#of that year! then a break from oct to nov and basically just working on it once a month

[coffeeandcalligraphy]

the seventh virtue drafting journey is soooo crazy to me bc I did the 10k day in may 2021 & then exactly a year later I was 60k into the manuscript & then from august 2022 to early march 2023 (a tiny bit over 6 months) I wrote the remaining 138 000 words LOL

[n7punk]

I accidentally drafted this instead of scheduling it for the start of October BUT I wanna talk about the scrapbusting aspect of Sapphic September for me now it's done because it was really successful for me.

Oh to start, let me actually explain scrapbusting: it's going through your scraps/fabric pile and finally sewing the pieces you've stocked up there. Usually it's more of a quilters thing since they can much more easily use small scraps, but the term has spread through the entire sewing community now and I've also seen it used for finally completing projects you may have cut out but never sewn and such.

So a lot of my SS ideas came out of nowhere (what is Ritual. Like actually) but this event was also so good for convincing myself to finally do things I'd been holding on to forever and I wanna go over those! I'm also gonna include a little of AU-ctober/Sheratober in here at the end

highlights / fault lines (OotW) [teeth]: i have had the highlights document sitting in my WIPs folder for 2 years (Oct 2022), starting with the first paragraph in the second scene for the final fic, and then just a little blurb of what the fic would be about (adora struggling to adjust/with her depression after joining the rebellion to explore how unhealthy she managed to be in secret). when I started writing the teeth prompt, i wrote that first scene and went, wait, this could actually tie into that old idea, so i pasted it into that old doc and just went from there. I'm so glad to have finally gotten that idea out there and it was basically accidental lol.

Sickfic (the Greys) [UFO]: another file I've had sitting around for two years (Nov 2022), I wrote the first paragraph and then immediately switched over to what the first chapter of Recycled Stardust ended up being, the museum gallery opening. I was writing it for a friend who was sick, so "sickfic" made sense, but then I had the other idea and asked them which idea they'd prefer, and they chose the art gallery, so that other idea just sat there in my WIPs folder titled simply "sickfic.docx" for two years. When I saw UFO on the list I IMMEDIATELY went oh my god I'm going to finally finish this thing.

the bones of what you believe (OotW) [bones]: This is a partial hit. I came up with the idea for the broken bones thing just for this prompt, but as I started writing it, it naturally morphed into a reality break, and I had the following stub in my OotW ideas folder (titled 'delirium'): "Cognitive dissonance, catra adjusting to bright moon but its so pastel, and soft, and breezy, and smells like open air and flowers, it feels like a halucination, it’s difficult to tell what’s real". I ended up incorporating those aspects into this reality break, which I think works better than trying to turn that into its own fic separately, so another idea down!

Backseat Beast (Trade Today for Tomorrow) [moonlight]: I've had the catcrumbs drawing that inspired this sitting in my drafts, with those tags attached (minus Sapphic September lol), since the 4th of July... 2023. Yeah. I told you this was scrapbusting lol. I knew I wanted to do something with Catra, being far too aware for a kid her age, using it to listen in and be a bit of a little shit, but I never came up with more for it and had the idea it had to be multiple vignettes to make a new installment but like... it doesn't. It can just be one, lol, so as soon as I saw 'moonlight' I thought of TTfT since it's tied into immortality in that verse and I ended up using this idea even though there isn't actually any moonlight directly tied into this idea. I was going to try to write another scene that actually had the moonlight glow, but what I learned this month was that I need to give myself permission to write smaller things more.

mirrorworld (a left turn somewhere around etheria) (OotW) [surreal]: okay obviously I made that original tumblr post four years ago, but I had no intention of actually writing it. I happened to rediscover it two years later though (not really sure when) and decided I should actually write it. Well I wrote one paragraph and then never picked it back up. When I saw both the surreal and mirror prompts I knew I had to actually do this fucking idea now or just delete the damn file lmao.

Starlight (somewhere between the sand & stardust) [the divine/awakening]: This was intended to be my next project after Slipstream before Sapphic September grasped my attention with that fucking ghost prompt. Anyway just a glance at the prompt list told me I could fit in the Lightbeam sequel with these themes somewhere so hey, problem solved! I was a little burnt out on kidfic right after Slipsteam so the break to write all the stupid stuff gave me the room I needed to actually write Starlight.

A Prophecy from an Angry God [prophecy]: Oh boy this one. I don't normally like crossover fic because most of the time the themes of the two things just don't mesh, nevermind the plot, but I do sometimes like AUs just using another universe's rules (thus letting you make your own themes & plot) so that's what I wanted to do with this. The avatar fic came to me as a fever dream in the later house or early morning, I don't remember which, and I made the file in my Scrivener ideas folder on March 24th in 2023, but I wasn't sure I was actually ever going to write it. I remembered it when thinking about prophecy/fate in regards to the Avatar's role, though, and I was like. I'm not deleting this file ever, so I either need to write it now or look at it forever. So I finally wrote it LOL.

In AU-ctober, I've been seeing on the idea for Somewhere Beautiful, We Can Finally Meet for 7 months. I started working on it here and there, but AU-ctober planning started back in early September and I thought this would be a good way to close it out, even if it ended up being much longer than the five days that made up that week.

Rain or Shine I've been sitting on for AGES and the Sheratober prompts helped push me on ideas to finally get it out.

The Green Line idea is only a month old, but it was just "subway AU" and the Sleep prompt came along as a great way to spur interaction by falling asleep on public transit.

[polizwrites]

PoliZ's WIP Update - 6 Nov 2024

Another slower writing week - I touched three  fics (2 new & 1 WIPs)  for a total  of  1491  words, about half of which were on a single fic - a WIP–on-hiatus that I’m getting some traction on.   

On Ao3, I posted: 

 Chapter 10 of My Love is Vengeance - finishing up this installment of my young!Tony/ bodyguard Winter Soldier!Bucky series. 

To Break Free - Bucky POV of the CA:WS helicarrier fight. 

Dark Dreams Doubled - Stucky angsty drabble

Looking High and Low -  Fluffy WinterIron ficlet 

Just to Live One Day Out There - Winter Soldier angsty ficlet

On Tumblr I posted: 

  Putting a Shine on Things - platonic WinterIron ficlet

I’m juggling  20+  active/semi-active WIPs with my current  deadline being the WinterIron Bingo which ends mid-December. 

See  below cut for what I’m working on/planning to work on - arranged more or less by bingos/challenges/etc.  As always, feel free to send me   prompts or plot bunnies as well as asks regarding  any of these projects  or any other WIPs I’ve got out there.   Interaction really helps feed the Muse and keep me motivated!

WinterIron Gets It Done Bingo [WIGID] 

This new WinterIron Discord server event runs on a monthly basis as a flash bingo with a content creation card and an engagement card - got a Blackout for October - working on filling squares for both November cards!

* October: Classic1 - "Oops"   Posted Love Potion Number φ - a WinterIron Magic AU  double drabble that crosses over with the FltT prompt 11. Ingredients & Spells as well as my TSB S3 - KINK: Aphrodisiacs square.  It came in at 200 words exactly and will get added to Ao3 at some point. 

* October: Classic_2 - Scary Movie - posted The Old Dark House  on Friday - a  WinterIron domestic fluff drabble that crossed over with the Flash Fiction Friday prompt [#FFF274 Empty House] and will get posted to Ao3 at some point. 

* October: Classic_4 - Fortune Teller - Posted   Madame Prophetrona Knows All yesterday - a true 100-word drabble that incorporates the Fictober prompt  22 - “Why are we doing this again?” with a bit of friendship (or established relationship) fluff. 

* Nov_1 - Love at First Snark:  combining this with my WIB  Iron Soldier Column B fill - see below.  

Build-A-Bucky Bingo [BaBB_R1] (Ends 31 Oct 2024)

Another fun year-long  event from the folks at  @buckybarnesevents!  Each month there was  a list of prompts and you choose (at least) one  each month for your card - hoping for a Round Two - here’s my Masterpost 

Flufftober 2024  [FlfT_24] (Runs 1-31 Oct)

This writing challenge hosted by @flufftober  runs for the month of October.  My goal was to write one fic a week that incorporates these prompts: ended up posting seven - and I’m happy with that.   Check back Real Soon for a masterpost.   

Whumptober 2024 [WmpT_24] (Runs 1-31 Oct)

This writing challenge hosted by @whumptober  runs for the month of October. My goal was to write two fics (whump isn’t normally my bag)   that incorporates these prompts. Ended up with four fics; check back  Real Soon  for a masterpost.   

Fictober 2024 [FicT_24] (Runs 1-31 Oct)

Another October writing challenge with daily prompts - all of which are dialogue. Go check out @fictober-event  for details!  I was targeting one fic a week on this as well and ended up with seven - stay tuned for a masterpost.  Might keep this prompt list around for future inspiration.  

WinterIron Bingo Round 2  [WIB_R2] (Ends 16 Dec 2024)

Getting ready to wrap up Round Two of this super-fun bingo event! I have twenty-one  fills and one WIPs at the moment -  time to pick this back up! 

* Iron Soldier (One Bingo, One Fill) - looking at combining my Column B prompts: Matchmaker, Bucky Riding Tony, Stark Gala, Inside Joke and Threesome.  I have a basic plot with a Modern Bucky plus Captain America/Iron Man - pulling in my WIB Nov_1 - Love at First Snark prompt.  It’s sitting at  536 words and will post by the end of the month.   

* I3 - Car Sex -  Have a fun ficlet in mind for this - some of the dialogue & such already worked out in my head.  

* N3 - FREE - using towards Chapter Four of  Half of the Flesh and Blood That Makes Me Whole - picking up this  Stucky → Stuckony wingfic WIP-on-hiatus.  Chapter Four is sitting at 1406 words and will post on Friday.  Chapter Five is in progress with 547 words. 

Marvelous Yahtzee [MY_24] (Ends 31 Dec)

Another writing challenge that I kind of forgot I signed up for!  This one is a bit complicated - check out the Tumblr blog for more info.   Hopefully I can pick up a few lines and put something together before the event ends.  

Bucky Barnes Bingo - Round Six [BBB - R6]  (Ends 31 Mar)

This amazing bingo event from the folks over at @buckybarnesbingo is back!  I have twenty  fills (but somehow only one bingo) with one WIPs at the moment, and a couple  more crossovers planned. 

* U3 - Yelena Belova  - Magica and I are circling back around to Peresmešnik, (aka Three Avengers and a Baby) - with the next chapter featuring Tony’s interactions with Mirriam, and a revelation about her parentage. I’ve written 313 of the 560 words in this chapter so far - it needs about 500 more words before we’ll be ready to post - maybe sometime  this month?   

*  K2 - IMAGE: Bucky and Steve in Siberian silo hallway (CA:CW)  - Combined this with the Flash Fiction Friday prompt  [#FFF269 Living Weapon]  for  Reconstruction - a fix-it/canon divergent ficlet where Steve, Bucky and Tony team up instead of fighting.   It came in at 268 words and will get posted  to Ao3 before the event is over.   

Tony Stark Bingo - Mark VIII [TSB_R8]  (Ends 31 May)

This amazing bingo event from the folks over at @tonystarkbingo is back! I have  eighteen squares filled, one bingo and one WIPs - with more crossovers planned! 

* S1 - Bodyguard - filled this with A Dark and Stormy Knight - a vaguely medieval AU WinterIron AU double drabble which crossed over with the Flash Fiction Friday prompt [#FFF276 Dark and Stormy Night]. It came in at 200 words and will get posted on Ao3 at some point.  

* T1 - Watching Helplessly -  Posted Stranded Among the Stars  to Tumblr as a crossover with the Flash Fiction Friday prompt [#FFF265 Galaxies Away]. It’s a Nebula & Tony ficlet set on the ship - it came in at 345 words and will get posted to Ao3 before the event ends. 

Post July Break Bingo 2024  [pJBB_24] (Ends 30 Jun 2025)

I requested two 2x3 cards for this  Discord-server only event from @julybreakbingo  – so if you want to join in the fun, let me know and I’ll try to get you an invite!  I have four  fics posted & 0 WIPs - need to figure out some more crossovers.

* C2_B1 - Courting/courted in a different way than they're familiar with -  posted A Symbol of Devotion on Tumblr as a crossover with the Flash Fiction Friday prompt [#FFF267 Gifted Violets] - a bit of Stony fluff with Tony  buying Steve little things for his apartment.   It came in at 374 words and will get posted to Ao3 before this event is over. 

Warm and Fluffy   Bingo  [WFB]   (no end date)

Eight fills on my card, courtesy of   @warmandfluffybingocards  - need to try for another crossover or two!

————

On  other creative fronts:  I am working on a Martha the Dog  figure for a custom commission  and have seven figures to create for my two Marvel Trumps Hate 2024 auctions: Classic Captain America and Racing Suit Tony for one bidder and  Sleepytime Clint & Bucky, plus Bucharest Bucky and Sheriff Rogers with one  undecided design for the other bidder (podbid with 2 people).    

If  you’re looking for one of a kind gifts for birthdays or other celebrations, check  out Stuffed With Character    over on Facebook for a full list of my designs (now over 150!).   These soft stuffed figures are  mostly Marvel and monsters, but I have some Star Wars, Star Trek, DC   and Disney figures as well. Plus I love to take custom design   requests  for any fandom!  I’m booked through the end of the year , but should have commissions opening up in spring 2025. 

[isaadore]

TAKE TWO | CHARLES LECLERC

pairing charles leclerc x actress!reader

SUMMARY with your demanding careers, finding time for each other was hard. so after a mutual breakup, you and charles parted ways. but as fate would have it, you run into him a year later, giving you both a second chance. faceclaim kendall jenner (or imagine who you’d like!)

warnings fem!reader, use of y/n, very light cussing (like one cuss word), mention of trent alexander arnold x reader

note this took way too long but it's finally done!! this smau will have multiple parts. i'm just not sure how many, but there will definitely be more to come. i hope u guys enjoy <3

MASTERLIST | CL16 MASTERLIST | NEXT PART

INSTAGRAM oct 17

yourusername

Liked by zendaya, oliviarodrigo, and 7,761,096 others 

yourusername and that’s a wrap!!

i’m extremely grateful to have been part of such an incredible franchise! thank you to our cast and crew for making this such an unforgettable experience. 

i can't wait for you all to see it! scream 7 in theatres november 3rd.

Tagged: screammovies, oneofyourcostars

View all 29,103 comments

jennaortega It was amazing working with you ❤️

yourusername you too! <3

charles_leclerc Congratulations 👏 

yourusername thank you :)

fan01 aw he still congratulates her 😕

fan02 yourusername mom and dad

fan03 fan02 we’re all children of divorced parents

sabrinacarpenter not a fan of scary movies but i’ll watch it for u. see u at the premiere 💋

yourusername i love uuu

fan04 mother is mothering 

fan05 U GUYS DON’T KNOW HOW BAD I NEED THIS MOVIE

fan06 I’ve been waiting for agesss

fan07 i love u y/n but i don’t know if i can handle another horror movie

fan08 u look SO GOOD

TWITTER

INSTAGRAM oct 27

deuxmoi

345,789 likes

deuxmoi Y/N L/N just arrived at the “Scream 7” premiere in NYC 🍿

View all 2,106 comments

fan01 her outfits never disappoint

fan02 i’m so in love with her 🙏

fan03 She outdressed everyone 

fan04 y/n and jenna >>

fan05 she’s really that girl

fan06 y/n is brave walking in the snow with heels omg

fan07 fr i would have slipped the second i stepped out of the car 😭

INSTAGRAM 5 days later

yourusername

Liked by charles_leclerc, haileybieber, and 7,245,099 others

yourusername unwinding in paris 🤎

scream 7 out in 3 DAYS!!

Tagged: yourfriend01, yourfriend02, yourfriend03

View all 27,941 comments

francisaca.cgnomes rest up!! u deserve it

yourusername thank u and i miss u <3

fan01 yourusername we need a y/n and wags reunion NOW

fan02 fan01 and a charles and y/n reunion

fan03 fan02 I second that

madelyncline I’m so so excited ❤️

yourusername i love u madss

fan04 ur so hardworking y/n i’ve literally never seen u take a break ever

fan05 fr!! i’m glad she is tho she deserves it

fan06 stunninggg

fan07 i’m running to watch it as soon it’s out 🏃🏽‍♀️

yourusername i’m so glad to hear! hope u like it 🤍

fan07 yourusername i just passed out

INSTAGRAM 3 days later

pierregasly just added to their story!

TWITTER

IMESSAGES later that night

INSTAGRAM nov 11

yourusername

Liked by lilymhe, honeymoon, and 8,886,215 others

yourusername it’s only been a week, and the support my team and i have received is absolutely incredible. thank you all so so much for your support, i am so grateful <3

Tagged: yourfriend01, yourfriend02

View all 36,972 comments

iamrebeccad so proud!!

yourusername thank u <3

charles_leclerc I’m so proud of you ❤️

fan01 shoot ur shot king

yourusername thank u sm :)

fan02 boldest comment from him yet

fan03 the heart???

fan04 we’re ur biggest supporters alwayss

fan05 U DESERVE IT

fan06 The movie was PHENOMENAL

fan07 ur so beautiful and talented!!!

fan08 I nearly peed my pants watching the movie but it was worth it

trentarnold66 😍

fan09 woah what

fan10 SHE’S GOT THE FOOTBALLERS NOW

fan11 damn charles u gotta try harder

fan12 there r basically two guys shooting their shots in this comment section rn

fan13 the question is who is she gonna pick 🤷🏻‍♀️

MASTERLIST | CL16 MASTERLIST | NEXT PART

[arediscoveryofself]

Been a long while since i’ve last updated this space and I wonder if people still read my post.  It’s been a long while coming back to church. I kind of still rmb the date that I’ve started going back church.. prolly around 20+ October.  And I still rmb how lost I felt because of wtv that have transpired during Oct to Nov 2022 cause it was really a terrifying period for WNB. I really had alot of bad night sleeps. Sometimes there were only 2 hours of sleep cause I was waiting for my developer to get back which he sometimes get back at 4 am or never did and I had to rush him for it.  We were basically stuck on a project and looking back, it was a mistake for us to:  #1: Accepted a job that had a very rushed timeline by client. It was initially not so rushed, but client wanted to rush it, so we only had 1 month to do up the 1st draft. And being as unexperienced gundos, we complied without knowing the technical complexities behind it.  #2. We engaged a very bad developer whom we did not work with before cause of kind - of introduction by another client. Instead of engaging our usual developer, we chose another one thinking pricer = better. But we were wrong in the end. He was not responsive and he really totally suck.  We ended up needed to engage a total of 3 developers to solve this mess. But because of this mess that was created right from the beginning, we ended up have to let go of this project because we didnt iron out the wireframe and user flow right from the beginning.  #3. So it was our mistake right from the start for not drawing out the user flow, because it means we couldn't foresee how many pages or designs we need to do to create a functional website, which ended up with a myriad of problems like rushed timeline etc.  I still rmb feeling so distraught by the project that I simply sat outside 7/11 at bugis+ and watching the cars past by. I was already smoking at that point in time, so I rmb smoking sticks after sticks while watching the cars past by.  I still rmb it was the rainy season for Singapore. So it kind of rained and drizzled. While waiting for the rain to end, I smoked indoors before going out to smoke again haha.  I still rmb it was Deepavali eve, and I was dreading for Tuesday to come. I knew I had to face client’s remarks when Tuesday comes.  Those were prolly one of my firm’s darkest days, and 2022 was a very tough year for us. Not only did client not pay on time, we had to face harsh criticism from clients and there were existing clients who dropped out too.  Now that this big storm has passed and we’re into much smoother waves, I’m simply thankful for how 2023 has transpired so far. Of course, its far too early to know how 2023 will end, but i’m immensely thankful for all the deals closed and all the clients earned.  But more importantly, thanking God for leading me back to church, to the House of God, back to this safe nest where I feel assured and calm.  I still get reminded of those dark days time to time, such as today. My heart still skipped a beat when that nasty client texted us for some follow up questions cause her tone simply sucks. Of course, as vendors we have our faults but I would like to think that the very fact that we have compensated by offering a refund, our culpability has ended. But anyways that is besides the point.  My mind still wanders back to those dark days when I walked past 7/11, but i’m just so glad, its all over now.  As i was journalling today, tears rolled down my cheeks. Maybe those days were really tough but I held it all in, without knowing I was on the brink of breaking. It was honestly a traumatising experience.  But maybe, those tears were also signs of gratitude towards God, for pulling me back to Church, where the Home is. I’m such a blessed child of God, where He really chased after my heart. I’m truly blessed.  And lastly, thankful for these 2 friends. One who randomly texted me on Sat afternoon thanking me, and another one for always jioing me to meals and winning me back to church subconsciously. 

Tonight is such a warmly night. 

I really hope, my presence makes cell alot less boring for them. And one day, may all prodigal children find Home.  Oh, how He loves us. 

[twstarchives]

Mirror of Darkness Show

This show has been screened at several events: ■ Twisted Wonderland pop-up shop in Animate (Aug 1 - Sept 6, 2020) ■ First Anniversary livestream on Abema TV (Mar 17, 2021) ■ Halloween 2021 virtual event on Cluster (Oct 18 - Nov 18, 2021)

I’ve translated the script below ↓

                           ・━━━━✥◈✥━━━━・

Crowley: Allow me to welcome all of you who have gathered here to hear about this academy. I am the headmaster, Dire Crowley. I’m overjoyed to know that so many of you are interested in our Night Raven College. Heheh.

Now then, I will leave it to the first-years to attend to you all. Freshmen, please be very welcoming and professional with them. Alright, I will take my leave. Ah, I’m so busy, so busy!

Grim: Oi oi, the headmaster just left everything up to us and ran off somewhere.

Ace: Bleugh, I don’t wanna be here.

Deuce: C’mon, Ace. Some of these people might be new students next year. Pull yourself together!

If we get to have juniors... then we’ll finally be considered upperclassmen!

Ace: Now that you mention it... if you had a junior, then you could force them to take care of flamingo feeding duty for you! That’d be a win!

...That’s what you were imagining, right?

Deuce: Ah! Don’t act like I’m you.

Grim: But... they wouldn’t be in Heartslabyul with you guys unless the Mirror of Darkness picked it for them, right?

We’d always welcome anyone to Ramshackle! Hehe! If I get more henchmen, I could push them around everyday and make them bring me all the tuna cans I want!

Jack: Hey, Grim. You’re telling everyone too much of your internal thoughts. This is a job the Headmaster entrusted us with, so let’s do it right.

Ace: There it is—Jack’s always-on-task voice.

But anyway, you guys. The looks on your faces all scream “I don’t know anything!” but... don’t tell me—not just about Night Raven College obviously, but you don’t know about the Great Seven either?! Oi oi, I’m getting déjà vu here!

Grim: These guys are just like my henchman—they need you to walk them through everything.

Ace: Whaaat, but I’m too lazy to give the same explanation again. So anyway, Epel! You can take it from here!

Epel: Huh?! M... Er, me? I’d like to help, but... I don’t know if I’d be able to explain it right.... um... ¹

Jack: He’s stumbling right from the start... Alright, guess I’ll do it.

Night Raven College is a mage-training boarding school. There are seven dorms here based off the Great Seven, a group of powerful figures who once existed in the past. Whichever dorm you’re put in is determined by the Mirror of Darkness at the time you enroll. They say it’s chosen based on the essence of your soul.

Epel: Thank you, Jack. I’m sure all of you here must look up to the Great Seven too, and are hoping you’ll be able to get into Night Raven College as well.

Ace: Hello—? Wait, did they all fall asleep?

Sebek: What?? Oi, all of you! WAKE UP!!

Jack: Agh! Sebek! Don’t start yelling without warning us first!

Deuce: Both of you are being too loud! Everyone, I’m sorry if that startled you. Is it alright if I continue?

I’ll explain about the dorms and the Great Seven.

Heartslabyul is the dorm Ace and I are in, which is said to be founded on the severity of the Queen of Hearts. Everyone here lives by the law of the Queen of Hearts. Dorm Leader Rosehearts is very strict about the rules, but he and others like Clover and Diamond are all respectable people.

Ace: “Respectable,” huh? Deuce, that’s such a basic way to put it.

Everyone! If you end up in the same dorm as us, you better be careful. Our scaaary dorm leader will give you hell if you break even just one rule!

God, don’t you think things would’ve been better if they hadn’t kept in that aspect of the Queen of Hearts?

Epel: Um... The Queen of Hearts was also an amazing woman who reigned over a kingdom that was chaotic by law.

Grim: And so, anyone who broke those laws was said to have been put on trial and exiled from the country.

Jack: I’m part of Savanaclaw, which models the indomitable spirit of the King of Beasts. There are many students here, including Leona and Ruggie, who excel in athletics.

Which is why... I wanted so badly to have a serious fight at the Magift Tournament.

Deuce: I know exactly what that feels like!

The King of Beasts used his wit and magic power to climb his way to the top. A MAN AMONG MEN! Doesn’t he just amaze you?!

Epel: Yeah, he’s so manly and cool... isn’t he?

Grim: But ya know, the dorm leader Leona is just a do-nothing who sleeps all day.

Ace: You say that, but you never know—someday he might just knock you dead with a POW!

Next up is the dorm founded on the mercy of the Sea Witch, Octavinelle.

Jack: Octavinelle is a group of intellectuals who are always getting the highest scores on written exams. Along with the dorm leader Azul Ashengrotto, it’s full of really clever students. They also run a café called the Mostro Lounge.

Deuce: The Sea Witch lived in a grotto deep under the sea, and granting the wishes of pitiful merfolk was something she lived for.

Ace: The price was a little bit expensive, but just for that you could get anything you could ever wish for!

Epel: After that... we have Scarabia, the dorm founded in the tactical spirit of the Sorcerer of the Desert Kingdom. I hear there’s a lot of students here who are good at Astrology and Ancient Curses. The current dorm leader is Kalim Al-Asim!

Jack: The Sorcerer of the Desert Kingdom was someone who excelled at anticipating the future, often gave advice to the king, and acted as a support for the entire kingdom. That “tactical spirit” of his has definitely been passed down through this dorm, hasn’t it?

Grim: So what you mean is, they’re really smart?

Deuce: Yeah. And the people here also use their own power to strengthen themselves! You could say they climbed their way to the top too!

Ace: I could never put in so much effort and motivation just to get good at something.

M’kay, next! This is the one Epel’s part of—Pomefiore! It kinda has a sparkly, really aesthetic vibe to it.

Epel: Pomefiore models the heavy efforts of the Fairest Queen. They say the Queen was the fairest in all the land, and that she spared no effort to preserve her beauty.

I wonder if that’s why... the dorm leader Vil is so strict with both himself and all the students here.

Jack: The Queen was also supposed to have been a master at making poisons. And it’s true that a lot of the students at Pomefiore excel at potion-making too.

Grim: Next, we’ve got that guy Idia’s... Hngyi... Hngyahyde Dorm.

Ace: I-G-N-I-H-Y-D-E! Try to remember it right!!

Grim: Yeah, that! The dorm leader Idia is so rude; he’s always trying to pet my fur like I’m a cat! Me, the almighty Grim who’s going to become a powerful mage someday!

Epel: Huh...? You’re not a cat...?

Ace: Ignihyde was founded on the diligence of the Lord of the Underworld! Cater told me that a lot of the guys here are strong in magic energy engineering and digital gaming, but their lifestyles tend to be real quiet.

Jack: The Lord of the Underworld ruled over a kingdom of writhing spirits by himself. He never once neglected his job, even though anyone else would fear it. He was very dedicated and earnest, and worked without taking breaks.

Deuce: One, two, three, four, five, six... We’re at six now, so there’s only one left, right?

Ace: Last is Diasom—

Sebek: With Lord Malleus working as its dorm leader, this is Diasomnia!

Ace: BLEHJG!

Epel: Ah...

Ace: You know cutting in yelling like that scares everyone, right?!!

Anyway, you’ve been gone this whole time... Where’d you run off to?

Sebek: Yes, I was receiving a lecture about gargoyles from the Young Master.

Grim: Gar.... ghnghyle? Do those taste good?

Ace: I don’t really know what that means, but I’ll let you introduce Diasomnia ‘cause it’s too much of a hassle for me.

Sebek: Of course. This is far out of your depth anyway.

Ahem. Are you ready? HUMANS! Diasomnia, the dorm I’m part of, is founded on the nobility of the Fairy of Thorns. The current dorm leader is Lord Malleus Draconia! He is a descendant of the faeries, and ranks as one of the top five... No, the strongest magic-wielder in the world! He was born in the Valley of Thorns, his birthday is January 18th, he’s 202 cm tall, he’s part of the Gargoyle Research Society, both of his eyes are—

Ace: This isn’t a introduction on the dorm anymore; you’re just talking about the leader!!

Sebek: Hm? This is the dorm that Lord Malleus runs, so what’s so strange about talking about him?

Ace: This is obnoxious... 

Deuce: He won’t listen no matter what you say, huh?

Grim: Right?

Epel: I feel like the students of Diasomnia can wield magic much better than the other dorms can.

Sebek: That is correct. The Fairy of Thorns, who lived on the Mystical Mountain², could cast magic that was extremely powerful even among the Great Seven. It’s clear that Lord Malleus is the most suited for running this dorm, isn’t it?

Epel: ...And that concludes our explanation. Everyone, thank you for listening all the way through.

Jack: Every dorm has its own set of quirks, but in the end, the one you join depends on the Mirror of Darkness. You shouldn’t worry too much about it.

Deuce: Jack’s right. No matter what dorm you get assigned to, let’s all do our best together to become powerful mages!

Ace: What’s with this beautiful ending you’re leaving off with? Well, I’m not complaining, getting some cute little freshmen around doesn’t sound too bad.

Let’s go to the next Unbirthday Party together!

Sebek: This orientation is not over until you return home safely. If anything happens, we’re the ones that will be held responsible. Do you hear that, humans? Be on your guard as you make your way back.

Grim: Next time you stop by, make sure ya don’t forget my tuna cans!

1. Epel: M... Er, me?

I wasn’t able to convey this correctly, but Epel starts off by using the pronoun “Ore” (a rougher version of “me”) and then pauses to correct himself to “Boku” (which is a bit softer).

2. Mystical Mountain

It’s called the “Forbidden Mountain” in the EN dub, but the term engraved on Maleficent’s statue on Main Street is “Mystical Mountain.”

[wasabiholland]

if you dont mind me asking, and you really dont have to explain anything to me if u dont feel like it but i just dont see everything that goes on with the girls, but what were u referring to when you said recent stuff has left a bad taste in your mouth? i only saw criticism of jesy's fake tan which i totally get

no you’re all good! i’m on mobile rn so i don’t think i can do the read more break but I'll try (update now im on my laptop so I can do the read more break + add more than 10 photos)

the first thing is the fact that 3/4 of the girls went travelling during a worldwide pandemic which is just...................... stupidity, not just for the fact that they themselves could get sick but they could get others sick too and it’s likeeeeeee so irresponsible

perrie went to Ibiza with Alex, Friends, + their partners

leigh-anne got paid to go to Greece with Andre by a magazine at the start of August

then went to Ibiza for her friends hen do in the middle of August

and then came back to england for work (eyes on the sunrise where she had to call in from home with perrie because they had been travelling) aaaaand then went back to greece for a trip with her sisters at the end of august

& jade went to Venice with Jordan at the end of august

like just because you CAN travel during a pandemic where there have been 1.23M deaths worldwide, doesn’t necessarily mean you should. it was just all really irresponsible & tonedeaf & stupid of them, you know?

2. Recently jade did an interview with Rupaul where she said that her boyfriend “loves being q**** and feminine” and.... its inappropriate of her to use that word because it is a slur that's being slowly reclaimed but its still used as such an insult against the LGBT+ community. when mixers who are actually members of the community called her out for it and asked for an apology or a sense of remorse & newfound knowledge... in true Little Mix fashion... she just deleted the comments. when mixers reached out to their ex head dance captain & really tight friend of the girls he basically “she knows what she said and she meant it” which... does not make it any better at all.. in fact that makes it worse 

reminder that she said that about her cishet boyfriend because he was in drag for a movie role...... I don't think theres ever going to be an address for this one despite how many fans express their disappointment & hurt. 

3. i feel like just while we’re here we should talk about jesy’s tan.

it’s been an issue for a while and its been called out so many damn times yet nothing has changed over the years but when people would call it out the cupcakes would come in their forces and talk all that shit about how she can do what she wants with her body which is just.................. objectively no. heres the link to a really good twitter thread to read up on & it makes an excellent point that when Jesy was promoting her prestigious, professional documentary she wasn't nearly as dark as she usually is in public appearances

compared to the extreme tan she's been called out for time & time again, even in Little Mix’s latest music video (debuting on 23rd Oct 2020) 

and that's not even compared to leigh

just look at these photos of jesy next to leigh in glam & not in glam

when the lady who does her tan was messaged about it- this was her response

reminder, Jesy is a WHITE woman and as of 6 Nov 2020 she still has her tags on instagram turned off so no one can tag her in anything (in the past she's just had her tags hidden so no one could see her recent tags but now they're turned off completely) 

and I don't think the below needs an explanation from me on why is unacceptable but here's an article on it written by a woman of colour

there's just no.... words. 

theres also the video that jesy posted to her own instagram story of her friend singing the N word & on the same night singing R- Kelly. When called out repeatedly because of it all she did was ignore it & delete her instagram comments that mentioned it. (I can't find the video of it rn but I'll reblog with it when I find it)

I genuinely like... don't support her after all this shit and all people wanted was an apology and changed behaviour but time has shown that that is just too hard for jesy to do and no matter how many times she fucks up & get called out, she doesn't learn. which is sad because as talented as she is, I personally don't feel like I want to contribute to her having a platform if all she's gonna do is be ignorant, stupid and embarrassing. 

There are so many other think pieces/ threads on twitter of other problematic things they've done in their past.. ie having a whole tour aesthetic revolving around Native American culture, culture appropriation, etc. 

So yeah that's what I meant by ‘bad taste in my mouth’. maybe I just am bad at separating the art from the artist but their purposeful ignorance (and you know its on purpose that they're staying silent because they still actively delete comments and their associates speak on their behalf & make it worse) is embarrassing and just reflects badly on them & really makes me not want to support the music or them. 

[ayamari-no-goshi]

Got any headcanons/fanfic-related thoughts about holidays, witches, and/or Walpurgis Night?

Thanks for the ask! This is gonna be long. Sorry in advance.

Regarding holidays, the most important would be the equinoxes and Halloween.

Halloween is easy - Samhain was originally an end of harvest festival for the Celts, but the also believed it was a day where the living and the dead walked among each other. All Hallow's (Oct 31), All Saints Day (Nov 1), and All Souls Day (Nov 2) is the Christianization of this festival and brought the veneration of the dead to a wider group of people, strengthening the association of that time period with the dead. And if you believe that beliefs have the power of influencing things, then it may have been given more power as a result.

So, after the info dump - regarding DP in general, it's a day where its easier for ghosts to move between realms. For cannon, you'd definitely see an increase of natural portals. Some of the stronger ghosts, who can't do it naturally, may manifest the ability to create portals on that day. For my long fics,.. in Eidolon, it's basically the same as cannon. For Verboten, where the veil between worlds is more like water... maybe ice. Yeah, ice works better. The cracks widen to the point where humans can stumble in quite easily when normally they'd need to find a thin spot (area of a natural portal) or ghost breaks through and drags them in... I just gave myself an image of Plasmius lurking under water and attacking like a Killer Whale does.

The equinoxes have a similar context regarding the supernatural. The equal amounts of daylight and night are said to thin the veil. So, not quite as strong as Halloween, but you'd still see uptake in activity as a result of increased portals. Now, in cannon, we don't see much of a difference in activity levels per season (we don't really see seasons anyways) so this next bit I've only applied to my AUs. In the US, paranormal activity is often reported to pick up around the Spring equinox and decrease after the Fall equinox/Halloween. I don't know why that is. I've heard some European sources reporting similar things. No idea if that's across the board, just in the Northern Hemisphere, or what.

As for Walpurgis Night... this is a weird one. It's traditionally celebrated on April 30th, and it's the eve of the feast day for St. Walpurga. It was a very common tradition to build bonfires to ward off disease, witchcraft, and evil spirits that night. Yet, it's also the night when witches were said to meet and their powers were the strongest. For cannon, I wouldn't really consider it an important day (again, due to the lack of notable differences in time/seasons), but for AUs, it would be one of the best days for humans to summon spirits.

Now, regarding witches/magic users... Let me just mention, I'm uncomfortable talking in depth about 'true' magic, with the exception of divination. The same holds true with demonology. So, if it comes up like it did in Verboten or my recent one shot, the intent gets mentioned (like Sam wanting to summon a ghost to ask a question), but I'll never go in detail about the process.

With that aside, I should point out I do distinguish magic users due to something I read many years ago

witch - traditionally more involved with herbs and 'earth based magicks'.

wizard - traditionally 'wizened' men. They're the ones dealing with 'scholarly' magicks like alchemy, astrology, some forms of divination, Kabbalah, etc. Often described as needing a conduit for magic.

sorcerer - you're non-scholarly magic. European information often states their abilities are derived from working with/summoning spirits.

warlock - the word itself is believed to derive from an old word for 'oath breaker'. Most describe them as having disregarded any previous teaching and made a pact with something dark/evil, which in turn gives them abilities.

Going back to DP - canonically, we know magic exists through Freakshow's artifacts and Desiree. .... Sigh, I just realized her name is a pun on 'desire.' Anyways, both in cannon and for fics, I think true magic users are very rare. Arguably, all those categories can exist in cannon, but I think really only sorcerers and warlocks would be of any real danger to Danny or the other ghosts. While I don't think Freakshow is a magic user outside of artifact use, I think his family would be sorcerers. I think as time goes on, magic users would slowly flock to Amity Park which would bring an entirely different set of problems.

.... and also, while checking a couple things, I found another ancestor in Ireland who supposedly messed around with the Fey. This is why my family is cursed.

[shinydocsberrytea]

12/15/21 3:33pm - today i found a screenshot in my camera roll that was from 7th or 8th grade. it was a screenshot of a website that said “2 week diet - lose all your body fat!” & obviously young me thought that sounded amazing. i’ve tried a lot of different things since then. i did the keto diet freshmen yr, lost 15 lbs & gained it back & more. did keto sophomore yr & lost 15 lbs & gained it back & more. i started high school around 150lbs & ended around 180. but that’s really only bc i developed a binge eating disorder at the beginning of the pandemic & i wasn’t able to even admit i had a problem until 15 months later. my parents have no idea that i ever had a binge eating disorder. they don’t know i’m anorexic now. i never experienced high school at a healthy weight. it wasn’t until i graduated where i tried keto for the 3rd time. i went 4 months w/o cheating on my diet a single time & lost 45 lbs. i think it’s because that time, i wasn’t dieting bc i hated the way i look. (that’s why i did it in the past & i always ended up deciding i looked fine and quitting.) in june i started dieting bc my mom told me i couldn’t wear the shirt i had on to the beach bc i looked terrible & my fat was hanging out. i had such an intense panic attack bc i remember feeling confident that day & had thought i looked great. & my dad sitting in silence clearly meant he agreed w her. she had never been so direct before. yeah they’ve both made comments abt my weight & what i eat my entire life but never something so upfront. that’s how i knew my weight had gotten past the point of acceptable a long time ago. this was just the 1st time someone was fucking honest w me. i had been sleepwalking through my life for months. i would wake up & eating was the 1st thing i thought of. i isolated myself & hoarded food in my room. i would eat like 5-12 full meals a day & probably like 3000-5000 cals daily. i ate until it hurt. i would only hangout w my friends that ate super large portions of unhealthy food. i look back at pictures of myself from senior year & almost wish my mom had told me that earlier. yeah it’s sad that it took other people telling me how unattractive i was for me to change but that was the only thing that worked. i look & feel so much better & happier now. & i’d binge every single day bc i would always smoke weed before i ate so i could just keep eating & eating. i’ve been smoking weed since i was 15 & i basically smoke weed daily. so when i developed BED i blamed it only on the disorder itself when in actuality, i would never have been able to eat that much everyday w/o pot. part of me definitely knew that at the time. but the thought of giving up weed was so terrifying bc i have pretty severe anxiety & PTSD & probably ocd & some minor anger issues so being a normal person w/o weed sounded extremely daunting. but since early nov my binging has been out of control. this is bc in oct i had cheated on my diet for the 1st time in months & once i did that, returning to never cheating was impossible. also the dining hall at my college is basically just a buffet. u can go back however many times. & there’s always desserts. i came home for xmas break in the middle of a week long binging episode. i was addicted to all the things i was consuming so i thought to myself, i’ll just binge 4 the entirety of xmas break. there’s so much good food at my house that i don’t have to pay for. but then i had a super long talk w my gf sunday night, & i explained in my last post how that altered my perspective. sunday was the last time i smoked weed. this is my first voluntarily break from weed in yrs. i gained 15 lbs before & at the start of xmas break. but since i stopped smoking i’ve lost 10lbs. it’s fucking insane, i’ll eat healthy food when i’m hungry & stop when i’m full. i haven’t experienced normal hunger signals in yrs. it’s incredible. i’ll start smoking weed again when i go back to college, but my goal is to smoke b4 sex, car rides w loud music, playing the piano, etc. instead of getting high just to eat. food is just a small part of life.

[tachyon-at-rest]

DOGS IN ELK

An insanely funny story of "domesticated" dogs reminding us that they are still kinda wild.

https://www.jerrypournelle.com/reports/jerryp/dogsinelk.html#dogs

From: Edward Hume <ehume@pshrink.com> Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 20:40:36 -0500 Subj: Dogs in elk ____________________________________________________________

I edited the follow-up thread

The original is here:

http://www.gardenweb.com/forums/load/party/msg101444109927.html?2

dogs in elk Posted by Anita z8 Seattle (anita@is2inc.com) on Fri, Oct 22, 99 at 14:44 The following apparently appeared recently on one of the newsgroups, rec.pets. It sounds pretty believable to me--though it's so funny, I'm not sure that I care. It's pretty long, but it's worth it. ---------------------

Anne V - 01:01pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1318 of 1332) Okay - I know how to take meat away from a dog. How do I take a dog away from meat? This is not, unfortunately, a joke.

AmyC - 01:02pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1319 of 1332) Um, can you give us a few more specifics here?

Anne V - 01:12pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1320 of 1332) They're inside of it. They crawled inside, and now I have a giant incredibly heavy piece of carcass in my yard, with 2 dogs inside of it, and they are NOT getting bored of it and coming out. One of them is snoring. I have company arriving in three hours, and my current plan is to 1. put up a tent over said carcass and 2. hang thousands of fly strips inside it. This has been going on since about 6:40 this morning.

AmyC - 01:19pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1321 of 1332) Oh. My. God. What sort of carcass is big enough to hold a couple of dogs inside? Given the situation, I'm afraid you're not going to be create enough of a diversion to get the dogs out of the carrion, unless they like greeting company as much as they like rolling around in dead stuff. Which seems unlikely. Can you turn a hose on the festivities?

Ase Innes-Ker - 01:31pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1322 of 1332) I'm sorry Anne. I know this is a problem (and it would have driven me crazy), but it is also incredibly funny.

Anne V - 01:31pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1323 of 1332) Elk. Elk are very big this year, because of the rain and good grazing and so forth. They aren't rolling. They are alternately napping and eating. They each have a ribcage. Other dogs are working on them from the outside. It's all way too primal in my yard right now. We tried the hose trick. At someone elses house, which is where they climbed in and began to refuse to come out. Many hours ago. I think that the hose mostly helps keep them cool and dislodges little moist snacks for them. hose failed. My new hope is that if they all continue to eat at this rate, they will be finished before the houseguests arrive. The very urban houseguests. Oh, god - I know it's funny. It's appalling, and funny, and completely entirely representative of life with dogs.

Kristen R. - 01:37pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1324 of 1332) I'm so glad I read this thread, dogless as I am. Dogs in elk. Dogs in elk.

Anne V - 01:41pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1325 of 1332) It's like that childrens book out there - dogs in elk, dogs on elk, dogs around elk, dogs outside elk. And there is some elk inside of, as well as on, each dog at this point.

Elizabeth K - 01:57pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1328 of 1333) Anne, aren't you in Arizona or Nevada? There are elk there? I'm so confused! We definately need to see pics of Gus Pong and Jake in the elk carcass.

Anne V - 02:03pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1329 of 1333) I am in New Mexico, but there are elk in both arizona and nevada, yes. There are elk all over the da*n place. They don't look out very often. If you stand the ribcage on end they scramble to the top and look out, all red. Otherwise, you kinda have to get in there a little bit yourself to really see them. So I think there will not be pictures.

CoseyMo - 02:06pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1330 of 1333) "all red;" I'm not sure the deeper horror of all this was fully borne in upon me till I saw that little phrase.

Anne V - 02:10pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1331 of 1333) Well, you know, the Basenji (that would be Jake) is a desert dog, naturally, and infamous for it's aversion to water. And then, Gus Pong (who is coming to us, live, unamplified and with a terrific reverb which is making me a little dizzy) really doesn't mind water, but hates to be cold. Or soapy. And both of them can really run. Sprints of up to 35 mph have been clocked. So. If ever they come out, catching them and returning them to a condition where they can be considered house pets is not going to be, shall we say, pleasant.

CoseyMo - 02:15pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1332 of 1333) What if you stand the ribcage on end, wait for them to look out, grab them when they do and pull?

Anne V - 02:18pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1333 of 1333) They wedge their toes between the ribs. And scream. We tried that before we brought the elk home from the mountain with dogs inside. Jake nearly took my friends arm off. He's already short a toe, so he cherishes the 15 that remain.

Linda Hewitt - 02:30pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1336 of 1356) Have you thought about calling your friendly vet and paying him to come pick up the dogs, elk and letting the dogs stay at the vets overnight. If anyone would know what to do, it would be your vet. It might cost some money, but it would solve the immediate crisis. Keep us posted.

ChristiPeters - 02:37pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1337 of 1356) Yikes! My sympathy! When I lived in New Mexico, my best friend's dog (the escape artist) was continually bringing home road kill. When there was no road kill convenient, he would visit the neighbor's house. Said neighbor slaughtered his own beef. The dog found all kinds of impossibly gross toys in the neighbor's trash pit. I have always had medium to large dogs. The smallest dog I ever had was a mutt from the SPCA who matured out at just above knee high and about 55 pounds. Our current dog (daughter's choice) is a Pomeranian. A very small Pomeranian. She's 8 months old now and not quite 4 pounds. I'm afraid I'll break her.

Lori Shiraishi - 02:38pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1338 of 1356) Bet you could fit a whole lot of Pomeranians in that there elk carcass! Anne - my condolences on what must be an unbelievable situation!

Anne V - 02:44pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1339 of 1356) I did call my vet. He laughed until he was gagging and breathless. He says a lot of things, which can be summed as *what did you expect?* and *no, there is no such thing as too much elk meat for a dog.* He is planning to stop over and take a look on his way home. Thanks, Lori. I am almost surrendered to the absurdity of it.

Lori Shiraishi - 02:49pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1340 of 1356) "He is planning to stop over and take a look on his way home." So he can fall down laughing in person?

Anne V - 02:50pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1341 of 1356) Basically, yeah. That would be about it.

AmyC - 02:56pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1342 of 1356) No, there is no such thing as too much elk meat for a dog." Oh, sweet lo*d, Anne. You have my deepest sympathies in this, perhaps the most peculiar of the Gus Pong Adventures. You are truly a woman of superhuman patience. wait -- you carried the carcass down from the mountains with the dogs inside?

Anne V - 02:59pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1343 of 1356) The carcass down from the mountains with the dogs inside? no, well, sort of. My part in the whole thing was to get really stressed about a meeting that I had to go to, and say *yeah, ok, whatever* when it was suggested that the ribcages, since we couldn't get the dogs out of them and the dogs couldn't be left there, be brought to my house. Because, you know - I just thought they would get bored of it sooner or later. But it appears to be later, in the misty uncertain future, that they will get bored. Now, they are still interested. And very loud, one singing, one snoring.

Lori Shiraishi - 03:04pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1344 of 1356) And very loud, one singing, one snoring. wow. I can't even begin to imagine the acoustics involved with singing from the inside of an elk.

Anne V - 03:04pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1345 of 1356) reverb. lots and lots of reverb.

Anne V - 03:15pm Sep 9, 1999 PDT (# 1347 of 1356) I'll tell you the thing that is causing me to lose it again and again, and then I have to go back outside and stay there for a while. After the meeting, I said to my (extraordinary) boss, "look, I've gotta go home for the rest of the day, I think. Jake and Gus Pong are inside some elk ribcages, and my dad is coming tonight, so I've got to get them out somehow." And he said, pale and huge-eyed, "Annie, how did you explain the elk to the clients?" The poor, poor man thought I had the carcasses brought to work with me. For some reason, I find this deeply funny. (weekend pause)

Anne V - 08:37am Sep 13, 1999 PDT (# 1395 of 1405) So what we did was put the ribcages (containing dogs) on tarps and drag them around to the side yard, where I figured they would at least be harder to see, and then opened my bedroom window so that the dogs could let me know when they were ready to be plunged into a de-elking solution and let in the house. Then I went to the airport. Came home, no visible elk, no visible dogs. Peeked around the shrubs, and there they were, still in the elk. By this time, they had gnawed out some little portholes between some of the ribs, and you got the occasional very frightening glimpse of something moving around in there if you watched long enough. After a lot of agonizing, I went to bed. I closed the back door, made sure my window was open, talked to the dogs out of it until I as sure they knew it was open, and then I fell asleep. Sometimes, sleep is a mistake, no matter how tired you are. And especially if you are very very tired, and some of your dogs are outside, inside some elks. Because when you are that tired, you sleep through bumping kind of noises, or you kind of think that it's just the house guests. It wasn't the house guests. It was my dogs, having an attack of teamwork unprecedented in our domestic history. When I finally woke all the way up, it was to a horrible vision. Somehow, 3 dogs with a combined weight of about 90 pounds, managed to hoist one of the ribcages (the meatier one, of course) up 3 feet to rest on top of the swamp cooler outside the window, and push out the screen. What woke me was Gus Pong, howling in frustration from inside the ribcage, very close to my head, combined with feverish little grunts from Jake, who was standing on the nightstand, bracing himself against the curtains with remarkably bloody little feet. Here are some things I have learned, this Rosh Hashanah weekend: 1. almond milk removes elk blood from curtains and pillowcases, 2. We can all exercise superhuman strength when it comes to getting elk carcasses out of our yard, 3. The sight of elk ribcages hurtling over the fence really frightens the nice deputy sheriff who lives across the street, and 4. the dogs can pop the screens out of the windows, without damaging them, from either side.

Anne V - 09:58am Sep 13, 1999 PDT (# 1401 of 1405) What I am is really grateful that they didn't actually get the damn thing in the window, which is clearly the direction they were going in. And that the nice deputy didn't arrest me for terrifying her with elk parts before dawn.

AmyC - 09:59am Sep 13, 1999 PDT (# 1402 of 1405) Imagine waking up with a gnawed elk carcass in your bed, like a real-life "Godfather" with an all-dog cast.

Anne V - 10:01am Sep 13, 1999 PDT (# 1403 of 1405) There is not enough almond milk in the world to solve an event of that kind.

[born2battle]

First Innings as IG @ Deolali ( Aug 1977 to May 1980  )

         On completion of LGSC, we were sanctioned casual leave for one week, during which I shifted to my new accommodation in the IG Block in the premises of B Mess. I availed the well deserved break at Aurangabad & assisted my parents in shifting from Army house to a civil rented house, since my father had retired recently after 35 years of service. On return to Deolali, I was selected to be in the IG Team for teaching the new Course, LGSC Fd 778, which had just reported. It was a privilege to be given this responsibility which was a tough challenge in view of the expectations. 

        It was an unforgettable moment, when I gave my first lecture, to my first batch of students, as they recorded their first impressions about me. As the Basic Leg progressed, I realised the magnitude of the task of teaching three most difficult subjects ( Ballistics, Equipment & Ammunition ) in the easiest possible manner. It was achieved only after extensive study and preparation of lesson plans & OHP slides, on every week end. The often quoted statement ---” You learn only when you teach” was indeed true. It was equally exciting to set and correct Exam papers and evaluate the Teaching Practices of students. On the whole, it was an exhilarating feeling of repeating the Basic Leg, in the new role as an IG , wearing the prestigious Red Band !!

         Simultaneously, all the Instructional staff had to qualify in the BPET     ( Battle Physical Efficiency Tests ) and PPT ( Physical Proficiency Tests ) during the Annual Adm Inspection. The thrust towards” Fitness First” was emphasised by holding Volleyball & Basketball competitions as well as encouraging individual sports. These activities contributed towards physical fitness as well as team bonding. Gunnery Leg began with the usual tempo, specially for the new IsG who had to evolve new concepts & procedures for provision of fire support. Any such ideas had to be validated during Course Shootings. We learnt a lot and gained confidence while engaging targets firing variety of Guns & ammunition. We understood in detail about the most important aspect of planning & implementation of safety measures during firing practices. Gunnery Leg also proved to be an enriching experience --- not only at the Gun end but equally at the OP end.  

         In the first week of Dec, we proceeded for the Educational Tour, where I had to shoulder the responsibility of coordinating all the visits as well as the administrative arrangements. It was a valuable learning experience. On return, the new IsG had to give their choice for  assessing the Practice Camps of Units, in various Field Firing Ranges. I volunteered to go to Binnaguri, whenever scheduled. Meanwhile, we were detailed for planning & conduct of Ex TOPCHI, which was the annual Fire Power Demonstration. It would showcase the capabilities of all weapon systems in the Regiment of Artillery besides surveillance assets & the Air OP capabilities. We rehearsed for one week with the participation of all the Guns/ Mortars/ Rocket Launchers held by the Units of Deolali & Nasik. The deployment of 120 mm Mortar using the Mules was very impressive. In addition, the Cheetah helicopter of Air OP Squadron displayed its capability of ferrying the 120 mm Mortar as an underslung load. It was a thrilling experience to apply our knowledge and skills towards enhancing the accuracy and consistency of fire support of a variety of weapons.

           There was a rehearsal which was attended by all Courses at School of Artillery, all recruits of Artillery Centre, Nasik & the civil population of Deolali Cantonment. The final event was on the Army Day ( 15 Jan 1978 ). It was witnessed by the Officers attending the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, who were on their educational tour to all training establishments. It was a spectacular display of fire power which ended with a salvo fired by a total of 70 Guns/ Mortars/ Rockets, destroying all the targets on Bahula ridgeline. The grand finale was the salvo by GRAD BM 21 MBRL, when each launcher fired 40 rockets in 20 seconds. It was indeed a dazzling display which reinforced the statement ----” Artillery is the God of War”, as propounded by Joseph Stalin. 

           In Apr 78, there was a change of command in the Field Wing.Col T P Singh took over as the Chief Instructor and was well known for his professional acumen. All instructors looked forward to the opportunity to seek his guidance for solving any difficulty. He adopted a strategy of paying surprise visits to all the training areas and the Course Shootings. These gave a boost to the standard of training besides motivating all the instructors & the students to attain greater proficiency. I was lucky to be nominated by him to be part of the Study Group of six IsG, for an analysis of the combat potential of our Artillery vis-a-vis Pakistan & China. The entire Study Group had to slog for the next one week and give him a  Presentation , which as expected, had to be refined, since Col T P Singh contributed his expert suggestions. Really, I learnt so much as a result of this first direct professional interaction with this erudite Gunner. 

          In Oct 78, myself with two AIsG proceeded to Binnaguri for assessment of practice camps of all the Regiments of Artillery Brigade. It was so exciting to be back to meet the Jat Balwans again, while Lt Col M S Choudhary had taken over as the TIGER 98. We moved to Buxaduar Ranges and assessed the performance of all the Regiments as per the parameters laid down by the School of Artillery. It was a unique privilege for me to assess my own Unit, while wearing the prestigious” Red Band” outside Deolali, for the first time. I observed that the professional standards had distinctly improved in the last two years, due to the dedication by the Jat Balwans, under a new Team of officers& JCOs, guided by an ebullient CO. I was given an emotional gift at the Unit Mandir and presented the holy Bhagvad Gita, wishing me further success & glory while performing my duty. The philosophy “ Karmanye vadhikaraste, ma phaleshu kadachan” has always been my beacon of strength, ever since I wore the Olive Green uniform!!

          I was sent on one month annual leave in Nov, which was in accordance with the leave plan, an important facet of man management while ensuring the training commitments. On return, I was detailed in the IG Team for the next Course ---- LGSC Fd 809. It meant hard work once again but the appreciation by the students always encouraged me to put in that extra effort. I accepted it as an opportunity to constantly improve as a Teacher since teaching and learning have a symbiotic relationship. Simultaneously, I volunteered to be in the IG Team for Ex TOPCHI which was in the last week of Jan 1979. We suggested that battlefield illumination could be shown as a separate part in the night, just after the standard fire power demonstration during day time. The proposal was approved by the Commandant and we started the rehearsals at night as well. The overall impact on the Final Day was phenomenal, not only as a result of an excellent demo during day time but also an amazing demo of illumination  of Deolali Ranges by night, on the eve of the Republic Day. It proved to be a novel idea and the meticulous display of fire power, specially the salvo by GRAD BM 21 MBRL ( 40 rockets in 20 seconds ) convinced the spectators of Defence Services Staff College that” Power grows out of the barrel of a Gun”. (Video illustration at the end of the Blog)

         In the first week of May, I went to Aurangabad on casual leave for ten days.It was probably destined that during this short break, I would have my first pleasant interaction with Ms Sanjivani Bhogale, from the reputed business family of NIRLEP,  who would eventually be my life partner. It was a typical example of “ First impression is the last impression”. Both of us instantly approved each other and decided to build an innings of lifetime partnership, in a Fauji environment. Our parents also gave their concurrence &  we were thrilled after the customary Engagement Ceremony within two days. It was also finalised that the marriage would be conducted in Dadar ( date, time & venue to be confirmed later). Both of us were on Cloud Nine, as we departed for Deolali & Dadar respectively, while I looked forward to meeting Sanjivani at Dadar on each of the weekends. I reached Deolali bubbling with the “Breaking News”.  

         Soon the muhurat for the wedding was finalised as 9.57 AM on 26 Jun 1979. Obviously, there was shortage of time for all the preparations by both the families. I applied for 45 days annual leave ( keeping the remaining 15 days as reserve for Diwali festival ). My leave was sanctioned, as requested, for the most important event in my life. The waiting period upto the  auspicious day was spent in a state of stargazing by both of us. Finally, the marriage was solemnised after traditional rituals on 26 Jun 1979. The most emotional moment was the “Saptapadi” ritual when we sought the blessings of the Almighty by taking the traditional vows. 

        We returned to Deolali, with all the bag & baggage, as a young couple for the first time. My friends, who were also young couples, organised a grand welcome for us, into the Home of the Gunners. Initially, we stayed in the Guest Room in B Mess itself but shifted to our temporary accommodation in 48 OG Lines, within three days. Thus began the process of converting our House into a Home!! At this juncture, I feel that Sanjivani should narrate her impressions as she stepped into the Fauji environment.

         Musings as a Fauji bride - “DADAR to DEOLALI”

        Every girl thinks about the person she will marry and the family she will belong to. I had the same feelings. I vividly remember that when I was 19 years of age, my Mama got married to a girl from the Fauji family.During this wedding, I observed lot of Army officers in their special uniform for the first time. They looked very courteous and smart.  I was thoroughly impressed with the grandeur of the Army. I was a complete civilian and thought to myself about the special quality of life of a Fauji family. Later, my parents asked  me if I had any particular choice for marriage. I told them that if possible, I would like to marry an Army officer ( not knowing the realty of being a Fauji wife, it has several pros & cons ).

          I was very lucky that the first proposal itself was from Capt Vivek Toley, who was the most eligible bachelor in Deolali. As marriages are made in heaven, before I could realise, we were married. Thus began my roller coaster ride from Dadar to Deolali. It was going to be a 360 degree transformation from the life I was leading till then. I was astonished when I saw a black steel trunk marked with the name of Capt Toley. The journey from suitcases to trunks thus began. My mother in law had packed few utensils and other necessities for us before we moved to Deolali. I started my Fauji life in 48 OG Lines, which was temporary accommodation for married officers.  

             I belonged to a typical Maharashtrian family & was conversant only in Marathi. My neighbours were from different parts of India. So, I had to make do somehow with my Bambaiya Hindi. Still, i learnt a lot from these conversations.My urge to talk in Marathi was fulfilled by talking to the local vendors and the maids. Social adjustment was another big challenge for which I was not prepared at all. I remained generally shy and silent while interacting with the officers & their wives. Huge cultural differences made me feel out of place. However, my Fauji family went out of their way to make me comfortable. I must mention that my husband stood beside me like a strong pillar , taught me, guided me and encouraged me at every moment.

           It is a norm in any Army station to be on the waiting list for allotment of temporary/ permanent accommodation. In Deolali,we shifted into 10 houses in 10 months. It is a common practice in Deolali to shift into the house of any officer going on leave for a month or two. This was so difficult for me to digest.Thanks to the Regimental association & NDA Coursemates, we were always given the house for use on “as is, where is basis”. This was a great show of faith and trust. My heartfelt thanks to all of them for making us so comfortable in the very first year of our married life. It assured me that the Armed Forces constitute a big family, with each one playing a small role. 

            Finally, we were allotted our permanent accommodation in P4 Block in Depot Battery Road colony. We moved into our own home and settled down fully. I was really happy but was surprised when my husband informed me about receipt of his posting order to NDA, Khadakwasla. Our first year in Deolali  will always have a special place in our album of memories!! 

           Consequent to settling down in my new status, I reverted to my duties as part of the IG Team for LGSC Course Fd 810, for the third time, thus completing a hat -trick. In Jan 1980, I was fortunate to complete another hat- trick with the responsibility of Ex TOPCHI , which was again a dazzling display of fire power. Thereafter, I was deputed to the Faculty of Studies where I learnt about the latest developments & trials of new weapon systems including ammunition. It involved regular interaction with the Trials Wing. In the first week of May, I was pleasantly surprised with the receipt of my posting order to the prestigious National Defence Academy. The resultant ecstasy of being selected as an Instructor at NDA from where I had passed out exactly 10 years ago, was the pinnacle of my professional achievements so far. I looked forward to moving within a month from the” Home of the Gunners” to the” Cradle of Leadership” --- along with my life partner!! 

[hazygrains]

Last Update for 2019

Oct 6 – Yeshua’s Born day | Oct 8 – Rosha’s Born day | Nov 8 – Casper’s free 

I've been investing most of my time fangirling over certain Kpop idols, specifically, Big Bang and 2NE1. Yes, I know I'm years late, and 2NE1 already disbanded, but they were the very first Kpop group I stanned. I just miss them so much, and I'm hoping they have a reunion anytime soon. It was just last year when I started liking Kpop. I did a lot of catching up since then. I started watching performances, interviews, vlogs, news, and other stuff related to them. I've been scrolling every now and then on Twitter using my fangirling account. I've been following and reading alternative universe stories of my OTP. I'm a proud Daragon fan. I really stan Sandara Park and Kwon Jiyong (G-Dragon). Anyway, I'm also starting to know and like other groups apart from YG artists. I've become a fan of some of them, but not really a die-hard fan where I'll spend money on Kpop merchandise or concert tickets. I'm all good just by watching them over the internet.

So yeah, I've basically been busy fangirling and with work. Nothing much is going on. Life has been boring. I've been working my ass off (working on Saturdays and doing overtime) to earn extra for the coming holiday season since working remotely doesn't include other benefits such as 13th-month pay and leave credits. Tomorrow is my last day of work, and it will resume on the 6th of January. Such a short break, but I really need this. Work has been really stressful. And this season is an absolute headache. I enjoyed Christmas when I was younger, but now, I don't really care much about it. I kind of hate this expensive time of the year, to be honest. The obligatory gifts, horrible traffic, a different group of kids caroling at the gate/doorstep every now and then, crowds, workloads, all the rush, the pressure, and the expectation that you have to give something to the kids, or anyone for that matter when sometimes you can't even buy yourself anything good because you always have to think through if it's worth it or if you should save the money for your future goals instead. It's all too much. And I can't wait for all of these to be over. How are you?

Anyway, here is the list of movies/series/books I've watched lately.

Seventeen (Diecisiete) 8/10 – I was looking for something to watch on Netflix when I came across this movie. At first, I thought it was a dog movie, but I was wrong. It's about brotherhood. This was such a heartwarming film. Recommended!

The Peanut Butter Falcon 10/10 – I saw the trailer for this movie months ago and just remembered it, so I decided to watch it. I’m a sucker for this kind of movie. It has the Captain Fantastic vibe, which I really liked. I love the adventure and, of course, the awareness it brings to the Down syndrome community. It was inspiring and really fun to watch.

Tune in for Love 9/10 – I'm a fan of Kim Go-Eun ever since I watched her in the Goblin K-drama series. It was so nice to see her act again. Anyway, Tune in for Love was such a beautiful movie. The characters' chemistry was perfect. It made me "kilig" tons of times. Must-watch!

Joker 9/10 – I'm not a fan of DC, and I'm not following any of the DC characters' storylines, so I was glad this movie is standalone. Watching this was too much, to be honest. I now understand how it triggers some people. It was just so deep and so dark that it got me thinking about things. Disturbing, yes, but it was also such an eye-opener. This movie has raised awareness of mental illness. Anyway, Joaquin Phoenix's performance was outstanding!

Hello World 5/10 – The second anime movie I watched in cinemas and also my first time going to the cinema alone. I gave it a 5 because the movie was so confusing. There's so much "Inception" thing going on, and I couldn't keep up. I had so many questions while watching, but I didn't have someone to ask/talk to since I was alone. The soundtrack and CG were nice, though.

Parasite 8/10 – Brilliant storyline. Unpredictable. I was amazed by the plot, really. It was actually funny, but then at the end, it turned to be sad and twisted. Don't watch the trailer. Just go out and watch it.

Hunt for the Wilderpeople 10/10 – I really liked this kind of movie. Loved the adventure. It is immensely entertaining. Genuinely funny. Heartwarming. I had to rewatch it the same day just because.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind 7/10 – I saw this movie on Netflix. I've seen tons of screencaps of this movie on Twitter, which made me intrigued. A nice science-fiction love story. It was an okay movie, but I just think it was overrated.

The Witcher 9/10 – What a cliffhanger! This was a great series, but it was really short. I don't see why most people compare this to GOT. This is a totally different universe. So yeah, highly recommended. Bring on Season Two!

Finding Chika – Finally, the bestselling author shares his own true story. It took me a while to finish because I honestly didn't want it to end. I laughed and cried reading this story. I even had to stop reading in a cafe because it was just too much. Such a beautiful story. Sad yet full of life memoir. Thank you, Mitch, for sharing Chika with us.

P.S. You can see how shitty the scans of these shots are. Really disappointed.

[willreadforbooze]

Hello!

BIG NEWS PEOPLE! Our Will Read For Booze twitter account (formerly Sam’s personal account) is going to be dedicated to the whole blog! So go check us out kthxxxx. While that’s amazing, Sam has to start from scratch on a new account, let’s show her some love huh? Check out her new account TheBooktender_  She’ll love you forever and ever.

Minda’s Updates

Goal for the rest of this year is to only read books I think I would enjoy and continue to be into. Working through something I don’t care for is just exhausting, and pregnancy is enough of that.

What Minda is reading now:

The Power by Naomi Alderman – In this world, teen women have the power to inflict pain—lots of it. I read a description of the book somewhere and picked it up from the library immediately. Looking to finish this then pivot to Tome Topple this weekend.

What Minda DNF’d:

HEIST by Kezzy Sparks – I FINALLY GAVE UP ON THIS THANK GOODNESS. I really tried to read it, but I can’t. It’s just basically one long poorly handled dick joke that isn’t very funny. And used the line, “guys will be guys, you know that.” Um, no.

Ginny’s Updates:

Hey Everyone!

The Nationals won the WORLD SERIES!!!!! I’m still ridiculously excited. Sam and I went to the parade and it was GREAT! Also that’s a lot of exclamation marks and caps, so back to normal. I’m so excited to get my evenings back and get to a normal sleeping schedule. So pumped.

What Ginny’s currently reading:

Lady Cop Makes Trouble by Amy Stewart: I read the first book in this series a forever ago and final decided to pick up the sequel. Constance is yet again dealing with the misogyny of the era, which is not great. But a convict escapes during a blackout and it’s kind of her fault. So she’s off on her own trying to find him. I find myself still really frustrated with her “sisters.” But really enjoy the other characters that appear in this book.

Wicked Fox by Kay Cho: Gonna be honest, I haven’t picked up this book since last week. There’s been so much going on and my evenings haven’t been quite my own.

Scrum by Jeff Sutherland: Same as above. Haven’t even touched this.

What Ginny finished:

Blaze of Memory by Nalini Singh: This if the 7th book in the Psy-Changeling series. And hoo boy was this one not my jam. There was some major abuse vibes coming off of this book mostly in that the main character seemed to be taking advantage of a woman with amnesia. That’s shitty. Also the descriptions that work really well for a Changeling feel very weird when it’s a human expressing them. 1.8/5

Chimes at Midnight by Seanan McGuire: Number 7 in the Toby Daye series. God this series just keeps getting better. Toby may have pissed off the queen of the land she lives in and suddenly has to race against a deadline to try to make sure she doesn’t get exiled. Gonna be a review.

Any Old Diamonds by K.J. Charles: I’ve heard so much about this author from the other authors I follow and boy was it a good recommendation to follow. The story was unique and fun and had a few genuinely unexpected twists. Alec is trying to get revenge on his shitty Dad and uses thief Jerry to get it. They immediately have tension which rackets up nicely. 4/5

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Siilvia Moreno-Garcia: I read this for book club. The book has the feeling of a Hades-Persephone story but surrounded by early 1900’s Mexico. Which is pretty glorious. I felt the book could be a little flat, but as we discussed in book club, that’s kind of how lore just is. 3.5/5

Bonds of Justice by Nalini Singh: This is the 8th book in the Psy-Changeling series and I’m kind of glad I read it immediately after the previous one because this was so much better! This is a true detective story with a relationship that sizzles and doesn’t seem abusive. Max Shannon, a cop, and Sophia Russo, a J-Psy who can copy and share memories, are on the hunt for a killer. This book was just crazy fun with plenty of chemistry. 5/5

Sam’s Updates

THE NATS WON THE WORLD SERIES!!! We watched it all, the ups, the downs, and the mightiest of wins. Ginny and I went to the parade which was amazing (and cold), I also took my first mental health day in 6 months and it was amazing…

What Sam read this week:

Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore: So this is a story of a family that always has 5 girls, 5 cousins. The men that spawn these women disappear, so it’s always the women. 5 ladies, 5 mothers, 5 Grandmas (abuelas), when suddenly a boy appears. He has no memories. The ending of this wasn’t predictable at all, but I really really liked it. It’s a story of love and loss and joy and pain and HISTORY. How the land remembers the horrors that were inflicted on it. I really liked it. 3.5/5

Girls of Storm and Shadow by Natasha Ngan: This is the sequel to Girls of Paper and Fire which i didn’t…. love… but also didn’t hate. Welp, I was right, tons of miscommunication between relationships, which I hated. But there were a couple new characters who I ah-dored. Will be doing a full drunk review of this one.

What Sam DNF’d

Epoca: The Tree of Ecrof by Kobe Bryant (creator) and Ivy Claire (written by): Yeah, you read that right. Kobe Bryant created this story. While at BookCon this year, we came across this small publishing house he created. Apparently, he loves making stories but doesn’t have time to write them out in full, so he builds the world, names the characters, plots it out, and hands it off to his author of choice to finish it. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get into this one. BUT DONT FRET! It’s not that it wasn’t good, it just wasnt for me. In this story, the magic is sports magic, which is cool. The characters seem like they’ll be fun, but while I love sports, I don’t love them this much.

What Sam’s currently reading:

The Kingdom of Gods by N.K. Jemisin: This is the final installment to the Inheritance trilogy. Seems to be about Sia. Listening on audio so we’ll see how it goes.

Ashlords by Scott Reitgen: This is Scott’s next series after Nyxia and I am READY for it. I’m really early on, but basically, it’s fire horse racing. FIRE. HORSE. RACING. I cannot fuckin wait.

  Linz’s Updates

What Linz read:

Middlegame by Seanan McGuire: I don’t even know how to describe what I just read but it was real weird and real good and I am very happy I took a break from assigned reading to pick this up

Queen of Ruin by Tracy Banghart: The second half of the Grace and Fury duology. Spoiler alert, THOROUGHLY satisfying.

What Linz is currently reading:

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo: My diligent stalking of the digital library sites have paid off; I recommended it at the right time and was like #2 on the waitlist. Bardugo’s first novel for the grown and sexy is REAL dark, part..ghost story? and part many mysteries? and I am HERE FOR IT.

House of Salt and Sorrow by Erin Craig: The problem with working from home sometimes is that my office is where my books live, and the pretty copy from Owlcrate kept staring at me. This VERY much reimagining of the 12 dancing princesses is kinda weird and also dark and also I am enjoying it. If I didn’t have 15 other things going on, I probably would have tried to finish this over the weekend.

Until next time, we main forever drunkenly yours,

Sam, Ginny, Linz, and Minda

Weekly Wrap Up: Oct 28 – Nov 3, 2019 Hello! BIG NEWS PEOPLE! Our Will Read For Booze twitter account (formerly Sam's personal account) is going to be dedicated to the whole blog!

[nikkithinksblog-blog]

Forgiveness is not for other people...

Okay so this blog will probably get real and heavy. And that’s okay. There’s no point for me to do this if I can’t be an open book. If you know me personally, you know some of my story. I don’t broadcast it but I refuse to hide it. It’s apart of me and who I am. 

That being said, I don’t want this post to be all about me and how hard my life was and is. Yes, I’ll be sharing about things I’ve gone through but my hope and prayers in doing that is to help others and show some light on a way to help cope with difficult situations that involve forgiving. 

One thing that always helped me get through and continue on this journey is the saying “Forgiveness is not for other people. Forgiveness is for you.”

When I first heard that, it was a surreal moment kind of. Like I can’t even remember where I heard or who from but all I remember is a sudden change in the way I think about things. I know now that God put that phrase in my life. No doubt in my mind. 

Listen, just to give a quick recap, I’ve been abused and felt just low like lower than the level beneath dirt and that is a basic summary of everything. My physical, emotional and (most importantly) mental health have suffered dearly. And I am still dealing with “fixing it” I’ll never be done. It’s going a life-long commitment. A part of me feels so bad for my family, and friends but most importantly, Aaron. This man and I are going to spend the rest of our lives together. Once I realized that Aaron is my soulmate and who God put in my life for me, I was extremely happy (obviously) but also, worried, frustrated, angry, worried and very sad. Sad because he has no say so in what my past has been. Sad because of my baggage that he is taking on with me. How is that fair to someone? But then once I kept thinking and praying about that, I FORGAVE myself for not even giving myself a chance to take on my own baggage or deal with my own past. Please don’t get me wrong, Aaron has and is going above and beyond to support me and deal with all of this with me. Keyword there was “with”. I FORGAVE myself for doubting Aaron, in a way. How dare I doubt someone who has never shown me anything but love and support and care since he’s known me. God puts people and things in your life for a reason. 

Like I’ve said in the sports videos, this forgiveness topic has been heavy in my prayers and on my heart. Today, 8/17/19, I know why now. 

Alright y’all this is where it gets heavy and real...

So to give some back story, My grandmother got diagnosed with Stage 4 giloblastoma multi-cell brain cancer in Oct-Nov of 2018. It has been a very huge struggle. When we first got the news, before we even knew if was cancer or not, our plan of action was surgery to remove the tumor. Once the surgery happened, the surgeon came out and confirmed the news that my family dreaded. I was upset and sad but mostly angry. Angry at myself for not seeing any symptoms sooner, angry at her doctors for not taking the best care of her to prevent this from happening, and honestly a little angry at my family for not taking care of her and watching her. Obviously that was not fair of me to accuse people who loved my grandma just as much, if not more, for not taking care of her. How dare I right?! But, once I thought about it, I FORGAVE the doctors and I FORGAVE my family. None of them knew I was angry at them, and until the read this post, they don’t know. After a couple of weeks, she started chemo and radiation. After about 2-3 weeks of that, she was getting really really sick. She took a fall in the bathroom from being so weak. She went to the er and that’s when we found out that her tumor came back, bigger and stronger than before. The date, 12/02/18, will be forever in my brain. Engraved in there. Never leaving and here’s why...This was the date that I realized that no one is safe. No one is safe from this sick disease called cancer. 

It’s not fair for an amazing and loving woman to suffer from something she does not deserve.

When she started getting worse and worse, and is still getting worse. I was getting very angry and upset. I would let it boil in me and just simmer down in me. One little thing would get to me and I would blow up and break down. I was still angry. Of course, I kept blaming myself for all of this. I’ve always been someone in my family who has taken care of everything and I can’t take care of this. It kills me. Like it shakes me to my core to know that there is literally nothing I can do to fix this. Trust me. 

Then around June of this year, I finally realized who I was truly angry at. 

I was angry at God.

WOW, when that realization hit me, I broke the heck down. 

Give me one christian on this earth who hasn’t been angry for something at some point in their life and was angry at God for letting that something happen. 

I never doubted him or anything of the that nature. I still believe in him and everything he can do. I still pray to him and give him praises. But I would be lying if I said I wasn’t angry. How could he let this happen to a woman that is so devoted to him and so important to me. A very small part of me took it as a punishment. Everyone is a sinner, that’s in the bible. Even if you don’t believe in it, it’s one of those things that you just know. But our sins are FORGIVEN. I thought I had the one sin, somewhere in my life that caused all this to happen. My luck of course. 

I came home from work one day and I didn’t want to watch TV. I didn’t want to listen to music or read a book or scroll through Facebook or play with my dog even. What I wanted to do was find answers. Answers as to why this was happening to my family. Answers as to why I can’t cope with anything and I’m anxious and depressed all of the time. But most importantly and above all, I wanted answers as to why I was so angry all the time and why I was angry God, the one thing in my life that has never left and shown me the right things to do and the right way to live.

So I picked up my bible and my plan was to read what ever page I opened to and just keep reading until I found something. 

I opened my bible and the very first thing I saw was “Forgiveness is not for other people. Forgiveness is for you.”

The second thing I saw was “ God gives his toughest battles to his strongest warriors”

Then it literally hit me like a ton of bricks. I was angry at God for showing me that this happening is a part of the plan. I was angry because I was in denial that this is happening. That’s it. I was angry (in general) because I was in denial and I was blaming. 

Immediately I was on my knees asking him for FORGIVENESS. 

Once I prayed, and I’m telling you like I was praying for 15.-20 minutes if not more, but once I finished... everything became clear.

God showed me that I needed to forgive myself for all the pain I caused myself but not only that, the pain I caused everyone around me. I put the people closest to me in pain because I was angry. Being angry about something and at someone that did nothing to you is wrong! 

God isn’t mad at me for being mad at him. His love and care for me isn’t gone and he’s not going to show me less. God showed me that this happens. Everyone has to go at some point and he is keeping her around until she and him are ready and that is their conversation to have and I don’t need to be involved like I think I do. God has showed me his love. Even in the times where I’m blinded by negativity.

Here’s how I am forgiving myself: (and I saw it in a current sense because I am still working on it)

Take 10-20 minutes to yourself EVERYDAY to allow yourself to break down. Cry, scream, break stuff, whatever you need to do.

Write down every emotion you feel during the day on a piece of paper and then mark out the negative ones until the paper rips.

Sing. Music has a therapy element to it. Use it. it doesn’t matter if you’re bad or good. It doesn’t matter what song. Just sing.

Talk to someone. Vent to someone. It’s okay to talk about what’s going on. But make sure after that person listens to you. You have to listen to them.

Find the positive things in everything and STAY positive.

Talk to God.

These are the things that I do. Some of these may not work for you but something, somewhere will. You just can’t be afraid to try.

I’m not perfect. I’m still going through so much. But I’m not angry.

But I forgave everyone and anyone.

I forgave myself. And in forgiving myself, I am more open and I am more able to feel. 

I don’t have the answers to anyone’s problems, including my own. But I’m willing to search for them. 

I hope this helps someone who read this. This post is longer and honestly a lot longer than I planned. 

Thank you all so much and I am sending so much love to you all! 

-Nikki

[wanderers-minuet]

I haven’t been active on here in a while but i still browse, and i saw this, and it really hit home. it’s entirely accurate, and exactly how I’m feeling right now.

Rest under read more, tw: animal/pet death, grief.

I just went through a major loss - I had to put down my dog Bandit of 16 years, my best friend, yesterday on Tuesday Nov. 12th. He’s been part of my life for literally half of it. (I turned 32 oct 26th.) I got sent home twice from work the last few days because I couldn’t keep my cool, and was crying and generally being a hot mess. Monday I was sent home after 20 minutes, and spent the next 6 hours or so at the vet with my family and Bandit crying and basically losing my mind, gave myself a headache and nearly threw up. We decided at the end to bring him home for the night so my sister and her boyfriend could cuddle him all night. I was off the next day, thank god, but I couldn’t stand to spend the day watching him be miserable and suffering like I had for nearly 6 hours the night before, so i spent most of the day trying to distract myself in my apartment with laundry and games or just busywork, and a few bouts of crying, with only a few hours of sleep during the night. So I went over in the evening to get a little time with him at the house before we brought him to the vet around 7:30pm. We spent some more time with him in a special Comfort Room, and I kept my cool for the most part, just the quiet sobbing kinda thing, for a few hours until we pressed the button for the doctor to come in. Me and my sister held him between us, face to face, in our laps, while the doctor did their thing, and I went absolutely batshit insane crying. We didn’t get home until around 11pm, and we buried him in our backyard. At this point I’ve pretty much been crying for 48 hours. I’m very not okay. I didnt get back to my apartment until around 12:30, my boyfriend helped me wash my back and hair in the bath (I was craving the human contact and being cared for), and I didn’t get to bed until close to 2am. I tried to go into work today at 11am (wednesday) and I lasted about 10 minutes before I started crying (one of my coworkers asked why I was crying when I was sort of sniffling at my register - i was really trying to keep my shit together, i really was, but the question and my subsequent answering of it just broke the dam and I lost it, and was sent home) so that didn’t go well. I spent the day at home thinking about Bandit, playing games to give my brain a break, crying a lot, took a nap cuddling one of his favorite toys and his collar that i took home with me.

I saw this and I thought: the ball in my box is bursting the box at the seams right now, there is no release of the button unless I forcibly distract my thoughts (games are easy, as is sleeping with the aid of benedryl and NyQuil.). Working is not as engaging as I would like/need, which is why i had problems working the day before and after, bc my mind could easily wander.

I’m really hoping my ball is smaller tomorrow, because I can’t afford to keep missing work, and keep putting them at a disadvantage bc i’m not there. I need to get my shit together and move on, like my mom says (even though I don’t really agree, I think I should be able to take more time for myself to work through my grief but such is the way of life, I guess. Especially for “just a pet” as a lot of people like to thing of it. Fortunately my workplace is really understanding though so there’s that I guess)

anyway i don’t know where im going with this I guess I needed to write this out? Thanks for reading if you got this far.

i should go to bed now because I work at noon and I really dont want to be sleep deprived again on top of grieving.

I love you Bandit. I miss you a whole lot and I feel like I’m dying and there’s a giant hole in my chest, and I keep thinking you’re gonna just pop up and be there when I visit the house, that this isn’t real.... but I know you’re in a better place, and making lots of friends in doggy heaven - i’m sure Bentley was there to greet you, and you’re teaching all your new friends all the tricks I taught you! Such a smart boy! The best boy, my handsome little man! My little buddy.

You be good. I love you forever.

(gonna go cry myself to sleep now.)

This is the most accurate description I’ve ever found, thought it was worth spreading ❀

[shortyjessica1802]

So. I made this to be a blog. A place where I can also possibly make money. 🤷🏻‍♀️ So I have heard can happen.

Anyways… me and my boyfriend has been together for 5 years going onto 6 years. I want to be young to have kids, because I don’t want my kids seeing me as someone who is not able to do stuff like I am now. I want them to see me as someone who has a ton of energy and it doesn’t get drained over every little thing. Me and my boyfriend has been trying for a kid for 2 years! 2 years, and I got pregnant in September. I was so happy to find out, because every time I took a test, it was negative, and it would break me into pieces. I took those test when I missed my period too, but my cycle was irregular. It was like that after the depo. Anyways, I got pregnant super excited. My sister bought be baby clothes. The entire time I was like okay whatever I’m pregnant. Then that one day I was like oh shit I’m pregnant and I’m getting excited ready to hold my baby, even though it was just 6 weeks in😂. My friend passed away. A dude, I knew since 6th grade, and my boyfriend knew since pre-K. We all practically grew up together. With each other basically 24/7. He was 19, rode a motorcycle. He got into an accident, and he passed away. He did everything right, drove safely. It was really heartbreaking to hear his moms voice on the phone telling us he passed, and we were 1066 miles away. My boyfriend would constantly talk to him, I talked to him every so often, but how me and him was, we were like siblings. Like he told me I was a little sister he never wanted, and I told him he was a brother I never wanted.😂 Fast forward a week, I ended up miscarrying. I lost my baby, they said I was pregnant for 6 weeks and 4 days. I found out I was pregnant on Sept 29, 2021 and miscarried on Oct 28, 2021, and my friend passed away on Oct 23, 2021. So, after you miscarry they take blood work from you every week to make sure your hcg level is going down and not up. If it goes up then you’ll need a d&c or medication. My hcg did drop down to 245, and then it jumped to 7000+ in a week. So, they called me and we scheduled a D&C. I got the D&C done on my birthday, Nov 18, 2021. They called me a few days later and told me that they tested the tissue they took, and there was no fetal tissue. That I may have an ectopic pregnancy. So I panicked, because an ectopic can kill you if you are more than 6 weeks and I didn’t even know how long I was. They had me go in and do blood work, and then after. Oh boy. My anxiety shot up! I went straight to the hospital that was an hour away from my house. I was freaking out, I felt like my body was on fire and I felt my heart racing. Got to the hospital just for them to tell me Im fine. My HCG level dropped below 18. So, I was very thankful for that. But oh boy, is that hospital bill going to be pretty. I don’t even have a job! I’ve been applying everywhere even after my miscarriage, but it’s so difficult. Oh, and then my grandmas dementia got real bad during that time, it’s worse now. She seeing people and things that’s not even there and saying “we’re telling her let’s go somewhere”, when we didn’t. We’d literally all be sitting quietly and she says “well are we gonna go?” Then we tell her we didn’t tell her nothing and she gets mad, but it will be like that on repeat. We just leave it though, and tell her to just relax and watch tv. She was a veteran so she’s very stubborn. 😂 but yeah that’s been my month.

My friends name was Steven Henson and this is his gofundme for his parents. There in need of money right now, they’re really having a hard time. https://gofund.me/d5c4a5bd someone also stole his donation jar in Coolidge, AZ.