#right now emails

[phantomrose96]

I think we should have a turn of phrase for "I'm not in the right, but I AM annoyed with this situation, so I just need to go bitch to a friend about this before I suck it up and go do the right thing" because more and more I'm finding this is a critical element of functional adulthood.

[biggest-gaudiest-patronuses]

"top shortage" "bottom shortage" babe im EXHAUSTED

[theabigailthorn]

British producers be like: THEM: "We love this! Let us put our heads together and get back to you early next week!" SIX MONTHS LATER UNPAID INTERN FOR THAT COMPANY: "Everyone you spoke to has been sacked, we hate you fuck off."

American producers be like:

THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON YOU'VE EVER MET: Hey kiddo do you wanna meet The Rock? Do you wanna meet Margot Robbie? Do you want to fuck my wife? I can't give you a job but gosh darn it you've got moxxy, let me put you in touch with Doug Bigcheese, the biggest producer in Hollywood! DOUG BIGCHEESE, EMAILING YOU BACK WITHIN 20 MINUTES: Hey kiddo, that guy said you're awesome! Lemme ask round town and in the meantime you can live in my house borrow my car and by the way have you met my wife?!

[acearchivist359]

…. considering what happened last time gwen got a mysterious email i’m gonna need to know what was in this email immediately

[egophiliac]

Are you okay with spam likes/reblogs or do you find them annoying?

honestly, seeing a solid row of likes/reblogs from the same person makes me imagine them going through my art like it's some kind of delectable buffet, holding a giant plate and going "hmm, yes, a little of this...some of that...ooh, and can't forget this..." except, you know, on the internet. with the feeling of that one Tom Hanks gif.

(which is to say, of course it's fine! if it starts taking over my activity page I just use the filters, so no worries :D)

[mylittleredgirl]

from context i assume “ofc” is shorthand for “of course” but i can’t help but read it as “of-fucking-course,” which adds an unwarranted yet relatable vibe of barely restrained passive-aggressive frustration to many a professional email and fic exchange dnw list.

[notbecauseofvictories]

we've had such a chilly, rainy spring thus far that the plant store didn't have any cucumbers---one of the employees told me to check back around mother's day, and cautioned me that even my jalapenos probably shouldn't go into the ground for a bit---but I did get a free tomato plant just for "buying a lot of plants, holy shit," so. who's really winning here.

[ayliaan]

based on a screenshot i took after release

[elkkiel]

Okay, so on this post I'll be sharing some of the interesting tidbits of info I'm finding about the actual ARG location and history. It'll be continuously edited as to prevent spam + to keep my thoughts in one place. Also this is mostly Wikipedia since I'm not going for 100% accuracy, just an overview that might give hints to whatever is going on.

Info and potential spoilers below the cut <3

Shugborough Hall (the estate + grounds the Shepherd's Monument + inscription are on):

Owned by the Bishops of Lichfield until the dissolution of the monasteries in ~1540 (when Henry VIII disbanded a bunch of Catholic institutions like monasteries, convents, etc in England, Ireland, and Wales)

I don't know how relevant it is, but that's the origin(?) of the location/estate itself

*************************

Shepherd's Monument (still working on this)

Commissioned by Thomas Anson (member of British Parliament at the time) and constructed sometime between 1748 and 1756.

***********************

Shugborough Inscription (the actual Thing)

The Shugborough Inscription is a cipher (in this case, a sequence of letters) carved into the Shepherd's Monument. It was carved below a stone relief recreation of Nicolas Poussin's painting "Et in Arcadia ego" (by Flemish sculptor Peter Sheemakers; see below), and has remained unsolved nor satisfactorily explained since its creation.

There are many theories about the inscription and what it could mean, including a connection between the monument and the Holy Grail 👀.

The inscription is made up of 2 rows of letters:

O U O S V A V V

D M (frames the row above)

So, it seems like it's not D O U O S V A V V(?), but rather O U O S V A V V, D M

!!!!!! D. M. was commonly used on Roman tombs + stands for Dis Manibus, meaning "dedicated to the shades." !!!!!!!! and I think this is very cool c:

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Et in Arcadia ego (Nicolas Poussin, c. 1637-1638)

Also known as Shepherds of Arcadia, this painting features an idyllic, pastoral (shepherd's lifestyle) scene, in which a woman and a group of shepherds stand gathered around a tomb with the Latin inscription "Et in Arcadia ego" ("Even in Arcadia, there I am"; "I too was in Arcadia")

Arcadia

(Will add to this one a little later)

[humming-fly]

North Carolina Relief Masterlist

One of my close friends is currently living in North Carolina and took the time to put together this really nicely organized list of organizations currently taking donations after Hurricane Helene, and I thought it'd be nice to share it on tumblr as well since I know some folks like these kinds of organized lists! All links and descriptions come from her and her experiences with the orgs below. 👍

Foundation

The Community Foundation of WNC - Read no further if you want a catch-all, one stop donation spot for WNC long-term Helene response. CFWNC is a permanent pool of charitable capital for the 18 counties of Western North Carolina including the Qualla Boundary (land of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians). They are an amazing source of consistent support to many WNC nonprofits via grant opportunities. They have financially supported so many of the non-profits I have encountered or worked with. Donate to the cause of your choice via CFWNC (including the Helene response specifically) here.

Food Security, Farm Support & More

Bounty & Soul (Swannanoa Valley, Black Mountain, and Asheville) - decade-old non-profit currently typically focused on health and food insecurity now working in partnership with World Central Kitchen, MANNA, Hearts with Hands, and many others to distribute food, hot meals, and supplies. They are also working to resume purchasing and distributing fresh produce from farmers in WNC who still have crops to harvest and sell. Donate to their disaster relief here.

Annie’s Culinary Garden - I often frequent this small but mighty Black Mountain restaurant, which is closely partnered with Bounty & Soul. Annie’s was already embedded in health and food justice work pre-Helene but the last 2 weeks, Annie and her team have been working around the clock (using a generator to power their restaurant) to provide free vegan, vegetarian, and other diet-specific hot meals to retirement homes, distribution hubs, and also to feed the staff and volunteers at these hubs. This has been a huge need expressed to me by community members because much of the food available at distribution sites is not able to be eaten by those requiring special diets. Donate to their effort here.

Haywood Christian Ministry (Waynesville) - WNC’s largest food pantry has partnered with MANNA (WNC's largest food bank?) and is distributing food on the ground and requesting donations to help with the emergency disaster response. They are also directly purchasing from WNC farms to distribute fresh foods for folks cooking bulk hot meals and for families who can cook at home. For info and to donate, go here. 

Food Connection(Asheville-based) - I first encountered this org at a food waste solutions summit and thought their concept was brilliant. They rescue high-quality, chef-prepared meals and deliver them to neighbors in need (often those who can’t afford to participate regularly in Asheville’s expensive foodie culture). I have since seen them out in Asheville and beyond to rural communities doing exactly what they do best and delivering delicious, no-cost hot meals to Helene victims. Donate to them here.

Foothills Food Hub (McDowell County) - McDowell was hit really hard and this hub is working to source water and shelf-stable goods to distribute. They will continue to feed vulnerable populations and to support farmers with direct purchasing and a reliable market. Requesting monetary donations, which can be made online here.

TRACTOR Food & Farms (Spruce Pine*, Mitchell County) - In another hard-hit county, this hub is also working, much like the Foothills Food Hub, on connecting local farmers with folks in a system of equitable healthy food access in rural communities. Donate to this local food hub here.

*Interesting aside: Spruce Pine and its quartz mines were extremely damaged by flooding and this threatens the global tech industry. This rural town is home to one of the world’s only sources of high-purity quartz. The mines are currently trying to re-open.

MANNA FoodBank (Asheville) - This very large organization is still doing what they do best and distributing food, water, and more, despite having their warehouse/headquarters were destroyed in the flooding along the Swannanoa River. Donate online here.

Farmer Support & Advocacy

Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) (WNC) - this wide-reaching farmer advocacy org is currently reestablishing communications with WNC farmers and getting aid to them. They also have healthy food programs that, once operating again, will serve tangentially in the relief effort. I have worked adjacent to this org for the last year and am a dogged cheerleader of them and their work. Donations can be made here.

Center for Environmental Farming Systems (Qualla Boundry and WNC) -  CEFS works closely with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, NC State, extension services and more to support food and farm initiatives across WNC. I previously worked adjacent to this org and was extremely impressed by their commitment and effectiveness. Donate (ideally to “Friends of CEFS” for more flexible funding) here. 

Tierra Fértil Coop (Hendersonville) - social and economic farmer cooperative formed by a group of Hispanic community members living in Henderson County that grows and provides culturally-specific foods but also has community programs to support the Latinx community in Henderson county. I have attended some of their educational events and have worked adjacent to them. I am ever impressed by their work. Donate to them by emailing tierrafertilcoophv@gmail.com.

Economic Justice & More

Pisgah Legal Services (all over WNC) - these folks do just about everything “life admin” for WNC's most vulnerable populations and have done so for over forty years. They provide pro bono civil legal aid, health insurance enrollment, and more. I have worked adjacent to them over the last year and could not be more impressed by their broad scope of bi-lingual legal work that maintains incredible efficiency and effectiveness. Donate to them here. 

Just Economics (WNC) - JE works on shaping the economic development of WNC in a way that benefits everyone and promotes a sustainable future. I have attended some of their workshops and found them to be powerfully educational. I am also grateful for their political advocacy for living wages for all in WNC. They are not directly working on the Helene response (as far as I know), but the road to recovery is long and their economic justice advocacy will be especially crucial as WNC rebuilds. Donate to JE here. 

BeLoved (Asheville) - Org working on improving the well-being and quality of life for individuals, families, and communities through our focus areas of Home, Health, Equity, and Opportunity. On-the-ground volunteers are currently collecting and distributing a wide array of supplies and BeLoved will continue to play a significant long-term role in housing and more. Donate to BeLoved here.

Health Services & Equity

Blue Ridge Health (WNC) - Blue Ridge Health is a federally qualified health center that is continuing to provide accessible & affordable medical care and mental health care to vulnerable populations (now including Helene victims) with their sites around the region and mobile clinics. Donate here.

Vecinos (WNC) - This rapidly growing org provides direct healthcare services to underserved, uninsured communities with a focus on WNC's farmworkers at their clinics and with mobile clinics on site at farms. Donate to their continuing services here. 

Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry (Asheville based) - The ABCCM helps run and provide shelter in Asheville and is partnered with the Red Cross. Donations help pay for motel and food vouchers for local residents and long-term support for those displaced. A personal aside: ABCCM also has an awesome medical clinic serving uninsured folks and they were the only medical service I could find that would treat a tick born illness that I had when I first arrived in the US from Canada (I did not yet have health insurance). To donate to their Helene response, go here.

Schools & Youth

FernLeaf Community Charter School (Fletcher) - FernLeaf was partially destroyed by Helene (one of the school buildings was entirely lifted off of its foundation then dropped several feet away in a truly remarkable display of the power of water from a small nearby creek). Donate to FernLeaf here. 

United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County - The local United Way typically works on youth/child food security, educational support, and physical and mental health care services. The org is helping with immediate natural disaster response and long-term support for flood victims. Donations can be made online here.

Other

Blue Ridge Public Radio - obviously these NPR folks have been working around the clock to keep people informed in the old-fashioned way, over the airwaves. You can support them here.

[valyrfia]

i think sharing a published academic paper on wag pages on the subject of a very niche part of engineering that lily z just happens to be co-author on is incredibly invasive behaviour actually

[garyfiddlesticksdammit]

hey tumblr, potential blood warning here. it could pass as pie filling but for any of my folk who aren't a big fan of any potential blood!!! don't look further!!!

yea. uhh. these two... apple pie, guys...

[multicritter]

Constantly sending my partner posts I find on here like a 4yo running around the park and showing off cool bugs and sticks and rocks I find while my tail wags and she smiles at me and tells me how cool/cute it is and gently smooches my forehead so I can keep running around and finding new stuff to show

[satanfemme]

from journalist Erin Reed's subscriber notifs:

"Major breaking news: The Supreme Court has granted cert and will hear the gender affirming care ban in Tennessee. It will determine if gender affirming care bans violate equal protection rights. Still digesting what this means for other claims such as parental rights/due process claims. We knew this day would come and it looks to be coming sooner rather than later."

[reddxn]

brendon urie on a random tuesday in october:

[secret-subject]

Longtime YT lurker, first time anon now that I know you have Tumblr. Just wanted to say, "Corrupted by a Brainwashing Email" is one of the most amazing things I've ever listened to, that I couldn't tell you how many times I've listened to.

Thank you! That was a weird concept for my channel since I started making more asmr/pov type things. I really love the idea of a story within a story plus the idea of tech corruption is something I've always found fascinating. I'm really proud that people like it!