#old alzheimer couple

[panoffrying]

I’m back home I’m well I’m tired jet lag is hitting HARD but some food as I practice drawing them

[thereissomethingunderthestairs]

Sending my old man out with his favorite meal.. i’ll see you again pete ❤️

[seidenbros]

I got the "book good" comment on AO3 on a fic that means a lot to me and it makes me so happy, you have no idea ("Hi, I don't know if I'll be able to emotionally recover from this. :)" was also a comment that made me go YES) I love book good person

[theunsaidsyllables]

I've known a couple for as long as I've lived. They are such a pair of sweethearts. Both probably in their late 70s. The husband is calm and patient and his wife is sarcastic and funny. So many times I've crossed streets to just go, say hi to them.

When I met them for the first time, the wife had asked me, "You didn't tell me your name, did you?" Upon hearing my name, she exclaimed, "Really?! We share the same name then!!"

I brightened up too but before my smile could get wider, her husband chuckled and told she's just messing with me. I smiled at them sheepishly, but the wife said, "But I'd have liked to have your name."

Yesterday after so many years of acquaintance, I bumped into them and the husband asked me how I was doing and I told him. We stood there chatting for a bit and his wife was surprisingly silent throughout the conversation. Until she asked me the question she had asked me years ago. I smiled at the memory and introduced myself all over again, to which she said, "Really? We have the same name then!" I just laughed and said, "Do we really?!" I waited for her to join in me in my laugh, but she just looked confused. She turned to her husband and asked him, "Do I?" He looked at her patiently and said, "No, but you have a name just as beautiful".

She was diagnosed with the alzheimer's disease last year and my heart cried a little when I heard it. I don't know whether I should feel sad that she might not remember me the way she did or whether I should admire the way he guides her through streets she has walked before, when she feels like she is walking there for the first time.

[cursedcola]

Prompt: Couples will evidently begin to mimic their better half after some time. What traits do you steal from him, and vice versa? Fandom: Twisted Wonderland Characters: Everyone - because I want to and I’m amidst fleshing out all my Yuu/Character dynamics + designs Format: Headcannons. Masterlist: LinkedUP Parts: Heartslabyul (Here) | Savanaclaw | Octavinelle | Scarabia | Pomefiore | Ignihyde | Diasomnia A/N: Putting all my brain rot from my notes into something cohesive. Contrary to my love for ripping your hearts out, I've come with some fluff this time around. BTW you may or may not already do things mentioned - I write my works with a specific Yuu in mind for each character so this is based on them. Just a reminder.

Habits you steal:

Plan-Books (Inherited) : Riddle habitually carries a planner with all his tasks. A physical one, not an app in his cell phone like most students choose. You find it easier to manage and swap to paper-and-pen alternatives at his recommendation.

Tidiness (Inherited): Riddle is a nit-pickier when it comes to physical presentation. His habits of pressing his uniform, laying his clothes out every night, and dressing conservatively rub off. He has a point - ironed trousers do make a difference. Every morning he will redo your uniform tie. It's never knotted to his 'standard', and is his preferred excuse to greet you before class.

"Now, isn't that better? Surely you are more comfortable in ironed linens than those rags you'd been wearing as pajamas. You seriously found them lying in Ramshackle? Were you not given an allowance to buy basic needs? Ridiculous! The Headmaster's irresponsibility holds no bounds!" <- Utterly appalled that you've been sleeping in century-old robes. He supplies you with seven sets of pajamas, a spare uniform, and an iron + board for Ramshackle. All after reaming the Headmaster for neglect in the last dorm-head meeting - either Crowley coughed up the marks or Riddle will supply from his own bank. Seven have mercy if he chooses to become a lawyer instead of a doctor.

No Heels (Developed): Riddle has a height complex. He won't make a show of it, but you wearing heels does emasculate him. Especially if you're already taller naturally. For his sake, you choose to slay your outfits in flats.

"Are those new loafers? Oh - no, they're lovely. The embroidery is exquisite and I can see why Pomefiore's Housewarden models for their brand. I merely thought you preferred the heeled saddle-shoes we saw during the past weekend trip. I must have been mistaken. Never mind me. You look wonderful."

Playing Brain Teasers (Inherited): Riddle has this thing with memory - you don't know if he's really into preventing old-age Alzheimer's or what. He carries a book of teaser games like Sudoku, etc. for when he has downtime and you eventually get into them too.

"Oh! My Rose, would you care to join me for lunch? Trey's siblings recently mailed in a large collection of cross-words. You'll find they are both educational and entertaining - hm? I do not seem the 'type' for word-games? I assure you, even I can relax on occasion. There is no need to look so surprised." <- Riddle's been making a grand effort to do things he enjoys and become more personable. Trey's siblings did not send the collection. Riddle went into town and picked it out on his own. He also found a book on organizing excursions since he's big on quality time. He is dead-set on not being a neglectful or 'boring' partner.

Swear Jar (Developed): Tired of Riddle collaring Ace for his vulgar tongue, you suggest a Heartslabyul swear jar. When the jar gets filled, the money can be used to fund things like study materials and renovations for the dorm. Riddle liked this idea, but now implements it on anyone who sets foot in the Heartslabyul. Considering you spend most of your time there, you've had to develop a vast vocabulary beyond swearing. Oh - you also unironically use the word 'fiddlesticks' now.

Habits he steals:

Useless Expenses (Inherited): You are an enabler without a doubt. Riddle has always functioned with the bare bones - with function and efficiency being the number one priority. Ever so slowly - you've spoiled him with aesthetically pleasing stationary. At first all the needless purchases felt redundant - why buy the pillowcases with flowers when plain white is cheaper? You can invest in a higher quality this way. Yet you've ruined him with gifts that he had no choice but to use. Now he needs to buy the pens with little hedgehogs on them because studying doesn't feel the same with a plain ballpoint.

Slang Dictionary (Developed): With each passing day, all the students in Heartslabyul get more creative at bending the rules. That includes you. Riddle takes it upon himself to carry a 'little-black-book' full of all the sang words he is unfamiliar with. He does want to be a bit more 'hip' to understand you more, but at the same time he wants to bust any student being a smart-mouth. It's an ongoing battle *sigh*.

"Apologies, could you repeat that term for me? Surely it must be relevant to my lecture if you and Ace are whispering. 'Let him cook'? Do you think we are in a culinary lecture?! Have you not been listening to - ah. So it's in reference to letting me finish before interrupting...One moment. I need to make a note."

Chewing Gum (Developed): This is an ode to psychology. In short, eating is tied to a person's fight-or-flight. Instincts dictate that our bodies need to be in a calm state to eat comfortably. One day when Riddle was at his wits end, you tossed him a pack of sugarless gum and told him to chew. Disregarding Trey's unholy dental screeching, Riddle develops a gum dependence for when he's stressed out. On the bright side, his jaw has never been so sharp.

“Mimicry? You must be mistaken. Even if my influence has affected their person, surely there are only positive developments” == Riddle denies any changes if confronted. In truth, he’s well aware of how much you’ve helped him grow. It’s the opposite accusation that spikes concern. Riddle does not want others thinking you’re a mini-version of him. Rumors are not kind and neither is his current reputation. Making those amends is his burden to bare. He is flattered to see you paying attention to his mannerisms, and secretly proud that your bond is strong enough to affect the psyche.

Habits you steal:

Whistling (Inherited): Trey whistles while working in the kitchen or doing general chores around the dorm. He's not very loud with it, so not may students are bothered. Since you laze about in his shadow the tunes he goes through do become repetitive. Now you do the same when cleaning up Ramshackle. Grim wants to knock you both out because he can't take it anymore.

"Ah -- How'd you know it was me in here? Just because I bake for the un-birthday parties doesn't mean I live in the kitchen, you know. My whistling? Huh. Never thought that would be my calling card but there are worse things, haha"

Head-Scratching (Inherited): Trey's got a habit of scratching the back of his head when he's uncomfortable or nervous. That, or rubbing at the nape of his neck while adverting eye contact. You start doing this too whenever you're being scolded or put in a tough situation.

Dental Hygiene (Inherited): By far the most obvious shared trait. Trey enforces his dental habits onto everyone- you are no exception. You now own four different kinds of floss, two toothbrushes (one being electric), and have a strict hygiene routine. Your pearly whites have never been so clean. Eventually you become somewhat of a secondary enforcer, policing anyone who sleeps over your dorm to take care of themselves before bed. All of Heartslabyul learns that there is no going back when you scold Riddle for not brushing after his teatime tart, and live to tell the tale.

"Hey - uh, weird question? Were you handing out floss to the Spelldrive Team yesterday? Seriously? I though Grim was pulling my leg - oh, no! It's not weird at all! Those guys should have a better routine for all the meat they eat when bulking. I'm just shocked you got through to them." <- Very proud. Mildly cocky. He's been itching to get those negligent jocks to floss after their banquets his entire tenure, but steered away from that conflict like the plague. Thank you for making his dreams come true. Now if you could maybe get them to stop picking their gums with toothpicks?

Habits he steals:

Overbuying Food (Developed): Being a baker's son, Trey's good with finances and money. He's also meticulous with the ingredients he purchases for his bakes. You are not. You go to Sam's shop, buy whatever is on sale, and then bring it back home to improvise. This ends poorly more often than not, and behold! Trey has two Ramshackle sluggers snooping around his kitchen for eats. This is unpredictable and therefore he now never knows what amount to buy. You've ruined him.

Phone Calls (Developed): Texting is easier. Especially since phone calls can be a commitment that Trey dislikes being wrapped up in. Whenever Cater's name pops up as the caller, Trey knows he's getting an ear full. The thing is that you never. answer. your. phone. Either the text gets lumped in with the hundreds of missed messages you have, or Grim stole your cell to play mobile games. So Trey gives up and only ever calls. Either Grim will answer or you'll pick up thinking it's the snooze of your alarm.

"Hello? Prefect, where are you? It's me, Trey. Just calling to see if you're still coming to the Un-Birthday party? Riddle's getting a bit nervous since the schedule's set for the next hour. Grim's already here with Ace and Deuce - uh, want Cater to send a double to pick you up? I have a sinking feeling that you're asleep...Call me? Please?" <- He was correct. You called back not a moment after, half-asleep and hauling ass not to be late.

Speaking in Propositions (Inherited): Trey's normally good at keeping neutrality in a conversation, but getting a clear answer out of Yuu you is like solving a rubix cube. Either it's easy and instant, or a long game. Eventually your habit of indecisiveness rubs off on him and he asks questions more than answers them. Evidently this gets his younger classmen to stop asking for favors unless they really need to.

“Aha - really? I didn’t notice at all. Okay. Okay, I picked up on a few hints. What’s so wrong with them taking after me? It’s cute, right?” == Trey is the observant sort that picks up on his influence quickly. Not just anyone carries floss in their pocket at all times - and the looks from his dorm-mates when you offer some up is enough for the realization to click. Trey’s used to playing the respectable sort, and finds it endearing that you’re taking his good notes to heart. In truth, most of Trey’s mimicry is intentional. He’s a flexible guy who doesn’t mind altering his habits to fit your needs. Easier this way, y’know?

Habits you steal:

Speaking in Acronyms(Inherited): Now this is scary. The first time it happened, you had to take a pause and just re-evaluate your entire life. You don't use them nearly as often as Cater does, but somewhere along the line your brain must have rewired to speak in internet lingo. O-M-G you're TOTALLY twinning with him right now, period :)

Nicknames (Inherited): Again, frightening. You once swore against ever calling him Cay-Cay. It isn't very slay-slay. Yet you can only hear him use nicknames for so long until you're unconsciously calling people by them too. Especially since he's always dishing gossip. It starts in your head, which is fine. It's not like they know. Then you call Lilia 'Lils' and that old fart is just grinning behind his sleeve because ohoho~ young love <3

"Did you just- AHA! OMG DO IT AGAIN?! Wait, gotta get my camera out for this - wha? Oh, that's totes not fair! C'mon. Call me Cay-Cay. Just once! I won't even post it to Magicam, please? Lils won't believe me without proof! Pleasssssseeeee - " <- He actually doesn't want you to call him Cay-Cay all the time. Cater likes you using his given name, since it's more personal. Although the way it obviously slipped out on accident is just too cute to ignore.

Reality TV (Inherited): At first you don't like the gossip. It's cheesy, a bit annoying, and the shaky camera-work for nearly every show is headache inducing. Cater likes his dose of drama in his free-time, and Ramshackle has a tv that no one is using. It starts with him watching while you do other things around the dorm. Yet each time you pass the living area, you take longer to leave. Lingering around like one of the ghosts. Then he pulls you in with snacks and starts giving the low-down of what's going on, pulling out a bottle of tangerine shimmer polish to paint your nails. It's just one episode, watch it for him? Please? Oh no. No. No. Suddenly you're invested in who's the baby-daddy of little Ricky and what Chantel is going to do because her sister just lost the house to foreclosure.

"#KingdomOfDeadbeats - am I right? Ugh. I'm so glad we met if that's the dating scene back home...What?! I know it isn't real! Don't be a dummy, I was just joking! Ah! Stop! Don't hit me!" <- Half-hearted jokes about going on one of those talk-shows one day. You're an alien, after all - imagine the juicy drama and views his account would get from doing an interview? It's all jokes though. Cater likes spilling the tea, but hates being it. Don't ever abandon him and go out for milk though, kay? He doesn't want to pay Grim's child support. Otherwise he might have no choice smh

Habits he steals:

Phone/Web Games (Inherited): Cater's phone is mainly full of social media. He's not too into the gaming scene, it's not his peeps y'know? Alas, you download a few dress-up games and one MMO on his phone. First off - props on getting his phone. That's Cay-Cay's lifeline and not just anyone gets to play with it. Pray tell - what is this Wonderstar Planet (props if you know what is being ref.) and how can he become the most influential digital streamer on it? Congrats. He's addicted.

"Who's this Muscle Red and why's he bombing our raid - AH! He just tea-bagged me! So not cool...Prefect? STOP LAUGHING WE HAVE BETS ON THIS MATCH! There goes my collab opportunity, big fail" <- Muscle Red continues to make an appearance. Eventually he becomes Cater's official rival on stream, and Lils is all to invested in the tea cater drops during club meets. Side note. You're the one who gave 'muscle red' Cater's domain code. The lore thickens.

Internet Caution (Developed): This goes without saying, but Cater's well-known in the Magicam scene. He's very forward and knows his way around using charisma. Since you're not in the scene as much, he becomes more cautious of where and when he does streams. The change is so subtle that only the most observant people will pick up on it - but Cay-Cay doesn't want any creepos popping in if y'know what I'm saying. His sisters were the ones to instigate this change.

“Awe~ SRSLY?! That’s fresh news to my ears but good, right? Ne, are there any clips or pics? I need my evidence, y’see. Especially if my cutie is off taking notes from their one and only. C’mon, spill the tea!” == Cheeky Cater is well aware of what’s happening. He’d humor anyone out for some light teasing - after all, he isn’t by your side at all hours. His walls are probably the second most difficult in all of campus to bypass, so he’s both sweetened and nerved to see you picking up on his mannerisms. That’s proof of a strong attachment, after all.

Habits you steal:

Knuckle Cracking (Inherited): Deuce still does this from his biker days. It could be because joint pain from past fights, or possibly air retention in his knuckles from studying. Regardless, Deuce cracks his knuckles at least once every few hours and you began to mimic him. Some people groan at the popping sounds but it really does feel good to release the tension. Let's just hope neither of you dislocate any fingers on accident.

"Stop that! G-geez, you nearly gave me a heart attack. Thought you broke a finger...your hands are stiff? That just means you're studying a lot! I think...uh, let's break? I think there's some leftovers in the kitchen." <- Deuce 100% gets needing to pop those air bubbles. His hands get stiff from studying all the time, but don't crack them too much or you might dislocate something. Side note - he shows you how to wrap your fingers with a soothing salve. He used to do it after fights, but now it's a great help after class.

Double Notes (Developed): Deuce tries. He really does. Yet the lad just isn't great when it comes to book smarts. Seeing that he is dedicated to turning over a new leaf, you make a habit of copying all your notes. He isn't allowed to share them with Ace or Grim - else all bets are off. Sometimes you leave little 'good job' stickers on the last page for him. Is he a toddler? No. Does he peel the stickers off and save them? Totally. He is a good noodle. Suck it Ace.

Sewing (Developed): He breaks things. Most of the time it's an accident. You've learned to carry a mini-sewing kit for all the rips in Deuce's uniform. Same for mini remedies for stains and other problems. It's not like he's trying to get grass stains all over his under-shirt or to split the seam in his gloves (nearly every week). It just happens, and every time he comes to you with a kicked-puppy look with a promise of it being the last time. It is never the last time.

"Uhm...hun'? It happened again. I'm so sorry for bothering you but Housewarden is going to kill me if he sees the tear in my blazer! Can you fix it?! I can't handle another collar with my exam tomorrow! I need to breathe to focus! - really!? I owe you one! Snacks are on me tonight."

Habits he steals:

Bottomless Stomach (Developed): Have leftovers from dinner? Bring them over. He'll get the tubba-ware back in 1-2 days. Coupon for buy-one-get-one at Sam's? He'll take the extra and polish it off in less than a minute. Deuce becomes a human garbage disposal and is taking the unwanted condiments off your sandwich to eat. Just pick them off and leave 'em on the corner of his lunch plate. Even if he dislikes it, he'll down it so you don't have to.

"Mm. Oh, thanks hun' - its that all you're eatin'? You don't like the steam bun? It is a bit dry, but wasting food is disrespectful to the cooks! I'll finish it for you so have my fruit instead. You still need to eat" <- 10/10 very thoughtful and not picky at all. He is grateful to eat your cooking and will gobble up all leftovers at Ramshackle, but doesn't think twice to sharing meals in the cafeteria. He will notice though if you do not eat enough. Restocks the snack cabinet if he sees it's empty. Is touched if you routinely share things you know he enjoys, like saving half your frittata on purpose.

Early Riser (Inherited): See - even if you hate the mornings, there is no choice at Night Raven College. As Ramshackle Prefect you need to be up to take care of business before class. Deuce becomes your personal alarm clock because he wants some time with you before everyone else joins in. Mind you that he lives with three other dudes who threaten to end him every morning because his alarm wakes them up too. Eventually he can wake up without it, but the time leading is unpleasant.

"W-what? Seriously? I've been trying to be more like them! They're a good person and responsible so I've been trying to follow their example. To think we've been doing the same thing this entire time...." == Why would you ever imitate him? He's been trying his damn best to become an honor student worth respecting, and has a long way to go. To think you're comfortable enough with him to mimic his mannerisms? It's a pipe dream, one he doesn't grasp until it's put right in front of his face. You don't let anyone else pick off your plate other than Grim. The next time his clothes tear, he's already handing off his tie before realizing just what's happening. When you wrap his knuckles after a six-hour lock in at the library? He can't help but feel proud at how neat the bandages are. Suddenly the dark memories of hiding bruised knuckles from his mom are pacified with healing balm. Deuce views this development as a gift, and is grateful. Very, very grateful.

Habits you steal:

‘I owe you’ cards (Inherited): Ace's favorite social invention - the 'solid'. Nothing spells new-low like getting your friends to do stuff in exchange for a favor in the future. Most of the time Ace counts on people forgetting he owes them one, but you're not so gullible. The only difference between you both is that while Ace never fulfills his solid, you have a conscience. Give it a few more years. He'll get ya.

"I know this is the third ticket this week but - Oh! C'mon, cut a guy some slack, would you? I'm sorry for bein' late to our date. Yeah, it was shitty. I'm not trying to fight it, aright? I'm here now so let's have some fun and you can chalk three strikes on my tab. I'll even buy ya some candy - Ah! Okay! Two candies but that's where my charity ends!" <- Evidently, the 'I-owe-you' tabs cancel each other out from how often you both call in favors. It's just an excuse to do acts of service or express apologies without being too mushy. Ace is definitely keeping a track record of them though. Expect an ongoing log that dates back to the week you met, when he showed up homeless, collared, and looking to couch surf.

Profanity (Inherited): Ace swears like a sailor. Maybe not so much in his dorm because *cough* he's being policed. He holds no such reservations when you're both alone at Ramshackle. Unfortunately his potty mouth has a mind of it's own - it taints you, and you are a sham of a prefect. Ace earned a week-long collar for teaching you some Twisted-Wonderland exclusive curses. Riddle is not pleased.

Leaving the Windows Unlocked (Developed): There are only so many times he can sneak in through your window before the adrenaline-induced charm wears off. You have class in the morning, and can't be bothered to deal with him on nights he can't pass out in his dorm. Thank seven you have all of Ramshackle to yourself - because Heartslabyul sounds like a nightmare with the roommate situation. You can't leave the front door open for obvious reasons, but most nights the guest-bedroom window will be left slightly ajar in case he needs a place to crash.

"Pssst! Oi! Prefect! ...ugh, Grim! Wake them up, man! The latch is stuck. Don't go back to bed you furball! HEY! IT'S FREAKIN COLD OUT HERE SO LET ME IN ALREADY" <- Please let him in. If Ace has to spend one more night in that stinky dorm with three dudes, he'll string one of their dirty gym socks over your bed. No mercy.

Sleeping with Earplugs (Developed): Bitch Ace snores.

Habits he steals:

Notes Memo (Developed): Ace is bad with remembering things. Anniversaries? Dates? Allergies? He admits to not putting in a great amount of effort, but you can't say he doesn't try at all. He has a notes block on his phone dedicated to things like your go-to takeout orders and preferences. He even has a few alarms set days before any important events because even if you say no-gifts or plans...yeah, he's not that stupid.

Excessive Yawning (Inherited): You're always tired - it wasn't Ace's problem before but now he does feel a bit guilty. Dragging you into his messes felt different when you were just the prefect, y'know? Regardless, it's human instinct to mimic each other's demeanor so he'll openly yawn all the time - normally in succession of you.

"Hey...you're dozing off again. Am I seriously that boring to hang around? - Nah. Just messin' with you. I'd suggest taking a nap during next period but I doubt a goody-goody like you is gonna take that advice. Let's just ditch juice at lunch and go back to the dorm. Don't get mad if I forget to wake you up though"

Medications (Developed): Ace is the last person to become a human apothecary, but he's always got a pack of pain-reliever meds in his pocket with a few bandages, etc. He also attached one of those tiny capsule bottles to his keyring with some stomach meds inside. You took a spill running laps? Dang man. That sucks. Here's a band-aid for your knee. Curse you for making him the slightly-more responsible one.

"Eh..what, like it's a shock? You saying I'm a bad influence? Cause yeah, that checks. Nothin' I can do if they want to take a card outta my deck though," == Ace is entirely neutral on the topic. He is definitely smug that you're coming over to the dark side, but he doesn't need anyone to point it out. He was your first after all. Maybe the start could have been a bit better - but hey, you came around. It's not like he's hurting anyone by helping build your backbone. Although Ace will instantly deny going soft for you in any way, shape, or form.

[afeelgoodblog]

The Best News of Last Week - June 26, 2023

1. California's Lake Oroville now at 100% capacity following megadrought; 1st time since 2019

Once a stark example of the drastic effects of California's yearslong megadrought, Lake Oroville has rebounded and is once again filled to capacity, data from the state's Department of Water Resources shows.

Lake Oroville, the state's most beleaguered and second-largest reservoir, is at 100% of its total capacity and 127% of where it should be around this time of year - a huge boost after the climate-change-fueled megadrought sucked away nearly all its water supply.

2. Blue whales are thriving in California waters – the story of their amazing comeback

If you’ve recently taken a Southern California whale-watching tour, you may have been lucky enough to come across earth’s largest animal. Pacific blue whales grow up to 110 feet long and can reach a weight of 200 tons. Decades ago, blue whales were nearly hunted to extinction, and although still listed as protected under the Endangered Species Act, marine biologists and researchers are heralding a “conservation success story,” unlike any other.

According to a study published in 2014 by researchers at the University of Washington, the West Coast blue whale population has bounced back at tremendous levels, recouping 97% of its pre-whaling population

3. Newborn left in Florida Safe Haven Baby Box adopted by the firefighter who found her

Zoey is now 5 months old. Courtesy Zoey's family

A firefighter in Ocala, Florida, was pulling an overnight shift at the station in January when he was awakened at 2 a.m. by an alarm. He recognized the sound immediately. A newborn had been placed in the building’s Safe Haven Baby Box, a device that allows someone to safely and anonymously surrender a child — no questions asked.

“To be honest, I thought it was a false alarm,” said the firefighter, who wished to remain anonymous to protect his family’s privacy. But when he opened the box, he discovered a healthy infant wrapped in a pink blanket.

That baby would become his daughter, Zoey.

4. Iceland suspends whale hunt on animal welfare concerns

Iceland's government said Tuesday it was suspending this year's whale hunt until the end of August due to animal welfare concerns, likely bringing the controversial practice to a historic end.

"I have taken the decision to suspend whaling" until August 31, Food Minister Svandis Svavarsdottir said in a statement. The country's last remaining whaling company, Hvalur, had previously said this would be its final season as the hunt has become less profitable.

5. He wanted to pet dogs for his 100th birthday. Hundreds lined up.

Alison Moore had a unique idea to celebrate her father's 100th birthday: a pet parade filled with as many dogs as possible. Her father, Robert Moore, has always adored dogs and wanted to pet every one he saw. So, Alison took to social media and invited the community to join in the festivities. Little did she know that over 200 dogs and their owners would gather for the heartwarming event.

The parade brought immense joy not only to Robert but also to attendees like Rodger, who has Alzheimer's disease, and his daughter Denise, who hadn't seen her father smile so much in a long time. It was a day filled with wagging tails, smiling faces, and love that made Robert's milestone birthday an unforgettable celebration.

6. Historic decision: Estonia legalizes same-sex marriage

Tuesday, the Estonian government has survived a vote of no confidence in the Riigikogu tied to amendments to the Family Law Act and related legislation, which is granting same-sex couples the legal right to wed. 55 members of the Riigikogu voted in favor of the measure, while 34 voted against.

It is proposed that the institution of marriage, as defined by family law, be modified so that  any two natural persons of legal age, regardless of gender, may marry. The words "man and woman" will be replaced with the words "two natural persons."

7. US approves chicken made from cultivated cells, the nation's first 'lab-grown' meat

For the first time, U.S. regulators on Wednesday approved the sale of chicken made from animal cells, allowing two California companies to offer “lab-grown” meat to the nation’s restaurant tables and eventually, supermarket shelves.

The Agriculture Department gave the green light to Upside Foods and Good Meat, firms that had been racing to be the first in the U.S. to sell meat that doesn’t come from slaughtered animals — what’s now being referred to as “cell-cultivated” or “cultured” meat as it emerges from the laboratory and arrives on dinner plates.

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That's it for this week :)

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[dairy-farmer]

Just watched the sweetest most heart warming clip about a woman and her husband. He is diagnosed with early onset alzheimer’s and slowly forgets everyone in his life. She watches as he forgets their anniversary, their kids,their wedding and then finally forgets who she is all together can’t even remember her name. She becomes just another caretaker to him. He has other medical professionals who come to the house and assist with his daily life.

But slowly she notices that he is flirting with her! He is courting her! All the other nurses agree that he definitely has a crush on her ((his wife!!)) and he doesn’t act like that with any of the other women in his life. He actively pursues her and over the months and years he falls in love with her over and over and admits to his feeling for her many times over!

Then one day they are watching tv and there is a wedding scene. He turns to her as asked her to marry him. So they have a little wedding in the backyard with friends and family. He has no idea who anyone in that back yard is!! He just knows he loves this woman that is actually his wife and has been for years!!!!!

BIG BRAIN BRUTIM !! Bruce who is very obviously older than Tim so will suffer the effects of old age well before him.

If probably something they spoke about early in their relationship! It might have even been one of the reasons Bruce kept turning Tim down. Trying to stir Tim to a younger suitor because ‘our love has a time limit much shorter than most’

He loves Tim and so selfishly wants him but think Tim deserves to be with someone that will age with him. Someone that in 10-20 years time can still lift him up and twirl him around. Can fuck him the way he likes, throw him over his shoulder when they are playing in the ocean on the tropical holidays. Tim says they will make the most of their time together then! Love so much and so hard in the time they have it will make up for the years they won’t get later in life! And they do!! They squeeze 50 year worth of whirlwinds romance into 10.

Maybe Bruce makes Tim promise that he will move on. Not the normal promise that some couple make. ‘Move on after I die’ no it’s ’promise me you will move on when I start to get too old’

Unfortunately it’s Bruce’s mind that ages first. So Tim of course takes advantage of that. He never leaves him. Never moves on, he goes against Bruce’s wishes and the promise he made to him that he would find love again after him.

He is rewarded with his dedication with old man Bruce forgetting and falling in love with him over and over again.

Sometimes he asked for Alfred and on the good days Tim will say he’s just off getting dinner ready. On bad days he will walk him out to the family grave yard.He doesn’t even remember The Batman or fighting crime.

Dick, Jason, Cass, Duke Damian they are all lost to time in his mind. No one takes it personally. In fact they find it easier to love him like this. It probably doesn’t help that his other kids moved out and made their own families. But they all visit a fair bit. Bruce gets to meet almost all his grandkids before he forgets them. It’s just understood in the family that Tim is the only constant in his mind.

🥹🥹🥹 bruce continuously falling in love with tim again and again. even if he can't remember tim or his face or name he always falls for tim again and again and even as he loses everything the only thing that remains is tim 🥹

[hier--soir]

feb + mar + apr reads

norma jean baker of troy by anne carson [★★★★★]

"Sometimes I think language should cover its own eyes when it speaks."

"Is she human? Are you? Is she a beast out of control? There's so much danger. No human can become just a beast, you plunge beyond - beyond what? Remember Jack the Ripper? 'I'm down on whores and I shan't quit ripping them till I get buckled,' Jack wrote in a letter to the newspaper, September 18, 1888. He never did get buckled. Of course insane, his mind blooming with it, who could go down that rabbit-hole or unlock such a puzzle as Jack? - but still, the woman! the thing is! the woman has everything and you smile and you take some."

: ̗̀➛ an exploration of the lives and myths of marilyn monroe and helen of troy.

: ̗̀➛ anne carson is there anything you can't do? please email me back. please.

piglet by lottie hazell [★★★★]

"'I want to make some food,' she said. 'For both of us?' he asked. 'No, just for me.'"

: ̗̀➛ one woman, piglet, and the lead up to her wedding in the face of a big confession from her fiancé.

: ̗̀➛ this one slipped beneath my skin and writhed around the spot inside me where i've tucked away all of my food issues.

merciless gods by christos tsiolkas [★★]

"I'm scared that if I let go, not only the room, not only this city, but the whole world will go cold forever."

"Your false gods cannot save you. There is only one God, my God."

: ̗̀➛ short stories that bash you over the head with how awful things and people and places can be. i did not live for this one... particularly wasn't into the one where a guy jerked his dad who has alzheimers off.

foe by iain reid [★★]

"All day. Time keeps moving. I've always thought that was a good thing. Until recently. I'm not so sure now. Is it good? For time to go by fast?"

: ̗̀➛ they want to send junior to space and replace him with a robot that looks and acts and talks exactly like him so his wife has company in his absence.

: ̗̀➛ marriage and trust and complacency, and a guy called terrence who we get reminded over and over has long gorgeous hair.

: ̗̀➛ a little boring for my taste. i had an idea of where it was going pretty early on, and it took a while for me to be proven right. pretty disconcerting!

acts of desperation by megan nolan [★★★★]

"The need was a true and human part of me, but I could feel nothing else of myself to be true or human, and so the need seemed ungodly, an aberration."

: ̗̀➛ a book full of confession, desire, jealousy, violence, and power. messy messy messy!!!! readers procceed with caution.

: ̗̀➛ shout out to everyone who said i should read this - you were right, it is up my alley.

gone girl by gillian flynn [★★★★]

"My wife was no longer my wife but a razor-wire knot daring me to unloop her, and I was not up to the job with my thick, numb, nervous fingers. Country fingers. Flyover fingers untrained in the intricate, dangerous work of solving Amy. When I'd hold up the bloody stumps, she'd sigh and turn to her secret mental notebook on which she tallied all my deficiencies, forever noting disappointments, frailties, shortcomings."

: ̗̀➛ i have become a gillian flynn STAN this year, it's true. despite having seen the movie multiple times, i enjoyed reading this, and was delighted to find some differences in the texts [for better and for worse].

: ̗̀➛ nick dunne, big fan of the lie of omission, mama's boy whose mama is dead, i'd like to introduce you to couples therapy.

dead beautiful and life eternal by yvonne woon [reread] [★★★]

: ̗̀➛ the first two books in a paranormal romance trilogy. these kinda bang guys, i can't lie. 15-year-old me was onto something when she decided to keep these instead of donating them. however, they DO have some of the worst book covers i've ever seen, sorry yvonne.

fourth wing by rebecca yarros [★★★]

: ̗̀➛ a romantasy book that has dragons, smut, and twists that you'll see coming from a mile away. pretty fun. recced to me by one man in person and a thousand women on tik tok.

: ̗̀➛ no one who has the thought 'double standards for the win' is using 'whomever' in a casual sentence with the guy she's having sex with.

: ̗̀➛ good enemies to lovers should have actual murder attempts. but maybe that's jusT MY OPINION.

my book rating system is as follows:

★ = i felt pure contempt the entire time

★★ = yeah it's a book

★★★ = i liked it!

★★★★ = good fucking book, damn

★★★★★ = blew my dick clean off and i'll throw a tantrum if everyone i know doesn't also read it and love it

[chadfallout76podcast]

"Deah Shroud!: A Nick Valentine Mystery" EXPLAINED and AMA

It never occurred to me to do this last year, but a lot of people have asked me questions about our Fallout 4 play in the last year in the Discord, so I wanted to open an AMA but also explain "Death Shroud!" and some of the broader themes involved in it.

**SPOILERS AHEAD**

Part 1: Pre-production

Before I get into the story, I wanted to explain how this production even came about. Over the years after working together on some official community projects with Wes Johnson through Bethesda, we became good friends. I took a couple of his acting classes and he talked about the Fallout For Hope charity initiative I started and asked for help in organizing the gaming community for his Alzheimer's Association fundraiser. The idea was to host a month-long digital event of discussion panels, game shows, improv and a play with as many different voices of video games, film and TV as we could round up. In our second year of his VoiceAPalooza fundraiser, I wanted to do an original old time radio show and see if could bring back as many of the cast that we could from Fallout 4. It was Wes who first suggested an adventure with his Silver Shroud character (that he voiced in Fallout 4's radio plays) teaming up with Nick Valentine (voiced by the amazing Stephen Russell). Valentine is, for me, one of the best written, unique companions in Fallout lore.

So, I reached out to Stephen Russell who had joined us before for charity work and he was all in on bringing Nick Valentine back to life! After that things moved fast with Bethesda's Pete Hines and Emil Pagliarulo joining us to have some fun for a good cause. We tried to get EVERY companion from Fallout 4 that we could, but schedule wrangling is tough, and some people are just impossible to track down or find. Matt Mercer would've loved to have joined us as Macready, but unfortunately scheduling didn't work, so the best we could manage would be a holotape (the only reason our snarky gun running merc had to take the big sleep in the story).

After having everyone plugged in to reprise characters, it was time to put fingers to keys and find the story...

Part 2: The Deep Lore

The origin of this story started with a thought: how would the NPC's and characters we love perceive modification of their universe by us? We, as players aren't the true creators of this universe or these characters (Bethesda is). If anything, we the players are the equivalent of "lesser gods", reshaping it in new ways, unexpected and subjective ways, and sometimes even chaotic ways (I'm looking at you avalanche of adult mods with realistic jiggle physics and Thomas the Tank Engine Vertibird).

It started with a mental image of the small ways in which we start out modding games, or even the first mods we (using the "Engine of Creation) actually create. I had a mental image of Magnolia doing her thing, singing away sultry in a crowded and smoky third rail when she looks one way, back the next and sees new curtains. A subtle thing, something a little startling, but in a universe where recreational drug use is met with a YEEE YEEEE WHEEEE...a change you simply dismiss as being overtired or a little too juiced.

I'm a sucker for old time radio. I grew up listening to classic radio horrors like The Whistler, Suspense, and Lights Out on vinyl records and cassette tapes when I'd spend summers with my grandmother on a little island off the coast of Canada. Getting the tone, feeling and sound to stage an old-time radio show was the easiest part of this whole process...it's baked into my brain lol. The key of course is finding the right narrative voice.

Enter: Bill Lobley. If you play Fallout 76, he is the announcer for the "Tales from the West Virginia Hills" holotapes, but before that he's a prolific voice actor, maybe best known for his role as the truly vile Jeremiah Fink in Bioshock: Infinite. He has a FANTASTIC transatlantic voice for old time radio and was perfect as narrator in the script.

Part 3: What Is Going On?!?!

I had the base idea, the voices to pull it off, but what was the meaning and message of the whole thing? I always start there. From a meta experience level, the story is about dealing with subjective reality that’s being torn apart. After Fallout 4 launched in vanilla, we the players changed that world and reshaped it with mods. The small changes in perceived reality are meant for the omniscient player (us) and are not meant to be perceived by the characters themselves...and yet, what if they were? And if they were...WHY?! The answer was right in front of me: there's a difference between something born into a world and something MADE into a world.

You take someone like Magnolia or Nick, both synths, that obviously weren’t naturally born from two people. They were conceived as an idea...a human idea sure, but still they were made, not born. Without even needing to say in the script, the Trickster from the Grognak comic books who shouldn't exist yet does IS also an idea. Some MADE into a world but not born...a different world sure, but still the creation of it. Nick, Magnolia, any synth as ideas themselves would sense that the world was wrong and being changed in a way no one else would because of fundamentally who they are and what they represent.

Everything that unfolds is because Nora as a keystone event in the Commonwealth, a focal point of the causal nexus making her a unique entity in that world. A causal nexus is the link between a cause and its resulting effects and ignore the science mumbo jumbo, because here's an example of how that works:

The Sole Survivor, Nora, listened to Kent's message, chose to answer him and put on the outfit of the Silver Shroud. As a unique figure she shifted perceived reality of everyone in the Commonwealth by becoming the Silver Shroud, acting like him and making people believe that a fictional character exists.

Unfettered belief and faith in an idea = manifested reality.

Rejected belief and faith in the idea = dispels that reality.

This HAS happened before in Fallout lore in the instance of people with horrifying backstories and personal tragedies choosing to become someone else such as the Mechanist (Fallout 3 and Fallout 4) or even the Ant-Agonizer (Fallout 3). This time however it was a unique figure who did this, a figure fated and meant to reshape the Commonwealth for good, bad or ugly.

This opened a door, the door through which another figure could influence and enter a new universe provided it take the form of something already in it...a reality side-step into the form of the Mechanist. Concurrently, the moment that happened, reality counterbalanced by making the Silver Shroud who was already believed to be real BECOME real as the ying to the Mechanist/Trickster's yang.

Now at home in reality, the Trickster found himself very much alive and unbound by story but had very little power to do much at all. He needed something more, an idea and faith that already existed in the Commonwealth with the infinite universe of ideas made, but not born like himself. His goal wasn't power, it was to sow chaos, reshaping reality into a realm for any and every idea despite the consequences to reality itself.

So what did he need? The belief in the Old Gods and a focus point of belief in the idea: a staff. The universe is as adaptive as it is remarkable and where the Mechanist had its opposite: the Silver Shroud, the Trickster needed its twin: enter Sheogorath...because what better staff to tear apart and reshape reality than the Staff of Sheogorath. There is a quest added in the new Skyrim Anniversary Edition in which you can build it for yourself with a few items: Branch of the Tree of Shades, Ciirta's Eye, Fork of Horripilation. In this universe it would have to fashioned with things FROM this universe.

Two eyes were needed:

The eye of a True Believer: Kent Connolly

The eye of a True Seer: Mama Murphy

Affixed to the top of a staff of the purest heartwood from a Twice Born Tree. Living wood from Harold, born a man who eventually mutated into a living tree.

Lastly, it had to be soaked in the tears of ages end: barrels of radiated blessed waters courtesy of the Cult of Atom.

The Trickster had no magic of his own in this universe in which to act, but thankfully courtesy of some powerful allies, he was able to make contact with shadowy cults and worshippers of the old gods who gave him the name of someone truly of faith in the old magic to make all of this work: Jebediah Blackhall, who in this spin of the universe did unfortunately get his hands on the cursed book: the Krivbeknah.

Finding allies was all too easy, as the events post main quest left the Commonwealth changed. To many, the Sole Survivor and his/her companions would be hailed as heroes. To others, they would be villains, particularly in light of what Nora CHOSE to do to the Railroad to end the synth threat for good. That's a lot of blood on the hands of heroes...

As the Mechanist/Trickster, Blackall and the Lombardos began using the staff, its changes and shifts in reality rippled backwards through time, as changing one specific thing would change its entire existence. You change some curtains and the manufacturer of those curtains only every made one pattern...the world object becomes changed universally. Tapping into the Engine of Creation to make these changes, leaves anyone MADE not born aware of them as they don't fit into the design as it shifts around them. Nick, Danse, Magnolia would all feel and see it, be thrown off for a bit before settling into the changed reality state.

At the climax when everything starts falling apart and you get everyone from GlaDOS and the Joker strolling on in, the only way to end it all is to separate the Trickster from the Staff and restore the saved intended state of reality. The Silver Shroud finds himself powerless against the Trickster...only someone from this universe would be able to intercede, hard wired into the Engine of Creation itself as an existing element connected throughout its framework and history. After sending the Trickster off packing to the moon (thanks GlaDOS), but its a little too late for reality. It collapses around them, finding themselves elsewhere...the point between the mind, creation and the outcome of reality.

After the Shroud fades away, Nick has the power and choice to roll the universe, his universe back along the tapestry of choices that led him here. They all were haunted by the choices they made the first time around, something Nora couldn't live with...that ultimately led her relationship with Danse to fall apart. So Nick decides to go back further, as far back as he can go and he finds himself back in his office with Ellie waking him up.

There are consequences to what he's done, that he's not yet aware of, ones that will become clear in our next episode. The synths remember, as he remembers...Danse, Magnolia and everyone else remembers the fall of the Institute. They all find themselves at their starting point, moving towards their intended fated position to encounter the Sole Survivor. For Nick? He's starting down the path that will led him to be held prisoner and meet the Sole Survivor for the first time.

As he'll soon discover however, things don't play out the same way this time. Moreover, while he was rolling back reality to an early saved state, he made a huge mistake and completely forgot about something and someone so incredibly important...

You'll have to wait to see what that is...

[emsuemsu]

If there's something I really love in life it's the elderly. I love old people and old people love me and that is a fact. I am a peepaw whisperer, I speak fluent grandma. So naturally I've been on a mission for some senior citizen Drarry to quench my never ending thirst.

Some of these fics do contain neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. Some of these fics do contain MCD in a form of dying of old age. They're all tagged accordingly, if in doubt check the tags.

These are all well under 10k, and hit me up with some more geriatric Drarry recs if you have some!

About Damn Time by @lumosatnight 👴 4,045 words

All Draco wants to do is eat his custard cup and nap in peace. Is that too much to ask? Apparently so, when the Flamel House for Experienced Wixen is overrun with Harry Potter and his idiot friends.

The Afterlife, According to Draco Malfoy by @stripedsilverfeline 👴 1,861 words

Tea is not a proper substitute for astral brooms': The Afterlife, according to Draco Malfoy

Age is just a number by @gnarf 👴 1,555 words

Married for decades, their life is perfect. Until Harry gets a call and hears the following words: "Mr Potter, we caught your husband stealing ten large packs of King Sized condoms."

Attic Past by @piarelei 👴 500 words

Here are his knees. Noticeable and ugly. Harry sighs, doesn’t dare look at more of himself; the skin loose around his thighs and the wrinkles crowning his eyes. “I have ugly knees,” he tells the room. Draco, predictably, is already downstairs and doesn’t answer.

Brave by @mars-bar81 👴 8,403 words

Draco had never been the brave one- that had always been Harry's job.

Easier Than Falling Asleep by @gnarf 👴 1,029 words

After a long and happy life Harry is ready to return to Kings Cross. This time it's not Dumbledore, but his husband waiting for him there and they finally get to ride the Hogwarts Express together.

Dear Life by @drarryangels 👴 5,208 words

"Draco ran his fingers over the headstone at his feet and let his creaky knees fold underneath him to sit on the grass. When he was younger, he thought he’d never get old like this. With bad joints, white hair, and off trend clothes. Harry would’ve laughed at him if he could see Draco sitting in the dirt sniffling over his lost touch in the fashion industry." Or the story where Draco and Harry get to grow old together and be happy.

I Wouldn't Change a Thing by @rei382 👴 1,380 words

Harry and Draco, an old married couple, need to pack to go to their retirement home. But Harry stumbles upon an old photo album, and all kinds of memories start to flood back.

lucidity comes before the sun sets by @squintclover 👴 707 words

Life and memories are cruel sometimes... Stealing Harry from Draco before his time.

Meeting Too Late by WSbrat 👴 1,528 words

What if Draco and Harry fell in love when it was too late? What if they fell in love anyway?

Old School by Bardo 👴 5,053 words

When he was younger, Draco Malfoy used to say sex was dead after 65. Of course, at the time, he wasn't talking about himself.

Stay with me forever, we'll ride this out together by @triggerlil 👴 420 words

In old age, Harry cares for Draco.

Two Old Coots by @sofyachy 👴 1,898 words

On their 50th anniversary, Harry and Draco are a couple of old coots who no longer care what they tell other people about their relationship, to their kids’ mortification. Gather round, children; it’s inappropriate story time.

Wiser With Age, Still Stupid in Love by @sethsevolution 👴 3,483 words

There came a point in their lives where they felt like they were only ones left and that was what finally drew them together.

Won't You Stay By My Side by @gracerene 👴 1,936 words

Harry needs to convince Draco that he is too old to continue his dangerous job as an Investigative Journalist.

[panoffrying]

Giant enemy spider

[miracles-and-butterflies]

Random Headcanon Dump #2

For the future of the kids.

Isabela:

Changes her hairstyle literally every other week

Nobody knows how her hair survives being cut, dyed and whatever else so regularly

Her plants, especially the weirder/wilder ones, are her pride and joy. She will kill you if you touch them

They are all named too

If she talks to them, she’ll give them voices

Audrey II has got nothing on these guys

She left Encanto at some point for a good couple of months

Her and Lili’s wedding was the most chaotic and non-traditional ceremony in the entire world

Dolores:

Her and Mariano took things slow

They both decided not to do the proposal at dinner in Casita, it felt awkward

It was a private moment just between the two of them

Though Isabela, Luisa and Camilo were all watching in a nearby tree

This is because Isabela was obviously in on Mariano’s plans being his best friend, so she knew all about it

They do not have five children

Dolores actually shares her mother’s struggles to have children and finds it to be a sensitive topic

She and Mariano later adopt

Luisa:

She owns seven donkeys currently, they are all named after figures in Greek mythology

They are her pride and joy. She will kill you if you touch them

Wait, have I said this before?

When they were foals, she made them a large cart-like stroller to show them off to the other parents in town

Marta wants them to get more animals together when they move in

She works in construction and architecture

Also runs a class teaching construction to kids (obviously when they’re old enough) as it is a basic skill that would be taught in a rural town

Camilo:

Much to his disappointment, he didn’t get much taller. He has the tiniest inch over Dolores

Grew his hair out

He usually wears it tied up though, anything ranging from a bun to a braid

He isn’t copying his mother, the headband is just practical

Was actually the first of the grandkids to get married and have children

He is sad about not being able to babysit like he use to do, but he absolutely adores being a father to his own children

And is always the first to offer to babysit any of his nephews and nieces

Oh, he and Marco also have capybaras

Mirabel:

Claims she has gotten much taller since the miracle died. She hasn’t. She hasn’t grown an inch

She’s tiny

Frequently wears heeled boots to be taller

Works as an embellisher for the local tailor and wouldn’t want to be doing anything else

She was offered to be the leader, years into the future, and said no

It’s not something she is interested in

Has probably worn the same outfit as her mother on occasion

She has two cats

One of them is her emotional support because of her PTSD

She regards them as her and Sera’s children

Antonio:

Ends up the second tallest of the group (first being Luisa)

There was a few days after passing each of them where his siblings and Isabela just straight up refused to talk to him

He teases them about it

Ultimately, he would become the town/family leader after Alma passed

Was also one of the few people Alma could still recognise at the end of her life, having developed Alzheimer’s Disease

He had taken an interest in his late teenage years and was took under the wing of various members in the council to train/prepare for it

He enjoys hosting the future gift ceremonies and personally walks each of the children to their door, like Mirabel did for him/he did for her

[drdemonprince]

Every year, in fairness to those who have a difficult time enjoying the holidays as much as I do, I have an Annual Christmas Cry. All is not perfect! This usually happens early in December as I am preparing the condo with my holiday decorations. I cry for those who have died and whom I miss. I cry especially for my husband Gregory who died eight years ago due to the complications of Dementia/Alzheimer’s Disease. We celebrated over 41 Christmases together, so you can imagine how hard his death has been! But by now besides celebrating a little with others, I enjoy the solitude of the holiday and the fond memories we shared. I cry for other family members and friends who, over the years, have played important roles in my life and are now gone. I cry for missed opportunities with family and friends. I cry for the changes in myself that at times create new obstacles in my day to day life (read this as aging).

On Christmas Eve and Day and for New Year’s Eve and Day, I prefer a quiet, solitude of experience, home alone. I spend the time with my memories of Christmas Past, which has become my Christmas Present, especially since my husband, Gregory RIP, is no longer physically present to spend them with me. I enjoy being with his Spirit, surrounded by the decorations and foods we used to eat when he was still here. When he first died, I did find this very difficult but by now I am able to carry the grief on one shoulder along with carrying the joy on the other. Just because he is gone is no reason for me to allow myself to wallow in depression, neglect the wonderful times and memories we had, and not allow me to enjoy myself and the holidays today.

Adding to my joy, I am not sure when the “Santa Sightings” began but they have continued for a number of years. For some reason family, friends, and strangers on the street think I look a lot like Santa Claus. I am honored by this identification of me by others. It may have to do with the fact that I let my silver/white beard and hair grow long beginning October, running through the beginning of January.

I will be walking down the street and young children see me, tug at their parent’s coat, and ask, “Did you see that man. I think he is Santa.” Living in a college town (Northwestern University in Evanston, Il), I have had young women shout at me across the parking lot, “Santa, we love you!” Just yesterday, walking down the street, an older couple announced to no-one in particular both at the same time as they passed me, “Hey Santa, we’ve been good!” A few times I donned a Santa outfit and did some appearances at charitable events. Other times, in my street clothing, people will ask after acknowledging that I look like him, “Do you ever play Santa?” I respond, “What do you mean play?” I am greatly honored that people give me the opportunity of carrying Santa Claus’s love, to those around me, friends or strangers.

An absolutely lovely read.

[diagnosedpsychosis]

hi! I don’t know if you’re taking requests but could you possible write a aaron x bau!fem reader piece based on the episode in s10 where Hayley’s dad still blames Hotch for her death and then Hotch starts to self deprecate and is truly hurt but his words and pushes the reader away unintentionally but then it ends in fluff :) love your work btw!!

YESS!!! This is sooo good!!! Sorry it took so long for me to write and post. Thank you for the request and I hope you like it. (fingers crossed it makes sense cause I finished it half asleep) <3

Word Count: 2.5k

__________________________________________

You didn't know what you'd done wrong. If you'd made a comment, or acted in a way Aaron wasn't fond of, you were sure you must've done something otherwise why would he be avoiding you like the plague?

You'd walk into a room and he would look anywhere but at you. He'd interact with the team, encouraging input and suggestions, but would blind side and ignore anything you'd say, no matter how sound it was to the case. It was almost as if you were invisible, a ghost Aaron couldn't see nor hear.

And he was your boyfriend, and had been for years now.

It's been a couple days since he started acting weird, right after having to pick Roy, Aaron's ex father in law, up from the police station after he'd broken into his old store and tried to 'open up for the day'. Your heart was with the older man who was suffering from Alzheimer's, unable to even begin to imagine going through what he was.

Memories were stripped from him, his reality all over the place as something he thought had only happened yesterday, actually happened years ago. And that happened almost every day.

You'd tried calling Aaron and if the phone didn't go straight to voicemail, it'd drag out, letting you get your hopes up that he'd pick it up. But he didn't. He just kept letting it ring. Even all of your text messages. You didn't know how he was feeling after the whole Roy ordeal, but thinking he might just be a little low you kept to a non overbearing amount of texts, wanting to give him space if that's what he needed. You didn't know what it was he needed though, after all he'd barely spoken 10 words to you in the last 4 days and you were losing patience.

You had tried cornering him at work, in the kitchen but he managed to slip away every time someone walked in. You'd gone into his office and locked the door behind yourself, telling him you needed to talk, but in return he'd tell you he was busy and would then unlock the door himself and not so nicely see you out.

You tried not to take it personally. Maybe he was treating everyone like that?

He wasn't.

Your blood boiled and your heart hammered so loudly in your chest you heard it in your ears. You watched Aaron leave his desk and walk into the conference room where he made conversation with Derek and Emily for more than 5 minutes. He couldn't even give you 5 seconds but he was giving them much more.

Then you watched him stop by Rossi's office on the way back to his, hearing his faint laugh and seeing his soft smile as he turned around and shook his head.

Forget it. Forget him.

You had kept trying to talk to him over and over and over again, and he couldn't spare you a single minute. You were pissed, and so you decided you were leaving early. With a huff you stood up from your seat and with a bit too much force slid your chair back under your desk. All of your team mates immediately noticed your mood, even Derek and Emily when the sound of your chair hitting your desk startled them.

"Y/n, are you alright?" Spencer had barely even gotten the question out before you were grabbing your completed case file and storming up to your boyfriends office.

"Just dandy" You grunted in response, feeling eyes burning into you as you walked up the flight stairs with heavy steps before flinging open Aaron's office door and walking inside without knocking.

His head shot up and his eyes briefly met yours in a deep frown before looking down to your hand and the case file you were gripping so hard your knuckles were turning white.

"Done?" He asked, looking back up at your face. He waited for an answer, frown hardening as you walked up to his desk, slapped the file down and turned around. If he wanted to play the silent game then so could you.

"Y/n?" He called out to you when you didn't answer him. You grabbed the door knob to his office, slamming the door closed behind you as you exited his office and descended the steps back into the bullpen. You felt a thousand pairs of eyes on you, ignoring them all as you grabbed your already packed bag and headed out the bullpen and towards the elevator.

You were too busy listening to your heart hammering in your ears to hear or notice Aaron following after you. You pressed the button for the elevator over and over again, hoping it'd make it open faster.

"Do you even care that you just caused a scene?" You jumped, not expecting to hear Aaron at all, let alone so close to you. But still, you ignored him.

"Silent treatment? How old are you, 5?" Aaron asked and yet you continued to stay silent. A slow, humourless huff left him as the elevator doors opened and you stepped inside. You turned around, now facing him as he stood a couple meters back from the doors.

The second you had turned around and Aaron's eyes met yours his eyebrows furrowed in confusion, face softening at the defeated look on your face as you stared right back at him.

"Honey, what's wrong?"

"If you can't put aside one minute of your day to talk to me, why would you think I wouldn't do the same?" You replied, Aaron standing speechless as the doors closed the second you'd finished talking. He stared right back at his reflection, contemplating going after you. He thought about it, but came to the conclusion that maybe you needed some space to cool down.

You were mad, but still you'd hoped Aaron would follow you past the elevator. You wanted him to come after you, to figure out why you had left and to problem solve and apologise. But he didn't and you realised it after being home for half an hour.

Aaron wanted to go after you, hell you were the love of his life and clearly hurting over something, but he was letting Roy's remarks from days before get to him.

'You make a mistake and I lose my daughter.'

He was terrified of making another mistake and losing you too. He'd already lost Haley twice, once from the divorce and the second time to Foyet, so losing you would absolutely break him to the point of no return.

So he kept his distance. He couldn't make a mistake that'd hurt you if you weren't around. He was willing to do whatever it took to keep you safe, even if it meant hurting himself. He thought he was helping, but he didn't realise he was hurting a lot more than just himself.

Hours passed before Aaron finally decided enough was enough. He could barely work, thoughts of you wrecking his brain as he tried so hard to figure out what was wrong with you. For such an intelligent profiler, he could be a pretty dumb boyfriend.

It was yet to click that him distancing himself from you was why you were irritated, but he was soon going to find out.

He left work before anyone else which was a surprise to the rest of the team as it was exactly 5 o'clock. He grabbed flowers on the way to yours and even picked up your favourite food, hoping it'd be enough to at least let him in. So when he knocked on the door and you opened but left no room for him to squeeze in he realised it was a lot more than you just being irritated. It was serious.

"Hi" He said softly, not wanting to scare you off and cop a door to the face. You stared up at him blankly, your hold on the door knob tight as you itched to close it.

"What do you want, Aaron?" He usually loved the way you said his name, but not now, not when it's so clear you don't want to see him.

"Can I come in?"

"No" Your answer made Aaron rear back in surprise.

"No?" He repeated your answer, the flowers in his hand no longer pressed against his chest, but dangling down at his side.

"Do you wanna know why?" You asked, not giving him any time to answer before you continued.

"Because you're too blind to see what's wrong. Too busy to even spare me a glance, or talk to me when I'm trying to talk to you. Was this what it was like with you and Haley, because if it was it wasn't a relationship" You didn't like bringing Haley up to Aaron. You knew in some ways he was still healing from their divorce and her death, but you also knew that deep down she'd never liked you.

You were new to the team around the time of their divorce and as much as you tried to be the kind of person that was still friendly with their bosses ex, she never gave you the time of day. She'd been threatened by you since day one, even though her and Aaron weren't together anymore.

"So tell me what the hell I've done to push you away from me or I'm never inviting you inside again" Your heart was racing, chest heaving and you stared up at Aaron. Your frown softened ever so slightly as you watched a range of emotions flicker across his face before settling on sadness. He sighed as rubbed his eyes before answering.

"You didn't do anything wrong. You're perfect, you always are. I just-" He paused, tilting his head back and staring up at the roof. Your eyebrows furrowed more. Aaron never had a hard time sharing anything with you, even his emotions, but right now he was struggling and it made you feel bad for forcing an answer out of him.

But you had to. You couldn't continue walking on eggshells around him and wondering when he'll even look in your direction next.

"Roy's never going to forgive me for what happened to Haley" You shook your head slightly, not understanding what Roy had anything to do with you.

"I don't-"

"He made the point that I made a mistake and it got her killed. And I'm just worried that if I make a mistake when you're around..." Aaron drifted off and your heart hurt for him.

"Oh Aaron" You sighed, opening the door further and taking a step out to meet him. You pressed your hand to his chest and dipped your head to meet his eyes. He reluctantly returned your gaze.

"You can't tip toe around me for the rest of your life. If something happens then something happens. It'd never be your fault" You tried to reason with him, but he was still quick to shake his head.

"But y/n-" You cut your boyfriend off, not wanting to hear him blame himself for something that hadn't even happened yet, if ever.

"No buts Aaron. No but's, no if's, no maybe's, no what's. You can't keep avoiding me on the 1 in 100 chance I could get hurt" Aaron sighed, placing his hand on top of yours against his chest.

"I'm not a fan of the 1 in 100 odds" He mumbled, staring down at your lips, not wanting to look into your eyes when he was feeling so sensitive and vulnerable.

"And I'm not a fan of you blaming yourself for something you didn't physically do" You whisper back, bending your head, trying to catch his eyes. When he finally looks up and away from your mouth you offer him the smallest, but most comforting smile you can muster up.

"Honey, you know you did everything you could to protect Haley and Jack. Protective custody, moving them far away from you, cutting off contact until you knew they'd be safe" You list of some of the many thing Aaron did to prove how much he loved and cared for his family. You remember how hard Aaron was taking it when he didn't know where Jack and Haley were and couldn't contact him. It was killing him but he didn't dare force an answer out of anyone because he knew it was what was best to keep them safe.

"It wasn't enough though" Aaron whispers and whilst he still sounds guilty about it, you can hear the slight tension lift in his voice. You're slowly easing his mind and his conscience. You moved your hand from his chest, his arm dropping back down by his side as you bring your hands up to cup his face.

"The point is you tried, and you did everything you yourself could possibly do. Sometimes the bad slips in and takes personal trophies, but you didn't make them feel scared, you made them feel safe and loved" Aaron's eyes are bouncing back and forth between yours, his eyebrows losing some of their tension, finally letting his face relax.

"Roy-"

"Roy owned a store. He never had to get the bad guy and come home all in one day" Your little remark makes Aaron's top lip twitch upwards. You lift yourself up onto your tippy toes, bringing his face down to meet yours as you press a soft, light kiss to his lips.

"At the end of the day all that matters is that you've got a son at home, that loves and adores you. He's not sheltered as much as you wish he was. He knows what happened and it's gonna hurt him for a long time. The memory is gonna hurt him, not you" Aaron presses his forehead against yours, exhaling a deep breath he'd been holding in for days. You were his comfort person, you always knew what to say and do, and if anything now he just felt unbelievably stupid for avoiding the one person that made him feel better.

"Now... What the hell are you still doing here?" Aaron frowns, pulling back slightly, worried for a split second that you're still mad. But then he sees your smirk.

"What?"

"I thought what I said was a pretty good hint towards the fact that there's a little boy somewhere that needs you" Aaron holds up the food he'd bought you and the flowers, shrugging as if to say 'but I'm here to see you'. You laugh, pressing another kiss to his lips.

"I can wait a day or two" Aaron huffs out an airy laugh as you take the food and flowers before retreating back into your apartment. You grin up at him as he watches in disbelief. You're actually not letting him inside.

"I love you" You whisper, grabbing the door knob and slowly closing the door. You pause, staring at Aaron waiting to hear him say it back. He laughs again, shaking his head as he starts slowly backing away, already looking forward to seeing you next.

"I love you more."

[stinalotte]

Season 5, Episode 6: The Shrine

I said I had to gather my thoughts before I would be able to write something coherent. I still don't know if I can do it justice. It's weird, but I hesitate to call The Shrine my favorite episode because it's so devastating. It's very shippy, it has phenomenal acting from everyone, the story is heartbreaking, it should be perfect - but it just hurts so much. If this is my favorite episode, what kind of masochist am I? (Don't answer that, that was rethorical.)

I'm placing this under a cut because this is gonna be long.

The cold open on this one is just brutal. Rodney is already pretty far gone, and he calls himself "Mr Rodney McKay" instead of Dr, because "doctors are smart, and he's not smart anymore". To know what's happening to you, to slowly lose your mental capabilities and to be able to still process what's happening, that's cruel. And then he's calling for John, and that's when I had to pause the video for the first time because the tears were already coming. The title sequence hadn't even started.

Fuck.

I lost my grandmother to Alzheimer's a couple years ago. She had a slow and steady decline and thankfully, it was one of those cases where she just forgot more and more, but without the mental anguish. She wasn't panicking, or aggressive, or even agitated. Just a smiling, sweet old lady, who in the end didn't remember how to sit or eat or breathe. When she died, I couldn't cry. I was too busy consoling my mother and aunt at the funeral. The first time I cried was when I rewatched The Shrine, years later. It just shook something loose in me. It's also the point where I decided that if I ever got diagnosed, and was still in a state to do something about it, I would end my life on my terms. I'm not putting anyone through that.

I remember Kate Hewlett saying in an interview that a lot of people on set where crying during those scenes because they had family members with dementia, and that she had to leave the room at one point because it hit close to home for her too.

At first I thought it was mean that everyone was like, "Yeah I realized something was wrong when Rodney was being nice to everyone", but then I thought, no, that's actually a good point. Because his friends were uncomfortable with alternate universe Rod (who was too suave and cool) and they're uncomfortable with a Rodney who is uncharacteristically nice. They love him as he is, not a polished version.

I know everyone is giving Dr Keller shit for not wanting to try the Shrine, but I really think it's because she's a doctor. I work with doctors, and almost weekly I have discussions about respecting a patient's advanced directive. I've had a doctor wanting to install a gastric tube in a patient who was at the end of their life. We had the advanced directive that CLEARLY stated they didn't want that. When I confronted the doctor, she was almost angry. "But they will starve! I can't let them starve!" Yes, you can, and you will, and you have to. The hardest thing for a medical doctor is to have to sit back and not be allowed to do something that might help the patient. I think that where she's coming from. There are treatments to be tried, and if Rodney is taken to the Shrine, all those other options stop. I still think she was wrong and I don't like her approach, but I think it's an explanation why she was acting the way she was.

And then we have Rodney running to John's room in the middle of the night because of course that is the first and only place he'd go. It hurt to watch him be so frantic and desperate. And John is right there for him, grounding him, telling him, I'm not going anywhere.

Beer On The Pier. Yes, you have to write it like that because this scene is a fixed point in time and a goddamn cornerstone of this ship.

Rodney, knowing this is probably the last night he'll be this lucid, wants to say goodbye. And John doesn't let him. Because Rodney's stuck with him until the end. He's not going to turn away, no matter how ugly it's going to get. The very thought of saying goodbye is so foreign to John that he doesn't even want to discuss it. "That's final."

(Also, just for aesthetics alone, the night shots of the city are beautiful.)

I'm trying to be a bit less rambly, but what can you do when you have this masterpiece of an episode?

In the cave, when Rodney is intense pain, John has his arm around him the whole time and doesn't let go until he is himself again.

I love how everyone is so caring and surrounds him with love.

And ugh, the surgery - with fucking power tools. Barbaric. But necessary. But man, to hold your friend's head in your hands, holding him still, while a literal drill is going into his skull? I'd have passed out.

The only tiny little thing that was a bit jarring was Rodney's confession to Jennifer at the end, and just because for me, it came a bit out of left field. But I am nothing if not good at ignoring things that I don't like, so I'll just refer to fanfics that fix this. No harm done.

And finally.

David Ian Hewlett.

Holy fuck, dude.

HOW are you not buried under a shitload of Emmys? How is there not a whole wing of your house dedicated to housing the tons of awards you should have gotten for this? (I know he did get quite a few, but I'm talking custom built shelves in at least four rooms. Minimum.)

Everyone brought their A game acting wise, but this guy knocked it out of the park. It was heartbreaking, moving, extremely believable, and just jaw-dropping. David is, in my opinion, one of the best, if not the best actor of the franchise, and I don't say that lightly. I have a massive crush on Joe Flanigan and he's great, same with Amanda Tapping, but David is just fantastic.

So yeah. There you have it. My very concise, totally normal opinion of this episode. I doubt anyone reads all of this, but hey, this is my tumblr and I do what I want.

If you did indeed sit through all of this, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to tag or reply or add stuff.

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

Were my family the assholes for not giving my great-aunt money for her daughter’s funeral? (All names are fake names other than Nan just being a grandmother nickname. This all happened a couple of years ago. Sorry for the length!)

To start, my grandmother (“Nan”) is in her mid-80s and has Alzheimer’s. She mostly still knows who everyone is, but has a very hard time with her working and short-term memory; she cannot live alone anymore and lives with my aunt. She has one living sister (“Joan”), who is in her late 70s and lives several states away from us. It’s drivable but not easily, especially for someone older.

Nan is the sweetest, most patient, and gentle person ever, and Alzheimer’s has not significantly changed this. Joan, on the other hand, has a long history of being manipulative and careless (eg. getting Nan very drunk even in old age), and my family have been no-contact with her for several years. Every time we give her a chance to come back into Nan’s life, she starts fights (occasionally physical) and will scream abuse at Nan’s kids (my dad and aunt). Joan always pitted her kids and my dad and aunt against each other, favoring my dad and openly hating my aunt. She also really fucked up her own kids, one of whom is a very meek, quiet guy who we still see, and the other of whom had addiction and legal problems her whole life (“Mary”).

Mary used to live closer to us, but during a particularly tough time in her life, broke into my grandmother’s house and stole money and jewelry. We are lucky that Nan is financially stable, but she doesn’t have infinite money and some of the things Mary stole were sentimental items from my grandfather, who passed away several years ago. Like with Joan, we had given Mary several second chances. She was a family member, her mother lived far away, and she had problems that were difficult to deal with. After this, my dad put his foot down in the name of Nan’s safety, and we broke off contact with Mary. She eventually went to live closer to Joan.

Mary died a couple of years ago in her late forties. It’s really, really sad. None of us had seen her in several years. Throughout this time period, Joan had popped in and out, sending harassing text messages and berating my aunt over the phone (not about Mary). After Mary died, she contacted my dad and aunt to ask if they could send money for Mary’s burial. Joan and my aunt are not well-off, but my parents are upper middle-class. My parents talked about it a lot and decided not to send money to Joan. Their main reasoning was that they did not want to open up another window for Joan to come back into people’s lives and harass them, particularly Nan. Nan often gets upset when Joan is causing trouble, and we don’t want to put her through that. My parents were also concerned that this might end up with my aunt sending more of my grandmother’s money to Joan.

My brother felt that my parents were being too cold, since the money genuinely was intended for funerary purposes. I get where both he and my parents are coming from: on one hand, Joan is an absolute monster and has been mistreating people her entire life, and Mary did steal from my grandmother. On the other hand, she can’t do any more harm now, she’s family, my parents can afford it, and Joan is too old and far away to realistically physically show up in anyone’s life.

TL;DR: Is it wrong to refuse to help with burial costs for an abusive family member’s (harmful but less abusive) adult child?

What are these acronyms?