#food battle 2006

[yourinterestisnotcringe]

x😭😭😭 x

[smoshidiot]

food battle 2006

[tigresslanzhu]

More With 7-Year-Old Johnny

Johnny: What’s for dinner, dad?

Marcus: Fettuccine.

Johnny, EEEEEEEWWWWWWWW! NOT FETTUCCINE! I HATE FETTUCCINE! NOTHING’S MORE MINGING THAN FETTUCCINE! CAN’T WE HAVE SOMETHING YUMMY INSTEAD?

Marcus: NO!

Johnny: [in his room with the dictionary open] Fettuccine… fettuccine… F-E-T-T…

[crepesuzettey]

Are we giving our opinions on LWS now? Lol okay. Personally I think it’s fine. I like all the episodes so far well enough and find them funny, but I don’t think it’s anything outstanding. I get the criticism.

I think I remember someone saying that the “eating a snack in a business office” vibe was kinda weird and slightly off-putting and I kind of agree with that lol. Though I find it interesting to see different areas of the building, I definitely also appreciate the sets of Smosh Mouth and FWS.

I think it’s the fact that it’s called “Lunchtime with Smosh” that makes it feel a bit half-hearted. Obviously it is its own thing but by using that title it is connecting itself to the original show. Even though they’re just eating a small snack and then moving on. You’re kinda asking for comparisons there lol.

And yeah, it may be true that this is the most casual we see them. They’re talking about not random topics and the conversation moves along naturally. But on the other hand, I do feel a little like the conversation topic plans, combined with the business-y setting also gives off less of a personal vibe. The thing is that Smosh Mouth also has planned topics, BUT — and I know everybody is probably tired of this — it does feel different when Erin is the one kind of moderating everything.

This is not anything against Erin — I don’t dislike her — but more about the role she is playing here. Because LWS was presented as “Ian and Anthony content”, she is sort of a third party here and she plays that role (also because she directs it, right?). I’m sure this is also partly because Ian and Anthony are too busy to plan for it or something, and she isn’t a cast member so she may not want to be “advertised” as part of the podcast, but anyway. It does make a difference to me.

I don’t take issue with FWS in the same way because, even though the topic is decided beforehand, it is still mostly Ian and Anthony (and any guests) talking to each other, and the execution of it feels less dictated. Although, the reason why the guest format kept getting worse was because it felt more structured imo.

Also, that isn’t inherently a bad thing, it’s the way that they do it. Like it never feels like LWS has a particularly strong brand or anything to support it (a set really helps with this for viewers). FWS also struggled with this when they kept doing guest episodes and adding gimmicks that don’t really add anything to the conversation, in order to fill the time (instead of maybe getting cast members to watch the videos with them and prompt more interesting conversations — the Food Battle 2006 vs 2016 episode was great because of this — or just having them watch more videos).

With LWS though, I feel like I always expect to not like the episodes that much and then I end up enjoying them anyway lol

[conchiferrous]

bonus

[ID: Mock Pokemon summary screens of Franky and Nico Robin from One Piece. Franky is a three legged shiny umbreon with star markings on his head and front legs. He's listed as having perfect IVs in HP, defense, and special defense, holding Black Glasses, has a bold nature, was caught December 11th, 2006 at Water 7 in a heavy ball, is "capable of taking hits", and likes sour food. Robin is an espeon and with a bob cut and blue eyes. She's listed as having perfect IVs in special attack, special defense, and speed, holding Rose Incense, has a modest nature, was caught February 18th, 2002 at Alabasta Kingdom in a timer ball, is mischevious, and likes dry food. Followup picture is Franky and Robin being encountered in a double battle. Franky uses helping hand to power her up and she shoots lasers out of her eyes to explode the player side character. It's captioned: "You died badly."

[upthewitchypunx]

Just go to Michael's so I can get parts to fix my necklace I said. I won't look at the Halloween stuff I said. Well, I got the parts and also picked up these iron on patches because they belong on a witchy battle jacket.

Just rambling after this but it will make the pictures make more sense.

So, I have this necklace. The chain belonged to my grandmother and the star was literally the first occult adjacent piece of jewelry I bought in 2006. It's not really a pentacle, but it is a reminder of my choice to be a witch and to see the world a little differently. I've lost it before, but it always comes back.

The clasp broke a few months ago and I've been wearing it on different chains including a string of garnets, which it really didn't like. At Pagan pride day that string broke and I put it into the pocket of my vest. My vest that I put the charm of pony beads and stars that I got got from a tiny witch child that I exchanged for an acorn charm.

Then a few days later I tore my room apart looking for the vest so I could find the necklace so I could fix it and wear it to San Francisco but I could not find it. Ian B even stopped by Saraveza to ask if I left it there when we ate after Pagan Pride. We went to SF and came home. I was still flummoxed.

Fast forward to a weekends ago when I was telling Ian B that I really wish I had to vest to wear to Billy Bragg because it has a Discount patch on the back and Discount did an album of Billy Bragg covers that is highly underrated. So, we were walking to the store to make some food before I went to the show and we walked by Saraveza and the bartender came running out saying "I have your vest!". Literally right before going to the show.

Anyway, my necklace was grumpy and I had to get things to fix the chain before leaving my time zone... Or else? Not sure what that meant but I fixed it. And I leave for Chicago tomorroe.

[mariacallous]

This story is part of a joint investigation between Lighthouse Reports and WIRED. To read other stories from the series, click here.

Mitch Daniels is a numbers guy, a cost-cutter. In the early 2000s, he tried and failed to rein in congressional spending under then-US president George W. Bush. So when he took office as Indiana governor in 2005, Daniels was ready to argue once again for fiscal discipline. He wanted to straighten out Indiana’s state government, which he deemed rife with dysfunction. And he started with its welfare system. “That department had been rocked by a series of criminal indictments, with cheats and caseworkers colluding to steal money meant for poor people,” he later said.

Daniels’ solution took the form of a $1.3 billion, 10-year contract with IBM. He had lofty ambitions for the project, which started in 2006, claiming it would improve the benefits service for Indiana residents while cracking down on fraud, ultimately saving taxpayers billions of dollars.

But the contract was a disaster. It was canceled after three years, and IBM and Indiana spent a decade locked in a legal battle about who was to blame. Daniels described IBM’s sweeping redesign and automation of the system—responsible for deciding who was eligible for everything from food stamps to medical cover—as deficient. He was adamant, though, that outsourcing a technical project to a company with expertise was the right call. “It was over-designed,” he said. “Great on paper but too complicated to work in practice.” IBM declined a request for comment. 

In July 2012, Judge David Dryer of the Marion County Superior Court ruled that Indiana had failed to prove IBM had breached its contract. But he also delivered a damning verdict on the system itself, describing it as an untested experiment that replaced caseworkers with computers and phone calls. “Neither party deserves to win this case,” he said. “This story represents a ‘perfect storm’ of misguided government policy and overzealous corporate ambition.” 

That might have been an early death knell for the burgeoning business of welfare state automation. Instead, the industry exploded. Today, such fraud systems form a significant part of the nebulous “govtech” industry, which revolves around companies selling governments new technologies with the promise that new IT will make public administration easier-to-use and more efficient. In 2021, that market was estimated to be worth €116 billion ($120 billion) in Europe and $440 billion globally. And it’s not only companies that expect to profit from this wave of tech. Governments also believe modernizing IT systems can deliver big savings. Back in 2014, the consultancy firm McKinsey estimated that if government digitization reached its “full potential,” it could free up $1 trillion every year. 

Contractors around the world are selling governments on the promise that fraud-hunting algorithms can help them recoup public funds. But researchers who track the spread of these systems argue that these companies are often overpaid and under-supervised. The key issue, researchers say, is accountability. When complex machine learning models or simpler algorithms are developed by the private sector, the computer code that gets to define who is and isn’t accused of fraud is often classed as intellectual property. As a result, the way such systems make decisions is opaque and shielded from interrogation. And even when these algorithmic black holes are embroiled in high-stakes legal battles over alleged bias, the people demanding answers struggle to get them. 

In the UK, a community group called the Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People is trying to determine whether a pattern of disabled people being investigated for fraud is linked to government automation projects. In France, the digital rights group La Quadrature du Net has been trying for four months to find out whether a fraud system is discriminating against people born in other countries. And in Serbia, lawyers want to understand why the introduction of a new system has resulted in hundreds of Roma families losing their benefits. “The models are always secret,” says Victoria Adelmant, director of New York University’s digital welfare state project. “If you don’t have transparency, it’s very difficult to even challenge and assess these systems.” 

The rollout of automated bureaucracy has happened quickly and quietly, but it has left a trail of scandals in its wake. In Michigan, a computer system used between 2013 and 2015 falsely accused 34,000 people of welfare fraud. A similar thing happened in Australia between 2015 and 2019, but on a larger scale: The government accused 400,000 people of welfare fraud or error after its social security department started using a so-called robodebt algorithm to automatically issue fines.

Another scandal emerged in the Netherlands in 2019 when tens of thousands of families—many of them from the country’s Ghanaian community—were falsely accused of defrauding the child benefits system. These systems didn’t just contribute to agencies accusing innocent people of welfare fraud; benefits recipients were ordered to repay the money they had supposedly stolen. As a result, many of the accused were left with spiraling debt, destroyed credit ratings, and even bankruptcy. 

Not all government fraud systems linked to scandals were developed with consultancies or technology companies. But civil servants are increasingly turning to the private sector to plug knowledge and personnel gaps. Companies involved in fraud detection systems range from giant consultancies—Accenture, Cap Gemini, PWC—to small tech firms like Totta Data Lab in the Netherlands and Saga in Serbia.

Experts in automation and AI are expensive to hire and less likely to be wooed by public sector salaries. When the UK surveyed its civil servants last year, confidence in the government’s ability to use technology was low, with around half of respondents blaming an inability to hire top talent. More than a third said they had few or no skills in artificial intelligence, machine learning, or automation. But it’s not just industry experience that makes the private sector so alluring to government officials. For welfare departments squeezed by budget cuts, “efficiency” has become a familiar buzzword. “Quite often, a public sector entity will say it is more efficient for us to go and bring in a group of consultants,” says Dan Sheils, head of European public service at Accenture.

The public sector lacks the expertise to create these systems and also to oversee them, says Matthias Spielkamp, cofounder of German nonprofit Algorithm Watch, which has been tracking automated decision-making in social welfare programs across Europe since 2017. In an ideal world, civil servants would be able to develop these systems themselves and have an in-depth understanding of how they work, he says. “That would be a huge difference to working with private companies, because they will sell you black-box systems—black boxes to everyone, including the public sector.” 

In February 2020, a crisis broke out in the Dutch region of Walcheren as officials realized they were in the dark about how their own fraud detection system worked. At the time, a Dutch court had halted the use of another algorithm used to detect welfare fraud, known as SyRI, after finding it violated people’s right to privacy. Officials in Walcheren were not using SyRI, but in emails obtained by Lighthouse Reports and WIRED through freedom-of-information requests, government employees had raised concerns that their algorithm bore striking similarities to the one just condemned by the court.

Walcheren’s system was developed by Totta Data Lab. After signing a contract in March 2017, the Dutch startup developed an algorithm to sort through pseudonymous information, according to details obtained through a freedom-of-information request. The system analyzed details of local people claiming welfare benefits and then sent human investigators a list of those it classified as most likely to be fraudsters. 

The redacted emails show local officials agonizing over whether their algorithm would be dragged into the SyRI scandal. “I don’t think it is possible to explain why our algorithm should be allowed while everyone is reading about SyRI,” one official wrote the week after the court ruling. Another wrote back with similar concerns. “We also do not get insight from Totta Data Lab into what exactly the algorithm does, and we do not have the expertise to check this.” Neither Totta nor officials in Walcheren replied to requests for comment. 

When the Netherlands’ Organization for Applied Scientific Research, an independent research institute, later carried out an audit of a Totta algorithm used in South Holland, the auditors struggled to understand it. “The results of the algorithm do not appear to be reproducible,” their 2021 report reads, referring to attempts to re-create the algorithm’s risk scores. “The risks indicated by the AI algorithm are largely randomly determined,” the researchers found. 

With little transparency, it often takes years—and thousands of victims—to expose technical shortcomings. But a case in Serbia provides a notable exception. In March 2022, a new law came into force which gave the government the green light to use data processing to assess individuals’ financial status and automate parts of its social protection programs. The new socijalna karta, or social card system, would help the government detect fraud while making sure welfare payments were reaching society’s most marginalized, claimed Zoran Đorđević, Serbia’s minister of social affairs in 2020. 

But within months of the system’s introduction, lawyers in the capital Belgrade had started documenting how it was discriminating against the country’s Roma community, an already disenfranchised ethnic minority group. 

Mr. ​​Ahmetović, a welfare recipient who declined to share his first name out of concern that his statement could affect his ability to claim benefits in the future, says he hadn’t heard of the social card system until November 2022, when his wife and four children were turned away from a soup kitchen on the outskirts of the Serbian capital. It wasn’t unusual for the Roma family to be there, as their welfare payments entitled them to a daily meal provided by the government. But on that day, a social worker told them their welfare status had changed and that they would no longer be getting a daily meal.

The family was in shock, and Ahmetović rushed to the nearest welfare office to find out what had happened. He says he was told the new social card system had flagged him after detecting income amounting to 110,000 Serbian dinars ($1,000) in his bank account, which meant he was no longer eligible for a large chunk of the welfare he had been receiving. Ahmetović was confused. He didn’t know anything about this payment. He didn’t even have his own bank account—his wife received the family’s welfare payments into hers. 

With no warning, their welfare payments were slashed by 30 percent, from around 70,000 dinars ($630) per month to 40,000 dinars ($360). The family had been claiming a range of benefits since 2012, including financial social assistance, as their son’s epilepsy and unilateral paralysis means neither parent is able to work. The drop in support meant the Ahmetovićs had to cut back on groceries and couldn’t afford to pay all their bills. Their debt ballooned to over 1 million dinars ($9,000). 

The algorithm’s impact on Serbia’s Roma community has been dramatic. ​​Ahmetović says his sister has also had her welfare payments cut since the system was introduced, as have several of his neighbors. “Almost all people living in Roma settlements in some municipalities lost their benefits,” says Danilo Ćurčić, program coordinator of A11, a Serbian nonprofit that provides legal aid. A11 is trying to help the Ahmetovićs and more than 100 other Roma families reclaim their benefits.

But first, Ćurčić needs to know how the system works. So far, the government has denied his requests to share the source code on intellectual property grounds, claiming it would violate the contract they signed with the company who actually built the system, he says. According to Ćurčić and a government contract, a Serbian company called Saga, which specializes in automation, was involved in building the social card system. Neither Saga nor Serbia’s Ministry of Social Affairs responded to WIRED’s requests for comment.

As the govtech sector has grown, so has the number of companies selling systems to detect fraud. And not all of them are local startups like Saga. Accenture—Ireland’s biggest public company, which employs more than half a million people worldwide—has worked on fraud systems across Europe. In 2017, Accenture helped the Dutch city of Rotterdam develop a system that calculates risk scores for every welfare recipient. A company document describing the original project, obtained by Lighthouse Reports and WIRED, references an Accenture-built machine learning system that combed through data on thousands of people to judge how likely each of them was to commit welfare fraud. “The city could then sort welfare recipients in order of risk of illegitimacy, so that highest risk individuals can be investigated first,” the document says. 

Officials in Rotterdam have said Accenture’s system was used until 2018, when a team at Rotterdam’s Research and Business Intelligence Department took over the algorithm’s development. When Lighthouse Reports and WIRED analyzed a 2021 version of Rotterdam’s fraud algorithm, it became clear that the system discriminates on the basis of race and gender. And around 70 percent of the variables in the 2021 system—information categories such as gender, spoken language, and mental health history that the algorithm used to calculate how likely a person was to commit welfare fraud—appeared to be the same as those in Accenture’s version.

When asked about the similarities, Accenture spokesperson Chinedu Udezue said the company’s “start-up model” was transferred to the city in 2018 when the contract ended. Rotterdam stopped using the algorithm in 2021, after auditors found that the data it used risked creating biased results.

Consultancies generally implement predictive analytics models and then leave after six or eight months, says Sheils, Accenture’s European head of public service. He says his team helps governments avoid what he describes as the industry’s curse: “false positives,” Sheils’ term for life-ruining occurrences of an algorithm incorrectly flagging an innocent person for investigation. “That may seem like a very clinical way of looking at it, but technically speaking, that's all they are.” Sheils claims that Accenture mitigates this by encouraging clients to use AI or machine learning to improve, rather than replace, decision-making humans. “That means ensuring that citizens don’t experience significantly adverse consequences purely on the basis of an AI decision.” 

However, social workers who are asked to investigate people flagged by these systems before making a final decision aren’t necessarily exercising independent judgment, says Eva Blum-Dumontet, a tech policy consultant who researched algorithms in the UK welfare system for campaign group Privacy International. “This human is still going to be influenced by the decision of the AI,” she says. “Having a human in the loop doesn’t mean that the human has the time, the training, or the capacity to question the decision.” 

Despite the scandals and repeated allegations of bias, the industry building these systems shows no sign of slowing. And neither does government appetite for buying or building such systems. Last summer, Italy’s Ministry of Economy and Finance adopted a decree authorizing the launch of an algorithm that searches for discrepancies in tax filings, earnings, property records, and bank accounts to identify people at risk of not paying their taxes. 

But as more governments adopt these systems, the number of people erroneously flagged for fraud is growing. And once someone is caught up in the tangle of data, it can take years to break free. In the Netherlands’ child benefits scandal, people lost their cars and homes, and couples described how the stress drove them to divorce. “The financial misery is huge,” says Orlando Kadir, a lawyer representing more than 1,000 affected families. After a public inquiry, the Dutch government agreed in 2020 to pay the families around €30,000 ($32,000) in compensation. But debt balloons over time. And that amount is not enough, says Kadir, who claims some families are now €250,000 in debt. 

In Belgrade, ​​Ahmetović is still fighting to get his family’s full benefits reinstated. “I don’t understand what happened or why,” he says. “It’s hard to compete against the computer and prove this was a mistake.” But he says he’s also wondering whether he’ll ever be compensated for the financial damage the social card system has caused him. He’s yet another person caught up in an opaque system whose inner workings are guarded by the companies and governments who make and operate them. Ćurčić, though, is clear on what needs to change. “We don’t care who made the algorithm,” he says. “The algorithm just has to be made public.”

Additional reporting by Gabriel Geiger and Justin-Casimir Braun.

[femmmie]

"I just don't know what to do," Anthony lamented.

"It will come to you, I'm certain of it."

Jon Cozart was over to shoot a video for Anthony's solo channel. He was one of is only friends in LA.

"Will it?"

"I mean, you're going through the grieving phases! You're crying and half-naked in every video…"

"I am?"

"Yeah, you literally just shot a crying scene."

"Right… Okay, but why do you zone in on me being half-naked?"

"Fuck off! Mister perfect abs," Jon gave Anthony the softest fake-bro bump to the shoulder. It made him laugh.

"Yeah, yeah, you're only my friend so you can take advantage of me in a vulnerable moment."

"Then I'd taken advantage of you as soon as you showed up at my place the other day all teary-eyed," Jon countered.

"Okay, shut up then and play me some music!"

While Jon was strumming his uke, Anthony dramatically collapsed on his couch, spread-eagled. He closed his eyes and sighed.

"Yeees, Anthony has mastered, the Youutube shiiigh hhhhh like noo other youutuberrr"

Jon forced Anthony to smile in his moment of self-pity.

"I just don't think this is going to work. What the hell am I going to do with my channel? It's not going anywhere… I should just sell my body for money…"

"I'd support youuuu"

"Yeah with moneyyy"

"Why would I give youuu moneyyy if youuu show off thaaat bodyyyy for freeee alll the tiiiime?"

Anthony sighed yet again. He reached for his bong.

"No!" Jon stopped strumming. "My vocal chords will not be besmudged with smoke."

Anthony stood up.

"Wanna watch old Smosh videos?"

"For the tenth time, no thank you, Anthony. But really…" Jon put his instrument down and walked up to him. "You shouldn't either. There's no use in wallowing in the past."

Jon left the house.

Anthony thought about what Jon had said. But he just didn't agree. As long as he would know exactly what he'd done wrong, he could still make it right… right?

He knew his new videos were shit and that was because he wasn't putting his heart into it. Because of course, his heart remained with…

He opened YouTube and clicked on Food Battle 2006.

"Fu-hu-hu-uuuck, what haaave I dooone…"

[mieteve-minijoma]

My father is losing his battle with cancer and my heart is absolutely broken. He is doing hospice care at home and I made the trip back home to be with him. We are limited on funds since my hubs and I are both disabled so we have started a GoFundMe.

Please, if you can donate (even if it's just a few dollars), we would much appreciate it. We aren't sure how long we'll be here and it would help us and also my stepmom so she doesn't have to worry about food while we are here.

Love you guys 💜

If you want to send by Venmo or Cash app, I'll list them here:

Venmo: @Bina-Eubie-2006

Cashapp: $Pappy0820

https://gofund.me/8409d3b7

[she-wolf09231982]

Chapter 2-Fare Thee Well

Summary: Sam, Bobby, and Dean are about to face a nemesis more clever and adaptable than any they've encountered thus far. As the world around them becomes increasingly perilous, the resources they've come to rely upon have been stripped away. They will find themselves totally outmatched and outgunned and pushed to their limits, with no one to rely on but each other…that’s when they decided it’s time to bring you back to the team. In the meantime, Sam is literally battling the Devil internally after being roomies with him in Hell.

Castiel has inadvertently released Leviathans while defeating the Archangel, Raphael. With the Apocalypse averted, Castiel was again resurrected by God with new powers after absorbing all the souls of Purgatory, resulting in his powers reaching a level much higher than that of an archangel, but at a high price: the powers that the evil souls granted him had gone to Castiel's head, causing him to proclaim himself as the new God.

Leviathans (Ancient Sea monsters that were the first beasts created by God that harvest humans as a food source) become an imminent threat where Sam and Dean are required to team up with a resurrected Castiel (Angel), Meg (Demon), Crowley (King of Hell), and Kevin Tran the prophet to overthrow the Leviathans and their front-runner Dick Roman with a weapon designed by God.

Author Note:  Story starts during Season 2 (2006) then flashes forward to the beginning of Season 7 (2011)

Latin to English translations

*Carpe noctem-Seize the night

~~~~~~~~

Bobby is usually on point when it comes to knowing Sam and Dean. When he told you Dean would get past the fact that you were a witch, he was dead wrong. Dean’s resentment of you outweighed his ability to forgive you and has been giving you the cold shoulder since he found out about you a few days ago.

The air was heavy and awkward when each of you were in the same room. Whenever you try to speak directly to Dean, he’d ignore you and speak to Sam instead, replying with snide and sarcastic responses such as,

“Did you hear something, Sam?” or “I’m sorry, Sam, did you say something?”

Sam would roll his eyes each time while you release an irritated and defeated sigh. Dean was obviously upset, but his petty behavior towards you was getting to be too much… for you and all involved. Until day four of his spiteful performances, Dean ghosted you when you came into the kitchen and attempted to place a piece of pie in front of him, Bobby had enough.

“Alright, Dean, get back in here and have a seat!” Bobby bellowed at him.

Bobby’s voice stopped Dean in his place but remained with his back facing the three of you. Dean turned his head barely looking over his shoulder.

“What is it, Bobby?” Dean asked curtly almost sounding like a growl.

“Dean, we have to clear the air here.” Sam insisted.

Dean crossed his arms and scoffed, still facing away from all of you. Sam and Bobby exchange looks of exasperation. You sat quietly at the table with your arms folded with your eyes on Dean’s back. To Bobby, Sam, and Dean you were sitting there just listening and waiting. What you were actually doing was zeroing in on Dean’s internal movement. His heart rate, pulse, breathing, and his mental activity.

His aura was red hot, and his brain waves were surging with rage and rigor. The heat you sense radiating from him made you sweat in your chair. You zoned in so meticulously on Dean’s emotions you began to feel everything he was feeling. You finally decided to speak up while they were all talking over each other.

“Dean, your blood pressure is skyrocketing, please just take a breath. Sit with us. We can talk this out. Everything.” You proposed.

Dean turned finally acknowledging you.

“Y/N, I don’t need to talk about anything. I’ve heard enough to know that this,” he motioned to the group with his hand, “does not work.” He stated.

“What do you mean by ‘this,’ Dean?” Sam asked. Dean shot a look at him.

“I can’t hunt with someone that is one of the reasons we hunt, Sammy!” Dean yelled.

Bobby and Sam stared back at him.

Dean continued, “First of all, she withheld she was a witch for what? Over 25 years?? Makes me wonder what the hell else she’s been keeping from us.”

He looked at you, “How am I supposed to trust you to have my back…no, all of our backs if we can’t trust you to tell the truth?” He questioned.

You remained calm, not breaking eye contact or cowering back from his hostility. Sam and Bobby watched you with deer in the headlight eyes. Bobby secretly hoped you’d turn Dean into a rabbit or something to show him you don’t have to take his childish crap.

“Dean, this is exactly the reason why your parents didn’t want you to know about me. Because you would lose your shit and punch holes in the wall like you did the other day.” You finally replied.

Dean’s jaw clenched and lips pursed from both anger and embarrassment. He punched a hole through Bobby’s already deteriorating bathroom wall. His hand still bearing bruises and minor cuts. Dean isn’t proud of how he’s been acting out, but this deep-rooted sense of betrayal he felt triggered his inner monster, and he just couldn’t control it. He was angry that you were once someone that brought out the best in him and now the witch that activated his animalistic side.

Dean crossed over to all of you, placed his hands on the table and shifted his weight forward. His icy green eyes burning a hole into your soul.

“Y/N, as of right now, you won’t be hunting with us. I’ve been thinking about it a considerable amount, and weighed all the pros and cons, and it’s just not going to happen, babe.” He mandated.

Sam flitted a look of panic at Dean.

“Dean! Are you serious??” Was all Sam could say.

“Serious as a heart attack.” Dean replied without looking away from you tilting his head.

You move forward, leaning on your elbows meeting Dean halfway across the table without the fear of repercussions of getting too close.

“You don’t really want to do this, Dean.” You say softly but assertively.

Dean exposed a roguish smirk, “Oh, I know I do, babe. Your time with the Winchesters has come to an end.”

He pushed off from the table, slowly backed up, turned on his heel and exited out the front door without another word. You all hear the Impala speed off into the distance.

Sam stared into space with his hand over his mouth gripping his chin. Bobby started chugging his beer.

You stood up gradually, rolled your shoulders back and proceeded to where your jacket hung behind the door. Sam and Bobby watched you intensely, waiting for whatever might happen next. You sense their stares and quietly chuckle.

“You don’t have to gawk at me, you two.” You utter across the room.

Bobby and Sam looked at each other shaking off the shock of what just occurred.

“Y/N, I’m…Don’t think that-“ Sam tried to formulate a sentence, but you cut him off.

“Sam, don’t. It’s fine.” You reassure.

“No, Y/N, it’s not fine. Dean shouldn’t have the final say in this.” Bobby pushed.

“Bobby, it’s just easier this way. Dean will take every opportunity to throw this in my face if I stay. He’s right, we can’t hunt together like this. Someone will get killed. I’m just going to go.” You confirmed.

Sam’s eyes started to get glossy. He knew you would disappear, and that you were clearly capable of doing so. They may never see you again. Something Sam has never fathomed and quite frankly, whole heartedly disagreed with.

“But…where will you go?” Sam asked.

You gather your things into your leather messenger bag, don your jacket and beanie, and shoulder your backpack then turn towards Sam and Bobby as they walked over to meet you at the door. Sam towered over you when he reached you. You look up at him.

“Don’t worry about me, Sam.” You say confidently with a weak smile.

With Sam in close proximity of you, you fuse to his current sensations he was feeling.

“Heartache, hurt, sorrow, desertion…his aura is dark blue and cold. He’s fighting back tears...” You reflect to yourself.

As the intensity of Sam’s sentiment increased, you felt more of his emotions within you. One tear shed from your eye.

“We’re gonna miss you around here, Y/N.” Bobby said.

You look at him affectionately, “Bobby, I will never forget you.” You embrace him in a bear hug, hating the thought of letting go.

“Yeah, Y/N, I…I really don’t think you should go.” Sam urged pushing down tears.

You look back at him with a smile.

“Sam, all of our paths will cross again. Until then, watch out for each other.” You raise your eyebrows at him as if to ask, “Ok?”

Sam nodded and pulled you in for a hug. Sam being 6’4, he practically absorbed you as he held you. Your ear right over his heart, hearing his beat accelerate as you stood there with him. It’s time…

You pull away from Sam and pat him on his chest over his heart.

“*Carpe noctem.” You whisper to him.

He flashed a faint smile at you then looked at the floor so you couldn’t see his tears beginning to fall. You turn and walk through the screen door, and onward to the dirt road. You walk without looking back as Bobby and Sam stood on the porch watching you literally vanish into the fog that was beginning to form.

~~~~~~~~

Five years later…

Dean and Sam are about to face an enemy craftier and more adaptable than anything they’ve encountered thus far as hunters. As the world around them becomes increasingly perilous, the tools and people they've come to rely on have been stripped away. The Winchester brothers have found themselves totally outmatched, outgunned and pushed way beyond their limits, with no one to rely on but each other.

You relocated to Chicago, Illinois after you left Bobby’s house that day. You tried to continue hunting, but you’ve been denied joining other hunters after Dean’s resentment spread like wildfire. He put the word out that you were a turn coat witch and was not to be trusted. His warning hustled through the hunting alliances, and nobody would work with you after that. You decided to apply to a local pub in the downtown area as a bartender and just live your life using your craft to do good for people who seek your help and not you seeking to help others.

You began to sense a shift in the planet’s balances one evening while you were working. Gravity seemed to be heavier, the air was less breathable, and everywhere you looked had a foggy filter to it. Something was wrong…

A new evil was released into the world…

A dense, violent element hovered in the atmosphere…

Something happened. You close your eyes to concentrate on this fierce aura you were sensing, but it was impossible to concentrate on what it could be.

Then suddenly, another sensation pushed into your thoughts. Someone nearby was seeking you out.

You can hear the thoughts of this person looking for you.

“She has to be here.” You hear him think to himself. His presence is very familiar.

You furrow your eyebrows when his presence hits you like a train:

“Sam?” you whisper to yourself.

Your eyes spring open and you gaze out into the room to see Sam Winchester pushing through the crowd looking around like a lost child searching for a responsible adult.

You bee line through the sea of patrons towards him. His back is turned towards you when you reach him. He backs into you almost stumbling, then turns meeting your resting bitch face expression.

“Sam?” You say briskly.

Sam’s mouth fell open, his heart filled with panic. You felt it.

“Uh…Hey, Y/N! What are you doing here??” Sam responded a little too enthusiastically.

You narrow your eyes at him not believing his little ‘what a coincidence’ act.

“Please, Sam, there’s no way you just happen to be in Chicago. Let me guess? Dean is here, too. Don’t tell me where, let me guess. He’s either at the pool tables, or he’s at the bar buying a cheap rail shot for a girl who’s pants he wants to get into.”

You start to scan the busy room for Dean’s presence. It didn’t take too long to locate the glow of Dean’s green eyes. (As kids that’s always how you were able to find him when you played hide and seek).

There he was at the bar hitting on a pretty blonde female, ordering what looked to be two shots of second-rate vodka and a couple of beer chasers.

“I knew it.” You scoffed. “What are you doing here?” You ask turning back to Sam.

Sam looked back at you alarmed.

“Uh…we’re just passing through.” Sam struggled to respond.

You lift an eyebrow at him as you cross your arms.

“Oh yeah?” You shot back unconvinced.

Suddenly you hear another voice behind you,

“Oh good. You found her.” Another familiar voice called out over the music.

“Bobby??” You shrill as you turn around facing a worn looking Robert Singer.

You looked back at Sam with a ‘care to explain?’ expression.

“Found me? So, you were looking for me.” You confirmed.

Sam tightened his jaw in frustration as he looked beyond you at Dean who just walked up.

“Oh…Guess you didn’t tell her yet, huh?” Dean asked after seeing your irate expression.

Sam shook his head.

“Tell me what?” You snapped with arms still crossed.

Dean and Sam looked at each other, both letting out a long breath before looking back at you.

~~~~~~~~

After you finished your shift, Sam, Dean and Bobby accompanied you to your apartment just above the bar you worked at. You made a pot of coffee since the rest of this evening was sure to be a long one with this sudden appearance by the Winchester brothers. You give them each their own coffee mug with all the coffee condiments they may have needed while Sam explained why they came looking for you.

You massage your temples after Sam completed his story.

“Sooo let me see if I’m understanding you right: Your friend, Cas, unintentionally released Leviathans from Purgatory and in the process swallowed them to defeat the Archangel, Raphael?”

“Yes.” Bobby responded.

“Right. And this Cas guy is traveling through the public water supply raising cane with a Leviathan multiple personality disorder.” You continue.

“Sounds like you got the gist of it, there, sweetheart.” Dean stated condescendingly.

You slowly bring your gaze to Dean. Your eyes still piercing and contempt rising inside, then your lips curl into a mischievous smile. You’re amused by his boldness since it was his fault you left in the first place. Now here he is, seeking your help to battle mythological sea monsters. You look at Sam.

“I’m sorry, Sam, did you say something?” You ask him. Sam rolled his eyes and looked at the ceiling.

Dean chuckled sarcastically, “Ok I see how it’s going to be.” He said walking over to your fridge finding your beer stash and helping himself to two bottles.

~~~~~~~~

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 5.21

Holidays

Afro-Colombian Day (Colombia)

Agricultural Fair Day

Anti-Terrorism Day (India)

Battle of Iquique Anniversary Day (Chile)

Capitol Build Day (New York)

Circassian Day of Mourning

Daylilly Day (French Republic)

Day of Patriots and Military (Hungary)

Emergency Medical Services Day

EMS Health, Wellness & Resilience Day

End of the World Day

Feast of the Triple Scoop

521 Day

Global Accessibility Awareness Day

Hug Your Interior Designer Day

Hummel Day (a.k.a. Sister Maria Hummel Day)

"I Need A Patch For That" Day

International Day of Statistical Literacy

Journée Nationale des Patriotes (National Patriots' Day; Quebec)

Keanu Reeves Day

Lilies and Roses Day (UK)

National American Red Cross Founder’s Day

National Mamey Day

National Memo Day

National Talk Like Yoda Day

Natura 2000 Day (EU)

Navy Day (Chile)

Passion Play Day (Germany)

Pogo Stick Day

Polar Explorer’s Day (Russia)

Purple Star of Jerusalem Day (a.k.a. Jack-Go-To-Bed-At-Noon)

Rapture Party Day (2011 prediction by Harold Camping)

Recommerce Day

Red Cross Day

Saint Helena Day (Saint Helena)

Sanja Matsuri begins (Tokyo, Japan)

Send a Letter Day

Slap a Patch On It Day

United States Cyber Command Day

World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development (UN)

World Fish Migration Day

World Meditation Day (UK)

World Tree Kangaroo Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

International Tea Day [also 12.15]

International Tennessee Whiskey Day

National Mourvèdre Day

National Waitstaff Day (a.k.a. Waiters and Waitresses Day)

Strawberries and Cream Day

World Chardonnay Day

Independence & Related Days

Malabon (City Founded; Philippines)

Montenegro (from Serbia, 2006)

New Zealand (Proclaimed a British Colony; 1840)

Southwest Vineland (Declared; 2021) [unrecognized]

Valentia Riqueza and Grandeza (a.k.a. ValeVRG; Declared; 2022) [unrecognized]

3rd Tuesday in May

International Dinosaur Day [3rd Tuesday; also 6.1]

National Stop Nausea Day [3rd Tuesday]

Sex Differences in Health Awareness Day [3rd Tuesday]

Taco Tuesday [Every Tuesday]

Festivals Beginning May 21, 2024

The Batch Festival (Bath, UK) [thru 5.26]

Sommeliers Choice Awards (Chicago, Illinois)

Feast Days

Adílio Daronch and Manuel Gómez González (Christian; Saint)

Agonalia (Ancient Rome) [also 1.9 & 12.11]

Albrecht Dürer (Artology)

Alexander Pope (Writerism)

Anastenaria (Fire-Walking Ritual; Ancient Greece)

Andrew Bobola (Christian; Martyr)

Arcangelo Tadini (Christian; Saint)

Chen Dayu (Artology)

Christopher Magallanes, and other Saints of the Cristero War (Christian; Saint)

Day of the Twins: Beginning of Gemini (Astrology/Pagan)

Édouard-Henri Avril (Artology)

Emperor Constantine I (Christian; Saint)

Eugène de Mazenod (Christian; Saint)

Felix of Cantalicio (Christian; Saint)

Festival for Vevodus (God of the Dead, Swamps & Volvanic Movements; Ancient Rome)

Festival of Demeter (Greek Barley Mother Goddess)

Festival of Vejovis (Roman God of Healing)

42 Day (Pastafarian)

Franz Jägerstätter (Christian; Saint)

Free Money Day (Church of the SubGenius)

Godrick of Finkley (Christian; Saint)

Green Four-Net (Muppetism)

Harold Robbins (Writerism)

Helena of Constantinople (a.k.a. "Feast of the Holy Great Sovereigns Constantine and Helen, Equal-to-the-Apostles,” Eastern Orthodox Church, Anglican Communion)

Henri Rousseau (Artology)

Hospitius (Christian; Saint)

John Elliot (Episcopal Church)

Nestinarstvo (Fire-Walking Ritual; Ancient Bulgaria)

Nost-na-Lothion (Elven feast for the birth of flowers; Lord of the Rings)

Ponder Pointlessness Day (Pastafarian)

Rudolf Koller (Artology)

Saint Camping’s Day (Discordian)

St. Luke (Positivist; Saint)

Theophilus of Corte (Christian; Saint)

Hebrew Calendar Holidays [Begins at Sundown]

Pesach Sheni (2nd Passover) [13-14 Iyar]

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Taian (大安 Japan) [Lucky all day.]

Umu Limnu (Evil Day; Babylonian Calendar; 24 of 60)

Premieres

Agents of Fortune, by Blue Oyster Cult (Album; 1976)

Alison, by Elvis Costello (Song; 1977)

Annie (Film; 1982)

The Conquest of Everest, by John Hurt (Memoir; 1954)

Curtain Razor (WB LT Cartoon; 1949)

Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (Film; 1982)

The Deep Blue Good-By, by John D. MacDonald (Novel; 1964)

Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (Silent Film; 1908)

The Egg Hunt (Color Rhapsody Cartoon; 1940)

The Foxy Pup (Color Rhapsody Cartoon; 1937)

Gimme All Your Lovin’, by ZZ Top (Music Video; 1983)

Godzilla vs. Kong (Film; 2021)

Gypsy (Broadway Musical; 1959)

Hassle in a Castle (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1966)

Hot Shots! Part Deux (Film; 1993)

Injun Trouble (WB LT Cartoon; 1938)

I Sing the Body Electric! & Other Stories, by Ray Bradbury (Short Stories; 1969)

Lunch Poems, by Frank O'Hara (Poetry; 1963)

Mad Max 2 (Film; 1982)

Mask of Orpheus, by Harrison Birtwistle (Opera; 1986)

Maybellene, recorded by Chuck Berry (Song; 1955)

McCartney II, by Paul McCartney (Album; 1980)

Mouse for Sale (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1955)

Naked Came the Stranger (Adult Film; 1975)

Notting Hill (Film; 1999)

Ohio, by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (Song; 1970)

The Optimist's Daughter, by Eudora Welty (Novella; 1972)

Pagliacci, by Ruggero Leoncavallo (Opera; 1892)

Past Perfumance (WB MM Cartoon; 1955)

Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be, sung by Doris Day (Song; 1956)

The Real World (TV Series; 1992)

The Return of the Pink Panther (Film; 1975)

The Rhinemann Exchange, by Robert Ludlum (Novel; 1974)

Riptide, by Vance Joy (Song; 2013)

The Road Warrior (Film; 1982)

The Secret of the Hittites, by C.W. Ceram (History Book; 1956)

Shrek Forever After (Animated Film; 2010)

Snow Excuse (WB MM Cartoon; 1966)

Sour, by Olivia Rodrigo (Album; 2021)

Star Wars, Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (UK Film; 1980)

Terminator Salvation (Film; 2009)

Touch of Evil (Film; 1958)

Twin Peaks: The Return (TV Series; 2017)

The Twisker Pitcher (Fleischer Popeye Cartoon; 1937)

Under the Boardwalk, recorded by The Drifters (Song; 1964)

What’s Going On, by Marvin Gaye (Album; 1971)

Today’s Name Days

Christoph, Constantin, Josef, Julio (Austria)

Elena, Konstantin, Kosta, Kostadin, Kostadinka, Lenko, Stoyan (Bulgaria)

Dubravka, Eugen, Kristofor (Croatia)

Monika (Czech Republic)

Helene (Denmark)

Kindel, Konstantin, Kostel, Tiino (Estonia)

Konsta, Konstantin, Kosti (Finland)

Constantin (France)

Hermann, Konst, Wiltrud (Germany)

Constantine, Constantina, Elena, Elene, Eleni, Helen, Konstantina, Konstantinos, Lena, Nantia (Greece)

Konstantin (Hungary)

Angelo, Giulia, Vittorio (Italy)

Ernestine, Ingmārs, Vinija (Latvia)

Vaidivutis, Valentas, Vydmina (Lithuania)

Eli, Ellen, Helene (Norway)

Donat, Donata, Jan, Kryspin, Przecława, Pudens, Tymoteusz, Walenty, Wiktor, Wiktoriusz (Poland)

Constantin, Elena (România)

Zina (Slovakia)

Cristóbal, Virginia (Spain)

Conny, Konstantin (Sweden)

Constance, Constantine, Helen (Ukraine)

Adelric, Adiel, Audric, Keaton, Kendrick (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 142 of 2024; 224 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 2 of week 21 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Huath (Hawthorn) [Day 10 of 28]

Chinese: Month 4 (Ji-Si), Day 14 (Yi-You)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 13 Iyar 5784

Islamic: 13 Dhu al-Qada 1445

J Cal: 22 Magenta; Oneday [22 of 30]

Julian: 8 May 2024

Moon: 96%: Waxing Gibbous

Positivist: 1 St. Paul (6th Month) [St. Luke]

Runic Half Month: Ing (Expansive Energy) [Day 12 of 15]

Season: Spring (Day 64 of 92)

Week: 3rd Full Week of May

Zodiac: Gemini (Day 1 of 31)

Calendar Changes

Gemini (The Twins) begins [Zodiac Sign 3; thru 6.21]

Saint Paul (Catholicism) [Month 6 of 13; Positivist]

[yourinterestisnotcringe]

Smosh screenshots I like, but pseudo-artsy (5/?)

Food Battle 2006 (4 Oct 2006)

[smoshidiot]

Pastor!Ian or FB2006!Ian

kubabamia asked: pastor!ian or fb2006! ian?

send me this or that asks!

[globalworship]

'Saint Michael and the Archangels' serigraph by JA Swanson

Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen

-Pope Leo XIII, 1886

+++

Saint Michael and the Archangels Serigraph by John August Swanson, 2006 62 Color Stencils, 30" x 20"

John August Swanson's serigraph St. Michael and the Archangels portrays Michael as a symbol of the divine presence that casts out the demonic forces of evil in our world. John writes, "The symbolism of the Archangel battling demons has a power that goes deep into our psyche. It helps us see our own efforts to grow as humans in overcoming ignorance, hatred, violence and despair. This internal struggle connects us to our ancient past, to our ancestors, and the Human Family today. St. Michael is our symbol of peace, divine presence, justice and compassion." https://www.eyekons.com/john_swanson_serigraphs/john_swanson_st_michael_and_archangels_s has prints for sale.

+++

Artist’s Reflections:

The demons depicted in ST MICHAEL are primeval; a brute force with heavy and thick scales covering them. They emerge from the depths of the unknown spaces with destructive force. They are hidden representing that part of nature that remains with us from our deepest and ancient forms of life. The growth and development of the human race has been to struggle to overcome these forces.

St. Michael has an ancient name meaning “who is as God”. References to him are in the Book of Daniel, the Qur’an, the Book of Revelation, the Midrash and many other ancient and new religious texts, traditions, and legends. There are shrines and special sites around the world dedicated to St. Michael invoking his assistance and protection. This militant angel raises challenging questions for all of us who trace our religious ancestry back to Abraham; Muslims, Christians, and Jews all claim his protection. We seem to have kept Michael very busy, fighting against himself. In all of our traditions, Michael is also the angel of healing waters and fertile fields, the provider for the needy and the protector of the vulnerable. Maybe Michael can remind us that every human being faces their own personal spiritual struggle.

The archetype or symbolism of the Archangel battling demons has a power that goes deep into our psyche. It helps us see our own efforts to grow, overcoming ignorance, hatred, violence and despair. We can see our struggles as universal, transcending the personal. They apply to every human who has had to decide, choose, begin again, and find peace. This internal struggle connects us to our ancient past, to our ancestors, and to the whole of the human family, today. With understanding we can grow in compassion and hope, for others and for ourselves. As a child, knowing about angels gave me a sense of being loved and helped me through difficult times. I remember the small holy cards with images of angels watching over children. I would keep one close to my bed.

Religious symbols have real power. They can give warmth and light, life and joy or they can choke one’s spirit, drown one’s dreams, and break one’s heart. They can be the tools of oppression or the food of liberation. They can be the weapons we use against each other or reminders that there is a spiritual source of strength for every struggle for healing, justice and peace. This is certainly true of St. Michael the Archangel, the great spiritual warrior , the captain of the heavenly host who leads the battle against Satan and his minions.

We live in a world of conflict and a world of conflict lives in us. There are temptations to divide the world into angels and devils, but we are not angels and we are not devils. We are human beings, loved by God whose image we bear. Let our battle be against all the forces that would assault and degrade that image in any child of God, and let us be gentle with one another in the midst of the struggle. https://johnaugustswanson.com/catalog/saint-michael/

+++

In this 3-minute video, John talks about this art:

[orthodoxydaily]

Saints&Reading: Tuesday, May 30, 2023

may 30_may 17

VENERABLE  EVPHROSYNIA ( EUDOCIA) PRINCESS OF MOSCOW  (1407)

Today the Orthodox Church commemorates the tonsure of Saint Euphrosynē of Moscow on May 17,1407.

After the death of her husband, Saint Demetrios of the Don (May 19) from the wounds he received at the Battle of Kulikovo, the Holy Princess Eudokia refrained from participating directly in the affairs of state; but on her advice, the wonderworking Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos was transferred from Vladimir to Moscow (August 26, 1395) because of the invasion of Khan Tamerlane. Soon afterward, she established a Convent in the palace, dedicating it to the Lord's Ascension.

Though inclined toward the monastic Life, she did not become a nun at that time since her sons were very young, and instead, she acted as regent. She dressed in royal splendor, attended banquets, and participated in councils. Beneath her expensive clothing, she wore iron chains, concealing her ascetic labors and acts of charity from those around her.

Shortly before her death, an Angel appeared to her and informed her that her earthly life would end soon. Then she became mute. By signs and gestures, she made it known that she wished to have an icon of the Angel painted. When it was finished, Eudokia venerated it, and asked for another one to be painted. Only after the icons of the Archangel Michael were completed did she recognize the Angel who had appeared to her, and then she regained her voice.

The Saint wished to be tonsured to spend her final days in seclusion and prayer. At that time, she appeared to a blind man in a dream and promised to heal him.

On May 17, 1407, Princess Eudokia was on her way to the Convent, and the blind man was sitting by the roadside. Hearing her approach, he shouted: "Holy Great Princess, feeder of the poor! You always gave us food and clothing and never refused our requests! Do not disregard my petition now; heal me of my blindness, as you promised in my dream! You told me, ‘Tomorrow I will give you sight.' Now the time has come for you to fulfill your promise."

She continued on her way, seeming not to understand his words, but as she passed by, she brushed him, as if by accident, with the sleeves of her cloak. The man pressed them to his eyes and regained his sight. According to Tradition, thirty people were healed of various illnesses on that day.

Princess Eudokia was tonsured with the name Euphrosynē, which means “joy” or "gladness" in Greek. Her tonsure took place in the wooden church of the Ascension at the Convent.

The Saint reposed seven weeks after entering the Convent, departing to the Lord at fifty-four on July 7, 1407. At her request, she was buried in the church she had started to build in the Kremlin, which was dedicated to the Ascension of Christ. Her wonderworking relics remained there until 1929.

She had been buried under the church floor with a cover over the grave. In 1922, after the Revolution, this cover was stolen by the Soviets, while Saint Euphrosynē's relics remained in the grave under the floor. In 1929, the government decided to destroy the Ascension Convent. Thanks to the efforts of museum workers, her relics were saved along with the remains of other royal personages interred there. Her relics, however, have yet to be identified and separated from the others. The remains were interred in the Cathedral of the Archangel.

In 2006, the construction of a church dedicated to Saint Euphrosynē began in Moscow. It is located on the site of Great Prince Demetrios's palace. When it is completed, there are plans to tranfer her relics to this church.

Saint Euphrosynē is commemorated on July 7, the day of her blessed repose.

Source: Orthodox Church in America

ACTS 21:26-32

26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having been purified with them, entered the temple to announce the expiration of the days of purification, at which time an offering should be made for each one. 27 Now, when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the crowd and laid hands on him, 28 crying out, "Men of Israel, help! This man teaches all men everywhere against the people, the law, and this place; he also brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place." 29 (They had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, whom they supposed Paul had brought into the temple.) 30 And all the city was disturbed; and the people ran together, seized Paul, and dragged him out of the temple; and immediately the doors were shut. 31 as they sought to kill him, news came to the garrison's commander that Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32 He immediately took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. And when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.

JOHN 16:2-13

2 They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. 3 And they will do these things to you because they have not known the Father nor Me. 4 But I have told you that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them. And these things I did not say to you at the beginning because I was with you. 5, But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, 'Where are You going?' 6, But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin because they do not believe in Me; 10 of justice, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. 12 I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will tell you things to come.

[batsarebetterthanpeople]

Me: If I have to spend a single minute prepairing my own food Ill literally die instead. also me: heeheeheeheeheehee hoohoohoohoo time to spend several hours making a battle jacket for drag and then several more hours making a battle vest for summer and another battle jacket for winter the one for drag will have a patch with my drag name on the back hehehehehe. What if I picked up miniature painting for D&D? What if I wrote multiple novel length fan fictions heheheheheh what if I listened to every emo album made before 2006 so I can make playlists for a SMAU that I'll have to learn about a social media platform that went defunct before I turned 10 to write heehehehehhe