#Bridge October 3rd

[slitherpunk]

games i liked in 2023 (And Other)

I like games ! You know that ?! and I played a lot 2023! and I liked a lot :). They aren't in any specific order, it's just a little highlight of games that stood out to me this year. I've attempted to write a few thoughts on each so I hope take a look. I wrote playtimes for some also but that is very subjective.

-Ones that actually came out 2023-

Lunacid https://store.steampowered.com/app/1745510/Lunacid/ I think I mentioned enjoying this in 2022 but it officially released so I can say it was one of my favorite games in 2023 :3! I like to feel around this game's walls for secrets. I like the npcs that are full of hope and whimsy despite the bleakness of its world. Chill and occasionally spooky first person dungeon crawling around moody caverns and ruins varying from underground forests to vampire castles and blood lake. (Blood lake!!!! Lake of blood!!! Big creature there.) Lots of fun weapons and spells to find, I like the one that lets you turn blood into coffins.

~20 hours

Orbo's Odyssey https://feverdreamjohnny.itch.io/orbos-odyssey If you played the massively popular demo for "Peeb Adventures" by feverdreamjohnny then you know that Johnny makes some fun and funny games and this is certainly one of them. speedy and satisfying platforming! funny dracula moments! short and sweet.

~2 hours

A Walk in the Woods https://mooncaller.itch.io/a-walk-in-the-woods Quaint little GBStudio game :) Made by some friends of mine for a jam :) It's cute I like it. There's minigames where you catch bugs and birdwatch.

~30 minutes long

Undertale Yellow https://gamejolt.com/games/UndertaleYellow/136925 I've only completed the pacifist run and checked out a neutral run so far. as the title somewhat implies, this is a prequel to Undertale where you play as the fallen human who had the yellow colored soul. This Undertale fangame has a lot of charm!!! A lot of battles really feel like they could have been in the original, with quite a bit of extra flair in some circumstances.

~10 hours

vs really cool bird https://bobacupcake.itch.io/vs-really-cool-bird you know that really cool bird that rob bobacupcake made well you can fight it in undertale and it's really fun. yeah two undertale fangames. . . wat of it …

~30 minutes

Misericorde: Volume One https://xeecee.itch.io/misericorde I wont lie the main draw for me into this was cute anime nuns I sure didn't know a whole lot else about it when I dug into it. But it's (the first part of) a VN murder mystery! And I enjoyed it a whole lot. All the characters are memorable and I really enjoy how all of them have differentiating designs. The protagonist is so failgirl. She sucks so much and I love her. I'm very intrigued by the mechanics of the game's world, it clues you in near the beginning to expect something a bit supernatural/fantastical, which gives you (and later the protagonist) a curiosity about what's real and what isn't. The music is all very impressive too, with the ost reaching past 100 tracks varying through post-rock, folk, drum & bass, and others. (Remembering when the track "Scandal" played and my friends and I took a moment to be like- okay hang on this track pwns.) Big fan of its haunting locals and how the aesthetic of the game fits them well. Also the humor is a lot of fun, and I love all the moments getting to know the different characters. Very excited to see the eventual continuation of this.

~12 hours

Absolutely Perfect Specimen https://chambersoft.itch.io/absolutely-perfect-specimen It seems like a lot of people are craving toxic horror yuri lately. Here's a recommendation. It's a VN about the android maid "Pan" and the mad scientist girl who created her. Horrifying & gut wrenching & largely about having other people define you. The art and music is haunting & poignant and matches the ever increasing feeling of dread throughout. It's yuri with the chunks. Peak robotgirl horror for those who can stomach it.

~90 minutes

Wordhopper https://kokoscript.itch.io/wordhopper Very quaint word search type puzzle game for ms dos! I think its style is very slick and that's pretty impressive to see. Chill game with nice vibes and eyecandy visuals. also it was so cool to have played this and then ended up seeing the dev's booth at Vintage Computer Festival Midwest. I was like omg woah I just played this.

~bunny

Bossgame https://lilyv.itch.io/bossgame This game is yuriful as f*ck. Delightful humor and fun character dynamics! A simple-to-understand-difficult-to-master boss rush battle system that makes you satisfied to get it right, and enticing to get just a little farther if you get it wrong. There's a lot of detail and charm to this game's menus and dialogues and win screens, I remember noticing that once you beat a boss there would be some marquee text that would pass by with some prose on it. I love how it balances its silly moments with its heartfelt moments and its high octane moments. I like the character development and revelations had throughout the plot. & I like how good the protagonists are for each other :) It's very sweet. It's hype as hell. if you want some boss rush action paired well with that sweet sweet girl's love, you *will* play this game.

~5 hours

Elly's Adventure https://bikwins.itch.io/ellys-adventure Very cute and witchy!! You are the little witch girl "Elly" on an adventure to get your toys back!! Feels like a pretty authentic gameboy type experience, it takes a lot of design cues from Kirby's adventure and the like. I am a big fan of how playful it feels.

~1 hour

Nour https://store.steampowered.com/app/1141050/Nour_Play_with_Your_Food/ This was a treat for me, but I understand that not everybody is going to get it. It's a game where you play with food(and food accessories). And that's it. It knows what it was going for. I think a lot of people were expecting something else for some reason. It's a cute little toy game and I felt satisfied with my time with it.

~food

Hi-Fi Rush https://store.steampowered.com/app/1817230/HiFi_RUSH/ Do I have to say this game is super fun? It's a big one everybody probably already knows it. This game's dopey humor made me laugh a lot and I'm not afraid to admit it.

~12 hours

WHISKEY.ST2007S https://bonicle.itch.io/whiskey-st2007nes One of the last games I played in the year because it released super last minute. Does anybody else get a rush when running a shopping cart down the parking lot? This emulates that feeling. Short game where you collect whisky stones in the whisky stone dimension because you forgot to go christmas shopping until the very last minute. it rules. It's very short you can go play it right now & get a highscore.

~5 minutes

re:curse https://devpalmer.itch.io/re-curse Discovered this one near the very end of the year also. Fun little rpg maker horror/humor game about a weird scientist lady, her butch, and an evil clown computer virus that figured out how to warp reality. I got a kick out of it. and also enjoyed digging through the game's files, which was actively encouraged by the dev, which I thought was very fun.

~90 minutes

-Didn't technically get to until 2024 but released last year-

SWOLLEN TO BURSTING UNTIL I AM DISAPPEARING ON PURPOSE https://1207.itch.io/swollen-to-bursting-until-i-am-disappearing-on-purpose People love to dunk on a lot of indie rpgs for being "quirky Earthbound inspired and about depression" or whatever. Earthbound's great. If people can nail the kind of humor and absurdity it likes to pull off while also balancing difficult topics I think that deserves a high mark. SWOLLEN TO BURSTING was fun. Bizarre and charming places to explore & distressing secrets to find. I like how it blends meander-around-the-town gameplay with Yume Nikki sort of exploration and effects. Also I'm a big fan of the music. I like how it has the lofi sound which matches the early 3d look of the game.

~6 hours

HalOPE https://starbage.itch.io/halope Another for the fans of sweet little rpg maker games that have a lot of heart. HalOPE is about an incomplete little angel wondering through worlds. Each has a theme, usually to do with an emotion or feeling, and they do well at evoking that feeling as well as its antithesis. a lot of the music is very homey and charming at moments and unnerving at others, sometimes lonely, all doing well in their corresponding chapters to further the feeling of its specified theme. There are so many delightful characters and designs in this & I found myself feeling really attached to their tiny little stories. The narrative at the core of it all hit me. If I may be vulnerable, I cried a whole lot at various moments in this game. It was really cathartic. I feel very excited for people to experience this game.

~5 hours

-Favs I finally got around to that didn't come out 2023-

An Outcry https://quinnk.itch.io/an-outcry Kind of sad it took me so long to get to this one, but glad it meant I got to play the "definitive" updated version of it. Apartment wandering RPG maker horror. Bum smokes from your neighbors and use them to save the game. I wish I could unwrap a lot more of what I like about this game than I can without spoiling too much. But if I could, I'd probably go on for too long. Let me attempt to be succinct & not giving too much away. You can tell pretty early on that An Outcry is about taking action when necessary & not turning a blind eye. What it explores about player vs protagonist agency is very fascinating to me as well, and I enjoyed learning about the inspirations for why the game's narrative works the way it does. The character Anne is such a sweetie and I love her a whole lot. This game has a very tangible feeling, this apartment complex is dirty and crumby, it smells of smoke, and there's a surrounding desperation you can feel.

~5 hours

Pigments https://punkcake.itch.io/pigments Honestly I had gotten this game in a bundle and while I was playing it I hadn't looked at the name and I just kept calling it FRUIT. On call with my friends I'd be like "hey im gonna play more FRUIT". I straight up didn't read the title screen. But it's called Pigments. You play as a fruit and you try to paint the whole floor and not get sliced by buzzsaws. Fun little arcade type game.

~fruit

Bridge, October 3rd https://lowpolis.itch.io/bridge-october-3rd Very short vignette. I like it. It's what it says it is. I'm not going to overexplain.

~like a minute

-Other Games I Want To Mention-

Pseudoregalia https://store.steampowered.com/app/2365810/Pseudoregalia/ I think a lot of people might have already known this one but I felt like it was a pretty fun 3d platformer. There were a few issues I had with it (boss fight at the beginning was frustrating, and I got lost a lot [but it looks like there's been a map patch by now, so, perhaps for some that is a fix]). I enjoyed it but sure felt weird that the only accessibility option was to give the protagonist pants. What kind of joke is that?

~5 hours

Mushroom Musume https://mortallymoonstruckgames.itch.io/mushroom-musume (Disclaimer, this game is still early access, but I saw a lot of people talking about it last year. SO I will mention here?) Haven't played much of this yet, but I have enjoyed what I played so far!! As of writing I've gone through 6 playthroughs, I feel like I've hardly scratched the surface and I've been so impressed by its depth. It's very charming, you never know what sorts of fairytale shenanigans are going to happen, and it's very cool to see how your different stats will affect things. It very much plays out like a roguelike vn. Which is not the sort of thing you may expect to make much sense but it pulls this off well. Also all the mushroom girls are very cute and I love them very much. I hope the sad goopy one who had bugs in her skin rests in peace.

~mushroom

Knuckle Sandwich https://andybrophy.itch.io/knuckle-sandwich -_- Hm. Where do I start with this one. I was pretty excited for this one since the demo and kickstarter in 2018. I felt like the demo was a hell of a hook that got me curious & horrified. As time went on, it seemed to be shaping up into something really cool. turn based combat with action commands and wario-ware-type microgames?? with a banging soundtrack?? like, count me in!! Then it released and well, the gameplay, art, music all delivered. It was very fun and engaging in those aspects. But the story… oh it just devolves into disappointing nonsensical randomness. The whole hook at the beginning seemed to be completely thrown away for the wild goose chase plot that ensues, leaving you to wonder if it was ever going to be relevant again. It felt like it had no idea what it was trying to say or do. It disappointed me that a game that has so much good in so much else about it gets brought down so much for me by this plot.

~12 hours

Rhythm Doctor https://store.steampowered.com/app/774181/Rhythm_Doctor/ (Putting this one in mentions because it is early access.) I really enjoyed the act 5 release. When I first saw this game, I kind of shrugged it off, thinking "that base mechanic doesn't seem like it will last". I thought it was basically just that one ghost shooting game from Rhythm Heaven which I Hate. Well let's just say I am now seeking penitence for my previous transgressions. It's really fun. There's a lot more to it that I didn't know when I first took a look. Also, consistently amazed by people's custom levels, I had no idea that its level editor allows people to do so much in it, I look at some levels and think "This editor seems as complex as an industry standard video editor". I'm looking forward to what they're planning next, very curious how they could possibly one-up the last update.

~rhythm

El Paso Elsewhere https://strangescaffold.itch.io/el-paso-elsewhere This was really fun & funny so far but unfortunately I had been encountering an issue with a certain level where the game would crash. I reported the issue, got a response, and there has been an update since then so I think there's a possibility that it got fixed but I have not tried yet. I would like to return to this sometime but having to relearn controls midway through is always daunting to me.

~?

-Things that looked good but didn't get around to-

Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood https://store.steampowered.com/app/1340480/The_Cosmic_Wheel_Sisterhood/ Still don't know a whole lot about this. But there are witches, and I like witches.

Casette Beasts https://store.steampowered.com/app/1321440/Cassette_Beasts/ I haven't felt thrilled about Pokémon lately. I know a lot of people seemed to really enjoy this little monster-collecting-rpg. The style is appealing to me as a die-hard gen 5 fan. I started playing it but haven't set aside the dedicated time for it yet, but I'm excited to dig in more when I do.

Little Goody Two Shoes https://store.steampowered.com/app/1812370/Little_Goody_Two_Shoes/ Started watching a friend play this, and I'm certainly curious.. Some sort of horror fairytale but also there's yuri? Yum. Enjoyed the style and animation in the nightmare segments that I saw.

Venba https://store.steampowered.com/app/1491670/Venba/ I've picked this up a while ago but still haven't gotten around to it, but I'm eager to, I've heard nothing but good things.

Goodbye Volcano High https://store.steampowered.com/app/1310330/Goodbye_Volcano_High/ I think there are gay dinosaurs in a band and it's going to be the apocalypse? I have also heard nothing but good things about this.

-Things I watched friends play-

Signalis https://store.steampowered.com/app/1262350/SIGNALIS/ This was a pretty big one. You probably already know it, right? Watched a friend play this and I missed various parts but I understood a solid bit of it. hey. robotgirls are always getting put in these fucked up situations. have you noticed this? one time i got really high and cried about it. it isn't fair

Bomb Rush Cyberfunk https://store.steampowered.com/app/1353230/Bomb_Rush_Cyberfunk/ This one was also probably big enough you don't need me to sing its praises. but it looked really neat. swag.

-Various Thoughts-

Lately I've been thinking more about design and narrative. I feel like I haven't been doing as much analysis as I should be when it comes to games. I want to dissect more what games are saying and figure out meaning. Also attempt to see how the mechanics aid in that. I feel like most of my own work is pretty abstract & random. I simply make what I like. While that's fun and all, I still want to improve in a lot of ways, especially in having more of a theme or message. Figuring out how other games accomplish this is obviously a good step toward this.

If you saw games here that interest you I highly urge you to take a look, many are pretty short, and I pretty explicitly wanted to highlight some smaller titles. If you know me you know I like to uplift small games. (Save for the occasional big game, but that's rare these days) I think it's healthy for you to play and support independently developed & published works. I don't want to ramble too much this time about why that's important, but I hope that you might have found something you may enjoy here and if not then I encourage you to find small stuff that you would like. And I would like to encourage everybody to share their findings as well! Little games need our help to be seen and talked about! They don't have the budgets the big ones do for advertising, and advertising on your own is a whole ton of work. If you like something, spread the word! I'm sure the developers would very much appreciate that.

[saturniandevil]

April 2024 Important Dates

AKA my notes on The Astrology Podcast's April forecast, hosted by Chris Brennan and Diana Rose Harper (Austin is away on paternity leave). This is one of the most astrologically active months in the year. In addition to planetary movements, there's a comet that will be visible soon in the night sky and a nova.

We're going into the month right off the tail of a Libra lunar eclipse on March 25th. We're in "eclipse season," the time between eclipses, with much activity to report. Starting off, Baltimore's Key Bridge collapsed after a container ship crashed into it, which Austin called last forecast when he said that Mars's entry into Pisces (approaching a conjunction to Saturn) would involve a sudden halt in maritime trade. Astrologically it's quite on the nose, with a Libra (associated with trade/commerce) moon conjunct the South Node (symbolizing lack and decrease). We even have a chart for the opening of this bridge: it was an exact Mars return for this bridge, as well as its Uranus opposition and nodal opposition. Also on the Libra eclipse was the UN Security Council's vote for a ceasefire in Gaza. The April 8th eclipse will show us whether this resolution is successful, and a final Libra eclipse in October will tie these events together.

In celebrity news, we had obviously doctored photos of Kate Middleton prompting increasingly wild speculation on what the British royal family was hiding, culminating in Kate announcing her cancer diagnosis & chemotherapy plans on the March 22nd Venus(women, exalted in Pisces = royalty)-Saturn (slow illnesses) conjunction. She was also born on a lunar eclipse & announced this right before one. Just 3 days after the eclipse, on March 28th, Sam Bankman-Fried of FTX was sentenced to 25 years in prison, the newest development in a story that began on an eclipse when BitCoin crashed and revealed his role in one of the biggest instances of financial fraud in US history.

In smaller news, a nova in the T Coronae Borealis system will be visible as a new star in the night sky this year. This nova is visible every 76 years or so (the last time was 1946), and has been observed as far back as the Middle Ages. Add this to the eclipses and the comet, and Chris hasn't seen such an astrological buildup since forecasting 2020. As the eclipse hit his 3rd house Donald Trump published a book combining the Bible and the US Constitution, while in other news an orca was stranded in British Columbia, another dolphin & orca-related development in the (Mars-)Saturn in Pisces in cycle and Arizona announced Pluto as their state planet.

April Overview: with significant activity in Pisces, Aries, and Taurus simultaneously, we'll be getting hard aspects to every modality (and trines to every element)--everyone will be getting hit with some kind of change (but will have opportunities for growth as well). Chris makes a distinction between the challenging first half of the month, and a second half which will see more clarity.

April 1st - Mercury stations retrograde By time of posting this retrograde is in full swing: disruptions in communication, plans, travel and technology. Diana describes this as especially frustrating in Aries, trying to go one way but some huge miscommunication gets in the way. We may have to walk back on words spoken in anger and renegotiate situations where we identified the wrong target as our enemy. With the eclipse's ruler Mars conjoining Saturn on the 10th, anyone who travels for the eclipse and hangs around for a few days may run into blockages, likely due to rain and floods. Other general Mercury retrograde significations: people come back into your life, unfinished projects become relevant again, and situations from the past resurface. For example, Sagittarius risings often see the "duderang" effect where male lovers come back into their lives, as Mercury rules their Gemini 7th house. Mercury rx also brings delays and slowdowns, and is generally a good time for introspection and "emotional alchemy."

April 3rd - Venus conjoins Neptune This occurs right as she leaves the sign of Pisces. Venus-Neptune keywords: dreamy, fantastical, imaginative (especially with art), compassionate, and opportunities to find new avenues of enjoyment and pleasure. Saturn's copresence in Pisces can bring us some grounding and reality. This can also bring unclear boundaries, uncertain relationships, and idealizing one's lover--like using the soft lens. In events, AI images and videos and toxic synthetic dyes also fall under Venus-Neptune. Is the siren's call too good to be true?

April 4th - Venus enters Aries Chris hopes that Venus's copresence to the eclipse will mitigate some of its effects, but on the flipside this means she's left Mars and Saturn alone with each other in the Pisces chart of our house.

April 8th - Total Solar Eclipse in Aries This eclipse will be visible over much of the (particularly eastern) continental US:

Diana calls it a chiron eclipse, so here's the chart with chiron:

The Moon will eclipse the Sun at 19 Aries, which is where Chiron will be as well. Mythologically, Hercules brings back the head (North Node, Aries) of the hydra to Chiron, whose poison causes him incredible pain because he is immortal and cannot die from it. He eventually trades his immortality for Prometheus and Zeus puts him in the heavens as a constellation. Narratively, eclipses invert what we expect: it becomes dark in the middle of the day! Prominent people fall suddenly from grace and new rulers skyrocket to power during eclipses. Because the eclipse occurs in the sign of the Sun's exaltation, leaders and heads of state/organization/etc will be especially affected. A similar Chiron-influenced Aries solar eclipse occurred in 1968 when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. Nelson Mandela was sent to jail under an eclipse, but was also freed under another eclipse and elected to office under yet another eclipse.

For individuals, make note of what house this occurs in for you; this will be the end of one chapter and the opening of a new one in this area of life. Anything close to 19° of Aries will definitely feel it, as will any placements at that degree of Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn (hard aspects to the cardinal signs), while 19 Leo and Sagittarius (trine to fire signs) may feel some support. Generally, this series of events in Aries-Libra began a year ago, and will have its final eclipse on this axis in March of 2025.

This eclipse is ruled by a Mars (♓) who's just about conjunct with Saturn (♓), grinding things to a halt. Whatever's happening in the Aries and Pisces place is going to take some extra time. Other keywords: the end of a life cycle, matters of great importance & turning points in world history, major disasters as well as scientific discoveries. Eclipses highlight just how much is out of our control, like being on a teacup ride that's going too fast and being unable to stop unless something hits you. 6 months later, we'll get an eclipse that connects to some of these events:

Diana also points out that there will be an influx of tourists to rural areas of the US, advising travelers to stay courteous and noting that many local municipalities advise residents to stock up on basic supplies so they won't be lacking when a small area is flooded with new people & their needs. Generally, the eclipse will be a very creepy experience, with the Sun going completely dark, colors becoming muted, and stars may even be visible--some cultures have warnings against going outside during eclipses. Back to metaphors, Chris points out that the small seeds of much larger events are often planted during eclipses. Sometimes you don't know until later just how important this obscured implantation is because, like the Sun, our vision is occulted. Take notes, even of subtle things.

April 10th - Mars conjunct Saturn in Pisces We expect the two malefics to bring us challenges: their conjunctions in late Capricorn & early Aquarius heralded the first COVID lockdowns, and other hard aspects brought new variants and similar pandemic news. In 2022 a Mars-Saturn conjunction occurred with an epidemic of ebola. However, note that these are all airborne viruses, and these movements occurred with Saturn in the air sign of Aquarius. What will this look like in Pisces, a water sign? Chris predicts that existing Saturn-Pisces issues with water pollution and maritime trade/travel will have destructive moments as Mars comes in, while Diana thinks about water as a vector of disease, such as cholera & sewage treatment. Now that deep permafrost is melting due to climate change, we may also see new pathogens or substances released, as well as complications from farm water runoff. We'll definitely see the effects of this Baltimore bridge collapse, and, with the outbreak of dengue fever in Latin America, may see developments around diseases borne of insect bites. We may also hear about the ill effects of microplastics, lead, and asbestos as a result of this conjunction. More generally: pollution, ocean, liquids, extremes of hot and cold, feelings of constraint (and literal constraint), and spiritual or emotional burnout. Pisces is a sign of inescapable enmeshment with each other, so we'll likely deal with compassion fatigue and emotional isolation (especially involving social media). Questions of whether or not something is "real" remain relevant as ever.

On the positive side, Mars-Saturn brings discipline and self-control. Sometimes Mars and Saturn can temper each other to give us self-sustaining focus. We can combine hard-won wisdom with the drive we need to achieve it, like a martial arts training montage. Do we have the belief and conviction to achieve mastery? With determination we can reach heights we once only imagined. There's also stamina, resilience, and rigidity. Overlapping with the Mercury retrograde, we can also see delays and obstructions. If there are boundaries you've been meaning to enact, now is the time. We can see potential pitfalls, but beware of pessimism and not believing in yourself. Resentment and pent-up anger can also come into play as Mars's impulse butts up against Saturn's inaction, but incremental progress adds up.

April 11th - Sun conjunct retrograde Mercury (Cazimi) This marks a turning point in the retrograde. Diana uses a spelunking metaphor: during the retrograde we're diving into the cave, and at the cazimi we've found our treasure...but we still have to make our way back out. Our personal eclipse stories may become clearer during this time as well.

April 19th - Sun enters Taurus, Retrograde Mercury conjunct Venus Venus will help sweeten communications during the last week of Mercury's regression.

April 20th - Jupiter conjunct Uranus This brings freedom, liberation, and sudden rapid growth--completely different from the Mars-Saturn activity earlier this month. This may also set us up for the Jupiter-Mars conjunction later this summer. The Uranus in Taurus story has brought labor organizing and unions to prominence, so expect those stories to intensify during this conjunction. General keywords: technological breakthroughs and scientific discoveries, sudden revelations and growth, revolutions, rupture, and unexpected shifts. This conjunction takes place every 14 years, so Chris expects new discoveries, optimism and "quantum leaps" or new precedents in some fields. In Taurus this is related to food and agriculture--in addition to new technologies we'll likely see further developments with the farmer's protests in India and Europe. Finance and money is another Taurus signification, so disruptions in banks & questions about decentralizing currency may arise. Freedom, rebellion, and general eccentricity become important. We'll feel like anything is possible, but in disregarding the rules and refusing to compromise we may make rash decisions.

The comet Pons-Brooks may also start to become visible during this time. It comes by about every 80 years and is named for its 18th century discoverers. Ancient literature on comets is similar to that of eclipse: an ominous phenomenon heralding the deaths of rulers and falls of kingdoms. However, they note the color and appearance as indicating some positive effects when associated with Jupiter, and the planets whose path it crosses are relevant as well. Pons-Brooks passes closely by the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction, putting an exclamation point on the planetary significations.

April 23rd - Scorpio Full Moon

We're finally out of eclipse season, so things are starting to calm down. However, this lunation (04♏) squares Pluto (02♒), bringing some conflict in. It'll be stabilizing, but not necessarily comforting. Acceptance is bittersweet medicine. The full moon illuminates the deep transformative experiences Pluto brings to the early degrees of fixed signs in our charts. We're really getting to the bedrock of things. When Venus enters Taurus she'll square Pluto, and Mars will trine Pluto when he enters Aries. With those personal planets in domicile, it'll feel like coming home, but home is a little different. Pluto will retrograde soon and Chris predicts this station will bring major events in AI and related technologies. Mars is also quickly nearing his conjunction with Neptune, bringing the weaponization of these technologies.

April 25th - Mercury stations direct

April 28th - Mars conjunct Neptune (typo in image) Aside from weaponization of AI and social media, Mars-Neptune also connotes the manipulation of reality for political purposes. Revealing that a shocking news story was actually false wont necessarily diffuse the feelings it arose. Even if it didn't happen, you may still hold resentment towards the wrong target. Think the "fog of war" or shadowboxing. Other keywords include conflicts in or about water, idealism & ideologically-charged conflicts, confusion, acid, corrosion, lethargy, sapped vitality, and unnecessary martyrdom.

April 29th - Venus enters Taurus She immediately squares Pluto. Venus in domicile brings us to the election for the month:

April 29th - Selected auspicious election (not pictured)

Set the chart for about 12:55PM local time, which gets you Leo rising with the Ascendant ruler Sun in the 10th whole sign house in Taurus, where it's copresent with Jupiter, Uranus, and Venus. This chart is good for 10th house matters like career, reputation, social standing, overall life direction and accomplishing goals. The Moon is in Capricorn, applying to a trine with Jupiter, bringing support. Mercury has stationed direct, bringing us away from some of the delays and issues we experienced earlier. Even the Mars-Saturn conjunction is about as far away as we can get, and a day chart Jupiter conjunct Uranus brings creativity to our efforts. Diana associates the 10th house with the gestating parent and thus recommends doing something nice for your mom now.

April 30th - Mars enters Aries Entering firey and decisive Aries, Mars is no longer encumbered by slow Saturn and diffuse Neptune. This complete chapter change comes with a sextile to Pluto--the tone shift will feel like getting our oxygen back. This opens us up for a lot of quick movements through Aries and Gemini in May.

[scotianostra]

On October 1st 1763 the contract to build Edinburgh's North Bridge was signed.

Edinburgh in the 1700s was a very different city to the one we know today. The city boundary was restricted to the dramatic crag and tail feature which swept eastwards from the castle. Up to 35,000 people inhabited a space under a mile long making Scotland’s capital one of the most densely populated urban areas in the world at that time. The overcrowded population were crammed into crumbling tenements, many of them up to fourteen storeys high in order to make the most of the limited space. Make no mistake, Edinburgh at this point in it's history, was a skyscraper city, very few cities in the world had buildings the height of our capital!

Edinburgh’s nobility were often forced to accept the unthinkable and share dwellings with the lower classes. Change was not just desired, it was deemed an absolute necessity if the city was ever to move forward.

Plans to build a New Town to the north were discussed as early as the 1750s but without the means of connecting it with the rest of Edinburgh, it would be nothing more than a fanciful dream. Phase one required the draining of the ancient Nor’ Loch, a man-made stagnant body of water located in the area which we now term as Princes Street Gardens. Drainage began in 1759 and would continue up until the 1820s. Dry land at the east of the Nor’ Loch valley allowed for what was undoubtedly the most ambitious engineering project to have been built in the city at that point: An eleven-hundred foot long stone bridge. The North Bridge, as it would be named, enabled the New Town to become a reality. A brand new chapter in the city’s history was about to begin.

And so it was that the foundation stone of architect William Mylne’s North Bridge was laid on 1st October 1763 but it would be a further two years before any serious amount of progress was made. Nearing completion, the magnificent multi-arched bridge first opened to pedestrians in 1769 to much fanfare and excitement. However, the cheers would soon be emphatically silenced that summer due to a disaster of epic proportions.

On the evening of Thursday, 3rd August 1769 the side walls of the south abutment of the bridge suddenly gave way, causing a partial collapse of the structure and tragically claiming the lives of five people

Rescue efforts were recorded by newspaper the Caledonian Mercury which detailed the grim discoveries of bodies "buried in the rubbish, occasioned by the fall of the walls of the south abutment of the new bridge over the north loch".

Two of the bodies were identified as belonging to Mr Lawson, shoemaker, and Mr James Fergus, a local writer.

The Caledonian Mercury went on to mention that workers had been digging almost day and night since the collapse and that at least three to four others were feared to have shared the "same unhappy fate with the two already found".

A contemporary letter penned by a Darcy, Lady Maxwell recalls the evening of the collapse, which she had witnessed, writing

“The Lord, who is continually loading me with his benefits, has twice this day remarkable interfered on my behalf. In the evening he preserved me from broken bones to which I was exposed in a fall. A few hours after, when walking home from chapel, I witnessed a most melancholy scene occasioned by the falling in of the North Bridge. I… was within five minutes of passing over it… when almost in a moment, the greatest noise I ever heard (except on a similar occasion when I was remarkably preserved) filled the air."It seemed as if the pillars of nature were giving way. Instantly, the cry resounded “the bridge is fallen!”

A full inquiry followed and identified haste in construction and a poorly-calculated estimate regarding the depth of the foundations and sturdiness of the earth-filled abutments as the chief causes behind the disaster.

Rebuilding work demanded £18,000 (almost double the original £10,140 cost of the project) and the city would have to wait until 1772 before the grand reopening. The original North Bridge survived more than a century until the 1890s, when engineers devised an improved link that would allow for greater flow of traffic, this was at the time Waverley Train Station was being constructed.

Construction of the current steel bridge that we know today was completed in 1897 at a cost of £81,000., with the North British Railway Company contributing to a third of the cost.

A plaque recalling the founding and dismantling of the original North Bridge occupies a wall of the present bridge, which has now stood for roughly the same length of time as its predecessor.

The pictures show the evolution of the Nor Loch, I can’t find dates for them all, but you will see in the first one that the Loch is still not fully drained and very little signs of buildings on the North side, pic two shows buildings where the Balmoral Hotel now sits.

In the third pic there are signs of a Market where we now have Waverley Station, the street and buildings under the far side are now called Market Street. Pic four is dated around 1809, all the buildings you see on the left are now gone. On the top roght corner is what was The North British Train Station, the bottom of the picture you can see what is now known as “The Mound. Next pic is I guess from mid 19th century, still a long way from the construction of Waverley Station. Pic six shows the North Bridge being dismantling early 1896, and then "The Ceremony of Laying the Foundation Stone of the New North Bridge Edinburgh 25th May 1896, leading on to the commemorative plaque, which is from around the same time.

Finally is a pic of how the North Bridge looks in 2021, not much to see as it is in cladding while a multi-million restoration is taking place, the cost of refurbishing the bridge has soared from £22 million to £36m after the landmark structure was found to be in worse condition than expected. Last October the council issued a statement saying.

“Due to the nature of the construction of the bridge, full access behind the cast iron façade has not been available since it was constructed in 1897 and the last full refurbishment of this nature was in 1933. It has not been possible to properly inspect the hidden structural elements in almost 90 years.”

The briefing said testing had led to the discovery of “extensive issues” with the existing concrete bridge deck constructed in 1933.

I won't depress you with the latest details on when it will be finished, but at least it has opened to traffic now.

[finitevoid]

I was tagged by @sparrowmoth to share the first few lines of my last 10 fanfics. i dont post half of what I write so to save my sanity from boosting exclusively the relatively old stuff on my ao3 account im just going to include WIPs in progress

Hummingbird Heartbeat

WHAT REMAINS OF CENTRAL CITY, A REACH LABOR CAMP, SPRING 2056 “Did you get it?” Nathaniel frets, clenching and unclenching his fists. “Yeah,” Bart replies, pulling the aforementioned piece of tech from it’s hiding spot tucked into his shoe. It’s small, so it fit against his skinny ankle— long and thin and light.

Warchild (HH's sequel)

GATEWAY CITY, OCTOBER 3RD, 2001, 10 AM He’s looking at her, Helena can tell. She can feel it on the back of her neck. His gaze is heavy, and it almost— burns. When she turns to look back at him, his eyes are scarlet.

Blueberry Bruises

She feels the explosion. Of course she feels the explosion; everyone does. The ground had been wracked with tremors for a good half an hour, but that shaking was paltry compared to the devastating, cacophonous shaking caused by the explosion. She felt it in her teeth, in her bones, in her eyes, and most of all, in her magic. 

Strawberry Split Lip

There is not, actually, zero contact between the Isle of the Lost and the United Kingdoms of Auradon. Both sides may act like there is— the put-upon ignorance of the royals, the cursory sneers of the villains— but the Isle and Auradon are linked; you can’t have one without the other.

From a doc only titled 'SHAME'

Ruggie scratches the pen against notebook paper, filling out a packet of calculations for his Magical Runes class. It’s due in about— he checks his phone—five hours. The test, too, is in about five hours. And Ruggie doesn’t intend to get any sleep between now and then; he gets all his best test scores after an all-nighter spent cramming. 

Diasomnia Fairytale

The boy, Lilia comes to understand, is human. He had seemed unreal, when he found him; not so much a human as something out of a faded, and yet glittering dream. Tiny eyes squeezed shut, pale cheeks and small hands clenched into equally small fists. Pale skin like metallic ichor with hair as light as spun spider-silk.

From a doc that's a pun on the ship name "Ikesoren" and the word "eyesore"

Ike watches as his blood stains the bathwater pink. It sloughs from his skin where the water kisses his sides, lapping gently. The cuts sting, but he can’t bring himself to mind.

A fic I am writing at an irl friend's behest due to his utter glee at my ability to mimic bad ao3 smut

Alhaitham pinches the bridge of his nose, sighs harshly through his mouth, and watches as Kaveh explodes through their front door and into their home. He slams the door behind him with a violence; it rattles in its hinges.

Ruggie Bucchi's Unwitting Foray into Rest and Relaxation

“You work too hard,” Leona’d said, as if he wasn’t lounging, half-dressed, on his unmade, king-sized bed. “It exhausts me just watching you. You should take some time off.”

Prince Kingscholar's Unwitting Foray into Community Outreach

Leona Kingscholar’s life gets significantly weirder after he finally graduates Night Raven College at the ripe age of twenty-two. Well— it doesn’t get weird at first. At first it gets, in retrospect, extremely boring.

i tag uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh myself from the mirror dimension

[thisisyourdriverspeaking]

Part 6 of my 'motorsport number ones' post. This time it's the random bunch of drivers edition

Sebastien Loeb - (26th February 1974) - Suzi Quatro - Devil Gate Drive

Juan Pablo Montoya - (20th September 1975) - Rod Stewart - Sailing

Mark Webber - (27th August 1976) - Elton John & Kiki Dee - Don't Go Breaking My Heart

Jenson Button - (19th January 1980) - The Pretenders - Brass In Pocket

Felipe Massa - (25th April 1981) - Bucks Fizz - Making Your Mind Up

Heikki Kovalainen - (19th October 1981) - Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin - It's My Party

Pippa Mann - (11th August 1983) - KC & The Sunshine Band - Give It Up

Robert Kubica - (7th December 1984) - Frankie Goes To Hollywood - The Power Of Love

Nico Rosberg - (27th June 1985) - Sister Sledge - Frankie

Jerome D'Ambrosio - (27th December 1985) - Shakin' Stevens - Merry Christmas Everyone

James Hinchcliffe - (5th December 1986) - Europe - The Final Countdown

Oliver Turvey - (1st April 1987) - Ferry Aid - Let It Be

Sebastian Vettel - (3rd July 1987) - Pet Shop Boys - It's A Sin

Alexander Sims - (15th March 1988) - Kylie Minogue - I Should Be So Lucky

Molly Taylor - (6th May 1988) - S'Express - Theme From S'Express

James Calado - (13th June 1989) - Jason Donovan - Sealed With A Kiss

Daniel Ricciardo - (1st July 1989) - Soul II Soul & Caron Wheeler - Back To Life

Simona De Silvestro - (1st September 1988) - Yazz & Plastic Population - The Only Way Is Up

Brendon Hartley - (10th November 1989) - Lisa Stansfield - All Around The World

Cristina Gutierrez - (24th July 1991) - Bryan Adams - (Everything I Do) I Do It For You

Abbie Eaton - (2nd January 1992) - Queen - These Are The Days Of Our Lives

Reema Juffali - (18th January 1992) - Wet Wet Wet - Goodnight Girl

Timmy Hansen - (21st May 1992) - K.W.S - Please Don't Go

Daniel Abt - (3rd December 1992) & Alice Powell - (26th January 1993) - Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You

Christine GZ - (22nd July 1993) - Take That - Pray

Alex Lynn - (17th September 1993) - Culture Beat - Mr Vain

Bubba Wallace - (8th October 1993) - Take That & Lulu - Relight My Fire

Naomi Schiff - (18th May 1994) - Manchester United Football Squad - Come On You Reds

Jessica Hawkins - (16th February 1995) & Beitske Visser - (10th March 1995) - Celine Dion - Think Twice

Nicholas Latifi - (29th June 1995) - Robson & Jerome - Unchained Melody

Jack Aitken - (23rd September 1995) - Simply Red - Fairground

Oliver Askew - (12th December 1996) - Boyzone - A Different Beat

Louis Deletraz - (22nd April 1997) - Michael Jackson - Blood On The Dance Floor

Catie Munnings - (15th November 1997) - Aqua - Barbie Girl

Cem Bolukbasi - (9th February 1998) - Aqua - Dr Jones

Jamie Chadwick - (20th May 1998) - All Saints - Under The Bridge

Kevin Hansen - (28th May 1998) - The Tamperer & Maya - Feel It

Mick Schumacher - (22nd March 1999) - B*witched - Blame It On The Weatherman

Max Fewtrell - (29th July 1999) - Ricky Martin - Livin' La Vida Loca

Robert Shwartzman - (16th September 1999) - Vengaboys - We're Going To Ibiza!

Bent Viscaal - (18th September 1999) - Eiffel 65 - Blue (Da Ba Dee)

Felipe Drugovich - (23rd May 2000) - Billie Piper - Day & Night

Marta Garcia - (9th August 2000) - Robbie Williams - Rock DJ

Liam Lawson - (11th February 2002) - Enrique Iglesias - Hero

Olli Caldwell - (11th June 2002) - Will Young - Light My Fire

Doriane Pin - (6th January 2004) - Michael Andrews & Gary Jules - Mad World

Bianca Bustamante - (19th January 2005) - Elvis Presley - One Night

All added to this playlist 😊

[stairnaheireann]

#OTD in 1691 – Treaty of Limerick is signed, ending the Williamite War in Ireland.

Treaty of Limerick is signed ending the Williamite war between the Jacobites and the supporters of William of Orange. The Treaty, was signed on a stone in the sight of both armies at the Clare end of Thomond Bridge on the 3rd of October 1691. The stone was for some years resting on the ground opposite its present location, where the old Ennis mail coach left to travel from the Clare end of…

[amphtaminedreams]

June 2021->June 2023: Photo Dump No.22

DATE SAVED, L-R BY ROW:

1. 15th March 2023, 18th March 2023 [graphic source: instagram account @howtobehumanpod, background: Barbican, City of London, 17th November 2022], 9th February 2023, 2nd March 2023, 26th September 2022, 9th March 2023, 16th March 2023 [Fair Game, Canary Wharf], 21st September 2023, 18th October 2021 [Bella Hadid in Paris, September 2018, source: instagram account @crystalmethangel2]

2. 27th January 2023, 17th January 2023 [Vinegar Yard, London Bridge], 31st January 2023 [Russell Cotes Museum & Art Gallery, Bournemouth], 9th June 2021 [Lana Del Rey performing live @ Coachella, April 2014, source: instagram account @tulsa_lana_freak], 13th July 2022, 25th January 2022, 27th September 2021 [DSquared2 RTW F/W21], 14th November 2022 [Soulland RTW F/W22], 21st October 2022 [source: instagram accounts @fleurrrrrrrrr & @natalieenamaste]

3. 30th December 2021 [source: instagram account @posterjournal], 3rd April 2023 [Exhibition Road, South Kensington], 4th July 2022 [details @ Iris Van Herpen Haute Couture FW22], 11th January 2023, 22nd March 2023, 13th August 2021 [Lana Del Rey for Numero Tokyo magazine, March 2013 issue], 22nd March 2023, 20th March 2023 [St.Martin's Theatre, Seven Dials]

4. 19th September 2021 [Van Gagh Alive @ Kensington Gardens, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea], 1st February 2023 [source: instagram account @themayfairgroup], 17th May 2023 [Courtfield, Chelsea], 7th December 2022 [Liberty's of London, Soho], 19th December 2022, 23rd September 2021 [Miley Cyrus performing at the Midtown Music Festival, September 2021], 26th May 2023 [Bournemouth, Dorset], 1st December 2021 [Alexander McQueen RTW S/S19], 8th May 2023

5. 15th November 2022, 9th February 2022, 10th October 2022 [source: instagram account @kiracyan.design], 1st October 2021 [Zuhair Murad, Haute Couture S/S17], 6th July 2021 [Britney Spears photographed by David LaChapelle, 2000], 15th February 2022 [Frameless @ Marble Arch, Marylebone], 16th February 2022, 28th November 2022, 17th February 2022

6. 7th June 2023 [Queenhithe, City of London], 14th January 2022 [Versace RTW F/W19], 8th December 2022 [Twisted Museum, Oxford Street], 11th July 2021 [Britney Spears photographed in L.A, August 2009], ]5th December 2022 [CND for the Blonds S/S15], 22nd March 2023, 28th November 2021 [Saatchi Gallery, Chelsea], 5th June 2023, 29th December 2021 [Giant gallery, Bournemouth]

7. 7th December 2022 [Holborn, West End], 1st December 2021 [Versace RTW F/W19], 4th October 2022 [Bermondsey Street, Southwark], 1st June 2023 [Earl's Court, Kensington], 14th July 2021 [Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn in The Suicide Squad, released July 2021, dir. James Gunn], 21st August 2021 [source unknown], 2nd May 2023, 21st March 2023 [Beyond the Streets Exhibition @ the Saatchi Gallery, Chelsea], 30th March 2023 [Christchurch, Dorset]

8. 18th June 2023 [Southbourne, Bournemouth], 21st June 2023, 19th June 2023 [Christchurch, Dorset], 11th November 2021 [Miley Cyrus via Instagram, wearing Gucci x Balenciaga for the November 2021 LACMA gala], 14th May 2023, 21st July 2021 [Marina Diamandis BTS on the set of the "Primadonna" music video, released March 2012], 8th April 2022 [graphic: @oshthoughts on lnstagram], 14th July 2021 [Bimini Bon Boulash via Instagram, July 2021], 21st March 2023

9. 13th June 2023 [Belem, Lisbon], 16th September 2022 [Et Ochs RTW S/S23], 12th June 2023 [Villa Berta, Lisbon], 15th November 2022], 9th April 2023, 10th July 2021 [source unknown], 30th September 2022 [source: Etsy store ConceptsDigital], 15th February 2023 [Frameless, Marylebone], 11th June 2023 [Jardim das Amoreiras, Lisbon]

10. 17th April 2023 [Bournemouth Town Centre, Dorset], 2nd May 2023, 4th May 2022 [Earl's Court, Kensington], 9th April 2023, 15th September 2021 [Miu Miu Resort 2021], 8th September 2021 [Dilara Fındıkoğlu, Resort 2022], 12th November 2022, 6th May 2023 [source: instagram account @howtobehumanpod], 17th October 2021 [Monse Resort 2022]

[collective-remnants-rwby]

RWBYTREK HCs Part 1

Note: The Timeline’s a mix of NuTrek, STO, and the old Expanded Universe novels.

The USS Beacon-C

Excelsior-class, NCC 201225-C, launched July 18th, 2313 from Utopia Planetia.

Destroyed October 31st, 2387 in [FILE REDACTED]

CO at time of destruction: Cpt. Azerpin Ozm (KIA)

XO at time of destruction: Cmdr. G’Lyn (Reassigned as CO of the USS Pharos)

At time of destruction was essentially serving as a “Talent Scout” ship for promising recruits to replenish the ranks following the Borg War.

The Beacon-C senior staff served as Junior Officers & lower deckers.

Rumored connection to Section 31

The USS Beacon-D

Luna-Class, NCC 201225-D, launched October 3rd, 2388 from Riverside Geosynchronous Fleet Yards.

Fun fact: In the original Titan novels, Luna classes were science oriented vessels more akin to Voyager than flagships like it was presented in Lower Decks. I think, I admittedly haven’t read them in a hot minute

Multi Role forward craft here, not responsible for things like First Contact, but the detection and initial analysis of Warp capable societies in advance of First Contact.

The Crew

Ruby Rose

Human, born in Patch, Indiana to Cpt. Summer Rose and MCPO Xiao Long Taiyang. Raised on the Xiao Long Horse Ranch for most of her life.

Entered Starfleet Academy two years ahead of usual schedule.

Recorded high marks in piloting and mechanics with a specification in Weapons Systems and field command. 

MACO scores indicated talent in sharpshooting, tactics, and field tactics.

Passed a Kobayashi Maru adjacent Command Scenario involving a Romulan Warbird, Jem’Hadar warship and Brown Dwarf by waiting until Jem’Hadar ship was in range of Warbird, taking manual weapons control and sniping the Romulan engine, using the resulting destruction to cripple the Jem’Hadar.

Was an Engineering Division student at the time of the simulation.

Recommended to Officer Training and Command Division transfer by Cpt. Azerpin Ozm.

Took command of Beacon-C during [REDACTED] following destruction of the bridge and death or incapacitation of bridge crew.

Has a dog named Zwei & a horse named Crescent. Video game, starship, rock music and old comic book enthusiast.

Still a dork, unsure of her new posting. Still coming up with catchphrase. Liable to nerd out over ship designs. Happy to leave First Contact to the flagships.

Has semi-reserved a Holodeck for “Private captain related activities” (AKA gaming club).

Location since Beacon-C’s destruction: Trauma leave in Patch.

Rank and role upon Beacon-D’s launch: Captain and CO.

Wyss Sh’Cnee

Andorian, test tube baby born to two parents.

Descendant of Nykols Ch’Cnee, a famous Starfleet captain. Her zhi, Wynter Zh’Cnee is currently XO of the USS Atlas, legacy of Nykols’ flagship.

Recommended for Officer Training and Command Division by Commodore James Ironwood, the Atlas’ current CO.

Showed aptitude for sciences, especially xenoarcheology and xenozoology, and a minor in linguistics.

MACO scores indicate specialization in Marksmanship.

Transferred to Science track.

Trained Operatic singer and music fanatic besides that.

Champion fencer, trying to teach Ruby.

Got called Schnee by a German cadet once, Jaune explained it to her.

Location since Beacon-C’s destruction: Reassignment to Lake Ba’ab Environmental Observation Post.

Rank and role upon Beacon-D’s launch: Lt Cmdr and Chief Science Officer.

Mu-yor Svai T’Blake (Alias) Real Name: [REDACTED] (I don’t know if this is a remotely accurate Vulcan name)

Romulan masquerading as Vulcan, due to either surgery or unique physiological similarities to Vulcans. (Ties into HCs I have concerning Vulcan/Romulan species differences)

Snuck into Starfleet under forged record and origin on Vulcan Colony lost during Dominion War. Actual home theorized to be located in the Romulan DMZ.

Rumored connection to known Illyrian pirate and terrorist, Adam Torres.

Recommended for Officer Training and Command Division by Azerpin Ozm.

Specialized in subterfuge, linguistics, leadership, tactical operation and piloting.

MACO scores indicate specialization in stealth, marksmanship, CQB and bladework.

Trained in Qowat Milat martial arts and a master tan qalanq swordswoman.

Investigation was pending at the time of the Beacon’s destruction, disappeared during the confusion.

Subject of interest to Section 31.

Location since Beacon-C’s destruction: Intelligence shows she’s been operating in Romulan Free Space as a member of the Fenris Rangers under the pseudonym “Belladonna”

Rank and role upon Beacon-D’s launch: Cmdr and Comms Officer, unofficially the XO.

Xiao Long Yang

3/4 Human, 1/4 Klingon, has enhanced strength and small head ridges.

Born to Xiao Long Taiyang and Ravn, daughter of Branhwn, former Starfleet Tactical Officer and current known criminal.

Expert in equestrianism and animal husbandry.

Signed up to Starfleet as an enlisted woman, studying at the Starfleet Services Academy on Tellar, including both Engineering school and full MACO coursework, graduating the equivalent of suma cum laude in both subjects.

Served brief tours on the USS Belarus and the USS Signal Fire before transferring to the Beacon-C as a Chief Petty Officer and Transporter Chief.

CQB specialist, and widely recognized as an engineering genius.

Was basically the highest ranking RWBYJNPR member in the crew, was literally almost senior staff member.

Lost an arm shortly before the Beacon-C’s destruction at the hands of Illyrian terrorist Adam Torres. Was absent from the ship as a consequence.

Location since Beacon-C’s destruction: Mechanic at the Patch, Indiana Shuttle Flight Academy.

Rank and role upon Beacon-D’s launch: Senior Chief Petty Officer and the Chief Engineer.

[whatdoesshedotothem]

Friday 4 October 1839

7 ½

12 35/..

damp small rainy morning – General Wilson and his sister very civil yesterday – he an Edinburgh man (said our English man who went about with us) came here young – Mr. Wilson told us he had been in Russia 55 years and was 8 when he came – the sister came at 2 years old – the general goes to England generally every 2 or 3 years – was there last October and passed thro’ H-x – sorry obliged to be in Manchester and prevented spending  the day with someone at his place near Sowerby bridge – (Mr. Edwards?) – W- gets all the new improvements in machinery spite of the prohibition – the prohibition foolish as ministers know but obliged to follow the sense of the country - .:. the exportation of machinery prohibited – but machine-makers go to Belgium, and the Russian and others therefore buy of them what would otherwise be bought of us – spindles etc. etc. we can make much better and cheaper than they can be made here – tho’ from our models spinning jennies etc. are made in the machine room here – a clever young man from Glasgow (has been here 6 years) at the head of this department – 18 English families here exclusive of general W- 18 English masters each at the head of his own department and an Italian Ghersi = 19 masters who went to the Caucasus to examine the silk there, and has published his travels – wrote then in French (Ghersi) but translated into Russian and not yet published in French – the emperor has given him some land in the Caucasus Mr. W- the generals’ brother would succeed to the place but not near so clever as the general – not a man there like him – he has organized all – a clever excellent man – he being of the 3rd class a lieutenant general can go to all court festivals uninvited .:. can speak directly to the emperor – was much patronized by the empress mother (empress Mary) wife of Paul –

General Wilson came to Russia in 1804.

October Friday 4 sent 56,000 pieces of sail cloth last year to America the Russian navy does not want more 22,000 pieces a year – shewed us a piece (narrow shred) that took 12cwt. to break it – our great sail cloth manufactories (one near Glasgow Nelsons?) capital –

Flax would be good here (Dutch and Belgian the best) but the people will leave it seed – to get both seed and flax – it should be cut as in Holland and Belgium when in flower – the serfs in the establishment some good men earn 70/. a month some men 55/. down to 30/. – average wages per man 60/. per month – live in clubs so that a man lives for 14/. per month – every serf here pays his Lord 10/. per month –

misconduct punished by fine – for day of absence from work (drinking or idling) 5/. per day –

the fines 1/3 goes to the hospital – 1/3 to the library – and 1/3 to..... women can earn 20/. per month

when the emperor buys the serfs of any nobleman, frees them and they pay 15/. per annum each man –

496 young people sat down to dinner yesterday – only about 200 girls – of what they earn 1/3 goes to the Foundling hospital 1/3 to themselves (and 1/3 towards their maintenance at the factory?)

400,000 R. due from the factory to the Foundling hospital for which interest is paid –

the masters have from £200 to £600 a year – General W- has besides his appointments an interest that is a percentage on the goods manufactory and sold – one brother with him at the factory and one plain Mr. W- who was in the house of Thomson Bonar and co. but disagreed with Thomson now a merchant in St. P- all agents for houses in England but about 3 houses – Thomson B- and co. (Mr. Hodgson the head clerk of the house who manages everything and has some capital of his own in the firm on the same terms as the capital of the heads of the house – it [would] thus Wilson [get] on and Paulet Thomson himself) and Wilson and probably Bayley –

SH:7/ML/TR/14/0035

October Friday 4 saw the cardsetting machinery yesterday before luncheon – the wire cut and set – and saw a bit done by the empress Marie herself who was about an hour doing it – saw the paper patterns of table cloths before luncheon but had them explained after luncheon It is the Italian (Piedmontese [Piemontese], Ghersi) who arranges all these – some the patters very handsome – long 6 or 7 yards? – the length of the cloth being the breadth in gloom – i.e. the shuttle passed the whole lenth [length] of the cloth – saw the sizing rooms after luncheon

table cloths, long and handsome double damask with 24 napkins about 250 Rubels

breakfast table covers very pretty cotton at 18/. mixed silk at 50/. in all colours – much cloth (for slave-shirts the man thought) sent to America – strong and good but rather coarse – nothing finer made here – Sail cloth of several qualities – dare not note down prices because made no notes at the moment – the building was the country house of a Russian nobleman .:. has cost much in adaption and is not now so convenient as if built expires – 500 inhabitants in the village –

a congregation of 50 + English every Sunday evening – Mr. Law preaches there after service at St. P-

the dining room build expires – 230ft. long the same length as the British Queen steamer built – opposition to the government western 4 tables all down the room – arched ceiling – 96 beds? (girls beds) in 1 room and 6 in the end room adjoining – iron staircases water closets and everything beautifully tidy – Salle de reception – retiring them for the empress and another at the other end for the emperor – many noblemen offered to find men at 55/. per month but General W- always declined – would have the men at liberty to do what they chose with their money – declined contracts with the Lords of the [serfs]

October Friday 4 breakfast at 9 – before and after till now 11 20/.. had written all the above of this morning – out at 12 10/.. to the bank – cashed another £25circular – then from the Directeur of th ep.o. to the money charger – and then to Brieffe he went with us in the carriage to the Directeur general of the post office saw the Directeur – returned home for passport etc. and took Gross – at 2 10/.. at the Isaac church – and ½ way up in 7 minutes 350ft. high – Gilt cross on crescent on globe – coal from Newcastle sells here at 36kop. per pood

62 poods = 1 ton we went 325ft. high –

the church of Peter and Paul 400ft. high

at 3 40/.. at the ‘modèle de l’Eglise de St. Isaac par Auguste de Montferrand architecte de sa magesté . St. Petersburg le 1er mai 1819

Pouces = pieds anglais

Verscoks = Sagènes de Russe

Pouces = pieds Français

the dome all of iron to be covered with copper sheeting 3000 tons+ of iron in the dome

the model a very beautiful one – I could not make out the scale in the short time we were there – another model in the room – of the old Isaac church? no! of what? Mr. Anderside who went to the top with us observed that St. Pauls’ is the finest (best built) building of the kind in the world – the dome of St. Peters’ at Rome will be down in 40 or 50 yards – they will be obliged to take it down if they can get money enough – the Scotch fir is the red deal § the spruce the white deal

from the Isaac church to the chocolate shop – then to Graeffs’ and bought for A- Moralts’ paper on .......... (I scarce know what) in the last volume a part of the memories of this academy – in German but A- took it nevertheless – home at 5 ½ - paid off the carriage – dressed – dinner at 6 - Reading Captain Cochrane – this edition in one volume 8vo. that I read at home in 2 vols. fine day

§ Mr. Hodson or any of the merchants would ship me off deals and should get a great swing – the merchants [?] in Hull very considerable –

[?] driven (fir) to the depth of 20ft. for the foundation of the church – the outside to be finished by 1840 and it will be –

[dust-n-roses]

September and October in music are going to be epic oooh

2nd sept: new yungblud album (I don’t like all his stuff but I’ll definitely give it a listen)

3rd sept (this weekend aah!!): taylor hawkins tribute concert

9th sept: new ozzy album (I haven’t got to know all of his solo stuff yet but I’m a fan of the singles so I’ll probably listen to it)

7th oct: new gayle ep

14th oct: new alter bridge album AND new red hot chili peppers album

20th oct: deep purple concert!!

21st oct: new taylor swift album (wouldn’t call myself a swiftie but I like a lot of her stuff so hopefully I’ll enjoy it)

[jjtwo-oh]

Battle of Sinwin Nitay (2021)

Part of the "Emusi Conflict"

Top Left to Bottom Right: Forces of the Emusi defending a supply truck, Emusi gathering strength at a supply depot, an Emusi Sniper in the Sinwin Nitay Forest, KSDF forces redeploying to defend the city of Tomari.

Left to Right: Flag of the State of Konasir and the KSDF, Flag of the Hurenitay Regional Army (Also Known as the Emusi.)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Battle of Sinwin Nitay was fought in the Sinwin Nitay Forest within the Hurenitay Province of the State of Konasir between the forces of the regional warlord Isonash (officially called the Hurenitay Regional Army or Emusi) and the Konasir Self Defense Forces (KSDF). The battle is notable for breaking the five-year ceasefire between the Emusi and the KSDF and restarting the Emusi Conflict, which would eventually end in a government victory.

Background

See also: 2015 Emusi Rebellion, Battle of Morikotan, Emusi Conflict.

The initial rebellion succeeded in taking control of the sparsely populated highlands, small villages, and valuable farmland, but failed to capture control of much of the more densely populated lowlands, as well as the provincial capital of Tomari. The subsequent stalemate and ceasefire led to the conflict's calcification for five years. In this time, the formerly decentralized Emusi coalesced into the "Hurenitay Regional Army" under former colonel and self declared "Generalissimo" Isonash. They also took control of and expanded the region's lucrative and illegal cannabis and cocaine trade.

Before the battle, Isonash and the Emusi (Konasese for "Swords") forces controlled about 60% of the Hurenitay Province, a territory consisting almost entirely of the highlands of the Province. The territory came under Emusi control during the 2015 Konasir Recession after the government of Konasir failed to pay the pensions and salaries of KSDF soldiers. This lapse in pay led to poor soldiers in the heavily rural province of Hurenitay going AWOL and seizing control of villages and farms.

In 2021, the Sinwin Nitay Complex Fires broke out. Speculation remains to this day if the fires were started by the Emusi in order to sow panic and discontent, or if they were started naturally by power lines blown down by strong winds.

Battle

After the initial failure of the Konasir Government to contain the wildfires or provide adequate services to refugees pouring into the city of Tomari, the Emusi saw an opportunity for growth[ˢᵖᵉᶜᵘˡᵃᵗᶦᵛᵉ ʷᵒʳᵈᶦⁿᵍˀ]. Before the battle, little research had been done into the equipment furnished by Emusi forces. The KSDF assumed before the battle that the Emusi were only equipped with outdated small arms and had no sort of artillery or other long-range capabilities. They also assumed that Emusi units were mostly staffed with conscripted peasants who would be unwilling to fight fiercely for their commanders and would be unprepared to launch an attack with such thick smoke and poor conditions.

This assumption was proven wrong when, at 11:42 PM on October 11, 2021, Emusi forces surrounded a small airfield that had been reinforced by the KSDF. After a gunfight which lasted five hours, Emusi forces captured the airfield and the supplies inside, including high quality gas-masks and mortars.

Fighting continued into the daylight hours of October 12, where more Emusi forces poured down from the mountains and captured strategic infrastructure in the foothills around Tomari and the Sinwin Nitay forest. This infrastructure included an isolated gas station, St. Paul Miki Catholic Mission Church, two bridges that crossed the Tomari River, and a long abandoned Soviet Sinwin Radar Station.

Despite numerous attempts to cross the captured bridges into Tomari, the KSDF and Tomari Police held them off. After a week of fighting, proper KSDF reinforcements arrived in the city including the KSDF 2nd Armored Regiment and the KSDF 3rd Rocket Artillery Division.

The arrival of heavy artillery into the battle turned the tide decisively in favor of the KSDF who could now outclass and completely decimate Emusi mortar positions. KSDF infantry, backed up by the 2nd Armored would dislodge Emusi fighters from the outskirts of Tomari and push across the Tomari River, however faced trouble in dislodging the fighters from the foothills.

Fortified camps in the Sinwin Nitay forest, as well as a tunnel system built under the Catholic Church leading towards the Sinwin Radar Station, would make the KSDF advance difficult. The tunnel complex had multiple exits ponts along it's path that could transport fighters behind advancing KSDF units for sneak attacks. Additionally, due to the fighting, firefighters could not effectively combat the wildfire and thus it spread out of control. The thick smoke and intense heat led to orange skies seen over Hokkaido, Japan and Vladivostok, Russia. The smoke forced KSDF forces to advance slowly through the foothills, and the heat often led to technical failures.

The battle is widely considered to have finished upon the clearing of Emusi forces from the Sinwin Radar Station and airfield on October 22.

Aftermath

Emusi forces upon being forced back into the Hurenitay Mountains turned to infighting over what caused the failure to seize Tomari. This infighting led to the Hurenitay Regional Army splintering into the HRA-N and HRA-S, as well mass reprisals against peasants who took the advantage of the weakened state of Emusi forces to attempt to retake control of their villages and farms. (See: HRA-N Massacres, Bloody Monday.)

HRA-N Forces would assassinate Isonash on December 3, 2021. This led to further splintering amongst Emusi forces.

In 2022, the KSDF would lead an offensive into Emusi territory. (See: Operation Flower Shop)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Credits: All in game screenshots taken in GM Fork, Place names here are based on the Ainu language.

[callmelexy]

A Tribute to my Mama Wound

19122023

Oh... Would you look at that... Alex's mummy issues coming to light. Or as i like to call it, my "mama wound" ala Bridgerton style. The laughs numbs the pain just a little bit.

I started my healing journey 2 years ago and it's been one hell of a ride. From discovering core beliefs to attachment styles, there have been many sides to me that needed to be broken down and rebuilt. Ending 2023 with discovering my mama wound seems fit. A very large wound that was largely unconcious. I mean, I knew i had mummy issues but i didn't know i had M U M M Y I S S U E S ...

Around the end of October, I had met a boy. Let's call him, Ten. Ten was a wildcard in my dating life. A 186cm stature but with a gentle heart. We had 4 dates and 1.5 months worth of texting. Overall, he was accepting of how anxious I was and handled my vulnerability like a gentleman. And maybe it was his gentleness that was the final catalyst to this awakening... A summary of the story is that he said on our 3rd date, "you seem very sure of me but I'm still on the apps"... That rejection hit me like a hammer but i managed to reason with myself. By the 4th date, we had kiss and I thought, 'there it is, this is it. This is the love I had been searching for'... Only to have the 'I think we should end this' 2 weeks after.

As the story usually goes, I lose my apetite, scroll through all the messages and try to pinpoint the issue. Some days were "it's a him problem" and some days were "it's a me problem". Little did I know the tornado that was about to erupt...

I had bought comedy show tickets one month in advance and of course, the situationship ended one week before that. I texted him to ask if he could still make it, he said no. That rejection was so big, i called up Natasha and said "there's no need for me to be this angry. Why do i feel like this?" and to my surprise, she replied "Let the tornado take over". As i conciously saw my mind spiral, i ran to my bed, plopped myself on it and cried.

This cry was different. It was as if all the years of feeling rejected by men accumulated in that one cry. I would equate the pain to one of Lily Potter when she was killed by Voldemort or when Wanda's grief created Westville. So painful i could feel my veins swelling in my head, so powerful it sent me into a full day migraine.

A day later, Natasha came over. We had lunch, did our nails and chilled on my couch. I turn to her, she looked at me and i knew... She's about to show me what i've been unable to see. Using my little squirtle figurines, she showed me my mother on a pedestal and how i have spent my whole life trying to bridge that gap. And because my mother can't love me the way I want to be loved, the wound remained opened. That wound, in my head, was like a dried up watering hole.

"You have been dating with this wound. A wound of unrequited love." said Natasha. With my usual 'huhs' and gasps, the memories of all the boys I've dated since I was 13 flashed before my eyes. How i go from a secure girl without them to putting them on a pedestal. How i unconciously, innately, believed... That if i keep giving and giving and giving, one day, you'd love me for it.

As I sat with that information, I noticed that that is what my father does for my mother. Give and give and give... but for my father, he has accepted his wife as she is. For me, however, I have yet to accept my mother entirely as she is.

All the years of therapy was for this moment as i inwardly looked at my childhood self and said... I'm sorry. I'm sorry you didn't receive the love you wanted or the attention you needed. I'm sorry generational trauma was passed down. I'm sorry mummy and daddy weren't there for you emotionally. I'm sorry you felt ignored and discarded. I'm sorry for all the unnecessary criticism you received. I'm sorry you had to morph yourself into a self sacrificing child only to receive small scrapes of love.

But to that lil girl, I also say thank you. Thank you for continuing to give love to those in your life. Thank you for developing compassion for your parents and family members.

However, sweet lil Alex, we will no longer place them on a pedestal ok? Now, we put ourselves first. Our safety, our well being, our everything.

Discovering this led me to finally letting go of the 8-year toxic relationship. I have no forgiveness for the manipulation and abuse I received but I do accept it has happened and I've finally let it go. I no longer look at dating or work the same either. I matter and through taking care of myself, only can i craft and continue to produce content I believe in.

The validation that my family and friends carry about me still matters but no longer larger than the validation I carry for myself. The love I have for them is still large but no longer larger than the love I have for me. And my mental pedestal? It's for Queen Alex from Alex Land.

[scotianostra]

On January 1st 1651  the coronation of King Charles II took place at Scone, the last time a monarch would be crowned in Scotland.

The eldest surviving son of Charles I, Charles had been eight years old when Civil War broke out. He was with his father at the Battle of Edgehill and in Oxford, until ordered by him to seek the safety of France. 

The Scots were horrified when Charles I was executed in 1649, and while England became a republic, they proclaimed his son king, and invited him to come to Scotland. Agreeing to Presbyterian demands that he sign the National Covenant, he did so.

Cromwell then marched north, defeated the Scots at the Battle of Dunbar on 3rd September 1650, captured part of southern Scotland and seized and removed the nation's public records, although he did not manage to take the Honours of Scotland (the Scottish regalia).

On this day  1651, the Scots crowned Charles II at Scone. In July, the English army marched into Fife and then captured Perth, while the Scottish forces headed south into England, where they were defeated at the Battle of Worcester on 3rd September 1651. 

Charles II escaped, and fled to France once more. The English, meanwhile, moved on to take Stirling and Dundee.

By 1st October, Scottish resistance was effectively at an end, and the English government announced that England and Scotland were henceforth to be one commonwealth. This union took effect from 1652, although the acts of union did not become law until 1657.

Scotland was inadequately represented in Parliament and a council of state set up in 1655 included only two Scots. The resulting administrative and legal system was efficient, but financial ruin was widespread, legislation was designed to suit the English but not the Scottish economy, and the long-standing ecclesiastical divisions continued.

Charles II spent the next nine years in exile, until in 1660 he was invited back to London and restored to his father's throne. He always recalled with distaste his time in Scotland. The Presbyterians had lectured him constantly about morality and told him that kings were merely the vassals of God, like everyone else, and so he had no desire to go north again. Instead, Charles II left his Secretary of State, John, Duke of Lauderdale, to enforce his policies of royal absolutism in both church and state.

Objecting to the reintroduction of bishops into the Church of Scotland, the Covenanters rebelled in the Pentland Rising of 1666, but were defeated at the Battle of Rullion Green, not far from Edinburgh. 

Lauderdale attempted a policy of conciliation, but a further Covenanting rising was put down by the king's illegitimate son, the Duke of Monmouth, at the Battle of Bothwell Bridge in Lanarkshire on 22 June 1679. Increasing opposition to Lauderdale's corrupt government led to his fall from power the following year.

The final phase of Charles II's reign was taken up mainly with attempts to settle religious dissension. 

The king had no legitimate children, and he was well aware that the Scots viewed with alarm the prospect of his Roman Catholic brother James

succeeding him. 

Charles died after a stroke in 1685 with the problem still unresolved.

[crimsonmoonlite]

Fangs and Fragility - Twilight/Beau Swan - 18+ - 1. Bella

Bella

October 3rd, 2005 3:39 PM

Seattle, WA

   It's been 8 years since the last time I came to Forks... 8 years since the last time I saw my father, and 8 years since I even spoke to my brother Beau. Where we left off last time wasn't so good... Beau, Charlie tried to call me at least once a week. I assume he is still mad, he blocked me on Myspace when I friended him a few years back.

   I am not sure if I want to reconcile with him, I racked my brain trying to figure out why he was so angry with me. The only thing I can think about is that I started dating his best friend, Freddie Henderson... and even then, I don't think that warranted how fast he was out of the house.

   When Beau moved out it broke our Mom's heart, that's why I was a little more careful when asking if I could move to Forks so she and Phil could enjoy their first year being married. I'm not sure if Dad was thrilled to have me come live with him, he does have 4 other kids than me and Beau... it might be a full house, though I can never tell anything from his tone.

   I do want to spend a bit of time with my father before I graduate high school, after graduation, I am pretty much immediately moving back to Arizona to attend college. I haven't even met my younger half-brothers; their mother just left them alone with Beau and Charlie without any warning... I wonder if Beau helps Dad out around the house. I remember Beau hating babies the times we would have to babysit for our neighbor in Phoenix.

   Beau and I have never really got along, he is my twin... we are supposed to be attached at the hip or something. We are fraternal twins... but we should still have a resemblance to each other, but we look nothing alike. I take after my mother's features and Beau takes after my father's side... who knows we look more alike now?

   "Ready honey?" Mom asked, I could see the sadness in her eyes. Phil and She were bringing me to Seattle on their extra flight mileage, mom also wanted to see Beau. I was surprised when Dad said that Beau was coming to pick me up, I would be assuming my little siblings would be coming unless they could find a babysitter. "Phil and I will grab a cab, we will meet you at the steakhouse,"

   "I'll go with you."

   "Are you sure?"

   "Well yeah, I will have plenty of time with Dad and Beau, I am sure they will understand," I said, and we made our way out of the plane and to the baggage claim.

   "Help me find your father, honey, I bet he is a bit fatter now without us there to encourage him and Beau to eat better," Mom said and rolled my eyes, I love her to death, but she only cares about looks and how much she and everyone weighs.

   As mom and I were looking around and Phil was grabbing my luggage I locked eyes with a goth guy, and I only recognized him when he rolled his eyes. He picked up two toddlers lightly kicked a man beside him and walked toward us with two elementary-aged kids in tow.

   "Oh my god..." Renee said trying to hide her disgust, I am sure she didn't recognize Beau at first... she has a thing against goths too.

   "Beaufort? Is that you?" Phil looked like he had just seen a clown, "you look like one of the Nancy wrist cutters now," he laughed, and Beau didn't acknowledge him. Mom did a good job of pretending he began to laugh switching into a scold to her husband, Charlie looked like he was about to punch Phil in the face.

"Bear, What is a wrist cutter?" The oldest of my half siblings said and everyone was too stunned to speak, except Beau who looked calm and collected.

   "A band, and it's a bad word, Don't say it again Calliope, thanks for that..." Beau said pointedly at Phil and Mom.

   "It's so good to see you baby-" Mom rushed forward to hug Beau but he put his hand out in front of him to stop her.

   "I'm good," Beau snapped and Charlie pinched the bridge of his nose, Beau looked at me and I glared at him... there was no reason to treat our mom like this, he rolled his eyes. "Keys," Beau held out his hand for Dad to hand him the keys.

   "Son, be nice," Dad told him with a pointed look and Beau rearranged his face to false niceness.

   "Oh sorry, yeah... let me just kiss everyone's ass like you," Beau snapped and things got quiet.

   "So, are we going to eat still?" I asked to cut the tension, Charlie's face softened and turned to me.

   "Yep, your favorite one that you would always want to eat at before you went back to Renee's," Charlie said pointing to the oldest girl who looked to be around 5, "This is Calliope," Charlie said with pride and the girl on cue smiled as big as she could. "This is Sebastian," the four-year-old boy widened his eyes and quickly ran behind Beau's leg to hide. "And the twins are Genevieve and Adelaide,"

   "I got to give it to you Charlie, those are really cute names," Mom smiled and greeted all of the babies.

   "Oh, Beau helped name them, Fiona loved his suggestions," Charlie smiled proudly but then he seemed to realize he spoke about Fiona. We said a few more things before mentioning that we would meet them at the restaurant.

------- 4:44 PM    Seattle traffic was horrible like usual, but it seemed like we got to the restaurant at the same time, It was a good thing that Charlie reserved a table. Everyone was sitting down before Beau got up and rearranged the seating so the kids would be between him and Charlie... the awkward thing is that Beau was right next to Phil. I can't remember them ever getting along either.

   We all agreed to get the food at the same time the server came for our drinks, so everyone quickly looked through the menu. "Get whatever you guys wait, Dinner is on me," Phil said smirking spreading his legs and resting his arms on the back of Mom and Beau's chair.

   "Get your hand off of my chair," Beau said and when Phil didn't do it, he manually shoved it off.

   "Pad Thai," I said when the server got to me.

   "Can't get that, Bastian is deathly allergic to nuts," Beau said and I widened my eyes.

"I'm sorry..." Sebastian said with a frown.

   "Oh, no-no it's okay, I will have the erm..." I didn't want to upset Sebastian, but I wanted the pad Thai.

   "Lemon pepper chicken with garlic mashed potatoes," Beau said and that surprisingly sounded good.

   "Yeah, I'll have that,"

   "I want the ribeye steak and lobster-" Charlie said and Beau shook his head.

   "Calliope has a shellfish allergy," Beau said and Charlie looked apologetic to Calliope, "He will have the pan-seared grouper on the side," Beau suggested.

   "Oh, even better, where did you see that?" Charlie asked, "Sebastian you wanted the ghetti, and Calli you wanted the chicken nuggets?" he asked, and the kids nodded, Beau sighed.

   "Both have a gluten sensitivity; do you have rice noodles or just rice?"

   "I don't want rice..." Calliope crossed her arms and Charlie cheered her up by giving her head a rub.

   "You'll have the rice, and you'll like it, or you won't have cartoon time before bed," Beau said sternly and Calliope stuck her tongue out at him, then the server looked at him for his order. "Water,"

   "You don't want anything else, Sweetie? your belly was grumbling on the way here?" Charlie raised an eyebrow.

   "I'm fine, 'll help the kids with their spaghetti,"

   "It's not spaghetti if it's rice..." Calliope muttered under her breath.

   "Order Phil," Beau sighed when it was silent still, he reached into the stroller and got some baby food and a bottle out for the twins. The dinner was awkward even for us as it went on, Beau was quiet as he fed the babies... I would help but I was never really good with the little tykes when we would babysit.

   "You sure you do want anything, sweetie? You can have some of my steak?" Charlie said to Beau breaking the silence, he was burning Adelaide while texting on his phone. "Hello, Beaufort," Charlie snapped in his direction and Beau looked at him confused. "I was offering you my steak, put your phone away and talk to your mother. You can talk to Jacob when we get back home."

   "Who Jacob?" I asked as the name sounded familiar.

   "Jacob Black, the kid on the reservation you two use to play with, he and Beau are fri-"

   "He is my boyfriend," Beau interjected and Mom choked on her drink, my mouth fell open... Beau is gay? How could my twin be gay, and I didn't know it... is this why he hates me? Because I can't sense something as simple as him liking men? "Hey Renee, want Charlie to fill you in on what he caught Jacob and me doing in my room the other day,"

   "Beau," Charlie widened his eyes.

   "Stop being disrespectful boy," Phil snapped.

   "Don't talk to my son like that,"

   "He only got in trouble for wrestling with Jacob," Calliope said innocently and I put a hand over my mouth trying to hold in laughter as Mom looked like she was about to faint, and Phil rubbed his face. "What? It's only wrestling, Beau gets in trouble for wrestling a lot,"

   Things got quiet again, Calliope needed a little nudging to eat more. Beau acted like he was going to eat it and she got right back to eating... he doesn't look healthy, and I wonder if he doesn't eat often... at least he got some bites in to coax the kids.

   "Bear Bear, I need to go potty," Bastian said as Beau was trying to get Genevieve to stop crying.

   "Come on little man, I have to go too," Phil said.

   "Dad, take your son to the bathroom," Beau snapped.

   "I don't have to go," Charlie shrugged and Beau sighed handing Genivive to him while picking up Bastian and putting him on his hip.

   "Callie come on, you have to try to go," Beau said standing up and going in the wrong direction of the bathrooms.

   "I'll go help him," I said as the others looked in his direction confused.

   "Here, Take Eve, she might need a change, take the bag please baby girl," Charlie said and I nodded. I tried to remember how to carry a baby as I caught up with Beau.

   "You're going the wrong way," I said, and Beau looked me up and down before calling down a server.

   "Can we use the employee bathroom? They have an immune deficiency, and they might catch something if we go to the public restroom," Beau said, and the server... I didn't know that was a thing. "Where is Addie?"

   "Adelaide? She is asleep in her stroller?"

   "Go with them, I'll see if she needs to change her diaper too," He said, and I grabbed at him, but he already passed. I walked into the bathroom with the two just as dumbfounded as them, their eyes were so wide looking at me in confusion.

   "Er... I'll look away, Calliope helps me with Eve," I said pulling down the diaper station, the door opened, and in came Beau. He turned on the sink and it seemed to help Bastian go right away.

   "Hey... What's up with you?" I asked and he looked at me confused, he raised his eyebrows at me and looked at me with his striking big pale blue eyes... man I wish I got those instead of Dad's beady eyes... I don't know how Beau got them. There were so many questions I wanted answered but all that came out was, "Why are you mad at me?"

   "Mad? What are you talking about,"

   "You... we haven't talked in 8 years, you never called me," I stammered.

   "You never called me either," Beau said and I guess that is true... I could have called him. "Look... I am not mad at you. I am mad at Renee and Phil,"

   "Why? They haven't done anything but love you,"

   "You don't know everything Bella... just drop it," Beau sighed and cleaned off the tykes and checked the baby's diapers. Before I could ask another question he was out of the door and back on the way to the table, they were packing up after paying the waitress. "Keys, I will get a head start getting them in their seats,"

   Charlie looked like he was about to tell him to say goodbye to Phil and Renee first but Beau gave him a look and he gave in handing him the keys. It took me several minutes to say goodbye to Mom and Phil, trying my best not to cry.

   "Ready to come home, baby girl?" Charlie asked as Mom and Phil got in a taxi, he gave me a big hug.

   "Yeah, Dad... I am ready," I sighed hugging him back, he started busting out laughing.

   "Did you see the look on your mother's face when Beau mentioned he had a boyfriend?" Charlie asked before laughing so hard it was silent, I started laughing with him following him to the car... I missed his laugh. Please Vote, Comment, Add to your lists, and share this story with a friend:).

AO3

Wattpad

[stairnaheireann]

#OTD in 1691 - Treaty of Limerick is signed, ending the Williamite War in Ireland; the treaty allows evacuation of the Irish army to France and promises tolerance of Irish Catholics.

#OTD in 1691 – Treaty of Limerick is signed, ending the Williamite War in Ireland; the treaty allows evacuation of the Irish army to France and promises tolerance of Irish Catholics.

Treaty of Limerick is signed ending the Williamite war between the Jacobites and the supporters of William of Orange. The Treaty, was signed on a stone in the sight of both armies at the Clare end of Thomond Bridge on the 3rd of October 1691. The stone was for some years resting on the ground opposite its present location, where the old Ennis mail coach left to travel from the Clare end of…

[amphtaminedreams]

APRIL 2019->AUGUST 2022: Photo Dump No.19

DATE SAVED, L-R BY ROW:

1. 1st June 2021 [Versace RTW S/S04], 24th April 2022 [Garden Walk, Shoreditch], 22nd May 2022 [Bermondsey Station, Southwark], 9th May 2022 [Central Gardens, Bournemouth], 29th May 2022, 12th May 2022 [Denmark Street, Soho]. 31st March 2020 [source: instagram account @timeforpaint], 20th May 2022 [source: instagram account @jzcreativespace], 17th June 2022

2. 15th July 2022 [lford Bridge, Christchurch], 12th July 2022 [Danielle Frankel RTW F/W22], 10th July 2021 [Bournemouth Beach, Dorset], 20th March 2022 [from the "Floral Mayhem" series, Silvia Schaumloeffel], 13th June 2022, 24th April 2022 [Columbia Road, Bethnal Green], 6th December 2020 [source unknown], 16th November 2021 [Gucci RTW F/W19], 16th July 2022 [Lavender Hill, Battersea Rise] 

3. 12th August 2022 [River Stour, Bournemouth], 30th June 2022 [EPCOT, Walt Disney World Florida], 24th June 2022 [Disney's All-Star Music Resort, Walt Disney World Florida], 10th August 2019 [Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, Rome], 11th August 2022, 11th August 2022, 12th May 2022 [Behold, Man!, Frances Stark, 2013 @ A Century of the Artist's Studio: 1920-2020 Exhibition, Whitechapel Gallery], 19th June 2022 [source: instagram account @titsayy), 21st July 2021 [FANCì RTW F/W21, source: twitter account @MEENAVOGUEE]

4. 21st July 2021 [Bournemouth Seafront, Dorset], 10th May 2021 [Megan Thee Stallion BTS on the set of Legendary, Season 2 Episode 2: The Grand March, aired 6th May 2021), 16th May 2022 [Natasha Zinko Pre-fall 2020), 29th July 2022, 25th July 20222, 12th May 2022 [source: instagram account @katiedensondesigns), 22nd May 2022 [Marina live @ the O2 Academy, Brixton], 24th July 2022, 27th June 2022 [World Showcase @ EPCOT, Walt Disney World, Orlando]

5. 9th June 2021 [Lady Gaga photographed at the Annual Watermill Center Summer Benefit, July 2013], 11th March 2020 [The Laines, Brighton], 30th July 2022 [Ebury Bridge, Pimlico], 1st August 2022 [Picnic Park Deli, Bournemouth], 13th July 2022, 17th March 2022 [The Dahlia Renaissance Gown from Teuta Matoshi's S/S21 collection], 21st May 2022 [The Lister Hospital, Chelsea], 16th April 2022 [source: instagram account @oshthoughts], 1st June 2022 [Lorde live @ the Roundhouse, Chalk Farm]

6. 26th May 2021 [Bimini Bon Boulash BTS for Time Out London, May 2021 issue, source: @biminibabes], 24th April [Columbia Road, Bethnal Green], 28th June 2021 [source: twitter account @thisyearsgurl], 29th May 2022, 13th July 2022 [Bosca Nova, Bascombe High Street], 1st July 2022 [Universal's Islands of Adventure, Orlando], 24th July 2019 [the East Side Gallery, Berlin], 6th May 2022 [source: instagram account @kiracyan.design], 29th June 2022

7. 13th July 2022, 26th August 2021 [Atelier Versace Haute Couture F/W19], 13th August 2019 [Sitges, Catalonia], 24th March 2022, 15th July 2022, 18th July 2022 [Overcliff Drive, Bournemouth], 16th July 2022 [Community Festival @ Finsbury Park, Harringay], 9th July 2022, 26th March 2022 [source: instagram account @deandrepageart]

8. 13th August 2019 [Sitges, Catalunya], 6th August 2022, 9th August 2022, 6th April 2022 [Yobi-goe, Okanoue Toshiko, 1953 @ the Surrealism Beyond Borders Exhibition, Tate Modern, Bankside], 6th August 2022, 30th April 2022 [vintage Roberto Cavalli details, source: twitter account @highrunway21], 18th August 2021, 30th August 2021 [Christian Lacroix Haute Couture F/W05], 6th August 2022 [Southbourne, Bournemouth]

9. 24th May 2022 [Christchurch, Dorset], 22nd May 2022, 19th April 2022 [Javea, Alicante], 30th May 2022, 3rd November 2021 [Kate Moss, photographed on set, 1996, source unknown], 23rd July 2022, 11th April 2020 [source unknown], 27th December 2020 [Italian Vogue, January 2020 issue], 18th August 2021

10. 31st July 2022 [Bournemouth Pier, Dorset], 26th June 2022 [Rina Sawayama for Nylon France, issue 29], 30th July 2022, 15th October 2021 [source: instagram account @thepulpgirls], 12th May 2022 [Zuhair Murad Haute Couture F/W21], 1st June 2022 [source: twitter account @tododiagatinhos], 17th August 2021 [Tate Modern, Bankside], 19th October 2021 [Adut Akech photographed by Renell Medrano for the CR Fashion Book, F/W21], 30th July 2022