#ramshackle ron
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guys I need idea for what to do with my Ramshackle OC’s before ppl forget them again
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Nah that's Ron fr fr
"OK, WHO THE FUCK BROUGHT STONE STONE TO THE GODDAMN PARTY"
"I did"
"GODDAMNIT VINNIE THIS IS WHY YOUR PARENTS ABANDONED YOUR FLAT ASS"
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@patters-patters THIS- (old art by Zeddyzi)
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(slightly nsfw)
Yards away from the ramshackle cottage filled with people who don’t like him, Draco lets his himself cry. Snape dumped him here an hour ago and left after a private meeting with The Order.
Footsteps approach. Draco wipes his tears.
It’s Granger, carrying a bowl of lumpy pasta.
“I was saving the box for a rainy day but figured you could use it more than me.”
He stares at the offering, and scrunches his nose. “That’s revolting.”
She says, “I’m sorry about your father.”
Draco’s eyes sting. Then, since she still hasn’t left, he tries the lumpy pasta and finds it offensively delicious.
-
Two weeks later he’s playing Wizard’s Chess with Weasley when Granger appears, a bag strapped across her shoulder.
Weasley hugs her so fiercely, her feet lift off the floor.
“There are only two rooms,” says Weasley, welcoming her inside. “But you can share mine.”
She shakes her head. “The sofa’s fine.”
-
Weasley hurls a howling werewolf against a tree.
Draco stuns two more, searching the field frantically for Granger.
A scream pierces the air.
He doesn’t think before he launches himself between her and the feral wolf. Something sharp slashes his shoulder. Gritting his teeth, Draco takes Granger’s hand and touches the port-key in his pocket.
They land in a heap, gasping atop each other.
She’s bleeding profusely. Her forehead, her cheek, her chin.
-
It’s not until he’s cleaned her up, using magic to sew the scar on her temple back together, that she discovers his shirt is drenched in blood.
She makes a fuss when he removes his shirt. “This is worse than my scar. You should’ve said something!”
“We’re not keeping tabs, Granger.” Truthfully, he’d forgotten all about it when he’d seen her hurt.
Her hands are gentle as she cleans his wound.
They receive word from The Order that the battle was successful, but Ron has been reassigned to a different safe house.
“I won’t have to sleep on the sofa anymore.” She jokes, her breath warm on his spine.
It’s the oddest thing, but his cock stirs. Just the idea of Granger in a bed makes him feel too tight in his skin.
-
They play house for a few days.
Draco enters the kitchen one morning and falters when he sees her in his jumper.
“It was on the chair,” she says apologetically. “I was cold.”
“It’s fine.”
Seeing Granger in his clothes has a deeper effect than he thought. He’s hard again. Admittedly, he’s hard a lot these days.
-
They’re playing chess when Granger poses casually, “Who’s the last person you kissed?”
Draco says, “Pansy.” Without having to think about it. He meets her eye. “You?”
“Ron,” she says.
He tries not to wince, wondering if it was while they all lived together.
“Did you sleep with Pansy?”
His cock stirs again. He exhales. “Yeah,” he says, unable to ask the same question. He doesn’t want to think of Granger naked with another bloke.
“Do you miss it?” she asks. “Sex?”
He gives her a telling look.
She makes the next move on the chessboard, cheeks aflame.
He shoves his chair back and, when she looks up, he pats his lap. “Come here.”
He thinks she’ll say no. That she’s merely curious and that her questions didn’t mean anything. But she doesn’t do any of that.
He watches, fascinated, as she rises from her seat. And when she straddles him, he’s pretty sure his heart explodes.
-
Sex with Granger makes war tolerable. He’s addicted after one taste. More. It’s all he ever wants. More and more and more.
On the sofa, on the counter, in his bed, in the shower, against his bedroom door.
Her body is lush and responsive. Her skin is gorgeous covered in his love bites. When she moans his name, Draco aches.
She’s doing exactly that, riding him furiously on the sofa with her hair tangled between his fingers, when the door swings open and Snape enters.
Granger gasps, ducking away.
Draco curses, plucking his shorts from the ground.
Snape turns around, giving them a few seconds to become decent. He’s ramrod straight and possibly not breathing.
“I’m so sorry professor,” Granger apologizes profusely. Her voice a little raspy. “We weren’t expecting you.”
“I would hope not,” snarls Snape, peeking cautiously over his shoulder. “I dare say, when we thought you two were occupied, this isn’t what we had in mind.”
Draco bites his lip so not to laugh. He’s not sure who’s more humiliated. Granger or Snape.
“Where’s the research?”
“One moment.” Granger dashes upstairs wearing Draco’s jumper inside out and backwards.
Snape says, “What are you smirking about?”
Draco shrugs, untroubled. “Nothing.”
“Attachment only causes distraction, Malfoy.”
“Or something to fight for,” he rebuts.
“And if she dies?” He sneers. “If you fall in love with that girl and something happens to her, you won’t survive. I know you.”
“I’m not going to let anything happen to her,” he says firmly.
Snape narrows his eyes, realizing it’s too late for words of caution. “You fool.”
Draco says, “Don’t tell the others about this.” Because he knows they’ll separate them if they find out. “Please.”
Granger returns wearing trousers. She passes a ribboned scroll to Snape.
Snape stares in disdain, taking it after a beat too long. He glowers at Draco, his mouth forming a straight line. He says, “If you wish to survive, you’ll stop this.” Draco is about to protest, but Snape holds up his hand. “But as far as I’m concerned, I was never here. Good riddance.”
He slams the door on his way out.
Draco remembers the devastation of losing his father. Snape’s right. They probably shouldn’t.
And yet.
When Granger locks her arms around his neck and bursts into a fit of giggles, he melts.
To hell with it all. He’ll fight for them until the bloody end.
(976 words. Prompt: secret safe house relationship discovered by Snape from X).
#dramione#draco malfoy#hermione granger#draco x hermione#hermione x draco#dramione drabble#dhr#sodamnraddrabbles#sodamnrad
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A Welcome Worth Waiting For
George Weasley x Hufflepuff!Reader
Masterlist
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The dirt path leading up to the Burrow stretched ahead, the setting sun casting the countryside in hues of gold and orange. The ramshackle house loomed in the distance, every crooked window glowing warmly. George Weasley walked with his usual loping stride, a mischievous grin playing on his face, though the fingers laced with Y/N’s betrayed a nervous energy.
Y/N Y/L/N kept pace beside him, her steps steady despite the butterflies in her stomach. She glanced at the Weasley twins on either side of her—George’s confident smirk to her left, and Fred’s identical, slightly more mischievous grin to her right. Both had been doing their best to reassure her since they left Diagon Alley, but Y/N still couldn’t shake her nerves.
“Come on, Y/N,” Fred said with a playful nudge. “You’ve faced down Umbridge. You’re telling me meeting Mum is scarier than that pink toad?”
Y/N let out a shaky laugh. “At least I knew where I stood with Umbridge. Your mum… well, she’s Molly Weasley. What if she doesn’t like me?”
“Not like you?” Fred exclaimed, feigning shock. “Impossible. She’s already predisposed to love you. You’re clever, you bake—”
“And she puts up with you,” George interrupted. “That alone makes her a saint.”
Fred clutched his chest dramatically. “Wounded, truly.”
Y/N chuckled despite herself, squeezing George’s hand. The two of them had been inseparable since just before the twins had left Hogwarts in a blaze of fireworks, setting their mark on the school and Umbridge’s tyrannical regime. Though the chaos of the war had forced them apart at times, Y/N had become a steady presence in George’s life, and eventually, Fred’s as well. They both adored her, though Fred would never admit it without a teasing quip.
The Burrow came into view, its mismatched structure leaning precariously against the countryside. Smoke curled from the chimney, and the familiar cacophony of voices spilled into the cool evening air. Y/N’s grip tightened on George’s hand.
Fred glanced sideways at her. “Relax, Y/N. Just smile, nod, and try not to take anything Ron says personally. The first time Hermione came over, he asked if she was allergic to gnomes. He thought that was a real question.”
George snorted. “Still one of his finer moments.”
Y/N laughed, the warmth of their humor seeping into her nervous bones. She glanced at George, his freckled face lit up with affection as he looked down at her.
“You ready?” he asked softly.
Y/N took a deep breath and nodded. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
The moment they stepped into the Burrow, Y/N was enveloped by the scent of freshly baked bread and the warm glow of the kitchen fire. Molly Weasley appeared almost instantly, wooden spoon in hand, her face lighting up as she caught sight of them.
“Fred! George!” she exclaimed, rushing forward. Her eyes landed on Y/N, and her smile softened into something more curious. “And you must be Y/N.”
“That’s her,” Fred said with a sweeping gesture. “The one and only.”
Y/N stepped forward, offering her hand and a nervous smile. “Mrs. Weasley, it’s lovely to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you.”
Molly ignored the hand entirely, pulling Y/N into a warm hug instead. “None of that ‘Mrs. Weasley’ nonsense, dear. Call me Molly.”
Y/N blinked in surprise but quickly relaxed, the hug easing the tension in her chest. When Molly pulled back, her sharp gaze swept over Y/N, though not unkindly.
“You’ve got a good grip on this one, haven’t you, George?” Molly said, a teasing note in her voice. “She looks like the sort to keep you in line.”
“Absolutely,” George said, grinning. “Y/N’s terrifying. You should see her when someone leaves a mess in the kitchen.”
Fred leaned in conspiratorially. “She even scared me once. Told me off for using the wrong measuring spoons.”
Y/N smirked, finding her footing in their humor. “You were trying to measure flour with a ladle.”
Before Fred could retort, Ginny burst into the room, her fiery hair flying behind her. “Is she here? Did you bring her?” She spotted Y/N and beamed. “You must be Y/N!”
Y/N nodded, bracing herself as Ginny grabbed her arm and dragged her toward the kitchen table. “Come on, you have to sit next to me. I need all the dirt on how you’ve been putting up with George.”
“Oi!” George protested, following them. “She’s not here to give you ammunition.”
“Oh, I’m getting all the ammunition,” Ginny shot back, grinning.
The dinner table was a chaotic, joyful mess. Plates were passed around with enthusiastic speed, voices overlapped, and the sound of laughter echoed off the walls. Y/N had been wedged between George and Ginny, the latter peppering her with questions between bites of roast chicken.
“You play Quidditch, right?” Ginny asked, her eyes narrowing in mock assessment.
Y/N nodded. “I was a Chaser for Hufflepuff.”
Ginny’s grin widened. “Brilliant. You’ll have to join us for a game sometime.”
Across the table, Fred smirked. “Careful, Y/N. Ginny takes Quidditch very seriously. She’ll probably have you training by sunrise.”
“Better that than facing Charlie’s dragons,” George quipped. “He’ll tell you all about them if you give him half a chance.”
“I only brought it up twice!” Charlie protested from the end of the table. “And they’re fascinating creatures!”
Y/N laughed, her initial nerves long forgotten as she found herself swept up in the Weasley family’s infectious energy. Even Ron, who had been staring at her suspiciously when she first sat down, had warmed to her after she complimented the Cannons’ new Seeker.
By the time dessert arrived, Y/N felt like she belonged. Molly placed a treacle tart in front of her with a proud smile. “I made this one special, dear. George mentioned it was your favorite.”
Y/N glanced at George, who shrugged innocently. “What can I say? I pay attention.”
Later, as the evening wound down and the family dispersed, Y/N found herself outside with George, the cool night air a welcome reprieve from the bustling warmth of the house. Fred had wandered off to help Ginny with some “firework-related experiments,” leaving them alone for the first time all evening.
George leaned against the garden wall, his hands shoved in his pockets. “So,” he said, a lopsided grin tugging at his lips. “What’s the verdict? Terrifying? Overwhelming?”
Y/N stepped closer, slipping her arms around his waist. “Terrifyingly wonderful.”
He laughed, pulling her closer. “Told you they’d love you.”
“They’re amazing,” Y/N said honestly. “Your mum is so kind, and Ginny’s a force of nature. Even Ron wasn’t too scary.”
“See? Piece of cake,” George said, though his voice softened. “It means a lot to me that you’re here. They’re everything to me, and now… so are you.”
Y/N smiled up at him, her heart swelling. “I’m exactly where I want to be.”
George kissed her then, the kind of kiss that promised forever, and in the quiet glow of the Burrow, Y/N felt more at home than she ever had before.
Masterlist
#george weasley#george weasley oneshot#george weasley imagine#george weasley drabble#george weasley fic#george weasley fanfic#george weasley one shot#george weasley fanfiction#george weasley x reader#george weasley x fem#george weasley x hufflepuff!reader#george weasley x you#george weasley x y/n#george weasley fluff#george weasley blurb
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☆Dragonfanfics11☆
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~《Requests》 open/closed~
Scroll past about me to see rules/fandoms
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~☆☆☆☆About me!!☆☆☆☆~
pronouns- she/her but don't mind other pronouns :3
Sexualaty- I'm am a proud bisexual 🩷💜💙
hobbies- writing (obviously), drawing, and im even slowly coming up with my own story!!
I enjoy writing my silly character x reader fics and posting my art here on tumbler I'm so happy yall like my blog >:3
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~☆☆Fandoms!☆☆~
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Go to rules before requesting at the bottom!!!
School bus graveyard
- Ashlen - Aiden - Ben - Taylor - Tyler - Logan -
Homesick
- Rayne - Samuel- Kenny- poppy - oak - gressil
Spellward bound
-Any charicter (it's Hella underrated go check it out on webtoon)-
The dragon prince
- ezran (older) - callum - rayla - soren - Claudia -
Arcane
- vi - caitlyn - jayce - vicktor - jinx - silco - ekko -
The arcana
- julian - muriel - (I haven't finished the other routs yet)
Halluva boss
- Blitzo - millie - moxxie - stolas - striker - any deadly sin -
Hazbin hotel
- charlie - vaggie- angel dust - husk - alastor - lucifer -
How to train your dragon
- hiccup - snotlout -
She-ra
- adora - catra - glimmer - bow - seahawk - mermista - entrapta - hordak - perfuma - theres more just ask! -
Ramshackle
- Stone - Vinny - skipp -
Kipo and the age of wonderbeasts
- kipo - Benson - wolf - more just ask! -
Avatar the last air bender
- aang - sokka - katara - zuko -
The owl house
- luz - amity - gus - hunter - willow - alador - Darius - Rayne - eda -
Skull island
- any character -
Harry potter
- Harry - Harmonie - Ron - draco - Fred w - George w -
Jentry chau vs the underworld
- jentry - kit - Michael - feel free to ask for other characters! -
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~☆☆☆Rules☆☆☆~
I don't write
- smut - pretty much it ig -
I do write
- fluff - angst - farthest I'll go is kissing - dirty jokes just for laughs -
~~~~~
Plz be specific if you want headcanons or a oneshot if not it's automatically gonna be headcanons
Only one character allowed if you want a one shot
As many characters as you choose if you want headcanons
Plz be patient if you request a one shot they do take time and I have things to do in my life I don't write 24/7
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#school bus graveyard x reader#homesick webtoon x reader#spellward bound#harry potter x reader#atla x reader#The dragon prince x reader#arcane x reader#the arcana x reader#skull island x reader#the owl house x reader#kipo and the age of wonderbeasts#ramshackle x reader#Shera x reader#httyd x reader#hazbin hotel x reader#helluva boss x reader#jentry chau vs the underworld x reader
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So could you do one where y/n arrives at the Burrow in the morning (as George's girlfriend/...) but they all didnt know she was coming because she wanted to surprise them and then she helps Mrs. Weasley with breakfast waiting for the others (all Weasleys love her) to wake up :)
Thanks in advance!
Surprise
Prompt: no
Request: Yes
Prompt Number: none
Pairings: George Weasley x Female Reader
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_______________________________
As the sun rose over the rolling hills of the English countryside, y/n made her way up the winding path to the Burrow. She couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement in her stomach- she was finally going to surprise George and his family with a visit.
Y/n had been dating George for a few months now, and she had quickly become welcomed into the Weasley family with open arms. She loved spending time with them, and they all seemed to love her just as much.
But today was special. Y/n had managed to keep her visit a secret from everyone, even George. She couldn't wait to see the look on his face when he saw her standing on the doorstep.
As she reached the door of the ramshackle house, she took a deep breath and knocked. A few moments later, the door flew open and she was greeted by a very surprised Mrs. Weasley.
"Oh my goodness, y/n! What a pleasant surprise!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, pulling y/n into a warm hug.
"I hope it's not too early, Mrs. Weasley," y/n said, returning the hug.
"Not at all, dear. It's always a pleasure to have you here," Mrs. Weasley said with a smile. "Come in, come in."
Y/n stepped into the bustling kitchen, the smell of Mrs. Weasley's cooking filling her nostrils. She couldn't help but smile as she took in her surroundings- it felt like a second home to her.
"Let me help you with breakfast, Mrs. Weasley," y/n offered, rolling up her sleeves.
"Oh, you don't have to do that, dear. You're a guest," Mrs. Weasley protested.
"Nonsense, I insist," y/n replied with a playful smile.
Mrs. Weasley chuckled and handed y/n an apron. Together, they cooked up a delicious breakfast, chatting and laughing as they worked.
As they set the table, the rest of the Weasley clan began to trickle into the kitchen, each one more surprised to see y/n than the last.
"Y/n! What are you doing here?" Ron exclaimed, pulling her into a tight hug.
"I wanted to surprise you all," y/n said with a grin.
"Well, consider us surprised," Fred said, grinning mischievously.
George entered the kitchen last, his eyes widening in shock as he saw y/n. "Y/n! What are you doing here?" he asked, pulling her into a hug and planting a kiss on her forehead.
"I missed you," y/n replied, smiling up at him.
"Missed you too, love," George replied, his smile widening.
As they all sat down to enjoy their breakfast together, y/n couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with love and happiness. This was where she belonged- with the Weasleys, and with George by her side.
#george weasly x reader#george wealsey imagine#george weasley#harry potter#hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry
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A quick peek into the next chapter of In Another Live, the scene where Harry meets Ginny for the first time…. https://archiveofourown.org/works/57530689/chapters/146377183
The footpath led directly to a somewhat ramshackle-looking multi-story dwelling. Several smaller houses seemed to be glued to the roof of a stone cottage, almost looking like small towers, each with its own roof. Someone must have magically lifted these houses and then fixed them up there, slightly askew. Harry was sure that only a good dose of magic kept the structure from falling apart.
As they got closer, the door opened, and a red-haired girl stepped out.
"Hello Ginny," Tonks greeted her. "Do you remember me? I'm Dora Tonks. Last Wednesday, I visited your brother Charlie. And this is Harry." With a winsome smile, Tonks pointed to Harry.
"Err, hi..." Harry stammered, staring at the girl. She was really pretty with her faded jeans that were ripped in several places and her long red hair that went well with her faded green t-shirt. Her brown eyes darted inquiringly from one visitor to the other.
Finally the girl nodded. "Yeah, I remember you. But you were looking different. Your hair was black and a little longer."
"I enjoy changing my looks," Tonks replied with a grin. "But if you like the black hair better..." Her pink hair turned black and a little longer, even on the shaved side. "Better?"
"No, no. It's okay. You can wear your hair however you want," Ginny replied, rolling her eyes. "I'm home alone. Mum is in the greenhouses, and Charlie isn't back from work yet." Ginny shrugged. "Do you want to wait or leave him a message?"
"Ron isn't home either?" Harry asked, surprised. "We wanted to meet here." Frowning, Harry wondered if he'd gotten something wrong. But that couldn't be. They'd exchanged several letters throughout the week and planned to meet on Saturday.
"On Saturdays, Ron often accompanies Charlie to work. He isn't back yet either," the girl explained. Throwing a glance at her watch, she added, "They're late. Usually, they're back by noon."
"I'll wait, then," Harry replied, glancing at Tonks. "Or what do you think?"
Sighing, Tonks shrugged and nodded. "I have nothing else to do."
Harry turned back to the girl, wondering if she also was home alone as often as he was. "If I'd known you were home alone, I would've brought my little sister," he said, giving her a friendly smile.
Frowning, Ginny protested, "I'm not a babysitter."
"What?" Harry asked, bewildered. That's not what he'd meant. Quickly, he clarified, "She's not a baby. She's your age, 13."
Crossing her arms, Ginny shot Harry an icy look. "I'm 14."
Tonks laughed. "Oh, Harry. You have to work on your pick-up line."
Giving Tonks an annoyed look, he shot back. "I thought she was home alone as often as we are and would appreciate some company."
Grimacing, Ginny muttered. "I'm sorry. Of course, you're welcome to bring your sister if she's bored at home."
Not sure if she really meant it, Harry gave Ginny a scrutinising look and finally replied, "I'll ask her."
"I'll go and let my mum know we have visitors," Ginny said. Putting on a pair of wellies lying by the door, she walked away without another word. Harry couldn't help but watch her backside until she disappeared around the corner of the house.
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“The Long Road to a Juneteenth Museum” by James Rusell, from the January/February 2024 issue of Texas Observer Magazine:
(Museum renderings courtesy BIG)
When Fort Worth activist Opal Lee was invited in 2021 to stand alongside President Joe Biden as he signed the bill making Juneteenth a federal holiday, “I could’ve done a holy dance,” the 97-year-old told the Texas Observer recently. “But the kids said they didn’t want me twerking.”
Dancing—and twerking—aside, Lee is clearly used to ambitious projects. She’s often referred to as the grandmother of Juneteenth, mostly because of her 1,400-mile walk, Fort Worth to Washington, D.C., September 2016 to January 2017, seeking recognition for the day that has come to represent freedom for American Blacks. Although the Emancipation Proclamation took effect in 1863, slaves couldn’t be freed where the countryside was still under Confederate control. That ended in Texas on June 19, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Galveston and brought the news.
The latest project of Lee and her allies, to create a museum in Fort Worth honoring Juneteenth, is turning out to be equally ambitious. What began as a modest collection in a small house in the neighborhood where Lee grew up has become a key part of an effort to revitalize Fort Worth’s Historic Southside neighborhood. The most recent and much grander incarnation of the museum is due to open in 2025.
Along the way, the honors paid to Lee—a Nobel Peace Prize nomination, a painting of Lee for the National Portrait Gallery, and the Emmy Award-winning documentary Opal’s Walk for Freedom (2022)—have helped bring attention to that neighborhood, just as they did to the Juneteenth campaign. But tragedy and poverty have held hands there for a long time, and revitalization efforts sometimes find tough sledding.
Lee’s roots run deep into the soil of the Southside and into personal memories of another June 19. On that day in 1939, a mob of racists—about 500 people, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram—raided the house there that Lee, her parents, and two brothers, had recently moved into. The family promptly moved out.
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A portrait of Opal Lee from the National Portrait Gallery (Courtesy of Talley Dunn Gallery)
The raid was traumatic. Lee told the Star-Telegram in 2003 that afterward her family was “homeless and then living in houses so ramshackle they were impossible to keep clean.” The experience led her to become first an advocate for affordable housing and later an activist regarding homelessness, hunger, and Juneteenth.
Eighty years after the raid, another violent incident a few blocks away would inspire a new generation of Southside activists.
Lee, a retired elementary school teacher and counselor in the Fort Worth school district, also spearheaded the rebuilding of the Metroplex Food Bank (now the Community Food Bank), founded the urban Opal’s Farm, and served on numerous local boards, including the Tarrant Black Historical and Genealogical Society.
Through all that time, she worked to draw attention to Juneteenth. “She was always teaching about Juneteenth” in middle school, said Sedrick Huckaby, the Fort Worth artist who painted Lee for the National Portrait Gallery. “She was always teaching about our heritage and about taking pride in who you are.” Allies like the late Rev. Dr. Ron Myers, a Mississippi doctor and minister, lobbied legislatures across the country and in 1997 helped pass a congressional joint resolution recognizing the holiday. Lee worked on building local support.
In 2014, on the 150th anniversary of Juneteenth, she asked friends and family to donate to a celebration of that, in lieu of buying presents on her birthday. A story in Fort Worth Weekly called her “part grandma, part General Patton” in leading the effort. Two years later, she was putting on her walking shoes for her own personal march on Washington. “If a lady in tennis shoes walked to Washington, D.C, maybe people would pay attention,” she said in her deep, raspy voice, recalling her motivations for the trek. It took another four years after her walk, but the national holiday happened.
Juneteenth has been celebrated by Black Americans for more than 100 years, including in Fort Worth. Texas was the first to designate it a state holiday, in 1980. Since 2020, 26 states, propelled by the murders of Black citizens George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of police, have followed Texas’ lead, according to the Pew Research Center.
In Fort Worth, Lee and volunteer Don Williams had been working for years to gather artifacts related to local Black history and Juneteenth, including paintings by local Black artist Manet Harrison Fowler, scrapbooks chronicling local Juneteenth celebrations, and memorabilia from the locally filmed movie Miss Juneteenth. Lee inherited a house from her late husband Dale, a retired school district principal, and turned it into the first version of the Juneteenth museum. It housed the growing collection and hosted multiple Juneteenth events and, at one point, computer classes.
While the collection grew, the building, run by volunteers, was deteriorating. Like most public places, it closed in 2020 as COVID-19 spread. After the pandemic, it did not reopen, and the collection was moved out. Then early on the morning of January 11, 2023, it caught on fire. The remains were demolished to make way for the new museum.
Around 2019, Lee, granddaughter Dione Sims, and former Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce executive Jarred Howard had started talking about the possibility of a new Juneteenth Museum. They began buying land around the site of the old house. Howard long had a vision to help his old stomping grounds and wanted to both commemorate the holiday and spur economic development. Well acquainted with developers and architects from his Chamber days, he solicited requests for proposals for a building that could meet those goals. First, local architect Paul Dennehy designed a five-story building with a gallery, event space, and residences. In early 2020 it was pitched to neighborhood association leaders. Too tall, they said, and out of step with the neighborhood. In 2021, local architects Bennett Partners produced a plan for a playful mixed-use campus, estimated to cost about $30 million to build.
In 2022, a new plan, bigger in scope than Lee could have imagined two decades ago, was unveiled. The current proposal is for a 5-acre complex housing a National Juneteenth Museum, with a theater, restaurant, art galleries, and a “business incubator” space to spur Southside entrepreneurship, designed by the internationally renowned architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG). The price tag is an estimated $70 million. So far, the nonprofit National Juneteenth Museum, formed in 2020, has raised about $30 million of that, mostly from major donors and foundations, Lee said.
Douglass Alligood, a partner at BIG and the chief architect of the currently planned museum, got an earful during his field work on the project, including from Lee’s friends and supporters. In multiple visits, he met with Lee as well as neighborhood leaders. The conclusion: The museum had to represent the community and not be divorced from it.
“We were inspired by the neighborhood typology—the homes that feature historic gabled silhouettes and protruding porches, also known in context as a ‘shotgun’ house,” he said. “Neighborhood groups and community members found that, together, the BIG and KAI Enterprises [the local architecture firm] design teams demonstrate a deep understanding of the Juneteenth story and commitment to work with the local community to celebrate the holiday’s history and local culture of the Historic Southside.”
Eleven rectangular glass-clad building segments, with peaks and valleys of varying heights, will create a star-shaped courtyard in the middle. “The ‘new star,’ the nova star represents a new chapter for the African-Americans looking ahead towards a more just future,” Alligood said.
Fine, locals said, but what people there really need is a grocery store.
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It was a cold morning in early October, and Patrice Jones needed help unloading herbs. She was in the courtyard of Connex, a new three-story business and retail complex about two blocks from the planned site of the museum. Jones and a group of volunteers, mostly in their 20s and 30s, from Southside Community Gardens, are planting their 79th and 80th backyard vegetable gardens in the neighborhood, she said proudly. It’s pick-up day for those who’ve already established gardens.
The initiative is part of the larger By Any Means 104 effort, named for the 76104 zip code, and co-founded by Jones in 2020. The group’s focus on local issues includes addressing the lack of fresh food in the area instead of waiting for a grocery store. Jones, a feisty advocate and former claims adjuster, has run it full time since 2021. If the city can’t get them a grocery store, she said, they’ll teach residents to grow their own food.
The Juneteenth Museum is important, Jones said, between handing out herbs and greeting volunteers. But in her circles, she said, people also ask, “Can we get a health clinic? Can we get a pharmacy?” And of course, “Can we get a grocery store?”
According to a 2018 University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center report, the 76104 zip code has the lowest life expectancy rate in Texas and a high maternal mortality rate. It’s also a victim of what Jones calls “food apartheid,” a term she prefers to “food desert,” an indicator of an area with little access to fresh foods. Desert implies it’s natural; apartheid, she said, is an intentional act. She blames city government and its white-dominated culture.
But hunger is not a sufficient reason for a grocery chain to decide where to open a store, even if it could be part of a historical complex.
Grocery store owners “use different metrics,” including population density, said Stacy Marshall, president of Southeast Fort Worth, Inc., an economic development group. “We can’t yet make a compelling case.” The area needs more housing, he said. “Build density—rooftops—and grocery stores come.”
Marshall is a force in bringing new development to the southeast part of the city, a large historically and ethnically diverse area that includes the Historic Southside.
Since he took the job a decade ago, “development has gone gangbusters,” he said. But development has also brought gentrification: “It’s so expensive to purchase dirt here and get a single-family home,” he said. One Dallas real estate firm put together a $70 million deal for a mixed-use development in the area, but it has stalled.
The Juneteenth museum site is within the Evans-Rosedale urban village, a city designation focused on bringing investment to the area. It’s seeing an uptick in interest from developers, but nowhere near what’s been promised by local officials.
“There have been attempts in the past. There’s the Evans Avenue Plaza, but most people don’t know about it,” said Bob Ray Sanders, communications director for the Fort Worth Black Chamber of Commerce. The plaza, also part of the Evans-Rosedale village, is meant to be a community gathering space and includes a new library. About a mile away is the Hazel Harvey Peace Center for Neighborhoods, which houses numerous city offices.
Many of the neighborhood’s nagging problems date to the mid-20th century, when integration meant, ironically, the loss of many black-owned businesses, while highway construction—as it did in many American cities—cut off Fort Worth’s Black community from downtown and wealthier neighborhoods. “By doing that, people on the Westside [turned] a blind eye to people on the Eastside,” Sanders said.
Housing construction seems to be picking up, mostly on an infill basis. But while developers are buying homes, Marshall said, they are mostly sitting on them and waiting until they can get higher prices.
Longtime assistant city manager Fernando Costa said development work in historic urban districts presents more challenges than creating new neighborhoods from pastureland. Beyond the physical complications of older infrastructure, historic preservation concerns and, often, environmental problems left over from earlier development, Costa said, such projects “require getting existing neighborhood involvement.”
There’s also the issue of crime. According to the Fort Worth Police Department, nearly 560 crimes were reported in the 76104 zip code between mid-May and late November 2023. Assault, larceny, drug and alcohol violations, and vehicle break-ins made up more than three-quarters of the reports. That’s compared to 165 in the same time period in the mostly-white, wealthy 76109 zip code in West Fort Worth.
In the early morning of October 12, 2019, white police officer Aaron Dean, responding to a welfare check at the house, killed 28-year Black woman Atatiana Jefferson, who was playing video games with her nephew. Dean was later found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to 11 years in prison.
Jefferson’s murder lit a fire under a younger generation of activists who aren’t waiting for change, such as Jones, who also worked to get police accountability in response to the murder, and Angela Mack, whose doctoral thesis is about Jefferson and the neighborhood.
“I’m a good, ol’ fashioned Funkytown Black nerd,” said Mack, an instructor in the comparative race and ethnic studies department at Texas Christian University, where she received her doctorate in English rhetoric.
After Jefferson’s murder, Mack changed her thesis topic to address that tragedy. She saw that, between her mother and the national media, two different stories were being told.
“When we’re thinking about the Southside, we think about Fairmount and the Medical District in terms of revitalization. But when you cross the highway, you’re in an area with crime and poverty,” she said, drinking a latte at Black Coffee, one of the few coffee shops in the area. “When people [look] at the community, people are looking at what’s not here. It’s a deficit model of communication instead of seeing the good that’s here.
“I’m not anti-development,” she said, but economic development shouldn’t be the museum’s purpose.
“When you’re building something, it should not be [a question of] how many people we employ, but how does it help define the Southside? The development will come. I’m concerned about who controls the narrative,” she said. “The main focus should be how does this speak about our history and heritage.”
Jones also worries that history will be lost. She’s afraid that rising property values will push out poor people.
Sims has heard those concerns before. Property taxes go up with any new development, she said. And everyone’s going to complain, even if they want change.
When the museum opens in 2025, Lee just wants to make sure she’s there to see it.
“I’m looking forward to it,” she said. She’d be 99. “I hope I’m still here.”
#black history#Black History Month#Texas#texas history#fort worth#north texas#juneteenth#museum#museums
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NPC Meme
FC: Johnny Depp
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NPC Meme!
This man here Ron’s known by at least three names - the latest being Wesley. Every time he washes up on the publican’s shores with a re-introduction on his crookedly smiling lips, it’s just to be rolled with. New person now, new name, new past to listen to as it’s explained over rum, neat, no ice for fear of dilution. Certain features have stuck out through these pasts - a love of cats, French wines, hard liquor, a bitch of an ex something or other - but they’re always subtly different; like the story’s been re-rehearsed and altered to suit the newest push or pull of Wesley’s tides.
And Ron does think he has those - tides. Just like he does himself.
There’s a lick’a something manic about the man, a lick’a something…fragile. And that’s just fine. If anything, clocking even its implication, its possibility, made Ron newly protective of the ramshackle being who’d come and go like he was State-hopping by ‘n by. And so he’s ever ready, on the off-chance Wes pops on by, with a stool and a drink and a listening ear; a pack’a cards in his back pocket and a light for the smoke the man’ll inevitably cadge.
#submission#whosxafraid#NYC!verse#tw: mental illness mention#//fankoo for sending this in darling fren
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Remember my ask about HP X TWST where the Golden Trio go to NRC when they're children?
Yeah! I love what you comes up with. Imagine them getting their Hogwarts letters when they're eleven (assuming they got to TWST years before their own canon time), and then they got to Hogwarts since well, it is their world and this school should be able to teach them how to control their own magic, since NRC can't do it what with their magic being way different.
But because of their journeys at NRC, they become way different than them in canon HP. What if this new trio still go to Griffindor, but they're not one to discriminate towards other houses? They will think believing ones personality based solely on their house is bullshit. Even if back at NRC they do that, but never to the same degree as those at Hogwarts.
They also way smarter at Potions and think Professor Snape to be incompetent because they already got Crewel who is really got ay his job.
Oh! Imagine book 4 when Harry got his name picked from the Goblet! Imagine everyone's reactions back at TWST when they found out! Imagine Umbridge! Riddle is quite attached to these children, he will absolutely HATE it if he heard what the Ministry tried to do to Harry.
*pulls out math notebook*
Ok ok... Let's settle up sum time-line first. :3
My personal pick for an age where they were younger would be 8. And now hear me out on why.
We can go to them being Isekai at 8, way before any of the 3rd years get enrolled. Only Leona is there as he repeats a year on and on. So out of all of them, Leona remains constant.
The trio is faced with the Ramshackle situation, with the different dorms, the magic system and so on. They even come to meet big bros Trappola and Zigvolt, who'd be 2nd years at that time.
The most these 3 would do is help around with simple chores or do some nice lil activity paper that Trein gives them, help Crewel with sewing, hang around at Sam's. Vargas is mostly running the kids dry with all the sports so he's your go-to man when it comes to tiring up the 8 years old.
On their 2nd year in NRC, come our first important batch of 1st years. Ofc, Ron is absolutely curious about Ortho, since he, as a wizarding world native, never saw such advanced tech. Neither did Hermione and Harry, but Ron still was all over the place with awe when it came to tech. Many hyped him up to pick up engeneering(?). And Ortho, rightfully was happy for someone showing so much interest in him and his big brother's works.
You also have Malleus, who gives the kids bedtime stories in the form of gargoyle infodumps. Hermione actually joins the gargoyle club since actually Malleus had some pretty cool facts and stuff about architecture. Ya know, a nice lil side study.
Harry would get along with Trey and Cater. They have that home-y feeling. And Trey makes some awesome sweets on top of it.
Next year, we get sum radical changes.
We get Riddle and Azul, who quickly secure their Dormhead positions. We get Kalim and Scarabia having a renovation overnight, we get Vil as a new Dormhead, Malleus's 2nd year in magishift wins and a whole load of other insignificant shenanigans.
This time around, we have our golden trio wanting to befriend Riddle at first, since he was the new Dormhead, therefore it was bound to get informed about the residents 10 years old on campus. Surely Riddle sees them as young kids, so he's a bit more lenient on them. Hence why he's also growing more lenient on other things too. He would probably bond with Harry over their shared family situation, although the Dursleys were a bit more harsh out of seemingly no known motive.
And also Vil pretty much likes to pamper them up and just affirm that they are pretty lil kiddos. Sure, some things were harshly made clear like posture and how you should always comb your hair before going out. But Vil is chill most of the time.
Azul however? He's a lil sneaky shit. Of course, he sees the 3 as no good for bringing him profit. But he is generous with them and offers them sometimes a free meal on the house part. One time Ron came to him asking for some dessert with some crampled madols he gathered over the time. Azul didn't have the heart to take the money and the twins teased him relentlessly how he went soft for sum kids. The twins were considered scary, so for those, Azul ended up shoving them in a pot as a payment for their relentless teasing. :'3
Silver is basically forced naptime. They are big kids, but still even some older NRC Students get dragged in this comune naptime. :'3
Kalim is fun! He's a ray of sunshine! Jamil not so. Jamil is that responsible figure that everyone feels like they absolutely shouldn't listen to. No. Listen to the snake man. Snake man doesn't want any of you to end up in an early casket.
Ruggie is Leona's helper, so he sometimes brings the kids to Leona, not knowing better. Leona tolerates the 3, but hey... Leona's the only constant student in here. So it is hard to not get attached to him at least a tiny bit. :'3
Then, you finally have the year we're everything goes down. The letters arrive for both Harry, Hermione and Ron and clearly those were a very important lead to the 3's homeworld. We have Idia and Kalim as new Dormheads and everything is just going to shit. :'3
Ofc, Crowley was now forced to use the letter as a way to find a path home for the 3. (it's not like one of the most influential people in the world would be at his throat if he doesn't do it. No sir, definitely not)
He does! Surprisingly he does! And ofc, this means a whole load of things. 1. Someone had to make sure these kids are safe and sound. For Harry at least, his home life was absolutely shit, they couldn't possibly let an 11 year old return there on a good mind. 2. This was a different kind of magical world, so they needed to be discret and try not to cause any scenes. 3. Who's gonna even get these lists?! With what money?!
So the thing we have ia that the Dormheads take it in between themselves. They had to split up and see how could they handle this pickle. The 3 needed new clothes, new books, everything from A-Z since apparently these wizarding community lives in 'prehistory' according to Leona.
So Azul is the one that walks the 3 around. Thankfully, Hermione's letter had clear instructions of how to navigate and what to do in order to get to Diagon Alley. Of course, Kalim offered some 'teeny tiny' pocket money in the form of pretty gems that they would sell to the bank in order to get money from that world. Ya know, as a gift for the new official school year. Riddle tagged along mostly to make sure no incident befalls out group. Plus he was great in finding the books they needed.
Of course, there were some weird looks thrown at them, mostly at how vibrant they were compared to your normal peep going around.
For a new school gift, the 3rd years and current Dormheads decided to put some comune exchange in order to get some nice things for the 3. For Hermione it was a very pretty quill and special ink. For Ron, he had a beautiful scarf in his favorite colors.
For Harry, they got Hedwig, with the promise that they will use Hedwig to send letters firstly to their families, letting them know they were OK, then send to NRC peeps a letter, mostly to keep up with each other.
Of course, on Diagon Alley they meet Mrs Weasley, who immediately recognises her son. Very floofy reunion in there. :3
We also have a meet with Hagrid. Hagrid is very nice. Everyone in the group likes Hagrid! Yay! :D
We get more exposition from the 2, before they would have to go back to NRC and prepare for the leave on 11th. Since school in NRC started on the 1st of September, this was in the 2nd week.
For giving away the kids, Malleus, Kalim and Vil were assigned. Of course, it came down to a big hug to each of them and Malleus crying like a baby over it, but in the end, the 3 are set on going to Hogwarts with the express.
Of course, their main going in between worlds gate was a mirror. A pocket mirror which had an incantation that had to be said in order to be unlocked. The 3 memorised that thing over and over again so they were able to send Hedwig through and also visit on weekends. :3c
They get assigned to Griffindor and Kalim is delighted since Scarabia has gold and red as their color scheme. So now they match! :D
Leona rubs it in Malleus's face that the house mascot is a lion
The trio would be absolutely used to different 'houses' thing, since at NRC they had 7 dorms to keep up with. Like here is a downgrade to 4, which makes it absolutely easier to just keep up with all the news and in-dorms gossips.
They would absolutely try to befriend Draco. He's a bit mean, but they saw meaner. :'3
Ofc, the NRC keeps up with our trio like it's the national news. The Dormheads read their letters at the meetings holded in the Ramshackle lounge, and then tell the others.
Clearly these 3 Excell in flying and potions. Even practical magic, since they have a much more solid theory behind and there is less struggle when you have like 22 other people brainstorming with you a solution.
DEFINITELY Crewel holds extra lessons for the 3. Give him the potions manual and he'll turn these 3 into alchemists overnight. Not only do they have 3 years behind them of assisting at the potions lessons, but there's also the fact that potions bases for the first years at Hogwarts were usually taught in a few weeks at NRC. So you'd bet that for our trio, Snape just racks his brain trying to find a way to get a weak spot in their potions knowledge.
First year they have one hell of an adventure with Quirrel and the philosopher stone. Granted it was absolutely hilarious how easy these 3 11 years old managed to bypass all the traps and everything.
But they also got Idia with them on that night, mostly forced by Ortho since it was his turn to check on the 3, but ya know... A great light and also the 3 headed dog seems to like him a lot. Wonder why? :3c
Quirrel gets fucking wacked in the head in 4k ultra HD. Yay! Violence! :D
You bet NRC peeps don't allow Harry to return to the Dursleys once he wasn't welcomed anymore. Surprisingly, Leona is again repeating an year, so he takes Harry with him for the summer vacation. Hermione and Ron had to go and catch up with their families. They do re-meet a few times during summer vacation. :3
2nd year of Hogwarts already has the once 3rd years working aboard on internships. So you have now the basilisk problem. No worries, Rook is absolutely thrilled to hunt that thing down. It's almost scary how fast he figured shit out. :'3
3rd year gets us more on our favorite bunch: the ex-first years. Adeuce absolutely help with busting out Sirius. Sebek tries to tell them to keep a low profile... But the whole thing blew up and ya know... Just a grand escape I guess :'3
4th book is where we get fun. With all of our friends either with jobs or on internships, they absolutely help out throughout the whole tournament. From Lilia's spartan training to Azul making a water breathing potion, to Vil's absolutely stunning ball outfits to even Rook and Ruggie's help with how to handle wild creatures and navigate around. All of them are present as spectators and try their best to support their lil kiddos.
And when Voldy comes back and Cedric is cut off due to budget and narative impact, Malleus is absolutely the first one to declare war on Mr Mcbaldy no-nosey.
So with the support of an insanely op fae king and some also very powerful mages from another world that absolutely are getting down and dirty with every occasion to ensure a clean win, you can imagine that less spells are thrown around and more punches and roasts. :'3
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Ronald Geoffrey Gittins was born in 1939, the middle child between two sisters, and grew up in a small terraced house that was later destroyed as part of Liverpool’s slum clearances. His father, James, a navy man, worked on the docks, and his mother, Alice, worked in service for a wealthy family. In their small, ramshackle yard, where his father kept ducks, there was an outside toilet. Here Gittins would sequester himself away, training his voice by reciting Shakespeare, frequently Richard III’s opening monologue:
Now is the winter of our discontent
Made glorious summer by this son of York;
“There were theories that he was on some sort of spectrum,” says Williams. “At school, teachers didn’t know how to handle him. He was obviously really bright—but he didn’t know how to fit in.”
#shakespeare#william shakespeare#Ronald Geoffrey Gittins#art#apartment#long reads#richard iii#Ron’s Place#rent#renting#voice#training#minotaur fireplace#Birkenhead
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Bonus Story: The Nightmare
(There probably like 4 or 5 in this by the way)
Kit kept twisting and turning in her sleep. The nightmare kept plaguing her mind and she started to get covered in a cold sweat. After a while the dream allowed her to wake up. She sat bolt upright and looked out the window. The dark black sky was illuminated by the moon, indicating that it was still the witching hour.
She looked around the room at the others. Ron was asleep to her left, Zanya to her right, and the other 5 children were scattered in beds across the room. She started to remember the dream, how scary it was and how it involved her mother, and the tragedy that came upon her not too long ago.
Kit felt tears forming in her eyes. She tried to stop herself from crying, since she knew she would get in trouble. Ricky always punished the kids that were awake or roaming around at night. She couldn't hold in her tears and started to sob into her pillow.
Ron started to stir at the sound. He sat up groggily and looked around the bedroom, his eyes stopping when he saw Kit. He immediately went more alert and whispered to her "Hey Kit, what's wrong, why are you crying?" Kit looked up from her pillow and immediately climbed into Ron's bed.
Ron was surprised at first, but soon laid down next to her, running his fingers through her hair as a way to calm her down. "I had that bad dream again" Kit said as she tried to talk through her tears. Ron nodded, knowing what dream she's referring to. He pulled her closer and pulled the thin blanket over the both of them.
"I know, I miss my mommy too, but hey, we got each other now." Ron replied, just trying his best to calm his best friend down. Kit started to relax as Ron patted her head and cuddled her close. "And if any other nightmares come back, I'll protect you" Ron said, in a joking but equally serious tone. "How" Kit replied, tilting her head slightly.
Ron smiled and kissed her forehead. "There, now there's a magical spell over you, one that keeps all bad dreams away." Kit felt her forehead a little, before smiling softly. "Thanks Ronny." She replied as she yawned and eventually fell back asleep, still cuddled towards Ron.
Ron smiled at her sleeping form. He was about to fall back asleep when he noticed Zanya, awake at smirking at him. "You like her~." She said in a rather teasing tone. Ron felt his face flush a little as he rapidly shook his head. "What? Ew no, I don't like her!" He said, trying to deny the fact that yes, he did have a crush on her.
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10 songs + 10 people
(rules: put your music on shuffle and list the first ten songs that come up, then tag ten other people)
tagged by @hairstevington and @eriquin and posting now that I’m (partially) back from the dead
Shuffling off my 600-ish song “liked” list, so let’s see what happens!
Hollow Earth - Pye Corner Audio
Inside Out - Motion City Soundtrack
Suddenly Lifted - Starship Amazing
Walk the Dinosaur - Was (Not Was)
Macy’s Day Parade - Green Day
The Middle - Jimmy Eat World
ALMIGHTY~仮面の約束(『仮面ライダーセイバー』主題歌)(feat. 川上洋平) - Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra
First Song (Live) - Ramshackle Glory
Gravewalk - Satan’s Pilgrims
Hysteria - Motion City Soundtrack
And since I got tagged twice, let’s do the time warp again, this time with my MFAU writing playlist...
At Your Window - Trampled by Turtles
Power Rangers Mystic Force - Ron Wasserman (the unused demo version, which is infinitely superior to the version they ended up using)
Howlin’ for You - The Black Keys
The Glacier House - The Crane Wives
Everlasting Light- The Black Keys
Grow - The Oh Hellos
When the Levee Breaks - Led Zeppelin
Killing Butterflies - Lewis Blissett
The Human Paradox - Dynazty
I’m Not the One - Sum 41
Such a cross-section, both accurate and... choice.
As far as tags go... no pressure, as usual: @grimalkintoes @t0rchlitgarden @serpentinegraphite @patchworkgargoyle @horsegirleddiemunson @poemsingreenink @gutterflower77 (not 10 but the tumblr gods will forgive me)
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Bela Koe-Krompecher — Love, Death and Photosynthesis (DG)
In Love, Death and Photosynthesis, Bela Koe-Krompecher chronicles an often overlooked but vibrant underground scene around Columbus, Ohio in the 1980s and 1990s. Told in an episodic, even fragmentary fashion, with short entries that jump around in time, the book doesn’t glamorize the music life. People live in awful apartments and scrounge for rent and drug money. They imbibe liver-destroying quantities of beer and hard liquor, and they are loyal but not always kind to each other.
And yet, while base level existence is somewhat bleak, it’s at least possible. For a brief time in the least celebrated parts of the Midwest, people could scrape by on crappy part time jobs and make art and music the focus of their lives. I don’t know where you could do that anymore.
Much of the action takes place at Used Kids Records, a ramshackle operation at the center of Columbus’ scene. Says Koe-Krompecher, “Music may have been a commodity out in the world, but at Used Kids, it was an inherent right. It was tiny, just a cramped shoebox of a store, with thousands of records crammed in every corner. The décor was made up of hundreds of flyers from various punk and indie shows and old LP covers.” Founded by Ron House of Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments and Dan Dow of the Gibson Brothers, the shop became a meeting place for the oddballs and misfits and geniuses who made up Columbus’ unlikely indie scene, and in these days of streaming, when you can hardly find a record store anymore, it sounds like paradise.
Everybody who was anybody came through Used Kids. Robert Pollard turned up whenever he was in town. Jim Shepherd could be spotted huddled in a corner with Mike Rep. Lamont Thomas of Obnox did a shift or two behind the counter. Joey Ramone made a once a year stop when the Ramones played Ohio. The New Bomb Turks were regulars.
This is all really just background, though because the book centers on two characters who never got to be very well known: Jerry Wick and Jenny Mae Olds.
Jerry Wick was the lead singer in Gaunt, a nervy, volatile guy who loved music in the same desperate way that Koe-Krompecher did. “Almost nightly we bounced between the Dube and Stache’s; we watched Scrawl, the Afghan Whigs or Tar. And endless parade of bands travelling across the stage of our lives,” Koe-Krompecher wrote. Moreover, the two friends didn’t experience music passively. They had to dance.
“Jerry was quite a good dancer, one who would let his emotions empty out of his body, his pointy teeth poking out of a grin cast towards the heavens, beer in one hand, the other raised high above his head,” Koe-Krompecher writes. “At live shows so many of our friends in the underground rock scene were too self-conscious to dance…Jerry and I would be in the front of the stage at any show. The opportunity to be transported was too precious to waste.”
Gaunt’s first single, split with New Bomb Turks, launched Anyway Records, the label Koe-Krompecher and Wick started (which continues to put out records today). Like many American bands of the late 1980s and early 1990s, Gaunt got swept up into a signing frenzy and was subsequently dropped. Wick, himself, was killed in a hit and run accident early in the morning on January 10, 2010. A punk to the end, he had never owned a car. He was riding a bicycle home when he was stuck.
The other indelible character is Jenny Mae Olds, Koe-Krompecher’s high school sweetheart who decamps their rural town for Columbus after high school and becomes a fixture in its indie scene. Her story is heartbreaking, a mash up of talent and alcoholism, originality and mental illness, which ends in homelessness, hospitalization and finally death.
“Jenny was confounding as an artist, at times brilliant and at others a pathetic mess who would rather smash her equipment and drink beer than practice or play shows out of town,” Koe-Krompecher writes. Though the two of them are only a couple for a few years, Koe-Krompecher spends the rest of his life looking after her. Koe-Krompecher eventually quits drinking, qualifies as a social worker to help other addicts, marries and has a family. Olds is an alcoholic her whole life and refuses to even think about stopping.
And yet, you can feel the pull of her charm, how she’d disappear for days and turn up somewhere, holding court and entertaining strangers with her imaginative stories and art. Even when confined to a nursing home, she wheels wildly through the halls, making friends with everyone, getting laughs in the most desperate places.
“Some people burst quickly, like a living firework, or in small twinkles, the flashing of a firefly. Jenny was both—at first she burned brighter than the surface of Mercury and then later she was transformed into something small, bleak and feeble. Her light was extinguished by drowning it gulp by gulp over the years,” writes Koe-Krompecher.
Koe-Krompecher describes Jenny Mae and her music so vividly that readers may end up wanting to hear her music. He was kind enough to send me a copy of Jenny Mae’s What’s Wrong with Me, a 2021 compilation of her singles and unreleased tracks, which is harrowing and lovely, a pop garage lost classic that, like its singer, can break your heart.
As a person who grew up in an alcoholic home, I found some parts of this book very hard to read. However, no question that it’s a really fascinating glimpse at an under-covered corner of the indie-rock world. Koe-Krompecher was right there in the middle of it all. He somehow not only survived but took good notes. He continues to maintain the excellent Anyway Records, one of the best small garage punk labels in America, supporting the scene without, like so many of his friends, succumbing to it.
Jennifer Kelly
#bela koe-krompecher#love death and photosynthesis#DG#jennifer kelly#bookreview#dusted magazine#don giovanni#ohio#punk#lofi#gaunt#columbus
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Sunday, October 01, 2023 Canadian TV Listings (Times Eastern)
WHERE CAN I FIND THOSE PREMIERES?: AMERICA'S FUNNIEST HOME VIDEOS (CHCH/ABC Feed/Check Local Listings) 7:00pm MICKEY AND FRIENDS TRICK OR TREATS (Disney Channel Canada) 7:00pm THE SIMPSONS (City TV) 8:00pm BOB’S BURGERS (City TV) 9:00pm THE RINGLEADER: THE CASE OF THE BLING RING (HBO Canada) 9:00pm FAMILY GUY (City TV) 9:30pm LAST WEEK TONIGHT (HBO Canada) 11:00pm
WHAT IS NOT PREMIERING IN CANADA TONIGHT?: EVIL LIVES HERE: THE KILLER SPEAKS (TBD - Investigation Discovery) SECRETS IN THE DESERT (TBD - Lifetime Canada) HEIST 88 (TBD) JACK OSBOURNE'S NIGHT OF TERROR (TBD)
NEW TO AMAZON PRIME CANADA/CBC GEM/CRAVE TV/DISNEY + STAR/NETFLIX CANADA:
CBC GEM GREAT CANADIAN BAKING SHOW HEARTLAND SKYMED
CRAVE TV CREEPY CRAVINGS COLLECTION THE RINGLEADER: THE CASE OF THE BLING RING
NETFLIX CANADA THE CONJURING 2 THE CROODS DJANGO THE FINAL DESTINATION FINAL DESTINATION 2 THE FOREVER: PURGE HALLOWEEN: H20 I STILL KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER THE NIGHT LOGAN WOKE UP JIGSAW SAW III SAW VI SCARFACE SEE FOR ME THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SPONGE OUT OF WATER ZOMBIELAND
NFL FOOTBALL (TSN) 9:30am: Falcons vs. Jaguars (TSN4) 4:00pm: Cardinals vs. 49ers (TSN/TSN3/TSN4/TSN5) 8:20pm: Chiefs vs. Jets
MEN’S RUGBY WORLD CUP (TSN2) 11:45am: Australia vs. Portugal
CURLING (TSN4) 12:00pm: PointsBet Invitational Curling: Women's Final (TSN4) 5:00pm: PointsBet Invitational Curling: Men's Final
MLB BASEBALL (SN) 3:00pm: Rays vs. Jays (SN1) 3:00pm: Rangers vs. Mariners (SN 360) 3:00pm: Astros vs. Diamondbacks (SN Now) 3:00pm: Marlins vs. Pirates (TSN3) 3:00pm: Cubs vs. Brewers
HEARTLAND (CBC) 7:00pm (SEASON PREMIERE): Amy is surprised when a very pregnant Mallory shows up at the ranch with a wild horse; Jack and Tim face new competition, and Lou grapples with a familiar opponent in her campaign to be reelected…OH NO, SHE’S RUNNING AGAINST A HORSIE!
THE BIG BAKE (Food Network Canada) 7:00pm: Cotton candy dreams and funhouse screams are on the menu as host Brad Smith asks the baking teams to create chilling cakes that take judges Ron Ben-Israel, Eddie Jackson and Danni Rose on a wild ride.
MLS SOCCER (TSN2) 8:00pm: Real Salt Lake vs. Los Angeles FC
THE GREAT CANADIAN BAKING SHOW (SEASON PREMIERE): Ten of the country's best amateur bakers arrive at the iconic "Great Canadian Baking Show" tent to complete three "Cake Week" challenges.
JUNGLE CRUISE (CTV2) 8:00pm: Dr. Lily Houghton enlists the aid of wisecracking skipper Frank Wolff to take her down the Amazon in his ramshackle boat. Together, they search for an ancient tree that holds the power to heal -- a discovery that will change the future of medicine.
ALMOST PARADISE (CTV Drama) 8:00pm (SEASON PREMIERE): A local priest is murdered over a long-lost ancient cross, the cross which Magellan held in his hand the day he was killed by Lapu-Lapu in the Battle of Mactan.
COMING HOME (APTN) 8:00pm: Going behind the scenes of the production of the Crave Original drama series "Little Bird," and the groundbreaking movement for Indigenous narrative sovereignty as experienced by the series' creatives, crew and Sixties Scoop advisors.
INFIDELITY CAN BE FATAL (Lifetime Canada) 8:00pm: A jaded private investigator who specializes in exposing lecherous, cheating husbands thinks she's met the love of her life in a chance encounter, but as it turns out, this dream man may actually be her worst nightmare.
SKYMED (CBC) 9:00pm (SEASON PREMIERE): SkyMed expands its medevac service into new territory, throwing everyone into disarray as familiar faces return - and intriguing new flight crew arrive.
IRRESISTIBLE (Movietime) 9:00pm: A Democratic political consultant helps a retired Marine colonel run for mayor in a small Wisconsin town.
STARSTRUCK (Crave) 9:00pm/9:30pm (SEASON PREMIERE): Years after their breakup, Jessie and Tom meet unexpectedly at Kate's wedding with Ian. In Episode Two, Tom's engagement party with new partner and fellow actor Clem puts pressure on Kate.
SATAN WANTS YOU (documentary) 9:00pm: The story of how a young woman and her psychiatrist ignited the global Satanic Panic with their book Michelle Remembers.
WHEN CALLS THE HEART (Super Channel Heart and Home) 9:00pm: The town prepares for the governor's black-tie ball; while still reeling from the true intentions of Union City Holdings, Lucas decides to try to sway the governor to their side.
CLEAN SWEEP (Super Channel Fuse) 9:00pm: Shelly outmaneuvers the fingerprint test, but a new witness appears who gives a description of a suspect that may point to her.
AURORA TEAGARDEN MYSTERIES: SOMETHING NEW (CTV Drama) 9:05pm: Young Aurora Teagarden returns home to Lawrenceton to pursue her post-graduate degree but soon finds herself embroiled in a mystery involving her friend's fiance.
THE WINTER KING (Crave) 11:00pm: Derfel feels uncomfortable about the attack on the mine, which Owain keeps a secret; Tristan, prince of Kernow, demands justice for the raid at the mine.
#cdntv#cancon#canadian tv#canadian tv listings#heartland#the big bake#the great canadian baking show#skymed#when calls the heart#clean sweep#the winter king#rugby world cup#curling#mlb baseball#mls soccer
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One of these days if some spell or technical problems would make Jo all emotionally unstable like the moodulator.... crewel might as well be like Dr Possible when he threatened tossing Ron into a black hole :3c
Hehe I’ve actually thought about this too as I was rewatching the entire Kim Possible show xD
I was also thinking Crewel or Trein could be like second dads to Jo. Also, even the ghosts of Ramshackle could be like dads to her 😆 threatening any of the NRC boys
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