#union star md

[felinefractious]

🐱 Maine Coon

📸 Iunna Djighinas [Union Star*MD]

🎨 Red Silver Shaded

[3rdeyeblaque]

Today we venerate Hoodoo Saint Harriet Ross Tubman aka Black Moses on the 110th anniversary of her passing🕊

Whew! A legendary Freedom Fighter, Mama Moses wore many decorated crowns as a mammoth Abolitionist, chief Conductor on the Underground Railroad, an expert Hunte and Lumberjack, a Nurse, an armed scout & spy for the Union Army during the Civil War - becoming the 1st Woman to ever spearhead an armed military assault. Later, she opened her door to the elderly, sick, & disabled, and advocated for them until her death.

Born Araminta "Minty" Ross as the middle child of 9 siblings to enslaved parents on a plantation in Dorchester County, MD, she suffered a massive blow to the head that would spur a lifetime of seizures, headaches, deep slumbers, & visions. She went on to marry a "Free" man by the surname of Tubman & took on her mother's first given name, "Harriet". In 1849, her husband, parents, & siblings were set to be split up & sold off. Under the cover of darkness, she fled the plantation solo on foot and followed the North Star to escape the jaws of slavery by way of Philadelphia, PA. She'd survive13-19 rescue missions back into the Antebellum South, liberating over 300 souls, as the most infamous Conductor on the Underground Railroad who, over the span of a decade, had "never lost a single passenger", which dubbed her the nickname, "Moses". The bounty for her life maxed out at $40K. Freedom wasn't free & Mama Moses never hesitated to remind her passengers of that. She carried herbs to silence a crying baby and pulled a gun on any cowardly man who might give away their position.

"You'll be Free or Die. " - Mama Moses to her passengers on the Underground Railroad.

Venerated as a Hoodoo Saint to many, Mama Moses was a Seer, a Clairvoyant Dreamer, Dream Interpreter, a Revolutionary Conjurer Woman & Rootworker - born to parents of the same cloth. She received Divine messages & Ancestral knowledge/wisedom through prophetic visions & dreams. Mama Moses proudly attributed her unparalleled death defying success to her Divine guidance, Conjure, Rootwork, intuitive gifts & her faithful willingness to trust/follow them.

Folks have a tendency to grossly undermine, if not outright ignore, the significant pillars that Hoodoo Cosmology, Religion, & Tradition played in her life and in her fight for freedom. Recently, archeologists uncovered her "spirit cache" at her family's home in Maryland; these were some of the Blackbelt Hoodoo staples of her time including: glass bottles - for protection against evil spirits, a figurine made it iron nails - possibly a something akin to an Nkisi, a copper button, perfume bottle topper, and other red & blue items.

Mama Moses transitioned peaceful & free at her home/on her land in Auburn, NY where she is rests at the cemetery in Auburn, NY. She is still expected to be immortalized on the $20 bill USD, however that promise has yet to be met.

We pour libations & give Mama Moses her 💐 for her bravery & selfless service. May she bless the elderly, disabled, young, women, & Workers who seek/fight for freedom.

Offering suggestions: Milk, Apples, & Orange flowers

🌟 FINAL copies of The2023 Hoodoo's Calendar are available for purchase (once sold out, that's it)! Subscribe to the official e-newsletter for the latest updates & exclusive content access. https://thehoodoocalendar.square.site 🌟  

[louisupdates]

FITFWT23: OUTRO SONGS

NORTH AMERICA

26 May - Mohegan Sun Arena, UNCASVILLE CT: The Best, by Tina Turner

27 May - Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion, GUILFORD NH: This Charming Man, by The Smiths

29 May - Place Bell, LAVAL QC: Downtown, by Petula Clark

30 May - Budweiser Stage, TORONTO ON: Summer of 69, by Bryan Adams

1 Jun - Blossom Music Center, CUYAHOGA FALLS, OH: Bittersweet Symphony, by Verve

2 Jun - Michigan Lottery Amphitheater, STERLING HEIGHTS, MI: Chasing Rainbows, by Shed Seven

3 Jun - The Icon Festival Stage, CINCINNATI: All These Things That I’ve Done, by The Killers

6 Jun - Kemba Live! Outdoor, COLUMBUS OH: The One I Love, by REM

7 Jun - TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park, INDIANAPOLIS: Love Will Tear Us Apart, by Joy Division

9 Jun - Saint Louis Music Park, SAINT LOUIS: Johnny B. Goode, by Chuck Berry

10 Jun - Starlight Theatre, KANSAS CITY MO: Moondance, by Van Morrison

13 Jun - BMO Pavilion, MILWAUKEE: I Can See Clearly Now, by Johnny Nash

15 Jun - Huntington Bank Pavilion, CHICAGO: September, by Earth, Wind, and Fire

16 Jun - The Armory, MINNEAPOLIS: Nothing Compares 2 U, by Sinéad O’Connor

17 Jun - Harrah’s Stir Cove, COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA: Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've?) by Buzzcocks

19 Jun - Denny Sanford Premiere Center, SIOUX FALLS, SD: American Pie, by Don McLean

21 Jun - Red Rocks Amphitheatre, MORRISON, CO 😪

24 Jun - Wamu Theater, SEATTLE: There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, by The Smiths

26 Jun - Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Center, VANCOUVER BC: King Of Pain, by The Police

27 Jun - Mcmenamins Edgefield Concerts, TROUTDALE OR: Always On My Mind, by Elvis Presley

29 Jun - The Greek Theatre, BERKELEY CA: Never Tear Us Apart, by INXS

30 Jun - The Hollywood Bowl, LOS ANGELES: California Love by 2Pac ft Dr. Dre & Roger Troutman

1 Jul - The Chelsea at the Cosmopolitan, LAS VEGAS: Human, by The Killers

3 Jul - Arizona Financial Theatre, PHOENIX: Liberator, by Spear of Destiny

6 Jul - The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory, IRVING TX: Hello, I Love You, by The Doors

7 Jul - Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park, AUSTIN TX: Teenage Dirtbag, by Wheatus

8 Jul - The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, THE WOODLANDS TX: Walking On The Moon, by The Police

11 Jul - St. Augustine Amphitheatre, ST. AUGUSTINE FL: Every Breath You Take, by The Police

13 Jul - Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, HOLLYWOOD FL: Your Song, by Elton John

14 Jul - Yuengling Center, TAMPA FL: Hit Me With Your Best Shot, by Pat Benatar

15 Jul - Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park, ATLANTA: You Can’t Always Get What You Want, by The Rolling Stones

18 Jul - Ascend Amphitheater, NASHVILLE: Hold Back The Rain, by Duran Duran

19 Jul - Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre, CHARLOTTE NC: Perfect Day, by Lou Reed

21 Jul - Red Hat Amphitheater, RALEIGH NC: Moondance, by Van Morrison

22 Jul - Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia MD: Easy, by The Commodores

24 Jul - MGM Music Hall at Fenway, BOSTON: More Than A Feeling, by Boston

25 Jul - MGM Music Hall at Fenway, BOSTON: Here Comes Your Man, by The Pixies

27 Jul - TD Pavilion at the Mann, PHILADELPHIA: Nothing Compares 2 U, by Sinead O’Connor

28 Jul - Stone Pony Summer Stage, ASBURY PARK NJ: Dancing In The Dark, by Bruce Springsteen

29 Jul - Forrest Hills Stadium, NEW YORK: We Are The Champions, by Queen

Away From Home Festival 2023

19 Aug - Parco BussolaDomani, Lido di Camaiore: We Are The Champions, by Queen

EUROPE

29 Aug - Barclays Arena, HAMBURG: Love Will Tear Us Apart, by Joy Division

31 Aug - Royal Arena, COPENHAGEN: Under Pressure, by Queen and David Bowie

1 Sep - Spektrum, OSLO: Wake Me Up When September Ends, by Green Day

2 Sep - Hovet, STOCKHOLM: Seven Nation Army, by White Stripes

4 Sep - Ice Hall, HELSINKI: Always On My Mind, by Elvis

5 Sep - Saku Arena, TAILLINN: All Star, by Smash Mouth

7 Sep - Arena Riga, RIGA: Thuderstruck, by AC/DC

8 Sep - Zalgiris Arena, KAUNAS: Can’t Help Falling In Love, by Elvis [Zouis this day]

10 Sep - Tauron Arena, KRAKOW: Lust For Life, by Iggy Pop

11 Sep - Atlas Arena, ŁÓDŹ: Blitzkreig Bop, by the Ramones

13 Sep - Wiener Stadhalle D, VIENNA: Supersonic, by Oasis

14 Sep - Stozice Arena, LJUBLJANA: Smile Like You Meant It, by The Killers

15 Sep - Budapest Arena, BUDAPEST: Helicopter, by Bloc Party

17 Sep - Arenele Romane, BUCHAREST: My Hero, by Foo Fighters

18 Sep - Arena Armeets, SOFIA: Bombtrack, by Rage Against The Machine

20 Sep - Petras Theater, ATHENS: Go With The Flow, by Queens of the Stone Age

1 Oct - Bilbao Arena Miribilla, BILBAO (VIZCAYA): Where Is My Mind, by The Pixies

3 Oct - Altice Arena, LISBON: Farewell To The Fairground, by White Lies

5 Oct - Wizink Center, MADRID: Munich, by Editors

6 Oct - Palau Sant Jordi, BARCELONA: One Armed Scissor, by At the Drive-In

8 Oct - Pala Alpitur, TURIN: Are You Gonna Go My Way, by Lenny Kravitz

9 Oct - Unipol Arena, BOLOGNA: Helicopter, by Bloc Party

11 Oct - Rockhal, ESCH-SUR-ALZETTE: Where Is My Mind, by The Pixies

12 Oct - Sportspaleis, ANTWERP: My God Is The Sun, by Queens Of The Stone Age [very self-aware choice]

14 Oct - Accor Arena, PARIS : Bubbles, by Biffy Clyro

15 Oct - Ziggo Dome, AMSTERDAM: Song 2, by Blur

17 Oct - Lanxess Arena, COLOGNE: Can't Stand Me Now, by The Libertines

19 Oct - O2 Arena, PRAGUE: Are You Gonna Be My Girl, by Jet

20 Oct - Mercedes Benz Arena, BERLIN: Friday I’m In Love, by The Cure

22 Oct - Olympiahalle, MUNICH: Praise You, by Fatboy Slim

23 Oct - Hallenstadion, ZURICH: Last Nite, by The Strokes

8 Nov - 3Arena, DUBLIN: These Are The Days, by Inhaler

10 Nov - Utilita Arena, SHEFFIELD: Mr. Brightside, by The Killers

11 Nov - AO Arena, MANCHESTER: This Charming Man, by The Smiths

12 Nov - Ovo Hydro, GLASGOW: Gloria, by The Snuts

14 Nov - Brighton Center, BRIGHTON: I Wanna Be Sedated, by Ramones

15 Nov - International Arena, CARDIFF: 20th Century Boy, by T-Rex

17 Nov - The O2, LONDON: Can’t Stand Me Now, by The Libertines

18 Nov - Resorts World Arena, BIRMINGHAM: Till The End Of The Road, by Boyz II Men

You can also find the list at this Twitter account: ltwtoutros.

[aristocratic-otter]

20 questions for fic writers!

Thank you @artsyunderstudy for the tag!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

28, though one was a round robin where I only wrote one of the chapters.

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

838, 380. Subtracting Birthday Man (the round robin fic), I've written, by myself, 799, 248. I'm not surprised. I'm not good at brevity. (And I have over a hundred thousand words in unpublished fics right now 😅)

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Only Carry On, though I've made a habit of sticking Simon and Baz into fandom loves of my youth.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Oh, Have You Seen The Fairies Dance, my CORB from two years ago, writing to art by @krisrix. 562 Kudos

Playing With Fire, Treading Thin Ice, my pinch-hit CORB, also from two years ago (I sense a trend), writing to art by @steppjes. 453 kudos

Back To Start, my Simon youthens Baz into a baby fic, 447 kudos

A Fucked Up Cinderella Story, a Simon as escort fic, and my first collaboration with my dear friend (and a brilliant artist), @frjsti. 339 kudos.

A Real Doll, my first real PWP (ok, it sort of has a plot) (a very thin one), written for @captain-aralias's Monster Under the Bed Fest, 331 kudos.

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Yes! It means a lot to me to hear how folk enjoyed my work, and I appreciate how much effort it takes to reach out sometimes, so I want to show my appreciation. I should be better at commenting myself!

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Readers nearly burned me at the stake over my ending to The Blue and The Gray, where Simon rides away with his Union troop, leaving Baz behind at his plantation home. Even the 'happy ending' epilogue I wrote, to get them back together, is bittersweet, because Simon is damaged from the war and it will be a long road to recovery (or at least the length of the Oregon Trail 😉) (If you know, you know).

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

I only do happy endings, but, like Ashton, I tend towards angst a lot of the time. So I think that my most meaningful happy ending is in New Year, New Me, which takes Simon and Baz literal to the end, of their long lives together (with a gorgeous song written by @moodandmist and @cutestkilla!)

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Not yet! I've gotten a few corrections, which I honestly don't mind. I'd rather be corrected than leave a glaring error in a fic. I agree with Ashton, this is an incredibly kind fandom.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Uh <looks side to side shiftily> yes? Like, a lot? It's funny, because I'm ace, but I find all the ways humans can relate to one another through sex fascinating, even if I don't need those things for myself. I'd say I write mostly bonding through sex? Occasional fucking just 'cause it's fun, but mostly soulful, loving sex.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

Not crossovers precisely, (I don't mix in characters from other fandoms) but I'm extremely guilty of throwing SnowBaz into any story, show, or movie I've loved and putting them through their paces:

The Watford Games: Simon and Baz in a Hunger Games Scenario

The White Chapel: Simon replacing Olivia Newton John in the movie Xanadu

The Snow Fox: (unfinished) Simon as the Francis Marion Character in the old Disney TV show, the Swamp Fox.

Episode 2: The Naked Next, (gift fic for @raenestee) (I blame this one on @facewithoutheart), Simon and Baz in the Star Trek Universe.

and, Stars, Flowers, and Children, an unpublished (part done) fic set in the universe of the movie the Blue Lagoon, and To Heal a Broken Mind, an unpublished (nearly finished) fic set in a scenario similar to the TV show House MD.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Fingers crossed, but no, I don't think so. Probably hard to pass off a seventy thousand word fic as your own that you just popped up with out of nowhere.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Only the round robin fic, Birthday Man, where each of several fic writers wrote a chapter for Simon's birthday celebration, and the Star Trek Universe fic, The Naked Next (linked above). But I'd definitely give co-writer credit to many of the fandom artists I've worked with, because their work either inspired my words, or they even helped guide the evolution of the fic in the background. I especially have to give credit to @krisrix, @ivelovedhimthroughworse, @frjsti, and @artsyunderstudy for being brilliant at helping me flesh out the fics they did art for!

14. What’s your all time favorite ship?

Gee. Bet you can't guess.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

This is a tough one because I've (so far) never not finished a fic I've committed to (I've got a few paragraphs of a few random ideas in my files, but nothing I ever advertised or put much effort into). But I'm also perpetually in the middle of at least five or six fics, so leaving one dangling remains possible, even if I desperately hope it won't happen. I guess I'll mention Westward Son here, because though it ought to be finished in the next couple of weeks, it took me two fucking years to get there!

16. What are your writing strengths?

I don't get writer's block. I think my habit of fic jumping helps with this; if one fic is dragging, I can spend more time on another until words start to flow for the first one again. I do force myself to write at least a sentence every couple of days, even on the draggy fics, though. I think I'm decent at characterization? Especially Simon, because I identify with his way of thinking a lot. I also think I'm decent at giving the reader a strong visual of what's going on in a scene (hopefully).

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Plot and tech. I can write plot, but not snappy, quickly resolved ones. For me to find my way to the end of a plot usually takes several thousand words. And that's a weakness, not being able to write short. I don't know how to be interesting in small bites, I guess. And tech: I'm intimidated by incorporating modern tech like social media, etc. in my fics. I always feel like I can't format it correctly or make it look/sound realistic enough, so I tend to avoid fic ideas that are tech based, like text fics or social media fics. Aaaaand now I'm writing a fic based in Tiktok, a platform I do NOT know well. Pray for me.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I've done it once (in The Blue and The Gray), but I'm nervous about it. I think I'm afraid of misinterpreting a connotation of a word or phrase. I researched extensively for the Spanish lullaby in The Blue and the Gray, and even the Greek and Latin phrases in Back to Start and The Watford Games. I don't mind it in fics, so long as the meaning isn't integral to the scene (like using French swears in a fic set in French Canada) (@bazzybelle, I'm looking at you!). If the meaning is integral, I tend to prefer the translations be not far away (like at the end of the fic), but rather just a few lines down (like at the end of a chapter), because it's frustrating having to jump back and forth to get meaning from what I'm reading.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

CSI, on fanfic.net. But I only wrote one fic. Don't look for it. I didn't have this username and I'm not interested in reliving that part of my life 😆

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

I think it will always be Back to Start (linked above). I still love the premise and it was the first fic that made me feel like a real writer. You don't forget that feeling. It's my baby.

How about, instead of tagging folk, you consider yourself tagged if you're one of the many people I mentioned above? 😂

[signalhill-if]

I HAVE AN ASK that I actually thought of while working earlier so HERE GOES c:

Lets say, the world didn’t go to shit, and our beloved characters are transported into the year 2023. What are they doing? How are they holding up? Job wise, and just in general? How is what they’re doing different from canon, now that things like social media and all that ‘fun’ stuff is around, if it’s different at all?

Thank you for the question! And also thank you to the anon who asked a very similar question that I forgot to answer 🥲

Rather than just saying what they'd do if they were in the present, I'm gonna sorta Modernify their canon lives because it's fun :) Also, SPOILERS BEWARE, I'm obviously not including anything super spoilery about the plot but if you want the character's backstories revealed naturally in the game then maybe don't read because there's a bunch of new stuff here!

Doc's trajectory in life is a lot different, in a world where he can actually get a proper education. His dad was a veterinarian for a horse racing place, and he didn't exactly have the most wealthy upbringing, but he was comfortable and learned a lot about horses. His dream was always to attend medical school, but money was tight- until he started dating Yvette in his first year of university, who helped him get into dealing drugs. After getting his MD, he started working at a not-for-profit local clinic, and oversees their needle exchange program. He still owns a sniper rifle in our universe, but he doesn't use it (usually)

Yasmin is the daughter of a prominent media mogul who was recently assassinated, putting her even more in the public eye than she already was. She had a wealthy but miserable youth, one of those rich kids who was privately tutored and never really had friends, y'know? At a young age, her mother died, and she's been in a spiral ever since. She had a brief but stormy relationship with KC in college. Since then, Yasmin's become a minor social media star, posting moody selfies and doing a lot of drugs with her influencer friends- specifically, Yvette.

KC grew up poor with a struggling single father and took the idea of "pulling yourself up by your bootstraps" seriously. She worked throughout high school to get into a good college for business management, with a mix of money saved up from part time work and scholarships. She excelled at soccer in high school and wound up playing for her college's varsity team. Through a mutual "friend" she met Yasmin, and the two of them dated until KC got a job at Yasmin's dad's company and realized how terribly it treated its employees. She got heavily involved in the (successful) effort to organize a union at the company, and since then has been involved in helping other baby unions with their organizing efforts.

Yvette found it hard to stay in the closet from a pretty young age, and growing up in a place where that was frowned upon, he learned to be resilient and self-sufficient. As an adult, he moved to the big city and befriended a wealthy drug dealer while working as an escort. Through some questionably moral events, he wound up in charge of this operation with the other guy... out of the picture. From there, it all happened so fast- buying the club (which he named the Rose and Thorn), the fancy car, the nice condo. Living the dream. But he has his sights set even higher ever since he befriended Yasmin, the heiress to a multimedia throne.

Levi had a sheltered youth, attending private Catholic schools in Quebec alongside his childhood best friend Maxime. He excelled in his studies, but Maxime was always a step ahead of him, especially in the area of religion. Despite being an attentive student, Levi struggled with anger issues and was a target for bullying throughout his youth. When the two were seniors in high school and Levi's long-time bully disappeared under mysterious circumstances, they decided to move away and start a new life together in the big city. Here, Maxime's (or now, Aldrich's) spiritual ideas flourished, getting the attention of people on social media. But being labelled as a cult leader is barely better than their youth.

[steven-cartoons]

22 Years Old

Trans Man

White

Bisexual & Demiromantic

Butch Bear Cub

Artist/Writer/Musician

New Orleans born & raised ⚜

DNI

Right-Wingers (obviously)

ZIONISTS (fuck off)

Pro-Shippers/Anti-Antis/etc.

Pedos, Zoophiles, etc.

TERFs/SWERFs/FARTs

Truscum/Transmedicalists/Gender Essentialists

AI Art Supporters

Scabs/Non-Union-Supporters

DSMP/MCYT fans, SWIFTIES, Hazbin Hotel/Helluva Boss/Vivziepop fans, and MHA/BNHA fans (ignore if we're mutuals)

Main Interests

Animation: Steven Universe, The Owl House, Adventure Time, My Little Pony: FiM, Gravity Falls, Rick and Morty, She Ra: PoP, The Moomins Series, FMA:B, Yuri!! On Ice, Bigtop Burger, Futurama, Disenchantment, Tangled Series, Nimona, Dungeon Meshi, Scott Pilgrim, Clone High, & more

Live Action: Doctor Who, Good Omens, What We Do in the Shadows (2014 & 2019), Star Trek: TOS, Star Wars (until TFA), House MD, Heartstopper, Bones, SOME Marvel films, and dozens of fantasy, sci-fi, and comedy movies

Music: Fall Out Boy, Paramore, Jack Stauber, My Chemical Romance, Janelle Monae, Bo Burnham, Halsey, Panic! at the Disco (pre DOAB lol), ABBA, Talking Heads, The Cure, Tears for Fears, System of a Down, David Bowie, Frank Ocean, Lil Nas X, & more

Video Games: Genshin Impact, Legend of Zelda Series, Animal Crossing Series, Undertale/Deltarune, Danganronpa Series, Infamous Series, & more

Online Creators: Markiplier, Dan & Phil, Rhett & Link, Jenna & Julien, Hank Green, The McElroys, Game Grumps, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Jerma985, Snapcube, Worthikids, & more

Vent: @lifthisheadachehead

Sideblogs

Art: @stevenartsblog

Aesthetic: @luminescentaesthetic

Witchcraft: @copperinsidesgold

Kin/Therian: @steven-kiin

Activism/Politics: @stevenftm

Kpop: @jisungbri

NSFT/18+: dm me!

Misc

My DMs are always open! I love making friends so feel free to chat with me any time! :3

Feel free to message me if anything I say or post comes across as unkind or offensive and I'd be happy to have a dialogue about the situation and try to make up for it 💗

My current commission sheet is here

My (18+) Rick Sanchez discord server is here

[besidesitstoowarm]

"The Impossible Planet" thoughts

i'd like to take moment to recognize that for once i was able to spot a guest star i knew from another show and it WASN'T house md. this time it was witcher. thank you

so this is kind of a weird one. it's one of the most "traditional sci fi" episodes we've had so far while being about the literal devil, in no uncertain terms whatsoever. i'm used to shows like supernatural, shows that even when set in the modern day draw from an air of antiquity when bringing in angels and demons and whatnot (good omens comes to mind as well). it's always all ancient texts and secret histories and all that. well, the devil is real and he's in outer space this time. i'm not going to question it, in fact i firmly welcome it

the episode starts with a joke about space bases, air bases, water bases, they're all the same and might as well be made from a kit. this is in no way a lighthearted dig at the second doctor era as every one of those bases was lovingly crafted and beautifully distinct. obviously

my best friends the ood are here. the ood are probably my favorite new who creature bc they are just so shaped (fave new who villain is probably the weeping angels, surprise surprise). my bf said out loud "so just like house elves" and he's not wrong (the description of them as a "basic slave race" and how they pine away and die without orders, for example). the difference, of course, is that the ood are treated with respect and eventually liberated, and the protagonists are empathetic towards them, and do not own any of them or think about wishing their slaves would make them sandwiches

also according to my bf, the door opening sound effects are from the original doom. i'm not going to google it but there's a fun fact for you unless it's wrong

i like rose doing her thing and being nice to the ood serving her black beans and soy sauce, it looks like. sharing her own experience in that job, apologizing for maybe misgendering it, asking if it gets paid. what are your pronouns and would you like to join my union type talk. it says "the beast and his armies shall rise from the pit and challenge god" which i have wanted to say word for word to some of my customers before too

the doctor confirms that tardises are grown, not built, which is cool. i really like their exchange about being stranded and having to get a mortgage and the doctor saying he'd rather give up and die, it was cute and funny and rose saying "oh me too... unless..." and there was only. one. mortgage. it was a nice moment, it reminded me of what i like about them together! and her kissing his helmet before he went down onto the planet surface was cute too

this episode went further along in the plot than i remembered so i don't know what is even in part 2. time to find out!

[moony-saraneth]

A Blanket Made of Stars (M, 1,408 words) and Worth the Trouble (M, 1,685 words) by @nv-md

Draco and Harry fall together during a cattle drive.

Or what happens when two cowboys can't keep their eyes, and hands, off each other.

AND THEN

A storm disturbs the cattle drive, Draco is injured, and Harry must protect his love, no matter the cost.

HOWDY AGAIN. Here’s another rec for @gameofdrarry Wizard Hearts! This is a series, and guess what, it’s more cowboys!! Is this going to become A Thing™️ for me? Maybe! The point of this is all to say, these two pieces are so beautifully written. The love that blossoms between Draco and Harry is fierce and sweet. The visuals are truly, truly gorgeous. We get one part from each character’s perspective and the way Ali switches between the two is flawless. You get a different feeling from both stories, but there is this underlying feeling of union. I so enjoyed reading these tonight before bed. Hopefully I’ll have some nice cowboy dreams.

[orthotv]

🔰 Russian Basic Ilizarov Course

🔆 Including ALFA Fixator Workshop

🗓️ Dates: Saturday, 13th July & Sunday, 14th July 2024 📍 Venue: Jaypee Siddharth, 3, Rajendra Place, New Delhi - 110008

✨ A collaborative initiative of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital & ASAMI INDIA under the aegis of DOA and IOA

✨ Click to Register: https://tinyurl.com/OrthoTV-RussianIlizarov-2024

🎙️ Organising Chairman: - Prof. (Dr.) Manish Dhawan

🔍 Course Highlights: - Ilizarov is a popular modality for treatment of aseptic/infective non union, deformity correction, limb length discrepancy, bone transport, joint contracture release and various other pediatric congenital problems. - The course aims to teach the basic Ilizarov course principles as taught in Kurgan, Russia. - Learn from an international star faculty including Dr. MD. Mofakhkharul Bari from Bangladesh and Prof. Dr. Sergei S. Leonchuk from Kurgan Centre, Russia.

💰 Fee Structure: - ₹8000 for Post Graduates and ASAMI India Members (including GST) - ₹9000 for others for 2 Days (including GST)

🔗 More Information & Contact: - Dr. Manish Dhawan, Mobile No. 9811128288, Email: coursesgangaram@gmail.com

🔰OrthoTV IT Team : Dr. Neeraj Bijlani & Dr. Ashok Shyam

📺 Media Partner: OrthoTV Global

#Orthopedics #Ilizarov #MedicalEducation #Workshop #OrthoTV #ASAMIIndia #DOA #IOA #SirGangaRamHospital #OrthopedicSurgery #MedicalConference

[brookstonalmanac]

Events after 1900 7.6

1917 – World War I: Arabian troops led by T. E. Lawrence ("Lawrence of Arabia") and Auda ibu Tayi capture Aqaba from the Ottoman Empire during the Arab Revolt. 1919 – The British dirigible R34 lands in New York, completing the first crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by an airship. 1933 – The first Major League Baseball All-Star Game is played in Chicago's Comiskey Park. The American League defeated the National League 4–2. 1936 – A major breach of the Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal in England sends millions of gallons of water cascading 200 feet (61 m) into the River Irwell. 1937 – Spanish Civil War: Battle of Brunete: The battle begins with Spanish Republican troops going on the offensive against the Nationalists to relieve pressure on Madrid. 1940 – Story Bridge, a major landmark in Brisbane, as well as Australia's longest cantilever bridge is formally opened. 1941 – World War II: The German army launches its offensive to encircle several Soviet armies near Smolensk. 1942 – Anne Frank and her family go into hiding in the "Secret Annexe" above her father's office in an Amsterdam warehouse. 1944 – Jackie Robinson refuses to move to the back of a bus, leading to a court-martial. 1944 – The Hartford circus fire, one of America's worst fire disasters, kills approximately 168 people and injures over 700 in Hartford, Connecticut. 1947 – Referendum held in Sylhet to decide its fate in the Partition of India. 1947 – The AK-47 goes into production in the Soviet Union. 1957 – Althea Gibson wins the Wimbledon championships, becoming the first black athlete to do so. 1957 – John Lennon and Paul McCartney meet for the first time, as teenagers at Woolton Fete, three years before forming the Beatles. 1962 – As a part of Operation Plowshare, the Sedan nuclear test takes place. 1962 – The Late Late Show, the world's longest-running chat show by the same broadcaster, airs on RTÉ One for the first time. 1964 – Malawi declares its independence from the United Kingdom. 1966 – Malawi becomes a republic, with Hastings Banda as its first President. 1975 – The Comoros declares independence from France. 1982 – While attempting to return to Sheremetyevo International Airport, an Ilyushin Il-62 operating as Aeroflot Flight 411 crashes near Mendeleyevo, Moscow Oblast, killing all 90 people on board. 1988 – The Piper Alpha drilling platform in the North Sea is destroyed by explosions and fires. One hundred sixty-seven oil workers are killed, making it the world's worst offshore oil disaster in terms of direct loss of life. 1989 – The Tel Aviv–Jerusalem bus 405 suicide attack: Sixteen bus passengers are killed when a member of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad took control of the bus and drove it over a cliff. 1996 – A McDonnell Douglas MD-88 operating as Delta Air Lines Flight 1288 experiences a turbine engine failure during takeoff from Pensacola International Airport, killing two and injuring five of the 147 people on board. 1997 – The Troubles: In response to the Drumcree dispute, five days of mass protests, riots and gun battles begin in Irish nationalist districts of Northern Ireland. 1998 – Hong Kong International Airport opens in Chek Lap Kok, Hong Kong, replacing Kai Tak Airport as the city's international airport. 2003 – The 70-metre Yevpatoria Planetary Radar sends a METI message (Cosmic Call 2) to five stars: Hip 4872, HD 245409, 55 Cancri (HD 75732), HD 10307 and 47 Ursae Majoris (HD 95128). The messages will arrive to these stars in 2036, 2040, 2044, and 2049, respectively. 2006 – The Nathu La pass between India and China, sealed during the Sino-Indian War, re-opens for trade after 44 years. 2013 – At least 42 people are killed in a shooting at a school in Yobe State, Nigeria. 2013 – A Boeing 777 operating as Asiana Airlines Flight 214 crashes at San Francisco International Airport, killing three and injuring 181 of the 307 people on board. 2022 – The Georgia Guidestones, a monument in the United States, are heavily damaged in a bombing, and are dismantled later the same day.

[danvilleareacc]

DACC Notes for March 2023

Previously Printed in the Commercial News, Saturday, March 11, 2023

Early in my career at Danville Area Community College, I wondered about the difference between a Junior College and a Community College.  I’ve seen CC people become incensed when their school was called a “junior” college, but Joliet proudly wears the crown of oldest Junior College in the nation.

First, technically, a community college offers a comprehensive curriculum which includes both career programs and transfer programs. In its original sense, a “junior” college was a stepping stone to a university.

The second difference is more of a mindset or mission that puts the emphasis on Community. If the community has a need, the College will do its utmost to meet it.

You want trade school-type classes? DACC offers programs in health professions, manufacturing, welding, automotive technology, sustainable resources, and agriculture. If you want a career rather than a “university degree,” we’ve got the training you need.

Currently, DACC has a $300,000 grant to provide pre-apprenticeship classes in construction and building trades that will pay for your coursework and offer a stipend for attending classes. Contact Professor Greg Hansbraugh if you want to enroll, g.hansbraugh@dacc.edu.

Do your incumbent workers need more training to keep up with changing workplace technology? Want help hiring new employees? DACC’S Corporate and Customized Training department can assist you with staffing and training issues.

You want to save money on your child’s eight years of higher education to put MD, DVM, PHD, or XYZ after their name? DACC’s traditional, transferable college courses can save you thousands for the first two years of a Bachelor’s degree; our 3 + 1 partnerships extend the savings for a third year; and if they start their journey as a junior in high school, we can cut time and expense off those degrees.

But the “community” commitment goes beyond education to include outreach. DACC’s athletic teams visit area grade schools and read to children. DACC’s cheerleaders help make and distribute free lunches at St. James Methodist Church during the summer. The All Star Jaguars collect socks for Senator Bennett’s office to distribute to homeless shelters. Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society members adopted a piece of Main Street and pick up trash along that stretch several times each year.

DACC also invites the community to our campus. In January, we opened the gym doors to host the Vermilion County Basketball Tournament. We polished up the Welcome Mat and, hopefully, treated our guests to the fullest extent of our hospitality. If the photo booth pictures are any indication, the crowd was entertained by more than great basketball.

For February, a small group of dedicated DACC-sters planned a full menu of events celebrating Black History. One highlight was a presentation by the Kings of Peace and Rev. LeStan Hoskins in our Student Union that held the crowd enthralled. The presentation was followed by tasty treats provided by Rayonna Rose’s RAYMEALz, and DACC's Culinary department.

February was a busy month for hosting high school students at DACC, too. First, we rebooted the Academic Challenge and welcomed eight high schools – over 100 students – to compete in seven STEM academic areas, and then we welcomed nine high schools, 90 students, to explore the possibilities of a career in healthcare for Health Professions Day.

We want everyone in our community to feel they have a place to belong, feel appreciated, and grow on this Community College campus.

[thejoyofviolentmovement]

New Video: JOVM Mainstays Beach House Releases Trippy Visuals for Mediative Album Single "Drunk in LA"

New Video: JOVM Mainstays Beach House Releases Trippy Visuals for Mediative Album Single "Drunk in LA" @BeaccchHoussse @subpop @subpoplicity

Throughout a significant portion of this site’s history, I’ve written quite a bit about Baltimore-based JOVM mainstays  Beach House, and as you may recall, the duo which is comprised of founding and primary members  Victoria Legrand (organ, vocals) and Alex Scally (guitar, vocals) have released a number of critically and…

[skyfire85]

-A B-52E armed with two Hound Dog missiles at an airshow/open-house, sometime in the 60's. | Photo: AF GlobalStrike

FLIGHTLINE: 111 - AGM-28 HOUND DOG

The Hound Dog cruise missile was carried by B-52 bombers from 1960 to 1977, and (fortunately) was never fired in anger.

Developed in response to USAF General Operational Requirement 148, issued in 1956, the Hound Dog cruise missile (variously designated B-77, GAM-77 and finally AGM-28) was produced by North American Aviation (Later Rockwell International, now a part of Boeing) from 1959 to 1963 and was carried by B-52s from 1960 to 1977.

-Orthograph of the Hound Dog missile. | Illustration: North American Aviation

STAND-OFF WEAPONS, OR: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB

During the 1950s, the US became aware of rapid developments by the Soviet Union in surface to air missile (SAM) technology. SAM sites soon began to proliferate around Moscow and other key sites, threatening SAC's B-36, B-47 and B-52 bombers. As the SAMs were located at fixed sites, easily discernable from aerial recon or satellite photos, the USAF determined that the best counter would be to develop "stand-off" weapon that could be fired from the approaching bombers and destroy the SAM site before they could threaten the attack force.

GOR-148 therefore called for a supersonic missile, to be carried in pairs by a B-52 Stratofortres, capable of flying to a predetermined target outside the SAM's range and to destroy the target with a nuclear bomb, allowing the bombers to then attack their main targets with impunity. In July of 1957, Chance Vought and North American submitted proposals, both based on existing weapons. Chance Vought's design was based on the SSM-N-9 Regulus II SLCM, while the NAA proposal was adapted from the SM-64 Navaho cruise missile. One month later, NAA received a contract to develop their design, which had been christened the GAM-77.

YOU AIN'T NOTHIN' BUT A HOUND DOG...

-Cutaway drawing of the GAM-77, later redesignated the AGM-28A. | Illustration: North American Aviation.

The GAM-77 was nicknamed the Hound Dog, a reference to a song made popular by Elvis at the time of development. The missile featured a canard and delta wing, with single vertical fin and rudder. It was powered by a version of the J52 turbojet, which also was used in the A-4 Skyhawk, A-6 Intruder and EA-6 Prowler, and, in its civilian form as the JT8D, propelled the Boeing 727 and 737-100/200, as well as the DC-9 and MD-80. Unlike with the other planes, the Hound Dog's engine was run at 100% output for its entire flight, resulting in an operational lifespan of only 6 hours (not an impediment to a missile expected to be destroyed by its own nuclear bomb well before reaching that run time, mind you). The Hound Dog’s fuel tank could be topped off from the B-52's own fuel supply, allowing the larger plane to use both missiles' engines to assist on take-off. Hound Dogs were guided by an inertial navigation system, which was updated by a star tracker mounted in the pylon. The B-52 would launch its missiles from an altitude of 5,000' or more, and from there the GAM-77 could fly at high (+5,000 feet) or low altitude (under 5,000 feet), though at the cost of decreased range; early models were not capable of terrain following/terrain avoidance, and thus no obstructions could be present along the flight path. A dogleg could also be added to flightpath to draw off interceptors. Later models of the GAM-77 added a radar altimeter, allowing flight down to 100 feet. This would allow the missile to hide in the radar clutter of low altitude. The Dog had a CEP of 2 miles, though with its W28 warhead, which had yields ranging from 70kt to 1.45mt, would effectively destroy its target even with a near-miss.

-A Hound Dog missile under the wing of a B-52. | Photo: USAF

TESTING, TESTING...

The first drop test of a dummy GAM-77 occurred in November 1958, and between April 1959 and August 1965 fifty-two missile tests were conducted at Cape Canaveral AFS, Eglin AFB and the White Sands Missile Range. Even before the drop test, the USAF had awarded NAA a production contract, with deliveries beginning on 21 December 1959. Late in 1961, production switched to the upgraded GAM-77A model, which included a upgraded INS with integrated star tracker and radar altimeter. The A model also had increased fuel capacity, and incorporated radar-absorbing materials into the nose cone, engine inlet spike and the intake duct to further reduce its already low radar cross-section.

-A Hound Dog separates from its B-52G launch aircraft during a test shot some time in the 1960s. | Photo: AF GlobalStrike

-Color photo of another B-52G carrying two GAM-77s. | Photo: AF GlobalStrike

A SHORT BUT UNEVENTFUL SERVICE...

Under the 1962 Tri-Service system, the GAM-77 was redesignated the AGM-28A, while the GAM-77A became the AGM-28B. In 1971, one Hound Dog was fitted with a prototype terrain contour matching (TERCOM) system. Had the USAF chosen to proceed with development of this version, it would have been designated the AGM-28C, but instead the technology continued in development until the AGM-86 ALCM was accepted for service in 1982. In 1972 Bendix was awarded a contract to develop a passive radar-seeker for the Hound Dog, which would have turned it into a long-range anti-radiation missile. At least one test flight occurred in 1973, but the type was not approved for conversion/production, and the last AGM-28B was retired from alert status on 30 July 1975.

-SAC crews scramble to man B-52s equipped with Hound Dogs. Despite (or perhaps because of) exercises like this, no Hound Dog was ever fired in anger. | Photo: USAF

SENT OFF TO A FARM...

Even after retirement, approximately 300 Hound Dogs were retained in storage between 1975 and 1977, but by 1978 they had mostly been scrapped. A large number of missiles, stripped and demilled, have been preserved in museums and air parks across the country.

-An AGM-28, along with its mounting pylon, on display at the National Museum of the USAF in Dayton. | Photo: USAF Museum

-Another Hound Dog on display in its earlier all-white paint scheme. The black cylinder is a simulated nuclear warhead, while the silver object to the right is the INS. | Photo: Cliff

[nakedmossy]

Depth Over Distance - Part One [Rudy x Reader]

[A/N: I haven’t found a hometown Rudy fic yet soooo I wrote one. I have no idea where this story is going to go and I’m honestly finding it hard to get out of writing JJ and get into writing Rudy, but here we go anyways. I wanted to write something where the reader and Rudy were hometown friends before he moved to LA, and to explore the idea of how that would change/what it would look like when he comes back. Get ready for a S L O W. B U R N. my dudes. Peace and love, Mossy x]

The sky was grey and the air was wet - it had been raining for 4 days straight. You sat in your car with the heat cranked, your window down slightly so that the humidity didn’t fog up your mirrors. Living on the Alaskan coast was beautiful most of the time but horrible some of the time, especially when you had to waste gas just keeping warm and dry at 6pm in the beginning of ‘Summer’. 

You had never lived anywhere else aside from the summer you spent in Vancouver with your cousin when you were 19. Now, at 23, you were working full time at the local bookshop that was an 8 minute drive from your house in the winter and a 20 minute walk/skate in the summer. Your car was parked street side, waiting for your friend Lizzy to finish her shift at the cafe. The smell of the rain and the Ben Howard song on the radio made you nostalgic about the times you and your friends from high school had spent hours skating down these streets, beers in your backpacks, no helmets, dirty shoes and clothes, no pressure, no responsibilities, no cell service...no worries. 

Since graduation a lot of your friends had moved out of town, either to Anchorage or down to Washington, or further south. Your best friend Lizzy had stayed close to home, helping run her families business and working part time at the cafe. You had stayed local too...your dad owned a fishing guide business and your mom was an admin assistant for the MD in town, but neither made enough to cover all the medical bills you had racked up over the last few years. You figured once the debt was paid off you might leave...but you had no idea where you would go. 

You missed all of your friends, but you missed the boys the most, aside from Lizzy you didn't have a lot of female friends, and your boys had been like brothers to you. You spoke to most of them every few weeks on FaceTime, except Rudy. He had gone to LA for awhile and had kept in touch loosely, but after the first few months he started to drift. 

You felt the loss the hardest for Rudy. He had been your closest friend the longest, you had spent nearly every day of every summer together since you were 9, and every school year you worked the same part time job at the seafood restaurant on the water. Now, the last you heard, he was coming back for the summer to ‘reconnect’. You had low expectations and tried not to let yourself get excited, but truthfully, you wanted him to spend some time at home and be around his own kind again - he had always been a homebody and you were worried that being gone for 4 years would go to his head or change him.

Lizzy tapped on the glass, causing you to blink out of your reverie and smile at her. You rolled the window down and let her reach in and open the door from the inside (the handle had been broken since high school). She threw her backpack and skateboard in the back seat, climbing in and closing her door.

“Ugh.” She grunted as her teeth chattered and she rubbed her bare legs. 

“You know its only May, you shouldn’t even be wearing shorts yet. The snow just melted.”

Lizzy glared at you playfully and put her hand out to do your handshake. You did it, then put the car in drive and started slowly down the street, windshield wipers moving rhythmically.

“How was the shift?” You asked as you checked your mirrors and wiped some humidity off the rear view. 

“Same old” Lizzy leaned back in her seat and pulled the visor mirror down to fix her hair. “That old man Collins from the cannery keeps coming in and harassing me.”

“Jack? The one with the eye patch?” 

Lizzy nodded dramatically as she held the bobby pins in her mouth and started to twist her straight black hair off her face. 

“That guy-“ She finished placing the final pin and slammed the visor closed “-Is an absolute creep.”

You snorted a sarcastic laugh and rolled your eyes.

“He’s like...70. And widowed. Don’t be rude.”

“I’m not being rude. Im just...asserting my boundaries.”

“You literally have a 3 foot counter between you at minimum, at all times.” You looked over at her and raised your eyebrows.

“Whatever. All I’m saying is we need hotter men in this town. Like...soon.”

You nodded in agreement and felt your eyes wander all over the road, remembering the time you and Rudy had taken your longboards down it after a torrential downpour and you had crashed and gotten such bad road burn that he had to call his dad to come pick you both up because you couldn’t walk.

“Hey, Y/N, are you listening?” Lizzy cut back in, staring at you.

“No, what?”

“I said, speaking of hot guys, I heard Rudy is coming back for a few months.”

You pinched your face and looked at her then at the road, then back at her.

“Rudy is not hot. Rudy is....Rudy. What are you talking about?”

Lizzy looked at you disbelieving and closed her mouth, trying not to smile.

“What!” You repeated, smacking her arm.

“Hey!” She laughed, then shook her head and looked out the window. “Whatever you say man, I just think....” She grabbed her water bottle and began to screw off the lid “I just think...he’s not gonna be the same Rudy that left 4 years ago. He’s like...a movie star now.”

You couldn’t even begin to touch that one. You knew what she was doing...she was always harping on you about going on dates or taking trips with her to the mainland to hook up with the pilots during their layovers. You never went, and always insisted that you were just fine and were not interested. She never listened. Part of that was true...you were fine, and usually not interested. But sometimes, when the water was calm and the sunset was colourful and the fish were jumping and your beer was cold...you wished you had someone to share it with.

“I’m going up to Skagway this weekend with my dad” You said, changing subjects. “He’s short a guide and needs someone to drive the boat.”

“Lucky you” She said sarcastically, screwing the lid back on her bottle. “Another weekend spent with men twice your age who have zero ability to catch a fish and even less ability to smell nice.” 

“It’s good money.” You said flatly, annoyed that everything seemed to revolve around men with her. “And in case you forgot I’m kinda in need of that at the moment.”

Lizzy licked her lips and put her hands up, dipping her head. 

“Alright...noted. Chill out Kemosabe.” She giggled under her breath and looked out her window, drawing a small penis in the moisture on the window.

“Babe, seriously. You need to get laid.” You said, shaking your head.

“I know” She replied, working on the veins. “Trust me. Im in a state of national emergency by this time of year.”

Lizzy was absolutely one of the girliest girls (and most beautiful girls) in the south of Alaska, which was ironic considering the house she grew up in. Her dad was an overweight German restaurant entrepreneur who had opened a world class seafood restaurant in Juneau back in the 90s and had shacked up with her mother who was this drop dead gorgeous Haida warrior woman who you had literally seen kill and skin a bear with her own hands. 

They had forged this chain of restaurants local to Alaska that people flew hundreds of miles to eat at, but still lived in an off-grid cabin that hadn’t been insulated since 1960 and used wood heating. Not really the type of family that screamed southern belle femininity - yet somehow Lizzy came out of that union with a pink bed set, refusing to ever wear camo or sweatpants, and still had never shot a gun - which her mother reminded her of weekly. 

Lizzy had hit puberty at 10 and had used her breast advantage over every girl in your class for the next 3 years like some sort of distinction of better genetics, as if she needed boobs to prove that. Unlike you, she was naturally thin and tall (6ft to be precise), had long, thick straight black hair and olive skin, and perfect hips. You felt like a prepubescent boy standing next to her, with your uneven complexion and your frizz and your awkward thigh fat distribution. You were envious of her genetics - her mother graced her with the body of an athlete and the thick black hair, and her father had given her height and cheekbones that could slice through glass. You looked down at your arms, covered in freckles, pasty white from lack of sun, and cringed, looking back at the road.

You turned the corner leaving the main road and starting on the dirt road that led to your favourite part of beach access. Lizzy pulled her hoodie out of her backpack and took off her seatbelt, leaning forward to pull it down over her head. You leaned forward and looked up, this was your favourite part of the drive. The dirt road which was lined with moss and ferns and other foliage wound along the base of the snow capped mountain that was at least 1000ft in elevation. The mist and fog from the coast was thick and creeped through the tall cedar trees, black ravens and falcons flying overhead stark against the white mist. This was the most idyllic picture of northwest coastal living you could find.

When you parked at the trail head Lizzy slipped off her work flats and into her Teva’s, you grabbed your yellow Vans out of your trunk and slipped them on. You usually drove bare foot, a habit you had started in high school after Rudy had thrown your shoes off the dock at the restaurant and you had to drive home without any. You grabbed your sweater and your backpack which had the beer in it. As you were both gathering the rest of your things...beach blanket, hats, and rain cover, you heard a car pull up behind you. You stood up out of the trunk and squinted to see the car through the fog. It was a black ford pickup you had never seen before. 

“Who’s that?” Lizzy chimed in from behind you.

“No clue” You said as you lifted your hand to wave once. 

The truck had tinted windows and looked brand new. When it pulled up beside you, the drivers side window began to unroll, revealing Junior - your high school (ex) sweetheart.

“Holy” You said, eyebrows up, nodding. “Nice truck - where’d you steal it from?” He rolled his eyes at you dramatically.

“Whatever kid - its a rental. Got it to drive to the airport in.” His chest puffed out and his expression read so proud. 

“Airport?” You said inquisitively. “Since when does Alan pay you to drive new trucks to the airport?” 

“Since Rudy hired him for the pick up service and apparently is incapable of driving his own ass around anymore” Junior snorted and waved at Lizzy.

“Or he doesn’t have a car here anymore” You noted, rolling your eyes at him.

“Either way, I get this bad boy for the next 24 hours and I intend to give her the royal grand tour of our humble town.” He ran his hand up and down the steering wheel, stroking the new leather. “Wanna go for a rip?” He said, winking. You shook your head and crossed your arms over your chest. 

“Well I do” Lizzy piped up from beside you, walking closer to the window. She smiled at Junior and began to put her hair in a pony tail. She nudged your arm as she began to walk to the passenger side door. “Come on, granny. Let’s go!”

She laughed as she climbed up into the truck, but you shook your head again.

“I’m good...you kids have fun. Say hi to Rudy for me” You said to Junior, who shrugged his head and muttered ��definitely wont do that’ under his breath.

Lizzy blew a kiss at you and waved once before Junior put it in drive and started to go up the dirt road north of you. 

Junior and you had ended on okay terms, but he had concocted a theory that you had broken up with him because of another guy, and the unspoken suggestion was that that guy had been Rudy. Small town guys had a heck of a time with the idea of girls and guys just being friends. 

You sighed and watched as the truck disappeared around the corner, and turned back to your own car. You grabbed your backpack and slammed the trunk closed, walking down the path alone. You weren’t mad at Lizzy for going with him - she was flighty and bailed on you at the bar all the time - but you were mad the beer was going to go warm before you could drink it all. Not that you should even be drinking 6 beers alone by the water when you had to drive yourself home. Doubtful the 2 cops in this town would even be awake to see you though. Whatever.

You reached the end of the path and rounded the corner, revealing the coast line and the rocky beach. It was your favourite place to sit and think, sit and smoke, sit and be yourself. The beach curled in a U shape, giving you a private spot where the rest of the shoreline was blocked from view and all you could see was the ominous cedar forest that stretched up the mountain, the snow caps at the top, and the horizon over the cold pacific.

You had intended to share the joint you had in your pocket with Lizzie, but...well, her loss. You spread the blanket out on the softest patch of sand and rocks you could find (which still meant you were guaranteed to get at least 2 rocks in the ass) and placed your bag down, kicking off your sneakers. You took a deep breath for the first time in a few days and lit the joint, taking one long, deep inhale. You felt it tingle through your chest and your arms and legs almost immediately, relaxing you. Being here alone always sent you into a spiral of memories and thoughts that you worked hard during the day to suppress. Most insistent lately had been thoughts about your health problems. You called them ‘health problems’ but in reality it was just an eating disorder. You could go 2, sometimes 3 days without eating anything, and never felt hungry. It started after graduation.

You had lost weight, dramatically, going from a stable 120-125 to 95 at most and 90 at worst, in the span of a month. And for the next three years you had never gained it back, you had stayed at a relatively stable 95, which still left you looking sickly and too thin at 5’3”. Your frame wasn’t built for that kind of weight drop, you were Scottish and Cree, sprinkled with a little bit of German and Irish. A classic northwest cracker mix. You weren’t naturally small, you always had a bit of something to grab onto, but it was normal to your body, healthy. 

Some part of your brain knew that it had something to do with leaving school...and the pretence that came with that. The expectation...the responsibility. You were never that kind of person, and it never really bothered you, but suddenly it had. You never planned to go to University right away, but you had no back up plan. It wasn't something you and your friends really talked about. But suddenly Jacob had gotten into U of Washington, Dan had left to backpack Europe, and Rudy had not so graciously announced he was deferring his acceptance and scholarship to culinary school because he wanted to be an actor, and flew to LA the next month. You had been left behind, with Lizzy of all people, and it had hit you hard.

You looked around the beach, dragging on your joint quicker than normal, trying to knock the thoughts out of your head. An Eagle screeched above - scaring you - and you laid back on the blanket, closing your eyes. You needed to chill the hell out. This was the first time in a few weeks that you had gotten a night off from helping your dad with his guide business and you didn’t plan on wasting it riddling your brain with anxiety and worrying about your body.

You looked up at the sky and watched the mist and fog kiss the clouds, the sunset colours dancing across them. As it usually did, the rain had stopped just as the sun was going down, the clouds parting briefly and letting the smallest sliver of sunlight through, just enough to burn the grey light out of the sky and allow the pink and orange hues to fade along the horizon. You sat up and cracked a beer, enjoying the fresh smelling air and the rhythmic sound of the waves licking the shore line. 

Two beers in you had put on your jacket and placed your Bluetooth speaker next to you on the blanket, blasting a playlist that Rudy had made you for your graduation party.

Three beers in you took the jacket off, standing up and dancing by yourself on the beach to the music.

Four beers in you laid down on the blanket, balled your jacket up and used it as a pillow, and started looking for shapes in the stars.

Five beers in you fell sleep.

———

Many hours later, as the sun rose and was bright on the water and the early morning bird feed was in full swing overhead, you were drifting in and out of sleep to the squawking when a shadow came across your face, alerting you to groggily open your eyes.

“What’s up, Little Fern?” His voice had gotten deeper. Wait, what?

You opened your eyes and blinked, raising a hand to block the sun. There, in your very awake and very not dreaming state, was the unmistakable silhouette that you had spent the last 18 years dreaming about and 18 years being a friend to.

Rudy.

[travishhessler]

English Premier League Trophy Odds Tracker | SBD

Liverpool to win the double odds - Liverpool Betting Odds | BetVictor

Southeastern Louisiana. Stephen F. Alabama State. Alcorn State. Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Grambling Source. Jackson State. Mississippi Valley State. Southern University. Texas Southern. Coppin State. Delaware Liverpoo. Maryland-Eastern Liverppol. Morgan State. Norfolk State. North Carolina Central. South Carolina Liverpool to win the double odds. Florida Gulf Coast. Kennesaw State.

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Youngstown State. Informative post Hampshire. Stony Brook. Bryant University. Central Connecticut State. Fairleigh Dickinson. Mount St. Sacred Heart. Francis BKN. Francis PA. James Madison.

North Carolina-Wilmington. Loyola Marymount. Saint Mary's. San Diego. San Francisco. Santa Clara. Seton Hall. George Mason. George Washington. La Salle. Rhode Island. Saint Read full article PA. Saint Louis. Virginia Commonwealth. Ti Peter's. BOS Celtics. BKN Nets. NY Knicks. PHI 76ers.

TOR Raptors. CHI Bulls. CLE Cavaliers. DET Pistons. IND Pacers. MIL Bucks. ATL Hawks. CHA Hornets. MIA Heat. ORL Magic. WAS Wizards. DEN Nuggets. MIN Timberwolves. OKC Thunder. Liverpool to win the double odds Trail Blazers.

UT Jazz. GSW Warriors. LA Clippers. LA Lakers. PHX Suns. SAC Kings. DAL Mavericks. HOU Rockets. MEM Grizzlies. NO Pelicans. SA Spurs. ANA Ducks. ARI Coyotes. COL Avalanche. LA Kings. MIN Wild. SJ Sharks. STL Blues. VGS Golden Knights. CAR Hurricanes. CHI Blackhawks. CBJ Blue Jackets. DAL Stars. Liverpool to win the double odds Red Wings. FLA Panthers. NSH Predators. TB Lightning. BOS Bruins. BUF Sabres. Oddds Devils. NY Islanders. NY Rangers. PHI Flyers. PIT Penguins.

WSH Capitals. CGY Flames. EDM Oilers. MTL Canadiens. OTT Senators. TOR Maple Leafs. VAN Canucks. WPG Jets. Game Lines. Live Props. Player Props. Game Props. Team Props. Team Futures. Draw with Goals. Liverpool to win by 1. Aston Villa to win by 1. Liverpool to win by 2.

Aston Villa to win by 2. Liverpool to win by 3. Aston Villa to liverpool to win the double odds by 3 or more. Liverpool to win by 4. Liverpool to win by 5 or more. Crystal Palace to win by 1. Chelsea to win by 1. Crystal Palace to win by 2 or more. Chelsea to win by 2. Chelsea to win by 3.

Chelsea to win by 4. Chelsea to win by 5 or more. Burnley to win by 1. Newcastle to win by 1. Burnley to win by 2. Newcastle to win by 2. Burnley to win by 3. Newcastle to win by 3 or more. Burnley to win by liverpool to win the double odds or more.

West Ham to win by 1. Leicester City to win by 1. Esports Call of Duty. Premier League. La Liga. Serie A. Premier League Outrights. La Liga Outrights.

Serie A Outrights. Bundesliga Outrights. Champions League Outright. Europa League Outrights. Formula 1. Horse Racing. Grand National ilverpool The Oaks - The Derby - Ice Hockey. Motor Racing. Rugby League.

Liverpool Betting Odds

World Cup Rugby Union. Lions Tour. Table Tennis. Virtual Sports. Virtual Horse Racing Flat. Virtual Horse Racing Jumps. Virtual Football Euro Cup. Virtual Football Club. Virtual Dog Racing.

2021 English Premier League Odds Tracker

Couble Basketball US League. Author Tony Kelshaw Tony has been a journalist for more than 25 years, with past positions including Press Association betting editor, Teletext Sport betting editor and Sport Newspapers deputy racing editor. A Manchester United and Salford Red Devils supporter, he spends much of his spare time walking his two pet greyhounds.

Meet our other bwin editors. Related posts. Man City vs Leeds: Whites worth backing on handicap list. Liverpool vs Aston Villa: Reds can prove too liverpool to win the double odds.

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People, April 27

Cover: Julia Louis-Dreyfus -- I Know How Precious Life Is 

Page 1: Chatter -- Billie Eilish, Yara Shahidi, Joe Manganiello on Sofia Vergara, Josh Duhamel, Kelly Ripa, Tracy Morgan 

Page 2: 5 Things We’re Talking About This Week -- Tom Hanks surprises as SNL host, kids rock out to the Trolls sequel, Jimmy Fallon’s daughter interrupts his show, Naomi Watts has a meltdown, Doogie Howser MD gets a reboot 

Page 4: Contents

Page 6: Editor’s Letter -- Welcome to our Earth Day special 

Page 8: StarTracks -- stars celebrate Easter in isolation -- Andrea Bocelli performed in the empty Duomo di Milano cathedral for his Music for Hope 

Page 9: Jenna Bush Hager with husband Henry and kids Mila and Poppy and Hal, Katy Perry dressed up her baby bump in a bunny onesie, Sylvester Stallone and wife Jennifer and daughters Scarlet and Sistine and Sophia, Gabrielle Union and daughter Kaavia, Mindy Kaling 

Page 10: Dwayne Johnson and his dog Hobbs, Kristin Chenoweth and boyfriend Josh Bryant finish a puzzle, Matthew McConaughey and wife Camila deliver 80,000 masks to police and fire stations in Austin and New Orleans 

Page 11: Gwyneth Paltrow with kids Apple and Moses, Joanna Gaines improvised a book tour with husband Chip Gaines and their kids, Prince Charles and Camilla Duchess of Cornwall celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary with a subtle recreation of their engagement portrait at their Birkhall home on Balmoral Estate, Sarah Silverman joined the nightly cheering for health care and essential workers who are on the front lines amid the COVID-19 pandemic 

Page 12: Stars Staying Safe in Masks -- Christian Siriano, Miley Cyrus and Cody Simpson make a grocery run in LA, Emmy Rossum on a walk in LA, Usher picking up a pizza in LA, Kumail Nanjiani wears a mask and latex gloves in LA 

Page 13: Oprah Winfrey, Prince William and Princess Kate Middleton took part in their first-ever royal engagement via video call speaking with the staff and students of a school in northern England where the kids of essential workers are being looked after, Kate Beckinsale holds hands with rocker Goody Grace during a hike, Russell Dickerson and wife Kailey are pregnant 

Page 15: Bruce Willis and Demi Moore quarantining together with their daughters 

Page 18: Heart Monitor -- Kenya Moore and Marc Daly back on, Deborra-Lee Furness and Hugh Jackman happy anniversary, Lily Allen and David Harbour getting serious, Florence Pugh and Zach Braff going strong 

Page 20: The truth about Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen’s marriage, Tyler Perry helping the elderly amid COVID-19 

Page 22: College Admissions Scandal Update -- Prosecutors have released photos they claim Lori Loughlin used to fraudulently get their daughters into USC of the daughters posing on ERG indoor-rowing machines 

Page 25: Alec Baldwin and wife Hilaria expecting again, This Week in People History -- the death of Kurt Cobain 

Page 26: Passages, Linda Tripp 1949-2020 

Page 27: Lost to COVID-19 -- Hilary Heath, David Driskell, John Prine, Hal Willner 

Page 28: Stories to make you smile 

Page 31: People Picks -- Killing Eve 

Page 32: People Presents Harry & Meghan: A Royal Rebellion, She Walks with Apes, One to Watch -- Brews Brothers’ Mike Castle 

Page 33: #blackAF, Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth 

Page 34: Home 

Page 35: Selah and the Spades, Let’s Go Crazy: The Grammy Salute to Prince, Sam Hunt -- Southside 

Page 36: Books, Star Picks: Quarantine Reading -- Maria Bello, Jamie Lee Curtis, Chrissy Metz 

Page 38: Cover Story -- Julia Louis-Dreyfus finding new strength and new purpose 

Page 46: 50 Things You Should Know & Do To Help the Planet 

Page 49: Robert Redford -- We Need to Band Together 

Page 50: Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi -- We are all connected to each other, to animals and to the environment 

Page 54: Jane Fonda -- Fight to Protect Your Health & Your Family 

Page 64: Jaden Smith -- All generations and people of the world have to work together 

Page 68: Natalie Portman -- You Can’t Live in a Bubble 

Page 73: LeAnn Rimes -- I’m not ashamed of my pain 

Page 76: The Coronavirus Crisis -- Kindness Across America 

Page 78: Fatal Betrayal -- When Britney Ujlaky went missing her “big brother” Bryce Dickey consoled her family; now he’s charged with killing her 

Page 80: Alicia Silverstone reflects on life in quarantine, raising her 8-year-old son and the new projects that keep her busier than ever 

Page 86: Second Look -- the cast of Will & Grace paid tribute to I Love Lucy -- Debra Messing and Sean Hayes and Megan Mullally and Eric McCormack 

Page 88: One Last Thing -- Chance the Rapper