#new balance 1500

[clvn81]

[freshthoughts2020]

[grrl-beetle]

New Balance 1500 Made in UK "Rainforest"

[dippedanddripped]

Beams x Paperboy Paris x New Balance 1500 Ice Boy

[soshirohoshinasimp]

"Are ya alright...!?"

Synopsis: Savior!Hoshina x Civilian!Reader

Author's note: Thanks @hoshinaideas4all for the list of ideas, and for curing my writer's block. 

This was really fun to write, mainly because I was trying to patch up on writing falling in love scenes,  describing things and poetry. (Mainly destruction, sadness, depression and just describing things in general.) So this was very fun writing. I hope you all really enjoyed this one, and especially enjoy the poetry at the top! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wc: 1500 (whoopsie doo) 

To love something means you feel an endless wave of excitement. It’s like when you’re glued to a romance movie and can’t wait for the main couple to finally be together. Every scene has your heart racing and your emotions bubbling over.

To love someone feels like you’re living in that movie. It’s like you’re the main character, and everything around them feels magical and special. Even the smallest gestures become epic moments.

But these two kinds of feelings, while both thrilling, are different from each other.

One day, you were managing your new restaurant. It was a busy, exciting time for you, as you were sending out orders, crafting drinks, and handing out menus to customers. You had just opened the place a few weeks ago, so it was still just you working there. There were no employees yet, just you, living your dream of owning a restaurant. You’d worked hard to get this far, and it felt amazing to finally call it your own.

But then, Once a dream turned into a nightmare.

It was a regular afternoon when the chaos began. You were in the middle of preparing an order when you heard a loud crash. Your heart skipped a beat as you looked up to see a group of yojus —huge, monstrous creatures— not a lot though, around five to ten -- bursting through the restaurant’s front window. The once-glass window shattered into a million pieces, sending glass flying everywhere.

The kaiju were terrifying. They were massive, shaped like mushrooms with crimson red spots on their heads, They thrashed around, causing destruction with every movement. The walls of your restaurant, which you had carefully decorated and maintained, started to crack and splinter. You could hear the ominous creaking of wood and the groaning of metal as the restaurant’s structure began to give way, as more yojus came rushing through. 

You ran to the back, trying to stay out of their path, but the kaiju were cornering you. Some were even coming in and out into the ceiling, and a huge chunk of the ceiling fell right where you had been standing just moments before. Your heart pounded in your chest, and your breathing became shallow and erratic. You could feel the panic rising, squeezing the air out of your lungs.

In the midst of the destruction, you tried to call for help, but the noise of the kaiju and the crumbling building drowned out your voice. You stumbled, almost falling as the floor shook beneath you. The restaurant, which had been a symbol of your hard work and dreams, was now a chaotic, dangerous mess. The walls were closing in, and pieces of the roof were falling in different spots, creating a maze of debris.

Fear gripped you tightly, making it hard to think clearly. You saw more parts of the ceiling start to buckle, and you knew you had to get out, but your legs felt like you had weights in your pockets. Every time you tried to move, the ground shook violently, making you lose your balance. The sense of impending doom was overwhelming. It felt like everything you had worked for was crumbling in front of you, and you couldn’t do anything to stop it.

The last straw came when a massive piece of debris fell dangerously close to you, and you saw the entire section of the roof beginning to collapse. It was like a scene from a disaster movie, and you were trapped in the middle of it. Despair and resignation took over, and you felt as if your whole world was falling apart. With your heart racing and tears streaming down your face, you just sank to the floor. You sat down on your bum, closing your eyes tightly and bracing for the worst.

In that moment of absolute terror, you felt completely helpless. You could hear the kaiju’s roars and the sound of the building breaking apart. It felt like time was stretching out, and every second was a mix of fear and anticipation. You were sure you were going to die, and you prepared yourself for the end. But what you weren’t expecting, silence. No more sounds of the kaiju. Or was your mind playing tricks on you?

Then, through the chaos, a heavy accent pierced through the din.

“Are ya alright..!?” 

Loud and Commanding

You opened your eyes to see a man with striking crimson eyes and a bowl cut of midnight purple. He was wearing a JAKDF suit, and  held a sword in each hand. He moved with incredible speed and precision, slicing through the kaiju with expert skill, cutting through the monstrous creatures effortlessly into bits. 

His eyes werefilled with concern as he looked at you. The contrast between his calm demeanor and the chaos around him was striking. His presence was like a beacon of hope in the midst of the disaster.

You watched in awe as he fought off the remaining kaiju, his movements fluid and graceful. It was like he was dancing through the chaos, and you felt a strange sense of calm as you saw him taking control of the situation. His confidence and strength were reassuring, and you couldn’t believe someone like him was there to help you.

With the last kaiju defeated, he sheathed his swords and extended a hand towards you. You took his hand hesitantly, and he helped you to your feet with surprising gentleness. His touch was firm but careful, as if you would break on any sort of impact, and it grounded you in a way you hadn’t felt since the attack started.

“Yer not injured are ya..?” he asked, his voice gentle but full of curiosity.

You nodded, still feeling a bit dazed and flustered. You could hardly believe what had just happened.

“Thank…thank you,” you managed to say softly, your voice trembling with relief.

“Anytime, ma’am! Comes with the job,” he said with a smile that made you feel all warm inside. His smile was like a ray of sunshine breaking through the clouds. Even though the conversation lasted less than a minute, it felt like it was in slow motion. Your heart skipped a beat, and you felt a wave of emotions washing over you. It was like the world had paused just for that brief moment. 

It felt like roses were blooming when he spoke. 

As quickly as he had come, he was gone. He walked out of the restaurant, leaving you standing there with your heart racing and your mind spinning. You gathered all your remaining courage and called out to him, “Uh! When you stop by, your first few orders are free of charge!!”

He turned back and looked at you with a playful grin. “Aren’t ya sweet? Guess I’ll be expectin’ to see ya real soon.”

With that, he left, and you watched him go, feeling a deep sense of gratitude and something else—something you couldn’t quite put into words. His departure left a significant mark on your heart and mind. 

In less than a bit, the ambulance arrived and was taking some of your customers into the vehicles, and just like that the “eventful” day was finished. When you arrived home to your little apartment. You couldn’t stop thinking about him, and his voice seemed to echo in your ears every day. With the restaurant being repaired, you spent the rest of the night in your tiny apartment researching who this hero was. You pulled out your computer and began searching for information about him.

You figured he was part of the defense force, but you weren’t sure which division. After two hours of digging through profiles, you finally found him. In a group photo with the division’s captain and the entire division, there he was.

Soshiro Hoshina — Vice Captain of the JAKDF Third Division.

You dove into his social media pages, learning everything you could about him. You replayed the scene where he saved you over and over in your mind. You found yourself doodling pictures of him and daydreaming about him with a smile on your face.

Was this just a crush?

Probably not. You fell for Soshiro Hoshina so quickly and so deeply that it felt like you deserved a medal for the fastest in record time to fall deeply in love.  You eagerly awaited the day when the cleaning and remodeling would be finished so you could see him again and hear his voice.

Man, getting over him is going to be really tough.

[crusty-chronicles]

hi!! i hope you're doing well!! i was hoping if you could write an (platonic) airhead headcanon for gon from hxh?? you dont have to if youre not comfortable w writing it!

i really enjoy reading your works and i hope you have a lovely day!!!

Ah yes, another chaotic crack fic coming up.

BONUS AIRHEADED S/O HEADCANNONS: Gon (HxH)

For starters, there is not a single thought to be had between the two of you

Heads empty with static

You tripped and fell?

He's stumbling on your body and toppling over.

Gon got stung by a bee?

You're fighting the entire hive, only to end up having the worst allergic reaction of your life.

You wanna play in the rain without a jacket?

The both of you end up with colds the next day.

Gon can't do math and you can't read or write, so it balances out.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Poor Killua is the one who has to put up with both of you

"No Y/n. Eating a glow stick will not make you radioactive and shiny." "No Gon. You can't bake a cookie in one minute just because you set the oven to 1500 degrees."

His two best friends are complete idiots and he can't do anything about it.

But on the bright side, you and Gon are endless entertainment.

You most likely met during the Hunter's Exam.

He and Killua were surprised to see another kid taking the exam, especially one that was keeping up just as well

Leading Gon to ask his famous icebreaker question.

"Why do you wanna become a hunter?"

And immediately your face scrunched up in confusion.

"A what? I thought we were all playing a game."

"But you had to fill out an application." Killua pointed out, very suspicious of your answer.

"Really? Cuz I just snuck in."

Both boys leave it at that because #1, a new friend. And #2 you've got to be really skilled to make it this far.

Also keeps you far away from Hisoka

Like he legit fears for your life and will not let you fight him.

He's seen that clown up close and personal and doesn't want you to get hurt or, knowing hisoka, worse.

"Hisoka gave me a lollipop and told me to meet him outside."

"SPIT THAT OUT RIGHT NOW!"

Now while Gon's ditzy, he's nowhere near as clueless as you.

You're lactose intolerant?

Then why are you downing cheese sticks like you're never gonna eat again?

I'm sorry? You're allergic to shellfish?????

WHY ARE STILL EATING GNAWING ON A CRAB LEG!?!? STOP YOUR FACE IS TURNING RED!!!!

Please stop jumping into lakes to catch fish. 🥺 

You're gonna get sick and Gon wants to show you how to fish 

There is no babying

You ARE the babies.

Buuuut, Gon will mother hen you after every fight because you're ten times as reckless as him.

You got stabbed once during a fight, and instead of moving back, you pushed yourself further into the blade just to punch your attacker.

Which resulted in a huge lecture from Killua while Gon tried to stop the bleeding.

"If I see a light, should I go towards it?"

"NO!"

Tbh Gon really doesn't have any nicknames for his friends. At most he'll just introduce you as one of his best friends.

He doesn't have it in him to be mean spirited towards you like a certain assassin. 

Has a habit of encouraging your bad ideas instead of shutting them down.

Make no mistake, he knows they're awful ideas, but you're trying.

And Aunt Mito says it's the effort that counts.

Speaking of Mito 👀👀👀

She adores you

Surprisingly, you're very helpful in the kitchen.

Just not around knives, which she realized after you sliced through the cutting board.

She also likes how responsible you make Gon.

He's more observant and careful when you're around.

To put it simply, he loves you and Killua with his whole heart.

Two of the most important people he'd do just about anything for.

MASTERLIST

[itsonlytext]

Restoring Balance · scene i

He had already made up in his mind that he was going to sink in the silence alone today and yet there John was, texting him at 5am asking if he and Rosie could visit.

(read this chapter on ao3.)

sherlock discovers that although things will never be the same, it doesn't mean that it will always be necessarily bad. there aren't any warnings today - this is post season four, so feelings are (obviously) a tentative topic but there isn't anything upsetting ≈ 1500 words. also, we get a bit of rosie fluff. i love rosie. and fluff. and rosie fluff and mainly fluff and rosie with a bit of fluff but also rosie fluff the most

The weeks following Eurus' discovery were silent.

Of course, not literally - the builders that Mycroft sent to restore 221B after the explosion were incredibly loud and invasive. (Invasive about what? Nothing sentimental even survived. They were just doing their jobs. Sherlock eventually realised that he simply didn't like their presence every day from 3-6pm.)

But after they finished, after there was nothing left to be restored or repainted, Sherlock couldn't do anything but hover around the living room in the silence.

With a quick gaze over the room, it looked exactly the same as it did before the explosion, Mycroft's men had done well to ensure that. However for Sherlock, he couldn't help but notice how off-key the new wallpaper was, how the spray painted smiley face was neater than before and how the new desk by the window was an inch taller than the old one. He lived there - of course he was bound to notice. (He was himself - of course he was bound to notice.)

The detective stumbled out of bed and into the (unfamiliar) living room with a sigh. He didn't bother changing out of his pyjamas, for he had already decided that he wasn't going to do anything (or see anyone) at all today.

Another silent day - that was his resolve.

Early morning sun streamed down through the windows and straight into his eyes. It was earlier than usual, Mrs Hudson was yet to bring up his morning tea. Besides, he didn't want it; there was a persistent pit in his stomach that wouldn't let him sleep. (He wouldn't have been able to keep the tea down anyway.)

He made a point not to look at the walls or the smiley face or the desk that was too tall as he sat down in his armchair and pulled out his phone. He had two new messages.

Can We Come Over Today? Rosie's Been Asking For You.

Hope It's Not Too Early.

It was sent two hours ago. John often used to wake up early (a habit sustained as a result of the army) but recently, after his daughter was born, had somehow managed to wake up even earlier.

Sherlock's fingers hovered over the keyboard. The silence rang in his ears (he never got used to it, not really). He had already made up in his mind that he was going to sink in the silence alone today and yet there John was, texting him at 5am asking if he and Rosie could visit.

He blew out a gentle breath.

Sure. SH

John responded immediately.

Thanks. We'll Be There In Fifteen

He was probably struggling to entertain his daughter's early morning excitement any longer, waiting for a reply back, another shoulder to lean on. Sherlock suddenly felt bad for not seeing the messages sooner. His stomach churned.

He let his phone drop down and onto the leather of his chair. He glanced around. Tried not to let his gaze linger on anything for too long. There was an awful tightness in his chest whenever he breathed, as if his lungs didn't want him to. He needed a cigarette. Probably shouldn't. Not if Rosie's on the way. (Damn it.)

For now, he'll have to settle with just tea and hope it'll stay down.

John was (unsurprisingly) right - fifteen minutes of sinking deeper into his chair trying not to look at anything and there was a knock at the door.

A nest of blonde curls toddled into the detective's arms before he could stand up. He lifted her up and ignored the way she eagerly tugged on his hair with a remarkable grip.

“Watson,” he greeted calmly.

“Yeah,” she grinned, pulling on his curls and bringing his head down with it. He winced.

“Let’s not do that,” Sherlock said as he gently pried her tiny fingers away from his hair.

"She's doing that to me, too," John began. Sherlock glanced up, suddenly aware of his voice, his presence. He was lingering by the door with heavy eyes and a large baby bag over his shoulder. He pointed to his greying hair. "I think I've got a bald spot here now."

"You've always had that."

"Oh, thanks," he replied lightly, dumping the bag by the door and walking in. "You're erm. Up early."

Sherlock didn't reply, instead he turned his gaze to the toddler. She gazed back at him with an illiterate babble. Her stare was so firm yet so playful. (So John yet so Mary.)

“Any cases?” John carried on, fluffing up a pillow with a fist before falling into his armchair with a sigh.

For a moment, as he asked about cases and fell into his armchair, it was like time hadn’t irreparably cracked and bruised their friendship. But Sherlock knew that wasn’t true. Of course it wasn’t - the bags under John’s eyes and the silver colonising his blond roots ensured that it wouldn’t be the same again.

It made the pit in Sherlock’s stomach sink even deeper and he didn’t know that was possible. (He wasn’t sure it would ever go away.)

“Haven’t checked.”

“Greg hasn’t called for anything?”

“Who?”

“Sherlock.”

The corner of his lips tugged. “No. Mycroft called yesterday though. Something about a political domestic.”

He tilted his head. “And I’m assuming you turned it down.”

Sherlock smiled. Then suddenly, he winced.

“Rosie!”

“G’na pull it…”

“No!” John huffed, reaching forward and holding out his arms. “You don’t pull on people’s hair. It hurts.”

She grunted angrily, burying herself into Sherlock’s neck so that her dad couldn’t take her. “It’s alright,” the detective replied calmly, splaying out a large hand on her back and trying to ignore the piercing headache forming at the nape of his neck. He stood up with her and faced the mantle. “Let’s do something different.”

John watched as Sherlock fed her curiosity by providing context for all the memorabilia that had accumulated over the years at 221B. She (obviously) didn’t understand anything and she (definitely) didn’t care about the context other than they were all great to shove into her mouth, but it kept her from creating pools of bald spots in anyone’s scalps and for that the men were grateful.

John knew that their spontaneous visits were good for Sherlock - that he needed Rosie’s livelihood and John’s tiredness to feel needed enough so that he wouldn’t drown in his own mind. He also knew that Sherlock wouldn't ever realise that for himself.

“Oh, and that’s a pinned vampire bat. Not sure where from. Mexico, at a guess.”

“ ‘nd dat one,” the little girl grabbed a tiny metal object with sparkling eyes.

“That’s just the gun token from Cluedo.”

So instead of saying it, John just carried on keeping the visits spontaneous. (He figured that some things were better left unsaid. Or maybe one day Mrs Hudson will say it out loud and make the detective realise.)

“I bought some breakfast on the way,” he said suddenly. “Figured you haven’t eaten yet.”

Sherlock shifted his body slightly to face him. “Didn’t have to.”

“Yeah, well.” He stood up. “Let me take her, you eat.”

“It’s alright.”

“You’re not on a case, Sherlock, you’ve no excuse not to eat.”

“Not hungry.”

“That’s a lie.”

He glanced down at Rosie as he reluctantly handed her over to John. “Your father’s a tyrant.”

“I try,” he replied with an exaggerated grin, taking his daughter into his arms.

Sherlock strode over to the paper bag and pulled out the food. Cafe pastries, a sandwich. Nothing he could stomach yet. (The Danish looked good though. He was going to save that for later.)

He glanced back. John had sat down on the carpet with Rosie in front of him, playing with the skull and the tiny gun from Cluedo.

He knew very well that John could currently be in the comfort of his own home instead; he’d have a wider variety of toys for Rosie, (proper) baby food, their beds. John only did it for Sherlock’s benefit, not his own. But Sherlock didn’t say anything because he couldn’t deny that their presence probably was, on balance, better for his lungs than a three-month-old secret stash of Marlboro reds. (Damn it.)

He glanced back at the bag and pulled out the Danish pastry anyway, hoping that it would make his stomach feel better and not worse. He took a bite.

There was a knock at the door and Mrs Hudson used her elbow to push it open. She was carrying a tray of fresh food from the cafe and his tea.

“Too late,” Sherlock muttered between a bite, lifting the Danish pastry to show her.

“Oh, John,” the old lady ignored him, setting the tray down in the kitchen. “I didn’t know you two were coming.”

“Neither did we, really,” he smiled politely, ignoring the way Rosie climbed his frame and started to reach for his hair. “Well. Not until half an hour ago.”

“If I had known, I’d have gotten those cakes for the little one, the one she likes,” she gestured lovingly with her hands.

“She’ll like anything with sugar.”

As they conversed, Sherlock glanced at his watch. She was fourteen minutes late.

Mrs Hudson was never late to float upstairs with his cup of morning tea, she lived by that strict schedule for years; wake up, dress, make breakfast, eat, tidy her kitchen, make Sherlock's tea, carry said tea upstairs, tidy 221B and then open the cafe. She was the only subtle reminder that Sherlock wasn’t completely alone in the silence when he’d wake up at 8am to find a freshly steaming cup in the living room.

But after the explosion, things had been different - her (right) hip had gotten worse, her limbs more fragile in their venture up the stairs. She was, unfortunately, getting older. As a result, Mrs Hudson had been getting to him later. It wasn’t her fault, he knew that. (But it still troubled his stomach.)

Sherlock blew out a breath and shook the sleeve of his robe down to cover his watch. Suddenly, the Danish pastry in his mouth didn’t seem as appealing anymore.

this ended up being way longer than i thought/wanted/hoped, so i’ve split it in two. next one will be coming up soon. thanks folks!

let me know if you’d like to be/no longer be tagged.

tags: @nathan-no @helloliriels @dragonnan @strawberrywinter4 @with-a-ghost-mr-holmes @7-percent @totallysilvergirl @inevitably-johnlocked @meetinginsamarra @pressurepoint221 @gaylilsherlock @catlock-holmes @gaypiningshit @johnlocky @a-victorian-girl @astudyinlaura

[jokeroutsubs]

📝 ENG Translation: European Tours in Times of Inflation

💬Kris Guštin shares some insight into the organization of Joker Out's recent See You Soon tour.

Article written by Gašper Završnik and published in Delo on 03.04.2024, English translation by a member of JOS and @kurooscoffee, Proofread by IG GBoleyn123.

Coping with rising costs and crowded markets is a challenge for the whole industry.

The concert part of the music industry in the post-Covid era is characterised by the expansion of live performance. The long-suppressed desire to tour, to perform in front of audiences in as many countries as possible, is only this year being fully realised.

We took a look at how European touring is going in the new inflation-driven reality. This was one of the themes of the conference part of this year's Ment¹. The European concert market is facing many challenges, such as the rising costs of touring, organising concerts and festivals, increasing musician fees and, as a consequence, more and more expensive tickets. There is also the question of how to manage the concentration and congestion of concert venues and balancing the availability of the most sought-after artists. An additional problem is finding opportunities for new performers in such a competitive environment.

¹Ment is a showcase festival and music conference that happens every year in Ljubljana.

We also enquired about the European tours of Slovenian performers, two groups that have a different style and a different audience, Joker Out and Širom².

²We translated only the part of the article that was relevant to Joker Out.

Joker Out recently returned from a European Tour. As Kris Guštin told us, it was organised by “a booking agent from the Wasserman agency and our manager. The booking agent arranges the concerts, the conditions, and the dates, and then the manager comes up with all the logistics, that is, he arranges the transport, the accommodation, puts together a team and everything that needs to be done.” He says that tours have always been a big financial investment for performers. “Especially for performers of our size, who have only just started breaking into the European market, where the ticket sales often don’t make up for the costs of transit, accommodation, and the salaries of the performers and the team. The inflation over the past few years is of course making that even harder, but the musical market has slowly adapted to that with higher ticket prices.”

Joker Out had 19 concerts in 18 cities in 12 countries this year, and they have three more coming up in Great Britain. The ticket price for each concert is determined based on the size of the venue, how in-demand the artist is, the local standard, and the overall concert-going culture in a certain place.

Joker Out are very happy with how many people came to their concerts. “The turnout differed across Europe. In the countries we’re strong in, like Finland and the Netherlands, we played for crowds from 1500 to 2000 people, and for countries we haven't played in a lot yet, like Germany and France, we performed for 500 to 1000 people. The venues were always nicely filled and the audience was excited.”

We asked Guštin what they base the length of the tour on. “The length of the tour is based on demand, territory strategy, and how busy the performer is. In our case, we decided for a month-long tour, in which we covered a lot of countries that we couldn’t do last year,” he added.

[tc-doherty]

Sword Fighting for Writers (New and Improved!)

This is not about modern fencing, this is about historical battlefield sword fighting. My credentials are that I studied Bolognese fencing (a northern Italian style from the 1500s) for several years and was preparing to take my black belt ~equivalent~ exam the year that I was injured and had to quit. Naturally, I started taking those lessons to learn more about sword fighting because I write about battlefield fighting a lot. This is information that I learned that should be helpful for other authors who haven't taken classes like that. (It's very long)

The very first point is one that I have spoken about multiple times and mentioned above. Historical fighting is not fencing as we know it today. Modern fencing is a sport. Historical fencing existed as a way to kill your opponents. These moves have the potential to kill someone, they are dangerous literally by design. This is a foreign attitude to us today but it's very obvious once you have completed a set of moves with a sword and think "oh yes, that would kill someone absolutely".

The point is, if your characters are sparring please, please make sure that they are in protective gear. These moves are still dangerous with blunt steel, they are still dangerous with wooden swords. I got bruises like you wouldn't believe moving at one quarter speed without gear on. Even with gear I've heard about all kinds of gnarly accidents including the time my classmate went to a competition got an entire blunt sword shoved through his hand. A sparring match should never be full speed without gear, and even with gear it probably still shouldn't be.

Sparring matches tend to go to a certain number of points rather than one continuous duel. They're quick - the longest match I ever saw was maybe 3-4 minutes and the quickest was over in 45 seconds. Once a point was scored they would reset to the beginning and go again.

Now that that's out of the way, let's go!

The anatomy of a blade!

Typically a European sword is sharpened at the top and blunt at the bottom. In Bolognese these are referred to as the "weak" and the "strong". You want to make sure that whatever attack or defense you're doing, you're at the right distance to use the correct part of the sword. If you try to block an attack with the weak, your sword will get smacked out of the way. If you try to land an attack with the strong you won't have the momentum to land it meaningfully (plus it'll take you dangerously close to your opponent).

Swords are not particularly heavy. I have two one-handed swords and one two-handed sword and they are all between 1.5 and 2.5 pounds. But you can definitely tell a difference based on how well a sword is balanced. My steel sword is almost a pound heavier than my synthetic sword, but the steel is much easier to use because it's better balanced. Of course it weighs on you over time but if weapons are too heavy to carry and use effectively for several hours, then they're more danger than they're worth.

Sword fighting isn't just sword fighting!

We love swords because swords are cool and the rule of cool is important, but historically a single-handed sword wasn't the weapon of choice for the battlefield. They would be your backup weapon in battle and the weapon you carried while traveling. The point is that these are schools of fighting. Any character who studied under a master would not just know one-handed sword. They would know two-handed sword, polearms, dagger fighting, cane fighting, grappling…they would know all kinds of different things because the school is built off the same principles and they apply to any weapon you happen to pick up. Excluding archery. I have no experience with that so I can't speak on it. I will be referring specifically to sword fighting, however this post applies to everything that would be contained within a single school.

Example illustrations from Bolognese treatises with different weapons:

All sword fighting is not created equal!

Bolognese sword fighting has a lots of quirks that are not present in other styles, such as the idea that our sword is in front of us 99% of the time. Yes, really! Surprisingly that's not actually universal. Bolognese fencing can start with either leg leading whereas a lot of styles have you use only your dominant leg and arm. It's also unique in the fact that every single stance is a usable defensive guard, and every attack you make is a logical conclusion of moving from one guard to another.

The overall motto of Bolognese sword fighting is that it's better to lose than to win without elegance:

Bolognese was not only functional, it had to be beautiful as well. The national style can be used to inform the personality of your character's sword fighting and it's always a good way to create tension/danger if you have characters who have studied different styles come up against each other. There was a joke among the Bolognese students about going up against German fencers because they had a nasty habit of running onto our swords and breaking their ribs, because they simply didn't expect the sword to be in front. Muscle memory is your friend, but it can also get you pretty good if you rely on it entirely.

Another unique feature of Bolognese fencing is that they don't encourage you to move first. It's very much about trying to trick your opponents into making a mistake. It's heavily based on feinting and baiting and all kinds of tricks because sword fighting is primarily reliant on muscle memory. Some styles would consider this cowardly, but Bolognese takes the opinion that it's foolish to move first and give your opponent so many options:

I just want to give people the perspective of how different styles can be and how you can really put a lot of thought into what kind of country or area your characters come from and what their sword fighting might be like as a result.

Okay, so how does sword fighting actually work?

It's all about control. You try to control the distance between you and your opponent and you try to control what moves your opponent can make. This is basically too obvious for people to really think about if you haven't done it.

Every weapon has a range that it works best in and in order to fight effectively you need to make sure that you are making the best possible use of that range. If you get too far away you won't be able to attack, but you can bait your opponent because you have just that little bit of extra distance to move if they fall for it. If you get too close you get within grappling range, and that's a whole other kettle of fish. I never ended up making a post about grappling and I personally hated doing it, but it is something that I'm willing to talk about if people are interested.

As for controlling the movements, that's what the guards are for. If you stand in a specific posture, you can drastically limit how many moves your opponent is able to make, which makes it much easier for you to retaliate. It's not one to one of course! Any guard that you stand in might have 2 or 3 options that your opponent can use, and each of those options might have 3 or 4 responses that you can make. But it's much better than the nine (at least) options that your opponent can make to begin with if you aren't standing in a way that makes some of them impossible:

Cuts in Bolognese:

Specific sword movements!

Cut, a slashing attack which is generally delivered to the head and limbs. You can do a cut to the torso but given how thick clothing was at the time (not even counting on armor or shields) you generally wouldn't be able to do enough damage to make it worth it. On a related note, dagger work in the past was not a cutting style the way that knife fighting is today, they were mostly used for stabbing because the clothing was just too thick to do anything else.

Thrust, a stabbing attack which is generally delivered to the torso.

Bait/invitation, to stand in such a way that encourages your opponent to attack you in a specific manner. Pulling this off successfully is harder than it sounds, if it's too subtle they might not notice and if it's too obvious they'll probably realize it's a trap. You have to make your invitation seem like an accident, a weakness they can exploit, in order to lure them into doing what you want them to do.

Feint, pretend to do one action in order to take advantage of your opponent's response. When you feint an attack you won't commit fully. You might start from half a step further back than what would usually be useful or not attack as deeply or both. You need the attack to be shallow so that you can regain control quickly and do the attack that you actually intend to do. This can often be in response to a bait, if you recognize it. You trick the opponent into thinking that they're tricking you, and take advantage of that!

Stringere, (this one might be specific to Bolognese idk but it's fun) could also be called something like a press or a constraint. Basically you slide your sword slowly down the length of your opponent's sword and apply pressure to it, this can force a hesitating opponent to move. And if they don't move, you can just stab them super quickly. It's fun to do, and scary to be on the other side of.

Beat, hitting an opponent's sword with such force that it completely throws it out of the way leaving an opening for you to exploit. For this you would want to hit the weak of your opponent's sword, and it will generally push the sword off to their dominant side or down. Pushing an opponent's sword right in front of their chest obviously isn't going to make things easier for you. If you beat upwards, it's fairly easy to gain the momentum to turn that around into a descending attack.

And that's basically everything that you would do with a sword. A duel between two people would be give-and-take, as some moves bring you closer together and some moves take you farther away and cause your opponent to chase you. Some things like a bait or a stringere (or a beat, occasionally) would be used at the beginning of a duel, when you have room to do them safely. But they could also be done in the middle if your characters end up breaking off somehow and backing up. It's also not uncommon for a duel to end up in grappling if the moves just bring them too close and that becomes a more viable strategy.

Swords compared to movies!

I was not particularly surprised to learn that yes, you absolutely do feel a strong hit and it can make your hand or arm go numb, that made sense. However, I was surprised to learn how much of sword fighting really is just sword on sword because I had often heard people talking about how that is flashy for the movies but not actually accurate. But it is accurate! Sometimes you would have a shield, dagger, or cloak in your other hand (anything in your other hand is generally used for blocking, not really dual wielding as such) but a lot of time it is just two people with swords whaling on each other and your sword is both your weapon and your shield.

Naming sword moves!

I don't really know that you need to do this but if you are writing a fantasy story and you want to make the sword style seem more established you can.

In the case of Bolognese most of the names are extremely literal (head guard, face guard, the attack 'fendente' just means 'to the teeth') but a few of the guard names are more poetic.

Like the guard of the unicorn, where your sword is pointed down from above like a unicorn rampant. There's the iron door guard which is "harder to get through than an iron door", and its cousin the iron door wild boar guard which is similar but allows you to attack from the side like a boar with its tusks. Literal or poetic, you can do whatever you want so go nuts!

[clvn81]

[freshthoughts2020]

[melmedardasworld]

I read your metas and loved them! What is your opinion about the Traveller's storyline? I really thought that we would get more Bennett history since it was revealed that Qetsiyah is one, but it was mostly focused on the Parker family, really.

First off, thank you for your kind words and taking the time to read my thoughts! The Traveler storyline certainly had a lot of potential, especially in relation to Bonnie’s rich family history. It was a shame how they wrapped it up so quick and just made a mess out of it. It didn’t help that we got the love triangle being dragged and forced once more to come to the conclusion that true love doesn’t exist; it was just a spell to break a 1500+ year old curse. I know TVD is a romance show, but come on…. It was corny to me.

While the show introduced significant lore surrounding the Travelers and the witch community, through Qetsiyah and Silas, it did more to explore the Parkers than the already established Bennetts. No surprise it was around the same time JP had plans to kill of Bonnie for good but Kat convinced her that there was more to tell, we would have gotten Liv as the go to witch for the MFG. Considering that the Bennetts are a prominent witch family with a deep-rooted history in magic and set the TVD lore of the universe for us, it was a missed opportunity not to delve into their family's connections with the Travelers.

Qetsiyah and her descendants: Qetsiyah stands out as one of the most powerful witches in the universe. If her storyline had been more entwined with her descendants, too, we could have expanded on how her actions created ripples throughout supernatural history. Her creation of the Immortality Spell led to significant schisms for magic, the impact of which could have been explored through Bonnie’s bloodline. This could have included infighting among offshoots of her bloodline or even other Traveler branch clans (like the Parkers or Silas’s family, for example) who either supported or rejected Qetsiyah’s actions. It’s what we the show so often popularized as the Balance of Nature aka the Spirits. I believe this relationship dynamic could have been enriched by introducing Bonnie to (distant) family members who did adhere to the strict ideals to not use magic without rules (the Spirits / Spirit Magic) or those betrayed by their forebears for cursing them. Also, her having zero interactions with Bonnie?? Nah that’s some bs.

Potential for Infighting: I also think this would introduce a narrative where the Bennetts’ bloodline suffers from centuries infighting due to differing ideologies about magic and the use of their powers. The show could have introduced family members who either aligned in favor of Qetsiyah’s actions (replacing Markos and his group) or fiercely opposed them (we already had the Spirits and we only saw the Bennetts at the forefront of it), providing more depth to Bonnie’s character development and the complexity of magic and it’s lore.

The Travelers Curse

The origin and implications of the Travelers’ curse were also somewhat convoluted to me when it was revealed tied to Stelena and true love not actually being true love or destiny. As I said, we also got a whole new witch family introduced when the Bennetts were right there. Onto my thoughts about how the plot could've gone.

Historical Context: When Qetsiyah created the immortality spell, it caused a schism within the Traveler community. Many of the branch family’s (Parkers and Silas’s) already feared the power of Qetsiyah and her family. They knew they were powerful, and Qetsiyah was a step above that too. But with her true immortality spell and defying Nature itself for love, they believed that this family's seemingly unlimited power was a threat to them. Keeping the Balance was just an excuse they could use to strengthen those fears and cripple her and her family. So even after Qetsiyah’s brother killed her to redeem his family, the other Traveller covend insisted on further measures—leading to what is known as the Traveller’s Curse placed upon Qetsiyah’s descendants. Again, this introduces some intrigue and infighting in one of the earliest witch covens.

The Curse’s Mechanism: To prevent future disruptions by his family, Qetsiyah’s brother promised the other Traveler families to limit the power his bloodline, forcing it to scatter whenever they attempted to congregate as large coven. If they did, this resulted in disasters and plagues or their death, effectively suppressing the extraordinary abilities and potential of Qetsiyah's descendants. The Bennett witches today may be known but remain unaware of their full history—their curse hidden and forgotten even from them.

Living Bennett Witches: Contrary to the show’s narrative, which suggests very few Bennetts are left, I feel it’s important for the story to recognize that their bloodline is significant and widespread. Even on an individual level we get so much of their feats, inventions and spells. This concept would open the door for multiple lines of the Bennett family, allowing Bonnie to discover relatives with diverse views on magic, some aligned with tradition and others breaking away from it.

Thematic Depth and Character Development

The motivations behind magic use in TVD could have been explored more deeply. The recurring theme in the TVD universe was witches maintaining the balance of Nature often felt hypocritical and biased and even bitter. Yet the Bennetts frequently disrupted it with their feats.

Nature’s Perspective: The concept around Nature as an entity that puts things back into balance is intriguing. Rather than being strict overseers, the witches could have been portrayed as part of a wider supernatural ecosystem, where even supernatural beings like vampires, hybrids, and werewolves might eventually be normalized instead of abominations and whatnot.

Potential for Conflict: By aligning the story with Bonnie's journey, we could have seen infighting not just among the Travelers, but also among witch factions within the Bennett line—those adhering to Nature's rules versus those who pursue Qetsiyah's radical legacy, even if that wasn't her intention at all. Such tensions could have elevated Bonnie’s journey as she navigates her identity, her ancestry and power.

I know you said you’ve read my metas but below some links on my theories and the travelers / Qetsiyah and the Bennetts specifically.

My Love-Hate Relationship with the Travelers

Qetsiyah's Legacy

Modern Bennetts and Nature

[biaswreckme]

until the break of dawn | jongsan

San's touches to Jongho's shoulder in Wonderland (Symphony No.9 "From The Wonderland") into something more after Coachella.

Fandom: Ateez

Pairing: Jongho/San

Member: Jongho, San, mentions of the other members and relationships

Word count: 1500 words

Genre/Tropes: Canon compliant, Romance, Fluff, Smut

Rating: mature, 18+

Triggers/Warnings: smut, crying, mutual masturbation, no dialogue, implied polyamorous ateez, a little bit of hurt/comfort

You can read it on: AO3

Skinship was not something Jongho was ever incredibly fond of, but over the years living and working in close quarters with the other seven members made him aware of his limits and needs. He would frequently run or push the other boys away, but sometimes he craved and even initiated physical contact. 

When they first presented the new version of Wonderland, he was up on another level of the stage by himself, none of the others with him in the most nerve wracking moment of the song for him. As they continued to perform the Symphony 9 version on stages, they changed their positioning so he would walk out in front of the members to hit his high notes. It was subtle and he was confused the first time, but there was a comfort to the hand San pressed to his shoulder, almost a motivation for him to continue - it was an extra burst of strength and a signal that he was there for Jongjo.

So he started to yearn for this moment whenever the song was on their setlist, and they never talked about it, but it was a given that San would give him this encouragement. When they decided to include the song as the ending for their stage at Coachella, he knew he would be nervous, but he did not truly know the magnitude or the pressure he would feel when the moment arrived. They were all on the edge of their seats, knowing how much their performance would mean and how heavy their shoulders were.

When the time came that first weekend, he paused and took a deep breath, closing his eyes momentarily so he could gather the most of his energy and calmness to avoid making any mistakes. He felt San’s hand pressing down on his shoulder, a little bit stronger than usual, but they were all slightly more intense with the performance, feeling like they had to prove themselves to the world. But it worked; the stronger pressure ground him enough for him to confidently sing his part.

So in his week off he went back to Los Angeles while some of the members stayed to enjoy the festival and other activities. He knew his members worried about him using his time to have singing lessons, to try and better himself, so they reassured him, even sending videos and articles of people who didn’t know them commenting on Jongho’s incredible voice. He was fine, it was just an opportunity he didn’t want to miss while in the city. 

And then the second week approached, faster than he would like, but there they were again in that stage, curiously enough named after the same desert they started their career in back in the day. There was something different in the air that second night. They were having more fun, sure, but in giving all of themselves to the performance, they were also more tired. The wind was strenuous, their energies feeding off each other, internal chaos trying to get through to the end. He was sure that later at the hotel they would go off with their closest pairs to recharge, to balance their emotions, and he was - and it hurt him to admit it - not really sure who would be there for him. Hongjoong and Seonghwa, Mingi and Yunho, Wooyoung and San, and maybe Yeosang would join them, for he had seen the new developments between the two old friends.

He heard more than saw Seonghwa scream, shout out, giving himself that last burst of passion. And then it was his time, going to the front. He took his deep breath in and let it out, quickly closing and opening his eyes, bracing himself for the moment. San’s hand, San’s touch was even stronger this time around, almost searing hot through the layers he was wearing, as if he could feel the shape of the other man’s fingers. He could feel the great intensity of San’s gaze on him, indeed much stronger than the previous week. And then he did it. They all did it.

On the backstage and on the way back, as Jongho had predicted, there was tension thick enough to cut through with a knife, bodies shivering and teeth clenching with the remnants of the high emotions of that last stage. But not all of his predictions were correct. Hongjoong chose Seonghwa indeed, his touch so gentle against the older’s face, gathering his tears, pulling him towards the bedroom. Yunho, still with his fingers adorned with the silver claws, grabbed Mingi by the jacket, subtly touching the similar cross that hung heavy around the other’s neck and went to another of the bedrooms they had on the floor. Then came his surprise: Wooyoung entwined his fingers with Yeosang’s, a hypnotizing gaze on the transparency that the man was wearing, muscular chest for everyone to see, but only for him to enjoy that evening. And then there were two.

San extended his hand for him, a silent question in his face, an invitation, an open bedroom door. And Jongho took it. He knew once they crossed the threshold there would not be going back to the way things were before, but then again he was not sure he wanted everything to stay the same. He could feel his fingers were shaking - maybe his entire body was shaking - as San closed the door behind them. There was still silence. After all the emotions of the night, the loud music, the crowd, it was nice and comforting to not speak. San pulled him towards the bedroom, and once inside, started to slowly shed piece by piece of clothing; his own was easy and quick, but he took his time undressing Jongho, each item carefully folded on the fancy bathroom counter. 

There was a sense of easiness in the air now for a second, yet with both bare and not having anywhere or how to hide, Jongho soon could feel his eyes watering at San’s intensity, becoming overwhelmed by the attention. Before San could ask, though, Jongho took a deep breath and hugged the older, not minding the sweat and nakedness that usually bothered him. It both comforted and opened up the waterworks, his words spilling out uncontrollably the same as his tears. As he opened up his heart, San gently led him into the shower, turning the water on to a warm temperature, starting to wash away Jongho’s worries and insecurities, and in soaping him up, tried to instill with his words all he felt for the younger, his pride, his admiration, his love. They lost time, water starting to run cold.

Tomorrow morning or afternoon they would have time to discuss exactly what everything meant, the intricacies of this newfound passion between them - and what it would mean to the others now that Jongho was a part of it, but mostly to the two  members who were currently in the bedroom across from them, surely in the same state of undress. For tonight, they would focus on the moment. They finally turned off the cold water, goosebumps on their skins not only from the chill, a sliver of nervousness passing through both of them. It wasn’t like they were inexperienced, especially San in his - quite loud at times - relationship with Wooyoung, but it was always intense sharing a first with a lover, especially after such a powerful evening. 

The fluffy and warm towels barely met their bodies before they were falling into bed, a messy top lip kiss before they delved into a deeper and more sensual battle, legs entangling, getting even closer to one another. On their sides looking into each other’s eyes, breaths mingling with moans and shivers as spit-covered palms glided along their erections, feeling, discovering the familiar yet foreign skin. They were used to taking showers together, changing in front of the other members out of necessity but this was different. This was nakedness with intent; touch with intent of pleasure, of giving and taking. Of taking until their breaths were hitching, eyes closing and hands grabbing at each other at the sensations overcoming their bodies, reaching their peaks together.  

And now the air was light, soft giggles permeating the bedroom, trying to rile each other up to wash their hands and clean themselves again, rushing back to the bed. There was something about hotel rooms that made things easier, it was almost a limbo between the real world at home and this suspended romantic disbelief. They would rest under the soft lamps and white sheets until reality came knocking on their door. Jongho, however, no longer had any apprehension of becoming part of something bigger, of becoming more comfortable with the other’s constant touches, reaching for each other without even noticing. Even in his almost slumber, San was reaching for him, mumbling soft words that caressed his ears and his soul, and the ache so present in Jongho’s heart for so long was finally starting to be placated. 

[blueberrypie20]

welcome to ATUS, Academy of The United Souls

this is info about this one Captain Tsubasa: kid's dream AU that I have made in my head; called "傷だらけ の 愛 / Kizudarake No Ai - A love full of scars".

Where it happens is a magical school located on the foothills on mount. Fuji, being so-called "starting source of all magic on earth."

Around 1500 years ago, there were five spirits living here that created and protected life on Earth, and led it toward harmony, peace and unity: water, fire, nature, light, and...?

Yes, Darkness. after a long and power-draining battle between them, the dark spirit of the underworld decided to join the four others in spreading balance between all living beings on the planet.

But the era of Peace was short, as around 500 years later, monsters of unknown origin merged from the newly-formed caves around the mountain, causing massive destructions and terror. They crushed the plants under their feet, devoured animals and humans and dried out the waters; even the sunlight was blocked out by their enormous figures—as much as they seemed like one of the darkness spirit's creations, she hadn't done anything at all.

So, the 5 spirits decided to hide. they transferred their divinity and magic into five different gemstones, and transformed themselves into mortal humans under disguise, so the Monsters wouldn't recognize or have any value for them to kill them.

After the attack of the monsters calmed down and they disappeared Without a Trace just as how they appeared, the five "spirit-humans" who couldn't turn back to their divine selves anymore, decided to find a way of transferring magic to the Next Generations, so it could still live on even if they died. Therefore, they created a highschool, and named it "Academy of the United Souls".

Each of them formed a house, inspiring the name from the greek god of their representing element, and the emblems from their own animal companions.

POSIDRYIA — ◇

ELEMENT: water

GEMSTONE: aquamrine

ANIMAL: falcon

KNOWN MEMBERS: Tsubasa Ozora (leader), Taro Misaki, Ryo Ishizaki, Sanae Nakazawa, Asahi Fujimura

HEPHAESTE — ♧

ELEMENT: fire

GEMSTONE: ruby

ANIMAL: tiger

KNOWN MEMBERS: Kojiro Hyuga (leader), Ken Wakashimazu, Takeshi Sawada, Akane Shimizu, Yami Fujimura

DEMETHARA — ♤

ELEMENT: nature

GEMSTONE: peridot

ANIMAL: dog

KNOWN MEMBERS: Genzo Wakabayashi (leader), Mamoru Izawa, Hajime Taki, Teppei Kisugi

APOLLENOS — ☆

ELEMENT: light

GEMSTONE: citrine

ANIMAL: eagle

KNOWN MEMBERS: Hikaru Matsuyama (leader), Yoshiko Fujisawa, Kaito Miura

ERONYX — ♡

ELEMENT: Darkness

GEMSTONE: Amethyst

ANIMAL: Snake

KNOWN MEMBERS: Jun Misugi (Leader), Yayoi Aoba, Kuro Yamada

Additional info:

The first year students will gain their elements, second years can obtain a weapon, and third years are gifted with a special ability (stopping time, superhuman strength, etc).

a new leader for each house will be chosen in the end of each year, from the 2nd years that have the same element as the house representative.

Weapons are similar to ones of genshin impact's (Bow, sword, ploearm, claymore and catalytic powers)

I will make a series of polls regarding the name, gender, house and element of the main character(reader!) As the story will go on.

I will write parts of the story in different posts and link them together for a chapter. Don't expect the whole book in one night XD!

Ask for more information! That was all, bye!

(Captain Tsubasa is made by yoichi takahashi. this is just a fanmade AU including a couple of OCs and a mc (you).)

[krchar]

OMG I have read the Trial about 1500 times and only half an hour ago in the shower i started to think about this parallel

the downfall waterfall:

the return lightfall:

it is SO OBVIOUS OMG how did i ignore this cool thing - was i as blind as H in new power (which is an AU that did not happen)??

the departure and return, the blue and red, the light of kandrakar and the dark of the eclipse, and of course the loss of powers and the partial regaining of them god damnit

(p.s. not to mention that before that Yarr says that not all light is not always good and dark is not always evil omg

p.p.s. OMG AND the stuff H says, he's regaining the actual balance that he should have and that he had lost)

of course. it's just a detail. it is just some classic mirroring. i'll be normal about it. i'll just -

[copperbadge]

Radio Free Monday

Good morning everyone, and welcome to Radio Free Monday!

A note before we begin -- normally I don't do this (as you all know) but I happened to see a comment on one of the RFM posts this week by someone offering help in their crowdfunding campaign, and it reeks so strongly of the worst kind of predator that I wanted to get the word out -- kendrajanesblog is apparently running around fundraising posts offering to help, but the only post on their own blog is an offer to build an email campaign on kickstarter for $20. I don't think this is reportable but it is absolutely appalling, so I suggest blocking this person and passing the word if you see them commenting on a fundraising post. I'm hoping this is not a new trend but given the last spam trend on Tumblr was people sending asks about fake fundraisers, I can't be sure this isn't the next wave.

Ways to Give:

Anon linked to a fundraiser for Jack "Rocky" Payne and his wife Cloie, who are trying to offset the cost of his care for ALS, including medical bills, equipment, and accessible renovations to their home. He is no longer able to work due to the disease, and she has had to take leave in order to care for him full-time, which has obviously left them struggling financially. You can read more and give to the fundraiser here.

kitsumo linked to a fundraiser for his family, a single autistic mother with five neurodivergent kids, which has recently become homeless in California and need funds for necessities like food, covering phone bills, and shelter. You can read more and reblog here or give directly here.

grindthebones linked to a fundraiser for Kelsey and her dog Annie; Kelsey is a young disabled woman who isn't on social security yet, and her family recently stopped paying her rent and will not allow her back in the home; they're trying to prevent homelessness while she finds housing and aid. You can read more and support the fundraiser here.

gorkhandsmcschmuck is raising funds to cover an overdraft; due to some banking nonsense around Memorial Day he ended up with a negative balance, and needs to raise $50 to cover it, hoping to raise $100 to help with food until the first paycheck comes in. You can read more and reblog here or give directly via paypal here.

wolfsbanesparks linked to a fundraiser for friends who just lost their house in a flood, including almost all of their possessions; their insurance is balking at covering anything, so they're having to pay for repairs out of pocket. You can read more and support the fundraiser here.

News To Know:

blackestglass is running the fourth annual Chromatic Characters Podfic Anthology, which collects podfics of stories of less than 1500 words and center characters of color. This year's optional theme is "solidarity" and the due date for submissions is September 12th; this is a final call for volunteers of color who would like to lend their services as contextual content betas (formerly known as cultural sensitivity listeners) which is their biggest need at this point. You can read more and comment here to volunteer or ask a question, DM the mods on twitter at ccpamods, or email ccpamods at gmail.com.

Recurring Needs:

Anon linked to a fundraiser for dee-the-red-witch, a trans woman who needs to raise $10K to keep her home. You can read more, reblog, and find giving information here, give via paypal here, or purchase her leatherwork here.

frenchroasted's cousin, who has been fundraising for a used wheelchair-accessible van after herniating her back lifting her stepson's wheelchair and had to have surgery for it, has partnered with MyDMDHero which is now hosting their fundraiser on GiveButter so that their donations are tax-deductible. You can read more and support the fundraiser, formerly at GoFundMe, here. (Also to Frenchroasted -- got your request, can do.)

alirhi linked to a fundraiser to get herself, her mother, and her sister stable housing; they are currently staying in their cars in a a dangerous parking lot. They have a friend who will let them park a camper in her yard, but the camper there currently is unlivable, and they haven't been able to find an affordable replacement. With two of the family on disability it is difficult for them to keep up with bills and also save for housing. You can read more, reblog, and find giving information here including a few new ways to give.

And this has been Radio Free Monday! Thank you for your time. You can post items for my attention at the Radio Free Monday submissions form. If you're new to fundraising, you may want to check out my guide to fundraising here.