#but I know 100% nickel is not on drugs

[springlillies42]

I wasn't sure about the other 4 DJD (doesn't say but I'll assume not), but yeah tarn, tfp ratchet, tfp starscream used the dark cocaine and red energon too, oh and kup and his cigars. Does rampage count? 100% robo drugs. Like there's the addiction; withdrawal side affects and everything. I'm tempted to just read through as much of the wiki I can because I miss remember some things sometimes. yay for taking a health class that taught the symptoms of drugs and alcohol out of requirement.

[dracos-eternity]

Rodrick Heffley SFW ABC’s

Request- Rodrick Fluff?

I’m assuming you meant Rodrick Heffley, I really hope so. He’s so fine yall. Ouu. Anywho enjoy some fluff.

Warnings- Yk typical Rodrick stuff, cursing?, fluff

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

A = Attractive (What do they find attractive about the other?) Your eyes, he’s always been such a fool for your eyes.

B = Baby (Do they want a family? Why/Why not?) Yeah, and he wants boys, brothers so they can have the relationship he had with Greg and he wants to start a band with his sons.

C = Cuddle (How do they cuddle?) He loves to lie between your legs with his on your chest while you play with his hair. 

D = Dates (What are dates with them like?) He tries his hardest, he’s just not a romantic. He likes to take you on dates in the van, grabbing food and going to abandoned buildings or watching the sunset from cute little places he found. 

E = Edible (food that reminds them of you) Mangos, the fruit he says you smell like.

F = Feelings (When did they know they were in love?) The third time you watched his band rehearse. The way he felt watching you get so excited over any tricks he’d do with his sticks, he knew he was absolutely in love.

G = Gentle (Are they gentle? If so, how?) He’s super gentle, always holding your hand and tying your shoes and he carries you practically everywhere, either on his back or shoulders, he acts as if your fragile. 

H = Hands (How do they like to hold hands?) He likes when you wrap your smaller hand around his index, or interlaced, he’s always picking at how much smaller than his your hands are.

I = Impression (What was their first impression?) He thought you were dorky at first, he wasn’t super interested but he came around.

J = Jewelry (Do they buy you any, is it expensive, how often? Do they let you wear theirs, etc.) He makes you cuffs, to match his, and he loves letting you wear all of his jewelry, chains, rings, necklaces, etc.

K = Kiss (How do they kiss? Who initiated the first kiss?) He initiated the first kiss, and he loves to give you soft kisses with his hand on the side of your face

L = Love (Who says ‘I love you’ first?) You said it, he wasn’t sure if you’d say it back so he never did

M = Memory (What’s their favourite memory together?) When you two snuck into a Green Day concert.

N = Nickel (Do they spoil? Do they buy the person they love everything?) He loves buying you little snacks and small things with the money he makes on gigs and steals from his parents.

O = Orange (What colour reminds them of their other half?) Red, like the streaks you had in your hair when he met you.

P = Pet names (What pet names do they use?) Baby, love, pretty girl

Q = Quaint (What is their favourite non-modern thing?) He loves old punk records

R = Rainy Day (What do they like to do on a rainy day?) Sleep, he loves taking naps with you while his records play in the background

S = Sad (How do they cheer themselves/others up?) When he’s sad he likes to talk to you, especially about his music and when you’re sad he likes playing music for you

T = Talking (What do they like to talk about?) Everything, anything, just as long as he’s talking to you

U = Unencumbered (What helps them relax?) Sleeping and listening to music or playing

V = Vaunt (What do they like to show off? What are they proud of?) He loves showing off his band, van, music, and cool tricks he can do with his drumsticks.

W = Wedding (When, how, where do they propose?) During a Falling In Reverse concert, five years after you two started dating, during The Drug In Me Is You, he dropped to one knee and asked.

X = Xylophone (What’s their song?) The Drug In Me Is You because it was playing when he proposed.

Y =Yearning (Are they clingy/needy?) Oh he’s SUPER clingy.

Z = Zebra (If they wanted a pet, what would they get?) He’d 100% own a lizard.

[darknesmoth]

The One Thing You Can’t Replace. (John Mulaney)

Warning: Drinking, Swearing, Possibly Drugs, Theft.

A story Lucí heard about herself, this one happened in high school.

We had this star in the solar system whose planet went and orbited our star. His name was Sun and his favorite Mercury (poor him) went and orbited our star. He was a planet, and I was a hybrid. So he was two years behind me.

And Sun was an a**hole and one weekend he and vacationed out of the system, which you should never do, if you are a**hole. And Mercury (poor him) decided to throw a party at the center of the solar system.

Hurray! And everyone around the system heard about it and we all got up individually and thought 'okay, let's go over there and destroy the place.' Lucí walked into this party. Everyone she had ever met was there and everyone was drinking like it was the end of the world.

Planets and moons were drinking like it was the civil war and a doctor was coming to saw our legs off. It was totally unsupervised. We were like dogs without horses, we were running wild.

Lucí walked down, Lucí walked down to the basement. They had a pool table in the basement. Venus took a running start and threw his body onto the pool table and broke it in half. Ceres found out which room was sun's and went upstairs and took a sh*t on his computer. So the party was going great.

As Lucí standing in the basement, and she's holding a red cup; you see in movies. And she's standing there and holding a red cup and she's starting to black out and I guess someone said like something, something police and in a brilliant moment of word association, she yelled: "f*ck Da Police! f*ck Da Police!" And everyone else joined in.

A 100 drunk planets and moons yelling "f*ck Da Police". With the confidence of guys who have already been to jail and aren't afraid of it anymore, you know that like, "I'll serve my nickel, you come and take me", confidence. But planets and moons. The reason someone had said something, something police was because the police were there. So a planetary police officer walked down the stairs and got to the bottom in the basement and looked out over a sea of drunk toddlers yelling; "f*ck Da Police" in his face, but he was almost impressed.

He was like "wow", and then he leaned into his walkie-talkie and went "get the patty wagon." And my friend Earth, who is now a father, this man now has a moon, he grabbed a 40, smashed it on the ground, and yelled "scatter!" And everyone ran into different directions.

They all ran in different directions. It was like that scene in Ratatouille when the humans come in the kitchen and all the rats go in different ways. They all ran in different directions. Lucí ran into the laundry room and jumped up on the washing machine and crawled out through a window into the backyard and now she's running through the backyard and there was this big chain link fence and-she thought 'I've never climbed a fence that high before.' And then she woke up at home.

On Monday, Lucí went to school because that's what they did back then. And she's walking into the school building and who does she see but Mercury (poor him). "And he says to her hey, were you at my party on Saturday" and she said no, you know, like a liar. And he said "things got really outta hand. Someone broke the pool table. Someone took a sh*t on my dad's computer." But the worst thing, he says; "the worst thing is that someone stole these old antique photos of my grandmother and my parents are freaking out about it." And Lucí had that thought that only blackout drunks and Steve Urkel can have.

Did I do that? She figured no. She wouldn't have done that. But was never sure, until two years later, relax. She's playing video games with this planet named X that we also lived in the solar system. Two years later, we've escaped by now.

We're playing video games for a couple hours, and then X says to me, "hey, come here I want to show you something" and he takes me into his bedroom and then he takes her into a side room off of his bedroom. Never a good thing to have.

He shows Lucí a tiny room that is covered wall to wall in stolen antique photos from different people's parties over the years. And she said "why? Why do you do this?" And X said, because "it's the one thing you can't replace." That's the end of that story, but how f*cked up is that right? That's crazy.

[cybertronian-menace]

I made my last vent unrebloggable not realizing that applied to me too lol

But long vent short

If I had a nickel for how many cousins I have that think they 100% understand my situation because they're also gay and know my parents and think that if would just move to their state and live with them my problems would be solved i'd have two nickels! Which isn't a lot but It's weird that it happened twice!!

Also they're from opposite sides of the family. I already vented about the one from my mom's side on my other post.

The other one lives in new york and is an addict so woo!! Trade living with TWO addicts to living with just ONE addict that also shits on my life goals and dreams everytime I talk about them to tell me how happy i'd be living with him to the point I think the drugs have rotted his brain to the point he has like. A thing for me. Which is another two nickels situation. I HATE my entire extended family on both sides.

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

Gotham 4x09

update on Oswald's friend group: currently consists of two serial killers named Victor, a woman who's orchestrating his downfall, and a child

Oswald's little purple leather gloves... slay

god damn if Oswald had a nickel for every time his only friend betrayed him

love all the cute lil pig actors being employed this season they're all doing so good and I hope they know I'm proud of them

which party drugs do you think Bruce is doing right now in his rich teen delinquent phase. I hope he's had ecstasy at least once he'll probably never feel that good again.

Alfred when the severely traumatized child that he refused to take to therapy starts acting out and developing unhealthy coping mechanisms:

do you guys remember the last time Bruce did this hiking trip? when he fell down a hill and broke his ankle and Alfred listened to him crawl up a hill crying and alone and afraid for his life for hours without helping?

what I'm saying is that Alfred completely deserves Bruce abandoning him alone in the middle of the woods lmao get got old man

hey Pyg rules actually. not enough villains in this show doing Chicago shout-outs in their grand schemes. more musical numbers immediately.

it would be so funny if Oswald took this opportunity to casually reveal that he's done cannibalism before

this show is such a GREVIOUS offender in the genre of "villains agitating for social change who are making an objectively good point so they have to be absolute psychopaths to keep them from being sympathetic"

like we were probably all on Pyg's side here until he started killing homeless people for the art and threatening children with big big knives right

NOT BRUCE HAVING A RAGER IN THE MANOR

uh oh gamers I think Alfred is about to slap some more teens AND ONE OF THEM MIGHT BE BRUCE

anyway Bruce pls get cooler friends every single one of these rich losers is getting overcharged for weed

sidebar but I don't think weed is EVER legalized in Gotham and you have Jason Woodrue to blame for that

Oswald was really 100% down to forgive Sofia and move on because she's Literally His Only Friend In The Entire World and then not 15 minutes later he finds out that she's kissing Jimothy and decides she needs to die, Actually. truly this man never moves on from a crush. literally sitting in his little gay car weeping in front of a child because it's been four years and Jimbles still doesn't like him back. good lordt. I want to adopt him. I can't fix him but maybe I can make him some soup about it.

anyway gamers I'm sure I'll regret this but season four good maybe? or at least more consistently entertaining that pretty much all of season 3.

hmm feelin a little overstimulated and worn down by the day, but you know what always helps me unwind?

[heyitssmiller]

random numbers here we go! 7, 11, 13, 21, 32, 45, 52, 61, 64, 78, 86, 89, 90, 97, 100

Hi, sweetheart!!! 💕

7. Do you have any pets?

I do! I’ve got a dog back home, who I miss dearly, and I’ve currently got a foster puppy.

11. How many pairs of shoes do you own?

Oof, I genuinely don’t know. Maybe 8? Ish?

13. What talents do you have?

I’m musically inclined! I can sing, play piano, clarinet, bass clarinet, oboe, and flute. Next on my list is cello.

21. Have you ever been to the hospital?

Ha. Haha. Yes. Many times. I’ve lost count.

32. How big is your house?

I’m in an apartment right now! It’s… normal sized? I guess?

45. What is your favorite accent?

Italian 🥰

52. Favorite food?

At the moment? Strawberries.

61. Do you sing to yourself?

All the time!

64. Are you a gossip?

Not really!

78. Have you ever done drugs?

Nope!

86. What are you allergic to?

Cats, nickel, formaldehyde, and glutaraldehyde.

89. Do you like your age?

Sure! It’s a little weird, with a bunch of friends all at different stages of life, but it’s good ☺️

90. What makes you angry?

Reckless drivers, improper grammar, homophobes, sexists, animal abuse… lots of things

97. We’re your ancestors royalty?

Not that I know of! We’re of German and Irish descent

100. Color of your room?

Beige, gray, and dusty pink

[duhragonball]

Cult Classic

I had a really exhausting week, so I’m going to try to chill out by writing this thing about cults that’s been bouncing around in my head since... oh, like January 6th?   For some reason?     But it’s also about my insanely long OC fanfic slash vanity project slash concept album.  Join me, won’t you?

Okay, so back in... geez 2018?   Has it been that long?   Around October 2018 I started working out the details for the big climax of the “1000 years ago” section of my fanfic.  From the start I had this idea that the Legendary Super Saiyan would be locked into a death struggle with pretty much the entire Saiyan population, led by a Saiyan King who just can’t handle being upstaged.   But I had to figure out a lot of details to make that actually work.   What I finally ended up with was the Jindan Cult. 

Why a cult?  Because I wanted my King character to be the main villain, but also be physically weaker, but also he needed to be powerful enough to challenge the heroine. I came up with all these different ways to beef up his power level without making him a Super Saiyan himself, but ultimately I wanted him to have an army of Siayans at his back.   That led me to consider some sort of magic elixir that would make them all stronger, but especially the king, since he’s ultimately in this for himself.  At first, I considered having him mind-control all of his goons, but I spent the mind control nickel in earlier arcs, and I’ll have to use it again later, because Towa and Demigra use it.   Then I thought of drug addiction, which is sort of like mind control but not literal brainwashing or anything like that.  And that led me to the cult concept.  

One major inspiration for me was the real-life cult called “NXIVM”, which made the news back in 2018 when their leaders started getting arrested, including “Smallville” star Allison Mack.   Every time I read about it, it felt like something from a movie, but it was real.   I guess the celebrity angle made it more bizarre to me, because it’s sort of like “Hey, this isn’t just some group of randos; someone you’ve heard of is in this thing.”   Not that I ever paid much attention to “Smallville”, but you get the idea.  She didn’t just join NXIVM, she eventually became one of the top recruiters.   Some of the character arcs in my fic were my own attempt to understand how a person goes from Point A to Point B. 

The big plot hole, though, in my mind, was that I came up with this whole master plan for the bad guys, but it involved sending wave after wave of Saiyan cultists to die in pointless, unwinnable battles against Luffa.    I couldn’t have them win much, because if they beat her, they’d just kill her, and the story would be over.    It struck me as fishy that these Saiyans would sign up for a war where the casualty rate is 100%, but I tried to lampshade it as best I could.   “Yeah, all those other chumps couldn’t beat Luffa, but I’ll pull it off because I’m special!”   It still seemed a bit unlikely.  

But then 2020 happened, and I guess the main thing I learned from that year was that people will accept almost anything in order to believe a comfortable lie.  The joke I’ve seen on the internet is that we need to retire the expression “avoid it like the plague”, because it turns out a lot of people don’t actually avoid plagues very well at all.   The horrifying thing about COVID-19 is how easily people will accept the climbing death tolls.   “Oh, well this person was already in bad health, so they would have died eventually anyway.”   I don’t want to get too political here, but I’m pretty sure a lot of the anti-mask, coronavirus-is-a-hoax crowd are the same people who made up tall tales about “death panels” in Obamacare.    “They’re gonna euthanize your grandma!” they would say, but now they say your grandma is acceptable losses if it means reopening bars and restaurants.

Actually, I do mean to get political, because holy fuck, Qanon stormed the Capitol Building.    Look, if you don’t believe Joe Biden won the election, I don’t know what to tell you, except please get far away from me, right now.  If you’re not familiar with Qanon, a few years ago some guy on an image board posted a bunch of cryptic messages and claimed to be an important government figure who would know about important things.    People started “deciphering” his “clues” and when he stopped posting new ones they started inventing their own “clues” and interpreting them any way that suited them.    This led to an overarching narrative that Donald Trump was actually part of this massive sting operation to arrest hundreds, maybe thousands of left-wing politicians, celebrities, and whoever else.    Any day now, he was supposed to have Hilary Clinton arrested, and also JFK Junior would somehow show up and help him, even though he’s been dead for 22 years.  Every day, these Qanon guys would add on more bizarre lore to their “theories”, and every day none of their predictions would come true.  Then Trump lost the election, which put them in a bind, because their whole mythology is based on the idea of him saving the world as POTUS, and now he wasn’t even going to be POTUS for much longer.  

I’m pretty sure this had a lot to do with the lies about election fraud.    Trump himself refused to accept defeat, and his supporters didn’t want to accept it either, so they all told each other that it wasn’t real, and they believed each other so much that they dug in their heels.   But then they’d take this stuff to court and the judge would be like “Uh, what evidence do you have of mass voter fraud?” and they would just be like “lol nvm!”  I mean, if there was proof for any of this, why would they not want a judge to see it?   But for Qanon, it was more than just being sore losers.    They needed all their whackamaroo predictions to come true, and Trump losing re-election would upset the applecart.  

So then they started telling themselves that they could win this thing through the boring certification process.   I think it was like, December 14 when all the states had to certify their results.   So they held out hope that nothing was over until then.    Then they pinned their hopes on the Electoral College, and that there would be enough faithless electors to hand Trump the victory, in spite of the voters.   I found this one amusing, since I used to see tumblr suggesting the same thing back in 2016, when they were still trying to come up with ways for Bernie Sanders to win.  

Then they decided Mike Pence could fix everything, because on Jan 6, Congress would officially count the Electoral Votes and formally declare the winner, and Mike Pence would step in and overrule the whole thing, because the Vice-President oversees that process.    Except he just oversees it, he can’t legally change the outcome, especially on a whim.    And then the riot at the Capitol happened, and I’m pretty sure all these Qanon types thought it would mark the beginning of a nationwide uprising, with all seventy-odd million Trump voters going apeshit, but it... didn’t work out that way.  

Then they convinced themselves that everything was building to January 20, because the innauguration was actually a clever trap, and once Joe Biden took the oath of office, he could then be arrested for treason, so you see, they had to make it look like Trump lost the election, because it was the only way to fool Joe Biden into incriminating himself... or... something.   But Jan 20 came and went, so the latest fallback position I heard was that there’s a double-secret REAL inauguration day, and it’s in March, and the January 20 one isn’t legitimate, even though Trump was inaugurated on January 20, 2016, but whatever.    That, or the guy we see in the White House now is actually Trump disguised as Joe Biden, or a Joe Biden android or something.   

I think I sort of understood that Qanon is a cult, but I didn’t really put the pieces together until the events of January unfolded.    Pre-November, it just seemed like a conspiracy theory, without any real timetables or prophecies, like Flat Earth.    But once the end of the Trump Administration was in sight, it really started to look like all the doomsday cults I’ve heard about over the years.  The predicted events wind up failing to come true, and they invent new predictions to explain away the old ones.   It’s not about the veracity of the claims as much as the claims themselves.    People want to believe there’s this whole elaborate explanation for everything.    They wanted to believe that Trump was this hypercompetent superheroic messiah, because the alternative is to face the uncertain reality: that he had no idea what he was doing, and real people were going to suffer for it.  

I think I sort of worked that idea into my fictional cult, but I backed into it.   NXIVM was a sex cult, not a doomsday cult, or an elaborate conspiracy theory, so I was mostly fixated on all the depraved things the cult could do to its members.   But they all share the same lure: a belief system that promises to make everything fit. I’m not sure what the hook was for NXIVM, but Allison Mack didn’t go in thinking about how much fun sex trafficking would be.   That came later, after she was convinced that NXIVM had all the answers, and one of those answers involved sex crimes, apparently.   In the same vein, Qanon attempted to explain mass arrests and executions by claiming that Hilary Clinton eats babies or something.   “Well, I don’t want babies to get eaten, so I guess breaking into the Capitol building seems like a reasonable course of action.”  

Weighed against real life, a bunch of Saiyans accepting a 100% casualty rate doesn’t seem so outrageous.   It also helps that sometimes the leaders of these groups can buy into their own hype, and think they’re infallible when they’re really not.    This week, I started reading the Darth Plagueis novel again, and I’ve seen the Sith from Star Wars referred to as a cult, but I never gave it a lot of thought until I noticed that Plagueis buys into the whole Dark Side of the Force thing a little too hard.   At times, he’ll wax philosophical about how the Jedi are the real bad guys when you think about it, and he’s not just saying that to be manipulative.   He honestly believes that the Sith can save the galaxy from decline, which is stupid and hypocritical, because they’re the ones causing all the decline.    I always got the impression that Darth Sidious understood that it was all about accumulating power as an end unto itself, and any high-minded talk of necessary evil was just to keep the rubes in line.    Rise of Skywalker plays into that idea nicely.   He somehow survived Episode VI, but he let the Empire collapse, because if he can’t rule it, he doesn’t want it to exist at all.   But he’s still playing himself, because he thinks he can win by following the same failed ideology that got all the previous Sith Lords killed.   

That’s pretty much all I have to say about it right now.    I need to move on to other topics, because Towa’s not doing a cult thing, so my fic is moving in a different direction.   But I feel better for getting this out of my head.

[nostalgiaispeace]

2232.

1. What is your favorite shade of blue? dark 2. When’s the last time you bought something just because? lol never 3. What Ozzy lyric describes you best? - 4. When was the last time you went for a walk without a specific destination in mind? idk 5. Do you daydream? always

6. What was your last daydream about? well i’m not telling thei nternet 7. Ever won the lottery? lol no 8. How much did you get for your high school graduation? i don’t remember 9. What was the most important decision you made that screwed up your life the most? idk 10. Do you know what your Chinese horoscope is? hmmm i might 11. What is love really about? nothing i can describe right now while i’m exhausted 12. What’s the most you ever made in a year? lol 13. Do you have an online diary? no 14. What’s the biggest pot you’ve won in poker? I’ve never played poker. 15. What’s your most prized possession? my frog 16. What Metallica lyric most describes your life? - 17. Ever been to Ozzfest? no 18. How many concerts have you been to? a lot 19. Which one was your favorite? lana del rey 20. What shade of purple most describes your feelings right now? none 21. Pick a shade of a color. Now describe it to me and name it. light 22. Sun tea or brewed tea? brewed 23. What’s the most illegal thing you’ve done? drugs 24. Ever get busted by the cops? What for? No. 25. What’s under your bed? my cat 26. Vacuum or dustbuster? Vacuum. 27. How many people are on your buddy list? lol 28. How many pairs of rollerblades do/did you own? none 29. Ever wear out a CD? What was it? yeah. britney spears 30. What’s your favorite card game? solitare 31. Who was the most annoying person you’ve talked to on the phone? idk 32. What’s your favorite fast food meal? chick fil a nuggets and mac and cheese 33. Where is the best restaurant you’ve ever eaten in at? idk 34. Lamb chops or pork chops? Neither. 35. How many roses have you received/given? idk 36. When’s the last time you mowed the lawn? years ago 37. Washed your car? years ago 38. Ever have a tornado in your town? not since i’ve lived here — 40. What state is your wardrobe in? fine 41. What’s the last article of clothing you bought? sweats 42. How many trash cans can you see right now? One. 43. If you HAD to pick ONE song to listen to for the rest of your life, and that would be the only song you ever heard, what would it be? I don’t know. 44. Ever heard of Shinedown? Yeah. 45. They rock, don’t they? sure 46. What size is your bed? queen 47. When’s the last time you had pigs in a blanket? not that long ago actually 48. Have you ever painted the ceilings in your home? no 49. What does your lawn furniture consist of? lawn chairs 50. Ever live off of canned soup and ramen noodles for weeks at a time? no 51. What flavor of jelly are you? strawberry 52. Ever take any of those online personality quizzes? yeah 53. What musical group/artist do you love, but hide from other people? none 54. What’s on the floor in your bedroom? Nothing. 55. What is the first meal you remember eating? idk 56. Ever been to a drive in? no 57. What was the first movie you ever saw? i don’t remember 56. What’s in your keepsake box/scrapbook? so many things 57. Describe your first date. idk 58. Would you recognize most of your classmates 5 years after graduation? sure 59. What percentile of your class were you in? I have no idea. 60. When was the last time it rained while the sun was shining? I don’t recall. 61. What did you score on your SATs? i don’t remember 62. When was the last time you saw a rainbow? it’s been a bit 63. Name your favorite artist/song from before 1990. zeppelin 64. Do you think there should be new genres of music to encompass some of the newer rock performers out now? no 65. What colors is your lava lamp? - 66. What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever hung on the wall? I haven’t hung up anything strange. 67. When’s the last time you did laundry? todayy 68. How many hammers do you own? one 69. Can you name every place you’ve ever had sex? yes 70. How many speakers are in your bedroom? none 71. DVD or VHS? dvd 72. What’s the most important thing you ever lost and never found again? idk 73. What forms of birth control have you used? pill and implant 74. How many webpages have you created, and can you still find them all? no 75. You have .30 in two coins. One of them is not a nickel. What are they? uh 76. What’s your pet peeve when cleaning the house? um all of it 77. Do you use sponges or dishcloths when doing the dishes? sponges 78. How many people are in your family portrait? three 79. How many times have you moved? too many times 80. Handcuffs or rope :D? Neither. 81. What season best describes your temperament? winter 82. What’s the last thing you had to drink? diet coke 83. Ever been so drunk you blacked out? no 84. What’s your favorite song on the top twenty right now? idk. 85. What do your light fixtures look like? uh normal 86. How many jobs have you held for more than a month? 4 87. Ever punched a wall? yes 88. When’s the last time you really lost your temper? It’s been a long time. 89. How do you cope? i cry 90. What’s your antidrug? idk 91. Ever grown any plants before? What were they? Nope. 92. Ever own a director chair? No. 93. When was the last time you camped out? when i was a kid 94. Went swimming? years ago 95. Went fishing? lol 96. Oust or Glade and why? Glade. 97. Ever thought you (or a girlfriend) were pregnant, but it was a false alarm? yes 98. If 97 is yes, were you glad or sad? well i was pregnant so i was happy 99. Do you have a red-eye mouse or one with a ball? none 100. What do your doorstops look like? - 101. What was the last conversation you had with someone before they died? i don’t remember 102. What do your drinking glasses look like? they’re just solid colors 103. How many bottles/containers are in your medicine cabinet? a lot 104. How many funerals have you been to? a lot 105. How many states have you been to? a lot

106. What was the last bug you killed and what did you use? a wasp 107. What does your country need right now? sanity 108. Are you creative? not really 109. How so? – 110. How many computers in your household? Two. 111. Ever help to solve a crime? No. 112. Who is in the picture frame on your bedside table? - 113. How many CDs does your player hold? - 114. What is one thing you’d like to do before you die? go to england 115. Do the good die young or do they die before they have a chance to be bad? um both suck 116. What’s your favorite totally cliche’ saying? everything happens for a reason 117. Ever go out of your way to exact revenge on someone? no 118. Was it worth it? - 119. Ever get pulled over by the cops and get away without a ticket? no 120. What’s the weather like right now? HOT 121. What was your first legal alcoholic drink? vodka 122. Do you have a door/doorknob to your room? Yes. 123. Name one thing you regret? lol so many 124. Ever get published by one of those poetry groups? no 125. What’s the furthest distance you’ve moved? states away 126. How many friends from high school/college do you still talk to? a few

127. Where is your home/heart right now? here 128. What’s the most expensive things your parents ever bought you? idk 129. What’s the most expensive thing you’ve bought? my car 130. How many hangers are in your closet? a lot 131. If you died right now, would you feel cheated or happy? happy 132. How many times did you intentionally start to commit suicide? a few 133. Ever spent the night in the “loony bin?” yes 134. What’s wrong with society? lol so much 135. How many crazy ice cream trucks are in your area? none really 136. What is your favorite cover song? i have a lot 137. Does the weather ever seem to reflect your mood eerily? no 138. Are you more psychic than most people? lol no 139. What’s your inspiration? my daughter 140. What’s the longest relationship you’ve been in? the one i’m in now for 8 years 141. Did you ever drop out of school? college 142. Ever raise a child that wasn’t your own for more than 3 months? No. 143. What is your favorite piece of jewelry? wedding band 144. Ever help someone cheat on someone else? ew no 145. Are you a cheater too? No. 146. What was the last dessert type food you’ve eaten? candy 147. Fill in the blank: I’m a ________aholic. Coffeeholic. 148. When’s the last time you went to a hairdresser/salon? february 149. Strangest medical procedure ever performed on you? nothing strange 150. Do you own any appliances? yes 151. Do you have an “egg crate” on your bed? no 153. Last time you went to the laundromat? idk 154. How many hinges are on your front door? I’m not sure. 155. Can I be done yet? yes

[whatiwillsay]

I don’t think Taylor is lying about Joe being WB. There’s too much at stake her for this to be a “stunt,” or a lie. There’s no amount of tea that would ever prove this to be false. Taylor, the source of her entire songwriting, has confirmed it was Joe. The only thing Taylor has been consistent about her entire career is her belief that artists should own the work they create. She wouldn’t lie about Joe helping her write songs on evermore and folklore. I think the fact that she used WB instead of Joe is more proof how real it is. She wanted to focus to be on her art, and they both know that if she said it was Joe from the beginning it would overshadow her work. She chose to let all of us know it was Joe because they agreed on it, and she is giving him credit that he deserves. I think this is the only instance in her career where I’m like, yes, Taylor is consistent with this belief. Also the fact that Aaron and Jack have also confirmed this is more proof. There’s no reason for Taylor to lie, and it would absolutely be a career ending moment for her if she came out and said that was a lie. It would make her re-recording her entire discography moot. It would make everything that Scooter and Scott say about her to be true. That’s just my opinion, but Joe being WB is a fact not opinion.

ok and harry styles being taylor swift’s ex-boyfriend is a fact not an opinion and we gotta shut down the blog 😩

guys part of being a gaylor is being open to the idea that taylor sometimes obfuscates the truth.  you guys don’t have to think one way or the other but i’m just out here trying to chat with people about taylor swift’s love life.  that’s what gaylors do.

i literally think there is a good chance joe is wb and btw it’s not that important in the grand scheme of things.  i agree w some of your points even.  but the bottom line is neither of us knows for sure and it’s healthy, imo, to admit that.  

no one worth half a billion dollars got there telling the truth 100% of the time you know what i’m saying?  the entertainment industry is a sick and abusive industry and y’all have no clue how far they will go to make an extra nickel- cover up crimes, drug artists, lie about any and everything, protect literal abusers and assaulters...the list goes on and on.

i don’t know what my final takeaway on wb is but there’s enough stuff around it that make me 👀 a bit.  generally, i think concluding that joe is wb is perfectly reasonable and a swell conclusion to come to, but i also think it’s ok for a bit of skeptical discourse as long as no one is harassing anyone about it.

[neartheelevators]

Not that I actually want to fight about it or whatever but I have so many eye rolls today for the people whose worldview won’t admit of any other possible truth than that squeegee kids are all thoroughly impoverished, all doing it full time, and need them, the Good Twitter Liberals to be the defenders of the Squeegee against daily onslaughts of abuse.

No one does know what the average take is for squeegeeing windows; and nobody who does it is ever going to tell because they have a vested interest in appearing to be a hardscrabble heart-of-gold charity case. And anyone giving them cash is doing exactly that: giving as pity charity. The service they provide is without any real value.

This charity probably does add up to the $40-50 an hour that Hogan estimated. People aren’t out there tossing them nickels and dimes. I expect you can get $40 by doing 20-25 cars, which might take about an hour. You might even get some real humanitarian who tosses off a ten or a twenty. But it doesn’t work for just anybody. You gotta be a kid between about 12-17.

If squeegeeing really paid the $100 a week the city estimates, or the bare subsistence that Good Twitter Liberals envision, kids would quit and sell drugs, which pays substantially more. They can’t all be both so impoverished that a household depends on them and 100% morally opposed to participating in street life. The world just don’t work that way.

[dillydedalus]

september reading

i read some things i guess! open for the last (almost) of robin hobb, more mountaineering disasters, and …. dungeons & dragons?? (i completely forgot i had this in my drafts lol)

the nickel boys, colson whitehead idk man this is really well-written, well-paced, an important story based very much on real history, the characters serve their purpose very well, the violence and abuse is written in a way that is chilling without ever being gratuitous and with the exception of a twist that i thought was a little too predictable, there’s nothing i can really criticise. it just really lacked some spark for me, and maybe it’s just that after underground railroad (which is also didn’t particularly like, but damn that had spark) it feels a lil conventional. still good tho! 3/5

the adventure zone #1: here there be gerblins, various mcelroys & cary pietsch my brain Does Not Do podcasts but obvi i’ve been hearing A LOT about the mcelroy boys & i’m like. vaguely interested in d&d* so when this was made available on overdrive i was like okay why the hell not. it’s a fun, quick read, and while i don’t really know anything about d&d the trappings of the game were included in a fun way. nothing mindblowing, but a good time. 2.5/5

assassin’s fate (fitz & the fool #3), robin hobb y’all this is it… it’s been over a year & now i’m done with the realm of the elderlings (actually i still have the piebald prince novella & the short stories). i have some criticisms of this one (the timeline & the main climax seemed a lil muddled to me) but to be honest??? loved this, had all the feelings, was superhappy to see my cursed shores kids again, fitzy & bee were heartbreaking all the time, the paragon conflict was great, when fitz got to the quarry i literally immediately started uglycrying & pretty much didn’t stop until the end, so: 4.5/5 (series rating 4/5 i guess bc fool’s assassin was a drag & a half)

die nebelkrähe, alexander pechmann this is a speculative fictionalisation of a little episode in the spiritualist movement where medium hester dowden claimed she had communicated with/been briefly possessed by oscar wilde, which is pretty fun. unfortunately, pechmann chose to focus on his version of mr v., a pretty boring mathematician and skeptic, rather than the absolutely wild shit going on with dowden, which includes oscar wilde’s ghost dunking on james joyce (who responded by making fun of the whole thing in finnegans wake) and claiming he’s like totally straight. 2/5

oval, elvia wilk a neoliberal corporate hell/psychotropics/eco-punk gone wrong dystopia in berlin so you know i’m here (i.e. in berlin lol) for it. this is about a berlin in the not too distant future where finster corp (real subtle) is buying up everything, driving up rents through ecological redevelopment, artists mainly work as consultants for corporations, and our protags anja and louis live in a finster-sponsored zero-waste eco-commune on an artificial mountain in the middle of berlin. everyone’s jobs are nda-clad bullshit, everyone parties all the time without ever enjoying themselves, homelessness and income inequality are ignored with the barest twinge of guilt, and louis is developing a party drug that chemically makes you generous. oh and the nature on the mountain (the berg -.-) seems to be eating itself. the concepts are great, the writing is pretty good even tho it tries a bit too hard sometimes, wilk, while also suffering a lil from Expat Gaze, really knows berlin. the execution isn’t perfect, the pacing is a bit off, too much time is devoted to anja and louis’ boring relationship, and look, some of the dystopian elements are a bit obvious. neoliberalism bad. okay, we know. but there’s a lot of good here, and the ending is pretty great, if a bit underdeveloped. 3.5/5

travelers, helon habila a novel about the african diaspora in europe, told thru 6 inter-connected stories, all focusing on one story of migration. these are important stories well told, and i liked how they all linked up in the end. while berlin is the central hub these stories revolve around, not all are set in berlin and the setting really isn’t as central as i’d hoped (this is obvi very personal to me & my research interests so it’s not really criticism). i’d recommend this if you’re interested in the representation of african migrants and refugees. 3/5

the uninhabitable earth: life after warming, david wallace-wells shit’s fucked: the book. starts with ‘it is worse, much worse, than you think’ and doesn’t really get much more cheery from there. good if you want an idea of what the effects of global warming might be (a pretty pessimistic one, which is the point - when does pessimism become realism?), and how we (& how we might) respond to them. 3/5

the girl from the other side, nagabe (#1-5) spooky-yet-wholesome manga series about a snazzy demon who’s adopted a little human girl who has been abandoned/cast out by her human community, which is like 100% my jam. the central relationship is super cute & wholesome, the demon designs are amazing, the worldbuilding is really spooky & intriguing (if you touch a demon you’ll be cursed & also turn into a demon & tbh who doesn’t want to turn into a weird tall slightly monster with cool horns), and a lot of it is just the demon like. badly baking pie to cheer the girl up. 

girl woman other, bernardine evaristo somewhere between a novel and a collection of short stories written in a somewhat unconventional but highly readable style. the 12 stories each focus on one woman (and one nonbinary person), most of them black, examing black womanhood in britain throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. i enjoyed many of these stories, but the observational style and the way we quickly cover whole lives left me a bit detached. there’s also a lil corniness throughout, which comes out in full force in the epilogue, and while it’s cool to have trans rep, it honestly came across as a bit clueless. 3/5

dark summit: everest’s most controversial season, nick heil did someone say high-altitude mountaineering disasters? because i’m always here for some high-altitude mountaineering disasters. this is about the 2006 season which was p disastrous in terms of deaths even tho it didn’t even have a storm (cf the 1996 season aka please just read into thin air), just people walking past dudes who were dying bc rescues are extremely difficult & dangerous. anyway this ain’t into thin air, but it’s a good one & pretty wild bc all mountain climbers are fucking nuts. 3.5/5

sense & sensibility, jane austen really enjoyed this! the pacing is a lil weird & none of the men really is all that, but it’s all very charming & witty & i love sisterhood narratives (poor margaret!). as in (tho not as much as in) mansfield park, there’s a lot of attitudes that just don’t really track but in contrast to mp i found them interesting rather than frustrating, mostly - brandon/marianne is very uncomfortable especially when you realise that he’s projecting his tragic dead first love/sis-in-law onto marianne and that we don’t really see their courtship at all, but w/e. i especially enjoyed the ferrars family drama and the hilarious resolution to it, and i gotta say: lucy steele really did that & good for her. 4/5 

anyway, i’m about halfway thru alasdair gray’s lanark, which is a great big pomo brick, half portrait of the artist as a young glaswegian, half weird visions of hell in the city of unthank & i’m into it but it’s not a quick read. in october uni reading is also going to start, perhaps for the last semester ever :(

[doinurmommy]

Dad Jokes, Go for Broke (New Version) pt.1

10k never thought he’d get to be a dad; let alone a good one. Now he, and the only family he’s had since his father passed away, have some tough choices to make after being thrown one unexpected situation after another. 

Cross posted on Ao3

Fandom: Z nation

Pairing: 10k/Reader

Rating: Teen and Up (references to adult themes such as sex and pregnancy)

A rewrite of my original Dad Jokes, Go for Broke series. A new chapter should be up every other week. I finally have an Ao3! (monochromehobo on Ao3 as well) I will be cross posting the new version over there and maybe the old version if enough people want me to. I hope you guys like the New version as much as the old one. I worked really hard on it and have improved a ton since I wrote the original series two years ago.

And something about laying on top of the covers with the box fan tittering loudly in the open window, the laundry hanging to dry in the corner, just felt right. I briefly thought back on hot summer days when my grandmother would be hanging up the laundry when I got home from school and I would lay in her bed while she listened to the radio and finished cleaning. With the afternoon sun streaming in through the window and my Spotify playlist humming through the speaker in the background, everything felt right for a moment.

But that was the first day of the apocalypse. And now there was no Spotify playlist, no box fan tittering in the window. It was too hot, too sticky. No clean laundry flapping in the wind. No Grandma to make me food. No food to be made, really. But there was 10k. And I took comfort in laying in an actual bed with him. In an actual house, with a window and light to stream through it. And in pressing the side of my face to his sweaty chest. I told him about that moment this made me think of. He chuckled and it made his chest vibrate low against my cheek. And you know what? There might as well have been food to make, and laundry to clean, and a box fan to make us less uncomfortably sticky-hot; because when I was with 10k I was at peace. Like the world hadn't gone to shit and I didn't have to watch everyone I once loved, including my grandma, become undead freaks.

I felt strands of my hair being brushed behind my ear as a loud crash could be heard from down stairs. 10k bolted upright and out of bed slingshot poised for action; I followed shortly behind knife out and ready. Addy was locked against the table by a Z, 10k quickly sending a nickel through the side of it's head, effectively killing it. Addy quickly thanked him before drawing our attention to the window. 10 or 11 more were ambling a little to close for comfort. "Looks like it's time to go guys," She said picking up the Zwhacker and slinging it over her shoulder as she gathered her stuff. I ran upstairs to gather our shit and alert the others.

 "Warren! Vasquez! Time to grab Murphy and go we got a lot of Z's out the front!," I yelled as I pulled our stuff together.

Warren responded with a nod, replacing her machete on her belt, "Alright we'll have to loop around the back to get to the truck." Rushing down the stairs she took out a couple of zombies that had made their way in. She waved us along out the back window. I pushed 10k's backpack through and slid out after it. I was relieved to see Addy and 10k were waiting out back for us.

/// 

We spent the next 6 days, pretty much straight, on the road to make up for the time we lost by hanging around at the last house. 6 days of on and off sleeping in the truck bed and scouting for gas. 10k and I talked for hours about what we did before we met both pre and post Z. We eventually had a good laugh about the first time I met 10k. He had been pretending to be deaf with his two idiot friends, and I helped him escape the death penalty. I mean after all when was I going to find another kid my age to hang out with in this apocalypse. I guess it all works in mysterious ways because that idiot that nearly got me killed has more than made up for it since then. "So, you still think aliens are real after all that went down in Roswell?" I chuckled, teasing him about the wild stories he chose to share.

"Oh, 100 percent. Like I said, my uncle saw them," he smiled as he spoke. Sometimes I couldn't tell if he was joking or not. He slapped the side of the truck and asked Warren to stop at a gas station ahead. He grabbed a road map from the front door, holding it up for everyone to see, "Anybody feel like going to the grand canyon?" That got a laugh out of everyone. Just the thought of hiking in the hot sun made me sick to my stomach.

//

Turns out the grand canyon was as nauseatingly hot as I expected. The smell of millions of zombies being filed into it didn't quite help with the nauseating part. Although I will say I did have a good time, even though hiking over the side of a cliff and getting taken hostage wasn’t my exactly my idea of a fun date. But damn was the grand canyon as breathtaking as it was made out to be. Even with the millions of zombies. I would have liked to stay, but we have our mission. Still, I'd like to think that someday we'll be able to visit again.

I slumped in the back seat of the car as we continued on through the dessert. I tried to make the best of it but there weren't even any trees or plants to play ‘I Spy’ with. I was never one to get car sick; however, something about the bumpy dessert and the nonstop driving had me feeling not the best. I would have never stopped us if I could help it; luckily enough for me 10k had no qualms about it. He made Warren pull over so I could barf up my stale crackers and water, patting my back as I sat on the curb. "Yeah, I'm just car sick. I'll be fine," I said, wiping the corners of my mouth. “Maybe I ate something old.”

"Well sweetheart it's the apocalypse everything's kinda old nowadays," Doc earned himself a few smirks and chuckles with that one.

"Well whatever it is we have to get going. Savior of humanity? The mission? Anyone? Buller?" Murphy growled from the back seat.

10k helped me back up as we all piled back into the vehicle. "Are you okay?" 10k asked from the other side of the truck bed, "I know you say you are but you can can barely run 50 ft without getting out of breath," I know he meant well but his tone of voice held something else in it that I didn't like.

"Yeah, 10k. If I wasn't okay I would say so. A stomach bug isn't really a big deal in the grand scheme of the apocalypse is it?" I felt instantly embarrassed at my outburst. The rest of the ride was pretty much silent.

>>

When we pushed through the dust and came upon the hotel we would stay at briefly I never pictured everything that would happen there. The leader of the group made us go by his ridiculous rules and processes, lining us up and telling us his first impressions of us. I was incredibly surprised by how accurate he got everyone, except for me. He stopped in front of me pausing for a few moments before slowly pointing at my chest and speaking. "You; you're an interesting one. Your good intentions and quick moves hold the group together, but you've got a secret. That secret will cause you a lot of pain," I side eyed 10k sharing an awkward glance between us and this strange man. I suppose the first bit was somewhat true, but secret? I don’t do anything remotely interesting enough to be a secret. Even though I didn’t know what he was talking about it didn’t stop bothering me the entire time we were there. I think part of me may have been concerned he was talking about 10k.

After all of our "introductions" I initially followed Doc and 10k on their quest for food. I felt my stomach ache return not too soon after we finished our rations, making eye contact with 10k I signaled for him to follow me towards a more secluded spot of our temporary camp. "Not feeling well again?" I nodded to answer him as he ran his hand down my arm. I took a peek around the corner to make sure nobody was in ear shot and able to see us before I went ahead to kiss him. I kissed him deeply, rubbing my hands up his back.

I guess you could call us 'touch starved' for each considering that we only got to be alone together once every few weeks. Its not that we were keeping our relationship a secret from the group, it's just that we weren’t the type of people to be on each other in public or disclose our business to people. I mean, I assumed the group had an idea.

10k broke away from the kiss, resting his forehead against mine, "I was serious when I said I was worried about you."

"I know and I'm sorry I snapped at you but worrying isn't really gonna get us anywhere," I said softly.

"I guess not," he replied leaning back in, "but that won't stop me from doing it."

>>

"Well once we get out of here we'll find a drug store I promise," I responded pulling my pants back up. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at him when he got so stubborn. He couldn't even enjoy having sex without returning right back to square one of our argument.

"10k! (Y/N)!" I could hear Doc calling us from the next room over.

"Saved by the bell," I huffed under my breath, smile etched into my cheeks.

>>

The rest of our stay in that damn hotel definitely wasn't boring, but I was certainly ready to get out of there. All the bullshit of the office workers was getting old. Besides, I think if we had stayed any longer 10k may have made good on his threat to kill Murphy. 10k brushed my side as we climbed into the back of the truck. I always liked that he found little ways to let me know he wasn't mad at me. I never had to ask. We shared a snicker as Addy hopped in after us.

We all sat pretty silently for the rest of the day as we traveled south toward Mexico. We passed by a few small houses, Doc suggesting we pull off the road for the night. We entered one of the houses quickly clearing it of Zs and settling in for the night. 10k and I had first watch duty.

"You know what I think I miss most about Pre-Z?" I gave a side glance at 10k seeing him smirk as he asked what, "Pajamas."

"Pajamas?"

"Yeah when's the last time you slept in anything besides jeans or cargo pants?" 10k shrugged in response to my question.

"It's still light out," he turned to face me leaning on a fence post, "Do you want to go scout that corner store down the street for a bit?"

"Yeah, sure. Let me just go tell Warren."

>>

"Push harder!"

"Here let me just kick it," 10k backed away from the door, firmly kicking it next to the handle as I got ready to kill whatever Zs may be in there. 10k kicked the door a second time; I stood by as it swung open.

"Looks like no Zs," I said glancing around the small space. There was still enough light left to see clearly but the sun would be setting fast. "This place must have been closed when shit hit the fan there's still all sorts if stuff here." I ran my hand along the shelves as I perused the aisles. They looked completely untouched.

I yelped; 10k scared me by jumping out from behind the next aisle."You ass!" I yelled giving him a light punch to the chest.

He wrapped his arms around me in a hug as we both laughed. I rested my head on his shoulder, just taking a few seconds to enjoy the moment. 10k let out a sigh looking at something over my shoulder. "What's wrong 10k?"

"Nothing," he said nuzzling his face into my hair,  “Just worried. But I know you'll be fine; you're strong." 10k returned his gaze to whatever was on the shelf behind me, pulling away slightly. "Hey."

"What is it?"

"You don't think that uh.." 10k veered off still looking behind me. I raised my eyebrows in response. "When's the last time you got your..." he gestured vaguely. I looked over my shoulder to see what he was looking at.

I barked out a laugh seeing what he was looking at. "My period?" He nodded in response. “10k it's the apocalypse periods are irregular at best nonexistent at worst," I paused meeting his eyes, "Or best depending on your point of view." We both gave little chuckles at that.

"Will you take one? Just to be sure?"

I sighed, picking one up off the shelf, "Okay, but when it's negative you have to stop bothering me."

“Deal.”

I began to walk towards the back of the store, looking over my shoulder to make sure 10k was close behind. I opened the bathroom door and scanned the small room with my flash light. Empty.

"Do you want me to go in with you?" 10k asked, hand holding open the bathroom door.

"No, I think I've got it," I immediately changed my mind once I realized how dark it was in the small room. "Actually 10k would you mind holding the flashlight for me?"

I shakily took the instructions and the test out of the package, opening up the instructions skimming through them. "Can you look the other way?"

Once I was done I set it on the sink and turned to face 10k. He looked, well, the best word to describe it was pale. "Now what?" He came closer to the sink as he spoke.

"We have to wait two minutes.”

“And then what?”

“Then we’ll have our answer.”

Waiting was the worst part, I hadn’t even considered pregnancy as an option for what was wrong with me but after taking the test it was an all consuming possibility. “Do you want to read it? I don’t think I can.”

I watched him pick it up off the sink, surprisingly no hesitation or shake to his hands. I’m not sure how long he actually looked at it, but it felt like at least 15 minutes. I watched tears prick at his eyes after awhile. I’m not sure why but I asked him if he was mad at me. I didn’t even need to see it to know it was positive.

“No! Of course not. Why would I be?” he took my hands in his and made eye contact with me.

“10k... It’s not like this is exactly like this is an ideal situation to raise a kid. We’re so young, and that would be problem enough it weren’t for the whole apocalypse thing. I can’t even count the number of times we’ve been shot at in the last year. And...”

“And?”

“And I can’t help feeling this is my fault. I can’t feeling I should have know better. That my recklessness lead to this. That... That I should have know better. Because now there’s this big unexpected terrible responsibility that I caused.”

“I’m pretty sure I contributed to this problem as much as you did,” there was something strange in his voice. “What has you convinced this is a bad thing?” I could hear the hurt dripping off his voice.

“10k..” I softened my voice, “How could it not be?”

“I never thought I’d get to be a dad. Let alone a good one. This could be our chance to make something good that’s not broken. To build something new. I love you so much; so how could it not be a good thing? I get to share something so special with someone I love so much. They say there’s never a right time, right? So why not now? When would we get another chance?”

“Who exactly is they?” I cracked a joke, still trying to convince myself this could be a good thing. I mean 10k made some pretty convincing points. Why would I ruin this for us, when I could share this once in a lifetime chance with the only person I’d trust to pull me from a horde of zombies? This could really be a good, and really stressful, thing. A new start. 

I leaned into 10k, half-crying half-laughing into his should. “Okay. Let’s do this then.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.” I watched the tear tracks run down his face as we just stood there. In that nasty corner store bathroom. Goofy naive smiles cracked on our faces. Terrified excitement buzzing between us as we thought about how much we had in front of us. "You know it's not gonna be easy, Tommy."

His nose crinkled at the use of his birth name, "My Pa always said if it’s easy it’s not worth it."

“Your Pa also thought aliens are real.”

I grabbed the still lit flashlight, breaking the silence, “Alright let’s get out of here and bring those supplies back to camp. The sun’s down already, and I’m starving.”

I watched 10k’s expression, feeling a dumb joke about to make it’s way into the conversation. He looked entirely too pleased with himself as he as he began talking. 

“Hi starving. I’m dad.”

[themarauderstheoutsidersandpeggy]

Could you do the cute alphabet with Sodapop please? tysm 💕❤️❤️

This is Day 2 of my week long 700 follower celebration! We are having a week of themed nights and The Outsiders is the theme of Day 2! Send in things for anyone from The Outsiders!

Also requested: I love your cute alphabets so much! You've done a couple and I hope you like to write them because I would love you forever if you did one with Sodapop! 😘💕💕

Masterlist

Join my Taglist

Prompt lists

A = Attractive (What do they find attractive about the other?)

He really likes your legs he’s a leg man

B = Baby (Do they want a family? Why/Why not?)

Yes, 100%, he is a baby lover and all babies love him

C = Cuddle (How do they cuddle?)

He takes up as much of the bed as possible so that you have to lay closer to him

D = Dates (What are dates with them like?)

He likes to overwhelm you with affection on dates, all the lil kisses all the time, everywhere

E = Everything (You are my ____ (e.g. my life, my world…))

“You are my addiction” because he knows full well that addictions are easy to slip into and rather than indulging in drugs or alcohol he decides to channel his energy into loving you. :’)

F = Feelings (When did they know they were in love?)

He knew about six months after you guys started dating bc he was still guarded bc of Sandy so it took him a lil while but he loves hard

G = Gentle (Are they gentle? If so, how?)

yesssssssss he is the most gentle boiiii but if you want him to he can be real rough

H = Hands (How do they like to hold hands?)

He likes intertwining your fingers and swinging them back and forth while you walk

I = Impression (What was their first impression?)

He thought you were stunning, you had to say his name three times before he snapped out of his trance

J = Jealousy (Do they get jealous?)

Yes, but he is the type to not interfere, just to sit back and be self-conscious 

K = Kiss (How do they kiss? Who initiated the first kiss?)

He kissed you first, he leaned over while you guys were watching a movie on his couch and just went for it

L = Love (Who says ‘I love you’ first?)

He says it first, you knew not to pressure him so you let him come to you

M = Memory (What’s their favourite memory together?)

His favorite memory is when you two went stargazing in the bed of his truck

N = Nickel (Do they spoil? Do they buy the person they love everything?)

We all know that this family is not the most financially stable. He does everything in his power to make you feel loved, whether that means with presents or with affection.

O = Orange (What colour reminds them of their other half?)

Baby blue 

P = Pet names (What pet names do they use?)

Doll, babe, baby, sugar, sweetcheeks

Q = Quaint (What is their favourite non-modern thing?)

He really likes sharing a milkshake with you at the drive-in

R = Rainy Day (What do they like to do on a rainy day?)

He picks you up, carries you outside and reenacts his favorite scenes from movies where they kiss in the rain

S = Sad (How do they cheer themselves/others up?)

He cheers the both of you up by just snuggling with you

T = Talking (What do they like to talk about?)

He likes to talk about the DX to you, he won’t shut up about cars tbh 

U = Unencumbered (What helps them relax?)

He’s the type of person who’s ‘relaxing’ includes physical activity and running around and getting energy out.

V = Vaunt (What do they like to show off? What are they proud of?)

He’s proud of the work he does, he shows you exactly what he is doing as he’s doing it.

W = Wedding (When, how, where do they propose?)

He proposes at dinner one night in front of all his friends about three years after you two started dating

X = Xylophone (What’s their song?)

Young Volcanoes, only really because he likes the upbeat style

Y = Yes (Do they ever think of getting married/proposing?)

Not really until after a year of dating

Z = Zebra (If they wanted a pet, what would they get?)

He would get a really energetic dog and just run around with it nonstop

Taglist: @Spideyyypeter @the-outsiders-fandom @book-wyrm-snacks @huffle-homie24601 @ilostcount-helpme @dallyvally  @snoploop @johnnycadeissocute @all-thegayships @briisasinamonroll @bonjouritsellaa @lady-of-lies @ardentmuse @blueivysuniverse @dark-night-sky99 @ilovetvshowsblog @s0cial-retard

[blondrichclosetwitch]

Mess with T on-off (skate)

Fourin' up my ambiance, pause (four)

You drive me cuckoo and I cough

(Fuck that) okay, say, dinner

I die a coupla times for you

I had forgiven you for tricking me again but I have been tricked again into forgiving you

Are you some kind of hypnotist?

That don’t mean you should abuse it

I know, it's enough just to make you go crazy

Signals crossing can get confusin'

“For as long as she can remember, high school senior Joephie Turner's mother has told her she is cursed by a witch. As she settles into her new hometown of Northport, Long Island at the height of the 1980s Satanic Panic era, Joephie is accepted into a circle of friends obsessed with the occult. Demonic messages on cassette tapes, shady youth group leaders, and passionate sexual encounters push the teen into a thrilling world that lends a deeper meaning to the proverbial mantra: "sex, drugs, and rock and roll." Until it all goes wrong. A decade later, haunted by nightmares of cults and rituals, formidable burgeoning witch Joephie pieces her memories together in search of answers about the small group of suburban teens that meddled with dark forces. As an adult, Joephie will have to decide what, or who, she is willing to sacrifice from her past in order to claw her way back to sanity. Inspired by true events, Witch of the Black Circle is a deliciously wicked and nostalgic journey through time where the lines of reality and the supernatural blur. Content warning: satanic rituals; sex; graphic violence; language; drug use”

“If you’ll be my lonely girl, then I’ll be a lonely boy for you.”

And thus, Psychic Jakk was created

“We don’t need the key, we’ll break in.”

 somethings got to be done, and you’ve got to know your enemy

I’m a brother with a furious mind

“Here, a girl reading an extract from Washington Irving’s Rip Van Winkle is faded in. This adds to the idea of dreaming – Rip famously sleeps for a 100 years. This particular passage occurs early in the story, presenting Rip before his decades-long nap. Thus, though famous for sleeping, Belle & Sebastian select a portion of the narrative unaffected by the famous events later in the story. Including this passage thereby points us towards the idea that the distinction between dreaming and wakefulness are blurrier than imagined–a sentiment shared by the conditional “could” in the title and first line.”

I wish I had a nickel for every miracle you tricked me into

I’ve no time for conversations on all the bad, bad things that you do

Just a note from your jailer

I’ve kept secret your superstitions and all it’s twisted wisdom that I fell into

309

If you had such a dream

Would you get up and do the things you believe in?

They've got a spy for every blink of your eye

“No one in this world knows what they do.”

The sickness of the mother runs on through the girl

Liquor flies through her brain with the force of a gun leaving her running in circles

How can she do what needs to be done?

The truth is they're happier when they're in pain

“When it’s hot, I feel ambitious.”

Then I heard you scream from the other side of the mountain

You saw a me I didn't want to see

Night sky, whisper me back to life

And the smoke lies on the valley floor

And the blood dries

You don’t know what you’re dealing with, you’ve got no idea

There’s so little left to understand

I hear women in my head with ordinary names that ring like magic to somehow function in my brain

Things like that drive me out of my mind

And anyone could try to say we didn’t keep the vows that we made but they’d be lying

Some of these days and it won’t be long gonna drive back down where you once belonged

Doing all right but you gotta get smart

You are somebody that I don’t know

But we figured you out

We all know now

And have I learned restraint? Am I quiet enough for you yet?

And I never liked your hair, or those people you lie with

In Leave the bourbon on the shelf, the narrator is drinking before meeting her exlover whom she plans to kill for being with someone else. Part of a Trilogy. Lovely.

[fallenangelspnfanfic]

Wayward Huntress

Summary: Castiel asked the Winchesters to help him find the source of a strong energy he felt in Missouri : a Nephilim, or is it? Eventual Reader x ??? pairing.

Warnings: Language, mention of drugs, sex club, prostitution, violence and eventual smut too.

A/N : *...* are used to illustrate characters thoughts.

---

-You sure bout that Cas? I mean, hell I don't give a damn bout being here but you must admit its kinda ... weird ya know.

Swaying hips passing by got Dean's attention, his forest green eyes scanning the beautiful stripper from head to tail, smirking when he noticed she was coming his way.

-Hey hun, what can I getcha? she passes a hand on the hunter's shoulder bending forward a bit just to make sure her pray gets a good look at her cleavage. His eyes fell into her trap for a second and then he turned back to Sam and Cas.

- Never mind, Cas's right. Let's look out this place. Dean quickly added, a goofy smile smacked onto the hunter's face earning from both Cas and Sam an annoyed look. Sam scoffed and rolled his eyes catching that his brother might not be 100% with them on this hunt.

 He turned his back to face Cas leaving Dean to order drinks while totally ''not'' hitting on the hot chick. 

 -Cas, I'm not even sure if I've done the tracking spell properly... and just like Dean said, it would be odd to.. Well, to find that kind of power in a strip club. 

 - Sam, I might not be the angel I once was but I am fairly certain that even with the few grace that's left in me, I can still feel that kind of power. It's stronger in here. the angel's answer was stiff, as he scanned the bar with his vessels eyes. He continued : A nephilim can't hide from angels... with a low voice only for him to hear. 

 -Alright then, I'll go chat with the manager see if maybe something unusal happened in the last few days... You should may-

-Demons. Castiel interrupted Sam who was now looking at the angel with questioning eyes. 

 -Wha- Cas took Sam by the sleeve of his brown jacket and spined him around so that the demons could not spot them staring. 

 -The man standing next to the woman who's wearing that strange pink feather scarf and leopard undergarments, near the stage. He's a demon. Cas pointed his head over his shoulder to a large bald man. His arms were crossed over his chest and he had a serial killer expression stuck on his face. He was watching the girls grinding on the poles on stage, as if he was making sure they were not trying to escape.

 -There's also 2 more in the booth next to him. Sam took a quick peek over his left shoulder to evaluate the mess they were now into. They were big demons, well their meat suits were big. He reached for his angel blade hidden in the inside pocket of his jacket, the cold metal haft comforting his cautious mind. What was supposed to be just a scouting hunt turned out to be a a little bit more risky. 

 - So what, you think demons are after it too? he whispered to Cas.

 - They might have heard something, I can't tell, a nephilim walking on Earth is quite an event. The word must have gone to Hell. We must tell Dean. Castiel turned around his blue eyes narrowed searching the place for his other friend. The place was crowded, wherever the angel looked all he saw was human committing sins. He finally found Dean who was in total adoration for the stripper that was now dancing for him on a table a few feets away from the stage. The music was slowly subsiding as the DJ announced a new stripper on stage, Castiel seized this as an opportunity to walk across the bar and get his idiot human friend back on the track. *Human are so easily distracted.* 

 ''And there she is gentlemen, our lastest arrival, she'll know how to please you and you won't be disappointed, so guys welcome to the stage our new and divine Azaaaa-el! ''

As if the last words he said was a signal, Dean, Sam and Castiel stopped midway whatever they were doing to look up the stage. The sound ''El'' was well-known to be an angelic name, and which in this case, was exactly what they were looking for. Spotlights suddenly lit up the catwalk where strippers usually perform and slowly a drum beat could be heard faintly. 

 *Tskt tskt tskt*

 She's my cherry pie,

 Cool drink of water such a sweet surprise,

 Tastes so good make a grown man cryyy, 

She’s my cherry pie oh yeahh

Azael walks down the catwalk as she sways her hips from left to right in her white laced corsetry which was barely covering her physical assets. Her legs that seem to never end were covered by a white cotton rib mini skirt which sits right above her underwear line. Not forget to mention those sweet suspenders to highlight it all. 

 She's my cherry pie, 

Put a smile on your face ten miles wide,

 Looks so good bring a tear to your eye, 

Sweet cherry pie, yeah

 With long strides, Sam quickly joins Cas halfway from where Dean is sitting. But the angel doesn't seem to notice his friend. He's frozen. He could not have mistaken. No doubt, she is the source of that power he felt. But this glow. In his thousands years of life, Castiel has never seen anything like this. 

 Swingin' to the drums swingin' to guitar,

Swingin' to the bass in the back of my car, 

Ain't got money ain't got no gas,

But we'll bet where we're goin' if we swing real fast

Azael who's now grabbing the pole with one leg flew her head backwards and winked at the cheerful crowd. She is giving a hell of a show and men are literally throwing their wallets on the stage. Castiel was brought back from his thoughful mind when a drunk man pushed him to get closer to the stage. 

 -Is it her? Sam questions Cas while motioning Dean with his head to pay attention to that girl on stage. Dean nodded and raised his thumb meaning for his brother that he got the message. Even if he tried, Dean could not take his eyes off the dancer who was doing an excellent job at teasing her public.

 Azael fell on her feet gracefully when the song finished. As she bent over to thank her audience her skirt crumpled and Dean saw a strange design drawn on her skin. He recognized it immediately since he and his brother wear the same one on their chest. An anti-possession tattoo. *Why would a nephilim be afraid of being possessed?* Dean frowned at the thought and walked quickly to his brother and his friend through the crowd. 

 GENTLEMEN AND.. GENTLEMEN the announcer started. I've got the pleasure to tell you, that as every Thursday night, our lovely manager has the best deals on private dances and you won't be disappointed! Our luxurious private room is ready to welcome you and your friends. So don't be shy and pamper your eyes!

 -Something's definitly off. Girl's wearing an anti-possession tattoo. What kind of angel would need to get his ass tattooed not to get possessed by a friggin demon Cas? Dean asked the angel as he joined the group.

 - So what you think she's human? Sam quickly added interested by his brother's idea. 

 - She is not human. She might not be part angel, but I sense something in her. Castiel answered dryly. 

 -Yeah well Cas the only thing you should have sensed there is your pants getting thighter. Dean scoffed.  Sam snorted at his brother's joke. Castiel seemed offended by the brothers laughs.

 - Did you forget about the demons? Castiel retorted with a frustrated tone. 

 -Demons? Dean stance got from relaxed to alarmed in a second. Sam cleared his throat, quickly picked up his seriousness. 

 - Uhm, yeah. Booth next to the stage. Cas spotted three demons, including one that was pretty darn sturdy. 

 - You mean like, Dwayne Johnson sturdy ? Big pipes, bald as a badger? 

-Yes. Both Sam and Cas replied in union. 

 - Son of a bitch. Dean swiftly grabbed his engraved nickel plated pistol and headed to the back of the bar where he saw Azael following the demons. People who saw them with their guns pointed in front of them would shout in fear and move away from their path. Cas understood something was wrong and mimicked the brothers taking out his angel blade and followed them hurriedly.

 --- A couple hours earlier... 

 Jefferson city, Missouri. 

 *Jesus christ, I look like a dumbass.* 

You thought looking at yourself in the mirror. You were wearing a thight mini jean skirt, a neon pink top that makes you wanna throw up and the final touch : heels 3 inches high. You glanced to your left, you duffle bag slightly opened on the bed of your motel room, leaving your flanels screaming for you to wear them. You sighed. You had to leave for the big night. 

 -Not today my darlings.

Not today. It's been over a month since you've organized this move. Being part of this community was a challenge, but being under cover on street corners was the best way to find leads. Of course, some fellows pushed their luck on you, thinking you were the real deal. But a good hook from the right helped them to buckle up and piss off from your sight. 

 But some night finally, a few days of investigation later, you got the info you were looking for. A ''colleague'' from the street confided to you that she had received an invitation to a job interview to dance in a strip-club where the paycheck was unlike any other. They offer girls who work there, apartment, luxury cars and all the dope their bodies can handle, all of this for a couple dances.

 Jackpot.

 So you asked her when and where was her interview, and when the day finally came, followed her into her apartment, knocked her out took her identity and : Taa-daaaa. Now it's your first night on stage and you've been drooling over that idea. Not that you fantasize at the idea of dancing almost naked on stage, but to gank those son of bitches who has been stealing souls from poor girls.

 Your plan was pretty simple. Every Thursday evening, The Golden Contract, (cheesy right?) presents its newest stripper on stage. Each new stripper goes backstage afterwards with a gang of braindead demons and emerges from there soulless. But tonight, instead of a soul, you reserved them a nice surprise. That's why today during dance practice, you left subtly to ''redecor'' the private room. An angel blade stuck under the striptease table, devil's trap painted on the ceiling with invisible ink, just to make sure lovelies don't leave up in smoke.

 Adrenaline rises more and more by donning your stage costume. Your blood pumped hard in your veins, maybe dancing half-naked in front of an audiance wasn't the best idea after all...

 -SHONDA! Shooonda! you hear someone calling you by your fake name over the music, not realizing she's speaking to you.

 *Oh fuck, right* 

 -Yeah what? you answer in a casual tone. At least you try to sound casual but you're actually shitting your pants. In all of your hunter's life, you've never thought killing monsters would be less stressfull than strip-teasing.

 -You're up bitch, that's what! Get ready to shake da booty gurl.

''And there she is gentlemen, our lastest arrival, she'll know how to please you and you won't be disappointed, so guys welcome to the stage our new and divine Azaaaa-el! '' 

--- Present time 

 -Follow me messieurs, I'll bring ya to Heaven. You mewed to the bunch of demons who just bought themself a ''dance''. You were showing them the path backstage where's the private room, a ball was sitting in the back of your throat. They were three, one was pretty impressive, looked like Popeye the sailor on crack. The two others were standard douchebags, one had a hell of a cringing haircut you liked to call ''ze onion'' and the other was wearing way too many jewlery.

 *Shit they're huge. Maybe I'll sit this one. Shit no. I can't, what am I thinking? Fuck. fuck. fuck. fuck. Man up Y/N.* 

 Finally in front of the room, you opened the door for them, the soft lights and the purple and pink silk curtains gave the impression of being in a princess' bedroom. Except, said princess is an experienced hunter who handed them a trap. You invite them to enter with a wave of your hand.

-Sit down gentlemen, relax, let yourself be spoiled for a bit. I'm gonna pick a song and get ya some drinks okay? Be right back handsomes. 

 You heard one of them said faintly: 

 -Oh we'll be spoiled alright. 

 You could hear the demons laugh while you left the room to put some ambiance. You have to admit to yourself, pretty damn cool to pick a soundtrack to fight bad people. Feels like an action movie where you starring as the heroe. You picked your favorite song that you usually listen to work out. You came back in the room and you start humming as you pick up the bottle of vodka you trafficked with holy water from the mini-bar. When you bend over to pour drinks into glasses, onion-man grabbed a handful of your ass and added :

 -C'mon already! We don't have all night. 

 *Ohhh you're first fucker.*

 -Of course. you laughed, biting the inside of your cheek, trying to remain calm and to stay in your role as much as possible. Now that he pissed you off, you climb on the table with a firm foot. You start dancing and rubbing yourself against the pole from top to bottom, opening your thighs when you reach the tabletop. 

 -Let's talk business. the biggest demon, the one you're more afraid of and who had not said a word yet, began to speak.

 -Anything you want darling. you crawl to him on the table in a sexy way. 

 -Yeah see, none of that interests us, cunt. he spitted. You frowned, trying your best to look offended and confused. Yet you were thrilled, finally some action. 

 -I don't underst- 

BAM! 

 The door behind you exploded and your hunting instinct made you twirl off the table and quickly grab the angel blade glued to the underside of it. You stayed crouched down while two men pointing their rifles in front of them enter the room. 

 -HUNTERS! the leader exclaimed his eyes turning black. 

 *For fuck's sake*

The three demons stood up and threw them selves forward trying to reach and attack the intruders who shot them mercilessly.  They suddenly stopped moving as they got closer to them; special thanks to the demon trap. The demons and both of the hunters looked at each other all puzzled.  That's when you decided to join the party. You could reach the glass of holy water from the table where you were hiding. As you stood up you strangled the pervert who pissed you off earlier, from behind.

 -Enjoy your drink fucker. You threw the contents in his face, the contact of the liquid and his skin creating steam. As he screams in pain, you sunk your blade into his back, orange lights coming out of his eyes and mouth. In your right blind spot, you see Hulk rushing towards you and with your well developed hunter's reflexes, you push the inert body in his direction to stop him. As you were ready to get back into the fight, the long-haired hunter stopped you and with a strong arm forced you to stay behind him, outside of the devil's trap, where the demons couldn't get to you.

 -What do you think you're doing? you spitted and slapped his brown jacket on the shoulder. 

 -What? I'm saving you. That's wha- 

-SAMMY A LITTLE HELP HERE??? the second hunter shout from the the back of the room where he was struggling to keep the second demon pinned down on the floor. Sam swiflty took the angel blade out of your hand and rushed to the other side of the room to help his partner.

 -HEY! you yelled as you followed the hunter. You were really fed up. Who do they think they are? To come here and fuck up your plan, ''rescuing you''.

 *I'll show you who needs some sav-*

Aaghhhhh aghh hh 

-You little shit. You thought you could play Wonder Woman tonight? the big demon now had his huge hand around your neck, choking you. Your feet were no longer touching the ground. You kicked the air as you tried to escape from his grip, silently praying for the hunters to come and help you. Suddendly, his grip weakens and you finally fell on the floor, gasping desperately for air. An electrifying blue light was coming off from his eyes and mouth as the demon screamed in pain. You covered your eyes from the blinding light with your arm and when you heard the dull sound of the lifeless body hitting the ground, you allow yourself to look. Seeing the state of the dead demon, two black holes where his eyes were supposed to be, you knew who, or more like what, just saved your life. 

 An angel. 

 You gently get up from the ground, never breaking the eye contact with the seraph who stood in front of you. He looked at you in a strange way. His head tilted on the side, he stared at you as if he was disappointed and at the same time, astonished. 

 -Are you alright? his hoarse voice broke the silence that seems like an eternity.

 -I uh, I'm fine thanks. you answered shyly, lowering your skirt, now bothered to be so little dressed. A shout of pain you faintly heard coming from the back of the room confirms you that the hunters finally got rid of the last demon. 

 -Thanks for ruining 4 weeks of hard work and planning guys, but what the hell? you say your arms crossed, to the guys who were getting up from the ground.  

-I'm Dean, this is Sam and- Wait did you say?Ruining? We just saved your neck young lady.

You scoffed. 

 -Young lady? I may not be as old as you grandpas but I'm still a pretty good hunter, so back off. Dean expression changed from shocked and outraged, looking at his brother in disbelief, silently wondering if he had hear what you'd just said. 

 Of course you've heard about Sam and Dean Winchester. They were well-known in your branch of work. You continue:

 -The Winchester brothers and their loyal angel, and to what do I owe this honor? you exclaim sarcastically not really paying attention to them while you rummaged through a piece of furniture to find your bag of spare clothes that you had carefully place there.

 -Listen huh uh... Azael? Sam begins, hesitating. 

 -Y/N. You got up on your feet and seeing your angel's blade in Sam's hand you steal it furiously and put it in your duffel bag. 

 -Y/N, look we're sorry to have messed up your hunt but we thought 

 -But you thought you were rescuing a poor helpless girl, yeah I know the drill. But now that I'm safe and sound, I'd like to go put actual clothes and never come back to this rotten place. So see-ya. 

 You were stepping back slowly to the door to sneak away but you stopped when your back hit on what you thought was a wall, but when you look back you realize that it was no wall, but a man dressed in a trenchcoat who did not look amused.

-You're coming with us. He says in his deep, firm voice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------

[krispynightmareyouth]

Steel, Glass, and Plastic Bottles: What is the best choice?

Earlier this year I published a three-part article series titled “What to do with all this plastic?” (Part One, Part Two, and Part Three), which looked at the global problem with plastics accumulating in different areas around the world and innovative concepts communities have adopted to help deal with the abundance of plastic products and manage the growing problem.

Some looked at the creative reuse of plastic water bottles by communities in Uganda, the Philippines, and right here in Macomb County, Michigan. Plant pots, salt shakers, lighting fixtures, irrigation, and even walls for a greenhouse were concepts communities came up with. While the articles highlighted some steps international and local communities are taking to curb the plastic problem it also provided steps to help eliminate it from every day use. One of those steps is to simply carry your own reusable bottle, which we are seeing more and more of these days. In fact, traditional public water fountains are becoming equipped to refill personal water bottles as well.

But between steel, plastic and glass, which is the best? The truth of the matter is that there are pros and cons to owning each.

Stainless steel bottles have a number of pros and cons. Typically, they last longer than glass or plastic because they are corrosion resistant, and do not leach chemicals when exposed to sun/heat. They are generally more expensive than plastic, as the cost to produce them is much higher due to being energy intensive. However, stainless steel is 100 percent recyclable. The best option for selecting stainless steel water bottles is food grade #304 or 18/8, which means there are 18 percent chromium and 8 percent nickel. Additional information on stainless steel water bottles can be found online.

Glass is another option when choosing water bottles. Most of us know that just about every beverage tastes better out of a glass bottle or cup, but the downside is that they are breakable and less likely to last a long time compared to plastic or stainless steel. In addition, recycling rate is low and some public places do not allow glass too. However, in addition to tasting great glass does not leach when left in the sun/heat, but the cost of a glass water bottle is generally much higher than our other two options.

Plastic seems to be the most popular reusable water bottle, although glass and stainless are gaining in popularity for the reasons listed here. Plastic water bottles, or water mugs are cheaper to produce than stainless steel and glass, which makes them very attractive for consumers. However, the recycling rate of some plastic water mugs is low and the life cycles are short too. Plastic water bottles often end up in landfills and can take nearly 700 years before they start to decompose. One of the biggest downsides to plastic water bottles is that they leach, whereas glass and stainless steel do not. Consumers with apprehensions over plastics leaching chemicals may want to review the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for more information, such as the use of Bisphenol A (BPA)-a chemical component often found in polycarbonate plastic. Some manufacturers of reusable water bottles do produce products free of this chemical and typically note that on labels or the item itself. In addition, plastics made with BPA will often have a resin code of 7 appearing on the item.

Additional information on plastics and problems associated with it can be found on Dr. Lee’s website devoted to health and sustainability related challenges.

Whatever reusable water bottle you decide to select in the end will be of overall benefit to you and our environment too. Reusing a water bottle will help keep plastics out of landfills, reduce your urge to purchase beverages in plastic bottles, and in the long-run save you money.

How are you ensuring safe drinking water when away from home and your preferred water treatment system? When it comes to drinking water, Ontario residents often invest in water systems and coolers to ensure a fresh supply of clean drinking water in the home. However, some fill plastic bottles with filtered drinking water and then reuse those bottles over and over. Unfortunately, this practice could be unsanitary. In addition, there are many concerns about the safety of BPA found in some plastic water bottles. While you could buy a BPA-free plastic water bottle, steel water bottles are a better choice. Below are just a few of the many benefits of stainless steel water bottles.

Stainless Steel Water Mugs are Eco-Friendly

Stainless steel is made out of natural elements to start with, and they can be easily recycled into new products when the time comes. Though plastic bottles are often made from recycled materials and can be recycled themselves, both creating and recycling plastic is less friendly to the environment than stainless steel production and recycling.

Stainless Steel Water Bottles are Much More Durable than Plastic

If you’ve ever used a plastic water bottle, you know how flimsy they can be. Some plastic water bottles are meant for one-time use and crush easily. Others are made to be used multiple times. However, those can melt when washed in the dishwasher. Even if you run over a stainless steel water bottle with your truck, it will survive.

Stainless steel bottles can be used under virtually any condition. Because of their versatility and durability, stainless steel water bottles are the bottles of choice for many athletes and adventurers, also are some glass water mugs.

Stainless Steel Water Bottles are Safe

The plastics in recyclable plastic water bottles are thought to be a health risk. Harmful chemicals are emitted from these bottles, and these chemicals might cause cancer. By switching to stainless steel, you can prevent harmful carcinogens from leaching into your drinking water.

Stainless Steel Water Bottles Keep Your Drinking Water Cold or Hot

Why drink lukewarm drinking water from a plastic water bottle when you could use a stainless steel water bottle that insulates the contents for hours? The insulating properties of stainless steel water bottles mean that you can enjoy cool drinking water up to 24 hours after filling the bottle from your water cooler. Hot water stays warm for nearly six hours in a stainless steel bottle.

You Can Wash Stainless Steel Water Bottles in the Dishwasher

Maintain sanitation by regularly washing your stainless steel water bottle in the dishwasher. Stainless steel is completely dishwasher safe, unlike plastic water bottles which could melt or lose their shape. Regular washing eliminates germs that accumulate after usage.

Environmentally friendly, durable, safe, and easy-to-clean, stainless steel water bottles are an excellent alternative to using plastic water bottles. The steel will not rust, and many desirable features are available such as special caps, cool colours, carrying straps, spouts, handles, clips, and unique shapes. You can even get a customised bottle if you’d like.

Don’t make the same mistake that many people who have invested in water systems in Ontario have made. Use stainless steel water bottles when venturing away from home.