#Day 6: Pre-Volume 2

[notebooknonbinary]

Byler Week, Day 6: Pre-Volume 2 Vibes

:)

-

He eyes the two sketches. They both would be a bit like putting his heart on the canvas. But which one would be more damning?

And which one would make Mike the happiest to get?

…

Still undecided, he pads out into the living room. Thankfully, Mom is between calls. She looks up and gives him a weary smile.

Evens, the DnD picture, odds, the swingset. “Hey, can you pick a number between one and ten?

“Hmmm, seven.”

“Okay…Thank you…”

Will goes back to his room, closes the door, and forces down the roiling anxiety making his throat tight. Swingset painting it is, then.

Mechanically, he finishes setting out his painting supplies. He sets the drawing in easy view of the easel.

If the painting is too much…If he finishes painting out this pivottable moment from their childhood (“It’s the best thing I’ve ever done.”), and the love he has for Mike comes across too clearly…Well, he can just give Mike the drawing of the DnD scene. It’s a good drawing anyway. One he’ll probably want to paint out at some point anyway.

He takes a few deep breaths, and focuses on the canvas.

-

Will hates to see Mike so down on himself.

Perhaps it’s not the best time. Maybe he should be a good friend and brother, focusing on trying to fix whatever it is that’s broken Mike and El apart so badly. But Will’s heart is hurting that Mike is hurting and he just wants to see him smile.

“Can I show you something?”

Heart in his throat, he hands the painting over. Jonathan and Argyle in the front of the van seem miles away. All Will can focus on is Mike’s face, as he unrolls the painting.

And…

A smile spreads across Mike’s face, and it’s the most beautiful thing in the world to Will.

Mike looks up to beam at him.

“This is amazing,” he says genuinely. “Did you paint this?”

“Yeah…I…I mean…” Will looks away, feeling flustered at the genuine awe and happiness that’s taken over Mike’s face. He picks at a loose thread on his pants.

“These past few months, I’ve been so…lost without you.” He curls his fingers into the fists. “It’s just…I’m so different from other people.” His eyes suddenly burn from the tears he’s been swallowing back all week. “And when you’re…different, sometimes you can feel like a mistake.” He forces himself to face Mike, needing him to understand. “But you don’t make me feel like a mistake. You make me feel like being different is good. I think I’ve been kind of mean and distant lately, but that’s just because I’m so scared of losing you.” He bites his lip, feeling like maybe he’s said a bit too much. He refocuses on the painting.

“A couple years ago you said…asking to be my friend was the best thing you’ve ever done…” Will swallows and looks up, watches Mike’s face go pink. His eyes are wide and almost sparkling. Pretty. It gives Will the courage to finish speaking. “Well, I guess this was me saying that telling you yes was the best thing I’ve ever done.”

Mike tears up, and it’s so sudden and startling (Mike hardly ever cries), that Will feels himself tearing up again in response.

And then Mike grabs him into a hug, tight and warm and oh so familiar. “Thank you Will. This is the best thing I’ve ever gotten.”

For a moment they sit, hugging and crying a little, and for the first time all week things feel brighter.

“I tried to call,” Mike mumbles into Will’s shoulder. “But the line was always blocked with your Mom’s job. I’ve been scared of losing you too, because it keeps happening.”

Oh.

Part of Will immediately wants to burst out into apologies, allow the nudging guilt at the back of his brain to take the forefront. But that can wait until later.

Right now, Will just wants to hug his best friend. Everything else fades into the background. This moment is theirs.

-

In the front of the van, unheard by the younger teens, Argyle whispers. “Dude, was that a confession? Does baby bro have a boyfriend now?”

Jonathan nudges him. “If they are, they’ll say so when they’re ready.” He bites his lip. Either way, I should make sure Will knows I’m here for him.

[willow-lark]

post vol-1 motel fic!! 👀

you are in love Stranger Things (T, 1/1, 2.6k)

"It’s too bad I didn’t see your painting before we left. You made it for your crush, right?”

Will fucking chokes. On air.

Because it’s true—Will did make a painting for his crush.

Only, his crush is sitting right here on the pavement next to him, and is a boy, and has been his best friend for a decade.

Will has no idea why he even grabbed his painting before they left Lenora, and he really doesn't appreciate Mike constantly asking about it, when all he wants to do is get over and ignore his feelings. But, as it turns out, Mike's been working through some conflicting feelings of his own.

finally able to post this for day 6 of @bylerweek2023!! 💕 who wants a good motel fic w a painting reveal and bedsharing?

[morganee]

Byler Week 2023 - Day 6: Pre-Volume 2

“Can’t sleep?” Will jolts up and the pen slips from his hands, and with a soft thud it lands next to him. Mike is sitting up on the bed and Will wonders how long he’s been sitting there because it looks like he’s been staring. “No,” Will simply replies and turns to find his pen again. “And you?” “Nope.” or When the Cali gang stops at a motel for the night, Will and Mike end up sharing more than just a bed.

title: dancing in the moonlight word count: 13,196 link: dancing in the moonlight on ao3

[bylrndgm]

are "friends" electric?

byler week 2023 | day vi: pre-volume 2 vibes

[fruity-cleric]

Day 6 pre volume 2

[bylerweek2023]

Byler Week Day 6: Pre-Volume 2 Overview

Hello everyone!!! Tomorrow, March 25th, is the SIXTH DAY of our Byler Week!!!!

And as we said before in our previous posts, we are making playlists for each day of Byler Week and we're posting them here, in this blog, ONE DAY before each day, so everyone can listen to it before and maybe use them as inspiration for your Byler Week plans/posts!!!

Here's our mixtape for

Day 6 - Pre-volume 2:

And ALSO, we're hosting Watch Parties each day of Byler Week

Here are the episodes we're going to watch tomorrow:

Season Four Episode Four: Dear Billy

Season Four Episode Five: The Nina Project

Link for 15:00 UTC Watch Party (Click Here!)

Link for 22:00 UTC Watch Party (Click Here!)

We hope everyone enjoys the Mixtape and we also hope everyone can join us on the Watch Parties!!!

And please, let us know if you have any questions!!!

💙💛

For the original byler week post (click here!)

For more details about the themes (click here!)

For our clarifications post (click here!)

[que3rduckling]

Day 6 of Byler week: Pre-volume 2!

I am pretty new to the Byler and stranger things fandom, new enough that I was still watching the show for the first time when vol 2 came out, so I never really got around to theorizing about vol 2. So the only thing I could really think of for this prompt was changing the van speech.

Sorry for not staying really on the prompt, but I hope you enjoy the drawing nonetheless!

[robsheridan]

Nine Inch Nails The Fragile released 25 years ago today. Here’s a 1999 digital camera photodump from the months surrounding the album’s release; a surreal, transformative time in my young life. Words can’t describe what it was like, but these photos and textures bring back the strangest hazy memories that feel like a dream: Not even a year out of high school, moving to New Orleans to work for my heroes as they were in the final year of recording a dense, challenging masterpiece of an album. Not everyone was ready for The Fragile at the time, but it now stands as one of the seminal works of pre-millennium art. If you’ve never experienced it, or haven’t in a while, it deserves a focused, solitary beginning-to-end listening in the highest fidelity, on your best sound system, at the loudest volume.

1: Recording The Fragile, Nothing Studios. 2: Various Fragile concept art by David Carson, Nothing Studios. 3: Gear, Nothing Studios. 4: Early NIN website concept screenshot. 5: Control Room A, Nothing Studios. 6: Live room, Nothing Studios. 7: The Fragile printer proofs, David Carson’s office, NYC. 8: Meeting with David Carson in his office, NYC. 9: Mixes, Nothing Studios. 10: Recording journals, Nothing Studios. 11: Filming the “We’re In This Together” video, Guadalajara, Mexico. 12: Band rehearsals, Bahamas. 13: Gear, Nothing Studios. 14: Robin Finck, Nothing Studios. 15: Charlie Clouser and Danny Lohner, band rehearsals, Nothing Studios. 16: The Day The World Went Away artwork, Nothing Studios. 17: MTV Awards rehearsals, NYC. 18: Skull, Nothing Studios. 19: Control Room B, Nothing Studios. 20: Various images posted to nin dot com teasing The Fragile in the months prior to its release.

[empressofthewind]

Fun Facts About Near:

He is the youngest character in the series! Right after him is Matt by a margin of 569 days (1 year, 6 months and 23 days), and the oldest is Watari by a margin of about 58 years.

He is also among the shortest - an inch taller than Misa according to some translations of Volume 13, and equally as tall as her in others. Rester is the tallest, standing at approximately 6'3", which is around 1'3" taller than Near.

From chapters 59-108 of the manga, Near appears in a grand total of 724 panels. This includes panels that show any identifiable part of him (e.g. his hand, the top of his head), but excludes Linda's drawing of him and any official art in the chapter that was not part of the plot. If you count the drawing & art, he's present in 741 panels!

Of all the chapters he's in, he makes the most appearances in chapter 82, appearing in a total of 49 panels. For comparison, the next highest is chapter 101, in which he is shown 33 times.

He's shown twirling his hair 84 times, split across 18 chapters and 59 pages. He always uses his right hand, and his left hand is often resting on his knee.

He can be seen smiling in 32 panels across 12 chapters. The majority of these happen in chapter 78, where he is shown smiling in 11 out of the total 19 panels in which his mouth is visible.

According to Volume 13 (page 210), Near estimated that he spent 4080.02 USD on toys over the duration of the SPK's work on the Kira case. Out of 25 total items listed, 7 of them were purchased in Japan, and the other 18 were purchased in New York.

Of all his toys, the puppets make the most appearances, showing up in a total of 11 chapters. The second highest is his robots, which were present in 10 chapters. Despite being commonly associated with him, cards and puzzles were among the least popular, each appearing in only 2 chapters.

He has 28 rubber ducks (as far as we know).

Four of his toys are handmade! These are the finger puppets, the radio tower model he assembles out of paper, one of his darts, and the figures from one of his Lego sets (which are pre-made but he draws on the details and faces with a marker). The L mask he wears in the warehouse is also handmade.

He has a very bizarre-looking set of Christmas ornaments hanging from his Christmas tree, including 2 robots, 3 video game consoles and what looks like a black cat peering out of a gift-wrapped box.

The last person to address him by name in the manga is Light, in chapter 107. After this, he is only addressed once more by Aizawa, who refers to him as L.

[strawbewiemilk]

How to Lose Weight Fast: My Tips and Tricks

Hey everyone!

If you're looking to lose weight quickly, I've got some tips and tricks that have worked wonders for me. My approach focuses on reducing portion sizes and doing minimal workouts, like walking. Here's how you can get started:

1. Portion Control

Measure Your Food: Use measuring cups and a kitchen scale to keep track of your portions. It's easy to eat more than you think!

Small Plates: Eat your meals on smaller plates. This simple trick can help reduce your portion sizes without making you feel deprived.

Mindful Eating: Pay attention to what you're eating. Eat slowly and savor each bite, which can help you feel full with less food.

2. Walk, Walk, Walk

Set a Daily Goal: Aim to walk at least 10,000 steps each day. Walking is a simple, low-impact exercise that can burn calories and improve your overall health.

Break It Up: If walking 10k steps at once feels daunting, break it up throughout the day. Take short walks after meals or during breaks.

Make It Enjoyable: Listen to music, podcasts, or audiobooks to make your walks more enjoyable. Explore new routes to keep things interesting.

3. Stay Hydrated

Drink Water Before Meals: Drinking a glass of water before eating can help you feel fuller and reduce your food intake.

Carry a Water Bottle: Always have a water bottle with you to stay hydrated throughout the day. Sometimes thirst can be mistaken for hunger.

4. Plan Your Meals

Pre-portion Snacks: Divide snacks into small, individual portions to avoid overeating.

Prepare Ahead: Plan and prep your meals in advance. This can help you stick to your portion sizes and avoid the temptation of unhealthy options.

5. Intermittent Fasting

Choose a Window: Consider trying intermittent fasting, where you eat all your meals within a specific time window (like 8 hours) and fast for the remaining 16 hours. This can help reduce overall calorie intake.

6. Healthy Swaps

Low-Calorie Options: Replace high-calorie foods with lower-calorie alternatives. For example, swap regular pasta with zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice.

High Volume, Low Cal: Focus on foods that are high in volume but low in calories, like vegetables and lean proteins. They can fill you up without adding too many calories.

7. Accountability

Track Your Progress: Keep a journal of your food intake, exercise, and weight loss progress. This can help you stay on track and make necessary adjustments.

Find a Buddy: Having a friend or online community to share your journey with can provide motivation and support.

Remember, losing weight fast requires dedication and commitment. It's important to find what works best for you and to prioritize your health. If you have any questions or need more tips, feel free to ask!

Stay strong and keep going!

[duckprintspress]

My June Reads

Storygraph introduced auto-generated graphics for sharing our reads by the month, which makes it much easier to do a review, and here I am! Sorry it's kinda pixelly, the settings on Storygraph aren't perfect yet but they're planning to add functionality.

I've been posting on the Duck Prints Press Book Lover's Server for a while, so everyone knows there that the answer to "how do you read so much?" is the library, but just to be clear, if it's a graphic novel, I got it from one of three libraries - either my local system, @queerliblib, or the Japan Foundation Library. The last two are both free-throughout-the-US Libby libraries and they've both been awesome.

Prose books, I usually own.

Anyway. Onward! My June reads:

How to Love: A Guide to Feelings and Relationships for Everyone by Alex Norris (graphic novel, short self-help stories about how to be in relationships, how to be alone, etc., all very inclusive.

Blue Flag Vol. 1 - 2 by Kaito (manga series about modern high school and a young man and his best friend - who has a crush on him - and a young woman and her best friend - who has a crush on her. poly vibes.)

The Tea Dragon Festival and The Tea Dragon Tapestry by K. O'Neill (graphic novels, very fluffy fantasy slice-of-life with various queer rep)

Squad by Maggie Toluda-Hall and Lisa Sterle (graphic novel, modern with magic, wlw high school student discovers that fitting in with the cool kids means becoming a murderous werewolf)

Clementine vol. 1 and 2 by Tille Walden (graphic novel, post-apocalyptic set in the same 'verse as The Walking Dead about a wlw amputee surviving against the zombies.

A Thousand Hopes, A Thousand Risks by Kelas Lloyd (short story, fantasy, pre-mlm between a young merchant and a god)

Ride On, Shooting Star by J. D. Harlock (short story, science fiction, a space courier wants to retire)

Deadendia vol. 1 by Hamish Steele (graphic novel, modern with magic/horror elements, about a trans male teenager who runs away from home and moves into a haunted house at an amusement park)

Giant Days vol. 2 by John Allison and Whitney Cogar (graphic novel, modern college setting, about the somewhat silly lives of the main characters)

Yona of the Dawn vol. 1 by Mizuho Kusanagi (manga, fantasy, about a young princess whose kingdom gets taken over by someone she thought a friend)

In the Dark vol. 3 by Jin Shisi Chai (danmei novel, mlm, last of three volumes - I read the other two in May - about an undercover drug cop who returns home after six years undercover)

The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation manhua vol. 6 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu (manhua version of the MDZS novel, mlm, historical cultivation about a fraught political situation)

The Fox Maidens by Robin Ha (graphic novel playing on story of the fox maiden Gumiho in Korean mythology, with a side of wlw)

My Hero Academia vol. 9 - 12 by Kohei Horikoshi (manga series about teenagers at a high school for superheroes)

Frontera by Julio Anta and Jacoby Salcedo (graphic novel about a young man crossing the border between the US and Mexico illegally, and about the mlm ghost who helps him)

My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness by Nagata Kabi (autobiographical manga about a young lesbian in Japan trying to figure out her identity and find companionship)

Solo Leveling vol. 1 - 2 by Chugong (a manwha series set in modern fantasy Korea, about a young man is terrible at "hunting"...until he isn't)

Haikyu!! vol. 5 - 6 by Haruichi Furudate (manga series about young men who play high school volleyball)

Little Birds by Anaïs Nin (a collection of short erotic stories with lots of trigger warnings applicable and a few dashes of wlw, originally written in the 1930s and 1940s)

To Strip the Flesh by Oto Toda (manga collection of short stories, with the longest/most involved being about a young man's journey coming out as a trans man)

Shubeik Lubeik by Deena Mohamed (graphic novel exploring three stories of Egyptians getting first-grade wishes in a modern-with-magic world, includes NB rep)

Limerence by Jiang Zi Bei (danmei novel, mlm, about a young college student who breaks up with his boyfriend and ends up falling for his ex's roommate.)

Our Colors by Gengoroh Tagame (manga about a young Japanese gay man coming our of the closet and making friends/finding a mentor in an older gay man)

Silent Hearts vol. 1 by Jing Shui Bian (danmei novel, mlm, modern high school setting, lots of disability rep though not for either member of the main couple)

Rainbow! vol. 1 by Sunny (modern, maybe with magic, about a young woman with a tough life and the people around her; wlw implied in the future?)

Out of Left Field by Jonah Newman (real-life-inspired graphic novel about a young gay man navigating high school)

Escape From St. Hell: My Trans Life Levels Up by Lewis Hancox (autobiographical graphic novel about a young trans man with severe anxiety)

This was the most pages I've read in a month all year, and the second most individual books. There's actually one more book not pictured, as it wasn't on Storygraph and I opted not to add it.

Happy reading, y'all.

[hoe4sports]

“My heart recognized you before my mind did”

Caroline Graham Hansen x reader

A/N: No triggers. Rewritten 31st of May. You are a playing assistant coach. Basically a player with more knowledge.

The sun was blaring in the Spanish sky which caused your sweat to pour. It was particularly hot because you weee busy placing the gear you had planned to use this session for the attackers. It looked like something close to the world championship of materials. It devastatingly hot as the Spanish sun was going towards record breaking heat. The attackers came out, all of them looking as ready as ever. You had already analysed them which meant that you knew each of their weaknesses. “Fridolina, Salma and Claudia; group up to the left.  Caroline, Mariona and Bruna; group up to the right.” You ordered, and the girls split up eager to see what you had planned for today. “We are doing drills, left to right, up towards east, strike three times, across the field and return. 1-2-3, let’s go!” You yelled as the girls got into action. Caroline caused you to take special notice of her. She was taller than you, and you had read about her. You went to talent camp together as teens. You always thought that she was into girls, but she was very private. Even back then! Nonetheless, she was stunning. Her hands were large, and her rarely shown smile was contagious. 

“Alright girls, I want you to group up.” You announced after 15 mins of intensive practice. The girls fell to the grass pacing, trying to catch their breath. “Now, this feeling is what we will feel on the pitch during the last 10 minutes. We are gonna push through it. Watch me, and copy it until I call quits.” You ordered as you did a series of cordinating moves as a ran between poles and over blocks. When you finished the round, you pulled my t shirt off your tanned skin as it was once again, recording breakingly hot. Everyone started doing the exercise, and you started looking at Fridolina while making notes of what she needed support on. You turned around and catches Caroline glancing at you. “Caroline? Are there questions? Are you okay?” You said as the tall girl shook her head and started doing the exercise. You shook yournhead, and started taking notes once again. 

Later that day, you spotted her staring at you. In the cafeteria, during the pre-match meeting and during the gym session. You decided that you were over it when you and Ingrid was walking to her car, and you catched her stare again. “What’s her deal?” You asked Ingrid, and she shrugged. “I’m not too sure, she isn’t normally this awkward. “ she suggested and you brushed it off as we got into Ingrid’s car.

Over the next months, this weird thing with Caroline kept happening. You would notice her staring, but whenever you talked to her she would get all stuttery. As she was getting weirded, me and the other girls were getting closer. You were also marking my spot as a playing assistant trainer when Jonathan on multiple occasions had me be a stand in during practice. This caused you to develop a close knitted relationship to quite a few of the girls, but Ingrid, Mapi, Alexia and Lucy were of the closest. Lucy would often flirt with me, and you thought it was hilarious. Over the next 6 months, we grew closer. Like sisters, she would tease you. and you would kick her ass in practice.

After a very particularly hard practice, you were clearing the pitch for equipment as the girls had already headed home for the day. You had turned the music on full and you were listening to “Typisk norsk å være god». It was blasting out on full volume and you felt like you were having the time of your life. It was friday, and you were feeling ready for Lucy’s birthday weekend shenanigans.

“Uhm, listen, Y/F/N-“ a female voice begun but was quickly shut down by your shrieks of horror as your heart went from 50 to 180 in the span of 1 second. “GRAHAM, you scared me!” You yelled as the tall brunette was walking awkwardly towards you, almost resembling a baby giraffe.  The girl was rubbing her neck while staring into the grass. “I just, ehm, regarding, you know-“ she stuttered. “Oh my, whenever you are ready” I stated as an ironically looked at my sports watch. “Never mind” the brunette stuttered as she was turning her tall frame and walked towards the warderobe. You could see the girls staring from the tunnel, and you knew that they had put her up to this.

You sighted as you felt forced to try to catch up to her, considering your 38 cm height difference. “Caroline, wait up.” You cooed at her as you were shortening the distance by the second. You catched her as she entered the now empty team warderobe. She sat down underneath her cubby with her name and face printed on the wall with her hands rubbing her knees. You could tell that she was nervous, that made you feel flattered. “Let’s try again shall we?” You said as you sat down on the physio bench in the middle of the room, but still in front of her. She still looked down with her serious face. She always has a serious face, that’s her thing. Stone cold, hard working and dedicated. You dangled your feet on the physio bench as you pointed towards her picture on the wall. “You see that girl?” You started, as she shot a quick gaze towards where you were pointing. “I think she is hard working, dedicated, confident and very passionate.” You stated while staring at her picture in awe as a you smiled lovingly. “Now, what seems to be the issue for this hard working girl?” You repeated. “Strugglig with your right to left transitions?” You suggested. “What, no!” She stated, knowing that you knew that her transitions were always perfect.

“I just-listen Y/F/N. I’m not very good with talking to new people. But I was trying to remember where I have seen you before, because I’m confident that I have seen you but I can’t seem to-“ she said as her speech was picking up the pace. “Statoil talentleir” you smiled as you let out a small laugh. “I remember, who could ever forget those a girl with eyes like the sea during the biggest of storms?” You smiled, and she looked down again as she blushed. You could see that she was hiding a grin, and you smiled again looking back on the memory. “It was around 2012, you were 17. I was around 13. You had your stilly little hairband across your forehead and I pulled it. It smacked your forehead and you had a bright purple spot for the whole camp.” You stated as a let out a chuckle.

The thing was, that you were younger than her. She was 1995, and you were 1999. That didn’t stop you though, as you liked my women older. “Are you going to Lucy’s birthday dinner tonight?” You asked to break the silence as you realised that we were running out of time and you had no intention of missing out on a chance to party. “I’m not sure..” Caroline shyly stated, and you stood up. “Well.” You said as a reached your hand out. “I want you to come, Caz” you said as your new nickname for the tall framed girl slipped. She smiled softly “as you please, coach” she chuckled as her smile lit up the room. 

[forcedtogrow]

Addressing Pre-T, Pre-transition Anons

I’m getting quite a few asks from pre-T guys about how much you can change your body pre-T, what exercises to do, how to fix body fat redistribution etc. and it has gotten to be a little too much so im making a blanket post regarding this topic. This post is MY VIEWS AND LIMITS. I am not trying to bully anyone, this is a kink blog for fun and I am not a teacher/doctor/counselor/therapist or parent. I am a fun big brother lmao.

1. There’s only so much you can change your body pre-T, and it’s totally dependent on your genetics and dedication to lifting/gaining muscle. Some guys are lucky and can easily pass without T by just working out, I wasn’t one of them but I’ve seen a handful of guys that did that before T. Even then, some of those guys needed T to get rid of an hourglass/pear shape.

2. You can’t spot lose body fat in hips/thighs/ass. You’d need to lose body fat everywhere, but pre-T your body is most likely to hold onto lower body fat because biology wants those fat reserves to make babies. It’s gross and dysphoria inducing but it’s true.

3. It’s worth it to work out pre-T, especially lifting, to create a solid base to work from. If you already have that you’ll grow so fast on T it’ll feel like magic. I won’t lie that it’s frustrating and awful, because I’ve been there and it feels like spinning the pedals on a bike without moving, but it does pay off.

4. Stay balanced with your diet and don’t force yourself into a crazy calorie deficit. It might not be the time to bulk if you feel like your body is reserving most energy as fat (could be your genetics or activity level), but maintaining a baseline that’s Not underweight is a good start.

5. I’m not in a place to tell you to bulk or cut, especially if I don’t know your height/weight/age/activity level. I am not a doctor or dietician and can only say what works for me and people I know.

6. Don’t just focus on one part of the body, do a full push/pull/legs routine at the very least. Like this: https://www.aston.ac.uk/sport/news/tips/fitness-exercise/push-pull-legs or this for a 6 day split: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/6-day-powerbuilding-split-meal-plan

You need to build full body strength, and more leg muscle can actually masculinize your body and make your hips more boxy.

7. If you can’t transition medically/socially for whatever reason your main focus should be getting out of that situation. This is going to sound harsh but I know many trans people who risked a lot, some trans femme friends that literally risked their lives, and you have to decide what’s important to you. I’m being real because you will only regret waiting—there is no replacement for transition, there is no joy like transition, there is no pain great enough to negate the many many benefits of transition.

I don’t want to get messages like “what if it’s illegal where I live!” That’s not what I’m talking about. It’s sucks, but you either transition or you don’t, and if you don’t that’s up to you, but I cannot assist with that decision. I gave up a lot to transition and waited several years to start hrt for reasons too personal to disclose. I ruined relationships with family among other things, so please do NOT ask me for advice on this because I will not be coddling/sweet. Being a man is hard and messy and a sacrifice.

8. I will tell you what I eat and give general advice of bulking/eating but I will not make a meal plan for you. Every body has different needs that only you and a dietitian can work through, I’m not a licensed professional and don’t want anyone to take what I eat as the only way to eat.

9. If you cannot transition because you are a minor stay off my blog. Sorry!!

[blairstales]

The Cailleach | Scottish Folklore

The story of the Cailleach can change drastically depending on what area of Scotland you are in, making her a hard figure to pin down as one thing or another.

In some stories, she transforms each year at Tobar na Cailleach(well of the Cailleach) from an old woman into youth, and the change of seasons depict her cycle from youth into elderly age.

In other stories, the Cailleach is more of a villainous figure, that either stubbornly fights back the forces of spring(and is ultimately overcome by the united forces of the sun, dew, and rain), or the Cailleach holds spring prisoner in the form of a beautiful young woman named Bride. Bride is eventually rescued by a young man named Aengus, and their union brings forth spring.

To again bring on winter, she washes her great plaid in the whirlpool of Corryvreckan, a spectacle that heralds the onset of winter storms.

The Corryvreckan Whirlpool

Thanks to her winter and storm association, it is perhaps no surprise mountains named after her, such as Beinn na Cailleach, often become engulfed in storm-clouds during the winter months.

However, there are also stories that reflect a side of the Cailleach that goes beyond her association with winter.

“-… it is undoubted that the Cailleach is the guardian spirit of a number of animals. ‘The deer have the first claim on her. They are her cattle; she herds and milks them and often gives them protection against the hunter. Swine, wild goats, wild cattle and wolves were also her creatures. In another aspect she was a fishing goddess. “ A Encyclopedia of Fairies by Katharine Briggs (1976)

Sometimes, she is a guardian of sacred wells, demonstrated in Alasdair Alpin MacGregor’s “The Peat-Fire Flame” which recounts a tale where the Cailleach’s failure to cover a spring with a stone results in a catastrophic flood and the forming of Loch Awe.

“But one day, weary with hunting the corries of Cruachan, she fell asleep on the sunny hillside. Not until the third morning did she awaken; and by that time her heritage lay beneath the waters of the loch that since then has been known as Loch Awe.” The Peat-Fire Flame: Folk-Tales and Traditions of the Highlands and Islands by Alasdair Alpin MacGregor (1937)

Othertimes, she is a source of healing, such as at the ancient shrine of Tigh nam Bodach(sometimes also called Tigh na Cailleach), which is associated with the Cailleach, the Bodach (Old Man), and their daughter Nighean(who is not always mentioned).

“The Tigh na Cailleach near Glen Lyon in Perthshire, Scotland”

At the shrine, there are stones known as healing stones, and they are carefully taken care of. Historically, someone had to put them inside on the first day of November, and take them out on the first day of May. As well as that, they were to be give a fresh bed of straw on winter festival days.

“In what is believed to be the oldest uninterrupted pre-Christian ritual in Britain, the water-worn figures from the River Lyon are taken out of their house every May and faced down the glen, and returned every November. The ritual marked the two great Celtic fire festivals of Beltane(Summer) and Samhain (Winter)and the annual migration of Highland cattle on and off the hills.” Highland Perthshire

So who is the Cailleach? She is the changing of seasons, sometimes a protector of sacred wells and animals, and can even be a source of healing. Basically, she is likely the most complicated subject to study from Scottish Folklore.

Further Reading:

The Folk-lore Journal, Volume 6; Volume 21: The Folk-Lore Of Sutherlandshire  by Miss Dempster

The Celtic Review, Vol 5 (1905): Highland Mythology by E. C. Watson

The Peat-Fire Flame: Folk-Tales and Traditions of the Highlands and Islands by Alasdair Alpin MacGregor (1937)

A Encyclopedia of Fairies by Katharine Briggs (1976)

The Folk-Lore of the Isle of Man by A. W. Moore[1891]

Carmina Gadelica, Volume 2, by Alexander Carmicheal, [1900]

Highland Perthshire (website with a blog post)

Historic Audio Recordings

Healing stones at Taigh na Caillich (Track: ID SA1964.72.A24, Date: 1559) “There were healing stones in a house in Gleann na Caillich; the shepherds looked after them. Talk about shepherds in the glen.”

Anecdote regarding Beinn na Caillich and Gleann na Caillich. (Track ID: SA1964.017.B6, Date: 1964) “An old woman and an old man lived in a house in Gleann na Caillich. The shepherd had to put them inside on the first day of November, and take them out on the first day of May. He also had to thatch their house each year.”

Information about St Fillan’s healing stones at Killin. (Track ID: SA1964.71.A5, Date: 1964) There were stones, known as the bodach and cailleach, in a house in Gleann na Caillich in Glen Lyon. Discussion about St Fillan’s stones at Killin. Different stones healed different diseases. The miller was in charge of them. They had to be freshly bedded with straw thrown up by the river on Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve. This is still done [in 1964]. The person in charge of St Fillan’s relics was known as An Deòrach and he had a croft in a place called Croit an Deòir.

[kanohirren]

rwby fans really are a different breed huh

imply the show could be improved in any way and they'll get on your case telling you that you're actually a hater if you don't just swallow whole the hot garbage mess that shawcross and luna pull out of their butts when writing a season because they didn't plan out the show from the start and just make it up as they go.

and to all the people who say "whaaat of course they planned it out from the start you just don't understand their vision" you're right about one thing, I don't understand their vision but I don't think they do either. In the Volume 3 Commentary video, it's said that Monty only came up with the Maidens after Volume 2. The Maidens that proceeded to become the driving plot point for the rest of the series to this day didn't exist in anyone's plans when writing the show at the start. Not satisfied? How about the fact that Neo wasn't written in until volume 2 because Monty decided that Torchwick needed a henchman. Neo had like ten minutes of screentime pre-volume 6 but became one of the most popular characters so they decided to make her a major antagonist, even the main antagonist of volume 9. That DEFINITELY wasn't planned before the show started.

I think the show could have been so much better if the plot was planned out from the start and honestly a reboot feels like the way to go to me. Too many times, the writers feel like they're not writing to actually tell a good story but instead they're writing to try and get a reaction out of people. Looking at you, bumblebee. Blake and Yang had one (1) interaction in Volume 2. In Volume 3, Blake runs away at the end as isn't reunited with team rwby until the end of volume 5... but somehow by volume 6 they've somehow become a thing? Literally just shawcross and luna seeing bumblebee being a popular ship in the fndm and going "here you go guys! enjoy!"

It seems like their goal when writing is just to make the audience do this meme

"Whoa, bumblebee! These two characters are canon now and they totally interacted beforehand!"

or alternatively, "Whoa, Neo/Penny is back!"

I could make an entire other post about all the lost potential they had with the plot points that had been set up. Penny the robot girl is killed in volume 3 but surprise she's back in volume 7! That's not an issue per se but imagine the juicy angst steak if Penny's memory had to be wiped or rebooted because they essentially made a new Penny (being a destroyed robot and all) and so she'd forgotted Ruby, her only friend and Ruby thinks she knows Penny but this Penny is essentially a different person. But nope, Penny remembers everything and is a superhero now or something.

Oh and don't even get me started on World of Remnant. If your show can't explain your own lore in a way that isn't making separate lore videos to try and make your world make sense, there's a problem there.

I think this post is long enough though so I'm just gonna leave it at this: I used to really enjoy the show but as it went on the bad writing became harder and harder to ignore and I think the show would greatly benefit from a reboot because nothing of great value would be lost if they never finished the current series. The show had some really good ingredients but the cooks tried too hard to make something unique and ended up with something "technically edible" but not really all that tasty (and fans will insist it was perfect how dare you say anything bad about it but oops there I go looping back round)

[bylerweek2023]

We just finished our second Watch Party of Day 5: Secret Identities and wanted to say A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who joined!! 💛💙

@morganee @notebooknonbinary @hynts @que3rduckling @strangerartist @elmoshipsbyler @atombstone you guys are funny, I loved it!!!

Our first Watch Party for Day 6 is at 15:00 UTC

Here's the link: