#AND hes like. a bit older.... where its not like. the weirdest age gap i dont think so. but it IS a bit weird considering some of the things

[horrorwebs]

why are men literally the fucking worst

[pansear-doodles]

its time i talk about the person who left a dent on me

the worst part of my trauma when it comes to it being connected to people i was once close with is that my perspective of what makes of them reminders of them (i do this to anyone im close with- whether it is a symbol or a certain appearance or trait or event)

little bit of serious talk here folks, so i apologize for the unexpected. hope you have the filters.

for most of my internet life, it was almost only me. completely unfiltered. came to deviantart first. became popular at an early age because of what i was doing in the fnaf fandom- it was not good for my mental health.

my groomer has a sona that never changes by design. he's always depicted as an orange fox with black long hair, black beanie and striped jacket. he likes fps games, especially the resident evil series- having associated me with Mia from resident evil 7. he likes fnaf (we met through fnaf... while i was like 14 i think- while he was 9 years older than me). he draws well... i guess. in pokemon form, he would be a jolteon. i would be a pansear. he would be the fox. i would be the rabbit.

as a child i was very impressionate, overly emotional, and cringe (ofc). i would be best friends with my groomer after finding out we shared many common interests and kept talking to each other about it- and then later fess up i have romantic feelings for him.

this would have been the opportunity for him to back up and say no.

but he didn't say no.

we continued off and became a couple. not many people batted an eye on how questionable it was for a 15 year old to be in a relationship with a 24 year old. almost nobody, save for a few concerned friends (and one stranger on Transformice) who i ignored unfortunately, talked it up with me to leave him. i held our relationship as a sort of defense mechanism. i relied on him to make me feel happy. i did a lot of things with him, and including those of the unsavory before i became of age. (i ever regret doing them- but how would i have known- i wasn't the adult here. he was.)

oh and have i mentioned he said the (un)iconic "you're pretty mature for your age." to me

you know whats one of the funniest weirdest shit about our relationship events was? he would show me this club penguin vid where there is a troll making crude remarks and harass someone (presumably a kid). that brotherman bill cp video. he would recite and memorize the song while blindfolded. ironic how he turns out to be in the end.

the wake up call was when he retweeted nsfw of an underage fictional character. seeing that purged my stomach.

yes. it was nsfw of a fictitious minor that was the nail to the coffin. nothing else. i was so delusioned. so troubled. i couldnt see anything else problematic until that happened.

it was so hard for me to let go of him. thankfully i had friends who comforted me and stuck with me through the whole way through. i was on my bed crying.

we've been in close contact for 5 years. i was convincing myself to stay on a doomed relationship because i didnt know what to do- i was already broken and unwell. i was very co-dependent (and i think some of those negative traits still follow me to this day- learning how to get out of that though). my groomer has left a large gap of my mind when we broke off- i revolved so much stuff around him.... and i forgot a lot of memories because of the trauma- taking even the happy unrelated to him ones with it.

i cared too much. and as someone who draws fast- you can imagine how much ive done.

my old files are infested with his likeness. i know i can just delete them but theres so much. so many. it is utterly revolting to see it all and the memories that come with it.

but as time went on, im starting to care less and less about what has happened between us. i am still traumatized of course and a lot of the negative things followed me, but i am healing somewhat and thats what matters i think. most of the things ive associated with him- the connection is fading. i have separated fnaf from him. i no longer associate orange foxes with him. i am comfortable drawing characters in black beanies.

if there is anything i should be grateful for, is that im no longer with him and im happier with someone else. im thankful for the friends who have helped me cope out of that shitfest.

if you know who this person is, i advise you not to witchhunt and harrass him. i dont know what hes doing and honestly i dont give a fuck on how he's doing. he should get help honestly. it is me, myself the victim, who has the say on the matter- and my say is to leave out of his sight.

if you are a minor and someone older than you does these similar things to you, please let your parents and friends know immediately. please be safe.

if my groomer ever reads this, somehow, then to him i say: i am not afraid of you and i do not care about you anymore.

thank you for reading.

[ratherbefangirling]

hii, lovely! Hope you're fine and having an amazing day/night ^^

Can I join the BTS shipping game, please?

My description is a bit too long, so I am already sorry for that

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DESCRIPTION AHEAD: My MBTI is ENFP-T, sign is Sagittarius, enneagram 7w8 and a Hufflepuff (tbh i’m a Huffledor, cuz I got Hufflepuff 43% and Gryffindor 42%). I’m an only child (04 liner). I’m the youngest, silliest and weirdest in my group of friends, I can be friendly or very shy at first, it depends on my mood. Love spending some time alone and thinking by myself, I’m very competitive, love perfumes and fashion, animal lover, midnight person, traditional romantic, very curious, like romance and horror movies, fav season is spring and fav color is purple.

I LOVE playing video games since I was around 4 or 5 years old. Also LOVE stars, moon, galaxy and everything about the universe (and prefer sunset over sunrise). I’ve always been one of the smartest at my school, even tho I hate to study, it just seems natural. I also can speak 3 different languages.

I’m very honest, kind, active/athletic, a bit sarcastic, bubbly, dirty minded, sincere, open-minded, loyal, very hardworking and love eating sweet things. (also rice, please, it’s just so good).

- I can do a lot of things related to arts. Such as crafting, drawing, acting, singing, dancing, designing or painting. It’s just ask for :)

- I can say that I’m really comfortable with crowds and not afraid to stay in front of everyone. I also feel very confident while on the stage, but very shy when people come to compliment me later and don’t know how to act.

I took both contemporary and street dance classes at the age of 10 (2015), as well drama classes. In the same year I also took a lot of different small classes, such as craft arts, drawing, accessories with beads, modeling clay and a few more, so I basically can craft anything on the artsy side (I even used to sell some of them when I was younger) I even have a tie-dye T-shirt made entirely by me :)) In 2017 I took singing lessons and was a member of a choir.

I have some experiences with being the lead actress for 3 plays at school for around 300 people, dancing in group and being part of a choir.

For relationship stuff, my ideal boy would be someone between 175cm-180cm, older than me but max 9 years age gap, I think more perhaps would be too much. An understanding boy, who knows how to respect privacy, romantic, honest and open-minded! These are like the basics.

Since I believe in destiny and kinda still have to sleep with a plushie, I'd feel more than grateful if he is okay with it :)

And my fave skinship is holding hands <3

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I hope these are good. Please, take your time and don't overwork yourself, I don't mind waiting ^^

Hello @icylight4,

Thank you for waiting. I hope you like it.

Please note since its fiction I've not considered Jin's age gap with you in real life, I hope you don't mind.

The person I ship you with is Jin.

For the holidays you had decided to visit your hometown for a day trip and Jin insisted on tagging along. Your Parents have already met your boyfriend, infact you think sometimes they like him a bit too much but hey it's Jin we're talking about.

After visiting the nearby landmarks, you go to your parents home. Lunch goes smoothly except for your parents revealing your dirty secrets. I mean your childhood instances. Still you're happy your family gets along with your boyfriend.

"I think I left my perfume the last I came. Did you see it?" You ask your mom.

"It must be where you left it no one goes in your room." She replies.

"Ok mom. Jin I'm gonna go get my perfume then we can go." You tell him.

When you take too long Jin comes to check on you. Finding you laying some of your things out because you got nostalgic.

"Oh I'm sorry. Did I take long?" You ask.

"It's fine how else would I sneak into your bedroom." He jokes.

"I mean I could have let you in."

"What about letting me in your bed." He says eyebrows raised. He looks hilarious.

"I'm sorry bed rights belong only to my favourite pillow RJ."

"Are you choosing a sheep pillow over me."

"No he's an alpaca."

"I'm not to be blamed for my actions." He says solemnly and proceeds to tickle you.

Soon your laughing uncontrolled, even getting back at him. Somehow you end up on top of him his arms wrapping you in a hug.

Your mother's voice startles you as she calls out from the stairs.

You give Jin a quick peck as you get up. While you're sad that you have to get away from that warm hug Jin on your bed sends flutters to your heart. You shake your head focusing on going back to see what your mom wants.

But don't you worry a few years from now you'll be married to the love of your life and share warm hugs and warm food and not have to worry about your mom .... or your dad.

[as-breakable-as-glass]

A few days after Gaster’s return came and went in an odd combination of peace and uncertainty. Everything about them was calm, but at the same time no one knew what the next step to take was. Gen had called off training to spend time with him, and Glass didn’t have anywhere to call in so of course he was there as well. Gaster himself was quiet, a near shadow that wandered between rooms. It was the first time they had everyone under the same roof together in ages, yet conversation was lacking. It was their father, as quiet as he usually was, who finally broke the fine layer of tension that had begun to settle by inquiring how they should go about explaining his disappearance. It wasn’t like Dings could stay in the house forever. They decided to leave any mention of the void out of their explanation about Gaster’s disappearance. Gen would go out spreading the news of Dings’s return and would say that after the accident Gaster suffered amnesia- which wasn’t really a lie- and in his altered state, had wandered to Waterfall where he stayed hidden for years- that was a lie. He didn’t seemed too bothered by having to twist the tale a bit. He seemed more excited than anything else in fact, saying it would be the beginning of Gaster’s “return to his social life!”

From the initial telling of their story, word would get around and people would fill in any gaps with their own fables. That was one of the wonders of living in a gossip starved community; monsters loved to invent their own news. Now that they had started, Gen insisted there were other things that needed addressing. Such as their living space. Their house had never been big, but it had been enough for Glass and Gen. With an additional family member however, their two bedroom cabin had never felt smaller. For now, Gaster was staying in the couch, but that couldn't be a permanent solution. Gen was adamant about that. It was decided that it was best they moved. Hotland was the area Gaster had lived in the longest after monsters had spread out from Old Home. Gen hoped the familiar area would jog some of their father’s memories, and Dings was optimistic. Glass liked to think it would help too, but he couldn’t shake the feeling going back would change things in ways none of them expected. That was the future, go figure right? Any apprehension he had put aside, Glass was near set. He’d say one or two goodbyes, definitely have a chat with the lady in the Ruins before going, but that was all he had on his to-do list. He had nothing else holding him. Most of the tying up of loose ends was going to be Gen’s job. Maybe that's where his reservations stemmed from in the first place.

And since today was full of addressing issues… “What are you going to do about the guard?” “Hmm?” Gen looked up. Glass made a useless gesture in the air. “You can't keep training in Hotland can you? All the available guard positions are out here in the boonies.” “You’re right, I’ll have to tell Undyne that I’m resigning at our next training session.” “What, just like that?” Glass asked. “Come on bro, joining the royal guard has been your goal since coming here. Even as a kid you looked up to them.” “My dream was bing capable of protecting everyone yes, but I can do that anywhere in more than one way. I will adjust! “I’m sorry…” For a moment the brothers had forgotten their father was still in the room. He hadn’t uttered a word in a while and they jumped at the sound. Gen gave a confused smile. “I don’t understand why you are apologizing?” Gaster was looking down at his lap. “I didn’t want to make you upset.” “Why does everyone think I am upset? Do I look upset? I’m fine! This move will be good for us all! If you blame yourself for something that we should be celebrating, then I will be upset!” “But this was important to you?” “Yes,” he admitted, “but there are plenty more things that are important to me.” Gen smiled “Like family!” And with that the subject was dropped. Gen wouldn’t hear another word against it, genuinely insisting that the three of them should do something to celebrate.

Well, whatever they did, Glass couldn't say he was that sorry to go. He was sorry this was uprooting his brother again, but Gen didn’t seem sad, and Gaster was eager to find something familiar he could latch onto. If his bro was happy, and Dings was happy, then he would be too, regardless of their residence. He wouldn’t miss this place. Sure it had it’s moments and acquired pleasures. There was the lady behind the door, the woods, the lack of people. All were good things he’d regret leaving once he was actually gone, but as for the general nothing that was this town, Glass had never found himself deeply attached. The next day Glass found Gaster curled up on the couch, a bunch of half packed boxes and piles of things around him. Gen must have assigned him a job to keep his hands busy, but Gaster wasn’t packing anything at the moment. He had his full attention on a framed photo in his hands Glass pushed a box out of the way and sat down next to him. “Hey Dings, what’d you find?” He started a bit and looked up smiling. Instead of answering, he turned it around and presented the picture to Glass. It was an old one, so old Glass had forgotten they still had it. It was him as a kid, couldn’t have been older than five. He was in Gaster’s lap, reaching up towards his face and not even trying to pose for the camera.

Ding’s face was how he remembered it, marginally less cracked and broken and his eye lights a steady glow. The arm that Gaster wasn’t holding Glass with was wrapped around the shoulders of another skeleton. She was a bit shorter than Dings, but stood in a way that made up for every inch. In a way, she almost appeared to be standing taller.

A look of mirth on her face softened any firmness it may have held as she tried to encourage kid Glass to look at the camera. Ironically, not even she was looking at the lense. It had been an accidental shot, the angle was crooked, and the taker’s thumb could be seen at the edge, but Glass remembered Dings had gotten a frame for it anyway. To Glass it felt like he was looking at a relic. “Wow you found that. Heh, it’s been awhile since I saw that one.” “That is me and you, but where is Papyrus?” “He wasn’t born yet.” Glass’s eyelights jumped between Gaster and the photo. “How much do you remember about mom?” “Ah, not much…” “You don’t remember her name do you?” Gaster’s following silence said enough. “It was Alegreya. Heh. I can’t believe you can remember bits about your coworkers, but you completely forgot the love of your life’s name.” “Glass.” He snapped. He raised his hands. “Hey, what happened in the void wasn’t exactly in your control.” Glass looked away. “Besides, sometimes I thought you wanted to forget her anyway.” The way Gaster stared at him made it impossible for him not to elaborate. “Sheesh, don’t give me that look… it’s just that you never talked about her after she passed. You left most of the describing to me when Gen started asking about her, and all I had to remember her by were the first six years of my life.”

He looked down at the picture again. “Heh, she would have been pissed at us for forgetting about her.” “You didn’t forget.” Gaster replied. “And I don’t think I would have wanted to either. Not her. If I did, then I was a fool.” “Well, you were, but you were also a genius. Kind of balanced itself out in its own way.” “That… is not very comforting in this context.” He ran a finger along the frame. “Skies... I want to be able to look at my life and have it make sense. Glass, I didn’t even recognize your mother.” His shoulders hunched inwards more as he stared at the photo. “I must have known her for years... decades, but I didn’t remember. “I want to remember… More than just her. I-I have gone so long without my memories and now I don’t even know who I am anymore… Do I even act like the man who raised you?” “Hey.” This was the most Gaster had said about his memory, let alone in one sitting. He’d known it had been bad, but he didn’t know the extent of his memory wipe. He still didn’t. It was a lot for a guy to go through, it was a lot for him to just listen to. Glass put a hand on his shoulder, it was soft and almost malleable. “You’re different Dings, but you’re still you. Uh, you know, you still do that thing with your hands when you're nervous, you’re still a night owl, and you still drink your coffee with two creams and no sugar. Things are different, but you’re still you.” Gaster looked like he was trying to be reassured, but wasn’t quite managing it. Still, he nodded.

“Will you help me remember her?” His voice sounded even more like a croak than usual. “That's why we’re moving across the Underground Dings. Me and Gen’ll always be there to help you.” That seemed to make him too choked up for words. ‘Thank you.’ He signed. A moment of silence passed. Glass almost thought Dings was going to cry, wouldn’t be the weirdest or least expected thing Gaster has done since coming back, and honestly, he looked like he needed it. Well, while that was fine, sometimes there were better ways to get your emotion out besides crying about them. “Hey.” Glass took the photo from Gaster’s limp hand. He slid the picture out of the frame and went into the kitchen, getting a pen. He return immediately so Gaster could see what he was doing with it. Plopping back down on the couch next to him, Glass used his knee and wrought ‘don’t forget’ across the bottom in careful letters before handing it back to him. “Here. It’ll be a reminder for the both of us.” They’ll never forget mom again, neither of them. Gaster took it with gentle fingers as if the paper would crumble to ash if he weren’t careful. “Thank you.” He murmured. “I would like a picture of Gen too.” Well, this was something he could do. “We got a lot to pick from.” He said standing. Gaster followed suit only after Glass said. “Come on they’re all upstairs.” There were a lot of boxes up in Glass’s room, more than needed to hold his own possesions. That was because a good portion of them weren’t even his. The ones stacked behind the door weren’t at least. Well, soon enough they’d have a new home, and Gaster would choose it. He patted one of the boxes on top. “These are yours.”

‘Mine?’ He signed, too startled to speak. “You kept my things in your room?” “Uh, yeah. Gen would go through your stuff sometimes, but neither of us knew where else to put them so they just ended up staying in here. Not a lot of room in the house you know.” Glass picked a box off the pile and set it aside with a huff. “All the family pictures, some of your cloths and lab coats, your ID, old notes, and some of the things you were tinkering with are in these.” Gaster watched, a hand materializing to trace the curling tape on one of the boxes. “You kept all of it?” “Most of it.” Glass amended as he moved aside another box. “Gen didn’t want to leave your stuff behind, but we couldn’t pack everything with us when we moved. We settled on taking the things we thought were most important to you.” Gen had done most of the decision making. He’d been too busy lying in a corner of self pity and guilt to be much help for anything. Glass finally found the box he was looking for and picked it up. Set it on his bed, not minding if some of the dust got on the sheets. After tearing the tape off he dug in its contents and handed a thick book to Gaster. “That one’s mostly filled with baby pictures of Gen… and this one’s mine. You sure liked taking a lot of pictures Dings.” “And I have never been more grateful I did before in my entire life.” He said as he took a seat on the bed and began thumbing through the book. Glass smiled. “Yeah I bet.”

[dreaming-tc-blog]

Dare: answer all the TC questions

damn.. okay

1: Does your TC drink coffee?-Yes
2: Is your TC left or right handed?-he writes with his right but he does most things with his left. he’s a weird little nugget. 
3: How does your TC do their hair? Facial hair? (If they have it)-no facial hair but one time, a really long time ago, he came in & his face was kinda scruffy. his hair is shaved shorter on the sides and on top it’s a little bit longer & curly. 
4: What’s your TC’s favorite animal?-idk?? i should ask 
5: What is your TC’s relationship status?-singleeee
6: What is your TC’s favorite band/singer?-imagine dragons is his favorite band. i think his favorite singer is ed sheeran
7: What was your TC like in high school?-he played some sports but was nerdy for the most part
8: What was your TC like in college?-still nerdy.. i know he was in student government. 
9: Does your TC know multiple languages? Which ones?-english, french, & his dad speaks italian but he says he sucks at it so he can only understand it. 
10: How old is your TC? Age gap?-our age gap is only 9 years. he’s 25 
11: One word that describes your TC.-genuine 
12: Does your TC have any pets?-3 dogs 
13: What is your TC’s favorite TV show?-friends (i hate that show so we always argue about this) 
14: What is your TC’s favorite movie?-the pursuit of happiness 
15: What car does your TC drive?-he drives a range rover 
16: Do you know where your TC lives? (If you do…please don’t share 😜)-i know exactly where he lives 
17: What ethnicity and/or nationality is your TC? -he’s from canada 
18: Where is your TC’s last name “from”? (Look it up if you don’t know!)-Italy 
19: Does your TC have kids? -nope 
20: What month is your TC’s birthday?-february 
21: What is your favorite outfit on your TC?-i have 2. his white button down shirt, black dress pants, & black dress shoes OR PINK BUTTON DOWN SHIRT, LIGHT BROWN PANTS, HIS CUTE LITTLE BOW TIE, & SWEATER VEST 
22: Do they have any kids?-no 
23: Your favorite feature about your TC’s appearance.-eyes & hands (booty??) 
24: Your favorite thing about your TC’s personality.
-he’s so sweet but also has a sarcastic sense of humor. it’s a nice combination

25: What was your TC’s first job?-i think he worked at a summer camp 
26: Does your TC like chocolate or vanilla better?-chocolate 
27: How does your TC hug?-very tightly. like he’s sucking the life out of you… but it’s nice 
28: What is your favorite “flaw” that your TC has?-sometimes he stutters 
29: What subject does your TC teach?-english literature 
30: What is the funniest thing your TC has ever said?-he’s said so many funny things. he’s very funny but i can’t really tell one of his jokes with out it being out of context. so just believe me he’s funny 
31: Saddest?-one time he told his this story in class about how when he was younger, he was playing in the park with his kite & these older kids who always bullied him came & took it from him & stuck it in a tree so he couldn’t get it back.
32: Weirdest?-we were in class & he told us to open our books to a certain page. he got his book & it flipped right onto the page he told us to go to. under his breath he whispered, “i’m a wizard” it was weird asf 
33: Does your TC come from a rural or urban area?-rural 
34: What is your TC’s favorite food/snack?-pretzels w/ peanut butter or chocolate chip cookies 
35: How tall is your TC? How tall are you?-i’m 5'5 and he’s 6'3-4ish 
36: Does your TC have neat handwriting?-it’s only neat when he’s taking his time. if he’s rushing it’s so messy you have to ask him to read it. 
37: Does your TC have a booty?yes. (see question #23) 
38: Have you ever seen your TC outside of school? Where?-yeah. at the park, the mall, at my job, church (ironic huh?) & the book store. 
39: What would your dream date be with your TC?-a little coffee shop where we just talk. then we’d go to the book store & find books for each other to read. after that, go to his house (or mine??) & cook dinner together that ends up tasting terrible so we order pizza instead. 
40: Does anyone know about your crush/love?-NO 
41: If you had to change one thing about your TC (other than their age) what would it be?-his diet. there’s nothing really wrong with it but i’m vegetarian & i try to convince him to do it too because he told me that heart disease & stroke & stuff runs in his family & i feel like that could help him a little in the future 
42: Does your TC go to the gym?-yes
43: What grade(s) does your TC teach?-all grades in high school 
44: How long have they been teaching?-the first year i had him was his first year teaching. so only 2 almost 3 years. 
45: What is your TC’s favorite holiday? -christmas
46: Does your TC curse?-yesss. he tries not to curse in front of his students though 
47: Does everyone love your TC in school?-for the most part yeah. i haven’t heard anyone say anything terrible about him 
48: Does your TC have siblings? Have you seen what they look like if so?-he has a brother & a sister. his sister is SO PRETTY it’s unnatural. & his brother is vv cute (but z is cuter). i don’t really want to say what they look like,,,
49: Realistically, what do you want to happen after you graduate if you haven’t already?-if i can’t be with him i at least want to be his best friend. we can make friendship bracelets. 
50: What is the worst thing about having a TC?-i always want to hug him & give him kisses & call him at 2 in the morning just to say hi & steal his sweaters & play with his hair & make cookies with him & take him for a walk in the park & eat fruits while sitting on the beach & bury my face in his chest & hold his hands & listen to his jokes & take naps with him & stay inside while we listen to the rain & cuddle with our dogs all around us & watch a movie that we’re not really watching & go on a road trip with him & make a stop at an amusement park & take cute little polaroids bUT I CAN’T 
51: Best thing?-he makes me feel warm & fuzzy inside. it’s lit 
52: Does your TC listen to a lot of music?-yes 
53: What are your TC’s hobbies?-reading, coaching lacrosse for little kids (& playing for himself), & running 
54: Does your TC like sports? If so, what’s their favorite?-yeah. either lacrosse or basketball 
55: What color are your TC’s eyes?-blue
56: What is their clothing style?-fashionably nerdy 
57: What is the most embarrassing thing that’s happened in front of your TC?-lmfaoooo i have so many: i ran out of his classroom while doing a presentation, i fell out of my chair, i fell while walking down the stairs, i was looking down & texting & then i walked into a pole, one time a tampon fell out of locker and slid across the hall and landed next to his feet 
58: Will you tell your TC your feelings?-i’m pretty sure he already knows but one day (after i graduate & turn 18) i might actually say it just to clarify with him & make sure he knows 
59: How long did you know your TC before you started falling for them?-several months 
60: Does your TC have social media? Which ones?-tumblr, insta, twitter 
61: What do you think your TC does before they go to bed?-reads, uses the bathroom, says good night to his dogs, & brushes his teeth 
62: Does your TC read books?-yeah 
63: Have you ever seen your TC angry/emotional? Why?-very rarely because he’s a very calm person but when people piss him off,, its scary. people weren’t doing what they were supposed to be doing & he went off. 
64: Do you have pictures with your TC? How many?-i used to. someone stole my phone & i didn’t save the pics anywhere so now they’re all gone :(( but i had like 5
65: Has your TC positively impacted your life? -yeah he’s done this in so many ways

[smartgirlsaremean]

The Question Falls - Chapter 7

Fandom: OUAT

Pairing: Rumbelle, Swanfire, Dragon Queen

Rating: E

Summary: Divorce attorney Gold knows better than to fall in love with a client. Really he does.

Chapter 7 - Belle and Gold attend a charity event and Belle meets several important people.

AO3

“Art Start? I’ve never heard of it.” Belle twirled pasta around her fork and Gold shrugged a little self-consciously.

“It’s a smaller program, not big enough to show up on most people’s radars, but Neal and I have been involved for a while. Drawing, creating, designing - they were all important outlets for him and - well, his adolescence could have been a lot more problematic if he hadn’t had a way to express himself.”

“More problematic? Didn’t he meet his girlfriend while they were stealing the same car?”

“They gave it back. Eventually.”

“You’re smiling!” Belle laughed incredulously. “Oh my God, you two have the weirdest relationship ever.”

“We were very fortunate that the car’s owner had an odd sense of humor.”

“So...he got into graphic design when car theft didn’t work out?”

“No, ah, he got into tagging. And then painting on actual canvases, and then graphic design.” Gold sobered a little. “He often says art saved his life. I don’t know if he’s being dramatic or not when he says that, but it’s important to him.”

“So it’s important to you. I get that.” Belle considered her wine glass for a moment. “It’s black tie?”

“No, I managed to talk Regina down to just formal.”

“Regina?”

Gold raised his eyebrows. There was a lilt in her voice that hadn’t been there before. “Yes, she’s helped me organize the event. It’s something of a specialty with her, throwing parties.”

“Is this the same Regina with the awful sister?”

“Yes.”

“The old friend you have lunch with now and then? And the occasional dinner?”

He’d had lunch with Regina exactly once since he and Belle had started whatever this was, and she hadn’t invited him for dinner since before then. Why was she asking? What on earth was that strange tone in Belle’s voice, and why was she avoiding his gaze? The expression on her face was familiar somehow, wary and guarded, and he suddenly remembered seeing her look this way on their first coffee date. Come to think of it, she’d acted a little oddly when he mentioned Regina then, too. Realization crashed over him.

She was jealous.

“Belle?”

She met his eyes with a determinedly cheerful expression. “Hm?”

Reaching out to take her hand, he infused as much warmth and sincerity into his voice as he could. “I am not dating Regina.”

Her eyes flitted over his face and she relaxed a little. “Have you ever?”

“God, no!”

Her lips twitched. “Well, that was emphatic.”

“Sorry, it’s just…” He squeezed her hand and felt his face redden. “I, ah...I did see her mother. For a while.”

“Oh!” Eyes widening, Belle sat back in her chair. “So Regina must be a lot younger than I thought she was, but you made her sound like this high-powered businesswoman and…”

“Well, uh.” God, this was terrible. “She, uh...she’s around your age. A few years older.”

And there it was. The thing they never talked about. The thing he’d hoped to ignore for as long as this relationship lasted.

For all Belle made him feel sprightly and young and in the prime of his life - particularly in the bedroom - the cold, harsh reality was that she was easily twenty-five years younger than he was. He was old enough to be her father, and while he knew she knew there was a difference, he’d hoped they’d make it a bit farther in the relationship before she realized just how wide the age gap was.

Belle laughed a little. “Okay, so you could maybe stop sounding like it’s totally ridiculous that you could have been interested in her.”

“I’ve known her since she was eight.” He didn’t mean to sound so short, but fuck, Neal was five years older than she was. This was a disaster. Why were they even talking about how ancient he was?

“Hey.” He looked up and saw that her smile had faded, but her features were still soft and open. “You okay?”

He couldn’t answer honestly, so he shrugged and looked back down at their hands, where she was rubbing her thumb over the backs of his fingers.

“Does it bother you?” she asked. “My being younger?”

“No,” he said hesitantly. “What bothers me is my being      old    .”

“Older,” she corrected him, and he shrugged again. When he didn’t say anything for a few minutes, she tugged on his hand. “Roderick.” He squeezed her fingers. “Rum.”

He looked up. She’d chosen that nickname, she said, because of the color of his eyes (and also because she hated any shortened version of his real name). No one had ever given him a pet name before, and he loved that she’d had the creativity to come up with one they both liked.

“I came after you, remember?” she said gently. “Pretty shamelessly. And it wasn’t a gradual thing, being attracted to you. I walked into that office and saw you properly for the first time and I just...you were so gorgeous, sitting there scowling at those files. You knocked me for a loop.”

He’d been handsome in an unconventional way, once upon a time, and he’d known it. Used it to his advantage on more than one occasion. Somewhere between the graying hair and the crow’s feet, though, he thought he’d lost whatever appeal he might once have had. To hear Belle - a woman so beautiful she frequently turned heads walking down the street - say that she’d wanted him at first sight was a balm to his very fragile ego.

“Of course then I got to know you,” she continued, “and I found out you were much more than a pretty face, and that just made you more irresistible. But make no mistake, Roderick Gold, I wanted you for your body and your mind.”

He laughed, the conversation suddenly striking him as impossibly funny. She giggled too, and they sat there grinning into each other’s eyes like idiots until their server cleared his throat and asked if they’d like the check.

They would indeed, and later, when she had him sweating and cursing and panting underneath her in her bed, he stopped marveling at the mere fact of being there and paid full attention to her responses: how eager she was to touch him, how vocal she was when he touched her, how surprisingly easy it was to bring her to climax, and how thrilled she looked when he came with her. He wondered how much he’d missed while he’d been counting his blessings.

When he stopped thinking about how grateful he was to be with her, he could see how happy she was to have him there, and that made everything sweeter.

Belle fidgeted with her handbag and glanced around the gallery. Her critical eye noticed that it was very well-proportioned and well-lit. The artwork, all created by the young people this event was supposed to benefit, was displayed to its best advantage, silent auction sheets by each piece. Belle had already bid a hundred dollars on a landscape done in oils, and she’d noticed Rum’s name on the auction lists of at least five separate works.

The big softie.

She saw him then, walking toward her with a faint smile on his face; she was ready to answer with one of her own when a striking dark-haired woman in red cut him off and grasped his arm. She was whispering urgently, but Rum merely rolled his eyes, took her by the elbow, and steered her to where Belle was standing.

“That crisis can wait,” he said when they were near enough for Belle to hear. “Belle, I’d like you to meet Regina. Regina, Belle.”

With a huff Regina jerked her arm out of his grip and turned to face Belle, her glance sweeping over her. She raised her eyebrows and looked back at Roderick, a smirk playing at her lips, before smiling and holding out her hand.

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” she said.

“Likewise.” Belle shook her hand and tried not to look as if she were intimidated.

“Gold tells me you work at a gallery in Soho?”

“I run it, actually,” Belle corrected her, and Regina smiled.

“I don’t suppose that’s where you met him?” She glanced over at Gold, who’d walked away to collect drinks for Belle and himself.

“Oh...no. I don’t think Rum’s every been to the Avonlea. He, uh...he handled my divorce.”

Regina’s eyes widened and she grinned a very feline grin. “Is that so. That’s positively unethical. I can’t wait to ask him about it.”

“It wasn’t at all unethical,” Belle argued. “Nothing happened until the divorce was finalized.”

“But you wanted it to, didn’t you?”

There was no arguing that. Belle smiled and shrugged sheepishly, and Regina laughed.

“Of course nothing happened. Gold’s many things, but he’s not an idiot. I’m sure he learned his lesson the first time.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Belle frowned. “The first time?”

Regina looked startled. “Uh. He didn’t tell you?”

“Tell me what?”

“About...my mother?”

“He told me they were involved.” Belle studied Regina’s panicked face. “She was married, while they were together, wasn’t she?”

Huffing, Regina crossed her arms. “You’re a sharp little thing.” Belle raised her eyebrows, and Regina took a long sip of her champagne before answering. “Yes, okay? She was still married. She decided to go back to my father at the last minute. It...it hurt him. I didn’t realize a lot of what was going on at the time because I was just a kid, but I figured it out later.”

Belle saw that Rum had managed to snag two champagne flutes and was making his way back toward them.

“Please tell me I didn’t just ruin this for him,” Regina said a little desperately. “He’s never been involved with a married woman since - I mean, I honestly don’t think he’s been - uh - anyway - it was a mistake on both their parts and…”

“It’s fine,” Belle said reassuringly as he walked up. “Don’t worry about it.”

“She hasn’t told you some horribly embarrassing story about me, has she?” Roderick asked, handing her one of the flutes.

“Not unless you consider that brief period when you refused to shave embarrassing,” Regina said smoothly. “Please never do that again. A beard isn’t a good look for you.”

Belle wasn’t so sure she’d agree, but she allowed Regina to lead the conversation and talk herself away from the accidental minefield she’d created. She watched the two of them talk and needle and tease, and the last of the tight, jealous feeling in her chest dissipated.

Her mental image of Regina had been wildly fluctuating ever since she’d first heard the woman’s name. Rum’s description of her as an old friend had conjured a handsome woman his own age, his equal in experience and sophistication. When he admitted that he’d once been involved with her mother, Regina had become an ambitious young early-twenty-something with nothing but youth on her side.

The reality was both better and worse than everything Belle had imagined. For starters, Belle had imagined passable good looks for the sake of her own peace of mind. With her shiny dark hair, bottomless dark eyes, and a scar over one side of her full lips that gave character and interest to her otherwise flawless features, Regina Mills was a knockout. However, she was also quite clearly not at all interested in Roderick. The energy between them was one of friendly rivalry, familial even, and Belle finally relaxed entirely. She moved to stand a little closer to him, allowed her shoulder to graze his arm, and he glanced down and smiled at her, the expression warming his eyes and softening his features. She leaned up to press a kiss to his cheek, but he turned his head and caught her lips briefly.

“Oh, brother,” Regina muttered, draining her champagne.

“Don’t mind her,” Roderick said cheerfully. “She’s just not used to people being happy in her immediate vicinity.”

“Fuck off, Gold,” Regina said without heat. “Bad enough you had to prance in here with your perfect girlfriend when you know mine’s in England. Do you really have to rub it in with the PDA?”

“Ah, yes, when is Millie supposed to return?”

“Next week. There’ll probably be a party. You’ve been warned.”

“Millie?” Belle asked.

“Millicent Drake. Attorney at law, a very friendly business rival, and, arguably, Regina’s better half.”

Regina snorted. “Not many who’d argue about that.”

“Yes, well, that’s because they’ve never been subject to a Drake dressing-down.” Gold shivered theatrically. “The woman breathes fire, I’m sure of it.”

“Right, because you’re so cuddly and soft. Didn’t you once make an opposing counsel cry?”

“Not my fault he didn’t read the prenup before filing.”

Belle shook her head, squeezed his arm, and headed for the ladies’ room. The two of them were entertaining as all hell, but she’d just been given a lot of new information with pretty much no time to process it. The relative quiet of the bathroom helped; she filed away the information that Regina was apparently involved with a woman (Roderick had said she’d never been attracted to him) and the revelation that his relationship with her mother had not been everything it should have been. Not that she had any room to judge, of course. Everyone was allowed to make mistakes, and God knew she’d made quite a few.

And then there was the fact that Regina had just called her Rum’s girlfriend and neither of them had attempted to correct her.

She was still ruminating on that as she tried to make her way back to where she’d left her…date? boyfriend? friend with really amazing benefits?...and she stopped to admire a water-color painting she hadn’t seen before. The subject was a shadowy figure seated at a spinning wheel, and something about the spinner’s profile was familiar. She leaned a little closer and saw that the nose was prominent and slightly hooked, and she smiled.

“Like it?” The voice startled her and she stepped back. The man beside her was smiling at her, his dark eyes warm and crinkling at the edges.

“It’s beautiful. I was just thinking that the spinner reminded me of someone.”

“It’s Rumpelstiltskin, but he’s sort of modeled after my dad. He used to tell me stories about Rumpel when I was a kid.” The man held out his hand. “I’m the artist. Neal Cassidy.”

“Belle French.”

The man froze with his hand still gripping hers. “Did - did you say Belle?”

“Yeah.”

“Belle French?”

“Ye-es…”

“Hey.” A blonde woman appeared beside Mr. Cassidy, her arm draped around his shoulders. “Sorry, got distracted by the food.”

“Emma, this is Belle. Belle French.”

The woman’s green eyes went wide. “You’re Belle?”

“Sorry, do - do we know each other?” Belle tugged on her hand, growing nervous.

“Oh, sorry, no,” Emma stammered. “Pa - uh - Rod - uh - Mr. Gold told us about you.”

Belle’s eyebrows shot to her hairline. “Did he? And, uh, who are you?”

“Like I said, I’m Neal and this is Emma.” His eyes were unreadable as he looked her over again. “I’m his son.”

[aotoshironojersey]

Ice skating Au

Because I just watched 4CC and I need to (obviously) push real life onto anime characters: THERE IS A REASON FOR THE CUT HERE

Seishun skating club, aka Seigaku:

(main)Trainers: Ryuuzaki Sumire, Tezuka Kunimitsu, Oishi Shuichiro

Senior skaters, singles men: Fuji Shuuske(20), Kikumaru Eiji (19still)

Junior skaters, men: Katou Kachiro, Mizuno Katsuo, Echizen Ryoma (moving to Seniors this year at age 16)

Senior Skaters, Ladies: ??? What’s that

Junior skaters, Ladies: Ryuuzaki Sakuno (moving to seniors this year at age 16)

Pair skaters, Senior: Tachibana Ann&Momoshiro Takeshi, ???&Kaidoh Kaoru (he can’t find a partner to communicate well with, and Ann is taken by that dumbass...)

There is no Dance seniors in Seigaku. Some people hope the Juniors would move up this year like their singles counterparts, but they’re...welll...

Dance skaters, junior: Osakada Tomoka&Horio Satoshi (who the hell paired them up?!)

Therapist: Kawamura Takashi

Club Manager: Inui Sadaharu

More info because I suck:

0. All of the main coaches had been active skaters at one point- Sumire took part in two Olympics during her age and won one bronze; Tezuka had been a star that is considered pushing the sport to higher limits, at least until he didn’t pushed his body past its limit. He still pushes the sport, but from the sidelines now. Oishi had the most versatile career, changing to Pairs and then to dance once it turned out an injury he thought nothing of turned out to pull him back in singles career, then let his partner in Pair go to allow her more evolution with younger (and stronger) partner(it was him who proposed side-by side axel though). He haven’t got the Dance career, as he was just a training partner to his little sister while she searched for a partner with less age gap (there’s almost seven years between her and Shuuichiro).

1. Sumire works with all skaters coming to the club, but lets Tezuka and Oishi chose and focus on skaters they think might develop under their wings, the only exception being Echizen, who she pushed to Tezuka ever since the brat moved to Juniors from Novice. 

2. This makes things look weird, because so far the only skater Tezuka accepted to train had been Fuji, earning him the name Tensai. Right now Fuji is trained by both Tezuka and Oishi. Oishi is the one who rides with him to competitions most often, though people noticed it’s Kawamura who goes with him EVERY TIME...

3.Oishi thought he had it hard when he started training Kikumaru Eiji- he had been proven otherwise. Still, the trio gets along pretty nicely,and the fact that Eiji and Fuji are relatively even all rounders, they tend to pull each other up a lot.

4. Fuji’s birthday are in the second half of the season, Eiji’s are relatively at the beginning, which means they compete for at least first half as the peers, but nobody really pays attention to that, except for Eiji. The fact that age gap between skaters and their coaches (well, most of them) is less than five years is noticed, though.

5. Oishi, being the only coach with Pairs and Dance experience, trains reps for both disciplines, though it seems it wasn’t his idea to put Osakada&Horio team together...

6. There is a suspection it’s Inui who keeps the selection of Kaidoh partners so hard, though it seems Oishi Rika might just pass it, considering how cute she is,and how most people know how Kaidoh is a secret softie (which might cause problem during twists...)

7.Eiji is considered to have the most balance between jumps power and flexibility on the field, and his spins are one of the highlights of his programs, though he prefers jumps (yeah, he’s the show off kid). The legendary video of him doing a hyperextended Biellman during the training got viral thanks to one Fuji Shuuske, and it got a ‘not so bad for a man’ comments from a lot of female skaters.

8. Fuji on the other hand is one of those flawless artists who get more Rippons and Tanos (aka hands above the head during jump) than they do the spins without travelling. Oh and people love his expressions on-ice- his another nickname is Ice Angel. Some discuss that it’s too ladylike though...until they see his quads.

9. Echizen is hoped to finish the troika of Seigaku, as Eiji and Fuji have been trading gold and silver in every competition they take part in together for some time now. The reason is, while most people admits Fuji at his fullest is unreachable, he rarely gives his all, doing just enough to get above the others, and Eiji is...well, hard to predict even on his good day-during the competition he’s more of an enigma than a human. This means, if Fuji overcalculate, he ends up with silver. He almost always gets revenge on the next competition.

10. Eiji has a tendency to flip his skates guards around his hand before handing them over to Oishi. Apparently, Oishi has learned how to read from the twirl how fired up redhead is. Inui is still working on how he does that, Tezuka has given up. Ryuuzaki just laugh when it’s brought up in conversation.

11. Talks about nepotism sometimes hit skaters, especially Sakuno. Since everybody knows how damn hard the girl is fighting for her position, Ann will personally kick your ass if you say something about Sakuno...of course, she’ll be representing all of the Seigaku feels, not only hers!

12. Speaking of An, she moved over from the training base under her brother to switch partners (Ibu & Kamio both are bitter about it af, but it was Tachibanas decision so they can’t protest). Even after she left she gets regular updates on what Fudoumine club is up to. She is actually the bonding element between Fudoumine and Seigaku, her older brother also being one of the more famous coaches. (Tachibana Kippei and Oishi often bond over their fear for their little sisters being chucked into air like that)

13. Nobody knows who the hell paired Tomoka and Horio up, especially as dance partners, since their characters (supposedly) makes them more suitable for Pairs, but Oishi don’t want to know how letting Horio throw Tomoka would end.

14. If Eiji doesn’t make at least one program during the season, either short, long or exhibition to a cheerful, fun pop/rock music, consider him sick- or a loser in the bet against Fuji. It happened before.

15. Nobody lets Oishi chose their music for themselves- he either overreacts to the importance of new duty, or chose something reeeeally weird (Fuji pulled out his sea waves exhibition somehow, but- again- it’s Fuji)

16. On the other hand, everybody constantly lets Fuji and Kawamua chose music/ color palette for their costumes. They’re known as misters Good Tastes of Seigaku.

17. The only accident that put a question mark on their judgement was one of the galas where Fuji’s costume looked surprisingly like salmon nigiri with a lot of wasabi...he still pulled it off, and apparently, it was his own suggestion.

18.Karupin is a living mascot of Ryoma, and thus he gets a ton of himalayan mascots from his fans, pretty much like Eiji gets teddy bears of all kind, and Fuji gets the weirdest stuff girls can think of. He even keeps the wasabi sushi mascot from one of his competitions.

Oishi-Kikumaru Pair:

There’s a bit of complicated situation at the beginning of both Eiji’s and Oishi Rika’s careers, the complication being why Oishi and Eiji actually met. Rika was originally a dance skater without a partner suitable for competing for her age(Oishi being only the training partner to keep the synchronization and lift skills thaining in her regime), and Eiji started skating as a pair partner to his older sister. After said sister retired due to her body not managing the pressure (a fact for which Eiji is secretly blaming himself), he is suggested to transfer to dance while his body (and stamina) develops enough to be able to freely support his partner; it’s where he meets Oishi, at that moment searching for a dance partner for his sister.

 Rika is actually interested, since she wanted to try Pair competition for some time, but knew her brother injury (a wrist) wouldn’t let him pair with her without anxiety of her safety (she’s right), so she jumps at the chance when she is paired with Eiji. After learning, and eventually winning some novice competitions that allow them to move to juniors, it’s Rika who breaks their pairing up, feeling the raising anxiety of her partner (and his growing affection for her brother, nii-sama, why do you have to steal all the good guys) and making Eiji admit to himself that he wants to show off. 

She and her brother disagree but still respect Eiji’s reason of Him “Rather skating where he can hurt only himself and not his lil sis” (Rika is getting a lot of little sister-zoned, lol). Rika paired with few others skaters until she wasn’t offered by Ryuuzaki to come to Seigaku. Thanks to her lithe frame (she never got past 160cm) and accuracy on par with her brother’s, she has a big chance of becoming Kaidoh’s partner and moving to Seniors- provided she won’t get too fired up by rumors of nepotism in Seigaku. She’s as overprotective of her older brother as he is of her.

Surprisingly, she gets along with Ryoma and (of all people) Osakada-Horio pair.

Ship theories, just because:

1.Contrary to the public belief, Ann and Momoshiro don’t date. They’re best buds, okay, but Ann prefers brunets...or...brunettes... the fact Momo doesn’t mind boys either makes it easier for them to bond.

2. Inui bases qualification of Kaidoh’s partners on how he behaves around them. Since Rika is a December baby born year after Kaidoh, he treats her like his little sister (a lot of approval from Oishi) rather than partner, but Inui still worries if this is enough to show a good performance in well, pairs. Then again, it means...

3. Pillar Pair won’t exist unless Ryoma turns eighteen, or so Tezuka says. Fuji is more than glad to help his kouhai change his coach’s mind, especially since this means he doesn’t have to worry about newcomer stealing HIS therapist...

4. Golden Pair is as fluffy as they always are, though Oishi made it obvious that he won’t let Eiji get into anything serious until he turns twenty- nobody waits for the first half of the season more than Eiji do, especially since one of the galas are planned for his birthday, and he has a great exhibition planned for it, thanks to Fujiko.

5. They are also fluffy until it gets to quad practice, where Eiji whines all the time-and Fuji sometimes join, without whining, tho-since Oishi forbid both of them from trying quad axels, despite both of them being the most consistent edge jumpers in the whole Seigaku. Currently, there is a war going on for the Lutz Fuji is training while Eiji is still on the Loop and Flip. Oishi is as stubborn as his trainees though.

[batai52]

Hillary’s Platform and Women’s Rights

Firstly, I personally do not want independents on the Democratic ticket in 2012. Yes, that is a period. In the fictional Star fleet universe one of the academy’s final tests is the dreaded Kobayashi Maru, which was created to test the character of cadets on the fastback to command positions. The simulated Kobayashi Maru is a no-win scenario, or a solution that involves ‘redefining the problem’. Why play politics as usual according to someone else’s rules? Go on the attack of the male dominated industry of politics-as-usual and make it more about some unfinished business such as Hillary’s platform and what she wanted to do such as the ongoing work of Global Goals as we presently relish in the world of global support from citizens who are eager for change in policies and politics.

In doing the Women’s March in Washington (https://www.womensmarch.com/), I felt that it would take just a few minutes more out of my day to join the Women’s March online also and in doing so, adding my name to the exponentially growing Pledge of Liberation the realization was that as a united voice, we declare our commitment to fighting for the liberation of all people.

No longer can we allow women’s issues to be treated as if they are in competition with each other, rather than fundamental to one another. As women reaffirm their commitment to each other, and we ask our members of Congress to remember their own pledges to their communities and constituents. As Helen Mirren recently said “It is very clear that when women are given respect and the ability and the freedom to pursue their personal dreams and ambitions, life improves for everyone. Feminism is not an abstract idea but it’s a necessity.”

As a progressive supporter of Hillary, entering my 65th. year of life in this corporeal existence, my childhood had been an uphill climb mentally and morally and there were times in my life I am specially not proud of, albeit I have also been granted a conscience and with that and three brain cells left that I thank God and the universe for that are capable of "functioning on multiple levels, and in multiple dimensions."

SUPPORTING GLOBAL MOTHERHOOD

The 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing heralded in the world’s arrival at the crossroads for a global agenda for gender equality. For the first time in history, we have the opportunity to see a world where every pregnancy is healthy and wanted, where every birth is safe, where every child can actually survive beyond their 5th birthday, and where all women, children and adolescents are safe and and empowered to thrive and realize their full potential.

However, we still have a lot of work to do. Right now, millions of women, children and adolescents still don’t have access to the life-saving information, services and supplies they need. The fact remains that one in five children are dying before the age of five from diseases that are entirely preventable, such as pneumonia and diarrhea.

In 2010, the global community formed an unprecedented partnership around Every Woman Every Child movement led by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Now, to achieve the Global Goals, the UN Secretary-General and other world leaders are launching an updated Global Strategy to end preventable maternal, child and adolescent deaths by 2030 and ensure their wellbeing.

Governments – rich and poor alike – must commit to close the gap on preventable deaths so that young people can grow and unlock their full potential. Affordable and effective interventions like access to Healthcare, vaccines, antibiotics, hand-washing and breast feeding have proven track records and immediate impacts.

Already, Japan, Norway, Canada and the US, as well as many other countries, have publicly supported the Global Strategy. Now, it’s time for Nigeria, Tanzania, South Africa and Colombia to follow suit by committing to prioritize maternal, newborn and adolescent health in their national plans.

Not only for us every day folk, this is also an invitation to World leaders and community leaders. Please do your part to ensure the health and well-being of women, children and adolescents everywhere. Come to the Global Citizen Festival in September in New York City and pledge your commitment to the United Nations’ Every Woman Every Child partnership and the updated Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health to set a strong precedent for other countries to follow and to ensure strong implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Let us finally get rid of: #GlobalPoverty, #GenderInequality, #MarriageInequality, #FinancialInequality and #GlobalHunger and begin to make global changes #IndigenousRights #LGBTQEquality, #GenderEquality, #FemalesHealthandSafety, #EducationforFemales, #FinancialEquality #WomensRights and #Innovationimprovements, #SanitationandEnvironment. We simply can no longer afford to deny the full potential of one half of the population. The world needs to tap into the talent and wisdom of women for its own protection, if we are to survive at all. Whether the issue is food security, economic recovery, health, or peace and security, the participation of women is needed now more than ever. This is sickening, to deny half the human race, their human engrained and imprisoned potential. It is a mockery to life itself, as we MEN have had well over two-thousand years to try and get it right. We have failed miserably and now we must learn to “unpack our social knapsacks” and look for more equal and ‘real change’ as we enter the 21st century. Say YES to female leaders.

In fighting the Trump-Ryan assault on our Democratic values, not only must we take back our house in 2018 we must put a halt to Trump and company agenda by keeping open access to ALL Americans. We must also put an end to the republican agenda by keeping our promises to our seniors and elders, support Wall Street Reforms by protecting native and indigenous rights and lands fighting corporate greed, supporting all members of society regardless of skin color, nationality, belief system, or any other constitutional indifference, supporting Immigration reform to protect immigrant families from being torn apart, support Climate change and protect our planet, defend a woman’s right to choose, ‘exposing gerrymandering’ and blocking attacks on all Americans voting rights, increase the minimum wage thus the American Dream and continue to investigate the Trump Administration as he continues his own agenda in the oval office making billionaires and millionaires richer on the backs of the rest of the nation. It is already happening. All one has to do is open their eyes, read the news and REALIZE it is already happening. Will you join me and take action?

One of our problems is that the DNC has become outmoded and defunct, obsolete and resistant to change, but it will change for the very reason that it must continue to live as change is in the air. There are younger democrats out here and this is not your grand pappy’s DNC anymore. It is younger with more vitality and it has a message. Move over! Their message is more progressive than ever as they have learnt and listened to the other side of the aisle for a while and have formulated their platform. It must become our platform. Our new message to democrats nationwide. Blue dog conservatism in the ranks will have to learn to become the student and not the master of the ship as progressive ideals take hold.

As an assumed-looking white male I have always had other voices in my blood, and they usually tend to be older and much wiser, and I do learn from and abide by them. Being human and having made my share of mistakes in life, in examining my life in a critical context I realized that when people of conscience do nothing when they are individually called, the earth dies just a little bit more every time.' We are each but mere fibers in this web of life where we are all inextricably connected in one way or another, and whether one chooses to believe it or not, what happens to one community affects all communities. When one segment of society its marginalized for so long, it is the community itself that eventually pays the exacting price.

As a veteran in taking the Oath of Enlistment I also swore to, “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign AND domestic.” The last time I looked at the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights, you know, that social contract that started out as nothing but a racist, sexist and xenophobic rag, the rights of ALL citizens were supposedly inclusive!

A Florida mother, Marissa D, Alexander’s life was torn to shreds in ways that I cannot even fathom, and for what, telling a judge, a nation, a world that she believes in her heart that she did the right thing by her standard of morals and her deep relationship with her God. It is solely because of the grace of GOD and Marissa's use of critical analysis of the moment, hindsight, that Rico Gray is alive today, walking free. I volunteer my time as an admin for one of Marissa’s support pages.

I believe of the 195 countries in the world about 24 have a woman as either head of state or government. About 22 percent of all legislative positions worldwide are held by women, and I have read that around 20 percent of governments have a female representative for the UN. It is my believe that a truer equality that has been lagging behind ever since women's suffrage took the front pages in the 20th. century. Although life presents an opportunity for progress at the weirdest times, it would send a powerful message to all countries directly or indirectly perpetuating gender inequality if one of the visible positions in the world is held by a women.

Like the civil Rights movement, Equality and women's rights is not an issue that will ever go away, as it is the number one issue in many nations and so it should be here in our nation. And not only should kit be the number one issue, the message should resonate far and wide as we make sure that its presets should be considered by one and all as the standard model for embarking on foreign trade or doing business at all with the United States. This should be understood and considered tantamount.

Feminine and women's rights are trying to be muffled out by burgeoning sexual exploitation industry to the point where women are being denied access to their own sexuality. It is almost as if the sexual media themselves have said to all women 'No, you cannot have your identity back.' Sexual exploitation is a serious violation of fundamental human rights.

It is sickening to deny half of the human race, their human ingrained and imprisoned potential. It is a mockery to life itself, as we MEN have had well over two-thousand years to try and get it right, we have failed miserably. We must now learn to unpack our sexual and "racial knapsacks" as we turn and look to the future of more "Real Change" as we continue through the door to the 21st. century. as the world will need active global citizens who are engaged in the world, knowledgeable about its diversity and passionate about change. Ending sexist conventions of the past with information and ideas that inspire and motivate global communities to act.

I hope my words find there intended audience, I want them to become the proverbial 'food for thought', If you are as mad as I am about the way things are going, you will formulate a plan of action and just do it.  I want time to be now.  I want people to rise up and scream to the world, ‘Enough!’.  ’I have had enough of this and not going to take it anymore,’ and mean it.  

Not knowing when my time is due, I do not have time in my life to lament on others petty feelings about human differences and I will work hard to see that this platform is given its just and overdue consideration inside the beltway in Washington where it really matters. I believe a Quorum call should be called for in the next democratic-controlled congress, based on the sheer importance of this platform.

In solidarity! Allan Hill, Woman’s March group The Oly Embrace,

https://www.olyembrace.com/ https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/ https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/ “Never again allow a group of old rich white men define the healthcare of a Country that is 50.8% women and 37% other races.” -Helen Mirren