#painting company atlanta

[stevebattle]

"Automation" and friends (1979), by Bill Tolar, Fantasy Factory division, Creative Systems Group Inc., Atlanta, GA. Bill Tolar and Tom Zaken treat us to a surreal tour of the Creative Systems robot factory in episode 1513 of Mister Rogers' Neighbourhood, "Robots & Remotes" (1983).

"Three years ago Bill Tolar and his management/engineering team at Creative Systems Group Inc. in Atlanta produced a cylindrical object with a domed head and dangling arms that ran on a car battery. As soon as Tolar and his team added a two-way wireless radio, they were in the promotional robot business, with a product that resembled R2D2 – the charismatic beeping robot of Star Wars fame.

Since then, the company, which designs and manufactures imaginative interiors for retail stores, has sold 350 remote-controlled robots at prices ranging from $6,000 to $15,000. Although he has competitors, Tolar, 33, claims his company's Fantasy Factory division, with 1981 sales of $700,000, is "the largest promotional robot factory in the world." Coca-Cola has bought about 250 of the robots for its bottlers to use in mall appearances and similar events. Other customers include Arby's Inc., Kimberly-Clark Corp., and the National Pecan Marketing Council.

The robots are intended to create goodwill by chatting spontaneously with the clientele at trade shows, grand openings, supermarkets, hospitals, and sporting events. Such friendliness, Tolar claims, helps to circumvent the barrier people usually erect between themselves and corporate advertising. "The general public likes to think the robot is real," he says.

Creative Systems was an outgrowth of several earlier Tolar ventures. In high school he and a friend formed T&R Odd Jobs, a sign-painting and custom furniture business. As an engineering student at Georgia Tech, he joined his older brother to form Spatial Effects, a company that built lighting equipment for nightclubs."

– Chatty Robot Sparked Design Firm's Success, Inc.com, April 1, 1982.

[probablyasocialecologist]

According to documents obtained by Grist and Type Investigations through a Freedom of Information Act request, the FBI’s Minneapolis office opened a counterterrorism assessment in February 2012, focusing on actions in South Dakota, that continued for at least a year and may have led to the opening of additional investigations. These documents reveal that the FBI was monitoring activists involved in the Keystone XL campaign about a year earlier than previously known.  Their contents suggest that, long before the Keystone and Dakota Access pipelines became national flashpoints, the federal government was already developing a sweeping law enforcement strategy to counter any acts of civil disobedience aimed at preventing fossil fuel extraction. And young, Native activists were among its first targets. “The threat emerging … is evolving into one based on opposition to energy exploration related to any extractions from the earth, rather than merely targeting one project and/or one company,” the FBI noted in its description of the Wanblee blockade. The 15-page file, which is heavily redacted, also describes Native American groups as a potentially dangerous threat and likens them to “environmental extremists” whose actions, according to the FBI, could lead to violence. The FBI acknowledged that Native American groups were engaging in constitutionally protected activity, including attending public hearings, but emphasized that this sort of civic participation might spawn criminal activity.  To back up its claims, the FBI cited a 2011 State Department hearing on the pipeline in Pierre, South Dakota, attended by a small group of Native activists. The FBI said the individuals were dressed in camouflage and had covered their faces with red bandanas, “train robber style.” According to the report, they were also carrying walking sticks and shaking sage, claiming to be “Wounded Knee Security of/for Mother Earth.” “The Bureau is uncertain how the NA group(s) will act initially or subsequently if the project is approved,” the agency wrote.  The FBI also singled out the “Native Youth Movement,” which it described as a mix between a “radical militia and a survivalist group.” In doing so, it appeared to conflate a specific activist group originally founded in Canada in the 1990s with the broader array of young Native activists who opposed the pipeline decades later. Young activists would play an important role in the Keystone XL campaign and later on during protests against the Dakota Access pipeline at Standing Rock, but the movement had little in common with militias or survivalists, terms typically used to describe far-right groups or those seeking to disengage from society.  The FBI declined to respond to questions for this story. In an emailed statement, a spokesperson for the Minneapolis field office said the agency does not typically comment on FOIA releases and “lets the information contained in the files speak for itself.”

[...]

Environmental activists and attorneys who reviewed the new documents told Grist and Type Investigations that law enforcement’s approach to the Keystone XL campaign looked like a template for the increasingly militarized response to subsequent environmental and social justice campaigns — from efforts to block the Dakota Access pipeline at Standing Rock to the ongoing protests against the police training center dubbed “Cop City” in Atlanta, Georgia, which would require razing at least 85 acres of urban forest.  The FBI’s working thesis, outlined in the new documents, that “most environmental extremist groups” have historically moved from peaceful protest to violence has served as the basis for subsequent investigations. “It’s astonishing to me how such a broad concept basically paints every activist and protester as a future terrorist,” said Mike German, a former FBI special agent who is now a fellow at the nonprofit Brennan Center for Justice.

[camisoledadparis]

THIS DAY IN GAY HISTORY

based on: The White Crane Institute's 'Gay Wisdom', Gay Birthdays, Gay For Today, Famous GLBT, glbt-Gay Encylopedia, Today in Gay History, Wikipedia, and more … January 4

1750 – France Bruno Lenoir and Jean Diot are caught having sex in public for which they are arrested. A year later they were executed. There was general surprise in France at the severity of their sentence. Their execution was the last in France for consensual sodomy.

1877 – Marsden Hartley (d.1943) was an American Modernist painter, poet, and essayist. Hartley was born in Lewiston, Maine, where his English parents had settled.

In 1898, at age 22, Hartley moved to New York City to study painting at the New York School of Art. Hartley was a great admirer of Albert Pinkham Ryder and visited his studio in Greenwich Village as often as possible. His friendship with Ryder inspired Hartley to view art as a spiritual quest.

Hartley first traveled to Europe in April 1912, and he became acquainted with Gertude Stein's circle of avante-garde writers and artists in Paris. Stein, along with Hart Crane and Sherwood Anderson, encouraged Hartley to write as well as paint.

Finnish-Yankee sauna

In 1913, Hartley moved to Berlin, where he continued to paint. Many of Hartley's Berlin paintings were further inspired by the German military pageantry then on display, though his view of this subject changed after the outbreak of World War I, once war was no longer "a romantic but a real reality." The earliest of his Berlin paintings were shown in the landmark 1913 Armory Show in New York.

In Berlin, Hartley developed a close relationship with a Prussian lieutenant, Karl von Freyburg, who was the cousin of Hartley's friend Arnold Ronnebeck. References to Freyburg were a recurring motif in Hartley's work, most notably in Portrait of a German Officer (1914). Freyburg's subsequent death during the war hit Hartley hard, and he afterward idealized their relationship. Many scholars believe Hartley to have been gay, and have interpreted his work regarding Freyburg as embodying his homosexual feelings for him.

Portrait of a German Soldier

In addition to being considered one of the foremost American painters of the first half of the 20th century, Hartley also wrote poems, essays, and stories.

Cleophas and His Own: A North Atlantic Tragedy is a story based on two periods he spent in 1935 and 1936 with the Mason family in the Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia, fishing community of East Point Island. Hartley, then in his late 50s, found there both an innocent, unrestrained love and the sense of family he had been seeking since his unhappy childhood in Maine. The impact of this experience lasted until his death in 1943 and helped widen the scope of his mature works, which included numerous portrayals of the Masons.

He wrote of the Masons, "Five magnificent chapters out of an amazing, human book, these beautiful human beings, loving, tender, strong, courageous, dutiful, kind, so like the salt of the sea, the grit of the earth, the sheer face of the cliff." In Cleophas and His Own, written in Nova Scotia in the fall of 1936, Hartley expresses his immense grief at the tragic drowning of the Mason sons. The independent filmmaker Michael Maglaras has created a feature film Cleophas and His Own, released in 2005, which uses a personal testament by Hartley as its screenplay.

1946 – Arthur Conley aka Lee Roberts (d.2003) was a U.S. soul singer, best known for the 1967 hit "Sweet Soul Music".

Conley was born in McIntosh County, Georgia, U.S., and grew up in Atlanta. He first recorded in 1959 as the lead singer of Arthur & the Corvets. With this group, he released three singles in 1963 and 1964 – "Poor Girl", "I Believe", and "Flossie Mae" – on the Atlanta based record label, National Recording Company.

In 1964, he moved to a new label (Baltimore's Ru-Jac Records) and released "I'm a Lonely Stranger". When Otis Redding heard this, he asked Conley to record a new version, which was released on Redding's own fledgling label Jotis Records, as only its second release. Conley met Redding in 1967. Together they rewrote the Sam Cooke song "Yeah Man" into "Sweet Soul Music", which, at Redding's insistence, was released on the Atco-distributed label Fame Records, and was recorded at FAME studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. It proved to be a massive hit, going to the number two position on the U.S. charts and the Top Ten across much of Europe. "Sweet Soul Music" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.

After several years of hits singles in the early 1970s, he relocated to England in 1975, and spent several years in Belgium, settling in Amsterdam (Netherlands) in spring 1977. At the beginning of 1980 he had some major performances as Lee Roberts and the Sweaters in the Ganzenhoef, Paradiso, De Melkweg and the Concertgebouw, and was highly successful. At the end of 1980 he moved to the Dutch village of Ruurlo, legally changing his name to Lee Roberts — his middle name and his mother's maiden name. He promoted new music via his Art-Con Productions company. Amongst the bands he promoted was the heavy metal band Shockwave from The Hague. A live performance on January 8, 1980, featuring Lee Roberts & the Sweaters, was released as an album entitled Soulin' in 1988.

Conley was gay, and several music writers have said that his homosexuality was a bar to greater success in the United States and one of the reasons behind his move to Europe and his eventual name change. In 2014, rock historian Ed Ward wrote, "[Conley] headed to Amsterdam and changed his name to Lee Roberts. Nobody knew 'Lee Roberts,' and at last Conley was able to live in peace with a secret he had hidden – or thought he had – for his entire career: he was gay. But nobody in Holland cared."

Conley died from intestinal cancer in Ruurlo, Netherlands aged 57 in November 2003. He was buried in Vorden.

1960 – Michael Stipe has been the lead singer, lyricist, and composer for the successful rock band R.E.M. for over two decades. Among his best-known songs is "Losing My Religion," which rose to number 4 on the United States rock charts in 1991. He has also become involved in film and now has his own production companies.

The child of a career military officer, John Michael Stipe, born in Decatur, Georgia, grew up on bases around the United States and also in Germany, and spent his high school years in Illinois.

Stipe returned to Georgia for college, enrolling as an art student at the University of Georgia in 1978. There he met fellow alternative music fans Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Bill Berry. Within a year all four had dropped out of college to forge a career as a rock band, R.E.M.

They went on a concert tour and in 1980 put out their first single, "Radio Free Europe." Its success, particularly on college radio stations, won them a recording contract. Their first full-length album, Murmur (1983), was chosen as Album of the Year by Rolling Stone magazine.

Stipe's vigor on stage contributed to the success of R.E.M.'s concerts. He interacted with the audience and charged about with boundless energy. He blasted his often dark and brooding lyrics into the microphone with such force that they were frequently barely intelligible.

In addition to composing and performing, Stipe has also directed several of R.E.M.'s music videos and oversees the creation of their album covers.

By 2004 the band had recorded nearly twenty albums with collective sales of almost fifty million copies worldwide, making it one of the most successful in the history of rock music.

With the success of the albums Out of Time (1991) and Automatic for the People (1992), R.E.M. became mainstream music stars. Around 1992, rumors that Stipe had contracted HIV began to circulate. According to Stipe, he did not start the rumor and he does not know who did.

Not that I can tell. I wore a hat that said 'White House Stop AIDS'. I'm skinny. I've always been skinny, except in 1985 when I looked like Marlon Brando, the last time I shaved my head. I was really sick then. Eating potatoes. I think AIDS hysteria would obviously and naturally extend to people who are media figures and anybody of indecipherable or unpronounced sexuality. Anybody who looks gaunt, for whatever reason. Anybody who is associated, for whatever reason - whether it's a hat, or the way I carry myself -as being queer-friendly.

In 1994, with questions still swirling about his sexuality, Stipe described himself as "an equal opportunity lech," and said he did not define himself as gay, straight, or bisexual, but that he was attracted to, and had relationships with, both men and women.

In 1995, he appeared on the cover of Out magazine. Stipe described himself as a "queer artist" in Time in 2001 and revealed that he had been in a relationship with "an amazing man" for three years at that point. Stipe reiterated this in a 2004 interview with Butt magazine. When asked if he ever declares himself as gay, Stipe stated, "I don't. I think there's a line drawn between gay and queer, and for me, queer describes something that's more inclusive of the grey areas."

In 1999, author Douglas A. Martin published a novel, Outline of My Lover, in which the narrator has a six-year romantic relationship with the unnamed lead singer of a successful Athens, Georgia-based, rock band; the book was widely speculated, and later confirmed by its author, to have been a roman à clef based on a real relationship between Martin and Stipe. The two had previously collaborated on two books, both in 1998: The Haiku Year (for which the two had both contributed haikai) and Martin's book of poetry Servicing the Salamander (for which Stipe took the cover photograph).

1965 – Craig Revel Horwood is an Australian-British author, dancer, choreographer, conductor, theatre director, and former drag queen in the United Kingdom. He is also a patron of the Royal Osteoporosis Society.

Horwood is best known as a judge on the popular BBC dancing series Strictly Come Dancing, and until 13 November 2021, as he tested positive for COVID-19 and missed the following week's show, had been the only judge to have appeared in every edition since its inception. He is often seen performing ballroom and Latin routines including, in 2019, a performance themed around Hello, Dolly!.

Horwood has a waxwork in Madame Tussauds Blackpool which has been on display since July 2018. On 20 July 2021, Horwood was given an Honorary Doctor of Arts by the University of Winchester at Winchester Cathedral.

He was born in Ballarat, Australia. His father Phil was a former Royal Australian Navy Lieutenant whose alcoholism had "torn their family apart". He started his career as a dancer in Melbourne, then moved to London to take advantage of the greater opportunities available there and to dance competitively. In 1989, he moved to the UK from Australia, and on 20 August 2011, he became a British citizen.

Revel is Horwood's middle name; it is not double barrelled. In his autobiography, Horwood reveals that at the age of 17, he made money by appearing as a drag queen in bars and clubs and that his relationship with an unnamed celebrity was akin to prostitution.

Horwood was married to Jane Horwood from 1990 to 1992. In December 2014, Horwood informed a reporter from OK! magazine that 'I was bisexual for a long time. I flitted between men and women quite a lot between the ages of 17 and 26. My wife Jane left me for another man. Then I fell in love with a bloke. I have been gay ever since.' His former partner Damon Scott had been a runner up on Britain's Got Talent.

Since early 2018, Horwood has been in a relationship with horticulturist Jonathan Myring. In April 2020 Horwood and Myring announced their engagement. The pair, who met on Tinder, became engaged while in Tasmania.

Horwood became a patron of the Royal Osteoporosis Society in 2009. In this, he has found common ground with Camilla, Queen Consort, the Society's Royal patron (whose mother, like his, had bone disease). The two of them danced the cha-cha-cha together, on a school visit to mark National Osteoporosis Day in 2009.

In January 2015, Horwood revealed on ITV's Loose Women that he suffered from anorexia and body dysmorphia as a teenager and young dancer, as a result of trying to make himself look like other young men, and other dancers in particular.The 14th British series of Who Do You Think You Are? featured Horwood's ancestry in the second episode; in this, his family history research took him home to Australia, where he discovered that his family tree traces to Gloucestershire, Lancashire and Essex in England. Horwood found out that he is not the first dancer in his family, and that he is descended from gold prospectors that went bankrupt before becoming rich on finding a 250-ounce (7.1 kg) gold nugget. He also learnt further that his great-great-grandfather, Moses Horwood, who is revealed in the programme to have been a petty criminal from England, was convicted at the Gloucestershire assizes and transported to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) in 1841. Criminal records identified by TheGenealogist include a transportation document for Moses Horwood, showing he departed England on 1 December 1841 on board a ship called the John Brewer.

1970 – Christopher Klucsarits, better known as Chris Kanyon (d.2010), US Professional wrestler, best known for his work in World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation, under the ring names Kanyon and Mortis.

In 2006, after Kanyon's release from WWE, he began a gimmick in which he was an openly homosexual pro wrestler. This included a publicity stunt wherein he stated that WWE released him from his contract because of his sexuality. Kanyon later told reporters and even stated on a number of radio interviews, that this was just a publicity stunt and he was heterosexual. However, he later retracted these statements and acknowledged that he was in fact homosexual.

Before his death Kanyon was working on a book, Wrestling Reality, with Ryan Clark. The book was released November 1, 2011, and it features Kanyon's struggles as a closeted gay man as a prominent theme.

1984 – Illinois repeals its "lewd fondling or caress" law, more than two decades after repealing its sodomy law.

1997 – A British tabloid accuses Conservative M.P. Jerry Hayes of having an affair in 1991 with a then-18-year-old male. At the time, 18 was under the age of consent.

[weenofficial]

Ween will be painting the town brown all year long celebrating 40 YEARS OF WEEN.

Presale tickets will be available Wednesday, January 17 at 10am local venue time: https://ween.shop.ticketstoday.com

4/19 Atlanta, GA - Coca Cola Roxy Theatre 4/20 Nashville, TN - Ascend Amphitheater 4/21 Birmingham, AL - Avondale Brewing Company 4/23 N. Charleston, SC - Firefly Distillery 4/25 Asheville, NC - Rabbit Rabbit 4/26 Raleigh, NC - Red Hat Amphitheater 4/27 Richmond, VA - Brown's Island 8/2 + 8/3 Missoula, MT - KettleHouse Amphitheater* 8/4 Spokane, WA - Spokane Pavilion 8/6 Seattle, WA - Paramount Theatre 8/10 Eugene, OR - Cuthbert Amphitheater

Tickets go on sale Friday, January 19 at 10am local venue time at ween.com.

*Check venue website for presale information.

[soisaidfine]

'House in Nebraska', sold. A local guy has purchased it and is fixing it up for his daughter (of Cain?)

The house that inspired Ethel Cain for her song 'A house in Nebraska'. Snow-Wasden House, Georgia, saved from demolition. Via reddit ethel cain

Ethel Cain and THE 'House in Nebraska'

"That house narrowly escaped total demolition because the owner had scheduled a wrecking company from Atlanta to come down and disassemble it and sell it for parts! But a local guy has purchased it and is fixing it up for his daughter." - vanishinggeorgia.com

'Then the day came and you were up and gone And I still call home that house in Nebraska Where we found each other on a dirty mattress on the second floor'

. . .

Anonymous asked: the wasden house is being renovated :(

mothercain: i’ve seen! the new white paint does look quite pretty and it doesn’t seem as though it’s changed too much from the pictures i’ve seen. i haven’t driven over there since i’ve moved back though so maybe i will take a little drive soon. for the sake of my own mental health, i will be telling myself the owners are smart and would never dare put grey shiplap anywhere near that house.

[namor-exe]

𝐒𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐃𝐘 𝐓𝐈𝐄𝐒

Summary: You're the Millers' new neighbor. And as you adapt to your new home, new friendships and feelings will emerge within you, uncontrollable feelings.

Warnings: MINORS DNI! +18. Explicit Content NSFW, Joel pre-outbreak x f!reader, Tommy pre-outbreak x f!reader, love triangle, possible sharing, SMUT, six p in v.

Author's notes: I recently started writing this series, and well, I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I am enjoying writing it. This is just the first chapter of possibly a multi-chapter series.

Chapter notes: You recently moved into your father's house, and since you haven't had time to explore the city, your brother decides to help you with that. But at the end of the night, you end up bumping into the next-door neighbors.

Chapter warnings: Just conversations and introductions. Feeling quotes, relaxed conversation, Joel being Joel, no use of Y/N.

The day was sunny. Sunbeams flooded across the city, turning the streets orange. You had just moved to Austin to live with your dad and older brother. You lived with your mother in Atlanta, but you decided to try something new in your life, a new place, it didn't necessarily have to be permanent, but you knew it was, that's the great gift of having separated parents, constant changes. You were in college, studying anthropology and you had managed to transfer to the local University, it was lucky that they accepted you almost in the middle of the year.

In the last days of adaptation, you had been organizing your room and your things. Your brother had helped you a little, as your father didn't have much time because of his job at the technology company he worked for, but he would occasionally help you paint the walls or bring you some new furniture.

The neighbors, you hadn't fully known them, just a glimpse, but not a word was exchanged. The Millers seemed pretty busy, and Joel Miller didn't seem like a man who liked to make friends, just by seeing him in the backyard you could tell he was a reserved man, unlike his daughter Sarah and brother Tommy, who had welcomed you into the neighborhood with greetings of welcome.

You're not the type of girl who likes to stare at men one more way than necessary, but damn, the Miller brothers were really pretty in your eyes. Joel had a mysterious and enigmatic beauty, his reserved manner made him attractive in some way, Tommy – the younger brother – was more playful and extroverted, he had received you well and was completely kind to you in those few times that you talked.

"What do you think so much about, the asshole?"

His attention was caught when Aaron approached. His older brother, he was 24 years old, but oddly enough, he was still dependent on his father. Aaron had become unemployed some time ago, this prevented him from leaving home early and being able to start an independent life.

"Hey! Shut up, I'm not thinking about anything." You replied, your voice echoing off the porch. You were sitting on the wooden stairs, watching the house from the side while you were distracted by your own thoughts and illusions.

"Did you like Miller? Don't you think he's too old for you?" Aaron threw himself beside her, sitting on the ladder. Her hazel eyes narrowed to the streets as her brown hair blew in the cool morning wind.

"What? Where did you get that expensive idea?" you looked at him with curious eyes. Your brother had an instinct to piss you off whenever he saw you, so of course he would find some reason to tease you.

"You keep looking at their house, you have nothing else to think about."

You rolled your eyes, laughing at Aaron's teasing. This is something that, despite the fact that it irritated you, you missed when you were in Atlanta.

"This is completely irrelevant, Aaron. I barely know him! And I'm not thinking about that kind of thing. Besides, I have to stay in college remember?" you rolled your eyes again, feeling the heat of the sun on your skin, but the wind was cooling your face.

"Okay, okay, I get it. I'm just trying to be a good brother and give you advice. You know. But let's change the subject." Aaron stood up and stretched his arms in the air, stretching. "Let's go for a walk around town? Maybe you'll find other interesting guys to watch besides your neighbor."

You got up next to him and landed a light punch on Aaron's shoulder, making him chuckle.

"Oh, shut the fuck up." You laughed. You were adapting more and more. It was fun that new city, that new life you had now.

The two of you got up from the stairs and started walking down the sidewalk, side by side. As you explored the bustling two, you talked about new places you could visit and what your life in Austin would be like. And deep down, despite Aaron's provocations, you knew he only wanted the best for you, he knew how to play the big brother role well, you had missed it.

As the afternoon wore on, the sky began to lose its vibrant orange hue, gradually turning into shades of purple and dark blue. Aaron had shown you some corners of the city that you didn't have time to explore and get to know. You've discovered cozy cafes, antique shops and interesting cultural venues. The air was getting cooler as the sun went down, and you decided to return home.

On the way, you talked about your new job. You had gotten a job playing at a local bar, in addition to college. You were good with music, you played guitar and guitar perfectly well, so you were confident that you would do well in this job, despite the nervousness to start with.

As you approached the street where you lived, your eyes peeked out and saw Joel in the garden of the house next door. He was busy watering some plants, his serene features illuminated by the dim glow of the street light. You felt a slight acceleration of your heart, but quickly pushed that thought away, you didn't even know him well. But fuck, why did he have to be so attractive like that?

Aaron nudged you lightly, a mischievous smile on his face. Your eyes rolled back in your head, you knew his teasing was going to start again, and it completely pissed her off.

"Look who's over there. Your new boyfriend. Do you want to go say hello or do you prefer to avoid prying eyes?"

You rolled your eyes at Aaron's words, giving your brother a slight push.

"Stop fucking invent things. It's not like that."

Aaron chuckled in response, but before he could respond, Tommy's excited voice rang out from the porch. You watched Tommy's sturdy figure walk out the door. He had a gentle smile that lit up his face. You felt a slight vibration within you. Damn, the Miller brothers were really hot. And you couldn't think which one caught your attention the most.

"Hey you two! I finally found you."

Tommy walked over to you, he was wearing a relaxed T-shirt and jeans. You felt the pressure in your muscles, your stomach fluttered with nervousness.

"Guys, how was your day?"

"Hi Tommy!" Aaron answered first, a tiny smile appearing on his face. "It was cool, we got to know some interesting places."

Tommy looked at you and gave you a friendly wave. He had a glow on the bar and you could tell it. He seemed to be much more lively and outgoing than his brother – who was still distracted watering those plants in the middle of dusk.

"Hey, are you enjoying Texas?" Tommy asked. He looked silly next to you. He had found you beautiful, and had been delighted with you and your way.

"Yes, I'm adapting little by little." you replied, feeling a little more comfortable in Tommy's presence, he gave you a certain comfort that you couldn't explain. "Looks like a nice place."

As you talked, Joel looked up and noticed the lively conversation on the porch. He turned off the hose and walked over with a serene expression. Of course, Joel was still fidgeting and seemed more on his own.

"Tommy, are you bothering the neighbors?"

Tommy laughed, shaking his head.

"No, relax Joel. I was just saying hello to them. This is the new neighbor."

Joel looked in her direction, and for the briefest moment, their eyes met. Those brown irises had trapped you, they were like magnets that wouldn't let you get away from that gaze. You felt a blush rise on your cheeks, but you kept your face calm.

"Hello." you greeted, a little nervously.

Joel smiled subtly, giving you a nod of greeting. You didn't notice, but Joel was also feeling tense in your presence. His hands were shaking slightly, and all he could think about was what a beautiful girl you were.

"Welcome to the neighborhood. I'm Joel, and this is my brother Tommy."

"It's nice to meet you. We haven't had a chance to talk much." you replied, feeling a little less tense now, despite Joel's presence holding your attention.

Tommy intervened in his introverted way. He moved closer to you, touching your shoulder lightly in reassurance. Tommy's touch made her cheeks burn and her stomach churn even more. You didn't know what you were feeling right now, there were a lot of emotions.

"Come on, don't be nervous. My brother isn't as scary as he looks."

Joel threw Tommy a quick glance before looking back at you.

"Ignore him. He likes to crack jokes. He'd do well working in the circus."

You chuckled softly, feeling the tension ease. But still, Tommy's touch sent shivers down her skin. You feared he might sense your reactions and hoped to God he didn't notice the effect his touch was having on her.

"Alright, do not worry."

Tommy chuckled in response, pulling away from you again. It was impressive how the distance had also bothered you. They were feelings you didn't understand.

"We need to go inside now. We have to have dinner." Joel said again, his brown hair disheveled in the wind.

"You can have dinner here whenever you like. It will be nice to have your company." Tommy said, his light-hearted, easygoing voice making goose bumps rise up your arms.

"Oh...thanks Tommy, we can set it up sometime." your voice came out a little calmer than you thought, and you smiled slightly at him.

You felt grateful that Tommy had been so friendly. The conversation continued for a few more minutes, with Tommy sharing funny stories and you starting to loosen up even more in their presence. Joel on the other hand, continued to observe the conversation, his serious and deep gaze seemed to study every word that came out of his mouth. He couldn't stop looking at you, but always discreetly and you didn't even notice.

As time passed, the stars shone even brighter in the dark sky, and street lights began to light up the neighborhood. You felt a comforting sense of belonging that you didn't expect to feel so soon after the move. Aaron started to yawn, indicating that it was time to go home.

"I think it's about time we left. You have your first day of school tomorrow, don't you?"

You felt them, feeling a mixture of excitement and nervousness about the first classes at the local university.

"Yes... Fuck, you're right. I think I better get some rest."

"I'm sure you'll be fine. Good night!" Tommy smiled, looking excited for you.

"Thanks, Tommy. It was nice meeting you. We'll talk another time." You left with a shy smile on your lips.

Joel, who had kept to himself during the whole conversation, finally opened a light and discreet smile on his lips.

"Good night, see you around."

You waved at Joel, your eyes meeting for the briefest of moments, for the last time that night. Along with Aaron, you started walking towards your house. As you walked, Aaron didn't miss the chance to tease you again, it was a gift that only he had over you.

"Looks like you caught the attention of the Miller brothers, especially Tommy. But you kept an eye on Joel, didn't you?"

You rolled your eyes, but a smile played on your lips and denounced that that conversation had indeed awakened something in you.

You realized that, in some ways, that day had been an important step towards feeling more comfortable in Austin. With the Miller brothers as neighbors and possible new friends, you knew this move was turning out to be more interesting than you thought.

[scattered-sense]

Somewhat going against the whole faces theory I put forward, I guess this is what a face would look like on an F unit. I imagine the B unit is faceless, but does have intelligence and can talk with other engines via the MU cable. Or maybe it doesn't and it's just a regular, mundane piece of machinery.

Tennessee & Atlantic Railway really didn't buy that many diesels; in 1940, Charlotte, NC (followed by Asheville in 1946) banned steam and diesel workings within city limits for pollution reasons; so, many routes in the Appalachian Mountains that were already better suited to electrification were staffed by, initially, Baldwin-Westinghouse 2-C+C-2 boxcabs (pictured below in service with the NYNH&H):

and later on, in the 1950s through 1970s, by converted FTs, F2s, F7s, and English Electric-built units to the same design (but regauged) as the ones they built for Victorian Railways:

Until eventually they ended up buying EMD AEM-7s in 1986, having 98 delivered in 1987-93, which displaced their older units.

As such, diesels tended to be reserved for routes avoiding the Blue Ridge Mountains and western North Carolina in particular. Eventually, the cities lifted these laws, but not before the Tennessee & Atlantic was merged with two other neighboring railways into the North Carolina Western Group on January 1, 1968. T&A was the largest merging entity, and so the other railways' operations were restructured to fit theirs.

As for the lore of this/these engine(s) in particular, they're diesels reserved and painted for use with the Mockingbird, a Memphis-Nashville-Atlanta-Jacksonville train (continuing to Miami via SAL) that ran twice a day in both directions (four total), alongside 2A/B, 3A/B, and 4A/B. Built in 1946, F3 1A/B was delivered new to the T&A, where they (or she if we're going by only the A units being alive, which I will write as if is the case from here on) and their sisters started on fast agricultural freight while the steam engines rode out their last few years on the Mockingbird, gaining experience to ensure even higher passenger safety.

During one of these trips, on a stop at Atlanta coming from Jacksonville with Florida agriculture, 1A, or Margaret E. C. French, had a careless driver accidentally top her fuel tank off with water from a pipe still up for their steam; since 1B was still providing power they could still move at first but eventually, French had to stop after her engine block started making noise; the water bent her piston rods. A steam engine that had treated her with open disregard at the yard and 1B had to haul her train to Bowling Green, and her to repair shops in Chattanooga, TN.

Another notable incident happened on January 8, 1955, when 1A nearly collided with a slower passenger train, barely avoiding coupling at a speed difference of 30 mph, after noticing the train before her driver and warning him.

Eventually, on May 31, 1955, the Mockingbird's last steam-hauled trip (pulled by one of the company's many 4-8-4s, which they called "Generals" rather than "Northerns") reached Jacksonville and back, with engine changes at Atlanta, where 1A/B, freshly repainted in the red/maroon/silver scheme depicted at the top of the page (previously in the silver/maroon scheme depicted later down) began to pull the first northbound (train 10). They would handle this job, albiet not necessarily on the same timeslot, for roughly 45 years, before being replaced by custom SD60M-based units in 1999. Amtrak wouldn't take the train over until 2010, at which point, Amtrak's power replaced NCW's, and the SDP60Ms were sold to shortlines.

Generally, these trains had exceptional safety records, with fewer than 10 total incidents over the 1955-99 span. However, 3A/B taking train 14 did collide with the car of the Secretary of Transportation of Georgia in 1974, having left it after it stalled on the level crossing. Nobody was hurt, but train 14 did need to be towed to the station in downtown Atlanta, where the train was taken over by an SD40-2.

Based on Clarabel's face from Tramway Engines - Mavis.

[sadiecoocoo]

I’ve been thinking about a lot of things lately, and I’ve been thinking that I haven’t been doing as much as i can to help Palestine, so here’s a jumble of thoughts

Stories change people’s views on so many things. Be it fictional or not. There are people I’ve never met that I either hate or absolutely adore because of stories my family told me about them. My dad told me stories about my grandpa, stories about fairly bad things. Stories about how my grandpa treated other people, treated them wrongly, though not with any real malice that I can tell. And those stories made me start to notice things about him, how he referred to his employees by purely their race, stating they were his. How he seemed to subtly manipulate someone into going into a certain field as a career, though after a long enough time it didn’t seem so subtle. My family told me stories about how my great grandmother was basically the “crazy mother in law” that you always see TikToks about. Stories can do a lot. They’re just words, but you can hear them so often that they can completely change your view on things. But stories aren’t always used for good things.

People make them twist and turn, change a small detail every time the story is told. They paint the picture in a new light, or rather put a film over the truth and truly make it a story. When I think of this, I think of fake news. I learned about the Atlanta Race Riots not too long ago, about how some news company said that an African American man had raped a white girl and later killed her. Well, it caused people to riot, and caused people to beat innocent men, women, and children. It lasted almost 24 hours, and several people had died because of it. It was more a massacre than a riot. And the worst part, that story, the one that sparked the riot in the first place, wasn’t even a real story. It was just a dark fiction made to sway some people’s votes back in the 1900’s

In a way, history is repeating itself. It’s using those stories as inspiration for a new story, but most of the cliches are still there. Israel and Palestine are both trying to tell stories, though one is overshadowing the other. Using subtle manipulation tactics, quietly changing the details of stories. Newspapers read that a group of people under the age of 18 were found dead mysteriously. They read they were “under the age of 18” not that they were children who had their whole lives ahead of them. They read that they died mysteriously, as though they weren’t murdered by soldiers. Israel is telling a story, a story that seems true to a lot of people, purely because some people don’t try to look deeper, for them it’s just words on a page. Israel is telling a fake story, covering things up effortlessly, but there are so many people who understand that stories are changeable. Stories are manipulated like clay. Stories mean nothing. Stories are just stories. And I can’t count how many people don’t believe stories because they know that so many stories are made with the intent to make people think differently, how the creator wants them to think.

But there are stories, that need to be heard. There are stories that aren’t exaggerating a single detail. There are stories that are so important for people to know. Palestine’s story is one that is real, one that needs to heard and needs to be believed. And yes, Palestine is being greatly overshadowed by Israel’s stories and headlines, and yes, stories can be molded like clay. But clay takes so much practice and effort to perfect. In making a clay there will always be at least one piece that you make that has an air bubble, and in the kiln it will explode the piece will have to be scrapped. Israel’s piece of clay has air bubbles. Israel’s stories have fault, because there are so many people who scoff at the headlines and knows exactly how covered up things are. There are people who are sharing Palestine’s story through social media platforms. There have been people who entered a war zone and lived in it for days to record the slaughterhouse.

The stories that you hear as a kid probably contain fun adventures with fairies, or vacations to Wonderland, or Princess Charming. No matter the kind of adventure or conflict, they all had happy endings. I believe that Palestine will get a happy ending, but that can’t happen unless more people try to do something about it. In every fairy tale, there’s the protagonist that needs to do something, and a lot of times the protagonist can’t beat the evil without help from the side characters. In this situation, everyone outside of Palestine are the side characters. And we side characters need to do something to help the main character, be it moral support, financial aid, food supplies, or anything that could have the possibility of helping. And another thing, the side characters can’t be the ones to lose heart, the side characters need to be the ones to keep the main character going. Dont act like there’s nothing that can be done, dont act like Palestine can’t be saved and that humanity is cruel. I have hope for the world, and I think you all should have at least a speck too.

A lot of stories change how you view the world. A lot of people try to abuse the power of stories. There are good and bad stories for everything. The good story needs to be told. Palestine’s story needs to be told.

[i-arch-my-backula]

OC introduction: Clementine Lee

Age:23

birthday: 5/18

height: 5’9

appearance: long blonde hair, light golden skin, big brown eyes, full lips, straight nose, medium thick light brown eyebrows, medium build, southern accent

fashion style: vintage americana, 60’s/70’s/80’s influenced, feminine, summery, southern influences

sexuality: Queer

Personality: Bubbly, extroverted, kind, playful, curious, empathetic, caring

habits: fidgeting with hair, accent thickening with strong emotions, rubbing her nails

Likes/interests: vintage fashion, pink, pastel colors, botany, puzzles, swimming, gardening, forest biology, painting

skills: swimming, styling things, painting, talking to people, puzzle solving

occupation: Model

backstory:She was born in a small town in Georgia to a salon owner mother and a restaurant owner father with no siblings. She showed interest in fashion and beauty at a young age. This prompted her mother to sign her up for beauty pageants and pressure her from a young age to always look beautiful and presentable. She started modeling at six when she got a job modeling for a small magazine company. She grew up constantly stressing about her appearance and developed body dysmorphia in her teens. Her father was a comfort to her growing up and offered her a break from her overbearing mother constantly stressing about her appearance.

She was well liked by her peers and had lots of friends but only really felt close and comfortable with a few people. She discovered her queer identity when she was 11 and she watched “Confessions of a teenage drama queen” and saw Megan Fox. She never came out to her mother but like kind of came out to her father. She travels often for her modeling jobs but she stays most of the time in Atlanta.

[projectmarsnalooo]

Researches of Rushton Toys

Who made Rushton dolls?

Welcome to my little site dedicated to Mary Rushton, creator of the Rushton toy company. After Mary's passing in 1984, she and her daughter Wight have continued to live through their toys, which have gained a cult following over the years.

What is the history of Rushton by Star Creations?

Rushton's Star Creation toy line were painted, rubber faced animals and dolls. They were made from the 1950's – 1960's. It was one of their most popular toy lines. The company continued to offer a range of products until its closure in approximately 1984.

Where did Rushton dolls come from?

The Rushton Company was actually an American company, started by an Atlanta woman and that lasted from 1917 to 1983, being passed down as a family company. If you go antiquing or flea shopping for fabulous vintage fashion, you are sure to come across some Rushton plushies in varying states of condition

[grusik]

Old Car City USA (See links). Old Car City USA - .com Old Car City USA - Atlas Obscura Old Car City USA - Facebook Old Car City USA - Roadside America Old Car City USA - Sometimes Interesting Tourist attraction in Bartow County, Georgia. Old Car City in White, Georgia contains the worlds largest known classic car junkyard & is a unique landscape of metal and moss. Visitors enjoy the beautiful vegetation of the deep south that is intertwined with the hundreds of cars that reside in Old Car City. Old Car City started as a small general store in 1931 during the Great Depression, Old Car City gradually evolved into a very big, very old automobile junkyard. But it wasn't until 2009 that owner Dean Lewis -- who grew up on the property -- realized he could turn it into a tourist attraction because a lot of people shared his love of decomposing automotive carcasses. It is still family owned and operated. 34 acres of forest and fields filled with 4,000 old cars (1972 and older) weathered and deteriorating old American cars. It has more than 6.5 miles of trails on 34 acres. Located about 45 minutes north of Atlanta in White, Georgia, is a cross between a junkyard and an outdoor car museum. Come enjoy the Old South environment, folk art, ghosts of beautiful classic cars, and much more! With over 34 acres and over 4000 American-made cars from the early 20th Century, these cars, trucks, vans, and even a couple school buses are placed in such a way as to be ideally suited for photos, videos and custom camera shoots. Over the 8 decades since first started, thousands of photographers, videographers, ad agencies and media companies have visited Old Car City USA. Popular news magazine and newspaper companies, like CBS Sunday Morning, the New York Times, the BBC and Georgia Public Television, have made press releases and/or video segments and transmitted it worldwide. Who knew that Old Car City USA, a place where junk cars go to live out the rest of their existence, would be such a fascinating stop. Mayor of Old Car City USA, Dean Lewis, welcomes all who come out to visit his varied collection of automobile art with a little help from Mother Nature. You can come and just stroll along with winding paths for a nominal fee or, for a few dollars more, bring a camera and take pictures and/or videos and share them with friends. Among the many cars at Old Car City USA, there is the last car Elvis Presley ever bought back in 1977 just a couple months before he died. Also, a movie starring Andy Griffith and Johnny Cash used one of the cars that now call this place "home." The honorary mayor of the "City," Dean Lewis, is also an artist in his own rite with some of the most unique canvas . . . the styrofoam cup. In his upstairs loft, Lewis has hundreds of styrofoam canvases featuring his artistic talents on display along with some paintings he will proudly show off. 3098 US-Hwy 411. White, GA. 041223. by Sleepless Aquarius

[freebooter4ever]

The stuff thats been on my dash lately - the strike, playoffs, talk about teams and trades and players salaries - ive just been thinking a lot. You know i think too much. And im annoying. So.

A few years before i was let go from my old research group (2017), a few key federal education research grants were severely defunded. Like almost halved - if i remember correctly. And we were hit hard. And our director at the time was kind and saw this coming, and managed to get a small bit of warning before it happened. But it wasn't enough, because the guy we were going to lose - our extra artist, was in the states only on a work visa, and it was an educational non profit visa. I didnt understand the details very well but basically we missed the deadline for the vis lottery by a few months. Which meant he had zero chance of getting a visa on his own and any new company he applied to in the US would have to shoulder that cost/hassle. You can imagine this is next to impossible for artists to compete with. He had months to find a job that would be willing to take on someone who previously only had a nonprofit visa or he was going back home.

The harsh reality of the 3D art industry is that unless you are an insanely talented artist (we weren't) or have connections (we didnt we were in education for fucks sake) it takes for fucking ever to find a job (it took me two years to finally land the one in LA). Our entire team was worried about him.

This guy was as dedicated to the work as i was, for both of us sculpting/painting/art was basically our life. We both spent so many nights/weekends in that office just because we loved what we were doing and wanted to see the project succeed. Our little team was like a family, especially when we'd all be trapped together in random cities for conferences (the three of us young twenty-somethings provided the entertainment value/jokes, the one mid thirties guy on our team was a foodie who somehow managed to find the best hidden restaurants in even the dullest cities, and the oldest of us were popular enough that we never seemed to go out to eat without an entourage). The running joke was that he could sleep anywhere/anytime - at one point we caught him sleeping on the foldable bleacher seats while waiting for the dolphin show in atlanta (if you've ever tried to sit in those seats you know how ridiculous this is).

He loved pittsburgh more than me (and at one point when my nick was grilling me about why i stuck around so long i finally admitted to him that out of all the places in the world pittsburgh and seattle were the ones i loved best so when i say my coworker LOVED pittsburgh he actually loved it. More than even THAT.). He loved snow and cold to a degree that freaked even snow-obsssed me out. He had way more friends and connections in the city than i did, he was in sports clubs (wrestling. He was the only person i knew who could eat as much at a buffet as i could - we'd go to dinner during their cheap buffet night and it must have looked hilarious slender runner me and this big grappling muscular dude both digging into two piled on plates EACH).

ALL this and one little thing like losing his job when his expertise/qualifications are very VERY narrow and in a field that is grotesquely competitive...meant he couldn't stay in the country anymore.

It was ridiculous, it made me so mad, i kept being like 'theres gotta be a way theres gotta be a way' (there wasnt) and eventually i marched into our directors office and announced that i would halve my salary so we could keep him for one more full year.

And the director just smiled at me in that fond way of hers and patted the couch for me to sit, and calmly explained that i was actually the second person to march in and offer this. The lead developer on our project - the guy who coded the rendering engine FROM SCRATCH back in the 90's when realtime 3D graphics wasn't even imaginable - had offered up the portion of his salary it would take to pay our artist's.

Unfortunately our director explained that the university didnt work this way and it wouldnt have been possible no matter how noble our intentions, BUT she had also been pushing numbers to solve this, and had actually finangled enough finances that she was able to pull money out of a hat and keep him for another year regardless. It said a lot about how close knit our team was, and how much we cared about the programming envirnoment we were making for students for free worldwide that we were fully prepared to do anything to keep it running.

The real tragedy of it all though was that it didnt even matter. He searched and searched for an entire year and found nothing, and then took part in the regular visa lottery and got nothing. And he went back home (after stopping in california to watch some league tournaments haha). And he's still there, and still struggling to find a way back to the US - hiker boy and i were probably two of the people who knew him best, and both of us are probably going to be forever slightly worried/sad about him.

A friend of mine in LA got his green card this past monday - the one whose wedding i accidentally ended up managing. That was a jublient thing. And i still remember in 2018 taking sanjeev to get his citizenship and teasing him because he put it off for so long that he got stuck listening to the orange cheeto's speech when he could have had obama (but he could do that because he was a programmer, his job was in high demand). This doesnt really have anything to do with my point other than to say i know immigrants' experiences with visas can run an entire gamut from good-bad.

The writers on this strike arent asking for millions each - though i imagine it might seem like that to someone in western PA working a minimum wage job (my 25$/hr was living large in western PA :/). Kinda like me watching the salary discussion of these sports players utterly baffled me like 'we spend HOW MUCH on sports?? And HOW LITTLE on education??? Do you know what an entire development team could do with only one year of that salary???'. - that is to say, i recognize there are multiple levels of looking up at another group and wondering how the fuck they even exist that way.

And i know there's probably going to be a lot of bullshit and blame thrown around at the writers. But i just remember how like, when push came to shove, on my little education team our team members took care of each other. And there is SO much stratification in the US right now that it feels impossible to extend that peer-to-peer help to cross-class-levels help. But we have to fucking do it. And i know we all supported the strikes in the minimum wage service industry. And these going on in hollywood are equally as important. We need to make it socially unaffordable for these elite few to control so much power over our livelihoods. We SAW the mess that happened at the blue bird website. If even protected in-demand jobs like software engineers can suddenly be scrambling for thier paychecks and stability all because of one petty little man - Something is extremely extremely fucked up in how our economy functions. Because i believe at a small scale most humans are like my tiny little team - willing to sacrifice to keep everything running when times are tough. (as long as there's light at the end of the tunnel)

Blah. Ok ive said my bit. I sure as fuck hope the 3D artists figure out how to unionize one day though i have no clue how we'd go about doing it :/

[crimesandconspiracy]

The Forgotten Victim: Mary Phagan's Murder and the Fight for Equal Rights

On April 26, 1913, thirteen-year-old Mary Phagan was found raped and murdered in the basement of the National Pencil Company in Atlanta, Georgia, where she worked. Her body was discovered early in the morning, and an investigation into her death began.

The investigation quickly honed in on a suspect: Leo Frank, the superintendent of the factory. Frank was Jewish, and this fact would become a major factor in the case against him.

Despite little physical evidence tying Frank to the crime, the prosecution built a case against him based on the testimony of witnesses who claimed to have seen and heard things that incriminated him. The prosecution also used Frank's religion against him, painting him as an outsider who was not to be trusted.

Despite protests from Frank and his defense team, he was found guilty and sentenced to death. Many people, including prominent individuals and organizations, believed that Frank was innocent and that he had been railroaded due to the rampant anti-Semitism that existed in the South at the time.

Efforts to free Frank were unsuccessful, and on August 17, 1915, he was lynched by a mob in Marietta, Georgia. This act of violence sent shock waves throughout the country and fueled the growing movement for civil rights and justice for all people.

The murder of Mary Phagan and the subsequent persecution of Leo Frank remain a dark chapter in American history. It serves as a reminder of the dangers of bigotry, injustice, and mob violence, and the importance of standing up for what is right, even in the face of overwhelming opposition.

[bravopaintcompany]

Business Name: Bravo Painting Company

Street Address: 1190 Hayes Industrial Dr Suite B

City: Marietta

State: Georgia (GA)

Zip Code: 30062

Country: United States

Phone: (770) 455-5999

Website: https://bravopaintcompany.com/

Description: Bravo Paint provides high-quality staining services for the Metro Atlanta Area, including interior and exterior painting for homes and businesses. A fresh coat of paint can breath new life into your home or office. Whether it's adding an accent wall or repainting a house, paint and color can change the look of your property. If you plan on selling your home or if you just want a fresh new look, new paint can improve your home's curb appeal and increase its value. To further improve your home's curb appeal, consider some of our other services, as well, such as pressure washing and staining. Bravo Paint can power wash driveways, sidewalks, and even the siding of your home. We can also stain wood, concrete, and siding.

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Keywords: Painting Company Marietta GA, Painting Contractor Marietta, Exterior Painting Marietta, Interior Painting Marietta, Wood Staining Marietta GA

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[nancypullen]

Annnd I’m Back

I may have mentioned that the mister took a quick trip down to visit his mother and siblings, I’m flying down to see my mom in March so I didn’t tag along on this trip.  I still have sticker shock from buying my March ticket.  Granted, I’m flying into a small airport but if I’d left from Nashville the price would have been just under $200, leaving from Baltimore (same carrier)  was almost triple that. Ugh.  I’m still going through Atlanta so it’s not like I was able to book a nifty non-stop. It is what it is. Just seems like a rip-off, and I’m in denial about things like longer trip, added fuel costs,etc.  It’s not that much longer.  Anywayyyyy, enough beefing about that.  While Mickey was out of town I unplugged.  I ignored news, social media (mostly) and even email.  I lost myself in arts and crafts, reading, and watched a lot of Ina Garten.  It was soothing.  I forgot about the crazy world and just existed in my happy bubble.  Sure, I could do a lot of that when my spouse is home - but it’s lovelier to do it with no timetable.  I could skip making meals because if I wasn’t hungry it didn’t matter. I’ve been worrying about everyone’s meal schedule but my own since I was eighteen. Turns out I really only get hungry about once a day. I might be onto something here.  Oh sure, you could say that just because I cooked for someone else doesn’t mean I have to sit down and eat it too.  Get outta’ here with that crazy talk. I could waste away to normal doing that.  Most of my meals looked like this - roasted green beans, brown butter carrots from the crockpot, and a dab of garlic aioli to dip those beans in.  Healthy-ish.

Moving on to the crafty part of my week - some of it was practical and some of it was frivolous. I happen to think that frivolity is a necessary part of life.  The practical side of things had to do with that big ol’ trunk I bought a couple weeks ago. It sits under the double windows in the master bedroom (I’ve been told that’s politically incorrect and it should be primary bedroom).  That’s the perfect spot for it but it blocks a heating/cooling vent.  I figured all it needed was a little lift.  I found some wooden legs, not quite as big and squatty as I wanted, but I’m a fan of using what’s available.  I called upon my old friend spray paint...

and in no time that trunk was raised just to window height (the cats love it) and air was once again flowing freely.

I wonder where that trunk has been and what it has held - wish it could talk! My next project was equally as easy, and involved tea cups. There’s an auction house in Denton, Trice Auctions, and you can buy anything from tea cups to a dump truck there.  I opted for the cups.  Trice is a company that handles mostly estate sales. Every week they post a variety of goods and you can bid from the comfort of your home and pick up your winnings the following day. I tend to get excited over furniture and dishes (McCoy bowls, Fire King Jadeite, etc) and my picks usually close at a higher price than I’m willing to pay.  Nice to know I have good taste though. I’ve purchased some gorgeous frames - a grouping of three for TWO DOLLARS, and some beautiful tea cups and saucers. The cups and saucers came in at about two dollars a set, so I spent something like eight or nine dollars on those.  I’m turning them into pretty bird feeders. Anything is possible with Gorilla Glue.

I’d ordered a set of plant stakes from Amazon - the type that support large plants, I chose some that are 30 inches tall. 

Once again, my BFF showed up to help...

they arrived silver, no thank you.  I would have loved to really dress them up, maybe use something glittery, but I went with a good, solid green so that the stake will actually blend in with the gardens or potted plants where they’ll eventually be placed.  Once the stakes were dry I glued the saucer to that circular part and let it set.  Then I glued the tea cup to the saucer.  When spring arrives my porch plants and a couple of garden spots will offer bird seed in these sweet little cups.

I’ll put them in protected areas, and they’ll be easy enough to rinse out with a hose.  I’m convinced that the birds will appreciate the bit of fancy.  I’d love to see a robin or wren perched on the edge of that cup and enjoying a snack.

I did play with a bit of clay this week as well and made a pair of earrings to celebrate the arrival  of February. I figured it was easier to make hugs and kisses than groundhogs.

And since the grandgirl’s birthday is coming up I made a little bo for her to store the crown jewels.  She loves nothing more than a tiara and to deck herself in glittery, shiny things.  The universe gave her the right Grancy for that.  I try not to give her things that don’t come with a storage container of its own.  Imagine a little girl with two sets of grandparents, some great-grandparents, and a collection of aunts and uncles who love to give her things.  It fills up a room and a house pretty quickly.  That’s why I try to provide storage with the gift.  I found one of those magnetic-close boxes (in pink!) for a couple of bucks. It’s about 8 inches by 11 inches, so perfect!

 I rummaged around in my odds and ends and found some black velvety fabric.  Probably left over from a long ago Halloween.  So I measured a piece of cardboard from the bajillion Amazon packages we get, and made sure it fit the  box.

I had some pillow stuffing, but you could use foam, batting, whatever you have handy.  I glued that down on the cardboard, wrapped the fabric around that and glued it in the back, then glued in the whole she-bang, and now we have a box for her crowns.

I’ll put some smaller boxes inside to hold her clip on earrings and some sparkly necklaces.  Every girl should have a treasure chest, right?   I feel like I need to swipe those inside walls with a hint of glitter.  Maybe not. So there you have it, I was alone for four days and didn’t waste a minute of it.  In my world anything is possible with paint and glue.  I didn’t share the painting that I worked on because it’s in progress - but I’m getting better at florals and I’ll be using some of those pretty frames I picked up at the auction.  I’m thinking of branching out and doing multi-media collages with my dead people.  Why limit them to cards? I’m sure some woman needs this on her wall.

Or maybe this in her office.

On canvas with a combination of paint, fabric, and some doodads - they’d make nice gifts for girlfriends.  Can you tell I’m trying to talk myself into it?  I’m going to give it a whirl.  Why not? And that, my friends, explains my absence for the last few days.  I’ve been knee deep in fun.  Well, my kind of fun.  I hope that you’re doing something that feeds your soul and takes you away from the crazy world from time to time.  We all need it.  My talents are meager but I still find joy in using them. Use up what the universe gave you - your singing voice, your athleticism, your musical talents, your green thumb, your baking skills, whatever it is!  Don’t waste your gift.  You don’t have to be the very best at it, you don’t have to make money from it, if you enjoy it - that’s enough.  Don’t turn pleasure into pressure. On that note, I’ll wrap up this rambling post. Sending out oodles of love and crossing my fingers that the groundhog sees his shadow tomorrow. I know, I know, everyone else is sick of winter.  I just want one blizzard and then I’ll shut up.  We woke up to a dusting of snow today and it was gone by noon. Not good enough.  Come on,  Punxsutawney Phil - throw me a bone!

Hear me out, even if it stays chilly we’re still gaining daylight, right? Win-win! Until tomorrow - stay safe, stay well.

Nancy  

[praxcrown5]

Adding to this:

For my cars fanfic, I have researched all of the following:

-Mechanical engineering and classic car restoration practices including, but not limited to, chrome electroplating, sheet metal repair pre bondo, types of paint used in cars before the advent of acrylic polyurethane, the sorcery that is metallic paint, etc...

-How to rebuild the front shock and wheel assemblies for a 1949 Oldsmobile 88 Rocket. Someone was nice enough to scan in the contents of an old garage manual...and it's a fascinating read. http://edge-op.org/1949_Oldsmobile/index.php#contents

-Prohibition, and bootlegging in Dawsonville and Atlanta GA, during the 20s, 30s, and 40s

-How to make moonshine

-How to accurately convey, in writing, the fact that one of my OCs speaks with a heavy Appalacian accent (SE Kentucky sub-dialect)

-The origins of NASCAR and how it tied into bootlegging and prohibition

-Historical layouts of the Hudson Motorcar Company, Oldsmobile, and Cadillac factories in Detroit, MI

-Logging practices and logging machinery/equipment

-The size of a 51' Hudson Hornet's gas tank

-Classic stock car racing venues, especially Langhorne Speedway and all the crazy shit that went down there

This is why I read the reddit comments