#also I read Bone when I was like 14 so I might not remember it as well as I think but I think it was. It was such a story

[spliqi]

adding onto your post about higuchi with a healing/support ability: i don’t know how well this actually works but it’s fun to think about. what if that ability heals someone but in turn harms her? imagine that with akutagawa. what if he didn’t fully know about the nature of her ability until something bad happened?

and it also fits with the whole “you’re not suited for the mafia” theme. a selfless ability like that in a place where people get injured left and right would destroy her. again, not an actual theory but it’s an interesting concept to mess around with

(anon will reveal themselves if all goes well)

anon i love your brain. you are speaking my language

her health declining when she uses her ability to heal… i’m obsessed. it could be a life expectancy thing where she loses time off of her life to extend his?? maybe that’s why the mafia can’t bounce back the way the agency can even if they have someone with a healing ability, because it has to be used sparingly. or maybe it can only be used once per person, like wells’ ability from 55 minutes. maybe mori paired her with the sickly akutagawa on purpose so she would grow to care about him and be more willing to use her ability on him. maybe that’s why akutagawa seems to know his own life expectancy despite keeping his illness on the downlow, because he’s aware of her being able to lengthen someone’s life by a certain amount of ti—[gets killed for knowing too much]

anyway this ask made me go back and read chapter 14 from the perspective of her having the kind of ability you suggested. and all of a sudden this conversation she has with mori gets crazier

if we assume she has a dangerous healing ability… does this not read like he’s trying to manipulate her into using it?? saying akutagawa might die, pointing out how valuable he is to the mafia, implying she’s much less useful to them in comparison… hrm.

and then immediately after this conversation we see her by akutagawa’s bedside while he’s in his coma:

she reaches out to do something here with a weird glowy circle(???) but then remembers him saying he doesn’t need her and pulls her hand back. maybe she’s struggling to go through with the sacrifice part of her ability knowing the person she’s doing it for wouldn’t appreciate her help

after that akutagawa gets kidnapped and when she finds him he’s awake + holds her hand and apologizes to her. and maybe that’s the final push she needs. and then we see him up and walking around fighting nathaniel only a few chapters later despite apparently having countless fractured bones, torn muscles and first degree burns all over his body before. ok

tl;dr anon your idea is great and you’ve opened my mind. thank you

[katyawriteswhump]

power of love, part 15

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 16

(also on AO3 here and as part of my steve whump fic series)

Steve’s back in the loggers’ cabin. He’s kissing Eddie stupid, and he’s loving it.

They’re both done with drinking bad beer, and even more done with pretending this thing between them isn’t real. They’ve gotten their arms flung around each other. Steve’s tongue is happily exploring the depths of Eddie’s mouth.

Kissing Eddie is totally unlike any make-out session Steve’s ever known. The scratch of Eddie’s lightly stubbled jaw against his is… Gnnng, mindblowing! Steve slides his knee into Eddie’s lap, wishing Eddie would jump his bones already. When Eddie snags his fingers through Steve’s hair, it sends literal sparks down Steve’s spine. The insistent brush of their lips is actual fire, until…

… it’s all too much. Steve moans with something other than dumb teen passion, and it feels like his head’s gonna explode. That familiar crimson tide washes through his brain, and then…

“Steve?”

Robin’s voice wrenches Steve back to the present. Oh, yeah. They’re wading along some shitty little stream, hidden between high banks. Somehow, while getting lost in memories of that kiss, his feet shifted forward on autopilot.

She’s following behind. “I haven’t heard those woofy search dogs for a while,” she says. “You?”

I’ve not a clue, Robin. My head’s zoning in and out of Christ-knows-what-crazy-ass-shit, and I’ve gotten a boner from daydreaming about Eddie. Which is fading fast, because when I remember I might never get another shot at kissing him for real, I wanna stuff my fist in my mouth and bite down hard.

“Gonna trust you on that one,” he mumbles.

“We can get out of this disgusting drain then?” He shrugs, climbs up the bank to check all’s clear.  “See anything we need to worry about?”

“Not sure.” Steve frowns, surveying a few dumped cars and a burned-out trailer. It’s a familiar patch of wasteland, a known hang-out for pretty much every teen in the area. “We’re back in Hawkins already.”

“You’re kidding?” She scrambles up to join him and visibly pales beneath her grime and freckles. “Oh my God. We must’ve travelled at least ten miles. In less than an hour and a half.” She glances at her watch and nods emphatically. “Any explanations, Steve? Any cryptic messages from your water-fairy-godparent?”

“Gimme a break! You’re the one who said we’re off to Magic Camp. At this stage—boom! Whatever! Crazy is to be expected.” He sounds chill. Despite the fear jostling him from every angle over what the hell is happening now?  Their gazes lock, and… Jesus, he can read in her manic eyes how her last ragged nerve is about to snap.

“Okay, okay,” she says, “we won’t panic.”

“I’m not panicking."

“Well, I am! One plus side—there’s plenty of nice dry paths leading to Lover’s Lake in that direction.” She points to the wasteland. “Don’t you dare make me get back in the ditch. I am literally wearing duckweed for mascara.”

He considers her suggestion for a few seconds, before that stupid waterfall roars in his head. “Sorry.” He bounces back into the stream. “If we’re believing in this bullshit, then I gotta go the way I get told.”

With the biggest sigh ever, she skids down after him. They paddle onward, hand in hand. She’s shaking weirdly, gasping and gulping, like she’s giggling and crying all at once. Oh, and shivering too. He wants to check she’s okay, but he doesn’t dare speak. Sounds bombard them from every angle, including shouting, maybe a quad bike, and plenty of distant and not-so-distant sirens.

“Look, Robin,” he whispers, when it seems safe. “You’re not in deep shit, like me and Eddie. Maybe you should go home to your mom.”

“Nice thought. Mommy Dearest has probably rented out my room already.”

Steve hums sympathetically, while pausing to mindlessly kick off his trashed sneakers. “If it’s any consolation, when I was reported missing, nobody noticed my parents rushing back.” He’d asked Hopper, casually enough. “I’m guessing they didn’t bother."

“That sucks, though…means we could nip back to your place for a warm shower, clean clothes?”

“Trust me, I’d murder for that. You really should go, but—” The sound of way-too-close voices interrupts him. After a minute longer, shuffling forward, she wrings his fingers crushingly tight. 

“Uh, Steve? Look.”

Up ahead, the waterway flows into a culvert. The entrance is barred with a metal grid. 

“Oh, thanks a bunch, fairy-guardian-water-spirit-angel-parent,” says Steve. “Great short cut, just great!” A dog growls so close that they startle as one, resulting in a loud splash. He shoves Robin toward the opposite bank. “Go! I’ll try… something.”

“How’s that gonna help?” she hisses, letting him bundle her ahead. “It would be kinda sad if you lightning-fried the dog because it’s not the dog’s fault—"

“Scram, will you? I’ll give it a quick shot—mind the freakin’ dog—and be right behind.”

She scrambles into some bushes at the top, and he prays she keeps going. All he hears is goddamn barking. Christ, can it smell my blood? Still, he has to keep it together and come up with some damn heavy rain, and fast, to destroy her scent as she escapes.

He crouches down, conjures up their recent discussion about parents. Eleven told him to channel anger, so that’s a decent start…

Grrrrrr!

Steve jumps up, whirls about. A foam-flecked mouth snarls at him from the top of the bank. He’s faintly relieved to see the canine owner of this huge and scary mouth is on a leash. Unfortunately, the leash is held by a tall guy in khaki, a semi-automatic tucked at his side.

He shines a flashlight directly in Steve’s face. Steve meekly raises his hands. He’s too stunned for real fright.

“You shouldn’t be here,” says army guy. “Woah, you’re filthy! You got papers?”

“Huh?” Hopper hadn’t been kidding about the military dictatorship.

“Got a name, kid?”

He glances down at his Hellfire Club t-shirt, cringes back into the dazzling beam. “Eddie Munson?”

“Outta the ditch. Keep your hands where I can see them.”

Steve doesn’t instantly obey. He’s still trying to figure out if this is really happening, and why exactly he said he was Eddie. To protect him, right? Then Eddie can get clean out of the state. Oh, and because he’s so obsessed with Eddie that he can’t stop thinking about him.

A second later, the dog-handler is in the stream with him. He grabs Steve by the arm, and snaps into a lapel radio: “This is MWD-handler 7. Inform O’Sullivan that fugitive 1 is apprehended.”

…

Eddie POV

The forces dragging Eddie home to Hawkins are suddenly spooking-him-the-hell out. 

It’s not all about Steve anymore. He’s hearing water. Loud running water, which draws him toward what turns out to be a nonsensically pathetic-as-piss stream. He jumps in and follows, even as he starts to panic for real.

Steve said he was hearing water. Now I hear it too. What does this mean? Wtf does this BS mean!?!

He presses on anyhow, finding he simply can’t stop thinking about THAT KISS. He’s reliving it over-and-over. At least, the good parts, before Steve fainted on him. Did Eddie daydream the delicious twisty, flirty things that Steve did with his tongue? 

Then he’s thinking about Steve’s butt. 

You never gave THAT BUTT the squeeze it deserved. Holy shit, Munson, you’re such a loser. 

Most torturous of all, the idea that it might be all over between them… Crap, it makes him feel physically ill. How can the idea of losing somebody he never really had hurt so much?  Oh, and when the heck did he kick off his sneakers and start wading bare foot? He has absolutely zero memory of doing that. Still, the cold water doesn’t seem to bother him.

As darkness falls, he spots some familiar landmarks, and realises he’s only a mile or so out of Hawkins. Which is also totally cuckoo, because there’s no way he should’ve travelled back so fast. For the first time since he set off, he stops dead.

Reality check, Munson—pretty much everybody in this dump you call home believes you to be a freakshow-turned-serial-killer. And you’ve come storming back for some douchebag rich kid who dumped you.

There is, however, a single good side to his progress into Hell. He pulls out his walkie-talkie out of his pack, switches it on, and tunes into Dustin’s coded wavelength:

“Anybody there? This is a code-red. CODE RED!” Okay, being officially too ‘old’ for the Party, he’s not supposed to say that, but desperate times call for desperate—

“No way! Is that you? Over.” 

At Dustin’s reply, some dam deep inside Eddie bursts. His face crumples, and he shamelessly, softly weeps. “Yeah, it’s me, buddy. It’s me.”

“Roger that. What the hell are you doing? This place is overrun with wannabe Nazis.” The hairs on the back of Eddie’s neck stand suddenly on end, and not because of Dustin’s news. “It’s a warzone. You should be in the next state by now!”

Eddie drops the walkie-talkie and shoves his hands in the air. Some military-fascist-knucklehead is pointing an assault rifle at him, though he’s weirdly numbed to the horror of it all. He honestly hadn’t expected it to feel this inevitable.

“Roger that?” says the walkie-talkie.

Eddie grins, so manically goofy that his face aches. 

“Name or papers,” demands the son-of-a-bitch.

“Uuuuuh…” Okay, he’s blown this. Nobody with nothing to hide, blunders THAT answer. “Steve Harrington?”

He said that to protect Steve, right? If they think I’m him, they’ll… torture me instead. Oh shit. Oh Shiiiiiiit!

A big angry dude pummels into Eddie from the side, crushing him into the mud. 

Part 16

tags: @estrellami-1 @kal-ology @finntheehumaneater If anybody else would like to be tagged on this fic or any of my writing, please let me know. Thank you for reading so far :)

(also part of my steve whump fic series on AO3)

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 16

[t0ast-ghost]

Episode 14 (The Conscience of The King). This is the reason I didn’t use the titles, you think I know how to spell concience?

Anyhow:

- oh neat mackers

- that was a weird and sudden transition for the theme

- WHY as the daughter of the actor playing mac would you play lady m???

- I also see dead men when trying to kiss women..

- “Mr. Spock, the man on top walks a lonely street. The chain of command is often a noose.” “Spare me your philosophical metaphors, Doctor.” They hate each other

- “my fathers race was spared the effects of alcohol” “oh now I know why they were conquered” WHAT THE FUCK BONES

- “did it ever occur to you that he actually just might like the girl?” “It occurred. I dismissed it” “you would”

- this scene is just Spock trying to get Bones to agree with him and Bones trying to get Spock to sit down to have a drink with him. They’re married and you cannot convince me otherwise.

- Spock is worried :((

- NOT THE MILK!

- “you should be told the difference between empiricism and stubbornness, Doctor” DAMN. damn.

- God, I hope they don’t spoil hamlet for me

- I like how her story is actually similar to lady m, trying to protect a terrible man’s actions, killing, going insane because of it

- “but you’re safe now father” could you say that MORE like a creepy doll

- her performance, smiling and laughing and crying, wow. Just, wow.

- WOAH BONES WHAT? She doesn’t remember her father’s death?

- I may be an actor but this is not my favourite episode so far…

Episode 15 (Balance Of Terror):

- if I dressed like that on my wedding day I’d cry. This is why we love Garak

- the first look at Romulans and everybody is looking at Spock and Spock is surprised as fuck

- the navigator for this episode (it’s not Chekhov, I don’t care what his name is) being disgusting towards Spock and Kirk going “what was that?” Like you better fucking not

- Spock is biting his lip and not defending himself, he was/is scared that Jim will think he’s with the Romulans

- “this is the hardest substance known to our science” *proceeds to break it* McCoy then goes into *studying Spock* mode

- McCoy and Kirk watching as Spock gets verbally attacked. I cannot describe the laugh I let out after saying “guess who’s going to die”

- They are the angel and devil on Kirk’s shoulder but not who you’d expect is who. And they’re married. And they literally hate each other.

- “Bones, what if I’m wrong?” Then Bones gives a great speech. It consists of what he’s essentially been trying to say this whole episode, which is, “Stop trying to end up in my med bay. You idiot.”

- not sure why the Romulan captain was so ready to say they’d be friends but it was a good speech

- of course Tomilson died. And now there’s another person hugging Kirk when sad. He almost never hugs back, he cannot be that comforting.

Wow already finished episode 15, and it feels like I’ve barely just finished 10. I am excited for 20 though, I read a couple episode descriptions…

Continuing this thread is honestly just fun for me. A lot of the time I find I don’t make exactly astute observations.

Here’s the master list :)

[mothmage]

20 Qs for fic writers

Tagged by @monstersinthecosmos , thank you!!!

1. How many works do you have on A03? 31 (and a few anon, i think 2 or 3. idk, when i post a fic on anon i forget about it forever)

2. What’s your total Ao3 word count? 446,135

3. What fandoms do you write for? currently/primarily vc, iwtv (amc), star wars, and merlin (bbc)!

4. What are your top five fics by kudos? A Lovely Little Normal Life (which, honestly, kind of annoys me lol. i know it's just bc it's a huge fandom, but really? the stupid little 12k harry potter fic i wrote in two days is my most kudos? please...); Arthur Pendragon, Long May She Reign (forever pushing my lesbian genderswap agenda); The Face of God (les mis slightly canon divergent javert character study); The Odyssey of Recollection (amc iwtv s1 pov armand); Away From Stranger Tides (potc philip/syrena fic i started ages ago and never finished, lol)

5. Do you respond to comments? yes i love talking to people in comments!!!! i've made a lot of friends through comments!!

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? omg. umm. merthur fans don't know this yet bc i havent finished posting but it's arthur pendragon long may she reign (BUT it's part of a series, so it's literally fine). idk, i dont tend to write long fics that end angsty. but my angstiest fic in general is probably Hollow-Boned Boy (armand contemplating his human life in the early CoD era) or Vision of the Damned (daniel's turning from armand's pov)

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? i love a happy ending!! my series Odysseus in White Silk is probably the happiest ending, and in such an undeserved way hahaha it's so very AU because i was sad after s1 of the show and just wanted them all (and armandaniel) to live happily ever after

8. Do you get hate on fics? i dont think i ever have, but i tend to read comments in good faith too, so maybe someone out there is annoyed that i interpreted their vague dislike comment as a genuine comment or something, idk. in general though, i'll say no

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind? yes but i dont post that often, idk if there's a particular kind, but generally it tends to be a little rougher than is probably appropriate without discussion in real-life situations, but also very...idk my friend described it as very tender, like theyre very clearly in love. which is so funny considering that that kind of tenderness irl gives me fucking hives lmfao

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written? oh wow, not in a long time. i do have a wip sitting around rn that's a crossover between london spy and cloud atlas, which is really crazy until you remember that ben whishaw is in both london spy and the cloud atlas movie lol. and cloud atlas is already about weird reincarnations and parallel worlds and stuff, so it isnt too out-there.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen? i dont think so!

12. Have you ever had a fic translated? yes!! The Face of God was translated into Korean by ao3 user Crescent919 !! i've had a few comments on other fics asking to translate for personal use (always yes, of course), but no one else has asked to share a translation publicly

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before? no!! i've been thinking about it lately though

14. What’s your all time favorite ship? all-time? probably merlin/arthur from merlin (bbc). it's the whole fate-destiny-choice thing, it just compels me like nothing else

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? hmmm, i would like to finish Roswell -- well, kinda (agent carter farm girl / alien crash landing au) because i still have all the original notes and outlines and stuff. i also made a shitty conlang when i was first writing it, which is crazy lol. but it would need some pretty serious revisions, and i would definitely rewrite the first few chapters that i posted years ago. i just kind of lost the agent carter bug, but i might return to that fic if i ever get in the mood for it again.

16. What are your writing strengths? ooh, i'm not really sure! i get a lot of comments mentioning characters' voices and/or personalities, so i would say maybe that!!! i also feel that i'm fairly good at mimicking an author's writing style when i want to (notably, i do not mimic anne rice when writing vc fic, lol)

17. What are your writing weaknesses? editing for sure. i have at least a hundred fics sitting on my hard drive fully or almost-fully written that i just need to edit. but i would simply rather die than do all of that. it's also why my whole merlin fic got put on pause while i went down the vc rabbithole, because i just can't bring myself to go edit the next chapters lol

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic? hmm, i think it's usually unnecessary and comes off as a bit silly. that said, i did do it once (maybe excessively) in Daniel Molloy, Time Bandit (1984 daniel ends up in 1794 theatre des vampires, it's more of a character study than a time travel fic) BUT, let me defend myself -- i did it because daniel doesnt understand french, it's his pov, and he's incredibly confused and distraught for most of the fic. i felt like the dialogue being in french conveyed this sort of "daniel does not belong in this time/place" vibes. but, also, my french is...a little rough. so i'm sure it's an annoying fic for french readers lmao

19. First fandom you wrote for? warriors cats, a million years ago hahahah

20. Favourite fic you’ve written? ok, i have three different answers for this. the fic i think is the best, objectively, in terms of writing and content: The Story of Dani [...] (r63 devil's minion from armand's pov, starting with lestat's house). the fic i am the proudest of, mostly because it was my first "big" fic (it's funny now, bc it's only 41k) and i feel like i grew a lot as a writer while working on it, and i'm still happy with it: The Face of God (les mis pov javert, character study from childhood). the fic i have the most fun with and think about almost 24/7: Arthur Pendragon, Long May She Reign (r63 merthur, canon divergence, this is like a 4-part series that's currently over 300k lmao)

no-pressure tagging: @aunteat @leslutdepointedulac @butchybats @graygiantess and anyone else who wants to!!

[wonderful-prompts]

what are 3 things you’d say shaped you into who you are?

Why'd you start this blog?

What do you do when you're stuck on a scene?

Hoo boy. This got long. Third question's answer is under the cut

The first would be family in every sense. How I was raised, how certain actions (or lack thereof) were treated by adults raising me, the circumstances of my family at different times in my life, and genetics. The second would be relationships I've had, whether friendships or mentorships or just knowing people who would influence me in some way or another. (Shout out to the really nice lady who owns the weird little museum/gift shop who gave me free bones and sold me tarot cards!) And the third would be the Internet because unrestricted internet access from the age of 11 probably rewired some shit that cannot be unwired.

I started this blog because I was 14 and ambitious. I kept a notebook of writing prompts and realized I could run a writing prompt blog after discovering many other people doing the same (via reposts of tumblr screenshots elsewhere). So now, 7—nearly 8—years later, I am still here.

When I'm stuck on a scene, it depends on why I'm stuck.

If it's something like “I'm so tired I can't think of a single sentence to continue” I stop and rest. I might take a break for bodily functions or sustenance if it turns out my brain was too focused on writing to remember those things.

If it's “Okay, and—hm. This sentence is wrong. [backspace] [rewrite] Wait, this version is wrong, too.” I switch to either doing something else or writing something else. I remember reading a post that referred to "mental crop rotation" as a good strategy for when things stagnate. I often have 2-3 WIPs I work on at a time depending on my mood.

And if it's because I can't think of anything to happen next, I also do mental crop rotation for something else I can continue or try to build up my knowledge.

Reading published works helps people write better because it establishes rules you can follow or break. It can also ingrain certain things like grammar structure or syntax or diction without giving you the same lectures as teachers give you when you're a teenager. (But have kept some books from my assigned reading in high school because some of it Actually Helped.)

Additionally, if you're playing around with different things like tropes commonly found in movies or TV, it makes sense to try to give yourself a base. Not just "wow this movie was so good" or "that sucked so bad i'm gonna think about it for the rest of my life" or "wow i already forgot what this was about" but figuring out why.

Short version:

Ensure you have attended to all bodily functions and maintenance (or as many as you can)

Check to see if you're stagnating and need to do something else/work on something else

If all else fails: enter an incubation period where you gain more knowledge whether actively (taking notes) or passively (have turned writer brain OFF). If you are getting frustrated while Active, you might need to find ways to turn writer brain OFF.

[wetcatspellcaster]

20 Q's for Fic Writers

Thanks @redrocketpanda for tagging me ^_^

1. How many works do you have on Ao3?

11! 9 completed, 2 WIPs.

2. What's your total Ao3 word count?

:)))))))) 831,063 :)))))))))) I don't wanna talk about it.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

I am a fantasy videogames girlie, with a brief foray into Darklina sickness. I have written for BG3, Dragon Age, and Shadow and Bone.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos? 

Party Favours at 1,804

The Stars Don't Shine They Burn at 1,196

A Bleeding Heart at 1,133

Pieces Still Stuck in Your Teeth at 1,026

Eye of the Storm at 645

Before this year I had no fics over 1,000 kudos, so that was a cool development in 2023!

5. Do you respond to comments?

I try to reply to everything, unless I am crippled by depression (or crippled by illness)

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

That goes to!!! Sunblindness!!! The only time I've foregone 'I can fix him' for 'I can make him worse (and I deserve to, as a treat)'.

I was actually planning to end that fic with a major character death and then a close friend was like "jfc this is what people read for fun Emma, chill the fuck out"

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

The happiest ending is probably Party Favours? But I also think Stars Don't Shine They Burn with the 'I can't fix him I can make him fix himself, but at my end, I can also make us immortal soulmates' tied up pretty neatly, and I was very proud of it at the time.

(Also shout out to A Man's Word is His Bond for being the final chapter I'm happiest with.)

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Nope, not yet! I've had some entitled comments and a few mansplainers, and if anyone sends a WRITE MOAR comment when I have 9 completed fics and over 800k for people to read if they want to, I'll likely become pissed. But no hate!

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Queen of the Fade to Black, the moment anyone touches anything racier than a waist when I'm the one behind the keyboard I start blushing :')))))))))

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

I have written one whole crossover, my darklina Shadow and Bone/Stardust AU, and tbh it sent me pretty feral at the time.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Yes :-) twice I think. it's fine.

12. There was no question 12 so I'll make one up myself: What's the longest you've ever spent working on one fic? And the shortest?

Screaming, crying, throwing up. I remember the Emma who used to only post fics once they were fully drafted. I remember writing a Zevran/Warden fic in a week in the height of living alone in lockdown. I also remember writing A Bleeding Heart in a worryingly brief 3-week period.

Then I got hit with the crippling depression. The longest I've spent working on a fic is 19 months for Sunblindness when I got the Big Sads.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Nope! Not a group projects girlie. I'm here to cater to me and me alone.

14. What's your all-time favourite ship?

Lol. Of the ones I've written for, it's a tie between Zevran/Surana and Astarion/Tav, as their dynamics were the funnest (seems rogue/mage is my jam). Of all time, it's Spike/Buffy - I have no need to write for them bc I am already well fed.

15. What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I have a Darklina Wintersmith AU that I have 2 out of 3 chapters down for and then BG3 full release happened. But the depressing answer to this question is 'original fiction projects' - I want to try and write something original but my confidence always fails me. I'm trying to transfer the things I enjoy about fic to original stuff to combat it but I'm not there yet!

16. What are your writing strengths?

Idk man, who could say? I think I'm good at dialogue/banter bc that's the compliment I receive most often in comments. I also think that if I've got a plot-twist in mind from the very beginning, I usually land it? The rest of the plot might be squiggly and messy as fuck, but if a scene was there when the fic was dreamt up (the ending of Sunblindness, the stag scene in my Stardust!AU, the agoraphobia reveal in A Bleeding Heart, the study scene in Pieces, etc.) then it usually ends up being received well and being exactly the way I pictured it in my head.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Can't write smut!!! It's the only thing holding me back!!!

(also if I have the choice between describing something in a sentence or in 3 paragraphs, I usually pick 3 paragraphs. Sometimes this is good, sometimes this is a fucking travesty. See answer to question 2!)

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

Amazing and encouraged but not something I can do, as I am bad at languages so it would just end up being a colonial hate crime facilitated by google translate.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Dragon Age: Inquisition!

20. Favourite fic you've written?

Despite the way that Full Access recontextualises it, my favourite fic is absolutely A Bleeding Heart. It was so much fun to write, it was my first time doing unreliable narration, and I was really proud of the plot twist in the final chapter. Also for someone who doesn't write smut, the fact that I got a friend to walk out of their house with the hair-pulling scene made me very smug tbh.

Tagging anyone who wants to do this!! I have made a bunch of new friends and mutuals lately, so if you're a writer and you want to answer these qus please do this so I can see your answers.

[faggotryandtransjesterism]

VegasPete Fic Rec Masterlist (Pt. 1)

favorites are marked with a (*)

Lost Pet by @clandestinegardenias | 12k | E

Vegas has very few things he truly allows himself to care for, in this life. Going through the routine of feeding his hedgehog, only to find that a second pet has left him in as many weeks, might finally be the thing that pulls him under.

i can't really point to why i like this one so much, but it was my first vp fic and i always come back to it.

spend the rest of your life (what could have been) by toomoon | 15k | M

“I have an idea,” Pete says slowly, and Pol looks up at him. “But you’re not going to like it.” “I’ll take anything at this point,” Pol tells him. “Tell me.” Pete tells him. Pol doesn’t like it.

Pete and Pol get put in charge of a surveillance operation on a potential business rival. The only way to avoid rousing suspicion is to take over a small family restaurant. Vegas is the only person in the Theerapanyakul mansion that can cook. It's all going smoothly until the restaurant actually becomes a success.

vegaspete running a restaurant, what can i say? i love the vibes and the premise of this fic so much. also features trans!Pete, which was a nice surprise.

Sustenance by @givemeunicorns | 14k | M *

His grandmother told him when he was very young that there was no love in the world so filling as a place at the table. That there was no greater kindness, no greater expression of devotion, than to feed another, no better way to make them whole.

As the smoke begins to clear, Pete waits and wonders.

i adore this fic with every bone in my body!! food as a love language my beloved. i remember feeling like i'd been punched in the gut when i first watched ep. 14 and pete said because I'm hungry, and this fic really taps into that reaction, and builds on it with some beautiful character study for both pete and vegas.

fuck it all back down by @syzyg3tic | 4k | E *

Everything about sex is performative. There is no such thing as fucking without an agenda, at least in Vegas’s experience. He wouldn’t have survived to adulthood if he was precious about shit like that.

Vegas and some of the men he sleeps with in his desperate, rage-filled attempts to be loved or hated--either will work.

unparalleled, genius, the Vegas fic. great character study and really influenced the way i perceive him. also sparked my obsession with big and also with vegasporsche friendship. (obligatory CW for vegas' psychosexual obsession with his cousin. Freak <3)

hoping at the gates they'll tell me that you're mine by puckbaes | 34k | E

Missing scenes between Vegas being gunned down and waking up again.

Pete takes care of an injured Vegas, what's left of the minor family's business and Macau. He's reminded that while he resigned from his job, the family that loves him are not going to abandon him.

Bamf!Pete, found families, and glimpses of life after Vegas wakes up.

nice little fluffy domestic vegaspete fic :) i don't read much fluff for this pairing for obvious reasons, but this one's cute.

Five-Star Southpaw by Anonymous | 106k | E *

When Vegas is handed the keys to a failing major family hotel and told to bring it back to life, he knows it’s not a gift, or a test, or even an opportunity to prove himself. It’s a taunt. It’s a way to set him up for failure so everyone can rub his nose in the shitshow he’s left with, defeated and inferior to his cousins like always. It’s the death sentence of his pride in a gilded cage.

But misery loves company and all that, and he finds a surprisingly fitting cellmate in an unassuming looking employee named Pete. Now if only he could get Pete to stop playing hard to get, this cage could become a lot more comfortable.

Obviously. We all know. this is The VegasPete Fic, it's glorious, it's perfect. i think about it at least once a day.

stay with me a minute (swear i'll make it worth it) by incendir | 2k | M

Pete hadn’t anticipated how much breathing would hurt.

[Or, an unseen moment in 1x13]

incendir is an author i read consistently, all of their oneshots are great, so definitely check out their page after you finish this one!

while I do my thing in the background by TheDameJudiWench | 1k | G

"I have a gift for you. This is Pete."

tankhun-centric vegaspete fic my beloved...

First Impressions to Love Expressions (Chapter 12) by @iffervescent | 6k | E *

this is part of a series of stand-alone kpts fics, but i think this is the only vp one. anyway, it's immaculate. the little delve into pete's backstory, his connection to vegas and the family throughout his life are all amazing. great writing, great characterization, highly recommend.

like a trigger (get me ready to shoot) by @veliseraptor | 6k | M *

sadism: psychosexual disorder in which sexual urges are gratified by the infliction of pain on another person. (Encyclopaedia Britannica)

As far as Vegas can tell, there are normal people who want normal things, and then there's whatever he's got going on.

another marvelous Vegas character study, beautiful characterization. lise is another author i read regularly, so you'll see a lot of them on my lists.

That's it for part 1! I'm just going through my bookmarks in reverse order, so there's no real rhyme or reason to the ordering here. If anyone knows of any more of these authors that are on tumblr, pls feel free to tag them!

[sleepydelights]

7: Have tattoos?

8: Want any tattoos?

12: Relationship status

13: Biggest turn ons

14: Biggest turn offs

15: Favorite movie

16: I’ll love you if

25: My idea of a perfect date

27: A description of the girl/boy I like

34: What I find attractive in women

35: What I find attractive in men

36: Where I would like to live

oop i didn't think it was so many sorry

Wow! Don’t be sorry nonnie I’m happy for the attention and distraction from packing ^.^

7. Yes, but they’re all simple, black, and family related. I’m itching to get a number of new ones though.

8. Haha yes, I want a beetle in the crook of my arm so when I open and close my arm, the elytra open revealing the wings beneath. I want a 747 wingtip to wingtip, elbow to pinky. I have a number of finger tattoos I want; bone outline on the back of one hand. I want my entire left leg to be beautiful vibrant flowers, each representing an important person to me. There are so many more tbh but that’s a start.

12. I am married and poly. I’m not actively seeking, but then that’s never been my style. My wife landed in my lap 10 years ago by luck. I tend to deal in extremes so if I’m honest I never dated much at all. Just pined.

13. Biggest turn ons? It’s hard to rank them because they all have different effects but I guess decisiveness, intention, and calmness.

14. Turnoffs? Gah it’s so situational and I never know when something is going to give me the ick. I think willful ignorance is number one. Like if someone sends a message with my pinned word but the message contains unsolicited sexy roleplay, I’m immediately squicked. Like brother (it’s always men in my experience) you read it but did you -read- it? That’s a lame example but yeah ignorance and boundary pressing behavior.

15. Favorite movie. I get so much shit for this all the time but it’s Armageddon. Bruce Willis was in his peak imho in 97 for The Fifth Element and in 98 for Armageddon. It’s a stellar fucking cast- Steve Buscemi, Liv Tyler, Michael Clarke Duncan,Billy Bob Thornton, and there’s also Ben Affleck and Owen Wilson. Yes. I know. It’s a Michael Bay film but I feel like it gets a pass because it’s pre-Transformers. It’s so bad it’s good again, from hysterically bad dialogue to criminally incorrect representations of vacuum physics, all to the fucking tune of Aerosmith. Fun fact - NASA uses (or used) Armageddon for management trainees, tasking them to spot as many errors as possible and so far 168 have been noted. Let’s not forget the bonus dvd features interviewing Ben Affleck who essentially laughs his way through every plot hole for five minutes. Suspend your disbelief of any of it making logical sense in a real world environment and it’s a fantastic film and I will die on this hill to the tune of I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing.

16. I’ll love you if you… think of me fondly.

25. My idea of a perfect date? April 25th. It’s not too hot and not too cold. All you need is light jacket. ^.^ But for real? Probably going for tapas and drinks, maybe a show. Then we come back and get comfy because fuck being out too long and we snuggle and talk and let things go where they may.

27. A description of a person I like. She has the most vibrant brown eyes I’ve ever seen. Black as night sometimes but sometimes they are a rich amber or even chocolate with hints of sienna. Her skin is so soft and inviting. Her hands are soft but strong. She’s taller than me which is nice because sometimes I need to feel small. She’s a talented writer and she’s funny and smart but not a know it all. She does know it all though. About everything. She has a thirst for knowledge that rivals no one else I’ve met. Some of it might be useless knowledge but fuck if she doesn’t retain it like she does cables and puns. I like her a lot.

34. What I find attractive in women? The list of what I don’t find attractive in women would be much shorter. I have been obsessed with the female form for as long as I can remember. I was always embarrassed about it but here it’s okay and welcome to openly worship women and I love that for me.

35. What I find attractive in men? I don’t find many men attractive and the ones I do? They don’t have many physical attributes in common. It’s about how they make me feel. I can’t stand a man who yells. I do appreciate some hair and a squishy tummy and big hands though.

36. Where I would like to live? It’s between California and Barcelona right now. California for friends mostly. Barcelona to escape the political fuckery of this hellscape country. I don’t feel like my family is safe here anymore.

Thanks for all the questions! I really need to pack my tech bag and go to bed soon though. My Lyft will be here in 7 hours. 🫣

[itsbrucey]

Got tagged by @locke-n-k3y . Thumbs up! 15 questions.

1. Are you named after anyone?

Brucey/Bruce wasn't taken from anyone?? but I also got the name from some classmates attempting to be transphobic towards me?? So Yes and No. Just kind of stole it going forward bc I liked the name and I needed something to go by online.

2. When was the last time you cried?

I teared up recently over the newest DnDads episodes + some bigtop burger stuff but like. I can't remember the last time I genuinely cried?? I have to schedule the next sesh.

3. Do you have kids?

No. Pregnancy scares me and I am a loser

4. What sports do you play/have you played?

I played softball for like a week in junior high and then stopped bc I started having daily panic attacks

5. Do you use sarcasm?

Yes! I try to tag whenever I'm joking or being sarcastic though bc I might come off as mean

6. What's the first thing you notice about people?

Recently?? Hands or eyebrows. I don't really like making eye contact and I like hands and eyebrows.

7. What's your eye color?

Dark green!

8. Scary movies or happy endings?

Depends! I really like Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Ritual for horror movies though. And I'd recommend watching The Last Unicorn for anybody who hasn't seen it bc it's a fantastic movie.

9. Any talents?

I'm pretty good at arguing? Does art count.

10. Where were you born?

America. Somewhere in it.

11. What are your hobbies?

Drawing..... Reading....... Big fan of watching and reading literature essays. I collect dice and rocks and sometimes bones? I'm not currently playing D&D but I'm working on a Western themed campaign + I like making small oneshot TTRPGs. Are those hobbies?? Haven't been doing them lately bc it's cold as fuck and I don't have any time but hiking and fishing!!

( Ice fishing is really fun btw. Try it if you can )

12. Do you have any pets?

Yes........a cat. My baby girl. A tortie named Briar but she just goes by Gato most of the time

13. How tall are you?

5'7 or 5'8. Cannot remember

14. Favorite subject in school?

Sociology and Weight Lifting !

15. What is your dream job?

Currently going for a Bachelor's in Behavioral Healthcare so hopefully!! Therapist or Counselor. A Professional Illustrator or Character Designer would be nice. Or Alaskan Salmon Fisherman. Tattoo Artist? Idk I just want to do anything that sounds fun or useful.

I don't have 15 people to tag so. If you see this and want to do it. Go ahead!

[johnhardinsawyer]

Telling the Truth

John Sawyer

Bedford Presbyterian Church

7 / 14 / 24[1]

Mark 6:14-29

Amos 7:7-15

Psalm 85

“Telling the Truth”

(Plumb-lines, Politics, Prophecy, and Power)

Four years ago, this month, the Session of our church voted to put a banner on our front lawn.  You might remember that it was the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a divisive presidential election taking place, and there was unrest in many cities across the country after the murder of George Floyd by a policeman in Minneapolis. 

This last thing prompted some members of the Session to take up the question of what we should do in a highly-charged political and social climate to respond to the racial reckoning taking place.  Someone suggested that we might put up some kind of sign on our front lawn:  a banner with a message.  This was something that we had never done before as a church – put a moral “message” physically on a sign. . . out there.  When it came to what we might say as a church and how that message might be construed or misconstrued by our neighbors, there were some really long, and sometimes, very hard conversations over Zoom.  At the time, there were some who voiced concerns that this message might be too “political” – too radical for our historically reserved congregation to send.   

Finally, the Session settled on the message, “We stand against racism.”  It seemed like a simple, moral message – a non-controversial slam dunk:  “We, at Bedford Presbyterian Church – according to what the Bible teaches us about God’s love for all people – do not approve of racism in any way, shape, or form.”  The sign was designed, ordered, paid for, delivered, and put out on the lawn.  

Within a week of the sign going up, someone was driving by, and they saw the sign, stopped, and took it down, rolled it up, and put it outside the Fellowship Hall door.  The word that I got from them was that a “We Stand Against Racism” sign was simply too much for them – or for our community – to handle at the time.  In their mind, a sign that explicitly read “We Stand Against Racism,” was also, somehow, telling the world, implicitly, “We Stand Against Police,” which could not have been farther from the truth.  We are so thankful for the police – especially our own local law enforcement – and we give thanks for our great relationship with them. 

But sometimes when a clear moral statement, based on sound Biblical and theological principles, is made in the public square – no matter how true the statement might be – things can get complicated. . . construed and misconstrued and flat-out-derided and dismissed due to so many complicating factors.  

We see this at work in today’s lectionary readings from the Gospel of Mark in the New Testament and the Prophet Amos in the Old Testament.   

I think these passages are so important – even if they don’t make us feel good – because they address what happens when religion enters the public square and makes a statement.  Now, there are those who believe that religion and politics should not mix – especially not in public.  But the Bible is filled with stories of brave people – prophets and priests and kings, slaves and servants, women and men, disciples and apostles and a Messiah – who all exercise their faith in the public square.  In every instance, these brave people publicly offer a message that is not always willingly or graciously received.  But the words they speak are the words of God, words that are, as the Prophet Jeremiah says, “. . . like a burning fire shut up in my bones that I cannot hold in.”[2]  And when they pour out their hearts – and sometimes, their very lives – they do so because they are filled with the Holy Spirit.  

John the Baptizer and the Prophet Amos are part of this tradition – a tradition of making a statement, telling the Truth (with a “Capital-T”) about who God is and the way of life God intends for us.

In our first reading, we see what can happen when this happens – and it ain’t pretty.  John has been out in the public square, making statements about King Herod.  Now, John has been in the public eye for several years – drawing crowds of people out into the wilderness by the River Jordan, baptizing people and calling them to repent:  to turn away from sin and turn toward God.  Even though the scriptures tell us that John was clothed in camel’s hair,[3] his messaging hasn’t been very warm and fuzzy.  At one point, he yells at some powerful religious leaders, calling them a “Brood of Vipers” (Matthew 3:7) – a bunch of snakes.  So, John is quite experienced in making a scene and calling out the powerful – challenging them to change their ways.  

In today’s story, John has called out King Herod for committing adultery with Herod’s stepbrother’s wife.  When John the Baptizer learns that, according to the ancient law of Moses, Herod, the local “ruler” of the Jewish people – a “king-of-sorts” who has put in place by the occupying Roman Empire – has an immoral marriage in which Herod has taken his stepbrother’s wife[4] (perhaps, not willingly),[5] John uses what influence he has to send Herod a message.  

So Herod has John arrested, because Herodias is upset by John’s message.  But then, the text tells us that Herod is actually kind of fascinated by John because he knows that John is a holy man.  In the original language, Herod is “at a loss, in doubt, uncertain”[6] at John’s words and in John’s presence.  But, in the end, this does not keep Herod from having John killed. 

We’ve already heard the grisly details – the party, the dance, the promise, the murderous request – and don’t need to dwell on them, too much.  It does not end well for John the Baptist.  Just as an aside, as crazy as it may sound, this story does remind me of a fun party we had in seminary.  There was this whole group of women seminarians who came to the party as “The Bad Girls of the Bible.”  I’ll never forget my friend Tiffany, dressed as Herod’s daughter, walking down the hall with a borrowed tray from the cafeteria demanding, “Bring me the head of John the Baptist!”  It was all in jest and – just so you know – Tiffany did go on to become a Baptist minister.  She is doing marvelous ministry, today, carrying the good news of Jesus out into the public square of the neighborhood called Hell’s Kitchen in New York City.  

So, in the death of John the Baptizer, we have one example of what happens when someone speaks a Holy and moral Truth to power and how that power responds with violence.  How many times in history – from Herod and the Roman Empire to Tiananmen Square to Alexei Navalny – have those in power done violence to those who speak for justice? 

In today’s reading from Amos, there is the foreshadowing of violence.  King Jeroboam – the somewhat corrupt self-made civil-war-causing ruler of the Northern Kingdom of Israel[7] – is not happy.  There is this local herdsman and fruit-tree farmer named Amos who has started criticizing Jeroboam at Bethel, the holiest place in the land.  The head priest at the shrine at Bethel is just trying to smooth things over and not cause any waves – which has often been the default position of organized religion.  As the priest says to the king, “Amos has been standing at the spiritual heart of the kingdom and has not been saying nice things about you.  Amos has been saying, ‘If Jeroboam keeps running things the way he has, then our kingdom will crumble and fall and be taken into exile.’”  The priest then tells the king, “the land is not able to bear all of [Amos’] words.” (Amos 8:10). The priest is basically telling the king that their fledgling kingdom – an offshoot from the united kingdom of David and Solomon – is already on shaky ground and cannot endure too much criticism. 

Amos is not afraid to speak the truth, though, even if the truth hurts.  God gives Amos a vision of a plumb line that God is holding up next to a wall.  Now, a plumb line is a device that was used in those days (and still is used in many places, today) to make sure that a wall is being built straight up and down instead of crooked.  God’s “plumb line” is measuring the people of Israel – and their king – and God has found them to be as crooked as a barrel of fishhooks.   The people and their king – measured against God’s standard of righteousness – are not measuring up.    

For those of you not familiar with the Book of Amos, you might have at least heard the most famous verse from this lesser-known prophet.  God is upset that when the people come to worship the Lord with their lips and begrudging offerings their praise is empty and rote, without faith or feeling.  It would seem that the people might be worshiping the Lord, but they are also worshiping false, small-g gods on the side.  And so, a few chapters before today’s reading, God says, “. . . let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” (5:24)  This verse was often used by Martin Luther King, Jr., someone who took his faith into the public square and was not always loved for doing so. 

For God, justice and righteousness go hand-in-hand as the moral plumb line – non-negotiables – for God’s people.  God demands that God’s people are both just (in that they live rightly, according to the will of God) and righteous (in that the quality of their lives gives rise to justice).[8]  If they are not living according to the will of God or living in ways that give rise to “right” living then they need to be told that their way of life will lead them to spiritual and/or actual ruin.  

Over the centuries, the church has attempted a prophetic voice and sometimes gotten it right.  We have gotten it wrong when our prophetic pronouncements have done harm to those on the margins.  Justice in the Biblical sense involves advocating for the powerless in the real world.  As one commentator writes,

. . . when the prophets speak of justice, they do not enter into the realm of the theoretical or speak of philosophical or legal notions . . . Rather, they lead us through those quarters of the city where the poor live and they invite us to look into the eyes of the lonely widow, the hurting orphan, and the hungry beggar.  Or they take us through the countryside and introduce us to a young couple about to lose the family farm.  Or we may be led through a home for the aged, where a lonely hand reaches out to be touched.        When the people of God expend their imagination and their energy in advocacy, in working to remove the discrimination built into the economic and legal systems, in finding ever new and more effective ways to take up the cause of the powerlessness, then justice will begin to roll through the land like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.[9]

I wonder how God’s plumb line is measuring us these days and what we – as followers of Jesus – are willing to say about justice and righteousness in a public, moral, manner.  In a time that seems just as fraught (just as crooked and crazy) as four years ago or four thousand years ago, what message are we bold enough to send the world in what we say and do – in how we live and share God’s love?  Is Jesus against racism?  Yes, without equivocation.  Is Jesus against violence – all violence – and the tools that cause violence?  Yes.  Is Jesus against systems that – for reasons of holding onto power, or money, or influence – rob from the poor and enrich the wealthy?  Yes.  And whether we like it or not, these issues – and so many others – will not be resolved within these four walls.  It can only be done in public – in the public square, in the halls of power, maybe even through seeking the good of the city and nation and world through the often-flawed practice of politics.  

But if we believe that the solution to all these issues is grounded in love – specifically, the love we have come to know in Jesus Christ and God’s call for justice and righteousness – then we have a moral foundation upon which to stand.  

It will be not easy.  It will be risky.  God will ask more of us than we are often willing to give.  There will be misunderstandings, and hard conversations, even derision and division.  But God promises a day when 

“Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet;  righteousness and peace will kiss each other.   Faithfulness will spring up from the ground,  and righteousness will look down from the sky.”  (Psalm 85:10-11) 

May God grant us the wisdom and courage to speak and work and live in such a way that this vision becomes a reality.  

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.  

-----

[1] Eighth Sunday after Pentecost – Year B, Proper 10.

[2] Jeremiah 20:9 – Paraphrased, JHS.

[3] See Mark 1:6.  

[4] See Leviticus 18:16 and 20:21.

[5] John Calvin, Calvin’s Commentaries – Vol. XVI: Harmony of Matthew, Mark, and Luke (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2009) 221. Book II.

[6] Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1979) 97.

[7] See 1 Kings 12.

[8] Wayne E. Meeks, ed. The Harper-Collins Study Bible (New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. 1993) 1364.  Notes by Gene M. Tucker.

[9] James Limburg, Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching – Hosea-Micah (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1988) 108-109.

[southkoreaandjapan]

Seoul, South Korea

June 22, 2023 3:00 AM

An nyōng (hello) from Seoul. Mark and Anson - who slept much less than me on the plane are still sleeping. Anson slept ZERO minutes, to tell the truth, so he was more than ready to go to bed for the night when we arrived at our hotel at around 7:00 PM. The beds here are WAY to hard for my old bones and because of that I brought with me this little air mattress - but I was too tired to read the set up procedure and thought - I'm plenty tired and I will not be bothered - but I was wrong. I was awake every 15 minutes with shoulder and/or hip pain and cramps, so finally at 2:00 - I just got up. By my afternoon nap I will have fingered out this little air mattress - Trust me!

Here is the overview of our trip:

We had originally planned to do the pre-trip to Mongolia, but it was cancelled about a month ago. Anson discovered mid-March that his passport had expired and with such back-up and delays beging reported for passport renewal, we felt it was too risky to pick another date closer to the beginning of summer. We had no wiggle room on moving the trip further into the summer either because I am taking 2 of our grandkids on their much delayed "Washington DC trip with Damma" a week after we get back to Michigan. That trip is "supposed to be a 10-year-old event, but Sagan is now 13 and Katelyn will be almost 12. So Mongolia was out - sadly. We were all looking forward to it. We are going to Hiroshima. According to the last communication with our trip leaders, there are only 10 people on the main trip and only 3 doing the post trip. (That would be us!)

I am always interested in the flight route - so here is how we got here:

The flight was scheduled to be 15 hours long - but it was closer to 14. We did have a delay at the beginning so our arrival time was very close to the original scheduled time. I am happy to report that I did NOT experience ear pain on take off or landing - and I was freaking out about that! Thanks to all of you who gave me "tips." Incheon International Airport is lovely, clean, efficient and easy to navigate despite the fact that we know ZERO Korean words nor can read anything written in Korean. We cleared customs, turned in our form re: communicable diseases, picked up our luggage (It all arrived!) and walked to the Taxi queue. A Mini van driver loaded our luggage and about an hour later we were outside our hotel.

Incheaon and Seoul are filled with skyscrapers but mountains and water are everywhere. Remember there are a LOT of people here - 10 million just in Seoul.

This is from our "welcome letter." "Nicknamed “The Miracle on the Han” for its stunning rebirth after near destruction in the Korean War, Seoul is sure to make quite an impression at first sight. Watched over by four “guardian” mountains, the metropolis is a buzzing, fast-paced playground for its ten million residents. Awash in neon lights at night and humming with activity by day, its energetic spirit might keep you from noticing that it is also home to serene temples and hiking trails leading into the mountains." I like it!

Here are some post war pics:

The Korean War (also known by sother names was fought between North Korea and South Korea from 1950 to 1953. The war began on 25 June 1950 when North Korea invaded South Korea following clashes along the border and rebellions in the south.  North Korea was supported by China and the Soviet Union while South Korea was supported by the United States and allied countries. (Can you say "Domino?") The fighting ended with an armistice on 27 July 1953 but they are not friends. We will visit the DMZ on June 27 - a month short of the 70th anniversary of this event and I will have lots to write about that - I'm sure.

When we landed it seemed gray and foggy and of course I worried about the air quality - but it was just getting ready to rain and the air quality here is rated "Good." It was in the mid 70's and HUMID!! Mountains and water are everywhere and I'll be excited to do a little bit of exploring. Here is a pic I took out of our hotel window this AM. City living y'all.

Anson has an agenda planned for when he gets up. Mark was up for a few minutes and said he was feeling better - but if he doesn't want to participate today - no big deal!

I am going to figure out this air mattress and try for a quick nap. Breakfast is available at 7:00 - but I'm not sure when the last time we had food was - but I confess to being ready for it.

Stay tuned.

[waitingformyfavoritesongs]

8:17 pmpdt 11 April 2023 Tuesday

Wow. I guess everything IS a lie. Spine pain 😖😭. No hope for a future. He keeps attacking me with acid. Diarrhea tummy ache green auto save saw through keyboard ⌨️ a minute ago. He keeps showing me signs 🪧 with time big bit. I guess I AM going to bite the dust in a big way. There really is nothing to fight for. Nick Carter is going to win. My body is going to be completely eaten away by acid. 8:22 pmpdt wow. Prostitution and human s*x trafficking will continue. Framing of people who did nothing will continue. And no one will care. Q intentionally wanted me with Scott who she thought 💭 was bad, and still decided she wanted me with him instead of a real nice guy. 8:25 pmpdt seems like I’m never going to win anything. 8:25 pmpdt left foot 🦶 bone 🦴 pain 8:26 pmpdt 😖😭 I guess I’m not trust worthy. 8:27 pmpdt

12:01 am pdt what is a holy grail? King 🤴 Arthur looked /searched for it. Holy = virtuous. I read it might be the cup? Plate? Jesus Christ used in the last supper. Mrs. Davis Tv show commercial. Taza = cup? In Spanish. Tazo = tea 🫖 brand. If you look 👀 at languages some words are borrowed and transliterated? T becomes D or vice versa?? F’s <-> p’s. S<-> z ??????? Spanish assigns genders to things with o’s and a’s. Some a’s sound like o’s? E’s sound like a’s. 12:08 am pdt I want to look 👀 at (scalp sharp pain 12:08 am pdt) how far back words like ooyasuminasai go in nihongo, Bcz it’s very similar to Greek. So I wonder 💭 if this goes very far back maybe 2000 years? With the apocalypse being written in the Bible, and John writing letters to churches ⛪️ and it said to a church ⛪️ in Asia Minor? I don’t remember where that is. I wonder then if Greeks went to Japan 🇯🇵. 12:11 am pdt 12:12 am pdt

1:59 am pdt there’s news 📰 that a man 👨 is running around grabbing women by the genitals. That’s probably been happening for years in Berkeley Bcz I heard a similar thing when I was there, sometime btwn 2008-2009? Makes me wonder 💭 if all he or they been doing is grabbing and then letting of and running 🏃‍♂️ away, makes me think 💭 it could almost be like a frat dare. 2:02 am pdt

I think a stabbing also happened at a frat party around that time. 2:03 am pdt

6:01 pmpdt 6:02 pmpdt brains 🧠 storming all things that probably (autocorrect: should don’t won’t) should have helped: collection and separation of food scraps for composting at all residents and businesses, mandatory recycling at all locations of every material, more forest 🌳 maintenance year round for forest renewal and composting. 6:08 pmpdt I felt another large chunk of bone 🦴 was taken from me and now I walk differently. I m feeling delusional? About it to cope with it, but I’m sure the truth will hit me hard when I hear it and when the big thing will actually happen to me. I’m not looking forward to it. It started when I was 32 years old even though my paternal grandmother 👵 had my uncle when she was 35 years old and my mother’s sister had her daughter when she was ≈40-42 years old (I remember it was 42 she said? But I doubt myself so margin of error going back to 40 years old 6:12 pmpdt). Menopause can happen starting early 30’s. 6:13 pmpdt last gynecologist in 2018? Said I was ok 👌. Didn’t mention menopause at all. 6:13 pmpdt if my hip bone 🦴 suddenly needs help I will consider all health professionals unprofessional and negligent. 6:14 pmpdt and I will have to have them investigated for conspiracy and 👀look for who put them up to the negligence. Was it Cano? Was it Brendan Lean? Was it incubus (Adam Noah Levine)? Are we still in denial of god’s existence and going to play this game? Role playing? Or are they going to say it to my face like my aunt? Either way I’m a loser. I lose my bones 🦴 then I’m a loser and I probably did an unnecessary favor for those who don’t deserve it. Nick carter should not go to court. We should let him run free! And find his next victims without impediment? Maybe she will be someone rich 🤑? Maybe he’ll be smart and attack someone he can actually get money 💰 from? You don’t know what you got til it’s gone they paved paradise and put up a parking lot 🎶🎼🎵🎤 6:19 pmpdt

6:23 pmpdt was it only rich women who wore corsets? I don’t know 🤷🏻‍♀️ much. 6:23 pmpdt

[chelleztjs18]

Hello you mrs. banana basil burgundy bread lefty eyebag 😅

I do know the song! Actually I just know the part where they yell shots shots shots shots 🤣 I yell that whenever I am out with friends and we go drink.

Ooh I see. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day for you!

The cinnamon raisin bagel is really good, but I don't think there's enough raisins in it. There's also a cinnamon swirl bagel, and instead of cream cheese, I put apple butter. It is so good.

I must've read it wrong then when we were talking about cookies and milk lol but saltine crackers in oatmeal? That's interesting! Have you tried peanut butter, honey and milk in oatmeal before?

So cake donuts are not as fluffy as a regular donut... I don't know how to explain it properly. It's thicker, and has a cakey texture. If you ever saw old fashioned donuts, it's like that but the cake donuts are a bit sweeter than the old fashioned.

I have not had mochi donuts before..I've seen it on videos and always wanted to try it. But I don't think we have a place here that sells it.

I think the number for my eyes are -14 on both.. I honestly don't remember, last time I went to get my eyes checked was 4 years ago 😅 so I guess this is a sign to get new ones. But no, I don't have an extra pair. And it's bad, I can only see up close, everything else is blurry. How about you?

Haha and no I am not a writer. If I ever write, it's going to suck because of punctuation and speech. My train of thought also goes to different places so I can't write one idea and stick to it. I guess I should have said that I just create scenarios in my mind...?

Okay, so when you write the stories with the stuff (lol sorry I feel awkward now) is it something that you wish would happen to you?

-CuriousGeorge

hello hello you carbs lovers lil' jon shots yeller righty eyebag! lol

banana? where did that come from? have we talk about banana before?

also when i read the words banana, i instantly read it with minions voice. u know, how they screams "BANANAAAAAAAA!" lol

yeah i hope tomorrow is a better day. i forgot to tell u that i dropped my phone in the water. :( so i try not to charge it n the battery's out. im gonna wait until tomorrow to make sure the charging port is not wet anymore.

hmm that sounds really good. i never try apple butter before but i like apple. i love honey butter especially if u put it on a fresh baked sweet dinner rolls. omggg.hahahaa

yeah, it tastes pretty good. it's creamy, sweet and a little salty at the same time. i love it when the crackers start to get a little soggy from the oatmeal. no, i havent try the peanut butter, honey and milk in oatmeal, sounds really good though.

ah i see. next time if i see a cake donut at the donut store, i will try it. n i hope u can try the mochi donut someday. :)

oh wow, that's pretty bad. -14?? mine is almost -4 n it's already hard for me to see. i'm sorry. i hope u can get ur glasses soon. :( so u can't see far, right? I can't see far but i think lately it's hard for me to see near too, i guess i'm getting old.

now i imagine how am i gonna be when i'm really old. i'll be that short asian grandma with white hair thick glasses and with my ear condition, i would probably wear hearing aids. lol

I think i haven't told u before, I have a mild hearing loss (35% on my left and 27 % on my right) due to rare condition that happen to my ears. i have otosclerosis. so it's like arthritis to my ears's bones that deliver sounds. so the bones is kinda broken n in 5-10 years it will get worse, the only solution is to do a surgery. So yeah, in mild hearing loss, i can't hear whispers well, i can't hear words well when there is noisy background. n because it's mild hearing loss, i dont need hearing aid yet. I just have to tell people that i have mild hearing loss and they might have to repeat themselves for me to hear them.

ah i see. that's awesome. do u sometimes write or make a note on the scenarios u make in ur mind? well, if u have idea or request that u want me to write, just let me know :)

or maybe u should try to write a bit by a bit n slowly. u never know until u try, who knows, maybe u can actually write. :)

hahaha dont be awkward. i'm open to any questions. hmmm when i write smut, R is always a dominant top because i read that mostly writers write R as a bottom.

well, i thought that what I write in smut such as how R is a dominant top just because i wanna write something different but a good friend of mine who knows me pretty well, she always said that i'm such a submissive bottom. so i kinda respond to her "not really. i always write dominant top R." and her answer to that kinda make me realized. she said "i know, but u write it like that because that's what u hope a top does to u." and after that i was speechless. lol. n got me thinking. "oh well, okay. i guess even though i dont mind being a top in real life, i gues she's right. I'm a sub bottom n what i write in smut are things that i wish that it happen to me." lol. sorry if it's too much information. i just don't know how else to answer ur question. but i hope it answers it. :D

next question? feel free to ask me anything.

Cheerio!

[ziracona]

Any/all! Fic, books and media are all welcome, I'm greedy.

Hmmm. Let me think! I’m sure I’ll miss a lot of good ones, but some of the first to come to mind: 💪

Film: obviously LoTR. I think that was one of the category namers. Gladiator (historical fiction). V for Vendetta (speculative fiction). Mad Max Fury Road (apocalyptic sci-fi). Terminator, but mostly the original and Terminator Salvation, not every film in the series (sci-fi). Meet John Doe (contemporary fiction at the time, but to us, historical fiction). The Prince of Egypt (Abrahamic story). The Wind Rises (historical, tragic drama). Spider-Man 2 (superhero). The Sound of Music if you push it. Like the hopepunk is contained in almost exclusively Act 3 but shit is it a hell of an act (historical, musical).

Tv: 1: Unlimited Blade Works (modern fantasy/sci-if)—one of my favorite TV shows of all time, painful and beautiful, very hopepunk. Do not watch the movie watch the 2014 anime, and watch the OG Japanese audio with subs. The dub was hell. 2: Angel Beats! (Supernatural dram/tragedy/comedy) This is a very hard show—like lots of painfully sad moments, but very sweet and worth it. End is bittersweet, but good. I’ve only seen the English dub, but the dub is very quality. 3: Infinity Train [seasons 2 and 3] (sci-fi, cosmic horror). 4: Tomorrow (supernatural, K Drama) — really good, watching it right now, Doctor Who (all of Doctor 9 and 10 at least much of his run),

Books: Any Terry Pratchett, but Night Watch probably top ranking, or maybe Small Gods (fantasy). LoTR again. The Shining Company (historical fiction) (a lot of her books are). Good Omens (supernatural fiction). Revolution (historical fantasy). 

Games: Days Gone (zombie apocalypse, work of art), Persona 5 Royal (speculative fiction, also a work of art), Kingdom Hearts (at least some of them, fantasy), arguably S4 of TWDG (zombie apocalypse), Determinately either Wolf Among Us (fantasy) or DBH (sci-fi) by dent of being decision based branching games.

Podcast: Nightavle through Stexcorp arc at least. TAZ Balance (fantasy, d&d podcast). Hello from the Hallowoods (ongoing, supernatural horror).

Comic: Bronze Age X-Men especially, I’m a huge fan of. If you’re interested in some of the really good ideas and meta that came with X-Men but don’t do comics, the best adaptation I’ve seen yet is X-Men Evolution, and I think that’s available to stream (superhero, sci-fi, social justice). Bone (fantasy).

Music: The Trans Siberian Orchestra album Beethoven's Last Night (album, rock opera, historical fiction), Les Miserables (musical, historical fiction). 

It also depends on how broadly you define the genre. I think of anything fitting into “Antithesis of GrimDark. Stories where the world is cruel and unfair and brutal any maybe on a grand scale, unchangeable, but combatting that and living and loving is deeply precious and meaningful despite, or in some cases even more so, because of that.” Some people might categorize The Wind Rises, for example, as Historical, Drama, Tragedy, but not as Hope Punk. I would call it that though. I hope that the list is still a good one for you. If you want only the most true-blue Hope Punk, I could give you a shorter list too.

Sorry this took so long. I wanted a good list, and it was harder than I thought. I’m sure I still missed many I deeply love.

[missbrunettebarbie]

Has anyone tried to sort the characters from The Winx or the Barbie Movies ?

I assume you mean the original Winx Club and I am afraid I don't remember that enough to try and sort it. Buut I did a rewatch of (the more interesting) Barbie movies and with the help of @the-phoenix-heart @starry-sky-stuff @laufire here are the Babries we’ve sorted:

1. Clara (Barbie in the Nutcracker)- Lion Snake. The movie focuses a lot on Clara's dreams and goals. Her Snake is a bit more hidden, but she has the same quiet Snake secondary energy kids that grew up in controlling/abusive households tend to develop. Plus remember when she had to save Eric she straight up lied to the guards?

2. Rapunzel (Barbie as Rapunzel)- Double Bird; the brush is such a Bird sec tool and she has that Bird primary vibe. Not to mention this shows that you can have The (Mad) Scientist sorting with artists too 

3. Odette (Barbie in Swan Lake)-Badger Lion. Her secondary is a bit burned in the begining but she gets better. Badger because of how much she cares about literally everyone, from people to mythical animals.

4. Annelisse (Barbie in the Princess and the Pauper)- Snake Bird. Her People are her mom -for whom she might have developed a bit of a Lion model- and Julian and what other secondary would collect and classify rocks for fun?

5. Erika (Barbie in the Princess and the Pauper)- Snake Lion. She ~bonds with Annelisse which is the only reason why she goes along with Julian’s plan -her only other Person is her cat xD- and I will say Lion secondary because she is clearly Improvisional and so snippy to her employer

6. Elina (Barbie: Fairytopia series) - Double Badger. "For the friends you haven’t met” is such a Badger primary say and the only thing to get Elina out of her trance in the first movie. I hesitated between Lion and Courtier Badger but the last two movies made me choose the latter.

7. Teenage Barbie (Barbie Diaries) - Lion Badger. To quote Phoenix: “ People pleaser with dreams of being popular and a news anchor is a total Lion Badger ”

8. Genevieve (Barbie in the 12 dancing princesses) -Badger Bird. She is the one that is always willing to lend a hand and who keeps her mom's traditions alive. And she always go for logical solutions (dad is sick, call the doctor), makes the plan to defeat Rowena in the end AND when Rowena attacks her she defends herself using the fan skills she learned from the duchess herself :DD. Not to mention that she seems the most capable to rule out of all the sisters so The King sorting fits her well

9. Ro (Barbie as The Island Princess)- Bird Badger. We see her caretake in the very first minutes of the movie with Tika or how she chases away the crocodiles. I chose her primary mostly by elimination, but I think it’s fitting for a girl who has an entire song with lyrics that start with “why” and wears a peacock dress. Symbolism much xDD. Not to mentionBird Badger is The Survivor and Ro sure is one.

10. Mariposa (Barbie: Mariposa) - Lion Bird She's clearly an Intuitive primary abd the way she's carving adventure and visiting far-away places made me settle on Lion. Also it might be me, but the sentence "I don't know what's worse, failing or admiting it to people who believed in me?" sounds veeery Lion primary. She loves reading books, and uses the knowledge she gathers from them to accomplish her goal which is a very Bird secondary MO.

11. Liana (Barbie and the Diamond Castle) - Double Snake. Her Snake secondary is easy to spot: she tricks Slyder with switching the mirrors, she gets her and Alex to play music at the restaurant for a meal. It's obvious Liana is a Loyalist and for the longest time I thought she was a Badger, but a Badger would not have been happy living alone just with Alexa in their small cottage. Also, her very betrayed speech to Melody after Alexa leaves her is so Snake to me xD

12. Eden Starling (Barbie in A Christmas Carol). Snake Lion. Her primary is burned at the start of the movie and yet we can still see how she is loyal to both her dead aunt and her cat. The entire movie is about her unburning and it is cathartic to watch. Lion secondary because she is abrasive at the best of times and at the end she relies on grand gestures to make ammends.

13. Thumbelina (Barbie presents: Thumbelina)- Lion Bird. She's an inventor so the Bird is obvious. Her dedication to save her home, her adventurous spirit, and her confrontational attitude with Mackena all scream Lion primary to me.

14. Corrine (Barbie in The Three Musketeers) - Double Lion. Could the girl who lifted the ban on female Musketeers be anything else but The Revolutionary? Corrine is a dauntless improviser and very stubborn. She starts as a bit of an immature Lion who wants to fight for glory and has to learn to fight for what's right.

15. Merliah (Barbie on a Mermaid Tale)- Lion Snake. Another immaure Glory Hound Lion who learns to embrace her role as princess. I considered Lion secondary, but I am pretty sure her rival/co-protagonist in the second movie-Kylie- is one. And while they are similar, Kylie is much more direct and abrasive which makes me think Merliah is a Snake who loves to live in neutral. She's certanly charming enough to be one.

16. Actress!Barbie (Barbie in a Fashion Fairytale+Fairy Secret)- Badger Snake. She's an Exterior primary that's very affected by what the world thinks. Also note that when she wants to get away she does not go to a completely unknown place like her friends suggest, but to her aunt's fashion house because that's where she feels safe. Her determination to save both the fashion house and then Ken felt almost Lion secondary at times, but I think she's a Snake: she is an actress, the interaction with the crazy director in Fashion Fairytale points to Fluid secondary and The Advisor seems to pretty much sum up her role in the first movie.

17. Blair (Barbie in Princess Charm School)- Snake Badger. Probably the Snakiest Snake primary Barbie as everything she does is for her mom and sister. She's a hard worker as proven by both her job as a waitress than by the way she has to practice to do well in the charm school.

18. Kristyn (Barbie in the Pink Shoes)- Bird Snake. The Artist probably fits this ballerina best. She's an Improviser as the whole movie proves, yet has no Lion bone in her body. Also her glee at getting to play -not just dance the part, actually be- Giselle and Odette points to Snake secondary. Bird primary becauss when she's stuck in the plays her system automatically shifts to integrate the rules of the world she is in, no matter how crazy they are.

19. Lumina (Barbie: Pearl Princess) - Bird Badger. She craves adventure and it's most likely an External primary but has no sense of community the way Badgers do. Badger secondary because of how enthusiastic she was to have a job just because she got to work.

20. Alexa (Babrie and The Secret Door)- Bird Lion. All her daydreaming and escapist fantasies made me think Bird primary. I chose burned Lion secondary because in a lot of ways, Alexa reminded me of well, me.

21. Starlight!Barbie (Barbie: Starlight Adventure)- Badger Lion. She cares about people and animals a lot and well, she is an hoverboarder and a daredevil.

ETA: 22. Annika (Barbie and The Magic of Pegasus) - Lion Snake. Her sneaking out plus her Oedypuss style deception points to Snake secondary. Her rebllious and passionate nature as well as her determination point to Lion primary.

Wow, this was not easy. But also fun :D

[sshannonauthor]

Hi Sam!!

I just finished TMF an hour ago and I can't stop thinking about it. What an incredibly gorgeous book. I started reading this series when I was 14 and now that I'm 21, it truly feels like the series has grown and evolved with me. I remember how, back then, the idea of sapphic characters (Ivy and Chelsea) was so revolutionary and validating. And the scene where Paige first discovers she might be demisexual (even though it was rather upsetting for her) actually made me question what being ace means for the first time. Now that I'm older, and I have come out as nonbinary, the series once again has provided me with these pockets of validation and comfort that I didn't even know I was seeking, with the introduction of Stèphane and Ognena Maria. I love how you introduced an enby character and they were gendered correctly from the get-go! All this time that I've been creating my own trans and enby characters, I have questioned how exactly I'd be introducing them to my readers, how much discomfort it would cause me /and/ my characters to have to start from a point where they haven't come out yet, and to have to explain exactly what's going on. Whether my readers would even understand 'they/them' pronouns in the context of the story, so to speak! The way you've introduced your characters has truly changed my perspective on this. The way lgbtq+ is so normalized, how no one even unnecessarily questions or uses their identity against them, it is genuinely absolutely beautiful. I am still struggling to navigate and understand exactly how much benefit of the doubt I am allowed to lend to my readers, and at what point it starts to become presumptuous of what information everyone unanimously holds. I hope I'm still making sense.

Something I wanted to ask you about, that frequently came up while I was reading /the/ scene in TMF, was whether it drew any inspiration from Buffy the vampire slayer. In BtVS, once Angel and Buffy finally sleep together, Angel turns into a monster unwillingly because his curse dictates that he would go back to being one, the moment he experiences peace (? or joy, one of the two). I noticed a parallel between that scene and how Arcturus has to go back to being a monster unwillingly right after he finally gets together with Paige. I was suspecting something similar may happen since Arc had been asleep for so long after that night that the two of them shared, like that tension had snapped and he could finally rest. He /did/ get possessed by something (or rather, someONE) by the end of it, and I started to wonder if it's going to follow the same trajectory that Buffy and Angel's relationship did (Buffy also tries to go back and convince him that he is a good person and that they still love each other, only to realise she's lost him forever). I don't know whether you've watched BtVS before, or whether this parallel was conscious or subconscious, so I essentially wanted to ask if there was a reason for this parallel, or whether it just occurred coincidentally.

Apologies for this really long ask. Best of luck on your next drafts, and I hope you have a very good week where you take ample care of yourself and rest well!

I'm so happy to hear that the series has been with you for so long and given you that validation. It's also lovely to know that my approach to gender and sexuality has resonated with you.

I know what you mean about the pronouns, and how much you should expect a reader to understand in advance. It can be a challenge to acknowledge and clarify characters' genders and sexualities in a way that feels seamless, particularly in secondary and alternate worlds, where attitudes may be different, as in The Bone Season.

I did consider whether or not I should explain Steph's identity, but just using 'they' immediately seemed the best approach, in the end. I imagine Steph as quite reserved, so it really wouldn't make sense for them to go into further detail about their gender with a woman they don't know at all.

And I've actually never seen Buffy, so definitely a coincidence. I was a bit too young to catch it when it first aired, and then I just never fancied watching it. But interesting parallel!