#but they live 1100 miles away

[marzipanandminutiae]

thinking about how much happier and less stressed I’d be going to visit my family for Christmas if I could take a train instead of flying

[pippenpaddlopsicopolisthethird]

tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow i get to learn which random location I'm getting shipped to for a year

I already didn't get a placement last time around and it's been a terrible month of waiting and I want to know already so I can start coming to terms with how far I'll have to move

[whatbigotspost]

Sometimes when the bullshit crushing weights of anti aging culture gets to me and I feel like my best years are behind me, I think about my life some arbitrary amount of time in the past and remember all the ways my life has changed since.

5 years ago? I hadn’t met one of my now best friends yet. “COVID” meant nothing to me 😂 I had never broken a bone or had surgery. I didn’t have my kittens.

15 years ago? I lived in a different city 1100 miles away and would have NEVER imagined where I moved. I’ve gotten degrees and married since.

20 years ago? I hadn’t discovered my life’s passion. I was so naive. Hell, I didn’t even have most of the basic life skills yet that I now survive on. My head was so noisy with unhelpful stuff.

If I’ve grown so much since…if those are the kind of things that HAVE happened, who knows what COULD happen?

If anyone else needs it, just think…

•you probably haven’t yet met all the people you will love in your life.

•you probably haven’t yet discovered all the hobbies and activities that will bring you immense joy.

•you probably haven’t yet felt all the feelings you’ll come to feel.

•you probably haven’t yet seen all the things that will bring tears of joy to your eyes.

I don’t know…seems like if we face life with some of these thoughts forefront of mind, we’ll be more likely to get the most of it anyway 💕

[theangelicimp]

Quiet As a Mouse, Loud As a Lion

❮ navigation | spiderverse masterlist | st masterlist | guidelines | drop a request ❯

Summary: (based on a request from @a-kind-pandemic-disaster) You’ve had a stutter for as long as you could talk, and unfortunately people aren’t always kind about it. Luckily there happens to be someone who’s an exception to that rule.

Word Count: about 1100

Pairings: Eddie Munson x Black!reader, Hobie Brown x Black!reader

Warnings: none, aside from people being rude about reader’s stutter, reader has spider-powers and a specific code name in Hobie’s section

Request: here

AO3: here

Hobie Brown

Joining the Spider Society was one of the biggest moments of your life, right after becoming the Phantom Spider

It changed your life in many ways, but there were some things that never left

Namely your stutter

At this point in your life you understood that it wasn’t your fault and it didn’t make you any less of a person, but still it left you shying away from interactions

And sometimes it only took one bad comment to ruin your day

Like the first time you went to the Spider Society’s headquarters

You were already overwhelmed at the sheer volume of all the people there, and the prospect of introducing yourself only made things worse

So when you opened your mouth to say, “Hi-hi, I-I’m Phantom Spi-Spider!”

And the response was, “What kind of Spider-Man has a stutter?”

It was just the last push needed to send you into a spiral of anxiety

But before you could be completely consumed in stress, someone stepped in to help

A hand slapped down on your shoulder and a raspy voice, said, “Oi, oi, what’s goin’ over here? She don’t believe in consistency and neither do I!”

It was so out of the blue, it snapped you completely out of your funk

You came to know him as Hobie Brown, and he would become another big change in your life

When people talked over you, he was the one to speak up for you: “Think Phantom had somethin’ to say. Maybe dial down the wanker act, yeah?”

When you stumbled on your words, he was always willing to wait: “Take your time love, I’ve got all day to listen.”

It seemed inevitable that you would fall head over heels with him

It was actually kind of embarrassing how fast it happened — which is why you decided to stay silent about it

That is until Miles Morales showed up

It was no secret that Hobie didn’t agree with how the Spider Society did things, and you were right along with him

Spider-Man was supposed to be kind above all else, and there was nothing kind about this group

When Gwen Stacy went about setting up her rebellion, you and Hobie were right beside her

As everyone geared up to find Miles, you pulled Hobie aside

“Hey-hey, I’ve go-got something import-portant to say.”

“You got a crush on me? Yea, I already know.”

You just gawked

Turns out you weren’t as subtle about your feelings as you thought you were

You wanted the ground to just swallow you up, but Hobie does he always does and snapped you out of it

“C’mon, we can have a date once we’re done punchin-up O’Hara.”

He kissed you on the cheek and walked over to the portal, with a look on his face that said “you coming with?”

You took his hand wordlessly, and you walked through as a couple

Eddie Munson

You were used to living your life as a wallflower, on account of your condition

Years of speech therapy had amounted to nothing and now you were coming up on your senior year, with a stutter just as strong as ever

You knew having a stutter meant nothing, that it was just the way you talked, but it still didn’t do wonders for your self esteem when people made fun of you for it

You had resigned yourself to being a social outcast for the remainder of high school, with only the hope that adult life would be somewhat kinder to you

Your first day at Hawkins High started out on a high note (at least by your standards)

You managed to get by without having to introduce yourself, and no one ever called you to answer questions

But once time came along you were left with a dilemma; where do you sit?

Even if no one was looking at you, you knew everyone was waiting to see what clique you would align yourself with

You decided to sit at an empty table but then your eyes were drawn towards a table just a few feet from yours

It was full of boys all wearing the same “Hellfire Club” T-shirt, but the one that caught your eye was the one boy with long hair and silver rings on his fingers

As you watched him jump animatedly around the table, he suddenly turned and looked at you

He winked, and your cheeks warmed

You learned his name was Eddie Munson after overhearing it from some classmates

You didn’t know it yet, but this would become the start of something special

For the next month things would continue like this, a series of flirty almost interactions and you being caught off guard every time

It was torture because it seemed to come to him so easily, and you could never work up the courage to say anything to him

But what was even more torture was when your English teacher decided to partner you up with Eddie

Some boy — one of the wannabe cool kids you think — piped up, “Looks like you’re stuck with the Freak, huh?”

“Um, I-I wouldn’t ca-call him that, e-exactly.” You mutter in response, not loud enough that anyone but you would hear

Then Eddie threw an arm around your shoulder (and made your face hotter than an August afternoon)

“What would you call me then?” He said with a sly smile. Turns out someone did hear you

You couldn’t even form words after that

Thankfully he finally had mercy on you when the bell went off, which you gratefully took to flee to your locker

It was the end of the day, so you might have been able to get home without losing your composure again

But you should have known it wouldn’t be that easy, because when everyone had left Eddie stopped by your locker

“So any particular reason you don’t wanna talk to me?”

You knew this conversation had to happen one day, but you had somehow managed to trick yourself into thinking you could get by with your head down

You could try to lie your way out of it, but you’re not stupid enough to try it and Eddie’s not stupid enough to believe it

“I-I do wan-want to-to talk, but peo-people aren’t al-always nice,” you said quietly.

“Oh.” Suddenly something about the way he carried himself changed

It wasn’t like he had grown overbearing, but more like he was more open now

“I do-don’t mind talking-king to-to you a-actually. Y-you ma-make things a-a lit-litle easier to-to deal wi-with.”

“Mind if make it even easier then? Friday at seven?”

“I’d lo-love to.” And the rest as they say is history

A/N: Finally got this done after it sat in my inbox for almost a year! I'm so proud of myself for finally pulling out of my writing slump🎉🎉🎉 Writing this out meant a lot to me, because I have a sister who stutters, and is struggling to be outgoing because of it, so it really means a lot to me.

[naerwenia]

Nemesis, The Ultimate Weapon - Nemesis x reader, part 3

I just wanted to write Nemesis smut, but man, here we are, crawling towards the day I understand that I have to start with the smut if I ever want to get there.

Resident Evil Nemesis x female reader

Wordcount ~1100 words

I've been overthinking this so much, so this chapter is more of a "let me write few nice scenes".

Part 1 & Part 2

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

Nemesis became more angry and erratic during the weeks after he was brought back after the first full mission, not only for the weird limbo he was put in, not quite stored away like a weapon, yet not a soldier living in a barrack with other soldiers. After healing from his wounds, Nemesis was intermittently kept between stasis and research, which included training. As a success, he was put under a microscope with a group of scientists trying to see if it was better to keep him in stasis between use, or was it better to try and keep him conscious, training and ready. 

Yet, while his biological functions and muscle mass were healthy and even improving, his behaviour was mercurial. There were times the tyrant behaved like a machine, perfectly executing every order given to it by marked superiors, only following the instructions given that day and stopping when ordered to, yet he was still flawed. The files kept piling on the rage the T-Type showed and how doctors failed to stop it or even temper the effects the rage inflicted on the tyrant. Every step out of line was followed by the facility putting Nemesis T-type in stasis for an analysis on the error, but there were no patterns to be found on the reports or biological graphs measuring vitals, muscle growth, the infection from the parasite, and brain activity. 

While in stasis, Nemesis’ mind wandered. It played over memories, heard roses’ smell, felt sounds of laughter, tasted the touch of another, and dreamed of something unexplainable. A sound that almost reached him, a warmth that was separated by a thin glass, but Nemesis felt like there were miles between him and the sound. The warmth was different from what he had felt before. Flames had seared him, burnt the restricting cloth to his skin. It didn’t hurt per se, but compared to the voice, flames felt like thousand spears impaling him, tasted like rubber and rotten onions. Still, he would step through those flames to feel the distant voice touch his face again. He tried reaching out, trying to lift his hand to reach out, tried moving to reach the voice, but could not. So he let the dream come to him, a warm voice sang to him, his skin heating up as a brush of soft touch caressed his scars, both old and new, and the song wrapped him, covering the hurt, healing him. For once, Nemesis felt he could relax his muscles, suddenly noticing how light his arms could be. A deep breath squeezed past his teeth, a flash of peace filled his mind, and as soon as the breath left his mouth, the crushing weight of reality pushed him back to his body and made him aware it was nothing but a hallucination, unreal, fabricated moment. It just got worse when his mind replayed the memory of the girl calling his name and how he immediately lost her. She was real, he knew it, and she was taken from him. The moment of respite and peace was taken away from them, replaced by constant pain and anger, feeding his wrath.

A brain scan revealed the dreams to a lab assistant, first fascinated by the intensity of the brain activity, rushing to write down what he saw, only to stop soon, as his mind found a troubling thought in the fact he tried to write about the dreams of a weapon. A dreaming weapon, B.O.W with vivid dreams no one knew of, and no one could ask as Nemesis’ facial structure prevented complex speech. The experiment had higher thought, he was able to solve problems and adapt to situations when on a mission, but Nemesis was still just an experiment, subject of the nemesis alpha parasite and intricate gene manipulation, yet the scene in front of him reminded him more of a cuttlefish dreaming. The fMRI changed colours and Nemesis’ skin seemed to slightly pulse, like the tyrant was trying to move in its sleep. The assistant had to remind himself the BOW was self-aware, that was part of the design, but having it clearly dreaming made it difficult for him to write a report as clinically as was expected, stopping every few sentences to choose his words deliberately. There was a part of him wondering if the tyrant was dreaming of the girl, you. 

Your presence at the facility was a sort of open secret and while no one admitted to spreading rumours, your every step was followed by a question and every breath with a wild assumption. Not a test subject, not at least yet, not a prisoner (this was not a jail but you could not leave), and not an employee. You were cared for, all your needs met both physically and mentally; food, warmth, showers and clean clothes, even people to talk to and a television to spend time with, but it was clear you were just a valuable nuisance. There was no way you could ever leave as you had seen too much, and even if you agreed to keep your mouth shut under the threat of immediate disposal if you ever uttered a word, your capability of speaking to Nemmy was valuable enough to keep you locked in your box for safekeeping and potential study when they had enough data to formulate a method for the study, when they could decide what it was that interested the men in suits.

Restless in your bed, you turned over to your other side, trying to sleep, but the fluorescent lights outside your door kept flickering, interrupting the constant hum they emitted. For no particular reason, you decided to hum to yourself, finding a tune from your youth you had almost forgotten. The tune comforted you, wrapped you in a warm embrace while hoping Nemmie would hear the song too, feel the song like you felt.

There was a certain charm to being the princess locked away in a tower, but there was no way you would stay here any longer than the day your voice could reach your prince. Your submission was to be earned, and you had played your part long enough to know agreeing to everything was not going to earn you an escape or even a life inside that was good enough to find interesting or fulfilling in any way. The thought of death from a gunshot was always on your mind, every corner here was guarded by trained military, but it would be preferable to existing as a decorative sword stored away in a locker. There was a way out, and you could see it; it just needed a call.

And as you closed your eyes, Nemesis opened his.

[lestcat-de-lioncourt]

Hello, I’m Shadi, a father of three from Gaza. During this war, I lost several family members, My wife and children are now my only priority

I humbly ask for your help to provide food, water, clothing, and medical care for my family during these incredibly difficult times.

Every donation, no matter how small, can make a real difference and give us hope until this war ends.

🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉

Each (55 SEK = 5$)

100$ = 1100 kroner

Your generosity can save us

https://gofund.me/9aa3797a

Whilst I'm empathetic and do participate in aiding with fundraising for places such as Gaza and predominantly support charities to source things I own, GoFundMe doesn't operate in Gaza or Egypt or any of the surrounding countries, and Kroner is the currency used in Norway (NOK) and Sweden (Swedish Krona, not kroner, it's spelt, and yes, SEK). Now, I'd find it hard to believe you wouldn't know the accurate name of your own currency.

I'm confused about needing money, only money, but asking for other items, when you can't send the other necessities via GoFundMe, so you aren't asking for those things as there is no way provided to send genuine items for help and there is just money requests.

Overall, this is looking like a scam, and I'm just posting this to make sure others are more aware of these likely scams. Please don't see me as uncaring. This statement has a lot of information that doesn't add up, and there's only like 2 pics that are the same on the profile, looking more like a burner account rather than an active user established already, once again, scam vibes.

I know some people say "send anyway" just in case it isn't a scam, but they are not providing a route to send clothing and food, nor medical items, and only want money transferred and don't appear to be anywhere near gaza.

There's a lot of scams trying to profit off of this awful situation. It's not okay.

Either way, whatever reason you want money, I hope life improves, living over 1000 miles away from gaza, since you apparently are in Sweden or something, but you're essentially as far away from gaza as I live which is over an ocean away.

Honestly, people wouldn't reach out in this particular way, anyway.

[thepastisalreadywritten]

9 things you didn't know about Saint George

Think of St. George and you're probably picturing a heroic knight slaying a ferocious, fire-breathing dragon.

As the country's patron saint, St. George's story is as iconic as his white and red flag.

But like many early saints, the exact details of his life remain a mystery.

Here, we separate fact from fiction to try to get closer to the truth behind the legend of St. George.

1. St. George wasn't English ...

St. George might be hailed as a national hero, but he was actually born – in the 3rd century AD – more than 2,000 miles away in Cappadocia (modern day Turkey).

He is thought to have died in Lydda (modern day Israel), in the Roman province of Palestine in AD 303.

It is believed that his tomb was in Lod and was a centre of Christian pilgrimage.

2. ... and he wasn't a knight either.

Although St. George is often depicted in popular culture as a knight in shining armour, the truth is less fanciful.

Whilst St. George was depicted from the 11th century as a chilvaric knight or a warrior on horseback, it is more likely that he was an officer in the Roman army.

3. St. George was a martyr ...

Like many saints, St. George was described as a martyr after he died for his Christian faith.

It is believed that, during the persecutions of the Emperor Diocletian in the early 4th century, St. George was executed for refusing to make a sacrifice in honour of the pagan gods.

4. ... but he never visited England

Although St. George never visited England, his reputation for virtue and holiness spread across Europe and his feast day – the 23rd April – was celebrated in England from the 9th century onwards.

He became popular with English kings.

Edward I (1272-1307) had banners bearing the emblem of St. George (a red cross on a white background) and Edward III (1327-77) had a strong interest in the saint and owned a relic of his blood.

The St. George cross was not used to represent England until the reign of Henry VIII.

5. The dragon was added later.

The story goes that St. George rode into Silene (modern day Libya) to free the city from a dragon who had a taste for humans, but it’s a story that post-dates the real George by several centuries.

Images of George and the dragon survive from the 9th century – 500 years after his death.

Originally, these may simply have been representations of the battle between Good and Evil.

However, the story was developed and popularised in the Middle Ages in a compendium of stories about saints’ lives, The Golden Legend.

6. St. George was a saint for 1,000 years before the 'holiday'

St. George was canonised in AD 494 by Pope Gelasius, who claimed he was one of those 'whose names are justly revered among men but whose acts are known only to God.'

A feast day of St. George has been celebrated in England for hundreds of years on April 23, which was possibly the date of his martyrdom.

Following the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, St. George's Day became one of the most important feast days in the English calendar.

7. England isn't the only country to celebrate St. George

St. George is truly an international saint and England is not the only country or region to claim him as its patron.

England shares St. George with Venice, Genoa, Portugal, Ethiopia, and Catalonia among others as their patron saint.

Many of these places have their own celebrations and ceremonies in his honour.

8. People turned to St. George for protection

During the Middle Ages, people believed that St.George was one of the 'Fourteen Holy Helpers' – a group of saints who could help during epidemic diseases.

St. George's protection was invoked against several nasty diseases, many fatal and with infectious causes, including the plague and leprosy.

From around 1100, St. George’s help was also sought to protect the English army.

In William Shakespeare’s Henry V, the monarch calls on the saint during his battle cry at the Battle of Harfleur in the famous “Once more unto the breach, dear friends” speech, crying “God for Harry! England, and St. George!”

Five hundred years later – during the First World War – a ghostly apparition of St. George was said to have aided British troops during their retreat from Mons, and the naval commander of the Zeebrugge Raid cited the saint as inspiration.

9. St. George represents those we honour

The Order of the Garter, founded by Edward III in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry in the country and Queen Elizabeth II is at the helm as Sovereign of the Garter.

To this day, St. George’s cross still appears on the Garter badge and his image is the pendant of the Garter chain.

In 1940, King George VI created a new award for acts of the greatest heroism or courage in circumstances of extreme danger.

The George Cross, named after the king, bears the image of St. George vanquishing the dragon.

The image of St. George also adorns many of the memorials built to honour those killed during World War One.

[wendelalice]

Balranald night 2. Population approx. 1100.

Of course! Not only is “Hairy Man” really named Herman, he is from Chile, not Austria! We had Herman to ourselves all day, as we were the only people who had booked a tour to Mungo National Park/ Lake Mungo. He was a fantastic guide and it is hard for me to describe this vast, empty, flat plain (200 sq km) that hasn’t seen water for more than 10,000 years. It is vast, and pretty much treeless. It used to be inhabited by Aboriginal people for 50,000 years and was a paradise, that started to dry up - nobody is really sure why - during the past 16,000 years. This was exacerbated in the 1800’s with sheep grazing, tree felling and rabbit plagues. Around the perimeter is a “wall” of what I can only describe as sand dunes that look like a moonscape, created by thousands of years of erosion and wind. “Somewhere” here, in the 1960’s the skeletal remains of an Aboriginal woman (Mungo Woman) who had been cremated, was discovered and in 1978 (?) the skeletal remains of a cremated man (Mungo Man) was also discovered, both appearing as the sand blew away from their bodies. Where they were found and where they have been re-buried is a secret apparently. I can’t do it justice in my description, so if you are interested, there is a lot of information on the Net - or visit it….. Herman would love to see you! We had quite a long walk over the sand but I might have to wait until tomorrow to send a couple of photos as they haven’t transferred to my iPad. In the 1880’s, the Barnes family who owned what was then Mungo Station, built a BEAUTIFUL shearing shed which we couldn’t go in to as they are repairing it. Also hope to send you that photo too. It is a beautiful building. In 1978 the NSW Parkes and Wildlife Service acquired Mungo Station and it was listed as a National Park in 1979. The discoveries of the skeletons and hundreds of artifacts, gave people chance to understand that Aboriginal people made up a human society that possessed many things familiar to modern culture - religion, trade, assets and social structure. I have often said I WISH white Australians could learn about real Aboriginal culture - not just kids learning a few words - to see that, as ancient as their civilisation was, it was a civilisation, with ceremony and structure.

That’s enough if THAT'! The other thing about Herman is he LOVES birds and plants and he and Wendy (Horticulturist) were often heads down/bums up, identifying and discovering plants and trees. It was truly interesting to hear them comparing notes. In both directions, he would suddenly stop, didn’t matter which side or middle of the road (not many cars as you can imagine!) and we’d all leap out and run (?!) to a plant or tree. On our way back to town, we called in at the Homebush Hotel, the only one left of the many hotels that used to be spread about 10 miles apart to service the various trappers, mailmen, teamsters, drovers, travelers and station families etc, who travelled, worked or lived in the area. We had a G and T there - shouted Herman a beer - and toasted ourselves in front of the BEST open fire (which happily lasts all night). They don’t make them like that any more!! Or pubs, for that matter!!

Back to town and another Chinese meal (we share one dish) at the RSL and now I’m ready to keep reading my book for a while.

Tomorrow we visit a famous homestead and wool shed (?) just out of town and then drive to Wentworth via Mildura, where we’ll stay the night and have a look at the confluence of the Darling and Murray Rivers. Apparently it is a site to remember.

Sorry if this is a bit long. It was an amazing and quite spiritual place to spend a day.

[scotianostra]

On January 15th 1968 a Hurricane devastates Scotland. 

The 1968 Hurricane Low Q was a deadly storm that moved through the Central Belt of Scotland during mid January 1968. It was described as Central Scotland's worst natural disaster since records began and the worst gale in the British Isles.

Around 250,000 homes were damaged across Scotland, resulting in almost 2,000 people becoming temporarily homeless. The storm, , arrived during the night, when most people were at home in bed, blowing in house and shop windows, tearing roofs off buildings and trees from the ground.

Our nation is no stranger to howling winds and dangerous weather, but this hurricane took twenty lives, nine in Glasgow alone.

Homes, shops, cars and churches were all desolated by the strong gusts brought on by Hurricane Low Q, they might have had crap names back then but it didn’t make them less dangerous, which first hit land through the night of 14 January 1968.

The Daily Record reported at the time that two mothers and their daughters died when a chimney head fell through a tenement on Dumbarton Road in the city. A mother and her three-year-old daughter from Swindon, Wiltshire, lost their lives, they had come to Glasgow for the  funeral of her mother, who died in a fire in Govan the previous Saturday. 

Also killed were Mrs Janet Gowran, 40, and her youngest daughter Nancy, 10.  A 5 year-old-girl was killed at her home in Port Street, Anderston and a 25-year-old pregnant nurse was lost her life when a chimney head crashed through her ground floor flat in North Kelvinside.

The freak hurricane also claimed the life of a 38-year-old woman   at Willowbank Street in Woodside, a 60-year-old woman at Niddrie Road, Crosshill and a man who lost his life at his home in Arlington Street, Charing Cross.

The chaos was referred to by police as worse than the Clydebank Blitz. The hurricane was the worst storm to hit the Scotland for 30 years, with winds of over 100 miles an hour.

In Glasgow 70,000 corporation houses were damaged, 1100 chimney heads collapsed and 69 tenement buildings eventually had to be demolished. I was not just the day after the storm that emergency services were busy. The clean-up lasted for days and weeks after and the Daily Record reported at the time that it would be nine months before telephone lines were restored! 

The damage cost the city millions of pounds.

The dates are all over the place with this one, you would think that it being so recent the event would have been well documented and dated, I could have posted this on any one of 6 days as that is how long the storm lasted in full.   Sources vary for the wind speeds as well but different areas were obviously more exposed, Glasgow seen highs of 103 mph while the Cairngorms got battered with an incredible 173 mph.

After the storm moved away, the death toll continued to rise. 30 people died from repairing houses so in total it caused 50 deaths. 

On 16th January 1968, about 150 troops from Edinburgh came to Glasgow to help with the clean-up operation. There was little national press coverage of the storm, despite it affecting most of northern England, Northern Ireland and Scotland. An interest-free loan of £500,000 was given by the Government to the affected areas. Singer Frankie Vaughan began to raise funds for the victims of the storm by holding a special concert at Alhambra Theatre in Glasgow.

The damage wasn’t contained to Glasgow in Edinburgh windows were blown in, roofs and trees were ripped up, cars were crushed and chimney stacks collapsed. Hundreds of people were left destitute and thousands more were left without power in the aftermath. A couple  were crushed to death by falling masonry when their chimney crashed through the roof of their home in Dalry.  The city’s Scott Monument lost one of the 80ft-high pinnacles from its first tier. It smashed a floodlight on its way down, embedding itself a foot into the ground, as seen in the last pic.

[anerdyfeminist]

Ronald’s family is coming to visit for a week starting tomorrow. It’s the best kind of visit imo…they have their own accommodations very very close to our tiny townhouse but our 2 nephews on his side (ages 3 & 7) are gonna stay in our guest room for part of the trip! We’ve been aunt/uncle for ELEVEN years now and haven’t hosted any nibling slumber parties on account of living 1100 miles away and my brother’s general disdain for travel 🥲 (Him, our oldest niece and his wife came 9 years ago but they all stayed at our place together.) 99% of our time w/ our beloved nibs is bc we make sure we are in Indy a lot.

Anyway, we’re all very excited! Our youngest nephew has never been to Texas and his older brother hasn’t been here in 4 years so he doesn’t really remember it, but this will be his 4th Texas trip ❤️ Any time the oldest on each side visited before, they were too little to be left with us for a night but now they’re not and this will be so fun! When we’re in Indy, they all constantly ask why they can’t see our house and I’m like “you can any time as far as I’m concerned 😭 it’s just too far away.”

Fuck July 4th, it’s a “kittens meet their human cousins” celebration! The BBQ crew is SO sweet and playful and they do great with our friends’ kids of similar ages. Sienna and Zora were too old and sick (Sienna) or traumatized and not to be trusted with kids (Zora) when the other visits happened years ago. But now my pets are as kid friendly and cute playful as can be 🥰

I can’t wait for them to arrive tomorrow…now back to deep cleaning!

[stillmind2]

The Mystery of The Coral Castle

Lately, I've been fascinated with Telekinesis. The ability to move far away objects, regardless of the size or weight 

If I could travel to the past once, I'd have trouble making a choice, but sticking to this subject, it'd have to be Edgar Cayce. 

Or Edward Leedskalnin…

Let me go with the latter first. Cayce would take me days to write about.

What this guy accomplished should blow your mind. Let me explain.

Being in love could inspire a corpse. Most people who have had that magical experience could confirm it.

But when I was in love (or was it lust?) I had an average experience. Nothing extraordinary happened besides the spectacular heart-brain-hormones connection. 

But I couldn't lift 10-pound stones even if I had two nuclear-powered cranes at my disposal. Well, maybe with those I could. 

Ed Leedskalnin was onto something in 1923 when he managed to achieve such a feat. Without any cranes. And devastated by a love gone wrong.

I don't know, but when I'm out of love for whatever reason, my mood is so dark, the last thing I want to do is move stones or do construction.

This beautiful young lady he was to marry, named Agnes Skuvst just told him off, presumably because she changed her mind. 

Not only was this man horribly dumped, he was supposed to get married in just one more day. 

Someone once said, if you want to understand women, you better read the Encyclopedia (several volumes).

Instead of trying to figure out why his beloved bride changed her mind at the last minute, this man rolled his sleeves and built her a castle. 

At 5 feet tall, 26 y/old, and weighing just 100 pounds, we are supposed to believe (like the pyramids) that the deed was of human-construct. 

That this man, working alone, only at night and in complete secrecy (hence the night labor), managed to produce a castle of such magnitude that today, no one has figured out how he could have possibly managed.

The numbers are insane. 1100 tons of oolite limestone rock moved through the air like helium balloons and placed perfectly in place without even a mark from the pulleys or chains. Not once, but twice. The largest stone weighed 27 tons.

But the man couldn't catch a break. Right after he was near completion of the toughest part of the job, moving the heavier stones, he got terrible news.

Next to it, in Florida City, the town council decided to build a community center. Which meant he no longer could maintain the solitude he needed to accomplish his task. 

Yes, he was a 'slightly' complicated person, but aren't most geniuses? If you are a genius, I'm sure you'll agree.

What to do, what to do? 

Well, put everything on a truck, of course, and get out of Dodge.

And that's exactly what he did.

Incredibly, he moved it all on that truck with the help of one person. One. A living witness of the action. We got the receipts.

Ten miles up the road, he made sure this time nobody was going to interfere with his project. Obviously, he wanted it to be done before his bride turned 90, so I can't say I blame him for the effort and the urgency.

He bought 20 acres in Homestead, just in case he needed more than 2 for extra space, and restarted his operation.

An operation which he had to begin from scratch, without having put on any weight or built any kind of muscle. 

The same frail frame, doing it all over again, for a woman thousands of miles away who probably couldn't drink enough vodka to try to erase him from her mind. And from the guilt.

"Now we're talking," he probably thought to himself. "Now catch me if you can."

One thing that was highly peculiar was a small box that he named "Perpetual Motion Holder", for which he was trying to obtain a patent, but was ultimately denied.

Another little setback, nothing to write home about. He must have figured if it happened to Tesla, why wouldn't it happen to me? He was more right than he would ever know. 

At least, they didn't confiscate the thing. Even better, they didn't burn him at the stake for heresy. It's kind of hard to build a castle when you're smoldering from a burn.

"All hands on deck," He must have said. "I got my life, I got my limestone, and I got my box." 

It took him some time to finish his coral castle, which still stands today, drawing tourists from all over. 

This super impressive structure might have been a sight to see when it was done. My premise for dreaming of going back to visit it, and to meet him, if Quantum physics would hurry up and make it possible.

It was documented that a child could push an 8ft tall, 8.2-ton gate so perfectly centered on its axes with a single push of a finger and it would swing in the intended direction. 

There's something very strange going on here, that unfortunately, we, of this generation will never know. Who knows when, if ever, the technique (or the Juju inside that box) would be revealed. But I have a feeling this man's knowledge was not to be told casually to anyone, much less the public, for reasons that don't take a brain surgeon to guess.

Something so fascinating and advanced that who knows, (not me, said the little red hen) where it could lead the human race. 

Hello! Did I mention Tesla already? Ring any bells? 

This is a perfect example of Life imitating art. It could easily be an episode of The Outer Limits or such fictional show, and yet, here it is, this happened. 

He wasn't a greedy man. Like most geniuses, he didn't think much about money. As a matter of fact, he only charged an unbelievable ¢10 per person to enter that atrium made out of love. And for his love. 

He could have used an agent. 

One sunny day just like any other in Leisure City, FL, he didn't feel right. A practical man, he closed the shop for the day leaving a simple note on the front gate with the words "Gone to the hospital". 

His work done on this Earth, this magnificently brilliant man died three days later on Dec, 7th, 1951. He was 64 years old.

To this day, his secrets remain one of the biggest puzzles in the world of science. 

[realestate1223]

Rustomjee Stella Bandra East | Best 2/3 BHK Flats In Mumbai

Introduction:

Rustomjee Stella Bandra East is an excellent residential project that gives high-priced 2 and 3 BHK residences, supplying a harmonious mixture of comfort and style in one of Mumbai most desirable locales. Designed to meet trendy urban living, it stands as an example of elegance and comfort, making it a perfect desire for selecting homeowners.

Project Highlights

This project is renowned for its careful interest in elements and top-notch creation. It offers spacious 2 and 3 BHK flats, every designed to maximize natural light and airflow. The interiors are fitted with top-rate finishes and fixtures, ensuring an advanced living experience. The project features various services consisting of a modern gym, a swimming pool, a kid's play area, landscaped gardens and a multipurpose hall. 

Connectivity

One of the foremost benefits of Rustomjee Stella Bandra East Mumbai is its strategic place at 3R6X+4H6, Kalamandir Chowk, Siddharth Nagar, Bandra East, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400051. The project enjoys super connectivity to key regions of Mumbai. It is situated just 4 kilometers from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, making it especially handy for frequent tourists. Additionally, it's miles 2 kilometers from Link Square Mall. Proximity to Shivaji Nagar Mahanagar Palika School and Municipal Hospital, located simply 550 meters away, in addition, provides to the benefit for households with kids and those in need of medical facilities.

Floor Plan

The floor plans of this project are thoughtfully designed to provide maximum area usage and luxury. The 2 BHK flats range from 700 to 900 rectangular feet, at the same time as the 3 BHK units variety from 1100 to 1400 rectangular toes. Each property boasts a well-planned format with spacious living rooms, cutting-edge kitchens, and stylish bedrooms. 

Architecture

The Rustomjee Stella Mumbai functions present-day structure that seamlessly blends design with functionality. The homes are designed with a focal point on sustainability, incorporating power-green structures and eco-friendly substances. It displays cutting-edge layout concepts, growing a placing visual enchantment whilst ensuring durability and strength.

24/7 Security 

Security is a top precedence at this property. The project is prepared with advanced protection systems, which include 24/7 CCTV surveillance, manned protection employees, and stable access control structures. These measures ensure the safety and peace of thoughts of all residents, allowing them to experience their high-priced lifestyle with no difficulties.

Conclusion

The Rustomjee Stella Bandra East is a great example of luxury, comfort and safety. Its great location, well-designed homes and full range of services make it a great choice for people looking for a high-class living experience in Mumbai. As an owner looking for a good deal on a house, it is a great choice. It has all the things a family could want in a house.

[babylizzz]

Another personal blog post

I think what I regret most about this entire separation/divorce process is not confiding in my friends and family when it first happened. I wasn't ready to talk about it because I was afraid they wouldn't believe me or take me seriously, and I couldn't handle that. So I kept to myself and let Adam control the narrative and let everyone else make their own assumptions. Then when I was perhaps ready to talk about it, I didn't know how to reach out because everyone had already formed their opinions and made their judgements. I could see that Adam was winning the sympathy and companionship of my loved ones. I had alienated them all and isolated myself. Now that I really need my support system, I don't know how to begin to talk to them. And my two best friends live in different states. I love them and so appreciate their constant support, but I just wish someone would hug me while I cry into their shoulder, ya know?

Maybe I should provide some back story. Very quickly after my separation, I talked to a few different guys. First was a guy from out-of-state that I met online. He was really good at meeting my emotional needs. I just needed someone to talk to regularly and who would send me good morning and goodnight texts. But it was never intended to be real. He lived 1100 miles away!

Next was an old flame from my early teen years. He was my first kiss and my first young love. I reached out for friendship and was honestly so surprised he was single. Jumping right into conversation as if 13 years hadn't passed gave me all the true-love-rekindled vibes. But despite trying his best, past experiences made him so emotionally unavailable, and that made me form a really insecure attachment. I was so desperate to love him and be loved by him. I'm a wife, after all! I don't know how to do slow and casual. I want to be someone's everything and take care of each other. But I couldn't heal him, and it was really hurting my mental health. I stopped initiating, and things just tapered off naturally.

Then came an older man who was a walking adventure. He was new to town, well-traveled, knowledgeable, and more interesting than anyone I'd ever met. I went into it only wanting something casual and fun, and that's what I got. We spent two hot nights together and a couple weeks texting, and then he moved across the country for a job offer.

Next came who I believe is the love of my life, and it was over too soon.

[patcegan]

Living in the Amazon

In 2022, after spending six years in the United States, I returned to Brazil. These stories are about my activities and adventures of living in the Amazon, about 1100 miles away from the state of Goias where I lived before. My life is totally different here. The town, Porto Velho, Rondônia sits on the beautiful Madeira River, one of the many tributaries of the Amazon River. The town is…

[missvedra]

I live in this nice little neighborhood of a perfect mix of families and older folks who’ve Lived Here forever and would you believe I lost my virginity a street over from where I kiss my sons and daughter goodbye on their way to school.

I don’t own this house but I left here to move 1100 miles from my family to find a man and

Would you believe that a decade later my sister left home for California searching for her purpose and she wanted love and was brave and went online and paid an app to find a man for her and he grew up 1300 miles away from her, at home, or at home in California.

30 minutes drive south to a smaller town where

My husband was born. Is where my sister’s husband was born.

Decades and miles apart on different tracks

If you care you can stay together. Your people aren’t far. Have faith in your own hope. You’re the magic.

[thedaveandkimmershow]

If there's a photograph that captures this year... you're looking at it.

2023 began with the both of us on a flight down to southern California where her uncle died less that very morning, early early morning. We were on the ground maybe twelve hours after Kimmer got that early morning phone call.

The flights continued through every month of the year. Not for that reason. Not only for emergencies. There were also some epic vacations in there. It also wasn't the both of us.

Me, yes. I traveled more this year than others in recent memory. Kimmer was on a plane every month. For emergencies. For vacations. For family care. For a lot of reasons.

I should also mention that any time Kimmer was on the road, she took her work with her. She saw clients from the road. She attended doctoral classes, did all that work... from the road.

Anyway. Every month.

Most of that was tied up in her aunt. Making sure of her care because she was on her own after the death of her husband. Coordinating with, well, seemingly every admin in the area.

Every month.

We also celebrated our wedding anniversary at Universal Studios, Florida. We also joined her southern California family and friends for camping by a lake... and then by the Pacific Ocean.

And yeah. Sometimes I joined her when she flew down to visit family and take care of her aunt.

So that photo of us above?

We did that move a bunch in 2023.

None of this, however, is my point, believe it or not.

My point is that Kimmer's aunt injured herself, broke her hip, and Kimmer was on a flight down nearly the next day. What sets this trip apart from every other... is that we bought a one-way ticket for her.

A one-way ticket.

Why?

Because we didn't know.

We didn't.

Know.

Because of that, we couldn't make a plan. We couldn't even make our best guess. What we could do, however, was make a start.

So we sent Kimmer away with a one-way ticket and a commitment to figuring it all out on the fly.

On the fly?

Yeah. She would, we would, figure it out in real-time. We would improvise when necessary and, as events and decisions played out, we would strategize and re-strategize. We would trouble shoot. We would course correct.

On the fly.

In real-time.

Its what you do, it's what you can do, when you have very little by way of answers.

So that's how we rolled.

Five weeks, by the way.

The answer is five weeks.

We made the choice to coordinate our lives from different states for an unknown amount of time. We were on the phone every day. We talked about her aunt's circumstance every day. Getting better? Getting worse? Any idea how much time left?

Because yeah. Her aunt was dying. She was going to die.

We just didn't know when.

When, by the way, turned out to be a handful of days after Kimmer returned home.

Five weeks later.

Helluva thing, I've gotta tell you. We lived our lives in tandem, in different states. Coordinating our efforts across 1100 miles.

When you get married, they say things like "better or worse, richer or poorer, 'till death do you part".

What they don't tell you is that sometimes you won't have the answers. A lot of times you won't have the answers. So you'll have to sort of make life up as you go. You'll have to wing it. Testing your circumstance every day and making decisions according to what you find.

It all worked out, by the way. We did it. What strikes me, though, is the ease with which we did it. The ease with which we managed the circumstance in which we found ourselves with 1100 miles between us.

It's probably for the best they don't tell you the kind of things that could happen when you're standing at the altar in front of everyone.

The kinds of things that come up during the course of a marriage will blow your mind. As will the kinds of things you're tasked with handling.

We're aided and abetted by a lot of tech. I won't lie. That totally helps. But I guess mostly I'm proud of what we handled and how we handled it.

I didn't know we could successfully do that kind of thing.

😁😁😁