#fitness vacations 2017

[marimayscarlett]

Richard seems to love water. Lots of pictures of him by the sea or taking his kids to the sea, on a boat. He even mentioned moving to Cape Town for his golden years. Wouldn't be surprised if he had a beach or a lake house.

Paul as well, hardcore city boy like Richard, but has a deep love for Hiddensee.

Ollie also seems to spend his off time surrounded by palm trees.

And we all know Till's love for water, fishing, swimming and nature in general.

Hi 👋🏻

The love for water in this band is quite clear 💙

Richard's plans for Capetown were mentioned by him in this interview back in 2018 - he really seems to enjoy this location:

"I would most like to live in Cape Town. You have the mountains on one side and two oceans on the other. The people are open and friendly and there is a very beautiful light that is good for my mind."

And overall he apparently enjoys being near the water via boat or at the beach or generally by the sea. Like this tour in Oostende or back in 1998 at Venice Beach for 'official' pictures:

as well as for vacation, with his kids, with fans (in Mexico back in 2022) - there are a lot of beach/sea pictures of him, so i'll limit it to a few:

He even got married at a beach:

Till also has quite a deep connection to water, be it for fishing (like with his daughter last year), exploring (with Joey Kelly for their 'Yukon' book) or with Dr. Simi (for I guess some relaxation in Mexico):

Ollie spent some time in Capetown himself earlier this year and picked up a new surf board:

And Paul's love Hiddensee is quietly deep rooted since most likely his Feeling B-days, since this island was like a little place of freedom for the GDR punk rock scene, plus his band colleague from Feeling B, Aljoscha Rompe, is buried there. I'm not 100% sure, but I always assumed that this footage was filmed there:

And from what I've seen, Schneider also likes to spend time at lakes ☕...👀

Now I only need some Flake footage to add to the mix...

It's quite interesting that many members of a band so surrounded by fire are so drawn to water. In this interview, Richard talked about the balance between water and fire (topic was peculiar enough the water damage in his house he had in 2017):

"[...] so that everything should be in balance—if you have fire on one side, you must have water on the other side to somehow restore the equilibrium."

(thank you @dandysnob for the clip 🤍)

So in that sense, 'Mein Land' had a really fitting theme, not just lyric-wise 😊🌊

[mydaddywiki]

Luther Strange

Physique: Average Build Height: 6' 9" (2.06 m)

Luther Johnson Strange III (born March 1, 1953) is an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States Senator from Alabama from 2017 to 2018. He was appointed to fill that position after it was vacated by Sen. Jeff Sessions upon Sessions's confirmation as U.S. Attorney General. He previously served as the 47th Attorney General of the U.S. state of Alabama from 2011 until 2017. He now leads his own law practice, advising clients on matters of law and public policy.

He's tall. Like, really tall. A former Tulane basketball player, 6-foot-9 Strange is known around Alabama as “Big Luther,” a nickname he embraced in political ads. He was the tallest U.S. Senator in history to have served and was among the tallest members of Congress. Mmm… I'd love to climb that tree.

A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Strange is married with of two sons, and have one grandson. He fits the textbook definition of a traditional Alabama politician. He's tall, he's got the good-looking family, he's from the right part of the state (the richest part of Birmingham) and he's got in zero dust-ups publicly. But he's a politician, so probably has secrets and I'd love to be one.

[callunavulgari]

Top 25 Fics of 2023

1. whatever you want by Wildehack (tyleet) | Wolf 359 | Kepler/Jacobi | 5k

Kepler doesn't fuck him that first day, when Daniel swallows his pride like it's a hot coal he can feel boiling down to the pit of his stomach and dials the number left on the card. Heather Says: Back in 2017, Wolf 359 changed my life. I relisten to it every year. I reread fic. I sometimes write it. And THIS year, I was blessed with one of my favorites writing my favorites from Wolf 359. It's honestly exactly what I wanted out of a Wolf 359 fix it/coda.

2. god was a dog-man by @andthepeople | Teen Wolf | Derek/Stiles | 13k

“Do you have a secret teenage son?” Stiles demands, as soon as Derek opens the door. Heather Says: I did NOT watch the Teen Wolf movie this year. I did, however, relentlessly stalk reaction posts and (very select) gifsets. I also read this fantastic fic, which is now the movie in my brain because since I didn't see it, I'll never know.

3. then out of nowhere, somebody comes and hits you with an ooh la la la, ooh la la la, ooh la la la, ooh by @calciseptine | Deadpool | Peter/Wade | 49k

A man with spider-themed superpowers accidentally breaks into Wade's apartment. Heather Says: Deadpool is one of those fandoms that I'm technically a part of because I like it and I think Spiderman and Deadpool is both hilarious and hot, but it's always just on the edge of my peripherals. But sometimes Steve's fic just kind of creeps on me and demands my attention. This was my feel good fic this spring.

4. By the Laws of Magic by Lenore | The Sandman | Dream/Hob | 32k

It’s 1959, and Hob Gadling is working at a London auction house, amazing his colleagues with his uncanny knowledge of art and artifacts from the 14th century on. When he gets the assignment to catalogue a family library at a place called Fawney Rig, he looks forward to a working vacation in the country. What he finds is a house with a preternatural chill where odd disturbances happen daily, an ornate carved door with a secret clearly hidden behind it, and visions of his mysterious stranger every time he turns around. Heather Says: I honestly love this ship. The fairy tale elements combined with the very compelling idea that in another universe much like this one, Hob Gadling ends up saving Dream from his glass prison made for some truly great fiction.

5. Dawnshot Through the Heart by @sirnotappearinginthisblog | Wax&Wayne series | Wax/Wayne | WIP | 80k

Ten years ago, Wayne fled instead of letting himself get arrested for murder. He’s been an outlaw ever since, keeping one step ahead of the lawkeepers who want him dead or alive—especially Dawnshot. But his luck was bound to run out eventually, and he knows how it always ends for the Bad Guys in stories. Heather Says: I think that this is the only WIP on here but I cannot rightfully leave it off because I LOVED this fic this year. I love the Mistborn series, but I've never really sought out fic for it before. This one though, this one found me. The writing is SUPERB and I wish it was a bigger fandom because it deserves so much love, you guys. It's so so so good. I love Wax and Wayne's dynamic in the series. They're great. But also- what if they had an enemies to lovers thing going on that turned poly? WHAT IF?!

6. One Size Fits All by @entanglednow | Stranger Things | Eddie/Steve | 65k

Steve just wanted to do something nice for a friend, he doesn't mean to get Eddie's ring stuck on his finger, and it's definitely not his fault that everyone he knows is jumping to conclusions. Heather Says: This is not the last time that you will see this author or this ship on this list. I really would have thought that Steddie would have crept out of my brain right now, but NOPE. And part of that is because every couple weeks entanglednow drops an absolute BANGER of a fic that obliterates my brain for anything else.

7. you are spring by @wildehacked | Supernatural | Castiel/Dean | 20k

God makes a wish. His parents work some things out. Heather Says: I got very close to leaving this one off the list, not because it wasn't good or that it wasn't one of my top 25 but purely because I've been out of the Supernatural fandom for so many years. I mean, c'mon. I didn't watch the last FIVE seasons. However, getting to follow along wildehacked's rewatch journey on twitter was a blast from the past and then THIS lovely shining fic that they churned out lured me back in for one last nibble at this ship that took over my life for the better part of a decade. It is so incredibly amazing and since I never finished the series, I will happily go on pretending that this is how it ended.

8. Interim by starkraving | BotW/TOtK | Ganondorf/Link/Zelda | 95k

She has no throne. Girls without thrones should not have knights, but hers won’t go. Princess Zelda – the girl who killed Calamity – would love to fade into legend, but Link’s bought a house, he’s fighting off monsters, and he’s selling giant horses to strangely familiar Gerudo men. She'll never have any peace now. Heather Says: This fic. THIS FIC. Is so richly built. Is so intoxicating. It leans into found family. You spend chapter after chapter watching Zelda and Link traverse Hyrule with the hot Gerudo that they met along the way after the events of the first game. And it is so fucking compelling. Honestly, while I'm happy that they smooched, I would have been completely fine reading another 100k of just these three wandering Hyrule together, being absolute goblins. 10 out 10, will read again.

9. one hundred years past by tciddaemina | BotW/TotK | Ganondorf/Link | 38k

Link wakes up a century early. It changes everything. Heather Says: Can you tell that playing Tears of the Kingdom left me desperately thirsty for any and all Ganondorf content this summer? I'm a sucker for all sides of the poly triforce but I'll admit that Ganondorf and Link scratches that enemies to lovers itch PERFECTLY if it's done well. And this one is done well.

10. Step Right Up by entanglednow | Stranger Things | Steve/Eddie | 3k

Steve had mostly given up on trying to meet anyone new after everything, but it's been six months and his friends had started giving him pointed nudges to get out there again. Heather Says: Told you it wouldn't be the last you saw of entanglednow. I actually think that this might be my favorite fic that they've written? Which is saying a lot because I will scream it to the rafters that any Steddie fan should read their fic. But this is FUN HOUSE MIRROR MAZE and MISTAKEN IDENTITY KISSING. Guys, I have no chill about this fic. I have no chill about Steve's hands in Eddie's hair, or the sounds that he makes, or the smell of strawberry. It is just so so good.

11. the most remarkable thing about you standing in the doorway is that it’s you by @greatunironic | Stranger Things | Steve/Eddie | 35k

Sixteen years after the world didn't end for the last time, Max Mayfield showed up on Steve’s doorstep and said, “You gonna walk me down the aisle in May or what?” Or, it’s 2002 and Steve Harrington attends a wedding, a funeral, and a birth. Heather Says: I genuinely do not think that I have words for this one. It is one of those all encompassing fics that sucks you in and just won't spit you out again. It hurts, an ache just under the breastbone. But god, it's so beautiful.

12. Fight Night by @rlnerdgirl | Teen Wolf | Derek/Stiles | 12k

Stiles starts fighting in college. He doesn't tell anyone. Heather Says: There are three...? Yeah, three Teen Wolf fics on this list. Three. Like it's 2015 again. Like my brain broke and time went ticking all the way back to when I was ridiculously invested in these characters. But honestly? All three Teen Wolf fics on this list are incredibly therapeutic. They get to be the ending for me instead of whatever clusterfuck good ole Jeff tried to pull. This one in particular is fantastic because it's canon-divergence after SEASON one. Yes, we have Erica and Boyd. Yes, Stiles is BAMF. It's a good read.

13. strange fear i ain’t felt for years by Sister | Batman | Tim/Jason | 31k

“Can’t believe a pretty thing like you has to come begging to the Red Hood,” he says against Tim’s neck. “Thought they’d be lining up down the block for you. Thought Daddy would need to get the shotgun.” Heather Says: Oh look, another ship and fandom that I was only peripherally aware of that had me in a chokehold for a good month and a half. I don't even like DC that much.

14. Silver-Tongue by starkraving | Baldur's Gate 3 | Astarion/Karlach | 9k

Astarion fast-talks an abnormal number of enemies into killing themselves in the shadow-cursed lands and the team makes idle (then less idle) conversation about it. Heather Says: Okay, so I STILL have not finished this game. I have however very carefully consumed as much content as I can get my hands on without being completely and totally spoiled. This was the first fic that I really loved in this fandom. It's no surprise that I ship Astarion happily with everyone, but damn is he good with Karlach in this one. Their characterization is perfect.

15. A Sign of The Morning by ToEdenandBackAgain | Stranger Things | Eddie/Steve | 86k

Vecna is dead. The Upside Down is cut off from Hawkins yet again. Steve is trying to go back to normal, whatever that is. He's also trying to figure out exactly how Eddie Munson has managed to fit so easily into his life. Heather Says: Honestly? What can I say about this one? It has 19,000 kudos despite being published last June. It's on a ridiculous number of collection/rec lists. The tension is exquisite. The found family? Even better.

16. Phantom of Truth by Haiju | Danny Phantom | Maddie Fenton & Danny Fenton | 58k

Locked away in a secret government lab with Phantom as her sole object of study, nothing stands between Maddie and the truth... except, perhaps, herself. Heather Says: Oh look, another fandom that I have never ever been a part of. I saw this REALLY NEAT and angsty tiktok (tw for ghosty gore) and basically immediately was sucked into a show that I've never even watched before. The comments lead me to this fic which is perfectly gen, angsty, and honestly absolutely perfect. I cannot get over how much I loved this.

17. Manacled by senlinyu | Harry Potter | Draco/Hermione | 370k

Harry Potter is dead. In the aftermath of the war, in order to strengthen the might of the magical world, Voldemort enacts a repopulation effort. Heather Says: I did the thing. I read the incredibly dark fic that I've been avoiding since 2018. I typically steer-clear of anything that is overly bleak and I do not tiptoe into non-con waters often. But one of our groomsmen who isn't even involved with fandom read this so that his girlfriend would watch Star Wars with him and then spent a good portion of a Halloween party talking it up. So I gave it a shot. Over all, it is too bleak for me. That said, I finished it in a weekend. I loved it. I hated it. I wish I'd broken it up over a longer period of time because the emotional bleed off of it was intense.

18. Ready for Love by @idiopathicsmile | Singin in the Rain | Cosmo/Kathy/Don | 12k

Don and Kathy would move in together. They would have a dog or two and then inevitably, a small parade of adorable little brats who would call him Uncle Cosmo, and they would spend less and less time with him, not on purpose but busy with the rest of their lives, and ultimately Cosmo would learn to make his peace with it because he’d have no other choice and he would have to try to move on and not live too much in his memories. He could picture it so clearly, he figured if the songwriting gig with Monumental didn’t pan out, he could always return to the backwater circuit with a new act: The Amazing Cosmo of the Cosmos—ladies and gentlemen, he sees the future, he reads the stars, he silently pines for his best married pal and all the while tap dancing! Don and Kathy inviting him along on their honeymoon, though—that part was a surprise. Heather Says: I LOVE this movie. It is one of my biggest comfort movies. I watch it to feel happy. I watch it when I'm sad. And I have always shipped these three but NEVER read fic for it. And honestly? I'm glad I waited for a good fic to find me because this one was perfect.

19. A Series of Forgettable Events by @trensu | Stranger Things | Steve/Eddie | 27k

Steve wanted to be a dad more than anything. Unfortunately, he was a single dude in his thirties which meant no adoption agency in the world was willing to give him a chance. Or at least no human adoption agency. Heather Says: Honestly just a delightful little jaunt in a world where Steve wants to be a dad, Eddie is a very overprotective siren, and the kids are, well. Little horrors. I love it. There's a sequel now which I am very patiently waiting to read it until I am less busy in RL.

20. the dry sand of daylight by @andthepeople | Inception | Arthur/Eames | 15k

Arthur is married to Eames for the better part of a decade. Then he wakes up. Heather Says: This fic left me ACHING for the Inception fandom circa 2010-2012. When livejournal was still a thing and the fandom community was alive and thriving. It is so achingly tender and perfect. I had forgotten how much I loved them.

21. brutalist masterpieces by @greatunironic | Stranger Things | Steve/Eddie | 12k

Ten years on, in a town in Nova Scotia, on the edge of the Atlantic, Eddie finds Steve again, and also maybe himself. Heather Says: Maybe that's my thing this year. Achingly sweet tender pieces that leave you reeling in the aftermath. This fic is SO incredibly beautiful.

22. What Made Milwaukee Famous by synthetica | Danny Phantom | Vlad/Danny | 30k

Ten years after establishing a tenuous truce, Danny crash-lands at Vlad's Milwaukee lakehouse with a particularly nasty wound, three days recovery time, and absolutely nothing to do but talk to his long-lost archnemesis. Heather Says: I'm told that this is something of a rarepair. However, from the limited information that I have from the series I can say with full certainty that two ghostly beings locked for years as enemies growing up and meeting in the middle? Fully my thing.

23. then now and always by @raisesomehale | Teen Wolf | Derek/Stiles | 13k

Stiles is stuck. Stiles is stuck in the fucking snow in the middle of bum-fuck-nowhere at night with a broken down car three days before Christmas, and the nearest tow truck company—over fifty miles away—doesn’t open until morning. Heather Says: And here we have the promised third Teen Wolf fic, the most cathartic of the bunch. I am so so sweet on future fic particularly in this fandom with missed chances. And this one is just so syrupy sweet. It's winter! There's horses! Derek's an alpha! They smooch. Anyway, this is how I cope with a series finale that didn't happen and a movie that doesn't exist.

24. Terminus by @rcmclachlan | Loki | Loki/Mobius | 4k

"Keep me here," he begs against Mobius's lips. "You must keep me here." Heather Says: What do you mean you didn't spend all three replays of the Loki series finale weeping into a pillow? What do you mean you didn't spend the next few days trying to find the perfect coda? What do you mean that you didn't find this fic and positively expire from the sheer fucking tenderness in Mobius' voice? What do you mean? What. do you. mean? Anyway, I know I'm not supposed to have number one favorites. This list exists because I cannot condense it further than 25. But guys, this was my favorite fic this year.

25. Eye Of The Beholder by @entanglednow | Stranger Things | Steve/Eddie | 22k

Eddie works himself up to ask Steve if he can borrow his instant camera, because the type of pictures he wants to take are…not the kind he can get developed in town. Heather Says: And to round it out, another Steddie. This one with sexy photos. The tension is killer.

[nepdapurrbeast]

gonna draw stuff tomorros maybe but i just had to hot down my ideas rq for an a hat in time ducktales (2017) collab bc i saw a drawing of webby talking to snatcher and it inspired me

scrooge in mafia town - hes there for some lost treasure belonging to the original inhabitants of the now named mafia town, and while looking for it he has to team up with some locals (mustache girl) to take down the mafia and find the treasure

dewey in dead bird studio - he got sucked into the glitz and glam of starring in a movie, and hes suprisingly chill about all the death defying stunts that are typically required for dj grooves and conductors movies! double win!

webby in subcon (obv) - she would be lured there by all of the supernatural history of subcon and she would definitely have alot of fun discovering the secrets of who the snatcher actually is and all the history and stuff like that. plus this is where snatcher is and its kinda a subway to that webby snatcher drawing that started this

huey in alpine skyline - he was going to try his hand at the badge he was tryna get in the mount neverrest episode (i cant remember the name rn im really sleepy) by mapping out the mountains of alpine skyline! while there he accidentally starts spreading the evil seeds (i dont know what to call them 😭) and it leads to him having to fix that (like hat kid did) and hes so caught up in it that he loses his chance at getting his badge

donald in the s.s literally cant sink - he tried to have another stress-free vacation on a boat, and once again, its ruined by some unforseen disaster. either this or he got a job there along with the seals i couldnt decide which fit better

louie in nyazuka metro - hes pretending to work with empress to eventually scam her of all her and the nyazukas money. classic louie tm louie inc

[wanderlust-in-my-soul]

5 Songs Tag - QL Shows Edition

tagged by @pose4photoml @morkofday and @leonpob. Thank you so much for the tag! 🧡 I love tag games and music, so this is perfect 😊

When you get this, list 5 songs from the Asian QL media that you actually listen to.

🎶They do not have to be custom-made for the series. 🎶Non-western tracks only. Let's support Asian music and languages! 🎶Feel free to tag anyone who may be interested in participating. 🎶Add #5qls tag to your post for others to find the new favourites!

This is really hard for me! There are so many beautiful OSTs and all are different and special to me 😭 So I am going to go with five favorites from different countries.

I. Korea: Rainbow by Coldin | OST from Love Tractor

I love the series and this song just gives me such a good feeling. The music just fits the series so beautifully. It is light and on the other hand a little bit melancholic. It is about a new love and allowing to be loved and love again and to walk this life together. I love it so much! And yes, he is sang Romatic Devil from the Semantic Error OST 😊 Just another great song!

II. Phillipines: Ride Home by Ben&Ben | OST from Like in the Movies

I know, this song is in englisch, but by a Filipino Band. This song and the scene when it played in the series...just AAAHHHHHH!!!!! I love it so so much! It is so perfect! And when you want to hear more of this great folk-pop band, I can really recommend Leaves or Araw-Araw. They have some really good songs. And if you haven't watched Like in the movies (Gaya Sa Pelikula), you really missed something. Such a good show!

III. China: Wu Ji by Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo | OST from The Untamed

Bold of anyone to think I wouldn't list this song! I mean, it is from the OST of my favorite series ever, sung by the main actors and I just love it SO much! But, to be fair, I would have taken something from Stay With Me, but the OST isn't out yet and I haven't found the song I love so much on Spotify. But this song right here it transports so many emotions for me. Such an epic song! I remember I heard the song before I have watched the series and was just blown away. After that I started the series and yeah, the rest is history. I fell in love with them and the whole story. I have the novels, but not the time to read them yet. I guess I find some time during my upcoming vacation.

IV. Thailand: REDO (ย้อนเวลา) by Krist Perawat | OST from Be My Favorite

The series has taken over my heart and so had this song. And I like his voice, singing or talking. And this song just speaks to my heart. It has a light tone, but the meaning is quite deep, just as the series itself. And I am in love. I guess there are just a few people out there, who don't want to change something in the past, undo some mistakes, make a different choice. Of course it is not possible, but it can be a reminder to just live the best life you can, so you won't regret your choices in the future. Oh man, I am so in love with this series!

V. Japan: 遠い国 by 上野大樹 | OST from Our Dining Table

You know the feeling when you watch something and there is this song and you can't think about anything else until you found the song and you can finally breathe again and just listen to this wonderful music? Yeah, that happend to me with this song. I don't know why, but I really want to cry when I listen to it, because it is so beautiful.

Because my five are full, I give an honorable mention to Twins by Julia Peng. It is from the OST of the taiwanese mini-series Innocent.

Oh, there are so many more good songs from these shows which I love so much and couldn't fit in here 😭

I really don't know who already participated in this, I know it is quite popular right now, but I just tag some people 😊 As always no obligations, just a little Hi, I thought about you 🧡

@rocketturtle4 @gunsatthaphan @maxescheibechlinichacheli @jyuubin @negrowhat @pharawee @forcebook @lurkingshan

[abalidoth]

🌻

Oh shit I totally missed this one, I'm sorry! I was doing Weird Tessa Stories for these, right? Alright, a long one to make up for the delay -- the worst photo experience of my life.

So the year is 2017, I'm finishing up my Ph.D. in Laramie, WY. I'm massively stressed and dissociating all the time from both the stresses of academia and four years in the closet. This was distinctly in my "nail polish and skirt goes on Friday afternoon and comes off Sunday evening" era. I'm also looking for jobs to get OUT of Laramie.

My parents see my LinkedIn picture, which at that point was a selfie, and as a birthday present they offer to buy me a professional photography session to get a nice looking picture for my website/linkedin/etc. Okay, this seems fine. They find a photographer, I go meet with her.

I immediately get Weird Vibes from her. Her office is in this loft thing downtown with tons of example pictures, it looks like she specializes in senior photos and wedding photoshoots but in a way that feels very pandering to that crowd? Also she's talking about her second vacation home in Colorado so I'm like, lady you're already wealthy why the fuck are you doing this

She's incredibly solicitous, all praise and flattery and fluff. Her emails are downright florid, and she's the same way in person. She's the walking incarnation of a Hobby Lobby wooden Bible verse sign.

But the most salient part of the consultation for this story is that she insists on COMING TO YOUR HOUSE to critique your wardrobe.

She comes over and paws through my selection of Guy Clothes (which despite making up most of my wardrobe, I don't care that much about at this point) while constantly making comments to Emma about "Oh, haha, he's such a guy, you know how men are!"

(Emma, for her part, is doing a valiant job of defending me against this dysphoria without actually outing me, because she's the best.)

So, a suit that fits her specifications is selected and the day of photographs comes around. At this point, if I was paying for this myself, I would have bailed long ago; but it was a gift from my parents and I'm debilitatingly conflict averse, so out I went.

Immediately she takes me to a back alley in Laramie. I ask her why, she says she wants to get some casual shots of me first. I tell her I'm just here for business shots, she tells me to loosen up, it'll be fun!

Did I mention I'm conflict averse?

So I'm standing there in an alley, holding my suit jacket over my shoulder in the most awkward possible way, staring at a piece of graffiti that says "JESUS SUCKED YOUR DAD'S COCK", when I start to realize that maybe this has all gone a little off the rails.

Eventually we do get some good professional shots by the river.

A couple weeks later she calls me in for a consultation. I bring Emma along for moral support, because the weird vibes at this point are getting pretty overwhelming. The photographer sets up a projector and shows off these hugely blown-up portraits of me on the wall, saying "Oh, getting a print of this size is only $930, I have one above my couch!"

(Also, she's showing off the alley pictures. I do not want the alley pictures. I think maybe Modern Tessa could pull it off in like a crop top or something, but Awkward 2017 Closet Tessa in a suit could not. We tell her we do not want the alley pictures. She shows us more alley pictures.)

Each time, she's trying to talk us down and down to smaller and smaller sizes of print. My dysphoric ass at the time doesn't want ANY picture of myself hanging on the wall; also, that's just not the tenor of our decor at all. We keep politely saying no.

Also keep in mind that MY PARENTS HAVE ALREADY PAID HER FOR THE PHOTOGRAPHS.

Eventually we're just blunt with her: my parents already paid, can you just give us the digital files? We hired you for a LinkedIn photo, you have taken the photos, we don't want prints.

She says "I don't give out digital files."

Not once during this whole process has she mentioned this; not once in all the times that either my parents or myself have told her that this is for job hunting. We say this, and additionally say "When we hired our wedding photographer, she gave us a thumbdrive with ALL the pictures she took, AND the retouches, as part of the package."

This woman has the fucking gall to say "Well, I'm sure some people do that, but not serious portrait photographers."

We manage to get out of there without buying a fucking poster-size print of Jesus Cock Alley Tessa. I call my parents and tell them the situation. My parents, eminently practical people, say they'll deal with it.

Two days later I get an email from her, forwarded from my dad. It has the subject "linked in photo attached", no text, and a single medium-resolution picture from the river photoshoot, and I never hear from her again.

[literallyneurodivergentandaminor]

ITS BEEN EIGHT WHOLE ASS YEARS FOLKS

do you feel old yet?

funnies and me being emotional under the cut!

i know its not much but in these pics is everything splatoon i accumulated over these 8 years. i remember the e3 trailer in 2014 so vividly. my first time startig the game up in 2015. the final splatfest. the SECOND final splatfest. my first round of salmon run. my firsr splatoon amiibo. my first splatoon drawings! i remember wathcing playthoughs of the story mode whenever i was on vacation and couldnt play myself. i remember puttinf the game on in the background and just listening to the music while doing other thing.

i recently found my old drawings. splatoon art that i was especially proud of at the time. ive come a long way with my art too in these 8 years. heres a closeup of the drawings

on the very left: the squit from 2015. on the back is a drawing of undyne haha. then next to it an inkling girl and an inkling boy from the splatoon 2 era. definitely around the end time of that because i have other drawings from before that (theyre just from before i had found my style) and then on the right: my self made amiibo cards and just som random octoling. from this year. you can see the progression i think.

another thing is the cosplay itself. in 2017 i saw a splatoon cosplayer in a parking lot at my very first convention. since then i planned a splatoon cosplay. i wanted to do agent 3. or just a random inkling if i couldnt do the uniform. that was probably what even got me into cosplay in the first place. and i started planning. and years later i finally did it. i have a complete captain 3 cosplay now. of course updated to fit the same character just years later. i think theres something funny about that, no?

splatoon led me to make friendships unlike any other, either directly through it or indirectly by making me wanna start cosplay and get better at drawing.

i never thought id live this long. but i did. and im glad i did. HAPPY 8 YEARS OF SPLATOON TO ALL OF YOU FISH AND INKFISH!

also heres the promised funnies:

[aiobhlin]

A short little one-shot that developed out of a much longer work that I've almost finished for these two. It didn't fit in the big story, so I made it its own, smaller story. I hope you enjoy it!

Many thanks to the lovely @garglyswoof for the beta!

[cappuccinopoweredsprite]

dear mutual, i will never refuse the offer to go ballistic with an ask game:

5, 6, 8, 20, 25 and 26 for the song one?

(me after answering 16 different three song questions ;) worry not, i'm enjoying this)

5. three songs you wish you could forget (because listening to them hurts)

Can't Catch Me Now by Olivia Rodrigo

Imagine my ass chilling listening to my discover weekly when I get hit with this scarring ballad about how one can kill a person but not an idea..... (at least that's what i hear in it) It is a great song, I'm just often not strong enough emotionally to listen to it, you know?

Trampoline by Kero Kero Bonito

On the opposite side of the spectrum, Trampoline is so positive it makes me feel diabetic. I don't know if it's PTSD from The Computer Sceince Teacher Who Need Not Be Named or what, but I very rarely feel it. Again, good song!

Birds by Imagine Dragons but specifically the music video

i cried when i first saw it. yes it was mostly thanks to the music video and not imagine dragons. but i still cried. i watched it again before writing this and the feels didn't hit me as strongly, but i still think it fits here.

6. three songs you wish you could erase from history (because they’re terrible)

this question made me realize there are benefits to a spotty memory. if i don't keep something on my mind, i will forget about it; therefore, i can (and do) only remind myself of the good music. but worry not, i scoured the deepest depths of my memory, my old excel sheets and my google notes to bring you 3 songs i really do not like:

Bad Habits by Ed Sheeran

Vitajte by In Time

Believe by Eminem

The first two are representatives of the "mid ass song getting shoved down everyone's throats by way of radio", while the last one I'm choosing as a champion of all the wack rap I've ever listened to.

8. three songs that remind you most of summer and vacation

Barbie Girl by Aqua

Dark Horse by Katty Perry feat. Juicy J

Žijeme len raz by Ego & Robert Burian

Like the last question, this is a 2+1 deal. First, a little story time: my family once went on a vacation to Bulgaria. The resort we stayed at was playing music in and around its pool/courtyard area. Thing is, they played like 7 songs on repeat. Barbie Girl and Dark Horse were two of those, I regrettably can't remember the rest.

That is why , as a self-respecting Slovak who was alive in 2012, I chose THE Slovak summer anthem for the third spot.

20. three songs that remind you of the person who sends this one

Inkpot Gods by The Amazing Devil, because i found out about your discord nickname independently and randomly that one time

Zenith by Ghost, because of your bio

Watcher In The Sky by Ghost, because of SEARRRCHLIGHTS, LOOKING FOR THE CATCHER IN THE RYE

25. three favourite songs of 2017

High Enough by K. Flay, because I've done Black Wave in the previous ask

Unlock It (Lock It) by Charli XCX feat. Kim Petras and Jay Park

1990 (Interlude) by G Yamazawa

26. three favourite non-English songs

well i have answered this question bef- you already know i'm gonna fire off 3 more:

Rusalochki by Go_A (Ukrainian), I am BACK on my Go_A propaganda, their latest singles have never missed once

Tempo Tempo by Haďaci (Slovak), a band with 192 monthly listeners to their name, I found them through a youtube channel you might find interesting

Судно (Борис Рыжий) [Sudno (Borys Rizhyiy)] by Molchat Doma (Belarusian), your experience might vary depending on what kind of short-form content you have seen in the past

Thank you so very much for the ask! ✨

[travelwtm]

What is Wellness and Mindfulness Tourism?

Wellness and Mindfulness Travel: The Ultimate Guide to Health and Wellness Tourism

In today's fast-paced world, more and more people are seeking ways to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and focus on their health and well-being. This has led to a rise in wellness and mindfulness travel, where individuals can take a break from their daily routines and focus on improving their physical, mental, and emotional health. In this ultimate guide to health and wellness tourism, we will explore the different types of wellness trips, the benefits of wellness tourism, and the booming industry of health and wellness travel.

What is Wellness Tourism?

Wellness tourism is a type of travel that focuses on promoting health and well-being. This can include activities such as yoga retreats, spa vacations, meditation retreats, and wellness-focused workshops. The goal of wellness tourism is to provide individuals with an opportunity to relax, rejuvenate, and improve their overall health.

Types of Wellness Trips

There are several different types of wellness trips that cater to a variety of interests and needs. Some popular types of wellness trips include:

1. Yoga Retreats: These retreats offer a combination of yoga classes, meditation sessions, and healthy meals to help individuals relax and improve their physical and mental well-being.

2. Spa Vacations: Spa vacations focus on providing individuals with a range of spa treatments, such as massages, facials, and body wraps, to help them de-stress and rejuvenate.

3. Meditation Retreats: These retreats offer guided meditation sessions and workshops to help individuals cultivate mindfulness and reduce stress.

4. Wellness Workshops: Wellness workshops focus on providing individuals with education and tools to improve their overall health, such as nutrition workshops, stress management seminars, and mindfulness training.

The Benefits of Wellness Tourism

Wellness tourism offers a wide range of benefits for individuals looking to improve their health and well-being. Some of the key benefits of wellness travel include:

1. Stress Reduction: Wellness trips provide individuals with an opportunity to escape the stresses of daily life and focus on relaxation and self-care.

2. Improved Physical Health: Many wellness trips offer activities such as yoga, hiking, and fitness classes to help individuals improve their physical health and fitness levels.

3. Mental Clarity: Through activities such as meditation and mindfulness training, wellness travel can help individuals cultivate mental clarity and improve their emotional well-being.

4. Connection with Nature: Many wellness trips take place in natural settings, such as mountains, beaches, or forests, allowing individuals to connect with nature and experience the healing benefits of the outdoors.

The Booming Industry of Health and Wellness Tourism

The health and wellness tourism industry has experienced significant growth in recent years, as more and more individuals prioritize their health and well-being. According to the Global Wellness Institute, the wellness tourism industry was valued at $639 billion in 2017, with a projected annual growth rate of 7.5%. This growth can be attributed to the increasing demand for wellness travel experiences, as well as the growing awareness of the importance of health and well-being.

Health tourism, also known as medical tourism, is a related industry that focuses on providing individuals with access to medical treatments and procedures in a travel setting. This can include services such as dental care, cosmetic surgery, and alternative medical treatments. Health tourism offers individuals the opportunity to receive high-quality medical care at a lower cost, while also enjoying the benefits of travel and relaxation.

In conclusion, wellness and mindfulness travel offers individuals the opportunity to focus on their health and well-being in a relaxing and rejuvenating setting. With a variety of wellness trips available, individuals can choose the experience that best suits their needs and interests. The booming industry of health and wellness tourism reflects the growing demand for wellness travel experiences, as individuals prioritize their health and well-being now more than ever. Whether it's a yoga retreat in the mountains or a spa vacation by the beach, wellness tourism provides individuals with the opportunity to escape, relax, and improve their overall health.

Facts about Wellness and Mindfulness Tourism:

Definition:

Wellness tourism involves activities and experiences that promote health and well-being, encompassing physical, mental, and spiritual aspects.

Mindfulness tourism focuses on fostering mindfulness and inner peace through activities like meditation, yoga, and holistic wellness practices.

Growing Industry:

The wellness tourism industry has seen significant growth in recent years, with travelers seeking rejuvenation and relaxation.

Mindfulness tourism is gaining popularity as individuals prioritize mental health and seek stress relief in their travel experiences.

Diverse Offerings:

Wellness tourism includes spa retreats, fitness vacations, nutrition-focused getaways, and other holistic experiences.

Mindfulness tourism often features meditation retreats, yoga workshops, and destinations that emphasize a peaceful and reflective environment.

Global Trends:

Many destinations worldwide are adapting to the rising demand for wellness and mindfulness tourism, offering specialized programs and services.

The integration of wellness and mindfulness into traditional travel experiences is becoming a prevalent trend.

Impact on Local Communities:

Wellness and mindfulness tourism can positively impact local economies by promoting sustainable practices and supporting community well-being initiatives.

Engaging with local cultures and traditions is a common element in these forms of tourism. Questions to Explore in a Blog or Article:

What Defines Wellness and Mindfulness Tourism?

Explore the core principles that differentiate wellness and mindfulness tourism from conventional travel experiences.

[battleangel]

Your Life Is The Truman Show

This place, our "current reality", the Upside Down which is definitely a Stranger Thing, isnt a fit for me.

Its not like it was before.

I noticed it as soon as I started high school, my first day as a freshman at Bishop Ahr in September 1995.

Everything felt so motherfucking fake, forced and contrived.

The stupid mandatory pep rallies I was forced to attend in the gymnasium and having to pretend that I gave a shit that we were playing our rivals, Colonia.

I didnt.

Being forced fo sit in the cafeteria every day for an hour when I would finish my Lunchables, Sour Gushers & Hi-C in ten minutes.

Attempts to hide in the bathroom stall and the school library were met with threats of detention and an insistence that I stay in the cafeteria every day for my full lunch hour per my schedule.

Extracurricular activities were n e v a h a social fit at all, neither in junior high or high school.

I wasnt talking and I was socially isolated due to my social anxiety but I could never shake that forced and contrived feeling I already mentioned.

Everything was artifice.

Marching band playing the fluit in junior high, wind ensemble playing the flute in 4th through 8th grade. I'm front row, second from the right.

Softball for a decade for St .Peters (3rd through 8th grade) & Franklin Township Little League (2nd grade through 10th grade). Im in the middle holding the bat.

Girl scouts - junior high, French club & Students Against Drunk Driving - high school.

Spring & winter track - varsity lettered sophomore year - high school.

Youth choir - church - 11 to 13 years old, Counselor in training - Inman Park - Summer 7th grade, Theater program - Villagers Theater - Summer 7th grade, Candy striper - St. Peters Hospital - freshman & sophmore years - high school, Intervarsity For Christ - freshman year - UDel, Talent Competition - junior year - high school; Talent Show - 8th grade; Vacation bible school - church - 11 to 13 yeara old.

Additional clues this place has nevah been a fit:

•During my 15 year career in corporate which spanned from 2007 to 2022, I worked twenty mostly jobs which were mostly contract assignments with only a few permanent jobs with all of my tenures being a year or less with the absolute max tenure for any one job being two years, additionally I worked over a dozen temporary jobs during that same 15 year tenure in corporate, that ranged from a few days to a few weeks to a month or possibly two at most.

•I left four jobs in six years with no job lined up (Bank of America - 2015; International SOS - 2017; Dow Jones - 2019; Amazon - 2021).

•I left Amazon (6 month contract, $55/hr) after seven days.

•College (University of Delaware) was a thousand times worse than high school and even less of a fit because now I was living in a dorm on campus surrounded by people pledging sororities, partying, driking, doing LSD and hooking up left and right and I was interested in exactly none of that.

•Corporate exposed an extremely clear pattern that had emerged where seemingly nothing was a fit for me in terms of established accepted societal structures (sports teams, marching bands, girl scouts, church choir, summer camp, high school, 4 year college, corporate America).

•Ego death and self awakening in 2023 that included my third eye opening, kundalini awakening, ego death, self ascension, self actualization, aligning & activating all seven chakras.

•Receiving regular esoteric downloads from the Akashic Library and posting them to my tumblr and TikTok.

•Daily trips to the dreamscape at night when Im "dreaming" where I put the current days version of myself to sleep in the dreamscape and download "the next days" version of myself then I "wake up", temporarily leaving the dreamscape and traveling back to our current reality, the Upside Down, when in reality when I am asleep and dreaming I am awake in the dreamscape and when I "wake up" from my "dream" I am actually asleep in the false reality of our virtual reality simulation of what we call "life", where Im typing this, the Upside Down.

•Esoteric realization after opening my thirf eye that our "reality" is nothing but a simulated virtual reality videogame version of the dreamscape, which is actual reality.

Where we are now, where Im typing this and youre reading this, is nothing but a dream.

Limited 3 dimensional bullshit.

Car notes, mortgages, doctors appointments, electricity bills, fear of death, ridiculously extending life with insane interventions which make no logical sense as we can only delay and not stop death so it is better to self awaken accept death and realize that it is a beautiful transformation and it is nothing to fear or avoid or fight or struggle against as it is your final metamorphosis back to the beautiful ascended limitless energetic eternal butterfly you are as death is nothing but shedding the temporary cocoon of your physical manifesration of a human evolving beyond your current 3D caterpillar self back to the butterfly you are and were before your extremely temporary manifestation as a physical human being, loans, debt, credit cards, 9 to 5s, jobs, emails, Slack, Outlook, team meetings, agendas, mandated schedules, time, alarm clocks, schools, politics, duopoly, elections, propaganda, diets, gyms, fads, trends, crash diets, master cleanses, 24 hour news cycles, cultural zeitgeists, streaming services, Black Friday sales, Prime 1 Day sales, 1 hour deliveries, stock market, derivatives, stock options, investment portfolios, RSUs, promotions, mid-year reviews, performance reviews, year end reviews, cross-lateral moves, layoffs, redundancies, reductions in force, firings, hirings, sign-on bonuses, ESOPs, EBITDA, CEOs, ExCo, board members, shareholders, slave wage, labor, contracts, exploitation, gaslighting, manipulation, lies, sabotage, character assassination, false narratives, agendas, misinformation campaigns, ruthlessness, mercilessness, torture, phosphorous, chemical warfare, misogynoir, war crimes, maas graves, rape rooms, death squads, false imprisonment, guilty till proven innocent, driving while black, unknown & undetermined cause of death, unlicensed medical examiners office, its just another dead black guy, the case is suspended until further notice because were not investigating it, black people dont own homes they rent, all black baggy jeans black shirt black shoes black skin black car dead nigger, theyre all the same, theres a ton like him in newark, dump him in the hallway and ill try to do the autopsy in a month, false memories, false narratives, false cause of death, patriarchal dick, fake ass head of the family sociopath, convicted felon, state prison in georgia, first degree forgery, paper brother alpha phi alpha legacy brother only got in because his brothers actually got hazed, 3M offer letter in the file cabinet in the basement, parole officers, daughter printed out and kept in files, possessive jealous controlling hebephile obsession fixation predilection predation...

Aphid attraction.

•Dreamscape is unlimited 10 dimensional, walk through walls, walk on water, fall through the sky endlessly without dying, kaleidoscopic explosion of light color supernovas lucid lush lurid visceral acid dreams. The dreamscape is limitless because its your mind and imagination. We all intrinsically know that noone and nothing can limit our imagination and we can literally think of and dream of and imagine anything. Thats all the dreamscape is.

Where we currently reside and what we currently inhabit is a fake bastardization Upside Down version of the Dreamscape with false limits, rules, ordinances, laws, mandates, requirements, obligations, taboos, shibboleths, electrified third rails, shoulds, have tos, cants, shouldnts, donts, not allowed, need permission, need authorization, need a permit, need notarization, need a seal of approval, need a stamp of approval, need a license, need to be certified, need a degree, need letters after your name, need the clout, need the zeros in your bank account, need the wealth, need the prestige, need the status, need the company brand name, need the job title, need the red heeled shoes, need the louboutins, need the louis vuittons, need the SRTs, need the birkin bag, need the fendi, need the knockoffs, need the couture, need the flex, need the luxury, need the validation, need the approval, need the attention, need the distraction, need the gloss, need the shine, need the airbrushing, need the photoshop, need the CCs, need the BBL, need the lip filler, need the cheek implants, need the nose job, need the augmentation, need the lipo, need to inject your stomach fat into your butt cheeks, need the laser sculpting, need the brow lift, need the face lift, need the botox, need the fillers, need skims, need spanx, need a tinier waist, need abs, need muscles, need butt gains, need a thigh gap, need a 20 to 22 inch waist, need to look like the girls in the kpop industry, need hip dips, need v lines, need curves, need to be thicc, need to be thin, need to be skinny, need bigger boobs and a bigger ass...

I constantly see the Truman Show all around me.

I see Bryan Cranston stepping on set like Asteroid City at a family members streamed funeral to narrate the scene.

I see the boom mic and lightbox crash onto the set of my cousin giving birth to her first child.

I hear the director yelling "Cut!" because one of the Marine officers wasnt standing on the black X and didnt hit his mark at a family members burial.

I hear the director asking for a 25th take when a family member falls and injures herself after a work event.

I see the Black Friday Walmart ad that has a dozen items in squares and when the squares are flipped over two sets of prices are revealed: "Was $XYZ" & "Now $XYZ", however, many of the before and after prices are the exact same and many of the "now" prices are actually MORE expensive than the "was" prices.

During Amazons Black Friday Football game, I see a Dolphins defensive player lower his helmet to deliver a hit then crumple and collapse to the turf.

After the game, the same Dolphins player is interviewed for his remarkable 99 yard pick 6 earlier in the game.

Laughably, the Dolphins list the player's injury after the game as a "knee injury".

I pulled up the player, Jevon Holland's (#8) injury history, and he had a very hard collision with a fellow Dolphins defensive player last month during a game on 10/23/23.

Holland laid motionless on the turf for several minutes after the collision. He was then taken to the lockerroom and the Dolphins reported he "cleared concussion protocol" and he was put back in the game.

The very next morning, on Monday (10/24/23), when Holland reported to the Dolphins team facility, he reported concussion symptoms.

Holland was placed into concussion protocol and he was then cleared to play exactly a week later on 11/1/23.

3 weeks later, as I already mentioned, during Amazons Black Friday Football game, Holland lowered his helmet to deliver a hit, collapsed to the turf, was never checked on the sidelines or in the medical tent for a concussion and the Dolphins later reported his injury after the game as a "knee injury".

On the broadcast, Al Michaels said after Holland collpased to the turf that the NFL was trying to remove this play from the game because players lowering their head to deliver a hit is unsafe especially to the player delivering the hit.

After Holland collapsed to the turf, Amazons Black Friday Football broadcast stepped away for an injury timeout and, after commercials, once the broadcast resumed there was a graphic shown onscreen of the current AFC playoff picture.

The viewer could see that Holland was no longer on the turf so he had clearly left the field during commercials, however, Al Michaels and Kirk Hebstreit, Amazons play by play and announcement team, never updated the fans on Holland.

As I stated earlier, after the game ended, Holland was interviewed by the sideline reporter about his incredible 99 yard pick 6 and the Dolphins win.

Holland was in very high spirits.

What concussion?

Did Jevon Holland, as he did last month, report concussion-like symptoms to the Dolphins trainer today when be reported in to the team's facility after sustaining yet another collision in-game that he wasnt properly tested and diagnosed for by the teams unaffiliated neurological consultant (UNC)?

Does anyone even care?

Did anyone even notice?

After Al Michaels mentioned that the NFL legislated helmet to helmet hits out of the game to protect both the defensive and offensive players when Holland lowered his helmet to deliver the hit then collapsed to the turf, the injury timeout happened, the broadcast went to commercials then once the broadcast resumed Al Michaels & Kirk Hebstreit never mentioned Hollands injury again.

As the viewer, we saw Holland lower his helmet, deliver the hit, collapse to the turf, injury timeout, commercials, back to the broadcast, Holland had left the field during the commercials but instead of at least an update from Al Michaels saying that the Dolphins hadnt provided an update or at least state that Holland was able to get up under his own power something, we were instead as the viewer shown a graphic of the current AFC playoff standings and Al & Kirk discussed how the Dolphins were currently dominating in their division and conference.

Jevon Holland had scored a 99 yard pick 6 earlier in the game so all discussions about Holland focused on this both after he collpased on the turf in the 4th quarter of the remainder of the game as well as the post-game broadcast.

The broadcast team (Al Michaels & Kirk Hebstreit) as well as the post-game team (Carissa, Fitz, Sherm, Whit and Tony G) only discussed the pick 6 when discussing Holland. Same with the sideline reporter who interviewed Holland after the game.

The broadcast was acting like Holland was never shown, including in a slow motion replay, lowering his helmet to deliver a hit that immediately resulted in him colllapsing to the turf.

Holland also seemed perfectly fine during his post-game interview and he was extremely high-spirited about his 99 yard pick 6 as well as the Dolphins winning.

On the commentary, Al Michaels didnt identify Holland by name, only stating that a Dolphins defensive player was down.

If you didnt notice the number on his jersey (#8), you wouldnt have connected that this was the same Dolphins player who had scored the 99 yard pick 6 earlier in the game.

Since Michaels & Hebstreit never mentioned Holland's collapse to the turf and/or injury again (it had occurred in the 4th quarter) and neither did Amazons post-game show, most viewers wouldnt have known who the player who had collapsed on the turf was and would have never connected that it was the same Dolphins player who scored the 99 yard pick 6 who was interviewed after the game.

Life is a reality TV show.

Theres boom mics, lightboxes, cameras, grips and dollies all around you every single moment of your life.

Theres a black X made out of black masking tape on the ground underneath you every time you stand and speak.

Theres a sign that flashes "Laughter" on stage behind you any time you tell a joke and people laugh.

When you crossed the stage at your college graduation to receive your diploma, there was a sign behind you in red letters that said "APPLAUSE" when the audience clapped.

The people weeping over you at your funeral are actually SAG-AFTRA actors hired as paid mourners.

The Mandela effect is real.

Deaths are faked, there are false news reports, green screens, hired actors, paid shills, fake journalists, sound stages, sets and Cigarette Smoking Mans.

Berenstein Bears, Berenstain Bears.

We are the champions my friend. We keep on fighting till the end.

We are the champions...of the world.

But now the song no longer ends with "of the world".

Mandela died in prison in South Africa in the 80s.

Mandela was freed and walked hand in hand down the streets of South Africa with Winnie Mandela in the early 90s.

Mayor David Dinkins held a celebration for Mandelas release at Yankee Stadium.

Mandela died in prison in the 80s and the story was broadcast all over the world.

There are four lights.

[outlanderfandomfollies]

The closet crew’s leader is parsing words from S’s memoir like a true tinhatter 🤦🏻‍♀️😂

Remember how often the SC tinhat shippers would parse S or C’s words to turn their denials into the opposite of what S or C intended? Even when C finally said “my husband, Tony” they parsed that phrase and decided that because of the comma placement, it actually meant that S was C’s husband, or that S & C were having an affair that T knew about, or some such nonsense.🙄

Well, the closet crew will not be outdone in tinhatting by the SC shippers. Someone just sent me some recent screencaps from meokeob. In true tinhatter fashion, meokeob has been parsing S’s words from a segment of his memoir to fit with her closet conspiracy.🤦🏻‍♀️

Parsing Words

meokeob wrote: 

For those willfully challenged by reading comprehension difficulties... -seen 1) “out on dates” & 2) “with a woman in public” are two intentionally  & obviously separate groups. The “dates are not gender specific.” The “out in public” group is.

Okay, the actual sentence in S’s memoir is:

“When I am seen out on dates or with a woman in public the press are quick to conjure up stories.”

The way most of us read that sentence is that S was saying that rumors have been started when he has been seen on actual dates (presumably with women) and when he has just been seen with female friends (e.g., Cait). Yes, S wasn’t gender specific about the dates, but only someone who is desperately clinging to the LN ship and/or all the other imagined closet pairings would ever have pounced on this. 

One key piece to the context of this comment that points to S meaning that he was referring to women when he talked about “dates” is the word “press.” The mainstream press has only ever spoken about S having dated women. And contrary to meokeob’s claims, a lot of articles have been written in the mainstream “press” that have included discussions of S’s love life. (See below the cut for more detailed information about that.)

On Confirmation about Dating Women

Meokeob also says:

“#wordplay - the same type that has been going on for years. #plausibiledeniability - he has never confirmed any woman to be a “date.” (In the biblical sense...)” [emphasis added]

“Has never confirmed.” Really?🤔

ELSPETH BRODIE: Okay, am I missing something or didn’t S just confirm that he dated Elspeth Brodie in his 10.17.22 92NY interview?

“And Richard Madden came up...I knew him, an ex-girlfriend of mine used to live in his house. Elspeth. Actually, I think there’s a picture of her in the book...”

Furthermore, @gotraveltheworldluv​ posted this screencap from S’s book:

MACKENZIE MAUZY: And what about S’s 10.22.17 interview with Julie Kosin in Harper’s Bazaar? Although it isn’t a quote, unless you are very concrete in your understanding of things, it is clear that S told Kosin that MM was his girlfriend:

“The next time I meet with Heughan, it’s a warm, late-September day a few weeks after his photo shoot...he’s visibly more relaxed now that the Outlander press tour is over, even though he’s stayed just as busy: a five-day vacation in the south of France with his girlfriend, actress MacKenzie Mauzy.” [emphasis added]

The fact that S didn’t demand a correction of the article, but instead thanked Julie Kosin on twitter, tweeted the article, and commented positively about it, was endorsement of the interview and its contents--including the reference to MM as his “girlfriend.” There’s no room for S to have “plausible deniability” about what was written in that interview.

[See more below the cut.]

PRESS RELEASE ACKNOWLEDGMENT: Let’s also not forget all the articles that mentioned S and MM were dating that were based on a Feb. 2017 press release to Just Jared that S’s team had put out. Undoubtedly S had to approve the press release--so that was an indirect statement by S confirming that he and MM were a couple. BTW, S can’t “plausibly deny” that he had approved of the press release--because he never insisted on a retraction.

MACKENZIE & ABBIE AT RED CARPET EVENTS: One way that celebrities  confirm they are in a relationship is by bringing their SO’s to red carpet events. No, these are not verbal statements but they are powerful nonverbal acknowledgments for a celebrity.

For instance, in the photo above left we see S & MM on the black and white carpet at the 2018 Vanity Fair Oscar party. In the photo above right is S with Abbie on the red (or pink) carpet for the Festival de Télévision de Monte-Carlo.

For more information about how S showed us he was involved with both MM and Abbie, see this POST.

About “the Press”

Meokeob also says:

-’the press is quick to conjure up stories??!!’😂🤦‍♀️omg. Are you kidding me? He actually thinks ‘the press’ at large identifies him as someone of sufficient importance & general public interest to merit romantic life reporting?”

Hello meokeob!🙋🏻‍♀️ Why didn’t you do a simple google search before you said something so easily proved wrong?

Contrary to meokeob’s claim, there have been many articles in the mainstream “press” that have been written about S that mention his love life, including SC rumors. So clearly the “press” is interested.  For instance, there are articles about this in big entertainment magazines/websites like US Weekly, Hollywood Life, and Entertainment Weekly, or in the entertainment sections of major magazines/ newspapers like Esquire, Harper’s Bazaar, Marie Claire, New York Magazine , Parade Magazine, or The Sunday Times. 

Before C’s engagement to T, many of the articles in entertainment magazines speculated about S & C being together--which is why I believe that S threw in the line about “or with a woman in public.” However, that comment could also have been referring to Amy Shiels (whose friendship with S has been blown out of proportion), and also the MC photos that were in so many tabloids.

THE MAINSTREAM “PRESS” HAS ONLY LINKED SAM ROMANTICALLY WITH WOMEN: It seems to me that S must have been talking about women when he said “seen out on dates” in the same sentence as “press” because only women have been mentioned by the mainstream “press” as having been “seen out on dates” with S. Most of the articles, like this one in Marie Claire and this one in Parade Magazine mention S’s relationship with MM (although the later article also mentions the rumors about Abbie, Amy, and Cody).

I don’t know of any mainstream “press” articles about S “out on dates” with a man. The only articles about S and a man are either on gay fan websites like DL or very rarely on a gossip rag website--but I certainly wouldn’t call those articles “the press.” For instance meokeob has repeatedly mentioned one gossip rag “biography” web article about S & LN that was so riddled with errors and misinformation, it was easy to debunk.

So given that S mentioned the “press” and “out on dates,” the statement as a whole suggests he must have been referring to women, because those are the only people the mainstream “press” has romantically linked to S.

In addition, sometimes during interviews, even when S didn’t mention the gender of someone he had dated, the only person he could have been referring to was a woman. For instance, he told Esquire:

“I don’t really talk about who I’m dating, but that’s more for me. I’m sure there have been times when I've been open about it but I think it puts too much pressure mostly on your partner or yourself, but also their families as well, as fans can be pretty…intense.” [emphasis added]

The only person S has been mentioned in the “press” as dating, whose family has publicly been drawn into the fandom nonsense was MM. Extreme shippers spread rumors about MM’s father, and all sides of the fandom found out a lot of things about her brother’s wedding. So S could only have been talking about MM in the Esquire interview.

On “Conjuring”

meokeob goes on in the true tinhat tradition:

“And who exactly is “conjuring” here? From the 🚢 to mm to🐰to am to mc to ke (& more) he & his team have been pumping out all the “conjured stories” via name drops, fake pics, lategrams, hired paps, sm games & paid entertainment “news” bites/headlines.

This comment is straight out of the tinhat playbook. 

FANDOM SLEUTHS: The reality is that a lot of the videos and screencaps of S with women were certainly not PR “plants.” They were usually found by incredibly diligent fans with amazing sleuthing skills (that are way beyond my own). Typically random people, who happened to be in the same place as S for some event, posted a video on social media. S and some woman have usually been seen way in the background of these videos. Only the most diligent “sleuths” would ever have the patience to find S in them. @bcacstuff has gone into detail about how some of these videos were found. IMHO these are definitely not PR "plants." 

ON “DROPS” IN FANDOM INBOXES: Many conspiracy theorists believe that information about S’s love life is often “dropped” into certain bloggers’ inboxes by PR teams. From what I can tell (and what I’ve heard) such “dropped” information is usually from some fan who doesn’t want anyone to know they did that much “sleuthing.” So they send the information anonymously to a different blogger who posts it. Then the fan is free to comment on the information without anyone suspecting they were the ones who dug it up.

LATERGRAMS: In my experience, many adults wait to post photos on IG for when they have time to do so. Or they might delay because they want to play with IG filters to improve photo appearance. Given that much of IG involves latergram posting, it doesn’t seem to me to be a big deal that S often posts latergrams.

“FAKE PHOTOS”: As someone who does a lot of satirical political photo manipulation, I’ve looked at all the examples of “fake photos” that both the SC shippers and the closet crew claim are photoshopped. I’ve never seen any evidence that they were, except in one instance, but it wasn’t a photo that involved S or any of the women he dates. 

AN IMPRACTICAL, ABSURD CONSPIRACY: There is a lot of evidence that S really spent time with MM and Abbie and saw them all over the world. Although meokeob makes it sound so “easy” for S and his team to “conjur” all the “smoke and mirrors” for 9 years, it would have been a ridiculously expensive and time-consuming charade that would have involved all of S’s and his SOs’ friends, colleagues, and families (and anyone with a camera phone) to be in on the secret. All for a C-list actor.🤷🏻‍♀️

As far as I can tell, this absurd conspiracy theory is pure tinhatting in the tradition of the One Direction Larries and the LOTR Domlijahs (especially when it involves S being paired with LN, or some other man.)

Nothing that any of us say will make any difference to the closet crew conspiracy folks. The only reason I continue to do these debunks is for the newbie fans who might be dragged into their nonsense.

Because unfortunately, once a fan goes down the rabbit hole of celebrity conspiracy theories, it is hard to come back out.

Posted 10.23.22; last edited 10.24.22

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gif sources: 01*, 02*, 03*, 04;  screencap sources: 01, 02, 03*, 04*

*These gifs/screencaps were modified from their original sources. 

[venturismcdonald]

From your story Romance is not dead, is there a reason with the fact that all their kids' names (or nicknames) start with a "s"? I do have a theory that Skyler is Skyler because Derek wanted her to be a part of the Smerek/Smarti thing. You know, it's the circle of the best. (this is actually from my LWL fic that I'm working on, oopsie, big secret's out). When I saw the names of their children in your story, I couldn't help to wonder if you were thinking something similar. I love their names by the way.

Yes, all of the kids are named/nicknamed with an "S" because Derek worries his children having Casey's genes will make them lame and if they have S names, they can be in the Smarti/Smerek awesomeness!

Skyler's name definitely works for that theory as well! It also fits the "~2014 cool girl daughter of model and rockstar" vibe I think that she's got going on. Derek refuses to have lame children.

Here's their kid's names and stories, just for fun, in the everyone knows nothing universe!

Kate "Scout" James Venturi- born in August of 2017, Scout's name was chosen because Casey really likes literature and Derek thinks Scout sounds cool. But last minute, Casey worries about the implications of naming her child after one of the most loathed protagonists in literature and what that's setting her up for in life, so she changes her first name to Kate, keeping Scout as a nickname. Derek just thinks she's insane, as do the children once they're old enough to learn the reasoning.

Sutton "Spud" Andromeda Venturi- born February 2019, Spud's name was chosen because Derek and Casey got stranded on a vacation in a resort named Sutton, and both like the name. She gets the nickname Spud because, well, she's a little potato spud at first and it just sticks.

Spencer "Spen/Spin" Darcy Venturi- born November 2020, Spin's name was a compromise. Casey always wanted to name a kid after Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice, but Derek is vehemently against this idea, so it's a middle name because he can justify that. Spencer is because Derek watches a ton of soap operas after he retires and he likes the Spencer family on General Hospital. And, of course, Spen and Spin are used interchangeably as nicknames because Spud and Scout aren't thrilled that there's going to be a boy in the house, so he needs a fun nickname. And as a reference to Spinner Mason on Degrassi, because I think it's funny.

Willow "Sawyer" Francesca Venturi- born May 2024, no one's really sure how Sawyer's name came to be. She's one of the twins (or babies, as they're referred to in romance is not dead), so maybe it was some weird mixup or Derek had too much free time, but she was Sawyer. Casey, however, didn't want to be seen as naming a child after Peyton Sawyer or her One Tree Hill character, so her first name was Willow, because it's a pretty tree and close enough to Sawyer they can blame the nickname on the kids. Francesca is after the second car Derek ever had, who tragically passed before they had the twins.

Shawn "Shay" Mackenzie Venturi- born May 2024, Shay's name is the result of a Boy Meets World rewatch. Derek pitched it as a name for one of the twins and it got approved, but the Mackenzie comes from Casey, who once read a book with the name and thought it was beautiful. The girl was questionable (being an axe murderer and all), but the name was nice enough to be given to her daughter.

[thegeminisage]

legend of zelda games organized by season:

disclaimer obviously this is subjective etc etc also this is not a complete list some games either i didn’t play or they don’t have a season in my mind and heart. sorry. games are sorted first by season and then chronologically

SPRING:

skyward sword (2011) - this feels like an obvious choice. a game of new beginnings. yes, i know it had pumpkins. and to be utterly truthful my fondest memories of playing this game are from one autumn where i happened to wake up early every day and play it while it was still cool (windows open) and feel the air gradually heat up around me as the day went on. that said spring weather is very similar, and in its soul this game is about LIFE.

breath of the wild (2017) - while i considered slotting this one into winter because it is the end of all things (and so QUIET), i feel the spirit of exploration and cleansing/revival here fits a springtime rating even more. truthfully it could fit very well into either, but this game came out in the spring and i remember, very vividly, how the game made me feel alive when i was grieving. a spring from me, ultimately, and i’m quite satisfied with that

SUMMER:

link’s awakening (1993, 2019) - this game takes place on an island! of course it’s summery! it also has all the wistful, bittersweet nostalgia of the end of summer - knowing the game’s ending going in is like knowing autumn and (yuck!) winter are on their way. link and marin have a summer romance that, like many summer romances, must eventually be left behind when one person has to go home.

ocarina of time (1998) - i don’t have a great justification for this: ocarina of time is my favorite zelda game and summer is my favorite season. that said, there is also a bittersweetness about its ending which evokes a similar feeling that link’s awakening does, and something of childhood in the spirit of summer. i have many fond memories of sitting on the floor in front of the tv as a kid whiling away the hours with both of the n64 zeldas, unconcerned by bedtime or homework. good enough for me.

oracle of seasons (2001) - so this one is a bit funny because how do you sort a game that is LITERALLY about all 4 seasons...i played with the idea of putting it in autumn, tbh, because of the general palette and because when i think of the turning of seasons autumn is always the first one to come to mind, but din is definitely a summer girl AND theres pirates, so summer it is - if only barely.

wind waker (2003) - again, the primary kneejerk reaction to this is that it’s all on islands, hence! summery. but there’s also the fact that link essentially spends the entire game metaphorically taking a vacation/going on a cruise. the runner-up season for this one is winter, because of the water element and the buried secrets of the old submerged hyrule, but given the general aesthetic i firmly believe summer fits better

AUTUMN:

a link to the past (1992) - it’s hard to rate this one because technically i’ve never made it to the end, but something about the general aura and color palette SCREAMS “autumn” to me. pink link in the red mail? the dark world? the light world is quite springlike, i know, but even there you have the extremely autumnal forest to get lost in.

majora’s mask (2000) - the ULTIMATE halloween game in the series, to which only twilight princess can come in as a close second. this game is goth as fuck. as i said, i have memories of playing both n64 games primarily in the summer, but that association CANNOT overcome the sheer overwhelming october vibes of this game. the death, the undead, the coming doom (winter), the BEN DROWNED urban legends/arg...unparalleled vibes and impossible to place anywhere else

twilight princess (2006) - this game is also goth as fuck. as i said it is the only one in the series that can compete on even ground with mm’s sheer vibes, and it only loses by a slight margin on account of mm is LITERALLY about the apocalypse which you can see happen onscreen repeatedly. twilight and autumn go hand-in-hand, as autumn is the twilight of the year, and the golden hue of everything in the game is a perfect autumnal vibe. the dark and moody story combined with the twilight world sections AND the entire subplot about pumpkin soup (and an entire village farming pumpkins...) place it firmly in the realm of SPOOK, which makes it an autumn game without question.

a link between worlds (2013) - alttp vibes BASS BOOSTED. all that purple and orange/brown/gold, the story about a ruined lorule and the au versions of link and zelda being their “darker” selves, COMBINED WITH the cozy little spaces like the milk bar...actually now that i think about it this game being so closely linked to alttp is probably what subconsciously helped me decide on alttp’s season because the vibes here are so powerful.

WINTER:

oracle of ages (2001) - this one was easy. handheld games are so nice to play when you’re snuggled up in bed, first of all, and also the discovery of something old and buried and dead of COURSE evokes the vibes of winter. i also feel we dont discuss the fact that the original purpose of the tower was to guide ambi’s lover back from sea and he didn't return - because, as we learn in ooa, HE IS DEAD (or undead whatever) which is why it should always come second!!! i always felt her grief was a large part of why veran was able to sway her towards evil and in that context grief feels like such an icy dead emotion that it simply MUST be a winter game.

the minish cap (2005) - so, i’ll be honest, this one could slot equally well into spring or winter. but something about it feels cold! not bitter-cold, but crisp-cold. again, handhelds are wonderful to play snuggled up in bed, and the game always felt very cozy to me...not to mention that dark hyrule castle and its statues always evoked a kind of vibe about it that makes me think of the statues in the everlasting winter of narnia...but of course link’s smallness and connection with the thriving nature of the picori is very springlike, too. in the end, my decision was motivated by not wanting to have only one game in the winter category! very tough one.

IN conclusion, the zelda series is full of largely summer and autumn vibes (and quite a few have winter sub-vibes...) but it DOES take occasional departures from that which are always a delight. also, i welcome differing opinions on the seasons of games that are here or even the games that are not here. thank you for coming to my ted talk

[magdasabs]

My pleasure and kinda "duty" to tell about fun stuff as a long time Sweden fan ;)

Ok so this was before Julia had met Emma and before she'd signed for then Kopparbergs/Göteborg (the team later became part of Häcken when the club took them in). I think she was the only one left who played for a Stockholm based team. Nattis, Ippe, Anna Oscarsson and Tove Almqvist played for other clubs than AIK, Djurgården and Hammarby. Tove definitely did, she played in Linköping with Magda, Pernille, Frido and Stina among her team mates and then she went to Vittsjö. Ippe left Hammarby for Linköping after season 2017 and Julia left for Gothenburg in the summer transfer window 2018 (yes I googled it lol). So it was probably within this time frame their little travel mishap transpired. It also fits with when Instagram started with stories in 2016. This group was in the 2015 U19 Euro squad that won the gold and they were good friends already then. But it can't have been before 2016 because their little incident was shared in insta stories.

The four of them visited Julia in Stockholm (Johanna wasn't there, probably had a league game or something and Tove's best friend Stina wasn't even in Sweden). They'd went with Ippe to buy a new iPhone. Someone shared a story when they were on the subway train and Ippe unpacked her new phone. She made a huge deal of it of course lmao and was over excited. I kid you not, it was like "Omg omg omg!" and shrieks of excitement and joy from her. Tove sat next to Ippe and almost cried from laughter.

A while later Anna shared a story when they were at a platform and waited for the subway train. It was outdoors and I recognised it as the station Globen near the Globe arena (now named Avicii arena). They were laughing so much they bent forward and held their stomaches. All but Nattis who wasn't the least amused. She could be seen in the background standing with her arms crossed and a annoyed look on her face like "I'm so fucking tired of this bullshit".

Anna could barely speak when she asked Tove to come help her tell what had happened. And what had happened was they'd somehow managed to get on the right subway train - heading in the wrong direction. They didn't notice they were heading in the wrong direction for fifteen (15) minutes. They'd passed several stations before anyone reacted. The most hilarious is that everyone but Tove had lived and played in Stockholm for several years and had just very recently left for other clubs. Julia even still lived and played in Stockholm! As someone who doesn't live in Stockholm but has been there much, I can tell you it's fairly easy to find your way around the subway map in comparison to London where I've also visited.

When their subway train, this time in the right direction lmao, arrived Anna said "Idiots on world tour" about them. It became very fitting as this group went on vacations together regularly for a couple of years. Some were in the U23 national team and naturally got to travel to other countries together that way. Once Anna posted a story when she and Tove were at a player hotel. They were in a public area like the hotel lobby or near the dining room. Anna filmed Tove when she made a kick forward. Her flip flop flew through the air and almost hit one of the Dutch U23 players. Whoops. In a added story Anna had frozen the footage and zoomed in on Tove's face when she followed the flight of her flip flop towards the Dutchies. She did a funny caption to it but I don't remember what. Tove's face was priceless anyway as she watched her flip flop in horror. Of course the two of them broke down in fits of laughter afterwards.

Others have been called up to the senior national team for looks in training games or for competitive games and championships. At one camp Ippe was Anna's roomie. They were chilling in their hotel room laying on their beds. Anna checked her phone. An apparently very bored Ippe posted a story when she first had her back towards Anna. The collar of her Sweden training jacket covered half her face so you could only see her eyes. Then she quickly turned around and hit Anna hard on the arm or leg. Anna exclaimed "Ouch! Cut it out Filippa!" and hit Ippe back on her leg but stopped herself halfway so she wouldn't hit her full force. Then she returned to checking her phone and Ippe rolled back so she was turned away from Anna again. Still with the collar covering half her face. Through all of this Ippe didn't utter a sound. Didn't laugh, didn't giggle and didn't say anything. She just got an idea to film when she was being a little shit to Anna and wanted to do something eh creative.

The members of the Idiots on world tour have changed slightly it seems but the core group is the same. I think last time they as a big group of friends went on a December vacation after season was in 2019. Julia had met Emma, Anna hadn't met Matilda, Elena hadn't met Benni, Ippe had met Megan, Nattis was either single or with that male Djurgården ice hockey player, Stina was probably single as she had still to meet her bf whom she met after she'd moved to Gothenburg and she didn't move there until 2020.

And now with this recent boat ride the Idiots are on world tour again. Some of them will get to travel half way around the the world in less than one months time when Sweden fly out to the base camp in Wellington, NZ.

Thank you for taking the time to share all of that! It's really cool that you remember it

[nancydrewwouldnever]

The more I hear about JS, the more I believe those anon drops to queens blog. Why after it was clear that the two of them couldn't even sit together was she not told it would be best for her to go home?

(Okay, this seems to be about the Evans Family Disney World trip in 2017)

I can think of one really great reason: to avoid a scene. Reading things Jenny has said about herself, she is not one to rein herself in when it comes to pivotal emotional moments. In the Vulture article, the "threw down hard" comment. She more than hints at being a screaming fight kind of a person when pissed off in other things she's said. So I can imagine everyone wanting to avoid a situation in which reports of very loud arguing and screaming coming from an A-list celebrity's hotel suite at Disney during a family vacation might leak out to social media.

What's interesting is that when you read Little Weirds, you can basically see the autobiographical timeline of it, and place the stories in it on a rough calendar. So, "Holding the Dog," the story in which she basically wishes Chris (unnamed, of course) would melt off the face of the earth? Basically sort of fits neatly into the Christmas/end of year 2017 time. (She figures herself in that short piece as standing in a hotel lobby.... so, was she standing in a hotel lobby at DW hoping Chris would drop dead? Who knows, but it's interesting.)