#mardy fish

[tennisrpfshipsbracket]

round 1, match 10

[tennis-out-of-context]

[famousborntoday]

Mardy Simpson Fish is an American former professional tennis player. He was a hardcourt specialist. He is one of several American tennis players who rose to pro...

Link: Mardy Fish

[alien-til-i-stage]

fuck it im declaring it, Inna and macbeth are now offically cajun

[longlistshort]

Featured artist at Art Harvest- Michelle Mardis

Paintings by John Maurer

The weather this past weekend was perfect for enjoying two big outdoor art events in the Tampa Bay area- the annual Art Harvest juried art show in Dunedin and the autumn edition of the biannual Art in the Yard event in Gulfport (the next one is next year in March).

Wendy Boucher’s collages made entirely of paper on canvas

Linda Heath (work above) uses the Gyotaku technique to make prints from the fish she catches in the Gulf of Mexico.

Below are a few artists from Art in the Yard-

A homemade sign from Art in the Yard

Art in the Yard is a great way to interact with local Gulfport artists and to see their creations. Stopping at the home of The Oiseaux Sisters (Susan Andrews and Carolyn Fellman), is a journey into their whimsical world. The head above was filled with little cards with their website and a different word, like a fortune, on each. My card read “Surrender”. All around their property you can find work hidden among the vegetation, on walls, and in among tables of materials they use for their work.

Outside at The Oiseaux Sisters’ home

Outside at the The Oiseaux Sisters’ home (the upper left work is a recreation of an image of Tallulah Bankhead turned into a movable figure)

Mixed media works by Dorian Angello

Jayne van der Voordt’s house had lots of fun decorated mannequins and mannequin body parts

[the-blackbird-roleplays]

@wayward-roleplays

New Orleans, Louisiana.

Hidden in an alley and underground, next to a practitioner of the art of voodoo, is a auction. Not the normal kind of auction house with antiques and jewelry, this one specializes in pleasure and illegal dealings of supernatural creatures that look mostly human.

The person at the ticket stand looks up and studies the man in front of him. "Do you have an interest in the unknown, and Supernatural? Can I offer you a ticket to the show?" He asks making a sales pitch.

Kuro smirked at the man, nodding softly as he fished out a few bills from his wallet.

"Considering most of my life has been spent in the shadows, I think seeing what else is out there would be fun." He grinned softly, his true motives as indecipherable as a seaborne fog.

The Fallen Angel had been hunting down this particular show for the past several months, reports of illicit dealings and under-the-table markets becoming more frequent this close to Mardi Gras. Seems even the darker elements of humanity enjoy a good party...

Ticket in hand, Kuro passed through the hidden door and descended the stairs into what he was almost certain was an old morgue. Things had changed a lot in this city since he'd claimed Nouvelle Orleans as his home centuries prior. Some details were hard to keep track of for the quasi-immortal...

[mousemannation]

Okay so two years ago Mardy Fish was the Davis Cup captain and he chose 4 players for the final: Fritz, Paul, Tiafoe and Sock. Davis Cup allows you to have 5 players in your roster so basically he chose to take NOBODY rather than take Rajeev Ram.

Team USA lost to Team Italy in the qfs in the deciding doubles played by Paul/Sock vs Bolelli/Fognini. Then shady king Ram tweeted “How’s everyone’s thanksgiving going?” after team USA lost the doubles match and were knocked out 💀

Tommy Paul also tweeted about Ram “You obviously didn’t have tennis tv in your parents basement during glasgow…Doubles number 1 or 100 he struggles against singles players ranked 1-8,000, singles or doubles”. This tweet has since been deleted but you can google it and find articles written about it.

Mardy Fish on why Ram was not chosen “if Rajeev was here or not, those guys (italian doubles) were going to win today. They played well and they’re too good” This isn’t the full quote but I think it’s relevant enough.

This time Ram said in DC press that Mardy Fish has blocked him on socials. Mardy Fish was also fired after that (deserved honestly). And as I’m writing this Team USA has been knocked out for a second time in DC because they chose Tommy Paul for doubles over Rajeev Ram.

I’m just waiting for the press conference cause if Ram is not injured idk how they’ll justify this again. And finally Tommy Paul you’re dust.

thank u for delivering dear anon bc omg what the fuck!!!!!! the disrespect!!!!!! mardy choosing no one instead of ram is already a slight and i will always support a shady tweet like rams like he deserved that, but tommy ur tweet is just embarrassing 😭😭 the disrespect for doubles in that tweet is CRAZY.

I must go find if they've put up the pressers yet bc truly to have team usa lose the deciding doubles match AGAIN bc someone decided to put TOMMY PAUL in instead of a literal doubles specialist is crazy work. They only changed the line up like 15 minutes before the match even ebden and thommo were caught by surprise!

here is an article about it for anyone who wants to see and here is a screenshot of the offending tweet

[alacants]

what are the classic tennis rpf ships you like that we don't talk about enough?

rubs hands together WELL.

at one point i would have said juanki/ferru. the fic stats could use some work (altho they are moving in the right direction thank you team!) but it's talked about, like, as much as one could reasonably hope for. so. no complaints.

instead, RAFA/ANDY, THE REALEST BIG 4 MINOR SHIP. sorry but it's TRUE. teen andy calling his mom like, i met this boy and now i have to move to spain. the famous anonymous text flirting incident. rafa knowing exactly how to mess with andy and andy ALLOWING IT. rafandy > rafole i SAID IT.

marat safin/everyone. literally no one tour has or had a FRACTION of marat's game. exhibits a, b, c, d, e, i could go on.

andy roddick/mardy fish! what can i say i'm a sucker for childhood friends. (wow no way?) i actually used to know a ton of lore about them that i've completely forgotten but i'm sure it's buried in my gmail somewhere…

i must shout out federinka on behalf of my shadow associate who was once a dedicated federinka. i mostly think it's doomed and funny but after years of swiss tennis propaganda i respect it. (stan and mirka throwing down MID-MATCH remains an all-time Moment.)

look there was something in the water with flavia pennetta/roberta vinci/sara errani, in whichever combination you choose. i can't really say people should talk about it more when i myself am fully on board the erralini second act train but. there was something.

azarenka/sharapova where they're angrily hooking up because neither of them is with serena. ok this is not a classic tennis ship this is a niche idea that only i have BUT it's good one!!!!

and. last but not least. very much not least, in fact most. sigh. verdasco/lopez, my formative tennis rpf experience. ship that i can't talk about without immediately regressing to a teenager on livejournal. ship that tests my commitment not to tinhat more than any other. ship that preemptively ruined me for feliferru which is in every way a healthier nicer relationship featuring my actual favorite player.

like. whatever. it's 2025. they got over the INSANE WEIRDNESS that was so weird actual tennis blogs were writing about it. they retired. they both managed against all odds to establish stable long-term relationships. verdasco is writing impassioned paeans to their friendship on instagram that lopez does not acknowledge. it's. fine!

(breathes into a paper bag)

[samsseptember]

Samtember 2023 Calendar, Rules, and Guidelines!

Hi, Sam Wilson Nation! It's that time of year again when we all get together to celebrate our beloved Sam Wilson's birth month. That's right, it's ✰samtember2023✰ !!! 🎉

As per usual, the event will be running from Friday, September 1st to Saturday, September 30th and there will be prompts set for each day:

Fluff/Family Week (and Two Days):

September 1 - Free Space

September 2 - First Flight | Riley  

September 3 - Delacroix | Louisana

September 4 - Siblings | Uncle Sam

September 5 - Fishing | Camping

September 6 - Day Off | Vacation

September 7 - Memories | The Future

September 8 - Figaro | Sick Day

September 9 - Carnival | King of Mardi Gras

Captain America Week:

September 10 - Cap Quartet 2.0 | Mission Fic

September 11 -  Workout | Team Training

September 12 - Shield | Legacy

September 13 - Interview | Rumor

September 14 - Magic | Multiverse

September 15 - Undercover | Amnesia 

September 16 - Night Out | Madripoor

AU Week:

September  17 - Wings | Angel

September  18 - Western AU | Cowboy  

September  19 - Celebrity AU | Royalty AU 

September  20 - Bird Telepathy | Redwing

September  21 - Zombie AU | Apocalypse AU 

September  22 - Hurt/Comfort | Disaster Fic

September  23 - Birthday 🎂🧁

Canon Week:

September  24 - In the Air Force | Time in D.C.

September  25 - Part-Time Avenger | On the Run

September  26 - Working for Fury | Wakanda

September  27 -  Post-Blip | TFATWS

September  28 - Post-TFATWS | Meanwhile, On the Boat

September  29 - Uniform | Cap Suit 

September  30 - Sam Wilson 

We have opened a collection on AO3 that can be found here, or by typing samtember2023 in the add to collections option.

You can also tag any works you post with #samtember2023 or tag this blog @samsseptember​ - works will be reblogged every day throughout the month. 

Can’t wait to see what everyone comes up with! 

What works count for this fan event?

Any of the following count:

fanfic

podfic

fanart

gifsets

photosets / moodboards

graphics

Haikus

videos / edits

playlists

Whichever way you want to celebrate Sam Wilson, it’s up to you! 

The rest of the FAQ and rules are under the cut.

FAQ

What is this?

It’s a Sam Wilson fan event.

Is there any pressure?

No pressure at all. Fill one prompt. Fill all the prompts on for the month. Do however many you please.

Can I fill more than one prompt with one piece of art/one fic?

Yes! You can fill one prompt with one piece of art or fic. You can try to fill all 30 prompts at once with one piece of art or fic. If you can fill every single prompt from every single day in one fill, that’d be wild but it’s okay by the rules. You can do any number in between.

Are there any prizes for making anything for this event?

Just the satisfaction that you made something cool.

Should the work I make be Sam Wilson-centric?

Yes. You can make a gen work or a piece with any ship with Sam Wilson in it, but the main focus should be Sam Wilson.

How long will this event run?

It will run from September 1st to September 30th.

I heard there are badges I can use for each fill?

There will be! They will come out daily.

Do I have to post my fic for the prompt on the day of the prompt?

You can if you'd like, but it's okay if you post a piece on a day other than the day of the prompt.

RULES AND GUIDELINES

What are the guidelines for the event?

I will be borrowing some of this from the MYSU Valentine’s Day Bingo 2022 Guidelines, since they were fantastic.

For Everyone:

1. Remember to tag @samsseptember in the post as well as #samtember2023.

2. Please also tag the prompt you’re using (for instance, if the square is “Redwing”, use “#redwing” as one of your tags when posting about it on Tumblr).

3. If you’re uploading to AO3, please:

a ) Say somewhere which prompt you’re filling.

b ) Add it to The Samtember Collection (under Samtember2023).

For Artists:

1. Create at least one piece of new art that can’t have been posted anywhere else before this.

2. All visual art forms are welcome:

a ) Gifsets or photosets, at least 3 gifs or photos.

b ) Aesthetic boards or moodboards, at least 4 images each.

c ) Drawing/painting, that is not a sketch.

d) Fan video.

e) Graphics edit.

For Authors:

1. At least 500 words.

2. Posted on Tumblr or AO3.

3. Can be part of a series, but should work as a standalone.

For Podficcers:

1. The podfic should at least be 10 minutes long.

2. It should be posted on either Tumblr or AO3.

3. The podfic can be of a fic made for the event, a fic not made for the event while still adhering to the prompt, or a notfic.

Things to be mindful of when creating:

For Sam

Avoid framing Sam only as a caretaker or emotional support for Bucky. Be mindful of Sam acting angry or aggressive in an out-of-character way and falling into the angry/sassy Black man trope (check out the MCU source material to help with character traits).

Avoid decentering Sam as a main character and refrain from focusing entirely on Bucky.

In art: avoid whitewashing Sam’s skin and research drawing Black characters.

General disclaimer: Race affects every aspect of his life, including interacting with police/government and the white structures of the world when it comes to performing his duties as Cap and simply being a Black man that lives in the U.S.

Specific Tags:

Avoid tags in AO3 like “Sam Wilson is a Gift” and “Sam Wilson is a Saint”.

Have fun and we look forward to your Samtember 2023 works!

[fritzes]

ship classification andy roddick/roger federer? :3 idk their shipname lol

these two asks came within minutes of each other I'm dying

I would say makes sense, somewhat compels me. roger put andy through so much absolute misery I don't know if I can fully say it compels me lol. and I just don't know enough about mardy fish

[k-hippie]

CHAMPIGNAC ... FEW LAST DETAILS :)

And of course, we have some mistakes in the links and in the cc content we are currently correcting ... What is a good Sims 3 World without a little headache ? :D And because we love difficulties, we are currently updating our own website ( which is a mess ) ... What else ? Nothing, everything is fine under the sun of this hot summer :D

The General Hospital is a Maxis one, but from Riverview. @nornities ( thanks A LOT for his/her patience to check Champignac ) pointed to us different things : missing mostly. so, somes of you may not see the Hospital ( Hopital des Bleuets ) in their game.

Bad links are currently corrected and both CC sims3packs folder and CC packages folder updated to include few missing stuff, including the Fresco Market items and the Skylight Studio roof elements we used + the Riverview Hospital :) HERE

The Open Swimming pool ( Champignac Bains Romains ) has lost its border texture ... don't worry : just replace with a one you like :)

The School is not the good one : too many missing stuff there, so we are currently uploading a new Champignac save game which should correct the little mistakes here and there HERE

Our Carpets Rabbit Holes folder had to be updated to get the Bistro RH : it is currently done ! But, you have to re-download the Rabbit Holes HERE

Our apologizes for this ! Really ... Anyway, we'll upload in the next hours a folder with ALL Community Lots and another one with ALL the residential Lots :) Just in case ... And here the 2 listings :

CHAMPIGNAC COMMUNITY LOTS

Small Park : Monticule funéraire oublié - Colline des Celtes Small Park : Petit Fleuriste Small Park : La Vieille Tour no1 Small Park : La Vieille Tour no2 Small Park : Place Olivier Magnolia Horse Training Grounds : Elevage Pégase Junkyard : Neo Casse Stadium : Football Club Fire Station : Pompiers Volants Pool : Piscine Municipale Pool : Bains Romains de Champignac Diner : Brasserie du Cercle Gym : Gymnase Club Visitor Allowed : Boulangerie DeNimes Elixir Shop : Boutique d’élixirs : Elixirs et Reliques Theatre : Théâtre & Opéra Cemetary : Cimetière Civil Hospital : Hôpital des Bleuets Bookstore : Le Kiosque no5 Library : Bibliothèque V. Hugo Café : Café Catane Military Base : Bureau des Armées Police Station : Police Municipale Grocery Store : Epicerie des Halles Market : Marché Bio City Hall : Nouvelle Mairie Art Gallery: Villa Medicis Fishing Spot : Lac des Collines Criminal Hideout : Cyber Crime Beach : La Petite Plage Gypsy Wagon : Oeil d’Irma Science Lab : Bio Sciences Supernatural Hangout : Taverne du Nain Business & Journalism : Centre d’Affaires Consignment Store : Boutique & Brocante Bistro : Bistro Gastronomie Nectary : Le Monastère School : Ecole Municipale Vampire Bar & Cocktail : Midnight Lounge

CHAMPIGNAC RESIDENTIAL LOTS

Maison Familiale : 1 double bed + 2 single bed Maison Bleu Indigo : 1 double bed Maison des Pensées : 2 double bed + 2 single bed Maison des Prés : 3 double bed + 1 single bed Maison Ensoleillée : 1 double bed + 1 single bed Maison des Colocs : 2 double bed Maison Élégante : 2 double bed + 2 single bed Maison Tournesol : 1 double bed + 1 single bed Maison Biscornue : 2 double bed + 1 single bed Maison des Haies : 1 double bed + 2 single bed Maison Neo Rustique : 1 double bed + 1 single bed Maison du Mardi : 1 double bed + 1 single bed Maison du Chanoine : 1 double bed + 1 single bed Maison de la Vieille Tour de Garde : 1 double bed Maison des Gardiens : 1 double bed + 1 single bed Maison des Roses : 1 double bed + 2 single bed Maison des Chardons : 1 double bed + 1 single bed Maison Nénuphars : 1 double bed + 1 single bed Maison du Bonjour : 1 double bed Maison en Coin : 1 double bed + 1 single bed Maison du Thym : 1 double bed + 2 single bed Maison Fougères : 1 double bed + 2 single bed Maison des Collines : 1 double bed + 1 single bed Maison du Coquelicot : 2 double bed Maison du Ginkgo : 1 double bed + 1 single bed Manoir Central : 2 double bed + 2 single bed Manoir Chapelle : 1 double bed + 1 single bed Mas des Vignes : 1 double bed + 1 single bed Ferme des Tortues : 2 double bed + 2 single bed Ancien Lavoir : 1 double bed + 2 single bed Ancienne Ferme : 1 double bed Intro de Qualité : 1 single bed Le Camp des Hippies : 1 double bed Le Bosquet de Gardenias : 1 double bed Champignac Starter no1 : 1 single bed Champignac Starter no2 : 1 single bed

We have carefully furnished all the houses of Champignac to avoid half empty houses when visiting your Sims friends in town but not too much to avoid useless weight ;)

Do you know the origin of the name Champignac ?

We'll ... Champignac is a village from Spirou & Fantasio which is one of the most popular classic Franco-Belgian comics. The series, which has been running since 1938, shares many characteristics with other European humorous adventure comics like The Adventures of Tintin and Asterix. It has been written and drawn by a succession of artists ... Spirou and Fantasio are the series' main characters, two adventurous journalists who run into fantastic adventures, aided by Spirou's pet squirrel Spip, the Marsipulami, and their inventor friend the Count of Champignac ... :D

Once again, sorry for the inconvenient. All files should be ok now, and oh ! one last detail ... Have Fun ! \o/

Blackgryffin

[rogers-attic]

i feel like when rog first arrived on earth he was a real fish out of water and didnt know much abt the human race., our rituals, way of life, mannerisms, etc.

in "fellow traveller", he explains clapping to another alien in a way that seems like it was new to him (though he couldve explained it in an infantile way so the other alien could understand it)

in "finger lenting good" he claims to know mardi gras but not lent and asks what lent is

i feel he may have known some stuff about earth and earthlings but learned lots more upon crashing here and continues to learn more every day

[scarletwitch1918]

Did anyone else see mardy fish’s theory that Carlos is dating someone in the wta and that’s why he didn’t say a name when he was literally asked to name a woman💀

[talesfrommedinastation]

Redneck Neighbor Doug: Why Belters are Space Cajuns

If Mandalorians are space rednecks, then Belters from The Expanse are space Cajuns. This is not up for debate, according to the nerdiest Southern man of all time, my neighbor Doug, who, it turns out, loves this show too. I'm 99% sure he's also a TNG and Battlestar fan, but that would just kill me with exhaustion if we went into full deets about it.

Onto our friends in the Belt and why they have so much in common with the French-Americans who reside in the wilder parts of the deep American south of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.

I will elucidate now, via Doug, on what Belters and Cajuns do that make them…them:

They make do: First thing we see in the entire series is how much the Belters are royally crapped on by life. They live in space, which permanently alters their bodies, to the point where they can not survive on a planet. To quote, “Belters work the docks, loading and unloading precious cargo��never meant for us”. They don’t have the wealth of Earth or the incredible military drive of Mars, but they’re scrappy, innovative, and do what they can to survive, whether it’s by smuggling, pirating, or allying themselves with powerful folks. Like the French folks in Acadia who got flung from their homes to the bayous of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, who scrape a living by fishing, boatmaking, bartending, and/or serving as a member of the X-Men. Cajuns and Belters do what they can to survive, giving them an edge that others do not have.

They party hard: Belters love drinking, having parties on their ships and in port, banging everyone on the crew, and overall just being wild. After all, you never know when you’re going to get your air or water cut off by the Inners, might as well live it up. And Cajuns, well, they invented Mardi Gras and their saying is ‘Laissez les bons temps rouler’ or ‘let the good times roll’. Life isn’t easy on a swamp that is constantly wacked by floods or hurricanes, but they party as much as they can. Just like the Belters.

Their women: Some of the best damn characters in the series are the angry ladies of the Belt (Camina Drummer and Naomi Nagata). Man, they something else. They’re loving, fierce, smart, crazy, and can go from Bambi to Banshee in five seconds. Cajun women love to host parties, help with church, and cook and make an amazing roux from dirt and crayfish, but God help you if you piss one off. Those pot carrying arms can snap a neck quicker than a blue crab shell. 

They speak in patois: Ever heard Cajun French? It ain’t from Paris, that’s for sure. It’s mixed up and raw and beautiful in its own right, and for many generations, it was looked down upon by English-speaking neighbors. Belter creole is similar, a smashed up beauty of a language that has come out of life in space, filled with English, Chinese, Farsi, German, Hindi, and other languages. It even has a similar lilt to the bayou! 

They are ungovernable: There’s a reason the Cajuns were never quite able to fully rebel against the various governments that took over their swampy goodtimes. They’re loyal to each other and their land, and that’s about it. Belters are the same–they’ve tried with the OPA, and even then, there’s different factions and squabbling (Anderson Dawes vs Fred Johnson, for example) and it’s only until there’s a genuine, alien threat to they get all united (plus Camina Drummer comes to power, but that’s neither here nor there). 

They’re good at figuring out solutions: Cajuns live in gator and snake infested swamps that flood and hurricanes smash through routinely. But they live and thrive regardless, with their pirogues and their bridges and their houses on the water. Same with Belters: their lives are lived in space, with crappy gravity and air. But they’re scrappy and tough and figure out how to survive. A Redditor pointed out that many of the more ambitious, driven Earthers left generations ago to live on the Belt, as the option was staying on Earth and living on an increasingly overcrowded, shitty planet. Not unlike the ancestors of the Cajuns who left France. 

The Spice Must Flow: Belters have to pack their shitty food full of peppers and spices to make it palatable, to the point one of the nicknames for their most famous dishes is called ‘red kibble’. And have you ever had proper Cajun food? Crawfish, alligator, boudin, and frogs are freaking amazing when done properly, although my fancy British friends were horrified that I enjoyed them. Pass me them mudbugs with some Cachere’s seasoning, collards, and corn, I wanna feel the pain. 

They work in weird and hard places: See above for both Belters and Cajuns. Jobs Cajuns have had range from oil fields to swamps to cities filled with yellow fever. But they take it and have a good sense of humor about it. Same with Belters–they work on rough ships, in radiation filled places in space, and don’t bitch about it. To quote the gaunt Belter, ‘They built the solar system on our backs’. 

Everything and anything can be used as a weapon: A gun? Peshang! Guns are for fancy Inners. Belters will use guns, AND pipes, chairs, each other, elevators, fists, a toothbrush, shives, you name it, they’ve killed with it. They’re tough and scrappy, and so are the Cajuns, whose fights are notorious in the bayou and beyond. Don’t mess with them. 

So yeah, Space Cajuns.

[startrekfangirl2233-writes]

Hello!! Congrats for the 100 followers!!

I'd like to ask some Coyote with the "you want me to ruin you?" 😇😇🌹

Here we go! This is the first ask I've gotten for my 100 follower celebration! For you @briseisgone 😘😘. Enjoy the Javy feels!

Machado's

Mardi Gras, New Orlean, Louisiana. 

It’s your first time in the hauntingly beautiful French Quarter, and you’re having an absolute blast. As you dance with your best friend down the cobblestone paths, your hips move to the beat, collecting beads around your neck. It’s hot and humid in the city. You can feel sweat drip down the side of your neck as your friend drags you into a bar. The blast of air conditioning sends your nipples hardening in your lacy bralette and goosebumps rising across your skin. The music is pumping in here too, and there are touches on your bare waist the entire time the two of you move to the bar. The bartenders are ridiculously ripped, shirtless, and festooned with beads in this joint named Machado’s, and you share lusty looks with your best friend as the two of you bounce to the beat while trying to get a bartender’s attention. 

There are two bartenders working the bar right now. As you noticed earlier, both are tall, clean-cut, and ridiculously ripped. One is blonde with piercing green eyes. He holds a toothpick in his mouth and is holding court with a cluster of bikini-clad girls on the opposite end of the bar. The other, you notice, is far more your speed. He’s chatting and smiling, his cut jaw and close-cropped curls just begging for your hands in them. He’s got plush lips and an easy smile. 

“Hey, hey!” You blink, staring right into his eyes, “Can I get you something to drink? Yeah, I’ll take a margarita and my friend, “ You turn around in a full circle to find her, but she seems to have disappeared. “I guess she’ll have nothing 'cause I don’t know where she went.”

“A margarita, huh?” His voice is ridiculously sexy. If he could pour his voice into a glass, you’d happily go for a swim.

“Yup.”

“Spicy?”

“Please!” 

Just as he starts mixing your drink, another guy, close enough in physical features to be his brother, dad, or uncle, takes over. But you want to keep talking to him. Before you can tell him anything, though, he’s disappeared. You can barely quell your sigh of dismay. A sexy bartender was talking to you, and you wanted to talk to him more. The crowd’s even thicker than it was before, and you’re just contemplating fishing your phone out of your thin purse when a firm arm wraps itself around your waist. You glance up into the chocolate eyes of the man you’d bemoaned not getting to talk with more just moments earlier.

He drags you close, pressing his lips against your ear, and murmurs, “Come with me. I’ll make you your drink in the back.”

You’re trapped. Caught like a fly in a spider’s trap as you follow him to a doorway hidden off the side of the bar. It’s quiet, blessedly so, and cool in the little office he leads you to.

“I’m Javy.”

You grin, happy to put a name to his face and introduce yourself.

“So what’re you doing in New Orleans for Mardi Gras?”

“I came here with my best friend on vacation. Neither of us really got the chance to party when we were in college, so when our vacation schedules lined up, we decided on New Orleans and Mardi Gras.”

As a proud New Orleans native, Javy fills you in on all the places you should go. His hand has migrated onto the expanse of your mostly bare thigh, sending heat pooling in your belly. He’s gravitated closer to you as well. The heat of his bare torso sears into your side. Mid-laugh, you look right up into his eyes, molten with an emotion you can’t track. Your lips part unbidden, and that’s when he groans and kisses you hard.

You gasp, parting your lips as he plunders your mouth with so much finesse that you’re going nearly dizzy at the onslaught of sensations. His chuckle is dark as he pulls away, taking in your slack jaw. Your top is awry, nipples peeking out of the thin fabric. He drags the tip of his finger over your nipple as he catalogs the arousal on your face. 

“Oh, pretty girl. Look at you. You want me to ruin you, don’t you?”

You nod dumbly as he stuffs his fingers into your mouth. He pulls them out, drenched in saliva, before he whirls you around and drags your shorts and panties off. He props you against the desk and plunges his hard length into you with one smooth movement. Each drag of his cock sends you jolting across the desk. He’s so big that it fills you up just right. You thank every god you know and even the ones you don’t that you’d just gotten a birth control implant because you want nothing more than to come on Javy’s cock. He’s got you at the brink of orgasm already, his cock brushing your cervix with each brutal thrust. You’re sobbing, grasping at his arms and hands as he drags you against his chest, pressing hot kisses down your throat. You cum desperately when he tweaks your nipples, a silent scream ripping out of your throat. 

You’re sweaty and heaving when you come back to yourself. Javy’s sweet as he gently wipes away the evidence of your release from your skin. He kisses your mouth softly before helping you regain your clothing. You’re walking like a newborn colt as he leads you back out into the bar. Your friend stands there looking at you in shock as Javy slides back into his spot behind the bar. His brother and friend pat his back as he hands you your spicy margarita. The cocktail napkin has 10 digits on one side. This is already a vacation you never would have expected.

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[pagan-stitches]

ÚNOR

The Czech word for February is únor. It is said to come from the base word nořit (se), meaning to sink or to welter, as the ice welters under the water’s surface. In other words, "thaw". This was the name of the month since the National Revival before that it was named for a Slavic word meaning "Wooden Moon" - as this was the period where Slavs cut down trees, with wood being of best quality this time of year. I could not find the actual word but did come up with Sieczeń, which means to slash. Some Slavic countries still have a form of this word as the name of the month. For Slovaks is was malý sečeň means small chopper, but Slovaks are now using more anglicized words for months.

This Josef Lada illustration is full of Czech February activities. It is enjoyable to try and understand what each means.

The ice flows are reflective of the name of the month.

The sousedská is a semi-slow Bohemian dance in three quarter time with a calm and swaying character.

Chvíl odpočinku means a time to relax.

Sv. Matej is St. Matthew whose orthodox feast day was once in February, and still celebrated in Prague in February.

Hromnice is a holiday on the 2nd (like our Ground Hog Day).

Masopust is the same as Mardi Gras but celebrated earlier and longer depending on location.

Černý únor (Black February) is the last week of February beginning the 24th. It is a period that is said to lack fresh snow, is rich in harsh ugly days, with dirty pools of water; and the valleys seem filled with mist day and night.

The crow appears here as also in Lada's "Zima" (Winter) illustration. The the crow remains close to the village where there is a food source as food is scarce in the deep of winter.

The crow was considered a harbinger of protection, warning and advice, perhaps here as a warning of bad weather to come. Crows are said to represent the wisdom that comes from ones inner voice; that inner voice which tells us to pause and step back before entering dangerous territory.

At the bottom of the calendar page Lada always included a symbol of the zodiac included in that month period. The fish represent Pisces.