#caleb burnett

[screenshotingmonstertv]

[invisibleraven]

foster family au YOU KNOW I HAVE TO

When Alex and Willie got serious, they had the big talk about marriage and kids, because they wanted to make sure they were on the same page about both. Willie was pretty eh about marriage-something about needing government validation for their relationship.

"But I wouldn't mind it with you hot dog," he said with a wink, making Alex blush and groan simultaneously.

The kid thing was a bit more serious. Alex had wanted to be a dad since forever-dreamed of it really. It was something his parents had mocked him about when he came out, claiming gay men couldn't be parents.

But things had come so far since then-they could hire a surrogate or adopt now. "What about fostering?" Willie asked shyly.

"What about it?" Alex asks.

"Could we be foster parents for a bit first?" Willie clarifies. "I was a foster kid for so long, jumping from house to house, so I know there's not enough good ones out there. Plus a lot of older kids end up in the system, and they never got adopted."

"Because everyone wants babies," Alex concluded. Which, he couldn't say much, that's what he wanted too. Watching a child grow right from the start-like it was their own, not one they essentially bought. But he could see Willie's point-he had never found a real home or family until Caleb found him right before he aged out of the system.

And well, Caleb was more like a fabulous uncle than a dad, so Alex could see Willie's point about finding older kids needing a real family unit. "We can do that, sure," he assured him.

It was a few years later, when they had a house to call their own, rings on their fingers and steady jobs that they apply-Alex knowing the agency would look more kindly on those factors when considering them. There's a lot of paperwork, and visits and assessments.

"Geez with the amount of kids flooding the system you would think there would be less red tape to wade through," Willie grumbled as they submitted yet another sheath of signed contracts.

"I think you'd be happier that they are so particular to weed out the bad homes," Alex replied. "Less Ms. Hannigans this way."

"Well now I wanna watch Annie," Willie said with a grin.

"Carol Burnett or Kathy Bates?" Alex asks with an answering smile.

"Thank you for not making the other remakes an option, and you know my answer is both," Willie replied.

It takes a few months for processing to go though, but eventually they get selected to receive their first kid-Parker who is only staying the weekend until her grandparents can take her on. She's sassy, way too good with locks, and Willie loves her. He slips her some money and their address when she leaves, just in case she ever wants to come back, or write. Alex feels they haven't seen the last of her.

Their next charge is Ollie, who had been a street kid that Willie had caught sleeping at the street park. He is in the system, so his social worker is happy enough for them to take him. He's a bit rough around the edges, but he bonds with them quickly enough, and a whiz in the kitchen.

It's kind of heart breaking when they try to shift him to another home, Willie even telling them he's welcome to stay as long as he wants. Alex is a bit more realistic, knowing this is how things work, that they don't have control over how long each kid stays. There's lots of tears when Ollie leaves, but he promises to call when he gets to Toledo-where his uncle lives to let them know he's okay.

They get the twins, Micah and Solange next, who are a handful, but ultimately sweet. Then Kasey, Hanna, Roger, and Bianca. None of them stay long, but Alex feels they leave better off than they were when they came.

Willie is the one who approaches him about maybe looking for something a little more permanent. "I love that we've been able to help so many kids but it hurts so much when they go. I want one that stays, that's ours. We can keep fostering... but I want a baby."

Alex brings him in for a hug, and agrees. They decide to adopt, since they're already in the system, making it easier. They meet a lot of couples who are pregnant, but none of them decide on Alex and Willie for whatever reason.

Then their social worker calls, asking if they'd be opposed to a toddler.

Isla is not even two, but lost her parents in an accident, and has no other family. She's a gorgeous little redhead who is pretty happy despite the tragedy that's befallen her. They foster her for a bit, just to make sure it's a good fit, but before the end of the year she's theirs officially.

The next summer though, Parker shows back up, having run away from her abusive grandparents, and they welcome her with open arms. "But there's a better lock on the liquor cabinet," Alex warns her.

"You know I love a challenge!" she exclaims. Willie buys her a good set of lockpicks, and sets her up a whole set of locks and old safes he found in the garage, telling her to go mad. "Hopefully that keeps out of doing illegal stuff," he comments wryly.

"I'll start putting money towards bail," Alex replies.

The social worker tries to get her to go back to her family, but she makes an impassioned plea to stay here, and finally confesses what her family was actually like. They agree to let her stay while they investigate, but with her almost eighteen and the speed with which the system works, Alex is fairly confident she's theirs to keep.

Ollie turns up around Christmas, confessing that his uncle found it too hard to take care of him, and he'd loved it here, so could he stay please?

"Good thing we bought a big house," Willie said as he made up their guest room.

"I think we need to take our name off the fostering list though," Alex replied. "Just until one of these three find their own place."

"I'm okay with that," Willie stated. "I think we have our hands full with three anyways."

So in the end, Alex becomes a dad-even if only one of his three kids calls him that-Parker calls them Lexie and Wils, Ollie; Vati and Baba, and well he's sure Isla, who adores her big brother will pick that up before she hits four. But he doesn't mind-it's not what they call him, it's the sentiment behind it.

He's their dad no matter what, they've all agreed to that, given the Best Dad Ever mug collection he's got started. And that's the important part.

[liketheletter-l]

SCOTCH GAMBIT - CHAPTER 1

(Leo doesn’t sleep for a week. Leo gets really good at chess.)

ao3 link!!

NIGHT 1, 2:02am

By the time the digital alarm clock flashes 2am, Leo knows what kind of night it’s going to be.

He actually flopped into bed at 11, which could be described as unthinkably early—at least for Leo. But after his Thespian meeting (wherein Sara Burnett got that look in her eyes like she was going to freaking maul Caleb for the role of VP—that girl’s got capital-i ISSUES) and a quick afternoon study with his Physics group (before he even got there, they unanimously decided Leo’s doing the presentation, UGH, the pitfalls of being so charming and beautiful), Leo had pretty much nothing but homework to do until evening. 

And video games. Lots of video games. Why would he do homework when he could grind out Mario Kart drills until his eyes bleed? Serious question.

Maybe he should pick up another club, though. Just to fill that Sunday 5pm-ish slot. Why not? Leo likes having free time, sure, but he hates being bored. He could take up fencing or something. God, that would be so cool. Or maybe he’ll just text Andre. Or Levi. Or Damien.

A-ny-way. 

Having tossed and turned in bed for the past three hours completely restless, eyes burning, Leo can accept it’s just a No-Sleep kind of night. He can take the L on this one. And he would like the record to reflect that he REALLY DID TRY, Mikey, so no more Dr. Feelings trying to wheedle an admission of ‘poor self-care’ out of him. That’s downright laughable. Poor self-care? Leo’s nighttime routine is twelve steps and that’s JUST for his skin, not even counting hair. 

So, yeah, Leo feels justified in giving up tonight. He’s booooored. 

Extracting his legs from the snarl of sheets and blankets, Leo gets out of bed and immediately trips on his backpack. And then his swim bag. And then all the outfit rejects from this morning, including a pink knit vest and those pants with all the buckles (he keeps wanting to wear them but they tragically don’t look right with any of his outfits—SO FAR, he’s not giving up on them yet.)

“Eugh, who put these here,” Leo jokes under his breath, righting himself super gracefully and Definitely Not banging into the wall hard enough to wake Donnie. Nobody saw anything, so it basically never happened.

The red glow from his LEDs casts all his green clothes black, like little mounds of shadow on his floor. Spooky. (In the way that makes him confront that he really should clean his room.) His bedside lamp chases it away, though, dousing the room in warm light.  

Leo kicks aside a paper plate with crumbs and one of Raph's textbooks (oh that’s where that is, geez, he was tearing apart the house for it on Friday, Leo should really hide it in Donnie’s room) and makes his way to the door. Absentmindedly, he feels up on his head for any wayward curls and tucks them back in his blue silk scarf. 

Their apartment is nice and cozy at night. Mikey used to be real scared of the dark when they were little (well, so was Leo, but even the CIA couldn’t get that outta him) so they put up kiddie nightlights in every outlet down the hallway. And then they just never took them out. When Leo was ten or so, he used to try and hop from one pool of light to the other. Undisputed champion of “nightlight hopscotch” over here, five years running, no paparazzi please!

Oooh, maybe there’s a hopscotch club. Would that be too lame or just lame enough that it circles back around to being cool again? Post-post-ironic?

Leo shuffles down to the ground floor, careful not to slip. Fuzzy socks + hardwood floors = waking everyone up by eating shit down three flights of stairs, nooo thank you, that has happened before and he was not fond of it. Sure, he escaped with just a couple bruises, but his pride still has not recovered.

Holy shit, his thoughts are all over the place. Oof. Yeah, Leo’s really not sleeping tonight. 

It’s one of those times where his mind just keeps spinning and spinning with no end in sight. He calls it Beyblade Brain. Other people probably have different, lamer names for it, but that’s really how it feels; just sort of gears whirring and clicking and thoughts cartwheeling about. Y’know, regular stylez. 

That’s how Leo knows not only is he NOT sleeping tonight, he’s gotta find something to do. Being bored is already the worst thing maybe ever, but bored when he’s Like This is basically freaking torture. Seriously. 

Oh, someone’s awake. 

A slice of cold light from the half-open downstairs door trips up the steps in chunks. Either someone is in fact awake, or Dad forgot to turn the lights off when he went to bed: both equally possible.

Leo doesn’t bother to be quiet when he slips in. Dad sleeps like a rock even during midday naps (jealous? Yes, Leo is jealous, thanks for asking) so smack-dab in the middle of his REM should be no problemo. 

It’s not Dad, though—it’s Donnie, clearly also not in sleep mode, twists up in a messy bun and glasses low on their nose, bundled in the weighted hoodie Raph got them last Christmas. They’re spreading almond butter on a sleeve of saltines one by one.

“Why don’t you ever just take the crackers and the almond butter with you?” Leo asks, in lieu of greeting. “It always takes you, like, a million hours to get all of it on there, and then you’re balancing forty-five saltines face-up on a huge platter instead of—I dunno, a regular-sized snack plate?”

Donnie looks up long enough to roll his eyes as Leo skirts past him to the coffee machine, but otherwise turns his attention back to his task. “You should know better than to suggest I partake in regular snacking, Nardo.”

Fumbling in the cabinets for his fancy Starbucks Veranda blend, Leo scoffs. “I just think there’s a less dramatic way to eat crackers. Myyy bad.” The coffee filters cling to each other stubbornly, even as Leo tries to wriggle a finger in and separate one. He growls in frustration—on GOD, he’s lobbying for a Keurig. Starting TOMORROW. This is fucking ridiculous. This is straight-up clownery.

A purple-gloved hand darts into his vision and swipes the filters. Leo turns to see Donnie pull one off with insulting ease. And again, he’s wearing gloves! How is that fair!

“I’m not thanking you,” Leo says, in an attempt to humble the smug smirk off Don’s face. It doesn’t work. Obviously.

“Fine. You’re not welcome. See if I ever help you with anything again.”

“Uh-huh.” Knowing full well that Donnie loves being needed too much to ever make good on that threat, Leo turns his attention back to his coffee. He dumps some grounds into the filter, about halfway to the top. And then he adds some more. And then a little more, just for good measure. He likes his coffee full of sugar and caffeinated enough to give an elephant heart palpitations.

Oooh, Dad will probably agree to a Keurig if he thinks it’ll discourage Leo from drinking entire pots of coffee in the middle of the night. Of course, it will not, but that’s still an argumentative point in the Keurig’s favor. It would be nice to make just a CUP of coffee instead of having to make a whole POT, Leo will say, as earnestly as he can manage. Hook, line, and sinker. Too easy.

“You’re not sleeping,” Donnie says, not a question but an observation.

Leo flicks the coffeemaker on and spins around, clocking Donnie’s raised eyebrow. “Neither are you, hermano.”

“True, but unlike you, I do intend to go to bed at some point. Likely soon.”

Stretching his arms over his head, Leo leans back against the counter. Faced with Don’s total lack of judgment or well-intentioned but anxiety-slash-guilt-inducing worry, it’s a little easier to admit: “It’s a No-Sleep night.”

Donnie nods, and resumes laying out their crackers on a tray. They must have been in the workshop before getting a snack; they tend to be more sensitive about touching food with their bare hands when they’ve been elbow-deep in circuits for several hours. Hence, the purple latex gloves. 

It was actually Leo who got a pack for him first, back when they were kids (and partially as a joke to be honest), but then Donnie started wearing them all the time. Said they helped with feeling like his hands are too dirty to touch certain things, even after he’s washed them. And with the added benefit of preventing bad texture-issues. Yeah, Leo’s a genius, best brother ever, hold your applause.

Donnie finishes making their snack. Their face relaxes, content. 

So obviously, Leo decides to be a problem. He heaves a big, dramatic sigh, and drapes himself across the kitchen island, whining, “I’m boooooored.”

“Ack— Leo, get off!” Donnie complains, moving the tray to the other counter, rescuing the few stray saltines that have migrated dangerously close to the edge. He turns and fixes Leo with a glare that could melt steel. “Is it your personal mission to find any semblance of peace I create and obliterate it into shrapnel?”

“Literally yes.” Leo flings out an arm, blindly reaching to poke Donnie or tug on his hoodie or something, just to be annoying. 

Donnie smacks his hand. “Go find someone else to bother.”

“It’s the middle of the night!”

“He says, without a hint of self-awareness.”

“Oh, I’m plenty aware.” Leo scoots his back further up the counter, squinting against the fluorescents. He’s gonna do a back walkover off this kitchen island and/or die trying. “I’m aware that I have a shitass ugly stupid sibling who doesn’t appreciate me.”

“That’s one out of four correct.”

“You haaate me, you’re praying on my downfall.” Fully upside-down now, Leo reaches for the ground. He’s totally got this.

“Two for two. Good job.” Ouch, okay. “And I see you gearing up for a back walkover; just know you’re going to break your leg against the fridge. Also, your coffee’s done.”

“Aw, sweet!” Leo loses concentration for half a second, and his hand slips. Before he can brain himself on the hardwood, though, Donnie’s arms are under his shoulders, hauling him upright. His legs slip off the counter and land hard on the floor. Ow fuck that’s going to bruise. “Owwwwww.”

Even though Donnie’s face is upside-down to Leo when he cranes his neck back, the contempt is clear as goddamn day. Probably visible from space. “You’re an idiot,” Don informs him. One of their twists slips loose, dangling down over Leo’s face, and he bats at it like a cat.

“Owww, I’m grev-i-ously injured, Donald.” Leo pouts. “Help me up.”

“It’s grievously.” Without warning, Donnie stands, dropping Leo back down on the cold floor. It knocks the wind out of him. Don steps over his broken, shattered, betrayed body and retrieves their tray of saltines. “And remember, I’m never helping you again. Because you, dear Leonardo, are ungrateful.”

Leo scrambles to his feet, because he wants company way more than he wants to continue this bit. “Wa-wa-wait, hold up.” Adjusting his hair again, Leo worries at his lip. 

Donnie’s stopped in the doorway, looking back at him impassively, but he knows he has about—ehh—five seconds (give or take) to come up with an excuse for them to spend time together. Either that, or resign himself to a night spent losing at Bedwars half a million times. (At least with Donnie on his team, he actually stands a chance.)

“Do you wanna play video games?”

Don’s expression doesn’t change, but he shifts on his feet a bit. “I’m in the middle of something right now.”

“Oh.” Cool, cool. That’s cool. Leo totally gets it. It’s just that if being bored when he gets all spinny is the Worst Thing Ever… being alone probably takes silver. 

All the same, Leo forces himself to smile. Because he’s a good brother and he gets that Donnie has way more important shit to do than, say, lose to Leo in Mario Kart. “Gotcha. Have fun, mellizo.”

A beat of silence. Leo stares at the pictures on the fridge to avoid meeting Donnie’s eyes. 

There’s Miguel winning his most recent gymnastics championship (for about the millionth time), holding up a trophy with a thousand-watt smile. Raph and April before their orchestra concert, both in black suits. Donnie, dangling his gold AcadDec medal over a dozen of the same kind, grinning smugly. One of Leo himself, bowing to accept Best Solo Acting Performance at NY-freaking-TF last year. Oh, that was nice. That was a fantastic day. Some of the people from school were sooo mad because he was only a freshman, but—

“I’m not using the desktop in the Lair.” Donnie’s looking down at his tray when Leo turns. Even though his intonation hasn’t changed, as monotone as ever, Leo can hear the implicit lead-in. And sure enough, “As long as you don’t distract me, I won’t mind if you use it while I’m working.”

Fucking around on the big three-monitor desktop and distracting Donnie while they’re working? Win-win! 

Leo feels his face split into a shark-like grin. “Moi? Distracting?” he chirps, and Donnie’s ensuing eye-roll is so worth the smack upside the head he gets. 

“Don't make me regret this,” Donnie warns, with no real heat. 

“I don’t know why you would say that. I have never done anything wrong in my life,” says Leo solemnly.

NIGHT 1, 3:12am

Leo is losing his goddamn mind.

“I need a different game.”

Bathed in purple and blue light from the LEDs, hunched over with their hot metal tool thingy about four inches from his comically oversized safety goggles, Donnie squints at his circuit board and says, “You keep saying that and yet, you keep losing. Basic statistics indicate that the game is not the problem.”

Leo stares at the GAME OVER screen that’s been flashing since he rage-quit Overwatch five minutes ago. Ow. 

Okay, so. Okay. That. Um. Ouch.

Normally it doesn’t bother him. When things bother Leo, he’s typically really good at shoving down the hurt into a tiny little space that he imagines is like, the bottom left-hand drawer of his heart. And then locking it. And throwing the key into a volcano.

But, um. When he’s lost at, like, four hundred different fucking games in a row in front of Donnie, who’s standing over there making their own custom circuit boards, it kind of. Sort of. Hits a little hard. 

Jeez. He’s being such a baby. It’s not Donnie’s fault that Leo isn’t— 

“You’re just jealous ‘cause you don’t see my vision,” Leo says quickly, stopping that train of thought in its tracks. And then exploding it. “This is actually a gambit I’m doing. This was part of my plan all along.”

“Uh-huh.” Donnie doesn’t even dignify that with an eye-roll. They lean towards their work at almost an entire 90 degree angle (they’re gonna have back problems by age twenty, Leo keeps saying), and make a low, unhappy sound in the back of their throat. Setting down the coil of metal, Donnie snaps at the adjacent table, sound muffled by their gloves. “Hand me that IC.”

“Don, buddy, you gotta use more words than that.”

“Integrated circuit,” Donnie says, impatient. He points to a square thing that looks a little spider-like, with a bunch of thin metal prongs coming off of it. “That.”

“You’re literally closer to it,” Leo complains, even as he’s rolling his chair over. He ferries the weird little gadget an entire six inches from the desk to Donnie’s hand. And then he just sort of… watches.

Don adjusts his goggles and tucks a stray twist behind his ear. He sets the hot tool on a stand and picks up a smaller tool nearby, one that’s black and rectangular. Slotting the gadget Leo handed him into the mouth of the smaller tool, he delicately aligns it with the circuit board and then presses down, the mouth segment retracting in with the pressure like a stamp. 

Abruptly, Leo realizes, he wants to know what that tool is called. 

It’s on the tip of his tongue. What’s that? But when he tries to ask, his mouth won’t make the shape of the words. 

Leo sort of… hears the exchange in his head, how it would go. What’s that? And then Donnie tells him, it’s a [insert-nerd-sounding-thing-here.] And life goes on. Leo’s picked Donnie���s brain about plenty of times before, so it doesn’t make sense, but for some reason…

Well. In his mind’s eye, he sounds like a little kid. Just sort of… hovering. Asking annoying questions and doing nothing with the answers. 

Why is he—? 

Wow. This is. This is really stupid. Is he actually getting a little choked up because he doesn’t know the name of Donnie’s weird stamp tool?

It’s dumb but Leo still just… really wishes he knew what it was called. And the hot tool. And the—the gadget Leo handed Don, dammit, it was… it was something-circuit. How did he already forget?? They said it like four seconds ago. God. Wow.

“Can I help you?” Donnie asks dryly.

Oh shit. Leo’s been staring for an aaawkwardly long time. 

He should really go back to his own desk. He’s got a mug of coffee going cold. 

Instead, Leo puts on a smile that feels a little weak-kneed—he hopes it doesn’t come off that way. “Just enraptured by your nerd shit, ‘Tello. Don’t mind me.”

Donnie searches his face, brows furrowing. “Are you being sarcastic right now?”

That is. That is a great question. 

“Nah,” Leo decides. “I really—this looks, I dunno. It looks cool.” A little heat prickles at his cheeks. He sounds so fucking stupid and he’s so fucking weirdly nervous. This is insane. Literal clownery. 

One of Donnie’s painstakingly maintained eyebrows quirks up in an insulting display of skepticism. “It looks… cool.” They set down their tools and spin fully in their chair to face Leo. “You, Hamato Leonardo, think that me soldering a DIP IC—that’s an integrated circuit of the Dual Inline Package variety, a logic gate, in particular—onto my build to improve my Boolean Logic implementation for a custom asymmetric encryption algorithm, is. Cool.”

Hitting Leo with that many nerd terms in a row is fucking evil. 

But the worst part is that it’s not, right? Donnie isn’t being evil. They aren’t even really trying to show off, at least not right now, not to Leo.

“...Yeah?” Leo manages.

The flat look Donnie levels him is par for the course, but it still needles at the thrashing, tender thing in Leo’s chest right now. “That seems unlikely.”

“Why?” 

It’s out of Leo’s mouth before he can stop it. His voice sort of bends mid-syllable, whiny and vulnerable and Not At All Chill. Cover. Cover cover cover. 

“Like…” Leo swallows, and then forces a corner of his mouth up into a smirk. He can’t quite meet Donnie’s eyes, so instead he looks up at some of the Jupiter Jim posters on the wall. “Y’know. I’m a—a shape enjoyer. Little squares go brrr.” 

Wow, Leon. Reeeally going for the fuckin’ Oscar here.

Donnie says nothing for a second. Two, three, four—

And then abruptly, they yank their goggles down around their neck to better fix Leo with an unreadable stare. A sharp one. One that pierces through several layers of skin. Leo swears he can actually feel it: epidermis, dermis, subcutaneous, all crumple inward like tissue paper. 

“Are you angling for a favor?” 

“What? No!”

“Are you sure?” Donnie leans back in his chair, crossing his ankle over his knee, all narrowed-eyed suspicion. “Because lately you’ve been very vocal in your dislike of quote-unquote ‘nerd stuff.’ So I can’t think of another reason for the total about-face.”

Oh.

Leo guesses he has been ramping up the teasing recently, but he didn’t— he wasn’t trying to—! Augh. 

What Leo tries to say is Don, I really do wanna hear about your work. But it comes out as: “Maybe I’m taking an interest in circuitry. Maybe I’m coming for your brand. You never know, Don-Tron—I gotta keep you on your toes.”

Wow. 

The joke—or whatever the fuck that was—does NOT stick the landing. Five-tenths deduction. 

Donnie raises an eyebrow, half-lidded eyes forming the signature portrait of disbelief and contempt he perfected years ago. “Oh, I’m terrified.” And then he clarifies, “Sarcasm.”

Well. Alright.

Now is the time to brush it off. Now is when Leo rolls back to the desktop and pours himself another cup of coffee, finds another game to lose at; now is when he laughs and waves a hand dismissively. 

But. For some reason.

He can’t let it go.

There’s a complicated sort of tugging in his chest. A two-finger pinch to the tender flesh of his heart, and a rising heat pricking up his neck, his cheeks, the tips of his ears. 

“I mean, I don’t think it’s that ridiculous,” Leo finds himself saying. 

Donnie doesn’t look at him. “That you would take up circuitry?”

“Yeah.”

Thin wisps of smoke curl off the hot tool as Donnie presses the metal to it again, movements precise, practiced, skilled. 

“Well. You’d need to start with electronic fundamentals, and then move onto schematic diagrams, component functionality, PCB design principles, etcetera. Circuitry as a hobby requires a wealth of background knowledge in many fields of science—digital logic, electromagnetics, semiconductor physics—that you aren’t interested in.”

A slightly hysterical laugh bubbles up out of Leo’s throat. “Who—who says I’m not interested in that stuff?”

Donnie looks at Leo like he’s insane. “Um, you?” 

Leo’s mouth snaps shut. Ah. Well. Can’t argue with that.

Just barely, Donnie sighs.

It might not even be a sigh, it’s literally just an exhale, could have just been an oddly sharp breath. All the same, Leo has to avert his eyes. Up. Back up to the poster. Jupiter Jim 28 and ½; Sub-Galactic Cruise. Cinematic masterpiece.

“Nardo, if you really want to take up circuitry, heaven knows I won’t stop you. I mean, it would be nice to compare notes.” Whatever Donnie’s working on makes a little snap, almost inaudible over the skepticism in their tone. Mm. Poster. Cool poster. Wow, this poster sure has a lot of bright colors.

“But based on your last, say, one hundred comments about the areas of study it’s tightly interwoven with, it’s statistically improbable that you’d enjoy it. That’s what I was saying. Academically-based hobbies don’t typically capture your interest the way that phys-ed or arts-based hobbies do.”

Mm.

Donnie’s just stating a true fact, here. There’s a very trackable throughline between all of the things Leo’s gotten passionate about before, and it doesn’t include anything that could be considered, like, generally scholarly or intellectual.

So yes. We’ve established: true fact.

What Leo can’t figure out is… why it feels like an insult.

Leo doesn’t tend to spend his free time on especially cerebral activities, that’s basically old news, so even if he seems to be physiologically interpreting it differently, there is really no reason at all that he should feel so… mm. Hurt. 

Huh.

A sudden, horrible burst of shame wracks through him out of nowhere, like being doused in ice water, and Leo shivers despite himself.

“Nardo?”

The foggy glow of the desktop’s screen loses its halo as Leo blinks away the accumulated glaze in his eyes. He reorients himself: three identical screensavers of some mountain scene, two Jupiter Jim posters above the desk, and Donnie, looking over at him.

Leo clears his throat, tries to untangle the knot in his chest. He pictures it smoothing out to un-creased rope. Not a single mark. Like it hadn’t been there at all.  “What’s up, Dee?"

Squinting uncomfortably, Donnie clears their throat. “Are you alright?”

Despite feeling raw, exposed, peeled back to muscle and sinew, Leo summons a smile out of thin air. (He didn’t win that acting award for nothing, after all.) “Right as rain, Don-Tron. Just having a bit of a… y’know.” He makes a vague gesture with his hand. “Thoughts goin’ all around and around.”

“Ah, Beyblade Brain,” Donnie hums. They reach for some small, cylindrical object, and it’s then that Leo decides to turn away so he doesn’t have to keep looking at things he doesn’t know the name of. 

Leo rolls his chair back to the desk. Mkay. No more hurt feelings. Done. Over. It’s getting annoying. 

No new notifications on his phone. His family’s faces grin up at him from his lockscreen, along with Hello Kitty and sparkle stickers he added in Picsart, plus Meryl Streep photoshopped into the background. Eugh, is it really not even four yet? This night is going by agonizingly slowly. Blowing out a breath, Leo wiggles the desktop mouse—ah, server timed out. Figures. Whateeeever! He’s done with FPS anyway. 

Leo picks up the Sparkle On! mug (Raph’s) and chugs his long-cold coffee, overly-sweet to the point that his teeth throb a little, until only grounds cling to the bottom. A ring from where he spilled a bit down the side is drying tacky on the desk; Leo scoots forward and scratches at it with his thumbnail.

The pot’s maybe a third of the way full of cold gross coffee. That’s, what, two cups? Either he downs it all right now (bad idea, might be funny) or pours it in a jar to put over ice tomorrow morning (good idea, booooring). 

Yeah, is that even a question?

Leo picks up the pot, tilts his head back, and—

Donnie snatches it from him.

“Heyyy, come on!”

“As much as I want to see you get karmically punished for your stupid decisions,” Donnie deadpans, “if you chug this, you’re going to vomit, and then I’m going to vomit. So, do it or don’t, but if you do, I’m going to wake up Raph.”

Hmmmm. Leo does some mental math: Raph, grumpy from being woken up at 4am, plus Leo making Donnie sick, plus Leo making himself sick, plus Leo chugging an entire pot of coffee in the middle of the night…

“Ughhhhhh, you’re such a snitch!” But he stands anyway, grabs for the pot and when Donnie raises an eyebrow he says, “Oh my god, I’m not gonna do it. I’m putting it in the fridge for tomorrow.”

“Get me a juice while you’re up there?” 

Leo rolls his eyes. “Uh, no. Never. Fuck you.” They both know he’s going to.

“Die.”

“You first.”

Donnie kicks him.

“Owww Donnie! I’m telling Raph, you GREV-I-OUSLY injured me—”

“I KNOW YOU KNOW HOW TO SAY IT, LEO!”

NIGHT 1, ???am

Unsurprisingly, Donnie’s head starts dipping around 4:30. They just aren’t built for all-nighters. Unlike Leo, who is clearly the pinnacle of evolution. 

After many threats of bodily harm, Leo finally wrestles Donnie into brushing their teeth, putting their hair up, and taking off their makeup, just in time for them to collapse face-first into bed, snoring like a freight train in the way they SWEAR everyone lies about. (Which, like, come on. Okay, Mr. Records-Everything, suuure, claim every single person who’s ever shared a room with you is full of shit. Leo and April, yeah okay. Mikey, sure. But Dad?? RAPH??)

Anyway.

Leo takes a shower, plays some solitaire, folds about half his laundry (which really goes to show how desperate he is for activity), sews up the torn arm of Raph’s teddy bear that he’s been meaning to get to for a month now, runs on the treadmill, slogs through tomorrow’s homework, and drinks another half-pot of coffee.  

And now he’s cleaning his closet. Leo doesn’t know what time it is, but it’s late (early?) enough that the honking on the streets outside is more frequent, commuters driving into the city pissed off to be at work at the ungodly hour of… whatever. Whichever one it is. It won’t be long before the faint grey wash of cold morning light filters through his window, and Leo will have to actually like, get ready for school, but for now, he’s splayed out on his blue rug surrounded by knick-knacks and clothes he really should give away.

With a sigh, Leo leans forward and drags out YET ANOTHER short sleeved blue button-down. This is the eighth total (and the fourth in that near-identical cornflower color) but—he can’t help it! They’re so versatile! Pop one on over a long-sleeved turtleneck or under a knit vest or a sweater or a denim jacket and BAM; sometimes he threads a bandana through the collar and ties it in a bow—like an ascot kind of thing—and it’s sooo cute— 

But he does have four of them. And they are, legit, the EXACT same color. And Leo’s not sure he can hear the words “rampant consumerism” or “shopping addiction” out of Don’s mouth any more times before some fratricide occurs. 

Into the donation pile it goes. (He’ll only part with two of them, though: the one with the scratchy sewn-in tag and the one with a Kool-Aid stain along the row of buttons. The other six are for safe keeping.)

Considering it’s… whatever time it is, Leo feels pretty okay. His hands are shaking, but if they don’t always do that then it’s a pretty near thing, with all the caffeine he drinks, so y’know. Not super worrying. And he does feel sort of sick. Which is annoying but again, par for the course—like, c’mon; this specific kind of sleepless early-morning nausea is basically an old friend of Leo’s. A kind of shitty friend, sure, but still. 

The next thing Leo pulls out of the closet (lol) is an extremely cloudy gallon Ziploc bag—jeez, this thing must be ancient. Leo turns it over in his hands, plastic crinkling under his fingers, to try and make out the shape of whatever’s inside. Finally, he gives up and opens the slide-zip top:

Chess pieces. 

Oh. Oh wow, these ARE ancient.

Nostalgia floods Leo’s chest with warmth. Man, it’s been forever since he thought about chess. Dad tried to teach them all when they were really little—so little it must have been right after they moved, long enough ago that the memories flicker faintly at the back of Leo’s brain, just a few snatches of sensation:

Running his nail down the wooden ridges that made up the Knight’s mane. The soft plunk of the felt bottoms hitting the board. Dad’s warm hand covering his, showing him in a tactile way—the only way he ever really learns things—how all the pieces moved: Pawns one-space forward, Bishops diagonal, Knights in an L shape (the main reason he remembers Knights being his favorite piece).

Leo reaches forward to sift through jackets and scarves, tossing a couple of unpaired sneakers to the side, until finally he’s able to excavate the accompanying chessboard. 

It’s just like he remembers it. Heavy, sturdy beige-and-brown checkered wood. Leo rests it on his lap, glides his fingertips down the side. 

He sort of remembers the rules, still. 

Remembers how most of the pieces move, at least? He can’t totally recall what the King does, but he could Google it. And, y’know, while he’s there, get a refresher on the rest of the game. And he could play some online, against the computer, only he could follow along with the physical pieces, because feeling them in his hands helps him think. Already, Leo can imagine the gears in his head clicking and whirring as he surveys the board.

Hold up. When did he decide he’s going to learn—or, re-learn—chess?

Leo. Does not know. Really, his brain gets ahead of him sometimes. But he doesn’t even bother tracking the thought process back, because it just… feels right. It makes sense.

It makes him excited, actually. 

To have something to sink his teeth into. Something to focus that fizzy, spinning thing in his brain towards, something he can funnel all this excess energy into. He can get into it, learn all the terms and the fancy moves, get the full scope of it under his grasp until he can win again and again and again.

And it’s going to be awesome. It’s going to be fun.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

i've never posted fic on tumblr before so this is a first for me O.O anyway this is set in the universe of @tangledinink's BALLER fic "I'm Sorry, Teenage Mutant What Now?" so i HIGHLY suggest you check that out if you somehow haven't!!! usually after writing a neat 5k in like 5 days i'd be conked out for the forseeable future but somehow this fic is giving me MORE energy ??

[princessnielle]

　 ҉ welcome to my mini library

want to read

Seaside (Ziggy Zezsyazeoviennazabrizkie)

The Midnight Library (Matt Haig)

Black Showman dan pembunuhan di Kota Tak Bernama (Keigo Higashino)

Di Tanah Lada (Ziggy Zezsyazeoviennazabrizkie)

Jakarta Sebelum Pagi (Ziggy Zezsyazeoviennazabrizkie)

White Wedding (Ziggy Zezsyazeoviennazabrizkie)

Kita Pergi Hari Ini (Ziggy Zezsyazeoviennazabrizkie)

Tiga Dalam Kayu (Ziggy Zezsyazeoviennazabrizkie)

Laut Bercerita (Leila S. Chudori)

The Poppy War (R.F. Kuang) [Owned but haven’t read yet. ]

Befofe The Coffe Gets Cold (Toshikazu Kawaguchi)

Dollagot : Toko Penjual Mimpi (Lee mi Ye)

The Turn Of The Screw (Henry James)

The Seven Husband of Evelyn Hugo (Taylor Jenkins Red)

Pasta Kacang Merah (Durian Sugekawa)

Six of Crows (Leigh Bardugo)

The Little Book of Sloth Philosophy (Jennifer McCartney)

Norwegian Wood (Haruki Murakami)

Rumah Lebah (Ruwi Meita)

Gadis Kretek (Ratih Kumala)

Persuasion (Jane Austine)

The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)

Pemetik Bintang (Venerdi Handoyo)

Atomic Habits (James Clear)

currently reading.

Babel (R. F. Kuang)

If You Could See The Sun (Ann Liang)

Six Crimson Cranes (Elizabet Lim)

The Song Of Achilles (Madeline Miller)

A Little Princess (Fances Hodsgon Burnett)

Restore Me (Tahereh Mafi)

You'd be Home Now (Kathleen Gasglow)

Girl Who Feel Beneath the Sea (Axie Oh)

A Good Girl Guide To Murder (Holly Jackson

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop (Satoshi Yagisawa)

This Time Its Real (Ann Liang)

Sapiens (Yuval Noah Harari)

finished.

Crime And Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)

White Nights (Fyodor Dostoevsky)

The Idiot (Fyodor Dostoevsky)

Percy Jackson series (Rick Riordan)

Harry Potter series (J.K Rowling)

Normal People (Sally Rooney)

Auntumn In Paris (Ilana Tan)

Pride And Prejudice (Jane Asuten, Anna Quindlen)

A Brief History of Time (Stephen Hawking)

Dunia Sophie (Jostein Gaarder)

All The Light We Cannot See (Anthony Doerr)

The Star are Fire (Anita Shreve)

Mitologi Nordik (Neil Gaiman)

if He Had Been With Me (Laura Nowlin)

It Ends With Us (Collen Hoover)

Seperti Dendam Rindu Harus di Bayar Tuntas (Eka Kurniawan)

A Monster Cells (Patrick Ness)

Almond (Sohn Won Pyung)

Tarian Bumi (Oka Rusmini)

Perempuan yang Menangis Kepada Bulan Hitam (Dian Purnomo)

Progressnya Berapa Persen? (Soraya Nasution)

Simmer Down (Sarah Smith)

Semesta Cerita Kita (Ruth Pricilia Angelina)

Memor Marla (Safira Haspari)

Shatter Me Series (Tahereh Mafi)

Addicted To You (Krista Richie)

Mengapa Luka Tidak Memaafkan Pisau (M. aan Mansyur)

The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint Exupery)

The Picture of Dorian Gray (Oscar Wilde)

The Old Man Eating Alone (Howard Pearlstein)

Blink The Power of Thinking without Thinking (Malcolm Gladwell)

Reason To Stay Alive (Matt Haig)

Wonder (R. J. Palacio)

Open Water (Caleb Azumah Nelson)

Rumah Jadah (Royyan Julian)

We Should All Be Feminims (Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie)

The Devotion of Suspect X (Keigo Higashino)

Malice (Keigo Higashino)

This is how You Lose The Time War by Amal el Mohtar and Max gladstone.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

Kapan Nanti (Ziggy Zezsyazeoviennazabrizkie)

Kitab suci kesatria cahaya (Paul Coelho)

Near to the wild heart (Clarice Lispector)

heaven (Mieko Kawakami.)

The Luis Ortega survival club by Sonora Reyes

tidak ada new york hari ini by M Aan Mansyur

resign by Almira Bastari

1984 (George Orwell)

Black Swans (Eve Babitz)

the newcomer (Keigo Higashino.)

Breast And Eggs (Mieko Kawakami)

Keajaiban Toko Kelontong Namiya (Keigo Higashino)

[fundieshaderoom]

Fundie Families and Adjacents I Follow: Burnett

John Haskell Burnett II "Johnny"- July 3, 1958

Cheryl Desnise Clay- July 28, 1959

The couple married on May 2, 1981. They share 8 children, 8 children-in-law, and 21 grandchildren. They are based in Oklahoma.

John-Clay Byford- August 14, 1986

Hannah Joy- May 10, 1988

Caleb Andrew- August 30, 1990

Abbie Grace- April 16, 1992

Charity Faith- April 13, 1994

Maggie Ruth- August 2, 1996

Carinna Elizabeth- August 2, 1996

Benjamin Josiah- January 30, 2000

John-Clay married Sarah Faith Ferraro (May 2, 1991) on August 22, 2015. They share 4 sons.

Eric Steadfast- June 19, 2016

Samuel John- September 26, 2017

Joseph Byford- October 15, 2019

Nathaniel Wilberforce- July 14, 2022

Hannah married Dustin Gene Dornink (June 20, 1989). They share 5 children.

Evan Trust- June 19, 2014

Ransom James- January 2016

Harrison John- 2017

Brielle- 2019

Boy- 2021

Girl- 2023

Caleb married Kasey Noel Goodwin (October 4, 1995) on July 7, 2018. They share 3 children.

Erin- June 2019

Timothy- 2021

Girl- March/April 2023

Abbie married John-David Duggar (January 12, 1990) on November 3, 2018. She was 26 and he was 28. They now share two children. They are based in Arkansas.

Grace Annette "Gracie"- January 7, 2020

Charlie- September 2022

Charity married Samuel Wearden (December 17, 1990) on June 10, 2017. They share 2 children.

Brendan- August 9, 2018

Girl- 2021

Boy- 2023

Maggie married David Andres Becerra Nino on March 11, 2021

Carinna married Daniel S Penn (October 18, 1996) on February 1, 2020. They share 2 daughters.

Girl- November 2020

Girl- October 2022

Ben married Bethany Meckle (September 10, 1999) on November 20, 2021. They share 1 son.

Josiah Thomas- May 23, 2023

[1stsummer]

BOOKS

WANT TO READ

Seaside (Ziggy Zezsyazeoviennazabrizkie)

The Midnight Library (Matt Haig)

Black Showman dan pembunuhan di Kota Tak Bernama (Keigo Higashino)

Di Tanah Lada (Ziggy Zezsyazeoviennazabrizkie)

Jakarta Sebelum Pagi (Ziggy Zezsyazeoviennazabrizkie)

White Wedding (Ziggy Zezsyazeoviennazabrizkie)

Kita Pergi Hari Ini (Ziggy Zezsyazeoviennazabrizkie)

Tiga Dalam Kayu (Ziggy Zezsyazeoviennazabrizkie)

Laut Bercerita (Leila S. Chudori)

The Poppy War (R.F. Kuang)

Befofe The Coffe Gets Cold (Toshikazu Kawaguchi)

Keajaiban Toko Kelontong Namiya (Keigo Higashino)

Dollagot : Toko Penjual Mimpi (Lee mi Ye)

The Turn Of The Screw (Henry James)

The Seven Husband of Evelyn Hugo (Taylor Jenkins Red)

Pasta Kacang Merah (Durian Sugekawa)

Six of Crows (Leigh Bardugo)

The Little Book of Sloth Philosophy (Jennifer McCartney)

Norwegian Wood (Haruki Murakami)

Resign (Almira Bastari)

Rumah Lebah (Ruwi Meita)

Gadis Kretek (Ratih Kumala)

Persuasion (Jane Austine)

The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)

Pemetik Bintang (Venerdi Handoyo)

Atomic Habits (James Clear)

CURRENTLY READING

Babel (R. F. Kuang)

If You Could See The Sun (Ann Liang)

Six Crimson Cranes (Elizabet Lim)

The Song Of Achilles (Madeline Miller)

A Little Princess (Fances Hodsgon Burnett)

Restore Me (Tahereh Mafi)

Kapan Nanti (Ziggy Zezsyazeoviennazabrizkie)

You'd be Home Now (Kathleen Gasglow)

Girl Who Feel Beneath the Sea (Axie Oh)

A Good Girl Guide To Murder (Holly Jackson)

Crime And Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop (Satoshi Yagisawa)

This Time Its Real (Ann Liang)

Sapiens (Yuval Noah Harari)

This is how You Lose The Time War by Amal el Mohtar and Max gladstone.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

FINISHED

Percy Jackson series (Rick Riordan)

Harry Potter series (J.K Rowling)

Normal People (Sally Rooney)

Auntumn In Paris (Ilana Tan)

Pride And Prejudice (Jane Asuten, Anna Quindlen)

A Brief History of Time (Stephen Hawking)

Dunia Sophie (Jostein Gaarder)

All The Light We Cannot See (Anthony Doerr)

The Star are Fire (Anita Shreve)

Mitologi Nordik (Neil Gaiman)

if He Had Been With Me (Laura Nowlin)

It Ends With Us (Collen Hoover)

Seperti Dendam Rindu Harus di Bayar Tuntas (Eka Kurniawan)

A Monster Cells (Patrick Ness)

Almond (Sohn Won Pyung)

Tarian Bumi (Oka Rusmini)

Perempuan yang Menangis Kepada Bulan Hitam (Dian Purnomo)

Progressnya Berapa Persen? (Soraya Nasution)

Simmer Down (Sarah Smith)

Semesta Cerita Kita (Ruth Pricilia Angelina)

Memor Marla (Safira Haspari)

Shatter Me Series (Tahereh Mafi)

Addicted To You (Krista Richie)

Mengapa Luka Tidak Memaafkan Pisau (M. aan Mansyur)

The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint Exupery)

The Picture of Dorian Gray (Oscar Wilde)

The Old Man Eating Alone (Howard Pearlstein)

Blink The Power of Thinking without Thinking (Malcolm Gladwell)

Reason To Stay Alive (Matt Haig)

Wonder (R. J. Palacio)

Open Water (Caleb Azumah Nelson)

Rumah Jadah (Royyan Julian)

We Should All Be Feminims (Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie)

The Devotion of Suspect X (Keigo Higashino)

Malice (Keigo Higashino)

[fundiebabynamebible]

Recent photo of the Burnetts (Mid December). Children are listed in age order in the below passage.

L-R: John-David and Abbie Duggar with their children Grace and Charlie; John-Clay and Sarah Burnett with their children Eric, Samuel, Joseph and Nathaniel; Charity (Burnett) (possibly pregnant) and Samuel Wearden with their children Brendan and a daughter; Maggie (Burnett) and David Nino; John-Clay and Cheryl Burnett sat on the chairs; Hannah (Burnett) and Dustin Dornink with their children Evan, Ransom, Harrison, Kelly and 1 year old boy; Bethany and Benjamin Burnett; Daniel and Carinna (Burnett) Penn with their daughters Alaythia and Destiny.

Caleb and Kasey Burnett were not present for the event, or just asked not to be in the public photo.

[dustedmagazine]

Listed: Kid Millions and Sarah Bernstein

Photo by Caleb Bryant Miller

Kid Millions and Sarah Bernstein both have long CVs in experimental music, Millions as the drummer for Oneida and Man Forever and Bernstein as an avant garde composer and performer with the VEER Quartet, the avant-jazz Sarah Bernstein Quartet, and solo as Exolinger. They’ve been improvising together for roughly a decade, building mesmerizing sonic architectures out of free-form drumming, wild violin pyrotechnics and cryptic spoken word. Of their latest, Live at Forest Park, Margaret Welsh writes, “Bernstein and Colpitts weave sound together into an unsettling fever dream-like warp, growing larger and smaller. All you can do is lay back and surrender to the waves.” Here are some things that inspire the two.

Kid Millions

Billy Harper Quintet — In Europe (Soul Note)

While I admire and enjoy all of the Quintet albums I’ve heard, this particular one captures something ineffable and transcendent. The Quintet’s personnel changes throughout Harper’s career but this particular session has the tunes, the passion, the reaching and the constant surprises that make it my most listened to album in the last ten years. Fred Hersch is especially sympathetic and powerful on this too. I really want to see this group ASAP. Billy Harper is still playing!

Pete La Roca — Basra (Blue Note)

La Roca is a drummer who is unappreciated but his playing and compositions stand out. This album gets the slight nod over the legendary Turkish Women at the Bath because it was recorded well. He’s in the same league as Elvin and also wrote some incredible tunes.

George Adams & Don Pullen Quartet — City Gates (Timeless) (but any record is cool)

I’m leaning on big tenor sounds these days, and George Adams stands in the same universe as Billy Harper because he plays the range of the instrument — there are gorgeous melodies set alongside blistering free blasts. Don Pullen is incredible as well. Near the end of his life he started to write more songs with hooks, but he shreds like Cecil Taylor. I’m digging the stuff that straddles the line between songs and free these days.

Henry Threadgill with Brent Hayes Edwards — Easily Slip Into Another World (memoir)

This is a brand-new book, and I’m finding lots of inspiration and great advice within the pages. His discussion about how young musicians need to find their way within the tradition, among their peers, and on their own terms applies to all traditions, rock included. In order to really engage with the music, you have to play all the time, with other people. You have to play covers, and you have to play in front of audiences. And you need to be fired. I certainly have!

Marcus Gilmore

Such an incredible, deep, drummer. You should go see him ASAP!

Sarah Bernstein

Music/poetry films I like:

When It Rains — Charles Burnett (1995)

Charles Burnett’s work speaks to me as a whole. The films I’ve seen slip into a continuous flow of poetic story/documentary. When It Rains is a 13-minute short film that takes place on a festive New Years Day, but January’s rent needs to be paid. Musicians are among the characters and sound, and it plays like a jazz improvisation. A particular highlight is seeing instrument-maker Juno Lewis on-screen playing his double bell trumpet. The story’s ending will have vinyl collectors smiling.

The Connection — Shirley Clarke (1961)

Before discovering this movie, I knew director Shirley Clarke from her later film "Ornette: Made in America," also a must-see. The Connection is a film version of Jack Gelber’s play for the burgeoning Living Theatre. Most of the actors from the stage play, and all the musicians, are also in the film. The band is swinging: Freddie Redd composer/pianist, Jackie McLean alto sax, Michael Mattos bass, Larry Ritchie drums. The musicians also act in the story, and even the turntable — playing Charlie Parker’s Marmaduke — provides a key recurring motif in the film.

Poetry In Motion — Ron Mann (1982)

Poetry in Motion, By Ron Mann from bob stein on Vimeo.

The other movies on this list are ones I’ve seen relatively recently, but Poetry In Motion I watched in an art-house cinema as a teenager, and it had a big impact on me. The documentary shows 40 poets and performers, including Jayne Cortez, Dianne Di Prima, Helen Adam, William S. Burroughs, Amiri Baraka, Allen Ginsburg, Jim Carroll, John Cage, Robert Creeley, Miguel Algarin, to name a few! Also check out Ron Mann’s first feature film: Imagine The Sound (1981), a superb profile of Cecil Taylor, Archie Shepp, Bill Dixon and Paul Bley.

Desolation Center — Stuart Swezey (2018)

The concert footage is so good. Highlights are Einsturzende Neubauten and Survival Research Labs literally blowing up the desert in Joshua Tree. Also Sonic Youth, Minute Men, Swans, all in DIY festivals and shows taking place in outdoor remote locations in 1980’s SoCal.

Amazing Grace — Alan Elliott/Sydney Pollack (2018)

Aretha Franklin and choir hold a live concert recording session of her gospel album Amazing Grace over two days in 1972. This is not a documentary with talking heads or explanation, rather the action is all in the music and spirit. Aretha Franklin’s genius and deep interaction with the listeners and choir is riveting and inspiring, even more so with repeat viewing.

[wutbju]

Daniel Douglas Fuller, 89, of Watkinsville, Georgia, finished his earthly mission and was gathered to his people October 31, 2022. A native of Jackson County, he was born May 15, 1933 to William Dennis and Reba Lowe Fuller. He was a graduate of Bob Jones University and pastored four congregations in more than fifty years of ministry: Providence Baptist (Madison County), Moon’s Grove Baptist (Madison County), Briarwood Baptist (Oconee County) and Salem Baptist (Oglethorpe County).

Pastor Fuller’s life was marked by many things: an avid sports enthusiast, he served as team chaplain for football teams in Madison and Oconee counties; he was a sports writer (AKA dandsports) for Madison County and Oconee County; host to seventeen pilgrimages to The Holy Land; a committed friend and faithful benefactor for Penfield Addiction Ministries. When not in the pulpit Dan was often found on the softball field, or the sidelines underneath Friday night lights or on the golf course. He was widely known for his constant and contagious smile as well as his genuine love for people. His probing questions always led to an opportunity to talk about things that matter most – a person’s relationship with Jesus Christ, which he felt was his life’s mission till his final breath. He finished that mission strong!

Pastor Fuller was preceded in death by his wife, Faye Spinks Fuller. He leaves behind four daughters: Beverly (Bill) Chandler, Debbie (Tony) Burnett, Sherri Fuller, Joy (Chris) Miller. He was affectionately known as “Papa” to Danny, Rebecca, Jessica, Melissa, Dennis, Dustin and Heather; and, as “Grand Papa” to Kathryn, Garrett, Gavin, Ella, Caleb, Isabelle, Hunter, Madelyn, Braden, Natalie, Harper, Eliza, Nora, JJ, John Luke and Jacob.

The family will receive visitors Thursday, November 3, 4:00 – 7:00 PM at Lord and Stephens West (Oconee County). A service to honor the life of Pastor Fuller will be Friday, November 4 at 11:00 AM at Briarwood Baptist Church (Oconee County); he will lie in state 10:00 – 10:45 AM. Burial will be at Moon’s Grove Baptist Church (Madison County).

Officiating will be Mike Ricks, Brody Bearden and Matt Wethington. Pallbearers are Bill Chandler, Danny Chandler, Dennis Chandler, Dustin Chandler, Tony Burnett and Chris Miller. Honorary pallbearers are deacons who served with Pastor Fuller during his pastorates.

The family is thankful to St. Mary’s Home Hospice especially the kind and tender attention of Danielle, Veronica, Laura, Crystal and Kimberly to Pastor Fuller during his illness. In lieu of flowers to honor Pastor Fuller’s life, memorial gifts may be made to Penfield Addiction Ministries at 1061 Mercer Circle, Union Point, GA 30669.

[ulmo80]

Books I’ve read in 2022

1. Clouds of Witness, Dorothy L. Sawyers 

2. The Titan's Curse, Rick Riordan

3. Call the Midwife, Jennifer  Worth

4. The Grand Sophy, Georgette Heyer

5. The Silence of the Lambs, Thomas Harris

 6. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, GRRM

7. The Ordinary Princess, M.M. Kaye

8. Salem's Lot, Stephen King

9. Castle in the Air, Diana Wynne Jones

10. Frederica, Georgette Heyer

11. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen

12. The Battle of the Labyrinth, Rick Riordan

13. La Calle de las Mentiras, Miguel de Lys

14. The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett

15. The Viscount Who Loved Me, Julia Quinn

16. The Viscount Who Loved Me, The Second Epilogue, Julia Quinn

17. The Lotus Palace, Jeannie Lin

18. Yo, mi, me... contigo, David Safier

19. Persuasion, Jane Austen

20. The Talisman Ring, Georgette Heyer

21. Miedo y Deseo, Historia Cultural de Dracula, Alejandro Lillo

22. Boyfriend Material, Alexis Hall

23. Great Expectations, Charles Dickens

24. Anne of Green Gables, L.M. Montgomery

25. Anne of Avonlea, L.M. Montgomery

26. Anne of the Island, L.M. Montgomery

27. You, Caroline Kepnes

28. The Book Thief, Markus Zusak

29. The Alienist, Caleb Carr

30. The Bad Beginning, Lemony Snicket

31. The King in Yellow, Robert William Chambers

32. The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics, Olivia Waite

33. The Sandman, Vol. 1 Preludes and Nocturnes, Neil Gaiman

34. American Gods, Neil Gaiman

35. Fragile Things, Neil Gaiman

36. The Reptile Roon, Lemony Snicket 

37. Anne of Windy Popplars, L.M. Montgomery

38. Magic Lessons, Alice Hoffman

39. House of Many Ways, Diana Wynne Jones

40. The Wide Window, Lemony Snicket

41. Friday's Child, Georgette Heyer

42. La Sombra del Viento (The Shadow of the Wind), Carlos Ruiz Zafón

43. Anne's House of Dreams, L.M. Montgomery

44. The Rules of Magic, Alice Hoffman

45. The War of the Worlds, H.G. Wells

46. Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoevsky

47. A Little Princess, Frances Hodgson Burnett

48. Practical Magic, Alice Hoffman

49. North and South, Elizabeth Gaskell

50. Gideon the Ninth, Tamsyn Muir

51. The Sleeper and the Spindle, Neil Gaiman & Chris Riddell

52. Northanger Abbey, Jane  Austen

53. Emma, Jane Austen

54. Animal Farm, George Orwell​

55. The Expanse I: Leviathan Wakes, James S. A. Corey

56. The Expanse II: Caliban’s War, James S. A. Corey

[screenshotingmonstertv]

[cathygeha]

REVIEW

Silver Trail Christmas by Nik James

Caleb Marlowe #3

 Caleb’s friend and ranching partner, Henry Jordan, races into chapter one carrying news that requires immediate attention quickly setting the stage for upcoming events that will impact the two of them, their friends, and their future depending on the outcome of the story. Old and new issues and enemies rear their heads with surprises, twists, turns, and hardship to face before the last page. Great addition to the series!

 What I liked:

* Caleb: left abusive home at sixteen, survived on his own, met someone who changed his life, varied job history, tracker, sure-shot, quick-draw, fights for what is right, true friend, helps those in need, building a new life on his ranch, sweet on Sheila

* Henry: good friend, ladies’ man, trouble-magnet, eloquent, tease, nice guy, has potential, eager to find out what will happen next in his life

* Sheila: Doc Burnett’s daughter, raised on the East Coast, educated, adapting to the West, strong, adaptable, friend to many, openminded, sweet on Caleb

* Paddy: orphan living with the Rogers family hoping to be taken in by Caleb

* Bear (big dog) and Pirate (horse): Caleb’s friends that are more than animals

* Doc Burnett: educated, wise, helps all, war surgeon, would like for him to find someone someday, too

* Curious about Belle Constant – owner of saloon and associated businesses…think there is more to her and her story than we might realize

* Red Annie O’Neal: independent, wears men’s clothing, Sheila’s friend, carries the mail, travels a lot, strong, capable, intriguing – hope to see more of her in the futur

* Bass, Duke, and Tex: longhorn trail herders that met hard times, good men, honest, hope they show up in the next book

* The plot, character development, pacing, and writing

* That most of the bad guys were dealt with…though there are a few remaining and no doubt other troubles to be faced in the next book

* The positive hopeful ending and hoping that Karma hits a few more for what they have been up to

 What I didn’t like:

* Who and what I was meant not to like…some rather reprehensible characters and acts perpetrated by them

* Having to wait for the next book in the series

 Did I enjoy this book? Yes

Would I read more in this series? Definitely

 Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC – This is my honest review.

 5 Stars

     BLURB

 In this riveting historical western, feared gunslinger Caleb Marlowe is out to save his partner from the ruthless ambition of the town's railroad-obsessed power broker. For years, Caleb Marlowe has been following a hard trail. But fate finally seems to be smiling on him. The ranch he and his partner have been building is ready for a herd of longhorns, and a ghost from his troubled past is about to dance at the end of hangman's rope. With winter descending on the Colorado boom town of Elkhorn, Caleb's future looks bright. But in the wild West, a man's fortune can turn with the speed of a mountain storm. When his partner is jailed for murder, his herd taken by rustlers, and his ranch nearly destroyed, Marlowe knows someone is trying to run him off. His nemesis, Elijah Starr, has been pardoned and hired by Judge Patterson--the local power broker--to build a railroad, and they are two men who will stop at nothing to get what they want. Marlowe stands alone against a gang of hired killers. The stakes could not be higher, and the cards are stacked against him. A final shootout is coming, but in Elkhorn no one--especially Caleb Marlowe--goes down without a fight.

[jurassicparkpodcast]

Dino-Score: The Music of the Jurassic Park Franchise | The Music of Beyond the Gates w/ Caleb Burnett

Welcome to The Jurassic Park Podcast! In episode 290, we hear from Caleb Burnett with another installment of Dino-Score: The Music of the Jurassic Park Franchise. Caleb is back to discuss his work on Beyond the Gates, creating the score for the monthly merch reveal project from Jurassic Outpost, Mattel and Target. Sit back, relax and ENJOY this episode of The Jurassic Park Podcast!

Videos

Don't forget to give our voicemail line a call at 732-825-7763!

Email us: jurassicparkpod@gmail.com

Book Club Email: jurassicparkbookclub@gmail.com

Thanks for listening, stay safe and enjoy!

[belongstocaptaindoyle]

PLS DO NOT REPOST/REUSE FOR SOURCE

[fundieshaderoom]

Fundie Families and Adjacents I Follow: Duggar

James Lee Duggar "JL"- February 3, 1936, d. February 9 2009 (age 73)

Mary Leona Lester- May 26, 1941, d. June 9, 2019 (age 78)

They married at ages 23/24 and 18/19 in 1960. They shared 2 children, 1 daughter-in-law, 21 grandchildren, 12 grandchildren-in-law, and 34 greatgrandchildren. Mary died of accidental drowning and JL died of a brain tumor. Their life was mostly based in Arkansas.

1- Deanna Lee- July 8, 1963

2- James Robert "Jim Bob"- July 18, 1965

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Deanna Lee Duggar- July 8, 1962

Terry Wayne Jordan

Deanna and Terry had their only child and were on and off for years. They married on September 14, 2006 and divorced on December 21, 2015. They share a daughter, son-in-law, and grandson.

1- Amy Rachelle- September 30, 1986

Amy married Dillon Grey King (April 3, 1988) on September 6, 2015. She was 28 and he was 27. They currently share one son and are based in Arkansas.

1- Daxton Ryan- October 9, 2019

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James Robert Duggar "Jim Bob"- July 18, 1965

Michelle Annette Ruark- September 13, 1966

They married on July 21, 1984, at ages 19 and 17. The couple lives in Tontitown, Arkansas. They share 19 biological children, Michelle's adopted great-nephew, 11 children-in-law, and 35 grandchildren. They are based in Arkansas.

1- Joshua James "Josh"- March 3, 1988

Caleb Ryan- Miscarriage on January 23, 1989

2- Jana Marie- January 12, 1990

3- John-David "John"- January 12, 1990

4- Jill Michelle- May 17, 1991

5- Jessa Lauren- November 4, 1992

6- Jinger Nicole- December 21, 1993

7- Joseph Garrett "Joe"- January 20, 1995

8- Josiah Matthew "Siah"- August 28, 1996

9- Joy-Anna "Joy"- October 28, 1997

10- Jedidiah Robert "Jed"- December 30, 1998

11- Jeremiah Robert "Jer"- December 30, 1998

12- Jason Michael- April 21, 2000

13- James Andrew- July 7, 2001

14- Justin Samuel- November 15, 2002

15- Jackson Levi- May 23, 2004

16- Johannah Faith- October 11, 2005

17- Jennifer Danielle- August 2, 2007

18- Tyler Wayne Hutchins- February 10, 2008, in Duggar custody since 2016

19- Jordyn-Grace Makiya- December 18, 2009

20- Josie Brooklyn- December 11, 2011

Jubilee Shalom- stillborn on December 11, 2011

Josh married Anna Renee Keller (June 23, 1988) on September 26, 2008 when they were both 20. Anna and the kids now live in Arkansas and Josh lives in Seagoville, Texas. They now share 7 children. Josh was arrested on CSAM charges in April 2021. In January of 2022, he was sentenced to 12 years in January of 2022.

1- Mackynzie Renee- October 8, 2009

Miscarriage in 2010

2- Michael James- June 15, 2011

3- Marcus Anthony- June 2, 2013

4- Meredith Grace- July 16, 2015

5- Mason Garrett- September 12, 2017

6- Maryella Hope- November 27, 2019

7- Madyson Lily- October 23, 2021

Jana married Stephen Gerald Wissmann (July 15, 1993) on August 15, 2024.

John married Abbie Grace Burnett (April 16, 1992) on November 3, 2018. He was 28 and she was 26. They now share two children.

1- Grace Annette "Gracie"- January 7, 2020

2- Charlie- September 2022

Jill married Derick Michael Dillard (March 9, 1989) on June 21, 2014. She was 23 and he was 25. They now share 3 children and have a strained relationship with Jill's parents and some siblings.

1- Israel David- April 6, 2015

2- Samuel Scott- July 8, 2017

miscarriage- River Bliss- 2021

3- Frederick Michael- July 7, 2022

Jessa married Benjamin Michael Seewald "Ben" (May 19, 1995) on November 1, 2014 at age 22 and 19. They share 5 children.

1- Spurgeon Elliot- November 5, 2015

2- Henry Wilberforce- February 6, 2017

3- Ivy Jane- May 26, 2019

Miscarriage- Fall 2020

4- Fern Elliana- July 18, 2021

Miscarriage- December 2022

5- George Augustine- December 19, 2023

Jinger married Jeremy Joseph Vuolo (September 5, 1987) on November 5, 2016 at age 22 and 29. They now share 2 children. Jinger released a theological memoir calling out the beliefs of the organization her family raised her in (IBLP).

1- Felicity Nicole- July 19, 2018

Halleli Grace- Miscarriage in November 2019

2- Evangeline Jo- November 22, 2020

Joe married Kendra Renee Caldwell (August 11, 1998) on September 8, 2017 at age 22 and 19. They now share 4 children together.

1- Garrett David- June 8, 2018

2- Addison Renee- November 2, 2019

3- Brooklyn Praise- February 19, 2021

4- Justus- April/May/June 2022

Josiah married Lauren Milagro Swanson (May 18, 1999) on June 30, 2018 at age 21 and 19. They now share 3 children. They are based in Arkansas.

Asa Duggar- Miscarriage on October 4, 2018

1- Bella Milagro- November 8, 2019

2- Daisy- March/April/May 2022

3- Ezra- April/May 2023

Joy married Austin Martyn Forsyth (December 11, 1993) on May 26, 2017 at age 19 and 23. They now share 3 children.

1- Gideon Martyn- February 23, 2018

Annabell Elise- stillborn on July 1, 2019

2- Evelyn Mae- August 21, 2020

3- Gunner James- May 17, 2023

Jed married Katelyn Koryn Nakatsu "Katey" (July 29, 1998) on April 3, 2021 when they were both 22. They share 4 children.

1- Truett Oliver- May 2, 2022

2- Nora Kate- May 24, 2023

3- Baby Girl- 2024 or 2025

4- Baby Girl- 2024 or 2025

Jer married Hannah Marlys Wissmann (June 23, 1995) on March 26, 2022 at age 23 and 26. They share 2 daughters.

1- Brynley Noelle- December 25, 2022

2- Brielle Grace- February 2024

Jason is engaged to Maddie Grace Jones. They are planning an October wedding.

Justin married Claire Yvonne Spivey (February 27, 2001) on February 26, 2021 at age 18 and 19.

[thebeautyoftwinpeaks]

Twin Peaks: The Return

Part 11: There’s fire where you’re going (David Lynch, 2017)