#Eleanor Roosevelt would have made more sense

[dancingpieces]

In my dream last night I got a dollar coin as change or something, and it was a brand new commemorative coin for LGBT rights. It was so big (so maybe not actually a dollar coin?) And was slightly holographic and so shiny so it looked different as you turned it!!! It had a light rainbow sheen as you moved it and it was so gay and beautiful, wish it was real, lol.

[marvelgeeklikestowrite]

Letters and lines quoted by Alex and Henry in their e-mails

Sense and Sensibility: “You want nothing but patience—or give it a more fascinating name, call it hope.”

Alexander Hamilton to Laurens: The truth is I am an unlucky honest man, that speak my sentiments to all and with emphasis. I say this to you because you know it and will not charge me with vanity. I hate Congress—I hate the army—I hate the world—I hate myself. The whole is a mass of fools and knaves; I could almost except you …

Hamilton said it better in a letter to Eliza: You engross my thoughts too entirely to allow me to think of any thing else—you not only employ my mind all day; but you intrude upon my sleep. I meet you in every dream—and when I wake I cannot close my eyes again for ruminating on your sweetness.

Allen Ginsberg to Peter Orlovsky—1958: Tho I long for the actual sunlight contact between us I miss you like a home. Shine back honey & think of me.

Henry James to Hendrik C. Andersen, 1899: May the terrific U.S.A. be meanwhile not a brute to you. I feel in you a confidence, dear Boy–which to show is a joy to me. My hopes and desires and sympathies right heartily and most firmly, go with you. So keep up your heart, and tell me, as it shapes itself, your (inevitably, I imagine, more or less weird) American story. May, at any rate, tutta quella gente be good to you.

Hamilton to Laurens: You should not have taken advantage of my sensibility to steal into my affections without my consent.

Dear Thisbe,

I wish there weren’t a wall.

Love, Pyramus

Vita Sackville-West to Virginia Woolf—1927: With me it is quite stark: I miss you even more than I could have believed; and I was prepared to miss you a good deal.

From Radclyffe Hall to Evguenia Souline, 1934: Darling—I wonder if you realize how much I am counting on your coming to England, how much it means to me—it means all the world, and indeed my body shall be all, all yours, as yours will be all, all mine, beloved.… And nothing will matter but just we two, we two longing loves at last come together.

Eleanor Roosevelt to Lorena Hickock—1933: I miss you greatly dear. The nicest time of the day is when I write to you. You have a stormier time than I do but I miss you as much, I think.… Please keep most of your heart in Washington as long as I’m here for most of mine is with you!

From Michelangelo to Tommaso Cavalieri, 1533: I know well that, at this hour, I could as easily forget your name as the food by which I live; nay, it were easier to forget the food, which only nourishes my body miserably, than your name, which nourishes both body and soul, filling the one and the other with such sweetness that neither weariness nor fear of death is felt by me while memory preserves you to my mind. Think, if the eyes could also enjoy their portion, in what condition I should find myself.

Richard Wagner to Eliza Wille, re: Ludwig II–1864 : It is true that I have my young king who genuinely adores me. You cannot form an idea of our relations. I recall one of the dreams of my youth. I once dreamed that Shakespeare was alive: that I really saw and spoke to him: I can never forget the impression that dream made on me. Then I would have wished to see Beethoven, though he was already dead. Something of the same kind must pass in the mind of this lovable man when with me. He says he can hardly believe that he really possesses me. None can read without astonishment, without enchantment, the letters he writes to me.

Wilfred owen to siegfried sassoon—1917:And you have fixed my Life—however short. You did not light me: I was always a mad comet; but you have fixed me. I spun round you a satellite for a month, but shall swing out soon, a dark star in the orbit where you will blaze.

Jean Cocteau to Jean Marais, 1939: Thank you from the bottom of my heart for having saved me. I was drowning and you threw yourself into the water without hesitation, without a backward look.

[wigwurq]

WIG REVIEW: THE PROM

You guys. Remember when just last week week I LOLed at my mom when I told her I had finally watched the lesbian holiday movie (The Happiest Season) and she thought I meant The Prom and I told her (and then you, dear readers!) that it would take me forever to hate watch that. WELL I JUST HATE WATCHED THAT. There is a lot to discuss, you guys. ALSO WIGS.

We begin in “New York City” or the CGI hellscape replication of it. Nothing about this movie is authentic except for maybe NY1′s theater reporter, Frank Dilella at the opening of a fake musical called “Eleanor! The Eleanor Roosevelt Musical!” which is meant to be a hilarious joke (it is not) starring Meryl Streep as Eleanor and James Corden as FDR and JOKE IS ON THEM AND US because why are they in this terrible movie and why the hell am I watching it? Oh right: THE WIGS. YOU GUYS THE WIGS. Meryl, who is truly slumming more in this than any other actor in this garbage also has to endure the very worst wig. SHE DID HAVE AN EVEN WORSE WIG IN MARY POPPINS RETURNS. But here this wig is so very much a bad wig that I struggled for a while wondering if this was going to be a wig within the narrative but no. Sadly, it looks like a castoff from some QVC Liza Minnelli wig collection.

AND EVERYONE LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE DRESSED IN A QVC LIZA MINNELLI NON-HALSTON SEQUIN COLLECTION GHOSTMARE (Liza should probably trademark that tho). I HAVE NEVER SEEN SO MANY SEQUINS OUTSIDE OF DAVID GEST’S GUEST HOUSE. Also, after the fake Eleanor musical opens, Meryl and James retire to “Sardis” or the CGI version of it where they discover that their show got (gasp!) bad reviews. EVERYONE LEAVES IMMEDIATELY except Meryl, James, Andrew Rannells who is another actor/bartender and NICOLE KIDMAN.

SHE IS ALSO WEARING SEQUINS AND HAS A BAD WIG. But we are talking about Nicole Kidman, so the chances of her wearing a bad wig are 110%. I couldn’t honestly tell you what her role is in this other than “another Broadway actress”(?) Her wig is likely the same one that Joanna Lumley wore for 10 seasons as Patsy in Absolutely Fabulous which has in the last decade or so been slowly decaying in a crawlspace somewhere only to reappear on the head of Nicole Kidman in the role of “another Broadway actress” in this movie. Anyway, all these washed up randos decide they need to stop acting and start activist-ing and pin all their hopes on a lesbian in Indiana who wanted to go to the prom and got the whole prom shut down due to smallmindedness. They travel to Indiana in a non-equity Godspell touring bus during which time my husband asked me who designs bus seats and truly: that is a question more profound and interesting than anything you will find in this “film.” But I do have many questions! If these actors have all been on Broadway and Meryl’s character has a few Tonys even, why do they need to bus it to Indiana?!?!

Anyway, over in “Indiana” (all places are actually LA or a set or a CGI hellscape), there is a big community meeting or something which is still all about not having a prom, because the only damn thing that matters in this community is THE PROM. The NYC actors show up and turn the meeting into a musical extravaganza with Meryl and her tragic wig center stage. More questions!! As a theater piece, it would make sense for this whole meeting to suddenly become a musical performance complete with spotlight entrances and sparkle curtains because it is already all fantasy. Ryan Murphy has no interest in creating a more realistic presentation in this new medium and just lets that happen here too? Sure - I guess the actors could have just arrived with all stage cues and crews to make this happen (LOLOL NO THEY COULDN’T) and this is honestly exactly why most stage to screen adaptations rarely work (though to be very fair - I had just about as much interest in seeing this on stage as on TV - negative 1000%). All realism, logic, quality, are not at all what this “movie” is aiming for. JUST SEQUINS! CONSTANT GODDAMNED SEQUINS! 

It should be noted that Kerry Washington plays the conservative PTA mom at the center of canceling prom and bitch got away with the very best wig! Also the big spoiler here is that her daughter is the secret lesbian love of the lesbian she is trying to stop from going to the prom! GASP! Kerry also made really terrible career choices this year between this and Little Fires Everywhere which also involves secret lesbians. 

Also those lesbians have a love song that looks like this - aka that one scene in the loathsome La La Land which was itself completely derivative. There are many (many!) derivative scenes in this movie - a later one on a staircase with Nicole Kidman is a clear nod to that one staircase scene in All That Jazz (RIP ANN REINKING!) This was all done intentionally for us theater nerds but also all the movies it ripped off I also hated so? NO THANK YOU THE PROM. ALSO THE MAIN LESBIAN’S GRANDMOTHER IS PLAYED BY MARY KAY PLACE AND I LOVE MARY KAY PLACE FYI. 

Anyway! The NYC actors start their very ill-advised get-back-the-Prom campaign at......CGI monster truck rally wherein Andrew Rannells wears THIS GODDAMNED COAT. Trying to find any logic or realism in this movie is about as foolhardy as being Andrew Rannells wearing this coat and singing a musical theater song at a CGI monster truck rally in “Indiana.” 

Also! Keegan Michael Key is in this (WHO I LOVE ALWAYS) as the liberal principal who is trying to make prom happen. He also is a HUGE MUSICAL THEATER FAN though that doesn’t actually translate to being gay - it translates to him being obsessed with Meryl Streep who is his favorite stage actress. Sure! It all turns into Keegan Michael Key being a love interest with Meryl Streep which I DID NOT SEE COMING but I would love to watch an actual rom com with the two of them and not whatever this is? THEY HAVE A DATE AT AN APPLEBEES YOU GUYS HOW DID THIS HAPPEN.

At said Applebees (or “Applebees” more accurately because I’ve never seen one that sparkles like this), Keegan has a nice ballad which I couldn’t possibly hum for you now where he sings about the escapism of THEATRE and there is a flashback to him seeing Meryl in a musical called “Swallow the Moon” which is a pretty hilarious title and the whole thing looks exactly like another Liza Minnelli fashion show - this time with maybe a circus theme? At any rate, Meryl’s flashback wig is longer and more of a fashion bob but is still very fretful. 

I would like to take this opportunity to say that although I never saw The Prom musical on Broadway, from the pictures I have seen, Beth Leavel’s wig (in the same role as Meryl) is vastly superior in every way, despite the fact that stage wigs are allowed to be different/inferior as they are viewed from further away and not in bitter bitter closeup. 

Meryl looks great in close-up by the way BUT THAT WIG!!! I couldn’t find a good picture of it, but the hair part (if you can call it that?) is a dangerous ravine of mysteries none of which have anything to do with looking like real hair. MERYL HAS MORE OSCARS THAN ANYONE HOW WAS SHE GIVEN THIS WIG?! HOW!!!!!

Anyway, back to the “plot” of this movie, the PTA somehow agree to having a prom and all the kids go around prom-posaling (which is an awful horrible thing that I’m glad I was never part of) and which truly begs the question: if the kids hadn’t prom-posaled (UGH) to begin with, how did word get out that two lesbians were going and how did this prom get derailed in the first place? WHY AM I ASKING ABOUT PLOT HOLES WHEN THIS ENTIRE THING IS A PLOT HOLE?!?!?! So they have the prom, but it’s all an elaborate and cruel ruse and the real prom is at some hotel and the fake prom only for this one sad lesbian is a really depressing affair in the school gym (THIS PART OF THE MOVIE IS LEGIT HORRIBLE AND SAD). So Nicole Kidman, in the very important role of “another Broadway actress” that definitely needed to exist, decides to tell her to just “razzle dazzle ‘em” (WHICH ABSOLUTELY MEANS NOTHING IN THIS CONTEXT) in a very Fosse inspired (AND INCREDIBLY NIGHTMARE INDUCING) and also very confusing number. Also Andrew Rannells convinces a bunch of teenagers in a mall to like gay people! Mazel!

ALSO TRACEY ULLMAN IS IN THIS MOVIE AND NO ONE TOLD ME AND SHE HAS AN AWFUL WIG! So ok - James Corden, who I normally adore, plays a gay character with an American accent and in conclusion, is very miscast in this role. One of the few things Ryan Murphy has done which I actually liked was the revival of Boys in the Band (the play - I have yet to watch the movie!) And the entire cast was gay men playing gay men. Not sure why he then cast James Corden in this role because it’s not like we’re having a shortage of gay men who can sing? A friend of mine rightly pointed out that this character should have been played by Titus Burgess and VERY YES. Anyway, that’s not what happened and anyway, Tracey Ullman plays his mother who he reconnects with and I’m pretty sure the wig she wears was from her own collection from one of her past sketch shows and though I applaud wig recycling, bitch deserved better.

So yes - all these Broadway actor characters inexplicably are still in Indiana just TRYING TO MAKE THE PROM HAPPEN and Meryl, who somehow has both a celebrity ex husband and a Hamptons house (AGAIN WHY DID SHE TAKE A BUS TO INDIANA) uses both to get the main lesbian a forum on TV but she doesn’t take it and instead makes a singer-songwriter YouTube video which everyone on earth simultaneously watched!!! We are supposed to believe that this random video got 8 million views and she decides to use that leverage to make her own inclusive prom. This is a very lovely idea but again: not based in reality so Keegan is all: girl we need $$ to have a prom and somehow she doesn’t immediately make a go-fund me from all those YouTube views she got and instead all these actors throw down their credit cards to fund The Prom which is really horrifying knowing about real events which will totally make all those actors very unemployed (#2020) and YES I KNOW THIS MOVIE IS THE OPPOSITE OF REALITY BUT STILL.

In the end, ALL OF LIZA MINNELLI’S NON-HALSTON SEQUIN COLLECTION QVC FASHIONS get their own damn prom and even Kerry Washington shows up in the most outrageous sequined number after her daughter finally comes out to her and everyone dances it out and life is reaffirmed and Meryl’s wig IS STILL A PILE OF GARBAGE AS IS THIS MOVIE.

VERDICT: DOESN’T WURQ

[skippyv20]

Question

I’m wondering if there was a misunderstanding, Skippy. The lyrics I wrote were a parody of Pat Benatar’s lyrics, those weren’t Benatar’s lyrics I sent. There are some phrases of her original lyrics in there, but for the most part, they are original lyrics I wrote.

I remember your account was shut down a couple of times. Besides that, it’s your blog & you decide what goes up & what doesn’t & I respect that.

But parodies like those of Weird Al Yankovich’s numerous “hits” have always been legally permitted in print especially when the parody is of a public person. 

If there is zero tolerance for any re-posted words, how is it okay for me to have quoted Eleanor Roosevelt, Maya Angelou & even Meghan Markle’s own altered copies of them?

I come from a difficult background Skippy, very abusive where “love” was contradicted, ie" SMACK!  I love you… uh, what? What I mean to say is that I grew up with those who should’ve been looking after me but instead, were doing & saying abusive things & yet, saying they loved me. It never made sense to me, even as a small child.

The consequence now tho, is after FINALLY figuring out that I was being lied to my entire life, I have missed out on the ability to see the “true meaning” hidden between the lines people use & am confused by conflicting social cues - actions that don’t match the feelings, I begin to think to myself, “Is this person saying what they "really” mean… OR … are they saying one thing to - for whatever reason - mean another. I can’t tell. I have to ask & in doing so I look like a complete fool. People not close to me  cannot actually believe I’m as clueless as I am. They think I’M the one speaking between the lines. Meanings, hints & presumptions they thought I’d catch go over my head.

So here we are, with the post I sent in & I don’t know if it’s really the fact that I based my lyrics on Pat Benatar’s or that maybe you just don’t like the lyrics I wrote or don’t think they’re appropriate for your site. If that’s the case, it’s ok to me. But it doesn’t make sense to me that I can have posted other’s exact words printed, but not my own.

I’m thinking of posting it on my Twitter acc. (I have to find out how I can do that though) Would you be able to tell me if doing so breaks copy write or trademark laws?

Please don’t see me as a pest, I don’t like to have to ask such things. I expect had I been born in more modern times I’d have been placed on the autistic spectrum as a somewhat functional autistic or as an Asperger’s person. That’s why I don’t understand & have to ask. I hope you can understand my position. Your advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, JA

Oh my!  I messed up!  I thought the lyrics were hers....I didn’t realize they were a parody...you did nothing wrong.  I have had copyright warnings on my old blog for lyrics....so I’m extremely nervous now.  So, this is on me.  I’m so sorry for the trials you have had.  What a horrible environment to grow up in.  I want you to know...YOU never look like a fool, not here.  I love questions....and I love being called out if I have done wrong.  I sometimes miss things, so I always appreciate it when someone comes back and asks me.  The world is full of different people and personalities.  That’s a good thing.  I don’t ever want you to fill you are a pest.  You are not a pest.  This is a safe place for you, you can come and ask questions anytime.  That’s why I have an open blog.  I want people to have a place to come...for that reason...to ask questions.  You are accepted here, as you are. When you come here.....just be YOU!  YOU are awesome!  I don’t understand things myself at times, and I rely on other bloggers to help me out, to keep me on my toes.    We work together around here.  As for why quotes are acceptable...I think because they are words spoken.  Lyrics are creative and owned by that person?  There are many laws for copyright and they get complicated.  Can you post on twitter?  I don’t see why not...😊❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[chiseler]

Ralph Bellamy

In spite of an extensive and busy film career that saw him in all manner of parts, particularly in his early days, the very name “Ralph Bellamy” became code during the classic Hollywood period for a guy who didn’t get the girl, a thick and thick-witted fellow that the heroine would strenuously try to imagine settling down with while the thin and stylish Cary Grant, who was not made for settling down, waited for her to come to her senses. And if he were merely that, merely the obviously lackluster placeholder option in romantic comedies like Leo McCarey’s The Awful Truth (1937) and Howard Hawks’s His Girl Friday (1940), he might not be worth writing or thinking about. But just look at him closer, or remember what he was doing for a moment, and the picture immediately gets much stranger, and more disturbing, than that.

When I think of Ralph Bellamy, the first thing that comes to mind is a single concluding shot of him in the masterfully timed scene in The Awful Truth where Irene Dunne, Grant and Bellamy are in a fancy nightclub and Grant’s Southern girl date Dixie Belle Lee  (Joyce Compton) gets up to do an embarrassing nightclub act to a song called “My Dreams Are Gone with the Wind.” The song begins conventionally enough as a ballad, but whenever Dixie Bell gets to the line “gone with the wind,” a hidden wind machine blows her skirt right up over her head. Every time this happens, McCarey cuts back to the table with Grant, Dunne and Bellamy and their individual, mounting reactions.

Grant is mortified and keeps looking upward, while Dunne is mortified for him but also somehow disbelieving, even panic-stricken, which she builds steadily in a complex and funny series of push-and-pull facial spasms. The characters they are playing are very conscious, very fastidious, and so this is almost too much for them to handle, and so it’s easy to get so wrapped up in what they’re doing that you forget to gauge Bellamy’s reaction until McCarey cuts to a close shot of him staring at Dixie Belle with an alarming kind of half-formed, sticky lust, both blatant and unconscious. It’s a look of pure stupidity caught unawares, and it is so intensely imagined that it almost throws the scene off balance. Just who is this guy? What is he capable of? Bellamy got an Oscar nomination for The Awful Truth, which suggested that people felt a new screen character had been introduced.

His name in The Awful Truth is Dan Leeson, and Dan is an oil man who has a domineering mother. In His Girl Friday, he is an accountant named Bruce Baldwin, and Bruce also has a domineering mother. In that movie, Cary Grant makes an art of looking at Bellamy’s Bruce as if he can’t quite believe what he’s seeing and hearing. And so it begs the question: just what is he seeing and hearing? Maybe a proto-Norman Bates? Bellamy takes a certain kind of hearty American male dimness to such a point of larval weirdness that you begin to question just what might happen to the women if they did somehow end up with him. Those two movies suggest that the women would be bored with his niceness and long for Grant’s edgy playfulness, but are the men Bellamy is playing really all that nice? Isn’t there the suggestion of a pervert somewhere in his character, revealed for what it is in that close-up of him looking at Dixie Belle Lee with her skirt blowing up over her head?

We need to go a little further back in his filmography to find the most troubling character he ever played, Allen Macklyn, another rich guy, in Hands Across the Table (1935). When manicurist Regi (Carole Lombard) first goes to see Allen, he is seated and talks with his back to her for a moment and then turns around until we can see that he is sitting in a very glossy and plush wheelchair. She takes that in, and while she does so, Allen’s eyes light up with lust as he looks her over from stem to stern. When he talks to her, the dialogue tells us that his life is a lonely one, but that’s not what Bellamy is playing. If a more vulnerable or appealing actor had played Allen Macklyn, the way the film uses him as a stopgap might be somewhat unpleasant, but because it’s pervy Bellamy, he lets us right off the hook. When it becomes clear that Lombard’s Regi is going to marry Fred MacMurray, Bellamy doesn’t seem crestfallen; in fact, it is easy to imagine him offering to pay to watch them make love! There’s no pathos in his playing here, only that note of creeping and unsatisfied horniness that was a fallback mode for Bellamy, his most distinctive contribution to the screen. Whenever he does it, I’m always torn between “Ick!” and perverse fascination.

Dig a little further back in his career, in the films before he became “Ralph Bellamy” or “that guy in the movies, Ralph Bellamy,” as Cary Grant meta-ishly calls him in His Girl Friday, and you will find even odder things, slow-talking judges who seem horribly stubborn and sure of their own power, gangsters who seem to have wandered into the profession by mistake but sure do enjoy themselves bullying people, reporters and pilots and society duds, all of whom share Bellamy’s intense and pre-occupied and immovable quality. The most startling moment in his films is probably the scene where he unexpectedly punches the vampy Constance Cummings in the face in This Man Is Mine (1934), as if a beast in him might be woken up from its slumber if you weren’t too careful. He worked a lot in the early 1930s, averaging between seven to nine movies a year, and he might be called an all-purpose player in that he could be put into most roles in his early days, but he bends everything to his own implacable, impenetrable essence, which could seem menacing even when he was at his sunniest (or especially then).

By the 1940s he was doing mysteries, but he was also very involved in founding the Screen Actors Guild, and he was president of Actors’ Equity from 1952 to 1964, honorably doing all he could to make sure Equity resisted the blacklist. In later life he made a kind of career out of playing Franklin Delano Roosevelt, again in a wheelchair, in Sunrise at Campobello, which he did on stage and then in a movie version in 1960 with Greer Garson fluting it up as his Eleanor. But the disturbing side of Bellamy was perhaps most fully revealed by his doctor in Rosemary’s Baby (1968), an amiable fellow who turns out to be in cahoots with a group of devil worshipers. He is creepy enough in that movie to suggest what Dan Leeson and Bruce Baldwin might actually have had in mind for those screwball comedy heroines.

He did a lot of TV and lasted well into the 1980s to play rich old codgers in Trading Places (1983) and Pretty Woman (1990), and these films were enough to show that his persona had changed remarkably little since the 1930s, which were a very different time. The thing about Ralph Bellamy that’s most unsettling and unexplained is that watchful, unchanging quality he had, and what it might have been hiding. By most available accounts he was a good guy in life. He married four times, the fourth time happily and for decades, and he was politically progressive and reputable. So why is it whenever he’s on screen my skin starts to crawl, and why is it that I sort of enjoy the sensation?

by Dan Callahan

[anxious-acushla]

I'm really not trying to come at you I'm just curious...why are you all for arya and gendry when arya clearly doesn't want to be a lady and has never wanted to be a lady? I know you don't want to get married and have kids so I just wonder how thats different? Like forcing that on her when it's not what you want either? I really love gendrya I do, I'm just confused I guess??

This has been sitting in my inbox since…Saturday, maybe? And I’m finally tackling it. But where do I even begin? 

Let’s get into this…

 I am allowed to love and support and respect characters that I don’t identify with. I absolutely do identify with Arya and have always identified with Arya (especially when it comes to her independence) but leaving Gendry out of it, I can want things for characters that I don’t want for myself. 

Arya never said anything about being a wife or a mother. She rejected the idea of being a Lady. Yes, she may equate the two but it’s worth noting that from a feminist perspective they really shouldn’t be linked. I look at in the same way I look at the First Lady to a President. The goal of a First Lady is to choose a neutral platform that can be both supported by and beneficial to the entire nation. Historically though, First Ladies have often been far more successful than their husbands at getting things done. In the cases of Hillary Clinton, Betty Ford and Eleanor Roosevelt these women left the White House in much more favor than their husbands AND they did it while being wives and mothers too. We need to reject this idea that being a wife and being a mother makes you less than. Being a woman should be about self-sovereignty. There is strength in what a woman chooses to do merely because she is free to make that choice.

I do not have a Gendry in my life. I’ve actually never said that I was never going to get married or have children but rather that I don’t want to get married and have children or that I don’t see myself getting married and having children. I think often times we have a plan and it gets derailed and sometimes that can be for the best reasons. Arya has a plan and it has always been to complete her list. She had the plan before Gendry but he has always been a challenge to that list. He’s still a challenge to that list. I think if she didn’t have her list she would have corrected him on the spot when he proposed, he would have laughed because he was clearly a bit drunk and overexcited, and they would have worked it out. It was not about Arya rejecting Gendry but about her *choosing* to follow through on something that has guided her path for most of her life. It was not “never” it was “not right now”. Women are free to be who they want to be at any time in their lives. And they should have the right to change their minds without owing anyone an explanation. 

Arya loved her family – loves her family but she knows the family she grew up with is no more because the world she grew up in is no more. Since leaving King’s Landing she has sought that family and she found it in Gendry. I have always said that though I do not want to get married, I’d love (yes, LOVE) to have someone I could travel with and hang out with and yes, possibly grow old with. I don’t think it’s in the cards for me but it would be nice. Like Arya I come from a family situation that is not ideal where there’s a lot of pain behind memories, etc. Growing up you find that you can choose who your family is. After leaving King’s Landing, Gendry is Arya’s first real choice. As a friend or something more, he’s something she wants and it’s a relationship she feels she is an equal in. That is CRUCIAL. If someday I find a man that isn’t complete trash I’d be overjoyed to welcome him into my pseudo-family. Women are free to reinvent family and home and it’s okay if a man is part of those plans (to say it is not okay is to assume the man and woman would not be equals which sounds like a personal problem that needs some self-assessment on your part). It’s also okay if a man is not. 

Listen, I want what Arya wants, just like I ask my friends and family to want for me what I want for me. I don’t love Arya and Gendry because I love Arya and Gendry - I love them because there is a mutual respect/friendship/safety they share with one another. I’m actually jealous of it. They find in one another what they lack within themselves. It is a very pure relationship and overall a very healthy one, especially compared to many on the show/in the books. I know Arya wants Gendry. But as Maisie Williams said, Arya is torn. There is the duty we as women feel we have and what our heart wants and often they’re in conflict - largely because of what society expects from us. The difference here is Arya doesn’t feel her duty is to be a wife and a mother. She can’t even let her mind entertain that idea until her list is complete. Bottom line is that we need to stop pigeon holing women into these roles. Women can be mothers and wives and warriors all at the same time. Or they can be none of those things. 

This was a lot of rambling but I’m honestly not mad about it. I hope some of it made sense because I’ve actually had some of these thoughts on my own and with the AryaxGendry storyline they forced me to take a step back and reevaluate my views on what it really means to choose a partner - whether it be someone you want to marry and have children with or not. But hey! You do you and I’ll do me and at the end of the day women should support women.

[shienaberbania16-blog]

AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF SHIENA

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty in their dreams” – Eleanor Roosevelt

    The most favourite famous quote that Shiena Berbania inspire her every day. A young girl who is 17 years old and currently living in Buena Oro Macasandig Cagayan de Oro city, she was born in march 24, 2002 and simply living with her mother ruby berbania and father Dave Balongcas, also with his two little siblings namely Shanelle Niña Balongcas and Sean dave Balongcas. She is a grade 12 student in Liceo de Cagayan University and taking the course humanities and social science. Shiena Berbania is looking forward to her course next year in college that can fit her, but she made 2 choices which is to become a LPT teacher major in English or cruiship. So she encourage fighting herself for what she desire.

 There are a lot of things that Shiena like and doesn’t like. She love to sing even though music doesn't love her. She always like to eat street foods. She tell jokes but sometimes she do jokes. She like people who is kind and genuine to her. She like to read wattpads, novels, and other non-fiction or fiction narrative stories. The things that shiena doesn't like is when people are telling her how beautiful she is, she thinks they are just showing respect to her. She hates maggots it's very awful to her and can make her Goosebumps. She dislike boys that doesn't have a common sense she feels too bad for them. And lastly she really hates rain it can made her sad.

    Shiena berbania has a lot of things that she like and doesn't like but the things that I said is the most important. Moreover shiena is a very motivated person she would do anything to be positive in life and just go with the flow. She is also a extrovert person, she always like to have a lot of memorable extreme experience in life together with her families and friends. Shiena believe that she's not the smart one but she is studious in class, she always participating in all activities and event in school, such as being a member of glee club.

   Well by now you may know some of her personality, but I am going to tell you some more. She do love her parents and she made them as an inspiration, throughout many obstacle she just think her parents, that someday she is going to lift them up. She may encounter many challenges in life but she made it as a motivation so that she can move forward. She is very thankful that she had a responsible parents that will guide her to her journey in life and supporting her for all the decision she made. 

    Shiena is a very simple person, approachable, happy go lucky, and down to earth. She has a lot of goal such as to graduate in college, to find a professional and decent job, to travel the world together with her family and friends, to find her true love that will accept her with all her flaws and to get married. Shiena berbania may encounter a lot of trials that god given to her but she just let it pass by, because she has a dream, she need to believe it that there's something and she need to protect it and to chase the rainbow.

   “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty in their dreams” – Eleanor Roosevelt

The favourite quote that shiena inspire her every day that having this kind of mentality is bringing her to the better future.

[pcttrailsidereader]

Independence Day

This is a re-posting of a wonderful story from 2013.  What more appropriate story could there be for July 4th!

There are several aspects of Jo’s story that I really like.  First, it captures in words a familiar obstacle that virtually all backpackers confront — fear.  I will be the first to admit that my overactive imagination is particularly energized when I am hiking alone. Second, I love the special relationship that Jo has with her service dog, “Mr. C”.  It brings to mind other such connections between canine and outdoorsperson, most notably John Muir and Stickeen.

By Josephine Pegrum Hazelett

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.

— Eleanor Roosevelt

Sometimes life takes an unexpected turn that forces you to confront yourself. You cannot predict the outcome; you just have to grab the experience and hope for the best. After hiking most of the Pacific Crest Trail with my husband, I had an opportunity to hike the John Muir Trail for a couple of weeks alone with my giant Border Collie service dog, Buffalo Bill Cody, or “Mr. C” for short.  I didn’t anticipate an experience that would challenge to the core of who I am.

We were five days in and had slipped into a peaceful routine: up before sunrise, walk most of the day and asleep again before darkness fell. On this particular day, we would hike Muir Pass, at almost 12,000 feet; it is one of the high and scenic places of the southern section of the Sierra Nevada. The night before I had camped nine miles south of the pass in a lush valley and we were ready for another uneventful and beautiful day.

Mr. C and I arose in the morning twilight and were on the trail as the first rays of sun straggled through the trees to warm our day. We made our way up the canyon that climbed at a gentle pace for the first few miles. At Big Pete Meadow I saw two young men breaking camp: we waived acknowledgement of our mutual presence and I walked on knowing that with their youthful stride, they would soon pass me.  As predicted, they overtook me about a half hour later and I would not see them again until I reached Wanda Lake on the other side of Muir Pass.  I was completely alone.  Looking back, I see what a privilege it was to have the entire hike up the Goddard Divide and down the other side all to myself—me and my dog in this incredibly wonderful part of the Sierra Nevada.

There were wildflowers of all kinds everywhere.  The trail was alive with the short–lived Sierra Spring.  It would have been hot hiking, but there was a thin cloud layer that kept the air cool and the hiking comfortable.

I had been warned that there was still snow on the south side of Muir Pass but having hiked the higher and more formidable Forester Pass four days earlier, I was not too concerned.  On my initial approach to Helen Lake I saw more snow and the sparse trees began to disappear.  I knew that the route had been well-traveled by hikers and I thought I would have plenty of footsteps to follow in, not to mention the fresh ones made by the two young men who had gone ahead of me this very morning.  Unfortunately, I made a couple of wrong turns at Helen Lake staying to its west side rather than crossing to the East where the trail was.  Consequently, I found myself walking steeply up the snow-covered face of the mountain.  Rather abruptly, the footsteps disappeared and I felt my first tremor of doubt. Backtracking to the lake, I found the main route and reassured, headed on.

I began to think about the fact that I was completely alone and that a wrong turn out here would rapidly take me off the traveled route—the potential for becoming really lost was frightening.

I crossed the stream above the lake several times; the last crossing was at the outlet from the snowmelt lake above Helen Lake. This was a bit daunting because the water was cascading down the mountain in a 90 degree plunge and the rocks on which I had to cross were far apart and pointed requiring me to leap from rock to jagged rock. I rued the loss of my lightweight hiking poles that had broken early in the hike; they would have assisted my balance. I knew that I must keep going—there was only one way to get to the other side and that was to cross the torrent.  Mr C, foot sure, had no qualms and oblivious to my concerns, leaped on the rocks across the chasm with all the grace and balance of an animal in the wild. My turn. Following in his steps, I leaped, one foot in front of the other finding each rock surprisingly firm under my feet. Afraid to acknowledge the fear that was creeping up on me, my mind seemed to float above the scene, watching with detachment—a kind of mental anesthetic. When I reached the other side I felt a surge of relief. Mr. C sensing the intensity of my emotion cocked his head and gave me a look like, “What was that about?”

My euphoria over this accomplishment did not last long. On the other side of the outlet, we traipsed through more snow for about half a mile until we came to a high and rocky valley filled with snow on all sides and a rush of snow melt running through a wide open area of scree. I could see no trail. Since the mountains rose in all directions but the one I had come from, I knew I would have to climb one of those vertical, snow-covered mountains, but I couldn’t see a route. If I chose the wrong direction, I would be truly lost.

To the north, the direction I thought I should go, there was a wide band of running water and I didn’t know how deep it was. I thought I saw a trail duck or cairn on the other side but it might easily have been a real bird. To avoid the water I headed to the Northwest, where I saw footsteps on the snowy mountainside but as I approached, they melted into the sun cups they were. Clearly, my mind was manufacturing what I wanted to see. I felt my options slipping away as fast as I could summon them up, and now, I felt the cold edge of panic. Logically, I told myself there was nothing to fear, but knowing this in your head does not stop your breath from escaping in short narrow puffs as your heart goes wild and your imagination takes off into the unreal scenarios of what could happen. The moment stretched infinitely and unknowably before me as I contemplated the possibility of not finding the trail. I forced myself to breathe, pushed the fear deep down and reminded myself that it would be embarrassing to die up here alone—I did not want to be a story on page 10 of the local paper, “Woman dies alone, lost on Mountain.” I’d never live it down—then, with an inward smile, I thought, I’d be dead so I wouldn’t have to!  With that sobering thought, I focused on finding my way out of the bowl.

The Northwest route rejected, I returned to the river of water rushing over the rocks, in places deep and uncertain, but the panic had passed and I would go on.  I found the rock that looked like a duck (100 feet or so away, across the water) and decided that it was worth checking out.  The water wasn’t as challenging to cross as I thought it would be and sure enough on the other side, the duck turned out to be a real duck pointing out the trail right beside it.  I started up the mountain, and again the trail disappeared into the snow.  I had hoped to reach Muir Hut to have lunch but I had eaten nothing since breakfast and it was 1:30 p.m.  Even though I didn’t feel hungry I knew I must eat. I stopped on the steep face of the mountain and in every direction the snow lay around me.  I opened up an energy bar for myself and took out some Power Bones for Mr. C.  At the time, I was so focused on making it to the pass in one piece that I hadn’t spent much time thinking about Mr. Cody; however he was having a wonderful time. He loves the snow and would spend all his time rolling in it if I allowed him to.  Now, he used his paws to create a nest and rest.  Mr. C and I sat there in the snow munching our food quite alone and I found myself talking to him as though he would answer me.  Not in words, perhaps, but there was a special connection between us; he is very intuitive and his obvious lack of concern reassured me.

After lunch, I continued up the vertical side of the mountain (I’m sure there were switch-backs beneath the snow somewhere) post-holing as I went. Again I rued the loss of the lightweight trekking poles, they would have been helpful here.  I trudged on, expecting to have a long way to go when suddenly I was aware of the curve of a dome appearing above the crest of my mountain, and with a few steps more, I knew that the dome was the top of the Muir Hut!  I was close to the summit.  A burst of energy took me to the top and looking over into the valley below I was overcome with joy to be there.  I felt immensely happy to be alive and all the fear I’d felt washed out of me in an instant as I burst uncontrollably into tears. Here I was on top of the world in one of the most beautiful places on earth—how could anything be better than this—ever?

Cody on the other hand took one look at Muir Hut and headed straight for it! It looked like “home” to him—a place to rest, and even better, there might be food! The two of us stayed there at the top of the pass quite alone, looking out at the snow-covered mountains and the partly frozen lakes below. Time stopped and I could have stayed forever, alone with my loyal friend in our own piece of heaven. I reflected how fortunate I was to have the moment to myself. The sky, which had been gray, brightened, and as I stood there the last of the clouds disintegrated and I found myself bathed in warm sunlight—a real gift.

It was July 4 and a year since I had become an American citizen! I don’t know why this popped into my head at this moment. I think I was musing about how most people would be spending the day—at parades and picnics, with family and friends. I thought about the first Europeans who would have come to this place even a hundred or so years ago, how remote and wild it would have been then. I thought about the Indians who lived here for a millennium before the Europeans and what life must have been like for them. I thought about how I was on my own journey in space and mind and in that moment, I felt I was the luckiest person in the world. This was a special place and time and I wanted to hold on to it forever.  

I had a long way to go before I would descend below the snowline on the north side of the pass. Going forward into the snowfields was a lot less intimidating since descending, I could see great distances ahead. For the first time, I felt that Cody and I would finish this hike, and that I could handle whatever I needed to in the remaining week, one mountain at a time.

Miles later, when we came to rest for the night by Evolution Creek, I covered Mr. Cody with my rainwear to give him some relief from the mosquitoes.  I thought about my husband Kerry celebrating the day with friends and how I wished he could share this moment with me. I missed him but I was very happy to be here alone—I had been forced to face my fears head on and I had learned that when you are truly afraid—what is revealed is the very essence of who you are, there is no way to hide from your real self or to avoid that moment of reckoning. You will know the metal you are made of.  Today I had faced myself, and I found that I had more internal resources than I realized.  It was a powerful feeling.

I drifted toward sleep and that is how one of the most challenging days of my life ended, quietly as it began. I was calm and peaceful now and ready for a new day on the trail.

[fabjoybag6-blog]

Ladies Love Affair With Extravagance Bags

fabjoybag There is simply no doubting the fact this ladies have an continuous love affair using high-class handbags. Purse websites or maybe e-magazines and feedback with purse forums suggest which some women are in reality passionate with them. There tend to be girls that actually own lots of extravagance handbags which often collectively are usually worth hundreds of dollars. Social mass media along with Dr Google post photos of the well-to-do, celebrities in addition to royals who have are seen out having different bag for every single clothing. They come within various colors to fit each one shade and type of their clothing.

fabjoybag

The item is easy for often the abundant and famous, famous people as well as royals have to help have a large variety of luxury handbags. But the actual standard working woman as well as the stay in mum could hardly find the money for to pay out such high rates in order to realise her dream. The reality is that most bag-loving girls will go not having other things so that you can carry out her desire for a fresh bag.

What sacrifice can you have been prepared to be able to make for you to bid with regard to the Hermes Birkin which will recently sold at public auction for over $200, 000? Manufactured from exquisite pink may be the epidermis, it is decorated with 20 carat platinum hardware and authentic expensive diamonds. The basic Hermes will surely cost at least $8000, and also you will possibly get to be on the waiting record to acquire it!

Luxury purses all these days do not offer regarding much less as compared to $500. Actually many regarding the more exclusive style houses sell their hand bags for well over 1000 dollar. I know would have to help save up for any very long to be the particular proud owner of 1 involving these amazing accessories.

Even though the ultimate 21st-century object connected with desire, luxury handbags are definitely the not just for typically the well-to-do, stars and royalty, but also for functioning women from all areas as well. Now, women of all ages in various age groups are likely in order to spend more on some sort of tote than a holiday break, jewelry or maybe a car. They will all have this specific undetectable desire to be discovered.

Outfits actually can consider second location to luxury totes. For instance, a advertising made in 2007 offering Kate Moss lying undressed on a beach along with nothing at all on except intended for her Longchamp handbag. Their particular message seemed to be clear: outfits are redundant rapid is actually all about the carrier.

So why do females include this love matter with high end handbags? One particular of the reasons is actually because they may have become a new personal fashion statement demonstrating a woman's wealth along with status. They also level out just how fashion aware a woman will be, in addition to demonstrates her placement as well as earning power. It might be since the ever growing recognition of the best purse, that over the prior a hundred years or so, provides adopted the emergent sociable freedom of women.

Earlier a women's role had been typically home-based and this lady would carry the girl particular things in a tote tucked into the folds over associated with her skirt or even in a tiny handbag she carried secretly. Yet as women ventured a lot more from the home, the two for leisure and also perform, larger purses grew to be the useful way of getting their own stuff with these people. Eleanor Roosevelt is mentioned to have started the excitement of using a significant bag as a trend accessory

Another reason exactly why luxury handbags became popular was the fact that will rail along with sea traveling became readily available, so presently there was more need trendy luggage such as suitcase sets, dressing cases, as effectively as loath and boot boxes. That lead to be able to the development of often the modern natural leather handbag.

This is not surprising, as a result that many of all of us leading fashion houses, these kinds of as Lv, Gucci, Prada and Hermes, originated inside the late nineteenth in addition to early 20th generations. Along with as women attained economic independence, the handbag sector flourished out of most portion to its simple inception.

However, the technique we perceive owning appropriate handbag should go far further than just like a means to carry our individual effects. Both revealing as well as concealing, luxury handbags likewise embodies a feeling in which is incredibly private for you to its operator. This sense is due to the point that the handbag was initial developed as a egypt purse or perhaps pocket put on hidden, near our physique. Then, pockets were being considered of as underwear instructions any secret place, disguised . beneath layers of substance and assessable only by simply an intimate beginning throughout the skirt.

These thoughts of intimacy did not necessarily go away when the initially luxury bags were taken in the late eighteenth century. Called reticules, these kind of purses were beautifully stitched pouches with handles with damask, satin or purple velvet. Women used them to help bring cosmetics, a lover for flirtation, smelling salts and mappemonde de visite, all without having compromising the actual slim-line match of the particular Empire-line dress that have been well-liked then.

At first, the concept of a woman revealing the woman private bits and parts to the outside planet was as shameful just as if she had taken down your ex knickers and waved these individuals in the atmosphere. Thus, reticules ended up usually labelled "ridicules" by means of these not ready to take the change.

Luxury clutches were, and still are generally, known as sexual objects mainly because of the closeness which usually in the past has been connected with them, The manifestation "old bag" was applied to refer to some sort of girl who was handed her lovemaking prime and also grumpy outdated women who all show no feeling or maybe feeling for others remain called that today.

High end handbags still have their particular intercourse appeal because they will are so strongly associated to all of each of our intimate things. A substantial purse is all of our your survival kit which keeps all of our personal essentials which often these days include a new cellphone, tampons, make-up, income along with keys, to curly hair straighteners, notebooks, I-phones, biting gum, condoms to your alter of clothes. Accordingly, it is intimate appeal remains magic formula. Men are intrigued concerning what a lady carries within her case, but would certainly never dare in order to seep into its privacy.

Bag-loving ladies feel naked with no their very own luxury handbags. Consider this it is your tote, as opposed to your clothes, which will make you stay ahead of typically the crowd. Even if your garments are old and lusterless, a nice-looking bag allows you to look and feel fine.

Hence, often the handbag marketplace has knowledgeable unbelievable progress in the past a long time. By the mid-2000's revenue of baggage were on the actual rise at a pace which has been twice as large as the charge regarding clothes. The major vogue buildings now make hundreds of thousands of dollars per year coming from the sale of luxurious handbags alone.

So just what are classified as the features that established high-class handbags apart? The particular first thing is need to have an exclusive design and style. They must be instantaneously incomparable as being a leading brand, at the. grams. Fendi, Gucci, Hermes, Lv or from additional fashion house. Vogue homes usually have their unsecured personal designs and this aids with logos as very well.

Another significant characteristic to get desirable luxury purses is usually glamour and attractiveness. The natural way this is discovered each time a particular brand is connected to a celebrity e. r. the valuable Hermes Kelly handbag that is originally produced inside 1935, has not been until top seller until 1956. The carrier shot to be able to fame while the newlywed, Queen Sophistication of Monaco, ended up being took pictures of for the cover of the time magazine shielding her expectant belly with a typical Hermes bag. The designer handbag under consideration consequently became acknowledged as the particular Kelly case in your girlfriend honour. Manner writers marketed the relationship between tote and superstar: Carrying the Kelly handbag is still identifiable together with class and previous cash.

Similarly, the Lady Dior became a sensation throughout 1994 when Princess Centro took to wearing the item close to town after the woman segregated from Prince Charles. This particular handbag is any seductive mix of briefcase in addition to handbag which includes distinctive yellow metal charms. That illustrated the attentive women who seemed to be, on the other palm, glamorous as well as sophisticated. At the moment, social media can certainly recommend the status and also requirement for an individual carrier by simply been photographed upon the provide of some sort of style icon, celeb as well as royal like Romantic Kate Middleton.

Astute marketing and advertising unquestionably plays an important function in creating a necessary case. Whereas celebrities may possibly be able to get hold of the latest luxury totes, to the working woman this is far more problematic, no matter of how much funds they want to devote. Many high-status bags usually are inaccessible and may even have holding out lists extending around about three years. The Hermes Birkin is in this class.

Women's inborn competitiveness is definitely ingeniously maintained by typically the best bag developers. Regarding example. In 2005, This sort of drove customer demand with a peak when he produced it well-known that often the launch of his or her fresh designer bag must have been a minimal with only 2 hundred ever before to be produced. After that it became the ultimate manner trophy and sold available before a new waiting collection was also compiled. This specific bag had been called the actual Novak after Ellie Novak, the legendary brunette presenter who starred with Alfred Hitchcock's 1958 work of genius Vertigo. Prices started from £550 and went up to and including huge £6, 000 for any lavish crocodile version.

It would appear that the price tag does definitely not decrease those obsessed using bags. Actually , fashion properties have worked away which a high price marking generally seems to enhance the need to own it. Presently there obviously is an countless motivation to splash out there on the designer bags are good for special occasions.

Luxury bags will last the when cared for properly. Several iconic styles come along with go, some keep all their value and others boost in benefit. However, that is only a fraction that have the suitable qualities for being iconic. To be able to become iconic, any tote is not just wonderfully attractive but it in addition surpasses time. These manufacturers have earned it is your right phone a bag well-known: Hermes Kelly, the Fendi Kuvertbr?d, the Marc Jacobs's Stam, the YSL Muse in addition to the Mulberry Roxanne.

All these luxury handbags share a very important factor in common; a very clear, clean series; nothing faddy or over-designed, and some sort of mixture of functionality having indulgence. An iconic handbag earns its standing from your best traditions of reputation, quality and craftsmanship. Because it ages, an iconic carrier will look as excellent as it performed in the day it has been bought. In addition to, for a new true bag fan, that will is worth all the particular investment property on it.

[myownsuperintendent]

New Fic: “Take Me to Your Leader” (Part Two)

It’s 2037, and Leslie Knope has just been sworn in as President of the United States, only to find her inaugural address followed by an alien invasion.  For help, she and Ben call on two experts–retired FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully–and the four team up to defeat the alien threat.  Parks and Recreation/The X-Files crossover, rated T.  Also here at Ao3.

This is my first crossover, my first Parks and Recreation fic, and one of my longest fics ever, and it’s been a lot of fun to write!  Tons of thanks to @emilysim for giving me the idea to focus on the colonization–you are the best and pushed me to actually write this.  Also tagging @how-i-met-your-mulder and @xv12 who have been very supportive of this story.

I’m splitting this into two posts because it’s long.  Part One is here.

.....

Scully climbed out of the car as soon as Mulder stopped it, hurrying to hug her son.  “Jackson!” she said.  “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

“I’m glad you guys are okay too,” he said, hugging her back.  He hugged Mulder too, once he got out of the car.  “And the kid?”

“She’s safe.  She’s at the White House,” Scully said.  “What are you doing here?  Why were you in a hole in the ground?”

“Oh, this is our secure space,” Jackson said.  “We’ve been working on it for a while.  In case something like this happened.”  The woman who’d appeared along with him came forward then, and Jackson took her hand.  “This is Marina.  I’ve told you about Marina, right?”

Scully had known that there was such a person as Marina, and that she was Jackson’s girlfriend, but that was about all she could say.   “Sure,” she said.  “It’s nice to meet you, Marina.”

“Nice to meet you too,” Marina said.  “Jackson’s told me a lot about you both.”  She looked around.  “We should probably get back underground right now.  We don’t know who could be coming, and the car’s not exactly unobtrusive.”

“We can’t stay very long,” Mulder said, even as the four of them started following Jackson and Marina back towards the hole.  “We’re on our way to Lake Michigan.  To try to develop a vaccine.”

“Just until the area clears out,” Jackson said.  “They won’t stay in one place too long.  Why’d you bring the president?”

“Well, we’re working together,” Scully said.  “Skinner told her about us, and she called us in for help.”

“Maybe the government’s dealing with this better than we thought they would,” Jackson said, grinning at her.

The hole had a ladder leaning down into it, and all of them climbed in quickly.  Scully didn’t know what she’d expected to find inside, but it certainly wasn’t what she saw, which was some odd combination of studio apartment (well-furnished living area), 1950s bomb shelter (large amount of canned food), and laboratory (set-up of advanced computers). Marina, the last down the ladder, pressed a button, and a cover slid into place over the hole.  “Welcome,” she said.

“This place is…” Scully said.  She wasn’t sure what to say.

“We’ve been working on it for a while,” Jackson said.  “I know it’s seemed safe, these past years, but with everything that happened before…I mean, you never know, right?  You guys get it.”

“You’ve done a good job,” Mulder said, looking around approvingly.   “I think he’s our kid, Scully.”  She could have rolled her eyes, but she just laughed, out of relief or surprise or adrenaline or a mix of them all.

“Really, Marina should get most of the credit,” Jackson said, putting his arm around her.

“We both had the idea,” Marina said.

“But you’re the one who really figured out how to do it,” Jackson said.  “She’s a lot more organized than I am.  Doesn’t take much.”  She grinned at him.

“Whoever put that food area together did a great job,” Leslie said, wandering back from examining the shelves.  “It’s a good selection.   Very nutritionally sound.  And there are good breakfast options.”  She held out a hand to Jackson.  “Hi.  I’m Leslie Knope.”

“Yeah, we got that,” Jackson said, shaking her hand.  “I’m Jackson.  Nice to meet you.”

“You too!” Leslie said, beaming.  “You’re Mulder and Scully’s son?”

“Yeah, basically,” Jackson said.  “Anyway, you should all feel free to crash here for a little bit.  We’ve got plenty of food.”

“And we’ve been tracking the aliens,” Marina said, gesturing to the computer, “and it’s like Jackson said.  They don’t stay in one place that long.  They tend to move on once they’ve…well, once enough people in the area are infected.  So you should be able to move on by the morning, anyway.  And we can help you figure out the best route to avoid them.”

“Thank you for this,” Leslie said.  “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.”

“It’s fine, really,” Jackson said.

As they settled in, exploring the shelter, Scully joined Marina, who was looking at something on the computer.  “This really is an incredible space,” she said.

“Thanks,” Marina said.  “We’ve worked hard on it.”

“Jackson hasn’t told us that much about you,” Scully said.  She felt she should try to get to know Marina, even if this was an odd situation to do it in.  “How did the two of you meet?”

“Oh, we met online,” Marina said.

“On a dating site?” Scully asked.  That didn’t really seem like Jackson’s thing.

“No, on a site for people who’ve had personal experience with the paranormal,” Marina said.  That made a lot more sense.  “We’d had some similar experiences, so we started talking.  Then we met up and…well, here we are.”

“How long have you been working on this place?” Scully asked.

“A couple of years,” Marina said.

Scully sighed.  “Jackson,” she called across the space, “why don’t you tell me and Mulder anything?”

“I tell you lots of things,” Jackson said.  “What things don’t I tell you?”

“Well, Marina tells me you’ve been together for some years now,” Scully said, “and you’ve barely told us anything about her.”

“I guess I forgot.”

“Flattering,” Marina said.

“Well, I figured you guys would meet sometime,” Jackson said, “and then Marina could tell you herself.  Like she’s doing, apparently.”  He turned back to showing Mulder some sort of water-filtration device.   Leslie and Ben were examining the canned food again.

“So…well, where are you from?” Scully asked.  She wished she could think of something less banal.

“Near LA, originally,” Marina said.  Then she smiled.  “Look, we could just talk about the aliens.  I know it’s what we’re both thinking about.”

Scully smiled back.  “Sure, we could do that.  You said you’re tracking them?”

“Yes,” Marina said, opening a page on the computer screen.  “I’ve got a system of alerts set up, for whenever they’re seen somewhere—so long as people report it, which they usually do, online or wherever.  And then it follows their progress.  It’s not as good as I would like it to be—I wish we could have some actual surveillance—but it’ll do for now.”

“No, this is great,” Scully said, looking at the computer.  “It’s going to be really helpful.”

“And we’ve got it so people can view it online,” Marina said.  “Hopefully it’ll keep some people safe, anyway.”

“What made you…how did you learn about the aliens?” Scully asked.  “If I can ask.”

“Sure, you can ask,” Marina said.  “I’m…well, I don’t know all the details, even though I’ve looked into it as much as I can.  But as far as I know, my biological mother, she was an abductee.  And I’m from one of the hybridization programs.  The one from the 90s.  So I’m…well…”   She flicked her ponytail to the side, briefly, and Scully caught a glimpse of a green blister on her neck.  “Well, I was always different. And I got curious about it and started looking into everything.”

Like Emily, then.  She didn’t know why this should surprise her, that Emily hadn’t been one of a kind.  Scully didn’t know how to feel; there was still anger, still sadness, when she thought about what had been done to her and to so many others.  But right now, looking at Marina, in this space that she had made with Scully’s son, there was a strange kind of joy too.

She hugged Marina, impulsively, and smiled sheepishly at the younger woman’s questioning look.  “Just glad we’re safe for now,” she said.

“Yeah,” Marina said, “me too.”

Jackson and Mulder came up to them then.  “Marina showed you the tracking system?” Jackson asked.

“Yes,” said Scully.  “It’s very impressive.”

“I think it should be all right by the morning,” Marina said, showing him something on the screen, “but they’re still around the local roads.  See?”

“Oh yeah,” Jackson said.  “You guys can stay here tonight.  You too,” he called to Leslie and Ben, who came over to look at the computer too.

“Thanks,” Leslie said.  “We’re sorry to trespass on your space.   You’re welcome to visit us, though.  Once this situation is more under control.”

“Yeah, I’ll definitely keep that in mind,” Jackson said.  “I always wanted to visit the White House.  Not the tourist parts.  So I could look for Lincoln’s ghost.  Have you seen him?”

“We just got there last week, so not yet,” Leslie said.  “But I bet we will.”

“I didn’t think he appeared to people,” Ben said.  “Just caused weird manifestations.  Didn’t Eleanor Roosevelt say Fala would bark at him?”

“Yes, she did,” Leslie said.  “I don’t know if he appears to a lot of people.  But I think he’ll appear to me, eventually.  At least by my second term.”

This led into a more general discussion of ghosts, which seemed to be a topic that interested everyone.  Maybe it was just that they didn’t want to talk about what was going on outside.  Even Scully found herself joining in.  It was easier to think about a threat that wasn’t real than a threat that very much was.

They broke into the canned food for dinner and by common consent decided to get to sleep early.  Jackson and Marina had a lot of sleeping bags and extra blankets, and they settled down throughout the hideout, saying good night in quiet voices.

Scully wanted to sleep, but it wasn’t happening.  She shifted in her sleeping bag next to Mulder.  “Are you asleep?” she whispered.  She was pretty sure he wasn’t, from his breathing.

“Nope,” he whispered back.  “You either?”

“I can’t,” she said.  “This is all so weird.”

“Tell me about it.”  He moved closer to her, wrapping an arm around her waist, comfortably.  That felt familiar, at least, even if the rest of this didn’t.  No, that wasn’t right.  It wasn’t that the situation felt entirely unfamiliar.  It felt all too familiar in some ways, a past she thought they’d shed.

“I thought we were done with this,” she told him.  “I thought we were finally done.”

“I know, Scully,” he said.  “I thought so too.”  They hadn’t had a chance to talk about this yet, with everything that had been happening. Of course, they’d barely had a chance to sleep either, and maybe they should be concentrating on that.  But right now, talking to him felt more important.

“And then…I didn’t know about all this,” Scully said.  “That Jackson had this whole place.  I had no idea.”

“Apparently paranoia doesn’t skip a generation,” Mulder said.

“Well, apparently it’s not paranoia, either,” she said.  “I’m kind of proud of him, actually.  Weirdly.  They’ve done a good job here.”

“They have,” Mulder said.  “We have a good kid, Scully.  Two good kids.”

She nodded.  “I hope Susanna’s…I hope she’s holding up okay.”

“She will be,” Mulder said, although she could tell from his voice that he was worried too, that he didn’t like being away from their daughter at a time like this.  “She’s strong.  Like her mom.”  He nuzzled her hair, and she pressed her cheek to his.  “Plus she’s got Pip.”

Scully smiled.  “That’s not nothing.”  They were quiet for a minute.  “Do you really think we’ll be able to stop this?”

“We have to,” he said.  That wasn’t really an answer to her question, but she knew he was right.

She squeezed his hand, under the blankets.  “We’re…we’re as prepared for this as anyone could be,” she said.  “That has to count for something, right?”

“Right,” Mulder said.

“We should try to get some sleep,” Scully said, half reluctantly.  “That can’t hurt either.”

“Right again,” Mulder said, and they huddled against each other and tried to rest.

.....

“Ben, are you asleep?” Leslie asked.  She tried to keep her voice down.  This underground hideout wasn’t especially large, and they were sharing it with people they hadn’t known all that long, so she thought it was important to be courteous.

“No,” Ben said.  “I can’t sleep.”

“Me neither,” Leslie said.  “You want to talk for a while?”

“Sure,” he said.  “What about?”  The light was very dim, but she could see his face looking up at her, sweet, sincere.  She thought about how much she loved him, not for the first time.  Alien invasions had a way of making you take stock.

“I’m kind of mad about this happening on my first day,” she said.  “I hope that doesn’t make me sound shallow.  It’s true, though.”

“No, you have the right to be mad,” Ben said.  “You didn’t sign up for this.”

“Well, I did,” Leslie said.  “That’s what happened when I took the oath of office.  I signed up for whatever was coming.  I just didn’t think it would be this big this soon.  And this…paranormal.”

“I don’t think anyone thought that,” Ben said.  “It’s not really something you could anticipate.”

“You did tell me that I had to fill you in if they briefed me on the aliens,” Leslie pointed out.

“True,” Ben said.  “Maybe I’m psychic.”

“It wouldn’t be the strangest thing that’s happened in the last few days,” Leslie said.  “It would be cool if you were psychic.  You could tell me what was going to happen on Game of Thrones.”

“No one can do that,” Ben said.  “Now that it’s so different from the books…”

“Good point,” Leslie said.  “Well, you could tell me how all this was going to turn out, then.  With the aliens.  If I’d be remembered as the president who presided over the demise of the human race.”  She didn’t want that, and not just because of concerns about her legacy.  She’d gone into government because she wanted to help people.  She didn’t want to think that this might be a situation where she couldn’t do that.

“You won’t,” Ben said.  “I know it.”

“How do you know?” Leslie asked.  “You’re not really psychic, are you?”

“For a couple reasons,” Ben said.  “First of all, there’s that thing they say.  About times getting the leaders they need.  This is a time that needs a great leader, and I think we’ve got one.”  He smiled at her, and she smiled back, sliding closer to him in their sleeping bags. “And whatever kind of time it is, you’re Leslie Knope.  You never met a crisis you couldn’t solve.”

“I never met a crisis this big,” Leslie said.

“How different can it be,” Ben asked, “from an unruly town meeting?   It’s just a lot of…beings…causing a ruckus because they can’t get what they want.”

She laughed.  “You’ve always been so excited about aliens and things.  And now you’re saying they’re no different from what we’re used to.”

“I guess I didn’t know what they’d be like,” Ben said, more soberly. “I’d just as soon do without them, now.  Not that some of it isn’t interesting.  Those stories Mulder was telling, when we were driving.”

“Yeah,” she said.  “I gathered you were interested.”

“Well, it seems like the two of them know what to do,” Ben said.  “It’s good we found them.”

“And we’ll figure out what to do too,” Leslie said.  “The two of us.  I’m glad we’ve got your brains, Ben.  And your butt.”

“And my butt,” he said, smiling sleepily as she wrapped an arm around him, and she held him close until they both fell asleep.

They were up early in the morning, eating pre-packaged breakfast food;  it was a pale imitation of the real thing, but it was still better than nothing.  They took a plan for their route with them, based on Jackson and Marina’s tracking system.  Hopefully they’d be able to avoid aliens on the road.

Leslie studied the plan as they started driving.  “Hey,” she said.  “We go right by Pawnee with this.”

“That’s where you’re from?” Scully asked.

“Lived there all my life,” Leslie said.  “It’s the best town in the US.  You’d love it.  Have you spent any time in Indiana?”

“There were a couple of cases,” Scully said.

“That Cher concert,” Mulder said; he smiled at Scully, and she smiled back.  Leslie waited, but they didn’t seem inclined to elaborate.

“Should we stop off when we get there?” Leslie asked.

“It might be good to get the rest,” Ben said.

“I don’t mean we should stop for too long or anything,” Leslie said.  “Just to eat and stretch our legs.”

“Sounds good to me,” Mulder said.  “Scully?”

“Sure, we could do that,” she said.

“Great!” Leslie said.  She didn’t want to delay their mission, but she liked the thought of stopping in Pawnee more than she could say.   Going home…it would be something familiar in the midst of all that was so confusing and scary.

Of course, it might not be that familiar at this point.  The aliens might have been there already, in which case things would probably have changed.  And they’d probably changed the town motto to “Welcome, aliens!” by now.

Still, she liked the idea of showing her town to people.  When they finally drove in (they had, in fact, changed the motto to “Welcome, aliens!”, although the sign declaring it was still a mostly-cardboard work in progress), she pointed things out to Mulder and Scully.  “That’s Pawnee Commons,” she said.  “It’s a park I built.  And those people sitting on the grass are the Reasonablists.  They’re a cult that worships Zorp.”

“Zorp?” Scully asked.

“He’s a twenty-eight foot tall lizard alien,” Leslie said.  “He’s going to come and bring about the end of the world.”

“And melt people’s faces off, I think?” Ben added.

“Yeah, that sounds about right,” Leslie said.  “And they like to play wooden flutes.”

“This is fascinating,” Mulder said.  “Do you know how they developed this belief?”

“Yes, someone wrote a book about it and it caught on,” Leslie said.   “There used to be a lot of them.  They even took over the city for a couple of years in the 1970s.  But now they’re not as active.  They’re probably out today because of the invasion.”

“When we have a little more free time,” Mulder said, “I want to hear everything about this.  This is one of the weirdest cults I’ve ever heard about.  And I’ve encountered a lot of weird cults.”

“At least they sound relatively harmless,” Scully said.  “Right?”

“Yeah, they’re not so bad,” Leslie said.  “Just careless with the Port-a-Potties.”  She pointed out the window again.  “That’s Ron’s house.  We worked together for a long time.  He’s one of my best friends.”  She looked at the others.  “Maybe we could stop just for a minute?  To see how he’s doing?”  If there was anyone who’d be going on just as before, she thought, Ron would.  But she still wanted to see.

They pulled up in front of the house and got out of the car.  Leslie knocked on the door.  She knocked again.  And again.  But nobody answered.

Ben put an arm around her.  “They’ve probably gone for cover somewhere,” he said.  “Somewhere that’ll be safe.  You know how Ron is.”

“I know,” Leslie said, and she did.  Most of her believed that Ron was alright.  She hadn’t realized, though, how much she’d wanted to see him and to talk to him, to get the kind of advice that only he could give.  “I’m going to leave him a note,” she said, “for when he gets back.”

She had a notebook with her, and she wrote her note quickly.  Dear Ron, It’s Leslie.  We came through here on our way to try to stop the aliens.  Ben says you’ve probably taken cover somewhere safe, and I’m sure he’s right.  I wish I could have seen you, though.  We’ll have to see each other once the aliens are gone.  Love, Leslie.  She tore it out of the notebook and slid it under the front door.  “All right, I’m ready,” she said.  “We should keep going.  I know where we can go.”

Despite her words, Leslie was a bit nervous as she knocked on the door; she didn’t know what could have happened, and she didn’t want to face the thought of another friend gone who knows where.  But the door opened quickly.  “Leslie!  And Ben!  Oh, I’m so happy to see you guys!”

“We’re so happy to see you too,” Leslie said, returning Jerry’s hug. She really was, too.  Happier than she could have imagined being.   Another strange thing about the last couple of days.

“What Leslie said,” Ben added, hugging him in turn.  “You and Gayle are safe?”

“Oh, yeah, perfectly safe,” Jerry said.  “We watched the inauguration, Leslie.  Your speech was great!”

“You really thought so?  Thank you!” Leslie said.  “I didn’t think anyone would remember it by this point.  Because of the alien invasion.”

“Oh, no one paid any attention to that,” Jerry said.  “Don’t worry about it.”

“I think some people paid attention,” Leslie said.  “They’re kind of trying to colonize us now, actually.  I probably should worry.”

Jerry nodded.  “All right.  Just not too much.  Remember, you’re the president now.”

“That’s exactly why I should worry,” Leslie pointed out, but Jerry was already moving on to other topics.

“You should come inside, all of you.  Are these your secret service agents?” he asked, gesturing towards Mulder and Scully.

“No, these are Fox Mulder and Dana Scully,” Leslie said.  “They’re two former FBI agents who are helping us deal with the aliens.”

“Well, they should certainly come inside, in that case,” said Jerry. “Do you all want anything to eat?  I’ll tell Gayle you’re here.”   He ushered them into the living room.

Jerry returned with Gayle; Leslie could tell Ben was about to start muttering his astonishment at how the two of them had possibly gotten married.  She nudged him with her elbow, sternly.  “It’s great to see you, Gayle,” she said.  “You’re doing okay?”

“Well, the circumstances could be better, of course,” said Gayle.  “But we’re together and that’s all that matters.”

“Has there been any alien activity around here?” Mulder asked.

“Not yet,” Gayle said.  “At least not that we’ve noticed.”  Leslie wasn’t surprised.  If the aliens had been in Pawnee, Jerry would surely have been the first person to get abducted.  She meant it in the nicest possible way, but it was true.  “But we’ve been keeping up with everything on the news,” Gayle said.  “Do you want to watch?”

“Sure,” Leslie said.  She’d been checking in with her advisors on her phone, but it would be good for her to see some footage of what they were dealing with.

They sat down, and Gayle switched the news on.  “…Now, the story of this oil is, it’s black.”

It was good to be home.

.....

It was afternoon when they left the house to drive on towards Lake Michigan.  Mulder had been glad of the rest, and Jerry and Gayle had been very hospitable to them, even if he hadn’t found the local news particularly informative.  At least it seemed like there weren’t aliens in the area, which was something.  They couldn’t be sure what lay ahead, but they could only hope.

Leslie was taking her turn at the wheel now, and Mulder was in the backseat with Scully.  “I never expected to get driven around by a president,” he murmured to her.

She smiled, a little sleepily.  “Me neither.  But it’s not bad.”

“You tired, honey?” he asked her.

“A little.”

“You should sleep then,” he said.  “We’ll need you firing on all cylinders, when we get there.”

“Okay,” she said.  Their years on the road had served them well in this; they could sleep anywhere now.  She leaned her head against his shoulder, and he wrapped an arm around her.  In just a few minutes, he could tell from her measured breathing that she was asleep.  She’d probably drool on him, not that he minded.  In fact, he minded so little that right now it seemed like one of the things he wanted to fight for: the continuation of a world in which Scully could drool on him.

“It’s going to be okay,” Leslie said softly, from the front seat.  He didn’t realize until she added, “For the two of you.  And for everyone,” that she was addressing him.

“I’ve been trying to tell myself that,” he said; he kept his voice quiet too, not wanting to wake up Scully.  “It’s just that…we’ve been through a lot because of this.  The aliens, I mean, and the people who were working with them.  And we thought it was over.  This time we honestly did.  And I’m not complaining or anything, because I know it’s a lot bigger than just us, and I really—I want to stop this.  But I’m wondering, now, if it’ll ever be over.  I really wanted it to be.”  He didn’t want to get back into this, to go back to the way he’d been in the past—to the things that had hurt him and the people he loved, to the things that had torn him and Scully apart too many times.  He wouldn’t let that happen again—never—but he couldn’t help being afraid of what might become of them.

“I don’t blame you for being upset,” Leslie said.  “I hope you’re not…well, angry that I dragged you into this.”

“No, of course not,” he said.  “I wouldn’t have felt right, just sitting back.  And I know that goes for Scully too.”

“This isn’t something I ever expected to happen,” Leslie said.  “I’ve wanted to be president since I was a kid.  So I could help people.  And I know that…Ben and I were talking, last night, about hard times demanding great leaders.  But I just hope I can be that leader.  Right now, I’m not…I’m not one hundred percent sure.”  She almost laughed.   “Sorry.  I shouldn’t say that.  Not very reassuring.”

“Well, it’s refreshing, anyway,” Mulder said.  “You rarely hear a politician admit they don’t have all the answers.”  She was silent, and he went on.  “And it’s pretty unusual, too, for a president to personally drive across the country to defeat aliens.  I’d say you’re doing all right, under the circumstances.”

“Thanks,” Leslie said.

“Speaking of driving,” he said, “let me know if you want to switch.”

“I’m still good for now,” Leslie said.  She glanced over towards the passenger seat.  “And Ben and Scully are asleep, anyway.  We might as well let them keep resting.”

“Might as well,” he said, and they sat in silence as they drove on.

He must have dozed off himself; he started awake when the car stopped.  Next to him, Scully murmured, “Mulder…what…where…”

“We’re in the car,” he told her.  “Going to Lake Michigan, remember?  Leslie, why are we stopping?”

“Because we’re here,” Leslie said.  She was shaking Ben awake.

It was dim outside by now, but Mulder saw that she was right; the waters of Lake Michigan gleamed under the last rays of the sun.  “We should start looking,” he said.  “I’ll get the files out.”

“And I’ve got masks,” Scully said.  “We should put them on.  There’s nothing to protect against the oil completely, of course, but it could help.”

“And I’ve got flashlights in the trunk,” Leslie said.  “You shouldn’t go out in the dark without flashlights.”

“We couldn’t agree more,” Scully said.

“Also I have a bag of candy,” Leslie said, handing them the flashlights.  “Should I bring that too?  Or will it attract the aliens?”

“I don’t think aliens are really into candy,” Ben said.  “Or are they?  To be frank, I’m beginning to think that most things I thought I knew about aliens are lies.”

“No, they’re not into candy,” Scully said.  “That part’s not a lie, anyway.”

“I’ll bring it, then,” Leslie said.  “Let’s get going.”

They started walking along the shore, Scully training her flashlight on the files Mulder was carrying.  “We don’t have exact coordinates,” he said, trying to read and walk at the same time.  “Only some landmarks. There were reports of strange things happening next to a certain dock. It’s got a little footbridge leading up to it…and there are sand dunes…”

“That could be a lot of places,” Ben said, gesturing towards the shore.  “Is there anything more specific?”

“I’m checking,” said Mulder.  “Yes.  On one of the dunes there’s a tree that’s bent over.  So it looks like there’s a hole in the trunk.   One of the eyewitnesses…he said he thought it was a bad omen.  We should look for that.”

They moved their flashlights in the dark, scanning the landscape, looking for the tree that was mentioned in the files.  It was just a tree, Mulder knew—in this case, he didn’t really think it was a bad omen—but somehow everything felt more threatening, with the sun almost entirely gone now.  The masks on everyone’s faces didn’t help.

“Is that it?” Ben asked suddenly.  A tree was caught in the beam of his flashlight, a hole in the trunk illuminated.  Mulder squinted into the light; he was about to answer, but Scully spoke first.

“That’s it,” she said, and something in her voice made Mulder look down, into the beam of her own flashlight.  It was trained downwards, and he could see something moving along the ground.  Creeping?  Oozing? The oil, he realized.  The oil.

“Okay,” he said.  “We should…let’s be careful.  Especially the two of you,” he said, gesturing to Leslie and Ben.  “You haven’t been exposed to this before.  Scully, what do you need?”

“I’m going to get a sample,” she said, sliding on rubber gloves, taking a vial from a pocket.  He’d seen her like this a million times.   It had never felt more important.  “You guys just…keep watch for me, okay?”

“Of course,” he said; he saw Leslie and Ben nodding, their faces solemn above their masks in the glare of the flashlights.  He squinted into the dark again.  There was the tree.  There was the shore.  There was Scully, stooping down with her vial.  There was…there was a face looking back at him, coming out of the darkness towards them.  Advancing on Scully.

Mulder moved before he could think about it, running to head the figure off: he wasn’t sure, at this distance, if it was an alien or a human, but he could tell that it meant trouble.  But when it reached out and grabbed for him, he could tell.  An alien, and its grip was strong, forcing him back, and he wasn’t at the right angle, he couldn’t shoot for the back of the neck…He thought he heard Scully calling his name, thought he saw her rising out of the corner of his eye, but the alien was grabbing his neck now and his vision was blurry…

And then it released him, suddenly, falling to the ground.  His eyes were stinging—he knew this feeling, it was what happened when you came in contact with that green blood, and the masks didn’t seem to be doing much to stop it—but he wasn’t choking any more, for which he was grateful.  Next to the fallen alien stood Ben, holding a sharpened stick, wearing an expression that was equal parts proud, stunned, and extremely teary.

“I remembered…what you told us…” he choked out.  “Did I…just kill an alien?”

“Looks like you did,” Mulder said.

“So proud of you, babe,” Leslie said.  She was teary-eyed too, but she managed an enthusiastic thumbs-up.

“Oh my God,” Ben said.  “This really stings.”

“Yeah, we told you about it, right?” Mulder said.  “They have green blood…and they release it, when you kill them.”

“Yeah, you told us,” Ben said.  “But I didn’t think it would be this bad.”

“It’s really bad,” Leslie added, nodding.  “But it’s okay.  You killed an alien.  You can tell the kids about it, when we get back.”

The idea seemed to mollify Ben somewhat, despite his continued choking noises, and in a moment Scully stood up.  “I’ve got a sample,” she said.  “And I think we should get out of here.  We’re too exposed, and we don’t know if there are more of them coming…”  She looked over her shoulder.  “Scratch that.  There are.  Let’s run.”

“We shouldn’t…?”  Ben brandished his stick vaguely.

“No,” Scully said.  “We should run.”  Mulder looked towards the trees—it was still dim, but he could see at least five aliens coming, and he took off along with Scully.  Ben seemed to see the wisdom of her words—flight over fight—because he and Leslie were right at their heels.

They used to do this all the time, Mulder remembered, on every case, and he wondered how they had managed it.  For now, the adrenaline was buoying him as he sprinted towards the car, but he knew that he couldn’t keep up this speed forever and that he was definitely going to feel this later.  Fortunately, the car wasn’t very far away; they each dove for the closest door, Ben ending up in the driver’s seat.  “Should I—?”

“Drive!” Scully yelled; she was somewhere on the floor of the backseat at the moment, tangled around Mulder’s legs.  And they sped down the road, not exactly in what Mulder would call a straight line.

“Don’t hit that tree!” Leslie shouted.

“Sorry!”  Ben swerved abruptly, and they all jolted.  That was Scully’s elbow in his eye, Mulder was pretty sure; his face was already swollen, of course, but this really didn’t help.  “I can’t see very well.  My eyes are still stinging.”

Mulder did his best to look out the back window of the car—it was dark, but he thought he could still see movement behind them.  “Well, keep going anyway,” he said.  “Maybe turn somewhere.”

“If there’s an actual turn,” Scully added; she was still half on the floor, and Mulder pulled her up onto the seat.  “No more of these swerves, if possible.”

“I said I was sorry,” Ben said.

“Shit, I dropped the candy,” Leslie said.  “Do you still have the sample?  I hope it didn’t go flying somewhere.  I’d just as soon not go back there, if we can help it.”

“Yeah, I’ve got it,” Scully said, holding out the vial.  “Hold it for me while I do my seatbelt?” she asked Mulder, and he nodded, taking it gingerly.

“So where to now?” Leslie asked.  “Once we shake the aliens.”

“We need to get somewhere that has a lab I can use,” Scully said.   “And somewhere we can stay for the night.  I’ll stay up and work on this, but there’s no reason the rest of you shouldn’t get some sleep.”

“Is there anything we can do about our eyes?” Ben asked.

“Not really,” Mulder said.  “You just have to wait for it to pass.”

“This’ll teach you to wantonly kill aliens,” Leslie said.  “Violence obviously isn’t the answer.”

“You said you were proud of me!” Ben said.

“I am proud of you,” Leslie said.  “But now that you’ve killed one alien, you don’t need to do it again.  How different can it be, killing one alien versus another?”  She looked into the backseat, as if she expected Mulder and Scully to provide an answer.

“Um…not that different,” Mulder said.

“See, Mulder says it’s not that different,” Leslie told Ben.  “And he ought to know.  See any more aliens coming?”

“I don’t think so,” Mulder said.  “We might have outdriven them, for now anyway.”

“It was probably all that swerving,” Leslie said.  “Still proud of you, babe.”

“Thanks,” Ben said.  “Where should we go to find a lab?”

Mulder looked on his phone; there was a research hospital in the next town over, one that Scully knew by reputation and said would have what she needed.  “There’s not much else in that town, though,” she said.  “I hope we can find somewhere to stay.”

They did, eventually, after a lot of driving around: a small motel near the hospital.  They all looked a little the worse for wear as they walked into the building, but the woman at the desk didn’t react.  “We’d like two rooms for the next few nights, please,” said Leslie.

“There’s only one room,” the woman said.  “Place is full up.”

“What?” Leslie asked.  “The country’s in the middle of an alien invasion and people are choosing this time to go on vacation?”

“Yeah, well, I think they wrecked some people’s houses or something,” the woman said.  “Besides, who are you to talk?  You’re trying to stay here too.”

“That’s different,” Leslie said.  “We’re here on important business.”

“Good for you,” the woman said.  “We still only have one room.”

“Should I pull rank?” Leslie asked, turning to the rest of them.

“Doesn’t matter what your rank is,” the woman said.  “Unless your rank involves conjuring up additional rooms.”

“Look, it’s fine,” Scully said.  “I won’t even be here most of the time.”

“Yeah, we’ve done this before,” Mulder added.  “Not a big deal.”  He turned to the woman.  “We’ll take it.”

The room was clean enough, and the bed was good-sized, at least.  “I think…I’ll take a very fast shower,” Scully said, glancing at the clock.  “And then I’ll head over to the hospital.”

Mulder sank into a chair.  When he next became aware of his surroundings, it was almost three in the morning; Leslie and Ben were lying on the bed, asleep.  He stretched—the chair hadn’t been the most comfortable place to sleep in—and headed for the door, passing by the front desk.  “Anywhere you can get food at this hour?” he asked the woman.

“Yeah,” she said.  “Diner next door.  Open all night.”

“Thanks,” Mulder said, giving her a nod and leaving the motel.

It didn’t take him long to get what he wanted—the diner wasn’t especially crowded at this hour—and he left the diner carrying sandwiches in a paper bag.  It only took a little longer to navigate his way through the hospital; he had to stop once and ask for directions, but he soon found the lab where Scully was working.  He tapped on the door.  She looked up.

“Hey,” she said.  “Shouldn’t you be sleeping?”  Her smile, though, said that she was glad he was there.

He shrugged.  “I woke up.  And I brought you a BLT.  Do you want it now or…?”

“I’ll come out,” she said.  “It’s probably not a good idea to get bacon near the samples.”

“Probably not,” he agreed.  He kissed her cheek as she came into the outer room and waited while she washed her hands.  Then they perched side by side on chairs in the waiting area, eating their sandwiches.

“Where are Leslie and Ben?” Scully asked him.

“Still at the motel,” Mulder said.  “Asleep.”

“That’s good,” Scully said.  “You were all asleep when I left.  Did you sleep through until now or…?”

“Yeah, I did,” Mulder said.  “Don’t worry about me, Scully.  If I wanted to go back to sleep, I would.  I’d rather be here with you.”

She smiled again.  “I’d rather that too, Mulder.  If you’re really not tired.”

“I’m really not,” he said.  “Besides, there’s not much space to sleep anyway.  Even if I wanted to.  That chair was killing me.”

“I think we’re a little past our peak days,” Scully said, “for running around and sleeping anywhere.  I had such a crick in my neck from sleeping in the car.  And my feet are tired.”

“Anything I can do?” he asked.

“You already helped,” Scully said, waving what remained of her sandwich.  “And just having you here.  That’s good too.”

“How’s it coming?” he asked—he wasn’t sure about alluding to the subject, but he figured they’d have to talk about it soon enough, anyway.  “You making any progress?”

“I think so,” she said.  “Starting to get there, anyway.  I thought I’d get in touch with Leslie—we’ll need a way to distribute the vaccine, once I’ve figured it out.  She seems like the best person to coordinate that.”

“Sounds like something she can handle,” Mulder agreed.  “You want me to take a message back to her?”

“Sure,” Scully said.  “And then…come back here, okay?”

“Of course,” he said.

Leslie and Ben were still asleep when Mulder got back to the hotel, but they were only moderately grouchy and disoriented when he shook them awake.  “What?” Leslie said.  “What?”

“Do we have to kill more aliens?” Ben asked.  “Please no.”  His eyes still looked a little swollen, but maybe that was just because he’d been asleep.

“No more aliens,” Mulder said.

“Ever?” Ben asked.

“In this room,” Mulder said.  “Scully wanted me to give you a message, Leslie.”

“Okay,” Leslie said.  “Just a second.”  She fumbled for a pad of paper and a pen.  “Okay.  I’m ready.”

“She’s making some progress with the vaccine,” Mulder said.  “So she wants you to start setting up a way to distribute it, once it’s finished.  Obviously as broadly and as quickly as possible—”

“Pssh, I wasn’t born yesterday,” Leslie said.  “I know how public health works, thanks.”  She was writing rapidly on the pad.  “Okay.   First I’ll call the Department of Health.  We’ll need to start setting up clinics.  Ben, are you fully awake now?  Can you work on this with me?”

“Yeah, of course,” Ben said.  “You want me to get your health binder?”

“You know what I like,” Leslie said.

Ben headed for the desk, upon which Leslie had placed a large stack of binders.  “Let’s get to work then,” he said, retrieving the correct one.  “You can sleep on the bed for a while if you want, Mulder.”

“Thanks,” Mulder said, “but I’m heading back to the hospital.  Scully’s…well, I want to be with her while she’s working.”

“Understood,” Ben said, smiling at him.  “Tell her we’re rooting for her.”

“Of course,” Mulder said.

Scully was still working when he got back to the hospital.  She nodded to the chair next to hers, without speaking; he could tell she was on the trail of something.  So he sat down beside her, not speaking either, just wanting to be there.

The hours went by, and this chair wasn’t any more comfortable than the one in the hotel room—less, actually, since it didn’t have any cushioning.  He stayed anyway, though, only getting up briefly—to go to the bathroom or to find them more food.  “Just us again,” Scully said at one point, when they were grabbing a snack in the hallway.

“Just us again,” he agreed.  “Eating weird things at weirder hours.”

“Always,” she said, and she smiled at him, and he felt more hopeful, even if it was for no concrete reason.

He’d lost track of the time completely—the clock in the lab only had one working hand—when Scully turned to him, a look of anticipation on her face.  “I think…I have it,” she said.  Her voice was quiet, maybe calm if you didn’t know her well.  But he did know her well.

“You’re sure?” he asked.

“As sure as I can be, now,” Scully said.  “We’ll have to see how well it works, obviously.  But I’m almost positive.”

He picked her up then, from her seat into his arms; she giggled.   “You’re brilliant,” he said, his mouth against her hair.  “Have I told you you’re brilliant?”

“I don’t mind hearing it,” Scully said.  She kissed him quickly, then slid down to her feet.  “We’ll have to pick this up later, though.   There’s more work to be done.”

“You mean we don’t get to canoodle in a lab?” Mulder asked, following her as she gathered up her things, placing the vaccine carefully in an insulated box.  “It’s been years since we’ve canoodled in a lab.”

“You make a good point,” Scully said; they were out the door now, walking towards the elevator.  “We should plan on that, once we get home.  But right now, we need to work on producing more vaccine and on distributing it as quickly as possible.”

Leslie and Ben were intent on a pile of papers, but they looked up as Mulder and Scully came into the motel room.  “What’s the news?” Leslie asked.

“I think I’ve developed a working vaccine,” Scully said.

“You’re finished?” Leslie asked.  “This quickly?”  She was grinning from ear to ear even before Scully nodded.  “Scully, you’re brilliant and you’re beautiful!” she declared.

“That’s what I told her,” Mulder said, putting an arm around Scully, who was blushing.  “How’s it coming with the distribution plans?”

“We’re making good progress,” Leslie said.  “I’ve organized this kind of thing before—not on such a large scale, of course, and probably not quite this urgent, but it’s a start.  I’d think we should be able to start getting this out in the morning.”

“And we also worked on some ideas for quarantine,” Ben said, “for people who have already been infected.  We want you to check them over, of course—we don’t know how this virus works quite as well as you do.   But I tried to remember everything you told us earlier.”  He pointed to a document on his computer screen.

Mulder leaned in to read it, Scully looking over his shoulder.  “These are really good suggestions,” he said.

“Yes,” said Scully.  “I like this one especially, about repurposing existing facilities.”

Ben was the one who was blushing now.  “Well,” he said, “I just wanted to make sure I understood what the virus was like.  So I could do the best job possible.”

“Killing aliens and healing their victims,” Leslie said.  “Still proud of you.”  She yawned.  “I barely even know what time it is any more.  But it’s okay.  You two should have the bed.  We used it already.  For sleeping.”

“Thank you,” Scully said, heading for the bed and flopping down without further ado.

Mulder followed her.  “Do you want to take your shoes off?” he asked.  No answer.  “Do you want me to take your shoes off?”  Still no answer.  She was asleep already.

“She’s been up so long,” he whispered to Leslie and Ben.  “I’ll just take her shoes off.”  Having done so, he lay down on the bed as well; Scully had sprawled across a large portion of it, but he managed to find room.  By now, it wasn’t difficult to fall asleep.

.....

“Does my appearance,” Leslie asked him, “say, ‘Presidential, in-charge, successful against all threats from this planet or any other, but also thoughtful and concerned about ordinary Americans and the struggles they are still facing in rebuilding?’”

“Yeah,” Ben said.  “That was exactly what I thought, when I first looked at you.”

“Good!” Leslie said.  “We’re ready for the press conference, then?”

“Whenever you say the word,” Ben told her, and they walked into the press room.

Instantly, they were besieged with questions.  “President Knope, can you tell us more about the successful creation of the black oil vaccine?”

“Is the defeat of the aliens due to the army?”

“What should people do to be prepared against the future return of the aliens?”

“Now, these aliens, would you say they came from space?”

“One at a time, one at a time,” Leslie said.  The reporters quieted down, at least somewhat, and Leslie took her place at the podium.  “As I’ve always said—during my campaign and throughout my political career—there are two secrets to good government.  One is putting the people first.  And the other is having a strong team.  During the recent alien colonization crisis, I was very fortunate to have that.”  She smiled.  “When I was preparing for office, I of course did my due diligence on plans for extraterrestrial contact, but this turned out to be unlike anything I expected.  So I’d first like to extend my thanks to FBI director Walter Skinner, who recommended that I get in touch with retired agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully.  Their help was absolutely invaluable in providing us with ways to deal with and combat the aliens, not to mention developing the vaccine that protected so many of our people against the black oil.  Without them, we might not be here right now.”

“What about the Battle of the Smithsonian?” one of the reporters asked.  “Why did you choose to attack the aliens in that location?”

“Because of its great strategic advantage,” Leslie replied smoothly; that sounded more presidential, Ben guessed, than because that happened to be where they parked their spaceship. “Incidentally, you’ll be glad to know that we are already working on plans to reopen the exhibits.  As soon as the air is determined to be fully nontoxic again.”

“What made the air so toxic in the first place?” a reporter asked.

“It’s what happens when you kill the aliens,” Leslie explained.  Ben watched her, marveling; only a few weeks ago, this would have been something out of a fantasy for him, something that he would never have believed could actually be real.  And now Leslie was talking about it like it was the most ordinary thing in the world.  “They release a green substance.  I have first-hand experience with it, I’m afraid.  I was present when Ben killed one of the aliens.”  She shot him a grin.  “He was another invaluable member of our team during this crisis.”

“Do you believe the aliens will come back?”

“No, I think we’ve shown that our planet is not amenable to the idea of being colonized,” said Leslie.  “However, we will of course continue to monitor the situation.”

“What message would you send to people who have come in contact with the black oil?”

“Hang in there,” Leslie said, “and it’ll get better soon.  Most people who were infected are already healing.”

“What are you planning to do next, President Knope?”

“I’m looking forward to acting on my campaign promises,” Leslie said.  “The more terrestrial ones.”

“What can you tell us about tonight’s celebration of the crisis resolution?”

“It should be a fun night!” Leslie said.  “We just arranged everything that we were originally planning for the inaugural ball.   Since that was cancelled.  Due to aliens.”  The reporters took frantic notes.

“You know, I didn’t know if I’d get to wear this,” Leslie said, examining her dress in the mirror as they were getting ready for the celebration that night.  “I thought the whole human race might be wiped out.”  Her tone was light, but Ben knew she wasn’t entirely joking.

“Well, we weren’t,” he said.  “And a lot of that’s thanks to you.”   He kissed her lightly.  “You were giving everyone else the credit earlier today.  But you deserve credit too.”

“Thank you,” she said, kissing him back.  They were quiet for a few minutes, as they finished dressing.  Ben was thinking about what they’d just been through, how excited he was to be seeing friends at the celebration tonight, when he’d thought just recently that he might not see those people again.

“I can’t wait to see everyone,” Leslie said—it wasn’t the first time their thoughts had been in sync, and he knew it wouldn’t be the last.   “I’m just glad—we’ve been lucky.  That we’re all okay.”  He nodded, taking her hand, and then they went downstairs.  Sonia, Stephen, and Wesley were waiting for them in the entryway, all dressed up as well.   “Come on, everyone!” Leslie said, beaming, and they headed for the car.

The celebration was crowded already when they got there—everyone wanted to celebrate the defeat of the aliens, and Leslie never had the heart to refuse anyone an invitation.  They soon saw Mulder, Scully, and their kids, though.  “Hi!” Leslie said, moving through the crowd towards them.  “I’m so glad you could all make it.”

“We wouldn’t have missed it,” Mulder said.  “Never thought we’d get invited to a ball.  Or actually be in favor with government officials.   Right, Scully?”

“Right,” Scully said.  “Thank you so much for inviting us.”

“Yes, thank you,” Susanna added, blushing; she still seemed a bit tongue-tied around Leslie, although she’d become fast friends with the triplets during her brief stay at the White House.

“So what do the two of you have planned?” Ben asked.  “Now that we’ve saved the world and all.”

“Back to retirement,” Mulder said.

“And praying it’ll stick this time,” Scully added.

“Well, I’ll certainly miss having your advice,” Leslie said, “but I understand.  And I know we’ll stay friends—oh my God, there’s Ann.”  She abruptly pushed past Scully, as well as several people who were standing behind her, and rushed towards the door, where Ann was just coming in.

“Don’t take it personally,” Ben told Mulder and Scully.  “She’s like this with everyone, when Ann shows up.”  He wanted to say hello to Ann too, but he figured he’d let Leslie have her moment first.  “So,” he asked Mulder and Scully instead, “what eventually happened in that town with the vampires?”  He would have thought that what they’d been through would have cured his interest in paranormal adventures.  But somehow, he was finding, it hadn’t.

Ben and Leslie hadn’t really had a peaceful moment since the inauguration—even after the aliens were gone, they’d been concentrating on dealing with the aftermath—so tonight was especially welcome.  They spent time talking to old friends, of whom there were many; even Ron, who’d just emerged from the cabin in the woods where he’d holed up against the aliens, had agreed to make an appearance.  “Don’t think I’m not still against these large government functions,” he told Ben.  “But it’s Leslie.  You understand.”

“Yeah,” Ben agreed.  “It’s Leslie.”

“And,” Ron added, “there’s breakfast food.”  He gestured complacently to his plate.  Ben hadn’t been sure that breakfast food was traditional for this kind of celebration, but Leslie had pointed out that she liked breakfast food and that most people found it very comforting, which was sorely needed in times like these.  He hadn’t been able to argue with that one.

There was dancing too, and Ben held Leslie tightly as they moved among the other couples; he could see Mulder and Scully, dancing nearby, and he gave them a quick wave.  They waved back.  Then he turned back to Leslie.  “Defeated an alien threat,” he said, “and threw a kick-ass celebration.  Not bad for your first month on the job.”

“Not what I originally had planned,” Leslie said, “but I agree, not bad.”

“It’ll really give you something to talk about,” he said, “in your State of the Union.”

She laughed.  “Too true.  But for now—let’s just dance.”

So they did.

[thestudyofkats]

15 Questions, 15 Mutuals

I was tagged by @yourpersonaltutor. Thanks for thinking of me, and giving me that odd pleasure of revealing minor details about myself to the internet!

1. are you named after anyone?  My middle name is after my maternal grandfather, so yes!

2. when was the last time you cried? I’ve made it a habit to cry pretty much everyday. Today I cried twice watching the Ken Burns Roosevelts doc—the first time when Theodore died and the second when Eleanor found out about Franklin’s affair with Lucy Mercer and felt that ‘the bottom dropped out of [her] world.’

3. do you have kids? No, but I do wonder if anyone who has yet completed this does have children. People seem to regard my being married as utterly shocking for being on tumblr so having children must make you that much more of a pariah. Parents of tumblr—you matter! And props for doing the most under-appreciated job on the planet!

4. do you use sarcasm a lot? Sometimes, but I try to use it more sparingly lately. I think it can easily be mean-spirited, which is something I struggle with, so when I do I try to only be self-referential or “positive” if that makes sense?

5. what’s your eye colour? According to my license, hazel. In reality, predominantly blue, occasionally shifting more to green, and usually with a little ring of orange flecks nearer my pupils.

6. scary movie or happy ending? Scary movies are 99% rubbish, so I guess happy ending, but a good deal of those actually make me more sad than anything because they idealize goals/endings I generally find quite lacking and empty. Don’t mind me over here sounding super pretentious.

7. any special talents? My friends think I’m decent at impersonating voices, especially of funny individual’s singing voices? Also I just have an absurdly large tongue so I can touch my nose with it which is really amusing to babies. 

8. where were you born? Stillwater, Oklahoma in the US.

9. what are your hobbies? Predominantly reading, mostly theology, philosophy, history, and quite literally all that C. S. Lewis ever wrote. Preferably doing that at coffee shops while drinking buckets of coffee and tea. More minor ones would be knitting/crocheting, watching documentaries and a few British television series, and half-heartedly throwing myself into learning violin and ancient languages.

10. do you have any pets? My husband and I had two precious, sweet kitties named Esther and Mordecai, but due to his persistently worsening cat allergy they now live with my mom 10 hours away. I do still get daily pictures of them though, so that makes our separation a little easier. 

11. what sports do you play/ have you played? I play absolutely zero sports now, but I was a gymnast and swimmer when I was younger. 

12. how tall are you? 5′2″

13. favourite subject(s) in school? Essentially the things I listed for what I like to read: religion/theology (which being in seminary I now really get to study at school!), history, and philosophy.

14. dream job? Just teaching theology and the Bible, which is essentially what I plan to do as it is. 

15. why aren’t there 15 real questions? Who’s to say this isn’t a real question? What really is a “real question” anyway?

I’ll tag @boker--tov, @libra--studies, @saturday-studying, @considersparrows, @solagratiastudies, @procrastinationlikeapro, @silent-and-resigned, @bubblemolee, @saffronangel, @historomy, @philosophyblr, @hstrystdyblr, @cat-studies-psych, @anglostudy, and @gloomstudy.

[peremadeleine]

Heyyooooo wanna explain to me why you don't like Mary Todd Lincoln? (in all honesty im hella curious) And can we talk more about Ann Rutledge? And what was your opinion on Mary and Lincoln's marriage? so many questions so sorry but I love talking about this stuff

I’ll say that I don’t actively dislike Mary. I think she’s often demonized, quite unfairly, and that she had many good qualities. She was intelligent, well-educated, witty, and charming. She was by all accounts an excellent, devoted mother. Without her, Lincoln probably never would have been president. I believe she cared for him, and that he loved her after a fashion as well (he adored his children as much as she did, and even if theirs was no grand romance, I imagine he would’ve had a love for the mother of his children, whoever she was). 

That said…

Mary was emotionally unstable, horribly insecure (did I just describe myself?), more and more paranoid as the presidency/war went on, and was, unfortunately, an easy target for vicious attacks in the press. Lincoln was already less than popular, and his “Southern” wife whose well-off family, some of whom owned slaves and fought for the Confederacy, was an obvious scapegoat, though through no fault of her own. She really didn’t help either him or herself by wildly overspending (on herself and on White House renovations) or by becoming obsessed with spiritualism following the death of their son in 1862. Of course both the Lincolns felt that loss very keenly, but Mary’s increasing erratic behavior afterwards only created more strain for Lincoln. He was prone to depression anyway and was, at that time, already at breaking point mentally/emotionally. To complicate things even further, Mary was also very easily manipulated by anyone who wanted something from her husband. Even people in Lincoln’s own administration didn’t like her, eve going so far as to call her the “Hellcat”.

Honestly? No person is perfect, and often hindsight doesn’t do them any favors. I’ve read the biographies of several first ladies now (one on Abigail Adams, one on Mary, and am currently reading one on Eleanor Roosevelt) and they all had their flaws. It comes down, frankly, to personal preference and to the fact that I adore Lincoln. Even if I was super interested his wife, he is my number one favorite historical figure and has been for so long that I don’t remember a time when he wasn’t, so Mary would already be playing catch-up for me? 

tl;dr I’m not super interested in Mary, but her personality–despite her many good qualities–just doesn’t appeal to me? I’m Just Not That Into Her?? I also think I see things in Mary’s personality that reflect things I don’t like about myself (as noted above) and also things I don’t like about my mother, but that’s…a whole different topic. Some other first ladies (see: Abigail and Eleanor) are among my other favorite historical figures, so…it’s really all subjective?

I will say that I think Mary got a raw deal. She was branded as a traitor and a Confederate spy, which she wasn’t at all. Heck, her home state of Kentucky (which was also the state of Lincoln’s birth represent) didn’t even secede, even if members of her family fought for the Confederacy. She was present when her husband was killed, which could’ve only been horrific for her, and afterwards she got vilified by people like William Herndon. Then her third son (Tad) died, and her only living son (Robert) institutionalized her for being supposedly insane–a betrayal no matter how you slice it even if her behavior was erratic. People continued to take advantage of her, such as when they “photographed” her with the “ghost” of her husband. Finally, this traumatized, grief-stricken woman died believing she was impoverished when, in reality, she was able to live in perfect comfort and financial security.

Maybe part of what I don’t like about her boils down to the complexities of the marriage? It wasn’t an altogether happy one, and Lincoln must have had serious doubts about even going through with it–after all, the courtship was fairly drawn-out and he broke off their engagement at one time. There’s an anecdote, for instance, (it’s late and I haven’t read the biographies of anyone involved for some time, so I can’t cite sources) about Mary once angrily chasing Lincoln down the street in Springfield with a broom. Even if that’s exaggerated, she had a notorious temper, and Lincoln, a history of depression. He was also away from home for long stretches of time because of his career, and at the beginning of their marriage, he didn’t make the kind of money to provide Mary–a Todd of Kentucky!–with the kind of lifestyle to which she was accustomed. They lived in a boarding house for at least a couple of years, and their eldest son was born there. There’s no way that didn’t cause some tension right from the start.

However, I do think their mutual ambitions–Mary was more “refined” and certainly better-educated than Lincoln, had valuable political connections (including to his hero Henry Clay), and was basically a sounding board/adviser for him–and their deep love for their boys helped bind them together as a couple. Mary insisted after he died that Lincoln was in love with her and that he’d never loved any other woman, which I think is…well, not true on either count? But again, I do think Lincoln loved her. She was important to him in many different ways. He may have regretted proposing to her and even regretted, to some extent, actually marrying her, but he was attracted to her and by her personality, otherwise they never would’ve begun a courtship to begin with!

So again tl;dr, I don’t think the Lincoln marriage was outright miserable. I think that affection existed between Lincoln and Mary, in particular after the births (and deaths) of their sons. Being Mary’s husband had very clear advantages for Lincoln’s career. But I do think they were a rather Odd Couple and that, once Lincoln became president, Mary’s Todd connections became a burden rather than a boon. Her spending habits, paranoia, and naivete cost Lincoln valuable time and energy in the White House when he already had the “momentous issue” of the war with which to cope. Who knows if they would’ve settled into a contented retirement with one another, seeing their grandchildren born, if things had gone differently? Maybe. I like to think so, anyway.

Ann Rutledge was the love of Lincoln’s life, if you ask me. Sure, the human memory can be faulty–but are the collective memories of 100+ people faulty?? I don’t know, maybe. It is, of course, entirely possible that Lincoln and Ann were just good friends and that there was never (as many, many people from New Salem who knew them claimed) an “understanding” between them. Either way, though, Ann and Lincoln met privately while she was on her deathbed–after which her sister Nancy thought hat Lincoln looked “sad and broken-hearted”–and after her death, Lincoln’s friends feared for his life, so intense was his grief. 

Ann was remembered by her friends and family as intelligent, kind, beautiful, and someone who “loved everybody.” Her death at such a young age was a tragedy, one that scarred Lincoln no matter what the true nature of their relationship was. Had Ann had lived, though, I imagine that Lincoln would never have become president…and that would’ve been a real tragedy. Still, the hugely sentimental part of me still wishes that she would’ve lived and married him and made him happy, because his life as it was (for all his funny stories and famous sense of humor) was in many ways a series of unfortunate tragic events, and it breaks my heart.

I apologize that this is long and rambling and undetailed, or at least nonspecific. It’s late, I’m tired, and I haven’t brushed up on my Lincoln reading in quite a while, but uh, as you can see, I have plenty of opinions to make up for it…

edit: Forgot to recommend the excellent book The Shadows Rise: Abraham Lincoln and the Ann Rutledge Legend, which is what first convinced me of the factual nature of their relationship.

[themagnumnopus-blog]

You have delusions of persecution and worms in your brain

As promised to a friend. How bad could I possibly be?

A Prologue To More: Weep for you have failed.“I may not agree with you, but I will defend to the death your right to make an ass of yourself." - Oscar Wilde

You lack originality and you couldn't be funny if you tried.

At least between the two of us, even with worms in my head, I know something's there.

You're a fool without compare and I'll kick your derriere in any conversation you can bring. You are a whining little brat that is so flat you couldn't think of any way to fight what I say. You are vapid in the head without a thought behind or to your conviction, you have already proven that by using your own contradiction, your hypocrisy is plain and you failed to come at me with a brain. You simply have an addiction to your stupidity as anyone that reads this can see. You can't stand in a debate or even speculate that you can against me, because of your propensity to lie. If you think that you might win I beg you think again because I'm really quite a nice gal or guy. I mock and shame you. I unlike you do not seek to defame you. I simply state what I see, you must have a reason you're afraid of what I say. So I will say it louder and say it prouder because you try to take my voice away.

re·tard - delay or hold back in terms of progress, development, or accomplishment.

Now if you think you have a chance come forth to let us have a dance. If I'm really a fool I can't win but you've lost before you've started and I assert you're retarded and that you simply retard whatever argument you make. I do not seek to offend you but if you think that you can seek to quiet me, you simply seek to retard society. Well hey, what do you say? I say I'll take you any day and indeed will take you any time. Oh, yes. Let me wait. It's fine. I just get more time to strengthen my debate, I don't mind. Gather whatever you might, a fool's facts are my delight, they're so easy to debunk and I'll just cut your argument down chunk by chuck. For every inch in the arena, you think you'll take I will beat you back, yard by yard. With a club of facts, I'll beat you back all the way to denial and laugh all the while. You are simply an unarmed child.

I win.

Prove that I have "delusions of persecution" , whatever you might mean by that, prove that I am of a race or gender or sex that I have talked about, defended and furthermore prove me wrong. If it's a delusion it is self-evident in the real world that I'm wrong. Whatever you think I'm wrong about. Even if you prove that I am one of the groups I defended you've done nothing but waste your time. This isn't about me or you as a person it's about our ideas.

A quote I love and it fits perfectly here, it's been attributed to a lot of people but the contents are so exacting here it's hilarious. "Great Minds Discuss Ideas; Average Minds Discuss Events; Small Minds Discuss People." - Eleanor RooseveltFace Me in the Arena: A few thousand words about the ten that could not quiet me. Part One: The BallThere is a term for when a debate or conversation over ideas political or otherwise brakes down into name calling and attacks on character. It's commonly accepted that if you have to resort to name calling or attacks on the character of your opponent you have lost. You've attacked me like a coward and now I have sympathy from whoever sees that. Your small minded hateful message you tried to quite me with has now backfired. You have tied the knot, put it around your neck and I have just pushed you off. To beat me you now have to get back on my level and try to take me off whatever high ground I clearly occupied. Good luck. You have played me an easy win by not playing the game but attacking the player. This is your penalty. You lose.That is why I always stay civil and try to approach a conversation from a neutral and objective perspective. Never claim something you can't prove when it comes to political and real-world philosophical beliefs. If I say that the West has a problem with misandry, I promise I have a reason to believe so and that proof can be found, if I say that socialism is creating fascists, the same, if say that anti-white sentiment is creating anti-white extremists and in turn creating white supremacists, you darn dootally better believe I can more then likely prove it. Buuuuuuuuut now I don't have to, the burden is on you, you poor little cretin. You have attacked me. You now have to prove me wrong or be laughed at as an idiot. The best part is I know you can't or you would have A) tried to do so publicly or B) sent proof. As to what you're calling me names over, hilariously, I don't know. I don't know what your upset over. I don't need to now through by simple fact you have shot anything you say in the foot by attacking me like a petulant child with name calling and baseless accusations.You have given me the ball by failing your argument before you've even tried to make it. If you have no way to disprove my statements then you have to attack me, discredit me, try to make me be quiet? How weak is your point of view, your argument, your belief in what you have to say that you can't defend it? How weak is it that you're afraid to talk with someone who you claim has worms in their head. What? Are afraid to lose to some you clearly think is stupid?Part 2: Hy·poc·ri·sy I bet money you claim to be against bullies, against oppression, maybe you call yourself a good person and think that you have the right to say the above. You have said what you have to me because of a difference of opinion. I think that you are the worst kind of person because of this.“Of all the tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive.  It may be better to live under robber barons than under the omnipotent moral busybodies.  The robber barons cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.” - C. S. LewisYou have every right to say whatever you please, you really do in my opinion but I'll be damned if you have the right or think you have the right to try and keep people silent based on a difference of opinion. If you think I have a complex, it should be so self-evident that you have absolute proof and objective truth to the contrary, no matter what it is. I think you're projecting and have a victim complex, you are not the target of anyone least of all me. I don't care about you, your narrative or your emotional situation. What? Do you have a sob story? I'll give you a better one that I can prove. I'm here for the truth, willing to change my point of view for facts and proof. If you don't like it? Tough shit. I don't care. I will not be dissuaded by emotional pleas. If you have proof use it. Now is the time.I have never sent hate mail, I have never blocked anyone (not even the person that sent this), this is the first hate mail I've ever had sent to me and I state and stand by for a fact that I cannot be made afraid by pathetic cowards that can't even make a statement. I will gut you like this if you send anon hate to me. It will be public and I will laugh at you and everyone else that reads it will laugh at you. You have no power here or anywhere else, least of all over me. I am no one's enemy. If you come to me in good faith and as a human to another human for an honest conversation, public or private, I'm willing to talk and be friendly. You get what you put in with me.Part 3: I Laugh at Thee“Freedom of speech is not only the right to say as you please, it is also the right to have what you say contested, and where it does not accord with reason - refuted, or with sense - ridiculed.” - David Joseph Cribbin, father crowI and anyone else reading has watched your ten unprovable, undefendable, small-minded words be turned into thousands against you and is laughing with me at you right now. You look like a twit, I have made a twit of you and you deserve it. You have run into my arena an unarmed opponent and been gutted for it. I'm not sorry to anyone, most of all you. If you think that I can be refuted then do so. I have every right to offend you with what I say, though it is not my intention, the truth can be offensive sometimes and as a human, you need to learn how to deal with that. I am a human of liberty and...“If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.” - George OrwellPart 4: Why I Gut You.“The problem with today’s world is that everyone believes they have the right to express their opinion AND have others listen to it. The correct statement of individual rights is that everyone has the right to an opinion, but crucially, that opinion can be roundly ignored and even made fun of, particularly if it is demonstrably nonsense!” - Brian CoxI condemn in my harshest and most potent terms any and all people who prompt, advocate for or send messages like this to anyone regardless of what you think. Never hate or hate bomb anyone, ever, for any for any reason. Again ever. You give them absolute power and make yourself look like the villain, I have garnered sympathy and ran hundreds of words against this person already and I'm not even done yet, I'm lambasting and laughing at their poorly thought out insult to prove a point. They came to me so anything I do at this point is justified in the eyes of anyone looking at this. If you read this I'm sorry you misstepped and fell on a land mine face first. You came to me to get this.I make fun of you because your pitiful attempt at silencing me is in and of itself demonstrable nonsense and makes you look weak. Bullies are generally weak, using fear and work using crowd based courage and/or anonymity to strike at people that they can't actually fight and win or are not sure they can fight and win. I will never be silenced by cowards, my mind will be changed by humans that can prove what they believe and do not have to resort to childish small-minded attacks on character. Especially one so ill-founded. I will listen to anyone who wishes to speak with me as a person. BUT even to my attacker above, I still offer the hand freely, come talk to me, privet or public. Seriously. About whatever you have a problem with me over. We can sort it out. You had a reason to think this was okay, which it never is but I would actually love to hear it. Again I don't care if you apologize or not, that's not my concern. I beyond what you might think am just an honest person that honestly wants to talk, change minds and have us grow. Childish things like this hate message retard us as a society, as a people, as the human race.Part 5: I Pick My Battles“To a coward, courage always looks like stupidity.” - Bill MaherSome people may think I'm stupid for taking the stance I do on bullies and bullying, on hate. Just block people, just do this, just do that, etc. I don't care what other people do to shitty little bullies but are they going away? No, they aren't. They are going to bully someone else that might not be able to take it, until you challenge them, make them realize how they look and have everyone laugh at them. People generally don't like being mean to other people but they don't realize is that that doesn't stop cretins like this, challenge them. They think they are in the right. Prove them wrong.I'm a really nice person but in order to be worth the respect I offer freely, you have to treat me with the respect I deserve as a human. I have no problem putting down this type of person or putting myself out in the open while I do. Don't let these people threaten you, put them out in the open and laugh at them while you challenge them. Demand proof. If they had the proof they would use it but they don't and even if they did have proof of me or anyone else being specifically anything then they also have to prove that the bias they accuse you of exist. Refute the proof, provide counterproof and make counter accusations. I'll prove without reasonable doubt this person has a victim complex about the time they prove I have "delusions of persecution." For me, it just doesn't stick and I know it doesn't. I treat everyone with the same even-handed respect I expect. So instead of wasting hours trying to prove I fall into the groups, I talk about, to simply still be at square one again when I say 'Okay. Whatever. Now, prove me wrong.' Just make a statement and provide some level of proof. It's not personal. You don't need to make it personal.I never attack a person or people. Definitely not when I can fight an idea and this is exactly why. Even if you win in that respect and sway people to not like me based on character, that's not enough to win. You're costing yourself the war. You have won a battle that you and a fraction of a percent of people care about. If you win that battle and somehow prove I'm a card-carrying member of the kkk or some such nonsense. You've wasted time and energy that could have been used trying to beat my point and you still have to beat it. Call me a pedo, call me a Nazi, call me any insult, make any kind of accusation and I'll just say 'Prove it' and wait. Then if, well, when you can't I'll just call you a liar and you know you have to try and win that back. All before you even start to work on my end of the debate. I'm a smart person, I pick my battles and give no ground to anyone without cost. Without exacting, bloody, and hilarious cost. While people juggle narratives I trip them up with facts. Fight me in a fair and even exchange of political ideas and you might just prove a point. As far as your ten-word attempt goes, even if you prove I have a complex of my own and actually am stupid what you don't realize is . . . you now have to beat the idiot. I hope I've made it plain and painfully clear how hard that's going to be.Part 6: Here's The Close“Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”  - United Nations, Universal Declaration of Human RightsI only seek to hold opinions without interference as I also seek to receive and impart information. I have done nothing in the above other than impart knowledge and nothing that could be constrained by the rules that govern the civil world. Welcome to humanity those who make it here, come and talk. Drop me a supportive message or a difference of opinion, I welcome all and if you're not comfortable talking to me directly simply drop a message in as an anon, I will never disable it or my asks. I will never block anyone. Just be prepared to talk civilly. If you don't like what I say, you are free to leave or personal preference on my end express distaste. I don't want to be stuck in an echo chamber like whoever sent me the hate mail and thought it was okay.If I can take ten off-handed words and stretch that into an almost three-thousand-word public chastisement. Only six words short actually. Now if I can do that, what do you think I can do to a bad argument? Again though we could just not. Anyone, as said, can come to me and talk with respect, invite some much-needed dialogue. Never know but in the end, it is your choice. Not mine.Last quote...“You can't expect someone to understand your journey, when they've hardly lived one of their own.” - Nikki Rowe, Once a Girl, Now a WomanYou don't know me but you could so I will offer in honesty and with respect. Join my journey going forward, let's talk. Door's open to anyone. :)

[lexandecor]

Luxury Home filled with Sculptures, Paintings and Different Types of Wall Art

As an interior design lover, you should always look for unique accessories when decorating a room or creating a tabletop landscape or vignette. Floor and table sculptures (skulpturer), whether abstract or realistic, bring an artistic weight to your home décor that may also be the key you are looking for. Whether it's for your coffee table, mantel, or bookshelf, place a decorative statue in your home for added style. Decorative statues (Dekorativa statyer) provide a great way to add an artistic touch to your decor. There are many ways to incorporate them into the decoration of a room.

Whether you are creating a whole mood or around your home, the cherub and angel sculptures reflect tranquility and grace. Meanwhile, contemporary sculptures for home décor (skulpturer för heminredning) infuse a trendy vibe, like living in a modern art museum (museum för modern konst). Lastly, create an outdoor retreat that still feels like home with outdoor garden artwork. Take a look at these amazing examples of home statues (hemstatyer) and learn how to decorate with sculptures (skulpturer), making your home the most sophisticated art exhibit.

Decorative sculptures will provide a dramatic presence to your home décor.

Table and floor sculptures can evoke mythical sights and homey feelings alike with their stunning realistic details.

Many home decor sculptures (heminredningskulpturer) also explore a variety of human subjects. Sculptures (skulpturer) of love and family will remind you of those closest to your heart, while jazz musicians and interlocking dancers make the blood flow with musical figurines, just as cartoons can bring you back to your childhood.

First, look for a tabletop or floor sculpture that reflects your style. The decorative statues (dekorativa statyer) come in a variety of themes, shapes, and sizes.

Build new worlds or honor old ones. Let the decorative statues (dekorativa statyer) bring your home closer to distant places and heartfelt memories with their remarkable attention to detail.

In this austere but luxurious home, a Roy Lichtenstein sculpture sits near the fireplace.

Great art can be hard to come by, as anyone who has tried to fill their residence with lust-worthy works knows, but a room is often not complete until a statement-making piece finds its way inside. No matter how classic or playful, wall-mounted or tabletop, the works of prominent artists like Nick Cave, Roy Lichtenstein, Graham Caldwell, and Ai Weiwei completely steal the show. Here in the entry hall, a cascading lamp from Hudson Furniture hangs over the room, which features an eye-catching sculpture by Lexan Décor (iögonfallande skulptur av Lexan Décor).

Since the dawn of civilization, statues (statyer) have captured the imagination. While they may not serve a tangible function as other decorations do, these decorative designs do something just as important - they inspire. So take a look at your indoor and outdoor spaces. Are there any points that appear to be incomplete? Something that would do you good to cheer up? Decorative sculptures (Dekorativa skulpturer) may be your missing piece.

Designed a space where your imagination could spread its wings and fly over the ceiling. The presence of art furniture and modern sculptures (moderna skulpturer) reigns supreme in this luxury home and Inspiration and Ideas is all about bringing you the entire scoop on this contemporary design.

For the past several decades, the clientele of the designer duo ELLE Decor A-List has consisted primarily of art collectors, including the owners of this Palm Beach vacation home. The Washington, DC-based couple, who had hired the duo to design their home in the city, explained that they were looking for luxurious and timeless interiors in Palm Beach that would not compete with their paintings by Ai Weiwei and modern art sculpture by Jeff Koons.

Our old house was traditional in an old Florida sense, with lots of chintzes. We were ready for something different: a fancy beach house, ”says her wife, who loves hosting cocktails and dinners with her husband, a real estate developer.

Elegant décor, while also susceptible to colorful abstract artwork, mud footprints, and spilled drinks, was a difficult task, but one that the designers happily elevated to for this upscale home. Following the latest interior design ideas, Aman and Meeks employed their unique neutral-oriented, moderate palette throughout the home décor.

An abstract painting by Eddie Martinez is offset by a custom sofa in an Ultrasuede by Holland & Sherry and a 1960s side table by Gaspare Asaro. Custom Sisal Vinyl Carpet, Stark.

A brass Jay Specter chair is upholstered with a Larsen fabric, the lamp is vintage and the painting is by Valerio Adami.

He and Aman began by creating a better flow in the public spaces of the house. You enter a gallery from the hallway that opens onto the spacious living room, with a dining room, kitchen, and family room radiating to the sides. Serenity reigns in this luxury home (lyxigt hem) due to its soft and calming tones, but also because of the artist's side that the designers chose for this luxurious interior. Clients feel at home and want to come back any time they leave.

A Hubert Le Gall mirror hangs on the wall; sink fixtures are from Waterworks. The soap dish is from Tiffany & Co., the wallpaper is from Maya Romanoff, and the beaded crystal pendant originally belonged to Eleanor Roosevelt.

Different Types of Wall Art

Spruce up your home interior by placing wall art (vägg målning) pieces that resonate with your personality or pieces that you have created yourself. We present the different types of wall art (vägg målning) that you can display in your home.

No matter the type, I prefer walls with prominent artwork to bare ones. Today, it is common to find living rooms, dining rooms and other parts of the house with a particular wall art(vägg målning). Some even go as far as choosing a feature or accent wall for a complete accent wall.

The earliest pieces of wall art (vägg målning) have prehistoric origins such as cave paintings (grottmålningar), although it is believed that they served as a means of communication or as a religious device rather than a decorative one. They can be found on every continent except Antarctica and date back 40,000 years with wild animals as a common theme.

We now have cool murals hand painted with airbrushed and digitally printed wall art (vägg målning) as the most affordable alternatives. Murals, as well as graffiti street art, are considered bona fide art forms.

Sculpture

Sculptures (Skulpturer) are a great way to add visual interest to your wall when you don't want to add a picture or painting (bild eller målning). Because they are three-dimensional, they will appear to come off the wall and can really enhance a room. Look for a sculpture that is large enough to attract the attention of people entering the room, but not so large that it appears to take up the entire wall. This is especially important if your new sculpture (skulpturer) appears to be detaching from the wall, as you don't want it to visually overwhelm the room.

Photography

This is a classic type of wall art (vägg målning) and one that you will generally see in every home you enter. While many people love to fill the walls of their home with photographs they have taken, there are amazing photographs that you can purchase printed on quality paper to use as art. This type of wall art (vägg målning) is much more realistic than other types, as they are real images from around the world and not just an artist's impression of what he is seeing.

Decals

Vinyl decals have become very popular recently as people have realized how easy it is to put them on the wall and remove them later when they no longer want them there. With options ranging from soccer players and kitchen art to entire nursery room designs, it's easy to find decals to fit the style of your home. They're less expensive now than in the past, and since they don't require you to drill any holes in the wall, they're a great option for families renting a house or apartment. As with other wall art (vägg målning), they can be used over and over in different places around the house, making them cost-effective too.

Wall Panels

For large-scale art that spans the length of a room or wall and can actually be hung in a corner, you'll want to go for wall panels. These will make you feel like you are in an art museum as they are very large and can really dominate a space. Look for wall panels that can span an entire wall if you want to make a statement, as they tend to look a bit out of place when surrounded by smaller pieces of art.

Posters

Posters are incredibly popular in certain settings, such as bedrooms, first apartments, or home theater. They are made of thin paper and can be easily rolled up and stored when not in use. If you want your poster to last a long time, you will want to mount it on a hard backing or frame it right away, as thin paper can be easily damaged. You can buy posters of all styles. It is very popular with people to have posters of their favorite musicians or to buy prints of famous artists. When it comes to much larger art, posters are very inexpensive and therefore ideal for people who are on a budget but want to outfit their home with wall art (vägg målning).

Prints

Prints are incredibly popular and allow anyone to have a copy of their favorite painting (favoritmålning) without having to purchase the original. Of course, when you opt for a print, it is important to understand that it is very possible that you will see the exact same piece of wall art (vägg målning) in someone else's home. If that doesn't bother you, prints can be your best option to decorate your home and fill your walls. They come in all sizes, colors, and themes, and it's usually very easy to find prints to match your home décor.

Mirrors

While it is not usually considered art, when you buy beautiful mirrors (köp vackra speglar), you can enjoy them for their artistic appearance, as well as their usefulness and function. Find a mirror (Speglar) that is large enough for easy use and has a thick decorative frame as well. This will allow you to make your room appear larger, as the mirror (speglar) will reflect the light and also help bring the colors and design of the room together.

Tapestries

Made from woven materials, this type of wall art (vägg målning) usually does not come in a frame, but is instead hung loosely from a rod that runs the length of the top. You can opt for tapestries that are woven to show a beautiful design or, if you wish, choose one that shows a landscape or other image. Because they are often very large, you will need an open wall to display them on to make sure they look their best.

Wood

Wood is becoming increasingly popular for wall art (vägg målning), although some people want the texture and weight of the wood, but prefer the grain and color of the real wood to be fully painted. If you want to enjoy the warmth of wood in your home, look for options with exposed grain. This can create a beautiful contrast when the wood is painted or printed.

Metal

Metal is becoming increasingly popular as a material for wall art (vägg målning) because it makes such a statement. Metal wall art (vägg målning) is generally very large and bold and can give your home an industrial feel if left raw, rough, and exposed. For a more modern or contemporary look, look for metal art that has been finished and is smooth. When integrated with other decor in your home, metal wall art (vägg målning) can bring a room together, keep it from being too drab, and give it a talking point. When opting for metal wall art (vägg målning), you will want to go for large pieces as they will be able to support the greater weight of the metal. Smaller pieces tend to look clunky and not as high-quality as larger pieces.

Canvas

Art that has been produced on canvas will weigh more and feel of higher quality than art that is printed on thin paper. While you can easily print photos and posters in large sizes, if you want something oversized or particularly eye-catching for your home, you'll want to opt for artwork that has been printed on canvas. Noise details will be muted when you hang a canvas on the wall, and these pieces will allow you to enjoy very large prints without worrying about loss of detail and appearance. Of course, canvas is heavier than regular paper, so make sure you use the right hardware to hang your new canvas so you don't have to worry about it falling off the wall. Also, be careful when handling the canvas because you can puncture it if you drop the canvas or try to catch it by grabbing it by the middle.

Hand Painted

For a very special piece of wall art (vägg målning) that is unique, look for something that is hand painted. Of course, you will have to spend more money on this type of artwork, but the cost will be well worth it, as you can be sure that no one else will have the same artwork in their home as you. When you buy hand-painted wall art (köp handmålad väggkonst), you can know that you are supporting an artist and that you will have an original piece in your home that is sure to spark interest and conversation.

Framed

If you don't want to have to worry about finishing your wall art (vägg målning) after purchasing it, you will want to buy wall art (köp vägg målning) that has already been framed. This means that as soon as you receive the wall art (vägg målning) in your home, you can go ahead and hang it up. If you are short on time or really want to finish decorating your home, you will definitely want to purchase framed art as it will speed up how quickly you can hang your artwork.

Personalized

For art that will not only be different from any type of art you will see in someone else's home, but will also be special to the recipient, opt for something that is personalized. You can easily find personalized wall art (vägg målning) with an initial, a name, or a special date, such as a wedding or birthday. While any gift of wall art (vägg målning) is nice, when you choose something personalized, it really stands out. These pieces offer a great way to commemorate a special event and celebrate it every day.

Set

Sometimes you want wall art (vägg målning) that looks great together, but you don't have the time or inclination to search for individual pieces yourself. If you are on this ship, you can greatly benefit from purchasing a set of works of art. This means that all of the included artwork will not match perfectly, but will have enough of the same elements to make them look great together. This gives you a quick and easy way to decorate your home.

Indoor/Outdoor

Wall art (vägg målning) should not only be enjoyed indoors. Make sure you can enjoy your favorite art outside too when you opt for pieces that are suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. This type of wall art (vägg målning) is created to withstand the elements and is a great way to decorate a porch or deck.

Floral and Plant

One of the most popular styles of wall art (vägg målning) is natural and floral. Flowers are naturally beautiful, and since they come in so many colors, you can easily choose floral wall art (vägg målning) that will pick up pops of other colors in your decor. Look for artworks that showcase your favorite flowers so you can enjoy viewing them all year long.

Coastal

Even if you don't live near the beach, you can still enjoy the soft colors and beautiful scenery that are common in coastal life. With coastal art, you will find soft, muted colors like blues and browns, as well as many water scenes. This type of wall art (vägg målning) is very relaxing and looks great in homes that display muted colors; don't expect to find coastal art that is brilliant.

Metallic

You can easily add a touch of sparkle or glamor to your home when shopping for metallic art. Unlike metal art, which is not always shiny and shiny, metallic wall art (vägg målning) can be a sculpture or a canvas, but the result will be the same. Bright metallic colors will liven up a room and look great in any home.

Animal

If you want to bring nature into your home and you have a favorite animal, buying animal wall art (köpa djur vägg konst) is a great option. You are also not limited to animal paintings (djurmålningar), as 3D sculptures of animals or birds can add a lot of interest to the walls of your home. The best thing about animal art is that it appears alive.

Farmhouse

The decoration of a farm looks great in houses located in the countryside and is also appreciated by people who grew up on a farm and want to remember how it felt. Look for graphic prints of animals to really bring the farmhouse feel indoors.

Vintage

To add a vintage touch to your home without having to make a big commitment to furniture, wall art (vägg målning) is a great option. These pieces will stand out for their muted colors, strong lines and the feeling they evoke.

Classic

Strong lines and themes that are easily identifiable are sure signs that you've chosen a classic work of art. This type of art will look great in almost any home, but it will look especially wonderful in contemporary homes that feature strong lines and solid colors in furniture and bedding.

Modern and Abstract

When you want art that makes people stop and think, look for something abstract. This type of art does not always have a clearly defined theme and can be open to interpretation by all who see it. Not only can paintings (tavlor) be abstract, but sculptures (skulpturer) can be too.

Kitchen Wall Art Ideas

Kitchens are one of the most difficult rooms for wall art (vägg målning) because there is often not much space on the wall. Cabinets and backsplash take up much of the wall surface.

Bathroom Wall Art

You can have fun with wall art (vägg målning) in the bathroom. As in the kitchen, there is usually not much wall space, but with what little you have, you can incorporate quotes, pictures, shelves of ornaments, and more. We have an extensive list of ideas.

Living room wall art

Probably the most popular room for wall art (vägg målning) is the living room. It is the room with the smallest surface area, making it perfect for all types of wall art (vägg målning).

The good news is that we put together an epic article that features all the various living room wall art ideas (vardagsrum vägg konst idéer).

Primary Bedroom Wall Art

Above is an example of many master bedroom wall art ideas (master sovrum vägg konst idéer). It can go with a quote, wallpaper, wood, accent wall, and many more ideas.

Outdoor Wall Art

Above is an example of how to incorporate exterior wall art (vägg målning) into your home. Spruce up the exterior of your house by turning it into a great art canvas and don't forget to use the windows for interesting details.

Dining Room Wall Art

Don't miss out on adding wall art(vägg målning) to your dining area as well. The dining room is a place where you gather with your family, share a meal, and spend quality time together. It is very important to create a cozy atmosphere in the dining room. Using interesting wall art (vägg målning) is an effective way to create an inviting and inspiring environment.

Office Wall Art

Wall arts (vägg målning) are not limited to your home, you can also create a more productive workspace by adding creative wall arts (vägg målning) to your office space. We also have a lot of ideas for you.

Staircase Wall Art

Stair walls are often left blank and overlooked, leaving them empty and boring. Adding a dose of creative wall art (kreativ väggkonst) can work magic on your staircase.

Nursery Wall Art

If you have a nursery room at home, you may want to add some cute wall arts (vägg målning) to create a happy atmosphere. It is perfect to illuminate the room of your little ones. It also helps promote your baby's visual and brain development.

Hallway Wall Art

Most of the owners neglect the hallways and leave them empty. In fact, figuring out what to do with a hallway is a challenge. How about starting with wall decoration? You will be amazed at how it will turn your hallway from a boring space to an impressive and welcoming space.

Man Cave Wall Art

Like any part of the house, a man's cave should look warm and inviting. It can be done by adding a wall art decoration (väggkonst dekoration) that screams his interest and personality. Below are ideas to guide you in decorating your man cave.

Kid’s Bedroom Wall Art

A child's bedroom is just as important as our bedroom. They should have a room that expresses their personality and something that they feel comfortable with. Be imaginative and explore your creativity with the help of these wall art ideas. Don't forget to involve your children so you know what interests them.

Canvas Wall Art

Fill any part of your home with a canvas to complete its look. There are several types and designs to choose from that will suit your needs. Whether you want it simple or extravagant or perhaps minimalist or elegant, the options are endless. You just need to know what you want or what will go perfectly with your room.

Laundry Room Wall Art

Most of us overlook laundry as it is for housework and nothing else. But wouldn't it be better to have an updated and well-organized look in your laundry room? It will be more fun to be in a nice space and doing housework will not be as difficult as it used to be. Decorate with wall art (vägg målning) and you'll be amazed at what it can do in your laundry area.

Wood Wall Art

Do you prefer a rustic style or a cozy cabin? Then wood wall art (trä vägg konst) is for you. It is stylish and durable at the same time. Add warmth and a personal touch to your home. Also, wood goes well with everything. Regardless of the environment or theme you have in your home, it is versatile and can be combined with any piece.

[piper-aileen-lenox]

11 QUESTIONS : @coronaslight​

THE RULES: ANSWER THE QUESTIONS GIVEN TO YOU BY THE TAGGED, WRITE 11 QUESTIONS OF YOUR OWN AND TAG 11 PEOPLE.

1) what is your favorite piece of clothing or outfit that you have?

Uh...I have a black tee shirt that says “Museums are F***king Awesome” on it. Which is pretty neat.

2) what is a character you have always wanted to see roleplayed (from your fandom or another)?

Literally any and all Rent characters. Give me an Angel. Or a Collins. Or a Joanne. PLEASE.

3) what is one trait you share with a character you write?

Piper and I aren’t super similar, but we do share a similar concern about the mark that we’ll leave on the world when we die, and sort of coming to terms with and being okay with the fact that that mark might not be very big in the grand scheme of things.

Jenny and I share a lot of the same anxieties too. We both struggle a lot with believing we are worthy of the space we take up and stuff like that. Moral of the story? I project all of my insecurities on my muses.

4) why did you choose the character you write (if multimuse, choose a character you added most recently!)?

I created Piper because I was like, fourteen and deeply unhappy with myself and where I was, and Rent showed me this whole world and artsy, Bohemian culture where I felt like I might belong. So, Piper’s prototype was basically a self insert in a fanfic I wrote (and never finished). I don’t remember why I made her a tumblr, I guess I just wanted to live vicariously through her. Over time, she became more and more separated from myself as I rounded her out and gave her insecurities and conflicts and whatever. So, I don’t really see her as an extension of myself or whatever.

And I guess I chose Jenny just because I love her and I’ve never seen anyone else write her? Like, she and Matilda were my childhood heroes, and I just saw a lot of potential in her and she just seemed like a sweet, good, pure muse to write. 

5) is your second toe longer than your big toe?

No

6) what is your favorite place you have ever visited?

I love Washington D.C. a lot. New York City is pretty good. And Philadelphia is also great. It’s hard to pick between those three.

7) can you cook? if you can, who taught you? if not, what recipes would you like to learn?

I guess I never really “learned” to cook? I was just sort of vaguely taught how to follow recipes by my mom and I googled anything I couldn’t figure out on my own (i.e. how to caramelize onions). But if I had to say, my mom probably taught me the most like, little basic things. Like that you need to pack brown sugar or how to level dry ingredients and other stuff like that.

8) who is one person, fictional or real, that you aspire to be like?

uh...I don’t have a lot of living idols. I chose people from history, largely, and and I know most of them have problematic aspects to them, but I aspire to embody their best traits. But I’d say Eleanor Roosevelt is probably near the top of my list?

As for fictional characters, Wonder Woman is probably my top pick? Like, kind hearted, genuinely good, a strong sense of justice, and love for humankind? That’s some good shit.

9) how are you?

currently? tired and sad

10) have you ever milked a cow?

I have milked a fake cow

11) what’s the word?

Bird is the word?

My questions:

1. What character would you love to roleplay but just...haven’t yet? And why haven’t you roleplayed them yet? 2. What is a concept or AU/verse you’d like to roleplay but haven’t yet? And why do you want to play it? It could be regency era verse, wild west verse, an AU based on Jurassic Park, etc. Something along those lines. 3. First movie you remember seeing in theatres? 4. Favorite stuffed animal as a child? 5. Sweatshirts: hoodie or crew? 6. Tell me about your pets. Preferably with pictures. 7. Best Harry Potter character that isn’t Hermione, Harry, or Ron? If you haven’t read Harry Potter, tell me your favorite character from a children’s book. 8. First song you think of when you think of your muse (multimuses, feel free to do this for one or all) 9. What are three vines that remind you of your muse? (multimuses may do for one or all) 10. Rank the Jurassic Park movies. If you haven’t seen Jurassic Park or have only seen one of the movies, tell me about your favorite dinosaur. 11. A little piece of you that you put in your muse? Again, multis can do for one muse or all.

tagging: @coalessscence​ @diicktective​ @dimenovelhero​ @luxche​ @the-fires-dead​ @strawpolls​ @dcilayton​ @carolinecrybabyjackson​ @claytoncleaver​ @quidprcquo​ @zoocox​