#i am so tired of this post getting notes I am never reposting a tweet again

[abnormalpsychology]

thank you for your service twitter

[stage-props]

This is pretty different from what I usually post but because I know a lot of people don’t have access to The Washington Post:

Basically, without exaggeration, we’re legitimately on the brink of civil war. Trump supporters have invaded the capital building and Trump is cheering them on, still claiming he won the election.

In the notes I’ll reblog this with the link to a full pdf of the article

Thousands of President Trump’s supporters are in Washington for rallies Wednesday to falsely assert that the presidential election was stolen from him. Many in attendance see the demonstrations as a last stand for Trump on the same day that Congress votes to certify that President-elect Joe Biden won the election. Trump — who lost the popular and electoral college vote — continues to dispute the results, without evidence, and has encouraged his supporters to attend the rallies in the nation’s capital. He took the stage about noon to roaring crowds, claiming he had won the election. At the U.S. Capitol, throngs of protesters pushed past police who were trying to block them from entering the building as senators inside debated the certification of the presidential election. Some were able to breach security to successfully enter the building.

TEAR GAS RELEASED, IN THE BUILDING ON THE TERRORISTS, DEMS CONDEM TRUMP ONLINE

Throngs of pro-Trump supporters bust through security barricades and stormed the U.S. Capitol Building where they entered the U.S. Senate chamber and forced police to deploy tear gas inside. Lawmakers, tweeting from inside, captured a terrifying scene with many Democrats assailing Trump for provoking his supporters to attempt what some called a coup of the federal government. Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.) wrote that he’s in the House Chambers and has been “instructed to lie down on the floor and put on our gas masks. Chamber security and Capitol Police have their guns drawn as protesters bang on the front door of the chamber." “We were just told that there has been tear gas in the rotunda and we’re being instructed to each of us to get gas masks that are under our seats,” Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) said in a video he posted on Twitter, referring to the area under the dome that connects the House and Senate sides of the building. Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) called it a “coup attempt.” He later reposted a Twitter message from Trump and said: “You are not protecting the country. Where is the DC guard? You are done and your legacy will be a disaster.” Many Democrats also blamed Trump for inciting his supporters. “This is thuggery at its best...And the flames are being stoked by the person currently in our #WhiteHouse. Donald Trump is responsible for this. #TrumpThugs,” tweeted Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.). Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), who wrote that she and her staff are “safe” and “following protocols,” said, “This is a situation provoked by President Trump & Republicans that is rapidly deteriorating. It needs to end quickly & peacefully,” she added. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.), wrote that “violence is always unacceptable. Even when passions run high.” He added: “Anyone engaged in violence—especially against law enforcement—should be fully prosecuted.” 

TRUMP SUPPORTERS CLAIM THEY ARE NOT DEMOCRATS OR REPUBLICANS, THEY ARE ‘TRUMPERS’

Mary Ann Wilbur gasped as three men slowly made their way up the balcony wall while those who made it up unfurled Trump flags. She approved. “We’re tired,” said Wilbur, who came to D.C. from Massachusetts. “We’ve been pushed and pushed and pushed, and we’ve had enough.” “The people are angry,” she said. “Nobody’s listening to us, Republicans or Democrats. We’re Trumpers.”

TRUMP CONTINUES TO SUPPORT PROTESTERS AND ENCOURAGE THEIR COUP

President Trump, who repeatedly urged his supporters gathered on the Ellipse earlier today to march to the U.S. Capitol to demand that Congress overturn the election, tweeted a call to “stay peaceful” as some of those supporters broke into the Capitol building. U.S. Capitol Police were unable to hold back throngs outside the building, some of whom pushed their way inside. With the House and Senate on lockdown inside the building, Trump asked for “support” for the police force trying to maintain order.

PROTESTERS BREAK BARRICADES AND PROJECT NATIONALISTIC CALLS, CLAIM THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS BETRAYING THEM

Just before 1 p.m., a group of primarily White men pushed, then toppled the barricades, storming through them to the grassy fields leading to the Capitol. Several Capitol police stood guard but could not hold back the tide. Hundreds scaled and kicked aside the barricades, yelling “forward!!” as they ran upward. Some tried to reach the steps of the Capitol, but were stopped by law enforcement. A few who made it through and scaled metal construction structures were tackled by police. After a few minutes of the crowds yelling “USA! USA!”, dozens of law enforcement descended down the steps to boos

“Fight for Trump!” “Make it louder!” said a woman south of Constitution Avenue. By 12:15 p.m., people were beginning to peel off and head east. “Off to the Capitol,” one woman said. “Let’s go!” Toward the middle of the president‘s speech, more people began streaming toward Capitol Hill, where Congress was preparing to certify the electoral college vote  

TRUMP TELLS PROTESTERS THAT THEY WON

“We will never give up. We will never concede. It doesn’t happen. You don’t concede when there’s theft involved,” Trump said, falsely claiming that Biden’s victory was based on fraudulent vote counts. “We won this election, and we will never give up.”

This is from some of my own research when communicating with historian Professor Justin Brunette from PPCC

When asked what his feelings were on the situation, he states as follows:

“Honestly, this is right on the knife-edge of an insurrection, and thus potential civil war.  Nothing like this has happened in American history since the Civil War.  So I am anxious too, if I'm honest.”

This is ongoing as of 1/6/2021 1:40pm Mountain Time Check the notes for the link to the full article

[diningpageantry]

Don’t @ Me

Archive Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18215168/chapters/43092371

Chapter 1/10 of It’s A Handheld Disaster

Word Count: 3118

Fic Summary: Teenage life is hard enough, but with the added weight of their lives, both Simon and Baz thrive online in a fandom for the British crime show, Gastrell, about the genius Huxley and his "flatmate" Sam. Through Tumblr, they find each other, and sink into something more than just being mutuals.

Chapter Summary: A shitpost is taken a little too personally, and an argument breaks out. In true Baz fashion, he seeks to prove himself right in the most ridiculous way possible.

BAZ

Morning routines are the most menial shit in the realm of existence of arbitrary tasks.

Everyone seems to have them, yet nobody really has a set one. For example, my step-mum has a long, seemingly pointless hour of simply facial cleansers, serums, and hair products. When I’d asked her years ago why she does it all, she shook her head and said “You’ll never be an aging woman, Basilton.”

I couldn’t quite argue with that.

Regardless, it’s a part of life. The routines. Wake up, morning routine, morning activity, eat, afternoon activity, usually afternoon snack, evening activity, dinner, night-time activity, sleep.

A boring, underwhelming cycle of the day.

Although, I suppose it’s shittier for me, since the homeschooling doesn’t give me a chance to do much besides sit and read. Of course, I have my car and I can drive off to whatever. Hell, father even suggested I get a job to occupy myself, but I don’t quite see the point given how much money we have (and the risk factors with moving around so frequently).

So, here I am. Finishing my classes in a matter of months, then having an entire year of pointless bullshit.

Needless to say, my entire day’s routine isn’t the most thrilling. Wake up at 10 on a good day, check social media and emails, then just lay here until I can’t wait to piss. Piss. Go to eat breakfast and get greeted by screaming children and my poor step-mum trying to wrangle them in. Go upstairs, go back online, see whatever’s on my dash, reblog some shit, then try to do something vaguely productive. Check Archive, check email again. Nothing’s on the emails, ever. Text Dev and Niall, who get awfully pissed since they are in school. Get more food. Eat. Bring tea upstairs, despite the disdained look from our maid (who hates collecting my piles of mugs). Write for a couple hours. Take an afternoon nap, if I please. Wake up and sit there (again). Maybe lonely wank. Go back to the bathroom, stare at myself in the mirror for a good few minutes. Sit on the toilet for half an hour for no reason besides the fact that my phone seems more interesting while sitting there as compared to sitting in bed. Sit then on the bathroom floor doing the same thing. Go back to my bed, listen to music on my phone and work on my laptop. Write, maybe scroll. Get dinner brought to me as they tut that I should be more active. Eat. Go downstairs for an evening workout (they’re right, I shouldn’t confine myself to my bed). Come back, do exactly what I do for half the day until I pass out somewhere around 3 am. Repeat.

Dream life for an 17 year old. Social life of a god.

Somewhat.

It’s shit to say (and sort of embarrassing to share) that there’s sort of a social media presence around me. Not quite the Instagram model bullshit, but based around fan life.

Yes, it’s a laughing stock. That’s where my popularity lies--a mixed grab-bag of various ages gathering around various platforms to enthuse about certain topics. And I’m somehow lucky enough to have the slightest bit of popularity here.

As in, a large following. A large, somehow active following.

It isn’t exactly thrilling as one would like to think. Sure, it’s fun to see a scattered group of regulars pop up, and I have my mutuals, but it’s a sad existence to sit around and make various shitposts with nothing better to occupy my mind. Or, at least, that’s what Dev and Niall tell me.

All in all, I blame Fiona. She’s the one who got me into the show, saying she thought the character was a bit like me. After I saw it, I found the three connections she’d grasped at.

Gay, dark-haired, and violinist.

As if that’s a rarity.

Yet, surely enough, I did love it. The cinematography, the characters, the storyline. It was intriguing--captivating.

It doesn’t hurt that the online community was still on the smaller side when I first got there. The show was only a season in when I made my blog, and I’ve stuck through all this bullshit to get me here. One of the regulars. Reposted everywhere, uncredited usually. Big fics, large interactions. Shitposts with thousands upon thousands of notes. I’m recognizable; a suggested name.

Don’t get me wrong, the attention is spectacular. I love interacting with people beyond this depressing household, and they’re usually fairly nice (usually) (except those ravenous for an argument). It’s just awkward to share at times when people ask why your mobile’s got 99+ symbols next to the apps and you just shrug and say “I’m shit at checking it” to avoid the conversation because most people see it as childish.

It’s a shame, really. Especially since I feel emotionally attached to these goddamn fictional fuckers.

I suppose that’s what makes it all the more personal, then. Even the shitposts mean something to me.

Which is what makes this is a long, winded way of saying fuck whoever’s arguing with me about whether or not Huxley is a fucking Ravenclaw. (He is. Hands down.) How’d I get here, staring at my mobile in disbelief at a brief back and forth post turned fight? Because it feels like a reasonable question to wonder.

I got here because, as almost all mornings, I woke up, opened my phone, read my notifs, then sat here, thinking of something. Anything. Then, in a tired haze, typed out a single text post on tumblr.

huxley gastrell is a ravenclaw send tweet

Following so, I went about my typical morning. Of course. Then--then--I check my phone as I’m going downstairs and I see it. I see the “@bi-sammy mentioned you in a post!” notif, then read the God-forsaken reblog.

@gaystrell op do you take criticism on your posts?

I frowned at my phone, typing out a quick response before tucking it back into my pocket.

@bi-sammy no.

What I hadn’t anticipated, though, was the reply I’d open up to soon after I’d started poking at my morning meal.

@gaystrell well too bad bc ur WRONG and ur opinions are UGLY

#he’s clearly a slytherin this is slytherin oppression #don’t tell me he and bryonie aren’t from a slytherin family

Now I sit, staring and completely awestruck at such a post. Now, I won’t deny Bryonie Gastrell is definitely, in all possible ways, a Slytherin. Cunning and ambitious as fuck, as any political spy may be, but fuck anyone who tries to dismiss Huxley’s clear Ravenclaw leanings.

It takes me a moment to fully process, mouth robotically chewing my eggs as I contemplate my answer.

@bi-sammy there is absolutely no proof of huxley being a slytherin and more than enough support towards him being a ravenclaw. get your clueless negativity off my blog, you utter tit.

With that, I settle my phone face down onto my table and try to enjoy my lovely plate of scrambled eggs, barely ignoring the boiling of my blood.

SIMON

My phone lights up with the new notification, dragging my attention away from my laptop as the words slide down onto the screen. “@gaystrell mentioned you in a post!” I hate to admit that I get a little pattering in my heart, urging my hand out to grasp the mobile as I pause the Youtube video currently playing. As I read his words, I slowly blink out of my excitement.

Tit. He called me a bloody tit.

Of course this fucking wanker called me a tit.

He must think that since he’s this big bad blogger, he can call me a tit right out in the open. (Although, he is talking to me, so that’s a plus) (No! No no no, bad validation, Simon. Bad). What, with his thousands of followers and fans of his own, he thinks he can try to say shit out in the open?

Fuck it. He’s either getting a DM or a bloody fist fight from me. I’ll take a train to wherever the fuck he lives (which is somewhere in England, since that’s what his bio says) (and his aunt lives in London, since he’s posted about visiting her) (I really do wonder where he’s from and how close he might be--what if I run into him one day?) (No wait fuck I don’t want that anymore).

Clicking on his blog, the little person drop down gives me the option of a message. I barely think as I type it out, vision going spotty from the adrenaline of the twinging anger.

bi-sammy: i swear to god there was no point to the battle of hogwarts if you’re just going to go around and absolutely slander the slytherin name and dare say that huxley is not one of them and, rather, is a ravenclaw

At first, I grin at it, watching my lone message appear into the empty chat. It’s so freeing--so powerful to send it. I pride myself, in the moment, for this solid move of communication. Of course I’m fucking proud. I messaged the arse myself and gave him a space to fight.

Maybe Penny’s right, I should dial down the confrontation, but it’s just the internet. Nothing important happens through a stupid little argument over Huxley’s true Hogwarts house (although, I’m sure I know I’m right in my heart), but it is a bit of fun to fuck around with someone. It’s a distraction. And that’s why I’m here, afterall. To have a distraction.

Penny thinks it’s a bit silly, but she doesn’t really complain. All she’s ever said was  “I thought we left fandom stuff behind us when we were 14.” She said it over lunch, watching me scroll through my at-the-time new tumblr.

It’s funny, I thought I did leave it behind when I was younger. It seemed unneeded as life shifted. I’d just found a stable foster home, with someone who was going to keep me for a while. I found Penny a couple months before I deactivated my old account. I was happy; we were free. I didn’t need a venting place.

Shits been sort of hitting the fan recently, though. No uni plans, David’s been getting more controlling, and of course, Agatha dumping me. It all crashed on top of me a few months ago, and somehow, the only place that I could find healthy coping was online. So, I started fresh. Made a blog and settled in. It’s not big, but I’ve had a few posts get noticed. I have a good few hundred followers, and one nice anon who asks me how I am every few weeks. It’s not a lot, but it’s comforting.

I feel at home here, even with a little discourse.

Well, only when the discourse is answered. Which, in this situation, I don’t know if it will be, given it’s been over an hour now and Baz hasn’t answered.

If that’s even his name.

It’s what his bio says, at least.

baz. 17. cisguy (he/him). gay. don’t interact if you think huxley is remotely straight.

I’ve wondered for a while what Baz stands for. He refuses to answer it in asks; he always says it’s too personal. He’s sort of odd like that--never posts pictures of anything that could be linked back. Seems sort of creepy, but then again, a lot of people follow him. It’s reasonable to want space.

Maybe that’s why he’s not answering. He probably wants space of some sort, but it’d be at least decent to answer someone who tried to have a discussion (that’s at least what I’m calling that message I sent--a discussion starter).

I frown at my phone, keeping it on silent as I slide it into my front pocket and settle into my seat in maths. I’ll say it--I sulk in class, a little bitter that I don’t have his attention (despite the fact that he seems like he’s always active online, which seems odd). Eventually, I exhale and try to let it slip away. There went my one interaction with him. My few seconds of the weirdest fucking bliss online, gone.

Then, it happens. As the class is ending, I pull out my screen just enough to see and there it is. A clear notification telling me he’d answered. Oddly enough, it’s just him sending me a link to a Google Doc.

Weird.

I ignore it for the moment being, letting myself ride the wave of relaxation that I actually got a reply. It passes my mind until I’m sitting in the back of Agatha’s car, listening to Penny and Aggie in the front talking about whatever’s on their mind. The rides are sort of awkward as of recently. At least Agatha agreed to drive me home (it’s a good 45 minute walk, if not) after some convincing from Penny, but her and I don’t really chat. It’s just the two of them.

Given that time, I have a chance to pull out my mobile and thumb through what was sent.

gaystrell: https://docs.google.com/document/d/175qFASmqD7hey8lE0eoE-6VhhFYE9DP6bpnI32Aay98/edit?usp=sharing

I click on it, not expecting that much (or, really, not expecting anything at all). Yet, the second it pops up and loads, my jaw drops.

“Jesus fuck,” I say aloud, scrolling through it. Penny turns her head, frowning as I stay locked on my screen.

“What? What’s wrong?”

“No--no nothing,” I say, waving a hand. “It’s nothing.”

“It’s got to be something for that reaction,” she says, keeping turned in her seat as she eyes me up. “Just tell us, Si.”

“I mean it when I say it’s nothing.” My voice gets quieter as I shift, reading the title. “It’s just fandom stuff. It’s really nothing.”

I hear her disgruntled huff as she turns back, mumbling something about me reacting too dramatically to this. “It isn’t even real.” It’s said under her breath, yet it still rings clear in my ears.

It isn’t really fake, either.

Hell, this is six pages of real. “Why Huxley Gastrell is, Without a Doubt, a Ravenclaw”. Shared by Basilton Pitch (is that his actual name?!). Fucking hell, it’s detailed to no ends. You’d think, with this much writing, there’d be pages of pointless filler where he’d just type “im gay hi huxley is also a gay we’re all gay here aren’t we”, but no. It’s full, grammatically correct sentences detailing his points.

It’s a bit much to read in the car, so I settle my mobile face down onto the seat as I’m left reeling. That… was a bit more than I’d expected.

Shit, did he write that for me?

This isn’t real. This can’t be real.

BAZ

Whoever says that having a flair for the dramatics is pointless has clearly never met me, because I wouldn’t quite call this masterpiece of an essay “pointless”. In fact, I should send it to academics. Rename it “A Study In Multi-Dimensional Characters and their Associated Generalized Personality Traits”. I’ll be hailed as a genius, as I deserve to be.

I crack my knuckles, and see the little person pop up.

Surely enough, it’s @bi-sammy’s name that he has listed online, Simon. It’s curious, he has his last name listed as “Snow”. Although, the smallest part of me believes it’s a pseudonym. Given our interactions, I doubt he’s clever enough to think of a solid pseudonym. And, even at that, why pick Snow?

Either way, it’s surprisingly endearing. Simon Snow. Sounds sweet. Sounds innocent.

I watch his cursor turn on, then his icon goes grey after a few moments. My heart starts to trip, making my cheeks begin to flush. Is… he ignoring this?

No. He can’t be. I put in hard work and dedication into this work, and I deserve the respect I’d sent into it. Fucking hell, three fully developed points (his devotion to intellectual work, his effort to step out of public light for Sam’s sake, and his overall lack of ambition for moving forward). I clearly set it out, and ended it properly; I’d proven that Huxley is a Ravenclaw. Case and point, opinion made, the end.

And, here I sit, watching him have the audacity to open it up then close it back. That was my hard work put in there, and he closes it? Who in the name of all that is sacred thinks he’s that above other people to the point where he just ignores--

Oh. He’s back on. Nevermind.

He’s… probably a school student. It’s roughly the time that most classes end, I suppose.

I make a mental apology to him, despite having never ranted directly to him in the first place.

He stays active for a good bit; long enough to show he’s reading. I assume that he’d just close off and message me, but after minutes, I notice a little highlighted comment pop up on the last sentence.

Simon Snow i………. owe you every single possible apology

Each word makes me grin like I haven’t in a while. A wide, cheek-creasing grin. There’s something so sweet to that--so personal. It feels like a note passed to me in a classroom under the tables. Like a cute “Blink if you like me”, although I doubt he has quite an intention.

Nevertheless, it warms my chest, sending my head back as I smile. I’m not sure whether or not it’s the satisfaction of winning, or his words, but I laugh outwardly into the room. It stays with me, reverberating onto my skin and my throat.

I look back at the comment, then leave it untouched. If he won’t remove it, then I won’t either.

With a glance at our personal messages tab, I figure that’s that. Even field, no more argument. No more interaction. It’s a bit of a shame, given the effort I’d just extorted for his sake, that he hasn’t answered in our chat.

While I’m disappointed to close off the document, I smile at it one last time. Sometimes I have to move on from random people, especially when they come on a bit strong.

Except, I find, moments later that I’m wrong about one thing--the moving on. He didn’t just stop his interaction, but instead made a public post.

“@bi-sammy mentioned you in a post!”

This time, I really laugh. A full bellied, hand-covering-mouth laugh.

i guess i have to suck @gayhuxell’s cock now because i was wrong and the bloody arse was right. huxley is a ravenclaw.

#fuck me i guess

I take a minute, rereading over his words a few times before typing a simple answer with my reblog.

i’m available anytime behind a mcdonald’s parking lot

[randxmthxughts]

A Huge Surprise

Word Count: 1264

Genre: Fluff

Short Description: After being away for 2 months Shawn is forced to choose whether to fly out to see you or his family first. The situation takes an interesting turn by your initiative.

Author’s note: Had this idea for a while know. Please like and repost, so I can get some motivation since my last work didn’t get as much feedback. When you’re done reading this you can also check out my other works that will be linked after this imagine in the same post.

    (the gif has nothing to do with the text, I just love it)

    “Thank you again, for letting me stay at your place for a few days,” I say to Karen while she was pouring some ice into the jug of water and placing it on the huge table.

    “Honey, we’ve told you hundred times that you are welcome here at any time.” she smiles at me.

    Aaliyah walks into the room a few seconds later to check on me, and we sit there in the kitchen scrolling through our social media timelines to see if Shawn updated anything.

    “Oh, he Snapchatted from the airport 15 minutes ago!” Aaliyah shouts making both Karen and I jump.

    “Aaliyah, you scared me,” Karen laughs putting her arm on her stomach.

    “How far is it from the airport?” I ask looking back at Aaliyah who is already concentrated on the phone screen.

    “Dad said like 20 minutes.”

    I feel my heart beating faster as soon as I imagine seeing Shawn after such a long break. He has been out of the country since January, and it is March now. He was coming home for the first time in two months, and he was freaking out before finally deciding where to fly out first; my place or his family’s house. I remember the talk on the phone we had a week ago. I had already planned out this crazy idea of staying at the Mendes family house, so Shawn isn’t forced to visit two different places in the short amount of time. I haven’t even spoken to anyone from the family, but I was hoping that they would let me stay with them for this one week until Shawn is off to America once again to release the new music.

    _____

    “No, Shawn, I think you should visit your family first, and by the end of the week, you can stay at my place,” I say.

    We were talking on the phone for the past few hours catching up with each other and planning the week he was going to spend in Canada.

    “I don’t wanna say goodbye to you in the airport, though” I hear his voice slightly tired.

    “I know, baby, but this way I am gonna have an impression of you longer than usual. Rather than if we separate three or four days before you leave.” I pause giving him time to proceed my words.

    “But I wanna see you so badly. I missed my family too; you know that. But-”

    “Shawn, listen. Your family missed you; they don’t see you often even when you’re in the country since you moved out. I think you should see them first, and then we will meet. Deal?” he doesn’t speak for a few seconds until finally breathing out a “Deal,” and I smile at the idea that if everything goes as planned, the surprise will be amazing.

    _____

    The Mendes family was very generous and kind to me throughout the whole planning and figuring out how and when should I fly out to their house. They have met me at the airport and Karen, and Manny insisted on paying for my flight back. I was trying to fight them, but Canadians are too nice. Shawn was the absolute reflection of his family. When I got to spend a closer time with them for two days, I’ve got to know them so much better. More than just Shawn’s parents and little sister. They have been a perfect family with their innocent flaws. It was obvious how they all cared about each other, and they were also quick to accept me to their household which made me feel far way comfortable than I could ever imagine.

    When they heard my idea for the first time due to the video chat with Aaliyah (I asked her to gather everyone in front of the screen) they quickly got excited, and I saw no hesitation in anyone’s eyes. They were never being selfish or grasping of spending time with Shawn alone without any strangers.

    “I hear a car!” Manny shouts from the living room, and we all rush to the front door expecting to see the long-awaited Shawn.

    “Hey, you should hide in the kitchen,” Aaliyah says with a slightly commanding tone that she kind of always has in her voice.

    “What? Why would I hide?” I get confused, and both Karen and Manny turn to look at the little conversation Aaliyah and I were having.

    “Because you’re Shawn’s surprise. He can’t see you, he is gonna get all excited and won’t properly greet all of us,” she chuckles, and Karen crosses her arms slightly mad at her daughter for making remarks like that.

    “Aaliyah, you can’t say things like that.”

    “Shh, he is getting out of the car” Manny interrupts all of us, and Karen quickly opens up the door to get out of the house.

    Aaliyah wastes no time, so she pushes me into the kitchen and closes the door leaving me to stand there alone. I hear all of the Mendes family walking into the hallway of the house, them having a small talk with Shawn. He is probably giving all of them his huge bear hugs while saying something sweet. And here comes a bittersweet joke; he hugs Aaliyah, and Karen restricts them because they probably have crossed the line of joking.

    “Are you hungry, Shawny-boy?” Aaliyah chuckles.

    “Yeah, we’ve prepared a huge surprise meal for you in the kitchen” I hear Manny emphasize the word “meal,” and everyone starts to laugh.

    “I am hungry, but I gotta call somebody first.”

    “I’m guessing that somebody is  your beloved-girlfriend?” I hear Karen.

    “Romeo gotta call his Juliette” Aaliyah continues to laugh.

    In a few seconds, all of them except for Shawn walk into the kitchen.

    “He went to the dining room to call you” Aaliyah whispers to me, and I nod to let her know that I am already aware.

    “My phone is in the dining room” I whisper back, and Manny can’t help himself but laugh.

    “He is gonna freak out!”

    “Mom? Whose phone is ringing in the living room?” Shawn shouts while making his way into the kitchen, his phone still close to his ear.

    When he sees me his eyebrows quickly raise up, mouth opens up, and a confused look forms on his face. He stops in the doorway looking at me in a shock for a few seconds until I finally walk up to him and he hugs me with his both arms tightly wrapping up around my body.

    “That’s your surprise meal” Manny jokes one more time, and I can feel Karen rolling her eyes at him.

    “It feels awkward to hug and kiss you in front of your family, as I am trying to make a good impression on them, but I really really missed you,” I say to Shawn with a lower tone and pull back to kiss him.

    Aaliyah and Manny, like two little kids, let out “awww”s and the only mature person in the room, Karen, tells them to give us some privacy.

    “How did you-?” Shawn pulls back to look at his family behind my back, “I mean, wow. You guys, how did you-?” he doesn’t finish his sentence one more time, completely losing track of his thought.

    “It was her idea,” Aaliyah points out to me, and I nod, making Shawn smile from ear to ear.

    “I am so happy right now, you can’t imagine” he breathes out while pulling me back into a hug, “Thank you, for making this all work out” he whispers to me, kissing my forehead.

MASTERLIST:

My recent works:

Have you been reading tweets this whole time? - Shawn and you stay up late to read the tweets after he released “In My Blood”

Parenting with Shawn - Shawn sings an unusual lullaby to your baby boy to calm him down.

I don’t want to hurt you. - A deep conversation you have with Shawn about being anxious.

You got a tattoo? - You get a tattoo of Shawn, thus he gets pretty mad.

So, are we having a baby now? - You find out that Shawn wants to have a baby.

At the end of the day, it’s MY song - Shawn wants to release a song about you, and you have a little fight.

[plogan721]

Are you a Childless Millennial Who Goes to Disney?

This is based on a Quora answer I gave to someone who wanted to know what I thought about this woman who had a rant, but first ...

Ok, I have a rant.  It is no ordinary rant.  This is a Disney rant of sorts.  No, I am not complaining about the millions of people who visit the parks each year, and it does not matter if you are in Japan, France, China, or the United States when you visit the parks.  No, it is not the prices, well at least this time.  There are ways to save money when visiting Disney, especially Walt Disney World, which I plan on sharing with you in the next few months.  It is not even how I am getting there, and where I am staying.  Since I mostly focus on the Orlando park, Walt Disney World, I know there are plenty of places to stay, including Disney owned resorts on property, non-Disney own resorts both on and off property, houses around the Walt Disney World area in case you want to visit SeaWorld, Bush Gardens, or Universal Studios Orlando.  I will get to all of that in the next few weeks.

No, my rant is about the rant that was heard around the world.  Someone asked me on Quora about a mom, who was fed up with childless Millennial couples who visit Walt Disney World each year, or when she visits them.  She wants to ban them. The setup…. This woman, who I am going to call, Jane, was visiting Walt Disney World with her son, who was 3 years old.  This happened about a couple of years ago.  She was in line to get her son a pretzel. The line was quite long, as most Walt Disney World lines are when you have a crowd of people.  She’s tired, and so is her son.  She gets mad at a millennial who has a pretzel, and instead of ignoring the fact the young lady got a pretzel, Jane gets out of line, with her now screaming 3 years old, and along the way, probably to another ride, preferably to her resort room, gets on social media, and writes to the tune of, “this childless _____ got the last pretzel, and now my child is upset because he did not get his pretzel.  These childless millennials need to be banned from Walt Disney World.” This is not her exact wording, but the meaning is just the same. How does she know if this person did not have a child?  She could have gotten the pretzel for her own child, who was waiting.  More on that when I gave my answer on Quora. My answer… I first read this on Twitter, after a woman reposted it on her Twitter account.  I wanted to know why, since she was reading it for the first time since it was originally posted, why the person had to re-tweet it? Sometimes, the best way to keep the peace is to never repeat it, by mouth, or by social media.  Social media is the worst because it starts an online war, and this re-post started a “Rant Heard Around the World” (The World? Disney World?  Get it?) So this is how I came up with the title of this post by the same name. This re-post of a post went viral in a big way. ��Please note:  I am not trying to start it again, nor do I want to.  I made my peace when I put in my $.02 into it and frankly I am very appalled by the statement.  I will have more about that in a moment on how it affects me, a non-millennial, but here is my response after the question resurfaced on Quora: “Ok, here we go again. Round 4000. I am going to break it down to you like this: I have a saying…You do You. simple. if you have no problems going to Disney as a Millennial, as a Gen x (which I am), Baby Boomer, War baby (that’s my parents), or one foot in the graver (those over 100 years old), and you have no children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, occasional annoying neighbor’s child (to which their parents should be taking them, but eh), then you have as much right to be at Disney World, Disneyland, Tokyo Disney, Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disney (I do not suggest going there at the moment-They’re having major issues), and Shanghai Disney as a person with children. Simple as that. (you can take a breath now) But seriously…. No one has the right nor the privilege to tell you where you can spend your hard-earned vacation dollars at. If you like Disney (to which I am a huge fan), then go for it. I read it and I saw the video, and the woman is nuts. She is just a tired person who is used to getting her way as a child. she brings in her 3-year old, who is also tired, and hungry. Disney has enough food to feed the entire island of The Bahamas, and she chooses to be a PITA that day. I would have said to her, that if she would wait, they will bring more out. no use cursing out the person in front of you if the pretzel stand ran out of pretzels. They can and will make more. To call anyone a childless millennial who does not belong at Disney is not her call anyway, it is Disney’s call. So that is my long way to address the childless problem because she was being childish, and having more of a tantrum than her 3-year old, who probably calmed down after 2 minutes.” Breaking down my answer…. “You do You”. I am getting so tired of people poking their noses where they do not belong, especially when it comes to public property.  Last I checked, Disney World is public property, not private.  When you have private property, you have the right to invite anyone you care to invite. You do You…. If you are in your right mind, and not a child, you can pretty much run the gambit on what you can do in the world and in this country.  That does not mean that it is right.  In this country, we do not have a Shreya Law (women must cover their heads or their whole body), we have the right to bear arms, and we have the right to speak our mind.  We have opinions in this country, that are just that, opinions.  This is where “You do You” comes in.  You have the right to do whatever is within the law of this country, moral law, and some good old-fashioned common sense. Childless Millennials…. This is where Jane got into trouble.  She chose to stand in line with her child.  This was her choice.  I am thinking that this was around 3 pm in the afternoon.  She was in the parks (it did not say which one, Disney World has 4 to choose from) and it was hot.  Her child was hungry.  Most children do get hungry at that time of day, and this is when they also need a nap.   Jane saw a young woman, who did not have a child with her.  This does not suggest that she did not have any children.  They could have been on a ride, getting something to eat, or in another park with another adult.  This mother went by what she saw, and that she was tired, her child was tired and hungry, and she was angry because this young woman got a pretzel, which is what her child wanted. After calling the young woman every name in the cursed book she can think of at the time on social media, Jane saw some teens, and assume they were childless too.  That is when she decided, not Disney, that any childless couple should be banned from a Disney park. When did you get to decide? …. With the comment that Jane made on social media, I had to wonder how did she come to that conclusion?  Clearly, the woman did not say anything to her, and neither did the group of teens.  At any rate, everyone was minding their own business, except Jane.  Oh, I forgot to mention that her child cried as soon as they moved out of line, and the comment she made was “thanks for making my child upset” (enter the childless couple remark).  Jane did not have to leave at that moment.  I do not know if the pretzel stand ran out of pretzels, and if she made the whole thing up to get out of line. Disney has plenty of food, and plenty of pretzel stands, so Jane’s child would have gotten his pretzel.  So I do not see what the big deal of her getting her child a pretzel at that specific stand.  Yes, I have seen Disney run out of food before on several YouTube videos, but most people do not make a big deal out of the situation because they have experience with Disney and crowds.  Disney knows how to prepare for such a case.  They may not have pretzels when you want them and at that particular stand, but these CM’s (Cast Members AKA employees) are training for such a time as this-crowds. Who’s crankier, mommy or baby?  Ok, I will admit, I have had my moments where I spoke before I think.  I would like to think that she was having an off day.  When you find yourself having an off day on vacation, do something that takes you away from the situation (pretzel carts and crowds).  Do something pleasant, and I assume that Jane’s family had a resort room.  If you do not live around Orlando (or whatever city you are visiting a Disney park), please take a break.  Even if you live there, go home, and take a break.  Remove yourself from the situation, even if you have to leave with a crying child who only wants to eat something. Once there, rest, take a nap or do an activity around the resort.  There is plenty to do at Disney that does not involve a park, even at the international parks.  Once rested, you can resume being in the parks, and enjoying yourself. Also, one thing to note:  Children can take clues from their parents.  If you are upset, so is your child.  Children at a young age do not know emotion like the rest of us.  All they know is they are upset when they see their parent upset.  So most likely, the young woman (who I will name Kathy) did not upset the child.  Jane was putting the blame where is it did not belong. Childless part 2 This is the part of the tweet that upsets me the most.  Not everyone knows my story, but as hard as I wanted children, I physically cannot have any.  That privilege was taken from me at the age of 29 through a medical condition.  I have tried to adopt in the past, and I still can, but it is harder to raise a child without a second parent. This is why her rant makes me so angry with Jane for making the comment.  I enjoy Disney though the eyes of my nieces and nephews, and my young cousins.  To tell me that I cannot go into Disney without a child of my own is the most selfish thing that a person can ever say to me and millions of people like me. Plus not only that, how is Disney going to enforce this ban? Going back to saying that Disney parks are public property and as long as you follow the rules, you can visit the parks anytime they are open.  There are a few exceptions, like punching CMs in the face, carrying a concealed weapon, starting a riot (like carrying political signs or fighting with family members inside the parks), and so on.  There is a list, but I do not remember being without a child is one of them. If you do not know the whole story of a person’s life does not criticize a group of people who may not have any control over what happens in their life.  I am blessed to be surrounded by so many nieces and nephews, and friend’s children, who I call my nieces and nephews, it makes it easier for me that if God does not put a child in my path for me to be a foster or adoption parent, I have lived my life surrounded by children.  I am a single person who wants to get married to a wonderful man, with or without children, and I am old enough to have step-grandchildren who I can take to Disney.  Plus, Disney is not that important to me as my family is to me. I am not going to let some stressed-out mother tell me what I can or cannot do with my hard-earned money.  I am sure these Millennials will not let her either. So the moral of this story is please remove yourself when you feel stressed to the point that you have to air your frustration on social media.  Remain calm, allow others to enjoy their day (including reading social media posts), and enjoy your vacation, and you will not be the subject of someone’s re-tweet.

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