#received in raw chunks

[cannedmelonart]

The second Amendment means I am my own chief executive and commander-in-chief of my own military. I authorize my own act of self-defense in response to a hostile entity making war on me and my family. Nelson Mandela says, “No form of violence can be excused.” Camus says, “It's all the same whether you live or die or have a cup of coffee.” MLK says, “Violence never brings permanent peace.” Gandhi says, “Nonviolence is the mightiest power available to mankind.” That's who they tell you are heroes that's who our revolutionaries are, yet is that not capitalistic? Non-violence keeps the system working at full speed ahead. What did it get us? Look in the mirror, they want us to be nonviolent so they can grow fat off the blood they take from us. The only way out is through and not all of us will make it. Each of us is our own chief executive, you have to decide what you will tolerate.

In Gladiator 1 Maximus cuts into the military tattoo that identifies him as part of the Roman legion. His friend asks, “Is that the sign of your God?” as Maximus carves deeper into his own flesh as his own blood drips down his skin Maximus smiles and nods yes. That tattoo represents the emperor who is God, the god Emperor has made himself part of Maximus' own flesh the only way to destroy the emperor is to destroy himself. Maximus smiles through the pain because he knows it is worth it. These might be my last words I don't know when they will come for me. I will resist them at any cost that's why I smile through the pain.

They diagnosed my mother with severe neuropathy when she was 41 years old. She said it started 10 years before that with burning sensations in her feet and occasional sharp stabbing pains. At first, the pain would last a few moments and fade to tingling, then numbness, then fade to nothing a few days later. The first time the pain came she ignored it, then it came a couple times a year, and she ignored it. Then every couple months, then every couple times a month, then a couple times a week. And at that point by the time the tingling faded to numbness the pain would start, and the discomfort was constant. At that point even going from the couch to the kitchen to make her own lunch became a major endeavor. She started with ibuprofen until the stomach aches and acid reflux made her switch to acetaminophen. Then the headaches and barely sleeping made her switch back to ibuprofen. The first doctor said it was psychosomatic nothing was wrong she needed to relax, distress, and sleep more. The second doctor said it was a compressed nerve in her spine and she needed back surgery. It would cost $180,000, recovery 6 months minimum, before walking again, 12 months to full potential recovery, and she would never lift more than 10 pounds of weight again. The third doctor performed a nerve conduction study, electromyography, MRI, and blood tests. Each test cost $800, $1,200, she hit her $6,000 deductible of her United Healthcare plan in October. Then the doctor went on vacation and my mother wasn't able to resume tests until January when her deductible reset. The test showed severe neuropathy, the $180,000 surgery would have had no effect. These prescribed opioids for the pain, at first the pain relief was worth the price of constant mental fog and constipation. She didn't tell me about that until later. All I remember is we took a trip for the first time in years when she drove me to Monterey to go to the aquarium. I saw an otter in real life swimming on its back we left at 7 a.m. and listened to Green Day on the 4-Hour car ride. Over time the opioids stopped working and they made her more sensitive to pain and she felt withdrawal symptoms after just two or three hours. Then Gabapentin, by now the pain was so bad she couldn't exercise which compounded the weight gain from the slowed metabolic rate and hormonal shifts. And it barely helped the pain and made her so fatigued she would go an entire day without getting out of bed. Then the corticosteroids, which didn't even work. The pain was so bad I would hear my mother wake up in the night screaming in pain, I would run into her room asking if she was okay. Eventually I stopped getting up, she'd yell out in anguished shrieks of wordless pain, or the word fuck stretched and distended to its limits. I'd turn over and go back to sleep.

All of this while they bled us dry with follow-up appointments after follow-up appointments, specialist consultations, and more imagine scans. Each appointment was promised to be fully covered until the insurance claims were delayed and denied. Allopathic medicine did nothing to help my mother's suffering, yet it is the foundation of our entire society. My mother told me that on a good day the nerve pain was like her legs were immersed in ice water, on a bad day it felt like her legs were clamped into a machine shop vice, screwed down to where the cranks stopped turning then crushed further until her ankle bones sprinted and cracked to accommodate the tightening clamp. She had more bad days than good. My mother crawled to the bathroom on her hands and knees I slept in the living room to create more distance from her cries in the night. I still woke up and I still went back to sleep. Back then I thought there was nothing I could do. The high co-pays made consistent treatment impossible. New treatments were denied as not medically necessary, old treatments didn't work and still put us out for thousands of dollars. United Healthcare limited specialist consultations to twice a year, then they refused to cover advanced imaging which the specialist required for an appointment. Prior authorizations took weeks then months. United Healthcare constantly changed their claim filing procedure. They said my mother's doctor needed to fax his notes, then United Healthcare said they did not save fax patient correspondence and required a hard copy of the doctor's type notes to be mailed. Then they said they never received the notes. They were unable to approve the claim until they had received and filed the notes. They promised coverage and broke their word to my mother. With every delay my anger surged, with every denial I wanted to throw the doctor through the glass wall of their hospital waiting room. But it wasn't them, it wasn't the doctors, the receptionists, administrators, pharmacists, Imaging technicians, or anyone we ever met. What it was, it was United Healthcare.

People are dying, evil has become institutionalized. Corporations make billions of dollars off the pain, suffering, death, and anguished cries in the night of millions of Americans. We entered into an agreement for health care with a legally binding contract that promised care, commiserate with our insurance payments and medical needs. Then United Healthcare changed the rules to suit their own profits. They think they make the rules and think that it's because it's legal that no one can punish them. They think there's no one out there who will stop them. And now my own chronic back pain wakes me in the night screaming in pain. I sought out another type of healing that showed me the real antidote is to what ails us. I bid my time saving the last of my strength to strike my final blows. All extractors must be forced to swallow the bitter pain they deal out to millions.

As our own chief executives, it is our obligation to make our own lives better. First and foremost, we must seek to improve our own circumstances and defend ourselves. As we do so our actions have ripple effects that can improve the lives of others. Rules exist between two individuals in a network that covers the entire Earth. Some of these rules are written down, some of these rules emerge from the natural respect between two individuals, some of these rules are defined in physical laws like the properties of gravity magnetism, and the potential energy stored in the chemical bonds of potassium nitrate. No single document better encapsulates the belief that all people are equal in fundamental worth and moral status, and the frameworks for fostering collective well-being than the U.S. Constitution. Writing a rule down makes it into a law, I don't give a fuck about the law, law means nothing. What does matter is following the guidance of our own logic and what we learn from those before us to maximize our own well-being. Which will then maximize the well-being of our loved ones and community. That's where United Healthcare went wrong. They violated their contract with my mother, with me, and tens of millions of other Americans. This threat to my own health, my family's health, and the health of our country's people requires me to respond with an act of war.

[chlmvqn]

-~ under the table ~-

description: you being an attention-deprived fiance with a partner whose focus is only on the screen. pairing: choi seungcheol (s.coups) x reader genre: smut ; fluff warning: gamer!cheol ; blowjobs ; mutual head ; pussy eating ; rough sex ; foreplay notes: you're engaged

the aroma of coffee filling the air, the birds' chirping on the trees, and the cool breeze flowing through your hair.

this day has been great so far. you just received news that you were accepted in a new agency, your cousin was going to be visiting, nothing could ruin it.

"you fucking killed me!"

i jinxed myself.

"i told you to put it in their base, not in my car." your fiance, cheol, was playing with some friends of his. they do this everyday, even though it pleases you that he's having fun, hearing him cursing or even yelling is starting to annoy you.

"keep your voice down." you entered the room as you placed down your cup of coffee on his desk. the boy grabbing your drink and chugging it all to himself.

"this is too sweet."

"it's not even for you." you stare at him coldly. "o-oh?"

.

a few hours had passed since you came downstairs, you were sure that the blonde and his friends wouldn't be finished until a few hours.

you, being his needy fiance, ached for the man's attention. i mean, it's normal, the two of you would be married in a few months, but you weren't pleased by the man's lack of attention towards you.

you went up back to the room, to see the man still staring on his screen and his headset covering his ears. you knew how quick the blonde would get aroused. as the smart lass you are, you took it as an advantage.

you sneakily went under the man's desk, making sure he wouldn't notice you. you pulled his zipper down, finally getting your fiance's attention.

"w-what are you doing?" you slightly pulled the man's pants down, grateful that he was cooperating with you.

"you wouldn't spend time with me." you made a fake pout to the blonde, as he was still trying to grasp the situation. gently, you grab the man's shaft, as you massage it through the cloth.

you hear the man in front of you grunting, trying to let out moans as he was still connected to the call.

"you good, hyung?" you hear a familiar voice from the mic. you guessed it was one of his friends, mingyu. "yeah, i'm fine.." giving a forced chuckle to his friends.

"do you mind if i mute for a bit? he asked his pals as he looked down at you, licking his lips.

"yeah, go ahead."

you were already massaging the blonde's raw cock. you tease him a bit, as you rub the tip a few times before it comes into contact with your tongue.

"you could've just called me." he grumbled as he was now grabbing a chunk of your hair.

"you would've ignored me anyway." you finally take in his whole inside your mouth, struggling as the man’s length was certainly big. not that you are complaining.

cheol laid his head back, enjoying the interaction happening in his lower region.

you start to bob your head, as your tongue swirls around his thick member.

"fuck.." you hear the blonde moan in pleasure, meaning you have just achieved your mission. you lift your head up, making a pop as your mouth leaves contact with your fiance's member.

you hop quickly on his lap, straddling him. finally grasping the situation, the boy calmed down and placed a lustful kiss on your lips. he licks the bottom of your lip, asking for entrance, which you gratefully grant him.

one of his warm hands made its way to your waist, as the other was resting on your head. you both pulled away, a string of saliva connecting your mouths.

"hyung? you still there?" a voice was heard from the headset. unmuting his microphone, the man answered to his pal to reassure him.

"yeah, i'm still here. do you mind if i leave? i'm kind of busy right now." a smirk crept onto the man's lip, as you heard a muffled agreement from the other side.

without a second to spare, the man swept you up from his lap, and roughly placed you on the bed.

"you brought this upon yourself, i'm not holding back as well." he took his shirt off, as he went to grab a condom from the nightstand.

"oh, please don't." a cheeky chuckle left your lips, as the male grabbed your lips. a rough, but passionate kiss was shared between you two, as his hand went under your shirt.

your top was removed, as you were now only in your undergarments. the blonde placed wet, feather kisses, leading down to your lower region. "well, someone is wet." he smirks as he quickly pulls down your garments.

"you seem eager." you commented on his visible tent growing in his pants.

"you gave me head first."

"right."

you notice cheol going down to your region. "w-what are you doing?" a silent treatment was given to you, which you certainly do not like.

you feel the man's tongue by your entrance, teasing you. the male's tongue now played your clit as you feel it circling inside you.

moans left your mouth, grabbing a handful of his locks, his tongue making you close your legs. a chuckle left your lover's mouth, as he spreads it back. "you don't want me suffocating, do you, baby?"

________________________

the rest of the night was filled with love, sex, and sweat. clapping could be heard all over the room, the headboard banging against the walls, it was complete heaven for you.

although a few thrusts from the blonde was painful, it was filled with pleasure as well. each thrust getting sloppier, love bites all over your body, scratch marks located at your fiance's back, you both were panting messes.

.

.

.

.

<3

[graylinesspam]

Charming

Having a teen girl in military camps was somewhat of a balancing act. Your average encampment, at least those for the 501st had around 300 men, and you couldn't expect to keep that many men on their best behavior, in a war zone, for extended periods of time.

There were some stress relieving behaviors that the men needed to stay balanced. Drinking, roughhousing, and generally acting unsavory to name a few.

In the early days they'd just tried to herd Ahsoka to certain parts of the camps and stay vigilant to catch her coming. It was a precarious game that Rex in particular had no intention of losing.

They tried having the boys on watch whistle signal her location, which had only irritated her. Curse her insanely quiet little stride, he blamed Vere and genetics for that one. They lost track of her once she started dodging them on purpose.

Then there was that comment on Felucia. "Maybe we should reconsider General Kenobi's suggestion of a bell," Rex had smarted off as Ahsoka ghosted silently into the upper branches of a tree.

Well Hardcase was injured on that deploy. His leg was broken, not an easy fix planet side and med evac wouldn't be for a few days. He was stuck in a cot. All that chaotic energy contained within the four edges of canvas. He needed something to keep himself busy. That's where Ahsoka's first present came from.

Six muzzle seals roughly the circumference of a thumb, cut and re-bent around each other until it roughly resembled a crude flower shape. It didn't hold it's shape well unless laid out flat on a surface, but he strung it with a crude chain made from braided wire pulled out of a fried HUD.

Ahsoka, the poor thing, was in and out of medical the whole time for medication, snot rubbing her face permanently raw. When the medication knocked her out she chose Hardcase to curl up on. He had presented her with the gift curled up in the center of his palm, a sheepish look on his red feverish face.

Rex couldn't have organized it better if he had tried. A bell they couldn't attach to her without some serious protest and her going even farther to evade their tracking tactics. But a handmade gift from a sick and pitiful vod? It was the perfect excuse.

Ahsoka hooked the dangly little charm onto her belt clip. It tapped musically against the hilt of her saber. The tinkling of little bells that could be disarmed quickly in combat by simply holding her sabers or hooking on of the rings around the clip.

Everyone came to memorize the sound of her stride, the little tapping highlighting every step. Just loud enough that you could here her before she turned a corner or caught you doing something you shouldn't be.

The first charm lasted for almost half a year. It's crude design and salvaged parts eventually becoming a casualty of combat. The second charm came from Fives, ever competitive to be everyone's favorite vod, He'd been working on it since she'd received the first one. Three little scraps of plastoid he'd cut to shapes. One rectangular chunk painted to resemble a domino, one flat piece painted with a five on one side and a tiny crude recreation of a hand print on the other side. And a third painted with 212th yellow unsuccessfully mixed with a hint of medic red to create a streaky red orange color, the paint carefully carved away in the shape of Ahsoka's markings. It had a woodier sound as it collided with her lightsaber.

Cody was next with a series of little plastoid stars strung on real chains. They tinkled like rain on music stones when they knock against plastoid.

And General Plo-koon, as her founder, showed them all up with a metal medallion wolf charm.

Getting bells on Ahsoka was easier than any of them expected it to be. Their only miscalculation was believing she didn't know exactly what they were doing the whole time.

[teastainedprose]

I want to ramble about Homelander in bed. 

Blah blah "Homelander is a sub!", "NO, he's a Daddy Dom!", "No, he's!" He's whatever you want to fap to, who the fuck cares

He's none of the above. I don't think any D/s dynamic roles encapsule Homelander, not even Switching. (It's not his scene, bondage is a waste of time, this collar look stupid, don't call me that, that's weird...)

He's simply not into sticking to any set kink dynamics. (The vibes are off, fam. He'd be the vanilla boy within the BDSM dungeon. Confused and bemused.)

He doesn't have some innate desire to give up control to someone constantly, or to lead someone with a firm or gentle hand. Switching, yeah but he doesn't care enough to begin with. He's too insecure and uncertain of what he is as a person to even understand slipping into a role in the bedroom. Too volatile and what he wants and needs switches depending on his mood and/or partner.

What he is, is a starving man and his partner is the feast.

Poor idiot doesn't even know how to do intimacy properly and has gotten all of his sexual education from someone grooming him, someone paired with him for publicity, and porn.

The dude is lost. What he in bed I feel like boils down to three specific things:

Sadistic - He's a bully, he's mean, he likes watching others suffer in some form or another. (Giving pain play, orgasm denial, edging, forced orgasm, overstimulation)

GGG - Good, game, giving. He'll try anything and be up for whatever as long as his partner is into it. The dude can't be harmed in conventional ways, what's he got to fear?

Attention whore - Craves positive attention in any form (wanting to please his partner, praise kink to the MAX, receiving worship play, demanding attention, bratting, pestering and teasing, topping from the bottom)

-and then how those three things manifest depends wholly on his partner.

With Madelyn Stillwell, he wanted to be her good boy. He craved her praise and affection and he was restrained because she wanted him to be. He's a brat, he's petulent. He's needy. He's picking a fight with a toddler. She's his Mommy Dommy. I suspect she denied and teased Homelander endlessly and he took whatever scraps she gave him because he was starving for it.

With Maeve, they would have been two equals that he was horrifically territorial of. She was his and he had no issues broadcasting that to the world while emotionally intimidating her, but never getting physical. No, she's a god just like him. You can't hurt gods so why would he try?

With Stormfront, she encouraged all of his bad behavior, so Homelander was reckless and hungry. Break shit and fuck like animals, push and pull and playing with their combined strength. They're primal and at war and it's fun.

Soyeah, Homelander is going to fill whatever role suits his partner best. He's going to pay attention to what gets his partner off because he wants that positive response from them. It can be a good thing, or it can lead to the most toxic relationship possible. The man is fucked so it can go sideways fast. You're gonna need a strong constitution, a steel spine, and willpower to survive Homelander at the start else you'll get steamrolled and dropped by the plot like Becca AUGH.

Is it the fear mingled with arousal that gets them all hot and bothered like I imagine poor Hughie would feel with Homelander? Fuck, he's going to exploit that. He's gonna make that twink jump in fright every chance he gets.

What about little Starlight getting a spine and trying to play his game? Yeah, he's going to push those buttons and show her how good he can actually be for her. The gnawing need for the praise from the girl next door would eat him alive.

With Butcher? Scorched earth, baby. They're going to destroy each other in the most toxic, hate-fuck filled fest. Just tearing chunks out of each other to show the other that they can still feel. Raw and painful.

Until Homelander actually figures out who he is without his powers, status, or fame? He's going to play whatever role his partner needs, be that god, perfect gentleman, monster, or sweet boy. Then again, he's all of that and then some at once. He'll want to devour his partner in one moment, consume them wholly and just taketakeTAKE and the next he wants the intimacy that comes with being inside them/them inside him and he's so so so soft and gentle and reverent when he strokes them, and then he's a bastard who wants to twist the knife and make them beg and cry and scream and just tell him what to do, he'd do anything just to know he's loved.

-and anyway, this man is broken and the perfect putty for anyone to mold sexually consciously or subconsciously.

Not a Dom, not a sub, or a switch, but a chameleon.

[vink-spade15]

Some P4 + Clayton and Cheslock incorrect quotes

I'm sorry if they a bit OOC tho-

Edgar: On the count of three, what's your favorite cake? One, two, three-

Edgar and Lawrence, in unison: Chocolate cake peanut butter frosting with chocolate chunks!

Herman: Our turn, Violet! One, two, three- vanilla!

Violet, deadpan: I've never had cake, what is cake.

Edgar: Why are your tongues purple?

Herman: We had slushies.I had a blue one.

Violet: I had a red one.

Edgar: oh

Edgar:

Edgar: OH

Lawrence:

Lawrence: You drank each other's slushies?

Cop: You're receiving a ticket for having three people on one motorcycle.

Lawrence: Shit.

Edgar: Wait, three?

Cop: Yeah?

Violet: OH FUCK HERMAN FELL OFF-

Lawrence: You were stabbed. Do you remember anything?

Edgar: Only the ambulance ride to the hospital.

Lawrence: That wasn't an ambulance, I drove you.

Edgar: But I heard a siren.

Violet: That was Herman.

Herman: Sorry, I got nervous.

Lawrence: You know those things will kill you, right?

Edgar, pouring another glass of whiskey: That's the point.

Violet, smoking a cigarette: We're trying to speed up the process.

Herman: * Nods while eating raw cookie dough*

Lawrence: What do you want then?

Violet: Er… something work related.

Lawrence: What department is this?

Violet: Sorry?

Lawrence: Well, if it's work related you'd obviously know what department this is.What department is this?

Lawrence: * looks at Herman and Edgar* Some sort of homosexual department?

Lawrence: I currently have 7 empty notebooks and I have no idea what to put in them. Any suggestions?

Violet: Put spaghetti in it.

Lawrence: I am currently taking suggestions from everyone but you.

Herman: Put spaghetti in it.

Lawrence: I am currently taking suggestions from everyone but you two.

Edgar: Put spaghetti in it.

Lawrence: I am no longer taking suggestions.

Lawrence: Violet, we're hungry!

Herman: Violet! What's for dinner?

Edgar: We're hungry, Violet!

Violet, frying a bottle of ketchup over the stove: * screams *

*Lawrence's helping Edgar out after he get injured, while the others are watching*

Violet: How does Edgar look?

Herman: A little better than you, actually.

Violet : you little shit-

Lawrence: You guys worried about Edgar?

Violet: Totally!

Herman: Yeah, he called me in the middle of the night and just yelled, "what do I do, what do I do, what do I do, what do I do?"

Lawrence: And what'd you say?

Herman: "I dunno, I dunno, I dunno, I dunno."

Violet:

Lawrence: he lucky to have you as a friend unfortunately

Lawrence: Isn't it weird that we pay money to see other people?

Edgar: Plane tickets?

Violet: Concert tickets?

Herman: Prostitution?

Lawrence, holding their broken frames: Glasses. And second HERMAN WHAT THE ACTUAL FU-

*Everyone is standing around the broken coffee maker*

Lawrence: So.Who broke it? I'm not mad, I just wanna know.

Everyone:

Edgar: ...I did.I broke it.

Lawrence: No.No you didn't. Herman?

Herman: Don't look at me. Look at Violet.

Violet: What?!I didn't break it.

Herman: Huh, that's weird. How'd you even know it was broken?

Violet: Because it's sitting right in front of us and it's broken.

Herman: Suspicious.

Violet: No, it's not!

Clayton: If it matters, probably not, but Cheslock was the last one to use it.

Cheslock: Liar! I don't even drink that crap!

Clayton: Oh really? Then what were you doing by the coffee cart earlier?

Cheslock: I use the wooden stirrers to push back my cuticles.Everyone knows that, Clayton!

Edgar: Okay let's not fight. I broke it. Let me pay for it, Lawrence.

Lawrence: No! Who broke it!?

Everyone:

Clayton: Lawrence...Herman's been awfully quiet.

Herman: REALLY?!

* Everyone starts arguing*

Lawrence, being interviewed: I broke it.I burned my hand so I punched it.

Lawrence: I predict 10 minutes from now they'll be at each other's throats with warpaint on their faces and a pig head on a stick.

Lawrence:

Lawrence: Good.It was getting a little chummy around here.

Herman: Dumbest scar stories, go!

Lawrence: I burned my tongue once drinking tea.

Clayton: I dropped a hair dryer on my leg once and it burned.

Cheslock: I have a piece of graphite in my leg for accidentally stabbing myself with a pencil in the first grade.

Violet: I was taking a cup of noodles out of the microwave and spilled it in my hand and I got a really bad burn.

Edgar: I have emotional scars.

*Squad reactions to being told "I love you"*

Lawrence: oh no

Edgar: thanks fam!

Herman: * cries * I love you too

Violet: Sounds fake but okay

Clayton: * A flustered mess*

Cheslock: can i get a refund?

Lawrence, rubbing his temples: I am not proud of what I am about to say, but someone get me a cigarrette.

Clayton: But Lawrence, we don't smoke.

Lawrence: Cut the crap, Clayton. I'm not an idiot. I know that one in five people smoke.

Lawrence: *points at Cheslock* One! *points at Edgar* Two! *points at Herman* Three! *points at Violet* Four! *points at Clayton* Five!

Lawrence: Now, I am going to close my eyes, and when I open them, there better be a cigarrette between these two fingers!

Violet: *puts a cigarrette in Lawrence's hand*

Lawrence: Thank you. ...Light?

The Squad: *all simultaneously pull out lighters*

Lawrence: Edgar... How do I begin to explain Edgar?

Herman: Edgar is flawless.

Violet: I hear his hair's insured for $10,000.

Clayton: I hear he do car commercials... in Japan.

Cheslock: One time they punched me in the face...it was awesome.

Lawrence, walking into their house: Hello, people who do not live here.

Edgar: Hey.

Herman: Hi.

Violet: Hello.

Clayton: Hey!

Lawrence: I gave you the key to my place for emergencies only!

Cheslock: We were out of Doritos. And it is an emergency that we out of Doritos.

[rederiswrites]

Menus, Oct. 23-30

Several people were open to seeing my menu planning, and it's something I enjoy doing well, so here we go!

Notes: My dishes can all be gluten free (they are, for us) by using gf pasta (we like Rummo brand gf noodles and Tinkyada are good too). Otherwise, we're pretty generally low carb and most things are from scratch, but typically pretty simple. Most of these rely on root vegetables or beans for their carbohydrates.

Feta tomato pasta and sausage --This was viral on Instagram a while back, and I decided to try it. Now my daughter requests it pretty often. I don't make it quite like the original--mostly, I add some zucchini, double the feta, and add a bunch of Italian seasoning. This link is pretty much the same thing. They add shallots, which does sound lovely but costs a bit extra. I cooked some sausage with the meal because I didn't want to load up on pasta, personally, as I'm still staying very low carb.

"Bowl of the Wife of Kit Carson"--modified caldo tlalpeño--Pity poor Maria Carson, whose indigenous name I can't even learn, now remembered by her husband's name. That aside, it's a family favorite. We make it with the entire can of chiles in adobo, but that's a family preference. The avocados are pretty much the vegetable in this one so uhh...have plenty. I make the rice separate, both because that way you can vary it depending on your spice tolerance and because that way the rice doesn't suck up all the soup for leftovers.

Roast whole chicken, roasted mixed root vegetables, and garlicky kale. I basted the chicken with avocado oil (expensive but healthy; feel free to sub cheaper vegetable oil), seasoned it with a Penzey's mix I like called Ozark Seasoning, and stuffed it with rosemary, onions, and garlic. The root vegetables can be whatever; mine were yellow beets (slightly less "earthy" tasting than red, which might be more appealing to some), rutabaga, and carrots. Salt, pepper, and garlic powder is enough, seasoning-wise. And the kale, I blanch and then saute with a LOT of garlic.

Garlic parmesan white beans, brussels sprouts, and Gujerati carrot salad. I've not made the beans yet; they'll be a new dish for us. Sound great, though, and I'm trying to learn more meatless dishes generally and bean dishes specifically. We like to halve or quarter our brussels sprouts, depending on size, steam them, and then eat them with sour cream. And the carrot salad is a longstanding family favorite, which I got from my well worn copy of Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking. This is almost the same recipe, but I don't add cayenne, and I wouldn't use olive oil, since it has such a low smoke point. I'd use peanut or canola or something. It's not spicy or "exotic" tasting, and it's been well-received at potlucks.

Pot Roast. There's no point giving a recipe for this one; just pick one that looks good to you. Just include lots of good veggies. I like carrots, onions, potatoes, and parsnips. It's fun to add a bag of frozen pearl onions, and I like frozen peas put in at the very end of cooking.

Tuna salad. I eat it over lettuce, the others eat it as a sandwich. Dinner for a tired night. My tuna salad is made with well-drained chunk light (in water), finely diced celery, finely diced green salad olives, salt, pepper, and mayo to bind. My family really likes the olives so I go heavy and also use a little of the jar liquid as a salt stand-in.

Deviled eggs and raw veggies with hummus. Another phone-in meal, or it would be if I didn't find making deviled eggs such a hassle. We all love them, but I have some inexplicable personal antipathy for how long they take to make. ANYWAY, my deviled eggs are the bestest, and you will not think so if you eat yours southern-style with (shudder) "salad dressing" instead of mayo, or sweet relish. No, mine are made with salt, pepper, mayo, and lots of finely minced green salad olives, and topped with paprika, preferably sharp paprika.

Pork tenderloin, frozen corn, and stewed apples and quince. Aren't we just POSH? Jacob got me a quince to try at the farmer's market. It's uh...well pretty much I guess it's like a rock-hard and fairly tart apple, with the granular texture of an Asian pear. They're generally eaten cooked, which is why I decided to stew it mixed with apples. So I just sliced the apples and the quince up fine (just leave out the quince if you don't have it which you probably don't, and maybe add a dash of lemon juice instead), simmered them in a couple tablespoons of apple cider (or juice; we had cider), and threw in a teaspoon of pie seasoning, a fistful of dried cranberries (the recipe called for raisins) and very approximately a tablespoon of allulose syrup. Obviously you could just use sugar instead. I topped mine with pecans and it was so so good. Oh, and also the pork: Usually two tenderloins come in a pack of tenderloins, so I put a different seasoning on each just for fun. Various blends. Lemon pepper and Montreal Steak Seasoning are favorites, but tonight I opened an unlabeled container in the pantry and discovered that it was rosemary salt the bestie made and left here, so I mashed it up with some garlic and put that on one, and did bbq rub on the other. The frozen corn....is frozen corn. Except, you know, microwaved.

[slutforsnow]

Yall the angst decided to hit me at 12am LMAO, but here's a lil spoiler for Partners in Crime (kinda a draft cause idk which girl is which and when, etc)

Tw: whoring, screaming, mental breakdown of the 1800s, abuse of consent.

"Do you honestly think you know what's good for him!?" Violet shouted, her blade in hand as she faced Dulcinea. She had been busy chopping off bits of her hair in the middle of a breakdown because of what she had been doing to keep herself distracted. She couldn't do big chunks of her hair, no no no. They didn't like that. They liked long luscious hair.

"Why, yes, in fact, Ms. Evans, I do," She had calmly replied, glancing down at the chops of what used to be Violet's dead ends.

"WELL YOU FUCKING DONT. YOU DONT KNOW SHIT ABOUT BILLY; HAS HE TOLD YOU ANYTHING ABOUT HIS HOME LIFE? ABOUT HIS MA? WHY HE TURNED TO THE OUTLAW LIFE IN THE FIRST PLACE?!" She screamed, feeling the hot tears roll down her cheeks. She couldn't take it anymore. The multiple women, the insistence from Billy that a certain woman was "the" one. Violet had enough. She was tired of it; she wanted Billy for herself and was the only one who could see that he was hurting or trying to distract himself when something was on his mind.

"I HAVE TRIED, TRIED, AND TRIED TO BE OKAY AROUND YOU- BE DECENT, LIKE JESSE ASKED. BE RESPECTFUL, BUT YOU DONT DO THE SAME TO BILLY. YOU DONT RESPECT HIM, YOU JUST THINK HES HOT. HES A PERSON TOO, HES GOT A GOOD HEART, WONDERFUL INTENTIONS, AND MORE PASSION THAN ANY OF THE MEN IVE BEEN LETTING USE MY BODY."

"You been what...?" Came a familiar voice and both women looked. Billy.

Violet felt fear well up in her throast. He wasnt supposed to know.

She immediately shut the bathroom door in his and Dulcinea's faces, and locked it shut. She heard muffled arguing between Dulcinea and Billy yet all she could do was cry. She slid down to the floor, leaning against the door and sobbed her heart out to herself. Billy knew now what she was doing to help them get by while being outlaws. That wasn't the plan-Billy was never supposed to find out.

She had been whoring her body for older men to fuck. To abuse until they couldn't finish anymore. All to keep food coming.

Violet's tears eventually came to a stop and so did Billy's and Dulcinea's arguing. It was silent for a while before Billy's voice came back, raw from yelling, only to speak softly to Violet.

"Vi...? Whenever you're ready, I'd like for us to talk.. about everythin', okay? No more secrets between us," He offered, only to receive two gentle raps on the door in response. He knew what that mean; they had established a system where one or two knocks meant some form of yes or no, depending on the situation. Violet meant 'Okay.'

"Do you want me to stay here and wait for you?" One rap of her knuckles against the hard wood. 'No.'

"Okay... I'll be outside. And don't worry, Dulcinea's gone and she wont be comin' back." 'Thank you, Billy.'

Tags: @etfrin @hearts4court @snows-wife @delusionalbunni @kiraflowersworld @victory-scream0462 @curled-hair-red-lips @morallygrayboys @phoward89 @xoxo-eyeballs @thereeallink @graciouslyc @acidaciruela @wanda-maximoff-enthusiast @firstworldproblemthings

[sixpillarsofgenesis]

A (Non-Canon) Exhaustive Reference on Ergo for Lies of P

Ergo comes in many categories; due to Ergo being in the stages of infancy for industrial development, below is an extensive list of Ergo, graded from lowest to highest with additional notes for further review, as well as Stargazers, Stargazers +, and some items as used by Stalkers, Alchemists, and the Workshop Union.

Stargazers and Stargazers+

Before the fall of Krat to the Petrification Disease and the later Puppet Frenzy, Stargazers were used by Stalkers to communicate to their respective bases on mission updates, intelligence, and transmit missives across Krat without others hearing. However, since the Alchemists invented the Stargazers, they often can eavesdrop on these private missives, something they did much more frequently after Simon Manus took over to better plan their spread of the Petrification Disease.

When Sophia was captured, she found her soul splintered across each of the Stargazers, resulting in her being able to send and receive messages from P during his journey and aiding him by turning back time to the last Stargazer he left a bit of his own Ergo at.

In the new timeline created by the Blue Butterfly Record, Carlo modifies the Stargazers into a Stargazer+ model. Eavesdropping was - unknowingly - scrambled by this action, leaving the Alchemists forced to do more groundwork regarding their own spy activities, which is quite frustrating for Simon Manus and his group.

Types of Ergo:

Ergo comes in nine grades of quality, not including subclasses or unique materials that were not discovered until later, starting with Kroud/Raw Ergo and ending with Complete Form Ergo.

Raw and Kroud: Raw and Kroud-grade Ergo is the lowest grade of Ergo, and this material is functionally useless for any power sources. Raw Kroud, however, is excellent in use for filtration systems for Ergo and Ergo particles. Once raw Kroud is removed from the main source, it ceases to grow, from which it can then be turned into thin sheets for water to pass through, or a rough substrate that can provide a higher grade Filtered Ergo. Dim Ergo Chunks, Crystals, and Fragments often come from this grade of Ergo.

Luminous Ergo: Luminous Ergo is material that has been successfully mined. While not extremely bright or energetic in colour, this is often the bulk of Ergo used in puppets and by Alchemists for their Liquid Ergo, unaware (or perhaps uncaring) that this is a material of very low quality. Radiant Ergo fragments come from this grade of Ergo.

Filtered Ergo: Filtered Ergo is any Ergo that is processed through Kroud Substrate or purified in saltwater that has an electric current running through it. Kroud Filtered is the easiest of the two methods; in the timeline that comes from Blue Butterfly Record, this is the cheap and quick option used to filter Krat's water supply and the Barren Swamp. This collects large deposits and provides an easily accessible quantity of Filtered Ergo for immediate use, as Ergo crystalises quickly, just like Kroud. Salt and Current Filtered Ergo is an intense process - this is the bare minimum used to build P and Carlo in the Real Boy timeline. Resplendent Ergo Chunks, Crystals and Fragments come from this grade.

Liquid Ergo/Fable Catalyst: Traditional and pure Liquid Ergo is a liquified version of Ergo collected by a Stargazer and produced over time - however, this material can take weeks to accumulate, so Alchemists often find shortcuts to make Liquid Ergo using the lowest grade possible.

Luminous Liquid Ergo is made by Alchemists and was previously sold to Stalkers at a severe markup. When the Filtered Liquid Ergo was provided by a competitor, the Alchemists were forced to slash their prices and lost out on some funding. As a Fable Catalyst, this material functions at 50% efficiency as compared to the highest grade Catalyst. Filtered Liquid Ergo is made of the previous Filtered Ergo, and functions at higher efficiency - closer to 70-75% efficiency as compared to the highest quality and grade Fable Catalyst. There is no difference between Natural Liquid Ergo and Fable Catalyst - both are processed by Stargazers, and the creation of a single vial of Fable Catalyst - 29.5 millilitres or one fluid ounce - can take a single Stargazer up to a month to obtain. As the highest grade, this operates at 100% efficiency and is highly sought after by Stalkers with the money to spend or their clients looking to tempt a new Stalker for their needs.

Refined Ergo/Quartz: Refined Ergo is a material best used for forging weaponry, as this type of Ergo begins to impart Fable Arts upon the weapons they are made for. While Refined Ergo is very potent, it is an Ergo that has not reached the full potential of true Rare Grade Ergo, and as such can only truly impart its power to either the Blade or Handle of a weapon. Quartz is a unique material used in the Real Boy timeline to upgrade the P-Organ. Unlike most Ergo at the Refined Stage, this Ergo is purely unaffiliated. It is Ergo that is generated from ambient lifeforce, and retains a lack of structure unless imparted with Silver Ergo. Functionally useless on its own, Quartz retains multiple unique properties which make it very interesting to those looking for a flexible material with which to make synthetic fabrics... or a certain puppet's skin. Vivid Ergo can sometimes come of this.

Rare Ergo: A phenomenon that only occurs when a near-perfect copy of a person is formed within the body of a puppet or a human who was not cured of the Petrification Disease. These contain the full memories of a life that is not yet lived, in Blue Butterfly Record. When used in forging a weapon, they impart the strongest and most potent effects, allowing for a weapon to be made with both Blade and Handle carrying complementary abilities.

The Listener's Ergo: Listeners contain a most curious property: Their Ergo can reflect their abilities upon death. Generally useless in combat, these bright Ergo Cores manifest as almost literal seeds that can be planted or shaped into a myriad of items. Notable Listener's Ergos include: - The Monad Lamp of Gemini (Alchemists hotly debate if Gemini himself was a Listener, but despite the Monad Lamp's existence, it remains in question.) - The Gold Coin Fruit Tree (Original Listener unknown) - The Blue Butterfly Record & The Stargazers (Sophia Monad.) Additional Listener's Ergos may exist, but these are the only ones known for now.

Precious Ergo: Precious Ergo - or Coloured Ergo, despite there only being three unique colours - are unique seeds of Ergo from times long past that later matured into high-grade, rare Ergo that reflects one of three metals. Copper Ergo is a conductivity enhancement. Often mistaken for actual copper, this Ergo can transmit electrical currents with virtually no energy loss and is reserved for emergency services and risky transport. Silver Ergo is primarily inert material that can be used to direct and stabilise other forms of Ergo. Most often used in Quartz Ergo to determine the final pliability and overall density of the material. This material can also prevent a material's durability from being worn down, and bits of it can be forged into Grindstones and used as a whetstone for a weapon. It is rumoured that the infamous Dorothy's Red shoes are made with Silver Ergo in the heel and stitching to ensure safe travel when she uses the special feature within her heels. Gold Ergo is used to power large machines and is best for travelling through dangerous waters and terrain, as it does not need to be renewed for a very, very long time.

Complete Ergo: Ergo that has the complete consciousness of the departed. This Ergo is best described as a homunculus, as it is in every sense, a human that can think, feel, and when provided the appropriate outlets, speak move as well. Notable complete Ergo sources: - Geppetto's Puppet - Real Boy Carlo - Nameless Puppet (A reality that never was)

[fisheito]

how would you eat/cook each nukani character

oh noooooooooo (holds my face in great contemplative agony) u can't do this to me

Eiden: oh mein gotTtTtt getting my hands on eiden would be like receiving an entire cart of summer fresh-from-farm produce. or an entire cow carcass . i would have SO MANY PARTS and SO MANY WAYS to prepare him and every part of him would taste delicious in its own way. there's no way i can ONLY cook eiden one way. i'd have to put him thru every process possible (true to his versatility). i thought about spitroasting him (for the joke) but that's too much eiden for one method. i need to covet him like the king tuna at the fish market as i take him apart piece by piece look. i am frying him like egg for a fast breakfast. i am meticulously grinding him to a paste in a traditional mortar and pestle. i am using him as pesto AND as dipping sauce. i will dehydrate him and drink him as tea. he will be roasted . braised. devoured raw in ceviche. i'll infuse him with vinegars! syrups! oils!! is there a way to make a sourdough starter but it's eidough starter so i can just keep him on my shelf and feed him every day and pass him down for generations? i want eiden for every meal of the day prepared 1000 ways

Aster: would aster taste like blood or the absence of it? hmmmm..... i guess it depends on when he feeds! maybe if i bite into him after a feeding session, he'll burst like a cherry tomato. but otherwise i feel like giving aster the sashimi treatment. put him all fancy on the plate with some garnishes after i treat him with a light citrus wash or smth. a fresh cool flavour!! i'm tempted to make some sort of beverage out of him. dilute him into a fancy mocktail of strange spirits and woody spices. aster juice?!?! looks like pink wine???! i have to treat this one like i'm spoiling him with gifts. he'll probably end up on the artisanal charcuterie board with the fusion jams and marmalades...

Morvay: i feel like he would have a very...particular aroma. he eats a very specialised diet so of everyone in the clan, he has to follow "you are what you eat", right?? my first instinct for some reason is to cure him. like, turn him into prosciutto. if he's gonna have a funky smell, might as well turn up the salt and cure him. tie him up and lock him in the carefully controlled environment of the curing basement. dark... surrounded by other meatbags... slap him around every now and then. slice him up thin and put him on that fancy cheese board with a bunch of other strong smelling foods. slurp him down him with a glass of astringent aster juice to balance out the richness of the morv

Yakumo: soup. he's getting souped. it's only right. might split him half and half into one soup and one stew. maybe the soup will just be a concentrated essence of snek-style broth. like a clear, warming bowl of pho that is DISTILLED YAKUMO and doesn't need much else besides some fave spices to accompany the flavour. as for the stew? i just straight up like stew and it can be so nutritionally complete. so he's going in the classic comfort stew. chunks of yakumo and seasonal vegetables simmered to make a thick hearty pot of glorp. maybe add some alcohol to it if i want to live dangerously. he will sustain me for days to come. anything that i do not turn into soup? i'm going to steam him. a mild little parcel of wrapped yakumo, gently steamed for a hot minute. yakumo tastes best to me when a little wet.

Edmond: to honour his thick sugary ass, i have to turn edmond into some sorta dessert. turn the defrosted ice queen into ice cream? now i could just put edmond in a pot and reduce him until he turns into a syrup but then i would waste all the extra good bits that make up edomon. u need the tsun with the dere and reducing him to pure dere is NOT balanced. he can withstand quite a bit of punishment so maybe i'll whip him up like a custard (by hand FIRST. if that's not strong enough, i'll use an electric hand mixer). turn him into an earl grey creme brulee where u can set him on fire then smack that caramelised crust before spooning out the goopy insides.

Olivine: i feel like i'd wanna enjoy olivine in his least processed form. just enjoy the pure marbled goodness of well-exercised, tender oli. so why not a steak? medium rare to rare? just a little pan-sear and we can chew on him all we want. (i considered searing on a grill, but it's easier around here to get a pan instead of a grill. and oli is all about being accessible to the greatest number of people.) on the other hand, that might not honour oli's nature. he, too, can stand up to a lot of punishment. he might even like it. so part of him can be the relatively unprocessed slab and the other can be a cutlet. that way i can beat him with a hammer, dredge and bread him, then toss him into the deep fryer. to be served with a variety of heavy or creamy sauces.

Quincy: this man is OLD and TOUGH and he probably tastes like every bit of wildlife in the forest combined. then again, he's also always sleeping so does that mean his meat is quite relaxed and i don't have to tenderise forever to be able to chew it? quincy probably eats the simplest diet (no processed microwave preservative type cocktails in here) so he'd be best appreciated in an equally simple dish?? i'd like to skewer him. make him bite-size and cook him over a campfire. alternating with simple salt vs. intricate dry rubs bc i'm not sure which i'd prefer. if he ends up being tough, i'll let him hang out in a savoury marinade for however many days he needs (do NOT make me put a pineapple in there, mister).

Kuya: i lied. **THIS** man is OLD and TOUGH and SINEWY and A BITCHASS to deal with and i bet if i cut him at *just slightly near the wrong spot* then some mystery sac of foul gunk will explode all over me like a punk'd prank. i will take any excuse during the cooking process to abuse this one. grate his rind to infuse in the sauce. mince him for the physical satisfaction then throw him into the blender anyway. toss him violently into a fiery wok and start saute-ing him with every other ingredient ever. i hope you get stabbed by a bunch of pointy carrots. i'll broil him as if he's not already crispy. and I BET at the end of all this work, i'll have somehow have messed up and made him inedible. skill issue. at this point i give up, toss the entire kuya into the pressure cooker, and turn him into stew.

G/Karu: i wanna toss them like a salad (i think they'll have fun with that). i could go the traditional way and make wolf jerky. bring it on the road for a durable snack! if i could somehow chop these two up and turn them into furikake, they could become my convenient, reliable flavour injector for a quick bowl of rice. it's tricky because there are two distinct flavours and they gotta be treated differently to bring out their full potential. but they're also inseparable. what do i do??? i might just put them into my party-type foods where flavours are supposed to mix and it's the wildness of the combos that make it all fun. he's going on the 12-topping pizza!! he's being melted onto the giant tray of nachos!!!

Blade: CAN I EAT THIS? WILL I DIE? WILL MY TEETH BREAK OFF? i have to debone him. i bet there are pointy bits hiding everywhere. get my special tools out and pluck at him for over an hour (i must be thorough). might just put him in the microwave (he'd probably enjoy that). i feel like essence of Blade would also do well as a bubbly drink. mix a simple edroid syrup with some club soda and some edible flowers to look pretty (low calories too!). if the legends are true and blade can adapt to any flavour, i might just turn him into a condiment or special spice mix. grind him to dust and put him in a nice glass container near my stove so i can add him to various foods (the weirder the combo, the better). keep the spirit of experimentation alive with Blade popcorn seasoning!!

Dante: i am gonna make him fragrant as hell. gonna smoke him over intricate spice combos or tea leaves and impart him with the most alluring lung-punchiest sniffs. i don't wanna be too harsh with him but i trust that he'll at least stand up to heat well. he'd probably complain about wasting time, but i'm not rushing the process. u will sit in the smoker and steadily break down over time. maybe after the smoke, i can tuck the odds and ends into a savoury saucy pie. bake him for an hour surrounded by a flaky buttery crust? i might also experiment with some fermentation, like a dante kimchi. i'm curious as to how he'd change flavours given time to age (and just relax for a bit, really).

Rei: i am pickling him. he's gonna become that sour salty lil accompaniment to every meal i have. he'll last forever and somehow never mould and no matter how long i leave him chillin in the fridge, when the time comes to put him on a bun, i know i can rely on him to not suddenly go limp. i still gotta be careful with him tho. can't just stick my fingers in the jar and introduce contaminants all the day because it IS possible to Spoil the Goods idk i just feel like i'd have to let him sit in SOME sort of marinade or brine. if i try to eat him raw i might turn 14 shades of purple before dissolving into radioactive bile

[puella-1n-somn10]

☀️What your favorite parent from the Sun and Moon anime says about you🌙

CW: SUGGESTIVE JOKES AHEAD. THIS IS ALL MADE IN THE SPIRIT OF FUN AND IS IN NO WAY THERE TO MAKE JABS AT OTHERS.

Kukui: There is a 70% chance that you are a gay man, and I mean this not out of a place of judgement, but experience with the fans. The cause tends to differ between his game and anime incarnations, but, in the latter's case, not only are you happy about his character being developed there, but also are happy to see Ash having that father figure he craved so badly.

Burnet: You've probably popped the BIGGEST bottles when you've recognized her all the way back from Dream Radar, and have managed to get even bigger bottles when she and Kukui got married. Honestly, most of the Burnet fans I saw were real chill people. So long as you're not one of those Gen 5 fans, I have no mean words. The chillest group.

Guzma: Oh, hello, LGBTQ+ community. Either that, or you relate to him and Team Skull on levels that may be deemed as unhealthy. You're a bit on the feral side; chaotic gremlins who will not only listen to whatever combination between Breakcore and Metal there is, but would also make it your neighbors' problem. You understand the pressure of having to succeed in life and inevitably breaking under it, only to receive no compassion nor any form of apology from your elders. Also, def neurodivergent.

Plumeria: Two possibilities; either you're definitely a lesbian and/or trans gal, or are a hardcore Guzmeria shipper- though, it is more than likely that you're both. You love a good ol' girlboss who is not necessarily a villain; someone who was hardened up by experience, but is still, at the day's end, a human. Either you were the one who needed protecting back in the day, or were that protector; either way, you, too, deserved better in life.

Lusamine: Just like Professor Kukui, the reason as to why she's your favorite depends HEAVILY on which Lusamine from which canon we're talking about. Maybe you like the overzealous Lusamine who is presented as a person with actual flaws that hurt everyone around her - including herself - without her knowledge. Maybe you like the prospect of a morally ambiguous Lusamine who is ready to do everything for "the greater good" even at the cost of hurting others, including her own family. Orrrrrrr maybe you have had a parent like Lusamine in the Sun/Moon games, a classic narcissistic parent, and want to hold out to the hopes that, just like her, your own folks would see the error of their ways; that they would actually apologize to you and finally start improving on themselves rather than drag everyone else around them through the mud of their own misery.

Mohn: There is a high chance that you just want the family back together; you reminisce on the old days where they were complete, before they incident with the ultra wormhole, before Lusamine inevitably lost her marbles, but such is the way of life, right? The ultra games were your golden era, and his anime debut? Let's just say that your wishes FINALLY came true after so long. You love fix-fics and those surrounding the pain of amnesia a bit too much.

Abe/Mallow's dad: Him being a hunk - a himbo - aside, the trauma, the potential, the raw emotion; all there as garnishes for this fine steak of a man and you love each and every one of them. His incompetence and portrayal as a neglectful parent in Mallow and the Forest Teacher forever gives you the ick, but you either tend to ignore it or use that as another source of angst potential.

Mallow's mom: I just know your ass is either suffering from trauma, sudden loss, anxiety, fear of death, or a combination of the above. Yes, you wish she could have been developed a little more, but at least we got a huge chunk of her personality and even development in one episode, which is nothing short of impressive. Also, you like hurt/comfort fics.

Sima/Kiawe's mom: You're right.

Rango/Kiawe's dad: Autism rep? In MY Pokémon anime?! Sorry, but it is so frustrating to see that ya'll are few and far between - just as shy and anxious as your husbando -, but I know you guys exist! Please, let yourselves be known! I would kill just to see some more content regarding him! Also, I just know you love meganes, and, of course, there's nothing wrong with that.

Sophocles' dad: Traumatized. You probably crave the very affection he's giving his wife and kid, and seeing an honest, brash, funny man like him who isn't an abusive rat gave you whiplash initially, but eventually you wanted more. Crafting and/or gardening lover, and maybe a lore fanatic as well because how the FUCK do you know about all the things he's done for Sophocles' happiness from scattered dialogue alone? Also, like Kukui fans, there's a high chance you're neither straight nor cis.

Sophocles' mom: Also traumatized. Maybe a little bit on the autism spectrum, too. Back when the anime first aired, you were scared that maybe the dynamic between and her hubby was imbalanced, until later episodes began to showcase that she is more in charge than he is. You're probably a quiet person irl who is hiding nothing but the most chaotic of thoughts. You wanna try the malasadas she makes at least once.

Lana's mom: I'm saying this right now; if you are well over the age of 20, you are not seeing the pearly gates after the Day of Resurrection.

Lana's dad: Nothing but respect. A man with a design that irradiates potential having less dialogue than Sophocles' mother is infuriating, and the lack of content being made around him by both canon and the fans is even worse, but you don't let that bother you. Either you're the less degenerate version of the fans of his wife, or just like him because he looks way too much like Archie for it to be a coincidence.

[loominggaia]

ETIOSI CUISINE

OVERVIEW

Etios Nation is a Great Kingdom founded by gaians, for gaians. Only minotaurs, centaurs, satyrs, fauns, and gorgons are permitted to own land here, and so these species make up the vast majority of its population. Etios’ territory encompasses hot, dry plains and cold mountains, supporting a wide variety of crops to farm and animals to hunt. The Etiosi people live a stone age lifestyle out of respect for the environment, which keeps their food pure and free of toxic chemicals.

NUT BREAD

This simple but delicious bread recipe originated with an ancient tribe of fauns called the Alses-Kwaa. This native tribe shared the recipe with Matuzan colonists who founded Etios Nation, and today it has spread far and wide into foreign lands. This dense, filling bread is overloaded with nuts and seeds, primarily pine nuts, chestnuts, and almonds. Chunks of dried fruit, such as figs, are also a common ingredient. It takes a long time for nut bread to spoil, so it’s an essential snack for travelers in Etios Nation. Just one small piece provides a lot of fat, carbs, and calories.

YIYAGURT

This controversial yogurt is made from the breast milk of minotaurs. While most foreigners turn their nose up at such a dish, it is considered a normal staple for the Etiosi, especially in minotaur communities. Yiyagurt is higher in calories than other yogurt and is traditionally eaten with flax seeds. It is loaded with beneficial bacteria that is said to heal conditions of the bowel. In Etiosi culture, it’s considered taboo for males to make this yogurt. Etiosi women will not even teach their sons how to make it, only their daughters and female relatives. Eating yiyagurt made by a male is said to bring illness upon the consumer.

GRILLED HOGAWK

Pig-hawks (colloquially known as “hogawks” to the Etiosi) are one of the most common ranch animals in Etios Nation. They are large, flightless birds with sharp talons and teeth, and while they can be quite dangerous, they also produce large yields of meat and eggs. They are usually ranched by heavyweight peoples like minotaurs and centaurs, who can shrug off their attacks. This bird’s meat is prepared in numerous ways, but the traditional Etiosi way is grilled and sprinkled with seasonings, particularly tomato flakes.

GRASS

Minotaurs are the only gaians that can digest grass properly, thanks to their multi-chambered stomachs. Grass is a popular staple food for minotaurs worldwide, but in Etios Nation, it’s more than a food: it’s a whole culture. There is a world of snobbery that revolves around grass here, as Etiosi minotaurs argue about what kind of grass is best, what stage it should be harvested, and whether it should be eaten raw or cooked. Some grass-snobs will even argue about the composition of the soil it is grown in and how much it should be watered to produce the best taste. Most non-minotaurs just can’t understand all this fuss around a plant they only walk on.

SATYR WINE

Etios Nation is home to unique nature preserves, where satyrs are free to live their traditional, nomadic lifestyles in the wilderness. These satyrs produce a traditional type of wine simply known as “satyr wine”, and its recipe varies depending on the individual satyr who makes it. Most commonly, it is made from berries that were foraged from the wild. Female satyrs rarely make this wine themselves, but instead receive it as a gift from males who are trying to seduce them. A lot of this wine is exchanged at satyr revels; big parties where satyrs and nymphs congregate for days on end. Oftentimes satyrs will produce too much wine and sell the excess to Etiosi colonists. A steady flow of satyr wine pours from Etios’s nature preserves on a daily basis, so it can be found at most markets throughout the nation.

LAMSAKA

This dish is made by layering a sheet of scrambled hogawk eggs and cheese over minced mutton and tomatoes. This is a favorite dinnertime dish of all Etiosi peoples, but especially centaurs and minotaurs. It is fatty and filling, with a taste so good it’s hard not to overindulge. When foreigners think of Etiosi cuisine, the first thing that usually comes to mind is Lamsaka. It’s actually an ancient Matuzan dish from the Olive Plains region, but when this region was colonized by Etios Nation, lamsaka saw a boost in popularity and became associated with the colonizers.

BEAN SOUP

A dish most popular with Etiosi fauns. It is a creamy soup served in a gourdskin bowl, loaded with beans, tomatoes, corn, and chunks of squash. Etiosi bean soup sends most consumers running to the bathroom due to its very high fiber content, but faun bellies are well-suited to handle it. In fact, fauns can become fatally ill if they don’t consume enough fiber, so many fauns eat this soup as an everyday staple to keep themselves healthy. When eaten in small portions, it is a healthy choice for other peoples too. Traditional bean soup is vegetarian, as fauns don’t digest meat very well. But when prepared by other peoples, it usually contains mutton or poultry.

YIYATSI

Yiyatsi translates to “breast drink” in Kwaanese, the ancient language of the Alses-Kwaa tribe. A fitting name, for this drink quite literally comes from the breasts of female minotaurs. Yiyatsi is consumed worldwide, but is most common in Etios Nation simply due to the sheer concentration of minotaurs living there. Female minotaurs are well known for over-producing milk. They lactate for years after giving birth, produce more than a single child could ever drink, and this milk is well-tolerated by all other peoples. Because of this, it is often bottled and sold to hospitals, orphanages, and even grocers. Most peoples wouldn’t dream of consuming such a thing, but Etiosi culture embraces yiyatsi as a traditional beverage for all. It is dense in fat, nutrients, and calories, so it’s a popular drink for soldiers, athletes, and anyone looking to bulk up their muscles.

HONEY POCKET

These delicious cookies originated from the Pronga faun tribes of the Midland Jungle. However, many Pronga migrated south during the Gaian Exodus, an event which formed Etios Nation. Their ancient honey pocket recipe survived the migration and became a popular dessert for all Etiosi peoples. Honey pockets are soft, sugary cookies filled with honey and sometimes also fruit. They are traditionally served warm. This big shot of sugar is best enjoyed in moderation, as eating too many can lead to tooth decay and diabetes. Since casting spells burns calories, mages are especially fond of them. They are also a good travel snack that won’t spoil for a long time.

FISH WRAP

Raw fish is eaten mostly by Etiosi’s Aquarian population, but sometimes Terrian peoples eat it too. Terrians are at greater risk of foodborne illness from uncooked seafood, while Aquarians have the guts to resist these illnesses. The fish wrap is a dish that originated with sirenes living along Etios Nation’s coastlines. It is raw fish strapped to a piece of tofu with seaweed. Alternatively, the fish may be strapped to a pickle spear or some other vegetable. While the raw version remains most popular with Aquarians, Terrians tend to prefer this dish cooked.

*

Questions/Comments?

Lore Masterpost

Read the Series

[lycankeyy]

📦 4 and 9, 🌤️ 3, and 🎲 1 for Boyf !! :D (sorry if any of these got asked already djdhdh)

YIPPEE A LITTLE TREATSE FOR ME,,,,

📦 4: Is there an item your character liked that they can’t get back? 

Ooooh good question. Realistically since he ran away when he was 18 and probably didn't bring a lot With Him (it would obviously be sus if anyone noticed him packing) probably a decent chunk of his childhood belongings honestly. Since he doesn't visit his parents again until he's almost 20 (there is an insane amount of time passage in funkycule rn can't wait to figure out the timeline as canon weeks drop /silly BDKQJD) he probably considered a good amount of things "permanently gone" even though he could realistically go pick up anything he still wanted.

📦 9: Does your character prefer to give or receive gifts?

In terms of tangible gifts, receiving. Stuff like birthday shopping is kind of lost on him. But if you can count stuff that isn't physical my man LOVES writing music for people. He can be a little shy about it, music for him is something deeply raw and vulnerable so he both worries that it might be Too Sentimental or because of how his music tends to be that the other person might not Get It, but he still writes music with other people in mind a lot. Plot beat I've been developing in the back of my mind is the rgbfverse exclusive album of his "Mirror World Vertigo" which is about the other bfs. I'm not sure he'd tell the other bfs about it I think he'd just hope one of them actually listens to his music enough to notice he dropped a new album and realize that one of the songs is About Them lmao

🌤 3: What season would your character say they're most similar to?

Hmmmm in-character I'm not sure he'd have thought about this a lot so his First thought would be winter. Not for any particularly deep reason other than he likes snow and Christmas music (despite being raised irreligiously)

🎲 1: What kind of games does your character most enjoy playing?

If you asked him, he would say RPGs. The problem is that he's never finished an RPG because his attention span sucks. If you asked anyone else who's watched him play games they'd say rhythm games because my man can spend 3 hours grinding out a set of full combos in Taiko without getting distracted Once LMAO

[ask meme in question]

[afriendlywizard]

My review of a warehouse I found on Earth's Moon in the video game Starfield

I work at a cidery in the PNW. We have a pretty hefty canning line that can handle what I like to call a Solid Chunk of Volumetric Output. Our fulfillment and warehouse team touches several hundred pallets a day. We handle ingredients that come in drums, plastic IBC totes, 5 gallon buckets, and raw ingredients off the back of people’s Ford Raptors. We have pipes and valves and connectors. We talk about glycol and peracetic acid a lot. We have standard 4 level pallet racks, as well as push-back pallet racking and back-load pallet racking that maintains a First In First Out order.

I manage our Quality Assurance team, which means I spend most of my team at a desk or in a lab. I have driven our forklifts and our scissor lifts. I’ve blended our ingredients into our batching tanks. I verify our sanitation practices, and I help solve problems as needed. I spend a lot of my day staring at stainless steel pipes and mumbling about dissolved oxygen to myself.

That’s all to say, I’m not an expert. I would call myself a warehouse hobbyist and enthusiast. Not out loud to anyone, but when I play a video game that has a warehouse in it, I like to spend my time looking at how the warehouse is put together.

In addition to this, a note on Forklift Certification: It’s largely made up. There are some machines that require special licenses, and OSHA has classes you can take that probably look good on a resume, but if you look at the language that OSHA uses to define who is allowed to drive a forklift it only has two requirements. “Trained operators must know how to do the job properly and do it safely as demonstrated by workplace evaluation.” It’s up to the employer how that’s interpreted. My employer had me watch a forty five minute video and then someone watched as I drove around for thirty minutes saying “oh fuck oh fuck okay okay okay don’t hit anyone.”

I took my character, Dr. FLIPJUMP DARKSWALLOW, to the moon. I brought my companion Sarah with me, she said she wouldn’t mind a detour so that we could finally live out our shared dream of owning a pair of moon boots, so down we went to explore a seemingly abandoned lunar station. It seemed to be some kind of staging facility for receiving shipments, landing dock, staff kitchen and common area, but as far as I could tell there wasn’t anywhere within a kilometer or two to send the shipments once they arrived. Typical supply chain issues, major distro hub with nothing in site to distro to. But it did have a small on-site warehouse so Sarah and I both agreed to put a pause on our moon boots dream and explore.

This is called an IBC tote. You can fill these up through a big screw-top hole on the top, super easy to use, cheap ($275 new), universal. The most common versions I’ve seen have a galvanized steel cage and a galvanized steel pallet attached to the bottom so it can be universally picked up by a forklift. They typically have a 2” drain valve with a butterfly and a camlock. This is a pretty good example of an IBC tote! You can see how the galvanized steel was welded together at each intersection, bent into place and held there. The butterfly at the bottom has a cap in place, it has a pressure valve that’s clearly labeled. This looks pretty good!

This is a pallet jack. On Earth in the present day, you roll it into the slats on a pallet, squeeze on a hand lever in the handle, and pump the handle bar up and down as it lifts. On the Moon in the future, it looks like it’s been upgraded for use in space with what I assume is probably some electric battery type of deal. Otherwise it’s very similar to a normal pallet jack! It even has the double wheels in the front, a detail I was very excited about. There doesn’t seem to be the hand lever though, or any buttons anywhere. I assume that’s because this model has a voice assistant like an Alexa in it.

It has a spring in the back as well, another neat little detail. I’d be curious to see how this works in action, there’s a decent number of mechanical parts on it for how futuristic it looks. There’s also two small… baskets, I guess? For paperwork maybe? On either end of the handle shaft. I made up the term handle shaft.

Here is what I assume is a future-forklift. And Sarah. Please ignore Sarah. I was required to take her on a mission early on, but she keeps saying things like “that’s not yours!” and “we should not break the law,” which has been definitely cramping Dr. DARKSWALLOW’s style. Anyway, this forklift is a far cry from the kinds we have in present day. Barely recognizable.

My best guess is that you stand on this platform to operate it. But there’s no buttons or levers again, no key ignition. Presumably this turns on somehow and that panel is a touchscreen, or maybe it’s another Alexa operated device. This whole thing seems pretty dangerous. There’s no roll cage. I guess maybe there’s no OSHA in the future? Or maybe this thing has a lot of safety tech built into it to protect the operator from making mistakes. Maybe it follows Asimov’s rules of robotics and can’t allow a human to come to harm, through action or inaction. But that seems like a lot of liability to pack into programming, and it seems expensive to attach a positronic brain to a forklift. I don’t know how it would anticipate other drivers doing things badly, knocking over pallets? It seems dicey.

I do like that the cabling looks like it’s painter’s taped onto the frame so it doesn’t get caught anywhere. That’s a great little detail, very much something a maintenance team might do in a pinch. A “short term hold” as they “work with supply chain details to implement a long term repair.”

I climbed up onto a pile of boxes to get this picture. It looks like they redesigned the forks in the future, kind of a high-heeled shoe thing going on at the ends there. And this forklift seems like it has reduced functionality from what forklifts here on Earth can do. Forklifts can usually do three things with the forks: lift up and down, pitch the forks back and forth, and spread the forks wider or narrower. I think this can only lift the forks up and down. There also seems to be a large orange ball on the bottom, but I don’t know what that’s used for. My best guess, given the short cylinder above it, is that the forks can control their yaw and rotate on a horizontal access? But they’re right up against the axle so I’m not sure how that would work. Maybe if you lift the forks up it’s able to rotate? But I don’t see much of an engine to ballast the center of gravity anywhere. Maybe the entire body is made with a very dense metal, it does seem to be pretty flush with the ground.

My biggest complaint is that this forklift doesn’t have any headlights or taillights. It’s important for forklifts to have a horn and bright lights to let other workers know there’s a forklift around, especially reverse lights. These might be taillights, if I’m giving some benefit here, but they’re so low to the ground I’m not sure how other drivers are going to be able to see them. But I’m not an expert in future light bulbs, maybe these work just fine.

These look like future pallets! Pallets come in different materials, with wood or plastic as the most common, but they also come in standard sizes. But these pallets look like they’re way too small for the forklift to pick up. Maybe they’re just for the pallet jack? And big note here: I really hope for the sake of the warehouse manager in this facility that OSHA doesn’t exist, because each one of those pallets standing up on its side is going to be its own fine. Overall these pallets look pretty good, if small. And this disaster of a pile seems pretty true to form with how pallets are stored, no matter how many @everyone pings on Microsoft Teams you see get sent out about stacking pallets correctly.

I suspect everyone in the warehouse crew here hates their coworkers. They have four of these pallets in a square but are stacking things randomly on top of them. None of these things are strapped down, this black cube is on a pallet that’s a different size than the pallets underneath it. Just a bizarre move. I hope everyone’s doing okay.

And then on the other side is this: … Why? Why would anyone do this? You can’t pick those rolls up, the rest will roll right off the pallet. They’re not centered on the pallet so even if you did pick it up, you couldn’t put this onto pallet racking anywhere, it’s hanging off the edge.

This is pallet racking. It seems bolted together for some reason. I haven’t seen that before on this style of racking. It seems counter-intuitive; the whole point of this type is that it’s easy to put together, it’s modular. But if you bolt it together, it’s not modular anymore. Normally you just slot the pieces in, they fall into place and don’t require additional parts. Just welded steel with drop slots.

Oof. A dead body. I’m a little surprised there aren’t more of these here. It does feel a bit dangerous.

Here’s another pallet jack, but they aren’t using it correctly. The pallet goes into the forks, why did they put a pallet on top of the forks? Ridiculous. Now they’re just lifting things for no reason. A forklift put the pallet on, now a forklift has to take the pallet off? Why use the pallet jack at all?

And lastly: a propane cage! There’s no locks on it, the maintenance team is probably screaming at everyone to make sure they Lock Out/Tag Out their equipment, but I’ll give the benefit of the doubt and sign off on it because there’s no propane tanks inside the cage so maybe the locks just aren’t necessary. Hopefully it’s just in someone’s pocket while they’re going to refill the tanks.

Overall, this is a pretty dangerous looking facility but probably usable. I’d say they ought to start working towards shoring up some safety gaps here, maybe making more intentional decisions about purchases for a while so they have the equipment they need for their process flow instead of all this equipment that requires rework and multiple touches to get anything done. But a growing business sometimes has to take what’s available! Kudos to them for getting things up and running on the moon, not an easy feat.

[hiccupologist]

WIP time! plus a massive TRIGGER WARNING for an opaque reference to vague canonical disordered eating, which is fetishized in a really complicated way because the writer is a lifelong ED patient, but it's like, hopefully sweet and not weird and triggering tho, but you know. be careful and all that. disconnected chunks are separated by dividers bc I write in outline + discovery bridging style

petrigrof, FA/wg/stuffing/stomachache kink, light angst, hurt/comfort vibes

  Simon pressed his head deep into the pillow to block out both the sound of his alarm clock and of a quiet, sickly burp that he couldn’t manage to hold back. Betty was already getting up, and he would rather pretend to be asleep than answer questions. Interacting with anyone at all was risky at the moment, but the last thing he needed was to get someone so close to him involved in this mess.

  He thought she would just leave and go downstairs to start working on the slide presentation she’d been compiling from a recent batch of archaeological rubbings, because she almost made it off the rug before she turned back. “You feeling okay, honey? You want me to let you sleep in?”

  “Mhm.” He mumbled, still buried in a slough of bedclothes. “I’m fine, I just had a long night.” This was technically true. He just wasn’t mentioning the part about methodically consuming an entire apple pie from the 24 hour grocery store.

  She rubbed his shoulder affectionately through the blanket. He didn’t even open his eyes, not willing to meet her gaze this early into his self-flagellation stage. Betty was so perfect. Even her imperfections were endearing, not like spontaneously turning into an irritable crazy person when ambient noise got too loud, or needing to have a private cry after receiving constructive criticism, or. The thing that was currently happening.

  “Okay, Simon. You get some rest and I’ll check on you later.”

[...]

  “It’s not just stress-eating. Well, it is, but-” He swallowed roughly. Hopefully after he surmounted this peak, his anxiety would spill into some kind of catharsis. “I do it a lot, when my life isn’t going well. Or I feel like it isn’t.” It’s just horrible the whole time. Crap. “Oh, god, I’m sorry, I can’t. I’m going to be sick, I’m going to cry, I’m-”

  “Shhh. Simon.” Now she looked almost equally upset, and he felt even worse, but her tone was comforting and she leaned forward to hold him. “You don’t have to tell me if you can’t. I think I already know.”

  “How?” He didn’t mean to sound so accusatory; his voice cracked into a sob at the end of question. He was being held by the love of his life, he was being published academically again, he even felt like he had finally conquered the invasive ivy in their front yard, but he honestly felt like his life was falling apart. He’d gone to so much trouble to hide that diseased, malformed part of his personality from her. He thought maybe he could handle telling her, but if she’d known for God knows how long, he just wanted to die.

  She’s rubbing little circles in his back, seemingly unphased by what he feels is effectively a temporary bout of insanity. Her voice sounded hesitant. “Oh, babe. I… I can tell when you’re so full it’s hurting you. We don’t spend that much time apart.” At this statement he gave a muted wail of abject agony, and she pulled him in tighter. “It’s okay, it’s okay. I’ve been wanting to talk about it. I’m not being judgemental, I promise. I just don’t want you hurting your stomach.”

  Simon sniffed, head still resting against her body. He didn’t feel comfortable yet, existing in a reality where Betty knew all of him, even the raw sensitive embarrassing bits. His deepest existential fears, his childhood dreams and traumas, sure, he’d spill those out for her like cutting roe from a salmon. But not this part. “I’m going to start fasting again. I did it before when-”

  “No.” She replied, gently but firmly.

  “But I hate losing control like this!”

  “I know your first instinct is to try and grab the steering wheel and fix everything, but…” She sighed. “Look. It’s not my story to tell, but I kind of know about this stuff. It’s like one of those finger tube things, or the barbs on a fishing hook. Like… you overeat because you feel bad, right? So logically, if you beat yourself up about food, isn’t that gonna make you eat more?”

  He looked up at her. “But… but if I don’t do anything, I…” In a much quieter voice: “...I’ll gain so much weight.”

  “That’s not the worst thing in the world, right?” She brushed a lock of hair away from his damp forehead, smeared with tears and panic sweat. “And anyway, it would be better for you to gain fifty pounds than a hundred pounds, right?”

[...]

  “How’s this?” She asked, her voice almost lowered to a whisper. Her cool hand caressed the soft underside of his stomach, where the bulge of his added fat connected with his sensitive upper pelvic area. He shuddered, but not from discomfort. It almost felt like he was being tickled, a visceral, giddy feeling in his guts. “Do you like me to touch your little belly?”

  “Y-yes, I like it very much.” He swallowed. He couldn’t believe she was so brave as to say such a thing out loud, not only the word “belly” but the entire fucking concept. How was it possible for someone’s brain not to short circuit and melt, forming those words? He knew it was because he was messed up really bad in the sex part of his brain, but still, it was hard to comprehend.

  “You know, I’ve always thought it was cute when your tummy gets a little round.” She kissed his neck, and he squirmed despite his best efforts to retain a scrap of dignity. “You’re not as fun to cuddle when you’re all skinny. I remember when you got that horrible stomach bug, it made me worry about you so hard.” She leaned down next to him and switched to a lying position on the bed, then reached out to continue giving his abdomen loving touches. A hand stroked the top of his belly, running over the plush pad just under his sternum. “But when you have some extra stuffing in you, you’re very soft and huggable.”

  He could feel some of his terror melting into arousal, although perhaps that was too simplistic a term; Betty could make him feel flustered, a strange combination of sexual desire and the kind of joyous validation you’d get from someone giving you an unexpected compliment. It was hard not to feel overwhelmed. He was still working on not shutting down due to shyness when she got explicitly affectionate with him. He did his best to form coherent sentences. “That feels so good to hear, Princess, you wouldn’t even believe… thank you.” He sometimes worried his pet name for her displayed too much of his id. It certainly hadn’t been his intention, but he’d come to realize the word was embarrassingly close to “mistress”. Deep down he worried that everything he did to fulfill his role as a man in their relationship was a lie. But it was also sort of… wishful thinking, really. He sometimes wished he and Betty could trade places as boyfriend and girlfriend; not genders, they would be the same people, but she would be the one expected to provide for him and make decisions, and he would simply love her and support her and be safe and protected. “I really want to believe the things you told me earlier. About, eh, eating. But I’m just so worried about losing control. If this is what it’s like when I’m trying to use my willpower…”

  “Trust me on this. We can even research it at the library together, okay?” She had stopped moving her hands now and settled them on his body, one draped over his waist and one folded against his back, pressing into it. “Mm. Do you want me to say something a little silly? For your thing?”

  “Oh! By- by all means.”

  She nestled against the crook of his neck, whispering. “Even if somehow your worst case scenario happens and you just keep eating, and you get really big,” she kissed his cheek, “I’ll still love you and want to hang out with you because you’re my cute, smart, awesome boyfriend who I’m going to marry no matter what size you are.”

  Simon released a shaky breath. “That’s incredibly romantic.”

[figomagazine]

Heading to Meredith Music Festival 2024? These are the artists you cannot miss

Meredith Music Festival is a transcendent adventure, like a trip through the musical cosmos where genre barely exists and inclusivity and positivity are the ultimate goal.

And aside from the general vibe being one unlike any other music festival on the planet, they lineup is always top notch – every year music fans can expect an eclectic assortment of genre benders and heavy hitters, alongside must-see up and comers and the newest, hottest acts on the block.

The best part is, with only one stage, punters never have to pick because set clashes don't exist here, but the lineup is still a beast, and these are the artists you most definitely want to make your way down the front for.

Angie McMahon

Okay, we know this is almost a redundant way to start this list because of course you're going to be front and centre for the angelic, sometimes-heartbreaking-always-heartwarming sounds of Angie McMahon – but please allow us a moment to wax lyrical about Angie. The way she bottles up ferocity and raw energy with tenderness and vulnerability and pure wholesomeness already makes her live show unmissable, but then layer that with exceptional songwriting and a voice that carries as much power as it does emotion, and you have (what is sure to be) a performance ready-made for boot raising.

Angie McMahon takes the Meredith Music Festival Stage on Saturday at 7.50pm

Barkaa

There's a reason why Malyangapa Barkindji rapper Barkaa is going to need a bigger mantle to showcase all the accolades she is sure to keep receiving, she has well and truly earned her status as one of Australia's most celebrated rappers. On record she is bold, cheeky, resilient, tender, and above all else 100 percent herself – on full display, and never hiding from any part of her past or present. On stage, she is an undeniable force, whether she is shining the spotlight on society at large or right back at herself, audiences will surely be swept up in her magic. Expect bangers and celebration and hard-earned truths when the Blak matriarch takes over.

Barkaa takes the Meredith Music Festival Stage on Saturday at 6.40pm

Genesis Owusu

We mentioned genre-bending ear feasts as a hallmark of a Meredith weekend, and no one in this country is doing it better than Genesis Owusu. His 2023 album STRUGGLER is an exquisitely complex mash of sounds from raw punk to smooth R&B and a whole gamut of things we aren't going to do the disservice of trying to pindown, and on the live stage his defying of genre and musical constraints is fully realised. An electrifying perfomer, harnessing confidence and charisma with vulnerability and authenticity, if you want to witness true musical brilliance, look no further.

Genesis Owusu takes the Meredith Music Festival Stage on Friday at 12.05am

Glass Beams

Glass Beams are hands down one of the most exciting acts to come out of Australia in recent years. As mysterious and enigmatic as their music is captivating and refreshing, the live stage might just be their greatest frontier. They've spent a large chunk of 2024 (and are set to spend a huge amount of 2025) treating audiences in every corner of the globe to their hypnotic, pyschedelic fusion of spacious instrumentals, glittering synths, jazz, disco, pop, twangy guitars and traditional Indian music. Theirs is a melding of sounds, a melting pot of melody, and on the live stage it expands and grows, as if taking in breath. Prepare to be swept up in a hypnotic wonderland of "east-meets-west" brilliance.

Glass Beams take the Meredith Music Festival Stage on Friday at 10.55pm

Maple Glider

Potent, delicate, and empowering as just some of the words used to describe Maple Glider's 2023 album I Get Into Trouble. Across its 35-odd minutes, she speaks truth to power, sharing personal, often painful memories of her life and paints a picture of what it means to exist as a woman in the world. Hurting and joy collide in a glorious record, an emotional landscape that is only amplified when Tori Zietsch – the face behind the Maple Glider moniker – takes the stage, guitar in hand. The sonic palette of her performances, much like her album, is usually little more than some gently, fingerpicked guitar, maybe some piano, a gentle beat – the perfect setting for her voice to soar across the 'Sup.

Maple Glider takes the Meredith Music Festival Stage on Saturday at 11am

[divinekangaroo]

Hi! I've just begun exploring your writing. I'm curious: do you have a favorite story that you've written?

Hello!

Tough one! Probably the cage kills more than lions and just enough to let me drown

They were NOT FUN to write. They were HARD. Whole 1000s of words chunks I threw out and re-wrote. I stalled so many times. The Tommy-Polly conversation in the former I ended up having to write initially as if they were contemporary Californians competing for 'who is most right' in front of a psychologist before I understood what they were staying and why, and only then could I veil the verbals back under the usual 'trying to communicate but unaware of deep self-motivation so using surface/deceptive motivation to try to manipulate the other.'

They took months of consideration, images sparked at random moments and added to their files. Both times (and still) I feel I tried to bite off more than I could manage, as an unskilled writer. Ambition larger than capability.

They aren't grammatically or structurally lovely stories, either, there's things I've written that are 'better written' or more legible....so why my favourites? I suppose....they lived with me for ages, and I felt/feel like they're important, and I really feel like I really managed to capture the emotion of what I was trying to do with these two stories, without derailing myself from the original intent.

When I re-read I wince and do have to hold myself back from editing the broken syntax, because there's also something about the breaking that makes these stories easier to read (for me) as a drowning emotional flow, which was what I wanted them to feel like, too. I struggled as a designer by constantly over-sanitising my outputs to make them easier to draw/build; one of the regular crits I used to receive was 'why did you strip back all the shit that made this interesting? now it's just any old [place]', so trasnferring that to words, I do try to force myself to push the story out in raw form and move on. Let it be what the initial gut instinct wanted it to be. This isn't publisher-land, this is sketches and concepts and feelings; not construction-level detailed drawings without a single gap in the waterproofing.

They also contained a lot of symbolism and language within which reference each other as fics, which made me laugh on skim-re-read, because I wasn't consciously aware of writing these two with such closely linked symbolism - they were written in very different periods of the last 12+ months - but in hindsight *of course* they *had* to be so very closely linked, because both are periods of Tommy being rendered impotent/incapable/dependent by his predators, and needing to struggle through that to reclaim self and agency.