#watershed park

[pnw-forest-side]

Watershed in mid-winter can be such a chaotic mess. I love it.

[frommylimitedtravels]

I don’t think I’ve ever walked past this tree and not been tempted to take at least one picture of it...

Watershed Park

[reasonsforhope]

As relentless rains pounded LA, the city’s “sponge” infrastructure helped gather 8.6 billion gallons of water—enough to sustain over 100,000 households for a year.

Earlier this month, the future fell on Los Angeles. A long band of moisture in the sky, known as an atmospheric river, dumped 9 inches of rain on the city over three days—over half of what the city typically gets in a year. It’s the kind of extreme rainfall that’ll get ever more extreme as the planet warms.

The city’s water managers, though, were ready and waiting. Like other urban areas around the world, in recent years LA has been transforming into a “sponge city,” replacing impermeable surfaces, like concrete, with permeable ones, like dirt and plants. It has also built out “spreading grounds,” where water accumulates and soaks into the earth.

With traditional dams and all that newfangled spongy infrastructure, between February 4 and 7 the metropolis captured 8.6 billion gallons of stormwater, enough to provide water to 106,000 households for a year. For the rainy season in total, LA has accumulated 14.7 billion gallons.

Long reliant on snowmelt and river water piped in from afar, LA is on a quest to produce as much water as it can locally. “There's going to be a lot more rain and a lot less snow, which is going to alter the way we capture snowmelt and the aqueduct water,” says Art Castro, manager of watershed management at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. “Dams and spreading grounds are the workhorses of local stormwater capture for either flood protection or water supply.”

Centuries of urban-planning dogma dictates using gutters, sewers, and other infrastructure to funnel rainwater out of a metropolis as quickly as possible to prevent flooding. Given the increasingly catastrophic urban flooding seen around the world, though, that clearly isn’t working anymore, so now planners are finding clever ways to capture stormwater, treating it as an asset instead of a liability. “The problem of urban hydrology is caused by a thousand small cuts,” says Michael Kiparsky, director of the Wheeler Water Institute at UC Berkeley. “No one driveway or roof in and of itself causes massive alteration of the hydrologic cycle. But combine millions of them in one area and it does. Maybe we can solve that problem with a thousand Band-Aids.”

Or in this case, sponges. The trick to making a city more absorbent is to add more gardens and other green spaces that allow water to percolate into underlying aquifers—porous subterranean materials that can hold water—which a city can then draw from in times of need. Engineers are also greening up medians and roadside areas to soak up the water that’d normally rush off streets, into sewers, and eventually out to sea...

To exploit all that free water falling from the sky, the LADWP has carved out big patches of brown in the concrete jungle. Stormwater is piped into these spreading grounds and accumulates in dirt basins. That allows it to slowly soak into the underlying aquifer, which acts as a sort of natural underground tank that can hold 28 billion gallons of water.

During a storm, the city is also gathering water in dams, some of which it diverts into the spreading grounds. “After the storm comes by, and it's a bright sunny day, you’ll still see water being released into a channel and diverted into the spreading grounds,” says Castro. That way, water moves from a reservoir where it’s exposed to sunlight and evaporation, into an aquifer where it’s banked safely underground.

On a smaller scale, LADWP has been experimenting with turning parks into mini spreading grounds, diverting stormwater there to soak into subterranean cisterns or chambers. It’s also deploying green spaces along roadways, which have the additional benefit of mitigating flooding in a neighborhood: The less concrete and the more dirt and plants, the more the built environment can soak up stormwater like the actual environment naturally does.

As an added benefit, deploying more of these green spaces, along with urban gardens, improves the mental health of residents. Plants here also “sweat,” cooling the area and beating back the urban heat island effect—the tendency for concrete to absorb solar energy and slowly release it at night. By reducing summer temperatures, you improve the physical health of residents. “The more trees, the more shade, the less heat island effect,” says Castro. “Sometimes when it’s 90 degrees in the middle of summer, it could get up to 110 underneath a bus stop.”

LA’s far from alone in going spongy. Pittsburgh is also deploying more rain gardens, and where they absolutely must have a hard surface—sidewalks, parking lots, etc.—they’re using special concrete bricks that allow water to seep through. And a growing number of municipalities are scrutinizing properties and charging owners fees if they have excessive impermeable surfaces like pavement, thus incentivizing the switch to permeable surfaces like plots of native plants or urban gardens for producing more food locally.

So the old way of stormwater management isn’t just increasingly dangerous and ineffective as the planet warms and storms get more intense—it stands in the way of a more beautiful, less sweltering, more sustainable urban landscape. LA, of all places, is showing the world there’s a better way.

-via Wired, February 19, 2024

[gravelgirty]

The appropriate use of the word MARCESCENT, among other things.

[usnatarchives]

The WAVES of Change: Women's Valiant Service in World War II 🌊

When the tides of World War II swelled, an unprecedented wave of women stepped forward to serve their country, becoming an integral part of the U.S. Navy through the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES) program. This initiative not only marked a pivotal moment in military history but also set the stage for the transformation of women's roles in the armed forces and society at large. The WAVES program, initiated in 1942, was a beacon of change, showcasing the strength, skill, and patriotism of American women during a time of global turmoil.

The inception of WAVES was a response to the urgent need for additional military personnel during World War II. With many American men deployed overseas, the United States faced a shortage of skilled workers to support naval operations on the home front. The WAVES program was spearheaded by figures such as Lieutenant Commander Mildred H. McAfee, the first woman commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Navy. Under her leadership, WAVES members were trained in various specialties, including communications, intelligence, supply, medicine, and logistics, proving that women could perform with as much competence and dedication as their male counterparts.

The impact of the WAVES program extended far beyond the war effort. Throughout their service, WAVES members faced and overcame significant societal and institutional challenges. At the time, the idea of women serving in the military was met with skepticism and resistance; however, the exemplary service of the WAVES shattered stereotypes and demonstrated the invaluable contributions women could make in traditionally male-dominated fields. Their work during the war not only contributed significantly to the Allies' victory but also laid the groundwork for the integration of women into the regular armed forces.

The legacy of the WAVES program is a testament to the courage and determination of the women who served. Their contributions went largely unrecognized for many years, but the program's impact on military and gender norms has been profound. The WAVES paved the way for future generations of women in the military, demonstrating that service and sacrifice know no gender. Today, women serve in all branches of the U.S. military, in roles ranging from combat positions to high-ranking officers, thanks in no small part to the trail blazed by the WAVES.

The WAVES program was more than just a wartime necessity; it was a watershed moment in the history of women's rights and military service. The women of WAVES not only supported the United States during a critical period but also propelled forward the conversation about gender equality in the armed forces and beyond. Their legacy is a reminder of the strength and resilience of women who rise to the challenge, breaking barriers and making waves in pursuit of a better world.

Read more: https://prologue.blogs.archives.gov/2023/11/06/historic-staff-spotlight-eunice-whyte-navy-veteran-of-both-world-wars/

[allthecanadianpolitics]

A debilitating parasite that causes a fatal disease in fish has been confirmed in British Columbia for the first time, four months after a suspected case in the Rockies caused several bodies of water to be closed. Emerald Lake and several nearby lakes in B.C.'s Yoho National Park, roughly 175 kilometres northwest of Calgary, were shuttered after a suspected case of whirling disease was found last September. Parks Canada said on Friday that further testing confirmed the presence of whirling disease in Emerald Lake. It also confirmed the disease had spread to bodies of water in the Kootenay River watershed.

Continue Reading

Tagging @politicsofcanada

[centipedelightning]

Hobbies!

headcanons about what kind of hobbies i think some of the skeles have. this post includes undertale and underfell sans and papyrus. i want to smooch these guys so bad y’all.

| Undertale & Underfell || fluff |

Hobbies: you are here | pt. 2 | pt. 3 | pt. 4

words: 1045

Sans

Canonically it’s trombone, and he knows how to sew

He started learning how to sew pretty young (out of necessity) so he’s really good now. He made papyrus’s costume after all! He’s actually a pretty skilled seamstress and super super good at making barely visible, perfectly blended alterations to clothing. He’d be better at mending if he cared to, but he isn’t bad.

The trombone was probably in whatever the underground equivalent of his second year of high school.

Yes he was and still is a band kid sorry 🤷🏻‍♀️

Other than in game canon, I see him doing origami. He found a box set of books (beginner, intermediate, and advanced) at the dump in great condition and decided to take it up.

He used to make a bunch of little characters and animals for babybones Papyrus to play with.

He makes so many paper stars. Like two of those really big mason jar fulls with a third actively being filled.

It became a bit of a coping mechanism to be able to pick up scraps of paper and make little things quickly and mindlessly. Not to mention the chance to make a wish

More than once he may or may not have used torn slips of blueprints and schematics for projects…. Oops

Papyrus

He’s so babygirl girliepop

He loves puzzles but that’s already covered by playing the game and this is not written to rehash the canon

So instead I will tell you about the million and one crafts he does (no I won't)

He so so crafty and creative so technically he does a lot of different things, but I see him loving making decor items. Stuff like rock painting and recycled garden decor. Yk those bottle cap flowers for your garden? Stuff like that.

His front garden is so cute because of all the stuff he put in it.

The rocks he paints are just random local forest and river stones. The paints are all natural and watershed safe. Ecological awareness queen.

He mostly does those dot patterns when and places them all around the garden and pathways. Sometimes he’ll do little faces or bugs to mix it up

ZUMBA omg

He’s such a Zumba girl you have no clue. He loves the fun danciness of it while still being a good workout. He’s very 90s fashion-wise so you know he’s in those brightly colored body suits.

He lovesss putting together and painting model figures. Kinda like dnd minis but I see him being more into put it together yourself robot sets (like Gundams or whatever they’re called)

Y’all he’s so down bad for sexy robots you can’t tell me he wouldn’t love Gundams. Just look at how he acts towards his action figures AND METTATON HIMSELF. He’s so tragic and so real tbh.

Red

He’s my artsy babygirl.

If you’ve read my headcanon post about him you’ll know.

He’s not very good, but he does do landscape paintings every now and then. Those times are more when he randomly decides to take a walk around a local park or something. He’s more interested in studying other artists’ work than doing it himself.

Onto an actual hobby: Whittling!

He discovered the hobby kinda on his own in the underground. Whenever he was forced to show up to his sentry station and couldn’t find a way to run off, he’d pick up sticks and cut them down to nothing with a pocket knife. Over time he started carving little shapes and figures into the sticks. He’d usually just make simple bone attacks or snow poffs. Sometimes if he found a bigger branch, he’d make replicas of some of the other royal guards or random machines.

Topside he makes so many animals. Like so many. His favorite things to make are birds. He has so many different types of whittled birds all over his room. There’s boxes in his closet overflowing with finished and half finished bird carvings. They’re also in the windows and you can see them walking past their house.

If he’s feeling fancy he’ll pull out the woodstain and give them a little depth to make the species more obvious.

He makes other animals too of course, but they’re usually gifts. He makes a bunch of forest animals for Frisk (their favorites are rabbits and deer).

He made an MTT carving Once when Edge was going through it and was increasingly stressed for like a month straight. Red is a bit of a hater so jacking anything MTT was like pulling teeth. You gotta do what you gotta do for the happiness of your siblings I'm afraid.

A lot of people see him working as a mechanic and I agree, but that’s his career and jobs can’t be hobbies so I’m not gonna go into depth.

Edge

Ok consider for a second: (silk) flower arranging

For one, I headcanon him working as a professional makeup artist on the surface so its not completely left field,

For two, I’m right and you know it.

He does it as casually as you can imagine Edge being casual. Mostly dining table centerpieces and hallways vases. He does silk flowers for places he doesn’t check as often (like hallways) but since he’s classy he dumps the extra G for the fancy fake flowers.

The real flowers are in foyers and on tables. He even takes the occasional flower arranging class in different disciplines to be able to have the skill to arrange any flower in any style.

Edge is such a granny so I think weaving would be reasonable too.

Originally he started out darning his clothes so they would last a few more months, but since he got topside he does a lot of more artsy woven pieces on those small lap sized looms.

He’s not too picky about the actual design; they’re usually classy and fancy and a bit pretentious like him but he’s not actually all that picky about it. He mostly makes scarves and wall hangs that he sells at the local farmers market and craft fairs.

All his friends do have specially designed and stunningly made scarves that he spent hours laboring away on. He gets to critical levels of happiness when he sees them wearing his hard work.

[sitting-on-me-bum]

Sand Island’s shoreline is pocked with sea caves carved by ice, wind, and the waves of Lake Superior. The lake has “higher water quality, lower watershed stress, and [lower] shoreline development stress than the other Great Lakes,” says Brenda Lafrancois, an ecologist for the National Park Service.

PHOTOGRAPH BY DAVID GUTTENFELDER

[piganatur]

the eighth sense ep7-8 thoughts and impressions:

- those seniors did not give two shits about the club disbanding, they could go on a trip in their private time any day, but the prospect of blaming ‘some freshman’, and as a result, jaewon, for causing a mess got them so excited they almost pissed their panties. they are sad little creatures barking amongst themselves barely able to wait to tear into jaewon at the first opportunity they get

- yoonwon yelling at eunji to get out felt so satisfying

- actually what jaewon said in the photography shop cut x1000000 times deeper than the english translation of it

- jaewon all bundled up in his therapist’s office 😭😭😭😭😭

- jihyun my beloved, i never doubted u bae

- he tries so hard to be strong, truly a man who makes u believe he has no fear

- jaewon has shut down, he’s done w/ performing and now i feel like jihyun kinda puts on this overly confident idgaf act to seem more unbothered and brave than he actually feels ????????????? (another kind of parallel, of jihyun and jaewon swapping places in a sense) ((but then again, after what jihyun went through, his idgaf attitude is so valid))

- this constant mention of someone dying and the duality of its usage is sure interesting

- sajangnim ily 💞

- aeri ily 💞

- joonpyo ily 💞

- eunji is so embarrassing she’s kinda pitiful actually

- i get what they wanted to say w/ the presentation scene but i don’t get why they had to say it that way though

- some1 pls give park taehyung his daesang my lil meow meow has worked so hard (he feels so good to stand on the moral high ground, to be the victim it’s ridiculous)

- i just love that after 6 years of sincere friendship, he’s still ‘park taehyung’ in jaewon’s phone meanwhile i bet my two cents (so everything i have) that jihyun was just ‘jihyun’ from the get-go

- im in love with the disciplinary hearing scene’s blocking and colours, jaewon surrounded by deep blue from all sides and jihyun standing before him, standing up for him. he is the watershed, smack in the middle, being a buffer between jaewon and taehyung (from the side) but also between jaewon and the committee (from the front). jihyun wears earth colours, he’s like an island in that scene, a refuge and a destination for jaewon currently being tossed around in the middle of the sea

- the translation of jihyun saying he wants to fix jaewon’s wounds seemed off to me bc when does he even say wounds???? so i went back and checked it again and what he says can actually be interpreted differently: what jihyun wants to fix is jaewon always trying to look like a strong person (even when he’s hurting) and that makes much more sense than the i want to fix him kinda line in the translation

- joonpyo my boy 😚🦄🌸🌺💐🌈🎀💞💗💝💘💖

- everything about this shot

[pnw-forest-side]

A ghost stump and what's left behind.

~ Watershed Park ~

[frommylimitedtravels]

Back out into the forest for a bit...

[mariacallous]

Dianne Feinstein, California’s longest-serving U.S. senator who led San Francisco through its darkest and most violent days as mayor in the 1970s and later authored a federal ban on assault weapons that lasted a decade, died Thursday night, according to multiple reports.

At 90, she was the oldest member of Congress and the longest-serving female in the chamber’s history.

...

At the start of her career, Feinstein was a trailblazer for women and gay rights, and after the 1978 assassinations of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk, she emerged as a reassuring leader and formidable force who pulled together the city that was still reeling from the Jonestown Massacre in Guyana 10 days earlier, where 900 people connected to the San Francisco-based People’s Temple died.

In what would become known as “The Year of the Woman” in 1992, she shared a historic moment with Barbara Boxer when they were both elected to the U.S. Senate and California became the first state with two women senators. Feinstein won in a special election and was sworn in first.

“She had tenacity. She never gave up,” especially in passing the Assault Weapons Ban in 1994, Boxer said in an interview with the Bay Area News Group. “I will always remember how proud I was when she stood her ground on the floor of the Senate, when some of the men said, ‘Well, you don’t even understand what an AR-15 is,’ and she said, ‘I understand what gun violence is. I had to put my finger through a hole in the wrist (of Harvey Milk).’ It was very emotional.”

Feinstein also pioneered a number of other firsts: first woman mayor of San Francisco, first woman to chair the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and the first woman to chair the Senate Judiciary Committee, a watershed moment after public outrage over the handling of Anita Hill’s testimony during the male-dominated Supreme Court nomination hearings of Clarence Thomas in 1991.

In 1994, the same year she passed the weapons ban, Feinstein wrote the California Desert Protection Act that established Death Valley and Joshua Tree as national parks. After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, as chairwoman of the Intelligence Committee, she publicly released the “Torture Report” that exposed the CIA’s interrogation program that failed to work on terrorist suspects and, along with the late Sen. John McCain, authored legislation outlawing the CIA’s use of torture.

For those old enough to remember the shocking assassinations at San Francisco City Hall in 1978, however, it was her brief videotaped news conference and its aftermath that launched her national political career. Standing outside the supervisors offices, news cameras illuminating her face, she delivered the shocking news: “As president of the board of supervisors, it’s my duty to make this announcement. Both Mayor Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk have been shot and killed,” she said as the media erupted in gasps and shouts. “The suspect is Supervisor Dan White.”

She would later detail her actions that morning, that when she heard the shots, she raced into Milk’s office. “I tried to get a pulse,” she said, “and put my finger through a bullet hole.”

Duffy Jennings, a former San Francisco Chronicle reporter who was in the crowd when Feinstein made the announcement, said her leadership through a tumultuous era would come to define Feinstein.

“She was incredibly resilient, strong and decisive,” Jennings said in an interview with the Bay Area News Group. “It wasn’t just Jonestown and Dan White. The ‘70s had the Zodiac killer, Patty Hearst, the SLA, the New World Liberation Front, counterculture extremism. It was a horrific decade in San Francisco and the Bay Area. And politically, she was as strong as anybody in holding the town together.”

At one point, New World Liberation Front – an anti-capitalist terrorist group – planted a bomb on the windowsill of her daughter’s bedroom. It failed to explode.

Born in San Francisco in 1933, Feinstein was the daughter of a prominent surgeon. Feinstein was Jewish but attended the prestigious Convent of the Sacred Heart Catholic girls school, where she acted in plays and – because of her 5-foot-10-inch height – often played male roles. She attended Stanford University in the early 1950s, where she was elected vice president of the student body.

When Feinstein entered San Francisco politics in the late 1960s, “nobody took her seriously,” said Jerry Roberts, the Chronicle’s former executive editor who wrote an early biography called “Never Let Them See You Cry,” named for one of Feinstein’s tips for businesswomen.

Early media reports of her campaigns, he said, were “unbelievably sexist,” and often characterized her as a “raven-haired beauty” with a “slender figure.” Her husband at the time, Dr. Bertram Feinstein, was widely mocked as a “first husband.”

“Just in terms of the cultural obstacles that she had to overcome to be taken seriously and to win is something people don’t think a lot about now,” Roberts said. “She was never a movement feminist, but she was a feminist.”

She kept a firefighter’s turnout jacket and helmet in her trunk to race to fires, and once gave mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to a man she saw collapse in the Tenderloin. She listened to a police scanner in her office.

Although she opposed domestic partnership legislation for the city in 1982, when the AIDS epidemic broke out, Feinstein “got right on it. I mean, instantly,” said Louise Renne, whom Feinstein appointed as San Francisco’s first woman City Attorney. “The folks at San Francisco General were pulled in to deal with the AIDS epidemic, and San Francisco took a leadership role in solving that problem.”

Feinstein was considered moderate politically, supporting environmental causes but also encouraging commercial high rise development in downtown San Francisco. She is credited with completing the Moscone Convention Center project, renovating the city’s cable car system and retrofitting Candlestick Park before the Loma Prieta earthquake struck during the third game of the 1989 World Series.

Feinstein ran for governor of California in 1990 and lost to Republican Pete Wilson, whom she would replace in the Senate. In 1996, she was one of only 14 senators who voted against the Defense of Marriage Act that prevented the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages.

Feinstein’s leadership opened doors for two San Francisco women who would become the most powerful female politicians in the country – Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House and Kamala Harris as vice president.

...

Looking back, Boxer recalls when she and Feinstein were first elected to the Senate, her colleague sat her down and told her, “You’ve got to stick with this. The longer you stay, the better you’ll feel, the more you’ll get done.”

Feinstein stuck with it on Capitol Hill for three decades, perhaps summing up why in her final acceptance speech before her re-election in 2018, years before the political implications of her frail health in her final years threatened her legacy.

In the speech, she called serving in the Senate “the greatest honor in my life.”

[reasonsmandy]

Headcanon of having Warren Rojas as your husband

Warren Rojas x Fem!Reader

✧.* requested by anon — Hi! I saw you wrote headcannons about eddie, could you write about Warren as a husband? Greetings from 🇲🇽

✧.* warnings — mentions and sexual connotations

✧.* word count — 3.0k

✧.* 🥁 — Warren's masterlist

✧.* mandy's notes — How much I loved writing this is not written. Let me know if you want headcanons of Warren becoming a first-time father and the pregnancy process as well. Good reading :)

• I have a cool headcanon to explore here, so here we go: you and Warren met after the end of 'Daisy Jones and the six', while he was working as a studio drummer you ended up meeting on the recording of one of your albums.

• You were a huge fan of the band and when you found out that he was going to be your drummer for this album you freaked out. You found out that Warren was a much more amazing person than you thought, and it didn't take long for you to grow closer.

• Warren loved what he did, going into the studio playing the drums and making music was, and he thought it would always be, his greatest passion. Until he met you, when he met you it was a watershed moment where he fell completely in love, and then he knew that his biggest passion would be you, the person who had his heart.

• Of course, it wasn't at first that this relationship between you was established. For some reason with you Rojas couldn't be as loose as he always was with whoever he was interested in, it was as if things were different with you... As if he knew that this time he had to make it work. He didn't want to take any chances of missing out on this opportunity.

• Warren didn't have to make any effort to win your heart, he was the most adorable person you've ever met and soon you surrendered to the drummer's charms. A few months into recording your album you started going out, and soon after officially dating.

• You could say with all the words that your marriage proposal was the most unusual in history, your husband has always been the most surprising person in your point of view and logically he wouldn't do otherwise when he asked you to marry him.

As the sun set on the horizon and the weak rays of sunlight warmed your skin slightly, Warren Rojas was waiting for you in the car while he took a nap there. You've been living together for a few months now and with that usually leave Sound City together, but that day you were asked to re-record some vocals and it took a while to get released, and Warren refused to leave without you, so he waited.

"Hey there sexy drummer." You whisper in his ear as you get in the car. Rojas gets scared and wakes up from his nap, smiling when he sees you there.

"My better half!" Rojas exclaims still with a weak voice from the recent sleep, approaching and placing a peck on your lips.

"So, what are we up to?" You ask putting on your seat belt.

“Uh, let's run by the store to pick up those cookies you were craving last night," Warren said as he started the car engine and pulled out of the parking lot. "Then we could head to the church and get married, and after that, we can go to the-" Warren was interrupted by you, laughing.

Containing the rapid beating of her heart was next to impossible, despite the likelihood that this was yet another one of your boyfriend's jokes.

"Good one there love, you almost got me." You say chuckling, trying to calm the butterflies dancing in your stomach with his words.

When you notice that you didn't get a response from the drummer you look directly at him only to notice him already watching you. The car was stopped at the light and he smiles at you with one hand on the steering wheel, he takes the other to the glove compartment and your brow immediately furrows, your heart races as you watch every little move of him.

"Honey, what are you doing?" You ask, and he only chuckles. "Wait, are you serious?"

"Dead serious," Warren said, his expression turning serious as well. "I love you more than anything, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Your heart raced as you looked into his eyes. He was serious. Your goofy facade fell away as you realized the depth of his love for you.

"And I have something for you," Warren said, reaching into the glove compartment and taking out a box. Your breath caught in your throat as he opened it, revealing a beautiful pair of rings. "Will you do me the honor?"

Your eyes filled with tears as you realized this was not a joke. "Hell yeah!" You said, pulling him close and kissing him deeply.

You got married that night.

• As you and Warren already lived together, your first night of marriage would be common until you scheduled a honeymoon later when you had more time, but of course the miraculous mind of Warren Rojas would not let that night be ordinary. He took you to his boat, the two of you strolled while exchanging conversation, he was always your confidant and that night you felt he was the one who would be yours forever.

As you lay wrapped up in a cozy blanket on the deck of the boat, Warren and you shared a contented silence. The sound of the waves gently lapping against the hull of the boat filled the air.

Warren turned to you with a playful glint in his eye. "So, Mrs. Rojas, does it feel different to have sex as my wife?"

You laughed, playfully smacking his arm. "Warren, that's not something you ask!"

"My bad my bad, I was just wondering." He shrugged and you burst out laughing. "But seriously now, how are you feeling?"

"I feel amazing." You said, kissing him and holding him closer. "I can't believe you're actually my husband." You chuckled and he smiled at you.

"Mi esposa..." Warren said to the wind. "That sounds so fucking amazing. I'm with the two things I love most in life, you and my boat.."

You laughed at the situation. "I'll tell your drums about this, huh."

Warren's eyes widen in mock horror. "Please don't tell her anything." He said, making you laugh even harder.

• Since you work with music, I imagine the house full of notes of your songs and Warren finding them around the house and always writing down notes on them like: "You nailed in this one, mi Cielo" "This one is about me, right mi amor?"

"I can't wait to hear you sing this one to me."

• Rojas loved to take care of you, when he bumps into you at the record company he always made sure to give you something to make sure you were taking care of yourself, eating well and drinking water.

• On a day of recording a new song you were nervous, it was a song about him the love of your life. You hadn't mentioned anything to him, it was a surprise but the fear of him not liking it haunted you and consequently you were very nervous:

As you stepped up to the microphone in the recording booth, your heart was pounding with nervous excitement. This was the first time you were going to sing a song you had written about Warren. You had kept it a secret from him, wanting to surprise him with your love and devotion.

The music started, and you closed your eyes, letting the melody take over. You sang the first verse, pouring all your feelings into the lyrics. You opened your eyes and saw Warren watching you from the other side of the sound booth, his eyes glued to you. You felt a pang of nervousness but kept singing.

As you sang the chorus, Warren's eyes filled with tears. He couldn't believe the beautiful words you were singing, all about him and your love for him. He had never felt so touched and moved in his life.

He couldn't hold back anymore and walked into the recording booth, tears streaming down his face. You turned to him, surprised to see him there, but your heart swelled with love at the sight of him.

He took you in his arms, holding you tightly as he kissed you with all the love and tenderness in his heart.

After the kiss, Warren pulls back and looks at you with tears still in his eyes.

"I don't have words, mi amor," he says softly. "That was so beautiful, I'm so fucking proud of you."

You smile at him, feeling relieved and overjoyed at his reaction. "I'm glad you liked it. I've been working on it for weeks now."

"Like it? I love it," he says, taking your hand in his. "And I love you more than anything, you know that?"

You nod, tears welling up in your own eyes. "I love you too, Warren. I'm so lucky to have you."

Warren kisses your hand and then brings it to his lips. "No, I'm the lucky one. My wife is a music star, and she writes songs about me. We're such an amazing couple, we could be written by one of those romance novel authors."

• Two Fridays a month after recording, was what you and Warren called "The get away", you would go home first and pack a small suitcase taking everything you needed for the weekend. You would go straight to your husband's boat, and spend the weekend traveling around, enjoying each other, having special dinners, watching movies together, making music, swimming, etc.

• Warren is a big fan of puzzles and riddles, and he loves to leave little clues around the house for you to find. Sometimes they lead to a surprise gift or a special date night.

• Once Warren planted a suspicious weed in your garden, that was the funniest fight you ever had:

One day, as you're walking through the garden, you catch a whiff of a strange smell. You sniff the air and turn to Warren, who's tending to a bed of flowers nearby.

"What's that smell?" you ask, furrowing your brow.

"What smell?" Warren replies innocently.

"That... weird, musky smell," you say, still sniffing.

Warren tries to hide a smirk. "Oh, that? It's just a little experiment I'm doing."

"Experiment?" you repeat, growing more curious by the second.

Warren nods, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Yeah, I'm trying to grow some... special herbs."

Your eyes widen as the realization hits you. "Warren, are you growing weed in our garden?"

He chuckles, his face breaking out into a grin. "Guilty as charged."

You cross your arms, feeling a little sulky. "Warren, that's not funny. What if someone finds out?"

"It's just for fun, babe," he reassures you, stepping closer and taking your hand. "I promise I'll keep it discreet. And hey, think of it this way - we'll have our own little stash for when we want to unwind together."

Despite your initial reservations, you can't help but laugh at Warren's enthusiasm. "You're such a dork," you say, shaking your head.

Warren grins, pulling you into a hug. "But I'm your dork, right?"

You roll your eyes, but you can't help but feel grateful for how Warren always knows how to make you smile, even in the most unexpected of ways.

• As I said before, Warren cares a lot about your well being and is always worried about you. So he often runs you a bubble bath with candles and your favorite bath products. While you soak, he will bring you a glass of wine and read you a book out loud.

• Warren is not good in the kitchen, but he loves to help you with it. He gets in the way more than he helps but you never have the courage to dismiss him, then you distract him with something more unnecessary from the recipe so that he feels that he is part of it and that he helps you.

• After a few years of marriage, Warren couldn't get out of his head the idea of having another little person in that house, he loved the thought of having a little kid walking around. But he still hadn't found the right time to bring it up with you.

Warren was lying beside you, both of you panting after reaching the peak of pleasure for the second time that night. You snuggle into Rojas's arms and he envelops you more in his embrace, placing kisses on the top of your head. You are silent for a few minutes, waiting for the ecstasy of your body to fade and enjoying each other's company.

"Hey cariño, I was wondering..." The drummer starts to say and you noticing the seriousness in his voice, you sit on the bed.

"What is my love?" You question, worried. "Warren?!" You say snapping your fingers in front of his face.

Warren chuckles and shakes his head. "Sorry, sorry, got lost in thought for a moment there." He sits up, propping himself up on his elbow. "Anyway, what I was thinking was...maybe we should start practicing for the big leagues."

You furrow your brow in confusion. "What big leagues?"

"The baby-making leagues!" Warren grins mischievously, waggling his eyebrows.

You can't help but laugh at his playfulness. "Oh, is that what you were thinking about?" You tease, holding his hands.

He nods, still grinning. "Yep, I think it's time we start trying for a little one. What do you say, mi amor?"

You smile, feeling warmth spreading through your chest. "I say...let's go for it." You smile slyly, sitting on his lap. He takes his hands to his waist and smiles at your pretense.

"Dios mio." He says through his sigh, tightening his grip on your waist. "I love you so much woman."

• One day you woke up feeling sick, some clear flu symptoms. You tried to explain this to Rojas but he didn't leave your side, paying attention to every move you did so that he could help in everything:

"You're scaring me, mi amor," Warren says softly, his voice laced with concern. "I hate seeing you like this. I just want you to get better, okay?"

You manage to give him a small smile. "I'll be fine, babe. It's just a flu, nothing to worry about."

"I know, but I can't help it," he replies, brushing a strand of hair away from your face. "I need you to be well so we can continue our plan and make our baby."

You can't help but feel your heart flutter at his words. The two of you had been talking about starting a family for a while now, and the idea of having a baby with Warren fills you with joy.

"I'll do my best to get better soon, I promise," you say, reaching out to take his hand in yours. "Thank you for taking care of me."

"Always, mi amor," Warren says, pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead. "I love you."

• Ever since you guys started trying to have a baby, Warren has paid more attention to every little baby thing out there.And watching every detail of what you did, so you wouldn't take any "risks", he was almost paranoid:

One day, you were in the kitchen cooking dinner when Warren burst in, his eyes wide with panic.

"Stop, stop, stop!" he yelled, rushing over to you and grabbing the knife out of your hand. "You can't be doing that!"

You looked at him in confusion. "What? Cooking dinner?"

Warren nodded frantically. "Yes! The fumes from the cooking can affect your eggs and hurt our chances of conceiving!"

You couldn't help but smile at his over-the-top reaction. "Warren, I'm pretty sure cooking dinner isn't going to ruin our chances of having a baby."

But as you continued to cook, you noticed Warren constantly hovering around you, watching your every move. It was endearing at first, but then it started to feel suffocating. You began to feel the pressure of trying to conceive weighing down on you, and you couldn't help but feel like you were doing something wrong.

Later that night, you finally opened up to Warren about how you were feeling.

"I know you're excited about trying to have a baby, and I am too," you began, "But sometimes it feels like you're smothering me with all the attention and scrutiny. It's like every little thing I do is being watched and judged, and it's starting to feel like a lot of pressure."

As Warren listens to your words, he feels a weight lifted off his shoulders. He realizes that he's been so caught up in the idea of having a baby that he hasn't stopped to consider how you might be feeling. He pulls you close, wrapping his arms around you.

"Oh, cariño, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel that way," he said, pulling you into a tight hug. "I'm just so excited about the idea of starting a family with you. But I don't want to push you too hard. Let's take a step back and just enjoy each other's company for a while. We'll make a baby when the time is right."

"I love you so much," you say, planting a kiss on his lips. "And I want to do this with you, but I want us to enjoy it. I don't want to feel like we're just ticking off boxes on a list."

Warren nods, feeling grateful for your words. "I understand. I'm sorry for being so overwhelming. I just want everything to be perfect for us and our future baby."

You smile at him, brushing your fingers through his hair. "I know you do. And I appreciate that. But we don't have to do everything by the book. Let's just have fun and enjoy each other."

Warren feels his heart swell with love for you. He knows that he can be a bit much sometimes, but you always know how to bring him back down to earth. He leans in for another kiss, feeling thankful for the amazing woman he's lucky enough to call his partner.

• And just as promised the rest of the attempts were natural and unforgettable, Warren was always very helpful and considered everything you felt. But nothing and no one could have predicted the happiness in Warren's eyes when you told him you were pregnant, but that's a story for other headcanons :)

...

Hi, I hope you enjoyed it... If you wanted to ask for something my requests are open, and if you want to ask and don't have any ideas check out my prompt list :) xoxo

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[the-empress-7]

Did you see the article Meghan planted in variety about "backlash" against the UTA CEO? Yet you read the article and no name is mentioned. I was reading the article to read about any prominent person who will speak against the CEO in defence of Meghan.

Alas, the backlash is from an unnamed source. Again, Empress, you are an American, why has Hollywood and the US media turned against them? I wish plant were still active, I would have loved her take on this.

Two years ago the Sussexes were the darlings of the US media. They were untouchable. But now, they are being bashed left, right and center. Some people say the shift started with that south park episode. At what point do you think things went downhill for them?

Plant was back for a short while but I think she is off for the summer again (she used to take summers off when she was active).

I wish I had an answer for you, but it's like a bat signal has been sent out and suddenly the gloves are off. There are probably multiple factors at play but I do think the Coronation was watershed moment, that moment sent a clear signal they were out for good. So no one has to pretend to humor them anymore.

[btsyeonu]

👣. !!: HIS BACKGROUND ‧₊˚

↺ 💌 ࣪ ˖ ∿ author’s note , @ tw : mentions of transphobia, mental health issues, gender dysphoria, mentions of illegally obtaining gender affirming care, mentions of top surgery, mentions of being outed

okay so. yeonu has definitely not had a very nice life as hinted through the trigger warnings ofc, but also i actually wasn’t planning on his trans status being made public until i was reading this fic and i had a moment lol so now i need to revise some bits from the profile chapter, but anyways enjoy!!

⊂ HIS ✶ CHILDHOOD ⊃

KIM YEONU'S story begins not as the person now adored by the world but as someone once known by a different name and set of pronouns that never quite felt right. Initially introduced to the world as Kim Yoonha, the first child born to parents Kim Taeho and Park Eunju, she charmed everyone with her sweet disposition, her chubby cheeks reminiscent of dumplings making her an instant favorite.

AS YOONHA grew, her interests diverged from the stereotypical expectations for girls her age. While other girls cherished dolls and traditional feminine roles, Yoonha found joy in playing with cars, cranes, and often took on the role of a husband in make-believe scenarios. This distinction stirred reactions among her playmates; while some boys accepted her choices, others demanded conformity to what they considered the “correct” roles. As a result, she found her place among the girls who embraced her unconventional preferences, allowing her to embody the role of a husband without judgment.

AT THIS STAGE, nothing felt overtly out of place. Yoonha recognised her interests didn't align with typical gender expectations but believed in embracing individual differences. Her friendships remained robust, spanning both boys and girls in her kindergarten. Many admired her unconventional qualities, viewing a “tomboyish” girl as cool during that period.

AS YEONU began elementary school, however, a watershed moment unraveled—a realisation that would forever alter the course of his understanding of self. It was a defining juncture, the genesis of an awareness that he was unequivocally not a girl. A curriculum lesson detailing the impending physical changes of puberty in girls struck Yeonu with terror. The thought of breast development, broader hips, and menstruation sent shivers down his spine.

THIS REACTION felt foreign, triggering an overwhelming sensation in his chest. A request to use the restroom led to Yeonu's first panic attack at the tender age of nine. He couldn't fathom undergoing these changes, a sentiment that only intensified as he gazed at his female classmates. The prospect of transitioning into womanhood was anathema to him.

THUS BEGAN YEONU'S quest for knowledge, an ardent pursuit to understand the changes that puberty brought. The deeper he delved into the contrasting trajectories of male puberty, the more profound his yearning grew. He craved a deep voice, strength, and stature—a desire that seemed unattainable. Was there no solution? Did he have to resign himself to this fate? The aversion to being seen as a woman consumed him, perplexing and tormenting his young mind.

THE INTERNAL STRUGGLE consumed him, his once-vibrant spirit waning. His parents, especially Eunju, discerned the gradual shift in their daughter's demeanor—withdrawn, subdued, and haunted by an invisible burden. Attempts to probe met a wall of silence; Yoonha feared revealing the truth, deeming these sentiments a form of psychological ailment. How could she change what nature had dictated? Were these yearnings for boyhood merely irrational?

AT HIS LOWEST, Kim Taeho, the steadfast figure in Yeonu's life, intervened. Always closer to her father, Yoonha sought solace in his comforting embrace, finally revealing the depths of her anguish. Tears flowed freely as Yoonha clung to her father, though in that embrace, she was not his daughter anymore.

HE HAD A SON. Kim Taeho's understanding surpassed Yoonha's expectations. It was he who illuminated the concept of transitioning, imparting a profound truth—“You were always a boy, sweetheart.”

AND IT WAS ALWAYS KIM TAEHO. He employed the male pronouns, renaming Yoonha to Yeonu, walking alongside him steadfastly through the journey of transition, affirming the essence of becoming his true self as a man.

⊂ PRE ✶ DEBUT ⊃

YEONU'S MOTHER reacted with palpable disapproval upon learning about Taeho and their child's transgender identity. For Yeonu, the stinging ache of his mother's immediate rejection became a shattering heartbreak, a pain he believed to be the deepest cut to his soul. Initially engulfed by a tumultuous struggle, he found strength through Taeho's unwavering support, even in the face of unrelenting hostility from others.

HIS FATHER STOOD as a shield, a pillar of light. Understanding the profound impact of female puberty on Yeonu's mental well-being, he arranged for puberty blockers, defying legal restrictions to shield his son from the changes that caused distress. Taeho's acts, though illegal, were driven solely by his desire to see his son find happiness.

WHEN YEONU EMBARKED on his path at BigHit Entertainment however, Taeho grappled with fear for his son's well-being. Aware of society's treatment of those diverging from societal norms, he strove tirelessly to maintain a constant presence in Yeonu's life, visiting frequently to ensure his son's welfare. However, for the adolescent navigating the complex terrain of transitioning into male puberty, these frequent visits proved stifling. Yeonu found himself caught between the protective gestures of his father and the desire for independence that came with this new chapter in his life.

THE PRESENCE OF Taeho visiting him often felt suffocating for Yeonu. The fear of being perceived as incapable or less “manly” by his peers in the company's environment spiked his anxiety. The prospect of his fellow trainees catching him in conversation with his father stirred an embarrassment that threatened to overshadow his desire to establish his identity independently. This dynamic birthed a subtle divide in their relationship—a time when Yeonu struggled to fend off his father's concerns, yearning to carve his path in music while attempting to distance himself from his father's constant worries.

AFTER A HEARTFELT one to one, Yeonu had been able to embrace his authentic self. The prospect of dwelling in a dorm surrounded by boys didn't daunt him. Having grown up among guys, often engaging with his brother's friends during sleepovers, this new chapter felt natural, fitting, and undeniably right. Yeonu's encounter with Namjoon remains etched vividly in his memory, a poignant moment marking the start of a new journey. The puberty blockers had started to make way for actual testosterone injections, leaving newcomers clueless as to Yeonu’s transgender status.

ALTHOUGH YEONU found comfort and acceptance among his fellow trainees—Namjoon, Hoseok, and Yoongi, he understood the importance of presenting as male in public spaces. The idea of “passing” carried significant weight, shielding him from the prejudgments of strangers. Despite the warm friendship he shared with the boys, he withheld the truth about his identity, a choice he made to navigate the complexities of acceptance and societal biases.

DURING HIS TIME as a trainee, Yeonu reveled in conversations about music, sports, and the casualness of late-night escapades. He cherished these moments of unguarded bonds, feeling at home amidst these men who shared similar interests and experiences. Though he contemplated the prospect of coming out, he found no immediate urgency in doing so, viewing it as a decision he would reserve for a later time. His resolve was firm: should he secure a spot in the final lineup, only then would he choose to reveal his truth to his fellow members.

AND SECURE HE DID. Yeonu, a dedicated hard worker brimming with an unyielding spirit, became part of a group that would later be known as the Bulletproof Boy Scouts, alongside Namjoon, Seokjin, Yoongi, Hoseok, Jimin, Taehyung, and Jeongguk. Embracing these companions, he fostered a deep bond with each, cherishing shared aspirations.

HOWEVER, DESPITE his deep affection for the group, Yeonu found himself dealing with a difficult truth. The promise he made to reveal his identity slipped further from his grasp as the weight of potential repercussions loomed large. The fear of rejection, the haunting specter of being shunned or even ejected from the group, plagued his thoughts relentlessly. These apprehensions stifled his resolve to come out, compelling him to continue presenting himself as a cis man, even well into their debut.

⊂ DEBUT ✶ & BEYOND ⊃

IT WAS ACTUALLY quite early on into their debut that Yeonu had gone into surgery. The puberty blockers, although halted his female puberty, had only been able to be administered once he actually started puberty in the first place, leaving behind slight breast development that needed getting rid of. Nobody was made aware of what Yeonu’s surgery was actually for, instead being informed of a vague medical issue that’s been bothering the male for a long time.

THINGS WERE GOING WELL. Apart from being slightly reserved when it came to things like showering and changing completely butt booty naked in front of the others, Yeonu raised zero suspicions. He was quickly building a rapport for himself as a rookie rapper within the idol industry, and BTS as a whole were rising amongst the ranks with a solid promise of young talent.

BUT JUST AS QUICKLY AS they were rising, so were the growing number of haters that wished to break them down. It wasn’t long at all before malicious individuals would start digging into the members’ personal lives, scavenging for anything at all to make them look bad or raise eyebrows that would point and laugh and mock. And of course, it was poor old Yeonu that would take the fall for the ill intentions of others.

IT HADN’T ACTUALLY BEEN revealed that Yeonu was transgender. His family had done well to conceal traces of their son’s old identity apart from a few baby photos that would surface of Yeonu wearing dresses and honing slightly long hair. It got people questioning, brewing rumours that he was definitely born a woman while others would say that perhaps he just enjoyed dressing up as a kid and his parents would indulge him, but obviously people like a story. They went with the transgender theory, and soon that was all that anyone would talk about.

THE MEMBERS ALL HAD mixed reactions initially. Namjoon, who often delved into queer culture and history, had simply been a little surprised whilst others were confused, torn or anxious. Yeonu was in the heap of a mental breakdown at the news, shrivelling in on himself as he attempted to come to terms with his current situation.

IT WAS A TERRIFYING experience. He remembers the days in which the media would bombard him with questions, asking him to address the rumours and calling him by female pronouns. He remembers going on variety shows and feeling sorry for his fellow members when the questions would simply just get turned around to him possibly being transgender instead of actually talking about their latest comeback. He dealt with much abuse at this time from a lot of people, and it drained him in every way.

IT HAD EVEN REACHED a point in time in which Yeonu had expressed feelings of leaving the group altogether. From the constant abuse and judgment, topped with his crippling mental health, he was beginning to lose his will—he was losing faith in everything that he fought so hard for.

BUT THIS WAS WHEN the rest of Bangtan really pulled through for their Kim Yeonu. He was one of their own and there was no way in hell that they were simply going to sit by as those around them began treating the boy differently over something he couldn’t control. Of course they couldn’t be harsh to these interviewers and media outlets, but they were firm in their stance that Yeonu was no different to any of them. He was a boy. That was the end of that.

THINGS, ALTHOUGH still troublesome, got easier when the boys rallied up beside him in solidarity. They were the bulletproof shields that kept Yeonu intact for as long as he still stays standing to this day. The media had doubled down on the boys after noticing their unwavering loyalty to each other, attempting to pit them against the ‘black sheep’ of the group and disrupt their harmony.

IT NEVER WORKED. In fact, as the years had gone by, BTS only seemed to grow and rise in popularity as they began doing shows abroad, touring various countries and selling out shows completely. Yeonu stood tall and proud amongst his members and he would even be accepted and admired by overseas audiences, catapulted by some liberal interviewers that showered him in praises over his achievements as a queer artist.

IT HAD SPREAD AN inkling of warmth to hear such comforting words after years of struggle. It just goes to show that perseverance, against all odds, does indeed yield its deserved harvest.

💬 — YEONU’S TAGLIST.

@anqelws , @vizianary , @kaitieskidmore97 , @sann1e

[pannaginip]

Masungi Georeserve on Twitter @MasungiGeo:

ENDANGERED JADE VINE SPOTTED IN THE MASUNGI GEOPARK PROJECT 🌿

Masungi park rangers spotted the Jade Vine at the peak of MGP, the same area that would have been leveled to the ground by quarries if not for citizens’ vigilance.

Endemic to the Philippines and locally known as Tayabak, the Jade Vine (Strongylodon macrobotrys) crawls up tall trees in search of sunlight and can reach a height of 20 meters. It is also notable for the chandelier-like growth of its flowers.

While more common compared to the JC’s Vine, the Tayabak is regarded as a national treasure and is featured at the back of the five-peso coin. Sadly, it is also classified as Endangered due to habitat loss (DAO 2017-11).

The presence of the Jade Vine in the Masungi Geopark Project underscores the importance of safeguarding the watershed against destructive activities. #SaveMasungi