#because that’s not a popular nickname for Richard anymore

[tokenducks]

FTM Dick Grayson will always be real to me because it makes it canon that Dick is the funniest character of all time for picking his name.

[sunnixsunshine]

Here they are, my interpretation of the 2p!Face family! Next are Vargas boys!

I decided to keep 2p!England and America close to the popular incarnations(Oliver and Allan) in the fandom since I really liked those versions still. When I think of France’s opposite I think of a man who’s succumbed to his age despite being immortal; he’s lost all hope in romance, he’s lost any ounce of care for his looks and no longer cares for judgement. He’s just a tired old man. I took a lot inspiration for Canada’s 2P from that one strip where Seychelles takes notice of him and he gets very confident and even tries to flaunt himself to be noticed even further-- just taken up by a billion notches even beyond 1p!America’s canon levels of flare.

Their bios and names under the cut!

• 2p!England

Henry Kirkland(homage to King Henry VII); often referred to as Hen as in Mother Hen.

Much too cheerful for everyone's liking. He often makes too much of his tasty confections and ends up giving them away as presents to his fellow nations or the neighborhood. He's even known to kindly give some to the queen who absolutely cannot get enough! Especially his cakes! Although he's a very nice fellow he's a bit too nosey. He's always over someone's shoulder watching or reading what the other is doing. No one really takes offense however. He doesn't rat anyone out in case it may be a secret. In fact he's got very tight lips! He's kept a very important secret about France under wraps for decades now and has no plans of spilling it now or in the far future. America and Canada call him a helicopter parent and annoying. He means well though. He's a very supportive person and believes if you put your mind to it you can do it!

• 2p!America

June E. B. Jones(middle names are Eisenhower and Benjamin; homage to Junie B. Jones); Canada exclusively calls him Junie while Russia sometimes calls him Junebug, as in he's an annoying bug rather than a nice nickname.

A snarky vegan but ultimately a pacifist through and through. He's often putting himself down for his mistakes and failures and doubting his achievements and victories. Slicked back hair, a stylish motorbike, rolled up sleeves, a leather jacket (depending on the weather)— that's the making of a greaser right there! He's been totally obsessed with the rockabilly lifestyle ever since it became a fad in the 50s. He even still uses the lingo quite frequently(Daddy-O, ginchiest, cruisin' for a bruisin', big tickle, ect)! He used to be named Richard Kirkland after King Richard I/Richard the Lionheart. America changed it to June after declaring independence; later adding Benjamin after Benjamin Franklin passed away, then added Eisenhower after President Dwight D. Eisenhower left office. He became a vegetarian in the 1990s then converted to being a vegan in the 2010s.

• 2p!Canada

Jacob/Jacques Williams(answers to either; homage to Jacques Cartier); J, JJ, and J.W. are all nicknames America and England affectionately call him while everyone else either passes him by or calls him Canada.

An overconfident, loud mouthed, young man that tries much too hard to get noticed. He only wears his country's hockey jerseys(occasionally wears his other sports teams' jerseys) as he believes the more he wears them the more noticeable he'll become— where that logic came from no one is sure. France still calls him Jacques sometimes as it's just a habit. Canada doesn't mind. He used to be all tough and rowdy, but soon after America stepped into the spotlight and he fell into his brother shadow, Canada slowly became attention seeking and even narcissistic. Kuma, his polar bear, is somewhat neglected due to Canada's obsessed nature of being seen by others. It's left Kuma to be a bit hostile— gnawing on Canada's arm or chewing his shoes— as a way of gaining his attention back. Kuma scampers over to America or England for attention and food every now and then but absolutely refuses to totally leave Canada's side— he thinks if he leaves Canada would start to neglect his own heath and wellbeing which makes him feel guilty since he's been with Canada since the beginning.

• 2p!France

Edgar Bonnefoy(homage to French artist Edgar Degas); Ed and Frank are two names most end up calling him, however he doesn't care what he's called as long as it isn't hurtful.

An unfortunately depressed and constantly tired man who actively shows his age. Very pessimistic even if the outcome looks good. He can't ever be bothered to put much energy into anything, which includes his appearance. He goes mostly unshaved and wears a baggy shirt to help hide his back brace— his back is always hurting him, his knees too!— and shorts just because the restrictions around his legs are much too uncomfortable. He doesn't care what shoes he wears but has come to like crocs after America jokingly bought him, and everyone else, a pair for Christmas. Before then he could be seen wearing randomly designed flipflops— with socks! He doesn't actually smoke anymore. He stopped after WW1. Nowadays just holding a lit cigarette helps his nerves calm down and he stops thinking of the crushing inevitability of earth's armageddon for the time being. England often comes over to fix his hair as he tends to let it grow out way too much. He prefers it long but can't muster up the energy to tell England.

[fuckyeahtx]

Late in the afternoon on the last Monday in June, 430 Democrats, who had paid up to $100,000 each, clicked into a private, Texas-themed Zoom call organized by Joe Biden’s campaign. They were greeted by former Planned Parenthood chief Cecile Richards, whose mother, Ann, was the state’s last Democratic governor. They heard from Julián Castro and Beto O’Rourke, and they were treated to a performance by Willie Nelson, who sang a song with his son Lukas called “Vote ’Em Out.” It began, “If you don’t like who’s in there, vote ’em out. / That’s what Election Day is all about. / The biggest gun we’ve got is called the ballot box.” And they heard from Biden, who — just four days after a Fox News poll showed him narrowly ahead of Donald Trump in the state no Democratic nominee has carried since Jimmy Carter — told them, “I think we can turn Texas blue.”

From Amarillo to Brownsville to Beaumont to El Paso, you could practically hear the sighs: Here we go again. Texas Democrats hear a version of this overture in every election cycle as outsiders swoop in citing statistics about demographic shifts. The national party has long regarded the Lone Star State’s 38 electoral votes as the just-out-of-reach golden key to perpetual success.

Still, the ex-VP is now basking in a double-digit lead nationwide, and we’re improbably entering month 17 of close polling between Biden and the president in Texas, which Trump won by nine points in 2016. The state’s Republican senators are warning that Texas will be “hotly contested” (Ted Cruz) and “at risk of turning purple” (John Cornyn). And after months of bluster from its GOP leaders — in March, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick said seniors like him would be willing to die to restart the economy — Texas is under assault from COVID-19, and frustrations are turning into fury. Governor Greg Abbott has backtracked on plans for reopening as more than 5,000 new coronavirus cases flood in each day, while Houston hospitals are at capacity and millions remain out of work.

Four months into lockdown — about halfway between being left for dead politically early in the primary and Election Day in November — the nominee and his campaign are still adjusting to political fortunes they can hardly believe all around the country, let alone in Texas. As the summer stretches on, party leaders are starting to work out whether Biden’s lead and Trump’s spiral mean Democrats can afford to experiment in conservative states or if it’s worth shining a brighter light on down-ballot races that could hand a President Biden the Senate.

Of course, no national Democratic group has spent a dime on TV advertising in Texas, and they’re unlikely to. Biden doesn’t need Texas to win the White House. Far from it: Carter is the only Democrat to win there since native son Lyndon B. Johnson. Pro-Biden groups, like the Unite the Country super-PAC, that aim to get him to 270 electoral votes have been spending money in top-tier battleground states like Florida and North Carolina, not Texas, where Trump still has a slim lead in some polls. “If we win Texas, it will be the 350th or 370th electoral vote,” says Lily Adams, a senior Unite the Country official (who happens to be Ann Richards’s granddaughter and Cecile Richards’s daughter). “Not the 270th.”

And Democrats are still haunted by their 2016 confidence, especially in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Hillary Clinton’s wasn’t even the party’s only semi-recent collapse; one July 1988 poll showed Michael Dukakis beating George H.W. Bush by 17 points. Trump’s team, meanwhile, insists it hasn’t started fully unloading on its opponent yet. But this year’s race is showing signs of becoming something entirely different: Despite being stuck at home in Delaware because of the virus while Trump soaked up the national attention, Biden held a roughly ten-point lead in national polling averages by the end of June — about four points wider than the margin at this stage of any race in recent history. It would be overly kind to describe Trump as “flailing” as his poll numbers continue to hit new lows amid the pandemic and the protests against police brutality. His answer is to desperately look for a more cutting nickname for Biden, as he’s worried that “Sleepy Joe” isn’t good enough. (The 74-year-old Trump’s allies think their best bet is to portray 77-year-old Biden as frail and deteriorating. When asked by a Fox News producer about “cognitive decline” late last month, Biden replied, “I’m constantly tested … I can hardly wait to compare my cognitive capability to the cognitive capability of the man I’m running against.”)

Biden’s leads in the crucial swing states are more solid than expected — Trump’s campaign team is already worried he may have too big a mountain to climb in Michigan, the site of perhaps his most shocking 2016 victory — but the leads are still smaller than Biden’s apparent national margin. Biden has only recently begun venturing out for campaign events and rarely travels farther than next-door Pennsylvania. Wary of distancing recommendations, he isn’t planning to hold rallies in the fall, and only now, with four months left, is he building up senior teams in Wisconsin, North Carolina, and the like, while his allies pound digital and TV airwaves in those battlegrounds with a barrage of anti-Trump ads.

A Biden sweep still isn’t certain, which is why he probably won’t go all-in on a state like Texas. “My grandmother used to say, ‘You don’t know the size of Texas until you’ve campaigned in it,’ ” warns Adams. O’Rourke’s race against Cruz was the priciest Senate contest ever — and he still lost. But, Adams continues, “what you may be witnessing is a confluence or perfect storm of events that is making Texas more competitive this cycle than any other in recent history.”

Three Democrats independently used the “perfect storm” metaphor in conversations with me to refer to the pandemic, Trump’s plummeting popularity, and demographic shifts that have increased the state’s number of Latino voters and city dwellers. (A fourth called it a “perfect shitstorm.”) While that combination doesn’t yet have party leaders considering Texas a central swing state, it has forced them to shift it solidly into their expanded conversation about electoral battlegrounds, just behind Georgia.

Those closest to Biden have better things to worry about than these debates — like picking his running mate and designing his coronavirus-recovery proposals. When they do get sucked in, though, the pro-Texas-investment arguments usually start by noting that this ain’t the Bushes’ Texas anymore. O’Rourke, whose presidential campaign manager, Jen O’Malley Dillon, now runs Biden’s effort, came within three points of Cruz in 2018. That was just four years after Abbott beat Democrat Wendy Davis by 20 points, and the state’s briskly growing cities and suburbs are sprinting away from Trump’s GOP. Long-term trends have seduced Democrats: The Census Bureau in June reported that Texas’s Hispanic population grew by more than 2 million in the past decade. And the state’s present crisis has only sped things up. It’s the latest stage in a four-month saga during which Trump’s polling has dropped precipitously, but it mirrors similarly dire pictures for Trump in Florida and Arizona. “It’s 24/7, all over the place on TV, on their cell phones, as counties send out emergency texts to every single person in the county,” Castro, the former presidential candidate, tells me. “People are putting two and two together that this is the direct result of a failure by Donald Trump and Greg Abbott.” Whereas Biden has lagged previous Democrats a bit in popularity among Latino voters, Latino communities have been hit especially brutally, causing many to turn hard against Republicans.

The party’s wallet will stay shut for now anywhere but Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina, Arizona, and Florida. Still, before Willie Nelson and his guitar took center stage that Monday afternoon on Zoom, O’Rourke warned that if the vote tally is tight on Election Day, “I believe that the current occupant of the White House — who does not believe in the rule of law, who does not respect the Constitution, who will do anything he can to maintain and increase his purchase on power, will exploit a close outcome to attempt to steal the election.” But, he continued, “the greatest safeguard against that outcome is Texas.”

[howaminotinthestrokesyet]

Band Name Origins: Random Quarantine Thoughts

1. Oasis...Singer Liam Gallagher came up with the name for this band. He was seeing a show by the Inspiral Carpets, which Noel Gallagher was a roadie for at that time. The name of the venue was the Oasis Leisure Center in Swindon, England. Liam thought Oasis would make a pretty cool name for a band.

2. The Killers...The name was derived from the logo on a drum for a fictional band in the music video for New Order’s “Crystal.”

3. Rolling Stones... According to Keith Richards, Brian Jones had named the band while on a phone call to the Jazz News in their very early days. He was asked by a journalist for the band’s name, so Jones said Rolling Stones. The guitarist saw a Muddy Waters record laying on the floor. “Rollin’ Stone” was one of the songs listed.

4. Weezer...The name comes from a nickname given to Rivers Cuomo when he was in school. They teased him because he had asthma.

5. Radiohead... They get their name from a Talking Heads song on their 1986 album, True Stories. The song is not very well known and they never released it as a single. Initially, the band had wanted to call themselves On a Friday because that was the day on which they practiced every week.

6. Cream...The Eric Clapton band got its name because music writers all over England referred to him and the other two members in the band as the cream of the crop, as far as musicians at the time.

7. Kings of Leon... The origins of their band name is family related. The name of their paternal grandfather was Leon. The three brothers in the band are the Kings of Leon, if you follow that logic. I am not so sure because wouldn’t Leon be the king, and they would just be princes?

8. The Strokes... The band had been bouncing around a few names to call themselves when Julian Casablancas offered up the Strokes. This emerged as the first one that they all agreed upon. Nick Valensi explained it as the word stroke can mean so many things in the dictionary, so it was perfect.

9. Nine Inch Nails... Trent Reznor has said that the name of the band has no actual meaning, but he used it because NIN was an easy abbreviation. Fans have speculated for years that the band name could possibly refer to Jesus Christ and crucifixion or Freddy Krueger‘s fingernails.

10. U2... As the band was first starting out, a friend of Adam Clayton, who was a musician in the Radiators offered six possible names for them to choose. They selected U2 because it was vague and could be interpreted in different ways. Despite some confusion over the years, the name is referring to the Gary Powers American spy plane.

11. Pink Floyd.. The band was named by original lead singer, Syd Barrett. He took the name from two popular blues musicians at the time, Pink Anderson and Floyd Council. Many people over the years have thought that Pink Floyd was an actual person.

12. Smashing Pumpkins... No member of the band has come out and said where the name actually came from. Some have said that Billy Corgan got it in a dream. Others have said that it is meant as a joke. The one thing that D’Arcy Wretsky did say in 1993 that the name was meant as an adjective, not a verb.

13. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band... The street is located in the New Jersey city of Belmar. The reason the band adopted that name is because the first keyboard player’s mother lived on that street. She would allow the band to rehearse at her house. Unfortunately, this has never been confirmed.

14. Beastie Boys... This group was originally a hardcore punk band. The word Beastie is actually an acronym that stands for Boys Entering Anarchistic States Towards Inner Excellence. They did say later in interviews that the word Beastie came before the acronym. The other reason the name was chosen emerged in the fact that the initials would be BB. One of their major influences before switching to rap was the band Bad Brains.

15. Foo Fighters... Dave Grohl and company get the name of their band from a term that was coined in World War II. American and allied pilots would report UFOs and other unexplained phenomenon in the sky. They referred to these alien aircraft as Foo Fighters. This helps to explain one of their recent music videos, “The Sky Is a Neighborhood.”

16. Wu Tang Clan.. This groundbreaking rap group derived its name from a film. Member Ol’ Dirty Bastard named the group after the 1983 kung fu film, Shaolin and Wu-Tang. In the film, Wu Tang is a style of fighting. The group would use audio from the film in their first release, Enter the Wu-Tang.

17. Coldplay... The group originally had been called Starfish, while a friend’s band was named Coldplay. They really wanted to use this name. One of them found out that the other group did not want to use the name anymore. The band asked permission to use it. The origin of the name was taken from the title of a book of poems called Child’s Reflections : Coldplay.

18. Metallica... The group got its name from a friend of Lars Ulrich by the name of Ron Quintana. He was trying to think of names for a fanzine that he was starting about metal music. The two names he had come up with were Metalmania or Metallica. Ulrich heard the name Metallica and immediately took it for his own band because he liked it so much.

19. Green Day...This is an interesting one. The inspiration for their name emerges in their love of cannabis. Their image as a punk rock band on the surface has never struck me as strong advocates of marijuana.

20. Pearl Jam... The band initially was to be called Mookie Blaylock. Yet, they learned that there would be legal issues with using the name of a current NBA player. The name Pearl Jam was chosen instead. Singer Eddie Vedder had a grandmother by the name of Pearl, who made a jam with peyote. The ironic thing about it is people probably assumed Jam was another basketball reference.

[rosemary1315]

SU OC Profile: River and Flora Skyler

River Skyler Nickname: Uncle River (Andy, Greg), Riv (Flora *Sometime*), Dad (Richard, Robert), Grandpa (Jun) Relative(s): Flora Skyler (Wife), Richard Skyler (Eldest Son), Robert Skyler (Younger Son), Yukiko Skyler (Daughter-in-law), Jun Skyler (Grandson) Friend(s): Principal Edwin Scott (Friend), Mr. and Mrs. DeMayo or Andy's father and mother (Friends) Occupation: Pilot (Past/ *Retired) Personality: He's brave, funny, friendly, playful and fun-loving. He's always active. He love flying much (His dad is main reason to made him want to be Pilot, when he was kid). He like to tell the story about his life in the past or history about of Skyler Family. He has sense of humor better, he like to made everyone laugh. He like to tell about embarrased story about his sons in sometime. Even he'e always neat about of dressing, but he's down to earth. He love to try new does or eating new everything. He isn't easily angry, because he's a always optimistic person. But, he can to be scariest guys, if someone made him angry. He love and care his sons much. He's very mad, if what a bad happened with his sons. He love and care his wife much, he love her shy and gentle, it made him feel calm, or can smile again when he feel bad. Like: Flying (It doesn’t matter how old is he. he still always love about flying or even on plane without drive, at least), Tell the story about his life or history about of Skyler Family to everyone, Tell embarrased story about his sons (sometime), Tell about jokes, Exercise (This is reason, why he can walk or run better and fast than some youngers), Stamp collecting, Pie (especially apple pie, blueberry pie and key lime pie is his favorite pies), Stew, Coffee, Mashed Potato, Try eating new foods (he like to try everything from around the world), Some Japanese foods (Thank to Yukiko. Especially, Katsudon, Japanese Curry and Mashed Potato Korokke is his favorite).

Backstory

River Skyler is Richard and Robert's Father and Jun’s Grandfather. Formerly, he's Pilot. He's very popular for girls (in that time), mostly girls fall in love him much. But, he don't interest those girls, Because, they're not his type. But, he fall in love with normal shy girl, Flora. Because he can see, she unlike other girls he ever seen (in that time). Later, he is married to Flora, and had 2 sons are Richard and Robert.

Years later, he moved to another city with his wife and sons (in that time, Richard was teenage and Robert was kid/pre-teen). Later, he become friend with Mr. and Mrs. DeMayo (Andy's father and mother), after Andy said about his perent are a pilots like him, it made River want to know them.

*Until once day, One of his son, Richard got Bullies Gang hurt injury to the hospital. At that time, it made him decied to deal them for help and protect his son. He meet a high school reporter, James Hiroshi help him about. This point, it made him meet his old friend when he was teenage, Edwin Scott is The Current Principal (in that time), who is initiated deal with Bullies Gang before him. Later, he meet former one of Bullies Gang, Stanley who is reveal the secret about Bullies Gang, because he can't stand with his Bullies Gang's behavior anymore, after he saw hurt other student (Richard) injured to the hospital. Days later, after Richard's condition has improved and come back to school again. River become to hero in high school, after he made Bullies Gang got fired from school. But, he want thank to James, Stanley and Principal to help him and his son. *[This is the full story about "River beat Bullies": Click] Years Later after Richard and Robert leave to have their own lives, while River and Flora are retire from their work. They decied sold their house and moved to another city, 1 year before Robert moved back to the city. Present, River and his wife live a happy life in new city. But in every year, they come back to the city where had lived for visit their sons and friends.

Flora Skyler Nickname: Aunt Flora (Andy, Greg), Mom (Richard, Robert), Grandma (Jun) Relative(s): River Skyler (Husband), Richard Skyler (Eldest Son), Robert Skyler (Younger Son), Yukiko Skyler (Daughter-in-law), Jun Skyler (Grandson) Friend(s): Mrs. DeMayo or Andy's mother (Friends) Occupation: Kindergarten Teacher (Past/ *Retired) Personality: She's shy (especially, when she was young) and bit timid. But, she's gentle and modest (main reason made River fall in love her). She love childrens and love to teach them (This main reason to made her want to be kindergarten teacher in that time). She love drawing (Especially, about flower). She love cooking and baking. She like write and draw about any food recipes on notebook. She's love and care her sons and husband much. She love his brave and funny guy. Like: Drawing (Especially, she love draw flower), Reading (Especially, about drawing),  Cooking, Baking (Especially, pie and cake) Writing (Especially, write and draw about any food recipes on notebook), Simple life, Chicken Sanwich, Fruit Salad, Some sweet desserts, Some Japanese Foods (Thank to Yukiko. Especially, Gyoza and Miso Soup)

Backstory

Flora Skyler is Richard and Robert's Mother and Jun's Grandmother. Formerly, she's Kindergarten Teacher. Fact, she had crush on River much as other girls who fall in love him. But, she's too shy to said her true feeling to River. Plus, she afraid to close him, because she don't want mess with those girls. Until River see her, it made him fall in love her (in that time). Later, she is married to River, and had 2 sons are Richard and Robert. Years later, she moved to another city with her husband and sons (in that time, Richard was teenage and Robert was kid/pre-teen). Later, she become friend with Mrs. DeMayo (Andy's mother) Until once day, after the school informed the news to her about One of her son, Richard got hurt injury to the hospital. Flora is crying, because she can’t stand to see her son injured. That moment, It made her heart broken. While River go to the school, she stay at hospital for takes care her son, until Richard's condition has improved and can go home. Years Later after Richard and Robert leave to have their own lives, while Flora and River are retire from their work. They decied sold their house and moved to another city, 1 year before Robert moved back to the city. Present, Flora and her husband live a happy life in new city. But in every year, they come back to the city where had lived for visit their sons and friends.

[tywvin-archive]

creator tag meme!

rules: it’s time to love yourselves! choose your 5 favourite works you created in the past year (fics, art, edits, etc!) and link them below to reflect on the amazing things you brought into the world in 2018. tag as many writers/artists/etc as you want (fan or original!) so we can spread the love and link each other to awesome works!

i was tagged by @maiaroberts and @arthurpendragan , thank you guys! <3

this moana gifset i just adore and that i’m still sad about because it didn’t get as many notes as i thought it deserved

these mulan posters i created for an event on @/fandomaestheticnet!

these soc posters i made in a rush and ended up loving much more than i expected!

this four horsemen of the apocalypse edit that is one of my all-time favourites!

this alina starkov edit that leigh bardugo herself reblogged and that i didn’t expect to be half as popular as it ended up being!

tagging @lavndertown , @savsastark , @branwellcharlotte , @lokiofasgcrd , @helenstroy and @rosaeles ! if you’ve already been tagged or done this, i’m sorry!

more tags under the cut!

hug game!

i was hugged by @savsastark who i love a lot and want to hug back <3

i’m hugging:

@rosaeles who i love very much and hope to see happy more times because she’s one of the most wonderful people ever

@helenstroy because even though we don’t talk a lot lately i miss her

@lokiofasgcrd who i miss and admire a lot!

@kleopatrar who i miss LOADS ( where are you kleo? :( )

@daenerya who is an awesome person who deserves all the good in the world <3

@oscqrwildes who i just recently started talking to but appreciate a lot! <3

@ninazeinik who i adore! <3 miss you malia :(

@ginecra because feri is an amazing person and definitely deserves a hug <3

@nycs (hi deena ily!)

@leejordan because i still haven’t wished sabrina a hny and i’ll take the chance to do it now!

@arthurpendragan who is an amazing creator and an even better person <3

misc tag!

tagged by @ginecra <3

[rules : answer the questions in a new post and tag ten blogs]

age: 17

birthplace: spain

current time: 8pm

drink you last had: water

easiest person to talk to: myself? i’d say my dog but he’s not a person sadly :(

favorite songs: drift away by dobie gray! and long tall sally by little richard too

grossest memory: too many, and too traumatising too, but i’ll go with stepping on a living roach last summer as i was walking to the cinema

horror yes or horror no: horror yes but i’ll cry afterwards

in love: kinda

jealous of people: less and less everytime! which is good :)

love at first sight or should i walk by again: i do sorta believe in love at first sight tbh

middle name: won’t say bc i hate it DESPISE it more like

number of siblings: one

one wish: to fucking end all wars on earth at once idk what the hell we’re doing

person you last called: my mum

questions you’re always asked: "how are you doing?” HORRIBLY brenda thanks for asking tho! school is fine but my mental health is just on the verge because y’all transphobic as fuck! ;)

song you last sang: shelter by years and years

time you woke up: 5am because i couldn’t sleep :/

underwear colour: blue lmao

vacation destination: g r e e c e

worst habit: measuring my worth in terms of other people’s opinion

x-rays: i’ve had them twice or thrice???? if that’s what this means???

your favourite food: i’m boring but pizza probably. or cheese! i love cheese

zodiac sign: capricorn

music tag!

i was tagged by @legohlas , @arthurpendragan , @daenerya and @mindfulelys !

rules: list the 10 songs that you currently cannot stop listening to and then tag 10 people.

cringe by matt maeson

new rules by dua lipa

shelter by years and years

love of my life by queen (rock in rio live)

the other side by hugh jackman and zac efron

mambo no. 5 by lou bega

ain’t got rhythm by yes phineas and ferb it’s a fucking bop and y’all know it

ymca by village people

this is me by keala settle

all for you by years and years

misc tag #2!

rules: answer and tag people you’d like to know better

I was tagged by @aesthetic-ravenclaw ! <3 thank you <3

nickname: john, ele

age: 17

gender: male

astrology sign: capricorn

height: 165cm aprox ig

sexuality: bi as hell

Hogwarts house: slytherin!

favourite animal: dolphins and cats

average amount of sleep: sleep? idk her

number of blankets: as many as my body can stand

dream job: activist

when I made this account: march 2018

relationship status: got a wonderful gf :)

favourite colour: dark green

lipstick/chapstick: nah

3 favourite foods: pizza, salad, cheese

song stuck in my head: thank u, next bc it popped up on shuffle

last song I played: ^

top 3 tv shows: game of thrones, hannibal, the handmaid’s tale

last thing I googled: olly alexander

fandoms: woooow too many

time: 8pm (8:20 but)

i was tagged by @branwellcharlotte thank you ♥

are you named after someone?

kinda (it’s a long story)

when was the last time to cried?

yesterday lol

do you have kids?

nah man i’m 17

do you use sarcasm a lot?

what do you think

what’s the first thing you notice about people?

if they’re left handed or not lol

eye color?

dark brown

scary movie or happy ending?

gimme angst!!!!

any special talents?

i can find the border in tape pretty easily if that counts?

where were you born?

spain

what are your hobbies?

making artsy stuff, reading, writing, watching shows!

do you have any pets?

YES A DOG I ADORE!

how tall are you?

165cm i think

what sports do you play/have you played?

i played basketball when i was younger but i don’t anymore

favorite subject?

ancient greek

dream job?

activist

[eddiespagheds]

can you please do “i don’t want to hear your excuses anymore” and “how fucking dare you” for the angst prompt thing?? i love your writing and i’ve been craving some good reddie angst. tysm!

oKAy so 1. THANK YOU IM SO GLAD YOU ENJOY MY WRITING💞💞 2. i am SO SO sorry that this has taken so long to come out i just wanted it to be really goOD!! this is sad as shit and i’m so sorry about that, but like aNgSt ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ i don’t have a title for this and i rlly rlly hope you like it !!! (its 1560 words) also also big thanks to loml dipstopher for readin through it for me!! @ass-gardiann

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The summer of ‘84 is when it all seemed to go wrong for Eddie Kaspbrak. He had come out as gay, and told his best friend, Richie Tozier, that he was in love with him. The Losers were very accepting of him, and a few others in the group have even come out at gay or bi since then, but Richie (being the bisexual disaster he is lmao) didn’t talk to Eddie for an entire week after he told Richie about his feelings, and things haven’t been the same between the two since then.

That was about two years ago, and more than just Eddie and Richie’s relationship has changed since then. Eddie became a star runner on the varsity track team, and he has only remained friends with Mike and Ben because they were also on the track and field team. He hadn’t spoken to the rest of the Losers since he became “popular”, only sending them awkward waves as he walked down the hallway with his girlfriend Great Bowie. Yes, the same Greta that used to make fun of Eddie and would call him a stupid fairy.

Now, he didn’t lie to the Losers when he came out at 15 years old, quite the opposite actually, he was lying about his sexuality now in fear of the response that he’d get from those around him, that they would do what Richie did.

It wasn’t that Eddie didn’t miss the Losers, and that was obvious because of how often he asked Mike and Ben how they were doing. The rest of the Losers missed Eddie just as much as he missed them, but they all knew that Richie would have to be the one to solve the problem. Both boys seemed to be absolute disasters without the other. Richies bad smoking habit only got worse, and Eddie’s anxiety worsened. No matter how upset they were they both knew, deep down that they needed each other to feel complete.

It was a cold day in Derry, and it was only getting colder as sundown approached. Eddie had stayed late after track practice, so he could get a few more laps in. Running cane so natural to Eddie that he never had to think about what he was doing, so he normally thought about whatever was stressing him out which was usually Richie, school, his mom, or all three. Today he was thinking about how Greta had broken up with him for some cooler guy that was on the football team, and Richie because Ben had told him this funny story about how the taller boy fell while attempting to learn a skateboard trick. He smiled, thinking about the grin that Richie probably had plastered on his face after the fall, when he stepped in a rock that he hadn’t noticed and tumbled to the round.

“Aghh” He yelled out in pain. He was sure that he had sprained his ankle. He couldn’t just sit there on the grumpy track, so he picked himself up and began limping to the empty locker room to collect his things, whimpering every few steps as he walked out of the building and begun making his way towards his house when he heard a voice he would never forget.

“Eds?”

The annoyingly wonderful nickname that he hadn’t heard in what felt like forever, and hearing it now made his heart break more than he expected. He froze hoping that if he just ignored it, Richie would go away, but he knew that wouldn’t happen, and deep down, he knew he didn’t want it to. Eddie turned around to face the boy that broke his heart by denying his young heart years prior. Tears stung at his eyes, and he wasn’t sure if it was from the throbbing pain his ankle was exerting, or the overwhelming amount of emotions he was feeling. He slowly turned around, cringing at the amount of pain he was feeling throughout his whole body.

“Eds holy shit are you okay?”

It may have been two years since they had last spoken, but Richie was yet to forget anything about Eddie, knowing fully well that he wasn’t okay. Eddie on the other hand, wasn’t aware of this, and believed he was doing a rather good job at concealing his feelings.

“Yeah, I’m fine, and don’t call me Eds, Richard” He spit our Richie’s name as if he was disgusted by the thought of the other boy, though he wanted nothing more than to be held by him.

“Sorry…Eddie.” He let out, his voice cracking at how much he was hurting in that moment. Eddie was about to walk away, not wanted to deal with the problem he’s avoided for so long anymore than he already has.

“Wait, let me drive you home at least! You can’t walk with your ankle fucked up like that, it’ll only make it worse.” Richie practically yelled out, not wanting Eddie to leave. No matter how hard he tried to put on the facade of someone who didn’t give a fuck, it would almost always falter when it came to the people that were important to him.

Eddie pondered Richie’s offer, knowing that he was right, but he unsure if he was mentally prepared for the awkward car that would be ahead of him if he agreed. After a few moments Eddie finally spoke up.

“Fine.”

The whole car ride Eddie tapped his foot to the loud, nostalgic rock music that Richie was playing while Richie thought up the perfect apology because he couldn’t let Eddie slip out of his hands for the second time. They pulled up to the Kaspbrak house, and Eddie placed his right hand on the door handle to exit the vehicle when Richie placed his large hand over Eddie’s left. Eddie froze not sure how this next conversation was about to play out. Richie took a deep breath before finally speaking.

“Eds I am so sorry I ever hurt you, I just didn’t understand you, my feelings, or anything really. I never meant to hurt you i just-“ Richie was speaking at a rapid pace, but somehow Eddie was able to grasp onto every word. He cut him off when he had finally had enough. He wasn’t sure what was going to come out next, but he didn’t care. He was finally going to let out all of the pent up anger he had let build up.

“Stop it Richie! I don’t want to hear your excuses anymore!” Eddie wanted to be mad, he really did, but that was extremely difficult since he could see the sincerity and utter sadness in Richie’s eyes.

“Eddie I am so sorry, for everything I-” He stopped, the two boys licking eyes. Eddie didn’t speak because he knew that Richie clearly had more to say. “I-I love you Eddie.” He was finally able to choke out what he had been feeling since he was a child, but Eddie only shook his head in disbelief.

“How fucking dare you. What makes you think you can hurt me the way you did, not speak to me for two whole fucking years, and then come back into my life as if nothing happened. Literally so much has happened Rich. You made me cry alone in my room for weeks on end, making me feel like I shouldn’t be who I am. I thought that if anyone were to accept me, it’d be you, but I was naive to that it would be okay in this shitty town we live in.” Eddie was sobbing at this point. His words were full of anger and they mushed together. “You made me feel like…like I shouldn’t love you. Like i couldn’t be your best friend.” Eddie softly let out that last part, half hoping Richie couldn’t hear him over the sounds of his sobs and heavy breathing.

Richie heard every word though, his heart breaking a bit more as he spoke each sad word. Without thinking, Richie unbuckled his seatbelt, and reached across the vehicles, pulling Eddie into a tight embrace, sobbing himself.

“Eddie, I am so sorry I made you feel that way. You don’t deserve that, I just didn’t know how to deal with my own shit. It was never you. You’re perfect Eddie.”

They sat in each other’s arms, crying until Eddie realized that he should get inside before his mother came out looking for him. They separated, looking into each other’s sad eyes for what felt like a lifetime. Richie reached up and wiped away Eddie’s tears with his thumb, and it was just as warm as Eddie remembered. A few years fell down Richie’s face as he admired Eddie’s gorgeous features. He had a feeling Eddie was about to walk out of his life for the second and final time.

“I am so sorry Eddie, and I hope that one day you can bring yourself to forgive me.”

More and more tears began to stream down his pale face he watched the love of his life step out of the car and walk into his house without looking back. Richie sat in his car crying for thirty minutes, not leaving until his vision was finally clear enough for him to drive, not knowing that Eddie sat crying in his home watching him the whole time.

perma taglist: @wlwrichie @eddiehoney @kingsteve-more-like-dadsteve @trashmouths-love-to-cuddle @puzzlin

[77uchiha77]

Young Love - Older!Damian Wayne x reader

Part 2 to “Weakness”

Request: A lot of people asked for a part 2!

Note/Warning: Language

Word Count: 1,217

Part 1

D/C = dream college

Enjoy!

Recap

He jogged around the school hell-bent on finding you. He approached your locker, spotting a figure similar to yours, all over a male.His heart clenched hoping it wasn’t you. As he approached nearby, the male brought you closer and kissed your nose as you smiled ever so brightly. That smile of yours was contagious.He smiled to himself, thinking of all the times he made you laugh and grin.

Then you spoke three words that changed everything.  “I love you.” You gleamed looking happier than ever staring into the guy’s eyes. Damian squeezed his bookbag straps, jaw clenched. Quickly turning the other way, he stormed into his AP Physics C class muttering

“Like I said, love is just a weakness.”

 Days later and multiple attempts at trying to talk to Damian, Damian finally gave in to talking to you.

“ Y/N, I don’t think our friendship will withstand any longer,”

Your face twisted into a look of confusion. “Okay, and may I ask why?”

“Separation... will benefit the both of us,” Damian muttered, walking away joining the crowd of people in the hallway trying to get to their next class. I stood there confused and mentally drained, wondering what the hell did I do. 

2 years later

  You grimaced at the thought of when you and Damian last spoke. During the span of these 2 years many, many things occurred. From that day you’ve definitely grown into your figure for one. Damian’s personality changed, at once known for being a genius brooding Wayne to Damian becoming an all-around social/popular guy. Not that you knew this was all just an act.

These changes made you think maybe you were holding him back. Holding him back from interacting with certain people or being his best self? You didn’t know but all you could think of what could’ve been. The present-day you were getting ready to leave for the airport. As you were accepted into your dream college.

 I gazed at the picture of Titus, Damian and I. Quickly wiping the tear coming out my eye, as the thought of losing the closest thing to me was because of some misunderstanding. You knew it was because of the scene he witnessed when he requested to talk to you. His "girlfriend", Jennifer kept sending you shit for it. As to why you were such a whore when clearly Damian loved you and now tending his broken heart and other b.s.

The boy that was all over you was your boyfriend at the time. You dumped him 2 days later after realizing how toxic the relationship was. He said I love you first in which he started pressuring you into saying back, trying to make you reciprocate feelings you didn’t and probably would never have for him. 

 As I shoved the last piece of clothing into my luggage, I stared at myself in the mirror. I wasn’t going to sulk on a friend I lost, friends come and go. I’m an adult and independent I can do this. I gave myself a pep talk as I started getting ready to head over to the manor.

Despite the fact that Damian and I weren't on great talking terms, regardless I went to the manor time to time to see Tim, Dick, and Jason. Incidentally, Damian was never spotted at the house when I went by, Which I thanked him for that. I grabbed a quick snack from the kitchen and threw my luggage in my car, driving towards the manor to say my quick goodbyes. 

Pulling up to the manor, I recognized Jennifer’s car parked obnoxiously, making no room for another car to enter. I quickly exited the car, my hand now hovering over the door, the door opened. I was met with a frowning Damian with lipstick stains on his lips and a dazed Jennifer, Damian's girlfriend.

 “Oh, hi?” I finally spoke as we held eye contact for the longest.

”Ttt, what are you doing here L/N?” Damian glared at my form, not that you noticed the slight blush rising to his cheeks, just looking at you.

 “Ouch, you call me by my last name now? News flash Dami, I’m friends with your brothers. Don’t worry though,  I’m just saying my quick goodbyes and I’ll be out your hair forever.” The mention of the nickname he hadn't heard in years almost made him break into a smile, almost.

 “What do you mean by out of my hair forever?”

 “Ugh, Damian is this really necessary right now?” An annoyed expression crossed Jennifer’s face as she tried cleaning up her smudged red lipstick, indefinitely smearing it more across her face.

”Didn’t you hear? I’m going to D/C, I want to get settled before starting my first semester. Plus there’s nothing really in Gotham for me anymore.”

 Damian's heart panged at the mention that there’s nothing in Gotham that was willing to make you stay. Despite the fact that you broke his heart, to his knowledge recklessly tossing around "I love you" to a boy that didn't deserve you, he still loved you, maybe even more now. Absolutely nothing can make him stop loving you.

“Y/N!” Dick loud voice cut them out of the trance. Damian continued walking, pulling on Jennifer's hand a little too hard.

 “I’m gonna miss you kiddo.”  Dick pulled me into a hug, suffocating me.

 “Yeah yeah, don't get soft on me Richard. ” I laughed. Dick internally cringed at the mention of his name. Walking towards the large black couch, I looked at Tim's sleeping form and ruffled his hair. Saying my quick goodbyes to everyone else that was in the house. I walked towards my car, being met with Damian leaning against my door, no Jennifer in sight.

 “Damian?” I called out, he looked up at his phone, looking unsure of himself.

 “I just wanted to wish you a safe trip, I’ll be going now.”

 “Is that it? I thought you were going to apologize for ignoring me for 2 years.” I unintentionally sassed.

 “Ignoring? I’m sorry, I didn’t want to see the person I was infatuated with, kissing somebody else every day.” 

“I’m sorry, what?” I questioned now getting angry at his confession. 

"If you hadn’t noticed, I was and have been in love with you for as long as 4 years,"  Damian said looking everywhere but me.

 “In love with me?” I was dumbfounded.

Damian turned around heading back into the manor, I pulled on his wrist. Damian instantly freezing.

”Honestly Damian, I couldn’t really tell you were in love with me of all things, between the constant insults then flirting, I was confused. Plus you aren’t the best at admitting your feelings.” I huffed.

“But I do have to admit, I love you too, Damian and I mean it”

Damian’s eyes snapped towards me. I laughed, hooking my arm with his. Damian stiffened then relaxed.  “I don’t know, perhaps you should list why you love me,”   Damian wore a smug smile. I smiled brightly the thought of having my best friend back and maybe something more.

The two got into the car, driving to the airport, catching up. Dick stared at them from the manor’s window until they disappeared into the city lights, whispering, “ah, young love.”

“Dick, stop being so creepy!”

“Leave me alone Jason!”

[theliberaltony]

via Politics – FiveThirtyEight

Welcome to FiveThirtyEight’s weekly politics chat. The transcript below has been lightly edited.

micah (Micah Cohen, politics editor): For your consideration today: Can Republicans find a way to stop nominating toxic (perhaps fatally flawed) candidates?

The immediate spark for this question is, of course, the GOP managing to lose a Senate seat in Alabama, one of the reddest states in the nation. But there’s a long (recent) history of other races the GOP has seemingly thrown away with bad candidates.

For example …

harry (Harry Enten, senior political writer): Ken Buck in Colorado in 2010.

Sharron Angle in Nevada in 2010.

Christine O’Donnell in Delaware in 2010.

clare.malone (Clare Malone, senior political writer): Todd Akin in Missouri in 2012.

harry: Richard Mourdock in Indiana in 2012.

micah: Also, before we really get going, I just wanted to note that Nate wanted today’s chat to be about why Doug Jones is a legit 2020 presidential contender.

natesilver (Nate Silver, editor in chief): That was Harry’s idea. He got it from a Twitter egg and talked about it on the podcast Tuesday night.

harry: There are no eggs anymore.

natesilver: My idea is that he’ll be the vice presidential nominee to a female nominee.

clare.malone: aaaaand we’re already sidetracked.

micah: In fairness, that was my fault.

harry: It’s always your fault.

micah: OK, so let’s start with why the GOP keeps putting up toxic candidates. (Then we’ll dive into ways they can not do this.)

What’s going on here?

In Alabama, for example, Republicans had two other deeply conservative, perfectly viable primary candidates — Luther Strange and Mo Brooks. They went with Moore.

clare.malone: The GOP base has gotten a lot more conservative.

harry: It ranges, right? In Alabama, the GOP establishment candidate, Strange, was flawed too, with ties to an unpopular governor. (Brooks, on the other hand, likely could have beaten Moore in the runoff.) In Delaware in 2010, the GOP candidate running against O’Donnell was too liberal for the base.

But at the end of the day, it’s the voters who are doing this.

natesilver: I’m not sure it’s just that the base has gotten more conservative, in a traditional left-right sense. It’s more that Republicans have been trained to distrust the establishment and distrust the media, and some candidates have been able to exploit that.

clare.malone: Well, GOP voters certainly identify as more conservative:

And those things that you mention, Nate, are now intertwined with what it means to be a conservative in America.

harry: Dare I say it’s both?

micah: I think Clare is write that they’re intertwined now.

natesilver: I actually don’t think it’s both. President Trump’s nomination last year is fairly powerful evidence of this, IMO. Because he was one of the least conservative candidates in the field, in kind of an American Conservative Union sense.

micah: But when someone identifies as conservative these days, part of what they mean is “anti-establishment.”

clare.malone: Right. Most people don’t think in DW-Nominate scores; they think in terms of where their views fall on our cultural spectrum. And conservatism has taken on new contours — it’s not about economics anymore.

Right? Or, that’s not the motivating factor for voters.

natesilver: I don’t think “conservative” is a good term to describe those characteristics. Among other reasons, because it’s quite a radical viewpoint in some ways.

harry: Sometimes it really is about ideology though.

micah: But anti-establishment sentiment seems to correlate so strongly with “conservative,” Nate.

So, it’s like: There’s nothing about old-school conservatism that leads to toxic candidates. But contemporary conservatism is, in part, defined by anti-establishmentism. And that does lead to toxic candidates.

natesilver: Right and then we had a test case — named Donald Trump — who kept all the anti-establishment parts and dropped the movement conservatism. And he did just great. It’s just one data point, but a pretty influential one.

clare.malone: Yeah … I think it’s not just that some of these candidates are anti-establishment. It’s that there’s a certain strain of contrarianism that runs in the veins of some of these candidates.

micah: I think we’re having a semantics debate and in fact we all agree.

clare.malone: This is what we have to do when we agree!

micah: lol

harry: I hate you all.

clare.malone: The people want to see a fight.

micah: OK, so far we have: Republicans are more prone to nominating toxic candidates because anti-establishmentism has become so core to the party.

But why has anti-establishmentism become so core?

And why can’t they nominate an anti-establishment candidate who nonetheless appeals to a broad swath of a general electorate?

natesilver: Because anti-establishmentism is sort of defined by opposition to established order, and the established order is usually popular.

clare.malone: Conservatism is about, on a simplistic level, reducing government intrusion, allowing people the freedom to think and act as they like, within reason. (If you want to see a version of “think and act as they like, with no bounds of reason,” talk to some folks at a Libertarian convention.)

When the culture is moving at rapid clip toward cultural liberalism — the acceptance of what was not long ago considered out of the norm, such as allowing women to have abortions, gay marriage, the widespread acceptance of premarital sex — then you see more and more candidates capitalizing on an appeal to people who feel more and more like they are in an out group.

micah: Oh god, Clare … your inbox will suffer for that libertarian comment.

harry: It’s also important that Republicans don’t have a sizable group of base voters who are generally pro-establishment. Democrats have that with African-American voters, who delivered the nomination to Hillary Clinton in 2016.

natesilver: Now, in theory, anti-establishmentism could morph into populism, which can be more successful as a long-term, majoritarian political strategy. But that would require Republicans to give up putting so much emphasis on things like tax cuts.

harry: Well, that’s what’s so bizarre, right?

clare.malone: Right, in theory. But as of yet, with the exception of Trump, the anti establishment/contrarian GOP candidates have been more in the vein of culture warriors. Right?

micah: Yeah, Moore, Akin, etc. were definitely not populists.

natesilver: I think a few of the tea party candidates in 2010 weren’t really culture warriors. Like, Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson isn’t a culture warrior. But he sure as hell isn’t a populist, either.

clare.malone: Well, he won! So he wasn’t a bad candidate. He was more buttoned-up. And I think it helps to have a more buttoned-up facade if you’re going to run as an ideological anti-establishment person.

micah: Yeah, I wouldn’t put Johnson in this group.

clare.malone: This is actually where I think sexism and people’s unwillingness to see women as “serious” politicians comes into play with someone like Kelli Ward in Arizona’s Senate race.

Ward has been easily painted as a crazy conspiracy theorist when in fact she never said she believes in chemtrails.

She made an ill-advised comment to a constituent that she would be happy to answer questions about it. But a lot of the “chemtrail Kelli” stuff is excellent spin against her from fellow Republicans.

micah: I didn’t know that!

natesilver: Wait, chemtrails aren’t real?

clare.malone: Guys, this was the lede of my piece about the Arizona race!

micah: Busted.

(Kidding, I read that.)

harry: Oh boy.

clare.malone: From my piece:

Polished might not be what you’d expect from Ward if you first heard about her, as many outside Arizona did, in an ad from the Mitch McConnell–allied Senate Leadership Fund PAC that labeled her “Chemtrail Kelli,” a nickname spun out of an incident at a Ward town hall where she didn’t shoot down constituent concerns about the chemtrails conspiracy theory.

I mean, maybe that’s a more precise way to say it, but she was never saying, “Hell yeah, chemtrails are gonna killlll you.”

micah: What are chemtrails?

harry: But I think this points to a greater thought. These candidates aren’t all the same. They share some form of anti-establishmentism, but sometimes that works. Sometimes it doesn’t.

The airplane thing.

clare.malone: They’re gonna kill you, Micah.

micah: ohhh

clare.malone: They’re the government coming to get you.

micah: Before we turn to measures to prevent toxic candidates …

Are the nominations of candidates like Moore, Akin, Mourdock, etc., a manifestation of a fundamental problem with the Republican Party — a split between the base and elected officials?

Like, isn’t that split real, unusual and a big problem?

I mean, it’s easy to overlook how weird it is that Moore basically ran against his party’s senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell.

McConnell’s net favorable rating in the exit polls in Alabama on Tuesday was like -245 percentage points. (It was actually -50 points.)

That’s crazy

harry: LOL.

natesilver: My favorite number from the exit poll was how McConnell was equally unpopular with Jones voters and Moore voters.

harry: Actually my favorite number is that those who had a favorable view of McConnell only barely went for Moore. That’s a Republican establishment “screw you, Moore” vote right there.

By the way, there were more Republican senators who lost primaries between 2010 and 2012 (three senators) than in the eight elections between 1994 and 2008 (two). And one of those Republicans between 1994 and 2008 was appointed.

clare.malone: A lot of this comes down to the fact that a chunk of the Republican base is simply receiving ill-conceived ideas about how realistic it is for a “pure” conservative agenda to be pushed through.

If you just watch Fox News … you’re not getting the full picture.

natesilver: That’s putting it mildly, Clare. I think the conservative media bubble is a big part of this story.

clare.malone: And the politicians in the party read the real news.

natesilver: Fox News was once sort of a bridge between the establishment and insurgent wings of the GOP. In the Trump era, it’s gone much more fully to the insurgent side.

clare.malone: It has certainly jumped the shark.

micah: Jumped the horse, if you will.

clare.malone: Wouldn’t the fox jump the hound?

natesilver: By the way, it’s relevant too that doing well among white working-class voters happens to really help you in the Electoral College, and also the Senate and the House, given how voters are distributed (and how districts are gerrymandered). So Republicans can be competitive essentially playing to 45 percent of the country, when Democrats couldn’t really be.

harry: Well, it’s not just that Fox News has become more anti-establishment. It’s also that it’s become the dominant news source.

micah: OK, to change gears: What can Republicans do about this?

natesilver: Nothing.

To a first approximation.

Or at least, nothing easy.

Not while Trump is their president.

clare.malone: Right, they can’t do jack.

This is the identity crisis that they’re going through, that they’ve been trying to paper over.

harry: Well, I think what you might want to do is play it safe. What do I mean by that? Don’t try to get your preferred candidate. Try to ensure the least desirable candidate doesn’t win the nomination. In Alabama, for example, don’t go after Brooks. In last year’s presidential election, go after Trump early.

I don’t know if that works.

natesilver: For sure, there are some cases where they could work to ensure the establishment candidate isn’t a total stiff. They did a better job of that in 2014/16 than in 2010/12, for instance.

harry: Yes, they did.

What I’m essentially saying here is that the GOP thought they could beat the clown car that was Moore because they assumed Brooks voters would join up with Strange voters in the runoff. Don’t assume anything.

micah: Wait, that’s all they can do?

What about not easy things?

What difficult things could they do?

harry: Well, they could eliminate primaries.

clare.malone: What does that mean?

That would be … radical.

micah:

natesilver: They could impeach Trump.

micah: How would that help?

natesilver: It might make things harder in the short run.

micah: That doesn’t answer my question.

natesilver: Basically all the characteristics that make for “toxic” candidates are also the characteristics that got Trump the GOP nomination.

clare.malone: They could wage a campaign against media disinformation from the Bannon/Fox corners of the universe.

Now THAT would be hard.

harry: Here’s a thought. What ultimately killed the Bush wing of the party was what was seen as a disastrous presidency. Maybe just maybe? If Trump loses in 2020, it could help out?

micah: I buy that.

clare.malone: Possibly, though don’t you think there are enough Trumpians to keep things going?

micah: See Gov. Matt Bevin in Kentucky.

clare.malone: Right.

natesilver: Republicans should be rooting for Trump to lose in 2020? #slatepitches

I think there could be a pretty big backlash to everything associated with Trump in the long run if he’s deemed to be an unsuccessful president.

There’s a pretty big backlash even to successful presidents sometimes.

micah: OK, what would happen if elected Republicans tried to correct the bad info flow, as Clare mentioned? Basically, every GOP member of Congress stops playing footsie with media outlets that skew the truth — talk radio, digital, TV. So the only stuff we hear from them is straight-dope truth. Would that help?

The goal would be to align voter expectations more with what’s possible.

clare.malone: Although, of course, there are also the powerful factions, like the House Freedom Caucus, that exist within Congress that skew the idea of what’s actually possible from the inside.

natesilver: I think you have to pick your battles more. Like, stop picking fights with the Congressional Budget Office or lying about the effects of your health care plan or tax bill.

Also, start thinking about policies that will benefit the actual GOP base, and not just the donor base.

micah: Nate, you just named the two biggest GOP priorities.

natesilver: They picked about the most unpopular ways possible to do health care and tax reform.

They could easily have had an across-the-board, Bush-style tax cut. Instead they do something convoluted where the winners and losers aren’t obvious to anyone, apart from corporations and certain types of very-high-net-worth individuals.

micah: So maybe the disconnect is really between the GOP base and the GOP donors. And elected officials are stuck in the middle.

harry: I mean, who are the donors?

micah: People who give the party

clare.malone: Oh wow, I thought it was all just powered off of ideas!?

natesilver: The super PACs, basically. The Mercers and the Adelsons. Not the well-off lawyer maxing out his individual contribution to the party.

When you’re catering policy to people making $200 million a year instead of $200,000, some things are going to change.

Meanwhile, the GOP has retreated on Bush-style “social issues.” So basically all they can offer the masses is a sense of grievance, which has become increasingly racialized.

clare.malone: That’s very true. I think the nativist notes being struck over the last year or so really created a permission structure to let a lot more of the subtle (eh, maybe not so subtle) racism of the Obama era just go bananas.

natesilver: Yeah. And the thing is, it works pretty well as an electoral strategy. Not brilliantly, by any means — Trump and the GOP are in a lot of trouble for 2018 and 2020. But the Trump version of it works a lot better than the Ted Cruz version, for instance.

harry: Well, the Trump stuff isn’t religious. And yet he wins over white evangelicals.

micah: Final thoughts?

clare.malone: Not all the anti-establishment candidates are bad!

I think Marsha Blackburn is really interesting. This is a good ad!

harry: The GOP has problems. It has problems. Those problems could potentially be solved by 2020, but it’s going to be tough to solve them by 2018.

natesilver: Just that I think the “toxic candidate problem” is endogenous (to use a fancy term) to where the GOP stands as a party, overall. You can’t eliminate the risk of toxic candidates without changing a lot of other things about Republicans.

[cajunroe]

winnix + stripper!au (stripper!nix + writer!dick) ↳ there were two things that lewis nixon had never expected to happen in his life, that did. one, that he would shift careers at twenty-one, become a stripper, love it, and make more than he would working for the family business. two, that he would end up falling in love at first sight with someone in the audience, a popular writer, and a man who loves nix for all that he is. and in typical nix fashion, he tries to fuck everything up. there were times, early on in their relationship, that nix would think dick was too good for him and would try to break it off. dick would patiently wait for nix to come to his senses, never straying or holding it over nix’s head.  and nix came back every time, giving apologies that dick would insist weren’t necessary. after an eventful halloween party at dick’s house, they’d been inseparable. dick was everything nix felt he didn’t deserve. charming, intelligent, witty, handsome, and strong. he was caring, passionate, devoted, and supportive. and he never one made nix feel like lesser of a person or like an outcast because of his profession. his trust is nix left the brunette in shock everyday. not that he would ever cheat, he’d been burned before and wouldn’t wish it on anyone, but the completely trust dick had in him made nix see something in himself that he hadn’t seen in a long time. value. he was valuable and wanted and needed and loved. and dick had been the only person, ever, in his life to make him feel that way. dick once offered to support nix in whatever he wanted to do, they both know how much dick makes, and nix hadn’t even felt angry. he knew dick meant it in the most loving and supportive way possible. dick was willingly to share all of himself and give all of himself for nix’s happiness. and after a year and a half of living together, nix finally realizes what it is he’s been searching for since he left his family and started his life over. he’s been searching for the man that he wakes up to in the morning, who he kisses goodnight. the man that has always loved nix for who he was not what he was. he’d been searching for richard winters. and now that he had, he wasn’t planning on losing him anytime soon. 

nix had just finished his shift, saturday crowds were always the worst. the drunkest, loudest, and grabbiest groups of the week. 

and nix was tired.

tired of the groping, the glitter he never seemed to be able to shed off his skin, tired of the bruises and aching bones. he didn’t realize that he’d been nearing thirty and had been doing this twenty-one. nearly nine year of grueling, laboring work. when he started it was exciting and he wanted money and power and freedom. then he met dick and since that first day, everything changed for him. he wasn’t doing everything for him anymore. he was doing it for dick, for the both of them. to make both of them happy. and it wasn’t that the work wasn’t making him happy, he loved it. loved the club, the guys who had become his real family, and the energy that it produced. he just wasn’t entirely happy with the long hours, and dick being in bed before nix got home and out the door or up for hours while nix slept and let his body piece itself back together. dick had managed to become his freedom and power. he made nix feel invincible, like he could do anything. and the only time he ever felt that way was on stage. and that euphoria, that freedom, was addictive. and if nix could get that from the man he loved, all the time, why wouldn’t he seize it? he wanted to give dick his life, his heart, everything that made him whole and happy and he trusted dick not to destroy it. to care for it, nurture it, and love it in the exact way that nix did for him. 

he’d already change his life once. and that was much harder than how he planned to change it now. 

and nix, well, he’s always been a bit of a wild card. and he knows most people propose and then plan a wedding, but he just wants to call dick his husband, as quickly as possible. he’s been putting everything together for six months. he’s ready and knows that this is want he absolutely wants. he want to be married, and adopt so many dogs that they have to have their own room. he want arguments about the dishes, and makeup sex against the counter. he wants morning breath and midday naps. he was everything richard winters is willingly to give him. 

so six months of planning and nix is pacing the floor of their house. their house. 

god, he really hoped this was the right decision. not marrying dick, he knew that was right, but how he was going about doing it.

speirs walked in and he looked at the man helplessly.

speirs didn’t even bat an eye, “you’ll be fine nix. if anyone is getting married out of all of us, it you old dads.”

nix laughed, tension breaking, “okay mama speirs.”

speirs glared at him and nix stared back, “that doesn’t work on me, ron. i know what nicknames you have for lip.”

speirs stormed out of the room, “i hope you passed out from nerves!”

nix laughed because he knew ron was elated at what was happening.

his phone buzzed and when he looked at it, his heart stopped.

dick: i’m almost there, why are we meeting in a development?

nix: idk ron said something about a house party.

dick: omg did he buy a house?!

nix: he might be that reckless.

dick: no wonder you two are best friends.

nix took a deep breath and ran out to the backyard to take his place. 

dick: pulling in.

“he’s here, everyone calm down!” nix shouted, mostly at himself.

a resounding laugh came from the men that filled the very large backyard that was currently covered in white fabric, tons of different flowers, and so many twinkling lights that they looked like stars.

luz hit play on the music.

“nix?” he heard dick yelling, the sound echoing in the empty house.

nix’s heart was threatening to beat out of his chest.

“guys?” the voice was close and nix was sure he was having a heart attack.

then he saw him. standing on the deck, stark white shirt against his dark black slacks. nix had never wanted him more.

and despite all the men in the yard, dick still only had eye for nix.

“lewis? what is all this? why is it playing that song?”

as the realisation of what was happening dawn on dick’s face, nix calmed. 

dick sauntered over to him, smug satisfaction playing across his face.

he reached nix, whose breath was calm and heartbeat steady.

he pulled the man to him and whispered in his ear, “yes.”

nix blushed and pulled dick into a hot, hard kiss. 

there were claps and yelling.

nix pulled away in a rush, “dick i’m asking you to marry me. right now.”

dick’s eyes widened.

“oh.”

nix’s heart stopped, that didn’t sound like a good oh.

“okay. let’s do it.” 

and the smile that dick directed towards nix would forever be etched into nix’s memory.

after the ceremony, and everyone was good and drunk, dancing and grinding together, nix found dick wandering around the house.

he leaned against the arch leading to the living room, “what do you think?”

dick laughed, “why did you want to get married in an empty house?” his husband started making his way over to him.

nix balked, dick was so smart sometimes, but he could be so oblivious.

“i didn’t want to get married in an empty house, i wanted to get married in our house.”

dick tripped on the stair separating the living room and the foyer, crashing into nix and toppling them onto the ground. 

nix groaned, “i want to christen every inch of the house properly, but i don’t think we should start with our family right outside.”

dick laughed and kissed nix soft and slow.

“i love you nix.”

“i love you too, dick.”

when the night died down, babe, drunk and giggling ask a question that clearly everyone wanted to know.

“so who is taking whose last name?”

dick and nix looked at one another, they hadn’t really talked about it before, but neither really wanted to have take the other or have one of them give up theirs. 

dick answered for them, “we probably will just keep them the same, we’re married, that’s all that matters to us.”

lieb chimed in from where he was reclining between web’s legs.

“thank god because if we had to ever say ‘our friend, richard nixon,’ i think we’d die.”

everyone burst into laughter and shared in the celebration of their friend’s, their family’s love. 

this is a continuation of a previous fic i’ve written: where the boys are 

which hasn’t been updated in 100 years and maybe when i’m done with these au’s i’ll go back to it. 

anonymous - thank you!

send me a pairing and an au and i’ll make an aesthetic post + ficlet 

[oliveratlanta]

101 things to love about Atlanta

A love letter to a city of many nicknames—just don’t call it Hotlanta

Unlike other American metropolises, it’s sometimes hard to determine exactly what Atlanta is, especially for outsiders or so many newcomers. Is it a business-friendly, big-hearted, mild-weather region that’s six times more populated than it was 50 years ago? Yes, Atlanta is that. A cradle for some of the most influential music—particularly hip-hop and rap—of the past three decades? Yep, that too. A burgeoning foodie wonderland? A southeastern mecca for the production of television and Hollywood blockbusters? A pastiche of gloriously unique, provincial villages masquerading as official neighborhoods? A cultural frontrunner and cautionary tale? Global magnet of opportunity? Still kind of a mess—but lovably so?

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, and that’s right, y’all.

So maybe that’s what’s special about Atlanta: It’s not yet finished, and never one-note. Rather, it’s a Brunswick stew of varying allures. It’s amorphous, restless, unwed to the past, intoxicated by its own prospects. Very little is sacred here but change, and instigators are more than welcome. Atlanta doesn’t know what it is yet, or exactly where it’s going, but it’s having a damn good time getting there. Let’s celebrate what’s great here, right now.

1. Inclusivity. The economic and cultural heart of the Deep South isn’t just accustomed to being diverse, it’s proud of it. See virtually any public gathering place intown for proof that humanity can peacefully coexist—and that Atlanta still has better things to do than hate.

2. Sky-high architecture. From the emerald towers of Sandy Springs’s King and Queen to the Georgia Pacific Tower’s illuminated stairsteps, the skyline is among America’s most underappreciated, especially at night. It’s not contiguous yet, with large gaps between poky clusters from most angles, but it’s distinctive and bold. And oh how it glows.

3. Easy-breezy climes. Sure, summer’s hotter’n’ Hades. But there’s Christmas shopping in flip-flops (sometimes), T-shirt weekends in January (occasionally), and bloomy early February (without fail).

4. After Hours at Waffle House: The 20-minute wait at 3:17 a.m. is plenty of time for random singing with other scatterbrained, post-bar strangers in line.

5. The prevalence of nature. Cicadas. And barn owls. Talking. At night. Among the giant urban oaks, in July.

6. Festival-a-palooza. Neighborhoods across the city have unbridled, borderline incomprehensible enthusiasm for getting together. Random gatherings invented on Facebook (looking at you, Lanta Gras) have ballooned into huge annual traditions with street closures and parades.

7. Bezos who? Amazon didn’t choose Atlanta, and Atlanta cared for five minutes.

8. It’s almost never hard to find a seat on public transit.

9. Kid-friendly. Little children growing up in Atlanta tend to think it’s amazing. That’s an impression bolstered by innumerable playgrounds and ubiquitous King of Pops, those delectable, homegrown frozen staples.

10. Random celebrity encounters. Like that time when André 3000 was shopping alone at the DeKalb Farmers Market, sans entourage, near the seafood section, all cool in his army jacket despite the July swelter and crush of onlookers, not too busy or highfalutin to shake everybody’s hand.

11. Yes, $100,000-something condos are prevalent—still—in desirable places across Atlanta. Many aren’t shoeboxes, either. And some count incredible views, particularly of central Midtown or downtown’s oldest streets.

12. Tech hub. Because Georgia Tech is a factory of coveted IT brainpower that’s more essential to the city’s business climate each year.

13. Westside escape. With its bridges, creekside vistas, and smooth, snaking pavement, the Proctor Creek Greenway trail is already otherworldly, in the best, most bucolic way. And it’s just a fraction of what it stands to be in coming years.

14. Long live the Clermont. A few years ago, neighbors were preparing to fight to save a local strip club from its new owners. It was a false alarm—the new owners view the Clermont as an asset. But that’s Atlanta.

15. Where it’s greater. With its transit connectivity, celebrated food scene, walkability, and perennial ranking as Georgia’s best place to live, Decatur gets it.

16. World’s busiest hub. With flights seemingly every minute from early morning until the wee night-time hours, the Atlanta airport is a stressful but handy launchpad of convenience, with a ridiculous wealth of nonstop flights to basically everywhere (hello, Dubai and Johannesburg). We’ll forgive a MARTA train derailment, that famous power outage, and perpetual TSA clogs.

17. Expats welcome. Because almost nobody on your street is actually from Atlanta, and that’s so normal it usually doesn’t even register. A common greeting for new neighbors: “So, where ya from?”

18. Can’t-miss Cascade. Especially in autumn, SW ATL’s Cascade Springs Nature Preserve offers ITP serenity to the fullest. Meander through 120 acres of trails, climb Civil War-era ruins, hop across a waterfall’s rocks. It’ll make even the most overstressed office dweller feel something akin to childhood awe.

19. Walkability. It’s getting vastly… better, in many places, from densifying EAV to the growing shopping avenues of central Buckhead. It’s happening, albeit slowly.

20. But... Atlanta’s still a major city where driving conveniences are largely possible, and lugging groceries on trains and such isn’t always an everyday hassle. Rush hours, however, are always plural, and Saturday traffic is, unfortunately, no joke anymore.

21. Trees of green. Friends flying in for the first time might say, “All I saw were trees—and then we landed.” A high compliment.

Curbed Atlanta

Atlanta’s canopy with the Buckhead business district at left, and Midtown/downtown at right.

22. Playspace. The restored, climbable treasure that is Noguchi Playscapes, the famed landscape architect’s work in Piedmont Park, was the only U.S. playground he completed in his lifetime.

23. Bungalows. The quintessential intown homes. Built to last, forever in vogue, and usually affixed with that most Atlanta of residential features: the generous porch.

24. Bearings Bike Shop. The community-focused nonprofit is teaching kids the value of hard work, the joy of exercise, and the viability of traversing a car-crazed city on two wheels.

25. Late-night stalwart. MJQ is a longstanding and culturally important club that welcomes anybody and everybody down into the rollicking, subterranean bowels of a former blues club. Chicago House in one room, a Whitney Houston singalong in the next.

26. Adios, Bravos. The pro baseball team left town for the monied ’burbs—and might very well have done Atlanta a favor (unless you operated front-yard parking lots). Nearby Georgia Avenue’s rebirth could show how large-scale adaptive reuse, married with new construction, can be a smartly executed replacement for storefront vacancies and so much stadium asphalt. Changes of this magnitude don’t come without gentrification fears, of course. But rows of beautiful, vacant old buildings—which could’ve doubled as a post-apocalyptic Main Street before, but are under renovation now—were doing Atlanta no favors.

27. The mother of all porch parties. Three cheers for the grassroots explosion of Oakhurst Porchfest. Founded in 2015, the autumn musical extravaganza counts 200-plus acts now, performing wherever volunteers offer their porches as stages. It’s community unification through music at its finest.

28. High Museum. The Southeast’s preeminent showcase for contemporary and classical art, housed in buildings designed by Renzo Piano and Richard Meier, is free for locals on the second Sunday of each month. How’s that for accessibility?

29. Viewrific, Part I. The approach from Douglasville on Interstate 20, over that hill, in fading evening light, the Land of Oz.

30. One of television’s best shows needed no other name than our city’s.

31. Georgia Aquarium’s bucket-list essential. For about the price of a car tire, you can swim with whale sharks downtown. And if you’re lucky, they’ll inadvertently bump you, with all the gentle power of a city bus in slow motion.

32. Curated graffiti. Running along the northern borders of Cabbagetown and Reynoldstown, Wylie Street is an ever-changing urban museum of eye-popping street murals, with a dash of biting social commentary.

33. Atlanta is where misfit street characters become local legends. Here’s looking at you, Baton Bob. And where art thou, Bicycle Shorts Man?

34. The Dungeon house in Lakewood Heights. Birthplace of OutKast, it was recently purchased by Big Boi. Hootie Hoo!

35. The Atlanta Beltline. Despite affordability challenges directly caused by the now-famous Beltline, the popular segments are socially magical, unifying things—Atlanta’s boardwalk, the Little Peachtree—and it’s barely reached adolescence at this point. Maybe one day, instead of sprawl and traffic, a mention of Atlanta anywhere in the world will conjure images of this mythical green loop. All dreamed up by a local college kid.

36. Sylvan Hills. The historic nabe between downtown and the airport is the prettiest neighborhood that half of Atlanta’s never heard of.

37. Scooter culture. Having spawned across the city in a year, the vehicles can be annoying, unsightly, and even dangerous for pedestrians and bicyclists. But the two-wheel zeitgeist beats all those lawbreaking riders driving alone in 4,000-pound street cloggers, right?

38. Raising the bar. Rooftop restaurants and bars have multiplied tenfold (roughly) in recent years, highlighted by Ponce City Market’s vintage amusement park in the sky and Hotel Clermont’s unpretentious new hang. About time.

39. Our iconic downtown library is by Marcel Breuer, someone cooler than Carnegie.

40. Path Force. The Beltline’s roving, specialized, applaudable police squad is consistently effective. Despite millions of visitors to the trails, the number of annual crime incidents can sometimes be counted on one hand.

41. John Portman. The late architect’s simple idea born in downtown Atlanta—the inner high-rise atrium, designed to cheaply cool low-income buildings—revolutionized hotel design around the world.

42. A growing legacy of rather badass sports statues. There’s Hank Aaron swinging through his record homer, shredded Evander Holyfield (currently MIA), sculptural Olympics remnants, Dominique Wilkins in mid-dunk, and that incredible Falcons sculpture.

43. Viewrific, Part II. The downtown skyline from that stoplight, facing west, where Freedom Parkway meets Boulevard. It’s the famed Jackson Street Bridge vantage point, immortalized in The Walking Dead Season 1 poster, panned out.

44. Park potential. Bellwood Quarry’s green space initiative could finally bring that side of town the Piedmont Park it deserves.

45. Commercial survivors. Poncey-Highland throwback DVD rental spot Videodrome and dive-bar stalwart Righteous Room are here to stay forever! Probably.

46. Road trips galore. From Atlanta, there’s a wealth of geographically and culturally diverse long-weekend options in all directions. Asheville, Savannah, the Gulf Coast, Charleston, Blue Ridge, Jekyll Island, Nashville, Charlotte, and the list goes on. Leave at lunch on Friday and reach them all by happy hour.

47. Church Bar on Edgewood. Before it was a tourist destination, the beloved Edgewood Avenue watering hole was just an unholy alliance of irreverent art, ping-pong, sangria, and a male former church deacon named Sister Louisa.

48. Atlanta United. In just its third year now, the club has scored a Major League Soccer championship and global headlines that declare this city, for once, an exemplar of fandom.

49. They don’t make ’em like Whittier Mill Village anymore. The semi-secret old cotton mill community includes 1800s homes, beautiful ruins, and Buckhead schools.

50. We took Snowpocalypse jokes—and are still taking them—in stride. Two inches of daytime snow paralyzed a major city, but hey, we made the front page of the New York Times! And inspired the creation of an SNL Weekend Update character called Buford Calloway, a “survivor.”

51. Lemony pepper wings. Order dry, with a little tub of hot sauce on the side. Graze the wing across blue cheese, and then dunk in the sauce. Bite big. And behold caloric Eden.

52. Bank of America Plaza. The world’s largest cigarette just happens to be the Southeast’s tallest building—and the ATL’s Eiffel Tower. (Sorry, Big Chicken.)

53. Purposeful art. With poignant murals, impressive permanent pieces, and a civil rights installation series where historical events actually happened, the Beltline’s Westside Trail artwork is stepping up the game. Ditto for the Eastside’s series, and William Massey’s awe-inspiring pieces made of garbage found on streets.

54. Viewrific, Part III. Sure, the ginormous chiseled Confederates are awkward at best, and embarrassing at worst. But evenings and sunrises atop Stone Mountain are religious experiences (literally, every Easter, with church services). Up there, find unparalleled vistas of so much rippling green, cast pink, with the glint of skyscrapers in the middle distance.

55. Adair Park. Blight and disinvestment didn’t diminish the beautiful old bones of this historic place.

56. The Atlanta Tech Village in Buckhead is the real deal. A tech hub that’s spawned big local companies—and a lot of cushy salaries.

57. Car-free lifestyles no longer seem crazy. Alternate transportation commuters are becoming more prevalent by the year—and proving that living without a car (gasp!) is possible in Atlanta. (See: the saddlebags and backpacks accessorizing business attire along the Freedom Park PATH Trail during weekday rush hours.)

58. No shortage of swingin’ highrise pools. It’s like a subculture unto itself, from late April to September.

59. We have the Southeast’s largest burial ground, and it’s beautiful. More than 100,000 people have been laid to eternal rest across Westview Cemetery’s 600 acres, which is centered around a gorgeously ornate mausoleum and chapel.

60. Lest we forget Oakland Cemetery. Atlanta’s oldest public green space is a historical, durable, accessible intown treasure that really knows how to party. For proof, see the long-running, multistage Tunes From the Tombs festival.

61. The National Center for Civil and Human Rights is > the NASCAR Museum that Atlanta “lost” to Charlotte.

62. Pittsburgh Yards. This southside Beltline redevelopment is centered on the creation of jobs in underserved places—instead of $3,000 apartments and $13.50 bespoke kale bowls—and it could be a game changer.

63. Buckhead’s tallest building, the Sovereign tower, still stands out, architecturally. And it could soon have a big blue modernist sibling.

64. Venturing OTP won’t actually kill you. Resurrected and richly historic downtowns are in abundance in the Atlanta suburbs. Like, everywhere. Find a half-dozen worthwhile day-trip destinations in Gwinnett alone.

65. The Atlanta splash pad, a social oasis and absolute godsend. And even better: More splash pads are in the works, from Vine City (definitely) to Chosewood Park (probably) and Kirkwood (maybe). About damn time, say toddlers across Atlanta.

66. Queer culture is thriving. That’s epitomized by Atlanta Pride, which is more massive than ever after almost 50 years (and now family-friendly, for better or worse).

67. English Avenue’s Mattie Freeland Park. Founded and controlled by neighbors, the tiny green space is a shining example of small but vital civic strides in historically troubled places.

68. The Chattahoochee River. A revived and unspoiled (if underused) resource for every season.

69. Insert here: A non-cheesy, non-obvious, pithy ode to the Varsity, that legendary fast-food drive-in—still the world’s largest after 90 years. Don’t mention “What’ll ya have?” Ah, never mind.

70. Music Midtown. For all its faults (overcrowding, lawn damage, neighbor inconvenience, lineups geared toward teens), the reborn multistage extravaganza is a dynamic and diverse musical showcase every September. Walk barefoot across lush Bermuda and dance like only 75,000 people are watching.

71. Ted Turner’s legacy. The media maverick and early Atlanta believer has been called an inspiration by people as disparate as Ted Koppel and Killer Mike.

72. The reinvigorated cyclorama. Once bedraggled, the restored cyclorama—one of America’s largest historical artifacts—is now in good hands, presented in a state-of-the-art showcase at the Atlanta History Center. That’s where it’ll be until infants of today are septuagenarians. At least.

73. Almost every Atlantan has some tale about the cast or production of The Hunger Games, The Walking Dead, Stranger Things, Baby Driver, etc. And hundreds of us have rented our homes for movie and TV shoots. Cha-ching.

74. Atlanta Streets Alive. The occasional street-closure sensation (with attendance routinely north of 120,000) illustrates a dream scenario, in terms of biking/pedestrian infrastructure and how cities of the future could yield to people over automobiles.

75. Inspiring architecture—seriously. In a few too-rare cases, large-scale design is getting quite interesting. Find several forthcoming examples on Howell Mill Road alone. And approach the Jenga-d facade of Midtown’s new lilli tower from any angle at twilight.

76. The Beltline’s Northside Trail. It’s a tucked-away, leafy, unsung jewel—with a rail bridge underpass that could stand as a top Beltline highlight forever.

77. Relaxed ganja laws in the City of Atlanta. Anyone caught with a bag of pot in the city can face—worst case—a $75 fine now. But even that’s left to the officer’s discretion. And judging by the pungent wafts from innumerable cars and so many porches, the memo on that was widely read among intowners.

78. The Goat Farm! Westside ruins turned artist hive. Now don’t let redevelopment gut its inimitable soul!

79. Where the expressions “Y’all!” and “Yo!” coexist harmoniously—and sometimes come from the same mouth.

80. Inman Park Festival. A late-April tradition for almost half a century, this fest is Atlanta’s greatest neighborhood showcase. It’s proof that even prestigious places need not take themselves too seriously.

81. These directions make sense in Atlanta-ese: “Head up the Connector, around the Grady Curve, beyond the Brookwood Split, past Spaghetti Junction, barely OTP, and then…”

82. Record shops keep it spinning. From the hippest gritty neighborhoods to the far-flung ’burbs, ATL vinyl is alive and well.

83. The original Lantern Parade. A luminous Atlanta Beltline tradition—now 70,000 strong—unlike any other.

84. Moonlight drives. The city’s nonsensical roadway design actually makes for more interesting (if impractical) drives, once you know where the hell you’re going. For a test run, take Ponce from the Majestic Diner to Decatur, late at night, windows down.

85. Because the Atlanta Hawks stayed put, right in the city’s heart. And now they’re trending like the team of the future.

86. Ansley Park. With its dizzying array of residential masterworks and unique country-club-under-skyscrapers vibe, this is aspirational living done right. Leafy and hilly at every turn, the neighborhood’s bounty of walkable green space options is almost unfair.

87. Those wondrous, weird accumulations of snow. About six times per decade, there’s a legit, if short-lived, snowfall. Added bonus: The city’s streets and parks are perfectly angled for sledding, for those rare Atlantans who actually own sleds or don’t mind embarrassing themselves on greased cookie sheets.

88. Midtown’s unyielding boom. Crane-watching (and counting) has become a pastime in Midtown. It’s the epicenter of intown’s metamorphosis, where soul-sucking surface parking lots go to die.

Curbed Atlanta

Midtown in summertime, as seen over Piedmont Park.

89. The “Atlanta’s Population Now” sign on Peachtree Road. Long a source of pride and bewilderment for this once modestly sized Southern town, the electronic metro population counter in front of the Darlington Apartments is climbing ever closer to 7 million. Fun fact: It was installed by a young billboard mogul named Ted Turner in the 1960s, when the metro’s population was about 1.1 million.

90. The potential of South Downtown. For far too long, Atlanta’s oldest, most captivatingly vintage streets have been forsaken by most investors, residents, visitors, and anyone else not headed to Magic City, a Falcons game, or the Gold Dome. Whether the trifecta of ambitious plans for the Gulch, Underground Atlanta, and Newport’s extensive portfolio can spring the district to greatness remains to be seen.

91. Castleberry Hill. Atlanta’s epicenter of authentic loft living and bohemian art galleries is also cool enough for a 2 Chainz restaurant.

92. The food. It ain’t all pulled pork, buttermilk chicken, and Frosty Oranges ’round here anymore. From Buford Highway’s international fare to Decatur’s award-winning menus and classic eateries like Busy Bee Cafe, you could live in Atlanta a decade and not sample all its eclectic deliciousness. “This year cemented the Capital City of the South’s status as a culinary force,” wrote Zagat in 2017, declaring the ATL the nation’s ninth “most exciting” food city.

93. Pre-dogwood hoopla. A sunny March weekend in Piedmont Park is like a city festival organized by the citizenry, with plenty of flying frisbees and open-container good vibes.

94. Palm trees. So what if they’re not native to Atlanta? Neither are you (probably). Some varieties really thrive here, punctuating front yards and restaurant landscapes in these subtropical climes.

95. The Fabulous Fox. It’s the site of Prince’s final concert and, when the wrecking ball loomed, legendary 1970s preservation efforts led by bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd. The glittering Fox Theatre is an Atlanta showplace like no other.

96. Viewrific, Finale. Southbound on Peachtree Road, just past Jesus Junction, that downhill vantage point captures something like a scene from the movie Metropolis, only framed by towering pines.

97. Pollen preparedness. A real downside of Atlanta’s otherwise glorious, floral springs are the swirling particles so thick they turn black cars yellow. Or streets into yellow-tinged rivers when it rains. Luckily, ATLiens aren’t fazed, popping non-drowsy Claritin, minding pollen counts on the news, or—in some cases—strapping on SARS-style masks.

98. Local beer. Suddenly, it’s everywhere! A hundred varieties not named SweetWater.

99. That being said… a frosty glass, a SweetWater 420 on draft, a Saturday afternoon in May, counting passersby from a lively patio bar, and somebody, somewhere, just started strumming an acoustic guitar.

100. We’re not “Marthasville,” thank God. (One of this settlement’s original names.)

101. Still welcoming after all these damn carpetbaggers.

source https://atlanta.curbed.com/2019/5/29/18629884/reasons-to-love-atlanta

[segadores-y-soldados]

Reaper and Soldier: American Cultural References

Alright, I know the title is a fuckin turn off for some people but I’m tired and so bad at essay titles, guys, you don’t even know, fuck I’d show ya’ll my college essays if they didn’t immediately reveal who I am but the titles were BAD.

So after a few people mentioned that the Reaper References post was helpful (and I saw your comments, I’m coming back to them, I promise), and after thinking about it a bit more this morning, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to try and explain some of the more...oddball American cultural references going on in these skins.  Please note that I’m not trying to be rude by not discussing the Mariachi or Blanco skins, but rather that I consider those to be out of my field of depth and would rather focus on the skins I do know more about.

This will have mild shipping discussions for Reaper76 but it’s mainly from an analytical perspective.  In my opinion, with Blizzard being what it is, these are primarily coincidences or a way of demonstrating the two characters’ shared interest in American pop and literary culture.

Since this is kinda turning into a mini series, have these as well:

Reaper Art Assets

Reaper References

A LOT MORE under the cut, fair warning, this one is LONG.

Name and Design Comparisons

In the Reaper References post, I talked about how the name “Gabriel Reyes” could potentially have been derived from California’s Spanish history, such as by being references to the Mission San Gabriel Arcángel or the El Camino Real.  John “Jack” Morrison has some interesting possible name references as well.

John of course, is another Biblical name, derived from the Greek Iohannes, which in turn is derived from the Hebrew Yohanan, meaning “graced by God.”  “John” as a unique English name is due primarily to the Biblical figures John the Baptist and the Apostle John.  So both characters feature religious or spiritually derived given names.

Jack is actually a nickname for John.  Which like, makes no sense to me either, but this is from the language that made “Dick” a nickname out of “Richard” so we can all be lost on this one together.  The term “jack” features a MASSIVE variety of uses and meanings in English, including but not limited to things like “jack of all trades,” “jumping jacks,” “a jack” (the card), etc.  “The Encyclopædia Britannica article on the history of the word "jack" linked it directly to the common name: "Jack, a word with a great variety of meanings and applications, all traceable to the common use of the word as a by-name of a man."”

Morrison is an interesting one because it too is religiously or spiritual derived.  One etymological hypothesis links it to Scottish or Gaelic roots as “son of Maurice,” with Maurice being the English version of the name Mauritius.  Saint Mauritius is the patron saint of the Holy Roman Emperors, but more importantly, Saint Mauritius is the patron saint of soldiers.

“Maurice became a soldier in the Roman army. He was gradually promoted until he became the leader of the Theban legion, formed of 6600 soldiers.”

Mauritius ascended to martyrdom when he and his troops refused to engage in sacrificial offerings to the Roman gods, and Mauritius and his troops were killed for their refusal.

This, of course, has a number of parallels to the lore that Blizzard has provided around Jack Morrison.  How much of it is intentional is debatable, but considering the Soldier: 76 concept and character has existed for like fifteen years, I’m willing to bet it’s pretty deliberate.

Other odd points of comparison:

Gabriel Reyes = 12 letters

Jack Morrison = 12 letters (still works with John)

Again - how deliberate is this?  I have no fucking idea, but considering that both men are 6’ 1” (1.85 m) and they effectively swap outfits after the Fall of Overwatch (Reyes goes from simple jacket/sweatshirt and plain pants to long, dramatic overcoat; while Morrison goes from long dramatic overcoat to simple jacket and plain pants; both men wear masks after the Fall), like...I would not be surprised at this point?

Once upon a midnight dreary

“But the Raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour. Nothing further then he uttered—not a feather then he fluttered— Till I scarcely more than muttered “Other friends have flown before— On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.”

Then the bird said “Nevermore.””

So I’ll just be honest and say that I’ve never really liked Edgar Allen Poe, and other people will offer you better analyses of “The Raven,” but for our purposes, we just briefly need to cover the subject of the poem and some of its themes.  Basically, The Raven is about a man heartbroken over the implied death of his lover.  He is visited in the night by a mysterious Raven who only speaks one word - “nevermore.”  While the man is aware that the Raven probably only knows this word through conditioning from a human owner, he continues to ask the bird increasingly deep questions about love and the afterlife, despite being aware that the Raven will only ever give him one answer.  It’s a play on the futility of deeper thinking to solve grief, a discussion on the nature of grief itself, and also a partial satire by Poe on making “a commercially successful poem” - one with deliberate rhyming intended “to appeal to both critical and popular tastes.”

It is perhaps one of the most famous and well-known pieces of American literature in history.

The Raven character is frequently compared to both heavenly messengers, such as angels, and more “evil” figures such as the devil, offering both the duality of possible salvation or damnation, depending on how the reader chooses to interpret it.  In the last stanza, the man effectively gives up on deciding which aspect the bird represents to him, and lets the bird’s “shadow” both consume him and “lift him.”

So basically, Reaper’s Nevermore skin is fucking American literary NERDISM.

“This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing

To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom’s core;”

And

“And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming, And the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;”

In the skin, Reaper’s eyes glow purple, as do the “eyes” on his shotguns.  Moveover, Reaper will occasionally say “Nevermore” upon killing someone with this skin selected, a reference to the single word the bird says and also represents.  The word “Nevermore” represents a true finality - something that shall never happen “anymore”.  This is the first Reaper skin to be steeped in American literary history and references.  

The second, which might surprise some people, is:

Pumpkin?  But Pumpkin is a Halloween-theme skin!

But Pumpkin is also a reference to the Headless Horseman from “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” one of the oldest “American” folkstories and pieces of literature.  It’s true that the Headless Horseman character is himself derived from a number of European original sources, but the variation found in “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” has worked itself into American folklore and cultural concepts so deeply that it continues to affect American ideas of death, ghosts, and - yes - Halloween today.

In the Irving version of the story, the main character Ichabod Crane rides through the woods of Sleepy Hollow after a night of heavy partying and drinking and sharing ghost stories.  The man is very superstitious, and is frightened when “a ghost” appears riding on a horse, carrying “his head” in his lap.  The Headless Horseman pursues Ichabod through the woods, and eventually throws his head at Ichabod’s face.  In the morning, Ichabod has mysteriously vanished from town, and the only traces found of him in the woods are his startled horse, a saddle, a hat, and a smashed Jack-o-lantern.

In almost all versions of the tale, the Headless Horseman either wears or carries a flaming Jack-o-lantern for his head.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SsCHYW_I3s

This is the Disney version of the story that I remember seeing as a child.  From the Headless Horsemen, a number of other American “skeleton” or “death” figures have been derived, including characters like Jack Skellington, Skeletor, and well...Reaper.

This is also probably why “The Reaper” in Junkenstein’s Revenge had strange horse noises associated with his appearance:

http://juunkrat.tumblr.com/post/151882686536/the-reaper-comes-for-your-s-horse-noise

Since the Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Halloween in general are associated with celebrating the fall harvest, Reaper has a number of voice lines exclusive to the skin talking about “harvesting”: “Harvest time” or “Time for the reapening.”

In fact, the entire concept of the Grim Reaper in American culture distantly stems from the Romans - not exactly Thanatos or Charon (both of whom were Greek), but Saturn, god of time and, well, harvesting.  Saturn was frequently depicted with the sickle or scythe, a tool that has carried over to other mythological figures like Father Time or the Grim Reaper, and Saturnalia was the Roman celebration of the harvest.  Much like Halloween, Saturnalia permitted role reversals, a shift in expectation, lots of partying, and both a respect and playful mockery of death.  Saturnalia is one of the possible sources for the origins of Halloween, combined with Gaelic, Scottish, and Irish roots and festivities - such as the dullahan and pumpkin/turnip-carving - and the Christian “All Saints Day”.  All of these aspects build into both the Grim Reaper and the Headless Horseman.

Again, this is not to say that the Headless Horseman is unique to American folklore mythology, nor that even skeletal figures are, but rather to acknowledge the prominence that these figures have taken on, especially as they relate to American Halloween.  Jack-o-lanterns (also not uniquely American) have become a popular symbol of the holiday.

And since we’re on the subject, here’s one of the myths of the origins of the Jack-o-lantern, from Irish roots:

“Many years later, the thief died, as all living things do. Of course, Jack's life had been too sinful for him to go to heaven; however, Satan had promised not to take his soul, and so he was barred from hell as well. Jack now had nowhere to go. He asked how he would see where to go, as he had no light, and Satan mockingly tossed him an ember from the flames of Hades, that would never burn out. Jack carved out one of his turnips (which were his favorite food), put the ember inside it, and began endlessly wandering the Earth for a resting place. He became known as "Jack of the Lantern", or jack-o'-lantern.” - Wikipedia on the origins of Jack-o-lanterns

(Almost all uses of the word “jack” derive from the name “Jack”)

Which brings us to a certain immortal soldier.

The reference to immortality denoted by the skin’s very blatant name “Immortal” probably indicates something like vampirism or simply being undead (as death seems to be something that both Jack and Gabriel are like...physically incapable of doing).  The extra-pale skin and the “skeletal” white paint on his gloves also point to him being some sort of...undead spirit.  While I’m willing to say he’s probably some sort of vampire in this (like Symmetra...whose Halloween skin is a whole ‘nother can of worms), it’s not impossible, giving the Scottish/Gaelic/Irish origins of the name Morrison, that “Immortal 76” is also a reference to Jack-o-lanterns.  Just food for thought.

More significantly, and more blatantly, the design of the Immortal skin is almost dead-on (heh) another cultural reference, although this one is less literary and more...poppy:

Given the fact that the black stripes on Immortal 76’s jacket is about as dead-on (somebody stop me) as Soldier’s design can get, the comparisons seem obvious.  Even if the design was not deliberately influenced by Thriller, Michael Jackson’s outfit in the music video is so iconic that it’s pretty difficult to escape its influences, especially if you’re making a Halloween skin.

Soldier’s “sunken”/overly-make-upped eyes are also probably a reference to Jackson’s ghoulish appearance in the Thriller video, when he’s taken on a more haunting appearance:

Moveover, both Thriller and Junkenstein’s Revenge (both the in-game event and the comic) pay homage to “cheesy Halloween thriller movies,” featuring things such as a third-person narrator, a number of movie references, and the overall theme of “playing at” Halloween.  I would hypothesize that Thriller probably had some sort of direct influence on the Halloween event itself, such as featuring a few “human protagonists” against a “zombie horde,” the narration by Reinhardt, cheesy lines between characters, and the whole concept of:

“You’re fighting for your life inside a killer thriller!”

Thriller remains one of the “theme songs” of American Halloween; arguably, it is the theme song of Halloween, so it would be very strange if Immortal 76 was NOT an homage to the song and the music video.

Plus, it yields itself to one of the best puns in Overwatch: Michael Jack-morri-son.

(Please note that I’m not necessarily arguing that Soldier: 76 was the best character for this homage - honestly, the fact that Lucio HASN’T had a Michael Jackson reference yet is mind-boggling considering he is actually a “professional music and star.”  Maybe for a different event?)

Going Commando

So I brought this up briefly in the Reaper References post, but as far as I can tell, Reaper and Soldier are the only two characters who make references to a major American movie star: Arnold Schwarzenegger.  This is rather odd considering characters like Reinhardt and Mercy are geographically and culturally closer to Arnold’s home country of Austria; Reinhardt in particular shares a similar sense of bravado and battle-lust that Arnold has portrayed in many of his films (Kindergarten Cop Reinhardt when?).

But in any case:

The Commando 76 skin pays homage almost directly to the Arnold Schwarzenegger film by the same name, “Commando,” which itself is pretty much a reference to other movies of similar caliber and nature.

Like, we’re talking down to the facepaint and everything:

And the vest:

And Arnold’s entire fucking outfit, really:

Reaper, on the other hand, has the voice line “If it lives, I can kill it,” which is a reference to Arnold’s famous quote “If it bleeds, we can kill it” from Predator, a movie that also features Schwarzenegger in a military role.  I’m waiting for someone to get an “Hasta la vista, baby” line - bonus points to Blizzard if they give it to Mercy.

And since Soldier’s stupidly Americanized skins aren’t fucking deep enough in American pop culture, he had to be given this fucking abomination of a skin:

This is a reference to American stuntsman Evel Knievel, known for trying to do crazy jumps on his motorcycle while wearing a very...patriotic outfit.

Why the fuck they gave him the mustache is...I dunno.

Evel Knievel is one of these weird American icons that is difficult to explain.  America has a long and bizarre history of “doing daring feats,” such as dropping off of Niagara Falls in a barrel (seriously, I’ve read a book on Sam Patch and just like...the whole concept of bravado in American culture is something that’s difficult to try and explain.  I blame our revolution or something) all the way down to dumb shit like pranks and stuff like “Jackass” (ahaha, another Jack word).  Again, it’s not that other cultures don’t have this - many do - but it’s so bizarrely celebrated in the U.S., to the point where Knievel has been dead for ten years but his legacy is still very much active and impressive to many Americans.

Knievel is also the source of the line: “Bones heal, pain is temporary, but chicks dig scars.”  Which, of course, “Daredevil: 76” has a slightly different variation on the line: “Bones heal, pain is temporary, but scars look good.”

Now, trust me - the change in wordage is super tempting to read into, but it’s much more likely that Blizzard dropped the line about “chicks” because the term is slowly falling out of favor in North America.  It’s not really a fun way to describe women anymore (although arguably it never was?), and I’m more inclined to say that they probably modified the quote to reduce the aging, not-funny slang.

That said, if you wanna read into it, go ahead?

...why did they give him the mustache?

And since we’ve got the ball rolling on military/stunt stuff:

When Does the Rooster Crow?

So in the Chinese New Year/Lunar New Year event, Soldier got a new voiceline that says “The rooster crows at midnight.”  Despite being FUCKING HILARIOUS for the implied “the cock crows at midnight,” it’s actually another reference.

This time to M*A*S*H.

http://mash.wikia.com/wiki/The_Rooster_Crowed_at_Midnight

“In an otherwise empty mail bag, they find a package for B.J. Hunnicutt which turns out to be the novel The Rooster Crowed at Midnight which, according to the jacket blurb, was "another brain-teasing, spine-chilling whodunit from the prize-winning pen of Abigail Porterfield". The jacket blurb also described Abigail Porterfield as a 97-year old lady who had been residing in Sydney, Australia for the last 60 years.

The bored MASH staff soon pass the book around sometimes a chapter or a page at a time. For Hawkeye, getting to read the first chapter "just might be better than sex". For the impatient Winchester, "it certainly takes longer around here." The efforts of the MASH staff to identify the murderer take up much of the time in the episode.”

It’s actually a rather clever homage to both a military show and the Year of the Rooster, and is pretty much the only time a crossover between the two is applicable.

And hopefully people don’t take this the wrong way, but I wanna get a little bit into Chinese-American and Korean-American culture.

Many people may not realize this, but in big cities, or hell even medium-sized cities and towns across the U.S. West Coast, Asian American individuals are ubiquitous.  I believe more people are familiar with the concept of Ellis Island in New York, which was a historic immigrations center almost everyone coming from Europe had to travel through, but the West Coast had “Angel Island,” a similar immigrations center that, quite frankly, was used to regulate how Asian immigrants entered the country during the 1900’s, many of them predominantly Chinese.  That said, even with “regulations,” Asian immigrants continued to enter the country and settled at various points along the West Coast, including in neighborhoods like San Francisco’s Chinatown and Los Angeles’ Koreatown.

“Since Koreatown has a Latino majority, it's not unusual to find Latino employees in restaurants and grocery stores speaking Korean with customers or Korean store owners engaging Latino customers in Spanish. An example of a cultural interchange between Koreans and Latinos in Koreatown is the popularity of Korean-inspired taco trucks in Los Angeles that feature classic Mexican food infused with Korean ingredients.” - Wikipedia on Koreatown

Inter-cultural exchanges here in California are fairly commonplace in major cities, and “multiculturalism” (or whatever you want to call it) is taught at schools across almost all grades.  In second grade, my class celebrated both Hanukkah and Chinese New Year - we learned the lion dance and ran around with paper dragons.  In third grade, we learned about St. Patrick’s Day.  In fourth grade, we studied the California Missions.

During Chinese and Lunar New Years, large “historically Asian” neighborhoods openly celebrate the festival, sometimes spanning two weeks or a few weekends.  San Francisco and Los Angeles in particular hold huge parades and have open markets of gifts and food for anyone to stop by and visit.

“The parade theme emphasizes ethnic diversity, Chinese culture and exposure to Chinese-American businesses. The parade continues to be a rich and diverse experience for Angelenos of all ages and ethnicities.

The day of the Lunar New Year is the most celebrated holiday of the year for nearly 1.5 million persons of Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese descent in Southern California. It is celebrated with colorful festivals, parades, and most importantly, large family gatherings. It is also a time when ancestors are fondly remembered and families give thanks for their blessings. Red packets of money (Lai see or Hung bao) and firecrackers add fun and excitement to the Chinese New Year celebration.”

http://www.lagoldendragonparade.com/

I understand that the Year of the Rooster event was not limited to set characters, and that all characters received sprays, voice lines, etc.  My point is that characters like Reaper and Soldier celebrating the event alongside characters like Mei and D.Va would not be unusual to them.  Gabriel in particular would probably be more familiar with the event, which it seems like he is based on his line “now those are some fireworks” and his firecracker spray, but Jack having the “folded hands” spray would not be particularly unusual either.

Regardless of how I feel about Blizzard’s writing abilities, I believe that their familiarity with Los Angeles and California culture at large (and the fact that many of their employers are Asian Americans or of Asian heritage) led them to the conclusion that, 60 years into the future, Chinese and Lunar New Year will be events largely celebrated across the globe, or at least globally recognized.  The events are already massive celebrations in Asia, parts of North America, and parts of Australia.

Please know, however, that I obviously don’t speak for all Asian Americans on this matter, just myself and a few friends who I’ve talked to about this.  I believe that, given context, the way the Year of the Rooster was approached was handled well.  Personally, I found the Year of the Rooster events to be fun, entertaining, and delightful.  They reminded me of the the spirit of fun that permeates San Francisco on the CNY weekends.

Sorry this got so long, but hopeful this was informative and helpful!  The short version is that Reaper and Soldier are fucking NERDS about American history, literature, and cultural references.  There are times when American culture gets bleak, or poppy, or downright weird, but Reaper and Soldier show an interesting variety of references to a number of American cultural aspects, from the bleakness of Poe, to the pop of Michael Jackson, to the weirdness of Knievel, to the love of celebration and diversity of cultures.

And I guess that also makes me a nerd because I find that to be FUCKING AWESOME.

[crimsondomingo]

New writer ask meme... how about You've got mail Coldflash AU with tons of angst and tons of smut and fluff towards the end??

(WHAT are you doing to me!)

Barry Allen owns and runs his mother’s bookshop, which he practicallygrew up in and has worked at all his life. His mother died from a B&E whenhe was 10, but that just makes the shop more special to him. His father passedaway last year after a heart-attack, and ever since, Barry has been even moreobsessed with staying in the shop rather than going out with friends or datingor anything outside of work.

Iris, his best friend since school days, keeps trying to gethim to just DATE and live his life, but Barry never confessed that his firstlove was HER, and now she’s married and pregnant with her first child, and thatjust makes it harder even though Barry knows he needs to move on.

His employees are great friends too, though they’re a littlesubtler about how they try to get him out of the shop. Cisco will ask Barryover for video game nights, and Caitlin will invite Barry along to theaterexcursions, but Barry hates being a third wheel with her husband, as nice asRonnie is. HR is great too, he’s just a little…difficult to handle in largedoses. Plus, the guy seems far too obsessed with this popular romance author,E.B. Thawne, which Barry accused Iris’s husband of being once, but Eddie swearsit’s just a coincidence that their names are so similar.

“Besides, my middle name is Richard, Barr.”

(The romance novelist is HR, using the pseudonym of EobardThawne but changing it to EB to be more like HR. He totally got the idea ofusing Thawne after meeting Eddie and Iris. He works at Barry’s shop for fun,since he makes A LOT of money from his writing.)

Cisco and Caitlin have started reading those romance novelstoo, which is highly inappropriate to be pouring over during shop hours. Barry’sbookstore is for CHILDREN.

Or at least it should be, if they can survive the corporategiant moving in around the corner, Rogue Books. Lisa Snart is the face of thecompany, “A really nice face too,” Cisco has said on more than one occasion,but her partner and brother Leonard Snart is known as the real shark behind thebusiness. He’s so ruthless, they call him Captain Cold. It’s terrible the waythis powerhouse is ruining family owned businesses like Barry’s. The ScarletReader is everything a little book store should be.

At least Barry has his secret pen pal, who he met one nighton a message board support group for people who’ve lost their parents. No realnames or details are given, it’s just the chance for people with similarexperiences to connect and vent – like group therapy for busy people (or inBarry’s case, people who don’t get out much.)

WynterNights72 is just so easy to talk to. He lost hismother when he was young too, and his father passed away a few years ago, justlike Barry’s passed away last year. Of course Wynter didn’t have a goodrelationship with his father like Barry did, but it’s still a similar tale ofwoe.

They don’t even chat about their folks much anymore, justrandom things. They created their own private board so they can leave eachother messages whenever they want and keep it between them. It’s nice to havesomeone to talk to who doesn’t know Barry’s real name, someone whose face Barryhas never seen.

Of course he likes to imagine the guy is attractive andsuccessful and totally smitten with Barry like Barry is with him, but he couldnever actually do anything about it. They’re just pen pals. The only thingBarry knows is that the man also lives in Central City. It would be insane toever be more than friends.

Meanwhile, Leonard Snart runs Rogue Books as joint CEO withhis sister and their childhood friend, Mick Rory, who handles the logisticswhen it comes to demolition and construction of new stores. Len has a greatteam who handles financials, staffing, marketing, allowing Lisa to be thespokesperson and Len to stick to the shadows.

Len has learned to be cold because he has to be, that’s whathas made Rogue Books so successful. It certainly wasn’t his father’s effortswhen he was still alive running the company. The only thing Lewis was ever goodfor was giving Len the best sister he could ask for…and the best littlebrother.

Michael is only seven. He was two when Lewis died, so hebarely remembers him, and thinks more of Len as his father figure. Michael’smother has full custody but she lets Len and Lisa take Michael and spend timewith him whenever they want.

Outside of Lisa, Mick, and a few close coworkers, Len doesn’treally have friends. He’s odd friends with a few of his exes, but he figureswhat’s the point in dating when he always loses in love? Lisa tried to convincehim to go to counseling, that maybe if he had someone else to talk to it’d beeasier to open up to a potential partner someday.

So Len found his way to that message board, because he doesn’tDO therapy, and met Runner_in_Red. He can tell by the occasional reference thatthis guy is a few years younger than he is, but he’s just so easy to talk to.Len’s never had a friend quite like Red, and he likes having him all to himself,like a secret. Sometimes, he wishes he had the courage to ask for them to meet,but he doesn’t want to ruin what they have. So he pines in private, wonderingwhat Red might look like on the other side of that screen.

It’s one day when Len is spending the afternoon with Michaelthat his little brother insists on going into the bookshop they pass along thestreet. Len feels a little awkward about the whole thing, because this place isthe competition he’s currently running into the ground with his new megastorearound the block, but he wants to encourage Michael’s love of reading.

They stumble upon a children’s circle, where a young man isdoing an impressive and adorably engaging reading from The Runaway Dinosaur,which was always one of Len’s favorite children’s books too. Len is instantlycharmed—until he realizes that the young man is Barry Allen, the shop’s owner. Shit. Len cannot let this kid know thatthe enemy walked through his door, so he introduces himself as Len.

“Just Len.”

Of course, Michael thinks that Len’s nickname as CaptainCold is awesome, “Like a superhero!” So when Len and Barry are talking, andBarry mentions that they’re trying to stay afloat against the evil Captain Coldaround the corner, Michael spouts off his newest spelling word.

“C-O-L-D. Just like—”

“Well, we need to be going,” Len says and quickly makes scarce,pushing Michael out the door.

His getaway doesn’t save him for long though as he runs intoBarry at a party later that week and the cat is out of the bag about who Lenreally is.

This devolves into their very intense rivalry as bookstoreowner nemeses, while privately at home Len and Barry are each asking Wynter andRed for advice…as they slowly fall more and more in love with the pen pal they’venever met.

[edc-creations-blog]

Interview with Don’t Read Me, Read A Book (DRMRAB)

Qiana Drennen is the founder and president of Don’t Read Me, Read A Book (DRMRAB), the fastest-growing book club in the United States. In a little over 2 years, DRMRAB has expanded from its humble beginnings as a Facebook Group, to chapters in 27 cities nationwide and 1 in the United Kingdom. In that short time, they were awarded the 2016 AAMBC Literary Award for Book Club of the Year, and were also recipients of a 2017 Black Excellence Award. Our members are not only avid readers, but they are also actively involved in their communities. Initiatives have included sending water to residents of Flint, Michigan, and helping underprivileged families with their back-to-school and Christmas needs.

DRMRAB members have earned the nickname, “The Paperback Gang,” due to their high level of participation at the many book festivals held throughout the year, and their voracious appetite for purchasing paperback books. Members are proud of their expansive bookshelves, many of which hold books with personal, handwritten notes and signatures from their favorite authors. Their motto is: “We are not just a book club, we are a movement.”

BPM: Please tell us about your book club, store, or blog! What is the name? Where are you located? QIANA: Don’t Read Me, Read A Book is based out of Columbus, Ohio, with chapters located throughout the United States and on Facebook. DRMRAB started online as a Facebook group in January 2015. I started the book club because I wanted my own group, instead of administering someone else’s. Fast forward to April of the same year, when I became acquainted with a couple of local readers and decided to start an in-person club that would meet once a month here in Columbus. A very good friend of mine, author Fabiola Joseph, suggested that I start offering readers in other cities a chance to organize under the DRMRAB umbrella. So, in February 2016, the first chapters began. Our Facebook membership has grown to over 2,000 members and our chapter members now total over 200 and growing! Our board consists of Vice President Terria Miller, Head Administrator Taheerah Brown, and Director of Charity and Volunteering Monica Redman.

BPM: What is the purpose for your organization? Does the name of the club/blog or store have a special meaning? QIANA: DRMRAB promotes literacy in the African-American community, while supporting authors in a positive, judgement-free environment. We stand out from other groups for a few reasons. First, our members support the authors we read by purchasing thousands of paperback books. With the popularity of eBooks, common thought was that paperbacks were dead until we came along and showed everyone how false that assumption was. Second, we host and participate in face-to-face discussions with authors, and you really don’t see that anymore. The name of our organization has a very special meaning to me. My favorite cousin (who passed away last year) helped me come up with the concept during a battle for my attention, while I was trying to read. That memory is so dear to my heart, that I give out a yearly award in his honor.

BPM: Tell us about your members. What is the demographic of your group? QIANA: Amazing! That’s the best way to describe the ladies and gentlemen of DRMRAB. We are more like a family, helping one another and staying in touch through all of the ups and downs of life. The main reason we’re amazing, is because we are already killing three Afro-American stereotypes.

1) “If you want to hide knowledge from a black person, put it in a book.” We’re a book club. 2) “Men surely don’t read.” We have a male chairman, as well as male chapter members. 3) “You can’t successfully put a large group of black women together in one place, at one time.” We have an all-chapter meetup at least twice each year.

We are open to anyone. DRMRAB has members from their early 20’s to late 70’s, male members, LGBT members, couples, Caucasians, lawyers, nurses, teachers, IT professionals, etc. With DRMRAB, the only demographic that matters is reading. We have a wide range of personalities who all mesh well together. Mostly everyone starts out shy, but quickly become comfortable when they join our DRMRAB family.

BPM: Can you share a few 5-star books that have expanded your horizons? QIANA: Yes, I’d love to. Pricey: Playing in Traffic because it’s really well written and shines line on a subject matter that really isn’t talked about which is human trafficking. Niya: Rainbow Dreams because it’s so much more than just a story about a lesbian rapper. It’s one of the most touching love and coming of a age stories about two young girls coming into their own. Both novels were written by Fabiola Joseph, and are must reads.

BPM: Do you have any words of wisdom for other readers who are in or who might want to start a book club? QIANA: When I decided to do this, I didn’t ask for guidance or advice. I had my own original ideas and didn’t want to water them down with someoneelse’s opinions or judgments. So, just like I would with any other business, I sat down and did my research and put my ideas into action. My advice is to thoroughly research the landscape and don’t just conform to what other clubs are doing. Hold onto your creative and original ideas, and strive to find that special “something” that will set your organization apart from others.

BPM: Do you primarily purchase books online or in a bookstore? Does the price of eBooks play a big part in the purchase? Would you ever stop buying printed books? QIANA: I love my paperbacks. I mean LOVE them. And I’m proud to say that 95% of DRMRAB members feel the same. Hence, our nickname The Paperback Gang. Most of our purchases are made directly from the author. We are also huge supporters of African American owned book stores Like Hood Book Headquarters (2407 E 7 mile, Detroit,Michigan). Michele Moore who is an Essence best selling author owns this store. It’s the hottest store around and they host the best book signing that we have ever attended. You will never see a Hood Book event without a member of DRMRAB in attendance. The price of an eBook doesn’t really matter, because we want that paperback. If the book is only available on eBook, then we don’t care about the price. If we want to read it, we’re going to read it. The day DRMRAB stops buying paperbacks will be the day that the world runs out of paper and ink.

BPM: What has the main focus become over the years? What legacy will your club or blog leave for those watching in the community? QIANA: Our main focus will continue to be shining the spotlight on African American authors. Why is this so important? Because there are so many unheard stories by great writers, and those stories must be heard. Rappers, singers, and actors get celebrated every day and I am adamant that writers must be equally recognized and celebrated. We will also continue to spotlight LGBT authors whenever possible. One of our friends (Richard) was a devoted activist in the LGBT community and we will carry that torch in his memory.

Legacy? DRMRAB will never die! Our living legacy will be the continued success of each author we read and the love of reading we foster with our members and their families.

BPM: When accepting members into the group, what are you looking for in a person? Has it been difficult to get people to join the group or to stay in the group? Do you have an online version of the group? QIANA: We look for avid, dedicated readers. I won’t lie and say that we haven’t lost members, but we certainly have gained more than we’ve lost. And, yes. We have a large online presence, with plenty of involvement from our DRMRAB members and of course our authors.

BPM: Do you host special events during the year or do you work for any charities? Do you get together as a group to socialize outside of your book club meetings? QIANA: Every year, every chapter gathers at Sistahs on Lit Book Festival in Silver Spring, MD. Papaya Wagstaff , who happens to be our DMV chapters chairman is the owner of this great event. S.O.L is amazing because it gives book clubs like DRMRAB a chance to mingle with fellow readers as well as different authors. It’s a weekend long event and i recommend that every book lover attends. Yes we also participate in several charities. When we first heard of the Flint, Michigan, water crisis, we teamed up with Hood Books to send over 8,500 bottles of water to Flint’s residents.

In 2015, we adopted a family for Christmas, and in 2016 we adopted two families. We’ve also donated countless books to children. This year, we will also assist families with back-to-school and Christmas needs, among other initiatives. As far as hosting event every chapter host several authors throughout the year.

BPM: How can we follow you online? Do you have a website or social media pages? Website: http://www.drmrabbookclub.com Twitter: drmrabclub Instagram: drmrab_book_club Facebook: Don’t Read Me, Read A Book (The Reading Room) Snapchat: Drmrab club

    Qiana Drennen -Don’t Read Me, Read A Book (DRMRAB) Interview with Don't Read Me, Read A Book (DRMRAB) Qiana Drennen is the founder and president of Don't Read Me, Read A Book (DRMRAB), the fastest-growing book club in the United States.