#neal and summer in the city

[authorangelita]

Neal, summer :-)

Hi! Thank you for the prompt! It's been a minute since I watched WC, so I turned on a couple of episodes today and thoroughly enjoyed it.

~~

Neal loved summer.  He especially loved summer in New York City, and it has been years since he'd seen the city in all its glory in the August heat.  Some people would complain about the smell or the humidity or just the heat itself.  Neal embraced it all, and he'd missed it fiercely. 

He wandered the streets of Manhattan, making sure to check on June's house.  Cindy lived there now with her family, but the mansion looked the same.  That was a comfort because so much about the city had changed since he'd left. 

He hopped the subway into Brooklyn, and even though it had been a long time since he'd had the anklet, he still got a thrill when he crossed the invisible 2 mile line.  This was a route he'd taken many times, and he let his feet lead the way down the four blocks from the metro station and into a neighborhood he thought he'd never see again. 

The sun was setting as he climbed the brownstone steps and knocked on the door.  Voices, indistinct but still familiar, could be heard inside as heavy footsteps approached the door.  Neal took a deep breath and grinned as the door opened to reveal his old friend.

"Hello, Peter."

Peter's jaw dropped, and Neal had the satisfaction of the surprise.  "Neal?  What are you doing here?"

Neal raised an eyebrow.  "I don't even get a hello?"

"Who is it, hon?" Elizabeth called from the other room. 

Peter motioned for Neal to step inside.  "You get to explain this to her."

Chuckling, Neal moved inside, happy to see that not much had changed inside the Burke house.

[leveloneandup]

For Christen Press, the Joy is in the Journey

Progress isn’t perfect.

That’s been Christen Press’s motto over the 781 days since she last played in a soccer match—and not just when it comes to her recovery from the ACL tear she sustained in June, 2022, but also when thinking about life as a whole.

“You have to accept that things won’t go the way you think they will, but maybe they’ll go better,” she explains. “Progress isn’t linear. It’s up and down and back and forth. But in that movement there’s more than what you ever imagined. So the imperfection—the struggle, the setbacks—those are actually the greatest gifts as you get to learn about yourself and you have the chance to grow.”

Press has had more than her share of setbacks over the last two years, as an initial surgery turned into two, then three, and finally four.

“I think every single time that I was told I’d have to have surgery, from the first ACL reconstruction and the three scopes that I had, I always thought I would be on the quickest timeline possible,” said Press when she returned to Angel City training in June. “I think that's part of who I am. I'm just relentlessly optimistic. I'm naively positive, and just thinking that everything's going to work out for me—and I never want that to change, you know? And I got off course of all of those timelines so many times that I finally had to actually relinquish that expectation of myself.”

In her two years off the field, Press says she’s grown and healed in more ways than just physically, but the goal was always to return, even if that possibility felt far off at times.

“I never thought about giving up,” says Press, “but there were moments that I thought I’d have to accept that I wouldn’t make it—or that ‘making it’ might not look how I expected.”

One of the hardest things about this process has been accepting that the outcome was not fully under her control. “I’m able to do a lot of suffering for success, and I’ve been that way since I was a child,” she says. “The question I had to answer was how to accept and be open to things I cannot control.”

Press had access to the best medical and rehabilitation care in the business—first at the Meyer Institute of Sports, an El Segundo rehab and performance facility specializing in elite athletes, and then with Angel City’s training staff, including VP of Medical and Performance Sarah Smith, Head Athletic Trainer Manny De Alba, Head of Sports Science Dan Jones, Director of Rehabilitation Sarah Neal, Performance Coach Michael Roman, Assistant Athletic Trainer April Seymon, and Senior Physical Therapist Joscelyn Shumate Bourne.

Ultimately, bodies don’t always heal the way we hope they will. All she could do was show up every day and try her best.

“I had to make decisions that centered my well being and full personhood,” she says. “To start to find my inherent value outside of excellence in the pitch.”

In part, that meant finding joy in other areas of life. She worked on her business, re–Inc, including starting a podcast with (business and life) partner Tobin Heath, initially focusing on the 2023 World Cup, then branching out to cover women’s soccer more generally. She went to the beach. She spent time with family.

In some ways, this time away from the game Press loves has been freeing. “The last two years have been the first of my career that I wasn’t evaluated on my performance,” she says. “I showed up for PT every day with a smile on my face and gave max effort. That’s all I had to do.”

Press’s return comes at a perfect time for the club: they’ve begun to build momentum with two convincing Summer Cup wins, against Club América and Bay FC, as they look ahead to the back half of the regular season. Playoffs are still well within reach heading into this stretch, a fact that Press’s return can only make more tangible.

“Her quality is inevitable,” says First Assistant Coach Eleri Earnshaw. “Last week in training, she scored a couple of goals that we haven't seen anyone else do yet this season in training.”

Returning to play after such a long hiatus isn’t easy for anyone, but Earnshaw says there’s a point the coaching staff have emphasized both to Press and to other injured players eyeing a return to the field: “your ability doesn't change overnight,” she says. “There are some things that just stay with you. Her chance creation, her separation from defenders—you’ve got to be in the right physical and mental place to be able to perform those things, to be confident to do it, but she is building those things up every day.”

“If we can get that quality onto the pitch for any number of minutes, great,” she concludes.

As Press anticipates her return to what she calls “the real world of professional sports”—one “filled with stress and pressure and often angst,” as she puts it—she’s going in with a fresh perspective.

“I’m determined to enjoy it,” she says. “I know who I am as a player and person, and I see this opportunity as a chance to do what I love. I told my teammates today: football is a miracle. It’s a miracle we get to do the thing we love.”

[nowhereisnearmyhome]

source

transcript under the cut

NEAL CASSADY TO ALLEN GINSBERG

Denver, Colorado April 10, 1947

. . . I don't care what you think, that's what I want. If you are able to understand and can see your way clear to shepharding me around the big city for 9 months, then, perhaps, go to Europe with me next summer thats swell, great and wonderful, exactly what I want, if not — well, why not? Really, damn it, why not? You sense I'm not worthy of you? you think I wouldn't fit in? you presume I'd treat you as badly or worse? You feel I'm not bright enough? you know I'd be imposing, or demanding, or trying to suck you dry of all you have intellectually? Or is it just that you are, almost unconciously, aware of enough lack of interest in me, or indifferance to my plight and need of you, to believe that all the trouble of helping and living with me, would not be quite compensated for by being with me? I can't promise a darn thing, I know I'm bisexual, but prefer women, there's a slimmer line than you think between my attitude toward love and yours, don't be so concerned, it'll fall into line. Beyond that – who knows? Let's try it & see, huh? . . .           Relax, man, think about what I say and try to see yourself moving toward me without any compulsive demands, due to lack of assurance that I love you, or because of lack of belief that I understand you etc. forget all that and in that forgetfulness see if there isn't more peace of mind and even more physical satisfaction than in your present subjective longing (whether for me, or Claude, or anybody) I know one cannot alter by this method, but come to me with all you've got, throw your demands in my face, (for I love them) and find a true closeness, not only because what emotionality I have is also distorted by lonliness, but also because I, logically or not, feel I want you more than anyone at this stage.           I'm really beat, off to bed, and a knowledge of relief, for I know you must understand and move with me in this, you better not fight against it or any other damn thing, so shut up, relax, find some patience and fit into my mellow plans.           Love & Kisses, my boy, opps!, excuse, I'm not Santa Claus am I? Well then, just – Love & Kisses,                     Neal

[headgehug]

beat generation dash simulator

📝 windblownworld

I need to run away and live on a mountain fr

#jack.txt #my buddy gary @ dharmabum has a good gig lined up for me next summer. #feels like forever away #fuck my life

( 1 note )

❕️This post has been flagged for the following community warnings: mature

📚 starvinghystericalnaked

okay, you know what, fuck you. fuck. you. there's nothing "obscene" about my poem. in fact the bible is more "obscene" than this. maybe if you had the guts to read it you'd understand that YOU are the problem. WE are the movement WE are the people WE are the answer.

🔁 🐒 oldbulllee14

Allen, I completely agree with you. Customs officials are a load of cock-sucking bastards. Next time you are in town, come over. I just got back from Mexico if you know what I mean.

🔁 📚 starvinghystericalnaked

say less 👀🍃

#like for real say less LMFAO if the feds are on tumblr we are so fucked

( 30 notes )

🚗 coloradocarjacker-deactivated04011948

"Well it's about time you wrote, I was fearing you farted out on top that mean mountain or slid under while pissing in Pismo, beach of flowers, food and foolishness, but I knew rhe fear was ill-founded for balancing it in my thoughts of you, much stronger and valid if you weren't dead, was a realization of the experiences you would be having sown there, rail, home, and the most important, climate, by a remembrance of...

read more

🔁📝 windblown world

needed this right now. missing you, brother.

#does anyone know if neal remade or is he just gone? #did he say anything to anyone? he told me he was just remaking

( 2,396 notes )

🎶 bopaholicedie Follow

happy 1 year anniversary of the official annulment of my marriage

#if you're reading this jack go to hell. I wish you'd rotted to death in jail with that m*rderer #after all these years and not even a fucking thank you

( 2 notes )

📝 windblownworld

logging off indefinitely. my editor needs a draft of my book by the new year and I already blew my advance so there's no way I can ask for an extension. if you see me online tell me to fuck off

#mutuals can still send letters

Pinned post

( 0 notes )

❤️‍🔥 lucienspress

feeling blessed for all of my good friends today. real ones know — rip d.k. '44 — keep the hustlers and parasites at arms length, we'll get through this!

#this one goes out to you jack! 🙌 hit me up sometime

( 74 notes )

🛤 railmanmoriarty Follow

what's up motherfuckers! remade from @coloradocarjacker

🔁 📝 windblownworld

neal? holy shit. is that you? are you busy tonight?

🔁 🛤 railmanmoriarty Follow

kerouac my boy my lad my good man for you I am never busy I have to just drop carolyn off at the motel and procure a fine feast dinner for her and the kids and then maybe an hour two just setting around making sure she's and they're alright and then if you pick me up at 10 no I better say 10:45 not a minute later than ten forty five pm jack I will be fired up and ready to go out with you

( 4 notes )

📝 windblownworld

SAL AND DEAN ON THE PROWL TONIGHT JUST LIKE THE OLD DAYS!!! if you want to party with the OGs first rounds on me.

#NYC beat scene #jack.txt

( 12 notes )

❤️‍🔥 lucienspress

"Make 'em laugh, make 'em cry, make 'em horny."

#quotes #beatnik #beat literature #deep #counterculture #new york city #on the road core #kerouaquette #writer #writing advice

( 500 notes )

[grimmswan]

Love Bites (But So Do I) part 6

for Captain Swan Supernatural Summer @cssns

Once Upon A Time Emma Swan/Killian Jones

 “That miserable cur has pressed his luck for too long.” Killian grumbled. “It’s time we dealt with him, permanently. If he hasn’t learned to leave us alone by now, he never will. And I don’t want to risk him finally finding a way to control you.”

He and Emma had discovered the three broken bottles. The contents were tested and found to be potions that were banned. 

 “He must have found a witch dealing in forbidden spellwork. Which means he’s broken the laws of the council. The next time he tries something, we can deal with him however we wish, without risking reprimand from the council for ending a life without due cause.”

Before, Neal had just been a nuisance. He hadn’t done anything that posed a real threat. Killian and Emma could tear him apart, since he was a supernatural being, he could heal, but they couldn’t outright end Neal's life.

 But the moment he obtained those forbidden potions, he had sealed his death warrant.

When they told Nemo what they had discovered, their boss, and sea demon, agreed with them.

 “Dealing in forbidden magic alone is punishable by death. The council know that if the humans believed the supernaturals were trying to control them, we would have a war on our hands. Not only are you now allowed to end Neal for good, but we are obligated to find the witch who sold him the potions and dispose of her as well.”

 It occurred to them that the witch dealing in forbidden potions may be connected to the beast breaking in and stealing valuable items from the homes of the elite.

 Nemo advised Killian and Emma to follow that lead.

Supernaturals were not the only beings to be tempted into dealing in the dark arts. There were many humans who would see the forbidden spells as easy salutations to their problems. And it stood to reason that they might try to cover up the price they paid for such magic by setting up a burglary.

 Going over the evidence of the previous encounters with a new perspective in mind, Emma and Killian could easily see how the thefts could actually be staged.

“Everyone who was robbed had been at a public event prior to the theft. And no one had been at the residence at the time of the break in. That reeks of an inside job.”

“We already figured it had to be someone who was part of the elite. And we guessed it must be someone who’s having money troubles. Now we have a clue to look at someone who might be desperate enough to work with a shady supernatural being. And betray their colleagues.”

“Loyalty is rare. More so when money is involved. There are a lot of people who would sell out their own mother if it meant living a lifestyle of wealth and privilege.”

“And they call us monsters.” Killian shook his head at the irony.

“I hate that so much of you is covered.” Killian grumbled, nuzzling into Emma, trying to get her scent, which was muffled by the layers of fabric.

The clothing plus a hat and a parasol would protect her from the sun touching and harming her delicate skin. Unfortunately for Killian, these items hindered his view of the woman he desired.

“We have to blend in. Trust me, I am not fond that every button of yours is closed. But the formal dress of the business class of the city will allow us to investigate without suspicion.”

By visiting the popular pubs, taverns, and eateries of the working class, the two hoped to overhear any conversation that referred to the break-ins, or someone possibly using forbidden magic.

Walking through the city, to any onlookers, they were an attractive couple simply enjoying one another’s company.

In actuality, they were using their supernatural hearing to listen in on conversations that were a great distance away.

Killian and Emma located a tavern that was popular with the laboring class. They felt it would be beneficial to talk to those who the gentry often ignored. Because they were rarely spoken to, there was a great chance they had overheard talk of the strange thefts. And maybe of someone interested in acquiring a forbidden spell or potion.

They found a table for two by the large window. A slight turn of their heads would allow them to watch the room, or get a look of any passers by.

As they sat at the table, Killian noticed several men looking toward Emma with lust. He had to take deep breaths and remind himself that they had a job to do, and he couldn’t just gouge at those men’s eyes, no matter how much they may deserve it.

Emma noticed her lover’s mood turning sour. Reaching out to him, taking hold of his hand, she whispers so only he could hear, “They will never see me the way you do. They’ll never press their bodies against mine. They will never brush their lips over the most sensitive places on my skin. They will never go home with me. And it won’t be their name’s I will be calling out when you’re making me come.”

She moved closer to him at the table. Sliding her hand over his thigh, moving to cup the bulge that was quickly hardening at her touch, she whispered a promise, “When we are done with our investigation, you and I will have each other, in every carnal way we can imagine. Until then, remember that I am yours completely.”

“Just as I am yours, completely, my love.” Killian whispered back. The primal side of him wanted to take Emma right there. Show everyone who dared covet her that only he could truly satisfy her. Luckily for everyone, the logical side of him realized he needed to keep his instincts in check and focus on the case. At least until they returned home.

Just as the sun was about to set, the couple overheard two men sitting at the bar mention the strange break ins.

“Most bizarre thing I have ever seen. The door was ripped right off of its hinges, but the china cabinet remained unscratched?”

“And that was all that was taken? A Faberge egg?”

“Yep. All of those valuable items. But the creature only wanted the egg. A silver dining set. Crystal drinkware. The thief could have gotten a small fortune for the contents of that cabinet.”

“Isn’t that the same egg that was in all of the photos when the guy who owned it nominated the area’s most eligible bachelor?”

“That’s the one. The thief must be lazy. A little more research would have let the guy know just how much more money he could have made.”

“Well, making any money is going to be difficult. That egg is too famous. There’s not a lot of people who would want to be anywhere near it.”

“There’s always Benjamin Gunn. Or his former captain, Flint. Either might know of a few people who would be willing to smuggle that egg somewhere where no one knows its history. The way I’ve heard it, Flint likes to deal in the dangerous.”

With smiles on their faces, Emma and Killian looked at one another and said at the same time, “Let’s go talk to Benjamin Gunn.”

The couple found the former pirate sitting on the porch of a small stone cottage near the harbor.

“What do you know about a pirate called Flint?” Emma asked.

“Gold and blood. Those are his trademarks. You go up against Old Flint, you best either have the first, or be ready for the second.”

“I recall in my travels that Flint was feared above all the pirates. Except for maybe two others. A man named Silver. And another called Black Beard.” Killian said.

“There is a lot of death associated with those names, lad. I’d be careful if I was you.”

“There is a lot of death connected to me. And I can more than handle myself.”

Killian allowed his eyes to glow a hypnotic blue. He smiled a menacing smile, revealing teeth elongated and sharpened to a deadly point.”

The old codger looked wide eyed at Emma, wondering what kind of woman would walk with a werewolf.

“Death is something we keep close company with.” Emma’s own smile revealed razor sharp fangs. Her eyes, which glowed a haunting green, were rimmed in darkness.

“A vampire and a werewolf? How can this be?”

“We are not here to tell of our love story. We are here to find out where we might find Captain Flint. Or his first mate, John Silver.”

“Silver is not Flint’s first mate, anymore. There was a mutiny. During the fight, Flint shot silver in the leg. It had to be amputated. The way I hear it, a few of his limbs are mechanical now. Flint took off to parts unknown. Whether he’s alive or dead,” The old codger shrugged, “Who knows. No one has seen or heard a word from him in years.”

“Do you believe that either Flint, Silver, or Black Beard have anything to do with the break-ins that are made to look like a werewolf is the culprit?” Emma asked. 

“Neither Flint or Silver would blame another for their work. Both men have always been too proud of what they are. Black Beard, on the other hand, has always used trickery and deception. But he loves the sea. I don’t see him robbing a house. Then again, he may have made a deal with someone.” Gunn scratched his stubbled jaw and thought out loud. “He’s greedy enough. You should talk to Billy Bones. Buy him a few pints and he will tell you the secrets of every sea fairing, black hearted villain alive or dead.”

“Where can we find this Billy Bones?” Emma asked.

“Any tavern near any port. Old Billy doesn’t like to travel too far once he has a little coin in his pocket.”

It took going to three taverns to find who they were looking for. 

Killian purchased a bottle of the finest rum, a bottle of the finest brandy, and a bottle of the finest whiskey. He and Emma sat across from Billy at a table, and promised to give him the drinks if he told them everything he knew about the connection between the robberies and the pirates.

Once he saw the bottles, Billy was all too eager to tell them everything he knew.

“Blackbeard don’t like competition. He’s made a deal with some magic fold to take down Flint and John Silver.” Billy laughed gleefully as Emma poured some rum into his tankard. “Blackbeard got real mad when Flint intercepted a ship carrying some real nice spices. They would have gotten him a fortune, ya see. Instead, it was Flint and his crew who lived like kings for three months.”

“But what would Blackbeard have against Silver?” Killian asked. “You would think he would be glad that Silver tried to take down Flint.”

“Silver damaged Blackbeard’s ship!” Bones cackled. “Cost him a king's ransom in repairs. Half of his crew went off to work for Silver.”

“I thought that no one had seen or heard anything about Flint for years? Why would Blackbeard care about getting revenge now?” Emma asked.

“Pirates have long memories, lass. A hundred lifetimes could pass, and they would still pursue revenge.”

“And Blackbeard is pursuing revenge on Flint and Silver?” Killian asked.

“Yep, found a witch who knew how to make potions that most know not to be messing with. She has him taking certain items from certain people. I don’t know what their end goal is exactly. I just know magic is involved.”

“Do you know who this witch is?” Emma asked, wondering if it’s the same witch who gave her maker and ex the illegal potions that would have enslaved her and harmed her beloved Killian.

“Zelena. As wicked as they come, that one. Prone to petty jealousy. Way I hear it, she got into magic because she liked the attention it gave her. Turned to the forbidden stuff when she didn’t like other people getting praised for being just as gifted as her. She’s been cast out by most of the magic folk, for casting spells on her fellow witches. She has to move around a lot. And keep herself hidden. So don’t ask me where you’ll find her.”

“How did Blackbeard find her?” Killian asked.

“She found him. She seems to know when a desperate and greedy soul is in need of her services.”

“If we want to find her, we’re going to have to contact the magic wielding community. Emma said. “Luckily for us, there’s a ball tomorrow night. Any respectable member of the supernatural community may attend.”

Killian smiled. “Does that mean you will be wearing one of your best vampire gowns?”

“Yes it does.” Emma said with a roll of her eyes, knowing exactly what had her lover so interested in her wardrobe.

A ball gown often meant Emma would be wearing a corset. Which would accentuate her figure and prop up her breasts.

Killian could barely keep his eyes (or hands) off of her when she was wearing a corset.

“We have a job to do.” She reminded him as they left the tavern and entered the carriage to make their way back to their home. “You need to keep that wolf of yours in check. At least until we’ve completed our task.”

“I’ll try, love. But you know how territorial he gets. Especially when you look like temptation itself.”

Emma let out a fake put upon sigh and said, “Well, then I suppose we need to spend the rest of our night ensuring your wolf that he has fully and completely claimed me.”

[abbysimsfun]

Sims In Bloom: Generation 1 Pt. 14 (Big City, Biggest Pumpkin)

When Spencer returned from Selvadorada, Everett visited her at home. Spencer was none the wiser to Heather and Everett's kiss, and she and her boyfriend lost their virginity to each other in her family’s animal shed. When Heather found out, she plastered on a smile for her friends, but Holly knew she was devastated. She suggested the family return to the city for another day trip to take her mind off her drama, this time to the Arts Quarter near the waterfront.

San Myshuno was hosting a flea market, but the kids played on the playground nearby while Neal and Heather played basketball. Daisy and Holly, meanwhile, spent hours fishing beneath the San Myshuno Bridge, catching fish they’d never find in the River Bagley back home. It was a wonderful bonding experience for them, and Holly started to muse about life catching fish in the Simlandia Sea, working in big ocean trawlers docked at the mouth of San Myshuno Bay.

Holly was a petite girl who loved makeup, so this revelation was a bit of a surprise to Daisy, but it was the thought of her growing up and leaving Henford that filled her mother with the most dread. Luckily, Holly was still far too young, and even though Daisy’s new job kept her away from home more than ever, she cherished every minute with her family. When it got too dark to fish, they rejoined the others at a karaoke bar, where they’d stumbled on a contest which River won. His energy doing Sinatra-style jazz won the crowd over several accomplished singers – San Myshuno was a paradise for aspiring entertainers.

Daisy and Neal were surprised to run into Abby Goldbloom and Hayes Harms but thrilled to catch up and hear how love had beaten the odds with them. The lonely creature keeper had finally been brought from his shell by the outgoing grocer. After the birth of their son, Elliot, she sold her grocery, and he sold his cottage in the Bramblewood; Neal and Daisy hadn’t seen them since they’d moved to Brindleton Bay and adopted an Australian Shepherd. For her part, Heather hated hearing about their happily ever after, but she kept her tortured feelings to herself.

(NOTE: After I took all the Henford NPCs and made them playable, the game generated replacements for the grocer, delivery person, creature keeper, and mayor. I use MCCC cheats to alter relationships, like making Kim Goldbloom the daughter of Ian and Derek Moody-McMillan, and I made Agnes and Agatha an old married couple and set Agatha as Bob Pancakes' mother. The game generated clones of Agatha and Agnes in their place, but Abby and Hayes were the new grocer and creature keeper so I played out the in-game creature keeper/grocer lore a little as a side plot, and used MCCC again to make Abby pregnant with Hayes' kid before I made them both playable and moved them to their own lot.)

The family worked together to grow two oversized pumpkins and an enormous watermelon for Finchwick’s Oversized Crop Fair. River got to put his name on the biggest, juiciest pumpkin because he’d helped his parents the most with weeding, so River won the first-place ribbon. Only the third first prize the Nesbitts had ever won from the Finchwick Fair, Heather’s smaller pumpkin placed second and Neal’s watermelon placed third, solely because it was more of a summer plant than a fall one. Now Daisy’s prizes for her chocolate pie and garden crops had to share space on the walls of their home. In all the fair was a great day, and the townsfolk thought it fitting an astrobiologist would be able to grow the best and biggest produce Henford had ever seen.

With Harvestfest around the corner, would the Nesbitts' fresh produce grace their holiday table? And would Daisy ever find a UFO fruit? ->

<- Previous Chapter | From the Beginning

[ouatsqincorrect]

Do you think the whole fam would go on vacation together? Or a road trip? If so, what role would everybody play on the journey?

I have a few thoughts: Zelena would be the one stir up drama and start arguments during the flight/drive, just for the hell of it.

Regina and Snow are the ones spending loads of time together making dinner for the family every evening whilst on the vacation (it also gives them that extra bonding alone time). That's all I've got right now. How would you categorise the rest of them?

i like to think that, after emma and regina get together and the family starts becoming closer, they spend summers away from storybrooke. they just deserve a break, you know? whether that's going to new york and living there for a couple of months, or traveling around the world, experiencing parts of this realm they've never seen before. storybrooke is home, but it's also stressful as fuck being the people in charge of saving everyone every other day, and regina and rumple have enough money to make any travel plans possible

when they go anywhere in the u.s., they drive. a lifetime of riding horses to get everywhere will make plane rides seem not so fun, so they'll take everyone in a couple of cars and make whatever trek they've decided to venture out on. there are 11 members of this family, so usually, emma, regina, henry, the charming's and baby neal ride on one car. and belle, rumple, gideon, zelena, and robyn ride in another one. (although, when they live in new york for the summer, they take more than two cars just so they don't have to drive each other every where or use taxis--another thing none of them, besides emma) have really gotten around to

but when they go to places overseas, obviously, they have to ride on a plane. and you're absolutely right, no matter how they travel, zelena is always the one causing trouble. it's why regina forces her to ride with belle and rumple because she drove regina crazy the one time she was allowed to be in the same vehicle as her for a more than five hour long drive (belle says having zelena ride with them is like having a third child in the backseat)

and yeah, regina and snow are usually in charge of dinner. emma and david are usually on breakfast duty. belle and rumple figure out lunch, and regina and snow do dinner (zelena's useless--love her sm but this woman is more focused on causing chaos than figuring out this family's meal plan)

traveling with the rest of the family is super important to belle, because she's always wanted to see the world, you know? and now she gets to see it with the people she loves most. regina and her are usually the ones who plan out the day, like which museums they go to, what sights to see, and the two of them definitely geek out the most when going to art exhibits

rumple isn't the biggest fan of traveling, but he finds he actually does enjoy it when it's with the whole family. belle reminds him too that he spent so long trying to come to this world, he might as well explore it a bit. he also loves the museums, he's just quieter about it. david, zelena, and him end up playing card games to pass the time when they're not doing anything

henry finds movies at nearby theaters that they can all go see and emma and regina make sure to take him to video game museums and arcades so he gets to have some fun doing things he loves as well (they also love video games. this whole family is actually so nerdy but--)

they collect magnets from every city they go to, and they put them on the fridge at mifflin. regina's never been one to allow anything to hang up on her fridge, but when emma gets all excited about the idea of having a little piece from every place they've visited together, regina can't help but allow them to decorate her fridge with magnets

also, regina is still mayor, and she still takes care of business in storybrooke. they all do. they communicate with everyone back in storybrooke regularly because even if the job gets tiring, they still want to ensure their town and the people in it stay safe, but it's really fucking nice to leave their everyday live's behind for a little bit and just breathe, get a break, and spend some time together that's away from the weight of being storybrooke's personal heroes

[songofwizardry]

i'm going to be attempting @batmanisagatewaydrug's 2025 book bingo! full details of the books i've chosen (and options where i've got multiple) under the cut. it is, as most things i read are, sff heavy, but i have really tried to include other genres too!

literary fiction: detransition, baby by torrey peters. a book that i somehow still have not read, in spite of everyone reading it and talking about it. 2025 is gonna be the year i feel it.

short story collection: lesser known monsters of the 21st century by kim fu. this one came from the recommendations in the challenge post!

a sequel: the stone sky by n. k. jemisin is the last book in the broken earth trilogy. for some reason this is a trilogy i can only read in hard copy (possibly because i started reading the first book in hard copy?) and so while i adored the first two books (incredible worldbuilding, absolutely devastating), i was not able to get into the third one that i had as an ebook. so i'm gonna get a hard copy and finally read it.

childhood favourite: oranges are not the only fruit by jeanette winterson. stretching the definition of 'childhood' a bit here as i first read it when i was 15 (the summer i started coming out!) and also i clearly just want devastating books, but this is my choice. i'm interested to see how it holds up as an adult.

20th century speculative fiction: snow crash by neal stephenson (1992) or kindred by octavia butler (1979). both have been on my tbr for ages, but i'm leaning towards snow crash.

fantasy: jade city by fonda lee. i bought a copy of it ages ago and it sounds exactly like the kinda thing i'd like

published before 1950: dracula by bram stoker. maybe this is the year i read this book and/or keep up with dracula daily!

independent publisher: time to orbit: unknown by @derinthescarletpescatarian. stretching the definition of independent publisher here a bit, but i've wanted to read TTO:U for ages, and now it is in an ebook format, so i have no more excuses!

graphic novel/comic book/manga: this one was really hard for me, bc there's so manyyyy i want to read. i have narrowed it down to alone in space by tillie walden, lights, planets, people! by molly naylor, the fade by aabria iyengar and mari costa, and nimona by nd stevenson.

animal on the cover: while filling this out i realised so many of t kingfisher's books have animals on the cover, so this could have been what moves the dead, but in the interest of picking a new author, i went with weyward by emilia hart.

set in a country you've never visited: also lots of options here. i went with the weight of our sky by hanna alkaf (set in Malaysia), which i started when it released but never finished, but i am also looking at kiffe kiffe tomorrow by faiza guene (focused on a Moroccan family in France) and aluta by adwoa badoe (set in Ghana). i wanted some more ya on this list, so this list of ya books set in different countries was helpful!

science fiction: man, so much of this list is sci-fi already. but i went with the school for good mothers by jessamine chan. or alternatively i might read the long earth by terry pratchett and stephen baxter.

2025 debut author: i stumbled across an excerpt from motheater by linda h coega on the stone soup newsletter, and it sounds so good! my other option is anji kills a king by evan leikamp

memoir: again, i have picked two books that will probably hit pretty hard because i am making things difficult for myself. the year of the tiger: an activist's life by alice wong or alternatively i'm glad my mom died by jennette mccurdy.

read a zine, make a zine: i'm going to be browsing the queer zine library, which is a mobile zine library based in the UK (i went to a zine fair they hosted several years ago!) for inspiration.

essay collection: the book of queer prophets: 24 writers on sexuality and religion, edited by ruth hunt. another book i've owned for ages and never read!

2024 award winner: some desperate glory by emily tesh, which won the 2024 hugo award for best novel.

nonfiction - learn something new: the age of surveillance capitalism by shoshana zuboff. of all the books on this list, this is the one i'm least confident about my ability to actually finish. it's a hefty book. but i'm gonna give it another shot!

social justice and activism: there were a lot of books on my tbr that could've fit this. i went with saving our own lives: a liberatory practice of harm reduction by shira hassan, which i got as a present last year. the other option is care work: dreaming disability justice.

romance novel: i'm quite proud of finding a romance novel my partner didn't rec for me for once. make room for love by darcy liao.

read and make a recipe: i love ruby tandoh, so i am going to read her cookbook, cook as you are! i also considered london feeds itself by the vittles team, but i don't think that counts as a cookbook.

horror: coup de grace by sofia ajram. i didn't know much recent horror, so this list of 2024 horror releases was helpful!

published in the aughts: white teeth by zadie smith. apparently it's very 2000s london, so i'm intrigued!

historical fiction: gods of jade and shadow by silvia moreno-garcia, which is a historical fantasy set in mexico. my other option is plain bad heroines by emily m danforth, who wrote one of my favourite books of all time (the miseducation of cameron post).

bookseller recommendation: thank you to the bookseller who recommended brandon sanderson's tress of the emerald sea when i was checking out the adventures of amina al-sirafi! apparently it also has ocean vibes, and maybe this is the year i finally read a brandon sanderson novel.

there's some other books i'm really looking forward to reading that didn't fit on my bingo list, which are: the river has roots by amal el-mohtar, the lighthouse at the edge of the world by j.r. dawson, death of the author by nnedi okorafor, and exordia by seth dickinson. i'm including them here so everything is in one place. i'm super excited to get a start on this challenge!

[nooowestayandgetcaught]

FLASH FICTION FRIDAY (MASTERPOST)

How exciting! I did every Friday for all of 2023!

@flashfictionfridayofficial

WEEK 1 -- Set The Stage (Will Byers/Mike Wheeler, Stranger Things (TV 2016), T-rating, 504 words)

There's only a couple more hours until opening night starts. And everything's ruined.

WEEK 2 -- Birth Of A Star (Sansa Stark/Ygritte, Game of Thrones & ASOIAF, G-rating, 365 words)

Ygritte longs to steal a maiden’s kiss.

WEEK 3 -- Fine By Me (Raul Cocolotl & Kat Elliot, Wendell & Wild (2022), No Rating, 417 words)

Raúl hears a terrified scream in Sister Helley's classroom and comes running.

WEEK 4 -- Pure Imagination (Artemis Crock/Dick Grayson/Wally West, Young Justice (Cartoon), T-rating, 459 words)

It's good to have their boyfriend-not-boyfriend finally home.

WEEK 5 -- Where Secrets Lie // First Light (Charlie Bradbury/Gilda, Supernatural (TV 2005), T-rating, 600 words)

Charlie abandons what remains of a normal life in search of the one she loves—a good fairy.

WEEK 6 -- Who Are You // Eclipse (Korra/Asami Sato, Avatar: Legend of Korra, M-rating, 700 words)

Asami loses Korra inside the Fog of Souls. She must get her back.

WEEK 7 -- Trapped In The Dark // Earthshine (Kim Possible/Shego, Kim Possible (Cartoon), T-rating, 700 words)

"Come on out, Kimmy… let's finish this."

WEEK 8 -- You're Not Alone // Nuclear Cluster (Faith Lehane/Buffy Summers, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV), E-rating, 1000 words)

Faith accidentally gets sent to another version of Sunnydale. A really messed up Sunnydale.

WEEK 9 -- Sea & Sun (Valerie Frizzle & Ms. Frizzle's Class, Dorothy Ann & Wanda & Arnold & Ralphie & Carlos & Keesha & Tim, Magic School Bus, G-rating, 765 words)

It's a never a normal field trip with Ms. Frizzle. This time, and to everyone's excitement, they head to the beach!

WEEK 10 -- Celestial Bodies (Baelfire | Neal Cassidy/Captain Hook | Killian Jones, Once Upon a Time, No Rating, 603 words)

In their final moments, Neal decides to reconcile with an old friend.

WEEK 11 -- Tree Of Life (Eris | Discordia/Bia, Eris | Discordia/Hesperides, Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, M-rating, 300 words)

Eris steals a golden apple, intending to disrupt one of the weddings happening on Olympus. Someone disrupts her.

WEEK 12 -- Filled With Clarity (Derek/Odette, Swan Princess (1994), G-rating, 564 words)

While they're still young, Derek realizes Odette is not what she seems.

WEEK 13 -- Deep End (Damian Wayne & Colin Wilkes, Damian Wayne/Colin Wilkes, Batman Comics, T-rating, 256 words)

As much as Colin would like to think this was forever, he wasn’t dumb—Robin wouldn’t need him eventually.

WEEK 14 -- Cold Object  (Diedrich/Vincent Phantomhive, Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler, M-rating, 1123 words)

"Mine at last. Just like I have always wanted."

WEEK 15 -- -Against The Flow (Matsuoka Gou/Mikoshiba Isuzu, Free!, G-rating, 324 words)

Muscles. Men. Meetings with the Iwatobi Swim Club. That's all Gou is supposed to care about.

WEEK 16 -- An Eternal Summer (Jane Bennet/Charles Bingley, Pride and Prejudice (2005), No Rating, 448 words)

Mr Bingley refuses to leave Jane's side long while she's ill.

WEEK 17 -- What Comes Next (Kaneda Shoutarou/Shima Tetsuo, Akira (Anime & Manga), M-rating, 793 words)

When their enemies get the jump on them, It's his turn to save Kaneda.

WEEK 18 -- Didn't Mean It (Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III & Toothless, How to Train Your Dragon (Movies), T-rating, 423 words)

Hiccup doesn't want Toothless to think Hiccup is mad at him. Even if the workshop nearly got set on fire.

WEEK 19 -- How Far We've Come (Søstre | Sisters/Prinsesse | Princess/Prins | Prince, Den lille Havfrue | The Little Mermaid - Hans Christian Andersen, E-rating, 576 words)

Because of the prince and his princess, her sister no longer lives. This cannot be.

WEEK 20 -- Comedian's Night (Dick Grayson | Robin/Red X, Teen Titans Animated Series, T-rating, 987 words)

Robin investigates trouble in Jump City's local performing arts center and gets the unlikeliest backup.

WEEK 21 -- The Devil You Forgot (Coraline Jones/Wybie Lovat, Coraline (2009), No Rating, 1489 words)

Eleven years later, Wybie and Coraline return to the Pink Palace Apartments, unlocking their memories.

WEEK 22 -- Yes, Sir!! (Starlight & Sweetheart & Melody & Bright Eyes & Patch & Clover & Bon Bon, My Little Pony Generation 1.5: Tales (Cartoon 1992), G-rating, 339 words)

Sweetheart never learned to roller skate. The other ponies teach her and encourage Sweetheart to overcome her fear.

WEEK 23 -- All The King's Horses And All The King's Men (Ygraine de Bois/Nimueh, BBC Merlin, M-rating, 472 words)

On the eve of King Uther's long-awaited marriage ceremony, Nimueh convinces her lover to flee.

WEEK 24 -- Where The Flowers Grow (Higa Hiromi | Shadow/Oka Shokichi, SK8 the Infinity (Anime), T-rating, 566 words)

In the middle of his break, Hiromi gets an unexpected visit from Manager Oka.

WEEK 25 -- Sink Or Swim (OceanGate Titan Submersible, RMS Titanic, Logitech F710 Wireless Gamepad, Mysterious Banging Noises Coming at 30 Minute Intervals, Angry Spirits of the Working Class Poor on the RMS Titanic, Yacht-Destroying Orcas, Ever Given Container Ship, Titanic 1997's Director James Cameron's Evil Twin, Metal-Eating Bacteria in the Atlantic Ocean, US Coast Guard, OceanGate - Fandom, No Rating, 589 words)

Alright… who did it? Who went ahead and broke it?"

WEEK 26 -- Can We Kiss? (Daisy Duck/Minnie Mouse, Mickey Mouse and Friends, G-rating, 241 words)

For 'What Makes You Happy! Day… Minnie would like to ask Daisy something.

WEEK 27 -- Reporting The Scoop (Kururugi Suzaku/Lelouch Lamperouge | Lelouch vi Britannia, Kururugi Suzaku & Lelouch Lamperouge | Lelouch vi Britannia, Code Geass, T-rating, 1631 words)

Lelouch exposes Suzaku's bullies to the entirety of Ashford Academy without Suzaku's knowledge. It doesn't go over well.

WEEK 28 -- On The Edge (Julie Grigio/R, Warm Bodies (2013), No Rating, 493 words)

While bleeding out, Julie asks R to do something unthinkable for R. But he will. For her.

WEEK 29 -- The Sand Ocean (Kiba/Tsuma/Cheza, Wolf's Rain (Anime), M-rating, 999 words)

After a narrow escape, Kiba lets his pack rest before their journey begins again.

WEEK 30 -- An Old Friend (Margot Robbie's Barbie/J. Robert Oppenheimer, Barbie (2023) & Oppenheimer (2023) Crossover, T-rating, 1037 words)

Oppenheimer remembers Toni's little doll when she was fifteen. But never how remarkable it was.

WEEK 31 -- Gotta Go Fast (Daria Morgendorffer, Jane Lane, Jodie Landon, Michael "Mack" Mackenzie & Brittany Taylor, Kevin Thompson, Angela L, Daria (Cartoon), No Rating, 390 words)

The reception hall for Lawndale High's senior prom has a 24 hour go-kart track across the street. Pandemonium starts.

WEEK 32 -- Ten Years Later (Rafe McCawley/Danny Walker, Pearl Harbor (2001), M-rating, 1544 words)

In the middle of the night, Danny comes to Rafe. Once when they're kids and once before Rafe leaves for England.

WEEK 33 -- Broken Mirror (Princess Bubblegum/Marceline, Adventure Time, G-rating, 458 words)

Marceline accidentally knocks over Bonnibel's newest invention while cooking spaghetti.

WEEK 34 -- Mall At Night (Gregory & Wirt, Over the Garden Wall (Cartoon & Comics), No Rating, 1104 words)

Wirt and Greg end up accidentally locked inside after closing hours.

WEEK 35 -- Found Family (Ellie & Joel, The Last of Us (TV & Video Game), T-rating, 774 words)

"I can't believe you're in prison."

WEEK 36 -- Portal Fiction (Non-magical Fionna-world Marshall Lee/Gary Prince, Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake, (Cartoon 2023), E-rating, 1297 words)

Fionna goes missing. Marshall Lee and Gary finally meet and theorize about where she's gone… while in bed.

WEEK 37 -- How Do You Use 'It'? (Cornelius/Thumbelina, Thumbelina (1994), G-rating, 579 words)

During a journey in the nightfall, Cornelius encourages Thumbelina to inquire about their world and ride his pet bumblebee.

WEEK 38 -- Under The Night Sky (Chris Washington, Rod Williams, Get Out (2017), No Rating, 355 words)

"What the hell did I tell you, man?"

WEEK 39 -- Blood Is Thicker Than Water (D. J. Tanner & Stephanie Tanner, D. J. Tanner & Michelle Tanner, Kimmy Gibbler & D. J. Tanner, Full House (US TV), M-rating, 1151 words)

Stephanie ends up in the car accident with Gia when D. J. doesn't stop her from leaving. Nobody survives.

WEEK 40 -- Spine In A Twist (Cassia/Milo/Atticus, Pompeii (2014), No Rating, 944 words)

As everything ends, Milo finds comfort in the two living souls he belongs to.

WEEK 41 -- An Empty Grave (Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion, The Witcher (TV), T-rating, 1016 words)

Geralt barely survives against Vilgefortz. Jaskier looks after his recovery in Brokilon, washing Geralt's wounds and despairing.

WEEK 42 -- By Candlelight (Jet Black & Ed & Ein & Spike Spiegel & Faye Valentine, Ed & Ein, Cowboy Bebop (Anime), No Rating, 1136 words)

A group of lousy ship-jackers end up on the Bebop. They're screwed.

WEEK 43 -- Torn Veil (Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter, Hannibal (TV), E-rating, 1074 words)

"Chasing shadows in the middle of the night, Will?"

WEEK 44 -- I Can't Tell (Dimitri/Anya | Anastasia Romanov, Anastasia (1997), G-rating, 821 words)

Anya slips on an icy patch of road on their way to Paris and hits her head. The dreams afterward feel familiar.

WEEK 45 -- By Any Other Name (Lottie Turner/Etheldreda Bloodworth, Harry Potter: Magic Awakened (Video Game), T-rating, 200 words)

A rose is a rose, and Etheldreda feels something blossoming once again in her heart… if she had as such.

WEEK 46 -- Sand Of Time (Obi-Wan Kenobi & Leia Organa & Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa & Luke Skywalker, Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi (TV), No Rating, 814 words)

Out of the middle of the Jutland Wastes, on Tatooine, Leia and Luke happen to meet.

WEEK 47 -- A Form Of Distraction (Peeta Mellark/Finnick Odair, The Hunger Games, M-rating, 1640 words)

With tensions rising, Finnick decides to get Peeta alone for a little bit.

WEEK 48 -- Nebulous Roads (Alphonse Elric & Edward Elric, Edward Elric & Alfons Heiderich, Fullmetal Alchemist (2003), T-rating, 630 words)

Edward nearly runs over the man who holds a resemblance to his younger brother. Meanwhile, Alphonse wakes up.

WEEK 49 -- Fool Me Once (Asha/Star, Disney's Wish (2023), G-rating, 300 words)

Asha discovers the little star from the heavens she wished on… is actually a boy.

WEEK 50 -- A Promise To Break (Hakoda/Zuko, Avatar: the Last Airbender, E-rating, 1622 words)

Hakoda expects a diplomatic visit from the Firelord may mend some broken ties between their nations. Perhaps foolishly so.

WEEK 51 -- Among Any Option (Madeline Usher/Verna, The Fall of the House of Usher (TV 2023), T-rating, 100 words)

"What do you think, Madeline? Hmm? A kiss or a kill?"

WEEK 52 -- Imperfect Sign (Felix Catton/Oliver Quick, Saltburn (2023), M-rating, 587 words)

Instead of leaving when he poisons Felix, Oliver stays.

[earlgreytea68]

I was just thinking about how FOB said Neal Avron was at the Fenway show. As far I can see, he doesn't really have any kind of Boston connection. He might have just been in the area and the timing worked out (lots of people like to summer in New England) but I like to think it was sentimental, since it seems like being stuck with COVID in a hotel room in Boston being depressed that they couldn't play the show was when Patrick decided to call Neal Avron up about a new record. So kind of lovely to have him come to the show in that city.

[petervintonjr]

"The American Negro must remake his past in order to make his future."

This summer, let us browse the stacks of the remarkable life and career of archivist, collector, and curator Arturo Alfonso Schomburg (the "Father Of Black History"), without whom there almost certainly would not have been a Harlem Renaissance. Born in 1874 Puerto Rico to a black mother (from the Virgin Islands) and a Puerto Rican father of German ancestry (hence his distinctive surname), Schomburg recounted a childhood tale of a bigoted grade school teacher in San Juan, who asserted that black people had "no history, art or culture." He moved to New York City in his teens but he never forgot this racist sentiment, and he remained fiercely connected to his Puerto Rican heritage. Activism called to Arturo early; in 1892 he was deeply involved with Las Dos Antillas, an advocacy group that pushed for Puerto Rican independence from Spain --a mission which of course sputtered to a disillusioning end after Spain ceded Puerto Rico to the United States.

Schomburg pivoted to academic life and embarked on a study of the African Diaspora. In 1911 he co-founded the Negro Society for Historical Research, a long-term reclamation project in which materials on Africa and its Diaspora were collected. Schomburg would devote the next 20 years of his life to this project --travelling throughout the United States, Europe, and Latin America to rare book stores, antique dealers, and even used furniture stores (one from which he apocryphally claimed to have recovered a handwritten essay by Frederick Douglass). Over time he and his team of African, Caribbean, and African American scholars would amass a collection of over 10,000 books, manuscripts, artwork, photographs, newspapers, periodicals, pamphlets, and even sheet music. One of his proudest finds was a long-forgotten series of poems by Phillis Wheatley.

Of course as any curator will tell you, acquiring unique pieces is nothing without a means to share the knowledge and the history that comes with them --by 1930 (the year of his eventual retirement), Schomberg would have lent numerous items to schools, libraries, and conferences and organized exhibitions. In the midst of all this he wrote articles for a wide range of publications, to include Marcus Garvey's Negro World; the NAACP's The Crisis (edited by W. E. B. Du Bois), and A. Philip Randolph and Chandler Owen's The Messenger; as well as essays for the National Urban League and The Amsterdam News (Harlem's newspaper).

Significantly in 1926 the Carnegie Corporation bought Schomburg's collection for $10,000 (about $125,000 in today's currency), on behalf of The New York Public Library. The collection was added to the Division of Negro Literature, History and Prints of the Harlem Branch on 135th Street, of which Schomburg would later be appointed curator (following a stint as curator of the Negro Collection at Fisk University). The Division became the "go-to" centerpiece of many a Black artist, writer, and scholar; to include Arna Wendell Bontemps and Zora Neale Huston. After his death in 1938, the Division was renamed the Schomburg Collection of Negro Literature, History and Prints. Schomberg's protégé, an up-and-coming author and poet named Langston Hughes, assumed responsibility for the collection.

Today the collection is known as the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture (still under the auspices of The New York Public Library) --now topping out at more than 11 million indexed items, and considered to be one of the world's foremost research centers on Africa and the African Diaspora.

[zoeology31]

*emerges from today's game covered in blood* Series win, never a doubt!

Nice to see the team get their hitting mojo back late last night and today after that disaster of an offensive hangover the first two games in Pittsburgh. Across the past two series, the Twins have scored 37 runs, allowed 26, and finished 3-3. Baseball!

Pretty solid turn through the rotation after the guys got knocked around in Houston and New York. Ryan looked great, SWR threw 96+ (!?!?!?), Paddack threw 97+ (feat. velo whisperer Cole Sands), and Louie held his own in the spot start. Bullpen has been solid too, with one uh. notable exception.

Thielbar's comeback was such a great story and he's been a fantastic pitcher for us in this current era, and talking about his season feels like sending a beloved pet to the farm upstate, but man. I think this is it. He just doesn't have it anymore, and these last two days have been absolutely brutal to watch.

The offense really picked him up today though, and almost did so yesterday, which has been a wild swing over the course of the week. Lewis is the franchise, Miranda, Margot, and Santana have all been on a tear lately, even Farmer and Vazquez have put up solid June numbers. Also special shoutout to Correa, who's hitting over .500 since porching one in Yankee Stadium last week, capped off with his first career 5-hit game today! That combined with his characteristic stellar defense (error today notwithstanding) and damn, it's always great to have him on the team. He's playing like he saw that poll from The Athletic and/or the Neal tweet lmao.

Let's go back to the score from today, because. 17-9??? Every Twin in the starting lineup reached at least twice, five had at least three hits, and the team combined for 24 hits, their most since 2017 (team record 28). Ten players had an RBI and the team was 11-for-17 with RISP. The combined score ties last year's Cleveland blowout, a game in which position players pitched five half-innings. Everyone's making football score jokes. And it wasn't even at Coors Field! Absolutely wild times.

(Also the game was under 4 hours with a 37-minute rain delay in the middle, in this house we love the pitch clock.)

Nice long early-summer homestand, with the City Connects on-field debut and the annual Pride Day lined up for this weekend. It's a great time to get out to the ballpark and enjoy some baseball, so let's keep it rolling.

[aquilathefighter]

sorry im asking so much about Iowa atm haha but, are there actually any, like, big grassy natural plains/steppes etc there anymore? or is it all farmland?

I'm curious bc obviously outside the US we hear about the ~Great Plains~ and I always kinda vaguely imagined wild horses and bison and endless waves of rippling green/gold tall wild grass, but I know that's at least partially romanticized and not very realistic generally anymore. Like I get it's a lot of agriculture and fields, I'm also from a smalltown farmville, but as someone from the UK, I can't like... fathom just how honestly kinda terrifyingly HUGE the US is, like all that SPACE, and comprehend that it's just. ALL been used up and tamed and. I just. That doesnt make sense in my brain. But if you look on google earth/maps/whatever and its?? ALL little regimented square fields?? like tens of times the size of Wales (my country)of them before what looks like unprocessed(? if that makes sense) land?

sorry if this comes across insensitive or weird or smth, I'm aware part of it is gonna be to do with Colonialism and Native American land and stuff I'm not in any way qualified to talk abt just. in the most neutral way possible, the sense of cosmic fear that level of control over that much land awakens in me is fascinating and i need to know more. Do you have meadows, like real overgrown ones full of bees, or are they gone? what's the deal with land ownership and walking around, like how does trespassing work when all the space surrounding you forever is owned by a human to productively use without any breaks of no mans land anywhere????? the more I think about it the more questions I have

So Iowa is actually the #2 state with the most private land, 97.2%, which actually surprised me!

About 1% of the tallgrass prairie and 5% of the prairie pothole wetlands are left. 60% of our land use is for crops, which are primarily corn and soybeans. It's a bit of a pet peeve when people use wheat fields to represent Iowa because I almost never see wheat grown. (I could complain about how bad it is on the soil to only have a 2-crop rotation but that's a conversation for another time)

I don't have GIS software on my personal PC although I wish I did to get you some better looks at the land, but this is due south of the capital city of Des Moines. The patchwork is all cropfields with intersecting branches off the Des Moines rivers and her tributaries. There is a state park on this map and it's pretty often people would go there for the weekend. We all go to the lake on the weekend in summers, which I miss dearly now that I am down in dry dry Texas.

Bison are only found in captivity now. My favorite place to see them is the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, but they don't run wild like they did pre-European colonization.

Photo by Richard C. Hager/USFWS

You absolutely have to have permission from a landowner to walk around on their land or else they can prosecute you for trespassing. There are places to go, for example, every county has a county conservation board that maintains some more "wild" parks, but theyre a mix of woodland and grassland for the most part. To me, it kind of seems normal but I know it's obviously very weird. I've gone out to people's land to fish or play outside so much, and there are also conservation organizations like the Izaak Walton League that you can buy a membership (or go as someone's guest) to visit.

but yea, it's mostly corn as horrifying as that is!

[ankles-be-bitten]

i live in florida. pretty much everyone who lives here makes jokes like this--including myself--but most of the time it's just that: a joke. there are so many people up north who believe that all of florida is either the meth-head, backwater swamp hillbillies who have a pet gator in their airstream camper and eat crawdads raw out of the everglades OR the disney obsessed snowbird population who winter here and live in new england the rest of the year.

and the truth is? while these people do *technically* exist, they are by no means the majority. florida is a pretty ordinary state, 99% of the time, and i'm actually getting weary of the "[insert southern state] is hell on earth" rhetoric, a sentiment i've seen spreading pretty quickly amongst gen z, and i think part of the reason is that this presumed horror state we live in is used to invalidate our desire for a better future. don't like your governor because he wants to make it illegal for you to receive the support and healthcare you need? well shit! you live in florida, or you live in texas, no wonder you're miserable!! move to a blue state. so easy. shouldn't have been born in a red state, silly! everyone knows it's homophobic there :)

but my friends are here. up until recently, my whole extended family was here--and the family who don't live here anymore live in tennessee (where i was actually born), which is definitely more volatile than florida. i actually don't know why northerners think this about florida--is it our beautiful, diverse, and ANCIENT wildlife and native flora? is it our bloody, messy, and intricate cultural and social history? is it the anti-lgbtq+ legislature? we live in a region so geographically unique, the southernmost tip of the peninsula is the only place in the world where the alligator and the crocodile coexist naturally in the wild. is that hell on earth?

i used to hate my state. i used to hate where i live. i still fantasize about leaving, moving to some northern, walkable city, with accessible abortion care and a less volatile healthcare system to trans people. but i'm done feeling ashamed of where i live, where i grew up; i grew up in the town zora neale hurston grew up in, and one of my favorite books as a child, the yearling, was written by marjorie kinnan rawlings, who was FROM that rural florida that's apparently full of meth heads and rednecks. yes, it's overly urbanized in many places, including where i currently live; yes, it's incredibly difficult to navigate life here as a queer student; yes, there is a vast class disparity between the richest and poorest amongst us. but everyone i love lives here, and underneath the 5-lane highways is an intricate and valuable and one-of-a-kind ecosystem worth loving and cherishing.

i'm not going to condemn the place i live because it gets hot in the summer, or there's bigoted legislature, or the cities are unwelcoming to pedestrians. i'm not going to condemn my state because of the podunk, buttfuck, inbred hillbilly stereotype that originates from classism and the demonization of those who live in poverty or rural areas. remember: drugs are only morally reprehensible if it's a poor person making, distributing, or using them. when rich people do drugs, it's cool. so yeah, maybe putnam county is "full of meth heads," but have you considered why that is?

i love florida at it's worst, and i want to see it get better. i won't characterize the midwest as one-dimensional and barren; i won't call northerners self-absorbed, self-obsessed, and self-interested. please don't tell southerners that we live in "hell on earth." doing so erases all our history, natural and cultural, and boils us down to only the most classist of the stereotypes that apply to us.

the funniest thing to me is that florida is hardly even a "southern" state, technically it's a northern transplant. we're a whole lot more like you than you think--and you know what? so is everyone else.

[cyborgiscosmic]

Summer reading list

Finished:

Eileen by Otessa Moshfegh

The bluest eye by Toni Morrison

Reading:

The complete stories by Zora Neale Hurston

On the queue:

Invisible cities by Ítalo Calvino

[kickmag]

Butcher Brown Share New Single Ibiza + New Album On The Way

Butcher Brown shares the spacey "Ibiza" from their next album, Letters From The Atlantic. The instrumental single builds tension with subtle percussion and ambient keys interspersed by a floaty saxophone. "Ibiza" is part of the band's announcement for the new album, which takes its inspiration from jazz, soul, rock, funk, and more. Melanie Charles, Yaya Bey, Mia Gladstone, Victoria Victoria, Nicholas Payton, Neal Francis, and Leanor Wolfe have guest appearances. The band explained the dance music influence of "Ibiza" in a press release. 

“We recorded that joint with the idea of it tapping into something you’d hear in a dance club in New York or the UK. We’re all producers, so we’re thinking of the samples a DJ would find and chop up into a groove – but do it all live, no samples, reimagining it in our own way. There was something magical about the recording of this song, cosmic is the only way to describe that feeling. The excitement and joy everyone felt listening back in the control room was a clear sign we should get this out to the world. We hope ‘Ibiza’ takes you somewhere warm and offers a level of comfort.”

Butcher Brown released their last album, Solar Music, in 2023. Letters From The Atlantic was recorded last summer at Spacebomb Studios in their hometown of Richmond, Virginia. The eclectic jazz group's album officially drops on March 25 on the Concord Jazz imprint, and they will kick off a tour of the United States.

 

Butcher Brown Tour Dates

Mar 29 Chicago, IL SPACE

Apr 2 Boston, MA Brighton

Apr 4 Brooklyn, NY Brooklyn Bowl

Apr 5 Philadelphia, PA Milkboy

Apr 11 Charlottesville, VA The Southern

Apr 12 Virginia Beach, VA Elevation 27

Apr 18 Portland, OR The Get Down

Apr 19 Seattle, WA Nectar Lounge

Apr 20 Vancouver, BC The Biltmore Cabaret

Apr 22 Boise, ID Neurolux

Apr 23 Salt lake City, UT State Room

Apr 26 San Francisco, CA The Independent

Apr 27 Santa Cruz, CA Kuumbwa

Apr 29 San Diego, CA Casbah

Apr 30 Los Angeles, CA Regent Theatr