#lion ev truck

[prideev]

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[the-foolish-scholar]

The World

In the traditional tarot deck, The World card shows a naked individual wrapped in a purple cloth, dancing inside a large laurel wreath. They look behind to the past, while their body moves forward to the future. In their hands are two wands or batons, similar to the one The Magician holds. It is a symbol that what was manifested with The Magician has now come to completion with The World. The wreath is circular, symbolizing a continual cycle of successful completion and new beginnings because, as the individual steps through the wreath, they are completing one phase but beginning another one simultaneously. Around the wreath are four figures (a lion, bull, cherub and eagle), very much like those in the Wheel of Fortune card. Both The World and the Wheel of Fortune speak to the cyclical nature of our lives and our progression through our cycles. The four figures represent the four fixed signs of the Zodiac—Leo, Taurus, Aquarius, and Scorpio. They are symbolic of the four elements, the four suits of Tarot, four compass points, four seasons, and the four corners of the Universe. All of these aspects that these symbols represent are here to guide us from one phase to the next, bringing balance and harmony to our journeys.

-

Hi everyone, long time, no type. If you’re sitting here reading this, or at least skimming it, thanks for devoting your precious time to hear me blabber.

Life is lots of things, but right now I feel a sense of peace and contentment. Yesterday I flew back to El Salvador after spending about two months back in the states.

Being home in the US was strange. I don’t know how to describe it; It was like I had bought one of those rearview mirror extenders for my car...? So much of my life had been lived without paying full attention to my peripherals, and I’d only see what was in my peripherals when I’d intentionally check my blind spot. But now, with a simple glance upward, I can see everything that was once hidden from first sight.

That’s led to a lot of critical self and societal analysis, which honestly, makes me feel like this:

I miss the days when my brain was underdeveloped and I never felt like that, as I imagine we all do. Siri, play Ribs by Lorde.

ANYWAY,

I took advantage of everything life had to offer me while I was home. What luck I’ve encountered in this life to live with such privileges…

When I first got home, Nolan and I had a fancy dinner. We split a beet salad, calamari, caesar salad, walleye, steak, asparagus, potatoes, and a chocolate torte. It was all so decadent.

We also celebrated the lovely Savannah’s 2nd birthday! After her party was over, we met up with Mackenzie and Roman and went out in Detroit. I didn’t think I had it in me to go out but the vibes were good. We got munchies from the food truck outside the place we were at and I tried orange pepper wings and macaroni and cheese inside of an egg roll. 

Thanksgiving eve was quite eventful. It was the first time I got to go out with Casey, Bailey, Sam, and Clayton together since I’d left. We ran into so many people at the bars and it was nice to chit chat with everyone. As usual, my choice of shoes bit me in the ass.

Celebrating Thanksgiving, violently hungover, was the perfect penance for the festivities from the night before. Feasting in honor of genocide is always awkward and morally conflicting, but damn was the food good. Especially Aunt Megan’s broccoli salad.

Mom and I went antiquing on Black Friday and there were so many interesting things. I ended up buying a children's book that resonated with me. Here's a Youtube video of someone reading it. Yes, I am cringe and childish, but I am free.

After we finished shopping, we stopped at Monger's/The Rind and had a cider. It was nice to support small business. They even had Paw Paw ice cream! At night I went out to 24 with friends and we played darts and had a grand time.

Casey and I also went to go see the new Hunger Games movie at Emagine. It was so nice to eat movie theater popcorn with all the chemicals and artificial flavoring that makes it taste good enough to eat.

Lily and I made plans and then the universe did not agree with our plans but we ended up having a great time together. We caught up at Pinky’s after the first three places we tried to go to were not viable options. They have good fries there. We also went to Gusoline together after which was a lot of fun!

Sam and I grabbed dinner at The Oak Parker. They had these really good sweet potatoes, and they said they were covered in a vegan cream sauce, but it was literally just parve ranch. After dinner we went to some self-serve bar in Royal Oak and played a heated game of Jenga.

Mom and I went to Bagger Daves for burgers and then Blarney’s for beers. At Blarney, we sat in one of the booths… Those who know, know. She took some spirited pictures of me and posted them on Facebook; because she’s friends with the bar, they shared a wonderful picture of me toasting with my beer on their page… Apparently, I’m just the demographic of people they need to advertise their bar! As an influencer, I feel that I deserve my cut of the profits.

I went on the Royal Oak Santa Bar Crawl with Sam, Clayton, and co. We only went to three bars, and one of them was not participating in the crawl. A lot more relaxed than the ADPI senior bar crawl. I met some interesting characters and had some fascinating conversations with said characters. Again, IFYKYK.

The next day, I treated myself to a little spa day and escaped out to the lake. It was very needed for the soul. I wrote the first draft of this grant proposal and I even dabbled in some poetry. I got chocolate almond ice cream from The Parlor and a cheese pizza with butter crust from Hungry Howies. I binge watched a lot of La Fea Mas Bella while I was out there too.

After being away, it was nice to come back home. My parents and I watched Oppenheimer. We also got some Kam’s for dinner.

I trecked out to Chicago with Roman to celebrate Nolan’s 25th birthday. Our car ride went by quickly and the conversation was nice. We arrived to chi town pretty late so Casey and I just had a lazy night after Roman dropped me off. The highlight of that day was finally meeting Annie, Casey's cat!

Nolan and I put in a reservation at Armitage Ale House and then we got some shopping done for our secret santa. There was this one place we walked by which just had bottle of lotion for people to take and it smelled good. Armitage Ale House lived up to the hype Nolan has given it. We split their trout caesar, burger, and sticky date cake. It was divine.

We went to Happy Camper for dinner and drinks afterword. I had a forever chemical kale and beet salad and nibbled on some barbecue chicken pizza. I forgot how good barbecue chicken pizza is. We went back to Nolan’s for secret santa and it was cute and fun. Brooke got me a film camera and I’m so excited to use it to take pictures when I’m back out in the field!

The next night was Nolan’s actual birthday and we had a blast singing, dancing, and drinking on the trolley we got to take us around. It was lovely to meet and chat with old and new friends. The second bar had a photo booth and it was really nice to take pictures in it with Nolan and Hannah. I love getting to use the pictures we took as bookmarks.

The next day, Roman, Bailey, Alan, and I headed back home. We made a stop in some small town in Indiana to fill up on gas and get some food. The Jimmy John’s tasted like heaven in my mouth. There truly is nothing better than a big and crunchy pickle. I also tried their peppermint chocolate cookie, it was good. It was nice to debrief about the weekend together too.

Later that week Bailey, Sam, Clayton, Alan, and I went out to Como’s for pizza. Bailey and I split their antipasto salad and it was actually the best antipasto salad that I’ve had in my entire life. I also got barbecue chicken pizza. To. Die. For. At the end of the dinner, I accidentally dropped a cup of ranch and it miraculously landed in a glass of ice water, which only Sam and I saw but it was funny.

On that Saturday, Roman, Mackenzie, Casey and I went out to the Black Salt bar. I was really happy that we were able to go as I’d been wanting to go since I first heard about it opening months ago. I got the presence cocktail, which contained absinthe and involved some ritual to evoke spiritual guidance from those beyond. The drink had a fascinating flavor but it felt odd to be so spiritual in front of others in a bar. I chowed on some Smartfood Popcorn which reminded me of the Fund Run at Rogers. We all split this exquisite chocolate truffle too, it was decadent dark chocolate but it had this floral quality to it. We rented a deck of tarot cards and I gave everyone readings. Roman read my tarot cards for me and it was so lovely to sit on the other side of a reading for once. We got a second round and I had this delicious espresso martini with a hazelnut flavoring. On our way out, we purchased spells and tarot card readings from the vending machine (I don’t know what you’d call them, they’re the things you put quarters in near the entrance of diners, that usually have candy or stickers in them?) and then headed to pick up drinks from the party store and pizza from Roman’s Amici’s. We got a gigantic barbecue chicken pizza and ate it as we watched Saltburn at Roman’s apartment. The pizza was fantastic and the movie was for sure interesting.

When Christmas Eve rolled around I stayed in with my parents and we decorated Christmas cookies. We also watched The Family Stone and Elf. The Family Stone was really touching and Elf, such a Christmas classic.

On Christmas day we headed out to Aunt Megan and Uncle Mike’s to celebrate. Uncle Mike smoked a turkey and it turned out very well. We drank Jingle Juice and had a jolly time playing Left, Right, Center. It was really nice to spend time together. After we finished family Christmas, I headed over to Bailey’s to celebrate. It felt really good to end Christmas together with friends and catch up with people I rarely get the chance to speak with.

Nolan came home and him and I went to Hellenic for Greek salad and we also got some Saganaki. We played with Savannah for a bit and went to the gym too. Later that night we got together with Casey and Bailey for dinner and drinks at Maddy’s Amici’s. After Amici’s we went to Blarney’s for one last beer and we were engaged in some delightful conversation about the state of online dating with the strangers at the bar. We took our chances at winning a prize from the claw machine and won nothing but the joy of playing the game.

The next day I drove Nolan to the bus stop and then grabbed coffee with Casey. In the evening, Roman picked me up and we headed to Maddy’s Amici’s to celebrate Maddy and Casey’s birthdays. At our end of the table, we had a lively conversation about the impact nipple piercings may or may not have on a breastfed child’s speech development, among many other things. The tiramisu was divine too. It was really nice to spend time with everyone that was there. Especially the surprise visit from Autumn, Lauren, and Amelia!

The next morning Casey and I headed out to Chicago. The drive was good. When we finally made it, we quickly got ready to go out for Casey’s birthday dinner. I had a forever chemical Santa Fe kale salad with steak and it was so good. After dinner we went to Ebony and Rachel’s to pregame the bar. It was a lot fun. The bar we went to had a very interesting bathroom but I liked the vibe of the place a lot.

On New Year’s Eve, Casey and I were pretty lazy and we lounged around at her apartment. We got middle eastern food which hit so hard. Around 7, we headed over to Nolan and Cassie’s for a cocktail party. We watched Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper and I was glad that CNN was letting them drink again. Cassie put out a wonderful spread of snacks and Hannah made some really good bruschetta. I made the first cocktail of the night, carajillos, which we all agreed as a good first drink of the night per the caffeine. The drinks that everyone else made were all so great, it was so fun to get to try so many new things. I also read tarot cards for people, with the help of Trixie when I read Hannah's! After the ball dropped, we officially celebrated Casey’s birthday with Trader Joe’s sheet cake and oh my God… The TikTokers were not lying about that cake!

On New Year’s Day I slept in pretty late and then I headed home. The drive home by myself was good for the soul. I listened to lots of music and contemplated my life. I was happy to sleep in my own bed by the time I got home.

The next week kind of went by in a blur. I just focused on getting things done that I needed to do before leaving the country. I went on a really nice walk around Cranbrook. I got really close to a deer, it was a very spiritual moment.

On my last night, Evan came home and we all had dinner together. Caesar salad, steak, asparagus, and baked potatoes. All very delicious and a treat for the senses. After dinner, I retired to my room and reflected on my time at home and the direction of my life. I fell asleep only to wake up in the middle of the night to head to the airport. My flights were smooth and my ride home from the airport went by quickly. Walking into my apartment gave me a sense of personal stability that I hadn’t felt since I’d left. It was nice to be alone and in my own space again.

I can’t believe that I’m going to move from this apartment in a week. So many memories reside within this room. If walls could talk… You best believe that I’ll be soaking up every last second that I have here. While to the eye this apartment is merely a place with my things, to me, this apartment symbolizes my ability to achieve a life for myself independently, which is extremely gratifying and freeing. I can’t say I’ll miss the moldy water or the lack of running water, but I will miss everything else this apartment gave to me.

So if you’ve made it this far, you should congratulate yourself, because you don’t have iPad baby brain rot. Thanks for caring enough to read my ramblings. It kind of turned into Sylvia Plath’s food diary… What can I say, my inner fat girl lives on!

Z

[sealioninternationaltrade]

Affordable and Efficient: Small Electric Pickup Trucks Explained

In recent years, the automotive industry has seen a surge in interest and development towards electric vehicles (EVs), including the compact yet powerful segment of small electric pickup trucks. These vehicles combine the practicality of a pickup truck with the efficiency and eco-friendliness of electric propulsion, making them increasingly popular among urban dwellers and eco-conscious consumers alike.

Eco-Friendly Driving with Zero Emissions

One of the primary appeals of small electric pickup trucks, such as those offered by SEA LION INTERNATIONAL TRADE CO., Ltd, is their environmental friendliness. Unlike traditional gasoline-powered trucks that emit harmful pollutants, electric pickups produce zero tailpipe emissions. This feature not only helps reduce carbon footprints but also contributes to cleaner air in urban areas where air quality is often a concern.

Compact Size, Surprising Utility

Despite their smaller footprint compared to full-sized pickups, these electric trucks boast impressive utility. With advancements in battery technology and electric motors, manufacturers have been able to maximize interior space and payload capacity without compromising on efficiency. This makes them ideal for daily urban commutes, weekend adventures, and light-duty hauling tasks.

Cost-Effective Operation and Maintenance

Electric vehicles are known for their lower operating costs compared to gasoline counterparts, and small electric pickup trucks are no exception. They typically have fewer moving parts, reducing maintenance needs and costs over the vehicle's lifetime. Additionally, the cost of electricity is generally lower than gasoline, translating into savings at the pump for owners.

Advanced Technology and Connectivity

Modern small electric pickups come equipped with state-of-the-art technology and connectivity features. From touchscreen infotainment systems to advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) like lane-keeping assist and adaptive cruise control, these trucks offer a blend of comfort, convenience, and safety. Some models even incorporate smart charging capabilities that allow users to monitor and control charging remotely via smartphone apps.

Charging Infrastructure and Range

One of the initial concerns for electric vehicle adopters was the availability of charging infrastructure. However, with the rapid expansion of charging networks globally, charging small electric pickup trucks has become more convenient than ever. Many models offer fast-charging capabilities, allowing drivers to recharge their vehicles quickly during stops or at designated charging stations. As battery technology continues to evolve, so does the range of these vehicles, providing sufficient mileage for both urban and suburban use.

Style and Customization Options

Beyond their functional advantages, small electric pickup trucks also offer a range of style and customization options. Manufacturers understand the importance of personalization for consumers, offering various exterior colors, interior trims, and accessory packages to suit individual tastes and preferences. This customization not only enhances the vehicle's appeal but also allows owners to make a statement while driving a sustainable and efficient vehicle.

Conclusion

In conclusion, small electric pickup trucks represent a compelling option for consumers seeking a blend of affordability, efficiency, and practicality in their next vehicle purchase. With advancements in technology, expanding charging infrastructure, and a growing selection of models from leading manufacturers, these trucks are poised to play a significant role in the future of urban mobility. Whether you're looking to reduce your environmental impact, lower your operating costs, or simply enjoy the latest in automotive innovation, small electric pickups offer a versatile solution that meets modern-day transportation needs.

Blog Resources:- https://sealioninternationaltrade.blogspot.com/2024/07/affordable-and-efficient-small-electric.html

[animalgardensculptures]

A Review of Animal Sculptures

Creating a miniature garden within the coffee desk is eve Making a miniature garden on the espresso desk is the eve

Once they satisfied AASD Group relations director Paula Foreman in the park, the First strategy was to complete something like a bench, she said.

Rejoice kids with present-day sculptor Bronti's timeless picture of Jesus smiling and welcoming the little types. Understanding that Jesus taught which the kingdom of heaven belongs to includes these. Also known as "The Smiling Christ Statue," Bronti made him more than a two-foot-superior sculpt to honor Among the most joyful facets of Christ s ministry.

The look of the Toscano Young Gardeners Statue completes a glimpse of the garden with its distinctive structure. This statue incorporates a style of two Young children Functioning in the garden with garden instruments; They may be named Rebecca and Samuel. Made from resin, this statue is hand-painted and it has a light grey finish. The resin design guarantees maximum energy and durability.

At 21 inches tall, the pair is Solid in superior-good quality resin which has a faux stone end, mimicking The traditional lion sculptures standing guard at castle gates all over the world.

Now for a far more historic vibe, you may have a Roman and Greek bust sculpture designed. Marble humanoids quickly come to feel basic and complicated to start with look.

The balancing best piece is perfectly weighted to manage gentle breezes or gusty winds. This piece mounts over a pole that’s included and stands fifty-two inches tall when set with each other.

This exclusive property decoration adds a playful appeal Absolutely everyone will like it. These statues are a 3-piece list of see, listen to, and speak no evil Easter Island tiki statues. These charming statues could read more and be exhibited alongside one another or spread out through your garden, yard, or deck. The statues are crafted applying weather- and UV-resistant magnesium oxide content.

Your spirit will soar on the assurance of hope inscribed Within this contemplative cherub statue. With feathered angel wings plus a book with readable text, this inspirational toddler angel sculpture is grounded in everlasting religion in everyday life's attractiveness.

An alternative to applying the above-mentioned Guidelines is to utilize Haddonstone’s Masonry Weathering Tint. This simple-to-use h2o-dependent formulation adds character to cast stone. A person's coat will insert an antique search, or extra levels might be applied to build up a larger depth of color.

Martin Truck Bodies is donating the parts of metal along with the funds for your laser cutting for that ribbon.

These Chinese garden lions have stood sentry at palaces, temples, and houses of the elite for centuries. This pair is manufactured from bonded stone by having an antiqued stone complete.

Our mom and infant ducks add allure to some flower beds, porch, or routes. This Duck Relatives with Mother and Three Toddlers Established is hand-painted to resemble copper with verdigris highlights. Every single lifestyle-sized duck strikes its pose and wears another expression, lending temperament to any Room.

Increase an enjoyable and distinctive ingredient of appeal for your garden, deck, dwelling, Business office, or any outdoor Place with this particular lovely fowl. Makes an incredible gift for people who like our feathered friends.

[hallbenjamin]

Lion Electric Merger with Northern Genesis Acquisition ($NGA) being investigated

[lovemeleo]

Puppy Love

I’m back again with another O’Knutzy fic because I was inspired today and I love them with my whole heart. Thank you to the ever amazing @lumosinlove for her beautiful stories and fantastic characters!

Also thank you to all the lovely human beings in the discord, especially @heyitssmiller, @inloveoknutzy, and @ais-for-alex This is for you 

_______________________________________________

Ever since he was little, Logan had always wanted a dog. They never had one at the house but he saw them everywhere and made his Maman stop so he could give love and pets to every single one. 

Back in elementary school, his friend Michael had a fluffy white husky named Bandit and Logan loved him. Hours were spent laying on the floor at Michael’s house next to Bandit, his face pressed into the dog’s soft fur. When Michael moved away, Logan was a mess. He cried into his mother’s arms as the truck left the neighborhood, and she assured him that he would see Michael again. Logan wasn’t crying for him though, but for the pup they took with them. 

When he moved in with the Dumais’, part of him hoped to convince the family to get a dog. After all, dogs were great for families, and they’d be good to help teach the kids how to be, responsible and take care of something. Logan brought up these points to Dumo in the locker room when they were heading home from the rink, only to receive the heartbreaking news: Marc was allergic. While he could be around dogs for short periods of time, to have one in the house would have him miserable, nose running and eyes puffy. 

As much as he loved dogs, it seemed as though it just wasn’t meant to be. 

By the time, Logan moved in with his boys, he had given up on his dog dream. They both knew how much he loved them, how could they not see it? Walking through the park, Logan had to stop and pet every dog they passed, after asking the owner for permission of course. His favorite social media accounts were all dog related, and he would often be seen scrolling the pup pictures on We Rate Dogs. Today was no different. Finn had gone out an hour or so before, brunch with Alex he said. That left Leo and Logan at home.

They were sprawled on separate ends of the couch, Leo’s long legs tangled with Logan’s. Logan was on his phone, and Leo didn’t have to see the screen to know that he was looking at cute dog videos. Leo smiled softly, his thumb moving to trace around Logan’s ankle. He didn’t know it was possible to be so in love, but here he was. His two lovely boys were his everything and he knew he would burn the world for them. Which is why he needed today to go perfectly.

“I need to get out of the house,” Leo said as he sat up, gently tapping Logan’s leg. “Can we go to the park, babe?” Logan let out a groan, his head falling back onto the arm of the couch, “Walking? On an off day?” He whined, even though he was already getting up. As if Logan could ever say no to those baby blues. 

Leo smiled as he got up and started pulling on his shoes, “Don’t whine, mon chérie. It’s too nice of a day out to just be laying around inside. C’mon.” He tucked his phone and keys into his pocket before holding his hand out to Logan. Logan smiled softly as he intertwined their fingers, Leo pressing a kiss to his knuckles as he led them out the door.

The park was only a block away from their apartment, and they loved to go there. There were trails throughout the park with trees and flowers everywhere. It was also the perfect place for a surprise. 

Leo led the way down their usual trail, which had a little clearing at the end with benches and picnic tables. There were a few people scattered around the tables, but of course, one stuck out the most to Logan. Sitting at the farthest table was a guy in a hoodie facing away from them, but of course, the guy wasn’t what caught his attention. On the grass next to the guy was a happy ball of fluff, tail wagging crazily as it pounced on the man’s shoes. He was a husky.

“Oh my god!” Logan let out a soft squeal as he saw the pup, “Knutty babe, I’ve gotta pet him.” He said, looking up at Leo, who bit back a smile. “Go on then.” Leo hadn’t even finished his sentence before he ran over the pup trying to meet him halfway, “Can I pet your dog please?” He said, hands already reaching out. The man didn’t turn from where he was staring ahead, just nodding an okay.

Logan quickly nuzzled into the pup’s soft fur as he attacked his face with slobbery kisses, “Oh mon dieu, quel bon petit bébé! Une telle chérie!” He murmured, scratching behind the little puppy's ears. Leo crouched down next to Logan, rubbing at his tummy. He tried to hide his smile as he watched his boyfriend turn into a pile of goo at the sight of the little dog. “What’s his name?” Logan asked, his eyes flickering up to the man again before he looked back down to the puppy who was now sprawled in his lap, his face nuzzling into Logan’s soft Lions hoodie.

“I think that’s for you to decide, Lo.” The man said, making Logan’s head snap up. 

Sitting at the table was Finn, a massive grin on his face as he finally turned around to finally look at his boys. “Wait. Wait, non. Non!” Logan’s eyes immediately filled with tears as he looked between his boys, oh his lovely, lovely boys. 

“He’s ours, baby.” Leo said with a smile, as Finn joined them on the grass. The pup looked up at Logan, his little tongue hanging out of his mouth. It looked like he was smiling. Of course, Logan burst into tears, his hand came up to cover his mouth. 

“Aw, Lo! Don’t cry, sweetheart!” Finn quickly pulled Logan close, pressing kisses into his hair as he tried to hold him without crushing the do- their dog. He smiled at Leo as they sat on either side of Logan, pressing kisses into his hair. “You’ve gotta name him, Tremzy. Look at him all cute and nameless.” Leo said, leaning forward to look at their pup. 

“He’s got your eyes, Nutter Butter.” Logan murmured, as he wiped his face before intertwining his fingers back into the fur of their puppy. THEIR PUPPY. He had a PUPPY! He squeezed the pup to his chest gently, as a bright grin appeared on his face.

“I think… I think we should name him Gryff. Y’know.. Like Gryffindor. And it’s where we all met. And he’s our baby and should be named after something important to all of us and-” Logan cut off as Leo pressed a kiss to his lips. “You’re rambling babe,” Leo said with a smile as he pulled away, “but I love Gryff. Think it’s perfect.” 

Finn sniffled from next to them, “You guys are such saps.” He mumbled, wiping at his eyes. Logan smiled, pulling him in for a quick kiss as well. 

“I love you both so much.”  He murmured, his eyes flickering between the other two boys. They quickly attacked him with kisses, murmuring their love for him as they pressed kisses all over his face.

Logan didn’t know what he did to deserve this life, but he was forever thankful for it. He had all he needed in the world: hockey, his puppy and his amazing lovely boys.

[mythicamagic]

Eve’s Inferno - Rukiyui oneshot

Dante's Inferno AU. Eve has searched almost every circle of Hell, leaving just one left. In order to find Adam, she must face the one responsible for their banishment from Eden. But the Devil is used to whispering sweet nothings, and Ruki has succeeded in getting under her skin once before. Rukiyui oneshot.

AN: Made for the Diabolik Lovers Zine @diabolikloverszine​ and published with permission since the sales have closed. I had this idea a long time ago, due to Ruki often being associated with Lucifer in the games. Hope you enjoy!

Rated T

3,000 words (also posted on Ao3)

Eve's Inferno

Disembarking from the small boat, a young woman kept her hand in the ferryman's as he assisted her down. He smiled gently with ashen lips and doleful eyes, nodding to a set of double doors awaiting her.

Thanking him, she offered coins for the ride but was met with a quiet decline. He soon pushed off the dead earth, slinking back up the dark, murky waters of the cavern's river.

The grey doors had vast, intricate carvings of desperate people rising out of it, frozen mid-air, arms outstretched and clawing as though trying to escape. She wondered if they were real human souls, trapped as such a mundane part of the underworld. Taking a breath, she set her shoulders and reached out. The doors opened easily under her hesitant touch.

The woman didn't know what to expect behind them. Perhaps fire and brimstone, the dead or dying, tortured continuously and screams ringing out. But the vast, open space looked empty. There were no cries of pain, blissfully silent. A large cave awaited her, walls dark and jagged with obsidian rock. At her feet lay a cool, frozen lake, solid enough for her to stand on as it took up the entirety of the floor, spreading wide. Curling, misty air didn't chill her bones or make breath visible, instead feeling a little heady.

She steeled herself, walking forwards. In all the domain only a single thing truly held her gaze, that of a lone white tree standing on a small island. The shock of white and green was impossible to ignore.

With careful steps, she crossed the lonely, silent space. Walking onto the island, fresh grass crunched beneath her feet- soon coming to a stop. Breath catching, wide eyes took in the sight of a man with familiar dark hair reclined against the tree. He held a book, pale fingers gripping its spine.

She could not place how she felt, standing there, watching him calmly read. Soft, blue-grey eyes looked as disarming as she remembered when they flicked up to her. But they could sharpen. That tempting mouth could praise and charm one moment and then damn her the next.

"Good to see you, Yui."

"Hello Ruki," she murmured, folding her hands before her skirts. Swallowing, she babbled; "I didn't pay the ferryman, I hope that's alright."

"Azusa can be overly generous, it hardly matters," he dismissed, shifting long legs. "What can I do for you?"

Yui's fingers twisted into her sleeve. The casualness of his question belied Ruki's penchant for manipulation. If she weren't careful, she'd make a mistake, just like their last meeting all those years ago in Eden.

So, raising her head, she set thin shoulders. "I'm here for Adam," her tone was firm and final.

No surprise flickered in his expression, attention returning to his book as though bored.

"I-if you can't give him to me, then I'd like to know where he is. I've been looking for him in the other eight circles for-"

"Centuries, I know."

Annoyance flared, "if you knew, why didn't you meet with me? The other princes weren't very..." she trailed off, curbing her tongue for the sake of diplomacy, "helpful."

A deceptively pleasant chuckle rang out. "Do you expect the ruler of a domain to heed every whim from their subjects? Especially subjects of hell?" Cruel lips curved as he shifted, setting the book down before standing. "Besides, most people when searching for someone will give a description."

Yui held her ground when he approached, heart thundering- drumming wildly in her ears. "You know what he looks like."

"But you don't."

The dark-haired young man, despite his handsome features, did not possess a presence that stood out or screamed malice. When compared with the other princes, his appearance wasn't as eye-catching, attitude not as loud or attention-grabbing. In a crowd, your gaze would likely pass over him. Despite this, when he stepped closer, Yui felt a pressure in the air. A type of sticky humidity that heralded storms. Those eyes, so calm and cold, implored her to confess her sins and sink to her knees. He'd treat her like a pet. A well-fed, maybe even cared for pet, but a pet nonetheless.

"P-please don't toy with me," she murmured. "You probably removed my memories of his face and voice, but I remember Eden. You won't keep us apart."

Ruki reached for her, brushing a shock of cold knuckles against her cheek. Yui congratulated herself for not flinching despite the rush of feeling that attacked her. Compared to the second circle of Lust, with prince Laito's thoughtless, grabby hands, this was nothing. And yet... such a small touch demanded her attention, skin pricking.

"Of course you'd assume I did that. Doesn't it occur to you that he put you here and dictated your punishment?" Hot breath fanned over her mouth, and something tightened in Yui's lower stomach. Lulled by the stroke of his fingers gliding from chin to ear, Yui rocked back on her heels to try to clear her head.

That touch changed- locking into blonde hair and grasping tight to prevent escape. Yui stilled with a gasp, gritting her teeth.

"You're afraid," he purred.

"N-no," she thought for a moment and admitted; "not of what you can do to me. Just of my memories fading."

She'd seen what that did to souls. Lost, wandering figures mourning their own condition. They couldn't even remember their own names.

That touch turned gentle and soothing again, but she didn't trust it not to turn into violence at a second's notice. "Why do you care so much about finding him?"

"B-because I love him?" Wasn't that a question with an obvious answer? She'd literally been created from a rib to be Adam's other half.

"You can't love someone you don't remember. Someone you don't know. You'd trust a stranger like that?" Devastatingly beautiful eyes shifted over her pale expression, his pupils slightly slit. Ruki leaned closer, lips ghosting over the delicate shell of her ear. This time she was unable to suppress a shiver. "You should give yourself over to your Master's hands instead... I wouldn't treat my Livestock poorly."

Something hot churned in her stomach. "You're not my Master and I'm not cattle."

A low chuckle resounded in her ear, firm fingers gliding down her spine. "I seem to remember us having a conversation similar to this a long time ago. Do you recall?"

Yui squeezed her eyes shut, trying to push back the memory. It flooded through the gaps between her fingers like water. She could suddenly smell thick, choking scents of roses, feel lush grass and flowers brushing at bare legs. Lashes reluctantly opened, and her breath hitched.

The lake and lone tree were nowhere in sight. Ruki had vanished. Instead, she found herself wandering through the achingly familiar gardens of Eden. Birds sang to each other in twisting trees, lions and other predators lazed around, heedless of her or other prey. Yui felt her skin prick from a faint chill in the air, glancing down to find herself naked.

It was all exactly as she remembered. She'd become Eve again, lost in those painful memories that had haunted her for centuries. Only... she still couldn't remember Adam.

---

Rounding a large flower bed, Eve lay eyes on a single tree, separated from all other greenery. It bore fruit, red apples catching the sun in such a way that salvia filled her mouth at the mere thought of tasting them.

"You can have one if you like."

Eve's gaze slid down the apple tree's truck to find a man leaning against it. No, not a man.

An angel.

She frowned, making no move to cover herself as she approached.

"But I was told not to."

The dark-haired angel smiled, and she felt no reason to be afraid. "Why do you obey blindly?"

"I don't know."

Some frustration marred his handsome face. He gestured to a small pond not too far away, "go look into the water."

The woman did so because she'd been told to, and it didn't cross her mind to resist. Kneeling at the water's edge, blonde hair slid forward and Eve's breath hitched at the sight of her own reflection. Her eyes struggled to take in the image, a stunned hand raising to touch her reddening cheek.

'That's me...'

Complicated thoughts blazed to life in her mind where none had been before. Wonder, perception, a briefly vain absorption in her own existence having palpable proof before her eyes. What a gentle and pretty face. She loved it simply because it was her own, something that only she owned. Eve was at once changed. No longer an extension of Adam, she felt like a person.

The angel knelt not too far away. "I'll ask again; why do you obey blindly?"

"Well because..." she trailed off, swallowing. "I suppose I was created after Adam so I should behave in order to show my gratitude?"

"You act like a Livestock that's been reared and bred in a shelter. That doesn't sound like honest loyalty to me."

"No, I- maybe it isn't, " her arms moved to hug herself, wondering why she felt a little cold. Maybe it was the strange, isolated feeling his question awakened in her. "What is... honest loyalty?"

His eyes sharpened, tone becoming firm. "It's when you can be certain the one you've put faith in can care for you. In turn, you support them, like they're a worthy Master."

Eve picked at soft green grass, mulling this over. "Sounds as though you have experience with it."

"Mn, though lately, I've been feeling dissatisfied."

She got the sense that he wouldn't be saying anything more. "I feel... different. Like I'm not the same Eve as a moment ago."

Her companion shifted to stand, some white feathers from exquisite wings falling to land on the water's surface. She watched them float and twirl slowly with fascination.

"If you're someone else, you could always give yourself a new name," he casually suggested.

"Give... myself?" Eve chewed on her bottom lip, thinking. A name came out of nowhere. No one suggested it, so at once, she felt slightly giddy and pleased with her hushed murmur of: "...Yui."

Blue-grey eyes shifted. A pale hand rested on his chest as he bowed slightly. "Yui. Well met."

"Well met," she blushed, glancing at the funny material wrapped around his body curiously. "What's your name?"

"I was given the name Lucifer."

Yui tilted her head, sending lush falls of blonde over one shoulder. "Oh, did you change yours too?"

"Yes. I chose the name Ruki instead."

Her hands curled in her hair, testing out the new name on her tongue. "Ru...ki."

Ruki stiffened slightly, attention weighed upon her like a heavy, palpable thing with substance and form. She felt her cheeks flush, remembering the reflection of herself in the water. For the first time, she wondered what he might be thinking. What an angel's own perception of her was like.

"Mn... there's no need to get caught up with trivial things," he cleared his throat, walking towards the tree again.

"I wanted to ask about those things draping over your body," Yui chirped, following.

"My clothes? More trivial talk," he sighed, not particularly annoyed, however. Ruki stopped by the truck and rested a hand upon it, "you can have clothes too if you desire."

"I can?" So many new things were being offered to her today! She felt as though discovery was perhaps the single most wonderful thing to experience. She hungered for more- like the reflection and her new name. "Yes. I'd like that!"

He made a gesture, twisting his wrist in the air- and at once those strange, wondrous threads were wrapped around her, covering her shoulders but clinging around her chest and then falling down to her feet like a waterfall. Yui touched the material, finding it soft. She giggled, looking at him. "Thank you," she said breathlessly.

Ruki nodded, face unreadable. He then gestured to the fruit hanging above them. "You can still take one of these if you wanted."

At this, she hesitated, stopping by his side. "I... I'm not sure..."

"Did we not establish that you don't have to give your loyalty to someone who hasn't earned it?" His pleasant voice remained patient. A cool hand, chilled to the touch, met the base of her spine. The woman stilled, feeling that palm drag up her back, before curling in her hair. He seemed at once too close and yet not near enough.

"Maybe if I... take a bite, I can explain that I was just discovering new things? I'll know what it's like and won't be tempted anymore," she murmured.

Strong fingers tightened, stroking the back of her neck. "What an interesting word to use. Yes, I suppose you won't be tempted. You'll have had experience, and no one should punish you for that."

She agreed and reached up of her own volition, grasping a red fruit and yanking to break it free. She then sank blunt teeth into the apple, making a noise as juices overflowed in her mouth. Ruki's slit gaze dilated.

"It tastes wonderful!" She smiled, offering him some. The angel refused, taking a few steps back.

"I'm happy for you, but I should really be going now."

"Oh," Yui wilted, not even noticing the darkening, angry clouds above. "A-alright, I'll see you later! I should go share this with Adam."

"Yes..."

---

Blinking, Yui shook herself. Like an after-image, Ruki and the gardens changed. They melted away, revealing the lonesome lake once more. Ruki stood without his wings, having lost them in the fall. She could remember hearing about his uprising, his sins. They were far worse and more numerous than her own, and yet there they stood, together in the last layer of Hell. Two traitors.

"You didn't need to show me that," Yui murmured. "I do still remember. Please, please just tell me where Adam is."

Ruki looked almost deceptively kind for a moment, features softening. "They forgave Adam. He has been accepted into Heaven and left you behind, Eve."

Her knees threatened to buckle, lungs constricting. No, no, she needed to calm down. Of course he'd lie. "The truth, please," she gritted out.

Strong hands caught her slim waist as she moved back, starting violently at his touch and proximity. "I am not lying, Livestock."

"How can you expect me to believe you?" tears pricked her eyes.

"I understand-" he hissed, gathering Yui's thin, shivering body closer and curling around her. "I'm the snake that tempted Eve. You don't trust me and see me as nothing but an unworthy Master- but there's a place for you, here Eve." The smoke of a smile lingered on his lips, unseen by her, but she could hear it, feel it in his voice. "Here, by my side. We're a lot alike, cast out for our sins. All we did was utilise our free will. I'm not like him..." Ruki quietly purrs. "I won't shut you out no matter how much you sin."

Tears leaked down her cheeks as Yui raised her head, finding his lips much closer than anticipated. "Just give me your loyalty."

Trembling, the sensation of his mouth pressing against hers stole her breath. Shame rose to mingle with the glow he elicited within her chest, feeling herself considering, wondering if perhaps- just maybe... he genuinely cared for her.

'What is...honest loyalty?'

Yui's fingers curled in his clothes.

'It's when you can be certain the one you've put faith in can care for you. In turn, you support them, like they're...a worthy Master.'

Two hands shot out, shoving against his chest. 

Ruki grunted, eyes flashing. "Yui-"

"No! I-if it is true, then I-I'm happy for him!" Yui yelled. "Adam deserves to be free, but I won't ever give you my loyalty. I won't be your Livestock," she turned, hurrying away.

"Yui!" Ruki snarled, something hard leaking into his voice.

She stepped off the island, landing upon the lake a second before his hand met a barrier. Yui blinked, noting that he couldn't seem to set foot off the island, unable to leave the tree where he'd helped her commit the first sin of man. It seemed someone up in Heaven had a sense of humour.

Her blonde hair bounced as she jogged away, having no idea where to go. Anywhere was better than with him.

"You can't leave," came his quiet voice. "We'll keep going over this. We'll keep doing it, as many times as it takes for you to say yes."

Yui ignored him, reaching out to touch the large grey doors- only to hear a quiet snap of fingers behind her.

---

Sitting up, she stifled a yawn.

"We're here, miss."

Disembarking from the small boat, the woman kept her hand in the ferryman's as he assisted her down. She tried to give him coins, but he declined, continuing on his way. Approaching some large, imposing grey doors, she noted they had vast, intricate carvings of people rising out of them. Taking a breath, she pushed them open, stepping into the quiet space.

Awaiting her, marooned on a single island within the lake, the Devil watched as Eve approached.

[prideev]

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It’s Satan

By Daymond Duck    Published on: August 1, 2021

The writer of this article was recently asked, “Why do the globalists who are supposed to be very intelligent make decisions that are so clearly wrong?”

Most don’t realize it, but Satan is behind their evil.

He has blinded them to the extent that they don’t believe the Bible is the Word of God.

They push a godless world government, world religion, same-sex marriage, tracking everyone, etc., because they are not Christians (even though some falsely claim to be good Catholics, etc.).

Many were appointed by like-minded people, not elected by voters or nations.

They wouldn’t dare have an election because they don’t believe they can get elected.

The globalists overlook what the Clintons and Bidens have done because they share similar views on the issues listed above.

Their puppets impeached Trump twice because he opposed their views.

Their prosecution of Trump supporters for what happened at the capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, while ignoring the rioting, looting, destruction of property, etc. by Antifa, Black Lives Matter, and others, should concern every conservative and Christian because when the globalists get the upper hand (and they will), they will destroy the U.S. Constitution, and persecute and destroy those that disagree with them.

When they give their Antichrist power, he will go forth conquering and to conquer (Rev. 6:1-2; 13:4-7).

The following events indicate that the latter years and latter days, globalism, global pandemics, food shortages, persecution, etc., are on the horizon.

One, concerning the Battle of Gog and Magog in the latter years and latter days: on July 20, 2021, Sen. Lindsey Graham said, “The Iranians are progressing (on their development of nuclear weapons) at a dangerous pace.”

“Israel may need to take pre-emptive military action against Iran.”

“I’ve never been more worried about Israel having to use military force to stop the program than I am right now.”

Two, also concerning the Battle of Gog and Magog: it was reported on July 21, 2021, that Israel’s military and foreign intelligence agency said Israel needs a variety of plans to sabotage, disrupt and delay Iran’s development of nuclear weapons, and they will probably be asking for the money and resources to do that.

Three, also concerning the Battle of Gog and Magog: Israeli Prime Min. Netanyahu and Russian Pres. Putin agreed that Israel would give Russia advance notice of Israeli attacks in some areas of Syria, and Russia would not intervene.

Israel jets recently fired several missiles at Iranian targets near Aleppo, Syria, and a Russian official said Syria used Russian-made anti-missile systems to shoot down all of Israel’s missiles.

On July 24, 2021, DEBKAfile, an Israeli intelligence and security news source group, reported that a Russian official confirmed that Russia has changed its policy on not intervening in Israeli attacks in some areas of Syria because Russia has received confirmation from the Biden White House that the U.S. does not condone the continuous Israeli raids.

Thus, while the Biden administration is publicly saying Israel has a right to defend itself, it is telling Russia that some of Israel’s efforts to do that are unacceptable.

The Bible clearly teaches that the merchants of Tarshish and all the young lions (perhaps includes the U.S.) will not help Israel during the Battle of Gog and Magog (Ezek. 38:13).

Corrupt world leaders, deceit, and lying are also signs of the end of the age.

Four, on July 27, 2021, i24NEWS reported that Israel has notified the Biden administration that Iran is on the verge of crossing the nuclear threshold, and it could happen at any moment.

Because Pres. Obama sent Iran a planeload of money during his administration and seems to be influencing events in the Biden administration, notifying Biden might be a waste of time.

This may help explain the belief that the U.S. will not help Israel during the Battle of Gog and Magog (Ezek. 38:13).

Five, concerning famine: it is common knowledge that the Covid-19 lockdowns disrupted the world’s food chains (farmers and farmhands were quarantined; stores ran out of toilet paper, some foods, etc.; food processors closed or cut back; some trucks stopped rolling, etc.).

On July 23, 2023, it was reported that there are still bare shelves in some food stores in the U.K., the food supply chains are “at risk of collapse,” millions of workers have been ordered to self-quarantine, the food industry is running out of workers to keep the stores supplied, and the U.K. could be just a few months away from a major crisis.

Under the guise of stopping the spread of Covid, the U.K. government may be creating “food shortages and mass famine.”

Note: It was recently reported that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell warned that there will be another lockdown in the U.S. if American citizens “don’t wise up and get vaccinated against Covid-19.”

Note: On July 28, 2021, in an interview on “Fox & Friends,” Stuart Varney said an important business group is predicting that supply shortages will last until 2023.

Some prophecy teachers believe that Covid-19 is a created crisis (a pretext, a set-up, perhaps an engineered cluster of catastrophes) that globalists are using to prepare the world for a world government.

According to the pro-liberty group, Brighteon, on July 22, 2021, “very few people are prepared to survive a multi-layered, engineered cluster of catastrophes that are unleashed on top of each other.”

God’s Seal, Trumpet, and Bowl judgments during the Tribulation Period will be multi-layered catastrophes (pandemics, famine, economic collapse, etc.) on top of each other, and very few will survive.

Note: This writer believes we could be watching the development (early stages) of those multi-layered judgments.

Six, concerning deceit: on July 20, 2021, Sen. Rand Paul said on Sean Hannity’s T.V. program, “I will be sending a letter to the Department of Justice asking for a criminal referral (of Dr. Anthony Fauci) because he has lied to Congress” (about the involvement of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in the research at China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology).

Note: This writer does not know how to verify it but has seen reports that Fauci owns stock in one or more of the companies that have been approved to sell the Covid-19 vaccine (If true, he is likely profiting off forcing people to be vaccinated and opposing the use of Hydroxychloroquine and Ivermectin).

Second Note: It has been reported that Fauci could spend up to 5 years in prison, but it is the opinion of this writer that the globalists (also called the Shadow Government, Deep State, super-wealthy elitists, etc.) will protect him because they are pro-vaccination. They want him to keep using his ever-changing fake science.

Seven, concerning world government and open borders: on July 21, 2021, it was reported that keeping the U.S. border with Mexico open is costing about 3 million dollars a day in suspension and termination payments to contractors to guard steel, concrete, and other materials they have in the desert.

Eight, militant Muslims say Jews should not be allowed on the Temple Mount because the entire Temple Mount is an Islamic site and none of it belongs to Israel.

For this reason, Jewish officials have allowed Jews to visit the Temple Mount at certain times, but they have not been allowed to pray on the Temple Mount.

On July 17, 2021, the eve of Tisha B’ Av (a holiday for remembering the destruction of the first 2 Jewish Temples; July 17-18 in 2021), it was reported that Jews were praying (and some were teaching Torah, a name for the Scriptures in the first 5 books of the Bible) on the Temple Mount.

On July 20, 2021, Prime Min. Bennett came out in support of freedom of worship for Jews on the Temple Mount.

This may lead to more violence, but it is worth noting that the Jews have gone from not being allowed to pray on the Temple Mount to praying and teaching on the Temple Mount, and Israel’s new Prime Min. supports it.

According to the Bible, the Jews will eventually get permission to rebuild the Temple.

Update: On July 25, 2021, it was reported that the temporary truce between Israel and the Palestinians is fragile, may be coming unraveled, and another war could be on the horizon.

Nine, concerning pestilence: on July 22, 2021, Israeli Prime Min. Bennett said as of Aug. 8, 2021, Israeli citizens will not be allowed to enter synagogues and other facilities without a vaccine certificate or proof of a negative Covid-19 test.

U.S. citizens are not having to prove that they have been vaccinated to attend places of worship, but some companies are requiring it.

Ten, concerning natural disasters: on July 26, 2021, it was reported that June in North America was “the hottest in recorded history.”

Record high temperatures were broken in several western states.

On June 28, 2021, the temperature was 117 degrees in Salem, OR; 110 in Redmond OR; 110 in Quillayute, WA; 110 in Olympia, WA etc.

The southwest U.S. is experiencing the worst drought in 122 years.

It covers almost 90% of the southwest, and much of that is classified as severe to exceptional drought.

Reservoirs and rivers are drying up, fish are dying, wildlife is suffering, farmers and ranchers are hurting, crop and cattle production is down, some ranchers and dairy farmers are going out of business, water rationing is beginning to kick in, and more than 60 million people are impacted.

Lake Mead, a 112-mile-long water reservoir, is at its lowest level since it was built 85 years ago (It is now only 35% full).

Utah’s Great Salt Lake has reached a record low.

86 wildfires are burning in 12 states, drought conditions have made them worse, two major wildfires have merged, and more than 10,000 houses are in danger.

The long-range forecast is for the high temperatures to continue through the fall.

Call it what you want; some officials are already blaming it on global warming because it fits their globalist agenda. But natural disasters will be like birth pains (increase in frequency and intensity) at the end of the age, and this record-breaking event seems to qualify.

As I close, understand that as bad as things are right now, Satan and the Antichrist are limited or partly restrained (II Thess. 2:7-9).

But the time will come (the Tribulation Period) when Satan and the Antichrist will no longer be restrained, and the events will be worse than anything that has ever happened or ever will happen (Matt. 24:22).

Finally, are you Rapture Ready?

If you want to be rapture ready and go to heaven, you must be born again (John 3:3). God loves you, and if you have not done so, sincerely admit that you are a sinner; believe that Jesus is the virgin-born, sinless Son of God who died for the sins of the world, was buried, and raised from the dead; ask Him to forgive your sins, cleanse you, come into your heart and be your Saviour; then tell someone that you have done this.

[weclassybouquetfun]

Teaser poster for Illumination’s SING 2.

Joining returning cast members Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Taron Egerton, Tori Kelly, Scarlett Johansson, Nick Kroll and Nick Offerman are newbies Leticia Wright, Bobby Cannavale, Eric Andre, Chelsea Perretti and little known singers Halsey, Pharrell Williams and Bono.

Bono’s daughter, actress Eve Hewson (THE LUMINARIES, ROBIN HOOD, THE KNICK) did say her father always wanted to act. 

What is SING 2 about?

“In Sing 2, Buster Moon (McConaughey) and his cast of underdogs push their talents beyond their local theater, hoping for a shot to perform at the most prestigious venue in the entertainment capital of the world: The Crystal Tower Theater. To do that, though, they’ll first have to impress the powerful and egotistical entertainment mogul—and likely gangster—wolf Jimmy Crystal (Cannavale) and prove that they are worthy of his stage. Crystal will let them perform, on condition Buster convince the world’s most reclusive rock legend, lion Clay Calloway (Bono) out of self-imposed seclusion after the death of his wife and persuade him to perform in the show. Williams plays Alfonso, an elephant ice-cream-truck owner who becomes the first crush of shy elephant Meena (Kelly). Halsey voices Jimmy Crystal’s teenage daughter, Porsche;  Wright plays a streetwise feline dancer who helps earnest gorilla Johnny (Egerton) regain his confidence while learning his choreography; Andre plays a self-important yak; and Peretti voices Jimmy Crystal’s haughty canine assistant and talent scout.”

[reneehearts]

1: Top 3 ice cream flavors - mocha, cookie dough, s’mores

2: Top 3 Disney Movies - the lion king, frozen, 101 Dalmatians

3: Top 3 vacation destinations - key west, San Antonio, Germany

4: Top 3 places to shop - target, Victoria’s Secret, Etsy

5: Top 3 subjects of study/classes to take - English lit, memoirs, child development/social work

6: Top 3 make up products - glitter eye shadow, brown eye liner, mascara

7: Top 3 music artists - pierce the veil, jonas brothers, Taylor swift

8: Top 3 spices/herbs - cinnamon, garlic, salt

9: Top 3 drinks - coffee, iced tea, water

10: Top 3 apps to use - tumblr, Instagram, Snapchat

11: Top 3 months of the year - December, august, November

12: Top 3 clothing items - leggings, sweatshirts, bralette

13: Top 3 binge perfect tv shows - new girl, himym, friends

14: Top 3 romantic dates - intimate dinner/drinks, beach at night, hot tub

15: Top 3 kinds of flower - lilac, sunflower, tulip

16: Top 3 christmas movies - the Santa clause, the grinch, Christmas with the kranks

17: Top 3 OTPs - nick and Jess, Winston and ally, Ted and Tracey

18: Top 3 quotes to describe your life - spread kindness like confetti, and idk

19: Top 3 characteristics you love about yourself - friendly, kind, caring

20: Top 3 kinds of candy - dark chocolate nonpareils, Milky Way, maple cream

21: Top 3 ways to exercise/ be active - abs, dance, walking my dog

22: Top 3 spirit animals - monkeys, bailey, lion

23: Top 3 petnames - babe, boo, my love

24: Top 3 books read outside of school - water for elephants, the likeness, gone girl

25: Top 3 most used websites - gmail, google, target

26: Top 3 people you last texted - Jamal, Christian, chris

27: Top 3 hashtags you use - I really don’t

28: Top 3 instagram accounts you follow - Aussiesdoingthings, xomissdanielle, sophieturner

29: Top 3 guilty pleasures - old school Selena Gomez music, beets, asparagus

30: Top 3 summer activities - walking bailey, driving with the windows down, beach

31: Top 3 things to draw/doodle - hearts, flowers, stars

32: Top 3 aesthetics - pastel, rainbow/bright, princess

33: Top 3 things you'd buy if you gained three million dollars - house, private jet, pay off student debt

34: Top 3 ways to treat yourself - shopping at target, new underwear, Starbucks

35: Top 3 celebrity crushes - chris evans, ryan gosling, Aaron judge

36: Top 3 books from your childhood babysitters club, baby sitters little sister, Disney girls

37: Top 3 accents to hear - British, Australian, italian

38: Top 3 scents - pine trees/Christmas trees, lilacs, apple candle

39: Top 3 "Friends" quotes - PIVOT, they don’t know that we know that they know, soup I mean noodle soup, I mean soup!!!!

40: Top 3 cupcake flavors - yellow, chocolate, funfetti

41: Top 3 fruits - banana, strawberry, raspberry

42: Top 3 places you've had amazing pizza from - little Vincent’s, rosa’s in penn, Timothy’s

43: Top 3 sports teams to watch - Yankees, Yankees, Yankees

44: Top 3 crayola colors - I only really remember one specifically, razzledazzle, the pink one!

45: Top 3 things you hope to accomplish in college

46: Top 3 fanfictions you've read

47: Top 3 people you miss right now - Nick, Tony, Emily

48: Top 3 fears - burning alive, house fire, heights

49: Top 3 favorite literary devices - foreshadowing, symbolism, irony

50: Top 3 pet peeves - ppl who don’t use their blinkers, bad grammar/spelling (two, too, to etc.) ppl being late

51: Top 3 physical things you find attractive - abs, calves, smile

52: Top 3 bad habits - ED behaviors, over drinking when out, getting too attached

53: Top 3 pets you've had/wish to have - more Aussies, a monkey, lion

54: Top 3 types of foreign food - Italian, German, French

55: Top 3 things you want to say to someone in your lifetime - I just want to be able to talk to NG again 😔

56: Top 3 dog breeds - Australian shepherd, yorkie, German shepherd

57: Top 3 cheesy romance movies - pretty woman, the notebook, the last song

58: Top 3 languages you speak/wish to speak - Italian, French, Spanish

59: Top 3 series (book, movie, television) - friends, new girl, svu

60: Top 3 pizza toppings - just cheese please

61: Top 3 youtubers you're subscribed to

62: Top 3 tattoo / piercing ideas - astrology/Leo tattoo, finger tattoo, peacock feather

63: Top 3 awards you want to win - I don’t really need an award lol

64: Top 3 emojis - 😂🙈😍

65: Top 3 cars you dream of owning - pickup truck, Dodge Charger and 🤷🏼‍♀️

66: Top 3 authors - Tana French, Gillian Flynn, Sara gruen

67: Top 3 historical figures - MLK JR., Abraham Lincoln, Rosa parks

68: Top 3 baby names - hazel, violet, Ella

69: Top 3 DIYs - 🤷🏼‍♀️

70: Top 3 smoothie combos/flavors - peach, pineapple, strawberry banana

71: Top 3 songs of this month - mr. Perfectly fine, shake it out, dark horse

72: Top 3 questions of this post you want to be asked

73: Top 3 villains - scar, hades and 🤷🏼‍♀️

74: Top 3 Cities you want to see - Berlin/Munich, Sydney, Montreal

75: Top 3 recipes you want to try

76: Top 3 dream jobs - ice cream/candy store owner, school social worker, stay at home dog mom

77: Top 3 lucky items - my dog, my rings, my pop pop’s pocket watch

78: Top 3 traditions you have - Christmas Eve matching pjs with sister, reindeer food, and gingerbread cookies

79: Top 3 things you miss about being a kid - carefree, no bills, no responsibility

80: Top 3 harry potter characters

81: Top 3 lies you were told - only teenagers have acne, adults know what they’re doing/have it figured out, you can achieve anything you want with hard work

82: Top 3 pictures in your camera roll right now

83: Top 3 turn ons - hot body, nice smile, good sense of humor

84: Top 3 turn offs - disrespectful, rude, inconsistency

85: Top 3 magazines/news papers/ journals to read

86: Top 3 things you wish you had known earlier - what I wanted to study in undergrad, how bad heartbreak hurts, how complicated life/relationships can be

87: Top 3 spongebob episodes

88: Top 3 places to be in the world - northport, key west, Bahamas

89: Top 3 things you'd do differently - look more into options besides college, go to grad school right after AmeriCorps, have “the talk” with Nick

90: Top 3 TV shows from your childhood - Lizzie McGuire, Hannah Montana, Gullah Gullah island

91: Top 3 meals you love - ice cream, acai bowl, fries

92: Top 3 kinds of tea - just black please

93: Top 3 embarrassing moments - putting my foot in the muddy tree, getting sick from drinking while out, car accident

94: Top 3 holidays to celebrate - Christmas, New Year’s Eve, thanksgiving

95: Top 3 things to do in the rain - read, watch tv, snuggle with my dog

96: Top 3 things to do in the snow - stay inside and read, have hot chocolate, watch tv

97: Top 3 items you can't leave the house w/o - phone, ID, keys

98: Top 3 movies you'd like to see - last Christmas, hot tub time machine, zoolander

99: Top 3 art mediums - dance, watercolor, singing

100: Top 3 museums you've been to - museum of natural history DC, MOMA, Alamo

101: Top 3 school memories - leaving lmao

102: Top 3 things you don't/Won't miss - I’m not really sure

103: Top 3 pick up lines

104: Top 3 sports to watch - baseball, basketball, hockey

105: Top 3 taylor swift songs - mr. Perfectly fine, happiness, august

[laboratorium2d]

Children's Animated Series, As Graded by a Parent Who Has Watched Far Too Many of Them

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic: The brony thing is legitimately weird, but this is legitimately a great show. The combination of epic-fantasy plots with a deep dive on friendship is a winner (and has also been deeply influential on kids' television). It also makes the obligatory pro-social messages feel earned, rather than an afterthought. The characters are charming, the writing sparkles, and the animation is still distinctive. Endlessly watchable, which is a good thing when your kid wants to watch endlessly. Fake holidays: Nightmare Night, Hearth's Warming Eve, Hearts and Hooves Day. Grade: A+

Avatar: I was fifteen years too old for this when it was on TV, so I didn't understand what the fuss was about. Now I do. It's epic but not grandiose, funny but not dumb, and morally deep without giving into plot gravity. The world-building, the writing, the animation, the voice-acting, the fight scenes, the side characters: everything works, and everything is pulling in the same direction. (The sequel series, The Legend of Korra, is more of the same, with an interestingly updated setting and better music.) If your kids are like mine, they'll want to talk about everything, and so will you. I guess binge-watching is a family thing now. Grade: A+

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power: This show is so gay. However gay you expect it to be, it's ten times gayer. It's also pro-diversity along every axis you can imagine, including body-type. It's completely awesome. It captures the uncannily compelling techno-fantasy atmosphere of the original, and it has characters with the same names, but otherwise it's a total gut rehab. The character studies at its core are compelling, even as the overall plot and action hold a young child's interest. It takes lots of anime animation tropes and tones them down to the verge of naturalism, which I wouldn't have thought would work, but totally does. Grade: A-

Wild Kratts: The big kid was learning biology from this show almost from before she could talk. "Giraffe. Long neck. Eat leaves." The premise of the show is genius: animated versions of veteran kids' wildlife-show hosts Chris and Martin Kratt have suits that give them "creature powers," and they travel around the world having adventures with animals. The science is legit and it's presented entertainingly. And the characters are winners, especially the creature-suit inventor Aviva Corcovado and the colorful villains. The only thing consistently annoying about this show is that it can be shouty. Everyone is Just! So! Excited! About! Animals! Grade: A-.

Phineas and Ferb: The Arrested Development of kids' animation, Phineas and Ferb is impossibly dense with overlapping plots, brick jokes, and a large army of recurring minor characters. Every episode features an original song, some of which are genuinely brilliant ("Squirrels in My Pants" is a household favorite). It is also a wholly, completely sweet-hearted show. Even the antagonists -- Candace and Dr. Doofenshmirtz -- are sympathetic, charming, fully-realized, and allowed to grow and be happy in ways that a lesser version of this show would never even have realized was a possibility. The allegretto pacing and intricate writing keep the show consistently fresh. New Disney at its best. Grade: A-

Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom: From the same team who brought you Peppa Pig, but even drier underneath its treacly trappings. The comedic timing is straight out of classic British sketch comedy. The voice actors are clearly in on the joke, which if anything makes the show more fun to listen to than to watch. B+

Dinosaur Train: Sometimes high concepts work. The show 100% owns its message: dinosaur physiology is a diversity metaphor, presented with just the right degree of insistence. The characters are sketched with grace and sympathy, and the science is pitched just right for its target audience. Over the years, the show (like all railfans) has gotten increasingly obsessed with its train equipment: the aquacar, the submarine, the ... zeppelin. The songs are surprisingly catchy, too: our favorite is probably the Dinosaur Train Zeppelin song, which, yes, is a Led Zeppelin pastiche. Grade: B+

Odd Squad: This one really grew on me. If all you've seen is short clips, it just seems like everyone is shouting about math all the time. But the show overall is delightfully goofy, with a real sense of how to string along a running gag, and some genuinely talented child actors. Grade: B+

Creative Galaxy: Despite being a total Daniel Tiger rip-off, down to the animation style, the obligatory song in every episode, and the live-action codas, this one is actually kind of nice. The art projects are well-chosen both to interest kids and also to actually be doable. Fake holidays: Heart Day. Grade: B

Peppa Pig: It took me a long time to appreciate this show's arch sense of humor. Everyone's pretensions and ambitions are punctured; embarrassing mistakes and small indignities await adults at every turn. Once you realize that the show is making fun of most of its characters but loves them anyway, it's much more bearable. Grade: B

Curious George: Entirely forgettable, with two mildly redeeming qualities. George himself is as charming as always, and the jazzy musical score is pleasant. Grade: B-

Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir: It took me a while to understand what this show was doing. It's very, very French. Grade: C+

Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood: Even my kids recognize that Daniel Tiger is needy and whiny. The show inadvertently teaches kids what to be afraid of and how to misbehave. There is also something deeply wrong with the economy of the Neighborhood: everyone seems to have multiple jobs and the public transit system runs on magic. On the plus side, the potty song has come in handy as a reminder: when you have to go potty, stop and go right away. Fake holidays: Love Day, Snowflake Day, Dress Up Day. Grade: C+

Ready Jet Go: I suppose there's some science in here somewhere, I guess. Grade: C+

Tumble Leaf: Reviewers might call this one "gentle," by which they mean "boring." The animation is lovely and the music is calming. But what's the point? Grade: C+

PAW Patrol: Unbelievably, incredibly formulaic. For example: have you noticed that they get in their trucks at exactly the same point halfway through each episode? Just Canadian enough to be noticeably off, but also rah-rah in a George W. Bush-administration kind of way. Sometimes I imagine grown-up versions of the pups. Chase regularly engages in police brutality, Rubble has a drinking problem, and Marshall has joined the alt-right. Grade: C

Nature Cat: Nature Cat is annoying and his friends are worse. I'm not clear on what they're supposed to be learning. And the theme song manages to be both unmemorable and an earworm. Make it stop! Grade: C

Super Why: More like Super Why Does This Exist, amirite? The whole show is oddly paced: I find the story-within-a-story structure confusing and can only wonder how much of it kids actually get. Having each character deal with a different aspect of literacy leaves the show's educational content unfocused. And the Super Letters are like the world's lamest game of Wheel of Fortune. Plus the song is an earworm, and not in a good way. Grade: C

Sofia the First: Empty Disney calories, this show is the reductio ad absurdum of Disney's democratization of the idea of "princess." The plotting, the writing, and the music are technically proficient. The cel-shading effects that give 3D animation the luminosity of 2D hand drawn are lovely. The messages are perfectly innocuous. But the heart of the show is a giant gaping void. Fake holidays: Wassailia. Grade: C

Lion Guard: More empty Disney calories, like Sofia the First but with more obnoxious characters. Inexplicably real holiday: Christmas. Grade: C-

Peg + Cat: All I can remember is that the show is inexplicably drawn on graph paper, and they have a BIG BIG PROBLEM every few seconds. When people complain about STEM, and I remember that this show exists, I have to admit that they have a point. Grade: C-

Martha Speaks: The AV Club's term for this kind of show is "least essential." Even by the standards of kids' shows, the premise makes no sense. Nobody here, human or canine, is remotely sympathetic. And the plot comes to a screeching halt every time it's time for a new vocabulary word. Grade: C-

WordWorld: I have so many questions about this show. If everything is made out of words, what about the ground? The sky? Windows? And what are the letters in the words made of? What is going on with the accents? And who greenlit three seasons of this garbage? Grade: D+

The Adventures of Puss in Boots: This is a weird, weird show. And not in a good way. Grade: D+

Trolls: The Beat Goes On: Quite possibly the most misanthropic kids show currently streaming anywhere. The combination of grimdark setting and hackneyed uplifting plot tropes is somewhere between unsettling and child abuse. Poppy is a walking illustration of emotional labor; Branch has severe PTSD. The show treats both of these as laughable quirks. And I am never going to get used to the Auto-Tune. Grade: D+

Kung-Fu Panda: The Paws of Destiny: Pretty much your standard DreamWorks animation. This is not a good thing. Grade: D

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie: The animation and voice-acting are innocuous. But building an entire show around the "if X, then Y" formula led to some disastrous choices. The show taught my big kid how to say things like, "If I see a rock, I just have to bring it home with me." It takes a special kind of kids show to affirmatively instill bad habits. Grade: D-

The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle (2018): An absolute travesty in every possible way. The remake is the direct opposite of everything the original represented: crude instead of clever, manic instead of playful, and mean instead of goofy. Grade: F-

[ansgar-martinsson]

The Best Intentions - Part 9

The world around Ansgar shifted, like someone had switched the channel from a horrifying disaster film to a beach-side romance. It had gone from a whirlwind of sheeting, whooshing flood and filth and barked orders and creaking, heavy iron and screaming pain and the fear of electrocution or worse – to a quiet calm. It became a slow cascade of water - a babbling brook or a seaside cove. It became the delightful pressure of female flesh against his chest, of warm lips on his, of exploring hands in his wet hair, of his own moans burbling up from his chest.

He returned her kiss and opened himself up to her. She whimpered as he drew his tongue over her lips, as he gave it to her, as he tasted her own. He splayed his hands wide over her back, not only to press her closer to him, but to touch her, to learn at least part of the map of her body through the wet, clinging, diaphanous material of her blouse. And the feel of her beneath his hands made him want her all the more.

Damn her.

And yet, there was a sense of gratitude that washed over him, of an implied forgiveness, at least a temporary one, of the gift of the opportunity to hold Joline in this way, to have her in his arms, to know the softness of her mouth. It was something he thought he would never receive again.

“Sgar! Hey, Martinsson! Sgar, are you in here?”

Ansgar groaned in annoyance. He pulled back from her embrace, and quickly gazed down at her – his eyes soft, and his lips curled in a genuine smile. He drew his thumb over her cheek, brushing away a trickle of water that had fallen from her hairline. He gave her a small nod, turned, walked down the small corridor, and bellowed back. “We’re here, Joey! By auxiliary shut off B!”

“We? Who’s with you?”

He held his hand out, and Joline took it. “I’m with Froken Lindberg,” he yelled, not as loudly that time, as they had reached the end of the hallway where it emptied out into the stage. “She shut off the water.” He indicated Joline behind him and then pointed at his employee. “Joe. Get pumps in here, stat, and fans - you should have at least three on your truck. Take initial moisture readings, and keep taking them every hour for the next three days. Start tearing out the wet lath and plaster and get the carpet out of here.”

***

Joline slammed her office door shut. She turned and leaned hard against it, her back and her palms pressed flat. “What the hell just happened?”

Ansgar ran his hands through his hair and peered down at his hand, sneering at the thin layer of rusty sludge he found there. He pulled at the fabric of his shirt, his look of disgust deepening at the tears and stains he found on the once pristine white linen. “Well,” he said, “I believe I warned your boss that that section of the building was not, shall I say, in the best condition.” He shrugged. “But they made it clear to me that they had no desire to update it as part of the renovations we did.”

“Right, but what happened?” She bent over a small slop sink by the window, and squeezed out her ponytail. Muddy brown water trickled from the end. “Oh, that’s gross.”

“Yeah,” Ansgar agreed. “It’s water that’s been sitting there for years. Decades, probably. If that part of the building hasn’t been used, and the water’s been left on, those pipes have been full for a long time with no fresh flow. Scale and minerals in water corrode iron over time, and it causes a buildup of MIC, so I’m sure that’s what happened. It just ate through and gave way.”

“What the hell is MIC?”

“MIC is micro-biologically influenced corrosion. A micro-organism that lives on a nice little cocktail of metal, nutrients, water and oxygen. Basically, it’s a nasty little pipe-eating bacteria,” he replied. Seeing her slightly confused expression, he smiled and added, “Hm, I guess I get my engineering card back, then?”

She tried to laugh but couldn’t, and the sight of her so dejected squeezed even at Ansgar’s black heart. She sighed. “So, mister engineer man, what do we do now?”

Ansgar cocked his head over a shrug of his shoulders. “Gut it, replace all of the pipes and rebuild it.” He chuckled. “Looks like we’ll be doing that job sooner than we thought.”

“We?” She straightened up and peered at him. “Who’s we?”

“Well,” Ansgar said, “I assume you would be using the services of Martinsson Construction to do this work. After all, we have a contract. And besides, we can start on it right away, get that going along with the repairs to the front of house.”

She dropped her head to her chest and scrubbed hard at her eyes. She didn’t cry, but her shoulders sagged, and she let out a low moan of frustration.

“Hey,” Ansgar rushed to her, and took her in his arms. He pressed her to him and rubbed her back, lifting his hand to cup her head against his shoulder. “It’ll be okay,” he murmured. “It will all work out.”

“There’s just… there’s just so much to do, Ansgar.”

He pulled back and brushed his hands over her cheeks, smiling down at her. “I’m thinking we scrap my New Years Eve idea, what do you say?”

Her sigh that time was one in relief. “Yeah,” she whispered. “I think so.” She leaned back in toward him, resting her cheek against his chest, her arms wound around his waist. “Ansgar?”

“Yeah?”

“I hate to tell you this,” she began.

“What is it?”

“You smell horrible.”

He laughed. “Guess what?”

“What?”

“You stink, too. And fuck, but it’s nasty,” he joked. He took her by the shoulders and pulled back. “Listen, I have a change of clothes in my bag.” He stepped away and began unbuttoning the ruined wet shirt. “If I don’t get out of these clothes the stench will stick to me permanently.”

“Can’t have that, can we?” She spoke slowly, her eyes not on Ansgar’s face, but on his chest. He had shrugged, wincing slightly, out of the wet garment and exposed his skin to her, the flesh of his torso –  his body. “Definitely can’t have that.”

“No, don’t suppose we can.” Ansgar bit his lip, noting her involuntarily sharp inhale of breath at the sight of him. Conversely, the sight of her reaction to him made his pain disappear, made his nose flare, made him warm in places that were, unfortunately, still covered by soaked clothing. His grin widened, his eyes gleaming with an overt satisfied wickedness. “Hm. Like what you see?”

“Ha. You’re a cheeky fuck.”

He winked. “That I am.”

“Wait.” Her eyes went wide. “You have…,” She stepped forward and reached out a hand toward the right side of his chest. “You have tattoos.”

He looked down. “Yeah, I’ve a few.” He nodded, indicating the one that covered most of his shoulder and his pectoral muscle, the one she was exploring with gentle fingers, the one where her touch made his skin pebble with gooseflesh. “That’s… that’s m-my self-portrait,” he said.

“But,” she tipped her head, eyebrow cocked. “It’s a lion.”

He snickered. “Exactly.”

“Oh, I see. We’ll add ‘conceited bastard’ to the list of your attributes now.” She chuckled low in her chest, peering up at him with a sardonic yet appreciative glare. She dragged her fingers along his skin to caress his opposite shoulder. “And this?”

“Family crest,” he clipped. “My brother has the same.”

“And this back here? It’s massive.” She’d stepped behind him and pressed her palm, warm against his back. “A dead tree.”

“Yes,” Ansgar peered over his shoulder at her, his breaths coming harder, harsher in his chest. Her touch on his bare skin, the low thrum of her voice sent shockwaves through him, to land deep within his sex once again. “It is.”

“Why? Why a dead tree?”

“It’s a poem,” he said. “A wind has blown the rain away…  and blown the sky away and all the… the leaves away, and the trees stand. I...,” he recited, his voice growing breathy and reedy with desire. His muscles rippled and writhed to her touch as she traced the lines of his tattoo with her fingers, as she scratched her nails atop the bare, stark branches, as she splayed her hand over the broad, black trunk just above his belt. “I think, I too, h-have known autumn too long.”

“That’s e.e. cummings,” said she.

“Yessssss,” said he.

“Turn around,” said she.

“Kiss me. Now,” said he.

“More? Do you think?” said she.

“What, my ink?” said he.

“Yes, like me,” said she.

“Then it’s my turn to see,” said he.

And he stepped closer to her. With expert fingers he flicked open the buttons of her blouse and pushed his hands inside, shucking the damp sticky fabric down, down, down her arms. He left the shirt hanging there, binding her hands as he brought his own back up her torso to hover just beneath the curve of her brassiere.

“May I… feel?” said he.

Say no, say no, say no, say no…

Her head chanted and yet her body wouldn’t obey. The captivating look in his piercing blue eyes, knocked her will on the arse, testing her and how far she was willing to go. Her breath shallowed and that all too familiar aroused trembling set her on the finest edge.

In all her thirty-three years, she’d never felt such an intense and immediate attraction to a man. When Ansgar’s hands closed in on her bare torso, those warm, electric and powerful calloused hands, she suddenly knew why. His was such a seductive presence and there was no question that the man knew all the ways to get a woman off. Fucking him wouldn’t be the standard one and done that Joline’s sex life had been in her twenties. As she got older, so did her partners, but they never really grew wiser, or how a woman’s body worked. Ansgar presented himself with the knowledge and the experience to properly please a woman.

She slow blinked and swallowed, her blood quickened with her pulse that he was beginning to apply that knowledge to her. Play her like the grand piano that she saw in his office. “Ye-ye-yesss,” she stammered when her head spun from the sensation of his hands on her.

“Your other tattoos… are there others? Where are they?” His thumbs teased the band of her bra, just below the swell of her breasts, a slow mesmerizing sweep. “I’ve seen the nightingale and the Scandinavian Viking compass on your right foot.”

Joline couldn’t speak, his hands casting a spell of silence on her. Fascination played a large part, she couldn’t tear her eyes away from the way he looked at her, the reverence, the favor, an admiration. Like she was beautiful…

“Do you want to tell me?” Ansgar then lowered his head to her ear for a delicious offer, “Or I could search them out myself.”

“I… I have to… turn around.”

Ansgar lowered his hands to her waist to guide her around. He stopped her when her back was to him. He swept her still-damp hair over the opposite shoulder when he spotted a splash of ink on her right shoulder blade. “Comedy and tragedy masks, that makes sense.” His kiss blazed the ink under her skin, outlining the design.

Joline whimpered.

Ansgar tugged her wet cloth cuffs away from her body when he saw the next bit of color along the small of her back, above the waist of her jeans. Continuing with the seduction, he lowered himself to his knees to brush another kiss along the Dogwood branch with multiple blooms that decorated the expanse of the curve of her back. “You’ll have to tell me about this when you’re feeling… more conversational.”

He led her back around, skimmed her thighs along the outside edge, only to land on the waistband of her jeans. He stared intently at her belt buckle. “Shall I continue searching, Joline?” Those expert dexterous fingers went for her buckle. He got as far as releasing the button, sliding the zipper open to get a healthy glimpse of purple knickers.

Joline looked down, her chest deflated when she saw the gleam of gold on his finger. An alarm blared to life in her head, she absolutely could not do this, could not follow the road to temptation. “Sgar,” she found her voice under the mounting desire. She took his massive hands and stepped out of the circle of his arms.

Swiftly, he got to his feet again, ignoring the twinge in his side and put her back in his embrace. His lips descended on hers, crushing her to him. The bruise along his ribs screamed, but her tongue along his silenced the pain. He picked the woman up when her arms stacked around his ears.

Joline wrapped her legs around his waist. His hands cupped her ass, depressing her center into the stiff flesh of his cock. She had no idea how they ended up on the couch in the corner of her office. She’d taken naps on that couch between matinee and evening shows, but in no way did feel the need for sleep in his arms, beneath his pleasing weight. The cushions cradling her as Ansgar settled over her like a blanket.

His hips bucked against hers, making it entirely clear that he wanted her. He had every intention of taking her right then, right there. He trailed kisses and bites along the column of her neck, memorizing the path to travel later.

The friction felt delicious against her core, but she knew that she had to stop this before it went too far. She flirted with the point of no return, the point where she’d be unable to stop. But he felt so good, so intent on her… that part wounded her. “Sgar,” she warned breathlessly. “We… we shouldn’t… we can’t.”

Out of his mind in lust, Ansgar moved back up to her lips, pressing a long kiss there. “We can… I want you. Let me fuck you.” His guff command was colored with a pleading tone. He rocked his erection against her, earning an open mouthed moan from her.

“Oh, Goddddd,” she whimpered, her core clamping in anticipation. Her hands grasped at his ass, fighting with herself to stop or to see it through. Wanting him ever so much, to let him see to her every desire.

“Sgar… please… no…”

As if he was caught in the deluge of cascading water again, Ansgar felt a splash of cold water at her denial. He stopped immediately and yanked himself from between her legs, those long sculpted legs that had still been wrapped around his waist. He grunted in frustration, in pain from the bruise throbbing against his ribs and the spear of denial.

He sat on the couch, threw his head back and concentrated on breathing, tempering the rage of sexual need pounding through his blood.

“Sgar,” she tried, sounding almost timid. Everything Joline wasn’t. She crawled across the couch and put herself back in his lap, straddling him, her knees cradling his waist.

It took everything in him not to lift her off and chuck her aside… but curse her! He still wanted her. Still craved her with every enflamed nerve she had set on fire.

“Sgar… understand me.” She kissed his unresponsive lips, his cheek, his neck. “I want you, I want you inside me more than you know.” She couldn’t be sure that he was listening, and she knew that she walked a fine line. “Sgar, please don’t mistake this.”

He growled. Frustration curdled his gut.

Joline led his hands to her waist, as much as it killed to have his wedding ring so close to her. “I want you to fuck me. You’ve completely occupied my mind.” She pressed her hands into his pectoral muscles, the lion peeking out from between her splayed fingers. “Your kiss, my body hummed from your kiss. My fucking vibrator has never seen so much of me.”

Ansgar lifted his head and opened his eyes, his hands crushing her to him with a flex of fingers. “Tell me. Did you want me that much?”

She combed her fingers through the mop of damp curls on his head. “More. A battery operated toy is a poor substitute to the erotic craving that you infected me with yesterday… with a kiss.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

Joline brought his hand from her body to between them, showing him the wedding band. “This. This is the problem.”

“I told you—“

“I know you did. Sgar, I can’t help it. I respect marriage. I respect what this represents and all that it entails. I won’t come between a man and his wife.”

Ansgar lifted his other hand to her face, brushing another caress against her cheek. “She. Left. Me.”

“If it’s over, truly over, why wear it? Are you still in love with her?” That was the crux of it for Joline. Wedding vows meant family, and she couldn’t be the reason for destroying a marriage or a family, because she needed an orgasm. “Is she the reason for your… unhappiness? If I go to bed with you, will this woman show up at my door accusing me of destroying her chance at a family and ultimate happiness?”

[bgharison]

Which WIP?!

I have about three weeks between classes, my meds and my muse seem to be holding a tentative truce, and I really miss writing.  Wanna help me decide which rabbit hole?  I need to choose one and kind of stick with it.  My goal is to have a rough draft done by  August 19 and then edit during the semester.  (My goal is to start an original work in January 2020, so this is warm-up.)

I do find feedback and enthusiasm both validating and motivating, so if something makes you go “oooooooh” let me know?

Options below:

Option A:  Vaguely Pacific Northwest McDanno AU -- Steve returns from combat to his deceased father’s cabin, Danny is a journalist writing about missing children in the area.  Danny gets too close to the truth.  I only have three paragraphs of this written, but it’s outlined.  Inspired in part by the idea of a bearded Steve and Danny wearing jeans, boots, and scarves. 

(opening) He moved through the house, flicking on one or two lights, somewhat surprised that the electricity hadn’t been long since disconnected.  Since it wasn’t, the well pump still worked and the kitchen sink yielded fresh, cold water.  The aquifers here, in the northwest corner of the country, have the coldest, clearest water of anyplace he’s seen, on this continent or any other.  He cupped a handful of it and gulped greedily.  Even in the dim light, he could tell that the coffee maker had only a faint layer of dust.  It gave him pause, to think that someone had been keeping up the property.  His father must have arranged for a caretaker in his will.  

It didn’t occur to him to test the heat; he simply took off his boots and climbed, fully clothed, under the heavy comforter in the room that has remained unchanged since he left it almost two decades ago.

(random selection)  

“Go away, Danny,” Steve orders.  “I mean it.  Get the hell away from me.”

Danny wipes at the blood, dripping steadily now from his eyebrow, trailing down the side of his face.  His jaw clenches as he squares off against Steve.  “Why?  Because I caught you off guard, didn’t duck fast enough?  Come on, Steve, I know you didn’t mean --”

“That’s the point, Danny!” Steve explodes.  “That’s the fucking point.  Whether I mean it or not, this is what happens.  People get hurt.  The people I care about get hurt.”

“Yeah, is that so?  Well maybe the people I care about get something, too.”

“What?  What, Danny?”

Danny steps into his space and he can feel his own coiled tension reflected right back at him, in the stubborn set of Danny’s shoulders, in the heat radiating off his chest.

“This.”

Steve doesn’t have time to react before Danny’s hands are on him, wrapping around the back of his neck, his hip, pulling him in and down.  He tastes the tang of copper and iron as their lips crash together and for a moment it’s violent, and Steve falls into it.  Violence is familiar.

Option B:  Core Four AU Steve comes back from being presumed dead after the Hesse fiasco in North Korea and opens an acupuncture clinic.  Danny is building a new life on the island after losing his wife.  Steve starts to fall for Danny until he suspects that Danny is keeping a secret involving his little girl.  Kono is exasperated with all of the alphabet agencies that come into play -- CIA, FBI, ATF, and she just wants to know -- WTF?! Outlined but with two possible “reveals” I would need to choose from.  This one also give me an opportunity to play with world-building, because the setting is specific, involving an elaborate tree house, a zip line, and other things that end up getting SEALed in order to protect Grace. 

(There’s this)

“Kono, we are professional health care providers here,” he said.  “No dating clients.  And quit trying to set me up.”

“I’m asking for myself,” Kono said.  She beamed at him, a flash of white teeth and dimples.  “He’s adorable.  Like a . . . like a fluffy little lion cub.  I want to take him home and just --”

“Okay then, Kono, let’s get --” Steve glanced down at his schedule -- “Mr. Wilson into a treatment room.”

“Can I get him to put on a gown?” Kono asked.  

Steve looked at her sternly as she blinked in mock innocence.

(And this)

Then again, Danny wasn’t most people.  He noticed everything.  Too many years of training and practice to stop now -- besides, the stakes had never been higher, and his powers of observation, of reading people, of seeing through disguises and lies, might just be the edge that would keep him and his daughter alive until this mess was over.

He pulled off the road onto the narrow gravel drive leading back to the beleaguered property that was not only his cover, but his home -- his fortress.  He pulled up to the gate and keyed in one of two codes -- the one that verified that all was well, and that he was not under duress.  The gate opened smoothly, its deliberately aged and tenuous appearance belying that it was part of the newly installed state-of-the-art defense.    

The drive was long, curving around dense areas of vegetation that still hinted at previous deliberate planning and careful attention.  With a bit of work, the grounds would once again be functional and attractive.  His Camaro handled the gentle incline with ease, and soon he was pulling into the ground level garage of his home, opening the garage door with another code.  It slid closed behind him, the motion sensors glowing at each other in the dim light.  A third code was entered at the door between the garage and the house, the heavy deadbolt sliding open.  Danny locked the door behind him and reset the alarm.

“You realize that three sets of coded entry is going to be difficult to explain to visitors,” a calm voice said.  The clink of glass on porcelain in the kitchen, along with the scent of rich Kona coffee, was welcome.

(And this)

Steve took the long way home, the windows of his truck rolled down, filling the cab with fresh, fragrant air.  He knew he would never tire of this, never tire of being back home, back on Oahu.  Pulling into the driveway was something that at one point, he was sure he’d never do again -- he’d never take it for granted.  The house itself felt in turn far too empty and far too full of ghosts, but he couldn’t imagine not living here.  He was making peace with both the solitude and the presences he couldn’t quite shake.  When Mary was well enough to be discharged, he would bring her here, where he could watch over her, protect her the way a brother should, care for her like she needed.  He’d drag her out into the sunshine and fresh air.  It would help.  It had to.  

He keyed in the alarm code and slipped inside the still house.  Ignoring the boxes half-packed in his father’s office, gathering dust, he headed for the kitchen.  

Option C:  A case from Danny’s past comes back to haunt the team and threaten the island.  This one is not really outlined.  Possibly gen/case fic, possibly newly McDanno, potentially an OC interest for Steve when the original profiler, who considers this case her one failure, comes to help (because I love playing with OCs and creating better love interests for him than the show manages to do, and I loved the dynamic with Steve and Alicia Brown, and even though I didn’t see it as romantic, I think Steve could fall for someone who is a match for him intellectually and who would understand what his years in the underbelly of Naval intel did to his psyche, and I love the ‘brilliant, mentally tough but physically vulnerable person matched with the brilliant, physically tough but emotionally vulnerable person” trope, sue me).  And I love exploring Danny’s back stories and volatility and the reasons that his marriage failed because his job came first.  We would see a darker Danny in this and that intrigues me. I might also jump the timeline for the first time (for me) put this post season-4, meaning Junior and Tani instead of Chin and Kono.  

There’s this:

“We called him the Holiday Weekend Killer,” Danny said.  “First body, just like this one, the Tuesday after President’s Day weekend.  We found the next body the day after Easter.  And then another the Tuesday after Memorial Day.  And then we ran ourselves into the ground all through the heat of the summer, got nowhere, and the fourth body showed up the day after Labor Day.  We missed Thanksgiving with our families with nothing to show for it but another dead woman -- this one we had to identify with dental records, because the son of a bitch had four days to torture her.  We took off twenty-four hours, Christmas Eve into Christmas Day, might as well, since we had no fucking leads.  He had almost a month with that poor girl, college student, aged out of the foster system, so no one fucking noticed she was missing until classes started again in January.  Christmas Day, no one even fucking knew that beautiful --”

 Danny broke off with a muttered curse and walked out of the room, pushing the doors open with such force that they struck the walls behind, the sound echoing as Steve and Max stood in shocked silence.

 “Give us a few, yeah, Max?” Steve said quietly.  

He caught up with Danny in the basement locker room, the soles of his shoes sticking out of the stall where he was retching over the toilet.  Steve grabbed a length of paper toweling and wet it at the sink.

Danny staggered out of the stall and silently accepted Steve’s offering, wiping his face and mouth.  He balled up the toweling and dropped it into the wastebasket, then rinsed his mouth at the sink, hands trembling on the faucet.

Steve waited, arms crossed, leaning against the door of the locker room.

“I’m sorry, Danny,” he said, when Danny finally turned off the water, leaning over the sink, his breath coming in ragged gasps.  “We’ll all understand if you need to sit this one out.”

It happened so fast that Steve flinched in surprise, Danny’s hand lashing out and shattering the mirror in front of him.

“Sit it out?  Why bother?  This fucking animal already destroyed my marriage, almost cost me my baby girl, not to mention the pile of pretty young corpses we processed.  Processed lots of bodies, Steve, but precious little evidence.  I’ll have them FedEx it to us, shouldn’t take much to send one fucking file box full of nothing useful,” Danny exploded.  “Sit this one out?  What, just do paperwork while I watch you and Chin run yourselves into the ground, while we all try to pretend that we aren’t worried sick about the possibility of this guy getting his hands on Kono?  While Max stacks up bodies in the morgue?  Bodies that no one claims?  Because this guy, this guy, Steve, he knows how to pick his victims.”

“Danny,” Steve sighed.  He rubbed his hand over the back of his neck.  “Danny, we have -- we have resources here, we can cut through red tape.  If it is the guy --”

“Cigarette burns on the soles of their feet, Steve, do you have any idea --”

Danny stopped short at the flicker of emotion that Steve couldn’t mask quickly enough.  He met Steve’s gaze and held it.

“Yeah,” Steve said.  “We’re going to get this guy, Danny.  Now listen, the first thing we need to know -- is this personal?  With him and you?  Is he here, now, on Oahu, because you’re here?”

[wistfulcynic]

CSJJ Day 11: Finding The Altar Epilogue: Destination London

A little addendum to Finding The Altar, which I wrote late last year. I had a request to write Emma and Killian’s trip to London, and what could be better for @csjanuaryjoy than a New Year's honeymoon to one of my favourite cities in the world? This is a straight-up London tourist brochure, and I'm not even sorry. It's also sweet and fluffy and super short, like candy floss on a shortbread biscuit. Grab a cuppa and enjoy! 

BTW if you haven’t read FTA, you can find it here, or if you don’t want to bother just know that this is author!Killian and deputy!Emma, just married and expecting a baby, taking a trip to London together at the New Year. 

@resident-of-storybrooke @kmomof4 @teamhook @jennjenn615 @let-it-raines @wellhellotragic @deathbycaptainswan @tiganasummertree

Destination London: 

London was everything Emma had hoped it would be. Crowded, noisy, grey, dirty, but full of unexpected corners and surprising crannies, quirky and weird and just so ridiculously British. Suddenly she understood Killian a lot better. 

They did all the touristy things: Blocking foot traffic on Westminster Bridge to get a photo of themselves in front of Big Ben, Emma rolling her eyes as Killian explained that the clock tower was just a clock tower and that it was actually the bell that was called Big Ben; taking a tour of Westminster Abbey and dawdling through Poet’s Corner, marvelling at all the famous names commemorated there; dodging the pigeons in Trafalgar Square, Emma barely resisting the desire to pout because she was too old and too pregnant to climb up on the lions’ backs; shopping in Covent Garden; gaping at the Crown Jewels the Tower; taking a million photographs from the top of the London Eye. They walked hand-in-hand along Southbank, grazing from the food trucks there before taking a river taxi to Greenwich where Killian excitedly took Emma thorough the National Maritime Museum and the Old Royal Naval College, only wincing slightly when she lit up in recognition. 

“Oh, yeah, this was in that Thor movie!” she cried, grabbing his arm.

“Indeed,” he replied, with a long-suffering sigh. “Shall we go see the Greenwich Meridian?”

Their trip coincided with the release of Killian’s third novel, which had turned out just as well as Emma had predicted and suddenly launched him from a glowingly-reviewed but lightly-read novelist into a bestselling one. His agent scrambled to take advantage of this surge in popularity by arranging book signings and other appearances in London, waving away his protests that he was “on my bleeding honeymoon, mate,” and aided and abetted by an Emma who was so proud of her husband that she thought she might burst with it, and wanted to show him off. Eventually he agreed, on the condition that he be allowed to choose the bookstores where he did the signings. 

“London has some amazing bookstores,” he told Emma as they lay curled around each other one evening, her head on his chest, his hand caressing her rounded belly. “Bookstores and tea rooms, that’s what I love about this city. There’s no such thing as a decent cup of tea in the States.”

“We dumped it all in Boston harbour that one time,” Emma deadpanned.  

“Bookstores and tea rooms,” continued Killian as though she hadn’t spoken, “And pubs. We should go on a pub crawl.” 

“You know the rugrat won’t let me drink.” 

“You can still enjoy the atmosphere, which is most of the fun anyway. I’ll plan us a route. Through Wapping and along the river, I think, that’s where I used to live and there are some great old places there. We can start at the Mayflower.” 

“The Mayflower? Like the ship?”

“Exactly like the ship.” 

When they got off the Tube at Rotherhithe, Emma was astounded. With its quiet streets lined with brown brick buildings opening onto the riverfront, it showed another facet of London entirely. Of course she knew from her experience living in New York that large cities were basically a collection of neighbourhoods, each with its own personality and style, yet for some reason the relative peace of this little corner of east London came as a surprise.  

So did the Mayflower pub. 

“This is great!” Emma exclaimed, taking in the view of the river from the small wooden balcony at the back of the upstairs room. “Are all pubs like this?”

“Not in the least,” smiled Killian. “Many of them are dank shitholes, if we’re honest. But the good ones can be amazing.” 

After the Mayflower, they took the Overground train across the Thames to Wapping, walking hand-in-hand through more brown brick streets to Turner’s Old Star, with its spacious and charming outdoor beer garden, then on to the Town of Ramsgate, another riverside establishment with a stunning outdoor deck and riverside view. From there they walked along the riverfront path to the Prospect of Whitby, Emma’s favourite pub yet. She found its dim, dark wood and flagstone interior charmingly quaint, and its iteration of the now familiar outdoor deck with sweeping view of the river enhanced by the addition of a gibbet and noose. 

“Used for hanging pirates,” said Killian, gesturing with his pint. 

“Really?”

“Aye, primarily, though there were others. In the case of the pirates, legend says the bodies were left there to hang until three tides had washed over their heads.” 

“Damn.” 

“The hazards of a pirate’s life, darling.” 

They ended their day by taking a taxi to Limehouse and The Grapes pub, where they ate fish and chips then as they were leaving shook the hand of Sir Ian McKellen, who co-owned the place. 

“I can’t believe we met Gandalf,” gushed Emma as they cuddled in the taxi on their way back to their AirBnB in Belgravia. 

“What honeymoon would be complete without it?” joked Killian. 

“Today was really fun,” said Emma. “I loved all the pubs, I can see why you miss them living in Storybrooke.” 

“Storybrooke has other attractions,” said Killian, smiling at her, his eyes warm with love. “London’s great but it’s not my home, not anymore. My home is wherever you are.” 

New Year’s Eve found Emma and Killian dressed to the nines and mingling with London’s literati on the opulent balcony of the Royal Penthouse of the Corinthia Hotel, on the north bank of the Thames. It was pretty much the last place Emma would have predicted she’d be if she’d been asked a few weeks ago about her New Year’s plans, but she wasn’t about to argue. The penthouse was taken every year by the London branch of Killian’s publisher for the New Year’s Eve party they threw for their top authors, and the fact that they thought highly enough of Killian’s new book to invite him to the party that year made her proud enough to burst. Or cry. But that could just be the pregnancy hormones. 

Killian’s agent, a nervous, bustling little man called Smee, shared her pride, though his seemed to be focused slightly more on his own foresight in backing Killian through the less-than-stellar sales of his first two books and the vindication of his third one’s bestselling status. 

“I always knew you’d hit on the right formula eventually,” he blustered as Killian smiled indulgently and Emma ground her teeth, wishing the little man would stop patting himself on the back and let her enjoy the New Year countdown and fireworks with her husband. “It’s not easy to find that delicate balance between artistry and popular appeal, but I always knew that with a little encouragement you could— is that Ben Aaronovich? I’ll be right back.” He thrust his empty champagne glass into Emma’s hand and hurried off in pursuit of the author of the popular Rivers of London book series. 

“Ugh,” said Emma, turning to deposit the glass on the tray of a passing waiter and resisting the urge to wipe her hands on her dress. “He’s a bit of a rat, isn’t he?”

“Aye, that he is. But he truly did stick by me for a number of years, so I’m prepared to overlook it. That said, I think we should disappear before he comes back.” Killian grabbed Emma’s hand and pulled her away into the crowd. 

The Royal Penthouse’s balcony offered a sweeping view of the Thames, similar to the ones they’d seen at the pubs but considerably swankier, and neither Emma nor Killian could imagine a better place to stand for the countdown and fireworks display. As the London Eye lit up and the assembled crowds below began to chant the descending numbers, Killian wrapped his arms around his wife, resting his chin on her shoulder and entwining their fingers together over the swell of their child growing inside her. When the last number was called and the noise of cheers and fireworks erupted around them, he turned his head and kissed her, tasting the sharp bite of the club soda and lime she’d been drinking mixed with the familiar precious flavour that was uniquely her. He thought about all they had to look forward to: the birth of their baby, his burgeoning career, settling in to their married life together, and felt such a surge of happiness and contentment that it brought tears to his eyes. 

“Happy New Year, my love,” he murmured against her lips, feeling her answering smile before he kissed her again. “I have a feeling it’s going to be our best one yet.”  

(Some friends and I did this pub crawl a few years ago, and I *highly* recommend it!)

[astro-onechampionship]

Confirmed Bouts For ONE: EDGE OF GREATNESS In Singapore

On Friday, 22 November, ONE Championship returns to the Singapore Indoor Stadium for an incredible night of martial arts action.

In the main event of ONE: EDGE OF GREATNESS, ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nong-O Gaiyanghadao puts his gold on the line against his compatriot Saemapetch Fairtex.

Nong-O is fresh off a remarkable World Title defense against Algerian contender Brice “The Truck” Delval at ONE: IMMORTAL TRIUMPH in September.

But Nong-O will have a tough challenge in Singapore.

Saemapetch has had a successful start to his ONE Super Series career. The 25-year-old Pattaya native defeated Alaverdi “Babyface Killer” Ramazanov and Ognjen Topic to earn his first World Title shot.

In the co-main event, the Lion City’s Amir Khan faces off against Malaysian-Kiwi superstar Ev “E.T.” Ting.

The pair of lightweights faced a hasty exit in the ONE Lightweight World Grand Prix at the hands of Turkish powerhouse Saygid “Dagi” Guseyn Arslanaliev, and both are keen to return to action.

Khan – a Singaporean Muay Thai champion who trains out of Evolve – has an incredible 91 percent finishing rate. The knockout artist has put away top athletes like Adrian “The Hunter” Pang and Honorio “The Rock” Banario.

His counterpart, Ting, is a New Zealand featherweight champion and an equally phenomenal finisher that has beaten the likes of Edward Kelly and former ONE Welterweight World Champion Nobutatsu Suzuki.

The clash between the hometown hero and the Malaysian-Kiwi sensation will surely deliver fireworks for all the fans.

Singaporeans will also witness the long-awaited return of Tiffany “No Chill” Teo. The strawweight was last seen in action after a gutsy win over eight-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion Michelle Nicolini in November 2018.

A plethora of Singaporean stars like Rahul “The Kerala Krusher” Raju, “Pretty Boy” Troy Worthen, and former ONE Strawweight World Champions Alex “Little Rock” Silva and Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke will all compete on this amazing card.

Stay tuned for more bout announcements in the weeks ahead.

Read More From ONE Championship:

Amir Khan Reveals Why 10 Years Training Muay Thai Makes Him Fearless

How Tiffany Teo Took Her Martial Arts Game To The Next Level

How Alex Silva's Skills Took Him To The Top Of Two Sports