#i finished Going Postal last week | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

deceitfuldevout · 1 year

Text

Hidden Treasure (Part 8)

Arranged Marriage AU: Dark!Tommy Shelby x Wife!Reader

Warning(s): Angst, Fluff, Mentions of past domestic violence.

Author's note(s): Innocent heartfelt chapter (cue the fluff).

Your husband would have Finn either send messages to you, or simply keep an eye on your wellbeing. Although Finn hadn’t a clue of what was going on, he knew you of all people didn’t deserve this sort of treatment. He made sure to visit as often as he could for company.

You were grateful the moment Tommy finally let you out that dreadful basement. You hadn’t forgotten the promise made a few weeks ago to Finn. To bake him a signature custard from your bakery. He’d been dying to try. Soon, it became common for the youngest Shelby brother to stop by. He would either have a letter or message from Tommy. Most of them were if your husband would be late or earlier from work.

You’d pack Finn some lunch before bidding him a farewell. Most of the time it was just you and Charlie in one big, empty house. To say that he was a sweet child was an understatement. He had the power to make anyone’s cold heart melt. How could such a charming child come from a man like Tommy? You hadn’t a clue.

Of course, you could never replace Grace. You weren’t the one who’d given birth to him. But Charlie was your son in every single way that mattered. There were even a few special moments you’d spend with the other Shelby family members. You especially enjoyed bonding with the women of the family. Teatime with Polly was a particular favorite. She would give you as much advice as a wise woman could. In a way, Polly became your second mother.

As you were setting up the table Polly had been bouncing Charlie on her lap. Finn decided to stop by since today’s work was slower than usual, he choose to stay a little longer. Polly examines her finished tea. Her expression was confused at first, then startled. She shows Finn the cup, and it was as if he'd read something from it.

Polly let’s out a small sigh, “Tell me my dear…” she places her cup on the table, “…has my nephew been treating you well?”

You’re at a loss for words. How could you answer to her? Should you tell her the truth? How would she react? You made up your mind to keep it short and subtle, “Tommy provides me with everything a wife may need. What more could a woman want?” you try your best to force a smile, hoping that it was a good enough answer.

But Polly was suspicious that something wrong within your marriage. She could sense it, “You didn’t answer my question dear, has he been treating you well?” her voice is sterner this time. You tense. Your heart races, “I-I’m not sure what you mean...” you play off. Polly could tell that over the period of time since you've been married, the flicker of light in your eyes had disappeared. Blown out by the cold blues that followed into your nightmares.

At that point, Finn has had it. As soon as Polly leaves, he tells you of his plan, “Tommy’s going to some event next week, and he won’t be back until the morning,”

“Finn…” you warn. It wouldn’t be a good idea breaking your husband's trust. A man like Tommy never forgets. Finn grumbles, “I’m sick and tired of seeing him treat you like--like the dirt on his shoes! The bloke!” his hands ball into fists. You don’t think twice about his statement, in fact you understood completely why your new brother had the right to react like this. You sigh, reaching for his hands to hold, “Could you do me a favor?”

You were kept busy for the next few days, planning on yet another escape. Hopefully the last. Finn would send letters to your sister who lived in the next town. It had been quite a while since the two of you would communicate. Her and her husband had been busy since delivering their new baby.

So, it would take time to pack up their belongings before moving in with your parents. Finn would stop by the postal, on the way to wherever he was heading in order to avoid suspicion. For once it felt like everything was going your way.

As each day went by, you grew more excited to leave this place, once and for all. You let out your hair, made yourself more presentable, you even started smiling again. Tommy took note of how the corners of your lips would curl upwards on their own as you hummed a tune while making supper.

He’d been silently observing you adjusting to your new life. After putting away the dishes, you hoist Charlie on a hip before leaving the kitchen. Tommy listens carefully to your footsteps leading up the stairs before following them. He stops in front of his bedroom door, reaching for the knob.

But before he’s had a chance to twist it open a faint sound of laughter erupts. He opens the door to spot you and Charlie on the bed. Your hands reaching to tickle the boy’s sides. Seemingly unknowing that your husband is witnessing the display of affection.

You hoist the toddler into the air. Tommy notices your expression. For the first time in months, you're actually smiling. It was like some sort of trance. He leans against the door frame. Seeing you with his boy felt, in a strange way, right. As if you both were meant to be. His son loves you. You drop Charlie onto your bosom to catch your breath.

Soft giggles manage to slip out of every exhale. Charlie’s hair tickles your chin so you tilt it to the side. That’s when you notice Tommy standing at the doorway. His posture is more relaxed than usual. For how long had he been standing there?

You look away from his gaze. It always did make you nervous. His fingers twitch, curling into his palms, “I uh...” he slides them into his pockets, “I want you to be my guest for an event,” Tommy looks up, waiting for an answer. You raise a brow and sit up, still holding the boy in your arms, “Who’ll watch over Charlie?”

“Finn offered to keep an eye on him.” of course.

“Alright,” you agreed, already knowing how it would play out. Tommy nods, “I’ll be back, ‘bout three hours from now.” he checks his pocket watch. Double taking the time. You hadn’t planned for him to take you anywhere. It’ll only delay your plans. But you couldn’t risk him questioning his decision, “Sure thing.” you return. Tommy looks as though he had one last thing to say, “And uh...wear something nice,” He turns away, leaving as soon as he came. Now that was odd.

357 notes · View notes

thelibraryiscool · 10 months

Text

Mid-Year Book Freak Out 2022

I was tagged by the wonderful @dauen, thanks!

1. Best book you’ve read so far this year I'll do a few. Coreggidora by Gayl Jones was beautifully written and very tough, Way Station by Clifford Simak was delightful and hopeful in that particular midcentury SF way, and Daria Serenko's Girls and Institutions [Девочки и институции] made me cry on the bus.

2. Best sequel you’ve read so far this year Like Amy, I haven't read too many sequels, but I loved the last installments to Connie Willis's Oxford Time Travel Series: Blackout and All Clear. I read over 1000 pages in under a week.

3. New release you haven’t read yet Rebecca Makkai's I Have Some Questions for You. I'm in a long line for it on Libby...

4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year I don't really keep track of new releases? But if you know of a book you're excited for, let me know!

5. Biggest disappointment The Court Dancer by Kyung-Sook Shin. I'd heard great things about the author and the translator and I'd expected it to be right up my alley, but it just fell really flat for me.

6. Biggest surprise Probably Into the Planet by Jill Heinerth. A memoir about cave-diving isn't the sort of thing I usually read, but perhaps that's why I enjoyed it so much -- her life is so different from mine, and it was endlessly fascinating to discover underwater caves with her and her crazy fellow divers.

7. Favourite new author (debut or new to you) New-to-me, to name a few: Penelope Fitzgerald, Gu Byeong-Mo, Elisa Shua Dusapin. I'd like to read more from each of them.

8. Newest fictional crush/newest favourite character For a fictional crush, almost certainly the elderly actor Sir Godfrey in Blackout/All-Clear. For a favorite character.. I really found the whole family in The Five by Vladimir Jabotinsky very interesting. And I enjoyed the titular demon and angel in When the Angels Left the Old Country by Sacha Lamb.

9. Book that made you cry I already mentioned Girls and Institutions. I think Shadow Lines by Amitav Ghosh might have as well.

10. Book that made you happy Christopher Isherwood's The Memorial. Not because it's a happy book, really, but because he can always be relied upon to be good. It's like visiting an old friend, reading a novel of his I haven't read.

11. Favourite Adaptation Well I've just discovered that my beloved Silo Saga by Hugh Howey has finally gotten an adaptation, and I've only seen 2 episodes so far but (though I have some qualms) I'm overall liking it quite a bit! Y'all should read first though.

12. Prettiest Cover This one's pretty good:

13. A book you need to read before the end of the year: There's a lot. I guess top priority (not counting what I'm already reading) would be Cartes postales by Chantal Spitz, At the Edge of the Woods by Masatsugu Ono, All Our Yesterdays by Natalia Ginzburg, Greek Lessons by Han Kang, and How the Soldier Repairs the Gramophone by Saša Stanišić.

I'm going to tag @queenofattolia, @colorwheels14, @nonbinaryjomarch, @oldshrewsburyian, @sleepanon, @teacademic, and anyone else who feels like it!

*For a lot of these questions I could have also said Дiм для Дома [A House for Dom] by Victoria Amelina, but I accidentally took a break from it so I haven't finished it yet -- though so far it may end up being my favorite book this year. It's warm, and poignant, and feels very true. Victoria Amelina was killed earlier this summer.

#tag thing #books

13 notes · View notes

littlestsnicket · 6 days

Text

sprint board update time! 2/2 tasks completed last week (this is really working, there is no way i would have written the end of the yendelion fic without the reward of moving the sticky note to done, now i just have to go back and write the middle)

retro/planning notes under the cut

i have no idea what happened this week, but it was kind of a cluster fuck? no, actually. that’s not true. i didn’t get back from the work trip until 10pm on thursday and was so tired i sat on the plane in a vague fugue state with my eyes closed for an hour and a half. i’m always confused… is that what other people do when they’re napping or do they actually fall asleep? and then i spent most of the day cleaning up my yard on saturday since the weather was so nice. and then i’ve been working on something with a tight deadline at work so i didn’t get to write on the clock like i often do. yeah. i was quite busy.

i think i mentioned in my last sprint board update, but i did a five minute talk about my favorite points from the scrum guide during my work trip. i think it went well, if nothing else, everyone was impressed with my brevity. (i’m such process nerd :D)

it’s harder to come up with actionable tasks for the planning phases of fic. i want to learn how to encourage inspiration. sitting down in front of a document when i’m not ready to write feels like a form of punishment which is not how you build good habits. going back to the source material, writing lists of things i may or may not use, and going for a walk are the only things on my list so far. i’m sure even just with that, the sprint framework will make me write more than i have in the past, but i’m not sure it’s enough to keep up the pace i was writing at to finish the ciri fic… we’ll see.

five tasks this week. i think two of them are small and wishy washy enough that this will be achievable since i don’t have that much going on. i’m seeing alien in theater on friday and my brother and parents are visiting next wednesday to go to the postal service show, so i’ll have to spend some time getting ready for that, but my house is still relatively clean from when my parents visited for easter so that won’t be as big of a deal as it might have been.

#mayo writes with scrum

3 notes · View notes

astramthetaprime · 5 months

Text

How about a Switchback?

So yeah.

Mom's back at the nursing home.

Another round of Covid went through last weekend.

I went to see her on Sunday.

And so now we both have it.

It's been mostly just annoying to me, but I'm (relatively) healthy. I do worry about my mother as she's hanging on by a thread at the best of times these days, but I haven't gotten The Call again so I assume she's still on this side of the life line. Admittedly, my normal life consists of spending the vast majority of my week here at Casa Proton, I really only go out on the weekends to get groceries and to have my one meal out a week and to go see Mom. So none of that is happening this weekend but I'll be going to pick up my groceries at WallyWorld later today. The dog needs his food and treats even if I feel completely blah and have no motivation to figure out my menu for this week. So I went with the lowest hanging fruit and it's going to be hot dogs and pizza this week. It'll make a nice change from the hamburgers and pizza it's been the last few weeks.

Autism is all about the safe foods. Not the healthy foods. The safe foods.

Moving right along, y'know that job I trained for 5 weeks for? Yeah. We finished all that work. And now they have me doing something else for which I had half a day's training. Unexpectedly. Then two days later said "nope, need you to go back to the other" and it took me over an hour to remember how to do the original job. Bad with unexpected transitions doesn't even begin to cover it. But this is the real world, right? This is how things work in today's modern offices, it's pivot this and agile that and multitasking and moving onward and upward.

Is it too much to ask to work one job, continuously, for a few years? Like 13 years? Long enough that I can retire?

My mom did the same job for 34 years. I did the same jobs with the Postal Service for 14 and 10 years respectively, data entry and then clerk.

At least I'm working at home. I cannot tell you how beneficial that is from an autistic standpoint. The lack of stress from not driving downtown to work, the lack of danger to myself and my irreplaceable car, the time saved, I log off and in two minutes I'm out in my front yard throwing balls for my dog. I can listen to music or podcasts or audiobooks during work just as I used to do back in my early days at the PO and I'm so damned grateful for that. So grateful.

I know I just have to suck it up and deal -- I haven't said anything to my supervisors. What could I say that wouldn't make me sound like I was whining or demanding special treatment? This is business, this is how it works these days, you either deal or you fall off the wheel and end up homeless and starving on the street. I don't have the leeway to make choices yet. I may never have that luxury, I may inherit nothing from my mother after all is said and done. It's so damned ghoulish to think that way. Anticipating her death so I can benefit from it. We all like to think we're good and moral people but this socioeconomic paradigm makes people inherently greedy. What is "moral" when you can financially benefit from your parent's death?

When my Daddy died, I inherited $6,000. I bought my first real computer and modem. A 286 Bondwell B-310V laptop with a black and white screen and a 2400bpm external modem. This was pre-Internet. I was dating a hacker at the time and he gave me a copy of a dialing program called Telex that let me call up BBS systems. And a copy of WordPerfect. And I was off to the races.

So yeah, kids, I'm older than dirt. Modems used to make noises. Your brain started equating those noises to joyful experiences and fun and suddenly you get dopamine from hearing the most godawful grindy modem tones.

The crazy thing? I still do.

This is still the sound of joy.

youtube

#actually autistic #allaboardtheangstexpress #modem strings bring joy #Youtube

6 notes · View notes

facetsofthecloset · 5 months

Text

9 people you would like to know better

tagged by @vonlipvig, thanks!

1. 3 ships: Glenda/Mr.Nutt from Unseen Academicals, Adora/Moist from Going Postal etc., uhhh shoot do I even have a non-Discworld ship I actively care about ummmm

OH let’s go for the classic Gay Attorneys Phoenix/Edgeworth lol

2. first ever ship: hmmm. Probably Ranma/Akane from the middle school days. Tbh nowadays I feel like Akane is a lesbian actually but it could work out if they grow up and Ranma becomes more comfortable identifying as gender-fluid or gender neutral

3. last song: I’ve been binging podcasts for the past week or so but I’ve also been playing Stardew Valley while listening, so probably whatever track I last heard there lol

Oh wait I had a midnight crisis last night and listened to The Horror and the Wild by The Amazing Devil a lot so there we go

4. last movie: i genuinely don’t remember, but I think I recently rewatched Nausicaa?

5. currently reading: nothing technically bc I just finished the new Murderbot audiobook but that said GO READ (or listen to, even though the narrator of the audiobook is TERRIBLE at pronouncing names) MURDERBOT DIARIES I PROMISE IT’S WORTH IT

I mean if you’re not a fan of the sarcastic first person narrative format maybe you won’t like it but it’s very well done. It’s my kind of sci-fi, in that it focuses less on tech and worldbuilding (although there’s plenty of that) and more on character and how the worldbuilding actually affects the people in it

6. currently watching: my favorite hbomberguy and Folding Ideas video essays on loop. Although it’s usually as background while I play video games soooo watching might not be the right word lol

7. currently consuming: food-wise nothing; I’m at the doctor’s office waiting room for physical therapy. Media-wise, have been listening to a lotttt of Behind the Bastards, started with the Kissinger stuff. Really makes me think emotional intelligence/healthy coping mechanisms should be taught officially or something. Sure, some people will still be awful but I think at least some people would wind up NOT committing atrocities y’know

8. currently craving: Kailua pig. Or like, one really, really good avocado. The ones back home are probably in season now and yet I am trapped in the temperate zone where no one knows when an avocado is ripe and just toss in some hard green cubes

9. tagging @mariegoos (thanks again for the Murderbot rec!) @bittersweet-poppy @petrabasil @darkprincecait if any of you want to!

#thanks again for the tag!#not a lot of overlap between our media tastes but I always enjoy hearing your thoughts on stuff <3 #tag games

5 notes · View notes

firstofficerrose · 1 year

Text

Okay, quick note to my lovely followers on the Discworld read through:

Two weeks ago was dead week, with three group projects. Last week was finals. I was stressed out of my mind. I *may* have panicked and read (checks Storygraph) six of the Discworld books?

I finished The Truth, and then read straight through The Lost Hero, Night Watch, The Wee Free Men, Monstrous Regiment, and A Hat Full of Sky, and I'm currently about three quarters of the way through Going Postal.

And I didn't share any of that with y'all, which somewhat defeats the purpose of the liveblog. I must say that I have loved these books very intensely, and I think I'll pick up the liveblogging again here in the middle of Going Postal.

I might also share some thoughts about the six books I just blitzed through, not sure. That'll be out of order, if it happens.

Anyway, that's what I've got. I like doing the liveblog, but it slows me down, and I was very much using the books as a coping mechanism and couldn't pump the brakes very effectively. I'm in a better space now, though, and look forward to sharing my adventures on the Disc again!

And I just wanted to say thank you to you lovely people. You really brighten my day, and I love it when I get people in the notes talking about a book I read a while ago. It's such a wonderful way to re-live the reading.

#rose rambles #rose reads #discworld

19 notes · View notes

prosopopeya · 4 months

Text

2023 meme!

it's time

1. What did you do in 2023 that you’d never done before?

went to ireland.

got married again to the same person in ireland. (we finally had our originally planned ireland elopement.)

went to physical therapy

went to the gym and lifted weights (unrelated to the physical therapy)

took my husband to the er

saw death cab for cutie and postal service in concert!!

2. Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions and will you make more for next year? i don't like to make those so probably not. and also no.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? no

4. Did anyone close to you die? jon's aunt passed away, which was very sad and sudden. jimmy buffett also died. not close to me but a significant loss.

5. What countries did you visit? ireland! not a country but we visited my aunt and uncle in maryland and had a great time!

6. What would you like to have in 2024 that you lacked in 2023? i would like to get a new job that pays more with better benefits. but we'll see.

7. What date from 2023 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? same date as last year's meme, which is june 9. now it is the date where we got married in ireland. :)

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? working on healing my shoulder pain was pretty significant. also getting 69 bookmarks on a porn-centric fic of mine that's close to my heart. luckily i managed to catch it before it tipped over to 70.

9. What was your biggest failure? quitting going to the gym. i did genuinely enjoy it, but then i got that pinched nerve in my shoulder and the pain was pretty bad. i need to start it up again.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? yes, the pinched nerve in my shoulder. in ireland, i pinched my sciatic nerve and also nearly passed out from heat at the top of blarney castle. had a bad sinus infection when we came back and couldn't hear out of my ears very well for like a week.

11. What was the best thing you bought? the dress i wore to the ireland wedding.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? various tour guides and people in ireland who made our time there so awesome.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? i mean like most americans.

14. Where did most of your money go? wedding, travel, door dash, hotels. same as last year.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? ireland, obviously. starfield, and then womp womp. heartstopper. death cab and postal service concert! seeing the eras tour by myself in the theater.

16. What song(s) will always remind you of 2023? olivia rodrigo's guts album. noah kahan. the eras tour concert.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: i. Happier or sadder? the same i think. ii. Older or wiser? both i think iii. Thinner or fatter? i reject this iv. Richer or poorer? richer.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? talk to people, exercise.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? ordering door dash. but it's just so easy...

20. How will you be spending Christmas? we went to my mom's house this year. my brother broke up with his girlfriend (a good decision on his part) and she proceeded to start a barrage of threatening texts from different numbers that is continuing to this day.

21. How will you be spending New Year’s Eve? we watched candlenights and then took turns playing music in a joint spotify jam while he played powerwash simulator and i started working on some of my legos.

22. Did you fall in love in 2023? with the game coral island.

23. How many one-night stands? at this moment i have several games that i started and abandoned because something new came out: tears of the kingdom, red dead redemption 2, baldur's gate 3, starfield, octopath traveller 2. and i'm currently installing spiderman 2 to play that. i do want to go back and finish all these games but god. it's so much work.

24. What was your favorite TV program? heartstopper, probably. i feel like i don't really know what tv i watched this year. i did watch a bunch of sister wives to keep up with tiktok conversations, but i would not rank that a favorite.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? i wouldn't say i'm loving where i work right now. my now ex sister in law isn't high on my list of faves but hate is a strong word.

26. What was the best book you read? i did reread the horse girl au again so there's that. i read most of 91 whiskey. i investigated some a/b/o stuff just to give it a shot. i don't know how many actual books i read.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery? noah kahan.

28. What did you want and get? a new ipad, which was nice. powers johns lane, a new fave whiskey. married in ireland. 69 bookmarks. squishmallow. adhd diagnosis and medicine, which is going pretty good.

29. What did you want and not get? an interesting slime rancher 2 update. haunted chocolatier (jk concerned ape take your time).

30. What was your favorite film of this year? i saw everything everywhere all at once which was pretty great. i also saw the eras concert, the barbie movie, dungeons & dragons, the newest puss in boots movie. but there was a bit where i just watched a bunch of gay movies and i might have to give it to this english version of brokeback mountain that i enjoyed: god's own country.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? i mostly sat around and bought myself presents and it was great. i turned 35.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? feeling like writing more often. <- last year's answer is still true.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2023? comfy. comfort. comfortable things.

34. What kept you sane? quitting teaching <- still true. my husband. supernatural, bizarrely.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? i had a real olivia rodrigo moment this year.

36. What political issue stirred you the most? i mean i'd rather not think about any of it bc it all is depressing.

37. Who did you miss? my teacher friends. <- still true

38. Who was the best new person you met? we had a contractor at work who really talked me up and made me feel like i could find another job and get paid better. she was nice.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2023: work to live, etc.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:

Oh, yesterdays are over my shoulder, So I can't look back for too long. There's just too much to see waiting in front of me, and I know that I just can't go wrong with these changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes; nothing remains quite the same. With all of our running and all of our cunning, If we couldn't laugh, we would all go insane

- jimmy buffett, "changes in latitude, changes in attitude"

#happy new year #annual meme

3 notes · View notes

blackbird-brewster · 6 months

Note

All the even numers >:)

Bahahaha, alright Anon. I saved this for last.

2. Do you drink tea or coffee? How do you take it?

(Answered here)

4. Do you sleep on your back, stomach or side?

I'm a side sleeper, mostly facing outwards. But sometimes, I wind up on my back and when I do I snore so loud Doom Them has to wake me up.

6. Do you prefer drawing or writing?

I can't draw for shit. Writing is my creative talent

8. What’s your favourite band/artist?

I have SO many. I listen to a wild range of music. Everything from ska to indie rock to punk to emo to pop. Some of my all-time fave bands include: The Killers, Foreigner, Avett Brothers, Postal Service, Betty Who, Beyonce, Lizzo, Tegan and Sara.

10. How tall are you?

5'6" or 168 cm

12. Who are five (or more) people you want to hug right now?

@otahkoapisiakii @bittersweet-bibliophile @the-kazoo-kid @gaelic-symphony @mygenitiveisobjective

14. What’s your favourite colour?

(Answered here)

16. Want any tattoos? What of?

I have around 35 tattoos (hard to count when you have half sleeves and such). I DO want more tattoos, but in the past two years one of my chronic conditions has made it so I'm allergic to my tattoos. They get welts and hives all the time. Which really sucks because uhhhh, my entire body is covered in them 🤷‍♂️

18. Who is the last person you texted?

I sent Frankie some smut as a little treat!

20. What/who do you miss?

I miss all my loves in the US. But in terms of 'what' -- the thing I miss everyday is being able to leave my house without it having to be an entire Event. I miss life before the pandemic where I didn't have to take 100 pre-emptive steps to protect myself every time I go out. I miss 2020 when everyone (in my country) was in this together, when everyone was masking and staying home when they were sick, when everything was accessible by being online. I miss when people cared.

The pandemic isn't over. Some of us have never left lockdown.

22. How much sleep did you get last night?

I actually went to sleep hella early. I was asleep before my daily kudos email (this is how I tell time, okay?) which comes about 00:20. Then, I got up early with Doom Them -- so I think I got about 7 hours? I only need 5-6 to be functional.

24. When was the last time you cried? Why?

Last night I cried from laughing so hard at this picture of our cat

26. What are some seemingly childish things you like?

I don't believe joy has an age limit. I'm a regular at our local toy stores, I know all the staff, I'm always buying new fidget toys and Squishmallows. I got into Squishmallows about the same time I got my Autism dx (mid-2020) and since then, Squish have become a constant form of comfort for us. We currently have about 300 in our collection -- and that's after some major downsizing. There's no way to know how many squish we've rotated through over the years. Here's the last full squad photo we took in Jan 2022 (there's nowhere in our house to do a full pic of the 300 we have currently)

28. How are you, really?

I'm actually doing well this week. Summer weather arrived without warning and my depression is lifting. I feel really inspired for the first time in weeks!

30. What are you looking forward to in the near future?

Finishing Fooled Around (and Fell in Love) - Part 3!!!!!!!!

32. If you could go anywhere right now, where would you go?

If I could see my US friends without actually having to go to the US itself, that would be perfect.

34. What’s your favourite flower?

(Answered Here)

36. Do you like your middle name?

Not really. My middle name is the name of some random ski instructor my parents met the year before I was born (I have theories about this, about why my dad randomly remembered this person's name -- but that's a whole other thing. Oh, and also that's one of my middle names, it's complicated. I have like 5 names)

38. Do you have any phobias?

Ornithophobia (fear of birds). Also scared of horses, cows, and airbags.

40. Do you like the beach? Do you prefer it sunny or cloudy?

YES!! I love living ten minutes from the beach. We go there a lot to relax and scream at the ocean. I prefer sunny weather, hands down, but it's cloudy 90% of the time here.

42. Tag 5 of your favourite blogs

Oh, this is really difficult. I'll just tag some rad mutuals: @knitmeapony @chaotic-archaeologist @unitchiefs-blackbirdphoenix @gaelic-symphony @artcake

44. Who was the last person you said “I love you” to?

I've said 'I love you' to at least five people today and it's only 10am. And I meant every one of those. I'm very much the type of person who loves my partners and friends openly and freely.

46. What do you need when you’re sad?

Cranky Cave(tm)! Cranky cave is when I'm having meltdowns. I go to my room and turn on the fairy lights and galaxy projector. Grab a ton of squish and fidgets. Bury myself in blankets. And watch my comfort shows.

48. Who’s someone you can trust with your life?

Doom Them, Kay, Coyote.

[Send Me Asks]

#anon #reply post #about me 2k23 #ask meme #long post #my photos #My face #Mistopher robin

2 notes · View notes

a-tale-never-told · 6 months

Text

One Ride in the Sunset.

September 3rd, 2012, 4:15pm, 14th Avenue Drive, Kyoto, South Japan.

(Okay, that checks another thing off the list of chores they gave me this morning. Never expected that I'd have this much work on my hands though, considering that the paper info was really short .)

(Still, I've got a long way to go before finishing everything, so I should probably get to the post office to drop off the check now. In the meantime though, let's see what on's the radio for today, just to keep myself entertained for now)

*"After putting the paper down, Hajime reaches for the radio and begins to switch channels for anything, be it music or news*"

Brzzt!- Coming in from Toyoko, where a raccoon started to eat, what I presume is a chili dog-Brzzt!- Today on Sunday night live, we have-Brzzt!

youtube

(Hey... This actually isn't that bad of a song. It's catchy, so there is that at least, right? And it's decent for a sundown.)

*"After changing the Radio, Hajime lays back and turns to the left lane, heading for the postal area, as the song begins to play whilst the sun sets*"

(Well Haji, you've made it through the first week, and still, we haven't known anything about Natsumi, or any of the Kuzuryus. We also don't even know the reason why Honami has issues with the Kuzuryus... it's like we almost accomplished nothing last week)

( But then again, I cannot say that with certainty, as we did manage to get some stuff done, like going to the library to get some books to help me investigate the situation. As well as the fact that I managed to spend some quality hangout time with the girls outside of work)

(Speaking of that, I think that conversation really did help me calm down a bit yesterday. I honestly am glad to have people who truly care about me and my well-being, aside from my parents of course.)

(Mikan... the nurse who seems so timid and shy, yet is always caring and thoughtful of others, always willing to help the sick, old or young. She may look meek at first glance, but she's really much a sweetheart to almost everyone she comes across and I'm blessed to work with her, especially since she's so dedicated to her position as a nurse.)

( Ibuki... the girl that likes to party on and is pretty much hyperactive almost 80% of the time, but she surprisingly has a wise, contemplative mind for someone of her age. Still, I did really enjoy the wisdom she tried to give. I honestly never knew she was actually capable of doing that, especially since she seems so hyper and upbeat every single day. Still, she's pretty nice, to be honest.)

(And Chiaki... *sighs* God, where would I be without her? She's pretty much the first friend I've ever made in life, and we'd only grown stronger ever since. She's kind, considerate of others, inspiring, and just an absolutely nice person to be around. Even during the times when either I'm not in the best mood or she isn't, we both try to improve our relationship as friends, one step at a time. She pretty much tried to comfort me about my lack of talent and I greatly appreciate that.)

(I honestly don't deserve those three. They're far too sweet and compassionate for this world, which has now become a place where you have to be judged by society based on your racial color and talent. And through all of the darkness in this world, they're pretty much shining beacons of hope, to overcome the despair of feeling hopeless in life.)

( So I'll try. I'll try to take their advice seriously from now on, as this is advice to give me a healthy mindset going forward. I think the point of what they wanted to say is to be yourself and not lose your sense of self and individuality, to work for that talent while also not losing sight of the ones you love and cherish the most in life. And just... have hope for yourself and for the future. Because isn't that what life's all abo-)

BEEP! BEEP!BEEEEP!!

Wh-

CRASH!!! SHATTER!!!

KRGH!!!

"*Upon hearing those beeps, Hajime turns his head to the front to see a car coming straight at him. Seeing the vehicle right in front of him, Hinata tried to swerve out of the way, but it was too late, as the front of the car collided with the other car's front, sending shards of glass flying across the interior as both cars came to an absolute stop. One of the shards nearly hit Hinata right in the head, though he managed to get out of the way in time. Still, the impact is enough to make him fall onto the floor of the car, making him lose consciousness...*"

#mod talks #hajime hinata #dr2 #dr #twlight syndrome arc #a tale never told

2 notes · View notes

vanillatalc · 7 months

Text

benno got sad again tonight but it's been a whole week since the last attack (thumbs up emote) he's contemplating taking a sick day tmr to try and get his head back on straight but he's not sure if doing nothing would be any more helpful than just doing his job (he's working from home anyway so)

im really tired bc i had been planning on sleeping more but then i had to comfort benno (not a problem obvs) + this would have been fine if i hadnt booked a postal collection for a wig this morning so i have to finish that now :'( also have to go and buy some more cat food when the shop opens

i get my final (for a while) chess payment this week

4 notes · View notes

breesays · 7 months

Text

But me, I'm still a sunbeam

THIS is a blog of a balanced person (me, right now), so let's capture this moment in my personal history.

These are the workouts I do. No talking, just simple instructions and percentage progress + music that serves the purpose. I've been trying to view workouts more as playtime and tell myself "I get to" rather than "I have to." The toys I have are bosu, bala, mini bands, kettle bells, sliders, stability ball. We're playing, that's all. Not measuring or weighing, just the tiny triumphs of "Oh, when I did this two weeks ago it was much harder."

I went to Nico Vega's comeback show at The Bellwether and got a ticket to their headlining show at The Lodge Room in December. I've used all my ticket perks for 2024 already, plus K.Flay in March. WWWY and The Postal Service next month.

We got a hummingbird feeder for our balcony, and we've started to name them. So far: Murphy (after the balm I must cover my body in to fend off the mosquitos), Quacksley, Mousey, Little Puff and Cherry. We're growing stuff out there, too - grape tomatoes, basil, nasturtiums, pretty succulents.

Read Maggie Smith's "You Could Make This Place Beautiful" and I definitely started out thinking I was going to give it 5 stars but had a lot of mixed feelings about it toward the end.

This is everything I've read so far this year - but a few on that list are DNFs (looking at YOU, Russell Brand). Speaking of that, I'm giving Clare Dederer's "Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma" another chance, but some of it is hard to stomach.

From Kate Baer's "What Kind of Woman"

I've used ALL my kitchen appliances this month: Air fryer (everything), blender (raspberry lemon smoothie), food processor (pesto, hummus), instant pot (tomato soup, tiktok pasta). This is mostly because I can fit them ALL on my counter at once. Oh, and I made a vanilla cake from scratch. Baking is not my favorite, but I like to challenge myself. And sometimes it's more about not being able to find what I want as ready-made.

Desmond's teacher told me his gross motor skills are advanced - he finishes projects early, is great at any sport he tries (even ones he invents) ... has he expressed interest in sports? Oh yes, I said, he loves all sports... he just doesn't want to play them with other kids. Maybe we'll give soccer another try. But I prefer to let him play openly - we draw, we build, we plant, we cook, we dance, we make up words (this is harder than it sounds). He asks for playdates with friends so I know he cares very much about them -- I just don't think he wants parameters placed around what he can do with said friends. He has a 2-year-old friend and he loves to just explore Griffith with him. It used to be ME, but he has since requested the presence of said friend. Said friend extracts more joy from sliding down piles of dirt than I do, anyway.

Desmond has really changed my relationship with food. He is such an adventurous eater. I have a history of disordered eating that's been mostly resolved with meds and years of therapy - but I still had rules, you know? Things I wouldn't keep in the house, ingredients I didn't trust myself with. But Des is such a role model of intuitive eating. He'll try anything, even give it a few good chews before making a decision. Jicama was a recent rejection. I'm trying all kinds of recipes, not just low calorie or veggie-based. He makes me excited to make new meals, and he loves to help, too. We have a dining table and he drinks oat milk and I drink fizzy water and it's just an entirely new experience for me. Tasting and tweaking and using our senses. There's no good and bad. He's allowed to have candy, but he isn't crazy for it. We listen to our bodies. Are we full? Do we want more because it tastes good, or because we're still hungry? Listen.

What else? Getting my last peak hike in might be a challenge, since WEATHER has arrived in SoCal. I feel like the window for hiking in good conditions was a relatively short one this year. Baldy is the closest, but might have to trek down to South OC for Sitton.

My show (Setlist Insider) x 311 is published

My Oli bug turned 6 years old

I have 33k words written.

#breesays #parenting #writing #reading

2 notes · View notes

flameof · 1 year

Photo

Those Who Gave Their All.

So, that WIP I showed a while ago? after some workand a book about drawing chibi, it’s finished, for lack of a better word, considering my miniscule talent in drawing.

With just under two hours until Dragalia’s EoS.

I swear, if I had a dollar for every main character I got attached to who sacrificed themselves to save the concept of possibility/hope...

Additionally, here’s one last fanfic I wrote about a week ago, called The Swansong of Euden: https://archiveofourown.org/works/43071084

“Do you not know that a man is not dead while his name is still spoken?”

-Sir Terry Pratchett, Going Postal.

#Dragalia Lost #madoka magica #blazblue #Fanart #vio rhyse alberia #GNU Dragalia Lost #dragalia euden #Kaname Madoka #Ragna the Bloodedge

8 notes · View notes

jadekitty777 · 2 years

Text

Heartsick: Chapter 1

Me, several weeks ago: Okay so IronCharms week doesn’t start until the last week of August, I’ve got time

Me, today, five minutes before midnight: Let’s just double check the dates- WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE 15TH?!

WELP I’m a little late on this but... surprise! I wrote a James/Qrow/Clover fic! I’ve been wanting to do this one for a loooong while, and a random spark of inspiration had me finally dedicating some serious time to it.

This story is completely and utterly dedicated to Pidgeon Postal (who I’d tag but, tumblr won’t let me). It is a loving sequel to their story Heartless - which if you haven’t read, go do so! It’s well, kind of required anyways, as this story won’t make much sense if you haven’t read it.

I’ve honestly wanted to write this sequel ever since I first read Heartless well over a year ago - and am glad for the opportunity to finally do so! So welcome... to another multi-chapter story that will be posted throughout the entire week! Bonus? This one is actually complete LOL

(And if you haven’t already, go give Pidgeon some love for all their fantastic stories!)

Day 1: Affection

Dedicated to: PidgeonPostal

Rating: T

Words: 1.4K

Summary: It's been five months since James recovered his true heart, Clover gained a metal one and Qrow's became more attuned to the woods than ever before. Five months since Tyrian's poison was eradicated from the soil. Five months... since Clover, Qrow and James agreed on a group partnership (and that was honestly the best part). Like the tree tops reaching for the sky, it seemed like there was nowhere for the three of them to go but up. So why, then, did Clover feel like he was being cut down at his roots? [Witch AU]

Ao3 Link: In Which Clover’s Day Begins

Mornings were a ritual. Like magic, but softer, touched warm by the morning light.

Clover was always awake first; a surprise, at first, as James had always been the earliest riser. But reintroduction to his heart and, perhaps, the calm that came from living in a stress-free environment had changed the old general’s habits in ways that he didn’t entirely dislike.

So up he was, tapping his hands along the enchanted pantry as he asked confidently for ingredients. One after the other the counter got lined with whatever concoction he’d decided upon for breakfast (a fact that even after five months still made Qrow jealous with the ease he’d do it). He knew he had the power to ask it for precisely what he wanted, ready-made and serviceable to eat, but he’d always had a thing for cooking from scratch.

It's the only way it can be made with love, he’d tease sometimes between dropped kisses on his lovers’ cheeks. Qrow groused over the grandstanding, but rarely hid smiles, while James was simple in politeness but vocally appreciative.

Clover enjoyed those moments enough to keep doing it. The only days he cheated were on mornings that he didn’t spring out of bed but drag himself out. Where nights of half-remembered nightmares kept him tossing and sweat-soaked. Things that twisted at him, like blood on his hands that never left no matter how much he cleaned; the bodies of Mantle’s lost haunting after him as much as James’ dull and lifeless eyes looking upon it without so much as a twitch did.

Those were bad days.

But today was a good one.

So, he got to work.

By the time James got up, the cranberry-orange muffins had almost finished baking and coffee was done brewing.

“Morning!” Clover greeted, already pouring him a cup. Black with two sugars, just like he liked.

James accepted it and the peck on the lips with a sleepy smile. “Good morning. You certainly are… perky.”

He snorted. That sounded more like something Qrow would say. “Aren’t I usually?”

Always, he wished he could say. Because that had been the norm. But despite all the luck in the world, his new, metallic heart came with side effects. Inconsistencies with his emotions that felt very much like a floating spell had been placed onto them, and the wielder was tossing him between highs and lows at random.

(Sometimes, he thought the nightmares were part of that change. But no, he’d dug that grave with his bare hands. It was only right he’d lie in it.)

“I just don’t know where you get the energy.” James replied, blowing along the top of the steaming mug. When he did, the branches of the trees imprinted along the face of it shivered, like they’d been touched by a breeze.

They spent the morning like that, Clover cooking as he chattered with James about nothing, really. Small talk about plans for the day or how the garden was coming along. It was so unlike before, when they and the other officials would be up before the sun, plotting strategy and the room would be tense with an under-currant of fear as they fought a war they were losing fast.

Different, in a good way that Clover embraced as hard as he could.

When breakfast was just about done, Clover tapped the head of the miniature blackbird perched on the edge of the cuckoo clock. It came alive, flying on wooden wings out of the kitchen and down the hall – and though neither of them could hear it when it sang, they certainly heard Qrow’s grumbling as he came trudging out of the bedroom only minutes later, the bird perched on his shoulder. It flew back to the clock while the lanky man sat down at his spot.

Clover made sure to have his coffee already waiting. A shot of cream turned the liquid to a sandy cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon left a speckling of golden-brown dusting the top. When Qrow rose it to drink, the snow blanketing over the picturesque little cottage town fell to the rim, turning the once winter-laden village into a bright summer’s day. The snowfall dropped back into place when he set the cup back down.

“Mornin’,” Qrow finally greeted, the natural gravel in his voice always a bit deeper after waking.

James took up the attention of their sleepy third while Clover plated the food. Toast lightly buttered, only his powdered with a bit of sugar. Sausages that still sizzled with a bit of extra pepper atop James’ and eggs made over easy for him and James but scrambled for Qrow. A muffin for each of them. The daffodils on the edges of each plate danced on their stems as he set them down.

Left only long enough to pour his own drink. He pulled down another mug from the cabinet, his favorite today. The minute he touched it, the stark white mug turned into a brilliant teal green, the color of his own magic reflecting back at him. Even when he let it go to grab the pot, the hue stayed; if he let it be for ten minutes, it would start to go through lighter and lighter iterations of green before it turned back to white. He filled the cup with what his lovers considered an egregious amount of cream and sugar and took his seat.

In the short span of time, Qrow had pushed his own chair closer to James, using the lack of distance as an excuse to snuggle against him. It was cute and filled Clover with a sense of affection.

But, like oil on water, it was sullied by a strange sense of envy and loneliness.

He blamed it on his dumb, fake heart and took a gulp of too-sweet coffee to drown it out.

Qrow huffed at the sight. Complained, with no heat behind it, “Thought I told you not to use that one.”

Clover winked. “You can punish me for it later.”

Qrow almost choked on his eggs.

Despite the teasing, he knew how important the bit of ceramic was. Had learned it well the first time he pulled it down and the other man almost had an aneurysm over it. Apparently, it had been a gift from an old friend Qrow’d lost two decades before. Though she was gone, the magic she’d constructed the mug with lived on. The last reminder he would ever have of her.

It was probably only because of Clover’s own magic, a touch of luck in most things he did, that Qrow even allowed him to use it at all.

After a moment, James pitched in, “I swear you’re insatiable.”

“For you two? Never.” Clover promised, spearing a sausage, mimicking a motion towards his lips that even had James a little flustered.

The morning passed much the same as any other.

Though it was weeks into autumn, the weather had remained unusually hot and humid. Clover didn’t favor it, used to the dry air of a frozen tundra that didn’t cling to him like the mugginess in the forest air did, sticking sweat to his skin like a second layer, unwanted and uncomfortable.

The long baths he took in the basement hot springs more than made up for it though.

He’d tried, without success, to pull James in with him, but the other thought it silly to do so when he would only dirty himself again once he went back to his garden. Qrow he may have won over, but the other mage probably was only just getting back from his journey he’d set out on after breakfast – some hurt he’d detected in the forest that needed mending. His attunement with the forest had been increased ever since he’d chased out Tyrian from the soil and roots.

Normally, Clover had the patience to wait for one of them; certainly, a bath was more fun that way. But today, the humidity was higher than normal. It probably meant a storm was coming soon. With the heaviness feeling particularly unpleasant to the point it was beginning to irritate, it didn’t take much mental prodding to get him down to the basement for a little dip and relaxation.

By the time he emerged a good hour later, he was feeling refreshed, a towel around his waist. He used another to toss his hair – it was getting long, he’d had to trim it soon – as he headed towards the kitchen, intent on scourging up a snack.

As he crept down the hall, something small and low to the ground passed by, its movements squeaking like rusted bolts with every step it took.

He gave it a glance as he passed it.

The dragon, constructed out of roller chains and other scrap metal in the likeness to the God of Light, looked back.

Clover’s mouth dropped open. “What the-?”

The dragon, small as it was, emitted a thundering roar.

Then it pounced.

#clover ebi #james ironwood #qrow branwen #luckyironqrowweek2022 #IronCharms #rwby #fanfiction #Chase Firekitten's Tale

8 notes · View notes