#but any time a parent sees me wearing a mask to keep my germs to myself they go “oh no i'm so sorry you're sick!”

[stochastiz]

parent handing me their infant who has been obviously ill for the past 3 days they've been dropped off to me and is currently coughing at me while using a drool-and-booger-slathered hand to poke my face: "oh no, are you not feeling well?"

“everyoneeee is sick right now” (loud coughing) “i have a cold but i’m still going to class because i can’t miss it” (loud coughing) “5 people were missing in my english class today, isn’t that crazy?” (loud coughing) “can i ask a personal question? why do you wear a mask?”

[theretirementstory]

29/12/2024. Bonjour à tous, there is not much more of 2024 for us to enjoy but I am sure that a lot of people will be ready to “ring out the old and ring in the new”, on Tuesday night. I will not be one of those I am afraid, I am hoping to be tucked up in my bed, sound asleep.

I was going to do a recap of the year but as it mainly involved hospital visits to Paris and Troyes I thought it would be nice to look back on happier times in Paris. This first photograph is from a visit to see Pauline when she lived in Paris back in 2022. It was a beautiful February day, we did a lot of walking, it was great to see some wonderful sights in the capital. We had started with an exhibition in the Arab World Institute, then we made our way to the Pantheon taking time to take advantage of the winter sunshine, before finally finding somewhere cheap enough for Pauline to eat. A walk across the river, that day, would have set us towards the Hospital Saint-Antoine which I visited for removal of stem cells in 2023.

This week has been a fairly normal week for me, blood test on Monday, treatment and transfusion on Tuesday, injections on Wednesday then a few days to myself before it starts again next week.

At the hospital on Tuesday, I was given a pack of biscuits and a bottle of apple and raspberry pure juice which had been donated by the group supporting cancer patients in the Aubé department.

My Christmas lunch had to be re-jigged I was not happy with the chicken. It meant adding an extra course and having a meat free main course but it worked well and I am pleased it did.

On Thursday I received another Christmas card from “The Solicitor” and “The Recovery Coordinator”, plus a wonderful package which contained a wooden jigsaw, chocolates, a hand-made dog plus a pewter bookmark. What a lucky person I have been this Christmas.

Both “The Solicitor” and “The Recovery Coordinator” have been unwell over the Christmas period. I am not surprised there are so many “bugs” going around in the UK (guess here in France too) however, I wear a mask when I go out, wash my hands when I come back in and generally try very hard to keep a distance from anyone who coughs, sneezes etc. I also limit the number of people coming to my home to avoid other germs being brought in here.

“The Photographer” has been on the road a lot this week. He worked Monday and Tuesday, then drove up to spend Tuesday evening with his Aunt and taking her to a restaurant for Christmas lunch on Wednesday. He then drove back to York, spent Thursday in York before heading to his father’s house ready for his children arriving on Friday. Unfortunately my grandchildren had not been well on Christmas Day either. They seemed well when I spoke to them yesterday!

“The Jetsetter” had spent Christmas Day with her parents. She was due to meet friends on Thursday evening but as she too has a cold/bug she didn’t go. Two friends have weak immune systems so didn’t want to be in close contact with someone who was unwell. Yesterday she went with her parents to visit her brother and have Christmas Day with her nephew.

Not many visitors over Christmas (not that I expected any) my friends have family to visit and (for anyone who knows from this blog) I do prefer to suit myself, being alone but not lonely is part of that. I had numerous messages, video calls etc so didn’t really have the chance to feel lonely. Today, 🤞, I will have a visitor this afternoon, oops visitor has just messaged, she has woken with a scratchy throat and a headache so won’t be coming. Oh well perhaps I will start on a jigsaw. Before that I am hoping that my neighbour can take me to the supermarket just to buy some items to keep me going over New Year. He has been so kind, I am hoping that I will be able to repay him at some point.

So now we turn to the last music choices for 2024. It has been difficult choosing songs as most of my best memories date back 40 or 50 years (yes really). However, I can’t understand how this one slipped through the net, but I managed to catch it just in time. The song is “While You See A Chance” by Steve Winwood, this was released in 1980. The second song is from 1982, it’s “Here I Go Again” by Whitesnake. Happy memories, isn’t it funny how after a good few years the lyrics seem to be more appropriate to differing circumstances.

So I will leave you this Sunday morning, either looking forward to New Years Eve with lots of drunken people wishing you a Happy New Year (been there, done that), firework displays lighting up the early morning sky, expectations for 2025 running high. Of those I will be pleased with the final one. I will be tucked up in bed for the others and I don’t expect a drunken person coming in wishing me a Happy New Year.

So here are a couple more photos taken in Paris, in 2022 and 2024.

[myhaikyuuthings]

I want us

requests: Can you write a part 2 for ‘Better Man’? Like the reader ends up with Bokuto or something and ends up getting married to him while Kuroo is just kinda there, hurting. Or you can have reader and Kuroo get back together if you’d prefer, just anything ending with fluff 😔

part 2 please? 

Continuation of: better man

pairing: bokuto x reader, mentions of past kuroo x reader

fluff, angst, happy ending 

warning: mentions of past cheating, 

word count: 3770

it was longer than i intended so it continues under the cut!

 It’s cold outside, the first snow starting to fall. You sit by the window, watching with a heavy heart. It’s the first snow since your divorce, you can’t help but reminisce. 

You met Kuroo when you were just eight years old, the two of you becoming best friends. On your thirteenth birthday he told you he liked you, and that had started your first and only relationship. It was tradition for the two of you to experience the first snow together, always with soft smiles and promises to love each other for the rest of your life. 

It’s a weird feeling, to be here alone now. You sip your tea, closing your eyes as you savor the warmth it gives you. You want nothing more than to step out into the snow, put the last twelve years behind you, but it’s not so easy. Doing it without him feels wrong.  A knock against your door pulls a sigh from your lips. You peak through the window, seeing your old friend waiting. 

“Hi Bokuto-san,” you greet as you open the door, smiling as best as you can manage. 

“Aw have I been gone so long I don’t get my nickname anymore,” he pouts, opening his arms for a hug. You chuckle, wrapping your arms around his waist. “Hi y/n-chan.”

“Hey Kou, how have you been? I’ve been keeping up with your games on the TV, you’re as good as ever,” you compliment, moving to let him into the house. 

“I’ve been good! I’ve missed everybody, it’s just stayed really busy and when I am free it’s always so late at night I feel bad if I text,” he admits, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. 

“I can understand that, if it’s any consolation I missed you too.”

You had met Bokuto during your first year. You were the manager in training for Nekoma where Kuroo played volleyball. The two of you had gone to the training camp and your boyfriend at the time met him after dinner one night. The two had instantly clicked, so of course you were introduced to the boy too. It sparked a great friendship and you loved your friend dearly. 

By the time the two of you met, you had been dating Kuroo for about two years. Bokuto had expressed how jealous he was that Kuroo not only had a girlfriend, but that his girlfriend was also part of his team. He was always there for both of you through high schools, a lot of your best memories were littered with his face right alongside the man you loved. 

“Where’s Kuroo anyways? Well the other Kuroo,” he asks, accepting the mug you hold out with a grin. “I wanted to surprise you guys, maybe go out for the first snow like we used to as teenagers.”

“Kou, when’s the last time you talked to Tetsurou?” you ask, your voice wavering. He tilts his head, seeming to think for a while.

“God a little over a year ago, man I’m a bad friend,” he sighs, shaking  his head. “Why is he okay?”

“I don’t know, to be honest. We got a divorce a few months ago, I haven’t heard anything from him since,” his eyes widen, concern quickly taking over the shocked expression. He grabs your hand across the table, rubbing his thumb soothingly against the back. 

“What happened? You two were the perfect couple,” you laugh a little, causing his concern to grow. 

“He cheated on me Kou, for months,” you finally tell him, your throat restricting around the words. Even now, your body rejected the memory so harshly you felt like you would throw up. 

You sit silently, his grip tightening on your hand as his face goes hard. You move to speak, shutting your mouth at the tears filling his eyes. He closes his eyes, a single tear rolling before he gets his emotions under control. 

“Y/N, I’m so sorry,” he whispers, looking deeply into your eyes. “You deserve better than that, and I can’t believe he would do something like that to you.”

“I couldn’t either, sometimes I forget and I’ll wake up to an empty house and it just,” you laugh, trying to mask the pain in your voice but you know he sees through it. He was always good at reading you, “it hits  me then, that it wasn’t just some bad dream. I’ll be okay.”

“You will, you’ll be okay,” he assures you, “he’s a piece of shit.”

Your eyes widen in surprise, “He’s your best friend..” You know Bokuto has always cared about you as well as Kuroo, but at the end of the day they were the best friends. Inseparable once together, so his words threw you off.

“You loved him so much, I knew it from the first time I met you two,” he explains, his hand never once letting go of yours. “I’ve never seen anyone as in love as you were, and he threw that away. He broke you, I can see it in your eyes when I talk about him, so yeah he was my best friend but so are you, and he fucked up. You may not be asking me to take sides but I am, and I’m taking your side.” 

So the two of you sit, catching up on everything you’ve missed. His team won the last tournament, so they’ll be going to the olympics next year. Because of this, he’ll be in town for a while, the team training with other teams that will fly in to meet them. You offer to let him stay in the extra bedroom that used to be Kuroo’s home office when he says he still needs to find a apartment before his teammate Sakusa actually kills him for his ‘germs’. It takes a lot of reassurance that it’s  okay, and admitting that you had trouble sleeping without someone else in the house. 

“Just, I know I’m only twenty five,” you sigh, running a hand through your hair. “But even before we moved in together after highschool, our parents always let us stay at each others houses because they trusted us. I haven’t been without him for many years so it’s just hard to sleep in an empty house.”

“If you swear it’s okay, then I’ll move in, but I get to cover the rent,” he agrees, a smug look on his face as he finds a suitable solution.

“I own the apartment, it’s paid off,” you admit, watching his cheeks tint pink with a small smile. “You can cover half the other bills? We do a proper roommate situation.”

-

It was easy living with him. Sure he was a little messy, but he always made sure to clean up if you asked. After the first two times, he quickly figured out how much was an ‘acceptable’ amount of mess, and rarely went past that. The two of you had movie marathons every weekend, cuddling up on the couch with an array of movies playing. 

He was there anytime you woke up from a dream about Kuroo, your sobs carrying to his room as you realized the reality. You were there when he had a bad day at practice, comforting him and reminding him how good a player he is. He let you rant and rave anytime your heart reminded you of your past, the ache turning to anger, your eyes too dry for any tears to fall. You always calmed down, muttering apologies and thanks as he held you in his arms. Today was no different when you came home from the market, having ran into your ex husband. 

“I’m never going to love someone again,” you mumble against his chest one night. Your voice was so broken, you would have missed the tears that caught in his eyes at the sound if you didn’t have your head so close to his heart. “It’s okay Kou, it’s just better for me.”

“You’ll love someone again,” he whispers against the crown of your head, tightening his hold on you. “You deserve to be loved the way you loved him, and you’ll find that. And if any guy fucks you over again, I’ll break his face okay?” 

“Does that count for Kuroo?” you ask, only half joking. The shake of his chest as he laughs pulls a small smile to your lips. 

“It does, if he ever tries to talk to you again I’ll fight him for you okay?” Your heart swelled, a warmth feeling filling your chest. You leaned back, cupping his cheek softly. 

“I was kidding, but thank you,” you don’t miss the slight blush on his face, but you ignore it, not wanting to figure out what it means now. “My knight in shining volleyball uniform.” 

He snorts at your analogy, pulling you back into your hug. You rest your hands on his hips, giggling with him. 

“You’re something else y/n,” you can feel the smile against your head, pressing your face closer to his chest. 

“Yeah but you care about me anyways,” he gasps, your giggles echoing at his dramatics. 

“I care about you because you’re something else! One of a kind! Only girl like you in the world,” he raves, talking with his hands as you lean back to look at him. “I don’t care about you despite you being different, I care about you because you’re different. Billions of women in the world, not a single one even comes close to being like you.” 

In retrospect, you should have realized that night where this was going. But you chose to stay oblivious, subconsciously you knew you weren’t ready to move on.

-

You follow him to Brazil for the olympics, wearing his training jersey he had given you. A lot has changed in the last year, you feel lighter. You take your spot in the ‘family and friends’ section set aside for every team. His eyes caught yours as the coach talks to them, he smiles at you which you return easily. 

The game flows beautifully. It’s obvious the other team is good, the black jackals barely keeping the lead. Your cheers are loud and proud as he spikes the ball to the other side of the court, winning the game for his team. Your breath catches when his eyes immediately search for yours, his face bright. 

It’s not hard to love Koutarou. You loved him before you even realize, but once you do, it makes sense. Your mind drifts to your second year when Kuroo had been ignoring you after your first bad fight, and how Bokuto had comforted you, talked you out of  leaving him. You couldn’t deny that you had harbored a small crush for him all those years ago. Little did you know, he had as well. 

“Y/N!” His voice calls as he runs up into the stands. His arms wrap around your waist before you can react and he has you in the air. “You’re a good luck charm, I thought we were going to lose.”

“That was all you guys,” you laugh, placing your hands on his shoulders as he beams up at you. “All I did was cheer for you.”

“Your cheers are filled with luck, we only have one more team to beat and we’ll have gold!” 

“I’m proud of you,” you say, your voice soft and filled with admiration.

 The two of you are so caught up in each other that you don’t notice the camera crew a few feet away. They were waiting to interview him, but started recording when his body met yours. In the few years he had been in the spotlight, he had never been seen with someone in a romantic way. Even if that’s not how you two intended it, that’s how the whole world saw it as they broadcasted live. 

Bokuto notices the crew, setting you down and giving your shoulder a squeeze before walking over to them, his hand resting in yours. “Sorry to keep you guys waiting, I had to thank my lucky charm!”

“Your lucky charm? What’s your name miss?” the interviewer smiles sweetly at you, greeting you properly instead of ignoring your existence like you expected. 

“Oh I’m Y/N Y/L/N, but i’m not his lucky charm,” you stammer, blushing slightly which makes Kou coo at you. 

“Don’t listen to her, we’ve been friends since my first year of high school, anytime she was at a game of mine I won,” he tells her, smiling down at you, “whatever she believes, her cheering is a lucky charm for me and whatever team I’m playing with.”

“Wow you’ve known each other that long? That’s amazing, how long have you two been together, why are we only meeting her now?” 

“Oh wow, no we’re not together, she’s my best friend,” he explains, blushing brightly. 

“I’m sorry for assuming!” She apologizes, bowing deeply. You both assure her it’s okay before she continues with her interview, this time making sure her questions are only on the game. 

-

He won gold, bringing it back to Japan with his head held high and his hand in yours. Things had gotten weird after that interview, he was less affectionate with you than ever before. He didn’t want to  make you uncomfortable or let you realize his feelings for you. You had grabbed his hand when you got off the plane, your pout pulling a sigh from his lips when he tried to remove it. 

Back at your home, you sit him down with a pout on your lips and worry in your eyes. “Did I do something? You’ve always been affectionate ever since I met you but lately you seem to recoil from my touch. It’s okay I just don’t know why..”

“Oh Y/N no love,” your heart soars at the slip of the petname, his voice soft, “I just didn’t want to make you uncomfortable after that interview. I’m sure you weren’t happy with her assuming we were dating, or the amount of people online who had the same idea.” 

“And if I told you I didn’t mind?” you ask, looking away from him in embarrassment, “what if I told you I didn’t hate it, actually the opposite.” 

He slides closer to you, his knees pressing against yours as you two sit on your bed. He takes your chin in between his fingers lightly, turning your face so your eyes meet his. You freeze, the hope in his eyes so obvious you wonder how you didn’t figure it out sooner. He liked you too. 

“Do you mean that?” his voice was soft and husky, sending shivers down your spine. You nod, unable to find your voice. “I’ve loved you for a long time.

Long before you had your heart broken, before you married him, I’ve loved you since our second year.” He admits, you smile softly, his hand moving to rest against your cheek. 

“I know Kou, I didn’t at the time but I can see it now,” you say, leaning into his touch, “the way you spoke to me back then, how you were always there, the soft touches. I was too blind back then.”

“You were with Kuroo, it didn’t matter how I felt, a part of me was glad you never figured it out, I didn’t want to come between you two ever. No matter how much I loved you.” 

A loud knock came from the front door, breaking the intimate moment between you. Bokuto sends you a small smile, going to see who it was. He doesn’t bother looking through the peep hole, instead just opening the door. You wait in the bedroom, jumping when you hear a loud bang. You rush into the living room, seeing him standing in front of the closed door, his body tense.

“Kou?” you approach him, placing your hand on his shoulder gently. “What was that?”

He takes a deep breath as the knocking on the door starts up again. Turning to you, he gives you a tight smile and asks you to go back to the bedroom. When he realizes you aren’t going anywhere, he flings the door open as the knocking turns into a banging. 

“What the fuck Bokuto?” You freeze, you haven’t heard his voice in nearly two years. Your grip on Bokuto tightens, his hand coming up to push you behind him.

“I should be asking you that Kuroo,” his voice is colder than you’ve ever heard it, the anger radiating off of him nearly scaring you. “Why are you here?”

“I saw the broadcast from the Olympics, I had to know if Y/N was with you now, I guess this answers my question,” he scoffs, gesturing to you hiding behind Bokato, wearing one of his t shirts that covered your shorts. 

“You have no right to know who she is or isn’t with, did you forget what you did?” Bokuto steps forward, your hand falling from it’s place around his bicep. “Did you forget Kuroo? Do I need to remind you?”

“I know what I did, but you were my friend too,” you wince at the pain in his voice, you feel a bit guilty for liking Bokuto when he says it like that. 

“Yeah I was, and you were her husband, I guess we both let down people who we never should have,” he moves to shut the door, Kuroo’s hand stopping it. No sooner than you can process it, Bokuto’s fist collides with your ex husband, blood gushing from his nose almost immediately. 

“Kou!” You gasp, grabbing onto him before he can hit him again. 

“I told you, if he showed his face in front of you again I was going to hit him,” he whispers, trying to calm himself. Kuroo curses, cupping his nose. You feel bad, bringing him a wash cloth and ice pack.

“Here, for the nose,” you whisper, holding it out to him. Bokuto scoffs beside you, his hand resting on your waist. “I’m sorry he hit you, but you kind of deserved it.”

“Kind of?” “Kou enough, please.” 

Kuroo accepts the items with a small thanks. Wiping the blood that ran down his face, he turns to the two of you. “Are you two together? Can you just tell me that Y/N?” 

“You should go,” is the only answer you give him. Once you’re sure he’s gone you turn to Bokuto, “you really hit him.”

“I’ll do it again if I have to,” he says, not looking  even the least bit regretful of his actions. 

“Can I kiss you Koutarou?” 

His lips are on yours before you can finish your sentence, hands holding onto your hips tightly. You moan into the kiss, your hands gripping his upper arms. The feeling of his lips against yours felt better than you could have ever imagined, the soft groans leaving his lips telling you he felt the same. You pressed your  body closer to his, your chest flush with his. He pulls you even closer, taking a few steps backwards until he sits on the couch, you falling onto his lap. 

“I love you, and I know you don’t feel that way about me yet, that’s okay,” he pants, looking up at you. “But I need to know if you really want this, us before we do anything else.”

“I want us, I want you,” you reply, your hands playing with the hair at the base of his neck. His hairs down, and you decide this is your favorite look on him. 

“Yeah?” he can’t keep the smile from his face as you nod, his heart feeling satisfied for the first time in years. “I’m really glad I never moved on from you.” 

His lips find yours once more, and you melt into him.

-

You never thought you would be standing here again. It’s been nearly four years since you started dating Bokuto, and he asked you to marry him two months ago. You didn’t want a big wedding this time around, and he agreed, just wanting to marry you, regardless of how many people were there. 

You stand, the sand between your toes, your dress brushing against your knees as the wind blows. He wanted a beach wedding, and you didn’t have the heart to say no. He stands at the ‘altar’, his outfit casual but beautiful to you. His smile is wide, eyes full of love as you approach him.

“I love you, you look perfect,” he praises you, his hands taking yours. “Are you ready for this?”

“I’m ready love,” you smile, cooing at the teary eyed smile he gives you. 

The wedding was small, intimate, but just as lovely as your first. If not better. Only your immediate family and closest friends were present, all of them happy for the two of you. It was a small reception, hardly anything, more of a beach party than a wedding reception. 

You found yourself tangled in his arms as you sway to the music, your heart light, at peace. 

“Thank you for trying to surprise me that day,” you whisper, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “I don’t know where I would be if you hadn’t shown up then.”

“You’d be right here,” he shrugs, a sure smile on his face, “one way or another, I would have found out and been at your doorstep ready to help you. You falling in love with me is just the cherry on the cake for me, I was happy as long as you were, it didn’t matter who you were with. As long as you had that smile on your face, I would step aside every time for someone else to love you.”

“The only person I will ever love as much as you, is our baby,” you laugh as his eyes widen, he stops swaying, his grip on  you tightening slightly.

“I don’t know if you’re saying you want kids or if you’re saying you’re already pregnant,” his voice is quiet, not giving anything away. 

“I found out two days ago.” The scream of joy that fell from his lips had everyone jumping, never quite used to his outbursts. You giggle, his hands holding you up in the air with the happiest look on his face. He puts you down, pulling you into a deep kiss. 

“Best day of my life,” he says, kissing you between each word. 

Maybe you got it wrong the first time you got married. But you knew, standing before him now, that you got it right this time. 

[poepoe-thebunny]

Rudy/Tony and Fam during Quarantine

Cause this is where my life is at, apparently. I thought I escaped the “quarantine fever writing” that everyone else got. Apparently I was wrong. 

After another visit to the castle, the Thompson’s end up there in quarantine once miss rona hits the world. Thank god for WI-FI and working remotely, even if his parents look vaguely like zombies due to time zone differences. Tony can’t talk, his online schooling schedule is all sorts of weird and he’s pretty sure his teacher just wants to sleep until the whole thing is over. Honestly Tony can’t say he blames her. 

The Sackville-bagg clan, as it turns out, is a surprisingly overprotective bunch when they need to be, especially now that they have accepted their humans into the fold. Even with catching up on modern medicine and germ theory, they won’t allow anything to happen to their precious humans. 

(AU/headcanons incoming??

Rudy/Tony: 

- Think Rudy was protective before? Think again. 

- Rudy is over 300 years old, he’s old by human standards and he has met people who are old by vampire standards. He’s seen Things(TM) ok?

- He has been through more than one plague in his life. He has seen what it can do to the sick and the poor. He knows it’s a different now, that life-saving machines exist, that they’re working on a vaccine, that soap is widely available. 

- But he also knows it’s not. 

- Tony? Not going anywhere as far as he is concerned. Say hello to your prince, Rapunzel, cause Rudy is keeping Tony up in that tower if it kills him (again). 

- He knows where all of Tony’s masks are, and where he puts the extras. 

- He’ even shops online for masks with Tony, finding cool hand-sewn, gothic looking ones for Rudy himself to wear. He’s not sure if Corona even effects vampires, but Tony likes finding stuff to match his “aesthetic’ and it keeps his mortal happy. 

- He waits on his mortal hand and foot in between videogames and watching Netflix. (Tony likes How to Train Your Dragon and Paranorman, Rudy likes The Little Prince and Kubo and the Two Strings.). 

- Rudy’s first introduction to Tumblr is through Tony, and at one point they reach the Plague Doctor Aesthetics. While Rudy hasn’t spent much time in Italy, he doesn’t think they’re very accurate, and complains as such to his mortal. 

- Rudy is surprisingly easily offended about historically inaccurate things, and it sends Tony into laughing fits. 

- Rudy is Bad At Memes. Like, just in general he doesn’t always get them, and when Corona Memes become a thing he’s just constantly confused. Poor Rudy honestly. 

- Tries to learn to cook healthy human food, except he hasn’t had any major kitchen experience in 200-odd years and it comes out as a disaster the first few times he tries it. 

- It turns into a teaching session between him and the other adult humans, turns out the old couple who owns the castle like to feed people. Rudy walks into Tony’s room with a tray piled so high Tony can’t see his head. 

-Always offering to fly around the castle to get things for Tony, even if he isn’t sick. 

- TikTok dances. Tony shows him, then teaches him. Rudy is shockingly good at them, but Gregory thinks he’s cringy. 

Gregory: 

(Not me flexing my love of the good big brother trope, absolutely not, nope)

- Surprisingly rather take charge about the whole thing, he’s come around to the Thompson’s and the old couple. 

- While his parents help when they can, they sort of take a step back, and let the three siblings explain what’s happening in the world to the clan (if they are there). Being the oldest, Gregory sort of defaults to being the leader. 

-Checks in with the Thompson’s, as well as Otto and Emma (The old couple who run the place.) Asks if they need anything while they work/are in school etc. 

- Warns the clan to be very careful when visiting, not just for the Thompson’s, but also because Otto and Emma are getting on in years and could become sick very easily. Always asks for a heads up before a family visit. 

- Won’t tell anyone but, late at night if he’s not busy, he’ll do things around the castle for the humans, especially upkeep for Otto and Emma, while they sleep. 

- Dusting hard to reach spots like chandeliers, organizing books in the old castle library, moving heavy furniture and stuff since he can fly. 

-Low key drags Rudy and Anna into helping him clean 

(”But Gregory, this is our home now too! I’m sure they don’t mind.” 

“Humans are fragile, and they’re letting us stay here out of kindness, so don’t be rude. Clean up after yourself little brother.” 

“He’s right you know.” 

“Of course I am. And don’t think you’re getting out of cleaning the rafters Anna, and stop leaving your books everywhere for them to pick up.” 

 ‘hmph.” )

- Of the vampires he’s lowkey the best at cooking human food. Tony, Rudy, and Anna just walk into the kitchen at night and Fredrick is just watching his eldest, genuinely amused, as he dances around the kitchen in a “Kill the Cook (Too late, I’m already dead)” apron, blasting out dad rock from the stereo. 

-Bonds with the Thompsons over cooking human food, especially Tony’s dad after he teaches Gregory what an “air guitar” move is. 

-Gregory discovers pinterest food aesthetics, and is a machine of baking, mixing, and decorating sweet candies/cakes/brownies. He wants his food to look pretty dang it. 

- Anna and Rudy just watch, silently judging him. 

Anna: 

- She’s just thriving tbh. 

- She has internet access now, and her brothers have never been more terrified. 

-If Gregory is the vampire equivalent of a pinterest mommy, Anna is the vampire equivalent of creepy diy aesthetic tiktokers. 

-Not like, bloody horror diy, but like, the subtly creepy but still sweet kind, like the Addams family or Coraline. 

- She learned needle arts with her mom, so she’s out here sewing Coraline dolls, or patchwork dresses a la Nightmare Before Christmas cause she CAN. 

-Makes her own handbag with those felt cartoonish vampire faces and big fake bat ears on the side. 

-Learns more modern patterns and stuff, but will make masks for the humans as gifts, cause she doesn’t want them to get sick. 

- After watching Coraline together, she made “Other Me” dolls of her brothers, button eyes included, and stuck them in their coffins. She would make them “move’ by flying them around to different rooms when her brothers weren’t looking, just to freak them out. 

- Spoiler alert: it worked. They ran to Tony for help and she laughed over it for days. 

- Anna loves adventure books to Rudy’s poetry and Gregory’s fables/folk tales. She hates being excluded from her brothers “adventures”. 

-Tony introduces her to comics and video games and she just lives her best life. 

-One of her favorite comic book character is Cassandra Cain/Blackbat/The Orphan.

- She loves books like Matilda, The Chronicles of Narnia, and The Giver, as well as games like the Lara Croft/Tomb Raider series. 

-VICIOUS at video games, this girl has no mercy, she will blue shell you so hard. 

The Adults: 

-Life is Hard(TM) right now, but the Thompson’s try to make the best of it. They’re very grateful to Otto and Emma for letting them stay. 

-They’re both working remotely, so they’re a little messed up sleep schedule wise. But that’s ok, their vampire friends don’t seem to mind. 

- Freda teaches Dottie how to make proper tea, cause she likes it and Dottie is sort of addicted to caffeine. Dottie teaches Freda how to make mochas and smoothies, Dottie likes mango-pineapple smoothies and Freda likes hot white chocolate mochas with cinnamon. 

-Surprisingly, Frederick and Bob become pretty good friends. Frederick understands the stress of having to care for your family in very uncertain times, and the two men bond over unsure parental decisions. 

-Bob is also surprisingly good at making Frederick loosen up, much to Freda and Dottie’s amusement. While initially awkward, they have a surprisingly snarky and sarcastic sort of friendship. Frederick deadpans insults at him and Bob cheerfully annoys him into Being Nice For Once while being completely aware of the fact that he’s annoying Frederick. 

-Meals where Bob cooks often consists of him singing oldies into his spatula, making bad impression of certain singers, including Elvis and Cher. He is occasionally joined by Tony and Gregory, making the entire family laugh. 

- Anna’s bones may be old, but she can hand sew like a goddess, and has occasionally taken to fixing up the kids’ torn clothes, as Dottie can barely keep straight lines and Freda prefers knitting. 

- Someone (read: Freda) mentions that Frederick can play the cello, and after a rousing performance, it turns out that Otto can play an accordion, and of course Bob can play the guitar. A jam session occurs as the kids just stare in utter bewilderment.

- Tony’s grandparents were kinda hippies, so Bob and Dottie know a lot of oldies and folk songs, which while different than from what they normally hear, Otto and Anna connect too. They swap songs back and forth, and it turns out Dottie can do a mean Loretta lynn impression. 

- Dottie likes the Beach Boys, and teaches the others how to Twist. As in, the dance, and Freda actually likes it quite a bit. 

[lediinh]

Majority of the time Nalia stays quiet because she knows that once she tells her parents, they would think it’s sereve and take her to the doctors. The doctor is her least favorite to be so she tries to avoid it as much as possible.

Nalia specifically drinks ginger ale to help her reduce the sickness, then she would try to sleep her days away with the use of NyQuil day and night time version.

Nalia’s go to pain relief is sleep. She will literally sleep her day away if she can, but when it winds down to medications, she usually goes for over the counter medication to avoid the doctors. She says the doctor gives her anxiety. She feels that NyQuil or even Dayquil can solve a lot of problems, such as, headache, cold, or even running nose. It is an all in one product that she feels is so convenient. She prefers a warmer room because she feels like it brings her more comfort when she’s trying to sleep to relieve her pain.

Her healing strategies come from her family and even local content. These strategies are well known and basically is everyone’s go to remedy. Now as far as notifying her parents that she is sick, some other kids might prefer to tell their parents instead of just pushing it through. For example, like me, I run to my parents the first thing especially during these times to avoid any spreading of sickness if things do come out worst.

Her healing strategies aren’t guided by any restraints because she’ll just use or do whatever it is recommended or necessary.

Nalia sickness starts to kick in once she doesn’t dress like the weather. Nalia is a homebody person but once she steps outside, it’s usually for events or even a quick run. Now for events, you know how girls get. They dress for the occasion. It's basically F the weather! She’ll wear some shorts and knee high boots and a hoodie? and it can be 39 degrees outside. These girls will step for the weather. In order for Nalia to reduce the chances of getting sick, she started to wear a trench coat for her dressy occasions so she can have a thick fur layer over top of what she has on. During this covid season, everyone’s afraid of the germs. She often washes your hands & uses hand sanitizer. She also reduces the hugs she gives out & keeps her mask on even if it’s around her loved ones.

When Nalia is sick, she will stay home and not step foot outside. She will always reduce the chances of seeing her friends, for example, she didn’t want to come see me when she came home from college because she was very ill when I didn’t even mind! She also keep her mask on because germs spread very quickly according to her

Nalia says that she hates getting sick, especially the fact that the majority of the time she stays inside the house. Getting sick as a person feels like it’s normal to her because everyone has their days. She personally knows that her cold starts to kick in the majority of the time due to the weather and her fashion style during the weather. For diarrhea, she believes that she was eating things she wasn’t supposed to. For STD, that’s sexually active activities that she doesn’t take part in so she doesn’t ever think about that, but if she was to ever experience that she said that it will make her feel very dirty with herself because she wasn’t careful with who she did things with.

Social causes of Nalia’s illnesses is like a 50% chance. She feels like it may take part in her sickness but the main cause comes from her responsibility. If she dresses properly she wouldn’t experience colds. Now for stomachaches, she believes that it can be lack of food inspection & preparation. This girl is a brat she doesn’t blame things on herself, she’ll blame it on everyone else. Stigma about the illness doesn’t keep her from seeking the treatment, neither does the cost of the treatment. She just doesn’t like being around people so she doesn’t want to leave the house unless it’s very very urgent or severe.

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #457

“blue are the words i say and what i think  /  blue are the feelings that live inside of me”

Do you buy your lingerie at Victoria’s Secret? No. That shit is so overpriced and not for my size group. Would you ever use an online dating service? I never would again. Are you good at multitasking? ABSOLUTELY NOT. Have you ever eaten Frosted Mini Wheats? Ugh, those are so gross. What does your bikini look like? You think THIS bitch wears a bikini??????????????????????? Does age really matter in a relationship? To an extent, yes. How much does the last person you kissed mean to you? I honestly don't even know if I'd be here without her. Almost like magic, Sara popped back into my life right after I returned home from the hospital following my suicide attempt. She helped make recovery possible as a solid source of support. Do you use lotion? Not NEARLY enough. My skin is so dry; I need to. Do you believe in teenage love? I experienced it deeply and thoroughly, so yes. Have you ever sat on the roof of your house? No. Do you like Sublime? I like that one popular one of theirs. "Santaria" or whatever it's called? What’s your favorite movie genre? Paranormal horror, especially the "found footage" type. It's creepy to imagine it being actually real. Is there a celebrity that you’d be willing to have a one night stand with? If he was single? I know in my gut I would lmaooooo Do you want to live in your current town the rest of your life? OH MY GOD PLEASE NO If you found out today your best friend was gay what would you do? She's demisexual, so. She can like anybody. If you could get a pet for free today-what kind/what name? A tegu, because it wouldn't need an enclosure that I don't have. I'd let it free roam. God, I can only imagine Roman's reaction. How many people have you slept with? If you mean what I think you do by "slept," one. Do you ever wish you had a family business to become a part of? Not really. What’s the most gruesome way you could come up with to kill someone? Hunny, have you seen my dark RP????? The world best be glad I'm a pacifist lmfao Do you think anyone deserves to die that way? I don't believe in torture, so no. If you had to fight for survival, what would your weapon of choice be? A gun, I guess? I'd want something with range and that's quick. I wanted to say a bow and arrow, but preparing another arrow after shooting once could really cost you your life. Where did you buy your favorite pair of jeans? I don't wear jeans anymore. Do you have a large dog? We don't have a dog, period. If not, are you afraid of them? No, I love big 'ole puppos!!!!! I just don't wanna own a dog myself. Are you good at playing darts? Holy fuck no, I have NO hand-eye coordination. I once stabbed the guy at a balloon popping booth thing with a dart in the arm, if that tells you anything, ooooooooooof. Do you like breaded chicken sandwiches? YESSSSSSSSS omg Do your parents know that/if you smoke? They know that I don’t. Have you ever been under a blacklight? Omg so in elementary school, we did this thing once where we all washed our hands as best we could and then put them under some sort of light (maybe a blacklight, idk???) to see JUST how resilient germs are. You gotta scrub the fuck out ya hands, people. How many pounds do you want to lose? I'd rather not share a number, but a lot. What’s your favorite natural phenomenon? The Northern Lights. Do you snore? Very surprisingly for someone with sleep apnea like mine, I actually don't. How many people do you know with the same first name as you? Off the very top of my head, one, but it's spelled differently. I KNOW I know of a shitload more Brittanys, though. Is it possible you could be pregnant? Well, I haven't been intimate with a man in years and just finished my period, so like- Could you go a day without texting? I go most days without texting. Do you have a step-parent? My dad is remarried, so yes. If so, do you get along with them? She's EXTREMELY Christian, so her beliefs wildly disagree with mine, but I keep my mouth shut a lot just to keep the peace. She IS a very sweet woman, nevertheless, and am glad she and my dad are so happy together. Does your current/last job require that you wear a uniform? My last job (which lasted not even two hours lol) did. When will your driver’s license expire? My permit has been expired for like... two years. Do you live in an apartment? No. If the last person you kissed proposed to you what would you say? That's too wild a concept to even imagine. I'd probably ask if she was okay lmao. Would you ever get back with one of your exes? Weeeelp, I want to get back together with Girt. Pretty badly. Write a foreign word, and what it means: "Schadenfreude" is a German term that essentially means secondhand embarrassment, but it doesn't have a perfect translation. Is there an ex you think about everyday? Inevitably. That's PTSD, my friends. Who is the last person that you said I love you to, besides family members? Sara. What's the worst thing you have ever said to anyone? Something along the lines of "no one could ever love you like I do." It boils my blood just typing that; I considered even deleting this question. That quote right there is fucking manipulation, even IF I thoroughly believed it. Who was the last person to comment one of your pictures? I don't feel like looking. Do you tend to go for older or younger when looking for someone to date? It's weird, I'm into slightly older-than-me guys, but probably girls who are barely a bit younger than me. Have you ever been used? I don't think so. Have you ever not been able to get someone out of your head? Like I've said in plenty of surveys: Jason is probably a permanent fixture. But also as of the past two days, Girt's been living up there. I went from "hmmm I just don't know how I feel" to "FUCK I want to talk to him about how stupidly into him I am right this fucking INSTANT" pretty goddamn fast. It kinda scares me just because of how extreme my feelings are. Again. That's only ever gotten me hurt. Buuuut let's not get into that. Have you ever got caught cheating on a test? No, because I've never tried to. Will your next kiss be a mistake? I hope it won't be. But it's not like I know the future. Have you ever worn an oxygen mask? Actually yes, when I was young and thought I was having an asthma attack or something. Mom had one for her own asthma. Then I obviously wore one for surgery. What song do you want to be played at your funeral? "Paradise" by Coldplay is absolutely #1. How many swear words are in the song you’re listening to? I'm not listening to music; I'm back to watching Gab play Sekiro. What color was the last swimsuit you wore? Black. Have you ever kissed anyone of the same sex, and if so, who? Yeah, just Sara. Who did you last tell to ‘shut up’? Ha, I think my WoW friend Lyndsey, but only playfully, of course. We pick fun at each other all the time. Would you ever get a tattoo of a boyfriend/girlfriend's name? NOOOOOOOOO. Are you one of those girls who already have baby names picked out? I know what I'd name my kids IF I actually wanted any, yeah, but I don't. Do you think guys with long hair are attractive? Yessss, I love long hair on guys. Are any of your siblings taller than you? I think Ashley is a liiiiil bit taller? I know my brother is, for sure. Have you ever scared someone so badly that they cried? Yikes, no. When was the last time you wore high heels? Boy oh boy, no idea. Is there someone that you want to hurt right now? Jeez, no thanks. What was the most interesting or colorful birthday cake you’ve had? I don't remember, but I'm sure something from childhood. What was the last thing someone bought you? Was it expensive? Mom bought me food from McD's, which obviously isn't expensive. Do you have any interesting moles anywhere you don’t want people to know of? No. Have you ever gotten high or drunk in a really formal place? Strong "no" there. Do you ever write poetry and post it on any certain websites? On the very rare occasion I write poetry and actually like it, I'll sometimes post it on dA. What do you miss most about your childhood? Actually, genuinely having fun and not dealing with fucking anhedonia. Would you like to know the precise date of your future death? Hell no. Do you photograph well? I'd like to hope so. Are there any animals you flat out refuse to touch? Maggots and similar bug larvae. What super power would you refuse, if it was offered to you, and why? Mind reading. It just sounds... awful and overwhelming. What’s your favorite discontinued product that you wish would come back? Oh, I KNOW I have answers to this, just none are coming to me immediately and I don't feel like sitting here for five minutes thinking about it. If adults had show and tell, what would you bring into work? My snek! :') If you had a reset button for the last 10 years, would you press it? Tempting, but... I don't think I would. I cannot go through how deep my depression was again. Who is someone you would never swear in front of? My nieces and nephew. Yes, I don't believe in profanity being a "thing" and is just a stupid human fabrication, but nevertheless I acknowledge societal standards and expectations, and they're way too young to get when you shouldn't say something like that and why. Have you ever won a contest or competition? A few. Who is your favorite TV character? I don't think I really have one? Do you coo over other people’s babies? Not really, no. Sometimes I'll think they're super cute and be like "awww," but I don't like... squeal and spaz like some people do. What is something that makes you very squeamish? VOMIT. Has there been a celebrity death that really affected you? Steve Irwin got me deeper than anyone else. Chester Bennington hit real hard, too. If you’re out of high school, have you stayed in touch with your high school friends? If you’re still in school, do you think you will? Most of my closest ones, yes, at least via Facebook. What’s a movie that you want to see? Old movie, but Jacob's Ladder. It was a massive influence on Silent Hill, so naturally, I'll probably love it. It's a classic, anyway. Do you use the same username everywhere online or do you have a lot? I use "Ozzkat" in most places, but I do have some other ones for different sites. Who was the last person you know who became pregnant? My friend Ana recently revealed she's expecting her second child, a boy. What fad were you actually into? I have zero clue. Have you ever tailgated? Would you want to? Fuck no. That's how so many wrecks happen. My sister legit got in a wreck with an 18-wheeler mostly because she was tailgating (which she does BADLY); she was trying to pass, and he moved over at the same time because he couldn't see her coming around. It's a borderline miracle she got out with only some cuts, bruises, and a seatbelt burn. Have patience, people. Get off cars' asses. Why did you fall for the last person romantically? Look, don't get me started on this. There are a shitload of reasons and I have been way too emotional over this the past few days laksdfja;lwke What’s the last thing you had to eat? A bagel w/ cream cheese for breakfast. Do you ever pick up your house phone? We don't have a landline phone. Truth be told, are you more into looks or personalities the most? Personalities, for sure. I cannot be into you if your personality isn't attractive.

[precursor-ao3]

Written by “Your Local Epidemiologist”

Be angry. Just do it with a mask on. FAQ answers...

Yesterday, the CDC took backsies on mask guidance. Last night I had a glass of wine, screamed into a pillow, and slept on my responses to your great questions, so they weren’t riddled with frustration. While this was, by far, the correct policy, the CDC is not making scientific communication easy.

So… good morning! Here are some answers to your questions…

Why did the CDC remove the mask recommendations in May?

On paper, they wanted to increase vaccine acceptance. At the time, transmission was also extremely low among the vaccinated. Should they have had the foresight that this could change? Probably.

In between the lines, they were also pressured by lawmakers. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the night before the May decision, the CDC Director (Walensky) met with Louisiana lawmakers. Public health departments were informed of the policy change from NYT breaking news. Then two days later, a deeply respected public health leader and CDC’s second in command, Dr. Anne Schuchat, just happened to retire.

I still stand by my opinion that the CDC made a mistake in May. But we need to move forward.

Do you disagree with any of the guidance?

The CDC has a really good handle on science and data. There’s no question about that. Their ability to disseminate and implement that science continues to be a disappointment though. I think the CDC should have just simply recommended universal mask wearing. A simple, consistent message. They also desperately need a deimplementation plan. In other words, when will this end for the vaccinated?

Does this mean vaccinated people can spread the virus?

Yes. Before Delta, vaccines reduced transmission by about 90%. With a 1000% increased viral load, Delta changed the game. Yesterday, the CDC said that they had unpublished data showing breakthrough infections with high amounts of virus. This means vaccinated can spread the virus. No one has seen this study or the data. We don’t know the rate of transmission. We don’t know the R(0). We don’t know a lot. This is one of the main reasons the WHO has continued to recommend masking for vaccinated.

A higher viral load does not necessarily mean increased severity of disease. We believe (and continue to see on a local level) that vaccines continue to protect against severe disease at a much higher rate than unvaccinated protection.

A third dose could help with high viral loads among vaccinated. A third dose would increase naturalizing antibodies, which would decrease viral shedding from the nose and the mouth. It might be time for us, as a nation, to consider it. This could get life back to normal for vaccinated.

How do I know if I’m in a geographical area where I should be masking?

Go here. If your county is orange or red, wear a mask indoors. This means that your county has a higher than 50 new cases per 100,000 persons in the past 7 days OR test positivity rate is greater than 8%. If you’re in a yellow or blue county, you probably don’t need to wear a mask. But, full disclosure, I have continued to wear a mask indoors regardless of which color my county was in.

Since the mask is intended to prevent me from spreading my germs to others, does it also protect me from others?

Yes, masks protect others (outward protection). But masks also protect the wearers (inward protection). This is especially true is the mask is fit and filtered right. The best protection is a N95. The next level of protection is double masked (cloth over surgical) and results in a 83% reduction in exposure. A knotted surgical mask is the next best option (see Panel C below), resulting in a 65% reduction in exposure. Protection from a loose-fitting cloth mask is low.

I have to say, I am beyond annoyed that yet again, those of us who have been super careful, masking, DOUBLE masking, getting vaccinated as soon as possible, distancing, staying home, following all the rules.... Now, AGAIN we are being asked to be the adults in the room so 30% can remain children. Frankly, I honestly don't much care if the vaccine refusers become a statistic. I'm tired of having to care about those who do not care about me.

You should be annoyed!! And frustrated. And tired. I am. But the solution is deeply rooted in complex issues: chronically underfunded public health system; polarization in politics; public health integrated into politics; terrible scientific communication; a fragmented healthcare system; suboptimal scientific illiterate base; and, health equity. We aren’t going to solve these tomorrow.

So, don’t do it for the never maskers. Don’t do it for the unvaccinated. Do it for the immunocompromised. Do it for the kids. Do it for the elderly. We can’t leave them behind. Once we get those folks fully protected, I’m all for survival of the fittest. Be angry. But just do it with a mask on.

How is outdoor transmission changing with the delta variant? Is being outdoors still a meaningful buffer?

The risk hasn’t been quantified with Delta, but outdoors is safer than indoors. If you’re not shoulder to shoulder in a crowd outside, I’m still comfortable saying that outdoor activities are still low risk.

If schools do not follow mask recommendations, what is the best advice for parents?

The CDC cannot mandate masks. Schools do not have to listen to CDC or American Academy of Pediatrics. This can only be done on the federal level and/or state level.

So, what do we do? I don’t have a silver bullet. But, if I were a parent with a kid going to school, I would advocate for masks and surveillance testing. To the school. To the local health department. To local politicians. To schools again. And to the schools again. Parents have power and influence in numbers. Don’t think that you don’t. If it’s helpful, I can put together a one-pager of talking points.

Then, I would ask my kids’ teacher if s/he were vaccinated. Then I would go out and buy a well fit respirator for my kid (there are KN95’s on Amazon for kids). Then I would send my kid to school, have a glass of wine, probably cry, and do my best to parent given the increasingly difficult landscape we are forced to navigate.

What are you doing with your kids?

My kids are young, so we are in a little bit of a different position. One is 9 months old, so she is naturally considered high risk. My 2.5 year old is healthy. Both are in childcare. My husband and I pulled our daughters out of childcare over the weekend.

It came to my attention that their teachers were unvaccinated and not wearing masks. The childcare facility would not change their policy. So, we consulted two pediatricians. Both of which said the risk of keeping them in childcare is much higher than the benefit of keeping them in. They don’t need the socialization like older kids need. At least right now, until we have a better understanding of Delta and where this new wave is going. If our kids were older than 4/5 years old, this decision would have been different.

At what point does this thing become endemic, and we get a booster every year like the flu because there are different variants, but we no longer take drastic measures like universal masking?

An endemic stage will look like small pockets of outbreaks: A nursing home here, a school outbreak there. An endemic stage is not entire states or even counties with outbreaks. The South is burning right now. We are still very much in a pandemic/epidemic stage. Progress towards endemic will be slow and painful.

We will reach this point once everyone gets vaccinated or everyone gets exposed to Delta. Some scientists think we will reach endemic by next Spring. But only if the virus doesn’t mutate again to completely escape vaccines.

Hope this is helpful,

YLE

Link to the data sources is here: https://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/p/be-angry-but-do-it-with-a-mask-on

[hateswifi]

Rising from the Ashes: Of Icecream and Teleportaion

So this is Part Three here is to my Master List and Part Two. Enjoy!!

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

Now it is Sunday, the week after the gala and her parents' death, she had been staying in different friend's houses to keep suspicion lower. Today was the funeral she was wearing the typical white mask to keep away germs and or hide part of a face, grey contacts to cover her beautiful blues, a wavy black wig that went to her shoulders, and a traditional long white cheongsam with black accents. White is the color of mourning in Chinese culture and she wanted to respect her heritage. 

She had learned Mandarin while training to become the guardian with Master Fu. She would speak Mandarin to change herself even more due to the fact nobody but her closest friends knew of her ability to speak it no one will hopefully suspect her. She got dressed quickly and heads to the church. 

She sat closer to the back and realized her class was decent enough to show up to pay their respects. The funeral was very moving and she just couldn't believe they were gone. Adrien, Gami, Luka, and Chlo couldn't sit with her due to the fact it would raise too much suspicion. She missed not having anyone to lean on, but when she was supposed to be dead then she had to play dead. 

After the burial, they were told to go to Chloe's hotel for refreshments. She saw everyone from afar but did not engage unless they engaged her first. Lila approached her at the hotel with a sneer and glare.

"You're not supposed to wear white at a funeral that's disrespectful," Lila stated, Adrien must have seen the queen of lies approaching Marinette, so he started heading her way.

"I'm sorry I don't speak French," Marinette answered in a sweet voice in perfect Mandarin. "And stop talking about stuff you don't know you lying snake. White is a traditional mourning color in Chinese culture, which you would know if you weren't uncultured swine."

By now Adrien reached them and translated for Mar, "She says she only speaks Mandarin and that white is a traditional mourning color."

"I know what she said Adrihoney," Lila cooed, grabbing his arm. "I speak fluent Mandarin after I lived there for part of my childhood."

"You hear the Buginette? She speaks fluent Mandarin! I would love to see her reaction if she really knew what you said," Adrien laughed after he finished speaking in Mandarin.

"Stop, Adrien. I don't want to break character. Right now I'm a stranger named, Bridgette mourning the death of her aunt, uncle, and cousin," Marinette replied still in Mandarin.

"Are you going to join in the conversation Lila?" Adrien asked, smugly looking at the lost Italian girl.

"Umm.. I. I just can't believe she's gone!" Lila cried louder, getting more people's attention. "I know she was my bully, but I did not want her to die."

"Seriously, at my funeral? I haven't even been dead two weeks and she's already making my 'death' about her," Marinette whispered to Adrien in Mandarin. 

"Liars, am I right," Adrien answered.

"I suggest you two stop before one of the relatives hears it," Kagami said joining in on the whisper fest while they all spoke Mandarin. 

"She was not a bully; she just didn't put up with your bull!" Chlo said, joining the circle of people surrounding "poor sad Lila".

"Guys, not the place to do this," Luka said, hushing everyone down. "Keep your lies at school. I have a feeling if these people hear you talking trash, especially over people they just lost, it will be more ugly than your sausage looking hair."

After that everything was calmer except for glares thrown by Alya and Lila. No one bothered her much after that and she could mourn in peace, it would be the last time she would be in Paris for a while so she left to go on a stroll.

The morning after Chloe went to school and left Marinette to herself. By lunchtime, she had everything her friends had gotten from her will and finished packing. She would be leaving when all her friends got to the hotel via the horse miraculous and Kaalki. She would let the miraculous take her wherever fate brought her. 

She got dressed up as Bridgette again with the black hair, mask, and grey contacts. For clothes, she wore a blue sweater that looked braided with a black skater skirt and white converse her hair was just down. She had borrowed some of Chloe’s clothes this past week after she insisted Marinette didn’t waste money on clothes. Chloe and Gami were kind and gave Marinette some clothes to be worn after she left. 

She strolls around, sees her old home burnt to ashes after it collapsed. She sees her old school still in session and decides to head to André’s ice-cream. 

“Hello young lady,” André said looking at her. 

Mar nodded in response not wanting to speak French just in case someone heard but didn’t want to speak Mandarin. 

“I see almond for his lips and skin, mint for his piercing green eyes, and dark chocolate for his dark past and black hair,” André foretold looking at the almost familiar girl. “Are you Ladybug?”

“Thank you, but I guess it doesn’t matter, I'm leaving soon anyway,” Marinette answered, sticking out her hand, which he shook, then she looked through her purse. “I’m Ladybug hero of Paris. How much for the ice-cream?” 

“Free of charge for all of Paris’ heroes. May I ask why you’re leaving?” André asked, wiping his hands. 

“My house burned down,” she started but he interrupted. 

“They couldn’t find the daughter’s body, well your body, because you were at the gala as Ladybug,” he realized. 

“I lost my parents. There’s no family here for me. I already graduated and Paris is saved. How was I going to explain that I’m alive?” Marinette asked, taking a scoop of ice-cream. “And I feel like I need a new start, ya know? Everyone here thinks I’m a bully because of a liar. I have trauma from the akumas. One of the reasons I stayed was for my parents, but they’re gone now so why not?”

“Well I wish you the best of luck, Ladybug,” André said with a sad smile. 

“Thank you, Monsieur André,” Marinette said before looking at her ice-cream and thought about her mysterious future love. 

She walks to the park by the school and starts sketching under one of the trees. She sat quietly sketching till she heard the bell from her friend’s school. She decides to go back to Chloe’s hotel to meet her friends, but as she’s leaving the park Lila and her posse saw her. 

“Bridgette? What are you still doing here?” Lila asked, approaching Bridgette as an animal approaches its prey. 

“The funeral was only yesterday you sausage-hair freak. I’m catching a flight home tonight,” Marinette answered, in Mandarin. 

“Awww she said she wanted to apologize for what Luka said,” Lila cooed and got others to do the same. 

“That’s not what she said,” Adrien said, stepping in again. “She said the funeral was only yesterday; she’s flying out tonight, but wanted to see some of Paris before she left.”

“I can confirm that what Adrien translated is true,” Kagami confirmed, kissing Adrien on her cheek. 

“Ummm... why’d you put your crusty lips on my boyfriend’s cheek?” Lila asked, in disbelief.

“Why are you questioning my actions towards my boyfriend?” Kagami asked, looking at Lila’s shocked face, while she wrapped her hand around his arm. “He told you he had a girlfriend and that she wasn’t you.” 

“But… Adrihoney you’ve been with me for six months!! Why would you cheat on me?” Lila cried into the closest person’s shoulder.

“I’ve been dating since Marinette set us up years ago because we were best friends,” Adrien agreed with Kagami kissing the top of her head.

Lila got angry and stormed off followed by her posse; they were trying to calm her down. One of her lies had been exposed and Marinette couldn’t be happier that she witnessed it. They continue to speak in Mandarin as they were leaving because some of her former classmates were in the park.

“So I have everything packed, well the little number of items I have and some of the clothes Chloe and you, Kagamigave to me along with the Miracle Box," Marinette explained as they walked towards the hotel.

"That's it? I can't believe you're leaving," Kagami said. Adrien and Kagami were just holding hands now after leaving the park. The couple wasn’t big on public displays of affection with paparazzi always around. She just wanted to help him by trying to get rid of Lila's clingy nature.

"I guess everyone thinks I'm dead and I don't want to go around as Bridgette all the time," she sighed, looking at the almost ominous-looking hotel as if she was walking to her doom instead of a new beginning.

"It's okay Buginette I understand and we'll support you any way possible. We'll be here when you want our help if you need it of course. We'll still be best friends because we are family and nothing can break that," Adrien said.

"Of course, no one could replace you guys because you're the only family I have left,” Marinette said as they hugged now standing in the lobby. Marinette then leaves out the entrance because she can't go upstairs as Bridgette. She transforms into Ladybug and jumps onto Chloe's balcony, where she can see her friends already waiting inside. She signs sadly and drops her transformation as she enters the room she had grown accustomed to.

"Hey, guys I'm ready to go," she said, sadly looking at them.

"Why don't we eat dinner before you go? You never know what time it's going to be when you get there. Better safe than sorry, right?" Chloe said.

“Yes, you’re right. I’m not going to be gone that long though. Whatever country I end up in Master Fu promised to get me correct papers to live there. I’ll maybe be back at the end of the week,” Marinette said, taking off her wig and contacts and put them in her backpack. 

“Steak and Frites for our last meal together for a while?” Chloe asked as she looked to call her butler. 

“Yes that sounds great,” they agreed as the put on an anime. After they finished eating, Marinette now stands before them transformed as Mare with her suitcase and backpack ready to go through. 

“Goodbye, you guys. I’ll call you by the end of the week. I want you to know it was an honor working with you and no one will ever be able to replace you,” Marinette said, hugging her friends. “I’ll miss you.”

“Why can’t you stay till after Christmas?” Luka asked. 

“It’s only two weeks away,” Kagami finished. 

“Well I don’t want to be a burden and the sooner I get settled he better,” Marinette said, turning her back on her friends as tears start rolling down her cheeks. “Full Forth”

She turns to look at her friends one last time. They’re crying and hugging each other. She stares for a moment before backing in the portal.

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

Tag list (Open):

@northernbluetongue @melhuney @ladysblackcat @sturchling @otaku4312 @g-arya @smolplantmum @bluefyoto94 @echpr @moonlightstar64 @thesunanditsangel @cutechip @heaven428 @elmokingkong

[somethinginthethunder]

Almost There (Paul McCartney x Reader) Part I

Summary: Miss Y/n L/n of New Orleans has been working day and night as a waitress to get her dream restaurant. Of course, being a ‘”little” woman of such a poor background, it’s been hard on her. People left and right telling her what she can and can’t do, but she’s still kept going year after year, believing that the harder she worked, the more her dreams would come true. But that may change once a charming young man comes to visit her warm little town.

AU: Princess and the Frog (Disney)

Word Count:  1323

Notes: UGH I LOVE PRINCESS AND THE FROG YOU GUYS DON’T EVEN KNOW-- But the reader is, obviously, Tiana, and Paul is Naveen. I didn’t explicitly mention that the reader was African American specifically, because I want everyone to see themselves in the reader’s shoes. I’d love to hear feedback/comments/reblogs/whatever, and I hope you enjoy, everyone! Please message me if you have any issues! I also did take an idea of making Y/n a cat. If the owner of the idea would like to message me about it so I could give you credit, that’d be great! Or if you’d like me to change it to them just being frogs, that’d be okay, too!

Part I: “Wishin’ Upon A Star”

The grand home was quiet all throughout, except for the excited squeals of Lucy as Mrs. L/n continued the story as she sewed on a piece of fabric to the sweet little girl’s dress. Lucy’s best friend, Y/n, sat beside her, her nose scrunched up as her mother told the story of the princess and her beloved frog prince.

“The beautiful, gorgeous princess leaned in...” the older woman said dramatically, pausing to fill in suspense.

“Oh, N/n, here comes my favorite part!” Lucy said quietly, leaning in as she waited for the last few words of the story’s sentence.

“...and kissed the slimy green frog!” Mrs. L/n finished, a grin on her face as she watched the two girls react in their own ways.

Lucy was ecstatic (even if she had heard the story a million times), clapping as she squealed in happiness.

On the other hand, Y/n gagged, sticking her tongue out as her mother chuckled, looking away from the worn-out book. She put her hands on her hips and said matter-of-factly, “There ain’t no way I’d kiss a frog! It’s got germs and slime and eugh!”

Lucy giggled, “I’d kiss a frog! I’d kiss thousands and thousands of frogs if it would mean I’d become a princess! Look at him on the cover, N/n, doesn’t he look handsome?” 

Y/n looked at the cover of the book. There was a picture of the kind-hearted princess and the handsome prince. Still, his good looks did not seem to sway her, as she still stubbornly said, “Still never gon’ kiss a frog!”

When the girl turned her head she saw Lucy put a green frog mask on her poor little kitten, holding him out to her.

“Oh, c’mon, N/n! Kiss him! Kiss him!” she laughed, chasing her friend around the room with the scared cat.

“Girls! Put him down, you might as well be giving him a heart attack!” Mrs. L/n scolded, taking the frog mask off of the scaredy cat.

At that moment, the door creaked open, revealing the tall figure of Mr. Edwards, a small smile on his features as he saw the two girls playing around.

“Good evening, M/n,” he greeted politely, great warmth and kindness radiating off of him.

“Evening, Lance.”

Lucy immediately dropped the dolls she was playing with and ran to her father, the man scooping her up in his arms as she cheered, “Daddy! Daddy! Oh- wait, Daddy, can I have a dress like that? Look at that dress!”

The blonde-haired girl pointed to the gorgeous pink dress the princess was wearing on the last page, her arm looped around the prince’s. 

Mr. Edwards clicked his tongue, setting his daughter down. “Now, Lucy, we’ve been over this. Missus L/n and Y/n are done with their hours for today, and you’ve already got a dress-”

Lucy, the spoiled but sweet little girl, frowned when she heard her father’s words. Her brows furrowed in disappointment as she gave her infamous puppy eyes.

“Oh, Daddy, please? Please?” she begged sadly, Mrs. L/n watching, amused as she gathered her things and helped her daughter put her coat on.

Mr. Edwards was silent for a moment before sighing, giving in. He put his hands into his pockets and looked to Mrs. L/n. “M/n, it wouldn’t be too much to ask for, would it?” he asked almost sheepishly.

“Oh, not at all. Especially to my most best customer,” M/n grinned, her head tilting to the collection of gorgeous dressed all in the back of the room, their glitter and sequins shining in the house’s light. “But it’ll have to be started tomorrow. Y/n and I have to get going now. Goodnight, everyone.”

“Of course, of course. Goodnight, M/n. And goodnight to you, too, Y/n,” he nodded, leaning down to shake hands with the young lady.

“Bye,” she said in response, grasping her mother’s arm with the one that was not already occupied.

As she left, she could hear the useless scolding of Mr. Edwards, and soon the barking of a puppy and the squeal of joy coming from her close friend. Inside of her, it felt as if a stone was placed inside her heart.

***

Y/n stirred the pot of gumbo, her eyes barely looking at the contents inside since she was so short (even with the aid of the stool below her). She felt the heavy footsteps of her father coming in, standing beside her.

“Mm, mm, mmm! Smells good! What’re you making, sweetheart?” he grinned, savoring the smell of the food from where he stood.

“Gumbo, Papa!” Y/n answered. “It’s all finished now. You can taste it!” 

Her papa took the spoon she handed to him, letting some of the gumbo fall into it. He was about to eat it, but looked at her, playfully skeptical.

“You sure this is finished?” he grinned, an eyebrow raised.

“Yep!” she answered, her hands on her hips proudly.

“Alright... weeeelllll, I’m about to taste... this... sou-”

“Wait!” the bright young girl said suddenly, getting down from the stool. 

She looked through the contents of the shelf before pulling out the familiar bottle of red hot sauce. She added a few drops of it into her pot before placing it back on the counter, mixing it up again before saying, “Alright! Now you can taste it!”

Her father chuckled before tasting her creating, his face not reacting one bit. He was silent for a moment, his eyes on the pot. This made little Y/n nervous, her smile fading.

“Do you... do you not like it?” she asked anxiously.

“Darling, this is,” he began shaking his head before a smile broke out on his face. “the most amazing gumbo I’ve ever had! What a talented little girl I’ve got here, yeah?”

“You just noticed?” M/n snorted as she read the paper, a grin on her face as well as she looked up to see her daughter and husband in a tight embrace.

“Well, she can’t just keep her gift in the kitchen, now can she? We gotta tell the whole neighborhood!” F/n cheered, getting oven mitts to help take out the pot, M/n getting up from her spot to get her bowls and spoons.

Minutes later, the neighborhood was gathered around the L/n house, everyone chatting as someone played an upbeat tune from their harmonica. Everything was perfect.

***

“That was some good gumbo, wasn’t it?” F/n said, his voice low as he tucked his little girl into bed.

“Top of the class,” M/n agreed, kissing Y/n on the forehead.

“When I’m done with work, Y/n, you and I are gonna open a restaurant, yeah? Serve everyone everyday, making all the people happy with your special gumbo. How does that sound?” he hums, brushing her h/c hair out of her face.

“Like a good idea. You promise, though?” she said.

“Promise what?”

“That it’ll be our restaurant...”

“Oh, of course,” F/n chuckled.

The little girl suddenly sat up, her eyes catching on a new star in the sky.

“Look, Papa, Mama! A wishing star! Lucy said that, if you wish on a star, that your dream will come true,” she whispered.

F/n could only smile at her wonder. “You can wish on that star, N/n, but remember that it can only take you half the way there. You gotta remember to never lose sight of what’s important, and remember to work for what you want, too, yeah?” he murmured.

“Yes, Papa,” she nodded.

With that, her parents gave her one last goodnight and exited the room. Secretly, though, she wished upon that star, her eyes closed, hopeful and true. She wished her Mama and Papa would have eternal happiness, and that someday, just maybe, they’d get their restaurant.

--

Wow! First chapter! Hope you liked it so far. This is more of a filler, and the next parts will be better and more... exciting, I suppose.

Tag List:

@casafrass 

[retail-af]

Hey guys! Sorry for not posting much lately. I had a bunch of posts in my queue when the COVID-19 first became an issue, and since then I hadn’t had much time (or energy) left to make more.

The other day my husband asked what he could do to make me and my coworkers feel better (e.g., when people bring coffee or make brownies for employees after we help them with a project, or just to say thanks). And while I really appreciate the thought and the gesture, I have to say that there’s not really anything I can suggest. We just keep asking people to stay at home, order online if they can, over the phone if they can’t. Our delivery department has been backed up for weeks. Our store yesterday alone had 8 pages (8!!!) of fulfilled orders.

Part of me is very understanding. You NEED a fridge. You NEED a hot water heater. I Get It, honestly. If the pipes are leaking, you can’t just LEAVE it leaking. If one of your outlets went bad, you can’t LEAVE it, it’s a fire hazard. Hot water and soap is essential to killing germs and even though we don’t HAVE toilet paper or hand sanitizer or paper towels or Clorox or Lysol right now, we are still getting it in every day.

The other half of me is not sympathetic in the least.

Because of how stressed I am about all of this. Whether not I’ll be able to pay my bills. Whether not I’ll bring it home to my family or my husband’s family. Whether or not my husband’s unemployment check will ever come in. I’m worried about my coworkers who can’t get approved for an emergency leave. We didn’t have any PPE until two days ago, and even now we still have to sign it in and out whenever we use any (and we were explicitly told by our managers that it was so we wouldn’t steal it. Because they don’t trust us and they made it perfectly clear.)

I’m worried about my parents because they’re my grandparents emergency contact. If something happens to them, my parents are the ones who will have to go help them. That means I can’t go see my mother. My mother lives fifteen minutes away from me and I can’t do anything but wave to her house from the sidewalk.

I’m worried because my grandparents have COPD and diabetes and they won’t let anyone run their errands for them. Because I ask them to wear their masks every day and they promise they will and then they don’t.

I’m worried because my husband’s family has little kids still. Because they don’t have good immune systems yet and if we go see them and we’re carrying COVID-19, they could die.

I’m worried because instead of staying home, like we’ve been asking them to for weeks, our customers are still coming in and bringing their white-haired grandmas and their infant children. Because I keep seeing people carrying around their baby carriers, newborns tucked inside and sleeping, just fucking trusting their parents to not bring them to one of the most fucking dangerous places in the area today.

I spend most of my morning working. Did I mention I also spend 40%-85% of that morning with a migraine? Because I have to use bleach so much and so often that I can’t even smell it anymore, it just goes straight into my brain and gives me a migraine. Once I finally got a mask, it helped fractionally—I still have a pounding head for the majority of my shift. I spend any free time or private moment doing my new habit—literally clenching my jaw because I cannot fucking relax. I also haven’t been eating or sleeping.

My managers practically chase me out of the store on a daily basis. Not because I don’t want to leave—but because I can’t. Because there is an unending line of customers stretching to the corner of the building and they all want something. I work a return desk! I’m the only person scheduled there when we open (6 AM) and somehow we STILL have people waiting at the door, staring at me until we let them in at 6 sharp. I am there before 6 AM and I am fucking LUCKY if I get out of the building before we close at 7 PM.

Let me reiterate. I do nothing but returns and internet orders all day long and I am lucky if I can escape a 13 hour shift. Some of my coworkers are rarely so lucky.

I’m writing this after a really long shift. This is the first time in a week that I’ve spent more than a few waking hours at home.

I cannot stress this enough. We are not heroes. I don’t make enough money to live on and so I have to work despite being in the high-risk category due to previous medical issues, and so are a lot of my coworkers. Some of us are willing to risk our lives, but not for the reasons you think.

I’m worried because life as everyone knows it is crashing down around their ears and they refuse to listen to the warnings. We are burying ourselves beneath the rubble of our society and everyone who is leaving their house for non-essentials doesn’t care.

We aren’t heroes, we’re just cattle being led to the inevitable slaughter.

You want to do something to thank retail workers? Great. Keep your elders and your kids and yourselves at home, because you are not safe with us. If you absolutely have to leave, yeah. I get it. But don’t bring your kids, they don’t understand that they have to wear a mask and that I can’t talk to them. They don’t understand that it isn’t safe for them to take it off and to stick that thing in their mouth. Don’t bring your parents, because they don’t understand how dangerous it is to take off their mask, because they still think they’ll be okay this time too.

I’m doing my best. We all are. Please do your best, too.

Stay home.

Please.

[fatesinthenight]

I'm sick and was wondering if you could wright something where Silver or Ed take care of their s/o when they are sick with a cold or the flu. Also I love your writing. 👌

*i hope you feel better Anon :) I had to write about both of them. More the merrier!!*

Ed and Silver run into the clinic and shout at Dr.Iplier. “Doc I need you!”

“Can I help you boys?” He turns to both of them.

“Honey has a bad cold right now. I think they need a doctor right now.” End speaks up first.

“Sidekick just got a fever and it does not want to go down.” Silver worries.

Dr.Iplier looks between both of them. “I can see them both if it will put your minds at ease. Who is closer?”

Sidekick is in bed with no covers on in a tank top and shorts. They look so tired and breathe softly. Silver watches them as Dr. Iplier sits at their bedside giving them a look. When he is done he just pats their hand and puts a cool damp rag on their forehead. He gets up and walks to Silver.

“They do have a fever of 102.4. I gave them some medicine that will hopefully reduce the fever. It there is not change and it gets higher take them to the hospital alright.” He informs Silver.

“Ok I can do that.” Silver feels unsure of himself. He may be a hero but he feels helpless in situations like this, powerless.

“Silver they will be fine. Just look after them and call if you need me.” Doc puts a hand on Silvers shoulder. “You will do just fine.”

Now Dr.Iplier is with Honey. They also have a fever and a cough. They sit up as he examines them and asked them to breathe in and out to check their heartbeat. Ed watches taping his foot nervously. Doc pats Honey’s arm and smiles at them. He helps them settle back into bed. He turns to Ed leaving the room and taking off his doctor mask.

“It is a cold. Seems to be taking affect badly today. It will take a while to get better but here is some medication to start off with. If any changes happen please call me. It could lead to something worse so I will see if they need to head to a hospital.” He hands Ed some bottles of pills.

“Do I keep Katie away from them?” Ed asks.

“It’s best so she does not catch anything. You can go in but just to be safe use a mask. Here I got some.” He hands Ed a couple from his bag. “Look after them in the meantime.”

“I will Doc.” Ed sounds more confident than Silver but Ed is still very worried.

Silver hands Sidekick some water and puts a straw in it. “It’s bendy on.” He smiles.

“The best kind of straw.” Sidekick smiles weakly. They move up with Silvers help and sip their water. “I’m sorry I got sick when we were suppose to have out Marvel marathon.”

“Don’t be.” He waves them off. “You need rest. Besides you have a T.V here in your room. If you are up to it we can see some of the movies.”

“I like that.” Sidekick appreciates that.

Silver gets the movies from the living room and brings them back. The pops in Deadpool to start off. As they watch Honey is falling in and out of sleep. Silver notices it and turns over to them.

“You should sleep. The medicine Doc have you much be kicking in.” Silver is about to turn off the movie.

“No keep it on.” Sidekick tells him. “Please.”

“Ok.” Silver keeps the movie playing. Soon after Sidekick falls asleep and Silver does as well.

He wakes up at the sound of gagging. He is slow to get up then when he noticed you are not in befit stands up. He hears the sound again, it’s coming from the bathroom. He rushes to the bathroom to find you hunched over the toilet on the verge of throwing up. He kneels beside you and rubs your back.

“If you need to throw up don’t hold it in. It’s better to let it out.” Silver saids softy.

Sure enough Sidekick throws up. Silver just pats their back and rub it during. When they are done he carefully lifts them up to their feet and flushes the toilet. He turns on the sink and has you rinse out your mouth. Then he leads you back to your bed and has you lay down.

“I’m sorry I’m not so good at this…” He looks down. “I fell asleep on the job. I’m good at dealing with crime but with this I don’t know.”

“Silver it’s ok. You are here taking care of me. This would have been much worse if I was home alone.” Sidekick reassures him. “I think I needed to throw up anyway. I actually feel a bit better afterword.”

Silver checks your temperature. “It’s 100.2. Still up there but it’s going down.” He sighs in relief. “Maybe that was the key.”

“Haha maybe.” Sidekick jokes. “How bad is it that I’m hungry now?”

“Weird but I wouldn’t go eating just now. Let’s give it some time then I will have a soup ready for you.” Silver feels like he can do this now, take care of you.

Back with Ed he finished heating up a soup for Honey. He puts on a mask and enters Honey’s room. Ed places the tray in front of them and they sit up.

“Thank you. I was getting hungry.” Honey picks up a spoon.

“No problem.” Ed smiles but you can’t see it with the mask on.

“Ed…” Katie pokes her head at the door.

“Katie darlin I told you that it’s not good to come here. Remember bad germs.” Ed goes up to her.

“But my tummy is making noises. I’m hungry.” She pouts.

“Well then I just have to fix something up for you then.” He leads her away to the kitchen. “Ok what does the little lady want?”

“Can I have a grilled cheese sandwich.” Katie asks sitting at the table.

“Coming up.” He tips his hat to her making her giggle.

He fixes the sandwich and puts it in front of Katie. She tilts her head at it.

“Something wrong?” Ed asks.

“(Mommy/Daddy) always cuts it.” Katie said.

“Ok I got it.” He takes out a knife and is about to cut it diagonal.

“No that’s not how (Mommy/Daddy) does it.” Katie tells him.

“Ummm ok how do they do it?” He is waits.

“Like this.” Katie makes a vertical line motion.

“What?” Ed gasps. “Who cuts a sandwich like that.” He shakes his head. “Ok ok.” He does it the “right” way. “Better?”

“Yes.” Katie smiles and starts eating it.

“Ok call me when your done I’m going to check on the patient.” He messes Katie’s hair and walks off.

Honey already finished eating and looks up when Ed walks in. “Thank you for that. It’s hard it look after your own baby when you are sick yourself.”

“It’s all fine.” He takes the tray. “And you how are you feeling?”

“Still crappy.” Honey shrugs. “It’s a cold it will last a little while. Hopefully with the medicine Doc game me it will end soon. This is the good stuff.” You joke.

“My Honey needs more than some NyQuil to get better.” Ed looks at Honey gently. “You ready to take the medicine?”

“Did I mention I hate taking pills?” Honey laughs.

“Well now you have to take one everyday til you feel better and then this cough syrup.” Ed hands you a pill.

“Fantastic…” You sigh and take your pill.

“Ed can I have a cookie!” Katie’s calls out from the kitchen.

Ed looks at Honey for an answer. “I’m off parent duty today. You up for today cowboy.” Honey smiles at you.

“But I need to look after you.” He looks at Honey concerned.

“Ed do you know how many times I have still worked while sick and taken care of Katie and myself fighting off a fever or cold on my own. I’m fine. I’m more worried about her.” Honey reassure him. “If I really need anything I will let you know. Also it’s better for you to not be so close to be. I don’t want you getting sick too.”

Ed wants to protest but holds back. He thing about it, he knows he can care for Honey but he was more nervous looking after Katie. He never really looked after a child in his own. His son was full grown so he did not need to be babied. He takes a deep breath. “Alright.”

He goes off to the kitchen to Katie and Honey just rests feeling more at ease knowing Katie is being looked after. Honey does sleep and when they wake up they find a little note at the bedside table. They open it and see a sweet message in crayon. “Get better (Mommy/Daddy)!! Love, Katie” There is a cute drawing of Honey in crayon smiling. Then there is another note in crayon. “I love you. Feel better soon. -Ed”

Honey smiles at their notes. They call out for Ed but get no response. They get up from bed and have a blanket over their shoulders and walk out to get water. As they head to the kitchen they spot Ed and Katie asleep on the couch. Ed’s head is hanging down and he snores his hat is off. Katie is cuddled up by his side wearing Ed’s hat. Honey can’t help it, they pull out their phone and take a picture. The small table in front of the couch had snakes like cookies with paper and crayons. The T.V was on and a cartoon was playing. It was too cute of a scene. Honey gets their water and slowly goes back to their room but looks back at the couch. Katie snuggle more to Ed and he puts his arm around her tugging her close, she smiles.

“See I knew you could do it.” Honey whispers. They go back in bed smiling the whole time.

Sidekick gets better that night but Silver insisted on staying over to be safe. He sleeps on the floor curled up in his cape. Sidekick drapes a blanket on him and smiles at him. He took care of you all day, he deserved to have a good sleep.

Honey laughs when Ed comes in the room at night looking defeated after reading a bed time story for the 6th time to get Katie to sleep. Ed stays over too but sleeps on the couch. When they drift off to sleep that night they laugh hearing his snores.

Both Sidekick and Honey are very thankful for their boyfriends. They really helped them. The men may have felt like they could not do much but they really did in the end. They feel better already knowing they have someone they love really looking out for them.

[lakeshoredisaster]

I am tired.

I’ve been watching the news carefully from my parents’ townhouse outside of DC.

Today, a reporter asked an ER doctor if he thought it was “okay” or “safe” for certain states—suffering from an uptick of COVID-19 cases—to consider reopening their local business. This is supposedly the dilemma, right? Do we punish local businesses for our country’s mistakes? Are we keeping our store owners and minimum wage workers any safer by restricting their ability to work? It’s an interesting question. If you ask me, I’d say we should all be indoors, practicing social distancing measures and being cautious of our interactions with those we love.

But, understandably, that view is a little hypocritical. I flew to Maryland about a week ago, braving airport germs and airplane etiquette because I wanted to see my family. So upon arrival, I’ve kept my distance, only seeing a select few relatives, and I’ve given numerous lectures about the benefits of mask safety. I’ve spent most of my time with my parents, both at home from work, watching the news or soccer or whatever strikes our fancy. All of that being said, I still broke *my* travel rule. So, I tell myself, maybe it’s unfair to judge others for their choices. But today’s news cycle has been a great reminder of why I’m okay labeling myself as a hypocrite when it comes to quarantine.

I flew to Maryland, not just to see my family, but to check on my father (and my mother), both who are old enough that their susceptibility to the disease is concerning. Even more concerning are the mental health consequences of COVID-19.

You see, my father —the youngest of 13— lost his elder brother to the pandemic a little over a month ago. As the youngest child, my dad spends many hours recalling stories of his siblings’ bond. My uncle Rayman, although not someone I was *super* close to, played a huge role in my father’s childhood development. My grandfather passed away when my dad was about 8 years old; leaving his young children (and older children) behind left an impact that I doubt he ever considered. So of course, my uncle stepped up. He was probably almost 30 at the time, but he had siblings to feed and nurture. And regardless of how close he was to my father (or to me), he did just that. My dad’s greatest memories of having a father, beyond the small memories he shares with my grandfather, are of my uncle. He was a father to my dad when he had no one else to look up to. In that same vein, as they both got older, I always noticed his ability to “father” my dad in a way that no one else really could. Simply put, it was because my dad respected him. He respected how hard he worked, he respected how much he cared, and he respected how he taught everyone else to do the same. He fed them, made sure they had shelter, and he watched them grow into their own persons. 

My uncle went on to have a beautiful family: a loving wife, two amazing daughters, and several grandchildren–all full of life in an indescribable way. He was indeed their patriarch; he taught his daughters to be strong, independent women, and he loved his grandchildren so much that it hurt him when he wasn’t around them. So when my uncle got sick in April, their world came crashing down. 

All the classic symptoms of COVID-19 were present, but they weren’t convinced just yet. Even worse, they lived in the epicenter of the pandemic at the time: Queens, NY. Instead of rushing him to the hospital, doctors asked if they could hold on just a little longer.... there weren’t enough beds available or enough doctors to treat him. So, naturally, he held on. His symptoms raged, and my cousins (and aunt) continued to worry. You see, they knew. They weren’t ready to say it, but they knew something was terribly wrong. And finally, he was admitted to his local hospital. 

He died alone. 

He died without his wife, his daughters, his beloved grandchildren. He died, in a cold, barren hospital room, with doctors and nurses a few feet away. We couldn’t see him. They couldn’t see him. They didn’t even get to see him before the funeral. They’ve been grieving for months because they never got any closure; it’s something no one will ever be able to provide them. 

So, everyday, when I see people out on the streets having a blast without any care for others, or I see people say that COVID-19 numbers aren’t real, or I see people refusing to wear masks because it infringes on their personal freedom, my heart hurts. And it’s not because I claim to be overly connected to my uncle, but it’s because I love my father. And I know how much he loved my uncle, whether or not he had the chance to tell him that. He’ll never have that chance, and I hope my uncle died knowing how beloved he was. Because, in reality, he was the father that my own father needed in order to show him that he could raise a child. 

COVID-19 isn’t just a disease or a pandemic. It breaks families apart in a way that you don’t realize. It tears people away from their loved ones without giving them the chance to express their love for that person. Most importantly, the pandemic brings out the most selfish and inconsiderate behaviors that I’ve ever seen. Somewhere along the way, we politicized the issue so much that people stopped giving a fuck about the people that have died. I’m writing this today because I am tired. I am tired of seeing my dad drown his sorrows, and talk about how much he’s hurting because he didn’t get to say goodbye to his brother. I am tired of seeing people display a lack of empathy that feels sociopathic. And I am tired of watching thousands (MILLIONS) of people die per day and per week, while we do nothing to stop it. 

All I can ask is that if you know me, or if you’re reading this, you consider doing your part. Wear a mask, social distance, have empathy for others. Think about the black and brown and LGBTQ+ communities that are suffering from this pandemic. Consider how low-income neighborhoods are unable to directly combat the pandemic at unfortunate rates. Be more considerate, and don’t get caught up in “fake news” or in spreading rumors about how “numbers are inflated” and how we don’t know what’s “real” because our president says so. 

At the end of the day, we should all agree that one death is one too many. 

[austinpanda]

Dad Letter 071220

12 July, 2020

Dear Dad--

Another week of plague, isolation, and lightsabers! Also we got the remnants of a tropical storm, I think, which has always been a concern now that we live on the eastern seaboard. But by the time the storm reached Old Town, Maine, it amounted to about 90 minutes of light rain. For those of us who like observing the weather, it was disappointing as hell, quite the anti-climax. We had more of a hurricane a few years back in Austin, when we got the leftovers of that one that ate Houston. We got about 50 inches of rain in two days; it was AWESOME! Checking...that was Hurricane Harvey from August of 2017. Oh well, there’s still plenty of hurricane season left to go, and I’m not worried. My shit is insured. 

So, about the coronavirus, and leaving out any political commentary, did you notice that the national caseload, which had been dropping, just started rising again? I mention this only because if you were under the impression that we got this virus beat, that seems to have been overtaken by facts on the ground, and pretty please continue wearing a mask when shopping or going out in public, because your fellow Oklahomans are a petri dish of icky germs right now. You know, I never thought I’d witness an honest-go-god plague in my lifetime, certainly nothing that would directly impact the way I live my life. But ohhhhh, is this impactful! (And by the way, I’m not crazy about the fact that “impactful” is a word, but it is, so I’m using it.) Every time I check in with someone I know and/or love to see how they’re doing, they’re all responding with some variation of, “Oh, you know,” and they make a gesture that seems to encompass the whole universe around them, as if to say, I’m doing okay, but the universe is totally fucking blowing it right now. And that’s where I live, man!!

So I truly hope you and Elaine are doing okay. I know no one’s health is as robust as we’d like, but I’m sure you’re still exercising. Good movies are coming out, it’s just more likely that they’ll come straight to video instead of to movie theaters first. That Tom Hanks WWII “Greyhound” movie got delayed, and I read that it made Tom Hanks sad, not just because he starred in it, but because he wrote the screenplay. But! I believe if you have something called Apple Plus--I don’t have this, and I’m not entirely clear what it is--you can see it now. In other words, it’s been released digitally. I suppose there are services that allow you to pay to watch it on your TV, assuming the internet is involved in there somewhere? Entertainment technology began to leave me behind once they mastered flat screen TVs. I’ll see if I can find an easy way to watch it on the computer and let you know.

The other excitement of the week? I purchased Turtle Wax! I’ve noticed the paint on my 12 year-old Hyundai is starting to fade in spots, so I decided that, if water beaded up on the hood when it rained, that would somehow completely correct the faded paint problem. (In retrospect, I realize that it won’t, it’ll just make the spots of bare paint slightly shinier.) Now that I’ve done a few test spots on the hood and roof, I want it to rain, to see if it’s working. The last rain occurred just before I got the Turtle Wax. This shit is exciting to me! It never seemed to make much sense to wax my car in Texas, and I’m not sure why. I guess I figured the sun would kill whatever car paint it wanted to kill, and some wax wasn’t about to stop it. But now I’m quarantining, and spending the whole day looking out the window at my car, thinking, now that I have a lightsaber, my life will be 100% complete once I can wax my hood. Not the whole car, mind you, just the hood and roof. I don’t need to see water beading up on the sides in order to achieve complete self-actualization, it seems.

Oh, new kitty update: We are supposed to get the new kitten tomorrow, from our neighbor Clint. Because problems keep popping up that interfere, I predict only about a 50% chance that we’ll actually have the new kitty by tomorrow. That part can kiss my ass, by the way. They’re only a kitten for a short time, and we’re missing the period of maximum cuteness. And we really could use a new mammal around the house to keep everyone entertained while we’re stuck here. We have special litter. I bought flea collars. We have a whole plan, all planned out, how we’re going to introduce new kitty into the house, and how we’ll introduce it to Sam, and take lots of pictures, because it’s just so damn adorable. I can’t wait! I’m going to try to be patient, but gimme my fucking kitty, dammit! I need something furry to put some love on!

I wanted to talk about your desire to speak on the phone. I don’t want to do that, but I worry when you add such emotional weight to it, and I can at least talk about it. Here’s how I see it: I have learned, from experience, that you and I do our best communication when it’s not happening live, when we have time to pause and reflect, when we can exercise more thought about how we speak to each other. Let’s face it, I’m a doughy, gay, exceptionally liberal democrat, a bone-deep atheist, and a firm believer that everything republicans do is, by definition, chock full of evil, and best not done. I’m on the side of Black Lives Matter, and the tearing down of Confederate statues. I know you come down pretty firmly on the other side of that debate, in fact, you seem keen to kill the shit out of any protesters who might come over the hill to attack the homestead. 

I think we maintain our friendship better, and treat each other with more kindness and respect, when we have to write the shit down. It requires more thinking. It isn’t just sustaining what I feel is a pretty damn decent friendship that I’m having with you, I think it’s the reason why we haven’t fucked it up yet. I think it’s the reason we’re friends and not busy being angry or disappointed in each other. 

I don’t want to rehash the past. I know you loved me the best way you knew how. I know you did your best as a parent, and I’m very grateful for it, which is why I feel like I can do better than just cutting off all communication between us entirely, even though we’re so different. In case it’s not obvious, I put some effort into the letters I write to you. I make sure they’re not short. I make sure they show you the real me without rubbing your nose into my liberal opinions, or being accidentally thoughtless in some way.

Perhaps it’ll help to look at it this way: I know so many people who have nothing but contempt for their family, and don’t want to have anything to do with them. You happen to have a family member who’s a brilliant, and funny writer, who could write the great American novel (if he knew how to make stuff up, but it turns out he’s bad at that) but I prefer to channel that energy into my weekly letter to you. I want to protect our friendship and I think I’ve figured out how to do that. I know it’s not how you want things to be, but just remember that I’m loving you the best way I know how, too. We are communicating.

Now just so that I don’t end this week’s letter on something that may be a bummer, allow me to tell you about my new lightsaber. (Trust me, you’re going to need to know all this stuff.) It can be changed to whatever color you want. It makes all the lightsaber sounds; the speaker is in the pommel, and can get quite loud. You know how they flash when two lightsabers hit each other? You know, in real life? They made my toy one to do the same thing. When you wang it against something, it flashes white a few times briefly. I’m telling you all this in case it helps you decide whether you’ll need one, but trust me, you do. If any scary people come over the horizon to attack your homestead and you greet them with a blue lightsaber, I guarantee they’ll drop their weapons, and embrace you in brotherhood. 

Of course, I’ll write more next week. I hope you’re safe and staying out of the sun. All my love to both of you!!

[caffeineivore]

Almost at the end, folks!

Dude, so I have been spewing this thing out. This is probably the most I’ve written in such a short time span in... well, quite a while. But sort of, strike while the iron is hot? Anyway, there’s just a bit of angst here. But... not to fret! This isn’t completely the end! 

Points to whoever recognizes the cameo :P :P :P

Title: Yuan Fen

Ship: R/J AU

Notes: Yuan Fen: Fateful coincidence; destiny which brings two people’s lives together at some point, often through astronomical odds. “It takes hundreds of rebirths to bring two persons to ride in the same boat; it takes a thousand eons to bring two persons to share the same pillow.” A concept related to karma in Chinese Buddism.

Yi lu shun feng: Roughly translates to “May your entire journey be in the direction the wind blows”-- wishing someone safe travels. 

Rating: PG/PG13

Rachel wakes up the next morning to the sensation of warm fingers carefully smoothing her hair out of her face, and then a soft, lingering kiss to her lips. She kisses back, sleepily, and when she finally blinks her eyes open, she sees John seated at the other side of the bed, already fully dressed. He smiles, and it’s almost the same cheeky grin that he’d always given her, except it doesn’t reach his eyes. 

“I know your train is set to leave for Beijing at half-past eleven, which means that the driver will be here around nine to pick you up,” he says quietly, taking a step away from the bed. “You’ll want to grab a bite to eat before you leave; it’s a long train ride.”

He keeps his voice light, almost casual, and were it not for the expression in his eyes, Rachel might have thought that last night meant nothing to him. But it’s as though he’s determined not to make it any harder on either of them. They don’t have enough time to say all which needs to be said, and saying only part of it would only create a bigger wrench in... one hour, thirty-eight minutes, twenty-some-odd seconds. And she has just enough pride in herself to agree with that reasoning. He fiddles with his phone-- more to give her privacy as she climbs out of bed and gets dressed-- than because of any pressing engagements, and she goes through her usual morning routine by rote, meticulously brushing her hair and putting on makeup with the slow and steady movements of someone whose iron grip on control is so rigid that it might shatter with the slightest deviation from the norm. Never before has the build-up, layer after layer, felt so much like a flawless, brittle mask. 

Finally, she puts everything back into her cosmetics bag, and even as she’s carefully pulling the zipper tight, she watches, in quiet helplessness, as he comes up behind her, his reflection coming closer and closer until the warmth of his chest is right up against her ramrod-straight back. Rachel looks down, staring at the splashes of water still in the sink, because if she sees how perfectly, how naturally her body curves into his, she’ll end up doing something incredibly stupid-- like cry, or beg. 

“It takes hundreds of rebirths to bring two persons to ride in the same boat; it takes a thousand eons to bring two persons to share the same pillow.” His voice is muffled against her hair, and she manufactures a brave smile, standing perfectly still as he gives her hands one last, long squeeze before stepping back. “I have to believe that I’ll see you again, mei nü . Yi lu shun feng.” 

When he leaves, he shuts the door of the hotel room silently behind him. She’s not quite sure what his last words mean. But they’re not goodbye.

**

Rachel is not sure if John left his jacket behind on purpose, but when she discovers it still draped on the chair where she’d left it, she puts it on. It looks odd and out of place with the rest of her outfit and far too large, but she wears it for the entire train ride back to Beijing. And when, two days later, she steps into the first class cabin of Air China flight 8919, direct flight from Beijing to New York City, she’s wearing it over an old Columbia Law sweatshirt and her comfiest pair of jeans. It’s almost warm enough. Almost, but not quite. 

She has just finished stowing her handbag underneath the seat in front of her when the quiet sound of someone gently clearing their throat makes her look up, and she sees a smiling woman with a sleek bob of wheat-blonde hair standing beside her seat. “Excuse me, honey, I do believe my seat’s that window one next to yours,” the blonde drawls in a soft, Scarlett O’Hara southern accent. 

It’s not meant as a creepy term, you know. Didn’t you ever have friends from down south in America who call people honey or sweetie all the time?

Rachel’s breath lodges somewhere between her chest and throat and turns into something fiery-hot and the approximate size of a bowling ball, and even as the blonde looks at her quizzically, she can’t seem to force her limbs to move a single inch for several minutes. Certainly someone must notice the ball of fire caught in her throat, cutting off her air and hurting so much that she can’t quite stifle a gasp. Belatedly realizing that the other woman’s still waiting for her to move, she gets up, even though her legs feel like jelly, and lets the blonde pass through. 

One... two... three... four blinks, and there’s far too many people around for the luxury of dissolving into tears. She picks up the skymall catalogue and flips the pages without registering a single thing, hopelessly aware that her hands are shaking, but anything is better than having a very humiliating, very public breakdown. She estimates that it’s close to another hour before the plane would reach cruising altitude and the fasten seat belt signs would be turned off, and then, if by the grace of God the lavatory isn’t being commandeered by some frantic parent with a howling wet baby or...

She’ll go insane before then. She just knows it.

“My name is Ann,” the blonde southern lady’s voice cuts through her frantic thoughts, and she forces herself to dig through the tearing grief, forces herself to smile, though she’s certain it looks like nothing so much as a grimace. “What’s your name?”

“Rachel.”

“It’s nice to meet you, sweetie.” Rachel can’t quite hide another flinch, and maybe the other woman picks up on it, because all of the sudden she makes a tutting noise, and lowers her voice to a whisper. “Awww. Whoever he is, he’s not worth it.”

“No,” Rachel’s hands clench so hard that her knuckles turn white and she feels her nails digging into her palms. The pain focuses her. “He is. He is.”

“Ahh, except when he is,” Ann something-or-another nods slowly. “Well, then, I know just the thing.” Without an ounce of shame, she hits the attendant call button even though half the crew are conducting the final cross-check, and beams a megawatt smile when one finally arrives. “Could we have two margaritas? One regular, one a double. Thanks!” She turns to Rachel and pats the latter’s clenched hand. “Why sit in first class if it’s not for the free booze, right? I do admit, I miss a good margarita. Where I live these days, they’re not exactly readily available.”

“What? You sound like you’re American,” Rachel knows the conversation for what it is-- an effort at distraction-- but for all that, she finds herself incredibly grateful for the other woman’s kindness. “Why wouldn’t you be able to have margaritas?”

“Oh, born and raised in the US of A, certainly,” Ann answers with a smile. “But I’m an expat, and I’ve spent the last three years in the UAE. Just went on a business trip to Beijing, and now I’m off to New York for a good friend’s wedding. Say, you’re from there, aren’t you? What are some good places to eat? I’m a food blogger. Obviously, there are the really famous ones that have waiting lists as long as my arm, but I’m thinking something a bit less... persnickety.”

So Rachel finds herself telling this stranger about all the little hole-in-the-wall places she’d eaten at and enjoyed in New York City over mediocre but quite-effective margaritas, and the pain, while still there, dulls from a stab to a throb. Ann talks quite at length about living as an expat, and that is enough to give her pause. Perhaps it’s the tequila. Perhaps it’s the company. Perhaps it’s her own almost-hidden vulnerability, or a combination of all three. But whatever it is, it’s enough for a germ of an idea to slowly enter her brain and begin to take root. 

[nashvillewifestyles]

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This world is a scary place. Especially when you have children to raise, the world instantly becomes the most terrifying place; to the point, living in a bubble sounds almost appealing.

Now y’all, its important to understand the news and social media can exaggerate people’s fears of that reality. So I have learned to take the information, via those sources, with a grain of salt and filter them as best as possible.  But nonetheless, you don’t need to watch the World News to know the world can be a very big, scary place.

In the past few weeks the we have been moving back into “normal as we now know it” but now our world is filled with a different type of “normal.”

In addition to this unfamiliar territory and necessary adjustments, we recently have been dealing with other unrest in our country such as the senseless murder of George Floyd caught on camera. This event heightened emotions surrounding racial injustice and police brutality and triggered protests across the nation.

Nashville was one of the many cities where protests occurred. The streets were filled with protesters of  various races; most of whom were there to peacefully exercise their freedom of speech by standing up against racism and other injustices in our country’s “system.” I stand behind fighting for racial justice with nonviolent protests. I believe they can make a statement and bring awareness to a cause.

Nonetheless, watching Nashville streets full of chaos and police in riot gear was disheartening for me. My heart hurt for the pain on both sides. Nashville is my home and Nashvillans are my people.

Luckily, Nashville kept their protests peacefully under control for the most part. However, some local restaurants or businesses, some who have already been hit hard by COVID-19 quarantine as well as the devastating tornado that swept through Nashville weeks before the global pandemic, experienced various degrees of vandalism.

I’m not gonna lie, I cried. I cried for the heartbreaking subject matter these protests centered around. I cried knowing the black community has felt this pain for decades and so many of us have been blinded to white privilege.

I truly had to center myself. I had to ask myself what I was doing to help the fight and what I was doing to hurt the fight. I realized I needed to properly educate myself as well as my children on racism in our current culture.  I feel my duty as a mother is to raise my children to be compassionate and to sincerely love and treat all humans as they want to be treated.  To show them how being racist is being full of hate; and that to be full of hate is a destructive and leads to a miserable life, hurting others as well as yourself. I want them to not only not take part in racism but to be raised as anti-racists and have a voice that stands up for any human injustice.

Those discussions are more emotionally draining than I anticipated and a story for another blog post. But I mention it now, because its something constantly on my heart, as of late, and I’ve had to actively discuss with my children to help them try to understand these very adult issues. 2020 has been a lot of emotional rollercoaster for most people, children included; but children simply don’t have the capacity to fully understand the layers of complexity with these mature topics.

Doesn’t matter how proficient we are in communication, when issues are hard to wrap our own minds around, explaining them to little innocent innocent minds can be a dreaded conversation. We’ve been hit SO hard in Nashville, it’s sadly been one heartbreak after another. First the tornado that ripped through our city then Covid. But you see, I could scientifically explain to my kids natural disasters, like the tornado that tore through Nashville. I could show them how to help. How to serve those in need by volunteering with the clean up efforts or giving donations to support our Nashville neighbors affected by the tornado. I brought Keatyn to a tornado drive I hosted and had her help in creating the bags to hand out to the kids affected by the tornadoes. I could let them experience firsthand how “together” we can overcome obstacles and be #NashvilleStrong.

I was able to let me actions speak louder than my words. But just as abruptly as the tornado swept through Nashville, the COVID-19 global pandemic shut down the city and any further tornado relief efforts “together”. No more volunteering. It was isolation and quarantine. New normals and phased transitions. More uncertainties and unanswered questions. Things, even as a parent with “all the answers”, I wasn’t prepared to explain to my kids.

When we say “we are in global pandemic together”, that includes kids. Kids who depend on structure for healthy development; and now their routines and schedules no longer exist.

As parents, we try to shield our kids from the harsher, more “adult” realities of the world. Most would agree, children should be allowed to live in their innocence for as long as possible. To simply enjoy just being a kid. Why? Because “adulting” sucks.

However,  we don’t want the “real world” to leave them shell shocked. In my mind, there is definitely a fine line between sheltering them too much and exposing them to conflict (in hopes we are able to teach them healthy coping mechanisms when faced with hardships in life).

In terms of something like this unprecedented global pandemic, kids, parents and  parents of parents are blindly navigating this global public health crisis for the first time together. This uncharted and deadly virus causes fear and anxiety to creep into the minds of people from all stages of life. It challenges the most stable adults’ mental, physical and emotional well-being, which in turn affects kids.

Kids can sense unrest in parents. They look to their parents to provide stability and safety. But what happens when something like the COVID-19 pandemic seems too overwhelming for adults to comprehend? Imagine how much more profoundly this pandemic can affect our kids’ ever-so-malleable, emotionally fragile and immature brains?

How am I suppose to teach my girls social skills or how to be empathetic, compassionate humans when I’m sending them to school where everyone will be required to wear a face mask? Facial expressions, like a smile, will be hidden. I get the necessity, but it’s beyond bizarre to explain to a child.

Their educational experience could be drastically different: no field trips, no sitting next to friends in class or within 6ft of a human for that matter, lunch at their desk, partitions between the desks, etc. Essentially, their learning environment in the “new normal” may no longer be interactive and hands-on but rather feel more like a prison: cold and not personable.

For schools to reopen and hold classes, the CDC created COVID-19 recommended guidelines, which include strict procedures to ensure extremely sterile environments. But I question whether these post-COVID-19 learning environments do more harm by instilling fear in our kids? Fear of germs, physical touch and physical proximity.  Fear of the unknown. Fear of others. All fears that manifest in acts of selfishness and hatred of things we don’t understand (which I watch play out during the protests on TV last night). Here In Nashville, we might not even be in classrooms. Regardless our kids’ educational environments will not be the same as when they abruptly ended classes in March.

We desire for our children to be resilient but not to the point of scaring or hardening them. So where is the line? 

My point being. I’m a parent and I don’t have the “right” answers to life’s tough questions. But I know I am not alone. As parents, we are in this together. We are in this scary world together. Not alone, regardless of how it feels at times. 

It is not our job to have all the “right” answers or make all the “right” decisions. It is our job to listen and be attentive to our children’s needs and overall health. Our job is to unconditionally love, guide and protect our kids to the best of our abilities; not to be perfect at our duties as parents.

Keep the communication flowing with your kids so you truly are a resource of not only knowledge but also their safe place. I suggest just to be honest with your children.  Be approachable and willing to actively listen to what they say. Educate yourself when you don’t understand. Have those honest, but tough conversations with them. Allow them to feel safe and valued sharing their thoughts or emotions.

We all will get through these unsettling times. Our kids will be ok. We will be ok. Its ok not to be ok. Just don’t do it alone.

I know how hard the past few months has been on us all. Now we are forced to adjust to a new sense of normal. As adults we are used to change but this is different. If we feel this strongly knowing the full extent of what's at hand, imagine our kids. This world is a scary place. Especially when you have children to raise, the world instantly becomes the most terrifying place; to the point, living in a bubble sounds almost appealing.

[plogan721]

Let the flood gates begin

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links within the post, I may receive a commission for your click and purchase. You do not have to make a purchase to enjoy this post, I only highlight products to help with the cost of running the blog, and I only post links to products relevant to the topic in that post and to companies I use and trust.”

Please Note:  I started writing this blogpost in pen and paper.  You know, the old-fashioned way of writing.  I got the idea from an episode from Star Trek: Voyager where one of my favorite captains, Captain Janeway was sick of technology, after dealing with species 842 and the Borg.  This was the episode that introduced Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine, a former Borg drone brought back by to her human self by The doctor, authorized by Captain Janeway.  Captain Janeway decided to take to writing her captain’s log by this method.  It is a practice that we should all do in the wake of this pandemic.  To me, even though you are seeing my post in digital form, it was a way of getting back to things in a natural way. 

Photo by Pixabay

This was the week when my city reopened for retail.  Today was the day I ventured out to a new norm of new rules (other than what was already in place).  As I drove, doing my errands of depositing money in my business checking account and going to a grocery store that carried a Starbucks kiosk, because the Starbucks down the street lied about being open, I was thinking, “was it all worth being quarantined for the past 2 ½ months?”  The only difference was Columbus, Ohio all of sudden looked like a Japanese prefecture, with mask-wearing people out and about in the 70° plus weather.  This is something that the Japanese and other Asians are used to doing, not Americans. 

Americans are used to having the freedom to do whatever we want to do, and how we want to do it.  If it puts us in jail, so be it.  When we get out, some of us will try it again until someone ignores us, then it becomes a norm.  If we have to protest, that is fine, it makes an interesting news story locally and/or nationally.

I am not sure how I feel about it.  

OK, let me explain….

Since this whole Covid-19 started, I have been squeamish about a few things and those are:

What is my new norm?

How is the country supposed to work now that there is the new little bug that can wipe us out, especially in places like the city where I live and places that I love, like the Caribbean and Walt Disney World.

What is my new norm?

I have been a quiet person all my life.  I get it from my mom.  So, I do not mind being isolated during this time period.  My only problem at first was wearing the mask and gloves, and I get it.  I had no problem putting them on, the problem comes because my hands are the same size as a child. There are people who cannot be around others because of their immune system and they are the elderly and the young.  I have 6 people I have to respect that.  My parents and aunt all have pre-existing conditions and they are elderly.  I have a niece who will be 3 months old next week, I have a friend who also has a pre-existing condition and a pastor who has a pre-existing condition.  I also have to watch it because I have high blood pressure and I am pre-diabetic. Depending on the doctor, I either have diabetics, or it can come at any time.  Either way, I have to watch my diet and my weight.  Thank you, Corona for giving me the sense of ignoring those two things.  I am much better at doing that now.

Also my new norm:  My business.  I could tell you that I have the easiest job I could ever have, but like most businesses, there is the struggle of getting gigs.  There is a struggle of getting money for this business.  I also could say that I like the stimulus package for small or even home businesses.  I do not have a small business, I have a home business, and as a home business owner, we often get lumped in with small businesses.  What Is a home business?  It is a business that is operated out of the home and if you do have any employees, it is usually an assistant.  Your revenue is lower than a small business.  A good year is when a person is able to earn $1,000 plus per month. 

Why offer help to small businesses if big businesses get approved?

Well, to be honest, the EIDLE and the PPP portion of the first stimulus package has done nothing for me and my business because of companies like Potbelly and The Lakers basketball team, who should not have been allowed to apply in the first place, nor their applications should never been approved.  Potbelly has returned the money and I believe so has The Lakers.  That still does not help P. Lynne Designs. I applied twice.  The first application was on Go Alice, while the second application was on the SBA.gov site. I have not heard back, and I doubt I will at this point.  I do not have any employees.  This is just to maintain the business of one, and for growth.  The government did not handle this process very well.  I chucked as “I am getting no help as usual” and went about my day. Update:  Last night, I was able to file for unemployment, a right that was not given to people like freelance writers and freelance graphic designers, which I am.  I pray and hope they approve it.

So let us go back to what I was talking about

THE RETAIL STORES

I do not mind the retail stores being open.  Personally, I will not be going in the very beginning.  Actually, I am having fun online ordering.  I do not have to worry about donning on a mask, fighting crowds, not finding what I want. In fact, I ordered a mystery Die cut bag from Tonic Studios at 3 am this morning.  That is how much fun I am having to order online.  Yes, I can always order online, then pick up at the store like Walmart. 

Amazon has been my store of the hour, and ever since I was told by my governor that even pickup was impossible in the craft stores in my state, I said “okay”, and started ordering online.   Ordering online is natural for me anyway, so it did not bother me that I could not go to any of my stores, except Ikea.  That is another story for another day.

I have been to two grocery stores since lockdown.  One was for last-minute stuff as I found out just today that the second store only allows me to do pickup ordering if the order was over $30.  The reason:  Cat food.  Well my nephew came through with the cat food, so now I do not have to buy that.

It is best if all stores keep in mind a level of safety.   My feeling is this since I do have pre-existing conditions, as well as my parents, I do not want to spread the super germs.  I am calling Corona that until we find a vaccination for it

My hardest hit yet, Walt Disney World

I am having the hardest time with a Disney Vacation.  Last May, I booked a stay for 12 at The Bay Lake Towers at The Contemporary Resort (its official name) for the time of December 15-20, 2019, with all the bells and whistles as this might be the last vacation with my parents, who are in their 80s. 

This was a well-meaning trip as two things went wrong from the start:  how to pay for a $30,627.00 trip that included a 3-bedroom villa, tickets to the parks, and a deluxe dining plan, and how to tell a Disney-hating father that we were going to the “land of the mouse” times 4 (The Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and The Animal Kingdom theme parks).  It would not be a requirement for my parents to go into the parks unless they wanted to.  In years past (1998, 2004, and Disneyland in 2007 respectively), my father stayed at the resort or drove around the property, Orlando, and surrounding cities (Cape Canaveral, Kissimmee, and Tampa are close by).  This time, my mom, who loves the parks will join him if she wants to.  She is not too keen on using a riding scooter.

We were going to drive down instead of flying.  We were coming back home that Sunday so that my siblings and my nephew and niece can get back to work by that Monday before Christmas.  The kids (Nephews (age 12 and 9) and niece (11)) was being pulled out of school.  Ohio has a funny winter break schedule where they are out either the day before Christmas eve or a couple of days before Christmas.  Either way, it would have been fun.  I pulled the plug on that trip on October 15th, one month before our last cancelation date of November 15th.  I did not cry because I was going to call them the day after Christmas with a new date of December 12-19, 2020.

Well with Ms. ‘Rona on the prowl, and for the first time ever since Walt Disney opened Disneyland in 1955, all the parks were close, due her not wanting to play fair, I decided to see what Disney is going to do with the guidelines that they and the State of Florida government, as well as the federal government, was going to say about a reopening date.  For the moment, Disney reopened Shanghai Disneyland Monday, Disney Springs, Walt Disney World’s shopping area is reopening on May 20th, and Walt Disney World is excepting bookings starting July 1 (it has been delayed from June 1st). 

I do not want a vacation in 2020.  I feel like it is too soon to book a vacation and go in 2020.  So, I have decided to wait until December 15-19, 2021 to take the trip.  This all depends on two things:  the health of my parents and the health of our savings.  There is one more factor and I am not depending on whether I do or do not do for this vacation and that is to get another Disney Vacation Club membership.  This will affect how we pay for this trip.  Naturally, this membership is a timeshare, and I have spoken about timeshares before on this blog. That is a talk for my yet to be created a new blog, which will be Disney-related.  I took all the travel stuff off of my blog, Home Prep because it is not related.

Some good has come out of all this…

My stories are not all bad, in fact, some of them quite funny.

Last week, a friend had a birthday.  She announces it each year 6 days in advance.  This year was no different.  What I love about Facebook is the ability to have people donate to your favorite charity in loo of presents for your birthday.  I am going to do one, I am not sure where yet.  July 21 has not gotten here yet.

Anyway, her sister and mother thought that since Ms. ‘Rona decided to cancel my friend’s plans, a surprise drive-by birthday salute was in order.  Can I tell you that I do not know how to do one, LOL?

First, I told her mother that I was coming by via Facebook invite.  I have seen lineups, so I thought that I was going to meet at her mother’s house, and we would fall in line to go to my friend’s apartment.  After all, it was a surprise.  Since I am one of those people who would show up late to her own wedding if given a chance, I decided to arrive early so my friend’s mother cannot say that I was late.  So, I drove to the house at 4:46 and I did not see any cars.  “Good, I am the first one,” I thought, so I went the next street over to turn around.  Okay, next thing I knew, I saw my friend’s daughter, who is 3, then my friend.  I thought, “Oh, Crap”, and I drove off to my parent’s house who live around the corner.   This drive-by was at 5, so I killed some time at my parent’s house and went back over there.  It turned out to be an “individual” happy birthday, as my friend and her mother sat there while people drove by, wishing her a happy birthday.  It turned out great, and this goofy person now know the proper drive by, LOL.

Business Dealings….

I was able to get some things done for my business while on lockdown.  I was approved for an affiliate that I have been wanting since 2017.  You know how much I love Erin Condren products, so you will be seeing more affiliate links from that company.  As always, I only support companies that I love and believe in, and you are not obligated to make a purchase, but it would be nice for the support.  It is a way to put money back into my business.  Some of these companies with affiliates, like Erin Condren, Cricut, and Amazon may have links that will help you save money as well.  So in that case, if you need the product, it is good to help out a blog and save money at the same time. 

I am also working on some things that will help improve this blog, including the infamous blog move.

Even though I was down and out during this period of time, I am fine now and living a new norm.  For the moment, my state is wrapping being on lockdown.  This is the reason for this title.   Let the flood gates open!!! Well, I am over my limit.  Be well and safe.  Wear a mask, and I will talk to you later.

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