#all the excerpts actually

[mishy-mashy]

Hi! I noticed you bring up fanfiction every once in a while, so do you have an ao3?

I DO

But the stuff I post here isn't actually written out and posted anywhere else, and my ao3 (posted stories) is pretty bare. Like, I only touch it to read other people's stuff at this point

Everything I do write is OC stuff though, and that's not everyone's jam

The stuff I do post here all comes from my notes for said fic ideas. They're all fleshed out enough that I can write them into proper stories. Like, the whole plot is figured out, I know where to end, character perspectives, all that jazz. I just don't write them out, since I don't have that motivation, and the stories would end up huge

I don't like posting the actual stories either. People have asked for updates on the new chapters I just put down, and I've run into a lot of copy-pasters. Even the few things I have on ao3 is having a mimic somewhere. So I otherwise keep everything to myself, or post little things here

I've been going through my past stuff lately to reorganize. It's fun. Even if they're old (some are over 5 years old), I find little gems that surprise me like these

(Unordinary; Re:Zero; BNHA)

Like- they aren't that bad. That's surprising. How old are these things???

[badassindistress]

Mum took my sister and I to a workshop tradional Delft blue painting at the Royal Delft Museum for her birthday. So of course we painted a nice traditional design. No really, we did! She drew a hippocampus and I drew a dragon that were both directly from a 17th century tile.

It was challenging, but really fun!

[fairydrowning]

"Some days in late August at home are like this, the air thin and eager like this, with something in it sad and nostalgic and familiar..."

– William Faulkner, The Sound and the Fury

[averlym]

fairest of the fair

[hanzajesthanza]

like, i do love cahir when he's introduced, and we get to know him and his character, but also, if i was geralt, and i heard this from my little girl:

i would also beat this guy's ass into the ground and want to kill him so so badly. like this is ciri's nightmare but this is also a parent's worst nightmare

[seeminglydark]

I'm in love with Caro's style! It's a super cool mix of masc, fem, and vaporwave kind of look. As an enby who, at first, thought I had to look a certain way after coming out as non binary, I was wondering how Caro found their style after they started transitioning and figuring out who they were as a person.

Hello! So I did draw an entire four page little comic thingy to answer this, but I'm going to post it tomorrow cuz I wanted to draw a cute little cover for it ha. Figured I would answer you in text today though, and then you can have the visual tomorrow <3 First thing I'm going to say is that there is no 'certain way to look' for any gender identity or sexuality, cuz thats important, for those who dont wanna read through this text dump. Dress how you want forever.

SO! *rubs hands together* how Caro found their style! Background to those who havent read my comics, Caro grew up as a super high femme kid with crazy helicopter parents who controlled every aspect of their life, including how they dressed. They participated in pageants, modeling and wore a LOT of pink. Not that Caro didn't like pink, they did, but they liked purple better.

After Sully (highschool sweetheart) left, and Caro was on their own, they cut their hair off in a fit of rage and suddenly had to grow up real quick because they were on their own. Whats that got to do with fashion, RJ? Everything, dear reader! When they left, they had a bunch of Sullys shirts and his battle jacket. All 10 sizes too big of course, so paired the oversized tops with their own jeans, workout shorts etc. They had their cheer sneakers. And that is what they wore for a few months, til they got a job at the local gas station. The gas station employees were like, what is going on here with this little girl wearing too big clothes with a fucked up haircut, so, they pitched together and got this kid a proper haircut, during which Caro tearfully explains they arent a girl at all, they dont know what they are and everything is very scary and please dont fire them. Bev, one of their older co-workers decides they need better clothes and takes them to Seattle to thrift! Caro never thrifted in their life and found themself enamored with tacky 80's clothes and patterns, bright colors, funny tee shirts, etc. They worried, because maybe that wasnt what a boy would wear. Bev tells them theres no such thing as what a boy or a girl would wear, something Caro had never heard before, and that gives them mental permission to gleefully grab all the things they never got to wear growing up. They looked like a roller rink carpet threw up on them. they loved it.

The Gas Station Adults buy them a jacket that fits as well, GasCo purple of course, with their chosen name on the name tag. a symbol of acceptance. Caro started hearing things about genderfluid and nonbinary, and looking into what that meant, and what it could mean for them. Their podcast project, Mil-Liminal goes viral. Goldie, their agent, helps them get on low t. they realize how much fun body hair is and LOOK they can wear crop tops to show off their new tummy trail while still hiding their boobs. Whats even more fun? Getting tattoos. Taking their body back. Making themself into the person THEY want to see, and whats makes them the most happy. Still looking like an arcade carpet threw up on them, still loving it. They get top-surgery. Goldie asks them if they want to do a public face reveal. They've kept themself hidden this entire time, and realize they dont want to do that anymore. They shouldnt have to. They want to show the world this person theyve become. Which also means choosing a signature look for Mil-Liminal.

A Mix of their Highschool Varisty Jacket, and their GasCo Jacket. Sneakers. A nod to the pieces of clothing they always felt comfortable in.

Shorts and crop tops or mesh tops. Show off the tattoos, and the scars they earned becoming the person theyve always been.

Wear their identity on their sleeve, because not everyone can, but they are in a position where they want to make a difference and be seen for those who cant, cuz they know how it feels to be lost and scared and not have any idea how to move forward. Let their voice BE a voice.

A SnapBack. A call back to the first date with their highschool sweetheart, who listened, and put his hat on them and took them out and let them be themself, and loved them for it.

The most important thing to take from this anon, is that there is no Look. There is no way to dress or act or look if you're non binary, its not fashion. The same way clothing has no gender, anyone can wear whatever the fuck makes them happy. Put clothes on that, when you look in the mirror, you feel comfortable and happy. Its a very personal thing, and its about YOU, and how you feel. and your gender journey. Gender and Sexuality is as vast a spectrum as the human condition.

Thank you so much for the ask and inspiring me to make a look book and fashion journey post, I'll put it up tomorrow <3

[batsplat]

Brno 2003: Sete Gibernau sprays champagne at race winner Valentino Rossi, who is holding up his ball and chain that symbolises how he is 'condemned to win'.

From Rossi's autobiography:

In the summer of 2003, HRC sent over new exhaust pipes. I chose not to use it, precisely because I was sick and tired of hearing that I had an edge over everybody else. But, partly because of the stress, partly because I was also in negotiations with Yamaha, Honda and Ducati, I was in far from perfect form. Sometimes I would lose concentration and make mistakes. When I famously missed that turn in Barcelona and ended up in the run-off area, it was a result of the fact that I was napping behind Capirossi. This incident, and others, caused people to say that my bike was so much better that I could afford the luxury of sitting back and simply turning on the juice late in the race, beating everyone in the final lap. Obviously this was not the case. If I have the chance to pull away, I pull away. Always. Because if you hold out for the last lap you're taking a huge risk: you might finish second! Whereas if you can pull away at an earlier point in the race, you can avoid trouble later on. I only ever sit and wait when there is no alternative. That's when, for me, lying in wait is a good tactic and the best way to win. In Germany, for example, I made a mistake on the last lap and Gibernau made me pay for it. But it's not as if I was planning to wait for the end, as a way of humiliating my opponents. I simply made the mistake of not passing him earlier, so that I could then build a gap. It was a tactical error. After losing that race in that way, because of a distraction, I got so angry that on my way home I told myself, "Enough! From now on, I'm taking no prisoners!" So from that moment on I raced with the aim of dominating every lap and I won five of the last six races of the season. The only one where I finished second was the Grand Prix of the Pacific, in Motegi. But as you know, that day I raced after getting virtually no sleep the night before, because that was the night I had decided to leave Honda. As you can imagine, I wasn't totally focused, to say the least.

The race at the Sachsenring in 2003 was a particularly painful loss. Rossi had overtaken Gibernau on the penultimate corner, but had made a mistake into the final corner that let Gibernau get a better run to the line and beat him by a mere 0.06 seconds. He was criticised by the Italian press in the aftermath, as had become increasingly common that year. Despite leading the championship by a healthy margin, this was widely perceived to be a weaker season than his overwhelmingly dominant 2002, not least because he had achieved only three race victories to Gibernau's four. He had already felt disillusioned with Honda from the start of the year, sick of a culture of winning he found as oppressive as it was relentless. Sachsenring was the last race before the summer break, and he went off to Ibiza to clear his head and get a new haircut.

^The new haircut in question.

Excerpt from the Brno race commentary:

Rossi hasn’t won for four races*. He is desperate to win here this weekend. He turned up at the circuit this Thursday with a bright red haircut that he got on the beach at Ibiza - he was feeling very jovial, very relaxed, and… Well, it’s been suggested in some quarters that it’s a psychological thing he’s trying to pull on the other riders, because he’s coming under mounting pressure from the press and the fans - and Rossi just wanting to show he’s still the party animal he always was and he’s having fun out there on the bike.

*His results during that time were P2 P3 P3 P2.

Fresh from his time off, Rossi got involved in a tight five-way battle with Bayliss, Gibernau, Biaggi (in the first half of the race), and Capirossi. His victory was far from inevitable, and when Rossi managed to get in front for the first time he was unable to make a break for it. After the group of riders fought it out for most of the race, the contest for the win eventually came down to a direct duel between Rossi and Gibernau. With one and a half laps to go, Rossi ran it wide and let Gibernau get back in front once again - and made another mistake that seemed to give Gibernau the decisive advantage. Rossi made the overtake for the win with only a few corners to go.

^Gibernau congratulating Rossi, at a time when the two were still good friends. According to the commentary, the two of them had partied together over the summer break on Ibiza.

^From Rossi's autobiography: "This gag was supposed to be ironic, underscoring my situation with Honda. Everybody expected victory from me. So I was a condemned man, condemned to win..." (See here for gifs of the celebration.)

Rossi finished 0.042s ahead of Gibernau, with another close run to the line... so the elaborate celebrations could very easily have not come to pass. He ended up breaking the circuit record on the last lap - and went on to win all but one of the remaining races that season.

From Mat Oxley's Valentino Rossi: All His Races:

And then his first post-race theatrics in a while: he wore a prison inmate's hat and ball and chain to poke fun at the Italian media. "They said I was in crisis because I'd been beaten at the last four races. Leading the championship and finishing on the podium obviously isn't enough for them, so now I must work on the chain gang!" And beneath the striped cap was a new red hairdo, which restarted the Ducati rumours. In fact, nothing could have been further from the truth. During a secret midnight meeting in the paddock, Vale told Yamaha that he would ride for them in 2004.

An excerpt from the commentary at the next race in Estoril:

Well Valentino Rossi arrived in Brno three weeks ago with a bright red hairstyle and a lot of criticism from the Italian press saying he wasn't as focused as he had been last year; he'd just lost that race at the Sachsenring in Germany. He's fought back in the best possible way.

^Rossi's fans at Sepang 2003.

When he sealed the title in Sepang that year, he brought back the convict celebrations, this time equipped with a big novelty lock and key - so that he could free himself of his shackles at last. He left Honda at the end of the year to embark on a new adventure with Yamaha.

[maeo-png]

Simon Petrikov, Healing, Self-love, and a smidge more of Greek mythology if you really squint

“Ulysses” poem excerpt by Alfred Tennyson // Fionna and Cake Episode 10 “Cheers” // “Exitlude” by The Killers // “Cheers” // “Talk To Me” by cavetown // “a poem traveled down my arm” by Alice Walker // “Cheers” // “Ulysses” book by James Joyce

[catkin-morgs-kookaburralover]

saviour

She picks it up, gasping. The last barrier, her child, is gone. It is time to rest, and she has been ready for so long.

Still: she hesitates.

He tackles her, and she lands hard. Her eyes are wild and she struggles to be free; he does not let her.

“Give it to me.” His voice is dry and crisp and lacks emotion. She hesitates again, then hands it over with numb fingers. Then she makes eye contact.

Vaniah looks very tired as he says, “Why?”

“You know why.”

His eyes close and his shoulders sag a little. “I left the child with Anneka,” he says quietly. “You can meet her someday, if you like.”

“Who is Anneka?” She doesn’t care, but has to say something to fill in the empty space.

The smile reaches his eyes and she likes the way it makes him look. “My wife. We’ll take care of your child—if you want us to.”

“I never want to see her again.” Her voice catches, and she cannot look him in the eyes. “I want to die, Vaniah.”

“I know.” He pushes back his sleeve and shows her scarring; it is terrible to see, but it seems like his destiny.

“I’ve wanted to for a long time. I stayed for the child. Now she doesn’t need me.”

“The world needs you. Mordecai needs you.”

She shakes her head. “I haven’t spoken to Mordecai in a long, long time.”

“He still loves you,” says Vaniah with certainty. His expression is very gentle, and she still cannot look at him. “I met him in the street recently; and he has forgiven me.”

“I have been a fool.” She is unable to speak any further.

“So have I: and God has forgiven me.”

“What do I care of God?” and she is blazing with rage. “Where was he when I went through hell?”

Vaniah is silent. At last he says, “Right beside you.”

“I thought you didn’t believe in God.” She studies his hands, wondering if she can wrench it free and complete her mission.

Vaniah sees her gaze and shifts his hands more securely. “I didn’t. I do now. But if you don’t want to talk about it we don’t have to.”

Her shoulders slump and she wants to cry. “I don’t want to live, Vaniah.”

“Neither did I. At risk of sounding cliched: it gets better. Life becomes worth the living.”

“Teach me to live.” Her voice is bitter, sarcastic. “If you’re going to stop me dying, teach me to live!” This time she does cry.

For the rest of her life she remembers how he looks at her, at the kindness and love with which he treats her. How he doesn’t pity her. How he saves her from her worst enemy, herself. How he doesn’t leave her alone until he’s found someone else who can take care of her.

How he shows her the first light she’s seen in her personal darkness for a very long time.

[acabspocky]

Oh... Okay... Thinking....

Hold my beer

[aroaessidhe]

2024 reads / storygraph

The Principle of Moments

start of a scifi space opera series

a teen girl in the far future where humans are oppressed learns she has a destiny & a lost sister and escapes

and a young time traveler who’s given up trying to find his father through time, and is about to settle in 1812 with the prince he loves, but is unwillingly thrust into the future

they both learn their fates are entangled by a prophecy, and have to race across the galaxy, followed by a galactic emperor and the legacy of heroes from an ancient religion

[badassindistress]

~🌺🌼⚘Squashed Flower Stays⚘🌼🌺~

This summer I followed a workshop on natural fabric dying or tataki zomé, or as I like to call it Squashed Flower Dyeing with a Hammer!

And me being who I am, I decided to immediately graduate from test strips into making fabric for stays.

The technique of this is that flowers naturally have pigments. If you place a fresh flower on some cotton or linen, sandwich it between some more linen and smash it with a big rubber mallet, those pigments get squashed in your fabric. You get a coloured squash print of a flower or leaf:

Then you wash your fabric in iron sulfate (your fabric goes yellow and your print goes black) white vinegar (your colours stay, reds go pink) or alun/aluin (your colours fix but go more purple).

The sad thing is, the colours fade very quickly. The fresher your leaf, the brighter the mark, but even the vibrant colours fade when they come into contact with the sun :(

Anyway, it turned out very interesting and was great fun to do for an afternoon:

Stay tuned for the turning it into stays part!

(Link here when I get to that)

[fairydrowning]

"The summer ended. Day by day, and taking its time, the summer ended. The noises in the street began to change, diminish, voices became fewer, the music sparse. Daily, blocks and blocks of children were spirited away. Grownups retreated from the streets, into the houses. Adolescents moved from the sidewalk to the stoop to the hallway to the stairs, and rooftops were abandoned. Such trees as there were allowed their leaves to fall – they fell unnoticed – seeming to promise, not without bitterness, to endure another year. At night, from a distance, the parks and playgrounds seemed inhabited by fireflies, and the night came sooner, inched in closer, fell with a greater weight. The sound of the alarm clock conquered the sound of the tambourine, the houses put on their winter faces. The houses stared down a bitter landscape, seeming, not without bitterness, to have resolved to endure another year."

– James Baldwin, Just Above My Head

[vulpinesaint]

mutuals will know that i have been losing my mind over this for weeks. i am proud to finally present my aromantic crowley fic :)

[mqfx]

Everyday you talk about this fic that is apparently coming out in. NOVEMBER. And will be updating until FEBRUARY and it makes me feel insane and I want to gnaw on tree bark. So yes Id love to see fx whine 😁😁👹😁

AHAHAHA I've been starving and baiting you all most deplorably...... but your liege lord listens and obeys so I'll just give u this [NOTE: still outline, not written like a chapter yet!]

[veliseraptor]

🌩 Cannot BELIEVE nobody else has asked for hostile Fenders road trip, I have to do all the work around here! (I jest, but I was super excited to see it on your list! :))

Fenris scowled at the back of his head so he didn’t think about what a doorway into the Fade meant. And what might come out of it.

What should we do, he wanted to ask, but bit it back as both too pathetic and probably pointless.