#hubby owns Allen

[anointed-ink]

Tobi made some final tweaks/updates to Allen and they made me a little crazy (HE CANT KEEP GETTING AWAY WITH THIS)

Noir thinks him being a little evil is kinda sexy but wont admit it . Anyway . have a random array of art from the last two months or so

[zemkzone]

When Lightning Hits Ice: Ch30 (on AO3)

FULL FIC LINK HERE

Was this what limbo felt like, Barry wondered the next day as he pulled on a pair of latex gloves and lifted two pistols into the cyanoacrylate fuming chamber. He was in the main lab, where the more senior CSIs were too engrossed in their own analyses and paperwork to pay much attention to him, but he swung from giddy and happy to anxious and uncertain as he worked.

He glanced at the pink teddy bear at the edge of Mendez’s desk, adjusting his lab goggles over his nose. It was Valentine’s Day, and even after the embarrassing exchange with his team the day before, he still felt silly that he’d forgotten about it. Iris never talked about the holiday around him (she was probably guilty that she had plans every year while Barry rarely did), but he should have been paying better attention to his team. He vaguely recalled Ronnie and Caitlin discussing date night plans the week before, but his thoughts had been elsewhere at the time.

(Still, the decorations in the downtown store windows should have clued him in. When he’d stumbled into that lingerie store in Starling, he should’ve questioned why there was a display table of men’s underwear in different shades of red.)

His cheeks grew warm. It was ten after six in the evening and he had another twenty minutes on his shift before he was done for the day. And then, well—he bit his bottom lip. He’d snuck away on his break earlier, zipping through over a dozen chocolate stores in the Midwest then to Illinois and Texas specifically for spices. He’d planned to run to California for fresh milk, but he’d only had ten minutes left, so Wisconsin had been his best option. He hadn’t seen Len since they’d parted ways at STAR Labs the day before (“I’ve got some business to take care of tonight if you want me freed up for tomorrow, Scarlet.”), so he was extra jittery that—

“Hey Allen!” Yang, one of the new CSI transfers from the east precinct, called from the doorway, waving a stack of folders. “There’s a guy waiting for you in your lab. A hot guy. He doesn’t happen to be your date, does he?”

“Uhm, kinda? I mean—y-yes!” Barry blushed even harder, fumbling as he pulled off his goggles. He could feel the other CSIs watching him. “Do you need me to—I haven’t done the paperwork for the fingerprinting.”

“Eh, I’ll handle it,” Yang said, grinning gamely as she put down the folders and tightened her ponytail. “I could use the overtime. I have a late dinner with the hubby anyway. Say, your boyfriend looks kinda familiar. Is he from another precinct?”

Barry spluttered as the rest of the CSIs laughed. “Yang, that’s Leonard Snart,” Mendez snorted. “He’s one of those guys who just happens to know a lot of people on the wrong side of the tracks. Last I heard, he’s been ‘consulting’ for the department. Now we know why, eh?”

“I should have guessed, Allen,” Donnelley said, coming over to pat his back. “When the EMTs found him here after the STAR Labs explosion, who would have thought the reason he’d been hanging around was for after-hours nookie?”

READ THE REST OF THE CHAPTER HERE

[isabellehemlock]

32 for the fic asks, please? <3

Hi Sarah 😀 Thanks for the ask 😊

32. What is a line from a poem/novel/fanfic etc that you return to from time and time again? How did you find it? What does it mean to you?

The first line of poetry I think of is Emily Dickenson's I'm nobody:

followed by Edgar Allen Poe's Anabel Lee:

followed by Hughes Mearns' Antigonish:

but thanks to TOG I've also been entrenched in Middle Eastern poetry and I've been heart eyes for the majority of Rumi, Nizar Qabbani, and Mahmoud Darwish.

And why yes, I'm one of those "give me all the sad poetry" goth at heart kind of people lol.

For a novel, I often think of The Great Gatbsy - four of them (fun fact, F Scott Fitzgerald is a Minnesotan like my hubby and we've lived in the same city he had):

From a film (I know it said fanfic but fics I usually recall the feelings more than I recall the words - which is interesting since I'm so focused on them lol) . . . but for a film line, from What's Eating Gilbert Grape (which also personal fact, I have only been able to watch this movie exactly once because of multiple themes that resonate with my own family, but I love it so much that I have tried a few times over, one day lol!)

What do you want for you, just for you?

I want to be a good person.

Let me know if you need IDs for any of the quotes, happy to edit them in sometime tomorrow once I have a bit more time 🥰

[jazmintrinidadianlitblog]

Week 8 Blog

This past week, I made it a point to read the first fifty pages of The Bread the Devil Knead, a novel written by Lisa Allen-Agostini. The quote that was the most important this week was "And what is love?" was the most profound quotation that I came across this week, and it was found on page 10. 

For the purpose of providing an explanation, the name of the major character in this scenario is Aletha Lopes. Nearly forty years of age is what she is. A specialty shop that she owns and maintains is located in the city of Port of Spain, which is the capital of the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. The individual to whom she is married is Leo, who is her spouse. The fact that her hubby was abusing her was not brought to anyone's attention until this particular day. While Tamika was with her, she was going to try on something, and it was at that precise moment that Tamika became aware of the marks that Leo had left on her. In most cases, it was more common to keep the information to oneself rather than to disclose it to the authorities. When Tamika saw the injuries, Aletha began to contemplate the meaning of love for the first time. He claims to love her, but how can he treat her in such a way?

One of the reasons I decided to pick this particular quotation is because I found that this book and the book that I read before this one have some similarities. According to what I've read, these women give off the impression that they love and care about these men who are only intended to cause them damage. They put up with hardship because they are under the impression that it is the most ideal choice.

word count 306

[jayhorsestar]

to HU wing, Molière wrote Les Misérables, 'badaranii, who's wife dares talking to whom, and husbands playing never aware of the underground action, under own rooftops. indeed very similar layout, sliding doors, and miss Kerr noticed and brought in Gwyneth Paltrow, for the Erewhon shake toast. sisters at RO Bucharest, vs girl cousins at RO BRV skirts, JMB and RedBull HELL energy drinks. children caretakers, and then the mirrored Liv Lizie Maddie, UK lazy baby and Dove, and then Sofia, and even hubby Cameron, and sis Hello. and i receive word from Olympos Bucharest, and JMB RO BRV indeed hired only one of the sisters, not both, this time the younger PH vip star, not the elder less than half year till 18. who's wife was actually ignoring hubby and sent out word, and to whom... HU wing all same thing, they were all married and children, and still passionately reading of my daily routines, and i barely speak 20 words in HU. Pulp Fiction clip the Dance scene, brought Mihai Sturza brother and wife and two little boys, no ID yet. Mihai was HIQ music band, college classmate to Polixenia, and later on in life also Commoners House representative on behalf of RO BRV. sort of Allen Coliban, them both same school, just like No.5 primary, general, high-school. one reached Senator two mandates for RO BRV, the other one reached Deputat de Brasov, yet none dropped much over UNITBV classes then on. or UNIBUC for that matter. EQF 4 to EQF 5, never EQF 6, Europass Resume guidelines. and neither one children of their own. Cristi Hrituc at Cotroceni, security adviser, same, no EQF 6, merely EQF 4 to EQF 5, and if Pushi never adopted couple, then no kids, either. naturally zero. from there lots of gossip and Les Misérables features. Pulp Fiction dance scene, the introduction of him and her, her and him, and she spoke on his behalf, ruined or told everyone of past times at Descendants 1 and 2, or assimilated, at Disney old times, and PAU was writing all that to me, so I were aware of my beloved treatures beloved silicon nips. Galitzine followed his footsteps, and Purple Heart 2 was never to become, either. and Songbird 2 even if justified, would not have brought much votes into Sofia's career later on, marking the mocking bird, registering actors to certain type of action films. not flexible, not refreshing, just another slice of simple bread. PAU looking like Bella Hadid, sometimes. i love Dove, my heart is to Pau, Dove married, she was the best i ever had in my life, at 45 old. m

[juniaships]

Vanessa Marble-Whittaker Bio **redux**

I had to delete the old post due to spelling mistakes and to add more info, but here is the official character bio for my AIO OC....possibly the only one in existence 😅 Contains spoilers and subject matter of abuse & postpartum depression; if you're curious you might have to do look into the main story arcs of AIO for easier understanding.

Full Name: Vanessa Crystal Marble Whittaker (nee Marble;)

Age: Unspecified but around late 20s to mid 30s

Birthday: May 15th

Race: African American (with European ancestry on both sides)

Fandom: Adventures in Odyssey

Voice Claim: Cree Summer; Vivica A. Fox is also a good alternate

Character Role: Heroine & love interest/spouse of Jason Whittaker

Items: Cross necklace, Midnight Manor (formerly Blackgaard's Castle)

Relationships

Family: Robienne Marble (mother), Regis Blackgaard (father), Edwin Blackgaard (uncle), Jerry Jr. (son, infant), John Whittaker (father in law), Monty (nephew in law), Jana (sister in Law)

Friends at Whit's End: Whit, Eugene, Connie, Katrina, Angel (pet doberman)

Acquaintances: Nuns, denizens of Odyssey

Love Interest: Her primary love interest and eventual husband is Jason Whittaker. They began as tensse & awkward relationship during the Blackgaard Saga duento their contrasting personalities, before becoming close friends and allies. They do not become completely official until after Novacom. Their relationship is regarded as the bonafide example of "Opposites Attract" in Odyssey.

Enemies: While enemies are far and few, she considers her own father as the major obstacle between her and a peaceful life. She was a major player against Novacom. She had a brief yey tense rivalry with Monica Stone (partly for Jason's affections) but the two made peace at the end.

Appearance

- Average height (say, 5'7)

-Brown skin, light brown eyes, and wavy-curly black hair

-Has an average body type (pear shaped) and seemed to gain a few pounds since giving birth

-Typically were darker shades of purple, blue, with the occasional maroon

-Sense of fashion is put together, professional even if casual

- Still has her nun fatigues

Personality

Vanessa is a composed and reserved lady with a deep connection to God, while respecting other religions (and non religious). While seen as a cold person at first glance, she is actually very kind and open-minded, though she isn't immune to making sardonic comments once in a while. While not really great around kids, she has moments of being supportive. After becoming a mother she is rather clueless, though well-meaning and tries her hardest to be the parent her father wasn't.

One of her biggest obstacle is overcoming her aloof demeanor. She needed to learn to open up to others and to out faith in her new friends. Even now she still has her moments of keeping her true emotions, though she has a wide circle of friends and a spouse to talk to. Vanessa was also ashamed of her Blackgaard blood, though she learns to come to terms with her past in order to create a brighter future for herself and the rest of her family. Sometimes she is prone to feeling inadequate and jealous, especially during brief periods of romantic rivalry.

There is a fierce protective side that comes out when loved ones are threatened, as seen with the Blackgaard and Novacom Sagas. She dislikes staying on the sidelines and does whatever she can to help out. She even broke her vows to protect her mother Robienne when Regis came into town, and later inspired her uncle Edwin to stay and fight her father to help save Odyssey.

While studious snd intelligent, Vanessa is not very tech savvy, naturally preferring traditional mediums such as writing letters and books. While she learns how to use computers and cellphones, don't expect her to be a technophile anytime soon. She expresses curiosity and concerns over the next invention hubby makes.

Abilities

Vanessa can memorize a lot a bible verses which she uses as prayer, or as a quip. She also has taken self defense classes to hold her her own.

- Strengths: In her early years she proved to be surprisingly strong and fast when need be. She can adapt to certain situations and keep her cool. Clever and resourceful, Vanessa often thinks and plans her actions. She can speak three languages (Spanish, French, and Mandarin Chinese) and plans om studying more.

- Weaknesses: After pregnancy she isn't as physically strong and has to limit herself to recover, and can be overpowered by much stronger foes. Vanessa is not very good at advanced technology, and she is a bad cook (Jason keeps her away from the stove as much as possible).

Backstory Vanessa was the only child of Regis and Robienne Blackgaard. Their marriage had be a short and rocky one marred by neglect, emotional manipulation and mental abuse. Finally, on the guidance of Edwin (Regis's brother) Robienne decided she had enough and divorced Regis when Vanessa was two years old. Robienne moved her daughter to New England to be with family, and the two lived peacefully after that. After graduating high school, Vanessa went to the nunnery and stayed there for a few years, while Robienne moved to the Midwest to pursue a career in teaching.

However Vanessa soon grew discontent, feeling as though she was missing out on normal young adult life. Should she stay as a nun or forge her own path?

She would find clues to her answer in the form of receiving news about her father moving to Odyssey - the same town her mother lived. Fearing for her mother's life, Vanessa requested a temporary break in vows, family business, she had said. Settling in Odyssey (under the surname Newman) she got a job working at Whit's End and as a private tutor.

Following major and minor events including the Blackgaard, Novacom, and Green Ring Conspiracy drama, Jason proposed to Vanessa, and they had a summer wedding (but not before overcoming premarital jitters and a threat from Jason's past). Two years after their union (or as of current Odyssey storyline) they had a little boy named Jerry Jr. (named after Jason's deceased brother). Vanessa continues to work at Whit's End as a curator and artist.

Major Storylines: If she was canon she would've been a major player in some of Odyssey's biggest stories including:

- Blackgaard Saga: Her debut, she came to town to take care of her mother & to confront her father on troubled past. She was hired to work at Whit's End where she met then-owner Jack Allen & the previous owner's son Jason for the first time. The townsfolk were.mesmerized by the seemingly mysterious woman and rumors started to abound. Near the climax, Vanessa revealed to Connie and Eugene that came to Odyssey to protect her mother from Regis. Towards the end of the saga, she, her uncle Edwin, and a few townsfolk helped to set up a trap for her father to save Odyssey.

Novacom Saga: She was a big player in taking down Novacom, using her skills writing letters to raise awareness on Novacom's shady actions. This is where her rivalry with Monica Stone began as Vanessa feelings for Jason turn romantic. After Novacom, she would be involved in more stories.

Green Ring Conspiracy: Following Jason's supposed "death" she briefly left Odyssey in mourning. Her uncle and mother managed to convince her to come back to Odyssey. She was unaware of Jason's secret of being alive and working as the Stiletto, and had several encounters with the Stiletto where the mysterious man left her roses and notes of endearment. The two would later reunite after Jason retuned to town, but Vanessa was angry with him for keeping secrets from her. After a long time (and counsel from Whit) she forgave him, and the two reconciled with the promise of being more open with each other.

Courtship Of Jason & Vanessa: An original storyline where the romance between her and Jason comes full circle, leading to their engagement! If only they could overcome personal inhibitions, a hateful doberman, past rivals and a threat from Jason's spy work!

Junior's Birth & Beyond: A couple of years into their marriage Vanessa became pregnant. She was anxious over multiple scenarios, her growing appetite and mood swings. After her son was born she developed symptoms of postpartum depression and sought medications and therapy. Slowly but surely, her mental health improved, & her anxieties faded away. As of now she has gotten involved with the current Rydell Saga.

Trivia

Vanessa won several awards for her artwork and has them on display everywhere in Odyssey

She is one of my most complex characters, but also one starting to really grow on me mostly out of nostalgia for the series

- Characters that inspired Vanessa's creation are Megara (Disney Hercules), Rei/Sailor Mars (Sailor Moon), Esther (biblical stories), Tzipporah (biblical stories esp. Dreamworks The King of Egypt), Talia Al Ghul, and Elisa Maza (Gargoyles). Other inspos include Maria Von Trapp and Marian Ravenwood.

- Vanessa was made to have a unique female character to contrast Connie and Katrina. Also because I have a soft spot for the Forbidden Love trope (if done right).

- She is the only main character OC of mine that is explicitly religious. She was Catholic and while she converted to Protestant, she still holds on to Catholic values. She is also the only main OC to be a parent as of current.

- Vanessa still visits her old nunnery when she and Jason goes to New England.

- She has bouts of postpartum depression, and takes medication to regulate.

- Her favorite things are the color blue, making her own pigments, and coffee flavored ice cream

Quotes

"Blackgaard already made our lives miserable uncle Edwin! If you leave now you're only giving him more power! You helped mama and I so many times, so it's my turn to return the favor!"

"Connie I'm a nun not a miracle worker."

"If my mother superior saw what I'm doing right now I would've had an early meeting with the Lord!"

"No more secrets. From now on it's just truth and nothing but the truth. Except for my age, don't ask me how old I am."

"Sheesh with all these buttons I'm surprised we didn't destroy Odyssey yet!"

"Jason I know you're worried about the baby but did you have to baby proof the doghouse too?"

"My little Angel! Who's a good girl? Who's a good girl!"

"I can't believe I can still wear this after all these years!?"

"Jason Whittaker you have got to be the most stubborn, reckless, foolhardy man I have ever met, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

"You call it junk I call it avant garde."

"I'm not responsible for my father's sins but I am responsible for mine. But my mother and uncle are in trouble. If not for me then please, do it for them!"

"She doesn't hate you Jason, she hates everyone equally."

"I guess God had a plan in store for me after all. I would've never met such wonderful people."

"Are you going to keep talking or should I start the kissing?"

Pictures

I haven't drawn any references for her yet, so that's going to be on a separate post

[andthentimestops]

“to love something that cannot love in return” [Captain Allen X Android!Reader] (part 8)

A/N: OOF sorry this took so long!!  — Tags: @gespirida @blu42nj @sternenreigen @sethrine-imagines @yallgotkik @doot-doot-doottt @catwoo @nikkidawnlight @captain-winter-wolf-aehs @deviantprescott @sadmine @aeryntheofficial @wayablack @lionhearted-soldier  @qtmeryr @heartsarecompatible @connorshero @ev3e @liveloveandbekind

@omi-writings @dreaming-of-illusory-flowers — You wanted to like Sierra Thompson. You really did. But she made it incredibly difficult to do so. To put it simply, her only redeeming quality was how conventionally attractive she was.

Even before the both of you even had time to respond to her shouting out Captain Allen’s name, she’d already ripped you away from his side and filled the spot. She clung onto his arm like she was a woman dying of dehydration while he was a large glass of cold water.

“David! It’s been so long! How’ve you been?” Sierra asked as she fluttered her eyelashes while gazing up at him in a loving manner.

“I... um...” Captain Allen’s eyes flickered over to you.

He seemed nervous.

So were you.

You don’t seem to want her here... so why aren’t you telling her to leave? You thought as you cursed the fact that you couldn’t wirelessly speak to him, to ask him why he was allowing that woman to basically grind against his arm. You wanted nothing more than to tear her away from Captain Allen since he didn’t seem to be doing anything. 

Sierra turned to look at you and you swore you saw a scowl flash across her unfortunately very attractive face. She released your soulmate’s arm from her clutches and faced you before smiling widely.

“Hi, there! You must be David’s friend—“ She froze, her eyes widened as her mouth formed an exaggerated ‘O’ shape. “Oh! No, wait, you can’t be, though...” Sierra mumbled to herself, though you weren’t sure if she meant for it to be subtle since her voice barely softened at all. She whipped around to face David Allen once again.

You looked at him as well. His eyes were glued to his feet.

Why aren’t you doing anything?

“You got yourself an android?!” The woman laughed shrilly before she wiped away a tear you were very sure didn’t exist. “I thought you fucking hated those overrated robots?”

Captain Allen’s head shot up and for a second you felt a tinge of hope. You waited for him to defend you and your people; to tell Sierra to fuck off; to grab your hand and drag you back him, leaving her in the dust like in some of those romance movies Connor made you watch with him.

But he didn’t.

Instead, he remained silent. His lack of a response was all Sierra needed to confirm her suspicions.

You glared at him as you ground your teeth. You were _feeling_ so much you weren’t sure your body could take it. You could hear the loud whirring of your LED in your head as it undoubtedly blared a bright yellow. You felt angry and frustrated but worst of all, you felt... betrayed.

“Oh, David,” she cooed and pouted as she ran her hand down his arm. “I never knew you could stoop so low.” She shot you a look of distaste over her shoulder, clearly not having to worry about showing how much she disliked you and hurting your feelings anymore since you were just an android. “Is it a sex android? I hear those are really popular nowadays,” Sierra scoffed.

“Sierra—“ Captain Allen started. His jaw had tightened as he clenched his fists. It was obvious that he wasn’t very pleased with what she said but yet he allowed himself to be interrupted.

“Y’know if you’re really that lonely, you could’ve given me a call,” Sierra said casually as one hand reached for another. Without breaking eye contact with your soulmate, she removed a silver band from her ring finger. “The hubby won’t know,” she added in a whisper.

“Sierra. Stop—” Captain Allen warned, his voice was firmer and his shoulders were tense now but still, he didn’t try to stop her when she interrupted him for the second time.

Why are you so afraid? I thought you were brave.

“It’s getting warm out here,” she fanned herself with her hand. “Let’s go back to your place, shall we?”

Once again, he said nothing which was all the affirmation Sierra needed to begin walking towards his home. Before she sashayed far enough though, she turned back to you and held her handbag out.

“Hold this.”

You bit your tongue, every synthetic cell in your body was telling you to grab the stupid overpriced designer product and shove it down her oesophagus. But before you could execute your plan, your mind wandered back to the man standing behind you. Something told you Captain Allen wouldn’t hesitate to incapacitate you if you assaulted Sierra in front of him.

Thus, you simply glared at the woman. She shook the bag as if trying to emphasise her instructions and huffed when you refused to take it.

“You should really buy a new one, David,” she commented snarkily before turning her back to you. “This one seems faulty.”

You watched as she walked down the sidewalk towards his home. The sound of her heels clicking against the concrete ground felt like your audio processors were being torn out of your head.

“(Y/N)...” Captain Allen finally acknowledged your presence. Under any under circumstances you would’ve happily turned around and jumped straight into his arms but your heart felt too heavy. You couldn’t even move.

“(Y/N).” He repeated and this time you felt his hands grab your shoulders gently. In any other scenario, his touch would’ve made your heart skip a beat. Although your heart was indeed pounding in your chest wildly, it wasn’t from excitement or any form of happiness. You were enraged.

Before he could turn you around himself, you whipped around on your own volition. Your eyes met his instantly. They looked pained and sad; so much so that you almost felt sympathetic. Almost.

“Don’t just stare at me like that, (Y/N),” he begged as he gazed pitifully at you while you glared back at him. “Say something… please.”

Part of you wanted to give him a piece of your mind. To yell and scream and punch his stupid face in a fit of rage and betrayal. Another part of you just wanted to say nothing and leave; to just walk away and never see him again; to quit working at the DPD and move to another country or something.

A small part of you wanted to hug him; to go home with him and just endure Sierra’s bullshit before returning back to your normal lives as though nothing ever happened; your normal lives which had been nicely intertwined up until this moment when he betrayed your trust.

No. You thought. I won’t be able to live with myself if I let this go so easily.

“I just thought... we had something,” was what you ended up saying. Your voice was calm and steady but also softer than usual; it was a stark contrast to the pure rage Captain Allen could see burning behind your eyes. To be honest, it was slightly terrifying to him.

“We do have something,” the man before you replied with no hesitation.

A humourless chuckle slipped past your lips. “You say that just like that—“ you snapped your fingers “— why couldn’t you defend me that quickly when Sierra was being such a… such a…”

“I wanted to,” your soulmate’s hands darted out to grab yours but you were quicker and took a step backwards, repulsed by the idea of being touched by the man. A wave of satisfaction flows over you when you noticed a hurt expression flash across his face.

That’s how it felt, David. That’s how it fucking felt.

“You wanted to defend me? That’s hilarious,” you hissed. “Why didn’t you, Captain Allen?” You asked a question you already knew the answer to.

He didn’t respond; didn’t even look at you. Instead, his eyes trailed down to his feet as he stared at the ground, speechless. It was hard for you to believe that this was David Allen in front of you. The man who just half an hour ago stormed into his own boss’s office to threaten your harasser was now standing before you like a child who’d just been caught shoplifting.

“You still have feelings for her, don’t you?” You said after it was clear he wasn’t going to say anything. You felt your heart ache like it had never done before but still, you continued to speak. “You couldn’t— can’t hurt her feelings because you still care about her so you stayed quiet and let her have her way."

The man remained silent; much like he did just moments ago when Sierra spoke about you as if you were dirt underneath her shoes.

The silence was loud; deafening, almost. You wanted so badly for him to deny your accusations but you knew he wouldn’t because if he did, he would be lying and Captain Allen was never one to lie.

You tapped his chin with your index finger, a silent plea for him to look at you. When his blue eyes met yours, you felt your sting in your aching heart. Your soulmate looked nervous and frightened; not of you, obviously, but rather of what you were most certainly going to say next.

“You have to choose eventually. You know that right?” You whispered with a smile that didn’t quite reach your eyes. It reminded him of the way you smiled at him the morning after he’d broken your heart for the first time.

Yet again, he refused to speak.

“I don’t think I ever told you but,” you took another step backwards, “you have a nice voice. Use it when you give me a call to tell me the decision you make.”

You flashed him another smile before turning around but before you could do a full 180. Captain Allen did something you honestly weren’t expecting.

He spoke.

“You’re not coming home?”

“What’re you talking about, silly?” You replied without looking at him, instead you opted to turn around fully so that your back was facing him. "I’m heading back to Hank’s place. I am going home.” — Soon, everything turned dark with only a few streetlights to illuminate your way. You’d been walking for hours now, just mindlessly following the sidewalk to god-knows-where. You hoped that some idle strolling would provide you with some time to think, and it did, except all you thought about was your soulmate.

You wondered what he was doing. If Sierra was still in his home. If he’d ever invited her in in the first place. You recalled the incident over and over again for no apparent reason other than you felt like you had to. You imagined what you’d do if he chose her instead of you; if he called you the next morning just to tell you that he didn’t want you anymore, that your months of being together was worth nothing compared to what he had with Sierra.

You ran your fingers over your forearm repetitively without even realising. You couldn’t feel the words since they were in your skin but at the same time, you could feel every letter burn mercilessly. You felt like just digging your fingers into your chassis and ripping the synthetic skin right off your arm but decided against it, realising that it wasn’t worth losing a limb for someone who didn’t care.

Soon, your mindless walking turned into a purposeful one as you found yourself entering Hank’s neighbourhood. You hadn’t told anyone you were returning tonight so hopefully, either Hank or Connor was home to let you in. Briefly forgetting about Captain Allen, you wondered about the other men, and dog, in your life instead; you wondered how they were doing, if they missed you, if—

You felt a sharp tube get jabbed into your neck before a liquid was pumped into your thirium stream.

Gasping, you whipped around to take down your attacker but almost immediately, you felt your systems shutting down.

Connor! Help! I need1 HE  L P Z;AKT0 saV E M3

Then, you collapsed. — “There’s nothing I can do! We have to bring her to Kamski!”

“We don’t have that much time!”

“We will, trust me!”

The feeling of someone carrying you in their arms. You could feel their heartbeat pounding against their chest. It was Connor’s.

The sound of a car door slamming shut and the ignition being turned on. The sound of wheels against the road’s rough surface. It was Hank’s car.

Shaking.

Were you shaking? Or was it the car…?

“You’re going to be okay, (Y/N).”

His hand touched your forehead. It was comforting.

“Should we call Captain Allen?”

“No!” Funny… that wasn’t Connor’s voice… it was yours. “Don’t… please… don’t wanna see… him.”

Silence.

The sound of the city faded away. It was getting cold.

You shivered.

Cold.

Too cold.

The feeling of a hand on your stomach.

Warm.

“Follow me.” Chloe.

“This is… bizarre.” Kamski.

Then, nothing. — Your eyes shot open as your central processing unit whirled to life. You blinked rapidly as your mind struggled to comprehend what had happened and was happening. You scanned the room to find it completely foreign to you, you began to panic and was about to send out a distress signal when suddenly a hand gently touched your forehead.

“It’s okay, (Y/N), you’re safe.”

You didn’t even need to think before you realised whose voice had just spoken to you. It was the creator of androids himself.

“Connor and the Lieutenant brought you in after they realised you’d been attacked and injected with a dangerous fluid,” he continued, “of course, nobody knew how deadly the unknown substance actually was until we extracted it from your body to create a so-called cure so you’re very lucky they sent you here in time.”

“Where am I?” You asked, hands grabbing your own throat in shock when you heard how staticky your voice sounded.

“Don’t worry, it’s just a… side effect of your healing process.” Kamski gently removed your fingers from your neck. “You’re in my home where the Chloes and I have just purged your system of the substance. We gave you the cure I mentioned earlier but we’re not very sure if it’ll be 100% effective yet so we’ll need to keep you under close observation.”

You nodded slowly before you pushed yourself up into a sitting position. You were glad to notice you weren’t nude though you were in a new set of clothes that fit far better than…

Shaking your head, you pushed any thought of him to the back of your mind; instead, you glanced around the room, taking its pristine walls, furnishing and decor before your eyes landed on Kamski’s. He smiled.

“How are you feeling?”

“Not very good,” you replied, “though I’m not sure if it’s because of what happened or because of… something else.”

He chuckled as a smug look flashed across his face. “Just a guess but could it be... soulmate troubles?”

Your eyes widened as your lips parted, ready to ask how the hell he knew until you felt your forearm tingle.

Oh. He saw.

“It’s fascinating, isn’t it?” Kamski took a step towards you. “I was extremely surprised when I saw it,” he continued as he took your hand in one of his while the other caressed your forearm carefully. His fingers glossed over the words as his eyes scanned them over and over again. Then, he tore his eyes away from your skin to meet your own.

“Magnificent.” He smiled while he looked at you adoringly, his hand never letting go of yours. You felt your face heat up. “You are truly remarkable."

You knew you wanted to; to take out whatever anger and frustration you were feeling on the man who had an interest in you. You could. You definitely could. But…

“This isn’t right,” you whispered, the pounding if your heart was now loud in your ears. “Please, take a step back, Mr Kamski.”

“I can respect that,” the man replied without hesitation before he released your hand from his grasp and did as you told. “Call me Elijah, by the way. There’s no need for formalities here.”

“Alright, Elijah.” You paused, your butt now sitting on the edge of the cold table you’d previously been laying down on. “Where’re Hank and Connor?”

“Outside. I can call them in if you want.”

“I’d like that, thank you.”

You inched forward, your toes wiggling, ready to touch the ground; you felt the edge of the table slide against your bum towards your lower back when suddenly you felt a sharp sting in your head. The pain so unbearably overwhelming that your hands shot up to clench your head as your knees gave out beneath you. You fell forwards, expecting to hit the ground when you felt a pair of arms wrap around you instead. Though you were on the brink of malfunctioning from how severe your agony was, you could sense who was holding you and immediately, you ripped yourself out of his grasp.

“Don’t touch me!” You said, only to realise that you’d actually screamed the words when you noticed everyone in the room wince.

When did th ey co me  i n?

You stumbled against someone else and felt their arms lock around you. This time, you didn’t fight them off, because you didn’t care whoever it was, as long as they weren’t David Allen.

[kylecoopers]

i’m also stealing this from @bastianlis​ and @westcfsalem​ bc quite frankly i’m aLWAYS down to plot and while i’ve tried my best to reach out to everyone, i’ve gotten a little swamped in messages and i think i’ve missed some people. so, in hopes of reaching out to new members and characters i may not have plotted a lot with, here are some plots i think could work for my babes.

key: plots that are in italics are uber wanted just bc i think it’d be good for growth or just fun to play out !!

kyle cooper. resident sad boi, will agree with you if you try to bully him. kinda over life. trans and proud and pan and proud! avid dog lover, will only accidentally sleep with your ex and feel terrible about it for the rest of his life. rooms with his hubby who’s not his hubby sonny in audax and sonny’s his front man in his own little drug scheme where he sells his adderall so they can afford weed n stuff. really sweet, just wants to make people happy and v v selfless tbh. will die 4 u but will sacrifice u for a dog at the same time. not to be trusted for this reason alone.definitely true good or lawful good like i have no idea which one. definitely uwus and owos unironically. kermit the frog is his fursona even tho he’s definitely not a furry, he just says he is so another furry feels comfortable and if ur reading this u know who u are. intro | secret | pinterest | spotify playlist 

wanted connections: more antagonistic plots tbh. like give me enemies, give me physical fights, give me him sticking up for his friends since i know he won’t stick up for himself. ex friends that he’s lost along the way. give me more bad influences too who keep him out too late and let him make out with random people in parties during his transitional phase, give me the people he’s making out with. childhood friends are a must too, he grew up in new york and was in the suburbs for a little while but in the city for the other half. and honestly a LOT of people who are getting their supply of adderall from kyle and sonny bc like that’s their secret and there’s none bc we just recently decided it was gonna be an active thing they’re doing. and some more friend plots are always wanted but he lowkey needs his own little emotional support friends for when him and sonny are being useless gays and can’t just tell each other what is going on.

nicole woods. a hot motherfucking mess. will ghost you, collective heartbreaker and occasional other woman. honestly a coward, terrified of her own feelings so she’s always doing dumb shit. chaotic neutral. current roommates with the only person she is 100% selfless for and will kill 4 her or indira tbh. an effortlessly bitchy person, doesn’t know how to keep her mouth shut and will tell you what she thinks if it doesn’t have to do with her feelings. proud wiw but will fuck guys, probs is the top regardless won’t lie, 5′3 and full of fury.

intro | secret | pinterest | spotify playlist

wanted connections: she’s notorious for ghosting people and collecting hearts so having more people she’s fucked over is kinda a need. maybe more enemies like, she has some but she’s probs not number one in terms of how liked she is in lockwood. give me more flings too; she’s biromantic so she’d go any way. maybe a partner in crime she does fuck shit with. she’s from baltimore so she might not have any childhood friends but maybe some friends she made over the internet that ended up going to the same school as her? her stepsiblings are still connections but i’m always down for cousins n such. also hookups n stuff idk if i said that but it’s always welcome.

maple wolfe. the love child of fleetwood mac and hozier’s music tbh. aloof and kinda loner-like, can be found usually drawing somewhere in a quiet place or doing assignments out in the open. probably painted a school mural with a few art friends. used to roommates with tati but now lives in potentas alone. true neutral, really just stays to themself. can be a little too cunning and observant, keeps mental notes on people and tries to figure out their weakness in case they need it. probably wanted to be a forest nymph growing up and when that didn’t happen they were like “well fuck it ig” and went into art. can be kinda short in terms of talking if they’re not comfortable with you but if you bring up the right topics they’ll ramble for hours with thought-provoking conversations and debates about simple things such as who’s the best artist from certain eras and why the only reason things seem bad is because we see everything nowadays. also probs lowkey the epitome of the raven poem by edgar allen poe.

intro | secret | pinterest | spotify playlist

wanted connections: honestly some flings would be cool and maybe some exes because they’re a cutie. some people they maybe grow close to, maybe people from virginia who they know if there’s even anyone here. and potentially a connection to their secret; someone who was related to the person involved or knows of it for that sweet angst or someone who’s father was the cop on duty that night. art friends who painted a mural with them in memory of tati or something. honestly i’m down for anything w/ them they’re just easy to work with.

jasper beaumont. grade a dumbass, amazing singer, probably has a soundcloud tbh and he wouldn’t be ashamed. doesn’t give a fuck about anything, has mommy and daddy issues, the guy you should bring home if you wanna piss your dad off. honestly loyal as fuck to his friends but once you cross him, you’re done. deals with his issues w/ his fists and is just a violence drive person but he won’t hit w/o warrant. coulda been a comedian, definitely had a vine account that got some sort of traction. will fuck anything that consents and has a pulse. fuck gender norms and will show up to events in whatever the fuck he wants. pronouns are he/him and they/them so pls use correctly. his secret is tba but !! be on the look out ;))

intro | secret (tba!) | pinterest | spotify playlist

wanted connections. hook ups, ride or dies, people he’s taken the blame for because baby boy does lowkey have a huge crime sheet. people he cheated on, people he cheated with, people he was the other man to, flings, exes, way more antagonistic plots, maybe some bromance bc i mean bros. maybe somebody he knows from l.a or people he knows from high school? he was around tati for that. a roommate too! he lives in fidelis

[sidehugsnsideblogs]

The Happiest Helpmeet #9-A Labour of LOVE

Hello! My name is Rebecca Strickmann and I am in LABOUR! I am 42 WEEKS pregnant with my SIXTH child! The pain is incredible but it’s what we’re MADE for. My body knows exactly what it’s doing, my job is to simply TRUST. JESUS TAKE THE WHEEL! 

Raymond is in his office, doing a livestream prayer circle for me. He is calling on all his followers from all over the world to pray for mine and our baby’s safety and health during delivery.

The girls stayed home from school today to take care of their little brothers while I give birth in the bedroom. Raychel is keeping Raygun busy with his blocks and teaching him some words. 

She has also been teaching him how to talk and telling stories about JESUS! She is already so STEADFAST in her FAITH and loves sharing it with everyone!

Little Rayder was upset by my screams of PAIN so Rayvin gave him some comforting words and a hug. 

Houda is here to delver the baby, as always! I am so lucky to have such a WONDERFUL FRIEND! We remain close even though she chooses not to adhere to our usual modesty standards. She says that pants can be just as modest as a skirt and that she gets overheated easily and hates the feeling of long sleeves. 

Houda brought her two daughters with her for a visit. Leona and Sadia have grown into such BEAUTIFUL YOUNG LADIES! They are such sweet girls and they have become such good friends with our children over the years! Leona (Blue) was very vocal about wanting to be a doctor when she grows up. Kids really do say the FUNNIEST things! :) 

In other news, Raymond has finally resigned from his position of Councilman in San Myshuno. He was getting weary making the long drive into the city to work everyday and felt like his ideas weren’t being respected by the other Councilmen. His proposition to allow unlimited sims per household was quickly struck down as was his plan to do away with karaoke bars. His superiors accused him of being an EXTREMIST when all he was trying to do was save souls from going to HELL! He now makes his entire income from STRICKMANN MINISTRIES, mostly through donations on this blog and his Simtube channel. It’s going to be difficult to get by but we are certain the LORD will provide for us because we live to SERVE HIM!

I’m happy my hubby doesn’t have to drive into that city of SIN everyday, but his online success has brought other challenges. Now a B-List Simtuber, fans and looky-loos have started showing up on our lawn. RUDE! Some of them are immodest ladies who wear PANTS and TATTOOS! THE HORROR! How am I supposed to explain that to my children? >:(

While I see strangers showing up on our lawn as an INVASION of PRIVACY, Raymond has pointed out that if someone is inspired enough by his ministry to seek us out the CHRISTIAN thing to do is to welcome them with open arms and tracts explaining how to become proper servants of the LORD. This approach worked for me, after all.

Whew, blogging between contractions was harder than I thought it would be. We would like to extend the WARMEST welcome to RAYMAN ALLEN STRICKMANN born at home after 16 hours of LABOUR. Welcome little buddy, we are honored to have you in the family!

I really do love our Ray name theme! It’s a lovely way for me to be creative while honoring my husband and all of our children will be reminded of their WONDERFUL FATHER whenever they hear their own names, isn’t that BEAUTIFUL? :’) 

That’s all for tonight, I have to get cleaned up and tend the baby

GOODNIGHT AND GODBLESS

-Rebecca

Read from the start                                                                                 Next Post

[crimsondomingo]

Chapters: 8/? Fandom: The Flash (TV 2014) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Barry Allen/Leonard Snart, Captain Cold/The Flash Characters: Leonard Snart, Barry Allen, Mick Rory, Roy Bivolo, Lisa Snart, Earth-X Leonard "Leo" Snart, Axel Walker, Hartley Rathaway, Eobard Thawne, Ray Terrill, Oliver Queen, Nate Heywood, Amaya Jiwe, Lashawn "Shawna" Baez, Mark Mardon, Rosa Dillon, Sam Scudder, Cisco Ramon, William Clayton Additional Tags: Alpha Len, vampire Barry, First Time, Prophecy, Halloween, Arranged Marriage, Roommates, Alternate Universe - Flower Shop & Tattoo Parlor, Ex-Con Barry, Big Gay Mobsters, Werewolves, Vampires, Len and Leo are twins Summary:

On All Hallow’s Eve when the sky glows bright Life and death in your hands by the red moonlight A decision made to affect all others The city’s doom or salvation shall be on your shoulders

Len always knew his life would be forever changed once his sister’s prophesy came true, he just never knew which Halloween would be the night.

Then he came face to face with Barry Allen.

-Alpha Len x Vampire Barry AU-

Such a long, wonderful holiday with my hubby, so sorry for the delay. Should be back on a normal schedule now.

Enjoy! And let me know you're still with me. :-)

[losangelesleftygayvoters]

General Election Voters Guide

Vote November 6, 2018

(By and for somewhat Lefty Queers and Allies to that effect).

October 27, 2018 Updates in Blue.

Prepared by: Phil Buiser, Chris Fajardo, Marc Valera, Ella Gabriel, Gabriela Garbim, Zac Hug, Ryan Quinn, Jay Marcus, Kevin Kelly and (updated to include) Ed Center.

Below is the combined effort of 9 10 queer people of varying race, sexualities, and gender identities. We split up the work of researching the various judgeships and candidates and assessor jobs over the course of a few weeks, consulted relevant publications, and where possible, the words and records of the candidates themselves. Then we spent quite a while discussing them debate team style and wrote them up here. As always, we encourage you to vote your conscience. Also your ballot may vary from ours in some cases as we’re mostly West Hollywood and Los Angeles/Hollywood based.

The below offers a perspective that’s fairly liberal, definitely blue state, and skewing toward LGBT rights a little heavier than others. Notably, this year we were lucky enough to gain the help of two immigrant queer types who are both green card holders. They can’t yet vote, but contributed invaluably to this document and honestly we’re prouder of them than we are of any turd you can’t convince to go and vote on November 6th. Seriously, get those kids out there.

New this year is a cheat sheet here at the top with a quick view of our picks. Our somewhat windy analysis follows.

QuickView of The Candidates we Chose:

Governor: Gavin Newsom (D)

Lieutenant Governor: Ed Hernandez (D)

Secretary of State: Alex Padilla (D)

Controller: Betty Yee (D)

US State Representative: Adam B. Schiff (D)

Treasurer: Fiona Ma

Attorney General: Xavier Becerra (D)

Insurance Commissioner: Ricardo Lara (D)

United States Senator: Dianne Feinstein (D)

State Senator, 26th District: Ben Allen (D)

50th District State Assembly: Richard Bloom (D)

The Judiciary:

For the Judiciary, we advocate a NO vote on Justice Carol A. Corrigan for her nonsensical and partisan take on Prop 8 (She IS, in fact, the one you’ve seen go by on the socials). Update on October 27: We have also updated our take on Justice Willhite and can’t advocate a HARD yes for him, but a “vote your conscience.” See this link for details. For ANY OTHER JUDGE, we were fine with a YES vote, much in line with this article from the LA Times: http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-endorsement-justices-20181004-story.html.

Races where Judges are running against each other:

Judge of the Superior Court, Office No. 60: Holly L. Hancock

Judge of the Superior Court, Office No.4: A. Veronica Sauceda

Judge of Superior Court, Office No. 16: Patricia (Patti) Hunter

Judge of the Superior Court, Office No. 113: Javier Perez

City and County Races:

School Superintendent of Public Instruction: Tony K Thurmond Marshall Tuck

(UPDATED October 27, 2018 - see below for details)

County Assessor: Jeffrey Prang

County Sheriff: Jim McDonnell

Member State Board of Equalization, 3rd District: Sigh, probably Tony Vazquez, but we legit nearly voted Republican on this one.

Ballot Measures:

STATE MEASURE 1: YES

STATE MEASURE 2: YES

STATE MEASURE 3: YES

STATE MEASURE 4: YES

STATE MEASURE 5: NO

STATE MEASURE 6: NO

STATE MEASURE 7: YES

STATE MEASURE 8: NO

STATE MEASURE 10: YES

STATE MEASURE 11: YES

STATE MEASURE 12: YES

City Amendment B: YES

City Amendment E: YES

LAUSD Charter Amendment EE: YES

County Measure W: YES

ANALYSIS & RESEARCH ON CANDIDATES BELOW:

FOR ANALYSIS/BIOS OF THE JUDICIARY RACES, CLICK HERE.

FOR ANALYSIS/RESEARCH OF EACH OF THE BALLOT MEASURES, CLICK HERE.

Governor: Gavin Newsom

Ah! In the age of Trump, at least it’s still great to be a Californian. We live in a state where we can kick off a voter guide by saying: Former SF mayor Gavin Newsom is the clear choice to carry on Jerry Brown’s progressive legacy and expand on it. Newsom is pro-environment, pro-LGBT and women’s rights, and anti-gun. As SF mayor, he challenged state and federal prohibitions and was aggressive in the fight to begin same-sex marriages, proving that he’s been a reliable progressive advocate from the start. In his own words, he’s running to be “the head of the resistance.”

Keep in mind that, aside from driving policy, the governor (like the president) appoints State Supreme Court and Court of Appeals justices. Newsom is likely to appoint justices who will be judicious and liberal-leaning, while his opponent, Republican John Cox, would likely adopt the conservative plan to flood courts with Federalist Society lackeys. California has been a leading check on the Trump administration, and Cox would reverse that stance in addition to derailing the progress Jerry Brown has brought to California. To keep California progressive, and to keep California as a check on Trump, elect Gavin Newsom governor.

Lieutenant Governor: Ed Hernandez (D)

The fact that this race is listed second on the ballot gives it an air of importance, but it really should be listed dead last. Why? Because lieutenant governor does absolutely nothing. It’s where politicians fill a seat while they’re in between jobs, like, say, between being SF mayor and running for higher office. The only way the lieutenant governor becomes relevant is if the governor is incapacitated. And for that reason, we must take this race seriously. Because, well, pipe bombs for God’s sake.

Despite its seemingly low stakes, this race has split Democrats. Both candidates are Dems, thanks to California’s primary system, and both have solid progressive endorsements. But we’re giving the edge to Ed Hernandez, “whose work with underserved communities and poor patients on Medi-Cal ultimately sparked his interest in state government.” He was elected and served in the State Assembly and State Senate, where he just termed out. His opponent, Eleni Kounalakis, served as US ambassador to Hungary under President Obama, who has endorsed her in this race, along with other prominent Democrats like Kamala Harris. But Kounalakis is a major Democratic donor, and we’re a little suspicious that may be the reason that so many elected Democrats have endorsed her. Endorsements aside, Kounalakis has never held elected office, so Ed Hernandez is the better pick to fill in as governor, if necessary. Again, as we always say, we’re willing to be wrong. Vote your conscience.

Secretary of State: Alex Padilla (D)

If you’ve consulted this guide in past elections, you’ll remember that we’ve voted for Padilla several times before. In fact, that’s why he’s the incumbent. He’s vocal about the need for transparency in how money changes hands in government, he’s a big civil rights advocate, endorsed by all the gay groups you want him to be, he’s a big DREAM Act supporter, and he’s more obsessed with voter accessibility than one could ask for--up to an including the support of automatic voter registration. Basically, Padilla wants you to vote and be an American and a Californian, no matter who you are. We’re in.

The other guy, Mark Meuser, is pretty mum on civil rights, except to say that we “really need to clean up California’s voter rolls.” He’s also spent time insisting that we need less dead people voting. Who needs dog whistles when we have Mark Meuser? Knock it off, Mark, those are not actual problems in the real world.

Controller: Betty Yee (D)

The controller oversees the state’s bill-paying, including payrolls for state government and the California State University system. The office also audits state agencies and departments as well as lower levels of government, such as school districts, cities, and water authorities. The controller also sits on about seventy boards and commissions, a range of financing authorities, and the boards of the state’s two largest public employee pension systems. Think of all the meetings she/he has to sit through!

Betty Yee is the incumbent, currently finishing up her fourth year on the job, where she has built a track record that is universally endorsed. Yee was instrumental in calling out the corruption and nepotism problems with the Board of Equalization, leading to Governor Brown stripping the board of most of its power. Yee has not only shown a dedication to making a positive impact, but her actions back up her intentions.

Yee’s opponent, Roditis, is a businessman/CFO who has little public service history, no statewide name recognition, and comparatively few donors. His muddy vision of what he would like to do in office makes us wonder if he even knows how the position actually works.

US State Representative: Adam B. Schiff (D)

Adam Schiff is the incumbent and is currently serving his ninth term in the US House of Representatives. He is the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, where he’s been a crucial check on Trump and House Republicans who have tried to interfere with the investigation of Russia’s involvement in the 2016 election. His opponent, Nalbandian, is a Republican businessman who has never served in the government before, openly campaigned for Trump in 2016, believes in all of Trump’s ideologies, and thinks he can turn this country around. Yeah, nope. Nice try, Nalbandian. We’re wif Schiff!

Treasurer: Fiona Ma

This is the state’s banker—the head person who manages the state’s investments and administers the sale of state bonds and notes. The treasurer serves on several commissions, mostly related to marketing bonds, and pays out state funds that are spent by the state controller. Fiona Ma is a CPA with experience in tax law and balancing budgets. She speaks often of accountability and transparency, which seem pretty vital for anyone dealing with large sums of money. She’s worked at the local and state level during the course of the Great Recession. Some issues she wants to focus on include affordable housing programs, alleviating high student loan debts, making quality affordable healthcare more accessible (she was born with a preexisting health condition), investing in first responders (her hubby’s a firefighter), and protecting the environment. She also has the support of her majesty, Senator Kamala Harris, among others, and has spoken up plenty about equal rights for woman, people of color, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ folks, vets, and the homeless. As a member of the Board of Equalization, she was instrumental in sparking an investigation into a scandal involving nepotism and improper use of civil servants for political purposes by her fellow board members. The scrutiny culminated in a 2017 law that stripped the Board of Equalization of nearly all of its duties and staff, leaving it with only the core duties required under the state Constitution.

Greg Conlon, on the other hand, seems bitter and disappointed in big government. He speaks a lot about fixing California’s “broken economy” and “getting the job done”. He served as an Air Force pilot, so I imagine some vets will relate to him, but most of the time he just comes across as a begrudging old white man who didn’t get his way. If only we had more of those! Also, he wants to change the state constitution so that the controller and treasurer are appointed by the governor, rather than the people. Maybe that’s because this is his third run for treasurer and he’s never received more than 40% of the vote. Burn.

Attorney General: Xavier Becerra (D)

Becerra led California into suing, or joining other states in suing, the Trump administration seventeen times in 2017 alone and more than forty times total since being appointed, which is reason enough to get our vote. But looking at what those 2017 lawsuits include tells you what’s important to him: four suits against Trump’s immigration policies, including a suit over his efforts to end DACA; a suit over Trump’s ban on our transgender brothers, sisters, and friends serving in the military; a suit against a policy that would allow insurance companies to withhold coverage to women for birth control; and eight suits over the softening or dissolving of environmental regulations, earning him the title “The Planet’s Lawyer” from grist.com.

Bacerra has earned a shit-ton of endorsements from people we’re fond of including Kamala Harris and Jerry Brown, as well as the California Legislative Black and Latino Caucuses, which represent two of the population’s most vulnerable to violence and injustice suffered at the hands of law enforcement. As our sitting attorney general, Becerra has had a direct hand in shaping the behavior of law enforcement agencies, so endorsements from these caucuses should mean something to all of us. He’s also endorsed by the LA Times, which calls their endorsement a “monumentally easy call” for the above reasons, but also because Bailey, Becerra’s opponent, is a political asshole running on a platform that has California generally standing down against Trump administration policies across the board. He favors the “Three Strikes” law mandating a twenty-five-years-to-life sentence for people committing their third felony, including felonies as minor as drug possession and dealing. The “Three Strikes” law is a disaster. It inherently discriminates by race, and it feeds the prison-industrial complex, causing mass incarceration. Bailey’s endorsements alone are a big fat fuck no: the NRA and California Pro-Life, to highlight two. And oh, yeah—he’s facing twelve counts of judicial misconduct from the State Commission on Judicial Performance. Charming.

Insurance Commissioner: Ricardo Lara (D)

The Insurance Commissioner’s job is to oversee the state agency that enforces insurance laws and investigates health care fraud. Therefore, whoever sits in this chair will have Californians’ backs against large insurance companies. We like Sen. Ricardo Lara, the first openly gay person of color to serve in the State Senate. Lara has spent his entire legislative career being a strong consumer advocate, and he is part of a new wave of progressive Democrats, endorsed by Sen. Kamala Harris and more aligned with Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom than Gov. Jerry Brown. He is a supporter of the “Health4all” coalition, which proposes to expand Medi-Cal to all income-eligible California residents, regardless of their immigration status. And he believes the state needs a universal health care system, now that the Trump administration is trying to tear down Obamacare.

Meanwhile, Steve Poizner, tech entrepreneur, held the position as a Republican from 2007-2011. Poizner strongly opposed illegal immigration back when he ran for governor, and he blamed undocumented immigrants for many of the state’s problems. He believes the state should get more involved in the new market of cyber insurance and climate insurance. Both candidates agree on the need to deal with the growing threat of wildfires, by making sure companies pay off on claims and educating residents on the need to make sure they keep their home insurances up to date after they make improvements. In recent, polls, Poizner had a slight lead with many voters still undecided. We’ve decided on Lara.

United States Senator: Dianne Feinstein (D)

Well, the good news is that the Dems are gonna win this battle between an outspoken progressive and a little old lady who’s had the job for decades and has done . . . mostly all right. Feinstein is endorsed by the LA Times, Obama, Biden, Kamala Harris, and Barbara Boxer, and a boatload of congressmen and congresswomen. That establishment backing has her up on DeLeon by twenty-four points. But geez, we wish she was more progressive. For example, she’s not for single-payer health care, and she’s been for the death penalty.

DeLeon, on the other hand, who is the California State Senate president pro tem, got the endorsement from the state Democratic party by calling them all up and asking for it, while Feinstein took it for granted from Washington. There’s a LOT to like about DeLeon. He’s the son of an immigrant, progressive in all those progressive-y good ways, and hungry to take on idiot Republicans in Congress.

So what’s a progressive voter to do? For the most uninspiring of reasons, we’re going with DiFi. Seniority matters in the Senate, and Feinstein is the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a member of the top Democratic leadership. We’d like to wait until we have a Democrat in the White House, and let Kamala Harris gain a little more seniority in Senate (or get Kamala Harris in the White House!), before California gives up Feinstein’s influential seat among Democratic Senate leadership.

State Senator, 26th District: Ben Allen (D)

Allen has held this position since 2016 and is universally endorsed as a force for positive change. His opponent, Baron Bruno (cool name!), is currently a real estate agent who uses a lot of CAPITAL letters on his website. While he did offer to “work until his fingers bleed,” Bruno’s anemic experience seems to be the only thing needing medical attention. Keep your day job, Bruno.

50th District State Assembly: Richard Bloom (D)

He’s running unopposed, and he knows it, judging by the grammar, punctuation, and monotony issues on his website. So it’s either a vote for him or a vote abstained. We give him our vote, as we have in the past. Liberal groups uniformly favor him and conservative groups uniformly dislike him, and that’s a formula we can believe in. A few fun highlights from his agenda: reforming the state’s film tax credit program to stem the tide of entertainment industry jobs fleeing to other states and countries; protecting bobcats; and educating people on how to understand and use the Affordable Care Act. Tiny red flag—he had to pay a fine a while back for not reporting four campaign contributions he received in the final days of his 2014 election campaign, but this failure is widely accepted as negligence as opposed to deception. We bloom for Bloom. There, we said it. But only because we always say it.

School Superintendent of Public Instruction:

UPDATED OCTOBER 27, 2018 to Marshall Tuck

As happens from time to time when we publish this list, various people reach out and talk to us about personal experiences with candidates. In this case, we asked San Francisco’s own, our good friend Ed Center (whom we would have added to this debate team were he closer) to provide his reasoning. And...we were convinced. His notes are here in blue:

Marshall Tuck is the candidate with an actual track record of improving schools for low-income, black, and Latino kids. He is willing to make tough decisions that are unpopular with the status quo: more school options for poor families, bonus pay for teachers in low-income neighborhoods, giving principals leeway to hire the faculty they want. He’s the smartest person I’ve ever talked to about education policy. This is a tough one for me because I like Thurmond and I want to support a candidate from humble means. Thurmond is a career politician with his eyes on the next prize. I would vote for him for senator. But because he’s politically ambitious, he refuses to go against the teachers union which is a big force in maintaining the status quo for poor, black and Latino students. Tuck helped to turnaround a group of underperforming schools in LA under Villaraigrosa. In doing so, he was very supportive to teachers but upset the union by doing things like giving bonus pay. The union said you can’t do that, we have a contract that lays out salary structure and he said, fine, what are you going to do when I tell the LA Times that you won’t let me pay teachers MORE? I’ve heard him lay out his plan for education in CA and I believe in that plan. I think he’s he best choice for CA students.

Our Original Notes: This was a tough pick. If the LA Times’s assessment of the race is credible, both Thurmond and Tuck would be admirable choices, although they give the slight nod to Thurmond. As do we. Both are running on a platform focusing on low-income and at-risk youth, but Tuck served as president of a chain of charter schools and as a CEO in different educational organizations, and while that doesn’t mean he can’t sympathize with the problems of low-income and at-risk communities, Thurmond is in a better position to empathize with those communities, having grown up poor in Philadelphia and then working within challenged communities as a social worker. Assuming all other relevant attributes between Tuck and Thurmond are equal—which they inevitably are not, but nothing we’ve been able to find point to a significant difference in their administrative abilities—we say go with the guy who’s been there over the guy who’s been assessing it from afar. Additionally, Thurmond’s massive list of endorsements includes Kamala Harris, Nancy Pelosi, and Maxine Waters—plus the California Black and Latino Caucuses, which, again, represent communities who are more vulnerable than most to a problemed education system.

County-Assessor: Jeffrey Prang

Jeffrey Prang is the incumbent and we agree with the LA Times that we should vote to give him a second term. Basically, he’s done a much better job than his predecessor so we should re-elect him so he can keep up the good work. The assessor’s main job is to determine the value of newly built, improved, or purchased properties and business assets. The office also decides on requests to reduce property valuations and hears appeals of the decisions made by its appraisers. Its decisions help determine how much county residents pay in property taxes each year. And the other guy listed his official middle name as “Lower Taxes” on the ballot (no really, look at your ballot) and in all of the press materials. We have NO idea who that works for, because it is legit crazy as hell.

County—Sheriff: Jim McDonnell

The county sheriff is one of the most powerful elected officials in the county, as they influence state policy, run the county jail system, and have the power to find alternatives to incarceration. So pay attention. We do NOT endorse the Democratic Socialist suggestion that you just write in whatever joke candidate you want. (For real, don’t.) This is a runoff election from June and pits the incumbent, McDonnell versus Villanueva, a recently retired deputy. In his time as county sheriff, McDonnell has been able to make some positive changes, especially considering that the last sheriff was sent to prison. McDonnell has much more experience than Villanueva, having had opportunities while on the force to manage large teams and more recently in his role in the past four years as county sheriff. Villanueva, on the other hand, never rose within the ranks of the LASD. Given his past work experience and performance, McDonnell just edges out Villanueva.

Member State Board of Equalization, 3rd District:

TOSS UP, but, sigh, probably Tony Vazquez (D)

Okay, this race is REAL bummer. The State Board of Equalization is a long story and kind of a mess we’ve talked about before. It was established in 1879 to ensure statewide fairness in property tax assessments, but over time the board really turned on its mandate to tamp down on corruption and by 2017 the board was bonkers corrupt and after a criminal investigation (led by Betty Yee!) Jerry Brown signed a bill that stripped the board of its powers and scaled it back from 4,800 employees to 400. So, what will Tony Vazquez or G. Rick Marshall be in charge of when we elect them? The board’s home page now says, “The State Board of Equalization administers Property Tax, Alcoholic Beverage Tax, and Tax on Insurers programs.” So, that’s a five-member board stuck more or less with its original constitutional powers to review property tax assessments, plus a few other things that have become relevant since 1879, like insurer tax assessment, alcohol excise tax, and pipeline taxes. So, it’s important that they not be corrupt. You see where this is going, yes: Tony Vazquez, the Democrat, is a longtime Santa Monica councilman and was the first Latino mayor of Santa Monica. He’s endorsed by some mainstream Democrats like Antonio Villaraigosa, Alex Padilla, and Maxine Waters (as well as a Santa Monica car dealership and a Mexican restaurant!). But there’s a noticeable brevity to his list of endorsements, because . . . you guessed it, he’s under investigation for corruption! He apparently claimed no income for several years during which his wife, a school board member, made votes that favored two businesses that had employed Vazquez as a contractor. And neither of them disclosed the conflict of interest. COME ON! And then, on the other side of the ticket, there’s G. Rick Marshall, who appears to be on the stubborn side of the small-government, fewer-taxes brand of Republicanism. That’s not a good match for California, a progressive state that believes in leveling taxes for worthy programs and investments. Marshall could bring to a screeching halt programs that make California a progressive leader. There doesn’t appear to be a hero in this story, but democracy is sometimes about picking the least worst option, and in this case, we still think that’s Vasquez, because if the current investigation finds him to be corrupt, he’ll be removed from office and we’ll get someone else who maybe won’t screw up the way taxes are collected because of some “survival of the fittest” bullshit. But again, COME ON!

FOR ANALYSIS/BIOS OF THE JUDICIARY RACES, CLICK HERE.

FOR ANALYSIS/RESEARCH OF EACH OF THE BALLOT MEASURES, CLICK HERE.

[karazor--el]

Stephen Amell, Grant Gustin & Melissa Benoist Tease What to Expect in 'Elseworlds'

Together, they’ve battled aliens and taken down Nazis from Earth-X — the darkest world in the infinite multiverse. Now, The CW’s courageous DC Comics heroes are in for something entirely different.

Crossovers within the Arrowverse (named for the very first DC-based show in The CW’s stable, Arrow) began in 2014 with “Flash vs. Arrow,” and since then, the annual mashup has typically brought in season-high ratings for the shows involved and launched new series as well. This year’s “Elseworlds” is the fifth multi-episode crossover, and it is going really out there with a switcheroo storyline that spans three nights on The Flash, Arrow and Supergirl. (The previous episodes of each show feature puzzling events that drive the action into the crossover.)

Although the story doesn’t include the DC’s Legends of Tomorrow time travelers this go-round, Oliver Queen/Green Arrow (Stephen Amell), Barry Allen/The Flash (Grant Gustin) and Kara Danvers/Supergirl (Melissa Benoist) will have plenty of help. It’s a good thing this core trio plays well together, because Arrow consulting producer Marc Guggenheim, who is spearheading the three-parter, confirms it will have a long-lasting impact. “This lays the groundwork for next year’s crossover,” he says. Here’s what you need to know.

Role Reversal

Inspired by DC Comics’ Elseworlds imprint, which featured stand-alone tales set outside of comic book continuity, the story kicks off on The Flash with two heroes waking up in the other’s life. Barry is now in Star City, where everyone thinks he’s Oliver Queen, while the real Oliver is in Central City, where he’s somehow become Barry Allen. The Flash’s Candice Patton (she plays Iris West-Allen) helped Amell channel his peppier “inner Barry” for the opening scene. “I was nervous,” the actor says, “but if I’m going to be the Flash, I had to embrace the characteristics that make him who he is!” After the men realize that even their own teams don’t believe their claims, Amell says, “They need to find their way to another Earth and see if someone else recognizes them as Oliver and Barry, and not vice versa.” Off to Kara’s world!

Heroes Unite!

On Earth-38, home of Benoist’s Supergirl, their Kryptonian buddy gets to work on figuring out how to undo the swap. (We’re still in the first hour, people!) “She’s the only one who sees them as they see themselves,” the actress explains. Of course, this crisis cuts into her family time — Tyler Hoechlin reprises his role as Superman, and he’s bringing Elizabeth Tulloch (Grimm) along as Lois Lane. “It was so fun to add that portion of Clark Kent’s life to the story and see another side of him,” says Hoechlin of Lane’s debut, adding that the iconic pair’s “very strong” relationship gets the thumbs-up from Clark’s cousin, Kara.

We’ll also meet legendary DC Comics entity the Monitor (LaMonica Garrett of Designated Survivor), an alien tasked with overseeing the multiverse, who Guggenheim hints may have a hand in the Barry-Oliver anachronism: “He sets in motion the events of the crossover, but I wouldn’t call him directly responsible.” While the producer admits the Monitor “exists beyond good and evil,” the cosmic being will cause problems. He might also be involved in an Earth-changing move that brings back The Flash’s John Wesley Shipp — but not as Barry’s late father. Instead, Shipp will suit up as the speedster Barry Allen he played on CBS’s original The Flash back in 1990.

Next Up To Bat

In the Arrow hour, a clue leads the heroes to Gotham City for viewers’ first peek at Batman’s metropolis and the much-heralded arrival of Ruby Rose (Orange Is the New Black) as Batwoman, aka Kate Kane. “She gets the most epic introduction,” promises Amell… although the idea is to give fans just a tantalizing tease of the character (a possible spinoff is in the works). “You don’t get every bit of Kate and every bit of Batwoman,” says Rose, whose lesbian vigilante has enough on her plate protecting Gotham solo (the Dark Knight has mysteriously vanished) without having to deal with the new do-gooders. “Obviously she’s going to help them, but it’s kind of an inconvenience,” Rose adds with a laugh.

Bad Company

While there is no overarching nemesis, there are some not-so-friendly faces. Jeremy Davies (Lost) drops in as the mad Dr. John Deegan at Gotham’s Arkham Asylum, which also houses Psycho-Pirate (Bob Frazer), a DC Comics heel known to wreak havoc for the Flash. Cassandra Jean Amell (Stephen’s wife) is showing up as Nora Fries, so it’s likely we’ll at least hear about her horrible hubby, Mr. Freeze. But perhaps the most mind-blowing villain is a black-clad version of Superman from a dark corner of the multiverse, set to throw down with anyone in his path. (Fingers crossed this showdown culminates in the grand finale Supergirl hour.) “There’s a lot of fighting,” says Hoechlin. “I mean, I fight myself, I fight everybody!”

Still, the crossover is not all biff-bang-pow. “This year has been the most fun one to film,” Benoist says. “My favorite moments were with Grant and Stephen doing comedic scenes — and there are quite a few of them.” Green Arrow getting goofy? This multiverse really is something else!

The Flash, Sunday, Dec. 9, 8/7c, The CW

Arrow, Monday, Dec. 10, 8/7c, The CW

Supergirl, Tuesday Dec. 11, 8/7c, The CW.

TV Insider.

[tabloidtoc]

National Enquirer, September 28

You can buy a copy of this issue for your very own at my eBay store: https://www.ebay.com/str/bradentonbooks

Cover: Jeffrey Epstein’s madam Ghislaine Maxwell’s secret husband unmasked 

Page 2: Royal renegades Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle have turned their backs on the U.K. forever by paying back $3.1 million borrowed from British taxpayers to renovate Frogmore Cottage because Harry always felt the weight of the public loan and he’s paid it back in full as one of the last stages in divorcing himself from the royal family and the U.K. itself -- the California-based couple who recently bought a $15 million mansion in Montecito also claimed they will no longer take handout from Harry’s dad Prince Charles after signing a Netflix deal said to be worth as much as $150 million 

Page 3: Slimmed-down Jessica Simpson has told chubby hubby Eric Johnson to shape up or ship out -- she’s been laser-focused on healthy dieting and exercise since giving birth to daughter Birdie Mae 18 months ago but her flabby ex-football star spouse has been piling on the pounds 

Page 4: Angelina Jolie has shrunk to a skeletal 99 pounds after launching a hunger strike to force hated ex Brad Pitt to cave to her child custody demands but friends and medical experts fear the star may be killing herself in the process -- Angie’s surviving on handfuls of grains and nuts and avoiding full meals and she’s banking on Brad cratering when he sees her in such a sorry state and giving her anything she wants, sober and svelte Kelly Osbourne is on a mission to find a man 

Page 5: Demi Moore is drooling over love rat Justin Hartley’s Instagram posts and she’s got it bad for the lothario -- she’s had it bad for him ever since they filmed a funny skit together on The Tonight Show last year -- Demi has not had a serious romance since her catastrophic breakup in 2013 with Ashton Kutcher but she’s coming out of her shell after swearing off dating and now she wants to have some fun and she’s zeroed in on Justin 

Page 6: Katie Holmes has given up on Hollywood hunks and found romance with a Big Apple chef -- she was snapped getting hot and heavy with Emilio Vitolo Jr. and the single mom is hungry for love with a man more focused on her than stardom 

Page 7: Sharon Osbourne chased Marie Osmond off The Talk -- Marie thought the show would be fun and just a bunch of girls gabbing about their lives and whatnot but she found out that was totally naive because Sharon disliked her from the start and Marie felt Sharon was jealous of her and thought she didn’t belong and there was a definite rift between them and an undercurrent of bitchiness that everyone noticed 

Page 8: Big-ideas guy Chip Gaines is clashing with wife Joanna Gaines over money as he wants to expand their empire but she wants to slow things down, Hollywood Hookups -- Jay Cutler and Tomi Lahren dating, Kathie Lee Gifford’s son Cody Gifford wed Erika Brown, Lily Allen and David Harbour wed

Page 9: Scandal-scarred Kevin Spacey has been accused of trying to sexually assault two 14-year-old boys during the 1980s in an explosive new lawsuit filed in New York -- one accuser has not been named but the second accuser in the lawsuit is Star Trek: Discovery actor Anthony Rapp 

Page 10: Hot Shots -- Brian Austin Green stocks up at a supermarket in L.A., Gerard Butler hopped about his motorcycle after having dinner in Malibu, Olivia Wilde at the beach in Malibu, Anne Heche stepped out in L.A. 

Page 11: Martial-arts movie master Jackie Chan got his butt kicked by Chinese officials out into the streets of Beijing when they seized two side-by-side luxury apartments in Beijing where the Hong Kong-born karate king’s family lived and put them up for auction in an ownership dispute but Jackie is fighting back by filing a lawsuit to reclaim his property which he bought estimated to be worth $5 million at a massively discounted $2 million in 2007 after doing promotional work for the owners, Oscar-winning vegan Joaquin Phoenix hopes to whip up a career as TV’s next top chef -- he loves to experiment at the stove adding different spices to traditional dishes but those who have sampled his stuff have confessed he’s not that good -- despite his kitchen limitations he has no plans to ditch acting but he wants to go all in on trying to become a YouTube or Food Network personality 

Page 12: Straight Shuter -- Alessandra Ambrosio played volleyball in Santa Monica (picture), new Dancing with the Stars host Tyra Banks has kicked former frontman Tom Bergeron from the ballroom blocking a final farewell appearance after 15 years on the show and now Tom’s responded by giving tyrant Tyra some lip by openly mocking her bizarre new promotional video where her kisser was enhanced to mimic the show’s mirror ball trophy, it’s bye-bye booze on The Real Housewives franchise because seeing older white privileged women getting drunk and fighting isn’t fun anymore and it’s put a lot of viewers off and Bravo execs believe it’s one reason the ratings have tanked so now there will be less booze available during tapings, Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani are clashing over politics among other things -- Gwen hosted an Obama fundraiser at her house in Beverly Hills while Blake is much more conservative and they’re struggling to find common ground and the weeks leading up to the election could rip these two apart 

Page 13: Keeping Up with the Kardashians is ending its 14-year run because the famous family members can’t stand each other anymore

Page 14: Crime 

Page 15: Broken-hearted Priscilla Presley is on the verge of an emotional breakdown and dealing with daughter Lisa Marie Presley’s past struggles with addiction and ongoing divorce with Michael Lockwood and the recent tragic suicide of her only grandson Benjamin Keough have taken a devastating toll on the 75-year-old along with the impact of the global pandemic and the country’s social unrest -- she locks herself in her room and cries uncontrollably for hours at a time and has had trouble keeping up with her daily routines -- she’s selling her Beverly Hills home and moving back to Graceland but the walls outside the estate are covered in graffiti with messages like Black Lives Matter and No Justice No Peace 

Page 18: Their Marriage Failed So They Tried Again -- Pamela Anderson, Larry King, Jean-Claude Van Damme 

Page 19: Melanie Griffith, Elliott Gould, Marie Osmond, Elon Musk 

Page 20: Brainiac Ken Jennings the all-time winningest contestant on Jeopardy! is being groomed to replace the show’s ailing host Alex Trebek by the beloved TV legend himself 

Page 22: Prized props pilfered from Hollywood sets are big business for underground dealers and can fetch up to six figures on the black market and even worse some memorabilia heists have disrupted the making of major blockbusters costing studios a pretty penny 

Page 28: Cover Story -- Sex monster Jeffrey Epstein’s accused madam Ghislaine Maxwell will never be convicted due to a provision in the U.S. Constitution that forbids married couples from being forced to testify against their mates and now facing charges of sex trafficking underage girls for the pervert billionaire Maxwell has a get-out-of-jail-free card because she secretly married the pedophile before he was murdered in a federal prison last year 

Page 34: Prankster Sacha Baron Cohen secretly shot a sequel to his 2006 blockbuster Borat and it’s already been screened by select industry bigwigs, Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond is blazing her daughter Alex’s path to the altar with fiance Mauricio Scott 

Page 38: Health Watch

Page 42: Red Carpet -- Venice Film Festival -- Cate Blanchett -- hot, Tilda Swinton -- not, Arizona Muse -- hot, Maya Hawke -- hot, Elodie -- hot, Vanessa Kirby -- hot 

Page 45: Spot the Differences -- Gerald McRaney and Aubrey Dollar and Kim Cattrall on the new drama Filthy Rich 

Page 47: Odd List -- a gory piece of history has landed on the auction block -- a lock of Abraham Lincoln’s hair that was wrapped in an 1865 telegram stained with the dead president’s blood is expected to fetch up to $75,000 

[bike42]

THANKSGIVING Thursday November 25, 2021

Pretty mellow day. I must admit, I felt a little melancholy not being in Green Bay with my extended family. But I’m in Hawaii on my own accord and we’re having an amazing time. It’s just odd. Last year we weren’t together because of COVID, and this year we decided to celebrate JT’s 70th birthday with a bang. Other than missing family, Kauai is a pretty awesome place to be on Thanksgiving.

JT and I got up and did a Peloton Yoga session on the back lanai. I’m so glad he is enjoying yoga again as I think the stretching can really help him with his knee issues and just in general. The Plath’s were out somewhere trying to catch a sunrise, and they came back just as we were finishing up. We had breakfast and visited, then chilled on the back lanai reading and chatting. I finished one of the Outlander series, “An Echo in the Bone,” and was dying to get started on the next in the series, “Written in My Own Heart’s Blood.” But I had to take a break and read “The Paris Library” for next month’s book club.

The Plath’s went in search of a snorkeling beach, and Jeff and I took the bikes out to explore other pieces of Princeville. We rode to the end of Hanalei Plantation Road, and down a steep hill, ending up on Pu’u Poa Beach. There isn’t much of a tide swing here, but with the surf and probably the tide - the water came to the trees. We walked along a built up trail, with occasional glimpses of Hanalei Pier and Beach through the trees. We were at the spot where the Hanalei River enters the ocean, and the swirling and mixing of water was powerful. A young lady walked along the river, then dogpaddled (!!) across. She did get pulled by the current, but we were relieved to see her emerge from the other side.

We pushed our heavy bikes us the first part of the steep trail, then poked around what seemed to be plantation ruins where there was a mowed path towards the water. There was a clearing there that provided a great view of the surfers catching the big waves at the top of Hanalei Bay - wished we’d brought binoculars!

After we tired of watching, we rode back down the road, and then riding the shoulder of Hwy 560 for a few blocks we ended up at the Princeville shopping center. We did a few more side roads as we rode back, finding another beach path to explore tomorrow.

Bailey called me on FaceTime just as we returned to the house. They’d just wrapped up dinner, and she walked me around so I could greet everyone. Brother Jim was finishing up the turkey carving, and Mom and Aunt Cindy were in the kitchen doing dishes as usual. My dad and his twin brother, Uncle John were dressed in matching buffalo plaid (as was nephew Hans). Cousins, JC (and Roberta) and Sara were there, along with Aunt Karen and Uncle Bill. My brother’s whole family was there, including niece Hannah with her baby Hudson making his first Thanksgiving appearance. Emma, Mason, Georgia and her boyfriend, and Jim’s wife Cris. My sister, Sandra, hubby Matt and their kids Hans and Calvin (and McKinley). It was great to see everyone, but it did make me feel even more sad to not be with them.

I showered while Jeff sliced veggies for roasting and baked the ham. I made a salad, and the Plath’s returned from their adventure. We had a nice dinner. Their daughter, Dailia, was at Barb and Allens (Kyle’s parents, Jeff’s sister) and she called and they FaceTimed for a bit. I wasn’t alone in missing family on the holiday.

It was a nice mellow day and afternoon. Getting into the pattern of not having to have something to do. Okay with just “being.”

[thatglitterfiedgal]

Hi!

My name is Elizabeth Allen Hernandez (ThatGlitterfiedGal) and I will be your go-to Pampered Chef gal for this "to-go" party! I wanted to give you a little introduction on WHO I am and HOW I got here!!

I started selling for Pampered Chef in February 2017 after leaving my career job (a K-8 librarian) to spend a year traveling which resulted in a big cross country move with my now-hubby. 🧳

I’ve loved cooking since I was a kid! In fact, I went to PC shows with my Mom in the 90s and begged for all the items in the catalog!🍳

I knew I wanted to be a consultant one day, but with my on-the-go lifestyle, it was going to be difficult...Thank GOODNESS virtual parties became a hit!!

👧I gave birth to my firstborn in 2019 and we just welcomed baby #2 into the world in September!! 👶

Currently PC is my main job aside from Mom-ing and I am beyond thrilled to have flexibility to do what I want/need, WHEN I want/need.

🎉My favorite part of PC parties?? Meeting new people and helping them find that one product that changes their life in the kitchen.❤️

We have two doggies: Winnie & Ethel. Both are Mini Aussies and we love them to death (yeah, we are THOSE people! haha) In fact, our oldest has her own instagram! @Winnie.theminiaussie if you want to follow along on her puppy journeys! 🐶 Of course you can find me there as well at: @ThatGlitterfiedGal -- and make sure to find me on TikTok as well!

💓I love to love on my evergrowing PC community! Make sure you become a VIP before this party ends!!

🌟#TeamGlitterfied is my amazing PC team! I’ll tell you more about why I love this biz later, but the people I “work” with have quickly turned into family and it’s a BIG reason I love what I do! (If you’re looking for some extra bucks AND a group of amazing peeps to someday call family, let’s chat!)

I look forward to getting to know you this week and sharing my passion with you! Please friend request me and/or reach out to me on Facebook (Elizabeth Allen Hernandez) so we can better connect!

🎉BONUS! If you read all the way to the end, send me a message telling me what YOU do when you aren’t partying online with us! I'll give you a FREEBIE for doing this! ;-)

👉Ready to get back to the party? https://campsite.bio/glitterfiedpcparty