#fallout piedmont

[noodle8]

I'm slowly going through my fallout ocs and making new refs!!

In order:

1. Ehane Greene (fo2)

2. Anya Mendoza (fo1)

3. Archer Jacquin (my campaign)

4. Leon "Puzzles" McKay (fo3)

[kokiri-kid-07]

For Natasha Fenix & Iron Piedmont~

Our Fallout 76 characters getting to know each other at camp. I’m a Strength & Charisma build, Nat is Perception & Agility, and I believe Iron is Agility & Intelligence

x.com/piedmont1996

twitter.com/Fenix_Natasha

[rosemaryreaper]

Fallout OCs!

This has been sitting in my drafts for months. About time I actually shared them.

* * * * Fallout 4 * * * *

Nora “Blue” Delaney (she/her): Minutemen general and Sole Survivor of Vault 111, she led the Commonwealth to victory against the Institute. Now it’s her mission to rebuild her former home, with hope for a peaceful future in the new family that is Piper, Nat, and Shaun. While Nora constantly emphasizes that she has no interest in power, her strong influence over nearly all the eastern Commonwealth settlements and supply lines, as well as on the politics of Diamond City itself, cause many to doubt her intent. None more so than the overzealous Brotherhood of Steel…who she pissed off when she went AWOL as a paladin and sabotaged Liberty Prime. Oops.

Ros Markey (she/they): The daughter of an Appalachian vault dweller and a Piedmont settler, she’s a wanderer with an oddly diverse skill set. After a series of tragedies left her alone with only a temperamental robot horse for company, she bounces from job to job—farmhand, caravan guard, pole dancer—anything that will keep her moving away from her past. Not completely directionless, she regularly collects data for her mother’s Project Salvia, despite knowing next to nothing about the work she has inherited—or how it’s supposed to save the world.

* * * * Fallout 3 * * * *

Charlotte “Charlie” Mills (she/her): Programmer, engineer, former resident of the Capital Wasteland’s Vault 101—and yet forever a Lone Wanderer and outcast. She had a brief stint as one of the Brotherhood of Steel’s most renowned paladins before the whole mess with Project Purity left her with a radiation makeover. “Honorably” discharged due to her new ghoulish appearance, she does her best to live a (semi-)quiet life on a small Maryland farm, occasionally looking after the young son of a certain sharpshooter merc. That is, until that certain merc sets off on a mission for some weird Yankee general. Looks like it’s time to dust off the old Pip-Boy again.

* * * * Fallout: New Vegas * * * *

Shrike (they/them): Courier Six, AKA the baddest gunslinger west of the Rockies, Shrike is rather like a rattlesnake: reasonably docile most of the time, good at communication, and only likely to mess with you if you mess with them first. Unfortunately, a lot of folks like to mess with them. (Most of those folks now have holes in them.) Really, all Shrike wants is to do their job, make some caps, hang out with their favorite scribe, and maybe, if they’re feeling generous, lend a hand here or there. If only things would stop trying to kill them for five goddamned seconds.

[darkspine10]

GF Fanfic - Dipper and Mabel Vs. The Past

Dipper and Mabel Vs. The Past (6562 words) by darkspine10

Chapters: 1/9 Fandom: Gravity Falls Rating: Teen and Up

Summary: When he was 13 years old, Dipper Pines chose to hide the truth of his incredible summer adventures from his parents. Now a parent himself, he returns with his family and sister to finally face the consequences. However, none of them expect the secret to come out in quite such a magical way.

With time running out and chaotic creatures rampaging through the city, Dipper must navigate both this crisis and the fallout from his parents' discoveries, or risk losing them forever...

Chapter 1 - Frosty Reunion

Dipper Pines had a problem.

Dipper Pines had to tell a lie.

Exhausted from the bus ride, he and Mabel had been picked up at the station by their parents. Neither his mom or dad was excited by the prospect of Mabel’s new pig companion, but weren’t able to muster any defence against her persistence. It wasn’t the first time her tenacity had worn down her parents and would be far from the last.

No, Waddles wasn’t the problem. The real problem was the letter, and not the one from Dipper’s friends promising him they’d ‘see him next summer’. If he wanted any chance of that promise being fulfilled then the next few minutes would be vital.

A few weeks ago, back before the world ended, before Weirdmageddon, before all of Bill’s plans and tricks, when the twins were still reeling from the arrival of Grunkle Ford, Mabel had penned a short letter home. It detailed Ford’s arrival and general existence, something the twins’ parents had been completely in the dark about. They’d been shocked when the letter arrived - finding out a trusted family member had been lying for 30 years would disturb anyone - but what was more concerning were all the other details. A hitherto unknown twin brother was one thing, but Mabel had decided to include much more in her letter.

The letter rested on the kitchen table, with a cutesy crayon illustration of Stan and Ford holding hands and all, while Mom and Dad sat the twins down to ask the obvious questions. “Portals? Reversed gravity?” their father asked. Mom had a concerned frown, as if trying to piece together what all this meant. She’d laid out photos Mabel had provided from one of her scrapbooks - corroborating evidence for Ford’s existence. There were shots of him with Stan and kids, reclining in the Mystery Shack’s sitting room or trekking through woodland paths.

Dipper sat in silence, contemplating where he could possibly begin to explain anything about the summer. All his parents really knew was that they’d worked at the Mystery Shack with Stan, had nearly been sent home at one point before ending up staying, and then a random brother appeared out of nowhere. It wasn’t like he could show his parents the journals; even if he had them here in Piedmont and not lost down a pit it was a lot to take in. He and Mabel had been on so many adventures in the past three months, adventures which had their fair share of risk and peril. The twins had each nearly died several times over. What would Mom and Dad say if they found out?

Mabel seemed ignorant of these concerns, gladly rambling about unicorns and mermaids and all sorts of out-of-context snippets. She’d never had to explain the strange events in Gravity Falls to any newcomers before, so the information flooded out of her in random anecdotes. “Then I made my hand super big with the shrink ray and socked him right in his eyeball!”

“Uh huh,” Dad muttered. Dipper knew he was unconvinced from the deep lines on his forehead. Mabel’s imagination was famously unmatched after all. But if his parents began to suspect, even for a second, that there was some truth to her wild claims then things might get tricky to explain. “I knew Uncle Stanford was a bit of a conman, but this-”

“Stanley,” Dipper said automatically, his first comment since being confronted with the letter. “Stanford is the, uh… new one.”

“Right… So Uncle Stan kept all this hidden from the family?”

Here Dipper felt on stable ground. The motivations that had split Stan and Ford apart were mundane enough for Mom and Dad to grapple with. He gladly recounted an abridged retelling of their childhood and falling out, opting to skim over the portal in favour of simple estrangement. That seemed to satisfy his father, who knew Stan personally from visiting him in his own childhood and occasional contact over the years since.

Mom however wanted more. Wanted to know why Mabel’s account included such oddities. She was about to answer, to give even more away about magic and the supernatural. Dipper finally made a choice and stepped in before she could speak. “Those were great games we had with the Grunkles, weren’t they, Mabel?”

“Uh, what are you talking about Dip-Dop, I was about to tell Mom all about when we time-travelled-”

He elbowed her in the side and fixed her with a stern gaze. Mabel pursed her lips, momentarily unsure, before giving a tiny nod. “Lots of crazy adventures, right sis, so much fun and games.”

“Uh, yeah. It was really… great,” Mabel said with a hint of doubt. Then the twins flashed a synchronised smile at their parents, made an excuse about unpacking, and ran off to their rooms.

After that day the matter of Mabel’s letter was swiftly forgotten, treated as nothing more than a flight of fancy from a girl known for her outlandish creativity, learning to cope with the upheaval of a sudden new relative. The twins seemed to have enjoyed their summer away and held nothing back when telling their parents all about exploring the forests or the new friends they’d made up north like Wendy and Soos. It didn’t need to go beyond that.

Dipper and Mabel both agreed this was for the best. Mr and Mrs Pines would live in blissful ignorance as long as it meant they could continue to visit the Falls every summer and investigate the paranormal in secret. They had no way of knowing how their parents would react to the information, so they weren’t going to risk finding out. All they had to do was keep the charade going, and lie to their parents every single day. Easy, Dipper thought. We’re the Mystery Twins. We can do anything.

Dipper Pines had a problem.

Dipper Pines wanted to tell the truth.

Turning the last corner through the darkened suburbs, Dipper slowed the car to a stop. He clutched the steering wheel and stared straight ahead at the perfectly ordinary house. A string of lights alternating in red and green illuminated the street. The glow was hypnotic.

“Dad? You ok?”

His clammy hands squeezed the wheel tighter before he let out a breath and eased them off. Turning to look at the other passengers squeezed into the back, straining the seating capacities of the Mini Cooper, he looked to his daughter waiting expectantly for him to answer.

“I’m… fine, Merrise. Just… taking a moment to process where we are.”

Sitting beside him in the front, Pacifica offered a sympathetic smile. “We made it, Mace. Like you planned. Home.”

715 Wildwood Avenue, Piedmont, California. The home of his and Mabel’s parents.

Dipper switched off the 80’s pop CD that had been blaring. His sister had insisted on having it play for most of the drive, to make it feel more like a family road trip. No one had been singing along for the last half an hour. Mabel had been reverently whispering as she pointed out familiar places from her childhood to her wife and niece - though in the darkness they weren’t able to make much out except indistinct blurs. They were all tightly packed together beside Wendy, Dipper and Pacifica’s baby daughter. Both Mabel and her partner, Zera, seemed eager to be free of the cramped space. They unbuckled their seatbelts as Dipper took a deep breath and addressed the group.

“Now I know we all want to get inside. 10 hours on the road is nobody’s idea of fun. But before we go in I want to set a few ground rules.”

“Uh oh,” Mabel groaned, “it’s the Dad Voice.”

"First: Perception filters are to be turned on at all times. I want no magic use under my parents’ roof, and no mention of the supernatural whatsoever. Am I understood?”

Silence filled the car. Mabel and Pacifica shared a glance. They recognised Dipper’s strict tone; he was in ‘adventure lecture mode’. Pacifica lightly touched his arm. “Mason, remember, this isn’t a dangerous scenario. We’re just staying with your parents for a few days.”

“Anyway,” Mabel said, climbing forwards and butting in between the couple. “I thought this meet-up was supposed to be ‘the one’.” Her eyes flicked towards the waiting house. “You know, all about finally telling Mom and Dad the truth about all our adventures?”

Dipper swallowed and puffed out his chest. “It will be, it will. But first we’ll take it slow. I haven’t visited Mom and Dad in nearly six years. It’s gonna take some time to settle back into routine. I want to introduce Merrise and Zera first in a normal context, then we can branch out to the…” He swallowed. “...Alien stuff. We don’t want to bombard them with everything right up front.”

“Do we really have to go through all this?” Zera asked. Her arms were folded and she scowled from the backseat.

Dipper scanned her appearance; she was covered in aqua scales, with a vibrant purple fin jutting out of her head. “I think we do.” he replied dryly. “Most humans aren’t used to amphibious offworlders from the planet S’aren!”

Merrise wiggled free of her seatbelt and pushed forwards. “But you always say that I should be happy with who I am. No-one else gets to judge me for that.” Her dark eyes pleaded with him to explain fully.

“That’s true, of course it is.” Dipper felt his voice rising, wanting the others to understand his point of view. He’d been working on this plan for the past month, building slowly to the point where he felt comfortable finally revealing the truth to his parents. “Look, I just want my parents to know you as people, without any prejudice. That means that certain parts of our lives have to be… understated. At least at first. After a few days we can work up to the big reveal.” He smiled shakily, failing to convince the sour faces in the rest of the car.

“Then what’s this for?” Pacifica clicked the glove box open and removed a leather-bound journal with a golden hand sigil adorning the cover. A number 3 was written on it in black ink. She flipped the book open to a random page showing a hovering ghost and held it for all to see. “This isn’t your usual late-night reading, is it hon?”

Dipper grabbed the book off her and slammed it closed against his chest. “That’s… backup.”

“For what?” Pacifica responded, her lip set in a line. “I saw the others you packed in the trunk. Every single one of the journals, yours and your Great Uncle’s.” She frowned. “They took up a lot of space, you realise. I could’ve packed a bigger wardrobe, but no, Mace has to bring his book collection.”

Dipper awkwardly laughed but Pacifica’s gaze didn’t waver. “Paz, don’t worry. I’m not planning on summoning a demon or something like that.”

“Yeah, we all figured that, bro,” Mabel said, slumped in her seat.

“When we get around to finally spilling everything then these books will be crucial. Mom and Dad can take all the time they need to learn about our lives. The lives we chose to live without them.” That got the others to listen at last. No-one could meet his gaze. It hadn’t been Dipper’s choice alone to conceal things. Mabel had been right alongside him all the way, as had Pacifica from the moment she’d been introduced to her future parents-in-law. She had her own journal stashed in the trunk, pink with a golden llama on the cover.

Dipper slid Journal 3 into his jacket. “Though we’ve gotta make sure Mom and Dad don’t read them ahead of schedule. As far as they’re concerned these are just notebooks. But if they start browsing through they might find out about the times we went out monster hunting as teens, or our death defying first summer, or the fact their granddaughter is from outer space!”

Pacifica sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. “As I always tire of saying, you don’t need a multi-step plan for social interaction.”

“Forgive me for being cautious,” he replied icily. “So much of our lives is wrapped up in this stuff. Where Zera and Merrise come from. How Ford came back. What we were doing racing around the world for a whole year, and then why we dropped off the face of it for months after that. I don’t want to come off ranting like a loony street preacher when I try to explain the basic facts of how Wendy was born: Hear all about it, alien nano machines fixed my wife’s barren womb! - and that’s a totally true description of events by the way, according to Paz.”

Mabel sneered at him. “Yeesh bro, lighten up. You’re leaping straight to the worst possible outcome. Mom and Dad aren’t going to take it that badly. I thought you wanted to talk to them,” she whispered.

“I do. But I want to do it on my own terms. Can you guys do that for me?”

Pacifica took his hand in hers. “Like Mabel said, this was your idea. So if you want to take it slow… then I guess we’ll take it slow.” She reached over and kissed him. “Now let’s go inside. It’s been getting muggy in here for the past hour and a half, ever since we passed Sacramento.”

She made to open her door but Dipper spoke. “One last thing. Zera, Merrise. Can you please turn on your perception filters?”

“Will Grandma and Grandpa really hate us that much?” Merrise asked, and Dipper already felt his heart breaking. He forced out a grimace.

“No, but… look, Mom is very high strung most of the time, and Dad, he’s super down to Earth. I don’t know how they’d react, so it’s better to play this safe. So please, can we do this my way?”

Merrise reached into her backpack by her feet and retrieved a golden medallion which she slid over her head. “Alright Dad. If you say so.” The moment the medallion was around her neck, Merrise’s features began to morph before Dipper’s eyes. Her magenta skin rapidly darkened. Her new skin tone was distinct from Pacifica and the twins but still mundane enough to pass as human. Her eyes, black pupilless pits, gained sclera and shrunk.

In the back, Zera attached a triangular earring and her features similarly morphed. Her headfin became short black hair and her scaly skin took on a brown complexion. Once the effect was complete, the two appeared completely human. A second later Dipper’s eyes blurred until the pair looked as if nothing had changed, as alien as always. This was the trick of the filter, showing a disguise to anyone unaware of Zera or Merrise’s true nature but undetectable to someone familiar with their real forms. Dipper squinted and the pair switched back and forth between alien and human before settling as the latter. He’d been training his senses to try and visualise both appearances, should a mention of their altered forms come up in conversation.

“Thanks,” he said softly to the two of them. Pacifica had already stepped out and round to unbuckle Wendy from her booster seat in the back. Merrise, swathed in an overlarge jacket and wearing Dipper’s old fur hat, was prepared for the icy blast when she opened the door. On the opposite side Mabel pulled on a bobble hat and gloves before practically tumbling out onto the sidewalk.

Dipper followed her round to the trunk and checked over their crammed-in belongings before returning Journal 3 to its crate with the other volumes. He found his latest book, number 9, decorated with a golden constellation pattern. All three of Ford’s books were safely stowed - plus one with a green cover and a golden symbol melding the six-fingered hand and the circular sigil from Stan’s fez. This came from later in life, and Ford had shared it with his brother Stan when they’d sailed around the world’s oceans exploring hotspots of mystery. With six of Dipper’s own books going back to 2012, and Pacifica’s lone journal, there were eleven journals in total, brimming with forbidden knowledge. He lifted the crate down onto the asphalt and clipped the lid on tight. While the others might not see the value in bringing these to Piedmont, Dipper considered them his secret weapon, his best chance at laying out both the course of his life and the reasons why he’d kept it so obscured until now. If he couldn’t sway his parents with his words, then maybe these writings could provide something of an unbiased history.

The others were gathered around the trunk now, dumping out their bags ready to carry them inside. Mabel was struggling to heft a plastic carrier cage that had been buried amongst the clutter. “C’mon girl, time to stretch your scales.” A tongue darted in and out of the bars.

“It’s not fair,” Merrise said, turning imploringly to her father. “Mabel got to bring her pet! Why couldn’t we bring Dee? He’ll be all lonely at home.”

Dipper put an arm around Merrise as Mabel opened the cage and stroked her pet snake, Apep. “Sorry Sixer, but after all that’s happened, in the Falls and in Salem, I’m not taking any chances with Dee. I’d like to keep the home I grew up in un-flambéed.”

“Apep’s way less dangerous,” Mabel added, despite the fact that the snake could deliver a venomous bite if provoked. “We’ll have to invest in fire-proof cladding next Christmas. You ready, Z?” Zera fumbled with a bag and stood up rigid. Mabel could already guess the reason for her loss of composure, and Zera was quick to spill the beans.

“May, are you sure your parents will be ok with us? If they know so little about your life then how will they react to you showing up with a new wife?”

Mabel put an arm around her. “It’ll be fine. I already sent Mom and Dad a bunch of emails and texts telling them all about you. Well, everything except for…” She pointed skywards and winked. Zera’s apprehension faded away and she patted Mabel on the arm. “My parents aren’t evil, just ignorant about a few, small things.”

“Hey, that reminds me.” Pacifica finished pulling out a suitcase and turned on Mabel. “If we’re doing ground rules then I have one for you. I don’t want you spouting politics all week, Mabel. This is a holiday, not an opportunity for polemics about the evils of commercialism”

“Who, me?” She dumbly replied.

“Not to sound like a wanted poster, but you’re not exactly subtle when it comes to your beliefs.”

“What, you think renowned slash infamous anarchist activist May Pines can���t keep quiet about her opinions for a few days? Perish the thought?” When Pacifica was unmoved by her dramatic words Mabel chuckled. “Ah, relax sister, I’m only pulling your leg. I love this season, all the sparkly lights, the silly traditions, sharing gifts. You never had that growing up, did you?”

“I did not. Holidays don’t add much when you’re a millionaire. Anyway, we’re wasting time out here, let’s get inside. Mason, you first?”

Dipper was surprised. He hadn’t expected to be put on the spot. He supposed it made sense; it was his plan that had brought them here after all. Hefting the journal crate he walked up the path to the door of the Pines household. Colourful decorations of reindeers lined the way.

It had been Christmas the last time he’d visited too. He and Pacifica had dropped in over New Years 2024 - explicitly avoiding Mabel who’d been present the week before. That had been back in the awful period when the twins weren’t on speaking terms, a situation mercifully reversed in the present. Dipper hoped desperately that the same could soon be said about the distant relationship with his parents.

Wrapped up in his thoughts, he didn’t realise he’d already reached the front door. He turned and saw the others all tapping their feet, waiting for him to make a move. Pacifica in particular was almost daring him to do it, to get over his anxiety. She had Wendy wrapped in her arms while Merrise clung to her hand; his daughters who’d never met their grandparents before today. He would do this for them most of all.

He placed the crate of books down and faced the door. He attempted to project confidence. This was perfectly normal. They were his parents and he was 30 years old for chrissakes, he didn’t have to worry this much. He’d faced the end of the world half a dozen times and come through stronger. He hadn’t even been this stressed on his wedding day. Marrying Pacifica was trivial compared to blowing his biggest secret, one that had defined his entire teen years, wide open. Even deciding between ringing the doorbell or knocking was a momentous dilemma. In the end he opted to knock, wanting the solid reality of the door to tether him in the present.

A few awkward seconds passed and Dipper looked back at the expectant faces of his family while he tried to stay composed. The door was pulled inwards and, staring out from beneath bushy eyebrows, Dipper’s father stood there grinning. “Dipper!”

“Hi Dad-” He was pulled into a tight embrace, reminding him where Mabel had picked up her penchant for bone–crushing hugs. He squeezed back, finding that he’d missed the feeling of such a warm closeness with his father. Released after a few seconds, he saw his mother rushing down the hallway.

“Sorry, the meatloaf’s just gone in the oven.” She lightly hugged Dipper and beamed at him.

“Don’t worry about the cooking, Mom.” Dipper said, placing a hand on each of his parents’ shoulders. “It’s great to see both of you. It’s been way too long.”

“Same to you son,” Mr Pines said. “Although, that hair?”

Dipper picked up a strand of his messy brown hair, which had recently passed the point of being a mullet and often needed tying up in a ponytail. “It fits my personality,” he said casually, almost proud of his more rugged appearance, developed in response to his adventurous lifestyle living in Gravity Falls for the past few months. He flexed a muscle jokingly to show off some of his newly developed strength. “I’m the kind of guy who can cut down a tree and pose dramatically next to it,” he said semi-seriously.

Pacifica strode in the door behind him, trailing a suitcase which she propped up by the stairs. Carrying Wendy in one arm, she handed the case over to husband and flashed a winning smile at the Pines. “Such a pleasure to see you both,” she said to Dipper’s parents with a layer of sophisticated charm he was sure only she could display. “Mary, do you need help in the kitchen?”

“Oh, well-”

“It’s no bother, I’ve already pre-made some things for Christmas dinner. I’ll take a load off your shoulders and let you have a moment with everyone.” She winked at Dipper then sashayed down the hall.

Dipper adjusted the baby in his arms, making sure Wendy was comfortable, then grimaced at his parents. “I promise she’s gotten better at cooking since last you saw her.”

“That’ll be impressive,” Mr Pines grumbled cheerily before grinning down at Dipper’s daughter. “Isn’t she a cutie.”

“Oh yeah,” Dipper said absent-mindedly. “This is Wendy.” He handed her over gently and watched his parents dote on their infant grandaughter. Their eyes lit up with love for the innocent little girl.

“Move it or lose it, bro!” Mabel shoved Dipper out of the way and into the house, carrying Apep around her neck as was usual for her but placed her snake terrifyingly close for most people. She gave a nonchalant wave then breezed straight past her parents into the adjacent sitting room. Sitting in the corner of the room was a massive pink lump of flesh which snorted at Mabel’s presence. “Waddles, my baby!”

“Of course she goes straight for the pig,” her mother chuckled.

“We know who she really cares about around here,” Dad added. Waddles, now in his 18th year, was enjoying his twilight years in peace as a sedentary pig. Of the group, Mabel had visited her parents most frequently in the last few years, making regular trips to Piemont when her activist events allowed.

“Oh yeah,” Mabel added, slapping her forehead. “Mom, Dad, this is my wife Zera!” She said it with the casual tone of introducing a new friend she’d made in the park five minutes prior.

Zera timidly smiled and entered, appearing more nervous than Dipper had ever known from the brash alien. “Hello, Mr and Mrs Pines. I, uh, hope I’m welcome.” For a split second the perception filter flickered under Dipper’s watchful gaze. Zera’s desi features vanished to show a mosaic of shimmering scales. His chest tightened, but then she returned to looking human, with his parents not giving any indication of surprise. Zera’s disguise had only wavered under his own scrutiny.

“Of course dear, come in out of the cold,” Mrs Pines said. “Mabel’s been so cagey telling us about you up until now,” she said enthusiastically, though Dipper noticed a slight narrowing of her brow. Even after all this time Mabel’s reputation for frequent romances was still something his mother was legitimately judgy about. Mr Pines on the other hand slapped her on the back and congratulated her about the wedding, saying something about finally tying his daughter down.

Zera chatted amiably for a few moments, before going to kneel beside Mabel and her pets. Apep and Waddles were snuggled close together, sleeping in the glow of a nearby Christmas tree while the couple watched on. Wendy yawned in her grandmother’s arms and Dipper took her back. “Poor little lamb’s as tuckered out as I am.” He gave a little laugh, finally starting to feel at ease.

Maybe this all wouldn’t be so bad. If Pacifica could breeze in like a socialite and Mabel still had the ability to treat everything like a harmless game, then maybe he could relax about the heavy stuff too.

“And who’s this?” his mother said. Dipper spun around. Standing out in the cold, clutching her hands together, Merrise was still lingering on the porch. She had an apprehensive expression and seemed wary about entering into the glow that covered the front porch.

“Come on Merrise, it’s ok.” Dipper took her hand and helped her step inside. “This is our other daughter. Merrise, say hello to your grandparents.”

“Um, hello.” Her eyes kept to the floor.

Dipper rubbed the back of his neck. “She’s, uh, not used to social situations yet.”

“That’s alright, neither’s Mabel,” Dad said with a hearty laugh. Mabel stuck out her tongue at him, but Merrise’s grip still felt clammy in Dipper’s palm.

Mrs Pines got down on one knee to face Merrise at eye level. “Hello there dear. It’s alright, we won’t bite. Here, I’m Mary.” She offered out her hand and gingerly Merrise accepted the handshake. Mom gasped slightly. “How about that? Six fingers.” Dipper felt the shutters guarding his secrets come crashing back down inside him. Even the perception filter couldn’t hide that quirk of Merrise’s anatomy. His daughter looked like she’d been accused of something and Dipper’s heart twisted up without anything he could say to make things easier. “Well, I’m sure you’ll fit in with our family in no time,” his mother said, guiding her into the sitting room with her aunts.

“You ok, Mace?” his father said, noticing his anxious expression. “You’ll want some help unpacking I suppose. Here, I’ll take this box.”

Dad went to pick up the journal crate but Dipper’s swift reflexes cut him off. “No, I’ve got this one. Thanks Dad, you can help the girls get the rest of the stuff out of the car. We’re gonna have a great Christmas.” Dipper gritted his teeth and set off upstairs with the crate in hand, leaving his confused father behind. Inwardly he cursed. If this is how he reacted to his parents noticing one small facet of Merrise, how on Earth would he cope with the stress of revealing the existence of an entire second life? Wrapped up in internally critiquing himself, Dipper failed to notice the golden light seeping out of the crate in his arms. Something flickered between the pages of the journals, bringing light to long buried secrets.

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

“This’ll be great, like a sleepover, only we’re married!” Mabel had to shout to be heard over the incessant sound of air pumping into her and Zera’s inflatable beds down in the sitting room beside Waddles’ mat. Dipper had already conked out immediately in his old bedroom, which he was sharing with Pacifica alongside a cot for Wendy. Merrise was taking Mabel’s old room, which left the couple sleeping on the floor.

Zera didn’t seem to mind, enjoying the opportunity to wander around the twins’ old home and marvel at framed photos and little souvenirs the family had collected. The mantlepiece was adorned with trinkets from the vacations the Pines had used to go on together before the twins’ first summer in Gravity Falls. Little snowglobes sat beside fridge magnets from every other museum or theme park on the West Coast. After 2012 there was a dropoff in mementos from these family trips. The twins had never quite reconnected with their mundane lives in the same way.

Mabel’s phone buzzed in the pocket of the black cat onesie she’d chosen for pyjamas. “Ooh, lemme get that. Dad, can you help Zera with the second bed?”

“You got it pumpkin,” he said, grunting as he unplugged the hose from the fully inflated airbed.

Zera watched her wife pace around, engrossed in the call with a tail flopping around behind her. She chuckled at the sight and failed to hide a small blush.

“I hope you’ve made an honest woman of my daughter,” Mr Pines said, and Zera immediately stood to attention.

“Oh, yes sir, I have,” Zera said. “No dishonesty from me, that’s for sure.” Mabel heard this and flashed a wink in her direction. Zera only blushed brighter.

Mabel put a finger in one ear, trying to drown out the sound of the pump again. “Yeah, 3 tons of the stuff. I want it delivered by the 6th. Thanks. Yeah. You too, bye.”

“What was that all about, May?” her father asked as she ended the call.

“Nothing,” she said in a highly suspicious way. “Just a little project I have planned back home for the new year. Don’t tell Dipper or Pacifica.”

He shrugged. “If you say so. Whatever you have planned, I'm sure it’ll be hard to miss.” The second airbed was ready so he started packing the pump away. “There. You two newlyweds get the finest honeymoon suite of all: the Pines family living room. Isn’t it grand?”

“Yes Mr Pines, all ship-shape around here,” Zera said, standing rigid.

He slapped his daughter-in-law on the back, taking her breath away. “Now now, there’s no need for formality. We’re all Pines here.” She relaxed her posture and went to test out the springiness of her bed. “Yes, you two don’t have to worry about anything. Over this holiday period Mary and I will make it as relaxing as humanly possible.”

“Thanks.” Zera smiled at Mabel. “I hope I make a good impression.”

“Of course my dear.” Mr Pines sidled over to Mabel and lightly nudged her in the ribs. “Although you couldn’t have married a millionaire like Dip?” he whispered

“Daaaad’” Mabel groaned, embarrassed in a way she hadn’t felt in years.

Seeing that her mood hadn’t darkened too much at the jab, he continued. “I’m just saying, your brother got extremely lucky with dear Pacifica.”

“I’m a disgraced millionaire I think you’ll find.” Pacifica stuck her head around the doorway. “Mason’s out like a light already, poor thing. That’s what ten hours of driving’ll do to you. Wendy too, all very peaceful. She’s too tired to put up a fuss. You lovebirds all set?”

“Definitely,” Mabel said, “I can sleep anywhere.” She flopped down onto her bed with a force that threatened to burst it, covering it up with a grin.

Zera tapped a finger to her chin before nodding. “You know I think I was once a millionaire briefly. Then I lost it all on roulette.”

“A gambler, are you?” Mr Pines asked and Mabel felt her heart leap in her throat.

“Oh sure,” Zera said, missing Mabel’s frantic signals to stop talking. “In fact, you might say May and I met in a casino.”

“Really?” Mr Pines raised an eyebrow while Mabel slumped down in shame. She didn’t want to bring up any of the real facts about how they’d met Zera, mainly because that story involved alien cops, magic temples, and thieves from beyond the stars. But even the basics seemed incriminating in some way.

“Or at least reconnected in one,” Zera continued obliviously. “May was passing through and I was in the middle of this high stakes game, a lot of money on the line…”

Pacifica on the other hand had picked up on Mabel’s distress, so coughed into her fist. “Gee, is that the time? I’d better check on Merrise before she goes to sleep.” She stretched her arms and placed a conspiratorial hand on Zera’s shoulder. “Try not to ramble on too long about all that romance stuff. You don’t wanna bore your hosts.”

Zera’s eyes widened and she subtly nodded. “Oh, right. Well, uh, it was a dull anecdote anyway.” Mabel breathed a sigh of relief as Pacifica left and Mr Pines seemed placated. “There are plenty of reasons how we met, but who we are is more important. Mabel is very sweet, and kind even to people who probably don’t deserve it. But she also doesn’t take anything lying down, always fighting to make the world a better place in some small way. She makes me prouder of who I am. You could say that’s why we got together.”

Mr Pines grunted in affirmation. “Hmmph, well as long as you’re not one of those Greenpeace hippy types my daughter seems to gravitate towards that’s alright with me.”

Mabel rolled her eyes, but grinned. Despite her long list of romances she’d never really managed to introduce any of them to her parents. Even back then she hadn’t been a particularly self-conscious kid, but with all her short flings and eclectic taste in partners she’d never found ‘the one’ to bring home for polite conversation. Zera passing the vibe check with her father wasn’t something she’d expected to be a problem, but it was nice all the same that he accepted her in his own begrudging way. She chuckled to herself, imagining the reaction if Zera was in her true form. Dad would probably freak out. Might be worth it to help Dipper skip over all his angst.

“There it is!” Merrise scurried into the room and dived into the pile of bags the group had dumped inside earlier. She grabbed a small llama plushie and clutched it to her chest. She wore one of Mabel’s old sleeping shirts, a few sizes too big and hanging loosely on her taller frame.

“Ah, you all set for bed Merrise?” Mr Pines asked. “Am I saying that right?”

“You stress the second syllable. Like: Me-rrise.”

“Sorta like Merry, but she doesn’t like being called that,” Mabel added, receiving a scowl from her niece in return.

Mr Pines tried out the name a few times until he was satisfied with the pronunciation. “Merrise. Nice name. Not heard it before. If you don’t mind me asking, where is it from?”

“From? From my… birth parents,” she offered, confused by the question.

“No, I mean,” he struggled with his words. “Where does it originate as a name?”

“Dad!” Mabel interjected. “You can’t go round asking people where they’re from like that.”

He held up his hands in apology “Sorry, sorry, touchy subject.” There was a frosty silence in the room only punctured when Zera leant on her bed, making a squeak. Rubbing his arm, Mr Pines said, “I’m just trying to learn more about you, Merrise. Since you’re part of the family now, and I don’t want to say anything that might make you uncomfortable. So in the future I’ll try not to make any mistakes like that again.”

“I- thank you,” Merrise quietly said. “Night everyone.” The others all said goodnight and Merrise shuffled back upstairs.

Mr Pines thumbed at the door and followed. “Ahem, I’ll go check if your mother’s ready for bed. Goodnight Mabel, Zera.”

The couple shared a glance. “Well, that could’ve gone better,” Zera muttered. Mabel stayed silent and laid back on her airbed.

Zera was right. Suddenly Dipper’s worries didn’t seem so abstract. Her dad was trying to get to know Zera and Merrise, but the thundering awkwardness of his attempt only left Mabel regretting the whole endeavour. Maybe with time both he and Mom would avoid any difficult questions, but she knew it wouldn’t be long before something unravelled the truth.

Mabel groaned. It had always seemed simple in the past, laid out like one of Dipper’s overly complex plans. ‘Mom and Dad finding out about the Journals = No more adventures’. That was the equation he’d laid out. So she’d given no further thoughts to it and gone on enjoying her teen years exploring magical mysteries.

But there were factors she’d failed to consider, like how keeping such a big part of herself hidden would create an inevitable distance from her parents, or how the weight of disobedience would fade as she and Dipper grew older and found their independence. Then there were her own activities, activism across the globe, the sort of things that got her put on government watchlists. Mom and Dad already knew the gist of that time of her life - they could hardly miss her face on nightly news reports - choosing not to pry any deeper into the unsavoury details. If they could handle ‘May Pines: global disruptor’, then what harm would the truth about Zera and Merrise cause now?

She knew one answer: it would reveal her as a liar. Dipper didn’t get that, thought it was still all about the magic and portals. That stuff wasn’t what mattered, Mabel realised. It was the idea that she couldn’t even trust her Dad about the most important things of all. She’d had the chance to watch her father cheerily chat with his granddaughter and didn’t want to burst the bubble yet.

Zera had noticed Mabel’s distress and laid down with one arm around her. Lying there, Mabel anticipated that whatever happened the next few days were going to be tricky to navigate. At least she had someone to rely on, she thought as Zera kissed her on the cheek. They could worry about her parents in the morning. As Zera got up to get into bed, Mabel surprised her with a kiss of her own and dragged her back down. Simple pleasures could help her forget her worries for one night.

[bllsbailey]

Capitalizing on Tragedy: The Democratic Party's Abortion Narrative Poses Risks to Women

As Election Day approaches, Democrats are struggling to find positions on issues that resonate with voters. On most topics important to the electorate—such as the border crisis and immigration, the economy and inflation, and crime and public safety—Republicans hold a significant lead. However, one issue where the left has an advantage is abortion, prompting them to heavily lean on this topic to drive their voters to the polls. This focus has led to a narrative surrounding abortion that is both shocking and deeply troubling.

Recent Democratic messaging has centered around the deaths of two Black women in Georgia, Amber Nicole Thurman and Candi Miller, following their use of FDA-approved abortion medications. Democrats hope to leverage these tragedies for electoral success, but they have unintentionally highlighted the serious risks associated with these drugs, as well as a troubling pattern of denial and exploitation by the party and the media.

Contrary to media narratives, these women did not die because of the much-maligned state pro-life laws. They died after taking abortion pills marketed as safe and effective—pills that do not require a doctor's visit or even a follow-up examination to ensure the patient's health after use. Instead, they experienced painful complications that the abortion industry and its supporters seem all too willing to ignore.

Why did they suffer? Because of misleading information from the media regarding the safety of these drugs, combined with fearmongering about abortion restrictions in Georgia.

Regarding Amber Thurman's tragic death from sepsis, it highlights the absence of proper medical oversight that should accompany such procedures. As ProPublica reported, “She showed up at Piedmont Henry Hospital in need of a routine procedure to clear the tissue from her uterus, called a dilation and curettage, or D&C. But just that summer, her state had made performing the procedure a felony, with few exceptions. Any doctor who violated the new Georgia law could be prosecuted and face up to a decade in prison.” However, Georgia law does allow for the removal of a deceased unborn child, which is precisely what a D&C would accomplish.

Candi Miller's story is equally distressing. She endured days of suffering, just out of reach of the medical assistance she needed—a situation made worse by the false narratives surrounding legal repercussions for seeking care. ProPublica reported, “Miller ordered abortion pills online, but she did not expel all the fetal tissue and would need a dilation and curettage procedure to clear it and avoid sepsis, a grave and painful infection. In many states, this care, known as a D&C, is routine for both abortions and miscarriages. In Georgia, however, performing it had recently become a felony, with few exceptions.” Despite being classified as high-risk (she was 41 and had a history of lupus), Miller was allowed to order the abortion drug online and use it without any medical supervision.

In both cases, these women were let down by the abortion industry, politicians, and the media as they navigated the fallout of their choices alone, with the promise of safe, medically supervised care turning out to be misleading at best.

While the abortion industry touts these pills as the future of reproductive health, the reality reveals a much darker side. These tragic losses raise serious questions about the accountability of those promoting the supposed safety of self-managed abortions. The FDA’s relaxed regulations have created an environment in which women are left vulnerable and uninformed about potential dangers, ultimately leading to fatal outcomes. Yet, the political machinery benefiting from these narratives seems overly eager to downplay these risks while blaming pro-life legislation that aims to protect women and unborn children.

Moreover, the complicity of the media in this discourse cannot be overstated. The narratives surrounding these tragic deaths appear almost exclusively shaped to serve a political agenda rather than seek the truth. A brief search will reveal extensive coverage placing the blame on state pro-life laws while neglecting the role of a profit-driven abortion industry. Instead of examining the inherent dangers of abortion pills and advocating for better conditions to safeguard women's health, the media often spins a narrative that exploits their anguish for political gain.

As Marjorie Dannenfelser from SBA Pro-Life America has stated, the common factors in these casualties—dangerous abortion drugs and a lack of medical care—should spark a serious investigation into the practices of the abortion industry. Families suffering such profound loss deserve an honest reckoning, not just a political narrative. The media's sensationalism obscures the real dangers at hand, which extend beyond state legislation, touching on systemic issues surrounding the use of abortion drugs.

In the end, the deaths of Amber Thurman and Candi Miller should not be used as convenient fodder for political points, but rather as a call for scrutiny and accountability. The abortion pill, endorsed by the FDA, has been heralded as a cornerstone of reproductive freedom. However, the reality is that it is fraught with dangers that many are unwilling to acknowledge. The stories of these women warrant reflection, not exploitation. Rather than using their tragedies for political warfare, it is time to focus on the actual failures of a system that claims to champion women's health while leaving them vulnerable and isolated during their most desperate moments.

Project 21 Ambassador Craig J. DeLuz has almost 30 years in public policy and advocacy.  He currently hosts a daily news and commentary show called The RUNDOWN. You can follow him on X at @CraigDeLuz.

[zaxlover]

You gotta read to your Centaur kids to make sure they get a full night’s rest!!

[popculturebrain]

Atlanta’s Music Midtown Festival Canceled After Court Ruling Made It Illegal to Keep Guns Out of Event

The long-running Music Midtown festival at Piedmont Park in Atlanta, scheduled for Sept. 17-18 with headliners My Chemical Romance, Future, Jack White and Fallout Boy, has been called off, according to a statement issued by festival organizers.

Subscribe to the Pop Culture Brain Daily newsletter for more stories like this!

[londonhalcyon]

I wasn’t kidding about Picrew being never-ending, because I’ve moved on to my Fallout 4 OCs. I’ll probably tweak their names and appearances over time, but honestly these are pretty close, which almost never happens with Picrew.

Left: Ros Markey (she/they), scientist from the southern Piedmont, daughter of an Appalachian vault dweller, and embodiment of “can’t catch a break.”

Right: Castor Markey (he/him), Ros’s younger brother. Only present in flashbacks.

Left: Nora “Blue” Delaney (she/her), Sole Survivor and Minutemen General who can’t catch a break either. Currently dating Piper.

Right: Harper Garza (they/them), Diamond City’s new mayor. A significant improvement over the last one.

Left: Jamie McCreery (he/him), Diamond City security officer and about the happiest person you’ll ever meet. Also trans.

Right: Chloe Rinne (she/her), singer from the Commonwealth, pre-ghoulification. Now a resident of the Slog, she doesn’t look like this anymore.

(Made with this character maker.)

[corsairesix]

Hi I remember reading about your post game mojave and how it developed and was wondering how you think the commonwealth(or appalachia) developed post game? Did it ever become a nation state or something?

My stuff on postgame Mojave is heavily based on one of my playthroughs, so for Fallout 4 it would be less of a nation state and more of a series of connected communities. Preston Garvey leads the Minutemen as sort of a syndicalist org. The Railroad continues to work as a synth welfare organization, especially because there’s still a lot of anti-synth sentiments in the commonwealth. Part of their work is relocating synths who want to leave. Rail lines move synths to Arcadia, the Piedmont Wasteland, the Delta Wasteland, Khan Wyoming, and the Mojave Wasteland.

For both 4 and 76 I focus more on rewrites (my Fallout 76 rewrite ideas are under #single player 76 on here). The closest thing I have as a plausible postgame for 76 is that mutant kangaroos restart the Appalachian enclave

[wolfliving]

CTE NEXT in Torino

*Machine translated.

https://www.torinocitylab.it/it/update-to/cte-next

Description of the project

The project, launched on 1 March 2021 and lasting four years, will promote the acceleration of start-ups and technology transfer towards SMEs.

The goal of CTE NEXT is to create in Turin, in close collaboration with the Turin universities and other strategic partners - selected from the relevant and competent partners of Torino City Lab - a  center for widespread technology transfer on emerging technologies enabled by 5G ( IoT, Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain) .

The City has in fact identified 4 strategic vertical sectors for development and innovation on which the lines of action of the CTE and business support services will address:

Smart Road

Innovative solutions enabling advanced, safe and intelligent mobility, from connected vehicles to V2X communications, from integration with mobility scenarios to algorithms for autonomous driving.

Urban Air Mobility. (((drones, because Turin loves those)))

Innovative solutions to enable the use of aerial platforms to support sustainable and safe mobility of goods and people, from monitoring and control applications to their integration as means of transport.

Industry 4.0

Innovative solutions to connect machines, objects, resources and people in the production environment and along the company supply chain, along the entire life cycle of the product / service, to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of production but also of relations with suppliers and customers.

Innovative Urban Services

Innovative solutions to support the Public Administration, for the provision of services to citizens, the management of resources, goods and public spaces, the enhancement of the territory and the development of business from public-private collaboration.

The places of the CTE NEXT

Within the broader framework of Torino City Lab, the innovation policy of the City of Turin, an attractive and generative environment will be created for start-ups and SMEs from abroad, promoting services and acceleration programs for start-ups (or aspiring enterprises), technology transfer services aimed at SMEs and in general support for testing in real conditions. 

CTE NEXT will therefore make available places, assets and skills spread throughout the territory, including a multiservice technological infrastructure that can be used on-demand by companies and partners for the needs of development and demonstration of innovative solutions in the various verticals.

With CTE NEXT, the City of Turin aims to propose a new cooperative model of urban innovation ecosystem, which can be transferred to other urban contexts on a national and European scale and consequently create new forms of collaboration and new markets for businesses. and the innovative urban solutions accompanied in Turin. CTE NEXT will be able to generate a measurable fallout in terms of new businesses, new jobs, new widespread skills and new urban services enabled by 5G tested and therefore ready to enter our cities.

The partners

Municipality of Turin Polytechnic of Turin University of Turin Links Foundation CIM 4.0 I3P CSI PIEDMONT 5T srl Torino Wireless Digital Magics Talent Garden Foundation TIM SpA

[hypereactive]

(made a new post bcus the chain was too long)

Thanks for the tag!! @anotherfangirlexists (sorry had a busy week)

Named after someone: i share my middle name with my grandma :)

Last time I cried: last week, my kitty died :(

Any kids: nah

Do I use sarcasm: my sister bought me a shirt that says “im not always sarcastic. sometimes im sleeping” so….

First thing I notice about someone: also hair

Eye colour: the sky. literally (pale, usu blue, sometimes more grey depending on ambient light)

Scary movie or happy ending: happy ending. I cant watch scary (i jumped watching detective pikachu, sherlock, ect.)

Special talent: hyperempathy??

Birthplace: Montana

Hobbies: tumblr, fallout 4, creating (drawing painting music clay idc) reading (esp dystopian), longboarding, listening to music

Sports played: i really only played ones forced by school. I like frisbee

Pets: none, i wish i had a birb

Height: like, 5′8″? exactly medium

Favourite subject: math, esp. algebra

Dream job: design draftsman

15 mutuals: oh boy. Not even sure there are 15 of you :/ lets see…

@ramblebrambleamble @roman-pluto @burningsushi573 @red-admiral-cupcakes @butterfly-bandaid @warriorprincess1995 @piedmont-gecko @lettuce-queen-is-valid @kristenthelesbian @handageddon @jeppevanengen @akatnamedkatie @toastymeister @eye-gunk @thegoddamnhat

[noodle8]

Some character doodles for my custom fallout thing!!

[don-lichterman]

Atlanta’s Music Midtown Festival Canceled Over Gun Law Changes – Billboard

Atlanta’s Music Midtown Festival Canceled Over Gun Law Changes – Billboard

The long-running Music Midtown festival at Piedmont Park in Atlanta, scheduled for Sept. 17-18 with headliners My Chemical Romance, Future, Jack White and Fallout Boy, has been called off, according to a statement issued by festival organizers. The likely cause, industry sources tell Billboard, are recent changes to Georgia gun laws that prevent the festival from banning guns on to the publicly…

[wsdo]

today i was productive

but not with capitalization or punctuation in my titles.  

I woke up and got ready about 11. Which considering my recent sleep schedule is pretty early.  around noon I went out and drove to La Tolteca and had lunch with Joe and his sister Sarah.  it was a nice lunch.  I got lunch special number 2.  beef burrito with rice and beans. and cheese.  mmmmmmmmmm

i’m making myself hungry.  

After lunch i said goodbye to joe and sara and headed over to CW.  I went to the guardhouse and caught up with a few people since I haven’t been over there in a while.  Then I got Niall to try to help me fix my musket.  A job I thought would be much easier than it is turning out to be. 

So it turns out that the pins on my musket aren’t drilled all the way even though they are supposed to be.  so the trigger can’t be taken out easily.  The trigger is also too short and installed in the wrong pinhole, giving it less leverage and making the trigger pull incredibly heavy.  This is not something that we could easily fix in an afternoon in the up and down.  

It was suggested that I take it over to the gunsmith shop and have them look at it.  I did but the person i was looking for was not there.  I plan on going back tomorrow morning and having the guy look at it and maybe giving me an estimate for the work.  Hopefully he can do it and it won’t be too expensive. The good news is that the musket is completely safe to shoot and will not be damaged by firing with the current trigger, the trigger pull is just obnoxious and the trigger wobbles all over the place.  

anyways.  

I came home with the intention of going to the gym with joe when he got off work at 5, however, I accidentally took a nap and that didn’t happen.  We had dinner of sausage hot dogs and watched movies.  First Iron giant, then blazing saddles and a movie called Kill Command which was about cyborgs and self aware robots.  it was pretty good.  

I tried to conquer more of Austria in Napoleon Total War, but the conflict on multiple fronts is a little hard to handle.  Piedmont Sardinia almost destroyed my secondary army in a pinch.  

I am now playing fallout new vegas and watching the west wing.  Honest Hearts for the thousandth time.  

there was a cinemasins for Cabin in the woods today! I enjoyed it very much.  

see you guys around

send me chocolate milk

or as a great one once called it “Cocoa Moo”

I like the aesthetic of these one line little continuations.  

it entertains me.  makes me feel important.  

I’ve been listening to a lot of Blink 182 recently.  

so good.  

anyway. 

rock on.  

[ncmagroup]

 by Andrea Rowland

Prepare, don’t panic

This is an uncertain time for business owners worldwide, but it’s no time to panic. Here’s what you can do now to start preparing your small business to weather the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

10 ways for small businesses to weather the effects of the COVID-19 crisis

Curate credible resources for COVID-19 information.

Plan for change.

Practice “social distancing.”

Figure out what you want to say to customers.

Make it easy for customers to contact you.

Stay top-of-mind with content that helps your customers.

Craft smart emails to communicate with customers.

Engage in social media.

Leverage a supportive community.

Above all, stay healthy.

1. Curate credible resources for COVID-19 information

From federal health advisories to local organizations offering must-know COVID-19 info, here are some best practices for bookmarking resources that can help you, your employees, your customers, and your community manage better through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here is a curated list of worldwide government assistance programs for small businesses impacted by COVID-19. 

2. Plan for change

To start, evaluate changes you might need to make in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Will you need to adjust the way you do business?

Outline a plan and prioritize action items. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce recommends prioritizing critical operations:

“Be prepared to change your business practices if needed to maintain critical operations (e.g. identify alternative suppliers, prioritize customers, or temporarily suspend some of your operations.)”

Adopt a customer-first mindset. It’s never been more important to nurture existing customers. Show them how much you appreciate their support. Think about how you can help them manage their way through the COVID-19 crisis. For example, as a result of coronavirus-related disruptions, some utility companies are trying to help customers who can’t pay their bills right now.

Duke Energy

✔@DukeEnergy

An important update from Duke Energy & Piedmont Natural Gas regarding #COVID19

981

1:18 PM – Mar 13, 2020

Twitter Ads info and privacy

689 people are talking about this

Likewise, some businesses are offering free and freemium services.

Mint Mobile

✔@Mintmobile

The last few days have thrown the world into an unprecedented moment of uncertainty where reliable communication is of the utmost importance. Today through 4-14, we will be providing all current & new customers with free unlimited high-speed data add-ons. http://MintMobile.com/unlimited

1,081

6:24 PM – Mar 15, 2020

Twitter Ads info and privacy

253 people are talking about this

In an effort to help restaurants, Uber Eats committed to “Supporting the restaurant industry through an uncertain season” by waiving the delivery fee “for the more than 100,000 independent restaurants across US & Canada on Uber Eats.”

Uber Eats

✔@UberEats

We’re committed to supporting our community and helping to keep you safe in the cities we serve: $0 Delivery Fee for local restaurants in the US & Canada You can request food be left at your doorstep We’re committing 300K+ meals to healthcare workers & first responders

Supporting the restaurant industry through an uncertain season

http://www.uber.com

803

6:08 PM – Mar 16, 2020

Twitter Ads info and privacy

775 people are talking about this

Check local resources for possible closures or cancellations that could affect your business operations. For example, school closures will likely impact a childcare provider who operates in line with the local school district’s schedule. Companies like Zoom are stepping up to help educators. Zoom already offers a free plan, but they have lifted the 40 minute limit for on free accounts for schools affected by the coronavirus.

Companies like Scholastic, PBS, Prodigy Math and many others are also offering free lessons and resources to help children continue learning while schools are closed. Prodigy Game tweeted this list of resources.

Prodigy Game@ProdigyGame

Here are some more very good #LearnFromHome resources. Let us know which ones you are trying! https://cnet.co/3d6rvTn

Coronavirus closed schools. Here are online education classes for every age and grade

Attention, parents: Here’s how to keep the learning going during the coronavirus pandemic.

cnet.com

9

8:55 AM – Mar 17, 2020

Twitter Ads info and privacy

See Prodigy Game’s other Tweets

If you rely on a single global supplier, consider diversifying your supply chain.

If you need to focus more on a specific aspect of running your business, look into outsourcing other tasks. For example, you might hire a freelance writer to help with customer emails or blog posts. Or you might hire a virtual assistant to answer the phone and manage your calendar, freeing you to do business-critical work.

Modify travel plans. Stay on top of travel health notices from the CDC here. Some airlines, like JetBlue, are waiving change and cancellation fees.

JetBlue

✔@JetBlue

We’ve waived all change and cancel fees for travel thru 4/30/20, regardless of when you purchased your ticket. And, there are no change or cancel fees on new flights booked thru 3/31/20. Details> https://jetblue.com/travel-alerts

556

4:29 PM – Mar 10, 2020

Twitter Ads info and privacy

428 people are talking about this

How will you support employees?

If you have employees, will you need to make changes to support your workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic? Here are some things to consider:

Communicate to your employees on the steps you’re taking. Provide an easily accessible FAQ sheet to keep your team updated with COVID-19 news.

Arrange for remote work / work-from-home options. A number of companies are offering free and discounted tools and services to enable remote work.

For example, LogMeIn has created a “Remote Work Toolkit” to help employers and entrepreneurs seamlessly transition into a remote workplace. The resource page features tips for working remotely, ideas for maintaining a work-life balance, steps for creating an emergency plan, and more.

LogMeIn, Inc.

✔@LogMeIn

In the past week, the conversation around #remotework has increased. Does your organization have an emergency plan? Check out our #remotework toolkit for a seamless transition to a remote workforce. http://bit.ly/2xsMGyw

6

12:27 PM – Mar 12, 2020

Twitter Ads info and privacy

See LogMeIn, Inc.’s other Tweets

Review paid time off and sick leave policies.

Listen with empathy. Like just about everyone else, your employees probably have concerns about the COVID-19. Be available to hear them and respond in the best way you can.

Tip: Bookmark resources like the U.S. Department of Labor, which is releasing guidance related to managing the COVID-19 crisis.

US Labor Department

✔@USDOL

.@USDOL announces guidance outlining flexibility states have in administering unemployment insurance programs to those affected by the ongoing coronavirus outbreak: https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/eta/eta20200312-0 …

62

12:50 PM – Mar 12, 2020

Twitter Ads info and privacy

51 people are talking about this

How will the COVID-19 pandemic affect your small business’s finances?

It’s likely hard to NOT think about how this virus is impacting your bottom line. But there are steps you can take to help mitigate the financial fallout.

Work up a cash flow forecast. Partner with a financial professional, if necessary.

Consider applying for an IRS tax extension.

Look into rent and supplier deferment programs.

Explore emergency funding options, including:

The SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans: This program provides small businesses with working capital loans of up to $2 million “to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing.”

SBA

✔@SBAgov

#COVID19 Economic Injury Disaster Loans are now available to small businesses in these states: CA CT ME WA More to come. Apply online: https://disasterloan.sba.gov 1-800-659-2955 (TTY: 1-800-877-8339) disastercustomerservice@sba.gov

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Apply for Disaster Assistance

http://www.sba.gov

251

8:00 PM – Mar 16, 2020

Twitter Ads info and privacy

337 people are talking about this

Emergency grants and low-interest loans from municipal governments. Cities like New York City, San Francisco, and Seattle have already stepped up to help small businesses. Check for similar programs in your local area.

Related: Top 20 crowdfunding platforms of 2020

Back to top

3. Practice “social distancing”

The CDC defines social distancing as “remaining out of congregate settings, avoiding mass gatherings, and maintaining distance (approximately 6 feet or 2 meters) from others when possible.” They recommend practices ranging from avoiding handshakes to making transactions online.

This can be especially tough if you’re a brick-and-mortar business like a restaurant or hair salon or comic book shop. Tough, but not impossible.

For example, Food Bank for the Heartland, in partnership with Feeding America, has been purchasing food and establishing “drive-up pantries” so that people who can’t afford pantry staples can still have enough to eat during the quarantine.

Here are 10 tactics for adjusting your business for social distancing.

  4. Figure out what you want to say to customers

Many companies have been doing their best to keep people up-to-date with what they’re doing in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. You’ll no doubt want to do something similar, even if it’s just a statement you post to your blog or website, rather than emailing it out.

Some messages you might want to send to customers include:

Thank them for their support.

Explain what your business is doing and how it affects them.

Detail the changes you’re making, including to terms of service.

Tell them about updated refund and cancellation policies, if applicable.

Tell them how to get in touch with you.

Reassure them that we’re all in this together.

Here’s a great example from a local animal hospital:

… and from the California-based Exploratorium:

Be sure to check out Twitter’s recommendations on brand communications in the time of crisis.

  5. Make it easy for customers to contact you

To help you make it easy for your customers to contact you on a consistent basis, here are a few measures you can take:

Website. Give your contact information prominent placement on every page of your website.

Here’s a great example from Ignite Dance & Yoga in Washington:

Online business listings. Be sure your contact info is up-to-date on online business listings like Google My Business and Yelp.

Email. Make sure to include up-to-date contact information in all email correspondence with customers. All of them to reply to your emails directly.

Social media. Let customers, as well as other business owners, know you’re active on social media to connect with you and drop you a message. Include links to your social profiles in emails, blog posts, etc. so customers know they can also connect with you on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the other networks where you have a presence.

Chat apps. Using tools like Facebook Messenger and Twitter Chats — and letting customers know that you’re available on Messenger during certain hours — can help customers feel connected to you in real-time.

Dedicated phone number. Enable customers to easily get in touch with you over the phone by sharing the best number to reach you. If you’ll be available via phone outside of normal business hours, let them know.

Signage. If you’re a brick-and-mortar business, post your up-to-date contact info on highly visible signage.

Online bookings and scheduling. Let customers know they can manage appointments with you using online tools (bonus if your website includes the ability to schedule and modify appointments). If you’re a Microsoft Office 365 user, you might already have access to Microsoft Bookings.

Here’s a great example from California’s Lede Family Wines:

Related: Why it’s time to revisit and revamp your website contact page

  6. Stay top-of-mind with content that helps your customers

Redirect downtime to creating content that helps your customers (and boosts their confidence in you).

Blog posts. Article ideas include “How Can You Cope With X During the COVID-19 Shutdown? (X is the problem your company solves for customers),” “What We’re Doing During the COVID-19 Shutdown,” and “The Top 10 Things We Love About Our Customers.”

Videos. Take your blog articles above and tell stories about them. Videos are a great place to tell stories, not just relate lists of information. Also, consider doing some video interviews with colleagues.

Podcasts. If you don’t want to do video interviews, start an audio podcast instead. Record them with a basic voice recorder app on your phone, or use a program on your laptop like Audacity, GarageBand, or even Skype and Call Recorder (a Skype add-on).

Webinars. Webinars are a great way to educate people about your company’s offering without actually doing any selling at all. Premium webinar packages include GoToWebinar, Microsoft Teams Live Events, Zoom, and free options include Google Hangouts or YouTube Live.

Social posts. Of course, now that everyone is staying at home, they’re all watching Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, so it makes sense that you meet them where they are. Engage with people, talk with them, have conversations with them.

Many people are nervous, so help them cope by just having normal conversations with them.

This is not a good time to hard-sell your products, but it’s a great time to relate to people as people. Share your stories, blog posts and videos with them. Since those are pieces of content that will inform, explain, educate and (perhaps) entertain, they’re worth sharing on social media.

This is also a time to serve as a resource for your customers.

Pay attention to them, set up an alert for certain industry terms, and then respond to the posts that use those terms. People may have questions or even some ideas, and it’s worth engaging with them about it.

  7. Craft smart emails to communicate with customers

COVID-19 is an unprecedented crisis affecting the entire globe. And though every country is handling it differently, one thing remains certain: we are all in this together. And anything you can do to bolster that sense of solidarity with your customers is appreciated.

Emails you send to your customers should address the crisis immediately. In these messages, you can:

Talk about how it’s impacting the world and your company.

Discuss what you’re doing differently in its wake.

Be upfront about what you plan to do for your customers during this trying time.

Discuss how COVID-19 might impact your ability to serve your customers, if relevant.

For instance, Imperfect Foods recently sent out an email indicating service may slow over the coming weeks as demand for their products increases:

But they also go on to reassure customers how they’re handling the crisis internally and that they ensure the safety of their products for customers.

8. Engage in social media

Many people are turning to social media for information and a sense of connection to the world, especially as they are practicing social isolation. Here are some more ways that you can use social media to continue to build and sustain relationships with your customers.

Update your social media profiles with any changes to your hours or what services you’re providing. For significant updates, like reduced hours or closures, be sure to pin that post at the top of your profile for easy reference.

Share real-time updates. Beyond just email messaging, you can connect with your customers on social media to give them real-time updates on how you and your business are handling COVID-19.

Share helpful content, including blog posts and videos.

Build community through asking and answering questions.

Leverage automation and scheduling tools to keep your social presence up-to-date.

Here’s a great example of sharing helpful content on Twitter:

ǝlʇʇʎl ɐssılǝɯ

✔@melissalyttle

Here’s a list of resources, including education, advocacy, health and mental health resources, and emergency funding for FREELANCE ARISTS in the wake of COVID-19. #coronavirus #freelancelife https://covid19freelanceartistresource.wordpress.com/ 

Home

Visit the post for more.

covid19freelanceartistresource.wordpress.com

113

4:32 PM – Mar 12, 2020

Twitter Ads info and privacy

101 people are talking about this

Related: Time-saving social media tips for business owners

  9. Leverage a supportive community

Physical distance separates us all, yes, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make the effort to build community within companies and with customers.

Form strategic partnerships. Look for opportunities to partner up with other local businesses, or explore strategic alliances through organizations like BNI.

Get active in professional and trade organizations. For example, the National Association of Realtors® is offering a COVID-19 resource guide for members.

National Association of REALTORS®

✔@nardotrealtor

In response to the growing concerns about COVID-19, NAR is providing this guidance to help REALTORS® respond to the coronavirus’s potential impact on the real estate industry: http://ow.ly/ji2x50yMdCR

Coronavirus: A Guide for REALTORS®

In response to the growing concerns about COVID-19, commonly referred to as coronavirus, NAR is providing this guidance to help REALTORS® respond to the coronavirus’ potential impact on the real

nar.realtor

19

12:20 PM – Mar 15, 2020

Twitter Ads info and privacy

35 people are talking about this

The National Retail Federation is also doing its best to keep retail establishments informed of the latest information on COVID-19 and the virus’s direct impact on the retail industry.

National Retail Federation

✔@NRFnews

What all retailers need to know about the developing COVID-19 outbreak http://ow.ly/jiu050yDWrR

4

12:36 PM – Mar 5, 2020

Twitter Ads info and privacy

See National Retail Federation’s other Tweets

Likewise, the National Electrical Contractors Association put together a list of resources that can specifically aid electricians as they navigate these uncharted waters.

NECA@necanet

NECA thanks everyone for their patience during these challenging times. Please refer to the NECA Coronavirus Resource Center for travel FAQs and workforce resource documents. #WeAreNECA http://bit.ly/2xIxb5O

7

11:02 AM – Mar 16, 2020

Twitter Ads info and privacy

See NECA’s other Tweets

Join online forums and meetups.

Encourage support for fellow small businesses. Refer to customers. Announce partnerships.

Entrepreneur Denise Duffield-Thomas is a wonderful example of how you can create your own community support right now. She posted on her Facebook page that she was looking to spend $5,000 on products and services, and then encouraged people to drop links to offerings that cost less than $100.

She then asked everyone who participated to also scroll through the links to see if they could find anything they would be interested in buying as well. What a simple way to give each other a boost in business:

Find a mentor.

These times are tough, but that can be mitigated by reaching out to others.

  10. Stay healthy

Despite all that’s going on in the world and the fact that many of us are cooped up in our home offices or at the very least practicing social distancing, it’s still important to take measures to protect or enhance your health in mind, body, and spirit.

If you’re a business that provides health and wellness services, your customers need you now more than ever. For example, Yogis Anonymous, a yoga studio in Santa Monica, California, is offering free online courses for 30 days.

Many healthcare providers also are offering telehealth services.

Lots of mental health pros are offering online therapy sessions to avoid the need to come into their office for a face-to-face appointment.

MagnoliaMentalHealth@MagnoliaMHealth

Our Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist will be offering discounted telehealth (online video) therapy during the Coronavirus crisis for individuals, families & couples. Please visit http://www.magnoliamhealth.com or email chloecook@magnoliamhealth.com if interested.

Magnolia Mental Health

magnoliamhealth.com

1

10:08 AM – Mar 16, 2020

Twitter Ads info and privacy

See MagnoliaMentalHealth’s other Tweets

The CDC offers up a number of suggestions for taking care of yourself and others during this difficult time, noting that while everyone reactions differently in times of strife, the stress and anxiety the outbreak can cause is valid.

The CDC’s recommendations for reducing stress include:

Limiting your consumption of news and social media about the pandemic.

Taking time to participate in physical exercise daily. Even within your home, you can stretch, do yoga, or follow along with an aerobic fitness routine from YouTube.

Eat a balanced and healthy diet.

Get enough sleep.

Avoid alcohol and drugs.

Dedicate time to relaxation when possible and/or participate in an activity you enjoy.

Take time to talk with friends on the phone or through video chat/FaceTime.

These are all things you can do to look after your own health. But you should extend these concerns to your employees and business partners as well. This can take many forms including:

Sharing factual information about COVID-19 with your employees.

Offering flexible schedules.

Reducing workload expectations.

Offering paid time off/medical leave/family leave if you have the ability to.

Share exercising and nutrition tips/advice/assistance whenever you can.

Basically, support your team as best you can.

Related: 18 self-care tips to promote entrepreneur health and wellness

  Summing up

The COVID-19 crisis is causing unprecedented disruption to individuals and small businesses around the world. But we’re all in this together. Use whatever strategies in this article you feel will help you steer your unique venture through the COVID-19 pandemic.

The following writers contributed to this article: Ashley Grant, Brandi Johnson, Brenda Barron, Dan Hughes, Elizabeth Leer, and Erik Deckers.

    Go to our website:   www.ncmalliance.com

10 ways for small businesses to weather the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic  by Andrea Rowland Prepare, don’t panic This is an uncertain time for business owners worldwide, but it’s no time to panic.

[noodle8]

Shit idiot former child soldier thinks he can win in an inherently faulty system, owned!