funny you should ask" Viktor said as he started handing out papers to everyone

"What is this" asked Sebastian

"This my friend is a list of potential names for you to choose from."

"Really" said Tabitha "Mummina"

"I think these all suck" said Dimitri

"Well I am open to suggestions everyone." said Viktor

"I like Stein" said Simon

"There we go someone is embracing the process"

"What's a Morgot?" asked Marky

"Morgot is the name of the demon of sound, I thought it was fitting."

"Sold" said Marky.

"Alright wolf, what did you have in mind" asked Viktor

"Well I am a wolf, and my name is Dimitri, how bout Wolfie D, the party animal"

"I love it, Wolfie D" said Viktor "Now ladies what are we thinking"

"Who is Isis? asked Tabitha.

"Isis is an ancient Egyptian goddess."

"Oh, a goddess you say, that would work"

"Isis it is, JJ your next girlfriend."

"I am thinking maybe something that starts with 'z', you know for zombie."

"Why not just Z, you can spell it Zee" said Simon.

"That sounds cool actually" JJ said.

"Your last but never least Sebastian, which one is the new you.?"

"I don't like any of them, they all sound super generic and just no" he said

"Come on Sebastian, at least try one" said Viktor

"I'm going to have to think about it"

"Ok, well we have one more piece of business to discuss before we call it a day." said Viktor " Sebastian, we need to address your look."

"What's a matter with my look, what about everyone else's look. " Sebastian protested

"See that is part of the problem, everyone else has a look, you do not. But not to fear we got your back."

Several of Viktor's assistants came into the room with a black robe and three boxes. Sebastian was concerned. There robe was on a mannequin, and so far so good.

"What do you think Sebastian?"

"That's it, not bad I'll wear that no problem."

"Excellent, wait to you see it all together you'll love it."

"Wait, what, the rest of it?"

"You are going to love it" said Viktor

Sebastian's eyes grew wider with every passing second. The before him was a long black robe with huge spikes shoulder pads and wings.

"What the hell is that" said Sebastian

"That's what is going to get you noticed on stage my boy" said Viktor "You are the front man, you need to stand out."

"Come Sebastian it's not that bad" said JJ

"Yeah it's like Type O Negative and Gwar had a love child" laughed Dimitri

"Ugh" said Sebastian "Ok look, I'll wear the outfit on one condition, my name stays the same."

"Deal" said Viktor

"Hear is your final gift Sebastian"

One of the assistants placed a case across Sebastian's legs. He was nervous, what could possibly be in there. He slowly unlocked the case and began to open it. Inside wasn't what he was expecting.

"A sword" Sebastian said excitedly

"Actually it's your new microphone, checkout the handle" said Viktor

Built into the handle of the sword was a wireless microphone.

"Awesome" said Sebastian

Viktor looked at everyone else

"There's new toys for all of you downstairs"

They were ready to burn down the Rockfest.

[mogai-sunflowers]

MOGAI BHM- Belated Day 22!

happy BHM! today i’m going to be talking about the Black history behind modern American EMS/EMT systems!

Background and Context-

For a long time, ambulance services were primarily operated by police forces. No laws required anything beyond the most basic of medical training for paramedics, and many times, white cops were punished by being forced onto ambulance duty in Black neighborhoods, which led to increased tensions, and to the huge disparities in response times to emergencies in white neighborhoods, and emergencies in Black ones.

However, in 1966, a paper was published by the National Academy of Sciences which revealed that every year, an estimated 50,000 people died in scenarios that could’ve been prevented had their ambulance staff been more properly and adequately trained. In Pittsburgh, a man named Peter Safar, who was a doctor who had lost his 12 year-old daughter to an asthma attack that easily could’ve been treatable, became very disillusioned with the current ambulance systems in America.

The Freedom House Ambulances-

[Image ID: A black-and-white photograph of a group of men, most Black and two in the center white, standing and kneeling together in front of an ambulance vehicle. Almost all the Black men are dressed in the same uniform- a white collared short-sleeved shirt with a black neck tie, white pants, and black leather shoes. The two white men are dressed in dark suits. End ID.]

One day, Dr. Peter Safar was approached by a former ambulance driver named Philip Hallen, who wanted to do something about the severe issues with the current ambulance systems in America. They thought that their ideas would be a good chance to help impoverished, unemployed Black men from Pittsburg’s Hill District find work, so with the help of the fledgling Freedom House Services, they gathered a group of 25 Black men from impoverished areas of Pittsburg, and formed the Freedom House Ambulance Service.

The first group of recruited men were trained in an intensive, 300-hour course on medical training about many different medical topics- and this was the first time ambulance drivers had ever been provided actual medical training in America. They learned key medical procedures like resuscitation and intubation techniques, and Safar, known by some as the “Father of CPR” for his groundbreaking work in resuscitation research, trained them in CPR- and they learned how to provide medical support beyond a ride to the hospital. Within the Hill District, the Freedom House Ambulance Services were extremely successful- so successful that the FHAS director, Dr. Caroline, was contracted by the US Department of Transportation to write the first national curriculum guide for emergency street medical assistance, and the FHAS’s impact spread nationally, becoming the blueprint for emergency medical assistance across the country. 

And yet, despite all this, racism in the police force eventually forced the FHAS to be absorbed by a new city-wide EMS service which, although using the blueprint of the FHAS, was extremely hostile to its Black paramedics in an attempt to eliminate them altogether from the program. Some white patients even refused to be treated by Black paramedics. Nevertheless, original FHAS staff like John Moon, who directed the Freedom House Enterprises until 2009 and was the first paramedic to intubate a patient in the field, were the first paramedics in America, and the work they did has forever changed the world of medicine and emergency care.

tagging @metalheadsforblacklivesmatter​ @bfpnola​ @intersexfairy​ 

Sources-

https://www.npr.org/2022/09/27/1124161896/at-freedom-house-these-black-men-saved-lives-paramedics-are-book-topic

https://freedomhousedoc.com/

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2035467

https://emsmuseum.org/collections/archives/service/freedomhousepa/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_House_Ambulance_Service

[oldgloryarchives]

Broadway Magazine page showing the beautiful Evelyn Nesbit, born Florence Evelyn Nesbit (1884 or 1885 – 1967): Born in a small town near Pittsburgh and later building her life in New York City, Evelyn helped financially support her family after her father died when she was age 10. Naturally blessed with classic beauty, Evelyn Nesbit had a promising future in the arts. She started out as an artists' model and chorus girl before venturing into acting in theatrical performances in New York City.

Evelyn Nesbit suffered from the abuse, torment, and manipulation at the hands of more socially and financially powerful individuals such as her husband Harry Kendall Thaw and early benefactor Stanford White. The two men loathed and mistrusted one another, while Thaw sought to take revenge on Stanford White. Evelyn later became entangled in the circumstances of the sensational murder of Stanford White after the bitter Harry Kendall Thaw shot him dead at Madison Square Garden's rooftop theater in 1906.

Regardless of these tragic circumstances, Evelyn Nesbit lives on as a muse of the Edwardian Era, embodying a beautiful, swanlike, and youthful vision for the time period's "Gibson Girl" aesthetic.

In the later part of her life in 1955, Evelyn Nesbit assisted with the production of the 1955 film The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing, based on her tragic experiences with Mr. Thaw and Mr. White which exploded into the sensational murder of Mr. White. Evelyn Nesbit courageously assisted with the film's production, shedding light on her traumatic experiences.

[passavantdc08]

Passavant Development Corporation

Website: https://www.manta.com/c/mml9ppc/passavant-development-corporation

Address: 100 Passavant Way ,Pittsburgh, PA 15238

Phone: 412-820-1010

Passavant Development Corporation is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1931. The mission aims to empower people who have autism, intellectual disabilities, and behavioral health needs by providing them a community they can thrive in. Some services provided by Passavant Development Corporation include dental, pharmacy, day programs, and so much more. The current community has over 250 people living on property either independently or with their family depending on what their needs are. In addition to living on property, Passavant Development Corporation can provide companion services where an individual is sent to provide care and assistance to those 18 and older. If Passavant Memorial Homes can help you or a family member, visit their website to learn more information.

Assisted Living #Passavant Development Corporation

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

[portraitsofsaints]

Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos 1819-1867 Feast Day: October 5 Patronage: against cancer

Blessed Fr. Francis Xavier Seelos was beatified by Pope Saint John Paul II in 2000. Born in Germany, he was inspired to be a Redemptorist missionary priest in the U.S. to serve the German immigrants.  At St. Philomena’s Parish in Pittsburgh, he was the assistant to St. John Neumann, who was his spiritual director and encouraged him to preach missions. Fr. Seelos lived a simple lifestyle, serving the poor and abandoned. He was called the “Cheerful Ascetic,” the “American Wonderworker,” the “Doctor of Souls,” for his intercession in healing bodies and souls. He was assigned to parishes in Detroit, Baltimore, and New Orleans, where he died from yellow fever contracted from caring for victims of the disease.  {website}

[ehghtyseven]

the more positive ask i promised: how long have you planned this trip to pittsburgh? sorry if the boys couldn't pull out a win for you but i'm sure the overall experience of seeing a game live can't be toppled plus you get to see them up close at the night of assists!

haha, thanks nonnie.

I've actually been planning this trip pretty much since the schedule for the season came out because I needed to find a stretch where they had a run of home games that also fit in with my work schedule - if I'm coming all the way from the UK I want to be able to see at least 2/3 games. also bc with flights, accommodation, game tickets etc. I needed time to spread out paying for things/save up!

I was actually saying earlier that (games perhaps aside), I have had an amazing trip and I feel so lucky that I had the chance to go to NoA, to see and chat to so many of the boys and have that whole experience. watching practice for the first time yesterday was also really cool since it's such a different vibe than seeing them in a game. you're also right that it was still fun to see them play live after so long even if they didn't manage to get me a win, and sitting behind the bench for one of the games was a cool experience and somewhere I haven't sat before but potash was definitely wrong when he told me getting to see mcd tonight would be fun. it was not fun.