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nehswritesstuffs · 2 years

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Whouffaldi: Jelous of the attention Clara gives Danny’s buff physique, 12 tries to start working out more to impress Clara. Only for Clara to say that she loves 12 for the stick insect that he is😊

*vibrates* OT3 OT3 OT3 OT3

2213 words; exists in the AU where Clara has two boyfriends (though they are not boyfriends together bc I highly doubt Danny swings That Way); there are times where I really REALLY wish we had that extra episode along in the s8 production, because we could have had some more time with these three and gotten more along the lines of dynamic and character growth; contains Danny Pink and Pinkwald positivity coexisting with Whouffaldi, so if you don’t like it you can bugger off

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

“Why are you looking out there?”

Clara snapped from her daydream to see the Doctor standing in the middle of the school corridor. Oh yeah, it was Wednesday. She took a step away from the window and tried to seem at least semi-put together.

“Just seeing what Danny was doing before we get going,” she said. It was true, but there was a bit more context than that. The Time Lord stepped over to the window and looked out, seeing that Danny was entertaining the Coal Hill Cadets by doing pushups with a sack of basketballs resting on him.

“What’s he doing?”

“Showing off to the kids,” she explained. “The main purpose of the Cadets is not to actually recruit them, but for extra P.E. support before and after school. Don’t you remember our conversation from last month?”

“Where he yelled at me?”

“Where he rightfully called you out for being a prat for accusing him of doing the exact opposite of what he does for the kids; really now.” She crossed her arms and shook her head. “If we wait for a couple minutes, Namila’s auntie will come to pick her up and her baby cousin will be tossed atop the basketballs.”

“I am not going to watch infant endangerment.”

“She’s in Year Two, and it’s actually really funny watching as they pile on the extra weight.”

“Still, we have to leave before the TARDIS’s coordinates go out of alignment,” he insisted. The Doctor grabbed Clara’s hand and pulled her away towards the other end of the corridor. “There’s a temporal oddity in the vicinity of Alpha Centauri, and I want to see if we can get there in time to meet up with an old friend. Too much waiting around means that the TARDIS will loose her lock.”

“You win,” she chuckled. Clara went along with the Doctor, a little disappointed that she was going to be unable to watch Danny struggle underneath the weight the Cadets were dumping on him, but she knew that it was ultimately worth it. Temporal anomalies? Definitely worth investigating.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

After the adventure was done (it had been rather anti-climactic) and some dancing around the subject, the Doctor found himself laying in bed with Clara, staring at the ceiling while she slept. She was curled into his side and snoring quietly, having been tired out by a combination of all the running they had been doing, as well as the frustrated sex they had indulged in after realizing that all that excitement had been for nothing. He was still not yet tired enough for sleep, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

Clara snorted and rolled over, letting go of the Doctor as she grabbed hold of a pillow instead. He in turn shifted onto his side and snugged up behind her, sliding his arms around her waist and tucking her head underneath his chin. It was tempting to take advantage of their skin-to-skin contact and watch what she was dreaming, but he knew that to was likely best to leave it be, despite knowing she’d long ago given him permission. He needed something to keep him occupied while he was waiting for her to wake up, and he wasn’t entirely certain how to go about it. His equations were boring him, he wanted to be around when she woke, and it wasn’t a good idea to allow his mind to wander.

Alright… just a small peek. The Doctor closed his eyes and brushed his mind up against Clara’s, observing what was happening within her sleeping subconscious without fully stepping into it. They had practiced it before, so that it would be easier to communicate should she be rendered unconscious, and it was not the most interesting scene he had dropped in on. In the dream, Clara was sitting on a bench in the park by her flat; it was a gorgeous day, with people enjoying the uncharacteristically good weather. She half-heartedly was reading a book, the words on the pages blank as her mind did not have enough to conjure even a couple paragraphs from the things she assigned for her students. Instead, her attention was focused not on the people passing by or the squirrel and sea gull warring for some discarded chips, but what was going on atop the grass on the other side of the walkway.

There, plain as could be, was Danny playing with a couple of small children. Their faces were blank, as the rest of the unknown park denizens were, yet the Doctor knew exactly who they were: children from a prospective union between His Clara and P.E., who did not have faces only because they did not exist. It was clear to the Time Lord that, while Clara craved adventures with him, that she also wanted all life had to offer, including the stability and normalcy of a home and a husband and two children young enough to be in nursery school. Were the faceless weans the right age for Nursery? All he knew was that they were there and P.E. was playing with them and making Clara’s dream-state rather pleased.

It was then that the Doctor noticed something: P.E. was being very physical with the kids. He was tossing them up high in the air, allowing them to climb all over him, walking with a child clung to each leg—it was all stuff he remembered doing with his first family on Gallifrey. He’d even done that with Susan, all that he was able to accommodate, and it was normal. Wasn’t it? Of course it was—parents were designed to be playscapes for the most energetic of children, to some degree. Wasn’t that what he was told, oh so long ago…?

Then, he saw it: Danny began to do pushups on the grass, with his imaginary children climbing onto his back and sitting down in a fit of giggles. Clara inhaled sharply and the Doctor could feel the subtle changes in her that signaled that she was incredibly turned-on. He retreated from the dream and allowed her privacy once again—that was more than what he needed to see.

What was he doing? There was no doubt in his mind that P.E. was better at that sort of thing than him, the being a rock on which to secure a home life. It was P.E. that could be there to greet Clara when she stepped out the TARDIS door, to take care of the children, to manage while she was away. She was always good at flirting with mountain ranges, so what was a mountain but a rather large rock? It was something he could not blame her for fantasizing over…

...and yet, the very specific things that she was dreaming about brought him back to before they stepped into the TARDIS and got their Wednesday Adventure under way. She was still thinking of the other man’s athleticism and all that could entail. Why was she thinking that after an adventure? Especially an adventure that had been capped off with a round of annoying the TARDIS by satisfying their libidos within her confines? He wanted to make certain it was a coincidence, but at the same time…

...to think it was purely a coincidence was to take the threat laying down. The Doctor was no fool—he only had Clara for a short time in his long life, while P.E. was going to have her for much of his, no matter what sort of lives they ended up living. No matter how much she insisted that P.E. was no threat to him or them, there was still a part of him that flat-out refused to believe it.

Possibly, he was getting grouchy in his old age. Maybe paranoid. Definitely something.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Some hours later, Clara woke up in an empty bed, with no sign of the Doctor anywhere. He had gathered his clothes and vanished, which she was disturbingly used to by now. She ran down the list of most likely places for him to be as she went and put her clothes back on, the TARDIS having been kind and forgiving enough to go and gather them up for her.

Kitchen? No. Library? No. Study? No. Console room? No.

“Where in the hell is that idiot hiding?” she wondered aloud, placing her hands on her hips. The TARDIS gently whirred and dimmed the lights, letting Clara know. “Wait, what, really…? You mean it…?”

The corridors went dark, with only the baseboard lighting illuminating the path ahead of her: the ship was dead-serious. She followed the baseboards until she came to a very specific room, one that she rarely had time for, considering everything else they got into...

...except to her horror, there was the Doctor, in the TARDIS’s workout room, attempting to wobbily lift an unweighted barbell off a weight set.

“Doctor, what do you think you’re doing?!” Clara wondered. He dropped the barbel into its rest in a panic, almost falling off the bench press.

“Oh, uh, nothing…” he said quickly. “I thought you were asleep.”

“I was, but I’m awake now.” She looked at the equipment she had just seen him using and raised an eyebrow. “What are you doing in here?”

“Uh… nothing…”

“Well, it looked like you were lifting weights,” she pointed out, “which is really hilarious considering those unbaked breadsticks you call arms.”

“Did you ever have the thought, Clara, that I might want to try something a little different?” he posed, laying his voice in false insult. “I can choose to do that of my own volition, you know.”

“Doctor… what is this about…?” She folded her arms across her chest and frowned, neither impressed nor convinced. “You smell like a locker room and look like you scraped yourself off the floor of one. What are you trying to prove?”

“Nothing.”

“You’re lying.”

“Clara…!”

She shifted her weight from one hip to the other as she waited for him to confess. Eventually, the silence was too much, and he cracked.

“I… just thought you’d like it if I tried to bulk up a little. Not a lot… just…”

“Now why would you think I’d like that?”

“You enjoy it when it’s Danny.”

His words hit her, and hard. The Doctor never used Danny’s name. She tilted her head and narrowed her gaze.

“I still came with you, didn’t I?” she posed, voice more than a bit irritated. “I still came with you, still went on a piss-poor adventure—which I know wasn’t your fault—still shagged your brains out when it was clear we were way too antsy afterwards… what ever possessed you to think that?!”

“It certainly looked it,” he insinuated.

“When? In the classroom?”

“No, in your dream.”

Clara let herself process that knowledge for a moment before she made a face that the Doctor wasn’t entire certain he’d seen before as she moved closer to him. There was exasperation, as well as pity and embarrassment. She pulled him down into a gentle kiss, pressing her lips first to his, then to the tip of his nose.

“You idiot—I enjoy being with Danny because he’s Danny. I enjoy being with you because you’re you. If I’m not about to make him become more like you—which would be a bloody disaster, thanks for asking—then I sure as hell am not going to ask you to become more like him, not in any sense of the imagination. Yeah, you’re both very different, but that’s part of why I love you both.”

“A Time Lord can’t help but wonder sometimes…”

“…and he can simply hush as he stops wondering,” she insisted. “If I catch you in this room again, you better have a damn good excuse for why, do you hear me? I will not have you thinking you are anything less than what you truly are.”

“...which is…?”

“My idiot.” She patted his chest, a cheeky look upon her face. “You know, Danny’s not the only one I dream of at night.”

“Well, I should hope not,” he blushed. He looked down at her and his eyebrows shot up. “Oh… I was in your dreams last night as well…?”

“You ducked out at the wrong time,” she teased. “You really think I wouldn’t include you when dreaming about the perfect day off?”

“I’m not entirely certain what you’d dream about,” he admitted. “You’re entitled to some privacy and secrets.”

“Well let’s get you in the shower, and then I can show you a little bit of a preview.” She winked at him, which made the Doctor go dark pink in blush. “It all starts when Daddy begins to put the kids down for bed, after Mummy has said her goodnights.”

“...then what does that make me?” he wondered. Clara began to pull him along, out into the corridor and down towards the bedroom. “If he’s Dad and you’re Mam, am I also Dad?”

“You’re the Doctor, silly,” she chuckled. She brought him into another kiss, this one long and lazy, where she ended with their bodies pressed together and her arms slung over his shoulders and his fingers in her hair. “Let’s talk about who’s who when we get to that point, alright?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he grinned.

#Whouffaldi #Pinkwald #Twelfth Doctor #Clara Oswald #Danny Pink #Doctor Who #fan fiction #replies #Greyface replies #I haven't written Clara the Polyandrist in a while #and it's PCap's birthday so I like to post fic with his characters on his birthday #so sorry this is so weird sir but happy birthday

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khaleesiofalicante · 3 years

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PROMPT #1

Based on this prompt - Malec au, University students. Alec is a med student, Magnus fashion design. Alec is trying to study anatomy for an exam but is struggling to remind the bones and ligaments of the body. Magnus offers to be his human naked (with boxers because 'you know how we get magnus') model.

“Why did I choose biology again?” Alec asked.

“Is that a rhetorical question or do you want me to answer that?” Magnus questioned, lying on his bed, his sketch papers and pencils sprawled all around him.

“It is,” Alec replied. “But why would I do this to myself!!”

“Listen to me,” Magnus pinned a pencil behind his ear. “Because you come from a family of surgeons, and you want to make them proud? But I think it’s mostly because you genuinely enjoy healing people and saving lives?”

“Ugh,” Alec groaned. “Why did I have to be such a good guy?”

Magnus laughed.

“You know, I should have been an arsonist or something. I have pretty good aim,” Alec pondered out loud. “But no. I had to choose this instead. Stupid, Alec!”

“Alright. Alright,” Magnus sat up on his bed. “What’s wrong, you drama queen?”

“I have an anatomy test on Friday,” Alec sighed. “And I can’t seem to remember all the names.”

“That’s it?” Magnus asked.

“What do you mean that’s it?” Alec demanded. “Do you know we have 206 bones in the human body? Why do we even need so many??”

“I hope that’s a rhetorical question too,” Magnus chuckled. “Considering you’re going to be a surgeon and all.”

“At this rate, the only way I’m getting into a hospital is as a patient because of all the stress,” Alec closed his book dramatically. “Please make sure they have a closed casket at my funeral.”

“Okay. I’m sure it’s not that bad-”

“206 bones, Magnus!” Alec yelled. “206 bones! Why couldn’t we just have like 12 or something?”

“That would make us very grotesque,” Magnus grimaced. “And then I won’t be able to design us all these pretty clothes.”

“How is your project coming?” Alec asked, not wanting to hog the conversation. “You finished with the design?”

“Nope,” Magnus giggled and helped up a piece of paper. “But I did do a nice sketch of Harry and Draco.”

“He has his mother’s eyes,” Alec giggled back.

“Alright, we got this,” Magnus jumped off the bed. “How many do you know for now?”

“Let’s see,” Alec pouted. “First, you have the paired bones in the skull. They make a total of 28 bones. Nasal, Lacrimal, Maxillary, Zygomatic, Temporal, Palatine, Parietal, Malleus, Incus and Stapes.”

“How do I know you aren’t lying?” Magnus raised an eyebrow. “You could be naming different kinds of spiders for all I know.”

“Why in the world would I know eleven kinds of spiders?” Alec rolled his eyes.

“Okay that’s valid,” Magnus shrugged. “And then what?”

“Well, then we have the torso bones – which are basically the ribs. There are 52 bones there. And I got those covered.”

“See?” Magnus patted him on the shoulder and Alec shuddered at the touch. “It’s not that bad. You are already know like most of them.”

“No,” Alec said. “I need to memorize the appendicular skeleton.”

“How many there?” Magnus asked.

“126,” Alec groaned.

“Yikes,” Magnus winced. “Well…Maybe it has one of those anagrams? Like you know a song that helps you remember these kind of stuff?”

“For 126 bones?” Alec rolled his eyes. “It’s gonna be bloody long song.”

“Hmmm,” Magnus put his hands on his hips. “Do you have one of those skeleton thingies?”

“A what?”

“A skeleton thingy,” Magnus repeated. “Medical students have them, don’t they? I think the visualization helps you memorize the bones or something.”

“Oh, those,” Alec said in realization. “Yeah those are expensive as fuck.”

“Isn’t there one in the biology lab?” Magnus asked. “I swear I’ve seen Simon practicing his flirting skills on one of those.”

“Yeah, we are not allowed to borrow them,” Alec muttered.

“Oh,” Magnus frowned.

“But we could steal it!!!” Alec said suddenly.

“Alec, no!”

“Think about it,” Alec said encouragingly. “If we don’t get caught, then I can study for my exam. If we get caught, then I don’t have to sit for my exam at all. It’s a win-win, Magnus!”

“Okay nobody is stealing anything,” Magnus showed a threatening finger. “You are not getting suspended again. I can’t let Raphael move into our dorm room. He is an ass. And he doesn’t appreciate my fashion sense like you do.”

“But you look good in everything you wear,” Alec said quietly.

“Right?” Magnus asked. “I’m not losing this. Nope. Okay I think have a solution for you.”

“You are willing to sacrifice your life so I can practice on your skeleton?” Alec asked dryly.

“Let's hope it doesn’t have to come to that,” Magnus laughed nervously. “But how about you just practice on my regular body?”

Alec blinked. “What?”

Magnus just took off his shirt in one move and Alec coughed loudly. “I mean, you can’t see my bones. But you can probably feel them.”

“I...What?”

Magnus reached out, grabbed Alec’s hand and placed it above his chest. “Which one is that?”

“Hhhh,” Alec said.

“What’s that?”

“That’s the pectoral girdle,” Alec cleared his throat. “This is your clavicle. And this is the scapula. And right here, in the middle of your chest is the sternum.”

“Sounds sexy,” Magnus chuckled. “Okay, what’s next?”

“Are you…Are you sure you want to do this?” Alec asked hesitantly.

“I don’t mind,” Magnus shrugged and then looked alarmed. “Do you…Do you not want to-”

“No. No,” Alec said quickly. “I do want your help. I just…I just wanted to know if you’re comfortable.”

“I’m comfortable,” Magnus smiled.

“Okay. Alright. Then let’s do this,” Alec smiled back.

“If we are going to do this, then let’s do this properly,” Magnus announced and took off his jeans without another word.

He was wearing tight black boxers underneath. Not the cute ones like Alec wore.

These were sexy.

Who wears sexy underwear on a Wednesday afternoon? Sexy underwear is only for special occasions, goddamnit!

“Oh god,” Alec gulped.

“Pardon?” Magnus asked, throwing his jeans on his bed.

“I said Thank God!” Alec corrected quickly.

“We got this,” Magnus grinned and laid down on Alec’s bed. Now it’s gonna smell like fucking sandalwood.

Alec already had trouble sleeping at night knowing that Magnus slept just a couple of meters away. This was not going to make things better.

“I’m waiting, Dr. Lightwood!” Magnus called.

Alec bit his lip. This man knew exactly what buttons to push.

Just be a professional, Alec. You just gotta be a professional.

Mercifully there was a knock on the door.

“Hold on,” Alec held up a finger.

He opened the door and sighed.

“What?”

“Can I borrow your notes from Monday?” Jace asked. “I need to-”

He blinked at Magnus and before he could speak, Alec pushed him out of the room and closed the door behind him.

“Um, why is Magnus half-naked on your bed?” Jace asked.

He couldn’t tell the truth. He knew Jace had to study too. What if he wanted to study with Alec?

Nope. Not happening.

“He is…sunbathing,” Alec answered.

“Inside the room???”

“He doesn’t want to go outside,” Alec explained, trying to sound casual. “He is…shy.”

“He can’t go outside,” Jace said incredulously. “Alec, it’s fucking snowing.”

Fuck. One look at Magnus and Alec had literally forgotten all sense of time and place.

“Exactly,” Alec said, trying to cover up. “That’s why he is sunbathing in the room.”

“But there is no sun. It’s hidde-”

“Don’t you have an exam to study for?” Alec demanded. “I’ll email you the notes. Now, off you go!”

Jace gave him a suspicious look before walking off. “I will get to the bottom of this!!”

Alec rolled his eyes and went back inside the dorm.

“The doctor will see you now,” Alec managed with a straight face before bursting out with laugher.

“Get over here, you dork!” Magnus laughed with him.

Alec sat down on the bed, his body now only inches away from Magnus’.

Alec hesitated. But Magnus reached out and took his palm and placed it on his abdomen.

“And what is this called?” Magnus asked.

Alec’s breath hitched.

Alec couldn’t believe this was actually happening. He couldn’t believe this was real.

Magnus’ skin felt warm – even though it was apparently snowing outside.

He knew he was supposed to focus on the bones. But Alec couldn’t help but focus on all of it.

The line of sunburn just above the waistband of his boxers.

The birthmark right next to his bellybutton.

The way his stomach moved up and down with every breath, the movement almost hypnotic to the eyes.

Alec was so focused (or out of focus?) that he didn’t even realize he hadn’t spoken in over a minute.

“You don’t have to feel weird,” Magnus said gently. “You’re my friend.”

Alec’s hand moved away as if Magnus’ skin had burned him.

Magnus thought of him as a friend.

Magnus was just helping out a friend.

This wasn’t reality. It was just another fantasy.

“I think I’ll go study in the lab,” Alec said, picking up his books.

“What? Why?” Magnus sat up hastily. “Did I do something wrong?”

“No,” Alec said in frustration. “I just…I’m gonna go.”

“Alec, wait,” Magnus said. “Just tell me what’s wrong.”

“This is…This is weird.”

“I don’t mind you touching m-”

“I don’t want to touch you,” Alec snapped.

Magnus flinched and then immediately got off Alec’s bed. “Right. Of course.”

“Magnus, that’s not what I-”

“I heard you loud and clear,” Magnus replied. “You can stay here. I’ll go out.”

“Magnus, hold on-”

“It’s fine,” Magnus said shortly from his own bed, already picking up his jeans.

Alec grabbed his arm and pulled him up. “I don’t want to touch you. Not like this.”

“Like what?” Magnus demanded.

“Like a friend.”

Magnus blinked.

“When I touch you for the first time, I don’t want it to be like this,” Alec said quietly. “I don’t want to be memorizing stuff. Fuck, I don’t even want to think. I just want to lose myself in you.”

Magnus’ eyes softened. “Well, why didn’t you say that before?”

Alec tried to think of a reason. A proper reason.

He couldn’t think of any.

“Cause I’m an idiot,” Alec said lamely.

Magnus looked at him for a minute then and Alec wondered what he was thinking. He is probably making a plan to get out of here, Alec thought.

“Take off your sweater,” Magnus said.

“I-” Alec blinked. “What?”

“It’s for a project for my design class,” Magnus shrugged. “I want to analyse the fabric. Take it off.”

“But you hate my clothes,” Alec said in confusion. “You always criticize how ug-”

“Alexander!!” Magnus put his hands up in frustration.

And then it clicked.

“Right,” Alec said, taking off his sweater. “Of course. Happy to help. Would this project by any chance require you to analyze ratty sweatpants?”

The smile Magnus gave him in return was enough to make up for the hidden sun outside.

#I do be writing crack fics for yall instead of working #;)#malec fics #dani writes stuff #malec

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sheliesshattered · 4 years

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Fic meme

I was tagged by @primarybufferpanel -- thank you darling, this was a ton of fun to do!

This got a bit long, so I’ll put the people I’m tagging here at the top: @claraaoswald, @ambitious-witch, @someillplanetreigns, and @junoinferno, if you feel like playing!

My AO3, my old non-updating fanfiction.net

Fandoms I’ve made fanworks for: Oh lord. I’m only going to count fanfiction that has actually been posted, but if I tried to count up every fandom that I’d started writing for and left unfinished fragments languishing on various harddrives and googledocs over the years, it’d be at least double this list. I have two pseuds on AO3, with the fics roughly organized by fandoms that I post about on this Tumblr account (sheliesshattered) and fandoms that pre-date my time on Tumblr that I don’t post about very much (glasscannon). Putting all the fandoms together in one alphabetized list:

Black Sails - 5 Doctor Who - 8 Firefly/Serenity - 1 Game of Thrones - 1 The Hobbit - 1 The Hunger Games - 1 Iron Man - 2 Law & Order: Criminal Intent - 1 Mad Max - 2 Once Upon A Time - 1 Poldark - 3 Star Wars - 3 Twilight - 7 The West Wing - 1

Number of fics: 38, including a big unfinished epic that I never moved over from ff.n, and don’t plan to unless I finish it someday.

Fics I spent more time on: I’m not even quite sure how to measure this. I’m a slow writer, and a single story can easily hold my attention for years at a time, or be something I return to when there isn’t a newer fandom temporarily consuming me. I don’t tend to keep track of how many hours I put into a fanfic, though. The unfinished epic I mentioned is probably near the top of that list, and was a huge part of my life from 2009 to 2013. Other contenders would be the All Hands series (written with PBP!), and Truth Universally Acknowledged, particularly if you include all the massive world-building that went into that one.

But really probably the one I’ve poured the most hours into, between research and writing, is a Doctor Who epic that hasn’t yet seen the light of day, called Home The Long Way ‘Round. Because I have such a habit of starting long stories and then not finishing them, I’m making myself get that one completely done before I post any of it to AO3, so I don’t have anything to show for it yet, but I’ve put a ton of time into it over the last five years or so. Hopefully someday I’ll actually get to share it. :)

Fics I spent less time on: Like I said, I’m a very slow writer, so any time I can turn out a story in a matter of days I’m just absolutely shocked. I wrote The Message over the course of about 24 hours, which is probably the fastest I’ve ever finished anything in my life ever, lol.

Longest fic: The All Hands series is sitting at 126,800 words, and PBP and I have more finished for it that we’re hoping to post soon-ish. The unfinished epic made it to almost 119,000 words before I ran out of steam. Truth Universally Acknowledged racked up about 54,000 words before my co-writer and I took a break from it, and probably triple that in world-building bibles and timelines, etc. On the works-in-progress side of things, Home The Long Way ‘Round is sitting at about 40,000 words currently and only about a third of the way done, and the For As Long As We Get series is at 21,000 words between what I’ve posted and what I’m still working on, and will definitely continue to grow.

Shortest story: 10 Seconds, at 208 words. Also one of the very first fanfics I ever finished and posted online.

Most hits: Truth Universally Acknowledged, by like a factor of 20 vs anything else I have on AO3. It’s the only time I’ve written for the main pairing in an active fandom (tho my purview in the co-writing was more on the secondary pairing), and that translated to a stupidly large number of hits. Fanfiction.net doesn’t count hits the same way, but the unfinished epic is sitting at about 3500 favs.

Most kudos: Setting The Stuns’ls, the first in the All Hands series -- which is SHOCKING considering that’s a tiny rowboat of a fandom, for a non-canon background pairing that has literally about 30 seconds of shared screentime, and the two romantic leads don’t so much as kiss over the course of 94,000 words (longing looks, significant hand-touches, mutual pining, definitely, but kissing, not so much).

Most bookmarks: Truth Universally Acknowledged, by a long shot.

Fic you want to rewrite or expand: I don’t tend to edit a story once it’s been posted, beyond correcting a typo or adding a missed word. Once it’s published, it’s finished and I don’t change it significantly. I do have quite a few (so, so many) unfinished stories that I would love to finish up at some point.

Total words combined: Counting only published fics, including the unfinished epic (and a companion piece for it) that lives only on ff.n, I’m currently at 376,542 words total.

Fav fic you wrote: How can you make me choose between my children like this, honestly?? Siiiigh. I’m with PBP, whatever I’m working on currently is usually my favorite. I’m having a ton of fun with For As Long As We Get, and can’t wait to publish the next part of that, hopefully sometime this month. I’m incredibly proud of All Hands, and that occupied such a specific time in my life that I’ll always think of it fondly. I’m exceptionally happy with the character voices and use of language in both Breathe Again and Upon This Rock Will I Break Myself, Until It Shows Me Your Beloved Face, and tend to feel like they don’t get enough love vs how much I love them. But my one true favorite is and will always be Home The Long Way ‘Round, and hopefully I’ll actually be able to finish it and post it someday.

Share a bit of your WIP or idea if you have anything planned: Again, how can I possibly choose just one?? Even just within the Doctor Who fandom, I currently have more than half a dozen stories actively in progress. But since I’ve talked it up so much without being able to link to it at all, and just declared it my all-time fav, I’m going to break one of my own rules and post the whole first chapter (eek!) of Home The Long Way ‘Round behind a read more:

Chapter 1: Orange Dreams

The sound of the wind is whispering in your head Can you feel it coming back? Through the warmth, through the cold, keep running ‘til we’re there. We're coming home now, we’re coming home now. —Home, Dotan

The winds shrieked and howled around her. Clara had never been in a tornado, but she imagined it would feel like this to stand in the eye of one. She could see gusts lifting the tops off the sand dunes in shimmering ribbons, gold against the orange sky. The waves of airborne sand dissipated a few feet from her, leaving only a jagged grittiness in the air.

A woman with long blonde hair was yelling at her, her words ripped away by the wind.

“Tell me again!” Clara called back to her. “Tell me how to find home!”

“It’s just physics!” the other woman shouted, taking a step closer; they were nearly the same height. “No information can ever be lost! Start from zero, and run the math! We’ll be waiting on the other end of that equation!”

There was something Clara desperately wanted to tell this woman who looked at her with kindness behind the steel of her eyes, but in that moment, the words wouldn’t come.

“Look!” someone yelled behind Clara, and though she didn’t want to take her eyes off her, she instinctively looked up, following the line of the other person’s arm up into the gathering storm-whipped dusk. There, silhouetted against the last of the light, was the unmistakable blue boxy shape of the Doctor’s TARDIS, spinning quickly as it flew away—

Clara jerked awake, her heart hammering against her ribs, already sitting up and pulling off her sleep mask before she realised what had woken her was the sound of the TARDIS materialising in the sitting room of her flat. She took a moment to catch her breath, trying to hold onto the details of the dream. In the other room, the TARDIS’s familiar wheezing and groaning came to a stop with a soft thud, followed by the squeak of the door.

“Doctor?” Clara called, not bothering to hide the sleep nor the annoyance in her voice.

He poked his head around her bedroom doorframe, grey hair awry and his most innocent expression plastered on — which meant he knew he was waking her and felt at least marginally bad about it. “Hello, Clara. It’s Wednesday,” he said pleasantly, by way of explanation.

“Is it?” she asked, deadpan.

“Technically.”

“You do know that I have to work today, don’t you?”

“Not for another six hours. So come on, up-and-at-‘em, plenty of time to go out and save the universe and still be back in time for your morning coffee. I’ve an adventure that simply won’t keep, so come on!”

His excitement was infectious, as he must have known it would be, but Clara clung to her annoyance a little longer, mostly for show. “You have a time machine: everything can keep,” she replied, but waved him off before he could launch into a lecture on all the ways that statement was false, at least from a temporal physics standpoint. He lectured anyway, hovering outside her bedroom door as she dressed, though Clara expected it was mostly to keep himself from pacing in anticipation. She followed more than half of it, and worried a bit over how often she let him babble on about the minutiae of time travel these days.

By the time the universe had been set to rights — or at least one small blue world, home to a race of sentient seahorses, that had been facing imminent extinction in the form of a rogue exoplanet — she had nearly forgotten her unsettling, vivid dream.

Given the recent events on Skaro, Clara was unsurprised when bits of her experiences there began to filter into her dreams. Truthfully, she had expected to dream of it more often than she did, but in the weeks that followed, more nights than not her sleeping mind instead conjured up the strange orange landscape. She revisited that screaming sandstorm so often it became almost comforting, and before long, other dreams joined it.

Clara was leaned against a railing on a high balcony, overlooking a large city coming alight as dusk crept on, a rusty sunset that stretched the width of the horizon bathing the world in amber. The woman with the serious eyes and long, straight blonde hair stood beside her, in the middle of a conversation, as happened so frequently in dreams.

“Alright, but what about the last stage?” Clara asked, elbows resting next to hers on the railing. “That bit depends on us actively doing something, and you know we can’t rely on my knowledge. I can’t take any of the engineering or navigation with me, so it’ll be down to him.”

“And he loves a good puzzle,” the other woman said confidently, flicking her hair over her shoulder with a twitch of her head. “He’ll want to find us. He’ll figure it out.”

“Before I die of old age? Are you sure? My mother was one of his professors at the Academy, I’ve seen his test scores. I think we need a fail-safe.”

“He did graduate,” she pointed out reasonably.

“He passed his exams with a fifty-one percent on his second attempt! No, we can’t assume he’ll have all the baseline information to even consider such a solution, much less actually accomplish the maths. We have to find some way to hide it with me,” Clara said. “Or in his TARDIS.”

The woman was silent for a long moment, her mouth set in a thoughtful line. On the distant horizon, the sun had finished its slow descent, but below them the city was coming to life, the light not so much fading as changing sources, becoming ever so slightly more golden.

“By that point in the timeline,” the blonde woman said, speaking slowly, still thinking it through, “you’ll have been exposed to his timestream and to the crack in the universe, so some of your memories will probably start leaking through. If we structure the extraction the right way, we might be able to embed a particular thought or moment into your consciousness before you go into the Schism.”

“What’d you have in mind?” Clara asked, turning her head to look at her.

“This conversation?” she suggested, laughing, her broad smile transforming her face. “No, a phrase would be cleaner, I think.”

“‘Run the math, you idiot boy’?” Clara suggested, also giggling.

“Oh yes, that’d go over well! No, if you want him to do something, call him clever. Works every time!” she laughed, leaning her shoulder into Clara’s.

“The horrid thing is that I know the temporal physics for this is part of my mother’s coursework,” Clara groaned. “If he hadn’t slept through so many of her classes, this would be a non-issue!”

“Ah, but a Doctor who was always responsible? What a boring universe that would be!”

Above them, the stars were beginning to come out, though the glare of the city obscured them. Through the haze of the dream, Clara couldn’t find any constellations she recognised. “You don’t have to tell me,” she said. “I was the one who helped him steal that box in the first place.”

“And if he could take half a moment to remember that,” the blonde woman said seriously, “he might realise the role of his TARDIS in all of this, and start to think of the solution that way.”

“‘Run the math, you—”

“Clever.”

“—boy, and remember when you met me’?”

The other woman nodded, considering. “That could do it. Your chronodeterminate conjugation won’t work until you come into contact with at least a little regeneration energy. Assuming you choose regeneration on Trenzalore, it might start kicking in then, in plenty of time for the last stage.”

“Run the math, you clever boy, and remember when you met me,” Clara whispered up to the distant stars, cradling her chin on her arms against the railing.

The woman mimicked her position, the golden light of the city and the silver light of the stars catching in her long pale hair. “It’s just physics,” she murmured back. “Start from zero and run the math. I’ll be waiting at the other end of that equation. We’ll all be waiting.”

As unsettling as they were, at least the orange-tinged dreams were better than nightmares of Daleks, of being locked in the Dalek casing, unable to convince the Doctor that it was her, it was her, she wasn’t a Dalek, she wasn’t a Dalek! Dreams of the Doctor peering at her down an eyestock, this face or the last, or any of the others buried deep in her subconscious, hearing her but not knowing her, seeing her but not saving her.

Clara grasped for that orange sky, let it carry her away in bronze sandstorms, golden cities slowly coming to life, and starlight caught in tawny hair.

Monday morning third period found her Year 10 students taking an essay exam while Clara doodled on a scrap piece of paper, trying to pull images and phrases out of the orange haze that had taken up residence in her slumbering hours since Skaro. There were bits that tugged at her memory, like a song she couldn’t quite place but whose tune was intensely familiar.

She’d written Run the math, you clever boy, and remember when you met me across the top of the page, and her eyes strayed to it every few seconds. The phrase had stayed with her after she woke, and had been on the tip of her tongue ever since, as though it was a message she was meant to deliver. Below it she’d rewritten the phrase, but crossed out six words: Run the math, you clever boy, and remember when you met me.

It was too close for comfort to the phrase that had, in retrospect, changed her life, sent her on her current course. The Maitlands’ mnemonic for their wifi password, which she’d said out loud during that first phone conversation with the Doctor, had caught his attention somehow, and it wasn’t until she jumped into his timestream that she understood. It was the last thing she’d said to him before sacrificing herself to save him. Every fragment of her scattered through his timestream had said it to him at some point as well, the words reverberating endlessly up and down his timeline.

Why her dreams would dredge it up now, and in such a strange context, Clara had no idea. They didn’t feel like random images, but more like memory-dreams, like the bits of echo lives that filtered through to her sleeping mind from time to time. It had to mean something.

Half way down the scrap paper she’d written: It’s just physics. Start from zero and run the math. Below this was the very helpful ??? and Clara idly traced over the question marks again. Physics was still a foreign language to her, despite how much the Doctor prattled on about it at times. She could bring this to him, she mused, but what was it, really? Her subconscious doing backflips in the wake of Skaro, that was all. No grand mystery to solve, no universe-altering secret code, just her. She wouldn’t bother the Doctor with this quite yet.

Besides, she was certain she could tease this apart on her own, follow the clues to their logical conclusion without his assistance. The dreams were insistent, and felt familiar, but Clara was sure she’d never dreamed of the blonde woman and the orange sky prior to Skaro. That was the next clue, then, and she jotted it down on her scrap paper. Something had changed after Skaro, something that caused her subconscious mind to dredge up these particular buried memories.

She needed more information. Dreams about her echo lives were always stronger when she was aboard the TARDIS travelling in the Vortex, sharper and easier to remember. Maybe these orange dreams would be, too. And maybe the TARDIS itself would have some answers for her.

Of course, she didn’t sleep aboard the TARDIS very often, with her insistence on returning home for a week of Real Life in between their Wednesday trips. But the Doctor was never adverse to her sticking around longer than she’d planned, and in the end it didn’t take much to convince him:

“I’ve a staff meeting at work that I’m dreading,” Clara told him on that next Wednesday, when they returned to the TARDIS after their latest outing. “So what do you say I have a little kip and then we squeeze in another adventure before you take me back to face my workday?”

She thought for a moment that the Doctor might question the change in their routine, but he seemed thrilled about the idea. When he announced that he had some tinkering with the engines he’d been putting off that should keep him occupied while she slept, Clara made an excuse to linger in the console room — “just going to finish reading this chapter, then off to bed” — until after he’d gone. Once he’d disappeared down the corridor and around a corner, she quietly set aside her book, then slipped out of her armchair and down the stairs towards the console. The rotors hummed overhead, and somehow Clara knew the TARDIS was aware of her, and was curious to see what she would do.

Carefully clearing her thoughts, she made her way over to the telepathic circuits, pushed up her sleeves, and slid her hands into the strange interface. Focus was the key, she knew, and she was nothing if not focused. She closed her eyes and held two very specific thoughts in her mind: the sand-whipped orange sky in her dreams, and the clear question, Where, please?

She hoped the please would help.

It was a long quiet moment with the circuits warmly cradling Clara’s fingers, and then something on the console beeped. Her eyes flew open and she carefully extracted her hands from the telepathic interface before pulling the monitor down to eye level.

Gallifrey the screen read in English, below an image of a startlingly red-orange planet. Immediately prior to the Time Lock.

Clara felt her heart thud painfully against her ribs as she read the brief text again. She’d been dreaming of Gallifrey? She knew she’d had an echo life on Gallifrey, but she remembered that interaction with the Doctor, and it happened indoors. She had never before dreamt of the Gallifreyan sky. Had it been buried somewhere in her subconscious with the rest of her memories of that life? Why surface now?

More confused than ever, she clicked the screen back to the desktop, unreadable Circular Gallifreyan floating idly across the display. Perhaps she should bring this up with the Doctor — it was his home world, after all. But the whole point of this had been to dream while they were in the Vortex, and if she didn’t get a move on, he’d be ready for their next adventure before she’d even managed to fall asleep. She could talk with him about it later.

And if things worked tonight as she hoped they would, maybe she would even have a bit more information to bring to him when she did.

“Fire suppressant in Pod Four!”

The frantic call was quickly overwhelmed by the sound of the requested suppressant dispensing from the ceiling. When it ended, the speaker, dressed in the dark red uniform of a technician, brushed soot and foam off his shirt.

“It hates me, that one,” he said, nodding at the unassuming gray cylinder in the open pod in front of him. It was devoid of features, even its doors invisible now in the wake of the fire, two meters tall and one meter in diameter, just like all the other patients in the workshop. But somehow it did seem to be glowering at him.

“And it always will, stop wasting your time,” his coworker said flippantly. He was perched in front of a console on the other side of the room, deep in his own repairs. “Just get the Impossible Girl to do it, she’ll have it eating out of her hand by lunchtime.”

Their conversation occurred in the time it took Clara to enter the large oblong workshop and make her way to the far end where the two were working. “I heard that,” she said seriously, earning a guilty-looking jump from the man who had spoken most recently. She continued over to Pod Four and leaned against the outer casing, arms folded over her uniformed chest, one booted ankle crossed over the other. “What did you do now?” she demanded of the first technician.

He looked at her with wide eyes, more out of genuine fear than mock innocence, in her estimation. “I just told it—”

“You what?” she snapped, in a tone she usually reserved for misbehaving students.

He wilted a little but started again “…I told it to—”

“Told it?”

“…to give me access to the logs,” he mumbled, dropping her gaze.

“Told it to give you access to the logs?” she asked, voice harsh. “Well first off, Number Four here prefers male pronouns, respecting that might put you on better footing. And secondly, as with all TARDISes, you’ll get a lot further if you ask rather than tell.”

Behind her, the other tech scoffed. “They’re machines, we shouldn’t have to baby them like that. An access request is an access request.”

Clara turned her head to pin him with an icy glare. “Some days I cannot believe I let you work here,” she told him bluntly. “They aren’t just machines, as you very well know. Yes, there’s hardware we need to be able to work with, but that’s nothing more than a radio, at some level — only instead of radio waves, we’re using oswin waves to talk to pan-dimensional beings so large, they can’t have a physical form in this dimension. Who, with a little extra energy, can take us and an infinite amount of folded space to nearly any point in spacetime. Just think about the massive intelligences that speak to us through each of those machines!

“But more to the point,” she said, turning back to the tech still covered in soot, “you have to understand their viewpoint of the universe, and their understanding of time. A Time Lord telling a TARDIS what to do is akin to creating a fixed point in spacetime. It’s in their nature to want to avoid fixed points. Ask instead, let him find his own way ‘round to it.”

Before the beleaguered technician could reply, there came a polite knocking from the far end of the room, and Clara turned to see a soldier standing in the doorway of the workshop, looking a little out of his depth. “Sorry to interrupt, but I have a message for—” he paused to glance down at the datapad in his hand, “for the Oswin. From the Lady President. Top priority.”

Clara was moving towards him before he’d finished speaking, curious and concerned, her attention focused on the message in his hands. But the dream faded out before she reached him, her mind moving on to something more abstract, more difficult to hold on to.

When she woke in her bed aboard the TARDIS, she stared at the ceiling with fond frustration. “If that was your attempt at help,” she whispered to the ship, “then I do not understand the message.”

It still wasn’t enough to bring to the Doctor, she decided later that day, watching him spin around the console room in the afterglow of a successful adventure, people saved, the universe bettered. So she was dreaming of Gallifrey, what of it? Many of the details in that last dream matched up with what she remembered of her interaction with the Doctor in that life. And while he occasionally enjoyed comparing memories of all the times her echoes had met him, she’d found he wasn’t especially keen on discussing the one in which she’d helped him steal the TARDIS and leave Gallifrey. Susan continued to be a point of pain for the Doctor, all these centuries later, and Clara understood him well enough to know better than to pick at that particular scab.

Still. That phrase was on a loop in her head: run the math, you clever boy, and remember when you met me. The emphasis on their meeting hadn’t been part of the original phrase, and now she was dreaming of the life in which they’d met face to face for the first time, from the Doctor’s perspective. Clearly they would have to discuss it at some point.

Eventually, but not yet.

#long post #about me #my writing #like seriously all of it #fanfiction #fandom life #AO3 #Home The Long Way 'Round #For As Long As We Get #All Hands #Truth Universally Acknowledged #et al #if you read that chapter let me know what you think!#❤️

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caeruleusaether · 6 years

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So. I’m not sure where to begin exactly. I’ve started typing this post so many times I’ve lost count. I’ll start with an ending and go from there.

My grandfather died at the end of September. The same day that I found out my grandfather died, my sister told me that she’s pregnant. It was a poignant moment for me. It was the Universe in balance. It was almost like proof of what I believed in and how, while unfeeling, there was a Way of Things. It was a bittersweet day.

The funeral ended up being a celebration of life. I flew out Wednesday, the celebration was on Thursday, went through some of his things Friday, and left Saturday. Alright, fine. There was more to it than that.

Wednesday was a bit of a blur. I spent most of the day flying. I kept thinking about how I was supposed to be meeting up with my friend Serena to hang out with her when she came out to the state to visit. I felt horribly guilty, but she insisted I go. Family is important, she told me.

Thursday was the celebration of life. Listening to all of the things my granddad got up to reminded me of the things I’ve done. My favourite story is of him as a boy. He was trying to reach a bell with a rope attached. A preacher saw him, came over, hoisted him up and granddad rung the bell.

“What now?” the preacher asked.

“We run like hell, preacher-man.”

When he was a little older, he almost created an international incident when he and the son of an ambassador left base because they wanted ice cream. No one could find them for hours. They were found later with ice cream in hand.

As a teen, he stole a car.

When he worked in Navy intelligence, he randomly decided to answer the phone as “Bellybutton.” It caused a bit of confusion because the brass thought it was a code name.

He left the Navy, attended seminary school, and joined the Navy as a chaplain. He retired and became a full time minister.

My grandfather is one of two reasons why I’m still alive.

The entire time my grandmother appeared to be doing well. There was so much to do in the wake of his death that she didn’t have time to think about it. She was “fine” until everyone left the house (I worry about her. I text and call when I can. Especially after finding out how he died).

On Friday, we went through his things. I have a couple of his sweaters and one t-shirt. I snagged his COMDESRON 7 hat, a KBAR knife, and a hatchet. I learned a lot about my family history that day.

His father, Grandpa Jay, was in WWII and the Korean War. In WWII he was part of the 99th Battalion out in Norway. When the war ended, his regiment escorted the King of Norway back into the country. He got a knife, and he described the occasion as “it was like being knighted.” In the Korean War, he and two others were captured. All of three of them tried to escape, but one was captured as he and the other hid in a haystack. If I remember correctly, he got a Purple Heart. I’m told he was never quite the same after the Korean War.

We have pictures and journals of so many of our family members. Nearly all of them were in the military. Granddad was able to trace our line back to a Viking Jarl. I come from a long line of warriors, and it seems fitting that I’m learning to use swords.

Granddad was the third person of my family to die. In May my brother died (we were both in the military, and he was close to being my brother without actually being related to me by blood). My uncle died (he was my dad’s best friend, and he was always my uncle). And then granddad. All in this year. I was/am depressed. So much loss to cope with, and the only thing I could determine was that life is too short for burnt coffee.

I’m going to wear those beautiful dresses I have hiding in the back of my closet. I’m going to try the new makeup looks. I’m going to save up money to buy a 1966 Ford mustang.

I reexamined a lot of things in my life. Writing was at the top of my list. I was talking with Serena about how NaNoWriMo was right around the corner a few weeks ago. I always felt like I added too much fluff and not enough substance when I tried to write a novel, and I always end up purging most of it because it wasn’t important to the story. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that I’m not a novelist. My short fiction was superior to my novel length works. In novels, I tend to get lost or lose the point. Short fiction? I was able to wrap everything up neatly, not get lost, and leave an impact.

The realization was freeing. This year I’m participating in NaNo, but writing short stories to be pulled into an anthology series called Another World. The stories are “A Moment of Resonance,” “The Temporal Dimension of Liminality,” and “The Ghosts of Black Holes” so far. I have a couple more in mind, but I don’t know if I’ll finish them before the month is out.

(I also got mad at myself for changing the ending of the first arc/short story for Variations on a Theme of You. The changes effect what happens in the second arc/short story, which means a near total rewrite. I’ll tackle that after NaNo)

I also moved in with a roommate. Things might settle down a little, but don’t hold your breath. We all know how Life is, and how weird and unpredictable it can be.

But that’s me, and all that’s happened from my last post until now. I’m hoping to get back on a regular schedule of posting again. Be on the lookout for more stories and updates

Life is too Short for Burnt Coffee So. I'm not sure where to begin exactly. I've started typing this post so many times I've lost count.

#family #Gwen&039;s absurd drama filled life #life and death #nanowrimo #photos #writing

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dfroza · 3 years

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this world will be made pure.

it will be reborn by our Creator’s Love (Light) to right every wrong ever done.

and so we wait for this True Kingdom, of which is here, & now (Spirit) but also contained in promises to come, that will be…

and we have become caretakers of garden earth and of the physical body, each being temporal and imperfect, subject to aging. but even death will be a thing of the past at some point.

and so we share this sacred truth of the Scriptures to inspire with hope, because we are nothing without it.

we need faith. we need hope. we need Love.

we need the True illumination of the Son.

(eternal life is not possible apart from Him)

Today’s reading of the Scriptures from the New Testament is the 3rd and closing chapter of the Letter of 2nd Thessalonians:

Brothers and sisters, having shared all this, let me ask you to pray for us. Pray that this message of the Lord will spread quickly and receive the praise and respect it deserves from others as it has with you. Pray also that we would all be rescued from the snares of harmful, wicked people—after all, not all people are believing. Still, the Lord is true to His promises; He will hold you up and guard you against the evil one. We do not doubt the Lord’s intentions for you; we are confident that you are carrying out, and will continue to carry out, the commands we are sending your way. May the Lord guide your hearts into God’s pure love and keep you headed straight into the strong and sure grip of the Anointed One.

For the sake of the church, brothers and sisters, we insist in the name of our Lord Jesus the Anointed that you withdraw from any brother or sister who is out of order and unwilling to work, who is straying from the line of teaching we passed on to all of you. You know how essential it is to imitate us in the way we live life. We were never undisciplined nor did we take charity from anyone while we were with you. Instead, you saw how we worked very hard day and night so we wouldn’t be a burden to even one person in the community. We had the right to depend on your help and hospitality, as you know; but we wanted to give you a model you could follow, to lay a path of footprints for you to walk in. This is exactly why, while with you, we commanded you: “Anyone not willing to work shouldn’t get to eat!” You see, we are hearing that some folks in the community are out of step with our teaching; they are idle, not working, but really busy doing nothing—and yet still expect to be fed! If this is you or someone else in the community, we insist and urge you in the Lord Jesus the Anointed that you go to work quietly, earn your keep, put food on your own table, and supply your own necessities. And to the rest of you, brothers and sisters, never grow tired of doing good.

If someone disregards the instructions of this letter, make a note of who it is and don’t have anything to do with that person so that this one may be shamed. Don’t consider someone like this an enemy (he is an enemy only to himself) but warn him as if you were redirecting your own brother.

Work is part of the ongoing work of creation, an aspect of God’s image in us. Those who do not work will be unfulfilled and a burden to those around them.

And now, dear friends, may the Lord of peace Himself grace you with peace always and in everything. May the Lord be present with all of you.

This final greeting is by me, Paul, written by my own hand. This is my signature, letting you know that this is a genuine letter from me, and so I write to you:

May the grace of our Lord Jesus the Anointed be with all of you.

The Letter of 2nd Thessalonians, Chapter 3 (The Voice)

Today’s paired chapter of the Testaments is the 26th chapter of the book of Jeremiah where Jeremiah was wrongfully accused and some people wanted him sentenced to death:

The word of the Eternal came to Jeremiah not long after Jehoiakim (son of Josiah) began his reign as king of Judah.

Eternal One: Stand in the court of My temple, and speak to the crowds who have come to worship from all the towns of Judah. Give them all of My words, Jeremiah; don’t leave out a single one. Maybe they will listen this time, and each one of them will stop the evil actions and return to My path. Then I, too, will stop the impending disaster I have planned for them because of all the evil things they do. Tell them what the Eternal says: “If you will not listen to Me or obey My law that I have already given you, and if you will not listen to what My servants the prophets have to say even after I’ve sent them to you again and again, then I will deal with this temple as I did Shiloh. But this time I will also make this very city a curse for all the nations of the earth.”

The priests and the so-called prophets and the crowds heard the message Jeremiah delivered in the temple of the Eternal. As soon as Jeremiah finished saying all the Eternal directed him to say, the priests, the prophets, and those who stopped to listen grabbed him and began to shout.

Temple Audience: You deserve to die! Why have you uttered such prophecies in the name of the Eternal declaring that this temple will be destroyed like Shiloh and Jerusalem will be empty and lifeless?

At this point, a large mob of people gathered around Jeremiah in the Eternal’s temple.

When some officials of Judah heard what was happening, they left the palace and hurried to take their seats at the entryway of the new gate leading to the Eternal’s temple. The priests and so-called prophets brought charges against Jeremiah to these officials as the crowd looked on.

Priests and Prophets: This man should be sentenced to death! You heard with your own ears how he prophesied against our city.

Jeremiah (to the officials and the crowd): The Eternal sent me to prophesy against the temple and this city—every word you heard came from Him. If you stop your evil actions and obey the Eternal your God, then He will stop the impending disaster He has planned for you. As for me, my fate is in your hands. Do with me what you think is right and fair. But know this: if you execute me, innocent blood will be on your hands and on this city and on all who live here, because the Eternal truly did send me to speak each and every word you heard.

Officials and the Crowd (to the priests and prophets): This man should not be sentenced to death because he has spoken to us in the name of the Eternal our God.

At this point, some of the elders, who were leaders of other communities, stood and supported the verdict, speaking to the entire crowd.

Elders: Remember the prophet Micah of Moresheth in the days of King Hezekiah of Judah. It was he who said to the people of Judah, “This is what the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies, has to say:

Zion will be plowed under like a field,

Jerusalem will be left in ruins,

And the hill on which the temple stands

will be overgrown like a forest.”

As difficult as those words were to hear, did King Hezekiah or anyone else in Judah demand Micah’s death? No, he humbly worshiped the Eternal and asked for mercy, and what happened then? The Eternal stopped the impending disaster he had planned for them and turned back the Assyrian army. Now it is our turn to listen to the prophet of God, but instead, we are about to bring this terrible disaster upon ourselves by ignoring Him again!

Uriah (son of Shemaiah) from Kiriath-jearim had prophesied in the name of the Eternal with essentially the same message as Jeremiah against this city and nation. When King Jehoiakim, his soldiers, and his officials heard what Uriah had been saying, they decided to kill him. When Uriah became aware of these plans, he was afraid and escaped to Egypt. Then King Jehoiakim sent Elnathan (son of Achbor) to Egypt along with others to bring Uriah back. Once they found him, they brought him back from Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim, who had him executed by a sword and then buried in a commoner’s grave.

Ahikam (son of Shaphan) used his influence to help Jeremiah. As a result, the prophet was not handed over to the people to be put to death.

The Book of Jeremiah, Chapter 26 (The Voice)

A link to my personal reading of the Scriptures for Wednesday, September 8 of 2021 with a paired chapter from each Testament of the Bible along with Today’s Proverbs and Psalms

A post by John Parsons about the Divine Word:

Both the Torah of Moses and the New Testament attest that Yeshua is Elohim (אֱלהִים) -- the Creator of the cosmos: בְּרֵאשִׁית הָיָה הַדָּבָר / "in the beginning was the Word" (John 1:1,14). The Divine Word and Voice cannot be separated from God any more than the Spirit of God can be separated. Yeshua is the Source of all life in the universe: כָּל־הַמַּעֲשִׂים נִהְיוּ עַל־יָדוֹ / "All things were made by Him (John 1:3). The "Word made flesh" is the "image of the invisible God" and the "radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint (χαρακτήρ, 'character') of his nature" (Col. 1:15). All of creation is being constantly upheld by the word of His power (Heb. 1:3): "All things were created by Him (i.e., Yeshua), and for Him" and in Him all things consist (συνεστηκεν, lit. "stick together") (Col. 1:16-17). As our Creator and Master of the Universe, Yeshua is both our King and our Judge, and therefore Rosh Hashanah (i.e., Yom Teruah) rightly centers on Him...

But in addition to God’s power and sovereignty as our Creator, we note that the Scriptures begin and end with the redemptive love of God. Yeshua is the Center of Creation - its beginning and end. As it is written: אָנכִי אָלֶף וְתָו רִאשׁוֹן וְאַחֲרוֹן ראשׁ וָסוֹף / "I am the 'A' and the 'Z,' the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End" (Rev. 22:13). Indeed, Yeshua is מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים / Melech Malchei Hamelachim: The "King of kings of kings." He is LORD of all possible worlds -- from the highest of celestial glories to the very dust of death upon a cross... יְהִי שֵׁם יהוה מְברָךְ / yehi shem Adonai mevorakh: "Let the Name of the LORD be praised" forever and ever (Psalm 113:2).

The central point of all true Torah, then, is the redemptive love of God demonstrated in the "first and last" principle of sacrificial life. This was prefigured in the original paradise when Adam and Eve were clothed by the lamb sacrificed for their transgression (Gen. 3:21), and the theme continues throughout the Torah, for example, in the account of the sacrifice of Isaac (we blow the shofar on Rosh Hashanah to recall the Lamb of God given in his place), in the visions of Jacob, in the commissioning of Moses, in the redemption from death by the blood of the sacrificed lamb in Egypt, and by the climactic revelation of the altar given at Sinai (i.e., the Tabernacle). Just as the "korban tamid" of the Temple (i.e., the continual sacrifice of the lamb upon the altar) recalled the original Passover and foretold of the Lamb of God to come, so Yeshua, the “Living Torah,” embodied the Sacrificial Life itself, the true Lamb of God that was offered upon the stigma of the cross, to demonstrate God's infinite condescension, mercy and love that redeems the world from sin and death. Just as there is no Passover apart from the Lamb, so there is no "Rosh Hashanah" or "Yom Kippur" apart from God's atoning love given in the Messiah... Now THAT is something for us to make a "teruah," or a "joyful noise" in praise to our God! [Hebrew for Christians]

9.6.21 • Facebook

and another about having a sound mind:

It is written in our Scriptures (2 Tim. 1:7) that "God has not given us the spirit of fear (πνεῦμα δειλίας), but of power, and love, and a sound mind" (note that the term "sound mind" comes from the word saos (σάος) "safe," or under the protective restraining influence of the Spirit of God). Understand the connection between fear and confusion, then, and note further the connection between having a sound mind and a heart of peace and courage (Isa. 32:17)... A fearful or shameful attitude, then, enervates your resolve, quells your love, and introduces pain to your thinking. It is the old ruse of the enemy of our souls to lead us to despair, the exile of shame, and cruel bondage to untruth. As always the answer is the same: namely, teshuvah, turning to God and embracing the grace and love given in Yeshua as our deepest reality, our power, our heart, and our mind. [Hebrew for Christians]

9.7.21 • Facebook

Today’s message (Days of Praise) from the Institute for Creation Research

September 8, 2021

The Righteous Judge

“That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Genesis 18:25)

People often make erroneous judgments. Even those who are officially appointed or elected to judge others are sometimes mistaken, and so we have a whole system of appeals courts. Yet even the Supreme Court, composed as it is of fallible human beings, often seems to be wrong. But as Abraham recognized long ago while interceding for the people in Sodom, we can be confident that the Judge of all the earth will do right!

He not only can judge our actions in relation to His revealed will but can also discern thoughts and motives and, therefore, “judge the secrets of men” (Romans 2:16), and He will do so in absolute rightness. Furthermore, “he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead” (Acts 17:31). “The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:...and my judgment is just,” asserted the Lord Jesus (John 5:22, 30). To those who reject or ignore His redeeming love, relying instead on their own worth, “there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries” (Hebrews 10:26-27).

To those who have been redeemed through saving faith in Christ, there will, indeed, be a Judgment Day, but it will be for dispensing of rewards for faithful service rather than for salvation, and this also will be done righteously. “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day” (2 Timothy 4:8). HMM

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Will Any Republicans Vote To Remove Trump

New Post has been published on https://www.patriotsnet.com/will-any-republicans-vote-to-remove-trump/

Will Any Republicans Vote To Remove Trump

Capitol Police Chief Apologizes For Security Failures During The Assault Including A Delay In Calling For Guard Troops

The acting chief of the Capitol Police apologized to Congress on Tuesday for the agency’s extensive security failures on Jan. 6, acknowledging during a closed-door briefing that the department knew there was a “strong potential for violence” but failed to take adequate steps to prevent what she described as a “terrorist attack.”

Yogananda D. Pittman, the acting chief of police, also confirmed that the Capitol Police Board, an obscure panel made up of three voting members, had initially declined a request two days earlier for National Guard troops and then delayed for more than an hour as the violence unfolded on Jan. 6 before finally agreeing to a plea from the Capitol Police for National Guard troops, according to prepared testimony obtained by The New York Times.

In an extraordinary admission, Chief Pittman, who was not the acting chief at the time of the siege, told members of the House Appropriations Committee, which oversees funding for the agency, that the Capitol Police “failed to meet its own high standards as well as yours.” She added, “I am here to offer my sincerest apologies on behalf of the department.” Chief Pittman’s predecessor, Steven Sund, resigned after the riot.

Chief Pittman’s comments offered the fullest detailed account to date about police preparations for Jan. 6, when thousands of angry protesters, believing false claims that the election had been stolen, marched on the Capitol at the behest of former President Donald J. Trump.

Janet Yellen The First Woman To Be Treasury Secretary Is Sworn In By The First Woman To Be Vice President

Janet L. Yellen was sworn in as the secretary of the Treasury Department on Tuesday by Vice President Kamala Harris, a history-making moment as both are the first women to hold two of the most powerful jobs in the United States government.

Ms. Yellen is the nation’s 78th Treasury secretary and the first woman to head the institution in its 232-year history. She is also the first woman to have held all three top economic jobs in the government, having served as chair of the Federal Reserve and the Council of Economic Advisers.

She is taking the job at a time of economic crisis, with millions still out of work and the recovery slowing as the coronavirus persists. Ms. Yellen will quickly be thrust into fraught negotiations over how to design and pass a robust stimulus package to help revive an economy that has been hammered by the pandemic.

Standing outside the White House, Ms. Yellen took the oath of office with her husband, the economist George Akerlof, and her son by her side. At the conclusion of the ceremony, Ms. Harris said, “Congratulations, Madam Secretary,” to which Ms. Yellen replied, “Thank you, Madam Vice President.”

Ms. Yellen said on Twitter that she was proud to be joining the Treasury Department and described the field of economics, and the agency’s mission, as one that can “right past wrongs and improve people’s lives.”

transcript

Gop Senator Ted Cruz Says It’s ‘certainly Possible’ That ‘a Couple’ Republicans Will Vote To Remove Trump

U.S.Ted CruzDonald TrumpImpeachmentSenate

Republican Senator Ted Cruz said that some GOP senators may vote to remove Donald Trump from the White House in a pending Senate trial. However, he argued such a decision wouldn’t match the facts of the impeachment case against the president.

Cruz, who represents Texas, made the remarks during an interview with Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures. He first asserted that he doesn’t personally think any Republican senators will vote against the president, but then admitted that it could happen.

“It is certainly possible,” the senator noted. “And there are a couple that could vote that way. But I think anyone voting on the facts, anyone voting on the law, this is a very easy vote,” Cruz said. “What they have alleged is not a high crime or misdemeanor,” he continued, referring to the articles of impeachment passed by the House of Representatives as “weak.”

Texas Church Minister Thanks Government For Chance to ‘Protect Ourselves’

A few GOP senators have expressed concern about the president’s actions–as well as criticism of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky, and his decision to coordinate the trial with White House counsel. However, Republican lawmakers in Washington have largely remained defensive of the president, with the vote for impeachment passing largely along partisan lines in the House of Representatives, without any GOP members voting in support.

Capitol Riot Investigation Will Slow As Officials Work To Build More Complicated Cases Justice Dept Says

Justice Department officials said on Tuesday that the fast-moving federal investigation into the assault on the Capitol is expected to slow as investigators turn their attention to more complex matters such as conspiracy and sedition cases, the investigation into the death of Officer Brian D. Sicknick of the Capitol Police and violent attacks on members of the press.

In the 20 days since rioters stormed the Capitol, the F.B.I. has received over 200,000 digital media tips and identified more than 400 suspects. Federal prosecutors quickly charged 150 criminal cases, many of which have now been elevated to felonies.

But the manhunt and investigation is expected to “reach a period of a plateau,” said Michael R. Sherwin, the U.S. attorney in Washington, as investigators shift from identifying and rounding up individuals to putting together more complicated conspiracy cases related to possible coordination among militia groups and individuals from different states who had planned to travel to the Capitol and engage in criminal conduct before the attack.

“We have to have the proper evidence to charge these, and we’re going to get it,” said Steven M. D’Antuono, the F.B.I. assistant deputy in charge of the Washington field office. “All these cases are not based upon social media and Twitter and Instagram posts. We also have traditional law enforcement tools we need to use — grand jury subpoenas search warrants — and you don’t get that overnight.”

Senator Patrick Leahy 80 Is Briefly Hospitalized As A Precaution After He Reported Feeling Unwell

Senator Patrick J. Leahy of Vermont, the longest-serving senator and the president pro tempore, was briefly taken to a hospital in Washington for observation early Tuesday evening after he reported not feeling well, his spokesman said. He returned home a few hours later after an evaluation.

Mr. Leahy, whose position in the Senate puts him third in line for the presidency, oversaw the start of the impeachment proceedings against former President Donald J. Trump earlier on Tuesday. At 80, Mr. Leahy is one of the oldest senators and has served in the Senate since 1975.

After he reported not feeling well in his office, Mr. Leahy “was examined in the Capitol by the attending physician,” said David Carle, the spokesman. “Out of an abundance of caution, the attending physician recommended that he be taken to a local hospital for observation, where he is now, and where he is being evaluated.”

Mr. Leahy was taken to George Washington University Hospital, where he received tests and “a thorough examination” before being released, Mr. Carle said.

The senator “looks forward to getting back to work,” Mr. Carle said.

Mr. Leahy has received both vaccine shots for the coronavirus, and it was unclear what his symptoms were.

Senator Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa and Mr. Leahy’s predecessor as president pro tempore, was among those who wished Mr. Leahy well in a tweet Tuesday evening.

The Insurrection At The Capitol And Trumps Unsteadiness Have Weakened Gop Support In The Senate

Sen. Mitt Romney is considered the most likely Republican to vote for conviction in a second impeachment of President Trump.

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In President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial early last year, Sen. Mitt Romney was the lone Republican vote in favor of conviction. That seems unlikely to be the case should there be another such vote.

Romney has voiced his anger over the Wednesday invasion of the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters, many of whom were violent. Having voted for removal last year, he’s an odds-on favorite to do so again, alongside, at least publicly, a mere handful of other Republicans.

Across the aisle, so far no prospective defectors have arisen publicly.

“In light of today’s sad circumstances, I ask my colleagues: Do we weigh our own political fortunes more heavily than we weigh the strength of our republic, the strength of our democracy, and the cause of freedom? What is the weight of personal acclaim compared to the weight of conscience?” Romney asked his fellow senators when the Senate reconvened after the hours-long interruption Wednesday.

Since then, a few — but far short of the 17 that would be needed — Senate Republicans have expressed either outright support for impeachment or openness to the idea.

“I want him out. He has caused enough damage,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski, an Alaska Republican, told the Anchorage Daily News Saturday.

Democratic Lawmakers Press Ahead With Efforts To Remove President Following Riot At Us Capitol

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WASHINGTON—Congress careened toward a fresh showdown with President Trump, as House Democrats said they plan to vote on impeaching him Wednesday over accusations he incited supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol.

House Democrats introduced an article of impeachment on Monday morning and said they would move ahead regardless of tepid Republican support. While some Republicans have condemned the president for encouraging his supporters to march to the Capitol as lawmakers were voting to ratify President-elect Joe Biden’s victory, only a handful have backed removing him from office through impeachment or other means, while some have floated censure as an alternative.

Democrats, who have unsuccessfully pressed Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Mr. Trump from office, are expected to have enough votes to impeach in the House, which requires only a simple majority. A two-thirds supermajority in the Senate would then be required to convict Mr. Trump. The single article of impeachment alleges “incitement of insurrection.”

Nearly All Gop Senators Vote Against Impeachment Trial For Trump Signaling Likely Acquittal

All but five Republican senators backed former president Donald Trump on Tuesday in a key test vote ahead of his impeachment trial, signaling that the proceedings are likely to end with Trump’s acquittal on the charge that he incited the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

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The vote also demonstrated the continued sway Trump holds over GOP officeholders, even after his exit from the White House under a historic cloud caused by his refusal to concede the November election and his unprecedented efforts to challenge the result.

Trump’s trial is not scheduled to begin until Feb. 9, but senators were sworn in for the proceedings Tuesday, and they immediately voted on an objection raised by Sen. Rand Paul questioning the constitutional basis for the impeachment and removal of a former president.

“Impeachment is for removal from office, and the accused here has already left office,” he argued, adding that the trial would “drag our great country down into the gutter of rancor and vitriol, the likes of which has never been seen in our nation’s history.”

But Democrats argue that Trump must be held accountable for the riot, which saw the Capitol overrun and resulted in the deaths of one police officer and four rioters. Paul’s argument, they said, suggests that presidents can act with impunity late in their terms.

The final vote was 55 to 45 to kill Paul’s objection, with GOP Sens. Susan Collins , Lisa Murkowski , Mitt Romney , Ben Sasse and Patrick J. Toomey joining all 50 Democrats.

Biden Calls Putin To Discuss Navalny Government Hack Ukraine And Malign Actions By Russia

President Biden called President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia on Tuesday to address a long list of grievances — from the hacking of U.S. federal agencies, to the poisoning and detention of the Russian dissident Aleksei A. Navalny as well as a host of other “malign actions by Russia,” Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, said.

Mr. Biden struck a more confrontational tone — a sharp break from former President Donald J. Trump’s chummy approach to Mr. Putin — committing to the protection of Ukraine’s “sovereignty,” and pressing for the extension of the New Start treaty for five years, which would limit both countries to 1,550 deployed strategic nuclear weapons.

“President Biden made clear that the United States will act firmly in defense of its national interests in response to actions by Russia that harm us or our allies,” according to a White House readout of the conversation. “The two presidents agreed to maintain transparent and consistent communication going forward.”

When Mr. Biden was asked at an event at the White House on Tuesday what Mr. Putin had to say, the president joked, “He sends his best!”

Mr. Biden attacked Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin with abandon during the 2020 campaign. But although he was able to mock Mr. Trump’s relationship with the Russian leader when he was a candidate, as president he must keep the peace between uneasy nuclear rivals.

But he quickly pivoted to the need for cooperation in “mutual self-interest,” and the treaty.

transcript

Lloyd Austin The New Defense Secretary Prepares To Address Sexual Assault In The Military

After years of failure to curb the scourge of sexual assault in the military, Lloyd J. Austin III, the new secretary of defense, is open to to how those crimes are prosecuted, a potential sea change that generations of commanders have resisted.

Overhauling the way the military handles sexual assault cases — by taking them outside the chain of command and assigning them to prosecutors with no connection to the accused — would need approval by Congress, where some legislators have long pushed for such a system.

President Biden has been a vocal proponent of these changes, even as general after general has gone to Capitol Hill to argue against them over the past decade. “I had a real run-in with one of the members of the Joint Chiefs in the cabinet room on the issue,” Mr. Biden said last year at a fund-raiser.

Mr. Austin’s first act as secretary was to order a review of how the Pentagon has been handling sexual assault cases. He is also being pushed by Congress. Senators repeatedly asked him how he planned to handle the problems of sexual harassment and assault in the military during his confirmation hearing this month.

If Mr. Austin, a retired four-star army general, were to embrace these changes, he would be the first secretary to do so, a major shift in position for the Pentagon.

There Are Still Far Too Many Political Incentives For The Gop To Stick With The President

When President Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen testified before Wednesday’s House Oversight Committee hearing, his revelations about his ex-boss seemed explosive. Cohen depicted Trump as a racist con man and a mob chieftain, and implicated the president in crimes including witness tampering, campaign finance violations and even potentially conspiring with Russia to promote his business interests and defeat Hillary Clinton in 2016. But the near-uniform hostility from Republicans who tangled with Cohen during the hearing — a day after 13 House Republicans voted to nullify Trump’s national emergency declaration — were stark reminders that anyone who thinks impeachment is near has misjudged the GOP.

With much of Capitol Hill awaiting the release of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s report into the Trump campaign’s role in Russian election interference, the talk of impeachment, on a low burn for two years, is finally heating up. Op-eds have urged members of Congress to consider impeaching Trump , while hedge-fund billionaire Tom Steyer opted against a presidential bid so he could concentrate on his media campaign to persuade lawmakers to launch impeachment proceedings. First-term Rep. Rashida Tlaib promised a gathering of progressive activists that the new Democratic House majority would do just that. Two House members have already formally introduced articles of impeachment.

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Even with evidence of ‘high crimes,’ impeaching Trump would probably fail

House Democrats To Vote To Remove Gop Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene Of Committee Assignments

House Democrats are set to push ahead with stripping Marjorie Taylor Greene of her committee assignments after Republicans opted not to punish the Georgia congresswoman for past comments she’s made in support of harmful conspiracy theories.

Greene has claimed that the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and high-profile school shootings like the Sandy Hook Elementary attack are hoaxes and has called for the execution of prominent Democrats.

The Rules Committee Wednesday voted to bring the matter to the full House for a vote Thursday that will decide whether Greene can stay on her committees for the rest of her term.

More:Donald Trump’s backers failed to take down Liz Cheney. But the GOP’s ‘civil war’ is nowhere near over.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, one of the Democrats Greene had said should be killed, denounced Republicans for not expelling Greene from the caucus. “McCarthy has chosen to make House Republicans ‘the party of conspiracy theories and QAnon’ and Rep. Greene is in the driver’s seat,” Pelosi said in a statement Wednesday that identified McCarthy’s party identification as “Q.”

“We had hoped that the Republican leadership would have dealt with this. For whatever reason, they don’t want to deal with it. And that’s unfortunate. So we are taking this step,” said Rep. James McGovern, D-Mass, who chairs the Rules Committee. “The question we all have to ask ourselves is what is the consequence of doing nothing.”

– Matthew Brown

The Capitol Attack Wasnt A False Flag Gop Officials Continue To Spread The Theory Anyway

In the hours after supporters of President Donald J. Trump engaged in a violent assault on the U.S. Capitol, some Republicans began advancing a fantastical alternative theory: that the attack was actually led by far-left activists trying to frame Republicans.

The outlandish claims have been widely discredited by the authorities, and some of the faces in the Capitol crowd were recognizable right-wing figures. The numerous arrests since the assault have overwhelmingly involved devoted Trump supporters and far-right adherents. But despite the clear evidence, the so-called false flag theory continues to persist in Republican circles.

Last week, the Oregon Republican Party passed a resolution falsely claiming that there was “growing evidence that the violence at the Capitol was a ‘false flag’ operation designed to discredit President Trump, his supporters and all conservative Republicans.” Bill Currier, the chairman of the Oregon Republican Party, said in a video discussion that state party officials were working with counterparts across the country to “coordinate our messaging” around the Capitol attack, the response to it and the continuing efforts to impeach the president.

Mr. Currier said other states would be adopting similar resolutions. “There will be many states doing this,” Mr. Currier said. “We’re not the only ones.”

Twice As Many Republicans Vote To Impeach Trump Than Democrats Voted To Remove Clinton

Newsweek

More Republicans in the House voted for the second impeachment of President Donald Trump on Wednesday than Democrats voted in favor of impeaching President Bill Clinton in 1998.

The House voted to impeach Trump in the aftermath of riots at the U.S. Capitol in January, an event many have said Trump incited, by a vote of 232-197. Four Republican members of the House declined to vote. While a majority of Republicans chose to stand behind Trump and his baseless claims of widespread voter fraud, 10 GOP members decided to break ranks with Trump and call for his impeachment.

NBC News

Trump’s second impeachment was seen as the most bipartisan impeachment in U.S. history. Only 5 Democrats broke ranks to vote for impeaching Clinton. During the impeachment of President Andrew Johnson in 1868, only 7 Republicans joined with Democrats to vote in favor of Johnson’s impeachment.

A majority of the 10 Republicans who voted for Trump’s impeachment represent districts that voted for Trump in the 2020 election.

Ohio Republican Representative Anthony Gonzalez announced his support for impeaching Trump on Wednesday.

“When I consider the full scope of events leading up to January 6th including the President’s lack of response as the United States Capitol was under attack,” Gonzalez wrote, “I am compelled to support impeachment.”

Michigan Representative Peter Meijer, who supported a resolution to censure Trump on Tuesday, voted for impeachment on Wednesday.

Trump Acquitted In Impeachment Trial; 7 Gop Senators Vote With Democrats To Convict

Dareh Gregorian

The Senate on Saturday voted to acquit former President Donald Trump on a charge of incitement of insurrection despite significant Republican support for conviction, bringing an end to the fourth impeachment trial in U.S. history and the second for Trump.

Seven Republicans voted to convict Trump for allegedly inciting the deadly Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol, when a mob of pro-Trump supporters tried to disrupt the electoral vote count formalizing Joe Biden’s election win before a joint session of Congress. That is by far the most bipartisan support for conviction in impeachment history. The final vote was 57 to 43, 10 short of the 67 votes needed to secure a conviction.

Republican Sens. Richard Burr of North Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mitt Romney of Utah, Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania all voted guilty.

The vote means the Senate cannot bar Trump from holding future federal offices.

Moments after the vote concluded, the former president issued a statement praising his legal team and thanking the senators and other members of Congress “who stood proudly for the Constitution we all revere and for the sacred legal principles at the heart of our country.”

“This has been yet another phase of the greatest witch hunt in the history of our Country. No president has ever gone through anything like it,” Trump said.

The White House Press Briefings Will Include An American Sign Language Interpreter

The Biden administration announced this week that it would include an American Sign Language interpreter in its daily press briefings, a step that the previous administration avoided taking until a court ordered it to do so late last year.

The move is a “historical first,” according to Howard A. Rosenblum, the chief executive officer of the National Association of the Deaf.

Past administrations have occasionally had A.S.L. briefers at some White House events and meetings, Mr. Rosenblum said, but President Biden is the first to make it a fixture.

“The president is committed to building an America that is more inclusive, more just and more accessible for every American, including Americans with disabilities and their families,” Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, said during Monday’s briefing. She introduced the interpreter as Heather.

Last year, Mr. Rosenblum’s advocacy group and five deaf Americans sued the Trump administration for holding briefings on the coronavirus without a sign language interpreter present, arguing that it was a violation of the First Amendment.

The government responded that it had provided closed-captioning, but the plaintiffs said that was not an adequate substitute. A federal judge in Washington sided with the plaintiffs, and the Trump administration started including an interpreter in November.

Raskin Compares Trumps Actions On January 6 To Lighting A Fire In Closing Argument

Trump lawyer Michael van der Veen, meanwhile, insisted his client did nothing wrong and maintained he was the victim of vengeful Democrats and a biased news media. He called the impeachment proceedings a “charade from beginning to end.”

While he often seemed angry during his presentation, van der Veen was delighted by the acquittal. Reporters saw him fist bump a fellow member of Trump’s legal team afterward and exclaim, “We’re going to Disney World!”

“While a close call, I am persuaded that impeachments are a tool primarily of removal and we therefore lack jurisdiction,” the influential Kentucky Republican wrote in the email, which was obtained by NBC News.

McConnell, who’d rebuffed Democratic efforts to start the trial while Trump was still in office, had condemned Trump’s conduct after the riot and said he’d keep an open mind about voting to convict — something he’d ruled out entirely during Trump’s first impeachment trial last year.

After voting to acquit, McConnell blasted Trump for his “disgraceful dereliction of duty” and squarely laid the blame for the riot at Trump’s door in what amounted to an endorsement of many of the arguments laid out by House impeachment managers.

“There’s no question — none — that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day,” McConnell said in a speech on the Senate floor.

Cassidy gave a simple explanation for his vote in a 10-second video statement he posted on Twitter.

Fox Gives A Show To One Former Trump Aide But Shoots Down Claims It Hired Another

Larry Kudlow, the former CNBC star who served as director of President Donald J. Trump’s National Economic Council, is returning to broadcasting.

Mr. Kudlow was named the host of a new daily show on Fox Business set to begin later this year, the network said on Tuesday. He will also appear on Fox Business and Fox News as an on-air financial analyst starting Feb. 8.

This is the first major television gig secured by a senior Trump aide who stayed in the White House until the president’s term ended last week. It is also something of a hiring coup for Fox Business, which competes against CNBC and will now feature one of its rival’s longtime featured players.

Fox said that it would provide more information about Mr. Kudlow’s new weekday program at a later date.

Mr. Kudlow’s hiring is the latest example of the revolving door between Fox News and members of the Trump administration. But another prominent Trump defender may not be headed to the Rupert Murdoch-owned network so soon.

Kayleigh McEnany, the former White House press secretary, included an “employment agreement” with Fox News on a federally mandated disclosure form she filed earlier this month, signaling that she had landed a job at the cable channel.

Fox News on Tuesday had a different message for Ms. McEnany: not so fast.

“Kayleigh McEnany is not currently an employee or contributor at Fox News,” the network said in a statement.

Ms. McEnany did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.

‘a Win Is A Win’: Trump’s Defense Team Makes Remarks After Senate Votes To Acquit

Despite the acquittal, President Joe Biden said in a statement that “substance of the charge” against Trump is “not in dispute.”

“Even those opposed to the conviction, like Senate Minority Leader McConnell, believe Donald Trump was guilty of a ‘disgraceful dereliction of duty’ and ‘practically and morally responsible for provoking’ the violence unleashed on the Capitol,” Biden’s statement read in part.

The president added that “this sad chapter in our history has reminded us that democracy is fragile. That it must always be defended. That we must be ever vigilant. That violence and extremism has no place in America. And that each of us has a duty and responsibility as Americans, and especially as leaders, to defend the truth and to defeat the lies.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called Saturday’s vote “the largest and most bipartisan vote in any impeachment trial in history,” but noted it wasn’t enough to secure a conviction.

The trial “was about choosing country over Donald Trump, and 43 Republican members chose Trump. They chose Trump. It should be a weight on their conscience today, and it shall be a weight on their conscience in the future,” he said in a speech on the Senate floor.

With control of the Senate split 50-50, the House managers always had an uphill battle when it came to convincing enough Republicans to cross party lines and convict a former president who is still very popular with a large part of the GOP base.

As Many As 8 Republican Senators Could Vote To Convict And Remove Donald Trump

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While it’s hard to envision a scenario in which the GOP-controlled Senate votes to remove Donald Trump from office, there is a growing possibility that a handful of Republicans in the upper chamber could still side with the Democrats.

As MSNBC political contributor Jason Johnson pointed out on Monday, Trump’s impeachment messaging has been a disaster and it’s making it more likely that a substantial number of Republican senators will vote to convict and remove Trump.

“You could see five, six, seven, eight senators – Republican senators – make symbolic votes for impeachment because the president can’t explain himself and they’re tired of taking arrows for him,” he said.

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Johnson said:

Pelosi Throws Down Gauntlet In Senate Impeachment Trial: Courage Or Cowardice

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi offered a fiery justification Thursday for pursuing the Senate impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump after he left office by saying it will reveal whether the Senate has “courage or cowardice.”

The California Democrat was asked at her weekly news conference why House members would bother with the trial after a Senate procedural vote suggested Trump would be acquitted. The Senate rejected a motion to find the case unconstitutional, but the 45 Republicans who supported the motion suggested that Trump will have support from more than 34 needed for acquittal.

Pelosi forcefully rejected that reasoning, saying senators haven’t yet heard the case. A two-thirds majority of the 100 members would be required to convict Trump of inciting insurrection in the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. Pelosi said House prosecutors are carefully preparing their case for the court of the Senate, the court of public opinion and for history.

“We’ll see if it’s going to be a Senate of courage or cowardice,” Pelosi said.

Republicans have argued that the trial is divisive. But Pelosi quoted Pope Paul VI and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in saying that justice is required for peace. She said the founders who wrote the Constitution included impeachment as a penalty for wrongdoing.

– Bart Jansen

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pamphletstoinspire · 7 years

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Saint Thomas Becket - Archbishop of Canterbury - Feast Day December 29th - Both Calendars

Prayer:

O God, for the sake of whose Church the glorious Bishop Thomas fell by the sword of ungodly men: grant, we beseech Thee, that all who implore his aid, may obtain the good fruit of his petition. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who livest and reignest with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.

***

Thomas Becket was born in Southwark, England on December 21, 1118 A.D., the son of middle-class parents who were descended from the Normans. Educated by the Roman Catholic Church at Merton Abbey, he later studied in Paris. He first served as a clerk for a time in the government of the London police. There he was obliged to learn the various rights of the Church and of the secular arm, but already he saw so many injustices imposed upon the clergy that he preferred to leave that employment rather than participate in iniquity. He then entered the employment of Theobald, Archbishop of Canterbury. Thomas soon rose to prominence as both a clerk and an advisor to the Archbishop. Theobald allowed Thomas to study civil and church law for a year at the University of Bologna, Italy. When he returned to England, the Archbishop ordained him as a deacon and made him Archdeacon of Canterbury. So superior were Thomas’ intellect and abilities that Theobald recommended him to the new King, Henry II, for the important position of Chancellor of England. The King acted on that recommendation, and Thomas became one of the most powerful men in England at about the age of 37 when he became the Lord Chancellor of England.

***

As Chancellor, Becket lived a life of luxury and enjoyed the Kings confidence. They were close friends, and spent a lot of time together – governing, scheming, drinking, and hunting. Some of that scheming involved ways of tapping the wealth of the church for the benefit of the kingdom, which made many enemies for Becket among the English clergy. Becket served his King well in war, as a more than capable military leader, and also carried out diplomatic missions for Henry. Thomas was the Kings right-hand man, and quite probably his best friend.

When Archbishop Theobald died in 1161, King Henry did all in his power to see that Thomas took over his archdiocese. Thomas was not pleased about the idea but, urged upon by Cardinal Henry of Pisa, was ordained a priest on a Saturday in Whit-week by the bishop of Rochester, and was consecrated as Archbishop the next day, Sunday, June 3, 1162 by Henry of Blois, the bishop of Winchester.

After attaining the See of Canterbury, something changed in him. Becket re-signed as Chancellor – a move which apparently surprised King Henry – and he devoted himself wholeheartedly to God. He established a rule for himself, focused on penance and prayer, gave up all luxuries, selling his possessions and given the money to the poor. He adopted the lifestyle of an ascetic: becoming a vegetarian, sleeping little, praying and fasting often, and wearing an irritating “hair shirt” as a sign of penitence. Every day he met with the poor and did his best to feed them, and every night he humbly washed the feet of 13 beggars while doubling the alms given to the poor. He personally examined all the candidates to the priesthood while reorganizing The Archiepiscopal household into a monastic fashion. Regularly he would visit the monks in their cloister, and became moderate and tempered as compared to his life before becoming a religious. The relationship between Thomas and Henry remained for the most part the same for the next year.

Beckett zealously began defending the interests of the Church. This quickly brought him into conflict with Henry. His friendship became strained after he resisted various plans that Henry wanted to institute. Small flare-ups escalated into open conflict in October of AD 1163 when St. Thomas called for a synod to inform his fellow bishops of their need to turn criminal clergy over to civil authorities to be prosecuted. Henry interjected himself to require the bishops to follow several royal (unspecified) customs of the crown. The bishops and their primate committed a non-denial denial of this act, slighting the power of the King.

By the time the Council of Clarendon in AD 1164, Henry demanded several holdings of Thomas be handed over, required royal permission for leaving England to go abroad or appeal to Rome, required that the revenue of vacant benefices come to the King (a holdover of Henry I), no one could be excommunicated against the will of the King, and required clerics prosecuted in ecclesiastical courts be handed over to civil authority (for possible double punishment).

Thomas acquiesced to some extent in excepting these impositions, and was greatly remorseful in providing a bad example for the other bishops which they were only to willing to follow. In committing what he felt was a sinful act of submission, he would not for over forty days offer the Mass, until receiving absolution. Henry nevertheless continued the attacks on Thomas, culminating in a council at Northampton. Henry had already fined Thomas 30,000 marks, and the lords persuaded their respective prelates with the king to: fine Thomas for not showing up, monetary causes put against Thomas, and then several accounts were demanded. Henry of Winchester tried to stem the tide, but to no avail. Most of the attacks came at Thomas as former chancellor; a cunning act of obfuscation (concealing their real purpose) and in reality cowardice.

On the thirteenth of October, AD 1164, Thomas celebrated a votive Mass for St. Stephen the protomartyr. Afterwards Thomas, without mitre or pallium, entered the hall with his metropolitan cross in hand to meet the king. A baron came out, and informed Thomas he would have to render all his accounts, or suffer judgment. To this, Thomas informed the baron he was not subject to temporal authority, would answer to no charges, and in fact all those in attendance were servants to the Church, the Pope and God, and would have only to appear before the Pope to settle these matters. He was responded to with shouts of “traitor.”

Thomas left Northampton and embarked from Sandwich. He and his companions landed at Flanders where they went to King Louis VII of France. Pope Alexander III was at that time at Sens, and the prelates at the behest of Henry came to Sens and accused Thomas of all matters of offense, then left before Thomas arrived. Thomas showed the Pope the 16 edits of Clarendon, which the Pope condemned en masse. Thomas then informed the Pope of the circumstances of his election, and offered the ring of his office and resignation, feeling his consecration was not canonical. The Pope reinstated Thomas in dignity to his office, and told him to hold fast so as to not be seen as abandoning the cause of God. With this, he went to the abbot of Pontigny to stay.

St. Thomas saw this place of the Cistercian as a place of penance, and submitted to the rules of the house, without exception. Here he wrote to opponents and supporters in such a manner that it hardened the position of both sides. Meanwhile, Henry confiscated the properties of Thomas, banished his friends and hardened in his schism. He even threatened the Cistercians with confiscation of their properties in England if they continued to harbor Thomas and his friends. Thomas agreed to leave, and took up residence with King Louis at the monastery of St. Columba while negotiations went on for six years. In July, 1170 a truce was worked out. On December 1, he returned to Sandwich to much acclaim and peace. When the archbishop of York assisted in the coronation of Henry’s son, in defiance of both Thomas and the Pope, Thomas had the archbishop and three other bishops deposed. When Thomas was in London, the “boy King” refused to meet with him. Later, at Bayeux when the bishops were arguing their case, the “boy King” uttered those fateful words that he did not want Thomas to be the Archbishop any longer. Four knights Reginald Fitzurse, William de Tracy, Hugh de Morville, and Richard le Breton took this remark as a wish for the Archbishop to die,

On St. John’s day (December 29, 1170), Thomas received a letter warning of the threat. The four knights initially came to him demanding a release of the censures against the bishops, but he refused and they left in anger. They soon returned and Thomas was ushered off by attendants to the Church, where the doors were shut, and then re-opened by Thomas when the monks were shut out. Finally, only Edward Grim, was left with Thomas. The knights approached asking where was the traitor, Thomas responded that only an archbishop and a priest of God were present. Both men stood between the altars of St. Benedict and of our Lady. The knights demanded the release of censure once again, but Thomas refused. Edward Grim blocked the first blow, but it still lacerated the head of Thomas. A struggle ensued, and St. Thomas called upon the Lord and His saints. He went to his knees and uttered that for Christ and His Church he was willing to die. After receiving repeated blows to the head, Thomas passed away. Only the knight Hugh de Morville did not strike any blows against Thomas. Once the knights finished, they fled The cloister.

Thomas was canonized by Pope Alexander III on Ash Wednesday, 1173. Many doubt the intention of Henry to have Thomas Becket killed, but in July, 1174 eighteen months after Thomas’ canonization, Henry submitted to a public scourging as an act of humiliation. On the seventh of July, 1220 St. Thomas’ relics were translated from the crypt to a tomb behind the high altar in an enormous gathering. In attendance were Stephen Cardinal Langton, archbishop of Canterbury, King Henry III, and Cardinal Panduff, papal legate and archbishop of Rheims. After the incident, Canterbury became the third greatest site of pilgrimage in all of Europe. Many miracles have been reported to have taken place at the site.

Reflection

No one becomes a saint without struggle, especially with himself. Thomas knew he must stand firm in defense of the truth and right, even at the cost of his life. We also must take a stand in the face of pressures-against dishonesty, deceit, destruction of life-at the cost of popularity, convenience, promotion and even greater goods.

#st. thomas becket

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deliverydefresas · 7 years

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i just want it to be you and me forever

I’m late to the party I know, I know.

someone tell me what this is bc i have no idea, lmao (for real)

“We both came here to buy the same movie but there is only one dvd left let’s Split the cost and watch it together i have popcorn at home.”

“I’m telling you I’m 100% fine, Nina. You don’t need to ditch your date because of me.”

“Are you sure, Luna? You just broke up with Aaron, Gastón and I can reschedule any other day.”

“Again, that’s unnecessary.” Luna, at this point, had lost count of how many times she’s said this the last ten minutes. Nina was her best friend in the whole world, and she loved her a lot, but she could be overbearing when she thought she needed her. “I’ll just watch a movie, order pizza, maybe drink some wine and be extra fine by morning, okay?”

Her answer wasn’t good enough for Nina, “so you aren’t 100% fine right now?”

“That’s why I said extra fine, N.” She has to giggle because she can just picture her best friend trying to come up with reasons to appear on her doorstep and give her the ‘there’s many more fishes in the sea’ pep talk. Finally, Nina sighs and she almost dances in the middle of the street because it’s not a daily occurrence for her to admit defeat so quickly.

“Fine, then. What movie are you watching?”

“I was thinking of Grease, but I left that at my parents’ so I’m buying another one; there’s a DVD Shop four blocks away, and I’m almost there right now.” She chirps into her phone, almost skipping her way to the shop.

“Too lazy to drive to your parents’ house?”

“More like, too lazy to have the ‘I broke up with my boyfriend that you never even met, no mom, I don’t need to cry, and no dad, I don’t want you to “beat him up”’ talk, y’know?”

Nina laughs at her words and that cheers her up even more. It’s not like she’s heartbroken (because she’s not, she didn’t even like the dude that much, honestly) but making other people happy always made her happier, too. It felt nice to know other people smiled and laughed because of you.

“Did they even know you were dating someone?”

She snorts a “no” and almost trips on someone else’s foot, apologizing profusely when she sees it’s a lady carrying a baby. Nina calls for her attention thirty seconds later, “the only ones who knew were you, and Gastón by association. Oh, and Ámbar.”

Nina sounds surprised at this, “you told your cousin?”

“It wasn’t on my plans,” she admits, cringing a little at the memory. “You know subtly isn’t my forte, so really, me asking her how to dump a guy was kind of a given.”

“I can’t picture Ámbar giving good advice on that.”

“She didn’t,” Luna’s glad she’s only a block away now, if she continued to laugh she’d either pass the shop or trip again and knock a baby off a mother’s arms, “she told me to text him ‘I’d rather lit my hair on fire than to keep on dating you’.”

Nina’s gasp makes her laugh harder, “no!”

“Yes!” by then, she’s already in opening the door to enter the shop, scanning quickly were the ‘musical’s’ section is at, “look, N, I gotta go now. I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”

“Fine, but we’re still on for lunch. I’ll pick you up at 11.”

Luna hums in agreement, “that’s alright. Bye, Nina, love you!” She waits until she hears a faint ‘I love you too!’ to hang up and turn into search mode. Five minutes later, she’s looked at all the movies under the ‘G’ letter twice and still hasn’t seen John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John anywhere. Just as she’s about to give up and look for help, a guy walks her way and skims over the ‘H’ section and easily pulls out a copy of her movie.

Without meaning to, she’s gasping, “how did you do that?!”

The guy looks startled for a second, until he notices it’s her who spoke and then he’s smirking. Luna’s torn between checking him out (the guy is cute) and scowling at him (his smirk gives her the ‘he’s an asshole’ vibe) so she decides to do both at the same time. Her scow falters a little when she confirms that he’s, in fact, cute and around her age; unless he’s like her and looks younger than his actual age, which could be bad because over thirty years old kind of freak her out even if she’s halfway there.

“How did I do what?” he’s asking her, his smirk growing a little when he catches her eyes checking him out.

“Find Grease, I’ve been looking for it for five minutes, it wasn’t with the rest of the ‘G’s.” Luna looks at him once more, noticing he looks quite familiar. “Have we met before?”

His eyes hold amusement at her question, and he obviously can’t hold back a, “in your dreams.” He chuckles when she glares at him, “I think we live in the same building, you look familiar too.”

“Oh.” His chuckle turned into a laugh at this, and she feels the tip of her ears getting warmer, “what about the movie?”

He looks down at the movie in his hand, smiling sheepishly once his eyes return to her face, “I hid it under the ‘H’ yesterday. It was the last one and I had forgotten my wallet so…”

“So there’s not another one available?” She feels disappointed. Luna really wants to watch it, but there’s no way in hell she’s driving to her parents’ house just for the DVD. She could try to omit the boyfriend news, but she knew that they’d tell her to stay for dinner and eventually the feeling of guilt would appear and she’d end up spilling her guts to them.

He hesitated for a little, before telling her “no”.

“Great.” She’s pouting, and she knows it. But she really doesn’t want to spend the evening with her parents, as much as she loves them, and she refused Nina’s offer so now she’s out of plans and will have to spend it zapping through channels and hope she finds something at least a little interesting on a Wednesday night.

“Uh, if you want we could, um, maybe watch it together, um…” he speaks and pulls her out of her sulking, realizing a second later that he’s asking for her name.

“Luna. I’m Luna.” She offers him her hand, squeezing his slightly when he accepts it.

“Matteo. Nice to meet you, Luna.” He’s smiling, and she’s temporally distracted because he’s no longer cute, but very, very pretty.

And then she remembers his offer, “um, I don’t know about the movie, though. I can always watch another thing, honestly…” Matteo looks a little dejected by this, his smile dropping a little, and she can’t help but feel a little bad.

“It’s okay, I just thought I’d offer. I have great popcorn at home and everything.” He’s cringing as soon as he realizes he’s offering popcorn to lure her to agree.

“Great popcorn, huh?”

“The greatest.”

She thinks it over for a moment. Her brain knows it’s more cons than pros; neighbor or not, she’s just met him and knows only his name (not even the full one), that he lives in her building, that he apparently likes Grease and that he’s got great popcorn. Not exactly the best information. However, her hormones are telling her to agree, that even if she doesn’t know him that well this is the opportunity to.

“Hey, it’s cool if you don’t want to. I could always lend it to you after I’ve watched it.” His offer is nice, and logically speaking, it’s a great chance to see him again. But she wants to see it tonight.

“No, I want to, it’s just…” the I don’t know you hangs in the air and he smiles again, looking all pretty again and she’s super ready to ignore her brain.

“You can call a friend and tell her you’re with me if that makes you feel better. I promise I’m not a creep, or a murderer, and you’ll be completely safe; and I won’t get offended if you do, Luna.”

She’s sold.

“Okay, fine. But I’m paying for the movie too.”

His smile turns into a grin and he nods, pointing to the cash register, where a bored teenager is waiting for costumers. “Shall we?”

Twenty minutes later, she’s texting Nina she’s with him and they’re going to watch Grease together, as well as his full name (he’s a Balsano, no middle name) and the number of his apartment (turns out he’s just one floor above her), and to call her three hours from now to check up on her and save her if needed.

She’s surprised when Nina responds with “you finally met him?”

“what do you mean?” she texts backs quickly, confused.

“he’s one of Gastón’s bffs from Oxford. He’s been living above you for months.”

“WTF??????”

“where do you think Gastón went after dropping me off at your house?????”

She doesn’t respond after that, because Matteo appears from his kitchen with a bowl full of popcorn, two sodas and two bottles of water. Now that she knows he’s the same age as Gastón (only a year older), she’s lowkey glad he’s not over thirty years old. It would have been weird.

Luna waits until he’s seated next to her to ask him, “you know Nina and Gastón?”

Matteo looks just as shocked as she is, and then he puts two and two together, “you’re Nina’s Luna?”

“I’d like to say ‘you’re Gastón’s Matteo’, but neither of them has talked about you.”

He smiles at her, offering her a bottle of water, “I’m not surprised. I only met Nina twice, and she was mostly quiet and letting Gastón talk about our time in Oxford. He was the one who mentioned you the most.”

She blinks once, twice, and grabs the bottle from his hand, “really? Weird. Gastón usually leaves us alone within ten minutes of us being together, says our language confuses him.”

“He’s very grateful Nina had you while he was away. I think he believes that without you around she’d given up on their relationship without trying first.”

“Probably,” she admits. Nina needed to be encouraged a little to go after what she wanted; it was worse when she had been younger, but now it rarely happened. She was very proud of her.

“So, why Grease?” he asks after a moment, throwing some popcorn in his mouth.

“I could ask the same thing.”

He shrugs, “it’s a fun movie. The music is good, too.”

“You like the music?” she doesn’t know why she’s surprised, half the population knew at least You’re the One That I Want.

Matteo grins, “Faculty of Music, graduated with honors. Had to take a whole curse on Musicals.”

She’s impressed, and a little thrown off at this, “oh, I just assumed you studied Economics, like Gastón.”

“Nah. We were in the same dorm on Freshman year, rented a ‘flat’ the next year. Have been close ever since.”

“And you followed him to Argentina after graduation? Truest love, Nina should be jealous.” He knows she’s teasing him, and he laughs with her.

“She should. I’m gonna steal her man so fast she won’t even notice until last minute.” Matteo pretends to flip his hair, she’s laughing harder, “I didn’t really follow him, though. I lived here a couple years before I went to England, then went to Italy for a year, and came back.”

“Your Italian accent hasn’t gone away, yet.” She noted, grabbing some popcorn off the bowl. She also noticed the movie had been ready to play for over twenty minutes, but none had reached to press play, or seemed in a hurry to do so.

“I wasn’t even born in Italy, but in Paris. My parents are Italian, so I caught their accent, only lived in Milan five years and that was enough for the it to stick. I spent some time in Spain too, that’s where I learnt Spanish.”

“That’s so cool.” Even if her words could appear as sarcastic, her tone and expression said otherwise. Matteo’s cheeks turned a bit pink, but his face remained unaffected.

“So, you never told me why you wanted Grease.”

“I broke it off with a guy, decided to watch a movie that made me happy.” She shrugs it off, but she notices how he seemed to stiff a little at her comment. He’s about to apologize for bringing it up, however, she shakes her head, “no, it’s okay. I really didn’t like him that much, the six weeks we went out I just wanted to lit my hair on fire than to keep on dating him.”

“You should’ve texted him that.” Matteo jokes, and again, she notices how he relaxes after she’s spoken.

“My cousin, Ámbar, told me the same!”

“She’s smart, you should’ve listened to her.”

“I thought it was the pregnancy hormones talking but I think you’re as crazy and mean as she is.”

“What can I say? Great people think alike.”

“Crazy people think alike, you mean.” They both laugh and take a minute to catch their breath.

Luna takes it as time to put her feelings on check. It’s weird, honestly. She feels so… connected? In sync? Comfortable? It’s not like she doesn’t hit it off with other people easily, because she does, quite a lot really. She’s sociable, she’s nice and she has a natural charm, but most of the time it’s more platonic than anything.

Matteo doesn’t feel platonic enough to be in that category.

The popcorn is getting colder and he asks if she’s ready to watch the movie. She says yes.

It’s not until Rizzo pushes Sandy and Patty Simcox lands with the trashcan that it hits her.

“Matteo?” he hums in acknowledgement, turning his head from the T.V. to look at her, “was it really the only movie left?”

His eyes shine with mischief, but his smile and expression try to play it as innocence, “of course it was. If they had more in the back, though…”

#lutteoficweek #soy luna #lutteo #matteo balsano #luna valente #sl ff #my sl ff #lutteo ff #my lutteo ff #honestly this is a whole ?#not proofread bc what even is that #mine #lutteoficweek2

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congregamus · 8 years

Text

LENT: Mental Deconstructions

CAUTION: I am a loud work zone. Cover your ears and head to avoid injury.

I spend a lot of time paying attention to the goings-on in my nugget, so I figured that my failure to line up for our collective self-denial on Ash Wednesday (and the following “beyond” which is now or temporal habitation) was just another example of having survived a fundamentalist childhood, digging in my heels, and refusing to be parented, Divinely or otherwise.

Turns out, no.

If I was a troublesome, always-why?!-ing two-year-old, that bit was left out or else has been kindly re-edited to cohere with the mostly-harmless, curious personality I now demonstrate/perform. I was incredibly willful regarding personal agency, but surprisingly easy-going when it came to concepts.

These days, the agency of my person causes me very little trouble, but the quality and intentionality of my mental world is the ditch that gets me dirty most often. Mostly I imagine because I know that if my mental state is wrong, it’s my own damn fault for allowing/aligning myself with such. Even seemingly insignificant beliefs we hold about How Things Really Are deeply color the quality of experience, and I’ve been reminded of this lately. Consequently, I have found it necessary to deconstruct Lent, and I have found that--this go around at least--a Lent of forced austerity would be spiritually detrimental.

Upon asking myself WHY I should spiritually flagellate, I don’t get a good answer. Instead, passages like

12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you, * for the whole world is mine and all that is in it. 13 Do you think I eat the flesh of bulls, * or drink the blood of goats? 14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving * and make good your vows to the Most High.

(Psalm 50)

and

6 With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” 8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

(Micah 6)

leap off the page at me when I encounter them. They are so vital, so full of relationship. The psalm passage sounds like a lover’s quarrel. Do you really think that I like to have to ask you to do this? Do you not see how invalidating it is to have to ask?! In the second passage, there are hints of meme (”you vs. the one she tells you not to worry about”) as Micah, about whom we know so little except for the fact that he was likely very poor, soothes his own social disgrace by reminding himself (by declaring to Israel) how unimpressive performative acts of material sacrifice are to the Most High.

So then, observing a conscious Lent requires I ask myself the motivation for this sacrifice? Do I truly believe that love and self-sacrifice are inextricable? Is it performative, or is it demonstrative?

The difference of intentionality here is of utmost importance. Performative love is a Facebook engagement photoshoot. Demonstrative love is presence and a quiet hand-squeeze in tough times. A performer myself, I must take care not to demean showmanship. Performative love can be love, but it is as much for the benefit of the larger tribe as it is for the beloved. Demonstrative love runs the risk of never even having been recognized, let alone acknowledged.

So I have decided that my Lenten fast this year will be demonstrative rather than performative. If anything, I reckon you’ll all probably get to watch me performing inebriation more than usual.

Much love to you all, and a blessed, holy Lent however you honor it, if at all.

#minutiae #text #lent #deconstruction #monasticism #monologue #reflection #agency #psalms #prophets #micah #performative #intoxication #inventory

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dfroza · 4 years

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even God holds pure secrets until the right timing to unveil them

because He already knows all things. and we don’t. but the truth of Love (a new covenant of grace) has been revealed according to His design of reaching the world with a seed of rebirth.

and the Scriptures have been written down to illuminate this.

and in Today’s reading we continue with the book that John was instructed to write (and even parts to keep secret) that points to a grand end of time, yet simultaneously a new genesis.

[Revelation 10]

I saw another powerful Angel coming down out of Heaven wrapped in a cloud. There was a rainbow over his head, his face was sun-radiant, his legs pillars of fire. He had a small book open in his hand. He placed his right foot on the sea and his left foot on land, then called out thunderously, a lion roar. When he called out, the Seven Thunders called back. When the Seven Thunders spoke, I started to write it all down, but a voice out of Heaven stopped me, saying, “Seal with silence the Seven Thunders; don’t write a word.”

Then the Angel I saw astride sea and land lifted his right hand to Heaven and swore by the One Living Forever and Ever, who created Heaven and everything in it, earth and everything in it, sea and everything in it, that time was up—that when the seventh Angel blew his trumpet, which he was about to do, the Mystery of God, all the plans he had revealed to his servants, the prophets, would be completed.

The voice out of Heaven spoke to me again: “Go, take the book held open in the hand of the Angel astride sea and earth.” I went up to the Angel and said, “Give me the little book.” He said, “Take it, then eat it. It will taste sweet like honey, but turn sour in your stomach.” I took the little book from the Angel’s hand and it was sweet honey in my mouth, but when I swallowed, my stomach curdled. Then I was told, “You must go back and prophesy again over many peoples and nations and languages and kings.”

The Book of Revelation, Chapter 10 (The Message)

Today’s paired chapter of the Testaments with Revelation 10 is Numbers chapter 11 where the Israelites were learning in the wilderness to fear God, to have respect by knowing that He is ultimately in charge of things, which should produce humility in all of us no matter who we are.

[Numbers 11]

The people griped about life in the wilderness, how hard they felt things were for them, and these evil complaints came up to the ears of the Eternal One. He was furious about this ingratitude, faithlessness, and lack of vision. His anger was kindled, and His fire raged among them and devoured some of the camp’s perimeter. The people of Israel cried out and ran to Moses and begged him to do something! Moses did. He prayed to the Eternal One, and the flames settled down. On account of this incident of the burning fire from the Eternal, the place where it happened is called Taberah, which means “burning.”

A contingent of Israelites had a strong craving for different food, and the Israelites started complaining again.

Israelites: Who will give us meat to eat? Remember in Egypt when we could eat whatever amount of fish we wanted, or even the abundant cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic. But this, this can hardly be called food at all! Our appetites have dried up. All we ever have to look at is manna, manna, manna.

The thing about the manna is this: It is like coriander seed but the golden color of gum resin, falling on the camp with the morning dew. The people could just walk around and pick it up. After grinding it with millstones to a kind of flour or crushing it with a mortar, they boiled it in a pot and then formed it into patties. These tasted something like cake prepared with oil, a kind of sweet bread. Well, Moses overheard the people in all the clans moaning at the door of their tents about the manna. The Eternal grew really angry again, and Moses thought the whole situation was wrong.

Moses (to the Lord): Why are You so hard on me? I am your devoted servant. Why don’t You look on me with affection? Why do I have the great burden of these spiteful people? Did I conceive them, bear them, and give birth to them? Why should You tell me to carry them—as a nanny does some suckling infant—into the land that You swore to their ancestors? And now, where am I supposed to find meat to feed this crowd crying out that I give them food to eat? I simply cannot keep carrying them along. They are way too heavy. If You plan to treat me like this, then just kill me now. If You care about me at all, just put me out of my misery so I do not have to live out this distress.

Eternal One (to Moses): Listen, just do this for Me. Get 70 community elders, ones whom you know are real leaders among the people, and bring them into the congregation tent where we meet. Tell them to stand with you there. I will then descend among you. I will speak with you, and withdraw some of My Spirit from you and place it on them so that they can help you with the burden of this people. Then you won’t have to carry it all alone. Then tell the people this: “Purify yourselves for what will happen tomorrow. You will eat meat because you have cried to Me, saying, ‘If only someone would give us meat to eat! We were content back in Egypt.’ The Eternal will indeed give you meat, and you shall eat it. You’ll be eating meat not just one day, or two or five or ten or twenty, but every single day for an entire month. Meat, meat, and more meat. You’ll eat meat until it comes out of your noses and you can’t stand it anymore. For you’ve rejected Me, who is with you, by asking why you left Egypt.”

Moses: There are 600,000 people walking with me here. You say that You’re going to give them heaps of meat for an entire month? Think of the logistics! Are there really enough sheep and cattle traveling with us to slaughter, or enough fish in the sea for that matter, to provide such a supply?

Eternal One: Do you doubt Me? Do you question My power, that I can do what I’ve said? Just watch—you’ll see what will happen.

So Moses went out and told the people what the Eternal One had said. He also gathered 70 community elders and situated them around the congregation tent. Then the Eternal descended in a cloud and talked with Moses, and He took some of the Spirit He laid on Moses and laid it on those 70 elders. At the moment when the Spirit touched them, each one prophesied, but they did not continue doing this.

A couple of men (Eldad and Medad) who had been organized during the Israelite counting, didn’t come to the tent but remained in the greater camp area and prophesied there. A young man ran to Moses and reported it.

Young Man: Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!

Joshua (Nun’s son and Moses’ assistant from the time he was little), also was alarmed.

Joshua: Moses, my lord, stop them!

Moses: Are you so agitated on my account? If only all of the Eternal’s people were prophets, that He would lay His Spirit on them.

After this, Moses and the elders of Israel went back into the greater camp.

Suddenly the Eternal One blew a wind carrying quails in from around the sea and letting them drop all around the camp. There were quails as far as the eye could see—a day’s journey on one side of the camp and another day’s journey on the other side, and they were about three feet deep on the ground. The people got to work right away, gathering the quails. It took them the rest of that day and all night and the entire next day to pick up all the birds. Finally, no one had fewer than 60 bushels, and they spread them out all over the camp. While the people were still biting meat off the bone, before it was even chewed, the anger of the Eternal was unleashed against them. He struck the people down with a terrible plague. Because He killed so many of them on account of their craving and because of these buried there, the place was called Kibroth-hattaavah, which means “graves of cravings.” The people journeyed on from there to Hazeroth, where they stayed for awhile.

The Book of Numbers, Chapter 11 (The Voice)

my personal reading of the Scriptures for Wednesday, june 3 of 2020 with a paired chapter from each Testament along with Today’s Psalms and Proverbs

A post by John Parsons to accompany Today’s reading:

The Mishnah says, shuv yom echad lifnei mi’tatakh: "Repent one day before you die" (Avot 2:10), but who knows the day of one's death in advance? Perhaps your name will be called today, ending your "lease on life" in this world. Are you ready? Are you prepared to appear before God your Creator, your Judge, and your Redeemer? Therefore live each day as if it were your last, making sure you seek the things that really matter... "Watch -- for you know neither the day nor the hour..." (Mark 13:33). Today is the day of salvation (Psalm 95:7; Heb. 3:15). As C.S. Lewis wrote: “The Future is, of all things, the thing least like eternity. It is the most temporal part of time -- for the Past is frozen and no longer flows, and the Present is all lit up with eternal rays, the point at which time touches eternity. Of the present moment, and of it only, humans have an experience analogous to the experience which [God] has of reality as a whole; in it alone freedom and actuality are offered them. God would therefore have us continually concerned either with eternity (which means being concerned with Him) or with the Present — either meditating on their eternal union with, or separation from, Himself” (The Screwtape Letters). [Hebrew for Christians]

6.2.20 • Facebook

Our Savior says: “You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). Spiritually understood the soul in its natural state is sick, in a state of error and ongoing self-deception. The truth sets us free from our self-imprisonment, from the bondage we have to our illusions, so that we may be healed, transformed and made new. However, knowing the truth is more volitional than it is cognitive – it is revealed in our decisions and actions, not merely in holding to a “true opinion” or assenting to a “true creed.” Knowing the truth permeates the whole person – bekhol levavkha – and accepts all the consequences of its decision and passion. There is real danger here, friends. Even learning Scripture and studying theology may become untruth if it is devoid of the fear of the Lord. “How many have asked, ‘What is truth?’ and at bottom hoped that it would be a long time before the truth would come so close to him that in the same instant it would determine what his duty was to do at the moment?” (Kierkegaard: Works of Love).

The deeper question is whether you actually want genuine freedom, since many are content to “exist” in the cold comfort of their resentments, in the desert of the self-serving ego, and in the wasteland of anger and fear... Self-deception is enticing because it provides an excuse to be mediocre; it justifies a victim mentality and abnegates personal responsibility. It is far easier to blame others for your life than to own the truth about yourself, to walk in the truth, and to seek the blessing of truth. Spiritual freedom means being awakened and empowered to choose the Eternal by denying the present moment’s demand to be made absolute. It offers no peace to the natural desire for the soul to return to its sleepy state, but calls and rouses the heart to wake up and confront the demands of eternity...

In heaven there is only the language of truth, and truth is the language of heaven. “If we ask according to his will, he hears us...” (1 John 5:14). This means that words find their traction only in honesty of the heart, in the midst of our deepest need. Only in “fear and trembling” can we talk with God, though when we pray fervently, our words may trail off until we become silent.... But it is there, in the silence of the soul, that we may learn to listen to the Spirit and hear God’s voice. When we seek first the kingdom of God, we will lay aside everything else, quiet our hearts, and focus our will. Seeking God in this way is an end in itself, for whatever else we may seek must be subordinated to this greater seeking. “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart” (Jer. 29:13). [Hebrew for Christians]

6.3.20 • Facebook

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truthbeetoldmedia · 5 years

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Jane the Virgin 5x01 “Chapter Eighty-Two” Review

The Season 4 finale of Jane the Virgin ended on quite a cliffhanger: Michael, Jane’s ex-husband who died four years ago, was revealed to actually be alive. (My not-so-generous thoughts on this particular plot twist can be read here.)

Over the lengthy, nearly year-long hiatus since the Season 4 finale aired, questions and theories about Michael’s return abounded: how could he possibly be alive? What would his return mean for Jane and Rafael’s relationship? Was it even really Michael?

For me, my interest in watching the show’s final season hinged on how it answered these questions. (To be honest, I have absolutely no interest in watching Jane leave Rafael again to be with Michael, whom I was never fond of in the first place.)

Within minutes, most of fan’s questions had been addressed, for the most part satisfactorily:

Yes, Michael is indeed Michael (Rafael had a DNA test done before telling Jane about him, just to be sure), except he goes by Jason now (after Jason Bourne), he has a dog and also amnesia, and he remembers nothing about Jane or their past life together.

It turns out Rose orchestrated his entire death, from giving him drugs that would slow down his heart to the point of it having appeared to stop, to having him carted out of the examination hall by EMTs who were under her command. (I’m still a little skeptical of this explanation, but I’ll let it slide for now. Also — are you telling me at no point Jane would have asked or been able to see Michael’s body?) She then induced his amnesia by giving him electroshock therapy centred on the hippocampus and temporal lobe and dropped him off in Montana, where he’s spent the last four years.

Okay, so Michael was essentially tortured into forgetting everything about his life. Even I, a staunch Michael non-supporter, feel bad for him.

One thing that’s not clear yet: what was Rose’s motivation behind doing this? The one person who can possibly help answer that question is Luisa; she and Rafael are in contact again after he gave up her location to Rose in order to learn where Michael was, and she seems determined to help her brother find out what Rose’s game is, even though Raf is unwilling to ask that of her.

And how’s Jane doing after finding out that her dead ex-husband is no longer dead and is also possibly no longer her ex-husband? She’s doing fine! (The episode features a 7-minute long monologue by Jane — which Gina Rodriguez absolutely kills — where she works through her emotions in a way that strongly reminded me of the Friends episode “The One Where Ross is Fine.”)

Honestly though, Jane is doing pretty well. Sure, she passes out upon first seeing Michael, but after that she handles everything like a champ, from the realization that she might be married again, to attending Michael’s neurologist appointment along with his mother, to taking Michael to places they used to visit all the time in an effort to spark his memory. What’s less painful than reliving a bunch of memories with a man you once loved but who no longer recognizes you, and whom you no longer recognize in return?

Because not only is Michael amnesiatic, he’s also no longer the Michael we spent two and a half seasons getting to know. Once an avid cat lover, he’s now a dog person who doesn’t like cats at all; he speaks in a slow drawl and calls Jane “ma’am” (he’s older than her!); he hates cubanos; he’s attracted to Petra; and the light-hearted, kind, funny aspects of Michael that Jane — and everyone — loved seem to have been stripped away completely.

Listen, I’ve stated before, and I’ll state again, and I’ll probably state many times throughout this season: I’ve never been a fan of Michael. But man, this episode, with its sparing use of flashbacks and video, made me miss him. And if that’s how I felt, I can only imagine how it made fans of Michael feel. Including his in-world fans: obviously Jane is a mess, and Rogelio, who considered Michael his best friend, is absolutely heartbroken when Michael doesn’t remember him. Alba and Xo, who considered Michael part of their family, and of course Mateo who once saw him as a father figure, now hardly remembers him, and hasn’t yet been told that he’s alive.

Then Rafael, whose own world has been rocked but mostly stands as a supportive background figure in this episode, giving Jane the room she needs, deciding to put off the move until things settle down, looking after all three of his children, and being a shoulder for Rogelio to cry on. As proud as I was of Rafael in this episode (he has grown so much since the show’s early seasons) I was also worried: we all know Rafael tends to withdraw inside himself when he’s overwhelmed, and those bottled-up feelings usually burst out of him in a negative way.

Maybe I was worried for no reason though, because Rafael does allow himself to break down in front of Xo, admitting to her how scared he is at the possibility of losing Jane. As Jane brings up several times during the episode — so does Rogelio, upon finding the ring — Rafael and Jane were supposed to get engaged, they were in the process of moving in together, and now their whole life has been put on hold.

What does the future hold for this couple? The episode ends on a positive note for them, as Jane shows up at Rafael’s new workplace (wearing a yellow dress and paralleling the pilot, when she visited Michael at work to propose to him) to tell him that she loves him and that she’s still planning on moving in with him. They kiss, but the narrator makes it clear that perhaps things won’t go for them as planned.

Not that I would expect them to, this being the first episode of the season for a telenovela, but I’m not too thrilled at the prospect of more relationship drama just when things were starting to calm down. Remember, in Season 1, Jane ends up leaving Michael for Rafael not too long after they got engaged, so if the parallel continues there’s a good chance we can expect the inverse to happen here.

But take heart, #Jafael fans: remember also that Jane ultimately chose Michael over Rafael. I still believe that in this second iteration, she’ll eventually choose Rafael over Michael.

There was another big question left unanswered in the Season 4 finale, although to be honest I completely forgot about it until this episode aired: JR shot somebody in order to save Petra’s life. Who?

Remember Milos? Petra’s acid-throwing, stalking, arms-dealing ex-husband? He’s back!

For a short time, at least.

Milos’ motivation in trying to frame Petra was apparently nothing more than to put her in jail, in return for her putting him in jail. And he never wanted to kill her just...maim her, I guess.

After being shot in the arm by JR, Milos attempts to strike a bargain with Petra in order to stop her from calling the police; he once again has majority ownership of the hotel (after being behind the charity that Luisa donated her shares to) and he will give them back to her, if only she lets him go.

Petra hesitates, which is the last straw for JR, who’s still angry at Petra for lying to her about murdering her sister (man, there are some sentences I type out that make me realize just how bonkers this show is). Even though Petra insists that she wasn’t really considering Milos offer, she was just caught off guard, JR doesn’t believe her — and while they’re arguing, Milos disappears.

Eventually, Milos is found by Petra, hiding inside a giant teddy bear in Anna and Elsa’s room. The wound in his arm is now infected and he once again attempts to bargain with Petra: he’ll give her his shares to the hotel, if she gets him some antibiotics.

Will Petra be tempted to make the deal, now that JR isn’t there to stop her? Or has she truly changed?

The audience — and Milos — is led to believe that it’s the former, as Petra even makes Milos write out his promise by hand (a bloodstained note that the Narrator is uncertain would hold up in court). But it turns out that Petra was only playing for time while she was waiting for the police to turn up; they quickly arrest Milos and lead him away.

(As an aside, Petra’s line to Milos of “By the way, I’m bisexual. It’s you” was such a power move. I was so scared they were going to let Milos’ offhand and derisive lesbian comment from earlier stand.)

Petra has changed for the better, and as she promises JR she’ll continue to change — but, for now at least, JR is unwilling to wait for that to happen. Just as Petra can’t forget the things in her past that forced her to become who she is today, JR can’t forget the things Petra did that caused them to break up in the first place. So for now, the two go their separate ways, but I have hope for them reuniting at some point in the future.

What about Milos? Is his role in this story truly done? I wouldn’t be so sure; it seems that almost no character on this show disappears forever.

Even ones that have been dead and buried for four years.

Jane the Virgin airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on the CW.

Sam’s episode rating: 🐝🐝🐝.5

#Jane the Virgin #Chapter Eighty-Two #Michael Cordero

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parkermrr · 7 years

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Week 101 - 7/18/2017 - And A Little Child Shall Lead Them....

안녕하세요! Another great week in the service of the Lord! Time hurtles onward unabated, and things don't slow down! It's weird, people keep emailing me and telling me that the end is near, but I feel the same as always. I hardly have time to think about going home. My policy is: Keep working as if I was never going to leave, right up till the last hour. The highlights from this week. Last Wednesday was our first "District Leader Conference." In general, there is no regularly held training for District Leaders outside of Zone Conference, which all missionaries attend. The Sister Training Leaders and Zone Leaders have MLC, where we get them trained and up to speed, but we've felt for some time now that perhaps holding a one-off event with all the District Leaders would be beneficial. So, after a load of planning, we held the meeting last Wednesday! I'd say it went pretty well! President, Elder Choi, and I all presented training to the District Leaders on their role. One of my favorite parts was when we did a training on Section 3 of Handbook 2: Administering the Church - "Leadership In the Church of Jesus Christ." We actually did this same training at MLC, and used it to start our meetings. We used this paragraph: “Like the Savior, leaders seek to minister to individuals and families, both spiritually and temporally. They care about each person, not just about managing an organization. They reach out to new members, less-active members, and those who may be lonely or in need of comfort.” And substituted in words that make it more applicable to mission leaders: "Like the Savior, leaders seek to minister to individuals, both spiritually and temporally. They care about each missionary, not just about managing a district or zone. They reach out to new missionaries, less-obedient missionaries, and those who may be lonely or in need of comfort." After discussing this, we then talked about what it means to "minister" to others. Handbook 2 says: “Ministering to others includes: Remembering their names and becoming acquainted with them (see Moroni 6:4). Loving them without judging them (see John 13:34–35). Watching over them and strengthening their faith “one by one,” as the Savior did (3 Nephi 11:15; 17:21). Establishing sincere friendship with them and visiting them in their homes and elsewhere (see D&C 20:47).” So instead of focusing on all of the administrative duties that come with a leadership position, or just focusing on trying to make their missionaries "more productive," we asked them to focus on what matters most: inviting others to come unto Christ in a spirit of love and friendship, just as they do with their investigators. I know that this is a powerful principle because I experienced it as a young missionary from good mission leaders- senior companions, zone leaders, and the like- who loved me, treated me as a friend, and were good examples to me. This in turn made me want to be better, to be more like them, without any sort coercing, or even formal "training" on their part. People remember what you do far more than what you say. The other highlight of the week was our lesson with Brother Jang on Sunday night. We tutored his daughter in Calculus again, and then invited he and his wife to have a lesson with us. We followed up and found out he hadn't been reading in the pamphlet we had asked him to, so we decided to go through it with him. The pamphlet was "The Gospel of Jesus Christ." As we first taught it, it felt like the message wasn't getting through, just a lot of Elder Choi and I talking. But luckily, their nine year old daughter, who was baptized last year along with her mother, decided that she wanted to join in the lesson too, and sat down next to us. While her mother had been too busy to come out to church most of this last year, this little girl has been very consistent in her Primary attendance. She knows more about the Gospel than both of her parents! She started making comments and asking questions to Elder Choi and I, and she was on fire! She could have been straight out of The District training videos! She brought the Spirit into the room, and by the end of the lesson, her mom understood why coming to Church every week is so important. She understood the principle of repentance, baptism, and then the renewing of those promises every week through the Sacrament. Not only that, but Brother Jang committed to be baptized on the 30th, and confirmed on the 6th, my last Sunday. I'm reminded of a scripture, 3 Nephi, 26:14: "And it came to pass that he did teach and minister unto the children of the multitude of who hath been spoke, and he did loose their tongues, and they did speak unto their fathers great and marvelous things, even greater than he had revealed unto the people; and he loosed their tongues that they could utter." I know that the Lord's hand is in this work, and sometimes it is manifest in the most unexpected ways. I also know that even though we can't do it alone, He is always with us, and will take our imperfect efforts and use them to accomplish His work. I love you all! Onward and Upward, Elder Murray

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nofomoartworld · 8 years

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Thinks: Elena Ailes

Hello dearest reader. Welcome to another installment of Wednesday THINKS. This week, we bring you a text from Elena Ailes, an artist, writer, educator, and in my opinion, a true citizen of the world. As you might intuit from the text below, Elena is at home in sensorial-anyplaces. In my view, she writes from deep within the consciousness of our dreamed-out-nation-state that may or not awake from its slumber. Here’s Elena. Enjoy.

Yours,

Meg Santisi

On January 20th of this year, the inauguration for the President of the United States included prayers by two American televangelists, both self-described ‘prosperity preachers’. Religious leaders of the prosperity gospel preach that financial wealth and physical wellbeing are gifts from God, a mark of his blessing and preference given in exchange for unyielding faith, prayer and donations to the Church.

In this worldview, the accumulation of capital is clear evidence of moral certitude and blessedness, while words, actions and ideas are wrapped up in the confusing, arbitrary and seemingly masturbatory nature of ‘God’s will’.

The wealthy are merely God’s willing subjects, and this ‘willingness’ is never connected, spiritually or otherwise, to the systems used to concentrate material wealth or to how these systems jeopardize the wellbeing of others.

The verticality of this God – Blessing – Chosen Subject ecclesiastical model is not unfamiliar, though one hardly expects to find the production of capital so disturbingly tethered to the swooping curve of the divine right of kings. Humans, by and large, live on the ground, even as we yearn for atmospheric flux. So far, very few have been interred up, in the air. Most of us will go down, in earth or sea, or away, in fire. Some do make it up, in death. Elysium Space, Ascending Memories or Orbital Memorials, all private companies, can bury you in space.

What orientation should beings (and non-beings) be ordered? Ordained? Can we now agree that + is actually a delightfully astute, if somewhat cryptic, symbol for the spiral, minus time? Is the spiral a pitch towards progress? Or just another spin on the vertical/horizontal wheel of fortune? What on earth do we do with all this?

Opt out and become uncontained. Err away from the horizon of the will toward the curve of deviance. Swerve toward still.

Herr Jakob Johann Baron von Uexküll,

When you say “clamp a snail”

(YA-KUB VON OOKSGULL,

I would never recognize your name off the page)

when you say “clamp a snail” and put

it on a rubber ball in water

when you say hit the snail repeatedly

with a

stick

when do you recognize that in an effort to articulate another’s world

you have fundamentally altered your own?

Jakob von Uexküll, the early 20th century German biologist and biosemiotician, fine-tuned the study of animal behavior right into a worlding, right into umwelten. For Uexküll, each species is a performed fullness contained within a spatial and temporal boundary; each sensorial frame of reference an articulation of subjecthood, of being.

He told us that if you hit a snail repeatedly, three times per second, it will turn away. But if you manage more than three blows in the allotted time and hit the snail four or five times in a second, the snail will perceive the stick as not moving at all, and will continue forward to crawl onto the stick. The snail would fully understand the faster moving stick to be a stick at rest because the movement of the stick was functioning outside the register of snailperception, snail umwelt.

Clearly, consciousness, whether that of the snail or of the scientist, is a limited ability, taking hold only in the most certain of situations. The uncertain situation calls upon something else.

You came to show me the ingenuity and boldness of your sandwich making while I was in the shower.

Potatoes. Eggplants or aubergines. Neither term seems particularly accurate, though accuracy in titles was never required, nor possible.

All of the groundcherries, including goji, boxthorns, gooseberries, wolfberries and tomatillos. The difference between naming things in the north and naming things in the south is a difference that you can feel in your body, though it is impossible to locate where. It moves, and it is none of your business, as it is not business at all.

Tomatoes, familiar to you. Hopi tomatoes, probably less so.

All of the chili peppers: ancho, arbol, habanero, ancho (which is just another, drier, name for poblano), Anaheim, which is just another name for home, which is nowhere near Anaheim.

Bell peppers, whose chemical taste is the result of the volatile compound methoxypyrazine, also found in wine grapes when they’ve been picked before full ripeness or when they’ve been treated with sulfur to prevent the spread of phylloxera.

Your average lover of Chilean wine has been hoodwinked, though the average Chilean potato grower has not.

Tobacco. A sacred gift and the subject of a $206 billion dollar lawsuit settlement.

Jimson weed, Devil’s snare, thornapple, moon flower, hell’s bells, tolguacha, prickle burr, devil’s cucumber, Datura stramonium.

Petunias. Yeah, petunias.

Atropa belladonna, divale, banewort, death cherries.

Henbane and Mandrake, particularly beloved by the witchier crowd.

These are my nightshades.

And, of course, Solandra maxima, Solandra grandiflora, campaña, cup of gold vine, golden chalice, cutaquatzitiziqui. The orange trumpet flowers of the Solandra maxima plant can be as wide as the diameter of a dinner plate. The massive blooms perfume the air with coconut, honey, and a little something else, something warmer. When a flowering plant fills the air with scent it is a summons for the external and autonomous apparatus that is so necessary to the plant’s ability to reproduce: the pollinator. Moth as foreplay.

The flowers of Solandra maxima vines also release another sort of summons: a chemical pheromone identical in structure to human pheromones normally associated with the reproductive activities of sex and love. Pheromones that human bodies also produce.

This overlap, this biological and chemical repetition of form, is a parallel summons emitting forth from the plant-being carrying coconuts, and from the human-being carrying salts. A scent-based call-and-response to amorous action, pushing and pulling on one another.

Particulation is an atomization of perception, a collapse of a unified and fluid whole into the smallest units of perceptible information possible, a necessary slowing down of time. Particulation is what happens right before exhaustion, and what is exhaustion but a moment of saturation, a final ‘no more thank you’. If we are exhausted subjects, we are also saturated subjects.

From petunia to goji berry, the Solanaceae family is taxonomically massive, a plant family comprised of 102 genera and over 2800 distinct species, which is so many sisters in one room.

A potato shares 92 percent of its genetic material with a tomato, that last 8 percent a blueprint for the secret architecture of the tuber, a devotional to the swollen root vegetable as opposed to the fruiting body.

Modern pharmacology owes at least one finger to the nightshade family, the genera being host to a chemical gold mine of alkaloids, painkillers and mood-enhancers, psychotropic and otherwise, the properties of which become a mind-numbingly large maze of toxicological data.

It is through the gifts of a nightshade that we have dilating eye drops, local anesthetic, hormone replacement therapy. People often eat nightshades, but in some cases, that shit will turn you into a vegetable.

Pick a flower and place it by your bedside. Turn it towards you, a trumpet blasting a coconut invitation right in your hole-filled face.

The term vegetative state has long been used by the medical profession as a diagnosis for patients who exist in a wakeful yet unconscious state. Patients are described as being in a state of partial arousal, rather than true awareness. Their eyes are open but they are unresponsive to external stimuli. The European Task Force on Disorders of Consciousness recently recommended that the term be abandoned in favor of a more neutral label: unresponsive wakefulness syndrome. Vegetative state, it is argued, has a “pejorative connotation, and seems to inappropriately refer to these patients as being vegetable-like.”

I am certainly not interested in the dehumanization of anyone who has suffered a brain injury and is thus limited in function or responsiveness, nor in speaking on their behalf while they themselves exist in silence. If I could share the agony of someone in a vegetative state, I wouldn’t try to speak about it. I would stay silent for my plant person. (1)

I would like to note, however, the language for language swap that is occurring here: vegetableness for an immobile wakefulness.

We are most plant-like in the one third of our life that is unaccounted for, in our sleep. It is in sleep that we enter the temporal register closest to plant beings. Our attention turns inward towards the void, towards rest. Exhausted, we put our feet at the bottom of the pool of our thinking minds and let go.

You have many mouths, and many hands.

Here we neglect to experience time in any measurable sense. We absorb the world through muted scrim without the benefits or hindrances of having to perform language. We lie dormant, in darkness, our perceptive senses limited to simply absorbing light, heat, sound and touch. We are, for the most part, sessile, immobile.

The most familiar apocalypse scenarios involve visions of “the end” as a natural disaster: a massive meteor slamming into earth, a switching of the magnetic poles, floods of biblical proportion. In short, the end is generally depicted as a display of nature’s power over culture. With global climate change as arguably the most important and unifying fact of human life on this planet, the irony of culture swarming over nature as the usher of the end of the world would be funny if there were anything left to laugh about.

The binary separation between the human and non-human world into distinct categories of “culture” and “nature” clearly does not convey the complexity of the interrelated spheres of influence that these worlds possess over each other. The fact still remains that human beings are subjects that are also objects, who both live with other objects and in another object.

Try to imagine your imagination functioning multiply.

The difficulty of truly grasping the concept of the possibility of a subjectless planet is in part due to the inability of finding easy ground with this continual subject-object switcheroo. Any argument for the radical reorientation of the human subject in a world of objects can be recognized as a symptom of the current position of the human subject, which, I would argue, is that of the exhausted subject.

I see potential in this altered subjectivity, a state of possibility, openness.

Imagine that your sex is multiply located, experiencing both direct sun and partial shade.

A human woman sits on the bus for too long—three stops past her regular stop—making eyes at you while you hold a shopping bag and pretend to eye smile into the screen of your phone. The woman hopes that she is flooding the air with pheromones, fully knowing that your vomeronasal receptor, located at the back of your throat, is likely useless. Unsure if you share this chemical grammar, she silently marvels at the antiquity of her system of desire, at the bold dysfunction of her direct inquiry

The sea sponge uses mimicry and chemical seduction to find food and to manage successful reproduction.

A sea cucumber, when it receives the right stimulation, dumps a third of its own body weight in semen into the ocean waters. Another sea cucumber, receiving a separate but appropriately timed signal, releases a cloud of eggs, a chancy ejaculate.

Stimulation, in this case, is moonlight and the temperature of the surrounding waters.

Fungi, such as molds and mushrooms, are capable of being any number of the possible 36,000 sexes.

We are all worlding here.

–

Much of this text was recently published as a small chapbook, NIGHTSHADES by Kastle Editions (Chicago, IL) The images depict examples of biological ‘sexual conflict’ and are held in the Wikipedia Commons.

Elena Ailes is an artist, writer and educator who is interested in what makes her a better or worse person, especially in theory. In reality, she lives and works in Chicago, IL. You can find her work here and here.

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Trump Declared War On ‘Sanctuary Cities.’ They’re Already Fighting Back.

SAN FRANCISCO One of President Donald Trumps first major executive actions on immigration policy is facing massive political blowback and will almost certainly crash and burn under the Constitution once courts begin to scrutinize the fine print.

During a visit to the Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday, Trump signed an executive order aimed at strong-arming so-called sanctuary cities into cooperating fully with his efforts to ramp up deportations. Threatening loss of federal funding and using shaming tactics for localities that refuse to comply, the order is styled as a call to obey existing immigration laws even though immigration experts and civil liberties groups are doubtful Trump even has the constitutional authority to enforce it.

Independent of the ultimate legality of the executive order, politicians from those sanctuary cities say they arent budging, and legal advocacy groups are gearing up for the coming legal fight.

The president is in for one hell of a fight, California state Sen. Scott Weiner (D), who represents San Francisco, said in a statement.

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh (D) said his city will not retreat one inch from its policy against holding undocumented immigrants it otherwise would not hold based on requests from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Seattle Mayor Ed Murray said his city will not be intimidated by federal dollars and … will not be intimidated by the authoritative message from this administration. San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee (D) said nothing has changed in his city, noting the lack of specifics in Trumps order.

We are going to fight this, and cities and states around the country are going to fight this, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) said at a press conference Wednesday.

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman (D) already began hinting at a legal challenge, releasing a statement that Trump lacks the constitutional authority for his executive order and that he will do everything in [his] power to push back if the president does not rescind it.

Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson (D) also warned of potential legal challenges to come, saying in a statement that the order raises significant legal issues that my office will be investigating closely to protect the constitutional and human rights of the people of our state.

Theres no exact definition of sanctuary city. Places like San Francisco and New York use the term broadly to refer to their immigrant-friendly policies, but more generally the term is applied to cities and counties that do not reflexively honor all of Immigration and Customs Enforcements requests for cooperation. Many of these localities do work with ICE to detain and hand over immigrants suspected or convicted of serious crimes, but they often release low-priority immigrants requested by ICE if they have no other reason to hold them.

The reason that many local law enforcement officers dont honor detainers is because courts have said that they violate the Constitution, and if they violate the Constitution, the localities are on the hook financially, said Cesar Cuauhtemoc Garcia Hernandez, a law professor at the University of Denver who teaches on the intersection of criminal law and immigration.

Just on Tuesday, a federal court in Rhode Island joined several others that have ruled in recent years that certain ICE detainers can violate peoples constitutional rights even those of U.S. citizens.

But Trumps executive order seems to overlook this legal reality, and instead frames sanctuary cities with the alarmist rhetoric he used on the campaign trail.

Bloomberg via Getty Images

President Donald Trump signed multiple executive orders on Wednesday, including one aimed at strong-arming “sanctuary cities.”

Sanctuary jurisdictions across the United States willfully violate Federal law in an attempt to shield aliens from removal from the United States, his order declares. These jurisdictions have caused immeasurable harm to the American people and to the very fabric of our Republic.

Thomas Saenz, who heads the Mexican American Legal and Educational Defense Fund, said that on paper the order wouldnt give Trump the authority to crack down on sanctuary cities, as Trump claimed.

Its hot air, but its extremely dangerous hot air, Saenz told The Huffington Post. Its designed to intimidate community members.

To force sanctuary jurisdictions to hold detained immigrants at the behest of ICE would require Congress to pass new legislation, but Congress in 2015 already rejected similar legislation, said Cecillia Wang, deputy legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union and a specialist in immigrants rights.

The federal government and specifically the president is trying to coerce states and localities that have made the decision to protect constitutional rights and provide services without regard to immigration status, she said.

Im not sure what Trump thinks hes doing thats different, Saenz said. The law is already being enforced. If they in practice or in intent go beyond existing law, it would be subject to challenge as its beyond his authority as president.

As legal twists would have it, the constitutional source for such a challenge would be the Supreme Courts landmark 2012 decision upholding the Affordable Care Act, in which the court rebuked the federal government for threatening loss of funding for states that refused to expand their Medicaid programs under the law. In his majority opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts said Congress couldnt hold a gun to the head of the states.

Wang echoed those words and said shed be monitoring what consequences befall sanctuary cities. President Trump is holding a gun to their heads and forcing them to comply with his priorities, she said.

Justin Sullivan via Getty Images

San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee has vowed to uphold his city’s immigration policies.

But in California, where immigrants make up roughly one-third of the population, lawmakers said they arent waiting on challenges in court, vowing to take the fight into their own hands.

In a press conference Wednesday, state Senate President pro tempore Kevin De Len said the legislature will fast-track bills in response to Trumps orders, including a bill to prevent local law enforcement from using their resources for immigration enforcement.

These are spiteful and mean-spirited directives that will only instill fear in the hearts of millions of people who pay taxes, contribute to our economy and our way of life, he said of the orders. We will have no part in their implementation.

We will not spend a single cent nor lift a finger to aid his efforts, he added.

The legislature has already taken several pre-emptive steps to combat Trumps policies. In December, the senate and assembly passed a resolution calling on Trump to abandon his promise to deport millions of undocumented immigrants. The chamber has also taken up a bill to establish a legal aid fund for those facing deportation, as well as a bill to create training centers to educate legal workers on immigration law.

Its sad Donald Trump thinks these executive orders make America safer, and its sad he thinks they make America, said Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon in a statement.

Today is a shameful day for our country, but it only strengthens my resolve to stand up against the alarming bigotry and hatred emanating from the White House, Weiner, the San Francisco state senator, said. If President Trump believes signing a piece of paper will for one second change how San Francisco and California value and protect our immigrant neighbors, he is underestimating our strength and spirit.

Their statements came just one day after Gov. Jerry Brown (D) dedicated a portion of his State of the State address to praising the contributions of Californias immigrants, a clear rebuke of Trumps worldview.

Immigrants are an integral part of who we are and what weve become, he said. Let me be clear: We will defend everybody every man, woman and child who has come here for a better life and has contributed to the well-being of our state.

Mollie Reilly reported from San Francisco; Cristian Farias reported from New York; Elise Foley reported from Washington; and Roque Planas reported from Austin, Texas.

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