#give this man some service industry experience

[angelsfuzzyslippers]

I want Stolas to keep being IMP's secretary, but also....a glimpse of Stolas trying 'commoner' jobs would be hilarious.

Bonus sketch because I'm weak:

It still made him laugh :)

[kikyoupdates]

Love Bite ⭑˚🩸⭑ 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠

yandere!vampires x f!reader

yandere, reverse harem, original characters, vampire!ocs x fem!reader

Desperate for money to pay off your debts, you sign up for a program that allows you to sell your blood to vampires. At first, everything is fine, and you’re finally able to make ends meet. But they soon begin craving more than just your blood.

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“I’ll have a large caramel macchiato, with light ice, soy milk, extra whipped cream, and can you please use one of the big straws? The small ones are a real pain in the ass. I asked for a big straw last time and they still didn’t give it to me, so make sure you get it right this time.”

You’re tempted to roll your eyes at her, but she seems like the type to complain to your manager. Getting fired isn’t an option right now. Not until you finish paying Johnny back, at least.

“Of course,” you say, offering a fake, sickeningly sweet smile. “I’ll get that started for you right away.”

She narrows her eyes at you, no doubt assuming that you’ll manage to fuck it up somehow. Being a barista isn’t all that bad in and of itself, but it’s dealing with annoying ass customers that really makes for a tedious experience. Well, as long as you’re getting paid, you can put up with pretty much anything. Hence the fact that you’re selling your own blood.

You whip up the woman’s order, get briefly bitched at because you apparently took ‘too long’, and when she finally walks out of the store, you sneakily flip up your middle finger.

Interactions like these are pretty standard in the service industry.

You’re working the closing shift, which means it’s late, and thankfully, not very many people are still coming in. You spend most of your time wiping the counters down and preparing to close up shop.

Just one more minute. Only one more minute, and then you can lock the doors, flip the closed sign over, and you’re finally home free.

You’re excited to go home and get some sleep. You’ve been running on fumes these past few days, even more so than usual. Having less blood in your body than normal isn’t exactly doing wonders for your physical wellbeing.

But because your luck is nonexistent, of course, of fucking course a customer decides to walk in at the very last moment.

You grit your teeth. People like this are the absolute worst. They know not the meaning of shame.

A young man has just stepped inside. He’s got soft, delicate features, and a somewhat distraught look in his eyes. He seems awfully skittish for some reason. Which is dumb, because if anyone ought to be unnerved right now, it’s you, the person whose shift just got extended.

“Um,” he calls out shakily. “You’re still open... right?”

You have half a mind to turn him away, but since he looks pretty upset, you don’t want to be the one to ruin his day even more.

“We’re still open for a little bit longer,” you concede. “Just tell me your order and I’ll make it as fast as I can.”

He exhales in relief. “Oh, th-thank you! I really appreciate it. Sorry for coming in so late. The other coffee shop I tried turned me away, so I had to go somewhere else...”

Turned him away? That doesn’t exactly sound like something that would be allowed. Turned him away on the basis of what, exactly? Poor behavior?

“Did you do something to offend the people working there?” you can’t help but frown, curious despite it not being any of your business.

He lowers his gaze to the ground. “I... guess you could say that. I made people uncomfortable just by being there. They told me I was scaring away all their customers. Even though I made sure to go in late, when not many people were around...”

He seems to be making a conscious effort not to move his mouth much as he speaks, but even so, for just a brief moment, you happen to spot them. His fangs.

Ah. He’s a vampire.

You frown. Having already met two vampires and allowed them to drink your blood, it goes without saying that the novelty has kind of worn off. Still, not long ago, you might have been in the same boat as those other people, living in perpetual fear of vampires because you didn’t know any better.

“They can’t refuse to serve you just because you’re a vampire,” you say, and his shoulders jump slightly when he hears you use the term. “That’s discrimination, and I’m pretty sure it’s illegal. You could file a complaint against that establishment.”

He furiously shakes his head. “N-No. I’m not trying to create any problems for anyone. It’s fine. I know people can’t help but be afraid. If I were in their position, I probably would be too. But... is it okay for me to be here? If you feel uncomfortable, I can leave right away.”

“Of course not,” you frown. “I would never make you leave."

“It’s just that I noticed you seemed a bit upset when I walked in...”

You let out a sigh. “That’s just because I was looking forward to going home, and you walked in right before closing hour. But now that I understand your circumstances, it makes sense. I’m not going to hold anything against you, so just try to relax, and let me know what you want me to make for you.”

His expression brightens, and if that’s all it takes to elicit a positive reaction out of him, you’re starting to gain some valuable insight as to how vampires are treated around here.

“I just want a medium black coffee,” he says.

A medium black coffee. Such a simple order, and to think that he had to jump through hoops to be able to get it.

You no longer hold any prejudice against vampires. They’re just people, like everyone else. It’s not like they chose to have to drink blood in order to survive. It’s simply the way they were born, and there’s nothing they can do to change it.

Besides, it’s all thanks to vampires that you’re able to keep up with Johnny’s payments. Vampires are quite literally saving your life.

“There you go,” you say, handing him the coffee. It was a breeze to make, and it hardly took any time either. It looks like you’ll be out of here a lot faster than you thought.

The man stares at you for a few moments, but he isn’t looking into your eyes. You don’t realize what he’s so fixated on until his lips finally curve into a smile.

“Um, thank you,” he says. “I really appreciate it... [Name].”

Ah. He must have been looking at your name tag. You smile back at him, then lean over the counter slightly.

“It was my pleasure. And if you don’t mind me asking, you are...?”

“Huh? Oh,” he blinks. “E-Elliot. My name is Elliot.”

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Elliot. And don’t worry. From now on, you can come to this store whenever you need some coffee. No one here will discriminate against you, and if I happen to be working a shift when you come in, maybe I can even hook you up with some free samples,” you wink.

Elliot’s smile grows even wider, and he frantically nods his head, unable to contain his excitement.

“Thank you!” he splutters. “Thank you so much!”

You can’t help but chuckle. How adorable. It upsets you that he’s being shunned, but not all humans are assholes, just like how not all vampires are bad. Hopefully he’ll meet some nice people soon, and in the meantime, you’ll happily serve him coffee whenever he wants.

Now, then. It’s time to finish cleaning up and finally go home.

You’re standing in front of an unfamiliar house, and for various reasons, you feel apprehensive.

This is the address he gave me. So, then... this is really happening.

Since you agreed to take Felix up on his offer, he’s been messaging you and trying to set up a time for you to meet. You told him that you wouldn’t be comfortable with disclosing where you live, and he agreed, saying that you were more than welcome to have these private visits at his house.

Ugh. Actually, calling them ‘private visits’ doesn’t exactly sit right with you. It makes the whole thing sound a lot dirtier than it is.

You agreed to this, but even so, you’re starting to get cold feet. Isn’t this usually how people get murdered? And you’re not referring to him being a vampire, you’re referring to being a woman and walking straight into the home of a man you barely even know.

Selling your blood to him at Plasma Inc.’s headquarters is definitely safer, but then you remember the whole reason you agreed to this in the first place.

Double pay.

Fuck. The money is calling to you, and you know just how much of a difference that amount would make.

Which is why, even though your fight-or-flight instincts are kicking off, you ignore them and ring the doorbell.

Felix greets you with a sharp, ear-splitting grin, like always.

“[Name]!” he beams. “Come in! I’m so glad you’re here. For a moment, I was actually worried you were going to stand me up, haha.”

I thought about it.

You swallow your thoughts and instead nod. “Hello. You said I could come in, right?”

“Of course! Make yourself at home.”

Felix smiles again and steps aside, granting you entry. You’re not sure what he does for a living, and what kind of jobs are even available to vampires, considering Elliot struggled to be able to buy a goddamn cup of coffee, but if his house is any indication, then he’s certainly not strapped for cash. It makes your cheap studio apartment look even worse than it actually is.

You wander off to the living room and instinctively grab a seat on the couch. You figure you’ll be sitting down while he drinks your blood, like you usually do.

“Before we start,” you suddenly say, “you’re... not going to rip me off, are you? Drink my blood and then kick me out without paying me?”

Felix’s brows skyrocket, and he lets out a gasp, visibly offended.

“I would never do that!” he insists. “I want to be able to keep drinking your blood, so why would I ruin all of that just to save money one time? I want this to be a recurring thing, not just a one-and-done.”

Well, you suppose that makes sense. If he cons you, then no way in hell will you ever meet up with him again, and he seems to really like your blood. He would basically just be shooting himself in the foot.

You’re going to get paid. That much seems to be a given. So, with all the bullshit out of the way... you suppose it’s time to get started.

Felix sits down next to you, visibly eager. He’s already reaching over to loosen the top of your shirt, but before he gets any closer, you quickly push him way.

“W-Wait,” you blurt. “I’m not trying to bitch and whine, but... is it at all possible for you to be a bit more careful? It really hurt last time. I’ll do it anyways, but if you’re able to, just please. I would really appreciate it.”

Xavier made it slightly more bearable, so surely, Felix is capable of doing the same.

Whether or not he cares enough to bother is a different matter entirely, though.

Felix smiles sweetly and rubs your shoulder. “Of course,” he says, and you’re not quite sure you like that lecherous look in his eyes. It’s as if he’s about to eat you up. Which, you suppose he is, but there’s something much more ominous than the literal sense.

You decide to ignore the uncomfortable feeling in your gut and turn away, granting him access to your neck.

“I’ll be careful this time,” Felix promises, and he wraps his arms around you before unhinging his jaw.

No matter how many times it happens, you doubt you’ll ever be able to get used to this feeling. But at least it seems like Felix is trying to be gentler than he was before. The pain isn’t anywhere near as unbearable, even though it still makes you sick to your stomach.

You close your eyes, and as always, wait for it to be over. Felix gasps for breath every so often, and you swear you hear him let out a groan of pleasure next to your ear.

It’s okay. He’ll be done soon. Any moment now.

…

Why isn’t he done yet?

“Um,” you grimace, trying to push him away. “I think that’s enough. I’m starting to feel a bit faint. Please stop now.”

But Felix doesn’t stop. Instead, he pushes you down, making your back flatten against the cushions of the couch. He’s bigger than you, and stronger too, so he’s able to hold you in place without any problems.

It’s then, as you feel the full weight of his body pressing down on you, that you realize just how fucking dangerous this is.

“Please,” you plead. The pain in your neck is sharp and unrelenting, but above all else, you’re scared. Why isn’t he letting go? He’s already taken more than enough blood. Your vision is starting to cloud over, and it feels like you’ve broken out into a cold sweat.

Felix is either so overwhelmed by his bloodthirst that he can’t hear you, or worse yet, he simply doesn’t care.

Either way, it doesn’t matter.

You scream.

“Get the fuck off me!”

You manage to knee him in the stomach, and despite the fact that vampires have strong, resilient bodies, the act still makes him double over and let out a groan of discomfort.

While he falters, you hurry to roll onto the floor, then you pick yourself up as fast as possible.

You back into the nearest wall, lightheaded and terrified. You should be running away. You should be, but...

He still hasn’t paid you yet.

“I-I’m sorry,” Felix gasps. He stands up, and when he takes a step forward, you start shaking like a leaf in the wind. Guilt creeps onto his expression. “I don’t... I’m not sure what came over me. I took things too far. I’m sorry, [Name]. I really, really am, and I promise it will never happen again.”

You use a hand to brace yourself against the wall, still shaking. Fuck. You don’t feel well. This bastard really drank too much of your blood. Any more, and it probably would’ve landed you in the hospital. Meeting up with him is way too fucking risky. Even if he says he wants to keep drinking your blood and seeing you regularly, there won’t be any blood to drink if he drains you dry.

“Give me the money you promised,” you seethe.

Felix nods hastily and pulls out a wad of bills from his wallet. He hands them to you, and you snap them up in the blink of an eye.

Then, you turn to leave.

“Wait,” Felix protests. His lips are still painted red with your blood. “You’re not... angry, are you? It was just a mistake. I got a little carried away. All you need to do is tell me to stop, alright? I promise I’ll listen. This really won’t ever happen again.”

Bullshit.

You don’t trust him. He clearly doesn’t know how to hold back, and even though this would have been a sweet deal, you’re not reckless enough to completely gamble your life away. You still have Xavier. And eventually, you’ll probably meet another vampire client.

This guy is bad fucking news, and you want nothing to do with him.

“Goodbye,” you breathe out. He tries to chase after you, but you to beat him to the door and run off into the dead of night.

“I’ll call you!” Felix cries out. “We’ll stay in touch, right?”

You don’t respond.

You managed to pay Johnny back on time again. He seemed pleased with the fact that you’ve been maintaining a diligent schedule, which is probably why he hasn’t been threatening to beat the shit out of you recently.

Thanks to selling your blood, you’ve got more money on hand than you’ve had in a very long time.

But as you will soon realize, this arrangement is far from sustainable.

“[Name], are you feeling okay? You don’t look like you’re well enough to be here...”

Your coworker, Caleb, offers you a concerned look. He’s always been considerate to a fault, and while you appreciate his kindness, you don’t exactly have a choice in the matter. Regardless of how you feel, you need the money. Selling your blood isn’t enough to pay off your debt in full. It’s only thanks to all your part-time jobs that you’re still making the cut.

“I’m fine,” you wave off, and needless to say, he doesn’t look convinced. You do your best to ignore him and throw on your apron, hobbling weakly across the steel kitchen floor. Thankfully, this is your dishwashing job, so you won’t have to interact with any customers. You really don’t have the energy for that today.

“Okay, but make sure to take breaks,” Caleb insists. “I'm worried that you might slip and get hurt if you’re not careful.”

“I promise I’ll be fine. But thanks for worrying.”

Taking breaks in the middle of your shift isn’t an option. Your boss is a real piece of shit, and he already got mad at you for taking a breather once before, when you were worn-out after pulling two all-nighters in a row. If he catches you again, odds are, you’ll be fired. The job of a dishwasher isn’t exactly difficult to fill, and he’ll readily give your spot to someone who doesn’t slack off.

So, you put on your gloves, bow your head, and get to work. Since the task is so mindless and repetitive, it allows you to drift off and think of other, more entertaining things. Plus, the sound of the water faucet helps you fall into a steady rhythm, and it’s soothing, in a way.

But today, you find yourself struggling to do something as simple as washing dishes. Your hands can’t seem to stop shaking, and white spots repeatedly fade in and out of your vision. Something feels... off. Even your breathing seems to be getting shallower by the minute.

“Caleb,” you mumble weakly. “I think... I might need to...”

You can’t finish your sentence in time. Everything blurs, your legs go wobbly behind the knees, and soon enough, your head hits the ground.

The last thing you hear is Caleb screaming out your name.

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🩸 main masterlist! ♡ character appearances

[dailyanarchistposts]

In mid-August, a three year-old lawsuit charging that environmentalist groups were religious extremists comparable to some of the more violent, intolerant, ultra-orthodox Islamic sects collapsed when the attorney failed to meet a re-filing deadline with the U.S. Supreme Court.

The suit had been brought against the Forest Guardians, the Superior Wilderness Action Network, and the U.S. Forest Service by the 125 companies that make up the Associated Contract Loggers (A.C.L.) of northern Minnesota. The loggers were asking for $600,000 in damages and permission to plunder timber from the Superior National Forest.

Lawyers for the A.C.L. argued that deep ecology was actually a religion, and so by extension, environmental groups that espoused its philosophies were cults, and by outlawing timber cutting on so-called “federal land,” the Forest Service was favoring a particular set of religious doctrines and was therefore violating the guarantee of neutrality in matters of religion purportedly vouchsafed in the U.S. Constitution.

According to theological scholars at the logging company syndicate like former executive director, Larry Jones, Deep Ecology is an “earth-centered religion,” a “belief system” that holds that “trees and Man [sic] are equal.” Anti-logging activists who extol the virtues of forested spaces over industry profit and environmental degradation are spiritual zealots, and the government functionaries who are swayed by their proselytizing may turn out to be fanatical closet druids themselves.

Stephen Young, the A.C.L. lawyer and a former Republican Party senatorial candidate, explained his legal action on such esteemed venues as Rush Limbaugh’s radio show by saying that clear-cutting in national forests had been restricted by the Forest Service for no reason other than reverebce for some fringe New Age religion.

A U.S. District Court judge in Minnesota dismissed the case as “frivolous” in February 2000, but the A.C.L. petitioned the Supreme Court last year after reports that Wahabi Islamic extremists were responsible for the blitzkrieg attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

“The doctrine of Deep Ecology is the very worldview that gave rise to eco-terrorism. We feel that after the events of September 11, it’s an obligation of the Supreme Court to keep religious fanaticism in check,” Young said. “Just as devout faith in the literal words of various Hadith of Mohammad gave the Taliban license to impose through state power harsh conditions on the women of Afghanistan, so Deep Ecology gives license to its adherents to take extreme actions against those who would live by different beliefs.”

Perhaps the less said about this sleazy episode the better, which is just as well, since it is so hard to get a firm analytic grasp on it because it is sad and sick on so many different levels. For instance, likening the plight of women in Afghanistan to that of lumber barons in northern Minnesota is staggering in its shamelessness, as it has been my experience that women living near industrial logging camps are subjected to at least the same sort of abuse, derision, and masculinist domination as women who had been living in Taliban-controlled Kandahar.

And we all know that if the U.S. government was serious about keeping homicidal religious terrorism in check, then John Ashcroft and the Army of God anti-abortionists would be in the Guantanamo Bay gulag. It was all obviously just a miserable attempt to slander and jam up anti-logging activists with legal action, and it failed.

But I can’t help thinking about the broader philosophical implications of who supported it. I have no idea as to whether or not there are Deep Ecologists involved in Forest Guardians or the Superior Wilderness Action Network (and I suspect that none are to be found among the Forest Service feds), but in demonizing Deep Ecology as an alien fanatical religious practice in this lawsuit, we can see once again how tighly Christianity is bound to capitalist exploitation and ecological destruction.

Deep ecology is not a single doctrine, but rather an ethical sensibility informed by a variety of perspectives on the relationship of hummankind to the whole of nature’s systems. We can oversimplifydeep ecology by saying that its fundamentals include a belief in the intrinsic value of all forms of life as well as the holistic diversity of those life forms. The economic, technological, and ideological beliefs that prop up Western civilization antagonistically threaten the existence and diversity of natural life systems.

Individuals who adhere to the ideas of Deep Ecology are obligated to work towards radically changing those deadly attitudes and social structures. Deep ecology challenges the long-held anthropocentrist notion which entitles humans to take advantage of and destroy wilderness at will and for private profit, a view obviously held sacred by the A.C.L. timber industrialists.

Anthropocentrism derives from core Judeo-Christian values that have been part of the settler-capitalist catechism on this continent since the early seventeenth-century. Consider, for example, the preaching of Puritan minister, John Cotton. In his popular pamphlet of the 1630’s, “God’s Promise to His Plantation,” Cotton claimed that God desired colonists to “take possesion” of land in New England, saying that whosoever “bestoweth culture and husbandry upon it” has an inviolable divine right to it.

The Native Americans, dying in large numbers from exposure to European diseases was proff that God wanted to wipe the slate clean for the Puritans and thereby better facilitate His decree in the Book of Genesis that humans aggresively “subdue” the earth. Christians were the center of the universe, exclusively licensed by Almighty God to dominate the land, eradicate wild nature, and replace it with the purity of civilization. “All the world out of the Church is as wilderness, or at best, a wild field where all manner of unclean and wild beasts live and feed,” Cotton proclaimed in 1642.

There were many others during the period who were at least as enthusiastic about Christ, colonization, and commercial cultivation as Cotton was, and these ideas, linked to distinctly Judeo-Christian models of linear (rather than seasonally cyclical) time, became ingrained in the settler psyche, especially during the era of westward expansion some two centuries later. Justified by the Calvinist capitalism of Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations — complete with its fallacious notions about the ennobling “civilizing” powers of wealth, marlets, and economic growth — the implications of Puritan repugnance for the wilderness and wildness on the North American continent becomes depressingly clear.

As inheritors of Puritan fanaticism that have erected the violent, intolerant faith of capitalism, it is individuals and organizations like the A.C.L. who hold a worldview that advances a five hundred year-old campaign of terrorism against entire bioregions and “empowers its adherents to take extreme action against those who would live by different beliefs.”

[daisygirlwrites]

Eggless Omelet (141 Restaurant AU + headcanons)

Pairing(s): Task Force 141 x Reader (Platonic), Reader's nickname is Crash

Note: heavily inspired by @bloodyknucklesforme 's 141 Restaurant AU post. it's a wonderful read, please check them out!

and also this video . (what the mini fic is based on)

a/n: still working on the next König fic, should be done by this weekend. thank you all so much for reading!

taglist: @bobfloydsgf , @warenai , @devilsfoodcake22

gif credit: @cinematv

“Chef?” You look around the large and busy kitchen, spotting the blond man, his back facing towards you. He was talking to Price. You walk up to them, hearing the tail end of their conversation, which you choose to ignore.

“I just don't think it's fair,” Simon says, crossing his arms.

Trying one more time to get his attention, you speak a little louder. “Um, Chef?”

“Yes Crash, what is it?” Finally acknowledging you, Simon looks over to your direction. Tired eyes matching yours. Price gives you a smile before turning back to the dish in front of him.

“A man on Table six wants an eggless omelet,” You inform him.

“He wants an eggless-” He starts, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Crash, you can’t have an eggless omelet now can you?”

“Why? Do we not have any?” Your facial expression mirrors his. 

 “No, they don't exist, do they? Because there's no…” Simon lets out an audible sigh, trying hard to not run his hands down his face before speaking again. “Breadsticks, what are they made of?”

“Bread.”

“Bread, very good, okay. Take away the bread, what are you left with?”

After a couple seconds, you replied. “Sticks?”

“No.” He wanted to cry at this point. Grabbing a clean plate on the side, he puts it in front of you. Looking at the array of containers filled with toppings, he picks up some chopped chives and drops it on the plate. “There you go, that's an eggless omelet.” 

Glancing at the plate then to him and back to the plate, you mumbled a quiet “Oh okay.” You grabbed the plate, ready to turn and walk away with it.

Eyes widened with shock, he stops you “No! Don't take the plate, Crash, what are you doing, please?”

Price, watching the interaction unfold, finally steps in, “Crash, just ask the nice man if he'd like his omelet made with whole eggs or just egg whites.” He gives you a sweet smile, which you reciprocated. You began to turn but Price's voice haults your movements. “You can leave the plate.”

They watch you hesitate for a moment, slowly turning around. You look over to Price, who was giving you an encouraging nod before clapping his hands together as you slide the plate back to them. “There you go!”

As you walk away, passing through the doors, the two men talk quietly amongst themselves again. 

“You should mention to Laswell to not schedule her during exam week.”

“And you need to tell Soap to stop giving her Red Bulls before shifts.”

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

As a former hostess and server throughout high school and college, I’m embarrassed to admit I’ve had similar conversations with my cooks before. That being said, if I had to put Crash in this AU, she’s definitely a new server.  

(will be basing some of the headcanons from my experiences)

Got the job because Laswell was friends with her mom and Crash’s college was nearby so it all worked out. 

This will come up later in my main fanfics but Crash comes from a well off and also influential family. She didn’t really work in the service industry before this, mostly because her family paid for everything and put her in “easy” jobs

However, after a big fight with her dad, he decided to cut off her allowance

Price was really hesitant on hiring her, even with Laswell and Gaz telling him that they’ll train her personally

Crash picks up things quickly and does a pretty good job overall. However, after the whole “eggless omelet” conversation, the team noticed how frazzled she’d get during midterms and finals week. Laswell gives her those weeks off. 

Ghost thought Crash was creepy at first. He’d find her staring at him but when he called her out, she responded with, “Watching people cook food is satisfying!”

Usually quiet between you two while he cooks but he’d always answer any questions you’d ask him.

In the beginning, you didn’t have a lot of confidence in yourself and often find yourself getting walked over a lot

You’ve been caught crying in the back storage room by both Price and Ghost. Multiple times too. 

“Can you pass me that tray over there?” *still crying* “Sure.”

They’d ask you what was wrong but you’d kindly brush them off, not wanting to trouble them.

They have seen how some of the customers would treat you. Eventually, it was Simon who came up to you.

“I’m going to ask you something and you’re going to tell me no.” “Huh?” “You heard me.”

Basically teaches you how to stand up for yourself (and to also not give a fuck)

If you had a rough day before your shift started, you’d slip Soap a couple bills and he’d supply you with Red Bulls while you worked. 

Sometimes would tag along with Soap whenever he needed to pick up a couple bottles to refill the bar since he’d get discounts on liquor. 

You and Gaz would always gossip about customers. He’d tell you who the nice regulars are and the ones you should avoid getting irritated with. 

Would take turns crying in the back storage room

Sometimes you and Gaz would switch between being a host and being a server, especially if it’s a slow afternoon and y’all are bored. 

You’d visit Alejandro and Rudy’s bakery before your classes start, always grabbing a pastry or two. 

When they find out that you work at Price’s restaurant, they playfully tease him by asking you to work with them instead

“You’d get free cheese danishes everyday if you come to work at the bakery,” Alejandro says in a sing-song voice. “That sounds like a pretty sweet deal to me,” You look at him as if you are considering his offer. Price shouts from the window in the kitchen, “THAT’S MY KID, NOT YOURS, ALE!"

This causes all of you to laugh

However, when Graves comes in, most of the time Gaz handles him. One of the few times that you did serve him, he told you, “A pretty thing like you should work at my place. You’re sure to bring in customers!” 

Personally, you took the complement, not finding anything wrong and you quietly laughed it off. But you did tell Gaz about it, which in turn he told Price

After that, you rarely see him. Though, you'd hear complaints from others, about how he "Doesn't get to see the cute waitress anymore!"

You’d come by regularly in between classes, mostly because Price would always cook something up for you, free of charge.

After you’re done, you’d talk to him. He’d ask about how classes are going and give you advice about anything and everything. And of course, he’d ask you if anyone has caught your eye. Most of the time you’d laugh and say that you’re too busy for that

One day though, when he’d ask you that question, you gave him a different answer.

“Actually, there’s this new exchange student in my Philosophy class. He’s from Austria.” “You’d better bring him over here!” “No offense, Cap, I’d rather not.” “Not for a date. So I can judge his character and see if he’s good enough for you.” “Oh!”

Honestly, not sure how you’d get your nickname Crash. I was thinking either because you crashed into a customer the first night or crashed into dishes. Or like what happened to one of my former co-workers, who got her car crashed and still managed to come to work.

[blacktofade]

ok i combed through your blog for long enough that i think this is a safe space to do a little discussion of ccs personal lives. if not, you don't have to answer this. but: i know we are all very happy for skizz to be able to go full time with youtube and twitch but i am 99% sure i know what company he worked for — i don't think it's ever been too hard to find the info so maybe most people do? but i've never seen anyone say it directly. if it wasn't common knowledge before, this is going to make it extremely easy to find out — anyway, that company is going through fucking massive layoffs and cutbacks right now, which was announced in private to employees the same day that skizz made his announcement. i don't know how well it lined up other than the day, but the major shit he would have been in either pushed him to jump into professional youtubing and streaming even though it isn't as secure for him as people on the outside might think, or at the very least made the decision feel much better in retrospect.

the graph of the company's stock crash is painful even if you are entirely disconnected from the industry, it is historically awful. like the situation for the company as a whole is not, at this point, bankruptcy bad, but it's not-entirely-unwarranted-comparisons-to-late-90s-early-00s-era-nortel bad. which is… Very Bad. they're cutting approximately 1 out of every 7 employees (15,000 people) over the next couple of months, and in just one day wiped out $30 billion-with-a-b worth of value from the market. it's an absolute nightmare for the people working there, because nobody knows if they're going to be one of the ones getting laid off yet. the company's giving early retirement packages to push out some of higher earning workers, and even if skizz made his decision to leave after knowing the layoffs were coming, the chance he was included in that is very small. but i do hope he got a good deal, if he could.

in conclusion: it's very likely this choice was even scarier than anyone in the fandom previously thought, so… idk everyone please subscribe to skizz on twitch if possible!!!!!

This is absolutely a safe space for CC real life discussions, mostly because I know I'm way more deranged than any anon could be. I know things that would make CCs sweat.

I'm also going to name and shame the company, Intel, because Skizz has mentioned it before, so I'm not considering it a secret -- plus he's no longer there. It's also real shitty what they're doing and my heart goes out to their employees. I dealt with something similar recently and can confirm that these guys will have to wait weeks/months to find out if their job is safe and it will be the most degrading, dehumanizing experience ever.

I keep hemming and hawing about my 1000 IQ assumptions (lmfao), but he 100% knew about the layoff. Whether he heard about it and bounced or whether he took a volunteer deal is up for debate, but there's no way he didn't know it was coming. These companies are not subtle and Skizz is a smart man.

I am quietly praying he was able to take a volunteer deal though, because severance packages at those kinds of companies are WILD. Like, for some actual example numbers, a coworker of mine got 23 weeks of pay (8 weeks base + 15 weeks for years of service), which they received as a lump sum. Skizz says he's been with Intel for 20+ years so he'd be looking at base + 40 weeks. Dude would most likely get a year's salary lump sum (minus taxes), which would definitely help him going the full-time route.

Intel won't be going anywhere anytime soon, but their employees are going to be overworked and underpaid for the foreseeable future and we should be glad that Skizz is free! He's his own boss and, yes, we should all go support him to show he definitely made the right choice! He's such a delight and I will continue to be unwell and horny about him!!

[bonvoyagenoona]

Is the SO the pseudo-Yoongi???

Lol the SO is not the pseudo-Yoongi that I was posting about from a couple of years back, but I met him around the same time, and he is arguably even more Yoongi-esque!

Please forgive me, as I will take any and every opportunity to gush about this wonderful human:

He's an old soul, super gentle and very bashful.

He says he's not an audiophile, but that's just because he's humble. He knows a lot about music, recently got me new speakers, and even used to DJ!

His love language is acts of service. Especially cooking.

He's an amazing listener, and he gives me such helpful perspectives on things.

His baseline is stoic and professional unless he's getting really into a song, amped up by a video game, or playing with his/our sweet old man dog!

When we first started dating, we were in the checkout line at the grocery store, and I saw a magazine with BTS on the cover. By this point, he already knew about our beautiful fanfic bubble and my experiences writing and posting, but he didn't really know much about BTS. So I motioned to the magazine cover and asked, "Which do you think is Yoongi?" And he immediately, effortlessly, wordlessly pointed Yoongi out. I asked him how he knew, and he said, "Well, I looked at them all and just kinda picked the person I thought was most similar to me?" 🤣

Our strong compatibility makes life very easy. We've been together for nearly 2 years now. We have lived together for a year and 4 months, and we love each other very much. We're very happy. I'm very, very happy 🥹

In some ways, I feel like writing my stories manifested him? Whatever fantasies I have are more quickly brought to reality because he brings them to life. One day, we'll be entertaining Countermelody Yoongi sexy fun times 🤣😜 and another day, it's more Kittenfishing Yoongi best friend vibes, Arizona Iced Teas in hand as we stroll around and have one of our philosophical chats.

I'm also learning so many new things. I get wisps of inspiration to share more of what I'm experiencing now, in this chapter of my life. But I suspect that before I write a big project again, I need to live more of it.

The works I wrote from 2020-2022 were all these stories that had been piling up in me up until that point, like my experiences in academia, or my switch to industry, or how my experiences as a woman and as an immigrant intersect with those other life themes. So you could say that I'm almost doing another round of life research, making observations and processing new and even bigger emotions.

One really cool thing that he always does is check in with me to make sure I have creative time set aside. And he'll even build story prompts with me the way I used to. I have notes on my phone of one-liners and banter he's shared with me that I think would be particularly nice to sprinkle into a work, haha.

He cheers me on, too. Something funny or interesting will happen, and then he'll say something like, "That's a good one. You could even get pretty smutty with it. You should write it!"

Anyway lol. Thanks for indulging me and my late-night thoughts about my SO, lol. I feel very lucky. I am following where this is leading me. And I can't wait to share more of what I'm experiencing through writing again!

[yuri-for-businesswomen]

What baffles me is that all the “well 18 year olds are legally adults so they can do whatever they want including prostitution” crowd: that ok let’s accept that as true. That does not change the fact that their clients are hiring/watching them BECAUSE they are as close to children as they can legally get. Do you think a 50 year old man will sleep with a 18 year old because he things she’s a mature consenting adult that understands what she’s getting into? Her being young and vulnerable is the POINT.

I have a friend who’s 20 and works at a “café with legs”, which is basically a café where scantily dressed women serve you the drinks. Clients are almost exclusively male. They pay to have chats with the girls and they give them expensive things. She’s the most popular in the café despite starting to work there not long ago and, she’s told me multiple times, it’s because she’s the one who most of a “little girl’s face” has out of all her coworkers. Plus she always tells me how her coworkers are undocumented women who are often coerced into prostitution and going to third locations by their clients (fortunately she doesn’t have to do this because we are both law students with no immediate impending economic crisis). Many of her coworkers have told her that if they had their documents they would immediately go work somewhere else.

Man, I’m tired.

no its true thank you for sharing! this is a huge issue with these sexual „services“ that are not prostitution, that often lead to it though, in these bars with „bar girls“ and strip clubs too.

sexual „services“ are not about skill, thats why its not a job. its about being fuckable. a lot if not most women in porn and prostitution „retire“ around 25 not just due to health issues but because they start earning less with more experience and age. models do too, which is an interesting conversation to have, but obviously not the same and you actually do need some skill to be a good model, being beautiful is not enough. and what beauty is to models, fuckability is to anyone in the sex industry and adjacent grey area shit like hooters and the sorts. but ive also heard that models, especially those who do pornesque shoots, are often coerced into sex or trafficked or at least pushed into prostitution as well.

[blackfemmejeanvaljean]

like unless you do call center work office jobs usually pay better having a set schedule is better for your mental and physical health the jobs usually require some kind of degree which is a huge barrier for working class people (and the degree usually doesn't have to related to the job. when I worked at the mayor's office in high school half the people on that office didn't have poly sci degrees the office manager had a theater degree not to mention having benefits and holidays and weekends and evenings off allow you to be social and take care of yourself that's not to say you can't work in a comfortable office setting and not have a crappy experience but y'all only seem to complain about how terrible your office jobs are when you see retail/service industry people lightly vent may I suggest not punching for once if you want to pretend you're i. solidarity with the people that literally wait on you. I'm a preschool teacher I get paid less than elementary/secondary teachers and some service workers but the last 11 months of paid holidays set schedule retirement plans getting off at 5pm and always having weekends free with the exception of when I went to a conference for free having the state give me massive tax breaks and pay for my education have been better for my mental health than my 7 years in the setvice industry that doesn't mean I won't complain or that I'm no longer interested in forming a union with my fellow workings but I'm not gonna pretend like I have the same struggles I did when I worked dish or when I had to use handwarmers when I worked at a restaurant that had a host stand near the door. y'all really take for granted the "little" thing you have like a routine. having s routine and stability has been so fucking good for me I literally haven't thought about killing myself since last december. I was hospitalized 4 times because my old jobs made life so chaotic and J didn't feel like I had a way out. my old center sucked but I found I still wanted to work in this field so I just got a new job instead of thinking about ending it all idk man just maybe have some compassion fir working class

[historiavn]

ASSORTED HEADCANONS — Milo James Thatch

When I first started writing as Milo, I wanted to pursue a holistic approach to his character that actively took into careful consideration the turbulent time period in which he lived. Here are some of the headcanons I’ve come up with him, to give y’all a better picture of my portrayal.

Growing up in GILDED AGE AMERICA had an enormous impact on Milo's character, and plays a distinct role in determining the course of his reaction to Rourke's betrayal. During this time period, "ROBBER BARONS" such as J.P. Morgan, Andrew Carnegie, and John D. Rockefeller ruled with an iron fist over their respective industries, flaunting their wealth and prioritizing profit over people in order to get ahead. Rourke's plan surely would have eerily reminded Milo of the greed exhibited by these individuals, heightening his aversion beyond the fierce desire to protect Atlantis and her people. The negative consequences of AMERICAN CAPITALISM were on full display as Milo came of age, and it is this that enables him to so clearly predict the mechanisms through which Rourke would weaponize Atlantis's material and spiritual resources.

Milo is incredibly SUPERSTITIOUS, and has been this way for the vast majority of his life. Many of these superstitions were instilled in him by his grandfather Thaddeus, but his firm belief in the concept that breaking a mirror brings bad luck comes directly from personal experience. Shortly before he was due to give a major presentation on Atlantis to the museum board, he accidentally broke a handheld mirror by dropping it on the floor — and the presentation was a failure.

Milo's grandfather, Thaddeus, was a veteran of the American Civil War. He was called to serve in the Union Army due to the Conscription Act of 1863, and subsequently joined the ranks of the men fighting alongside ULYSSES S. GRANT in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Thaddeus fought alongside Grant for the rest of the war, including APPOMATTOX. Milo grew up knowing of his grandfather's military service; however, Thaddeus rarely, if ever, spoke of his experiences on the battlefield. He once met the former General Grant at the age of five years old, but barely remembers it because of how young he was at the time. What he does remember, however, is witnessing firsthand the effects of trauma from war wrought upon his grandfather. As such, Milo has developed a profound fear of war & bloodshed and will strive to keep peace at all costs.

Thaddeus once attempted to take Milo horseback riding in the Appalachian Mountains; however, to say that this did not go well is an understatement. Milo returned home with several broken bones and a lifelong aversion to equestrian activities.

Milo exhibits numerous characteristics that, when considered collectively, would result in a modern day diagnosis of AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER. Milo's characterization in the film suggests that his SPECIAL INTEREST is the lost kingdom of Atlantis, and he "infodumps" to the expedition's crew numerous times throughout their journey. As exhibited by his difficulty to befriend his fellow adventurers, Milo finds social situations challenging; he is a LITERAL thinker who struggles to understand the subtle rules of etiquette that govern group dynamics. SOCIAL CUES, such as Kida's ceaseless flirting, fly right over his head, making him entirely oblivious to Kida's affections. His affliction of TIME BLINDNESS demonstrated in the very first scene of the movie and made possible by POOR TIME MANAGEMENT skills, is also evident of Autism.

Although Milo pretended otherwise — unable to stomach the fact that he was upset over the loss of friendship with a man who so callously put profit over lives — Rourke’s betrayal STUNG. For many years, lingering emotions over Rourke's status as a turncoat haunted Milo, and this tragic fact became his deepest, darkest secret. Not even Kida, who is able to read Milo like an open book, suspects that the emotional damage wrought by Rourke cuts so deeply. Milo values loyalty to friends and family above all else, and the experience with Rourke was the very first time he ever witnessed someone blatantly disregard one of his core values.

When he needs to think, Milo will take a walk on the beach at Long Island Sound. Oftentimes, this endeavor will instead lead to him getting distracted by acquiring seashells to add to his already extensive collection.

[roo-bastmoon]

Here's an idea for something positive to discuss if you'd like a thought experiment.

I think we all agree that Suchwita is EXACTLY the perfect type of show for Yoongi to host. It plays into his strengths both as a host and as someone who LOVES to give advice and perspective in his industry.

We also know that there's another member with excellent hosting skills among the Tannies...who just so happens to be the first one planned for release from military service. If Jin were to host some kind of show after his release before group activities resume, what kind of show do you see him hosting? Types of activities? Ideas of guests?

All hypothetical, of course! 💜💜💜

This is a fantastic and creative ask!

Let me think...

I know Jin loves to cook and to act, so if he wants to do something like that, I'd absolutely tune in. But he was also completely ADORKABLE on that drinking show... the one where the woman (I think Lee Youngji is her name if I'm spelling it right) interviews a guest while they get schnockered? He's so shy and funny, I'd love to see him do something with a bunch of crazy funny extroverted women, like a Say Yes to the Dress or The View or something.

He puts people at ease by being silly if they are straight-laced and the straight man if they have big personalities. An instinctive entertainer. So if he carries the Suchwita torch, he'd be good at it. But he's also great with kids and gaming.

I wonder if it would be really cute to see him do something like a camp counselor show for disadvantaged youth? It could have indoor and outdoor games, singing and dancing performances, fishing, an obstacle course like a mini-boot camp... whatever Jin would like to put the kids through.

Then again, older guys seem totally smitten with him (who can blame them?). What if he did like a cooking competition in a retirement home with celebrity guests from the residents' era? Sort of like a comeback for old actors or trot singers. It could be a show that could bridge a generational divide?

Hmm I dunno. He'd be good at so many things! What do other people think?

[haggishlyhagging]

While male prophets were devising more varieties of marriage, some of the female prophets were arguing against it altogether. There were several bases for their stance. Some, like Roxanne Dunbar, argued against marriage because revolution was a full-time occupation, leaving no time for purely personal concerns. They called upon women to leave houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children, land, to give single-minded dedication to their salvation. It sounds absurd. Still, how does it differ, when you come to think about it, from the same rationale for celibate religious orders?

Other radical female prophets objected to marriage not only because of what they felt it did to women but also because, like their conservative opposite numbers, they saw it as a major support of the status quo. But whereas conservatives argued for strengthening marriage because they wanted the status quo protected and preserved, the radical women argued against it because they did not. They were against marriage precisely because, as Judith Brown put it, it did shore up and support the status quo:

The institution of marriage ... is a potent instrument for maintaining the status quo in American society. It is in the family that children learn so well the dominance-submission game, by observation and participation. Each family, reflecting the perversities of the larger order and split off from the others, is powerless to force change on other institutions, let alone attack or transform its own. And this serves the Savage Society well.

Still others argued against marriage not only because it was conservative, but also because it was antirevolutionary in the sense that it deflected the righteous anger of workers against their exploiters. The wife who offered an emotional refuge to her husband from the jungle warfare of occupational competition was supporting a nonhumane system. Fran Ansley is speaking here:

Women serve as "lightning rods" for men's frustrations at other factors in their environment. This can be especially serviceable for the ruling class. Often it is the man of the family who experiences most directly the real power relationships in the society. (He sells his labor to a capitalist who then exploits him; he has a direct relation to industrial production; etc.) When wives play their traditional role as takers of shit, they often absorb their husbands' legitimate anger and frustration at their own powerlessness and oppression. With every worker provided with a sponge to soak up his possibly revolutionary ire, the bosses rest more secure. Chauvinist attitudes help to maintain this asocial system of tension-release.

But it is once more a case in which the woman pays. The mental health of men, their balance, is preserved by the ministrations of their wives, who salve the wounds inflicted on them by the outside world. The real beneficiaries in this framework are employers and exploiters of men against whom the aggression of unsoothed men would wreak itself. All is at the expense of wives, says Beverly Jones: “the inequalitarian relationships in the home are perhaps the basis of all evil. Men can commit any horror, or cowardly suffer any mutilation of their souls and retire to the home to be treated there with awe, respect, and perhaps love. Men will never face their true identity or their real problems under these circumstances, nor will we.”

Some argued against marriage because it was so oppressive for women. They translated the material presented in chapter 3 into polemics. This was how Judith Brown saw it:

The married woman knows that love is, at its best, an inadequate reward for her unnecessary and bizarre heritage of oppression. The marriage institution does not free women; it does not provide for emotional and intellectual growth; and it offers no political resources. Were it not for male-legislated discrimination in employment, it would show little economic advantage. Instead, she is locked into a relationship which is oppressive politically, exhausting physically, stereotyped emotionally and sexually, and atrophying intellectually. She teams up with an individual groomed from birth to rule, and she is equipped for revolt only with the foot-shuffling, head-scratching gesture of "feminine guile." ... Marriage ... is the atomization of a sex so as to render it politically powerless. The anachronism remains because women won't fight it, because men derive valuable benefits from it and will not give them up.

Some argued against marriage because it did not provide a suitable unit for the rearing of children. "There is," said Roxanne Dunbar, “little reality in the human relations in this society, and least of all in marriage. Ask the children what they think of the institution which supposedly exists for their upbringing, their beneft. All the love between ‘man and woman’ in the world will not make that tiny unit any less lonely, any less perverted to the child who is raised within it.”

A few, finally, fought marriage because they hated men. In reply to the "official" position against man-hating among the female prophets, one of them— Pamela Kearon—made a plea for open recognition of its existence in the displaced form of hatred of other women: "there is no dearth of hatred in the world. I agree.… People do not react to oppression with Love.... When women take their hatred out on others, those others are likely to be other women.... If hatred exists (and we know it does), let it be of a robust variety. If it is a choice between woman-hating and man-hating, let it be the latter."

It is doubtful whether these antimarriage arguments had much effect on the marriage rate. But the fact that they could be articulated, whether accepted or rejected, cannot help but affect the future of marriage. The idolatry of marriage was finally being challenged.

Jessie Bernard, The Future of Marriage

[goombasa]

Youtube Recommendations: Matt Baum

There are a lot of folks who are talking about LGBTQ+ issues on the internet nowadays, and one of the biggest topics in that space that has captured my interest is portrayal of LGBT people in media, its history, and its major players over the last couple of centuries. In that way, I don't think I've come across anyone who does it quite as good as Matt Baum.

Matt is, surprise, a media historian, primarily focusing on television and film, with a specific focus on LGBT rights and people involved in the industry, with a primary focus on gay and lesbian people, though of course he talks plenty about trans, nonbinary, and ace people and representation as well.

Typically, Matt's videos will focus on a single, specific individual from history, telling their life story, and using their lived experiences to help add context and flavor to the political and cultural climate of the time. You not only feel like you're being told a story about a person, but are also getting a rundown on just how hard people were fighting for equal rights for both oppressed minorities and people who have to hide who you are. He does also cover broader topics that you might not expect that turn out to be very important to the wider discussion of LGBTQ rights, like his episode going over the history of PBS.

His videos are always quite long, but not a second of them is ever wasted. Every time I watch a new video of his, I feel like I've come away from it with a newfound appreciation for the topic of discussion, especially for actors or behind-the-scenes players that I was unfamiliar with prior to watching his videos on them.

While his videos are framed around LGBT issues, they are also a really good primer for general media history, and they give a great overview for just how far things like the film and television history has come, while not shying away from the many, MANY questionable decisions that were made over the decades that these mediums have existed.

Basically, if you are interested at all in media analysis, media history, or LGBTQ history and how all these things are related, Matt Baum is an excellent place to start. Oh, and if you prefer the written word to videos, Matt is also a published author. I don't often promote other ventures from those that I watch on Youtube, but I've read one of his books. They are very, very good. So after you check out some of the videos I recommend below, please check out his books, Hi Honey, I'm Homo and Defining Marriage.

(Note that the above links are not sponsored; I legitimately think the books are worth checking out and the links provided will take you to their thriftbooks page, but you can find them basically wherever books are sold on the internet.)

Recommended Videos

When Gomer Pyle Married Rock Hudson: A biographical video focusing on the life and career of Jim Nabors. This was the first video of his that I came across and it's a good example of the sort of videos that Matt makes, thuogh it's a little on the short side compared to many of the videos that would come out after this.

The Gay Actor That Brought Batman To Life: A very heartfelt summary of Kevin Conroy's life and career, and how he related to the double life of Batman, being a gay man who always felt like he had to wear a mask.

The Birdcage and La Cage Aux Folles: Rather than being the biography of an individual, this is the history of an incredibly important work of gay theatre and film, covering its history on the stage and on the screen and how tough it was to get made in both instances.

Tales of the City and the Fight to Save PBS: A video giving the history of PBS and how important it has been as a service for both educational programming and pushing the boundaries of what could be shown on television.

Disney Renaissance Man: Probably my favorite video of his to date, a nice, beefy biography of Howard Ashman, who was responsible for making the film version of Little Shop of Horrors and Disney's original Little Mermaid film as memorable and amazing as they were.

[meownotgood]

music producer! aki would be such a vibe. I’ve been thinking about this for like a week and I resigned myself to accepting that Aki would probably never be an artist but I love music sm so I will force it by any means! Anyways….

Aki is an extremely loving, devoted and kind soul but he expresses his affection through his actions/acts of service. I don’t think verbally expressing his feelings is his strength. I imagine music being the perfect medium for him to express everything that he feels within without words, utilizing the universal language to reveal the profound emotions that lay dormant within his soul.

I don’t think Aki seeks fame or notoriety so he’d be that one producer behind all your favorite songs but nobody really knows who he is… It’s the allure for me. I can so see him with an underground fanbase that zooms in on celebrity studio pics and you just see Aki’s topknot sticking out and we’re like “THAT’S OUR MAN!” and the girlies make edits of that. There’d be such a sexy mystery surrounding him and who he is. He’d serve us once in a blue moon with the hair down look. Badboy Aki knows what he’s doing FR

I envision him being really active in the underground rock, metal and rap scene. But he’d always give smaller artists a chance. He’d definitely be versatile too like don’t act like he ain’t produce ur favorite pop song. He’s just skilled like that 💋

Winter instrumental album in Hokkaido that gets sampled in every song like???? Hair down, graphic t, (key word) BOYFRIEND jeans, black converse, silver earrings and rings but without the t shirt, jeans and converse is such a lewk

Concert date, studio date, him making you songs, singing to you at night, playing guitar to you and other devious business *wink*

I rest my case.

I GET IT I SEE IIIIIITTTTTTTTTTT

I always think about what kind of music aki would listen to, I think he likes softer stuff but he's into some rock as well. he really likes anything as long as it has a good sound to it. gaaaah and aki making music to express how he feels is such a perfect idea I love it so much, I think it really does fit!!!

as a music producer, he's pretty talented and his work is really recognizable. he's been making music ever since he was younger; he got super into it because it was somewhat of a coping mechanism after he lost his family. he gets hired often and he has a hard time turning down any job because he wants to experience as much as he can. he'll make beats for any genre of music, in any sort of style, but he really likes when he gets to make something sweeter, something that's more true to himself.

when he makes the rare original song, it's instantly a hit — not in the way that it's super popular but more like it resonates with a lot of people immediately. he rarely sings or adds vocals to his music (he prefers to use other people's vocals) but when he does... whew.....

he's kind of elusive cause he doesn't go to a lot of parties or meetups and tends to keep to himself. he's well respected by everyone but no-one in the industry really knows the real him or anything about his personal life. they know some tidbits, but not enough to really call aki a friend. I'm thinking of aki who has his hair half-up and wears casual band tees and has his ears all pierced... maybe some other piercings too... perhaps lip piercing or eyebrow piercing... GAH

you see him play in person at a set once and you're just like... wow. sometimes he djs or plays guitar for local events and he rarely talks to anyone there but he's super good at what he does and always seems so focused. you're pretty intimidated by him, in all honesty, but he's actually really kind once you get the chance to talk to him. you catch him while he's having a smoke outside the building, you compliment his playing and he says thank you, he's glad you enjoyed it.

omg thinking about his social media... he definitely has a faceless pfp and literally never posts pictures of himself so the rare pictures of him are just ones that other artists have uploaded when they took selfies with him. he never posts anything personal either, his posts are just so business-y and serious lolol

boyfriend music artist aki who will turn and smile at you when you're watching him from backstage... who not-so-subtly writes songs about you... who's a little shy when it comes to his singing voice but he'll sing you to sleep any time you ask him... who will have you feature as background vocals in his latest song and make everyone wonder who's voice it was..... he's intimidating to everyone else but to you he's the absolute sweetest

[gaykarstaagforever]

Another fun editorial from my "favorite" publication, Business Insider.

This was written by the 57 year old rich man who founded it and is currently the CEO. But notice how the choice of picture tries to trick you into thinking a hot younger woman wrote it.

Which is odd, because BI can, and does!, hire hot younger women to write crap like this, all the time. Traditionally targeting Millenials. But I guess our persistent refusal to get knocked up has finally driven BI off to go harass our younger siblings. And Old Henry just couldn't contain himself around all these new young empty wombs anymore.

I read it to see why exactly, on a planet with too many people and too little affordable houses, this rich white man is so upset that people under 40 aren't breeding like they used to. He doesn't give a good reason, just something about how "giving children life" is brave. Which it isn't, by any definition of the word.

What he does take pains to do is explain why all our reasons for refusing to breed are bullshit. Well, he doesn't say it so harshly. Because obviously he's figured out that Elon Musk ordering white people to provide babies for his new crazy experiments isn't a method that's working. So Henry soft-pedals it. He admits war and climate change and political chaos are real, but not THAT real (I have no idea; you figure it out). But even if they are, and I'm paraphrasing here, don't worry, some heretofore unknown wizard or Superman shall appear and fix everything. So no worries, ladies! Be filled with seed!

What Henry doesn't seem to understand is that climate change and general violent chaos may be two of the stated reasons people have for not having kids, but aren't the only ones, or even the major ones. Most people who aren't as mostly-gay and mostly-asexual as myself are under the constant pressures of horniness and family expectations to not let the coming doom of the world at-large change their stances on condom usage.

People avoid having kids because of a perceived lack of support for their personal child-rearing, be it financial or social. If they are having issues with long-term commitment or financial security, they aren't going to sign up for 20+ years of raising another human being. And because we aren't willful idiots, we know financial security is ALSO a big reason people have problems maintaining long-term relationships.

Henry, no one under 40 is going to have kids if they know they're going to have to find a new apartment or a new job, in a new place, every 3 to 6 years. That instability is what is frosting everyone's nethers. And that isn't a philosophical problem, that is a systemic capitalism problem.

That guys like Henry caused. Because Old Henry here had to pay $4 million to the US Government back in 2003 for tricking people into investing in shitty 1990s dot-coms he knew were about to fall apart. He is banned from trading securities and working in the financial services industry anymore because of this.

People don't have babies on a roller-coaster, Henry. And you help build that roller-coaster. They aren't breeding because of YOU, you idiot. So you're hardly in a position to be lecturing anyone about how they aren't doing enough bareback.

...Also, back to the question of why old rich men like Henry Blodget are so worried about "population decline," a thing that isn't a thing. Sans him actually giving the game away, I'm free to speculate, and I will. This is probably that thing where he's worried about America's garbage social security system getting even more pointless without enough young people to steal from to pay the bills. Which is, AGAIN, only a problem because guys like Henry engineered both it and the economy in such ways that it is. They made a joke of a system that runs on bad stupid rules and now blame us for not following those rules. And one of those rules is "you (white people) all need to breed like rabbits," because every system these people make, including their religions, has that same weird rule.

Because these are weird, bad people. Who do financial crimes.

And that's why we don't listen to them.

[zalabratart]

Can you give us lore on your oc's, and why is that one diesel engine unarmed? I need to know that are the shunned or just nameless?

ok here we go just fair warning some character are more developed then others

it long you been warned

zeppelin/ experiment Z-1/6722 was an 0-6-0 tender engine build by the New York century railway in 1918 (the real photo is for reference) under 6722 who time under the nycr was not very interesting wasn’t until he was retired 1958 was when when thing started to happen zeppelin was perched by a man in 1974 who told him he was going to Bring steam back to power he didn’t think much about it at the time but now he wishes he did in 1975 the man started his rebuilt plan on Zeppelin and for 15 years they ripped pock replaced rearranged, added without green water (green water is kind of like horse tranquilizer for engines) to the point where he lost most of his memories. right at the start of the 90s his owner moved to Britain first shipping over the engine to the nearby heartfelt railway as the new mansion didn't have an engine shed but then his owner was arrested for reasons now in days zeppelin is haling trains and trying to get his rock band off the ground

Atticus/ Atticus is a stern 4-6-0 industrial class steam locomotive built in 1919 and work on the heartfelt railway in somewhere, England he was built and operated by Dalton and Sons, ship building yard or how it’s going to be known pier 32 which he is still operated by to this day over the summer he loses he’s arm and eye in the cobblestone rail explosion of 1956 where he was decommission for a good few years before pier 32 repair him and is currently in a relationship with zeppelin

Panther-panther was built in 1943 as W.D. Engine 594, in 1944 he was shipped to Central Europe to pull supplies trains for the allied powers where he stay until the war ended and afterward he was moved around from yard to yard, panther got his name from his unusual yellow eyes and black coat of paint, at the entirety of his service was pledged with ptsd causing him to become closed off from most people and engines. In 1952 he was transferred for the last time to a colliery near Northern Ireland where he met Crystal(later phoenix) who ran a name train known as the black diamond they were close friends until 1960 When Crystal was withdrawn and then in 1961 panther was withdrawn from service and had excepted his faith and be reunited with his friends until the heartfelt railway save him from scrap with him current condition worsened due to thinking he survived and she didn’t (but don’t worry they be reunited eventually 😉 )

phoenix/crystal-so phoenix is aforementioned girl she is an S&DJR class 7F steam engine built in July 1925 and spent most of of her career pulling a named coal train (the black diamond) for a shipping yard and for most of her life was spent with coal (more on him later) until 1955 an panther start at the colliery in 1960 the black Dimond was discontinued and 4 years later she was withdrawal from server she store on a siding right next to the ports station where she sat for 36 years until 1999 where she was attack by a steam hunter who destroy her side rods and her voice block acre making her paralyzes and mute and after that she was rescued by the heartfelt

Artemis-she is a BR stranded 9F steam engine an 92166 a month after her brother Murdock both they careers was spent haling heavy goods trains around Ireland until 1964 where she was sold to a private collector in Auston Texas she was told she was to leave tomorrow she said bye to her brother knowing this would the last time they see each other. she took her last train to Liverpool where she was loaded on to a ship descend for the states witch the ship made it without a hatch and made it to he ranch where she was treated a member of his family as he didn't have a wife or kids (he as secretly gay) along with all the other non faceless engine he brought they were happy Artemis even got to pull some rail excursions and started dating a diesel an Santa Fe EMD FP45 class named hawks (more on him later) but soon the old man got vary sick and so he died and will stated that ever thing was to go to the engine as they were his children but his sister (Artemis's surgent aunt) was able to have the will voided (she use plot convenient) but he had a plan for the engine, he had gotten other heritage lines to take them Artemis was suppose to be sent to a private railroad in Ohio but she couldn't levee hawks in Texas so she decided to just send her engine and buy a ranch with hawks but hawks sold her out to the steam hunter marking her for death unlike phoenix managed to get away mostly unsaved physically beside a bullet that graze her cheek that was shot by hawks but she was destroy mentally having boarded a ship being hulled to pier 32 scrapyard

Hartland point- Hartland point is an LBSC H1 class steam engine built in 1906 (making her the third oldest engine on the railway) she ran express duties until 1926 where she was reassigned to the cobblestone and harden fell branch line at this time there where three non faceless engines those benign Atticus Ham and Excalibur but mostly Excalibur Hartland and Cali hit it off immediately and soon became an unofficial couple and ran mixed traffic trains until 1960 when the harden fell Brach was close and the two lover were sent to pier 32 with at this time had a class 08 diesel locomotives the two were ready to face death together until they found out that the heartfelt railway was to reopen and they had being persevered now in day Hartland point help out with finances and her and Excalibur are now married

Excalibur- Excalibur is an LSWR N15 Class steam engine build in augest of 1918 and spend all of his career as a passengers trains until 1927 when he was transfer to the cobblestone and heartfelt branch line. despite being name after the fame sword of king Arthur he is a scarred cat especially towards faceless engine itis so bad that having to sleep in a shed with one can cause him to have sever panic attacks and the heartfelt roster at the time was made up of 5 lbsc a1 class tank engines (terriers),an lbsc L class tank engine (who was away on rebuild and replace by Excalibur), an lbsc e1 engine 120, an H1 Atlantic name Hartland Point, and ham a nelson 0-4-0 box tank engine who works at the tea plant, Atticus an 2-6-0 industrial class tank engine who work at pier 32. the last of the two are even apart of the railway and Hartland point would take night passenger train to Brighton, so his mental state was S>%t and sleep non nonexistent (me fr :D) so he turn to writing to clam himself down eventually he was move to a smaller two engine shed with Hartland point and this is when they kind of be can an unofficial couple and ran mixed traffic trains until 1960 when the harden fell Brach was close and the two lover were sent to pier 32 with at this time had a class 08 diesel locomotives the two were ready to face death together until they found out that the heartfelt railway was to reopen and they had being persevered now in days Excalibur (when ever he not pulling trains) is a fantasy writer with a diagnosed sleeping disorder and is now marred to Hartland point

ivy-Ivy is a British rail class 07 who was build in 1962 as D2990 and replace engine 32106 an E2 class tank engine (remember this ;) ), she (or at the time he🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️) ran under the name Archibald or archie for short she eventually had it put on a name plated something she come to regret doing (🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️) in the 80s she was purchase by the heartfelt a it second diesel and new maintenance engine. when she first arrived she was not the nicest engine and almost got sent away because of it (like she was repressing feeling 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️) in 1992 she finally relived that she was in fact a girl (🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️) and started to get her act together. as a maintenance engine she had a lot of free time so she took up gymnastics and acrobatics during this time coal griffin arrived on the heartfelt and she fell for him and he fell for her

griffin coal-(ok right before i started witting this i change his backstory and class and is name is subject to change his name is now griffin) is a LSWR M7 tank engine more prosaically engine 255 he was build in 1897 (making him the second oldest on the line) and was almost immediately reassign to the London necropolis railway as it main locomotive he still did shunting but multibed time a day he pull funeral trains and morbidly he enjoy these trains more then his other and was (and still is) fanatic by death and the hole in bombing process he happily continued until 1930 when he was sold to a colliery in north of England he work here by himself (beside crystal/phoenix) until 1952 when panther arrived immediately he try to make friends with little to no sasses but he evenly got him work with the colliery until 1960 when it closed and he was sold for scrap he ended up bounding between scrapyard until 1993 when he ended at the heartfelt railway and ramet panther and meet and fell for ivy and evenly ask her out (but that is a story for another day)

THE ONE YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR

THE ONE

THE ONLY

🥳!!!!!! THE UNNAMED DIESEL !!!!!!!🥳

so the hole reason he was named that is not as excising he was name that case i had given him a name but now he has a story ( actual he had no story until yesterday may 29 2024) he is an BR class 28 (metro Vick type 2) he was build in 1959 a work for BR until 1964 when he as withdrawn from services for defying BR and protesting what was happing to the steam engine and was sunder by the other metro Vicks so he hide his engine on what he though was an abounded branch line and became an nomad engine traveling the world and picking up odd jobs. from time to time he pop into the heartfelt where his engine is preserved and tell fascinating stories to the other engines of his travels and he ends up spending a lot of time with royal crusader and his name is Compass the nomad engine

Riley- Riley is a GWR Hall class steam engine as engine 5973 Under the name Rolleston hall younger sister of olein hall she was build in 1937 and ran mixed traffic trains along the border of the LNER and GWR and anticized the LNER engines mostly an A4 known as sparrow hawk who ran the express in the region nothing intersecting happed in her career she was withdrawn in 1962 and was preserve in 1975. riley any chance she got was spent in libraries learning but she let the fact she book smart go to her head and boosted about it any chances she gets

Alex- Alex is a GWR 14xx tank engine build in 1933 as engine 4817 as so as he was fire up he left the works and made his way to the cobblestone and harden fell branch to work and still works to this day as the G&S tea company as it second engine he is a vary loyal and optimistic chape and a cinnamon roll who has an unhealthy obsession with reptiles

Ethan-Ethan is an E2 class tank engine build in September 1915 as LBSC engine 106 he work at Brighton until the 1950 when he and the other 8 e2 were sent to Southampton docks at Southampton was renumber 32106 (ringing any bells ;) ) and he fell off a pier he worked a Southampton until 1962 when he was sent to berry's scrapyard witch he was at for 5 years before going to a heritage railway close to London known as the pine field railway (this is not a real heritage line) he ran on this line for 8 normally around this time a little engine on sodor was making waves it was his younger brother 108 or Thomas as he was known now in 1975 he went in for a repaint and when he awoke he hear people screaming his brother name "THOMAS! THOMAS! THOMAS!" soon he started to move but not by his own strength and his was different and then he finally saw his refection he was no longer in BR black he was instead in a lite NWR Blue with red linin and a number 1 where the BR crest used to be and he lost his s*&t for a week it was nonstop children everywhere, torching everything, adults blithering him for things he didn't even do the hell he was in last two day and they put him in a small shed and lock the door all this was cause by that blue bastard he call a brother he life was this for 10 years, 10 long agonizing years until he company decided to replace him "For something the look more like Thomas the tank engine" so Ethan ran, ran as far away as possibly and was caught stealing coal from the heartfelt but instead of sending him back to the pine field they took him in and clean him up and repainted him

Ham- Ham is an nelson class 0-4-0 box tank engine build in June 1856 for the G&S tea company as engine one and is the oldest engine on the railway he a vary old kind soul

Luanne-basic run down

her basic back story is this song i was listening to in engineering class when i should have been working but instead was drawing

now the long version is that Luanne is not an engine she a ghost possession a locomotive more pacifically L&N engine 295 a K5 class steam locomotive how you may ask well (lady felt cute mite being a dead girl back to life later) for the most part Luanne has no memory of her past life 295 was build in April of 1925 and awoke in 1927 an Luanne and pull passenger trains around new Orlans to Louisville she was streamlined in 1945 and ran like that until augest of 1953 when she was retired and sent to a breaker yard she was unstreamlined and put on static display in a public park and stay there until she meet the six idiots and follow them to make sure the the didn't get f&*%$^g murdered and she went back to the heartfelt with them

sparrow hawk- sparrow hawk is a LNER A4 class steam engine build in November 1937 and ran express trains around the border of the LNER and the GWR interacting with riley who was sort of an rivel on an intellectual level (he had wisdom, she had intelligent) in 1962 riley was withdrawn from service and he throw a party at the LNER sheds and had the best year of his f#&$()g life until he was withdrawn in 1963 and was placed right next to riley it was the worst ten years for they both kept each other company but the heartfelt came to buy s sparrow hawk but he had a change of heart (no pun intended) and beg the senior director to save riley with they did and now both are good friends

the royal crusader- royal crusader is a Peppercorn A1 build in 1949 and ran express trains for the LNER and BR until 1962 when she was privately sold to a family who live out by heartfelt (this is a different family from the main family who own the Alex and ham) an there private engine with she still dose to this day

pastor- pastor is an BR stranded black five in 1954 and ran good trains on the heartfelt branch line until 1964 when he crashed in a field of a vicarage BR came and collect the tucks and cargo and left he had hope they come back for him (spoiler warning they never did) evenly the vicar took pity on the poor engine a put a tarp over him engine and invited him inside where he became part of the church and evenly is ordain as a pastor but when he found out that the heartfelt railway was reopening he went to talk to them to rescues his engine and they did, he still preachers at the church

hawks- hawks is a Stata Fe Fe EMD FP45 build in 1967 to run passage for the Santa fe railway in 1980 he stated dating an steam engine named artemins in 1987 him and artemins planed to run away together, none knows why he sold her out (ha i know but i ant telling) but he did and has regeared it everyday

a that it for now rat will be getting his own post and the other are d&d ocs and I'll put them in a another post

see ya✌️

[stardewthoughts]

Lewis

These are some ideas/headcanons/whatnot about Lewis that I’ve had. This is no end all be all, just my ideas, please share your own

To preface, I dislike Lewis, for a handful of reasons, but I will try to remain objective

firstly, Lewis doesn't know or care about like half his job. I know no 2 places are the same and often have differing roles and responsibilities and such but here are the general duties of a mayor

to be CEO (chief executive officer)

to execute and enforce the laws of the city/municipality

to hire municipal managers and employees

to preside over meetings/cast votes

to provide public services to the town and ensure they work

to give information and recommendations to the city council on improvements to be made

To serve as the official spokesperson for the city government and build a sense of community

To speak with constituents and listen to their concerns and questions

Lewis seems to only cover the easier or more enjoyable parts, he decides things for the town then has others do them, he sends information and reports into the local city/governing body, he acts as a spokesperson more to build up pelican towns name than that he actually believes half of what he says as well as speaking with the townsfolk (some more than others lol) he half-asses at public services, the town has power, water and waste management, but no public transport in a town where (as far as i remember) only 2 people have some form of vehicle, or no industries to help keep the town alive (mining, lumber and such) he's a paper mayor at best

but here's the thing, just looking around, you can tell it wasn't always like this, there is lots of decayed mining infrastructure, and with how the forest near marine's home grow's, its closer to a new regrowth forest, which could hint at a small scale logging business, as well as all the broken down or decayed infrastructure. at one point the town was thriving, likely early in Lewis's career, but now everything is broken and supposedly the town is lacking in funds. the one commonality, Lewis

now I'm not saying he was the only factor, but he holds a lot of power to change said issues, its literally in his job description to fix the town but he relies on the goodwill of a private citizen to fix and build up the town, or is willing to sell land to a megacorporation that would flatten pelican town to build a factory in a heartbeat. now for disliking Lewis I don't think its laziness or pure greed-corruption that led him to what he is today, I think somethin may have happened, early on, he may have lost a loved one, or some similar heartbreaking experience, that left him depressed or distraught, and while id say he's possibly worked to manage it, it changed him, the happy man who wanted t help his hometown became a sad man alone in a big house who couldn't make the hard choices anymore and began skimming by life.

all that doesn't change what he's done but may explain it