#tip from a Bay Area local:

[arcane-vagabond]

Meet Me at the Sea: Chapter One

Meet Me at the Sea: Chapter One

Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Reader

Summary: Your best friend, Bob Floyd, had insisted you join him for the summer at his family's home along the Carolina coasts. You had been hesitant at first, but ultimately agreed to his request. Now, here you were in a new town with strange locals who spoke in hushed whispers and cryptic retellings about glistening scales, glowing eyes, and haunting songs that echoed from the sea. You didn't believe them at first, but when you wake up on the beach one morning after having fallen overboard the night before, you can't help but think that maybe you hadn't imagine the strong arms and deep, green eyes of the man that had saved you.

Trigger warnings: Alcohol consumption, Sassy Bob, Flirty Bradley, Supernatural elements, Siren calls. I think that's it?

Word Count: 3.1k

A/N: Here is chapter one!! I hope you enjoy this story as much as I am enjoying writing it lol I'm so excited to continue this one. Just a quick reminder to you all that I will be out of town Wednesday-Saturday, so I'm not sure how much I'll be able to update as I will be attending a wedding! As always, reblogs, comments, and likes are greatly appreciated! 18+ ONLY!! You can also follow me on AO3 under arcane_vagabond where I will be posting updates as well!

Series Masterlist

You crossed the bridge to North Island a few hours later, the sun hanging low in the sky, but not quite to the point of setting. You marveled at the expanse of water that stretched on beneath you as you drove.

“Not sure why the founders wanted to settle way the hell out here,” Bob grumbled beside you. “We’re too small to even have a damn Walmart.”

“Walmart is overrated,” you told him, turning the radio down. “Besides, small towns are so cute!”

“Not when you’re forced to live there every day,” Bob retorted with a roll of his eyes. You rolled your eyes back at him, repositioning Rusty who still sat on your lap.

“You’re too close to it to see all the charm it has to offer.”

“I give it two weeks before you eat those words,” he smirked. You reached over to smack his shoulder lightly, and he looked over at you in mock shock. “Don’t hit the driver!”

“Well, maybe the driver shouldn’t be such a cynic,” you teased, leaning back. Bob chuckled as the car reached the other side of the bay, passing the crowded beaches. “Does North Island get a lot of tourists?”

“Only during the summertime, really,” he replied. “It’s a calm, quiet little town with white beaches and pretty views all over the island. The founders have really played into the local legends over the years, so we have a lot of souvenir shops dedicated to those.”

“What local legends?” you asked him, quirking a brow. Bob flushed, the tips of his ears turning a bright red.

“It’s dumb,” he grumbled, but you were listening intently now.

The two of you drove through the downtown area, people milling about and enjoying the end of the summer day. The dinner crowd was beginning to pick up and you could hear the music blaring from several different buildings.

“No, come on,” you grinned. “You can’t drop that little tidbit and then not tell me.”

“Alright, fine,” he sighed, glancing at you. “For as long as the town has been around, there have been stories of…things in the water.”

“What do you mean? Like a really big fish or something?”

He shifted in his seat, turning down a side road that led away from town.

“I mean,” he hummed, “things like mermaids.”

You laughed at that, and Bob grimaced. “I told you it was dumb,” he muttered.

“No, no,” you giggled. “It’s cute, really. I love mermaids!”

He rolled his eyes. “You wouldn’t if you grew up surrounded by them.”

“There you go being all cynical again,” you scowled. “I would have killed to live somewhere like this with such fun local legends.”

Bob pulled down a gravel driveway and past a grouping of trees. You saw a grand, white house perched at the edge of the hill overlooking the water. A porch wrapped around both the first and second floor, and you saw a path lead down the hill towards the beach.

“I’m glad one of us is excited to be here,” he chuckled, coming to a stop on the blacktop as you stared at the large house in front of you.

“You live here?” You asked, looking over at him in shock.

Bob had the decency to look sheepish as he turned off the car. “Yeah, this is home.”

At that moment, a small, blonde woman opened the door with a wide grin. She rushed out onto the porch as a burly, spectacled man stepped out behind her. Bob opened his door, and you followed suit. Susan Floyd rushed down the steps and up towards you, wrapping you in a warm hug before turning to give her son a matching one. Richard Floyd gave you a warm smile as he clapped his son on the back.

“You two must be exhausted after that drive,” Susan cooed, ushering you into the house as the two men moved to get your luggage out of the car. You smiled warmly at her and allowed her to lead you into the house.

“I’m not too tired,” you told her as she sat you down in a stool by the island in the kitchen. It was a spacious room, opening up into the dining room. A set of glass doors led out onto the back porch, the ocean sitting front and center in the beautiful view of the beach below.

“That’s good,” she hummed, stirring the pot on the stove. “Are you hungry, sweetie? I made some of my special spaghetti. It’s Bobby’s favorite, you know.”

Bob groaned as he stepped into the kitchen with his father. “Mom, I’ve told you. It’s not Bobby, it’s Bob.”

Susan smiled at the younger man affectionately. “Yes, of course dear. Were you hungry?”

“Starved, actually,” he smiled, plopping down in the seat next to you. Susan began piling noodles and sauce onto two different plates before setting them down in front of the two of you. Bob uttered a thanks before shoveling a healthy fork full into his mouth. You giggled, watching as he ate like he hadn’t eaten in months. You took a much smaller bite than he had, humming at how good the sauce tasted. It had a hint of red wine that pulled out the flavors of the garlic and herbs.

“How’s it taste?” she smiled at you, leaning against the counter.

“Ifs delisus,” Bob said through a mouthful of noodles. She scowled at him before throwing a napkin at him.

“Don’t talk with your mouthful,” she scolded before turning to look at you expectantly. You chuckled before nodding your agreement.

“It’s delicious, Mrs. Floyd.”

“No, none of that,” she scowled. “Call me Susan.”

“Yes, Susan,” you smiled. She smiled at you before turning to clean up the rest of the kitchen. Bob inhaled his first plate of spaghetti, and Susan was quick to load his plate up with more.

“Has Bob told you any of the town’s history yet, y/n?” Richard asked you from his spot at the dining room table. Bob groaned, hiding his face in his hands as you smiled.

“He told me about the mermaid legends,” you grinned. You saw Susan pause out of the corner of your eye as Richard gave you a wry smile.

“I don’t know if I would call them mermaids,” he mused, giving a pointed look at his son who refused to meet his gaze. “But our town has a long, storied history, yes.”

“Oh?” You asked, eyebrows shooting up in surprise.

Richard hummed, leaning back in his chair. “No, mermaid is an insulting term for what these creatures are. They’re fierce hunters, preying these waters with deadly accuracy. Sometimes they even hunt on land.”

“What do you mean?” You frowned. Susan gave him a warning look, but he continued.

“They say these creatures come out of the depths to prey on humans on the land, dragging them into the depths never to be seen again.”

“Alright, that’s enough,” Susan snapped at him, Richard giving her an apologetic look. “I don’t want to hear any more of that nonsense tonight. Why don’t you make yourself useful and go take out the trash?”

Richard heaved a sigh, standing to obey her. He passed you with a wink, dropping a hand to your shoulder.

“I’m sure you have nothing to worry about, y/n,” he smiled, turning to head out the door. Susan sighed, turning to look at you once she heard the door close behind him.

“I’m sorry about him,” she grumbled, shooting a glare at where her husband had just disappeared. “He loves those crazy stories. Don’t even pay him any mind, okay?”

“I don’t mind!” You assured her. “I think it’s all very interesting. The most anyone talks about where I’m from is Bigfoot.”

“As much as I would love to hear you go on your bigfoot theories tirade again,” Bob spoke up, rolling his eyes. “I thought you might want to go out tonight.”

“Bobby, I’m sure she’s tired,” his mother started, but you shook your head, turning excitedly to look at your best friend.

“No, it’s fine!” You chirped. “I think it would be fun to go out and get to see the sites. Where did you have in mind?”

“I was thinkin’ I could take you down to the Hard Deck,” he mused.

Susan rolled her eyes at him. “You want to take her to a bar of all things?”

“Why not? The gang is going to be there tonight, I already texted them to make sure. They’re anxious to meet her.”

Susan seemed to brighten at that. “Oh, you’ll love’em, y/n! They’re such a good group of kids, and I just know they’ll love you too.”

“So we have your blessing then?” Bob joked, earning another scowl.

“Yes, you kids go out and have a good time, but don’t be out too late! I think your father said something about wanting to take the boat out tomorrow morning.”

“Yes, ma’am!” He mock saluted, earning a smack to the top of his head this time. You chuckled at the two of them as Bob rubbed the back of his head. He turned to look at you with a scowl at your obvious amusement. “C’mon, I’ll show you your room.”

The night was warm despite the cool breeze blowing in through the window from the ocean, and you chalked it up to the densely populated bar you now found yourself sitting in. You had followed Bob inside, having to grab his hand in order to keep from getting separated amongst the crowd.

“Bob!”

You turned to see a group of five seated at a large table on the far wall next to the patio. The only woman in the group raised her hand to grab his attention, and Bob eagerly dragged you over to them.

“Hey, college boy,” grinned a tanned man with long, curly hair that was slicked back. “How’s it hangin’?”

“More importantly,” said the dark-skinned man across from him, looking at you, “who’s your friend?”

“Guys, this is y/n, my best friend from Duke,” he gestured to you with a grin. “Y/n, this is Mickey, Reuben, Natasha, Javy, and Bradley.”

Each of them waved to you at the mention of their name, and you waved back with a small smile. The mustached one, Bradley, grinned up at you before shuffling over on the bench.

“Ain’t no need to be shy, sunshine,” he winked at you, gesturing to the now open seat next to him. “We’re all friends here.”

You sat down slowly next to him, Bob scooting onto the bench across from you and next to Natasha.

“So, y/n,” she smiled, leaning forward with intrigue clear in her eyes, “where you from?”

“Oh, I’m from Missouri,” you smiled at her.

“Missouri?” Mickey snorted, earning a ribbing from Javy. You chuckled, feeling your cheeks heat up.

“Yeah, it’s not glamorous or anything, but it’s home,” you explained.

Reuben leaned around Bradley to look at you. “So you were in the same major as Bob, right? How did you even get into that?”

“Oh, I’ve always had a fascination with the sea, I guess. Felt like I might have been a mermaid in another life,” you joked, and the group chuckled, earning a look from Bob as you looked around uncertainly. “Did I say something funny?”

“Nah, sunshine,” Bradley grinned. “It’s just cute is all. Imagine you being a little mermaid.”

“In fairness, I was five,” you blushed, and he reached down to pinch your cheek gently.

“Don’t go gettin’ shy on us again,” he drawled. Javy rolled his eyes, taking a sip from the glass of beer in front of him.

“You’re almost putting Jake to shame right now,” he chuckled, causing Mickey and Reuben to both snort. Bob looked around the bar, brow furrowing.

“Speaking of, where is he?” He asked the rest of the group. Bradley let out a low chuckle, resting his arm behind you as Natasha rolled her eyes at the name.

“Mandy has been especially clingy, as of late,” Reuben frowned, peering towards the bar with a pointed look. Bob turned, frowning at what he saw. “Been dropping hints left and right for weeks. She barely leaves his side.”

“Well, yeah,” Bradley scoffed, taking a swig from his bottle. “I’m not surprised since it’s almost time for-”

Natasha cleared her throat, giving a pointed glance to you.

“Almost time for what?” you asked, looking around at the table. No one said a thing, giving small glares at Bradley who shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He cleared his throat and looked down at you, an easy smile spreading across his face.

“I just noticed that you don’t have a drink, sunshine,” he said. “Why don’t you come with me to the bar, and I’ll get you something?”

You gave one last look around the table before nodding slowly. “Yeah, okay. I could use a drink.”

You stood, Bradley close behind you, and you looked over at Bob. “You’re usual?”

“Please,” he said, giving you a tight lipped smile. You returned it softly, following Bradley up to the bar.

“Bradley,” hummed the older woman behind the bar, green eyes narrowing in on him as she saw you next to him.

“Penny,” he smirked, leaning against the counter. She walked over to the two of you, placing a hand on her hip as she frowned at him.

“What can I get you?” She asked him.

“Two beers and?” He turned to you, eyebrow raised.

“A jack and coke, please,” you smiled at her. She returned the gesture warmly, moving to make your drink.

“You best be careful around this one, honey,” she drawled, eyeing the man next to you. “He has a habit of goin’ around breaking hearts.”

“Penny, you wound me,” Bradley cried in mock hurt, gaping mouth quickly turning into another grin. He shot you a wink. “I would never do that to sunshine here.”

Penny snorted, handing him two beers and you your glass. “Right. You’re no better than Seresin over here.”

She jerked her head to the other side of the bar. You followed her gaze, seeing a blond man turn at the sound of his name. He glanced over to where Penny was looking at you and Bradley leaning up against the bar. He had an easy smirk on his face that rivaled Bradley’s, and when he turned his green eyes to you, you swear your heart stopped beating for a moment. His eyes were like sea glass, a frosty, almost moss colored green. It was like the world faded to black around you as you looked at him. You felt something that you could only describe as a tether snapping into place as his eyes bore into yours. If you didn’t know any better, you could have sworn his eyes started glowing as he continued to stare into the very depths of your soul.

“Y/n?”

Your eyes snapped to the side where Bradley was watching you worriedly. You shook the silly thoughts from your head. “I’m sorry, what?”

Bradley chuckled down at you, a hint of worry still tugging at his lips.

“I was just asking if you were ready to head back to the others?”

“Oh,” you trailed off, glancing back at the stranger across the bar. He was still staring at you, face unreadable. The brunette standing next to him looked very put out as he continued to ignore her.

“Jake!” She hissed at him, gripping his jaw and turning his face to look at her. “Are you listening to me?”

Jake looked down at her, a puzzled expression on his face. “Huh?”

“You are so dense sometimes,” she snapped, dropping her hand back to her side. The stranger, Jake, glanced back over at you, and the brunette followed his line of sight, scowling when she saw you. Bradley let out a low whistle before nudging you with his elbow playfully.

“Would sure hate to be him right about now,” he joked, an exaggerated grimace making you giggle. “Mandy is no joke when she’s pissed.”

“Jake!” Mandy shrieked. You chanced another look across the bar. Mandy looked like she was about to blow a fuse as she stared daggers between you and the man at her side. Said man was now frowning, eyes darting between you and Bradley. “I’m talking to you!”

“C’mon, sunshine,” Bradley said with a roll of his eyes at the couple across the bar. “If we stay any longer, I might lose my hearing.”

You followed him back to the table silently, still feeling the heavy weight of two green eyes on your back.

You slept with the window open that night, eager to feel the sea air on your skin as you slept. Your curtains billowed lightly as the moonlight poured into your room. You tossed and turned, trying to find a comfortable position to fall back asleep in. Your bed wasn’t uncomfortable, quite the opposite in fact, so you weren’t sure what had woken you up. You glanced at your phone, the numbers on the screen showing that it was far too early in the morning to still be awake. You huffed out a sigh, listening to the waves as they crashed against the shore below. That was when you heard it.

You weren’t sure what it was at first, it was so unlike anything you had ever experienced. It was a low hum that slowly turned into a lamentful cry amongst the breaking waves. You tossed your blankets back, quickly getting up and padding over to the window. The cry turned into what you could only describe as a song, not too dissimilar to one a whale would make, but this sounded almost…human? You peered out the window, heart racing as you continued to listen to the strange song. You felt a yearning unlike any other crescendo inside of you, calling to you from a distance almost like it wasn’t even your own. Your mind began to feel heavy, hazy with what, you weren’t sure. The song continued, calling to you, begging you to follow. Your eyes grew lidded, skin warm as you felt the call seep into your skin, drowning everything out but the inherent need to obey. You turned, taking a step towards your door.

A dog began to bark, causing you to jump and the song to stop. Shaking the cloudiness from your mind, you looked out the window once again. You caught sight of what you could only describe as a fish’s tail, silver scales gleaming in the moonlight, rising up before disappearing back beneath the waves.

[bao3bei4]

why zines? how zines?

i was on a panel at fanworks con 2023 about zines today. it was a lot of fun! i decided to turn my portion of the talk into a post for my friends who couldn’t make it to the panel. 

this post includes my thoughts on: 

why make a zine

how to generate ideas for zines

how to finish your zines

how to build an audience for your zines

so why zines? what are they? [ZEENS, rhymes with beans], pronounced that way because it’s a shortened form of the word magazine, are basically just that: self published magazines. but why make a zine over, say, a blog post? or any other piece of art. 

i have basically three reasons. the first is that making little books is cool. it’s genuinely awesome to make physical zines and have the product of your labor in your hand. it’s a great feeling to finish a project and feel a concrete reward, and a lot of times we don’t get that in our lives.

the second reason is that zines give you absolute editorial control. you can put anything you want on a page. whatever layout, whatever order, whatever fold, whatever content. you name it, you can do it. this is something other venues rarely give you. for artists, it’s phenomenal. and for the rest of us, it gives us the ability to become artists for a little bit, as we lay things out.

the third reason is that zines can be absolute shit. in fact, the more shit they are, the more diy and punk they are. they have an incredible lineage of stolen copy paper and anarchist politics. all that to say, is that there are no standards. the zine ethos is say what you wanna say. it’s tremendously freeing to go fuck polish and respectability, i’m making my project.

because of these three reasons, i want to encourage you to get started making zines by describing common challenges and worries and giving you several practical tips for each on working past them. so, in order, they’re “i don’t know what to make a zine about,” “i struggle to finish projects,” and “no one will read my zines.” let’s get into it.

first up, “i don’t know what to make a zine about.” i think this one is pretty common, even for experienced zine creators. sometimes you’re in the mood to make things but you have no clue what. a lot of people suggest to just go with random words or whatever pops into your head, but i’m picky! i find that unsatisfying! so here are some tips for people in the same boat. 

ONE: what’s distracting you? work with it. because anything can be a zine, let the things you’ve already done serve as inspiration. photos you’ve taken can be formatted into a zine. is there a game sucking up your attention? make a zine about it. the song stuck in your head can turn into a lyricbook, forgotten works in progress or sketches can be resurrected, cannibalized, or even published as incomplete zines. if you’ve been busy with real life, maybe the recipes you’ve been making—even if, especially if, they’re struggle meals, can turn into zines. interview your most interesting friend. summarize a book you read recently. even if you’ve just been doomscrolling, that’s a zine too! i got a zine last weekend called bay area newsreel which was collecting recent articles about local news from leftist perspectives gathered up into a handy volume. your attention is a gift, so look at what zine fodder it’s accumulated for you naturally. 

SECOND: add a twist. sometimes i have an idea but it isn’t quite right. it just seems too straightforward. so i try to develop along a single axis of content or form. what this means is basically go against your instincts, or rather, your first impulse. that first idea is very hard to walk away from, but doing so often gives you an idea that gets you unstuck. so for content, add a different perspective. for me this is often a theoretical approach. when i was stuck on my scum villain zine, turning it into freud zine let the words start flowing. next, on form: present it differently than your first instinct is to. if my first thought is “essay,” i try to figure out how to chunk out the information into modules or how to add interactivity or what kind of illustrations to add. if my first thought is “this could be a fic or comic,” i try turning it into an essay. saying things a different way often gives you a new perspective on the content as well. 

THIRD: copy! make your take on the same thing as someone else. it’s not stealing—well, ideally it isn’t. make your original take and give credit where credit is due and ask permission if necessary. but engage with the medium!!! making zines without reading zines is the same thing as trying to write a paper without citing sources, or a novel without reading your contemporaries. that is, you can do it, but it’s hard. zines are a genre into themselves so figure out how to situate yourself in their ongoing dialogue. an example of this from my own practice is that i own a zine about queer gods and mythological creatures from chinese history. reading it i was like. why don’t they talk about this. why don’t they talk about that. and that became the basis for my own zine, guaitai the strange and the queer which focused on queer chinese history and literature instead. different zine, same inspiration. 

all of my ideas suppose you have SOMETHING going on. what if you truly have nothing. my advice? adapted from my “how to write an essay” blog post, is to read a book. read an article. read something. and then post about it. and then turn your posts into a zine. don’t start entirely from scratch — give yourself a scaffolding. so first. read something and tell someone about it. i wasn’t lying about calling myself a consummate poster. it’s a big part of my thought process. 

second up, what if “i struggle to finish projects.” i’m no stranger to having a bunch of half finished half started projects lying around. but here are some zine-specific tips i have for addressing that.

FIRST! go smaller; go shittier. reduce the scope of your projects. make one pagers, lists. once when i was feeling stymied, i made a physical zine about movies i’d watched that month, just listing them with a couple bullet points on each film. i eventually turned it into a bigger digital zine where i listed movies i’d watched over the past several months with more thoughts on them, and nicely formatted. but that was something that came out of reducing my scope from “i need to write a manifesto on a movie i’ve watched recently” to “well i can just tell people about it” to “i can say two things about it.” and something actually got finished.

SECOND. your friends are a great tool for accountability. something i like to do is zine jams with my friends. nothing fancy, it’s just we’ll sit down for an hour and go we’re going to make something in this hour. or, for a bigger scope, we might work separately but commit to making a zine that weekend. it’s nice to have community and it’s nice to feel a little bit of a friendly deadline. i recommend this even if you DON’T have problems finishing zines. it’s a good time. 

THIRD. a lot of times if the words aren’t coming easily, it’s because i’m not trying to say the right thing. keep in mind that your zines don’t have to be ���content.” this little paper zine i made about movies wasn’t made to share online; in fact, it’s not available online. i didn’t make it according to what other people would see or be interested in. you can and will burn out on making “marketable” content. corollary to this: sometimes what i have to say is something i DON’T want to share online. it might not be that it’s boring, it might be that it’s too personal. and i share a lot online, i write personal essays after all. but some projects i stall on because they’re really just for me, and i’m again, focused on making content. so this piece of advice is about rejecting the tyranny of the imaginary audience. 

and the next challenge is about embracing that audience! what if no one reads your zines, something that’s entirely possible. well there’s plenty you can do about that.

FIRST. cultivate zine community. read other people’s zines! talk to them about their zines! this greatly increases the chance that they will do the same for you. don’t go in expecting reciprocity; do it for its own sake, but it’s a great place to start. try asking people at zine fests if they’d be willing to trade with you, for instance. 

SECOND. write for yourself. it’s cheesy but it’s true. you really have to. if you’re not proud and happy with what you’re making on its own merits, what’s the point. now because this is a cop out tip, i’m not counting it as a tip on its own. 

so SECOND PART TWO. make your zines more accessible. if they’re not free, make them free—yes, you deserve to be compensated for your work, but it’s up to you to decide if you want a bigger audience first. if your zines aren’t short, make them shorter. make them short enough that you can post their entirety on social media or something else easy for your audience to consume. it’s a big ask sometimes to get someone to download your pdf! if they’re physical, hand them out to people you meet. remove all the barriers to entry.

THIRD. related to this, change medium. if you’re not making physical zines, try printing them out. if you’re not making digital zines, try digitizing them. both of these offer access to new audiences and new people who might be more interested in one form than another. 

i hope these thoughts encourage you to make a zine! if you do, please let me see it. i love reading zines. 

[blossomwritesthings]

𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐥𝐮𝐞. | 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐬𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐭

⬷ 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 ┊ 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 →

pairing: felix x fem!reader (afab) // chan x fem!reader (afab)

genre: nonidol/collegegrad!felix. waitress!reader. college au. hurt/comfort. angst. fluff. smut - MDNI, 18+ only. reader pov. friends to enemies to lovers au. slowburn romance. lots of pining. cheating. abusive boyfriend/ex. drama galore. the sexual tension is REAL in this one.

content & warnings: explicit & strong language. very thematic elements. felix is reader's estranged childhood bestie. chan is low-key an asshole in this ngl. heavy topics are mentioned such as: abusive/toxic relationships, cheating, and pathological lying. drinking/partying. the summer vibes are real in this one. there will be humor/fluff throughout to balance everything. and ofc smut too because who am i if not a whore for filthy felix smut. 😉

word count: 2.5k

summary: ever since you were born, all you've ever known is living a simple life in the small australian coastal town of bridgeport bay. you're content with working at your parent's beachside restaurant angel waves for the rest of your life, and you're happy with your place in the world - you have good friends and an even better boyfriend. that is, until everything comes to a standstill when a familiar face from the past visits town for the summer. and in the wake of his return, lee felix upturns everything you thought you were content with here in your comforting little beach town.

a/n: how tf has it been so fucking long since I last updated this??? sheeshhh 💀 anyways bitches, I'm backkk and with a vengeance 😈 this bitch has finally got herself a girlfriend, and you best believe with that entails a whole new era of filthy pieces, fuck yeah besties!! 🥵 I'm estimating this series will have another 3-4 parts to it... I've planned to finish this by the end of jan 2024, thanks sm for all of your patience and support!

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ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ʀᴇᴘᴏsᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ sɪᴛᴇs (ᴛʜɪs ɪɴᴄʟᴜᴅᴇs ᴛʀᴀɴsʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴs). do not copy, spin-off, or write inspired work based off of this fanfic without full permission to do so. ©ʙʟᴏssᴏᴍᴡʀɪᴛᴇsᴛʜɪɴɢs ⤐ ᴀʟʟ ʀɪɢʜᴛs ʀᴇsᴇʀᴠᴇᴅ

Two weeks later, after the continuous ‘meetings’ that you and Felix had out on the beach early in the morning, you found yourself amid a popular club in the area, with Chris holding onto your side as the two of you swayed across the dance floor. 

 You had already finished your dinner at the fanciest Italian joint in all of Bridgeport, and you two were subsequently stuffed to the brim from all of the pasta and bread. Yet somehow, you still found yourselves at the local club, crammed in with the large crowd of other couples and single people. The smell of liquor and cigarette smoke was palpable in the air, the bass of the club songs vibrating underneath your feet and causing you to feel a little dizzy on your toes. 

 Or maybe the two shots of cherry vodka you had just drank were the thing making you dizzy. 

 “You’re so fucking hot- I love… love-” Chris began in a slur, as he tipped into you. You grunted against his weight, stumbling a bit and bumping into a couple that was right behind you. “So much better than… her…”

 Staying silent for a few seconds, your liquor-addled brain took a few extra moments to process his words. At first, you were flattered… you always loved it when your boyfriend complimented you and told you he loved you. But then, the alcohol flowing through your system seemed to melt away as your entire focus honed in on what he had just said. 

 “Chris… what do you mean by her?”

 He stared up at you with glassy eyes, bottom lip wavering just a little bit from the soju that was coursing in his veins. “W-Wha-”

 But you didn’t let him finish, as your heart started to race a little faster and you shook him off of you, disconnecting his arms from holding onto your waist. “What the fuck are you talking about?” 

 Your boyfriend flashed you a confused look, brows furrowing as he noticed the anger that was slowly overtaking your entire facial expression. “D-Doesn’t matter… you’re here now and-” He got cut off again by the sound of his phone ringing. It was loud as hell, and all of the music of the club suddenly drowned out as he pulled his phone from his jeans pocket. 

 Looking at it for a split second, he silenced it before shoving it back into his pocket. When he caught your focus again, your eyes were honed onto his phone. “Who was that?” You asked, folding your arms in defiance and watching his face for any hint of emotion. 

 Instead, he just offered you an easy smile, waving your concern away with a nonchalant, limp hand. “Nobody- was nobody.” And in that moment, you cursed him for being such a lightweight. For loving the taste of alcohol, but only being able to handle two drinks in before he was absolutely floored with drunkenness. 

 “Give me your phone, Chris.” You motioned to his pants pocket with your hand, eyes narrowing slowly as he leveled you with a serious glare. 

 “Why?” 

 “If you have nothing to hide then you’re fine with giving it to me for a second.” 

 “But I don’t see why-”

 “Give me the goddamn phone, Chris!” You screamed so loudly, that the people near you all turned to watch the scene unfolding. Maybe it was the vodka in you that caused the butterflies of anxiety to stir in your stomach, or maybe it was your worries and premonitions making you react so hastily. 

 He rubs me the wrong way… 

 The way Felix’s deep voice had said the words crossed your mind just then, underneath the bar’s flashing rainbow lights. You thought about your best friend again, when you impulsively reached forward and grabbed Chris’ phone before he could even realize what was happening. 

 And as soon as the screen brightened and you read the name under the missed call notification, you knew it was all over. 

 Everything around you, the loudness of the dance floor and Chris, and the people cramming in on all sides, suddenly melted into nothingness. Your breath honed down to a single point, your heart slowing down its beats as you slowly unlocked the phone. He had been using the same password since he was in high school. That much you knew. 

 One click of a button and the screen opened to his messages. To the contact at the top, bolded and covered in hearts. And as much as you didn’t want to know, as much as you wanted to be left in the dark, a tiny, quiet voice in the back of your mind prodded you on. 

 If you don’t find out now, you’ll never truly get clarity. 

 But the voice wasn’t yours. 

 It was… 

 Felix’s. 

 So you opened the thread. And you began to read. 

Today 

11:13 pm 

This bitch actually wants me to take her out on a date tonight- even though I’m fucking exhausted from working all week. 

 Well, at least you have me to look forward to afterward. :) 

 You mean I really get to fuck you tonight? 

 Of course! Why else would I give you the code to my apartment!? Just so that you could use it that one time?? Hell nahh~ ❤️

 You felt like you were going to throw up, and before you could read anything more, a hand was reaching forward and snatching the device away from your gasp. You peered up to see an enraged, red-faced Chris. 

 “Why the fuck would you do that?! I fucking told you no!” He roared, eyes alight with a certain kind of fire that scared you just the tiniest of bits. 

 Everything was scaring you at that moment. The entire relationship had been a lie. All those years, wasted. 

 Because perhaps, he had been cheating since day one. 

 Perhaps, he had been fucking someone else throughout it all. 

 Yeji. 

 Yeji. 

 Yeji. 

 Her name rang across the forefront of your mind like a sick kind of mantra. 

 Your best friend, your closest confidant. The girl you had been working with since you two turned sixteen. 

 But as it turns out, she had never felt the same way about you. 

 Chris continued to scream in your face, the alcohol taking over everything. And suddenly, you felt so light-headed. Like if you kept thinking about it, you’d pass out right there in the middle of the dance floor. 

 Heart shattering again and again into millions of tiny fragments, cutting through sinew and flesh and bone, you backed away from your boyfriend altogether. 

 Soon, you were getting lost in the crowd of people, Chris’ face disappearing in the midst of them all. And before you knew it, you found your back pressed against a wall, as you doubled over with the misery of it all, hyperventilating in panic. 

 Even still, you somehow found the sanity inside of you to pull out your phone. Through your bleary, tear-filled vision, you dialed the one person you knew at that moment who would always be there for you. 

 The line rang for a few moments, and you prayed to every God above that he’d answer. 

 Answer. 

 Please- 

 Fuck, please pick up-  

 “Hello?” His deep voice cut clear across your mind, clearing some of the cloudiness that had overtaken your entire system. 

 “N-Need you to pick me up- please.” You forced out, voice hiking up in despair with each word that you spoke. Your entire began to shake, as the reality of the situation crashed down on your shoulders. “N-Now.” 

 “Send me your location, I’ll be there in under twenty.” 

 He didn’t even question you, he just automatically knew you weren’t okay. 

 “T-Thanks.” You managed to say, wiping away the tears that were quickly falling down your cheeks. 

 “Wait for me- I’ll be there soon.” 

 And then the line clicked off and you were left alone again. 

 Alone in a room full of strangers. 

 And alone with the one person you thought you had known. Yet so suddenly, you didn’t know him at all. 

 Before you could do anything else, a strong hand was clamping down around your forearm and pulling you to the side. You were once again faced with a raging Chris, hands balled into fists and shoulders rising and falling rapidly with his anger. 

 “We need to talk!” He shouted over the booming club’s music that vibrated against the bottoms of your feet. Already, you were feeling so fucking uncomfortable under his gaze. 

 You yanked down at the sides of your tight-fitting mini dress. You wore the red one because it was Chris’ favorite. But all too suddenly, you were realizing how frivolous the entire night had been - the entire relationship, really. 

 “I have nothing to say to you,” You started, glaring down at the way that his hand clamped across your skin. “And get your hand off of me- you have no right to touch me anymore.” 

 You were pushing away from him and through the shuffling bodies in the throng of people before he could reply. You searched aimlessly for the exit, your feet taking you forward and out of the club as quickly as you possibly could. At that exact moment, you weren’t even thinking straight. You weren’t thinking about how Felix would find you if you left the premises of the club. Instead, you just kept walking. 

 Walking, and walking, and walking. 

 Almost like, if you walked far enough, you’d be able to escape all of the bullshit entirely. Like if you traveled a far enough distance, you’d be able to leave your broken, bleeding heart behind in that godforsaken, seedy club. You’d be able to forget all of the heartache and pain. 

  Instead, you’d be reborn again. Into a new woman, with no ailments and no shitty boyfriend to speak of. 

 You were so out of it, you didn’t realize you had begun to walk down the side of the highway until you were stopped by a pair of broad shoulders standing in your way. Staring upwards, your gaze caught the faint moonlight illuminated behind the figure looming just in front of you. 

 It was hard to see through all of the tears, but somehow, you found Chris’ face in the midst of it all. He was staring at you with an empty look on his face, an expression completely devoid of all feeling. 

 Like seeing you crying right there in front of him didn’t even phase him. 

 “Did you even fucking love me, during all of the time that we were together?” You asked, voice cracking at the end of your words. Your heart squeezed so tightly in your chest that it hurt to even breathe in. “Or was I just a means to an end?” 

 He just continued to look at you, eyes hooded and lips pressed together in a displeased line. Like you were a fly that was buzzing around his face amid summer, a complete pest but too fast to completely squash for good.

 “Or was I just a quick fuck for you? A body to keep your cock warm late at night, meanwhile you were out fucking her behind my back,” you said in a low voice, fists clenching at either of your sides at the reaction that he was having to everything. Because there was nothing. Nothing at all. Just emptiness, and no emotion or feeling or empathy whatsoever. And the worst part about it was that you couldn’t even utter her name. It hurt too much, to know that such a close friend had violated every part of your very being and spirit. “I guess I was just your trophy girlfriend- the pretty bitch that you liked to keep perched on your arm, tricking everyone into thinking that you were some perfect fucking boyfriend when really, you were getting your stupid, dick wet every single night-”

 After that, everything happened in a blur of movement and tears. 

 In a split second, the fiery burn was spreading across your cheek. 

 Traveling down, down, down, the column of your neck. 

 Pooling in your clavicle agonizingly. 

 Momentarily, all of your tears stopped. 

 Your heart felt like it was about to explode inside your chest - ribs poking the air right out of your lungs as you gaped up at Chris in utter disbelief. 

 “Don’t try to insinuate that I did shit behind your back, you stupid bitch. I only-”

 Then his hand was raising again, and you caught the look of fiery, unbidden fury deeply set within his dark eyes. 

 Just as he was about to strike again, he was stopped mid-air. 

 Your focus shifted off of the ass and onto… him. 

 In all of his messy, blonde tresses and dark, chocolate brown eyes with the beautifully, sun-kissed skin. 

 He held Chris’ arm in a vice-like grip, squeezing and squeezing until the tendons popped, causing your ex-boyfriend to yelp out in pain as he tried to rip out of Felix’s hold. 

 “If you ever try to land a single finger on her again, I swear I won’t fucking hold back,” Felix said, voice so low it was hard to register over the rush of the highway at your side. Then he was pushing Chris off, making him stumble backward on the sidewalk like the fool that he was. “Harm one hair on her head and I’ll fuck you over so much- you’ll be dead by the time my hands are off of your neck.” 

 Then Felix was bending down, eyes meeting yours for a fleeting second as he scooped your entire shaking form up into his strong arms. Holding you close to his body, you felt the comforting warmth radiate off of him and you were instantly soothed. 

 Melting into his grasp, the sobs wracked through your form, as you squeezed your eyes shut, trying to will the last twenty minutes out of your mind - your memory entirely. 

 As your limbs shook in his arms, he trudged forward, towards an unknown point. Most likely to his car, but in that moment, you couldn’t give a damn. You felt his heart beating wildly, as you pressed your ear against his chest. 

 “It’s okay, angel… I’m here now,” he whispered in a low, gravelly voice. Like he was barely holding onto his restraint - his sanity. “Just hold onto me, yeah? I’m not gonna let anything happen to you ever again- he’s never going to talk to you or touch you, ever again,” you felt his lips ghost over the crown of your head, as he pressed a gentle kiss there. “So don’t worry your pretty little head about it, okay? As long as I got you, as long as you’re mine, no one will be able to hurt you ever again.” 

 The corners of your blurry vision darkened after that, as you succumbed to the overwhelming feelings of it all. 

 And the last thing you remembered feeling, just as you slipped into the bleakness and let the fuzziness take over everything, was the feeling of him - so close to you, and holding you so tightly and carefully and securely against him. 

 Like he always had, since the first day you had met him - he was there for you when you needed him most.

To be continued...

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[silvermaplealder]

Ideas for what the vamps do besides being on the boardwalk

While the boys are most certainly on the boardwalk a lot, I feel like they’ve got to get bored of it once in a while. I know I get bored writing it. I’ve compiled this list for some fun little stories or fillers for various fics, so I thought I’d share it! We didn’t really get a chance to see Santa Carla too much besides for the boardwalk in the movie, so I thought I’d keep things generalized or at least some things in the local Monterey Bay area. The boys feel fairly young so of course there’s always the option for parties and such, but they may not want to party every day! Feel free to add other ideas too so we can have an ongoing list of ideas if anyone needs them! 

Swimming. They’re right on the beach, and I’m sure every once in a while they want to go for a swim, or at least sit by the water. There’s also nothing stopping them from checking out a local swimming hole where there could be other people, or breaking into someone’s pool. 

Laundry days. Come on, we all have to do laundry. Either the boys drag their clothes to Max’s, or they bring it to a local laundromat. It may be a boring chore, but much needed when they’re vampires! 

Specialized hobby stores. Maybe Paul just wants to go to a music store for a while. Or Marko wants to check out a local art store. Antique stores, skateboard shops, smoke shops, etc. These are stores that could be giant chains that they steal from, or local businesses that they support. They can also go to these stores alone on their own time without needing to be a whole posse. 

A nightly drive to another town. Monterey is only thirty miles south and still right on the bay. There are colleges full of young people there they can meet or eat, college parties, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, etc. In a modern day scenario, they could easily meet up with tinder dates there, or sneak onto college campuses to cause chaos. 

Hanging out with other monster creatures. According to the Frog Brothers, Santa Carla’s a haven for the undead. So why not spend some time with them? Meet up with some werewolves for a tag-teamed hunt where the vamps drink the blood and the wolves eat the flesh. Come up with your own nightstalking creatures and get into an exclusive club for only demons. 

Cafes. Especially in a modern day setting. If the boys have powered devices like phones or tablets, they’d need to charge them… and that cave doesn’t have electric. They can go and sit for some time charging up their phone while doing art, or chatting with some locals

Meet-ups with individual human friends. I mean come on, they each probably have some more friends out there besides each other that they occasionally hang out with but don’t kill. Maybe David met someone ten years ago who’s now a parent and visits Santa Carla occasionally. They meet up to catch up just for fun because they seemed to hit it off years ago. Hell, maybe even one of the boys baby-sits while David takes his friend out for some nighttime adventure to help them feel young again. Platonic- or not, that’s up to you.

Vampire-y things. Marking territory. Maybe they’re too tired to hunt and decide to just swing by a place to pick up animal blood. Or maybe they’ve just fed and need to rest. I picture them a bit like cats that would just lounge around in the moonlight. They could go back to the cave and nap, or maybe hang out in a tree and watch the cars go by. 

When Marko feels the need to bring an animal home, they can go to a local shelter and hang out with the animals. Socialize cats, or walk dogs. Maybe find a petting zoo so they can see some horses and cows. 

Pick up odd jobs. With as much as David smokes, he’s gotta have some cash once in a while to buy more cigs. Maybe he kills a pizza delivery guy and finishes the route that night to collect all the tips to buy another pack. Or have him just steal cash

Just some random ideas! I may add some more as I think of them lol

[greetingfromthedead]

8. Eye of the Storm

Series: Mermaid!AU Depth of Despair

Pairing: Vash x GN!Reader

Word count: 2.2k

← Previous Chapter | Next Chapter →

You threw your life away. No matter how you look at it, you arrive at the same conclusion. It is your burden to bear, and yours alone. Vash should not suffer because of you; he should be able to move on with his life. You want him to be happy, and forget the nightmares you must have left him with. He saw you, everything about you. And he will never be able to erase that image from his mind. He saw who you really are, submerged in the water where you belong. He saw the monster, and you lifted the glamour that would blind him to your true nature. You cannot hide from his gaze anymore, and you hope you never have to, because the guilt is already eating you alive.

At first, you swam away, heading for the distant horizon you have never been to before, but the further you got, the heavier your heart felt. It doesn't feel right to leave Vash behind, hoping he will survive and simply leave all these horrors behind him. Nicholas knows about him; others probably do too. They will make him a target just to spite you. Vash won't be safe from your kin anymore. None of this is his fault, so you cannot turn your back on him.

And so you remain. A sentry not to your people but to your enemy. Lingering near enough to the shore to know if anyone tries to make their way up the river to where Vash lives. You are careful not to be seen by anyone, not by humans or other merfolk. Loneliness quickly creeps into your bones. Vash had given you a taste of companionship, understanding, and friendship, but now it only serves as a bitter reminder of the weight of your misdeeds.

You glide along the sandy ocean floor, the sea grass brushing against the scales on your back, caressing the fins and your long tail. It is dark, but sleep has eluded you for a while. The minimal magic found in raw fish meat keeps you going, but physically, you still feel exhausted and weak. The warm light from the lighthouse shimmers at the tips of the waves, glimmering as you keep watch. At first, everything is quiet; only the lapping of the waves against the beaches and reefs lulls your mind away from thoughts of guilt and doom. But then you notice something else. A different rhythm disturbs the currents, and you recognize it as oars hitting the water, propelling what must be a small boat. You pay it no mind; the humans don't interest you anymore; you keep away and just let the fishermen go about their business. You're somewhat glad for the nets they string up in the bay area; it keeps others away, and you've learned to be careful and even steal fish from the traps. You would have brushed it all off and ignored it if a faint and distorted melody didn't mix with the splashes of the oars. You recognize it as one you've heard the drunken sailors sing in the ports and on their boats. A very old song.

In the moonlit waves, where the sea meets sky, A sailor’s heart beats with a longing sigh. He sails the ocean, both near and far, Dreaming of his love, beneath the evening star.

It stirs you from your absentmindedness back into reality. You can only barely make out the words being sung, but you've always listened from the shadows of the pier when others have picked up a song, this one being among the favorites of the locals.

Oh, the sea, it whispers tales of woe, Of a sailor’s love in the depths below. With a heart so true, and a soul so free, He yearns for his mermaid, beneath the sea.

This time the shanty isn't accompanied by many slurry voices or a happy instrument. Instead, it sounds sad and haunting. The lone male voice sings by himself, to whom you do not know. Nobody answers or lends their voice to the melody. The longing, mournful notes echo through the water and draw you closer.

Her eyes like pearls, her hair like gold, A beauty so rare, a sight to behold. In the silent depths, where the shadows play, She sings a song that guides his way.

The timbre of the voice sounds familiar even through the disruption of the water, nearly disappearing into the crashing of the currents as the unruly surface of the sea forms tufts of sea foam that skip along the tips of the waves. You swim underneath the simple little boat. Your body is longer than the vessel facing off the rolling tides and stormy winds.

But the waves, they keep them far apart, A cruel fate for a sailor’s heart. So he sails on, through storm and tide, With the hope that one day she’ll be by his side.

You don't bother to wait and to hide your changing form. Your webbed hands take hold on the edge of the boat, your claws scraping the wood before they start to retract. You hoist yourself up enough to see over the edge, salty water dripping from your hair, and the scales and gills disappear from your skin as you inhale the sweet, dry air. The lantern swinging from a hook at the rear of the boat casts light onto your face as the large catlike pupils turn human.

"Is being human really so tedious that one must voluntarily tempt death?" you ask the man clad in red. His eyes widened the moment you appeared, and the melody stopped too as his mouth remained agape at the sight before him. "I told you to stay away from water. Yet here you are."

"I had to see you." Vash says after a moment of gathering himself. He lifts up the oars and puts them into the boat. He looks ready to get out of his seat to come to you as he leans closer. "You left so suddenly, I didn't even get a word out."

"What is there left to say?" You ask as you pull yourself along the side of the boat until you are next to him, the boat tipping towards you.

"More than I am capable of saying." Vash leans closer, his hands supporting his burly form on the same edge you hang off from. "Why did you just leave? Please, tell me."

"I didn't want to hear the terror in your voice." You reply simply, pulling yourself a touch closer to him to see any small change in his dimly lit expression. "Are you not afraid of me?"

"No," he says softly, a hint of a smile dancing on one corner of his mouth. "Why would I be afraid of you? You have never hurt me, or caused me harm. You brought me back to the beach, back to safety. You protected me from one of your own."

"I am a monster," you remind him, "someone your songs caution sailors about."

"You are not a monster. You're a creature from the depths of the sea. You may not be entirely human, but that doesn't make you a monster. Flowers are different from one another, but that doesn't diminish them. It doesn't take away from their marvel." His hand shifts from the edge of the boat to your damp cheek. "You are otherworldly, a beauty beyond the human realm. Inside and out, you are gorgeous. You always are."

"You can see through the glamour now. Look again, and you won't be fooled by the devious magic of my kin." One of your hands grabs hold to the arm that reaches for you.

"I see no difference. From the day I first saw you until this very moment, you look the same—your beautiful self. I don't know what glamour you speak of; I only know what my eyes tell me." He says tenderly, leaning further and further, risking turning his boat over to see you close. His forehead nearly touches yours.

His words make no sense to you. How could he not notice the glamour disappearing? Is the hag stone not working? He would have had to obey your command to stay away from the water if it didn't. Even now, you can see the pebble hanging from the leathery strap around his neck, and you sense your magic in it. What he sees must be the truth; at least when it comes to you.

Compared to most others of your kin, you indeed might look more human in the water, a lot less unsettling than those who have amassed their power and strength, but on the surface, everyone has a human appearance that looks convincing enough to fool anyone unweary. It is a strange irony when it comes to your kind: the more power you gather, the more monstrous your true appearance will become, but on dry land, your glamour will make you even more beautiful to any human being. The moment they lay eyes on a siren, their perception will shatter like glass. Perhaps you are simply so weak that he doesn't notice a difference. You've never talked to a human before him, so you wouldn't know.

"But there is another reason I needed to see you again." Vash continues, but then suddenly stops. The only sound filling the air is the sound of the waves. "I waited for you in the bay; I sent flowers to the open water in hopes you would find them. I can't get you off my mind."

You now feel both his hands cupping your face. You're surprised he hasn't yet fallen into the water with how he leans over the edge. Vash's face is so close; with each sway of the boat, the warm skin of his forehead brushes against yours. You can feel the heat of his breath on your lips and the longing in your heart. The sweet scent of his magic wafts over you like the tide.

"You kissed me." He says so quietly that the words barely reach your ears over the sound of water.

"I had to. A mermaid's kiss will grant you breath, even underwater. You would have drowned otherwise." You answer honestly. It is the truth, just not all of it.

"I see. Of course. That's all it was." Vash nods and pulls back, giving you more room as he leans away, his long-fingered hands releasing your face. He looks unusual. It might be the long shadows cast on his face by the lighthouse and the lantern, but his eyes look different now; the familiar laughter and warmth mix with a hint of sorrow.

You will forever continue to hurt him. No matter what you do, he will be in pain. Your heart still skips in your chest as he pulls more into the boat, and you release the arm you still held on to. You can still hang on to the feeling of his warm skin against yours, as you know you need to let go. You cannot give in to the longing in your chest. His eyes look dark, like the night sky, and his pale skin is reminiscent of the shade of seafoam under the pale moonlight. He doesn't let you retract your arm away from him, instead grabbing on to your hand, intertwining his fingers with yours.

"It doesn't change the fact that you haunt me. Every waking hour, you're all I can think about. Every night, I dream of you." He suddenly says, more insistently than before. "How can I stay away from water if that's where I can find you? You did enchant me with everything you are, and I finally heard your voice."

Everything about him draws you closer. You reach out your other hand towards his face, the sorrowful lines around his eyes deepening as he looks at you with a mixture of longing and sadness. His skin is warm, with a flush of pink brought on by the wind and your touch. His eyes soften as he leans closer again. His hand that holds yours pulls it closer, pressing it gently against his breast. You feel his chest rise and fall with each breath. You only have eyes for him—the shadows dancing on his face and between your bodies. In that moment, nothing else exists in your world except for him, his parted lips, and the warmth of his touch.

Neither of you see through the glimmer on the surface of the water; you don't notice the shadows looming in the inky blackness until they surround you. Hands reach out from the sea, scaly and wet. The long webbed fingers grab hold of your shoulders and your hair, talons digging into the flesh of your arms as they pull you away. You feel more hands grab hold of your tail, dragging you down into the dark abyss below.

It all happens in an instant. The last thing you hear is Vash calling out your name as the waves crash in over you, his fingers slipping from your grasp. The changelings around you hiss and wail, their eyes glowing in the darkness as they close in. There are too many of them to fight off, their claws and teeth dig into your flesh as the fiery glimmer of the lighthouse on the water's surface disappears into the murky darkness of the ocean.

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[dr-spencer-reids-queen]

Normal: Final Part

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Female!Reader

Word Count: ~2.3k

Summary: Another lunch with your parents reveals something that’s been locked in your head, but your dad makes you confused and jumbles up the truth. It’s hard enough to focus on a case with a deranged man killing people on the road, you don’t need family drama on top of it.

Warnings: canon violence, canon language, canon talk of death, methods of kill

Author’s Note: I do not own anything from Criminal Minds. All credit goes to their respective owners. If there are any warnings that exceed the normal death/kills from the show, I will list them. If you’ve seen the show, then it’s the same level of angst unless otherwise stated

x

Back at the station, as soon as Jordan knew what she wanted to say, she put together a press conference so she could get the profile out to others. It's still early in the day, so you're confident that a lot of people will watch this. You head back to the station with Spencer's lunch in hand, and he greets you with a kiss when he sees you.

"Thank you," he smiles.

Jordan is on the TV talking with the press, and everyone in the station is watching her on the news.

"We ask the public to listen very carefully to the following description. Anyone who believes they recognize this individual should call our tip line immediately. We are looking for a white, middle-aged, married father. We believe his wife is blond, approximately forty years old, resembles the victims, and drives a luxury sedan. This individual drives a blue small-model SUV and most likely lives in this area. It is also very possible this individual recently suffered a personal trauma in his life. Again, a white, middle-aged, married father. We believe his wife is blond, approximately forty years old, resembles the victims, and drives a luxury sedan."

Jordan makes sure everyone knows exactly who you're looking for, and not long after the conference is aired, there are reports of another murder. The unsub watched the press conference, and he got pissed so he went and murdered someone to get that anger out.

This time, he went off script. This wasn't a calculated plan. This was out of anger. The unsub killed two young men with multiple shots each. Everyone is gathered to watch, but the local police are doing a good job of keeping them at bay.

The energy coming from the parked car is that of two young men, but there is another floating around everywhere. It's the unsub's. He's unhinged, and his condition is getting worse by the second. This man isn't suffering from multiple personalities or anything like that, but he is suffering from a mental illness.

"Joe Karem and Timothy Calvert. DOA with no wants and no warrants. They work in the area, and detectives are notifying their families," Thea says.

"He used a sawed-off shotgun," you state. "That, coupled with close range, shot it out of the driver's side window and driving a blue SUV. It's our guy, but he went way off script. He's suffering, and it's only a matter of time before he's driving down the road and shooting everyone until he's caught."

"Something triggered him and pissed him off."

"Yeah, the press conference. It aired at two, and this happened at 2:20. He was watching the news."

"A Single witness says the shooter was driving a small blue SUV. They didn't get a plate but noticed it was a middle-aged white guy wearing a tie. His suit jacket was hanging in the back."

"If he drives the speed limit, and taking account into red lights and mid-day traffic, I'd say he came from no more than ten miles away. If he was wearing a suit with a suit jacket in the back, he was coming from work. He works in the area."

"I'm gonna call Garcia," Derek says and walks away from the group.

"You think he's gonna kill again soon, don't you?" Thea asks.

"Yes, and he's done killing surrogates."

"Did you know?" Jordan storms over to Hotch angrily.

"Excuse us." Hotch grabs her arm gently and guides her away from everyone else, but you can still hear them. "This is not the time or the place. Are you gonna do this in front of the press?"

"He killed those people because of something I said!"

"No. When we talk to the public, it's always a possibility. That is part of the job. Tell me now if you can do it or not."

"Damn right, I can do this job."

Jordan is in over her head. She thinks she can handle it but she lets her inexperience get the better of her. She was never prepared for what all JJ had to deal with since JJ couldn't teach her everything in time.

"Good. You're about to give another press conference."

Since the press was already at the scene, it wasn't hard to gather everyone. Jordan, with some help from Hotch, had everything she needed to say to them. You're standing off to the side watching her and studying her behavior.

"We are prepared to release to the public additional information about the individual responsible for the freeway shooting. The individual is a white, forty-five to fifty-five-year-old male of average build. He works in this area. He wears a suit and tie to work, and left work very abruptly shortly after two immediately after watching our earlier statement about him. If anyone has any additional information, please call our anonymous tip line. Thank you." She turns to leave but pauses and turns to the camera again. "One last thing. This individual has committed horrible crimes and must be held to account, but he is a husband and a father. He's violent and troubled, but he must be capable of some degree of mercy and compassion. So, we appeal to him... Do not hurt any more people. Please turn yourself in."

This happened so recently that no one could forget if their coworkers suddenly left without an excuse. Someone called the tip line about their coworker, so you, Derek, and Spencer headed over to the place where the call originated to talk to the caller in person. Jack's a worker at a local office building, and his coworker fits the description Jordan gave perfectly.

"That's funny, when I heard the description in the first press conference, I thought of Norman. I just thought it couldn't be, you know? He's so quiet."

"What does Norman do?"

"He's in charge of the company's travel expenses. This is his desk."

Jack escorts you to Norman's desk, and all of his red angry energy is left behind.

"Does he have access to the company cars?"

"Yeah, the whole fleet."

"What about the first press conference made you think of Norman?" you ask.

"The woman mentioned something about him suffering a tragedy. His daughter died in a car accident. She was run over after she ran out into the street."

"How long ago was this?"

"Six months. I really should have done more to help him." A woman brings Jack a file on Norman. "This is Norman's personnel file."

You take it and file through it until you get to his personal information such as his address.

"Is this address current?"

"It should be."

"Why are there two files?"

"We cross-reference married couples. Norman's wife Vanessa works here, too."

"We need to speak with her."

"She's not here. She just got a promotion, so she took a couple of weeks off."

Your phone rings, and you pick up when you see Hotch calling. Derek is already texting Emily the address since she's with Hotch and Rossi.

"Y/N, we have a high-speed chase at 117th and Pacific. It sounds like our guy."

"Alright, we're closer to that, so we're on our way now."

"Prentiss got the address from Morgan, so we're headed to his house. If he's having a break, he could be on his way there to finish it. We're on our way. Be careful."

"Got it." You hang up. "We need to go." The three of you take off back to the car with you and Derek in the front and Spencer. Norman's anger swirls out of the building which only you can see. "Go straight and make a right at the light up ahead. I can see his energy."

Derek makes a sharp right, and you have to grab onto the handlebar that's attached to the ceiling. Derek is driving fast to catch up to the car chase, and none of you are wearing any seatbelts. With his crazy driving, it's hard for everyone to stay in their seats, causing Spencer to panic. Derek is making sharp turns and weaving in and out of traffic, and you shake your head.

"Spencer, baby, I love you to pieces but you need to calm down. The more you panic, the more I panic, and if we're both panicking, then Derek panics and he can't panic while driving."

"Sorry. Sorry," Spencer chuckles nervously.

"We're just going to put our seatbelts on." You're the only one who does so, and that takes flying out the window off your chest. "Take a left at the next light."

Derek does so, but not a lot of people are seeing a big police SUV barreling their way. You close your eyes tightly because if you don't see it, then it's not really there. Derek makes it through the light without any injury to anyone, and you open your eyes to peek at what's going on.

The police are chatting over the radio, and you can hear someone shooting at them. It sounds like a shotgun, and you can only imagine it's Norman shooting.

"Repeat, shots fired! On the chase now," an officer says.

"He's losing it. Reid, does it look like the chase could be headed to his house?"

Spencer has the map of the area in the backseat. You can tell Derek which direction Norman is going, but Spencer can tell him where he's heading to.

"Uh, yeah, I think so. It almost looks like he's starting to go in a wide circle toward that direction."

"All units, pursuit now headed over Memorial Bridge."

"We're almost there. Turn right at the next light. Memorial Bridge is around the next corner," Spencer says.

Derek approaches the intersection before the bridge, and all three of you see Norman racing in the opposite direction with three police cars behind him.

"Hold on!!" Derek slams on the brakes and does a quick U-turn to chase after everyone. "Are you okay?"

"I'll get back to you on that," you mutter.

"Reid, get on the radio and tell them we're in the chase," Derek says and steps on the gas pedal.

"This is the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit," Spencer says over the radio. "We caught up to the chase and are now monitoring. We ask if you're able to stop the vehicle, you allow us to take the lead in contacting the driver. We believe him to be a severely deranged suspect."

"Copy."

Derek turns the corner and slams on the brakes when he sees the situation unfold. Norman swerves to the left and crashes into the concrete median. His car flips over and lands on the roof, shattering the windshield into pieces. Derek is the first out of the car and Spencer is the second. You take a moment to gather yourself before unbuckling your seat belt. You open the door and step out, and that's when the entire world slows down around you.

Derek yells at the officers not to shoot, but no noise is coming out of his mouth. Norman crawls out of the car in slow motion but you're not looking at him. You can see Norman's family in the car, but they're not moving to get out at all. All three of them (his wife and two kids) look at you before glitching out of existence.

They were never in the car with him even though he thought they were. They're dead and he may not even know it.

The entire world speeds up and returns back to normal, and you raise your gun at Norman like everyone else is doing.

"Norman! Don't move!"

"What are you doing? What are you doing? My family's inside!"

"Stop and listen to me! Listen to me! Nobody is in that car. Your family's gone, Norman."

"No, they're in there."

Norman's pain is great enough for you to feel it from where you're standing, and the tears start to well in your eyes.

"They're gone, Norman! Look inside. Look in the car. They were never there. It's over. They were never with you."

"No, but they were," he says heartbreakingly.

"Your family's gone, Norman."

Norman looks in the car and sees it's empty, and that's when he breaks down crying.

"Oh, god, what did I do? Oh, what did I do to my family? My family! I'm sorry. I'm sorry!"

Derek puts his gun away and manages to handcuff Norman, and you lower your gun just as the tears fall from your eyes.

"It's over, Norman. We're gonna get you some help."

You see this kind of thing all the time, but Jordan usually doesn't. She thought she could do this job, but after seeing Norman's family dead in their beds from where he shot them, she decided that this isn't the job for her. The entire ride back home was draining, but as soon as you stepped foot into the BAU, you felt relief.

"Hey, do you guys ever notice how the trip home always seems to go so much faster?" Emily asks.

"That's because the tailwinds are in our favor," Spencer answers.

You look up and see someone standing in the briefing room, and a wide smile breaks out on your face when you recognize her blonde hair.

"JJ's here."

You set your things down and rush over to the briefing room where she's standing by the table holding her son. You gasp happily when you see your Godson in her arms.

"What are you doing here?" Spencer smiles.

"Hello, handsome boy," you grin and gently grab his fist.

"Garcia said you guys were on your way back tonight. I thought you could use a surprise."

"I thought I gave you strict orders to get this place out of your head for a while," Hotch says.

"My bad. I couldn't help myself," Penelope says when she enters with a bottle of milk in her hands. "Here. I heated it up."

"JJ," Derek says and makes his way to the front. "May I?"

"Of course."

JJ hands her son over to Derek who supports his head. He's grinning from ear to ear, and you notice Hotch is even cracking a smile at this.

"Look at that. He smiles," you tease him.

"I just realized with all that we do and see in this room, it never smiles. I wanted at least one good memory to hold on to."

"This is the best memory you could have given us," you grin and hug her.

"There's no tragedy in life like the death of a child. Things never get back to the way they were." - President Dwight Eisenhower

x

Follow my library blog @aqueenslibrary​​​​​​​​​​​ where I reblog all my stories, so you can put notifications on there without the extra stuff :)

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

On the Brazilian Coast, a Tropical Town Beloved by Artists and Makers

A guide to Paraty, on the Costa Verde, with tips on where to stay, shop and island hop from the artist Vik Muniz and four other insiders.

Roughly halfway between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, the coastal town of Paraty (population 45,000) isn’t the easiest place to reach. It requires a four-hour, mostly mountainous drive from either city, a 45-minute helicopter charter or arrival by sea. It’s that relative seclusion that keeps the tourist hordes and unbridled development at bay, despite the town’s obvious appeal. Set on Brazil’s Costa Verde, with mountains covered in rainforest on one side and the emerald green waters of Ilha Grande Bay on the other, Paraty (pronounced para-CHEE by locals), preserves more than 30 blocks as its historic quarter, a grid of pedestrian-only cobblestone streets lined with whitewashed 18th- and 19th-century facades, many of them remnants of the Portuguese colonial era.

Startingin the mid-1600s, the town grew prosperous as a seaport during the country’s gold rush (many of the biggest gold mines were in the neighboring inland state Minas Gerais) — and as a hub for the slave trade. African slaves not only worked in the mines but built much of the town’s early infrastructure, such as its roads. Once the gold stopped coming through Paraty for export in the early 1700s, the town continued to harvest sugar cane and produce cachaça, the national spirit, before shifting its economic focus to the coffee trade. At the end of the 19th century, Santos, 190 miles to the south, supplanted Paraty as the country’s primary coffee-exporting port, and the town began to languish. “It fell off the map,” says Luana Assunção, the owner of the Rio-based travel company Free Walker Tours. “It became isolated and poor. Many houses were abandoned.”

By the 1970s, a new highway and an influx of urban transplants had given Paraty an infusion of new life. Lured by the area’s affordability, a number of artists, designers and other creative types began renovating the old mansions and opening a handful of galleries, boutiques, cafes and small hotels, turning the long-forgotten town into an alluring vacation destination.

“I was worried that mass tourism would endanger the future of the culture and the nature in Paraty, but it didn’t happen,” says the nature photographer Dom João de Orleans e Bragança, who has been visiting Paraty since 1968 and now lives there most of the year. He credits the strict building codes for imbuing the town with a certain timeless quality, even after the pandemic when the area’s second-home owners began spending more time in Paraty. “You’ll never see a skyscraper, and we don’t have big resorts or hotels here.”

Continue reading.

[inkspecter]

Tips for Preparing Your Home for Scare Clowns

Say hello to Mr P, a funkopop lineage scare bred to of course look like the latest cinematic version of Stephen King's infamous character, Pennywise. I don't normally choose to support funkopop due to their over breeding of scares and low support for keepers. I've seen plenty of first time clown keeper's have a lot of trouble with these tough critters and it always ends in tears.

To help deter the recent trend of irresponsible people dumping their semi-aquatic scare clowns in local sewers, I've written this blog as a basic care guide for this fierce but adorable breed.

Are Scare Clowns Good Pets?

I hate to say it, but the short answer is a firm no. While there are breeders capable of producing lineages of docile clowns with scare looks, it's debatable among scare enthusiasts if this practice produces a true member of the breed or if it's even humane. Scares of purer breeding are for all practical purposes a wild animal.

Generally speaking, they don't want your atte tion, they don't want snacks, and they most certainly don't want cuddles. While individuals will of course vary, most scare clowns are highly territorial, completey solitary, and primarily they want to hunt and to terrify. It's just what they do and their raw personalities and high intelligence are what make them so appealing to their die hard fans (like me! 🤡💖).

So if you're looking for a companion or a funny friend, think twice before choosing a spooky clown. Except in very rare cases, you will end up heartbroken and possibly faces high fees for endangering the local wildlife and your neighbors.

Can Scare Clowns be Kept in an Urban or Suburban Setting?

If you ask a scare clown, they'll probably tell you, yes certainly yes. This is because they are hardwired to scare-- hence the breed name! They actually want to be in denser populated areas so they can terrify unsuspecting people and stalk stray ankmald easier. And that should answer the question enough for any sane person: no, scare clowns should be kept far from densely populated areas.

Ideally scare clowns do best in a large piece of land where they can lurk, frolic, and feed off of small wild animals such as rabbits, squirrels, and mice. Five or more acres of partially wooded land is ideal for containing a scare clown and also ensuring the land won't be depleted by their needs. Any smaller a space and you can expect to need to supplement their diet with store bought meat, else keep a very close eye on the dog!

I personally keep a group of scare clowns on a much smaller space, but it's lightly populated and densely wooded. It's a delicate balance, but as an experienced scare clown keeper I can just manage it. I don't recommend doing so for new keepers as you'll cause undue stress to yourself and your clowns.

Can Scare Clowns be Kept Indoors?

At this point it should be very clear that scares are not house clowns. However if you're like me and live in an area that is frequently dangerously cold, this may not be so clear a cut. It takes a lot of brave breeders and keepers to make sure that the population of scares out there are cared for and aren't left up to their own devices in the wild. What's more, keeping scares in a cold region keeps them at bay as its much easier for a young scare to escape and become invasive in a milder climate.

Keeping scares indoors during poor weather can actually help deter the worst of their nastier behavior. They won't ever be tame, but there comes a point in your relationship where they accept that you are just part of the environment and mean them no harm. This is when it gets really fun to keep scares as they will haughtily stalk by you while snooping around. They're a joy to watch even if the humor comes more from enjoying their sour moods than the lighthearted joy we expect from clowns.

Yes you can keep scares indoors, but consider it strictly a necessity. They should be free to come and go as they please, weather permitting. When stuck indoors, ensure they have their own space which is kept dark and quiet at all times. Avoid going into that space altogether. If you must go in, announce yourself gently and listen for them to find a hiding space before turning on the light and entering.

Lastly, be sure to pass by the spaces where they are at least once a day. Linger by areas where they like to lurk so they have ample time to jump scare you. While trapped indoors, they still need a lot of stimulation.

I hope that's cleared up a lot of questions anyone has had about potentially adopting a scare clown! They're a tough breed but they are clever, witty, and fun in their own very special way.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to comment, reblog, or ask!

[guamhomeslizduenas]

Top Tips for Finding the Best Guam Homes for Sale

If you're considering making a move to Guam or investing in property on the island, you're in for a unique and rewarding experience. Guam offers a range of beautiful homes in stunning locations, making it an appealing destination for both first-time buyers and seasoned investors. This guide will walk you through the best tips for finding Guam homes for sale, with insights into the island’s neighborhoods, property types, and ways to maximize your investment with the help of an experienced Guam Realtor.

1. Understand the Benefits of Owning a Home in Guam

Investing in homes in Guam provides both lifestyle and financial benefits. Guam’s natural beauty, vibrant culture, and close-knit communities make it a paradise for residents. From scenic coastal views to modern amenities, owning a home here allows you to enjoy everything the island offers. Additionally, Guam homes for sale are part of a steadily growing real estate market, making this a sound investment for long-term gains.

2. Work with a Knowledgeable Guam Realtor

Finding the right home in Guam starts with partnering with a trusted Guam Realtor. A knowledgeable realtor has extensive knowledge of the local market, from neighborhood insights to price trends. They’ll help you find listings that match your preferences, budget, and goals. Working with a real estate agent in Guam also ensures that you have professional guidance during negotiations, inspections, and the closing process.

3. Explore Different Types of Guam Homes for Sale

Guam offers various types of properties, each suited to different needs:

Single-Family Homes: Ideal for families and those seeking spacious accommodations.

Condos and Apartments: Perfect for individuals or couples who prefer low-maintenance living.

Vacation Homes: For those looking to invest in a property that can also generate rental income.

By exploring different Guam homes for sale, you can find the property type that best fits your lifestyle and investment goals.

4. Choose the Right Location for Your Needs

Popular Areas for Homes in Guam

Each region in Guam has its unique charm. Popular neighborhoods include:

Tumon Bay: Known for its lively atmosphere, Tumon Bay is a hub for shopping, dining, and entertainment. It’s a great option if you’re looking for homes for sale in Guam close to the action.

Dededo: A quieter area known for its family-friendly environment and community feel. Dededo offers affordable Guam homes for sale and Guam homes for rent.

Agana Heights: If you prefer a mix of peace and convenience, Agana Heights has beautiful properties with scenic views and easy access to essential amenities.

5. Decide Between Buying and Renting in Guam

If you’re unsure whether to buy or rent, consider the advantages of each:

Buying Guam Homes: Offers long-term investment value and the freedom to make the property your own.

Guam Homes for Rent: Provides flexibility, particularly if you’re new to the island or want to test out different neighborhoods before buying.

Consulting with a real estate agent in Guam can help you make an informed decision based on your current needs and future goals.

6. Set a Budget and Explore Financing Options

Setting a clear budget is essential when searching for Guam homes for sale. From mortgage pre-approval to property taxes, it’s crucial to have a complete financial picture. Many local banks offer financing options for both local and foreign buyers, making it easier to secure funding. An experienced Guam Realtor can also connect you with reliable lenders and guide you through the mortgage process.

7. Consider Investment Opportunities in Guam’s Real Estate Market

With tourism flourishing in Guam, homes in Guam offer a unique investment opportunity. Many homeowners choose to rent out their properties part-time, capitalizing on the island’s steady visitor influx. If you’re interested in investment, look for homes for sale in Guam in popular tourist areas, as these can generate attractive rental returns.

8. Inspect Properties Thoroughly Before Buying

A home inspection is a must when buying any property, and Guam homes are no exception. The island’s tropical climate means that factors like humidity and weather exposure can affect homes over time. A professional inspection will ensure the property is in good condition and reveal any issues that may need repair.

9. Review Local Regulations and HOA Rules

Certain homes for sale in Guam may be part of communities governed by Homeowners' Associations (HOAs). It’s important to understand any associated fees and rules before purchasing. Additionally, if you’re planning to rent out your home, check local regulations regarding short-term rentals.

10. Take Advantage of Online Listings and Virtual Tours

In today’s digital age, online listings provide an excellent way to explore Guam homes for sale from the comfort of your own home. Many real estate websites offer detailed listings with photos and virtual tours, allowing you to compare properties easily. Virtual tours are also a great way to get a feel for different neighborhoods before visiting in person.

Conclusion: Start Your Search for Guam Homes for Sale Today

Finding the perfect Guam homes for sale is an exciting journey, especially with the help of a dedicated Guam Realtor. Whether you’re moving to Guam for a new adventure, investing in a vacation property, or seeking a rental home, the island has something to offer everyone. Begin your search, explore neighborhoods, and connect with a real estate agent in Guam who can make your dream of island living a reality.

For more details, tips, and listings of homes in Guam, visit our website at guamhomeslizduenas.com and take the first step towards finding your ideal home in Guam!

[satashiiwrites]

snippet sunday

i’m not going to make posting this by midnight so it’ll be yeeted probably sometime the first week of 2024. Got held hostage by the family for family time and didn’t have time to write the 4K to finish out this chapter….

Tagged by @rosieposiepuddingnpie for a snippet sunday, so have some unfiltered, unbeta’d, Grammarly untouched sentences. Tagging with no pressure: @tkwritesdumbassassins @outtoshatter @elisela @whimsyswastry @missanniewhimsy @westernlarch @quietborderline @monsterrae1 and anyone else who wants to participate!

Snippet Sunday banner by radio chatter.

From: Family, Familia, ‘Ohana, Chapter 12: Operation Rescue, Buck POV

Fandom: 911, H50, SWAT

Pairings: Buddie, McDanno, platonic Hondo/Deacon (although I’ve decided they are going to get their own sequel piece and Annie is going to baby trap Hondo from the grave)

Tags/warnings: NavySeal!Buck, angst. Post tsunami/divorce era. First draft territory warnings.

Outwardly, Buck is calm under the plain black ball cap he’s wearing to hide his blonde hair, a pair of tactical glasses hiding his anxious eyes.  He’s strapped for the apocalypse as is Steve, Danny and Chin.  The heavy, immovable weight of the bullet proof vest is tight around his torso even though the straps have some elasticity to allow him to breathe, the mic at his throat a persistent reminder every time he swallows spit and the hiss of a comm in his ear as Chin checks that they’re online. 

Both of his thighs are wrapped with holsters, a 9mm on the right, a string of extra ammunition clips on the left. Buck’s got fistful of flash bangs, a half dozen grenades and ammo clips in every pocket and then some, ready to start a war if needed, or rescue one stubborn Texan who managed to get nabbed in broad daylight in the middle of LA instead of halfway around the world. 

Buck’s HK416 hangs across his chest from it’s strap, an old and comforting friend in situations like these and a k-Bar snug in its sheath at his back, ready to silence any sentry he comes across. They’ve already discussed ROE but Buck doesn’t care.  He’s got one goal and he has pretty brown eyes, a beauty mark on one cheek and a tattoo on his arm that reminds him to keep going.

Fortalecer la mente y superar el cuerpo. 

Rubbing his face, he takes the proffered water bottle when Danny hands him one.  Based on the limited intel, they’ve narrowed down where Wo Fat might be holding Eddie and Kono.  It can’t be in any of the more populated areas as something would have been noticed so they know they’ll be going away from the shoreline.  The North Shore actually encompasses most of northern Oahu. There’s a lot of dense forest and even farms up here with only one resort, Turtle Bay. 

Somehow, Buck doubts Eddie’s being kept captive on a golf course but there’s a first time for everything. 

Eddie doesn’t even like golf.  He’s complained on more than one occasion that it’s like watching paint dry to watch and the only point of playing is going to the clubhouse for overpriced beers afterwards. Buck knows most of this is from the one summer that Eddie’s mom made him get a job at the local country club as a caddy instead of playing baseball like he had the summer before.  The lack of baseball playing had turned Eddie against golf and lugging around heavy bags had increased the aversion along with the paltry tips and wandering hands of the cougars who’d seen Eddie’s fresh-faced teenage self as fresh meat. 

Buck knows all about country clubs.  He’s worked at them too and doesn’t blame Eddie for his aversion. Too much old money hiding bad habits and terrible treatment of anyone not born with a silver spoon in their mouth. Buck’s parents belonged to the local one in Hershey which was telling in and of itself. 

They’re all idle, waiting on a phone call.  Raissa—Sang Min’s ex-wife—had given Danny an unlabeled map for them to plan with but she hadn’t given them coordinates or an address.  That would come from Sang Min. 

So they wait. 

All dressed up, and ready to party as Freddie would have said. Just waiting on their dance partner. 

“We look like walking Guns & Ammo advertisements,” Danny says, breaking the silence. 

“Nah,” Steve replies, tone bland as he adjusts his thigh holsters so they’re not riding up into his groin.  “We don’t have nearly enough grenades.”

“We don’t need any grenades,” Danny argues.  “I’ve got half of your favorite army surplus store hanging off me.”

“It’s a good look on you,” Buck teases as Steve automatically argues, “We’re Navy, Danno.”

“Don’t Danno me,” Danny grumbles as they all freeze at the sound of Danny’s phone buzzing in his pocket from a received message. 

[mariacallous]

Five months ago, software engineer Shikhar Sachdev adopted a peculiar hobby. While his friends met for drinks or played FIFA 23 to unwind after work, he would come home, boot up his laptop, and spend hours filling out job applications, for sport.

Sachdev is content with his job at a San Francisco fintech company, but he writes a career blog in his spare time and had noticed a recurring sentiment: Job hunting these days is the worst. Friends described returning home from an exhausting day of work they hated, applying for new positions, and quickly growing discouraged by clunky application software and a low response rate. Research suggests the frustration is widespread: 92 percent of candidates abandon online job applications before completing them, according to the recruitment platform Appcast.

“You might hate your boss. But if you think that searching for jobs is worse, you're never going to change,” Sachdev says. “I wanted to try to put some data behind the claim that job hunting sucks.”

Sachdev set himself the challenge of applying to 500 software engineering jobs to observe exactly what made the endeavor more or less frustrating. Halfway through, however, he hit a snag. “I wanted to chop my head off,” Sachdev says. He scaled back his target to a still brain-melting 250 jobs across a range of industries and company sizes, chosen largely at random—companies he’d seen on billboards, for instance, or friends’ employers.

Sachdev timed each application from start to finish and for consistency always applied directly through a company’s career page—he ended up spending about 11 hours total filling applications. Since he wasn’t looking for a new position, he always stopped short of clicking “Submit” on a completed application, except for a few choice roles that piqued his interest. (He landed three interviews, but didn’t pursue the jobs.) He aimed to make each application serviceable, but wasn't as thorough as a truly ambitious or desperate job seeker would be, so he figures the times he logged are underestimates.

Sachdev found it took an average of 2 minutes and 42 seconds to fill out a job application—but that doesn’t include time spent identifying suitable roles, and the time could vary widely from job to job. The longest took more than 10 minutes, the shortest less than 20 seconds. Much of this variation sprang from the particularities of applicant tracking software.

Applying to work at a company that used Workday, for instance, took 128 percent longer than average for similarly sized companies in the same industry. Workday spokesperson Nina Oestlien called customer service a “core value” at the company and says that application timing is determined by how customers configure their applications. (Disclosure: WIRED owner Condé Nast uses Workday. Also, we’re hiring!)

Starting Over

Sachdev’s job hunting obsession was born partly from rejection. Originally from Geneva, Switzerland, he graduated from UC Berkeley in 2019 with a degree in environmental economics and philosophy. Most of his friends lived in the Bay Area, and career opportunities in the region abounded, so he resolved to stay.

As Sachdev’s senior year wound down, he began furiously applying for local jobs. But his heart sank each time he reached the portion of an application that asked if he needed visa sponsorship. Since he lacked US citizenship, he needed an employer to sponsor him, likely with a specialty H-1B worker visa. “When I would click the H-1B box, my application would go straight into the garbage,” he says. “I was getting rejections four minutes after I applied.”

But Sachdev has the tenacity to power through the uttermost tedium for months on end. And he discovered what looked like a loophole. Foreigners who earn STEM degrees from certain US institutions can work in the country for up to three years without a visa under a federal program called Optional Practical Training. “Who stays at their first job for more than three years?” he rationalized. So when the visa sponsorship question popped up in an application for a product manager role at a major tech company he wanted to work for, he clicked “no.”

After he landed an interview, Sachdev spent 40 hours scouring job sites for tips, cramming his notebook full of hypothetical questions and their responses, compiling a presentation the company required—and totally neglecting his coursework. Half a dozen interviews later, he got the job. His heart soared, but not for long. When he explained his immigration status to the recruiter, she rescinded the offer. Sachdev started over, eventually landing a job with a startup willing to sponsor his H-1B visa, and decided to parlay his experience into a career blog offering help to other hapless job questers.

Job hunters have long complained about the process, but it developed fresh annoyances after moving online starting in the mid-’90s, says Chris Russell, managing director of the recruitment consultancy RecTech Media. Online job boards like Monster and CareerBuilder flooded companies with candidates, giving rise to applicant tracking systems built to help recruiters manage the deluge.

These systems promised to save recruiters time by automatically ranking and filtering applicants based on keywords. From the perspective of applicants required to laboriously enter their information into the software, they felt like a new barrier. “These systems were built with the companies in mind,” says Russell. “They never really considered the user experience from the job seeker’s point of view.” A cottage industry sprang up of tools and résumé whisperers promising to help job seekers get past the automated scanners.

In recent years, new features like psychological assessments and “digital interviews,” in which applicants answer prepared questions into their webcams, only placed more barriers between candidates and human decisionmakers. Meanwhile, the fundamentals of hiring remain stuck in the past, says Scott Dobroski, a career trends expert at jobs platform Indeed. It takes three and a half months for most Indeed users to find a job, he says. “All the other parts of our lives have sped up. The hiring process has not caught up.”

Time Wasters

While job hunters have much to gripe about, from “ghost jobs” to the dreaded “résumé black hole,” Sachdev decided to focus his efforts on the initial application process. He identified three main factors that affected the time it took to apply: the size of a company, the industry it was part of, and the applicant tracking software it used.

Applicant tracking software was a major source of Sachdev’s frustration. The most common systems he encountered were Workday, Taleo, Greenhouse, Lever, and Phenom, which adds AI-powered features on top of systems like Workday. More established systems such as Workday and Taleo redirected him away from the careers page and made him create a separate account for each application, adding significant time and vexation. By the end of his 250 applications, he had 83 separate accounts.

Newer offerings such as Greenhouse and Lever spared him some of these frustrations. Applications through Lever, for instance, took 42 percent less time to complete than the average for similarly sized companies in the same industry.

Sachdev also spent many excruciating minutes retyping information he’d already uploaded on his résumé because software would misread it. Workday, for instance, would routinely populate the education field with “Munich Business School” even though Sachdev’s résumé clearly says he graduated from non-soundalike UC Berkeley. “Sometimes it's not even the time,” he says. “It's the mental fatigue of having to do it every single time.”

The longest application to fill out was for the US Postal Service, clocking in at 10 minutes and 12 seconds, while the shortest was that of hedge fund Renaissance Technologies, which requested only his name and résumé and consumed a mere 17 seconds. In general, Sachdev found that government applications took the longest—a trend that Indeed’s data backs up—followed by aerospace and consulting jobs. Younger industries such as online banks, AI firms, and crypto companies were amongst the least time-consuming. Legacy banks, for instance, took about four times longer to apply to than their newer online counterparts.

Sachdev also found applications to large companies more time-consuming than for smaller firms. In general, a doubling of company size added 5 percent to the average application time.

While the process was largely an exercise in repetition, Sachdev encountered a few creative takes on a musty old format. Plaid, a fintech company that provides APIs to connect software with bank accounts, invited applicants to apply via API. (Sachdev opted for the old-fashioned route, for consistency.) The gaming company Roblox let candidates apply in-game.

While hiring software has historically been stacked in employers’ favor, more job seekers are using their own forms of automation. Bots and tools like LazyApply use text-generation technology like that behind ChatGPT to automatically mass apply to jobs, to the likely chagrin of overwhelmed recruiters. When Sachdev posted his results on discussion site Hacker News, one commenter claimed to use bots to fill out job applications and ChatGPT to write cover letters and correspond with recruiters, fully taking over only at the interview stage. “Can you blame him?” Sachdev says. “Because the companies are doing it too. Their résumé parsers, their application tracking software, and their tools are also using AI. So it's almost as if the applicant now has this weapon they can use against the companies.”

An AI arms race that floods the job market with unserious applicants and insurmountable filtering tools is in nobody’s interest, however. Indeed’s Dobroski says some platforms, including his own, have begun rolling out a new approach that aims to save time on both sides, albeit also by leaning on algorithms. Instead of sending hundreds of résumés into the void and hoping for the best—“spray and pray” he calls it—candidates can list their skills, qualifications, and preferences and let AI suggest suitable jobs to apply for. “The matching really speeds up the hiring process, and it connects the candidate with employers that they otherwise may not even have considered,” he says.

Sachdev has his own ideas for what would make job applications more productive for both seekers and recruiters. First off, he advises applicants to save time and mental anguish by prioritizing employers that use simpler software like Lever and Greenhouse. For jobs he’s really serious about, he’ll try to make a human connection with the hiring manager on LinkedIn.

There’s a saying Sachdev likes, from computer science professor Randy Pausch: The brick walls are there for a reason. Facing and surmounting hurdles can help a person discover how much they want something. But if an employer erects too many barriers, “is an applicant really going to think, ‘That brick wall is there for a reason?’ Or is the applicant going to exit out of your website and go apply somewhere else?” Sachdev says. “I think it's the latter.”

[a-modernmajorgeneral]

It takes an hour to drive from Tórshavn all the way up north to Hvannasund, a fishing village of 248 people. Marshfield and Østrem won’t tell me if someone tipped them off, or if there’s another way they heard about the hunt. But they do share their plan: to document everything, even if it means breaking the law by flying a drone over the site of the hunt.

The roads are drilled straight through mountains to save the trouble of climbing up or around, and each time we exit a tunnel, I catch my breath. Waterfalls flush down emerald hills, dotted with small sheds for sheep, and tumble into glittering fjords. Marshfield talks about how nervous he is. It’s his first grind; he’s unsure how he’ll handle the blood.

Østrem has more experience with it. He was here for a couple of months in 2022 after several years of volunteering with other animal rights organizations in Oslo, Norway. He’s horrified by the way people treat animals around the world, including at fish farms in Norway. To him, the grind is just one example of the way humanity abuses other beings.

Marshfield is similarly resolute. He got involved with Sea Shepherd about eight years ago, after seeing an online photo of a slaughtered whale that left him deeply upset. His activism gradually scaled up; he started by donating, then sharing things on Facebook and selling T-shirts. Eventually, he joined Sea Shepherd campaigns in Sicily and Iceland. Now, he’s here. He grows more solemn as we drive, steeling himself to see a dead whale in person.

Watson’s followers have a long history of fighting the grind. Activist groups, including Sea Shepherd, first started protesting the tradition back in the 1980s, putting the archipelago under global scrutiny. “People were telling us it didn’t look nice,” says Bjarni Mikkelsen, marine mammal specialist at the Faroe Marine Research Institute.

According to Mikkelsen, environmentalists grew troubled over whether the hunt was hurting pilot whale populations. “People walked around with banners, saying it was unsustainable,” he says. Around the same time, sighting surveys were launched to estimate population levels. The North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission, a body comprising the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, and Norway, has since carried them out every six years.

Using standard international sampling techniques, surveyors most recently estimated the population of pilot whales in the Faroes–Iceland area to be around 380,000. Survey to survey, this number changes, depending on timing and coverage. But scientists consistently report abundances that can sustain the Faroese catch. “The population is high compared to other species in the North Atlantic,” Mikkelsen says, and there’s no significant downward trend.

Greenpeace eventually abandoned their opposition. But Sea Shepherd held firm. In 2014, under Watson’s leadership, around 70 volunteers descended on the islands for Operation GrindStop, donning black hoodies stamped with Sea Shepherd’s distinctive Jolly Roger insignia and physically intervening in hunts by jumping into the bay. The following year, the organization returned with the same conduct, resulting in fines, arrests, and court cases.

Resentment for the disturbances lingers among many of the Faroese, especially since Sea Shepherd Global continues to fight the hunt, though in softer ways. “Sea Shepherd’s history with the Faroe Islands has been quite aggressive and colorful,” says Valentina Crast, the group’s current Stop the Grind campaign coordinator. Now, she’s working on a tamer strategy, focused on building a local community of supporters.

Watson’s new foundation, meanwhile, wants to maintain the same level of pressure Sea Shepherd once brought. “We’re living in a world where there is no enforcement of international conservation laws,” Watson says. “The high seas are the Wild West. And we’re sort of vigilantes.”

The 73-year-old self-proclaimed pirate (a title confirmed by a United States Court of Appeals in 2013) is against the killing of whales on moral grounds, no matter who does it, or how. He has carried out his brand of vigilantism for nearly 50 years. Talking to him is like talking to a buccaneer who shares stories of sirens and sword fights, except Watson’s tales consist of ramming Portuguese whaling vessels, sinking Icelandic ships, and tricking Soviet soldiers. He’s been criticized for targeting Indigenous peoples over their traditional subsistence hunting practices, including seal hunters in Canada and teenage whalers in Alaska.

After the crackdown by the Faroese government, protests quelled for a while. But in recent years, social media and an increase in tourism have put the grind back in the spotlight. The Faroe Islands now receive about 100,000 visitors a year, and the nation is often included on top destination lists for its dramatic landscapes. During the summer when seabirds breed, bird lovers flock to spot puffins, guillemots, and other species that nest by the thousands on the steep cliffs. Hilton opened a hotel here in 2020, and the local airline is testing out a weekly direct route from New York. Unaware tourists might encounter a whale hunt occurring in the harbor, as those on a docked cruise ship did last summer; in that instance, most were not happy about the spectacle. Such stories, along with rather gruesome photos of the hunt itself, can be shared worldwide. The Captain Paul Watson Foundation seeks to capitalize on this.

Seizing its moment after splitting from Sea Shepherd, the Captain Paul Watson Foundation sent its first vessel—the John Paul DeJoria, registered in Jamaica and named after the cofounder of John Paul Mitchell Systems hair products—to the Faroe Islands in July 2023 to stop the whale hunts. But the Faroese government barred the ship’s entry to the archipelago via executive order. Ultimately, Watson made only two brief, albeit dramatic appearances, entering the nation’s waters once in an unsuccessful attempt to reach a grind and again 10 days later at news that someone had spotted a pod.

After the second breach, Jamaica stripped the ship’s registration at the request of the Faroese government, and the John Paul DeJoria was ported in the United Kingdom. Land crew, including Marshfield and Østrem, remained in Tórshavn to document what they could.

[scarleteenconfidential]

Resources for Parents & Families of Trans/Gender-Variant Youth

Recently, I attended the Gender Spectrum Family Conference, which focuses on helping parents and caregivers understand and meet the needs of their transgender and gender-variant children.

One of the things that can be hard, when choosing to come out to parents, is the fact that you might feel like you have to educate them about gender issues, both on a general level and in terms of your own identity; this can make a process that might already feel overwhelming or stressful even harder to manage. Letting an organization that's dedicated to this sort of education do some of the work for you can take some of that weight off of your shoulders.

Also, it's helpful for parents to have their own source of support in handling a child's gender identity or transition. Of course, you're going to be the best expert in your own identity and what support you specifically need from your family and loved ones, but it might be a big help for everyone involved if you can connect them to some of these organizations, just so you don't have to do all of the heavy lifting with regards to getting everyone else on board.

This is all US-centric, I'm afraid, simply because that was the scope of the conference. Some of these are national organizations; others are based in and serve smaller areas, like a city or a state, but provide enough helpful information on their websites to be useful to a wider population.

Gender Spectrum: This is a Bay-Area-based group that provides a wide range of support to parents and caregivers of trans and gender-variant youth, including information about medical, legal, and education options. They provide local in-person support, but they have a lot of information online and provide support by phone as well. Having been to the Family Conference, I would certainly recommend it to parents who want to get a lot of in-depth information on how to access and provide support.

PFLAG: Not all PFLAG chapter groups are equally educated about trans issues, but at the top level it’s an extremely supportive group; this is a great resource for parents who need their own support. There are chapters across the US and the central organization has a lot of good basic, introductory information online. This could be a great resource especially for parents who might feel like they need extra support.

Trans Youth Family Allies: This site has information and resources for trans youth and parents; the parent resources include basic introductory information, help navigating medical transition and transition at school, and some tips on how to be an ally and advocate for trans youth. Some of their resources are available in Spanish as well as English.

Trans Active: An education and advocacy group for trans youth and their families based out of Portland, Oregon. They provide educational trainings for schools, hospitals, and other organizations, have several in-person support groups, run a binder-exchange program, and have an active mailing list. They are doing work currently to expand their in-person services outside of the Portland/Pacific NW area.

Trans Youth Education and Support: An advocacy group based in Colorado; they've done a lot of work on safer school programs and have also worked on a PFLAG advisory committee to ensure that their trans support is as helpful as possible. They have meetings in-state but also have plenty of resources on their website as well.

Trans Youth Equality Foundation: An advocacy and support group based in Maine; they provide workshops, training, and support services for youth and families. Their website also has information on legal and medical issues, as well as social transition at school.

[traveltricksblog]

Ultimate Guide to Unforgettable Travel Experiences with the Best Travel Agency for Dubai

Embark on a journey of exploration and discovery as we delve into vibrant destinations around the world, each offering unique cultural experiences and hidden treasures waiting to be uncovered. From the dazzling cityscape of Dubai to the timeless traditions of Japan, the multicultural charm of Singapore, and the breathtaking landscapes of Vietnam, let's embark on a travel adventure like no other, guided by the expertise of the best travel agency for Dubai.

Unveiling Dubai's Hidden Treasures with the Best Travel Agency

Dubai, a jewel in the Middle East, blends modern marvels with cultural richness, creating a captivating destination for travelers. With the expertise of the best travel agency, delve into thrilling desert safaris, discover iconic landmarks on city tours, immerse yourself in cultural excursions, and explore off-the-beaten-path adventures. Insider tips from the best travel agency ensure a seamless and unforgettable Dubai experience.

Tailored Experiences: Travel agency in Dubai customizes experiences to match your preferences, whether you're into adventure sports, cultural exploration, or luxury getaways.

Local Guides: Benefit from knowledgeable local guides who share fascinating stories and insights about Dubai's history, culture, and hidden gems.

Exclusive Deals: Access exclusive deals and discounts on accommodations, tours, and dining options, ensuring you get the best value for your money.

Safety and Comfort: Travel with peace of mind as the top travel agency prioritizes safety measures, comfortable transportation, and expert guidance throughout your Dubai adventure.

Experiencing the Land of the Rising Sun with Japan Travel Tours

Japan's captivating contrasts and timeless traditions await travelers seeking a journey of discovery. From the historic charm of Kyoto's ancient temples to the vibrant streets of Tokyo and the poignant history of Hiroshima, Japan Tours offer a tapestry of culture and beauty. Dive into tea ceremonies, marvel at iconic shrines, and witness the art of geisha performances in Gion, all while experiencing Japan like a local.

Local Expertise: Japan Travel Tours provides knowledgeable local guides who offer deep insights into Japan's history, culture, and traditions, enhancing your overall experience.

Cultural Immersion: Dive into Japan's rich cultural heritage with experiences like traditional tea ceremonies, kimono dressing, and visits to ancient temples and shrines.

Iconic Landmarks: Explore iconic landmarks such as the Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto, the bustling Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo, and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park.

Geisha Culture: Witness the artistry of geisha performances in Gion, Kyoto, and gain a deeper understanding of this traditional Japanese art form.

Singapore for Travel Enthusiasts: Unravelling the Lion City's Best-Kept Secrets

Singapore, the Lion City, entices travelers with its modern skyline, lush green spaces, and multicultural allure. Explore futuristic skyscrapers, serene botanical gardens, and vibrant cultural enclaves, guided by insider recommendations for foodie delights, shopping districts, and family-friendly activities. Unravel hidden gems and immerse yourself in Singapore for travel diverse attractions for an unforgettable travel experience.

Waterfront Gems: Explore Singapore's waterfront areas beyond Marina Bay. Visit Labrador Nature Reserve for coastal walks, Sentosa's hidden beaches, and Pulau Ubin's mangrove forests and secluded coves.

Historical Treasures: Discover Singapore's historical treasures, including hidden heritage trails in Chinatown, the lesser-known Civilian War Memorial, and Kampong Buangkok, the last surviving village in Singapore.

Adventure Seekers: For adventure enthusiasts, try out unique experiences like indoor skydiving at I Fly Singapore, kayaking through mangrove forests, or cycling along the scenic East Coast Park Connector.

Navigating Vietnam's Cultural Wonders: A Travel Escapade

Vietnam's breathtaking landscapes and rich cultural heritage beckon travelers on an unforgettable escapade. Explore bustling cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, wander through ancient temples in Hoi An, and cruise through the natural wonders of Ha Long Bay. Travel itineraries for Vietnam offer insights into local cuisine, transportation, and cultural etiquette, ensuring a seamless and enriching journey across this land of contrasts.

Embark on a Global Adventure: Travel Around the World

As you embark on a global adventure, let these destinations inspire your wanderlust and ignite your passion for travel. Discover the best tours and travels in Dubai, immerse yourself in Japan's rich culture, explore Singapore's hidden gems, and navigate Vietnam's cultural wonders. With the best travel agency by your side, embark on a journey around the world filled with unforgettable experiences and cherished memories.

[msclaritea]

Levi Strauss heir will reportedly challenge London Breed in 2024

SF Mayor London Breed will reportedly face another 2024 challenger: a Levi Strauss heir

Alec Regimbal, SFGATE

Updated: July 18, 2023 10:02 a.m.

"An heir to the Levi Strauss fortune will reportedly challenge San Francisco Mayor London Breed for her seat in next year’s election, according to a report from the San Francisco Standard. 

What to know about the Pier 39 sea lions

The report said Daniel Lurie has yet to formally announce his candidacy or file the paperwork necessary to begin raising money, but several sources who have knowledge of his plans told the Standard that he’s been “hosting gatherings to rally support.” The Standard also reported that Lurie has begun recruiting staff and is being helped by Tyler Law — a political consultant whose firm has assisted in state and national races, including the presidential campaigns of Barack Obama and Pete Buttigieg. 

A San Francisco native, Lurie is the founder of Tipping Point Community, a nonprofit aimed at combating poverty in the Bay Area. Lurie is also the son of Mimi Haas, who married the late philanthropist Peter Haas — the great-grandnephew of Levi Strauss — after her divorce from Brian Lurie, a prominent rabbi. Mimi Haas owns 11% of Levi Strauss & Co. shares, making her the single largest shareholder in a company that’s worth more than $5 billion today.  

Lurie did not reply to a request for comment from SFGATE.  

The news that Lurie is reportedly planning to launch a campaign comes at time when San Francisco voters are largely unhappy with Breed’s performance as mayor. A pair of recently released polls show that voters are concerned primarily about drugs, public safety, homelessness and housing affordability, and generally disapprove of the way Breed is handling those issues. The mayor’s office did not immediately reply to a request for comment from SFGATE about Lurie’s reported plans.

The only prominent challenger to Breed who has formally announced their campaign for mayor is District 11 Supervisor Ahsha Safaí, who told the San Francisco Chronicle in May, “People are very dissatisfied with the current mayor, dissatisfied with the condition of the city, and they’re looking for change.” (The Chronicle and SFGATE are both owned by Hearst but have separate newsrooms.)

Safaí, like Breed, is seen as a moderate Democrat, which sets them apart from the more progressive members of the city’s political arena. A source close to Lurie told the Standard that they believe he can offer a “similar but fresher alternative to the moderate Democratic platform of Breed.�� That means, unless a prominent progressive enters the race, voters might be choosing among candidates with similar platforms.

Apart from his work with Tipping Point Community — he stepped down as CEO in 2019 — Lurie is mostly known for his ties to the Levi Strauss fortune. In 2021, he reportedly purchased an estate in Point Dume, a promontory on the coast of Malibu, for $15.5 million.

The Standard reported that Lurie lives in Potrero Hill with his wife Becca Prowda, who works for California Gov. Gavin Newsom, and their two kids."

And Governor Gavin Newsom is a World Economic Forum puppet, having been involved with that totally unregulated, foreign body who become giddy at the thought of running the entire planet. I don't get San Franciscans not understanding what's going on. I looked up Mayor London Breed, and while she's not perfect, Breed has enacted a lot of policy changes to improve the city. The fact that there are so many local 'Progressives' against her, tells me Mayor Breed is actually worth keeping. Note that it's not just Progressives but the Predatory classes, like Musk and his Silicon Valley ilk who are trying to run her out of office. We all saw similar coups go down in New York and Chicago and the jury is still out on Mayor Eric Adams, who recently tried cutting the budget of N.Y. libraries. But Mayor Breed stopped a new private prison from being built. I thought that was something these faketivists wanted.

COVID-19 response

'San Francisco issued a state of emergency because of COVID-19 in February 2020, before the federal government suggested doing so, and San Francisco became one of the first American cities to go into lockdown. On March 2, Breed advised residents, "Prepare for possible disruption from an outbreak". Under the state of emergency, private gyms were required to shut down, but the city government petitioned Cal/OSHA for a waiver to allow various government employees to continue to use gyms in city-owned facilities, which were allowed to continue to operate.

On April 24, 2020, Breed reported that her city's PPE orders had been diverted to other cities and countries. She said, "We’ve had issues of our orders being relocated by our suppliers in China. For example, we had isolation gowns on their way to San Francisco and they were diverted to France. We’ve had situations when things we’ve ordered that have gone through Customs were confiscated by FEMA to be diverted to other locations." Wiki

We never got an investigation into what was going on with the PPE gowns and other equipment during covid. I'm guessing certain parties don't want it brought up because someone has to explain why, if Trump and Kushner were only sending equipment to states that support him, while having their Chinese allies block delivery to cities such as San Francisco, how did Bernie Sanders and Vermont come out on top? There were NO interruptions in their supply.

How much is the Strauss family worth?

$4 billion

Their collective net worth is over $4 billion. And revenues are up nearly 30% from 2020. There are also plans in motion to expand and innovate the business by offering a more convenient shopping experience using AI. The company has also acquired the major active wear brand, Beyond Yoga.Apr 1, 2022

[singapore-mrt-map]

Exploring the Circle Line MRT Map in Singapore: A Comprehensive Guide

Singapore's Circle Line MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) is a pivotal part of the city-state's highly efficient and comprehensive public transportation system. This guide offers an in-depth look into navigating the Circle Line, places to visit, things to do, and essential tips for travelers and locals alike.

Overview

The Circle Line is a medium-capacity subway line that loops around Singapore, connecting several residential areas to the business district, shopping zones, and key tourist attractions. Its unique 'C' shape enhances connectivity and significantly reduces travel time across the city.

Places To Visit

Marina Bay Sands, Singapore Botanic Gardens, and Haw Par Villa are just a few of the iconic destinations accessible via the Circle Line, each offering a glimpse into Singapore's rich culture, history, and modernity.

Things to Do

From enjoying the panoramic views at the Marina Bay Sands Skypark to exploring the lush greenery of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, the Circle Line opens up a world of activities for every visitor.

Climatic Conditions

Singapore's tropical climate means warm, humid days throughout the year with occasional rainfall. It's essential to plan your travel wardrobe accordingly.

Best Time to Visit

While Singapore welcomes visitors year-round, the months of February to April offer the most pleasant weather for exploring the outdoors.

How to Reach

The Circle Line is accessible from Changi Airport via a transfer at the Paya Lebar MRT station, making it convenient for travelers to reach the city center and beyond.

History

The construction of the Circle Line began in 2000, with the aim of enhancing the reach and efficiency of Singapore's public transport network. Its development is a testament to the city's forward-thinking urban planning.

Food

A journey through the Circle Line is also a culinary adventure, with stations like Bras Basah and Holland Village offering easy access to some of the city's best dining spots.

Shopping

From the high-end boutiques of Orchard Road to the eclectic markets of Bugis, shopping enthusiasts will find their paradise within easy reach of the Circle Line.

Accessibility and Accommodation

With stations equipped with facilities for the differently-abled and a wide range of accommodations nearby, Singapore ensures a comfortable visit for everyone.

Nearby Hotel & Restaurant

Whether you're looking for luxury at Marina Bay Sands or budget-friendly options near Bishan, there's a place to stay for every type of traveler.

Tourist Map

A detailed tourist map can be obtained from any MRT station, helping you navigate the Circle Line and its attractions with ease.

Distance From Major Cities

Singapore's strategic location at the heart of Southeast Asia makes it easily accessible from major cities across the region.

Nearby Places

Exploring beyond the Circle Line? Sentosa Island, Chinatown, and Little India are just a short MRT ride away.

Tourist Attraction

The ArtScience Museum, Singapore Flyer, and Gardens by the Bay are must-visit attractions that showcase the city's blend of culture, science, and nature.