#this post was made in collaboration with pattern

[thedarkeyedcaptain]

kaladin: kaladin1234 for everything

adolin: has one (1) randomly generated password he uses for everything. he isn't even sure he could say it out loud if prompted: he has typed it so often his fingers just do it on autopilot. it's like walking or breathing just don't think about it too hard.

shallan: a different randomly generated password for everything. no idea how she keeps track tbh.

[placedupon]

I think a lot of people don't realize that when they are reblogging or making posts about how "evil" China is, they are helping to manufacture consent for the US to go to war with China.

many people already have sinophobic beliefs that they didn't have 5-10 years ago, because here in the US (and the west in general) we are constantly inundated with propaganda about how china is aggressing the US and other countries, how they're spying on us, how oppressive the Chinese gov is. Every single western newspaper, news channel, many of our books and movies are sinophobic. And it's not just conservatives that believe this, it is also leftists and liberals.

I notice many so called leftists on this website reblogging the most ridiculously sinophobic posts with no sources. I think they justify it because many of these posts are made by diaspora asians-- but that doesn't actually make individual people reliable or neutral sources. It is well known in the Asian american community that many of us are very conservative, hold anti-communist and anti-Black beliefs because we too are surrounded by white supremacy. Many diaspora Asians in america came here because their families were wealthy or collaborated with Japanese, American or British colonizers. I'm not saying that every asian person who posts negative things about China is like this-- but obviously, this is a very complicated issue, and the "answers" isn't as simple as finding one asian person or asian organization to explain these issues to you. It's unlearning decades of anti-communist and racist propaganda.

Remember, this pattern has happened before. The US has flooded it's people with propaganda about how evil Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia, and many other countries are. As US americans, it truly doesn't matter your individual purposes-- when you post negative things about China, you are adding to the thousands of sources telling the west that it is ok to hate an entire country. And the consequences for this are incredibly dire-- just talk to Chinese people who remember the civil war, who remember the west pumping opium into our communities and selling bombs to the ROC to kill its own people. Read books like Assata Shakurs auto-biography, Mobo Gao, Han Suyin, and Frantz Fanon. The US wants you to hate China and Chinese people to justify it's own imperialist project.

[specialagentartemis]

Citizen Science and Contributing To Scientific Endeavor When You're Not "A Scientist"

Comments on some of my posts about science and misinformation express frustration with scientific establishments, and want to see more accessibility and attention given to amateurs participating in the scientific process and having their scientific voices heard.

If being involved in the creation of knowledge and discovery is something important to you, that's something I strongly encourage! It's absolutely possible. Amateur researchers with a passion and an eye for detail have made some fantastic discoveries - but what is often glossed over in stories like these are the years of work, the patient dedication, and the collaboration with university researchers that often underlie such discoveries.

The search for truth and information and the passion for science is present in a lot of people who aren't official "scientists" - curiosity is natural! And if participation in scientific observation, hypothesizing, experimentation, and discovering new things about the world is important to you, there are lots of ways to go about contributing - and the new year is a great time to start.

What are you interested in?

Ecology

Observing the world around you is for everybody. Getting invested in the environment of your hometown is for everybody. And, as the Mythbusters famously said,

Some ideas for a local ecology project:

Record the temperature outside every day at the same time - at sunrise, or noon, or sunset, or midnight. Depending on where you are, the local weather recording station may be miles away or on top of a mountain - measure the temperature yourself and compare it each day to what your app says. When is it accurate? When isn't it?

Record the weather every day. How much precipitation? What time of day? What kind?

Record what animals you see every day, where, when, and how many. Or choose a specific animal, like birds, or bees on flowers, or turtles or frogs in a local pond, or whiptail lizards vs. invasive house geckos, and record the numbers you see each day.

Record when in the year you see the first, or last, of a plant or animal. When the crocuses sprout, when the buds appear on the maple trees, when you see the first clover flowers or prickly pear flowers, when the first robin comes out or the first lizards come out of hibernation.

If you have an outdoor cat or a free-roaming dog, attach a GoPro or similar small camera to its collar to see where it goes and what it does.

Identify the plants growing in your neighborhood, and check in on it regularly to keep track of how each one fares in different weather conditions, or if any animals particularly like or don't like to eat it.

Bulk order some test strips, then take a small sample of soil from a local park or water from a local waterway each weekend and test them for PH, lead, chemicals, or whatever. See if it changes over the year, or after a heavy rainfall, or during drought.

Take a photo of the same spot every day for a year.

Linguistics

The study of how people use language! Everybody uses language in some capacity.

Do you have any small children near you? Talk to them! Record how they pronounce things and what they call new (or even familiar) concepts. Look for patterns.

Ask people you know if "dog" and "blog" rhyme, or if "Alohop" is a good pun for a pineapple beer. My family gets ENDLESS amounts of mileage out of this one with each other. Ask people you know questions about how they pronounce things, or what they call things. Make maps of dialectical differences between generations, neighborhoods, etc. Track linguistic shifts in the modern world.

History

Everyone and everywhere has a history, and accurate history is pressingly relevant always.

See if you have a local historical society, library archive, or history museum that is looking for volunteers to transcribe or translate collections.

Get elbow-deep in local archives. You likely have some sort of local archive near you that has not been fully digitized. Go in with a topic you want to learn about - Black families, Jewish communities, how your hometown transferred from Indigenous hands to settler ones, women who owned their own businesses, immigration, inter-racial relationships, sports, ice harvesting, farming practices, contemporary opinions on a major world history event that now seems so inevitable, sports and people's reactions to sports - and read everything in newspapers, wills, deeds, photographs, or other available records about your topic of choice. See if you can find connections that you haven't seen anyone else talking about.

These are just some things that occur to me immediately as something that anyone can do, if you're sufficiently interested in a question and want to discover more about it. The more local your topic, the less likely anyone has a solid answer to whatever you're wondering - and the more immediately relevant to the people around you your discoveries may be!

Combining it with a New Year's Resolution can also get you more motivated to do the things you want to do. Is your resolution to get more exercise? Take a brisk walk each morning and take a picture of the same area every day for a year. Take a walk every weekend down to the lake and count the turtles and frogs you see. Is your resolution to keep a daily diary For Real This Time? If nothing else, resolve to write down the weather and precipitation each day! Do you want to volunteer more or meet new people? Look for citizen science or local history groups! Feeling like you're working toward something Real is a great motivator.

Henry David Thoreau's detailed descriptions of the nature each day around Walden Pond in the 1840s provides a valuable benchmark for modern ecologists to compare environmental and climatic changes since then on a granular level. Silly rhyming poems and idiosyncratic spellings in letters and diaries help linguists track dialectical and pronunciation changes across time. Amateur science is great and valuable! We all can have a part in understanding and paying deeper attention to the world around us, if we want to.

[astrosouldivinity]

Karmic Lessons of The Zodiac Signs: 🪬

All signs Included. I posted this already but I made some changes like fixing grammatical errors to improve the flow 🤍

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Karma of Aries: (Sun, Moon, Rising, Mars, Venus, MC, Saturn, or 1st House Placements)

Aries karma is rooted in self-love, individuality, assertiveness, and power. As the first sign of the zodiac, they are the trailblazers and innovators of the future. Their ambitious, fearless, and passionate nature draws both competitors and admirers. Aries can be impulsive, viewing the world as their battlefield. They overcome adversity and emerge stronger than before. Aries karma involves learning how to collaborate with others effectively, fighting for the benefit of others rather than against them.

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Karma of Taurus: (Sun, Moon, Rising, Mars, Venus, MC, Saturn, or 2nd House Placements)

Taurus's karma revolves around finding balance between the material world and the spiritual realm, as well as seeking stability and growth. They often experience transformations related to their possessions, stability, and inner peace. In their pursuit of peace, Taurus individuals may become fixated on material wealth and power, which can disconnect them from the source of their spirituality (Mother Earth). Therefore, they must learn to balance their grounded, earthly, and soulful side with their inclination towards luxury, pleasure-seeking, and hedonism. Striking a harmonious balance between these aspects is key to their karmic evolution.

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Karma of Gemini: (Sun, Moon, Rising, Mars, Venus, MC, Saturn, or 3rd House Placements)

Gemini's karma revolves around information and prophecy. Gifted with the power of communication, they have the ability to connect with a wide range of people. Open-minded and curious, these individuals have a natural inclination to expand not only their own perspectives but also those of others. They make excellent teachers and prophets. Gemini individuals are constantly on the move and rarely ever still. However, their impulsive and sporadic communication style can lead to misunderstandings if they are not mindful. Learning to harness their communication skills with care and consideration is an important aspect of their karmic growth.

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Karma of Cancer: (Sun, Moon, Rising, Mars, Venus, MC, Saturn, or 4th House Placements)

Cancers carry generational karma, as their nurturing and empathetic nature drives them to serve their loved ones. They often struggle to break free from their family unit and grow independently. Feeling responsible for their family, they may find it challenging to detach even from toxic relationships. This can lead to codependency, where they attract relationships where they become the caregiver. The energy of Cancer tends to attract emotionally wounded individuals with unresolved familial trauma. These dynamics present opportunities for Cancers to learn boundaries, self-care, and the importance of healing their own emotional wounds in order to break free from generational patterns and evolve on their own path.

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Karma of Leo: (Sun, Moon, Rising, Mars, Venus, MC, Saturn, or 5th House Placements)

Leo's karma is centered around cultivating self-love within themselves and following their heart, while also guiding and inspiring others to find their own path. As natural-born leaders, Leo energy has the ability to ignite the best in others through their fierce self-love. However, their ego can become a challenge, potentially leading them to become consumed by their own power and inadvertently causing harm to others. At their worst, Leo may encounter enemies who try to diminish their light and undermine their influence. It is through navigating these challenges and finding a balance between self-love and humility that Leo individuals can fulfill their karmic purpose and shine as guiding beacons for others.

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Karma of Virgo: (Sun, Moon, Rising, Mars, Venus, MC, Saturn, or 6th House Placements)

Virgo's karma revolves around being of service to others, maintaining routine, and fostering organization. Virgos have a reputation for being overly critical, but this stems from their genuine desire to help others. However, this inclination can turn toxic when their judgments come from a place of cruelty rather than genuine assistance for the collective. Virgos may struggle with low self-esteem and perfectionistic tendencies. It is essential for them to learn how to manage their need to critique others and to show themselves compassion when they find themselves looking down on their own perceived imperfections. Embracing the beauty in imperfection is a crucial lesson for Virgos on their karmic journey. By finding a balance between their desire to serve others and their need for self-acceptance, Virgos can fulfill their karmic purpose and contribute positively to the world.

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Karma of Libra: (Sun, Moon, Rising, Mars, Venus, MC, Saturn, or 7th House Placements)

Libra's karma revolves around finding balance and healing karmic partnerships. As natural peacemakers, Libras tend to attract individuals who disrupt their harmony. These relationships often involve power struggles, with Libras typically finding themselves being controlled or manipulated. Additionally, Libras can be prone to escapism as they find it challenging to cope with the injustices of the world similarly to Pisces. But instead Pisces experiences this at an emotional or spiritual level, Libras struggle with comprehending the unfairness and imbalance that exists in this world. To fulfill their karmic purpose, Libras must learn to establish and maintain healthy boundaries in relationships. They need to develop the ability to assert themselves and stand up against manipulation or control. Finding inner balance and cultivating a strong sense of self-worth will help Libras navigate these karmic challenges and create harmonious partnerships based on equality and mutual respect.

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Karma of Scorpio: (Sun, Moon, Rising, Mars, Venus, MC, Saturn, or 8th House Placements)

Scorpio's karma is centered around transformation, destruction, desire, power, and revealing the darkness within others. These individuals are secretive and obsessive, not to be taken lightly. They possess a deep understanding of the human psyche and emotions, which they can use to their advantage. However, they must be cautious not to get trapped in their ego and misuse their knowledge of human behavior to harm others for personal gain and control. Scorpio energy is constantly undergoing transformations, not only for themselves but also for those around them. The three stages of Scorpio's transformation are represented by the scorpion, the eagle, and the phoenix.

The Scorpion~ represents the lower nature of Scorpio, embodying negative qualities associated with unevolved Scorpio energy such as being evil, manipulative, vengeful, jealous, secretive, and controlling.

The Eagle~ symbolizes the beginning of Scorpio's evolution, signifying power, ambition, and courage. At this stage, Scorpios are less inclined to be vengeful as they focus on achieving their goals.

The Phoenix~ represents the final stage of Scorpio's evolutionary journey in this lifetime. It symbolizes rising from the ashes, where Scorpios bring their darkness into the light and prevent it from consuming them. They transform their darkness into light and inspire others to do the same. This stage represents a powerful transformation and rebirth for Scorpios.

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Karma of Sagittarius: (Sun, Moon, Rising, Mars, Venus, MC, Saturn, or 9th House Placements)

Sagittarius's karma revolves around the themes of hedonism, commitment, freedom, and knowledge. Intelligent and free-spirited, they have a natural inclination towards learning and exploring every aspect of life. They often see life as an adventure and are driven to expand their minds and experiences. Their enthusiasm for growth is a key aspect of their karmic journey. However, Sagittarius individuals need to be mindful of their search for freedom and self-indulgence. It is crucial for them to find a balance between their pursuit of freedom and their commitment to growth and development. Part of Sagittarius karmic lesson is to understand their own value and the unique perspectives they bring to the world. Recognizing the importance of the knowledge they have accumulated is vital for their personal growth. By embracing their role as philosophers and sharing their wisdom with others, Sagittarius individuals can fulfill their karmic purpose and contribute to the expansion of consciousness.

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Karma of Capricorn: (Sun, Moon, Rising, Mars, Venus, MC, Saturn, or 10th House Placements)

Capricorn's karma revolves around responsibility, discipline, labor, and pessimism. These individuals are known for their hard work and strong work ethic, leaving a lasting impact in whatever field they choose. They may have grown up being the "responsible one," often prioritizing the needs of others over their own. Their childhood may have lacked the typical carefree experiences as they had to mature quickly due to the weight of responsibilities placed upon them. Rebellion may have been against their nature, as it contradicted everything they knew. However, it is important to note that Capricorn's ruling planet, Saturn, governs karma. This means that anyone who harms Capricorn will face consequences from Saturn's karmic energy. Additionally, the energy that Capricorn puts out into the world will be reflected back to them almost immediately. This highlights the importance of being mindful of the energy they project, as it will have both immediate and long-term consequences.

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Karma of Aquarius: (Sun, Moon, Rising, Mars, Venus, MC, Saturn, or 11th House Placements)

Aquarius’s karma is centered around innovation and acceptance. These individuals may have experienced a sense of being outsiders during their upbringing, feeling unseen or unheard. They may have felt as if people perceived them as a concept or even an alien. Despite their inclination to go against the grain, Aquarius individuals inspire others by unapologetically being themselves. Aquarius individuals are natural humanitarians, drawing people from all walks of life by helping them connect with their community. Their presence alone brings about change and they have a unique ability to implement change through their actions and ideas. Their innovative and accepting nature allows them to make a significant impact on society and inspire others to embrace their true selves.

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Karma of Pisces: (Sun, Moon, Rising, Mars, Venus, MC, Saturn, or 12th House Placements)

Pisces karma revolves around escapism, the subconscious mind, and sacrifice. These individuals are otherworldly and esoteric, defying any attempts to box them in. They are prone to creating false realities as a means of escaping the harshness of the world. With their intuitive gifts, they can understand the intentions of others and empathize with their unhealed subconscious patterns. When Pisces energy enters your life, they are teaching you how to heal your soul and discover your soul's purpose. Pisces energy is transformative and has the ability to heal all.

[couldawouldashoulda50]

From Completely Different Worlds

A/N - Introducing a fic idea I had after the Maple Leaf's annual Easter Seals Skate event. I decided to try and write a something I know a little bit about, having worked as a PSW several years ago. I reached out to @misshoneyimhome about the idea and she graciously agreed to collaborate with me on this fic. Together we have spun ideas and I cannot thank her enough for reading through my long ramblings and giving feedback and encouragement, all the while she's got her own life to tend to. Brief Synopsis - this is a strangers to lovers trope with William Nylander and OC Loren Girard. William and Loren meet at the Easter Seals skate and sparks fly. Loren is cautious and shy as she still suffers from the memories from her ex-boyfriend after years of exploiting her every vulnerability. William of course is the polar opposite and they each feel a strong and instant connection with their first meeting. The two are truly from completely different worlds but a deep admiration grows between them....and this is their journey. Warnings - profanity, seizure disorder Word count - 5.3k

Chapter One - The Easter Seals Skate

“Jesus Christ Loren…you’re gonna end up killing me,” Gary said, his low and gruff voice travelling up to her ears from the back of the van.  Gary’s specific speech pattern always elongated words, like an unintentional drawl, and Loren could only groan and roll her eyes as a response.

“Hey - enough out of you.  It’s either you or me, pal…. I’d like to see you try driving in this traffic.  It’s insane…” Loren retorted, nodding towards the heavily congested westbound 401 highway in Toronto.

“A three-year-old could drive better than you” Gary quipped followed by his slow but voracious laughter.

“Jeeesus Gary - cool it, I gotta listen for the directions or else I’m going to end up getting lost.  Then you can forget about getting to the arena before our session starts,” Loren warned as her brows furrowed, trying to navigate the hydraulic mobility van towards the required exit off the highway.

Gary got the message and didn’t make another peep.

Loren manoeuvred the van from Kipling Avenue through the parking lot entrance of the Ford Performance Centre where the annual Skate for Easter Seals Kids with the Maple Leafs was to take place.

Loren breathed a long sigh of relief when she saw accessible parking spots available near the entrance for the skate participants. She carefully pulled into a spot, ensuring there was enough room for the wheelchair ramp to extend from the passenger side.

Loren sat still for a moment to try and settle her nerves.  Not only did the drive from Aurora to their current location in Toronto feel like she was driving in a Formula One race at certain points, but she was also about to take one of her most treasured people to meet members of the Maple Leafs.  She was beyond excited for him to finally have his dream come true and the anticipation made her heart race and stomach flip all at once.

It was during a long double shift at the group home, where Loren worked as a support worker, when she found the fundraiser for Easter Seals.  The fundraiser would allow participants a chance to skate with members of the Maple Leaf organization, players both active and alums.

Armed with a rush of adrenaline, she sifted through the information packets on the Easter Seals website, and mentally formulated a plan to make this happen for Gary.

With permission, Loren posted excerpts of Gary’s history, including his exceedingly difficult beginnings, where several of Gary’s medical issues went undiagnosed for far too long before coming into the folds of the subsidized organization he now was with.  Loren posted pictures of Gary’s ultimate Maple Leaf fandom; his signature blue bedroom, Maple Leaf throw blanket and matching pillows, banners, pictures, hockey cards and the unlicensed and unnamed Maple Leaf Jersey he bought for himself years ago from a large discount chain store.

With the added help of Loren’s parents, the registration fee was generously covered and overall, Gary’s campaign was extremely successful with raising just over $7,500.00 for Easter Seals.  Eventually, Gary and Loren received the big news that they were selected to attend the skate with the Leafs event.

Because of the work she put in to make this happen, naturally Loren was chosen from the staff to go with Gary to the Leaf’s practice facility.  Aside from being the obvious choice, Loren could skate which made this even more exciting in Gary’s mind.

Gary could not imagine a more perfect day; his favourite worker, speeding him around on the ice and being introduced to as many Leafs players as possible.

As March inched along, Gary had Loren make a giant red ‘X” on each day that had passed off his Maple Leaf calendar which Loren bought him for Christmas.   Although Loren’s financial situation was not terribly flexible, she wanted to ensure Gary had at least a few presents to open, having no family of his own.  Loren’s family has unofficially adopted Gary and always helped Loren with gifts to give Gary for Christmas’ and birthdays.

A few days before the event, Gary was constantly asking Loren questions about the details of the day.  Every day, he asked the same questions:

Does she know how to get there?

Are her skates sharp?

How long is the drive?

What time do we leave?

Will the whole team be there?

What is she wearing?

And every day she answered him, jokingly telling him if he asks her this stuff again, she’ll have to get the duct tape out.

When March 15th finally arrived, Gary had awakened excessively early; he had been bathed, shaved and was dressed in all of his Leaf gear hours before Loren’s arrival.  He wheeled himself back and forth from one room to another all throughout the morning, trying to pass the time before Loren walked through the door.

Loren arrived well before her shift began at 10:30. The very moment she stepped through the door, Gary’s already at her to get ready to leave.

“Thought you’d never get here” Gary said in his typical teasing manner, as Loren removed her boots at the door.

Loren glanced over at Kathy, her co-worker, and shook her head, as she smirked to herself.

Kathy stepped back and crossed her arms, looking at Loren “And look at you there, Miss I’m-gonna-get-me-a-hot-hockey husband today…you with your Matthews jersey on.  Isn’t he single?  If he is, one look at you in his jersey, he may not be for long,” Kathy said with an over-pronounced wink.

“Aren’t you the one looking for a hot husband?  ‘Cause it sure ain’t me…” Loren teased back.  “I wouldn't mind meeting Nylander though - I like his game.  Oh, no, maybe not…I’d get all tongue-tied and not be able to speak - I bet he’s way too like ‘I’m the guy’”, Loren said, mimicking a snob.

“Oh - if only Shanahan was single, I’d climb him in a heartbeat.   Just to be a hot 25-year-old again…” Kathy sighed with a smile, acting overly dramatic.

“Are you talking about me?  I’m 29 and broke…that pretty much sums me up” Loren muttered, followed by a chuckle.  “And you already have a husband, anyway”.

Kathy laughed “Ahhh yes, that old lump on the couch this morning…my husband. He said he hopes you see Jake McCabe - maybe get a picture of him and send it along if you can?  Mmmmm - he’s another one I’d love to have some alone time with”, Kathy said, not quite under her breath.

“Jesus, Kathy…. go and cool off outside” Loren quipped.  “But yeah, for sure, I’ll try…all I know is that there’s two rinks and the players are split between the two, so there’s no guarantee which player will be at which rink”.

“Will you two just stop your yapping - let’s gooooo…” Gary said impatiently as he backed his wheelchair away from the kitchen table and headed toward the front door.

Kathy and Loren stand there watching Gary with their arms crossed.

“Gary, I know you can tell time.  I’m actually early…I’m not even supposed to be here right now” Loren reminded Gary, knowing he is anxious to get on the road.  “Look, I know this is important but hey - I’m the whole reason you’re getting to do this so cut me some slack, ok?  We’ll be on our way soon, I promise,” Loren said gently.

“Gary was up at 6am apparently, so Julie got him bathed at least before her shift ended,” Kathy added.  “Hopefully you’re not going to be too tired to even have any fun there, Gary”.

“Alright, listen Gary, we’ll have to take the 401 there since we can’t use the toll route - sorry buddy.  I just can’t afford the fees to take the 407 even though it would get us there faster.  We need to be there an hour before your session starts, ok?  So, I’ll get that neck pillow for you…so you can snooze on the ride down?  It might do you some good if you do,” Loren said, patting Gary’s shoulder.

Loren busied herself gathering all the supplies and wheelchair accessories that Gary would need for the afternoon.  Loren silently reminded herself repeatedly to get the anti-tip bars for his manual wheelchair that were removed previously for some unknown reason.

It’s not long before Loren has accounted for all of his medical and personal supplies packed in a backpack and hung it on the back of Gary’s chair.

As Loren washed her hands in the washroom, she took a long look in the mirror and recounted the light-hearted exchange with Kathy.

29 and broke Loren thought to herself.

29, broke, and single came the next thought.

Loren paused at the sink; her head dropped as she inhaled deeply.

29 and healthy.

Broke but a homeowner.

Single and free.

These thoughts entered her mind and quickly superseded the negativity.  This is what she chose to remind herself of when she got down on herself.

Not wanting to tempt fate - or maybe it’s just logical given Toronto traffic - Loren decided to leave 45 minutes early just to ensure they were guaranteed extra time.  After all, loading and unloading Gary from the van was nothing like the average person getting in and out of a vehicle.  Ramps had to be lowered, hydraulics had to be in working order, vehicle safety checks, and harnesses had to be fastened to multiple spots on his wheelchair and tightened to ensure his wheelchair would not shift during the ride.

It wasn't long after Loren pulled the van onto the highway to head down to Toronto, she looked in the rearview mirror to see Gary’s head leaning on his neck pillow, fast asleep.

Now that Loren had reached the arena, even though she was a bit frazzled, she shook off her anxiety. She hopped down from the driver’s seat and opened the van's side door. One by one, Loren released Gary’s wheelchair from the multiple harnesses. As she wheeled him onto the hydraulic ramp, a group of kids walking by watched as Loren lowered the ramp using the control panel.

One of the kids passing by called out how cool Gary’s van was which made him laugh, and he followed up with a wave.  Loren was relieved as in her experience, kids on the occasion had not always been kind to Gary, or others she had supported who were disadvantaged.

Loren grabbed her freshly sharpened skates, locked the van and navigated herself and Gary to the entrance, where they would be signed in for their session.

There were throngs of people everywhere, but thanks to the friendliness of the multiple coordinators and volunteers, Loren was directed to the proper stations, and eventually, the pair were cleared to enter the doors for Rink #1.  Not long after, Loren was able to find a suitable spot to change into her skates.

Gary quietly sat in his chair, taking it all in.  Loren watched his expression from time to time wondering if, given his past, how he must be truly feeling to be inside this rink, on the cusp of meeting his beloved team.  The team that was likely the only constant thing he ever had in his life.

Once Loren was ready to go, another volunteer ushered them toward the gate that would be the easiest to head out on the ice with a wheelchair.  By some small miracle, Loren and Gary were amongst the first in line, and eventually, the gate was opened, and they headed out onto the ice.

As if he was meant to do a rookie lap, Loren skated around the perimeter with Gary first, and then toward the middle of the ice as more people began to arrive.

Loren could hear Gary chuckling and a quiet “wooooo” would escape from his mouth every so often.

It was when Gary first spotted Ryan Reaves come out onto the ice that he really let his excitement show.  Ryan was followed by Morgan Rielly, Jake McCabe and John Tavares.  There were people milling about everywhere looking to get as close as possible to each of the players making an entrance.

“Holy shit, Gary - do you see them? I cannot believe you’re going to get a chance to meet them!” Loren said, leaning over his shoulder.  “Who do you want to try meet first?”

“Yeah - let’s do Reavo…” Gary said, loud enough for his voice to carry.

As Loren looked to her right, she could see Auston Matthews signing autographs from the bench along the boards.  Gary hollered “Auston Matthews” loud enough for Auston to look over and wave.

Loren found herself even more star-struck than Gary. Her cheeks, which had started as a nice rosé, now felt like they were blazing just from seeing the players she had only ever seen on TV.

Ryan looked over his shoulder as Loren and Gary approached the line to meet him.  Loren certainly stood out to Ryan as she effortlessly and gracefully skated with a wheelchair through the obstacle of people whether they were in wheelchairs, sledges, on foot, or on skates.

Ryan finished up with a small group of kids that had surrounded him and eventually made his way over to greet the pair.

“Hey - how’s it goin?  I’m Ryan,” he said, extending his large first for a bump with Gary’s.

“I’m Gary….and this is the old ball and chain,” Gary said dryly as he pointed over his shoulder.

Ryan’s laughter reverberated off the boards and the glass.

“Really Gary? Jeeeezus,” Loren laughed, extending her hand to the handsome and towering forward.  “I’m Loren, Gary’s support person”.

In mere seconds, Gary had launched into a one-man comedy routine, and teasing Loren became the main act.  Gary had always had an extremely dry sense of humour and Ryan’s boisterous laugh only further encouraged Gary’s comedic attacks on Loren.

It wasn’t long before Ryan had motioned for a few of his teammates to come over and hear his new buddy, Gary, incessantly rib his beautiful support worker, who (thankfully) seemed to be able to laugh along with Gary’s sarcastic repartee.

“Hey - Willy!” Ryan hollered, followed by a very pronounced wave for him to come over.

As Loren glanced to her left, she was not at all prepared for the immediate and intense feeling of raging butterflies in her stomach as William Nylander skated towards the group, smiling wide as he scanned the faces standing there.

“Willy, you gotta meet Gary here,” Ryan motions to Gary, and Gary extends his fist towards William for a quick touch of their fists.

“Hey Gary - nice to meet you, man”, William grinned.  He looked to Loren and introduced himself.

“Hi there, I’m Willy,” he said, flashing his usual debonaire smile.

Loren could feel the sudden pressure of blood rushing to her face.  Her brain was telling her to keep calm, which she came to realise that she was failing miserably at.

“Um, hi - yeah, I know…I’m…uh…” Loren trailed off, visibly flustered as her mind went completely blank.

5-alarm heat had risen into Loren’s neck and face, enough to elicit a layer of perspiration under her collar.

Gary batted Loren’s arm, shaking his head and scoffing at her as she tried to collect herself enough to even utter her name.

“Sorry…. Will - um, yeah…. I’m Loren, Gary’s support person” she managed to finally say, shaking William’s hand.

Fuck Loren…. good work, nice job she chastised herself in her mind.

As though Gary could read Loren’s thoughts, he muttered as he says “Good job” over shoulder to Loren, scoffing once again and chuckles as the rest of the group does the same.

“She can’t even remember her name and she gets paid to look after me”, Gary said as he continued his teasing remarks toward Loren.  “Christ, she almost killed me on the way here with her driving,” he said, a little too matter-of-factly.

The group of players erupted with laughter.

“Gary - ” Loren began to warn.

“You know what she does?  She jabs me with my insulin needle” Gary chuckles.

“Gary - I do not jab - “ Loren’s mouth dropped, and she glanced apologetically around at the group, shaking her head as she started to laugh.

Gary kept going with his chirps. “I don’t know if she’ll even be able to get me home…. she’ll get lost.  Christ, she gets lost in a parking lot”.

That did it.  Loren hung her head in defeat as Gary slapped the arm of his wheelchair laughing loudly.

More laughter from the players filled the air, along with William’s iconic giggle, as Loren smiled and nodded her head saying “Hey Gary - remember our conversation before about the duct tape?  I brought some, just in case…wanna keep testing me?”

Hearing her innocent threat and the overly dramatic eye roll from Gary made William laugh even louder.  Loren may have lost most of the verbal battles versus Gary but with that one come-back, it seemed to have the desired effect.

William found himself instantly drawn to Loren. Her classic beauty was evident, but it was her sweet and funny disposition that fascinated him. He could see she was different from most of the girls who constantly vied for his attention and affection. William admired how she interacted with Gary, noticing her kindness and genuine care. The way she handled his teasing showed how close they really were. At the very least, she seemed to have a good sense of humor.

“Hey Gary, you want me to take you for a skate?” William asked, bending down slightly to keep in Gary’s line of sight.  Turning to Loren, William asked if she would like to join them for a few laps around the ice.

Before Loren could respond, Gary interjected with “Yeah, she’d like that.  She thinks you’re cute…”.

Loren drops her face into her hands from sheer embarrassment, while William laughed and said, “I think she might jab you again with your needle if you don’t stop teasing her there, Gary”.

A low laugh was Gary’s response.

William pushed Gary’s chair towards center ice while Loren skated beside them.  It’s not long before the trio were laughing with some light-hearted banter, thanks to Gary’s mildly sardonic commentary.

After a couple of laps around the rink, Loren realized there were so many others waiting to meet William so she offered to step in and start pushing Gary herself.

“Thank you so much for taking Gary for a little spin - we don’t want to keep you from seeing everyone else that came today, right Gary?”

As Loren leaned over Gary’s shoulder to have a glimpse at his face and make sure he heard her, Loren’s heart sank.   Gary was slightly slumped over to one side of his wheelchair and his mouth showed a very pronounced droop.

Immediately recognizing the change in Gary's behaviour, she turned to William and spoke quietly.  “I’m sorry William, I have to try and get Gary off the ice; I think he’s about to have a seizure”.

Before William had a chance to respond, Loren pushed Gary to the closest exit, by the entrance for the zamboni.

Just as Gary’s chair reached the pavement, his body began to seize.  Gary’s seizures were not new to Loren, and her experience quickly showed as she engaged his wheelchair brakes and stood in her usual position behind Gary, monitoring the time from the start of the seizure.

Ryan, Max and William stepped off the ice toward the spot where Loren was with Gary.  The men stood close by and watched as Loren spoke soothingly in Gary’s ear, softly telling him he’s ok - that he will be ok - and that she’s there with him all the way.

Concerned about their new buddy, William and Ryan stepped forward alongside Gary’s chair trying to provide some additional support.

Loren looked at the men apologetically.  “Thanks so much but it’s best if you guys stand back.  Gary could grab a hold of one of you, your hand - anything - and unknowingly hurt you…his hands are like vice-grips right now, so it’s better to stay clear.  But I really appreciate you both trying to talk to him.”

A couple volunteers at the event had been made aware of Gary’s episode, and helped the Paramedics find Loren.   The organisers swiftly offered a spot in the therapy room for Gary to recover and be examined once his seizure ended.

William watched as Loren and the Paramedics continued to monitor Gary.  He watched Loren calmly watch the clock, provide information to the Paramedics and talk to Gary without missing a beat.  As he skated off to continue signing autographs for the remainder of the session, William’s heart broke a little for Gary, having only spent 10 minutes out of the hour-long event, meeting the players in attendance.

Before long, William watched as Loren disappeared with Gary towards the locker room.  He fought the sudden and profound urge to slip his skates off and run after her.  It was an unexpected sensation for William to want to console a total stranger; yet Loren’s magnetism had already pulled him in, and all he wanted now was to be next to her.

The remainder of the session passed quickly and one by one, the players made their way into the locker room.

Loren remained by Gary’s side as he recovered after the seizure.  He was exhausted and slightly confused and found it difficult to verbally engage with anyone.  Loren had her hand on his back as lay on one of the beds where the players would often receive their various treatments after practice.

Ryan and John Tavares had already made their way into the room and showed obvious worry as they spoke with Loren.

William made his way over to Loren and when she spotted him, she smiled at him warmly.

“How’s he doin’?” William asked, shooting a concerned look toward Gary.

“I think he’ll be ok now - it just takes a lot out of him so we’re letting him rest a bit more before I take him home.”

William paused, unsure if any of his questions would be considered off limits or impolite.

“Can I ask something?  How did you know - like, how could you see that it was going to happen?”

“Sometimes I just manage to catch a change in Gary’s behaviour.  I’m not always right - but given the circumstances, with where we are, meeting you guys, all the people and activity, even the lights…he went from his little comedy routine to not being able to speak or move.  It’s called an aura - a change in behaviour before the seizure takes hold,” Loren explained.

William had a million questions and was eager to ask them all, just to be with Loren as long as he possibly could.  But he second guessed whether he should, knowing that Loren had begun to look weary from the after-effects of Gary’s episode.

“Are you doing ok?” a gentle smile spanned his face.

“Me?  I am - thank you again for trying to help earlier too.  I hope I wasn’t too harsh…I just didn’t want to see you, Gary or anyone else get hurt.” Loren said apologetically.

Before William could respond, two members of the event committee for both MLSE and Easter Seals approached Loren and William and apologised for interrupting.

“Hi, I’m Thom Comrie and this is Natalie Singh - we helped organise the event.” Thom said as he shook Loren’s and William’s hand.  “Gary brought in one of the highest totals for this fundraiser, and we were so sorry to hear he missed most of the skate.  We were hoping to get some more information about Gary before you leave?”

Loren glanced at William and thanked him for coming to check on Gary.

“I’ll be back in a few minutes to check on you before you go,” William said and reluctantly walked towards his stall in the adjoining locker room.

“Willy - Willy-um - Villi-um….how’s it goin’...I haven’t had a chance to talk to you since we’ve been here.” Mitch said as he changed his t-shirt.

“Hey Mitchy - buddy…it’s good, I think…goin good,” William chuckled.

“So what was going on there - you took that guy out for a skate and then next thing I know, he’s gone.  And….who’s the girl with him?” Mitch said under his breath, looking to see if there was anyone else around.

“The guy’s name’s Gary and right after I took him around the ice a couple of times, Loren - the girl…his support girl - you know - saw that something wasn’t right, and he ended up having a seizure.” William explained quietly.

“Shit, really? Awh…that’s too bad…I heard some of the guys saying he was cracking everyone up by chirping…what’s her name again?” Mitch said.

“Looor-eeennn - Jesus Mitch, you have the worst memory sometimes,” William teased.

“Fuck you dude - look who’s talking…saying I have a terrible memory when you’re the one that leaves shit behind everywhere we go,” Mitch laughed. “You’re forever on fucking - what - TikTok using the Find my Phone feature because you lost your fucking phone…again…” Mitch continued ribbing William.

“Ah yeah, ok - whatever buddy,” William smiled as he messed with Mitch’s hair.

Max and Auston walk from the kitchen area to the locker room, arguing about some nonsense.

“So, what’s the verdict fellas - you wanna meet at Mitchy’s restaurant for 8:00?  Give Willy some extra naptime?” Max laughs, giving William a wink and a nudge.

“Yeah, he might need it if one of those waitresses from last time wears him down to take them home.  Actually both girls were making a play for him so yeah…tag team situation for sure”, Auston smiles at his long-time friend and teammate.

William just laughed along with the rest of the boys, but truth be told, he hoped neither were working.  Both waitresses were blatantly fawning all over William the last time he was at Mitch’s newly opened restaurant, so much so that once the bill was settled, he swiftly disappeared through a back exit.

After Auston and Mitch departed, Max stayed behind with William.

“Hey, uh…what happened to Gary?  Fuck he was funny cracking off on his caregiver.  Imagine her looking after you every day - she’s fucking stunning”, Max said, smiling and wide-eyed as he looked at William.

“They’re still here - in the therapy room.  I was just about to go back there to say goodbye,” William nodded his head towards the doorway.  “You coming in?”.

Max motioned for William to lead the way.  As they entered the adjacent room, they watched Loren slowly and carefully transition Gary from the bed to his wheelchair.  Gary’s body was extremely stiff and weak, and Loren ensured she was fully stabilised as she had to bear most of his body weight.

Loren quietly talked to Gary as she fastened him into his chair and reassured him that they would be home soon, and he could rest some more before dinner.

“How ya’ doin’ Gary?” Max said, trying to sound upbeat.

Gary could only muster a quiet “okay”.

Loren smiled at the players and thanked them again for their concern.  She was pleasantly surprised that either of the men thought to drop by before they left.

Despite feeling like she made an ass of herself in front of William during her introduction, she had long filed that moment in the back of her head. In its place, she had felt a certain kind of comfort in his company during the short skate they had together.  He was just easy.  Easy to talk with.  Most certainly easy to look at.

Max kneeled beside Gary’s chair. “I’ve gotta take off.  Gary, buddy…feel better, ok?  It was great meeting you and I hope to see you sometime soon, ok?  Maybe get the old ball and chain to bring you back down to see us again?”  Max turned toward Loren and grinned, giving her a hug.  “So sorry you guys missed out on today. Maybe the organisation will do something for you guys.”.

Loren was totally overwhelmed with appreciation.  “I think they’re working on something – but you all have been incredible; I am just blown away by all of the care and concern you guys showed.”

“Well, I’m glad they’re looking into it. I better be off – Loren, take care…hope to see you again.  Willy - see you later, pal,” Max said as he patted William on his shoulder.

Loren turned to William.  “I cannot tell you enough how much I appreciate everything you did for him today.  It really means the world to Gary; you made his whole decade by taking him out for that skate.”

William smiled and looked toward the ground as he blushed.

“It was no problem, honestly.  You two are pretty funny when Gary gets going with his jokes,” William chuckled.

“Like an old married couple, eh Gare?” Loren said as she placed her hands on Gary’s shoulders.

William paused as he glanced at Loren and then Gary.

“Hey, well…listen, I would love to know that you got home ok…here, I’ll give you my number,” William said, and he stepped forward to show Loren his phone screen.

Loren’s stomach flipped.

His number??  Loren screamed inside her mind.

Once again, she felt she failed miserably at keeping her composure, and her hand shook a little as she typed in the digits into her phone.

Loren could feel the heat rising in her face, but nevertheless she managed to speak.  “For sure, I’ll let you know that we got home ok.  Thanks again, William.  It was so nice meeting you.”

William opened his arms for a hug and as Loren hugged him back, she couldn’t help making mental notes so she could always return to that moment in her memory.  She tried to memorize everything. Where his hands were placed on her body as he briefly held her. His scent which was so dizzying and delicious that it made her feel weak in the knees.  The few seconds Loren spent in William’s arms, triggered something inside of her that she could not quite place.  She spent the entire drive home racking her brain trying to figure it out.  With the Friday afternoon commute fully underway, Loren was grateful for the distraction trying to pinpoint that sensation she felt when William hugged her.

Eventually, Loren’s mind drifted to the other interactions with the players and personnel throughout the afternoon and she felt a mix of being drained and exhilarated at the same time. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that it was definitely an unusual afternoon.

She could hardly wait to pull into her own driveway at her own house, draw a hot bath, change into her comfortable clothes and sit back with a glass of wine. Until then, she allowed her mind to rewind and replay every moment she spent in the Swedish superstar’s presence before she snapped back to reality knowing that she’s never going to see him again.

[sleeplesssmoll]

Hot Take/Analysis: Sonetto went from the Foundation's cage to Vertin's leash.

Sonetto has more freedom in a physical sense. She can explore the world, experience new things, all that good stuff.

But mentally, she's still trapped.

Sonetto believes she's merely a supporting character in Vertin's story, almost admitting this to Sophia in the most recent chapter. She perceives her role as clearing the path for more significant figures capable of making an impact.

This echoes her mindset from her time with the Foundation.

Despite her undeniable prowess, Sonetto humbly sees herself as a tool for advancing supposedly "more important" causes, thus undervaluing her own worth.

When Sonetto and Vertin save Regulus and the Investigators from Manus, Sonetto's teammates express relief upon seeing her, trusting in their captain to save the day. Though Vertin initiates the action by reacting to the threat faster (her perception and ability to sense arcanum is beyond many other arcanists), Sonetto's swift response and strength play a crucial role. Despite their collaborative effort, she credits Vertin disproportionately, attributing their success mostly to Vertin's guidance and perception. It's a reocurring pattern for Sonetto to downplay her own brilliance. This leads into my next point.

LOOK AT VERTIN'S FACE WHEN SONETTO IS IN DANGER. Sonetto is so quick to defend Vertin, she ends up stressing the Timekeeper out. She was ready to die a martyr, now she's ready-- too ready to die for Vertin.

While we know Vertin has expressions, their usually subdued because she's "stoic". For her to spring up out her chair like that and show real panic is something we haven't seen from her thus far. For example, we know she gets furious with Arcana because her bangle starts searing into her skin, but her expression just looks a little mad without displaying the full extent of her fury. Btw I go more in depth Sonetto's effect on Vertin in this post and this one I made later if you're interested.

Sonetto is highly competent, but completely dependent on others in the fact that her "purpose", her "value", is assigned to her by others.

Sonetto doesn't need Vertin to shine, but only Vertin seems to get that out of the two of them. At least she dotes on the puppy? She didn't put the leash there but at the same time...

Do you think Vertin would want to remove it? Isn't it a nice safeguard if Sonetto thinks she needs Vertin? If the puppy is happy, isn't it fine to keep the leash their so it doesn't wander too far? Maybe she'll let Sonetto break this habit on her own instead of giving her insight as usual.

Vertin asks for nothing, wants for nothing, and is always ready to share joy with others.

So can't she be a little selfish this time? Can't she have just one thing in her life that? She's already lost so much.

Is this post just an excuse to lay the groundwork for Toxic TK14 due to codependency??

Codependency: An unhealthy dependence on relationships. The co-dependent will do anything to hold on to a relationship; to avoid the feeling of abandonment. An extreme need for approval and recognition. A sense of guilt when asserting themselves. A compelling need to control others. Codependency is a circular relationship in which one person needs the other person, who in turn, needs to be needed

[27goldensun]

Harry, Loewe and Stunting

So everyone must have noticed by now that I’m a timeline and numbers freak, and, with a fresh stunt coming right up, I’ve decided to take a look at Harry’s latest fashion trends and how a Loewe collaboration seems to be imminent and connected to his latest ‘gf’

Here’s a visual representation of Harry’s non-concert outfits for the past 6 months (I’m excluding the fits he wears on stage since Love on Tour is deeply connected to Gucci)

Loewe is the single brand he is wearing repeatedly, more than any other, and its a pattern seen before in 2016, when he began having a more serious relationship with Gucci:

June 2016: Harry follows Alessandro Michele (Gucci’s creative director at the time) on Instagram

2017: Harry and Gucci officially start collaborating

For 2023 we have this timeline of events

March 25th, 2023: Harry EmRata kissing video

June 23rd, 2023: Harry and T. Russel museum photos (first time they’re connected, but her identity isn’t confirmed yet)

June 28th, 2023: Harry follows JW Anderson on Instagram (current creative director for Loewe)

July 9th, 2023: Confirmation of T. Russel’s identity following her presence at Harry’s show and their walk around Vienna (July 8th)

As most things regarding Harry, it usually comes with its share of stunting, which began earlier this year with the EmRata kissing video. Emily Ratojowski isn’t an ambassador for Loewe, but seems to have her share of connection to the brand, always present at their Shows and having a few shoots with them.

Who is a Loewe ambassador though? You guessed it right: Taylor Russel. So this latest stunt seems to come to fruition as Harry begins distancing himself from Gucci and moving towards a partnership/collaboration with Loewe (aside from the ‘usual’ stunt reasons such as he’ll be away from touring and needs to stay in the public eye, and she has a play coming up next month in London to promote) the choice of the new girlfriend seems logical and, as always, predictable.

Bonus: as I was creating this timeline I looked at the brilliant @twopoppies page and this post of hers made me laugh with her foreshadowing (following the EmRata kiss):

So, as with any stunt, this isn’t organic or natural (took those words right from Louis), but rather quite obviously planned. Let’s just sit back and watch how it unfolds

[vintagelasvegas]

Tropicana, c. 1981

The leaded stained glass ceiling was created in collaboration by Judson Studios (est. 1897) of Los Angeles, and architect Tony DeVroude. The 4000 square-foot piece was patterned after the stained glass ceiling of San Francisco’s Hibernia Bank.

The designers ran into some unique problems when installing the piece in early '79. Tropicana’s massive air-conditioning, heating and other mechanical systems that cause what the engineers call “building vibrations” which made normal installation of the glass ceiling impossible. They devised a system that allowed the ceiling to be suspended on pneumatic shock absorber to avoid the vibrations. The ceiling is stationary and the building vibrates around it.

Tropicana closed in 2024. The ceiling was removed and placed into the care of the Neon Museum, Las Vegas.

Sources: Tropicana Celebrates 25th Anniversary. Review-Journal, 5/13/82; M. Rourke. Walter Judson, 61; Ran Family’s Business of Making Stained Glass. Los Angeles Times, 1/12/2003; L. Benston. Tracking Out the Tropicana. RJ, 5/30/2011; Interview with Kent Carmichael. Oral History Research Center at UNLV, 2019. Interview with Kent Carmichael by Vintage Las Vegas, 2024. Note: An earlier version of this post included the Raul Rodriguez as a collaborator. Rodriguez, according to Kent Carmichael, designed stages and presentation centers for the Tropicana’s Entertainer’s Hall of Fame, but was not involved in the stained glass ceiling.

[monbons]

Stitch Sunday

Thanks for the tags @orange-peony, @roomwithanopenfire (your snips were excellent!), and @thewholelemon (I too trap my spouse into helping me resolve conundrums in fic writing).

I was really hoping to have finished my new set of dolls to present today, but given that they are the MOST detailed I have made to date, it is going much slower than normal. So instead, this is more of a progress post.

If you know me at all, you will have guessed that the new ship I've been working on is DeNiall. They own my whole heart, and I love what @mooncello is doing with them in more than a footnote. They are both FULLY realized characters with exceptional backstories, grade A pining, and hilarious personalities to boot. (Don't even get me started on the writing itself. Every single word makes me swoon.)

Such a thoughtful fic deserves a thoughtful set of dolls. Here they are in progress---all cuddled up!

New things I had to learn how to do this round include: tongues and ears that I could pierce (Dev's gauges are in progress so ears aren't sewn on yet ... but look at Niall's adorable little ears), two full heads of hair in difficult textures and more stylized cuts, shoes (!!!), and making my OWN fabric when the store did not carry the pattern I wanted (forthcoming for Niall's shirt. It appears in a future chapter so it is still a secret!). Behold more angles of Niall's hair below. I am SO proud of it because it looks EXACTLY like the inspo pic mooncello sent over when we were planning the dolls.

Both Niall and Dev are also the first set with new and improved joints, AND new and improved (and standardized!) body construction. They are based on the body proportions of the old school Kevin doll (Skipper's boyfriend for anyone who played with Barbies back in the day). Why does this matter? It means I can now use all of my old Kevin clothing as patterns to create clothing for new dolls, speeding up the design process significantly. (Although my daughter dislikes that I've been raiding her dolls and stealing outfits!)

I've really been enjoying pouring my love into these boys alongside the writer. Most of the other dolls I've created I had a plan + canon descriptions, so I only offered up one or two customization options to the writer. With this set, every little detail has come from the fic or has been planned with mooncello. Who could have guessed collaborating to bring their dreams to life would be so rewarding?

Hellos and high-fives from the doll factory: @raenestee, @cutestkilla, @bookish-bogwitch, @hushed-chorus, @emeryhall

@shrekgogurt, @rimeswithpurple, @you-remind-me-of-the-babe, @youarenevertooold, @talentpiper11

@brilla-brilla-estrellita, @beastmonstertitan, @best--dress, @thehoneyedhufflepuff, @larkral

@drowninginships, @valeffelees, @messofthejess, @iamamythologicalcreature, @aristocratic-otter

@blackberrysummerblog, @run-for-chamo-miles, @facewithoutheart, @ic3-que3n, @rbkzz

@supercutedinosaurs, @skeedelvee, @arthurkko, @fiend-for-culture, @whatevertheweather

@martsonmars, @katatsumuli, @comesitintheclover, @fatalfangirl, @stitchyqueer

@onepintobean, @palimpsessed, @moodandmist, @ileadacharmedlife, @theimpossibledemon

[codywanfirstkissbingo]

Codywan First Kiss Bingo

Can't get enough of Cody and Obi-Wan's first kiss in any universe and situation? Well then we'd love to have you play our bingo!

How to Play

Fill out this form and we'll email you your shiny bingo card. Every card is a shuffled assortment of prompts that will look something like this:

Below are all the rules you should know about before you join.

General Rules

We're sure you are familiar with the rules of bingo, but just to be certain everyone is on the same page, to get a bingo you must fill five prompts in a row. That row can be vertical, horizontal, or diagonal. Fill all the prompts on your card and that's a blackout!

Get as creative with your kisses as you want but they MUST BE A FIRST KISS between Obi-Wan and Cody in some capacity. 

Prompt fills should be new works, meaning that they should not be part of an ongoing work-in-progress. Sequels and prequels to already-finished works are welcome! 

Posting Dates

Participants have the entire month of December to post bingo fills! Sign up around the time of this announcement and you will have a two month creation window before December 1st rolls around.

You can either post to our collection on ao3 and/or on tumblr but we do ask that you please tag us @codywanfirstkissbingo AND tag your post with #CWFKB2023 as we don’t want to miss anyone if tumblr drops the ball. 

If you’re posting on AO3 but want us to reblog your fill, please make a Tumblr post with the link and make sure to @ us and tag your post with #CWFKB2023. We’ll be checking the collection when tracking fills and making round-up posts with bingos and blackouts, but we will not be cross-posting every individual fill on AO3 ourselves if the creator has not made a tumblr post.   

Please include a screenshot of your bingo tag with the prompt fill indicated so we know which square you’ve filled!

Specific Rules

Fic: 100 words minimum per prompt fill. To be clear, the kiss itself does not have to last 100 words, though we'd be delighted to see that.

Art: One drawing per fill (digital or traditional). Different drawings can be on the same canvas/page if you so wish. Go wild with your compositions.

Podfic: Same requirements as fic. You can collaborate with someone writing a fic specifically for the event or find an existing fic that fills your prompt.

Fanmix: One song per fill- we'd love to see what songs give you codywan first kiss vibes. Try to match lyrics to your prompt but instrumental songs are cool too.

Other: Send an ask with your inquiry! We're more than happy to discuss expanding the fanwork pool to maximize creativity.

Ratings

You can post any work with any rating, but please abide by the appropriate rating/archive warning/tags on AO3 when posting there. When posting on tumblr, please warn for potentially triggering content in the tags and the header to the post, so readers can filter as needed. Anything spicy or explicit should go under a read-more tag, and please use a read-more tag if you’re posting a fic that is longer than a drabble (100 words) to be considerate of people’s dashboard feeds.

To help make this event a safe one for Codywan fans with any kind of photosensitivity, we do specifically request that you tag any and all flashing imagery with #flashing. If you're unsure what constitutes flashing, please see this article, or err on the side of caution for any image with: moving stripes or checkered patterns; strobe light, lightning, or explosion effects in any image or video; images of flickering light/sunlight on leaves/water; very fast cuts between images in a gif or video; rapidly moving images in an animation or gif set that stop and start or “stutter;” sparkle text or similar moving text effects; and images in an animation, gifset, or video that are in high color contrast to each other (for example, a gif set that cuts pink Barbie gifs with black & white Oppenheimer gifs to create a fast-moving contrast between the two styles.) 

The CWFKB mods' decision is final on whether your post/entry requires a flashing warning; they will contact you to ask you to update your tags if you haven’t already noted in your tumblr or AO3 post that your fill contains #flashing content. If you are not willing to use the flashing tag, even after being contacted by the mods, the mods have the right to decide that under-tagged flashing fills will be disqualified from the event.

Finally– with exceptions for the NSFW or #spicy and #flashing tags on tumblr– you have the right to choose not to warn readers in accordance with AO3’s “choose not to warn” option, but posters whose tags or ratings are deceptive or misleading versus the actual content may have their fills disqualified.

When in doubt, please contact the mods! The mods will contact you about any fill where the tags and ratings raise this concern, with a request that you revise and update your tags and warnings.

Combining Prompts

This is a low stakes event and we just want people to have fun! If you want to combine prompts that's totally fine, but we ask that you give each fill its own scene within the larger work. This means there should be a separate kiss for each prompt, even if the 'scene' is a series of types of kisses all in a row.

Swapping Prompts

Nearly have a bingo but there's that one pesky prompt in your way you don't vibe with? Go ahead and swap it with another prompt on your card. As all the prompts are randomly selected and not handpicked for participants; we understand there's a chance some of the prompts may not inspire you so we allow ONE and only ONE SWAP PER CARD. Use it carefully if you need it!

Behind the Scenes

This bingo is modded by tumblr users @dontbelasagnax @lttrsfrmlnrrgby and @notthestarwar. Since we're big fans of the previous codywan bingos, we felt the drive to bring the fun back for anyone else that has missed the event as much as us!

Our adorable profile picture was drawn by @anaclastic-azurite! 

You can actually find the public inception of this bingo event right here!

If you have any further questions after reading our rules, our askbox is open!

@swfandomevents

(NB: edited Oct. 9 to add "vertical.")

(NB: edited Nov. 10 to add "This means there should be a separate kiss for each prompt, even if the 'scene' is a series of types of kisses all in a row.")

[turbulenthandholding]

Sydney's polka dots and Yayoi Kusama

I wrote about it a little bit here, in a reblog of @thoughtfulchaos773's really excellent post (and ongoing thread) about Carmy's polka dots in his sauce but I have wondered since my first watch of S3, if there is some reference in all of the polka dots (Sydney's except for Carmy's sauce) to the Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama.

Pumpkins and Fruits (1993)

Kusama is an artist who works in a number of mediums, including sculpting and painting, but who is primarily known for her works featuring polka dots, both paintings as well as installations of polka dots in mirrored rooms (as well as even live art installations with naked people painted with polka dots).

There's two threads in her art that I think are particularly interesting, if all of Sydney's polka dots are at all referential to Kusama's work: mental health and sexuality.

Mental Health

The genesis of polka dots in Kusama's art came from her childhood, where as early as age 10 she had hallucinations of spots.

“I translate the hallucinations and obsessional images that plague me into sculptures and paintings."

And from Wikipedia:

Kusama has been open about her mental health and has resided since the 1970s in a mental health facility which she leaves daily to walk to her nearby studio to work. She says that art has become her way to express her mental problems. "I fight pain, anxiety, and fear every day, and the only method I have found that relieved my illness is to keep creating art," she told an interviewer in 2012. "I followed the thread of art and somehow discovered a path that would allow me to live."

I think Sydney's polka dots, viewed through the lens of Kusama's art, could be an indication of the healthiness of using creativity and collaboration in the kitchen as a way to process and work through past trauma as well as anxiety. As Kusama's art has given her a path allowing life, as she said, Sydney's polka dots could represent that Carmy has a path to improved mental health and a better place through his collaboration with Syd and their mutual inspiration. Carmy spends a lot of season 3 doing things for Sydney instead of with her, and his reflection of her polka dots in his sauce stands out as a reflection and a growing recognition in him of the full depth of her importance to him.

Sexuality

Which brings me to the second potential reference to Kusama's work in the polka dots, which is a reference to sexuality.

Sexuality has played a very complicated and, even at times disturbing, role in Kusama's life and she has used her art as a way to process it and reconcile her sexuality with herself. She was traumatized early by an abusive mother who sent her to spy on her cheating father as he conducted his affairs, which led to a reaction towards anything sexual filled with a lot of disgust (understandably). Over the course of her career, she grappled more and more with her feelings on sexuality in her art, with many representation both of female and male genitals in her work. As one article says:

Her works often depict phallic shapes and repetitive patterns, which she has said are meant to represent the human obsession with sex and desire. Kusama’s art also explores themes of self-obliteration and the loss of self in the face of infinite repetition.

Phalli's Field (1965) - first mirrored room installation, filled with phallic shapes made out of fabric and cardboard, covered in polka dots.

From Stir World:

While the work circled back to the phallic motif, the design intervention of using mirrors created an architecture of infinite space. This was the beginning of what revolutionised her career so much so that in 2016, she was chosen as one of the world’s most influential people by TIME magazine. Since then, her exhibitions of infinity rooms like Love is Calling have had waiting lines of over five hours for a few seconds of viewing time. 

Especially when Kusama combines polka dots with mirrored infinity rooms as she calls them, there is very much a sense of both reflectivity and reflexivity that happens. An interesting example in terms of this discussion, Infinity Mirrored Room - Love Forever (1966/1994), the polka dots in this room being represented by round, colored light bulbs:

A description of the installation (emphasis mine):

Infinity Mirrored Room—Love Forever is an iteration of the second mirrored environment Kusama created. Sculptural, architectural, and performative, the installation blurs the lines between artistic disciplines and is activated by audience participation. Hexagonal in shape and mirrored on all sides, Love Forever features two peepholes that invite visitors to peer in and see both themselves and another participant repeated into infinity. 

Kusama used her polka dots, especially when integrated into more phallic shapes in reflective rooms, to process and come to grips with her sexuality. And if there was an intentional reference being made to her art in Sydney's proclivity towards polka dots in season 3, I think it's in Carmy's coopting of the imagery in his sauce. The reflective and reflexive gesture indicates his observation of her (in that he noticed her repeating the pattern over the course of months in her clothes and scarves) as well as his desire for her. At their best, they are vibrantly collaborative and we see each of them let the other in more than anyone else. And this isn't entirely comfortable for Sydney, seen in the way she deflects his questions about her parents and her apartment at different points. But she does eventually tell him more and let him in more - and I think the polka dots could also be a representation of her coming to grips with her feelings and ultimately desire towards/for him, as well as the importance of their collaborative relationship, especially with the difficulty of Carmy in S3 as well as her offer from Shapiro.

(Also as an aside, Yayoi Kusama's art comes up as a rather regular inspiration/collaboration in food and fine dining, so it feels like her art may at least have been on someone's radar as they thought about Syd's polka dots this season. See here and here and here and here and here - as created by a former chef from the French Laundry.)

Sources for info and pictures:

Yayoi Kusama's website

Understanding Sexuality in Yayoi Kusama's Art

Accumulation (MoMA)

Wikipedia

The Alchemist of Polka Dots

Love Forever

[heeseungsnewwhore]

The Jungwon affliction is hitting a different kind of hard today. I mean not any different for me this is what I feel on a regular basis but today I’m sharing- Continue reading at your own risk 🫶 it’s a little different.

They were innocent pictures.

So innocent.

Just adorable little bed selfies.

Like literally you just saw them, that’s exactly what they are. Except they’re not. Mm-mm. Not for these eyes. Imagine the irrational amount of horny rage lusting through you as you get the notification and now you’re hopping out of your bed.

Racing out of you hotel room and rushing to sneak into his. Quickly and quietly dashing in and carefully shutting his door behind you. You look around to see him still on his back as he raises his head up with curious and confused eyes, simply humming as he looks up at you.

“What the fuck was that?” You whisper.

“What?”

“You know what.” You squint at him and he chuckles.

Sitting up in the bed enough to prop back on his elbows. Tossing his bangs out of his face.

This man…

“What are you talking about?”

You don’t say another word to him until you’re crawling into the bed with him, softly cursing him as he only giggles and tries to block you with the blankets. Failing to keep you from nestling between his legs, and at first tickling him. The man wallowing and laughing, begging and swearing up and down through his laughter that he has no idea what you’re blaming him for so you’d let him breathe and simply explain:

“Those hot as fuck pictures you jsut posted. What the fuck?” You ask again and he looks at you with oblivious doe eyes.

“What do you mean, I thought they were cute?” He asks with a pout, before clicking his tongue. “Pervert.”

“Exactly. Think I’m just gonna let you go to bed after that?” You chuckle before leaning your head down to begin pressing kisses to his neck.

He doesn’t protest, not physically but he’s verbally scolding you for thinking such a way. But it’s not long before his words are dying away into moans and whimpers and he’s sprawled on the bed. Completely naked. Bangs clinging to his forehead. His hands gripping the pillow at either side of his head. Chest heaving as he’s not even trying to keep himself quiet.

“I-ughn~…O-oh.. o-oh my…f-fu…fuck~!”

He’s crying out. Your mouth around him and three digits inside of him too much for him to say much else. Or make any other noises.

He’d literally be writhing.

His moans would be a song of their own.

And they’re desperate. Jungwons moans are so needy and desperate, and it just drives you to keep giving him what he wanted.

He loved the edging. The drawn out collaboration of pain and pleasure that was ripping its way through every fiber of his being. The way your mouth hallowed around him and slowly devoured him. The way three fingers were burying themself again and again, curling, rubbing, spreading inside his puffy hole.

This is exactly what you wanted. It wasn’t anything for you to cum just at the sight of him like this. Admiring your pattern of purple hues over perfect skin. The contorted expression of pleasure on his face. The way his back arched and how he cries out like the desperate slut of himself he only shows you. On full display, shameless and letting you do whatever you wanted to him.

All of it was yours.

With every drop of his release that fills your mouth as he’s bucking his hips wildly in a sloppy rhythm. You still yourself some, letting him use your mouth to finish his messy release. A mixture of cum and saliva squelching out past your lips and ending up a mess around your mouth and cheeks until he finally comes down and his hips collapse back into the mattress.

“Th…Th-thank you…” He says in between the cutest little fucked out moans you’ve ever heard. “I-I’m-“

“Not yet~ But not until I’ve made you cum for every one of those ‘cute’ litttle pictures you posted.”

[wanderingsimsfinds]

These patterns were made in collaboration with @mainlyjustthesims to create a Gothic nursery. These are the same patterns linked on her post which you should definitely check out to get the rest of the set!

Introducing the Gothic Nursery Collection

There are 31 seamless patterns included (GothicNursery 1-31)

Found under THEMED & GEOMETRIC

There are ZIPs for sims3packs, packages, and preview images

There is a MERGED package file with all 31 patterns

DOWNLOAD (SFS) (MediaFire)

Source: Google, Spoonflower

[gothhabiba]

Hey, apologies, I'm sure this has been asked before & I've seen an answer about it, but I'm struggling to find the post! And absolutely no pressure to answer bc I know it's asking a lot. I really enjoy reading poetry and find your poetry so wonderful & moving to read, I really treasure my copy of wonderers & witch talkers. I have no background in literature or humanities and I really enjoy writing poetry but it is Bad Poetry. Is there a way to get better at both reading & writing poetry, please?

thank you so much, that's so flattering! 🥰♥

there's a lot of advice about writing poetry in my tagged/writing:

my process of writing a poem from beginning to end, including editing

how to get over the anxiety of being "bad" at poetry

how to find your poetic voice (via @christee-angel)

writing exercises

on line breaks in free-form poetry

how to get started writing fixed-form poetry

sonnet exercises (at the end of this reading). mostly if you've already written a few sonnets and are interested in the form

how to avoid sounding trite (don't worry about this yet if you've just started writing poetry)

the advice in there about reading poetry is sparser, but a lot of the advice about writing (making sure that things like tone, line breaks, and meter are 'doing' what you want them to do) doubles as advice about reading—in fact, reading poetry is necessary to gain an understanding of what, for example, a line break 'does' to your experience of reading a poem, such that you can manipulate your own line breaks to effect.

more advice on reading poetry:

Paul Fussell's Poetic Meter and Poetic Form is often given as an intro to close reading of poetry. you might start with chapter 6, which engages with both metre and rhyme.

different ethos of reading literature (that aren't close reading) and questions to ask yourself as you read

how to read stress in / perform scansion of metred poetry

I also want to stress that, if you're enjoying what you read, you are not "bad" at reading poetry. reading a poem, having an emotional (or other) response to the import of the words, a pleasurable (or jarring, thought-provoking, interestingly uncomfortable) response to the texture of the language itself—any instance where a poem is 'doing' something for you, where you feel like you're getting something from the poem, or collaborating with the poem to produce an experience you like—these are all 'successful' instances of reading poetry.

additional things to do / pay attention to when reading a poem:

read the poem silently, and then (if you can) aloud. pay attention to how the poem makes you feel, what situation you think it's describing, what ideas you get from it. then listen to the poem as it's read (if there's a reading on youtube or an audiobook version, for example) and compare that to your reading of the poem. how do the different readings suggest different interpretations or emphasis?

on your next reading, pay special attention to the language of the poem and to how the words sound put together as you read aloud. how do they feel in your mouth? what rhymes, repeated sounds (consonance or assonance), rhythms do you notice? at what pace do move across the page, and how does the author of the poem use rhythm, lineation, or spacing across the page to alter that pace? can you liken the rhythm of the poem to a certain pattern of bodily movement? can you 'feel' it? what does the shape of the poem evoke? why do you think the author made the choices they did?

notice the tone of the words chosen. is it matter-of-fact, melodramatic, incisive, flowery, pared-down, effusive?

notice the structure of the poem. is it strictly chronological, does it move back and forth, is it wandering, repetitive, cyclic, does it repeatedly reference ideas or repeat images that have come before? what effect do these things have on your experience of the poem? how would the poem be different with a different tone or structure?

as a writing exercise, try writing the poem with a different tone or structure. what changes? is it more effective, less effective, does it do different things? which version do you prefer?

does the poem remind you of anything you've read before? what ideas in the broader world (social, literary, economic, political) does the poem reference or play with? does your perception of the poem's form (i.e., you probably have different ideas about what a sonnet versus a free-form poem 'means') seem to work with or against the poem's tone and ideas? why do you think the poet chose the form they did? on analysing the choices that a poet made within a fixed form, see Fussell again.

as you notice different aspects of a poem in their plurality, you should be in a better place to manipulate these things in your own writing; this also encourages more multivalent possibilities in how you respond to other people's writing.

[accio-victuuri]

as a cpf, i am very sensitive to numbers. it’s something that i learned in this fandom, and while there are certain times that i believe it— there is a higher incidence of me questioning it. this is an example of me sort of changing my mind. i’m posting it here so i can reference in the future if it happens again and starts a pattern. so the first mention is people pointing out wyb’s watch in SDC6 finale which is a blancpain x swatch collaboration. i get why people were suspicious because of the 91 which could be 1991 and those of us who remember the moon watch clownery that had October 5 on it. so is this another gift? then add 300 as well, 3 (zhan).

what made me take a second look is rocco shared props used in zz’s GQ shoot and included a specific stamp. 1991, which is zz’s birth year so it makes sense. I mean, the project even had lots of 1005 references. and then 30c which signifies the cost of the stamp. but then, it’s that number again. WYB’s watch 91/300 and then this props that is supposedly connect to zz personally 1991/30. 👀

to me, this is still in the realm of galaxy brain but who knows — only time will tell. 🤍

[jokeroutsubs]

Exhibition of Joker Out's outfits from the Eurovision

Here's also an article posted yesterday about the exhibition:

Exhibition with a story.

It is with great pleasure that we invite you to an exceptional exhibition where fashion and heritage meet. Our popular music group Joker Out shined on the Eurovision stage in Liverpool with outfits embellished with contemporary Idrija lace! The story that led to this incredible collaboration goes back to the heart of our friend Andraž Drobnić - Karlo Kirri. His Idrija roots led him to the idea of combining the sophistication of Idrija lace with the energetic and enthusiastic music of Joker Out. With the help of designer Tina Koder Grajzar, Karlo Kirri drew out the patterns, the Idrija lace-makers made them, and fashion designer Ponorelli then incorporated them into the outfits of the musicians who wowed the world audience at Eurovision. This unique exhibition will give you the chance to see these extraordinary outfits. You will be able to admire every detail of the contemporary Idrija lace that has been incorporated in the design of these artistic creations. This event is an opportunity to delve deeper into the story and symbolism of Idrija lace and its interaction with music. Join us, who knows, you might even meet members of the band Joker Out at the exhibition. Don't miss this extraordinary opportunity to discover the magic of "Lace at the Eurovision"! https://www.festivalidrijskecipke.si/eventer/razstava-evrovizijskih-oblek-skupine-joker-out/

Here's another picture from Idrija Lace-Makers' Association Facebook:

"Saturday morning will be remembered by many for the cute boys, members of the group Joker Out, who represented us at Eurovision this year in outfits adorned with Idrija lace. You won't be able to take pictures or chat with the boys this afternoon anymore, but you can still see their outfits today and tomorrow in the underpass of the Idrija City Library and Reading Room."

And 2 more pics from joker_out_official IG story:

-Translation by jokeroutsubs, DO NOT REPOST