angelklite

[angelklite]

Please make a post about the story of the RMS Carpathia, because it's something that's almost beyond belief and more people should know about it.

Carpathia received Titanic’s distress signal at 12:20am, April 15th, 1912. She was 58 miles away, a distance that absolutely could not be covered in less than four hours.

(Californian’s exact position at the time is…controversial. She was close enough to have helped. By all accounts she was close enough to see Titanic’s distress rockets. It’s uncertain to this day why her crew did not respond, or how many might not have been lost if she had been there. This is not the place for what-ifs. This is about what was done.)

Carpathia’s Captain Rostron had, yes, rolled out of bed instantly when woken by his radio operator, ordered his ship to Titanic’s aid and confirmed the signal before he was fully dressed. The man had never in his life responded to an emergency call. His goal tonight was to make sure nobody who heard that fact would ever believe it.

All of Carpathia’s lifeboats were swung out ready for deployment. Oil was set up to be poured off the side of the ship in case the sea turned choppy; oil would coat and calm the water near Carpathia if that happened, making it safer for lifeboats to draw up alongside her. He ordered lights to be rigged along the side of the ship so survivors could see it better, and had nets and ladders rigged along her sides ready to be dropped when they arrived, in order to let as many survivors as possible climb aboard at once.

I don’t know if his making provisions for there still being survivors in the water was optimism or not. I think he knew they were never going to get there in time for that. I think he did it anyway because, god, you have to hope.

Carpathia had three dining rooms, which were immediately converted into triage and first aid stations. Each had a doctor assigned to it. Hot soup, coffee, and tea were prepared in bulk in each dining room, and blankets and warm clothes were collected to be ready to hand out. By this time, many of the passengers were awake–prepping a ship for disaster relief isn’t quiet–and all of them stepped up to help, many donating their own clothes and blankets.

And then he did something I tend to refer to as diverting all power from life support.

Here’s the thing about steamships: They run on steam. Shocking, I know; but that steam powers everything on the ship, and right now, Carpathia needed power. So Rostron turned off hot water and central heating, which bled valuable steam power, to everywhere but the dining rooms–which, of course, were being used to make hot drinks and receive survivors. He woke up all the engineers, all the stokers and firemen, diverted all that steam back into the engines, and asked his ship to go as fast as she possibly could. And when she’d done that, he asked her to go faster.

I need you to understand that you simply can’t push a ship very far past its top speed. Pushing that much sheer tonnage through the water becomes harder with each extra knot past the speed it was designed for. Pushing a ship past its rated speed is not only reckless–it’s difficult to maneuver–but it puts an incredible amount of strain on the engines. Ships are not designed to exceed their top speed by even one knot. They can’t do it. It can’t be done.

Carpathia’s absolute do-or-die, the-engines-can’t-take-this-forever top speed was fourteen knots. Dodging icebergs, in the dark and the cold, surrounded by mist, she sustained a speed of almost seventeen and a half.

No one would have asked this of them. It wasn’t expected. They were almost sixty miles away, with icebergs in their path. They had a respondibility to respond; they did not have a responsibility to do the impossible and do it well. No one would have faulted them for taking more time to confirm the severity of the issue. No one would have blamed them for a slow and cautious approach. No one but themselves.

They damn near broke the laws of physics, galloping north headlong into the dark in the desperate hope that if they could shave an hour, half an hour, five minutes off their arrival time, maybe for one more person those five minutes would make the difference. I say: three people had died by the time they were lifted from the lifeboats. For all we know, in another hour it might have been more. I say they made all the difference in the world.

This ship and her crew received a message from a location they could not hope to reach in under four hours. Just barely over three hours later, they arrived at Titanic’s last known coordinates. Half an hour after that, at 4am, they would finally find the first of the lifeboats. it would take until 8:30 in the morning for the last survivor to be brought onboard. Passengers from Carpathia universally gave up their berths, staterooms, and clothing to the survivors, assisting the crew at every turn and sitting with the sobbing rescuees to offer whatever comfort they could.

In total, 705 people of Titanic’s original 2208 were brought onto Carpathia alive. No other ship would find survivors.

At 12:20am April 15th, 1912, there was a miracle on the North Atlantic. And it happened because a group of humans, some of them strangers, many of them only passengers on a small and unimpressive steam liner, looked at each other and decided: I cannot live with myself if I do anything less.

I think the least we can do is remember them for it.

[angelklite]

Check out @exokai_kr’s Tweet: south korea's main dancer. I don't make the rules

[angelklite]

Broke af?

But still interested in feeding yourself? What if I told you that there’s a woman with a blog who had to feed both herself and her young son…on 10 British pounds ($15/14 Euro) per week?

Let me tell you a thing.

This woman saved my life last year. Actually saved my life. I had a piggy bank full of change and that’s it. Many people in my fandom might remember that dark time as when I had to hock my writing skills in exchange for donations. I cried a lot then. 

This is real talk, people: I marked down exactly what I needed to buy, totaled it, counted out that exact change, and then went to three different stores to buy what I needed so I didn’t have to dump a load of change on just one person. I was already embarrassed, but to feel people staring? Utter shame suffused me. The reasons behind that are another post all together. 

AgirlcalledJack.com is run by a British woman who was on benefits for years. Things got desperate. She had to find a way to feed herself and her son using just the basics that could be found at the supermarket. But the recipes she came up with are amazing. 

You have to consider the differing costs of things between countries, but if you just have three ingredients in your cupboard, this woman will tell you what to do with it. Check what you already have. Chances are you have the basics of a filling meal already. 

Here’s her list of kitchen basics. 

Bake your own bread. It’s easier than you think. Here’s a list of many recipes, each using some variation of just plain flour, yeast, some oil, maybe water or lemon juice. And kneading bread is therapeutic. 

Make your own pasta–gluten free. 

She gets it. She really does. This is the article that started it all. It’s called “Hunger Hurts”.

She has vegan recipes.

A carrot, a can of kidney beans, and some cumin will get you a really filling soup…or throw in some flour for binding and you’ve got yourself a burger. 

Don’t have an oven or the stove isn’t available? She covers that in her Microwave Cooking section. 

She has a book, but many recipes can be found on her blog for free. She prices her recipes down to the cent, and every year she participates in a project called “Living Below the Line” where she has to live on 1 BP per day of food for five days. 

Things improved for me a little, but her website is my go to. I learned how to bake bread (using my crockpot, but that was my own twist), and I have a little cart full of things that saved me back then, just in case I need them again. She gives you the tools to feed yourself, for very little money, and that’s a fabulous feeling. 

Tip: Whenever you have a little extra money, buy a 10 dollar/pound/euro giftcard from your discount grocer. Stash it. That’s your super emergency money. Make sure they don’t charge by the month for lack of use, though.

I don’t care if it sounds like an advertisement–you won’t be buying anything from the site. What I DO care about is your mental, emotional, and physical health–and dammit, food’s right in the center of that. 

If you don’t need this now, pass it on to someone who does. Pass it on anyway, because do you REALLY know which of the people in your life is in need? Which follower might be staring at their own piggy bank? Trust me: someone out there needs to see this. 

[angelklite]

There’s an angry boy Who bares his teeth And shouts a lot But it’s not his fault, it’s not They ask where are the parents Who never taught him to behave But they’re long gone And it’s not their fault

There’s an angry boy Who chases everyone off And glares a lot Oh, but it’s not his fault They ask where are his siblings With whom he laughed and danced But they’re long gone And it’s not their fault

There’s an angry boy Who loved a girl once She was the first thing he lost And even that is not his fault They ran together hand in hand Until her last breath in his arms Made him start thinking It’s all his fault

There was once a woman Who smiled sweetly while she lied And then killed a lot Which certainly isn’t his fault He wonders why he let her in Let her pour fire in his veins It’s still burning, it won’t stop Because he believes it’s all his fault

There’s an angry man Who’s still just a boy And blames himself a lot Even when it’s not his fault Be careful if you love him Because he doesn’t mind bleeding Everything he loved is everything he lost And he’ll tell you it’s all his fault

There’s an angry man Who’s so afraid Of trust and love That how to live he forgot He’s dying and you save him He says he’ll kill you if you don’t He threatens you a lot But if you knew his story, you’d know it’s not his fault

There’s an angry man Who’s drowning Because he’s always fought And now you know it’s not his fault You almost give your life for his Because you understand Your mother’s gone, your father hurt And you think it’s all your fault

There’s an angry man Who looks at you Like you’ve hit his only soft spot It’ll be his fault If he keeps letting you near If he holds you dear In his web of pain you’ll be caught And your death will be all his fault

There’s an angry man Who’s not so angry Since you’ve touched his heart Every day you tell him “it’s not your fault” And he listens to you like no one’s done No one but your mom One day he’ll be deep in thought And say “we did the best we could, it’s neither of our faults”

[angelklite]

bonus:

[angelklite]

I suddenly have time so I decided to teach myself how to make posters on Photoshop instead of finishing pending fics and this is the result. 

Not as good as how the pros do it, of course, but considering how many tutorials I read and the amount of time I spent experimenting on Photoshop, I’m quite satisfied with it as a first try.

Poster for my first multi-chapter KyuSung fic.

Title: Stranger Under My Roof  Pairing: Kyuhyun/Yesung, YeKyu, KyuSung. Genre: Drama, angst, fluff. Warnings: Slight coarse language, mention of alcohol Rating: PG-13 Summary: They say that what a person wants most in the world is the one thing they are deprived of. Kyuhyun has been deprived of Jongwoon’s affection for far too long.

Links:   Livejournal | Asianfanfics | AO3

[angelklite]

The Photoshop experiment adventures continue! Honestly, I’m not sure if I did a better job than my first attempt, but it was fun ^_^

Poster for my entry for kyusungcentral’s Valentine’s Day Songfic Fest in 2013.

Title: What is love, if not madness? Pairing: Yesung/Kyuhyun, KyuSung, YeKyu Genre: Angst, Romance, Fluff Warnings: AU, slight coarse language Rating: PG-13 Summary: It was a promise broken and a promise kept. But for how long can one keep holding on to such a promise?

Links:   Livejournal | Asianfanfics | AO3

[angelklite]

The ‘How are you?’ check list post

• Did you eat?

• Have you been drinking water?

• Have you had your hug?

• Have you taken your medication?

• Don’t worry, you look amazing.

• It’s okay to take the day off.

• Stay in if you don’t feel like going out.

• Do you need to be alone right now?

• If you feel like you’re disassociating, try counting your fingers or looking at your finger whorls. Remember that they are unique to you, that you are real.

• If you are having a panic attack: 

1: Ground yourself to reality with something familiar like a keychain or even pictures of something on your phone. [Cats and dogs are good.] Also, do not trust everything your mind/body is telling you right now. Thoughts like, ‘i’m going to die’, ‘everyone is leaving me’, ‘everyone hates me’, are a part of the panic, try not to linger on them, because they will only make it worse. 

2: Find a space that feels the safest for you, and stay there.

3: Take slow, deep breaths. After breathing in, hold it for a few seconds before breathing out. 

4: Stimulate your mind with something simple, and not stressful. Tap your fingers, re-read nice messages from someone, play a game one your phone that doesn’t require any thought or is timed. 

5: You are doing a really good job. You don’t have to feel embarrassed. You are not alone. You are strong.

• Have you spoken today?

• Don’t feel guilty for feeling upset, you’re allowed to.

• Did you brush your teeth?

• If someone’s misgendered you today, and you’re out, correct them if you can.

• You don’t always have to be brave. You can hide today, if that’s what you need.

• Take a deep breath.

• If you’re wearing a binder, raise your arms and take several deep breaths. Cough to clear your lungs.

• Don’t be afraid, you’re not alone.

• If you’ve been sitting a while, stand up and stretch.

• Eat something sweet. (If you like it)

• You’re awesome.

[angelklite]

Shadowhunters Episode 12 ‘Malec’ - The Wedding

[angelklite]

The Devil is in the Details - A Malec One Shot

Fic prompted by this post about Magnus’ missing ear cuff in S1E12. 

note: as i tend to do, i switched a few things up, wrote way more than i thought i would, and this got really angsty. apparently I have some unresolved feelings about these two…

oh yeah, and i’m completely ignoring theories and surprises and pretty much plot in general–besides the plot of them being domestic and happy. cause happy malec is life.

hope you like it @darquebane :) xx

cross-posted to ao3

Shadowhunters, Angst, Arranged Marriage, Stubborn Alec, Brooding Magnus, First Kiss, Then Second Kiss, HEA

Magnus wakes up the morning after the trial and dresses himself to reflect the darkness clouding his mind.

He forgoes his extensive morning routine for naked lips, a simple circle of blackened kohl around each eye, and his hair slicked–contained not wild–away from his face. The image in the mirror is of a man who is imposing. Detached. Unwelcoming.

Some would call this look more natural, and more professional, than his normal swirls of color and shine… But some would also contend he uses makeup as a mask. That isn’t its purpose, though. Magnus stains his lips, glitterizes his body, and dangles precious jewels from his neck when he feels most like himself. When he is happiest and hopeful.

There is, he thinks unironically, no joy to be found in his existence today.

Keep reading

[angelklite]

Go get your boy, Magnus

[angelklite]

malec + relationship words that aren’t translatable into english (x)

[angelklite]

Yes season 2!

That means we get so see more of this xD

[angelklite]

Random Movie Star!AU

Just a little something I started writing and I’m not sure if I want to continue writing it or not… Movie Star!Magnus and Camera Man!Alec.

Alec had seen Magnus on TV before, but meeting Magnus Bane in the flesh was something different. Alec had been sent to the awards show to film interviews on the red carpet, Jace being the natural choice for interviewer. He was quite content with the arrangement. Behind the camera suited him best after all.

When Magnus had breezed past them, Jace had called out to him, trying to snag the actor’s attention away from the other press surrounding them. Magnus had turned, glittered eyeliner catching in the flash photography, before his eyes had finally settled on their camera.

Or Alec thought it was their camera. When he started to focus on Magnus’ face he realised that the other was looking slightly to the side of it. He realised with a start that Magnus was looking at him.

Keep reading

[angelklite]

That’s enough for me ..the rest are words, only words ..

[angelklite]

you’ve  u n l o c k e d  something in me; 

(x)

[angelklite]

magnus joking through the heartbreak combined with how he practically flinches back in pain in the 4th gif = i need an ambulance