#its just a fun little day to get you to remember to donate

[googiesarakaya]

do you have some cashish lying around? some disposable income? are you gripped with the capitalist urge to spend money this weekend but burdened by the understanding that, hey, that’s probably just the consumerism trained into you and you don’t actually need a six egg cooker and actually waiting for the water to boil is fine, what’s even the point of a one trick pony like that?

but you still need that itch scratched. that money spending high. consider giving to your non-profit of choice next week!

it’ll be giving tuesday on the 28th, which is a day that always happens the tuesday after american thanksgiving, and is meant to ~counter~ black friday and cyber monday’s utter consumerism. spend on non-profits instead of capitalism!

it also means most of the international ngos are running match campaigns! what does that mean!! your donation is gonna get matched, usually with a limit on the amount and with a deadline (ex your gift will be matched until they reach $50k by midnight, 11/28). 

here’s a few places doing matches for giving tuesday!

-doctors without borders

-international rescue committee

-save the children

-planned parenthood

-heifer international 

and if you’re not in a place to give, don’t worry! getting involved in social is also important (seeing people just talk abt the entertainment community fund on my dash during the actors strike was incredible).

[the-trans-dragon]

.

[gibbearish]

theres a kickstarter i backed back in march 2021 thats been going through issue after issue during the production process but has been keeping backers updated the whole time and a couple months ago they announced they were finally able to start shipping orders im excited

[k3n-dyll]

☆F.U.C.K

Warnings...18+, wlw, not proofread, also, written at 2am, established friends with benefits, self-indulgent smut, dom!Abby, shower sex, strap on (r!receiving), strap referred to as a dick/cock Word Count:2.08k || MDNI Banner Creds. || Donations 4 Palestine

Notes ☆ The next fic I have based on a song will not be as fun! Just a heads up. Also, two works back to back within a few hours? We're so back

FWB!Abby who isn't known to be very open about her sexuality. Sure, there are rumors, and there are people she's told that she's lesbian, but that list is pretty limited to close friends. It's not that she's trying to hide it, anyone with working eyes who takes more than a second or two to look at her can tell, she just doesn't feel like it's anyone's business but her own.

And yours of course.

Abby's never been particularly sappy or romantic. Still, despite how intense her day-to-day is - fighting Scars, killing infected, being on high alert at every turn because there's no way of knowing what will be the next thing to try and kill her first - she's a bit of a thrill seeker in her own way. The idea of doing something seemingly forbidden, the rush of nearly getting caught doing something less than savory, has never failed to be a turn-on for her and it's something that, over time, you've become acutely aware of. She's gotten into the habit of dragging you into bathrooms, and storage closets, sometimes even taking it upon herself to get handsy underneath tables when in the presence of others just to see that nervous look you get.

It should be no shock to you that she'd do something like this and yet, you're still baffled.

The showers were peaceful today, it was late and most people were either asleep or just waking up for their own shifts. After a long patrol, all you wanted to do was turn on the hot water and let it soak over your aching muscles, washing the blood, dirt, and sweat that had accumulated on your skin down the drain. You weren't expecting to feel a large pair of hands gripping at your waist in the shower, and if you hadn't known better, you might have started swinging.

"Abby, what the hell?" You flinch a little under her grasp, and while you try to sound angry, the amused chuckle that forms with your words is hard to stifle.

"Nice to see you too" Abby mutters, already beginning an assault on your neck with her lips, trailing wet kisses down your skin as she speaks.

"I thought you said you were tired" You try and turn to face her but you're only met with a tightened grip on your body, forcing you to face the glass shower wall.

"I lied."

Before you can think up something snarky to say, Abby presses her front up against you further and you stiffen completely, the sensation of something that definitely isn't normally there now flush against your ass.

"What is that?" You question, turning your head in attempt to get a look at whatever it is she's got rubbing against you, but again she forces your eyes forward, grabbing your chin to make you face the wall again.

"I want you to guess." She purrs, nipping at your earlobe, unable to stop herself from letting out a low chuckle. "C'mon, baby, I know you remember. That shop we passed by the other day? You were all curious about it, but we never got the chance to really look around."

In order to somewhat jog your memory, one of her hands releases its grip on you, wrapping around what she has and pressing it between your soaked thighs, shallowly thrusting it between them. Your breath hitches at the feeling and the memory comes flooding back into your mind. It was a few days back - Manny had pointed out an old sex shop and being the man he is he just couldn't shut up about it. Mostly he'd bragged about how, as much as he'd like to experiment, his own hands and body got the job done just fine.

In the moment it was funny, and a little stupid. The three of you managed to catch a quick glimpse of the interior, seeing some of the different toys that hadn't been looted or destroyed and joking about all of the time people in the Old World must have had to be so experimental with their sex lives. Unbeknownst to you, one toy in particular had caught Abby's eye. She didn't point it out to you or Manny, but right before you all had to leave, the rest of your patrol group having already started packing up to head back to base, she'd hidden it so that she could go back for it later. And she did.

"Figured it out, pretty girl?"

Abby's voice snaps you out of your head and you nod, coaxing another low chuckle out of her.

"You wanna see it?"

The moment her hold on you loosens you turn around, eyes panning down her toned, naked frame to the black harness that was fixed around her hips and landing on the toy that had just been sliding up against your cunt. Your eyes widen at the sight of the thick, purple silicone toy dangling from her body, and as much as you'd like to deny the immediate heat that rises in your belly at the sight of it, you can't.

"I don't think that's gonna fit. And...and what if we get caught, Abs you can't just hide that thing"

You say it without much thought, your words forcing a genuine laugh out of your 'friend'. She shakes her head and playfully rolls her eyes.

"You worry too much, baby. I locked the door. If someone comes knocking, I can just get out and tuck it in my bag before we open the door" She reassures as she gently guides you by your waist to the fogged-up wall, pressing you against it. "And trust me, once I get you nice and warmed up, it'll fit"

Abby sinks to her knees in front of you without another word, settling herself between your legs and dragging her tongue along your slit. The doubt that was once present in the front of your mind quickly starts to fade as she laps at your dripping heat, your hands weaving into her wet hair and holding on to keep her in place. You feel the tip of two of her thick fingers dip into your pussy, coating the digits with your arousal before slipping them into you completely.

She never failed to have this effect on you, and if it weren't so sexy, it'd be frustrating. Your mind is so quick to go blank under her touch, hips unconsciously grinding against her tongue as she swirls it along your puffy clit. Abby's unusually slow about it at first, curling and scissoring her fingers in and out of you, making sure to prepare you as best she can, but by the time she slips in a third finger her impatience and excitement makes itself known. You're practically teetering at the edge of an orgasm when she pulls away from you entirely, a whine escaping you as you're denied a release.

"Abby..."

"Shh, baby I know" Abby murmurs, standing back up, smiling softly as she watches your brows fix together. "I want you to cum on my cock, not my fingers. You can do that for me, can't you?"

Something about the way she refers to it as her own, as if she'd grown it herself sends a shock of electricity through you, and you answer her with an eager nod.

"Atta girl, now be good for me and turn around" She instructs, pushing you flush against the glass when you obey her command.

Abby knows how badly you must be aching at this point, her own precum leaking down her thighs as her eyes rove over your back. Even so, she takes her time, fucking your thighs, calloused palms spreading your ass a bit to get a better view. She groans at the sight of your essence combining with the water, making the dildo glisten in the fluorescent lights.

"God, you're so fucking wet" She whispers. "So ready to get split on my fuckin' dick, aren't you?"

The desperate little whines and the way you wiggle your ass back onto her is all the confirmation she needs to slowly push in, though, to neither of your surprise with how soaked you are, it proves to be rather easy. The difference is almost funny to her. You looked so nervous when you'd seen it initially, and now you were sucking her in like you were used to it.

"There ya go, slipped in so fast baby, fuck"

The way Abby moans when the toy is all the way inside of you, the way she struggles to keep at a slow pace to make sure you're well adjusted to the girth - you'd think she could feel it. It's an adjustment for both of you, the task of keeping it from fully slipping out of you when she pulls back proving to be a tad more annoying than she thought it would be, but she figures it out. And, God, if it isn't fucking worth it when she does.

Each thrust is like a shock to your system, Abby's pace only increasing as she loses herself in the moment. She could probably - and likely will end up - cumming from this alone. It was already a bit of a fantasy in her mind, having often wondered what it would be like to fuck you like this, but she didn't think she actually could. Her vivid blues are transfixed on the way your ass jiggles with each hard thrust, the sound of skin slapping against skin only made more intense by the water flowing along your bare bodies.

"A-Abby I- oh my god, please!" Words barely come out of you, and when they do, they're choppy breathless rambles with no real substance. Normally you were so careful about volume, but there are always times when she'd fucked you so stupid that you stopped caring. This, for example, being one of those times.

"So fuckin' pretty...you look so fuckin' pretty trying to take it for me" Her grip on your hips is bound to leave bruising, but all you can think about is how grateful you are for that fact. If not for her hands, you'd be on the ground by now, legs shaking and unable to hold your weight any longer.

Abby knows your tells well enough to see when you're about to explode - the incoherent sobs, twitching legs, your hands desperately trying to grab onto everything - anything that could possibly help ground you even a little bit. It only eggs her on, her arm snaking around your body to rub feverishly at your aching clit, almost impatient in her need to watch you come apart for her.

"Fuck, don't stop Abby, please, 'm so close...so fuckin' close" You manage to blurt out, damn near crying at the intensity, eyes rolled into the back of your head, head lulled forward against the wall. It's taking everything in you not to fall apart this instant but you want to drag it out for just a little longer.

"Almost there, honey, I got you... C-c'mon, be a good girl and cum all over my fucking cock"

The white-hot intensity of your orgasm sends you reeling, a string of curses and choked cries spilling from your lips, arousal further wetting your inner thighs as it spurts out of you. Abby can't help but moan loudly at the sight, continuing to pump in and out of you to let the base of the toy bump against her clit more, her own climax following soon after yours.

Somehow, Abby manages to stay upright despite her legs feeling like putty, knowing full well that if she falls you'll go down with her. Her strong arms wrap around you tightly as she pulls out of you, her sweaty forehead resting against your back as you both work to catch your breath.

"Fuck..that was..." She trails off, the actual strain of her actions hitting her body, making it difficult for her to get a word out between breaths. You giggle at the sound of her struggle, though you aren't doing any better.

"So fucking good.." Is all you breathe out, your mind still too fuzzy to think of something better to say.

Abby just nods, lacking the energy to say something snarky in response, the only sound remaining being the now cold water from the showerhead pitter-pattering against the ground, though eventually, she does force herself to speak up once more.

"Once I....catch my fuckin' breath...we're so doing that again"

Reblogs are appreciated ☆ tags: @half-of-a-gay, @porcelainmystery,

[navstuffs]

DO IT FOR HIM

Pairing: Leon Kennedy x GN!Reader

Summary: Leon catches a particular item on your stuff.

Warnings: cute, two idiots in love, FLUFFY FLUFF, comedy, domestic!leon

Author's Notes: inspiration for this came from The Simpsons obvs and this amazing artwork from @emahriel. thank you so much giving me the honor to use it for my little fic! you should all check her blog, she has amazing artwork! i hope this fills your day with joy as much as i had fun writing it!

my leon's masterlist

"What is that?"

You and Leon have been cleaning your bedroom. The idea came from you: to let the energy flow around the house by donating and throwing away old items. Well, you were, at least. Leon is lying in bed, still wearing pajama pants and a shirt, although it is 4 pm. He deserves his rest, he says, and you agree. Because only Leon looks gorgeous in simple grey pants and a white shirt with a hole in the armpits. No complaints on your side.

"What is that?" Leon asks as you sit on the floor, surrounded by old stuff "That. Right there," Leon points, and your eyes follow. It is just your old collection of mangas.

"This?"

"No, behind it. That small little glass frame. What is on it?"

Small little glass…oh, crap. You immediately realize what it is, your stomach twisting. You thought you threw away that long ago before you and Leon moved together. It was a cute piece you made for yourself when you met him, feeling like a teenager in love again. It was never in your plans for Leon to see it.

"No-nothing. It's probably an old art project of mine," You try to place the frame with its face down, thinking of a way to get rid of it, before Leon, faster than you, is at your side, pulling from your hands. "Wait, Leon!"

When Leon turns the frame around, he paralyzes. It is his face. There are numerous pictures of him smiling, looking seriously at the camera, and even admiring the background scenery. There were a few of his younger self as well. And behind it, written in your handwriting in big black bold letters, DO IT FOR HIM. Leon looks at you, a smile appearing on his face, and he feels his cheek heat up.

You don't see that, your face hidden behind your hands. It was just a silly thing you did to help you during work. You placed it on your table to remind yourself to stay strong, even when things got hard.

You peek between your fingers to see Leon isn't in there anymore. Well, there you cringed the man of your life, and he probably regretted marrying you. Or, knowing Leon, he left to give a good laugh without embarrassing you.

Leon comes back, his wallet in his hands. You wait until he sits by your side and hands you the wallet.

"Open it."

You do as you are told, feeling Leon's gentle stare. You hadn't seen anything special in his wallet before besides cards and ID. You look up, and he motions for you to open his wallet. You do it, finding a small folded piece of paper.

"What is this?" You ask, cautious.

"Unfold it."

You wrinkle your forehead, opening the paper and looking at him surprised. It is one of the first pictures you took together after Raccoon City, and you just started dating. Although it was supposed to be a selfie together, Leon accidentally cut himself almost entirely out of the picture, focusing on you and your big happy smile. The paper seemed to have been folded and unfolded plenty of times. When you look at Leon, his face visibly red now, he confesses, his voice low.

"Helped a lot in dark times, believe me."

"Why this one specifically?"

"It was the first time you told me you loved me. I like to remember that."

Without being able to control yourself anymore, sniffling, you throw yourself in Leon's arms, hiding your face on his neck.

"Are you crying?" Leon wonders with a smile. When you don't answer, he rubs your back, whispering in your ear, "I still love you as much as that day."

[hier--soir]

feb + mar + apr reads

norma jean baker of troy by anne carson [★★★★★]

"Sometimes I think language should cover its own eyes when it speaks."

"Is she human? Are you? Is she a beast out of control? There's so much danger. No human can become just a beast, you plunge beyond - beyond what? Remember Jack the Ripper? 'I'm down on whores and I shan't quit ripping them till I get buckled,' Jack wrote in a letter to the newspaper, September 18, 1888. He never did get buckled. Of course insane, his mind blooming with it, who could go down that rabbit-hole or unlock such a puzzle as Jack? - but still, the woman! the thing is! the woman has everything and you smile and you take some."

: ̗̀➛ an exploration of the lives and myths of marilyn monroe and helen of troy.

: ̗̀➛ anne carson is there anything you can't do? please email me back. please.

piglet by lottie hazell [★★★★]

"'I want to make some food,' she said. 'For both of us?' he asked. 'No, just for me.'"

: ̗̀➛ one woman, piglet, and the lead up to her wedding in the face of a big confession from her fiancé.

: ̗̀➛ this one slipped beneath my skin and writhed around the spot inside me where i've tucked away all of my food issues.

merciless gods by christos tsiolkas [★★]

"I'm scared that if I let go, not only the room, not only this city, but the whole world will go cold forever."

"Your false gods cannot save you. There is only one God, my God."

: ̗̀➛ short stories that bash you over the head with how awful things and people and places can be. i did not live for this one... particularly wasn't into the one where a guy jerked his dad who has alzheimers off.

foe by iain reid [★★]

"All day. Time keeps moving. I've always thought that was a good thing. Until recently. I'm not so sure now. Is it good? For time to go by fast?"

: ̗̀➛ they want to send junior to space and replace him with a robot that looks and acts and talks exactly like him so his wife has company in his absence.

: ̗̀➛ marriage and trust and complacency, and a guy called terrence who we get reminded over and over has long gorgeous hair.

: ̗̀➛ a little boring for my taste. i had an idea of where it was going pretty early on, and it took a while for me to be proven right. pretty disconcerting!

acts of desperation by megan nolan [★★★★]

"The need was a true and human part of me, but I could feel nothing else of myself to be true or human, and so the need seemed ungodly, an aberration."

: ̗̀➛ a book full of confession, desire, jealousy, violence, and power. messy messy messy!!!! readers procceed with caution.

: ̗̀➛ shout out to everyone who said i should read this - you were right, it is up my alley.

gone girl by gillian flynn [★★★★]

"My wife was no longer my wife but a razor-wire knot daring me to unloop her, and I was not up to the job with my thick, numb, nervous fingers. Country fingers. Flyover fingers untrained in the intricate, dangerous work of solving Amy. When I'd hold up the bloody stumps, she'd sigh and turn to her secret mental notebook on which she tallied all my deficiencies, forever noting disappointments, frailties, shortcomings."

: ̗̀➛ i have become a gillian flynn STAN this year, it's true. despite having seen the movie multiple times, i enjoyed reading this, and was delighted to find some differences in the texts [for better and for worse].

: ̗̀➛ nick dunne, big fan of the lie of omission, mama's boy whose mama is dead, i'd like to introduce you to couples therapy.

dead beautiful and life eternal by yvonne woon [reread] [★★★]

: ̗̀➛ the first two books in a paranormal romance trilogy. these kinda bang guys, i can't lie. 15-year-old me was onto something when she decided to keep these instead of donating them. however, they DO have some of the worst book covers i've ever seen, sorry yvonne.

fourth wing by rebecca yarros [★★★]

: ̗̀➛ a romantasy book that has dragons, smut, and twists that you'll see coming from a mile away. pretty fun. recced to me by one man in person and a thousand women on tik tok.

: ̗̀➛ no one who has the thought 'double standards for the win' is using 'whomever' in a casual sentence with the guy she's having sex with.

: ̗̀➛ good enemies to lovers should have actual murder attempts. but maybe that's jusT MY OPINION.

my book rating system is as follows:

★ = i felt pure contempt the entire time

★★ = yeah it's a book

★★★ = i liked it!

★★★★ = good fucking book, damn

★★★★★ = blew my dick clean off and i'll throw a tantrum if everyone i know doesn't also read it and love it

[xoxitgirl]

⊹₊ ⋆ seasons results! ⊹ ࣪ ˖

⟡ part one ⟡

so usually I try to write it down from the day i start and document the results from then but I literally forgot lmaoo so heres it broken down into every couple days/every week! ima keep this method tho ngl because its so useful but this is probably gonna be a long post bc i wanna be as raw as possible w ya’ll.

season one: jdnavsthewrld ⋆𐙚 ₊ ˚ ⊹ ♡

overview

so first and foremost—my season is going to be filled with all of my designs blowing up, making hundreds of dollars a week, improving my relationship with my boyfriend, and getting a new charger. I wrote out everything in detail so that way it was easier for me to understand exactly what I want like shipping out orders and stuff in my new car, taking a trip to NY, collaborating with some designers that I really like + meeting some designers as well, having hella photo shoots, etc! so it starts off with me getting a new car, it’s easier for me to process all of my orders and get yarn/make clothing just because I have a more efficient car.

dec 3-10

this week was full of me reminding myself im living in my season and my whole idea is about my buisness blowing up and a new carr so ngl its already blown up a little cause someone posted my skirt but it slowed down and now its picking back up. one thing that I’m trying to remember is that I’m not going to know how good it is to have a lot of sales unless I know what it’s like to have lower sales like understanding the duality of owning a business that not every single day you’re going to have the most ideal amount of sales, but that time to be creative and breathe will definitely lead you to that outcome in the long run. I made 4 sales this week so its definitely making me feel a little like imposter syndrome like this cant be happening blah blah blah but I quickly redirected my thoughts to, “what happens in my season? my business was meant to blow up, this is what I’m meant to be doing.”

dec 11-18

okay I made 6 more sales, when I started I had 25 now I’m at 35 so I feel hella confident because I’m constantly falling asleep doing SATS. I can literally feel all the excitement and anxiety and nerves that come with an abundance of success. I sold my biggest custom order to a new client, this two piece set and a fur skirt so I’m like damn. its only bigger and better from here. another thing I added was me and my boyfriend are getting better and connecting more and I feel like our relationship is definitely growing in a healthier way. I made around $300 this week from my pieces so I cant even be upset if I wanted to (,:

dec 19-25

so okay new updateee I sold another 3 item set so I made another $100 this week, mind you im writing this the 21st so the week’s not even over yet, and I feel hella confident in my season. I finally finished drafting everything thats happening. im also having a lot of fun maintaining that it’s already mine. I literally spend so much time vaunting. I was meant to be a designer. of course I have sales, im that bitch. people loovee my clothes cause who else is doing it like me? literally nobodyy. this is what gets me to feel more confident too, if you’re not reassuring yourself who is yk? and my relationship is sooo goodd 🥺 like its been so peaceful and my bf has been surprising me with pinterest dates and shit like what is my lifee!!

ima come back and update after my moms bday, I always have a routine for the new year which is expelling all old energy. like cleaning my room, donating clothes, i also sage everything, make new sigils, wash my hair and alll my clothes so yeah lol i have a feeling the new energy will be beautiful.

dec 26-jan 2

okay I’ve been learning how to sew and I’ve been getting really really good at it. like making my own pieces by myself—before I used to have my mom help me, but now I actually know how to sew fr. I wanna show y’all so ill insert some things ive made/been making. ngl tho I think ima give it like a week or so more to really saturate my mind because I been listening to this sub by slade and its really been helping but I gotta focus on consistency! so thats really what im focusing on through the 15th so more updates around then!! my goal is to have more posts and get ready for a mini photoshoot.

jan 3-jan 12

jan 4th.. coming up with designs that are exactly what I envision/things that ive never seen knit or done in this style. made my collab post but skeptical about when I should make my collab collection so well see but I feel like the things im making rn are multimillion dollar designs like I can feel it in my core. also about to clean my car out soon to trade my car in for the charger of my dreams, apparently my parents were looking for chargers for monthsss and didn’t tell me cause they wanted to surprise me.. for reference y’all I literally have a charger sub i made 5 months ago and was so in my head about it but now i feel like my mind is fully saturated. every time I drive, it feels like im already in a new car, I imagine it in the driveway. I already have it in the 4d so its beyond mine in the 3d.

jan 7.. omg so update, I literally cleaned my car out today and I’m trading it in on friday like what the fuck is my lifee I knew it would happen but this was the first time where I realy put my foot down and envisioned myself driving the car literally everywhere. I race ppl like im in a charger already lmaoo the planes were bound to align sooner or later!! ill insert how it looks when it gets here yall we might have to order it but this is the first step in my journey—I get my charger, my design acc blows up, and so forth. (;

okay hi guys I made 2 sales recently and I just got my charger, everything literally feels like it’s falling into place and it’s kind of surreal. I think I’m gonna make a part two for my results because this post is getting helllla long but I GOT A 2023 CHARGER STX and tbh I wanted an R/T but the only one I could get was 2015 so im just hella happy I got a brand new car and it looks EXACTLY HOW I WANT—black rims, spoiler, it looks so mean!!! ugh im in love. peep my noface air freshener from my last car (,: and it only has 10 miles yall… I love using seasons so much

next post coming by valentines day! 💋

itgirl ⊹ ࣪ ˖

[merrock]

HAPPY MARCH !

The shortest month, plus its little extra day, has come to an end. And March is here! A springy, fun month. We have a lot of little mini events to help you do some plotting and get some fun interactions going, plus two big events happening in town. And it's a great time to get out and (hopefully) start enjoying warm temperatures and sunshine. Happy March!

ON THE CALENDAR !

March 1 -- World Candle Day (mini event) -- from 9AM to 7PM, head to Collab for candle-making demonstrations, not to mention lots of sales from local vendors!

March 2 -- Read Across America (mini event) -- do a little reading at the Memorial Library, Community Center or Children's Museum! Donations also accepted.

March 8 -- International Women's Day (mini event) -- a day to honor the women in your life with a little bit of kindness.

March 12 -- National Plant a Flower Day (mini event) -- plant a flower! By the time you can put it in the ground, maybe it will be ready to bloom.

March 17 -- St. Patrick's Day -- INFORMATION HERE!

March 19 -- First Day of Spring (mini event) -- just get out and enjoy some spring, whether it's a walk, or tending to some flowers!

March 20 -- Day of Happiness (mini event) -- a day to be happy and to make everyone around you happy, too. Basically? Smile as much as you can!

March 21 -- Day of Forests (mini event) -- head over to the Merrock State Park to take a long walk in the woods, led by the park rangers to keep you safe.

March 25 -- Waffle Day (mini event) -- free breakfast at the community center for anyone and everyone who wants to come out and enjoy!

March 30 -- Easter Egg Hunt -- INFORMATION HERE!

IMPORTANT STUFF !

FRESH MONTH, FRESH START -- every month is the chance to start fresh and dive in with a clear head! if you feel like you've been needing to get yourself into a good headspace, get back to writing... take the first of March and make it your goal to do that.

GRAB STARTERS -- remember that one of the easiest, most fun ways to get interactions going is simply writing up and replying to open starters. please make sure to check the page when you log in, or keep an eye out for starter alerts!

THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY (part 1) -- while roleplay absolutely is just for funsies, remember that when you join a group, you agree to be a part of that group, and that others rely on you for activity. everyone can handle different activity levels, and that's okay! but people are still dependent on one another to be able to be active and contributing, please keep that in mind.

THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY (part 2) -- and ooc, it's just as important to remember that we're a little family here. be kind to one another, even if it's just a nice word on an ooc post, or messaging one another, or reaching out to those who are asking for plots. we've always been a tight-knit, close group, let's work on that! and remember: building a good, happy morale? that's on all of us to work together to do.

GOALS FOR THE MONTH !

ADMIN -- add some new locations to our town.

ADMIN -- post a new task this weekend!

PLAYER -- get organized; find one way to help yourself get more organized when it comes to replies, do a little spring cleaning to get things tidied up and easy to handle!

HAVE A GREAT MARCH !

[papermoonloveslucy]

LUCY & THE SUNDAY FUNNIES

A Look at the Comic Strips of the Lucyverse

Comic strips and comic books are part of pop culture history - just like Lucy - so it is natural that the two sometimes collided. Here are some examples of popular comics that went from the Sunday funny gage, to the Monday night tv fun!

DICK TRACY

Dick Tracy is an American comic strip featuring a tough and intelligent police detective created by Chester Gould. It made its debut on October 4, 1931 in the Detroit Mirror, and it was distributed by the Chicago Tribune New York News Syndicate. Dick Tracy has also been the hero in a number of films, two of which were released in 1947.  From 1934 to 1948 "Dick Tracy" was also radio serial. Tracy was mainly heard about on Lucille Ball's radio show, "My Favorite Husband" (1948-1951).

"SECRETARIAL SCHOOL" (February 18, 1949) Liz begs the Blabbermouth on the party line to allow her to make a quick call.

LIZ: “Do you have to use the telephone?”

BLABBERMOUTH: “Whaddya expect me to use? A two-way wrist radio?” 

In 1946, Dick Tracy introduced a two-way wrist radio. In 1948, that cartoon item was brought to reality, along with a myriad of other Dick Tracy-themed toys. 

"THE ANNIVERSARY PRESENTS" (May 13, 1949) Liz is positive that George will remember their anniversary. After dropping several hints, George still hasn’t said anything.  Finally, he looks up from his newspaper with something to tell her.

GEORGE: “Dick Tracy found the jewels!” 

On May 13, 1949, the daily Dick Tracy comic strip revealed that the missing jewels has been found. The case involved a character named Pear-Shape, who owned a weight loss business but was overweight himself. He conned an elderly widow out of the jewels and sold them to a fence. 

"GETTING OLD" (May 20, 1949) Liz find a book she forgot to return to the library, long overdue. George wants to donate it to their tag sale, but Liz refuses to handle ‘hot’ merchandise. George sarcastically calls her Pear-Shape. 

George is not referring to Liz's waistline, but to the character in the Dick Tracy comic strip named Pear-Shape Tone, who was part of the storyline from April to July 1949. He was a racketeer who would steal jewelry from his wealthier clients, then fence it to make a profit.

"LIZ IN THE HOSPITAL" (May 27, 1949) As George speeds toward the hospital a cop pulls them over. Liz thinks that if she gets arrested she can’t go to the hospital so she tells the officer that they are driving a stolen car.  When George tries to interrupt, she calls him Pear-Shape to further reinforce her fake story of thievery.

Pear-Shape must have been quite popular in May 1949, because this is the third consecutive episode of “My Favorite Husband” where he is mentioned! 

"LIZ AND GEORGE ARE HANDCUFFED" (December 30, 1949) George overhears Liz playing out a scene from Dick Tracy with little Tommy Wood from next door, who got a Dick Tracy outfit for Christmas and has been playing cops and robbers ever since.  Liz says his sisters won’t play Tess Truehart to his Dick Tracy. George corrects her that she is now known as Tess Tracy, since Dick and Tess recently got married.  

LIZ: “You mean I’ve been playing around with a married man?”

On December 25, 1949, just five days before this broadcast, Dick finally married his girlfriend, Tess Truehart.

Little Tommy ��Tracy’ comes over to show ‘Pruneface’ Cooper (Liz) his badge, handcuffs, and finger print outfit.

LIZ: “Tommy, is it true that no two people in the whole world have the same fingerprints?” 

TOMMY: “Nah, that’s a lot of bunk. I’ve already found three people who have exactly the same fingerprints; my daddy, Santa Claus, and the crook who broke into my piggy bank.”

"THE JIMMY DURANTE SHOW" (April 29, 1948) Lucille Ball guest stars in an episode where they take a magic carpet around the country to see how things might be different if women were captains of industry. In Paris, Illinois, they visit the second largest perfume factory in the country, owned by Hot Breath Houlihan. 

DURANTE: “Now I know who set B.O. Plenty’s house on fire!” 

B.O. Plenty was a character from Dick Tracy comic strip. In March 1948, his house mysteriously burned down and everyone feared the character was dead. Readers actually wrote to the newspaper begging Chester Gould not to kill off B.O. Plenty and Gravel Gertie! 

From 1950 to 1951, "Dick Tracy" was a television series, ending just a few months before "I Love Lucy" went on the air. Dick Elliott (right) made his television debut as Officer Murphy. He had done several films with Lucille Ball and appeared on "I Love Lucy" in two episodes. Likewise, Pierre Watkin played Police Chief Pat Patton. He had also done several films with Lucy and two episodes of "I Love Lucy."

Ten years later there was an animated series titled "Dick Tracy" featuring Lucille Ball alumni Jerry Hausner, Benny Rubin, and Mel Blanc.

In 1967 there was a pilot for a new live-action "Dick Tracy" series that went unsold. It featured Eve Plumb and Victor Buono, who later did episodes of "Here's Lucy," but were far more famous for other shows.

LI'L ABNER

Li'l Abner was a satirical comic strip that featured a fictional clan of hillbillies living in the mountain village of Dogpatch USA. Written and illustrated by Al Capp (1909–1979), the strip ran for 43 years, from August 13, 1934, through November 13, 1977. The strip inspired a 1956 Broadway musical that was filmed in 1959. Prior to that there was a non-musical film in 1940. A radio series was heard from 1939 to 1940.

"GEORGE ATTENDS A TEENAGE DANCE" (November 20, 1948) This episode of "My Favorite Husband" opens with Liz reading the morning papers over breakfast.

LIZ: “Who do you suppose got married?”

KATIE THE MAID: “Li’l Abner and Daisy Mae?”

Almost from the start, Abner Yokum was being pursued for matrimony by Daisy Mae Scragg. The reading public found it quite a tease that the two were clearly destined to get together. They finally married in 1952, nearly four years after this broadcast. The event made the cover of LIFE Magazine. 

"LIZ LEARNS TO DRIVE" (November 13, 1948) George reads about his old college girlfriend, Myra Ponsenby, in the morning paper. Liz is unenthusiastic. 

LIZ: “What’s new in Lower Slobbovia?” 

“Lower Slobbovia” was a term first used in 1946 by Capp to describe a place that was unenlightened and socially backward. The term entered popular culture when referring to any place hopelessly stuck in the past.

"FIRST STOP" (January 17, 1955) Fred Mertz calls the rundown Ohio roadside diner "Lower Slobbovia.”

In "Tennessee Ernie Visits" (May 3, 1954) Fred calls Cousin Ernie "Little Abner".

The Broadway musical and film adaptation starred Peter Palmer as the title character. Palmer played Brother Peter in Lucille Ball's failed NBC sitcom "Bungle Abbey" (1980). On Broadway, Daisy Mae was played by Edie Adams (aka Mrs. Ernie Kovacs), who played herself in the very last episode of "The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour" (1960). The film also featured Lucy players William Lanteau, Alan Carney, Bern Hoffman, Bobby Jellison, and Torben Mayer.

The 1940 film featured Lucy's mentor Buster Keaton as Lonesome Polecat and Dick Elliott as Marryin' Sam. A new 1971 musical special featured Lucy alumni Carol Burnett, Ken Berry, Eddie Albert, and Donald O'Connor. In 1967, "Here's Lucy" director Coby Ruskin created a pilot for a "Li'l Abner" series that failed to sell.

LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE

Little Orphan Annie was a daily comic strip created by Harold Gray and syndicated by the Tribune Media Services. It made its debut on August 5, 1924, in the New York Daily News. In 1930 it became one of the first comic strips adapted to radio, and attracted about 6 million fans before leaving the air in 1942. It was adapted to film in 1932 and 1938, and (like Li'l Abner) even became a Broadway musical. The success of the 1977 musical is credited with revitalizing the popularity of the franchise. The musical was filmed in 1982, 2014, and for television in 1999.

"LUCY WANTS NEW FURNITURE" (June 1, 1953) Lucy likens her over-permed hair to a chrysanthemum, while Fred calls her Little Orphan Annie.

Annie is generally depicted with a mass of red hair and a red dress with a white collar.

"THE STAR UPSTAIRS" (1955) Cornel Wilde is trying in vain to read a soaking wet newspaper thrown to him in the bathtub by Lucy disguised as a bellboy.

 WILDE: “I thought President Eisenhower was playing golf with Little Orphan Annie.” 

Eisenhower was famous for playing golf and Annie was famous on the comic pages, so it easy to see a mash-up of the two from a soggy paper.

"LUCY AND ART LINKLETTER" (January 10, 1966) Seeing Lucy’s wide-eyed look, Mr. Mooney tells her to "stop looking like an over-aged Orphan Annie.”

In the comic strip, Annie's eyes have no pupils!

"LUCY GETS TRAPPED" (September 18, 1967) Lucy calls in sick, but goes shopping instead. When she's named Customer of the Year in a big celebration, she tries to hide the newspaper with her picture in it from Mr. Mooney. She tells him there's nothing new in the newspaper.

LUCY (about the news): "Oh, the temperature’s up, the stock market’s down, and Little Orphan Annie is lost again!”  

During its 86 years of publication, Annie being lost or having disappeared was a frequent storyline. In fact, when the strip finally ceased publication in 2010, it ended with Daddy Warbucks "resigning himself to Miss Annie's being lost forever."

SUPERMAN

The Man of Steel was introduced to the world in comic book form in June 1938, created by Jerry Siegel and Joel Shuster. Beginning in January 1939, a daily comic strip appeared and a color Sunday version was added that November. Since then, the character, and characters from his world, has been seen in virtually every form of media, including, of course, television.

"LUCY AND SUPERMAN" (January 14, 1957) is considered one of television's first 'cross-over' shows. "The Adventures of Superman" aired from 1951 to 1958 in syndication, concurrent with "I Love Lucy". It starred George Reeves as Superman, a role he also plays on this episode of "I Love Lucy." While "Superman" made the transition to color in 1954, CBS kept "Lucy" in black and white for its entire run. Reeves is never mentioned by name in the dialogue or in the original credits, although it is pretty clear that Lucy and Ricky are recruiting "the actor who plays Superman" to entertain at Little Ricky's birthday party, not the superhero himself. Keith Thibodeaux (Little Ricky) later said that this was his very favorite episode. Because Desilu had obtained the license to use the actual Superman logo, they weren’t shy about using it! They even got permission to use the show’s theme music, composed by Leo Klatzkin. 

Actors who were also seen on “Adventures of Superman” and their (characters) on “I Love Lucy”: Doris Singleton (Caroline Appleby), Elizabeth Patterson (Mrs. Trumbull), Tristram Coffin (Harry Munson), Herb Vigran (Jule / Al Sparks / Joe), Claude Akins (Himself aka ‘Giant Native’), Hayden Rorke (Mr. O’Brien), Phil Arnold (Harry Henderson / Man in Hotel Hallway), Milton Frome (Bill Henderson), Pierre Watkin (Mr. Dorrance), Dick Elliott (Tourist at Empire State Building / Yankee Stadium Spectator), Maurice Marsac (Maurice / Waiter), Frank J. Scannell (Buffo the Clown), Lou Krugman (Hollywood Director / Jewelry Salesman / Club Manager), Joi Lansing (Herself / Miss Low Neck), Larry Dobkin (Counterman / Waiter / Counterfeiter), Rolfe Sedan (Paris Chef), Eve McVeagh (Roberta the Hairdresser), Norman Varden (Mrs. Benson), Danni Sue Nolan (Mr. Reilly’s Secretary), Harry Cheshire (Sam Johnson), Ken Christy (Ken the Detective / Dock Agent), Robert Foulk (Brooklyn Policeman), Sid Melton (Jockey / Bellboy / Shorty), Bert Stevens (Tropicana Patron), Harold Miller (Theatre Patron / Ship Passenger), Hans Moebus (Man on Dock), Ernesto Molinari (Vineyard Boss), Jack Chefe (Bellhop / French Waiter), Bess Flowers (Tropicana Patron / Theatre Patron), and Monty O’Grady (Ship’s Passenger / Man at Airport).

Picking up Little Ricky’s toys, Lucy holds one of his “Superboy” comic books. It is the December 1956 issue (#53), hot off the presses during filming. Ironically, on the cover, Superman is looking at television!   Even more ironically, inside the comic book was an ad titled “Draw Bob Hope”. Hope had just appeared on the season opener of “I Love Lucy.”

BATMAN

Batman was created by Bill Kane and Bill Finger in May 1939, just a year after Superman. As with Superman, there were numerous radio, film, and television adaptations of the characters, most notably a series starring Adam West that aired from 1966 to 1968.

Alas, there is no direct reference to the Caped Crusader in the Lucyverse. There are, however, plenty of indirect references due to the large number of actors who appeared on the television series who had also appeared with Lucy: Madge Blake, Cesar Romero, Van Johnson, Shelley Winters, Liberace, Tallulah Bankhead, Ethel Merman, Milton Berle, Rudy Vallee, Ida Lupino, Howard Duff, Stafford Repp, Victor Buono, Vincent Price, Edward Everett Horton, Vito Scotti, Norma Varden, Tristram Coffin, Ellen Corby, Sammy Davis Jr., Allen Jenkins, Art Linkletter, Alan Hale Jr., Jessyln Fax, Ben Welden, Dick Kallman, Alberto Morin, Bryan O'Byrne, and Larry Anthony.

Most notable among these is Madge Blake, who played Aunt Harriet on "Batman" as well as two characters on "I Love Lucy" and one on "The Lucy Show." She was also seen with Lucy and Desi in The Long, Long Trailer (1954). Coincidentally, she played Martha, a prospective new tenant in "Lucy and Superman" (see above). When she sees something outside the apartment window, her husband Herbert is concerned.

HERBERT: “Was it a bird?”

MARTHA: “No.”

HERBERT:  “Was it a plane?”

MARTHA: “No.”

HERBERT: “Well, what was it, dear?”

MARTHA: “It was Superman!”

A 1949 film titled Batman and Robin featured Lucy performers Jack Chefe, Lyle Talbot, William Fawcett, and Phil Arnold.

DENNIS THE MENACE

Dennis the Menace, a comic strip centered around a mischievous but good natured young suburban boy, made its debut on March 12, 1951 syndicated in newspapers. Its success inspired comic books and (most famously) a television series that aired from 1959 to 1963.

"LUCY THE ROBOT" (February 28, 1966) Jay North, who played Dennis, guest-starred on a 1966 episode of "The Lucy Show" playing the 13 year-old nephew of Mr. Mooney (Gale Gordon). Lucy dresses as a toy soldier robot to divert him.

“You will keep that MENACE subdued for the next eight days!” ~ Mr. Mooney to Lucy about Wendell

During the final season of "Dennis", the long-suffering character of neighbor George Wilson was written out due to the death of actor Joseph Kearns. Kearns had played two characters on “I Love Lucy” - a psychiatrist in season one, and a theatre manager in season six. Gale Gordon was added to the cast as George’s brother, Henry.

When Lucille Ball was finally convinced to return to network television in 1962, she naturally wanted Gordon to join her, but he was unavailable due to his prior commitment to “Dennis the Menace” so Mrs. Carmichael’s put-upon banker was played by Charles Lane. Lane was also on “Dennis” as the recurring character of druggist Mr. Finch. He played the role six times before leaving for “Lucy”, his final episode airing just a day before his penultimate episode of “Lucy”! 

When “Dennis” was canceled and Gordon was finally free, Ball wasted no time in hiring him and had Lane’s character was written out in order to make way for a new banker, Theodore Mooney.  “Dennis the Menace” also had a character named Theodore Mooney - a police sergeant (George Cisar). He was often seen in the company of a woman named Lucy (Mrs. Lucy Elkins played by Irene Tedrow, and John Wilson (Gale Gordon).  

Another cast member that "Lucy" and "Dennis" had in common was Danny, a cairn terrier who played Fred the dog on "I Love Lucy" and Freemont, Mr. Wilson's dog, on "Dennis the Menace." Danny was trained by Bill Blair and owned by Frank Inn, Hollywood's busiest animal actor supplier.

Besides Gordon, Lane, and Kearns, “Dennis” also featured “Lucy Show” and/or “I Love Lucy” alumni: Mary Wickes (Miss Cathcart), Edward Everett Horton (Uncle Ned), Kathryn Card (Mrs. Biddy), Parley Baer (Captain Blast), Elvia Allman (Edna), Tyler McVey (Mr. Carlson), Dub Taylor (Opie Swanson), Norman Leavitt (various roles), Bob Jellison (Announcer), Richard Reeves (Mr. Kelly), Lurene Tuttle (Mrs. Courtland), Nestor Paiva (Gamali), Jonathan Hole (Addison Brook), Stanley Adams (Jerry Richman), Willard Waterman (Otis Quigley), Harry Cheshire (Mr. Petry), Eve McVeagh (Mrs. Purcell), Harvey Korman (Bowers), Stafford Repp (Lt. Wheeler), Verna Felton (Aunt Emma), Madge Blake (Mrs. Porter), Ellen Corby (Miss Douglas), Eleanor Audley (Mrs. Pompton), and frequent extras Leoda Richards, Leon Alton, Olan Soule, Larry J. Blake, George DeNormand, and Monty O’Grady.

THE GUMPS

The Gumps is a comic strip about a middle-class family headed by hen-pecked husband Andy. It was created by Sidney Smith in 1917, launching a 42-year run in newspapers from February 12, 1917, until October 17, 1959, just six month before the last time America saw the Ricardos and Mertzes for the last time.

"The Adagio" (December 31, 1951) Ricky says “All this shaving is liable to wear my chin away,” to which Lucy replies “Okay, Andy Gump.”

The character had a bushy mustache but no lower jaw. Cartoonist Smith based him on real-life Andy Wheat who had his jaw removed after a tooth infection.

BUSTER BROWN

Buster Brown is a comic-strip character created in 1902 by Richard F. Outcault. Adopted as the mascot of the Brown Shoe Company in 1904, Buster Brown, along with Mary Jane, and with his dog Tige, became well known to the American public in the early-20th century. The character's name was used to describe a popular style of suit for young boys, the Buster Brown suit.

"THE ENGLISH TUTOR" (December 29, 1952) Lucy hires a grammar instructor so her new baby will grow up surrounded by well-spoken friends and family. Fred sarcastically shows up to the first session wearing a Buster Brown suit.

ETHEL: "All right, Buster Brown, go downstairs and get out of that silly outfit."

"THE RICARDOS CHANGE APARTMENTS" (May 18, 1953) To give Ricky the feeling their apartment is too small, Lucy fills the flat with toys, including a frog with a tongue that popped out when squeezed. This was actually a TV tie-in (one of the first) called Froggy the Gremlin. The character made its debut on radio’s “Buster Brown Gang” in 1944, which was brought to television in 1951 as “Smilin’ Ed’s Gang” with Froggy as a puppet and – occasionally – a life-sized costume character. In various formats, the program was seen from 1951 to 1960 (also on CBS) and featured "Lucy" performers June Foray, Vitto Scotti, Lou Krugman, Alan Reed, and Jerry Maren as Buster Brown.

BRENDA STARR, REPORTER

Brenda Starr is a comic strip started by Don Messick in 1940 about an adventurous and glamourous female reporter. The strip ended in 2011.  

"LUCY BECOMES A REPORTER" (January 21, 1963) When Lucy takes a job as the editor of the Danfield Tribune's social column, Mr. Foley, the Tribune’s editor, sarcastically refers to Lucy as Brenda Starr.

Like Lucy, Brenda had red hair.

THE KATZENJAMMER KIDS

The Katzenjammer Kids was a comic strip created by German immigrant Rudolph Dirks which appeared from 1897 to 2006. Dirks was said to be the first to use 'thought balloons' in a comic strip.

"LUCY AND THE DIAMOND CUTTER" (November 16, 1970) Wally Cox plays Gustav, a nervous diamond cutter who stays at the Carter home while waiting to cut an expensive gem. Gustav calls Kim and Craig “the Katzenjammer Kids.”

The line is humorous due to Cox's thick German accent.

BRINGING UP FATHER

"VIV VISITS LUCY" (1967) A hippie named Itchy (Les Brown Jr.) tells Viv he doesn't miss his parents because “that 'Maggie and Jiggs' action was pretty hard to take.” Maggie and Jiggs (or Jiggs and Maggie) was the colloquial name for a comic strip actually titled “Bringing Up Father.” It was created by George McManus and ran from 1913 to 2000.  The strip presented the life of a nouveau-riche American family. It was translated to stage, radio, television and six films.

It is often forgotten that "I Love Lucy" was also a comic strip which appeared daily from 1952 until 1955. In fact, it was the comic strip that broke the news that Lucy Ricardo had given birth to a boy! These were then collected into "I Love Lucy" comic books. "The Lucy Show" was also a series of comic books, published by Gold Key from 1963.

[velkynkarma]

yo so I just realized (rereading Parallel by Proxy again) that it’s been six years since I started reading your stuff!! that’s crazy!! I’ve kept following you as a writer even when I fell out of Voltron a few years ago (good Gen writers are hard to find), and I realize I have so many good memories of reading all your fics as they’ve come out. I used to read the new installments of PbP during my afternoon commute, and then you started the Price Cut Paladins series— ah! I still remember where I was when I finished Premium Pandemonium for the first time (the Hunk hot chocolate chapter is still my absolute favorite, it’s such a warm scene). Your work has had a really profound impact on me (I could write a whole essay— Parasite Knight in particular has gotten me through a lot of tough times, it’s very relatable), and I still really like the way you write relationships (found family is ALWAYS gonna be my favorite trope, hands down) and hurt/comfort. Honestly, thanks for sticking around with the Voltron stuff for so long, and I hope that you’re having fun with your current fics/fandoms!!

P.s— something that’s been itching my brain since I finished Familiar Faces all those years ago: what would Ryou’s quintessence be like to Shiro if he’d been in Parasite Knight post becoming his own person? How would it have protected/interacted with Shiro— like, what internal differences would he notice? (I’m assuming its color would be still be key lime pie, ha)

Awww, anon! Thanks so much for such a nice message! I'm delighted to hear you've stuck with me so long as a reader, and I'm glad my stuff continues to satisfy. I'm also glad I could be a helpful distraction during the rougher times. Knowing I can make even one person's day a little better always makes it worth it.

Ooh, what an interesting question! You referenced Familiar Faces, but since you're talking about Parallel by Proxy as a whole, I'm assuming when you refer to Ryou you mean mine (also known as Quiet) and not @bosstoaster 's variant (who remains just Ryou).

If it's PbP!Ryou, his quintessence would actually still be very similar to Shiro's, since he's genetically designed to be identical on a physical, memory, and quintessence level and that's not the kind of thing you can just change. After all, Haggar did design him to be able to replicate everything Shiro can do, including flying the Black Lion, so their quintessence does have to be similar. (Remember, Parasite Knight was written before s2 and the lion swap were released, or even Keith temporarily piloting Black, so it is written under the assumption that they're all created for one lion only). This also means he's the most compatible for donating quintessence and his would last the longest, too. Because it's basically still Shiro's.

So it would still be a violet windstorm, like Shiro. But I think Ryou's would be closer to having almost no color at all (like actual wind) because he's also been designed as a stealth unit. He's supposed to literally fly under the radar and he's designed with mimicry in mind. As for how it would protect Shiro--just like how he protects Shiro now! Primarily with ambush strikes and misdirection, maybe even creating mirages to confuse the illusory Haggar so Shiro gets a moment to rest because she can't determine which one is the real one. (Yeah, Haggar, two can play at that game).

What a good question, anon! Thanks again for such a nice message :D

[fictionadventurer]

I had the (probably cringe) idea to write a yearly wrap-up of my blog in the form of a Christmas letter, but going back through the archive made me realize that there's a lot of memories that I want to address, so I'll casually take this month by month and talk about the things that seem interesting.

First up:

January

The year started off with an ask game where I recommended a book I read last year and an unread book on my shelves. It was tons of fun (and I'm considering doing it next year), though unfortunately it did not have the intended effect of getting me to read the unread books on my shelf. Of the books I recommended, I only read one (though I did read pieces of others and donated others unread when I decided I just wasn't interested enough.)

@magpie-trove started an ask game where mutuals played fairy godmother and chose ballgowns for people. I got several and they were lovely.

I watched the first couple of episodes of the new Around the World in 80 Days. I liked some parts, even though it was wildly different from the book, but I stopped watching when all of the character changes opted for the most cliche melodramatic backstory for every character.

I posted the first part of the Glorya M. Hayers Christmas mystery "The Christmas Card Caper", thanks to an interlibrary loan from @isfjmel-phleg. Unfortunately, distractions kept me from posting the rest, and it became less of a priority once the Christmas season passed. I would very much like to see if I can find where I stashed the rest of the transcription and post the remainder for this year's holiday season, but with my switch to a new computer, there's no guarantee I'll find it.

@freenarnian's Light in the Dark Academia trend swept through the circle of mutuals, leading to some beautiful moodboards. Jumping on the bandwagon taught me how to make moodboards, so I made several in January and used others for various projects throughout the year.

I finished off the first round of Imaginary Book Recs, and then archived them in a post that also provided Real Book Recs for the people who had requested them.

I read 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Its weirdness baffled and delighted me.

I reread Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South for the first time (via audiobook) and adored it much more than I did on first read. The book became a very important part of my mental landscape this year.

@brown-little-robin inspired a challenge for people to write poems in response to Robert Frost's "Nothing Gold Can Stay". I caved to temptation and wrote my first poem in years. I had all but forgotten I'd written it, so it was an unexpected delight to remember that I wrote a poem this year, even if it's aggressively mediocre.

I posted the complete story of "Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch and the Frog Prince", which gives a Wodehouse spin on the fairy tale that provides an origin story for the hero of this particular universe.

I posted my long-overdue essay defending concise writing techniques from those who say they're only meant to keep you from using too many words by arguing it's meant to teach you when to use words for the best effect.

There were a surprising number of posts where we discussed the difference between lyric-forward and music-forward songs, and songs that are meant to be listened to versus sung-along with.

I finished off a few posts discussing characters from my Jane Austen with Superpowers Powers and Prejudice universe, which I proceeded to ignore until July, when I overhauled the universe.

[postcards-from-here]

Ah. Another one of these.

When I worked at a university, we gave out two awards every couple of years to up-and-coming researchers. The Humanities one was easy enough to organise.

Trying to get the STEM recipient to answer the phone or email was tricky as he adored highly venomous creatures. The more they were likely to slither past and kill you with the merest touch of their skin, the more he loved them. And they were in far-flung places and he went to them so he could adore them from dangerously up close. We touched base every 6 months or so and it got to the point that if I didn't hear from him, I would start to worry.

Finally, it looked like he would be in town at about the right time. Why? Because he had had a terrible car accident in the badlands somewhere in Pakistan and so he was now a jigsaw puzzle of slowly-healing pain (see below: he broke his fucking BACK).

In the end we mailed him his little statue and citation.

https://www.science.org.au/learning/general-audience/history/interviews-australian-scientists/associate-professor-bryan-fry

Some excerpts below. This is EXACTLY how he sounds on the phone and email.

"Have you ever been bitten?

Not by a Komodo. I have had a couple of big monitor lizard bites. I had a lace monitor destroy my hand, so I got to see what arterial spurts look like. You get really excited and spurt just goes faster! I don’t want to see that again. It took two surgeries to put that back together. It sliced the tendon, nerve bundle and artery in two places, while splitting both knuckle capsules down to the bone and grooving the bone on both sides. I’ve had a few snake bites and I have broken 23 bones in the field, including my back. I’ve had 400 stitches, three concussions, a near fatal scorpion sting in the Amazon, a nasty centipede sting in Costa Rica, a stone fish sting and a few other things that I can’t remember off the top of my head.

That’s a lot of damage!

Oh yeah. By the time I’m done, we should just donate my body to science fiction! But I am having a great time. I am absolutely living every single day to its fullest. Certainly I have a daily reminder of my own mortality. But I am having a lot of fun. I am getting to play with the animals that I am absolutely in awe of and, because they are my passion, I have been able be successful.

Do you spend most of your time collecting samples or in the lab?

My travel rate can depend. Last year, I was away for 10 months of the year. I can be gone for very long periods. I am off to Heron Island next week, then home for a couple of days, then back off to Komodo Island and then over to East Java to play with slow lorises (the only venomous primate in the world), then over to Arizona to catch coral snakes and then off to a conference in Spain. So it’s a really tough gig!"

Submitter comment: I'd like to submit this '[s]tudy of defensive behavior of a venomous snake as a new approach to understand snakebite' not for it's topic (worth studying!) but for it's insane methodology, which... well, I'll just let the researcher speak for himself:

[Q: Why did you decide to do this experiment?

A: Snake behavior has been generally neglected as a field of research, especially in Brazil. And most studies don’t examine what factors make them want to bite. If you study malaria, you can research the parasite that causes the disease—but if you don’t study the mosquito that carries it, you will never solve the problem. Up until now, the popular wisdom was that the jararaca would only attack if you touched it or stepped on it. But that was not what we found.

Q: Why did you need to be the victim?

A: The best way to do this research is to put snakes and a human together. In this case, the human was me. We put the snakes inside a ring on the floor of our lab until they got used to it, then I stepped in wearing special protective boots. I stepped close to the snake and also lightly on top of it. I didn’t put my whole weight on my foot, so I did not hurt the snakes. I tested 116 animals and stepped 30 times on every animal, totaling 40,480 steps.]

From the recent (aptly named) interview: Researcher steps on deadly vipers 40,000 times to better predict snakebites

[taromilksnake]

8:52pm not a bad day all together

though the weekend kind of blurred together

changes / stressors (for better and for worse):

moved apartments and not feeling at ease until the house feels like me, having to make executive decisions on taste and aesthetics, not to mention coordinating moving stuff and deciding if the price is worth it, if i’m “settling” etc (on the forefront: bed, bedframe, curtains, couch, table, rug)

having not sold/donated stuff i don’t need anymore, like the bedframe and other stuff. my sewing machine weighs heavy on me, and not having much to do at home beyond eat and sleep (because my art stuff is all put away) i think is also not helping

experiencing loneliness in a slightly new way, now that anthony is part of my life. its really nice, its honestly "successful" at a pace beyond what i even imagined, and maybe that is part of what unsettles me. when you suddenly reach your dreams, you dont know how to live them…

more seriously considering therapy means its no longer just a hypothetical, but also something that is actionable and therefore a directive. that one comic about being bombarded by “i should…” sure is right, though i’ve gotten a lot better about it

creeping on the horizon — adhd diagnosis, medication, top surgery. i want to have my supports already without having to go through that process. lito is a model at least. the adhd piece is it’s own can of worms, as in the fear of being disbelieved, uncertainty myself, being too good at masking to be helped, etc

dental care, and navigating health insurance in general (re: HRT, top surgery, therapy, adhd diagnosis and medication, dentist visits for cavities)

lonely lonely time!! disconnected from friends, i can hit up lanchi, or even dean, but i don’t know how. or, i’m afraid to. lito and teresa are also there too, though the lack of consistency is a little intimidating and disheartening. 2 way street for everyone, so i guess it’s ok either way. it would be a good idea to just do it when you want, never mind trying to make a habit of it. you can just do it and then stop

relatedly, seeing maggie and mariam and kelly on their various vacations and activities with their family and friends just make me feel like im behind in life. anthony too, more so for him b/c it’s like, confirmed that he has so, so many friends. it’s a common feeling i know, and dave and sherry and julia are right there with me, but it still is not easy. the insecurity of being unneeded is also tough, though i try not to dwell on that

not being so solution-oriented in general? which is tricky, because it can turn recursive real fast. how do i find the solution to the problem of me being too solution-oriented? 😵‍💫 it’s kinda silly, but it’s not fun or funny. mediating and letting myself feel and think whatever i do is hard, i’m realizing this now. i keep wanting to run away, into media, into distractions, into romance and intimacy and sex, all of which makes me feel bad and ashamed

as an aside, being able to sit in the bath whenever i want is nice. this is the second time now today

overall, i think i’m on the cusp of life becoming a lot, lot better. thinking it as a possibility is hard, because realizing i have to make it happen is hard. work feels strange and confusing and hard, probably because i’m getting more clarity and so becoming more aware of my incompetencies (and experiencing some paralysis because of that).

there’s been a lot of change in my life, and lanchis wedding feels like a lifetime ago. thinking of that though, i remember us in high school talking about all living around LA area, and visiting and keeping in touch…it can still happen. anthony can meet lanchi and dean, even. i want to remember that everything mattered because everything lead me to here, and here will only lead me to a better and happier life, too. a part of me feels it, no matter what happens. teaching will get easier too, there’s lots of examples of that. don’t forget that i love you and i’m rooting for you, always always always. things will turn up soon enough, and you will have a wonderful house to live in and you will host your friends and everyone will have a great time. just be patient with yourself and take your time. today you had fun out in the grass, and you were brave and took the plunge to get your work done too. be proud of that. once you think it, it will eventually happen, so don’t worry too much about it as everything will work out. go relax and have fun, do things on impulse :)

[bunnyboyzyon]

I would love to officially ask you 1-24 on the list that you just reblogged please and thank you

uh uh tldr morbid curiosity has gotten the best of me and I am getting therapy

1- What’s your favorite color? Every green and scarlet red

2- Coffee or tea? Tea but it always needs milk and a little bit of sugar

3- If you could live anywhere and cost wasn’t an issue, where would you live? Alaska it's so far from everything else it's cold there's snow and polar night I need that in my life

4- If you were a time of day, what time of day would you be? 5 am

5- What’s your phone wallpaper?

6- What’s a song that you relate to?

7- What would you do if you found a 100 dollar bill on the sidewalk? Keep it?? I'm buying rings with that

8- Do you have any piercings or tattoos? Double ear piercings that I don't use and a nose piercing in my right nostril, current stud is a little bat

9- What song would you want to get kissed to? If someone kissed me I'd cry.. anyways

10- What song would you play at your funeral?

11- When’s the last time you cried? Like two days watching the finale of Sweet Tooth because of how inevitable it is that the people who love you will die eventually no matter how many times you save them

12- What do you want to be remembered for when you die? I want peanut to remember how much I love them, and I'd rather be forgotten by everyone else

13- If you could commit any crime without consequence, which crime would you commit? Or would you not commit any crime at all? I would say cannibalism but fun fact cannibalism is legal in most states so murder but only twice on people who hurt me

14- Would you rather know the date or cause of your death? The date so I know how much or how little time I have left to do everything I've dreamed of

15- What would you do if you found a dead body in a hotel room? The people want me to say I'd be scared but I'd start investigating the body like a new forensics case I'm gonna know how long its been dead and how it died before the police get there

16- Are we really living or are we just slowly dying? Both, depends on the person. I personally feel like I'm slowly dying but others around me seem to be living and thriving

17- Do you like the taste of blood? Yeah when you get used to it when you used to get nose bleeds everyday for a few months (my pollen allergy used to be so bad yall I got anemia from that plus periods)

18- If you had to lose a body part, which one would you choose and why? Boobs. I'm trans masc I don't need to explain this

19- Would you rather be frozen, burned, or drowned? Burn because it only takes about 30 seconds for fire to burn your nerves and keep you from feeling the pain

20- If there's hell of some sort, do you think you’re going there? Absolutely I don't think it's normal to want to know what the human body tastes like but I'd get consent n stuff there's gotta be people who donate their bodies to the science of finding out what they taste like right??? Curiousity killed the cat though so

21- How would you dispose of a body? Cannibalism bc what're they gonna do, cut me open??? Or dissolved with acid and dumped into a storm drain

22- Would you kill someone you don’t know to save someone you love? Of course if it's them vs some random person I don't know I'm picking them every single time

23- Would you rather be burned at the stake but die a saint beloved by all, or die peacefully but have nobody remember you? Peacefully and forgotten

24- Would you rather eat part of a human heart or a whole human eye? But like what if both though.. can I atleast have the whole heart??? What if the parts taste different I need to know

[art-of-manliness]

Odds & Ends: August 2, 2024

The Truman Show. Our family just finished watching The Truman Show. I hadn’t seen it since it originally came out 26 (26?!) years ago, and it was as good as I remembered. It was fun to see how into it our kids were, too. Everything about the film is nearly pitch-perfect, from the casting to the humor (I’m still chuckling about the “It Could Happen To You” poster at the travel agency). The film was so prescient; it’s hard to believe it came out before reality television’s heyday, and its themes about surveillance, voyeurism, turning private lives into entertainment and profit, and the ways viewers are complicit in transforming humans into disposable commodities have only become more salient in the social media age. Add onto that several other existential themes — I think the whole thing can be read as a riff on Plato’s allegory of the cave — and you’ve got quite a compelling flick. Your therapist wants you to go outside. We’re big advocates for spending time in nature. It’s great not only for your physical health, but your mental health as well, as a meta-analysis by the University of Utah recently confirmed. It found that spending as little as 10 minutes in nature can benefit adults with diagnosed mental illnesses. Water-based outdoor spaces and activities like camping and gardening were especially beneficial. If you haven’t added the 20-5-3 Rule to your health regimen, all the more reason to start now. Battery Daddy. Last Christmas, my mom got our family what has turned out to be a surprisingly useful gift: The Battery Daddy. It’s a case that stores various sizes of batteries. She even stocked it with batteries for us. It’s solved what had been a perennial problem: I couldn’t find the batteries I needed when I needed them, and when I did find them, they’d sometimes have dislodged from their original packaging and be hanging out in the junk drawer, leading me to wonder if they were new or used. Now, all our batteries reside in one well-organized go-to place. Whenever I see myself getting low in one size of battery, I just fill the Battery Daddy back up. Poor Charlie’s Almanack: The Essential Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger. I bought this book over a decade ago and have turned to it again and again over the years. Poor Charlie’s Almanack is a collection of wisdom and insights from the late Charles T. Munger, a renowned investor and Warren Buffett’s business partner. The book compiles Munger’s speeches, lectures, and commentaries, emphasizing multidisciplinary thinking and practical wisdom for investing and life. His insights about mental models have been particularly useful to me over the years.  Quote of the Week We are always complaining that our days are few, and acting as though there would be no end of them. —Seneca Help support independent publishing. Make a donation to The Art of Manliness! Thanks for the support! http://dlvr.it/TBQRtY

[cloudslou]

Hii im back. Good morning, i hope you slept well and that your day will be great.

Okay now to answer the message from before.

I am not into any motorsports or even watching other sports. I've mever found watching them fun, maybe its because i like playing sports better although i haven't done that in a while either 😅 but im always up for listening to others who do like watching them talk about them. But i think motorsports might actually be different so yes maybe i will take a look at f1academy.

Haha okay ill look away if you say so.

And about coming off anon, hmm maybe ill dm you? Its a little scary but i shall do it.

I have mostly just been slumping and i end up watching stuff on youtube instead. The last show i watched was s3 of young royals when it was released and i watched s1 and s2 of that in the end of 2023. And i think the second last show I've watched was shameless. And then there were two movies i watched recently where one was a rewatch. Idk if you've watched either of these. But even with them they were things i wanted to watch but it took a while to actually start them. Im like that with fics and books too. I usually need something to push me to pick one out of the long list of stuff i have (+ it also depends on how easy it is to find the stuff too). So for example ill see a post or posts about something and then ill go okay lets just pick this now. 😅 so hey i think this is that for derry girls! Now i have to update you on watching it too.

oooh what sports did you play?? i dabbled a but growing up but never stuck with anything, and now the only sport i watch is motor sports. i want to watch more sports but i just can never seem to find the time or motivation, so instead i have a few players i like and i just hope they’re doing well. (in footy it’s jude bellingham and marcus rashford, and i do believe jude recently did well! or his team did. u know.)

u don’t have to do anything scary if u don’t want i’m happy to chat via anon but i don’t think IM scary. i don’t rlly ignore ppl unless it’s like spam or randos? like idk ppl who mass sends messages to ppl cus they want followers or want to send u a donation post (which i usually think r scams in this case?).

i understand the slumping bc i think i’ve been there. i’ve been watching a LOTTTTT of youtube. what kind of videos are you watching?? i’ve been trying to get thru shows i want to watch but it’s slow going, but in currently making good time on bridgerton season 2! i’m rewatching before season 3.

i HAVE seen young royals and shameless!!! i haven’t yet seen s3 of young royals cus i also what to rewatch that to remember all that went on so i can go into s3 refreshed. and then shameless was like. my greatest guilty pleasure when i was younger. i think i’ve seen thru 9 seasons of it? just horrible. but so addicting.