#i have listened to one audio book on spotify ever

[farmdog]

hm?

[two-calicos-in-a-trenchcoat]

MY CONTRACT AT WORK DOESNT END TIL DECEMBER OF 2025

FUCK

[perplexingluciddreams]

friday we moved house. here is some things that happened. not all in order because my sense of time is bendy.

i did swing on morning of move day. i watched The Bloody Irish DVD. and part of Celtic Woman Emerald DVD. both with Lisa Lambe. (very important special interest).

mum said say bye to old room. i had a long look at it to say goodbye. i remember when it used to have a pink wall and butterfly wallpaper. and furniture in different places. different bed.

then 2 hour car journey!

at new house we got there before the moving trucks. so no furniture. and no heating for a while. so was very cold.

new house is big. much bigger than old house. mum and dad showed me around. even after days i still feel a bit lost... it will take time to learn.

i was so tired so i lie down on the floor and mum put hoodies under my head as pillow. and blankets over me. i had snacks and listen to my "fills brain just right" playlist of safe songs. then when my bed gets here, i went to sit in my bed.

[Image description: Ezra lying on his back on the floor. a few hoodies and a white cushion under his head. he is covered with blankets. he has his hood up and two teddies, one under each arm. his AAC device is on the floor next to him. his phone lays on his chest. his face is covered with a purple blob. end ID.]

[Image description: Ezra lying on his side on the floor with teddies cuddled to his chest. the same white pillow under his head and his phone in his hand. his eyes are closed. end ID.]

i told mum i feel safe and happy at the new house. and mum told dad. and dad came to me and said i gave him "sweaty eyes" (crying a few happy tears because he is glad i feel happy and safe). dad barely ever cries!

friday i had pasta for dinner out a weird bendy measuring container. we couldn't find bowls. but we had forks luckily.

no Internet since friday. the Sky people messed up and cancelled our Internet!! 😡 it was supposed to be monday we get wifi. we have to wait until the 6th of january. mum got me more mobile data.

i used my mobile data to do duolingo, check fitbit app, and check tumblr every so often. i saved posts to my drafts to reblog later. now that i have more data (thanks mum!) i will post all those reblogs.

i watch lots of DVDs. beauty and the beast. DVD was so glitchy from so much use in the past! Belle is my favourite princess since i was little. because she loves books and reading like me!! i watched that film so so many times over and over. almost couldn't watch it this time from so much video AND audio glitch! mum asked if i want a new copy, i said yes please :D

then sleeping beauty and maleficent (in that order). flash gordon, half of tinkerbell (got bored of it), tangled, the jungle book, muppets, the incredibles. camberwick green, bagpuss, mr benn, cult kids classics.

and of course i have watched my Celtic Woman and Lisa Lambe DVDs several times each! they are safe.

and read kindle. i got new books - Saxon Stories series by Bernard Cornwell. it is a long series so mum bought the first 6 for me (they came in a bundle together). these books is what The Last Kingdom is based on! so i hope for more Brida 🤞🏻, she is my favourite!! 😁

i listened to some Alex Rider audiobook too! i figured out how to connect headphones to kindle. sometimes (often) my brain goes on a tangent louder than the audiobook. i have to rewind lots. but i like it!

and i play games on phone. and listen to downloaded music on Spotify.

there was almost a disaster (aka meltdown). because no swing! friday night didn't sleep well. body restless and very stimmy. tense with buzzing energy.

then after dinner on saturday my body got super restless and antsy. and started pacing up and down the long corridor of upstairs. because just HAD to move. couldn't control it. couldn't stop it.

used to happen like this a lot, before i did swinging regularly. in school corridors, around bedroom, walking outside just keep going on and on and on, can't even control direction, my body just goes. even when i am exhausted and aching and legs feel like they are not there anymore. i can't stop it.

same with rocking and swaying and spinning and hitting wrists on hips. and slamming body into walls or bed or furniture. and shaking and flapping hands and arms (often at same time as i walk). all stims just out of control bursting out of me. so much dysregulation.

often would get worked up more and more and end up in meltdown. or sometimes get "lucky" and tire myself out so much then can't move for hours. still felt intense awful inside, but at least not have meltdown AND get in trouble told off punished for meltdown behaviour.

anyway, this time dad saved the day and put (temporary) swing up in living room. from the metal things up high! while i waited mum helped divert my path to my room and helped me stay rocking on my bed instead of pacing. then i did proper big swing. and calmed down. and slept really well that night. crisis averted. swing prevents so so many meltdowns!

[Image description: two pictures of Ezra in his swing. it is a hammock style swing. the first is from further away and you can see where the swing attatches to a metal beam high up. in the first image, Ezra slumps to the side a bit and looks down to his left. in the second picture, Ezra smiles but doesn't look at the camera. he is wearing black headphones. end ID.]

my legs muscles got so tight and sore from the pacing. and from bigger house means more walking. especially sore left (weaker side). my usual walk is quite shuffle-y and slow with short steps, but it was even more like that! and even more dragging left leg than usual.

since i was little i wish to be able to walk more. walking was always hard. tiring, painful. but instead of getting more with time, it got less and less. harder and harder. everything got harder. it is frustrating. i want my body to do so much more. and it is just not able.

i will get a wheelchair assessment here. don't know when. and mum and i talk about walking frame (posterior walker) possibility, to help walking around house. mum says she will ask the wheelchair people because they will know.

stairs are another challenge. bedroom upstairs, swing downstairs. stairs are huge hard work for me. it is possible, but exhausting. painful. especially painful on top of muscles already sore and fatigue from pacing. and few times a day for even a few days, means i get super much fatigue face flush. and sore aching body. drains ridiculous amounts energy. worry about crash.

i go down stairs sometimes sitting on my bum. but sometimes standing and go down one step at a time, always left foot (weaker) first. then for going up it is opposite, right foot (stronger) first and pull a lot with my arms on the banister. but already i crawled up the stairs a couple times. whichever way i do it, it is a huge workout for my whole body. at first i got help going with stairs, but last few times i did it on my own! i feel proud.

mum will call the stairlift people soon. but i don't like stairlift ☹️. even though i need it to be able to use precious energy for nice things (that is how mum says it). i just wish my body would do what i want and not have fatigue and pain like this. also much worry about stairlift makes even stronger "barrier" threshold.

when i can do it with my own body, i get less stuck. because it is more like follow a motor path. there is still a threshold, but my momentum can (usually) carry me over. if stairlift is there, it creates a point where i have to physically stop and change my action/task. that is where i am more likely to get stuck. and stairlift also has a bunch of steps to the task of using it. so if i can't even think of the steps or the order, i can't do it. and if that means i need help - it has to first occur to me that help is an option, occur to me that it is possible to ask for help, think how to ask, ask, and so on.

don't know for sure how it will be, but worry about all that.

bath is also different. harder work. mum keeps routine and order the same though. that helps. it is hard that it is different.

lots of things are a bit different. lots to get used to. water tastes different - at the old house the water was very very soft, here it is harder. it makes juice taste different. and lots of other small things. they add up.

sister came on tuesday night! she was at university but now she will live with us at this house. because it is close to her university. her bedroom is directly across the hall from mine.

i am very bored from lack of wifi. and from not able to get to swing as often. swing is my only physical outlet and my only way to get enough stim to regulate. and need a LOT of swing every single day to stay regulated. have to use so much of my limited energy to swing to avoid meltdown. i am really trying to be good. trying not complain. don't want to be any more a bother.

but i really like the new house. and hope hope hope 🤞🏻 with time it will get even better and better. 😊👍🏻

[gallifreyanhotfive]

Do you have any recommendations on Dr. Who books/audio format things? I haven't watched the show in a bit because Moffat wasn't my thing and I can't seem to find the old stuff. (If you have any advice on where to find that too I would be very grateful) Following your blog has been a nice reminder of why I liked the show so much. Hope you have a good day!

Aw thank you! Depending on your location, you can find classic who episodes either on BBC iPlayer or Tubi (with ads).

As for books/audios, I'll try to keep this brief as I could write an essay on this.

For books, my favorite author is Kate Orman. Orman writes wonderfully, and my personal favorite is The Year of the Intelligent Tigers. I also really liked Goth Opera, Camera Obscure, History 101, Autumn Mist, Lungbarrow, Divided Loyalties, Somewhere Never etc etc etc etc (so many more but I'm forcing myself to stop here). You can often find free versions of basically every novel (at least all I've looked for) on the internet either as pdfs or epubs or whatever. The Internet Archive is particularly useful. Some examples:

And now for the audios! I personally have sold my soul to Big Finish. I have literally hundreds of recommendations. They do have some audios for free, such as those that came from the Paul Spragg Memorial Competition. You can also find a lot of them (up until Zagreus I think) for free on Spotify. There is also almost always a killer sale going on on the website on top of that too.

As for my recommendations, it's pretty dependent on what Doctor or companion you want to listen to. They even have series centered on UNIT, Romana's Gallifrey, Benny Summerfield, and a ton of other things (including a Masterful special that just had a bunch of Masters fucking around and finding out). I'll put in some of my favorites, one for each Doctor, from what I own (which is far from everything, but I do my best).

One: The Sontarans. It was the first time the Doctor had ever encountered the Sontarans, so he was unfamiliar with them. It takes place during Dalek Master Plan, so Steven and Sara are there.

Two: Lords of the Red Planet! It's a good Ice Warrior origin story and has Jamie and Zoe in it. :)

Three: Terror of the Master. I had pre-ordered it as soon as I heard about it. Three....Delgado Master....what more do you want from an audio? It's narrated by Jon Culshaw.

Four: The Wrath of the Iceni. It was a brilliant historical with Four and Leela and Boudica. Leela gets quite a lesson in this one, first being mad at Four for not helping Boudica and then at Boudica for being cruel.

Okay now we are getting into my favorite Doctors (5-8), so these decisions are going to get difficult.

Five: The Kingmaker! Shakespeare spikes Five's drink to get him absolutely wasted to sneak on the TARDIS, the TARDIS gets hiccups as a result, leading to Peri and Erimem being separated from the Doctor. Shenanigans ensue.

Six: Doctor Who and the Pirates. Six and Evelyn have a really meaningful discussion with one of her depressed students. The third part is a musical!

Seven: The Shadow of the Scourge. Benny Ace and Seven against 8th dimensional eldritch abominations. Seven gets turned into one of these insectoids, and body horror ensues.

Eight: Oh dear I can't choose. At the moment, probably the Great War from Dark Eyes 1. Eight meets Molly and is still grieving here. He is very much doomed by the narrative.

War: The Neverwhen. Lots of the War Doctor is good if you like Time War horror, but this one has a lot of time-as-a-weapon and is well written.

Nine: Battle Scars. A nice short story about that one family Nine saved from the Titanic mentioned in the episode Rose. Has a really fantastic girl in it and a Nine dripping in PTSD.

Ten: The Time Reaver. Ten and Donna! There's this gun that basically slows down time for a single person, so that a few minutes for everyone else is centuries for them. Ten is a self sacrificing dope.

Eleven: The Geronimo boxset is the best in my opinion, but I haven't been able to listen to many of these yet.

Twelve: Another one I haven't managed to buy a lot of yet, but Dead Media is amazing. It's written to sound like a podcast with adverts and everything and is set during his time at St. Luke's. And I cried at the end.

Anyway, I'll shut up now. This was so much fun! Thank you!

[malcolm-reeds-pineapple]

Are you looking for a gift for your dad? Here is a gift guide for Weird Dad Genres

Brought to you by the child of a Weird Dad with low/no cost options. I’ve noticed that a lot of people with good dads they like a lot don’t know what to give their dads because all the gift guides around require a man to have a baseline level interest in sports, beer and cars for them to be usable. Disregard this post if your dad sucks or use this advice for a person you like that falls into one of these sub genres.

NPR/CBC Dads

I’m Canadian and have a CBC dad so I’m hoping there is overlap

Tickets to a live taping of their favourite radio show

Merch that supports CBC/NPR and their favourite radio show

Teaching them how to use a podcast app if they don’t know already

History Dads

MASH related literature

Civilization 6 on PC

Book/audio book about their favourite historical era, particularly on a niche topic by a professor of some variety

Researching their favourite era enough to have a meaningful conversation about it with them/being willing to listen to them talk about it

Stoner Dads

Lighters, papers, doob tubes, pipe cleaners, other disposables

Weed lol (depending on regional availability don’t get arrested buying a Christmas present lmfao)

One hitter, a nice pipe, a grinder, a tray, anything like that but shop around to find something they’d actually like.

Randy’s Black Label glassware cleaner and some vase beads!!! I cannot stress this enough!!! This combo leaves glassware SPARKLING.

Cleaning his glassware for him or degunking a grinder (do NOT empty the keef catcher or I’ll kill you myself)

Music Listener Dads

Physical copy of an album they like or one you listened to together

Needles from their turntable if they have records, or alternatively a Kallax shelf from Ikea for storage (actually the best record storage I’ve ever found)

Year subscription to Spotify

Some sort of merch for their favourite artist that goes with their vibe (ie: my dad doesn’t wear band shirts so I give him coffee mugs)

A playlist of songs you listened to together. If you wanna go crazy silly haha you could also get a record out of a dollar bin and draw a cover for it and put a QR code to the playlist inside or you could go old school and do the same thing but actually have a mixtape or burn the playlist onto a CD

Music Playing Dads

Varies a lot depending on skill-level and instrument, but I’m gonna do this as if they were a hobbyist as I’m sure there are gift guides out there for professionals

Any sort of disposable they would need (reeds, picks, strings, sticks etc) but make sure you find out what they prefer (ie pick weight) or if give them a few different options when they’re just starting out to help them figure out what they like

Larger peripherals that they might not want to buy for themselves (NOTE: don’t buy anything too expensive unless you know they want/need it. If you’re not sure, you can always wrap up an IOU in a cereal box so you can go on an adventure later with them and make a day out of it)

If they play piano you can pay for a tuning however this can be pricey and requires planning

Sheet music/tabs printed out in a binder with lyrics. You can also decorate the binder if you’re crafty like that

Nature Dads (rocks/geology)

Idk how niche this is but my dad is a rock dad

Rock tumbler and/or accessories like grit and media

A vug of some sort of crystal if you’re feeling incredibly wealthy or in the likely case that you’re not, get him a few points of a crystal or a few tumbled stones for them to add to the collection

A nice cabinet for display purposes (depends on the size of the collection of course and availability, but my dad has a vintage China cabinet for his rocks that we got at auction for like 100 bucks.)

A map with local areas of geological interest for them to check out with a little blurb about each one. Bonus points if you go on day trips with them or make the map cute if you’re skilled like that

Pop Culture/Sci Fi Dads

If they have trinkets, a display cabinet (like in the above section) is a good idea if they don’t have one

Coffee table books with behind the scenes stuff in it

If there’s a convention nearby and they’re that type of person you could get them tickets

I’ll be honest sci fi/pop culture people are pretty easy to buy for imo but my best advice is to prioritise practicality over dust collectors unless you know for sure they want something else in their collection. I’d also caution to stay away from buying Funko Pops where you can unless they collect them

General Dad Gifts and Advice

Some sort of nostalgia thing that’s personal to them. Examples: snack from their youth that they talk about a lot, a board game they played growing up that they can’t find anywhere, a book he read you growing up (I gave my dad Just Me And My Dad from the Little Critter series one year and he welled up and still maintains it’s one of the best gifts he’s ever gotten)

A good joke gift like my family have been giving each other the same copy of The Search For Spock for 14 years and it’s hilarious to us. Alternatively you can wrap up one of his own possessions and give it to him but make sure that it’s obviously his so he doesn’t think you just gave him another one.

Drill bits never go amiss if a person already owns a drill btw like drill bits are Good and Righteous Things

Always try to write an inscription in a book you’re giving as a gift with a small blurb about why you picked this book and the year and occasion.

I try to stick towards practicality and sentimentality in my gift-giving since for the most part we all have enough dust collectors. Consumables that are part of a hobby/interest are always a great option since they’re something you go through fairly regularly that can add up price wise

Never underestimate the power of a home made gift or a box of little treats. If I gave my dad his favourite peanut butter and a few cans of Fresca, he would be just as happy as if I bought him a brand new stereo. As dumb as it sounds, it really is the thought you put into a gift that counts, even if they’re little coupons someone can cash in for an afternoon of manual labour.

Even if you’re broke, try to give what you can. Thrifted gifts and homemade gifts are just as valuable as brand new gifts if the person you’re giving it to is worth giving a present.

Also while we’re on the topic, don’t give gifts to anyone who doesn’t appreciate you as a person like if you’re dad’s not good to you then either don’t give him shit or give him 20 bucks if you feel like it

Please feel free to add onto this if you have advice for gifting to a niche sub genre of dad/person.

[arctic-hands]

Thirty minutes and 9 paragraphs into an excited list of alternatives to Spotify's monopoly re: music, videos, podcasts, audiobooks, for weenies like me who are nervous about pirating, and my app crashes.

Well now I'm on a laptop and I swear to god if this crashes too I'm calling it a conspiracy.

LEGAL ALTERNATIVES TO SPOTIFY:

Music: There are virtually limitless options here. Buy music directly from the musicians/band! If they don't sell mp3s directly from their site, they almost certainly have CDs for sale, so buy those and rip the mp3s to your computer (if your computer doesn't have a CD slot, you can buy an external one for fairly cheap). Go to a new/used music store, they still exist!, and buy albums there. Buy old albums from ebay! Go to goodwill or other thrift stores and browse there collection of cast-off music for cheap, you never know what you'll find. Hell, browse their cheap vinyl if you prefer their sound and get a vinyl-to-MP3 conversion device if you like. They even have conversion devices for cassette tapes, if you find a treasure that was only ever released on tape. Once upon a time I would have said Bandcamp for MP3 or even physical albums (I once upon a time got an AUTOGRAPHED TO MY NAME CD of Lauren Ruth Ward's Well Hell album), but they recently union busted and a lot of artists pulled their stuff from them. I don't really know anything about 7Digital's business practices, but they are another seller of MP3 music, as well as MP4, FLAC, and WAV.

Music DEVICES: If you just want to manage everything on one device, your phone, get the free VLC app! It's open source and is absolutely wonderful. I only ever used it for music, but it's capable of much more than I realized, and it's open source and ad-free! And the audio files are tiny, even when I was running out of room on my sixteen gig old phone, I still had a substantial music library on it before before I got a dedicated music player.

Which brings me to my next point: MP3 PLAYERS STILL EXIST! I own two! My first one is a twenty-dollar SanDisk Clip Jam (an established and sturdy brand), my current is a thirty-dollar Phinistec Z6 (that just came out of nowhere it seems). Each have their pros and cons, and there are so so so many options out there. Some are smart, some don't even have wifi (neither of mine do). Some have expandable card slots for even more music. Some are extremely basic, some have a plethora of features. Some are cheap but still decent in sound, some are high-end for that true audiophile experience. Some have touch screens, some have buttons, some have no screens at all. Some only use wired earphones, some only use bluetooth, some (like the Z6) can use both! There are so many brands out there even in Twenty Twenty-four. Even the random brands cropping up online are some really good shit, and I bought both of mine used bc I have concerns about the lithium industry. Oh, and some are regular battery powered. And you don't need iTunes or anything, I just use the basic Windows Media Player to rip my CDs or put mp3s music on my player. In fact I've been avoiding Apple players because I'm worried they'd brick older devices, especially ones with wifi. But there are so many options out there, it's impossible to name them all.

Audiobooks: YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE AUDIBLE! Libro.fm has a similar business model (an optional subscription fee with a free credit every month, or the option to buy book without a subscription for a little bit extra price), and you can direct the profits to the indie bookseller of your choice! I have mine set to go to Baltimore's anarcho-feminist bookstore, Red Emma's. How to listen to the audiobooks you buy? Libro has an app you can listen to directly from! AND they have the option to directly download from the site (meaning no program you have to install) the book in non-proprietary mp3/mp4 files so you can listen to it on any device that can use those files! THAT INCLUDES MP3 PLAYERS! Almost every music player on the market now not only plays audiobooks, but has sections on the device specifically for them! Some, like the Clip Jam, are even proprietary audible-compatible if you still use or already have books there (check audible's site, and you'll have to go thru a registration process). I was listening to audiobooks on both my CJ and the Z6 (the Z6 doesn't have a section for them, but still played them), but I recently bought an e-ink/e-paper (meaning no backlit LED screen causing eye strain or insomnia) ereader, a Pocketbook Touch HD 3, and that is mp3/mp4 capable for audiobooks, and is easier to maneuver books with since it's meant for books. ALSO: the library apps Hoopla and Libby also have audiobooks you can listen to via phone or computer/browser, depending on your library's catalog. Some ereaders can even have the apps for them, and if they have audiocapabilities you can use the ereader for that too.

Podcasts: There are so many apps for this. I have Podcast Addict (I don't remember off the top of my head if it's on apple, I use android, but there are still so many apps). Literally I only had to sacrifice one podcast when I stopped using spotify, PodcastAddict has everything else I've ever listened to or want to listen to in the future. You can download them for offline use on your phone, and, you guessed it, MOST MP3 PLAYERS HAVE PODCAST SECTIONS TOO. MINE DO! There are still ads at the beginning and end, but I usually skip over them without care.

Video: This one is a bit trickier as YouTube is also a monopoly, but what I do is just watch yt on my phone's Firefox browser with UBlock Origins adblocker installed. Sometimes yt gets into a hissy fit with adblocker, but UBlock usually gets ahead pretty quickly thus far. And if in the periods Origins is losing, I just find something else to do. I'm sure someone else has recommendations for videos, they're just not a big part of my life right now.

Anyway, don't let the horrid beast that is spotify monopoloize the audio industry OR your time! There are options, and even if you're not a luddite like me that hates having everything on my smartphone bc I'm worried about privacy or companies yoinking their stuff off my devices via wifi (like Amazon did once with their copies of, of all things, Nineteen Eighty-four about a decade ago) at the whim of corporations. You HAVE OPTIONS! YOU HAVE THE POWER TO CONTROL YOUR MEDIA AND REJECT MONOPOLIES!

[ilovemedia]

I just finished the big finish audio book called "master" and when I tell you this changed my brain chemistry

sylvester mccoys acting skills alone almost made me cry like my god can this man voice act

The story in general is fucking amazing and made my jaw drop every time

Not to mention this is my first time listening to an audio thing, ever.

The story also gose into the backstory of the doctor and the masters past in a beautifully tragic way

This audio is one of the best peices of media from doctor who I have seen, its completely free on Spotify so if you can please listen to it I need someone to talk to about it.

[madsmilfelsen]

Hello! I'm really curious, what books/authors would you recommend to someone who's new to writing horror?

Hi! Here is what I have on hand (minus my loaned out copies of my favorite book ever Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones and Never Whistle At Night: an indigenous anthology of dark fiction which made me cry on an airplane and made the person next to me very uncomfortable, like she was just trying to build a cart at banana republic, apologies to seat 17B)

God’s Cruel Joke Lit Mag because I’m in them and will be in issue 4, too :) published either mid-January or February 2024– @labyrinthphanlivingafacade is in issue 3 with a great short story that I won’t spoil ***right now the magazines are available to purchase in physical copies but I was told all issues will be free to download as pdfs pretty soon!

Severance by Ling Ma (body horror but not in the way you think, the real horror is repetition and loneliness)

Wilder Girls by Rory Power (body horror)

The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis (adjacent the horror genre but a hell of a read)

ANYTHING BY STEPHAN GRAHAM JONES ANYTHING

We Have Always Lived in a Castle by Shirely Jackson (I read this for the first time last spring boy howdy, I also included The Lottery for its suspense)

Dean Koontz because my husband suggested it for the list— this was just the first title I grabbed, I think he said Patrician Crowell too but I was busy looking for Mongrels

A Good and Happy Child by Justin Evans (I didn’t finish this because depression set in shortly after I started but the first chapter plays with second pov which I really liked, I’m determined to read it this year)

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn (I really enjoyed HBO’s adaptation)

The Girl With All The Gifts by M.R. Carey (likely the only zombie stories that made me weep uncontrollably)

Girls & Sex by Peggy Orenstein (non-fiction: explores modern young women navigating sexuality and because I have a thing for loss of autonomy— it’s been a few years since I read it but there is discussion of sexual assault, but I appreciate the expanse of her research and even included a conversation with someone who is asexual)

Black Leopard Red Wolf by Marlon James (got a chill just typing this out— the audio book is exquisite)

You’ll notice some nonfiction because, as a historian undergrad, nothing scares me more than man. The battles of Leningrad and Stalingrad are particularly stomach churning. America’s Reconstruction Era is full of acted out malice and under taught in my opinion.

An Indigenous People’s History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

The 900 Days, The Siege of Leningrad by Harrison E. Salisbury

Enemy at the Gates by William Craig

(On the other side of WW2 I have a book of the experiences of German solider’s left over from a paper I wrote on the inadequacy of Nazi uniforms and how it expedited their failure in Russia, Frontsoldaten by Stephen G. Fritz)

Stony the Road by Henry Louis Gates, Jr (one of my favorite authors, try finding “How Reconstruction Still Shapes American Racism” Time Magazine, April 2, 2019, I used it as a source for a paper on the history of voting rights)

Bloodstoppers and Bearwalkers— folk tales of Canadians, Lumberjacks & Indians by Richard M. Dorson (published around 1952 but content collected from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the 40’s)

Raven Tells Stories: An Anthology of Alaskan Native Writing (I’m Alutiiq and the museum on Kodiak has a lot of stories recorded under Alutiiq Museum Podcast— my kids and I listen on Spotify)

I think the genre of horror is really mastering tension and playing on peoples fears which is why I included old school folk stories (An Underground Education had a great write up on the Grimm Brothers and the original fairy tales from around the world such as the Chinese and Egyptian Cinderella, as well as several different sections of funny tales, torture techniques, absolute weirdos etc etc) in this vein of thought The Uses of Enchanment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales by Bruno Bettelheim could prove to be useful

If you’re writing a character with Bad Parents— Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents and Toxic Parents (it has a longer subtitle but I don’t see my copy anywhere) might be able to help you shape character traits

I reached out to @littleredwritingcat who has a mind plentiful in sources who recommended

The Gathering Dark: an anthology of folk horror (I will be picking this one up asap)

Toll by Cherie Priest (southern gothic)

Anything by Jennifer MacMahon

The Elementals by Michael McDowell

[ourladyofomega]

Great news for most of you: @rivetgoth has summoned me to choose ten of my favorite listens of September ‘23. Expanding the time span to thirty days meant holding out until the end of the month just to be sure. Picking out only ten was easy to do, and whether you like me or not, you’re gonna’ have to deal with it.

Your winners are:

#1: Replacements, The: "Unsatisfied" #2: Cult, The: "Rain" #3: Chemical Brothers: "No Reason"

This group of three is what happens when you’re following a mutual who’s super-obsessed about music. @tewz is an open book with plenty of audio and music video posts for the taking, plus a couple of Spotify playlists to rifle through. (Stay for the cat videos, too.) She’s my go-to and because of her, I had easy assembly of one of my recent radio broadcasts.

A fellow dee-jay asked me to fill-in for him not long ago. Now I had a double-broadcast (four hours) to set up. I had enough reserves from her to pull it off, so The Replacements’ “Unsatisfied” and The Cult “Rain” made the cut. Chemical Brothers: "No Reason" reminded me why they retained a feverish fan base to begin with, going all the way back to their “Setting Sun” days. Dare I say it reminded me of Daft Punk? Really, I thank her for everything music-wise she’s given me, ever.

#4: Crime Of Passing: "Off My Shoulder"

I love everything about this track. Unmistakably reminds me of Diat and the rest of the record follows with goth rock, post-punk / d.i.y, and coldwave. As a whole, Crime Of Passing displays a great style, aesthetic, seriousness, and urgency; all coming together and consistent as a gloomy yet smoking-hot nine-track album.

#5: Yfory: "Chwaer Pwy?" #6: M(h)aol: “Therapy” #7: Es: "Emergency"

I did an all post-punk / d.i.y. broadcast last month. One portion of the show had me group together female-fronted bands from Europe. That block started with Germany’s Maraudeur, continued on with Scotland’s Breakfast Muff, and then these three. Anyone paying attention knows that Europe (and especially the UK) is giving every other city scene a run for their money.

Also from Germany, Yfory struck me with their album cover (If anyone can identify that typeset, do let me know), their fluid Welsh lyrics which is new to me, and their great craftsmanship; hence "Chwaer Pwy?". I went with “Therapy” from feminist band M(h)aol because it sounds so rough. It’s the Irish equivalent of Guerilla Toss’ “Eraser Stargazer Forever” which sweeps the floor of everything. (If you really want to set yourself on fire, listen to “Period Sex”. Wow.) And, I got excited for new sounds from England’s Es. I played their opener “Emergency” at least 20 times and I still haven’t figured them out. That’s a good thing. Fortunately, the hopeful sounds of “Emergency” follows towards Less Of Everything and far away from Object Relations, and that’s from Flora Watters on keyboards, who is that special ingredient that makes Es. Their uniqueness pushes them near the very top of post-punk / d.i.y.

#8: Mamalarky: “Green Earth”

No way! What is this?! As if Palm’s Dog Milk and Mr. Elevator got a room, fucked, and made this. And I don’t know why I’m also equating Todd Rungren’s “Hello It’s Me”, maybe Peter Max, and other late-Sixties / early-Seventies standards in the mix, but this sounds amazing. It has that lo-fi, drowsy, malfunctioning feel with a wondrous charm to it. It’s really beautiful.

Now get this: “Green Earth” is on the environmentally- conscious The Eleventh Hour: Songs for Climate Justice compilation (and later Pocket Fantasy: B-Sides), and then you can clearly hear vocalist Livvy Bennett breathe in and inhale before singing each verse. Get it? Any song that can transport you to a new, undiscovered world is a unanimous winner in my book.

#9: Blonde Redhead: “Melody Experiment” #10: Tan Cologne: "Visitation"

To describe these in one word: inexplicable. They can be a soundtrack to a future world that could very well be possible, but in the same measure possibly not. These would fit right in with the annual ‘second chance’ broadcasts I do to end the year. ‘Second chance’, meaning, songs I enjoy but simply don’t fit into a specific category, so they have one all of their own. Think Erasers’ “Easy To See”, Mega Bog’s “Maybe You Died”, New Chance’s “Real Time”, Lily’s “New Fries”, and Il Quadro Di Trosi’s “Sfere Di Qi”.

“Melody Experiment” from Blonde Redhead sounds unreal to me. I still don’t believe it even exists. If it does, it’s the definition of ‘slick’. Sonically, it has wavelengths of “Corrections” from Phil Western and a breath similar to Pixel Grip’s Rita Lukea. Don’t ask me why I came up with that. To each, everyone’s own. Tan Cologne’s new single had to be influenced by Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazelwood “Sand“; the all-encompassing heat during the pending sundown on a blazing-hot Summer day. These final two picks I’ve already heard at least thirty times, and I plan on hearing them thirty more.

Good news: I tag no one. As always, play at your own risk.

[aamethyst000]

Feeling more productive, everyday (May 6,24 - 7:19pm)

Ever since i bought this laptop, i have been noticing that i am a little more productive in the house hold. i'm getting up a lot more easier to do my chores (altough i'm still bitchy about it but i'm still doing said chores while being bitchy about it lmao), i actually drew something on my laptop! not to mention i am actually cooking dinner on time......ish. its still better than starting at 9pm to finally cook dinner. Anyway, my litlle brother and i are going tp head up to the store in a bit to grab some ingredients and snacks for tonight. i am making meat loaf and rice tonight!~ I do want to mention, that i am still struggling with my sleep schedule, going to bed at 4-5 in the morning, then getting up at 2-3 the next day, rinse and repeat. i dont know how i'm still functioning right now. At the moment, i'm running on 2 cups of coffee and one meal, i call that a win in my book. I'm still debating on whether or not i really want to buy the boox palma when i can do the exact same thing on my phone, just with a different screen and no texting. The boox palma runs on android, thank god. I think that why i want it so much, is to have a seperate device to read on. now that i have a different device to write my journals in.

8:17pm - my little brother and i just got home from the store, now i am going to start cooking our dinner tonight and watch some shera on netflix! then i think im going to play conkers bad fur day after supper <3

9:37pm - Dinner is almost done and i washed a few plate n forks that we need, now i am just watching shera while dinner is cooking. i'm on my third cup of coffee and i have been yelled at by my uncles cat ever since i came back from the store, poor thing lmao he just wants my attention. only in my room though, it doesnt seem to be the same im im in the kitchen or in the living room. it doesnt make sense to me but it does to the kitty, so i try not to fight with him, its hard to do so when i have stuff to do throughout the day. My kitty was the same way ysterday, all clingy and shit, not that i minded, i really love it when they are like that. it cheers me up.

honestly though, this feels so much better writing my journals here than on paper. at least this way, my laptop has a passowrd that no one in the house can get into. though it kind of sucks that it is a requirement to change my password every few months. why they even set it up like that is beyond me. i wonder what it'll be like if and when i actually go to a cafe and type out my journal entries there. its noce to imagine, but at the same time, the crowd would overwhelm me lmao then again, it's something i should get used to if i want to go back to work again. i just wish that the places i work at dont fckn ghost me, if and when they decide to let me go. that would be nice fir once. especially if i did something wrong to be let go like that. like, why are they even allowed to do that? but when the employees do that, just up and leave the work place or quit on the spot, we get go on the list of "do not hire"? kind of stupid isnt it?

i think im about to go on a rant in a sec, so i'm going to do something else, see if i still feel the same way about it later on. if i do, i'll talk about it here lol

9:56pm - now that i got that out of my system, i still feel the same way, i just dont feel the need to rant about it. i think ill just sit on this feeling and think about it. considering that there is nothing that i can personally do, to change said circumstances. anyway, change of subject, im finally listening to audio books now! since it got onto spotify, ive been taking advantage of it and i am so happy that i am! i think thats part of the reason why i have been feeling a little motivated today. i think im starting to love audio books now, im thinking of dowloading the app later on, or as soon as i can get a stable and steady job again, cause this is getting ridiculous, even for me.if i was living on my own, id either be on the streets or back to living with my mother again. reality sucks but oh well, what can i do other than look for another job. the village sucks for job hunting, especially if its just the canery, brighter feature, and assistant teacher. 2 of those i do not like because it involvles interacting with kids, which i am not used of. the other involves 12-14 hours of just standing there or stacking. not a lot of choices for me to choose from, thats for sure. i used to work at the clinic but they havent called me back in nearly a year. same with the school, after the pandemic started, i was never called back. hence why i wanted to rant about the whole " work places just up and ghost you" bullshit. stuff like that really annoy me so much. which is why i am so worried about moving, what if pg does the same? i look for a job for months, never get hired, be expected to pay rent each month i am unepmloyed AND buy myself groceries. not to mention the transportation, the area id live in and if every single one of them just fucking ignore me. since ive been planning this with my best friend, i told her about wanting to save up enough to pay 3 to 4 months of rent, have enough for groceries, and a few furniture if we find a place that needs it. she took note of it after i told her my olfer brothers experience and mine. it can be really stressful when no one hires you. it really makes you think if any of that, is because of whats on your resume, or what i say in most of my interviews, i dont even feel comfortable lying to them, just so i can get the bloody job and start making and saving money. like ive been planning for so many years. i just wish that adulting is so much easier. but that would be too much to ask of our prime minister. selfsih piece of shit. Anyway, dinner is nearly done cooking so i am going to go back to watching shera and enjoy our late dinner, again. i like that i started typing a lot more here than i did on my phone. i love it, i almost dont want to stop, almost.

12:07am - we have just finished having our supper and MY G O D was supper ever so yummy~ i couldnt finish my plate so i think im going to give the rest to my little brother, but at the same time. i want to keep it for myself for when i get hunry for it again. i think im going to go bath tonight and then set up my trans tape for tomorrow. ill be buying more i think next week wen i have more money in my bank. which, btw, i need to go down to the band office and take out cash again. cause honestly, i want to stop myself from spending so much money in one go. i want to get better at that, i will acknowledge, though, that i have been doing really well on not spending so much. i managed to save more than enough after the rupert trip with my littlw brother. im really proud of that <3

12:36am - i am going to get ready for a bath now, had my 4th (forth) cup of coffee and 0 (zero) cups of water. i gotta catch up on that one. i used to be able to keep up with my water intake. well, except for when i was a teen, i hated the taste of plain water, so i remember avoiding drinking water unless absolutley necessary, which, at the time, was kind of rare for me to do. i was drinking one to two cups of water every other day. i was an absolutely stubborn child, i hated being wrong lmao i still kind of do, actually. im just not as stubborn as i was before, at least not to the point where im putting my health on the line. so yeah, i guess i still hate being wrong most times lmao

should i bring this up in my therapy appointment? i think i should. or rather, i feel like i should, but i dont want to. i just want to make the appointment again, and just fckn rant my therapist ear right out. maybe ill feel better afterwards and be better on my own time schedule management with my friends and family. i was so afraid to become that adult who is almost never home, drinking and doing ddrugs a lot, to the point where someone may take advantage of me at my lowest. however that may look. that i stayed home way more than a normal person considers "normal". i dont know how else to put it. i just know that my best friend is very sick of it and so am i. im 25 going to be turning 26 this year and i should and want to act like it for once in my life. i know that, physically, im no longer a teenager anymoe but in my brain, im jumping from 14, 16,17 and18 all in one go it seems. but i think ill save this topic for another time. kekekekekekeke

good night, readers! <3

[lgbtqreads]

Not a rec request, but I just finished listening to Going Bicoastal and it was so so cute, It took me a while to recognize Jasmine and Lara (maybe because of the new narrator, love Mara Wilson though so absolutely not complaining) but it got me wondering, did Jasmine actually have a Southern Accent since she's from North Carolina? and just out of curiosity does she only call Lara, Tinkerbell in private? because I was kind of hoping for that to make a small appearance but realized she never did call her that when they were with other people in Cool for the Summer either. And for my final question, do you have anything new in the works?

Oh, thank you! And hahaha that is a great question, so here's some behind the scenes info: it was not a note I gave for Cool for the Summer, which was published by Macmillan Audio, but Going Bicoastal was published by OrangeSky/Spotify, and they asked me a lot more questions, including whether Jasmine should have an accent. Tbh I should've thought about it sooner, but I never listen to audiobooks because my attention span for listening is terrible and my comfort at listening to other people read my words is even worse, so it was only when they asked that I was like "Oh, yes, yes she should, as long as Mara's comfortable with that!" And of course she was because she's Mara Wilson, and that is the story of why Jasmine has a Southern accent in GB but not CftS. (She is indeed from Asheville.) I have truly had the best luck with incredibly talented audiobook narrators, and that inconsistency is 100% on me.

And yes, she only calls Lara Tinkerbell in private - I love that you noticed that <3

I do have a new book in the works! It's called My Name is Everett (at least for now - I suspect my publishing team will change it) and right now it's slated for fall 2024, but I'm not quite at the finish line yet, so we'll see! It's actually my first one that is neither queer nor Jewish in a long time, which I'm pretty nervous about, but believe it or not it's a resurrection of a book I wrote more than ten years ago, and the major queer secondary character is actually the first queer character I ever wrote - it felt very daring at the time lmao. (I mean, it was 2009, so it kinda was, but.)

In some ways it's very similar to my other books (extremely messy female MC! set in high school! romance!) and in some ways it's very different (set at boarding school! and maybe my hardest MC to root for? But I love her so). It's a little bit like if you combined Just Like the Movies by Lynn Painter and Beach Read by Emily Henry but set it at boarding school and also don't expect it to be as fluffy as that sounds. It's kind of like how I wanted Home Field Advantage to be a rom-com when I first started it but that was just not in the cards.

Anyway, there's my TMI on MNIE, and then beyond that, I have a bunch of partial things I'd love to finish when this is done and I'm out of contract for the first time in years!

[northernreads]

book review

My rating: ★★

I received an e-arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

When I requested this book I did so because I have enjoyed previous books by these authors, and did not realize that Mourning Glory was written not as a traditional book, but with the intention of it only being an audiobook. As such it's really more of an audio drama or fiction podcast than a book. Normally when accessing a book through audio format I try not to let any issues (if any) with the audio narration cloud my view on the book. Mourning Glory, however, was intended to be published as an "audiobook" and so I will include comments on it's format in this review.

First though, the story itself. Mourning Glory is following three sisters and their cousin as they try to deal with their family history legacy and also the demon that haunts their family.

The characters are all so likeable and distinct and I loved seeing how they interacted with each other and with other family members. I loved how family-oriented the whole story was, with the main relationship plots being sisterly ones.

I also really liked the A plot in which the family trying to deal with this demon and learning about how they came to be haunted by this demon in the first place. Rooted in southern American history and those horrors, this book was giving characters the agency to take on the past.

The only B plots in this story were the relationship plots between the four main characters, which should have been enough, but some how came across as shallowly done. Without enough B plot, this story seemed to lack dimension.

There was one scene I was confused about near the end in which two of the protagonists wind up having to kind of time travel and steal souls, and rather than follow them do this, we sit with the other two girls and listen to them wait and chat. I truly don't understand why we couldn't have seen both perspectives, and if we were to only get one why we only get the duller one?

The ending was also wrapped up far too neatly. There was no real hitch in the plan that our characters had to overcome. They made a plan and followed it through and that was it, it was rather uncompelling.

On to the format. This story was narrated by none other than Bahni Turpin, who is a favourite audiobook narrator of mine. Her voice truly brought this story to life and added so much dimension to the story. The story itself, being written with audio narration in mind, would lose a lot if ever published in print as it currently stands.

This story also came with so. many. sound effects. Too many. I was continuously pulled out of the story by the sound effects, some of which didn't even exactly match up with the sound described. There was also often background music alongside the narration that made the scenes feel cheesy rather than actually adding anything.

Then on top of all of that there were some lines delivered at half the volume as the rest of the narration because the character was mumbling or was supposed to be further away that I just could not hear at all. I did however, check out this story on spotify to see if the quality was better and it did seem to be a bit clearer than the file I received.

If I hadn't received this story as an ARC I would not have included it as part of my reading and probably would have DNFd it for the sound effects alone, however I promised an honest review so here we are. I would recommend this to people are already fans of fiction podcasts or audio dramas as the format may be more to their tastes.

[bibisbooktalk]

Book Review: Sinner by Sierra Simone

I read Sinner last month and I've been pushing back the review since then. But here it is! I will try not to spoil anything from the book for those interested in reading it.

Title: Sinner (book 2 in the Priest series)

Year of publication: 2018

Reading time-line: December 28, 2023 to January 6, 2024

Trigger Warnings: Loss, suicide, religious trauma, sexual trauma, death, illness

Content: large age gap between characters (they are both adults), explicit sex, religion (Catholicism), cursing

Age rating: Adult

Spice level: 🌶🌶🌶🌶.5/5 

Review:

I was skeptical about this book at first. I found the audio book on Spotify first back in November 2023. I listened to the first few chapters, and instantly knew I had to get the book. I felt identified with the story for numerous reasons, most of them personal, so I won't delve too much into the why's. However, I will say, as someone having a hard time with religion, this book, ironically, made me analyze myself in many ways. Sean's spiritual battle through the book was beautifully written, and it was truly wonderful to see him grow as a person, not necessarily in a religious sense, but in the sense that everything led him to change for the better.

Sean's character is interesting, I liked that the story was told from his point of view, since I'm not used to reading books in men's POV. I loved how in love he was with Zenny the whole time, and he never denied it. It was refreshing to have a character fully and happily acknowledge his feelings and not be like "Oh no, I can't feel this way cus this and that". (I would write "SIMP" every time he said or thought anything romantic or sweet about Zenny. That man was respectful, sweet, dedicated, caring, hardworking, protective, the definition of husband material. I swear if Zenny told him "let's run away together" that man would have disappeared with her in a heart beat. He was head over heels and it was so freaking cute.)

I was able to form an emotional connection to Zenny and Sean, so I think in the sense of goals, description, backstory, interactions, and personality, both characters were well written. Both of their developments were great, and their relationship felt natural. They had wonderful chemistry from the moment they met, and I enjoyed their dynamic.

I think Sierra Simone handled the topics/themes presented in the story very well. I couldn't stop crying for like 3 hours by the end. The plot really resonated with me, and bet it will resonate with many others. The themes have the potential to be relatable, and definitely a reminder to readers that they are not alone in their struggles.

This book, like smut readers call it, is p0rn with a plot. The story really makes you think a lot, it is our of people's comfort zone since it does deal with many difficult, maybe even controversial, topics.

This book wasn't 100% perfect. I did think some things were odd like the fact that Sean is way older than Zenny (like girly is a college student in her early 20's while he is in his late 30's and a businessman). The fact that he was always hard, like why are these men always horny? Like Zenny would breathe, and my man was already ready to jump her bones. Like chill babes...  I would have also liked to know a bit more about Zenny, mostly her point of view and thought process. There's other things, but they are spoilers, and most of them are just personal preferences rather than criticism.

Overall, I think I really needed to read this book. I'm glad I found it before Priest (that will be for another review...). It was good, it was definitely a new genre of tropes for me, and my first ever erotica. It's a relatively short (?) book (it took me a while because I ✨️procrastinate✨️) if you're looking for a quick read. I definitely recommend it.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

Note: One day my reviews will improve 💀

[autisticempathydaemon]

I hope you're still doing these aaaaaa! What song are you fixated on at the moment? What lyric or verse, and why? Aqua Regia by Sleep Token! Specifically the lyrics "my love is an animal call/cutting through the darkness, bouncing off the walls/between teeth on a broken jaw/following a bloodtrail, frothing at the maw" there is just something so VISCERAL about them it really scratches my brain

What is your Enneagram type? Enneagram Type 4 (I can't remember the wing, but I think it's 4w5 aaaaa)

Tell me about your childhood imaginary friend This probably does NOT count, I didn't really have an imaginary friend, but this question just reminded me that I used to be OBSESSED with the movie Labyrinth and used to pretend to be Sarah a LOT

Do you love gargantuan Youtube video essays, and if so, which is your favorite and why? I'm more of a fan of short-form science-y or educational videos, but does a 30 minute one count? I really love the a video essay on Ocarina of Time called "OOT - A Masterclass in Subtext"

What is your go-to way to fall asleep? ASMR for sure (I could probably count on one hand the number of times I have fallen asleep in silence over the last year and a half), but I also really like doing nonogram puzzles before bed - I've conditioned myself to get sleepy when I do them 😅

What is your favourite of Redacted’s audios, and why? I can probably fully recite "A Talk With One of Your Devious Owners" at this point - Not only is the really steady monotone tone of this one super relaxing to me, but I really like James as a character with complex and warring emotions. The cat/mouse vibe that this one introduced is very fun, and I love the way he slyly reveals all of the asset's own cards to them.

What Redacted boy holds no appeal to you, and why? I am so sorry to say it, but Caelum does not spark joy 😭 I think he is very sweet, and I love him as a character, but I have a hard time listening to those ones.

Tell me about that one book/movie/tv show you know all the words to. Oh god, suddenly I've forgotten every movie or TV show I've ever seen in my LIFE. I would say I could recite a good chunk of Elton John's biopic, Rocketman, BUT ALSO I watched Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (the one from 1971) a few days ago and was UNSETTLED by how easily I could recite that one line-by-line.

Which Redacted boy are you platonically attracted to? Like- forget dating, which dude do you want to be your best friend? I would die to be friends with Huxley. I think he would be SO easy to be around and just be yourself with. He also seems like the type of friend to listen to you actively while somebody talks over you or circle back to what you said when nobody heard you. Plus I just know one of his hugs would fix me.

Do you have a go-to thing you ramble about when you’re tired, and if so, what is it? mine is also space! I could talk for ages about space. I also have a tendency to get a second wind when I get into bed and I get rambly about whichever latest musical or fandom I'm obsessed with.

Tell me your go-to gas station and drink combo. It has been a MINUTE since I've done this but my favourite gas station snacks were always a bag of salt & vinegar kettle chips + a bottle of Arizona iced tea.

Tell me about your favorite playlist at the moment. I can't tell if this refers to Redacted Playlists or Music, so I'll answer both: I have a Spotify playlist of songs I associate with Geordi, and no matter WHAT mood I'm in, they ALWAYS hit. They are mainly about love and self-image but even the sad ones don't make me feel super sad, just kinda relaxed and seen, I guess? I relate to Geordi a lot. For Redacted playlists, Sadism's Hold is ALWAYS going to be a winner for me. I have thought about Ivan's arc probably more consecutive hours than any other character.

What’s your guilty pleasure media, and why? Definitely ASMR/Boyfriend RP type content. I've been getting more comfortable wearing merch out in the real world and I usually find it easier to just refer to it as "a podcast I'm into" 😅

And whatever else you think tells me about who you are! My favourite colour is yellow, I love thunderstorms (the more thunder/lightning) the better, and I want to absolutely eat my hands when media makes a reference to Icarus or Cannibalism as a love language.

Hmmm… interesting. You are a very interesting person who gave me a lot of interesting information to work with, and I like you a lot. You know who else would like you? Ollie.

The Free Spirit is such a fun type, because it’s all in the name; you’re so unique and alive and all over the place in the best way. Just like he did his Coworker, Ollie would so admire you, would be so in awe that someone as vibrant as you is with him. Yet, he is so good for you. You relating to Geordi makes me think you could use someone steadfast, cheerful, and unwaveringly loyal, and Ollie would definitely be that for you.

You would have such a fun, cozy home, you, Ollie, and Cattywumpus. You love space, he loves Star Trek; I bet he loves watching episodes with you and hearing your passionate diatribes on the stars and sci-fi technology. I could also see you helping him become a musical fan, since he’s such a geek in general; I think he’d really enjoy them. I also love to imagine y’all winding down for bed and him just watching you and your puzzles, confused and awestruck and adoring. (Lord knows I am awestruck; I googled nonograms, and I literally couldn’t figure out what you’re supposed to do after three webpages.)

Song:

"What's easy is right", my mother's advice/ You are the reason I never think twice/ Wherever we go, what glitters is gold/ You'll be my best friend until we grow old/ I had a nightmare (oh)/ But now that I'm not scared

Though I don’t necessarily agree with that mother's advice, I do think it fits since it would be so easy for y’all. I think his easygoing, affable nature along with your shared interests means you’ll not just be a good couple but great friends, and that’s the ticket to a comfy, loving home and life with your cat.

Runner-Ups:

Your love for science and space makes Anton a fun choice for one of your runner-ups; I think he’d have the most fun listening to you infodump in addition to having engineering experience to contribute. Vega is a runner-up based solely on what you said about cannibalism as a love language, because I spend a lot of time around @gingerbreadmonsters and could not associate that trope with anyone else.

note: thank you for waiting ☀️

Read this post and send me an ask if you’d like a match-up of your own! 💌

[shecharm]

Rules, tag 10 followers  you want to get to know better!

Tagged by: @fanaticist [ tysm! ]​​

Tagging: @nvrcmplt , @ardenssolis , @lifesliced / @hehosts , @killerhubby , @hembralfa , @chidoried , @burdenedreverance , @75bpm

Name: Cupid Star Sign: Sagittarius ( Sun, ) Pisces ( Moon, ) Aries ( Rising ) Height: 5'5" Middle name: Nicole

Put your itunes/spotify/youtube on shuffle. What are the first 6 songs that popped up?

Starring Role by Marina

After Hours by The Weeknd

Val!um by MASN

Make You Feel by Alina Baraz, Galimatias

Jokes On Me by Tory Lanez

Playing With Fire by Blackpink

Ever had a poem or song written about you: Lmao, no When was the last time you played air guitar: When my friends & I had a drinking night in VRC and jammed out to Polyphia. Who is your celebrity crush?: it literally changes like , every month. Cillian Murphy currently. What’s a sound you hate; sound you love?: Styrofoam rubbing together. hate that shit. I like the sound of hair brushing or waves crashing into the shore , asmr stype stuff.

Do you believe in ghosts?: Yee, i'm really superstitious. How about aliens: i'm super deep into like , spiritual awakening shit and documentaries , where they talk about the history of the world , space and the chakra portals of the world and stuff - they talk about how like , we're all aliens n stuff and it's really cool. so yes. Do you drive?: sometimes. if so have you ever crashed: no lmao

What was the last book you read?: i listen to mostly audio books on audible , i've completed several poetry books & i'm currently listening to let that be the reason by vickie m. stringer. the last one i finished was the strength in our scars by bianca sparacino. Do you like the smell of gasoline: unfortunately. What was the last movie you saw?: star wars episode III, revenge of the sith What’s the worst injury you’ve ever had?: i don't really consider it an injury but just my body being like 'fuck you' but my lymph nodes were completely inflamed all down my left side once and over across my stomach. absolutely the worst pain i'd ever felt in my life. Do you have any obsessions right now?: sim, always but i'm super excited for touchstarved and a few other games that are gonna come out soon - i'm always refreshing pages to see new updates LMAO

[akamikazae]

Thanks v much for the tag @wind-becomes-lightning !! <33 Sorry it took so long hehheh

Name: Kaz

Pronouns: She - Her Where do you call home: Home for me rn is allover the place lol but My very best friends childhood house in NY-even if she doesn’t live there anymore her moms always home ❤︎ My old apt. my favorite hole in the wall dive bar, and a cozy used book store in Philly always feel the most like home to me 

Favorite animal: I really like birds—idk if I have a fav tho, I like em all!  Cereal of choice: I don’t eat cereal much, but as a kid Cap’n Crunch—Crunch berries was my favorite I haven’t had it in years but now I want some !😋

Are you a visual, audio, or kinesthetic learner: Visual learner — Even if I’m listening to something I have to doodle aimlessly in order to retain it. 

First pet: A rescued pup found in a box in Queens — I was v little so did not do the rescuing, but I’ve always had dogs. Lots n lots of dogs :) Favorite scent: I love citrusy, aquatic scents— like a bergamot or cedar wood Do you believe in astrology: Nah, I do look at them for fun sometimes though ✩

How many playlists do you have on Spotify/apple music: 17

Sharpies or highlighters: Sharpiess!!! I used to do brightly colored sharpie portraits all the time—theres something about a permeant marker thats makes you just want to scribble all over everything

A song that makes you cry: ‘Vienna’ by Billy Joel Also one of, it not my favorite songs ever—its the New Yorker in me

A song that makes you happy: ‘D’yer Mak’er’ by Led Zeppelin to be fair anything Zeppelin makes me happy—‘Fool in the Rain’ is a close second

And finally do you draw/write/create? I draw and write the most, though not very well 😅 and I am neglecting to stay on top of it! I also paint and sculpt but nearly enough these days

tagging @onmywaytofanfic @bizawa-art @underscorepen @strawberrystepmom and anyone else if ya'd like! No pressure if you don't<33