#or whatever shows you think are well known that arent on this list

[smallmediumproblems]

Okay now I'm curious- I try to recommend fewer shows that I think are pretty well known these days, but I wonder if most of them are as well known as I think. Here's my list and my question, remember it's heard of not even necessarily listened to:

The Magnus Archives, The White Vault, Wooden Overcoats, The Bright Sessions, Welcome to Nightvale, The Black Tapes, Wolf 359, Video Palace, I Am In Eskew, Archive 81, Two Princes, Midnight Burger, Brimstone Valley Mall, Woe.Begone, Malevolent, Ars Paradoxica, Eos 10, King Falls AM, The Adventure Zone

[weeberry-v1b3z]

if the kids from South Park got stranded on the lotf island, how would things go down?

I SCREAMED AT THIS IDEA!!! /pos Okay no drawings yet bc im still thinking and crap ill reblog with drawings soon though hopefully but here’s my ideas rn! We just doing the south park boys

The drawings will just be reference to scenes in Lord of The Flies you can ignore my unnecessary ramble.

You can’t just combine two of my obsessions like that of course of going to yap allat 😢

Oh shit you’re actually going to read it? THANK YOU?!

One, it definitely would be different obviously because the kids all know each other and will are at the same age, don’t know if that matters, AND THEY ARENT INNOCENT AT ALL! I mean theyre still kids in ways but the group is more mature and logical bc of the shit trauma they eent through and savagery? specifically Cartman. They can hunt shit easily! “Fatbread” uh… Pirates..The main 4 and Craig also got stranded in the mountains in the ‘Peruvian Flute band’ episode (I don’t think that’s the name of the show but my memory is poopy) too and they survived just fine somehow “you’e always coming up with some stupid idea to do something and then it backfires and then you end up in some foreign country or outer space or something,” - Craig

Two im going to make the Tribes Stan’s group + butters and Craig’s gang since they already argue n shat. I also listed Tweek, Douglas, Kevin, Scott, Dogpoo, probably Ike too but I don’t know, and other dudes are there too but I don’t know what to make them do exactly

im just giving out the roles the lotf character symbolizes not rlly basing off personality much just so u get it

Cartman is obviously Roger just for murdering, maybe also Jack? That part is for his hunting skills.

Jack can be Craig since he’s already the leader of his group AND Clyde basing on how Clyde turned into the Dark Lord in The Stick of Truth

And then Ralph would be Stan.. he’s not a golden boy like Ralph (greasy ahh mothafking hair I see you Stan) but like Craig he’s already the leader of HIS group! Then for Piggy’s intelligence goes to Kyle and being the best companion to Stan/Ralph. Jimmy, Maurice for the sense of humor!

And hear me out with Kenny being Simon ok? “Going Native” bro literally saw the ghost of Elvis Presley OKAY SO HE HAS A CHANCE TO SEE LORD OF THE FLIES!???!?!?!!??? Also since he’s also pretty isolated sometimes from the group, yk how Matt and Trey tried killing Kenny off for good and how he almost was a side character. HE CAN HAVE HE’S MOMENTS! Plus killing him brutally by the boys with sticks is natural ANDNANDNANDNQNDNANNDNANDNANNDNANDNAND When Stan talks to Kyle about murdering Kenny (Ralph’s reaction to Simon’s death and Piggy’s denial) he whispers to Kyle, “oh my gosh we killed Kenny…” I mean Kenny is not really a Christ like figure BUT HE CRUCIFIED HIMSELF IN THE SHOW? Okay sorry I went off to a ramble there

I wanna say that the littluns, Phil and Percival, are Tweek and Butters for them believing in the Beast! I wanna say Butters can be Percival but I can never predict how Butters is going to react in eps, he’s a silly lil guy

South Park is a huge show so i’ll take criticism, BE NICE PLEASE, for any description that goes well with the canon characters.. like… idk how to explain ‘Craig wouldn’t be Jack bc he’s so nonchalant’ or something like that… “The kid’s don’t murder animals that easily” okay the hunting part is hard for me to explain in some of the kids

-okay time for some real rambling shit-

(I tried going as canon as I can and logical too, it’s been awhile since I watched south park okay?!) The kids get stranded in the island, they can literally go on a plane without supervision and well could have done some shit in whatever country and president they (and when I say they I mean mostly cartman) decided to offend so they shoot them down, theyre not normally supervised so freedom is normal to them. Since Stan’s group is more popular and known to the school they would try to lead the rest of the boys which annoy Craig’s gang. That’s where the separation of civilization conflict can happen... Craig’s gang can be the hunters and well Cartman fatass would join them too for the hunting. Cartman is definitely a hunter bc bro knows how to cook.

Oh my gosh my brain is done with this for now I SPENT 2 MAYBE 3 HOURS WRITING THIS SHIT DOWN BC MOST OF THE TIME I WAS EDITING AND RESEARCHING SOUTH PARK EPISODES THAT I COULD REMEMBER

They’re not british, they’re american and

Dude it’s fucking South Park whaddya think? HELL GOES DOWN!!!!

[zanguntsu]

attractiveness and morality - or how people think with their metaphorical dicks instead of their brains

people are fucking horny over the villain characters in bleach, i mean specifically the male ones because as we know the female villains are nonexistent lol. but it’s not hard to see how attractive the male characters are even though i just refuse to acknowledge men unless i have too.

however, there is an issue with how we perceive the characters based on how attractive they actually are, more along the lines of how people will excuse any offensive behavior based on physical attractiveness

the convicts oops i mean examples

there are a few examples i can name like popular male villains that people lose their shit over.

aizen is the big one, where despite the crimes he has committed, such as emotional manipulation, attempting to wipe out a whole town, murders, and hollowfying his colleagues and getting away with it. yet, he is sympathized, especially over Tousen who tends to be more villainized by the fandom or at least held in a less favorable regard.

Gin is in the same boat, with the emotional manipulation and general emotional harm inflicted on multiple people but is sympathizes because uwu he loves rangiku even though he did cause her harm, simply because he betrayed her and hurt her friends and colleagues.

Ulquiorra is another very notable one, since he also has that whole manipulation thing although not as blatant as aizen. he did kidnap a minor and abuse her (isolating her, threatens her and her friends, and it is used to control her/keep her in captivity).

Grimmjow is another example, and its especially notable because he’s just very very violent. And he never apologizes or feels remorse for it, despite generally terrorizing Ichigo and co.

Nn*itra is especially reprehensible, he is overtly sexist, as most of his violent acts are targeted at women and uh. actively saying he hates women. creepy (implied sexual) behavior towards a minor as well.

Szayel as well, he has no regard for his minions, and then theres whatever he did to nemu what the fuck that was so fucked what the fuck.

notably, these men are also wildly popular among the fandom. they will have the most fanart, most discussion, most fics i guess. 

why do horny fucks sympathize with them

people empathize with people they see as attractive, and i mean conventional attractiveness. note how none of this empathy extends to people who do not fall in the category as attractive (often pale side eyes) hunk/twink. does zommari get that attention? yammy? why are they not held to the same standard as say szayel/gin or grimmjow. yammy is also angry and prone to violence, much like grimmjow.

what sets them apart is that they are not deemed sexually attractive so therefore, their flaws become easier to ignore and they arent sympathized as much. of course, kubo probably did inadvertently create this problem, seeing as theres a discrepancy in creating a complex character. another example of this is the comparison between byakuya and omaeda. of course, they are obviously different characters, byakuya has more development and screentime. however they are similar in that they are wealthy, in high positions of power, and look down on people they deem inferior for a variety of reasons. byakuya, however, is conventionally attractive and also has screentime. that being said there is an underlying issue of fatphobia as well in reducing omaeda to a comic relief character.

people empathize with attractive people or at least favor them. “People more strongly desire to form or maintain bonds with physically attractive partners relative to unattractive partners—an attractiveness-based affiliation effect (Path B). In turn, through projection, attractive partners are perceived to possess attributes that are compatible with these goals, which largely center on their reciprocation of interest in establishing or maintaining close relationships (Path C).”  this is indicated by the halo effect, “the tendency for positive impressions of a person, company, brand or product in one area to positively influence one's opinion or feelings in other areas“ which also applies to beauty and how attractiveness impacts how one recognizes a person. for example, an attractive person will often be associated with positive traits such as compassion, intelligence, and other desirable traits. it could be things like how appearing well groomed heightens others perception of you, how you will appear responsible and capable.

and this does extend to the villains. aizen is viewed as a tragic villain who fights for injustice or something like that. gin is a tragic antihero i think that did everything for his true love tm. ulquiorra is a tragic villain who does not understand love. grimmjow is grimmjow. nn*itra is somehow tragic with an inferiority complex lmao take that fucking L bug boyyy loser. and szayel... exists. see how fanon interprets these characters despite none of them having any remorse for what they have done. the fandom leaps to provide a justification or rational for their actions no matter how abhorrent they are. yammy and zommari are still held as villains, yet they are not sympathized with in the slightest nor are beloved to that extent. compare the sexualization of these men and the amount of sympathy garnered from the fandom. 

why this matters

its no secret that in online spaces especially, offenders are romanticized or at least sympathized. take the true crime community for example, in which case male serial killers were romanticized despite the atrocities they have committed. and this is linked to the “bad boy” trope that is prevalent in romance novels, where a troubled or dangerous man seems like a desirable partner despite stalking their love interest among other crimes. of course, this also gets a bad rep from wattpad ya books and just ya books in general.

there are examples of this trope. i have vaguely alluded to edward from twilight. there is also the cause of that white guy from 50 shades of gray, which is most known for romanticizing abuse but the audience cannot help but be allured by his white guyness or something/ there is the netflix film “you” where a man stalks a women but it is seen as romantic and people find themselves attracted to joe despite his violence. literally this type of behavior:

there’s ted bundy film and how people raved about how hot he was despite him being an absolute monster and having real victims whos family have to live with the fact that people find their family member’s killer hot. it is this in its absolute extreme, where people are fully aware of their crimes but still find sympathy or attraction towards a criminal. in this case it is the gradual romanticization of violence that may creep up. i cannot assuredly claim that there is a strong correlation between finding villains attractive and romanticizing violence but there can be some indication of this.

and this view of how attractiveness can bleed into criminal court. of course, there are other factors such as gender, sexuality, age of judges and the inherent corruption within the legal system. here is a list of studies about this topic because christ i am not copy and pasting all of that go read it yourself.  but the main takeway is that in mock jurors and other public opinion, the more attractive defendants accused of crimes have less severe sentences or even less sentences (however this is not seen as frequently in judges). it shows that there is a level of sympathy, leniency, or more compassion towards attractive people. 

Conclusion

the point being made here is that attractiveness affects how one sees a person. yes, it is possible to find villains attractive, however the bias of physical attractiveness and actual character can potentially be dangerous if left unchecked. this is not exactly a call to action or a psa because a) i am fully aware that this fandom is horny to the point of brainrot and that it is incurable and b) this is just an analysis on behavior in the fandom. and i am aware that the studies are cishet in nature and are not indicative of the fandom as a whole seeing as there are a fair amount of lgbt people in this fandom. that being said, my point still stands.

[calpalirwin]

Alternate Love

Summary: Anon request- I wish you would write a fic where: talk about alternate affection, platonically/romantically. Or Someone who's gotten shit for being manipulative/cut throat to survive life. Teach people it's not bad. You can manipulate people to believe in themselves/out of anxieties. And. Maybe they arent verbal but they know x's fave color is green so they wear green arnd them to show they care. Some1 gave them a ring so they always wear it around them to show they appreciate gesture, tho its not the fave.🐍

A/N: Mini rant- I can’t even begin to put into words how close to home this request hit. Like I am not an overt touchy-feely love person. And for the longest time I always felt something was wrong with me because I wasn’t that way. But there are so many ways to love people, and as long as it’s consensual, love the way you love, whether it’s loud and in your face, or blink and you’ll miss it. And find someone who loves you that way, because fuck watering yourself down for anybody.

Content: Quieter forms of affection

Word Count: 1.2k

And away, and away we go!

__

“Fuck, dude. I dunno. I just feel nervous,” the man with striking blue eyes muttered into a phone, a soft chuckle escaping him as he passed a hand through blonde curls. 

“Well, that’s stupid,” the woman next to him scoffed into her drink. 

“Excuse me?” the man asked, quirking an eyebrow in her direction. “No, not you, man. I’ll call you back,” he spoke quickly into the phone. “It’s rude to eavesdrop you know.”

“Eavesdropping would imply I was listening to both sides of the conversation. I was just making an observation. For all you know, my observation could have been about… well, anything, really.”

“Well, the timing is a tad coincidental.”

“Well, if the shoe fits…”

“Why is it stupid for me to feel nervous?”

“Because if we allowed our nerves to control us, then we would never get anything done. Ergo, feeling nervous is stupid. Feel confident instead. Trust in yourself.”

“Okay, but why can’t you just say that instead of calling me stupid?”

“I didn’t call you stupid.”

“Calling my feelings stupid isn’t much better.”

“Got your attention though, didn’t it? And as I said before, I was just making an observation.”

“An observation we agreed was about me.”

“Did we?”

“Are you always this charming?” The man’s words dripped heavy with rhetoric and sarcasm.

The woman shrugged. “Your opinion of me doesn’t affect me. And if my opinion of you matters to you… well… that’s your problem.”

He leaned in with a dangerous smirk. “And what is your opinion of me?”

She met his look, her brown eyes full of dark trouble that made his heart race in his chest. “I don’t have an opinion of you.”

He titled his head back, hand clutching at his chest like he’d been wounded. “Ouch,” he chuckled.

She shrugged again. “World’s not always gonna be nice to you just because you look like you, pretty boy. Toughen up.”

“Name’s Luke, actually.”

“I don’t care.”

“Of course you don’t. Why would you?”

“I’m not holding you hostage, Luke. If you’re offended, you’re free to leave.”

“Maybe I don’t wanna leave. Maybe I like being offended by you.”

“Wow, you really do depend on your looks to seal the deal for you, don’t ya?”

Luke’s hands went up in surrender. “Alright, hint taken. Your need to comment on everything isn’t you flirting with me. Got it. Message received.”

“Good. Now you’re learning.”

“Must get lonely pushing people away like that.”

“Rather be alone than surrounded by fake people.”

“Ooo, now who thinks the observation’s about her?” Luke teased.

“Tad coincidental, no?”

“If the shoe fits…”

~~~

“Oh, that’s a cute shirt!” Crystal told her friend as they got ready.

“Thanks!” Victoria flashed a smile. “It’s Luke’s favorite.”

“Oh?” Crystal raised a skeptical eyebrow. “I thought you guys were just friends.”

“We are!” Victoria defended.

“Is that your favorite shirt, too?”

“I mean, I like it. But I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite.”

“Mhm…”

“Oh, whatever,” Victoria laughed as she slid a silver bracelet on her wrist.

“You don’t wear jewelry…” Crystal pointed out.

“Well I feel like wearing it tonight.”

“Didn’t Luke get you that for your birthday?”

“So? What of it?”

Crystal sighed deeply. “How long have I been your friend?”

“Like forever, which is why it was funny I never ran into Luke before I did.”

“Mhm… And in the what? Six months you’ve known him, you’re going out of your way to wear his favorite shirt and a bracelet he bought you? Even though you don’t like either because you never wear that shirt and you hate jewelry because you think it’s too flashy? But, you’re just friends with Luke?”

“You’re reading way too much into this.”

“Or you’re not reading enough into it.”

“Okay,” Victoria clicked her tongue. “Say I do like him. That doesn’t mean he likes me back. I damn near made him cry when I met him because he thought I called him stupid.”

“Okay, but you didn’t actually call him stupid. And he admitted he was flirting with you. Or trying to anyway.”

“Yeah. He tried, and I blew it, so he stopped.”

“Did he? I mean did any of your other friends get you a bracelet for your birthday?”

“No…”

“Well?”

“Okay, but why, Crys? Luke could easily have any woman on the face of the planet. Why would he want a bitch like me?”

“Hey, that’s my best friend you’re trash talking. You’re not a bitch, Tor. You just don’t play games because too many people have played games with you.”

“That may be true, but you have to admit it’s a little off-putting.”

“So what? You’re just gonna water yourself down for other people’s sake?”

“No. I shouldn’t have to.”

“Exactly. You shouldn’t have to.”

“Okay, and what does this have to do with Luke?”

“He clearly likes you if he got you a birthday gift even though you’re just friends. And you clearly like him back if you’re actually wearing it rather than letting it sit with all your other jewelry.”

“Okay, and what am I supposed to do? Go up and kiss him?”

“That’s certainly a good starting point.”

~~~

“Hey, ya made it!” Luke’s grin was wide, and his hug was warm as his arms wrapped around Victoria.

“I said I was coming, didn’t I?” she asked as she stepped out of his embrace.

“I meant that I’m glad you’re here. Shirt looks good on you. Is that the bracelet I got you?”

“Yeah.”

“Aw, you didn’t have to wear it. Crystal told me after the fact that jewelry’s not your thing. Wish she had told me before, so I could’ve bought you something you actually like, though...”

“I do like it.”

“You do?!” His blue eyes lit up with childlike excitement.

“Of course I do. You bought it for me when you didn’t have to.”

“It was your birthday. You deserved something nice.”

“That’s really sweet of you, Luke.”

“What are friends for, right?”

“Yeah. Friends. About that actually. Do you like me?”

Luke laughed. “What kind of question is that? Of course I like you, Tor.”

“Yeah I know. I mean- ugh. This is so stupid. Nevermind. Forget I said anything.”

“Whoa, hold on,” he said, his hand reaching to grab her arm as she started to move away. “If you brought it up, then it’s not stupid. So, c’mon. Talk to me, Tor.”

She stared up at him, her mind racing with trying to find the right words to say, or questions to ask. But when his tongue poked out to wet at his lips, her mind went blank as all she heard was Crystal telling her that a kiss would be a good place to start. And she hoped the other woman was right as she leaned up on her toes and closed the distance.

Luke chuckled, breaking the kiss, his thumb rubbing over where her lips had just been. “Yeah,” he nodded, his eyes sparkling pools of the softest blue. “Yeah, I like you that way. Didn’t think you felt the same.”

“I’m wearing this damn bracelet and shirt, aren’t I?”

“Ha! I knew you didn’t like the bracelet!”

“Yeah, well I’m pretty crazy about the boy who bought it, so it’s a small price to pay.”

“Pretty crazy, huh? That’s uh… a little different than just plain old like, isn’t it?”

“Oh, just shut up and kiss me.”

__

Tag List

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[blogtripcultr]

5 BEST LOCATIONS TO PROPOSE TO YOUR BETTER HALF

The proposal, one of the most beautiful and important moments in the life and relationship of a couple. So, to do it to show your commitment or a proposal to get married, whatever might be your reason, the proposal is a very important moment for both the partners. Well here is a list of the best places around the world to pop the question and please note that it is not necessary for the boy to do it, it could also be done by all of you lovely ladies out there.

Paris, France

Well, the City of Lights or as some like to call it the City of Love, Paris is truly magical. It is the city embodiment of romance and one of the best places to visit in France. It is that place wherein every corner you turn, every direction you look you can have your dream proposal there. If that was not enough, the language, that is pretty romantic too. A proposal filled with croissants, coffee and fresh flowers everywhere, how else would you think of your dream proposal to be. From in front of the Eiffel Tower to the courtyard of the Louvre, Paris is full of the picture-perfect spot to pop the question. The best season to visit Paris is during the summer and spring, but it is equally beautiful in the cold winter and fall months too. Our tip here would be to book a room at the Platz Athena or the Four Seasons Hotel, take him/her to the balcony, with the amazing view of the Eiffel Tower in the backdrop almost like it the silent proposal party to your anyway perfect proposal, preferably during the evening or the night time when the entire tower is lit up and get down on your knee with the beautiful velvet box in your hand. We tell you this is the end game.

Rome, Italy

From the french, we move on to the pasta, pizzas and the wine. Rome is truly a boiling pot of romance, fashion, and history. This sitting capital city of so many kingdoms and eras is the standing example of consistency and commitment to be beautiful and gorgeous for time everlasting. Italians are amazing when it comes to proclaiming your love for your loved ones, so what better place than to do it in their capital city. Take him/her for a lovely and sense numbing dinner of the amazing Italian cuisine, and then while walking back to your residence take a detour to the Trevi Fountain or the Spanish Steps, get down on your knee and take out the box.

New York, USA

Known to be an urban jungle full of people hustling all day every day, New York can be pretty romantic too. It can also be the place for you and your partner. Bustling with amazing fashion and cute vintage stores to elevate the mood, New York is a very good option to propose. The iconic Tiffany & Co store on the fifth avenue could be the ideal place to get that iconic princess cut rock from which by the way increases the chances of an affirmative answer 100%. Head over to Central Park, go on the Beau Bridge, which let us tell you is also the most photographed bridge in all of Central Park, so this could be the perfect spot for you, surrounded by greenery and water and the perfect city in all.

Lake of Love, Bruges, Belgium

Would you believe us if we said that Bruges is more romantic of a location than even Venice? Well, to your surprise it is. Being in Bruges is like being in Venice and Amsterdam at the same time, but a prettier backdrop. The entire city is made up of two prominent elements, long canals, and medium-sized, colorful and medieval-looking buildings. Arent in love already? It is perfect during the day but it is super romantic and peaceful by night, getting any clues yet? Well, this city is full of bridges, squares, and cute little parks, but if you and your partner are not the shy types then head over to the Lake of Love and the Bridge of Lovers to pop the question.

Cappadocia, Turkey

The first thoughts that come to mind when the mention of Cappadocia, Turkey comes up are hot air balloons and the rooftops to stare at them all day every day. What is also the most interesting and awe-inspiring sight of this place. If not on a hot air balloon, you could always pop the question while admiring the beautiful skies and the balloons going higher and higher in the sky. Mixed with the exquisite things this country is famous for like carpets and essences, it kind of gives a feeling from the life of Jasmine and Alladin.

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[saints-row-2]

film watch day 3: Venom

Venom is only tangentially a horror movie so it probably isnt really fair to include it in my “watch a horror movie every day for a month” list but there is absolutely nothing i could watch today that means as much as Venom does so its going to have to fly

i use this image specifically because it really represents the best bits of Venom. namely; Venom (Tom Hardy) bullies the life out of Eddie (Tom Hardy), while Eddie looks like hes dying of consumption. the rest of the film happens around them, sure, but none of the other actors can hold a candle to Tom Hardy, who storms through this movie doing whatever the fuck he wants and stealing the entire show so hard the film goes from being a dull 2003 style origin story to his own personal Little Shop of Horrors homage. 

Eddie Brock is an edgy tv reporter with his own news show dedicated to covering stories people DONT want to talk about, which i found pretty immediately sympathetic. anyway. he cant resist himself and tries to confront local Elon Musk rip-off Carlton Drake (Riz Ahmed) about the deaths in Drake’s human testing program related to his search for a cure for cancer. Eddie is promptly fired, and loses his girlfriend and apartment to boot. however, determined to find out the truth, Eddie breaks into Drake’s testing facility, and gets himself infected with the alien symbiote known as Venom. the film then completely loses its own mind. 

Venom’s plot is nonsense. it has at least one major recurring plot thread that goes absolutely nowhere and multiple smaller storylines that have no endings. the character arcs are often inexplicable. the post-climax ending scene happens with next to no explanation at all. the film feels like it had those 40 minutes of scenes Tom Hardy mentioned being cut ripped out. but i didnt particularly give a shit watching the movie and i dont particularly give a shit now.

Venom, as a film, wanted to be a scary edgy action-horror. Tom Hardy wanted to make a buddy cop comedy movie, and because hes the main character, thats what the movie is now. i really cant overstate how fucking good Tom Hardy is in this movie. hes incredibly charming, funny, and likeable, and his chemistry with himself is fantastic. as soon as Venom and Eddie Brock meet the film kicks off in a major way. 

maybe this is my own love of characters who are as you might say “off their shits” is giving me enormous bias but i found myself watching every scene Tom Hardy was in with a kind of rapturous glee. watching Eddie and Venom fight about biting off heads, freaking out in a public restaurant, squabble like children and do ridiculous motorcycle stunts was fucking delightful. 

the film is a mess. but its kind of fucking glorious as well and frankly if youve got an aching desire for a complex plot-driven thriller you can fuck off with that attitude. i watched Venom to see Tom Hardy completely wild out and had a fucking blast. theres a scene where Eddie Brock eats a live lobster. 

what helps the movie as well is how competent and likeable all the other actors are. i got the strong impression Riz Ahmed wasnt exactly deeply moved by his role as Stock Villain, but he fucking does his job well and gives some fun, bizarrely intense nihilistic nonsense speeches. Michelle Williams definitely wasnt given enough to do, but is sharp and funny as Ann. Reid Scott plays Ann’s boyfriend who would ostensibly be Eddie’s romantic rival in any other movie, but is actually a very nice, friendly dude, and i found the lack of romantic tension and bickering between Ann, Eddie and Dan (Scott) really refreshing; it helps keep the focus on Eddie and Venom instead of bogging the plot down in romantic drama. Eddie bounces around the film as a hot mess who cracks wise while needing help and again, was immensely sympathetic in his position as, as Venom says, “a loser”. 

as nuts as this probably sounds, i actually have huge hopes for a Venom 2; i think given a second time round seeing the successes of this movie, they could make a really competent weird buddy comedy with more direct focus on Eddie and Venom. still though, im enormously thankful that Tom Hardy apparently impromptu decided he was going to start remaking The Mask.

if you arent convinced that Venom is the movie for you, you probably arent capable of fun. not to overrate this movie, but if you didnt enjoy it, fuck you. thats all. 

COULD have been gayer. 

[elite-guard-hardygal]

Okay so I saw that you haven't gotten any asks about this so! I am here to fix it!! 😁 For the BNHA Asks, lemme say 3, 15, 19, and 21?? Sorry if that's a lot bestie!! Love you!!

BNHA Ask Key

Hey! Thank you so much for sending this to me, even though I took a long time to answer it - I just started rambling throughout most of these questions, so it took a little longer than it should have to answer ^-^’

Hope you enjoy my long-ass, rambling answers tho :P

3. Favourite Villain - Hmmmmm, that’s a good question…! I do love myself some good villains, and My Hero Academia has no shortage of them, but oddly enough, it’s rare that I think about who my favourite villain could be. And the second I started typing out that last sentence, the answer hit me:

Tomura Shigaraki.

Ah, it figures… My favourite protagonist is the main character and my favourite antagonist is the main villain. Geez, my choices for favourites sound so typical and boring ^-^’ Seriously though, I was rewatching the entirety of My Hero Academia up to season 3 recently, and I realized just how… interesting a villain Shigaraki is.

Shigaraki starts off immature and childish, reaching for a goal even he isn’t quite sure about, blowing up at the slightest setbacks. He’s threatening, but without a clear goal, he doesn’t come off as a threat. Just a man-child with murderous tendencies, taking whatever pleases him. Then he’s humbled (thank you Stain) and forced to consider his intentions, what it is he really wants. Then he reaches an epiphany (thank you Izuku) and finally figures out what his goal is…!

From then on, Shigaraki is more mature, more focused, able to make decisions without letting his emotions get the best of him. He proves himself to be a damn good strategist and psychological manipulator. He’s actually a threat now!

People, this is character development! For a villain! We’ve seen fledgling heroes learn what it means to be proper heroes - that’s basically the arc for every protagonist in My Hero Academia - but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a fledgling villain learn how to properly “villain.” It is fascinating. And that’s setting aside the fact that the guy clearly has a terribly tragic backstory! That’s setting aside the fact that he actually cares deeply for All For One, the man who is nurturing his villainous tendencies, acting as the wise sensei in Shigaraki’s “villain academia.”

That… got a little longer than I intended. TL;DR, Tomura Shigaraki is a fascinating villain and he is my favourite MHA villain.

15. Least Favourite Quirk - Oooh, that’s an interesting question. If I had been asked what my favourite quirk was, I would probably just list a bunch of quirks I personally found really cool…! Even the most underutilized quirks can become interesting if you really think about all the possible applications and techniques that can be used/must be used for it to be as ‘good’ as it is! If I really had to choose though, I might have to say Minoru Mineta’s Pop-Off.

It has nothing to do with the quirk itself really, or its utilization, cause it’s actually a very useful quirk that has been utilized well throughout the show. But, Mineta kind of annoys me, and so by association, his quirk annoys me. Makes me feel bad for the quirk, really.

19. What were your thoughts before watching the show? - I didn’t really have many thoughts before watching My Hero Academia. I guess you could say I didn’t expect much of it. The idea and premise seemed interesting, and I knew the English dub had some serious talent behind it, so its seemed worth checking out. I just didn’t have any expectations going into the first episode, and all I mentally asked was that I like the main character.

Cue the main character’s overall joy and enthusiasm, cue me actually crying not halfway through the first episode, and this show pretty much instantly stole my soul and hugged it in an inescapable grip.

21. What or who got you interested in giving it a try? - Oh this is a fun story…! Honestly, I probably would not have ever known about My Hero Academia (at least not for a good while) if I hadn’t first gotten into Danganronpa.

For a good while, Danganronpa was the only Japanese-originated series I truly loved, including the original games and the spin-off animes. After I finished the entire series though, I was kinda hungering for more content. I really liked the English voice actors in both the games and the anime, Bryce Papenbrook and Johnny Yong Bosch being my particular favourites, so I started looking for animes with dubs featuring either of them.

good lord im gonna be lambasted for saying that arent i

Alongside Bosch and Papenbrook, I also found myself extremely impressed by the work of one Justin Briner, who voiced both Ryota Mitarai and the Ultimate Imposter disguised as Ryota Mitarai in the Danganronpa 3 anime. Both characters successfully came off as their own person despite being voiced by the same guy.

also i was especially impressed with briners ability to believably have mitarai outright sobbing at the end of the series

So when I found out that Briner voiced the main character of this show called My Hero Academia, I was like, “Oh cool, I’ve heard him voice supporting characters in Danganronpa, I wonder what he would be liking voicing a main character…! The idea and premise seems interesting enough, anyway.”

And… Yeah. This show has a tight grip on my heart, and I am consistently impressed by the English voice work Briner and everyone else working on the English dub. Seriously, Briner’s Deku voice is the best and I’m certain I’ve talked about how amazed I am at Clifford Chapin’s performance as Katsuki Bakugo.

Heck, alongside becoming one of my most favourite shows ever of all time, this show revitalized my interest in voice acting! How bout that?

[actualbird]

hey, so, this is gonna sound like a weird question, but how did you get to be so well known for your writing? i've written a lot of bmc fanfic and i'd like to think i'm pretty good (i'm actually on your fic rec a couple times) but I feel like it's way harder for fanwriters to get noticed than fanartists. Do you have any advice on how to get word out about your fics? Thank you so much and have a great day!!

not weird at all and in fact ive gotten this question a lot (albeit in dms/private convos) i absolutely agree with you that fic writers have it tougher concerning getting noticed. it’s definitely not because the production of one is harder than the other, but it’s simply by virtue of creating content via a medium that takes longer to consume on social media platforms that are inherently fast paced. on that note, getting “well known” is a mixture of things you Can Control and things you Cant.

Can Control is based on what i guess we can call quality which youve got cuz if ive recced you then i LOVED whatever it is you wrote!!! and im a little bit of a picky reader kjfhkdsjf. but theres also the intricacies of making sure your fic has a good, enticing summary (ive grown quite fond of the “excerpt + actual fic summary line, possibly witty, possibly vague, you’ll have to read to find out” formula, since it works wonders in getting people to Click), well tagged, well titled, no author’s notes that go “sorry this is crap” (number one turn off is an author who apologizes for quality. if you dont believe in your work, how do you expect anybody else to? that isnt to say all writers should be sure of themselves, but def keep it out of the summary/notes. youre tryna sell yourself, so make it look Good). now that that’s done, make sure to post and promote your fics well. post it on ao3 at a time when people are most likely to be reading (ive assumed this to be in the general morning of the western hemisphere since ppl wake up to check ao3 like a daily newspaper), and make a post on tumblr too if youve got one. tag that post well and reblog that post a bunch of times too. stand on a table and yell at followers to read your fic. i did this sneaky thing where i’d link my other bmc fics in the endnotes of some chapters of forest, kinda like a netflix recommended page, but the only thing i was recommending was Me. perhaps slightly narcissistic but hey, if it works, it works. assuming youve already got all that down and good and your fics still arent getting noticed, this is where things unfortunately lapse into the realm of things you Cant Control.

you Cant really control stuff like what the audience wants. i got well known in bmc because the fic i was writing just so happened to coincide with the thing a lot of people wanted. they wanted boyfs and pining and i just so happened to be writing exactly that. there was a demand and i had supplied it. you Cant really control timing either, something i got super lucky with because i entered the fandom at its mid-early first surge. there wasnt that much fic yet but many people wanted to read, so people flock to whats there. economics or something. you Cant really control the amount of “well known-ness” you already had prior. i’d been writing fic for a long time and picked up a lot of followers bouncing around fandoms which def helped with my fics getting off the ground. you also Cant really control how your fics spiral after that. sometimes somebody else with a lot of followers will like it and rec it, sometimes that wont happen. my fics ended up getting fanart which i am so eternally grateful for and still stare at lovingly from time to time, and that also helped with promoting the fic further. but that was something out of my control. in short, i was pretty goddamn lucky

a lot of “getting noticed” is really not up to you at all, and it makes me really sad to see wonderful works and wonderful writers not getting the recognition i feel they deserve. it’s why i keep making ridiculously annotated fic rec lists and reblog fic posts of fic i enjoy. the only thing you can do as a writer is write what you want to the best of your ability and hope things go well. but for the fic readers, it really goes a long way to show your appreciation through reblogs, comments, bookmarks, and recs. come on guys, we do fuckloads of words for free. throw us a bone. 

anyway, i hope this….helps? this isnt advice so much as me shaking my fist at Circumstance, but i hope your fics get more attention and love. i also hope you have a nice day!!!

[bramblepaws]

i felt like writing my thoughts on the movie “Kin” down after i saw it today

be aware: i didn’t proofread this at all and it contains spoilers for the whole movie

The movie opens with a lot of interesting shots, actually — I was surprised and intrigued by the lingering focus on the mundane bits of Detroit. It moved to interspersed shots of a warehouse and alien noises, big flashes of clearly non-human-sourced lights. It showed a bit too much here, IMO — should’ve stuck with more mystery. The transition between that and moving to Eli’s daily life is choppy. It is established that Eli is a troublemaker, that he loves his dead mother very much, and that he does minor criminal work to make money (despite being fourteen) because his father doesn’t make enough to buy him a pair of shoes. He does this by wandering through abandoned warehouses and stealing wires.

The relationship between Eli and his father is clearly strained, but there isn’t much more to it than that. We are told, at some point, that the father is “hard on [him] because life is hard” which is the same bullshit excuse that many fathers have used before. We are also told, by the father, that he loves Eli — but we aren’t shown this. The dad just says some shit and has Eli do work, and barely spares him a loving, fatherly glance.

The third main character, Eli’s big brother, is introduced somewhere in here. Already I’ve forgotten his name, as I mentally referred to him as “that asshole” throughout the movie. He’ll be known as such from here on.

T-A has just gotten out of jail after six years, after some sort of armed robbery (this was picked up through little bits of dialogue throughout the first act, and it isn’t elaborated on any further, which is fine, but, you know). He’s established to owe some dangerous people $60k, which he does not have.

He tries to get the money from his dad, calls them “dangerous people” without elaborating on the fact that they WILL kill all three of them if he doesn’t pay up, and promptly gets kicked out.

Oh, by the way, Eli has found some crazy space gun in the warehouse we were shown earlier. There were some dead dudes in helmets, and one mostly dead dude in a helmet. Eli leaves (smart) the first time he encounters this scene, and then comes back after having some dream about the gun at 1 am with no backup (unsmart).

At some point, Dad finds out that Eli was taking wires from abandoned houses, yadda yadda bullshit reason they need to go to the dad’s office at 10 pm, he finds the dudes & T-A stealing from the office safe while Eli waits in the car.

For some reason this idiot father proceeds to confront the two armed robbers with a crowbar. He is, of course, shot. Eli manages to not hear this through the shitty apple earbuds that come with the phone. Don’t have that turned up too high, kid, you’ll damage your ears.

T-A tackles the main villain — oh, by the way, this dude is James Franco, it was wild seeing him play this weird gangster man  — and causes him to shoot evil-dude’s brother. T-A then runs out and peels away with Eli in the truck.

T-A gives his brother some bullshit about how there was a bad cement spill, and their dad is going to be working around the clock on cleaning it up, and would he like to go on a roadtrip to Idaho?

And Eli presents a token amount of suspicion and resistance, but goes along with it after some prodding. So the chase begins.

James Franco is pissed about his brother being dead, so he’s gonna follow them at some point. Eli and T-A are driving across the country and do all kinds of cool brotherly things, like pee outside and go to strip clubs. Did I mention that Eli is fourteen?

They meet up with some cool dancer at this strip club who expresses concern for, you know, a fucking fourteen-year-old being in a place like that. She also gets along with T-A as he showers her with the money he stole from his father’s safe, and gets very drunk and disorderly. He starts getting wailed on by the club owners when he gets too disorderly, and Eli has to come save his ass with the big space gun. He shoots it at something and everyone’s all scared or whatever. Stripper decides to help T-A out and drive off with them. The only reasoning for this that we have been given is that the club owner called her a bitch & T-A said “That’s no way to talk to women” or something like that.

They go shoot some hay bales. The aliens that own the gun are also chasing them.

T-A realizes that he left the bag with all of his money in the club. They go to a motel and the stripper bonds with Eli and then tells T-A they should rob the club to get the money back. They do this, using Eli and his space gun to intimidate everyone, and run off to Vegas.

T-A almost tells Eli that their dad is dead, stripper interrupts him, so he goes to gamble instead while she gets Eli some food. Eli sees on the news that his dad is dead & T-A is wanted for his murder. Also Eli is listed as a possible suspect? Instead of as someone who was probably kidnapped?? Despite the fact that he’s fourteen????? Though maybe that’s how it is in America when you’re black. Shit be bad.

Eli screams at T-A and then they get arrested. T-A is put in a jail cell and very poorly tries to explain to Eli. Then… the bad guys show up. To the police station. And shoot their way in. All … 5 or 6 of them. One of the shot officers gives Eli a key so he can go get his space gun. Which is… an interesting choice….

Eli gets his space gun as James Franco threatens T-A. Eli shoots a bunch of people and it’s nbd. James Franco disappears somewhere in here, the alien dudes approach on motorcycles despite being shown to teleport somehow earlier, and the FBI shows up to circle the police station.

Eli and T-A go into the lobby and put down their weapons so they arent shot by police, which is of course when James Franco shows up with a gun. Then the aliens burst in with a grenade that temporarily stops time.

And you know, everything has been kind of straightforward up to this point. There are way too many threads in here, but they can all be followed pretty well. There’s a kid and his issues with his family, and his brother’s a terrible person who dragged him into a mess. There are these criminals that’re after them. And then another thread, where the kid found a mysterious sci-fi gun and the owners of that are after him, trying to get it back. Pretty straightforward! Not amazingly well done, but done well enough to keep things interesting.

And then the two masked dudes step in, and open up their helmets. And one of them is Michael B Jordon. Oh shit, that’s a human, is what I was thinking. Good twist! Didn’t expect it! Are they from another planet? The future? Mind you, this is at the end of the movie, so there’s gonna be no time to explain shit. But maybe some mystery with the humans will happen and that’ll be interesting (though not good).

But then Michael B Jordon starts talking! And he gives an entire monologue about how Eli is actually one of their race, and that’s why he can shoot the gun but no-one else can, and there were people here to kill him but Michael B Jordon got em first, and Eli wasn’t supposed to find the gun, and Eli is too young but when the time comes he’ll be important in the war on this other planet that he’s from. Oh, also, Michael B Jordon is this dude’s brother. Thank you for the gun, we’re gonna kill James Franco, and now we’re leaving through an ice portal or something? Bye!

The other masked person is someone I’ve never seen or heard of, and she says like three words, so I’m not really sure why she’s there.

And then time starts up again, T-A is arrested and shipped off to jail, and Eli supposedly leaves with the stripper who popped back up.

So! That all just happened! What the fuck!

The first act? Clunky, very clunky, but not bad! Set up everything it needed to and set up who the characters where. Was overall interesting enough to get me invested (not in T-A, but in Eli). Second act was a little bit messier, but it was still trying to hold its own and push on through.

The emotional climax of the movie — wherein Eli discovers his dad is dead — was flat. Very flat. It was built up for a long time, and didn’t have the punch it needed to land well.

And the… second? Climax? Where the bad guys show up… was very odd. What criminal gang of 5 people storms a fully operating police station with no casualties on their end & no hesitation at all? What police react the way these guys all reacted???

The third act was a mess. It really highlighted how there was just too much going on in the story — these bad guys and the police and aliens and brother conflict — and then added even more to it! By the way Eli, you’re an alien and we’ll need you later.

There was no setup to this! And Michael B Jordon just listed this all in one paragraph and then bounced! What!!!!!

Overall, I would say it was an entertaining movie, but not a good one. It had interesting bits and pieces. I liked the concept of brother conflict solved through road-trips. But the execution was sloppy, and the movie had way too many other things going on for it to be considered a “good” plot. Why was it even necessary to have an alien subplot? Couldn’t the kid have found some sort of other weapon — perhaps some advanced military-grade tech that registers to the first person who touches it. Or it could’ve NOT had him be the one with a big gun, considering he was fourteen and his older brother was the criminal. It would’ve been much more heartwarming if the older brother had given up criminal activity because he wanted to connect with Eli — but there was the outside conflict of James Franco chasing the two of them that they had to solve.

[mangled-dreams]

A rumor spreads that Wilford and Jameson are dating (even tho they arent) How do the egos all react? (Bonus points if you add in Mark and Sean's reactions too.)

 Idon’t exactly do reacts, I make stories. It’s pretty similar, butif you’re looking for a list of names and their reaction I won’tbe providing that. What I will provide is a story about the scenario.

Coming to Terms

Voices hushed quickly around the officeinstantly. The eerie quiet unsettling even for Wilford, who isnotorious for being one of the most oblivious individuals in thewhole company—whether by choice or nature has yet to be discovered.It’s not abnormal for conversation to stop with Wilford walks inbut never to this extent.

Walking with an unsure speed Wilford calls theelevator, his eyes shifting from right to left in hopes ofunderstanding what is going on. No one utters a single word as hewaits. During the sullen silence he reflects on recent days, curiousto remember something—anything to explain the hushed quiet.

Nothing out of the ordinary comes to mind. Hebrandished a gun at visitors a few days ago because one commented onhis pistol. Dark had yelled at him otherwise nothing more became ofit because no one got hurt this time.  

As the doors slide closed the chatter quicklyexplodes. Pursing his lips Wilford drops his gaze to his travelcoffee cup and reflects more on the past week. Standing motionlessWilford arrives on his floor. He doesn’t move immediately thedecision helps give him insight to what is going on.

“Didyou hear that Wilford and Jameson are dating?” A female voice asksin a hushed tone. Wilford makes a face at the question.

“Iam?” He asks pursing his lips again; his mustache tickles his nosewith the action.

“No,are you sure? I can’t see Wilford being gay.” Another femalevoice responds.

“Davidin accounting said he saw the two on a date yesterday. He wasn’tvery close but he swears they kissed.”

Did we? Wilford wonders tapping his finger tohis bottom lip. He did go out for drinks with Jameson after a longhard day at work, but no, they did not kiss. Stepping out of theelevator after a few more seconds Wilford notices two females in workattire scurry off upon seeing him with bright red faces.

Walking to his office with even more confusionrunning in circles in his head Wilford pauses when he hears his namebeing call. “Hm?” Looking into Darks office he spots his“brothers” packed into the large space. He smiles goofily atthem. “What’s going on here?” He asks stepping into the office.

“Wilford,we have something to discuss with you.” Dark says the door closingbehind Wilford.

“Oh?”Looking around from face to face he’s not quite sure what thereason could be. He just arrived and his gun is still in Dark’ssafe. All his guns are along with his knives.

“Wilford,some rumors have been brought to my attention.” Dark continuesmotioning for Wilford to take a seat. He doesn’t. “I try to keepout of your personal life as much as possible while at work, however,there have been some… disturbances as of late regarding your afterhours activities.”

Rising a brow in question he looks from face toface. “I don’t get it? Why does it matter what I do? It’s notlike I’m murdering anyone.” Wilford responds.

“Bethat as it may, I must ask a few questions of you.” Dark informshim.

Googleplier and Bingiplier exchange looks bothat the ready to show the photo that has surfaced as of recently ofWilford and Jameson. Googleplier takes the opportunity to say,“Wilford, upon searching your name there has been a multitude ofphotos surfacing of you on—what appears to be a date with oneJameson Jackson, a very well known alter personality of SeanMcLoughlin, or rather JackSepticEye.” 

“Yes,Silent and I have gotten beers together.” Wilford confirms with anodd look on his face. He doesn’t understand why this is an issues.Dark gets drink with Anti on occasion. Man and Sean seem to get along a little better and have “guy” nights. Why can’t he hangout with someone likes to talk with?

It hits him then. Leaning forward he askscoyly, “Is this about Jameson and me dating?”

One by one each ego takes their turn lookingshocked, a few a little disturbed at the notion. “If you want to beblunt about it, yes, Wilford, this is about you dating Jameson.”Dark finally agrees. He never would have thought Wilford would datethe same sex, but that does not change his opinion of his long timefriend.

“Oh,I heard some girls talking about it at the elevator. What’s wrongwith two handsome, well adjusted men going out for a drink? I meanwhat is this work coming to?” Wilford asks waving his hands withexaggeration to his words.

“Areyou dating Jameson?” Dr. Iplier asks bluntly.

Ittakes a moment for Wilford to formulate a response but finally hesays, “No, Jameson and I have drinking nights. If you want to callit a date, I won’t stop you.”

Eyesshift around the room. Googleplier and Bingiplier exchange glancesand quickly upload a factual response to Wilford’s various socialmedia sites. They know it will not stop the rumors already in place.

Bimsteps forward making eye contact with Wilford. Bim puts on his bestshow host smile.“Wilford, we not think less of you–”

“NO!”Wilford bellows walking in a circle. He’s been a reporter for longenough to know if someone is trying to bamboozle him. Narrowing hiseyes at each face in turn he says, “My dear friends. It is not verygentlemen of you to interfere with the affairs of others unlessyou’re a journalist.”

Darkglares at Bim watching the host shrink back to his previous spot.Dark had requested that everyone hold their tongue when talking withWilford, wanting to create a space where Wilford would feelcomfortable and open if he were in a relationship with Jameson.

“Wilford,it appears that my requestwas not listened too, none the less, I wish to say that I support youin whatever relationship you choose to be apart of.” Dark saysstanding up his hands.

“Samehere.” King of Squirrels chimes in popping his head into Dark’soffice. Everyone knows King is not allowed in when he has the peanutbutter coating his face. Dark slams his hands on his table. A thickglob of peanut butter falls to the floor.

“KING!GET OUT WITH THAT! CLEAN YOUR FACE AND CLEAN THIS UP!” Dark demandsblue and red lights emitting from his body in a fit of rage. He’s hadenough of King dropping globs of peanut butter everywhere in theoffice.

Wideeyed King turn around and hurries off to clean his face. Very rarelydoes Dark get to this point and everyone knows better than to try andargue with him in they want to live. Out of self preservation Bimruns over to the glob with a handkerchief and cleans up the offendingsplotch on Dark’s otherwise clean floor.

Twitchinghis neck as the lights fad away, Dark adjusts suite, looking fromside to side—daring the others to question him, before looking toWilford. Of everyone Wilford is the least intimidated by his acts ofanger.

“Damien,I know you are trying to look out for me, but Jameson and I are verymuch just friends.” Wilford says in a moment of complete clarity.

Darknods his head. “If you say it, then I shall believe you.” Wilfordnods in agreement and the debate ends there.

Laterthat night Jameson and Wilford share a laugh about the whole thing.Apparently Jameson was confronted with a similar gathering at theSeptic household.

[emziley]

All of the even numbers!

P.s I hope this spaced out like I want it too because if not its going to be one hell of a read and I am sorry...2, Nicknames that didnt come from my actual name: Alma (because the woman in sister act who can’t hear 😂) er thers probably others I can’t think of right now…4, Longest my hair has ever been:Down to my butt. Never again.6,What is one (1) Item on bucket list: To meet all my long-distance frienfs in person8, Oldest pice of clothing I still wear:Umm I probably have socks from when I was a kid I still wear XD idk10, How grammatically correct are you when you text?:I typically text how I would actually talk out loud so not very…12, what foreign country would you like to visit and why? :Probably Ireland is first on my list because of how beautiful it is and how much of my family came from there 14, how old where you when you had your first kiss? 17 or 18 I think? I was a senior in highschool 16, have you ever hosted a wild party? Wild? No. 18, How many of your facebook friends to you actually hang out with?Like… 7 max not including family? 20, on a scale of 1-10 how much do you enjoy decorating for hollidays Uhh probably like an 8? I enjoy how they look but the effort of putting them up and taking them down I could do without lol 22, what is your go to starbucks drink?I have never had starbucks :/24, Dogs or Cats?Why choose?26, have you ever cooked a big family meal by yourself?Not really? I mean, If I make pasta it could feed a large family…. 28, Have you ever butt dialed anyone?Probably.30, How early do you start celebrating christmas?Right after thanks giving XD32, Are you fluent in more than one language? I wish I was tbh….maybe some day…34, Have you ever been on a successful diet?I feel like “successful” and “diet” arent words that can really be used together in a positive way.36, how good are you at communicating through facial expressions?Better than with words…38, Have you ever left a movie theater before the movie was over? Not that I can remember…40, Does your home have a fire place?We have a fernace and then a fake electric one in the living room42, If you could have one (1) super power what would it be and why?The power to manipulate probablility because you can have anything you want? Like whats the probably of me getting pizza tonight? Probablg like 40% but I could turn that 40% into 100% and definatly get pizza tonight.44, do you listen to religious music? Not typically, no.46, what is your ACT score?🙃48, On a scale of 1-10 how good of a driver would you consider yourself? Idk like a 5? I dont have my licents because im scared to drive but the times I did go out and drive I wasnt bad.50, How easily do you cry?VERY. You could look at me wrong and there will be tears. Or a puppy could do something cute and water works are on the way lol52, when you hang out with your closest friend what do you usually do? My closest friend is my partner so we’re usually cuddling or playing games or watching something on YouTube or Netflix54, Can you play any musical instraments? If so which ones?Yes! I can play the guitar, steel drums, and piano (albeit not well) , I can sing and honestly, would like to learn more instraments soon!56, What was the last CD you bought?Either X or ÷ by Ed Sheeran for my sister for christmas I think58, What day is your laundry day?Right now, Monday-Saturday, I dont typically have a specific day just as long as its not sunday, thats dads laundry day!60, How long have you known your best friend?4 or 5 years now?62, do you have any stickers on your laptop?Currently I don’t have my own laptop, but I use my moms and she has a message from my aunt tapped on it kind of like a sticker? It says “Teddy grams 3 points” from when they where doing weight watchers XD64, what is your favorite flavor ice cream?Mint chocolate chip!66, Star Treck or Star WarsI haven’t seen either tbh but I want to! 68, Have you ever acted in a play or musical?Yes! Anything goes, A mid-summer nights dream, 9 to 5, Mrs. McThing, and Tarzan! I still have A mid-summer nights dream on DVD lol I wish I could again…70, What is the shortest your hair has been?I think chin length? 72, Do you like to go fishing?My dad told me a horror story once about when he went fishing with his brother… I’ll spare you the details but I’m afraid to go…but I have before and I dont have the patients tbh I do love fish though!74, what was your favorite holoween costume and how old where you?I was the I think red M&M? Idk how old I was but probably between 4 and 876, How many pillows do you sleep with?Between 1 and 4. Depends if Im sharing.78, How many friends of the oposite gender do you have?I….Really dont know? I think half of them don’t even know their own gender tbh80, How long have you been at your current jobI currently dont have a job :/82, How flexible are you?Psyically not very, but im working on that!84, what is a phrase you say the most?“Why are you like this” is probably my favorite XD 86, Do you own any home made clothing?Some of my cosplays are home made, along with a prom dress! 88, Have you every given anyone CPR No, I know how to but I think in the situation I would panic and freeze and not even be able to…90, Discribe your sense of humor?Odd and all over the place. 92, What is your favorite cereal?Probably honey smacks! 94, Have you ever had a TV show theme song stuck in your head?I get a few stuck in my head from time to time, like Steven Universe or Gravity Falls and stuff 96, Do you believe in life on other planets?Yeah…. I mean bacteria and stuff is tecnically life? But there’s gotta be something outside our solar system too…98, what is your biggest fear?Dying alone or being abandoned….100, are you still friends with anyone from highschool?Yes.102, How patient are you?With other people? Very. With myself? Not really. With waiting for something to happen? Not at all. 104, Do you eat meat? Yeah, im picky about it though…106, Have you ever bought anything from the flea market? I don’t think so?108, Have you ever gotten a song stuck in your head that you dont like?Unfortunatly.110, Have you ever warn glasses?Yes! I did when I was young, went a few years without needing them and now wear them again.112, Are your birth parents still together?Yes.114, what is your favorite type of cookie?Peanut butter blossoms. The peanut butter ones with the Hershey kiss in the middle 😍116, How often do you smile when getting your picture taken? I usually smile I think? If im taking selfies I sometimes do a pouty face but…?118, what is your oldest memory?I have a very distinct memory of sitting in my crib with my legs hanging out the side. I don’t know why I remember THAT but I do120, How often do you snort when you laugh?I dont know? Not too often… but if you get me really laughing I will and it makes me laugh more. Right now I’ve just been laughing and coughing so~122, What is your favorite Disney song? Probably “How far I’ll go” from moana? Or like anything from mulan XD124, What is your Mayers-Briggs personality type? INFP-T 126, one (1) thing yoy wish people would stop posting on social media: Pictures and shit of animal abuse. I get the posts like “hey this is a shit thing to do” but do we really need photos or videos of it?…. and when reported to facebook you’re told it “doesn’t violate community guidelines” like bull fucking shit it doesnt. 128, do you prefer Credit Cards or cash?Cash, its easier for me to keep track of, and money gives me anxiety. 130, What is your astrological sign?I fall on a cusp birthday so I am technically both a Scorpio and Sagitarius. 132, Do you have any hidden talents?I don’t even have any visable talents…134, What gives yoy motivstion to do well in life?I dont know but whatever it is isn’t working.136, on a scale od 1-10 how much are you like your father?Looks: like 3, personality: 8ish 138, A moment when you where pleasently suprised?Probably when Tom actually said yes to dating me after 3 days of waiting. At that point I gave up hope at the words “I’ll have to think about it” so when they said yes it was just~ 😶140, what type of shoes do you wear the most?My penguin sneakers! Or my boots… either one lol142, Favorite song to sing in the shower?I have a whole playlist of songs just to sing… and my top 5 from that in no particular order is 1. Red flavor by red velvet 2. Evil by shinee, 3. Good bye by Taemin, 4, cotton candy by astro and 5, Nightmare by shinee. They’re all kpop so its kinda hard 😂144, Have you ever lived on a farm? I mean where my house is used to be a farm? We have barns and stuff. We also grow some fruits and vegetables and at one point had ducks? but I wouldn’t really say I lived on a farm… 146, what tv show or movie do you quote or make referances to the most? Probably steven universe? Idk148, Have you ever gotten stiches?No, and I probably wouldn’t be able yo handle if if I had to. 150, What is your favorite youtube channel?As embarrassing as it is to say to you~ it probably will always be artfulImpersonator 😶😶😶 152, on a scale of 1-10 how well do you work with others?Im going to say 5 because it REALLY depends who im working with. 154, Apple or PC?….uh they both have good qualities, I guess it depends what Im using it for, but I guess PC for casual use156, Have you ever seen a broadway play or musical? I seen Newsies and almost fell asleep…. not because it was a bad show or anything but because it was a school trip and I was just exhausted. 158, Have you ever uttered a spoke hashtag? #yes. Usually as jokes but uhhh sometimes I get carried away. 160, What is the longest you went without sleep? Probably 24 hours? Maybe less? 162, Disney or Nickelodeon? As I kid I was a Disney kid, but Now probably Nick?164, On a scale from 1-10 how much are you like your mom?Looks: 8 personality: maybe a 6?166, Ear bud or Ear muff style headphones?Ear muff style! Ear buds hurt my ears :(168, any peircings besides earlobe? Nah,170, Showers or baths?I like them both. For actually cleaning showers but for relaxing baths. Something about the warm water :)172, do you prefer bottled or tap water?Depends where I am? At my house Tap but most places bottled.174, Do you have any guilty pleasures you’d be comfortable talking about?Guilty pleasures? Pleanty. Comfortable talking about on a public forum such as tumblr? Not really XD…. I mean I guess liking one direction still is a guilty pleasure? Or some of the anime’s I watch? I’ll mention those ones176, Ever had a new years kiss exactly at midnight? No…. I found im usually grumpy on new years? I wonder why? 🤔178, Have you ever gave money to a homeless person? I dont think so :( I dont usually have that much on me… 180, What is your least favorite food? Anything slimey. Im a very texture based eater… 182, Do you like wearing hats? When im not wearing cat ears, yes!184, SAT score?🙃🙃186, anyone in your family currently serve in your countries military? I think my cousin, Yeah?…or he wants to or something im not sure…188, what celebrity would you like to play you in a movie about your life? Can I just play myself? 190, Have you ever dyed your hair? Yes, and it needs to be dyed again! Idk what color I want to do next though :/192, whats the first site you visit after opining a web browser? Depends what I went in the computer for but I guess generally Tumblr or Facebook 194, where you involved in any academic clubs in school? Unfortunatly, no. 196, are you comfortable watching R rated movies? Yeah, im fine with them.... unless im with my parents 😨198, what's the first thing you do when you wake up? Check my phone.200, tell us something most people don't know about youThat I have a collection of stuffed giraffes in my closet from when I was a kid. I no longer collect them but alot of them are still sitting in a bag in my closet because I've grown attached...

[axelsagewrites]

Jace Wayland*Ghost

The song is ghost by Halsey. I was listening to it and I thought of Jace so here you go.

Masterlist HERE

Wattpad HERE

Prompt list HERE

I'm searching for something that I can't reach...

I had always wanted to be with Jace. Ever since we were little kids I had a crush on him. The first time I had met him he had come to New York because his dad died. I got him to crack the first smile and I said that was my greatest accomplishment even though I forget how I made him smile. I would gush to Izzy about him when we were little. Now, however, things have gotten…weird. We hooked up sometimes but it's not romantic. I don’t have a problem with casual sex or anything but its Jace. I want to be his but right now its just physical. I suppose its better than nothing.

I don't like them innocent

Jace was fun, bold, interesting. He wasn’t some clean cut Idris kid and council wannabe. He did things no one would. I remember sneaking out of the institute with him, Izzy and Alec and it was always his idea. We would sneak out to arcades or the occasional mundane event. Most of the time it was just me and him though. I wanted bold and daring and Jace was just that.

I don't want no face fresh

He wasn’t one to shy away from any situation. He faced life head on and gained experience and knowledge. Even as a young kid he always seemed to look as if he’d done everything a thousand times before.

Want em wearing leather

One of the great perks of being a shadowhunter was the uniform in my opinion. Black is, first of all, an awesome and flattering colour but also it gave the excuse to see Jace in leather jackets. Call me cliché but the bad boy vibe is hot.

Begging, let me be your taste test

The first time anything happened between us I was fourteen and he was fifteen. We were casually talking in my room since Alec and Izzy had some family meeting. Somehow the topic of crushes and first kisses came up. “Let me guess, your first kiss was with that Jackson guy from Idris.” When I didn’t respond he continued to tease fourteen year old me. “Well, it's not like it isn't obvious he likes you. He followed you like a puppy when he was here! Didn’t you go on a date or something?” I still remember being embarrassed telling him. “Yeah, something like that. But uh, we didn’t kiss. I got a bit scared, to be honest.” “Scared?” He laughed. “Of a kiss?” “Shut up!” I pushed him and he put his hands up in surrender. “I've not kissed anyone before. We aren't all players Jace Wayland.” “Kissings easy. Once you get the hang of it.” “That’s the thing though, how am I going to get the hang of it if I haven't done it? Hell, I slammed my door shut when he went to kiss me, for angel's sake!” Normally I’d only talk to Izzy about that kind of stuff but Jace always had a way to get me to admit things I didn’t want to. “Come here then.” I was shocked, to say the least. “What?” “Kiss me. I’ll show you it's not scary. It's just a test.” I thought for a moment. Was I really about to kiss my crush? My dreams shattered when he continued. “It's not like it's your real first kiss if it's with me. It barely counts.” “I dunno…” I trailed off. “Scared?” He teased. I sighed aggressively. I wasn’t scared, I was angry. I was about to kiss my crush and he said it wouldn’t count. Fourteen years old me just wanted a kiss in some way or form so I just did it. “Fine.” Next thing I knew I was kissing Jace Wayland. It was a small kiss at first then it turned into more of a makeout. After just under a minute we pulled away. “See? Wasn’t scary at all.” “Whatever.” I rolled my eyes to conceal my smile.

I like the sad eyes, bad guys Mouth full of white lies Kiss me in the corridor But quick to tell me goodbye

Although that was the first time as we got older the ‘tests’ got more serious. It was after some downworlder party we had gone to after we finished a mission. We were both seventeen since my birthday was only a few days earlier, and drunk. I can barely remember it to be honest. All I knew was the next morning I woke up in my bed with a naked Jace beside me. It wasn’t the last time in full honesty. We did hook up sometimes but never it was never serious. We’ve been doing it for about a year at this point. Sometimes after missions, we would head back to our rooms but on the way, he’d pull me into some random corridor and we’d make out for a bit then go to bed like nothing happened. During this time of hookups and kisses, he would date other people. We weren't exclusive or even together but he still wasn’t as open with me about it. If I asked where he disappeared to the night before he would just say ‘I ran into someone’ but how many people can he run into. I didn’t complain though. We were friends with benefits and unfortunately nothing else.

You say that you're no good for me Cause I'm always tugging at your sleeve And I swear "I hate you" when you leave But I like it anyway...

Once I did get the courage to ask him about us. He told me we were better as friends. That he didn’t want to be tied down. I didn’t want to argue or ruin anything so I told him I felt the same. He told me he was no good for me because I’ll always be chasing him into danger. I told him it was annoying sometimes but in the end, we stayed the same.

My ghost Where'd you go? I can't find you in the body sleeping next to me My ghost Where'd you go? What happened to the soul that you used to be?

I feel like even when we do talk now he’s never fully there. His mind always seems to wander to somewhere else. Its like he’s a ghost, like his soul is gone. Yes, we went through hard times. We all did. Me, Izzy, Alec, Clary and him. He’d went from Jace Wayland to Lightwood to Morgenstern to Herondale within a year.

You're a "Rolling Stone", boy "Never sleep alone", boy "Got a million numbers And they're filling up your phone", boy I'm off the deep end, sleeping All night through the weekend Saying that I love him but I know I'm gonna leave him...

We were hooking up less and less and talking less and less. We were growing apart and it hurt. I was losing a friend and my heart was breaking at the same time. On the few occasions I talked to Izzy about it she asked me why I didn’t end it. Save me the pain. I always said I loved him but I know I have to end it. I've got no choice.

You say that you're no good for me Cause I'm always tugging at your sleeve And I swear I hate you when you leave But I like it anyway...

Even still I know I would follow him if he was running into the heart of the danger. I knew I’d always chase after him when he left. I hate it when he would leave but I liked him anyway.

My ghost Where'd you go? I can't find you in the body sleeping next to me My ghost Where'd you go? What happened to the soul that you used to be?

I'm searching for something that I can't reach

I'm looking for romance in a man who barely understands love. He doesn’t understand crushes and why I wouldn’t want everything to be physical. In truth, I put him on a pedestal. I've come to realise that. I want a romantic Jace but I know it won't happen. I just can't get over him. I even asked Alec how he did it. He said it was Magnus but I don’t have a Magnus. I don’t have anyone else who I’ve thought of in the same way I think of Jace. Sure I've had small crushes but none to overtake Jace.

My ghost Where'd you go? I can't find you in the body sleeping next to me My ghost Where'd you go? What happened to the soul that you used to be?

I need to end this and I am. I start to march down the hall to Jace’s room. I don’t even knock. I open the door and see him lying on the bed reading a book. “Hey, do you need something?” “We need to talk.” He put the book down and sat up. “Ok,” he spoke slowly. “about what exactly?” “Us, Jace. Us.” I began pacing. “We cant just hook up and never talk. Before we were at least friends. Now it's like your just an object. You don’t act like a friend, or like you care. All you do is use me. And don’t say you didn’t know I liked you. I know you knew. Otherwise I wouldn’t have given you my first kiss, otherwise, I wouldn’t follow you where ever you go. I wouldn’t have done half the shit I have for you. But I did. I stayed by you as everything unfolded. I was there for you when your whole life changed but at this point, you’re a ghost. Your body haunts this institute as if to remind us that you’re still here but you also arent at the same time. What happened Jace?” I stopped and looked at him though he didn’t meet my eyes. “Why are you a shell of who you used to be? Why don’t you want to talk to me? What did I do that made me so damn unappealing?!” He stayed in silence for a moment before answering me, looking me straight in the eye. “Because I don’t deserve you. We were so close when we were younger because I didn’t know you liked me back so I wanted to be your friend at least. And since I found out about Alec he told me. He told me to look for the signs from you too. Truth is I did like you. That’s why I convinced you to kiss me when we were younger. I distanced myself because I don’t understand it anymore in truth. I don’t know what I’ll be in a couple years. I might not even be Jace anymore and I didn’t want to drag you along into that.” We were silent for a few moments. “I did it because I care. I still do. But you deserve better.” “You’re damn right I do!” I said coldly. “It's not your choice on what I do or what I can handle. You don’t get to decide what I deserve. I do. So now I've decided I deserve to free myself of this idea of you. I'm not going to follow you into the heart of the danger because I don’t want to anymore.” I walked to the door as he put his head in his hands. “If you had told me this the first time we kissed,” I said without turning around. “then maybe you would've known who you were. Jace, you’re the boy I loved for way too long. The boy who is now a ghost.” It felt like a weight off of my shoulders. It was now all in the open so now only time can tell what will happen. But for the first time in years, I don’t care if Jace is involved.

[arplis]

Arplis - News: 38 Fun Things to Do in Tucson, Arizona

With incredible outdoor adventures, some of the best Mexican food in the U.S. (yes, seriously!), and a vibrant nightlife, Tucson may just be the perfect weekend getaway. Oh, and did we mention Tucson has wonderfully warm temperatures in the wintertime?! (Fellow Midwesterners, take note!)

The population of Tucson is just over half a million people, making it feel like a relatively small city. But dont be fooled there are an incredible amount of things to do in Tucson!

While there are many things to do in the city itself, the real draw of Tucson is what lies beyond. The Sonoran Desert which surrounds Tucson, is one of the only places in the world to see the iconic saguaro cactus, after all.

Were walking you through the very best things to do in Tucson, Arizona from epic outdoor adventures to foodie experiences to nightlife for all ages.

Our Experience in Tucson

Im going to be honest: Until recently, Tucson wasnt on my radar at all. Instead, I pictured the Grand Canyon and cities like Phoenix, Sedona and Scottsdale when I thought of Arizona.

So when my parents booked a 2-week Airbnb rental in Tucson to escape Minnesotas frigid winter clutches, I asked them, What is there to do in Tucson?

The timing was uncanny, because a week after my parents booked their trip, we were contacted by Visit Tucson (the tourism board) to work on a campaign with them. And all of a sudden, a city I hadnt ever thought much about took center stage in my mind.

When we started planning our trip to Tucson, I truly started to realize why my parents had booked 2 weeks there. As it turns out, theres a lot to do in this southwestern city!

This info-packed guide is full of top tips, where to stay, what foods to try , and everything else you need to know about planning an incredible trip to Tucson.

Contents:

Things to do in Tucson:

Outdoor Activities in Tucson

Food & Nightlife in Tucson

Art, Culture & History in Tucson

Planning your trip to Tucson:

Best Tucson Weekend Itinerary

Best time to visit Tucson

Where to stay in Tucson

How to Get Around Tucson

What to pack for Tucson

Tucson Map

Disclosure: This trip and article was sponsored by Visit Tucson. As always, all opinions are 100% honest and completely our own. Additionally, this article contains affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy for more information.

Outdoor Adventures in Tucson

If you like getting outside, youll find your bliss in Tucson because there are so many outdoor adventures to be had in the area surrounding this city.

1. Go horseback riding in the desert

I am going to embarrass Ben for a minute while I tell you something about him few people know: Hes afraid of horses.

Hes looking over my shoulder as I type this and saying, Im not afraid, I just think theyre smart and strong, and we should respect them.

Yeah, okay whatever, Ben.

But to his credit, he agreed to go horseback riding on our trip to Tucson. (Ive been asking him for the last couple of years, and he finally gave in.)

And you know what? When I asked Ben what his highlight was from our trip to Tucson, the first thing out of his mouth was, horseback riding!. So even if youre not an experienced rider, Bens reaction should give you some encouragement.

It was hands down one of my favorite experiences in Tucson too! We were able to see places we never would have without being saddled up on John Wayne and Mac (names of our horses).

Bobbi, the owner of Houstons Horseback Riding, led our group along the trail. We crossed rivers, ducked beneath low-hanging trees, and trotted past giant saguaro cacti with mountains looming in the distance. The landscape changed throughout the 2-hour journey, and the pace was slow and steady (great for those of us who arent experienced riders).

The views we got right up next to the saguaros on top of the horses was completely different than the perspective wed get walking on the trail with our own two feet. It was surreal.

And after chatting with Bobbi, its clear how much passion she has for this work. She has been working with horses for nearly her entire life and has passed on her admiration for these beautiful creatures to her children who help run the show as well. I mean, with about 30 horses to care for, the more hands the better.

So not only will you have an amazing experience with the horses, but youre supporting a family run business. Win-win!

Hours: Trail rides start at 9 a.m and 2:30 p.m.

Cost: $85 for a 2 hour walking ride

Book Your Horseback Ride Here!

Are you an experienced rider? If youre no stranger to horseback riding, you can book a private ride where your guide will adjust the speed to suit your experience level.

2. Visit Saguaro National Park

Saguaro are the huge cacti that adorn the Arizona license plate and serve as an icon of Southwest USA. And there is a National Park just 30 minutes from downtown Tucson that is dedicated to their existence.

Before we delve into the best things to do in Saguaro National Park, lets start with the basics pronunciation.

Say it with me: suh-waa-row

Now you wont embarrass yourselves like we did. (Youre welcome!)

And because I am fascinated by these cacti, Im gonna entertain you with some fun facts about the saguaro:

They can live to be 150 years old (some even are said to be 200 years old!).

They can grow up to 40-60 feet tall (12-18 meters).

They dont start growing arms until theyre around 70 years old.

They only grow in parts of the Sonoran Desert (a small area in Mexico, southern Arizona, and occasionally southeastern California.

They are expensive! Thats right, some people like to incorporate them into their landscaping, and the large ones can cost upwards of $10,000. The more arms it has, the more money it costs.

One foot of a saguaro weighs around 100 pounds!

We have a love affair with National Parks. Anyone else?! So it should come as no surprise that the first thing we plotted on our Tucson itinerary was a visit to Saguaro National Park.

And guess what?! It was our 20th US National Park! *cue champagne toast*

Saguaro is divided into two sections: one to the east and one to the west. In the middle lies the city of Tucson. Each side is a bit different. The west side of the park is more densely covered with saguaro, while the east side has more hiking trails and is more mountainous.

Try to see both sides if possible, but if youre short on time, visiting the west side of the park will be the best way to maximize your visit.

Best things to do in Saguaro National Park (with limited time):

West Side Saguaro National Park:

Drive around the 6-mile scenic Bajada Loop, and stop along the way at the spots listed below (plus any others that pique your interest):

Hugh Norris Trailhead: Hike up the trail for about 5-7 minutes and look west. Youll see tons of saguaro cacti and this spot would be wonderful for sunset.

Valley View Overlook Trail: 0.8-mile one-way (out and back) easy trail that is relatively flat. There are signs along the way pointing out the different types of plants and the final destination is a viewpoint over the vast valley below that is full of cacti.

Signal Hill Picnic Area: This short 0.3-mile hike up signal hill leads you to dozens of 800-year old petroglyphs that were created by the ancient Hohokam people.

East Side Saguaro National Park:

Drive along the Cactus Forest Drive Loop. It is an 8-mile self-drive loop that takes you to some of the major attractions in the east side of Saguaro National Park:

Mica View Trail: This relatively flat 2-mile return hike starts at a nice picnic area, goes through the cactus forest to East Broadway Blvd and back. You can also start the hike from E Broadway Blvd too.

Desert Ecology Trail: Paved 0.3-mile loop with signs to tell you more about desert plants. Great walk for kids.

Cactus Forest Trail: Splits the East Saguaro National Park from North to South. 5-mile return, mostly flat, but youll be surrounded with saguaro cacti the entire time.

Freeman Homestead Trail: Short 1-mile loop trail easy to do with kids. Youll walk by some of the biggest and oldest saguaros in the park.

Have more time in Saguaro National Park?

Douglas Spring Trailhead (East Side): This is a 16-mile out and back trail that is pretty flat for the first half and then switchbacks up the mountain until the top. About a quarter of the way on the trail, head to the left for 0.4 miles to see the Bridal Wreath Falls (dont expect a massive falls, but refreshing to see in the desert).

King Canyon Trail (West Side): The trailhead starts opposite of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, this 7.1-mile moderate trail winds its way up to Wasson Peak. Many reports say its tough on the way up and you should start early, but youll be rewarded with an amazing view of the saguaro cacti filled desert.

Hours: Visitor Centers are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. but the park is open to vehicles from sunrise to sunset.

Cost: weekly pass to Saguaro National Park is $25 per vehicle.

Insider tip: If you dont already have an America the Beautiful Pass, you might want to consider getting one before your trip to Tucson. It will not only cover your entrance to the National Park, but also to Sabino Canyon. Weve put together a guide thatll help you decide if the US National Park Pass is worth it for you.

3. Mountain Biking around Tucson

There are few things better than being outside, getting your heart pumping, and trying something totally new. And thats exactly what we did on our last morning in Tucson. We woke up before the sun, grabbed a breakfast burrito for fuel, and headed to a trailhead.

Tucson has some of the best places in Arizona if not the best for mountain biking. And whether youre a newbie to the sport (like us!) or a seasoned mountain biker, there are trails suited to all levels.

Important info about biking in Tucson:Here's the thing we wish we would have known before going mountain biking in Tucson... Some of the trails around the city are unsanctioned, meaningyou cannot legally ride on them without getting a permit. And the even sketchier thing is some mountain bike rental companies encourage riders to use these trails without first obtaining anArizonaState Trust Landpermit.

Even after quite a bit of sleuthing, we still can't figure out how a visitor to Tucson could actually purchase one of these permits (as the site to purchase them is broken). Moral of the story: When picking the trails you'll ride, be extra careful to choose only those that are sanctioned. Otherwise, you can be fined (and you're breaking the law).

Luckily, there are some reputable biking companies that follow the rules and encourage safe riding on trails that are open for the public to enjoy.

Our recommendation:Home Grown Mountain Bikingis a trusted company that offers rentals, shuttle services, and guided rides so you have an expert with you on the trails.Cost: Mountain bike rentals start at $120 per day. You'll find other package options as well as multi-day discounts.

Some popular mountain bike trails in Tucson (that don't require a permit):

Mount Lemmon:Lots of rugged terrain and temperatures that are significantly cooler than you'll find closer to the city, which makes for comfortable biking even in hotter months.

Catalina State Park, Oro Valley:Lots of beautiful trails, like the intermediate track "50 Year". Note: to enter Catalina State Park, you will need to pay $7 per vehicle.

Tucson Mountain Park:Here you'll find 50 miles of trails that are primarily beginner and intermediate levels.

Insider Tip:Download theTrailForks app to get a detailed look at the trail you plan to ride.

4. Explore Colossal Cave

Stalactites, stalagmites, and bat poo, oh my!

Ive had a fascination with caves since I was a child, so weve visited all different types of caves on our travels around the world. When we heard there was a cave in Tucson, we didnt need much convincing to squeeze a visit into our itinerary.

Located a short 15-minute drive southeast of Tucson, the Colossal Cave has a pretty interesting history. It was once used as a temporary shelter for the Hohokam people (the regions first inhabitants) as early as 900 AD. And later, this cave served as a hiding place for 19th-century outlaws who didnt want to be found.

To enter the Colossal Cave, you must book a guided tour. There are a handful of options to choose from:

Classic Cave Tour: Good introduction to the cave and suitable for all ages.

Length: 50-minute tour

Cost: Adults: $18, Children (5-12 yrs): $9, 4 and under: free

When: 8 tours a day, depart hourly from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tip: Reservations are encouraged

Ladder Tour: Navigate narrow passageways, climb ladders, and cross rickety bridges in seldom-seen parts of the cave system.

Length: 1.5-hour tour

Cost: $35 per person

When: 2 tours a day 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Tip: Reservations required

Wild Cave Tour: The most adventurous of tours offered, guides will take you to the most remote parts of the cave system. Participants must be fit and ready for a rugged good time! Described as absolutely down-and-dirty caving!

Length: 3.5-hour tour

Cost: $85 (reservations required)

Restrictions: 16 years old and older

When: 1 tour a day at 1 p.m.

Tip: There is an Intermediate option as well as Advanced ($125).

Our Opinion: Due to our limited time, the Classic Cave Tour was the one that best fit into our schedule. While it was a good introduction, it wasnt anything too different from what weve seen in other cave systems. We wished we had booked the Ladder or Wild Tour, as it would have been a bit more up our alley in terms of adventure!

Learn more about each tour and make your bookings here.

5. Sunset in the desert

Look up to the skies at dusk and youre in for an incredible show put on by Mother Nature. Seriously though, Tucson is known for having some epic sunsets, so plan to be somewhere special for at least one of the evenings during your trip.

Theres nothing like seeing the cacti start to glow as the sky takes on a pinkish hue.

Some top spots around Tucson for sunset:

Gates Pass

Saguaro National Park

A Mountain

JW Marriot

Tucson Mountain Park

Mount Lemmon scenic drive

6. Get a view over Tucson from A Hill (aka Sentinel Peak Park)

Look to the horizon and you shouldnt have a problem spotting A Hill, which, as the name implies, is adorned with a giant letter A made of rocks. This tribute to the University of Arizona is not only a town icon, but it marks one of the best spots to get a view over the city.

As long as the sky is clear, any time of day will grant you a sweeping view. Get an early morning start here and view the city beneath blue skies.

Or come for that golden hour glow and stay after the sun goes down to see the city lights begin to sparkle. Just know that after the sun sets, this is clearly a makeout spot, which is slightly awkward...

Alternative: Are you looking to get a workout in instead of taking the easy way and driving to the top? Pat yourself on the back, and then head to Tumamoc Hill. The trailhead is just a few minutes drive past the starting point of Sentinel Peak. This short but steep climb is a 3-mile round trip with a 700-foot elevation gain.

7. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

I hate to admit it, but unless it is truly something special like the Met in NYC or the Uffizi in Florence I dont always prioritize fitting museums into our travel plans. Honestly, Id rather be outside or eating which I suppose could be my life motto.

However, once we saw reviews for the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, we decided to squeeze it into our itinerary. I mean, its the top-rated Tucson attraction on TripAdvisor (earning 5 stars with more than 8,000 reviews!), so surely it has to be worthwhile, right?

Honestly, after checking it out, I would say it depends. I know thats annoying to hear when trying to plan your itinerary, but keep reading to see if it is an experience thatll float your boat.

First things first, dont think of this as a typical museum... It's more of a zoo blended with a botanical garden and a dash of museum thrown in there for fun.

Youll find a huge variety of exhibits and lots of information around the park. To really explore everything thoroughly, youll need at least 2 hours.

Here are some of the main exhibits:

Aquarium

Raptor Flights

Hummingbird Aviary

Cave & Earth Sciences Center (the cave is artificial but pretty convincing)

Botanical Garden

Indoor Play Area for kids

One major perk to visiting the museum is your entrance fee will help contribute to their ongoing conservation and research efforts. One of their primary missions is to understand, connect people to and protect the natural systems of the Sonoran Desert Region.

Considering that the Sonoran Desert region is home to one of the greatest varieties of plants and animals out of any desert in the world, you can see it is pretty important work.

Interested in hearing more? Check out their website to see their current conservation and research projects.

Our thoughts on the Desert Museum:

Our favorite parts were the cave and gemstone exhibits. We are big rock nerds, so this part was especially cool. Theres even a little piece of rock from the moon on display which Ben geeked out about!

We think this would be a fun activity with kids (though we arent experts on the whole subject of children just yet!).

Honestly, zoos usually arent our thing (but thats a topic for another time). So we werent all that fond of the animal exhibits at this museum.

There is a small pool with stingrays where people can pay a small fee to touch them. We personally try to avoid any animal attraction that encourages touching.

Summary: Overall, this attraction is very well put together with accessible paths, frequent water fountains and toilets, lots of informational signs, and activities for children. You can learn a lot here and spend quite a bit of time exploring it all. However, if youre short on time, going into Saguaro National Park and Sabino Canyon are going to be even more worth your while.

Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Cost: Adults - $21.95, Seniors (65+) - $19.95, Children (3-12) - $9.95, Children (under 3) - Free

8. Go hiking in Sabino Canyon

Sitting in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains, Sabino Canyon Recreation Center draws more than a million visitors annually. And for good reason: This place is absolutely stunning and packed with adventures for all types of travelers.

Encompassing two gorges: Sabino Canyon and Bear Canyon, you can choose to hike along paved or gravel paths, or you can save your legs some work and hop on a shuttle (for a fee).

Bear Canyon Shuttle: $6 adults, $4 ages 3-12; leaves every 30 minutes

Sabino Canyon Shuttle: $10 adults, $5 ages 3-12; leaves every 30 minutes

Seven Falls Hike

5 miles round trip

917 feet in elevation gain

If youre up for a challenging hike (thats well worth the effort), look no further than the Seven Falls Trail. You can hop on the Bear Canyon shuttle and get off at the last stop, which is at the trailhead. (Alternatively, you can skip the shuttle and hike the 2 miles to get to the trailhead.)

From here, its a 2.5-mile hike to the waterfalls that cascade over granite rocks to form pools that are perfect for taking a refreshing dip!

Important note: This trail requires some creek crossings, so be sure to check the conditions at the visitors center before attempting the hike. And be sure to carry plenty of water, as youll be hiking in some exposed areas and it can get very hot.

Cost: $8 per vehicle to enter Sabino Canyon

Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Good to know: If you have a National Park Pass, youll get into Sabino Canyon for free!

Planning your itinerary: Wed recommend combining a visit to Sabino Canyon and a drive up to Mount Lemmon (described below) on the same day since they are in the same relative area. If you plan to visit the DeGrazia Gallery as well (#19), you can tack it on the same day since its not far from Sabino Canyon.

9. Scenic drive to Mount Lemmon

When we started planning our trip to Tucson, at least three different people told us, You absolutely have to make the drive up to Mount Lemmon.

And were so happy we listened because it was one of the highlights of our trip. We only wish we had allotted more time to it.

This 40-mile drive snakes back and forth as it winds up through the mountains. There are viewpoints, pullouts, trailheads and campgrounds very frequently along the drive, so there are plenty of opportunities to stretch your legs and scope out the views.

Youll notice a drastic drop in temperature as you make your way up the mountain, and depending on the time of year, you may even start to see snow (a crazy sight when youre coming from the desert!).

At the very top of Mount Lemmon, sits the tiny town of Summerhaven, which is basically a handful of vacation homes and a few small stores. Satisfy your sweet tooth by sampling fudge at the General Store and ordering a cookie at the Mount Lemmon Cookie Cabin, and continue to drive to the Marshall Gulch Picnic Area where you can enjoy your sweet treats with some real food you packed!

Insider Tip: One of our friends messaged us and told us to go to the Cookie Cabin, for huge and delicious cookies. Sadly, we got the text too late. So if you have the chance, go to this mountaintop log cabin and order a giant cookie for us, please!

Another fun thing to see is the (tiny) Mount Lemmon Ski Valley before you begin your drive down the mountain.

How long does it take? The drive is roughly 42 miles from downtown Tucson and takes about 1 hour 20 minutes from bottom to top without stopping. Wed allot at least 3.5 - 4 hours for the drive up and down the mountain with a few stops along the way.

10. Explore Catalina State Park

Catalina State Park | Photo Credit: My Mom ;)

Sitting at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains, this state park is a haven for desert wildlife and is home to more than 5,000 saguaros.

Come to Catalina State Park put a few more miles on your hiking boots or to have a relaxing picnic surrounded by nature.

Hikes in Catalina State Park:

Romero Ruins Interpretive Trail: This short and easy loop is 0.6 miles and has just 68 feet in elevation gain, making it a good hike for most people. The trail brings you past some historic dwellings and archaeological sites that are marked with signs.

Romero Pools: This 4.9-mile out and back trail is rated as intermediate, and has a 1,047-foot elevation gain. Your efforts will be rewarded as the trail culminates at some beautiful pools.

Cost: $7 per vehicle

11. Drive through Tucson Mountain Park

Another park in Tucson? Yep, thats right!

You will pass through the Tucson Mountain Park on your drive to the west portion of Saguaro National Park. And actually the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and Old Tucson are both located within the parks boundaries.

There are no entry fees, and unless youre looking at your map, you might not even realize youre inside the park at all.

Insider Tip: Be sure to stop at the Gates Pass viewpoint for an epic look over the valley. It is especially beautiful during golden hour. There are a few nearby trailheads too, so youll have the chance to stretch your legs if needed.

12. Visit Kitts Observatory

Kitt's Observatory | Photo Credit: My Mom ;)

Are you as big of a space geek as Ben?! If so, a trip to Kitts Observatory might be right up your alley. You can visit during the day to learn about telescopes and all the work that goes on behind the scenes, or you can take a night time tour and see the stars. But be sure to check the weather before you book.

Also, if the weather is cold, be prepared with warmer clothes because it can get even colder up on the mountain. Bring a good pair of shoes too because there is quite a bit of walking in the tour.

13. Tour Biosphere 2

Biosphere 2 | Photo Credit: My Mom ;)

Could you live in a bubble for 2 years?! Thats what 8 scientists did back in 1991 when the Biosphere 2 was first introduced to the world. Their goal was to study how a mini-biosphere would work with as few outside variables as possible.

Today, you can visit Biosphere 2 and tour the different ecosystems which range from rainforest to the ocean to a model city. The guided tours take you through various stations and highlight the ongoing experiments happening in the Biosphere.

Inside Biosphere 2 | Photo Credit: My Mom ;)

Some tours are included with the General Admission fee, while other tours have an additional cost. Tours can take around 2 to 3 hours. Plus, getting to Biosphere 2 from the center of Tucson is roughly a 50-minute drive, so youll need to dedicate a good portion of a day to this excursion if you add it to your itinerary.

Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily

Cost: Adults: $21, Kids $14

Check the Biosphere 2 website for more details on times and prices.

Fun Fact: If this is Biosphere 2, where is Biosphere 1? Well, youre living on it right now (aka Earth!). Mind blown!

Food & Nightlife in Tucson

Foodies are in for a treat because Tucson is packed with incredible dining options, especially when it comes to Mexican cuisine. And night owls will have a long list of things to do at night, from sampling the best local craft beer to enjoying live music on the town.

14. Eat ALL the Mexican Food

One of the things we were most excited for on this trip was the food. Mexican food, to be precise. #allthetacos

Being that this city is just over 60 miles from the border of Mexico, it should come as no surprise that Tucson is known for having a killer Mexican food scene. In fact, Tucson is the first UNESCO City of Gastronomy in the United States!

Psst! If youre a foodie, youll love this intro to the Tucson culinary scene!

The worst part of the food in Tucson was that we couldnt eat it all. Well, that and the fact that our weekend in Tucson obliterated our meager attempt at doing the Whole30 in January. I mean, Im not going to go to a Mexican food Mecca and not eat as many tacos, tamales and guacamole as possible. Its against the laws of nature.

If youre still reading my food-crazed ramblings, youre probably wondering where you can find the best Mexican food in Tucson, and youre about to be rewarded, friend.

While you dont have to look far to find good Mexican food in Tucson, were sharing some top recommendations, from super authentic hole-in-the-wall spots to refined Mexican restaurants with an exceptional dining experience:

Los Tacos Apson: Tiny, unassuming shop with authentic fare and a generous salsa/topping bar. We ordered a handful of items but our favorites were the taco al pastor and taco hass (carne asada, queso, chili verde); and as we were leaving, a local recommended we try the taco rasuada (grilled ribs) next time! This is also a great spot to try a caramelo, Tucsons take on a quesadilla (cheese and lots of meat grilled between tortillas).

Bocas y Tequila: Popular spot, especially with the university crowd, it seems. The tacos were super tasty (albeit not very hot, but we were there at a super busy hour!). The elote (Mexican street corn) was also very good.

Cafe Poca Cosa: An upscale Mexican restaurant with a menu that changes daily.

Taco Fish: Come here for fresh ceviche and tacos de pescado (fish) or camarones (shrimp).

Penca: Contemporary Mexican fusion with a chic atmosphere.

Mi Nidito: Serving Tucson since 1952, this place is a local legend known for large portions, delicious food, and as a place Bill Clinton once ate.

Taqueria Pico De Gallo: Best known for its award-winning fish tacos, this is another local favorite for authentic (and cheap!) tacos.

Taqueria Porfis: While the menu is small, thats okay because what they do, they do well. And the item theyre most famous for is their potato taco, which is stuffed with carne seca, tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream, and you guessed it potatoes!

Rollies Mexican Patio: Known for their rolled tacos, this cute and colorful cafe makes a great lunch stop.

El Charro Cafe: Set inside a century-old home, this restaurant serves up large home-cooked meals in a charming, yet casual atmosphere.

Fun Fact: This is the nations oldest Mexican restaurant run continuously by the same family.

Street Taco and Beer Co.: Good for late night bites, street tacos, and tequila cocktails.

Insider Tip: We read that if you want to find really authentic, no-frills Mexican food, head to the neighborhoods south of 22nd Street. And 12th Ave, which runs north to south, has a dense concentration of amazing Mexican restaurants.

These streets are part of whats known as the Best 23 Miles of Mexican Food (aka a 23-square-mile area in the city thats known as the best Mexican food north of the border).

15. Try a Sonoran Dog

Im not usually one to order hot dogs, but when we learned that Sonoran Dogs are a must try specialty from this region, we had to give it a go. For research purposes.

And lets just say Im pretty happy I made the sacrifice in the name of work. And while Sonoran Dogs arent something I would eat on a regular basis, they are pretty damn good.

So what exactly is a Sonoran Dog, you ask? This tasty blend of American and Mexican cuisine is comprised of bacon-wrapped hot dog, topped with pinto beans, chopped tomatoes, onions, mayonnaise, mustard and jalapeo salsa, all stuffed into a soft, sweet Mexican bun called a bolillo.

Rumor has it that there are two rival Sonora dog establishments in Tucson that both claim to serve the best:

BK Carne Asada & Hot Dogs: Winner of a Sonoran Dog locally-judged blind taste test against El Guero Canelo, it is definitely worth a try. They also have a large menu of fantastic Mexican fare, some may say the best in Tucson.

El Gero Canelo: With 3 locations in Tucson, this is a Tucson must! We sampled the one on Oracle road, and it did not disappoint. The combo of sweet, spicy and savory is an explosion in your mouth. Youre gonna want more than one.

After a little research, we chose to try our first Sonoran Dog at El Gero Canelo. While we dont have anything to compare it to, it was pretty darn tasty! If you have the time (and room in your tummy!), try them both on your trip to Tucson to determine the winner!

16. Sample Vegan Mexican Fare

Most restaurants featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives are laden with grease, layers of cheese, deep-fried everything, and meat. Lots of meat.

But an exception to this is Tucsons beloved Tumerico, which was featured on this hit series in 2018. This local favorite serves up scratch-made Mexican dishes with a menu that changes daily.

While clearly very popular, the service was fast, the prices reasonable, and the food delicious.

Our recommendations: The menu is constantly changing so we cant give specific recommendations, but if there is a taco made with jackfruit, TRY IT. You will thank us! Also, the turmeric lemonade was seriously yummy.

Moral of the story: Even if you do eat meat, Tumerico is well worth a visit.

Good to know: Tumerico is closed on Mondays.

More vegetarian options in Tucson

While these are not Mexican restaurants, here are a few other good options for vegetarians/vegans visiting Tucson.

Charro Vida: While not fully veggie, this Mexican-Mediterranean fusion restaurant (located close to Tohono Chul #35) donates proceeds to local school gardens throughout the region in partnership with the University of Arizona. Just looking at their menu makes my mouth water...

The Tasteful Kitchen: A somewhat upscale restaurant that specializes in vegan, gluten-free and raw cuisine. And while youre there, be sure to check out the mural depicting Mother Earth on the side of their building.

Urban Fresh: Casual cafe with plant-based wraps, salads and soups.

Zinmans Food Shop: carry-out spot with a patio, serving an eclectic assortment of dishes with influences from around the world.

17. Grab a cup of Tucsons best coffee

My name is Katie, and Im a coffee addict. If you are too, youll definitely want to start your day at Exo. Praised as the best coffee in Tucson, Exo does it all, and they do it well.

If you want to switch up your order and get something a little more unique than your everyday latte, order a chiltepin cold brew, which is made with spicy peppers!

And if your tummys a grumblin pick up one of their super tasty breakfast sandwiches, breakky bowls, or to keep the Mexican food theme going, try their breakfast tacos!

18. Visit a Farmers Market

When you combine locally grown produce, artisans selling their creations, and food vendors all in one place, youve got yourself some farmers market bliss.

With a handful of farmers markets around the Tucson area, youll likely be able to squeeze one during your trip.

Here are 3 farmers markets that are closest to town, and are easy to work into your sightseeing schedule:

Rillito Park: Makes a good stop if youre headed up to Catalina State Park, Tohono Chul, or over to Sabino Canyon.

Oro Valley: Stop here on your way to Catalina State Park.

Rincon Valley: Make a stop here on your drive down to Colossal Cave.

We visited the market in Rincon Valley on our way to the Colossal Cave, and while not huge, it was a nice stop to browse some local artists work and nibble on kettle corn!

Hours: All the markets listed above have the same hours.

Winter Hours (Oct. - Mar.): Saturdays, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Summer Hours (Apr. - Sept.): Saturdays, 8 a.m -12 p.m.

These farmers markets are all put together by an organization called Heirloom Farmers Markets, and you can find more info here.

19. Go on a Food Tour

Im someone who gets serious FOMO when it comes to food.

When visiting a city thats known for its food scene, I feel like I should try everything, which is not exactly an ideal habit for my waistline or my wallet.

If you can relate (yay, Im not alone!), youll want to keep reading because I recently found the cure: Food Tours!

Food tours are a way for you to try a little of each (my favorite!). Plus, your guide usually brings you to local spots you wouldn't find on your own, and gives you insight to the citys history, culture and culinary scene.

So if youre interested in food especially Mexican food (Tucsons pride and joy!), you might want to consider adding a food tour into your itinerary.

There are two companies that run highly-rated food tours in Tucson:

Tucson Food Tours

Taste of Tucson

Weve taken food tours all around the world, and wish we had time to take one on our trip to Tucson. Guess weve gotta save something for our next trip, right?!

20. Hang out in Mercado San Agustin

This square just west of downtown has a collection of high-end boutiques, produce vendors, artisans and eateries surrounding a pretty courtyard. We were there on a rainy day (a rare occurrence in Tucson!), but with nice weather, this would be a prime spot to wander and grab a bite.

Insider Tip: We were told that Seis Kitchen is amazing, and La Estrella Bakery also looks really good. Try them out and let us know what you think!

21. Eat a flight of Ice Cream

Can I confess something? I have an ice cream problem.

Someone once told me, No matter how full you are, theres always room for ice cream because it can fit in all the cracks! And I think Ive taken those words a little too seriously over the years.

This is coming from someone who almost missed the last train of the day in a tiny Italian village because I *needed* to get gelato. And someone who has (successfully) completed more than one ice cream eating challenge.

So lets just say you should consider me something of an expert on the topic of ice cream.

When I heard about the ice cream flights (yes flights!) at The Screamery, I told Ben we had to make it part of our itinerary.

And when I found out it was right across the street from our hotel as well as another highly rated ice cream shop (Hub), I told him we better go to both. Ya know, in order to research as many flavors as possible.

The Screamery: Tons of unique flavors to choose from, reasonable prices, and the option to have a flight!

Flavors we loved: Sweet Cream Honeycomb and Rough at Sea

Hub: A little more expensive, less choices, and no ice cream flight option (dang it!). But still seriously good ice cream.

Flavors we loved: Queen Bee and Mexican Hot Chocolate

Overall, theyre both really good choices. I think the ice cream was pretty similar in quality, so choose the one that has flavors youre more excited about.

22. Sample the best Craft Beer in Tucson

While not exactly the level of craft beer scene youll find in Portland, Tucson has a decent amount of breweries in town.

If youre a purveyor of craft brews (were right there with ya!), here are a few breweries youll want to check out:

Dragoon Brewing Company: Open warehouse-style brewery with a great selection of all kinds of brews. We sampled a flight here, and it was our favorite beer of the breweries we visited in Tucson, but a bit outside the center of town.

Barrio Brewing Co.: Rustic-chic brewery close to downtown with happy hour specials.

Public Brewhouse: Tucked in a dark alleyway, they brew a mean Belgian Dubbel. Worth a stop if youre exploring 4th Ave. Seems to be a pretty new spot, and popular with locals.

Pueblo Vida: Small, hip spot downtown with lots of unique fruit-forward IPAs and complex malty dark pours.

Gentle Bens Brewing: We wanted to visit this brewery just because of the name! Well, that, and it looks like they have some good brews!

Crooked Tooth Brewing Co.: Highly rated brews with a typical brick wall interior. Flights come on a skateboard!

Borderlands Brewing Company: German Chocolate Cake Porter, need I say more Okay I will: female head brewmaster, daily food trucks, & massive murals on the wall.

Iron Johns Brewing Company: Fantastic micro-brewery with crazy concoctions in the heart of downtown.

23. Soak up some speakeasy vibes

Weve been on a speakeasy kick lately. And Ive gotta say, Tucson has a few great options if youre looking for handcrafted cocktails, and a mysterious, 1920s-esque atmosphere.

The Independent Distillery: Pre-prohibition style bar serving their own spirits and enticing cocktails.

Surly Wench Pub: Good for a couple of drinks in what they call an industrial goth bar. The vibe we got was new-age biker bar but apparently the burgers are good.

Club Congress: Throw on your shiniest flapper dress and striped suit and step back in time to this historic bar. Not only do they host the best 1920s themed parties, they have a jammed-pack event calendar including rock bands, cabarets, free yoga and stand-up comics.

Tough Luck Club: In the basement of Reilly Craft Pizza (an old funeral home!), youll find this cozy cocktail bar. Oh, and outside is a beer garden if you prefer a more casual vibe.

24. Tequila toast at JW Marriott

When in the Arizona desert it only seems right to have some tequila! And do you know what the best kind of tequila is?

FREE tequila!

Now that Ive got your attention, lets talk about how to get that free tequila, shall we?

The JW Marriott is in a stunning location that gives new meaning to the term desert oasis. But even if you dont have the budget to splurge on a $250-per-night room, you can enjoy unrivaled views and a free tequila toast at sundown.

Simply show up to Salud, the Marriotts on-site bar and restaurant, to take part in their nightly tradition of raising a (complementary) shot of tequila and share the legend behind the classic Mexican cheers, arriba, abajo, al central, en dentro.

And of course as soon as the story is over, everyone gathered there is invited to raise their glasses and make a toast as the sun sets. Tequila is passed around at 5:30 p.m., so be sure to arrive a bit earlier to get a seat by a firepit and enjoy the view.

And if you feel so inclined, try one of their specialty handcrafted cocktails or order your liquor straight up from their selection of more than 150 tequilas. Who knew there were so many tequilas?!

25. Mezcal Tasting

Tequila gets a lot of hype in the US; but in Mexico, people are all about the mezcal!

We learned a lot about mezcal during our travels in Oaxaca, and have been really interested in tequilas smokier cousin ever since.

Whether youre a mezcal connoisseur or youve never heard of the stuff until now, doing a mezcal tasting is a great way to learn more about Mexicos favorite spirit.

While theyre best known for coffee, each Thursday starting at 7 p.m., Exo Coffee hosts an hour-long mezcal tasting at their onsite bar.

While sipping on samples of several high quality mezcal (they have a collection of more than 150 mezcals!), proprietor Doug Smith walks guests through everything youve ever wanted to know about this liquor. This informational tasting costs $20 and reservations are not necessary.

And if Thursday doesnt work for you, tastings are also offered Wednesdays and Sundays between 6 - 9 p.m. for $25. For these tastings, you must make a reservation in advance.

If youre not interested in a full tasting, you can always come during their bar hours to enjoy beer, wine, or mezcal cocktails. They have a great happy hour from 6 - 8 p.m., where cocktails are just $5, and beer and wine are $1 off.

26. Get your giggle on at a comedy show

Weve realized that comedy clubs almost always guarantee a night of fun! Plus, its a great way to spend an evening in a new city, and most big(ish) towns around the world have at least one comedy club.

Tucson is no exception. There are a handful of comedy clubs, but it seems that Laffs gets the biggest national names in stand-up, so we decided it would be a good way to spend our Friday night.

We gave the address of Laffs to our Uber drive and had no idea what to expect, but when we pulled up to a strip mall on the outskirts of suburbia, we were a little surprised.

And when we walked inside, we soon realized this no-frills club was not going to win us over on atmosphere. So we crossed our fingers that at least the show would be good

Lets just say that we were clutching our stomachs from laughing so hard for the next 90 minutes!

Weve been to enough comedy shows to know its not as much about the atmosphere as it is about the people on stage. The comics themselves are what are going to make the experience belly-hurts-from-laughing-so-hard good or just alright.

Theres always the off-chance that youll hate the comedians style of humor (which has happened to us in a comedy club with a top-notch atmosphere!).

We were at Laffs on a night with great talent, and hopefully youll catch a great line-up as well! Our advice is to read up on the comedian who is performing to see if youll like their style, or just show up with an open mind and ready for a laugh!

And dont worry, you wont go hungry or thirsty. There is a long list of cocktails with quirky names, a small selection of beer, and a menu of pub food and snacks.

Laffs has a handful of shows each week:

Thursdays: 8 p.m. Open Mic, free show!

Friday: 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., doors open at 7 p.m.

Saturday: 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., doors open at 6 p.m.

Cost:

General Seating: $12.50

Preferred Seating: $17.50

You can pay in advance, or you can make a reservation but pay at the door.

Check out their schedule to see upcoming shows.

Psst! If youre into improv or are looking for a family-friendly comedy show, Unscrewed Theater might be more your scene.

27. Spend the evening at a Film Bar

Check Casa Film Bar's Facebook Page for New Showings

Looking for something fun and lowkey to do at night in Tucson? Oh, we have got just the idea for you!

Combine craft beer, food trucks and movies (three of our favorite things!), and youre in for a great time. Youll find this magical combo at Casa Film Bar, which is something of a local secret.

Essentially a bar inside a video rental store, come on a weekend night and youll be able to enjoy a movie showing with a craft brew (or wine or coffee).

They play films ranging from 90s classics, like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, to little-known indie films, to brand new Oscar nominees (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was playing while we were there, just 6 months after being released in theaters).

Casa Film Bar Schedule:

Films & rotating food trucks: Thursday, Fridays & Saturdays (check their Facebook page for showtimes and to see which food truck will be there).

Smartphone Trivia: Tuesdays from 7 - 9 p.m. (free to play & winners get prizes)

Food Truck only: Sundays 6 - 8 p.m., Pop's Hot Chicken is the Sunday evening staple

Not only will you be supporting one of the few standing video rental stores left, but youll be able to check out a local hot spot and have an all around good evening!

28. Live Music in Tucson

While Tucson certainly wont make the cut for top live music cities in the US, that doesnt mean you should give up hope on catching a performance. In fact, as we wandered around downtown and along 4th Ave, we heard more bands performing than we could count!

From hipster bars to honky tonks, and century-old theaters to swanky resort patios, youll have plenty of choices when it comes to choosing a spot to catch some tunes.

Here are some of the venues in Tucson that regularly host live music:

Thunder Canyon Brewery: Large brewery downtown that hosts live music.

La Cocina: This restaurant has a large menu and an even bigger patio, complete with cafe lights and live music on the weekends.

Club Congress: Its hard to beat the atmosphere youll find in Club Congress, though most acts that come through here require you buy a ticket in advance.

Ches Lounge: Yummy cocktails and beer with an outdoor patio and stage for music.

Exo Coffee: Not just a coffee shop, Exo also has a mezcal bar and hosts live music most weekend nights!

Hacienda Del Sols Terraza: If you prefer your live music with a side of class and a bottle of fine wine, the patio at Hacienda del Sol is a good place to catch some jazz or classical tunes as the sun sets.

29. Nightlife on 4th Ave

Being that this street sits directly between the university campus and downtown, it draws a young student crowd as well as a mix of young professionals and tourists. And lemme tell ya: It comes alive at night!

You can find all sorts of quirky bars, restaurants of all kinds, cafes with poetry readings, and shops selling everything from cowboy boots to hippy garb.

Walk down 4th Ave and pop into any establishment that strikes your fancy.

30. Brunch in Tucson

Need a pick-me-up after a big night out on 4th Ave? Lucky for you, Tucson has some amazing brunch options thatll get you feeling like yourself in no time!

Insider Tip: If youre looking for a kickass Bloody Mary to start your day, Elliotts on Congress is where youll want to go. Their infused vodkas make a great base for the drink, and if you like spicy, order the Habanero Bloody for a real wake up call!

And even if youre not hungover, who doesnt love a good brunch?

Seasonal fruit, eggs, flaky pastries fresh outta the oven, housemade jam youre speaking my language! Oh, and we cant forget about the mimosas and bloody Marys.

Tucson has a healthy variety of brunch spots that are sure to strike your fancy:

Prep and Pastry

Cup Cafe

Baja Cafe

Five Points Market

Cafe a La CArt

Art, Culture & History in Tucson

For lovers of all things art, history and culture, theres no shortage of ways to fill up your time in Tucson. Were sharing some of the top things to do if you want to delve into this citys history and art scene.

31. Hunt for Street Art!

Tucsons street art scene is off the hook!

Ermmm do people even say off the hook anymore? Im going to assume no, but still, you know what I mean.

Youll notice colorful murals covering the sides of buildings all over town. Depictions range from desert scenes, to whales and fish, to cultural references, to random but pretty paintings of birds

You really wont have to make much of an effort to spot murals around town, but if you want some direction, here are some of our personal favorite murals in Tucson (and their location pins):

Whale mural by Joe Pagac

Goddess of Agave

Greetings from Tucson Postcard

Girl in Barrio Viejo (Across the street from El Tiradito)

Girl by Charro del Rey

32. Visit Mission San Xavier del Bac

One of Tucsons most iconic buildings, the Mission San Xavier del Bac is a not only a historic landmark, but it also still operates as a church to this day. If you happen to visit on a Sunday, you might just see a church service taking place.

This building is a beautiful example of 18th-century architecture, and has been nicknamed the White Dove of the Desert. As you wander around the mission and church property, youll notice influences of Renaissance, Byzantine and Mexican architecture styles.

If youre interested in hearing about the churchs history, consider taking a guided tour. They are free to join and dont require making a reservation. Simply show up at the museum entrance to join in this 45-minute tour. Tours run quite frequently, but timing depends on the season. Check here for tour hours.

Feeling hungry? If you happen to be visiting Mission San Xavier del Bac on a weekend, keep your eyes peeled for food vendors from the Tohono Oodham Nation who often sell frybread tacos in the open-air market space just across from the mission.

Frybread is pretty much just what it sounds like, a dough (sort of similar in appearance to naan) that has been deep fried to golden deliciousness. This traditional Native American staple is then topped with different ingredients, either sweet or savory.

Weve tried frybread tacos once before, and theyre really tasty. Theyre not all that easy to find in most places, so do yourself a favor and try one while youre at the mission!

Mission San Xavier del Bac Hours:

Hours: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Cost: Free, donations welcome

Insider Tip: If you arrive in Tucson at a reasonable hour and arent too tired, wed recommend heading straight to Mission San Xavier from the airport, as its quite close (and a bit out of the way to come from downtown Tucson). Alternatively, you could stop for a quick visit before heading to the airport on your way out of Tucson.

33. Visit the historic Hotel Congress

It might seem strange that we have a hotel on our list of things to do, but hear us out...

Nestled right in the center of downtown, Hotel Congress is the stuff of local legends. Built just after the turn of the 20th century, it was here that John Dillinger, an infamous American gangster during the Great Depression era, was arrested and brought to jail.

Although he later escaped, Tucsonians take great pride in the fact that Dillinger, a prolific bank robber, was caught in their city. They are so proud, in fact, that there is an annual celebration and recreation of these events which takes place each year in mid-January (we were actually there for it!).

Hotel Congress still retains its quirky, colorful, historic charm. And walking into the lobby feels as if youve stepped back in time. Grab a drink at one of the many onsite bars, or catch a concert at Club Congress. And if you want to spend the night, the historic rooms are cozy, however, there is a caveat...

Our honest opinion: We stayed at Hotel Congress during our trip to Tucson, and while we would definitely recommend stopping in for a drink and checking it out, we would not advise staying here unless youre in Tucson to party.

They dont try to hide the fact that this hotel gets loud like really loud at night. There are even ear plugs in each room. Lets just say we did not sleep very well during our entire 3 nights in Tucson.

Interesting Fact: It is said that Hotel Congress is haunted! While were not ones to really believe these things, we did have a very weird experience where our closet door swung open suddenly. And at night, the 2nd floor where we were staying smelled like smoke from a fire. Spooky...

34.DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun

If youre an art buff, the DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun makes an interesting stop. This is a gallery dedicated to the works of one man: Ettore Ted DeGrazia.

Dont worry, I hadnt heard of him either; but DeGrazia is pretty well-known in Arizona.

So who is Ettore DeGrazia? Well, heres the short version:

DeGrazia was born into a family of Italian immigrants who lived in a mining camp in rural Arizona. Ettore later enrolled at the University of Arizona, and created a life around his passion: art.

In adulthood, he married (twice) and bought a 10-acre plot of land in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains which would become both his home and gallery.

His works were underappreciated for many years until his oil painting Los Nios was selected by UNICEF to be printed on a 1960 holiday card, which sold millions worldwide. DeGrazias fame spread during the next decade, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors to his gallery each year.

Visiting the Gallery in the Sun

A visit to the Gallery in the Sun will leave you in awe at the sheer amount of artwork DeGrazia created in his lifetime. The museum has a rotating collection of more than 15,000 DeGrazia originals! Anyone else wondering how he had enough hours in the day to make all of this?!

DeGrazia liked using all different mediums. Youll see oils, watercolors, sketches and even pottery on display. And another impressive fact is that the gallery was designed by DeGrazia himself.

When you visit the Gallery in the Sun, not only will you see DeGrazias artwork, but youll also be able to walk through his home and his private chapel, both of which are on the property.

Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., daily

Cost: $8 for adults, $5 for ages 12-18, children under 12 are free

35. Wander the gardens at Tohono Chul

Hailed as one of the countrys best botanical gardens by Travel + Leisure, Tohono Chul is popular with locals and visitors alike. Covering nearly 50 acres, this is said to be a place where nature, art, and culture connect.

But were not gonna gloss over the fact that when we visited in mid-January, there wasnt all that much to see due to the transition of seasons.

Wed imagine during other times of the year, there are more things to see. Weve heard March is particularly beautiful with the desert flowers starting to bloom. They also host occasional live music and other events throughout the year.

Our Opinion: Before planning your visit, wed do some research to see if it will be worthwhile during the season in which youre visiting. Perhaps between the months of March and May there would be more to see, as the desert flowers are in bloom during this time.

Hours: 8 a.m. - 5 .p.m.

Cost: Adults - $15, Children (5-12) - $6, Children under 5 - Free, Seniors (62+) - $13

36. Explore Barrio Viejo

Translating to old neighborhood, Barrio Viejo is just that: a section of Tucson that still has old charm. Sometimes called the real "soul" of Tucson, you can drive around and see colorful Spanish Colonial architecture and find authentic Mexican restaurants.

While some parts of the neighborhood are lively, there are other sections that have a run-down feeling.

We drove around Barrio Viejo for a while trying to find some of the beautiful, colorful adobe houses we had seen pictures of.

So to point you in the right direction (and minimize your time spent driving around in circles like we did!), here are some points of interest in Barrio Viejo (Note: please be respectful in this neighborhood because people do live here):

Colorful houses on S Meyer Ave and W Kennedy St (and further south on Meyer Ave until 22nd St)

El Tiradito Shrine (described below)

El Minuto Cafe: Mexican restaurant next to El Tiradito

The Coronet: brunch and late night food

Five Points Market & Restaurant: cute and lively brunch spot

Cafe Desta: popular Ethiopian restaurant

37. Visit El Tiradito Shrine

If youre exploring the Barrio Viejo neighborhood, make a quick visit to the El Tiradito Shrine. Stopping here only requires a few minutes and to the naked eye its nothing too special.

It is scattered with candles, flowers, and images of saints. But this is no ordinary shrine, folks. And once you know the legend behind this shrine, its kind of an interesting place to see.

Nicknamed the wishing shrine, El Tiradito is the USs only Catholic shrine dedicated to a.... wait for it SINNER! Scandalous, I know. But thats not even the crazy part.

Heres the short version of the legend of Juan Oliveras, the man who is buried beneath El Tiradito Shrine: Juan, a young ranch-hand, is married to his bosss daughter, but soon becomes infatuated with his mother-in-law (yep, you read that right), and makes a move. The two carry on an affair, which is eventually busted by the husband/father-in-law/boss. Ouch!

He gets so angry that he kills Juan right there before escaping to Mexico, where he is later murdered. The wife allegedly kills herself, and after all this horrifying drama and death, the daughter (who, by the way, we should mention is pregnant with Juans child) hangs herself as well.

It is said that Juan is buried beneath El Tiradito, a shrine that people visit for all different reasons. Some come out of sheer curiosity about the legend and others see it on a things to do in Tucson list, like this one!

But there is another group of people who come to this spot: Those who empathize with Juan and have similar love triangles in their own lives. It is said that if you write your wish on a piece of paper and have good intentions, it will come true.

Just behind the shrine is a crumbling brick wall, and if you look closely, youll see scraps of paper stuffed in the holes between bricks, many of which are wishes from past visitors.

This shrine was almost demolished when the city was building a new highway, but people in the community fought to preserve it. Perhaps they want to protect history, or maybe some people are protecting their wishes!

38. Step back in time at Old Tucson

Old Tucson | Photo Credit: My Mom ;)

Walk through what looks like a scene straight out of a John Wayne film, and watch as actors from the Wild West perform demonstrations and stunts.

Old Tucson is an amusement park of sorts, complete with a town hall, a saloon and a haunted mine, like all good Western desert towns have.

We didnt have enough time to visit Old Tucson during our weekend trip, and to be honest, it didnt really seem like our type of place. However, if youre looking for things to do in Tucson with kids, this could be a fun activity for a family.

Be sure to look up the schedule of events to time your visit right.

Cost: Adults: $21.95, Children (4-11): $10.95, Children under 4: Free

Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (times may change seasonally)

Best Tucson Weekend Itinerary

Are you overwhelmed with the massive list we just gave you?

Dont worry, were going to help you pare it down a bit. Below, weve listed some highlights you can choose from based on your travel style:

If you love the outdoors:

Visit Saguaro National Park

Hike to Seven Falls in Sabino Canyon

Drive up to Mount Lemmon and stop on the way for hikes and lookout points

Explore Romero Ruins in Catalina

If youre traveling with kids in Tucson:

Do the Classic Tour at Colossal Cave

Sonoran Desert Museum

Go horseback riding

Order an ice cream flight at The Screamery

Visit Old Tucson

If youre into food:

Eat a Sonoran Dog

Check out our list of top Mexican food and try as many as you can!

Have a leisurely brunch

Order an ice cream flight at The Screamery

Go on a Tucson food tour

Try a vegan Mexican meal at Tumerico

If youre an art & culture lover:

Check out the Degrazia Gallery in the Sun

Explore Barrio Viejo and visit El Tiradito Shrine

Visit Tohono Chul botanical gardens (if the time of year is right)

Spend an evening at Casa Film Bar

Visit the Tucson Museum of Art

If youre into nightlife:

Tequila toast at the JW Marriot at sunset

Go brewery hopping

Scope out some live music

Grab a drink at Hotel Congress

Head to 4th Ave after dark for a night on the town

Do a mezcal tasting

If youre on a budget:

Do the scenic drive to Mount Lemmon

Go on a scavenger hunt to find as much street art as you can!

Watch sunset at A Hill with a view over Tucson

Have a picnic lunch

If youre craving adventure:

Go mountain biking

Go horseback riding

Book the Ladder or Wild Cave Tour at Colossal Cave

Hike to Seven Falls in the Sabino Canyon

Best time to visit Tucson, Arizona

Tucson is a great destination year round, however it can get quite hot in the summertime (albeit a dry heat). June is the hottest month in Tucson, with average highs soaring to 103F (40C). Yikes!

For the most comfortable temperatures, plan your trip to Tucson between mid-September and mid-May.

Even during December (Tucsons coldest month), the average temperature hovers just above 50F (10C) and it rarely dips below freezing. This weather will feel downright balmy to anyone from the Midwest (peace out Polar Vortex!).

Being that Tucson is smack dab in the middle of the desert, there is little chance that rain will ruin your vacation (unless youre traveling during the monsoon season of July and August). We arrived in Tucson on a rare rainy day, but by the next morning, most of the puddles had evaporated and there wasnt a cloud to be seen!

Another thing to keep in mind about this desert city is that temperatures can drop drastically from midday to evening. Be sure to pack layers to keep warm during the nights.

When Do the Desert Flowers Bloom?

It depends on the plant, but the flowering season is from mid-February to mid-June, with the biggest blooms peaking from mid-March to late April. Each year is different depending on rainfall, freezing temperatures during the winter, and springtime weather during the growing season.

Where to Stay in Tucson

Most of the time when were visiting a city, we like staying downtown so we can walk places and be near all the major sights. But depending on your interests, Tucson is a place where wed actually say you dont need to stay in the city center. As you can see from reading our massive list of things to do, many of Tucson's major attractions are on the outskirts of the city.

Weve rounded up some recommended Tucson hotels and Airbnbs below, with a mix of locations in the city as well as some that are a literal desert oasis.

Hotels in Tucson, Arizona

JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort

In the foothills of Tucsons Mountain Park, sits the massive JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort. With easy access to Gates Pass and the Western Side of Saguaro National Park, this resort has a great location. It also has 3 golf courses, 4 restaurants (with a daily tequila toast!), and 3 outdoor pools, you can really enjoy your stay in Tucson.

Azure Gate B&B

Located in NE Tucson, this charming B&B is a quick drive to the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area or the East Side of Saguaro National Park. Included in each stay is daily ( breakfast, an onsite pool, and free parking.

Hotel McCoy - Art, Coffee, Beer, Wine

This modern hotel is perfect for a couple or a family who wants to stay a little bit outside of downtown. There are murals everywhere (check out the pictures!), an excellent staff, and a daily continental breakfast.

Hotel Congress

If youre looking to stay downtown, Hotel Congress has an unrivaled location. Add to that its historic charm, and you might be ready to book. However, we would be remiss if we didnt mention that this hotel is directly above a club, and it can get incredibly loud on weekend nights.

So loud, in fact, that the hotel provides guests with ear plugs. If that doesnt scare you away, then you might love staying at this historic property.

Airbnbs in Tucson

There are tons of amazing Airbnb options in Tucson. Overall, they are very reasonably priced, and some even have pools. Just take a look at some of the Airbnbs we hand-selected for you!

Insider Tip: Find out how we set our Airbnb filters to find the best properties anywhere in the world!

'Case Study' Guest House: Charming guest house and hosts. Youll have the entire place yourself with a full kitchen and a rain shower in the bathroom. Southeast of Downtown. Check Availability here.

Historic 4th Ave Herbie House: Beautiful studio apartment in the 4th Avenue Neighborhood. Close to bars, restaurants and the metro stops. Check Availability here.

Sonoran Desert Retreat: This inexpensive but lovely place is located in the Catalina Foothills close to shops and restaurants. This would be perfect for a couple looking to get away from the busyness of town. Check Availability here.

Self Check in Airbnb - Near I-10: This cheap Airbnb is located in the northern suburbs of Tucson and is great for a solo travel or a couple wanting to mountain bike the local tracks. Its a small, clean studio, but it has everything you need for a basic stay. Check Availability here.

Tucson Poet's Studio: This Santa Fe Style studio comes with a beehive corner fireplace and a small lounging outdoor pool. Its pretty close to central Tucson just a few blocks east of the university, so its a great location for exploring. Check Availability here.

Psst! Is it your first time using Airbnb? Follow this link and well give you $55 off Airbnb!

Getting Around Tucson

While Tucson itself is a relatively small city, youve probably noticed that most of the major attractions are outside the center. In order to be able to see the best things to do in Tucson, you really do need a car to get around.

Rental Car

If youre flying into Tucson, you can pick up your rental car at the airport. We usually reserve cars through RentalCars.com because we have used them before and they have the best deals for rental cars. When searching I found deals around $36 per day for a standard sedan, which is all you would need in Tucson.

However, this time, we tried reserving our rental car through our American Express Platinum card and we found the same cars for about $23 per day! This saved us about $40 over the 3 days we were visiting Tucson. Head to this article if you want to learn more about the travel credit cards we use to get free or discounted travel.

When driving in Tucson: Be aware that some areas have speed traps enforced by cameras, so keep an eye on your odometer.

Uber or Lyft

If you plan to have a few beverages out on the town, dont risk driving. Instead, order an Uber to get you where you need to go. Downtown Tucson is not that big so rides are pretty cheap.

Metro

In Tucson there is a Light Rail metro line called the SunLink that connects University of Arizona to the 4th Ave District to Downtown (Centro) and finally to the Mercado District including Mercado San Agustin.

For a single one-way fare it costs $1.75, but you can purchase a 1-Day SunGO ticket for $4.50 which is good for 24 hours.

What to pack for a trip to Tucson

Camelback (if you think youll be hiking a lot)

Daypack for hikes

Chacos or other hiking shoes that wont get too hot

Closed toe shoes (for horseback riding or mountain biking)

Layers (it gets cold at night and hot during the day)

Swim suit (if your hotel has a pool)

Sunscreen

Sunglasses

Reusables: Weve been kind of living in a bubble in Oregon where plastic bags are banned and many establishments encourage you to bring your own reusables, or provide a somewhat eco-friendly option (like wooden utensils and paper straws).

While many Tucson restaurants and accommodations, like Charro Vida, Boca Tacos y Tequila and Hotel Congress, offer eco-friendly options, there is still a lot of room for improvement when it comes to reducing unnecessary waste (just like many other cities around the U.S.).

We had our reusables packed (as we always do!) which helped a bit, but it was still a challenge.

Responsible Travel Tip: Pack your reusables (listed below), and eat inside restaurants as much as possible to avoid waste like styrofoam and plastic utensils.

Its difficult to avoid it altogether, but wed recommend bringing the following to help you reduce the waste you create:

Coffee tumbler

Utensil set (great for picnics!)

Reusable straws

Reusable bag (one that stuffs up like this is great!)

Water bottle

For more tips on how to reduce your waste while traveling, check out our article on 18 Simple Ways to Reduce Your Plastic Use Everyday.

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We want to hear from you!

Are you planning a trip to Tucson? What things are on the top of your list? Do you have any additional questions for us? Write to us in the comments below and well do our best to get back to you!

Arplis - News source https://arplis.com/blogs/news/38-fun-things-to-do-in-tucson-arizona

[sweetlifetownsville]

The Local Government Godzilla: Should The CCC Be Taking A Closer Look At The Money-Grubbing Activities Of The LGAQ?

But even if the CCC isnt bothered, you should be. The Magpie has a beak around to warn of actual or threatened raids on the ratepayers piggy banks with money-spinning schemes that really benefit no one but the LGAQ itself. Also, a look back down memory lane at solicitor Barry Taylors efforts to bring to Townsville a business urger who is now awaiting sentence next month for corruption connected to the Ipswich Council. And not unrelated, in a moment of clarity, The Magpie realises that this sorry episode was the catalyst for Taylors pathological hatred of the old bird, which continues to this day with a spiteful legal vendetta. The Pie will explain how it all fits. Some sobering statistics about the real Real Estate situation in Townsville, with some graphs the Bulletin is too coy to share with you. And for those who enjoy our now regular Trump gallery, A BONUS a few select pictorial comments on Britains Brexit fiasco. But first Even Buffoons Can Occasionally Be Funny (as The Magpie Knows) Theres been a lot of huffing, puffing and posturing about Clive Colonel Blimp Palmer during the week. First there was the hissy fit by some over Palmers text message saying if he gets back onto the parliamentary plush, he will move to ban such political texting as this.

The Magpie got one, and the old birds instant reaction? Roaring laughter. Lets give Ol Lardarse a couple of brownie points the text is one of the funniest, and surely intentional, jokes of the current election campaign. Unsurprisingly, there was instant babble about hypocrisy which came thick and fast from the pompous chatterati navel gazers, but the Pie will take his laughs where he can get them, and salutes whoever thought up this one for Palmers doomed campaign (possibly someone called S. Sokolova, who authorised the text for the UAP). In fact, doomed causes seem to be a recurring theme this week for Clive, who announced he was giving a dinner dance for a select few Towns-villains to celebrate Titanic ll the return of the legend. Sad when someone has to promise free food and booze to get them to just turn up. And the general feeling is whatever sort of guest selection process that was bubbling around behind the Palmer brow, if you didnt get an invite, then you were not considered of merit or value to Clive.

But when it became known amongst our movers and shakers who was in and who was out, it was a matter of do we laugh or cry was it a hot ticket, or a hot potato ticket, to be dropped immediately? Being favoured by Palmer is something many would like to be quiet about, but then, neither is being left out of a fabulous free food fight, ones ego can be buffeted by such neglect. Many would have loved an invite if for no other reason it have the unlikely option to RSVP sod off. But Bentley for one believes it will a unique experience, with special attire for dancers.

The highlight of the night for Clive will be when the adoring and grateful throng gather around him to sing what he will think is a fitting tribute to him, a rousing rendition of the Titanic hymn, Nearer My God To Thee. What Starts Out As A Good Idea Doesnt Always End Up That Way.

The Local Government Association of Queensland has been around since 1896, and for the most part, has been a valuable and necessary lobby group for all Queensland councils. Councils pay an annual fee to belong to the LGAQ (Townsville pays around $250K annually), membership is voluntary but all 77 Queensland councils are members. In total, they pay $35million annually in membership fees. The smaller outfits get value from matters such as insurance deals and other areas where the Associations clout can be brought to bear. But about 10 years ago, under the leadership of former Townsville council executive and now the Association CEO Greg Hallam, it was decided that there were more lucrative fields in which the Associations leverage with such a captive (albeit voluntary) membership could be used to build a significant commercial operation. Put simply, the organisation decided to become commercial entrepreneurs.

LGAQ CEO Greg Hallam And boy, did they ever. Figures for 2016 show there was a massive bump in revenues, jumping from $46m to $73m, a goodly chunk of this coming from their commercial procurement arm Local Buy (that includes the $35m membership revenue). In simple terms, Local Buy has screened and listed (for a fee) various businesses from across the state, all of whom can then by-pass the tender process and submit direct quotes for contracts to any of the 77 council members. On the face of it, this saves councils money in avoiding the costly procurement work of tendering and so on. But it also sounds like an invitation to corruption on a grand scale. The Pie has no evidence of or suggesting there is, such activity, but looking at the process, there doesnt seem to be a foolproof safeguard against some expensive jiggery-pokery if someone wanted a new spinnaker for the yacht. But does it save councils money? Local Buy is anything but since it opens up work to the whole of Queensland, often bypassing truly local businesses in the highly selective process which requires a fee for ticking the right boxes (literally, apparently). Local Buy takes a cut of the contract amount of the winning quote usually 10% but The Pie is told sometimes more. Of course, since this is all above board and known, what do the quoters do? They of course factor the 10% in and add it on to their quote, in many cases wiping out any significant savings for the council involved, as well in some instances, as denying many a rate paying, money-spending locals a job . This has caused a great deal of angst here in Townsville, whose mayor is a $32K plus a year LGAQ director, and whose sidekick (now on what seems permanent leave), Stephen The Screaming Midget Beckett, is reported to have had loud abusive outbursts with local business people who have complained about the situation. And to what end is all this? Theres a great deal of money flowing into the coffers of the Association, and they arent shy of shouting themselves lavish overseas jollies disguised as work studies. Why does a lobby group want to be so entreprenurial? Do they want to reduce council membership to zero on the user pays basis (yeah, right), or some witty cynic might suggest, as a lobby group, for a bribery pool? (Just a joke, Mr Hallam, put down the phone.) But there is a more troubling aspect to this arrangement, apart from freezing out local contractors and permanent local workers rather than special workforce brought in for a set amount of time before disappearing back wherever they came from.

If you care about strong local voice in Townsvilles affairs, it would well to be wary of a crowd called Propel Partnerships, who appear to be getting into bed with the LGAQ. Propels buzz-word blurbs try to disguise their activities by describing themselves as a shared services company and pepper their media releases with such euphemisms as fully integrated customer services; Propel Partnerships is simply a profit-driven, out-sourcing business. Current (or possibly former by now) chairman Jim Soorley, that old Labor stager from way back in Brissy, had his mate Carl Wulff, the then CEO of Liverpool Council in Sydney (now awaiting sentence in chokey for bribery in the Ipswich scandal) enter into an agreement that has ended up with the NSW Crime and Corruption Commission. This sort of thing can cost local jobs and introduce a totally remote, sometimes hostile letter-of-the-law approach to dealings with staff and with the local community in such areas as rates, payroll services (shades of Qld Health yikes!) and licensing. And not a chance of a face-to-face session of negotiation. This is an extension of the popular Big Brother move in business, a model that even further removes the public from reasonable (and reasonably expected) interaction with their council. To understand what happens in both these centralisation scenario, one need look further than the dear old Townsville Bulletin, which has been so savagely ravished by Ruperts money-hungry minions and sloppy reporting staff directed from Holt Street in Sydney, a paper which hilariously subbed in NZ, Mumbai, the Phillipines or Brisbane. Of course, one attraction for councils in this model is that it does away with the necessity of either engagement or accountability with the people who elected them or provided their jobs. This is the rapidly emerging tip of a massive iceberg, with Greg Hallam and his board deciding rather than try and fight off a competitor in an money-sinkhole business battle, instead join forces and share a cut of a captive pie. This is obvious when Hallam gave this ringing endorsement : The work of Propel Partnerships ensured that councils were ableto realise efficiencies in their operations while remaining in touch with the needs of their communities. Im confident that Propel has the right formula to bring success to any local government wanting to havethe best customer service, he said. This type of service clearly does no such thing as remaining in touch with the needs of their communities quite the opposite . Mr Hallams self-serving ideas of best customer service and that of the general public may widely differ laughably so. Saving money, especially public funds, is in most instances an admirable goal, but in this case, it is just another legalised rort of dubious value: and it is actually doubtful that the average ratepayer gets a single cents benefit therell always be reasons found not to lower ratesand charges. So be wary of this sort of further alienation of individual communities by the robotic, rorting remote control of more aspects of our lives. More Lessons To Be Learned From Post-Pisasale Ipswich Before we leave this subject, check this out.

Those figures are mind-boggling and it could easily happen here unless we are on our toes after all, before his downfall, Pisasale was lionized by Jenny Hill, who said she wanted Townsville to be more like his Ipswich. It probably is, but the CCC just hasnt found out about it. And this sort of lark dovetails nicely with the cold, callous restructure advocated in the Jenny Hill-0commissioned Nous Report. And boy, hasnt that Ipswich decision put Hallams panties in a bunch. The LGAQ chief seems somewhat spooked by the Ipswich scandal coming so close to home, and used Trumps favourite trope to discourage any close examination of local government in Queensland.

That mentioned head is of course Hallam, and it could be said, on the evidence of other corruption in councils, that the word pinhead could also apply to him. Maybe the CCC might start taking an interest in the LGAQ and all those tens of millions. Now that would be interesting. Historical Snapshot: Barry Taylor And One Of His Mates Yesteryear

On the left, the bloke that looks like his got the loser of a cat fight on his head, thats the Carl Wulff that was Jim Soorlys pal at Liverpool Council before Wulff headed north to Ipswich. And of greater interest to us here in the ville is the bloke on the right. Thats Wayne Myers, a seriously well-connected go-between linking corporate life to a number of movers and shakers in the Queensland ALP. Mr Myers has pleaded guilty to corruption in connection with the Ipswich council he has admitted he facilitated bribes to go to his co-offenders who have also pleaded guilty. He will be sentenced next month when well see just how well connected he is. But heres an interesting little bit of nostalgia Mr Myers is no stranger to Townsville, or to legal fee gouger Barry the Legal Foghorn Taylor.

Back in the early noughties, maybe 2004, Meyers rode into Townsville with the hope of siphoning a good chunk of public money into his community telco business, which was being driven out of non-performing mining minnow Rennison. It was a classic case of the Mates Economy. Myer recruited local Labor fundraiser and Mooney confrere Barry Taylor to corral a bunch of bizoids into his boardroom to hustle the dollars. Each chipped in $20k (including apparently Mrs Foghorn more on that in a minute) and then Myers went about trying to convince His Radiance Mayor Mooney that the ratepayers should (1) chip in an interest-free loan of $250k, (2) $20k of straight-up equity, and (3) commit to a long-term deal for all of the Councils telecommunications needs to the new company.

As things transpired, His Radiance, in his pre-meltdown years, had the good sense to have the matter properly researched by his then IT chief Anthony Wilson, who quickly nixed the deal offered by Myers and Taylor. Despite a lot of aww, cmon, mate, old buddy, pal entreaties, Mooney said no. In fact, The Pie was told that Mooney thought the whole thing a bad joke. The deal on the table was a dud. Myers model guaranteed fees to Rennison first and before anyone else; would have delivered sub-par service and cost outcomes to Council (Council could and did do much better); never budgeted for a repayment of the proposed loan; and didnt have a cent of interest for Council. Poor old Richard Spiderman Ferry had become the chairman of a local business he knew nothing about. He was left carrying the can, when the business model proved a failure. There is no information about what happened to any monies that may have been handed over, but you can bet Bazza put in a bill for any legals. What Myers (and Taylor, who mustve surely twigged to what Myers was up to if he hadfnt twigged, doesnt say much for his legal or business radar) tried to get away with was an arrangement where Rennison re-sold Optus Services to NQ Telco, and took a clip. Too many layers with too thin a set of margins doomed the activity from day one. Myers went on his way, and Bazza carried on his hosting of other southern white shoe brigaders and their dubious schemes, notably the disgraced fraudster Craig Gore (currently fled to Sweden in the hope of avoiding jail on multiple charges of financial fraud), who risibly said he would put in a canal estate in the duck pond in front of the casino. Considering what happed later with Port Hinchinbrook, Townsville really dodged a bullet there when that all fell flat, but no thanks to Mr Taylor. But All This Has Led To A Personal Revelation For The Pie The Magpie has never fully understood the seething animosity that has driven Taylor on a vendetta against him that continues in the courts to this day. Barry on several occasions over the years, had threatened to sue me, but was never able to say for what (he was drunk on two occasions). Of course, he was all hot air at that stage because Bazza was never brave enough in his bluster to take on News Ltd, for whom I worked at the time. When Peter Gleeson came to town, he was in Barrys pocket even before he arrived, with his wife pre-promised a cushy job with Enema Legal. I was puzzled that a boisterous boofhead like myself could attract such venom. At one stage, Taylor had Gleeson direct me to delete a quite harmless mention of him he had heard I was to include in the Magpie column (the comment simply said he had bought a multi-million dollar property in Noosa, and Barry said it could damage his reputation in Townsville his what, you laugh?) that was only time any editor interfered in any of my opinion columns for personal and not legal reasons. In that incidence, Taylor sent in a handwritten letter which Gleeson showed me (appalling writing and grammar) that strangely said that I was waging a campaign against his family. I didnt, and dont know his family, and quickly proved in the papers computer system that I had mentioned Taylor a total of 7 times in 8 years, none of them derogatory. I mentioned his wife in passing once when I wrote that she was the director of a company THAT HAD PUT $20k INTO A DUBIOUS TELCO BUSINESS WITH THE COUNCIL! Nothing illegal or even untoward was suggested, except that I didnt think it was a good idea. So there we have it. That must have been the start of it all, Baz not only being caught out in the subsequently failed telco venture, but that I had revealed he had inveigled his missus to whack up some cash as well (through a company of which she was a director, as I remember). Totally harmless, just a bit of local gossip, but somehow, Barry became as jumpy as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. His bluster continued down the years, including threatening to arrange a boycott of Michels restaurant if they didnt drop their advertising on this blog. (They did drop the ads, he was a valuable albeit much disliked customer, but were happy to let me keep the couple of hundred they had paid.) And so it goes on still, he talked poor old Rabieh Krayem into suing me for alleged libel, knowing full well that I have no money or assets to pay 100th of the ludicrous $300,000 claimed. Well, Baz, hatred comes at a cost, because you didnt reckon on two highly principled and incensed lawyer friends who offered to defend me because they cannot abide bullying, especially legal bullying like trying to spuriously involve my daughter on a technicality in matters that dont even remotely concern her. That alone was a clear measure of your craven behaviour and that of the ninny Venesa Gleeson (Typos wife) as a mother herself, youd think she might have some scruples, but alas, she will use the Hitler excuse I was just following orders least the Court of Appeal has chucked out that bit of vicious nonsense. Rabieh, make sure you have it in writing that Barry is doing this for nothing for you, and that it really, as a mutual friend told me, purely Barrys show. Otherwise, those Nudgee fees for your two lads may well end in up in the Taylor bank account in Noosa. The Townsville Property Market Will Be Hunky Dory In 2019, Says The Astonisher. As the Hotels Combined teddy bear says on telly Really? Dont believe everything Mr Convincing tells you.

Since the City Economist, David Lynch, seems largely silent, heres a chart showing building approvals for 2018 (December numbers not available yet). The data is from the Councils own website.

One could do some extra work and show the comparisons for the previous year, or two for that matter, but why take work away from Lynchy. To summarise: to the 11 months, in 2017 there were 641 dwelling approvals. In 2018 there were 432. For those numerically inclined thats 209 fewer or 30.2% less in number. And gee, I thought the stadium was going to be the one catalyst that would turn the whole show around. The one catalyst claim came from none other than the muppets at Enterprise House (where Mr Lynch used to work.) And to cap things off, The Pie offers these self-explanatory charts.

However, the Astonisher persists with its cheery inanities, but raises an interesting pictorial question. One of the spangled cheer leaders of this self-serving guff is this bloke

Propertyology managing director Simon Presley A propertyologist sorely in need of a psychologist and some serious sartorial advice. Seriously, are you going to believe a bloke who decides to sit in the middle of a busy Brisbane road, with an empty chair next to him to signify that no one else is that dopey. Keep it up, Mr Presley and youll soon be joining your namesake. Captain Towns May Have Been A Blackbirder But At least we have tucked his statue away in a discreet corner, but not those right-wing race-baiters up in Cairns. They have even got Captain Cook throwing a big Nazi salute.

Finally, Not One But Two Mini-Galleries On Overseas Matters The first is the Brexit hullabaloo, which is far from over, but has been a cartoonists cornucopia. Heres four of the best.

And That Leads Us Into The Week In Trumpistan What a difference a few hundred metres makes. Because of his tantrum induced government shut-down, Trump was without catering services to entertain a visiting football team. So as a man addicted to whoppers, he called in Burger King to provide the food for the boys (he couldve just as easily gone with Maccas, asking his guests You want lies with that?)

And just down the road in DC at the very same time, there was a food line of Federal employees who havent been paid that stretched around the block of this massive federal building.

So its true what they say about America being a land of contrasts. That issue continued to dominate the visual commentary of the week, but the New Yorker knew who was needed to sort out demon Donny.

And so it goes .. Thats it for this week, Nesters, and remember that comments run throughout the week, have your say, there was a very lively thread on the council getting involved in the citys mental health work (some hilarious) and theres plenty of fodder in this weeks Nest. And The Pie is loathe to say it, but times are a bit skinny in the Nest at the moment, with a few blog bills hitting the deck since Christmas, so any help with a donation would be greatly appreciated. The how to donate button is below. http://www.townsvillemagpie.com.au/the-local-government-godzilla-should-the-ccc-be-taking-a-closer-look-at-the-money-grubbing-activities-of-the-lgaq/

[officerhaughtstuff]

If you're going to go by history though, Wyatt Earp never had children with any wife. Wynonna Earp as a narrative departs from history by the very existence of Wynonna at all. I guess I don't understand where supposition of historical influence comes into play here when there's no historical basis for the show's own mythology. And we've seen Waverly make a sign of the cross on screen. Are there similar symbolic gestures in Judaism?

we have to assume that there’s some historical basis for their portrayal of wyatt earp, they list a number of true things about him when they mention him. the biggest differences that i can see (outside of the whole “evil witch” thing) are the nature of his split with doc holliday, his non-existant children, and that he ended up a small town sheriff. he really was a us marshall some of the time. not as much as implied in the show, but given that they dont give strict dates or percentages or even anything outside of “he worked with the law” or “he sought justice”, which are both true abstract statements, we can’t outright say that the show is incorrect about those facts. so, without any other evidence, and with no other obvious assumptions to make, I assumed its just wyatt earp’s life but slightly divergent from reality. also, given that we’re given pretty much jack shit in terms of the earp family tree outside of: wyatt earp, some people, ward and his kids, its fair to find some sort of framework to construct a narrative on. i mean we dont even know all the details of the curse. or who cast it. or why. how does magic work? what exactly separates revenants from demons? how does the black badge and other assumedly existing organizations (not that we have proof of those, mind you) cover up every single magical occurence and governmental response to these occurences? in the modern age of social media? you cant tell me there arent a million viral videos and other documentation of fucking lizard me doing kickflips or bigfoot doing her hair. why is waverly given two contradicting dates for her birthday? (in the show she says shes a virgo. on the canonical syfy website that gives facts abt each character it says she was born in Februrary (9th i believe) which im p sure isnt virgo) how old was willa really when bobo got her? what is the real age difference between the earps? cause the headstones and the verbal retelling say different things. i like history and this show includes a lot of history. so i chose history. technically you can choose anything you want. thats the fun thing that comes with headcanons. you can construct the narrative any way you want. i happen to be a nerd who likes to try and figure everything out on my own, so i went for what seemed to be the most practical way for myself to try and guess at some answers and fill in some gaps. you can use whatever logical method you have to answer these questions, unless you’re trying to tell me that i shouldn’t bother guessing at all because no attempts to explain or learn about anything in that universe will be based in entirely logical and accurate frameworks and facts.

and while i appreciate the thought, i was aware of wyatt earp’s history. him not having children is kinda a big thing you notice if you look up his family tree. if you want proof of my doing historical research for my framework, here’s the post where i talk about wyatt earp and also his wives and why i came to the conclusion that Sade/Josie was likely the mother of his children in the show.

that post is literally the first time the earps being Jewish occurred to me. I didnt construct an identity for them and then create a backstory to apply it. i just filled in a backstory to the best of my ability with as much accuracy in the realm of my framework as I could, and the identity came naturally as a part of that. i think that the earps being Jewish is a good thing that fits in the universe and that it would be interesting and could be good storytelling to explore in fics, headcanons, meta, and the show. im not actually forcing anyone to believe this if they dont want to. i know that the “PSA” thing may sound like it, but honestly i dont give a flying fuck what anyone else wants to believe. id like people to think about it, and id like the idea to get out to more people, and id love to see more of it and talk about it. but if no one else wants in, ill be over here on my Jewish!Earps boat by myself.

and as for the sign of the cross thing, that can easily be a cultural thing. as i said earlier, i dont think ward was big on teaching anything that wasnt alcoholism or violence so im not sure that wynonna and waverly would be raised knowing a lot about their heritage or their religion. and yet another thing that makes a kid different in a small town like purgatory where you’re already known as the crazy family with the bad seed adn the freaky genius sisters? itd be easier to just do what all the other kids are doing. half the people i know that do the sign of the cross in moments like that do it out of habit, they pick it up from family or church or school. the other half are truly religious people. given what we’ve seen of the earp sisters they don’t strike me as devote, religious catholics. waverly as we know is the type of person who spent years changing herself to fit in with everyone else and find connections to people (like in an emotion way, not a business way)

as for your question about similar gestures in Judaism, i am unfortunately not an expert in Judaism. I was raised protestant, then went to a catholic school in a Very Catholic area for over a decade. i know more about catholicism than Judaism. from what research i did i couldn’t find anything that stood out as similar to the catholic sign of the cross gesture. id be open to being corrected by Jewish people who have a better answer/experience.

i think waverly would be interested in researching to find out more about that part of her heritage, but that doesnt erase years of habit. wynonna i think would be uninterested in religion or culture really, even her own. she’d like listening to waverly though and she’d be willing to help waverly when waverly wants/needs it. so any real evidence i think that the earps would show of their heritage and religion would be learned and started later in life, as well as not being their primary instinct (at least when compared to what they picked up from exposure. like the sign of the cross)

[swearronchanel]

Who let me watch 5.06?

I should be doing an assignment that’s due tomorrow but ya know due tomorrow means do tomorrow. Lol I know I should be ashamed to be a procrastinator but university has ruined me anyway. I’m tired from literally going to one lecture haha, but in any event I’ve been rewatching mad men for the who knows what time but I thought I’d take a break from all that and watch an episode of CtM & @flyingnonny inspired me to do a reaction post so why not? I decided on 5.06 since last Sunday’s episode reminded us of that camping trip 😂😂  here goes nothing.. 

*skips intro bc I’m impatient*

Cute community moment ☺️

TRIXIE😍 slaying my life

Shelagh looks so good too 😍 and Angela melting my heart!

Why is shelagh forever wearing cardigans? I like cardigans every now and then but all the time, really?

Everyone is sitting outside, Trixie is in a sleeveless dress, as is Barbara, so it has to be warm?? take it off Shelagh

She’s still my bby though even if I don’t always agree with her fashion choices

what gross vejo pinching Trixie’s ass? That’s not ok

And Babs too lmao, creepy old man, die

Shelagh saying “hello dear” aw

But this is like the only interaction between Shelagh and Trixie & that does not suffice !!

ALL I WANT IS FOR THEM TO HAVE AN ACTUAL FRIENDSHIP IDC HOW MANY TIMES IVE SAID IT I REALLY Want it😭😭💕💕 my two fav bbys

I HAVE EVEN GIVEN REASONS WHY & I CAN GIVE THEM AGAIN ***        1) Why not?? Shelagh has like no real friends besides her husband and sort of Sister Julienne?                                                 

 2) just please, because I’m asking nicely                                                     3) When Shelagh was Sister Bernadette she was often friendly/ in the gossip and conversation with the nurses & remember that one time Trixie grabbed her to come listen to Jenny’s phone conversation?               

4) Trixie was the only one besides Sister Julienne to visit her in the sanatorium. That has to count for something!                                             5) They’ve both been on the show since day 1 & have known each other the longest (besides the nuns) why wouldn’t they be friends or least actually speak to each other?

Aye this is the lady who’s fake pregnant

Shelagh wearing earrings though >> here for it

Sorry there will be a lot of gushing over Shelagh and Trixie

And also I WANT TRIXIE’S HOOP EARRINGS SO BAD, where can I find them??

And how do I get her clothes and figure and her everything lol?

PHYLLIS ! My champion

“Would it have killed you to sit down for five minutes and eat the whole thing!” I LOVE HER, SHE IS A GEM, A HERO, A BADASS & IM NOT READY FOR SUNDAY. IM GOING TO BAWL WITH AND FOR HER

she deserves the best

I think this is the only time I’ve ever heard Trixie address Shelagh by her first name?? a prob.

They need to interact more 😭💔💕😍 I will stop saying it when I’m dead even then I’ll prob say it

Actually when I think of it no one ever calls Shelagh by her first name besides obviously Patrick? And Sister Julienne

#MoreShelaghAndTheOtherNursesInteracting2k17aka1962

And I need at least two seconds of them dotting on pregnant Shelagh

Helen looks so good like goals

“I threatened to put one man over my knee but that only encouraged him” HA IM DEAD NO KINK SHAME

I think there’s been a similar joke before but fuck it it’s still funny to me

But seriously everyone loves Trixie lol how could you not though?

Hey Pats, it’s been a while

Lol omg Tim in that uniform.. Not the best costume 😂😂

Never seen Whistle Down the Wind

But you see, Tom and Babs making out as usual, I’m not knocking it lol but this is why Sister J told her to chill when they went to South Africa😂

also lowkey jealous bc Jack Ashton is handsome af and that could’ve been me but it’s all good. He and Helen are adorable together and I’m here for it x10000

Omg I forgot this lady got assaulted

Oh shit I just remembered this is the episode where sister MC is attacked FUCK WHY DID I WATCH THIS

she can’t report it bc she’d get arrested for soliciting wtf

But remember Shelagh wore the headbands in like series 3 (so glad she stopped I was not here for it)? They must’ve gave them to Babs lol

I forgot Trixie didn’t tell the nurses about AA yet

But she looks gorgeous as ever, even with her mascara running

Lowkey nauseas looking at all that fish ugh. Funny becuase they put a grocery store that has a fish market on the block up from where I live in NYC and I hate it  

I forgot about Peter lol and he was in an episode this series whoops

LIKE WHERE’S YOUR WIFE LOL, *I know, too busy for this, I don’t think she’d fit in the series anymore anyway*

Sister Mary Cynthia 😰❣️

Lol she doesn’t sing loud enough ??

Sister Julienne is so cute when she smiles but don’t forget she’s a badass

REMEMBER THE AGGRESSIVE JACKET FLAP BC OF THE IRRITATING SISTER URSULA

How did this girl hide her pregnancy though?

And did her brothers just not realize she was pregnant and the mother wasn’t?

Oh jeez my cousin was a colic-y baby and my parents kept him like 3 days a week when I was in high school & it was a nightmare. I didn’t sleep for so long

Dont get me wrong I love babies. But when they scream when I’m trying to sleep, nope. Return to sender.

Shelagh is so excited about camping it’s the purest and most adorable thing 😭😭And I like her shirt  

Shelagh made Tim copy the napkin folding from a magazine, SHE IS A GEM

“We never have serviettes on a weeknight” wtf did they just not use napkins every day? I’m confused Lmaoo. What am I missing here 😂omg that reminds me of one of the times my family and I went on a cruise (2006, hella long time ago already wow?? 11 yrs yikes) and my brother & cousin were late to dinner and lied to my mom & aunt saying they were at a “napkin folding class” & my family deadass believed it up until 2 years ago😂

Shelagh’s accent is so cute. I’ve said that many times but it’s so sweet. But again why do we just have to accept she’s Scottish with no context as to how/why she came to England? Like I’m sure there were convents in Scotland. I dont even care that much I just will forever be curious as to why it seems she had no life before she got married lol? Like they don’t ever bring up the fact she was a nun, but ok maybe she feels awkward talking about it but what about before? 

They’re so excited it’s so precious, protect this family 😂😭💕💕

Sister MJ is fasting lol I should try it😂

Omg another dumb story, I didn’t realize today is Ash Wednesday and was hella confused seeing some people with ash on their forehead 😂😂 I should give up something for lent but idk what, we shall see. My mom gave up carbs last year & I died bc I lived at home and ate what she cooked and almost all my fav foods are carbs😂

Shelagh referred to Patsy as Patsy, I’ve only ever heard her say Nurse Mount??

lol Tim you’re what 14? you know damn well those arent* bullet holes

at least he has some of his innocence still. I didn’t @ 14

Sometimes I forget I’m gonna be 19 this year wtf. I’ve accidentally told people I’m 16 before and had to correct myself 😂😂

Patrick is excited about this holiday, boy you don’t know what’s coming 😂

HE’S GONNA ATTACK THE LADY WITH A BABY I FORGOT THAT TOO WTF

I wanna fight him

Diane’s anemic ? Or her mum is just assuming

SHELAGH IN HER CAMPING OUTFIT!! The hair scarf and trousers !! I’m so here for it 😍😭

I want to see her in another pair!! yes lets get it 1962. Probably not likely this series but hopefully next series!! Ah can’t wait

Shit this series is almost over 💔💔 but omg 1963 gonna be lit as well?!

Like the space race started/orbiting the earth, Kennedy’s assassination .. wait never mind lol I’m thinking of American History moments. but still a lot of it was crazy world news so maybe it’s mentioned?? first bond film came out in'63, petition for Tim to go take Susan whatever from around the corner to see it since we know he liked the novels

Lots of famous films came out in ‘63 so there’s gotta be some reference.

Fun fact: I love pop culture references in period drama bc I’m lame jk I’m majoring in education (to teach history)

Old news but still relevant: Phyllis’s turn on: Rolodex systems 📇

“CRANE, as in the wading bird or industry lifting equipment, whichever you prefer” LOVE U PHYLLIS, YOU CORRECT HIM

PHYLLIS’S FACE WHEN GODFREY SUGGESTS SHE CAME OUT OF RETIREMENT, IM DEAD

“I shall consider retirement when I’m at the appropriate age”  IM LAUGHING SO HARD, FUCK YEA PHYLLIS. I LOVE HER SO MUCH, LINDA BASSET IS ON THE LIST WITH LAURA AND HELEN OF PEOPLE WHO COULD PUCH ME IN THE FACE AND I’D THANK

LOL SHELAGH JUST STANDING AWKWARDLY LISTENING TO THIS CONVERSATION

“Buenos vacaciones”  I NEED MORE PHYLLIS WORKING ON HER SPANISH I LOVE IT, Ella es oro.

lol the roof rack, bet it was Phyllis’s they borrowed when they moved

PHYLLIS’S FACE OF DISGUST WHEN DR GODFREY SMILES AT HER IS ME ALWAYS

LOL THE THE NURSES & SISTER WINIFRED DYING OVER PATRICK’S SHORTS (EVen though sister W “swears she’s not looking”)

I THINK THE SOCKS AND WHITE DAD SANDALS ARE MORE AMUSING 😂😂

Poor Judith💔

It’s a vicious attack Sister J! But you don’t know it yet so I get u

Here comes summer..😂

SETTING UP IN THE POURING RAIN LOL

Shelagh and Angela being adorable !!

Tim and Patrick proud that  they set the tents up & boom it falls 😂 which is symbolic for me taking exams, I think I did well or at least decent on them and then I find out I failed by like 5 points

Nonnatus table scenes <3 😭

”I’ve seen more dangerous marshmallow bunnies“ lmao Pats this is a serious moment I shouldn’t laugh

Shelagh took off her glasses 😉😏 but fr how is Laura Main so perfect

Patrick put scotch in its lit, pass it over😏

Lol Shelagh drinking is a strange thought but I’m so here for it. Nuns can’t drink right? Idk. Imagine her drinking alcohol for the first time and just getting drunk 😂 we know Patrick and Tim are lightweights getting drunk off one beer so I assume shelagh would too😂

Damn it Patrick, you spilled your cup. Furthermore proving you’re a disaster 😭

LMAO SHELAGH’s “WTF” FACE WHEN SHE ASKS PATRICK WHAT HE’S THINKING ABOUT AND HE SAID THE ULCER CLINIC

LIKE C'MON PATRICK YOU KNOW WHERE SHELAGH WAS TRYNA GO WITH THAT😂

“And if you don’t mind my saying so, you’re not exactly Cliff Richards yourself” SHELAGH 😂😂 another great line of hers, love it

I love their playful banter lol we need more of that 😂 but lets be real series 6 has had some of the greatest Shelagh and Patrick moments so I can’t complain 😭😍

Peter and Barbara is such a unusual dynamic haha

“How is chummy?” Wait does Babs even know Chummy? I don’t even remember if they met tbh

But for real Shelagh did you really think Patrick would just forget about work completely ??

Lol Angela crying because she is petrified of squirrels😂😂and Shelagh running to her is so cute.

Why didn’t she just get rid of the *creepy* squirrel nutkin book? it seemed like they still had it in series 6 haha

rice pudding is I think the same as aroz con leche, lol it’s gross sorry

Diane’s water broke oh shit

the Turners all in the tent playing I spy bc it’s raining haha

I went camping for the first and last time this past summer w/ my sister in laws & her friends, it was awful 😂😂 I got like 100 mosquito bites that became welts, i literally slept in the car the second night & it was mid July fairly south of east coast aka it was humid and sticky af , there were wild horses that walked around..Thank God they brought alcohol cause it was a nightmare I don’t wanna remember 😂😂

ANGELA IS SO CUTE UGH & ANOTHER GREAT SHELAGH FACE😂

lol yes go to a hotel, should’ve done that from the get

So what exactly does Fred run? some civil defense thing?

She’s in labor and can’t even scream omg, I’m screaming

“They are often incorrect in their opinion” Sister MJ is a gem. I want someone to look at me the way Sister MJ looks at cake and the television

Phyllis yelling at Dr Godfrey😂

PATS’S FACE OF DISGUST IS ALSO ME

HOW DO THESE WOMEN GIVE BIRTH STANDING/SITTING UP?? AHHHH

There you are Beatrix, it’s been a while

Patsy being suspicious with the card game line lol. but when is Trixie going to find out about Patsy and Delia?

SHE RIPPED OUT HER WOMB?! WTF OMG IM SCREAMING

THIS HURTS TO WATCH AHH

Trixie and Sister MC to the rescue but omg this is wild I forgot

Fred wtf you can’t be sneaking up like that

DONT LEAVE SISTER MC ALONE TRIXIE

NOO, IM NOT PREPARED FOR THIS

“There are flowers on the table, and feathers in these pillows, that’s all the nature I need to get back to” I feel you Patrick lol, I like nature but not camping

Lol remember Shelagh’s old nightgown? ah I don’t miss it. The bri nylon is such a look™ & obviously has magically powers i.e this miraculous conception.

“..or they’ve been mulled to death by squirrels” IM DEAD HAHA THAT WAS A GOOD DAD JOKE, NICE ONE PATRICK

aw the baby is so precious

Why is the operating room/being in surgery called theatre in the U.K.?? and why is the doctor’s office/practice called the surgery? so many questions from a confused American..

Sister MC by the docks😭💔 she was just chillin with God and THIS HORRIBLE MAN RUINS EVERYTHING WTF UGH

Oh no

SISTER MC JUST UNCONSCIOUS ON THE DOCKS WTF IM CRYING WHY WOULD HURT HER

Patrick even if you were there she wouldn’t have called you, don’t blame urself

it’s not your arrogance sister MC!!

“don’t you even say the word fault, do you hear me, I won’t allow it” 😭💔 it’s NOT your fault sister MC 😰

I forgot how upset/hurt this episode makes me

“The worst thing is that I actually stopped to pray…” my heart hurts

You can’t even blame her for being angry😪

Judith you’re not a bad mother!! This isn’t your fault either

Sister MJ IN THE BATHROOM WITH HER😢😢💔💔 I’m c r y i n

I SAID PROTECT THEM AT ALL COSTS WHY DID THEY HURT ME LIKE THIS

Everyone so quiet at the table..

ILL FOREVER BE PROUD OF HOW BRAVE SISTER MC IS FOR SPEAKING UP FOR HER AND THE OTHER VICTIMS💖😭💔

Russian prison tats??

“I thought at first it was a test of faith, but it was a test of strength. I can bear more than I ever though I could and I can bear it for others because my strength is a gift, from him..” brb sobbing

I feel so bad for Mrs Hills bc I understand she thought she was doing the right thing and was trying to protect her daughter from the stigma & judgment from having a baby born outta wedlock 😭

But damn she almost killed her & now she can’t have any more kids

“I’m a mum, mum” Aw

lol I want children (obviously not anytime soon) but if I do Ima be shook for the rest of my life. Like my kids will  be like grown & I’ll still wake up like wtf I had them?  Lmaoo

SHELAGH’S GREY DRESS >>😍

Patrick jumping on the bed was cute lol

The Turners being cute and an unrealistically perfect family together as usual

Trixie 😍off to her AA💕

“I think it’s about time I came clean..”

Im so proud of her omg. She’s come so far in 6 series 😭💖💖😭

And Patsy and Delia are supportive yess👏🏼

“New truths were being spoken at Nonnatus house, but some remained concealed. While one voice rose, striving to erase its agony in song.”

Thanks Vanessa,, The End 😭