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thebarefootcajun · 2 years ago

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Bientôt et Sirop

Languishing in my blues looking for a friend I spotted him down by the bayou picking up things foreign to the bayou. You know like trash, inedible, and foreign to the bayou’s sacredness. I’d seen him around the area before but had failed to make his connaissance (knowing him). I moved towards him and introduced myself, “Ça va? Je suis Cajun de l’anse Gros Dos.” (I am Cajun from the area, Big Back.)

Le boug, me dit, “Bonjour, je viens de cette place aussi. (The Guy said to me, I’m from that area, too.)

After making a connection with the guy we decided to sit and take a break together on the grassy bank of the bayou. The guy whose name was Bientôt and by the way I’m Sirop. I followed suit after he took his rubber boots off and dangled his feet in the shady, cool

latte colored water of the bayou, quite a nice pair I noticed. Mine were not as nice, had been purchased at the local mercantile store named Tout Qu’il Besoin. (All you need)

Languishing in the blues since my mom had just passed. Dad was struggling with her sudden fatal attaque de cœur (heart attack). Crops has already been harvested, without much to do, waiting a few more weeks before planting our fall garden.

Bientôt got his name from an early birth where his mom had gone in for a last minute checkup while waiting for labor pains. And before she left the doctor’s office she went into labor. I, Sirop, had gotten my name because as a newborn baby I refused to

nurse unless mom dabbed some cane syrup on her nipples and then I began to suck. I guess I’ll be a diabetic at an early age. I am a sweets lover.

We made small talk and then Bientôt suggested that I help him with the bayou cleanup; delighted since I’d already decided I might ask him if I could help.

Putting our boots on we headed towards the loop about a mile up the bayou. That’s where it loops around a cluster of really old oak trees. Often groups of people use that place to campout. Its huge oak cluster tightly woven together provide a canopy of shade and protection from rain.

Famous for its nude swimming at the place I was shaken a bit. Suppose Bientôt suggested we get naked and swim. That’s when I wouldn’t be able to hide my queerness. I put the thought aside; I’m a nervous nelly anyway; I’m always worrying about something. I’d never thought about Bientôt that way. He couldn’t be family, could he? For the, other than queer people, that’s what we call other queer people, family. Okay, Queer 101 lesson!

Back to our short story.

My fears vanquish as quickly as they come; that’s a blessing! Bientôt and I continued our cleanup as we worked our way to the loop and the Oaks. He’s a pretty quiet guy I learned, much quieter than I am, usually, but I’ve learned to gauge my chatter according to my environment.

Enjoying the company of another male and the beauty of the bayou. It’s a magical space of which I’m very fond. Often I find the bayou as my safe space, my oasis to de stress, and since my mom’s death I’ve made more frequent visits to the bayou. Often you can find me there pouring my heart and soul right there on a spot I’ve carved out as a prayer altar. There I kneel before Jesus in silent and sometimes verbal prayer, repenting and in joyous communion with a real live spiritual God. Those times alone with Jesus are mine tucked away in a happy place! Mom was a church goer, me not so much; however Jesus is real in my life, even as a closeted, gay young adult male.

I’ve longed to meet someone like me. I wonder can it ever happen in my life or am I fated for a life of lonely existence on the bayou prairie land that I adore. And with that thought, Bientôt brought me back to life, away from my dreams.

Bientôt said, “Nous sommes proches du cercle.” (We are close to the loop.)

I responded with, “Je connais cette place.” (I know this place.

As we got to the loop, Bientôt suggested that we fish for some lunch. Both of us were hungry.

“A small catfish gutted and grilled over an open fire would be delicious,”Sirop thought to himself.

There were always cane poles laying about with hooks, all the boys needed to do was find the bait. And lo and behold there were a couple of big Old courtableau trees laden with big, black, yellow and green courtableau worms. Using their poles, careful with the hooks, they captured a hand full of worms vowing to return those not used in the fishing expedition. No sooner had they dropped their lines, Sirop caught a beautiful medium sized catfish. They only needed one so both boys decided to stop fishing and put the live worms back into the trees. Bientôt and Sirop cared about conservation and sustainability of wildlife on the South Louisiana Cajun Prairie.

They gutted that medium sized catfish, cleaned it up, built a fire and cooked it right there without any seasoning. They both agreed it was the best outdoors catfish meal they had ever eaten. Now, readers that’s farm to table.

After eating, the boys lied on the slant of the bayou with their feet down bayou. They chatted some and then fell asleep right there for a couple of hours.

Upon waking the men decided their work was done and they headed home. Bientôt asked Sirop as they were about to part ways at the loop, “Sirop, veux-tu venir souper chez moi?” (Do you want to come to my house for supper tonight?)

“Mais, oui, j’amerais ca,”answered Sirop.

#cajun french #gay short story #gay in the 1960’s

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rankertopgoogle · 2 years ago

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lets-lisa · 4 years ago

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cathiebates · 3 years ago

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cashforgoldsblog · 3 years ago

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Sell My Gold Near Me Washington DC Maryland Virginia

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Have you ever wondered how to sell gold in Washington DC Maryland Virginia? If you have gold jewelry that you no longer wear or have inherited some jewelry which is not to your liking, selling it will make some of your dreams come true. Like everything else, when selling gold or selling silver in DC, the more you know, the better you will do. In the following paragraphs I will address the history of gold, how gold is measured and how gold stamps work.

1) A brief history of Gold.

a. Gold has been valued by humans since before ancient Egypt rose to greatness. Since gold appears in nature in its native state at a high level of purity, early humans would find gold nuggets in streams or in other deposits. Gold flakes have been found inside caves where prehistoric drawings adorn the walls suggesting that early humans discovered gold and valued it for its aesthetic qualities. Gold is a very noble metal. This means that gold can easily be formed by striking it into shapes or plates which then can be carved or turned into coins. Alexander the Great is said to have funded his campaigns using gold that his troops mined along the way in his travels. Ancient Egyptians covered sarcophagus and other items with gold to praise their gods and pharaohs. Fast forward to modern times and we are using gold not only for jewelry and coins, but for electronics, surgical implants, and other uses which exploit gold’s heat and electrical conductivity. 2) Gold Sources, Purity and Measurement.a. Gold can be found in almost every country throughout the world. Gold is either found in alluvial deposits which are caused by rivers exposing gold deposits or in mining operations where large quantities of earth are moved and processed to extract gold. Gold naturally occurs in purities of 85% or higher. Gold is heavier than other minerals found around it and therefore it is easy to separate using water sluices. Once gold is separated from the minerals which surround it, it is refined using either a chemical method in which gold is dissolved in a solution called aqua regia, which is a strong acid solution, or it is melted along with mercury which causes impurities to concentrate in a layer of the melted gold which is called slag. Once the slag is removed, gold has been refined to 100% pure.b. Gold is a very easy metal to alloy. This means it can be combined with other metals to achieve production goals which would make a harder metal or a metal of a different color. For example gold is alloyed with copper to make rose gold and with tin and silver to make white gold. Aside from this gold is also dissolved in solutions to create electroplating applications. These applications allow gold to be plated onto wire and for other industrial purposes.c. In jewelry gold purity is defined by Karat. 24 karat gold is defined as gold which has 24 out of 24 parts made of pure gold. Pure gold is very soft and seldom used for jewelry as it is easy to bend and wears and scratches way too quickly. 18 karat gold, or gold which has 18 parts pure gold and 6 parts of something else, is commonly used to make high end jewelry. 14 karat gold or gold that is 14 parts pure gold and 10 parts something else, is also used to make jewelry as it is harder and more durable than 18 karat gold. Gold is measured in Troy Ounces. The old question what weighs more an ounce of gold or an ounce of feathers is actually a trick question. Gold is measured in Troy Ounces and feathers in Avoirdupois Ounces. There are 31.1 grams in a Troy Ounce and 28.35 grams in an avoirdupois ounce. Therefore the Troy ounce, the ounce of gold, is heavier than the avoirdupois ounce. Conversely, the troy pound is lighter than the avoirdupois pound. Thus making the pound of feathers heavier than the pound of gold. 3) Gold Stamps and Identification.a. The Federal Trade Commission regulates the trade of precious metals and directs manufacturers on how to stamp and identify gold. In the United States an item must be 10 Karat Gold or higher karat to be called gold. Also, gold that is plated must be plated with 10 karat gold or better to be called gold plated. Gold jewelry fineness is identified by a stamp which tell you how pure the gold used in the piece is. 417 or 41.7 percent gold is 10 karat gold. 585 or 58.5 percent gold is 14 karat gold. 750 or 75 percent gold is 18 karat gold. Normally a piece is either stamped with a three digit number or the actual karat content, such as 14K. Jewelry which is gold plated or gold filled is stamped with a GP or GF after the karat of the gold. For example 18 KGF, denoting that this piece of jewelry was manufactured using 18 Karat Gold Filled. Gold filled jewelry is jewelry manufactured using a solid layer of gold which has been mechanically bonded to a base material such as silver or a base metal like pewter. Gold plated (GP) is when an electroplating method is used to deposit a very thin layer of gold onto silver or a base metal. Now you know the process which got your

gold jewelry

to you and how its labeled and what purity and weight means. So, now you need to locate a place in the DC area to

sell gold

. We can give you a fair cash offer for your gold, silver and precious metals!

#cash for gold

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sell-gold-near-me · 4 years ago

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Gold Buyers DC Maryland Virginia

We Buy Gold Silver DC Maryland Virginia

If you want to sell your jewelry but you don't know where to go, call us at Cash for Gold DC MD VA, where you'll get a fair cash offer for your precious metals!

If you have unwanted jewelry, diamonds, fine watches, or luxury handbags, why not sell them for cash? Call us today!

Get Cash Now for Your Valuables

Gold

Fine watches

Diamonds

Jewelry

Silver

Coins

Precious Metals

Collectibles

Luxury Handbags

Cash for Gold in DC MD VA

1) A brief history of Gold.

2) Gold Sources, Purity and Measurement.

a. Gold can be found in almost every country throughout the world. Gold is either found in alluvial deposits which are caused by rivers exposing gold deposits or in mining operations where large quantities of earth are moved and processed to extract gold. Gold naturally occurs in purities of 85% or higher. Gold is heavier than other minerals found around it and therefore it is easy to separate using water sluices. Once gold is separated from the minerals which surround it, it is refined using either a chemical method in which gold is dissolved in a solution called aqua regia, which is a strong acid solution, or it is melted along with mercury which causes impurities to concentrate in a layer of the melted gold which is called slag. Once the slag is removed, gold has been refined to 100% pure.

b. Gold is a very easy metal to alloy. This means it can be combined with other metals to achieve production goals which would make a harder metal or a metal of a different color. For example gold is alloyed with copper to make rose gold and with tin and silver to make white gold. Aside from this gold is also dissolved in solutions to create electroplating applications. These applications allow gold to be plated onto wire and for other industrial purposes.

c. In jewelry gold purity is defined by Karat. 24 karat gold is defined as gold which has 24 out of 24 parts made of pure gold. Pure gold is very soft and seldom used for jewelry as it is easy to bend and wears and scratches way too quickly. 18 karat gold, or gold which has 18 parts pure gold and 6 parts of something else, is commonly used to make high end jewelry. 14 karat gold or gold that is 14 parts pure gold and 10 parts something else, is also used to make jewelry as it is harder and more durable than 18 karat gold. Gold is measured in Troy Ounces. The old question what weighs more an ounce of gold or an ounce of feathers is actually a trick question. Gold is measured in Troy Ounces and feathers in Avoirdupois Ounces. There are 31.1 grams in a Troy Ounce and 28.35 grams in an avoirdupois ounce. Therefore the Troy ounce, the ounce of gold, is heavier than the avoirdupois ounce. Conversely, the troy pound is lighter than the avoirdupois pound. Thus making the pound of feathers heavier than the pound of gold.

3) Gold Stamps and Identification.

a. The Federal Trade Commission regulates the trade of precious metals and directs manufacturers on how to stamp and identify gold. In the United States an item must be 10 Karat Gold or higher karat to be called gold. Also, gold that is plated must be plated with 10 karat gold or better to be called gold plated. Gold jewelry fineness is identified by a stamp which tell you how pure the gold used in the piece is. 417 or 41.7 percent gold is 10 karat gold. 585 or 58.5 percent gold is 14 karat gold. 750 or 75 percent gold is 18 karat gold. Normally a piece is either stamped with a three digit number or the actual karat content, such as 14K. Jewelry which is gold plated or gold filled is stamped with a GP or GF after the karat of the gold. For example 18 KGF, denoting that this piece of jewelry was manufactured using 18 Karat Gold Filled. Gold filled jewelry is jewelry manufactured using a solid layer of gold which has been mechanically bonded to a base material such as silver or a base metal like pewter. Gold plated (GP) is when an electroplating method is used to deposit a very thin layer of gold onto silver or a base metal.

Now you know the process which got your gold jewelry to you and how its labeled and what purity and weight means. So, now you need to locate a place in the DC area to sell gold. We can give you a fair cash offer for your gold, silver and precious metals!

#cash for gold #cash for gold near me #sell gold near me

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pollyjean · 5 years ago

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One of America’s oldest and most vital wildlife conservation laws is in crisis

I’ve reblogged a post alluding to the proposed rollback of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, but I wanted to make a more formal post about this that hopefully won’t clog people’s dashboards as much.

The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (or MBTA), enacted in 1916, is arguably the oldest wildlife conservation legislation on a federal level in the United States. It prohibits the capture, killing, sale, or trade, of any migratory bird species in the United States (and their eggs, feathers, and nests). For the past half century, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has enforced both intentional killing and harming of birds and the unintentional killing or harming of birds (known as “incidental take”), usually as a result of industrial development and corporate carelessness. This second aspect of the act is what, for example, enabled BP to be held responsible for the catastrophic Gulf of Mexico oil spill in 2010 — as a result of the estimated deaths of 1 million birds due to the oil spill, the corporation was required to pay US $100 million to work towards intensive conservation projects around the Gulf Coast, an effort that is still far from over.

In late 2017, the trump administration announced that it would be changing its interpretation of the MBTA so that incidental take would no longer be strictly enforced. This approach has already had drastic ramifications, as companies could now kill birds with no punishment, provided the killing was “unintentional” (although almost always, these bird deaths are preventable and predictable). The federal government has not only stopped investigating bird deaths, but has even “discouraged local governments and businesses from taking precautionary measures to protect birds”.

Now the trump administration is moving to codify this change in policy – making a reversal under a future administration a much more difficult feat. As bird conservation organization Audubon points out, “A future president could easily scrap a predecessor’s legal opinion, but the rule, if finalized, would be much harder to undo”. I’m cynical because the United States government (especially, but certainly not exclusively, under trump) has shown us time and time again that money and corporations have more say in government processes than the citizens it claims to serve, but up until 19 March 2020, the federal government will be accepting public input on the change. The USFWS specifies two ways to do this (note that they will NOT be accepting emails or faxes):

U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-HQ-MB-2018-0090; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; MS: JAO/1N; 5275 Leesburg Pike; Falls Church, VA 22041–3803.

Submit a comment digitally on regulations.gov (look for the blue “Comment Now!” button on the top right)

I encourage anyone with an interest in birds, conservation, or simply not letting the world we live in be screwed over in favor of corporate interests to leave a comment — it will only take a few minutes of your time and is absolutely free.

I also encourage reading the following articles for more information:

https://www.audubon.org/news/federal-government-moves-gut-americas-most-important-bird-law

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/24/climate/trump-bird-deaths.html

https://www.mic.com/p/trump-administration-plans-migratory-bird-act-changes-that-will-weaken-protections-for-wildlife-21762483

#environmentalism #conservation

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toongrrl-blog · 5 years ago

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Okay once more with feeling, with the characters being at the ages they would be in 2020 as opposed to the series, how would the characters of Stranger Things react to the COVID-19/Coronavirus Pandemic? I will include my theories.

Eleven: Stocked up on Eggos and other ingredients, uses recovered psychic powers to keep an eye on the Party and her in-laws, tells her and Mikes’ kids to lay off of Eggos.

Jim Hopper: The cabin is newly constructed, he lives off the land, Facetimes with Joyce, constructed some booby traps (letting the Party know), planting signs informing at-risk people live there.

Ives Sisters: Ordering in and sanitizing everything and in contact with Eleven and the kids as they are senior citizens, Mikes’ and Elevens’ eldest (who is into clean eating and going to college nearby) stays with them, watching them and teaching them social media and clean eating.

Joyce Byers: Stocked up on some frozen foods and froze casseroles, making calls with her PTA voice, Facetiming the kids and grandkids, Will’s husband (of Latin extraction) sends a bunch of Vicks to her (as with the rest).

Will Byers: Facetiming family, set up D&D on Zoom, his husband keeps him fed and sanitized and in stock with Vicks, keeping indoors as he is sure he is at risk, sanitized self and moved in to keep an eye on Hop and Joyce.

Jonathan Byers: Taking photos, Facetiming, getting exercise to keep ready for battle, improving on home surgical skills, doing some homeschooling with his and Nancy’s kids and even virtual for the Partys’ kids, sanitizing everything, livestreaming tributes to fallen musicians even Kenny Rogers for Bob Newby.

Nancy Wheeler: Cleaning, exercising to keep ready for battle, stockpiling on her weapons, writing blog pieces and active on social media, homeschooling, Facetiming, sends reminders in text and social media and on the phone to tell Karen to sit down at home, checks in on Barb’s parents.

Mike Wheeler: Using limited cooking skills for Eleven’s energy, taking cooking tutorials, often uses Eleven’s physical help with strenuous stuff, tells kids to lay off of “Mommy’s Eggos” and promises he will cook them some homemade ones (albeit burnt), Facetiming, Karen can hear him screaming to sit down at home from 20 miles.

Karen Wheeler: Cleaning house, doing YouTube livestream exercise classes and at home beauty and cooking tutorials, Facetiming, is frustrated as all her kids tell her to stay her ass at home and her daughter in law is using her psychic powers to keep an eye on her.

Holly Wheeler: Lives away from home, tells her parents to sit their asses down (Ted is redundant), Facetimes siblings, keeps up to date with all information and news coming out, sanitizes everything, even delivery and pickup, re-watches all her childhood favorites, makes Nancy and Mike tell her what was going on when she was a kid.

Ted Wheeler: Sits his ass down without being told, doesn’t worry about food as Karen and the kids handle it, misses the grandkids’ presence but relieved he doesn’t have to endure collective eye-rolling from them and their parents and Karen, doesn’t think Trump is doing much wrong on purpose but doesn’t know what to think, uncomfortable with Samuel Jackson saying “Sit Your Ass At Home” as language....

Dustin Henderson: D&D livestreaming, frustrated he can’t go out but keeping an eye on his mom and needed her help and Suzie’s help with their kid before her spring break as he wanted “to party” in Miami. Falls for fake news sometimes which Suzie corrects, Suzie texts him “thanks” for the camping trailer he bought impulsively 6 years ago as she camps there after her shifts at the hospital and she made contact with her estranged parents again and glad to see they loved him and Claudia.

Claudia Henderson: At home with her son and daughter in law and two grandchildren, she goes on social media to remind people that Hillary warned them about Trump being an incompetent for a crisis, was a Warren supporter and mourning her out of the race, keeps in touch with young feminists over social media and goes on Tumblr on the regular.

Lucas Sinclair: Has hoarded New Coke when it came out again and other sodas and snacks for family movie nights, learning social media from the kids, argues and makes love to Max, uses his spying skills to keep an eye out for violations, tells parents where they can watch livestreams of church services, made the mistake of dropping in on Dustin’s house with Dustin armed with Lysol.

Erica Sinclair: Stocked up on candies and ice cream long before this, orders in food or pick up, devised creative weapons, grades her students’ with a flourish, Facetimes Lucas and Max and their kids, home schools economics to the Party’s kids, childfree and loving it, reminds her parents it’s not a good time to even be having kids, gets anxious about the state of capitalism and all the “eat the rich” memes and Parasite and The Hunt really got to her. Has opinions on My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and is a authority on the franchise.

Mr. and Ms. Sinclair: Staying home, their kids really get on them about going out, in their day one obeyed their parents and respected them by not objecting to them or letting them do things but now their kids and grandkids are telling them to stay home for their own good, Mr. Sinclair has learned livestreaming and zoom from his grandkids two years ago and set up VA meetings on zoom while Ms. Sinclair has been introduced to channels like The Take, For Harriet, and even set up her own accounts on Tumblr and Pinterest. Also makes “dates” with Mr. Sinclair to take virtual trips.

Murray Bauman: Elderly but has been sanitizing things and even created his own hazmat suit, looks with pride on his 30 year stock of toilet paper, has lots of vodka.

Dr. Sam Owens (if still alive): Keeping everyone up to date with information from his colleagues before he retired, letting them know that the President was aware of the news but ignored it, tells Hop and Joyce that he also has some mentees aware of the Hawkins Conspiracy and can be addressed if things go wrong.

Robin Buckley: Watches movies on Amazon Prime, Netflix, MUBI, Hulu and streams tv series. Active Tumblr and argues on Facebook. Doing zoom lectures for her students, “lunches” with Erica between their classes, gets high with Steve over Facebook Live, does virtual meetings of local LGBTQIA groups, flowers to Barb’s grave for her parents (she told them about a relationship she and Barb had in the past and was welcomed warmly).

Steve Harrington: Home a lot, exercises, has been clean eating for years and keeps up a high protein diet, organic gardening, checks on the Party, sanitizes constantly, does YouTube tutorials for hair and exercise, active on Twitter and Instagram where he is in constant contact with a long distance (for now) partner.

Keith (ew): Still wiping his nose on his sleeve, people give him dirty looks more, eating junk, and not exercising. Still hoping Nancy will hit him up.

Mr. and Mrs. Holland: Staying home, Nancy checks in on them also their relatives, delivery sent to their home, they still miss Barb and wish she was there, they stay in contact with Robin who orders flowers for Barb’s grave.

Max Mayfield: Practices her skateboarding and gets her and Lucas’s kids to , film her for tutorials, argues with Lucas and then they make pre-menopausal love, frustrated at her white roots showing in her hair.

Susan Hargrove: Has thankfully divorced from Neil a long time ago, is ecstatic (but guilty) when she hears he died from the virus with his last words being “it’s all a hoax”, Facetimes Max and Lucas and their kids and stays at home making dinner for one (even if she gets distracted and it burns) and taking virtual tours of countries Neil disliked in peace.

Kali Prasad: Uses psychic powers to ward off anyone who encroaches on her space and is not practicing social distancing, if she does go out at all (aside from exercising).

Samantha Stone: Does YouTube vids about 1980s music history and alternative culture to young people, supports Bernie Sanders for President, and donates $100 a month to The Take on Patreon.

#Stranger Things #covid19

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dcnativegal · 5 years ago

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Day 55 of Pandemic, & I’m sick

Monday, May 4, 2020. Day 55 of the global pandemic (declared by World Health Organization on March 11th.) We as a planet hit 3,500,000 cases today, and 250,000 deaths. There are many more than that, but the planet doesn’t have enough tests. But then, there was this announcement:

So obviously we’re in good hands. [Sarcasm alert.]

The entire planet has slowed down, such that seismologists can detect the quieting of the earth: less shuddering of industry, cars, construction. Check out the drop in electricity usage:

Here’s a bit of perspective from Instagram:

The Lesbians of Paisley have been fertile ground for viruses. Valerie is nearly recovered from the viral pneumonia she was diagnosed with on March 26 at the emergency room at Lake District Hospital. She’d begun to feel feverish and achy, with violent coughing on March 15th, 2 days after what turned into my last day in my office at the hospital’s primary care clinic, and a day and a half after we’d dined with our friends Toni, Al, Bonnie and Bruce in person, sans masks. We began 100% isolation from the outside world the minute she felt sick. She recounted the ER adventure to a friend thusly: We drove in and they have organized a system that resembles getting on a [military] base after 9-11. We sat in the pickup at the checkpoint until a somebody in protective attire had taken my temp and saturation levels and asked a bunch of questions. Then they slapped a red sticker on the dash, told us to park in the ER lot and "don't get out of the pickup." Five hours later I had donated blood and been CAT scanned. I had two pneumonia shots that were current and two flu shots, also current. They checked the blood against 14 different virus strains and came up blank. The chest showed white lungs and my saturation levels were iffy. So they used one of the tests they had been sent, gave me antibiotics (just in case) and sent me home. Took me three days to sleep off all that fun.”

Me and Griffey the poodle waited in the pickup for her. At every sound, he got up from the passenger’s seat and looked at the ER entrance where she’d disappeared. No Valerie? Back to sleep. I walked him 3 times. Hope, her RN daughter, told us that her flow through the ER was great practice in maintaining distance and perfect hygienic process through the CT scan, taking blood, even pushing her food on a tray to her. Lake Health District Hospital is prepared, and still, technically speaking, zero cases in the county.

I was so anxious about her health, her ability to breathe, that I gave up all thought of working from home. I listened to her breathing and coughing, brought her tea, and finally, asked her to write out her last will and testament. She did, and put it away. I figured, her kids are wonderful and won’t fight about stuff but, better for her to express her wishes, even if the paper wouldn’t be legally binding.

Apparently, I get the FrankenDodge (the pickup which has hit one too many deer and who’s grill is sewn together by wire). I’ll take it but I’d much rather have her.

We waited 10 days for the nasal swab results. While we waited, she got better. Never had that cytokine storm, nor that respiratory crash. Storms and crashes; pretty apt words for the medical horror of end stage COVID-19. Once her test came back negative, despite the warning of her PCP who says that nasal swabs miss between 30 and 47% of positive cases, I was able to go to town on the 10th of April, get some software downloaded onto the computer so I could work from home, and hit Safeway while wearing a mask. I also dropped off one of Valerie’s homemade masks to a friend, along with some toilet paper illustrated with Trump’s kissy face. The moment of levity was greatly appreciated.

I started feeling lousy six days after my jaunt to Lakeview (April 16th). Cough and release of gook high up in my chest. Headache. No fever. Who knows if I have COVID-19. We listen to a British gentleman, Dr. Campbell, daily, as he reviews what’s going on globally, and he interviewed a woman who had exactly my illness course, before she moved on to fever and gastrointestinal symptoms. She never got tested. Too much hassle. Which is so ridiculous, criminal really, and in the USA, a direct result of American hubris and incompetence. Fine. Anyone with any symptoms of any illness is isolated until we have a vaccine and treatment, is my prediction. I’m still feeling shitty, though better. Started taking antibiotics just in case and in the hopes of recovering SOMEDAY.

My son Jonah and his girlfriend June escaped just in time the terrible plight of New York’s COVID19 deluge of infections and hospitalizations. They’ve been in Baltimore at June’s mother’s beautiful home. He spent his 26th birthday in the basement because they were still in quarantine. See adorable picture, below. Now they’re allowed upstairs, enjoying the quiet. Apparently, writing and directing music videos is not an essential service during a pandemic, but he’s writing pitches and living off the most recent lucrative gig with Kesha, thank goodness.

One of the most moving things that is happening in the USA during this time is the 7pm clapping ritual for medical workers and first responders in New York City, in all the boroughs:

There’s a firefighter in DC who’s going to hospitals and nursing homes to play the bagpipe.

That’s where my daughter Clara lives, in DC, but right now she’s staying with a friend in Laurel, MD, since her group house dynamics are stressful and had a symptomatic guest at last report. She’s working from home to make sure the Latinx school children are getting the tutoring they need now more than ever. We worry about her husband Jose and his country, Guatemala, since there are COVID-19 cases down there, and refugees seeking asylum are being dumped there, with and without the virus. Over 700 cases in Guatemala as of today. We hope he will get to the USA this year. However, Trump referred to it as a shithole country, which doesn’t bode well.

My sister and her husband are well, thankfully. They work fulltime from home in the company of Pepper the cat and Darcy the chocolate lab. Yuuki, 25, stays there, too, mostly in their room; they are out of work and applying for unemployment. Kohji, age 28, works from home in DC and makes more money as a web designer than I ever will after 34 years as a social worker, but who’s counting. (I remember well the admonition of a field instructor back in 1987: don’t go into social work for Power, Pay or Prestige.) His girlfriend is probably out of work; she works for a nonprofit that plants trees in DC. Probably not essential work right this very minute. Makoto, 23, is out of quarantine and looking for something to do; he’ll be a senior at the University of Delaware this fall. As far as I hear on Facebook and email, the rest of the folks with whom I share DNA are well. So that’s good. I worry about my Aunt Mary Lee who is 87. But she says not to: she’s fine and her ritzy retirement community in McLean, VA is on “lockdown.”

Psychologically, in the experience of quarantine and ‘social distancing’, there’s me, and then there are my clients.

My moods go up and down, but a little further down than usual. The terror that Valerie might die of COVID-19 has passed, but I figure I will always need therapy. I have “Facebook messenger” video chats with my therapist, Darcy of Bend, every other week now, which helps. Having ‘Generalized Anxiety Disorder’ and a tendency toward major depression, I find therapy to be a corrective. A bimonthly tune up. Without it, I naturally veer toward negativity and neurosis, and a hypervigilance that served me well when I was a child, but is exhausting, overwrought and over-thought as an adult.

Psychologically, Valerie is always fine. Seriously. She was once told as a young woman by a therapist who’d tested her with the MMPI (the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory) that she was outrageously and puzzlingly normal. Now that she’s feeling mostly well again from the pneumonia, she’s been tearing up the joint, fixing the sump pump that apparently keeps this little house from drifting down main street on the wetlands it’s built on. Digging out the leaves from our irrigation ditch, chopping and clearing the wood from our front yard.

The BEFORE picture:

The AFTER Picture.

And this happened one morning in March. Just a cattle drive past our front door.

Valerie’s planning a garden at her daughter’s place, which has a deer-proof fence and lots of sun up on the hill above us. A delivery of horse manure is scheduled, and the garden bed has been rototilled. Val’s granddaughter Jessica and her husband Alan are living up there now, working from home for their Portland-based gigs. They’re almost finished the 14-day quarantine since they moved down here. The new normal: anytime anyone leaves one locale for another, they disappear into strictest quarantine, not to leave their abode. Groceries are delivered to the doorstep. A recent day turned out to be Jess’ 25th birthday: I’d bought a canvas bag with a picture of a pug on it, like her dog Archie, and Valerie found something gluten free flour mix with fresh jam to give her. Birthday gatherings are suspect at the moment.

Here’s a lovely idea for quarantined birthday celebrations:

What a kind and generous offer.

Even in isolation, Val and I do socialize, on zoom. The one pictured below is church.

We ‘visit’ with our fellow parishioners from St. Luke’s on Sunday evenings. Then we say Compline together, from the Book of Common Prayer. My favorite prayer of all time is this one from that service.

Yes, shield the joyous. Because joy is fleeting.

Our writers’ group, Easy Writers, ‘meets’ on zoom every Monday now. I wrote this bit about my yarn for the prompt, ‘write something in your home that means a lot to you.’

I am doing a great deal of crochet and a little knitting.

Yarn is my comfort and my joy. It is the raw material I create blankets and scarves and hats with. My tools are hooks and needles made from wood and plastic and metal. My fingers are also my tools.

Some of the yarn is like cotton candy: spun mohair from a goat is said to have a ‘halo’ or ‘aura’ because of the gentle cloud of color you can see an inch or two away from the spun thread. Some yarn is like twine: you can see every string of ply. My favorite is merino wool and single ply. A unity of color that will not split. All for one and one for all, the fuzzy stuff is twisted and bound into a single string of strength…

My clients are stressed out. The pandemic adds a layer to the stress they were already experiencing. I listen and knit, from within the cocoon of the yarn room which my folks can see behind me. One of my clients wanders about with her phone in her hand while I get slightly dizzy. I like this kind of counseling since I get a glimpse of my clients’ homes. Reminds me a little bit of being a geriatric care manager. You can tell a lot about a person from their home. From my home you can tell that I have a lot of yarn, and I work multiple projects at a time because there are piles of them alongside my recliner.

One of the sad weights of being present for my clients is their level of estrangement for most if not all social connections, especially people with whom they share DNA. And every single one has what is called in the mental health world “complex PTSD” from multiple traumatic experiences. I sit with them, on the phone or via video. I hope to model for them what Carl Rogers called ‘unconditional positive regard.’ I breathe deeply to release my own distress at their sadness. We explore one tiny step toward reducing their isolation, the sense of trust. All during a pandemic where other people could be carrying a potentially deadly virus.

It’s no wonder I’m pawing mohair out of screen for my own comfort.

Sometimes I email clients links or articles on how to keep their spirits up, or about good things that are happening instead of the dire predictions they’re listening to or watching. There is much to share that is hopeful. I sent one to a client on creative ways to care for everyone and she shot back:

“I believe this is Liberal rhetoric.

Esp the paragraph below:

This current emergency provides the possibility for a new emergence—the birthing of a truly civil civilization dedicated to the well-being of all people and the living Earth. “

Oh well. We can’t have a truly civil civilization dedicated to the well-being of all people, now can we?

Sigh.

Brilliant writing is being penned right now, since the entire planet’s human inhabitants are barely one degree of separation away from this virus, which is apparently ‘barely alive’ and therefore hard to kill, as it spreads onward to make millions miserable and hundreds of thousands die.

I’m saving articles from The Atlantic, The NY Times, and the Washington Post, and following a historian named Heather Cox Richardson who writes a daily blog called Letters from an American. In a recent post she writes:

“The big news … has been the ‘protests’ of state governors’ stay-at-home orders and mandatory business closings to try to contain the novel coronavirus …These protests are a classic example of trying to control politics by controlling the national narrative. The protests are backed by the same conservative groups that are working for Trump’s reelection. …These are not spontaneous, grassroots protests. They are political operations designed to divert attention from the Trump administration’s poor response to the pandemic. Even more, though, they are designed to keep the American public divided so that we do not protest the extraordinary economic inequality the pandemic has highlighted.

These protests have diverted the national conversation by turning a national crisis into partisan division along the lines the Republican Party has developed since the 1980s... The change of subject protects not just Trump but also the ideology at the heart of his Republican Party. Since 1981, Republicans have argued that the economy depends on wealthy businessmen who know best how to arrange the economy—the makers-- and that it is vital to protect their interests. Under their policies, wealth in America has moved upward. The pandemic has highlighted how these policies have removed economic security for ordinary people. They cannot pay their bills, and they might well turn against an ideology that uses our tax dollars to bail out corporations while they must risk their lives to pay their rent.” [Emphasis mine]

I am so glad someone smarter than me can reveal the interconnections of what’s going on politically.

There is food for thought on Facebook and Instagram: in the guise of a rewrite of Mary Oliver’s Wild Geese, this poem.

Mary Oliver for Corona Times (after Wild Geese)

by Adrie Kusserow

You do not have to become totally zen, You do not have to use this isolation to make your marriage better, your body slimmer, your children more creative. You do not have to “maximize its benefits” By using this time to work even more, write the bestselling Corona Diaries, Or preach the gospel of ZOOM. You only have to let the soft animal of your body unlearn everything capitalism has taught you, (That you are nothing if not productive, That consumption equals happiness, That the most important unit is the single self. That you are at your best when you resemble an efficient machine). Tell me about your fictions, the ones you’ve been sold, the ones you sheepishly sell others, and I will tell you mine. Meanwhile the world as we know it is crumbling. Meanwhile the virus is moving over the hills, suburbs, cities, farms and trailer parks. Meanwhile The News barks at you, harsh and addicting, Until the push of the remote leaves a dead quiet behind, a loneliness that hums as the heart anchors. Meanwhile a new paradigm is composing itself in our minds, Could birth at any moment if we clear some space From the same tired hegemonies. Remember, you are allowed to be still as the white birch, Stunned by what you see, Uselessly shedding your coils of paper skins Because it gives you something to do. Meanwhile, on top of everything else you are facing, Do not let capitalism coopt this moment, laying its whistles and train tracks across your weary heart. Even if your life looks nothing like the Sabbath, Your stress boa-constricting your chest. Know that your antsy kids, your terror, your shifting moods, are no less sacred than a yoga class. Whoever you are, no matter how broken, the world still has a place for you, calls to you over and over announcing your place as legit, as forgiven, even if you fail and fail and fail again. remind yourself over and over, all the swells and storms that run through your long tired body all have their place here, now in this world. It is your birthright you be held deeply, warmly, in the family of things, not one cell left in the cold.

-Adrie Kusserow

Not one cell left out in the cold. Yes.

There is so much to be grateful for. I have a place to live, and even while paying off my bankruptcy debt, I have plenty. Enough that I can make small donations here and there. Here’s one cause I found: supporting foster children who were in college and now have no place to go. (Terrible visuals for the logo: it’s “Together We Rise.”)

Soon, the nights of below freezing temperatures will pass, and both Lesbians of Paisley will be healthy at the same time. Perhaps I’ll get my Tricycle-for-Grownups serviced and toodle around for exercise. Perhaps the Stitch & Bitch knitting/crochet gatherings will resume, maybe in a park for physical distance and social connection.

And maybe I’ve already had Covid-19, and so has Valerie. Looks like 50-70% of all the people on the planet, not quite 8 billion humans so maybe 4 to 6 billion people, need to catch this thing in order to give our species herd immunity. Or WILL catch it because we have no way to stop it, only to slow the infections so that health care is not overwhelmed. We live and Love in the Time of Coronavirus, to paraphrase Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I maybe a libtard, a snowflake, a lily-livered liberal, who’s heart bleeds. But I agree with this sentiment, found on Facebook, our American ‘commons’:

Love absurdly and abundantly, my people. And wash your hands.

#covidー19

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fallschurchvirginia · 2 years ago

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Famous Places to visit in Falls Church, Virginia

Falls Church is a wonderful place to live. It's a small but bustling community, with lots of beautiful parks and historic sites to visit. You can find many cultural opportunities here too, from art galleries and theaters to breweries and cafes. I've been living in Falls Church for over ten years now and haven't gotten tired of it yet! Here are some of my favorite places in Falls Church that offer something special:

The State Theatre

You can find the State Theatre on Little Falls Street, right near the heart of Falls Church. It's a historic building that's been in continuous use since it opened as a vaudeville house in 1928. Today, it still hosts live performances and movies.

The stage has seen some big names throughout its history—including Bill Cosby, Bob Hope and Paul Newman—and has hosted events from the Virginia Festival Ballet to Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No 2.

The Alden Theatre

The Alden Theatre opened in 1971. It is a non-profit organization that hosts live performances of music, dance and theatre. The Alden Theatre is named after the family that owned the building from 1820 to 1960, when it was purchased by the City of Falls Church as a community center. The theatre has a seating capacity of 200 people and over 400 volunteers help run it.

The Mad Fox Brewing Company

The Mad Fox Brewing Company, an upscale brewpub in the heart of Falls Church, offers a variety of unique beers and a full menu to pair with them. The restaurant is family-owned, which means that each dish was carefully crafted to be enjoyed by everyone from your kids to your grandparents. The menu includes everything from paninis and burgers to soups and salads, but it's their beer selection that really stands out. With over 20 different drafts on tap at any given time, there's something for everyone!

The Creative Cauldron

The Creative Cauldron is a community art center located in Falls Church, VA. The Creative Cauldron offers classes and workshops for all ages, from toddlers to adults. They also provide materials and supplies for local artists to use during their classes at the center. Their gallery space showcases the works of artists who have taken classes there or who are otherwise associated with the center, giving them an opportunity to display their artwork for others to see.

Fall Church Arts – Fairfax County, Virginia

If you're looking for a place to go on a date or hang out with friends, Fall Church Arts – Fairfax County, Virginia is the perfect spot. This local arts organization is dedicated to supporting the arts in the community through grants and volunteer opportunities. They host events such as art exhibitions, lectures and classes that are open to everyone.

People who live in Falls Church have many artistic and cultural opportunities.

In addition to being a place where you can find art and culture, Falls Church is also a great place to live. The city has many restaurants, theaters and sporting events that are attended by residents. There are also many fun events for children who live in the area.

Falls Church is known for its history as well as its modern amenities. You'll find plenty of things to do when you visit or move there!

Conclusion

If you’re looking for an exciting, creative community to live in, Falls Church is a great place to start. The variety of art and culture available here means there are plenty of ways to enjoy yourself in this historic city. Whether it’s watching an indie movie at Angelika Film Center & Cafe at Mosaic, going out on a date at Jammin Java or The Mad Fox Brewing Company, or exploring nature with your family at Frying Pan Farm Park—there really are endless possibilities when it comes down to what you want from life!

TJK Chimney Services is a family-owned company that has been serving Falls Church, Virginia since 1997. We are licensed and insured to provide expert chimney care.

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2042 Peach Orchard Dr, Falls Church, VA 22043, United States

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cathiebates · 3 years ago

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#long distance moving in Falls Church VA

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sierrabinondo · 6 years ago

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summer tour 2018 - days 1 - 4

welp tumblr i am back again with a new tour recap!!! people liked this last time so here i am i guess

this tour recap is mostly for my own reasons. there’s something different about documenting something life-changing and important to yourself on a social media site you’ll probably be subject to visiting again without trying, as opposed to writing it by hand which hurts after a while or in a word document that you’ll never open.

my band with sails ahead just embarked on our longest tour ever. 11 shows, no off days. we somehow still got sleep, ate well (and went broke for it), and didn’t get sick. it wasn’t perfect every night, but it was still rewarding even in the smallest possible ways.

i decided to recap this across several posts as an easier way to read everything instead of one long one that would serve as a painful, arduous read. so here are days 1-4.

day 1 - asbury

our tour kicked off in asbury, so we were home for our first day. it was sort of difficult to get in the mindset for tour but once destination dimension arrived i was good.

in asbury i always passed this storage trailer-looking building with palm trees all around it. it turns out it’s called outpost city, and it’s an oasis for touring musicians to come hang out while on the road. it’s invite-only (i think?? PLEASE check me), and we were contacted a week before tour started to go check it out. i already promised work i was going to work a full day my last day but hooooly we could not turn this down. this place had a lounge area, a small demo studio, free wifi, and a general store with product placed in there by brands that you could grab FOR FREE. as long as we tagged the brands on all of our social media the stuff was ours. we spent a few hours there before the brewery show and it was really fun. i had to do work the whole time as a result of leaving work early haha, but i still enjoyed it a lot.

Photo: Julie Yi Photography

the brewery show was awesome. i didn’t play the greatest set so i was super bummed haha, at least i don’t think, but we had a great turnout. the line-up was awesome and we got to see a lot of friends. sound was amazing and as always the brewery is just the coolest venue. really grateful we could finally play here. i was so glad people showed up early to see destination dimension so that they at least had a crowd. a lot of my friends cared about making it in time for them which was nice of them. it was incredibly weird to have ryan watch us while another drummer was playing with us, we all felt so bad. we were so distraught leading up to this tour about him not joining us due to his carpal tunnel, but we had no choice. our friend and fill-in drummer matt shindle killed it and the show made us excited for the rest of the run. i think i said a cool and inspiring thing that made everyone yell very excitedly but then i followed it up with some lame shit so it ruined the moment lmao.

Photo: Julie Yi Photography

i returned back to my house in brick with destination dimension and jeremiah came with so that we had one more night together before i left. i was feeling a little better about leaving but i wouldn’t actually be excited until we were finally in the van.

day 2 - falls church, va

after waking up mad early on like 5 hours of sleep only, i got ready to leave as julie was dropped off at my house to drive up to bandago together. i cried as jeremiah said goodbye to me because i’m a big dumb baby and never ever spend time apart from him haha.

the drive to virginia took forever. i was so exhausted but for some reason it was impossible to sleep in the van. and then i led us to the wrong holiday inn; our actual hotel was so far that we just had to check in late and go straight to the show. the vfw was actually a pretty cool spot. it was nice to be in falls church again; the last time i was there was when i was a kid and my aunt and uncle lived in an apartment way before they had my cousins.

Photo: Julie Yi Photography - us with pulses, destination dimension and a couple members of timberbrooke!

turnout wasn’t huge at all (a pattern that would repeat itself lmao) but all of the bands were super nice. of course, we were extremely stoked to play with pulses. i felt bad because i kept screwing up faces, names and bands at first but it ended up being fine. our friends said i played more confidently this show than the night before but it didn't feel like that. i felt like i sounded like shit and i looked like an idiot lmao. on stage, there’s actually a million things going through my head while i'm singing. i almost wanted to throw the microphone at one point but can’t do that!!! i also apparently sounded better but i still have issues believing people when they say i sang well, because people lie to other musicians all the time and tell them they're great just to be polite. i warm up before every show and do diaphragm exercises but if my throat fucking feels like shit from my allergies and tight and dry there's nothing i can do. the humidifier doesn't help. there's not a day where i don't practice. i wish my body wasn't so unforgiving haha.

well the korean BBQ spot next door was cool lmao and there was a dog at the show. our hotel room was nice but the furniture was so oddly arranged. it was difficult to make room for the air mattresses but we made it work. i shouldn’t talk though because hotel rooms on tour are a luxury haha.

day 3 - greensboro, nc

the drive to greensboro was just a little stressful because of the torrential downpour, and a car accident happened right in front of us at one point lmao. but mostly, the drive was so serene and beautiful. we drove through the blue ridge mountains and listened to the new anthony green album. this is what i love about touring, getting to see these beautiful sights. i think i almost cried hahaha.

we arrived to greensboro and the block we were on for the gig had some sick spots. we got vegetarian food at this place called boba house. the food was incredible. and then the venue, new york pizza, had $3 craft beer!!! insane. i didn't drink the last tour and i said i wouldn't this time but i remembered we were going to be in a position to try some region-specific foods and beers, so i let myself have a sunshine gose from birdsong brewery after our set. it was soooo good. yeah funny thing was, i actually drank A LOT this tour. last tour i was super sheepish about it, but this time i was going to be in too many new places to not try local beers. it didn’t affect me as much as i thought it would but i believe it still did to *some*extent. i also couldn't resist the touch tunes juke box and helped myself to playing santana again like the last tour hahaha.

the turnout was decent but everyone the headlining band brought (and the band themselves) stood outside for every band. at one point joe went outside as we were about to go on and yelled at everyone saying “hey guys we drove a long way to play the show come inside” i was mortified lmao. sadly, you cannot make people care about you, they have to show interest on their own. BUT, obviously he was saying what we were all thinking. listening to a band play from outside the venue does not always mean you are paying attention to the bands. they didn't even come inside for one single song for any band. if you can’t make the people you bring stay for the bands, fine, but why play the show at all if you don’t care about the touring bands?

Photo: Julie Yi Photography

chris, the vocalist of destination dimension, was a huge huge help to me on tour. he gave me really great honest criticism and it helped me work on some bad habits i have while performing. i know i’m a big baby and all but i can take critique and i wish more of my musician friends were more honest with me. it shows they care because they don’t let me blindly wander around just repeating the same awful habits. for the first time i also wore both earplugs in while singing but it only lasted two songs. i know it’s foolish to not wear them, but i cannot stand how i sound with earplugs in, it fucks me up just as bad. i used to use earasers but i was sick of pissing away $40 everytime i lost them. and i'm not capable of not misplacing something, i know i'll lose them again. i wasn’t too happy with my performance this show either but the people watching us were cool and attentive. wes was so kind to hook the show up for us, and we loved the dudes in impersona. really fantastic band.

later that night shindle realized he left his laptop charger at the venue. we were using his laptop for interludes and his click tracks. it was too late to go back so we decided we’d go back in the morning before leaving to go back to charleston. but sadly the venue didn’t have it and we absolutely had to move on to the next city. i felt so bad. however we were able to make our tracks still work on my personal laptop that i brought.

day 4 - charleston, sc

charleston was a little rough lmao, but still fun. as always we arrived just in time to check in to our hotel, get food and pull up to the venue for load in. we stayed at a holiday inn, and we were hoping since it was a hotel that the room would be nice and big but it wasn't. the beds were huge though. after checking in we noted that a counter service-type grits restaurant was across the parking lot. i was going to try to only buy one meal per show day but it looked like the next day i'd be buying grits for breakfast haha.

it was an insanely hot day. in fact, the hottest day on tour. it was bad. it was at least 90 degrees or more out especially with the humidity but whatever, we were heading to the venue soon so we would hopefully find relief there. something i was ABSOLUTELY adamant about was that we ate cookout. for anyone who doesn't know, cookout is a chain based in the south that serves southern food and super cheap, filling meals. you can get a “tray” which is like one main meat or dish, two sides and a drink for $5.29. the tour package met there to eat before load in. stopping made us late, but there was no way in hell we weren't going and i was making sure of that lmao. and it was worth being a lil late i think, i think everyone liked it. santino bought twice the amount of the tray he ordered hahaha.

so we finally get to the venue, which is tua lingua - and

there's no

air

conditioning

we had zero idea this place had no central air. i had no idea the place didn't have it!!! but otherwise the venue was a very sick spot. like out of the blue in cambridge (rip), but much much bigger. they had numerous amazing art pieces, a dark room and an interactive bubble exhibit. the staff was very nice. we did our best to play the best set we could with the heat. at certain points it was even cooler outside the building because the hot air just wasn’t moving out. we almost cut our set short out of fear of not being able to handle the heat but we made it through. we also had to play without our tracks but that was fine. a couple people named jesse and fianna came to the show because they heard about it from the hemisphere facebook group!! so awesome. zacoma also made us a custom copy of their CD based off our tour marketing it was so fucking sweet of them!! i don’t have the photo of it otherwise i would have shared it but when i get it i’ll post it. them and hollow notes made the show a great one, i highly recommend both bands. i bet tua lingua is sooo sick to play in cooler weather just not in the summer haha.

photo credit: julie yi photography LOOK AT HOW SWEATY I AM.

because the show ended massively early (THE DREAM), i suggested going to the charleston waterfront since we had time to explore! santino was wary because the poor guy was starving, but he agreed to spending 30 minutes of walking around. so the tour package drove out to the waterfront/rainbow row and we walked around for a while. it was sooooo beautiful out, i was so happy to see the town again. a guy jumped in the pineapple fountain as we were dipping our feet in to dig for change and he was in there for an hour HAHA. we also ended up staying an hour because we were having so much fun. there was another fountain nearby you could actually walk through. maybe it wasn't actually allowed but there were no signs so whoops!! we went from just sticking our hands in the jets to santino and jaime sticking their whole fucking heads in i was screaming laughing hahaha. it was a very happy and pure moment.

on this tour i learned a lot of new things about santino, one of which is that he apparently really likes milk LMFAO. and we had to like run around to try to find somewhere open that would have milk and cookies but everyone settled for taco bell. we went back to the hotel to watch aggretsuko but netflix kept glitching and the screen would black out whenever subs were on the screen i was so pissed. but we enjoyed a very wonderful night of going to bed early.

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edaworks · 2 years ago

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@twosides--samecoin Oh man so much about your tags -

OH MAN

- So first off I love everything about your location conclusions and also

- APPALACHIAN TRAIL YES BEAUTIFUL YES

- I’m no trained hiker, so my forays are limited to things like saying “let’s take a walk” and friends not realizing that means I want to walk across half of DC or something. But I cross the Appalachian Trail so often because I drive all over for work. I’ve only done little parts of it, and those were around, well…Bolivar and Harpers Ferry. So this makes me especially happy.

- Harpers Ferry is such a fun area to photograph incidentally, the housemate and I are planning to do some FO76 photoshoot stuff out there at some point. (She’s a huge West Virginian Minutemen Responders fan)

- Also

- You mention “Brahmin country” and man is that accurate. Frederick City’s nickname is “The Clustered Spires” because it has so many church steeples downtown but locals like to make fun of this and say “The Clustered Holsteins” instead because it very much is cattle country (as is most of the area west of there out route 340 to Harpers Ferry). (More dairy than beef cattle) That whole area northwest of DC translating to “Brahmin country” = 😚👌

- Distance-wise…if you’ve placed them near Harpers Ferry our choices of locations are still ‘right down the street’ from each other, HEY NEIGHBOR

- I. I uh, I might have a couple of insiders at Luray, one of whom is a huge Fallout fan and both of whom are big into fandom generally. They keep fielding oddly specific questions from me re: the caves or the tourist stuff or the museum or the gift shop or Page County VA generally. 😂

- Since we’re talking Luray/Lamplight and traversing areas by foot, it sometimes bothers the hell outta me that Bethesda moved Luray like 50 miles north and way east??? Like, Bethesda please acknowledge that these lil’ guys would’ve had to walk almost 100 miles just to get to Germantown/80 miles or so to Big Town’s location…and likewise in FO3 the kidnapped Lamplighters would have had about the same length’s walking trip back from Paradise Falls. That’s huge for a bunch of kids! Give them their props! 😂 (But then, these are the people who also took Mt. Weather, VA and Raven Rock Mountain, PA, smooshed them both into one location for the Enclave base, and then plopped that base on top of what looks to be somewhere near Tuscarora, MD…so…).

I love seeing everyone’s headcanons for where MacCready’s homestead would be located, and since I’m piecing together more parts of One if By Land, here’s my own unhinged way-overthought headcanon on the topic.

The first time I played through Mac’s affinity quests, a location for the homestead IMMEDIATELY clicked for me (complete with vocal “oh. well shiiiit.”) because, well, you’ll see!

Let’s take a look at the affinity dialogue about Duncan’s illness for a sec:

With that in mind, let me introduce y’all to still-partially-agricultural Frederick, Maryland, just north of Washington, D.C. - and its largest local employer, Fort Detrick. (For reference, the Bethesda, MD location for Bethesda’s/Zenimax’s studios is literally 30min away from this location…unless it’s rush hour! Then it’s 90min away. That commute sucks.)

1) Um, what do you mean, “there’s a military installation for WWII/Cold-War-era bioweapons research, turned military installation for modern infectious disease research, just outside DC?”

Yup! Welcome to Frederick City.

______________________________________________________________

Blah, blah. But I didn’t come here to show off population stats, I’ve got Actual Reasons™ I promise, so lemme skip to those: ______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Back up, though: “Bioscience/communications research” doesn’t quite grasp the scope of what my homies at Detrick have going on. This is more like it: ______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

If you hear “unknown disease” or “bioweapon research” or “Ebola zaire” or “the plague” or other scary phrases regarding disease around the DC-MD-VA area, this is kind of the one and only place that comes to mind. It was the center of US bioweapons research for an extraordinarily long time, starting prior to the Fallout universe’s continuity split.

After Detrick’s bioweapons research was, ahem, shut down (as far as we civvies know), biological defense research and biomedical research continued to persist and still persists through present date: ______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Remember the US’s Ebola zaire outbreak a few years back? In 2014 (right before Fallout 4 was released)? They brought several Ebola patients to Detrick for observation when they weren’t under observation with the CDC.

Biomedical research has better optics than bioweapons development, though, right? Uhhh…Detrick’s recent history here has not been without its complications. Observe: ______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________ Yeah. Just imagine how much worse the ‘safety violations’ would have been in the Fallout universe, right? And there’s more – decades of controversy regarding materials disposal methods predating the latest issues: ______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

There’s been argument for years about whether there is a “cancer cell” area for civilians located around Area B (colloquially ‘B-site.’) Funsies.

So - sometime in the 2280s after 200+ years of facility abandonment, a kid getting sick playing in the back 40 of a farm in this area? It’s not only believable, I’d freaking expect it.

2) Okay, but does the area have agricultural potential?

100% yes! Uhh…at least, it does pre-nuclear-apocalypse.

This area was (and in some places still is) HEAVILY agricultural, particularly up until about a decade and a half ago. There is still active farmland RIGHT next to Detrick. It’s good soil.

Basically: farms, the I-70/I-270 interchange, the Barbara Fritchie house, many DC suburbs, the downtown area, various important Civil War historical locations, and Fort Detrick. That’s the whole area in a nutshell.

3) But is it on the Fallout 3 map? I don’t remember seeing a location named “Frederick” anywhere.

Frederick isn’t a named location on the FO3 map, likely because the area where it would have been pre-war is half-on, half-off the northern map edge. However, consider: there’s a military installation nearby the area where Frederick would sit on the map, and it’s a sattcomm base. Fort Detrick, as you might’ve seen above, is also known for communications research.

Here’s a shitty overlay image for reference - I’ve traced some of the major roadways on the FO3 map and have labeled them with their likely IRL equivalents (everything’s very skewed to IRL locations), to give a general idea of where this area falls on the map.

Compare to IRL:

TL;DR: I’ll die on my headcanon hill that Mac’s homestead is in what used to be Frederick County near Detrick’s Area B, just at or just above the northern edge of the FO3 map.

(Fun bonus fact: I took some summer courses with Detrick employees when I was college age! One of those classes was a public speaking course. For his demonstrative speech, one of them walked us through how he gets into his HAZMAT suit in a span of less than 15 seconds! Oof.)

#fallout 4 #fallout 3 #headcanon #worldbuilding #fanfiction #robert joseph maccready #rj maccready #MacCready #twosides-samecoin’s fics #edaworks’ fics

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