#because my old german professor wanted me to sing

[conquerthenight]

Bringing “Ich Gehör Nur Mir” to my next voice lesson I’m so fucking ready!!!

[yallemagne]

Now, I know that people here probably definitely know what happened in Dracula, but for those who don’t know what Tanz der Vampire is, it’s a German musical adaptation of The Fearless Vampire Killers. I still haven’t watched the movie, to be honest, but I’ve watched this musical several times. A professor and his assistant are in Transylvania and come across an inn. The assistant falls for the innkeeper’s daughter, but she gets whisked away by an obvious vampire count and hijinks ensue. It’s a comedy, they sing Total Eclipse of the Heart. 

Now, a Tanz der Vampire/Dracula crossover could go one of two ways (truthfully, it could go several different ways,, but for the sake of simplicity, two): 

Option one: Jonathan Harker on his journey to Castle Dracula meets the eccentric Professor Abronsius and his assistant Alfred (both aged a year or so down bc I headcanon TDV to take place maybe a few years after Dracula), and the Professor kind of bullies Jonathan into letting the two of them hitch a ride. 

Has the potential to be crack treated seriously. Jonathan and Alfred could bond over being young and underpaid... and Jonathan would prove to be much more competent than Alfred in killing vampires. He had the perfect opportunity to stake Dracula on the 30th but just didn’t know what that was yet. If he had an old man hovering over his shoulder like “stab him right between the sixth and seventh rib” he’d do it.

Option two: Jonathan is the solicitor to Graf von Krolock instead of Count Dracula. I’m not sure why Krolock would want to move, he’s kinda got everything that he needs. He even has a specific village he torments and forces to supply him with candles and stuff for his parties. Perhaps he just wanted takeout. 

Krolock does things differently from Dracula. He seduces his victims because that makes the blood taste better, I guess. And he’s got a son. Herbert is kind of a parody of the sexy vampire ladies, but he’s not the only other one in the castle. Krolock has a whole graveyard of exes that he hardly feeds except for when he throws extravagant parties.

Krolock is... less of a threat, really. Rather than gorge himself on several people against their wills, he invites people to his castle with promises of freedom and pretty dresses. Aaaand when he’s done with you, you get to join his exes in the graveyard. TDV doesn’t treat itself seriously, so this second crossover is a bit less scary than Dracula unless you’re willing to twist it into something more serious (since Krolock is basically grooming people). Some slash potential, I suppose. 

LIGHTNING ROUND OPTION THREE, I LIED WHEN I SAID TWO: The Crew of Light travel back to the Carpathians and... oh no, there’s another one??? Now, they only return to Castle Dracula seven years later, so all the plot of TDV (at least in my headcanon) is said and done. Though... time is an illusion and I can set TDV any time after Dracula. 

They’re here just... you know, to spit on Dracula’s grave and honour Quincey’s sacrifice, but then they get caught in a storm and have to stay in an inn where these two Prussian researchers are causing a fuss (the older of which recognizes Van Helsing and gushes over his writings), and then the daughter of the innkeeper, Sarah, runs away to the nearby vampire castle and our team says “Fuck NO.”

And... yeah, they’d completely destroy Schloss von Krolock. None of those vampires would make it out alive, but Alfred and Sarah would so... silver linings. Imagine the utter delight with which a vampire would invite an entire posse of foreigners into his home under the assumption he’s hit jackpot... and then the white-haired twunk murders him. What a twist, how tragic for this bitch. 

Abronsius: “Stake them, boy!!”

Alfred: “I-I can’t!”

Jonathan: “Bloody-- give me that.” 

Jonathan: *stakes Krolock with cold-blooded ease*

Abronsius: “... would you consider becoming my research assistant?”

Mina: *stakes Herbert* “Have either of you ever even hunted a vampire?”

Alfred: “We weren’t really sure they existed until now...”

Seward: “... oh my god, you would have died without us here...”

[notanotherinfjblog]

The types as strangers I wish I had known (version 4)

Previous versions: One, two, three

INTJ: She was the first person to show me kindness in a new place. Moving across the country all alone in the middle of a pandemic is not exactly the ideal start of your first real job. So she took it all on herself to take me by the hand, to organise all the things that I had no clue about. She gave me a little tour around the workplace, recommended me places to eat once the pandemic is over, asked me about how I was settling in, remembered little things I mentioned. She was the only person not working from home when I first arrived and so it was just the two of us. She was quiet and reserved as most people here seem to be, and she was awkward in every way when interacting with me. But she tried so hard and maybe it’s just me projecting, but she said her son was in the very same situation as me right now, and it felt like she tried to help me in the way she couldn’t help her son, like she wanted to take me under her wing, but not make it awkward, and then actually making it slightly awkward in doing so. Her heart just felt warm and so did mine when I said thank you.

ENTJ: Everyone knows the classic character of a self-righteous doctor in a hospital show. You know that one. The one that everyone thinks may be hard-working and clever, but heartless and uncaring and egocentric, but a few episodes down the line you start to see that there is more going on underneath the rude attitude. I’ve always believed this to be a stereotypical depiction that is more of a caricature until I met her. She was a doctor at a hospital I stayed in, and damn, she was just like that. She stormed into the rooms, rolled her eyes at a patient whose German was bad, even though she had a thick accent herself, couldn’t be bothered to commit to polite standards of communication like saying hello or thanks, and she didn’t care to wait for just a second when a nurse was in her way and pushed her aside instead. Especially two young nurses were exasperated with her and complained about her as soon as she stormed out of the room. They really made me feel like I had gotten myself into a hospital show as a patient, it was fantastic. And I have to say, even though this young doctor had all of these flaws, she was the only one that actually talked to the patients and explained what was going on, hell she even talked to that woman’s daughter on the phone for a few minutes because the woman didn’t understand the language. Just like on tv, she may have been rude, but at least she seemed like a good doctor.

INTP: My university department held a conference and I was responsible for making sure that all these professors and PhD students didn’t die from their coffee cravings, so I spent most of my time running around with giant coffee cans. And I have to admit, among all the scientists that were roaming the halls, I couldn’t help but stare at him. He was a PhD student from the Netherlands and there was just something about him that did not fit in. You know how professors are often a bit eccentric or strange by normal standards (which explains why we had to explain to an unspeakable amount of them how a coffee can works), so you’d imagine he’d fit right in. But he didn’t. He was his own universe. While everyone was networking, he was studying the research posters in silence. Not because he was too shy, he seemed very comfortable in his own skin. He just didn’t seem to care all that much about other people. I got to listen to a few talks and as he sat in front of me, I saw him play a video game. At an international conference. With professors and colleagues sitting behind him. And he still managed to ask intelligent questions about the talk afterwards. No idea how. Part of me wished I could have talked to him, not because he was cute though he was, but rather because I really could not tell you what kind of person he was. Was he a good person? A bad one? Probably something in-between. But I don’t think my opinion would have fazed him all that much, since to me, he seemed like the kind of person that valued his own opinion on himself the most, and I think that’s a good thing that he’s got there.

ENTP: I had just moved to a different city in a completely different part of the country, and I had just gotten back from my first walk around town. Sounds exciting, but I got back to this unfamiliar flat that I was supposed to call home now and I was panicking. So I stepped out on the balcony hoping the cold air and the stars above could calm my nerves. But it wasn‘t them that did. I stood there in the dark and saw an elderly couple in the parking lot. The woman was in a very similar mental state as me. She was running around their car and was talking about all the things they still had to take care of and things they‘d need, but had forgotten, and her voice got higher and shakier with every word. And then her husband just went and hugged her. She kissed him goodbye three times and every time she did, he let out a little laugh, calm and gentle. He pat her on the back and said that everything was going to be okay, that they would see each other again tomorrow. She kissed him goodbye one last time before she drove away, and I stood there alone in the dark and thanked the universe that I was there at the right time to hear this old man‘s words. For some reason he always seems to appear every time I‘m feeling low and strikes up a little chat with me. And every time he leaves, I have already forgotten what I was sad about.

INFJ: I think everyone pursuing an academic career has this one hero, this one scientist that lit the spark in their heart to dedicate their life to science just like them. I know I have one. So when I started an internship at his lab with one of his colleagues, I didn‘t really expect to meet him. I had seen him around once in a while, yes, but who was I to approach a stranger to tell him what his work meant to me? But then came the plenary meeting that was meant to get more people of the lab to get to know one another - and he approached me. He sat down next to me, asked me about my academic past and future, asked about my current project with his colleague. And I still can‘t believe it. Only a little girl singing in the church choir who is suddenly approached by Beyoncé can hope to imagine what it felt like. He was an internationally renowned scientist, he would have had every reason to look down on the rest of us. Many of them certainly do. But here he was, talking to a little intern from abroad. He was such a genuinely nice person, was sweet and slightly awkward, he even mirrored my weird head nodding that I always do when all the words have left me. He felt like a kindred spirit. I didn‘t tell him what these few minutes talking to him meant to me though part of me wishes that I did, yet still he invited me to the meetings of his research team even though I was not a part of it. And when I came and sat down, he turned around, smiled at me and turned away again, and I can‘t tell you how insane it feels that all of this actually happened.

ENFJ: I’ve written about him before and I will write about him forever. I remember the day our eyes first met in that crowded school corridor almost half of my life ago. I don’t know why neither of us could look away that day, why neither of us could ever look away again from this day on. Somehow our eyes always found each other. I remember the snowy day at the train station so many years later, how he stood there alone in the cold and how he slowly walked towards me, his eyes glued to his feet that abruptly stopped right next to mine. And yet he stayed silent. As did I. So we stood there for an hour waiting for our train, quickly averting our eyes every time they came close to meeting. I remember him looking back at me over his shoulder once we got off the train. He seemed quite flustered that I was about to find out that he had parked his car right next to mine and so he fled. Both of us kept parking our cars next to each other, even when we didn’t see each other for months. But I could never follow him out. He was my own personal mystery. I spent countless nights staring at the ceiling wondering what it was, this strange thing that was going on between us, this little secret that we shared, and I wondered who he really was inside, not who he pretended to be in front of his friends. He was like an island in their midst, always a bit detached, always tucked away behind a smile. Soon twelve years will have passed and still we’ve never spoken a word, but somehow these dark brown eyes still feel more familiar than my own, these eyes that always seemed to look right into my soul. I could have stared at them my whole life. I honestly have no idea what it is that is tying me to him, what it is that I felt back then and what I’m feeling right now. Maybe I’ll never know. I haven’t seen him in three years, but I know our paths will cross again some day. I can feel it in my bones. This story is not over yet. Maybe then we’ll finally be ready to meet properly. Maybe then we’ll finally be able to speak. 

INFP: I happened to stand at the window when I saw the new postman approach our letterbox, and so I watched him throw letters and magazines inside - and stop. He moved his head closer to the box and a frown appeared on his face. He backed off, wanted to leave, came back again and didn’t seem to know what he was supposed to do. So he rang the doorbell. As I opened the door, there he was, shy and with slight panic in his eyes. “I’m so sorry”, he said. “There is a sign on your letterbox that you don’t want advertisements, but I saw that too late and I had already thrown it in. I’m terribly sorry. I can’t get it out of the box and so I thought, I should ask if that’s alright.” And my heart just went awwww, that’s adorable. I smiled at him and told him that it was absolutely fine. He seemed so relieved. So he went away and I closed the door.

ENFP: This is for the man with the kind, but heartbreakingly sad eyes who sometimes sits in front of the train station silently begging for money. This is for the grandparents who spent their train ride trying to teach their little grandchildren the numbers from one to five. This is for the old woman who always kneels down in the middle of the train station with her forehead pressed to the ground, keeping still for hours, enduring the devastation of thousands of people passing by without stopping. This is for the woman who knelt down next to a homeless man, who took his hand and asked how she could help him. This is for the man who made faces at the little boy sitting next to him on the train to make him laugh. This is for the anger I felt when I saw the distraught face of a 10-year-old boy coming out of the movie „1917“ at the cinema with his father. This is for the happy little puppy who lives next to the bakery where I usually grab my lunch. This is for the twenty people who decided to all speak a foreign language during a meeting with each other just because I was there too, a total stranger they had never even seen before who is bad at their native language. This is for the creep that asked me in the middle of the street at night to accompany him. This is for the two teenagers who went to buy sandwiches and coffee for a homeless woman. This is for the families I often see sitting at the train stations, sometimes with a baby in their arms, holding a sign saying „Syrian family. We are hungry, help us please.“ This is for the man who yelled at his girlfriend because she gave them some money. This is for the people who play music during everyone‘s morning commute on the train. This is for all the people who approached me speaking in French and started to laugh when I apologised for not being very good at it. This is for Paris, in all its beauty and all its ugliness. This is for humanity, in all its beauty and ugliness.

ISTJ: He was sitting alone on the train, looking out of the window while listening to something with headphones. He was a tall guy in his mid-20s, one with a full beard, long brown hair in a neat ponytail, and a t-shirt of some rock band that I had never heard of. So, I was sitting there, three meters away, minding my own business, when I suddenly heard a giggle. The entire car of the train had been quiet all this time as it usually is, so I looked up and saw this guy trying to contain his laughter. He pressed the lips together, scratched his nose in order to inconspicuously cover his mouth. I don’t know where this sudden burst of laughter came from. Maybe he was listening to an audio book and reached a funny part. Maybe he was listening to a voice message of a funny friend. Maybe he just had a very amusing thought, I don’t know. But I’ve always had a soft spot for people who randomly start laughing in public and get embarrassed about it cause it’s always, always adorable.

ESTJ: She was a PhD student at my university and she was the one who mainly organised the conference that the above mentioned INTP was attending, too. And even though she didn‘t get tired of complaining about how much work this all was, how typical it was of her boss to volunteer to hold the conference at our university and then not lifting a single finger, she was like a fish in the water, not out of it. She observed everything and everyone, immediately recognised little problems or things that could become a problem, she was constantly running around checking everything, and she kept so many things in mind, it was impressive. One of the attendees sat in a wheelchair and as soon as she noticed, she made us rebuild the entire cafeteria immediately so that everything was reachable for her. And in all the running around, all the obligatory smalltalk, all the stress, she still found the time to stand with us student helpers and joke around.

ISFJ: It was 6pm on a Friday afternoon when all of Paris was trying to get home in the middle of a train strike, so the trains that did run were even more crowded than usual. I did not enjoy sharing 5 square metres with almost 40 other people. But then he entered the train and stood right next to me, leaning against the doors without moving, looking like an intellectual in gangster clothes. We were surrounded by noise of people talking and of rails screaming, by strangers breathing onto our skin, and he just stood there unfazed by it all. He radiated calmness like I‘ve never seen anyone do before. Soon it reached me too, filled me up and left no place for any distress or anxiety. He was like an island in the storm that grew and grew and grew until all of the 40 people around him were safe. I felt safe. I don‘t think he has even the faintest clue about how special he is, but I feel like it has been a privilege to have crossed paths with him.

ESFJ: Did you ever meet someone who, on first glance, looks like the perfect example of a jock, just a short guy with bigger arms than he’s tall? But then you look again, take a closer look at him and you realise that his face has goodness written all over it. He may be horribly bad at grammar for a linguistics student and he may be a bit too sensitive for his own good, but he never made it a secret of how much of a sweetheart he really is. And in situations like these, when he talks about how emotional he got as a tutor when his student told him about a dying grandfather because he felt responsible for the student’s wellbeing, in situations like these, when he approaches my friend after a class to apologise for his harsh criticism of her presentation and to tell her that he didn’t mean it that way, to which she gets all confused because she didn’t take the slightest offence to anything he has ever said in his entire life and he mumbles that he may have to stop beating himself up about stuff like this, I just want to give him a hug and never let go. 

ISTP: I saw her on the metro during rush hour in Paris, and I immediately noticed her to be different. Everyone else always only stares at their phones or into space, everyone else always look like a tired zombie. She was not a zombie. She was leaning against the doors, shaking her leg in the rhythm of the music she was listening to. She was short and skinny, and not even her punk boots could hide that, but there was such a confidence shining out of her, a confidence in who she was that made her look like a giant. She looked like she‘s probably had it rather rough in life, but it didn‘t break her. She rose to the adversity, rose in spite of it all. She seemed to be capable of so many things. Intelligent enough to go into science if she ever wanted to, vicious enough to end someone who ever dared to cross her, warm enough to love deeply and with all her heart if she let it.

ESTP: It was a hot day and far hotter than a September afternoon ever should be. I was stuck in a traffic jam in the city, melting in my car as were so many others, waiting for that red light to finally turn green. And then he came, a young guy in an ugly shirt and with a hat on his head. He started to cross the street, but then stopped right there in the middle. And he started to juggle. In the middle of a traffic jam on a Friday afternoon, he juggled. Just before his green light turned to red, he bowed down to the cars a few times, and then jumped to the sidewalk and left. Thanks, mate, you enigmatic juggling traffic hero.

ISFP: I met him at a wedding. He was a bald man in his 70s with thick horn glasses and probably the most intimidating person I’ve ever met. Not because he was mean, but because he was so confident in himself and so observant. His gaze constantly changed direction. He took everything in that happened around him, he didn’t miss a single thing that was going on, and still he was calm and sure of himself that everyone at our table felt like they had to impress him in some way. Just by looking at him you knew he must have lived an extraordinary life and he really did. He liked talking about himself. He talked about living in the American desert, on a mediterranean island, in a Buddhist monastery, and on a cruise ship. He talked about the smell of the desert at night, about the taste of oranges picked from a tree. He talked about the people he met, about professors and musicians, about cooks and monks. He talked about how much his village loved him. But he also liked listening to others talk about their own lives. It was obvious that he treated life as an experience, as a journey that cannot be planned or imagined, only lived. When we said goodbye, he looked me right in the eye and told me that he thinks it’s great what I’m doing with my life and that he’s looking forward to meeting me again some day. It felt a bit like receiving praise from a deity. 

ESFP: He was a nurse in the accident and emergency department at the hospital and the first person to talk to me while I was waiting in front of an examination room. He was only passing by with a colleague, but he stopped the conversation when he saw me and put his hand on my shoulder. “Aw, sugarmouse, what happened to you?”, was the first thing he said to me. You know, if an unknown man in his 50s is coming towards you and calls you “sugarmouse”, you’re usually not exactly happy, but he was just an overwhelmingly non-threatening guy that called all of the nurses and doctors by kitschy nicknames and radiated warmth wherever he went. He had noticed that I was nervous, and so he came to me and tried to gently put my mind at ease and I was really grateful for it.

[starlightstevie]

fics rec / january 2021

And I’m back with another fic rec! There’s some absolute goodies in this month’s rec - I hope you enjoy them as much as I did! Happy reading x

(* is smut)

*tale as old as time (series) by @spacelabrathor Beast!Thor x reader: Thor is a beast, prowling the halls of an empty castle alone, living a life of cold, barren solitude. Villagers visit once yearly to bring him gifts he does not seek, piling valueless trinkets at his gate they feel will keep him appeased. They hate Thor and Thor knows, someday, that they will breach his gates and come for his head. He wonders to himself, often, if he will try to stop them when they do. This year, though, the offering has changed. Thor finds not trinkets at his front gate, but a girl, and then everything begins to change.

COWBOY THOR COWBOY THOR COWBOY THOR by @inthorantine While not officially out yet, I am putting this here because everyone needs to read this! Kait has outdone herself and no, I will not stop talking about this for the next 500 years. Here’s some h/c to keep you going until it comes out! One | Two

*if I love you was a promise by @blueberrythor​ Thor x reader: Thor doesn’t consider himself a jealous man–there aren’t many who could compare to him, especially among mortals. He hasn’t had much reason to acquaint himself with the feeling. But watching you with Steve, even he isn’t immune to the sharp sting of jealousy. 

*The Watching by @opheliadawnwalker3​ Thor x reader (some Loki x reader): Reader has been dating Thor for about a year and is celebrating her first Yuletide on Asgard. But she’s unprepared for certain traditions that are expected of her. Or that these traditions also involve Thor and his companions.

*Desperate Measures by @lancsnerd Thor x reader: When an agent is affected by sex pollen and needs assistance, just how helpful will Thor be?

*passionate & burning by @peachyteabuck​ Thor x reader: You’re busy with working from home, but Thor has other plans for the day.

*my pain fits in the palm of your freezing hand by @spacelabrathor Frontier!Thor x reader: Thor makes a home and a life for his family out on the rugged frontier of the Old West. The winters are unforgiving but he keeps them safe and warm. At night, their cabin glows with firelight and the warmth of their company. A small slice of their life together.

*survive the summer and its sequel *hungry for me by @peachyteabuck (Dubcon) Thor x reader: A stranger approaches you on a warm summers day.

*the fluffer (series) by @punani​ Masterlist 70′s pornstar!Chris Evans x black!reader: It’s the 70′s and the erotic videos industry is experiencing another boom after the risen popularity in the previous decade. The studio’s are hot, Gemini Flanagan is a brand, and you’re a newly hired assistant at Shaggin’ Studios. Chris takes a liking to you, altering your job description so that you get to work more closely with him. Is this all just physical, or is there something more?

*old flannel by @honeysucklesteve​ Chris x reader: an innocent night of lounging in his old flannel leads to not to innocent touches.

*sunday football by @honeysucklesteve Chris x reader: Chris sits you on his lap as he teaches you all about football.

*grocery run by @honeysucklesteve Chris x reader: Innocently wearing Chris’ shirt leads to you finding out just how much he can’t resist you.

*Captain by @chrissquares Nomad!Steve x reader: You call Steve a name that drives him wild.

*A Birthday Gift by @the-iceni-bitch​ Nomad!Steve x reader: The nomad crew have been holed up with you for months and tensions are high. Nat, being an unrepentant pot stirrer, decides to arrange a pleasant birthday surprise for you.

*let me come home to you (series) by @evansweaters Masterlist Alpha!Steve x Omega!Reader: After years at a dead-end job shouldering everyone’s expectations for you but your own, you’re finally free to be whoever you want, go wherever you want. That is, until a series of unfortunate events strand you in amber’s end, where the sheriff – and notoriously unmated pack alpha – decides to take you in.

*mountainside by @honeysucklesteve Nomad!Steve x reader: Steve needs something to give him a release and you do just that.

*steve needs to relax, good thing you’re here by @honeysucklesteve​

*Such a Shame by @angrythingstarlight​​ Steve x reader: You owe him for saving your life, the price is more than you were willing to pay, such a shame you have to force his hand.

*Captain Jealousy by @nony-bear​​ Steve x reader: You and Steve have been keeping your relationship a secret to avoid public backlash for your age difference. However, after watching Steve flirt with a new agent at one of Tony Stark’s famous parties, your jealousy and frustration come to a head.

*A Christmas Compromise by @stargazingfangirl18​ Ransom x reader: Even if you wouldn’t admit it to yourself, all you wanted for Christmas was Ransom.

*a man of god by @punani Priest!Ransom x reader: You’ve always been a good girl– attending mass regularly, never been touched by yourself or another, and the way that you dress? a naive innocence radiates off of you. even a man of god can’t help himself, not that he puts any effort into refraining from forbidden fruit.

*Naughty or Nice by @sweeterthanthis​ Ransom x reader: Getting caught nibbling on forbidden holiday treats.

*her cherry lips on his whiskey flavoured kiss by @cloudystevie​ Ransom x reader: The moment he met you, he knew.

Not My Style by @chrissquares​ Ransom x reader: With cold weather comes dry lips..

*In Good Hands by @ozarkthedog (Dark) Doctor!Andy Barber x reader: Your usual OBGYN Doctor got called away leaving Dr. Barber to administer your pap exam.

*Drowning by @savior-adriana​ Andy x reader: You love working as Jacob’s tutor in German. Not necessarily because you love the language or the teen’s attitude, but because it means you get to spend time alone with a certain Andy Barber once a week.

*Something Old, Something New by @sweeterthanthis Stepdad!Bucky x reader: To this day you couldn’t work out why he’d chosen your mother. They were total opposites, a mismatched couple if ever you saw one. Yet, you watched it play out – thinking, hoping, that he’d never go through with it.

*Beg for Daddy by @sweeterthanthis Stepdad!Bucky x reader: The thought of your mother passed out next door, the other side of your bedroom wall, did nothing to quell the intense hunger you felt for him.

*it’s the right time to roll to me (series) by @blueberrythor Masterlist Bucky x married!reader: Stuck in an unhappy marriage, you find solace in Bucky.

*about last week by @xbuchananbarnes Bucky x reader: You’ve been avoiding Bucky.

*need by @cloudystevie Bucky x reader: You’re horni for Bonky’s metal hand

Season of the Witch by @msmarvelwrites​ Bucky x reader: Your witchy abilities get you in quite a bit of trouble from time to time… But this time you don’t mind so much.

*The Bet (series) by @no-droids Part One | Part Two Poe x reader: There are 3 rules to the bet between you and your x-wing commander: No sex, No touching yourself, No orgasms.

*the shakes by @whistlingwillows Poe x reader: “It’s the Shakes, darling. Makes everything excruciating.” Or, you’re experiencing the terrible side effects of being horny and Poe Dameron knows just how to fix it.

Mornings with Modern!Poe by @okay-hotshot Modern!Poe x reader: You and Poe try to have some alone time while you wait for your morning coffee and tea to brew, only to have your child interrupt you and run away yowling.

frigid by @whirlybirbs Mando x reader: Din doesn’t like the ocean. You’re soaked.

Getting vulnerable with Mando by @cptnbvcks

*men of the bau: kinks by @luciilferss​

open road by @gayprentiss Emily Prentiss x JJ Jareau: After retiring from the BAU, JJ and Emily decide to forgo an apartment in favor of an old sprinter van.

*Teacher’s Pet by @imagining-in-the-margins Professor!Reid x reader: There are only a few reasons to sign up for Criminal Psychology. You could be like the reasonable students and join the class because you are genuinely interested in the material, or you could be like the rest of us. That is, you could enroll in the class because the professor is a fine piece of ass fresh out of prison.

*Spencer taking you in the library by @spenciebabie

*of terrible coffee and late-night rides by @venusbarnes Hotch x reader: A collection of moments throughout your relationship with one Aaron Hotchner.

*fragrance by @whistlingwillows College!Hotch x reader: Plato said, “The god of love lives in a state of need. It is a need. It is an urge. It is a homeostatic imbalance. Like hunger and thirst, it's almost impossible to stamp out.”

*bitter end (series) by @whistlingwillows Masterlist Hotch x reader: Author Sarah Dessen wrote, “Life is an awful, ugly place to not have a best friend.”

*Beard Kink by @reidsexualwriting Hotch x reader: Hotch with a beard has you feeling all types of ways.

*Lunch break by @arganfics Hotch x reader: You help Hotch relax after a tough day.

*Early Mornings by @mrvltwimagines Hotch x reader: The very rare mornings where you wake up and your boyfriend was still home and in bed were definitely cherished by you.

*Do you like that? Being in control? by @writefasttalkevenfaster Hotch x reader: You decide that Hotch needs a break from being in charge.

*Waking up Hotch with a blowjob by @writefasttalkevenfaster

Taking a day off with Hotch by @ssahoodrathotchner

*eat until your blood sings by @peachyteabuck Tony Stark x Steve Rogers x Natasha Romanoff x Carol Danvers x Clint Barton x Thor Odinson x reader: Gangbang with the Avengers.

*Anakin Skywalker has a big dick by @anakinswhore

[yamithediaperdork]

The wolverine and the diaper boys (X-men evo story)

Jamie Madox whimpered softly as he limped and groaned, trying to will his bladder and bowels to hang on as the young mutant made his way to the closest bathroom. "Oh man..stay in daddy..stay in daddy.." the poor boy whined, his sponge bob PJ's were already stained from other nighttime accidents and the professor had made it clear one more and it was back to bed time diapers for the youngest member of the mansion. Since he was already teased as was for his choice in jammies, and for sleeping with a teddy bear Jamie didn't even wanna think about the humiliation he'd endure if he had to wear the thick bulky diapers that Mr.Logan had show him when relaying the professors threat. If Jamie had been smart, he would of never gotten into a burger eating contest with Kurt before bed, but the German boy had been claiming HE was the biggest eater in the mansion and well, it was a matter of pride! or something stupid like that. all Jamie knew was he was paying the price for it now as his guts churned and gurgled loudly and he felt the pressure building on his back door as he hobbled along. 'Cheeks together cheeks together don't.push! Cheeks together cheeks together don't.push!' he mentally chanted. amazingly the little guy did make it to the bathroom door, and reached to turn the handle.. only to find it locked. "Nooo.no no no no no.." Jamie whined and knocked on the door. "H-hey! gonna be much longer in there?" he called out. from the other side of the door came the voice of Bobby Drake. "Ngggh sorry, i'ma be awhile, milkshakes are NOT my friend!" he called out. Mentally Jamie went over the floor plan for the mansion and tried figure out how close he was to the next bathroom, and how long he could keep his Barney the dinosaur print underoo's clean..and the math wasn't looking good. 'Times like this I reallly wish I had Kurt's powers.' Jamie thought as he slowly started to hobble, determined to at least make a honest effort to go boom boom in the potty, even as a spurt of pee dampened his underoo's. 'I think I can I think i can I think I can!' became the new mental chant even as wet and loud poots escaped from Jamie's bottom with every step and he wasn't even close to the next bathroom, feeling his cheek burning even as he started to take shallow breaths with his mouth from the stink he was trailing behind him. 'I'm not gonna make it..' he realized finally and moved over to a wall to brace himself. there was no point in tormenting himself trying to hold it when it wasn't going to happen and he'd just have to try and deal with the fallout out after as he shut his eyes and started to relax. 'Sorry Barney!' He thought mournfully. Relaxing his sphincter and giving a slight push, everything went out of Jamie's control as his cute little rosebud was forced open, a massive log of shit sliding out and pushing out the seat of the underoo's. even as the thick waste coiled in the back and started to puff out his butt the front of his undies and jammies darkened and a torrent of piss spurted out, spraying the wall even as it ran down his legs too, a puddle forming on the hard wood floor as Jamie let out a groan then a moan of relief as he push out out a second thick log to join the first. Just like any other time poor Jamie took a epic level dump like this his wiener was sticking out strait, making a massive tent in his undies and jammies as a side effect of his unusually large prostate, which went hand and hand with his larger then most adults sized wiener. spreading his legs to allow the stinking mass of dookie that was staining poor Barney's face Jamie let out a second, lower moan as the mass reached his hairless balls. "O-Oh gawd..I'm gonna..gonna.." he was panting now, eyes closed and the thick smell of his mess assaulting his brain. feeling his balls starting to tighten up any and all common sense left the poor mutant and with a dopey grin on his face he started to sing. "B-Barney is a dinosaur from o-our imagination.. A-and when he's tall he's w-what we call-" "Jamie what are you doing?!" Came the gruff voice of Mr.Logan. Jamie's eyes shot open even as the song died, trying to think of what to say, or to at least stop himself from the THIRD mess he was about to add to his poor abused undies but instead of anything that might of explained himself, he slipped as he turned to talk to Mr.Logan and fell hard on his stinky butt, squishing the mess and gasped girlishly and cried out as he came hard with Mr.Logan watching before blacking out.

Logan had been on his way to check in on bobby, after seeing him flirting with some of the girls drinking milkshakes despite knowing what they did to him. it was only by chance that he'd taken the route he had to go and check on the iceman when he'd been assaulted by the stench and sounds of Jamie's accident. Honestly the whole thing would of been cute if not for Logan's enhanced sense of smell AND knowing that he was gonna have to A) tell chuck about this and just somehow knew that B) it was gonna end up his job to diaper the boy. (To be fair Storm had made Logan a deal, he was responsible for the diaper need of any of the students and she attended to changing the professor as need, and was willing to swap. given the choice of maybe having to diaper a teenager or wiping chuck's poopie crack, Logan hadn't hesitated to take the deal.) Banging on the bathroom door while holding Jamie, Bobby went to yell at him to go away before being cut off by Logan's growl and quickly the bathroom door was unlocked and Logan came in. 'great, because as if putting up with Jamie's smell wasn't bad enough.' the Canadian thought with a grimace. There was the iceman, plain black PJ bottoms around his ankles and trying to cover up his tiny boyhood as Logan tried to breath as little as possible carrying the zoned out Jamie to the tub. "Ugh, he stinks!" Bobby whined, holding a hand to his nose and Logan just glared at him. "Glass houses bub." "ehehehe.." getting Jamie's top and pants off, and just tossing them in the trash Logan held the poor poor in the air, hands under his armpit's and used the mirror to inspect the damage. It was a pleasant surprise that the undies had held up as they were bulging with the boy's soft swerve, though there was brown smudges all over his thighs and Barney's once smiling face was almost lost, covered by brown stains. "Holy heck.. how much did he eat?" Bobby asked, jaw dropping. he would of said more but right at that moment a cramp hit him and with a grunt and a series of wet noisy fart he was filling the bowl with his own waste. '...If i make it though this night, there is nothing anyone can ever do to me that will top this.' Logan thought dryly before turning on the shower head and getting the dazed Jamie to stand in the tub for him. Thankfully the shower had one of those detachable head and Logan brought it down and after getting the water nice and warm got Jamie's hands cleaned first. this being far from the first time he had cleaned the boy he knew Jamie would be going into thumb sucking mode any second and Logan couldn't be sure if the boy had touched his stinky butt or not and didn't want him to get sick. right on cue as Logan went to start spraying down the boys behind, Jamie's left thumb found it's way in his mouth and he nursed on it babyishly with his eyes closed and drooling a little as Bobby watched blushing.

Bobby's Bm had finally finished and he was taking his time wiping himself, as he watched Logan go to work cleaning Jamie and then finally tugging the undies down. talking softly to him when Jamie gave a babyish whine. For whatever the reason Bobby found himself getting jealous of the attention the little pants pooper was getting and wondering if he'd enjoy the same clear that Jamie was getting right now. he was also fairly jealous of the size of Jamie's now soft manhood, which easily surpassed Bobby's baby dick (a full 3 and half inches when rock hard) he was shaken out of his daze when Logan cleared his throat, and Bobby realized that the older man had been trying to talk to him. "For the third time, if your finish can you go to Jamie's room and get me the diapers out from under his bed? it's that or you can stay in here with him while I go and get them." Logan said, a annoyed edge to his voice. "O-Oh right! S-sorry!" Bobby squeaked and stood up, flushing the toilet and tugging his PJ's up then dashing out of the bathroom double time. 'diapers? Jamie has diapers?' Bobby thought as he walked fast to Jamie's room. it was smaller then the other rooms which made since since he was the only one in it unlike everyone else who had a roommate, and as he came in Bobby couldn't help but notice that the room was decorated more like a five year olds then a 12 year olds. Barney and paw patrol posters on the walls and there was a unmistakable stale urine smell in the room even after Jamie had mostly stopped his bed wetting. Checking under the bed there was the pack of thick overnight diapers just like Logan had said and Bobby could help but notice that with the flexible sides that the side of the pack boasted, he might even fit into the nursery print diapers himself. 'Maybe i should steal one, just to see. i doubt anyone would notice.' Bobby thought as he looked down at the package, and bit his lip. 'what am I even thinking? why would I wanna try on one of these things!? come on Bobby, get your shit together!' he scolded himself. still the idea was just too tempting to pass up and since his room WAS on the way to the bathroom, Bobby did a little stop off, thankful that his roomie was at a sleep over , and tossed one of the crinkly diapers into his room before heading double time to the bathroom.

Jamie was blushing big time as he was more or less with it as Mr. Logan dried him off with a fluffy towel. his thumb was soaked in drool and he couldn't even bring himself to make eye contract with the teacher. "Sowwy." he lisped around his thumb. "Ngggh...accidents happen kid. But you know whats gonna happen now don't you?" Logan asked. "...I hafa wear diapies." Jamie lisped again. 'I swear to god, he just too damn cute like this.' Logan said, and allowed himself to smile. "That's right kiddo. but only at night. Unless you start having day time accidents." "i won't mister wogan! pwomise!" Jamie whimpered around his thumb and shook his head fiercely at the thought of his thick puffy diapers on under his jeans at school. he'd never live it down! "Good. I'll be diapering you half a hour before bed and you're not to remove the diaper yourself, I'll check you in the morning unless I'm away on a trip, then storm or Scott will." Jamie wrinkled his nose at the thought of Scott checking his diaper and frowned. "Not Scott! he's a jerk!" Jamie huffed, his thumb finally coming out of his mouth. Logan snorted a little and smirked. "Yeah, I think so too." He chuckled. "but for the most part I'll be handling it." there was a knock at the door and then there was bobby, holding the thick pack of diapers and blushing. "H-Here you go Mr.Logan." Bobby said, shifting a little. Logan raised a eyebrow as he took the package, noting the smell coming off of Bobby, it was one he was semi used to since he was living in a mansion full of teenagers, a slight shameful arousal and as Logan looked at the pack, he could of sworn there was one missing. 'Heh..No way. what am I thinking? Bobby wouldn't be a little diaper thief.' Logan thought, then out loud said "Thank you Bobby. you can go back to your room, I'll mention to the professor what a help you've been tonight." "O-Oh don't mention it!" Bobby squeaked, rubbing the back of his head and waving a hand. "U-Uh Bobby?" Jamie squeaked out, Looking at the older boy, unashamed of his naked state (well save for the towel) but still blushing."Y-Your not gonna.tell anyone about my..you know.." the boy whined, nodding at the pack even as Logan tugged one of the childish diapers out. "Heh, No worries squirt, my lips are sealed." Bobby assured him, then gave a little wave and took off. getting Jamie to lay down on the floor, Logan got to work getting the puffy diaper taped snug around the little guys waist, after of course sprinkling him with baby powder that had the little guy giggling like crazy when it made Logan's sensitive nose twitch and caused him to sneeze. With Jamie in his puffy diaper, Logan picked him up, setting him on his hip with a arm under the boys puffy butt even as Jamie coo'ed and nuzzled into the older man. which as much as Logan hated to say it, made him smile. 'Almost makes having to smell his shitty undies worth it. almost.' he thought. quickly getting to Jamie's room, it was clear the little guy was super tired (though who wouldn't of been after a bowel movement like that?) and Logan didn't bother getting Jamie in more pj's he just laid the sleepy boy on his bed, rubber sheets crinkling and tugged up the boys blanket. "G'night mister Logan." Jamie mumbled, eyes closed and his thumb heading for his mouth. "Night little guy. see you in the morning."

In his room Bobby was blushing all over as he he stripped down, and was looking at himself in the mirror. He was holding the unfolded diaper up and pressed it to his front, and could feel his cheeks burning. 'Oh man..If Ray was here I'd never hear the end of this.' Bobby thought, thinking of his roommate. The smart thing to do would be to bury the diaper in his trash can, and put the idea of wearing it out of his head. Of course it would of been even smarter not to have stolen in the first place. 'well..I suppose it couldn't hurt to try it on..' the teen thought and gulped. shaking a little despite himself he tugged the diaper up and got it tapped on, and looked at himself. it was a little lopsided since he wasn't exactly used to diapering anyone, let alone himself, and it was a bit snugger then he would of liked but his eyes light up as his looked at himself. 'I look so friggen cute!' Bobby mentally gushed, and grinned like a fool. he couldn't resist patting his butt, feeling the slick plastic and rubbing the front, then popped his thumb into his mouth, thinking about how babyish he looked. Just thinking about being a big baby butt was making his heart beat fast and he closed his eyes, and rubbed the front of his diapers even as his thumb slide in and out of his mouth, drool going down his chin. He was about to make a mess in the front of his diapers when suddenly he heard a deep 'ahem', and opened his eyes. looking into the mirror and seeing that standing behind him, arms crossed and NOT looking impressed was Mr. Logan. "I came by to say thank you for being a help and to make sure you knew not to blab about Jamie, But I think we need to have a bigger talk." Logan said. "..would you believe a evil psychic Mutant ma-" Bobby started but Logan cut him off. "save it." Logan said and pointed to the bed for Bobby to take a seat. "..Yeah I didn't think so." Bobby whined, and waddled over, squirming and leaking into the diaper. 'he could of let me finish...'

"So do you want a chance to explain why you stole one of Jamie's diapers and were getting off in it, or should I just skip to the part where I give you your punishment?" Logan asked. "P-Punishment?" Bobby squeaked, and whined. "Y-Your not gonna tell anyone about this are you Mr. Logan?!" The brown haired boy looked terrified and brought his hands together. "Please! I'll be a laughing stock if this gets out!" he whined. "I SHOULD let the professor know, but Chuck will wanna make it a whole thing. I will let you off with a warning this time, and one minor little punishment. Now for the record, I'm not punishing you because you're getting your jollies off in huggies. to each their own, as long as your not hurting yourself. you're being punished for stealing. if you wanna wear diapers, ask Jamie for one, or get your own." Logan started. "O-Ok.' Bobby whimpered, nodding fast and blushing. "However since you wanna be a little diaper boy SO much." and Logan paused and smirked, he could hear the pounding of Bobbies heart. "You can wear that diaper for the rest of the night, and to school in the morning. I don't expect you to use it, but I WILL be checking you when you get home and I MIGHT pop by the school at noon hour." Logan finished. "W-What? I can't wear this to school! what if someone-" Bobby whined and started to fuss. "Figure it out, or we can go and have a talk with chuck." "..You are a fair but evil evil man." Bobby whined and grabbed a pillow, hugging it to his chest. "Yeah yeah, I know. anyways, that's your punishment, Now I'll be going, and feel free to finish what you were doing when I came in, though in my experience, diaper boys find their huggies a lot less appealing after they've creamed them. food for thought." Logan said and ruffled Bobbies hair, then got up and left. "and if you need a diaper change, come knock on my door crinklekins. I've got a spare pack of Jamie's." he added, then left. "Oh god! I'm sooo freaking doomed!" Bobby whined as the door closed, flopping onto his back and putting the pillow to his face. thinking about waddling to school, and what would happened if he was busted,the worst images popped into the teens head, though the more he thought about the other students pointing at him, teasing him.. or making him suck on a pacifier in just his diapers and a baby bonnet.. well he rolled onto his tummy and started to hump the bed. 'mmmfffh..everyone making me be a dumb..big..baby..and making me poop my diapers..' Bobby thought and it wasn't long till the iceman made a mess in his diapers, barley having the mind after a body wracking orgasm to cover himself up before conking out.

Jamie yawned as he woke up to his Micky mouse alarm clock going off, and for a second was thrilled to realize that he hadn't wet the bed for a change, only to look down and see the diaper around his hips and not that the designs were gone off the front. as he recalled the night before he blushed and sighed, then slid out of bed and went over to the dresser, tugging out a pair of loose fitting PJ bottoms that would hide the bulk, getting ready to go and see Mr.Logan. or that was the plan but as Jamie waddled to the door,doing a semi cowboy walk, it opened and in came Mr. Logan. "heh, going somewhere cowpoke?" he asked with a smirk. "I.i was coming t-" Jamie started, blushing but grinning as Logan came in and shut the door behind him. "I know little guy. but FYI, from now on just wait on me in here, your diaper is sticking out a little more then I think you noticed." Logan said, and then patted the boys butt making him yelp but grin even more. "Alright, you kept your diaper on like a good boy. you can get changed." Logan said, then started to head out the door. "Oh..you..don't wanna help?" Jamie asked, sounding a little disappointed. "heh, I got someone else who needs checking up on. see ya later squirt." Logan chuckled and let himself out. Jamie tilted his head, wondering if that meant what he thought it did, and he wasn't the only bed wetter at the school.

[deans-mind-palace]

Nähkästchenplauderei

For those who didn’t know, that’s German. Normally it would be “aus dem Nähkästchen plaudern” which literally translates to “to talk out of the sewing box”. It’s a common phrase in Germany. Means something like “to spill some beans” or “to catch up on all the gossip”or “to share private information”.

Reason why I’m telling you this?

It’s me, Elena. This is a new part of my blog now. I want to involve all of you more in my daily writing and and the related funny stories, problems or ideas and inspirations. Maybe that’s interesting for you. Maybe it’s just a therapeutic exercise for me, when I’m (not) in the mood to write. Not sure yet. xD

I’ll call it “Nähkästchenplauderei” because I talk about me and writing fanfic but not really about their content. I’ll give you some insider stories about the fanfics I wrote/will write. Funny things. What happened to me during writing it, what gave me inspiration and how I do my research or what is important to me about a certain story and why I’m writing it. The daily life (cough *and struggle* cough) of a writer. If you’re not interested in these pieces of information, then you’ll see just the heading and you’ll know ‘Aaaah, that’s not a story I can read so that’s not interesting for me’. So it’s easier for you to skip. But I thought this could be interesting for you. I want to get to know you more and you can always laugh with me or smack your forehead because of my craziness. This could be fun and I am encouraging you to discuss themes or to tell me your opinion or own experiences. Of course, I hope that many of you take part. ❤️

I’ll tag you all only in this part, afterwards you can tell me, if you want to be notified. If you don’t drop a comment, I’ll automatically take you off my taglist for “Nähkästchenplauderei”. I don’t know how many parts this will have. I’ll write one every time I’m in the mood for it.

*oOo*

Nähkästchenplauderei - A blog about my blog. 

A new passion - Or the story of me buying a guitar on Amazon at 1am

I always do a lot of research for my stories. I know some authors hate it, but I love doing research. It’s like playing detective and investigating while educating myself further. I always do Pinterest boards (I can share them with you, if you want) for my series because looking at the pictures and the links inspires me during writing. The ‘Simple Man Series’ is Set in an alternative universe where Jensen is a Country singer. I had no idea about country music, to be honest. I got all my knowledge about it from watching ‘Walk the line’ but that’s it. Obviously, I needed to do research! I created a Spotify playlist for the series (which I will link as soon as it’s uploaded).

When I wrote Suspirium or collected pictures for my Pinterest boards I always listened to it. Somehow I fell in love with this kind of music. I never played an instrument because I didn’t have the patience. I played to flute in fifth grade, because it was part of the Music class. We even got grades for playing it. Let me tell you, it was a disaster! Always got Ds. Although I got an A one time. Every time I practiced the flute, my dog started to howl. You see, it really was  awful. I believe that’s why I lost the interest in playing an instrument. I still went to the choir, though, because I loved singing (still do). I always said, if I had the patience I’d love to learn the piano or the guitar, because these are basic instruments and you can play everything on them.

Guess what? I sat there and was writing Suspirium when an idea started to from in my head. There are dozens of Corona online lessons for the guitar, beginner models of guitars aren’t that expensive and you can still sell them or use them as decoration. Normally, I overthink everything. I need ages to make an decision, normally weeks or months till I lost the interest. So I did my research. Which model? Acoustic, western or concert? Which size? Guitar scale? How do I identify a quality product? Best YouTube channels? Best apps?

Found a black one and I immediately fell in love with it. And guess what? It’ll arrive by tomorrow afternoon! :D I really did it and I’m a bit proud of myself for not overthinking it! I’m looking forward to learning every song of artists I love. Adele, Pink, Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Linkin Park, Train, Oasis, James Arthur, Tom Walker, Lewis Capaldi, James Blunt, Bruno Mars, Coldplay, Shawn Mendes, John Legend, Common Linnets, Lumineers and thousands more. Of course, some of my new Country faves, too. 

My first song will either be ‘Simple Man’ because the story was inspired by it and it was the first song that I’ve heard Jensen sing or ‘Hey there Delilah’ because I love that one right now. It’s my current catchy tune.

These will be followed by ‘The One that got away’ by Pink and ‘Bonfire heart’ by James Blunt. If these four aren’t too difficult, of course... I’ll keep you updated. :D

*oOo*

The story behind Suspirium - Or as I like to call it, the story of reviving a more than dead language.

I have that idea since I’ve started this blog some time ago. I wasn’t sure if I should make it a Dean, Sam or Cas story, so I brought my arguments up and you could decide which professor you want, remember? As soon as you chose Sam, I knew that he would be a Latin Prof. That’s based on the canon in the series and my preferences. Sam is the best in Latin in the entire series. And I am able to read, translate AND EVEN SPEAK Latin, so it’s something I can relate to. A great subject, although I know that the opinions on Latin are different. 

I can speak five languages (German - my mother tongue, English, Spanish, Dutch and Latin, I’d like to learn French soon) and I personally think Latin’s a beautiful language. Of course, it doesn’t sound as beautiful and elegant as French (although French has its origin in Latin). But a language is a lot more than the emphasis. In one of the first chaps of Suspirium Sam and Reader discuss the beauty of Latin.

“Latin is the language of law, architecture and engineering, the military, science, philosophy, religion and - of particular interest here - the language of a flourishing literature which for centuries served as a model for all Western literature. The Latin of literature speaks of love and war in hundreds of masterpieces, reflects on the body and soul, develops theories about the meaning of life and the tasks of man, about the fate of the soul and the nature of matter, sings of the beauty of nature, the meaning of friendship, the pain of losing all that is dear to one; and it criticizes depravity, ponders death, the arbitrariness of power, violence and cruelty. It creates inner images, puts emotions into words, formulates ideas about the world and social life. Latin is the language of the relationship between the one and everything.” Suspirium, Chapter 3

Roman poets are more than two millennia dead, BUT the themes they wrote about (Love, pain, friendship and braveness, also sex...) are still actual in our society. They stood the test of time. A language where no ‘thank you’ exists, just a ‘to be thankful’. This language is mysterious, its culture unbelievable nowadays. It’s like an enigma that wants to be solved - or not, depends on you and if you learn your vocabulary. Trust me, I had to learn that the hard way in seventh grade. ;) 

Sam is basically my old Latin teacher. He uses the same methods and tells the same things. He makes jokes, adds additional information and makes his students question the meaning behind the poems and stories.  Sometimes I even used words my teacher said to us. I looked up some of my Latin notes and use that for the lectures. It’s a lot of fun and that’s where I get my inspiration from. A big thank you to my teacher. This story would not work out without him always encouraging me and explaining everything to me, even if he had to do it three times. Gratiam habeo, magister. :D

Questions for you, only if you want to:

 Do you play an instrument? Which or would you like to play one?

What’ your favourite genre and who’s your favourite artist and which song?

How many languages do you speak? Which? Which would you like to speak (in addition)? 

Wanna tell me your name and origin? 

-> Next post will probably be about how I make my covers, choose GIFs, find inspiration on Pinterest and Spotify and my first friendship ever on Tumblr some years ago. And how I got in touch with SPN.

Tags beneath cut:

@ashthefirefox @rintheemolion @fortheentries @vexhye @traceyaudette @vicariouslythruspn @crazybutconfidentaf @zizzlekwum @outofnowhere82 @myopiamystical @vicmc624 @imaginationisgrowth @seven-seas-of-fuck-you @shypickleghostsuitcase @intoomuchfandoms @angeltardisbow @ayamenimthiriel @still-a-demon-very-ineffable-de @mimzy1994 @everyobsession9023 @tokiohearts483 @butterscotchseventeen @aberrant-annie @autumn-blessings @aberrant-annie @lust-for-pan @screechingartisancashbailiff @readsreblogsfics @akshi8278 @hobby27 @thewintersoldierswife @squirrelnotsam @transparentfestivaltiger

[wyvernquill]

So, I was tagged in this by the wonderful @silent--sonata, our resident book club cryptid, and now I, too, must answer her riddles!

Rules: Answer 17 Questions & tag 17 people you want to get to know better (though I'll probably tag less, let's be honest here).

Nickname: Wy/Wyv/Wyvern online, Cookie sometimes by my gf, or "you evil, evil, very cruel no good human being" when I've written something angsty, also by my darling Nugget.

Zodiac Sign: Libra. The Tadfield Advertiser tells me a friend is important to me, that help may come from an unexpected quarter, and that I should avoid salads because I'm vulnerable to stomach upsets.

Height: 165cm, I think. Which is... hold on, let me Google that... 5'5''...?

Hogwarts house: Ravenclaw. Very Ravenclaw. So Ravenclaw. (Though, then again, Hermione was sorted into Gryffindor, so who knows what would've happened if I was plot-relevant to a Chosen One?)

Last thing I googled: converting cm to whatever heathen measurement is the alternative, see questions before previous one. But before that, it was some reference images for Jojo's Bizarre Adventure fanart.

Song stuck in my head: Bach's Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, Prélude. It's lovely.

Following and followers: following 72, followed by 147.

Amount I sleep: it varies. Usually people tell me it's too little. I can function just as well on 4 hours as on 8 though, so that's fine!

Lucky number(s): 7. (I know, basic.) Also pi. And 42!

Dream job: writing/author, it's what I enjoy like nothing else. As for more realistic dreams... when I was a little child, I wanted to become a maths professor, but now I think literature professor is more my jam. Definitely academia though.

Wearing: my pyjamas with the little hugging ghosties on it. (Yes, at 3pm. Shush.) My 4m Doctor Who scarf I knit myself the autumn before last.

Favourite song(s): ...it's very, very difficult to choose. I generally love every opera I sang in with choir, and have an especially soft spot for Mascagni's "Regina Coeli", from Cavalleria Rusticana. I also love musicals, and can sing the entire opening of RENT on my own - including acting! (And special mention for Bubbles's genius book club OST! It's beautiful!)

Random fact: okay, because this came up yesterday... >gets soap box<

DID YOU KNOW, THE HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON MOVIES ARE BASED ON A WILDLY DIFFERENT (and, in my personal opinion, much better) BOOK SERIES? I ADVISE EVERYONE TO READ IT, BOOK!TOOTHLESS IS A TINY LITTLE BRAT AND CAN TALK, BOOK!FISHLEGS IS HICCUP'S BEST (only) FRIEND, THERE'S A BADASS LITTLE BURGLAR GIRL CALLED CAMICAZI WHO HANGS OUT WITH THEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE ALL THE FUN ADVENTURES, IT'S AMAZING!!! THE GENERAL MORAL IS ALSO QUITE DIFFERENT IN COMPARISON TO THE MOVIES, IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THESE BOOKS YOU'RE MISSING OUT!!!

>ehem< sorry for that. I just feel like people should Know about this. These books are a treasure, and however good the movies are on their own, they honestly can't compare. (Sorry, Nugget.)

Favourite Authors: Terry Pratchett. Can't believe I've only re-discovered him recently, after the German edition of Maurice didn't appeal much to 11-year-old me. Cressida Cowell, see previous question. Also Angie Sage's delightful Septimus Heap series, and Jacqueline Rayner's Doctor Who stories. Honourable mention to Erich Kästner's Fabian/Der Gang Vor Die Hunde, which I read back in 11th grade and really want to write academically about one day.

Favourite Animal Noises: anything cats do. Special mention to the little burr-mew one of mine does whenever someone sneezes.

Aesthetic: Hermione. Pretty much. I wear something school-uniform-esque and all, though I also have a hat and a tartan bowtie, so... part Aziraphale, I guess? (My brother will tell you that I'm a gremlin. He's lying. Don't listen to him.)

Well, that's that - let's see who I can think of tagging. (If you don't feel like answering, that's no problem at all! Only if you feel like it! <3)

@sortofsunny, @cafekat91, @thelittleblackfox, @ifeelbetterer, @vodkertonic, @still-not-king, @percyjacksonfan3, @handlebarstiedtothestars, @darkonesdagger7437, @godihatethisfreakingcat, uh... seems like I can't think of anyone else Bubbles hasn't already tagged. Oh well! 10 out of 17 will have to do.

[apparently-im-a-hufflepuff]

Pedro Albizu Campos

An essay I wrote in 8th grade

    I was in the lobby, I had just bought some pastéles from the hotel restaurant. It was a very sunny day and many rich tourists were leaving to go to the beach. Just as I was about to take a bite of my pastél, all the chatter around me stopped. I turned to look at the the door and in walked two very important men. One had lost the election for Puerto Rican Senate, and the other one was Colonel E. Francis Riggs, he had come when the U.S invaded. Once they had sat down, the people around me started their conversations again. I could only understand some of what they were talking about, but I could tell they were speaking English. It sounded like they were having a normal conversation. They were talking about things like the weather. Then their conversation seemed to get more serious. I could understand they were talking about the position for senate. Colonel Riggs said that he would help the other man win the senate position next time, if he stopped helping with The Sugar Cane Strike. In response Don Pedro, El Maestro, stood up and told him “Puerto Rico is not for sale, at least not by me.” and then he left.

Pedro Albizu Campos was the president of the Puerto Rican National Party from 1930 - 1965. Albizu Campos was considered a hero to Puerto Ricans because he was fighting for their independence. He was considered a terrorist to the U.S because the National Party was using violent protests. He tried to gain Puerto Rican independence by protesting and traveling around South America and the Caribbean and spreading news about Puerto Rico.

Pedro Albizu Campos was born September 12, 1891 in Tenerías de Ponce, Puerto Rico. His father, Alejandro “El Vizcaíno” Albizu Romero, never paid attention to him. His mother, Juliana Campos, was suicidal. She tried to drown both of them in Río Bucaná multiple times. Later, when he was 4 years old, she tried to walk across the river and drown. His mom had drowned and his dad wasn’t around.  Being orphaned at 4 he ran around Puerto Rico barefoot until his aunt adopted him. When he was 7 years old the U.S invaded Puerto Rico. General Miles was one of the first Americans to come to Puerto Rico after the U.S had invaded. He had just finished his speech about how Puerto Rico was part of the U.S. Then 7 year old Pedro Albizu Campos, who couldn’t understand English yet, shouted “¡Que viva Puerto Rico!” 

Pedro Albizu Campos didn’t go to school until he was 12 years old. Even though he started school late, he finished the first 8 grades in 4 ½ years. By the time he was in high school he had caught up with his original grade. He the graduated from Ponce High School in 2 years with a 96% average. He was at the top of his class. He was fluent in many languages. By the time he graduated from college he was fluent in Spanish, English, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, Latin and Ancient Greek.

In 1912, Albizu Campos was accepted into the University Of Vermont. There he studied chemistry. After a year he transferred to Harvard. While at Harvard he taught Spanish at Walpole High School and tutored many other students in chemistry, French and Spanish. He also worked as a translator and was a writer for the Christian Science Monitor. He also met Laura Menses, who was a Quechua Native American from Peru, at Harvard and proposed to her on their third date. Later they had 3 kids; Pedro, Rosa Emilia, and Laura. He was supposed to be the valedictorian of his graduating class at Harvard, but his professors delayed his exams so that he couldn’t graduate on time or give his speech. They delayed his exams because he was going to be the first Puerto Rican to graduate from Harvard, and they didn’t want him to be valedictorian because of his background. During World War I he joined the U.S Army’s Infantry Branch. He was assigned to the 375th Infantry Regiment and became the 2nd Lieutenant. In 1918 he was honorably discharged from the military. He returned to Harvard in 1919 and studied law, literature, philosophy, chemical engineering and military science.

After graduating from Harvard a second time, he was offered many jobs; a clerkship with the U.S Supreme Court, a diplomatic post at the U.S embassy in Mexico, Judgeship in Yauco, Puerto Rico, and an executive position with a U.S corporation. Instead he moved back to Puerto Rico and bought a house in a poor barrio, so he could would know about all the problems regular people had. He joined the Union Party of Puerto Rico and then left in 1921 to join the Puerto Rican National Party. In 1924 he became the vice-president and in 1930 he became the president of the National Party. The National Party wanted all the Puerto Rican land and banks to be controlled by Puerto Rico. They also wanted Spanish to be the first language in the schools and didn’t want to make any payments to the U.S. In 1932 he tried to run for Puerto Rican Senate, but he only got 5,257 votes and lost. After he lost the election, he got many death threats, so he took his family to Peru to keep them safe. Then he traveled through South and Central America, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba. In Cuba he created “National Junta Por Independencia De Puerto Rico” (National Board For The Independence Of Puerto Rico).

By 1934, the U.S owned most of Puerto Rico’s sugar cane and coffee farms. Since the U.S owned the farm,s the workers didn’t get paid much money. Albizu Campos led the strike to get the workers more money. During the strike he helped create the Ascoiación De Trabajadores De Puerto Rico (The Workers Association Of Puerto Rico). He then caught the attention of Colonel E. Francis Riggs, who told him that he’d help him win the spot for Senate next time, if he stopped helping with the strike. Colonel Riggs also told Albizu Campos that if he didn’t take stop, he’d take his offer to Luis Muñoz Marin. In response Albizu Campos told him “Puerto Rico is not for sale, at least not by me.” Muñoz Marin ended up winning the spot for Senate. Later he created the Cadets of the Republic, which was a youth nationalist party. He also came to be called Don Pedro or El Maestro (The Teacher). 

Albizu Campos was sent to jail many times during his life. He was found guilty for “conspiracy to overthrow the government of the United States.” He was sentenced for 10 years and was sent to a jail in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1950 there was a Nationalist attack on a police station and they tried to assassinate President Harry Truman. Albizu Campos was found guilty, even though he wasn’t there, for attempted murder and illegal use of arms. Many people in Puerto Rico protested in response to him getting arrested. The protests led to the Ponce Massacre where the police shot and killed 21 Puerto Ricans including a 53 year old and a 7 year old girl. The U.S also created a law called La Ley De La Mordaza. According to the law Puerto Ricans couldn’t display their flag or sing patriotic songs. Later he was arrested again because two nationalists, Elias Beauchamp and Hiram Rosado, assassinated a police chief. Later Beauchamp and Rosado were killed and it became known as the Piedras (stones) Massacre. In 1950 there were uprisings in towns around Puerto Rico. People were protesting Albizu Campos’s arrest. Blanca Canales, who was 24 years old, led an attack on the governor's mansion in San Juan. Don Pedro was sentenced for 80 years, but in 1953 Governor Luis Muñoz Marin pardoned him. Later an independence group assaulted The Blair House  in Washington D.C and he was arrested again. 

While in jail Albizu campos was tortured with radiation. He was put into Total Body Irradiation (TBI) for five years. He was getting burns, headaches, sores and was feeling sick from the radiation. The prison guards called him “El Rey De Las Toallas” (The King Of Towels) because the only way for him to lessen the pain was to be wrapped in damp towels. The guards put two prisoners in his cell with him and they were getting burns and headaches just by being close to him. Whenever the U.S was questioned about it, they told people that he was crazy. An Argentine newspaper called Verdad (true) had a headline that said “The Apostle Of Puerto Rican Liberty Is Slowly Being Murdered In Jail By Means Of Electronic Rays.” He was tortured in prison until March 27, 1956 when he had cerebral thrombosis and fell into a coma. The prison guards waited two days before taking him to the hospital. He was taken to San Juan Presbyterian Hospital. While there the President Of The Cuban Cancer Association confirmed that he had been exposed to radiation. For the last nine years of his life he couldn’t walk or talk and the right side of his body was paralyzed. He died April 21, 1965 and was buried in the Old San Juan Cemetery.

Pedro Albizu Campos came to be known by many names like Don Pedro, El Maestro and he was also sometimes called the Puerto Rican Malcolm X. He spent most of his life fighting for Puerto Rican freedom. No matter how hard he tried Puerto Rico is still part of the U.S. Even though he didn’t gain the freedom he wanted, he still made an impact on many places. In Ponce, Puerto Rico, there is a statue of him in Pedro Albizu Campos Park. In New York City, Campos Plaza was named after him. In Paseo Boricua, Chicago, in Humboldt Park there is also a statue of him.

After his death the FBI files about the radiation were declassified. People found out that the U.S was torturing not only Albizu Campos, but many other Puerto Ricans. Some Puerto Ricans still feel like they don’t have as many rights as continental Americans. The U.S says that they are waiting for the island to figure out whether the want to be part of it or not. 

Many places in Puerto Rico celebrate Albizu Campos’s birthday. The first time his birthday was celebrated was in Ponce 40 years ago. Now many places in Puerto Rico celebrate his birthday, even though most people don’t know what he did. Some famous people have also tried to spread his message. René Pérez, from the band Calle 13, is one of those people. Some other people are Andres Jimenez and El Jibaro, they wrote a song called Pedro Albizu Campos.

In conclusion Pedro Albizu Campos was a hero to many Puerto Ricans. He turned down many jobs in the U.S so that he could fight for independence. He was also arrested multiple times. Sometimes he wasn’t even there for the event that caused his arrest. He stood up for what he believed in and he was taking a stand until he died on April 24, 1965. If Albizu Campos had never took a stand the world today probably wouldn’t be much different. Puerto Rico is still part of the U.S and many people don’t know who he is. He is also still considered a terrorist to the the U.S, which means people probably won’t be learning about him in schools.

[joaniam]

21 Questions

Answer 21 questions and tag 21 people you want to know better.

Tagged by @kiomori​

Nicknames: Not in real life... online I have a lot of J-based nicknames I’ll answer to

Zodiac Sign: Taurus!

Height: I’m 5′2″! Very short. Very short indeed.

Hogwarts House: Some kind of Ravenclaw, though I’d aspire to be a Hufflepuff because then I could get things done...

The last thing I googled: The song “Deliver us” from the Prince of Egypt!

Favorite musicians: Right now it’s Florence and the Machine since I have a lot of her songs I automatically to go to listen. The answer will be different in like 2 months.

Some song stuck in my head: ‘Deliver us’, as discussed in the above question

Following: 332! Many of them are abandoned.

Followers: 330. Some of them are bots I need to deactivate. Many, many of them are also no longer active.

Do you get asks: Not really, since I don’t often post memes or often have Ideas that I post during high traffic times that people wanna talk about.

Amount of sleep: seven to nine hours usually. (9 is mostly on weekends...)

Lucky number: 4. Which is more of a favorite than a lucky number

What you’re wearing: Yoga-ish pants and that pink breast cancer Mercy shirt

Dream job: Dream dream? Youtuber or online personality who talks about fan sociology. Realistic job with dream prospects? Community college sociology professor.

(secret dream: replacing Henry Jenkins as the big name in fan studies)

Dream trip: Go back to South Korea for a good long visit. It was so beautiful there, with such good food.

Instruments: People tell me I can sing (and I think I can sing) but I’ve played violin since the second grade.

Languages: English, and German with the understanding of a 6 year old. A few phrases in Korean

Favorite songs: uuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhh.... geez, I’m really digging “Oath of Feanoro” by Allie McCallister right now, and also her song Haevens, and Moderation by Florence and the Machine, not to mention that one by Will Shatner in my music tag. The vocaloid song Solei

Random fact: I lived 25 years of my life before seeing a cockroach in person. I wish it had been longer.

Aesthetic: I go for comfortable clothes. The most comfort I can. This usually means some kinda jean pant and a tshirt/tank top on. I like cool images on those bad boys.

Tag 21 people:

I don’t think i have 21 people following me who are freaking active... I’ll do my best. If you feel like it, go ahead!

@haveievermentioned @inktail, @viscountfrancisbacon, @bramblepatch, @pawnly, @monstrousgourmandizingcats, @cotestuck, @the-tao-of-fandom @the-marrow-finch @momo-de-avis @hashtagsister @jedi-giraffe

[septimaseverina]

Rules: answer 21 questions then tag 21 people

Tagged by: No one tag me, but I’m took this from @the-gothic-assassin because I wanna do this hiyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Nickname: Wanda, Katya, Katyusha, Bear, Mum, Hermione (My university’s professor calls me. And I’m so proud as hell!)

Zodiac: Gemini

Height: 168 cm./5′6″

Last movie I saw: Priest

Last thing I googled: Melissa Fumero

Favorite musicians: Madonna, Lana del Rey, Ariana Grande, Lorde, Florence+The Machine, Evanescence, Within Temptation, Mediaeval Baebes

Song stuck in my head: So It’s Goes... by Taylor Swift

Other blogs: Yes, but I don’t update it anymore and I’m plan to make another one soon

Do i get asks?: Rarely

Following: 503

Followers: 164

Amount of sleep: 12-14 Hours

Lucky number: 4

What im wearing: Black t-shirt with ‘geek on’ on it and trousers 

Dream job: At first, I had been dreaming of being history professor, but now I think I have to succeed my family’s business. Also, I want to be the wellknown writer.   

Dream trip: Around the world!!!

Favorite food: Italian and Japanese food 

Play any instruments: Keyboard, a little bit of guitar and some of traditional instruments

Languages: Thai, English, Japanese, some of Russian, a little bit of French, Spanish and German.

Favorite song: For now. It’s ‘God is a woman’

Random Facts: - I’m still virgin. YES, I’M VIRGIN. - My father and his ancestors are Cantonese, but I can’t even understanding a single word in Cantonese. I just can understand some Mandarin words and singing Mandarin songs! - I prefer Taylor Swift than Katy Perry 

Describe yourself as aesthetic things: A cup of tea, Many books in home-library, Flowers fields, Red lipstick with black dress, Vintage stuffs, Sky full of stars, Witchy things, Old painting.  

And about tagging anyone else, you could do it. I won’t tag anyone ‘cause now I’m in the state of isolated. 

[juniorformulamotorsport]

Tuesday, 18th September/Wednesday, 19th September 2018 – Kiev, Days 2 and 3

Day 2 was manic and intense work-wise, and the only sightseeing that was done was from the seat of a mini bus taking us back and forth from the hotel to the office, mostly while stuck in traffic that wasn’t much going anywhere. We did still manage to spot the National Circus of Ukraine, which has its own rather wonderful 1960s building, in grand Soviet style. Well, I say spot; it would have been hard to miss really.

Additionally, there were more of the fantastic murals to be seen (excuse the photo quality – these were all taken from inside a minibus moving at a variety of speeds). And no, I’m not sure what the significance of an inflatable dolphin is, but I was struck by how brilliantly executed it was.

Wednesday the Danish and German contingent would be flying out late afternoon, while those of us from London were not leaving for another day. Thus, we two found ourselves back at the hotel at around 16:30 with time on our hands and an ambition to keep going on the sightseeing front. We set off round the back of the hotel this time, eying up the stadium and realising just how big it actually is.

The nearby lamp posts are decorated with planters made to look like footballs, which amused us.

From there we passed a small park with what I now know is a memorial to Solomon Naumovich Rabinovic, better known as Sholem Aleichem (1859 – 1916), a Yiddish author and playwright whose stories about Tevye the Dairyman were the inspiration for the musical, “Fiddler on the Roof”. There were several other monuments in the same space so I may have misidentified it of course.

It’s fair to say that for the most part the history of the Jews in Kiev (and in the Ukraine in general) has been long but has not been easy or happy, and I did wonder if the mural we found is a a reflection of this. However, it’s an area of history that I don’t know a great deal about (so I’m going to have to go and do some reading before our next trip to Kiev).

The area we were now walking through obviously has quite a history and there are some fabulous buildings along the route we were taking, in a mixture of many grand styles.

We were heading initially for the Besarabsky Rynok (Бесарабський ринок) market hall because I wanted to take a look at it, and I know my colleague, A, likes that sort of thing too. It’s fabulous even at the tail end of the working day, and there are plenty of things to buy (including caviar which I don’t care for). In fact the caviar sellers seem to be very keen on engaging with you… I wonder why! It’s quite sizable, and was built between 1910 and 1912 to a design by the Polish architect Henryk Julian Gay, and is named after Bessarabia, claimed by Russia during the Russo-Turkish Wars and now part of the Odessa oblast. It has massive high ceilings…

And plenty of fresh produce.

It’s also fine looking from the outside.

From here we headed along the Tarasa Shevchenko Boulevard, which has a green strip running up the middle of it with traffic flowing (or not flowing depending on the time of day) on either side. We were aiming at the church we had only seen through the trees on our way to the office, Saint Volodymyr’s Cathedral. Prince Volodymyr the Great imposed Christianity on the Kievan Rus and in addition to a massive monument on one of the hills along the river Dnipro, also has a cathedral of his own, and a glorious thing it is too.

The building was completed in 1882 (30 years after the idea of it was first mooted to celebrate 900 years since the Kievan Rus’ were baptised) and it was another church to narrowly avoid being demolished under the Soviets. Instead it was turned into a museum of religion and atheism, and then remained closed until after WWII, when it was reopened as the main church of the Kiev Metropolitan See of the Ukrainian Exarchate. After the Soviet Union fell apart, it was a source of argument between two dominations, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which had autonomous status under the Moscow Patriarchy, and the new Ukrainian Orthodox Church Kiev Patriarchy, the latter eventually winning control of the cathedral. If you want to know more about the history of Ukrainian Christianity, the Wikipedia page provides a useful starting point, but be warned; it’s complicated. There was a service on when we went in (me with my hair covered with a scarf because it seemed unlikely I’d be allowed in otherwise), and it’s fair to say the congregation seems very diverse in age terms, and very devoted. The singing was stunningly beautiful, and A, who is also a musician and a composer was loving every minute of it.

I concentrated on taking photos (there’s a small charge if you want to take photos – I was happy to pay it). The interior is absolutely stunning, with an art nouveau feel to the work that decorates every available surface. Where there are no mosaics, there are paintings, the mosaics created by Venetian masters, the paintings the work of a group of painters under the guidance of Professor Adrian Prakhov. The frescoes were completed by 1896. The interior taken as a whole is almost overwhelming to anyone more used to the stark beauty of Western European cathedrals. It was all we could both do not to just stand and gaze an repeatedly say “Wow!” to each other.

We left the church and headed down past Saint Sophia’s, which was looking particularly fetching in the evening sunshine and stopped to take a look at the massive monument to Bogdan Khmelmitskiy, the leader of the fight for freedom against Polish oppression between 1648 and 1654. It should have been even bigger apparently, but there wasn’t enough money for the planned sculpture, only enough to create Bogdan on his horse. For six year’s they couldn’t even afford a pedestal. It ended up being mounted on some stone blocks left over after construction of the bridge over the Dnipro in 1888! He looks magnificent enough despite all of that.

Further along we stumbled across the monument to Saint Olga (Ольга), the grandmother of Volodymyr, whose cathedral we had just seen. As Princess Olga she was Regent of Kievan Rus’ for her son Svyatoslav from 945 until 960. The sculpture shows her flanked by Saint Andrew the Apostle, and Saints Cyril and Methodius (missionaries to the Slavic peoples). Olga was the first Christian ruler in Kiev and was baptized in Constantinople, though the dates are somewhat fuzzy. The monument itself, which dates from 1911, was removed by the Soviets and buried under the square in which it stands, and was restored in 1996, though using a copy of the statue of Olga. It was originally intended to be part of “The Historical Path” which would have been an alley of statues illustrating the history of Kiev.

From here we crossed the road to take a look at the beautiful blue church we had spotted on the first day. This turned out to be the recreated Saint Michael’s Cathedral (or Monastery). There has been a monastery here since the 11th century, founded by Prince Isyaslav of Kiev. It was his son, Sviatopolk (or Michael) who had a new stone church to Saint Michael built in the monastery precinct in 1108. With its golden roofs it was unsurprisingly known to all and sundry as St. Michael’s Monastery of the Golden Domes. It was added to, and decorated over the centuries, but in the 1930s the Soviet People’s Committee had the bell tower and several other buildings demolished, blowing up the monastery in 1937, leaving behind nothing but a pile of rubble. Between 1997 and 2000, post the fall of the Soviet Union, it was completely rebuilt and it looks incredible.

The Ukrainian authorities managed finally to persuade the Russians to return 18 of the 29 mosaics that had been taken from the original building, and were also able to obtain the return of the remaining frescoes from the Hermitage Museum. We didn’t have time to go inside but were able to roam the “territory” and admire the buildings, including the refectory, which is one of the few buildings that survived the Soviet period.

Behind the complex, we discovered the Kiev funicular, which takes you down to Podil (you can walk but it was a hot, sticky evening and we fancied the look of the funicular, which opened in 1905).

Having discovered that the funicular is part of the Metro system, and that it takes contactless payments for the 8 hryvnia fare (a stunning £0.24, 0.22€ or $0.29 US) we rode down to Podil just as dusk was falling. Podil runs along the bank of the Dnipro and is the old mercantile quarter. It seems to be where all of Kiev fetches up for an evening stroll, cycle ride, run or simply to sit and watch the river. There is a row of street food stalls, cafes, and hotels, with various amusements thrown in.

The Chernobyl museum is down here, but again we were far too late to go in. And we needed a beer. We chose a cafe that looked promising and sat out on the terrace watching the world go by. Shortly afterwards we noticed that there was some sort of light display being played out on one of the bridges.

Beer done with, we caught the funicular back up and headed back towards the hotel in search of dinner.

    Travel 2018 – Kiev, Days 2 and 3 Tuesday, 18th September/Wednesday, 19th September 2018 - Kiev, Days 2 and 3 Day 2 was manic and intense work-wise, and the only sightseeing that was done was from the seat of a mini bus taking us back and forth from the hotel to the office, mostly while stuck in traffic that wasn't much going anywhere.

[ninallthatjazz]

Review - Tanz der Vampire Wien, 26.05.2018

And here we are again – I returned from my short weekend trip to Vienna, where I finally had the pleasure to see Tanz at the Ronacher.

Since it’s been only a few days since I saw the German production, I thought I’d write another little review, maybe talk about some differences I have noticed between the shows.

Overall impression and theatre:

First big difference is of course the size and type of building.

While the musical dome in Köln is a huge hall, the Ronacher is a cute little theatre with beautiful balconies. I’m not sure if that was the reason, but the next thing I noticed was that the sound was much better here than in Köln. It was not as loud and it was well balanced with the vocals, so you could hear every word they sang perfectly.

I also quite liked the fact that the theatre was decorated on the outside with huge banners and the almost famous huge fangs, as well as the tiny bats on the ceiling of the foyer.

What really impressed me from the get-go was, apart from the music, the stunning visuals during the Overture. The whole animated part of the show was much more detailed and instead of playing the same clip of the castle back and forth, there was a pretty landscape and a cool 3-dimensional effect.

The only thing I could criticise is the microphone malfunction of Drew’s mic during Tanzsaal – seems gluing a maxi pad under his wig is not enough to stop his sweat from defeating the technicians XD

But since that’s no one’s fault (except global warming), it’s not something I blame on the production team.

Another huge plus is the fact that they had English subtitles playing for non-german speaking audience members!

The ensemble was just as incredible as the one in Köln was, their performances were energetic and you could tell they were really happy acting, singing and dancing their way through Transylvania.

I paid a bit more attention to them than to the ensemble in Köln because I knew some of them from Instagram, and it was fun to recognize some familiar faces. Filippo Strocchi and Abla Alaoui really stood out for me, and the former singing the nightmare solo was really incredible!

I also quite enjoyed the slightly altered ending, the reappearance of the Graf and the modern city background tied up some lose ends and make the finale more powerful and polished.

The costumes:

As predicted in the last Tanz review, I definitely prefer the Vienna costumes to the German ones. The intricate details on them, the sparkly stones on the Krolock cape and Sarah’s dress, but most of all the authenticity. Especially with the Ewigkeit costumes, they looked like real, century old dresses that people ascending from their graves might wear. There is one outfit I prefer in the German production though, and that is Herbert’s bathroom outfit. I love the big shirt with the huge sleeves that are perfect for dramatic gestures!

The Vienna outfit is still gorgeous of course, but it looks more like a modern-day silk pyjama.

The main cast:

Drew Sarich – Graf von Krolock

Ever since I discovered Tanz back in January, I have seen gifs and videos of Drewlock all over tumblr, and he was one of the main reasons I wanted to see the Vienna production live.

And damn, I was not disappointed.

From the aforementioned videos I knew that Drew was very good at the grafly holy trinity: walking, hands and cape swishing. He is a master of all three disciplines and it was so much fun seeing him in his element. He has an enormous presence, stalking through the aisle with a stone cold facial expression. I was having a dopey grin on my face when he walked by and felt like a mouse entranced by a snake – he could’ve bitten me and I would’ve let him 😉

His voice is almost as captive, from the first lines of Gott Ist Tot I was his. He has a way of making each line sound natural and unrehearsed, you can tell he is really trying to tell a story with all the resources he’s got. For example I love how in the moment before Sarah ‘interrupts’ him with her line “ich hör’ eine Stimme, die mich ruft” he inhales and almost starts to speak, only to be ‘startled’ by her voice and turning his head, as you would when hearing an unexpected sound. It’s details like this that make him my absolute favourite Krolock.

He also has a great comedic talent, the few moments where he interacts with the Professor and is supposed to relieve some tension were hilarious and full of funny details that are too many to list them all (a few of them made it to the memorable moments section further down though! 😉).

And of course, one of the most important aspect of the role (at least for me), is his ability to seduce not only Sarah (and Alfred), but also the audience. The Graf has to pull you in and ignite your desire to follow him into the darkness after all. And that is Drews specialty. His tone of voice, his elegant movements and his soft gestures all seem to be designed for this purpose alone. Until he is alone at the graveyard of course, then the mask crumbles and reveals deep longing and despair. We get small moments of that in ToFi as well, and it is incredible how layered Drews performance is. Add to that his inner battle against his vampiric nature and urges (like him baring his fangs every now and then only to try and get back the control, or his fast and aggressive movements only to slow down as if trying to calm his inner beast) and you have the perfect Graf.

Charles Kreische – Herbert von Krolock

Charles is an incredible Herbert. Herbert is one of my favourite roles in this show, and he fits it perfectly. He is playful and flirty with Alfred from the second he sees him, sends him interested looks from the first moment and obviously enjoys the attention unwillingly given by Alfred and very willingly given by the audience. Charles has an amazing voice, and while I loved his softer singing during Wenn Liebe In Dir Ist, I was blown away by his powerful vocals during Carpe Noctem. And what I also quite liked was the fact that even in the nightmare scene he had a few sassy moves that I have never seen any other Herbert do, which was a nice touch. (don’t get me started on what that means since the scene plays in Alfreds head, or we’ll still be here tomorrow :P).

The only thing that was a little bit disappointing was the fact that, due to Charles’ and Raphael’s non-existent height-difference, the dancing didn’t look as smooth and effortless as it did with Christian and Tom in the German production and it seemed much more rehearsed because of that.

But that’s no one’s fault and not due to a lack of talent on their part.

Raphael Groß – Alfred

I am completely in love with Raphi’s portrayal of Alfred. He is such a sweet, loveable guy which makes him a perfect contrast to the dangerous vampire Graf.

He is also very good at putting a lot of details into his performance, for example: he was breathing heavily and chattering with his teeth during He Ho He.

He had great chemistry with Charles as well as Diana, and normally I am not a huge fan of Für Sarah, but he made me aww 😊.

Diana Schnierer – Sarah Chagal

This was another perfectly cast role – Diana is a sweet girl and a great actress. She was very good at playing the naïve girl at first, then being torn between choosing the Graf and doing ‘the right thing’, only to succumb to his charm at the end of ToFi. You could tell that the feelings she had for Alfred during Nie Gesehn’ were pretty much gone in the bathroom scene after Bücher.

I loved her voice, it was beautiful and clear, just a tad frail at times during the belting parts of Die Roten Stiefel. But I can imagine that’s due to her youth and that her voice will only get stronger. She also has a light accent, which is very cute.

Sebastian Brandmeir – Professor Abronsius

Sebastian is a great Professor, there is not much to say about his solid performance.

After playing this role in multiple productions, Sebastian is definitely a pro and matches Victor Petersens talent. The only difference I noticed was that Victor managed to sing the fast parts of Wahrheit and Bücher with even more ease than Sebastian. But Sebastian’s comedic talent is just as great as Victors.

Nicolas Tenerani – Yoine Chagal

What I loved about Nicolas as Chagal was his little gestures and quirks – he made me laugh out loud with silly faces and movements a few times. Also a very good singer!

Memorable moments:

Alfred going in for the kiss when him and Sarah are picking up the sponge

The Graf putting his leg next to Sarah’s shoulder and taking her by the hand, lifting her from the bathtub during Einladung

Drewlock being farsighted and holding the Professors business card at arms length to read it

Graf smelling the sponge during Vor Dem Schloss and later taking in Sarahs scent during ToFi

While entrancing Alfred, Krolock puts his finger underneath his chin to lift his head and look into his eyes *swoon*

Drewlock holding Sarahs head at the end of ToFi and laying it on his chest/under his chin at first, only to then press his cheek against hers (I died)

Nightmare!Graf biting Sarah hanging upside down from the bed

The Graf picking his teeth after biting Sarah, before confronting Alfred and the Professor

Him being ‘scared’ when Alfred attacks him with the candelabra

After this show I also managed to wait at the stage door for a bit – I met a few lovely people, including Drew Sarich, Charles Kreische and Abla Alaoui. They were all super nice and it was lovely to talk to them!

That’s all for now, if you guys want I can do another review for the next Vienna show, just let me know if you are interested! <3

[the-most-beautiful-broom]

100 questions

it’s long so it’s under the cut, but man was this fun. thanks for the tag @she-who-the-river-could-not-hold ♥ i’ll tag my loves (if you want to haha this is a lot) @dylanobrienisbatman @blueshirtbell @granger--danger @nightbleeder

1. What is your nickname? lol I have so many. Linds is the most common on here though.

2. How old are you? 23

3. What is your birth month? october

4. What is your zodiac sign? libra, but it’s only like 60% accurate imo (I’m not fragile, or a flirt? ya girl can be charismatic, but I don’t think that’s the same?)

5. What is your favorite color? green

6. What’s your lucky number? when I was in high school/sports, I picked 13 for my number because everyone was like oooo it’s unlucky and I was like cool, guess I’ll win while wearing an unlucky number then (and that’s today’s slytherin mood)

7. Do you have any pets? not in the city with me :(

8. Where are you from? california

9. How tall are you? 5’ 9"

10. What shoe size are you? 10

11. How many pairs of shoes do you own? more than I should, probs

12. Are you random? oh goodness no. I believe in patterns and I’m pretty dang predictable.

13. Last person you texted? my sister

14. Are you psychic in any way? lol no

15. Last TV show watched? queer eye again

16. Favorite movie? IMPOSSIBLE <--stealing Kath’s answer on this one

17. Favorite show from your childhood? sooooo we didn’t have a tv haha my mom really really wanted her daughters to be well read

18. Do you want children? I want to foster!

19. Do you want a church wedding? I’m not sure? i’d want everyone to be comfortable and they might not be in a church…I do know that I want a brunch wedding though, bc dancing isn’t my thing and breakfast food is

20. What is your religion? I’m Christian! Seventh-day Adventist is the specific denomination, but nobody ever really knows what to do with that haha

21. Have you ever been to the hospital? not for me/like I’m sick, but for other people, yeah, too much

22. Have you ever got in trouble with the law? Lol not at all. I’ve gotten pulled over four times, but never ticketed though.

23. How is life? better than I deserve

24. Baths or showers? showers

25. What color socks are you wearing? i’m wearing heels for work, so no socks

26. Have you ever been famous? goodness no, whatever for?

27. Would you like to be a big celebrity? I think I would, to get to have that platform to make a change and give other people a voice would be awesome

28. What type of music do you like? something with words that mean something, or a melody that surprises you. I’m so weak for key changes though…I’ve always said that my perfect music is driving music: I can belt it alone on a highway at 3am, or laugh over it with friends in the afternoon.

29. Have you ever been skinny dipping? nope

30. How many pillows do you sleep with? two

31. What position do you usually sleep in? on my right side, with my hands under my pillow

32. How big is your house? it’s a nyc apartment, fam, it’s the size of a broom closet. it’s cozy though, and I love it

33. What do you typically have for breakfast? I’m so bad at eating breakfast…if I do get something, it’s at the bagel place across the street from my office

34. Have you ever left the country? ages ago

35. Have you ever tried archery? on retreats/for school; I wanted to be like robin hood

36. Do you like anyone? I might have a bit of a crush at the moment and it is stressing me out

37. Favorite swear word? so I literally never swear irl, and the first time I swore online was when I was writing my stranger things fic—it’s literally impossible to write dustin and steve and have them not cuss?? ummm I don’t know, they all have their purposes, but I think fuck is just next level emphatic. it’s crazy that it’s just a word, but it conveys so much when you use it

38. When do you fall asleep? if/when I establish a normal sleeping schedule, I’ll let you know

39. Do you have any scars? in the middle of one of my eyebrows, from when I cracked my head open as a kid, which is why I always fill my eyebrows in. also acne scars, which I’m working on not caring about.

40. Sexual orientation? straight

41. Are you a good liar? yes

42. What languages would you like to learn? Literally all of them, so many. I’d love to learn Tagalog so I could have that connection with my mom’s side of the family, and then Spanish is just so beautiful and I really should’ve kept up with it after high school. French and German and Italian would be nice too, and then maybe an ancient language or three?  

43. Top 10 songs? REFUSING TO ANSWER THIS <--again, stealing kath’s answer. y’all know how much music I listen to and cry over, so you know I can’t do this

44. Do you like your country? yes but not my leadership. I love the people of this country and I hate that the voices of the few are the ones that are loudest and that are yelling and that are deciding. the people of my country aren’t being represented or heard or protected and it breaks my heart.

45. Do you have friends from the web? I do! from this blog and I ran a fashion blog for a while, so from insta too

46. What is your personality type? MBTI: estj, enneagram: 2w3.

47. Hogwarts House? slytherin (as if anyone couldn’t tell)

48. Can you curl your tongue? no

49. Pick one fictional character you can relate to? emma woodhouse (I wish I could say lizzie bennet, but it’s got to be emma)

50. Left or right handed? right

51. Are you scared of spiders? not really? my sister is, so I always had to kill them

52. Favorite food? bread

53. Favorite foreign food? mexican (one of the perks of growing up near the border)

54. Are you a clean or messy person? I’m an orderly person…but sometimes that manifests itself in organized chaos BUT I KNOW WHERE EVERYTHING IS OKAY

55. If you could switch your gender for a day, what would you do? call out my coworkers and not be written off as emotional/sensitive

56. What color underwear? black

57. How long does it take for you to get ready? most days like 20 minutes? from horizontal in bed to out the door...but if i have to do my hair, tap another 3 hours on that, because it has to air dry

58. Do you have much of an ego? so this is complicated because i have high confidence in my capabilities and performance, but struggle with my worth and importance independent of those

59. Do you suck or bite lollipops? I don’t really care for lollipops, they just make me want to brush my teeth

60. Do you talk to yourself? yep

61. Do you sing to yourself? also yep

62. Are you a good singer? oh it’s so relative, fam. I can harmonize pretty well, so I’m a good backup singer

63. Biggest Fears? insignificance

64. Are you a gossip? not really. I hate complaining, and I really hate when other people complain; i’m just like okay so what did you do about it? 

65. Are you a grammar nazi? if someone knows better, in a context when they should know better, then yes. so like, in a paper, for a presentation, yeah. people ask for help bc I’m good at what I do. but also it’s such a construct that we judge people off of, so I work on not doing that outside of a professional/scholarly context? also I’m a big believer in knowing the rules and breaking them to make a point (see: all my lower case answers, run on sentences, etc.)  

66. Do you have long or short hair? I pixie-d my hair back in august and regret it constantly lol. it had to be done though

67. Can you name all 50 states of America? i mean, probably? I’ve been to most of them

68. Favorite school subject? always english

69. Extrovert or Introvert? literally the most extroverted extrovert

70. Have you ever been scuba diving? nope

71. What makes you nervous? when I see kids wandering and their parents not noticing

72. Are you scared of the dark? no

73. Do you correct people when they make mistakes? if we’re alone and I can help them, sure. I despise when people publicly reprimand someone for an unintentional error; it’s just so inconsiderate  

74. Are you ticklish? I find people’s obsession with tickling so weird lol

75. Have you ever started a rumor? no

76. Have you ever been out of your home country? …did we not already do this one?

77. Have you ever drank underage? lol fam I don’t drink at all

78. Have you ever done drugs? no

79. What do you fantasize about? paying off all my student debt, having an apartment in all my favorite cities, being able to travel. being an English professor. sometimes growing old with someone; most of the times being a mentor to younger women/getting to be someone i didn’t have

80. How many piercings do you have? none

81. Can you roll your R’s? yeah

82. How fast can you type? not very, which is funny because I work in IT, but I don’t type with my pinkies so that’s a mess

83. How fast can you run? lol I don’t run

84. What color is your hair? brown

85. What color are your eyes? hazel (green + brown)

86. What are you allergic to? mold and one very specific type of grass

87. Do you keep a journal? no

88. Are you depressed about anything? I disagree with how this question is worded but okay. ummm the fact that all my money goes to student loans and rent? misogyny in the workplace? hypocrisy in my government? the lack of love and empathy expressed by people who profess to be believers in love and empathy? that’s a good start 

89. Do you like your age? it’s where I’m at, either way

90. What makes you angry? willful ignorance

91. Do you like your own name? I do

92. Did you ever get a foreign object up your nose? no

93. Do you want a boy or a girl for a child? not to be a cliché, but all children are gifts? Like I don’t want to physically bear children, but if they’re there, they deserve love (hence the foster thing-- there are SO many kids in a broken system that need security and someone to care for them, and nobody helps them and that just shouldn’t be)

94. What talents do you have? public speaking and writing. I have a passion for making people feel welcomed and known and loved, so I hope that too

95. Sun or moon? sunshine; I’ll always be a SoCal girl at heart

96. How did you get your name? my parent’s loved the meaning

97. Are you religious? I am, yeah. it’s been a journey—other people believing blindy makes me so mad, as well as people who never question their faith or grow in it, or act in a way that shows they don’t actually believe what they say they do—but yeah, my faith is hugely important to me.  

98. Have you ever been to a therapist? I have not, although the farther away I get from some things, the more I think I ought to

99. Color of your bedspread? white with gray tassels

100. Color of your room? white walls and an exposed brick wall

[savvyscrivener]

Another tag game

This time I was tagged by @lvbwrites​! Thank you for the tag~ 

Name: Lee or Savvy  Nicknames: ...Savvy, mostly. I don’t have many nicknames, haha, but I go by Savvy online.  Gender: Fluid. In the process of figuring it out.  Zodiac Sign: Virgo Aquarius Moon, Gemini Rising  Height: 165 cm (5′5″)  Languages: English is the only on I claim any sort of fluency in. I know a smattering of Spanish, am intermediate/vaguely conversational in French, have a tiny bit of Korean and Japanese, and studied Latin in middle and high school. I want to learn: French, Spanish, Italian, German, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Russian, Arabic. Let it never be said I’m not ambitious as all hells.  Favorite Fruits: I love fruit. I’m especially fond of peaches, cherries, strawberries, apples, and watermelon.  Favorite Scents: I really love sandalwood. Also jasmine, old books+leather, and spicy-sweet scents like cinnamon and cloves. Oh, and gardenia.  Favorite Season: Probably autumn, or cooler summers.  Favorite Color: I like most colors except yellow. But especially forest green, slate or charcoal grey, and navy blue.  Favorite Animal: My patronus was a red fox, but I also love cats. Someday I will have a pet cat. I like otters a lot, too.  Coffee, Tea, or Hot Chocolate: Tea. Or hot chocolate. Or apple cider. But always tea.  Average Hours of Sleep: Anywhere between 7-9. I sleep a lot.  Favorite Fictional Characters: So, so many. ... so many. Like, multiple from each series so many. But as for ones I hard core identify with--Milo Thatch from Atlantis, Spencer Reid from Criminal Minds, Arram Draper in Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce. Characters who inspire me or I want to be like, Martin from The Tales of Redwall, as well as Himura Kenshin from Rurouni Kenshin, Keladry from the Protector of the Small quartet, Hiccup from How to Train Your Dragon, Granny Weatherwax, Tiffany Aching, Sam Vimes, and Carrot Ironfounderson from Terry Pratchett���s Discworld, Steve Rogers (though I’ve been told I am very like skinny Steve already.)  Number of Blankets I Sleep with: Right now? Two. Sometimes three. The midwest hasn’t gotten the memo that April is a spring month.  Blog Created: This one? Last week. Literally.  What I Post: All my writing stuff: references, art and inspiration pictures, snippets, #relatable writer feelings, my fanfiction, other people’s writing, quotations, etc.  Favorite Songs: “Praying” by Kesha, “Neptune,” “Jupiter,” and “Saturn” by Sleeping at Last, “The Green Fields of France” by the High Kings, “Seamstress” by Dessa, “For the Dancing and the Dreaming” from How to Train Your Dragon, “Traveling Song” and “Constellations” by Ryn Weaver.  Favorite Artists: Visually? I’m a huge fan of the Impressionist movement, honestly--van Gogh and Monet. I love everything I’ve ever heard and read about Artemesia Gentileschi, and there are a fair few fantastic authors I follow on tumblr as well--as a kid, I loved Amy Brown’s fairy works. Go look at Aerorwen’s stuff (I’m doing a collab with them!), as well as Charmingly Antiquated (of Elsewhere University fame), and Tea Fox Illustrations.  Favorite Books: Save me from this question. In the words of Neil Gaiman, being asked your favorite book is like being asked which limb you’d least like to lose. On that note, if I could only save one book in my house from the fire, it would probably be either Mossflower, by Brian Jacques (the influence in my life I’ve only really realized over the last four or so months) or Night Watch. I read a lot of fantasy, a decent amount of sci fi, a decent amount of historical fiction, murder mysteries, various nonfiction books, and “classic” literature. Can’t quite escape my English major training.  Last Movie I Watched: I Kill Giants, which was fascinating and glorious.  Last Thing I Googled: “pokemon number 83″ (Farfetched, apparently.) On my computer, “inches to centimeters,” because I didn’t know how tall I was in centimeters. Haha.  Do I Get Asks: No. (cries) I’m awkward and afraid to approach people.  Followers: On this blog? 20.  Lucky Number: None, really? I mean. I don’t know. Instruments: I played flute through middle school and part of high school, and I’m trying to pick up guitar. I’d love to learn how to play piano/keyboard, though. And I sing. Badly.  Dream Job: I want to own one of those tiny used bookstores that’s full of winding passages and possibly interdimensional portals. That, or work for NASA. (or a college professor). Definitely an author.   Dream Trip: I want to just... leave. I want to take trains all over Europe and Asia without worrying about income or when I have to go back to the US. Backpack with minimal supplies and lots of walking, just go anywhere and everywhere. There are so many places I want to go, someday.  Hair Color: Brown! Mostly. It’s cut short right now, and the ends are still a bit bleached from the last time I dyed it. 

[the-jade-cross]

Journey to Middle Earth - Chapter 1

Summary – What if JRR Tolkien never gave Thorin a love story… because the person that was meant to be Thorin’s was not yet born when he wrote the Hobbit? Sara journeys from her world to Middle Earth after an accident, with a mission. To change something about the Hobbit story… but she is not sure what. What she does not know is that while trying to prevent something from happening, something new might arise between her and the dwarf prince….even if it is not on the agenda!

Warnings – None, no explicit scenes, some kissing, violence, frightening creatures, mentions of abuse.

Pairings – Thorin Oakenshield x OC

"And you're all done for the day," the math professor announced.

Immediately, the college students surged from their chairs and hurried out of the classroom as fast as their legs could carry them. However, one particular student took her time, making sure to study the problems on the board thoroughly before packing up her things and leaving.

The girl headed out of the classroom when she almost collided with tall, dark haired, handsome James Charleston.

"Hey Sara," the boy greeted, flashing his best smile.

Sara smiled back as she shifted her backpack on her back and drew out her phone, "Hey James."

"Hey Siri," the girl said into her phone, "Tell mom that I'm on my way home."

With that, she closed her phone and turned back to James, "What's up?"

"Oh you know stuff," James replied. "I didn't fail to notice that you're excelling at all your classes."

Sara smiled, "I don't know about that but I really enjoy them."

"Still working towards a degree in medicine?" James inquired.

The girl nodded, "That's the plan. My parents told me to just try school out for the first two years before deciding on a major. So I'm just taking extra math and science right now alongside singing and art."

"You should just still with those two," James observed. "You're probably the best artist in the whole school and singing wise, it's a miracle you haven't been asked to sing in a profession album."

Sara chuckled, "Okay spit it out James. You don't usually waste five minutes of your day to compliment a girl."

James seemed stunned at the girl had guessed that but yet again, Sara was a fast learner and probably the smartest kid in the whole school. She was also incredibly observant and curious which made it hard to hide things from her.

"Yeah I was.... wondering.... if you wanted to grab coffee sometime," James pointed out.

Sara smirked, "You know I'm not a coffee drinker James. I'm short enough as it is."

That was the truth. Sara, even though her brain was full and overflowing with knowledge, she wasn't exactly tall. Barely standing five feet tall, she hadn't grown since she was fifteen.

"Yeah well," James remarked. "I was really just asking if you wanted to go out with me."

The girl turned and looked at the boy a moment before smiling sadly, "Sorry James... I don't think I'm ready to date anyone right now."

The boy's eyebrows ducked down and he huffed, "What is your problem? First you turn down Aiden Baker, then Kenny Smith and now me!"

"What if I don't want to date anyone?" Sara inquired.

James snorted, "Then how will you get married and have a family?"

Sara smiled and lifted her chin defiantly, "I'll do what my parents did: meet someone I care about, get to know them and either go through strictly professional courtship or I'll just know from being good friends with them that they're the right person."

"Your parents are weird," James snorted.

Sara was just about to defend her parents when her best buddy, Cassie, skipped over and wrapped an arm around the shorter girl's shoulders, "Sara's parents rock. It's like stepping into a who different time period! What was it that your dad was really into last year.... wasn't it the renaissance time period? It was so cool!"

Sara smiled gratefully at her best friend who was, of course taller than her with jet black hair, dark brown skin and an adorable smile.

James rolled his eyes and stormed off leaving the two girls alone. Cassie sighed and released Sara.

"Golly that dude needs to get his head into reality. Did you just say that because it is James we are talking about or did you say no because you seriously don't want to date right now?" Cassie inquired.

Sara shrugged, "I honestly don't find guys interesting in that way... I find no one interesting in that way."

Cassie nodded, "Well maybe it's because you haven't found the right one yet."

Sara smiled and hugged her friend, "Thanks again Cass for standing up for me."

"Oh don't mention it," Cassie said, smirking, "You just make sure the moment you meet a guy who catches your eye, you tell me."

Sara smiled, "Believe me Cass, you'll be the first to know."

After navigating her way through the busy traffic of Pennsylvania, she managed to get home. She noticed that her dad's car was gone, meaning he and their mom were probably still at work.

Stepping into the house, she dropped her bag off at the door, "I'm home!"

"Sara!" four year old Ryder cried, charging into the room.

His bright red hair bounced on his cute round head as he catapulted into his big sister. Sara smiled as she scooped up the boy. Even though she was seventeen and at least thirteen years older than her baby brother, she and Ryder were probably the closest, not only because they were practically identical in looks but because Ryder was of a more gentle type than the other boys.

"What's going on?" Sara asked, pulling off her shoes.

"Omar and Axel are watching the Hobbit again," Ryder admitted. "They keep telling me to go to the bathroom whenever the big white orc comes on but I already know he doesn't kill Thorin till the third one!"

Sara chuckled and picked her brother up, placing him on her hip. Her parents were huge fans of JRR Tolkien and the moment the lord of the rings and the hobbit came out, they were all over it.

"Again? Didn't we watch it last week?" Sara asked.

Ryder nodded, "Omar said that since it's Christmas break, we have to watch them again."

Sara smiled and carried her little brother into the living room. Sure enough, her three brothers were sitting on the couch watching An Unexpected Journey. it was their favorite scene: Baggend.  

Eight year old Omar was jumping on the couch while fourteen year old Axel was bouncing to the beat. 25 year old Pierce was sound asleep on the couch. Sara smiled. The Aldhard family was well known for their bright red hair and piercing blue eyes. Each of the kids were plagued with the unique, right hair and eye colors.

"Sh!" Omar hissed, "Here's my favorite part."

Sara smirked when she saw that the scene was when Thorin steps into the hobbit hole. The moment the door opens and he greets Gandalf, the two boys yell in triumph, startling Pierce out of his sleep.

"It's he so cool!?" Omar cried.

"I wish I was Bilbo," Ryder said dreamily, leaning against Sara's shoulder. "Then I would get the meet Thorin and Gandalf and the dwarves and go fight SMoog."

"You mean Smaug," Axel corrected.

"Yeah Smoog," Ryder repeated, earning a chuckle from Pierce and Sara.

Just then, the phone rang and Pierce got up to answer it. Sara sat down in his spot with Ryder on her lap and listened to her three little brothers chatting excitedly about the movie when suddenly she heard a crash.

Axel paused the movie and they all turned around to look at Pierce who had returned to the living room. His face was ashen white, completely shocked and horrified. If Sara had to guess, the crash had been him dropping the mug that their dad always placed in front of the phone. You always had to lift it up to grab the phone and from the look of it, that was what had fallen.

Pierce was listening to the voice on the phone and he looked at his siblings who were watching him expectantly.

When he hung up, he just stood there limply, unable to speak.

"What happened?" Axel asked.

Omar looked over at the calendar, "It's December Fifteenth.... your girlfriend isn't coming to visit till next week."

Pierce shook his head, "There was a shooting.....seventeen people were killed."

Sara's eyes widened, "Here? In Pennsylvania?"

Pierce nodded, "At the Christmas party."

The silence that followed was so dense that the kids could hear the CD in the disk player still spinning.

"Mom and dad were there," Omar whispered.

Pierce nodded, "The police were the ones on the phone.... mom and dad....were killed on the spot."

"Sara! My pant legs are wet!" Omar called.

Sara stopped at the stop light and turned to look at her brother. She was driving home from taking the three little boys and their dog, Mason to the park. They had just recently brought Mason into the family. He was a jet black German shepherd puppy and the boys adored him.

"We'll get dry pants when we get home," the girl promised.

She turned back around and saw that the light was green. Driving through, she soon had to pull to another stop when an intersection was blocked up from flooding. The police were directing traffic elsewhere but it was going to be a while before they could move.

Sara's phone buzzed and she flipped it open, seeing that it was from their next-door neighbor who housesat their house on the weekends when Pierce was on business trips and Sara took the kids out.

"Hello Mrs. Alman?" the girl said, brightly.

"hello Sara. I was at your house locking up... when the phone rang."

"Was it Pierce?" Sara asked. "He hasn't returned any of my calls or texts today."

"I know," the woman said. "It was the hospital."

Sara furrowed her brow, "What did they need?"

"They wanted to know when you would like Pierce to be brought home."

Sara sat there, not knowing what was going on. Pierce worked with an engineering company. What did the hospital have to do with his coming home?

"What do you mean?"

There was a pause before the woman spoke, "Sweetie.... Pierce is dead."

Sara was so glad that she didn't have her on speaker. The boys were playing with Mason in the back of the car and didn't notice their sister freeze and go pale.

"The doctor said he has been suffering from brain cancer for a while now. he said that Pierce swore him to secrecy because he didn't want you to worry. He thought he wasn't going to go till next week and then he was going to tell you."

Sara didn't know what to do so she hung up without saying goodbye and threw her phone onto the seat next to her. She stared ahead and saw that the cop was directing her to the right. She turned the car and drove off, blinded by the tears that were springing up.

"Sara!" Axel called. "Can you hear me? Sara! Mason wont sit still."

"SARA!" Omar called.

"SARA!"

The girl was blinded.... she was in another world... all she could hear was her head drumming.... and Mrs. Almar's words repeating in her head.... the voices of her brothers and the barks of Mason in the far away distance.... then.... she felt a jolt.

********

Her eyes flew open and she realized they were no longer on the road. They had rolled off and were heading for a tree! Sara tried to turn the wheel but it wouldn't budge. She saw the tree nearing and the last thing she heard was her brothers calling her name.... then..... darkness.

Darkness filled Sara's vision. Her mind stopped thinking, her eyes stopped seeing and her ears stopped hearing.... it all stopped. She felt a gentle feeling rush over her like water flowing underneath her. Then she felt like something was lifting her off the ground and into the sky.

She saw stars appear below her... and above her and beyond, an endless void of stars and galaxies. She heard a gentle voice whispering to her from far off. She couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman but it kept whispering her name, telling her to wake up, to open her eyes.

Her eyes slowly cracked open and she realized she was lying on a bed. White sheets lay on top of her and a wooden ceiling above her. She didn't recognize where she was.... and the first thing that popped to her head was the crash. Was this the hospital?

She turned her head and found herself looking into the brown eyes of a young boy. He looked barely eleven years old and was smiling at her from behind a head full of blond hair. The first thing Sara thought was that his parents didn't think to cut their son's hair for it almost fell to his shoulders. Then she realized he wasn't wearing normal clothes.... but rather a brown tunic... a belt and sword? What?

"Hello," the boy whispered kindly, "You've been asleep for a few days. We found you outside the city. You had a really bad cut on your head. I'm Theodred by the way."

Sara furrowed her brow. Someone named their son after a character from lord of the rings? Cool.... and it was weird that he dressed like he was from lord of the rings too.

Suddenly, a man appeared at the boy's side. he looked to be about thirty years old and was a perfect older version of the boy. He wore a golden circlet in his hair and he wore similar clothes to the boy.

"I see you've met my son," the man said. "I'm Thengal."

Okay this is getting weirder.

The girl slowly looked around. What caught her attention the most in the large room were the windows. Unlike normal windows, they were shaped like two horse heads.... wait....

The glanced down at the sheets that lay atop her and saw that the pale green embroidery on the white sheets were unmistakably done entirely by hand...and almost looked Celtic.

"Where.... where am I?" the girl asked, deciding that if things got too much weirder than her brothers must be playing a prank on her.

"Rohan child," Thengal replied.

Sara sat up, prepared to call the name of her brothers and call their prank. However, it seemed a little too real to be a prank....this place was too realistic.... the bed felt real so it couldn't be a dream...

"What happened to me?" she asked.

"You were attacked on the road," Thengal replied. "There were no signs of hoof prints so you must have been walking.... but there were no footprints either.... it was like you just dropped out of the sky. You had a bad wound on your head but it wasn't from any weapon of our knowledge... but there were also a few cuts on your left shoulder."

Sara's hand snaked to her shoulder and lifted her sleeve just enough to see that there were three cuts on her arm. Two of them were deep but not deep enough to need stitches. The other had been stitched up and by the look of it, horse hair had been used to stitch it up. Even though it looked ghastly, it was rather good stitching work.

Her hand reached up and she touched the wounds. They were clean cuts.... then she realized why they looked familiar. When she was little, Pierce had been attempting to make dinner for their parents anniversary but had cut his hand in the process when cutting carrots. Sara had put herself to the task of cleaning the cut and bandaging it..... these looked just like Pierce's knife cut... but larger, deeper and wider.... she had been cut by a knife and obviously a large one.

'This is most certainly not a prank,' Sara thought to herself. 'It must be a dream.'

"My brothers...." she whispered.

Thengal shook his head, "There was no one with you child. You were alone... except for the pup."

"pup?"

Just then, the door flew open and Sara felt a small bundle jump onto her and she looked into the staring green eyes of Mason.

"Mason!" The girl cried, reaching over to hug the puppy.

Thengal smiled warmly as the young dog lapped at his owner's face. Theoden was grinning from ear to ear.

"Apparently he knows you," Thengal said smiling.

Mason sat back down on Sara's lap and looked up at her. The girl ran her fingers through his thick black fur.... yep, most certainly not a dream.... but if this wasn't a dream and wasn't a prank... then what was it?

"What.... what year is this?" the girl inquired.

"The year 2941," Thengal replied. "April 20th."

Sara groaned and rubbed her head. Wait.... why did that date sound familiar???? wasn't that when the hobbit was.... but then....what day did it.... April 27th.....holy noodles!

Sara shot up to a sitting position and cringed when the wounds on her head and her arm stung at the movement.

Okay, this wasn't a dream.... she was in middle earth!

[cataractluna]

TAAAG

 @cmcsatsuki aka sweetpie tagged me ^_^ OBRIGADO <3

Rules: Always post the rules, answer the eleven questions, then make up eleven more and tag eleven people.

Do you collect anything strange/funny, or have some quirk? I love to collect “hobbies”, specifically learning new things eg taking up languages, widening my knowledge in politics/history/classical music just to name a few.

Favorite piece of art, why, what do you like about it? Nell’s “The Day Before”.  The music video, the simple melancholic piano chords arranged with beautiful grief-stricken strings, heart-rending lyrics, the heartbreaking message of the video and song, the soulful, mourning vocal of Jong-Wan always tears my heart and leaves me, an unemotional robot, in tears, gasping and a heavy, broken heart.

Are you good at keeping secrets? If I am trusted a secret, I most definitely will forget about it altogether. So yes, I forget and if I remember, I don’t act like I could recall it (except for the person who shares it with me).

Share something most people don’t know about you. I act and am tough because I do not have another option.

Hows the weather, do you like it? Cold affffff. But it’s alright I guess, this way I can go ice skating :)

Sun, rain or snow? Each one has its charm. I am not able to decide.

Sour or sweet? Sweet ^_^

What would bring you true happiness? Helping people who are grateful for my support.

Which one are you, a flight or fight type of person??  Fight. I have always been on the more rebellious side and I need to voice out things that seem unacceptable to me.

When you take off your shoes, do you untie them or just push them off? I am a lazy ass so I just push them off.

Do you consider yourself spontaneous, or a planner? Definitely spontaneous. Give me new, unexpected things to get my brain working and you have my full attention. I get bored of old, pre-planned things. 

Right now: where are you and what are you wearing?! /wiggling eyebrows I am in my room in my red pyjamas. 

If you could gather the 7 crystal balls and ask Shenron a single wish, what would it be? I’m afraid I do not know what the 7 crystal balls are but I wish for my loved ones to be healthy.

What’s the closest book to you right now? “Civil Procedure Law” from my boss, whom I won’t cite :D                       

That song that is the biggest guilty pleasure that you have! Tell me! Fuck You Betta by Neon Hitch. Bitch I love this song lol

What was the most wtf thing I ever said to you?! :D Nothing sweety, you’re lovely.

Who’s the famous person you would kidnap and take home with you if you could?  Gal Gadot. Or EXID’s Hani. 

Pen-pineapple-apple-pen? YEEEEEES.

When was the last time you laughed out loud and why? Today during impro-theater, lol we have so many wtf-moments; today I was a mistress who killed the King cause I am a bad bitch and that was nice and we laughed out loud when I whispered “sorry sweety I’m the enemy”.

Most perfect romance in the world? Why? I do not honestly know. If we are talking about fiction VIKTUURI but real life…uh…no idea friends.

Life role model?

My sister (burdens her family’s responsibilites, juggles frail health with two small kids, is an exceptional mom, works and is busy with housebuilding at the same time),

my ex-employer (the most badass, kind and genius lawyer, she is a mom, the most influential lawyer in the firm and is nice af at the same time),

my corporate law professor (genius in the three most difficult and important fields of law, lost his wife due to an illness, has two small kids, battles every day with a very painful medical condition and is the sweetest man on Earth and smiles always and always asks me about my well-being because he knows I’m battling.)

When are you coming to visit me? Sweety thats a good question idkkkkk

What is your favourite colour? Green ^^ And blue!

If you would be an animal, which one would you be? Why? Apparently I’m like a deer and I kinda agree^^

Are you an early bird or a night owl? Night owl, always.

Do you prefer to drive a car or to commute with public transports? Trains are awesome when I have space, but cars are the second best:)

Which languages can you speak? German, Turkish, English fluently, my Russian is already on a B1 (intermediate) level (YAAAAS), Japanese A2 (upper beginner), Korean and Spanish on a beginner level (A1). I also had years of Latin.

Which is the last movie you have seen? I honestly do not remember because I do not watch movies.

In your opinion, which scientific discovery has had the most impact on our society? Medical ones. But on a subjective level I’m most amazed about the fact that we do not know anything about dark matter which makes up 80 % of the mass of the universe.

Tell me 3 things that are typical in your country (for ex. food, music, tradition, and so on). Austrians love to complain, and sometimes are quite contradictory; respect others when they are treated well. EG: Same sex marriage has been legalized by our constitutional court while only far-right winged parties govern the state and are losing their mkind rn lol

Which sports do you like? Do you do any Sport? Ice skating and dancing :) I usually go running^^

Tea or Coffee? OMG COFFEE MAN ALWAYS COFFEE

Define yourself with 3 words. Curious, accepting, challenging.

New questions:

Babes do you enjoy classical music?

What advice do you have for your younger self?

If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?

What are your favourite flowers?

Is there any place in the world that you’re dyiiiing to see?

Do you have a bucket list?

What language would you like to learn (next)?

Are you vegetarian?

(there are lotsa writers I have tagged) So sweetheart, what story would you love to write next about?

Do you want children sometime (maybe in the distant future)?

Would you rather dance or sing well?

I’m tagging my sweet gals: @invisible-spaz, @anussthingispossible, @carry-no-weight, @madlymiho, @themoonthatfellinlovewiththesun