#like pre covid clubbing

[loverboydotcom]

trying to psychoanalyse my multiple dreams about being in berlin last night

[truecorvid]

i 🖤 the klerb

[whimsigod]

9 people to get to know better

tagged by @nighthawkes !!

last song: Mad Lucus by the Breeders

currently watching: Adventure Time (always) and recently been only watching movies :)

currently reading: A Court of Mist and Fury and Another Country

current obsession: been reading so many aftg fics again

I quite literally have like 2 mutuals and barely follow anyone but i was happy to be tagged and wanted to participate anyway sooo tag urself❤️

[clitorises]

Any advice on finding and going to kink events?? I’d love to go out to one if I get the courage hehe but I’m not sure where to start or what the etiquette tends to be or whatever

Yes!!! I was more confident about giving advice about this pre-covid. So first and foremost, be safe, your health and the health of others is more important than social gatherings. I have my own comfort levels (I haven’t been to a bar or club since pre covid and don’t see myself doing that anytime soon, for example, and anywhere I’m going to be indoors around people who haven’t tested I wear a mask, typically an N95) and so like… that has put a bit of a damper on my kink social life. What was I talking about.

OKAY. Right. Kink events. Honestly, most of the advice I have to give isn’t, you know, revolutionary or genius. My strategies have been “make friends in the city I move to and ask them where is cool” and “look online.” I only recently started using fetlife to browse for events, it seems alright, but I haven’t found anything there I hadn’t already heard about through word of mouth. Alternatively, you can search-engine-of-your-choice “BDSM dungeon [your city]” and look for an events page.

With pride coming up, you’re likely to see vendors and groups out and about. Go up to them and ask them questions! People who are advertising what their thing is are going to be thrilled to talk to you. A lot of clubs and dungeons have socials and munches (vanilla events that take place offsite where you can just get to know people) and the great thing about BDSM people is that they are educated on consent and negotiation—the etiquette of an event like that will be clearly laid out.

Listen though, for real? If you want to meet kinksters and you don’t know how, fetlife seems sketchy and dating apps are annoying and all your tumblr mutuals live on the other side of the globe and pride events aren’t really your thing? Go to your local game store and join a dnd group. I am being one thousand percent serious. The venn diagram of tabletop nerds and people who are into kink is very nearly a circle. The difference with that, of course, is that it’s impolite to waltz right in and ask right out of the gate “who here is into sexual domination?????” but if you also enjoy geeky hobbies and will have fun even if you don’t happen to stumble upon a fellow pervert… then I recommend giving it a try. My closest friends in kink I initially met through tabletop.

This is getting long BUT you asked about general etiquette and what to expect so I’ll give you a quick rundown. In my experience, there are three types of kink events: formal play parties, casual play parties, and munches. A formal play party would take place at a dungeon or club (sometimes private residences but that’s less common), somewhere with designated hard points, gear you can use, and dungeon monitors making sure everything runs smoothly. Typically, anything particularly dangerous (blood play, breathplay, etc) will be completely disallowed. You can watch other people doing scenes, or approach people and ask if they’d be interested in doing a scene with you. Casual play parties are just sex parties at somebody’s house, typically much smaller, and something you’d only be invited to if you knew the person who owned the place or a friend of theirs. You’d typically be expected to bring your own gear. And lastly, munches are vanilla events out in public where no play takes place, you just have drinks and food and get to know people!

I hope this is anything close to the answer you were looking for 🖤

[hethuisxdashausxhouseofxanubis]

4 Years HHAtranslated

It's 15 April 2024, which means HHAtranslated turns 4 years old today 🫶🏼🥹

When I thought of starting this account pre-covid, I never expected it would turn into this. During lockdown, I had so much time and the nostalgia and my love for Anubis helped me through so much over the years.

So many accounts on Instagram, Tumblr and Twitter talk about this universe and it makes me so happy!

As there are four series and this is the fourth anniversary, I'd like to express my gratitude for each show.

Het Huis Anubis:

* HHA raised me as a kid and helped me through my struggles as a teen and now in my twenties

* Seeing the cast IRL in December was a dream come true and I still can't believe it happened 🥹

* I can't wait to see the EMDV vodcast of Anjali and Iris! They're teasing the date of the first episode online atm. I can't wait to unravel new truths 🤩

The Five of the Magical Sword:

* Such an overhated and underrated show in Belgium and the Netherlands, that I was scared to sub it. I'm glad I did, because international fans took Sterre, Pim, Marcel, Raphael and Anastacia into their hearts and didn't let them go 🫶🏼

* I also learned to appreciate the show a lot more

* I hope they've a reunion too

House of Anubis:

* HHA and HOA fans often butt heads and it's not necessary at all!

* Both shows are absolutely amazing

* HOA took the key elements of HHA and made it their own and I adore what they did with it. Some characters might have a different arc, but it makes them their own person and I love discovering the differences

* I need to rewatch the masterpiece that's season 3!

Das Haus Anubis:

* For some reason, DHA makes me hella nostalgic while I only discovered it in 2019

* The same sets and scripts make for fun comparisons and while DHA is a lower budget show, it's so much fun

* I love to watch DHA episode/day wise and I've rewatched it like that already often

* The cast is so involved still and it makes me very happy!

The future of HHAtranslated:

* Once I find an editing programme again, I'd love to sub the S100 Singalong Anubis concert, BTS of HHA/The Five and the discography

* I'd love to sub Das Haus Anubis someday🫶🏼

Now:

My main project for 2024 is the 9 Het Huis Anubis novels, based on the TV series and the movies.

The books are in third person, but follow Nienke's pov, throughout her stay at Anubis House. Some scenes are way more graphic than in the series, like Nienke and Noa's kidnapping.

The romance is also more present and we get new scenes which make Nienke's decisions more logical, like how she ended up in Anubis house with the grail mid-season 2.

I'm starting of with book 1: The Secret Club of the Old Willow

I'll try to upload frequently. I've less time as I work fulltime and live with my boyfriend, compared to university and living at my parents' years ago. A new blogpost will be created on my website, with links to the chapters, published in a Google Drive doc.

English isn't my first language so there will be mistakes. However, I hope to do the books justice like I hope I did the show.

Teasers to the books and chapter 1 will be posted soon. Stay tuned ❤️

[redgoldsparks]

May Reading and Reviews by Maia Kobabe

I post my reviews throughout the month on Storygraph and Goodreads, and do roundups here and on patreon. Reviews below the cut.

The Crane Wife: A Memoir in Essays by CJ Hauser 

This essay collection focuses on human relationships, many of them romantic, but also with grandparents, parents, sisters, best friends, COVID-isolation pods, and with the children of romantic partners from previous relationships. The title essay interweaves the experience of a broken engagement with a scientific expedition to study the dwindling population of whooping cranes in the Gulf Coast of Texas to devastating effect. Another experience, covering the DARPA Robotics Challenge trails, in which teams test out potential robotic first responders, speaks to the author's own desire to both save others and be saved by a string of problematic men. The author dated a lot of men and a few women in their twenties and processes them through the lens of media (the film The Philadelphia Story, the TV show The X-Files,the novels Don Quixote, Rebecca, We Have Always Lived in the Castle) and the perspective gained with time. I really loved this whole collection, but the piece that keeps rolling around in my mind is "The Fox Farm", about trying to recreate an archetype of a child's fantasy house (full of animals, friends, gardens, infinite rooms) in real life as an adult. I left this book wanting to know more- when did the author start using nonbinary pronouns? Have they resolved their feelings about their tits? Is that guest room in their big upstate New York house still available for visiting artists, and if so, how do I apply for the position of resident writer/new friend?

American Teenager: How Trans Kids are Surviving Hate and Finding Joy in a Turbulent Era by Nico Lang

Queer journalist and author Nico Lang traveled around the US to meet 11 families of trans teens and see how anti-trans legislation is impacting their daily lives. Each family has different circumstances; one teen fears his top surgery will be indefinitely delayed, while another had surgery already and has joined the boys swim team at his high school. Some teens are moved to become activists while others want to just live their normal, low-profile lives. With humor and compassion, Lang shows trans teenagers as they really are: kids trying their best, day by day, to grow into their truest selves and fullest potential. The various chapters are by turns deep, silly, introspective, sweet, and smart, just like teens themselves. I was able to read an advanced copy of this book- pre-order it now, or look for it on shelves in October 2024!

Fool’s Assassin by Robin Hobb read by Elliot Hill

NO ONE IS DOING IT LIKE ROBIN HOBB. NO ONE! After a disappointing journey up the Rain Wilds River, baby we are BACK! And by back, I mean, back in a first person POV and back with FitzChivalry, one of my literal favorite fictional characters ever. This is the 7th book about his life, and the 14th overall book in this series, so I won't be summarizing it. Let's just say that Fitz found his happy ending (minus a few key soulmates) and then his life kept going. More problems, more politics, more magic, maybe stranger than ever before. A new character introduced in this series swept in and stole my heart. I can't wait to dive into the next book very soon!

Rose/House by Arkady Martine read by Raquel Beattie  

A brief murder mystery set in an fully conscious AI house in the southwest desert. This story feels in conversation with Ray Bradbury's story The Veldt and has many elements I enjoy, but a somewhat unresolved and slightly unsatisfying ending. I'm honestly still simmering on my thoughts, but looking forward to discussing this in book club soon! Edit post book club: a discussion helped me clarify what I thought was working in this book (tone, setting, themes) and what was not working (too many red herrings for such a short book, and an ending twist that seemed to undercut the book's main premise). I still think it's worth a read for Arkady Marine fans, but it is not as strong as her full length books.

Dances of Time and Tenderness by Julian Carter

In 2016 Julian Carter, a queer author and long-time participant in San Francisco's dungeon kink scene, received an invitation to be part of an archival matchmaking project. The project paired artists, activists, and scholars with specific issues of OUT/LOOK: The National Lesbian and Gay Quarterly. The assignment was to use the issue as a jumping off point to think about queer history and make something "new and provocative." Carter's assigned issue was from Winter 1991, the year the CDC announced 1 million American were HIV positive and AIDS was the 3rd leading cause of death in people aged 25-44 years. One of the many who died in 1991 due to AIDS related complications was Lou Sullivan, one of the first trans men to publicly identify as gay. From this starting point, this book traces paths of queer lineage, both proclaimed and obscured, traveling through history, memory, and poetry. Carter is linked, through friendship or scholarship, to Susan Stryker, pioneer of transgender history, to Zach Ozma, who edited Lou Sullivan's diaries for publication, and to Lou himself. Casting a transgender eye back on a queer history divided sharply into gay and lesbian, Carter allows himself to claim as ancestors sailors, skeletons, writers, lovers, and reaches forward in time towards students, readers, and artists. Including me. I was fortunate enough to be gifted an early copy by the author, and read it back in February back in one delicious rush. I already want to read it again, and more slowly, this time underlining and annotating it. This is a book to savor, but is easy to devour instead. It's sensual and surprising, formally precise, and made me want to dig around in a mess of queer historical papers and also contribute my own to the pile. It's out on June 4, 2024; give it a pre-order or look for it on shelves soon!

49 Days by Agnes Lee 

Kit, a young Korean American woman, wakes up on a beach with a map and a watch telling her she's already late. For days, she clambers over rocks and up trails, reaching for an undefined goal. Slowly, the book begins to flash back to Kit's childhood and family, the people she loved and left behind after her accidental death. In Buddhist tradition a soul travels for 49 days before rebirth, and this book follows one version of that path, the grief and slow healing that follow a loss. Drawn in a very simple yet evocative style, the spare ink lines and limited color fill this journey with meaning.

Early Riser by Jasper Fforde read by Thomas Hunt 

What a bizarre and delightful novel. It's set in an alternate history in which ice-age level cold spells cause the majority of humans to hibernate every winter, which has ripple effects on the development of technology, societal rules, culture, and family structures. Charlie Worthing was born in a "pool" in the independent nation of Wales, or a group home in which nuns dedicated to reproduction birth and raise dozens of children, in returns for credits from those who can't or don't want to have their own kids. Charlie has very few job prospects, especially ones that will give him access to morphanox, a drug which helps most people survive their months-long winter sleeps. The drug also turns about 1 in 3000 into a brain-dead zombie, but this risk is considered better odds than sleeping without it. So Charlie volunteers for the Winter Consuls, the law-keepers and problem-solvers who stay up all winter to safe guard the majority. There he has to face the three well documented dangers of winter- Vacants (zombies), Villains (the British) and Winter Volk (fairies, whose reality is debated), as well as rumors of a viral dream. The humor in this book is a close cousin to Terry Pratchett's work, in which absurdity and invention mask some pretty biting social commentary and anti-capitalist motives. I did think some of the twists at the end didn't quite pay off, however, I had such a good time with the ride this book took me on that I'd still recommend it.

Blue Flag vol 2 by Kaito 

This vol has already taken a kind of melancholy, bittersweet narrative tone which might put me off the series. I still really like the characters and overall think the writing is very effective, out I wish the humor and sweetness of book 1 would last farther into the series!

Critical Role: The Mighty Nein Origins: Jester Lavorre by Sam Maggs, Laura Bailey, Matthew Mercer, Hunter Severn Bonyun, Cathy Le, Ariana Maher

Short and sweet, this prequel comic shows Jester's first meeting with The Traveler, the prank that caused her need to flee from Nicodranas, and a window into Jester's relationship with her mother. It's a slight story but I loved the artwork, especially the outfits and the beautiful city views.

The Book of Love by Kelly Link

Kelly Link, one of my favorite short story authors, debuted a novel 650 pages long. I bought this the day of release but it took me a few months to actually crack it open. I'd seen it described as slow, but I think I'd say leisurely. It opens with an intriguing premise- four teenagers come back from the dead, not knowing how they died or why they were brought back 11 months later- and have to solve a magical problem if they want to keep living. But the book is less a mystery than a close examination of the teens lives in a small New England town in December. The teens include Danial, oldest of many step-siblings, who rejects his new magical powers and just wants to live a small and ordinary life. There's Mo, who lost his parents young, and was being raised by his grandmother, a famous Black romance novelist- who herself died during the 11 months he spent in an underworld. There's Laura, a musically ambitious teen, who comes back to her single mom and sister Susannah, who seems somehow entangled with the magical ritual that killed and might save her friends. And then there's a fourth person who none of the others know, who snuck out of death on their coat tails and has no name and few memories. The book rotates POVs every chapter, with more than 15 different POVs, some of whom only appear once in the whole volume. I love Link's writing style so this worked for me, but I can see how this choice to linger over details not directly related to the plot might not work for some readers. I really enjoyed this but it did take me 3 weeks to read it and I suggest other readers pick it up when ready for a slow burn of a book.

Plain Jane and the Mermaid by Vera Brosgol 

This original fairytale opens with teenage Jane mourning the recent death of her parents, after she already lost her younger brother to the sea as a child. Because there's no male heir, Jane's horrible cousin will be kicking her out of the house in a week. The only option she can see is marrying within the week so that she can access her dowry. So Jane walks down to the fishing village below her manor and proposes to a beautiful but shallow fisherman's son. He accepts- then is immediately lured under the waves by a mermaid. Jane runs into the town asking for help but only an old woman with witchy vibes is willing to aid her. The crone gives Jane a potion so she can breathe underwater, a stone which will allow her to walk on the bottom of the ocean, and a shawl to keep her warm in the depths. So armed, Jane walks into the sea after the boy who feels like her only hope. Under the waves she encounters allies and enemies, learns the true power of her own will, and realizes she might have more choices than she's realized.

Blue Flag vol 3 by Kaito

Well, I started another book because the last one ended on a massive cliff hanger, but I think I'm setting the series down after this one. I still think it's very well written, but the main character has such low self-esteem that he shouts at other characters that he sucks, he's a jerk, he doesn't deserve their friendship and they should leave him alone. I bet the arc of this series will be building this character up to where he believes he deserves their love and friendship, but I just don't feel like dwelling in this character's self-pity at the moment. I would have eaten this shit up as a teen though! Especially with the queer characters.

The Free People’s Village by Sim Kern

Set in an alternate timeline in which Al Gore won the 2000 election and declared the War on Climate Change instead of the War on Terror, this novel is an interesting mix of hopeful and dystopian elements. The main character is Maddie Ryan, a white high school English teacher working in a primarily Black neighborhood in Houston, TX. The novel is Maddie's written account of a tumultuous year in which the grungy music warehouse where her punk band practices and performs is threatened by a proposed high way and oil line which will rip up not only their art space but also a historically Black neighborhood. Maddie starts attending activist meetings which quickly morph into a full blown protest encampment surrounding the warehouse. Dubbed the Free People Village, this protest movement goes viral and is met with the exact same kind of violent police response as the current student encampments protesting for Palestine on college campuses. Woven through this depressingly accurate political forecast are multiple queer love stories, interracial friendships, a 101 crash course in anarchist philosophy and bracing look at what long-term activism takes. Folks with more of an organizing or activist background than I might find some of this book a bit basic; but I was completely drawn in by the relationships and conflicts of Maddie, Red, Gestas, Angel, and Shayna. This book feels almost painfully timely, and I hope a lot of people read it and gain both courage and perspective.

[butts-bouncing-on-the-beltway]

I've been feeling inclined to vent about the general concept of "substance use" and "dependency" recently for no particular reason, and it's probably just my own brain finally processing some of the things that happened to me in The Bad Times but what the hell lets go with it.

I was pretty much straight edge until my mid 20s, no alcohol, cigarettes, weed, nothing. Then I got into a series of abusive relationships, nearly died of Mystery Diseases, and a pandemic happened right after. My life went from barely getting by in the world to bouncing between constant crises overnight. I was in therapy and had been for years, I had self care tools and was using them. I was medicated for all of my diagnosed mental health needs (ADHD wasn't on the record yet, so was still unmanaged, but I was doing my best behaviorally to keep on top of shit, obviously that stopped working fast). I worked full time plus going to school part time plus working part time at my internship for a grand total of about 90 hrs per week of work/school related obligations. I lived with several other people who I worked to support financially and who I needed to also support emotionally, and I still managed to run my household for the most part with minimal support except from wifey who was also working about 60-70 hour weeks at her own job to help us make ends meet and was only barely medicated and managed herself. I genuinely don't know when I slept or rested.

The first thing I tried was weed. I used edibles to sleep without nightmares or the anxieties that would keep me up for the rare few hours I had to rest. It also helped with the constant pain I was in. I would get high as fuck on a weed brownie or a pre roll on the one day off I had each month so I didn't have to think or feel or exist because it was the only way I could find to genuinely relax anymore without worrying about the growing mountain of Life Responsibilities that I could never catch up on. Life eased a bit, and I kept doing that.

One day, I had a rare night off, and wifey was going to go out to a club with some friends. I hadn't been anywhere fun in years. I hadn't had time or money or energy. I was desperate to see people and relax and maybe sance a little. A pandemic was on, and the local clubs were having discounts like mad. We went and got shitfaced on cocktails that cost less than lunch at a diner for a round and I made out with a cute girl and I came home laughing for the first time in years. From then on, we would keep a cheap six pack of something in the fridge and every once in a while I would down 2-3 and get fucked up for a bit between that and the weed. Life felt a bit easier and I kept going.

But behind the scenes the cracks kept forming. It wasn't the substances that were causing them. And they weren't even what was making it worse. But they were letting me pretend those cracks weren't there. Letting me run from a reality I knew I couldn't fix. By the time I realized how bad things had gotten, how deep into the pit I was, I was living in a tent in the woods, cooking my dinners on a campfire with my family, throwing back weed and cheap booze like my life depended on it because god what the fuck else do you have when a creek and a rainstorm are the closest you get to a shower and your bed is a pile of blankets in a military surplus tent with all the warm bodies piled together so you don't fucking freeze at night?

I was still working full time though, and for those hours, I had to be sober. No if ands or buts about it. And I was okay with that line, even if it left me riddled with anxiety and trauma and stress 16 hours a day while I worked my doubles in the ER and came home to try and scrub the COVID off in the creek before I went back to the tent. And then a coworker asked me if I wanted to join her on a cigarette break. I did. I desperately wanted to feel normal. To chitchat and talk about nothing important, and feel the breeze on my face. So I bummed a cigarette and smoked with her. That one cigarette became 3 a day. Then 6. Then, a whole pack. A nervous habit of sucking on a cigarette or a vape whenever I needed to fidget or relax while still being sober. It's been 3 years now and I've tried to quit half a dozen times but here I am in my fucking home office pulling on a cigarette like it's my last hope of comfort.

I don't drink anymore though. My body won't let me. Blah blah allergic reactions blah blah. Fine. I kept trying for a while, allergies be damned. But it stopped being worth it. Sometimes the cigarettes aren't worth it either. I choke on every inhale and my body dry heaves like it knows I'm putting in something it doesn't want. On those days I don't smoke. I don't think there have been many days I've gone without weed. I honestly don't know what to do with myself on the days I abstain. Like I do? I can cope. I just. I'm still so tired.

The part of me that broke all those years ago and said fuck it, lets see what drugs do, is still recovering. It's still resting and healing. Some days are better than others. Some days it does fine and it says "lets fuckin rawdog the day my mans" and I do, and it's great. Other times it's so small and frail that I know if I tried I might break it again, and I just can't risk that.

I've been told before that this is dependency. Maybe even misuse. I've been told by others that this is the point. If it's helping, then let it. I don't know what the answer is. Some days I resent not being the person I was before I started using weed and cigarettes to get through the day. I've tried other things too, and they've never done much for me, so I never went back. Does that mean that I'm not "dependent" I'm "self-medicating"? Is that a good or a bad thing? Does it fucking matter? I honestly don't know. I wish it didn't feel like it mattered. I wish that I could go through my days and feel like I had more of a choice. I actually miss being able to get high lol. Like weed hasn't given me an actual high in years, it just. Helps me get through things a little better. But how much am I really willing to keep living that way? How much of my life do I *want* impacted by whether or not I can smoke or have some thc? Some days it's fine. Some days I'm bothered by it.

The thing that gets me every time though is how at every single point when I made the choice to pick up a new "substance" it was because I was desperate, overwhelmed, and completely without alternatives. I knew full goddamn well every time what I was doing. I had years of both anti-drug war knowledge and addiction/recovery knowledge in my brain and I understood that I was at my most vulnerable, I was my most at risk. That making this choice could be fine or could be life changing or could be somewhere in between and it was worth being self aware as I did it. But I just. I was so tired. I was so broken down. I just needed to rest. I needed to feel something other than the stress and fear for a while. And no one was offering me anything else that made a dent. Trust me. I tried.

I don't say this to suggest to people that Drugs Are The Answer. I genuinely don't think they are. I still wish every day I had never picked up that first cigarette. I still wish that I felt well enough to live my life without needing help to rest and recover. But I can't blame anyone who makes the choices I did. I can't doubt the feelings of need and desperation that often drive us to interact with our support tools the way we do. I've also found over the years, that it's not just "substances" that people will turn to for help with avoidance the way I did. Avoidance is so very very human, and the way I skirted around acknowledging how beyond my capacity for repair my life was getting (even while actively working to resolve those things) had more to do with mh inability to acknowledge that I was failing people I loved than what tool I was using to avoid the acknowledgement. It could just as easily have been my work, or video games, or shopping, or gardening, or anything else in the world that allowed me to isolate myself in a world that felt smaller and simpler for a while so I could take a break from problem solving the way the rest of my world was steadily crumbling around me. I chose weed, alcohol and nicotine. Other people will make other choices. But maybe we all sometimes run away from problems we realize we can't solve until one day we're backed into a corner we can't run from. Maybe that's just human. Maybe the drugs just made me feel less like shit while I ran. And maybe that's part of how I survived to make things right for myself.

I really don't know. I can't know.

What I do know is that I left the relationship that was destroying my life. I'm safe now, and wifey and I are doing much better now that our communication isn't being actively sabotaged. I'm doing much better now healthwise that the food in my home is consistently safe to eat for me and I'm not being left without any food at all on a semi-regular basis. I *am* still the primary breadwinner of the household, but it no longer feels as though I have to run the household itself on top of that, and I *am* consistently supported (encouraged even) to rest when needed, even if that is still hard for me to do. I've stopped drinking, and that does feel better. I spend less time and energy seeking substances and I *do* smoke fewer cigarettes less often even if I do still smoke sometimes. I feel happier and more stable than I think I ever have. My life is. Mostly working? And pretty good now. The cracks have been able to heal in ways that are, if not structurally sound, at least working up to it. I am fragile, but making progress. Does that mean I made the right choices? The wrong ones? Will I ever know?

I dunno comrade. But. We all do what we can, what we must, and what we can figure out. Maybe judgement and shame about all that just doesn't help.

[vintageaustin]

Masterlist

Last Updated: 04.20.2023

Welcome to my main masterlist! It is about time I finally got this up and running... and not broken

Under the cut you will find the links to everything I posted along with prewarning's to the fics themselves. Please pay attention to these warnings as the things I write are not for everyone!

A couple of things to note, descriptions are short little summaries. They may not be the best explained, but I promise the fic themselves are much better then such.

Along with that, keep an eye out for the emojis below for some pre-warnings.

🖤 Dark Themes 🤍 Smut

Elvis Presley

Baby Fever

► You and Elvis have been married for about three years now, and he thinks it's time for a baby

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

Jessie's Girl

► You are Elvis' best friend's girlfriend, but little did you know Elvis is head over heels for you.

Part 1, Part 2 🤍

Pretty When You Cry

► Reader finds out that Elvis has to leave for Germany

Fucked My Way Up to The Top 🤍

► Sugar daddy Elvis being jealous after seeing the waiter flirt with the reader at the restaurant

Summer of '55

► The reader goes with Elvis and some friends down to the sunflower fields. Your best friend ends up asking what he's like in bed and Elvis overhears how in love the reader is with Elvis.

Art Deco 🤍

► Reader and Elvis meet at Club Handy after being apart for a short period of time. The both of you knew that you're bad for one another, but can't leave each other alone.

It's Supposed to be Fun Turning 21

► Based off the Presley home video's on Priscilla's 21st birthday. Instead of Priscilla it is the reader.

Fuck it I Love You

► Sugar daddy Elvis starting a relationship between 34-year-old Elvis and 19-year-old reader, who is the Colonel's step daughter... it starts off pretty innocent but soon turns into a lot more.

Part 1, Part 2

Honey, I Belong With You

► Drugged up Elvis begging you to stay by his side forever. You make a promise that you might not be able to keep.

Take Me to Church

► The church and the royal family isn't always the best mix, but when it comes to the newfound king and the presists daughter... they mix perfectly.

Baby Blues

► Reader finds out that Elvis is cheating, and she finds herself with filled with rage.

Until I Found Her

► Formally known as Tredici // cowriter: @asshlyyyy

► You’ve heard of Romeo and Juliet right? Well, imagine that… but remove the violence and death. You’re the rich girl who would never be seen with someone who was poor. Well… that’s what you image was. You didn’t care about the money. Because once you found Elvis… Everything changed.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Sebastian Kydd

Cruel Summer 🤍

► The reader and Sebastian have been friends since forever... well that is until that one collage part...

Austin Butler

Are you Lonesome Tonight......?

► It is 2020 and the Covid pandemic just got worse than it already was... Seeing you are in lockdown and living with your boyfriend who was working on the new Elvis movie and your college being on lock down as well, it could get quite lonesome.

Lotta True Crime

► Serial Killer Austin kidnaps reader who has a podcast about true crime with her friends. She saw something she shouldn't have, and the rest is history.

Part 1 🖤, Part 2 🖤, Part 3 🖤🤍, Part 4 🖤

Say Yes to Heaven, Say Yes to Me

► It is the 1950s, and Austin is on his way to get married to the love of his life.

I've Got My Eye on You

► The reader is getting hated on and becomes depressed... down in the dumps... and even suicidal. Austin helps the reader through this hard time.

Put Me In a Movie

► Both the reader and Austin have an unhealthy obsession with each other and decide to finally make something of it.

[violapeeps-blog]

Stop trying to get rid of pit orchestras!

This post is very late, but I wanted to make a post about the disappearance and shrinking of pit orchestras, specifically in musical theatre.

The Disappearance of pits:

About 2 months ago, a musical opening on Broadway called Here Lies Love announced there would be no live pit orchestra. Instead, it would all be pre-recorded tracks. While the producers said it was "ArTiStIc ReAsOns" (The show is supposed to feel like a dance club), it was clearly done as a way to save money. There are ways you can creatively incorporate live musicians into a show. Plus, a pit orchestra doesn't always mean classical orchestra. A pit can be made up of drummers, keyboards, guitarists, etc.

Luckily, The Broadway Musicians union was able to get the show to hire 12 musicians (Even though there is a 19 musician minimum in the theatre the show is in). However, this situation has set a bad example, and other producers may try to repeat this whole situation.

The Shrinking of pits:

Phantom of the Opera notably has a rather large pit. On Broadway, the show has 27 pit members (Fun Fact: 11 of them were in the show for the whole 35 years!!). This year, I had the privilege of being in a pit for a local production of the show (Yes, it was a legal production). The production I was in had about 36 people in the pit. However, the west end production of Phantom only has 14 musicians in the pit since it reopened. Compare this to the fact the west end version had a pit of 29 before Covid.

Now, it is understandable that they may have wanted to shorten the pit due to Covid-19. However, the show has shown no signs of bringing back the 15 musicians. What once was a safety precaution is now clearly being done to save money. Not only has the pit been shrunk, but the production itself uses set pieces that are cheaper to operate (For example, They got rid of the iconic angel at the end of Act 1). Phantom has very rich music, and as someone who has played it before, there are many small details that just add to the experience, and a full pit just makes it feel grander.

Your favorite musicals would not exist if there were no pit orchestras. The synthesizers producers have been putting in in place of pits do not give the same effect as a live pit. Audiences deserve to get the full experience of the music. Actors should get to perform with real people! Not recordings! And Instrumental Musicians should be able to get jobs.

[howelljenkins]

graduating from undergrad in 2 weeks so i feel i might be able to add to what kal said but what helped me through my first couple semesters of college (which was double hard bc of covid) was joining literally any club i was vaguely interested in. if i was like “huh, neat” for even a second i’d go to the meeting and check out the vibes. ended up being at the school newspaper for 2 years and making a lot of friends through that! even got hired as an editor. a lot of people do go to clubs by themselves etc in college so while its hard to break the ice sometimes do remember that people are looking for friends too!!

also like with what kal said i met my best friend at 16 working an absolute nightmare restaurant job and we’ve been friends for 5 years. idk what your living situation looks like but try to attend building/floor events if you live in a dorm!!! or just go and see if people have their doors open and say hi! i met one of my best friends on the first week of freshman year because he lived directly below me and i wandered down to his dorm asked to play mario kart with him. don’t be afraid to ask people to get coffee/study/whatever, people are a lot more willing to do stuff than you realize because rejection is so terrifying (believe me ive been there)

its also helpful to have an established routine. say you go to the gym at *insert time*, go study at the coffee shop/library/whatever at *insert time*, go to club at *insert time* every day/week. you start to see a lot of the same people so it becomes a bit easier to navigate interactions if you’re familiar with them! sitting in the same seat every class can also help with this

tho i will say, it can take a shit ton of time to find real friends. you gotta wade through the crap a bit first. ive always had trouble creating friendships that are actually healthy/meaningful and i honestly wasted a ton of time both pre college and in college on people who just suck. but i got there eventually and i have a very good social life now! don’t beat yourself up over it though, you’ll get there. wishing you luck :)

also sorry for the literal essay in your inbox kal love you

literally soo ridiculous how easy it can be to start conversations i witnessed a friendship blossom at a coffee shop the other day just bc one girl from across the bar was like “omg i do that all the time haha what’s ur instagram” to the other girl and bam they planned a hangout right then and there

[crownedinmarigolds]

The Stakebait Coterie! Khloe and her boys are out there saving the Atlanta Waterbloods or get Final Death'd trying! (I'll type it all beneath the cut because I know.. my handwriting)

The main characters of the Poisoned Peach - ATL by Night chronicle my beloved is running for me! Khloe is my character, and the boys are my unbeatably dope team.

Name: Khloe Mariah Osbourne

Born: 05/04/1993, Embraced: 2022 by a Ventrue, came out Thinblood, Physical Age: 29

Height: 5'5", Hair: Dark Brown, Eyes: Hazel, Gender: Miss (She/Her), Nationality: American

Likes: Coffee, True Crime, Tabletop RPGs, Being a Minx, Staying Busy

Dislikes: Disappointing Others, Being Unprepared, Not knowing what's up, Her body, Tiktok-Style Ads

A little history: Khloe grew up the only child of very normal people who nastily divorced when she graduated high school. An avid reader and over-thinker, Khloe has immersed herself in many fantasy worlds and strategy games to the point where she seems to think of everything. A people pleaser who has a lot of good acquaintances yet no friends, the lack of companionship was hard-felt when COVID rolled around and kept everyone inside. Had a few partners, though none lasted. One night after visiting her mother, she found herself on a backroad all alone, save for the oncoming headlights that may be straying in her lane. (Where the Poisoned Peach begins!)

Name: Kyle Johnson

Born: 2/3/1994, Embraced: 2020, Sire unknown, but came out Thinblood, Physical Age: 26

Height: 5’10", Hair: N/A, Eyes: Sexy-Boy Brown, Gender: More man than your man (He/Him), Nationality: American

Likes: Feeling needed and helping others, Parties, Drinking cocktails with stupid names, Reasonable reactions.

Dislikes: Being late, people that CAN help and just don't, the MINIONS, Improperly labelled content warnings.

History: His mom was a nurse, her mom was a nurse, and so on. His sisters didn’t want to carry on the tradition, so he decided to go into the medical field himself as an EMT. The stress of the job brought on early balding, but he thrived both on the clock and in the club. One night, he drank a few too many and he woke up in a dumpster the next night, completely clueless. The sunlight began to hurt, nothing sat right in his stomach. Everything was the same yet all so different, better and worse. He spiraled, confused and depressed, until the Dusk Angel found him and helped him come to terms with his new existence. Now Kyle proudly helps the Thinblood Revolution as a kind face to help ease the new blood in, just as he had been.

Name: Randolph "Ralph" Gaylord King III

Born: 10/09/1996, Embraced: 2021 by a Nosferatu, came out Thinblood, Physical Age: 25

Height: 6'5" (Even pre-Embrace, him just big), Hair: Brown (Has to shave the remnants every evening, used to be long and thick and in a man-bun), Eyes: Yellow-Orange (Brown pre-Embrace), Gender: BOI (He/Him), Nationality: American

Likes: Guns, Bad Jokes, Strategy Games, Annoying Christian, Being a right menace

Dislikes: Himself :(, Whiny people, Beer, Signs with sayings meant to be taken serious.

Some Background: Born in St. Louis Missouri, Ralph had a pretty standard lower middle class upbringing. He followed his father and older brother and joined the army when he turned 18 right out of high school. Years of prep and hard work paid off as he went through candidate courses, eventually making it into Special Forces. His career was short-lived however after losing his right foot on his first deployment. Depression and dead-end jobs seemed to be his future until as a joke he started posting thirst-traps on social media, but it got real when his follower count spiked and sponsors started making offers. He was thrown into the life of an Insta-Thot - specifically Fitness Inspo - ultimately landing him in a party in Atlanta, Georgia, where his soon to be sire, Bill - a jealous and spiteful Nosferatu - lurked. Ralph was alone as he stumbled to his hotel room, and Bill could contain his hate no longer. To him, Ralph deserved to be as ugly on the outside as Bill thought he had to be on the inside. Little did Bill know, he messed with the wrong guy.

(Not written due to lack of room, we clearly don't play favorites here...) Eventually found in the sewers by the Dusk Angel, Ralph now serves in the Thinblood revolution, using every skill he's acquired in order to get revenge against the Fullbloods.

Name: Christian Ottavio

Born: 01/16/1989, Embraced: 2017, Gangrel sire but came out Thinblood, Physical Age: A rough 28

Height: 6'1", Hair: Dark Brown, Eyes: Brown, Gender: The MAN (He/Him), Nationality: American

Likes: Beer, Relaxing nights spent inside, Napping, His truck

Dislikes: His family, Wearing tight jeans, Bro-Country music, Fullbloods

A bit of background: Born and bred in Georgia into a rich family with ideals he couldn't wrap his head around. Went into the workforce at a young age in an effort to escape them and be on his own. He's had to sleep in his truck many a night, but eventually got everything together enough to get a roof over his head. That was until some uppity lick decided to draft him into the army of the damned during the Atlanta Sabbat civil war. He was one of many forced to fight during the schism, and one of the few to come out "alive." Before his sire could take him behind the proverbial tool shed, Christian was saved by the Dusk Angel, and now is a proud Thinblood freedom fighter.

[tomorrowusa]

Part of a Trump fundraising message poorly disguised as a love letter to Melania. I'm sure most wives get Valentine's Day cards from husbands who use their middle initials when signing the greeting. ✍🏼🤭

Trump Campaign Roasted For Fundraising Off Unhinged Valentine's Day 'Love Letter' To Melania

The Donald is going to need to do a lot of fundraising thanks to spiraling legal judgements against him.

The Donald Trump Fire Sale Starts Now

Donald Trump’s companies have filed for bankruptcies six times, but now he may actually be about to go broke. On Friday, a New York judge penalized the former president $355 million after finding him liable for lying about his wealth and the value of his properties in New York — and that’s before pre-judgment interest charges, which according to the New York Attorney General’s office, adds another $100 million or so. Then there’s the $4 million owed by Eric Trump and Don Jr. each — which, come on, whose money is that really? The giant liabilities are due in part to Trump and his organization’s “complete lack of remorse,” Justice Arthur Engoron ruled, as well as for its deterrent effect: Trump and the Trump Organization’s officers were “likely to continue their fraudulent ways unless the Court grants significant injunctive relief.” Add this to the $88 million he owes writer E. Jean Carroll for defaming her, twice, and Trump owes roughly $540 million. That would wipe out almost his entire estimated cash pile and vaporize about a sixth of his total net worth. Trump can afford this, but he is probably going to have to sell something big. His net worth, according to both Forbes and Bloomberg, is between $2.6 and $3.1 billion, but most of that is tied up in his buildings and other properties. His cash pile is about $600 million, Bloomberg estimates, and he cannot use campaign or political-action-committee money to pay these fines. Some of his attorneys’ fees can be paid for with money that he’s raised from donors, but it’s not clear what money is paying for which lawyers between the four criminal cases he’s fighting off.

Here are some ways Trump could raise money to keep from going bankrupt for a seventh time.

Since his ex-wife Ivana is already buried there, he could turn Trump National Golf Club at Bedminster into a MAGA cemetery. Heirs of people who die from listening to Trump's quack COVID-19 advice will want their loved ones interred under the BEST sand traps.

Mar-a-Lago could be leased for the filming of the next season of Naked and Afraid. Unclothed contestants would have to survive hazards such as Dinesh D'Souza film festivals, Rudy Giuliani's alcoholic rants, and Nick Fuentes/Kanye West Groyper dinner parties.

Trump could franchise his own national chain of spray-on tanning salons which would leave customers looking as orange as him from head to toe.

Only Fans. Tens of millions of MAGA followers may be willing to pay to see "Toad" for themselves.

[mixelation]

hey do you have any advice for college freshman? i know summer just started but i’m getting anxious about whether i’m going to be prepared or not

sure!

it's totally normal to be nervous! most other people are too, and basically no one feels prepared (and i think anyone bragging about being prepared is probably overestimating themselves). remember you have a WHOLE COHORT of other freshmen in the same boat as you

get involved as much as you can early on! just show up to interest meetings, go to club fairs, sign up for list servs and read any news feeds your school has to find orgs/clubs/events. you're still feeling out what you're about and what the scene is, and it's totally fine to show up to a meeting for free pizza, realize it's not for you, and leave.

branching off of that: if you're in a new town for school, i do recommend trying to find a way to explore the town outside of campus. this could be joining a volunteer group, a hiking club, or a social org that does fun things around town.

it's also totally fine to sign up for whatever classes strike your fancy and then drop them if you don't like it or you think you'll be too overwhelmed that semester for it (assuming it's before the drop deadline/it's a requirement/etc). freshman year is for exploring your academic interests!

i DID make a series of four year plans almost every semester, to make sure i got in all the classes i wanted to and also fulfilled my major requirements (and also my premed requirements.... except i decide my last year it wasn't for me LOL). they were basically just lists of classes and when they'd be offered (sometimes you can't predict this, but sometimes you KNOW this one class is every other year or something), and then I'd slot them into tables. i'd make multiple ones like "pre-med plan" and "study abroad" plan, which was kind of overkill but it helped me stay on top of what i needed to do to achieve whatever goal and also helped me maintain a sense of control. just be aware that any plan you make at this point is extremely likely to change and that's okay

all that being said, also make sure to schedule time into your schedule to rest. i did a lot of all-nighters in university and it was. not a good idea. sleep and taking ~you time~ is vital for both physical and mental wellbeing.

i think entering college is a great time to explore interests or parts of yourself that you might not have felt totally free to in high school, and i want to encourage you to take any risks that you think will make you happy. no one knows you. you can do whatever you want. introduce yourself with a new name. make interesting fashion choices. talk openly about fanfiction in class. get weird. be free

don't be shy about emailing professors and TAs!! you are allowed to ask clarifying questions about the syllabus. it is okay to ask for an extension on an assignment. if you need accommodations, do check out and get in contact with your school's accessibility office ASAP. i guarantee you there is no question or request you can make from professor that they will be surprised by, because there are. some Personalities out there

get your flu shot and covid booster. also shower sandals if you're in a dorm

oh, speaking of dorms: i do recommend keeping some "emergency supplies" like some nonperishable food, cold medicine, painkillers, etc around because university dorms are hotspots of disease and you don't want to get stuck walking to a CVS or dragging yourself to a dining hall when you're sick. also don't do what i did and go to class high out of your mind on cold medicine

[taking-shots]

born to love you | n. mackinnon | part one

warning(s): nothing too major that i know of! mentions of childbirth, pregnancy, like one mention of the word "traumatic"

word count: 1,951

a note from the author: it's finally here!!!!!! part one of my long-awaited natemac series. a couple of things i do want to mention - this is PURELY fantasy and pretty much an au fic. for example, covid and the pandemic will not exist in this story. one more thing - if you want to be tagged when i post part two, let me know! also, feedback is so appreciated. without further ado, here is part one of "born to love you"!

The sun rays of an early Colorado morning peak through the blinds as the dreaded alarm sound rings from Ivy’s phone. As much as she despised waking up early, today was not as awful as usual; it was her wedding day. Today, Ivy Camille Pierce was finally going to marry the man of her dreams.

Nathan had appeared in Ivy’s life one random day in pre-school in Mrs. Sutton’s class. He clung to his mother’s leg as Mrs. Sutton peeled him off by enticing him with dinosaur figurines. Four-year-old Ivy saw him sitting at the table all alone, just staring at the T-Rex.

“You don’t have to play with dinosaurs.” She told him softly. “There are lots more toys over here.”

The blonde boy said nothing still but instead looked at her with bright blue eyes filled with fear.

“Don’t be scared!” Ivy assured him. “Mrs. Sutton is the nicest teacher ever. She always helps us make things out of our snacks after lunch. Yesterday, we made snowmen out of marshmallows and pretzel sticks.”

Mrs. Sutton took notice of Ivy trying to soothe the new student. “Ivy,” the teacher said gently. “This is Nathan. He’s really nervous about starting school. Do you remember how frightened you were the first time your mommy dropped you off?”

Ivy nodded her head quickly, her dark pigtails bouncing as she did so. “My mommy came back though. Your mommy won’t leave you here, Nathan.” she explained to him, though Ivy did struggle with her ‘H’ sounds, so his name sounded more like “Nay-ten.”

“That’s right.” Mrs. Sutton smiled happily. “Everyone’s grown-ups will be here before we know it, so we need to have all the fun we can now. Ivy, do you want to show Nathan where we put our things away in the cubbies and then head to the arts and crafts table?”

The little girl smiled proudly before offering her hand to Nathan, who cautiously took it. As the pair placed Nathan’s Superman backpack into his wooden cubby, Mrs. Sutton looked on in admiration. “If only she could see us now.” Ivy thought to herself as she prepped the coffee pot for a fresh brew.

While waiting for the coffee to be ready, Ivy thought it would be a good idea to go and do a wake-up call for the few members of the bridal party who stayed the night. Morgan, Ivy’s first cousin - though she felt more like a sister, was coming out of the ensuite bathroom as Ivy interred the guest room, a toothbrush hanging from her mouth.

“Today’s the day!” She squealed with excitement. “How are you feeling, Mrs. MacKinnon?”

“I’m not Mrs. MacKinnon yet.” Ivy shook her head, yet grinning from ear to ear. “But I am excited.”

“Oh, please. All this is legalities.” Morgan playfully rolled her eyes. “You two have basically been married since you moved to Denver.”

Morgan was not the only one who felt this way; in fact, almost all of Ivy and Nathan’s close friends and family shared that same mindset. The couple had lived together since they were 18 years old. The first apartment they had was located a couple of blocks from downtown Denver, which meant plenty of drunken nights at the bar with Gabe, Erik, and whatever blonde had decided to hang off their arm that night - even if she nor Nate were legally old enough to drink in the states. (Thank God for bouncers and club owners who were Avalanche fans.)

Ivy left her cousin alone to finish getting ready before the remainder of the bridal party started arriving for brunch. Moving swiftly across the hallway, Ivy tightened her robe around her frame, shivering from the cold air of the house. Her body temperature was never constant, especially if she was indoors. Normally, Nate would be waiting for her back in their king-sized bed, offering his body heat willingly. However, he was awaking at Gabe’s house instead; Ivy was really starting to regret following traditions.

Opening the bedroom door tenderly, a sleeping teenager lay curled under the floral print comforter. Ivy took a moment to admire her baby sister who had just turned thirteen a few weeks ago. She still remembered when Stella was born along with Stella’s twin brother Brody. Ivy was thirteen herself and more than thrilled to finally have not one but two babies to show off as her siblings. She also recalled how much flack her mother caught for having the twins; her family made comments on how traumatizing that it would be for Ivy and how the babies would suffer due to the large age gap between them and their big sister. Those doubters were proved wrong rather quietly as everyone observed and commented on how attentive and protective Ivy was of Brody and Stella. Besides, having new twins sibling was the least traumatic thing to come.

Sitting down on the side of the bed, Ivy reached up and stroked Stella’s long, soft hair; it was the same honey color and soft texture as their mother’s. Immediately feeling a presence, Stella began to stir but not panicked because she knew it was only Ivy.

“Good morning, beautiful.” The older sister greeted lovingly. “It’s time to get up. The other girls will be here soon, and then it’ll be time for hair and makeup.”

“Is Kathy coming?” Stella asks groggily, sitting up to rub the sleep out of her eyes. “Nana Kathy? Yeah, she’s going to meet us-”

“No.” Stella cuts her off. “Sid’s Kathy.”

Breaking out into a smile, Ivy nods her head. “Yeah, Kathy will be here soon too.”

Walking back into the kitchen, the smell of the exotic Columbian filled the room. The special blend was an engagement gift from Sidney and Kathy themselves who were more than thrilled at the news of Ivy and Nate finally tying the knot. Sid’s partner was even more ecstatic when she was asked to be a part of the bridal party. The front door opened, and there Kathy appeared, punctual as usual.

“Good morning!” she chirped happily, squeezing Ivy’s shoulder from behind. “How are you feeling? Any nerves?”

“Morning, Kath.” Ivy smiles. “I’m good! No cold feet here; he’s stuck with me for life after this.”

The blonde lets out her contagious laugh before placing the bottles of champagne she brought into the fridge. Grabbing two coffee mugs from the cabinet, Ivy pours the piping hot beverage into each one. As much as she wants to start the day off with a mimosa, the bride knows how nauseous she will become if she ingests the alcoholic drink before having breakfast.

“You know the drill; make yourself at home,” Ivy tells Kathy as she hands her the mug. “A certain someone is looking forward to seeing you, though. You just might be her perfect motivation to get out of bed and join the festivities. I’m going to go shower.”

Padding back to the master bedroom, Ivy could hear her phone start to ring, signaling an incoming call. Unplugging it from the charger, she saw it was the one and only, Nathan MacKinnon.

“Hello?” Ivy answers, a smile already plastered across her lips.

“Yeah, can I speak to Mrs. Ivy MacKinnon?” His familiar voice asks on the other end of the phone. She can picture exactly what his facial feature look like right now.

“Hm, I don’t think she’s available at the moment.” Ivy teases her fiance. “She should be able to connect with you in a few hours. Did you want to keep your appointment with her at the altar?”

“Oh, yeah, that’d be great! Is there any way I can move the meeting to an earlier time?” “I’m sorry, sir, but she will be booked until the allotted time. We do hope you understand.”

Nate let his boisterous laugh flow through the speaker, unable to keep up the banter anymore. “I hated not waking up to you this morning,” he admitted.

“Same here, Mac.” Ivy pouted, using one of her many pet names for him. “I bet Izzy doesn’t too much mind it, though. She always enjoys her sleepovers with Nana and Papa.”

She just knew Nate’s entire face lit up at the mere mention of their precious little girl.

Izzy Katherine MacKinnon made her grand entrance into the world on February 9, 2020. Her first name, which everyone thought was a little odd at first, came to be randomly, and also to everyone’s surprise was not short for Isabelle. On a particularly chilly November evening, Ivy settled down with Stella in the master bedroom for a girl’s night - which consisted of takeout food, the best bakery cupcakes, and all the romcoms the two could handle - while Nate and Brody headed out to Top Golf with Gabe and Cale. It was Ivy’s turn to pick a movie, and she decided to choose a classic favorite of hers: Legally Blondes. The spin-off of the cult classic that featured Reese Witherspoon was not winning any Oscars by any means, but Ivy was thirteen when she saw the movie, and it quickly became a core memory ingrained into her brain forever.

As the introductory credits came into frame, Ivy truly wasn’t paying the movie too much attention, but neither was Stella; both of them were mindlessly scrolling on their respective screens, though doing two different things. The younger female was chatting with her friends and laughing out loud at the silly TikToks they shared in their group chat, but Ivy was doing something far more important. Her due date was quickly approaching, and baby girl MacKinnon still did not have a set name yet. Both Ivy and Nate had names they each liked, but they just couldn’t agree on one. All of a sudden, a name overheard on the television piqued the woman’s attention.

And then, she heard it again. Izzy.

“That’s it!” Ivy realized, excitedly, turning to look at Stella.

“What?” Stella asked, dumbfounded. “What’s it? What are you talking about?”

“The baby! That’s her name! Izzy.”

“How do you know? Don’t you kinda need to talk about it with Nate first?”

As soon as the words left Stella’s lips, Ivy felt the baby move around in her rounded belly. She placed her hands on her stomach out of instinct to feel the shifting of her daughter.

“I think she likes it.” Ivy beamed.

The family was thrilled Ivy was expecting a baby and even more so when the gender was confirmed to be a little girl. Ivy thought Nate would be slightly disappointed that he wasn’t getting a son for his firstborn but that couldn’t have been further from the truth; the star athlete had always (secretly) hoped his first child would be a tiny baby girl who his world revolved around. Sure enough, Izzy had the 6’0” center wrapped around her teeny finger since the day she was born.

Soon enough, all six members of Ivy’s crew had arrived and gathered in the dining room to quickly eat a beautifully prepared brunch and sip mimosas before the makeup artists and hair stylists started arriving to begin the beautifying. Morgan was the maid-of-honor, and Stella had her role as the junior bridesmaid; her four bridesmaids were Gabe’s wife, Mel, Sid’s long-term partner, Kathy, Nate’s older sister, Sarah, and finally, Ashley - the wife of former Avalance center, Nazem Kadri.

Of course, there would be several other friends and family members in attendance from both Nate’s and Ivy’s respective parties, some of which neither of them had seen recently. Ivy couldn’t help but feel a sharp emotional blow in her chest, though, as there would be one person missing from today’s lovely celebrations.

One very important person.

Ivy’s mom.

-

TAG LIST: @thetravii @ghostly--photography @eightmakar @fallinallincurls @boqvistsbabe @landeguin @je-ne-regrette-rien

[whiterosechrista]

Introduction

So. I'm realizing (with the vent time post kerfuffle) that it'd probably be a good idea for me to give people a basic understanding of who I am and where I come from, so that they can reference it if any of my posts come off odd/offensive/etc. out of context.

Basic Facts

I'm 24 years old, Caucasian, American, biologically female, comfortable with she/her and they/them pronouns. I'm an introvert who doesn't get out often, but I'm not some basement-dwelling Neckbeard-equivalent. I have a strong sense of empathy, which leads me to want to play mediator often (though thankfully I'm aware of my limits and don't act on every want). My likes include anime, storytelling, art, history, SCP, Kpop, science, outer space, and mac n' cheese (among other things). My dislikes include racism, ablism, homophobia, transphobia, and basically anything else involving unreasonable hate.

History

I grew up as effectively a single child, moving back and forth between houses because my parents were already separated, though not officially divorced. They both loved me, and tried their best to raise me well, but (for reasons I'll touch on later) I definitely bonded more with my mom than my dad. There was one house that at least one of them always lived in consistently, so I think of it as my childhood home.

I was a fairly happy child, I think, though there were some issues with bullying that I can't remember clearly anymore, and it did affect me, though maybe not as much as the school itself; I used to love to draw/paint, and I stopped after I got into school because art class convinced me I wasn't doing it "right."

The teachers (some, at least) didn't like that I learned differently than other kids (e.g. making connections between concepts in Math and English at age ~8), and so made me take one of those "morality tests"; multiple-choice questionnaires about moral decisions like returning a lost wallet (which, btw, I left blank because they hadn't given me enough info about the situation; they decided that meant there was something wrong with me).

(Ironically, this was a Montessori school, which are supposed to be less rigid about teaching styles than standard schools.)

So I transferred to a different Montessori school at age ~10, which had a system where kids would sign their name on their class sheet when they came in, and didn't like that I stopped to say hi to kids in other classes first (for reference, my class was on the second floor, the other kids' were on the ground floor).

Thus, for either this or some other reason, they recommended I go to therapy. My mom, thinking "well, she might have reason to need it", agreed. I spent a while there before the therapist said "this is the most well-adjusted child I've ever seen, please leave so I can tend to people who actually need me."

After about a year of this school, Mom asked if I'd like to try homeschooling, and that's what I've been doing ever since (though technically what we did was unschooling, which is a bit different).

It was after I started homeschooling that I started writing, got really into anime to the point of learning Japanese by watching it, and made my best friends to date.

I've done things like ballet, gymnastics, parkour, circus arts, piano, roller derby, and sang/played at Girls' Rock Camp/Club Boston (though I think the name's changed to be more gender-inclusive). I don't do much of this stuff anymore, though I might get back into it at some point.

Pre-Covid, I was taking drawing classes and Japanese classes (mostly for reading it, since anime didn't teach me that), and back in 2022, I got officially certified to teach English as a second language (though I've yet to find a job, unfortunately).

I'm currently living in an apartment with my mom, sitting around with a sprained back, hoping that it'll heal in time for my best friend to take me on a Duck Boat tour in Boston on June 2nd, and blogging for the first time in my life.

I hope this has helped. It feels like an info-dump, but apparently I can't make anything concise, so here we are.

Feel free to ask/comment/dm me for more details about anything (or just to chat). I might not be comfortable with sharing some things, but most things I should be fine with. Just be respectful about it and we should be good. :)

Edit; just realized I didn't touch on why I bonded more with my mom than my dad. The short version is that mom is open-minded, gentle (though she can definitely be stern), and always asks what I want before doing something, and my dad sort of doesn't always "get it." For instance; the moment I turned 16, he started badgering me about getting my driver's license, even though I barely went anywhere that wasn't in walking distance and anywhere I didn't could be accessed by either public transport or someone else driving me. He also wanted me to do SAT prep and similar things, got stuck in the "Alternative Medicine" rabbithole and somehow still manages to be surprised that my mom won't make me try it without my consent (for reference, this was after I sprained my back; it's not the first time he's wanted me to try Alt Meds and definitely not the first time my mom's refused). So, yeah. He's not a bad guy, and he definitely tries, he's just a bit too stuck in his own world sometimes.

[anti-workshop]

SHAKY HANDS STICKER CLUB

Hey friends! I alluded to a big thing coming and THIS IS IT!

Patreon sucks ass but it's sort of the name of the game for fundraising things, and we need to raise funds, so here we are!

Do you like stickers? Do you like buttons? Do you like queer leftist shit as well as unique pieces of art you can adhere to the world or wear on your person? Please join our sticker club! You get stickers every month and maybe button/s if you want!

Check it out here -> STICKER CLUB

Also! More short designs will be coming soon! So stay tuned!

Read more below if you wanna know why we're doing this. Warning, it's long and sort of sad.

We started screen printing from one of our basements in 2020. It was, needless to say, the worst possible time to try and start a business. We barely survived and were able to move into the basement of the Milwaukee IWW's new union hall so we could all split the rent and make it affordable.

That was back in 2021. We were still struggling, but through word of mouth we got jobs and kept the lights on. We weren't really able to pay ourselves, but we all had second or third jobs so it was (mostly) fine.

We printed from that basement for about a year (and I hit my head on the ceiling and doorways hundreds of times) when a fellow wobbly and co-op enthusiast invited us to join his co-op as a DBA (doing business as). He sold us on the idea by offering to subsidize our workers' comp, general liability and book keeping expenses so we could try and grow sustainably. After some meetings we agreed to join as a DBA and we put our faith in this fellow worker whose intentions seemed pure and generous. We'll call him G.

Throughout the co-op's history some of our worker-owners' personal lives have been pretty chaotic. Working multiple jobs is stressful enough as a lot of you know, and so is navigating the continued stress of covid, having kids who are dealing with being bullied for being trans, all of us having major depression, adhd, etc. etc. We relied on each other, kept the lights on and just forged ahead, but there were some jobs that we delivered late or very late because of the chaos. G was understandably frustrated by these setbacks, as was I.

Because of the chaos, for about 5 months I was literally the only person working at the shop, performing literally every task from emails to quotes and mockups to invoices to pre-press, press, post-press and fulfillment. The Goncahrov shirts y'all purchased literally paid our rent, and I cannot thank you enough for that.

Then a fellow worker we'll call Z joined the co-op and saved my life. Z is amazing and I love him and owe him so much. He and I just kept at it and did what we could to care for our fellow workers who were struggling while away from the shop.

For about a year we've been trying to get an equipment loan to improve our processes because our little 4-color press and our flash and conveyor dryers suck ass. They're functional, extremely difficult to use, and they make our final product inconsistent and screen printing is a nightmare on them. It was all we could afford so we made the best of it and pursued a loan from a really cool cooperative lender that lends to other co-ops.

After a year of paperwork, making reports of our revenue and costs, analyzing our processes to improve them and show we were a viable business, they finally granted us the loan! We got a new press, better dryer, more screens and an incredible water-based digital printer/plotter combo that allows us to do stickers and decals and banners and buttons and other cool shit like that.

While we were applying for the loan, we were also pursuing a Collective Bargaining Agreement with the PPPWU (formerly the GCC) because we would be the only worker-owned co-op in our region (and maybe the US) to have the allied label, the most coveted union bug for printing. The local president was amazing to work with and we finally got awarded our union label and started paying dues.

It was around the time we began seeking the loan that G was doing and saying things we were a little confused by. He unilaterally fired two worker-owners in his co-op after months of mediation on my part to try and address interpersonal conflict. It's my fault for not seeing the writing on the wall then, but because he had done so much to help us, we justified his actions to look past our concerns.

Then, when those workers were gone he started to get abusive in text threads towards me and the other print folks, and we still looked past it because he had a lot going on in his life and that kind of stress can bring out the worst in anyone.

Well, a few weeks ago it came to our attention that we don't own our print co-op anymore, and we functionally stopped owning it once we signed on as a DBA. We thought we were all worker owners, but it turns out only I am, because I paid in at the time when I had the money. The abuse has escalated to the point that Z has quit, leaving only me the original creator the our co-op who we'll call M.

We're sort of trapped now. We're on the hook for rent at the shop until 2025, as well as the payments for our $30k loan, in a business that's been swept out from under us by someone we trusted who has become toxic and plainly cruel in his treatment of us.

Despite the stress and never really paying ourselves, I've enjoyed learning water-based screen printing and making garments people actually wear! It's been amazing! As the anti-workshop, we've been able to fund programs for our local IWW, the local tenants union and the local pro-palestine, anti-war committee. That has felt so good.

We've made our space an extremely queer, worker-focused spot for folks to learn the ins and outs of design and printing, which I am so proud of.

We're still here. We're still printing. We need to raise the funds to buy our equipment back by paying off this loan, so we can stop being a DBA of G's co-op and be our own entity again.

Failing that, we'll see what happens.