#one ton trolly

[restrumed]

Hi everyone!!

Super Kera here, your neighborhood Guitar String Jewelry Artist and BAND MERCH extraordinaire 🥳😎

I own Restrumed and tour the Mobile Rock Shop around greater Detroit every summer!

With stops at Pine Knob Music Theatre, LO Palooza, Totally Rad Vintage Fest - Detroit , Peacefest, Farmington Founders Festival Beer Tent 2024, Fenton Art Walk and possibly Soaring Eagle Arts, Beats & Eats this year too!!!

Music 🎶

Being an artist in the music community, without being a MUSIC artist has its own fun quirks!! I get to work with such amazing local bands. My gigs are during the day, vs at night. I PAY TO BE THERE, instead of getting a paycheck upfront. But still grind just as had as the musicians do!

Specializing in merch.

Creating recycled guitar string accessories for BANDS to sell at their merch tables. What else are you going to do with those old strings? Let's get some custom picks made by Pick Guy Guitar Picks (DETROIT COMPANY, WOOT WOOT!) and get you some FREE SAMPLES for you to check out!

LOUD love,

Super Kera

📷 Dankmittenfoto

[wafflefries13]

First Date Ideas (Multi TWST Cast X Reader)

Summary: Short drabbles of where you would take your favorite Twisted Wonderland guy on a first date, and where he would take you.

AN: Pseudo part 2 to the asking-out fic I posted. Not really much else to say besides I really liked trying to come up with a bunch of unique ideas. Thanks for reading!

Cross-posted on my AO3 TheGhostInTheKitchen

Warnings: Fluff

Part 1: Asking them out

Ace: 

Where you take him: Arcade

It’s fun, it’s cozy, it’s classic, and it gives Ace a chance to show off. You both get a bunch of tokens, eat greasy pizza, and try your hand at the games. You take each other on in skeeball and Ace tries to convince you to go against him in the basketball game but you argue he has an unfair advantage. So you settle for the racing simulator. After, when you collect all your tickets, you pour over the prize counter, probably ending up with something not very impressive, or maybe a snow cone maker that stops working after the first three uses. But you’ll treasure it since it’s loaded with memories.  

Where he takes you: Carnival 

This boy is already a clown, put him back where he belongs.  Besides the fact that it gives him an excuse to impress you by winning prizes at the games alley, or trying to anyway, a carnival date fits Ace’s high energy. You can share popcorn and cotton candy while watching the circus acts and Ace will whisper to you explanations for the tricks the magician uses. There’s plenty of stuff to do and tons of fried food. It’s a classic for a reason. And he’d love it if you hold on to him on the rollercoasters. He ends up screaming more than you. 

Deuce: 

Where you take him: Petting zoo 

I just want to see Deuce fawning over baby chicks, is that so much to ask? NGL, I think he’d love it. You could go to some sort of tourist farm and check out the cows getting milked, sheep shearing or sheepdog herding, and collect eggs from the chickens (the kind that don’t hatch into chicks). I can also see Deuce getting into a grudge match against a goat that keeps bonking into his legs with his horns. At the end of the day you’ll sit at a picnic table eating some treats made at the farm and watch the sunset. 

Where he takes you: Botanical garden  

Deuce would want to do something classic, a surefire, tried and tested dating spot. I can imagine him being nervous, getting you flowers when you are already going to see more flowers. You’ll hold the flowers in one hand and Deuce’s, slightly sweaty, hand in the other. If they have a butterfly room, even better. They’ll have a little booklet with different species and you and Deuce go on a scavenger hunt to identify as many as possible. Winner gets kisses. 

Trey: 

Where you take him: At home food science experiment kits  

Did you ever see those at home science food kits where you made gummies and foam and other candy, usually themed to something really weird like monsters or worms? Yeah, you do those, half making fun of how weird it looks and half marveling at the cool effects of swirling all the different ingredients together. Will they taste amazing? Probably not, but Trey probably knows a few cool tricks to make everything a little more edible. 

Where he takes you: Chocolate factory tour 

Have you ever been to Hersheypark in Pennsylvania? There’s a whole section with a little dark ride that shows you the history of chocolate (that’s worse since they took the singing cow animatronics out), a cute interactive play, a trolly ride with chocolate samples, and two chocolate making experiences. You can stuff a giant Reese’s Cup (which is way too sweet IMO) or design your own chocolate bar including the wrapping. Anyway, there’s probably not a one-to-one replica, but with all that magic you can’t tell me there’s not something Willy Wonka-esque. You’ll both spend the day learning about the history of chocolate and chocolate making in Twisted Wonderland, capped off by making all kinds of treats. You’ll experiment with typical flavors, like raspberry, caramel, and nuts, to the more extraordinary, like jalapeno, lavender, and cheese. In the end, you’ll go home with a full box and a picture of the two of you, melted chocolate smearing your faces. (Trey will remind you at least three times to brush your teeth properly after all that sugar.) 

Cater: 

Where you take him: Thrift store

Listen, you find the right thrift store and you can find amazing treasures. And if not, well, you still find weird, kitschy stuff you can have fun ogling. You and Cater will take turns finding the best and worst outfits in the thrift store, having a makeshift fashion show by the changing rooms. Cater would, of course, take plenty of pictures for Magicam, labeling them #MeetMyNewPartner, #HeightOfFashion, #BestLookingCouple. You’ll also look through the aisles, coming up with backstories for all the various objects people have donated over the years. Whether or not you actually buy something isn’t the point. You end the day with plenty of pictures and at least three inside jokes that will drive everyone else crazy. 

Where he takes you: Crafting class

There’s been an emergence of cute crafting stores. Make your own bag, make your own candle, paint your own pottery, make a phone case, rug tufting, that kind of thing. Not only are they a cute and totally Magicamable couples activity, it also gives you both something to take home at the end of the day. Whichever you do, I can see you both making a craft for each other. Maybe you keep what you’re doing a secret until the end, filming your reactions when you reveal your crafts. If you pay close attention later on, you can catch him quietly admiring your gift. 

Riddle: 

Where you take him: Escape room 

Back during the NRC Halloween event, when everyone was stuck in the ghost realm, Riddle had a ton of fun solving those puzzles. I think he would love an escape room, finding clues and undoing locks, using logic and guile to uncover the story. He might get frustrated at the harder puzzles, but it’s all worth it when you work together to solve everything.  You get your picture taken together with a “We Escaped!” sign that you frame. It would be something unexpected but fun for the both of you. (TBH, I think he would love the Nancy Drew games. Maybe not the part where you keep breaking into people's things and stealing stuff, though.) 

Where he takes you: High tea and window shopping 

Riddle is going for a classic, something prim and proper for a prim and proper boy. I can see him reserving a table at a high class hotel for high tea, a table set with a beautiful porcelain teapot and a tower of tiny sandwiches and cakes. He’d order a bunch of different teas you could try. Afterwards, you would walk along the street, checking out shops and talking together. Bonus points if you both get to wear something fancy and cute. 

Leona: 

Where you take him: Picnic 

Look, while having the title of Ramshackle Dorm Prefect sounds fancy, you don’t have a lot of extra cash. You would need to do something simple and cheap but still meeting Leona’s royal tastes (You can’t tell me this boy isn’t a picky eater.) Thanks to the Culinary Crucible, you have a few new skills to test out. You find a big blanket in some old trunk in Ranshakle and pack everything together in a cute wicker basket. Maybe you’ll eat in the gardens where Leona always takes naps or go out on the beach to watch the waves. You both end up falling asleep with full bellies. (Leona won’t admit it, but he feels like that was the best food he’s had in a long time.) 

Where he takes you: River cruise with a fancy dinner 

Leona is going to see your cute picnic date and immediately one ups it with a super fancy and elegant river cruise with a full five course meal. It’s on a beautiful private yacht sailing down a river in the Sunset Savannah. You’ll sit on the deck, candlelight table, while perfectly dressed waiters serve you. This would probably backfire on Leona, though, as you tease him for acting the most prince-ly you’ve ever seen him. Not that you don’t have a ton of fun. By the time dessert rolls around, you’ve both ditched the fancy setting and started skipping stones in the wake of the boat. 

Jack: 

Where you take him: Canoeing 

Something relaxing and outdoorsy and fun. I’m thinking you’ll find someplace like the Ocklawaha River or Crystal River in Florida. A beautiful river with plenty of turtles and fish to spot, surrounded by lush forests or Everglades. If you’re more confident on the water, maybe you each can have a kayak, but I imagine something like you both share a boat. It would be fun to have a sort of eye-spy sheet, like who can spot the most turtles, identify fish, maybe catching sight of a manatee, and, wait, was that an alligator? You’ll end your journey at a natural spring. Dumping your stuff in the canoes, you’ll jump in and spend the rest of the day swimming in the cool water. Maybe you find a good vine or rope and swing out over the water. 

Where he takes you: Zip Lining and high ropes course 

More high energy and involved than a lazy day river trip, but it gives you two the chance to be close. I can almost guarantee Jack found out about the place you go to from Coach Vargas. You’ll get hooked up into harnesses and climb up to a vast network of bridges and ladders and obstacle courses hung between the trees like a giant athletic spiderweb. Maybe at one point you slip, and, although you’re perfectly safe with the harness system, Jack still lunges forward to catch you, blushing hard after as he realizes how close you too are. 

Ruggie: 

Where you take him: Food festival 

I imagine something like the Plant City Strawberry Festival, the Wilton Blueberry Festival, or the Gilroy Garlic Festival. Heck, even throw in the Epcot Food and Wine Festival if you want to have another Disney reference. Something county fair-like with plenty of free samples. You’re not sure who convinced who, but at some point you end up getting those cheesy headbands with springs on top and plastic versions of food bobbing around your heads. There always seems to be sketchy fair rides at these things, too, so you definitely cling to each other going down a log flume ride, kind of regretting how much you ate beforehand. But that’s not going to stop you from chowing down after. 

Where he takes you: Farmer’s market 

Listen, if something is good at a farmer’s market, then you know it’s the best. The big ones not only have plenty of great food, but also local performers and plenty of fun extras to buy. Even if you don’t want to buy anything, it’s fun walking through the crowds and seeing all the different stands. You definitely get some super fancy ice cream, probably with some ridiculous flavors like lavender, parmesan, or licorice. Serving sizes always seem huge too, so you both definitely go home with plenty of leftovers. (You totally don’t notice that Ruggie has been paying with Leona’s credit card this whole time.) 

Azul: 

Where you take him: Game shop 

One of Azul’s vignette stories has him practicing throwing dice so many times until he’s able to completely control what numbers will come up. Sure, he might be in the board game club for fun, but also because he likes to win. So a game shop that hosts weekly game nights would be perfect not only for him to show off and impress you, but also a cozy space to have fun and take the pressure off first date jitters. Whether you have a game with just the two of you or join in with other patrons there, you can team up to strategize and win. I personally think something like One Night Werewolf would be perfect. (He does feel bad when he accuses you of being the werewolf, though. Too bad he’s right.) 

Where he takes you: Fancy restaurant 

It’s nothing compared to the Monstro Lounge, of course, But Azul is putting his best foot forward with a classic first date spot. Azul plans everything down to the most minute detail. He double and triple checks the menu of where you’re going before you even leave to make sure there’s nothing you’re allergic to and there’s something you’ll like. He goes all out: flowers, pulling out your chair, getting a bottle of something fancy and expensive to drink (non-alcoholic if you prefer). Of course, the moment you start complimenting him he turns red and starts tumbling over his words. Maybe you lean into that, enjoying teasing him, the switch from having everything under control to a mess of complex emotions. Still, you slide your hand across the table taking his, and you both have a perfect night. 

Jade: 

Where you take him: Make your own tea blend shop

Jade is an experimental guy. I think if he wasn’t the founder of the mountain lovers club he probably would be in the science club just to mix together every kind of chemical just to see what happens. You would take him to a small tea shop, maybe in town on Sage’s Island or somewhere else through the mirror portal. You would pick out matching tea cups then choose different flavors and leaves from the jars of dried tea. You could make up little packets of different custom blends, some of them stuff you actually think would taste good, some that just sound interesting all together. You and Jade could trade and drink them together back at the Monstro Lounge. 

Where he takes you: Mountain and cave hike 

This is kind of a gimme, but I think he’d want to show off all his knowledge of local mountain flora and fauna. He’s the only member of his club, which gives you plenty of time to be alone together and use the club’s budget however you want. He would surprise you by showing you an undiscovered cave entrance. Hopefully it’s not the kind where you have to crawl on your belly to get in. I like imagining something like Ruby Falls in Tennessee. He’d bring you in, turn off his lantern, and crowds of bioluminescent mushrooms would glow around you. 

Floyd: 

Where you take him: Roller derby 

You can’t tell me this boy would not absolutely love watching a bunch of people going super fast while trying to beat the hell out of each other. He would immediately pick a favorite team and buy all their merch. Even if it’s just a small local circuit he’ll make his own merch for the two of you to wear while you cheer them on. Floyd already likes shoes, specifically sneakers, so I think he would really like the idea of roller skating, going as fast on land as he can in the sea. Your next date will be at a roller rink. 

Where he takes you: Laser tag 

Similar to going to a roller derby, Floyd would love the energy and competition of laser tag. He’d be vaulting over the barriers and launching sneak attacks against other players. Maybe you two would team up and top the leaderboard or maybe he’d hunt you down in the glow-in-the-dark black-light game room. Afterwards you can catch your breath in the lobby and eat junk food. You’re not sure if you’re excited or nervous when he mentions paintball. 

Kalim: 

Where you take him: Hands-on science museum 

Coming up with a first date idea to impress Buys-A-Restaurant-Chain-Because-You-Said-You-Liked-Their-Breadsticks-Once-Kalim is a little harrowing. Sure, you know he would like whatever you have planned, it’s the thought that counts, but that doesn't mean you don’t want to try and show off a little. You eventually find a hands-on science museum. Think the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia or the Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose or even WonderWorks. It’s something that keeps you active, jumping from exhibit to exhibit to try out all kinds of new things while pretending you're learning. Sure, most of the other people there are kids, but that doesn't stop either of you from having fun. With Kalim’s experience with all his younger siblings, you soon have a small army helping you with the replica dinosaur dig site. 

Where he takes you: Fused glass class 

Kalim’s first instinct is to go big. Throw a parade, rent out a theme park, buy a private island. This little ball of sunshine is way too excited to think anything through. Maybe Jamil mentions that you might be intimidated by such an overwhelming show of wealth on a first date, or maybe he implies you need to work up to something that extravagant. Whatever the case, Kalim agrees to start small. He’ll take you to a stained glass shop that offers classes in Silk City. You’ll take a fused glass class together, where you take shards and rods of other colored glass, placing them gently together in a shape. The owners fire the final product leaving you with a beautiful hand-made ornament. Kalim hangs it by his window back in his dorm room, smiling whenever the light catches it. (He’s still thinking about that private island, though.) 

Jamil: 

Where you take him: Aviary 

Jamil mentioned in one of his vignettes that he would want to own a parrot one day. So why not give it a test run with a variety of different parrot species, and throw in some parakeets, falcons, lorikeets, and canaries while we’re at it? You buy cups of food and the birds will fly down to perch on your arms and heads.  The parrots, in colors ranging from green and yellow to blue and purple and red, show you how they dance and talk. There’s a game you can play with them where you hold up different objects and they’ll tell you what they are and what they’re made of. There’s even a falconry show where the birds swoop out into the audience. At the end of the day, the tour guide makes a joke about lovebirds that you both pretend to ignore. 

(BTW, did you know President Andrew Jackson had a parrot that cursed so much it had to be removed from the room during his funeral because it kept swearing? The more you know.) 

Where he takes you: Dance class 

Mr. Jack Of All Trades, Master Of All over here is definitely going to want to show off. No matter who asked who out first, he wants to reassure you, and himself, that you made the right choice agreeing to go out with him. So he sticks with something he knows best, something he has fun with, and something he can easily introduce you too. Whether it’s a classic ballroom dance, salsa, or classic Scalding Sands folk dancing, Jamil just loves the chance to be close to you. It might be better if you have two left feet so he can show off leading you. By the end, you're both sweaty and exhausted, muscles aching pleasantly, but you're also both laughing and wondering if you should enter a couples dance competition. 

Vil: 

Where you take him: DIY spa night 

Like I said before, you don’t exactly have a lot of extra cash, so I can see you relying on a lot of DIY tricks. You’re hoping to impress one of Twisted Wonderland's biggest triple threats with scented candles (bought half-off at Sam’s), homemade avocado hair masks, coconut oil and honey face masks, and a jade face roller and gua sha set you have no idea how to properly use. Vil definitely appreciates effort, so he’ll love whatever you have set up. He’ll even show you how to actually use that jade roller and gua sha. 

Where he takes you: Private movie theater 

Let’s be honest, Vil isn’t exactly the most humble person. And you, a magicless student with pretty much no frame of reference for any pop culture or just plain cultural insights in this new world, are in the perfect position for him to show off. Vil would rent out a private theater showing the best and most iconic movies in all of Twisted Wonderland. Of course, he also shows you all of his films (Like I said, not so humble). He may give you the side eye when you insist on sharing a bucket of buttery popcorn, but if you gasp and laugh and applaud in all the right places I don’t think he’ll mind. 

Rook: 

Where you take him: Art museum 

Quelle beaute! No matter what kind of art museum you choose, modern, sculpture, impressionist, classical, whatever, Rook is sure to love it. He’d be the kind of person to carefully read each plaque to discover more about the artist and what inspired their work. He’ll praise each and every piece, only to turn around and compare it to your beauty. While this definitely will get you a few looks from some of the other visitors, you won’t mind because you know he’s being completely sincere with every word. At the end of the day, you’ll probably end up with an art book from the gift shop and you get each other prints of your favorite paintings. 

Where he takes you: Zoo 

You can take the boy out of the hunt but you can’t take the hunt out of the boy… Or something. We know Rook has a penchant for stalking the poor beastman students at NRC (I bet they have to warn the Savannahclaw first years every year), so I think he would also love admiring animals in a place where you’re actually suppose to watch them. Extra points if there are baby animals. Extra extra points if the zoo has one of those programs where you can go back and get close up encounters with some of the animals, like sloths or elephants. You both definitely get plushies of your favorite animals after. 

Epel: 

Where you take him: Motorcross 

Give the farm boy blood. We know from his dorm uniform vignette that he can ride a blast cycle. Checking out a motorcross race or just a show exhibition would be a high energy outing for you both. Cheering in the stands gives him a chance to cut loose from the stricter rules of decorum in Pomefiore, and sometimes it’s just fun to watch things go fast with a chance of crashing. Maybe you can rent one, or borrow one from Ingenhyde back at NRC, and go for a drive. He’ll probably go a little too fast, maybe from nerves or excitement or just to have to hold him a little tighter. 

Where he takes you: Ice skating 

Do you know how to skate? Great! He’ll take you out to a frozen lake in the middle of a beautiful forest near Harveston. Some place only the locals know about. It’ll be something right off a Christmas card with glitter snow and a perfect clear blue sky. Don’t know how to skate? That’s fine too! You’ll go to an indoor rink, somewhere where the ice is guaranteed to be smooth and won’t crack under your feet. If you’re just learning, please hold on to him and let him teach you, it’ll make him feel super manly and swell with pride. No matter where you go, you both get hot apple cider after, maybe cuddling together in front of a warm fireplace and sharing a warm quilt. 

Idia: 

Where you take him: Cat cafe 

You’re going to need a good excuse to get Idia out of his room, and this is a pretty good reason. Ideally, you would find a place like Tashirojima, the cat island in Japan, but a good old cat cafe will work just as well. You’ll find the least busy time to go which should help Idia’s social anxiety. But once you both settle into plush low chairs and get surrounded by cute kitties, he won’t even notice anyone else. The cafe sells cute frozen cat treats shaped like cat paws that you buy to encourage the cats to come closer. You snuck in some catnip, and you both spend the day enveloped in cute warm kitty cuddles. 

Where he takes you: Video game night 

The boy is a nervous wreck around other people on his best days, so when he decides to venture on a date he’s going to go with something he’s most comfortable with. You’ll camp out in his room for the date. He’s gone to great lengths to make it nice, plenty of snacks and soft pillows and blankets. He’ll introduce you to some of his favorite but entry level games first. Maybe something Animal Crossing adjacent, but I have a soft spot for point-and-click adventure puzzle games. Eventually, you’ll end up playing doubles on something more action oriented, Idia showing you all the best tricks and combo moves. (Ortho is secretly taking pictures to show at the wedding he’s already planning for you both.) 

Sebek: 

Where you take him: Salmon fishing and grill  

You like it because it gives a chance to get out in nature and be alone together, he likes it because he gets to catch his favorite food and prove he can be a provider. Sure, it just might be a first date, but Sebek likes to think ahead and he’s definitely taking your budding relationship seriously. You two go out into the woods, probably near where Camp Vargus was held, and set up next to a river. While most of the day is hanging out on the bank and talking, there’s always a jolt of excitement when one of your lines starts to tug and you pull out a beautiful gray and pink salmon. Sure, there was that one time when the fish slapped Sebek with his fin until it slipped from his hands, but you both agree to forget about that (you don’t forget, in fact you think about it often). Around midday, you both realize you’re kind of squeamish when it comes to cleaning fish. Sebek puts on a brave face and cuts them up while you make a campfire. Is it the best meal you’ve ever had? No, definitely not. Are you picking fish bones out of your teeth for the rest of the evening? Yeah. Did you two have a ton of fun and are already planning your next date? Of course. 

Where he takes you: Tournament 

Does Twisted Wonderland have Renaissance fairs? Who knows, but considering Briar Valley still has knights, they definitely have tournaments. The Bead Brawl is sort of similar to what I’m thinking, but there’s more of a focus on what we would think of as traditional medieval events. Stuff like jousting, sword fighting in full armor, and archery. I don’t think you go all the way to the Briar Valley for this, it’s probably more of a smaller local fair with less serious competition. I think Sebek will be a spectator at this event, but that doesn't stop him from commenting on the participants. He tells you about his own training with Lilia and Silver. He’ll be boastful and loud, but you know him well enough at this point to tell he’s nervous under all the bravado. He wants to make sure you’re having a good time but is too stubborn to actually ask. There are definitely giant turkey legs, homemade soda and mead, and chimney cakes to stuff yourself with. He’ll enter a visitor competition, something fun and light like an obstacle course, and win you a prize. At the end of the day there will be a traditional dance at the fair and you both twirl together under lantern light.

Silver: 

Where you take him: Bookstore date 

Whether a big chain store or a cute local owned place, the idea is the same. First, you both find the cheesiest romance novel cover in the store. Next, you checked out the cook books, looking for the weirdest and worst sounding recipes (you joke about getting it for Lilia then laugh at the glare he gives you). Finally, you both choose a book for the other that you’ll read then reconvene to talk about at your next date. You find him an adventure book, something you would have called epic fantasy back in your world. He gets you a collection of well known fables and myths from across Twisted Wonderland. He’s slightly worried that you’ll be insulted in his reference to your lack of cultural knowledge of your new world, but you love it, especially the gorgeous illustrations for each story. 

Where he takes you: Horse riding along the beach 

This can go one of two ways, depending if you know how to ride a horse/are comfortable around them. If you know how to ride, Silver will borrow someone’s horse from the equestrian club for you to ride. If not, you’ll ride behind him, arms hugged around his middle as you cuddle close. Either way, you’ll ride down to one of the beaches along Sage’s Island. You’ll ride along the beach, darting in and out of the waves. Silver will probably have packed a small picnic that you can eat while watching the sunset. He ends up nodding off for a little while you take a break lounging on some dunes, but you kind of like him leaning on your shoulder like that. 

Lillia: 

Where you take him: Concert in the park 

A few steps down from a full on festival, I’m imagining a lush green park, couples and families spread out on blankets, food trucks surrounding everything making the park smell amazing, maybe a couple of craft tents with knick-knacks for sale. There will be a large stage set up for the bands. Lilia prefers heavy metal, but I think he would like any show that plays something high energy. You’ll set up an umbrella to give you both some shade as you watch the acts. Lilia will regale you with tales of his travels and he’d probably love hearing about all the places in your world. At some point, you both definitely spend time dancing ridiculously. Lilia takes plenty of pictures to show off back at Disamonia. 

Where he takes you: Esports competition 

When Muscle Red told his online bestie Gloomamurai he was trying to come up with ideas for a date, the later said, “I got you,” and set him up with front row seats to the premier esports competition in all of Twisted Wonderland. Arriving at the indoor arena, you get a giant bucket of popcorn to share and Lilia buys you some merch of his favorite team. If you don’t know a ton about esports or the game they’re playing, Lilia will be more than happy to explain the rules to you. You’re surrounded  in deafening cheers when your team makes a last minute score to win, hugging each other while jumping up and down. On the way back, Lilia promises to help you set up an account for the online game and teach you the ropes, while trying to remember to thank his friend when you kiss his cheek. 

Malleus: 

Where you take him: Mini-golfing 

You can’t tell me it wouldn’t be adorable to see a giant Malleus hunched over a mini-golf club trying to gently tap the ball into a hole. I can see him at the first hole swinging like a normal golf course, sending the ball twinkling away, Team Rocket style. Mini-golf is a classic first date, and I think he would like the normality of it all. You’re not trying to super impress him, just treating him like a normal boyfriend, a normal date. And it gives you both more time to focus on each other, between desperately trying to hit the ball through the moving fan blades of the windmill hole. 

Where he takes you: Historic castle ruins 

I can imagine Malleus panicking at first about where to take you for your first official date. Does he bring you to a ball in the Briar Valley? A romantic opera in perfect box seats? Do you start picking out your engagement rings? Instead, he finally decided on an old reliable choice, harking back to how you both first started bonding in the first place. He finds beautiful old ruins, either in Briar Valley or somewhere else, and you just stroll and talk. He’ll tell you about the architecture, maybe the history of the location, pointing out whatever interesting gargoyles he spots. You both understand you don’t need grand gestures or impressive and expensive dates. You’re both happiest being with each other.

[cartoon-buffoon]

Today marks the 97th birthday of Oswald The Lucky Rabbit with his first short that was released being "trolly troubles" releasing on today all the way back during 1927. Because I'm too lazy to do some art (I do have something planned for today though) I'm gonna do what I do best: talk! Talk specifically about why I absolutely love this silly rabbit and what he personally means to me.

Now although fictional (sadly) and just a mere character, Oswald The Lucky Rabbit has grown a large following for a variety of different reasons with several different types of Oswald fans popping up over the years. There's the fans of Ozzie who love his modern counterpart in Epic Mickey who is a genuine character with complexities, there's the history/animation nerds like I who love his short cartoons produced by Disney and later made Walter Lantz. There's even people who love Ozzie and were introduced to him from that one webcomic made by an awful individual (I can't think for the life of me what the comic is called RN, you know what I'm talking about right? The one where they drew him as a skinny twink and absolutely butchered Osix as a crackship). Whoever or whatever version they like at the end of the day it still boils down to the love of one little rabbit who started it all and was the catalyst for the mouse coming into existence and that giant domino effect of events leading after. I think it's sweet an entire community has been built up over the years with tons of talented people creating art, games, stories, and whatever else utilizing Ozzie solely because they love him. Oswald as character has even had a profound impact on me with my fanfiction hobby all stemming from one day me going "hmmm... I wish to write story about funy buny", and because of that it's lead to me writing more which in turned earned me a good few mutuals who like my "talent" (I would not call what I do talent lmao). I even bonded with someone I met from my school purely because we both love Oswald and that individual is now my best friend who I talk to daily and is my current beta reader (love you Quartz!!!).

Oswald has absolutely changed my life for the better and what the rabbit has done for me is nothing I could express with words. I legit regularly get motivated by listening to his theme song in order to "be lucky too!". The second I dug into his origins I fell in love with him (in two different ways), and I only hope more people find out about this Lucky rabbit and become just as if not moreso invested than I. Happy 97th ya old toon.

[lvrsturniolo]

chapter 00.

Backstory of Slytherin!Chris x Sweet,Slytherin!OC and how they met on the way to hogwarts!!

a/n: hey guys I just wanted to say this quickly before there was any confusion, I know that Harry Potter was based in 1991! I just wanted to change it up because I know much more now about how people talk more so then at that time, and it’ll just feel easier for me aswell as helping me be able to write better and more knowledgeable, thank you!!!

(young aurora)

September 1st, 2018 (auroras story)

Fall. Scarves, sweaters, crisp morning air, pretty leaves, and so much more. This is auroras absolute favorite time of the year. And this year, fall is a little more important to her. Last month in the mail, Aurora and her brother, Lorenzo, finally got their letters to attend Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Aurora has been dreaming of this moment since she was just a young girl, and she is so happy that he’s getting to live through this with her best friend, who’s also her older brother. People often get the two confused as twins; they were born 10 months apart so, technically they are. The term Irish twins is used when two or more siblings were born within 12 months of each other or less. Lorenzo was born December 12th, 2005, and Aurora was born in October of the next year; the 8th, to be exact. Making Lorenzo currently 13, and Aurora almost 13.

Auroras POV:

Our father just bid us goodbye and good luck at Platform 9 and 3/4. At first I was confused because I didn’t know where to go, but then I saw this little readhead boy run through a brick wall, so I followed him, along with Lorenzo. Once on the bus I felt a bit awkward, there were a ton of kids I didn’t know just kind of staring as I walked by. Soon enough Enzo and I stumble upon an empty seat, and take it immediately.

Around 5 minutes later, someone sits next to us, or more like two people. it was a small boy with curly hair and the cutest smile ever, and a slightly taller boy with an almost grim expression on his face, he was much paler than the small one, but they had similar features, so I could tell they were somehow related.

“Hi! Mind if me and my brother sit with you guys? It’s pretty crowded out there and the last two people we asked said no” the small boy said with a sweet grin on his face

“Of course! I’m Aurora, and I like your hair!” I say back to him with just as wide of a smile.

“Thanks! My names Mattheo, this is my brother Tom, he doesn’t speak a lot, he doesn’t really like people” he says, getting comfortable in his seat next to me.

“I’m Lorenzo, you can call me Enzo tho. I’m her brother” enzo speaks, a bit loud, same as Mattheo.

“Nice to meet you” Mattheo replies excitedly.

“You have a pretty name.” Tom states plainly, “the both of you have very interesting ones” he has a bit of a solemn expression on his face, cold and dark.

“Thank you. I’m named after my mother”

I miss my mother. She passed when I was small, the ministry used a forbidden spell on her for being a death eater.

A few minutes pass, Enzo and I are still chatting away with mattheo and sometimes Tom will butt in aswell.

“I seriously can’t believe it’s finally time for Hogwarts! I mean im so exc-” bang A loud clatter focuses our attention to the isle of the train. Candy and snacks strewn all around the floor and a boy around my age is apologizing over and over for bumping into the man with the trolly of candy he just knocked over. The boy was very cute, that caught my eye first. He was about an inch shorter than me with brown hair and bright blue eyes. I guess I was staring too long becuase he caught eyes with me.

I immediately turn my head away, embarrassed of getting caught.

dividers by @bernardsbendystraws!!

(young chris)

September 1st 2018 (chris’s story)

Months, Christopher had been waiting months and his letter to hogwarts finally came! He’d been caught up in the magic world since he was young. His father was murdered infront of him by the ministry of magic, he was only 7. He use to hate magic, it murdered his own father in cold blood, there was nothing to love about it. But his mother made sure he learned that there was good to magic aswell. After a while, he grew to enjoy it a little more, and then he learned about Hogwarts, and since then, he’s been very excited to leave for it. And today was the day he’d leave for Hogwarts. He hugged his mother goodbye, and ran through the wall to get on the hogwarts express. He actually ran into the wrong wall first, leaving him with a bit of a busted lip, but he’s fine now.

Chris’s POV:

“Shit- I mean shoot” I yell, grabbing my lower face as my lip splits open. I ran into the stupid wrong wall. I kick the wall, bad idea. Before I could hurt myself some more I turned the other way and ran into the correct wall, easing through to another station; platform 9 n 3/4. I quickly hop in the train and try to find a seat but every single one seems to be taken. I was looking in the rooms, not the isle like I should’ve been. This caused me to run right into a short chubby man pushing a trolly, snacks and sweets fell out all into the isle.

“Oh my goodness I’m so sorry I promise I didn’t mean to do that. H-here let me help you”

I continued repeating apologies, but I kept feeling eyes on me. So I look around until my eyes land into one of the rooms. I see a girl staring at me, the prettiest girl I’d ever seen. She had the most beautiful blonde hair, and a pretty little polka dotted pink and white dress, with a little white scarf. She looked away from me before I could even blink.

After helping the man pick up everything I’d knocked over, I walked into the room with the girl and three other boys.

“Mind if I sit with you guys? Every other seat is taken”

I notice the girl scoot over a little and pat the seat beside her, I gratefully accept and sit next to her

“Thank you. I’m Chris, you guys are?”

“I’m Aurora” the girl quietly says, her voice soft and very sweet.

“This is my brother, Lorenzo. And this is Tom and Mattheo! We’ve just met them aswell.”

“Nice to meet you all. Oh dude I love your wand, it’s sick!” I say to the boy sitting infront of me, he’s either mattheo or Tom.

“Thanks! I’m mattheo, this is my brother Tom. He’ll just absolutely talk your head off” he says the last part a bit sarcastically, causing a giggle from the girl beside me.

mel speaks~ HI GUYS!! I HOPE YOU ENJOY THISSS. I’m going to make hcs for Chris next, then I think I’m gonna start writing a full fic with some blurbs and small things like that aswell!!!! If anyone has ideas or suggestions for any of that then let me know and I’ll try to get on it!

[greytabbydreams]

Vandermatthews One-Shot

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Title: Face The World Together

Word Count: 1794

Rating: General  Audience

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Summary:

Just a cute fluffy fic about Hosea and Dutch robbing some rich folks on a train.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hosea pushed a trolly cart down the small, yet elegantly decorated train car. He smiled down at a couple that were relaxing in the dining car, finishing off their last few drops of wine. A larger old banker type man, and his much younger mistress who was fast asleep; likely from the wine.

“Would you like another glass sir?” Hosea asked in a slightly more friendly twangy accent than his usual tone of voice. Hosea enjoyed playing an act when pulling off his schemes to rob wealthy people who could afford to lose a couple coins.

Earlier, Dutch had received a tip from a brief acquaintance, but a solid source a few weeks ago. When Hosea and Dutch visited Strawberry for the night, so that they could freshen up at the Inn in Strawberry. Dutch got to talking with a well dressed British man. The man mentioned that a ton of wealthy ariscates apart of some mens club was on this train that was passing through near Strawberry. Hosea could practically see the dollar signs flash in his lover's eyes when he was telling him all about this new plan he was beginning to cook up.

When the time came, Dutch had the fabulous idea for the two men to dress as the wait staff. Dutch working the bar, and Hosea going table to table, playing the part of the trolley boy.

The older gentleman replied to Hosea’s offer,

“Why of course! Th-ankss you.” Slurring his words, obviously quite intoxicated from the previous refiles Hosea had given the man.

Hosea just smiled politely, filling the mans glass halfway to the top. However, as Hosea brought the bottle back he knocked the mans fork onto the floor of the car.

“Oh dear, my apologies sir.” Hosea said in facked sorrow, starting to lean down and grab the fallen utensil.

“Don’t worry, I-I gott it.” The man grunted rushing downward to grab the fork.

As the man was reaching for the fork Hosea slyly grabbed the mans wallet that just so happened to be laying open on the table.

“I’m quite sorry again sir, jus’ call for me if you need anythin’ else from me.” Hosea apologized again moving away from the table onto the next car. The man just gave Hosea a dismissive wave as he took a long sip from his newly filled glass.

Hosea stepped into the next car, it was the bar. The room was basically empty aside from Dutch who was using a cloth to wipe a whisky glass, and dressed in a matching black and white server outfit to Hosea’s.

“How much have you tucked away tonight sir?” Dutch said, his voice deep and crackling as he asked Hosea the question. Hosea could swear he saw the younger mans eyes twinkle in the dimily lit car.

“Oh, no need to worry darlin’,” Hosea continued to use his gentle southern twang he developed for the night.

“I’ve taken at least 20 of these idiots cash and valuables.” Hosea’s lips curved into a smirk, and cockily stared at his partner in crime. Hosea put his hand on his hip, and patted the side of his coat that was filled with different types of stolen goods. He had done well tonight, the two of them were sure to make a huge score. Hosea knew he had about 200 dollars worth of goods, plus whatever Dutch was able to put away. They would be living comfortably for the next few weeks.

Dutch’s face fixed into a devilish grin, and he eyed Hosea up and down. Hosea’s heart pounded; the rush of the heist and seeing Dutch with that stupid look on his face was almost too much for him. Dutch walked closer to Hosea, pinning him passionately into the car walls.

“You amaze me dear,” Dutch purred into the crook of Hosea neck, eliciting a small involuntary noise from Hosea’s throat. God Dutch could be practically intoxicating at times.

“Tell me, how did I ever manage to get by without you?” Dutch pushed his groin against Hosea's thigh. Hosea was starting to feel dizzy, wanting so desperately to give into Dutch. However, he was unable to reciprocate the movement. The last thing the two of them needed was to be found out for having sex on the floor of the damn bar car. Hosea pushed Dutch away gently.

“Come on, you can wait until we get off at the next stop.” Hosea said, practically breathless trying to regain his previous composure.

Dutch just shrugged, same twinkel in his eyes as he backed away from the pair's spot against the wall.

“Alright, have it your way, but you need to let me have you on at least one of our schemes.” Dutch said humorously, trying his best to hide his disappointment.

Hosea chuckled a, “sure,” in response and rolled his eyes.

Before the couple could plan their next move, a roar erupted from the car Hosea had just exited to enter the bar.

“That fucking trolley boy stole my wallet!”

“Shit, looks like it’s time to make our escape.” Dutch said gritting his jaw backing away to the exit in the opposite direction of the commotion. Hosea reached for his pistol handle, and Dutch did the same with his own gun.

The pair of outlaws ran through one car to the next, as angry footsteps of the train security followed them. The two men stood at the last car, looking out onto the open air. The dark moonlit forest sped past them.

“I guess we’re jumping; try not to hit a rock.” Hosea exclaimed loud enough so that Dutch could hear him.

“I guess so.” Dutch replied preparing to jump.

The two jumped from the train in the same direction, rolling down a grassy hill that slopped away from the train tracks.

Hosea rolled for what felt like only a moment until he found himself right on his back facing the starry night sky.

Although the fall was rough, Hosea felt okay. He would probably have a couple new bruises in the morning, but nothing too damaging. Hosea rolled over, pushing himself up off the ground.

“Dutch, where are you? Are you okay?” Hosea called out into the dark forest scenery.

A couple feet away Hosea could hear a soft grone that sounded a lot like Dutch. His heart sank, did Dutch get injured?

“I’m coming,” Hosea rushed to the position he heard Dutch’s grone.

“What’s the matter?” Hosea helped Dutch sit up from his spot on the grass.

“I landed on my foot, think it’s probably twisted.” Dutch grimaced in pain as he stretched out his legs.

“Shit.” Hosea whispered looking down at his lover tremble slightly from the pain.

“Here, let me help you up, I saw town lights not too far away.”

Hosea placed Dutches arm atop his shoulders and boosted the man to his one good foot.

“Jesus, you’re heavy.” Hosea scoffed light heartedly, which Dutch replied with a sharp elbow to Hosea’s ribs and quiet laughter.

The pair hobbled slowly towards the dimly lit town, until a kind stranger offered to take them to a local inn.

Dutch sat on a bench, drenched in sweat from the exertion it took to walk as far as they did.

Hosea approached the front desk of the inn,

“Any rooms available for the night?” Hosea questioned the lanky man that was leaning far back in his chair behind the desk.

“Sure, but it’s just got one bed if that’s alright with you?” He said, cocking his head to the side suspiciousily and eyeing Dutch who was still sat on the bench.

“Guess one of us will need to sleep on the floor then.” Hosea replied nonchalantly sliding a whole 7 dollars towards the man.

The man percked up a bit at the amount of money, and tossed a key twords Hosea.

“Room number 5 on the end, over there.” The man pointed to the right side of the building.

“Try not to make a mess.” He gave Hosea a creepy yellow smile where it was apparent a couple teeth were missing.

Hosea turned to help Dutch to the last room labled “5” attached to the building, and unlocked the door.

“Here, let me lay you down,” Hosea soothed, and he helped Dutch sit down on the mattress. Hosea bent down and gently pulled off Dutchs boots, before swinging his legs onto the bed.

Hosea tried to step away, so that he could lie on the other side of the bed, but before he could Dutch reached out for his lovers sleeve.

“Aren’t you gonna help me undress?” Dutch asked in a dangerously flirtatious crackle.

“You’re hurt.” Hosea couldn’t believe Dutch was still in this mood, not even a sprained ankle could stop the great Dutch Van Der Line’s vigor.

“Take pity on me Hosea.” Dutch pleaded staring hungerily at his partner.

“Alright, let’s see then.” Hosea replied, letting himself be coaxed by Dutch’s classic charm that never failed to sway his point of view.

Before Hosea began to remove his partner's clothes, he pressed his lips against Dutch's mouth.

Dutch reciprocated the kiss, deepening it into a passionate and feverish sensation. Hosea let his hand cup the back of Dutchs neck, and Dutch placed his hand on Hoseas cheek.

“I love you.” Dutch breathed, like letting out a heavy sigh inbetween kisses.

“I love you too.” Hosea replied climbing over to lay beside him.

Dutch pulled at Hosea’s server jacket and shirt, trying to wiggle his hand onto his chest and remove the stubborn fabric.

“Take this off for me dear.” Dutch grunted in defeat, unable to properly remove the garment.

“Wasn’t I supposed to do that for you darling?” Hosea laughed reaching to undo the buttons on Dutchs collared server outfit.

…

Soon the two of them were less clothed and tangled in eachothers arms as they held one another. Dutch brought his hand to Hosea's bare chest to feel the soft rise and fall of his breaths and heartbeat.

“Sometimes I can hardly believe you’re real.” Dutch said dreamily, lost in thought gazing at Hosea who was laying beside him.

“I’m real.” Hosea replied, bringing Dutch's hand to his lips, kissing it softly.

“Never leave me.” Dutch said softly, yet there was a sternness beneath his lips.

“I won’t.” Hosea replied, now facing to look directly at his partner.

“We’ll always face the world together, just like you said when we first met.” Hosea finished bringing Dutch into another kiss.

Dutch just hummed in contentment, letting himself sink into Hosea’s touch.

Realizing their exhaustion, from the day's scheme, the couple fell asleep in eachothers arms knowing they would always be together.

[gaudygodby]

Who is your favorite OC?

(looks around sheepishly) i have three, actually! ill put this under a readmore i might infodump a lot

NUMBER ONE

THE MOST PREDICTABLE ANSWER: JUNO!!!! i love juno sooo much oh my god i dont even need to explain myself i think everyone knows him and knows im crazy about him. I haven't had a ton of muse for him recently he requires me to be in a very trolly mood which i just haven't been in recently, but god he really is my favorite.

alright onto the others

Sawyer Sawyir is my fantroll I rp over at @k1llc0re and is my second favorite oc after juno! He actually started as a... god okay it's convoluted, he started as a Juno kidswap with John strider. So John became a Lovette (my own kid line) and Juno became a Strider. And then we just ended up making them independent ocs and making them fantrolls and GOD I HAVE BECOME OBSESSED WITH HIM. he's on my mind more than juno is now! He died before sburb started AND was ressurected right before they played sburb, so he's an undead troll! He's a mage of time, and exists more as a concept than he does as a person. I really need to hop on his blog more but honestly i have a hard time getting interactions over there. I think he just needs to be more social

and this is Nathan Gemella, my third favorite oc, he's the secondary antagonist to a horror story I'm writing, about an artist and his obsession with his own art. He's pretty pathetic i love him, here's some more pictures of him and his creation

[malinastharlock]

I just wanted to post something a little about me, not anything naughty or too crazy just a little something about me.

I think I'm 36. Idk and don't care really after 21 I gave up giving any fucks about my age. Hell I thought I'd be dead before I turned 30.

I am a parent and I love my son and he's such a crazy little dude but also the light of my life and I would do anything for him. Like I might not make a ton of money but I will never treat him like a burden they way I've been treated.

I love almost all animals, except the platypussies. They know what they've done. Okay like I don't hate them they're just.... Idk they're cute af, just be careful around their poisonous flipper barbs.

I treat my pets like family. They are my fur babies and I love them. Also I don't trust people that treat their pets like slaves. It creeps me out and makes me think they think of them as lesser creatures.

I judge people to be trash people and not trash people. How I judge them is based on several factors. Here's a list.

1. How they treat servers at a restaurant.

2. If they litter, I don't care what type of trash it is, put it in the bin properly.

3. Manners. Manners matter.

4. Weather or not people return their shopping carts/trolly or "buggy🤢 (that's what they call it in the southern part of the US) to the places they belong ie; the cart corral or the store, not the curb. 😠

5. How they treat anyone in the LGBTQIA community and that also goes for those in the LGBTQIA community.

6. How they treat animals

7. How they treat people with disabilities.

::end of list::

There might be more to my list but that's all I can think of.

I am lactose intolerant but I still love diary. It's a love hate relationship.

I once ate a bunch of ants without knowing but when I realized I didn't freak out and just kinda shrugged it off, like it wasn't really that bad. They started swarming my soda, back when I used to drink soda, and I didn't notice till after I already drank from it. It was weird.

I have 2 older brothers and one accepts me for me and the other is marred to a religious crazy Karen and I hate her. Seriously she made him have a vasectomy. Yes made him. I miss my brother but he's made his choices and if he's happy then whatever. I'm the youngest sibling. I'm 5 years younger then them.

I am a military brat. My family has a long line of military service and even I served my country even knowing a lot of people in my country want me dead just for being me. I would still serve and protect them to this day but it is what it is.

I was born in Aurora Colorado and I miss the West so much. I get homesick constantly and I want to go back so bad but it's gotten so expensive to live there I can't. Also most people are like ??? When I say Aurora so I just say I'm from Denver.

My favorite hobbies are Anime, D&D, Warhammer, The Orville, World Of Warcraft, working on my PC, make-up, sewing, cosplay, and 3D printing.

Btw if you're also a fan of the Orville omg they might be making a new season, nothing is official yet but Seth MacFarlane said some stuff recently that has me so hopeful and after that last season, omfg yes😁😁😁😁😁😁😁👽

So yeah that was a little post about me.

[themomsandthecity]

I Tried Calpak's New Baby Collection and Found the Diaper Bag of My Dreams

Since having a baby about seven months ago, I've accumulated more diaper bags than seems necessary or even appropriate - at least a half dozen. I have big diaper bags, mini diaper bags, diaper backpacks, expensive diaper bags, cheap diaper bags, and tote bags that I now use as diaper bags. But until I tried the new Calpak Baby Collection, I still hadn't found my perfect diaper bag. Now, I have; in fact, I found two of them. Calpak gained popularity over the past several years for their smart travel products. Calpak luggage, cosmetics cases, and packing cubes all make stowing and transporting your necessities super easy. So news that they were debuting a baby collection was met with a lot of excitement. After all, if anyone needs products that make it easier to stay organized while hauling a ton of stuff around, it's parents. Calpak's Baby Collection includes six products: a diaper tote bag, a convertible mini backpack, a diaper backpack, a portable changing pad clutch, a convertible stroller caddy crossbody, and stroller straps that let the other bags hang from your stroller handle. Bonus: these straps also come with the crossbody. The brand let me try out the last four products in the collection - and they helped fill a hole in my diaper bag game that I didn't know existed. What I Like About the Calpak Baby Collection First things first: the Calpak Baby Collection products are light. All the products are made of the same recycled nylon, which is super lightweight, something I appreciate given how much gear I'm usually stuffing inside. My previous favorite diaper bag was durable, but it had hardwear that made it weighty even when totally empty; when it was full, it was a back injury hazard. Even when I stash my laptop and breast pump in Calpak's diaper backpack, along with the typical diapers, wipes, bottles, toys, etc., it doesn't have that extra heft, so carrying it around is that much easier. (Personally, I always prefer backpacks over shoulder bags; and Calpak's straps are wide and soft for even more comfort.) The recycled nylon is also water-resistant and durable, two qualities that are a must in a baby line, considering the amount of bodily fluids they come into contact with on the regular. I also love how simple the Baby Collection is. Each product looks clean and minimal from the outside. But inside, they have all the compartments you could need to keep your baby gear organized. I especially love the insulated bottle holders in the diaper bag and crossbody, which keep my bottles cool and safe when out and about, and the clutch's ingenious baby wipe compartment, which lets you access one wipe at a time, without having to pull out an entire package. (The Baby Collection's tote has the same feature.) And because it's Calpak, they're designed with travel days in mind. The diaper backpack has a trolly sleeve that slips over luggage handles, for instance. Finally, the magnetic closures make Calpak's bags easy to open and close one-handed, which is a must when you're juggling a squirmy little human. Who's the Calpak Baby Collection Best For? The beauty of Calpak's six-piece Baby Collection is that there's a product for every parent. Since I live in a city, I love the crossbody, which functions as a mini diaper bag when I'm just popping out to the store with my baby and only need a couple diapers, one or two toys, and an emergency bottle. It's the perfect size for my smaller stroller, or when I'm using a baby carrier and no stroller at all. The bigger diaper bag, on the other hand, is roomy enough for longer excursions out, or for when I'm going straight from daycare drop-off to the office and need to stash my laptop, pump, and lunch along with a few baby essentials. The portable changing pad clutch comes in handy when I want to pack even lighter. I typically keep it packed with wipes, diapers, and diaper cream; then I can just toss it into the bigger diaper backpack or my own… https://www.popsugar.com/family/calpak-baby-collection-review-49340408?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[totally-lit-road-trips]

Chapter 21: Cemeteries & Crepes

Welcome back to my Totally Lit Road Trip Blog where the lit stands for literary!

After a little snafu with the old hosting site, I’ll be continuing to chronicle my road trip adventures here on Tumblr.

It’s been a minute since my last literary adventure, but now that it’s summer, this teacher is ready for some R & R...Reading & Roaming! 

The first literary road trip of the summer brings us to Concord, Massachusetts, with a pit stop in Providence, Rhode Island along the way. Joining me for the first time is my friend & roommate, Jess.

As part of my goal to visit at least one literary destination in each state, Rhode Island proved to be a little tricky. Being the smallest state, there’s not a ton going on here book-wise. However, Rhode Island is known as the home of H.P. Lovecraft, who was a famous horror & “weird fiction” writer. Now, if you know me in real life, you know that horror is my least favorite genre. I simply do not like to be scared and I hate gore, which is what a lot of modern horror entails. But with his sci-fi take on horror, Lovecraft is much more my vibe. 

Prior to embarking on this trip, I read three of Lovecraft’s short stories:  “The Call of Cthulhu”, “At the Mountains of Madness”, and “The Dunwich Horror”, and I enjoyed being creeped out (but not utterly terrified) by all three. “At the Mountains of Madness” in particular reminded me a lot of Poe’s “The Narrative of A. Gordon Pym,” which Lovecraft actually references in his short story. After my first foray into Lovecraft stories, I’ve reached the conclusion that I do like horror - but just “classics” like Poe, Dracula, and Frankenstein. 

Our first stop on this road trip, therefore, was H.P. Lovecraft’s grave at Swan Point Cemetery in Providence, RI. (Okay, it was actually our second stop. After five hours in the car, we needed food first, so we stopped for some delicious crepes at Café Zoey. We recommend the Notre Jam, Elvis in Providence, & Campania crepes!)

Unlike the two cemeteries I visited on last year’s road trips, this one was easy to locate and navigate. Third time’s the charm, I guess! One of the things I love about visiting authors’ graves is seeing all the little trinkets that fans leave on the stones. Lovecraft’s grave had the usual suspects like rocks and pens, but it also had tons of coins, and even two bags of Trolli candies (the octopus and crawler varieties, naturally). 

After paying our respects to Mr. Lovecraft, we hopped back in the car and headed to Concord, MA, where we’ll be for the majority of our trip. There are a TON of literary attractions in Concord, because it was home to so many famous authors, including Louisa May Alcott (Little Women), Nathaniel Hawthorne (The Scarlet Letter), and Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau (both essayists & poets). 

We decided to stick with the theme of graveyards today, so after we checked into our hotel, we headed to Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, where you can find the final resting place of all four of these writers on the appropriately named Author’s Ridge.

Despite the fact that we had a mobile map of the cemetery, it still took us a few minutes to figure out exactly how to find Author’s Ridge, but eventually we figured it out. The authors are all buried on family plots, and it’s interesting to see the different ways that each family marked their gravestones. For example, the Alcott family has a large monument with the last name on it, and small gravestones with each family members’ initials, whereas the Thoreau family used first names on their smaller gravestones. 

(The Alcott family plot.)

After our visit to Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, we ended our night with dinner at Concord’s Colonial Inn, where Jess had a steak, and I enjoyed some great ravioli in pesto cream sauce. 

Over the next few days, we’re going to visit museums and authors’ homes, so check back soon for more updates!

<3 Theresa

P.S. If you’re new to Totally Lit Road Trips, you should definitely check out my previous blog posts here.

[spacefrog1984]

Being called racist for not supporting obvious scams that use the horrendous tragedy befalling the Palestinian is a wild take. I guess I'm king of the racists given that I've ignored every single email from a Nigerian prince asking for money - I've even told friends and family to ignore these poor Nigerians when they get similar emails. That is, I must be really racist against white people like this guy who ran tons of Nigerian prince scams:

@starlit-soothsayer, I know you didn't say it was racist to call out these Gaza scams, it was skeleton-bat, but you have a choice on whether or not to reply to these asks and how you reply to them. I get asks that are entirely inappropriate, hateful, or loaded, so I ignore them since answering them will only legitimize what they're saying. And if I was to answer one of these asks, I'd make it clear that I'm critical of what anon/etc. included in their ask. Skeleton-bat is a trolly grifter who likes to be at the center of attention and who's been pushing these Gaza scams for a while now. By replying uncritically to this person and providing screenshots, you're helping to legitimize their claims used to convince others to donate to these scams and vilify those who call out these scams, not to mention furthering skeleton-bat's crusade against Sai and those around her.

Starlit, ultimately, what you're doing on Tumblr is entirely irrelevant, attempting to put yourself at the center of things, and/or actively hurting innocent people.

Actually I'm curious if sai and cult have said anything more/negative about palestine fundraisers in any way

Would you have any info on that by chance?

The last time fundraisers of any kind were mentioned was yesterday, though this conversation was about a scam DM gotten by one of the server members.

A vast majority of any mentions of fundraisers or gofundme campaigns are conversations of this caliber, so I will not bother with posting all of them. The only other interesting mention from this month was this conversation on the 7th:

[restrumed]

I had no idea guitar strings came in so many shades of bronze!!

Recycled strings, meet licensed guitar picks for the most unique music merch out there!!

Come see for yourself THIS WEEKEND at LO Palooza in Lake Orion, Mi. Tickets are still available for this day-long concert including performances by our friends at One Ton Trolley and Sadie Bass Music !!

[mehidktbh]

Salt And Vinegar

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Gender Neutral!Reader

Summary: Eddie loves salt and vinegar (chips). Yes that’s the whole story

Warning: Kissing and pet names given to both the reader and Eddie but nothing really

A/N: I actually fucking hate salt and vinegar chips.

The store was responsibly empty, close to no one in any aisle. The registers were also empty, only leaving the self-checkouts for people to do their shopping.

You were walking down one of the aisles, clutching onto the metal bar that pushed the trolly in front of you. Eddie was behind you, also gripping onto the metal bar, but walking so close you could feel his chest hit your back. His breath blows cold hair against your neck.

“What we’re you thinking of for dinner tomorrow night, Ed?” Eddie wondered for a second looking at the car that you were pushing. “Don’t you think we have enough food?” You looked down at the cart, which was only filled with some essentials. It had (Eddie’s favourite) body wash, bread, eggs, milk, cereal, etc. What you would normally have.

“Hmm. No?” You looked behind to see Eddie, flashing him a smile to which he returned. “It’s fine, Eddie. I want us both to eat and I don’t mind whatever you get.” “No matter how much money it cost”

Eddie mischievously grinned, his hands coming up to grab your hip so he could get past. “Alright I’ll be back, doll” He winked before running off to go get whatever. Leaving you to continue wandering around, looking all the shelves up and down.

♡ ♡ ♡

You hadn’t noticed that Eddie had snuck up behind you, scaring you so hard you didn’t notice the package that Eddie had thrown into the cart. “Jesus Christ, Eddie!” You whispered, nearly yelling at him as he stood there laughing.

“Sorry, doll. Didn’t mean to scare you” He came down lightly pressing a kiss on your cheek. Watching you turn around, “I think we better go now-“ You saw the tons of salt and vinegar chips that littered the cart, falling onto everything else. “You wanted dinner and I delivered” He said proudly, only to receive a playful punch to his arm.

“I can’t believe you, Eddie.” You turned away, not even wanting to look back at Eddie who was now getting closer to you. Caging you in between his arms before pushing the cart towards the self checkouts.

[thelemoncoffee]

i spent a stupid amount of time watching videos on walkable cities/towns and now not only do i wish i lived in one, but i'm also thinking of adapting my hc Kokichi hometown to be one.

imagine the two island towns having all sorts of bike and foot traffic frendly streets, minimal car traffic, pretty trees everywhere, the boardwalk being easy to access from across town without needing to drive as to not endanger yourself. they have good public transit like trollys and buses that are able to be on time due to lack of cars, tons of people of all ages riding bikes and walking everywhere when not using transit, no pungent oil smells.

it even works well with my idea of DICE's hangout habits. some members may be on the other side of town from DICE HQ, but it's not a nightmare to get there on foot or bike or skateboard. they have the DICE van but it's not totally needed and they only really use it to be loud anf flashy on purpose. it can be not street leagal cause they don't drive eveywhere and when they do drive they aren't going down fastpace roads with other cars everywhere around them.

i've got brainrot for a fucking city layout man, i wanna live there

[rosees3ray]

ty for the tag!

coke or pepsi? neither, I don't like soda/sparkling drinks

disney or dreamworks? dreamworks

coffee or tea? tea

books or movies? I can't choose

windows or mac? windows

dc or marvel? though I don't watch either, I'm gonna have to say marvel cause I love the spiderverse movies

xbox or playstation? xbox

dragon age or mass effect? idk what these are I'm sorry ;-;

night owl or early riser? night owl definitely

cards or chess? both

chocolate or vanilla? depends on what food it is and on my mood

vans or converse? converse

I can't spell this question and idk what these are sorry again

fluff or angst? usually fluff, depends on my mood tho also I don't read fics

beach or forest? forest, I'm scared of the sea

dogs or cats? can't choose

clear skies or rain? rain

cooking or eating out? idk

spicy or mild food? depends on my mood and how spicy it is, I don't like too spicy and I don't like foods with no taste

halloween/samhain or solistice/yule/christmas? bothhhh I'm an agnostic but I celebrate christmas more

would you rather be forever a bit cold or a bit hot? cold

what superpower? idk ;-;

animation or live action? it depends

paragon or renegade? idk what these are

baths or showers? both, but I kinda prefer showers

team cap or team iron man? idk these

fantasy or scifi? both

quotes? "What do you think, that ideas spread because they're good? No, they spread because people like them!" - Will Wood, BlackBoxWarrior / OKULTRA (I think that was the song name);

"Gay, straight, all around horny, what?" - Michael Holden, Solitaire by Alice Oseman (silly ik);

"C: Is he gay? I heard he's gay ; N: Well, I heard that he figure skates, so it's not entirely impossible" - Nick and Charlie, Solitaire by Alice Oseman;

"Maybe I am a cardboard box" - Tori Spring, Solitaire by Alice Oseman

youtube or netflix? both

hp or pjo? pjo

when do you feel accomplished? when I don't fail lmao

star wars or star trek? star wars

paperback or hardcover? hardcover

no literature or no music? I'd die

last person to make you laugh? my bsf

city or countryside? can't choose

fav chips? I don't like them

pants or dresses? pants

libraries or museums? both

character or plot driven? both

bookmarks or folding pages? bookmarks

dream job? don't have one

what gives you comfort?

what are you currently having brainrot levels of interest over? rn nothing and it's killing me

current fav song? meow (?) by ivusm

how many books have you read this year? a lot

fav scent? rain

fav season? autumn and winter

current read? język trolli by małgorzata musierowicz (polish book)

gold or silver? silver

are you more like nick or charlie? charlie, I kin him

fav fictional character? Michael Holden

have you ever dyed your hair? if so, what color? no, I haven't

my question - what's your favorite piece of clothing rn and why? those really comfy jeans with a shit ton of pockets I love them and there also pretty

@sleepy-vix @ray-of-midnight-storm @a-pessimistic-swiftie @irisisasleep @s0lit4ir3 @a-portal-to-nowhere @randomescapingwords @sad-trash-pigeon

RULES: answer all questions, add one question of your own, and tag as many people as there are questions

thank you @good-enemy for the tag <3

coke or pepsi: coke

disney or dreamworks: sorry but i prefer disney i could name maybe like two dreamworks movies off the top of my head

coffee or tea: tea because coffee tastes burnt

books or movies: books

windows or mac: windows

dc or marvel: unfortunately i am a marvel fan

x-box or playstation: i havent used either of these in years

dragon age or mass effect: what

night owl or early riser: night owl

cards or chess: cards

chocolate or vanilla: depends on the food but usually vanilla

vans or converse: docs

lavellan, trevelyan, cadash, or adaar: ⁉️

fluff or angst: angst. hurt that blorbo you know you want to

beach or forest: beach

dogs or cats: dogs by default because im allergic to cats

clear skies or rain: clear skies but like the kind of clear skies when its sunny with no clouds in the sky but its chilly out

cooking or eating out: depends on the food

spicy food or mild food: mild food bc im a picky eater and also white

halloween/samhain or solstice/yule/christmas: hanukkah

would you rather forever be a little too cold or a little too hot: a little too cold

if you could have a superpower what would it be: telekinesis but that might just be because im a jean grey girlie

animation or live action: live action

paragon or renegade: ⁉️

baths or showers: baths but unfortunately showers are more convenient

team cap or team iron man: i hate both of them

fantasy or sci-fi: anyone who knows me knows i am the biggest fantasy lover out there

do you have three or four favorite quotes, if so what are they: idk i have a lot but i couldnt name them off the top of my head

youtube or netflix: youtube

harry potter or percy jackson: percy jackson obviously. he'd also kick harry potter's ass but thats a whole other conversation

when do you feel accomplished: when i succeed

star wars or star trek: ive seen bits of star wars so that one

paperback books or hardcover books: hardcover books because they have built in bookmarks and also theyre pretty

live in a world without literature or music: nice try but no

who was the last person to make you laugh: i dont know probably my dad

city or countryside: city i love the city i am a big city person (i dont live in a big city)

favorite chips: baked lays

pants or dresses: pants

libraries or museums: museums we have no good libraries here

character driven stories or plot driven stories: oh thats hard. probably plot but i do love a good character driven story

bookmarks or folding pages: bookmarks

dream job: music therapist

what gives you comfort: my dog. also music

what are you currently having brain rot levels of interest over: the once upon a broken heart series by stephanie garber and also maisie peters's music

what is your current favorite song: coming of age by maisie peters

(added question) how many books have you read this year?

tagging @henwilsons @napollya @thegoosewitch and whoever else is interested

[themollyjay]

The Akashic Record and Quantum Physics

So, way back in the dark and dusty days of early 2016 I was working on a Novel which was tentatively titled ‘The Caster of Shadows’.  I got about a hundred thousand words in, and was just chugging along, turning out chapter after chapter when something happened and for various reasons, I stopped and put the manuscript aside.  The why and wherefore aren’t really all that important, though I suspect if anyone reads the novel and thinks about what happened back in March of 2016, they’ll be able to figure it out.  But what is important is that I never really let go of the idea behind the novel.

I knew the manuscript was a mess and needed a ton of work, and over the years, I dragged it out, and pecked away at bits and pieces of it.  I restructured the plot, rearranged the sequence of events, changed certain traits of certain characters, and at the end of the day, I had a mostly functional novel that just needed an ending.  Last week, after I finished revisions on The Master of Puppets and Transistor, I dug ‘The Caster of Shadows’ out, gave it the title, ‘The Inevitable Singularity’ which is more appropriate both thematically, and which is tied into the events in the book, and started doing a revision pass.

My first thought was, “Holy fuck, this is good.”  It’s not quite as personal a book as Transistor is, but there is a depth to the mythology and the world building I love, and a lot of that has to do with the way the book centers around an esoteric religious concept called ‘The Akashic Record’. The Akashic Record comes from a religion called Theosophy.  Theosophy itself, like much of Western esotericism, is filled with Hooey, nonsense and a splash of racism in the form of orientalism.

And yet…  The idea of the Akashic Record has captivated me for ages. The Akashic Record is a repository of all universal events, thoughts, words, emotions and intent ever to have occurred in the past, present, or future in terms of all entities and life forms. Or more simply put, the Akashic Record is the repository of all information in the universe.  Keep that word in mind.  Information. We’ll come back to it in a bit.

Now, some of you may know, I have an undergrad degree is physics with a specialization in astronomy. Yes, Molly was once a bouncing baby astrophysicist.  ‘What does that have to do with concepts from esoteric religions?’ you ask.  Keep your pants on.  I’m getting there.

See, in physics, there is this idea that information (I told you we’d come back to that word) can not be created or destroyed.  Now, it physics, information means quantum information.  Effectively, there is a permanent, indestructible record of quantum information.

See where this is going?

These ideas kind of came together for me in this sort of perfect storm as I was trying to figure out a system of space magic for my space wizards in this book series I wanted to write, and I ended up asking the question, “What if all of space time is fully quantized, and what if the Akashic Record is simply a record of every quantum state in the universe in all dimensions?”  Which leads to, “What if my space wizards can do space magic by reading and selectively editing the Akashic field?”

It’s a wonderfully fun idea. Different levels of power come from different levels of skill at reading or editing the field.  Different talents come from being better at editing the field in different ways.  Being able to see the future though, that’s where things get interesting, because Schrödinger shows up with his cat and the multiverse is laid out before you, filled with billions and billions of uncollapsed wave functions.  Suddenly, my book about space wizards and institutional abuse and systematic oppression became a book about space wizards and institutional abuse and systematic oppression and the nature of free will in a world where people can, and regularly do see the future with a fairly high degree of accuracy.  It became about respecting the choices of others, about making sacrifices for the greater good, ethics, the Trolly Problem, destiny, and all the way love can hurt you.

This one is a hell of a ride.  I just need to finish it.

[retphienix]

You know what people don't talk up enough about souls games?

Like the direct ones, Dark Souls, Demon's Souls, Bloodborne, Elden Ring- because even some of my all time favorites like Nioh 1 didn't really replicate this:

The fact that messages make the experience a pseudo coop game even if you never summon etc.

Like, seeing a bloodstain (this IS applicable to Nioh) can tell you about a danger (In Nioh it could help with illusory walls but that's tl;dr for this post).

But Messages themselves make it kind of like a community effort to figure out how to overcome each challenge.

I think there's a lot of merit in not reading them and going blind as hell, there's fun to be had in mashing into problems and going "OH MY GOD, this guy who's knocking me senseless is weak to fire, FINALLY I can win."

And I'll admit, I didn't really read too many in prior games, but in Elden Ring I'm indulging in reading a ton of them and the weird sense of community effort is just borderline incredible, and it's helped me with a ton of little things in the game that I maybe didn't "need" the help with, but still.

Like I remember back in Demon's or Dark 1, I forget which, I heard some people talking up the messages because it made it sort of like a community effort to solve the game- it's all minor and little, like notes left by previous adventurers, and I thought "Hah, that's neat, anyways ultra greatsword I beat the game"

But I'm playing Elden and it's just really clicking; THIS is a powerful tool in souls games and more souls-likes should consider it.

I don't think it's a one size fits all thing, I don't think every souls-like needs messages. But I think if you make a game dense enough and grand enough, the messages won't handhold the whole experience- they'll add to it, and sometimes they might expand what the player would experience by guiding them in a tough spot and that's neat too.

Anyways I'm just thinking aloud about how much the messages have added to my playthrough in small ways.

Like when I fell for the crystal cave trap on day 1 and found a bunch of messages expressing dread at their situation and some messages pointing toward the exit to help those poor souls along. That's SICK! I felt like not only did *I* fall for a trap, but the COMMUNITY fell for a trap and then those that figured it out were trying their best to help!

Or when I approached an unfamiliar fog door and a bunch of messages hinted at the damage type that'd help. I still had to do the fight myself and the advice was more useful since I had access to a good option with that damage type, but the advice was quintessential to me first trying that encounter with knowledge passed down in a note.

I just think the messages are neat.

They're funny, they're trolly, they're helpful, and I like them because it makes just playing a souls game solo feel like a community coop event.