#e.c. words

[solittles]

who wants to see my victory point note ankle tattoo that is also performance art. to me

[litandlifequotes]

We were going through hell and we, like it or not, had to keep going.

Wicked Blood by E.C. Hanson

[noirflms]

୧ ˚₊ EVERYBODY’S FALLING IN LOVE ( AND I’M FALLING BEHIND ) — itoshi sae

he has never been a lover, but the day he met you, he finally found what love felt like.

itoshi sae has never been a lover, because love has never been his cup of tea. it certainly not his thing to love, or do anything related to this word; he just dislikes it, for it leaves a sour taste in his mind. he has seen people around him fall in love, be so infatuated with the very thought of it, while dopey and lovesick grins stay on their faces.

and in that sense, itoshi sae is not a lover.

love to him is like a sour candy, too sour to contemplate that it might leave your taste buds numb for a while. love to him is fragile, and it is not in him to take care of delicate things, and a thing like that, he might just back out as is. he doesn’t like the way makes you weak, he’d rather be brave and have a harsh front rather than a soft and gentle one.

love is for the weak in his dictionary, it is for people who don’t have any strengths, to him love is just a mere words, a meaningless and a waste of time, to itoshi sae love is just a hindrance, nothing more or nothing less.

but sometimes a change of perspective could bring one to have a different view, and that was what brought itoshi sae to think about the world love again, a new point of view he gathered through a dreamy lens, one that was conjured up by the likes of you, a certain someone that brought him to like the way love felt.

a lot changed the day he met you, quite like a slap to his face ( literally ).

flashing cameras and crowding paparazzis are all he sees, they are quite blinding for sae, but he is used to bright lights and this lifestyle, having been a self made prodigy, he was surrounded by cameras and paparazzis. but he hated having eyes on him, for then he couldn’t have a life out of this captured world.

it’s always an article where he has been shammed or either an article which quite literally ensues rumours of him being a womaniser — having a new girl at his arm every week. it leaves a bitter taste in his mind to even think about such absurdities, so this time he was by himself at the latest football gala, a party for all the new club members to be exact.

sae finds it hard to be in the focus of everyone, men and women alike all like to be around him, but women are more to throw themselves at him, he despises the very fact such women exist. strained and fake smiles are all he shows, jaw clenched as he talks with men with mindset’s so different, five glasses of wine have been emptied by him since the time of arrival.

so soon he finds himself wanting fresh air, a breather from all this chaos, he finds a way out as soon as the lights dim and all focus on the stage in the room. he is silent as a predator is, and as good as an escape artist to make such an escapade but seems like the gods were not in his right, for as soon as he turns the corner, his cheek meets with a hand and it begins to sting.

never in a million years had itoshi sae thought of getting smacked in the entirety of the premiere.

“oh my gosh! i’m so sorry! i thought you were a stalker or something!” it’s a heavy accent he realises but the stinging on his cheek overlooks anything that happens around him. he shakes his head focusing at the voice at hand, but his heart almost leaps out of his chest at the sight before him.

( e.c ) eyes that gleam with worry as it seems to etch itself upon your features, you bite your lip in distress as you take notice of the red mark on his cheek, but his eyes are set on the way you bite your lip and he gulps, heart thumping in his chest. you observe his face that is just looking at you in awe, and as he looks into your eyes he realises you have no clue of who he was.

“i’m so so sorry!” the voice of yours breaks his stupor and the ache upon his cheek returns — it sure was a hard slap. you gulp as you see him fix his jaw, you swallow hard, the way he was suited up to the nines made you figure out that he was much more than just a creep; he looked famous.

your blood runs cold at the thought. your heart racing in your chest, as you await any loud gesture or shout for guards, or anything related to you being thrown out made your head spin.

“it’s alright, i was the one that turned the corner unannounced.” and sae is bamboozled at the words that slip past him, he looks at you, his eyes wide, and he notices your tense demeanour relax. a heavy sigh escaping briefly past your lips as you look up at him with a smile.

“but i-, um, i still apologise for the inconvenience.” you awkwardly chuckle, not cool [name], not cool, a voice rings in your head as you bite your tongue. it is then you make eye contact with him, his eyes are quite unlike any, and to him, yours were better than any. sae likes the way your eyes look like a hazy dream, he likes the way his reflection looks back at him through your eyes.

and in the moment he realised that he liked the way you looked at him, for you saw him for him, and not for the famous persona of his.

and since then, it’s been encounters here and there, finding each other at places you thought you’d never, bumping shoulder in areas one could have never fathomed. it turns from light glances to lingering ones, timid laughter turns into ones filled with nothing but genuine joy, small talks turn into conversation that ring through coffee shops.

then one hangout at his place, turns into a date at a place you like. then one date turns into two, then three, then four and soon they turn into long nights spend at your cost apartment, to ranging from movie nights at his. longing touches turn into never letting go of you, kisses that were once pressed onto his cheeks begin to linger upon his lips.

but itoshi sae was not a lover, so he never named the thing you had with him, but he liked that way you felt in his arms, he liked the way you fit right with him, he liked the taste of your lips on his, he liked the way you were his, yet not for him to keep.

for love was not meant for him, so then why did his heart ache at the thought of seeing you go. the mere thought of you being with another was like a nightmare to him, the very thought of you not being his, was utter torture for the said male.

yet here he was, a coward, he once again was a little boy who was scared to face the world to early, and love was once again becoming the victor and he could not accept defeat. he has watched many flourish within love, yet it wasn’t in him to be able to bear this sweet fruit of entanglement.

“you’re kind of stupid, you know that sae.” and for a moment, oliver aiku sounded right, he sounded to be much more truthful in the heat of the moment than he ever could be, much more better than itoshi sae was what oliver aiku had become in that instance. “certainly you look like a coward to me right now.”

and those were the last words, sae had heard from oliver before he was up on his feet, they ached as he rushed to your house, panting and huffing as he finds the door to your house to be right before him, shaky hands tremble in fear to press the doorbell, heart racing, he liked you, so what was there to fear in that.

as soon as his trembling hands press the bell and the door to your house opens, it takes everything in him to stop him from pressing his lips against yours. you were the only thing matter to him the most, in present and in future, you’ll be the sole thing that he’d like to call his forever and ever.

that fickle day itoshi sae had learnt so much more. he had learnt that love was not for the weak but for people who knew what strengthened them to the core. he learned that love was not bitter or sour, it was just missing from the right person and when you fall in love with the one that you know is true, you’ll know how sweet is the taste of the fruit.

and for the first time in forever, he wasn’t falling behind in any prospect anymore, especially in the case of love, for he had you.

the sole thing the brought him to a purpose he could have never known.

i like a chase, and itoshi sae is a man who certainly hates the idea of love but internally wishes to find just the right one ;)

NOIRFLMS 2023 ! all rights reserved - plagiarism is a crime , do not translate my works without permission. REBLOG MORE PLEASE !

[brightoakgame]

Irregular Monday Update, Edition 16 (new, improved--and soon to be voiced...!)

Good heavens, it's been...a minute since my last proper update, hasn't it? 😶‍🌫️ To start, I want to apologize for the prolonged delay and quiet! My family is in the midst of a long-process major move, uprooting from my beloved home state and preparing for new adventures elsewhere, with the big jump likely to occur sometime around the start of the new year. Most of the past year has been a series of small leaps from one lily-pad to the next in preparation for this, and it's only been within the last month or two that things have finally stabilized enough to allow for some progress on game development. ✨ (read on, MacDuff)

Which, of course, brings us to the first update: Tell It Slant!

An Old Friend trash-talking Edgar Allan Poe in Tell It Slant

Tell It Slant is the game I had the joy of writing (and horror of script-coding) for this Spooktober! 🎃 Participating in a short jam project felt like the ideal way to get a little exercise in before launching headfirst back into Bright Oak, and I had the pleasure of working with a phenomenal, phenomenal team (directed by the wonderful E.C., with art by Jessey N. Droz, music by Senaeris, and a gorgeous UI courtesy of Remnantation, Windchimes, and vronfrog). There are over 270 entries this year--all free!--so if you're looking for something ~spoooooky~ to read this October, this is a great place to start! I'll be posting my personal shortlist of favorites in a few days. ✨

There are few teachers better than experience, and this project was no exception. Amidst identifying places I can improve (and discovering I am nothing if not consistent: there is less than 300 words difference between Tell It Slant and Burdock), something I found particularly striking was working with our remarkable, phenomenally talented cast of voice actors: CobaltKobold, Vanessa Benoit, and the inimitable Chase Via. I never intended for there to be voice acting in my projects prior to this, but after Tell It Slant, my previous works feel so...quiet. Moreover, watching the streams of Tell It Slant, I have come to recognize that having voice acting also adds a layer of accessibility that I'd really like to embrace going forward. Thus, after some discussion with voice director EeeCee and my personal security blanket Remnantation, we come to the next update:

Burdock (revisited!)

Burdock was my first-ever jam project, made last Spooktober (alongside Butterfly Rocket Studios regulars Remnantation, John Åhlin, and Windchimes, as well as the talented ingthing). Rem has expressed interest in embellishing the art, and it feels like the best starting point for me on incorporating voice acting on a personal project. If you enjoy the work of our talented cast in Tell It Slant as much as I do, you'll be pleased to know that three of the Fair Folk in Burdock are likely to sound...rather familiar. For the rest of the troupe, I'll post a link to the casting call later this week. 💚 The re-release goal we're working on presently is this winter, ideally before the year end. ✨

(I spy with my little eye...a Forster sibling dialogue from Act II! Since code tends to run off the page, here's a snap of the raw script instead)

...but what about Bright Oak?!

Bright Oak remains the big constant in my heart, and it is not exempt from this shift in perspective: it is now my intention to have Bright Oak also be fully voiced, with the exception of the main player character and their internal narration. What does that look like as far as the release timeline? Frankly, I'm not entirely sure yet. Given that I'll be getting a major assist on this from the talented E.C., I do not anticipate it to be of as much impact as the impending out of state move, however, and--depending on what avenue I end up taking to secure funding for this addition, whether continuing to work out of pocket or if I need to court crowdfunding--I do think the full game should be complete and ready for release within the next year. Even with all these twists and turns, I'm confident that in the end, we're gonna have something well and truly special, and I cannot wait to share it with you all. ✨

And that...is more than enough from me for today! Thank you all for your unswerving patience and support; I appreciate you more than words can say. 💚 B.

[seven-meds]

A few interesting Letters to the Editor published in various adult magazines between the 50s and the 90s. Transcripts and sources below:

1: Future Sex (Issue 6, March 1994)

I love your magazine. The articles are well-written, and it's refreshing to see adjectives other than the words "throbbing" and "turgid" being used. Bless you and your thesaurus as well.

I particularly enjoyed Kim Teevan's essay, "Self-Service" (Issue 4), but some of the terminology was used improperly. One woman commented on the power of her 12volt vibrator being powerful enough to bore her with men. Well, that may or may not be true, but it's not voltage that determines the output power of vibrators. (I am an electrician by trade so I'm quite familiar with how vibrators work.)

The "vibes" or "pulses" that come from a vibrator are dependent on its rate of electrical cycles, expressed in hertz. A really good vibrator will have a "rate of fire" of about 60-180 pulses per minute. That translates to about

1-3 hertz. Other good rates lie in the 3003,000 pulses per second range. If this sounds a little fast, don't worry about it. Three hundred to 3,000 hertz is the average frequency of the human speaking voice. It's a nifty little vibration but it doesn't carry as far as the electrically generated vibrations due to limitations in the body's ability to maintain a sustained tone.

If I can make a personal recommendation to heavy vibrator users, you can get about a 40% increase in output power on your vibrators by bypassing the resistors that send power into the vibrator itself. Just solder a little wire around them and you'll soon be able to come so hard you'll shatter windows all up and down your block.

Charles Harris San Francisco , CA

--

2: Night and Day (November 1952)

Dear Sir:

It's wonderful to pick up your magazine a letter from a fellow uniped such as Beth O. I, too, think it is about time we were being heard from. 1 am 27 years old, blonde and not bad looking at all. I lost my left leg at mid thigh in an automobile wreck. Also I have never been able to wear an artificial limb. I use one special crutch, and my boy friend says I get about as well as a girl with two legs. I wear a 6B shoe and would like to swap with any girl that wears that size. Maybe Beth O. wears that size.

I have been walking on crutches for over ten years, I play tennis, dance and bowl. Can anyone top that? I don't believe there is a one-legged girl in the world that can get about better on crutchés than me. I challenge all comers. It is quite a nuisance being one-minus, but as Beth said, it has its compensations. I haven’t bought any hose in years as my friends give me all their odd stockings. I am waiting with bated breath for your picture spread of us one-legged girls — might even send in one of mine if I can find a good one.

E.C. CONCORD, N. C.

--

3: Eqqus Eroticus (Spring 1997)

Dear Sir,

I’m a middle aged white male living in the Cleveland, Ohio area. I took an early retirement from the Federal Government over a year ago. But I stay in good physical condition by doing my exercises such as walking, bike riding and playing golf. So I can keep up with if not ahead of just about everyone my age and usually guys who are years younger.

I want to be a cart pony and I could be a cart pony, if only I knew of someone who could train me.

I have almost always been in control. I usually am in charge of what¬ ever I am involved in. At work, I was always the boss. Usually when I joined any club and social activities at some point I became the leader. That may sound great, but it is not easy being the one who has to make the decisions, to be the person people wait to hear from, to always be the responsible one.

Through it all or maybe because of it all, I have always had a suppressed interest in bondage. To “be” in bondage, that is. To be tied strapped, shackled or whatever into complete submission. But there was no one who could or would control me, and I still yearn for bondage. I want to know at the deepest level what it is like to be controlled, forced to respond to any whim of the person who controls me.

In my spare time I found a newsgroup that had all kinds of photos of people in bondage. What attracted my interest most was the pony girls, especially the cart ponies. They were totally controlled, physically and mentally. They weren’t just in bondage; they weren’t held in one position. They were forced to behave and obey just as their masters or trainers instructed them. They were in body harnesses, stiff high collars, with a bit in their mouths, and harnesses holding their heads just right. You might see them in a corral, practicing their gait. They might be shown in a stall, chained to a wall by their neck or ankle or pulling a cart with the whip ready to give them extra incentive to obey. They were always total slaves with no will or choice.

I want to be the one who is being trained as cart pony boy. Held by my reins in a stable or my bit secured above me, holding me straight as my trainer works on my gait. To know that the littlest mistake would be rewarded with a crack or two of the whip. A whip crack I have yet to feel. Taught patience by being left chained naked in my stall, to wait for whatever would come next. I even long to be the one locked to the cart, my head held high by collar and head harness, reins telling me where to go, proudly pulling my trainer. To know that when the trip was done I‘d be back secured in my stall, left alone to await my trainer’s next pleasure.

I’m not interested in appearing in public, or being in competition. I just want to experience what it is to live the training of a cart pony. Maybe out there somewhere is a trainer who would give me what I am looking for. I want this experience so much and I would be forever grateful. I’d prefer female, but since sex isn’t the object, a male would be acceptable. If there is anyone who would train me, they can reach me at my e-mail address shown below. Please help me fulfill my desires.

PonySlaveX@aol. com

--

4: Eroticon (Fall 1980)

Dear friends of Eroticon,

I read porno magazines secretly, because my husband would not like having such “dirty” things in the house. Couldn’t you show more close ups of the male models muscular buttocks? I also would like to see cocks being soft and nice before the erection. I would really love that!

Finally! A lady with desire. We shall try to get some of the models to overcome their vanity and show “him” in a relaxed state. I definitely agree with you — not only womens asses are tempting.

--

5: Divinity 7 (1994)

I am enclosing a cutting from the DAILY TELEGRAPH of the 8th September. This indicated the flogging of a bishop.

There are no details and I would be very interested to know more about it, there is no doubt that it was a severe thrashing, but the culprit did not need to have hospital treatment afterwards, and he was fit to sit and walk next day, therefore no real injury.

I think that many of us would like to have details, such as how was he dressed for the flogging, did he have pants and shirt on? Was he standing or laying down?

It would also be interesting to know the conditions for flogging in other countries like Pakistan, Arabia and Turkey, with descriptions of the faults for which one can be flogged.

A photo or two would be interesting or better still a video of an actual flogging in public or in private.

This being an item siutable [sic] for the DAILY TELEGRAPH, and the true record of a news event I would think that a video or photos would be quite OK and legal imports, am I right?

As you are In touch and a publisher, I would like to hear from you on this subject, you may already have information or know of videos available.

Douglas Finlayson Essex

--

6: Transformation (Issue 6, 1994)

Dear TRANSFORMATION,

| recently picked up your Magazine #2...it’s great! | like what I’ve read in your magazine, especially a story titled “Dominant Lady Turns Boyfriend into Crystal” on page 10. | have this fantasy...about a dominant lady dentist who has a thing about a trampy TV, and fetish PVC or latex clothing.

Sometimes | am the patient, all dressed in shiny PVC. Other times I’m the nurse, in a white PVC uniform, long blond hair and a shiny nurse’s cap. The dental equipment is an old belt-driven drill and a sit-up chair.

If possible, I'd like to get in touch with Karyn R. and Crystal. But anyone...please write me!

K. Johnson

--

7: High Heels (Vol. 2 No. 7, 1965)

Dear High Heels.

I would like to see more pictures of handicapped girls in high-heels... I am enclosing some of mine, showing my 6" heel—some also show my peg. I have other pictures showing me in 7" heels...

Thank You,

U.N.A.

[spanishskulduggery]

I know there are only two contractions in Spanish but what about contracted abbreviations, words you wouldn't pronounce contracted but would write them that way? For example, "cont'd" for "continued"?

There are plenty of abbreviations in Spanish like BBAA (bellas artes = fine arts), or RRHH (recursos humanos = human resources/HR)

Others are like etc for etcétera, vs for versus

Or PD which is PS in letters - literally posdata or postdata for "postscript"

Some that I've seen are like núm. for número, pág. for página, vol. for volumen or p. ej. as por ejemplo

You may also see dcho/a for derecho/a "right", and izq. / izdo/a / izqdo/a for izquierdo/a for "left"

Two others to know:

a.e.c -> antes de la era común = "BCE" or "before the common era" or BC

e.c. -> era común = "common era" or "AD"

Really common are the abbreviations for ordinal numbers

1er -> primer = first 1ero/a -> primero/a = first

2do/a -> segundo/a = second

3er -> tercer = third 3ero/a -> tercero/a = third

4to/a -> cuarto/a = fourth

5to/a -> quinto/a = fifth

6to/a -> sexto/a = sixth

7mo/a -> séptimo/a = seventh

8vo/a -> octavo/a = eighth

9no/a -> noveno/a = ninth

10mo -> décimo/a = tenth

These are the equivalents of using 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc. in English. You'll also sometimes see symbols that are like a tiny floating O or A to depict gender, they'll look sort of like the symbol for degrees

Most commonly it's for terms of address like Vd. / vmd = Vuestra Merced [Your Worship/Lordship/Ladyship], though this is older Spanish

Ud. = Usted Uds. = Ustedes

D. = Don = "Mr." Dña. = Doña = Mrs.

Sr. = Señor = Mr. Sra. = Señora = Mrs. / Ma'am Srta. = Señorita = Miss

Dr. = Doctor Dra. = Doctora = [female] Doctor

And you get some that are abbreviations that can become their own words like las mates is short for las matemáticas so las mates is "math" rather than "mathematics"... or profe is a common way to address teachers in a friendly way like "teach"

Other common ones you might see are the ones for countries like EEUU is los Estados Unidos or "United States", or sometimes la RD for la República Dominicana for "Dominican Republic" or P. Rico is Puerto Rico but there are lots of country abbreviations especially for mailing purposes

This is also not talking about terms of address for military

Abreviaturas | Diccionario panhispánico de dudas (rae.es)

[cosmicnovaflare]

So I know how much you love exploring the world through historical fashion, and since the Eastern Commonwealth apparently spans all of Asia, have you dabbled in any of the more uncommon Asian garments for Cinder/Kai? I've been thinking about Cinder wearing a Saree but I'm also curious about Thai, Vietnamese, Burmese, Cambodian etc.

I have so many outfits saved that I’ve never got to (as I regularly fail them in practice). A lot of the time I’ll start out with a specific idea before I fail and revert back to hanfu since I’ve spent the most time practicing that so far. I want to make sure I do it right, so I’d rather wait until it looks correct. My current work for Kai will hopefully be a yellow Manchu (Yeah that was a lie, I failed again in colour and cloth in the middle of writing this.) I think both the E.C and Luna would wear chut thai (with makuṭa headdresses on the moon) and sarees, salwar kameez, dhoti kurtas, and other similar garments. I imagined Kai’s wedding attire in Cress/Winter to be traditional Thai wedding menswear with the “sash” being a sabai? For festivals I’ve always wanted to try drawing them in a white kosobe with a red hakama (there’s probably a single word for this outfit that I do not know) as well as try out something Mongolian, though I have no specific ideas with that, just a lot of options. Heading back south, anything that resembles lavalavas (skirts, wraps, trousers, etc) would probably be very common in the E.C. Sinhs could be common both in the E.C and the moon, maybe having a unique pattern depending on what sector you’re in. Perhaps the common fabrics used in things would change, which would be a way to include Persian silks and other fabrics, meshing traditional material with other cultural clothes (I think this would pair really well with Áo dài.) I can see garments like the deel and nekhii deel still being worn as everyday clothes, especially for warmer climates. Since the E.C seems fairly homogeneous, (maybe due to Asia being hit the hardest by the last world war, repeat imperialism, foreign government control, or assimilation) all these garments could start mixing and matching with each other. Maybe some of these things are global. This is how traditional clothing has merged and become its own thing in the past. I just really like to imagine these things being embraced because we have already experienced clothing bans and forced assimilation so much, and the world in these books has probably experienced more. Even before humans had the FOXP2 mutation that allowed us to understand language, we were making jewellery and art that meant something to us. It seems trivial, but keeping these things alive seems really important in both real life and fiction.

Once again, I am so very sorry if I have referred to things incorrectly. I’ll have some access to research papers that could help in a few weeks, but I am very much not a smart person, but I will still try my best.

[maryellencarter]

Letters from Watson (the Sherlock Holmes book-club Substack) started reading the short story "The Stockbroker's Clerk" today, and the titular clerk is a young cockney who uses a fair amount of (Doyle's approximation of) then-current slang, so I wrote up some approximations in the LfW discord (which is a very fun place). @jabbage asked if I was going to put the information on Tumblr for reference, so I guess here it is? Cleaned up a little bit and with help from other people in the discord.

* St Vitus's dance: A disease that makes you twitchy and shaky. It was a general term for conditions like Parkinson's or the twitching that can be a side effect of rheumatic fever.

* Cockney: The technical definition is a Londoner born within the radius where you can hear the bells of St Mary le Bow, "within the sound of Bow Bells" for short. The implication is that Mr Hall Pycroft, our stockbroker's clerk, comes from a lower or working class, and the stereotype would be that he's somewhat irreverent and not very bright, although ACD takes care to give us a little essay about how we should actually consider him hard-working and professional.

* Outré: French for outlandish or surprising. Holmes really likes this word, so we've probably discussed it before.

* Lost my crib: We've heard "crib" as meaning a bank or business before, in The Red-Headed League, when John Clay would "crack a crib". Pycroft is using it to mean job, with an implication that it's what we might now call a cubicle job, done at a desk in narrow indoor quarters.

* Soft Johnnie: A soft touch or soft Johnnie is someone who is easily scammed, often in reference to being an unquestioning mark for a con artist.

* Billet: In this context, a job. StephenHunterUK in the Discord mentioned it's likely from the French word for "ticket".

* Were let in: Were damaged or injured. I'm not sure of the etymology.

* Venezuelan loan: StephenHunterUK pointed out there was a Venezuelan sovereign debt default in 1892. Stockbroker's Clerk was published in March 1893, so it would have been topical at that time, but of course it has to take place not later than 1889, so this reference screws up the chronology even more than it already was. At any rate, the implication is that Mr Pycroft's old employer made a bad investment in Venezuelan securities and had to close down.

* Came a nasty cropper: This can mean anything from falling downstairs to having to shut up shop, but often indicates either death or something similarly final.

* Ripping good: Very good. Slang term Doyle is using to make Mr Pycroft sound less formal, more cockney and enthusiastic, also possibly a bit like a schoolboy.

* The smash: When the old job was ruined and had to close. I usually hear this in reference to investments or stock market crashes.

* On the same lay: Looking for the same type of work. Can also be criminal slang meaning people who work at the same type of crime, such as pickpockets.

* E.C.: StephenHunterUK provided the information that this is the postcode for the "City of London" area -- not the London metro area, but the one-square-mile area in downtown London known as the City, mostly associated with banking and law work. Hall Pycroft is saying that he's not sure how familiar Holmes and Watson are with the City of London area.

* It was my innings: Cricket reference. Means that Mr Pycroft feels he has had a lucky win.

* The screw was a pound a week rise: The pay was a pound a week more than Mr Pycroft was making at his previous job, so £4 a week or roughly £200 a year. You can see that the sketchy pottery company's offer of £500 a year more than doubles what he'd make at the reliable firm Mawson's.

* In diggings: Renting a room.

* A touch of the sheeny about his nose: A "Sheeny" is a derogatory term for an ethnically Jewish person, especially male. Pycroft is saying that Pinner had a somewhat hooked nose. The stereotype is also that Pinner might be either very financially shrewd or a con artist. (I don't know if this phrase made it into the warnings document.)

* A little sporting flutter: A bet.

* The mentions of Brussels (in Belgium, north of France) and San Remo (in Italy, southeast of France) are implying that the Franco-Midland pottery company is a big deal, with offices all across France and spilling out the corners.

* In the swim: In the thick of things.

* Deal chairs: Cheap wooden chairs. Geoharee in the Discord brought up that "deal" here refers to pine wood specifically -- pine is very soft, easily dented and stained, and is a fast-growing tree, so it was used for cheap low-quality furniture that wasn't intended to be long-lasting or durable, the sort of furniture we'd make out of fiberboard these days.

* Very badly stuffed with gold: Pinner has a badly-done gold filling in one tooth.

[irvingcoded]

Sometimes I Draw You With Fangs | read it on ao3!

Though John Irving was blessed with plenty, much of which was even good, a font of creativity he was certainly not. Therefore, when the urge did strike him suddenly and brilliantly, a burst of flint casting sparks into the depths of darkness, there was naturally nothing else to do but nurture those sparks into bright, blazing flame. Every spark of inspiration was, to him, unspeakably precious, almost as rare as gold. Enter E.C. His model. His muse. cornelius hickey/john irving | explicit | ~6k+ words | chp 1/? ( partial inspiration drawn from the novel a history of fear by luke dumas )

& big big thanks to @brimstone-cowboy for permitting me to use this gorgeous art for the cover image!! ❤️‍🔥

[joyffree]

Bruiser's Reckoning (Devil's Riot MC Southeast) MC Romance by E.C. Land is Live!

A reckoning is coming, whose it is, no one knows.

Bruiser

The moment I heard her name she was to be a pawn in this game. Never did I think she would be my reckoning. She was supposed to be nothing more than a tool, but I’m not so sure anymore.

Danger surrounds the club. We’re in the midst of a silent war. One that we need to take in our own hands. The enemy is laying in wait, waiting to strike us where it will hurt. That’s where she comes in. Or should have.

Either way, pawn or not, she’s not going anywhere. She insured that the first time she opened her eyes and spoke those words. I’m not letting her get away not without bring a reckoning of my own.

[solittles]

i love squishmallow. but more than that, i love my cat. my little kitty cat. my daughter and little girl . she's better than squishmallows

[ilovebuckers5]

⋆⁺₊⋆so high school music⋆⁺₊⋆

disclaimer : most of these are taylor swift songs so beware

so high school ( t.s) - "you know how to ball i know aristotle"

"i wanna find you in a crowd just to hide from you"

"tell me about the first time you saw me"

daylight (t.s) - "i don't wanna look at anything else now that i saw you"

"threw out our cloaks and our daggers because it's morning now. it's brighter now."

"i once believed love would be black and white. but it's golden"

you are in love (t.s) - "she says "look up" and your shoulders brush. no proof, one touch but you felt enough"

"and for once, you let go of your fears and your ghosts"

enchanted (t.s) - "across the room your silhouette starts to make its way to me"

"and now i'm pacing back and fourth wishing you were at my door"

"my thoughts will echo your name until i see you again"

invisible string (t.s) - "cutting me open then healing me fine"

"good was the color of the leaves when i showed you around centennial park"

it's nice to have a friend (t.s) - "school bell rings, walk me home"

"something gave you the nerve to touch my hand"

"feels like home. stay in bed. the whole weekend. it's nice to have a friend"

gold rush (t.s) - "i don't like that anyone would die to feel your touch"

"i don't like slow motion vision in rose blush"

"with your hair falling into place like dominoes"

this love (t.s) - "these hands had to let it go free and this love came back to me"

"lantern burning, flickered in my mind for only you"

"in losing grips and sinking ships, you showed up just in time"

i can see you (t.s) - "cause i can see you waiting down the hall for me and i can see you up against the wall with me"

"pass me a note saying "meet me tonight." then we kiss and you know i won't ever tell"

"you can see me as a secret mission" (in a heartbreaking wtf way)

jump then fall (t.s) - "we're on the phone and without a warning i realize your laugh is the best sounding have ever heard"

"i hear the words but all i can think is we should be together"

"baby, i'm never gonna leave you. say that you wanna be with me too"

"cause everytime you smile, i smile"

how you get the girl (t.s) - ""broke your heart i'll put it back together. i would wait forever and ever"

"tell her how you must have lost your mind"

paper rings (t.s) - "i like shiny things but id marry you with paper rings"

"i'm with you even if it makes me blue"

"i want your complications too. i want your dreary mondays"

teenage dream (k.p)- "you think i'm pretty without any makeup on"

"my heart stops when you look at me"

"i finally found you, my missing puzzle piece"

nonsense (s.b) - "i don't want no one else, baby i'm in to deep"

"cartwheels in my stomach when you walk in"

dandelions (ruth. b.) - "maybe it's the way you say my name"

"cause i'm in a field of dandelions. wishing on every one that you'd be mine"

"when you're looking at me, i've never felt so happy"

i wanna be yours (a.m) - "secrets i have held in my heart, are harder to hide than i thought"

strangers (e.c) - "don't talk to strangers or you might fall in love"

"how funny i never considered myself tough"

"am i making you feel sick?"

sparks fly (t.s) - "you're the kind of reckless that should send me running but i kind of know that i won't get far"

"kiss me on the side walk. take away the pain"

"cause i see sparks fly whenever you smile"

"i'm on my guard for the rest of the world but with you, i know im no good"

these are not in order to what happens in the fic.

[catilinas]

i’m sure i made a post a few years ago about names in the terror (e.g. the three characters with Two Name Situations are the mimetic triangle of crozier (aglooka) silna (lady silence) and hickey (e.c.)) + command f for the word name across all the episode transcripts but i cannot for the life of me find it on mobile :(((

[theolikeworld]

Peter Cushing’s Twelve Days of Christmas

[From: Past Forgetting]

I got an idea of what to write from a chance remark of his in a recently received letter, in which [Peter Gray] had written ‘Thank you for your two telecoms (’and a partridge in a pear tree!...)’ Those bracketed words end each verse of that seasonal song ‘The 12 Days of Christmas’, which irritates me intensely with its constant repetitions. So I set about doing my own version, and as Peter enjoyed it (’It’s good enough for Punch’, he chortled), I reproduce it here, in the hope that you may also be diverted by this taradiddle.

ON THE FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS

My own true love,

What a delightfully unique present you sent to me- a partridge in a pear tree. I’ve planted it in the greenhouse, and the dear little game bird seems so happy and at home in its branches. Thank you, thank you so very much for such a sweet thought. With all my love- ME

ON THE SECOND DAY OF CHRISTMAS

My own true love, Well! Well! A second gift has arrived! Two adorable turtle doves plus another pear tree with a partridge in it! You really are too generous, my sweet, but I do appreciate your thoughts. I’ve put the doves in a cote in the greenhouse, and Percy (as I’ve christened the first partridge) seems very contented to have a playmate.

With all my love- ME

ON THE THIRD DAY OF CHRISTMAS

My own true love,

I wonder if there’s some mistake? Today I received yet another pear tree with a partridge in it, two more turtle doves, and three French hens! I’ve built a coop for them, and put it in the greenhouse amongst all the other livestock, and planted the two extra pear trees. But perhaps you meant these prezzies for someone else, and put my address through force of habit? Do let me know, dear, if this is the case: things are getting a little overcrowded, and Percy has turned nasty over the new arrivals. With all my love- ME

ON THE FOURTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

Luv- Aren’t you overdoing it a bit, or have you won the pools?!!!? Carter Paterson has just delivered four singing blackbirds, two more turtle doves, three more French hens and another pear tree with- would you believe it- a partridge in it! In haste- affc. yrs- ME P.S. I’m having to extend the greenhouse.

ON THE FIFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

Look, this is getting to be too much of a good thing. It’s costing me a small fortune in bird seed and glass for the greenhouse. Today I not only received five ore of everything which came yesterday, but five gold rings to boot, which I’ve had to pawn to help pay for above. And I’m getting sick of the sight of partridges in pear trees. If you must keep sending me things, please don’t keep repeating them. Yours- ME

ON THE SIXTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

What are you trying to do to me, you old bat? Mother’s up to her waist in bird droppings, and is threatening to leave home, when there arrives, by special delivery, one pear tree, one partridge, two turtle doves, three French hens, four singing blackbirds, five gold rings (those I was glad to get) and a cartload of six oversexed geese laying eggs all over the place. ME

ON THE SEVENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

YOU HAVE GONE TOO FAR THIS TIME. I’ve had to get planning permission to build a farmyard and dig a pond to accommodate the seven swimming swans which arrived today, along with the other pests. I’ve been kept awake by all those damn doves cooing at each other all night, the neighbours are beginning to complain about the noise, and I’m driven balmy by colly birds twittering all day, French hens clucking, partridges fighting, and the thud of dropping eggs. Stop it, d’you hear? - STOP IT. I’m losing patience, as well as all my friends. ME

ON THE EIGHTH, NINTH, TENTH, ELEVENTH AND TWELFTH DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

Tweedle, Dum and Dee Solicitors, Carey Street, LONDON, E.C.

Dear Madam, Before our client left the country for an indefinite period (desnation unknown) he instructed us to get in touch with you regarding the following items, as to what you’d like done with them. (He did make a suggestion, but in the interest of common decency, we have decided not to pass it on.)

12 Partridges (extremely aggressive) in a like number of Pear Trees 22 Turtle Doves 30 French Hens 36 Blackbirds (singing) 40 Gold Rings (pawn tickets) 42 Laying Geese 42 Swimming Swans 40 Milkmaids 36 Drummers 30 Pipers 22 Dancing Ladies 12 Leaping Lords

A total of 364 gifts, plus innumerable goose eggs.

We would appreciate the favour of an early reply, owing to the fact that there are now cows available to keep the maids occupied, and hostilities have broken out between the drummers, the pipers and the leaping lords, all seeking the attentions of the aforementioned maidens and ladies.

The behaviour of the fauna is equally disgusting.

We regret to inform you that our client went beserk when offered roast partridge stuffed with pears for dinner, and that the goose eggs have addled.

We are, Madam, your obedient servants. HY AM DUM (Signed for and on behalf of Tweedle, Dum and Dee)

[somethingusefulfromflorida]

I just started reading a biography of the 10th US President John Tyler (riveting, I know), and it mentioned a whiskey distiller who made an absolute fortune in the 1840 election cycle because the dominant Whig party used alcohol as a draw for all its campaign events, and the guy's name was E.C. Booz. That sounds like a Saturday morning PSA villain warning of the dangers of alcoholism. The word booze with an e was coined later, an apparent misspelling of his name.

names that look made up but aren't

[chsn1togdml]

RECEPTION OF CHURCH MEMBERS - MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

For use in Local Churches

(This application may be obtained on the website at www.eccenter,com or by calling the E.C. Church Center.)

Membership serves three purposes (1) it gives you “ownership” and a greater “commitment” to the work of the local church. (2) It gives you the opportunity to be a part of the decision making process as we work together for a positive ministry emphasis. (3) It gives you the opportunity to serve in the church in a position of leadership that benefits both yourself and the local body of believers.

The DISCIPLINE of the Evangelical Congregational Church outlines the qualifications for membership: (1) Believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; (2) Believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God; (3) Be committed to daily Christian growth; (4) Be committed to giving Jesus Christ your time, talent and treasure; (5) Be supportive of our local church and the ministry of the Evangelical Congregational Church denomination; (6) Be faithful in attendance and participation; and (7) Be baptized as a Christian.

mark lawrence rogers

City Kurtistown State

Hawaii Zip Code 96760

Telephone

808-937-4176

Business Address

Home Address 17308 13 Mile road 11 Mile homestead

City kurtistown State hi.

Zip Code 96760

Telephone 808937417 6

Birthplace Berkeley California

Date of birth 9-12-61

Have you been baptized? _yes

If married, give full name of husband or wife

Date of marriage

How long have you lived in the community where you now make your home? 25 years Are you a member of another church? Catholic Church

Name of church Catholic Church

Location USA Are

you uniting with this church (a) on confession of faith? Yes Or (b) by letter of transfer?

What church offices have you held?

OthNaffl&nbers of my family are- Age

Name Age

Name Age

Confession of Faith

o you believe in the Bible to be the Word of God and the only perfect rule for faith, doctrine and conduct? yes

Do you confess Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord? Yes

Do you purpose to remain steadfast in the faith unto the end, and as a true follower of Jesus Christ to walk in the newness of life? Yes

Do you promise in watchfulness and prayer to diligently use the Word of God and the Holy Sacraments? yes

Do you promise to join in worship and service and to give regularly of your time, talent and treasure for the work of the gospel as carried on by this church and the denomination to which it belongs?

On the following lines, give a brief statement concerning your relationship to Jesus Christ. Tell what he means to you and how he has enriched your life.

I repented the Christian law I accepted Jesus Christ as my savior. For one year exactly, 52 weeks I fasted and had only fruit juice as I read and walked in the east bay regional parks and read the holy Bible both old and new testaments. I vowed to obey the Christian law only this latter day that the Lord is raising a world up to his kingdom. I hope to enter the kingdom of heaven and earth. Ive tried hard to seek the Lords promised land where I hope I'll live forevermore.

ina Christ: yourself(selves) before us today you are giving a

public testimony that you are professing personal faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord. We rejoice with you that by this outward act you show that you have repented of your sins and trusted in Him for forgiveness of sin, newness of life now, and hope for eternity. The moment you personally received Christ you became (a) member(s) of the Body of Christ, the Church universal (Ephesians 2). Now you are presenting yourself(selves) before the Lord of the Church, and us as members of this congregation, in order to take your vows as (a) fellow-member(s) of this body of believers.

We are strengthened by hearing your public declaration of this purpose. We believe you also will be strengthened as you affirmatively answer the questions that follow:

We are a congregation affiliated with the Evangelical Congregational Church. We believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. Do you believe this and that only in these Divine writings do we find the Christian message of salvation?

If so, please answer: “YES, I DO BELIEVE THIS.”

You have heard the scriptural teachings regarding your need of the saving acts of Jesus Christ: His perfect life, His sacrificial death, and His defeat of death by His resurrection. By presenting yourself(selves) today in this place you are professing personal faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Is this your profession? Will seek the Catholic priesthood⁰