#the sun sets in south Atlanta

[godsg111rl]

[missbeautyandherbeast]

She's a Little Runaway

Raph x Reader (just squint)

Summary: Your life goes to hell in a handbasket so you call your cousin in New York and ask for a place to lay low for a bit. And she says yes... but her new friends might be more than you can handle.

A/n: *emerges from the void* hi guys

Aggravated, I pulled up my phone. The call went through. 

“Hey, Y/n, everything okay?” April sounded concerned. 

“Yeah,” My voice was clipped. I took a breath. “No,” my confession was defeated. “Can I come visit? For a bit?” 

“Is everything okay?” She asked again. 

“No,” I answered wistfully. “I need a break…a vacay—you still in New York?” 

“Yeah,” I heard her smile. “Book a flight, I’ll be there,” 

“You’re a godsend cuz,” 

“Yeah yeah, see you soon cuz,”

The flight into JFK was six hours with a layover in Atlanta but soon I was there. Away from the hell the south had created for me. April found me outside amongst the other cars waiting for pickup. With a quick hug and throwing my stuff into the trunk we drove off. 

“Whose car?” I asked skeptically, knowing a BMW was in neither of our tax brackets. 

“Casey’s parents. They let me borrow it.” April explained. 

“That’s nice of them,” I said pointedly. April rolled her eyes. 

“Shut up,” she laughed. 

With the traffic it was half an hour to Aprils apartment. My eyes lingered on the city skyscrapers. They still had me in awe. Part of me believed New York didn’t exist. It was a fictional place like Asgard, Wakanda, or Mordor. But here it was. 

Here I was. 

The sun set on the warm summer day around 9pm—something so odd for me but brought a smile to my face. It was the same country but an entirely different world. 

April left to drop the car back off at Casey’s parents and it gave me a couple of hours to myself which was so needed. Her little apartment had a guest room/office where a daybed was made up for me. I sat on the bed and took a deep breath. 

I was safe. 

I was far away. 

I was free. 

I blocked a few numbers just to prove it to myself. 

I wandered to the living room and found a home on the window seat, watching the city light up the nigh. 

April came back into the apartment a pizza in her hands and a smile on her face. 

“Guess who brought the best pizza in the city?” She teased. 

Laughing at her antics and a bit skeptic, I stood, going over. 

But there was a loud thud on the fire escape outside her window. I whipped around at the sound and froze. In the cover of darkness were massive shadows that loomed menacingly. 

“Uh, April!?” My voice wavered. “April!” My eyes adjusted to make the outlines of four anthropomorphic turtles. 

“Oh, shit!” April dashed in front of me. “It’s okay, these are my… friends,” 

“Friends?” I rose my eyebrows, staring wide-eyed at the giant turtles standing on her fire escape. “What the hell?” 

She opened the window and gave me a hesitant smile. “Yeah, this is Donnie, Mikey, Leo, and Raph,” Each of them gave a small wave. 

“April, who is this?” Leo, the one with a blue mask, asked. 

“This is Y/n, my cousin. She’s visiting for a few weeks,” 

“Well, welcome to New York chickadee!” Mikey said. “You gotta try the pizza.” 

I just stared still, trying to input the information to my brain. 

“Y/n?” April came over to me. “Are you okay?” 

“I… uh, yeah,” I gasped out. “I just need a minute to process,” I scrubbed my face taking deep breaths. 

“We mean you no harm,” Donnie said, raising his hands. “We are friends of April’s,”

I nodded. “Sure, sure,” I sat down on her window seat. 

“Maybe we should split,” Leo said. 

“Y/n?” April left the choice to me. 

“I… I just need a minute,” I repeated again. My eyes darted up and met curious green eyes—one of the brothers, the turtles. He was the only one who wasn’t on edge. He didn’t have a care in the world. “Okay,” I took a deep breath. 

“Okay?” April approached me cautiously. 

I nodded and came a small smile, my gaze darting back to green ones. “Are you sure?”

“I’m okay April,” I assured. “I’m an adult. I can handle this,” 

“Okay, because most people freak out,” 

“Well I am, but it’s cool,” 

“April maybe it’s better if we go,” Donnie said softly. “Why don’t you watch her up?” 

“I don’t want to ruin your night,” I interjected. “Or plans…” 

“It’s nothing. I was usually hang with them on the roof.” April said. “But you’re here,” 

“Go,” i chuckled. “I can handle down here. Ive got pizza and Netflix.” 

“You’re sure?” April asked again. 

“April,” I nearly snapped. “Just go,” I pushed her shoulder softly. 

“You can join us!” Mikey said happily. 

“Mikey!” The other three scolded. 

“Thanks. I’m just gonna stay here,” I said, forcing steady breaths in and out. Green eyes still held mine. He tilted his head in curiosity. 

“Okay,” April eyed me warily. “If you need anything we’ll be on the roof,” 

“Cool,” I gave a tight smile. 

They all disappeared up the fire escape except for Raph—those green eyes that wouldn’t leave me alone. 

“You okay kid?” He asked, leaning against the window frame. Without the pressure of everyone staring at me, I shrugged. 

“This is beyond weird,” I admitted, rubbing my face. “So… so weird.” 

“Yeah we get that a lot,” a sad smile pulled at his lips. “You really freaking out? Cuz I can go,” 

“This is kinda helping,” my gaze met his. He leaned against the fire escape railing and I moved to the bench next to the window. We were closer now than ever. 

“You’re telling me you’ve never met a mutant before?” He seemed genuinely surprised. I shook my head. 

“No, I… well, where I’m from we don’t exactly go looking for things in the woods at night and I’ve never lived in a city so…” 

“Huh,” 

“Are there a lot of you?” I asked. 

“Well, there’s the four of us brothers, but yeah a lot of mutants have come along now and again. Most of them are actually dangerous so… maybe be careful,” his lips pursed into a tight smile. 

“Noted,” 

“You are safe Y/n, we look after the city, and April. And if you’re her family it means you too,” his voice was sincere. 

“You just met me,” 

“Family is family,” his tone was bolder. “Aprils like a sister to us. I know she won’t let just anyone stay with her. You’re family. We’ll keep you safe.”

“Thanks Red,” 

“It’s Raph,”

“I know,” I smiled, standing. A smile quirked at his lips. “Go on up. I think I’m gonna turn in for the night,” 

“You sure you don’t want to join us? My brothers aren’t that bad,” 

“Not tonight,” I set the boundary. “But maybe soon,” 

“Soon then,” and with one last smile and wave, he was gone. 

I stared out the window for a good solid five minutes trying to rationalize what the hell had just happened. I knew New York was a different world from my own but this was not what I had in mind. 

Mutant turtles. 

Brothers. 

Friends with my cousin?

I might have cursed a little bit. Or a lot. 

Rationalization was an art. 

When I calmed down enough I texted April that I was in fact better and no longer freaking out. I attempted eating a bit of the pizza and I had to admit it was really good—New York style pizza was always the best. My mom (April’s aunt) had raised me on it. 

April came back down an hour later and I was just getting out of the shower. 

“I think I owe you an explanation.” She said. 

“That would be very nice,” I agreed. 

We sat on her couch and she began to talk. The past few years unraveled in her tale. Meeting the brothers—the small family. Fighting the Shredder and the Foot Clan. The other mutants and mutagen lost by the Kraang. The more she spoke the more I realized maybe New York City did belong on that list of magical realms… except it was a bit more real than I’d ever thought. 

“They’re some of my best friends,” She insisted. “They are really cool and nice. Once you get past…”

“The giant turtle part?” I mused with a smile. 

“Yeah,” she sighed. “I’m so sorry about all of this. I know you came up here for a break and this is definitely not easy to cope with.”

“It’s not,” I admitted. “But it’s better than what I left so…” 

“What the hell did you leave?” April was curious. 

Now it was my turn. My story of the past few years and how it all went up in flames the past six months leaving me lost, confused, and without a home for the first time in my life. April sympathized with me but it was hard. It would always be hard because I had walked through the trail by fire alone and the pain my burned heart experienced could never be described. But, perhaps it was enough to have April on my side. 

“You stay as long as you need,” she said firmly. “And if you need to stay a little longer and we turn that guest room into yours…” she offered. 

“I’ll think about it,” I smiled. “Thank you.”

Moving to New York was not on my radar at all… but maybe it could work out. Maybe it would be good for me. Or maybe it would just be running away and I was a coward. 

Or maybe it was both. 

I tucked those thoughts away. 

April took me around the city the next day. We did every touristy thing either of us could think of and fit into the day.  It was great fun and New York was enchanting. 

That night the brothers were back and I was a bit more—okay, I was less baffled this time. Still freaked out but it was better. I actually made it to the roof to hang out, wrapped up in one of Aprils sweaters at the unseasonal chill. 

The turtles tried to make me feel welcome but my brain was fighting shutting down again so it didn’t go the best. The one I had talked to the first night—Raphael realized this and didn’t give me an onslaught of questions. He just leaned against the same outcrop as me. We existed.

Going to grab another drink I heard an unfamiliar voice behind me. 

“Hey Red,” the voice startled me so I turned and swung, punching the intruder square in the nose. He fell to the ground, shocked. 

“What the hell red!?” 

“Casey!?” April ran over. 

Raphael broke out into laughter and I turned pink offering my hand out. The guy was grumbling and holding his nose letting out a few curses. 

“Sorry?” 

“Casey this is Y/n, Y/n, Casey,” April introduced as I helped him up. “She’s my cousin,”

“Do you just randomly walk up on people or…” I mused. 

“I thought you were April. Damn you can throw one,” he touched his nose gingerly. “Geez,”

“Sorry,” I said again, hiding behind my hands. 

“You’re telling me you can’t handle a punch Jones?” Raph walked up, creating a barrier between me and Casey—I was grateful for it. “I know I’ve hit you harder,” 

“Pfft. Whatever man,” Casey stalked off with little dignity. 

“Don’t let him get under your skin,” Raph said in a low voice. “He’s always pissy,”

“Is there something between him and April?” I asked watching the two of them together and thought back to the kindness his parents showed April. 

“He wishes,” Raphael snorted. “No they’re just friends.” 

I nodded. 

“You okay kid?” He kept asking me that question. I had the same response. A small shrug. 

“I feel bad. What if it had been a kid or something?” 

“I’m sure you’re too smart to deck some kid. An unfamiliar male voice coming from behind in New York?” His eyes met mine with a smirk. “You had the perfect reaction,”

A smile played at my lips and I felt better. “Thanks Red,” I nudged his shoulder. 

“Anytime kid,” his smile turned warm, real. “So I heard April took you around the city,” 

“Oh yeah!” My face lit up. “It was so cool. I—I love New York. I’ve always wanted to come, ever since I was little.”

“And now here you are,” he said. 

“Here I am,” I nodded. “Not what I thought it was gonna be,” my eyes scanned the three other brothers joking with Casey and April. 

“Yeah I bet we were a real curve ball.”

I nodded. “Not bad though. You guys are kinda cool and April just adores y’all.”

He gave me an amused you. “You’re totally still freaked out aren’t you?”

I laughed because he saw right through me. I didn’t admit it out loud but we both knew. 

“So, why’d you run away?” He asked, glancing at me. 

“What—how?” My eyes flashed to his. 

“Takes one to know one,” He smiled. “So?” 

“You a runaway?” 

He shrugged. “April lets me hide out too when I need some space.” 

“That’s nice of her,” I mused. “Guess she’s doin’ the same for me,” 

“So, why’d you run?” He asked again. My expression clouded. 

“I don’t wanna talk about it,” I said truthfully. “I—“

Raphael’s demeanor changed entirely. He wasn’t aloof and nonchalant; he was concerned and calm. “Hey don’t worry about it,” he smiled at me. “Enjoy your quiet then,” There was a loud crash and some yelling among the others—Mikey had spilled an entire two liter of soda and marinara sauce. “Well, as quiet as this can be,” He laughed. 

I offered a small smile and inhaled deeply, letting the ashes of my past be blown away with an exhale.

“Hey,” He called me from my sorrows. “If you ever want an escape and some quiet, no questions asked, you’ve got it,” Raphael said. “Just call. April’s got my number.” 

“No questions asked?” I mused. His lips quirked up as he nodded. “Thanks,” 

“Life is shitty sometimes, and an escape is nice,” 

“Yeah,” I agreed. 

My planned week visit turned into two weeks. Into three. Every time I thought about booking a flight back… I just didn’t. April was ready to give me her guest room, and to be honest I was ready to split the rent and call it. 

But could I do it? Could I leave everything behind because I was a coward? Because I couldn’t go back? Because losing this would hurt so much worse than losing what I had? 

I didn’t know and the thoughts were crippling. A thought came to me. I had gotten his number a week ago. And a promise the second night I was here. 

I picked up my phone and pressed call. 

“Y/n?” Raphael’s voice held worry. 

“I need an escape. No questions asked,” I breathed out. “Please,” 

“I’ll be there in five.” He said. 

I paced the floor, waiting for him to show up. His shadow overtook the window. I opened it. 

“Come on,” He grinned. “You ready?” 

“Where are we going?” I climbed out onto the fire escape. 

“No questions princess,” Raph smirked. 

“That’s not what that means,” I protested as we climbed to the roof. 

“Sure it is,” He grinned. “Come on,” 

________________________

Raphael got your phone call and nearly fell off the couch. When your strained voiced asked for an escape—what he had offered to you all those nights ago—he couldn’t say anything but yes. 

Here you were, on the roof with him, jittery, like you couldn’t sit still. He knew the rule was no questions asked, but he had so many. Instead, he led you through what he did when he needed an escape. He ran. 

“Keep up princess,” He threw over his shoulder. A predatory smile curled onto your lips and you took off after him. 

He kept pace so you could keep up with him but when he soared over an alley way you stopped, staring at him like he was crazy. 

“Raph there’s no way!” You shouted to him from across the way. “I can’t jump that!” 

“Yes you can! Trust yourself,” 

“Raphael,” You almost scolded. “If I die it’s on your hands,” 

“I can live with that,” He chuckled, fueling your fire. Shaking your head defiantly, you paced back before taking off and launching yourself off the roof, toward him. 

Raphael stood on the ledge and caught you, pulling you to safety. 

“Told ya,” He smirked, letting you go. 

You grinned up at him, panting heavily. There was s shine in your eyes and he loved it. You bounced back and forth on the roof in front of him, your hands coming up in a familiar position he knew well. 

“You ready to fight princess?” He mused, pulling his fists up. 

You shifted, settling into a fighting stance. “Bring it Red,” 

He laughed and the two of yo began to spar. He kept on defense, throwing a pulled punch now and again, letting you duck, dodge, and block. You two went back and forth, laughing and boxing—until he landed a hit and froze shocked. 

“Shit!” You laughed, dabbing your nose with the back of your hand. You didn’t stop though, instead you used his panic to deck him back, landing one on his jaw. 

“Time—time,” He called stepping back, not liking the blood dripping from your nose. You both relaxed. “Are you okay?”

“I can take a hit, Raph,” You said, smiling, cleaning the blood, tilting your head back for a minute until it stopped, completely unfazed. “Thought I definitely should have stretched before we started.” As if muscle memory, you began to stretch out your arms and shoulders. “Coulda let me know,” 

“How was I supposed to know you could fight?” He chuckled, trying to not watch you stretch, and failing now and again.

“I don’t very often,” You admitted. “But it’s a great stress reliever,” Raphael did a double take at your words. 

“Yeah—yeah it is,” He fumbled. 

“Normally I stick to working out,” You said finding a wall to stretch your shins on. “But this was fun,” You threw a smile over your shoulder. 

“You’re not scared?” Raph said, leaning against the wall. You shrugged and joined him. 

“I used to box with a linebacker, so, not really. He was a good friend,” Your eyes were lost in a memory. “I think you two’d get along,” 

Raph stared at you—you were oblivious, watching the city before you. Somehow, you showed up in his world, and you were everything he thought you weren’t. You weren’t soft and delicate—you had a sharp edge to you. You were a fighter—to blow off steam—to run and be free. You were like him.

He went and sat on the edge of the roof and you joined him, still panting softly. 

“It’s so big,” you murmured in awe. “I’ve always dreamed of coming here,” 

“I’m glad you came,” Raph smiled down at you. 

“Ya know. Despite all the shit that brought me here—I am too,” you leaned against him, your head on his shoulder. 

Raphael noticed you flexing your hands. They were raw from fighting. He called himself twenty types of stupid—his hands were always wrapped; he should have made sure yours were too before sparing. 

“You okay?” He nodded to your hands. 

“Didn’t break skin,” you assured. “Probably just bruised.”

“Don can fix you up in his lab,” Raphael said. 

“Oh yes,” a smile curled on your lips. “His lab in the completely not evil lair,” 

Raphael laughed. “It’s not that kinda lair—it’s home,” 

“Okay,” you shot him through the heart with your smile. 

“Okay?” He stammered. 

“Yeah,” you got up, stretching. “Why not?” 

As he came to the roof edge, going to cross you paused. 

“I can’t,” you said, stepping back. Raphael frowned and looked at you. You had done it before. “I’m too tired—my senses are off. Adrenaline is gone.” Admitting defeat sounded painful to you. 

“C’mere,”Raphael held his hand out. “I’ll carry you.”

You studied him, and he could see the energy leave your body. You took his hand, not having it in you to fight him. Raphael was grateful. He didn’t want you to purposefully fight him. 

He jumped from rooftop to rooftop with you in his arms, carrying you down to the lair. He set you on your feet and led you to Donnie’s lab. 

“Y/n! Oh my gosh,” Donnie nearly fell out of his chair and you managed a giggle. “Are you okay?” Judging the dried blood and bruised knuckles, Donnie didn’t miss a thing. 

“I’m okay,” your lips quirked up. “Just sparred with Raph, no big,” 

“Raph!” Donnie scolded. “Dude!”

“Oy!” You interjected. “It’s okay—I’m fine. It was…“ your eyes met his. “It was a lot of fun,” 

“Oh god, you’re just as crazy as he is,” Donnie muttered, examining your knuckles. “They’re just bruised, nothing broken. I can get you some advil and some ice,” 

“I’ll take the Advil—skip in the ice,” you said. “Thanks,” you took the meds and looked back at him. “I need a shower… take me home?” The way you asked him Mande Raphael lose his train of thought. He recovered, but not quick enough without your knowing look. 

“Uh. Yeah. Of course,” he fumbled. You said your goodbyes to his brothers and he led you back to the rooftops. You both walked this time. 

______________________

There was a nervous energy in my chest as we walked back to Aprils apartment. It was so easy to be with Raphael but right now it was so hard to form a coherent sentence. 

“You’re a good fighter,” he finally said breaking the silence. I exhaled and managed a smile. 

“Thanks. I… I don’t do it often—only when I’m really stressed.” I worried my lip, my mind wandering back to why I came to New York in the first place. “You’re fun to spar with,” I dared to look at him, begging to be brought back into reality. 

“You don’t think I’m too rough?” 

I shook my head. “You freaked out when you hit me. I think you know how to control your hits,” I chuckled and raised an eyebrow. “Or are you telling me you weren’t pulling your punches?” 

“I was,” he assured quickly. “I’d—I’d never—no,” He was very stressed about the idea of actually hurting me. I reached out and placed my hand on his arm in an effort to calm him. 

“I know Red, it’s okay,” 

His eyes met mine and he smiled. Raphael stopped and gestured to the nearest fire escape—I was home. I climbed down back to Aprils apartment and he followed me. 

“Thanks Red. For everything,” he was standing outside the window, so close but so far.  

“Anytime.” He promised. “Just call.” 

“I—yeah,” a smile touched my lips. “I’ll see you later Red,” 

“Later princess,” he saluted then took off into the night. I watched the window for a while before I meandered to take a shower. When I closed my eyes in bed that night I was still flying through the air with him over those rooftops. 

————————————

Raphael headed home, and Leo was waiting for him. Even his snotty brother couldn’t dampen his mood—Raphael was on cloud nine because of you—not only the time he spent with you but also all of the new things he learned about you were valuable. 

“What happened?” Leo asked, rather calmly. “You just took off and you bring her back here after fighting?” 

Raph paused. “I don’t know all of it. But she’s running from something and—I told her any time it was too much, we could escape, no questions asked.” 

“So you two just fought? That’s your idea of an escape?”

Raphael chuckled and shook his head. “It was hers. We were just running rooftops and all of a sudden she’s bouncing on her toes ready to fight—you should have seen her Leo, she’s incredible,” 

“You need to be more careful Raph!” Leo scolded. 

“She can handle herself Leo. And I’m not gonna hurt her. We were sparring—I pulled every punch,” Raph leaned against a wall. “You saw her put Casey on his ass on accident. She’s incredible Leo,” 

Leo was silent a moment but Raph didn’t care. He headed for the dojo—his adrenaline was long from being gone. 

“You like her,” Leo called after him. 

Raphael chuckled to himself, knowing his brother was right. 

.

.

@brightlotusmoon @legendarybeauty @crazywritingbug @ravn-87 @just-a-casual-fangirl-011 @ilikestuffproductions @whygz @coffee-addict @sugarspooks15 @blossom-skies @fantastical-67impala-fangirl @iceprincess2019 @merindagriese @bengewatch @cobramarie @bitemebro522 @muleka-loka @curadopordeus @artemismohr18 @beautiful-pegasus @shanidenise @lovelyyroseee @yourlieberhoe @dolphincommander @molzies-fanfics @msmcsmutt @zombiesnips-blog

[dallasgallant]

Gone with the wind |

Made a meta a while ago combining a few themes within the novel to Great Expectations, a novel Pony mentions reading for school. So I’ve decided to read Gone with the Wind too.

This meta is somewhat easier than Great Expectations as the book outright tells you why it’s important to the story and just what Pony and Johnny take out of it! The traits of “them southern boys” as they find themselves having to uphold similar standards of masculinity. Their gentle traits internal to the outward standard, though with less pressure to some degree due to class.

In the book it mentions ‘riding into battle. Gallant men’ and the movie draws two paragraphs a couple hundred pages apart. One on bodies sprawled in the sun during the siege of Atlanta(?) and then ‘those who refused to recognize defeat who road into sure disaster because they were Galant.’

Southern honor:

A sense of self tied to perception and status, often tied to adherence to tradition and independence.

It is an incredibly interesting historic concept which was delved into a lot in a class I took on the Old South, it’s been a semester and I will look through my notes but please forgive this for being a little more rambly then distinct. There’s going to be a loss of nuance here just because this isn’t a full lecture lol. The concept is a duel thing as on one hand, having honor and pride is not inherently bad but it’s the headstrong refusal to accept any other view that leads to self and societal destruction. Something to note is that the particular brand from Gone with the wind and that tends to be talked about the most academically is of the “large planter” variety, a class of people so rich and powerful and few they’d essentially become a aristocratic group of hyper elites. It’s interesting to look into but not the point of this meta, just setting the stage. The novel goes into even the aftermath the old views don’t die, there’s no adapting or accepting- just festering in confusion and hate… to be so headstrong is both remarkable and incredibly stupid. An analogy would be the emperor’s clothes caught fire but he walks around as if he is still clothed. Gone with the Wind is a really fascinating book to be told from the Uber rich perspective, the views of society and war from that class and Homefront perspective and its criticisms. Apparently, the movie is not nearly as analytical and more pretty dress gone how sad, but it’s not what we’re here for.

That’s more me rambling than proper analysis, it may be bare bones without some background but I’m going to tie it together now.

As the type of Southern honor they’d admire while reading is more the base concept of it, they’d relate far more to some conscripted “white trash” than the elite. This honor did defuse a bit across the society, though like any poorer people aren’t subject to half as many social rules and have their own variation but the base remains.

Greasers have their own similar sense of honor.

They’re brash and quick to fight and get angry. They’re defiant. Their duty to protect their own and what’s theirs, to help, fight to maintain appearance in their own little circles. They’re loyal and bound to help each other. They have dignity. They’re tied to anger and masculinity and the confusion of youth. The same goes for being gallant, their loyalty and duty to each other and their bravery shown in a rumble or just facing the day to day struggle with a stone face. Staying cool in the face of it all. That’s tuff. That’s gallant. That’s Greaser honor.

Similar to the concept of southern honor it also depends greatly upon others perception of you than your own, it is putting up a grand tough facade. It is doing everything to protect the image you fought so hard to maintain.

It’s easy to see why Johnny latches onto and recognizes Gallant behavior. They focus more on the tough and cool and strong parts because they do in lives all the time.

Another connection is the loss of innocence, Pony has his life forever altered by the events of the book. Pony can’t go back to who he was when he left the movie house just as Scarlett can’t go back to a Belle who never knew want. The change to his person is not as drastic but it is too a loss of a place in time. When the gang was all together, happy and simple. That too is… Gone with the wind.

—

Thinking about how Pony would stop and explain civil war stuff to Johnny because he didn’t know much about it, which is so sweet not only reading aloud but explaining. But also thinking about if pony got stuck on some big old words and they just went “I dunno” and moved on.

Also unrelated but I went out of my way to find a blue cover copy because I’m a nerd. Don’t have the second copy from the Hospital giftshop though, it was a hardcover and we never get a good look.

Props to them for getting half way in 4-5 ways this book is like 800+ pages, oh my God. I’m still not completely through (have 100 or so pages) and it’s been months 🫡

[frankendykes-monster]

Check their shoes and look for mud!” shouted one Atlanta police department officer to another. The sun was setting against a tree line growing greener daily due to recent balmy, spring-like weather in Atlanta, but the bucolic setting of a Sunday in the sun at a free music festival abruptly became panic and chaos. Dozens of law enforcement officers, many with automatic weapons, swarmed into a forest of hundreds of acres, seeking to find any of the 200 or so activists who had set fire to a bulldozer, trailer and other infrastructure used for construction on “Cop City”, a $90m, 85-acre police and fire department training center, about an hour earlier. The clash was just the latest dramatic chapter to hit the Cop City project, which has already seen one environmental activist shot dead by police – the first incident of its kind in the US – and drawn national and international attention to the fight to save the Georgia forest where the giant project is planned. The one officer’s frenzied order about dirty footwear seemed as absurd as any part of the Sunday night operation, since Georgia rains had left muddy patches all over the forest, and at least 600 people were lying on the grass, or camped among the trees, or entering the forest to catch an evening’s music under the stars or leaving – thus many had mud on their shoes. But such was the situation on Sunday night, on the second night of the fifth “week of action” by activists over the last year dedicated to protecting the land called South River forest on municipal maps and Weelaunee forest by activists – using the Muscogee (Creek) word for “brown water”. The scene included police running through trees, arresting a legal observer from the National Lawyers Guild, sending a negotiator to agree on terms with five randomly chosen individuals for letting about a hundred music festival audience members safely leave the forest, and detaining journalists for questioning on “what they were there to cover”. The first two days had included free music, herbal workshops and a peaceful march through neighborhoods surrounding the forest south-east of Atlanta. Then, around 5.30 on Sunday evening, about 200 activists, most in balaclavas and camouflage clothing, began lining up to the right of the stage. They marched around three sides of the audience, chanting “Viva Tortuguita” – a reference to Manuel Paez Terán, a 26-year-old activist who was camping several hundred feet away from that spot on 18 January when police shot and killed him in another raid. It was the first time police killed an environmental activist while protesting in US history. Authorities said that Paez Terán fired first. After several hours of chaos on Sunday night, 23 people – including a legal observer with the National Lawyers Guild – had been arrested and charged with “domestic terrorism” under state law, adding to the 18 defendants facing the same unprecedented charges who have been arrested in recent months.

[longliveblackness]

What Happened When A White Man "Became" Black In The 1950s America?

John Griffin had previously served in the U.S. military, where shrapnel caused him to go temporarily blind. However, in 1959, Griffin would do something even more trying: He would live for six weeks as a black man in the South.

It was blindness that inspired John Howard Griffin, a white author and journalist from Dallas, Texas, to write about color in the United States. In 1956, Griffin, blind at the time, sat in on a panel discussion in Mansfield, Texas about desegregation. Unable to tell the speakers' races from their voices, Griffin began to see color anew.

Under the supervision of a New Orleans-based dermatologist, Griffin would spend a week under a sun lamp, up to 15 hours a day, soaking up UV rays. He would also take Oxsoralen, a prescription drug meant to treat vitiligo, which would aid in expediting the darkening of his skin.

With darker skin, and a shaved head and arms, Griffin set out to the American South - starting in New Orleans and ending in Atlanta. Griffin had a few rules for this journey: Namely, that he would stay at black-only hotels, eat at cafes run by African-Americans, and travel with African-Americans. If anyone asked him what he was doing, he would be honest.

Just as his skin color changed, so too did the treatment he received from others. Describing what he called a "hate stare" he received in a bus station lobby, Griffin wrote:

"I walked up to the ticket counter. When the lady ticket-seller saw me, her otherwise attractive face turned sour, violently so. This look was so unexpected and so unprovoked I was taken aback.

'What do you want?' she snapped.

Taking care to pitch my voice to politeness, I asked about the next bus to Hattiesburg. She answered rudely and glared at me with such loathing I knew I was receiving what the Negroes call the hate stare'. It was my first experience with it. It is far more than the look of disapproval one occasionally gets. This was so exaggeratedly hateful I would have been amused if I had not been so surprised."

John Griffin wrote a book called Black Like Me about his experience. The book was published in 1961 and was later translated into 14 languages and a film. The harrowing stories within its pages, coupled with Griffin's own transformation, generated strong public responses.

•••

¿Qué sucedió cuando un hombre blanco "se volvió" negro en los Estados Unidos en la década de 1950?

John Griffin había servido previamente en el ejército de los Estados Unidos, fue aquí donde la metralla le causó ceguera temporal. Sin embargo, en 1959, Griffin haría algo aún más difícil: por seis semanas, viviría como un hombre negro en el sur.

Fue la ceguera lo que inspiró a John Howard Griffin, un autor y periodista blanco de Dallas, Texas, a escribir sobre el color en los Estados Unidos. En 1956, Griffin, quien se encontraba ciego en ese entonces, se sentó en un debate sobre desegregación, el cual fue llevado a cabo en Mansfield, Texas. Al no poder determinar la raza de los oradores basándose en su voz, Griffin comenzó a ver el color como algo nuevo.

Bajo la supervisión de un dermatólogo de Nueva Orleans, Griffin pasaría una semana debajo de una lámpara solar, hasta quince horas por día, absorbiendo rayos ultravioleta. También tomaría Oxsoralen, un medicamento recetado que es para tratar vitiligo, lo cual ayudaría a acelerar el oscurecimiento de su piel.

Con piel oscura y con la cabeza y brazos rasurados, Griffin se dirigió al sur de Estados Unidos, comenzando en Nueva Orleans y terminando en Atlanta. Griffin tenía un par de reglas para este viaje: se quedaría en hoteles para personas negras, comería en cafeterías operadas por afroamericanos y únicamente viajaría con afroamericanos. Si alguien llegase a preguntarle qué era lo que estaba haciendo, sería honesto.

Así como cambió su color de piel, también cambió el trato que recibía de los demás. Describiendo lo que el llama “una mirada de odio”, la cual que recibió en la recepción de una parada de autobús, Griffin escribió:

“Me dirigí hacia la taquilla. Cuando la mujer que estaba vendiendo los boletos me vio, su rostro, que de otro modo sería atractivo, de una manera abrupta se volvió amargo. Esta respuesta fue tan inesperada y sin provocación alguna. Me sorprendió.”

“¿Qué es lo que quieres?” me preguntó de manera grosera.

“Asegurándome de mantener la voz en un tono cortés, le pregunté cuando saldría el próximo bus a Hattiesburg. Me contestó de manera grosera y me estaba viendo con tanto odio, simplemente sabía que estaba recibiendo lo que los negros llaman “la mirada de odio”. Esta fue mi primera experiencia con ella y es más que la mirada de desaprobación que le dan a uno de vez en cuando. Esto estuvo exageradamente cargado de odio y me hubiese divertido si no hubiese estado tan sorprendido.”

Griffin escribió un libro sobre su experiencia, llamado ‘Negro como yo’. El libro fue publicado en 1961 y luego se tradujo a un total de catorce idiomas y se hizo una película. La historias desgarradoras y la transformación de Griffin, causaron una fuerte respuesta pública.

[redistrictgirl]

The Big Gut Check - Presidency

Disclaimer: This is NOT my model and this is NOT statistics-focused.

We’re in the final countdown to the second wacky federal election in a row. I have all the information I want to set some personal expectations, and a LOT of you wanted to see my hunch, so here it is. I disagree with my model.

I think Vice President Harris is in a very good position heading into Election Day. I’m not saying that as a left-leaning hack, I’m saying this from the same place that made me predict the winners of 49 out of 50 states correctly in 2020. I’m also hopeful that, after four years of studying the intricacies of electoral politics in my free time, those feelings are even sharper. I doubt I’m going to bat .980 again, to be clear, but I think I can at least provide more insight than the people who just say “it’s close, IDK” or “Harris is gonna win South Carolina” or “New Hampshire is a tossup!”

Let’s break down what I expect to be the closest states as well as some of my hot takes, including my reasoning. Margin predictions will be within two points, because a four-point range tells us nothing and trying to call it within a single point is like trying to hit a dartboard bullseye with a giant Sharpie. My favorite points of consideration included:

My hypothesis of modern political gravity, where elections center around a D+3 margin (+/- 1) in the popular vote on presidential years.

Nate Silver’s, Nate Cohn’s, and Ettingermentum’s analyses of pollster herding (or adjusting of results excessively to match the consensus).

The final Selzer, Siena, and Marist polls, parsed with an understanding of them as snapshots and not predictions.

A few smart peoples’ analyses of early voting in Pennsylvania. (Ralston would have made it too if he didn’t drag his feet.)

General Thoughts: I think Ms. Harris is being underestimated, both because her national polling average has fallen substantially below the D+2 to D+4 range we would expect from our highly polarized electorate and because her statewide polling is atrocious compared to even that. Herding might be contributing here. Mr. Trump’s campaign, meanwhile, is incredibly nervous, to the point where THEY LEAKED AN INTERNAL THAT STILL SHOWED HIM LOSING GROUND FROM 2020. I’m also seeing a high enthusiasm factor from Democrats, not just in opinion polling, but on the ground compared to what I saw in the heart of Atlanta in Fall 2020 (to be fair, enthusiasm among the GOP is also clearly substantial!) I was real about Ms. Harris’ collapse in October, but I think she’s bouncing back at the perfect time and polls are missing it (similarly to Mr. Trump in 2016, some might argue.)

Wisconsin: Yes, this is probably going to be the tipping point state again. I don’t care that Pennsylvania is supposedly closer in the polls, this happened in 2020 too. That said, we have a very good poll for Ms. Harris here from Marist and the state shares a border with Iowa (more on that later). Harris +0 to +2

Pennsylvania: 2022 repeat. Early vote has been exactly what Democrats need and hedging has been berserk in this state. The only thing that makes me hesitate on this is an even poll from Siena, even if the Marist one was rough for Mr. Trump. Harris +1 to +3

North Carolina: This might be a little bit of a surprise given my… other Sun Belt takes. But there’s a fantastic poll for Ms. Harris here from Siena and I think an overall slightly bluer environment than polls indicate will also make this closer than the current data suggest. Though it could be a “Dewey Defeats Truman” situation, Marist’s poll last week is a bright spot for Mr. Trump. Gun to my head, Harris, but this is still my pick for the closest state presidentially. Trump +1 to Harris +1

Nevada: In the absence of Ralston’s guidance, I feel like there’s a lot of split signs between polling and demographics, but this feels like a state Mr. Trump wins in a squeaker. Trump +1 to Harris +1

Georgia: Say what you will about him, but the Georgia GOP is building momentum under Governor Brian Kemp. The top pollsters have broken a bit from the riffraff, being nicer to Democrats, but I don’t think it will be quite enough. Trump +2 to +0

Arizona: If you said this would be Mr. Trump’s best swing state two years ago, I would have laughed in your face. But the polling is undeniable at this point - the former President is approaching 50% in the averages and top pollsters have been even more impressive for him. The crank in me blames Katie Hobbes for being forgettable. Trump +4 to +2

Iowa: I think Ann Selzer might have her first genuine miss on her hands - it’s just too hard to construct a presidential-year environment where Ms. Harris wins the state or keeps it as close as The Big Seven. At the same time, unless she’s comically wrong (and I would never bet that hard against her), there’s almost certainly going to be very real, very substantial movement away from Republicans in the Hawkeye State. Trump +5 to +3

Maine’s Second Congressional District: I’ve been bearish on Mr. Trump here all cycle thanks to a poor showing for the GOP in 2022, and our very limited polling here seems to line up with that. Trump +4 to +2

Kansas: Very demographically similar to Iowa, it was zooming left even before this cycle, and the lone recent poll I believe we have from this state was almost as shocking as Selzer’s, only having the Vice President trailing by 5%. Trump +10 to +8

New Jersey: It would be strange for every non-giant state to trend left or mostly stagnate, and the Garden State seems like a prime candidate to move in Mr. Trump’s direction given its proximity to New York and high nonwhite and (to a lesser extent) Orthodox Jewish population. This is a very wild guess, but hey, no polling to contradict me. Harris +8 to +10

Texas: A rare example where I think pollsters might be herding in favor of Ms. Harris, considering the border (again), nonwhite population (again), and the fact that Siena’s most recent poll, despite being nearly ten days old, had Mr. Trump gaining in the state. Trump +7 to +5

[traitorca]

My Iron Lung - The Walking Dead

Daryl Dixon x Grimes!Reader - 2

Masterlist

He’s dead. Rick is dead, that’s what he told you. Shane couldn’t stay in there long, and neither could any of you as troopers shot and killed just about anyone in sight. You slapped him, for some reason you actually slapped him. It wasn’t that you didn’t believe him- no, of course you didn’t, it seemed so unlikely. His vitals were just fine as of your last visit- but Shane wouldn’t lie about that- That was his best friend and you couldn’t just feel entitled- no, paranoid because of your relationship. Despite your inner turmoil, it took everything in you not to rush back in there and see for yourself the outcome of Rick.

That leads you to now, grip on the steering wheel harsh as you drove out of Kings County, to the interstate which would lead you to Atlanta. The radio said that a safe zone was put up, that seeking refuge would be possible while they figure out how to stop this outbreak. But from an epidemiologist’s perspective, you didn’t think it could be stopped.

Prior to the apocalypses reign in the States, you had received a call from your colleague when the UK had just been shut down for quarantine. They had asked- urgently, for any information based upon your latest research. Now that you thought about it, it seemed suspicious of you to leave so urgently after working on a patient who undoubtedly was a cause of this pandemic. You had told them all you knew, bacteria, infection- ants.

Why ants? Well, you were sure it had something to do with the zombie ant fungus native to the rainforests of South America. This disease was capable of taking pathogenesis and altering the entire behavioral system of an ant, and making it a tool for conquering. To an extent, this victim would die spreading a disease- but unfortunately, not all of the symptoms in this apocalypse matched those. But it was entirely possible- the thought of the world sweltering due to atmospheric change, global warming- who wasn’t to say such a fungi wouldn’t adapt to its surroundings? In an attempt of desperation, try a different host? Not to say this was all caused by an ant, but there were no theories that served as a proper alternative.

You couldn’t even cry, that’s how strange this all was. Your brother was dead, and you couldn’t feel a thing but the adrenaline rush. If you weren’t careful, you were sure to rear end someone on the highway as they all seemed to slow down. To be honest, you weren’t that familiar to road rage, but this was a new level of anger.

Shane was sitting in the passenger seat, arm propped up on the open window. It was too hot to sit idle in a car, underneath the setting sun, on the middle of a highway in Georgia. Atlanta better be worth it.

An accident of some sorts had happened up on the road, a blockage of cars preventing the caravan from moving further into Atlanta. This called for the people in their cars to gather outside, mingle together at any chance for survival or support until they were able to make it there safely. Which- to some people, is a good thing. Strength in numbers. But if you learned anything from your line of work, and you were sure Shane knew it too, people don’t change overnight when the world goes to shit. Maybe their world was shit already, and this only would give them an excuse to act out and lose the last ounce of morality they had.

You sat on the car's hood, a melted popsicle in hand as you watched Carl talk to a girl about his age. You had packed the last few Otterpops left in your freezer, and it was holding Carl over, and you were surely content as you could be. Lori and Shane had wandered with a group of people into the woods, dusk falling over the sky. Helicopters flew past overhead, their propellers slicing through the air as you bit into the ice.

“My Aunt is the coolest! She’s a scientist- I think she can figure this whole thing out-!” Carl, bless his heart, was just excited he had someone to talk to. But things like that- saying you could potentially save the world? That was a large claim, and you were unsure you were fit to fill the expectation.

“A scientist?” Sophia responded, looking up at you. “You don’t look like a scientist.”

“I don’t look like a lot of things.” You responded, smiling down at her as you pushed yourself off the hood of Shane’s jeep. “I am a scientist but-“

“So you know what’s going on?” Sophia’s mother, Carol, seemed to train attention to the conversation. “What ‘this’ is?”

“Well- it’s really hard to say, but before I left my research, I had found that it could be related to fungi-“

“Or the wrath of God!” Carl finished for you.

“Yeah. That too.”

This didn’t seem to bring any comfort to Carol or her daughter, but she seemed keen on staying around you. “Do you think… you could fix it?”

“Well- I don’t know if IM the right one for that, there are plenty of other experienced people in my field-“

“But could you?”

“Carol, stop fucking around with this woman.” Her husband came out of their car, eyes narrowed as he grabbed her wrist. “Sorry if she’s bothering you, Doc.” The nickname was bitter, almost as if it was drenched in venom.

“No. It’s okay. I’m just afraid I don’t know all the answers.” You laughed anxiously, looking back at Carl as you ruffled his hair.

He laughed at that. How charming, if you could roll your eyes you would. “I wouldn’t leave that job to a woman anyway, leave it to the professionals.”

“Excuse me?” Out of all the misogynistic things said to you your whole life, this was honestly something you weren't expecting. You were pissed, other hand clenched around the otterpop that was long gone by now. Before you could get another word out, the horizon lit up in large, orange plumes of light. The ground shook, noises comparable to thunder flooded the air. Helicopters whipped past, smoke visibly now as it surfaced over Atlanta.

What happened to Atlanta being safe?! Safe my ass.

Carl dove for your arms, hands gripping the back of your tank top as he shook. “Where’s mom-?! She should’ve been back-“

“Shh- no, she’s fine. She’s with Shane, alright? He wouldn’t let anything happen to her. Just like I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” You whispered, kissing your head. “See? See, people are coming back from the woods. Lo will be here.” You really had to work on your comforting skills, because as much as you wanted Carl to believe your words, you weren’t sure you believed them either.

The next few days were slow, hot, and downright depressing. You had found a group at that blockade on the highway a few days back, and had located yourself at a quarry. Your new found purpose was in the form of a man named Dale, sisters Amy and Andrea, T-Dog, Glenn, Morales and his family, Jacqui, Jim, Carol, Ed, and Sophia- you were never popular in highschool, so this really must be your IT girl phase.

Rumors of your ex-occupation spread fast, Carl not leaving a single detail out. You were unsure if he was saying these things to show off, or convince himself that this world could be fixed. It was sad when you thought about it, Carl never really had the chance to be a kid. He was about- eleven now? No, twelve. This really was a reminder you weren’t around much. You were glad you were here now at least, and you were damn sure Carl wouldn’t leave your sight this time. Lori could take care of herself- well, more like Shane would take care of her instead. You weren’t going to act dumb, you knew the way Shane looked at her wasn’t just friendly. Nothing about Shane was “just friendly”.

People seemed to keep you close, constantly making conversation with you- questioning you on your job. You hate to say it, but you didn’t get the job for the money or the attention. You weren’t like a NASA scientist or whatever- so this was strange. People were so convinced you were some special, intelligent alien from another world- but you were just a woman in her twenties.

Rick would know what to do. Rick always knew what to do, he’s the reason you got out of Kings County- because he told you that you were meant for more. Not to be locked in a life you couldn’t escape. You had no doubt Rick loved his son and wife, family was a big part of being a Grimes, but you knew you weren’t just your family name, and he did too.

All the things you could’ve said to him, and you couldn’t. And now he was dead, probably mauled to death in some hospital bed, infected- a freakish monster, much like the ones he promised to protect you from when you were just a child.

How you missed the times when THAT was the thing to be afraid of.

You liked your time alone, you had always been a loner- but this was another level. Walking alone as a woman was scary enough- but now it was much more than men who would grab you without thinking twice. Now they didn’t have to think at all. Despite this, you enjoyed walking out by yourself- with a firearm of course, considering nothing was really illegal and it was the ONLY option anyway. Besides, the group didn’t have any real, concrete food sources, and you were damned to hell if Shane was really going to feed you all frogs for dinner. So you offered to find berries and plants that were edible, because- not to brag, you were pretty darn smart when it came to a lot of things.

The pine straw shuffled beneath your feet, sun slowly setting above you as birds softly chirped overhead, almost as if they were scared to draw too much attention. Your lips were pressed into a thin line, a small drop of sweat dripping down your forehead at a leisurely pace. You had a bucket with you, filled with all sorts of plants you had collected from the underbrush. You missed real food- even squirrels were starting to look better on a dinner plate than in a tree- and that’s when you KNOW you’ve gone crazy. Maybe the apocalypse wasn’t for everyone, but your resilience made you a strong contender- but also, a really big fucking idiot.

Picky eaters suck ass in situations like this.

You didn’t get too terribly far, but you were starting to realize that your surroundings were becoming a little bit too unfamiliar for your liking. With this in mind, you noted that you should probably head back soon as the sun was getting lower every passing moment.

Your feet turned, body instantly colliding with something as you fell to the ground. A freak. A fucking freak gnawing at you- shaky hands keeping his jaw lengths away from your face. How had you not heard it?! What the fuck- Teeth, nails, teeth, nails, teeth- teeth teeth teeth- watch the teeth!

You cursed, hand reaching for your gun as your bucket was long gone from your grasp. You struggled, grunting as you attempted to push its body off of you with just one hand. How fucking embarrassing- no one had ever caught you this off guard before, much less a freak.

“Get the fuck off! Get off-!” You yelled, hand finally freeing your gun from your belt. You knew loud noises would draw them- you couldn’t risk that, not with your camp near. You ALSO knew that if they heard a gun fire, you couldn’t pretend to know nothing about it. Shane would never let you out again if he knew what a close call you had. So, you did the next best thing. You slammed the butt of your gun straight into its head, knocking it off of you. It rolled, gurgling as it went to stand again. You rolled away, hands pushing yourself up as you turned to face it again. You raised your gun, mentally preparing for the shit show Shane and Lori were going to be when you got back, having fired a gun-

You aimed, fingering the trigger as you slowed your breathing. Remember what Rick taught you, slow, precise- shoot.

The walker fell, but you hadn’t pulled the trigger.

A second passed as you stared.

Another, as you lowered your gaze to the ground.

In its head, where the bullet would’ve been, was a carbon arrow with a green fletching.

“Well look a’ what we have ‘ere, Darlina… I dare say you just saved her ass.”

Men fucking suck.

taglist:🏷️: @poubxlle @kovieky @fallenkitten @dixonsboy19

[monstrousfemale]

55 for the spotify ficlet!!

Thanks for sending this! ❤️ This song I'd almost forgotten about and then it turned up in the Wrapped list and I'm reminded I looove it.

It was 1991 when they managed to scrounge up the funds. Eddie’s van was in good shape, his job had been to make sure the thing could drive far enough that they could see the coast. Nancy and Robin had graduated from college, and they moved back home for a bit, which was when this idea finally managed to spring into reality. Steve had been saving up for a moment such as this very one since he graduated from high school, really. 

They piled up into the van, Steve riding shotgun for the first leg of their trip, down seemingly endless stretches of road, headed South. Nancy and Robin were in the back, not in their seats with the seatbelts on, but sprawled on the floor, chatting in what sounded like riddles to the guys up front, in a language all of their own. They held hands, because that felt more like home than Hawkins ever could. 

There was music flooding the air, crashing and rolling over them, something Eddie had picked. It was all heavy instrumentals, angry vocals, but it was low enough that their laughter still could be heard over it. Nancy started going over what they’d do once they reached New Orleans, then drove along the southern coast for beaches. She wanted to relax and start on a book as soon as she could sink her feet in warm sand. Robin suggested the very first thing would be to mourn Eddie, since vampires were supposed to burn up in the sun. Eddie interjected with a “ha-ha, hilarious Buckley”, but he shot her a smile over his shoulder. Nancy kissed her when Eddie wasn’t looking anymore, whispered about their shared room, about staying up late drinking and kissing.

Up front, Eddie had his left hand leaning on the headrest of Steve’s seat, fingers tangling and untangling in his hair as he drove. Steve was leaning into the touch, his own hands busy with a Rubik’s cube, courtesy of Dustin. It has been his farewell gift. The kids had mastered the thing a few years back, most of them able to complete them in a minute or two when they set their minds to it. But Steve never had finished one, and this was his resolution for this trip. 

Eddie spent the whole time he was driving stealing glances at Steve’s face, appreciating the focus that put a crease between his brows, appreciating the glimpse of his tongue that poked between his lips when he wasn’t singing along to Eddie’s music. When he switched with Nancy as designated driver, he dragged a sleepy Steve from the passenger seat, half carried him into the back with him. They sat close together, Eddie’s back to the side of the van, Steve’s back pressed to his front, sitting between his legs. Eddie’s chin kept poking his shoulder when he would lean forward to speak into Steve’s ear, but Steve didn’t mind one bit. 

Driving all the way down South was a pain, but it was also grand. They were tired, and they spent way more money in gas than they had first thought they would (Nancy kept telling Eddie “I told you so” after the second unplanned gas station stop). But they did zigzag to every major city they could, from Louisville to Nashville, then going out of their way to see Atlanta for the first time. There was freedom in having their own itinerary, in having no rush, no timelines. They’d figure things out as they went, and they slept in the van when they couldn’t be bothered to find a cheap enough hotel along the way. They had the safety of each other, and in the Summer the days were long, the light staying with them seemingly as long as they needed it. 

The 15-hour trip turned into a three-day event, and none of them were too bothered by it. They were just enjoying each other’s company, singing along to the radio, making fun of the local station hosts as they passed by tiny towns, tinier even than their own. 

Reaching New Orleans would be great, of course. It was what the main destination they had planned for, of course. But also it wasn’t even as important as just doing this. Steve and Robin were already in talks of a full on cross-country road trip after this, while Nancy and Eddie sat up front and discussed lodging options. Nancy had this thick travel guide which promised “1000 different stays down south!”, and Eddie kept dismissing options for increasingly silly reasons. It was driving her crazy, and he loved her for it. 

The weather was beautiful as they got to the city center, but they wanted to keep driving until they hit the ocean, so they headed to Grand Isle. And then, just as they could see the blue in the horizon, clouds started marring the sky. They were hit with a massive summer storm, complete with loud thunder and lightning that struck closer and closer. They parked their van close to the beach, went outside anyway. The heavy downpour soaked them in no time, but they laughed and screamed and ran towards the ocean. 

It didn’t matter that the car would get wet, it didn’t matter that they’d drag wet sand and clothes into the hotel later. Home had felt claustrophobic, too much and too little for any of them. But here in the pouring rain, watching the waves, leaning on each other, this felt like they were finally really living. It felt like being cleansed of the shadows of the past. From here, they couldn’t feel cursed anymore. From here, monsters were the stuff of movies, not their reality. As the rain halted and the sun peeked at them through the clouds, they felt new. 

[daimonclub]

The Olympic Games

The Olympic Games The Olympic Games short story, an article by English-Culture.com blog for sport lovers and students of English all over the world. If you want to know more about the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games visit its website. Follow the worlds top athletes as they go for gold in France (Jul 26-Aug 11, 2024). Paralympic Games – Wednesday 28 August to Sunday 8 September. The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well. Pierre de Coubertin The Olympics remain the most compelling search for excellence that exists in sport, and maybe in life itself. Dawn Fraser The Olympics are a wonderful metaphor for world cooperation, the kind of international competition that's wholesome and healthy, an interplay between countries that represents the best in all of us.  John Williams The Olympic Games have a history of about twenty eight hundred years. They are so called because they were first held at a town called Olympia in ancient Greece near Mount Olympus in Greece in 778 B.C. in honour of the Greek God Zeus. These games were held once in every four years, up to 394 A.D. when they were stopped by a royal order of the Emperor of Rome. When they were stopped, competitions were held in literature, arts, dance and music besides sports. The Olympic Games were revived in 1894 by the effort of a French nobleman, Pierre-de-Coubertin, who founded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in that year.  As a result, the Olympics shifted away from pastime, to allow the participation of professional athletes. Today, the Olympic Games are the world’s largest athletic skill and competitive sport games. More than 200 nations participate in these games. Generally, the games occur every four years. Being the Olympic Games the world's number one sports event, for thousands of athletes they mean a chance to reach glory, but that is not all the games stand for. They are also an important symbol for billions of people around the globe, a symbol of hope peace and friendly co-operation between nations.  There was always a flame at the ancient Games, symbol of We search for perfection and victory but it was not included in the modern games until 1928 in Amsterdam. It is said that it was lit at Olympia from the rays of the sun. It is carried to the Games by a series of runners, and it burns in the stadium throughout the events.

The Olympic Games short composition The ancient Olympics had some differences from the modern Games. There were fewer events, and only free men who spoke Greek could compete, instead of athletes from any country. Women were not allowed to even watch the games on penalty of death let alone play in them. Both the modern and Ancient Olympics have close similarities in their purpose and in their problems. Now 13000 athletes compete in 33 different sports in Olympic Games. The world has already seen 29 Olympic Games. The 30th Olympic Games took place in London in 2012. Now a days, the games become more popular to the audiences and the competitors. The Olympics where held in Athens (Greece) in 1984. From then onwards the modern Olympic Games are being held once in every four years. There was a break, however, during the period of World War I and World War II. The 20th Olympics were held in 1972 at Munich (Germany). Later Olympics were held at Montreal, Moscow, Los Angeles, Seoul, Barcelona, Atlanta, Sydney, Athens, Beijing, London and Rio de Janeiro. The 2016 Summer Olympics (Portuguese: Jogos Olímpicos de Verão de 2016), officially known as the Games of the XXXI Olympiad and commonly known as Rio 2016, was a major international multi-sport event celebrated in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 5 to 21 August 2016. More than 11,000 athletes from 205 National Olympic Committees, including first time entrants Kosovo, South Sudan, and the Refugee Olympic Team, took part. With 306 sets of medals, the games featured 28 Olympic sports, including rugby sevens and golf, which were added to the Olympic program in 2009. These sporting events took place at 33 venues in the host city, and at five in São Paulo, Belo Horizonte, Salvador, Brasília, and Manaus. The next 2020 Summer Olympics game will take place in Tokyo, they are planned to be held from 24 July to 9 August 2020. The city was announced as the host at the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires on 7 September 2013. It will also become the largest city ever in Asia to host the Summer Olympics, a distinction currently held by Seoul, which hosted the 1988 Summer Olympics. It will be the second time that Tokyo hosts the Olympics; it previously hosted the 1964 games. The Olympic Games attract athletes of different countries, from all parts of the world. It is a symbol of international friendship and brotherhood. The Olympic symbol consists of give rings or circles linked together. The five rings represent five different continents – Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and America. The linking represents unity. The five rings are of five different colours. They are Blue, Yellow, Black, Green and Red. The Olympic flag has interlinking rings on plain white background. The torch is first lit at Olympic in Greece and then taken to the place of meet by relay runners. Each athlete, who takes part in the games, has also to take an oath that he would respect and abide by the rules of the game.

The Olympic Games English-culture.com Competitions are held generally in the following games and sports and some others not quoted here: archery, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, boxing, canoeing, cycling, equestrian sports, fencing, football, gymnastics, handball, hockey, judo, modern penthalan, rowing, shooting, swimming, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling and yachting. There are also Paralympic athletics games that are sports practiced by athletes with a physical disability who have competed at separate international events since 1952. It is governed by the International Paralympic Committee through its World Para Athletics subcommittee, and has been one of the sports at the Summer Paralympic Games since 1960. Rules for the sport are adapted from those set forth by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). The majority of rules for Paralympic athletics are the same as those for able-bodied competitions. The Olympic flag is another very important symbol too. The five circles on it represent the five continents, each circle is a different colour, blue, black, red, yellow and green (all against a white background) and every national flag contains at least one of these six colours. Nowadays the games are officially opened by the host country's monarch or political leader. There is a huge display of song, dance and music by the host country, the flame is lit, and the Olympic flag is raised while one athlete says these words: «In the name of all competitors, I promise that we will take part in the Olympic Games, respecting and abiding by the rules which govern them, in the spirit of sportsmanship for the glory of sport and the honour of our teams». There have been two Olympic eras, ancient and modern. The modern era began in 1896 in Greece (like the ancient games) and will celebrate its centenary in Atlanta, USA. It all began when a Frenchman, called Baron Pierre de Coubertin revived the Games. He was a French aristocrat who was fascinated by the Ancient Olympics, so he decided in 1889 to try and revive them. He thought that the Games represented ideals which the modern world badly needed, cooperation between nations, honour, fairness and high morals Baron de Coubertin organized an international conference which took place in June 1894 at the Sorbonne University in Paris. It was during this conference that the International Olympic Committee was set up, two very important decisions were made, that is Olympic Games would take place in Athens in 1896 and athletes from thirteen different countries would take part in the first modern Olympics. Earlier, athletes who won were crowned by olive branches. In modern times, the winners are awarded medals and certificates. Those who come first, are awarded gold medals. Those who stand second are awarded silver medals and those who are third are awarded bronze medals.

The Olympic Games spirit The Olympic Winter Games (official name) (French: Jeux olympiques d'hiver) is a major international sporting event held once every four years, for sports practised on snow and ice. The first Winter Olympics, the 1924 Winter Olympics, was held in Chamonix, France. The original five sports (broken into nine disciplines) were bobsleigh, curling, ice hockey, Nordic skiing (consisting of the disciplines military patrol, cross-country skiing, Nordic combined, and ski jumping), and skating (consisting of the disciplines figure skating and speed skating). The Games were held every four years from 1924 to 1936, interrupted in 1940 and 1944 by World War II, and resumed in 1948. Until 1992 the Winter and Summer Olympic Games were held in the same years, but in accordance with a 1986 decision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to place the Summer and Winter Games on separate four-year cycles in alternating even-numbered years, the next Winter Olympics after 1992 was in 1994. There have been several boycotts of the Olympics by various countries. The first came in 1956, when the Egyptian, Lebanese, and Iraqi teams boycotted the Melbourne Games to protest the invasion of Egypt earlier that year by the United Kingdom, France, and Israel. Major boycotts of the Olympics occurred again in 1976, 1980, and 1984 over various issues. The issue that prompted the 1980 boycott of the Moscow Games was the 1979 invasion of Afghanistan by the USSR. From the 1940s to the 1980s, the IOC also had to deal with the political problems caused by divided nations. One dilemma concerned the Chinese Olympic team, after the political division of China in 1949 into the People's Republic of China on the mainland and the so-called Republic of China on the island of Taiwan. Another issue was the 1949 political division of Germany into East Germany and West Germany. This raised the question of whether there was to be one German Olympic team or two. The IOC tried to solve this problem by insisting on a combined German team. Terrorism has also darkened the Olympic ideal at several different Games. In the midst of the 1972 Munich Games, the Olympic movement experienced its most tragic hour. A band of Palestinian terrorists made their way into the Olympic village (where most athletes live during the Games), murdered two members of the Israeli team, and took nine hostages. When the IOC, meeting in emergency session, learned that a gunfight had broken out and that all nine hostages were dead, along with five of the terrorists, the Games were suspended for a day. The IOC’s controversial decision to resume the Games that year was endorsed by the Israeli government.

Olympic Games Diving Having survived a century of warfare and political turmoil, the Olympic Games have become a gigantic global event in recent years, gaining more popularity and generating more money than ever before. A great deal of this popularity and wealth is due to the development of satellite communications and global telecasts. Not only can more and more people see the Games, but the television rights to the Games can be sold for hundreds of millions of dollars. With more money, the IOC can also subsidize the development of sports in less affluent nations. In return for their money, however, television networks have gained a strong influence on when, where, and how the Olympics will take place. The Olympic movement has also become dependent on multinational corporations, who pay millions of dollars to become official sponsors of the game and to use Olympic symbols in their advertisements. This has led to the commercialization of the Olympic movement. To conclude we can say that the main aims of the Olympics are to promote sport, to create a more friendly, peaceful world, to spread Olympic principles and to bring athletes together in a great sports festival every four years. We have to be fans of the Olympics because they make us feel optimistic, work together and do our best disregarding economical or political considerations. That's why the Games represent a rare positive symbol for our problematic, chaotic and cruel world. You can also read: Olympic games quotes The Paralympic Games Paris 2024 Olympic Games Great Sports Quotes Sports News https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrumpH7eU8U http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCXKycXaznA Read the full article

[luxebeat]

ATL's Time to Shine: Is LA and NYC's Fashion Reign Over?

As the sun sets on the well-trodden streets of Los Angeles and New York City, a new horizon in fashion and jewelry begins to glow in the heart of the South. Long celebrated for its vibrant culture and artistic vibrancy, Atlanta is now stepping into the spotlight, shaping trends that captivate the fashion world. This shift isn’t just about new styles; it’s about redefining luxury and accessibility…

[starlingsrps]

david hatcher.

BASIC INFORMATION

FULL NAME: david thomas hatcher NICKNAME(S): simply not a dave but will answer to hatch PREFERRED NAME(S): david BIRTH DATE: september 23 AGE: thirty ZODIAC: libra sun/aries rising/capricorn moon GENDER: male PRONOUNS: he/his RELATIONSHIP STATUS: sin....gle. definitely single. SEXUAL ORIENTATION: straight but what kind of asshole isn't going to tell his friends when they look great? NATIONALITY: canadian CURRENT LOCATION: vancouver/atlanta/los angeles triangle, home base is vancouver. LIVING CONDITIONS: an apartment in south granville that could probably have more personality but half the year he's subletting it so he tries to not keep too much important shit there.

BACKGROUND

BIRTH PLACE: medicine hat, ab (solely chosen because i like saying medicine hat) HOMETOWN: medicine hat SOCIAL CLASS: middle - he makes good money and has savings but he works in entertainment. there are very different levels. EDUCATION LEVEL: emily carr for a degree in filmmaking and some ass kissing to get good internerships. FATHER: doug hatcher, 62 MOTHER: jill hatcher, 62 SIBLING(S): alex, 35; jake, 32 RELATIONSHIP WITH FAMILY: oh, he's very thankful for the distance sometimes more than others. he loves his family. they're great, they're very supportive, he's happy when they come to visit…for awhile. he's the baby of the family in every conceivable way and it's real hard to keep feeling like an independent adult man when your mom is telling people about your fake blood experiments. BIRTH ORDER: youngest CHILDREN: nope. eventually? sure! he's just busy. PET(S): he would love a dog but he travels too much OTHER IMPORTANT RELATIVES: alex and jake are both married with two kids each, buying him some time in terms of providing the next generation (but not much) PREVIOUS RELATIONSHIPS: the list is both prolific and short lived. he travels a lot. a lot of those happened on set. has david signed a few ndas? yep. ARRESTS?: nope but he did get in trouble a few times as a teenager when he thought he was making gritty films and was just loitering.

OCCUPATION & INCOME

PRIMARY SOURCE OF INCOME: cinematographer SECONDARY SOURCE OF INCOME: subletting his apartment? CONTENT WITH THEIR JOB?: oh absolutely. he's been making movies since he was a kid with the family camcorder and just never stopped. PAST JOB(S): name it on a film set, he's probably done it. SPENDING HABITS: reasonable. he tries to not have a lot of stuff but plants and blu-rays don't count.

SKILLS & ABILITIES

PHYSICAL STRENGTH: upper body on point from camera heaving. he does skip leg day. SPEED: a long stride moreso than fast. INTELLIGENCE: smart enough but can be shit at taking a hint. ACCURACY: fine AGILITY: fine STAMINA: he doesn't need a lot of sleep it's fine. TEAMWORK: really good! TALENTS: he has a strong eye for color and composition and is good at thinking a dozen steps ahead to the final product. good at working towards the goal, patient about it. SHORTCOMINGS: yeah he can be a real asshole though. LANGUAGE(S) SPOKEN: english DRIVE?: yes but it's not preferred. he doesn't keep a car but it's handy to be able to rent when he's on location. JUMP-STAR A CAR?: yep CHANGE A FLAT TIRE?: yep RIDE A BICYCLE?: yes but it's very funny SWIM?: yes PLAY AN INSTRUMENT?: nah PLAY CHESS?: nah BRAID HAIR?: nah TIE A TIE?: it'll take a few tries but yeah

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE & CHARACTERISTICS

FACE CLAIM: callum turner EYE COLOR: blue HAIR COLOR: brown HAIR TYPE/STYLE: short and wavy GLASSES/CONTACTS?: contacts for every day, glasses when his eyes are tired and/or he's lazy. DOMINANT HAND: right HEIGHT: 6'2 BUILD: lanky af like dude why are your limbs so long EXERCISE HABITS: some…times. SKIN TONE: fair TATTOOS: a few, all of which are very meaningless but look cool. PIERCINGS: nah MARKS/SCARS: a few nicks and small scars here and there from on set incidents, one on his skull under his hair from getting nailed with a golf club by jake when they were kids (he's still holding it over his head). USUAL EXPRESSION: a little serious, leaning towards resting bitch face. CLOTHING STYLE: jeans, t-shirt, jacket. light layers, never know what the day is going to bring. shoes he can run in. never know. JEWELRY: no. ALLERGIES: nah DIET: craft services PHYSICAL AILMENTS: he's not thinking about the noise his left shoulder makes sometimes. if he doesn't think about it, it's not real.

PSYCHOLOGY

MORAL ALIGNMENT: chaotic good TEMPERAMENT: choleric ELEMENT: air MBTI TYPE: ESTP MENTAL CONDITIONS/DISORDERS: not especially SOCIABILITY: good! he gets along with people fairly well, tries to make an effort with everyone he meets. EMOTIONAL STABILITY: good! unless he's in a bitchy mood and then he's just going to be a shit stirrer. PHOBIA(S): getting bashed in the head by a klieg light. it probably won't happen. but it might. DRUG USE: pot doesn't count ALCOHOL USE: socially PRONE TO VIOLENCE?: not especially.

MANNERISMS

ACCENT: wee bit flat but not excessively. QUIRKS: there will always be a backup plan. there will, ideally, be several backup plans. HOBBIES: he fucking loves movies. he'll never get tired of them. but if no one wants to sit in a theater with him for two hours and then spend three dissecting scenes: he does like hiking. HABITS: he works, he hangs out with friends - he doesn't do too much that's unusual. he just has an unusual-ish job. NERVOUS TICKS: tapping and bouncing his leg. do not give him anything he can tap if he's already bouncing his leg. it will not get better. DRIVES/MOTIVATIONS: he really likes praise and wants to achieve recognition in his field. POSITIVE TRAITS: outgoing, creative, hardworking, observant, passionate, enthusiastic NEGATIVE TRAITS: no filter, perfectionist, competitive, blunt, SENSE OF HUMOR: good! he'll laugh at anything. DO THEY CURSE OFTEN?: yes but he's trying to get better about it.

FAVORITES

ACTIVITY: going to work ANIMAL: dogs BEVERAGE: this is his emotional support five shots of espresso on ice and no he can't put it down. BOOK: the great gatsby COLOR: green DESIGNER: people design his clothes? FOOD: if he can eat it while walking, it's good. sandwiches mostly. FLOWER: orchids. he has an orchid and it's his tempermental child. GEM: rocks are cool. HOLIDAY: halloween but mostly just october MODE OF TRANSPORTATION: walk or uber MOVIE: why would you ever ask him that? you'll be here for hours while he decides. inception is pretty high up there. SONG: "everlasting light" SCENERY: does it look great? he's there. SCENT: ocean air and vanilla SPORT: hockey SPORTS TEAM: stockholm syndrome but for the flames. TELEVISION SHOW: twin peaks. yes even after it got weird. WEATHER: clear and cool VACATION DESTINATION: he's down for wherever but he does prefer hot and dry

ATTITUDES

GREATEST DREAM: ASC membership, working with christopher nolan GREATEST FEAR: he's mostly broken free of the hallmark movie circuit but he's terrified it will come to claim him again. MOST AT EASE WHEN: working or with friends LEAST AT EASE WHEN: backed into a corner - he'll be polite but he's also Annoyed underneath. WORST POSSIBLE THING THAT COULD HAPPEN: eh. he tries to not go there. BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT: he's worked on some projects that he's really proud of and done some cool shit because of his job BIGGEST REGRET: nah. BIGGEST SECRET: god i'm lazy. later.

[georgiagassavings]

Easy Savings for Winter Home Heating

New Post has been published on https://www.georgiagassavings.com/blog/easy-savings-for-winter-home-heating/

Easy Savings for Winter Home Heating

Beat El Niño with Winter Heating Savings

El Niño means cooler and wetter weather for the south. Learn how you can save more on your winter heating in Georgia this winter.

We are heading into an El Niño winter. In fact, according to Atlanta News First, there is a 70% chance of a strong El Niño. Typically, this means a colder and wetter winter. For natural gas customers in Atlanta and the rest of Georgia, cold and wet weather translates to high gas bills as you try to keep warm. So, let’s look at some easy savings for winter home heating to keep your bills more manageable.

Best Savings Tips for Winter Heating

These energy savings tips can help save you the most money on your natural gas heating costs.

Sealing and Insulation keep the cold air out and warm air in all winter. Energy Star estimates that in Georgia the savings on heating and cooling can be as much as 14% when you add cost-effective sealing and insulation. Add caulk around drafty windows and weather strips to doors. Seal any other penetrations by wires or pipes to the home’s exterior. Finally, add insulation to crawl spaces, attics, and basements at a low cost.

Thermostat Settings make a huge impact on your natural gas bill. Save as much as 10% on heating when you set your thermostat back 7° for 8 hours per day. Additionally, keep the thermostat at the lowest setting you feel comfortable. Install a programmable thermostat to make these settings automatic.

Open Curtains when the sun is directly shining through the windows. Conversely, draw the curtains when the sun is not shining and at night. Also, consider insulated curtains to keep out the cold transferred through the windowpane from the rest of the room.

Clear Space Around Vents so warm air can circulate. This ensures your home will heat more evenly and you are using energy efficiently.

Schedule HVAC Maintenance to keep your heating system in good shape. And don’t forget to change the system’s air filters on a regular basis. That’s especially important in high use seasons like winter and summer.

Reverse Your Ceiling Fan to create an updraft. This pushes warm air that rises to the ceiling back down and helps circulate it throughout the room. A low-speed setting is best to achieve this effect.

Best Savings Tips for Other Gas Appliances

Most of your energy costs come from heating and cooling. However, smart energy saving tips for your other gas appliances lower your gas bill, too.

Water Heater Settings are the next big player in the natural gas savings game after thermostat settings. Set your heater at 120°F for the ideal balance of savings, comfort, and safety.

Reduce Hot Water Use with shorter showers, doing laundry with cold water, and only running your dishwasher when full. These savings are small, but add up to a cheaper gas bill.

Dry Your Clothes just enough. Take the time to figure out the best setting for your gas dryer so clothes are fully dry but not over dry. Reducing the amount of time your dryer runs reduces your gas bill!

Save More on Your Winter Heating with Us

We’ve saved the best savings tip for last. When it comes to slashing your natural gas costs, nothing beats a low natural gas rate. The easiest way to shop for a natural gas plan that will keep the most money in your pocket is to compare plans side-by-side and all in one place. That is exactly what we provide at Georgia Gas Savings. Visit us today at https://www.georgiagassavings.com.

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 10.13

54 – Roman emperor Claudius dies from poisoning under mysterious circumstances. He is succeeded by his adoptive son Nero, rather than by Britannicus, his son with Messalina. 409 – Vandals and Alans cross the Pyrenees and appear in Hispania. 1269 – The present church building at Westminster Abbey is consecrated. 1307 – Hundreds of the Knights Templar in France are arrested at dawn by King Philip the Fair, and later confess under torture to heresy. 1332 – Rinchinbal Khan becomes the Khagan of the Mongols and Emperor of the Yuan dynasty, reigning for only 53 days. 1399 – Coronation of Henry IV of England at Westminster Abbey. 1644 – A Swedish–Dutch fleet defeats the Danish fleet at Fehmarn and captures about 1,000 prisoners. 1710 – Port Royal, the capital of French Acadia, falls in a siege by British forces. 1775 – The Continental Congress establishes the Continental Navy (predecessor of the United States Navy). 1792 – In Washington, D.C., the cornerstone of the United States Executive Mansion (known as the White House since 1818) is laid. 1793 – French Revolutionary Wars: Austro-Prussian victory over Republican France at the First Battle of Wissembourg. 1812 – War of 1812: Sir Isaac Brock's British and native forces repel an invasion of Canada by General Rensselaer's United States forces. 1821 – The Declaration of Independence of the Mexican Empire is publicly proclaimed. 1843 – In New York City, B'nai B'rith, the oldest Jewish service organization in the world, is founded. 1881 – First known conversation in modern Hebrew by Eliezer Ben-Yehuda and friends. 1885 – The Georgia Institute of Technology is founded in Atlanta, Georgia. 1892 – Edward Emerson Barnard is first to discover a comet by photographic means. 1903 – The Boston Red Sox win the first modern World Series, defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates in the eighth game. 1908 – Margaret Travers Symons bursts into the UK parliament and becomes the first woman to speak there. 1911 – Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, becomes the first Governor General of Canada of royal descent. 1915 – First World War: The Battle of the Hohenzollern Redoubt marks the end of the Battle of Loos. 1917 – The "Miracle of the Sun" is witnessed by an estimated 70,000 people in the Cova da Iria in Portugal. 1921 – Soviet republics sign the Treaty of Kars to formalize the borders between Turkey and the South Caucasus states. 1923 – Ankara becomes the capital of Turkey. 1943 – World War II: Marshal Pietro Badoglio announces that Italy has officially declared war on Germany. 1944 – World War II: The Soviet Riga Offensive captures the city. 1946 – France adopts the constitution of the Fourth Republic. 1962 – The Pacific Northwest experiences a cyclone the equal of a Category 3 hurricane, with winds above 150 mph. Forty-six people die. 1972 – Aeroflot Flight 217 crashes outside Moscow, killing 174. 1972 – Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 crashes in the Andes mountains. Twenty-eight survive the crash. All but 16 succumb before rescue on December 23. 1976 – The first electron micrograph of an Ebola virus is taken at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by Dr. F. A. Murphy. 1977 – Hijacking of Lufthansa Flight 181 by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. 1983 – Ameritech Mobile Communications launches the first US cellular network in Chicago. 1990 – Syrian forces attack free areas of Lebanon, removing General Michel Aoun from the presidential palace. 1993 – At least 60 people die in eastern Papua New Guinea when a series of earthquakes rock the Finisterre Range, triggering massive landslides. 2010 – The mining accident in Copiapó, Chile ends as all 33 trapped miners arrive at the surface after a record 69 days underground. 2013 – A stampede occurs in India during the Hindu festival Navratri, killing 115 and injuring more than 110. 2016 – The Maldives announces its decision to withdraw from the Commonwealth of Nations. 2019 – Kenyan Brigid Kosgei sets a new world record for a woman runner with a time of 2:14:04 at the 2019 Chicago Marathon.

[atlantaartisticweddings]

1920's speakeasy engagement session south of Atlanta

This week’s couple is Rachel and Chris.  My wife was talking to Rachel, her friend at work who was looking for a wedding photographer.  Rachel and Chris reached out to me and we started talking.  After they talked things over they gave me the honor of being their wedding photographer.  They mentioned that their wedding is going to be a 1920’s speakeasy themed wedding.  I was so excited to shoot a fun wedding with such a unique theme.

Last week I reminded them that we have not scheduled their engagement session.  She emailed that they were free this weekend and I said great let’s do it.  One of the things she wanted was to get her makeup done before the shoot.  I said we can do it in the afternoon closer to where she lives in Fayetteville, Trilith is south of Atlanta.

I met Rachel, Chris’s brother-in law and Chris’s sister, who is also the makeup artist, at the Trilith Town Center.  If you have not heard of Trilith it is located about an hour south of Atlanta near Fayetteville, Georgia.  Trilith is also a huge movie studio with some of the largest sound studios in the world.  The town is a live and work area with these great carefully curated boutique shops and chef-driven restaurants purposefully placed in a greenspace within one block of each home.  It is amazing that they have built this whole area in about 7 years.

After chatting with Rachel, Chris pulled up in a golf cart to drive us around the area.  Chris asked where he should take us.  I pointed at the light and said wherever you see a clearing with some of that low sunset light.  We piled in the cart and headed to the park in the center of the town.  It is a cute park with a large clearing, swimming pool, playground and stone features all around.  We went to the central walkway in the park and started there.  There were some great plants with some awesome backlighting.  We did a few shots with them wearing their regular street clothes.

As the sun was starting to set I told them to change into their 1920’s outfits. Rachel wore a cute flapper dress with a hat.  Chris looked dapper in this undercoat and driver’s cap.  We went around the town center and had a blast!  Chris and Rachel really looked the part.  We took some photos by the entrance by the pool where there were some tall columns.  When we finished there it was time for them to go out to supper and for me to go home.  

This was such a fun shoot.  It was a real treat to spend some time with Chris and Rachel.  I am really looking forward to a fun wedding!

Thanks for checking out this Atlanta wedding photographers blog! I hope you enjoyed the read and found it helpful! Make sure you keep coming back to our blog to see what the Atlanta wedding photographers at Atlanta Artistic Weddings get up to! If you’d like to contact me go to the contact page and drop me a line at https://www.atlantaartisticweddings.com/contact-atlanta-wedding-photographer. I would love to hear from you!

Thanks again! Source: https://www.atlantaartisticweddings.com/

Source: https://www.atlantaartisticweddings.com/

[coolscreens]

Maximizing Outdoor Living: Creative and Functional Patio Enclosure Ideas

Imagine waking up to the soft chirping of birds, sipping your morning coffee ensconced in a plush swing chair, as the gentle morning sun filters through your artfully designed patio enclosure. That, my friend, is the true luxury of living – the seamless blend of indoor comfort and the captivating charm of the great outdoors. As a trusted name in the industry, Coolscreens helps bring these dreams to life, offering an array of retractable screen and shade systems, security shutters, and porch enclosure systems across metro Atlanta, north Georgia, and select cities in North and South Carolina. But before we get lost in the allure of outdoor living, let's dive into some patio enclosure ideas that are as creative as they are functional.

A Breath of Fresh Air with Indoor Plants

Bringing a touch of nature into your patio enclosure is a beautiful way to merge the line between indoor and outdoor spaces. Indoor plants not only provide a refreshing aesthetic but also improve the quality of air around you. Consider creating a small tropical oasis with ferns and palm trees, or go rustic with cacti and succulents for a low-maintenance setup.

Setting the Mood with Outdoor Lighting

Craft a magical ambiance in your patio enclosure with outdoor lighting. String lights draped across the ceiling, soft lanterns placed strategically, or solar-powered LED lights around the periphery can transform your patio into a fairytale setting as the sun sets.

Furniture that Invites Leisure

From a hammock for the lazy afternoons to a swing chair perfect for an engrossing read, furniture plays a pivotal role in making your patio enclosure inviting. Consider a cozy reading nook or a dining table for outdoor meals. It's all about designing a space that encourages leisure and relaxation.

A Symphony of Senses with a Water Feature

The calming sound of trickling water has a tranquil effect, making water features a terrific addition to your patio. It could be a minimalist wall-mounted water feature or a koi pond. It's about creating a harmony of senses in your outdoor space.

Liven Up the Space with Art and Accessories

Whether it’s an artistic wall mural, a vibrant rug, or themed decorations for your upcoming BBQ party, these elements can bring a dash of your personality into the patio. Music, games, and entertainment systems can further enhance the fun quotient of your outdoor space. Be sure to check the rating of any electrical equipment you use if your enclosure gets warm in the Georgian sun.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I customize my patio enclosure to match my house's aesthetics? A: Absolutely! At Coolscreens, we work with you to design custom patio enclosures that reflect your style and preferences while ensuring functionality and durability. Q: What materials do you use for patio enclosures? A: We use top-quality materials suited to withstand weather elements. The choice of materials, from aluminum and glass to screen mesh, depends on the design, location, and your specific needs. Q: Can patio enclosures be installed in any season? A: Yes, we can install patio enclosures throughout the year. However, we suggest avoiding extreme weather conditions to ensure the installation process is smooth and efficient. As we bask in the beauty of these patio enclosure ideas, here's a question for you: if you could add one feature to your dream patio enclosure, what would it be? A swing chair nestled among the plants, a custom mural, or a bubbling water feature? The possibilities are as boundless as your imagination! Concluding Your Outdoor Living Journey Creating an exquisite outdoor living space is not just about aesthetics. It's about fostering an environment that connects you with nature while providing the comfort and privacy of your home. Whether it's a breakfast nook for early risers, an outdoor cooking space for culinary enthusiasts, or a serene corner for bookworms, your patio enclosure can be as unique as you are. Ready to redefine your outdoor living experience? With Coolscreens, you are one call away from transforming your patio dreams into reality. We help you explore patio enclosure ideas, plan your space, and execute the design to perfection. Connect with us today and let's embark on this journey together.

[glorioustidalwavedefendor]

Check their shoes and look for mud!” shouted one Atlanta police department officer to another.

The sun was setting against a tree line growing greener daily due to recent balmy, spring-like weather in Atlanta, but the bucolic setting of a Sunday in the sun at a free music festival abruptly became panic and chaos.

Dozens of law enforcement officers, many with automatic weapons, swarmed into a forest of hundreds of acres, seeking to find any of the 200 or so activists who had set fire to a bulldozer, trailer and other infrastructure used for construction on “Cop City”, a $90m, 85-acre police and fire department training center, about an hour earlier.

The clash was just the latest dramatic chapter to hit the Cop City project, which has already seen one environmental activist shot dead by police – the first incident of its kind in the US – and drawn national and international attention to the fight to save the Georgia forest where the giant project is planned.

The one officer’s frenzied order about dirty footwear seemed as absurd as any part of the Sunday night operation, since Georgia rains had left muddy patches all over the forest, and at least 600 people were lying on the grass, or camped among the trees, or entering the forest to catch an evening’s music under the stars or leaving – thus many had mud on their shoes.

But such was the situation on Sunday night, on the second night of the fifth “week of action” by activists over the last year dedicated to protecting the land called South River forest on municipal maps and Weelaunee forest by activists – using the Muscogee (Creek) word for “brown water”.

The scene included police running through trees, arresting a legal observer from the National Lawyers Guild, sending a negotiator to agree on terms with five randomly chosen individuals for letting about a hundred music festival audience members safely leave the forest, and detaining journalists for questioning on “what they were there to cover”.

The first two days had included free music, herbal workshops and a peaceful march through neighborhoods surrounding the forest south-east of Atlanta. Then, around 5.30 on Sunday evening, about 200 activists, most in balaclavas and camouflage clothing, began lining up to the right of the stage. They marched around three sides of the audience, chanting “Viva Tortuguita” – a reference to Manuel Paez Terán, a 26-year-old activist who was camping several hundred feet away from that spot on 18 January when police shot and killed him in another raid. It was the first time police killed an environmental activist while protesting in US history. Authorities said that Paez Terán fired first.

After several hours of chaos on Sunday night, 23 people – including a legal observer with the National Lawyers Guild – had been arrested and charged with “domestic terrorism” under state law, adding to the 18 defendants facing the same unprecedented charges who have been arrested in recent months.