#first Thursday in April

[rabbitcruiser]

National Burrito Day

Line up some meat, beans and cheese on a large flour tortilla. Fold in the sides, fold up the bottom and then roll on, my friend, roll on! And it’s the rolling that really makes the burrito come alive.

It’s time to celebrate and enjoy this simple but delicious food on National Burrito Day! 

History of National Burrito Day

The history of the burrito is couched in mystery because the concept of meats and cheeses rolled in tortillas is hard to trace! A variety of different types of foods that originate from Mexico include the tortilla with meat and cheese, such as the taco and the enchilada, taquitos, chimichangas or even quesadillas. But the burrito is a bit unique because it is larger than others and its history has grown out of the culture of Mexico but made its way into the southwestern portions of the United States where it became even more popular.

Burritos can be traced back at least to the 19th century, when these recipes were developed. In fact, one of the oldest mentions of the word “burrito” came in 1895 when it was mentioned in a book called the “Dictionary of Mexicanisms”.

Originally created with simple meat and cheese inside of a tortilla, and then probably sold by street food vendors, the burrito evolved into something more as the years went on. Sometimes called mission-style burritos the idea came for adding beans and rice as fillers, and then guacamole and sour cream for toppings. It was after this that the burrito developed into something more akin to what it is today, with some restaurants like Chipotle offering a huge range of options for preferred ways to fill a burrito.

In any case, the burrito is a hearty and delicious meal that is certainly worth celebrating! And that’s where the tradition of National Burrito Day, whether old or new, finds its place in the world.

National Burrito Day Timeline

16th Century

Ancestors of burritos appear 

Food wrapped in tortillas becomes a Mexican tradition.

1930s

Burritos first appear on US menus 

In the US, the first restaurant to put burritos on the menu was El Cholo Spanish Cafe in Los Angeles, California.

1940s

A Ciudad Juárez street vendor sells burritos

The story goes that this Mexican street vendor portioned meat out in tortillas, perfect for children, whom he called “burritos”.

1961

Mission-style burritos evolve 

The Mexican food scene in San Francisco produces an extra large burrito that adds rice, guacamole and sour cream.

1993

First Chipotle Mexican Grill opens 

Famous for their freshly made burritos, Chipotle opens its first store in Denver, Colorado.

How to Celebrate National Burrito Day

Getting in the spirit of National Burrito Day can be loads of fun and a tasty adventure. Get involved with the day by implementing some of these ideas for celebrating:

Try Making Burritos at Home

One super delicious way to celebrate National Burrito Day is to hang out with family or invite a group of friends over for a burrito bar. In fact, burritos are some of the easiest foods to serve when hosting a crowd! Those who have a quick cooking instant pot may choose to cook some pork or chicken with seasonings in just about an hour. A slow cooker or roasting in the oven are viable options as well.

Friends can be invited to bring the fixings such as large flour tortillas, black or red beans, rice with cilantro, guacamole, cheese sour cream, salsa, tortilla chips, jalapenos, hot sauces, and so many other yummy toppings! Line everything up and let each guest make their own burrito by piling on everything they love. It’s a fun way to serve a great meal without a lot of fuss.

Go Out for Burritos

One superb way to celebrate National Burrito Day might be to grab a friend or family member, head on over to a restaurant that serves burritos and order a delicious plate full. Perhaps this would be a locally owned and operated Mexican restaurant that serves up beef, chicken or bean burritos on a bed of rice. Or maybe it would be a quick lunch at a fast and fresh food burrito restaurant.

Don’t forget to ask if that favorite Mexican kitchen is offering any special deals or discounts in celebration of National Burrito Day!

Try out one of these Mexican restaurant chains that serves burritos:

QDOBA Mexican Eats. With more than 700 locations in the United States, it’s easy to find a delicious burrito nearby. Try the specialty chicken burrito that is customizable to each individual’s desired tastes and preferences.

Chipotle. One of the largest and most accessible burrito joints, this chain boasts almost 3,000 locations not only in the US, but also in Canada, Germany, France and the United Kingdom.

Moe’s Southwest Grill. This one is perhaps not quite as well known, but Moe’s is still a viable option that has up to 700 locations throughout the US.

Taco Bell. Sure, it gets a bad rap (or wrap?!) sometimes, but there’s no arguing with the fact that 7000 locations worldwide is nothing to overlook. And it’s probably the quickest service for burritos and other Mexican fast food around.

Enjoy a Tex-Mex Themed Day

Whether at work or at school, National Burrito Day brings with it many opportunities to enjoy and show appreciation for the culture behind this delicious food. In addition to eating burritos, don’t forget to stay connected through fun aspects such as festive music, delightful decorations, cultural dress and even some fun games.

One fun activity might be to grab a blindfold and play Pin the Tail on the Donkey. After all, the word for “burrito” really translates to mean “little donkey” in the Spanish language. Another fun game for a National Burrito Day party might be to have a cute pinata filled with candy and treats.

Create a Burrito Themed Playlist

Have tons of fun creating a festive playlist of songs celebrating the home culture of the burrito. Get started with some of these fun ideas for songs that give a nod to National Burrito Day:

How Do I Feel (The Burrito Song) by Hoku (2000). The songwriter penned this one in honor of a boy she liked who worked at a burrito stand. Sure, it’s a little silly, but it’s also rather fun.

Burrito by Pete Yorn (2003). Known for his ability to play the bulk of the instruments on his albums, Pete Yorn sings this song where he offers the listener a bite of his burrito.

O Burrito by Fernando Corriera Marques (2009). This tribute is sung as it should be – in Spanish!

The Burrito Song by Creed Fisher (2022). A strange but compelling song by Creed Fisher, this one is more of a kids’ song but certainly shows its love for burritos too. 

National Burrito Day FAQs

How to fold a burrito?

Fold a warm tortilla by folding in on the sides, folding the bottom up, and then rolling up.

Are burritos from Mexico?

Burritos may have gotten their start in the northern regions of Mexico, but they crossed the border to become “Tex-Mex”.

Can burritos be healthy?

Burritos made with low fat meat, beans, rice, and a small amount of cheese can be healthy.

Do burritos have rice?

Though original burritos would not have included rice, many people make them with rice now.

Are burrito bowls healthier than burritos?

People who choose burrito bowls instead of wraps can save on calories, carbohydrates and also be gluten free.

Source

[theworstcreature]

It’s the first thirsty Thursday of 2024

Have this ancient photo I found on AJR’s instagram to celebrate

[extervus]

OOPS forgot to take pictures for my one year anniversary on testosterone cause I went on a walk with my bf and then ate a lasagna garfield style so uhmm here have some pics from the last few months ok?

Featuring @binesetakeout as that sexy lil binch in the top left corner

[epicmiscellaneousponderings]

Top Thirteen Thursday

As it is still April and thus still Poetry Month I'm going to list off thirteen of my favorite poets and/or poems in alphabetical order and not by order of preference. I apologize for the length of this post in advance and if you like please buy me a coffee!

William Blake, in particular the poems, "England! awake! awake! awake!" // "Evening Star" // "Night"

Lewis Carroll, in particular the poems, "Jabberwocky" // "The Lobster Quadrille"

G. K. Chesterton, in particular the poem, "Modern Elfland" // "

John Donne, in particular the poem, "Death Be Not Proud" // "For Whom the Bell Tolls"

Robert Frost, in particular the poems "Fire and Ice" // "The Road Not Taken" // "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening"

Homer, definitely check out "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey"

Brian Jacques, check out some of his poetry here

C.S. Lewis, in particular the poems, "Science-fiction Cradlesong" // "An Expostulation"

Edgar Allen Poe, in particular the poems "The Raven" // A Dream Within a Dream" // "Lenore"

William Shakespeare, he is not known as "The Bard" for nothing after all. I really can't choose a favorite but you should all go listen to Sir Patrick Stewart read Shakespeare's sonnets here.

Edmund Spencer, in particular "The Faerie Queene"

Alfred Tennyson, in particular the poems "The Lady of Shalott" // "The Charge of the Light Brigade" // "Idylls of the King"

J.R.R. Tolkien, in particular the poems/songs, "The Road Goes Ever On and On" // "The world was young, the mountains green" // "Fifteen birds in five fir trees" // "The King beneath the mountains" // "I Sit beside the Fire and Think" // "Lament for Boromir" I could honestly make a separate list of top thirteen just for Tolkien. I also highly recommend checking out Clamavi De Profundis for listening.

[maddy-ferguson]

rewatching eternal sunshine of the spotless mind and pulp fiction in theaters next week two movies i didn't even love when i watched them the first time but this is what you do for love

[frogndtoad]

just finished downloading aaaaall my music from bandcamp to my hard drive >:3

[reasonsforhope]

"The sleeping giant of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has stirred.

In the past month, an avalanche of anti-pollution rules, targeting everything from toxic drinking water to planet-heating gases in the atmosphere, have been issued by the agency. Belatedly, the sizable weight of the US federal government is being thrown at longstanding environmental crises, including the climate emergency.

On Thursday [May 18, 2023], the EPA’s month of frenzied activity was crowned by the toughest ever limits upon carbon pollution from America’s power sector, with large, existing coal and gas plants told they must slash their emissions by 90% or face being shut down.

The measure will, the EPA says, wipe out more than 600m tons of carbon emissions over the next two decades, about double what the entire UK emits each year. But even this wasn’t the biggest pollution reduction announced in recent weeks.

In April, new emissions standards for cars and trucks will eliminate an expected 9bn tons of CO2 by the mid-point of the century, while separate rules issued late last year aim to slash hydrofluorocarbons, planet-heating gases used widely in refrigeration and air conditioning, by 4.6bn tons in the same timeframe. Methane, another highly potent greenhouse gas, will be curtailed by 810m tons over the next decade in another EPA edict.

In just a few short months the EPA, diminished and demoralized under Donald Trump, has flexed its regulatory muscles to the extent that 15bn tons of greenhouse gases – equivalent to about three times the US’s carbon pollution, or nearly half of the entire world’s annual fossil fuel emissions – are set to be prevented, transforming the power basis of Americans’ cars and homes in the process...

If last year’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), with its $370bn in clean energy subsidies and enticements for electric car buyers, was the carrot to reducing emissions, the EPA now appears to be bringing a hefty stick.

The IRA should help reduce US emissions by about 40% this decade but the cut needs to be deeper, up to half of 2005 levels, to give the world a chance of avoiding catastrophic heatwaves, wildfires, drought and other climate calamities. The new rules suddenly put America, after years of delay and political rancor, tantalizingly within reach of this...

“It’s clear we’ve reached a pivotal point in human history and it’s on all of us to act right now to protect our future,” said Michael Regan, the administrator of the EPA, in a speech last week at the University of Maryland. The venue was chosen in a nod to the young, climate-concerned voters Joe Biden hopes to court in next year’s presidential election, and who have been dismayed by Biden’s acquiescence to large-scale oil and gas drilling.

“Folks, this is our future we are talking about, and we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity for real climate action,” [Michael Regan, the administrator of the EPA], added. “Failure is not an option, indifference is not an option, inaction is not an option.” ...

It’s not just climate the EPA has acted upon in recent months. There are new standards for chemical plants, such as those that blight the so-called "Cancer Alley" the US, from emitting cancer-causing toxins such as benzene, ethylene oxide and vinyl chloride. New rules curbing mercury, arsenic and lead from industrial facilities have been released, as have tighter limits on emissions of soot and the first ever regulations targeting the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkylsubstances (or PFAS) in drinking water.” ...

For those inside the agency, the breakneck pace has been enervating. “It’s definitely a race against time,” said one senior EPA official, who asked not to be named. “The clock is ticking. It is a sprint through a marathon and it is exhausting.” ...

“We know the work to confront the climate crisis doesn’t stop at strong carbon pollution standards,” said Ben Jealous, the executive director of the Sierra Club.

“The continued use or expansion of fossil power plants is incompatible with a livable future. Simply put, we must not merely limit the use of fossil fuel electricity – we must end it entirely.”"

-via The Guardian (US), 5/16/23

[ohbueckers]

TWO CAN PLAY THAT GAME. you dope, have a player ‘bout to choke, i was at a loss for words first time that we spoke.

CHAPTER ONE! pairing, paige bueckers x teammate!oc. notes, new ju series just dropped who clapped… i’m so excited for this so please let me know what you think and what you wanna see!!! it’ll feature a few different tropes (these bitches are complicated as hell) and i’ll be using different songs. this was also supposed to be out yesterday whoops. warnings, not much just some slight rivalry.

april, 2022

paige sat on the floor, her back pressed against azzi’s bed, eyes staring blankly at her phone screen. the dorm was packed to the brim, all of her teammates crammed into the room, waiting for the news to drop. she wasn’t sure why her palms felt clammy, or why her heart was hammering harder than it should be for a thursday night in late april… or she was completely sure and refused to come to terms with it.

we’re really doing this again, huh?

it had been weeks since the national championship loss, and yet the sting still hadn’t faded. south carolina. dawn staley’s generational ran gamecocks who got almost everything, including that damn sana caruso.

for years, their careers had paralleled each other, both rising basketball stars, always in the spotlight, always part of the same conversations. and yet, for reasons paige couldn’t quite figure out for the life of her, they had never crossed paths. sana was stubborn, that much she knew. paige remembered the day south carolina landed her—it had been all anyone could talk about. opinions flew in every direction: sana should’ve gone to stanford, to ucla, anywhere but there. paige couldn’t lie—part of her had wondered why uconn hadn’t even been in the mix, but it was now, and the blonde felt like she was reliving that evening in 2019 all over again.

wherever she ended up, it would be some news that would flip the script. impact their season, because sana was undoubtedly everywhere. the defensive mastermind, the one who didn’t care if she was 5’10 going up against post players towering over her. she locked them down, put up numbers, and somehow always found her way into the conversation, even when paige tried not to pay attention.

they were talked about like rivals, the head of every one of their matchups, but there had never been any real competition, at least not on the court. paige couldn’t remember a time they’d even properly interacted. but despite how much they were constantly compared, sana had made it painfully clear that paige might as well not exist in her world, and it was infuriating as hell.

“you think she’s really coming?” azzi asked, her voice soft and almost like she didn’t believe it herself as she cut through paige’s thoughts. no one did.

aaliyah, sprawled out on the floor, rolled her eyes. it’d been pushing 10 o’clock, and almost everyone had class in the morning. what had that been stopping, though? absolutely nothing. “if dorka doesn’t hurry up with the article, we’ll never know.”

“hey, be patient.” dorka threw her hand up, shooting her teammates some tight-lipped grin as she furiously scrolled through her phone. “they’re slow with these drops.”

“thats that uconn wifi,” aubrey mumbled, sending everyone into different variations of a laugh.

nika snorted. “nah, she’s right. it’s either that or we’ve got like, fifty million people trying to figure out where sana’s going.”

“bro, you know espn’s probably crashed by now,” aaliyah chipped in, leaning back on her elbows.

paige didn’t know why, but it bugged her that sana had never really acknowledged her—like, at all. not a comment, not a follow, not even a glance her way during games. paige wasn’t used to that. she wasn’t used to being ignored, and their minimal interactions only made the internet have more of a field day with that non-existent rivalry, and if sana weren’t to say anything, why would paige?

and now here they were, possibly about to be on the same team. paige had no clue how that was going to play out, but the thought of it made her stomach flip. it was like some cosmic joke.

“yo, i’m serious though,” aaliyah said, slowly rising from her spot on the floor. “how wild is this? if she really comes here, we’re stacked. that chip is ours this year.”

the blonde suddenly felt defensive. they didn’t need sana caruso to get that chip for them. “she’s not coming here,” paige blurted, half to herself, shaking her head. “no way.”

“why not?” azzi asked, narrowing her eyes. “i mean, all signs point here, right? unless i’m crazy.”

“yeah, but it’s sana,” paige replied as if it were the most obvious thing, running a hand through her hair. “she does what she wants, she’s the type to pick somewhere else just ‘cause everyone thinks she’s coming here.”

“you sound so stupid! and in denial,” nika snickered, throwing herself back into the couch. “just admit you want her on the team, paige.”

paige shot her a look, but couldn’t quite hide the smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth. “i don’t care what she does.” she pointed at her chest, sinking further into her spot. “she could go anywhere.”

“sure,” dorka added, inserting herself into the conversation. her eyes didn’t leave her screen as she continued to refresh her browser, almost like she didn’t have to. “because that’s exactly why you’ve been all up in your head about her this whole time.”

“hey, wait. don’t do that.” but it was too late, her teammates had already been throwing out their ‘ooh’s,’ like this were some kindergarten class. but the truth was, she couldn’t deny it. there was something about sana that had her all twisted up, more than she cared to admit. maybe it was the way she carried herself, like she didn’t need anyone’s approval, or the fact that she always seemed to be a step ahead. and it didn’t help that she was ridiculously pretty. like, stupidly pretty. the kind of pretty that got under paige’s skin and made her feel something, even when she tried to act like it was no big deal.

maybe that was what really irked her all these years.

“nah, for real, though,” paige said, trying to keep her cool, “she’s different. she’ll probably pull some wild move and end up at notre dame or something.”

“notre dame?” azzi shot her a confused look. “you’re reaching now.”

“i’m just saying!” paige replied through a laugh, although it was mainly just a gesture to defend herself. shrugging and throwing her hands up in surrender. “she doesn’t follow the crowd. everyone thinks she’s coming here because it makes sense, but you know sana—”

“you don’t know sana,” aubrey cut in with a laugh. “that’s the problem.”

“you sound really passionate about this, paige,” nika laughed out, always the one getting the biggest kick out of things like this. she was always in the mood to tease her twin.

paige opened her mouth to argue, but she stopped short, because aubrey wasn’t exactly wrong. she didn’t know sana, at least not personally. she’d known this version she made up of her in her head, the one that frustrated her to no end, the one she couldn’t ever figure out. and while she did that, sana, with her perfectly highlighted curls that framed her perfect face that always held that stupid fucking smirk probably hadn’t even thought twice about paige bueckers once in her damn life.

“you’ve definitely thought about this way too much,” azzi said, chuckling herself. “like, more than any of us.”

paige threw her head back, groaning. “why is this about me all of a sudden?”

“‘cause you’re acting like she’s been living in your head rent-free for years,” nika teased again, her next laugh coming out in a sputter. this entire thing had clearly been amusing someone.

“yeah, okay, whatever,” paige mumbled, crossing her arms.

“hey, don’t worry,” dorka said, eyes glued to her phone as she moved her hand to rest on paige’s thigh comfortably, consolingly. “you’ll have plenty of time to figure out what’s going on in that head of hers.”

paige raised a brow, lifting her head and turning to the other blonde. “what do you mean?”

dorka’s grin widened as she looked up, everyone’s attention turning back to her. “because she’s coming here. she’s ours, guys!”

for a second, the room went dead silent, the words hanging in the air like they needed time to settle in.

then, chaos.

sana caruso is a uconn husky, meaning paige bueckers could finally figure out what made the girl tick.

july, 2022

the gym was full—more than usual. everyone was there for the first day of summer workouts, even the players sitting out due to injuries. there was the familiar sound of sneakers squeaking against the hardwood floor, and the faint trace of cleaning solution still lingering from the early morning scrubs. july in storrs was hot, too. the kind of heat that clung to your skin and didn’t let go, even inside the gym.

the team was standing around near the sidelines, waiting to start. geno had the new recruits huddled, running through some preseason talk, but all paige could think about was sana—standing a few feet away. they’d obviously been in the same room before, the same gym before, but today felt all too intimate. as it should, though. they were teammates now. hell, they’d be sharing the backcourt.

this would be the first time she’d see her up close—really up close—since everything went down. the transfer news, the headlines, the pics of sana decked out in uconn gear flooding her feed (a sight paige needed to mentally prepare for because damn, did she look good in white and navy blue). it had all felt surreal then, but now, it was about to be real real.

what’s she even thinking right now? paige wondered, feeling a slight pinch of annoyance. because as much as she wanted to believe this was just another day in the gym, it wasn’t. not for her.

when handshakes started, paige couldn’t even hear her own thoughts due to the loudness as everyone went through the routine of greeting the new faces. paige made her way through her teammates, exchanging quick daps and nods, her focus drifting back to sana more times than she’d like to admit.

the blonde was normally more noisy, doing everything in her power to get on with the people she’d be spending the season with. but right now, her interaction with sana would either confirm or deny every assumption she’s ever had, and that was quite frankly the only thing consuming her mind.

she could feel the intensity in her chest when it came time to shake sana’s hand. she stepped forward, hand extended, ready to make some kind of connection, but sana barely looked at her. it was quick, almost dismissive. no eye contact, no words exchanged. paige pulled her hand back, clenching her jaw as she watched her move into conversation with azzi, who seemed to earn a more genuine response than paige could get. a smile, and a giggle that could’ve been mistaken for music.

seriously?

the team broke off, moving toward the court. this’ll be a long practice.

they lined up, and as they went through the typical routine—light shooting drills, ball-handling, footwork—it became clear that sana wasn’t just good. she was a standout. and for someone who was only 5’10 in the basketball world, she carried herself like she could take on anyone, work with anyone, too, no matter the size or position.

“she got handles,” nika muttered under her breath. the comment was meant for the girls around her to catch and respond to, but paige just stood, eye squinted and arms crossed.

“handles? she got vision too,” ice brady, a freshman added, eyes wide as sana weaved through a defense drill, her speed and precision on full display. her ponytail swung perfectly on her head, lip tugged tightly between her teeth as she moved to make a layup. the ball went in, and ayanna moved to grab her rebound. the group cheered her on voluntarily, and paige only moved to turn her head as sana jogged past her to the back of the line, her demeanor as calm and collected as ever. and damn annoying.

the players gathered at the top of the key, forming a loose circle as they got ready to start a more structured scrimmage. paige found herself standing across from sana, their eyes meeting for the first time that morning, but the moment left as quick as it started. sana had her hands on her hips, listening intently to geno as if she didn’t already know what they’d be doing, because the blonde wasn’t supposed to have caught her looking.

“let’s run it!” geno’s voice snapped through the gym again, clapping his hands once, and the team split into two sides as directed, ready to play.

as the scrimmage began, paige tried to shake off the weird tension and focus, although it wasn’t really working. nothing had ever managed to get her off-game this bad. it was the escape, after all, so why did it feel like it would be causing her more problems now? she ran the court as a point guard, eyes scanning for plays, calling out switches, directing traffic. but every time the ball moved to sana, paige noticed the same thing—she’d find a way to dish it to someone else. anyone but her.

what the hell?

on a fast break, paige found herself wide open again, just outside the three-point line. she threw her hands up, calling for the pass. sana had the ball at the top of the key, and paige practically begged for some type of acknowledgment that she didn’t get. but instead of passing, sana faked it and lobbed it to aaliyah under the basket for an easy layup. paige didn’t even move. she just stood there, hands still raised, eyes burning into her ponytail.

“alright, switch it up!” geno called, and the team rotated.

the ball was in her hands now, and she dribbled down the court, eyes searching for a play, trying to shake off the irritation in her chest. the worst part was that no one seemed to notice, because sana had a way of singling the blonde out in a way that made her think she was fucking crazy. she passed to nika, and they rotated again, the pace of the scrimmage picking up.

it finally came to a head when they were working on a transition drill. paige had the ball, racing down the court, and sana was on the wing. paige pushed the tempo, looking for an outlet, but sana cut her off at the last second, forcing her to pull up and reset the play.

that was it. paige lost it.

“yo! if we’re gonna work the backcourt together, you’ve gotta work with me,” she snapped, her voice only turning a few rather concerned heads. she stopped dribbling, staring at sana, her breath coming out in heavy bursts.

sana finally turned to face her, full body and everything, their eyes locking for what felt like the first time all day.

she wasn’t angry, wasn’t startled by paige’s tone. she was calm like she always was, and the slight tilt of her head only pissed paige off more. she was looking right at her now, really looking, and all the playful cockiness that always held some undercurrent, yet always came so naturally to paige, was just gone.

damn.

she didn’t know why she was still standing there, seething, waiting for sana to say something after her outburst. and when she finally spoke, it wasn’t the apology or acknowledgment paige might have been expecting.

“you’re pressing,” sana said, her voice maddeningly casual. like there had been no heat from the beginning. “you’re rushing everything. it’s like you’re trying to do too much.”

paige blinked, caught off guard. rushing? she almost laughed. her jaw clenched, fingers tightening around the ball. she hated how calm sana was, how she managed to deliver criticism like she was just making an observation. “too much?” she shot back, stepping closer. “i’m just trying to get us moving, trying to get you involved. but it seems like you’re more interested in doing your own thing.” she hated that every time she tried to connect with sana on the court, it felt like she was hitting a wall.

but she also hated that she cared about it so much.

sana didn’t break, expression remaining composed, annoyingly unreadable with her short manicured nails digging into her hip. “you think running the floor means you’re the only one who gets to call the shots? that’s not how i play.”

paige blinked, trying to regain her footing, mentally and physically. “you’re not even trying to work with me!” her voice raised a bit as she addressed what had been bothering her before, causing a few heads to turn. the exchange didn’t look entirely friendly after all. “every time i’m open, you’re looking the other way.” she pointed to the court.

sana’s eyes narrowed slightly, some kind of look crossing her face—was it amusement? “it’s not personal, paige. it’s basketball.” it was the first time the blonde’s name left her mouth, first time she felt like an actual person to her, and it still didn’t feel good.

sana, on the other hand, was watching her closely, reading paige’s reaction like she was still deciding how much of this back-and-forth was worth it. she knew she was poking at her ego, but she also thought that ego could use a little deflating. everyone talked about her like she was the second coming of basketball itself, and while sana could respect her talent, the way everyone hung on her every move grated on her.

sana wasn’t jealous. not even a little bit. she wasn’t wired like that. but that didn’t mean she was going to be another cog in the well-oiled bueckers machine. she never liked to make things more complicated than they needed to be, and basketball? basketball was supposed to be simple. play smart, play efficient, make the right decisions. that’s why she was here. that’s why geno recruited her. she didn’t bring flash—she brought results. she played smooth, and if she wasn’t in charge, she sure as hell wasn’t going to let anyone treat her like a sidekick. especially not paige bueckers.

she was willing to work with her, of course. sana was well aware of what her transfer meant, how good it would be for the both of them if people stopped pitting them against each other. but it didn’t mean she would warm up straight away. they’d make an unstoppable duo—if they could just figure out how to coexist.

“look, i’m just saying, you’re pushing too hard. sometimes it’s about playing smart, not playing fast.”

paige’s stomach churned at the implication. she wasn’t just some showboat out there. it felt like a direct shot to everything she stood for.

“you think i’m not playing smart?”

sana raised an eyebrow, her lips curling just slightly. “i think you’re playing like you’ve got something to prove.”

and that stopped paige cold. she’d proven enough. but the way sana was looking at her, cool and detached, like she could see right through her, made her feel small despite her taller figure. it wasn’t anger that sana was giving her—it was indifference. like she didn’t even care enough to be mad.

“run it again!” geno yelled, and they did.

paige inhaled sharply, chewing on her lip as she clutched the ball to her side, watching as sana jogged off, obeying orders immediately. she could feel the eyes of her teammates on her, especially nika, who was biting back a grin from the sidelines, one hundred percent sure her best friend just got schooled. dorka raised an eyebrow at her, silently urging her to keep her cool.

they lined up for the play again, the ball bouncing back into paige’s hands. she hated it, but sana’s words echoed in her head. pressing… rushing… trying too hard. as much as she didn’t want to admit it, maybe she was pressing. maybe she was letting this whole situation get to her in ways she shouldn’t.

when the whistle blew, paige instinctively took control again, charging down the court. but she couldn’t stop herself from hesitating for just a second, looking toward sana on the wing. without overthinking it, she passed the ball to her, her hands moving almost against her will.

sana caught it, knees bent and ready before driving to the basket. she didn’t hesitate, didn’t flinch. she just played, like she always did. the ball went in, and the play was perfect, but paige didn’t feel satisfied. if anything, she felt worse. it felt like they were already at odds, and the season hadn’t even started yet.

it had worked. but it was because she’d done what sana said. and if it wasn’t personal before, it definitely was now.

[rabbitcruiser]

National Burrito Day 

Line up some meat, beans and cheese on a large flour tortilla. Fold in the sides, fold up the bottom and then roll on, my friend, roll on! And it’s the rolling that really makes the burrito come alive.

It’s time to celebrate and enjoy this simple but delicious food on National Burrito Day!

History of National Burrito Day

The history of the burrito is couched in mystery because the concept of meats and cheeses rolled in tortillas is hard to trace! A variety of different types of foods that originate from Mexico include the tortilla with meat and cheese, such as the taco and the enchilada, taquitos, chimichangas or even quesadillas. But the burrito is a bit unique because it is larger than others and its history has grown out of the culture of Mexico but made its way into the southwestern portions of the United States where it became even more popular.

Burritos can be traced back at least to the 19th century, when these recipes were developed. In fact, one of the oldest mentions of the word “burrito” came in 1895 when it was mentioned in a book called the “Dictionary of Mexicanisms”.

Originally created with simple meat and cheese inside of a tortilla, and then probably sold by street food vendors, the burrito evolved into something more as the years went on. Sometimes called mission-style burritos the idea came for adding beans and rice as fillers, and then guacamole and sour cream for toppings. It was after this that the burrito developed into something more akin to what it is today, with some restaurants like Chipotle offering a huge range of options for preferred ways to fill a burrito.

In any case, the burrito is a hearty and delicious meal that is certainly worth celebrating! And that’s where the tradition of National Burrito Day, whether old or new, finds its place in the world.

National Burrito Day Timeline

16th Century Ancestors of burritos appear

Food wrapped in tortillas becomes a Mexican tradition.

1930s Burritos first appear on US menus

In the US, the first restaurant to put burritos on the menu was El Cholo Spanish Cafe in Los Angeles, California.

1940s A Ciudad Juárez street vendor sells burritos

The story goes that this Mexican street vendor portioned meat out in tortillas, perfect for children, whom he called “burritos”.

1961 Mission-style burritos evolve

The Mexican food scene in San Francisco produces an extra large burrito that adds rice, guacamole and sour cream.

1993 First Chipotle Mexican Grill opens

Famous for their freshly made burritos, Chipotle opens its first store in Denver, Colorado.

How to Celebrate National Burrito Day

Getting in the spirit of National Burrito Day can be loads of fun and a tasty adventure. Get involved with the day by implementing some of these ideas for celebrating:

Try Making Burritos at Home

One super delicious way to celebrate National Burrito Day is to hang out with family or invite a group of friends over for a burrito bar. In fact, burritos are some of the easiest foods to serve when hosting a crowd! Those who have a quick cooking instant pot may choose to cook some pork or chicken with seasonings in just about an hour. A slow cooker or roasting in the oven are viable options as well.

Friends can be invited to bring the fixings such as large flour tortillas, black or red beans, rice with cilantro, guacamole, cheese sour cream, salsa, tortilla chips, jalapenos, hot sauces, and so many other yummy toppings! Line everything up and let each guest make their own burrito by piling on everything they love. It’s a fun way to serve a great meal without a lot of fuss.

Go Out for Burritos

One superb way to celebrate National Burrito Day might be to grab a friend or family member, head on over to a restaurant that serves burritos and order a delicious plate full. Perhaps this would be a locally owned and operated Mexican restaurant that serves up beef, chicken or bean burritos on a bed of rice. Or maybe it would be a quick lunch at a fast and fresh food burrito restaurant.

Don’t forget to ask if that favorite Mexican kitchen is offering any special deals or discounts in celebration of National Burrito Day!

Try out one of these Mexican restaurant chains that serves burritos:

QDOBA Mexican Eats. With more than 700 locations in the United States, it’s easy to find a delicious burrito nearby. Try the specialty chicken burrito that is customizable to each individual’s desired tastes and preferences.

Chipotle. One of the largest and most accessible burrito joints, this chain boasts almost 3,000 locations not only in the US, but also in Canada, Germany, France and the United Kingdom.

Moe’s Southwest Grill. This one is perhaps not quite as well known, but Moe’s is still a viable option that has up to 700 locations throughout the US.

Taco Bell. Sure, it gets a bad rap (or wrap?!) sometimes, but there’s no arguing with the fact that 7000 locations worldwide is nothing to overlook. And it’s probably the quickest service for burritos and other Mexican fast food around.

Enjoy a Tex-Mex Themed Day

Whether at work or at school, National Burrito Day brings with it many opportunities to enjoy and show appreciation for the culture behind this delicious food. In addition to eating burritos, don’t forget to stay connected through fun aspects such as festive music, delightful decorations, cultural dress and even some fun games.

One fun activity might be to grab a blindfold and play Pin the Tail on the Donkey. After all, the word for “burrito” really translates to mean “little donkey” in the Spanish language. Another fun game for a National Burrito Day party might be to have a cute pinata filled with candy and treats.

Create a Burrito Themed Playlist

Have tons of fun creating a festive playlist of songs celebrating the home culture of the burrito. Get started with some of these fun ideas for songs that give a nod to National Burrito Day:

How Do I Feel (The Burrito Song) by Hoku (2000). The songwriter penned this one in honor of a boy she liked who worked at a burrito stand. Sure, it’s a little silly, but it’s also rather fun.

Burrito by Pete Yorn (2003). Known for his ability to play the bulk of the instruments on his albums, Pete Yorn sings this song where he offers the listener a bite of his burrito.

O Burrito by Fernando Corriera Marques (2009). This tribute is sung as it should be – in Spanish!

The Burrito Song by Creed Fisher (2022). A strange but compelling song by Creed Fisher, this one is more of a kids’ song but certainly shows its love for burritos too.

National Burrito Day FAQs

How to fold a burrito?

Fold a warm tortilla by folding in on the sides, folding the bottom up, and then rolling up.

Are burritos from Mexico?

Burritos may have gotten their start in the northern regions of Mexico, but they crossed the border to become “Tex-Mex”.

Can burritos be healthy?

Burritos made with low fat meat, beans, rice, and a small amount of cheese can be healthy.

Do burritos have rice?

Though original burritos would not have included rice, many people make them with rice now.

Are burrito bowls healthier than burritos?

People who choose burrito bowls instead of wraps can save on calories, carbohydrates and also be gluten free.

Source

[nasa]

9 Out-of-This-World Moments for Space Communications & Navigation in 2023

How do astronauts and spacecraft communicate with Earth?

By using relay satellites and giant antennas around the globe! These tools are crucial to NASA’s space communications networks: the Near Space Network and the Deep Space Network, which bring back science and exploration data every day.

It’s been a great year for our space communications and navigation community, who work to maintain the networks and enhance NASA’s capabilities. Keep scrolling to learn more about our top nine moments.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Dragon spacecraft lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023, on the company's 29th commercial resupply services mission for the agency to the International Space Station. Liftoff was at 8:28 p.m. EST.

1. In November, we launched a laser communications payload, known as ILLUMA-T, to the International Space Station. Now, ILLUMA-T and the Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) are exchanging data and officially complete NASA’s first two-way, end-to-end laser relay system. Laser communications can send more data at once than traditional radio wave systems – think upgrading from dial-up to fiber optic internet. ILLUMA-T and LCRD are chatting at 1.2 gigabits per second (Gbps). At that rate, you could download an average movie in under a minute.

NASA’s InSight lander captured this selfie on Mars on April 24, 2022, the 1,211th Martian day, or sol, of the mission.

2. Data analyzed in 2023 from NASA’s retired InSight Mars lander provided new details about how fast the Red Planet rotates and how much it wobbles. Scientists leveraged InSight’s advanced radio technology, upgrades to the Deep Space Network, and radio signals to determine that Mars’ spin rate is increasing, while making the most precise measurements ever of Mars’ rotation.

TBIRD is demonstrating a direct-to-Earth laser communications link from low Earth orbit to a ground station on Earth.

3. We set a new high record! The TeraByte InfraRed Delivery (TBIRD) payload – also demonstrating laser communications like ILLUMA-T and LCRD – downlinked 4.8 terabytes of data at 200 Gbps in a single 5-minute pass. This is the highest data rate ever achieved by laser communications technology. To put it in perspective a single terabyte is the equivalent of about 500 hours of high-definition video.

A 34-meter (112-foot) wide antenna at Canberra Deep Space Communications Complex near Canberra, Australia.

4. This year we celebrated the Deep Space Network’s 60th anniversary. This international array of antennas located at three complexes in California, Spain, and Australia allow us to communicate with spacecraft at the Moon and beyond. Learn more about the Deep Space Network’s legacy and future advancements.

An illustration of the LunaNet architecture. LunaNet will bring internet-like services to the Moon.

5. We are bringing humans to the Moon with Artemis missions. During expeditions, astronauts exploring the surface are going to need internet-like capabilities to talk to mission control, understand their routes, and ensure overall safety. The space comm and nav group is working with international partners and commercial companies to develop LunaNet, and in 2023, the team released Draft LunaNet Specification Version 5, furthering development.

The High-Rate Delay Tolerant Networking node launched to the International Space Station in November and will act as a high-speed path for data.

6. In addition to laser communications, ILLUMA-T on the International Space Station is also demonstrating high-rate delay/disruption tolerant networking (HDTN). The networking node is showcasing a high-speed data path and a store-and-forward technique. HDTN ensures data reaches its final destination and isn’t lost on its path due to a disruption or delay, which are frequent in the space environment.

The Communications Services Project (CSP) partners with commercial industry to provide networking options for future spaceflight missions.

7. The space comm and nav team is embracing the growing aerospace industry by partnering with commercial companies to provide multiple networking options for science and exploration missions. Throughout 2023, our commercialization groups engaged with over 110 companies through events, one-on-one meetings, forums, conferences, and more. Over the next decade, NASA plans to transition near-Earth services from government assets to commercial infrastructure.

Middle and high school students solve a coding experiment during NASA's Office of STEM Engagement App Development Challenge. 

8. Every year, NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement sponsors the App Development Challenge, wherein middle and high school students must solve a coding challenge. This year, student groups coded an application to visualize the Moon’s South Pole region and display information for navigating the Moon’s surface. Our space communications and navigation experts judged and interviewed students about their projects and the top teams visited NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston!

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket soars upward after liftoff at the pad at 3:27 a.m. EDT on Saturday, Aug. 26, from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A in Florida carrying NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 crew members to the International Space Station. Aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft are NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov.

9. The Near Space Network supported 19 launches in 2023! Launches included Commercial Crew flights to the International Space Station, science mission launches like XRISM and the SuperBIT balloon, and many more. Once in orbit, these satellites use Near Space Network antennas and relays to send their critical data to Earth. In 2023, the Near Space Network provided over 10 million minutes of communications support to missions in space.

Here’s to another year connecting Earth and space.

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space!

[levi501ackerman]

She Looks Just Like a Dream | Levi x Reader Fluff

masterlist

Summary: One day the scouts find out Levi has a wife. Everyone wants to meet her.

Word Count: 1.7k

Megan's Note: Hello! I just finished Attack on Titan for the first time last Thursday April 11th, 2024. I haven't been obsessed with something in a while. Obsessed in the way of reading fanfics and making another tumblr account. I wrote this for fun because AOT reignited the inner teenage fangirl I used to be for One Direction. I hope you enjoy my first AOT fanfic. posted: 4/16/24. Song correlated: "Something About You" by Eyedress & Dent May

Sasha walked past the section commanders and Erwin standing and talking amongst themselves. She could not help but stare as she walked by because you were conversing with Captain Levi. It looked like you were . . . enjoying the conversation. There was Erwin talking to some recognizable leaders then you two off to the side fully facing each other. Sasha has never seen you before. You would giggle and your smile lit up your face. Levi had his arms crossed and his face looked softer. He would nod and indistinctively say something back to you which would just cause you to laugh and smile bigger. He wouldn’t take his eyes off of you. What a new version of Levi. Sasha looked for her table of friends. They needed to see Captain Levi acting like this.

Jean, Connie, Eren, Armin, and Mikasa were looking at Sasha already as if they were waiting to see the expression on Sasha. As she approached the table. She lowered her voice and pointed with her thumb, “You guys seeing this?”

“It’s the Captain’s wife,” Eren said.

“He has a wife!?” Sasha exclaimed louder.

“We were surprised too, everyone’s been trying to eavesdrop on them,” Connie said.

Sasha looked over her shoulder and the rest of the table couldn’t help but glance because how the hell did Levi pull you? And not only that what could you two be talking about? Captain Levi never mentioned being married or even hinted that he had someone at all. Battle plans could not make the pretty girl so giggly so what the hell were they talking about?

“What’s her name?” Sasha asked.

“No one knows,” Mikasa said softly. “Eren thinks she could be a Jenny or a Catherine.”

“Who knew he was married.”

“Possibly to keep her a secret. He would not want the wrong people to know about her.” Armin said. 

“I want to meet her,” Eren stated and most of the table agreed. He blushed a little and hoped no one noticed. They all could not take their eyes off of you. “We’re the Levi Squad and we should know our Captain’s wife!”

“We could introduce ourselves as the Levi Squad too so it doesn’t come off as weird that we are all approaching her—them!” Connie added and he started standing up. The table still stayed in their seat. “Are we going?”

“I’m not,” Mikasa said.

“What if he makes us run laps?” Jean asked.

“Why would he make us run laps? Just don’t ask any weird questions and we’ll be fine.” Eren said standing up next.

“Let’s go,” Connie said and the table except for Mikasa stood up. They approached the section commanders who noticed the five of them going towards them. Levi gave them the side eye as they came closer. You turned from Levi, noticed the group, and offered them a smile. 

“Good morning, Captain Levi.” Eren started and everyone greeted him with their eyes and then turned to you. Your clothes were cute and styled nicely. Levi noticed every single one of them scanning you head to toe. It was the third? or fourth? group to approach him while talking to you. “Hi we are Levi’s squad, you’re his wife?” 

“Yes.” You said smiling at the staring eyes.

“Your shoes are really cute, miss!” Sasha added excitingly.

“This is my wife, Y/N,” Levi said in his low voice. “These scouts are some of the brats in my special operations squad.” You extended your hand to Connie first. He grasped your hand.

“Wow, you have the softest skin.” He said in awed and wide eyes. You furrowed your eyebrow and let out a soft giggle. Levi scolded him. 

“It’s very nice to meet you,” You said as you shook each of their hand looking at all of them in the eyes. 

“My name is Armin. You seem very nice as well.” Armin smiled.

“Thank you. Really though everyone is very polite here and is very kind.” You smiled and motioned with both hands to the room. Some soldiers Levi talked to maybe only once or twice would approach to talk to you. Some soldiers talked to you before ever even talking to the captain himself.

“We didn’t know Levi had a wife. How long have you two been together?” Sasha asked intensely. 

“About . . . “ You looked to Levi and back at the group, “ten years? Coming up on eleven.” You said with warmth on your cheeks. They thought you were not like Levi at all. They thought you were enthusiastic when speaking to others and were like the sun. It did not seem like you would be into Levi at all. Your eyes looked down at Jean and he started blushing because he thought you were glancing at his crotch. “Your pocket watch is so pretty!” You admired the watch nearly falling out of his pocket. Jean yanked it out and thrusted the watch towards you. 

“Y-You can have it.”

“Your grandmother gave that to you, Jean!” Connie said grabbing and pulling his wrist back. Eren laughed at Jeans’s blunt stupidity.

“I can get you a nice pocket watch next time I’m in the capital,” Levi said and you smiled. 

“You’re so funny. Keep that your grandmother wanted you to have it.” You assured and Jean silently nodded. His only thought currently was you called him funny. 

“We’d love to get to know you more Y/N! Are you in the military regiment at all?” Sasha asked, “Where do you live?”

“She’s not going to tell you where we live,” Levi furrowed his eyebrows and Eren burst out laughing. Sasha’s probably going to run laps. 

“I can’t be that interesting to you!” You lightly swatted your hand and though it wasn’t a joke, the group couldn’t help but slightly smile. You were interesting to them. Soldiers wanted to talk to you just because of your beauty. “We opened a tea shop years ago and I collect vintage tea sets to sell. I also write books.” You smiled back and their faces lit up.

“You written books?” Connie asked.

“Yes.”

“Anything we might have read?” Eren asked enthusiastically.

“Do any of you actually read?” Levi asked. Let the record be known that the 104th Cadet Corps averaged the lowest academic grade. Most didn’t want to read the textbooks or take notes like they would have to in school.

“Hey be nice, your squad seems smart.” You wrapped an arm around Levi and everyone could not help but stare at the physical touch. You touched him and they never seen another woman touch their captain. “A few short stories for children have been published and distributed to the schools so they would not be interesting for adults to read.” 

“You’ve done so much . . . how old are you?” Sasha asked and Armin’s eyes went big.

“Don’t you know it’s rude to ask that!” Levi cut in. She’s going to be running laps until sunset again. 

“Y/N! I’m sorry I just mean you’re so accomplished and you’re so beautiful! Your hair is amazing. Levi, I can’t believe you kept her from us.” Sasha said. He rolled his eyes with a slightly softer face. You blushed.

“Thank you, you’re gorgeous as well.” Sasha was elated when you complimented her.

“You’re so beautiful . . .” She unknowingly repeated herself, “What made you drawn to Levi?”

“Sasha!” Connie and Eren pulled her back. Laps until the next morning.

“What?!” You smiled and wrapped your arm around Levi again, giving him a light shake and a squeeze. It was an odd site for the group to see. “Who wouldn’t be into this hilarious and kind gentleman? I feel like I have to fight for his attention sometimes whenever people come talk to us.” Truthfully most people approached you and Levi because of you. Guys would make up a stupid excuse to talk to Captain Levi with the intention of talking to you. Levi knew it too, but he couldn’t help that your energy makes people flock to you. He admired that you made friends where ever you went. Hated when guys would speak to you as if Levi wasn’t there. You blushed while looking at him and when Levi met your eyes his face got softer and he uncrossed his arms and nudged you. Levi looked away to hide his blushed cheeks. Who the fuck is she describing? the group thought. The Captain has never made a joke to them and they wondered what he does for you to call him a gentleman. “Levi! Are you being too hard on them?” You asked playfully and the five of them wanted to shout yes. Suddenly, a woman screaming your name excitedly from across the room could only be from one person.

“Hange! I was wondering when I would see you today!” You turned your attention to Hange running to embrace you in a big hug. You hugged and greeted Moblit with a warm hug afterward.

“Okay okay, you met Y/N run along,” Levi said. You instantly whipped back your attention to the group.

“Excuse me, it was very nice to meet you! Come over for dinner sometime so I can get to know you more! I can make my special braised short-rib beef.” Sasha was ready to duel Levi for you. Your white teeth sparkled to them and your smile radiated through the room. Connie, Sasha, and Jean enthusiastically agreed to your offer.

“If you keep inviting everyone to dinner how are we going to fit people into our house?” Levi asked you. 

They walked away in awe of the captain’s wife. Something about you emits a glow in a dull room.

“She’s not like Levi at all . . .” Armin said and Mikasa turned her head to the group heading back to the table. She noticed all of them seemed to be in a good mood. 

“He’s probably going to make you run laps for being pushy.” Jean joked to Sasha. 

“What did you say, Sasha?” Mikasa asked

“She was just being stupid.” Jean intervened.

“Jean you offered her your grandmother’s pocket watch,” Connie said and Mikasa raised her eyebrows. 

“I’d do it again.”

“What was she like? I could see her smiling a lot,” Mikasa said.

“She was positive and really supportive of Levi,” Eren said while reflecting on you. Everything you said was replaying in his head.

“She wrote children's books that are now in the schools,” Armin added.

“Damn it, I wanted to know the names of the books,” Eren said.

“Y/N seemed like someone that Levi needed in his life. She said he was a gentleman which I wasn’t expecting—” Connie started. 

“Well, he would treat her the best rather than anyone else,” Jean said. They turned to get another look at you but a few soldiers were blocking their view. Another round of people who wanted to meet you.

masterlist

[todayontumblr]

Thursday April 13th.

ffs neil will you stop banging out those damn tunes. it's the morning, for pete's sake

We won't ask you again, Neil—we have work first thing tomorrow and it is a big day at the office: we are presenting a keynote pointpower slideshow for the big cheese over at HQ to increase optimum brand synergy across all departments ahead of this upcoming 5th annual quarter in review, and we are getting pretty sick and tired you and that f*cking keyboard playing Clair de Lune (badly) on what you have apparently decided to be your very own live IRL ten-hour loop from early evening through the night until the break of day, because you are a rat, and rats are, of course, nocturnal!! 

*

It all began on April 13th, 2006. Neil's alarm went off at around 7:30pm, just as the human world was winding down for the day. He sat on the edge of his bed, yawned, stttrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeetcchhed, cracked his fingers, and got to work. He tucked his tail beneath him and took his place at his grand, multi-colored piano, and began to play. And my goodness did he play. As if possessed by the spirits of the maestros of old, Neil's claws flowed up and down the keys in a manner not dissimilar to the ebb and flow of the oceans themselves. No one could believe their ears on that day, almost 20 years ago: after so much early promise, so much self-destruction, torment, and pain, Neil finally accomplished what so many knew he could do if only he could find it in himself to achieve it: he began banging out the tunes.

Only this was something of a pandora's box. It is, as we saw, nearly 20 years later—and Neil continues to bang them out with a vengeance, regardless of whether we have to be up early for work in the morning.  

*

It is April 13th, 2009. Neil continues to play, enraptured by the majesty of the melody expressed by the delicate touch of claw on key in primary-colored plastic. As Neil reaches the end of the day's performance, a young man stands in his bedroom. It just so happens that this is the young man's birthday. Though it was thirteen years ago he was given life, it is, inexplicably, only today he will be given a name.

His name is John. As was previously mentioned it is his BIRTHDAY. A number of CAKES are scattered about his room. He has a variety of INTERESTS. He has a passion for REALLY TERRIBLE MOVIES. He likes to program computers but he is NOT VERY GOOD AT IT. He has a fondness for PARANORMAL LORE, and is an aspiring AMATEUR MAGICIAN. He also likes to play GAMES sometimes. 

As day dawns, Neil closes the fallboard upon the keys of his instrument for another year. John goes to retrieve his arms. And the rest, as they say, is history.

*

It's April 13th, folks. You know what that means: it's time for #homestuck and #neil banging out the tunes.  

Go bananas x

[hboww2rewatch]

Welcome to HBO's WWII Fandom Rewatch!

You are cordially invited to join us in watching Band of Brothers, The Pacific, and Masters of the Air in chronological order April 29 - July 14, 2024.

We will be watching three episodes a week and will have prompts to boost fandom creation as we watch together!

You can find the episode schedule and prompts below the cut. Individual posts can be found here and here if you prefer shorter posts.

If you are unable to watch the show at the same time as the schedule, no worries. While we are personally planning to liveblog together the episodes per the schedule, we understand everyone has lives outside of tumblr. Watch whenever you are able - our goal is to bond over our love for these shows and experience them again together. Pop in when you are able! :)

Please tag all your posts during this event with #hboww2rewatch and give us a follow for all updates on the rewatch.

Please reblog this post to spread the word!

Schedule:

We are tentatively planning to watch Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturdays, but that is not set in stone - watch when you are able during the week!

Week 1: Mon April 29- Sun May 5

The Pacific E1  (Dec ‘41- Oct ‘42) The Pacific E2  (Oct ‘42) The Pacific E3  (Dec ‘42- Fall ‘43)

Week 2: Mon May 6- Sun May 12

Masters of the Air E1  (Spring ‘43) Masters of the Air E2  (Spring ‘43) Masters of the Air E3   (Aug ‘43)

Week 3: Mon May 13- Sun May 19

Masters of the Air E4 (Oct ‘43) Masters of the Air E5 (Oct ‘43) Masters of the Air E6 (Oct ‘43)

Week 4: Mon May 20- Sun May 26

The Pacific E4  (Dec ‘43) Masters of the Air E7  (march ‘44) Band of Brothers E1  (June ‘44)

Week 5: Mon May 27- Sun June 2

Masters of the Air E8  (June ‘44) Band of Brothers E2  (June 6, ‘44) Band of Brothers E3  (June 7, ‘44)

Week 6: Mon June 3- Sun June 9

The Pacific E5  (Sept ‘44) Band of Brothers E4  (Sept ‘44) The Pacific E6  (Sept-Oct ‘44)

Week 7: Mon June 10- Sun June 16

Band of Brothers E5  (Oct ‘44) The Pacific E7  (Oct-Dec ‘44) Band of Brothers E6  (Dec ‘44)

Week 8: Mon June 17- Sun June 23

Band of Brothers E7  (Jan ‘45) Band of Brothers E8  (Feb ‘45) The Pacific E8  (Feb ‘45)

Week 9: Mon June 24- Sun June 30

Band of Brothers E9  (April ‘45) The Pacific E9  (April-June ‘45) Masters of the Air E9  (Feb-June ‘45)

Week 10: Mon July 1- Sun July 7

Band of Brothers E10  (May-Aug ‘45) The Pacific E10  (Aug ‘45) Saving Private Ryan (Bonus event)

Week 11: Mon July 8- Sun July 14 - post rewatch events to encourage fellow fans!

Reblog people’s creations

Leave comments on fics

Consider making a new friend in someone else who participated

Prompts:

Week 1: Mon April 29- Sun May 5:

Heading Out

First Fight

Friends

Orange

Week 2: Mon May 6- Sun May 12:

Crash

Crew

Superstition

Blue

Week 3: Mon May 13- Sun May 19:

Dancing

Reunion

Kinship

Red

Week 4: Mon May 20- Sun May 26:

Recuperation

Camp Life

Training

Green

Week 5: Mon May 27- Sun June 2:

Tuskeegees

Parachute

Injured

Purple

Week 6: Mon June 3- Sun June 9

Reunited

Replacement

Airfield

White

Week 7: Mon June 10- Sun June 16:

Typewriter

Loss

Cold

Pink

Week 8: Mon June 17- Sun June 23:

Shelling

Translation

Wedding

Brown

Week 9: Mon June 24- Sun June 30:

Discovery

Humanity

Celebration

Yellow

Week 10: Mon July 1- Sun July 7:

Bonding

Adjustment

Sacrifice

Dress Uniform

Black

Week 11 Mon July 8- Sun July 14:

Favorite Crew

Favorite Company

Best Friendship

Humor

Underrated Character

Character + Quote

Headcanons

Crossover

Something Missing

[thursdayarchive]

April 12, 2024: Thursday releases Application For Release From The Dream, their first new music in 13 years!

Songwriting credit given to Geoff Rickly, Norman Brannon, Steve Pedulla, Stu Richardson, Tucker Rule, and Tim Payne, and production credit given to Stu Richardson!

The song is available to stream as of Midnight (your local time) on April 12, 2024.

[girlactionfigure]

THURSDAY HERO: Niuta Teitelbaum

Niuta Teitelbaum was a Jewish resistance fighter in Poland who despite her innocent, youthful appearance was a deadly assassin who shot dead four Nazi officers.

Born in Warsaw in 1917, Niuta was raised in a religious Jewish family. When the Nazis invaded Poland in 1939, Niuta was one of the first volunteers to join the underground resistance movement. She said, “I am a Jew. My place is in the struggle against the Nazis for the honor of my people and for a free Poland!” Niuta was 22 but petite and baby-faced, she looked much younger. Wearing her blonde hair in two long braids, she resembled a Polish farm girl, which enabled her to move around Warsaw without arousing suspicion among the Nazi guards stationed around the city. Niuta transported weapons and helped Jews find safe havens even as she put herself in danger repeatedly.

With audacious bravery, sometime around 1942 Niuta approached the Nazi headquarters in Warsaw. Questioned by the officer guarding the front door, Niuta, acting shy and embarrassed, said she needed to see a certain high-ranking German officer. She said it was a “personal matter” implying that she was pregnant out of wedlock. The guard at the door snickered as he told her the officer’s room number and gave her a special pass to enter her supposed paramour’s private office. She thanked him shyly, and walked through the building to her “lover’s” office. Niuta entered the room to find the officer sitting at his desk. Before he could say a word she pulled out a pistol with a silencer and shot him in the head. He died instantly. Calm and collected, Niuta made her way back through the building to the front door and thanked the guard sweetly.

Because her resistance activities were so secretive, information is incomplete. What is known is that in another startlingly courageous episode, Niuta shot three Gestapo agents, killing two of them and wounding a third. Then she obtained a white lab coat and pretended to be a doctor to gain entry into the agent’s hospital room, and shot him again, killing him this time. Niuta landed a spot on the Nazis’ Most Wanted list, and was given the nickname “Little Wanda with the Braids.”

For three years, Niuta evaded her German pursuers and continued her resistance activities, until she was captured in 1943 and imprisoned with thousands of other Polish Jews in the Warsaw ghetto, where she participated in the famous uprising of April 1943. For most of the ghetto fighters it was a suicide mission; they knew they were likely to die but wanted to go down fighting. Niuta was one of the few who survived the ghetto battles and managed to escape. However, in July 1943, her hiding place in Warsaw was discovered and she was arrested by the Gestapo. Niuta was beaten and tortured for several weeks, but she refused to give information about any other resistance fighters or activities. Niuta was executed by the Germans later that year at age 25.

For her heroic resistance activities, including killing four Nazi officers, we honor Niuta Teitelbaum as this week’s Thursday Hero.

[bucktommyweek]

Prompts - The Clean Edition

Thursday, April 25 - Day One: Alternate first meeting.

Friday, April 26 - Day Two: A figure from their past.

Saturday, April 27- Day Three: "I'll come for you, no matter what, if you need me, I'll be there."

Sunday, April 28 - Day Four: Their favourite firsts.

Prompts - The Dirty Edition

Thursday, April 25 - Day One: "No touching. You'll be patient and wait until I'm done." || Stop and start.

Friday, April 26 - Day Two: Tied up with nowhere to go.

Saturday, April 27 - Day Three: The toy chest.

Sunday, April 28 - Day Four: "Guess what I'm wearing right now."

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