#tish goes to work

[cinewhore]

love being a young professional (wearing a ‘shrek around and find out’ shirt during an important zoom meeting)

[theladyfae]

the lazarus experiment / her island, rita dove

[jadenvargen]

free online james baldwin stories, essays, videos, and other resources

**edit

James baldwin online archive with his articles and photo archives.

---NOVELS---

Giovanni's room"When David meets the sensual Giovanni in a bohemian bar, he is swept into a passionate love affair. But his girlfriend's return to Paris destroys everything. Unable to admit to the truth, David pretends the liaison never happened - while Giovanni's life descends into tragedy. This book introduces love's fascinating possibilities and extremities."

Go Tell It On The Mountain"(...)Baldwin's first major work, a semi-autobiographical novel that has established itself as an American classic. With lyrical precision, psychological directness, resonating symbolic power, and a rage that is at once unrelenting and compassionate, Baldwin chronicles a fourteen-year-old boy's discovery of the terms of his identity as the stepson of the minister of a storefront Pentecostal church in Harlem one Saturday in March of 1935. Baldwin's rendering of his protagonist's spiritual, sexual, and moral struggle of self-invention opened new possibilities in the American language and in the way Americans understand themselves."

+bonus: film adaptation on youtube. (if you’re a giancarlo esposito fan, you’ll be delighted to see him in an early preacher role)

Another Country and Going to Meet the Man Another country: "James Baldwin's masterly story of desire, hatred and violence opens with the unforgettable character of Rufus Scott, a scavenging Harlem jazz musician adrift in New York. Self-destructive, bad and brilliant, he draws us into a Bohemian underworld pulsing with heat, music and sex, where desperate and dangerous characters betray, love and test each other to the limit." Going to meet the Man: " collection of eight short stories by American writer James Baldwin. The book, dedicated "for Beauford Delaney", covers many topics related to anti-Black racism in American society, as well as African-American–Jewish relations, childhood, the creative process, criminal justice, drug addiction, family relationships, jazz, lynching, sexuality, and white supremacy."

Just Above My Head"Here, in a monumental saga of love and rage, Baldwin goes back to Harlem, to the church of his groundbreaking novel Go Tell It on the Mountain, to the homosexual passion of Giovanni's Room, and to the political fire that enflames his nonfiction work. Here, too, the story of gospel singer Arthur Hall and his family becomes both a journey into another country of the soul and senses--and a living contemporary history of black struggle in this land."

If Beale Street Could Talk"Told through the eyes of Tish, a nineteen-year-old girl, in love with Fonny, a young sculptor who is the father of her child, Baldwin's story mixes the sweet and the sad. Tish and Fonny have pledged to get married, but Fonny is falsely accused of a terrible crime and imprisoned. Their families set out to clear his name, and as they face an uncertain future, the young lovers experience a kaleidoscope of emotions-affection, despair, and hope. In a love story that evokes the blues, where passion and sadness are inevitably intertwined, Baldwin has created two characters so alive and profoundly realized that they are unforgettably ingrained in the American psyche."

also has a film adaptation by moonlight's barry jenkins

Tell Me How Long the Train's been gone At the height of his theatrical career, the actor Leo Proudhammer is nearly felled by a heart attack. As he hovers between life and death, Baldwin shows the choices that have made him enviably famous and terrifyingly vulnerable. For between Leo's childhood on the streets of Harlem and his arrival into the intoxicating world of the theater lies a wilderness of desire and loss, shame and rage. An adored older brother vanishes into prison. There are love affairs with a white woman and a younger black man, each of whom will make irresistible claims on Leo's loyalty. 

---ESSAYS---

Baldwin essay collection. Including most famously: notes of a native son, nobody knows my name, the fire next time, no name in the street, the devil finds work- baldwin on film

--DOCUMENTARIES--

Take this hammer, a tour of san Francisco.

Meeting the man

--DEBATES:--

Debate with Malcolm x, 1963 ( on integration, the nation of islam, and other topics. )

Debate with William Buckley, 1965. ( historic debate in america. )

Heavily moderated debate with Malcolm x, Charles Eric Lincoln, and Samuel Schyle 1961. (Primarily Malcolm X's debate on behalf of the nation of islam, with Baldwin giving occassional inputs.)

----

apart from themes obvious in the book's descriptions, a general heads up for themes of incest and sexual assault throughout his works.

[reallyromealone]

Title: food

Fandom: palia

Characters: Ashura, Reth, tish, Jel

Fic type: fluff

Pairings: Reth x reader

Warnings: male reader, reader insert, omegaverse, cute, courting, Omega male reader

Notes: trying to get in the swing of writing so sorry if it's weird

Summary: Reth realized (name)s been courting him and figures out what to return the fashionable Omega

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Reth never knew what to do with the prim and proper brother of Jel, the Omega constantly giving him little gifts that he made which was typically clothes. The clothes were pretty nice and fit perfectly, Reth often seen in the nice vests or in the nice chefs coat with his name embroidered on it and the little details showed time and care. Every week it was something new, a new shirt, new pants and even socks, all with his name embroidered somewhere on it.

"Another piece?" Tish asked her brother curiously "yeah, not sure why though" Reth mumbled and the Omega girl took the shirt and sniffed "it's scented... Oh my goodness" she realized and Reth raised an eyebrow "what?" Panic laced in his voice while his sister analyzed it.

"Reth these are courting gifts"

Hah?

"I'm sorry what?"

"(Name) Has been courting you for months" she stared at him back and Reth froze "what do I do with this?" He whispered, having never recieved a courting gift from anyone let alone someone like (name). He was a high class Omega, fancy tastes and all that stuff... Reth was well... Him. "Do you like him back?" Tish asked curiously, clearly invested in this while Reth looked a little flustered "I always thought he was out of my league?" Despite being flirty and pretty cocky, (name) had an affect on people and Reth was no exception; the omega was perfect in every way.

He dressed like a doll, never dirty and seemed high maintenance like Jel and It was pretty intimidating honestly.

Reth didn't reply to her but Tish could figure out the answer pretty quickly, her brother was in love.

-

Reth watched (name) help his brother bring fabrics into the shop, dressed in a puffy dress shirt and vest along with tailored pants and shiny loafers.

What does he like?

What would he want?

"Ah, young love" Ashura teased, causing Reth turn to look at him flustered "you were mated, how did you do it?!" His words rushed and worried, causing the large man to chuckle "you mean courting? Well I made Sabine something that made her think of me... Maybe try cooking something?" Ashura offered his advice and Reth looked at (name) who was having a sibling squabble with his brother "but he's so fancy... Would that even cut it?" Ashura has never seen him like this, clearly wanting to make a good impression.

"Reth, that young man looks at you like you hung the moon, he's in love with you for you... Hell you didn't even realize he had feelings and just acted like you for so long!" Reth eased up a bit at the man's words "you just go out there and be yourself" Ashura Pat his back before leaving the young alpha alone to figure out his thoughts.

He's known (name) for years, the Omega was one food driven pretty boy and Reth was ready to put that to the test.

What he wasn't expecting was (name) to show up half way through cooking "what are you cooking?" The Omega asked curiously, leaning over the bar to see the ingredients "(food)?" Reth chuckled at the Omega, he hadn't expected it to work THAT well "well there goes the surprise!" (Name) Was confused at his words "why would you be making me food...?" The cogs turned in the man's head before realization sprung "you accept?"

"Took me a while to realize what you were doing... It's not a traditional courting gift but I hope you enjoy" putting the food on/in a plate/bowl, he watched (name) marvel at the dish "you made me a meal... Thank you alpha"

Fuck.

Reth was not expecting that, his face growing flustered and (name) ate happily, leaning forward as to not ruin his outfit and completely unaware of the effect he had on Reth.

"Can I have more?"

"You're done already?!"

[uphx]

i rembered my pasword

I'm playin' Dandy's World, all my homies know, They know me as the pro, grouping up when ele close, I don't know everything but I'm sure I'll extract, Forty somethin highest floors, that's just the facts, I'm primin machines and this ain't even higher floor, Twists found me out, but still, my feet is out the door, I went from boxten plays, to straight out sweeping floors, Finished machines, but still hearing ichor pour. Woah-oh-oh This is how the session goes Woah-oh-oh I guess this is how the session goes I'm playin' Dandy's World, all my homies know, They know me as the pro, grouping up when ele close, I don't know everything but I'm sure I'll extract, Forty somethin highest floors, that's just the facts, From the Box, to the Tea, to the Tish, to Shelly, Where's my bottle o' pop, always troubled when I flee, See, I believe that if we work and play your part, We'll smash through the ceiling, we will reach Astro stars Woah-oh-oh This is how the session goes Woah-oh-oh I guess this is how the session goes I'm playin' Dandy's World, all my homies know, They know me as the pro, grouping up when ele close, I don't know everything but I'm sure I'll extract, Forty somethin highest floors, that's just the facts,

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Dean Obeidallah at The Dean's Report:

I read Timothy Snyder’s, “On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century.” I also re-read portions the compelling book, “How Democracies Die.” Add to that I took in chunks of two books about the Gilded Age (1870’s to 1900) where the arrogance and corruption of America’s wealthy elite led to The Progressive Era backlash of laws and reforms that reined in their power. (I’ll be writing much more in the future on the types of reforms needed now to end the new “Gilded Age” we live in headed by oligarch Elon Musk and the other modern day “robber barons.”) [...]

To wake up those who may be lulled into that sense that Trump wasn’t being literal, Snyder gave a chilling example. Just three days after Hitler became Chancellor of Germany on January 30, 1933, a leading newspaper for German Jews published an editorial that sought to alleviate concerns of the Jewish population.

As you read the excerpt below keep in mind it was written before any of the anti-Jewish laws in Germany had been enacted and well before Jews in Germany had been arrested and sent to death camps: “We do not subscribe to the view that Mr. Hitler and his friends, now finally in possession of the power they have so long desired, will implement the proposals circulating in [Nazi newspapers]; they will not suddenly deprive German Jews of their constitutional rights, nor enclose them in ghettos, nor subject them to the jealous and murderous impulses of the mob. They cannot do this because a number of crucial factors hold powers in check … and they clearly do not want to go down that road. When one acts as a European power, the whole atmosphere tends towards ethical reflection upon one’s better self and away from revisiting one’s earlier oppositional posture.”

This publication was not intending to gaslight the Jews of Germany. They had heard Hitler and his allies advocate everything listed above. Yet the editors and others like them sincerely didn’t believe Hitler meant what he said and that his “better self” would restrain him. But just four months after Hitler took power in Jan. 1933, he began to implement every single policy that he had vowed to do during the prior years. It all began in April 1933 with the passage of a new civil service law that removed Jews from civil service positions, including schools, universities, and government jobs. Next came laws barring Jews from public schools and working in newspapers--all building to the “Nuremberg Race Laws” in 1935 where “Jews lost their citizenship and became subjects of the state.” [...]

Let me end any delusions you may hold deep down. Trump—like Hitler did—will attempt to enact as policy every single thing he has vowed to do during the campaign. And while Trump in his first term was dangerous, this version of Trump is even more dangerous. He is angry and bitter. Trump believes he was wronged by Democrats who sought to hold him accountable for his crimes. He and his followers even believe Democrats were behind the attempts on his life. And in his second term, Trump knowns--courtesy of the corrupt GOP Supreme Court—that he has broad immunity for “official actions.” [...] Trump has repeatedly vowed to shutdown media outlets that he views as being unfair to him—from CBS to NBC News. He will attempt to do that as well as shutdown comedy shows that mock him--as he explored doing to “Saturday Night Live” in his first term. And the list goes on from prosecuting Barack Obama, New York AG Tish James, Adam Schiff and others to mass deportations which he vowed would be “bloody.” Everything Trump promised to do, he will try.

Dean Obeidallah wrote a solid column in his Substack on why Americans should take Donald Trump’s words and actions seriously, as he seeks to implement fascist policies that erode the Constitution and civil society.

All proper-thinking folk should resist this turn towards fascism with all of our might, including blue state defiance and secession if necessary.

[hodari-pavels-good-boy]

Espresso Chapter 2:

Heat Stroke

Ch1 Ch2 Ch3

Pairing: Hodari Pavel x Reader Word Count: 5.6k Chapter: 2/? Rating: E

Tags: Angst, Angst with a happy ending, miscommunication, fluff, eventual smut

A/N: This is a multi chapter Hodari x y/n story! Gender is not specified so everyone can enjoy it (though I did originally start writing it with the intention of it being a male reader lol). Tags will be updated as the fic goes. Cross-posted Here on Ao3. Fic below the cut! Enjoy :)

Hodari POV

The sun beats heavily off the stones, heat rising from the ground and into his boots as Hodari makes his way down the well-traveled path that connects the bay to the village. Raising his hand to his brow to shield his eyes from the brutal light, he debates going to the inn first before ultimately deciding to finish his work as quickly as possible to get it done and over with. 

His first stop is, as always, to the town's resident blacksmith. “Hodari!” she calls from inside, raising her hand in greeting when she sees him approach. She lays her hammer down and wipes the sweat from her face as he enters the forge with her order of iron in tow. “It’s a scorcher out here today isn’t it?” she laughs as she takes the metal from him and he hums his assent. He watches as she takes it to her backroom and out of the way before turning back to him. “Oh! I’m not going to be needing my order tomorrow, so don’t worry about making the trip into town for me.” 

He nods in acknowledgement, ‘saves me a trip tomorrow then’ he thinks before Sifuu starts speaking again. “That human that's decided to stick around, y/n, brought me some extra this morning and I won’t be able to fit anymore back there between their drop off and your delivery today. I’m all full up!” She laughs, reaching for her hammer to continue working. 

“It’s no problem then. Frees up a mornin’ for me. Maybe I’ll sleep in for once.” and they both share a chuckle at how unlikely they both know that to be before Hodari says his good-byes. 

Just as he’s about to head out Sifuu calls from behind her anvil, “You still coming to the inn this weekend? We are all planning on grabbing some lunch and taking a much needed break. It’s supposed to be even hotter, but that ain’t nothing a little ale and some good company can’t beat!” She laughs. “You can bring your girl to the tailor’s. Word down the vine is Jel’s been working on something for her as a little surprise since the last time she came into town to visit him and Tish, it’ll be good for the two of you to get out and socialize a bit. The mine’s can stay empty for half a day.” She says the last half just a little more serious and Hodari wonders how long she’s been holding it in as she’s not exactly known for her subtlety. 

Hodari thinks about it seriously for a moment before nodding his head. She’s right, it’ll be good for Najuma to get away from the shop and have some actual social interaction every once in a while. “I’ll be there, don’t worry. It’ll be good catchin’ up while we all complain about how old we’re gettin’.” he chuckles before finally taking his leave to the sound of Sifuu’s booming laughter behind him. 

His next stop is the Daiya’s farm to drop off a bit of iron Badruu had requested from him for some ‘repairs I can’t put off any more.’ Heading over the bridge and down the path a ways, he waves as the farmer comes into sight. 

“Well howdy!” Badruu greets him as he walks up to the gate. “Got something for little ol’ me there?” He asks as he removes his hat to fan himself with it. 

“Hot out here today, huh?” he comments, taking the metal Hodari hands over to him. 

“That seems to be the general consensus.” Hodari agrees. “Crops are lookin’ good. See ya got some new ones sewn out the back there. Zeki finally lower his prices?” the miner huffs.

“Oh no,” the farmer rolls his eyes, “sky high as ever. But y/n brought some late last week as a thank you for the jam Delaila sent them home with. Awfully nice of ‘em don’t you think? They seem to be settling in here quite well. Have you had a chance to really talk with them yet?”

Hodari just hums but shakes his head, he hasn’t spoken to you at all since that night in the mines. You never stop to talk while he’s in town so he’s a little surprised at this new information. “Nah. ‘m not one for chattin’ much anyways. See 'em comin’ and goin’ from the mines at all kinds of unholy hours though. Sometimes they're still down there when I get there the next mornin’”  ‘At least they’re making an effort to fit in’ he thinks as he remembers your little conversation about feeling out of place before he decides to change the topic. “How is Delaila doin’ anyways? Haven’t seen her or your boys recently, we’ve all been so busy.”

The famer laughs, “Tell me about it.” Before launching into what his family has been up to. He’s a family man at heart and Hodari has always respected that about him, it’s no secret the man gave up his dream path to settle down here to create what he has now. While he always knew he was going to be a miner, he understands the hard choices and sometimes sacrifices one makes for their loved ones. Looking at the farmer beam as he talks about how proud he is of his boys though, Hodari finds it hard to believe the man would have it any other way if given another chance. It makes his chest ache a bit as his friend talks about how he plans to surprise his wife with a nice date he’s been setting money aside for. She’ll love it he's sure, Delaila’s a hardworking woman and a spitfire in her own right, always keeping them on their toes. She deserves something nice. 

After a few more minutes of catching up, the two men say their good-byes as they head off to continue their respective work, Hodari is sure to pass on that he’ll be at the inn this weekend so they can catch up a bit later before he starts heading back into the village. With no more orders to make, he heads straight for the inn for some lunch and to get out of the heat. He almost crashes into Auni as the kid rushes past, giant backpack too big for his small frame bouncing behind him, eager to get to his daily game of cards with Hassian behind the building. “Sorry Mr. Pavel!” he calls over his shoulder, not slowing down in the slightest and Hodari huffs out an amused breath. Najuma always seems to be in a rush too, no time to slow down for these kids. 

Entering the inn has Hodari internally sighing as he gets out of the searing heat. Reth is behind the kitchen counter, already prepping his usual. He gives the kid a nod in greeting before walking over to greet Ashura who seems to be engrossed by something behind his own counter. As he gets closer, he can see the slice of pie the innkeeper is holding. 

“Got yourself somethin’ sweet there?” Hodari asks as he watches the larger man go to take a bite. Ashura turns around laughing to greet the man as he sets the plate down. 

“Can’t say no to a good slice of pie.” the older man rumbled. “Y/n baked it and dropped a fresh slice in for me and Reth. They really seem to be finding their place here after all these months. Can’t say I’m too upset with all the baked goods they’ve been dropping off in various attempts at cooking, especially recently. They’ve been catching on to how things work around here pretty quick.”

“So I've heard. Both Sifuu and Badruu were singing their praise when I stopped by. I’m-” Hodari stops when he hears Reth set his food out on the counter. He grabs his food and both men go take a seat, conversation about the new local human set aside. 

Hodari starts eating his lunch and after awhile of enjoying one another's company in silence, Ashura asks how Najuma is doing. He sighs as he sets his fork down, leaning back in his chair. “I don’t know. She seems madder’n not these days and I don’t know what to do.” Ashura nods sympathetically as he talks. “It’s been harder to talk to her lately and you know I ain't exactly a beacon of open conversation myself. Just tryin’ to figure it out as I go along, I guess.” 

Ashura shares in his worries over lunch and offers some advice from one father to another about angry teengers and the frustrations of parenting in general. By the time he’s leaving to head home, he feels a little lighter. He stayed longer than usual to avoid the sun's brutal attack at the peak of the day but as he faces the long trek home, he realizes that just means another long night in the mines and he has to bite back a groan. At least he doest have to make the trip out here for Sifuu tomorrow. 

As he walks through town, he plays the conversations he’s had today over in his mind. So many things have changed since he first moved here, young and leaving behind his family to start his own. He passes the Daiya’s eldest son and raises his hand in greeting, ‘That kid has grown up so fast.’ he thinks. ‘They all have.’ When he moved out here with Leta all those years ago, he never quite pictured this would be his life now and wonders how she would feel about all the changes that have happened, especially recently with humans appearing out of thin air. Probably handle it a whole lot better than him, he’s never been one for change if he can help it. He wonders how she’d feel about the human that’s stuck around, everyone else seems to enjoy your company. She’d probably tell him to be nice and welcome you like everyone else has and he smiles at the thought of her standing there arms crossed calling him a grump and telling him to get over himself. A bit of a reminder that even as the world changes, some things would absolutely stay the same.

Soon enough, his wandering thoughts have led him to the gate that connects to the bay. The sun still shines bright and he figures he should probably make sure his daughter is staying cool and drinking water. He makes his way towards the pond, getting ready to call her over but stops when he realizes she isn’t there. A look up the hill shows that she’s not in the workshop either. Taking a sigh, he turns and heads towards the house. ‘She better not be in those damn mines again’ he thinks as he's pushing open the door to grab what he’ll need to go after her. 

As soon as he opens the door though, he spots his daughter sitting on the couch with a whole blueberry pie in hand, getting ready to dig into it. 

“Najuma, just what in the hell are you doing?” He asks, fumbling in his thoughts. He was sure she was causing trouble and trying to put him in an early grave with worry. Now he’s just confused where she got a pie. He knows he didn't pick one up and she hasn't shown any interest in baking, much less ventured all the way into town to get any of what she’d need for it.

Najuma freezes, caught red handed as she holds the forkfull of pie halfway to her mouth. “I wasn't gonna eat it all at once!” She immediately tries to defend herself. 

“No. I-” He stops, collecting his thoughts, “One, where’d you get that? And two, why did you not put it on a plate?” He says grabbing the pie from her and walking into the kitchen to cut it. She follows behind him, eager for the treat before she gets back to work and she answers him as he reaches into the cupboard for a plate. 

“Oh y/n brought it by! They said that I’ve been working so hard I deserve a snack!” She smiles as she takes the plate from him and sits down at the table this time, already taking a bite.

He shakes his head, leaning against the counter as he watches how she devours the slice of pie in front of him and feels a little pang as he realizes how much bigger she's gotten. Despite her small size, she's growing up so fast and he wishes he could freeze time for just a little bit. She’s already in her teens now and his back aches more at the thought. Soon she’ll be all grown up. For now, they're just a bit of a mess as they try to figure it out. He finds himself wishing again that Leta were here to help him and resigns himself to the fact it’s just going to be one of those days full of wanting and nostalgia. ‘Want in one hand’ and all that..

Pushing off from the counter he walks over and ruffles his daughter's hair, giving her a quick kiss on the top of her fiery head as he goes. “Daaaad.” She complains as he walks towards the door, chuckling. He reminds her only the one piece before dinner so she doesn't spoil her appetite before he’s out the door and heading towards the mines. During his walk he thinks about Najuma telling him you had been the one to bring the pie by. He’s confused why you would be coming all the way out here to talk to his daughter when he hardly sees you himself, much less have any sort of regular conversation with you. It makes a flare of protectiveness rise in his gut, he’s not sure he wants Najuma around a stranger. He decides he should think it over a bit more before deciding anything right now, you seem nice enough and while your only real conversation had been a bit awkward, no harm was done. Wanting to clear his mind of it for now, he heads into the mines, determined to make up for the bit of lost time today.

The next morning while making breakfast, he realizes he forgot to stop by the general store yesterday before coming home. ‘So much for not headin’ into town.’ he thinks bitterly as he sets the food between him and his daughter, letting her know he forgot some things yesterday and asking if she needed anything while he was there. He writes down what she needs and lets her know he won’t be staying in town today. After they finish breakfast he heads right out, itching to get there and get home.

Wasting no time, he heads straight to Zeki’s as soon as he enters the village. He grabs the things he needs for the house and Najuma before he heads over to the register, greeting the owner of the shop. After a bit of small talk, Hodari decides he should ask the other man what he thinks about the human. 

“Ain’t too close to them, to be honest but they seem decent enough.” he shrugs. “Rest of the town seems to like them, even Eshe seems to be warming up to them, albeit begrudgingly” he laughs. Hodari nods along as he is given the information to process. “You know me though,” the other continues, “I don’t make it a habit of trustin’ people, especially people I don’t know. It’s a crazy world out there. Their gold spends as good as anyone else’s though!” he finishes with a wink and Hodari just shakes his head as he pays for his goods. They say their good-byes and Hodari promises to pass along a hello to Najuma for him before he takes his leave. 

As he’s walking out of the store he spots you leaving the inn and waving a good-bye to the cook from the doorway. He watches for a moment as you smile and greet the youngest Daiya boy and Elouisa on your way back to your home plot. He wonders briefly what it looks like now since he’s last seen it the first day you appeared here. As you round the corner and out of his sight, he starts on his own way home.

He takes the opportunity on the walk back to mull over the things Zeki told him while the conversation is still fresh in his mind. He thinks the grimilkin may be right, you’re basically a stranger and he doesn't know you very well. You seem nice enough, and clearly your presence is enjoyed and welcomed by many in the village, but he's gotta keep his family in mind and Najuma’s wellbeing takes precedence. It doesn’t help that he’s still uncomfortable with the idea that a human has been around his daughter alone and presumably in his house and he’s been none the wiser to it. Friendly or not, the two of you haven’t even spoken since the night he stayed late in the mines so it would probably be best if he put a stop to whatever is going on, at least while he’s not around. Just for now. It wouldn’t hurt Najuma to socialize more, but he’s not sure this is how he wants that to happen. 

After getting home he puts away the items and goes to hunt Najuma down in the workshop, letting her know the things she wanted were waiting for her on the kitchen table whenever she needed them.

“It’s gonna be a late night for me t’night. Don’t wait for me for dinner, there’s leftovers in the icebox for ya. Don’t forget to eat, ya hear me?” He calls from outside the shop. Once he hears a quiet muttering of ‘yeah yeah’ in acknowledgement he turns and starts his walk to the mines. He figures tonight is as good a night as any to talk to you when you make your way down. ‘Doesn’t need to be a big deal’, he reasons with himself, ‘place a few boundaries. No harm no foul.’  

Without Hodari realizing it, hours have passed since he’s been down here and he picks up his things to head closer to the entrance of the mines to wait for you. A brief look outside tells him that the sun has long since finished its march across the sky, Luna and Ignis have risen, and he can hear the crickets begin their nightly songs. As he watches the lantern bugs flit about amongst the grass and trees he starts to worry you won’t actually show tonight and he’s stayed out this late for no reason. But like clockwork, the tell tale sound of the crunching gravel beneath shoes moves towards the mine entrance and he knows it can’t possibly be anyone else but you coming down here so late.

You wave to him, offering a quick ‘hello!’ as soon as you see him standing at the entrance. He raises his hand in greeting back, taking a deep breath. You’re already smiling in front of him and he finds himself inexplicably worried he might hurt your feelings. You don’t look like you mean any harm but he can’t trust you, not yet. 

“Another late night? You’re not usually down here still at this time, shouldn’t you be home having dinner with Najuma?” You ask, curious. He watches as you pull your pack off to get your own supplies out.

“Yeah about that. Got something I wanna talk t’ya about.”  He begins. You hum in acknowledgement of the statement while you continue to sort through your pack.

“Yeah? What’s up?” You ask and Hodari finds himself fumbling a bit at the relaxed ease in your tone, talking to him as though you were friends or at the very least friendly acquaintances and not practically strangers. 

“It’s about Najuma. I-” 

“Is she okay?” you cut him off, sounding concerned and he feels a flare of annoyance. It’s not your job to be concerned. 

“Well if ya let me finish,” he starts again a bit more gruff, “She’s fine. What I want to talk about is how much you’ve been hangin’ around her. I know ya don’t mean any harm, but I don’t see much of a reason for you to be headin’ all the way out here just to talk to her. Especially when I’m not around, it just don’t sit right with me.” He watches as the words sink in, and your face changes from concerned to confused, and finally to hurt. 

“I-” you begin but he holds out his hand to stop you. 

“It’s nothing personal. But we- I don’t know you and if anything happened to her… well it doesn't bear thinkin’ about. I just can’t take that chance, ya understand?” He waits until you nod in agreement before continuing, “Good. Glad we’re on the same page then.” He reaches down and grabs his pick off the ground before resting his hand on your shoulder. “Okay then, you have a good rest of your night.” 

He hears a quiet ‘you too’ as he starts to walk away, a lighter step in his gait. That went surprisingly well all things considered. He faltered at the thought of the hurt in your eyes but you’ll get over it, it's for the best to leave things as they are for now. As he walks away he doesn’t notice the sounds of mining dont carry up the hills as they normally do.  

A few days have passed and the weekend draws near. At breakfast Najuma is quietly picking at her food and Hodari lets her know they'll both be going into town tomorrow. Instead of the incoming complaints he was expecting she seemed to perk up at the news. 

“Do you think we’ll see y/n in town?” she rushes out, her eyes wide as she looks at him. It takes him aback at her intensity. 

“I.. don’t know.” he answers slowly. “Why?” 

She sits back in her chair a little dejected. “I haven’t seen them around lately. It’s been a few days and..” her voice drops down to almost a whisper. “..I miss them.” She looks back up at him, “Have you seen them around?”

“No, I haven't.” He answers honestly, but carefully. He doesn’t plan on telling her he spoke to you about not coming around if he’s not here too. But truth be told, he hasn’t seen you at all. Not in town this week or down by the mines.

Najuma resumes poking at her breakfast and Hodari has to bite back the comment of not playing with her food, recognizing that if he says anything now it would most likely spawn another argument and he’d much rather have a tension free day when he can help it. Not looking up from her plate she mumbles “What if they left too? Like all the other humans? What if they didn't say goodbye?” his daughter looks almost on the verge of tears at the thought and his chest tightens. He hadn't realized she felt so attached to the human already. 

He thinks for a moment wondering if that may have happened but no, you couldn’t have moved on. He had just heard both Sifuu and Reth talking about how helpful you’ve been just yesterday while he was in town. He tells Najuma as such and it seems like some of the weight has been lifted from her tiny shoulders. “I hope so.. Y/n is the only one who talks to me like an actual person! They even started to bring me iron from the mine for my projects after they found out you won't let me in there!” She huffs a tad indignant at the self reminder that he won’t let her in the mines with him. 

Hodari feels a bit of guilt listening to Najuma talk about missing you. He hadn’t realized that his daughter had apparently grown so fond of you so quickly. Taking an appeasing route, ��Maybe they’re just busy. Remember y/n had to start everythin’ from scratch and that takes time.” Najuma just hums, unsatisfied in the answer. “When did you two start becomin’ close anyway Juma? I didn’t even know they were visiting until a few days ago.” He says finally taking a bite of his own food hoping to encourage his daughter to do the same.

His daughter looks at him like he just sprouted another head. Not raising to the bait, he raises an eyebrow waiting for her to answer. Still looking at him confused she begins, “A few months ago, Dad. Y/n got lost looking for Hassian’s grove and ended up here. They saw me and asked for directions, remember? You were in the workshop.” Hodari sets his fork down to focus on what his daughter is saying because, in fact, he doesn’t remember that. She continues without missing a beat, speaking a mile a minute now as she recounts the day she first met you. “I gave them the directions so they wouldn’t bother you and went back to working on my sketch as I waited for them to leave but they didn’t. They asked me what I was working on and said it looked cool! None of the humans had said that to me before!” She was smiling and excited now as she talks. “Then they told me I must be ‘One hell of an inventor’ because I ‘sure have a knack for it’ because they couldn't understand any of it but said it looked ‘awesome’! I told them I couldn't finish it because you wouldn’t let me in the mines and-”

“I would have brought you some iron if you had just asked me Juma..” Hodari interrupts her, already tired from knowing where this road could lead.

“It’s not the same! Anyway you were really busy with that huge order for Bahari City so I couldn’t ask you even if I wanted to, I knew you didn’t have the time. But you’ll never believe it! They said you were right! And that the mines are dangerous and I shouldn’t go in them!” She throws her hands up dramatically and Hodari has to fight down the smile at the action. “Then later in the afternoon when we were both in the workshop they dropped off some iron for both of us, remember? Y/n told me they couldn’t wait to see it all finished and were happy to be a “patron of the arts” whatever that means.”

Najuma is looking at him expectantly and he wracks his brain trying to remember any of that. He remembers the Bahari City order, took him days to complete. Honestly he doesn’t remember much else, he wasn't sleepin’ too much during it. Eventually he nods his head, “yeah yeah I kinda remember that.” Najuma looks at him skeptically, like she doesn't believe a word of it but he ignores it as he takes another bite of his food.

“Yeah well, that’s pretty much it. Y/n would come into the bay to forage and mine and when they started home they would ask me if you or I needed anything they had picked up. Which was a little awkward at first, and kinda overwhelming but they were just trying to be nice! Eventually y/n just started stopping by the house to ask what we needed and would go out and get it while they got the things they needed, it was super helpful!”

Hodari sits there and listens as Najuma goes on to tell him how cool it was to have an adult think that she was cool and smart. He wanted to interrupt her and tell her he thinks she's cool and smart but the words catch in his throat as she continues filling him in on all he’s missed. How annoying it was that you had agreed with him but then told her she was so smart that she’ll invent a way to make mining safer in no time and that you believed in her. He feels his stomach drop the longer she talks, you had been keeping his daughter safe and giving her all the confidence in herself he’d been trying so hard to instill in her. He’s still a little concerned he didn’t know it was happening and tries to find a way to say it without coming across as the bad guy. ‘A little late for that’ his mind unhelpfully supplies.

But Najuma always has been smart as a whip and catches on quick. “I’m not surprised you didn’t notice, Dad. You’re always so busy you don’t notice a lot of things even when they’re happening right in front of you. We didn't want to bug you so we just tried to stay out of your way when we were all in the shop.” Hodari almost wants to feel insulted as goes to say he isn’t that oblivious while he’s working when she suddenly goes very serious across the table from him.

“Wait.. If you didn’t notice how often y/n was here, even when you were in the same room with us, have you not thanked them for all the gifts they’ve been bringing us since the beginning? Not even the ones they’ve brought just for you?” She asks, horrified. The sinking feeling in his stomach turns to solid lead at the question. “Really Dad? None of the extra ores? Or all the fresh meat? Not even the ugly antlers you’d been wanting? I didn’t even mean to tell them about those but as soon as I mentioned them, they brought them with the meat that evening!” She says exasperated. 

Truth be told he didn't notice the extra ores were a gift, he thought he was the one who placed them there and forgot or assumed Najuma had been messing with them late at night and really hadn't thought too much of it past that. The meat and antlers though.. “I thought Sifuu’s boy had been bringing them by.” He answered honestly, a little rattled.

Najuma shakes her head unaware of her father's internal struggle, finally shoveling another bite in her mouth and opens her mouth to start talking again. This time Hodari did interrupt her to tell her to not speak with her mouth full. She swallows before starting again. “Nope!” She says popping the ‘P’ at the end. “Y/n has been dropping off fresh meat and even whole meals for us sometimes. They said something about how they know you're always busy in the mines and I'm a growing girl. They also told me they always make too much and have extra and giving it to us is a win-win for all of us because it won't go bad and that it's one less thing we have to worry about too.” She says it very matter of factly but Hodari knows that's not how it works. You don't just make “extra” enough to feed 3 people a whole meal. You had been going out of your way to cook for them so Najuma had lunch he didn’t have to make for her and he never even noticed.

“But dad, don't tell them I said this” she whispers conspiratorially, grabbing his attention again. “I think they go hunting just to bring us fresh meat when they're out here.” She stops to eat her breakfast before it gets completely cold while Hodari thinks about just how bad he’s just fucked up. 

She shovels the last of her food in her mouth before turning her gaze to her dad, “Y/n’s really nice, you should probably thank them when you see them next so they don't get the wrong idea and think we don’t want them here.” And wasn't that just salt in a wound that’s already festering. Meanwhile Najuma carries on, no idea what her father had told you a few days ago. “Maybe that's why they stopped coming by, it's really rude to not say thank you and they'd been doing it for months.”  She looks out the window and sighs, “I don't want them to think we don't like them and not come back, Dad. I want to show them my new ideas!” 

She turns back to her father, “I know you haven’t seen them but if you do when we are in town tomorrow can you tell them I want to show them my newest idea if they have time to come by. Oh! And you can ask if they want to have dinner with us! They haven't tasted your cooking yet, we can have corn! Please?”

His throat is dry as he tells her “Sure, Juma.” before sending her to go wash up before she inevitably finds her way outside to dirty herself up all over again. As soon as she’s out of sight he puts his head in his hands. He didn’t know any of that was happening and that his daughter had grown so close to you. Much less that you had been going so far out of your way to be so kind to his little family. The look of hurt in your eyes flashes through his mind as he called you a stranger and said he couldn't trust you around Najuma and he drags a hand down his face in hopes to wipe the image out of his mind’s eye. 

How in the hell was he gonna fix this?

[Dividers by the-aesthetic-shop]

[wormbraind]

based on @glassknee's post and @notevenalittle1294's addition, i present to you: the sims endbringer mod, pho style (but not really, this is a fictional sims forum)

♦ Topic: [Self-promo] Endbringer Mod In: Boards ► Modding FKNSHJ (Original Poster) Posted On Apr 20th 2012: Hi all. 🙂 I’m excited to share this mod I’ve been working on. It involves randomized Endbringer attacks. By default they’re fairly more common than they are in real life, happening maybe once every ten in-game years, but if you look at read_me.txt in the downloads I’ve enclosed information on how to alter the probability and how to trigger specific Endbringers as well as how to make them easier or harder to defeat. Besides that I also included CC and a few Easter eggs that won't affect your gameplay.

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►termina2 (2011 Sim Comp Finalist) Replied On Apr 20th 2012: whoa, so cool :D i dont play with my sims much so ill try activating some endbringer attacks and see how it goes. im pretty bad at coding tho... ^_^

►tritebuilds (2011 Build Comp Semi-Finalist) Replied On Apr 20th 2012: Hey what the fuck? Endbringers aren't a joke. You've clearly never seen the aftermath of an attack, this is making a mockery out of the trauma of Endbringer victims such as myself. Who even comes up with this stuff???

►hshater Replied On Apr 20th 2012: im getting my popcorn lmfao

►termina2 (2011 Sim Comp Finalist) Replied On Apr 20th 2012: trite let's keep this civil, please, don't swear...

►oldlostsea Replied On Apr 20th 2012: Wait, isn't this the guy who posted those *suggestive* images of Leviathan?

►hshater Replied On Apr 20th 2012: +oldlostland what?? on here?? where?? not in a weird way like i don't want to see them but proof?

►oldlostsea Replied On Apr 20th 2012: +hshater Ok weirdo. It was on some PHO dupe (it has better information but worse moderation) and I only remember because it was weird + the random letter username stuck with me. I'll DM you the link once I find it.

►hshater Replied On Apr 20th 2012: +oldlostsea yeah yeah take your time. FJSKJ you've got anything to say for yourself?

►oldlostsea Replied On Apr 20th 2012: +hshater I found his account on the site and I downloaded the mod. Definitely the same person. The art style resemblance is uncanny. Sending you the link RN.

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►spaceg1rl (Suspended) Replied On Apr 20th 2012: why does the mod's art look like that? yeah he definitely wants to fuck them screenshot(64).png

►hole (Moderator) (2011 Simp Comp Winner) Replied On Apr 20th 2012: @spaceg1rl This is your fifth infraction this year. Suspended for two months.

►hshater Replied On Apr 20th 2012: +oldlostsea sorry i was walking my dog. and yeah that looks exactly the same as what spacegirl (rip) posted +hole i mean this as kindly as possible pleasedontgivemeawarning but with that username what grounds do you have to stand on

►hole (Moderator) (2011 Simp Comp Winner) Replied On Apr 20th 2012: @hshater It's a reference to Hole, the band, of which I made many Sims. You can see them in my Round 2 submission to last year's Sim Comp

►hshater Replied On Apr 20th 2012: yeah i'm sorry to break it to you but your tag says simp comp. congrats though!

►termina2 (2011 Sim Comp Finalist) Replied On Apr 20th 2012: i really love the atmosphere and the art and the cc... really surprised this was made by one person! good job!

►tritebuilds (2011 Build Comp Semi-Finalist) Replied On Apr 20th 2012: +termina2 You are literally contributing to the normalization of Endbringer attacks.

►termina2 (2011 Sim Comp Finalist) Replied On Apr 20th 2012: ?? im going to log off for a bit to work on a school project. really dont like how toxic you all are getting :( it's just a mod

►tritebuilds (2011 Build Comp Semi-Finalist) Replied On Apr 20th 2012: @cookiecrumbles @tenovertwosmallstones PLEASE remove this. It's extremely offensive and potentially f*tish content.

►cookiecrumbles (Moderator) Replied On Apr 20th 2012: I'm disabling replies while we discuss this. Please avoid harassing each other anywhere else in the meantime.

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[ncisfranchise-source]

There are so many pivotal elements that go into nailing a successful show, and one of those is having likable characters. Luckily, NCIS: Origins has plenty to work with in Mike Franks.  

Don’t get me wrong, because I am the unofficial leader of the “Mary Jo Fan Club,” but Mike Franks is something else.  

The character has been a staple of the franchise’s flagship series, NCIS, since its inception. So, his presence in a prequel series was heavily expected and very much appreciated.  

However, there’s no way anyone could have known the amount of talent Schmid would bring to the character, let alone the unexpected, well, sex appeal.  

There’s A Lot Under Mike Frank’s Rough Exterior, But You’d Have To Get Past The Chiseled Abs First  

I’ll be the first to admit that there is something very attractive about the younger Mike Franks. While that partly has to do with the actor’s natural good looks, it goes far beyond that.  

For one thing, Mike’s presence is felt in almost every scene, whether he is present or not. I’ve said in most of my reviews for NCIS: Origins that Mike is a big part of the heart of the show.  

He cares deeply for the people in his life, whether they are personal or professional relationships. Although, with Mike, there is a big overlap between his home and work life.  

How else could we have gotten a scene of Diany Rodriguez’s (The Blacklist) Vera rousing Mike from a hangover coma with nothing but his tighty-whities on? Mike’s abs did a lot of the heavy lifting after that.  

His chiseled midsection, coupled with his devotion to Tish, makes for marriage material if I’ve ever seen it.  

Everyone Loves A Well-Developed Character, And Mike Might Be The Most Complex Character on NCIS: Origins  

Honestly, the most attractive aspect of Mike Franks is that he always seems ready to put someone else’s issues before his own – even if it puts him in an uncomfortable situation.  

He may not be the best with his words, as poor Special Agent Lala Dominguez has experienced on more than one occasion. In the end, though, he always makes good with the people he cares about.  

Even though Austin Stowell‘s Gibbs is the protagonist and the root of the main plot points, a lot of time it really feels like this is the “Mike Franks Show.”  

Then again, it’s safe to say, at this point, that he is the most well-developed and complex character on the series so far.  

Mike Franks isn’t just for the ladies either, because Mike is man’s man through and through, with the cowboy vibes and boots to boot.  

Mike’s Perfectly Imperfect Personality Makes Him The Most Relatable Character On NCIS: Origins So Far  

Now, I have never found “crumb catchers” particularly enticing, but damn it if that man doesn’t know how to rock a stache. They haven’t shown it yet, but I bet Mike gently brushes his mustache every night before bed.  

With his grizzled demeanor that is as subtle as a shotgun, it would be so easy for the character to rub any viewer the wrong way, but it works.  

That is, in no small part, due to the almost three decades that Kyle Schmid has spent in the entertainment industry. From Accused, SIX, and The Rookie, Schmid has made the television rounds.  

However, none of his roles have ever put him through a transformation like the one for Mike Franks. So, what exactly does Kyle Schmid do to make Mike Franks so sexy?  

First off, there are too many variables for it to be just one thing. Kyle’s good looks and talent, coupled with the established history of Mike Franks, is exactly how you craft a fan-favorite character.  

He sees the faults in others but easily looks past them because he is fully aware of the faults within himself.   

Suffice it to say, CBS‘s NCIS: Origins knocked it out of the park when they picked Kyle Schmid for Mike Franks.  

[toasterdrake]

palia characters playing minecraft hcs

hopefully i got everyone but if not please do tell me 🙏

jel: spends most of his time dyeing armour and designing banners, has really efficient redstone farms set up to that end that everyone mooches off

tish: builds and decorates the most beautiful elaborate houses in the server. knows every building trick in the book. built the main lobby mostly by herself

reth: thought he was a genius when he first figured out the recipe for cake. never looks up anything and insists on discovering all the food himself

hodari: always deep in a cave somewhere with stacks of shulker boxes (courtesy of najuma). supplies the entire server, trades with tish a lot

najuma: in the nether within an hour, working towards an elytra. spends most of her time there and has an insane base

auni: goes exploring so far the only way he ever gets home is by dying and respawning in the lobby. keep inventory was enabled for him

badruu & delaila: too busy to play rip. their tech goes to auni and nai'o anyway

nai'o: built the farm empire of his dreams, but entirely without redstone so he never has time for anything else lol

kenyatta: plays during her shifts at city hall. helps najuma in the nether. hates that she organises her inventory so well

eshe: doesn't play. kicked everyone from the last server so they restarted without her

kenli: owns the server, logs in sometimes but always manages to ruin someone's project so he doesn't play as much as he'd like

einar: fishes 24/7. what can i say

hassian: lives in a dirt hut and is entirely content with that. spends most of his time taming wolves

sifuu: enchants everyone's armour, weapons and tools. sickass base. hunts for rare spawns

caleri: has a library where she manually documents every book she protects irl as a minecraft book

elouisa: dead-set on finding herobrine. subscribes to every conspiracy theory about the origins of mobs and dimensions

jina: invested in the lore. plays story mode because the usual game is too boring for her

hekla: watches over jina's shoulder and offers suggestions

chayne: doesn't own any tech

ashura: rebuilt the ormuu's horn in the lobby. kinda just enjoys the game and being online with people instead of gunning for anything in particular, but he does fish

zeki: set up a villager farm asap. its the main hub of activity in the lobby. pretty much has every farm possible going actually. charges for use so the others built their own

tamala: essentially lives the life of a minecraft witch. kicked a real one out of a hut and made it her own. set up a dungeon mob farm underneath

[cinewhore]

Tomorrow starts the biggest work week of my entire career i need all my woo woo bitches to get to work!

[awellboiledicicle]

I can only imagine Mo the Human trying to articulate their fibromyalgia to someone in Kilima and the poor Majiri assuming they're gonna just fucking die.

Because everything about it would probably very much sound like it's the end stages of something as horrific as it sounds. But no, they insist, it's just a permanent thing that can get worse and better sometimes, but never goes away. This results in a bit of a ripple effect as the information spreads, as info is want to do in small towns.

Which is probably interesting on Mo's end, because i feel like they'd vaguely remember no one giving a damn/dismissing it as them making things up re: other humans.

So next time they can't get further than laying in their yard on their picnic blanket, they get Aurei dropping off something his mother made because they hadn't turned up to say hi that morning. Ashura offering well meaning suggestions for pain relief options that his doctor recommended for his knee. Jel taking the recreation of compression garments as a personal challenge, both practically and aesthetically. Tish gives a knowing look and helps them work out some schematics for furniture that is just the right amount of supportive and comfortable. Hassain and Tau get begrudgingly used to checking certain spots along their patrols to see if Mo's just passed the fuck out against a tree. Hodari goes out of his way to teach them the smoothest way to swing their pick so the vibration from breaking rocks doesn't wear out their shoulders as fast. Reth gets quiet for a second when he hears about it and then makes it a personal mission to mail little snacks he can squirrel away to them, for energy. Sifuu does similar to Hodari, in terms of "here's how you repair things without breaking your back to do it".

Zeki insists he has a balm that fixes everything. It's 300 gold for a small tin. He's dismayed when they flatly inform him that unless it'd knock Sifuu on her ass in less than ten mins, it'll do very little for them. Mostly because he'd planned to fully snake oil this and they are not having it.

Thoughts

[weepingfoxfury]

The man on the radio took the time to sort his head out and melted into this week's Monday morning as thought he'd ne'er been absent. The Lost Postman obviously did fine work with him. Weatherwise, I do believe I can see sunshine! I shall give a shout out to the Groundsman and ensure a dozen deckchairs are immediately to hand. The traffic lady is not one I have heard before ... but (raises eyebrow) there was a definite familiarity between herself and the man on the radio. There was chit and there was chat and the swiftest run down of the road situation I have ever heard. A Guinness Book of Records contender mayhap?

Today’s groaner: A rather large Time Traveller goes to ancient Rome and as he looks around it dawns on him that he is wearing historically incorrect clothes for the trip. Eager to rectify his mistake he darts into the nearest toga shop to purchase new clothes. He looks around the shop and realizes they do not have togas big enough to fit him. He goes to the counter and asks the clerk … Time Traveller: “Do you have XL togas?” … Clerk: “Well, yes. But why do you need so many?” ;-D badoom tish … here all week!!

Time is a-skittling today and there are many things of a this, that and the other nature that need doing. I cannot help but wonder if the Lost Postman might let me avail of one of his portals that I might start the day once more and in a better order. Hmmmmmmmmmmm ... I shall take my leave of this page with coffee pot in hand and head into the garden wilds forthwith!

Monday, Monday, Monday and the town crier is upside down, a little worse for wear, and you don't even want to know where his proclamation is poking out from ...

[jensens-ackles]

You: Tish didn’t like Priestly until he changed the way he looked. Me, an intellectual: Ten Inch Hero is a film that deals with hiding your true self behind your looks/a computer screen/a fake babysitters job/a maneater persona because you would rather people see you for the way they pre-judge you rather than be yourself and get hurt. Prisetly uses his piercings/tattoos/crazy hair etc. to keep people away because he needs his looks his weird personality. Tish uses her assets and sex appeal because that’s the way she is used to guys treating her. When Priestly finally works up the courage to ask Tish out and changes his look it isn’t for Tish, it’s because he wants to be himself and Tish asking him his real name (which she does at an earlier point in the film) is because she wants to really know him and why she also reciprocates and tells him her name also, something she had never told anyone before even though we see how close she is with the other girls who work in the shop, she chooses to share this information with Priestly because she can see what he is doing for her. Priestly’s new look at the end is much more drastic but there is also a more subtle change to Tish that people don’t seem to notice as much - the high collar dress which is more modest and softer hair style, stepping back from the sexy and revealing looks she has worn throughout the movie.

I direct you now to this interview with Betsy Morris, the writer of Ten Inch Hero - its a great and interesting read but this section sums up the ending and why I get so frustrated at people saying that Tish didn’t like Priestly until he changed his looks when in fact changing his look to show the true Priestly/Boaz is how he will know if Tish truly likes him for who is genuinely is -

Boaz, well he is one strange guy. He realizes early on that people are going to judge him for his looks. He goes into a club, and girls are all over him, but the moment he starts talking about his conspiracies and God knows what else, the girls are making excuses and running for the door. So he learns that women think he’s strange. And his response to this is “Screw you, I’ll show you strange.” And that’s when Priestly was born. In some ways, the ’hawk and the shirts and everything else are his armor. The girls in clubs leave him alone now, and he’s fine in his isolated world. At no point does Tish say “Hey, I’d jump your bones if it wasn’t for all the piercings.” We see his affection for her, long before she does. He’s hiding it well. She only just realizes that maybe he’s interested when he stomps out of the shop after Jen stands up Fuzzy. And again, when he tackles Tad. That’s why, when they’re at Trucker’s, she looks right at him and says “Nice guys don’t ask me out.” So, she’s sending the signals, but he’s not asking. Why? Because Priestly feels he has to stand before her (as Zo says in the last scene), naked and needy. Priestly doesn’t have to change for Tish; Priestly chose to expose what he considers his weakness to her (which also explains his outrage over Jen’s treatment of Fuzzy). In other words, he knows that Tish likes Priestly, but he has to know that she can love Boaz before he can risk it.

[askbabblong]

Hiya!

I'm here to share my stories! I'll accept questions if you're willing to listen to a guy too, y'know y'know? Speaking of listening, my uncle Murphy is the best listener! He'd always sit there when...

[We cut him short to avoid you being here all day. Anyways, feel free to throw him an ask!]

...Hello, owner of the blog! And as far as i know at the moment the sole mod. This may be infrequent depending on the day but I'll do my best to answer all i can! (>u<)/+☆°♡

Why did you make this blog?

Babblong's one of my favorite yokai, and I can't ever seem to find enough appreciation or fanart for him! Might as well make it myself yknow?

Are there any rules?

Yep, not too many tho!

No NSFW

Magic Anon aka M/A is accepted, just don't go overboard!

Please don't force a ship onto my blog. You can ask questions about his feelings on anyone and can absolutely interact with your OC, but I have my own headcanons.

You may request a doodle if you'd like!

Can you ask as a specific character?

Yep! Make sure you specify who if so ahsjfjrkr if it's an oc, a picture or tag on a post of yours would be appreciated (=^ェ^=)

Anything else you wanna say?

●This blog is mainly ran on my interpretation of him! That and I haven't roleplayed in a long while, so don't mind if things are out of character wahaha (ヽ´ω`).

●If you're wondering about timeline, this takes place in a little combination of the game and the anime. Probably not canon compliant? We'll see ajxkdlf

●You can call me Yomo or Yōmakai! If you just wanna refer to me as 'the mod of that one babblong blog' that works too lolol

●Most of my responses will be goofy. Some might have a little drawing attached but I am Lazy so who knoes?

●PLEASE don't send me things relating to a k1nk or f《tish even if it's not explicitly stated as such. That goes into NSFW but some people think it doesn't count bc it's not balantly obvious aughhhhh

That's about all, have fun!

[iwoll]

The Rhetoric of @LibsOfTikTok: Unveiling the Tactics of Online Influence

Just like any other modern 19-year-old, I often find myself doom-scrolling Twitter. It's a bizarre mix of tweets that goes something like this: a cute cat with a funny caption, then a complaint about the current political climate, a tragic story of the murder of yet another transgender individual, then a meme about something I'm sure is very relatable, anti-LGBTQ+ propaganda, then another cute cat, a horribly transphobic headline, and then—of course—another cute cat. However, in this vast sea of tweets and retweets, there's one account that stands out to me: @LibsOfTikTok.

Chaya Raichik, the mastermind behind this account, wields a potent arsenal of tactics to captivate her 2.9 million followers. She employs specific names of people and institutions, a sarcastic—almost hate-mongering—tone, and fear as tools to persuade her audience to attack LGBTQ+ individuals and their allies.

In the social media sphere, where a tweet can reach millions of people in seconds, the power of influence is undeniable. However, in the wise words of Spider-Man, with this great power comes great responsibility, a responsibility that @LibsOfTikTok often seems to disregard. Raichik's tweets are not merely expressions of personal opinions but calculated attempts to stoke fear, anger, and prejudice among her followers.

A prime example is the situation that occurred between Raichik and ItGetsBetter. ItGetsBetter is a non-profit organization that helps uplift LGBTQ+ youth around the world. The “50 States, 50 Grants, 5,000 Voices” initiative gives $10,000 to elected schools, the grantees, to improve the lives local queer students (itgetsbetter.org). This initiative gained wide media coverage after Columbia’s Rock Bridge High School’s GSA (gender and sexuality alliance) received this money for a project titled “Coming Out of the Closet in Style Clothing Closet” which would allow students to change into gender-affirming clothing in school to better express themselves (Muñoz, 2022). When Chaya Raichik found out about this initiative, she took to her Twitter account and posted the following:

“This org [ItGetsBetter] is giving grants to teachers so they can get more LGBTQ+ books and make “gender affirming closets” in schools. The closets usually offer “trans” and “nonbinary” kids clothing, tucking tape, and chest binders to use in school and typically is kept secret from parents. These are the people teaching your kids” [@LibsOfTikTok]

This tweet employs loaded language to create a negative image of the situation. Phrases like "typically kept secret from parents" suggest a nefarious intent, insinuating that schools, teachers, and organizations are hiding something from parents. The use of scare quotes around "trans" and "nonbinary" implies skepticism or disdain for these identities, furthering the negative tone.

Raichik does not only target children and schools, she also targets fully grown adults. Mark Bryan is a 61-year-old grandfather of four and has been happily married to his wife for over 10 years. Bryan works in robotics engineering and coaches a local soccer team along with having an Instagram with over half a million followers. According to Interview Magazine, he “loves cycling, fast cars, and beautiful women” (Katz, 2021). The only main difference between him, and let’s say, your grandfather, is that Mark Bryan wears skirts and heels to work nearly every day. Bryan makes it very clear in all his Instagram posts that he is a cisgender, heterosexual man, and his audience has no reason to doubt him. His posts are in no way lewd, sexual, or suggestive; however, Chaya Raichik seems to disagree.

“This man [Mark Bryan] is being celebrated for flaunting his f*tish [sic] for wearing women’s clothing to work. Would you hire someone like this?” [@LibsOfTikTok]

The tweet uses a rhetorical question to prompt a response from the audience, implying that Bryan's choice of clothing is a fetish. This choice of words aims to cast Bryan's actions in a negative light, appealing to societal prejudices and stereotypes. By suggesting that simply wearing clothes that do not align with traditional gender norms is a fetish, Raichik perpetuates the harmful idea that clothing determines gender and gender determines sex. This stereotype not only affects transgender individuals but also impacts gender non-conforming cisgender people. The tweet is designed to provoke a negative emotional response, painting Bryan's behavior as derogatory and judgmental. It seeks to discredit him without offering any substantial evidence, relying instead on societal biases against those who challenge gender norms.

It is understandable why one might be confused when it comes to gender expansive people, fear comes from a place of ignorance. But that is why the Trans Youth Equality Foundation exists! The Trans Youth Equality Foundation (TYEF) is a non-profit organization that provides essential education, advocacy, and support for transgender, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming youth and their families. Their website hosts a wealth of information on crucial topics such as chest binding, tucking, gender-affirming surgery, queer sexual education, protesting, transitioning to college, and coming out (transyouthequality.org). These resources are invaluable for individuals navigating their gender identities, offering answers to often uncomfortable and uncommon questions. It is vital to recognize that queer children deserve the same level of knowledge, comfort, and support as cisgender/heterosexual children, especially when they feel unable to confide in their parents. However, this message of support seems to have fallen on deaf ears, as Chaya Raichik tweeted a troubling accusation against TYEF.

“BREAKING: LGBTQ youth advocacy organization @TYEFofficial offers to secretly send 13-year-old a chest binder behind her parents’ backs. We posed as a teen girl and they encouraged her to choose another family, get a job to pay for s*x [sic] change surgery, and bashed her Trump supporter parents as “brainwashed.” This is grooming 101. Cut out the parents, isolate the child, and coax the kid into turning against their parents. How many kids has this organization already harmed?!” [@LibsOfTikTok]

Here, Raichik falsely accuses TYEF of encouraging a 13-year-old to get a job to pay for "s*x change surgery." This claim is entirely baseless, as no such discussion of surgery occurred in this so-called interview. Raichik's narrative of "grooming" and "cutting out the parents" is not only unfounded but also dangerous. It demonizes organizations like TYEF that work tirelessly to support LGBTQ+ youth and creates a harmful narrative of victimhood and conspiracy. This misleading rhetoric from Raichik encourages her followers to distrust reputable organizations like TYEF, despite their critical work in providing safe and affirming spaces for young individuals. Following the publication of her tweet, Susan Maasch, the director of TYEF, became the target of doxxes, bomb threats, and death threats. These threats not only put Maasch's safety at risk but also undermined the vital work that TYEF does in supporting vulnerable youth.

Raichik seems to have no issue undermining the hard work of a non-profit organization, but it did not stop after TYEF. The #pridebelongsinpreschools initiative emerged in June of 2021 from a small organization—approximately 200 followers in total—called Resilience Together (also known as Rise to Resilience). This organization shared infographics expressing their belief that pronouns and gender identities should be supported by teachers and administration. Somehow, New York native, Chaya Raichik, discovered this initiative and tweeted:

“SCOOP: This resource called “Pride Belongs in Preschool” was part of a teacher training in Providence Schools in RI. It encourages teachers to discuss gender neutral pronouns, gender norms, and explore gender identity with toddlers. They’re after your kids.” [@LibsOfTikTok]

For context, the Resilience Together infographic states the following:

“Children begin to be able to stereotypical gender groups between 18 and 24 months. Children can often categorize their own gender by age 3. Children may begin to “perform” their gender based on adult expectations, despite their authentic gender identity. Educators and school staff are responsible to support children’s health development. Healthy development is supported by children seeing their identities represented.” [@resiliencetogether]

As mentioned previously, this organization has a small following, so the likelihood of an entire school district adopting this "training" is minuscule. Therefore, not only is Raichik's tweet factually incorrect, but it is also misguided in its reasoning. If this information is indeed backed by science and social psychology, then what is the issue with implementing these practices in a classroom setting?

The final line, “They’re after your kids,” is a prime example of exploiting parental fears. Raichik insinuates that the teacher training program encourages discussing gender identity with toddlers, framing it as a threat to children. By preying on the fears of parents who may not fully understand or be comfortable with these discussions, she aims to incite panic and resistance to progressive educational initiatives.

Finally, and most outrageously, Raichik targeted Boston’s Childrens’ Hospital. Why, you may ask? Because, on their website, there was a picture of a young child under the “gender affirming cares” tab. So Raichik took to Twitter, stating:

“If a hospital has the words “gender affirming care” with a picture of a 3-year-old, that’s a sign to run the other way as fast as possible. Why would a doctor need to “affirm” a 3-year-old’s gender? Boston’s Children’s Hospital chemically castrates and mutilates children.” [@LibsOfTikTok]

Raichik uses extreme language, accusing doctors of "chemically castrating and mutilating children," which aims to evoke horror and disgust. Raichik suggests that if a hospital promotes "gender-affirming care" using an image of a 3-year-old, it is a reason to avoid the hospital entirely. She questions why a doctor would need to affirm a 3-year-old's gender and accuses Boston's Children's Hospital of performing hysterectomies on minors. This inflammatory rhetoric not only misrepresents the hospital's practices but also contributes to a climate of fear and misunderstanding around gender-affirming care.

These baseless accusations led to harassment campaigns, including bomb threats. In February 2024, NBC News reported that at least 33 instances of bomb threats were made against organizations that Raichik had previously targeted in her posts. Alarmingly, in at least 3 instances, these bomb threats resulted in criminal charges against at least 9 individuals (Brochstein, 2024). This demonstrates the dangerous real-world consequences of spreading false information and using social media platforms to target organizations and individuals.

In conclusion, the rhetoric of @LibsOfTikTok is not just about expressing opinions; it's a strategic campaign to manipulate and radicalize followers against the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. Raichik's use of targeted tweets, misinformation, character assassination, and fearmongering is a dangerous cocktail that can and do have real-world consequences, as stated previously. It fosters a climate of intolerance, division, and hostility, undermining efforts for inclusivity and acceptance. As responsible consumers of social media, it is crucial to approach such content with critical thinking and awareness of the rhetorical tactics at play. By understanding the strategies used by influencers like @LibsOfTikTok, we can better navigate the online landscape and work towards a more well-rounded, informed, and empathetic society. It is not just about exposing the tactics of online influence; it's about actively resisting and countering the harmful narratives that seek to divide us.