#abby is now a cougar

[lover-of-mine]

I can't find the post you mentioned it in, but I swear you have brought up the power imbalance and age difference with Tommy in Canon calling him kid. If that wasn't you, sorry for wasting time. But I was curious about your thoughts on something.

I'm a believer that the last scene wasn't supposed to be there. The last one was the medal scene, and you know that would have still worked with him coming back next season. I think it was added for extra ick because everyone on the other side just skipped over "kid".

The thing is, it's established that Buck is the kid.

BObby, well we now know he thinks of him as a son. But since season 1 he routinely calls him and only him kid.

Athena obviously has maternal feelings for him.

Hen was his older sister before the real one came. She continues to do this with him even with Maddie.

Maddie.. Well she's a combination of Hen and Athena.

Chim. Older brother before becoming it. Who yes routinely referred to him as kid.

Even to Carla, he's Buckaroo. Heck, the inmates that kidnapped him. He called him kid. Kid is basically established lore to how he's viewed. And yes, they chose to have Tommy say that, and yes, it means something to me, especially when you through the put of place Daddy joke in.

I did mention it, quite a few times actually, but the way you phrased this made me think about the beginning of Buck and Abby actually. You made it click why the joke bothers me so much, because the thing is, the whole age difference was a thing that was made into a joke of sorts with Abby in the beginning, but it never happens in front of Buck or directly from Abby. Carla is in the background calling Buck a boytoy and Abby a cougar, and it's supposed to be cute that Abby wants the hot firefighter who happens to be 16 years younger than her. But Abby is the main character, Buck exists to serve a purpose for her in s1, so he's isolated from the age difference comments, even though Buck keeps giving this boyish energy. Buck very much is the baby of the group. But when you think about Abby, Abby is conflicted by the age difference even though she ends up asking Buck out, so even though the age thing could be a problem, it's not what's actually exacerbating a power imbalance, the thing there is that Buck is more in it than Abby, the age there is not a deciding factor. But when you look at Tommy, the way he calls Buck kid, the way he, in a sense, is making decisions about what he thinks Buck is feeling, like kissing Buck out of nowhere or deciding Buck is not ready by himself and leaving him in the curb, a daddy kink joke directed a Buck as Buck opens up about his issues, ends up being dismissive in a, (I don't wanna say disturbing because it doesn't go that far, but my English is failing me and that's the only word I can think of) it's more than unsettling but it's not quite disturbing, but it leaves a weird taste in my mouth because Buck is never taken seriously, and he wants to be taken seriously so badly he ends up trying too hard and that just makes him crash harder, and, as someone who knows Buck and didn't see enough effort in establishing Tommy as someone who truly cares about him, the "God, I hope so" kinda sounds like he just wants to take advantage of that eagarness Buck has and that's not it. Like, it's so not it. And you may be right to some degree, we did see behind-the-scenes stuff with Lou in the hospital that didn't make the episode, so they made a choice to have that dinner happen that way. But the question is, do they know that joke could be received like that, or did they just think that would be a funny thing to throw in there no one would look at twice? Because the thing is, I don't like Tommy and it got to a point where I'm looking for things to hate, so I look at that in the worst way possible, but if we are assuming intention of creeping people out, we can't exist in a plane where everything about Tommy will be instantly received poorly by everyone, because the joke landed. It's only a problem when you think about it and it was placed there as a throwaway comment. Because, Buck and Abby, it's never supposed to come out as weird, even though Abby used her job to get Buck's number and Buck is still living in a frathouse, so are they trying to make Tommy seem as weird as he comes off to us or are we interpreting things in the worst possible way? There's a balance there that I can't seem to find yet, because the show didn't build enough of the relationship for me to look at it objectively and know.

[robinade]

I started watching the 9-1-1 pilot, like many others drawn to the siren song of canonical queer representation.

And there are so many things I did not expect considering how tumblr talks about this show

Abby as an actual main character right there in the pilot?? The way she gets talked about I thought she was a there and gone again minor character, damn. (Also, knowing she and Buck get together at some point: girl, congrats on your cougar moment 🙏)

Everyone's favorite sunshine boy Buck is deeply annoying. Like, I'm sure he shapes up but my god the Captain has SO much patience.

Athena absolutely deserved to punch Buck right where he stood. What an asshat.

Also I was not expecting THE wall baby thing to happen right in the pilot! Like holy shit!

Athena is not having a great day. To be fair, clearly her husband isn't either.

Damn, there is so much going on in this episode. You can tell it's a pilot because they had way too many ideas and they're throwing them all out there to see what sticks.…

Omg there's MORE. How the crap is this episode only halfway through.

Buck are you seriously banging the snake lady

Buck why

Wait why is SHE banging the guy who killed one of her snakes??

Ok he definitely deserved to get fired for that stunt but the sad puppy eyes are very compelling.

Buck saved Athena! Ok.... You're allowed to stay. For now.

I mean definitely acab but I can't resist Angela Bassett. She's so beautiful. I know she and Bobby get together eventually and let me tell you, that man is seriously out of his league with her. He better give head like a demon.

[televinita]

Top 100 Ladies of TV

Looking at old blog posts, many years ago I did a "100 favorite female characters" list, but I have met so many wonderful new ladies now that it is quite out of date and needs a major update to accommodate them. International Women’s Day seems like the perfect time to do so!

Only this time I'm restricting it to TV characters, or I will die of Overwhelm.

NOTE: This list is not in any kind of order, I just wrote them down as they came to mind. I considered alphabetical, but found it was nicer to keep everyone from a given show together. And rather than starting from scratch, I kept as much of the original list as I could and just added newer favorites on at the end, if you're wondering why some of these Very Old Fandoms are clustered at the top.

Rose Tyler (Doctor Who)

Donna Noble (Doctor Who)

Sarah Jane Smith (Doctor Who/The Sarah Jane Adventures)

Kimberly Hart (Power Rangers)

Katherine Hillard (Power Rangers)

Pamela Beesly Halpert (The Office)

Kelly Kapoor (The Office)

Angela Martin (The Office)

Amita Ramanujan (Numb3rs)

Abby Sciuto (NCIS

Ziva David (NCIS)

Abby Lockhart (ER)

Neela Rasgotra (ER)

Sarah Riley (ER)

Rachel Berry (Glee)

Quinn Fabray (Glee)

Tina Cohen-Chang, respect (Glee)

Marley Rose (Glee)

Juliet Burke (Lost)

Alex Rousseau (Lost)

Kensi Blye (NCIS: LA)

Nell Jones (NCIS: LA)

Marisol Delko (CSI: Miami)

Alexx Woods (CSI: Miami)

Calleigh DuQuesne (CSI: Miami)

Samantha Spade (Without a Trace)

Miranda Bailey (Grey's Anatomy)

Cristina Yang (Grey's Anatomy)

April Kepner (Grey's Anatomy)

Addison Forbes Montgomery (Grey's Anatomy/Private Practice)

Sara Sidle (CSI)

Jess Angell (CSI: NY)

Dana Scully (X-Files)

Summer Roberts (The O.C.)

Charlotte "Chuck" Charles (Pushing Daisies)

Olive Snook (Pushing Daisies)

Joan Girardi (Joan of Arcadia)

Kat Miller (Cold Case)

Tru Davies (Tru Calling)

Elaine Benes (Seinfeld)

Daphne Moon (Frasier)

Carla Espinosa (Scrubs)

Jordan Sullivan (Scrubs) -- it's either her or Ellie Torres from Cougar Town, real 6-of-1 situation

Donna Pinciotti (That 70s Show)

Jackie Burkhart (That 70s Show)

Kitty Forman (That 70s Show)

Kara Danvers (Supergirl)

Stephanie Tanner (Full/er House)

Grace Adler (Will & Grace)

Lexi Vaziri (Blood & Treasure)

Jaz Khan (The Brave)

Lux Cassidy (Life Unexpected)

Rachel Matheson (Revolution)

Julia Shumway (Under the Dome)

Nancy McKenna (L.A.'s Finest)

Paige Donohue (Scorpion)

Happy Quinn (Scorpion)

Max Black (2 Broke Girls)

Penelope Garcia (Criminal Minds)

Jennifer "JJ" Jareau (Criminal Minds)

Emily Prentiss (Criminal Minds)

Mae Jarvis (Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders)

Reba Hart (Reba)

Cheyenne Hart (Reba)

Jess Parker (Primeval)

Abby Maitland (Primeval)

Sansa Stark (Game of Thrones)

Tani Rey (Hawaii Five-0)

Kate Beckett (Castle)

Alexis Castle (Castle)

Kat Warbler (The Class) - FOREVER UPSET we were robbed of more than 22 eps of her snarky glory!

Ivy Lynn (Smash)

Elizabeth McCord (Madam Secretary herself)

Carrie Heffernan (i'm sorry i LOVE HER) (The King of Queens)

Frankie Heck (The Middle)

Sue Heck (The Middle)

Mindy Lahiri (The Mindy Project)

Lisa Miller (News Radio)

Beth of no apparent last name (NewsRadio)

Sabrina Spellman (the Teenage Witch, Good Version [WB])

Tia Landrey & Tamera Campbell (Sister, Sister) (I know it's rude but they're both aces and this way my list is secretly 101!)

Jade McKellan (Family Reunion)

Holly Tyler (What I Like About You)

Anathema Device (Good Omens)

Eve Baxter (Last Man Standing)

Sabina of no official last name (Siberia)

Ryan Clark (Off the Map)

Phoebe Buffay (Friends)

Monica Geller (Friends)

Rachel Greene (Friends)

Janine Teagues (Abbott Elementary)

Melissa Schemmenti (Abbott Elementary)

Barbara Howard (Abbott Elementary)

Ava Coleman (Abbot Elementary)

Molly Flynn (Mike & Molly, a terrible show made watchable by its women, though I only have room for 1 today)

Henrietta/Hetty Woodstone (Ghosts [CBS])

Shirley Bennett (Community)

Alex Russell (Maid)

Jenny Hoyt (Big Sky)

Cassie DeWell (Big Sky)

In conclusion:

[kepleia]

i havent been here but know the latest ep killed me and gave me life all in the space of 40 minutes

[the-loststone]

I suppose the major theme for this season is mortality. 

Murphy wants what the Primes have, which is immortality because he fears death and the possibility of going to hell. 

Abby wants Kane to live even if it goes against his own beliefs because of her inability to let go of someone else she loves. 

Madi wants revenge for losing the last tether she had to her life, childhood and family. Clarke was all she had after she watched the radiation kill her entire village. They lived alone together for 6 years with Clarke acting as a parent to Madi. 

Bellamy faced the prospect of losing Clarke again and when he saw that she survived he would do anything to save her... again (reoccurring theme here, writers aren’t even being subtle anymore)

Jordan is experiencing death for the first time and is having a hard time processing it. He didn’t have to see his parents die, but knew that going under the ice meant he wouldn’t see them again. He was able to understand it, but in the context of two people having lived the life they wanted and died of natural causes. This is the first time he is actually experiencing death when it is sudden and unexpected. 

Clarke is facing her desire to die and her depression. 

Octavia might be immortal considering that anomaly spit her out all brand new and shiny. 

The Primes all represent some aspect of this; the inability to process loss, the fear of death, the desire for death, and being unable to let go. 

[p-redux]

Since so many people have asked for it already, is there any way you can post the Sam girlfriends timeline on your blog? Or would that bring trouble from ES lurking here? Thanks.

Hi Anon, I have gotten a bunch of requests for this in Asks, Comments, and DM's, I'm too tired to do a full retrospective with exact dates, picture and video proof, etc (it's all out there), BUT I will do a sort of summarized general timeline. As for trouble from ES lurking...that's never stopped me. Hahahaha.

Amy Shiels: Sam and Amy starred in the movie "Young Alexander" in 2003. The movie didn't get released for like 10 years. They seem to have been FWB (Friends With Benefits) on and off 2003 until 2014. For more info, search hashtag #AmyShiels and #TheBarbieWars #BarbieWars #Samy. Confirmed dated, but most likely FWB. More on Amy down below.

Abbie Salt: First met around 2011, when Sam filmed "A Princess for Christmas" with Abbie's sister, actress, Charlotte Salt. They dated briefly then.  For more info, search hashtag #AbbieSalt #Sabbie. Confirmed dated. More on Abbie down below.

Katie Rebekah Osborne: Dated before 2012, broke up when Sam left London to tour with Batman Live and Katie moved from London to Australia. For more info, search hashtag #KatieRebekah #KatieR. Confirmed Dated.

Amy Shiels: After being on and off for years, Amy went with Sam to the premiere of Outlander in New York in July 2014. Then when Sam went to L.A. where Amy lives in Sept. 2014, after Outlander Season 1 filming ended. Amy and Sam were photographed out on dates... until Sam met another petite blonde, Cody Kennedy in Oct. 2014. For more info, search hashtag #AmyShiels and #TheBarbieWars #BarbieWars #Samy. Confirmed Dated.

Cody Kennedy: October 2014 to sometime in January 2015. For more info, search hashtag #CodyKennedy #TheBarbieWars #BarbieWars #Sody. Confirmed dated.

Abbie Salt: When Sam went back to the UK for the holidays Dec. 2014,Jan. 2015, he met up with Abbie again and they rekindled their romance. Cody went bye-bye and Abbie and Sam dated from around February 2015 to November 2015. For more info, search hashtag #AbbieSalt #Sabbie. Confirmed dated.

Mackenzie Mauzy: Sam's longest committed relationship was with actress/singer, Mackenzie Mauzy. They dated from around March 2016 (first seen together by my eyewitness source holding hands at the Guns N Roses concert in L.A. April 1, 2016) to some time in 2018. For more info, search hashtag #MackenzieMauzy #Samzie. Confirmed dated.

After Mackenzie, Sam seems to have dated a variety of different women and does not seem to have been involved in another exclusive relationship.

So for 2018 to the present, 2021, here are the women Sam has been seen with (not in chronological order, since I can't remember exact dates and I'm not going to go searching). I'll post the women's name and the hashtag to search under for more info:

Pretty Blonde with Sam at Nobu London opening #NobuMysteryBlonde #NobuMysteryWoman Unconfirmed whether that was his plus one date for the event or a PR person. Has never been identified by name as far as I know. Fandom CSI fail. Unconfirmed dated.

Hayley Helene #tunagate girl #HayleyHelene. Not confirmed they dated, but she was on the boat with him during #tunagate so people assumed. Unconfirmed dated.

Danielle Kling #DanielleKling, woman he met in Hawaii. Also most likely the woman with the braids spotted with Sam in Scotland later on. Fan posted a pic. Confirmed dated.

Christina Ochoa: #ChristinaOchoa #Samtina, picture of them holding hands...at an airport, I think. Confirmed dated.

Georgia Ellenwood: #GeorgiaEllenwood #Samgia Spent time together in Chicago, he also went to one of her meets in NY, she posted IG story with Sam. Pretty much confirmed dated.

Hannah James: #HannahJames #Samnah #Jamieva #PlotTwist.  Recently received source confirmation that Sam and Hannah did indeed date, I think sometime 2018 or 2019.  MORE on Hannah down below.

Gia Marie: #GiaMarie #MissGia #G #Gia #MissGiaMarie #GiaSam #Hawaiigate Pic of them with their arms around each other walking on Malibu Pier, both posted from weekend getaway to Del Mar or Big Sur, can’t remember which one it was, I think it was Del Mar. Anyhoo, they went away together for a weekend getaway at a beach town in CA before they spent weeks in Hawaii together. Both posted from quarantine in Hawaii. Confirmed dated.

Anna Longford: #AnnaLongford #A #AH Mutually followed on Instagram. She lives near London, but posted from Scotland a lot, when Sam was there. He also was in London when she was there. Speculation simply because same place, same time, they mutually follow, and she’s the type he usually goes for--pretty, sporty, blonde. Complete speculation and unconfirmed dated.

Hannah James: #HannahJames #Samnah #Jamieva #PlotTwist. Both Sam and Hannah have been in Los Angeles, specifically Malibu recently. I have source confirmation that Sam was in L.A. still as of Friday. Not sure if he’s still here or not. But as of Friday, Sept. 3, 2021, he was. Received 100% CONFIRMATION from a trusted person that Sam and Hannah did indeed date sometime starting in 2018-2019. We had all suspected but it had never been confirmed, now it is. Seems like they may still see each other when they can. That part is unconfirmed. But they for sure dated in the past. Pic of them looking cozy together. Comments from mutual friends that would not know Hannah if not for Sam. The only connection is Sam. Confirmed dated.

So, that’s all folks...unless I forgot someone. Sam has had some exclusive, committed relationships and has also dated casually...sounds like a NORMAL MAN to me. 

PS. Anyone come at me with any negative comments about Sam and I will blast you. Sam is 41, gorgeous, rich, famous, and a nice guy, given all that, he could have dated 100 times the amount of women by now. By Hollywood standards, he’s, dare I say it? A monk, hahahaha. Like I’ve said before, he should date more, expand his horizons...try a cougar perhaps. Ahem. ;-)

[plainvanillapotato]

the 100 diaries S1 E12

quarantine diaries: may 26 2020

season 1 episode 12: “We Are Grounders: Part I”

🎶“we are [grounders] bum ba dum bum bum bum bum”🎶...i cant be the only one. don’t lie to me like that. you thought it too huh?

“look inside. find your peace” - jaha (1:45) spittin some uncle iroh wise talk here. while also being like YOLO. live it up bitches cuz we all gone die. 

wait did he say commander. so anya isn’t top dog. please tell me my killmonger theory is right. cuz if so this will officially become the best show ever!

haha they really expect me to believe that they killed finn off screen. bitch i think not

what is this star wars? with this chain? clarke is no princess leia.

murphy. big yikes. he’s killing more of the 100 than the grounders. and jasper is just like cool. cool. cool. cool. trying to pretend that he didn’t just see murphy straight up murder that guy

there is no way that these smucks are going to win against the grounders. with this internal conflict. i think not.

this really just turned into a hostage situation. how would have thought. not me. this show constantly just throws in these random situations and i love it. but murphys character just keeps getting worse the more i watch. murphy just stop. just fucking stop it.

waht the hell is that hose clarke is riding. it kinda looks like a thestral to me just minus the wings

plot armor is strong with finn. but i shouldnt be surprised considering that its apparently going to be a wild ride with finns character development

licoln!!! how do these grounders still trust lincoln? also i wish we saw from licolns POV trying to save finn cuz that had to have been epic. did he really all do this for octavia tho? man is whipped for octavia. but is she worth it tho. what does she bring to the table? ***yeah yeah yeah i know that he doing because “what his people are doing to there people is wrong” or whatever but really tho we know this is all for octavia’s pussy.

a mine or is this the cave to two lovers. because i really here for it.

wow is there a slight hint of a romance between abby and jackson. ok cougar. if anyone is questioning me on they’re little heart to heart scene starts on 14:40 and by the end of if jackson is really up in abby’s personal space. plus they might as well because yolo

jasper is not worth trading in prettyboy bellamy.  

“you people are so soft”- lincoln (20:50) and i agree these spacers are gonna get absolutely destroyed by the grounders. like they can’t even keep the peace within their own people. fucking murphy.

honestly bellamy has a lot of faith in raven and jasper to save him during this hostage situation. i could never. 

without bellamy or clakre. the 100 are dead cuz they really didn’t give any characteristics to any of the the other kids in the 100

“we can make bomb.” jasper has its priorities straight. nooo save bellamy first then we can talk bombs.

aaw murphy just wants empathy. **gag** murphy is emo boi went wrong

that cute little family video with clark and wells. giving jaha nostalgia and ideas of how to save his people. but imagine if these to be in modern times. ppl would really be rewatching old vines and tiktoks

headcanon for murphy: murphy is definitely into BDSM. he is waaay too into hanging bellamy to convince me otherwise.

reapers?! bro y’all better get outta there. they look like straight up savages. yeah dont fuck with them

i dont know lincoln that well but this seem a little OOC for him. like really all this is for octavia??? she really that good in bed that youre willing to help her friends against these terrifying motherfucking savages and your girl isn’t even here to see this all happen. hmmmm.. also lets all remember the time that lincoln stabbed finn. now they’re best buds i guess. but at the same time clarke and finn are a little too okay with sending lincoln to his death 

mario cart with a dead but also alive body...this better be important and not just some random plot point that they just threw in here for the ‘wtf is happening’ asthestic but that is never explained

ooo kill’em finn. really resourceful with that rock. no gun. no problem. honestly tho. this show talks a lot about guns but then majority of the deaths we see are not gun related at all. im thinking rn and i cannot come with a single character that has died by a gun shot yet.....

bellamy nooo.. i know he as plot armor but i really don’t wanna see my boy be hanging like that

these guns running out of bullets is a big trope in the show. and im tried of it. 

“i swear to god, the more we learn about this place, the less we know”- clarke (33:57) gurl same. literally when i think i know where his show is going bam! explosion. bam! weird plot point. bam! you thought this character was dead.. sike bam! bam! bam!

finn said “i love you im in love with you.” (34:42) what a time to proclaim your love right after killing a reaper. also its been what less than a month? 90 day fiance who? big ed who? im sorry i keep linking finn with big ed but  the two really be sharing similar hair cuts

the hug between bellamy and jasper my heart. the bromance!! but lets go find monty please!! bring my boy home!!

i just love how during bellamy’s big speech finn was like im thirsty and just grabbed some water. (you don’t believe me do you. timestamp is 37:30. yep i got the receipts) but dude same. i truly wonder tho if that was written in the script of if finn’s actor just took creative freedom. maybe it was done to parallel the fact that finn is thirsty boi wanting raven and clarke at the same time.

reminder: stay hydrated. this is a psa to if you are reading this you are obligated to drink some water. **Cheers to our thirsty boi finn!!

Clarke really be here overriding bellamy’s little speech i love how she started on the high note pretending to agree with bellamy then was like actually tho i disagree. we need to go

these adults/parents are really as chaotic as their kids with this plan of using the ark. 

[keplei]

so abby’s a cougar now?

[significantfoliage]

BRUH IM ONE MINUTE INTO THIS EP AND ALREADY GOTTA YELL, 911 EP 6:

- I WOULD STRAIGHT UP KILL ANY BITCH WHO DID A PROPOSAL LIKE THIS WHAT THE FUCK GUY

- at least he's fucking up a golf course, mad support for that

- gonna need my man buck to Google St Valentine lol

- THEY MADE A FUCKING IMPALED HEAD CAKE LMAOOOOOOOO

- oh hey, the rest of the fire fighters!! It cracks me up when I see them like they're not important enough (or maybe broken enough 🤔) to be part of the found family

- I like really want someone to drop a cougar line on Buck but Only while Abby isn't here

- i really want to know how Chimney came to be known as Chimney. Is that his actual name or a fire station nickname?

- THANK YOU HEN FOR GIVING THE AFFECTIONATE DRAGGING BUCK DESERVES! HELL YEAH EVERYBODY GETTING ON IT

- who is Ted who is this woman, is this one of the emergencies what is happening, oh he's an asshole damn.

- girl I am so worried did she kill Ted

- WELL SHE'S ABOUT TO, DANG OKAY

- okay okay bobby tying buck's tie is fucking adorable

- Bobby is doing the right thing but also Abby deserves to get dicked down

- oopsie lost a bunch of notes

- anyways crazy killer girl is interesting. Athena truly is having a Night

- love that the dude let Buck taste the wine when he like clearly has little to know wine knowledge

- their fucking internal thoughts are so funny. Also can't believe he managed to fuck up eating bread. And water. This badly. Literally like bro how did you do that

- I hate when people spectate at these scenes like I get it but why does no one usher them away

- love that this episode isn't just romance stuff but also very specific injury names, even in jest

- okay now I'm just kinda impressed/entertained by Melora's ability to kill and attract a bunch of people to her house

- real wish Athena had just. Radioed for help instead of grabbing her gun in the bathroom.

- can't believe there's a Third woman involved in this

- definitely a problem with the depiction of people with psychosis as violent killers but well acted

- they joked about the having the worst first date while hunting for her mom and basically cursed themselves to have an Even Worse actual date

[calm-studios]

Chapter 12

“I think that I want it It’s all I really need You say that you want it Just tell it straight to me”

A loud shrill noise snaps my eyes open and I groan, blinking my eyes to adjust the sleepy blur from them.

I rub them with my thumb and forefinger, trying to wipe the heaviness from them, and wince at the continued ringing.

Ashton grumbles in his sleep, burying his head further into the crook of my neck with his arm slumped over me.

I sigh heavily, slowly moving his arm off of me, to which he grumbles again, muttering under his breath and I fight the urge to smile.

I slink out of the bed from under the sheets slowly, padding quickly to where my phone is on top of my clothes, picking it up and quickly swiping to answer it to stop the god awful sound.

“Hello?” I croak, still groggy from sleep.

“Abigail Reed did you just wake up?” my mother’s incredulous tone shrieks through the speaker, and I pull the phone from my ear, flinching at the shrill of her voice.

“What time is it?” I ask, squinting around Ashton’s room to try and see a clock somewhere.

“It’s almost midday!” She scolds.

Midday?! My eyes snap wide as I look at Ashton in the bed.

How long did we sleep for?

“Sorry” I sigh “I had a late night”

I walk back to the bed, sitting where I had crawled out of moments earlier, and jolt in shock when I feel Ashton’s arm wrap around my hips as he nuzzles his face against me.

I gawk down at him, flicking my eyes back and forth between his arm and face.

It’s almost comical, seeing someone that usually seems like a dangerous cougar curled up against me like a harmless kitten.

“What on earth were you doing? You have responsibilities Abigail, you’re an adult, you can not be up until all hours of the night” she says, not at all trying to hide how unimpressed she is.

Actually I’m pretty sure being an adult means I can do that, but whatever.

“I know mother” I mutter, feeling way too drained to deal with her lectures when I haven’t even been awake for five minutes.

“Excuse me young lady? You will not use that tone with me” she snaps.

I bite down on my cheek, exhaling a slow breath.

“M’sorry, I just have a headache” I lie, apologising to her like I always do.

“Well have a glass a of water and don’t take it out on your poor mother” she scoffs.

“I will” I promise withy shoulders slumping “Sorry again”

Ashton groans, lifting his head and squinting up at me with one eye open “Morning” he rasps still half asleep, his voice thick and hoarse.

I grip my phone tighter in my hand, to the point I think I may crush it, shit I forgot how good he sounded when he first woke up.

“Abby? What was that? Is Andy there?” my mother prods, her voice piquing at her usual nosey nature.

Fuck.

Fuck fuck fuck.

Ashton rolls onto his back, stretching his arms above his head, and let’s out a dramatic yawn that sounds like damn bear.

“Uh, yeah that was Andy” I lie, trying to hide the stress in my voice.

I glance to Ashton, who has paused with his arms still outstretched, looking at me with a raise of his brow.

I’m considering throwing myself out of his window when a slow sly smirk pulls on to his lips.

Whatever is going through that brain of yours right now Ashton — don’t you dare.

“Oh wonderful, give him the phone, let me say hello to him” she says all chipper.

FUCK.

“Uh Uhm — uh he can’t talk on the phone at the moment” I stutter, feeling all the colour drain from my face.

“Oh” I can already picture the dramatic pout on her face “Well at least tell him I said Hello”

I press my hand to my forehead, believing that the rate my heart is going is indicating an oncoming heart attack.

I look to Ashton, silently pleading him with my eyes to not do whatever that fucking smirk means “Mum says hello”

He lifts his brows, his smirk turning into a lazy smile while his head is pillowed on his arms folded behind his head “Hey mum”

My shoulders relax, and I give him a silent thank you.

“Is he sick Abby? He sounds different” she asks, the frown evident in her voice.

“Uh — Yeah he has the flu” I blurt, cursing silently under my breath.

“Ow I hope he gets better soon the poor thing, ask him how he’s been for me”

Typical of my mother, even though I said he couldn’t talk on the phone, she always finds a way to get what she wants. For fuck sake.

I swear she likes him more than she likes her own daughter.

I press my lips together flatly, giving Ashton a ’please help me‘ look “Mum wants to know how you’ve been?”

Ashton turns his face to rest his cheek against his arm, looking up to me innocently “I’ve still been a massive pussy”

My jaw nearly dislocates from how fast it drops, and he scoffs out a laugh through his nose, pressing his lips together to try and hold it in.

“What was that?” my mother asks.

I grab the pillow behind me, smacking it over Ashton’s face “He said he’s still been really busy” I squeak, the stress cracking my voice.

Ashton’s muffled cackles rumble through the pillow and I press it down harder.

“Always working so hard that boy is, you’re lucky to have someone as driven as him Abigail, you could learn a lot from him” my mother praises, but I don’t miss the underhanded insult she always manages to slip in.

“Yeah” I say through my teeth, glaring at Ashton as he pulls the pillow from his face, grinning childishly at me with his messy curls sticking up all over the place.

“Look mum, I have to go, can I call you back later?” I plead, considering smashing my phone against the wall so I don’t have to keep this up any longer.

“That’s fine” she snips “Maybe you can fix your attitude by the time you call back”

I press my hand to my face, squeezing my eyes closed “Yes mum, I’m really sorry, I promise I’ll call back later”

“You better” she warns “I’ll speak to later Abigail, and for god sake don’t let me find you waking up at this time of day again that’s just pure laziness”

“I won’t” I promise “Bye mum”

I hang up before I give her a chance to speak, knowing I won’t hear the end of it when I speak to her next, but I’ll take that over continuing this train wreck one second longer.

I look to Ashton, who is still laying there happy as a pig in shit, and I toss my phone on the bed in front of me “Really Ashton?”

He yawns again, bringing his arms down to rub against his against his exposed stomach “Your mum sounds nice” he says not trying in the slightest to hide his sarcasm.

I frown at him, fighting to keep my eyes on his face and not looking at his lean tattoo covered torso, his body should come with its own warning label for the side affects it has on your health “You just couldn’t help yourself could you?”

Ashton shrugs his shoulders, looking pleased with himself “I think I played your boyfriend pretty accurately if you ask me love”

I glare at him, even more irritated that he looks so damn gorgeous just laying there, the prick.

I shake my head in annoyance, turning to pull myself off of the bed, but I’m stopped when Ashton grasps my arm, pulling me down against him as he wraps his arms around my torso, turning us so my shoulders are pressed against his chest.

“And where do you think you’re going?” he asks smiling against my ear, his voice sinful and hoarse.

My stomach knots and my heart is back to hammering a hundred mile an hour “I need to get dressed Ashton, I need to go” I say, kicking myself mentally for how unconvincing I sounded.

Ashton clicks his tongue in disapproval, tightening his arms around me “I just got you here Abby, you don’t get to run off that easily”

“Ashton” I huff, placing my hands over his arms “I literally stayed here last night, I need to go home”

He burrows his face against the crook of my neck, his lips hovering against my skin as he speaks “Do you know what I need?”

I know doing this is stupid, but for some reason I ask any way “What?”

“I’ll give you a guess” he murmurs, nudging his nose against my jaw. He shifts his hips forward, and when I feel the hard buldge the thin material or his sweatpants is doing nothing to conceal, press against my behind, my entire body seizes.

“Ashton!” I gasp distressed, gripping my hands around his arms harder.

A low groan rattles deep in Ashtons chest, and he presses himself further against me “Don’t say my name like that Abby, you’re already making this hard enough for me” he grinds his hips forward, stilling them after a few seconds “And I mean that literally”

“Ha-Ashton, we can’t — you said, you said last night nothing would happen” I stammer, again being completely betrayed by my body.

Every inche of my skin is tingling, feeling like static is flowing over it and there’s that unmistakable heat pooling deep in my belly.

“What’s wrong little mouse? Feeling tempted?” he purrs against my ear, pressing his hardness against me again in slow circular motions.

I’m like a cat using up my nine lives with this, I’m almost down to my last one, and I don’t know how much longer I can say no to him.

“Please Ashton” I beg losing my breath “I need to go”

I can’t help but run away from these situations with him, it’s the only defence I have, I know if he tugged at my strings long enough they would snap.

Ashton chuckles under his breath, like he’s finding some sick amusement out of this cat and mouse game he plays with me.

He presses his lips to my neck, and I let out an involuntary sigh at the feel of his silky lips branding my skin again.

“You could just stop torturing yourself and give in” he says against my skin, unwinding one of his arms from my waist and grasping my chin.

He turns my face, lifting his lips to hover against the corner of my mouth “Because I know I’m not the only one this is driving insane”

I close my eyes, shaking my head knowing I don’t have it in me to speak. It’s like everytime I’m around him he strips another layer of my resolve away.

He pecks the corner of my mouth, pulling away to roll onto his back, and I stay stilled on my side, trying to recover from yet again having it feel like he reached straight into me and set my soul in fire, melting every organ in my body.

I slowly drag myself to sit up, dropping my legs over the edge over the bed, and peek at him over my shoulder.

I’m confused by the look on his face, I expected him to be annoyed. I expected the look I get from Andy the few times I’ve turned him down or told him I didn’t feel like it, and most of the time he managed to guilt me into giving in any way.

He his laying there staring up at me, with a lazy half smile, looking satisfied and a prideful affection glint in his eyes “You better get going then love” he slides his hand under the cover, and I gulp when I see the blanket shift over his crotch “I have something to take care of, but you’re welcome to stay and help”

I shoot up from the bed, keeping my eyes focused on the brick wall in front of me with my back to him “No, no I’m going”

I start taking hasty steps towards the bathroom but I pause when I hear Ashton’s voice behind me.

“Aren’t you for getting something Abby?”

I turn on my heel cautiously, only to see him toss the key at me with his bottom lip tucked under perfect pearlescent teeth.

I fumble to catch it, glancing from it in my hand and back to Ashton. He raises his brows, releasing his lower lip and my shoulders tense when I see his hand moving slowly under the covers “You can watch if you want darling”

I snap my head from side to side frantically, shaking it as I suck in a breath and turn, scampering towards the bathroom.

I swing the door shut behind me, pressing my hands to my face to try and sooth the burning of my cheeks.

I almost guarantee he did it on purpose, as I tried hopelessly to get dressed only hearing the sounds of his grunts and moans coming from the other side of the door. It travelled through my ears straight down to pool in an aching throb between my legs, and I felt guilty for even listening to it.

I feel like I’ve already cheated on Andy, whilst I haven’t technically done anything physically sexual with Ashton, he’s managed to blur the lines into a grey area of infidelity I can’t explain.

I feel disloyal for the temptation I have towards him, like I’ve already committed the crime the minute I was close to him.

What I’ve done feels much worse than if I had of just slept with him, the intimacy behind the things that have happened between us seeming to be a much deeper betrayal

I’m a terrible person.

I hate myself even more because I know that I just can’t stay away, especially after last night, I’m tangled right in that web I was so scared I’d get trapped in, and I walked straight into it willingly.

Carving his name into my skin and feeling consumed by it.

I can’t go back now, and I have no idea what I’m going to do.

[lover-of-mine]

I love the fact you have your reactions in the blog as you watched 9-1-1 it has to very fun to go back and see the progression from oh a fun show to watch to well the obsession it landed it us haha

I'm going back now and I just found a post I made while watching the pilot asking about Buck and the accidental queer coding of it all and possible queerbaiting allegations I had seen around the show before watching and I'm legit laughing hysterically. That man is bi. The queer coding was real lol. The way I keep calling Eddie pretty boy from step up, Maddie ghost whisperer, and Abby miss cougar is actually so funny to me. I had no idea what I was signing up to. They were just some firefighters kspakpkspskpskspa on March 22 2022 I decided to watch a show now they are one third of my personality, I am happy I decided to live blog my reactions, it really is so fun to go back.

[dameedna]

John Prine, a wry and perceptive writer whose songs often resembled vivid short stories, died Tuesday in Nashville from complications related to COVID-19. His death was confirmed by his publicist, on behalf of his family. He was 73 years old.

Prine was hospitalized last week after falling ill and put on a ventilator Saturday night, according to a statement from his family.

Music Features

John Prine's Songs Saw The Whole Of Us

Even as a young man, Prine — who famously worked as a mailman before turning to music full-time — wrote evocative songs that belied his age. With a conversational vocal approach, he quickly developed a reputation as a performer who empathized with his characters. His beloved 1971 self-titled debut features the aching "Hello In There," written from the perspective of a lonely elderly man who simply wants to be noticed, and the equally bittersweet "Angel From Montgomery." The latter song is narrated by a middle-aged woman with deep regrets over the way her life turned out, married to a man who's merely "another child that's grown old."

Bestowing dignity on the overlooked and marginalized was a common theme throughout Prine's career; he became known for detailed vignettes about ordinary people that illustrated larger truths about society. One of his signature songs, "Sam Stone," is an empathetic tale of a decorated veteran who overdoses because he has trouble readjusting to real life after the war. (Prine has said he based the protagonist around friends who were Vietnam War veterans, and also soldiers he encountered during his own two-year stint as an Army mechanic.)

Tiny Desk

John Prine: Tiny Desk Concert

Like "Sam Stone," many of Prine's songs also had an uncanny ability to address (if not predict) the societal and political zeitgeist. The understated 1984 song "Unwed Fathers" illustrates pernicious double standards pertaining to gender: The titular group "can't be bothered / They run like water, through a mountain stream," while the young women they impregnate are shamed and face consequences. Recorded for John Prine, "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore" criticizes people who use piety and patriotism as a cover for supporting an unjust war — a theme he'd revisit on 2005's "Some Humans Ain't Human," which pulls no punches slamming both hypocritical people and the Iraq War started by George W. Bush.

             John Prine: In Memoriam                        

But like fellow songwriting iconoclast Shel Silverstein, Prine also cloaked his pointed commentary within whimsical wordplay. "Some Humans Ain't Human" claims that inside the heart of these turncoats is "a few frozen pizzas, some ice cubes with hair and a broken Popsicle," while "Dear Abby" has a lilting, rollicking rhythm to its verses, as it gently chides advice-column complainers to count their blessings. "Bruised Orange (Chain of Sorrow)" uses both absurdity (an altar boy struck by a train) and the mundane (a bench makeout) to encourage people to stay positive and have gratitude.

And "Christmas In Prison" boasts one of his best lyrics — "She reminds me of a chess game with someone I admire" — while embodying his quiet irreverence. "It's about a person being somewhere like a prison, in a situation they don't want to be in, and wishing they were somewhere else," he wrote in the liner notes to 1993's Great Days: The John Prine Anthology, adding that "I used all the imagery as if it were an actual prison. ... And being a sentimental guy, I put it at Christmas."

Prine was born on October 10, 1946, to parents with strong family ties to Paradise, Kentucky, a place that later served as the backdrop to "Paradise," his cautionary tale about a coal country town destroyed and discarded by corporate interests.

Raised in Maywood, a suburb of Chicago,, the young Prine devoured 45s from Buddy Holly, Johnny Cash and Little Richard, and soaked up the country music his father loved, such as Hank Williams Sr., Ernest Tubb and Roy Acuff. More crucially, Prine learned rudimentary guitar skills from his oldest brother, Dave, a folk fan who memorably gifted him a Carter Family LP. "I learned all those songs," he told NPR's Terry Gross in 2018. "And not too long after that, I started writing when I was 14. And my melodies always came out like old-timey country stuff." Around this time, Prine also started to learn finger-picking by playing songs by Elizabeth Cotten and Mississippi John Hurt, he added: "I'd sit in the closet in the dark in case I ever went blind, to see if I could play."

Although Prine also started taking guitar lessons at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music starting in fall 1963, he still wasn't considering pursuing music as a full-time career. In fact, he was working as a mailman and playing gigs at night on the side when a generous live review from critic Roger Ebert in late 1970 boosted his reputation in Chicago's nascent folk scene. A record deal with Atlantic Records came in early 1971, after then-executive Jerry Wexler saw Prine perform three songs during a Kris Kristofferson set at the Bottom Line in New York City.

               John Prine, hanging out at Georgia State College in 1975.                                                            

                                           Tom Hill/WireImage                

Prine received a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist in 1972, on the strength of his debut, and started turning out records at a brisk pace for the rest of the 1970s. Almost immediately, his songs were covered by other artists: Bonnie Raitt did a version of "Angel From Montgomery" (as did John Denver and Tanya Tucker), while Bette Midler, Everly Brothers, Swamp Dogg and, later, the Highwaymen also recorded Prine-penned songs.

Being in the spotlight didn't come naturally. "I had a difficult time listening back to them because I was so nervous," he told Fresh Air about his early records. "I didn't expect to do this for a living, be a recording artist. I was just playing music for the fun of it and writing songs to ... that was kind of my escape, you know, from the humdrum of the world."

But Prine's early success allowed him to start approaching his career on his own terms. With manager Al Bunetta, he formed the independent label Oh Boy Records in 1981, launching it with a Christmas single, "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus." Prine slowed down his output in the '80s and '90s but expanded his sonic purview, co-writing "Jackie O" with John Cougar Mellencamp for the latter's hit 1983 LP Uh-Huh and collaborating with members of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers for his 1991 album The Missing Years, which won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album. (Prine also won in the same category for 2005's Fair & Square.)

Starting in the mid-'90s, Prine also dealt with several serious health issues. He had a cancerous tumor in his neck removed in 1996, successfully beat lung cancer in 2013 and had a heart stent implanted in 2019. In 2018, he admitted to NPR's Terry Gross that his 1996 cancer surgery changed his voice.

"It dropped down lower, and it feels friendlier to me," he said. "So I can actually sit in the studio and listen to my singing play back. Before, I'd run the other way." He debuted his new voice — which did feel a bit rougher of comfort, like a rock swathed in moss — with 1999's In Spite of Ourselves, which featured duets on covers with female artists such as Iris DeMent, Patty Loveless and Lucinda Williams. He released a kindred-spirit sequel in 2016, For Better, or Worse, that also featured DeMent, in addition to duets with contemporary artists Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves and Morgane Stapleton.

               John Prine at the Edison Hotel in Times Square, 1999.                                                            

                                           New York Daily News Archive/NY Daily News via Getty Images                

Prine's career received another boost more recently, too, after his work was championed by modern Americana acts such as Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires — two artists with whom Prine collaborated — Sturgill Simpson and Margo Price. In 2019, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the year after releasing The Tree of Forgiveness, his first album of all-new original songs since Fair & Square. The album featured co-writes with Dan Auerbach and long-time foils Pat McLaughlin and Keith Sykes, and debuted at No. 5 on Billboard's Top 200.

The Tree of Forgiveness ends with a song called "When I Get to Heaven," a detailed look at what Prine said he intended to do after he dies: start a band, see dearly departed family members, order a cocktail, shake God's hand and encourage rampant forgiveness. (In a nod to his usual wry streak, he also said he'd enjoy a cigarette that's "nine miles long.") The lyrics are sentimental and freewheeling, making it clear that Prine planned to keep the good times going up in heaven. It's likely that the song was intended to be a winking bit of foreshadowing about his own mortality, although now, perhaps it's better interpreted as Prine providing a blueprint for how to live life with gusto while you're still here.

[joshdan20]

Beginning

First of all, get acquainted, you okay with that? Me, it's Brandon, I'm 22 years old and I'm what we can call a hybrid, because I'm born from a wolf and a she-bear. Weird as blend, but you will talk about this with my parents.

Oh! I almost forget... I'm a lycanthrope, in another way, a werewolf. Not easy to hide, you will say? But, not at all, I don't worry anymore about this, even more... I really don't care.

At the moment I'm talking, it's September. The last month, at a conference about paranormal in Salem, I made a statement in front of all the gathering. As the meeting attracts more and more, year after year, the media don't hesitate to come over (they have anything better to do, anyway...)

My speech was so intense, so exhilarating, I have another boner now: "Goodnight everybody, my name's Brandon but you can call me Brad... If I am on this rostrum tonight, it's that I have an important announcement to make at America: I'm a werewolf (predictable laughs of the audience.) I'm asking your attention, please. (Return of the silence.) Thank you. Now, you're probably asking: Am I crazy? Am I stone? Am I dumb? Maybe I'm dumb but I'm not crazy so... starting now, I'm not going to tell you anything to you but I will show you."

This way, I'm coming down of the rostrum, I'm bringing forward of the scene, I'm taking out my shirt, creating applause in the gathering. And that, I'm starting my transformation and now, applause became yelling.

How can I give you an equivalent at my metamorphosis? OK, wait... I need to found a picture... In fact, billions of people have seen a small Bruce Brunner change into Hulk.

And when you're not prepared to this, it's just something of very weird to see (for my fellow, it's rather common that see again a hundred times your favorite movie.)

Result: conference cancelled, my arrest for disorderly and a tremendous buzz on the net. A very pleasant night, I can say...

After several days on jail, I was released. As a result, I took the opportunity for hitting the road as soon as possible: I drew a little attention, well, more than usual.

And then, I want to have some rest because I was jostled in all directions (Caution: I was talking at the literal sense of the term.) Although I've earned a superhuman strength becoming werewolf, my small tall will always remember this: “Genetics can be a slut and you will feel it.”

Luckily for me, Marie, my Cherie amour, was there for support me and also for bear me (You got it? Sorry but I had to made it this one.) When I revealed my little particularity, it didn't make her scare but rather fascinated. So, she confessed to me her little secret: she's a witch, descendant of Medusa. That explains scales and viper tongue in this pussy body (warning guys, there isn't any afterthought.) We are enough unlikely as couple... but like what, birds of a feather flock together.

Fortunately for two us, we could find a good place to set up, situated on a little calm place on Miami (1691 Chilly Ave to be more specific.) Further to an advertisement on the net, we have responded to the call all and the meet has gone well (we saw again an old friend, that shows how.)

Then, we had to found work: my Cherie, have found a little job on a spa while me, I have become a police agent. Quite cliché, you will say but, for blend in, we didn't found a better idea.

During a moment, I'm talking about myself but I above all don't forget my roommates. Let me introduce you: first of all, there is June, the old friend concerned. Marie and I know her because it's the ex of former friends of mine. Although this point, we're on good terms. Side physics, it's a Northern pygmy owl of medium height. Side personality, I found her radiant, friendly, always good at giving advice and vibrant, even a little too (the fault at celibacy? Maybe...)

Then, here comes Daniel. And despite the fact that it's a cougar, he became quickly my best buddy. Like that, dogs and cats can get on very well. The thing about him (in addition to being French,) he tends to overplay his emotions. For giving you an example, one day, as we refused to give him a cookie, he curled up into a ball and moaned himself during 2 hours. If, finally, he had only one, spending 2 hours for this, he has balls, this bastard!

Abby, her, she is a case very distinct. She can't stand me; I don't wanna stand her. As a result, we make cutting remarks between two us regularly. Being a bassarisk, I enjoy nicknaming her "ringtail"; what makes her piss up. It must said that Skipper have influenced me a lot. But I'm not an isolated case for her, because "Ringtail" loves spend her time to badmouth and hurting on everybody, without exception. Her devise is: Slut and proud to be!

Little overview: one day, I surprised her making fun about Marie's look. At exemplary boyfriend, I defended her but she cut me, saying to me: "Don't take trouble to this. Here too, I'm nice." I swear to you, it made stop me dead. It was like I’d been missing something, I even would ask what the plot is but I preferred stay quiet. One thing’s clear; I’ll never understand this girl.

And to finish, there’s John, our mentor (he’s the most aged of us six), our guide, the calm in this ambient storm which rules over here. Bald eagle, silver blue feathers and well-build, he’s a certain figure (and dat booty, hmmm...) For him, everything is matter of logic, so, I asked him how Donald Trump has come until here... I didn't have any answer.

What is very boring about him, it's his rigor; all must be clear, controlled, organized down to the smallest detail. And though, by moments, he shows himself lot more badass than he seems to be. Three facts that proves it:

He smokes (I learned it in spite of myself... this day, I was frightened because I believed he will denounce me but when he asks me if it was good stuff, I understood soon he was on my side... happily for me;)

He stands up to alcohol (during a party, he put away how many liters of tequila, he continued talking perfectly normally, I found this very weird;)

And above all, he knows to command respect (I don't know who is this guy John slapped but I don't think he has waked up from his coma.)

Thus, by itself, he is the perfect combination between the ball-buster and the cool dude. It's few usual but very effective.

This is all I can tell for now: I have a cool job, roommates rather wacky and a girlfriend who satisfy me (and the feeling’s mutual). What could be better? I don’t know but we’ll see. At present, this is my story and above all, above all those of my roommates.

[2traveldads-blog]

There’s no doubt that the West Coast of the USA is an awesome place full of diverse people, sights and nature.  The cities of the West Coast are really progressive and each gives a totally different experience.  We’re going to share with you how you can get the full West Coast road trip experience from the Canadian border to Mexico and have an incredible time.

A West Coast road trip is great for families or couples, or even a really awesome solo journey.  It was actually our first road trip as a couple (just Chris and I) as well as our first road trip with kids back when Oliver, our oldest, wasn’t even a year old.  Some of our best memories come from this West Coast road trip plan; maybe you can find some great stories of your own!

Note:  we recommend a dedicated two weeks to be able to experience the full West Coast from tip to tip, and in light of that have broken the entire trip into two sections: north and south.  If you can spend more time on your West Coast road trip, do it, but know that whatever you can conquer will be awesome!

Starting a West Coast road trip

Before you even get in the car and head out, be sure that you’re prepared for whatever may befall you.  Here’s a quick checklist to be sure you and your traveling buddies are all set for an epic adventure even if you’re not camping your way down the coast:

Phone and camera chargers

A printed itinerary or highlighted map – GPS sometimes fails

Flashlights

A few blankets

Chains – if you’re heading into the mountains any time of year

Proper spare tire

Cash – you’re traveling to small towns and remote places, so be ready

Seattle and the Puget Sound

We always recommend people to begin their West Coast road trip in Seattle.  SeaTac International Airport is a great hub to start at and you can get a direct flight here from almost anywhere in the USA or Canada, and now there are more international flights to Seattle than ever before.

Seattle

Take some time touring the Emerald City and getting out on Puget Sound.  Pike Place Market is the prime attraction in Seattle and why wouldn’t it be?  Fish being thrown through the crowds, the diner where Tom Hanks and Rob Reiner ate clams in Sleepless in Seattle, and the original Starbucks store?  It’s a must stop.

Volunteer Park on Capitol Hill is also another fun activity to add to a day in Seattle.  Volunteer Park is home to a beautiful conservatory, the Seattle Asia Art Museum, countless festivals throughout the year, and an antique water tower that you can climb for a 360 degree view of the city and water.

Tip:  if you’ll be spending more than two days in Seattle, be sure to get the CityPASS.  It it an awesome deal for the big attractions of Seattle, including the Space Needle, EMP/MoPOP, the Seattle Aquarium and more.

Stay:  we recommend the Hyatt Olive 8 in downtown.  It’s centrally located for activities in the downtown core or in the outlying neighborhoods.  This is a great place for a longer Seattle visit as well if you’re touring without a car.

The Puget Sound area

Beyond Seattle there are several adorable towns and destinations that will give you the true taste of Pacific Northwest life.  Bainbridge Island is a ferry ride away and is full of good food, beautiful views, breweries and the Bloedel Reserve (the Downton Abby of the Puget Sound).  

Continue off Bainbridge and you can easily head to Poulsbo (little Norway basically) and onto Port Gamble, Port Ludlow and Port Townsend.  Each of these towns is picturesque with its own unique vibe, all with great food.  Port Townsend is our favorite for its Victorian design and incredible Fort Worden State Park (including a lighthouse).

The Olympic Peninsula, where Port Townsend is, is home to Olympic National Park and the Dungeness Spit.  You’ll have tons of opportunities for experiencing Pacific Northwest nature on the OP and may even decide that you need to move here (we love living here!).

North of Seattle you’ll find Anacortes and Whidbey Island.  Both areas are charming and thrive off the sea that surrounds them.  Anacortes is also where you’ll start a trip through the San Juan Islands, which are their own vacation that’ll take you more than a week of trolling and island hopping.  The San Juans may not be a part of a West Coast road trip, but they’re worthy of your time at some point in life.

Tip:  if you want to experience the San Juan Islands with a shorter trip, book a seaplane flight out of Seattle up to Orcas Island or San Juan Island.  You can see more beautiful clear water, spot orca whales and dine like a king.  Awesome side-trip!

Stay:  if you can book it (very popular destination), find a nice bed and breakfast on the Olympic Peninsula.  We recommend Domaine Madeleine in Port Angeles for an itinerary that includes Olympic National Park.  And in the Anacortes/North Sound area, the Majestic Inn is comfortable, pretty and is a perfect spot to launch loads of day trips.

Mt Rainier National Park

While we prefer to camp at Mt Rainier National Park, a day trip from Seattle is also a choice, or you could even stay at one of the National Park lodges.  Mt Rainer National Park is known for its accessibility and hikable mountainside, but it’s also the best place in the Pacific Northwest to go waterfall hiking.

Our favorite easy hike with kids is out of the Ohanapecosh Visitors Center through the woods to Silver Falls.  Hiking through mossy forests and crossing a raging gorge on a log bridge, it’s the perfect hike to relax and re-energize you for the rest of your West Coast road trip, and the series of waterfalls at the end is beautiful unlike any other, .

Tip:  if you want to camp at Mt Rainier, you typically need to make reservations at least two months in advance.  It’s a very popular National Park and space is limited.

Stay:  there are several lodging options in the towns of Packwood or Ashford, but camping in Mt Rainier National Park is really special.  Cougar Rock campground is our favorite for its location in the Park.

Columbia River Gorge

As we continue our West Coast road trip southward, the Columbia River lies between Washington and Oregon.  The scenery here is incredible and you wont see anything similar this close to the coast.

Highway 14 on the North side

Jutting off from Interstate 5 is Highway 14.  It’s a narrow, winding highway that takes you along the northern banks of the Columbia River.  Surrounded by buttes and sweeping views, the road is actually really distracting… hence it’s dangerous.  Along the way though, you’ll find loads of great wine tasting and small hikes to break up a day’s drive.

Tip:  the Klickitat River meets up with the Columbia River in the town of Lyle, Washington.  The town is tiny, but the beauty is awesome.  You can head up the Klickitat to check out its beautiful gorges and the smaller waterfalls feeding it, or just spend an hour at the Balfour-Klickitat picnic area having lunch and watching eagles.  FYI:  bald eagles love to hang out at the confluence of two rivers wherever that may be.  

To get a break from the winding road, head up the hill toward Underwood (use your GPS) and stop into AniChe Cellars.  It’s one of our favorite wineries in Washington, both for its really delicious and unusual wines AND because it’s totally kid friendly!  From outdoor toys and games to cool wine making stuff, kids will enjoy a stop just as much as adults.

Stay:  the Skamania Lodge is located in Stevenson, Washington and it’s got a fantastic spa, the Waterleaf Spa.  If you’re on a budget though, stay on the Oregon side of the Columbia Gorge over in Hood River where there are tons of choices.

Columbia Gorge Waterfall Area

We spend so much time here in general that when we do our own West Coast road trip we skip these spots, but that’s only because we visit them so frequently.  If you’re not from the Pacific Northwest, you’ll want to be sure to start in Hood River and drive west on Interstate 84 until you see a sign directing you to Historic Oregon Highway 30 (can approach from Portland too).

This tiny two lane road winds you around the cliffs and hillsides, allowing stops for hiking or general waterfall viewing, including a stop at Multnomah Falls, which may be the prettiest waterfall in the Columbia Gorge.

Most of the hikes in the Columbia Gorge waterfall area are kid friendly, but not all are.  The prettiest spot you can’t really do with tiny kids:  the Oneonta Gorge.  This narrow cut through the cliffs is covered in moss and lichens and the hike is done IN the creek.  It’s really fun and beautiful, but scaling slippery logs and huge boulders isn’t for everyone.

Stay/Tip:  make Hood River your home base for your time in the Columbia Gorge, as it’s got lots of lodging options and is a cute town in general.  Mt Hood is easily accessible if you’re staying in Hood River and if you didn’t hit up AniChe Cellars on the Northern side, the winery has a family friendly tasting room in Hood River too.

Portlandia

It seems like Portland has tripled in popularity in the last ten years.  It’s such a cool city and shopping is TAX-FREE!  It’s tough to tell you what you have to check out in Portland beyond just saying “Go for walks and explore downtown and the neighborhoods.”  Portland is all about being a city of neighborhoods.  

The Pearl District is loaded with cool shops and great food.  If you want to get away from the walkable spots, drive or rail over to Northeast Portland.  The vibe is still super cool/hip but with less tourists.  From a Finnish spa day to cutting edge Laotian food, Northeast Portland sealed the deal for us on why the City of Roses is such a gem.  The diversity is incredible with a food scene to match.

Stay:  the Hotel Vintage is cool.  It’s cooler than us, so staying there made us feel like we were doing Portland right.  Great location and Kimpton is great at making guests feel welcome.  It’s a nice splash of class on your West Coast road trip.

Oregon Coast Lighthouses

There are so many lighthouses on the Oregon Coast.  Starting in Cannon Beach and heading south to the California border you’ll be able to check out nine beautiful lighthouses on the coast.  You cannot visit all of them due to some being located out from the beach, but you can see them all.  

Tip:  the Cape Meares Light in Oceanside, Oregon is really easy to access and you can get really close to the lens.  It’s a favorite of ours.

Besides the lighthouses, you can do tons of hiking along the Oregon Coast.  While we tend to do the hikes that bring us down to the beach or out to a head in the water, there are several state parks that have trails leading up through the coastal forests.  Cape Kiwanda has some beautiful hikes (Cannon Beach) as does Pistol River (Gold Beach).

Florence and Newport are both good sized towns that really capture the Oregon Coast vibe.  Newport actually hosts the largest wine event in Oregon, the Newport Seafood and Wine Festival.  It’s pretty new but after two years it’s already gotten some great success and press.  And you cannot forget Sea Lion Caves!!  This is a must-stop if you’ve never taken an elevator through a cliff to a huge seaside cavern full of sea lions.

Stay:  you know we’re going to tell you to camp, and preferably do it in Seaside.  If you want to keep it easy, Cannon Beach is really built up for tourism and you’ll be able to find a hotel to book quite easily.  If you would prefer to stay to the South (we do!) check out the Pacific Reef Hotel in Gold Beach.  We loved our two story beachfront condo that was perfect for our family of four!

This is enough to get you started on planning your West Coast road trip.  There are so many side trips you can take as you head south from the Seattle area, but just sticking to our plan is also a great way to guarantee an incredible experience.  Check back for Part 2 of our West Coast road trip plan, as that’ll get you from the Redwoods all of the way to sunny San Diego!

…and for your Pinterest planning…

The full West Coast road trip experience: part 1 There’s no doubt that the West Coast of the USA is an awesome place full of diverse people, sights and nature.