#hello westport

[ruby-in-bloom]

Hi, hope all is well! Do you still plan on releasing an unfinished version of dune crest soon? I know your previous ask about it said sometime in January.

Me when Dune Crest questions appear in my asks ^ 🙈

—

But in seriousness — first of all —hello stranger ☺️ thanks I am well, and I hope you are too!

Regarding Dune Crest: the reason for my delay in posting it is two-fold:

1.) the reason why I more or less dropped Dune Crest is because I was working on it, in part, while with my ex-boyfriend who I separated from in late Dec 2024. I associate it with him and as such it’s hard for me to keep working on it as it stands now. 🥲

2.) I technically started the build a year and half ago, if not longer. It really taught me a lot about building and I have a soft spot for it - but Dune Crest isn’t a build I am overly proud of or fond of really. There’s a lot that is “wrong” with it imo — starting with its massive size. My current build Westport is significantly better and I am very motivated to complete it. For fun, below are some photos of DC in 2024? 2023? Whenever I first started it. I hope you can see the improvement in building bc I certainly can!

—

All that being said, I do get how frustrating it is to want something in your game and not have it. I have attached some photos of DC below so you can sense the scale.*These photo don’t really even do it justice - it’s huge. Oftentimes, I got overwhelmed with the build size.

*these images are not up to date, the house has changed slightly but it’s the same size*

Ultimately; if you are still interested in it after seeing it’s size I can tidy it up, package, and release it - just DM me or send another ask. I ask you to confirm bc tbh I don’t want to put my limited energy and time into prepping it without knowing people are interested - even if it’s just one person. But if you want it - it’s yours! ❤️

[myloveforhergoeson]

hi!! <3 for the ask game: chauncy jackson, superstar, & new town high!

hello!!! <333

chauncy jackson: what's your favorite book?

my favorite book is it happened one summer by tessa bailey! it's an adorable fish out of water (i think that's the term) that was inspired by schitts creek! a wealthy, spoiled heiress (piper) gets in trouble one too many times and is forced by her step father to spend her summer out of los angeles in a town in washington called westport, where her father lived and died shortly after she and her younger sister were born. there, she meets the captain of a king crab fishing boat (brendan) who is pretty much the opposite of her and romance ensues. ugh, it was just so freaking cute. i really loved piper as a character and her growth arc was just fantastic - she and her sister end up restoring an old bar that belonged to their father and she finds herself feeling more connection and meaning in what she's doing in westport than she ever felt in los angeles. brendan is just so sweet too - soooo he fell first and fell HARD - and the two of them grow so well together into the people they want to be. it's also a duology! the second book is about piper's sister and the first mate of brendans boat, called hook line and sinker but it happened one summer is def my fav!

superstar: have you ever met anyone famous?

i've never met anyone proper famous, just a lot of probably like f-list musicians and bands. bones UK, the lead singer of as it is, doll skin, twin xl (the twins in question are also in the summer set), the maine, waterparks, bbno$... i think that's it. i just go to a lot of small shows and stay late lol

new town high: do you believe in supernatural creatures?

oh absolutely. nothing quite as big as like mothman or bigfoot, though i'd love it if they were real, but generally i believe in ghosts. not so much from an "i've had an encounter standpoint" (which to be fair, i have) but more from a "this brings me comfort when considering death" kind of place. plus i watched a fuck ton of ghost adventures as a kid. i know that's fake! but it's still entertaining to me. i like to think shane and ryan ghost files are really being contacted by spirits...

[see-the-ziibi-region]

Hello! My name is Nora, and I'm the new Social Media Manager at the Ziibi Region Department of Tourism!

A little about me, I use she/they pronouns and recently graduated from the University of Ziibi - Westport.

I'm looking forward to working on this blog! We'll be traveling around, seeing the sights of the Ziibi Region together!

Picrew used

[trashbag-baby666]

Witching Hours-Joe Liebgott

Day Seven of War is Helloween prompts by @almost-a-class-act

Summary: ex-lover/high school acquaintance/friend they haven't seen in years has just turned up on their doorstep. "The curse. It's real." (Loosely based off Fear Street)

WC: 300

C/W: Mentions of witch trials and murder

BofB Masterlist!

Halloween Prompts Masterlist!

Lieb barely knew Daisy in high school. He was her pot dealer and they smoked a few times that was it.

A few times when they smoked Daisy would talk about the town curse of Mary Faulkner a witch that was hanged in their quiet town in Connecticut.

Lieb thought it was all bull shit till one day.

Liebs daughter and friends were being chased by the killers of Westport, Connecticut.

Lieb stood on the deck of Daisy Speirs house. His daughter Raven next to him.He knocked again hoping she would hear him. Suddenly he heard a series of locks unlocking and the red head opened the door.

"Hello?" Daisy looked at a familiar face.

"The curse is real," Lieb breathed out.

"Come in," Daisy tugged him in and Raven followed.

"You better not have brought those things here." Daisy slammed her door locking the locks all over again.

"They're not following me but my friend." Raven spoke up.

"Did you have a kid?" Daisy looked between the two. The teen looked to be a miniature female Lieb.

"Yeah this is Raven, just tell Daisy what's going on." Lieb was in a panic.

In 1978 Daisy was at a summer camp where her brother, George was killed by one of Mary Faulkner's cursed men.

Every few years someone from Westport would go on a killing spree.

But now Ravens friend was being chased and haunted by some weird apparitions of the killers.

Raven had explained to Daisy and she got up closing her blinds and making sure her windows were locked, "You better hope Billy's asleep he gets mad when I talk about it." Billy always wanted to protect her and he knew how upset she would get at the mention of it.

[malloryhuitson]

location: silver lining

status: closed for @katerinadelarosa

Robert’s birthday was coming up. As Aspen so kindly reminded her on their daily FaceTime that morning, Mallory felt a heart-breaking pang in her chest watching her teenage daughter lounge about in her childhood bedroom. Though it quickly turned to annoyance when the snarky fifteen-year-old also reminded Mallory she promised a long weekend trip to Westport soon. So she made a promise to make it there, thus deciding to force herself to shop for her estranged husband. It was something she usually sent her assistant out to do, but she was currently in Florida with her own two kids, falling victim to the Mouse and its greedy capitalist needs, so Mallory took it upon herself. Deciding cufflinks would be fine - impersonal, expensive, useful - she headed over to the jewelry store not far from her own house, finding herself surprised to be smiling when she noticed a recognisable face. “Katerina, hello.” She greeted, sincerely, “It’s nice to see you outside of the club bathroom where no loud music is playing.” 

[foxinthewilybox]

The Last Gift

Tuesday , 8:30 a.m.

Amsterdam

The door shut behind Nova as she stepped into the library, patting dry the book she used as an umbrella. There had been no news of rain in the forecast last night, but she was in Amsterdam; unexpected weather was to be expected. She took in the sight in front of her : hundreds of bookshelves stretched to the left as far as eyes could see, housing thousands of books ranging from academics to fiction to mythologies and many more . She started to the right towards her desk , its simple wood and furnishing looking out of place against the intricate designs of the oak bookshelves. As Nova sat down behind her desk getting ready for the day, the bell above the door chimed, signaling the arrival of a customer, followed by a chilling gust of wind. He was elderly, judging by his cane and graying hair that poked out from beneath his hat. “Hello ,” the stranger said with a weathered voice, putting down his umbrella. “Good morning ,” replied Nova with a smile on her face. “How can I help you ?” After taking an uncertain glance around, the man inquired, “I'm looking for something to read today. I was debating between fiction and history. Which would you recommend ?” Nova glanced at the storm raging outside and then at the books, thinking. “ Mystery,” she suggested, nodding. “ nothing compares to reading a good mystery book on a rainy day.” The man smiled, the uncertainty gone from his face. No sooner had he gone searching in the mystery section than Nova's phone pinged with a notification. It was an email from Amelia, her childhood friend. She skimmed over the text. Amelia's birthday party was to be held at her hometown the following weekend, and Nova was invited. She remembered the conversation she had with Amelia on the phone last week; Amelia had mentioned her upcoming birthday, and Nova had also promised that she would go. It had been years since she last visited Westport following her father's death, Nova thought. A little getaway would be nice. Besides, a promise was a promise, and it seemed that Nova had no option but to go.

Friday , 06:00 p.m.

Amelia's Birthday party , Westport

The sun had just set when Nova reached Amelia's cottage. It was beautiful, with its bricked walls overgrown with vines and the moonlight reflecting off the creek which lay still just beside the cottage. Faint noises of conversation and laughter could be heard from inside. The others must've already arrived, thought Nova. A few moments after she knocked, the door opened and she was greeted by Amelia with a hug. “ Happy birthday ! ,” wished Nova, presenting her gift. Amelia thanked her and joyfully exclaimed how glad she was to meet Nova after so long and introduced her to the others. Nova knew some of them from when they were kids, and others were new faces. Over the course of the evening, pleasantries were exchanged, reunions took place amidst stories and laughs, and the cake was cut. Towards the end of the night Nova found herself sitting at the dinner table, catching her breath and listening to the quiet chatter of conversations still going on, when someone else sat across from her. She looked up, startled to find the same elderly man who entered her library last Tuesday. If he had been present during the party, she hadn't noticed at all. Under the dim light, she could more clearly see the wrinkles that formed his eyes when he offered a warm smile. “You must be Nova Haven,” he said. Before she could reply, he slid something towards her. It was a key, along with a note. The key looked old, but well-maintained. “Who are you?,” Nova inquired. “James Hart,” he replied. “A friend of your father. As for the key, I think you can find out what it's for.” And with that, he was gone. More confused than ever, Nova picked up the note. The handwriting was strikingly similar to that of her father's, Nova realized with a start. It read,

TECHS

Nova tried to make sense of the word, but nothing came to mind. Just as she was about to give up, a memory struck her. It was of a young Nova at her home in Westport, and her father, who was explaining the rules of a new game he came up with. It consisted of words and anagrams that led one clue to the other and finally, towards the ‘treasure,’ as he called it, which usually consisted of random objects. Until her father passed away, they played this game almost every weekend when Nova was young, except the weekend prior to his death, when Nova spent the whole day playing with her friends instead. The thought brought tears to her eyes; she would give anything to play with her father one last time. After what seemed like forever, Nova wiped at her tears. If that James Hart really was her father's friend and that puzzle was actually written by her father, then she was determined to solve it.

Saturday, 10:00 a.m.

Nova's house, Westport

Even though Nova had called ahead of time to make sure the house was clean, there was only so well one could clean a house that had been empty for years on end. Still, it was clean enough to stay, and that was the best Nova could hope for. After coming home late last night, she hadn't made any progress on the puzzle. If this follows the same rules as it did with father's other riddles, then TECHS must be an anagram, she thought. She racked her brain for words, looking around the house, then it hit her. CHEST! , Nova exclaimed aloud. Chests weren't common in her house growing up, as her father preferred to store things in the cupboard instead. But there was one, a small wooden chest with rose carvings on the top. If my memory serves me right, Nova thought, all of father's possessions were stored in his study. And so she started towards the study, with the key in hand. As expected, every furniture was covered by pieces of fabric, with dust coating every space like thick fog in a winter morning. Nova cautiously made her way behind the study desk and inspected each drawer, a new layer of dust coating her fingers each time she opened them. As she opened the final drawer, she saw the chest, the rose carvings exactly as she remembered it.

Nova wiped her fingers on her dress and carefully lifted the chest onto the desk. It was way heavier than it seemed. There, on the front, barely noticeable due to the rust that covered it, was the keyhole. Taking a deep breath she took the key that James Hart had given her the previous night and inserted it into the hole. The chest opened with a satisfying click. Inside there was a ring, a binocular, a broken wristwatch, and some peppermints, which had long since rotted. Nova remembered them all; the red ring she wore all the time as a child, the binocular she used to watch birds with her father, the wristwatch she got as a gift for her 8th birthday, and her favorite peppermints. Nova stared at those for what felt like forever. It exactly resembled the previous games her father used to prepare, from the words and anagrams to the reward, everything. But when did he prepare this?, thought Nova. Only one way to find out, she muttered, as she ran out the house.

Saturday, 11:00 a.m.

James Hart’s house, Westport

Turns out, James Hart was quite popular among the inhabitants of Westport; it had only taken a couple minutes of asking around to find out where he lived. The door was answered by James almost immediately after Nova knocked, from where he ushered her into his living room. It looked like he had been expecting her. On the other side of the village, his house seemed unnaturally quiet. He sat opposite Nova on the couch and looked at her expectantly. She returned the gaze and asked, “How did you know of the game? ” He looked from her to the window, his gaze distant as if he was reminiscing his past. “Before your father’s death,” James began, “He came to me, like he often did. He talked about the game he had prepared for his daughter and about how she went to play, completely forgetting about it. ” Nova’s stomach twisted with guilt. “What about the key?,” she asked. “Your father had also mentioned that. He showed it to me that night. Later, when I went to visit his house after his death, I found it. I would've given it to you, but it was too late. I heard you had gone to live with your aunt after that.” Nova nodded, unsure of what else to do. To know the whole story was overwhelming; she had the chance to play with her father for the last time, after all. Nova closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and promised to always remember her father’s last gift.

THE END.

[akhilxkhanna]

━ INTRODUCING AKHIL KHANNA

full name: Akhil Khanna

nickname(s): AK

age: 36

birthdate: April 23th 1988

occupation: Owner of Nolan's Tavern

currently living in. Coleytown

relationship status. Single

sexuality. Heterosexual

gender: Cis Male

pronouns: He/Him

hometown: Stamford, CT

time in westport. 10 years

hello hello !! please give this a like if you’d like me to pop into your dm’s to plot !!

BIOGRAPHY ;

Born and raised in Stamford, Connecticut, Akhil Khanna grew up in a tight-knit Indian-American community, where his parents, both successful professionals, emphasized the importance of education and a steady career. While Akhil respected his parents' aspirations for him, he was always drawn to the world of hospitality and entertainment, an interest that felt more like a calling than a career choice. From a young age, he found himself fascinated by the way people gathered in social spaces to enjoy each other’s company, and it was during his teenage years that he realized he wanted to create an environment like that of the bars and restaurants he frequented.

Akhil pursued his passion by attending Boston University, where he majored in Business Administration with a focus on Hospitality Management. Despite his parents’ initial desire for him to follow a more conventional corporate career, Akhil immersed himself in the world of food and beverage service. He worked part-time at various bars and restaurants throughout college, learning the ropes of the industry—from mixing drinks to managing crowds, and everything in between. By the time he graduated at 22, Akhil was confident that his future lay in owning and managing a bar, rather than in a traditional office setting.

After college, Akhil made the bold decision to leave Stamford and move to Westport, Connecticut, a town known for its vibrant community and charming downtown area. There, he opened Nolan’s Tavern, a local favorite offering a classic pub atmosphere with pool tables, a well-stocked bar, and a lively vibe. Known for its unpretentious yet energetic setting, Nolan’s Tavern quickly became a popular spot for casual nights out. Guests could enjoy everything from craft beers and signature cocktails to delicious comfort food, all while socializing and engaging in a friendly game of pool.

Akhil’s natural charisma and genuine love for people made Nolan’s Tavern the heart of the Westport nightlife scene. He hosted weekly karaoke nights, live music events, and trivia competitions that kept the community coming back for more. But the road to success wasn’t without its hurdles. Despite his professional achievements, Akhil’s personal life had been marked by a series of struggles. During his time at university, he experienced a painful breakup with his first serious girlfriend, a relationship he had believed would lead to something permanent. That heartbreak left emotional scars that made it difficult for him to fully commit to anyone afterward.

Since then, Akhil has found it nearly impossible to open up to new relationships. Though he’s dated casually and had his share of short-lived flings, he’s never been able to let anyone get too close. The walls he built to protect his heart have stayed up, and his focus has remained squarely on Nolan’s Tavern. He finds solace in his work, knowing that the tavern is a place where people can feel connected and enjoy each other’s company without judgment.

Now in his 30s, Akhil continues to grow Nolan’s Tavern into a Westport institution, bringing people together through good drinks, great food, and an unforgettable atmosphere. Though he’s still haunted by the memory of his last great love, Akhil remains hopeful that one day, he’ll be able to let someone in—whether it’s a partner or a new chapter in his life that brings him the happiness he’s been searching for.

[cososom]

hello again my friend!!!

awwww that’s so sweet!! i’m glad you found her!!! me and my sibling found two dinosaur jellycats today, they were so expensive but i wanted them so bad 😭

yessss, i love love comfort food, i like to think i have good taste in food and stuff, but at the end of the day id probably eat anything fried loll

i have played crazy eights!! i don’t remember it lol, my mom said i played it when i was little tho!

i never got that into animal crossing, my family got a nintendo switch for christmas one year and my sibling got really into it but i never did and then we lost the switch 😔

where are some of your favorite places to travel? what’s your favorite place you’ve visited? what do you like doing there?

sending my love as always!!! - 🎄 <333

hi!! 🥰

so i don’t do much traveling out of state unfortunately, like the only “cool place” i’ve really been is disney world when i was seven lol. but my favorite place to road trip to is westport, connecticut! there’s a downtown area that i really love; it has lots of trendy shops and restaurants and it’s just so fun there! they also have a really nice barnes and noble, which is of course my favorite thing to do there haha.

what about you?!

sending my love back as always!! 🫶🏻

[bike42]

September 8-10, 2023 Clifden

Friday - transfer day.

We were so relieved that the hotel in Clifden was willing to have the COVID positive tour members, and Peter arranged a van to transport us there separately. We learned that Gary had also tested positive, so he joined the “Dublin Five” in the quarantine van. Our driver was Rory, and he was hell-bent on getting us to Clifden in record time. I had researched some sights along the way, but was only able to get little glimpses of Westport and Killery Fjord as we flew past in the van.

We arrived at the hotel several hours ahead of our bus (with our luggage). It was another unbelievably hot and sunny day. Jeff and I sat in the chairs out front and played a few games of cribbage, until we finally had to go inside. The room was nice, and the best amenity was a fan in the closet! It would be unusual to need AC in Ireland, so we’re doing our best trying to catch a breeze through open windows.

We were both feeling pretty good - I had some sinus congestion, and Jeff still had a bit of a cough. It seems like the meds we got in two trips to the pharmacy will see us through this.

It was a “group dinner at the hotel” night, so Peter texted us the menu and said our meals would be delivered to our rooms. It was a beautiful evening, so the Dublin Five carried our meals to the front patio and ate out there. JT and I polished off our bottle of Jameson Crested. It felt odd to have people from the group come out to say hello (from a distance). We learned that several other members had fallen ill, including Bill.

After dinner, JT and I walked around the town. The hotel is in a great location just a block from the Main Street. We walked a circle and found many shops and restaurants. At least we have a great location to have to be sequestered!

Saturday

I woke about 7a feeling pretty good. By rearranging some furniture, I was able to create enough space to do yoga. We put masks on and went down to the breakfast buffet. It felt very odd to be serving ourselves. We took our plates outside and ate our breakfast on the patio with Steve. The tour today was a hike guided by a local archeologist and it was painful to watch half of our group climb on the bus and drive off without us.

I was reminded of the disappointment I’d felt last Summer when our Yukon trip was cancelled and we had to “make the best of it” by enjoying the trip to Banff that I’d pulled together instead. We’re always good at making the best of it, but having to sit out this tour was really bugging me. I think it was because after all this time, this tour company didn’t have a plan for how to handle this. We bought our own COVID tests and confessed that we’d tested positive. There are others on our tour that are exhibiting symptoms, yet claim they’re testing negative, or haven’t said anything at all. Three couples only one is positive, which is a little unbelievable given they’re sharing hotel rooms. We’ve agreed with Peter that quarantine should be for 5 days after symptoms start, but someone at the company is now declaring it’s 5 days after the positive test, which makes no sense. I shared with Peter that the Backroads Tour policy is that anyone with symptoms or a positive test needs to wear a mask when on the bus and can’t participate in group dinners - nothing about having to quarantine in the hotel. We’re trying to be careful with Peter as he’s in the middle here and I’m sure the company is thinking about liability. However, with over half of us showing symptoms, I think they should act as if we all have it and just institute required masking and allow anyone with mild symptoms to continue. Ethically, Jeff and I felt we had to report our positive results to him. But it was so frustrating to see people getting on the bus that morning that were likely positive too (including 3 people whose spouses were positive and reportedly quite ill).

I’d found several interesting looking hikes, but it was too hard to find a way to the trailhead and back. We made a plan with Steve to take a taxi up to the Sky Road lookout and walk back. Our cab driver was “Daniel Ryan,” who said he was the great-great-grandson of the “Dan Ryan” for which the expressway in Chicago is named after. It was foggy when he dropped us at the lookout, but he said it’d clear up in thirty minutes. We stood around as the fog swirled, taking photos of the fog and the flowering hillsides - heather, yellow gorse and wild fuchsia. A cyclist came along and Jeff enjoyed chatting with him. While we had some glimpses of the Atlantic and some houses down below, it never cleared completely so we started our walk down the hill.

Walking downhill felt so different on my shins after my main focus for the last eight weeks was hiking up hill. I snapped lots of photos as we descended: flowers, cattle, sheep and the Clifden Castle gate and wall (and ruins).

We got back to the village square and decided to grab a pint and a snack. Bill texted he was ready to meet up and he came down to the square to join us. At 2:30pm Ireland was playing Romania in the World Cup Rugby match and the atmosphere inside the pub was fun (craic without the music). We watched for a bit, and it seemed it was a blowout! Back to the hotel, I had a solid two hour nap, then got up to shower. We heard from Steve that Peter was ready to meet with the Dublin Five to discuss our plan for rejoining the tour. We met him on the back deck of the restaurant that’s across the parking lot in the old train station. We agreed on five days after start of symptoms, so Jeff and Steve were in the clear. I said day number five for me was tomorrow and could I go on the tour? Peter didn’t say no, so I took this as a yes.

M&M were playing at 8:30p at Mallarkey’s Pub. We headed there after dinner and sat at a table to the side away from the rest of the tour mates (we just waved to them). Fantastic music as always, and Peter joined the for a few songs. We all had a pint of Guinness and Bill bought a round of whiskey to help with our slight coughs. We stayed while the next band got set up and started - a kind of comical overweight Irishman with a keyboardist (younger girl), drummer and electric bass player. He did 3 American songs before we left, not at all the kind of music we expected!

Sunday

Up for breakfast - feeling well enough now to stay in the dining room to eat, but masking up as we travel throughout the hotel. Felt great to board the bus again for the short drive to Cleggan where we caught the ferry for the 40-minute ride to Inishbofen. Only 14 of us plus Peter made the trip - combination of COVID and too much partying last night thinned the crowd.

Inishbofen is the westernmost part of Ireland. In Irish, it means the land of white cows. As we entered the harbor, there were dramatic ruins of a fort that had been built by Oliver Cromwell who had a base here 1649. Peter said it’s not taught in history class in the UK, but he was a psychopath that pulverized Ireland - burning villages and forests and killing thousands of people.

Peter said about 200 people live on the island, and there are many holiday homes. It’s a peaceful, laid back place to visit. There wasn’t much commerce on the island, but shops and cafes have been established with an old airstream trailer, an old double-decker bus, and by adding on to houses. It was possible to rent bicycles which I thought we’d do, but the roads on the island don’t go too far. Peter said it was best to walk around the south side - 40 minutes to get to a dramatically scenic cliff. We took off with Wayne and Sue, knowing it’d be too painful to walk with the rest of that group. They’re the youngest people of this trip (53) and we enjoyed spending the day with them. Other than Bill, we haven’t really clicked with anyone else, or found much common interest other than love for music.

It felt great to walk at a good pace and physically we both felt fantastic. We walked out to the point, and then back to the hotel that had an outdoor cafe. There we found our group - only made it that far and few ventured any further even after we told them how beautiful it was!

We sat at a picnic table overlooking the sea and ordered pints of Guinness and lunch. It started misting and we donned our rain gear, but by the time lunch came it was gorgeous and sunny! We relaxed there for about an hour, watching dogs, people and staring out to sea.

The boat ride back was uneventful and we got a text from Bill suggesting dinner at a French restaurant in town. We cleaned up and met him out front. He’d just heard from Peter that the boss man said all the remaining COVID + people have to stay in Clifden until the last night! We brainstormed different approaches he could take to get Peter to relax that a bit, then enjoyed a nice dinner and bottle of wine without talking of COVID anymore!

Back to the hotel, music tonight was provided by Pauline Scanlon - a renowned Irish singer with two members of her band (The Unquiet) and also her husband on the bodhran (he’s part of a famous Irish band that we hadn’t heard of as well). It was a lot of folk and traditional Irish music - fantastic performers. Pauline sang a ballad that she said she’d had the honor of singing at Sinead O’Conner’s funeral recently (what? Holy cow … Bill had missed that Sinead died). Another great night of music - JT and I headed up to sleep while others steered toward the bar. Tomorrow we’ll move to County Clare.

[vimpse]

Hi. Turns out playing The Sims is a lot like riding a bike.

I wasn’t really planning on posting any words, I just wanted to post gameplay pictures because I have the memory of a goldfish and relatively speaking I need them (and my tags) to keep track of what I’m doing... because after 3 years I reinstalled The Sims 2. I know, I couldn’t believe it either after my dRaMaTiC eXiT three years ago... but here we are. I’m still not sure if I’m gonna start adding *words* to my gameplay posts - do I really still have the hang of handling Tumblr?

It’s crazy to think that I created my Tumblr blog in 2012, at the ripe old age of 21, and... well, here I am... sort of. Here I am again, I guess. I’m nothing short of impressed to discover that people still play and post TS2 stuff on Tumblr. Yay team!

I don’t know why I suddenly felt like playing TS2, the game has genuinely been dead to me for the last 3 years, and I really did think I’d finally moved on from it. Accidentally became a console gamer (I own four). Still playing World of Warcraft. Became an admin of my YouTuber friend’s relatively large Discord server. Still didn’t acquire any children. That won’t be happening. Still enjoy typing up a storm like I’m talking to myself, hence this unplanned post. I’m same same but different (older).

Do y’all wanna discuss how INCREDIBLY AWKWARD it was to install TS2 on Windows 10 btw? I thought I had a pretty good grasp of troubleshooting TS2 and making it do my bidding, and I mean I did make it work in the end, but it took me several infuriating hours to figure out. Free Time wouldn’t install without editing the registry to remove administrator blocks. Despite pretty much everything I tried, the game would not recognize my graphics card. I spent like 4 hours trying to get it to accept allocating more of my RAM to run it. What the fuck is a config log. Running the game optimized for Windows XP (which to me seemed like a reasonable idea? Plot twist: it wasn’t) confusingly led to objects I tried to place from build mode flipping around in every single direction instead of what I wanted. Also couldn’t place things diagonally. I haven’t swore this much at EA, the awful way this game installs and functions and my own ineptitude in... probably ever. But I persevered and here we are.

My hoods, DL folder and style is still the same, because like I said it’s apparently a lot like riding a bike: you never truly forget (I even remembered the aliases for the cheats in my userstartup file, yonkers). Just gotta get into the swing of building again. If me enjoying the game lasts, that is. It’s fun for now, like reuniting with an old friend. Cute. Poetic.

Like I said I still like typing a lot of words.

So if you’re still here, tell me all about how much you missed me. What have I missed? How’s it going? Tell me everything.

P.S. The lot on the top of this novel is a student house in Westport’s university subhood. My first build in 3 years. Yay me.

[saltyspecs]

Just to add, but if you’re on any SSRIs you’re more prone to getting dehydrated! So especially keep up on your water intake and electrolyte intake. If Gatorade tastes good, chances are you need to drink it!

If you don’t like Gatorade or any of the other bottled electrolyte replacements, get some water additives that have electrolytes.

If you are going to be in the sun, wear a hat! Specifically a baseball cap or a wide brimmed hat. Keeps the sun off your face and helps a bit. If you do feel like you’re getting too hot, taking a wash cloth or a bandana and wetting it with cold water and putting it on your neck will help a lot.

For all of the northerners that stood up for Texas during our freeze and said, “Don’t make fun of them, they’ve never dealt with this before. Their infrastructure isn’t made for snow and freezing.”

This one is for you.

Where I live 108°F with 80% humidity with no wind is normal.

Pacific North West is dealing historic best waves 35-40°C or 95-105°F.

First of all. Don’t make fun of them for bitching about the heat. Just like Texas isn’t built for a freeze and our pipes burst, Pacific North West isn’t built for heat and a lot of their homes don’t have AC.

If you live somewhere with a high humidity like 80+ HUMIDITY IS NOT YOUR FRIEND. The “humidity makes it feel cooler” is a lie once it gets beyond a point.

If you live somewhere with a lower humidity, misters are nice to cool off outside.

Once you get over 90°F (32°C) a fan will not help you. It’s just pushing around hot air. (I mean if you can’t afford a small AC unit because they’re expensive as hell, by all means a fan is better than nothing).

If you have pets, those portable AC units aren’t safe. If your pets destroy the outtake thing, it’ll leak CO2. Window units are safer.

Window AC units will let mosquitoes or other small bugs in. Sucks, but that’s life.

Now is not the time to me modest. If you have to cover for religious reasons, by all means. If you don’t, I’ve seen people wear short shorts and a swim top. It’s not trashy if it keeps you from getting heat stroke.

If you do have to cover up for religious reasons, look for elephant pants or something similar. They’re made with a breathable material.

Shade is better than no shade, but that shit it just diet sun after some point. Don’t think shade will save you from heat stroke.

I know the “drink your water” is a fun meme now, but if you’re sweating excessively you need electrolytes. Drink Gatorade, Powerade, or Pedialite PLEASE. I don’t care if you’re fucking sitting in one spot all day. That shit WILL save you from heat stroke.

Most importantly. RESEARCH THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HEAT STROKE AND HEAT EXHAUSTION PLEASE!

Heat exhaustion is more, “drink water and get you cooled off.” Heat stroke is more “Oh my god call 911.”

Be safe.

-fae

[thethreeeyed-raven]

Boys

chapter one - beach or nah?

chapter two - “I know you didn’t hire a fucking escort.”

pairing : Tim Klitz x Fem!Reader

word count : 802

warnings : swearing, mentions of sex, deez nuts joke (i apologise), use of the ‘f’ slur

a/n : if you don’t like the outfit i described, you can look up for some on pinterest :)

paul dano master list

wattpad version

ao3 version

"Do you have the fever?" Matt turned to Klitz, quoting the banner that hung above their heads.

Klitz hummed in thought then turned to his friend. "No, why do you?"

"I don't know, maybe. What about you?" Matt turned to Eli who was looking straight ahead.

"I just gotta fuck something." Eli said breathlessly. Klitz shook his head and pulled a look of disgust.

"Guys!" Sorry, excuse me, excuse-sorry-" Behind the trio, your voice could be heard. You tried not to be so loud incase it annoyed people. Matt and Eli almost never heard you when you tried to get their attention, but Klitz could always hear your sweet voice.

"Guys, Y/n's here." Klitz lightly nudged Matt as they all turned around to look at you. His mouth went agape as he took in your appearance.

Half of your l/h was tied up neatly, decorated with a small white bow. You wore a white cardigan that wasn't buttoned up. Underneath that was a baby pink tube top. You wore a short skirt that was a shade darker from your top. On your feet were a pair of light pink socks and some white sneakers and you held a white Kånken bag which had a gold keychain on the zipper. For accessories, you wore a pair of pearl earrings, a pearl necklace, and few gold rings. Your makeup was light, everything matched, from your light brown eyeshadow to your clear lip gloss.

Klitz thought all of your outfits were cute and made you look beautiful, this one was no exception.

"Hey Y/n!" A bunch of hey's and hellos were shared amongst the four.

-🦋-

"I said, everybody say 'Ho!'" One of the jocks shouted to everyone on the bleachers. The head was hosting an assembly to make a few announcements.

Everyone jumped up and cheered, mostly the jocks.

"You know what I say? I say, this prom's gonna be off the hook! You feel me?" Everyone got up and cheered again. The jock looked towards the Principle then back at the crowd. "Security's gonna be tight. Get wasted before you show up!"

"That's enough! I can wait," The teacher tried to shush the rowdy audience. "I can wait, people." Everyone in the audience finally quietened down, giving the Principle time to speak.

"Now, it is your student-council president who has a few announcements to make."

A few people in the crowd clapped, including you, Klitz and Eli. "Thanks Mr Salinger," Matt said, taking the mic from him. "All right, how you doing?" There was an awkward silence, and Matt cleared his throat. "Okay, lets start off with Operation Get Samyung."

"Samyung baby!" One of the weirdo's sat near the blue jacket-wearing jocks shouted, everyone cheering after.

"Yeah," Matt tried not to seem awkward, it was painfully obvious to you three. "Well, we did it. We raised the twenty five thousand dollars, so now we can bring the genius Samyung out of Cambodia and bring him here to study at Westport."

You and Klitz sat listening to Matt intently, Eli slightly clapped for him and a few others did.

"Speaking of which, Samyung sent us a new tape."

One of the most popular boys in the school jumped up and shouted, "Show that shit!" Everyone automatically started cheering after. "Show it!"

You were honestly beginning to think these fuckers only shared one brain cell.

-🦋-

"How do they just skip class everyday and go to the beach?" Klitz asked as you four watched a bunch of students leave the building and get in their cars.

"Because they just don't care." Matt answered with a sigh. "Let's go with them."

You, Klitz and Eli gave Matt a funny look. Matt would never skip a class, no matter how much he hated it. The action would ruin his reputation and give him a bad look.

"Seriously, let's just do it."

"Why?" You and Klitz asked in synchronisation. Klitz looked away with a light blush on his cheek.

"Because, I mean, we never do anything. I mean, we're graduating, we should be going nuts right now. Let's just do something."

Deez nuts

"I am doing something, I'm going to class." Klitz argued.

You nodded along with him. "Klitzy needs his grades," You gently placed your hand on Klitz's arm, causing the blush on his face to turn darker and spread to the tips of his ears. "And besides, sand is horrible, it's messy and gets everywhere."

"Klitz, you already got into Yale. I mean, it doesn't matter anymore."

"Yeah, Klitz you pussy." Eli added on.

"Well, why don't you go?"

"Yeah, come on. Let's go."

"Beach is for fags man." You rolled your eyes at Eli's use of the 'f' slur. He knew you hated the word, yet he kept saying it anyway.

"The beach is for fags?" "Yeah." "You know what? You guys are fags." Matt said then began walking away.

Eli followed him, going to his next class.

You sighed and grabbed Klitz's arm. "Come on Klitzy, let's just skip in the toilets."

[goodlookingforagirl]

Oc-tober Day 4: Medicine

I feel like Adelaide, Esther, and Matthias are three characters that I don’t give enough attention to, especially lately. They all lived together for a time in my narrative, so I decided to feature all three today; they’re all twenty/twenty-one in this scene. Nothing too challenging here (I have trouble with some of these more concrete prompts), so it’s pretty light, but I like it!

Thanks to @oc-growth-and-development for creating this list!

Day 4: Medicine

“I don’t think you should come over yet,” Adelaide sighed into the receiver. “We’re only getting worse.”

“But I miss you,” Randy said in that voice that made it so hard for her to say no.

“I know, baby, I miss you too. But I don’t want you to get sick. We’ll all be better in a few days, I’m sure.”

“Can I bring you anything, at least? Do you have plenty of food? Medicine?”

“Yes to food, and Esther’s getting us some medicine right now.”

“Good,” she heard him smile. “I’ll let you rest. I love you, Adelaide.”

“And I love you too, Randy.” In spite of her sore throat, she giggled before hanging up. His voice always made her feel like she was on top of the world, even now.

It only took a few minutes for Matthias’ coughs and sneezes to break her good mood. She re-entered the living room, where they’d both been huddled under blankets, watching a public access documentary about the Tzars of Russia. “You’re back just in time,” he said through a stuffy nose. “They’re talking about Rasputin.”

“I already know all about him. I wrote my senior-year history paper about his murder.”

“Well, I didn’t, so shut up so I can listen.”

Adelaide obeyed for a few minutes, until she felt like she could interrupt without him getting mad. “How long does it take one person to go to the pharmacy and get some medicine?”

“She probably went to the library on the way or something,” Matthias said. “She has to be back soon.”

“There’s a pharmacy right around the corner and she’s been gone for forty-five minutes.”

“Relax,” he grumbled. “I’m still trying to watch TV, by the way.”

Another fifteen minutes passed before Esther finally came back home. “Hello!” she chimed from the door. “How are you feeling?”

Adelaide said, “Horrible,” and Matthias said, “Like hell,” at the same time. 

“Well, I went to Westport and got some stuff that should help.”

“Westport?” Matthias asked. “There’s a pharmacy literally down the street.”

“I didn’t go to a pharmacy,” Esther explained. “There’s this little shop that Annie told me about, by the flea market, that has everything you guys need.”

Adelaide and Matthias gave her skeptical glances. “What kind of shop?” Adelaide asked.

“An herbal shop.” Esther pulled out a plastic bag of what looked like marajuana. “This is echinacea — it’ll increase your white blood cell count, to fight infection. And this” — she held up a little jar — “is eucalyptus ointment. You put it on your neck and —”

“I told you to get me a box of Contac and a bag of cough drops,” Adelaide deadpanned.

“And I requested a jar of Mentholatum,” Matthias added. “Not euca— whatever the hell that is.”

“But you guys,” Esther tried to explain. “Annie told me that the last time she had a cold, and all she needed was a few herbs and lots of rest, and she felt better in just a few days.”

“But we don’t have colds, Esther, we have the flu,” Adelaide replied, her gravelly voice proving her point. “We need medicine.”

“Plants are medicine.”

“Esther, real medicine,” Adelaide insisted. “Look, I’ll rub that ointment on my neck if you think it’ll help, but I need a decongestant and cough drops. Now.”

“And I want Mentholatum.” Matthias grabbed the eucalyptus ointment and gave it a whiff. “Yeah, this isn’t gonna cut it.”

Esther sighed. “I was just trying to be helpful.”

“Being helpful is doing what we asked,” Adelaide replied.

“I know, I know. Do you guys at least want to try some of this stuff, along with your medicine?”

“I’ll eat this stupid oinment if it means I can suck on Halls,” Matthias groaned. “Please, go.”

“Fine,” Esther pouted. “But I still think you should give the natural remedies a try, at least.”

“And I think you should give me something that’s FDA approved,” Adelaide retorted, coughing on the last few words. 

Esther finally left, and Matthias was moaning before she fully closed the front door. “She’s gotten weird lately. Natural remedies, organic vegetables — I even heard her talking about yoga last week.”

“It’s because of Annie. You know Esther absorbs the personality of whoever she’s dating. With Rosalind, she was obsessed with baking. With Lucy, she started going to bars. Now with Annie, she’s some sort of...hippie, I guess.”

“I hope Annie dumps her and she can absorb a more normal personality.”

Adelaide thought that was sort of harsh, but as she stared at that stupid bag of echinacea while her throat yearned for just a simple cough drop, she couldn’t help but agree.

[thejudgingtrash]

(unedited and I’m not a native speaker so please point out if you see something odd!)

One day (1,4k)

A quiet day. The air was warm and dry. The wind chimes sang the melody of the clouds and the invisible currents. The paint of the old house was brittle. It would take days to repaint it, if a professional painter would take the job it would tear through savings. But the money was tight, and Percy knew that he had to put his efforts into elsewhere. The hand he was holding reminded him of that. The green on the wood that was decades old could be blown away to reveal the natural layer underneath it. The old Colonial stood in front of them, proud and almighty, but it was nothing more than a lie that has been fed through generations.

The lawn looked nearly identical to the last time Percy had visited. Wild. Unkept. A fight of nature taken back what was rightfully its. And it was he that had mown it to keep it in somewhat of a shape. The old swing had been removed as it was broken beyond repair. It laid in the basement, waiting for a small child to beg for its usage once again.

Attempts to make her move into something smaller and easier have failed. In some cases, it triggered her, and she began to scream and cry. The hands that were thrown weren’t of violence. They were of despair and the deepest pain. That was the sign when Percy knew he had overstepped his welcome. But the misunderstood clouds of sorrow and deep hatred passed and revealed her other side. The motherly side. The sunny side that loved to live and love.

Percy Jackson had returned. It was his semiannual visit to Westport, Connecticut. The youth had vanished from his face, although not entirely. It was a weird state where old and young stood in front of each other. The youth wanted to remain, but the adulthood came to claim its place. A not so young man who had both legs fully integrated in life rang the bell that gave a soft jingle and knocked on the turquoise door.

It swung open after a while. “Oh, hello Percy!” May smiled. She recognized him. Relief. There were times when she did not. “Is it time again?”

“Hello May,” Percy greeted her and entered. Little steps followed him.

The house had been decluttered. May had a knack for keeping everything she deemed interesting and never threw it out. Percy would come with the big blue bags and make her decide what items were necessary and which she wanted to keep. It upset her. But she understood it. At least Percy hoped she did.

“I have made cookies. I might have burnt them a little bit. Oopsie.” Her gaze shifted to the right into another twinkling pair of eyes.

May got on one knee. Her morning dress was clean this time and not burned and pungent like the many times before. “Luke!” she cried with big eyes. “You’re back!”

Her hands grabbed the soft cheeks. “But you are so small,” she whispered. It broke Percy’s heart. “Weren’t you taller?” May Castellan tilted her head and the silver hair fell down her shoulder. She had aged. It had been more than a decade ago, closer to two.

“It’s me, grandma May. It’s me, Theo,” the young boy said.

“My son, May. Do you remember?” Percy asked her.

A wondrous expression rested on her face. “You have become a big brother,” she remembered slowly. “A little girl!”

Theo began to grin and proudly showed his two missing front teeth. “Yes, I’m a big brother now! Ari is so pretty!”

“When will I see your little sister?” May asked and clapped her hands in excitement.

The fact that Annabeth was against a visit with young Ariadne as a safety measurement was something that Percy just couldn’t voice. He knew his wife was right. And still his consciousness made him do these visits. The aged demigod couldn’t save her son, but he refused to fail May Castellan. So, he visited her. Only for certain amounts of times, of course. He never blamed Annabeth and Thalia for staying away. He never blamed Nico for bringing him to this place for the first time. It was destined and running away from the Moirai was never the best option. That was something that had been etched into his mind since he had been a young boy of twelve years in his first year at Camp Half-Blood.

“You will see her soon once she’s grown a little bit more,” he deflected.

“I bet she is a pretty baby. Just like Luke was.”

“Yes. Yes, she is,” Percy said. Was the air getting stuffier? Or why did he feel the tears coming? His chest was heavy and filled with regrets. He blinked the pesky wetness away.

Fatherhood made him come to realize more. It made him understand more. Patience. Love. Forgiveness. It made him understand the complete and utter injustice that was the broken shell of May Castellan. The living contradiction. More dead than alive, a broken record. A mother that was yearning for her son. A mother that was screaming for her son. A son that would never return home again. A mother that couldn’t see that her son would never return home again. Yet the broken fragments of her mind would never let her rest. It would never make it easy for her until she would have her last breath. And what lied beyond that was something that Percy could not imagine.

The wicked ways of the ancient forces. The same gods that had blessed her, had thrown her into despair. They had turned their backs. Even her former lover. A tunnel of sadness where only in certain times and particular angles an illusion of light shone through. That was May Castellan.

The three moved into the kitchen where Percy let his son only eat two cookies and for once little Theo listened to his father. May Castellan didn’t lie, she really had burnt the cookies. But the younger Jackson was too polite to not eat some and thanked May as she wanted to give him more.

“Shall we clean the yard, May?” Percy proposed like he always did.

“Oh yes!” agreed May with glowing eyes like she always did.

He would mow the lawn and trim the bushes and May would take care after the roses. She loved the roses. The roses, the tulips and the sweet lavender that the bumblebees loved to dance around. All reminders of a better and safer time. Times that had passed as flowers would wither in mere moments. Especially those that were unkempt.

Theo played with Rhodius, the son of Blackjack, another young and wild pegasus that let the young boy sit on his back. The Jacksons had used him as a means of transportation. Percy eyed them closely as he did a little bit of yard work. Rest assured; the Pegasus was an excellent babysitter.

After an hour and a half of work, the adults sat down on the porch. Percy brushed the sweat off his forehead. May rushed into the house and brought out glasses of orange juice. Percy tried to not pull a face as he came to realization that she had confused the salt and sugar containers once again. “Luke, my boy,” May said. A dreamy expression rested on her face as she watched young Theo play and chase after the trained legs of the magical creature.

“Percy, when will Luke come back? When will I see my boy?” May asked and turned around to him. Her eyes. They were glazed. The cerulean eyes were so full of life yet mirrored death. Were it the tears or were it the wretched prophecy and the following illusions of the future that haunted her ever since? He would never know. How could he ever know?

“When will my Luke come back?” she cried.

Stomping through the grass. Theo stood in front of his father and saw the heartbroken Mrs. Castellan.

Theo looked up to his father. Even the small boy knew that May Castellan was sick. Slowly dying of a broken heart that could never be mended. Slowly dying of the visions that haunted her and had driven her into her unsafe state.

Percy had subconsciously pressed Theo’s hand as the child sat down on his father’s lap. Percy looked apologizing into the sea green eyes that mirrored his. Only the gray ring and the gray dots that looked like they have been splashed with a paint brush reminded Percy of his mother. His wife. His dear Annabeth.

His heart was heavy and the frown on his face aged the demigod even more. The white in his hair had come back. The streaks had been thicker even.

“One day, May. One day,” he said. One day, he promised.

[spiiderwiick]

“ Nation's first Mermaid Museum opens near Westport “

hello???

i love this??

[papermoonloveslucy]

HAZEL PIERCE

April 10, 1893

Hazel Pierce was born in Los Angles, California. Because she was the same general height and weight as Lucile Ball, she was hired to be her camera and lighting stand-in on “I Love Lucy.”  This required her to attend rehearsals where camera’s and lighting instruments would be aimed and focused, a time consuming and tedious job, although necessary. Desi Arnaz also had a stand-in. His name was Bennett Green.

Hazel was married to Wesley Pierce. They were a comedic dance team called Pierce & Harris (her maiden name was Hazel Harris). Wesley had died by the time “I Love Lucy came along”. Ball allowed Pierce to live in her guest house. 

“Hazel was a very nervous person, and ditsy in a kind of Gracie Allen / Stan Laurel kind of way. Instead of ‘What?’ she would say ‘Hello?’ Lucie recalls that Hazel would be walking down the hall, carrying a big stack of papers, and Lucy would scream, ‘Hazel! Get over here!’ really loud, causing Hazel to throw the papers in the air in surprise.” ~ Life After Lucy, by Keith Thibodeaux (aka Little Ricky)

In return Pierce would be given small roles on the show, usually in the background, but sometimes even given a character name or a line. She also worked on the first seasons of “The Lucy Show” and one episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.” 

She was sometimes in the company of Bess Flowers aka The Queen of the Extras. 

On a few occasions she stepped out of the crowd and sometimes spoke a line. She won the TV set given away by the Ladies Overseas Aid. 

Nearly unrecognizable under the bandages, she played Mrs. Peterson, who went over Niagara Falls in a barrel to win a radio contest!  This was her first episode of more than twenty where she can be spotted. 

She was usually present when Lucy’s friends and neighbors gathered. 

She was a waitress at the corner drugstore. The next episode that was set at the same location, the waitress is not present, but Fred calls out “Oh, Hazel!” anyway. 

She also waited tables in Sun Valley!  

She is the flapper who says “I’m an angel!”  

Pierce, who is usually a poker faced performer who has trouble with focus during scenes, is here having the time of her life singing and dancing!  

Although the role was later taken over by Ruth Brady, Pierce was the first to play Grace Munson. 

She was also a maternity nurse!  When she wasn’t hanging around with Green, Pepper (Barbara, left) was often nearby! 

She was a member of the Westport Country Club, sharing the scene with Ruth Brady meaning that both Grace Munsons were in the same room at the same time! 

She was there when Bill Holden got a pie in the face! 

When Lucy entered a baking contest - Hazel did too! 

When Lucy went to night school - so did Hazel! 

If Lucy took an interest in politics - so did Hazel. 

Courtrooms always needed spectators and jurors!

In Danfield, Pierce was part of the volunteer fire brigade. 

As well as the Danfield Community Theatre. 

At a Dude Ranch, both former stand-ins are backing up Lucy: Hazel and Bennett Green! 

When Hazel Pierce attends a Hollywood premiere dressed in a full-length white fur coat, Lucy meekly asks her “Are you anybody”?  This is a fitting joke for a woman who made a career out of standing in Lucille Ball’s shadow.  For once, the tables are turned - at least for one episode! 

In some episodes, Pierce actually had a character name!  

In 1961 and 62, without Lucy, but on her turf, she worked on episodes of “The Dick Van Dyke Show” and “The Joey Bishop Show,” both filmed at Desilu, as well as six episodes of the hit Desilu series “The Untouchables.”  She often turns up on other Desilu-filmed series as well, such as “Angel” (above) and some episodes of “The Jack Benny Show.”  The names of uncredited performers were rarely published, but relied upon eagle-eyed fans for attribution.  

Thanks to Lucy, Pierce was also briefly seen in movies, too!  She had bit roles in Forever, Darling (1956) and The Facts of Life (1960). 

Pierce died on March 1, 1984 at age 90.