#lives that hashtag van life

[mustiels-art]

Andrea's van is probably not somewhere you wanna hang out in

[roylustang]

I live in my car now YEEHAW

[tianasficrecs168]

Stony Fanfic Recs

So I've got a few ways I've marked up my fanfic list, just so I can sort through it easier (yes I do have a lot. yes I will be sharing).

Brackets (…) means it's still being updated/not done/WIP – and I'm paying close attention to it

Zeros with a strikethrough (000) Disappeared off the net (I still have a doc of it saved somewhere)

A black dot • means it's a one-shot

Ship with + means it's either time travel or dimension hopping – something along those lines

A heart ♡ means it's focused on Sexy times (it's pure filth PWP)

Anyway! Onto my MCU Stony fic recs...

Arysteia: “The Twice-Told Tale” (Steve/Tony+) • For someone he'd hero-worshipped for so long, Steve Rogers in the flesh is a pretty big disappointment. For one thing, he keeps looking at Tony as though he reminds him of someone else, and even if he never says anything, Tony's pretty sure it's his father. A lifetime of not measuring up to Howard's expectations is more than enough, thank you very much, and he's certainly not going to make an effort to live up to any of Steve's. Steve's pretty clearly failed to live up to his expectations, in any case, and that's not hypocritical at all.

Wordsplat: “Hashtag Finally” (Steve/Tony) (000) • Since the story's been deleted from....whichever site, can't remember - I have the doc saved. Also the summary for this one is just the beginning of the fic (I'm lazy): It started with Clint. Technically speaking, Tony never actually invited him. He would have, given any sort of contact information, but Clint disappeared right after the battle of New York and clearly didn't want to be found. Natasha probably knew where he was, but knowing didn't mean sharing, so Tony never got the chance. Invitation or no invitation, three years later Tony still found Clint Barton sitting on his couch, watching Dog Cops and eating Cheetos in his underwear. "Sup." "Shit!" Tony jumped, dropping his mug. "Aw, coffee." Clint peered over the top of the couch. "Sucks, man."

“Meet Your Heroes” (Steve/Tony) (000) • Another one that bit the dust -> google doc The summary is the first few parts of the fic: It’s been a while, sure, but it’s far from his first rodeo and he knows exactly what’s about to happen when the door of the black van in front of him rolls back to reveal four armed men in black ski masks. So yeah, not the best way to kick off the week. He’d had a great weekend. After months of toying with it, scrapping the idea only to circle back around, he’d finally committed and built the mechanized suit he’s envisioned since the “Avengers” first appeared on the scene a few months ago. Part of the reason he’d tried to scrap it so many times was how nervous he’d been to tell Steve. Steve didn’t like to talk much about the mysterious team of superheroes running around their city these days, so Tony had sort of assumed that expressing his desire to join them might make things tense to say the least, if not start an outright fight. To Tony’s pleasant surprise, Steve had instead been weirdly over the moon about it all. Told him to go for it. Went on and on about how the Avengers would be lucky as hell to have him. Practically rewarded him, jumped his bones no less than five minutes after he announced his intentions. So that had been great.

AshitaNewssnoopy: - “Worth It” (Steve/Tony) • When Steve said he wanted to court Tony, he assumed that he just meant that he wanted to take thing slow. And that was fine by Tony. No really, he could do this thing if that's what Steve needed (shut up, Pepper; he so could). Because Steve was worth the wait. But then the gifts started coming and the letters popped up and there were chaste kisses and romance and…and what is even with this? Just when did his life turn into a romance novel?

Anonymous: - “With you” (Steve/Tony) • Sometimes Steve gets overwhelmed by how much he loves Tony.

ItsallAvengers: - “Keep on Beating” (Steve/Tony) • There were an awful lot of things Steve loved about Tony. But one thing in particular Steve could never get enough of was his heartbeat.

Sara_holmes: - “Like Sunlight” (Steve/Tony) • Steve is used to the way it feels by now; a strange but gentle tugging connection under his sternum, warm tingles in his skin whenever they touch. That is, until Tony gets himself kidnapped. Then it kinda feels more like someone is trying to wrench his heart out through his ribcage.

Scifigirl47: - “Some Things Shouldn’t Be a Chore” (Steve/Tony) Steve takes things like personal responsibility and respect seriously. Tony's got people he pays to take care of that kind of thing, and anyway, he's pretty sure that he's going to die of some exotic disease in his workshop, because Dummy's still a little spotty about what is 'clean' enough to put on an open wound. The rest of the Avengers are in this for personal gain, except for Clint, he just enjoys being a dick. And some things shouldn't be a chore.

[coochiequeens]

Su Min is an inspiring woman

In late 2020 Su Min left her unhappy marriage behind and hit the road. The 58-year-old retiree had raised her family and done her duties, and her husband, she says, was treating her badly. So she studied online videos about road trips and set off across Chinaalone in a VW hatchback with her pension and a rooftop tent.

As she travelled, Su filmed and posted videos and diaries of her journey, speaking candidly of her dissatisfying life of housework. She also marvelled at the beauty of the country she was finally exploring, and made new friends.

Su built a following of millions and regularly trended on social media, featuring in a Net-A-Porter advertisement for International Women’s Day.

As Su travelled and her fame grew, many women saw her as an accidental feminist icon, for rejecting the traditional expectations of a housewife and grandmother and taking control of her life. She shyly dismisses the moniker and says she’s not that famous, but enjoys how often she is stopped on the street, and how older women in particular have related to her story.

“As an ordinary housewife, someone who no one pays attention to on the street, to now have a lot of people see me and 

recognise me, this means there is an improvement in my life ,” Su tells the Guardian via Zoom. “I am at least acknowledged, and I think a life in which you are acknowledged is really good.”

Su had married in her early 20s. After growing up in Tibet and moving to Henan after high school she married after meeting her future husband just a few times. She says the marriage soon became unhappy, but she didn’t leave, fearing the strong social stigma around divorces.

Her husband has not spoken publicly about her trip or her accusations against him.

Change came in 2019 when Su saw an online video about someone living what has been popularised in the west as “van life”, and made a decision: when the grandchildren she was helping to care for entered kindergarten, she would leave, and she has barely looked back since.

“I met many like-minded travel pals, and fans who like me, so my life is wonderful on the road,” Su says. “I am very fulfilled, and so there is no feeling of loneliness or discomfort. On the road, my friends keep me company.”

Along her journey she upgraded the hatchback to a campervan. “I finally have my own home,” she told viewers in one post. “In the past, many things don’t belong to me in my family. There was not my name on those things. But my name is finally on this van now.”

Last month, after two years, 80,000 kilometres, 10 provinces and 200 cities, Su came home.

She returned to Henan province to spend the mid-autumn festival with her family, and to tell her husband she wanted a divorce. Su says her husband made no contact with her the entire time she was away.

The reunion, filmed and uploaded to her social media, appears awkward and hostile. In the video her husband seems to make comments about her return, saying she couldn’t survive out there any longer. One Weibo discussion hashtag about the video has been viewed more than 380m times, with streams of mostly supportive comments.

“I’m so happy for her! Su Min has changed,” said one commenter. “She can finally be free, so she is changing her fate. Go, Su Min!”

Su says she has the support of her children in seeking a divorce, and hopes her husband will grant her one. But if he doesn’t, she will just continue her travels.

“Divorce is just a piece of paper, it doesn’t have much meaning,” she says. “I won’t have a second family or seek other partners anyway, I will rely on myself … My husband did not interfere with my travelling, so if I go on the road again, he will just let me be.”

Additional reporting by Xiaoqian Zhu and Chi Hui Lin

[drvirgus]

Commitment & Responsibility

Yeji X Fem! Reader

Description: The life of Yeji and her Girlfriend Yn

Warnings: G!P Yeji, Smut, Angst

Chapter 7:

In my hand, I held a tablet. The concert was amazing. Hwasa, just like the rest, knew how to energize the crowd. Everyone danced to Hwasa's tune and enjoyed every moment of it.

In between, Moonbyul flirted with Solar, making Solar blush. Of course, to cover this up, Wheein joined Moonbyul and seemed to flirt with her as well. Then it was Hwasa's turn.

Hwasa, however, pulled out instant noodles shortly after and started eating. I shook my head with amusement. The manager next to me, who was also taking care of her, seemed stressed.

But I remained completely relaxed. Hwasa didn't miss a beat. While Hwasa sang, the others helped themselves to the noodles. I simply smiled and sang along softly while occasionally checking something on the tablet.

When the girls had a short break, I quickly went on stage and handed each of them a water bottle and a towel. Hwasa was the first to wink at me. I just smiled. Then I quickly left the stage.

———————————————————————————

Curiously, I scrolled through Instagram when my eyes suddenly widened. I came across a Reel that seemed to be a theory. I couldn't help but laugh.

So now there was a theory that Hwasa and I were dating? The only "evidence" cited were the occasional love bites I had, Hwasa linking arms with me, winking at me, and the way I smiled at her.

I laughed because those were really ridiculous reasons. It seemed I now had my own hashtag as well. Curiously, I clicked on it. To my surprise, my eyebrows raised.

There were already several videos of me. I clicked on the first one and watched it. My hand also reached into the bag of chips in front of me.

The video was about whether I was the one who scouted Ryujin, as Ryujin once mentioned that a cute manager scouted her. In the video, I was also wearing a similar hat to Ryujin's. However, what no one knew was that it was actually Ryujin's hat, as Ryujin and I had a shared history.

The next video claimed that as Itzy's manager, I mistreated them. It depicted me ignoring Ryujin at the airport, giving a fan a nasty look, flipping off an interviewer in America, and giving Yeji a stern glare before she got into the van.

I took a bite of the chip as I chuckled. I remembered how angry Yuna had become when this video came out.

The next video was a theory that Yeji was actually dating me and that the whole thing with Bang Chan was just for PR. Intrigued by the intro, I now looked much more interested.

After that, there were many clips where I could be seen, and in almost all of them, I had a love bite. I blushed in one of the videos when Yeji smiled at me. Shortly after, a still frame from Yuna's live was analyzed, claiming that the hands looked too feminine and overall smaller. It was mentioned that Yeji's height is shorter than Bang Chan's. Additionally, there was a mirror present in the frame showing short hair. This led to speculation that it could be Ryujin, but it wouldn't make sense as Ryujin was seen next to Lia. Then a photo of me was shown, where I was busy tying cables together, and it was evident that I also had short hair. Then, photos were shown of me as Mamamoo's manager, with the love bite in the same spot.

Yes... Yeji loved placing a love bite right at my pulse. She said she enjoyed feeling my pulse rise as she placed it.

I took a deep breath. This fan was really good. But how many times did this person watch the videos? What do people actually notice? I always find that astonishing.

The door opened, and I looked up. Yeji was standing there, and I could only stare at her with my mouth open as I was about to stuff another piece of chips into my mouth. I did it anyway.

Yeji laughed as she crawled onto the bed and planted a kiss on my lips. I immediately put the bag away and stored it in my nightstand.

Yeji was on a diet again. It seemed she had gained some weight since we started dating. I saw nothing wrong. Yeji was simply perfect! But yes... JYP was very strict with their diets.

"Have you eaten anything yet?" I asked, visibly concerned, as I looked at the pale face of the older woman. Yeji looked at me and sighed softly, "Yes, I've already reached my calorie limit and went to the gym," she replied.

My lips pressed together. I took a deep breath. "God... I hate seeing you suffer," I said. I couldn't help but pout. There was nothing I could do to help her. The only thing I could do was not eat in front of her.

Yeji smiled and placed another kiss on my lips. However, her lips once again trailed to my pulse. My eyes widened as she bit into it.

"Stop. Here... take a look at this," I said, gently pushing her away with a single finger from her forehead. Yeji's eyes automatically narrowed, and she looked at my phone as I replayed the video.

Yeji's eyes widened in surprise. "You... liked it?" Yeji asked, staring at me with her mouth agape. I furrowed my brow in confusion and looked back at the video. I gasped in shock.

"Oh no... Fuck..." I muttered under my breath, but then I shrugged my shoulders. "Oh well. No one knows my account, and it's private anyway," I said, smiling. Yeji nodded her head.

"So, does that mean... no more love bites?" she asked, looking at me sadly. My mouth opened in response to her gaze. Almost immediately, I tossed my phone aside and pulled the older woman into my arms as we lay down.

"Stop being so cute!" I playfully complained. Yeji laughed at my words, but a loud yawn escaped her. Her body relaxed. Knowing, I smiled and covered both of us.

"Oh, by the way... welcome home," I whispered as my lips pressed against her forehead. Yeji smiled as she lifted her head slightly. Once again, she kissed me on the lips.

Her head then landed on my shoulder, and I smiled. "Jagiya... you need to change clothes," I said, noticing that she didn't open her eyes anymore. She mumbled in slight annoyance and slowly got up.

I watched her amusedly as she undressed. She glanced at me and simply lay down on the bed. I looked at her in surprise. Yeji never slept without her pajamas.

She slipped back under the covers, immediately wrapping her arms around me as she rested her head on my shoulder. I said nothing and simply relaxed.

"Goodnight," I whispered softly into the darkness as I switched off the bedside lamp. My phone was beside me on the bed, and Yeji was in my arms as I sighed contentedly.

She murmured a "goodnight" as well, and within a few seconds, I could hear the older woman already fast asleep, her breathing calm. She sighed and snuggled closer to me.

———————————————————————————

Sniffling, I sat in the living room. My eyes were fixed on the TV. I shook my head as I used a tissue to blow my nose.

Almost immediately, I restarted the music video. I know... Yeji wanted to see my reaction, but I couldn't wait. I know it was mean of me. But... she took so long!

I wiped away the tears from my eyes with another tissue. Shortly after, I started crying even harder when I saw Yuna on that train. "My baby," I sobbed, blowing my nose again.

The door opened, and my head immediately turned in panic towards the remote control. I quickly closed YouTube on the TV, and my hands threw the used tissues onto the table.

Panicking, I stood up, holding the used tissues in my hand, and quickly sprinted to the kitchen to dispose of them.

"Jagiya."

I froze in my movement. My eyes widened as I turned to Yeji. I smiled visibly nervously. My eyes widened even more in surprise when I saw the others behind Yeji.

Yeji looked at the tissues in my hand. Her eyes narrowed in disappointment as she started pouting. "I told you to wait!" she exclaimed with her mouth wide open.

Chaeryeong wordlessly came to me and looked into my eyes. Without saying a word, she pulled me into her arms. My body tensed, and I noticed my tears coming back.

"Relax, Yeji. We can already see what her reaction was," Ryujin said, slightly laughing as she touched Yeji's shoulder. Yeji huffed and then sat down on the couch.

"Now, come on, let's watch it together," Yuna said, grinning widely. I let go of the hug after I relaxed in Chaeryeong's arms.

I quickly went to the kitchen and disposed of the tissues. I grabbed a few glasses and a bottle of Soju, as well as some water. I placed everything on the coffee table.

Everyone was staring at me, almost in disbelief. I chuckled nervously, "I know, I'm sorry... I should have waited," I sighed. Almost immediately, everyone burst into laughter.

"But who did you call your baby?" Chaeryeong asked, grinning. Everyone knew who my baby was. Yuna giggled and pulled me closer by the hand.

So now, I was sitting right between Yeji and Yuna. Yeji started the music video again.

Bet on me....

Throughout the entire time, I remained silent, fighting back the tears that welled up in my eyes. My throat was sore from trying not to make a sound.

Yeji took my hand in hers and interlocked her fingers with mine. On the other side, Yuna did the same with my other hand. This made me cry even harder when I saw Chaeryeong's part this time.

The music video ended, and everyone looked at me. Ryujin's mouth formed an "O" in surprise. Lia, however, simply smiled.

"I can tell... she understood the video," Chaeryeong chuckled. Yuna looked at me, her mouth slightly agape. "Well... she was there for most of it," Ryujin replied, her voice a bit softer.

I let go of Yuna's hand and wiped away my tears. Sniffling once, I said, "I'm so sorry... you didn't deserve all the hate you received." I spoke with a tearful voice and couldn't help but laugh awkwardly.

Yeji handed me a tissue, and I took it, hiding my face behind it. I swallowed as I wiped my eyes.

I heard Yuna's soft laughter, "God... stop crying. You're making me cry too," she said, her voice breaking. My eyes widened in surprise.

I looked at Yuna, "You're not a pick-me girl! You... you should be yourself. You can be yourself," I said, and Yuna started crying. Chaeryeong also had tears in her eyes.

"And you!" I pointed at Chaeryeong, "You're not ugly! You're one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen! No matter what others say. You're perfect just the way you are, so stop criticizing yourself all the time."

My eyes then turned to Lia. Her bottom lip was pushed forward as she tried to hold back her tears. I blew my nose into the tissue.

"You're an ITZY member! No matter what others say about your dancing, singing, or anything else. Without you, ITZY wouldn't be the same! All five of you, or none of you!" I said, tearfully, my forehead furrowed. "Even if you make a mistake, you're wonderful!" I added, and Yeji handed me another tissue.

Ryujin had turned her head away. She knew she was next. I wiped away the incessant tears as my voice broke.

"And you! Speak up," I said, shocked, as she looked at me. "No matter what you say, we all and Midzy will accept it. Stop isolating yourself," I said, sniffling again. "You love Midzy with all your heart, even if you don't show it too openly! So... speak up! Don't shut yourself off."

My eyes immediately fell on Yeji. Yeji nervously swallowed, her eyes glittering with tears. I took her hand in mine again, interlocking our fingers.

"It's okay to have self-doubt. You're ITZY's leader... but you're allowed to fall back sometimes. You don't always have to be strong," I said, tearfully. Yeji exerted some pressure as she looked at me.

"I will destroy all your doubts. I promise!" I said, looking around at everyone. "I promise you all."

Each of them had long started crying. I laughed, tears streaming down my face.

"You did an amazing job. This song, the lyrics, and the video... just perfect," I said, sniffling.

[lupinus-bicolor]

MORE EARTHSPARK THOUGHTS

i fucking LOVE these kids holy shit. I've been avoiding spoilers for the most part so i went into the rest of this season blind and I really appreciate the fact that Jawbreaker is still figuring himself out. It feels like the new terrans speed-ran their character arcs (understandable given the earlier focus on Twitch, Thrash, Robby, and Mo) but Jawbreaker being given time to develop and sort of fixate on searching for a perfect alt mode is endearing. His contrast to Hashtag being an impulsive ipad kid is *chefs kiss*. so fucking funny. her first week being alive has been spent watching tv dramas and internet memes and her alt mode being a constantly internet connected armored van is just perfect. and the little ponytail <3<3<3 I like seeing her learn to connect with the others in a meaningful way that doesn't talk down to ipad kids (which, tbh, is too easy and too... mean spirited? for this show. im so glad they treated her with respect and whimsy)

ALSOOOOO hi nightshade hi hi hiiiii your alt mode is so goth im LIVING. love this kid with their crazy science projects and fantasy literature. THE BATMAN REFERENCES IN THE FINALE AKDJFLKASDF also their self assuredness and autistic swag making them a little unable to find common ground with their siblings is heart meltingly sweet. Its really nice to see their parents understanding that and helping them along with it too ;A; TARANTULAS ACTING AS A SORT OF MENTOR OUUUUGH don't @ me but this might actually push me to watch beast wars. i need more of this goth bitch in my life. I really want them to show up in future episodes but as is I'm really happy they got to go free of ghost. best of luck with the holomatter bro

i have minor beef with the way they're focusing on the war backstory but Thrash's "why are you leaving the new generation to clean up your mess" speech was good, if not entirely satisfactory. old grandma megatron can't rebuild the transformers' relationship to humanity on his own and the terrans really are a perfect bridge, i feel. I'm just glad they're given time to be more than that first. (speaking of that episode, r.i.p. shockwave, #1 asshole).

aside from the thing with dr octagonopus meridian though, i really did like the new episodes even if they did feature less of the old cast than i'd prefer. Watching Twitch interact with the new terrans and taking on the older sister role and sort of controlling some of her worst impulsivity is really cool to watch, and her taking on too much of the burden of responsibility in reaction to Bumblebee leaving genuinely has me worrying for her. Kudos to the writing team for such a subtle character shift. please give her a break before this girl develops eldest daughter syndrome im begging you

[artcalledtheewhip]

Face Zen Face in in a mug of beer Scratching my my head Flakes fall e into bowl I was having dinner one night Ready for more Bowls of pic4dinner A joke I crept on the eatin’ While people walk above me I’ve been here the Sinnister stop toes tip tap those steps on my above running all over me Smushed Stepped Upon Smushed Stepped Upon Facing a mug of beer Pointing gun to head A forward step I’m having dinner one night See me sink into further steps in just painting a picture with facing all commercials who gets paid with all the wants of iPhone 15 warped it in the ending Phasing in 3/4’s left How are my M1’s? Who laughs, was that fake news? Armament in news 30 plus now Facing targeted against A z bully Bully I love my Pal Trump (Personal Ass Licker) I love Stitt Bend over Spell R U N Putin attacker of Ukraine said On invasion ! It’s been for over World Wide Web 1.5+ years My phone will be in face for Next Jerk Off Facing me I’ve dumped my load How should I hashtag? For faces receiving I sound so zenglish Hear here, English Parley, parley Girl screaming outside She lost her parents and brother kidnapped taking away in a van, she with broken left arm, gunned downed car crash father planting automobile in ditch hoping on survivors he stepped out, followed by Mom, she looked dead and brother was taken by Putin to become a soldier, we don’t know of her brother, she’s healing in a Ukrainian hospital, no sibling, no parents She sits in orphanage She’s facing new problems? Who grants her the promises of life Liberty Freedom Education Acceptance Or Taken advantage of All facing New Those bombed Those who journeyed Those not knowing Those still traveling Those still fighting M1’s for you Metal towered blinds In verticals Not a secret I hope so! I could be facing I don’t know I don’t care I’m just pressing on keyboard Over over again Beer at 1/4 left I mean bare a quarter left to find water That blue sign is agua aqua H2O That blue sign is agua aqua H2O That blue sign is agua aqua H2O See blue drink Face Zen Live When do we live without fear?

[creativelymaree]

I feel like I haven’t drawn Kyou in a while. I’ve drawn their boyfriend Max though cause I love Max. If anyone needs an update,Kyou is genderfluid and pansexual who is from NYCl. He’s dating Max who is a Cuban Italian  trans man from Florida. They live the van life during the end of summer and beginning of fall but live just outside of NYC for the rest of the year. Kyou is in a band called Skull BunnieZ and they just got signed to a label so they are constantly making new music, doing tours, and enjoying the recent popularity. You can find most of my art of them under the max and kyou hashtag i have listed. 

[bertiebusyt]

Bertie Buses on Tour

Bertie Buses on Tour https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqX-7IYffUQ Welcome , Join us today as we continue our weekend with the Fife District camping and caravan club 30th birthday celebrations at Dunfermline Scotland. Plus we take a look at the bus museum and try Bodhie at Fly ball .Find out how he gets on in our latest Vlog . 🔔Hit subscribe to join our travelling family & never miss an update on motorhome adventure, real-time vlogs, travel tips, and loads of laughter. https://www.youtube.com/@BertieBus/?sub_confirmation=1 🔗Support Our Channel ☕Buy us a coffee: https://ift.tt/f1UMFvr ✅ Stay Connected With Us. 👉Facebook:https://ift.tt/2fSy8D4 👉Instagram: https://ift.tt/kIb7Qoq 📩 For Business Inquiries: needham1505@gmail.com ============================= 🎬 Recommended Playlist 👉 Bertie Bus https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGXhpyA31O0&list=PLJgBG8KfD8PbSSLM3lLfJ3P9cfwpzDfcz&pp=iAQB 🎬 WATCH OUR OTHER VIDEOS: 👉 We SCREWED up in MALLAIG Scotland https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGXhpyA31O0 👉 Someone has hit our van in the car park . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BHyAnpnSAQ 👉 Flooded Sink Problems .The joys of living in a van . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAZPvWulY6o 👉 Anchored down on the West Coast of Scotland., Living in a Motorhome on the road full time . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cU42NRjlUFw 👉 Strange happenings in our MOTORHOME VAN LIFE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocCZ23Vn5FY ============================= ✅ About Bertie Bus. Hi guys. We are John and Zoe. We started our YouTube channel in Aug 2022. We live full-time in our motorhome called Bertie. We have two gorgeous border collies with us on our travels. We release a vlog every few days and keep it real and entertaining. We also keep it within two days of where we are. Please join our family and become one of our friends. Please subscribe and follow our adventures for tips and ideas or just to laugh with us and our banter with each other ❤️ For Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below: 📩 Email: needham1505@gmail.com 🔔Hit subscribe to join our travelling family & never miss an update on motorhome adventure, real-time vlogs, travel tips, and loads of laughter. https://www.youtube.com/@BertieBus/?sub_confirmation=1 ================================= ADD HASHTAGS HERE ⚠️DISCLAIMER: We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of watching any of our publications. You acknowledge that you use the information we provide at your own risk. Do your research. Copyright Notice: This video and our YouTube channel contain dialogue, music, and images that are the property of Bertie Bus. You are authorized to share the video link and channel and embed this video in your website or others as long as a link back to our YouTube channel is provided. © Bertie Bus via Bertie Bus https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwG3U4blYbNJ5biJvFIydZA September 05, 2024 at 10:30PM

[beingbethunes]

A Bus convoy crazy Costco shopping and traversing Mackinac Island Bridge | we are SO CLOSE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhI0CsBmT6Y #mackinacbridge #buslife #familytravel 🔔 Want to see what bus life is really like? Subscribe for travel vlogs, family fun, tips on full-time bus life, and the challenges & rewards of nomadic living! https://www.youtube.com/@Beingbethunes/?sub_confirmation=1 🔗 Stay Connected With Us. 👉 Facebook: https://ift.tt/ZstezL8 👉 Instagram: https://ift.tt/8Wd1y4n 👉 Website: https://ift.tt/AxYo1kI 📩 For Business Inquiries: jenn@redwhiteandbethune.com ============================= 🎬 Recommended Playlists 👉 Red White and Bethune Video Collection https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbsa419fPMaUDRazUO42e5qP7MzRzNt6T 👉 Shorts- Red, White, and Bethune https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbsa419fPMaVlPa60lmj59dc5Dmf5mMoz 🎬 WATCH OUR OTHER VIDEOS: 👉 Homestead Projects, New Deli Lunch & Jenn's Big Fall - Family Vlog | BeingBethunes.com https://youtu.be/cmdpwi_6uv0?si=YIhV0Lb4bCTJxviR 👉 Daily Life In Our Bus: Taos Errands & Dining Room Makeover - Family Vlog | BeingBethunes.com https://youtu.be/8iH81YWwujg?si=KAOePsTrtSqBSCeq 👉 Our Longest Road Trip Ever: Final Day Of Van Life - Family Vlog | BeingBethunes.com https://youtu.be/-Vjiv_B63dU?si=L0BbSCBwIGEw9V4M 👉 Living In A Van With PTSD: Our Toughest Day On The Road | BeingBethunes.com https://youtu.be/cO7sZ00Mdk4?si=WgSI9uiyGPaUIteh 👉 Escape The Heat In Leadville, Colorado: Best Van Life Camping & Hidden Gems | BeingBethunes.com https://youtu.be/BBrxfgTsaus?si=tCe6f7U0Fl7e8niZ ============================= ✅ About Being Bethunes. Welcome to Being Bethunes! We’re a family of 5 with 4 dogs, living our dream on the road in our vintage bus, Blue Betty. In August 2019, we sold our Florida dream home to embrace full-time travel across the U.S. The pandemic sped up our plans, and we quickly adapted to life on the road. Four years later, we’re still exploring the country as full-time nomads, sharing adventures, challenges, and the joy of living free through travel vlogs. From discovering new places and spending quality time together to simple living in New Mexico, we’re all about making memories. Join us for tips on bus living, travel experiences, and the ups and downs of nomadic life! For Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below: 📩 Email: jenn@redwhiteandbethune.com 🔔 Curious about nomadic life in a vintage bus? Subscribe for family fun travel vlogs and tips on full-time bus living, challenges, and making lasting memories! https://www.youtube.com/@Beingbethunes/?sub_confirmation=1 ================================= ADD HASHTAGS ⚠️ DISCLAIMER: We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of watching any of our publications. You acknowledge that you use the information we provide at your own risk. Do your research. Copyright Notice: This video and our YouTube channel contain dialogue, music, and images that are the property of Being Bethunes. You are authorized to share the video link and channel and embed this video in your website or others as long as a link back to our YouTube channel is provided. © Being Bethunes via Being Bethunes https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcpfi5cDAJ23oJ7nkwx9FXQ August 14, 2024 at 05:14AM

[joshuawithers]

In 2115 will we still commemorate Anzac Day like we do today?

Anzac Day 1916 was a very different ANZAC Day compared to that I experienced in Canberra this morning. Martin Crotty, a historian at the University of Queensland, said that Anzac Day commemorations have “suited political purposes right from 1916 when the first Anzac Day march was held in London and Australia, which were very much about trying to recruit more people to join the war during 1916-1918.”

As war efforts changed over the last 109 years, and eventually subsided, the Anzac Day commemorations have taken on a more solemn and meaningful practice. After attending the 2024 Dawn Service at the Australian War Memorial this morning–my first in Canberra, and possibly my fifth as an adult–I have some thoughts.

I’m not going to discuss how I thought arriving half an hour early for a 5:30 am service would be “early enough” to secure a good viewpoint–it was not, and I’m pretty sure that most of the 30,000 attendees beat me to the Sculpture Garden this morning. Nor will I mention how the lacklustre audio and video production at the memorial left me feeling blind and deaf, yet my hearing was sharp enough at 5:30 am to hear someone vomiting behind me and a staff member using one of those hand-held clickers commonly used by bouncers, walking through the crowd in the dark, clicking away.

I won’t wax lyrical about how the male performers were named and the master of ceremonies asked the crowd to applaud them, yet the female performers were neither named nor acknowledged.

Where my mind is at, here in the Canberra Qantas Lounge at 4pm on the twenty-fifth of April, is the book I’m currently seven percent through on my Kobo e-reader, “Van Diemen’s Land” by James Boyce, and a PhD candidate from Turkey who was ahead of me in line for a bacon and egg roll after the service.

The PhD candidate studying tourism in Turkey has come to Australia for a few weeks to complete his study on why Australians aren’t visiting Gallipoli for Anzac Day anymore. Apparently, for the centenary in 2015, over 40,000 Australians and New Zealanders made the pilgrimage, but numbers have significantly dropped, to about 1,500 last year.

I can’t shake the feeling that Anzac Day needs to continue to evolve.

In 2115, are we expecting our great-grandchildren to be trekking to Gallipoli, or even to the Australian War Memorial, to remember the events of April 1915?

Or can the spirit of Anzac Day start to embody more of the Australian spirit, leading me to James Boyce’s “Van Diemen’s Land”?

The thorough rewriting and retelling of Tasmania’s history should be a must-read for all Australians–not for the interest in the Apple Isle–but for a thorough understanding of the relationship between the first Australians, the early whalers and sealers, the French, the Dutch, and the British.

I was sold a narrative as a child that there was nothing here on Terra Australis except for some savages until the Brits arrived, and then some things happened, then we got Channel V. My little brother was born in 1988, so he got a cool birth certificate because the country was 200 years old, and I got a trip to Expo ‘88. Simpler times.

Modern brave and valiant efforts to flesh out that story with truth, to include First Australians, their sovereignty, and their story, have undoubtedly helped me understand more about the brutality inflicted by the early settlers and the sudden change to the Aboriginal way of life– one day they’re living their hashtag bestlife, and the next, some guy is waving a metal rod of murder towards them, killing some of their friends and family.

James Boyce’s nuanced approach to the 18th and 19th-century tension has led me to a greater understanding of the times. An understanding that softens the often poisonous narrative about the early explorers and convicts, acknowledging that they were strangers in a new and foreign land, and also that the locals were being impacted by strangers in their homeland.

One simple story that greatly impacted me was about how back-burning was misunderstood. We now know that Australian Aborigines are experts in land and bushfire management, and we also have evidence that being caught in a bushfire isn’t exactly conducive to survival. In what would be one of the earliest misunderstandings between local Aboriginals and settlers, the Aboriginals were back-burning on their land, as was their right and responsibility, but the British were terrified and believed they were under attack from the Aboriginals.

There are countless other stories from that time of the early explorers, soldiers, and convicts having extremely positive relationships with the First Australians.

But the scarlet thread through it all are tensions between the nations and their people.

The path of reconciliation made its way into the twentieth century where the First Nations people of Australia fought alongside the first immigrants of Australia in World War I, albeit paid dismally and treated worse, and still today our people struggle with that tension between our peoples, working feverishly to close that gap and heal the wounds.

I was reminded of that as one of the speakers at the War Memorial dawn service this morning recounted the 1944 story of the Battle of Leyte Gulf in the Philippines, where HMAS Australia was attacked by the Japanese.

In 2024, Japan is the number one nation Australians are visiting–willingly, for leisure and fun–only 80 years after we lost thirty Australians to a Japanese kamikaze aircraft attack.

The story I see being told on Anzac Day 2115 is a story of principles being held and fought for, and tensions being identified and resolved, a story of reconciliation.

Perhaps today we can start sharing that beautiful, rich, and rare story of resolved tension, principles of treaty between the First Australian nations and those of us who come across the seas for the boundless plains to share. May we advance Australia fair.

[quocanhh55]

WEEK 5: DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP AND PLATFORMIZATION

1. Digital citizenship

Citizenship is a familiar concept to most people as it refers to the legal rights and duties of individuals attached to nationality under domestic law. A digital citizen is someone who, through the development of a broad range of competencies, can actively, positively, and responsibly engage in offline communities, whether local, national, or global (Richardson & Milovidov 2022). This concept applies the same as digital citizenship, in which it relates more to the rights and the duties of actions on digital platforms. Digital citizenship is the ability to navigate our digital environments in a way that's safe and responsible and to actively and respectfully engage in these spaces (Media Smarts 2022). In recent times, in the era of rapid media development, further understandings and applications of digital citizenship are more conducted. The Black Lives Matter movement enhanced its messages by effectively using social media, and the COVID-19 pandemic has also accelerated the need to understand digital citizenship profoundly, particularly emphasizing its effects on marginalized and oppressed people (Choi & Cristol 2021). Digital citizens were influenced to behave and act in a better manner in digital environments, in which their activities may affect movements in real society.

2. Platformisation

Platformisation is the process by which digital platforms affect, shape, or modify many elements of economic, social, or cultural activity. It refers to the growth of platforms and their growing influence in numerous areas of the economy and society. Platformisation works through the penetration of digital platforms into different economic sectors and spheres of life, leading to the reorganization of cultural practices and imaginations around these platforms. This process involves the intertwining of institutional changes with shifting cultural practices, and it is influenced by power relations among platform operators, end-users, and complements (Poell, Nieborg & van Dijck 2019). Contributing to the act of platformisation, digital platforms are the main factors as they are online intermediaries that facilitate the exchange of goods, services, or information between users. For example, e-commerce platforms (Amazon or Alibaba), improve trade, and the exchange of goods, ride-sharing platforms such as Grab, and Uber help grow transportation the most popular social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter), which encourage the flow of delivery information between digital citizens.

3. Digital Citizenship and Political Engagement

Political engagement and digital citizenship are closely related concepts in the digital era. Digital citizenship is defined as the responsible, ethical, and active use of digital technology and platforms, whereas political engagement is the participation and involvement of individuals in political processes and activities. When combined, they symbolize the various ways in which people may utilize digital platforms to engage in political debate, express their ideas, and participate in democratic processes. This combination operates in several ways:

Access to Information: Digital platforms offer users unlimited access to a wide range of information, such as news, political conversations, and policy debates. Digital citizens may search for information from a variety of sources, verify assertions, and remain up to date on political problems and events.

Political Expression and Participation: Digital platforms enable people to express their political beliefs, exchange thoughts, and engage in debates with others. Social media platforms, online forums, and blogging sites enable digital citizens to express their opinions, participate in public discussions, and interact with others who share their interests.

Online Activism and Mobilization: Digital platforms have proven useful in supporting online activism and mobilization. Hashtags, online petitions, crowdfunding campaigns, and social media movements allow people to raise awareness, advocate for causes, and rally support for political and social concerns.

Political Campaigning and Elections: Digital citizenship has revolutionized political campaigns and elections. Candidates and political parties rely on Internet media for voter outreach, fundraising, and communication. During election cycles, digital people may interact with campaigns, learn about candidates, and participate in online political conversations.

References:

1. Choi, M & Cristol, D 2021, ‘Digital Citizenship with Intersectionality Lens: Towards Participatory Democracy Driven Digital Citizenship Education’, Theory Into Practice, vol. 60, no. 4, pp. 361–370. 2. Media Smarts 2022, What is Digital Citizenship?, MediaSmarts, viewed 4 February 2024, https://mediasmarts.ca/digital-media-literacy/general-information/digital-media-literacy-fundamentals/what-digital-citizenship. 3. Poell, T, Nieborg, D & van Dijck, J 2019, ‘Platformisation’, Internet Policy Review, vol. 8, no. 4. 4. Richardson, J & Milovidov, E 2022, 2022 Edition of the Digital citizenship education handbook, Digital Citizenship Education (DCE), Council of Europe, viewed 4 February 2024, https://www.coe.int/en/web/digital-citizenship-education/-/2022-edition-of-the-digital-citizenship-education-handbook.

[le-souriant]

#MusicMonday Review - October 2023

#MusicMonday is the hashtag I've been using for quite a while to share music recommendations from up-and-coming artists. Always fresh, and always different, trying to look for trends before they become one. You can check September's review for more music.

This month's music is all about love, and addiction, which may not be far from each other. Go ahead, give it a listen, and reflect, with a word from the artists themselves. 🎧

SweetLipp – Roxy

Take us on a highway drive The moonlight is waiting on the broken tide Let us go where we can sing We are free for the first time

We saw your name in the neon light Rolling with joyful spring And the silence of our minds Oh won't you take us far away Where are hearts can radiate

Our trip begins in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, for a Psych Surf Rock track, complete with a mid song break, about those protective wheels full of memories of a life left behind:

"Roxy is actually about a 30ft RV we bought in Canada to travel from Vancouver to Montreal. We called her Roxy, after a club we always wound up in Van.

There was 6 of us on the adventure and it was the time of our lives. We met amazing people, did amazing things and we were completely wild and free.

We'll never forget it and we decided to write a song about Roxy, the perfect ship that allowed it all to happen."

Futura Boombox & The Midnight Mass – Candelaria

Bésame con esos labios tuyos No seas insensible, entiende mi dolor Cierra esos ojos negros tuyos Y dime otra vez que me amarás

Ya poco a poco olvido tu voz Ahora se que la culpa era de los dos Quisiera ver esos ojos negros tuyos Y escuchar otra vez que me amarás

¡Oh, ya no puedo más!

Next up, from Laredo, TX, a dark Post Punk track in which you end up accepting the fact that she will eventually kiss someone else's lips:

"As a songwriter, we sometimes pull from experience or we draw from stories we hear.

For Candelaria, the inspiration came from stories of people I knew growing up. Some of these relationships were very toxic and others were bittersweet, but all of them shared a longing for connection.

Through the song I wanted to express these experiences and the challenging process of moving on. I wanted to write something that people were going to relate to and maybe find solace in the fact that they were not alone."

The Roster – Where's He Been?

Why try To fight it When it goes away just like yesterday come on

Slow me Quickly Figuring out how you knew all along

Suddenly I knew it all along

From Derby, UK, this Indie Rock song invites us to stop asking questions, or complaining. Do we ever learn?:

"I think the overall seances is about mad and messy nights out and the chaos that comes with it. 😂

I wouldn't say there was a specific incident which inspired the song but more of a generalization of ridiculous moments when you're spannered hahaha"

SCATTERED ASHES – Battles

A story of sorrow A story of shame Broken and hollow Can’t remember my name But you follow me Follow me down...

Never strayed so far afield Trapped inside but you still appealed And now you’re standing there Can’t turn around or you’ll just stare

Let's move to Dublin, Ireland, for another Post Punk track about picking up the pieces of someone you care, who's falling apart. Looking away is not an option:

"Battles speaks of the dire consequences of addiction. Lost in its throes, you begin to shed your own humanity, becoming a slave to both desire and the chaos that accompanies it. Redemption can seem further and further away as you even become unrecognizable to yourself.

It's a sombre meditation on despair and fragility in a finite world, as well as man's capacity for change.

Battles casts a rather acute spotlight on the shame associated with addiction and the long road to recovery, hence the title. It has been an issue for the band in the past, but one that bound us together in a lot of ways."

Anemone – Freebird

Spread your wings and come to me I've made a cozy little place up in the trees

Settle down you don't need to be alone when we're together we fly out the way to the sun

You're a freebird with the color blue but remember you know I'm that color too

Finally, we end up in Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, for a folky love song about freedom to go away for a while, and the anticipation to be together again, so happy and strong:

"The song is inspired by a painting my wife made. It's an original painting, and it's in the videoclip of the song.

She's not a musician, but of course she’s my inspiration.

She's my wife :)"

Listen to them and much more on the complete Playlist:

[hits1000]

Top Songs of 1967 - Hits of 1967

Top Songs of 1967 - Hits of 1967 Top Songs of 1967 including: Aretha Franklin - Respect, Arthur Conley - Sweet Soul Music, Bee Gees – Massachusetts, Bobby Vee & The Strangers - Come Back When You Grow Up, Cream - Sunshine of Your Love, David McWilliams - Days Of Pearly Spencer, Engelbert Humperdinck - The Last Waltz and many more! Subscribe to our channel to see more of our content! 1. Adriano Celentano & Claudia Mori - La Coppia Più Bella Del Mondo 2. Aretha Franklin - Respect 3. Arthur Conley - Sweet Soul Music 4. Bee Gees - Massachusetts 5. Bobby Vee & The Strangers - Come Back When You Grow Up 6. Claude François - Mais Quand Le Matin 7. Cream - Sunshine of Your Love 8. David McWilliams - Days Of Pearly Spencer 9. Engelbert Humperdinck - Release Me 10. Engelbert Humperdinck - The Last Waltz 11. Engelbert Humperdinck - There Goes My Everything 12. Every Mother's Son - Come On Down To My Boat 13. Frank & Nancy Sinatra - Something Stupid 14. Frankie Valli - Can't Take My Eyes Off You 15. Freddy Quinn - Morgen Beginnt Die Welt 16. Gianni Morandi - Un Mondo D'Amore 17. Jefferson Airplane - Somebody To Love 18. John Fred & His Playboy Band - Judy In Disguise 19. Juan y Junior - La Caza 20. Little Tony - Cuore Matto 21. Los Brincos - Lola 22. Los Tamara - A Santiago Voy 23. Lulu - To Sir With Love 24. Manfred Mann - Ha! Ha! Said The Clown 25. Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell - Ain't No Mountain High Enough 26. Mireille Mathieu - La Dernière Valse 27. Miriam Makeba - Pata Pata 28. Neil Diamond - Girl You'll Be a Woman Soon 29. Peggy March - Romeo und Julia 30. Peter Alexander - Verbotene Träume 31. Petula Clark - This Is My Song 32. Pink Floyd - See Emily Play 33. Procol Harum - A Whiter Shade Of Pale 34. Richard Anthony - Aranjuez Mon Amour 35. Ronnie Von - A Praça 36. Roy Black - Meine Liebe Zu Dir 37. Salvatore Adamo - Inch Allah 38. Sam & Dave - Soul Man 39. Sandie Shaw - Puppet On a String 40. Scott McKenzie - San Francisco 41. Sheila - Adios Amor 42. Spencer Davis Group - I'm A Man 43. Strawberry Alarm Clock - Incense & Peppermints 44. The Association - Windy 45. The Beatles - A Day In The Life 46. The Beatles - All You Need Is Love 47. The Beatles - Hello, Goodbye 48. The Beatles - Penny Lane 49. The Box Tops - The Letter 50. The Buckinghams - Kind Of A Drag 51. The Doors - Break On Through 52. The Doors - Light My Fire 53. The Foundations - Baby, Now That I've Found You 54. The Grass Roots - Let's Live For Today 55. The Hollies - Carrie Anne 56. The Mamas & The Papas - Dedicated To The One I Love 57. The Monkees - A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You 58. The Monkees - Pleasant Valley Sunday 59. The Moody Blues - Nights in White Satin 60. The Rolling Stones - Let's Spend The Night Together 61. The Tremeloes - Here Comes My Baby 62. The Tremeloes - Silence Is Golden 63. The Troggs - Love Is All Around 64. The Turtles - Happy Together 65. The Who - I Can See For Miles 66. The Who - Pictures Of Lily 67. Tom Jones - I'm Coming Home 68. Tommy James & The Shondells - I Think We`re Alone Now 69. Van Morrison - Brown Eyed Girl 70. Vikki Carr - It Must Be Him Related Searches: Greatest Hits of 1967, Best Jukebox 1967 Playlist, Late 1967 Non Stop , Top 1967 Non Stop, Mix 1967 Compilation, Best 1967 List, Late 1967 UK, Best 1967 Playlist, Best 1967 Non Stop, Best 1967 Video, Greatest 1967 Non Stop, Mix 1967 Playlist, Best Jukebox 1967 List, List of 1967 Mix, Top 1967 USA, Best Songs of 1967, Top Music 1967, Hits of 1967 Relate Hashtags: #songsof1967 #hits1967 #songs1967 #listof1967mix #hits1967 #bestsongs1967 #classic1967playlist #greatest1967nonstop #best1967list #best1967video #top1967mix #greatest1967video #mix1967playlist #top1967nonstop #mix1967compilation This Youtube channel does not receive any advertising income, we are very grateful for any Paypal donation, no matter how small, to continue making videos about the history of music. Link: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=HEHMNQ4E3T3ML https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9bBrAtOHWU

[thetoxicgamer]

Fallout-Style Isometric RPG Wows With Retro-Futuristic Flying Cars

We have excellent news if you long for the era of traditional, old-school Fallout, some of the best classic PC games in its isometric RPG genre. The studio head of New Blood Interactive, the collective behind titles like the retro FPS Dusk, has now unveiled some fascinating new gameplay footage of their upcoming retro-futuristic game that draws heavily from the early Fallout games. Dave Oshry takes the regular ‘Screenshot Saturday’ hashtag, used by many game developers to show their progress on upcoming games, as an opportunity to show off the team’s work towards its goal of creating “a living, breathing, retro-futuristic (but sometimes seedy) world for NB RPG,” the as-yet-untitled project. “That means a lot of flying cars,” Oshry says. We get a glimpse of a very stylish, wide silver car floating outside what appears to be a cinema featuring nods to Blade Runner and New Blood’s crime noir FPS game Fallen Aces. He also gives a look at some tall buildings, cutting away to show the insides before revealing the full scale that they climb to. We get to see lip sync tests and a Pip-Boy style UI that is used for the talking head conversations that will be extremely familiar to those of you who’ve played the old Fallout games. The character models look delightfully detailed, featuring a figure wearing a rather bizarre headset that strikes a balance somewhere between ‘biometric scanner’ and ‘VR headset.’ There’s also models and animation tests for a range of weapons, from familiar faces such as an M16, revolver, and Half-Life favourite the crowbar, to futuristic, almost alien-looking blasters that hold bubbling vials of green liquid and crackle with energy when fired. Finally, we get to see some journal concepts, with empty pages ready to be filled out with all the notes and sketches you’ll make as you do your detective work. The team behind this new RPG game should certainly get fans of such retro classics a little hot under the collar. It features Adam Lacko, who created Project Van Buren (a recreation of the isometric RPG originally planned to become Fallout 3), Alexander Berezin, who created the artwork for extensive mod project Fallout: Sonora, and composer Mark Morgan, whose soundtracks for the first two Fallout games still influence the scores for the modern entries. Oshry concludes his update by saying, “Follow me for more occasional random updates on my dream game that we may or may not ever finish,” adding a little smiley face at the end. We certainly hope that it does make it to completion, because everything we’ve seen so far only makes us eager for more tantalising tidbits. In the meantime, check out more of the best indie games on PC for other great creations that might have passed you by. Meanwhile, a Steam base building sale includes great deals on some of the more modern entries including Fallout 76 that showcase the craft of creation. Read the full article

[artbyeritza]

I hate my art.

I hate my art.

No one else does it like I do.

I think of the times

I could have been drawing

or writing

yet I slid back in to dangerous habits -

excessive self-isolation, crying and gaming.

With each distraction, I paralyze myself,

drowning in doubt

and more insecurity.

I often think of the artists who worked for the royals

and churches

from Europe to the Philippines,

who worked for the rich

and were never crippled in both poverty and this

black hole of dismay in their craft.

Oh, art comes easy these days.

With every insecure, older and small artists,

there is always a younger talent

that gets the publicity and praises.

I was born on the dawn of the first graphic tablets

ever to be made and witnessed.

By making my parents proud of my

high school grades, I secured one

and drew my heart out.

As a child, the artist likes to draw anything.

As a child, the writer writes about anything

with enthusiasm

yet the flames had been snuffed out.

Each artist is subjected to their environment

and it did not lead to the path of being

a professional.

Of course, I love art, but I loved a lot of things in life.

I loved history and the world

so I chose to study about my home continent, Asia.

It was a rich people's college degree

and none of my jobs after ever needed

what I learned from those 4 years.

I longed to use my knowledge and art to combine the two,

I just feel as though I am not talented enough

to enact it.

For a passion project so grand, I needed

support from more than just one person

in my life.

I still try to write about it

and draw

little by little.

I check social media,

with my multiple screens and accounts

and I froze.

I knew the numbers should not get me,

it still does, though

and my brain raced a thousand thoughts.

"That will never probably be my art."

I should have said this at the start

of this poem

that this is not argumentum ad passiones.

I spent most of my active artist days

wallowing in self-pity and convincing people

to like me and my art.

She was a child, immature and needy.

They are mostly okay now.

They found the remedy to not feeling enough

is to not care.

The side effect is that this has been my only proper art

for a while.

They had been "low-key" and almost content with their work

but they often wonder where the teen Filipino artist

had been.

The one who pulled through, opening their art commissions

twice

with not one person daring to ask about their art.

They, who witnessed a fellow small Filipino artist online

who treats art as an outlet for their struggle with depression

and suicidal tendencies and was bullied off the socials

for flooding other big artists' comment section

to get attention for their art.

Is the artist still alive?

I could have said something more

and comforted them.

At one point, they flooded the hashtags of local art community

with their self-harm.

Is the artist within them still alive?

There is some comfort in not knowing everything.

Sometimes, I think,

if artists of the old,

from heavens above,

to the pits of hell

look at us modern artists in the 21st century.

What do they see?

The career of an artist is still the same.

The artist gets paid with their craft.

It is downsized.

Artist rarely can earn enough on their own

to live comfortably.

Capitalism made artists hate each other

and their art.

Yes, you can doubt art, your art and others' art

and do things differently.

Not too differently,

because they will not pay for that.

Even the pursuit of self and individualism

is not a selling point anymore.

Even being a fan and drawing for it

will not feed you.

It will, if you lucked out.

If there has to be a jury or a crowd

to decide how many people liked

what I do,

then I still hate my art.

As an adult artist,

struggling right now

you just grew not to care.

I still hate my art,

there is just no eyes looking at me anymore.

My art would pull no Van Gogh.

My art is where I find the time in this world

to relate and transform something I find value

wherein the person does not.

I hate my art

yet I stare to see and feel all its glory.

It is an audience for one,

for me.