#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

[500-moths-in-a-trenchcoat]

i'm expecting a tiktok exodus since this seems to be the bomb shelter of the internet. have another update/repost. NOW WITH HIGHLIGHTED MAJOR HOLIDAYS!

IT JUST HAPPENS

DAY 15 GIVE IT UP FOR DAY 15

Thursday the 20th

The Fifth of Wednesday

Second Week of May: Eurovision

Sometime in June: That One Halloween Post Starts Circulating

Sometime in July: Dancing Pumpkin Man Video/Gif

First Monday In September: Todaybor Day Is Labor Day

WEEKLY EVENTS (at least the ones i celebrate)

Every Monday: Garfield Hates Mondays

Every Tuesday: Tuck Him In Tuesday

Every Wednesday: It Is Wednesday My Dudes

Every Thursday: Out of Touch Thursday

Every Friday: Thank Gnome It's Friday

Every Saturday: Caturday

Every Sunday: Energy Sword Sunday

YEARLY EVENTS

January 1: Copyright Expiration Day

January 2: New Years, New Tears

January 8: Spiders Georg Day

January 16: Appreciate a Dragon Day

January 18: Bug Race

January 29: Threshold Day

All of February: Funguary

ALSO All of February: Femslash February

February 3: WOE, VANILLA EXTRACT BE UPON YE

February 8: King Taejong Fell Off His Horse

February 13: Galentines Day

February 14: Aromantic/Asexual Day

February 15: Annoy Squidward Day

February 18: Perserverance Rover's Birthday

March 9: Miku Day

March 10: Mario Day

March 14: Pi Day

March 15: Ides of March

March 23: Ever Given Got Stuck Today

April 1: Mishapocalypse

ALSO April 1: Staff Does Something Fun On The Dashboard

April 2: Dashcon Announcement Anniversary

April 3: Dannypocalypse

April 5: First Contact Day

April 8: Rex Manning Day

ALSO April 8: MARGARET THATCHER IS DEAD

April 13: Neil Banging Out The Tunes

ALSO April 13: Homestuck Day

April 19: Some Roman Made Bread Today

April 20: haha 420 blaze it

April 24: Josh Fight

April 25: The Perfect Date

April 28: Ed Balls Day

April 29: 94 Meetings Day

April 30: It's Gonna Be May

All of May: Mermay

May 3: Beginning of Dracula Daily

May 4: May the 4th Be With You

May 5: Revenge of the Fifth

May 6: Revenge Of The Sixth

May 7: World Language Day

May 25: The Glorious 25th of May

ALSO May 25: Towel Day

All of June: Pride Month

ALSO All of June: IT'S HALLOWEEN TIME TO GET SPOOKY

June 5: Barricade Day

ALSO June 5: RONALD REAGAN IS DEAD

June 12: Another Homestuck Day

June 16: Let Papyrus Say Fuck

June 22: Summerween

June 23: FUCK This Post And Happy Birthday Sonic

All of July: Disability Pride Month

July 11-13: Dashcon Anniversary

July 20: Moon Landing

August 5: Curiosity Rover's Birthday

August 30: Frankenstein Day

September 8: The Queen Is Dead and Sans Undertale Killed Her

September 11: Mole Interest Monday

September 19: Talk Like A Pirate Day

September 21: DO YOU REMEMBER-

All of October: SKELETON WAR

ALSO All of October: People Draw A Lot Month? (so many names)

October 3: Mean Girls Day

ALSO October 3: Fullmetal Alchemist Day

October 13: Treat Yo' Self

October 18: None Pizza Left Beef

October 20: Unnecessary Feelings Day

October 25: Homestuck Day The Third??

October 31: HALLOWEEN

November 5: Destiel Nevada Putin Elec'tion Covid Way

ALSO November 5: Doc Brown Invents Time Travel

November 19: Goncharov

November 29: HENRY KISSINGER IS DEAD

All of December: Will the Gävle Goat Get Destroyed Again?

ALSO All of December: WHY WEREN'T YOU AT ELF PRACTICE

ALSO All of December: Season's Greason's

December 4: Deny Defend Depose Day

December 10: Please, It's Christmas

December 12: Hawaii Part 2

December 23: Christmas Adam

ALSO December 23: Festivus

December 24: ALMOST CHRISTMAS MEANS IT WASN'T CHRISTMAS

ALSO December 24: Cabinet Man Day

December 25: happy chrismum

December 27: Porn Ban Effective Today

[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

[saywhat-politics]

A federal appeals court struck down net neutrality on Thursday, ending the widely popular regulatory doctrine that mandated internet service providers to treat all internet traffic equally.

The ruling from the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ends a federal rule prohibiting broadband providers from throttling internet speeds or blocking traffic to specific sites.

“The FCC lacks the statutory authority to impose its desired net-neutrality policies,” the judges wrote, overturning what they called the Federal Communication Commission’s “heavy-handed regulatory regime.”

The pro-consumer policy of net neutrality was implemented by President Barack Obama and gutted during Donald Trump's first term. It was reinstated in April of last year by the Biden administration. The now-defunct policy holds that internet carriers are akin to telecom providers and must comply with common carrier regulations governing those services.

Telecom giants like Verizon and AT&T have opposed the policy for nearly a decade, spending big money to back anti-regulation candidates. 

[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!

[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

[femslashfortnight]

Attention all Sapphic Hatchetfield fans! (And Sapphic enjoyers too of course!!)

We’re back for 2025, a new list of prompts to bring even more Femslash to Hatchetfield!! We made such a difference last time, and us as a mod team can hardly describe in words how proud we are of our community and we’re very excited to see what magic we can all make together next year. Let’s post some fic, make some art, make edits, gif sets, whatever your little gay heart desires! Let’s flood Hatchetfield with its next resurgence of Femslash, front and centre as it deserves. 

Join us, in the next Hatchetfield Femslash Fortnight in 2025.

Prompt List and Dates (alt text below the cut):

ALT Text:

Day 1 (Sunday, April 13) - Love Letters

Day 2 (Monday, April 14) - Cassette 

Day 3 (Tuesday, April 15) - Fireflies 

Day 4 (Wednesday, April 16) - Western AU 

Day 5 (Thursday, April 17) - Corruption 

Day 6 (Friday, April 18) -  Study Date

Day 7 (Saturday, April 19) - Supernatural AU 

Day 8 (Sunday, April 20) -  Firsts

Day 9 (Monday, April 21) - Black and White

Day 10 (Tuesday, April 22) -  Movie Night 

Day 11 (Wednesday, April 23) - Superhero/Villain AU 

Day 12 (Thursday, April 24) - Happy Ending

Day 13 (Friday, April 25) - Holidays

Day 14 (Saturday, April 26) - 5+1

Alt Prompts - Teashop, Reincarnation AU, Ritual, Teacher AU, Roller Skating, Cherry 

Guide for tags (on both Tumblr & AO3):

Our tags have changed around for this year, so make sure you’re using the correct 2025 prompts so we see your submissions !

Hatchetfield Femslash Fortnight 25 or HFFF25 - All posts and submissions relating to the event

Hatchetfield Femslash Fortnight Afterdark 25 or HFFFAFTERDARK25 - All mature/nsfw posts and submissions related to the event

Hatchetfield Femslash Fortnight 25 Day _ or HFFF25DAY_ - Which day your submission is for

You are also free to tag ships, characters, and the prompt you'll be using but none of these are necessary! You can find our FAQ here !

And if you really wanna make sure we see it, make sure to @ this blog too!

If you have questions about the event, the dates, or the prompts feel free to send us an ask! Happy Sapphic shipping, we hope to see many submissions this year around !!

[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

[burntheedges]

Pas de Deux Chapter 8

Din Djarin x f!reader | 2.5k | fic masterlist | main masterlist | ao3

chapter summary: Swan Lake brings some surprises, including meeting someone new.

a/n: Happy Wednesday! See my notes at the end and on the masterlist about reader in this fic and ballet in general. Thank you @katareyoudrilling for being the best beta, as always!!

chapter tags/warnings: fluff, touching, dancing, ballet terms (see end notes and the masterlist for definitions and videos)

Chapter 8

Between Midsummer and Swan Lake it may have looked like there was a lull in the schedule, without a mixed program in mid-March. But in reality your practices for Swan Lake, the April mixed program, and Cinderella simply expanded and claimed all of your time.

Rehearsals for the two-week run of Swan Lake were going well, but you were a bit nervous — you were dancing the pas de trois for the first time, after all, and it was a role that most often went to principals. You knew there had been a bit of surprise when you’d been cast for it, and you were trying not to think about it. (Adrian had already teased you again about being promoted, anyway.)

Your rehearsals with Din continued to go well, too. For the week of Swan Lake, Kuiil moved your practice to Tuesday and had you working on the third movement. Even with the move your rehearsal was cut short, though, as you had a week of final rehearsals for Swan Lake that took priority.

As you gathered your bag, Din came and stood next to you and asked, “how are you feeling about this weekend?” You smiled at the warmth you could hear in his tone, which you still hadn’t gotten used to in your interactions, but had become a constant presence since your talk.

“Good, I think. I mean, I think all of me is sore, but yesterday I felt like I finally nailed it, so hopefully it goes that well this weekend.”

He reached out and touched your upper arm lightly. You’d noticed he’d gotten a bit more comfortable with casual touch, since you’d been touching more in the choreography, but it still surprised you. You tried not to show it. “You’re going to be amazing. That role is perfect for you.” 

Din sounded so certain. You fought back an emotion you refused to look at too closely, let alone name. “Oh! Thank you. I, um. I hope so.” 

The corner of his mouth lifted in the tiny smile you were becoming addicted to. “I’ll probably be there on Sunday, with Grogu.”

You grinned. “Has he seen it before?”

Din shook his head. “He didn’t see many CBC shows before we moved. I think he’ll love this one. Even if it is a little scary.”

“Well, I’m glad.” 

Din turned and walked with you down the hall towards the largest rehearsal room. “If he’s not too tired, we’ll come backstage after. But we’ll see.”

You glanced at him. You had almost asked if you could meet Grogu, but were afraid it would be too much. Maybe not, you thought, since Din seemed to be suggesting it. “I’d love that.”

You stopped by the door to your rehearsal, and for a moment you just smiled up at him, until the start of the music inside spurred you into action. “That’s my cue.” 

Din reached out again, and for a moment you thought he might be about to squeeze your hand. But he lifted his hand instead and brushed it against your upper arm briefly. “See you tomorrow.”

You nodded and forced yourself to go inside.

…

To your surprise, you didn’t have to wait until Sunday to meet Din’s son. 

During the dress rehearsal with the orchestra on Thursday, you heard the whispers backstage before your performance — Din and a little boy no one had seen before were sitting in the almost empty audience. You smiled to yourself, wondering what had prompted him to bring Grogu, and if they were still planning to come to one of the actual performances.

As you took up your first position on stage, you let yourself glance out at the seats and found a familiar set of shoulders about 10 rows back, just off center. He was leaning to his right, talking to a familiar little boy you could barely see over the seat in front of him. You felt warm as you watched them together for just a moment.

You let the feeling that welled up in your chest at the sight of them push you forwards and upwards. You’d worried that knowing Din was in the audience might make you nervous, but somehow it was the opposite. Maybe because you were getting to know each other’s dancing so well, but it pushed you, instead. You swore you could feel his eyes on you as your jumps went just a little bit higher and your turns landed just a little bit cleaner. 

You fought a grin as you took your final position, but the sound of two sets of hands clapping — one big, one small — almost made you lose the battle. You let it take over your face as you bowed before stepping off stage a few moments later.

Adrian slipped his arm into yours as you headed for the dressing rooms. “Where did that come from?” He whispered, raising his eyebrows at you.

You shrugged, still smiling. 

He rolled his eyes at you before releasing you to head backstage again. “Sure. I saw your little audience of two, you know.” He winked and then he was gone, heading back the way you came before you could come up with a response.

You turned the corner towards the dressing rooms, ready to get out of your costume, and were surprised to find someone waiting for you in the hall. Two someones, though one was much smaller than the other. 

The corner of Din’s mouth was turned up in a barely-there smile. Your grin returned before you consciously noticed it. 

“Din! Hi,” you said, a bit more breathlessly than you’d intended. “What are you doing back here?” Din was wearing jeans and a brown long-sleeve sweater that looked so soft you had to resist reaching out to touch. 

He gestured at his son, who was standing half behind his dad’s leg. “Grogu wanted to come say hello. He liked your solo.” He rested his hand lightly on his son’s head, who then looked up at his father before glancing back at you. Grogu nodded, just a bit, and you smiled down at the little boy. 

“Hi there,” you said, crouching down to his level. The floaty skirt of your costume flared out around you and Grogu’s eyes widened. You introduced yourself. “I’m so glad you liked it.”

“It was pretty,” the little boy said in a small voice. 

You bit your lip. So cute, you thought. “Thank you. Are you going to come see it this weekend?” You looked between him and his dad, and found Din had gone a bit expressionless. You blinked, surprised.

But he nodded, and confirmed, “on Sunday. We were just dropping by today and poked our heads in.”

You looked back at Grogu, deciding to ignore the sudden return of Din’s expressionless mask. It had been a while since you’d seen it, when it was just the two of you. “Well, you’ll have to tell me what your favorite part is after, ok?”

He nodded and smiled shyly at you, revealing a little dimple in his right cheek, and you smiled helplessly back. Din had the cutest kid.

You stood and said goodbye to them both. At the door to the dressing room, you turned back once more to find Din looking at you, still expressionless. You waved, feeling a bit silly, and then went inside.

…

On Sunday, you found two familiar faces waiting for you after the show yet again. Grogu grinned up at you as he held up a bouquet almost as big as he was. 

“Din, you didn’t —” you took it as he shook his head, cutting you off.

“You danced it beautifully,” he murmured, and you looked down to see Grogu nodding. 

You bit your lip. “Well, thank you. These are beautiful.” You bent down a little. “What was your favorite part, Grogu?”

“Yours,” he said, matter-of-fact in that way little kids were so good at. “It was the best.”

You grinned and ignored the way you felt your cheeks heat. “Oh! Well, thank you. That’s very nice of you.”

Looking back at Din, you were mildly surprised to find him staring at you. “It was,” he said, tone even.

You weren’t sure what he meant. “Hmm? What was?”

He reached out and brushed his fingers along your arm again. You shivered. “The best.”

You felt your face get so hot you wondered if he could feel it from where he was standing. “Din—”

He shook his head and shrugged. “It was.”

You looked between him and Grogu, who nodded, and smiled at both of them again. You tucked your flowers a bit closer, warmed in the face of his obvious sincerity. “Thank you.”

…

As the April mixed program and then Cinderella approached, you were finding it harder and harder to ignore the way you felt every time Din touched you.

Being touched by other dancers did not usually feel like this. You touched each other all the time — in partner work, for so many kinds of choreography, to help each other stretch. To keep warm backstage, even. It never really felt like anything but companionship and cooperation, to you.

But with Din… it was different.

In rehearsal the week after Swan Lake he suggested adding a glancing touch in the second movement as the first physical contact between you. The way his fingers danced down your arm as you moved apart reminded you of how he’d touched you backstage, after your performance. It stole your breath and his fingers left goosebumps in their path every time. 

It was torture. His strong hands curved around your waist for a short lift and you forced yourself to breathe through it. You slid down the front of his body in a slower release from another lift and you ignored how warm and firm his chest felt against yours. You felt almost unprofessional, every time his touch sent shivers up your spine. But you couldn’t seem to get used to it or make it stop.

The way he’d started looking at you wasn’t helping things, either. You caught him, in class, with a soft look in his eye. And then later, when Kuill was having you practice a part of the piece where you were alone on stage, you looked in the mirror and found him gazing at you with such emotion in his eyes that you had to wrench your eyes away, almost thrown off balance out of your pirouette.

You felt like you were teetering on the edge of something big. But you were also getting to know Din, and that in and of itself was enough to take your breath away.

He was so funny, and so kind. He talked about his son with love in his voice that settled somewhere in your chest, warming you. He told you Grogu had cheered when Din told him the two of you would be dancing together, and you grinned. He even helped you stretch, and on one occasion stood lightly on the boxes of your pointe shoes when you’d asked him to because your toes were so sore (and you’d tried not to make a weird noise at the immediate relief you’d felt from the extra space around your toes, but judging by his expressionless face, you’d failed).

In rehearsal, Din marveled at what he was allowed to do, now, and the styles he could explore. He asked you excitedly for your input on his changes to the choreography, on how to position his arm here, or develop that movement there. You could see, as he began to shake off the strict boundaries of his previous company, that he truly did love ballet. He loved it for itself, and you were finding that you never tired of watching him figure out how to love it for himself.

In your last rehearsal before the April mixed program, you watched Din land a complicated jump and turn sequence. When he did it perfectly, he turned to look at you and smiled, so wide you couldn’t help but smile back. He looked happy. He looked happier than you’d ever seen him. 

You felt that nameless emotion start to well up in your chest again and thought, “shit.”

You froze, and then you moved through the rest of practice in a daze. 

As soon as practice ended, you almost ran down the hallway, looking for your best friend. You spotted him walking with a small group of corps members and grabbed him by the elbow, tugging him to follow you. “Sorry, I need him!”

“What—” Adrian squawked, but you were too keyed up to laugh. 

“In here,” you said, and shoved him into the small break room with the bad couch. No one was inside, so you locked the door, and fell back against it.

“Shit,” he said, getting a good look at you. “Did you figure it out?”

You furrowed your brow. “Figure what out?”

He smiled at you and fell back onto the couch. “Your crush on Djarin is not just a ‘ballet crush.’”

Your jaw dropped, and Adrian laughed. “What?!”

He rolled his eyes at you. “Come on. I know a feelings freak out when I see it.”

You dropped your face into your hands and groaned. “Adrian, he touches me so much. He’s so funny. And kind. And he smiles at me! All the time. He keeps complimenting me. And his dancing! I am going to lose my mind.”

“Oh, dear,” he said, affecting a worried tone. “Whatever will we do, when the boy you have a crush on has an even bigger one on you?”

You dropped your hands and glared at him. “He does not.”

“Oh yes he does,” Adrian said, sighing. “Look, I can see both of you in class, ok? I am a neutral observer. I know what’s going on here. And it’s mutual. He doesn’t smile at anyone else here, you know. Not like that.”

You bit your lip against the swoop in your stomach. He only smiles at you. “But what if it’s not? Or what if it messes everything up?”

Adrian stood and came to lean next to you, against the door. “I’m pretty certain that it is. But there’s no reason to rush, right? You’re already so much better off than you were at the start. What if you just let it happen?” He nudged you with his shoulder. “He’s like a skittish horse, anyway. You gotta ease him into it.”

You laughed, finally, and leaned your head against his shoulder. “You’re right. Of course.”

He puffed out his chest and you laughed again when it jostled you on his shoulder. “Of course I am,” he agreed. “Anyway, you can take some time to figure out what you want too, you know. You don’t have to know right now. Now, tell me what sent you flying down the hallway like that.”

You told him all about practice, and how he touched you, and then at the end, how he’d looked at you and just… lit up. So happy. By the end of it, he was sighing at you again. “It’ll work out, ok? Just let it happen.”Let it happen, you repeated in your mind. “I’ll try.” You hoped he was right.

...

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a/n: Grogu! And yes, Adrian has been prepared for that conversation for a while. 😂 Some ballet notes -

Swan Lake - I feel like most people have heard of Swan Lake, even if you don't know what it's about! The San Francisco Ballet has a nice overview here. A lot of companies do this one at least once a season or year just because it will always draw an audience. Reader's part is in Act I (at Prince Siegfried's party). The pas de trois (and another) is usually two women and a man, and as that overview puts it: "Full of tricky steps and opportunities for each dancer to shine, this dance offers a chance for a few principal dancers to show their stuff, or for a few up-and-comers to make a big impression." I linked to the variation (solo) reader will be doing in the chapter. A lot companies do something based on Petipa's choreography (which is not the original, technically), which is 4 acts. It's been around for so long and done so many ways that there are a lot of different endings and variations and even characterizations! Everyone puts their own spin on it. There's a nice list of some alternate endings and the parts in each act on the wiki page. One of the most famous parts is the dance of the little swans. Here's a version from the Bolshoi, here's a comparison of the Bolshoi and Royal Ballet productions where you can see how it can differ, and here's one from ABT. And here's a few funny versions!

Dress rehearsal - a lot of companies will do a dress rehearsal, the day before the show starts, especially if working with an orchestra. there might also be on-stage not-in-costume rehearsals with the orchestra, but not as many as you'd think. So they have dress rehearsal on Thursday and shows on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

That was mostly it, this week! please tell me if I missed something you wish I had explained. a bit more feelings than new terms this week lol