#pine immigrant

[starlitvases]

I want to talk about my experience at Timberline Knolls, an all-women's residential facility located in Lemont, Illinois.

On July 9th of this year, I checked into my local psych ward and was eventually placed into the car of Timberline Knolls about two weeks later. My admission date was July 25th and my discharge was August 24th. I was placed on Pine Lodge, but was merged into Willow due to staffing and patient enrollment. There were many positives to the experience, but also negative ones.

For the positives, I was able to get my suspicions on Dissociative Identity Disorder confirmed. I learned I was diagnosed with an eating disorder, Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, and I learned some extra coping skills. I was an active journaler and kept a notebook and puzzle book everywhere I went. I was often the BHAs' favorite resident because I was respectful, active in the process, and kept myself away from fights. I had a resident confess to a BHA that they were very anxious about talking to people and fitting it. That BHA's first recommendation to the resident was to talk to me because I was so welcoming. I still keep in touch with that resident to this day. I made many friends that I still commune with, even though we're all states away now. I was often told that I was the best person to rely on because I stood up for myself, kept myself out of trouble, and was very compassionate towards anyone that needed a listening ear. Overall, I found the peer-support, BHAs, and therapists to be overwhelmingly positive and productive in my care.

As for the negatives, I found they were the same for some other patients. For those of us that struggled with physical disabilities, nurses tended to ignore us or were reluctant to provide us with physical care. I was diagnosed with POTS in May of this year and have had the symptoms for well over two years. I knew fainting was a possibility. Because of the summer heat, I was fainting around three times per day, on average. This was especially bad because I am an Alaska resident that only had a previous history of fainting three times per week. I suspect the drastic weather and pressure changes impacted my POTS and pushed it to the extreme. I was told by a nurse that, "if you keep fainting, TK might not be the best fit for you." Another patient there had Diabetes and needed insulin to live. At one point, she was denied an insulin injection by a nurse, who also denied a blood sugar check. I'm unsure of the rest of the details, but I do know that the patient ultimately signed a 72-Hour Release due to how staff regularly mishandled her disability.

Overall, I found the experience to be mostly positive and helpful for my mental health. I haven't had suicidal thoughts or urges in a few months since my release. My friends and close family have noticed a massive difference in my demeaner and overall outlook on life. I'm starting to understand my dissociative symptoms more than ever before. After over a decade and therapy treatments that failed to work, Timberline Knolls finally made a dent in helping to heal my mental health and trauma.

I'd recommend this place to any woman (cis or trans) or nonbinary individual struggling with drug addiction, an eating disorder, traumatic past, or other mental health issue. The only people I would not recommend it to are people with physical disabilities that moderately to severely impact their physical health, such as a fainting disorder, blood sugar issues, bone fracture, etc.

If you have an ESA, you are allowed to bring them with you provided you submit the required paperwork. During my month stay, I saw two ESA dogs on my lodge. My only advice is to be aware and respectful to those that have an allergy or phobia to dogs.

Trans women, you are welcome there. I'm unsure as to if the screening is different for trans women compared to cis women, but I did see at least two self-identifying trans women during my stay, one of which was still masc presenting as she was very early in the transitioning process. I still talk to her to this day, and as far as I'm aware, she hasn't reported any problems with TK.

If you're struggling with mental health or an addiction and you think a residential program may be beneficial to you, go for it. It has helped me tremendously and I cannot thank TK enough for helping me out.

[lavend3r-stardust]

I JUST WANNA BE HELD PLEEEASE I WANNA BE REASSURED AND ADORED FUCKFUCKFUCK I NEED HEALTHY DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION IN MY LIIIIIFE

[bafflement]

Deaged Oz AU - Bureaucracy In Vacuo

"Name?" The official asked, looking tired. Processing this many new people into Vacuan records was a round the clock task. It had been bad enough when they'd had several hundred people from Vale, but all of Atlas and Mantle? There weren't enough people to do this quickly, but at least these two were just children so probably shouldn't take too long? The younger of the two looked strangely familiar, though, maybe they'd met before somewhere?

The boys looked at each other and shrugged, then the older of the two smiled, looking as tired as the official felt.

"I'm Oscar Pine. I'm from Mistral originally if that helps?"

The official nodded and started leafing though her scroll, having typed the name in. She found him pretty quickly and nodded, satisfied. "Got you, thank you, you're entered into the records. And your... friend?"

Oz sighed. "Do I really have to say the full thing?"

"It will make it easier to find you and I do have... far too many other people to see today..."

Oscar just grinned at him again.

"In that case... Wintertippetarius Pine. I probably need to spell it for you, though." Oz sounded fed up. The full thing was so ridiculous, yet he'd already been called it far too often for his liking. What was wrong with just calling him Tip? Or Winter, he supposed... though Atlas' council always had sounded strangely possessive when they said it.

"So that's Winter... tip... yes I think I need you to spell it from there, please."

"W i n t e r t i p p e t a r i u s" Oz said slowly, not looking her in the eye and blushing slightly.

"Thank you. Ah, there it is. This should all be in order, go on in. Nice to meet you two."

"She was nice, so what's wrong?"

"I just am not comfortable stating my full name, Oscar. Wintertip was okay, but then after, well, Salem, someone went looking..." He looked almost dejected. "To an extent, it was a relief not to have 'Tippetarius' as part of my name, but... what is, is. I suppose it could be worse, after all."

"Yeah, they could use all three surnames... come on, let's go find the others."

After far too long a day looking people up, the official in question wound up in a local bar, nursing a tankard of beer with, thankfully, not too much sand in it and looking exhausted.

"Had a rough day?"

"Merely a long one. Though some parents should not be allowed to name children..."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, one of the names kinda stuck out. The older brother's was something normal, but I swear the little one's was about fifteen letters long... how would a little kid even spell that?"

"Yeah, I've met a few like that. Don't worry too much, if that's the highlight of this utter stupidity, you'll be luckier than most. Everybody who lived in Atlas AND Mantle? All at once? The sheer amount of political crap this'll take to smooth over... the amount of food they'll need..."

[meekamaye]

Winter Memories

(I wrote this a couple of years ago on a very cold Minnesota day. Today it is 91 degrees on the last day of July.) This time of year puts me in mind of my grandparents cabin in northern Minnesota. I stroll through the cabin once again and recall the little cast iron stove that heated the three main rooms; the living room, kitchen and bedroom. The back bedroom, which had been my brother’s was…

[glorialawnyc]

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[isolatedcorner]

As much as I love “Zoro fell first” hc’s I feel like “Sanji fell first Zoro fell harder” tickles me more because hear me out: Sanji’s emotional intelligence would allow him to spot Zoro’s crush on him a mile away but this man understands everyone’s emotions but his own! He would slowly develop feelings for Zoro under layers of denial, self hate, internalised homophobia and insecurity, and he’d (unconsciously) show these feelings for Zoro through how he and Zeff had been interacting, AKA very emotionally repressed “insults as affection” “begrudging acts of service” Asian immigrant dad type love. What’s worse is he’d already accepted the fact that him and Zoro would never be a thing, both on his end (MEN?? In love???) and regarding Zoro’s reciprocity (he’d never love ME). With Zoro being a blockhead he’d never pick up on Sanji’s thoughts =/= words =/= actions type love.

Zoro on the other hand is someone who once realises what he wants, would 100% pursue it hell be damned, so pining insecure Zoro doesn’t feel that probable. At the most he’d be scared that a rift between him and Sanji would harm the crew, but this would be quickly solved by him consulting Luffy and getting the green light. Anyways I think SOMETHING has to happen for Zoro to suddenly see Sanji in a different light, then his respect-bordering-on-crush feelings for Sanji just whack him in the head like a brick, and he never goes back. Something like Sanji sacrificing himself for Zoro or a similar traumatising incident that makes him go “shit, I gotta marry the cook.” And rest assured Zoro would confront Sanji about it because he doesn’t need anyone’s permission to like Sanji and he doesn’t care what Sanji thinks about it, if he’s grossed out by it then he can fight him like a man!!

[chillinglyadventurous]

One More - Stanford Pines

Your lips barely brushed against his as you whispered, “One more.”

Tags: Fluff

The soft glow emanating from Ford’s desk lamp bathed the room is a warm glow that cast long shadows onto the wall that flickered with each movement. His fingers had brushed against your own as you stood side by side , pouring over ancient texts and scattered notes. The concentration that I consumed him had now slipped.And his lips moved against yours in a deliberate kiss, the intensity of his research momentarily forgotten. His hands pressed firmly against your waist, but just as quickly as his kiss deepened, you sensed his hesitation.

“I need to get back to work,” He murmured against your skin. He's going to stick with reluctance. “I'm sorry, dear.”

If you didn't want to let him go, not just yet. With the soft side, you lean towards him. Your lips barely brushed against his as you whispered, “One more.”

Those two simple words hung it in the air like smoke. Your eyes are full of longingAnd his resolve wavered.Your breath hit in your throat as his eyes met yours and, for a moment, everything else fell away. It was just the two of you all alone in that room.There were no notes. There were no anomalies. It was just you and Stanford.

Ford close the distance between the two of you. His lunch captured yours and another test. This one was deeper and more urgent than the last had been. It was as if he was trying to make this one count before his world, those anomalies,Interrupted a peaceful moment once again.He didn't want to let you go either. 

As his lips moved against yours, you could feel the tension and him begin to rise. He always had this internal struggle. He couldn't decide which to choose, you or his godforsaken research.It wasn't often that he let his work go like this even if it was just for a brief, wonderful moment. It was hard for him to tear himself away, but there he was, captivated by you and the softness of your lips, The softness of your kiss.

His lips lingered against yours, but you could sense the resistance returning. Even asYou melted together you could sense his focus shifting back to everything on the table behind him. There were so many unanswered questions. There were so many different things to explore. There are so many questions left unanswered.

Stanford was always driven and you knew that he wouldn't let you sway his attention for too long no matter how much he cared for you. He had his passion for discovery. That had been what drew you to him after all.Now, however, a small part of you resented everything that he had devoted his life to. 

Reluctantly, Ford broke the kiss once more. However, both of his hands still rested on the small of your back, holding you as close as he possibly could. He rested his forehead against your own and his own breath dusted across your skin. His voice was soft immigrants was he spoke, “You making it very hard to concentrate. Do you know that?”

“And that's the point.” 

Your words are breathless as you teased him. Though, there was no malice in your words. You understood him.You understood his need to constantly be working towards something greater, but you also understood that even someone as brilliant as him needed these moments. He needed to escape every once in a while. He needed closeness and tenderness. 

Stanford pulled away just enough to look into your eyes. His gaze was soft and full of absolute affection. “One more.” And his words echoed your words like a prayer. This time, however, it wasn't a request. It was a promise. His lips found yours again and a final kiss. Slow and lingering.It was like he was committing the feel of you and your lips to memory.

Funny finally pulled away again, his eyes linger on your face for just a moment longer, appreciation in them. With a deep breath, he gently stepped back. The scholar in him was taking over once more. “Thank you, but,” his voice was filled with regret as he held you closer, “I really need to-”

“It’s okay,” you nodded, the understanding between the two of you left unspoken. “You know where to find me when you’re done.”

As you pulled away and turned around to walk back up the stairs, you glanced over your shoulder at him one more time. He was already turned back to his desk and the pages, the notes, pulled him back in. You watched for a moment, a small smile playing on your lips. Even though he was lost in his research, there is always something about him that made you two feel so connected. In the quietest moments, you knew he would always find you. For now however, this was enough. What you had now was enough. 

[revacholianpizzaagenda]

97 Poets of Revachol pics!

HERE THEY ARE, courtesy of the event's official photographer, Zuzana Šubrtová. The Elysium-based LARP took place in two runs in Terezín, Czech Republic, in the latter half of September. These are from the second run!

I can't possibly describe what it was like to inhabit the rundown tenement of La Cage with more than a hundred other players, bringing to life a whole slice of society: immigrants, barflies, petanque players, sewer people, Union gang members, Wild Pines mercs, disco people, sewer people, looters, street artists, an inevitable mass of fascists, anarchists, communards (or so I'm told), communards (proper), communards (it's complicated), councilmembers, hustlers, taxidermy enthusiasts, the also-inevitable mass of pale-fried strugglers, journalists, Moralintern creeps, RCM chucklefucks, and so on and so forth. The old military hospital burst to life with small human moments and grand revelations happening in every corner at all time, as the gears of history moved toward our inevitable trial run of Le Retour.

We really had it all. Politics, drugs, creeping mold, more drugs, unseen voices steering us toward our best and worst natures, a metaphysical rave, entroponetic anomalies, precognition (scripted), precognition (just kind of happened?? Several times over?), suzerainist coffin deliveries, sweatshop politics, old reckonings, radiant sacrifices (accidental-ish), three-way divorces (one-upping one HDB), strikes and strike-breakers, political dance-offs and political orgies, and did I mention the drugs, under the greatness of history and the pale.

Thanks to the organizers for the colossal effort they pulled off like it was nbd, and to all my fellow dwellers of La Cage.

A few favourites:

First off, this was basically the entirety of my game:

...with a central heartrending tension between that abandon, that 'something beautiful is going to happen', and my character's earthly loves, the family she loved so much. It was really really fascinating and emotionally moving to get to play out that central conundrum in full (and go die on the barricades for an independent Revachol following the push of History) (and also of Franconegro pulling my strings like a marionette in a chilling scene) (but mostly History)

Case in point: me in the back, the Unseen voice/spirit/skill "Doomsayer" to the left, dear husband Tai in the middle. Sorry Tai!

Moralintern mission

Sweatshop workers strike

Both sides of the barricades, right as the game ended (this is not a spoiler, it said up front on the website that that's where the story would end): independentists (feat. His Fuckery Franconegro with the black wings in the background, but also the Unseen of if it sucks hit da bricks, the street martyr and idk who else) and globalists (Dolores Dei, Doomsayer et al)

speaking of those two - here's them in full rave regalia. I love that two of the collective skills of this place are flat-out "Dolores Dei" and "Franconegro", it's so fitting. Can't have current society without them, so here they are, as a molecular part of it.

RCM peeps predictably being serious, professional individuals

Designer drug guy talking to Corrosion who's kind of the local version of Electrochemistry. I'm sure this was a completely hinged conversation that reached sensible conclusions

Wild Pines mercs +1

Disco downtime. The set design for The Bearded Vulture club and The Second Club was out of this world. I hope my own pics can convey some of it.

sweatshop power dynamics (there were accidents, Union leverage, strikes, corruption... you'd think there would be barely time for anything else to go on AND YET)

possibly my fave pic of the whole thing (go Doomsayer!!!). we had specific graffitable areas on the wall and made VERY good use of them. Well, everyone else. My character wasn't much of a graffiti artist, her greatest contribution was turning "Revachol for revacholians" into "Revachol for mold"...

LARP^2

fascist campaigning at the Democracy Picnic

Petanque club...

...actually playing petanque? I never saw them ingame, I was starting to wonder if it wasn't a front for something else

Pictured - no scheming, plotting or quadruple-crossing here as you can clearly see by "Kras Knezhinisky"'s super normal demeanour and unassuming name, which I can totally believe was on his legit birth certificate)

I mention Kras because here's the theatrical taxidermy show with him in the middle narrating the adventures of his antifascist ferret Kommissar Kunixet. Nice pic, I take the shot. Five seconds later, superstar Frittte clerk Jamie Delaney joins in, and what can I do, NOT have Jamie in a shot? Absolutely not, so I take the same exact shot with Jamie in it as well.

And by sheer twist of technology (and of course the pale, and of course vile censorship in defiance of the Romangorod convention)... Kras Knezhinsky of all people gets kommissar-no-kommissar'd. "Kras, the pale is erasing you from our memories, from images," I warn him, showing him the two pictures. One hour later, he gets taken behind the waste disposal facility and shot.

Hm.

(LARP's haunted. These things KEPT HAPPENING. In the first run, that version of my character went "YOU MURDERER" at the specific merc who'd turn out to be connected with her background, a couple of hours before getting that reveal in-game. What's Elysium without some good old-fashioned precognition after all!)

Poor Flowerseller (red dress here) was kind of my Empathy - many valiant attemps were made, however. Uphill struggle.

HARDCORE anodic club leader Konrad Nilsen doing something not so hardcore here, idk what was going on exactly but then again I never even noticed we had a morgue and I had a plot right next room, so what do I know. I know that the end is near. That much for sure. And that the resolution of history's contradictions goes through the pale. But corpses? Nah.

||||||| 😎

[najia-cooks]

[ID: First image is a close-up on a plate of small flatbreads topped with ground ‘meat’; second is a cross-section of one of the breads. End ID]

صفيحة فلسطينية / Safiha falastinia (Palestinian topped flatbread)

Etymology and origins

صَفِيحَة (“ṣafīḥa”), also transliterated “sfiha” and “sfeeha,” is a flatbread eaten in Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria, comprising a yeasted dough topped with a filling made from ground lamb or beef, spices, and chopped aromatics and vegetables. It may also be called “اللَحْم بالعَجِين” (“al-laḥm b al-‘ajīn,” “meat with dough”)—this phrase is the source of the Turkish “lahmacun” and the Armenian “Լահմաջո” (“lahmadjo”), which describe a closely related dish.

The word “صَفِيحَة” literally means “thin plate” or “sheet”; it comes from the root ص ف ح‎ (ṣ f ḥ), which produces words related to flatness. Compare for example “صَفَّحَ” (“ṣaffaḥa”) “to flatten,” “صَفْحَة” (“ṣafḥa”) “page,” and “صَافَحَ” (“ṣāfaḥa”) “to shake hands.” This term has been borrowed into Brazilian Portuguese as "esfirra" or "esfiha," when the flatbread was brought to Brazil by Levantine immigrants—mostly Christians—beginning in the 1890s. Today, esfiha has been naturalized as a "'typical' Brazilian bar food"; it is said that the typical resident of São Paulo is a "Japanese who speaks Portuguese with an Italian accent while eating an esfiha."

In English, lahmacun (also transliterated "lahmajoun") is sometimes called "Armenian pizza." Similarly, it may be called "صفيحة الأرمنية" ("safiha al-'armaniyya"), "Armenian safiha," in Palestine, indicating that it is regarded as a borrowing from the local Armenian immigrant community. In Armenia, lahmadjo is a very thin, soft flatbread typically topped with beef or lamb, tomatoes, tomato paste, bell peppers, onion, garlic, parsley, red chili paste, and black pepper. With Palestinian safiha, lamb is the typical choice of meat; the dough may be thicker, and enriched with the addition of milk, milk powder, or yoghurt; bell peppers are ommitted; and fried pine nuts may be added. Palestinian restaurateur Nassar Odeh remembers lahmadjo being served in Jerusalem's Old City decades ago; he says that "Armenian dishes" such as this have become "part of the Palestinian culture."

Though the Arabic-derived "lahmadjo" and related terms may be heard, [1] the most common Armenian-language name for this dish is "լոշմիս" ("loshmis")—presumably from "լոշ" "losh" "lavash, thin bread" + "միս" "mis" "meat." Some Western Armenian variations on the name reverse this order (meat-dough, rather than dough-meat): "մսաշոթ" ("msashot"), from "մսա" "msa" "meat" + "շոթ" "shot" "thin bread"; and "մսալոշ" ("msalosh"), from "մսա" "msa" "meat" + "լոշ" "losh" "thin bread."

The dish

A common part of everyday Palestinian cooking, صَفَائِح‎ ("ṣafā'iḥ"; plural of "ṣafīḥa") are often eaten as a snack or a portable lunch. They may also be served as a مَزَّة ("mazza"; "appetizer") for عِيد ("'īd"; "feast," "holiday"; often transliterated "Eid") or Christmas.

Safa'ih are shaped into pinwheels in the port city of يَافَا ("Yāfā"; often transliterated "Yaffa" or "Jaffa"), stuffed with ground meat or spinach. In the Bethlehem region the topping is often mixed with tahina, as well as vinegar or lemon juice, and perhaps pomegranate molasses. Other versions of the meat topping omit tahina and vinegar, and are more tomato-heavy instead.

This recipe is for Bethlehem mazza-style safa'ih, with thick crust that's crisp on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. Vinegar and pomegranate molasses provide a bright, slightly fruity lift to the topping, while tahina grounds it with a toasty, nutty aroma. Black pepper, allspice, and a green chili pepper add complexity and heat.

[1] There is a proliferation of possible spellings for "lahmadjo" in Armenian, which would indicate that it is a loanword (probably via Turkish, ultimately from Arabic). These spellings include "լամաջո" ("lamadjo") [common]; "լահմաջո" ("lahmadjo"); "լահմաջու" ("lahmadjou"); "լահմաջոն" ("lahmadjon"); "լահմաջուն" ("lahmadjoun") [literary; uncommon]; "լահմաջին" ("lahmadjīn"); and "լահմաջի" ("lahmadjī") [rare]. The letter "ջ" is pronounced as "dj" (IPA: [d͡ʒ]) in Eastern Armenian and a "tch" (IPA: [t͡ʃʰ]) in Western Armenian (timestamp: 40:33).

Support Palestinian resistance by donating to Palestine Action’s bail fund; buying an e-sim for distribution in Gaza; or donating to help a family leave Gaza.

Ingredients:

Makes 24 small safa'ih. Serves 24 as an appetizer, or 6-7 as a main dish.

For the dough:

5 cups (600g) white flour

1 cup (230g) non-dairy yoghurt (لبن رائب) (I used soy)

1/2 cup (125 ml) olive oil

1 1/2 Tbsp (15g) dry yeast

1/2 Tbsp (4g) kosher salt

1 tsp (5g) sugar

A scant cup (220g) of water

A more "everyday" preparation of this dish might make larger, flatter safa'ih out of a dough without dairy. This holiday variant includes yoghurt and makes smaller, fluffier safa'ih; but the yoghurt may be omitted (or milk or milk powder may be added) without injury, and the flatbreads can be made any shape you like.

Leila al-Haddad writes that, in Gaza, white flour used to be eaten as a treat and for special occasions before it later came to replace whole wheat white flour in many kitchens.

For the topping:

500g ground beef substitute (as a replacement for minced lamb)

1 medium tomato, minced

1 medium onion, minced

1-2 green chili peppers, minced

2 tsp kosher salt (1 tsp table salt)

3/4 tsp black pepper

3/4 tsp allspice; or Palestinian 7-spice / mixed spices (بهار مشكل)

1/4 cup white tahina

2 Tbsp pomegranate molasses

2 Tbsp white vinegar, or lemon juice

For a tomato filling, omit the tahina and vinegar, and instead use 2 Tbsp tomato paste; or 8 diced or puréed tomatoes, cooked down.

Instructions:

For the dough:

1. Combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

2. Make a well in the center and add in the yoghurt, olive oil, and water. Mix them together and then combine them with the rest of the dough. Add water or flour as needed to obtain a soft, slightly tacky dough.

3. Knead the dough on a clean surface for 5-10 minutes, until it bounces back when pressed. Allow to rise, covered, in an oiled bowl for 1-2 hours, until doubled in size.

For the filling:

1. Mince vegetables, or run them through a food processor. Mix all filling ingredients together.

To assemble:

1. Divide dough in half, and then half again; roll out each quarter of the dough into a cylinder and cut it into six equal pieces.

2. Roll each piece of dough into a ball between your hands, and then flatten it into a disc about 1” (2 1/2 cm) high and 3” (8cm) wide. Place on a baking sheet prepared with parchment paper, leaving an inch of space between each circle.

3. Press the center of each dough circle down to create a crust around the edge. Add a few spoonfuls of filling to the center of each safiha and press flat.

4. Bake safa'ih in the middle of an oven at 450 °F (230 °F) for 25-30 minutes, until crust is golden brown.

Serve as an appetizer alongside vegetable salads, pickles, olives, &c.

[astra-ravana]

Celebrating Samhain

Samhain, pronounced "SAH-win", is the eighth Sabbat and final spoke on the Wheel of the Year. With ancient Celtic origins, Samhain was one of the four fire festivals, and falls at the halfway point between the Autumn Equinox ans Winter Solstice. Opposing Beltane on the Wheel, Samhain also similarly features a 'thinning of the Veil', a time when the barrier between our world and that of spirits and other magickal entities is weakened and easier to cross. While Beltane famously is a strong time to interact with the Fae due to the Veil thinning, Samhain is most known for interactions with spiritual entities, the dead, and ancestors.

Samhain is also known as the third and final Harvest Festival (the first being Lughnasadh, and the second Mabon). The frost is coming, and most of the produce has been collected from the fields and stored away. As people prepared for oncoming harsh weather and lack of food/resources, they had to cut back on everything that wasn't crucial to their survival. Thus, this festival was the time of the animal harvest. All creatures who could not be fed through the harsh Winter were harvested during this time, and celebrated for their sacrifice.

Other names for Samhain and similar celebrations include:

• Halloween

• All Hallow's Eve

• The Witch's New Year

• The Third/Final Harvest

• Calan Gaeaf, "The First Day Of Winter"

• Oiche Shamnhna

• All Soul's Day

• All Saint's Day

• Devil's Night

Common Samhain Traditions

• The Dumb Supper is when a meal is hosted and consumed by the living, but the dead and spirits are invited to participate and given seats and places at the table as a sign of respect. Often the windows are all open during a Dumb Supper to invite the spirits into a home. Sometimes specific spirits or ancestors are invited or the invitation is simply left open to any spirits that wish to attend. The living attendants traditionally eat in silence to honor the spirits and hear their messages.

• Carving Jack-O-Lanterns originally came from the myth of "Stringy Jack", which is an Irish folktale about a man who tricked the Devil and now has to wander the world with a lit piece of coal protected inside a carved turnip. This evolved into people carving their own turnips and potatoes and placing them in windows or doorways to scare away Stringy Jack and other tricky or potentially harmful spirits. Once Irish immigrants came to America, the tradition was continued with pumpkins.

• Trick-Or-Treating is also derived from old Samhain traditions. The Celts believed that by dressing up they were disguising themselves from negative spirits who wandered the Earth on Samhain. In the Middle-Ages, "guising" was when children or impoverished people would dress in costumes and go door-to-door begging for food in exchange for songs or prayers. This practice was known as "souling" and the participants called "soulers". In Ireland, the practice of "mumming" involved dressing up in costumes and going door-to-door to sing in exchange for tasty cakes and baked goods.

Samhain Correspondences

Colors:

• Black

• Green

• Orange

• Purple

• Red

• Silver

Crystals:

• Black Obsidian

• Bloodstone

• Amethyst

• Black Tourmaline

• Carnelian

• Jasper

• Jet

• Malachite

• Iolite

• Onyx

• Vivianite

• Ruby

• Smokey Quartz

• Garnet

Herbs/Plants:

• Cedar

• Allspice

• Cinnamon

• Hemlock

• Sage

• Rosemary

• Patchouli

• Hazel

• Dittany of Crete

• Bay

• Clove

• Belladonna

• Dragon's Blood

• Wormwood

• Mandrake

• Mugwort

• Snapdragon

• Gourds

• Nutmeg

• Frankincense

• Ginger

• Pine

• Hyssop

• Marigold

Animals:

• Bats

• Snakes

• Cats

• Spiders

• Scorpions

• Coyotes

• Jackals

• Dogs

• Wolves

• Foxes

• Crows

• Ravens

• Owls

• Rats

• Stags

Food/Drink:

• Pumpkins

• Cider

• Beef

• Chicken

• Pork

• Cranberries

• Turnips

• Potatoes

• Garlic

• Soups/stews

• Pears

• Corn

• Ale

• Apples

• Grain

• Pies

Deities:

• Hekate

• Lucifer

• Anubis

• Loki

• Lilith

• Morrigan

• Nyx

• Hades

• Persephone

• Osiris

• Apollo

• Cerridwen

• Hel

• Freya

• Demeter

• Bast

• Mercury

• Yama

• Dis

• Herne

Magickal Workings:

• Spirit Work

• Ancestral Work

• Banishing

• Cleansing

• Divination

• Baneful Magick

• Shadow Work

• Rebirth/Resurrection

• Transformation

• Creativity

• Defensive Magick

• Preparation

• Ambition

• Purification

• Protection

Bonus: Samhain Incense Recipe

• 2 parts Rosemary

• 1 part Frankincense

• 1 part Cinnamon

• 1 part Cloves

• 1 part Patchouli

• 1/2 part Sage

• 1/4 part Hyssop

• Pinch of Sea Salt

[lizzy06]

SPY X FAMILY Fic Recs!!

Fandom Masterlist

These are my favorite spy x family fics!!

To Watch Her Melt Your Ice by Defmardybum (pinning, unrequited love, fluff)A series of lighthearted to terribly soul-crushing fictional excerpts depicting Fiona aka Nightfall’s pining for Twilight [ONGOING]

Loid Forger x Fiona Frost

💖💖✨COLLECTION: The Sunset Files by MigratoryHousefly [COMPLETED]

Part 1: A Sunset Everyday :✨✨

For years, Agent Nightfall has been waiting for a chance like Operation Strix. A chance to be somebody new, a chance to prove herself both to her agency and more importantly somebody else. She just needs to grasp that chance before it slips out of her fingers, and learn to work with a certain pint-sized subordinate.

Part2: Alternative Strategies: ✨

Anya's still getting used to having a spy for a mother. Her mother, apparently, is still getting used to being a spy as a mother.

Part 3: Near Horizon :✨✨

Agent Twilight has done his share of the impossible, but he's still getting used to the types of challenges presented by Operation Strix. He doesn't know which is worse: taking on another hopeless mission with minimal support, or dealing with a partner who clearly detests him.

This is an alternate au where instead of yor, fiona becomes Loid's wife!! <Even though this is a rarepair, do give it a try...This is my perhaps by favorite spy x family fic out there>

Loid X Reader

Welcome to Operation Strix by Bribwritez(oneshot,fluff)As a new spy, you are assigned on your first big mission... only you have to pose as the wife to one Mr. Loid Forger, the cover story to Westalis' greatest spy yet. [COMPLETED]

Composure by mrsbakashi (Oneshot) Loid gets Jealous when a man approaches you at a party and make you laugh.[COMPLETED]

Yuri Briar x Reader

An Alliance(Yuri Briar x reader) ✨by StellarConstellations401 [Y/N] has been many things; a soldier, a Westalis spy, a Ostanian government agent, and now a wife. As luck has it for her, getting caught by the SSS means not only switching careers, but getting matched for life.[ONGOING]

Rue the Day✨ by Yuri Briars Darling (AmorphousDissatisfaction)(strangers to lovers, First love, Romantic fluff, Angst with happy ending) [COMPLETED]

With you by my side; by anyafrog (Romantic comedy, happy ending) Imagine being in love with Yuri Briar. Imagine him inviting you out on a date & become his girlfriend. Imagine learning the truth about Yuri Briar. [ONGOING]

Reason To Keep You Here by insertmesoftly you are an immigrant in Ostania but you are content with your life...that is until you here about a law being made that would throe you out unless you marry someone born in Ostania...so You rope in Yuri. [ONGOING]

"Yes, sir!" by Yuri Briars Darling (AmorphousDissatisfaction) <18+>(oneshot, smut) you get caught getting yourself off on your superiors desk. [COMPLETED]

2LT Briar by Yuri Briars Darling (AmorphousDissatisfaction)<18+> Living a lie is complicated. It only gets worse when you begin to deceive yourself too. [COMPLETED]

It's a Wine Kind of Day by bvbblegvn (Oneshot, smut)<18+> Basically reader and Yuri go to the bar, talk, get drunk, then come home, fuck, and sleep. [COMPLETE]

All Grown Up by Yuri Briars Darling (AmorphousDissatisfaction)(Friend to lovers, Childhood friends, Neighbors, fluff)<18+>

Rose and its Thorns by Cowboysandconnolis you are the safest, most cherished woman in the world. Until one evening when you are saved by a brave, shadowy man who bares a striking resemblance to your brother in law. [ONGOING]

Yuri Briar x Fiona Frost

Frost and Thorns ✨(strangers to lovers, partners to lovers, angst, feels) by Dinoroar645 Agent Night fall Joins Operation Strix ..... as Anya Forgers...Aunt [ONGOING]

The Dreadful Consequences of Chloe Getting Bored by edgarvaneps (enemies to lovers, fake dating, fluff, humor)Chloe wants to trick Yuri into going on a date with a woman who isn't his sister. Yuri thinks that his best shot at incriminating Loid Forger is through his assistant. Fiona thinks she is caught so she has to convince them both that she is a civilian. [ONGOING]

Trust is like a mirror by judasslave Fiona is assigned to assure Twilight's identity remains a secret to Yuri Briar and the Secret Police. Unexpectedly, she comes to uncover a Yuri no one has seen before and in return questions her own identity and loyalty to WISE. [COMPLETED]

Out Loved Ones by Truegear (fake dating, idiots in love, partners) One is a civil servant. The other is an office worker. They have one goal in common: Splitting up the Forger family.[COMPLETED]

Target: Yuri Briar by lighthouse2 (enemies to lovers, undercover) Fiona's Mission: Find out what he knows about Twilight's identity and what he's said to any others. Treat with extreme care. [ONGOING]

Envious by lighthouse2 (oneshot, comfort) At Loid and Yor's wedding, the only guests who are anything but happy for them are Yuri and Fiona. [COMPLETED]

A Baby between them✨ by Mayumi_Buena (unplanned pregnancy, smut, marriage of convenience) After Loid and Yor's wedding. Yuri and Fiona meet in the club and had a one night stand. It was supposed to be a one time thing. Until Fiona found out she is pregnant. [ONGOING]

 Tonight, I Won't Be Yours (Under Construction) by lunar404(oneshot, hate sex) <18+>. Another day of frustrations regarding the Forger family, another hot night between the two of them. Or: Fiona and Yuri are each other's stress relief. [COMPLETED]

Cold Night by NEKOassassin In a moment of self-doubt, something caught his eye. [ONGOING]

Donovan Desmond x Melinda Desmond

I hope you die(I hope we both die)✨ by JaMills (Oneshot, Angst, Arranged Marriage, Infidelity) In which Melinda and Donovan are a married couple that, for lack of a better word, despise each other. [COMPLETED]

Youth is wasted in the war ✨by JaMills (oneshot, fluff, angst, bittersweet) Today a man who takes pride in being a patriot and fight for his country, Donovan also once questioned the war.(Or, a phone call between a young married couple in a war stricken Ostania.) [COMPLETED]

burned into my brain are these stolen images by JaMills (bittersweet)A look at the life of Melinda and Donovan in front of cameras. [COMPLETED]

The Great War by JaMills (oneshot, fluff, humor, children au)The cast are kids and like to play pretend. [COMPLETED]

Tolerate it by ScarlettSpring (oneshot, Hurt, marriage, falling in love) She had to make sure the world would see her as the perfect first daughter of Nadine's corporation. So when she first met Donovan Desmond, the emotions caught her by surprise. [COMPLETED]

Safe & Sound (Angst, Tragedy, Hurt, Love)byScarlettSpring Run. That's the only thought I can keep in my head.[COMPLETED]

to the moon and back. (oneshot)by whatislea [COMPLETED]

Once in twenty lifetimes✨ by dancingpineapples (oneshot) they cross paths again and again and again, and it takes almost twenty lifetimes for him to finally find out her name. [COMPLETED]

Mrs.Desmond by whatislea (oneshot) The life and times of Melinda Desmond, the wife of Donovan Desmond! [COMPLETED]

but we get along when I'm inside you by Anonymous(Friends with benefits, Rivals with benefits) -A normal occurrence between rivals [COMPLETED]

an explosion, any moment by JaMills (Angst) As a family that's always in the public eye, the Desmond's have their fair share of experiences with attempts of taking their lives. So they should not be affected.. right? [ONGOING]

What's in a Name? by fluffmelange (oneshot) Young Donovan Desmond trying(and failing) to convince his wife how wonderful it is to have a first name starting with 'D'. [COMPLETED]

Unwrapped by Anonymous

[travelingthief]

Dionysus Offerings/Devotional Acts

There'll be NSFW themes as he is the god of wine and ecstasy!

Offerings

Wine/Intoxication

Alcohol, specifically wine

Grapes

Wine corks

Wine glasses

Shot glasses

Goblets

Corkscrews

Sparkling cider

Grape flavored things

Cheese

Weed/hallucenigens

Nips (small alcohol bottles)

Bottle opener

Beer/soda tabs

Alcohol bottles with cool labels

Fruit/fruit seeds

Theater/Plays

Play/theater scripts

Play/movie tickets

Masks

Costumes

Nature

Pine cones

Fennel 

Wildflowers

Fig/fig newtons

Ivy

Leopard/cheetah print

Honey

Bull imagery

Donkey imagery

Bones

Antlers

Dead/preserved animals

Hiking gear

Seeds

Dolphins

Depictions of big cats

Wheat

Barley

Ecstasy

Concert/festival tickets

Various drugs (use safely!)

Sex toys

Your favorite music

Misc.

Locks of hair

Shaven beard hair 

Pride swag

Extravagant clothes/clothes that make you feel good

Devotional Acts

Wine/Intoxication

Drink alcohol/get drunk

Go to a wine tasting

Make wine

Eat grapes

Trip intentionally/spiritually

Learn about substance abuse/recovery

Destigamtize drug users

Learn about harm reduction

Use drugs safely 

Theater

Attend a play

Write a play/film/musical

Make home videos

Write poetry

Act

Dress up

Go to the movie theater

Nature

Go to the woods

Dance/sing in the woods

Meditate in the woods

Learn wilderness safety and first aid

Learn what to do when encountering a wild animal

Go off the beaten path

Explore new areas

Pick up litter

Forage

Recycle bottles

Grow fruit

Try new fruits

Ecstasy 

Attend concerts/festivals

Attend/throw parties/celebrations

Have sex

Masturbate

Have threesomes/swing/whatever your in to

Finally give into that one kink you’ve been repressing (you know the one)

Do drugs (responsibly)

Learn about consent/establish boundaries with partners

Death/Rebirth

Dionysus is a god of rebirth and resurrection. This association comes from his birth stories and has resulted in epithets like “twice-born.”

Learn how to preserve dead animals

Learn about different life cycles (plants, animals, etc)

Learn about your ancestry 

Foreigners

Dionysus is also seen as a foreign god with unknown origins. He also traveled through and invaded India.

Learn about immigration in your area

Learn about different cultures

Try foreign foods

Learn a new language

Learn about your ancestry 

Help immigrants in your area

Misc.

Grow your hair out

Manifest/Keep a manifestation journal. Sexual/creative energy is linked and can be used to manifest

Shed your old self

Self-reflection/self-exploration

Identify areas where you may overindulge (food, substances, spending, etc.)

[fordtato]

So, I’ve been watching some of your Gravity Falls videos—-and by the way, they’re absolutely fantastic, and I love that you included complex and under-discussed topics through the lenses of aspecs and of masculinity—though one of the things that’s been most surprising that you’ve mentioned in passing a few times is the idea that Stan and Ford were specifically Jewish immigrants.

I’m curious if you could tell me more about that, especially because that possibility doesn’t sit well with me as a Jew, as if it’s true it would make Stan’s entire character an antisemitic stereotype (the greedy, deceptive Jew is one of the oldest antisemitic stereotypes out there) and would make the entire show harder to enjoy or even watch.

Sure, no problem (and thank you for watching my videos)! So, the Pines family is canonically Jewish (the series creator, Alex Hirsch, is himself Jewish and based them off his own family and has confirmed this, and we see a mezuzah at Stan and Ford’s childhood home). As far as them being immigrants, I don’t say that Stan and Ford themselves are immigrants, but that they are the children of immigrants, as it is implied in the supplemental material that their father (or at least their father’s family) migrated to the US, with a mention of a name-change on Ellis Island. 

As far as the antisemitic stereotypes, that is an area that I feel less comfortable weighing in on (as I myself am not Jewish). It is notable that the characters were written/created by a Jewish man, and I feel it would be inappropriate for me to weigh in too deeply on how a Jewish person writes Jewish characters (and Stan, notably, is also based off of one of Hirsch’s relatives.) In all discussions of good or bad representation (regardless of which marginalized group I’m considering), I think a solid rule of thumb when considering a stereotypical depiction, is that it is important to see if that is the only depiction of that group present, or if there is diversity within the diversity, so to speak. The entire Pines family, including Dipper, Mabel and Ford, are all Jewish, and they have a wide breadth of traits and loveable qualities and flaws. If all of these characters had harmful stereotypes associated with their traits, or if the only depiction of a character from a given group is a stereotype, that is what usually sets off red flags for me. This does NOT mean that stereotypical depictions are immune to criticism, because they absolutely are not, but I do think criticism can be murky on a case-to-case basis, especially when those traits are written by a writer of that background. 

That being said, I have seen it said by other Jewish fandom members that Stan Pines can be seen as a deconstruction of the stereotypical tropes you mention and I’ve always found that very interesting. What at first appears to be greed/money-obsession can actually be seen as a manifestation of his means of survival (leftover from when he was homeless as a teen), the trauma of being told as a young person that he would not be accepted without money, and also that he was working to pay off his brother’s mortgage while working to save him from the portal.

I hope this was helpful and that my answer here made sense. 

[ebonyfrostremade]

Let's talk about Forgotten Elegy!

Hey since the mods all blocked me preventing any sort of communication I'd like to expose what has been going on in there! Apparently because it makes people uncomfortable to say what's going on.

So the current plot in TimberClan involves an outsider group in which previous members caused problems for the group. Now no player was warned about what this group was going to face going in. Instead we were faced with erin hunter level anti-outsider xenophobic rhetoric.

Now as some of you may know... I am not white! In fact I am of arabic descent, which, as some of you know are not exactly a favorite when it comes to immigrants!

Some topics mentioned include:

A cat taking on the name of the colony's god to piss them off this was treated as funny!

Likening their burial practices to like prey or trash.

Treating the entire group as murderers when only one cat maybe did something.

Pining the blame on the group for a disappearance they had no paw in.

Calling the colony brutes and relating their distrust to their culture of fighting assuming they love fighting and shit because of it.

Keeping the colony prisoner for an extended period of time

Implying the colony should be grateful for receiving "food" and "shelter" while being kept prisoner and if they weren't they'd be ungrateful.

Having a literal concept of "the good ones" with the colony having the main captor the leader Scoutstar have a colony cat, Velvet, as her watcher to make sure the colony weren't stepping out of line. Allegories being made towards a dog on a leash.

Making cats who believe the treatment is wrong feel stupid and afraid of siding with them!

Oh this entire plot is suppose to end with the colony joining Timberclan despite the foul treatment!

Constant jokes about how the worst offenders did nothing wrong especially Scoutstar who is, as pointed out by her player, taking her paranoia out on the group but its "for the good of her clan" so i guess that makes it ok right?

Now call me not white but all of this sounds pretty bad!

Mmy way of engaging such things, as someone who has experienced similar things, would be to call it what it is that should be alright shouldn't it? After all as they told me this is an Adult Rp where we can talk about Adult Themes after all!

WRONG!

Apparently calling these cat's behaviors and the plot for what it is has made people "uncomfortable" and that members did not enjoy how I was commenting on their characters because of how people turned it to real resentment in the past.

I will have you know FE that trying to block me from speaking and being a hawk over whatever I say has made me more resentful that a character's actions!

I am an adult and I find it quite insulting you apparently think I cannot separate those things and have childishly blocked me rather than talk like adults as I didn't even want to repeal the decision. However because members were uncomfortable that was apparently enough, yet the real world rhetoric that was being used, despite asking for it to be tagged never was! In fact I had to get blasted with comments and sentiments like those above without any sort of content warning. Basically getting my cat experiencing bigotry like mine without so much as a warning despite "the obvious" needing to be tagged.

Instead of anyone, staff or complaining members alike, putting on their big boy pants and dealing with the implications of the plot they were in they rather cry and whine about the consequences of their actions and the fact it didn't make their little kitty look all that good. Such is natural for whites and the people who ride their dicks.

Now I can personally say there are plenty of members who agree with me that this so if you think blocking and kicking me is getting you out of this you are sorely mistaken! In fact they are quite pissed off with how staff handled things in kicking me for what they also agree were appreciating the writing from a standpoint of someone who is a real life victim of what this plot showcases. Isn't that funny! I know that my friend who I mentioned to you is still there!

In fact a lot of the comments the cats in this rp have used have been almost word for word shit I've heard and shit my family and people like me have heard! Yet I'm the bad guy for making a comment about it.

All of this is to say I am in fact hurt and know that you all don't like me because I didn't roll over and take being put through a xenophobic plot without comment and called cats xenophobic for actions I saw!

So I am returning the energy you have given me! I think you are all unprofessional and have been for most of the controversies your group has been involved in. You run away from what the issue is and refuse communication then turn around in blaming the lack of communication for the reason why these things happen.

I'm sorry me engaging with a plot you crafted as a person effected by the very concepts you are putting into it offended you same with all the other little members who whined about it!

Actually that was sarcasm I am not fucking sorry. You all need to grow the fuck up and perhaps can this plot because you clearly cannot handle something as delicate as this without being xenophobic and racist. Just call me a fucking terrorist or towelhead or a camel jockey next time it'll be much more direct!

[wastelandhell]

I absolutely love your character Val! I'm a newer follower so I don't know much about him, but I love whenever you draw him. could you tell me more about his story? or how he ended up with Danse or even what their dynamic with each other is?

Ah thank you <3 I used to post more "lore" stuff on here and theres a bunch if you go way back in his tag, but in the last year I've just been kind of posting a lot of out-of-context and au stuff with no connection.

Him and Danse are both very opinionated men, and those opinions rarely align. They spend about as much time arguing as they do getting along, their relationship through most of the game is equal parts mutual pining and divorced.

They are finally able to acknowledge their feelings for each other shortly before "The Nuclear Option", but mutually split afterwards while Danse tries to find himself and Val focuses on establishing a stable home for Shaun. They reconnect about a year later when the commonwealth is in less of a state of crisis, and are finally able to pursue their relationship.

You know what, I haven't posted anything about him in a while, who's ready for a

This is not going to be very edited or formatted because I am a clown so. Sorry in advance.

A brief overview?

His "real" name is Vasili Gavriilovich Andonov but he goes by Valerie Anderson wherever he can, and does his best to hide his russian ancestry. He prefers people call him Val, though most of the brotherhood soldiers refer to him as Andonov. He hates people referring to him as Vasya or using his patronymic name, though thankfully there aren't a lot of people in the commonwealth who use russian naming conventions.

He's an autistic, bisexual, depressed alcoholic who indulges in stimulants a bit more than he should. He's surprisingly good at playing guitar, especially slide blues with his steel resonator guitar. He loves aircraft and built/painted scale models before the war. He's very lonely, even when around people who like him he never feels like he belongs. His birthday is Jan 12th, which is coincidentally a sort of holiday for the cryonics community.

He'll spend a lot of time looking inward and ruminating, and can identify a lot of his personal problems, but is not very good at "fixing" them. So he just kind of mopes around and wallows in self-loathing and self-pity. He's very gullible, and hates people messing with him. While he struggles a lot socially he is very intelligent, and is a genius with anything with an engine. Before the war he worked on vertibirds for the us military. His support of the brotherhood has nothing to do with their ideals; just that they keep him fed, paid, and let him work on aircraft. He's not particularly concerned with "saving" the commonwealth, he just wants to hurt the people who have hurt him.

Gameplay-wise, he's a melee/power armour build, with his highest stats INT and END. He can built so many weird and wonderful things that either explode or he can beat you to death with. Maybe both. His LCK and CHR are pretty miserable, nobody likes him and things are constantly going wrong. Playing a melee character in survival with MAIM is... a task.

Some sort of timeline?

He's the son of Russian immigrants who met in the US, His father Gavriil was an angry alcoholic who worked for the government and his mother Lidiya was a stay-at-home mom and a fervent christian. He had a sister, Kseniya, who was almost his opposite; a very polite and reserved child.

Valerie was small as a kid; being ginger, autistic, queer, and an immigrant made him a frequent target of his peers. Paired with his fathers physical and emotional abuse at home this made him a very angry and defensive person.

He spent most of his time away from home, preferring to spend his time in the woods around their home or just walking around town. He started smoking when he was 12 and drinking when he was 14, stealing from his father. As he got older he missed more and more school, spending his time committing petty crimes and getting into trouble.

While his father was more directly hostile his mother was equally overbearing in her own way. Val would identify himself as agnostic and having no belief in god, but for all of her preaching he still harbors a lot of “catholic guilt”, and fears that when he dies he will go to hell.

As he got older he quickly sprung from a small kid to a tall, muscular teenager. While he never learned to get along with his peers he learned to adapt an imposing, aggressive and masculine personality to defend himself.

When Val became too large for his father to easily push around he turned his anger towards Kseniya, whom Val was fiercely protective of. This only raised tensions at home, and Val and his father would get in frequent physical altercations. He contemplated leaving when he was 16 and could drive, but didn’t want to abandon his sister.

Eventually things came to a head when both of them had been drinking and Valerie came home late. Their fight got particularly nasty, and Val broke a bottle over his fathers head. He was immediately out cold, and Val was left shocked, covered in his fathers blood, believing he had just killed him. This would haunt him for the rest of his life.

Kseniya was home at the time, and ran in when she heard the yelling. Val tried to convince her to come with him, but she was shocked and terrified and refused to leave. Fearing retribution, and before he could really process what he had done, Val took any cash he could and the keys to his fathers car and fled.

He sold his fathers car and got something less traceable, which he lived out of for the next several years while he jumped around state to state. He picked up the occasional day job, but mostly supported himself by stealing cars and running drugs.

After he left is when he began going by Valerie Anderson. At first it was out of fear that he was wanted under his legal name, but he soon realized how much better people treated him if he had an “american” name.

When he was 20 he was eventually picked up for a minor offense, but given the political climate at the time he was offered the opportunity to join the military rather than face charges. As much as Val hated the government he was still very afraid of being connected to his fathers murder, and jumped at the chance to avoid any legal issues.

In his time in the military he discovered a love for aircraft, and pursued it doggedly. He got his GED, and went on to earn a masters in aerospace engineering. He never bothered with friends or relationships, he put all of his time into education and work. Lived and breathed for aircraft.

While Val enjoyed his job he continued to struggle with his mental health and substance abuse. He would frequently get into fights, eventually he got into a bar fight bad enough he nearly killed someone, getting the scars on his face at the same time.

While he was in trouble with the law he would end up working with his new attorney, Laura Walsh. She was elegant, graceful, composed, brilliant, persuasive, someone who always got what she wanted. And had terrible taste in men. Before the case was even over they started hooking up.

Their relationship was strictly friends-with-benefits, neither of them really cared for the other as a person and it was just sex. Over time, despite their best efforts, they came to see past the carefully crafted personas that they both presented to the world and fell in love with the people behind them.

He was 29 when they met, and they married less than 3 years later. They were moved to Boston for Val’s work, and it seemed like they would be staying for a while so they tried to establish themselves. Val tried to quit drinking around this time but struggled to face reality sober for the first time, and frequently slipped back.

Laura had always wanted children but Val was initially very against the idea. He still held a lot of unaddressed trauma from his own childhood and did not feel that he could ever be a good father.

Eventually Laura convinced him otherwise, and he agreed, again making an effort to clean himself up. When she fell pregnant his anxiety led to him having a breakdown at work, afterward he admitted himself to an inpatient rehab and spent 6 weeks there. From here until the start of the game was probably the best time of his life; sober, medicated and attending regular therapy sessions.

While Val was worried about his capacity to be a father, as soon as Shaun was born he lost that. That kid was his life, he did everything for him. He stayed on a break from work while Laura returned to practice, being a stay-at-home dad and throwing himself into domestic life. He even built a robot housekeeper!

His sister tracked him down somewhere around here and they began communicating through the post. She reveals that his father survived the attack, and was still alive, though she hadn’t spoken to him in years. They were planning to meet in person in the winter, though obviously that didn’t happen.

He was 33 when he went into the vault, and the main fo4 plot takes ~3 years to complete, but I think I’ve made this post long enough and I am too drunk and tired to keep typing. Safe to say hijinks ensue.

tl;dr hes an orange cringefail loser, and im hopelessly in love with him.