#community clutter my beloved

[neosimi]

🥤 4t2 mini mart stuff 🍴

hi everyone, happy tuesday! this lil set started when i saw this cute steam bun machine by kkb and knew i had to have it in my gas station/mini marts. :] it snowballed from there to include ats4 napkin dispenser as well as a separated utensil holder from EP12. i hope you enjoy, as always pls lmk if you run into any issues! (ﾉ´ヮ`)ﾉ*: ･ﾟ

kkb's steam bun machine

ats4 napkin dispenser

EP12 utensil holder [repo or standalone]

files are compressed. mesh included for repo.

download: [sfs] | [box] ♡

credits: kkb, ats4, ea.

[doeshrine]

Any general headcanons for doe; romantic or just regular guy stuff :]

You guys really wanna know MORE!? AHH I have had no one to talk about my beloved Doe with AH! Sorry sorry! I'm done gushing! Genuinely just happy to talk about them.

TW: YANDERE RELATED TOPICS

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John Doe absolutely goes by he/they pronouns. No ya'll can't take this from me.

Even in their female form which is often referred to as "Jane Doe", I feel like that would just piss them off. I think just bc he changes his presentation doesn't mean you get to misgender them. I think despite presentation changes he'd still be himself and still go by John Doe.

So Regular Guys are pretty much pests in the Uncanny Valley. John Doe's eyes are kinda of explained in House Hunted 2 that he has to physically split his eye in half so he blends in. Personally, I think that's got to be uncomfortable all the time, so at home he does go from two eyes to one eye since he feels comfortable about it.

Many would think he's controlling which I think he can be occasionally, but not on purpose. Due to some of the things he has been through all alone, I think he views himself being controlling as protecting you, and while yeah he's a whole yandere I think he's more than willing to hear you out on making him comfortable while also accommodating your- freewill lol.

He hisses at people.

He stares at you when you sleep. There is no way ya'll convince me otherwise.

He doesn't require sleep but understands that you prefer to snuggle in bed with him at night.

He hates any of your plushies. He thinks if you hug them, you like them more than him- but he won't throw them away. He likes how soft they are.

He stutters a lot when trying to explain his feelings to you. He isn't used to people viewing him as a person over a pest.

Despite being a yandere, he is oddly good at communication if you teach him what it is and how to understand boundaries. He's going to slip up and you gotta understand that when going into the relationship.

He just orders takeout a lot. I have a weird headcanon that Regular Guys can make things from thin air so when he orders food he hands them money he just conjures. ((This man accidentally inflates the economy one eldritch magic dollar at a time.))

When he gets all hyper-realistic, he doesn't acknowledge it as "scary" to him he's sort of blind to it happening. While yes he is physically doing it, he doesn't see it so he just- kinda thinks you're being mean to him if you freak out. I think he's a visual learner so cues such as covering your eyes help him understand you're just uncomfortable, but don't love him any less.

He lets you pet his hair and despite the curls it never knots or tangles. Like it never knots up.

He isn't good with animals. Except crows love him. He likes crows.

He does try to clutter your home- and uh that's gonna require you explaining to him that humans need clean spaces to live.

Did I mention he's jealous? However, he can be really subtle about it. He just glares or waits till you turn to go hyper-realistic on someone.

He has an existential crisis in one breath, but in the next will ask you to pass the popcorn. (he is unwell)

For my FNAF bitches, he would listen to your info dump about the FNAF lore any day of the week. Any kind of hyperfixation or special interest of yours he will listen to you talk about it. He can keep up with however you talk and will never ask you to speed up slow down or stop talking. He just likes you.

He can help with chores, water CANNOT be involved.

In his Lil' Doe form (I HAVE DIBS ON THE NICKNAME >XP), he takes dust baths, but because he isn't human he doesn't have to take traditional showers. He can't too or his form does break down so please take care of him.

Despite him hating you taking showers, he learns to accept it due to the fact you explain it is a health thing. He realizes a human being is much more complex than a Regular Guy physically and requires more care than a dust bath.

He makes sure you eat. If you don't eat he becomes paranoid you will die.

Has he killed people for you? Yep.

Kinda running out of thoughts!

[lockdaisy]

Appreciation for Leon’s Character Design in Resident Evil 4 Remake:

I just wanted to discuss Leon’s character design in RE4 Remake, because WOW, holy moly

Now first, I’d like to admit that it took some time for me to get used to his new design in this game. Leon was THE first video game character I ever found sexy, so his OG RE4 appearance was and still is absolutely beloved to me, and thus any differences between his design in this game and his design in the OG RE4 were jarring enough that I found his new design off-putting initially

But now that I’ve gotten used to it, I can confidently say that it stands right alongside OG RE4 as THE iconic Leon character design, imo

And I just wanted to talk a little bit more in depth about why I love it so much, because it is CLEAR that Capcom put a lot of thought and care into his new design

(Putting under a read more so that I don't clutter up the tag with my borderline incoherent ramblings)

• First, on a more general note, I’d like to say that I deeply appreciate the fact that, even in 1998 with the OG RE2, Capcom designed Leon with the intent of making him a pretty boy. It was a HUGELY unconventional and brave decision on Capcom’s part since it was and still is exceedingly rare for a video game, especially a horror video game, that has a western male protagonist and that is attempting to appeal to broader international sensibilities to make that male protagonist a pretty boy. The overwhelming majority of the time, in order to conform to broader international expectations of masculinity, if a video game has a western male protagonist, they will make him either completely average-looking or a gruff and grizzled hyper-masculine man

Now, am I saying that there's something wrong with enjoying or preferring average-looking or gruff and grizzled hyper-masculine male characters? Absolutely not. After all, I myself have my fair share of them that I enjoy, e.g. James Sunderland and Gordon Freeman. And am I saying that video game companies design western male characters with the intent of making them ugly? Absolutely not. Most of them just designed them with the intent of making them handsome in a way that conformed to traditional international standards of masculinity

In actuality, all I'm trying to say is, video games very rarely make western male protagonists pretty boys due to a fear of enraging international audiences who have very rigid notions of masculinity. A fear that is very warranted, in fact, considering how vitriolic male gamers get whenever video games have the ~audacity~ to make western male protagonists pretty boys. For example, back when MGS2 first released and Raiden was the protagonist, many male fans went into an apoplectic frenzy of hate, and they justified doing so by saying the 2001 equivalent of "forcing me to play as a pretty boy is ruining civilization and infecting me with effeminate wokeness." So, because of that, many video game companies absolutely refuse to make western male protagonists pretty boys

And honestly, it makes Leon's character design as a pretty boy even more unique and bold. So much so, even, to the extent that, back in 2005, when I was eight years old and first began playing the OG Resident Evil 4 on my GameCube (it was my first Resident Evil game, by the way), I was downright gobsmacked when I first saw Leon, because he was the first western male protagonist in a video game that I saw that was pretty. And I was not the only one feeling this way, because this unique design definitely sent shockwaves throughout the gaming community at the time, as his pretty looks made him stand out among the crowd of gruff and grizzled manly men and turned him into one of the few male video game sex symbols out there. (And thankfully, Leon was cool enough in RE4 that male fans embraced him and his pretty boy status. Funnily enough, they did the same for Raiden once MGRR came out too)

And Leon is most definitely a pretty boy in this game, as even Krauser himself explicitly acknowledges

• Next, I love how they blended Leon's RE2 Remake and OG RE4 designs. Capcom faced the unenviable task of not only maturing Leon's RE2R face (which was and still is controversial among the fandom), but having to do so in a way that bridged the gap between RE2R Leon and RE4R Leon while operating under the looming shadow of the universally beloved OG RE4 design. They knew that, with Leon's status as a sex symbol, they were under especially heightened scrutiny to get this right, and that they would be subject to particularly severe backlash if they botched it. Thankfully, they somehow managed to strike the right balance in this game and matured his face in a way that not only made him very closely resemble the iconic OG RE4 design, but remain recognizable as someone who had once been RE2R Leon as well. Overall, I am supremely satisfied with the results, as they modified away a lot of the issues I had with his RE2R face while still maintaining visual continuity and making him very pretty like his OG RE4 design. Both OG RE4 and RE4R Leons are pretty, and I'm so happy

• Also, I love love love the fact that they made RE4 Remake Leon very visibly traumatized. Everything about his appearance screams depression and PTSD: his cheeks carry hints of gauntness, his gaze is haunted, and the bags beneath his eyes are so deep that they're literally bruised purple. Yeah, while he got a lot more muscular, all of it is just pure rangy muscle, which suggests that even though he exercises a lot, he likely struggles to eat enough, which is why his face is more gaunt than it should be. Also, his haunted gaze just very obviously shows that he's seen things that no human being should ever have to witness. And his painfully exhausted eyes show that he's overwhelmingly sleep deprived because either he is overworked to the point that he never gets any rest or he himself struggles to sleep because of nightmares, or both. In fact, his sleep exhaustion is so severe that there is literally purple discoloration down to his literal cheekbones. This man hasn't seen a bed in years

Yeah, there are a lot of video game characters that are traumatized. However, for the vast majority of them, their trauma doesn't manifest in their appearance in any way. They'll still have bright eyes, full cheeks, and flawless faces. But Leon??? Oh, his trauma is visible from miles away. You can visibly tell that Raccoon City turned his world upside down, that the U.S. government enslaved him by threatening to kill Sherry if he didn't agree to work for them, and that he was forced to re-traumatize himself over and over again by constantly going into missions where he faces off against life-threatening bioterrorist monsters, and that it all took an enormous toll on his physical, emotional, and mental health

• In addition, I adore how his design makes it believable that he's an experienced badass special agent. His default facial expression is calm and stoic, his gaze is visibly jaded, and his entire unfazed mien shows that he is cool and collected. It is automatically believable that he is a seasoned special agent who has encountered these kinds of threats numerous times before. He's seen it all before, and he knows he'll see it all again

• Lastly, on an ending note, I love how Capcom managed to make him look visibly traumatized and seasoned while still keeping his prettiness. It is very difficult to give a character the kinds of visual flaws that usually denote trauma (gaunt cheeks, eye bags, etc) while still keeping them pretty, but Capcom knocked it right out of the park. He's not only visibly traumatized and experienced, but he's also very pretty. In fact, rather than making it so that he's pretty despite his visible trauma and experience, they made it so that his visible trauma and experience actually enhances his prettiness. Those gaunt cheeks and exhausted eyes give him a tragic beauty that cannot be matched

And it makes Leon's character design even more unique since he's not only a pretty boy, which is already very rare for western male protagonists in the video game world, but he's a visibly traumatized pretty boy, which is even rarer

I just..... gaaaaaaah, I love his design, I love his design sooooooo muuuuuuuuuch

[falling-turtle]

University of Illyria - a university subhood for Veronaville

For centuries, the famed university of Illyria has been heralded as one of the biggest centers of literature and culture. What will it offer to new generations of Sims? As I promised, here it finally is! A university subhood for Veronaville with Sims inspired by Shakespeare's plays so you can enjoy more Shakespeare in your neighborhood!

Features: 5 households with 8 students in total, based on Shakespeare's plays Twelfth Night and All's Well That Ends Well, all complete with relationships, memories, skills, bios and hobby enthusiasm. 3 dorms, 7 residential lots and 8 community lots. Community lots are fully furnished while with residential lots I left lots of opportunities for you to clutter them with your own cc.

The neighborhood name when you download it is UILL so make sure you don't have another university by that name already. The neighborhood is built on the Three Lakes Template so you shouldn't need a camera mod to see all the lots. Because of the way subhoods work in Sims 2, the names of professors, dormies and other NPCs will be randomized when you add the university to your neighborhood. I included a folder with more Shakespeare-sounding names for your NPCs if you want them for more "Shakespeare immersion" but don't want to come up with them yourself. You can use SimPe to change the names.

Mods that you WILL need: 50 new lifetime wants by Lamare Fix subhood selection by Mootilda Lifestyle Build Bundle (the second link in the top post; extracted from Lifestyle Stories by Argon) Bespoke Build Set by Honeywell Sweetening Fruit Nectar Bar Recolors (ALWoodColours only) and pcsims_smb Seasons Kiosk and More MM Recolours (recolors only) by Michelle

Recommended mods:

Veronaville 2.0 by Delijume is what I prefer to play instead of the original Veronaville, so if you want even more Shakespeare than what the original Veronaville + my university gives you, I recommend you check it out! Veronaville 2.0 also includes a university, in the "English" style so I modeled my university more after the "Italian" style so it'd complement Delijume's. I also created the playables so that they wouldn't "clash" with any of those from Veronaville 2.0

Little Stratford by me, a shopping district also created for Veronaville for even more Shakespeare!

DOWNLOAD

Meet the students at the University of Illyria!

Orsino is trying to win the heart of his beloved Olivia, but maybe there is somebody else close by whose heart he already won?

While at university, Olivia is trying to focus on her studies and leave the partying and dating to others. But will Orsino's new roommate change those plans?

Sebastian hasn't talked to his sister Viola in a long time. Will there be a joyful reunion once the siblings see each other again?

After being dumped by her boyfriend, Helen followed him to the university he's enrolled at with one goal: get him back! Her best friend Diana is fully on board with the plan. Will they be successful?

Bertram and Parolles intend to enjoy their college life to the fullest. Will they also manage to mantain their good grades? And is Parolles truly a bad influence on Bertram?

Thank you for checking this out! Side note: I ran into some bugs while testing the neighborhood. I'm pretty sure they are ironed out now and the university is working exactly as intended but please let me know if anything seems amiss.

[nachobra]

random homestar runner + OG fanstuff wiki fandom whatever memory time

- edit the wiki in fall of 2005 as an IP address. a sysop tries helping me make an account (somehow I either just didn’t see the ‘create account/log in” button or didn’t know what that meant). he asks what browser I’m using & I say “windows”

- by the time I want to make an account there’s a lockdown because there’s a bot making 100s of accounts & posting slurs everywhere. before school one day in december I randomly check the wiki again & the ban was temporarily lifted! I only had time to make the account & then the rest of the day I was so excited thinking about all the fun I was going to have with my brand new account!

- so the website had this draconian, kafkaesque rule where only one person could write a character’s email show at one time. so like if someone was writing strong sad emails, nobody else could write those until the author willingly gave up the series. I have no clue why anyone put up with that back then, like it’s completely antithetical to the website’s purpose. itd be like if you went on ao3 & tried to write a harry/hermione fic & a mod told you “woah slow down bucko, somebody already did that pairing. you’re going to have to come up with something different” that’s insanity

- since all the good characters are taken, & all the moderately ok characters are taken, I pick Jaro, one of the enemies from stinkoman 20x6, to make an email show about. it barely counts as fan fiction & is universally beloved. look at this:

not exaggerating when I say winning this award felt like the greatest accomplishment of my life up to that point. this will be my tombstone.

- this was just before I found the website, but from my understanding there was some rp game called “homestar high”. it was about wiki users going to a high school. it has nothing to do with homestar. there was some big drama over e102-stinkoman & princess homestar pretending to be dating or something? like that sounds like something dril would make up about DigimonOtis & RodneyGamerfield, but that really was how names were back then. none of this “trashwitchbimbohell” crap

- one time I got in a talk page fight with a user named h*bad, & the adrenaline rush from using logic to crush his pitiful arguments was so intense that I went to my mom & bragged to her about how I was doing such a good job in this internet debate.

- in like 2006-7 a very prominent user quits the website & leaves behind a big rant on their userpage. for some reason this really bothered me & like a couple days later I just did the same thing for no reason. my guess is that it was the first bubblings of pre-teen angst that I didn’t know how to express. many such cases! less than a year later I unceremoniously returned.

- the sysops on the regular hrwiki did not like us. despite the wiki being dedicated to a cartoon that had a sizeable chunk of its audience who were 10 year olds, they just resented having to babysit all these dumb kids talking about trogdor’s uncle or whatever. they’re also like “why are we paying for server space for this garbage?”. so they tell the community they’re going to do a big purge because there’s too much bad content cluttering up the wiki, they’re going to close it for a bit to clean things up & then bring it back better than before. then they just ignored all our messages for a few years, then the wiki came back in like 2010, then a few months later they closed it for good

- http://fanstuff.hrwiki.org/wiki/The_Email_Intro_Medley this song was really really good but the link is long dead & I don’t think it’s on the wayback machine. noah & brandon, wherever you are, I still remember your song

lets look at this again for a while

[emily152e3]

Discovering Russelogo: A Journey into Innovative Branding

Introduction: The Encounter with Russelogo

I remember the first time I stumbled upon Russelogo. I was browsing through a sea of generic branding solutions, each promising uniqueness but delivering mediocrity. Then, amidst the clutter, I found Russelogo—a refreshing take on branding that caught my eye. The intrigue led me to delve deeper, and what I discovered was a company that redefined the way we perceive logos and brand identity.

The Philosophy Behind Russelogo

What sets Russelogo apart is its philosophy. Unlike many branding agencies that focus solely on aesthetics, Russelogo emphasizes the essence of a brand. They understand that a logo is not just a visual mark but a powerful symbol that encapsulates a brand’s values, mission, and personality. This holistic approach ensures that each logo created by Russelogo is not only visually appealing but also deeply meaningful.

The Creative Process: From Concept to Creation

One of the most fascinating aspects of Russelogo is their creative process. It all begins with a comprehensive understanding of the client’s business. The team at Russelogo conducts in-depth research to grasp the industry dynamics, target audience, and competitive landscape. This initial phase is crucial as it lays the foundation for a logo that resonates with the brand’s core.

Once the research is complete, the brainstorming sessions commence. Russelogo’s creative team, consisting of designers, brand strategists, and marketers, collaborates to generate a plethora of ideas. They sketch, discuss, and refine these concepts until they converge on a few promising directions. This collaborative effort ensures that multiple perspectives are considered, leading to a more robust and versatile logo.

The next step is the design phase, where these ideas are brought to life. Using advanced design tools and software, the team creates digital versions of the shortlisted concepts. They experiment with colors, fonts, and shapes, constantly tweaking the designs to achieve the perfect balance. The attention to detail during this phase is remarkable, as every element is meticulously crafted to enhance the overall impact of the logo.

Client Collaboration: A Partnership Approach

What impressed me most about Russelogo is their client collaboration. They don’t just work for their clients; they work with them. Throughout the design process, clients are encouraged to provide feedback and share their insights. This iterative approach ensures that the final logo is a true reflection of the client’s vision and aligns perfectly with their brand identity.

Russelogo believes in transparency and open communication. They provide regular updates and are always available to address any concerns or questions. This level of involvement instills confidence in clients, knowing that their brand is in capable hands.

Success Stories: Russelogo’s Impact on Brands

To truly understand the impact of Russelogo, one must look at their portfolio. It’s filled with success stories of brands that have undergone remarkable transformations. Take, for instance, a local coffee shop that struggled to stand out in a saturated market. Russelogo crafted a logo that captured the essence of the shop’s artisanal coffee and cozy ambiance. The new branding not only attracted more customers but also elevated the shop’s reputation, turning it into a beloved community hub.

Another example is a tech startup that needed a logo to convey its innovative spirit and cutting-edge solutions. Russelogo delivered a sleek, modern design that perfectly encapsulated the startup’s forward-thinking approach. This new identity helped the company secure significant investments and partnerships, propelling its growth and success.

The Russelogo Difference: Innovation and Dedication

So, what makes Russelogo different from other branding agencies? It’s their unwavering commitment to innovation and dedication to their clients. They are not afraid to push boundaries and explore uncharted territories in design. This boldness, combined with a deep understanding of branding principles, results in logos that are not only visually stunning but also strategically sound.

Moreover, Russelogo’s team is passionate about their craft. They see each project as an opportunity to create something unique and impactful. This passion translates into their work, making every logo a masterpiece that tells a compelling story.

Conclusion: Embracing the Russelogo Experience

My journey with Russelogo has been enlightening and inspiring. They have shown me that a logo is much more than a graphic element; it is the heart of a brand’s identity. With their innovative approach, meticulous process, and client-centric philosophy, Russelogo is setting new standards in the world of branding.

For anyone looking to elevate their brand, I highly recommend embracing the Russelogo experience. It’s not just about getting a logo; it’s about discovering the true essence of your brand and communicating it to the world in the most powerful way possible.

[laurensbookshelves]

5 Benefits of Starting a Book Journal

Many readers, including myself look for ways to talk about books constantly. Whether that be before, during, or after the book. However, my friends and family can only bare so much book talk, that eventually I have to move on from the beloved subject. Eventually, I decided that the only person willing to listen to my opinions endlessly was myself, which is how I ended up finding journaling.

In the past couple of years journaling has grown a considerable amount and it's the perfect tool for any reader who has more to say than what has been left on the pages of their book.

Achieving goals. Starting a book journal can lead to accomplishing goals you might not have previously set for yourself. Setting goals and sticking to them can be hard, especially when it comes to reading goals because many readers fit into the category of being a "mood reader". This means readers choose books based on their moods and the vibes being set, which makes goals difficult sometimes. With a book journal however, you're able to set goals that follow more into the "mood reader" lifestyle. Meaning you can set book goals based on how many pages you want to read, or the number of books you want to complete this year. Your goals can vary between short and long term, giving you variety in order to become the best reader out there!

You become a better communicator. Being able to right down your feelings is a great way to build confidence to communicate how you feel with yourself and others. The more you right down your thoughts, be that on supervillains or the Revolution, the better you will become at articulating your feelings. This tip is also like a two in one because the more you write down your thoughts the better your writing skills will be, and who doesn't like becoming a better writer? Personally, I love nothing more than reading a good book and then writing down my thoughts and opinions afterwards to act as a small debrief.

Can help you stay more organized. Now if life has taught me anything it's that living can be messy sometimes, and a lot of the times our lives our filled with so many distractions that it creates clutter. And the last thing you want is to have your hobbies, such as reading to feel like another messy component of your life. That's why a journal helps to arrange your thoughts, goals, and just keep track of all thing's books!

Your self awareness grows. For most people journaling is thought of as a private or individual act. Because it's a very personal hobby it allows for you to spend time away from the outside world, which most readers find when picking up a book. It's time for you to reflect on your emotions and a way to relieve stress as well. I found that when I started using a book journal that it was very therapeutic because I was combining two hobbies of mine that allow for me to escape the real world. It's an opportunity for you to dive into and think about the book you're reading, for in many books, truth is unveiled in the pages.

It lets creativity flow. Much like how reading is a personal experience, creating a book journal can be one too. The best part about the journaling experience is customizing it to your tastes and interests. It can be a place where you are fully able to express yourself without judgement. You can follow a template or go off instinct making a one of a kind journal. In turn, having a creative outlet can be stress relieving and calming, so you really end up with a win-win situation. Journaling is unique in how you can customize it to your tastes. Just like how no, one book is the same, neither is a journal.

Keeping a book journal doesn't have to be complicated. You can keep it with you while you read or pull it out when you've read a passage you liked. The possibilities are endless when it comes to making your book journal and should be a fun experience that you look forward to, in order to enhance the reading journey. If you're wanting more reasons as to why you should invest in a book journal leave a comment and I'll be sure to follow it up with more fun facts about book journaling and why you should do it, or even how to get started!

[gayathrikanagaraj]

Sell My Junk Car for Top Dollar l Karville

Are you tired of that junk car cluttering your property, taking up valuable space, and serving no purpose? Karville has the perfect solution – an opportunity to sell your junk car for top dollar. We understand that parting with a beloved vehicle can be a tough decision, but we aim to make this process as seamless, rewarding, and environmentally responsible as possible. Here's how it all works:

Reach Out to Karville: The first step in this journey is simple. Contact us at 833-527-8455 or via email at info@karville.com. Our dedicated team is ready to assist you and guide you through the entire process.

Share Vehicle Details: Tell us about your junk car – its make, model, and current condition. The more details you provide, the more precise our quote will be. At Karville, we believe in transparency, and providing accurate information about your vehicle helps us offer you the best possible deal from the start.

Get a Generous Quote: Unlike some buyers who engage in hardball negotiations, Karville offers a competitive quote right from the beginning. We believe in fair deals and full transparency, ensuring you receive the value you deserve for your junk car.

Schedule a Convenient Pickup: Once you accept our offer, we'll work with you to schedule a pickup that suits your schedule. The cherry on top? In many cases, we provide free towing services, saving you time and money.

Receive Top Dollar in Cash: When our team arrives to collect your junk car, they'll perform a quick inspection to ensure it matches your description. Assuming everything checks out, you'll receive top dollar in cash on the spot. No hidden fees, no waiting – just immediate financial relief.

But Karville's commitment goes beyond the financial gain. We're passionate about environmental responsibility and sustainability. We firmly believe that responsible recycling is the way forward. When you sell your junk car to us, you're not only putting cash in your pocket but also contributing to a cleaner, greener future.

You can find us at 801 East Gude Drive, Rockville, MD 20850. Our location is ideal for residents in the Washington, D.C., area and beyond. Karville has built a reputation as a trusted partner in vehicle redemption through our unwavering dedication to excellence and customer satisfaction.

In conclusion, if you're ready to bid farewell to your junk car and earn top dollar in the process, Karville's "Sell My Junk Car for Top Dollar" service is your ideal choice. Enjoy a hassle-free experience, get a fair price, and play your part in building a sustainable future. Contact Karville today, and let's turn your junk car into a rewarding venture that benefits you, your community, and the environment. Your old car can now have a new purpose as we work together towards a greener tomorrow.

[jerryantiques]

The Most Effective Estate & Home Cleanout Service In Scranton & Wilkes-barre, Pa

Larry's Junk Removal provides a simple and protected estate cleanout service so you don’t need to fret in regards to the decide up or disposal of these old gadgets. We will remove your unwanted items and clean out your estate with out you having to raise a finger. Our group can travel anywhere within the Portland OR and Vancouver WA area. Since our workers are all licensed and insured, you won’t have to fret about their safety as they carry out their estate cleanout services.

And because of the completely different causes an individual may need a house cleanout service, which means not all cleanup jobs are the same. Each cleanout job can differ in work scope and, due to this fact, time and value. When my wife’s mother passed away all of a sudden, we had so much to manage. Property Cleanout Michigan not solely cleaned out the home, they organized and held an estate sale nearly immediately. They recycled or donated everything they might that was left after the sale, too. It took a load off my wife’s thoughts at a hard time – it was nice to really feel like somebody was there to help us get via an advanced state of affairs.

The unfortunate dying of a beloved one who has left you an estate to manage could be probably the most annoying period of your life. Or you may need estate cleanout services following chapter or divorce. While an estate cleanout is often needed in unhappy occasions, bereavement home clearance is a necessity to clean estate cleanout services up the property that has amassed piles of junk and clutter. Perhaps there are too many unwanted items which are of no use to you and need to be disposed of. The quantity of stress and pain involved in estate cleanouts can make your job of junk elimination even more challenging.

We are equipped with the tools and coaching that can help you get your estate cleanout completed safely. Our company has carried out hundreds of cleanouts over the years while working in all types estate cleanout services of situations. Highly responsive team which did a great job communicating and having the group arrive on-time. The crew was considerate, considerate and managed themselves appropriately.

It’s also value noting that the value of storage models, taking day off work, and touring backwards and forwards from the landfill – really can add up. Sometimes the time and effort saved by letting an estate cleanup service assist you're far price the price. However, most jobs fall on the lower finish of that scale. The amount of manpower used and the total amount of days the job takes to complete would be the greatest indicator of the anticipated price. This is true whether or not you’re a home owner, industrial property manager, or a relative of somebody who’s passed away. Removing these things from your home can be a lengthy task or require bodily strength.

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[puns-parce]

QiQing (Qi Rong x Mu Qing) headcanons because I want more content and despite having the motivation and inspiration I completely lack the time at the moment

- Mu Qing loves and needs physical affection but will be damned if he admits it out loud/definitely struggles asking for it. Luckily for him, Qi Rong is very touchy. Hugs. Coming up behind him and wrapping his arms around him throughout the day. Handholding. Qi Rong LOVES handholding. He'll also check in with Mu Qing, though he does so in a way that makes it so neither of them lose face. After all, Xie Lian is/was at least beloved by many. Mu Qing has never had that privilege. If he was suspected of close relations with a ghost, he's sure he'd be laughed out of the heavens and never get any willing allies ever again.

- Qi Rong's trying to get better at acts of service for Mu Qing. He doesn't want his beloved martial god to ever feel lesser than or like he only lives and exists to serve others and never himself. Never again.

- Mu Qing is the only other person (outside of Lang Qian Qiu and Qi Rong) Gu Zi recognizes as a dad.

- Mu Qing shared his private communication array password with Qi Rong and Gu Zi. Usually they use it to ask when he'll come over/be free. Sometimes Qi Rong uses it for typical Qi Rong things, mainly complaining about the other gods or asking Mu Qing for child support payments (once Mu Qing was busier than he thought when he entered the communication array, so he tried to make sex noises to get Mu Qing's attention. Considering Mu Qing's cultivation route, it really backfired on him and he never tried again.)

- Both of them venting about how people always assume the worst of their good deeds :(

- Qi Rong is surprisingly a good malewife. He cooks pretty well and learned to sew. The only thing he does poorly with is cleaning/organizing (he tends to just stuff clutter out of sight and out of mind)

- Qi Rong's favorite thing about having a martial god husband? The fat tits/pecs. He likes "warming" his hands on them when Mu Qing finishes training

- Mu Qing's favorite thing about having a ghost husband? He's nice and cold, which helps since Mu Qing often feels like a walking furnace and it makes him quite uncomfortable. But Qi Rong? Qi Rong's like the cold side of the pillow. Very satisfying to hug.

- Aside from words of affirmation and physical touch, Qi Rong's love language is gifts and Mu Qing's is acts of service. It makes them both feel special

- Mu Qing was the one that suggested Qi Rong fashion earrings like the lockets the Shi brothers have (after Gu Zi accidentally twisted his ankle while staying in the heavens with Mu Qing and Qi Rong threw a fit when he found out a day later)

- He also has a matching ring with Qi Rong that functions the same way, but Qi Rong hates wearing it. It practically gives him a heart attack whenever he hears it cry until he remembers - Mu Qing is a martial god. He's going to get hurt, but he'll always get better. He needs to.

- Since they want to set a good example for Gu Zi, Mu Qing has an eyeroll jar and Qi Rong has a swear jar.

- They have (read as: attempted to have) had double dates with Hualian and later Feng Xin and Jian Lan. The latter ended in them all making fun/teasing of Feng Xin and the former ended in them becoming homophobic homosexual energy

please feel free to add on to this!! but my brain is fried and I just keep imagining them happy together and my thoughts get cheesier and more incoherent

[unfunny-quips]

Snippet from my (other) overly complicated Akeshu Time Loop fic where everyone except Akira (mostly) remembers the previous year:

Akechi Goro’s apartment was nothing like what Ann had expected it to be. Though admittedly her imagination had been a bit conflicted on what she should expect.

The shiny, polite Ace Detective facade he showed the world suggested she should expect a living space ripped straight out of a designer magazine. Attractive but stiff, nice to look at but difficult to actually live in let alone be comfortable in when visiting.

On the other hand, what she’d seen of his other side - the feral, blood thirsty and thoroughly nasty Black Mask - made her think of a dungeon like space. Chains on the walls, maybe one of those disturbing cluttered spaces shown on crime dramas when the heroes were hunting a serial killer. Pictures with blacked out eyes pinned to the walls, red string connecting disparate and terrifying thoughts and images, a collection of weapons on display.

What she got was…neither of those.

Shiho led her down the kind of pleasant residential area that put Ann in mind of the best kind of summers as a kid. A big park, open friendly faces, a community that seemed friendly and kind to each other. Shiho smiled and waved to a number of people on their way, the few they stopped to chat with for a bit telling her to give their hellos on to Akechi before letting them continue.

The apartment itself was the converted guest house in the back garden of what looked to be a cheerful family home. Ann counted no less than three fat cats lazing about and when they approached a delightfully plump old woman seated in a rocking chair on the front porch sat up from her reading to say hello and welcome Ann. Shiho called her Obaasan and rushed to give her a hug like she really was Shiho’s beloved grandmother before the old woman ushered them down the side path towards the back of the house.

“That’s Goro’s landlady, Shibata-San,” Shiho said as they walked the narrow path that led along the side of the house and through a truly beautiful garden. “She’s super sweet but has trouble with her arthritis sometimes. She gives Goro a deal on the rent since he helps her out so much around the house and with her gardening.”

Akechi Goro being nice to little old ladies. Ann wasn’t certain if that was exactly what she expected from the deranged killer pretending to be a charming teen detective or something so far out of the realm of expected as to be laughable. She chose to make a polite hmm noise of interest instead, not wanting to break the good mood Shiho was in by bringing up how very much Ann hated Akechi. She was rewarded by Shiho smiling warmly at her, which was really all the shorter girl would need to do to convince Ann to murder someone in Shiho’s name.

Shiho knocked at the door and Ann took a final calming breath to prepare her for the night that lay ahead of her. It was just a few hours, and she’d be there with Shiho and there would be plenty of other people to help buffer her from Akechi and Akira. Ann had helped shoot a god in the face once, she was ready for anything Akechi might throw at her over a few hours of talking about a book.

She wasn’t even close to ready, as it turned out.

The realization settled in the moment the door opened to reveal a yawning Akechi standing before her with messy hair and Featherman themed pajamas. Rumpled and clearly well worn Featherman pajamas.

Ann felt her eyes widen comically at the sight of the boy that had once been her and her team’s arch nemesis. A known and dangerous killer who had taken countless lives in the name of his twisted revenge scheme. 

He was wearing adorable unicorn slippers. Their horns were rainbow.

“Ah, Shiho!” Akechi said through his yawn, face stretching into a warm smile as he spotted the shorter girl on the other side of the threshold. “Just in time, I need help hauling Akira’s dead weight to the bedroom.” Ann watched him scratch lazily at his chin before blinking his attention over to her and offered another smile. It was a  brittle, plastic thing in comparison to the honest warmth he’d offered the shorter girl. All polish and teeth, no actual emotion. “And Takamaki-San, I’m so glad you could join us for the evening.”

He looked anything but, especially with the white knuckled grip he had on the door handle.

Ann offered a strained smile of her own. She’d made a promise to Shiho damnit and she’d see it through if it killed her. Or if Akechi killed her. Whatever. The point was that she was going to try damnit.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world!” She said as Akechi stepped back to allow them inside. Shiho gave a faint wince at the overly perky tone Ann had and shoot she’d overshot the enthusiasm a bit. Oh well. Better to be too excited than not enough. She followed Shiho’s lead in taking her shoes off and slipping on a pair of house slippers before turning her attention to the apartment itself.

It was…surprisingly cozy.

Ann was surprised too by the amount of clutter taking up the apartment. A laundry basket of half-folded, clean clothes sitting next to the couch, a knocked over bag tossed on a side table by the front door, more pillows and blankets than Ann would have expected making it seem like a nice place to curl up and read in. The apartment still managed to look tidy despite the half hearted attempt at organization.

Most of the space consisted of a living room with a tiny kitchenette tucked in a corner. There was a small nook beside the cooking area likely meant for dining. The small table placed there was taken over by a nice looking chess set, leaving no room for any actual dining. A small blackboard hung on the wall beside it, tallying victories of each player - tied, from what Ann could see, between Akechi and Kurusu. Other than that there were a couple doors leading to what she presumed to be a bedroom and a bathroom. 

It looked so remarkably normal.

Hardwood floors, plush rugs thrown everywhere, overstuffed bookshelves, pictures on the wall. There was a larger one hung over the couch showing off the entire book club smiling brightly at what looked like a cat cafe. Shiho, Akechi, Kurusu, Yoshizawa, even Togo Hifumi and Iwai’s son Kaoru. All of them squeezed together to fit, hands up in peace signs or giving each other bunny ears.

They looked normal. Just kids hanging out, enjoying each other’s company and reading books. It was hard to reconcile the photo with the mental image Ann had of several of the members as potential agents of Yaldabaoth.

Seeing how happy Shiho looked in the pictures didn’t help.

Ann pushed the thoughts away as best she could and followed other two to where a half asleep Akira was laid sprawled half under a large kotatsu. The delinquent had his head thrown back on the couch behind him, one of the many throw pillows Akechi apparently owned curled in his arms. She was surprised to see his usual oversized glasses he so often hid behind tossed haphazardly on the kotatsu. His eyes were closed, but he cracked one open when he heard them come over.

“M’fine here.” He muttered, curling up further around his pillow.

Akechi rolled his eyes. 

“There is a bed literally right there.” he pointed at one of the two closed doors for emphasis, mere steps away. Akira was already turning away and wiggling further beneath the kotatsu blanket. “Just go to bed Akira, no one else is even going to be here for another hour at least.”

Ann blinked. “What?” She turned from the drowsy Akira to Shiho, the shorter girl giving an unapologetic, challenging smile.

“Goro said we could come over early so you could get settled in!” Shiho said, chipper and all too aware of the fact that Ann had been banking on keeping her attention on other people in order to ignore Akechi. She really shouldn’t have been surprised. Shiho really did know her too well.

Akechi offered another brittle smile before turning his attention back to Akira, his expression softening again. Ann watched as the detective attempted to scoop the dark haired boy up, only for Akira to slip out of his grasp by going boneless, earning an undignified swear from the detective. 

Ann watched as the detective attempted to drag the delinquent away by an arm, amused as Shiho strolled over casually and hauled Akira up over her shoulder - pillow and all - in a fireman’s hold. She did it with such ease that Ann was a left little breathless at the show of strength. Akira wasn’t heavy by any measure but he was tall and she’d seen him working out at the gym the one time she went with Ryuji. The boy had muscle and that couldn’t be light. It didn’t matter to the short girl and her exceptional strength and well… Ann was weak to Shiho in so very many ways.

A few minutes later Akira had been safely stowed in a proper bed, the faint sound of soft snores heard from the dark haired delinquent before Shiho had even made it through the door. Which just left the three of them standing awkwardly in the living room.

Joy.

“I’m not nearly as good as Akira or Boss,” Akechi began, “But I can make a passable cup of coffee with what I’ve got here. Would you like one?”

There was a very real chance he might poison it. Ann nodded anyway to appease Shiho, resigned to the fact that she really was willing to do anything to see the shorter girl smile. 

Akechi shuffled towards the kitchenette in his ridiculous fluffy unicorn slippers and began fussing with the various coffee supplies that took up almost all of his very limited counter space. He was even nice enough to pull out a container of some cookies - a favorite brand of Ann’s on top of it - that hadn’t even been opened yet from a cupboard. She felt secure in the knowledge that those at least hadn’t been tampered with as she began happily devouring them.

“He’s still refusing to move in?” Shiho asked Akechi softly as she settled on the plush loveseat adjacent to the couch, tugging Ann down beside her. The dark haired girl pulled her feet up and under her, Shiho’s expression turning concerned as she watched Akechi work.

Akechi gave a soft sigh as he began boiling some water for the coffee. “He’s just so damn stubborn.” The detective said, shoulder’s drooping as he measured the freshly ground coffee out. “That place is killing him, but every time I bring it up he digs his heels in.”

Shiho gave a soft sigh before turning her attention to Ann to explain. “Akira is…” She paused, frowning, “His living situation is…bad.” Ann flicked her attention to Akechi as she heard him mutter a faint fucking understatement of the year under his breath. “Goro has offered to let him stay here but Akira’s worried that his record would hurt Goro’s reputation.”

“Oh,” Ann said, turning her attention on the delicate chocolate dipped cookie she held. Akira’s criminal record, that had been made public and well known by Mishima at Komashida’s request. Because Akira had stepped in and kept the teacher from getting to Shiho. Something Ann should have done. “Isn’t there something he can do? He’s staying with a guardian right? Couldn’t he just request to be moved under someone else?”

Akechi snorted bitterly. “Great idea, so that scam artist can report him as being “dangerous” and get him sent back to Juvie?” Red eyes turned to Ann, pinning her in place as Akechi’s mouth twisted into a sour frown. “You know about shitty adults. You know there really aren’t options like that for people in Akira’s position.”

Ann was struck again by the strange clash between what she expected from Akechi from the last run of the game and what he was showing her in this one. 

A facade of niceties for the camera, a howling soul of insanity for anyone who got in his way. Where, exactly, between those two extremes lay concern for a friend in a difficult position? Where did friends lay in that mess at all? Where did the cozy apartment, helping out an arthritic old lady, the weekly book club, the Featherman pajamas? Was there a graph somewhere that might map it all out? Or was she just supposed to guess at what was a real glimpse at the boy that had once murdered her friend’s father and what was an act to get what he wanted?

“Here,” Akechi said, and for a moment she half expected him to hand her the answers she wanted. He didn’t, of course, instead handing her a cup of coffee resting on a matching saucer. Both cup and saucer had cute chubby cats on them. “Cream? Sugar?”

She blinked and nodded, watching as he turned on his heel to get her what she asked for. Shiho beside her shifted where she sat, butting their shoulders together gently. Her face, when Ann met her gaze, was thoughtful. Considering Ann as if she was the puzzle and not the serial killer juggling a carton of cream and an oversized container of sugar across the room. Trying to stow her apprehension away for the night, Ann offered her friend the best honest expression she could while knowing how many lies she’d given the shorter girl over the past months. 

Shiho’s expression shifted slowly, the look in her dark eyes difficult to read. Ann watched as the other girl turned to sip at her coffee. Shiho didn’t even wait for it to cool. She always liked her drinks hot enough to scald.

“You know, maybe it’s the way you’re asking.” Shiho said, the complicated emotions Ann glimpsed the moment before shuffled away as the dark haired girl turned a devious smile on Akechi.

The detective looked weary and wary all at once. “Shiho…” His tone had something like a weak warning to it, though the bite Ann was used to hearing from him was absent.

“I’m just saying,” Shigo said, looking delighted, “You’re asking him to move in with you as a friend.”

“Don’t.” Akechi said, it might have been sharp and snapping if it wasn’t for the color rising high on the boy’s cheeks. Ann blinked in bewilderment. Was Akechi Goro blushing?

“Just ask him to be your boyfriend already!” Shiho said, all cheer and delight with an undercurrent of something challenging directed at the now definitely blushing Akechi. “We all saw you two kiss at the ice rink! It’s not like the thing between you it’s a secret!”

Ann choked on the cookie she’d just popped into her mouth. Akechi - so red that Ann was fairly certain he was going to turn purple soon - made a high pitched squeak and buried his face in his hands.

Well that put a new light on things.

“You kissed Kurusu?!” Cookies crumbs went flying as she spoke but Ann didn’t care. The news was just too big to be taken in calmly. Makoto had suspected that Kurusu, a known criminal, was a pawn in Akechi’s devious plan and the rest of the group had been thinking the same. Morgana suggested that the dark haired boy might even be the new player they’d been warned about.

At no point at any of them considered Akechi could be so human as to simply just like Kurusu.

“It’s not that - you’re taking things out of context!” Akechi almost wailed, not a psychopath ready to kill at a drop of a hat but an embarrassed teenage boy being teased about his crush.

Shiho laughed, “You two held hands!” 

“I didn’t know how to skate! Kurusu was helping me balance!”

“You stayed on the ice during the couple’s song!”

“We just didn’t want to get off the ice!”

“You stopped, in the middle of the rink, looked deep into each other’s eyes while holding hands and kissed.”

As if to drive her point home, Shiho lifted her phone to show a picture - a bit blurry at the edges but clear enough to make out - of Akechi and Kurusu definitely having a sweet, romantic kiss on the ice. Clearly completely oblivious of the world around them as they did so. It was possibly the cutest thing Ann had ever seen.

Any idea Ann ever had of Akechi Goro being intimidating was thrown right out the window.

[feitanswife]

how to write a horror/mystery/gothic novel that takes place in Washington State:

General:

Kent is a shithole, no one goes to Seattle unless they absolutely have to, the beaches are not for swimming really it’s almost always too cold, and Yakima calls itself the Palm Springs of Washington and whoever decided that should be shot. It’s not the Palm Springs of anything. Palm Springs of depression and murder maybe.

our weather is moody and unpredictable, use that. The other day it went from brilliantly sunny to hailing in a few minutes. It just does that. Monday can be 75 degrees, Tuesday it could snow. Especially in spring.

Western half:

It doesn’t matter where your characters live, if it’s not the absolute heart of a big city your characters WILL have convenient access to woods. Maybe not a lot, but there will be, within fifteen minutes of brisk walking or eight minutes of driving, there will be trees and bushes enough to explore. There are narrow walking trails in green belts between suburban housing developments, undeveloped awkwardly shaped plots of land between grocery stores parking lots, and woods at the edge of parks that may or may not be part of the park.

1 in every 8 houses in the average shitty suburb is full of cultists. The cults have splinter fringe cults. It’s cults all the way down. If your neighbors go to ANY church that isn’t like, one of the big well known branches of Christianity, it’s generally assumed you should cut contact with them cause they’re not worth trying to save. My town had people who pretended to be Mormons to get away with even worse shit. If your characters are in high school, they WILL be accosted by people holding signs and spouting slurs outside the school gates at least once a year. It’s just a thing that happens.

Conversely: everyone knows a couple witches. It’s just a thing. If you go to a community college there’s like a 1 in 10 chance any student you talk to practices witchcraft, and the chance goes up exponentially if they look gay. In my friend group there’s only one non witch, somehow. Stick with the witches, they’re usually pretty cool.

Other gothic genres would have you believe that forests and fields and wild places are scary, don’t be fooled into believing that’s always the case here. It’s not. In fact, the forest is often a place of refuge from, yanno, the weirdos outside of it.

You may think I’m exaggerating but I had neighbors who boarded up their own house and tried to poison the rest of our street when they moved in and spent all Halloween trying to Indoctrinate children. And there was a group of like ten people who faked being from a nearby church as an excuse to harass high schoolers and nobody knew they were fakes until I accidentally told the story to someone who ACTUALLY WENT TO THE CHURCH and was like “uh no we don’t do that wtf???” And that’s how we found of that there were people to fucked up for even the Mormons, and got kicked out and started their own operation! So what did we all do? We started walking home through the woods behind the highschool!

Basically tl:dr if you’re writing on the western half of the state, frame it like there’s scary paranormal goings on in the woods only to plot twist that the villains are humans and the forest’s paranormal activities are helpful, not harmful. Nothing in the woods is scarier than what’s outside of it. Except like, bears and stuff. But usually bears aren’t actively trying to fuck your day up.

Eastern half:

FUN GEOGRAPHY LESSON: rain shadows! We got MOUNTAINS! And when you go over the mountains there’s a huge closet wasteland cause the water gets trapped in the west side! But, between the mountains and the wasteland there’s this beautiful strip of pine forest and meadows called Central Washington it’s beautiful, it’s heaven on earth, once you go there you’ll never want to leave.... except the people there are horrible. It’s like you took a chunk of the Deep South, shook all the actual good stuff out of it, and plopped it in the PNW. Everyone is so up their own asses with politics. trump signs everywhere. So many of them are those godawful rich people who think they’re not rich cause their four story log mansion happens to be in a rural area. I can’t believe I’ve never been hatecrimed over there for how damn gay I look. THE EXCEPTION TO THIS RULE is Ellensburg. Ellensburg my beloved. It’s the best town on earth. Most pedestrian friendly location I’ve ever lived, everyone is super nice, and it’s a college town so there’s always something fun going on!

Tri cities has a bunch of nuclear plant related stuff, do with that what you will.

Back to the fact that half this state is uninhabited due to being completely dry and barren: holy shit the east is scary. It’s just nothing. Rolling hills of nothing. A three hour drive of nothing, then you get to nothing (Idaho edition).

Wine country is its own beast and I would have to make a whole post waxing poetic about how much a vineyard has to give as a gothic setting but here’s the cliff notes:

very isolated, far outside a small town where all the locals know each other, lots of big machines, old dusty barns with cluttered lofts, for straight lines of grapes you can EASILY get lost in the fields, sometimes they scare crows with LOUD AIR CANNONS, hot as hell all the time, people are on the verge between “your cool uncle with money” and “this person has never existed on the same plane of reality as you”, every house has trained hunting dogs for some reason, there’s weird mysterious birds, possibly venomous snakes, and SWARMS of bees and wasps. Oh and everybody and their brother does vineyard weddings. I’m sick to death of vineyard weddings.

Don’t let the maps deceive you. There may be a bunch of town names out there, but that doesn’t mean anything’s there. One time to go camping we drove out into the middle of the state on I-90, took an exit and turned left and kept driving for another hour on completely abandoned roads with no sign of life (but dozens of abandoned rotting houses in the distance) just to get to a “town” that reeked of “we’re getting murdered here cause half of us aren’t white and one of the 3 white people has neon pink hair”. If people wanted to go anywhere they’d have to drive an hour just to get to the interstate. They had one school building for k-12. One gas station, one tiny store, one restaurant. I could lap the entire town in thirty minutes walking. And the first building we saw was a church. Just one. As if the townsfolk weren’t given much of a choice. And there are probably 50 identical towns scattered across the east of the state. Completely isolated.

Tl:dr: want a fresh spin on the “small town full of weirdos” story? Don’t set it in the rural south! Set it in Washington, where you get all the same archetypal weirdness except they think because they’re not in the south they have some kind of moral superiority, and also your lead has nowhere to run cause the landscape is so barren you can damn near see the curve of the earth, where are you gonna hide when the tallest plant goes up to your ankles?

[fratresdei]

How to Create Sacred Space

Sacred spaces are some of the clearest examples we have of humanity’s active involvement in cultivating the Sacred. Within sacred spaces, the lines between “what is ‘just people’ and “what is ‘purely divine,'” are, blessedly, blurred to indistinction.

For example, when humans build temples, they often believe that holy presence resides within it. However, there is no delusion that the temple was not built by human hands. That reality is in fact celebrated! Within sacred space we are free to relish in our participation, or co-creation, of divine presence in our world. This power we possess does not detract from the mystery of sacred space, but is something to cherish. If we have the power to construct and nurture sacred space, that says a lot about our standing in the universe.

So, what constitutes a sacred space? The answer could include many possibilities: perhaps you have a favorite quiet spot in your place of worship or out in nature. Maybe you grew up with a shrine or altar in the home, or you may be seeking to curate and maintain a space for yourself. The space may be hidden away where only you can access it, or out in the open where you spend most of your day. There may be objects that represent deities, loved ones, prayers or intentions present. It could be a clear, clean space, empty of clutter, where the mind and spirit feel free to declutter as well. Your sacred space may simply be your own body. While the size and structure of a personal sacred space may vary, the core is the same: a place that has been set aside for contemplation or communion with the divine. The beauty of a sacred space, like many facets of spiritual life, derives from the meaning it carries for you.

To help illustrate the many variations and nuances of a sacred space, Fratres Dei Spiritual Direction Contributor Saint Gibson @stgibsonofficial and Communications Manager Caroline Crook @yourfavoriteauntcarol (yours truly), have each shared a picture of our own sacred spaces and described the contents therein.

Saint’s Space

There are a number of sacred spaces scattered throughout my house; the rose-scented Our Lady of Guadalupe candle and collection of crystals in my bedroom, the shelf where my fiancé and I remember our departed ancestors with little photos and trinkets, and the font of holy water affixed to the wall by the front door. But the most prominent sacred space in my home is the altar table set up in the living room, underneath a gilded icon of the Madonna and child.

On it, I keep all my candles and figurines representing the saints and angels, and some beloved keepsakes, like dried flowers, gifted rosaries, and letters from friends. The plate in the center of the altar features a painting of the last supper and is used for offerings: generally water, and sometimes alcohol or milk depending on whether or not that's appropriate to the petition or the day on the church calendar. My household celebrates both the Christian holidays and the pagan wheel of the year, so the decorations on the altar change out with feast days and seasons. The candles around the offering plate change, but there's always a sacred heart of Jesus and a Mary mother of God burning away, and usually a Saint Jude and a Saint Joseph as well. I burn a rainbow candle to remember the queer saints of the church both known and unknown, and to ask for God's protection on LGBTQ+ people worldwide.

My patron saint is the archangel Uriel, patron of confirmation in the Episcopal church and of poets and scholars widely. My golden Uriel figurine presides over his side of the altar, along with a figurine of the archangel Raphael, my fiancé's patron. We've got all sorts of talismans and charms representing the four archangels, and we have a fiery red candle for the archangel Michael that stands looped in a necklace featuring a ward against the evil eye. A golden pietà, my fiancé's greatest thrift store find, watches over all the candles. We've also got a colored figurine of the Infant of Prague standing proudly over a photograph of my fiancé and I. That's because the very first letter my fiancé ever sent me was a photograph of the Infant when he was traveling abroad, and we like to think he watches over us.

There are prayer cards littered about, and I often find myself reaching for Saint Ignatius of Loyola or Saint John the Revelator in times of need. We also usually keep incense burning in a metal cauldron that's always stuffed full of salt and ashes. Frankincense, rose, and lemongrass are my favorites. There are also many taper candles that I've saved from trips to other churches or from sung masses on Michaelmas and Christmas Eve.

I've been curating sacred space in every dorm room and apartment I've lived in for years, and this is by far my most favorite space yet. There's enough room to stand while you pray and move items around, but it's small enough that I could pack up everything on the altar into one box if I needed to. The table stands right between the living room and the kitchen, in the heart of the home, and it makes me feel like blessings are being disseminated from the altar to every room in the house. It's a way to keep a little bit of divinity always within arms reach, incarnate in rosaries and candles and bottles of holy water. With my altar nearby, I feel prepared for any spiritual celebration or crisis, and I know exactly where to retrieve up my spiritual tools when the occasion calls for it.

Caroline’s Space

Let’s call my sacred space an acoustic version of what a sacred space can be. It’s only a few months old; yet another quarantine project. Cluttered? Yes. Often mistaken as just a shelf for all my candles? Also yes. But it serves my spiritual life in ways that I personally find intuitive and accessible.

Of the three bookshelves in my apartment, this one is in a central spot in the living room, facing the couch. It’s part of the space and rhythm where most of my daily life takes place. Especially during quarantine when my brain fog is even worse than normal, it’s nice to be able to naturally glance over at this shelf and quickly check in with its contents.

Said contents are 95% candles. Whenever I need to set aside some time for an intentional, spiritually fulfilling practice (whether prayer, yoga, reading, writing, or just a break from social media) I light a candle. On days of significance (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.) or to pray for a loved one, I’ll light a smaller tealight candle in the centerpiece and let it burn for the day.

The remaining 5% is all gifted, bought or found objects from friends and family members. The centerpiece is a candle/incense holder one of my oldest and dearest friends gave to me. There is a glass dish of crystals, shells and sharks’ teeth, all collected over the years between Florida and DC, with family and friends. The glass bottle in the corner was a gift from a friend’s wedding last summer, and I keep that filled with rainwater or holy water, depending on what’s at hand. There’s a crystal seashell towards the back that was a gift from my late grandmother. Each of these objects, to me, represents the many connections, joys and loves in my life. I’m also part magpie, so it’s nice to have a place where these odds and ends I collect can be 1) on display, 2) out of the way.

Other objects come and go, as I like to place items on this shelf that symbolize what’s on my heart at the time. Coins, written turns of phrase, scraps from old clothes, photos of loved ones, etc. Occasionally the odd tarot card, if I’m looking for a stronger visual.

For years this surface was just part candle repository, part please-God-do-not-forget-to-return-these-library-books shelf. It had a vague purpose, and certainly held things that are important to me, but not in an especially meaningful way. The act of curating this space -- choosing that shelf, cleaning it up, deciding what to place where, and maintaining it over time -- has been a source of calm, inspiration, and reflection. It’s still a work in progress though; I have a holly wreath I place around the centerpiece during the holidays, and am looking into getting a wreath to celebrate each season in the year. To, you know, help me remember that time is still passing in quarantine (I want to say April was… two weeks ago?)

If you feel so inclined, we would love to hear from you as well: what does a sacred space mean to you? What sacred spaces have you cultivated or visited?

If you’re curious about cultivating your own sacred space with the help of an expert, book your first free virtual session with Fratres Dei Spiritual Direction in the comments.

Saint offers tarot readings that are affirming, insightful and welcome to all. Check out Holy Roots Tarot using the link in the comments.

February 18, 2021 | Denver, Colorado

[infinitevariety]

Uriel turned to go, leaving Aziraphale alone and feeling like he’d been punched in the gut. Ten minutes left – ten minutes in which to get some sort of communication to Crowley. He fumbled with his mobile and pressed send on his one contact, but it went straight to voicemail. Yes, Crowley had mentioned he would be in meetings all day working out the details of the transfer.

“Hi, this is Crowley, you know what to do.”

“My dear, it’s me. I . . . I’m being called away now. I just wanted to say . . . I love you. Goodbye, Crowley.” He rung off and put the mobile down on his desk, which was cluttered with papers and beloved books.

Guarding Anthony by @magnolia822

[durmstrange]

Reunification - Draco Malfoy

Hello and Happy Sunday!

Word count: 1,457

Ever since birth, you had known Draco Malfoy. He was a large part of your life for the longest time, until your eleventh birthday came along. You turned eleven on August 31st, and the next day, you were hauled off to Hogwarts with Draco by your side, happier than ever, fully knowing you were going to get sorted into Slytherin house. 

You were entirely wrong, actually. Much to both your own and Draco’s dismay (not to mention his family’s, and your own), you were sorted into Ravenclaw house. Immediately, as if it were taboo, Draco ceased his communications with you, spare holidays. When you were to return to home for holiday and summer, Draco would have little conversation with you, but only because it was forced. Your close relationship with him diminished and soon, it was as if you were strangers.

But you still knew your beloved lost friend too well. You loved him with all you had, despite his abandonment, and you knew too well when he was hurting and unhappy, even if it were from a distance.  

One day, early in your sixth year, after observing Draco closely for so long, you followed close behind him as he entered the Room or Requirement. You slid in the door just after him, and took a deep breath as his back was to you, and you squeaked a quiet, “hi” out of your mouth.

Draco whipped around, his eyes unrecognizable, and his wand drawn. You made no move to draw your own, but only stood still with your back against the wall you had entered, which now lacked a door. “What are you doing here?” He snapped at you, and your chest heaved with anxiety, even if your eyes remained calm.

“Admiring the knick knacks in here, of course,” you mused, trying to diffuse the situation in any way possible. There was a small smirk on your lips as you straightened your uniform out, trying to look halfway put together.

With furrowing eyebrows, Draco slowly lowered his wand hesitantly. “What do you want?” He asked coldly, and you frowned at his words.

You walked closer to him, picking up a book and admiring its cover, before sticking it in the pocket of your robes. “What? No ‘how have you been’ or even a ‘it’s been a while’? Odd.”  Draco didn’t bother responding, as he only stared at you with an annoyed look.  “How are you feeling, Draco? You look deathly,” you observed, tilting your head to the side as he shoulder sagged forward, something you rarely saw from him. His posture was perfect, always.

“It’s none of your concern. We are no longer acquaintances,” he dismissed and waited for you to leave, but you only remained in the same spot.

With a blank look on your face, you searched your mind for something, anything you could say to him. But, all that came from you was a smart comment. “Not by my choice,” you deadpanned and crossed your arms over your chest. “You know, I thought coming to Hogwarts was going to be so wonderful. Especially with my closest friend, but I was abandoned and I know all too well how it feels to be alone. Now, are you going to continue to block me out, or are you going to just talk to me like a human being that, despite all the horrible things you’ve done, still cares about you?” You snapped back at him with fire in your eyes and in your heart.

Draco’s lips pressed into a hard line at your words. He looked away, into the large and cluttered room, and you could see his body shaking in fear, or perhaps, sobs. “You wouldn’t understand. I don’t need your pity,” he continues to fight you, and a small sigh came from you as you walked forward, standing next to him.

Your small and dainty hand moved, taking his larger than in your own, and you squeezed it softly. “I am not here to pity you. I am here to show compassion, and care, and perhaps even love, Draco. If you don’t want to talk about it, that is fine. But I am not leaving because I know you need someone right now, and I’m rather confident that I’m the only one you’ll allow to stay,” you insisted further, and you were pleasantly surprised when he didn’t pull his hand away.

“I don’t deserve this.” He told you.

With a small laugh, you nodded. “You’re right. You don’t. Not from me, at least. But I also know you deserve so much more.” Your voice was quiet and you looked at him with wide, innocent eyes, and you leaned your head in his shoulder, letting him calm down.

For many moments, Draco remained silent as your words pierced his skin and circled his mind like bird circling its prey. Flashbacks of your shared childhood together played through his mind, reminding him how much you had meant to him at one point. Why did he allow this to change? After thinking for a while, and falling back in love with you so quickly, he swallowed hard. “I’d like to talk about it, but I don’t want you to leave me again because of my actions,” he finally declared carefully without looking at you. You could see the tears in his icy eyes as he stared ahead.

“Never. Not matter what you say, I’ll never leave.” Your voice was so strong that Draco didn’t doubt it at all. He knew you far too well, just the same.

~.~

You sat on the floor of the Room of Requirement with Draco, listening to him talk, and holding your breath for long periods of time. He sat across from you, sitting cross legged the same as you, avoiding eye contact and turning his wand in his hand over and over again. You watched his long fingers move his wand, and his words echoed through your body as if it were only an empty shell. Your heartbroken for the first boy you ever loved, and the only boy you’ll love forever, and once he finished, you were silent.

Some time passed, and he finally had the courage to look at you, and saw the tears streaming down your face. “Oh, Draco,” you whispered, and launched yourself on him, standing on your knees, hugging his head closely to your chest, wishing you could protect him from the world. “You’re so brave, and so very misunderstood. Don’t ever leave me again, Draco, I wouldn’t be able to bear it, knowing what you’re going through,” you begged and you felt him shift against you, so he was kneeling as well, wrapping his so strong arms around you.

He cried, begging you to stay, burying his face into your neck and fisting your hair in his hands. Your cried as well, telling him how much you missed him and how he doesn’t deserve this, and it wasn’t until at least an hour later, after you were both all cried out and finally calm once more, did either of you speak again.

“I’m sorry I left you.” Draco’s voice was only a whisper of weakness, trying to show you all the love he still had for you, even if it were hidden under a lot of pain.  

You smiled softly, placing your hand on his face and finding yourself unable to hide the small laugh that came from your chest.  “You were young.  It is understandable.  What is important now is whether or not you leave again.”  You told him as your thumb traced his face carefully.  

Draco nodded.  “That is something you do not have to worry about any longer.”  He told you steadily as he leaned his head into your palm.

You nodded as well, dropping your hand and stepping back.  “I am happy to have you back, Draco.  I am even happier knowing that you have someone to depend on, as well,” you murmured and held your one arm in the other.  

Draco pressed his lips together, giving yet another curt nod, “It is rather unsuspected, though.”  He said and with an odd look on his face.

You laughed gently, nodding, and gazing around at the world around you, surprised at all the junk and artifacts around you.  “Surprising, isn’t it?”  You mumbled, turning and walking to a pile that touched the ceiling, running your hand along a couch lodged four feet from the ground.  Draco watched you move carefully, glancing over everything in the room you could.

“Surprising.”  Draco murmured and his heart ached as he looked at you, and realized if he hadn’t left you so long ago, how close you could be now.  

[spookyoaktree]

podcast?? youtube?? mysterycore??

hello campers! around a year ago now i created one of my personally most beloved posts- the one about mysterycore. it has since kicked off a small community of people who loved all things strange and unexplainable. now almost a year later, it’s still on my mind... and i have decided that i want to bring the concept to it’s furthest length. i’d like to create something a bit collaborative. sort of a basement archive of strange occurrences, photos (both collected by myself and submitted), personal stories (possibly interviews?), and general mysterycore discussion that’s largely community based. basically it’s what would happen if fox mulder decided to start a video pod from his coffee stained, cluttered office. 

i assume that i’ll host the videos on youtube but i could also put them onto a podcast type service. i will shoot on one of my point and shoot cameras (for that found footage aesthetic :>) and record with a decent mic (either blue yeti or zoom) so that you don’t have to listen to the atrocious audio that comes out of point and shoots. 

now... the next step is to hear back from all of you? i would love for this to turn into a community effort, one that we can all have fun in participating in. are there any topics you would like to hear about? encounters you would like to tell? advice for starting out on a project of this nature? send them my way!

if this gets enough traction and if people are even interested at all, i might create a separate blog to sort all of the information and make it a more streamlined process. 

!thanks and may mystery find your way!