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babbiweeb · 11 months

Text

first & last-kyojuro rengoku

(anime in gif:unknown)

tw:mentions of wedlock/prostitution

initial tags:pre-established relationship/reader background, kyojuro rengoku, female-reader, demon slayer:kimetsu no yaiba

genre:romance, fluff

story playlist:

meet me in amsterdam-rini

say yes to heaven-lana del rey

kingston-faye webster

this is how you fall in love-jeremy zucker ft. chelsea cutlerand

then, i found you-fcj

authors note:if you know me irl, no you don’t.

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈

From strangers-

As the harsh winter season slowly comes to its end, spring begins to tease the residents of home. A small village that seems to be ever growing, sat at the end of a mountainside. Such a place shelters a young woman of beauty and intelligence. A gentle, divine ray of pure femininity had blessed the small residence some time ago-quickly integrating herself snug into the hearts of many.

While (admittedly) not completely up to date with the latest of medical advances of the Taisho Era, she poses as one of the local doctors and lends aid where she can. Despite the minimal knowledge, Y/N has truly made a name for herself. She is up to date with every book she manages to get her hands on. Her cozy home slowly fills with notes, writings, and constant reminders of her achievement here.

Her desire to help others shadow over her own selfish cravings. Her selfless attitude is what charms most-

Oh how she makes it so easy to feel comfortable within her radiance.

Demons. That is the fear among us-

The thought of an attack places fear within the hearts of many, including Y/N

Nightfall falls quickly as Y/N loses herself in the local market. The fresh selection of various goods capture her attention, forgetting her own vow.

“Always be home before dusk”

To prevent any sudden attacks that could place her in harm's way, Y/N made a promise to herself to always be home before the sun goes down. Always the mindful woman-

“There are people still out, perhaps one late night will be alright”.-She thought.

Slowly, her shopping finally comes to an end as she decides to make the short journey home. She says goodbye and goodnight to all the familiar faces that pass her, however, her eyes trail to someone completely out of the ordinary.

Across the street of the marketside, a man who dawns the look of fire stands tall and attentive. The air grows thin as the crisp nightly breeze weaves through the crowd. This feels almost serene, he looks almost serene-She thought. While clearly attentive and cautious, he seems to make note of those that pass. Arms folded as they cover his chest, his gaze follows the bright lights and the many faces of the people who occupy such a village.

His uniform gives him away immediately. I’ve heard of the heroic tales of such slayers who defend the weak from deplorable acts of violence. Though, I’ve never met such a person-I never actually believed in their existence. However, I am grateful.

As if fate decided it was bored, my watchful eyes that admired him from a distance, now meets with his.

An audible gasp rolls off my delicate mouth. The sudden motion of him turning directly to meet my gaze catches me by complete surprise. With a quick breath, I catch myself and smile towards the man. His eyes quickly close as he passes along a soft smile in return. My cheeks begin to fill with warmth, a warmth I have yet to experience. How curious?

As begin to realize how I’d like to stay here in this soft moment with him, I quickly shake my head, subconsciously melting away my initial realization. My small hand slowly lifts in the cool air, sending a subtle wave to the man.

Our first hello, and first goodbye.

“Finally home!”

Her journey home isn't at all tiresome, and even if it was, she just feels lucky enough to have such a private abode to call her own. Located near the edge of the village, she hears travelers pass by quite often. Sometimes, she runs off into dreamland, thinking of all the places they’ve seen.

“What is it like to venture elsewhere?” “ What kind of people would I be able to meet?”

Endless thoughts of more fills her mind more than she’d like to admit.

As the hours pass, night settles entirely. Y/N is laying in bed. Her routine finished.

Another thing she would never admit is how much she truly cares for her well being. Growing up, she had very little. She practically raised herself. Born out of wedlock in the Red District, her mother did what she could for a time to her own disdain. Eventually, her mother gave her up entirely.

No one wants to pay for a service with a baby in the corner.

Her memories soon get sucked back into her own vault as she hears commotion just outside her home. Startled, she shoots up from her bed-

“What?”

A hushed whisper falls from her. Curious, she slowly makes her way outside her bedroom and towards her living area. A shadow grows as it casts itself against the walls. The bushes rustle loudly as I begin to feel on edge. Quietly, I make my way to my front door-

“Just a small peak-”

My eye connects mere centimeters from my peep hole and soon, I see a man. He is hunched over, holding onto whatever branch he can find while he slowly walks past my front yard.

“Oh my-It’s him!”

Within an instant, I unlock my front door and make my way down. I seemed to have caught his attention as he turns to the sound of my door opening.

“My lady! I’m sorry to disturb you this late! I will be gone shortly!”-He speaks as his voice cracks.

As I make my way towards him cautiously, I can see him clearly. I notice his uniform is now dirty, as he holds his side. Blood stains cover him as the pain in his voice suggests he has been injured.

“You’ve been injured! Please, allow me to help!”-My voice pleads with the man as I attempt to grab a firm hold onto his arm.

“That is not necessary! I could not forgive myself for allowing a civilian to lend wasted aid over my own mistake! However, fear not, the local threat has been eliminated.”

Threat? We had a threat nearby? I had no idea! Yet, my worry can now subside once again as he reassures me. While ignoring his dubious assumption of wasted aid, I wrap my arm under his and lean my frame against him offering some support.

“Please, save such words. Allow me to help you. I am a Doctor.”

Hesitantly, he looks at me and sighs with relief. It seems as if he has accepted my offer as we began to walk back into my home. Once entered, I make time to lock my door just in case, and signal for him to get comfortable on my sofa

“I will be right back! I’m going to grab my first aid kit! Please sir, don't move too much!”-My voice echos a sense of urgency as I make my way to my kitchen and grab all that I may need to patch him.

As I return to his side, he leans back into my sofa seemingly exhausted. He must be truly tired, especially after a battle. I feel my heart begin to ache as I look at his figure. His eyes are closed and for a moment, I sense a wave of peace settling over us. Softly, I speak once again

“U-Uhm…sir? I see where you're bleeding the most. May I take hold of your arm?”

He simply nods, keeping his eyes closed. He lifts his arm out towards me all while ruffling his sleeve up. Just as I thought, a long scratch trails up his forearm. It isn't deep at all, which is a great sign, he won't need stitches!

“The good news is sir, this isn't a deep cut! This just needs a simple clean and a wrap! I will start now-”

As I prep my kit and all that I need, his body shifts forward. Gently, his other arm raises as his hand reaches out for mine. All at once, my heart begins to race as I feel my body flush with the same warmth I felt before. His inviting eyes find mine, and almost fondly, he whispers-

“My name is Kyojuro Rengoku. I am The Flame Hashira, and I thank you immensely, my lady!”

Our first introduction, and first glimpse into something more.

To Friends-

Spring blossoms beautifully as it illuminates the chance to start all over again. The small village had found its footing once more as the month of April sets the tone for many to feel refreshed. As if her days are made up like a routine, the treasured beauty begins to relish in what she has. Although, something is different. This spring, she has decided to open her heart to unknown adventures. Come what may, there is no denying her character has slightly changed. All thanks to a certain someone that has caught her attention effortlessly.

“Kyojuro! Please stop that! I need to focus!”-My lips slowly curve into a small frown.

Here we are, sitting alongside the mountain streams. He hasn't been able to stop fidgeting since we got here, so naturally, he bugs me. His laugh fills my ears as they perk up over such a joyful sound. I can't take him seriously-

“See?! Look! Now my papers are flying off!”-I giggle softly as I scoff at the prospect of having to get up and chase them down.

“Oh come on little flame! I’m bored!”-He whines as we both get up from our spot.

“Little flame." Huh?-I thought. The nickname came suddenly. One day these words slipped from his lips. He turned as red as a tomato, as if he had committed such a heinous act. To our surprise, I felt more than welcomed to the idea of being a “little flame”. It felt good to be noticed in such a way that I am deserving of a pet name. Though, I never truly understood why-

Soon, we’re both chasing down my notes that flutter through the quick breeze. Banter ensues as our laughter grows louder. Everything we do, always seems to end in sync. It’s *refreshing-

“Well you were the one that wanted to tag along! I told you what I intended on doing!”-I speak honestly as I grab a few papers that fell snug into the tall grass.

He pouts as he collects what he can, sticking his tongue out at me teasingly. A brief pause resets us before he continues.

“Yeah yeah! I know! I just don't know why you need to study so hard? Shinobu practically gave you the job! Plus, she already adores you!”-He whines as I roll my eyes slightly.

Sitting back down at our spot, I begin to reorganize my paperwork. Since our first meeting, Kyojuro has made it a point to repay me for that night. I’ve told him countless times that he truly didn't need to. Although, after that, he made it a routine to visit my village at least once a week. I still don't know how he did not get in trouble! Some days he would leave his duty early! This was months ago now! I never would have expected us to grow so close in such a short amount of time.

“I still want to impress her, you know!”-I giggle softly as I place my paperwork neatly in my tote bag.

“Oh! That’s right! The cherry blossom festival comes back to town tonight! Are you both still planning on coming?”-I can't help but put my excitement on full display. I never used to like going to such events, mainly because I never had anyone to go with. But, this new season is different.

“We all wouldn't miss it for the world!”-He says gently.

If I knew better, I would be able to pick up on the subtle shift of atmosphere between us. If I knew better, I would be able to see the glimmer in his eyes, the shine. If I knew better, perhaps we wouldn't have to dance around each other much longer.

The Hashira. A group made up of nine brave and dedicated souls. Those that know of their existence owe a great deal to such bravery. Naturally, Y/N being the loud mouth she is, she tells the village of their arrival tonight. During the weeks that passed, she had mentioned in passing to a few people that she will be inviting a few ‘special guests’. Of course, the villagers are not blind, they’ve seen *his* frequent visits since the winter. Whispers of young love fill the streets as most are simply thrilled by her happiness. Though, no one dares tease the pair, at least not yet.

The villagers move around quickly, preparing everything that was left to the very last minute (large families seem to do this often). Chatter begins to fill the air as dim street lights guide the path to the market side. Vendors have set up booths of games for the children and drinks for the adults. And, of course, the food-

“He’s such a foodie! He’ll have a blast!”-Y/N laughs to herself as she walks towards the lights. Her attire matches the events of this evening. While getting ready for the night, Y/N felt that this would be the perfect occasion to ditch her usual yukata. A pale pink silk kimono holds her frame perfectly, while her obi belt accentuates her femininity. Prints of blooming peonies compliment such a delicate beauty. Her hair clipped high with simple pins.

Everyone in the village takes note of her arrival. Even in a sea of people, it’s easy to spot such a kind soul. The whispers start once more-

“Wait till he sees her " "When do you think they’ll arrive?” “How long do you think they’ll remain oblivious?”

“Y/N!”-A soft voice calls out to me.

“Shinobu! Hi!”-My future mentor looks beautiful. The colors of her attire compliment her so well. I wave excitedly as we meet in the middle. Behind her, unfamiliar faces accompany her. I take note of each of their faces, smiling brightly as I begin to introduce myself.

“Y/N! You said we can invite who we want! So! Here we all are!”-As she giggles, she points to each of the faces. Giyuu, Gyomei, Tengen, and Mitsuri-

As she introduces them one by one, I can't help but notice the lack of title. Perhaps this is the first night in a long time where they can all truly feel normal. I smile fondly as I relish in such simplicity. I can't imagine sacrificing so much for the life they lead. I am grateful that my village can bring such relief. I bow slightly, offering a deal of my respect to them all.

“Oh! Where is-?”-As if on queue, a familiar booming voice calls from behind me. There he is, the man of the hour. He looks ever so charming. A simple brown yukata giving a sense of comfort to him, and in his hands he’s holding? Dango? Snickers and giggles can be heard from the group behind me.

“Really? You couldn't wait?”-Shinobu’s voice echos all our thoughts as he walks towards me.

“I got hungry! And the vendors were so nice! They said to eat! So-”

“So you bought, -Shinobu starts counting the comical amount of dango sticks in his hand-, 9 sticks?!”-Her voice rings with a hint of laughter as she tries to remain serious.

“A real foodie isn't he?!”-I said with a growing laugh.

He bumps my shoulder as he teases me playfully. The group and their laugh begins to fade as they start to walk up the strip.

“Want one?”-He offers as I oblige.

“Thank you Kyojuro!”-My voice soft as I take one of the sticks. Our fingertips touch ever so gently. Now walking side by side, I feel complete.

Faint rosy lips curve into a smile as violet eyes catch such a simple display of kindness. Shinobu is truly an observant woman.

A blanket of mystery begins to cast over the festivities. Small orbs of twinkling lights shine bright alongside the moon. The night illuminates those in the crowd. The friends, children, and lovers. Beauty is nurtured during the nightly hours.

Throughout the evening, glances between the two are stolen, only to be cut short so the other never uncovers the thievery. During all the events they all enjoy, Kyojuro and Y/N seem to be attached to the hip. From being each other's partner in a quick game, to sitting side by side while drinking. The oblivious behavior, while innocent, drives those around them crazy. How can they not see it?

A bell rings within the crowd. A man announces that the firework display will begin shortly. Mitsuri grabs the arms of Tengen and Giyuu as she runs off happily. Gyomei and Shinobu walk at each other's side trailing behind the three.

“Shall we?”-His hand extends towards mine.

“Please-”

*Placing my small, delicate hand in his fills my heart to the brim. His hand is calloused, yet the palm is gentle and soft. He works hard, so hard. I sometimes wonder more about his story. What more does he have to tell? Will I ever have the pleasure of learning more?

“Are you enjoying yourself little flame?”-He inquires as my thoughts are suddenly cut short. Anchored back in reality, I feel the gravity of where we are and how close we have become.

“Oh! Yes! This is my first festival out with friends. So, I want to thank you all for coming!”

No. I want to thank you for bringing me out of my shell. For making me feel wanted.

His hands squeezed mine before letting go. He takes a moment to sit upon the grass, signaling for me to join him. With a smile, I do just that.

The Hashira are all nearby, watching the night sky patiently. Mitsuri goes on and on about how this night would be better for her if she had a boyfriend. Fitting for the Love Hashira. Everyone else seems to be interested in what the village folk have to offer. Giyuu looking at a certain vendor’s wind chimes. Tengen makes his way to Mitsuri, adding to the conversation of love. “Wives”. Wait. Wives? My eyes go wide as I listen in. Kyojuro takes notice and simply laughs at the exchange.

“So, polyamory? That’s interesting! Though I must say, I would probably find it hard to share. Then again, this is under the assumption that a man would be foolish enough to get wrapped up with me.”-Bits of my insecurity bubbles to the surface. Pouring from my mouth like venom. Perhaps it's the constant reminder of the lovers displaying such soft affection tonight. I envy such complicated simplicity.

I can hear the audible gasp Kyojuro lets out by my side, as if I’ve somehow offended his ancestry. A short pause is interrupted by his thoughts.

“Little flame -He starts slowly-, if I may? Your beauty is unmatched. An alluring charm follows in every movement you make. The words you speak melt those that listen like honey. You are stunning in every aspect of the word. Never sell yourself short.”

As he speaks tenderly, I find myself getting utterly lost in his aura. Not a hint of deception lay in his eyes. He is true. Soon after, my cheeks begin to flush. My heart, while still full, now bursts at the seams. This overwhelming sense of admiration he displays almost makes my heart ache. Our eyes meet as my words fail me. I’m left speechless. For once in my life, I have nothing more to say. However, I am confident my own gaze speaks a thousand words. A part of me cries out-

”Let this reflection reach his heart”

The boom of fireworks igniting in the sky fails to tear them away from each other. And like before, the ever so keenly observant woman smiles.

They’re first realization, and first look of love.

To Lovers-

“You know, you should tell her!”-Her teasing voice echoes through the halls of the Butterfly Estate.

Today is the day. Y/N is moving in temporarily to mentor under Shinobu. Shinobu was impressed the second she heard Kyojuro’s story of her tender care on such a harsh night. While not grave, he was still injured, and she had done such a wonderful job in lending aid. Shinobu has extensive knowledge of medicine. She works diligently to ensure the survival and health of her fellow comrades. If not for the circumstances, her dream would be simple. To be a doctor.

“Tell who, what exactly?”-Kyojuro comes in with a few boxes all while playing the fool.

“Uhm, Y/N? Oh come on! How much longer will this loose act continue? Just admit it. You like her!”

Kyojuro stumbles as he begins to flush, the boxes once in his hand, now toppled over themselves. Disorganized, he attempts to fix his mess

“H-Hey! What are you talking about? Shinobu? Don’t you think that's out of line to say about my friend?”

“Yeah, yeah! All I’m advising is that you tell her the truth. She deserves that. Plus, it’s not like you can hide for much longer! Considering, she’ll be around us more and more!”-She states honestly.

Shinobu kneels down to meet Kyojuro and continues.

“You have a chance to make something of this life. To feel what the rest of us only wish to have. Take it from me. Don’t keep her waiting.”-She speaks from her heart. A rarity in such a headstrong woman. Though, her voice lingers as if she's thinking of someone.

Kyojuro is left alone as she swiftly makes her exit. His thoughts are full as he takes everything she said into consideration. Could it be true?

His thoughts run wild as eventually, she makes her way to the forefront. Everything about her is ethereal. Yet, there's still so much to discover. This is what makes her so alluring to him. Her mind, body, and soul are as mysterious as undiscovered lands. And he wants to be the one that discovers every part of her.

As the evening quickly rolls, Y/N has finally arrived from her long journey. Most of what she wanted all fit inside her large backpack and tote. Although, a lot of what she will miss remains back home. She told all the local children to take good care of her garden, knowing full well they all just said yes to snoop around her home.

Upon reaching the Butterfly Estate, Y/N is greeted by four young girls. Three of them wear the same attire and represent a different color. “How adorable!”-She thought.

“Welcome Miss Y/N! May we take your bags?”-In perfect unison, the three girls take hold of my belongings as I now stand in front of the quiet young one. She has yet to say a word. Though her smile speaks for her. She dawned the uniform of a slayer, she must be Shinobu’s sister. She had mentioned she had an adoptive sister, could she be the one?*

“You’ve arrived safely! Wonderful! I was starting to worry due to the nightfall!”-Shinobu makes her way to the entrance as she speaks in relief.

“Oh! I arrived at the start of the Estate right as the sun went down! No need to worry now!”

She hums softly as she enters back inside, I follow behind as she leads me to what seems to be my bedroom.

“I’ve decided to give you a tour of the Estate grounds in the morning! You must be tired from such a long day! The girls will unpack your belongings if you choose to unwind now!”-She says

Shinobu is such a caring soul, though, a part of me feels as if she’s hiding a great deal of emotion. While she is my mentor, I still see her as a friend. I truly hope she is alright.

“Thank you Shinobu! I appreciate the hospitality!”-I bow slightly as a sign of respect for the lady of the Estate. As I lift myself up, she excuses herself reiterating the start of an early morning. I let out a short breath of relief as I made my way inside my new space.

As the time ticks by, I can't help but wonder about him. It's been about two weeks since the festival. We never ended on a sour note, quite the opposite actually. At least, for me. His words still echo in my mind. I’ve never been complimented so tenderly before. His words have really inched closer and closer to the center of my heart. The prospect of romance has yet to cross my mind this extensively. However, when thinking of him, I feel pure clarity.

The words and emotions stirred within romance novels do not come close to the intensity I felt that night. Such a memory quickly became a core. “I will never stop falling in love with you”-

The feeling of slumber soon takes over my body. As I attempt to drift off, a part of me seems to never let go of my own thoughts. With my mind seemingly running off, I fail to relax. Slowly, I rise from bed and begin to familiarize myself with my new surroundings. A simple and traditional bedroom. Four walls, a roof, and patented floor. A single glow by a candle illuminates my bedside as the open window teases the flame.

I remember vividly wanting nothing more than time for a new adventure. When I think of just that, I picture him beside me. I want to see him again. Two weeks without his presence admittedly, tortured me. I never once thought as to why I felt that way. It seems I’ve truly become smitten with a man that my heart yearns for.

“Yes, I admit it. I will never stop falling in love with you.”-My voice just above a whisper as I begin to feel my body react to such a confession. Without thinking, I get up from bed and begin to roam through a long hall with many rooms. As a traditional home, the faint light from the moon pours into every opening. Reaching the end, the door to what seems to be the back garden is slightly open. Cautiously, my hand reaches out to slowly slide the door, revealing a perfect moment of pure serenity. The moon illuminates a short white stone pathway. Fences stand tall with shrubs and bushes that line up along the wood. Strangely, it takes my eyes a moment to adjust under the night sky. Once done, a small gasp falls from my lips. To my surprise, he is sitting on a garden bench with his back faced towards me. My hands that go limp at my side, grabs hold of my nightly attire. I clench the soft fabric as my heart begins to race. Standing tall, I dare not make any sudden movements, wanting to keep my calm. But of course, as Hashira, he senses someone watching-

“Good evening, I’m sorry to have disturbed you”-He speaks without turning. His voice is calm with a hint of nervousness.

I take a short breath before grabbing hold of my own nerves. My voice shakes slightly as I speak.

“No bother at all, Kyojuro.”-I speak his name out loud for the first time in two weeks. While he entered my mind in passing, and others around asked me of his whereabouts, I did my best to respect his name and give him space. But tonight, I find myself wanting to be selfish. I missed his presence, that much I will admit for now.

“Ah I see. That's good! It is quite late…”-His voice lingers before catching himself once more.

“Would you care to join me little flame?”

There it is. I smile fondly as my gaze softens looking at his back.

“I would love to.”-My frame follows the path leading right to him. With every step I can hear my heartbeat grow louder within my ear drums. My hands begin to clam up as I feel a sense of nervousness wash over me. In what felt like an instant, I am now sitting by his side.

For a moment, we sit in a peaceful silence under the calm night sky. Stars have grown impressively bright alongside the moon. As the breeze picks up gently, the sounds of trees and brush rustling eases my nerves. Critters of the night setting the pace. If not for his warmth emitting to my side, I could truly lose myself in such serenity.

“Isn't the moon lovely?”

My heart stops for just a second before picking back up rapidly. He’s looking to the sky above. A soft smile and faint blush dawns his captivating face. His eyes never leave the luminous glow of the moon. My eyes shimmer as I react similarly. My cheeks grow warmer as I blush. My plump lips slowly curve into a loving smile. As my chest rises and falls at a steady pace, I exhale-

"That is true, isn’t it?"

As if fate decided it’s had enough of this dance, our hands fall to our sides. Inch by inch, our warmth soon becomes one as our hands intertwine. Instinctively, my head rests on his shoulder firmly. He squeezes my hand in reassurance.

Not another word was spoken for quite some time, as it wasn't necessary. Our blossoming love spoke volumes.

They’re first, and last love.

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈

authors end note:kyojuro rengoku, my only love. i hope i did him justice in your eyes. also, i love shinobu. i had to include my main girl somehow! i really feel reader, kyojuro, & shinobu are all really good friends! i also firmly believe eventually, kyojuro & reader do what they can to help shinobu confess her love for giyuu like how she did them. it's canon in my mind (delulu for fun). anywho-this is my first time back on the saddle in a very long time! so please-comments, questions, and concerns, are always welcomed!

word count:4999-5 (we round up that one to make me look cooler!)

many thank! -babbi₊˚⊹♡

-07/29/23

#anime and manga #kimetsu no yaiba #demon slayer #hashira #rengoku kyojuro #kyojuro rengoku x reader #kny x reader #reader insert #female reader #babbiweebwrites

26 notes · View notes

afpwestcoast · 6 months

Text

Belasco Theater, LA, 12/8/23

I’m often asked why I go to so many Dolls shows. It’s a big question with a complicated answer, but a major factor is the crowds. Most of my closest friends and almost every cool person I know I met at a Dresden Dolls show, and this one continued the trend.

I met Dolly, who had actually responded to a general call on the Facebook group and sent me a birthday card in October. She regaled us with tales of the decade she spent traveling around the country by hopping trains.

We also met Natalie and Julia, a dynamic sister duo. Natalie is a Dolls fan but Julia was tagging along out of solidarity - sisterhood is strong. They were delightful, but Natalie has been saddled with club thumbs, a genetic defect that was common amongst European royalty due to inbreeding. Drawing conclusions from that is left as an exercise to the reader. The venue was larger (~1500) and less intimate (a barrier kept the crowd back from the stage) than the recent run of shows, but the band was better rehearsed and well rested and provided the extra energy needed to overcome these issues. I generally prefer my Dresden Dolls shows with a soupçon of chaos, but watching the band flex their performance chops with virtuosity was inspiring. Annotated Set List:

Good Day

Sex Changes

Gravity

Backstabber

My Alcoholic Friends

Shores of California - Brian said this was the first show they had played within the city limits of LA since 2008, so of course they had to roll this one out.

Mrs. O

Delilah (featuring Veronica Swift)

Welcome to the Internet (Bo Burnham cover)

There was a break in the set as Amanda warned that they were about to launch into a bunch of new songs and gave a lengthy explanation of how the Dresden Dolls are fundamentally a live band and need to work things out on stage. “The thing about playing these new songs is like they’re not quite ready, so if they suck a little bit know that we are going to continue to rehearse them and make them suck less.”

Then Brian explained that Amanda was nervous about playing the new songs and was delaying the inevitable by talking, which shamed her into proceeding into the new material, which has, in fact, gotten tighter and better over the past year. The new album is going to be fire.

Mister God - Despite Boyfriend in a Coma being officially dubbed Tom’s New Favorite Song in Orlando, I think this one is actually my new favorite.

Houdini - This is a close second in the New Favorite Song sweepstakes, which is a bit surprising since I typically prefer the bangers to the slower songs, but this one has power.

Whakenewha

Amsterdam (Jacques Brel cover) - Amanda headed up to the balcony for this one, as is tradition.

Another Christmas (Brian on guitar, Amanda on jingle bells) - An original Christmas song that is exactly as sad and depressing as you would expect. At this point there was a medical emergency in the crowd and the house lights came up as they took someone out in a wheelchair. The response from the security team, the band, and the crowd was stellar all around.

Boyfriend in a Coma - This is a “new” song that was actually written 20 years ago and recently resurrected for the new album. It was written about an old boyfriend who almost died, and, coincidentally, Amanda reconnected with him and is dating him again. But she dusted the song off BEFORE reconnecting, in a cosmic coincidence.

The Runner - This is essentially a run-down of Amanda’s dating history in song form.

The Nail featuring the new third member of the Dresden Dolls: Amanda’s new Moog synthesizer.

Coin-Operated Boy - Amanda paused after the first few bars to comment on the harsh transition from The Nail, which is slow and contemplative, and Coin-Op, which is … not.

War Pigs (Black Sabbath cover)

—

Half Jack - It’s traditional to do a long intro that starts minimalist and slowly builds to launch the song, but tonight Brian took it to the next level. After the show I told Amanda if they did a show that was just Half Jack with a 2hr intro I would be here for it. She said that they actually did that at one of the shows they opened for Panic at the Disco! because they were so fed up on that tour.

Girl Anachronism - The original set list had Sing as the closer but Amanda called an audible, which was a solid choice after the medical emergency had drained the energy from the room.

Photo Gallery:

Natalie is a goddamned delight. Despite her … nonstandard thumbs.

Delilah!

The creepy ghost of John Lennon welcomes you to the Internet.

Amsterdam

Dresden Dolls Gothic

What’s a Christmas song without jingle bells?

That’s a wrap!

#dresden dolls #amanda palmer

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misterivy · 5 months

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In MEMORY of RUTGER HAUER on his BIRTHDAY - (January 23, 1944 - July 19, 2019)

Career years: 1969 - his death

Born Rutger Oelsen Hauer, Dutch actor. In 1999, he was named by the Dutch public as the Best Dutch Actor of the Century.

Hauer's career began in 1969 with the title role in the Dutch television series Floris and surged with his leading role in Turkish Delight (1973), which in 1999 was named the Best Dutch Film of the Century. After gaining international recognition with Soldier of Orange (1977) and Spetters (1980), he moved into American films such as Nighthawks (1981) and Blade Runner (1982), starring in the latter as self-aware replicant Roy Batty. His performance in Blade Runner led to roles in The Osterman Weekend (1983), Ladyhawke (1985), The Hitcher (1986), The Legend of the Holy Drinker (1988), and Blind Fury (1989), among other films.

From the 1990s on, Hauer moved into low-budget films, and supporting roles in major films like Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992), Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002), Batman Begins (2005), Sin City (2005), and The Rite (2011). Hauer also became well known for his work in commercials. Towards the end of his career, he made a return to Dutch cinema, and won the 2012 Rembrandt Award for Best Actor in recognition of his lead role in The Heineken Kidnapping (2011).

Hauer supported environmentalist causes and was a member of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. He also founded the Rutger Hauer Starfish Association, an AIDS awareness organization. He was made a knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion in 2013.

Early life -

Hauer was born in Breukelen, in the Province of Utrecht, while the Netherlands was under German occupation during World War II. He stated in a 1981 interview, "I was born in the middle of the war, and I think for that reason I have deep roots in pacifism. Violence frightens me." His parents were Teunke (née Mellema) and Arend Hauer, both actors who operated an acting school in nearby Amsterdam. He had three sisters. According to Hauer, his parents were more interested in their art than their children. He did not have a close relationship with his father, and writer Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema later became a father figure to Hauer after they met during the filming of Soldier of Orange.

Hauer attended a Rudolf Steiner school, as his parents wanted him to develop his creativity. At the age of 15, he left school to join the Dutch merchant navy. He spent a year travelling the world aboard a freighter, but was unable to become a captain due to his colourblindness. Returning home, he worked odd jobs while finishing his high school diploma at night. He then entered the Academy for Theater and Dance in Amsterdam for acting classes, but soon dropped out to join the Royal Netherlands Army. He received training as a combat medic, but left the service after a few months as he opposed the use of deadly weapons. He subsequently returned to acting school and graduated in 1967.

Career:

Early works -

Hauer had his first acting role at the age of 11, as Eurysakes in the play Ajax. After graduating from the Academy for Theater and Dance, he became a stage actor with the Toneelgroep Noorder Compagnie. Hauer made his screen debut in 1969 when Paul Verhoeven cast him in the lead role of the television series Floris, a Dutch medieval action drama. The role made him famous in his native country, and Hauer reprised his role for the 1975 German remake Floris von Rosemund.

Hauer's career changed course when Verhoeven cast him in Turkish Delight (1973), which received an Oscar nomination for best foreign-language film. The film found box office favour abroad and at home, and Hauer looked to appear in more international films. Within two years, Hauer made his English-language debut in the British film The Wilby Conspiracy (1975). Set in South Africa, the film was an action-drama with a focus on apartheid. Hauer's supporting role, however, was barely noticed in Hollywood, and he returned to Dutch films for several years. During this period, he made Katie Tippel (1975) and worked again with Verhoeven on Soldier of Orange (1977), and Spetters (1980). These two films paired Hauer with fellow Dutch actor Jeroen Krabbé. At the 1981 Netherlands Film Festival, Hauer received the Golden Calf for Best Actor for his overall body of work.

American breakthrough -

Hauer made his American debut in the Sylvester Stallone film Nighthawks (1981) as a psychopathic and cold-blooded terrorist named Wulfgar. With his sights set on a long-term career in Hollywood, Hauer worked with an accent coach in the early 1980s to develop a convincing American accent. Unafraid of controversial roles, he portrayed Albert Speer in the 1982 American Broadcasting Company production Inside the Third Reich. The same year, Hauer appeared in arguably his most famous and acclaimed role as the eccentric and violent but sympathetic antihero Roy Batty in Ridley Scott's 1982 science fiction thriller Blade Runner, in which he delivered the famous tears in rain monologue. Hauer composed parts of the monologue the evening prior to filming, "cutting away swathes of the original script before adding the speech’s poignant final line". He went on to play the adventurer courting Theresa Russell in Eureka (1983), investigative reporter opposite John Hurt in The Osterman Weekend (1983), hardened mercenary Martin in Flesh & Blood (1985), and knight paired with Michelle Pfeiffer in Ladyhawke (1985).

He appeared in The Hitcher (1986), in which he played a mysterious hitchhiker tormenting a lone motorist and murdering anyone in his way. He received the 1987 Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the television film Escape from Sobibor. At the height of Hauer's fame, he was set to be cast as RoboCop (1987), but Verhoeven, the film's director, considered his frame as too large to move comfortably in the character's suit. Also in 1987, Hauer starred as Nick Randall in Wanted: Dead or Alive as the descendant of the character played by Steve McQueen in the television series of the same name.

In 1988, he played a homeless man in Ermanno Olmi's The Legend of the Holy Drinker. This performance won Hauer the Best Actor award at the 1989 Seattle International Film Festival. Hauer was chosen to portray a blind martial artist superhero in Phillip Noyce's action film Blind Fury (1989). He initially struggled with the implausibility of the character, but learned to "unfocus my eyes, to react to smells and sounds" after meeting with blind judo practitioner Lynn Manning during his research for the role. Hauer returned to science fiction in 1989 with The Blood of Heroes, in which he played a gladiator in a post-apocalyptic world.

Commercials and later roles -

By the 1990s, Hauer was well known for his humorous Guinness commercials as well as his screen roles, which had increasingly involved low-budget films, such as Split Second (1992); The Beans of Egypt, Maine (1994); Omega Doom (1996) and New World Disorder (1999). In 1992, he appeared in the horror-comedy film Buffy the Vampire Slayer as the main antagonist vampire Lothos. He also appeared in the Kylie Minogue music video "On a Night Like This" (2000). During this time, Hauer acted in several British, Canadian and American television productions, including Amelia Earhart: The Final Flight (1994) as Earhart's navigator Fred Noonan, Fatherland (1994), Hostile Waters (1997), The Call of the Wild: Dog of the Yukon (1997), Merlin (1998), The 10th Kingdom (2000), Smallville (2003), Alias (2003), and Salem's Lot (2004).

Hauer played an assassin in Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2003), a villainous cardinal with influential power in Sin City (2005) and a devious corporate executive running Wayne Enterprises in Batman Begins (2005). Also in 2005, he played the title role in Patrick Lussier's film Dracula III: Legacy. Seven years later, he portrayed the vampire hunter Abraham Van Helsing in Dario Argento's Dracula 3D. Hauer hosted the British reality television documentary Shock Treatment in 2005, and featured in Goal II: Living the Dream (2007) as Real Madrid coach Rudi Van der Merwe. He also recorded voice-overs for the British advertising campaign for the Danish butter brand Lurpak.

In 2008, Hauer received the Golden Calf Culture Prize for his contributions to Dutch cinema. The award recognised his work as an actor as well as his efforts to aid the development of young filmmakers and actors, through initiatives such as the Rutger Hauer Film Factory. In 2009, his role in avant-garde filmmaker Cyrus Frisch's Dazzle received positive reviews; it was described in Dutch press as "the most relevant Dutch film of the year". The same year, Hauer starred in the title role of Barbarossa, an Italian film directed by Renzo Martinelli. In April 2010, he was cast in the live action adaptation of the short and fictitious Grindhouse trailer Hobo with a Shotgun (2011). Hauer played Freddie Heineken in The Heineken Kidnapping (2011), for which he received the 2012 Rembrandt Award for Best Actor. Also in 2011, Hauer appeared in the supernatural horror film The Rite as an undertaker named Istvan, the protagonist's father.

From 2013 to 2014, Hauer featured as Niall Brigant in HBO's True Blood. In 2015, he starred as Ravn in The Last Kingdom and as Kingsley in Galavant. In 2016, he joined the film jury for ShortCutz Amsterdam, an annual film festival promoting short films in Amsterdam. Hauer voiced the role of Daniel Lazarski in the 2017 video game Observer, set in post-apocalyptic Poland. Lazarski is a member of a special elite police unit that can hack into minds and interact with memories within. Hauer also provided the voice of Xehanort in the 2019 video game Kingdom Hearts III, replacing the late Leonard Nimoy and was himself replaced by Christopher Lloyd following his death.

Personal life -

Hauer was married twice:

Hauer and his first wife, Heidi Merz, produced Hauer’s only child, Aysha Hauer (born 1966). An actress, she gave birth to Hauer's grandson in 1987.

Hauer was with his second wife, Ineke ten Cate, from 1968, and they married in a private ceremony on 22 November 1985. Cate was the daughter of Laurens ten Cate, the editor-in-chief of the Friesland-based newspaper Leeuwarder Courant.

Although born in Utrecht, Hauer had strong links to Friesland. He once stated in an interview with the Algemeen Dagblad that he "needed to feel the Frisian clay under his feet".

Hauer was an environmentalist. He supported the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and was a member of its board of advisors. He also established an AIDS awareness organization called the Rutger Hauer Starfish Association.

In April 2007, he published his autobiography, All Those Moments: Stories of Heroes, Villains, Replicants, and Blade Runners (co-written with Patrick Quinlan), in which he discussed many of his acting roles. Proceeds from the book go to the Rutger Hauer Starfish Association.

Death -

Hauer died at his home in Beetsterzwaag, following a short illness. He was 75 years old. A private funeral service was held on 24 July. On 23 January 2020, which would have been Hauer's 76th birthday, a ceremony was held in Beetsterzwaag in his honour. Attendees included Sharon Stone, Miranda Richardson, Diederik van Rooijen, and Prince Pieter-Christiaan of Orange-Nassau, van Vollenhoven.

#rutger hauer #dutch #actor #blade runner #the hitcher

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dedalvs · 2 years

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Forgot I was following you, welcome back! I saw in the tags of your bender post post you put vampire academy, did you work on old moroi? What were you inspirations? I know in the books it should have been either Russian or Romanian but they decided to go a different route for the culture

I am soooooooo glad you asked!

First, to give some background, I was asked to contribute a language to Vampire Academy by Y. Shireen Razack, whom you might know as a writer on David Schulner's hit medical drama New Amsterdam (note: David Schulner was the show runner of NBC's Emerald City, for which I created two languages!), but whose husband, Anupam Nigam, you may have heard of, because he was a writer on Syfy's Defiance—the show I poured my heart and soul into. Shireen said they were doing a show for the Peacock, and I'm always there for my Defiance family.

This time I had a partner, and so Jessie Sams and I worked to create the Old Moroi language (Aazh Naamori, in the language itself). There was very little to work with from the books, so we basically created as an a priori language that was situated physically in Eastern Europe, meaning that it could borrow from the surrounding languages, and also the languages that those languages borrowed from. There are a number of borrowings from Russian, Bulgarian, Romanian, Latin, Greek, and a few others. We gave them the option of doing a true a posteriori language that would've been a kind of Slavic creole or an original language, and production opted for the original language.

We had to rush a bit, because even though they didn't need the spoken language for a few months when we started working, the art department needed stuff for the written language in like two weeks, so we had to hit the ground running. Ultimately, our goal was to create a super sexy vampire language for a super sexy vampire show, and I personally think we were spot on.

Here's a kind of bullet point list of language features:

Oral and nasal vowels; oral vowels can be long.

Lots of fricatives; very few codas.

SOV word order with a tidy case system. Auxiliaries instead of mass conjugations.

I think the writing system we did is pretty great. Here's what it looks like (nabbing this from my Instagram):

We did a whole ten post thing on Instagram you can see here. Here's an example of the language:

Santazhonga se dulon nari oshi.

"May the Saints guide her home."

You can see "saint" is clearly a borrowing, but then there's other original stuff in there (se is a vocative particle; dulon is "home" in the dative). I think it's a super fun language. It didn't get used a whole lot in the show—or at least not the spoken version—but the written version was everywhere, and it was awesome. (Like, even the mark etched into Mia's hands when she's being punished is the for "water" in our script!) We hope this show runs for a good long time. We love it. I mean...

...how could you not love this show?!

Anyway, as I reminder, I put up all the dialogue from every show and movie I work on on my Ao3 which you can find here. That includes Vampire Academy.

Thanks for the q! Love to advertise this show. Everyone should watch it a million times. Leave it running on your TV on an endless loop while you travel for Thanksgiving. We need a million seasons.

#conlang #language #vampire academy #old moroi #moroi #moroi language #old moroi language #aazh naamori #peacock

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scuderlia · 5 months

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tagged by my beloveds @oscarpiastriwdc & @liamlawsonlesbian

what color are your eyes? the general consensus is that they're green, but i think i kinda cheated my way into green eyes because i've just got blue eyes with yellow around the pupil 😭

(reference images below)

tell me about your pets/your dream pet: i have a standard poodle. he's the love of my LIFE and i'm obsessed with him. he takes the same anxiety medication as me.

share an interesting fact about yourself: i was trained in opera when i was younger but stopped to focus on being a theater kid (tragic).

what was the first fandom you were a part of? idk if this counts but i used to talk about bbc earth documentaries with randos on kik when i was in elementary school. (proper fandom though, probably harry potter lmao i started reading it when i was nine)

do you have any phobias? i don't really have any fears (which is slightly concerning) but i worry and obsess over literally everything so i feel like that sweeps this category.

are you a picky eater? if so, what food can't you stand? other than being vegetarian i'll eat pretty much anything OTHER THAN SPINACH. the only exception i have to this rule is maybe spanakopita. i also consume incredibly low levels of dairy because i lowkey am lactose intolerant so…

do you eat the burger and fries at the same time or one after another? i always taste the burger first but then alternate between the two from that point forward. i also have to end with the fries or it feels incorrect and i think about it for the rest of the day.

winter or summer: oof, depends where. probably summer but i don't love sweltering weather, so if i'm able to be somewhere where i'm not burning up but just pleasantly warm, it's perfect.

favourite fanfiction tropes: friends-to-lovers if i feel like having a magnifying glass held to my heart, but any kind of complicated relationship where there's lots of emotional turmoil always leaves me gagged.

are you studying or working? what do you study/is your job? i'm an architecture student <3

what is the last country you visited: mexico!

(enjoy this photo of the balcony plant i fell in love with)

what country would you want to move to after retiring? i don't know if i want to stay put after i retire... i'd be pretty content to just travel around until i drop dead. if i had to pick though maybe Belgium or Amsterdam, some of my family is from there and it's where my brother wants to live.

who was your first crush? god, i think either Sigourney Weaver as Ripley in Alien or Gillian Anderson as Scully in The X-Files. my parents are big into sci-fi so i watched both way too young, but it was a great way to kickstart my sexuality ig.

how did you get into f1 fandom? i've been watching f1 my whole life but fandom-wise i've been lurking since like 2015-ish and only properly got into it these past few months.

~ i'm not tagging anyone but pls do it if you'd like :)

#tag game

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whisperedfromthevoid · 1 month

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Rune might not have agreed with Enoch’s self-assessment weeks prior, but progression was a steady incline. Time spells, of course, came naturally. No concentration was required to know the hour down to the ticking second. His pocket watch was superfluous. An ornate decoration for the benefit of sleepers. Time dilation hadn’t been Rune’s prediction. Not my a mile. Matter had always been his bet, and he was grateful not to have put money on it.

But no mind magic, no correspondence. He was reminded of the night before his awakening. The poker games, the questions, the color of Enoch’s cheeks he tried desperately to hide. No. No mind magic made sense. The memory juxtaposed to this moment, lying on the floor on their stomachs, flipped his insides. How far they had come.

“Is there a newspaper for the university? Magazine for… science? Something with photographs? If something you know, then it’ll come sooner. I had to learn the same way. I used local newspapers in Amsterdam. All the places I traveled through the German coast. You’ll start to see little shimmering threads.”

A fingernail in need of clipping tapped on Enoch’s face, traced a thread invisible to his apprentice to a man at the top of the page with a stoic expression and too-small glasses.

“Who is this?”

Professor Étienne LaRoux.

Enoch stared at the man in the yearbook he had pulled in front of them. There were conflicting feelings as he stared at the black-and-white picture. He remembered everything he had learned and endured while under his mentorship. He hadn’t forgotten.

“He was my mentor before you. Doctor Étienne LaRoux,” he replied. Was that a shift in his tone?

He was the reason Enoch knew French. The reason why Enoch pursued science. The reason why Enoch was curious about magic.

However, his approach was questionable, yet no one in the university knew what happened in the lab late at night or what his only student witnessed and was subjected to.

“He was a medical officer during the war. He would always tell me about the horrors he witnessed firsthand from the chemical warfare. He was obsessed with unlocking the hidden potential of the human body.

"Magic included…”

Enoch hadn’t talked about his life before Rune. Everything existed in the present. Sure, he had made mentions of it in passing, but nothing ever went in depth when it came to Dr. LaRoux. Right. He was supposed to be learning magic. Not digging old skeletons out of the closet. "Threads?" He didn't see any. Maybe the newspapers were in order next.

#enoch #rune #sketches

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unilifeabroadcareersolution · 4 months

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Benefits of Paid Education in Lithuania

Benefits of paid Education in Lithuania

A small European country, Lithuania is home to nearly 50 higher education institutions. Higher education institutions have many faculties including Engineering, Medical, Humanities, Economics, Management and Many more. University degrees are offered in three cycles. The first cycle is undergraduate ( Bachelor degree ) The second cycle is graduate ( Master and specialized professional studies ). The Third cycle is Postgraduate ( Doctoral).

There are two types of higher education institutions in Lithuania, colleges and universities. Collegesare focused on practical training for particular professions. Bachelor degrees and professional qualifications are offered at universities. There are 23 universities and 24 colleges in Lithuania. In comparison to other European countries, it is a quite big number.

Low Tuition Fee

The tuition fee is quite affordable for international students. The tuition fee is refundable if you cannot attend university due to any reason. Tuition fee varies between 2000 EUR to 5000 EUR per year. .As compared to many EU countries, International students pay very low tuition fee for bachelor’s and master’s degree courses.

100% success rate for Visa

What about the chance to get a visa for Lithuania? In recent time, Lithuania has a 100% success rate for visa applications. So, you can apply for a study visa in Lithuanian Embassy in your country due to its high acceptance rate of international students.

High-quality education

Lithuanian universities are renowned for providing top-notch education. They consistently rank among the best universities in Europe, and employers highly value their graduates. Many universities in Lithuania offer English-taught programs, making it an excellent choice for non-Lithuanian-speaking international students

High quality of life

What’s great is that the low costs translate to a comfortable standard of living in Lithuania. It’s easy to get around as public transportation is inexpensive and widely available. There are numerous leisure and sports activities, as well as accessible public parks and amenities. The country is famed for its clear lakes and verdant pine forests, but also for developing a wide range of green products. On top of that, you will be able to keep safe and healthy thanks to world-class health infrastructure and expertise.

Travel around Europe while studying in Lithuania

Given its location, studying in Lithuania can be your gateway to the rest of Europe. Lithuania is bordered by Latvia, Belarus, and Poland, and isn’t too far away from Germany and Denmark. You can find flights to major European destinations at the Vilnius and Kaunas airports, or take advantage of the well-connected railway network. This way, you can get pop over to Paris one weekend and Amsterdam the next.

Mail ID : [email protected] , [email protected]

#study in lithuania #paid education #unilife abroad career solution #benefits studying in lithuania #benefits of paid education

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lorelailewis · 1 year

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BASIC INFORMATION.

full name: lorelai lewis

age: twenty three

birth date: november 3rd

birth place: aurora bay

nationality: american

gender: cis female

pronouns: she / her

orientation: bisexual

neighbourhood: aurora bay drive ( formerly ) / ocean crest apartments ( currently )

occupation: under grad med student / bartender at oasis

@aurorabayaesthetic

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE.

face claim: lili reinhart

hair colour: blonde

eye colour: bluish green

height: 5'6"

weight: 121 lbs

build: athletic

scars: n/a

tattoos: n/a

piercings: several ear piercings including her lower left lobe, low helix, rook and her helix

FAMILY.

siblings: clementine lewis, lucky lewis, leeroy lewis

PERSONALITY TRAITS.

+ adventurous, adaptable, intelligent, resourceful - arrogant, curt, resentful, blunt

HISTORY.

lorelai lewis was born with her head in the clouds. the girl would have drifted up into space if it wasn’t for gravity and her family keeping her grounded—or they tried, at least. lorelai’s report cards all throughout school said the same thing; Lorelai had the potential to be a brilliant and bright student, if only she could apply herself and keep her head out of the clouds.

her daydreaming tendencies often got her sent to the principles office during her teen years, the teachers taking her lack of interest in their lessons as disrespect when it was simply signs of an intellectual girl no longer being challenged by their workload. it also never helped that lorelai would often skip class, deeming them unnecessary as she would be able to finish her assignments without attending—which she always did, which only irritated her teachers further. it made it harder to punish a student for skipping class when they were still scoring the highest grades in class.

lorelai was forced to resit her mock SAT’s after being accused of cheating due to her high testing score despite failing to turn up to over half of the lessons and even volunteered to sit them in front of an administrator to prove that she hadn’t cheated in the first place. much to her teachers surprise, lorelai scored the exact same grade on her resit as she had done with her original test.

the only real time lorelai saw a slip in her grades was around the time her entire family was torn apart by her mother’s reckless affair, her parents divorce and lucky's decision to move half way across the world for university. unlike her brother, she didn’t have the luxury of escaping aurora bay and her families baggage—she was stuck in her hometown with a bitter and resentful father and a sister that had always made it abundantly clear she favoured lorelai's twin more than her.

after graduating high school, lorelai was supposed to spend three months travelling across europe but ended up spending nine months visiting paris, barcelona, budapest, amsterdam, prague and more until finally returning home to enroll at aurora bay's local college and beginning her medical degree.

TIDBITS.

a tough pill to swallow, lorelai doesn't always sugar coat what she has to say and that can rub some people the wrong way.

started a tiktok and instagram page while she was travelling across europe to document her travels and ended up accruing a mass amount of followers — neither page has been updated since fall 2022.

recently started working part time at oasis as a bartender

her favourite artists are pvris, paramore, taylor swift and submergence

was once doxxed by her ex-girlfriends followers after she went tiktok famous after a clip from her podcast about her break-up with lorelai went viral on tiktok

WANTED CONNECTIONS.

PLATONIC.

college friends / friends from high school / friends of her siblings / aurora bay drive neighbours / a best friend / hoes before bros / ride or dies / close friends / new friends

ROMANTIC.

tinder matches / flirtationships / situationships / one night stands / first dates / dates that ended badly / exes on good terms

ANTAGONISTIC.

exes / former friends / rivals / college enemies / high school enemies / frenemies / people she’s offended or pissed off with her apathetic attitude

CURRENT CONNECTIONS.

twin sister of @luckylewis and younger sister of @lemielewis

ex sister-in-law of @vanessagable

driftwood survivor with @jordanmitchell

roommates with @cricketcampbell

childhood best-friend of @macaulaymontgomery

co worker of @ulyflynn

occasionally hooking up with @mackmontgomery

used to work for @santiagodeleon until he fired her for partying with friends in the bar after closing

president of the @jaredx is an ass club

sabotaged her last relationship with her ex-girlfriend by sleeping with @buddywellls

EXTRA

#aurorabay.intro

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bignaz8 · 2 years

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ARMISTICE DAY

Please take the time today to remember those that have given the ultimate sacrifice to protect and ensure the freedoms you enjoy today. World War I (the 'War to End All Wars') celebrated a cease fire on this day, November 11, 1918 at 11:11am, and yet still today active land mines from that horrific conflict lie in wait, still fighting that conflict.

I have been to the Verdun valley in France, where over 1.2 million died and to Fort Douaumont, which has now become a museum and a memorial to viewable remains of 350,000 unknown soldiers. Think about that for a minute. Once you've seen it, you will never forget it.

I have walked the remains of the trenches in the Argonne Forest where my great uncle Paul fought, and witnessed the eroded craters of artillery explosions and the bleached remains of soldiers that perished there and are still entombed there.

I have visited the American cemeteries in eastern France (which are actually US soil), visited Arizona hero Frank Luke's unassuming grave, and bowed my head in silent prayer.

I reflected on three patriots without whose efforts this nation may not have been forged. Abraham Woodhull (aka Samuel Culper), Anna Smith Strong and Caleb Brewster provided Washington with intelligence (the Culper Spy Ring) on British ship and British/Hessian troop movements that allowed decisive victories at Trenton (Crossing of the Delaware) and others. They did what was necessary and risked their lives to provide support to the concept of a new nation. I drove to Setauket, Long Island not long ago to visit their graves and pay my respects. I was honored in their presence. It made me ask the question: What would you risk to ensure freedom and liberty for yourself and your family?

I have been to the fortifications and ramparts of Fort Griswold in Groton, Connecticut where 88 militia volunteers, among them my children's great-great-great-great-great grandfather and his brothers and cousins, a Pequot Indian, and two free black men fought against British General Benedict Arnold's attack on Connecticut, September 6, 1781. During their surrender after hours of fighting against overwhelming odds, the British commander took American Colonel Ledyard's presentation sword of surrender and ran Ledyard through, then giving orders to execute everyone left alive. Their ancestor was badly wounded during the massacre and was carted off to a British prison ship of horrid condition.

During the decisive Battle of Yorktown and the surrender of the British and Lord Cornwallis on October 19, 1781, the battle cry was 'Remember Fort Griswold!'.

I have traveled to Dachau Concentration Camp, where those whose ideals, race or sexual preferences did not meet a ruling party's guidelines. My father was in the 20th Armored Division, 70th Armored Infantry as a medic, and was one of a handful of medics and soldiers that liberated Dachau. He personally witnessed the dead and dying, the buildings filled with heads, arms and legs. He saved hundreds there through medical attention without so much as a medal. It was the soldiers' duty. I still have the worn 48-star flag that he carried throughout Europe.

I've been to Anne Frank's house in Amsterdam. When your rights and freedoms are taken, it was horrible to witness the lengths taken and necessary to simply remain alive and preserve your humanity.

I have been to the Alamo, and stood at the spot where Davy Crockett fell on March 6, 1836 to help secure independence for Texas; and touched the mock-marked scars of bullets from that day in the limestone blocks of the old mission.

I have felt the sorrow on the battlefields at Gettysburg, grieved in silence at Arlington Cemetery, paid respects at Grant's home and Lee's grave, let the cool breeze wash over me at Little Big Horn, anguished at Wounded Knee, and paid my respects to the end of an era at Skeleton Canyon in Arizona where Geronimo surrendered. I have been to Geronimo's final resting place at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, surrounded by his family; far from their home in Arizona and New Mexico.

My grandfather was drafted for WWII and served in the Army as well on the home front. My uncle fought in Italy with the 10th Mountain and survived Anzio.

I stood at the Berlin Wall and felt the pain and anguish of a nation and people when I placed my hand on its graffiti surface. I wept for joy when I learned the news it was torn down November 9, 1989. There was nothing 'cold' about that war... except that long expanse of grey concrete.

I remember personally seeing the passion Pat Tillman had for the game of football when he was playing for Arizona State University. That passion carried over into a starting position with the Arizona Cardinals, and after September 11, 2001, his country. Even though his death was a tragedy, he decided to leave behind a multi-million dollar contract to defend this country and its ideals. Grit. Honor.

About eight years ago, I was at Costco and struck up a conversation at lunch with 88 and 93-year-old WWII veterans. The younger man served in Luzon, Philippines, and the other in the 20th Armored Division, 14th Artillery. They were both excited to know that I knew the history of the 20th Armored Division intimately from my father. After lunch was over, I made sure to thank them for their service and sacrifice. And in doing so, no less than 10 other strangers suddenly walked up to thank them as well. I ran into the 20th Armored Division gentleman another time the following year and bought him a hot dog and soda and ate with him. And thanked him once again.

Remember the Veterans... not just today, but every day, and say THANK YOU to them for ensuring your freedom to express your voice, your opinions, and your liberty. Freedom is never free, and there will always be those wanting to control and purge your unalienable rights.

#true story #mine

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wanderinglotus7 · 11 months

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SUMMER SUMMER SUMMERTIME

Wow! It feels like summer just arrived and it’s almost already gone. Soon all the kids will be going back to school and the leaves will be changing. For now, we got to deal with the heat & humidity. I’m not complaining too much. However, I would prefer my 70 degree weather and sweaters. Or I would like the nice weather I experienced while I was on vacation out on Cape Cod. Talking about Cape Cod, it was a wonderful & relaxing vacation. I’m sorry Alex couldn’t join because of her unexpected fever. Yet, me & Caroline still enjoyed ourselves. We explored Cambridge/Boston, Mashpee, Martha’s Vineyard, and Provincetown. We had nice beach weather and we ended our last day at the beach watching a beautiful sunset. I can do another staycation.

Starting in September my finances are increasing partly because my living expenses have increased and the student loan pause will end. So traveling abroad will be on pause after 2025. Summer 2025, I’m planning to go to Montego Bay, Jamaica with a group friends. As a good compromise, and somewhat last hooray, I’m looking into staying at an affordable all inclusive resort. I’m debating on whether to invite a big group of people or kind of keep it small to those I know will make an effort in planning this trip & go. I have an year and half to feel the water. Next years trip will either be a mother & daughter trip or a family trip with my brother’s family. Destination: Charleston, South Carolina. I still like the idea of doing a solo trip and rent a treehouse or cabin for myself somewhere like in New Hampshire or Vermont. Just a four day weekend for myself. I enjoy my alone time. I would do this in the Fall. This could give me the peace & silence to do some writing and/or reading. There’s plenty of places in the U.S. I still want to visit but Portland, Oregon is next on my list. Abroad, Amsterdam, the Netherlands and the Democratic Republic of Congo (I have to visit the motherland of my African ancestors).

Circling back to my day to day life…work makes me want to pull my hair out sometimes or just runaway. I don’t believe that it just being the summer is what is leading to burnout, the pressure of the the job along with our sucky safety nets, lack of staff and influx of people in need; cracks my spirit. I’m not feeling hopeless…things just need to get better. We have to open positions: CVPR social worker and Adelante social work advocate (my position but with BWH). With all the extra work I’ve been doing with On-call (acute response), I should be getting compensated more. More money or more PTO. When I discuss what’s been happening at work with others, they tend to ask me what else am I interested doing? I’m still figuring that out myself. It seems like the people I’ve spoken with are satisfied with their current roles after trying one or two other jobs before the current one. Or leaving their current job because they found a better opportunity more exact to what they vision themselves doing in the long run. Or looking for part time work to make extra money as well as fulfill/add to their passion.

Nothing is really poppin for me. Professional goal: LICSW which will take me two years to get. So I’m not really going anywhere anytime soon. If or when I leave BIDMC, I don’t think I want to go to another department or continue to work in a hospital. If I stay in the medical field I would want to work at a community center whether that be a community mental health center or a small community health clinic being a regular social worker. I would love to continue my work with trafficking survivors. The alternative would be working with adolescents and young adults. Casandra said she could see me working with the elderly. Am I becoming my mother LOL. She’s mainly worked with young children and the elderly, but she’s burnt out too. Praying that these positions will be filled soon so I can adjust my schedule to fit my work lifestyle. Two days remote, three days on-site. Mondays: Administrative. Tuesdays & Thursdays: clinical and case management. Wednesdays: Team meetings. Fridays: Acute Response.

I’m still in the process of finding some answers with my physical health. So far, its just been one exam/test after another. At the end, whatever is causing things to change my body, I hope its nothing too serious that I can’t change for the good naturally and I can resolve in a short timeframe. On the upside, my spiritual & mental health is good. Family is family, and I don’t have much to say about that. Until we speak again…

#my life #working process #adulthood

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normspellsman · 1 year

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📺&🛩

hihi anon!! <3

📺 — Favorite show?

uhhh i would have to say that at the moment, new amsterdam is. i love medical tv series & i’ve watched nearly all of them on netflix (except greys anatomy).

🛩️ — If traveling was free, where’s the first place you’d go?

probably portugal or switzerland. i heard both places are good to travel to & friendly. i’ve never been out of the country so getting an opportunity like that, i feel like i would have to go big y’know?

tysm for asking anon!! love you mwahhh 🫶🏼💋🤍

#normspellsman talks!#normspellsman asks <3

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bishkebab · 1 year

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A brief portrait of 3 (I dreamed of last night)

Gail:

When I got my first Kindle she set it up for me, so that I started out already loaded up with classics and at least a dozen Terry Pratchett books along with a batch of custom screensavers.

She also had her email set up for send-to-Kindle and through the years I would sometimes open it and find she had dropped something onto it from wherever she was across the world - Taiwan, Costa Rica.

Less than 3 months after she died we flew to Norway for my friend’s wedding. I was 6 months pregnant with Éowyn and the second stretch of the flight was 8 hours from Atlanta to Amsterdam, so I stretched out the best I could and broke out the Kindle.

For the first time instead of rereading favorites I had loaded myself I decided to finally explore some of the books and short stories I wasn’t familiar with- after all, Gail had shown me Bloodchild by Octavia Butler so she seemed to have had a good grasp on what I enjoyed.

I spent the next several hours crying and laughing alternately as I explored an involuntary portrait of her that was simultaneously poignant and comically on-the-nose.

The first Earthsea book I ever read, Tehanu, which includes themes about gender and how it affects magic and the expectations on peoples lives;

A series of short stories about bisexual polyamorous mages who become eco-terrorists and fight against prejudice and gentrification

A sci-fi short story from a universe where gender and genitalia are unrelated and people transfer penises back and forth when they have sex; unless I’m conflating two stories, this was also the one where the actual plot line was about a formerly passionately religious man deconstructing and then becoming an atheist, possibly by discovering that the religious raptures he had experienced were the result of psychostimulant compounds? OK, GAIL. WE GET IT. (Where do you find this stuff?)

Dr. James:

Talk about a man of contradictions.

He was a skilled veterinarian who had clients so loyal they traveled hours to see him at our practice.

He was a funny little old man who looked like Gargamel from the Smurfs.

He had a beautiful young blonde girlfriend who was clearly taking advantage of him.

He was a genius and a wily bastard who could take care of himself.

He constantly told me I should go to vet school because I was smart. He recommended me for a promotion.

I liked him, initially, because he liked me.

He loved smart women.

He hated women telling him what to do.

He thought Trump was a good businessman and was planning to vote for him.

He supported his lesbian daughter wholly and matter-of-factly.

He spent all his time on the phone talking to his divorce lawyer when he was supposed to be seeing clients.

One time I got so angry with him I slammed down a textbook, hard, on the surgery table while he was on his phone and yelled at him (me!!! Unconfrontational early 20s me!)

He had broken up his body so terribly skiing in his younger years that he was addicted to pain medications.

He stole multiple controlled substances from the safe, full knowing that as the one in charge of the logs I would be the one to take the fall once the discrepancies turned up.

When we reviewed the footage from the secret camera, I was the one who spotted the moment he slipped them into his pocket.

When I got the call from my boss, several months after he was fired, that he had shot himself in the bathtub, I was angry.

I didn’t think you were a coward, I said to him.

How could you do that to your daughters? I asked him. Why were you so selfish, at the last, to use a gun when you had drugs?

Why? I asked him.

He never would’ve answered anyway. He thought analyzing your feelings was nonsense for women.

My Grandfather, Raymond S

From my earliest memory of him Grandpa was hard of hearing and wore a hearing aid that whistled when you got too close to it.

He noticed my floppy laces when I was a teen and taught me, after years of improperly tying my laces, the difference between a grannie knot and a square knot.

He handmade wooden puzzles.

When we briefly had an organ at our house he would play it when he visited. When our dad bought an accordion on a whim he picked it up and played us the Costa Rican national anthem.

I picture him as made of squares, like a Minecraft character. Rectangular trouser legs. Square short-sleeve buttondowns, often with square patterns, tucked squarely in at the waist. Square little chin with his funny little square goatee and square mustache (apparently this was an affectation of his own that was completely unrelated to style norms around him). Square glasses. Squarely combed hair.

Once, during a visit when I was in college, he found a book at the linguistics library across the street and borrowed my library card to access it. Because he was learning German, in his 90s. He found out my best friend at school was from Germany and wrote me a list of grammatical questions for her, in his tremulous writing.

Once, shortly before my wedding, he drew me close and told me in a deaf whisper that was completely audible to everyone in the room, that I had secretly always been his favorite grandchild.

After he died I was talking with Grandma and mentioned that I had never seen him anywhere close to angry. She thought for a moment and then told me that in 70(?) years of marriage the only occasion she could think of was once when, after a long an arduous day in which nothing would go right and every possibly frustration was thrown in their path, he said to her quite calmly “I would like to go to bed now”.

#cw death #tw death #cw suicide #tw suicide #grief #sort of #namarie #mine

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jcmarchi · 21 days

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Convening for cultural change

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/convening-for-cultural-change/

Convening for cultural change

Whether working with fellow students in the Netherlands to design floating cities or interning for a local community-led environmental justice organization, Cindy Xie wants to help connect people grappling with the implications of linked social and environmental crises.

The MIT senior’s belief that climate action is a collective endeavor grounded in systems change has led her to work at a variety of community organizations, and to travel as far as Malaysia and Cabo Verde to learn about the social and cultural aspects of global environmental change.

“With climate action, there is such a need for collective change. We all need to be a part of creating the solutions,” she says.

Xie recently returned from Kuala Lumpur, where she attended the Planetary Health Annual Meeting hosted by Sunway University, and met researchers, practitioners, and students from around the world who are working to address challenges facing human and planetary health.

Since January 2023, Xie has been involved with the Planetary Health Alliance, a consortium of organizations working at the intersection of human health and global environmental change. As a campus ambassador, she organized events at MIT that built on students’ interests in climate change and health while exploring themes of community and well-being.

“I think doing these events on campus and bringing people together has been my way of trying to understand how to put conceptual ideas into action,” she says.

Grassroots community-building

An urban studies and planning major with minors in anthropology and biology, Xie is also earning her master’s degree in city planning in a dual degree program, which she will finish next year.

Through her studies and numerous community activities, she has developed a multidimensional view of public health and the environment that includes spirituality and the arts as well as science and technology. “What I appreciate about being here at MIT is the opportunities to try to connect the sciences back to other disciplines,” she says.

As a campus ambassador for the Planetary Health Alliance, Xie hosted a club mixer event during Earth Month last year, that brought together climate, health, and social justice groups from across the Institute. She also created a year-long series that concluded its final event last month, called Cultural Transformation for Planetary Health. Organized with the Radius Forum and other partners, the series explored social and cultural implications of the climate crisis, with a focus on how environmental change affects health and well-being.

Xie has also worked with the Planetary Health Alliance’s Constellation Project through a Public Service Fellowship from the PKG Center, which she describes as “an effort to convene people from across different areas of the world to talk about the intersections of spirituality, the climate, and environmental change and planetary health.”

She has also interned at the Comunidades Enraizadas Community Land Trust, the National Institutes of Health, and the World Wildlife Fund U.S. Markets Institute. And, she has taken her studies abroad through MIT International Science and Technology Initiatives (MISTI). In 2023 she spent her Independent Activities Period in a pilot MISTI Global Classroom program in Amsterdam, and in the summer of 2023, she spent two months in Cabo Verde helping to start a new research collaboration tracking the impacts of climate change on human health.

The power of storytelling

Growing up, Xie was drawn to storytelling as a means of understanding the intersections of culture and health within diverse communities. This has largely driven her interest in medical anthropology and medical humanities, and impacts her work as a member of the Asian American Initiative.

The AAI is a student-led organization that provides a space for pan-Asian advocacy and community building on campus. Xie joined the group in 2022 and currently serves as a member of the executive board as well as co-leader of the Mental Health Project Team. She credits this team with inspiring discussions on holistic framings of mental health.

“Conversations on mental health stigma can sometimes frame it as a fault within certain communities,” she says. “It’s also important to highlight alternate paradigms for conceptualizing mental health beyond the highly individualized models often presented in U.S. higher education settings.”

Last spring, the AAI Mental Health team led a listening tour with Asian American clinicians, academic experts, and community organizations in Greater Boston, expanding the group’s connections. That led the group to volunteer last November at the Asian Mental Health Careers Day, hosted by the Let’s Talk! Conference at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. In March, the club also traveled to Yale University to participate in the East Coast Asian American Student Union Conference alongside hundreds of attendees from different college campuses.

On campus, the team hosts dialogue events where students convene in an informal setting to discuss topics such as family ties and burnout and overachievement. Recently, AAI also hosted a storytelling night in partnership with MIT Taara and the newly formed South Asian Initiative. “There’s been something really powerful about being in those kinds of settings and building collective stories among peers,” Xie says.

Community connections

Writing, both creative and non-fiction, is another of Xie’s longstanding interests. From 2022 to 2023, she wrote for The Yappie, a youth-led news publication covering Asian American and Pacific Islander policy and politics. She has also written articles for The Tech, MIT Science Policy Review, MISTI Blogs, and more. Last year, she was a spread writer for MIT’s fashion publication, Infinite Magazine, for which she interviewed the founder of a local streetwear company that aims to support victims of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

This year, she performed a spoken word piece in the “MIT Monologues,” an annual production at MIT that features stories of gender, relationships, race, and more. Her poetry was recently published in Sine Theta and included in MassPoetry’s 2024 Intercollegiate Showcase. Xie has previously been involved in the a capella group MIT Muses and enjoys live music and concerts as well. Tapping into her 2023 MISTI experience, Xie recently went to the concert of a Cabo Verdean artist at the Strand Theatre in Dorchester. “The crowd was packed,” she says. “It was just like being back in Cabo Verde. I feel very grateful to have seen these local connections.”

After graduating, Xie hopes to continue building interdisciplinary connections. “I’m interested in working in policy or academia or somewhere in between the two, sort of around this idea of partnership and alliance building. My experiences abroad during my time at MIT have also made me more interested in working in an international context in the future.”

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