#post session 43 ask

[kikyoupdates]

⭑˚💞⭑ yandere!ocs x f!reader

yandere, reverse harem, yandere reverse harem, original characters x fem!reader, slowburn, isekai

A desperate cry on your deathbed leads to you being given a fresh start at life. You're overjoyed at having finally obtained a healthy body and a real chance at living normally, only to discover that you've been transported into a yandere game, where danger lurks at every corner. Determined to protect your new life at any cost, you vow to stay as far away from the major characters of the game as possible. But things don't always go as planned.

00 — prologue 01 — a living miracle 02 — taking precuations 03 — swinging like a champ 04 — mr. two-faced 05 — the protagonist's arrival 06 — and so it begins 07 — stranger danger 08 — unexpected kinships 09 — not a partygoer 10 — awfully persistent 11 — trying a new approach 12 — top of the class 13 — swords and scones 14 — insatiable appetite 15 — an unwanted partner 16 — too close for comfrot 17 — academic distinguishment 18 — never ask for directions 19 — royally screwed 20 — call it payback 21 — stay disciplined 22 — tavern shenanigans 23 — pricked by a rose 24 — concerning weakness 25 — on school grounds 26 — knights tourney 27 — unpleasant discussion 28 — taking chances 29 — heavy heart 30 — library brainstorming session 31 — a friend's duty 32 — intoxication 33 — the aftermath 34 — dancing without a care 35 — personality shift 36 — clean slate 37 — worst date ever 38 — threatened 39 — feelings awry 40 — happiness 41 — a taste so sweet 42 — in denial 43 — revelation 44 — endless dream 45 — bereaved 46 — a hidden smile 47 — going to be okay 48 — thief's penance 49 — enraged 50 — hope and despair 51 — a sickening arrangement 52 — in theory 53 — to challenge fate

-ˋˏ ༻ Special Chapters༺ ˎˊ-

✿ halloween! 🎃 ✿ christmas! 🎄 ✿ valentine's day scenarios ✿ what could have been

More chapters are available on Quotev!

⊱.⋅follow + post notifications on for story update announcements or join the author's discord!⋅.⊰

💞 main masterlist ♡ character appearances

[galeorderbride]

Intimacy Prompt: #43!

43: falling asleep with their head in your lap

Thank you sm for the prompt request!!

I like the idea of post game Professor!Gale when he first starts teaching. Maybe full of self doubt over whether he’s a good teacher, feeling frustrated that his pupils aren’t understanding concepts right away (mostly blaming himself). And Tav just comforting him at their home. 

A shortie ft. Gale x tav (uses she/her pronouns but no physical descriptions). Fluffy cuteness, comfort and nothing more 😊 

Rating: T

Count: 1337 

…

Gale was always a man to pour over documents with immense detail, but tonight, he seemed to be studying the same page on repeat. Pen scratching against the paper to the point of tearing, the sound of him mumbling to himself. Gale usually took so much pleasure in hours of research, absorbed in the material, but not this time. He mumbled, perturbed by his own work as he’d scold himself under his breath. 

For the first few hours, Tav left him to his work, knowing he wouldn’t feel better until he completed the task. Until he missed dinner, even when she called for him. No matter how much work he had to do, he’d made a habit of joining Tav at the table. She watched the clock tick, waiting for his steps down the stairs as the plate of chicken and vegetable stew grew colder. She should’ve checked on him already, but ever the people pleaser, she didn’t wish to bother him while in focus. 

Finally, she got up from the table and took his bowl in hand, travelling up the narrow stairwell. If he didn’t come out to eat, she would go to him. 

The wooden door was closed tight, but unlocked. Tav knocked a few times before entering, saying, “Gale, my love, are you alright? Your soup is getting cold. I know my cooking isn’t quite as good as yours, but it can’t be that scary.” 

He replied through the door, voice muffled but obviously exhausted, “Sorry, Tav, would you mind putting it away for me and I can reheat it later? Forgive me, dear, I have more to do than I anticipated.” 

Unsatisfied with his response, Tav sighed and entered his study. His back faced her, seated at his desk by a large window, fresh snow tapping against the glass as the evening turned to night. Candlelight illuminated piles of parchment around him, dotted with ink smudges and overlapping line edits. A mug of green tea sat on the end, untouched and cold. At the centre of it all was Gale, her loving fiance, slumped over the cherrywood surface with his head in his hands. 

Tav approached him, standing behind his chair as she placed the bowl on the desk and brought her hands to his shoulders. Velveteen fabric softened against her touch, lowering herself down to kiss the crane of his neck. The tension in his muscles was palpable, yielding even to the lightest rub. His tired eyes met hers, nothing but tenderness in those dark, chestnut eyes in desperate need of nutrients. 

“Gale, what’s wrong? You look as though you’ve just discovered the darkest secret of Nessus,” Tav asked. 

“Perhaps I’d feel a little better if I did,” he said, voice husky from tiredness. “At least then I’d provide a bit of value somewhere.” 

Tav looked over at his work, deciphering the multiple revisions to see he wasn’t doing research, he was strategizing classroom discussion. Private tutoring sessions, patterns of abbreviations for illusory spells, even planned workshops focusing on specific incantations. All the ideas were scratched out, or little comments written on them like ‘stupid’, ‘no’ and ‘absolutely not’.

“Are you doing lesson plans?” She asked, unable to conceal the confusion in her voice. 

“Failing lesson plans,” he said. “My students aren’t responding well to my current teaching style. They aren’t understanding concepts, their spell performance is mediocre at best, and I can see their eyes glazing over when I give my lectures on the ethics of phantasmal casting.” 

Riveting stuff, truly. His fixations on magical concepts that could get him going for hours if one wasn’t careful. Part of why Tav fell so deeply in love with him, rare to find such passion for subjects. She remembered nights at camp, taking peace in listening to his current fascination at the time. The only solace to such a deadly adventure. But perhaps a bunch of young apprentices weren’t as rose-coloured. 

“Well, you’ve only just begun teaching, love. Maybe you just need to get to know your students a little more, see what they want to get out of the class before you write the next manual on workshopping,” Tav said. 

“Perhaps I’m just not as good a teacher as I thought,” he said, voice lowering into a sombre tone as he sighed, throwing the quill pen across the desk. 

Tav ran her hands from his shoulders up to the nape of his neck, beginning to play with his hair. She gave a cheeky grin,“Last time we talked about students, I recall you thinking it was all their fault for not understanding.” 

He chuckled, “I blame you. Showing me love and humility. Now all I can do is think I’m the problem.” 

“I’ll venture to feed your ego more,” she joked, “Come, let’s take a rest for a moment.” 

Hand-in-hand, Gale followed her to their shared bedroom. A warm fire crackled in the hearth, the scent of balsam and mint enlivening the room from a scented candle on the mantle. Snow fell harder now, forming into a windy current that would surely become a blizzard by bedtime. A perfect environment for calming comfort, as Tav helped Gale remove his shirt, leaving him in nothing but lounge pants. After Tav put her own nightgown on, they crawled into bed. 

Gale rested his head on Tav’s lap, tracing his fingertips across the bare skin of her legs. Meanwhile, her hands ran through his hair again, brushing through the fine strands of beautiful, brown hair speckled with streaks of grey. Tav nestled in the pleasant bliss of hearing his even breath, calming with every stroke across the side of his head. The beat of his heart against her skin, so gloriously alive. There was once a time when he was willing to let that human beat expire, and how far he’d come, now absorbed in her embrace, filled with endless love and compassion. Even if that meant there wasn’t much power. There was no need for it in a caring household like this. 

Little kisses tickled the top of her thighs, mixed with the graze of his beard sending her into a sleepy comfort. She could play with his hair all night if he asked, such a simple, delicate pastime that reminded her of just how much she adored him. 

“Hmm, if you keep doing that, I may just fall asleep, my love,” he said, voice already trailing. His words slowed every time he was fighting sleep, mind always on overdrive but his body couldn’t always keep up. 

“Rest on me, Gale. I don’t mind,” she said, in a gentle whisper. 

He adjusted his position, wrapping his arms around the leg he rested on as if her thigh was a teddy bear. Her other leg crossed over his bare back, their bodies tangled within each other. Tav hummed a light lullaby, her voice like medicine to Gale’s ears as all his stress washed away. All that remained was the sensation of smooth skin, her nurturing voice, and the peace of being enveloped in the embrace of his greatest, most cherished love. 

As she sang, his eyes grew heavy, muscles loosening to the magic of her compassionate hands. That irresistible weightlessness began to overtake him, every thought of self doubt beginning to fade to a tiny smile. The lure of her song was so strong, she might’ve been one of the harpies they encountered back at the Emerald Grove. Their life had changed so much since then. His personal songstress caressing him in their queen sized bed, downy sheets and feather pillows as their shelter rather than tents and rocky ground.  

“Tav…I love you,” he said, lulling slowly into a peaceful sleep. The tapping of snow against the window, the snap of flame, her voice, all sending him into a comforting slumber. 

“I love you Gale Dekarios,” she said, moving a final piece of hair behind his ears before he fell into a deep sleep, making her laugh as he let out a small, adorable snore.

[bambi-kinos]

After reading your view on John's treatment of Paul, I have to ask if you also have thougts on what happend between George and Paul during and after post Beatles. We know how they both treated him as the younger brother and how he tought they were to busy being John and Paul so they failed to see him though other artist saw him etc. We can also understand how he back away from John and Yoko. But what was his problems with Paul? Paul played on more George-Beatle songs than John did and George even played on John's solo record but said he would never play in a band with Paul again. Because there still seem to that he had another issue with Paul and there still seem to be tensions between them during the Anthology. Did Paul really deserved to be treated like that by both John and George. George went on a lot about his faith and spiritual seaching but not really lived up to it all the time. He played a lot about how unhappy he was in the Beatles and being famous buthe lived large with his cars and big house etc. I'm not defending Paul, well I do, but they both treated him so badly. Why, do you have any more ideas about that. Or what other artists, like ex Wings members etc who also complained about Paul's ways. I only ever see it as jealousy.

Legit had no idea how to answer this as George's dynamic with the rest of the band is opaque to me. I put the question to the McLennon server and they provided some very good answers, they have given me permission to copypaste it all here. I hope this helps Anon.

Note: I let the others talk and then I used Discord's "reply" function liberally to @ the different paragraphs. For tumblr I have rearranged the posts so that they read in order as full conversations instead of the weird mishmash that Discord produces. When you see weird timestamps, that is why.

***

Leggy「IT'S A GUNDAM 」 — Yesterday at 11:00 AM received an interesting ask from an anon, its very long so i'm just copy pasting

ask

What do we think of this? my take is basically that George resented Paul because he replaced George with John and their relationship never recovered, which snowballed into these bigger issues about George's contributions to the Beatles and his growth as an artist.

I think it was amoralto who pointed out that Paul was safer for George to attack because Paul would forgive him whereas with John that wasn't the case. and yet George was able to cut John off later so what gives?

LocalGoblin — Yesterday at 1:43 PM I think there's a lot to this dynamic that we're not privvy too. What we do know, however, are things like how during the white album sessions, Paul was constantly undermining George's suggestions. I think it was George Martin who said that. We can even see it a bit in Get Back.

On top of that, even to this day, Paul calls George his little brother in interviews. He has always viewed George as the little kid of the group and that would feel incredibly patronising and demoralising. Paul is a lot more wired that John, and I think that personality trait is just something that George stuggles with. John is the 'cool/fun parent'.

I know John also viewed George as the little kid. And I think this hurt George less because 1. John WAS that older kid/parental figure for so long. 2. You can't take what John was as seriously because he changes his mind day-to-day. 3. I think George honestly (probably) secretly respected Paul's opinion more. So Paul's remarks hurt more.

John = The deadbeat Disney dad. Paul = The more serious and caring/overbearing parent You can see how he would grow to resent Paul more. And I think he also blamed Paul for the breakup too. Or at least, how messy all of that was and all the horrible legal issues that came with it

Leggy「IT'S A GUNDAM 」 — Yesterday at 2:06 PM this one hurts. oof. when I read about the break up in excerpts I get the feeling that George thought Paul's problem was the money and the business decisions and he didn't consider (or didn't want to consider) what was driving it emotionally….after all he felt like Paul didn't consider his feelings 😬

LocalGoblin — Yesterday at 1:52 PM Anthology is interesting though. I really think George's attitude in that it partly because he needed to do it. He needed the money. I don't think he really wanted to do it. It was Paul's baby, and he also resented him for that. Hated Paul for being more comfortable financially too. Paul didn't need to do anthology. George did.

Leggy「IT'S A GUNDAM 」 — Yesterday at 1:53 PM genius, you're absolutely right

Leggy「IT'S A GUNDAM 」 — Yesterday at 2:08 PM this was also around the time that Paul's sweet new deal with Capitol became a thing, i think, because Capitol offered like a significant profit increase for Paul on Beatles royalties if he signed his next few solo albums with them. That caused a lot of upset with George and Ringo iirc, so damn :(

LocalGoblin — Yesterday at 1:55 PM (Also, Paul in a few interviews, has said that he was on good terms with John when he died - UNLIKE George. Almost rubbing it in George's face. I know he doesn't mean it. But I would be incredibly upset by that in George's position. To be constantly reminded of that.)

I think its funny that Paul is viewed as the PR savvy Beatles cause he puts his foot in his mouth all the time haha That actually might be why he's more reserved in interviews now. Sticking to a script… Who knows!

Leggy「IT'S A GUNDAM 」 — Yesterday at 2:19 PM Ha, god, probably. Paul has his moments, there's a good 80s interview where he bemoaned Frank Sinatra attributing a George song to maccalennon, but he doesn't seem to have been humbled until the Heather Mills circus.

vanessaaa0388 — Yesterday at 1:57 PM In one of the AKOM podcasts they mentioned a George quote about how he was the closest beatle to John back when it was only them 2 taking LSD… it's my personal theory than in those months he almost felt like he was finally taking over Paul's spot in John's life…I dunno, I get very competitive vibes from George. In his mind he was competing for John with Paul. At least in certain points. And I think John took advantage of that.

Leggy「IT'S A GUNDAM 」 — Yesterday at 2:20 PM Absolutely. Reminds me of, ha, Paul when he said that John was their personal Elvis. They all wanted his attention and approval. I also wonder if George was seeking a mentor somewhere and if he thought John was it since they dropped together.

vanessaaa0388 — Yesterday at 2:01 PM It's very complex, the Paul-George dynamic

Leggy「IT'S A GUNDAM 」 — Yesterday at 2:02 PM Paul is the one who's always looking for a "project" and can't turn off, being with him must have been exhausting and then you add being talked down to all the time. whereas John can be fun and turn himself off and then maybe the sting of being talked down to isn't so bad. And like we saw in Get Back when John said "we need George Harrison" because he realized George was looking for reassurance, so he could also build George up when he felt like he should.

I guess with John its more like "lots of fun with a few pointed barbs thrown in" whereas with Paul he's steamrollering you constantly and will only occasionally throw in a compliment.

maybe since Paul is more consistent, it meant more to earn his respect? or something like that, like Vanessa pointed out George was competitive for John's approval and attention.

Leggy「IT'S A GUNDAM 」 — Yesterday at 2:12 PM there's this consistent theme with George and Paul where Paul's closeness with John seems to really hurt and damage George. And its not like he could let it go easily either because Paul was also his teammate, not just John's. It was a quad act, not a double.

I think George said that being outside Lennon/Mccartney meant observing Beatlemania as a fan instead of as a bandmate. So he's getting all the trouble but very few of the benefits. And then there's the royalty issues on top of that.

Like, Paul was George's friend first, but then Paul pulped that friendship pretty much immediately when he saw John and never felt like he should do anything to fix it. And then George gets pulled into Beatlemania and then there's money problems and then Brian died.

Brian was George's big advocate I noticed, setting up a newspaper column in George's name (ghostwritten by someone else) because he wanted George to be his own brand outside the Beatles and maccalennon, so when he died a lot of that probably went down the drain too.

Leggy「IT'S A GUNDAM 」 — Yesterday at 2:23 PM George seems to have been very lonely in the Beatles but due to all this:

I know John also viewed George as the little kid. And I think this hurt George less because 1. John WAS that older kid/parental figure for so long. 2. You can't take what John was as seriously because he changes his mind day-to-day. 3. I think George honestly (probably) secretly respected Paul's opinion more. So Paul's remarks hurt more.

I guess it was easier to shift some blame onto Paul. A lot of George's spiritual journey appears to be about wanting to escape like when he sings about wanting to see God but being frustrated at how long it will take him. Its real but it also seems like he was pretty weary of life by his mid20s.

LocalGoblin — Yesterday at 2:40 PM Yeah, you're so right. John was also the other Beatle who was more spiritually inclined. He was the only one besides George who was fully committed to the India trip. (At least for a time.) This was probably something they bonded over too.

There's also that quote… I can't remember what interview it's from. But George was asked what it was like being a Beatle and he says he doesn't really know. He always felt like he was on the outside looking in on Lennon/McCartney. It must've felt like a very lonely place.

vanessaaa0388 — Yesterday at 2:40 PM I'm fascinated by J&P but I give George a lot of credit for putting up with them both for so long. I would've cut them out of my life so fast 😂

Leggy「IT'S A GUNDAM 」 — Yesterday at 4:05 PM honestly they ruined George's life in some ways!

[terresdebrume]

It is 00:43 as I start this, I'm post DND session and full of emotions (they don't necessarily appear here, though I'm starting to sense a general direction for this)

Fwiw, finished the next day because my eyes can't handle a proper computer screen rn which means no working on the more formal writing projects -_-

"Two things," Mr. Payne says, holding up an index finger to mark the first item. One, I acquired us a new mission. A child has gone missing. A simple job to get us back on track."

Charles nods, walking towards the wall and the assortment of colored stones hidden by one of the bookshelves. Crystal, not quite dry but getting used to the way the rooms change, holds very still as Mr. Payne raises a second finger and continues:

"Two, I believe I have a solid lead as to Mr. Donovan's whereabouts—or his destination, at least. It took some time and a fair bit of bribery, but I did discover he was spotted going south with most of his stores the day after Mr. Rowland and I left to find you, young Crystal."

"You know you don't have to call me young every time," Crystal says, but Charles ignores her remark to ask:

"Why would a successful potion brewer and work broker up and leave right after arranging a deal with the best Adventuring duo in the city?"

He presses one of the stones as he says it, and Crystal feels vaguely proud of herself for not flinching when the fencing room lurches away from her like a rug being tugged out from under her feet, the darker floorboard and plush carpet of the Agency pushing at her feet so strongly she almost stumbles. Some of the trinkets on the shelf a clicking and ringing, and when she looks at the wide window she sees several animals shaking their heads and getting to their feet like one does after a tumble. Charles and Mr. Payne, for their parts, look annoying stable on their feet and unperturbed, as if the movement went through them entirely.

"An eminently pertinent question, Mr. Rowland. We shall need to ask him when we finish catch up with him."

"Oh," Crystal says, stomach lurching at the idea that they might be running after someone who wanted her dead, "so wha—are we—do we leave now?"

"Don't have the funds," Charles says, moving to one of the shelves nearer to the desk and pulling a small and well worn book, where Crystal has seen him take down the Agency's accounts before. "We'll need some provisions, equipment and protection for you since we can't really leave you here, a horse—"

"Uh, I'm don't think I know to ride a horse," Crystal says, which makes Mr. Payne roll his eyes.

"Of course you know how to ride a horse. Look at you."

Crystal looks down at herself. She's wearing the clothes they found her in today: sturdy pants, solid leather boots. A purple and green tunic over a brown shirt embroidered with flowers. On her hands, several rings of varying sizes, a thin gold chain at her wrist. She frowns.

"How does that translate to me knowing how to ride a horse?"

"With that amount of detail in the leather?" Charles asks. "Your shirt alone would cost most people a month's wages, and that's a fair bit of silver on your hands, but the boots are still scuffed, the back of the pants reinforced. Whoever dressed you was rich, but also thought about practicality."

"Furthermore," Mr. Payne adds, "you may speak Hilaron fluently but your accent hints at more western countries, probably Noldon or one of its smaller neighbors, and the rich families over there tend to prie themselves on their women's horsemanship."

Alright then, what the Hell. Maybe Crystal does know how to ride a horse. What does she know anymore, anyway.

[chirpingfromthebox]

All the bits from the Boston post-game press session after Finals Game 5

You can find the entire interview here! Be sure to go show them some love/views/likes/nice comments/etc for the work they put in making these available for everyone.

At the table were Jamie Lee Rattray, Hilary Knight, and coach Courtney Kessel.

We're at the end of the season here, my friends. My impulse (as always) is to be lazy and trim things down a little and save myself some effort, but it just feels wrong to trim anything off such a historic end. So I'll just suck it up and do these last few interviews in their entirety.

All the transcriptions under the break.

-------------------- --------------------

REPORTER: [This reporter neglected to use a microphone, so the best I can make out is “Coach, why was it so _____?” In the comments for the video it was asked what the question was and the reporter who posts these videos said she wasn't sure, but basically it was a "What happened out there tonight?" type of thing.]

COURTNEY KESSEL: I thought we came out and actually had a good start, had some opportunities to put the puck in the back of the net. We didn’t. And then, to be honest, I think we just ran out of steam.

-------------------- --------------------

REPORTER: Just for either of the players, I know you’re in that moment of disappointment right now, but are you able to just reflect on the journey of the season, getting this far, and what was established for women’s hockey?

HILARY KNIGHT: Absolutely. Obviously, it’s tough when you lose. Especially game 5, at home, in front of amazing fans. But, you know, we just came from the room, that’s kinda all we were doing, is reflecting on how proud of our group we are. How we continued to persevere regardless of any odds that were thrown in our direction. How we fought. You know, this year was a historic year. It was tough. It was something that no player was ever used to. We built it. And we’re extremely ecstatic about where it is right now year one, and where our group is; how we continue to battle and fight for one another. So I think, if anything, that reflection- point is something that we can celebrate and take away from tonight even though we did lose is our group. And how proud of one another we are in that room.

[Rattray looks at Hilary and nods]

[for the record you can really hear the emotion in Hilary's voice in this answer. If you only listen to two questions from this video I would recommend you listen to this one and the final one. They are my favorite two and you can really hear a lot of nuance in her voice in them.]

-------------------- --------------------

REPORTER: Just want to ask all three of you, the job that Aerin [Frankel] did in goal tonight. 41 saves, I think it was 43 shots. Just seemed that she- that expression “standing on her head” maybe the right one here.

HILARY KNIGHT: Yeah. That game in the second could’ve opened up a lot greater than a 3-nothing deficit without Aerin between the pipes. She stood on her head all year. She showed up every single day. And so we couldn’t be more grateful and proud of her performance throughout the year. Hopefully we can help her a little bit more next year up front [laughs], relieve some of that pressure. But she’s the best goalie in the league. No doubt about it.

-------------------- --------------------

REPORTER: The moment with the fans were chanting “Thank you Boston,” I dunno if you were able to hear that on the ice? [Hilary nods in the affirmative.] What did that mean to you all?

JAMIE LEE RATTRAY: Yeah, it was pretty emotional, I think. I mean, it’s pretty special what we had here. Obviously we wanted to win on home ice, but they still stuck with us through the whole game. They were loud, they showed up for us today. Unfortunately we couldn’t get it done. Super grateful for them. We couldn’t do it without them this year for sure.

-------------------- --------------------

REPORTER: This crowd was the largest we’ve had all season. Standing room only, secondary market’s huge. Can you speak on what it meant to have the fans here like that tonight?

JAMIE LEE RATTRAY: I mean, it speaks for itself, right? We were super excited to get to the rink today. Just hearing the price of the tickets and stuff like that. I think we can be super proud of that, especially in our market here in Boston. I mean, it means the world to us. As players that’s all we want is to be able to fill the buildings and you’ll have a fanbase that really supports us. And they’ve been so great for us all year. Unfortunately we couldn’t get it done for them tonight, but I think we got a really special group here. Hopefully they keep coming and supporting us all next year too.

-------------------- --------------------

REPORTER: I was just wondering if the two of you could answer about Aerin what you thought she did tonight for the team, to keep the team in it essentially?

JAMIE LEE RATTRAY: Yeah, she’s been our backbone. Like Hil said. I think she’s literally the best goalie in the world, right now. She literally stood on her head. She helped us through the first couple rounds of the playoffs and without her I don’t think we could get to where we are. Like Hil said, we’re gonna back her up a little more next year, hopefully. She’s phenomenal and such a great teammate too. Unfortunately we couldn’t get any in for her tonight, but she was phenomenal all year.

COURTNEY KESSEL: I would just say [she’s] super humble off the ice, and so quick, the way she tracks the puck. Just incredible. Her ability to see all those point shots and last second make those saves. We wouldn’t be where we are today without her. And unfortunately we fell a little short.

-------------------- --------------------

REPORTER: Coach, do you have any updates on Taylor [Wenczkowski]? Was she okay? It looked like a knee injury.

COURTNEY KESSEL: Yeah, she’s alright.

-------------------- --------------------

REPORTER: This offseason’s gonna be a shorter turnaround compared to the last couple years. How long do you guys take to wallow in this before you get ready for the next season?

HILARY KNIGHT: I think we all need a vacation. [everybody at the table laughs.]

You know, let us not forget that we had a six week training camp before the start of this year. We were in market, working with no games, a lot of scrimmages, showing up. You know this is the first year that players weren’t necessarily in control of their programming. So we expected a lot of ourselves to show up every single day. But yeah, I mean, it’s a short off season. I know there’s different national team camps and whatnot that are coming up pretty quickly in August and September, but it’s just a matter of people getting healthy and getting back to sort of that healthy standpoint before we start gearing up and training again. But it’s a long year. We said it from the get-go. And I think we definitely felt it towards the end of this run.

-------------------- --------------------

REPORTER: Courtney, I just wanted to ask you, as someone who’s been in the game- on the game for as long as you have, what do you feel for the future? I know you just, literally just, finished the season [Kessel smiles], but it’s probably crossed your mind. Just like where this can go from here?

COURTNEY KESSEL: When you think back to September when this was kind of launched and we had the draft and we’re heading off to training camps. Who could’ve ever imagined that we’re filling the Bell Center, the ACC, or- [whispers a question to Jamie Lee]

JAMIE LEE RATTRAY: [laughing] Scotiabank.

CK: Scotiabank. You know we’re filling Tsongas, we’re playing in front of 13+ thousand in Minnesota and Detroit. I think this league took off and took off full throttle. More than we could ever have imagined as coaches, as players. I think we should all be so proud. And I think the media and the people surrounding this league, you know, the Walter family- like, we wouldn’t be here, right? I think we’re all thankful for that and grateful for this opportunity. But I know that the effort that every single player in league put forth, because it was a grind, it was something no one was used to. Just incredible for every single athlete involved in this group. I’m just so proud of our group and how we battled back all year. And here we were: one game short.

-------------------- --------------------

REPORTER: Jamie and Hilary, did you expect the physical play as much as it was? And do you think that going forward it’s something you know you need to prepare a little bit more for next season?

JAMIE LEE RATTRAY: Yeah, I think our game’s always been physical, but [laughing] I think it got ramped up a little bit this year. And now we know how to play it. I think we will prepare differently right in the summers, and you had to adapt your game a little bit as the year went on and I think it was extra physical in the playoffs. I think you can use it to your advantage as well. It was definitely a different look as a player for sure as the year went on. But now that we know how it’s gonna be, I think it’s easier to prepare as next season comes along.

HILARY KNIGHT: Definitely. I’d like to see more consistency with what is body checking and what isn’t body checking, I think moving forward. And I know the league’s gonna work on that and we’re gonna do our part preparing to make sure we don’t put ourselves in vulnerable positions out on the ice. But it’s definitely a different type of game. You have to see the ice differently, you have to be able to absorb hits, read coverages, and put yourself in the center of the ice a little bit more than playing on the outskirts on the boards if you don’t wanna get banged up so much over the year. But, yeah, it’s gonna be an emphasis point with everybody training this summer.

-------------------- --------------------

REPORTER: Congrats on the great season. And sorry for the loss tonight. I’m wondering if you all can reflect on how you’re thinking of setting the stage for professional women’s sports in Boston in general? As you all are the only fully professional league, and we’ve got pro soccer coming, but you all are really leading the way on this. Do you have thoughts on this? What your leadership means for pro women’s sports in Boston?

[Randomly, coach Kessel has a face during this question that you'll see a lot from her during these press sessions and it's my potentially my favorite one of hers. I can't explain why it's my favorite, but it is.]

HILARY KNIGHT: I think a rising tide lifts all ships. We benefit from many women that came before us to put us in a successful position this year. It seems like women’s sports is really breaking through and what a better timing than to invest now and be part of this journey. So we’re excited to be the first in market, but we’re really excited for that NWSL team to join us, among other teams. It’s just exciting to be in women’s sport right now and at this level.

[Boston's NWSL team is set to debut in 2026, for those interested.]

-------------------- --------------------

REPORTER: They’ve announced that nicknames will be coming this off season. Do you guys have any favorites or suggestions that you guys would like to see your team called?

[Hilary says something quietly to her tablemates here and they all laugh, but I’m not able to make out what exactly she says.]

JAMIE LEE RATTRAY: I dunno. We’ll see what they come up with, but I’m sure it will be a good one. There’s been some pretty good names in Boston with sports teams, so I’m sure we’ll fit right in on that. I dunno. I’m looking forward to having a logo and a team name and-

It was pretty cool though, I think the cool thing about this year is we represented our cities. And we always talk about it all the time, representing this city is something special. And to be a part of this sports market, you know, I’ve said it time and time again, it’s super special. You’ve seen the different teams and the different history behind sports, and now we get to be a part of it and it’s really, really cool. So I’m sure it’ll be a good team name. I can’t wait to get my first t-shirt.

-------------------- --------------------

REPORTER: From the player’s perspective, being inside the arena, hearing the amount of young women that you hear in the audience tonight and the other things that you’ve heard from, and the cheers, the electric energy. How does that motivate you to, yes of course there was a loss, keep on moving forward into the next season and play?

HILARY KNIGHT: Yeah, on one note, at the end of it you’re just a human showing up to play the sport that you love. And when you get out on the ice with a group, you see the young faces, you see faces from all over, you see signs, candy, bracelets, you hear it. And you realize how much you’re a part of something bigger than yourself. And I think, while this loss, we feel it in our room, it’s tough because we really wanted it, not only for the people in the room, but everyone who supported us along this journey. Because we understand what type of impact and the significance of what we’re doing through sport. To have a positive inspirational point and have that impact on someone’s life is a huge responsibility and one that I know no player takes lightly. And we get to do it doing the best job in the world.

-------------------- End of the Interview --------------------

[modybod]

Shes talking about her tongue split!

Translation:

(0:01) Hello friends, how are you? Good (0:03) afternoon, the thing is that I left (0:05) a story on my (0:08) work profile where I post (0:10) all the tattoos I do, (0:12) Dragon Tattoo, telling you (0:15) that I have flash tattoos available (0:16) and my schedule is open for this month (0:18) of September, so if (0:20) you feel like asking me for a quote for a (0:22) tattoo, do it over there, at (0:24) Dragon Tattoo. All the (0:27) prices for the flash tattoos and the (0:29) designs I have available (0:31) are in the highlighted stories (0:32) on Dragon Tattoo. If you want (0:34) to get a quote for a normal session, (0:36) where you get a big tattoo, like, I don’t know, (0:39) on the forearm, calf, or something like that, (0:40) you can send me (0:43) a message, and I’ll give you (0:44) all the information. (0:47) Every time I post a story (0:50) talking, people notice (0:51) that my tongue is split, and it’s not (0:55) something I usually show, but (0:57) people always ask me how the experience was and who did it for me.

Well, first of all, I (1:02) got it done by the amazing Gato (1:04) Moreno. He’s from Mexico, but (1:06) he travels to many countries. (1:08) I’m going to leave his username here (1:10) so you can follow him and go to him (1:12) because he’s the best at doing (1:16) tongues, super skilled. So, (1:18) about the experience, (1:21) at the moment when they do it, you don’t feel anything because they use (1:23) anesthesia and all that.

The next (1:26) day, it does feel horrible, but (1:28) there’s nothing you can do. I say this (1:29) is for the crazy ones. I honestly cheated a bit (1:32) and went to the pharmacy to get an injection (1:34) for the pain, and it helped me a lot. After (1:37) about a week, I was super fine, and (1:39) I highly recommend it.

In fact, you even forget (1:43) you have it. I forget (1:44) sometimes. So, it’s a win-win.

[grievedifferent]

i'm going to add it to my unused dialogue post of course but this particular cut dialogue is very interesting. it goes until .43 seconds before it switches to some cut chris & ashley dialogue.

josh is definitely both a) channeling some of his sessions with probably not just dr. hill but other doctors he's seen, as well as b) putting that psych degree to use ... or what he's accomplished so far of it, anyways, so enough to really get that narrative going to torment sam. i think this dialogue is also important to revealing josh's opinion on sam's place in the prank / ie the bystander complex.

josh is studying psych to 1) help himself (understand himself, cope, etc) and 2) to better his movies, which is his main motivation that he provides when asked. why waste the time getting degrees in things he has firsthand experience in ... as well as his father's name on his resume?

additionally: josh's parents always intended for him to work within the industry with them. at their company. under their watch. he was never meant to get deep enough to get lost. he's charismatic, but he's also vulnerable. the industry would destroy him. they're the guard between him and that world.

[annika-f16]

Max is a hypocrite. I no longer believe anything he says in the media. He’s inconsistent and often says what Kelly wants to hear. For as long as anyone can remember, he’s always said he would only have children after retiring, as he wants to be present to watch them grow. He has consistently maintained this stance. However, in an interview, after a long break spent with Kelly and her family, essentially after a good brainwashing session, he said he was 27, that he was getting old, and that such things couldn’t be planned, as they were in God’s hands. That was completely out of character for him. Before that, he always said he was still young and wanted kids only after retiring. Suddenly, his narrative changed. Those words clearly came from Kelly. She’s the one feeling pressure due to her age for having a child, and she’s the one who claims to be spiritual, believing in destiny, planetary alignments, and all that. Not Max. What Max said sounded exactly like something Kelly would say. It’s obvious he was parroting what Kelly had instructed him to say. Never before had Max mentioned God or anything of the sort in interviews. It was just the result of brainwashing. Who even says they’re old at 27? Clearly, it’s Kelly trying to convince him of that.

Another thing that proves his statements in that interview were either Kelly’s words or said to appease her is his recent interviews, where he’s gone back to his original stance: wanting kids only after retiring. In a podcast in Brazil, he said he knows he’ll no ace until he’s 43, and he wants to watch his nephews, and his potential kids grow up. That aligns with what he’s always said.

Max changes his narrative based on Kelly, and there’s a reason people call him Kelly’s puppet. However, recently, it seems she’s losing her grip on him. He seems to have opened his eyes to certain things. He’s spent an enormous amount of time with Kelly’s family, and usually after that, he makes odd statements (like the one about God and children). They always seem to brainwash him. But this time, it seems it didn’t work. In a recent interview in Vegas, he said he still has a contract until 2028, wants to race in Le Mans, and added that he’ll be 31 and still very young. He finally seems to realize he’s not that old. Compare that to his earlier interview, where he said he was old at 27, it’s strange and inconsistent.

Add to this his strange reaction when asked about the new cat. Something tells me the latest brainwashing session didn’t go as planned. Have you noticed how quiet he was during his break in Brazil? Normally, Kelly’s entire family films and posts everything about him. Her brother Nelson was there, and usually, when Nelson’s around, Max spends all his time with him, and Nelson posts everything Max does. But not this time. We all know it’s not because Kelly’s family decided to respect Max’s privacy. Something must have happened.

A low-profile break, statements that go against Kelly’s narrative, a strange reaction to the mention of the cat; something feels off. Many of us have noticed the odd vibe between Max and Kelly. The way Kelly seems panicked and desperate isn’t normal, even for her. It feels like she’s losing control, panicking, and unable to hide her desperation. She’s trying way too hard to prove everything is fine, while Max increasingly shows he doesn’t care. He’s barely hiding his annoyance and complete disinterest in everything happening in their relationship.

.

[ask-the-splitmind-au]

Random Q&A with the Artist!

I really wanted to answer some questions I figure are probably floating around but go unasked due to them being not super related to the silly sluggies. So, here's some Q&A about my designs and the lore!

Alternative title, 'Angel wants to talk about stuff nobody is going to ask her because it only matters to her'

Q: Why does all your art have the tan background?

A: It's a soft background to help prevent eyestrain when I'm working on answering asks. Since I screenshot answers instead of saving them as an image, it's just easier to let the background be a soft color than change it back and forth every time.

Asks with Moon don't get the background itself changed, but I just put a box of dark gray behind the doodle.

Q: Why do you screenshot instead of saving the image?

A: While saving the image could get me transparent versions, since all asks are given small doodles, having one big canvas where I draw them small and then screenshot just them makes it easier. I also keep previous asks stored on different layers in case I need to drag them out for whatever reason!

Q: Why does Saint have a tamed lizard, and why is a Strawberry?

A: Originally, Saint didn't have any lizards! But, as I was readying his post, I got the idea suggested by my brother when we were playing Rain World and thought it would be really cute to have. Pacifist is a Strawberry because 1) it makes sense and 2) batflies were the only thing Splitmind Saint could reliably catch to tame anything with.

Also, a fun fact! Paci was tamed before Saint ever met Sliver, and she chose to risk their life by staying with her fluffy slugcat friend. Paci also had a brother named Geegee/GG, short for Gentle Giant, who was tamed before Sliver and her grubby ascension mitts got him.

Q: Do any other slugcats have non-sluggie friends? (Lizard, Vulture, Scavenger, etc)

A: Yes! Obviously Saint has Pacifist, but a few others have some. Ranger has a scavenger friend he sometimes visits named Acrid, and has a tamed pink lizard named Gumdrop. Arti helps carry Gumdrop places she can't normally reach. Gourmand has several scavengers he's on good terms with, but more concernedly, the slugcat colony as a whole (but mostly Gourmand) has a communally tamed Red Lizard named Crimson. Sadly, Crimson's back at the colony, and will not be appearing in the near future.

Q: Will the other slugcats (Monk, Survivor, etc) ever be available for asks?

A: Probably not. This is already a lot for me to answer, and Inv being added on as kind of an extra was a fun accident. I don't plan on letting it happen again, but with where I plan to take this blog as a story, they might show up again!

Everyone asks are the bane of my existence.

Q: Where are all the slugcats at when we ask them?

A: So! The scugerators are all gathered about half a dozen cycles' walk from the slugcat colony Gourmand leads. Gourmand is actually planning something very special about this.

I may have prepared a comic/story thing that we're getting to, very soon! It will probably be written out.

Q: How tired are you?

A: Very.

Q: How many asks are in your inbox right now?

A: 43 Splitmind asks. Yeowch.

Q: Why have asks been so slow lately?

A: The short answer is life. The long answer is that my phone is broken and I can't reliably draw on it anymore, so I'm learning my drawing tablet for Splitmind asks still. Additionally, I don't want to answer any asks until i can get the Sliver arc finished. Also, with school in session, it's harder for me to find time, and for the past week or so my cat has been fighting a losing battle against cancer. I spend most of my free time with him.

I'm almost there! Brace yourselves for some fluffy angst with Sliver and Suns!

[rollforfelicity]

What skins are all your players playing in Monsterhearts? I think there's multiple versions of each skin and I'm curious which ones y'all picked.

Ooh, this is a good question! (Also this is my first ever ask, I'm so excited!!) I'm running two games of Monsterhearts 2, but I'll talk about the one that I posted a screenshot from first, and then I'll talk about my home game because I just love Monsterhearts so much. In my streamed game, Monsterhearts: Freshman Year, they're playing The Pegasus by TechnicolorTraveler, The Werewolf (from the core rulebook), The Knight by anxiousmimicrpgs, and The Siren from the Skin Deep Collection by Ferretheim Games. In Season 2 we have slightly adapted the Darkest Self of the Werewolf and The Siren. For the Werewolf we took the escape condition from The Cerberus which is "You escape your Darkest Self when disrupted by a virtuous hero, or when the power of true love tempers your resolve." For The Siren, we swapped to the Darkest Self of The Creature.

Season 1 is five episodes where they're solving a murder on their college campus during orientation week. Season 2 is going to be six episodes (we're streaming Episode 5 on Tuesday) and the players have entered a fey pact where they have to make 4 couples fall in love by midnight on Valentine's Day, and also before Queen Mab and her court cause 4 couples to break up. Did some of them decide to get themselves involved by falling in love or starting ill-advised relationships and now they're miserable? I'll never tell. (They did. It's great.)

In my HOME game, all but one of the players are playing core skins, but we've been playing for like 43 sessions, so for Season 2, some of them switched to new playbooks and their characters have moves and aspects of each.

Kate (who is basically Captain America meets Boba Fett in terms of laboratory experiments) started as The Queen but now that she knows she was created in a lab has switched to The Hollow.

Spencer and Frances have both been playing their original skins, The Ghost and The Fey, the entire game.

Riley started off as The Vampire, but in Season 2 switched to the The Heartless. This has been really fun because Riley already didn't know who her sire was and had a plot thread in Season 1 where she was trying to find him, and because she picked The Heartless for Season 2, I ended up adding a detail about her sire taking her heart when she was turned that made the whole situation even juicier and has been really fun.

Justin started off as The Witch, but when he gained his witch powers the ghost of one of his pilgrim ancestors took up residence in his head, so in Season 2 he is now The Infernal, with the ghost being his Dark Power.

Also in my home game, I added a few basic moves because we have been playing this game for like 2 years and it was nice to add some mechanics to mix things up. So I added Act Under Pressure from Monster of the Week, and String Advance and Figure Out A Person from Thirsty Sword Lesbians. Both of those Thirsty Sword Lesbian moves work REALLY well for Monsterhearts, in case you were wondering.

[dcaiv072793]

no one

1. The Longest Masturbation Session

In 2009, Masanobu Sato won the endurance competition at the annual Masturbate-a-thon fundraiser hosted by San Francisco’s Center for Sex & Culture, an event that first surfaced in the ‘90s to destigmatize solo sex and self-pleasure. What was Sato’s time, you ask? A whopping nine hours and 33 minutes.

Today, however, Sato faces some stiff competition. According to Mel Magazine, 43-year-old Drake Hardy, a “bisexual man with a master’s degree in physical sciences,” is gearing up to break the world record, which has since increased to 10 hours and 10 minutes. Workin’ hard or hardly workin’, eh Drake?

2. The Most Orgasms In One Hour

According to a blog post from sex toy manufacturer Lelo, doctors from the Center for Marital and Sexual Studies in California once observed 134 orgasms from a single woman in one hour — the most ever documented. By contrast, the record for men stands at a measly 16 orgasms in the same length of time.

Similarly, in 1966, a woman experienced the longest orgasm on record. It reportedly lasted for 45 seconds and resulted in 25 individual contractions. Sounds like she came for a good time and a long time.

3. The Oldest Pair Of Twin Sex Workers

In 2012, Martine and Louise Fokken, then 70-year-old identical twin sisters and long-time sex workers in Amsterdam’s Red Light District, released their memoirs and a documentary film about their lives entitled Meet The Fokkens, according to the BBC. The Fokken sisters are widely considered to be the oldest twin sex workers in the business, not only in Amsterdam, where prostitution is legal, but anywhere in the world. BRB, buying tickets for Sister Act 2: Fokken Me Up, coming to a theater near you.

Additional elderly escorts include a Taipei woman in her 80’s nicknamed “Grandma” and Sheila Vogel-Coupe, considered to be Britain’s oldest prostitute, who is now in her early 90’s.

4. The Largest Natural Breasts

Annie Hawkins-Turner, better known as Norma Stitz (aka enormous t*ts), is the Atlanta-based fetish model and entrepreneur who’s held the Guinness world record for largest breasts since 1999. Now in her 60’s, Hawkins-Turner’s bra size is a 102ZZZ and it’s speculated that each breast weighs anywhere between 55 and 85 pounds. In 2011, Hawkins-Turner appeared on the UK’s This Morning to speak about her experience growing up with such a prominent chest, for which she’s been the victim of relentless bullying and teasing from strangers practically all her life. Of her work in the fetish industry, she told the show’s hosts, “I've shown people that big is beautiful and you can be sexy in your own way.” Team Norma forever.

5. Most Sexual Partners In A 24-Hour Period

The holder of this record is widely considered to be porn star Lisa Sparks (also known as Lisa Sparxxx), who — at an event in Warsaw, Poland — reportedly had sex with 919 individual men back-to-back within a period of 24 hours. No one seems to have been able to out-bang Sparxxx since that fateful day in 2004, so she remains the reigning champ. And frankly, it’s a tall order — there’s not enough lube in the entire solar system to keep the chafing from 900+ partners at bay. We salute you and your steel vagina, Ms. Sparxxx.

6. The Oldest Male Pornstar

At 60, Tokyo-born Shigeo Tokuda retired from his desk job as a travel agent and took up something a little more stimulating: Porn. Now well into his 80’s, Tokuda has starred in more than 350 adult films and is widely considered the “undisputed king of Japanese mature porn.” Flex, king.

7. The Oldest Virgin

In 2011, UK-born secretary Clara Meadmore died a proud virgin just before turning 108. During a public celebration of her 107th birthday, Meadmore reportedly told the press that the key to her longevity was her abstinence. To Meadmore, sex and intimate relationships seemed like “a lot of hassle.” Maybe she was onto something… *texts ex*.

8. The Biggest Collection of Penises

If you’ve got a yen for general erotic art, The World Erotic Art Museum, located in Miami Beach, has thousands of works for you to browse. But if you’re looking specifically for a collection of more than 200 penises, you’re going to need to head to the Icelandic Phallological Museum in Reykjavik, Iceland. You’ll see whale penises, you’ll see fox penises, you’ll see penises belonging to characters from Icelandic folklore. This is your one-stop phallus shop. Bring your own condoms.

9. The Largest Orgy

The world record for the largest orgy was broken back in 2006 when 500 naked, writhing bodies came together (in more ways than one) for a sex session in Japan. Since then, the record-holders have proven difficult to de-throne. According to Men’s Health, “Menage Life's Sin City 8 sex festival endeavored to hold the world's largest orgy” in 2018, but logistical difficulties resulted in a sub-par total of 375 people. Better luck next time.

10. The Longest Marriage

Warning: Painfully sweet content ahead! Zelmyra Fisher, born in 1907, and her husband Herbert Fisher, born in 1905, sealed the deal on May 13, 1924 in North Carolina and remained married until Fisher’s death in 2015. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the two had been married 86 years, 9 months, and 16 days as of February 27, 2011. Mawwiage indeed!

11. Most Queefs In 30 Seconds

For those who are less literate in yonic expulsions, a queef is a form of vaginal flatulence, usually accompanied by a fart sound, that escapes the vagina when built-up air pressure is released, especially after or during sex.

In 2009, Howard Stern held a queefing championship, and the results seem to defy all logic and scientific principles. Abby, the winner, reportedly let 93 queefs rip in just one minute for an average of three per second. Truly, an amazing feat. All hail Chief Queef.

12. The Strongest Vagina

13. The Largest Penis

There’s a bit of a dispute about who is the true holder of this coveted record. For many years, New Yorker Jonah Falcon was considered to have the world’s largest penis, clocking in at 9.5 inches flaccid and 13.5 inches when erect. However, in recent years, a challenger from Mexico has come forth named Roberto Esquivel Cabrera, who claims to be the proud owner of a 19-incher. Go long, boys.

14. World’s Longest Kiss

According to Guinness, the longest kiss on record lasted a staggering 58 hours, 35 minutes, and 58 seconds. The love birds in question? Thailand’s own Ekkachai Tiranarat and Laksana Tiranarat. They completed the smooch at an event organized by Ripley's Believe It or Not! in Pattaya, Thailand in 2013. Talk about a marathon makeout sesh.

15. Longest Ejaculation By Distance

The official number on record is 18 feet, 9 inches, reportedly spewed from an American man by the name of Horst Schultz. However, according to a recent Mel Magazine article, these numbers are completely unsubstantiated. It’s not even clear if this Horst Schultz character is a real person or just an urban legend — an Abominable Sperm-man, if you will.

Whether or not he and his record are legit, the lore of Schultz’s ejaculate has inspired one anonymous 35-year-old North Hollywood man to shoot for the stars — or at least the other side of the room. The man, whom Mel Magazine called “Matthew,” is nothing if not dedicated to his craft. His training has whipped his pelvic floor into “prime shape,” through “various exercises.” He’s also employed “electrical muscle stimulation machines that work via anal probe.” To date, Matthew has passed the 5-foot mark with his sperm. When he reaches six, he reportedly plans to contact the Guinness Book of World Records to finally set the record straight. Far out, dude.

16. Greatest Speed Of Ejaculation

This is another record reportedly held by Mr. Schultz, of ejaculation legend. If the numbers are correct, Schultz is responsible for a jet stream of semen traveling at 42.7 miles per hour. Sir, we’re gonna need to see some license and registration, please.

From octogenarian prostitutes to heavy-lifting vaginas, there’s no shortage of amazing things we can do with our bodies. Clearly, that old saying is true: Everybody really is good at something — even if your special talent is rocketing your semen into space.

DON'T MISS A THING

Be the first to know what's trending, straight from Elite DailyElite DailyUp NextSUBMIT

By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

MORE LIKE THIS

The Shoe Theory On TikTok Can Predict Breakups

BY HANNAH KERNSRanking 2023’s New Celebrity Couples By Astrological CompatibilityBY CHELSEA JACKSONDemi Lovato's Dating History Led To Her Pop-Punk Love Story With JutesBY CORINNE SULLIVAN

This article was originally published on 03.26.17

HEALTH & WELLNESS

How Much Do You Really Know About Birth Control? Take This Quiz To Find Out

Written by ERIN KELLY

NOVEMBER 6, 2023

HARUKO HAYAKAWA

We get it: Talking about birth control can be awkward. But it’s incredibly important to have those conversations with a healthcare professional, especially if it’s your first time exploring your birth control options.

So, how do you prep for a conversation about your birth control options? Having a list of questions and concerns can be helpful.

Test your knowledge about combination oral contraceptives (COCs) as a first step to learning more. Birth control pills are one of the most commonly prescribed methods to prevent pregnancy, especially COCs, which contain 2 hormone components — an estrogen and progestin. COCs include low-dose birth control pills. We created this quiz below in partnership with the maker of Lo Loestrin® Fe (norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol tablets, ethinyl estradiol tablets and ferrous fumarate tablets), a low-dose birth control pill that provides pregnancy prevention with the lowest daily dose of estrogen available. Take this quiz to see how much you already know about low-dose birth control options, like Lo Loestrin Fe.

Remember, birth control pills may not be right for everyone. In fact, birth control pills increase the risk of serious side effects, such as blood clots, stroke, and heart attack, which can be fatal. Smoking increases these risks, especially if you are over the age of 35. Therefore, women who smoke and are over age 35 should not use birth control pills, like Lo Loestrin Fe. See below for additional Important Risk Information, including Boxed Warning, for Lo Loestrin Fe.

Once you’re finished, schedule an appointment with your OB/GYN to discuss your new findings and ask if low-dose birth control pills may be right for you.

Question 1

All birth control pills have the same amount of daily estrogen.

True

False

Question 2

Low-dose birth control pills work differently than birth control pills that contain larger amounts of estrogen.

True

False

Question 3

Low-dose birth control pills are less effective when it comes to preventing pregnancy.

True

False

Question 4

Taking Lo Loestrin Fe for pregnancy prevention may result in short, lighter periods.

True

False

Question 5

Lo Loestrin Fe is the only available birth control pill with 10 micrograms of daily estrogen.

True

False

There is a lot to love about Lo Loestrin Fe. Learn more about Lo Loestrin Fe before talking to your doctor by clicking here.

What is Lo Loestrin® Fe (norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol tablets, ethinyl estradiol tablets and ferrous fumarate tablets)?

Lo Loestrin® Fe is a prescription birth control pill used for the prevention of pregnancy. If you are moderately obese, discuss with your healthcare provider whether Lo Loestrin Fe is appropriate for you.

IMPORTANT RISK INFORMATION

Please see the full Prescribing Information, including Boxed Warning, and Patient Information.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Brought to you by AbbVie, maker of Lo Loestrin® Fe

US-LOL-230150

[therichantsim]

I originally wrote this after reading Gym Life S15.Ep:43-BMB21, but before I saw that Spa Day S15.Ep:44-BMB22 was posted. After reading Spa Day, I had to consider whether or not my thoughts changed. So I sat on it for a bit. Then I read Get Somebody Else to Do It S15.Ep:45-BMB23 this morning and that confirmed for me that my thoughts didn't change.

I agree with what Quinton was saying in the last scenes of Gym Life. BUT!

I think Quinton missed the mark with Yasmine's date. They are all perpetually being put on the spot; they're all interviewing for the role, but so far, everyone's date has been couched in their interests but in a way that they could offer commentary on it but also enjoy each other's company. With Yasmine, he took her to a place, albeit, very much couched in her interests, but in a way that she became the sole object of commentary. Dani didn't have to convince the club to cha cha slide and Noemy didn't have to prepare a feast; they both got to enjoy their interests whereas Yasmine had to prove hers.

I think it came from a good place, the same place in Quinton that produced the other dates, but since she's an influencer, he could have seen what she was made of in that respect from her social media. I think the gym environment was inspired, but at a gym it would be inappropriate for her to comment on the other gym-goers, so she couldn't even turn the tables to her advantage and could only do what he asked her to do from the door, which was perform. He has some far-reaching connections, so maybe he could have arranged for her to get a peek behind the scenes of someone she admired in the industry; not to meet them, because three's a crowd, but just to hang out, observe, and experience it a bit. Something like that would have afforded her the same advantage as the others.

As for Yasmine, she seems to have completely forgotten it was supposed to be a date. Not entirely her fault considering what she was initially tasked to do, but it was not a good look for a perspective partner or future trainer for her to be so focused on herself. She only checked in with him once. Her bio might say that she's looking for love, but she seems like she'd be better off with a business partner.

Now, while Quinton didn't get to interact with Yasmine in the same way as the others, he did get to see her passion, her determination, her tunnel vision, and that while she seems to be competitive, she's mostly competing with herself. And, if nothing else, I think he got to see that she is not ready for a life with him and what that entails. Tunnel vision and child rearing don't mix.

Even if with the date Quinton was aiming to see if Yasmine, when surrounded by her interests, could manage to broaden her focus and be aware of and attentive to her company, I still think making her perform when the others didn't have to was shortsighted of him. He's a thoughtful dude, so I know it wasn't intentional, but the consequences of that was Yasmine was at a disadvantage and that Quinton didn't get to share the time with her in the same way. They did have time after the workout on the sofa, but by then it was already too late because the cadence had been set.

Now, that is what I wrote initially, and after Spa Day, my thoughts haven't changed. But I will say that while it wouldn't make sense for Quinton to take her to hot yoga before a workout, the new experience aspect of the session was more in keeping with the previous dates. Since it came after the performance, though, it still feels like Quinton missed an opportunity to get to know her in the same way/at the same pace.

Rockwall climbing was a new experience as well, but it was wrapped in the performance, so I don't want to say it doesn't count, but maybe that it doesn't carry the same weight.

But I guess when all is said and done, he still learned what he needed to.

I am so happy to have your feedback because I struggled to write this date, because gameplay it was awful. Any interactions outside of them working out seemed to irritate him. His mood was often either bored or tense. Her negative trait is self-absorbed. So, story wise I ran with that to match why he had a negative moodlet. However, without giving up too much info Quinton has plans for Yasmine. But I love how you broke this down. Yas also had no backstory outside of her being a barista and wanting to train celebs for me to build upon, so I heavily leaned into the self-absorbed or "tunnel vision" as you put it. Even in the house she always goes off on her own to swim or workout. She never interacts with him without me queuing her up to do so. While at the spa when they got in the hot tub, he actually moved away from her, but I left those pics out because it seemed too harsh. I actually felt bad. Now, remember Yasmine has a free pass from elimination this first round because she won the bowling tournament. So hopefully things can turn around.

[queenstarlight2]

I posted 86 times in 2022

That's 86 more posts than 2021!

85 posts created (99%)

1 post reblogged (1%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@queenstarlight

I tagged 85 of my posts in 2022

Only 1% of my posts had no tags

#the hobbit - 57 posts

#the hobbit headcanon - 53 posts

#lotr imagine - 53 posts

#lord of the rings - 50 posts

#the hobbit x reader - 49 posts

#the hobbit headcanons - 48 posts

#lotr x reader - 47 posts

#lotr elves - 47 posts

#lord of the rings imagine - 42 posts

#lord of the rings x reader - 42 posts

Longest Tag: 43 characters

#something from my other account that failed

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Imagine Legolas watching you get killed in battle and him not even being able to respond

501 notes - Posted October 19, 2022

#4

Imagine yandere Hannibal killing your abusive husband and taking you for himself as his wife 

561 notes - Posted June 29, 2022

#3

Imagine just moaning yandere Thranduil's name in bed while you are riding him (the fic is basically like the Elrond version but it does have a few more lines and a few lines were also changed to fit more into Thranduil style)

(NSFW below) (Ellon meaning male elf or just elf)

Pants and grunts filled the room as Thranduil's breath labored while you bounced on his cock. Trying to remain quiet, so the whole of Mirkwood doesn't hear how much of an whore you are for its king.

"such a good little one, taking my cock so well"Thranduil's hips harshly and unexpectedly thrust up, sending you to a climax as your head snaps up and your back arches, tightening around his pulsating cock as you cummed. "hah~Thranduil~" you moan in ecstasy, still enjoying the way his massive cock filled you.

Thranduil grabbed your face and kissed you. Looking into your hazy eyes. "my love, I haven't even begun tonight's true adventures " he flipped you, so you would be below him, as he grabbed the headboard and smirked at you. you felt Thranduil's silk sheets as you felt your slick go down your thighs, suddenly knowing that the silk sheets were bound to be ruined by the time you were finished, most likely by dawn if your beloved's eyes were anything to go off of. Hungry, completely madded by your taste, and completely jealous of all the Ellons staring at you earlier in a gown that was only meant for his eyes.

576 notes - Posted October 23, 2022

#2

Imagine yandere Hannibal asking how often you and your husband have had sex during a therapy session saying it might be making you unhappy. When the reason he asked was that he wanted to know how many times he was going to have to fuck you to make you forget about your husband

735 notes - Posted September 9, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Imagine Legolas getting hit by a love potion and him falling deeply in love with you and him just littering your neck with hickeys and love bites and him just kissing you over and over again and unbeknownst to you, he was already in love with you and him just turning into a Yandere due to the love potion 

1,002 notes - Posted May 22, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[gimblegamble]

Wait why did I private this, this shit is hilarious.

OUAW posting don't mind me.

Why did... why did we leave Witchlight Carnival only to drown in the swamp of sorrow-- I already hate Prismere I wanna go home. 🥲

edit 1: nevermind Gideon is peeing everywhere

edit 2: STOP PEEING ON EVERYONE

edit 3: oh my god his fucking legs

edit 4: 3 points of dick damage

edit 5: hell yeah back in the game anyways fetish swamp

edit 6: I love it when ✨something happens✨ and Derek gets to act like he has rabies

edit 7: ah, they've killed him

edit 8: I'm gonna throw up, he gave her the signal whistle

edit 9: I like DM Andy but I just realized how bro him and Mace sounds like IRL. Also like how feral Twig is for Nikkie

edit 10: [Nikkie creating Twig]: these bitches ain't going nowhere without an NPC to drag them along, time to take this in my own hands.

edit 11: [Nikkie]: can I, as a DM, use the word 'hole'? [Everyone]: NO

edit 12: Dang, I can't even imagine how hard it would be to simultaneously DM and be a player character in a DnD session Nikkie is so cool

edit 13: jesus Twig is OP, she killed like 50 rabbits while semi concious

edit 14: I can't wait until OUAW blasts me with sadness while also telling me about piss and nudist cats with fused legs

edit 15: [Mikey]: can I draw on this? [Derek, without an ounce of hesitation]: I'll kill you

edit 16: Derek setting up a future werecat fight

edit 17: Torbek 🥺

edit 18: Nikkie's 'yes, and?' game is fucking phenomenal

edit 19: [Derek not having any enrichment for an hour and a half]: time for curses?

edit 20: its so funny they all just looks so much happier whenever they get cursed

edit 21: despite all the shittalking they all still care about eachother so very much I'm gonna cry

edit 22: Kremmy's eldritch blast hasn't hit an enemy in a while

edit 23: "It didn't ask for this" the funniest fuckin phrase so far (in context)

edit 24: the penis nose curse is always so funny

edit 25: "no he didn't give me a condom, he gave me a folded up piece of paper! probably some resistance code-- oh, no there's the condom" - Kremy

edit 26: Torbek's back! :D

edit 27: proud nudism is contagious.

edit 28: ITS FRIGHTENINGLY CONTAGIOUS

edit 29: JESUS GIDEON IN LOVE IS 😳😳😳😳😳😳😳

edit 30: its always ironic 😔

edit 31: It'd funny because, out of all of the party, it's usually Torbek who keeps track of lore things with the fairy dragon and ClapperClaw

edit 32: NEW CURSE TABLE

edit 33: got my hands on the unedited stuff and????? they're pretty ship friendly??????

edit 34: everyone's clown-sonas are turning out pretty nice

edit 35: " YOU CLOWN BACK UP YOU SILLY FUCK, LET'S GO!"

edit 36: "Torbek just wants to go home" "you are home, you're with us" Immediate waterworks, I'm sobbing

edit 37: something about nickles and Kremy finding silicon breast forms that somehow fit perfectly.

edit 38: my favourite part of the whole play was Hootsie.

edit: 39 the Gideon taking damage every time Mace laughs IRL bit damn near killed me

edit 39.5: Kremy's condom collection grows

edit 40: oh my god NIKKIE! The lore drop from what's basically a comedic bit. AAAAAAA

edit 41: nooooo I love Torbek 🥺🥺🥺🥺

edit 42: say what you want, they really know how to break tension in a good way

edit 43: not the carlfish nooooooooo

edit 44: my head hurts from laughing too hard, I think I'm having heart problems (in a funny way)

edit 45: I'm gonna burst a blood vessel laughing too hard.

edit 46: When will Gideon realize that flirting with Frost is like flirting with a brick wall

edit 47: please stop giving Torbek the bananyas, I cannot think about his long fingers pushing bananyas down anyone's throat again.

edit 48: waiting for a confrontation where the other person doesn't silence Gricko

edit 49: wheres Torbek 🥺🥺🥺

edit 50: "I'M NOT GONNA MISS YOU YOU LITTLE BITCH!" - Twig

edit 51: taking a peek in saltmarsh and-- MUMBO JUMBO MENTION LFGGG

edit 52: why does andy sound like a twink

edit 53: me every time I see my name in the patreons list

edit 54: Derek's Monty voice scratches an itch in my brain I never knew I had.

edit 55: back to OUAW, I really can't get over Mace's regular speaking voice, he has such a jock voice and he says shit like 'jujutsu kaisen' like nothing else... like a jock otaku, a jotaku

edit 56: you know it's back when even Nikkie goes "NOOOO 😭😭"

edit 57: the universal fear of accidentally destroying a bag of holding... Frog of holding?

edit 58: I don't like the shadow demon :( I don't like the frog of holding :(

edit 59: oh its not a frog of holding?

edit 60: I'M SCREAMING, CALL THEIR NAMES KREMY CALL THEM RIGHT NOW

edit 61: TORBEK NO

edit 62: yeah no, I wouldn't be able to watch this without the twists, I'm sorry, I don't- I can't with the fails I'm gonna eat concrete

edit 63: TWIGSIE NO

edit 64: TWIGSIE PLEASE

edit 65: I can't do this tonight man

edit 66: TORBEK NO

EDIT 67: THE WIKI LIED TO MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

edit 68:

edit 69: nice

edit 70: Kremy... Kremy Kremy Kremy... you are such a simp for your husband. Down horrendous. Down appalling even. I once knew someone like you, I put him in ✨situations✨.

edit 71: wait is there some Briggsy/Torbek stuff anywhere? genuinely curious because of their connection in that oneshot 👀

edit 72: can we not let Torbek end a fight ever again? I don't like being lightly misted by blood and gore everytime he shifts

edit 73: alright alright, listen I'm in it deep enough that I will definitely watch prime okay? I'm doing it piss backwards though and will maybe watch it when I'm done catching up with everything else. I'm trying to speedrun OUAW (badly because I watch the unedited shit + avantris and chill stuff) and I thing I plan on watching Uprooted or Edge of Midnight next. A lot of my motivation for all of this is because of EVERYONE at the table's enthusiasm with their lore like Andy theory crafting at the mere mention of prime plot points? Mace's general everything with anything??? I'm just... in it you know? I love them. I'll watch prime Richie I will. dw about it

edit 74: ASS BACKWARDS NOT PISS

edit 75: LORE LORE LORE LORE LORE LORE LORE LORE LORE LORE LORE LORE LORE LORE LORE LORE LORE LORE LORE LORE LORE LORE LORE

edit 76: I need somebody to look at me the way Mace looks at anyone on the table who drops lore unfamiliar to him. Curious, focused, a bit apprehensive, staring you down as if he wants to bore holes on your forehead.

edit 77: whiplash again... my neck will never be the same

edit 78: I... CANNOT do this... not again. I"M NOT FUCKING STRONG ENOOOOUUUUUUUGH

edit 79: what the fuck even. NOT HOOTSIE MOTHERFUCKER

edit 80: jesus fucking christ

edit 81: I have recovered

edit 81: Torbek 😭

[grantgoddard]

Walking on the Chinese glass ceiling : 2004 : FM 102 Radio, Women’s Media Centre of Cambodia

 I was standing over the motionless body of my line manager. He was dead to the world, naked under the sheet on his bed. Neither my arrival in his studio apartment through its wide-open front door, nor the chatter of little ‘street boys’ passing up and down the building’s internal staircase, nor the morning sunshine streaming through the open windows, nor the noise of rush hour traffic on the road below seemed to have stirred him. Should I call out? Should I nudge him? Since the limit of my responsibilities to the BBC had already been sorely tested by a recent health & safety ‘issue’, I decided that playing butler to my boss would stretch my patience one step too far. I turned around, leaving him asleep, walked out and descended the stairs to rejoin the driver waiting out front in the BBC SUV.

It was the ‘big day’ in March when my trainees were to interview candidates for two radio presenter jobs. Charles ‘Chas’ Hamilton had asked to attend too, so I had arranged a detour at eight o’clock to pick him up en route from my hotel to the radio station. This was unusual because, to date, he had demonstrated scant interest in my 28 hours per week of sessions training teams at two Phnom Penh radio stations in production skills, apparently preferring to remain at his desk in the air-conditioned, open-plan BBC office. On my arrival in Cambodia, rather than having furnished a training plan or schedule, Hamilton had invited me for an evening meal in his apartment, bending my ear with gossip about the BBC World Service Trust’s recently arrived Canadian manager. Now I was having to spend what remained of my seven-day working week determining which skills I needed to demonstrate to my teams and how to instruct them when I understood not one word of Khmer. 

Hamilton was oblivious to the supreme irony of my bedside presence that morning. Before departing London, BBC management had confided that, only after having signed contracts in December 2003 to supply radio training to two Cambodian stations, had it understood that its prior internal appointee to head the country’s radio projects had no experience producing live radio programmes. Having been hurriedly headhunted as a result of my international track record in radio production and presentation during three decades, my latest mission was necessary solely to bail out a consequence of the Corporation’s arcane appointment system. Meanwhile, in spite of my radio experience, my own applications over two decades for 43 BBC vacancies had resulted in thirteen interviews but not a single job offer.

Although the BBC contract required me primarily to train in radio production, it quickly became evident that, in order for my young but enthusiastic trainees to appoint inexperienced presenters for the station’s new youth phone-in programme, I needed to teach them how to word a job vacancy advertisement, shortlist applicants, interview candidates and take personnel decisions. They were fortunate that, after a decade assisting in my father’s self-employed architectural business, I had taken my first management post in 1978, hiring and firing people since then and managing teams of more than fifty. In Cambodia, my role became necessarily upgraded to informal ‘management consultant’ despite having had to accept a BBC freelance pay rate lower than the mediocre job at Ofcom from which I had just resigned in the UK … and undoubtedly lower than Hamilton’s pensioned salary as head of radio.

On arrival at the Women’s Media Centre that morning, I found my trainees already assembled in the first-floor radio studio to commence job interviews. I waited in the downstairs lobby to greet the candidates (a bow accompanying ‘hello’ the limit of my Khmer communication skills) and usher them upstairs. However, as Hamilton had yet to arrive, the schedule soon started to run over and resulted in successive applicants seated together in the reception area, a situation I had hoped to avoid. Eventually appearing apologetically an hour late, Hamilton would never be told about that morning’s ‘sleeping beauty’ encounter. It was more important to proceed with the tasks at hand.

During previous weeks’ sessions, the trainees had agreed upon three candidate tasks: an interview by the production team with a prepared list of questions allocated to each member; a script I had written and had translated, to be read into a studio microphone for recording; and a faked phone conversation recorded with a production member pretending to be a caller, to test each potential presenter’s spontaneity and improvisation skills. None of the candidates had prior radio experience, which it why it was imperative to identify ‘potential’ rather than ‘accomplishment’. The planned radio show was destined to become Cambodia’s first live youth phone-in, for which we needed one male and one female presenter.

Having completed the interview round, we broke for the mandatory two-hour lunch, me and Hamilton returning to the BBC office by car. I shared lunch with local staff at the kitchen table, while Hamilton took his usual sojourn with the ex-pat employees to a local restaurant. Afterwards, he did not accompany my return to the radio station for the afternoon session in which my trainees discussed and contrasted the candidates’ performances, assisted by BBC translator Keo Sothearith. I was incredibly impressed by the professionalism with which they ranked the candidates against criteria we had previously decided and then unanimously agreed upon the most suitable pair of applicants.

I was pleased that the whole interview process had been done and dusted so competently and quickly. However, just as I was ready to pat myself on the metaphorical back, a passionate conversation broke out amongst my trainees that the translator seemed reluctant to explain in English. I had to press him repeatedly to tell me what new issue had arisen, since there had been undivided agreement only a few minutes earlier.

“They say it is not possible to employ the woman because she is Chinese,” he explained embarrassedly. “They agree she is the most competent … but the job has to be given to a Khmer woman.”

I was shocked. Clarification was necessary for me to understand this issue. Though I could not discern the distinction, I was told the woman was ethnically Chinese (0.6% of Cambodia’s population) though not a recent immigrant, apparently speaking Khmer perfectly. Wikipedia explains:

“Most Chinese are descended from 19th–20th-century settlers who came in search of trade and commerce opportunities during the time of the French protectorate.”

I had read about ethnic tensions in Cambodia, but primarily involving neighbouring Thailand with which there had long been territorial disputes. In January 2003, following an alleged remark by Thai actress Suwanna Konying that Cambodia’s Angkor Wat temple actually belonged to Thailand, a mob in Phnom Penh had burnt down the Thai embassy and attacked Thai businesses, forcing the evacuation by military aircraft of 400 Thai citizens to their homeland. I had recently passed Thailand’s newly opened replacement embassy in Phnom Penh, surrounded by high walls for improved security.

A 2021 academic paper reported:

“Although anti-Chinese riots are rare in Cambodia, the ethnic Chinese in Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge era experienced some of the most severe repression in the world. The situation had improved by the 1990s, following the Hun Sen government’s abolishment of discriminatory policies towards them.”

The Minority Rights Group noted:

“After 1990, [the Chinese] were allowed to celebrate Chinese festivals and religious practices, then to re-establish Chinese associations and conduct business activities. They subsequently started operating their own schools…”

For the next hour, I felt compelled to argue that it was morally wrong to discriminate against a job applicant purely on the grounds of their ethnicity. It was essential to appoint the best candidate for the job. I told my trainees that the BBC would never countenance such behaviour and, since the BBC was funding their training, it was essential to follow guidelines set out within the BBC editorial handbook (a copy of which I usefully brandished from my briefcase). The trainees had already written a sign that said ‘BBC office’ (in Khmer) on their production room within the radio station, even though they were not BBC employees (as neither was freelance me).

However, I was internally conflicted by my own argument. As a 43-time applicant to the BBC who had been rejected 43 times, I was well aware from personal experience that discrimination was alive and well and living inside the Corporation. Following one of my post-interview rejections at the end of a three-month wait, I had phoned the BBC to ask precisely why I had been rejected yet again and was informed that it would be necessary for me to prove to interviewers that I was “one of us”. The unspoken implication was that I could not join the BBC ‘club’ unless either I was posh, spoke a certain way, had attended private schools or been educated at Oxford or Cambridge. Perhaps I needed a relative who was already employed there. None of the above qualified me.

Even BBC director general Greg Dyke had commented in 2001:

"I think the BBC is hideously white. […] The figures we have at the moment suggest that quite a lot of people from ethnic backgrounds that we do attract to the BBC leave. Maybe they don't feel at home, maybe they don't feel welcome."

Though I had the advantage of being white, it was evident that the BBC discriminated on multiple levels. During the decades since my love of radio had blossomed at primary school, my ambition had always been to work in BBC radio. Apart from my current freelance contract, dispatched to the opposite side of the world due to the Corporation’s ineptitude, my dream was never to be realised.

In the end, I had to give up arguing with my trainees. Cambodia was not my country. I could not pretend to understand its culture or heritage. Its history was turbulent. The people’s identity was complex. I gave in to their desire to appoint the second-best female candidate for the job. I hated myself for giving in. I had been on the receiving end of discrimination on too many occasions over too long a period in several countries. But I had lost the argument. I returned to the BBC office with the names of the two presenters whom the team had chosen. Yes, I confirmed, they were the best candidates (cringe). Both quickly became astoundingly competent radio presenters.

Later that month, Charles Hamilton arrived in our Phnom Penh office one morning and explained that he had lost a BBC laptop computer on the journey from home. It would need to be replaced. Within the hour, the number of laptops he said he had lost that day had increased to two. His comments, combined with the memory of my early morning visit to his apartment, made me contemplate that the BBC staff induction programme should be appended with an additional topic: ‘How to close and lock the front door of your accommodation’.

During the decade following my extended mission in Cambodia, I applied for a further twenty BBC job vacancies and was rejected for all.

[halflingkima]

15, 20, 44

wait i meant to type 43, answer 43, too!

thanks b! 💕 my dnd session caught me in the middle of answering 😅

15. Which genre(s) are your favorite? The easy answer to this is romance; but last year I had a run of bad (i.e. boring) romances that set me off of mainstream romance altogether. I'm always down for a queer indie, but it's more of a gamble with the writing styles out there.

I think my real favorite genre is literary fiction, but it's like that post about poetry where 99% of it is pretentious crap except for that 1% that speaks to your soul AND that 1% is different for everyone. I think lit fic is like that, except it's more like 75% is bullshit, 20% you can generally appreciate that it's for other people, and 5% rewrites ur dna.

20. Where and how do you find new books to read? I can't tell if this is asking literally where I get books or how I hear about new books, but we'll do the latter. I do work at a library but we're REAL behind on orders (thx covid). I mostly hear about new books through youtube. my absolute favorite channel was allisonpaiges, but she's not posting right now. my current rotation is booksandlala, megwithbooks, stephaniebookish, and bookslikewhoa, but i will drop my whole sub list if anyone wants booktube recs.

43. Title of a book you own that's in the worst physical condition you have. Explain what happened to it. Post a picture if you want.

The Hobbit is definitely the most long-suffering book in this house, but it's technically my mom's. But the bookshelves are in my room, so 😈 It's probably from the first run of mass market paperbacks and it is crumbling from age lol

Otherwise, avoiding hp properties and quite a few secondhand college textbooks bc I don't wanna talk about them, I think my most scuffed book is the copy of Dracula I used for my high school senior thesis. All my copies of Dracula (4 I think?) are in roughly the same condition, but this one at least emotionally Went Thru It.

Since I get almost all of my books secondhand, it's not egregiously worse than the rest of them, but it is definitely worn. This was annotating to my advisor's specifications and lord, do I hate it now. I'd like to take a stab at annotating this again once I get a system for myself down.

44. The book(s) whose stories have become part of your very makeup. I don't even know if you intended to ask this or if it was a typo for 43 but I'm gonna answer it lol.

There are titles that affect my makeup because I read them so young and they affected me deeply then:

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen

Probably also the Hunger Games.

Then there are books that affect my makeup as a writer myself, that will simply always be a part of my own writing style now:

Library of the Unwritten trilogy by AJ Hackwith

London Calling duology by Alexis Hall

You Feel it Just Below the Ribs by Janina Matthewson & Jeffrey Cranor

probably also Fun Home by Alison Bechdel

Then there's books I read as an adult that changed the axes of my world and brought the concept of life into sharper focus (I do recommend but YMMV):

A Line Made By Walking by Sara Baume

Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney (before which, Normal People would've made the list)

Maybe also the Radiant Emperor duology by Shelley Parker-Chan but that could be recency bias. It did fuck me up though