#some people will be thinking trapper but it depends on what happens after the war

[variousqueerthings]

people who could heal hawkeye through sex:

lyle the marine 

margaret houlihan

inga halvorsen

peggy bigelow

jaybird anderson 

#hawkeye pierce #mash #margaret houlihan #jaybird anderson #peggy bigelow #lyle wesson #inga halvorsen #someone i did not put in here was sidney but tbh i think he oughta try it... he's tried everything else! #i dont think margie couldve healed him with sex and i think erika while good for him was in it purely for fun (and good for her) #and doesnt want the burden one way or another of any kind of healing #some people will be thinking trapper but it depends on what happens after the war #im talking a single mindblowing experience here

[the5n00k]

Hawkeye Pierce: The Good, The Bad, and The Unmilitary

The long awaited first official M*A*S*H character analysis

It's not a secret to anyone aware of this blog that I fucking love Hawkeye. This piece of shit lives rent free in my mind and has lived rent free for the past four months. Which is kind of why I've hesitated so long to make this because he means so much to me (also what's left for me to say about him, he's been around longer than I have, surely he's been analyzed and over analyzed more than I can imagine)

But I relate to him unfortunately so you're going to have to hear about him sorry <3

Her ass is rambling, this is a long post

Benjamin Franklin “Hawkeye” Pierce starts out the series loud and eccentric but relatively level headed most of the time compared to some of the other members of the 4077. Playboy, drinker, anarchist, and pacifist (by technicality only), his really formative episodes for his character going forward to me at least were Dr. Pierce and Mr Hyde and Sometimes You Hear The Bullet. Both his wish to do something, anything to stop the war and his declining mental health because of it are on full display in these episodes. The war took so much from him and keeps taking, especially when Henry dies and Trapper gets shipped home while he's away. He's a desperate animal clawing at the dirt just trying not to fall off the cliff. And he keeps slipping.

One of his biggest weaknesses as a bleeding heart is burning himself out or having zero self preservation. It's admirable how much he does for his patients and camp mates but most of the time it just looks like he has a death wish. But the admiration is exactly what he doesn't want. He's an attention whore sure, but every time he's ever been put on a pedestal he's tried to shake it off; dismissing the news reporters and even yelling at Radar for simply looking up to him. He covers up his self loathing with humor, childish antics, and self inflating bickering with the other surgeons to give him a fake sense of self worth despite thinking of himself so poorly. Just the way he treats himself with ridiculous drinking habits and poor self care in general is rather telling and only gets worse as the series goes on.

That being said, he is also strongly fixated on having a sense of normalcy, demanding more choices of food and taking showers whenever possible just like all the others scrambling to keep some sort of routine. He also frequently sets up dates with the nurses when he can not looking for anything serious. He falls in love/forms attachments really easily so that often gets him in trouble, especially when his coping mechanisms keep him from being real most of the time. And once he loves you, he holds on, still mourning the loss of Trapper throughout the later seasons as if he was dead. Moving on is not an option for him, often retreating back into memories voluntarily or not to cope with being drafted (Hawk's Nightmare, Bless You, Hawkeye, basically any episode where he talks extensively about Maine or his father)

And no matter what happens, no matter how much he hates it, Hawkeye knows he has to keep going or people will get hurt or worse. He knows he has to get up and keep doing his job because he has to. He doesn't like it. He'd rather literally be considered dead than get continuously screwed over by the army (The Late Captain Pierce) but he gets up anyway. Because people depend on him. There have been a few episodes where I believed his mental health may have been improving, after/around season 9, and then Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen happened and I was immediately destroyed.

His arc in GFA, like a lot of the other characters in that finale special, was perfect for his character. He was always claiming things like “sanity is a state of mind” (and talking about chickens a lot for some reason) so to have him finally, horrifically snap and lose it so badly Sidney found it necessary to keep him in a mental hospital felt like the trainwreck I had been anticipating for the entire series. He needed to stop repressing things and actually process the horrors he's seen, all of it stacking up is the reason he broke to begin with. Everyone else has more or less accepted their shitty situation of stitching together victims of the cruelty of warfare but he'd been fighting it for 11 seasons now (something around 4-5 years show time) and eventually the longer the unstoppable force pushes against the immovable object, one of them will break. Then to see him finally confront the fact that him and BJ will probably never see each other again and practically beg for the closure that Trapper never was able to give him and FINALLY get it was so satisfying and a perfect shot to send off the character with. BJ was the only one keeping him focused and on the right track when he'd start going too far, gave him some much needed reality checks, and was the only one to stick with him through everything. He knew every ugly secret and Hawkeye knew his. They both did terrible things in situations they never asked to be in. They were bonded in trauma and whether you read their relationship as romantic or not, they're probably the closest relationship in the series and I couldn't be happier with how they ended off.

Hawkeye is a deeply flawed character (dare I say… problematic) and while his change isn't immediately noticeable in the series, it is striking if you watch an episode from an early episode to a late one, especially regarding his relationship with Margaret. Across many episodes, they mutually earn each other's respect and actually become very good friends, probably second only to BJ and Hawkeye. They've also been through a lot of shit together and are very similar, reacting to the same insecurities and desires in completely different ways. (Affection craving, their disdain for senseless violence, deep seething rage for injustice, refusing to show weakness due to their high positions)

There's some indefensible things this character does I will admit and things that made me say “why would he say that” but in general, I believe he is a very well written example of PTSD and a strong-willed anti-war activist. The term activist is thrown around a lot online but he's pretty much the only one there trying to fix things, even if his efforts are unethical or straight up ineffective. I actually really love that he does some things that I hate. Seeing such a gritty and reactionary protagonist was so striking to me, his unpredictability made watching him react to things fascinating. He's a cornered animal desperately trying to escape being closed in on closer and closer until he lashes out. My job is nowhere near comparable to the mental turmoil of his but I found myself comparing his thought processes a lot to my own. He's self destructive, impulsive, and immature but his energy brings so much to the show and the characters around him. He has such a fondness for everyone in the 4077 that becomes more explicit in the big moments. He'd raise hell for anyone in that compound whether they asked for it or not. Or if they even needed it. He'd just raise hell. It's enrichment for him

#mash #mash 4077 #hawkeye pierce #character analysis #i didnt proof read this #i hope it's good #i was just rambling #because im in love with him #wait who said that #anyway happy autism awareness month everybody #go watch mash pretty please it's good

[raywritesthings]

as few or many as you like!

◉ postwar headcanons: trapper, BJ

♡ romantic headcanon: margaret, hawkeye

☮ friendship headcanon: klinger

ൠ random headcanon: sidney

Hm interesting ones for sure, had to think a while about them.

Postwar:

Trapper - thinking about this for him is interesting because when Trapper leaves, the war keeps going on. I think it would be a bit of culture shock to him when he gets back at first to an America that by-and-large is just going about their lives without much concern or care for the people stuck back in Korea. I think there’s some things he tells Louise and some things he doesn’t (and not just his other relationships, which is already assuming she doesn’t already know or have guessed). I think sometimes when it’s quiet and he can’t sleep at night, or when he hears a plane or a news helicopter go by overhead, he thinks about the people he left behind; mostly Hawkeye, Radar, and Klinger, maybe some of the other nurses. I don’t think he spares much of a thought for Frank or even Margaret. He doesn’t write because they don’t write, and he figures that means they just all understand. I think he also throws himself into being there for his daughters because he wishes he could be one of those people who knows and cares nothing about the war, and if he got to go home early (and make it home, too, unlike Henry), then he’s gonna make the most of it. And I think overall, he just gets on with his life. He doesn’t forget what happened there, but it doesn’t have any real power over him.

BJ - oh man, if I used culture shock when talking about Trapper, that would be too much an understatement to use for Beej. And it’s less the shock of seeing what life is like back in the States compared to Korea and more the shock of how he doesn’t just slot neatly back into place in Mill Valley. Erin’s in her terrible twos and Peg likes her job and doesn’t want to quit. He drinks now more than she cares for. He doesn’t really click anymore with their social circle of middle-to-upper-middle-class fellow WASPs. It’s rough. But, I also think he refuses to admit it’s rough, because to do that would be to shatter the coping mechanism he used the entire time he was overseas. So he grins and bears it. He waits through Erin’s tantrums and then holds her when she’s tires herself out, and eventually she’s used to him again. He and Peg work out some kind of schedule so she can keep some hours at her job once he finds work again at a hospital or practice, and he shelves whatever 50s patriarchal grumbles he has about it because if Peg’s happy then he’s just going to be happy, damnit. He struggles the most probably with the drinking and the friends thing. I think it really, crushingly hits him at some point that he’d never had a friend like Hawkeye before the war, and he will never have another friend like that again, and that the over 3000 miles that separates them might as well be the distance between home and Korea. I think he thinks about writing him all the time, but doesn’t know what to say, then uses the excuse of Christmas to send a card. When he gets one back, he can breathe easier. Whatever happens after that or how sustainable his new life is really depends on how you interpret BJ’s sexuality, so I’ll just leave it there.

Romantic:

Margaret - see my one solid romantic headcanon for Margaret is I don’t think she ever marries again. I don’t think she would want to open herself up to being hurt the way Donald hurt her, or the frustrating red tape of getting through a divorce. But I definitely think she keeps having relationships, some better than others. She’s passionate about every one of them for however long they last. She doesn’t carry a torch for Hawkeye or anything, but he’s the only one of her exes she really thinks much about, because they were friends more than they were exes.

Hawkeye - I also can’t see Hawkeye ever getting married. It’s just not something he’s interested in, and depending on the gender of the partner he’s with it wouldn’t be a possibility in their lifetime. I think he prefers to live in the moment, to feel good and make someone else feel good for a time, and that a “future together” rarely plays into it. When he’s with someone, they get the fullness of his devotion (with the caveat that his work as a surgeon is always going to come first), and when it’s over, it’s over and he doesn’t spend too much thought on it. If it ended amicably, he’d be fine with a casual hookup now and then if the other person was.

Friendship:

Klinger - This makes me sad to say, but I think it’s a pattern of Klinger’s life that he puts more into his friendships than he ever gets back, and that oftentimes he’s friends with people who end up being cruel to him. I want to hope that Soon-Lee helps him to realize this and that they find better friends once they’re stateside, but I think that’s probably me just wanting to make myself feel better more than it is realistic. Klinger’s nature is just always to be kind to others, even when they don’t deserve it.

Random:

Sidney - hmmm Sidney’s such a tricky puzzle to work out. I think you put it best that he’s more plot device than three-dimensional character. I think out of all the characters, the hardest part of adjusting to stateside life would not be the personal side of things but the professional. I think he’s so used to treating the sort of extreme trauma that comes from war that trying to switch gears to a civilian practice would be kind of jarring. But maybe he solves that problem by specializing in veterans’ cases for a while and eventually branches out more and more.

Thanks for sending, these were fun to think about!

#m*a*s*h #trapper john mcintyre #b.j. hunnicutt #margaret houlihan #hawkeye pierce #maxwell klinger #sidney freedman #emerson replies

[marley-manson]

I love all your MASH posts! Do you have any thoughts to share on the varying ways the characters relate to queerness?

Thank you so much <3

You bet I do! I hope what you’re looking for here is a bunch of sexuality and gender related headcanons, because that’s what I’ve got.

None of these are hard and fast when it comes to like, writing fic or whatever, and there’s obviously room for a ton of different interpretations which is cool, but this is kind of like the default lens I watch the show through lol. Also I prioritize the show’s vibe over strict notions of historical accuracy wrt homophobia, but at the same time based on a couple books I’ve read it’s not necessarily historically inaccurate for a military unit to have a bunch of barely closeted people and for no one to really care lol, from what I’ve read it really varied depending on the unit and COs. It got dicier in the 50s as opposed to the early 40s with some official policy changes and the lavender scare, but probably still not impossible, at least according to anecdotal evidence.

Also obviously since this is based on mountains of gay jokes it’s not going to completely fit every moment in every episode, but ykw, the implications are still a lot more consistent than you’d probably expect lol.

So anyway. This got long so it’s under a cut.

Hawkeye:

Bi, has known it for a long time, and is perfectly secure and comfortable with it. I like to think he favours men a little over women, like a kinsey 4.5. No real reason, but it’s my headcanon so there.

Was somewhat into the gay scene back in the states, has had lots of anonymous sex and short term flings and maybe couple longer term male partners.

Carlye knows he's bi though he was probably monogamous while he was with her (I say this because their first scene together reads so strongly to me like he's trying to imply he's with BJ now to save face after learning she's married lmao).

On the slightly effeminate side but doesn't play it up much (I'm differentiating this from the onslaught of combatative jokes, I'm talking mannerisms and speech patterns), though he's happy to lean into queeny stereotypes a little to piss people off. Very nearly canonically a bottom lol, though I can see him occasionally switching, and very nearly canonically into tall, broad guys with a sense of humour, full lips, a nice ass, and a big dick based on the shoe size jokes.

I think his dad knows and is relatively cool about it too. I don't see it causing a lot of drama in his life, I think he's one of the lucky ones, which contributes to his relative lack of fear.

Though that said one headcanon I have is that some kind of close call with nearly getting caught or accused and discharged happened between season 7+8, which is why he tones it down so much in late Mash.

Hm what else... I just posted about this lol but after the war I can see him getting more politically engaged and casually joining the gay communist scene.

Trapper:

Also bi and knows it, more careful and discrete about it (back in the states) what with presumably being from a pretty catholic family and being married. My logic is if the jokes are Hawkeye's bi evidence, then Trapper with almost the same amount and as a totally game participant has the same evidence, but he does have a more conscious of consequences vibe to me.

I’m torn on whether Trapper was somewhat into the gay scene stateside, or if his experience was mainly just anonymous sex while cruising. I could see an argument for the latter being more realistic and plausible, BUT I’m kind of enamoured with the idea of Trapper being just as out, in the old school ‘part of a community’ sense, as Hawkeye. It could even be a fun nod to their original book backstory where they’d coincidentally met once at a football game - except they vaguely recognize each other from the Boston bar scene lol. Maybe they fucked in a bathroom stall once.

Either way I like to think he and Hawkeye started hooking up almost immediately, then became friends, then caught feelings, and Hawkeye was the first guy Trapper ever had romantic feelings for. It doesn't perfectly fit every moment - eg if you take their exchange at the end of George (what secrets do you have in your past?) as a gay reference, which I mean considering the context it's impossible not to, that implies Trapper doesn't officially know, but it ain't about the exacting details, it's about the Vibes.

Henry:

Mildly bi swinger. He's still cheating on his wife and vice versa because they're supposed to only fuck other people as a couple. Maybe doesn't really think of himself as bi bc it’s group sex, at least at first. I'm pretty sure someone was deliberately implying some of this lol, c'mon I saw Dear Dad 3, and he gets some of the most eyebrow raising gay jokes and moments.

(One of my favourite jokes: Henry makes a PA announcement about a meeting at 0700 hours. “Is that AD or BC?” "I don't know, I never could tell with Henry." Note that AC/DC was contemporary slang for bi.)

Also has a crush on Klinger, obviously.

Klinger:

Bi and nonbinary, initially repressed about both. Comes to terms with being bi partway through the show since he's clearly hooking up with Radar by season 4, so. I like to think he had sex with Trapper at some point in season 3 too, and idgaf about Laverne here. Maybe he figures it doesn’t count if it’s with dudes. Comes to terms with his gender much later, post-canon. Would probably consider himself a transvestite, historically speaking.

Like the way he still wears his pink housecoat, complete with a bow sometimes, even after dropping the section 8 attempts? The fur coat too? In one of the most recent episodes I rewatched, in season 10, he had a bra in his footlocker, and in a season 9 episode he had pink heels stashed in one of the file cabinets, uncommented on. Soon Lee wants to see him in a dress. It all fits.

I think after he gets back to the states he opens a dress shop, slowly and organically starts acquiring a discrete trans and drag queen clientele since he's very skilled at altering women's clothes to fit a masculine build, makes some friends, gets invited to some events, and starts fully embracing his femininity.

Margaret:

I kinda like the repressed lesbian take. Her attraction to men always feels so forced and performative, like she's trying so hard to fit a role. I can also see her as bi, but I vote lesbian. I think she fucked women in college, including Lorraine, and has told herself it was just an immature phase since. Also repressed butch. Someday she finally gets that crewcut.

Radar:

Repressed gay or bi with some internalized homophobia, but chills out about it eventually. I mean come on, that scene where he gets offended when changing in front of Hawkeye? His typical noooo stoooop reactions to the gay jokes in general? Klinger was his plausible deniability dude where he could be like 'it's not gay bc i think of him as a girl.' They break it off somewhere in season 5.

Father Mulcahy:

Gay but a catholic priest, so off limits. Knows he's gay but doesn't act on it. Chill with all the gay vibes around the 4077 in accordance with his fairly live and let live attitude, regardless of whether that actually makes much sense for him as a Catholic. Whatever, there’s always exceptions to common rules and maybe he’s one of them.

Frank:

Repressed bi, but not all that repressed. Like he knows it, but denies it in his head in a way that doesn't even convince himself, like reciting a rote platitude. Internalized homophobia up to here. Would absolutely still date a guy if anyone likeable ever expressed genuine interest because he's that desperate for approval and easily malleable.

BJ:

I tend to favour the repressed gay or bi take. I see the reasoning, it makes sense to me, and it’s a fun way to watch the show. It fits what I percieve as his initial awkwardness with Hawkeye’s gay jokes in his first few seasons, including occasional no homo style defensiveness, or bringing up his own masculinity, etc. Also the way he doesn’t seem to notice that Hawkeye is blatantly hitting on him at the airport bar. The gay read in particular fits the way his fixation on his family is explicitly framed as a coping mechanism too.

I really enjoy thinking that BJ knows Hawkeye is into men and specifically into him by like, around season 7/8. Maybe not a sudden realizaton, but a sort of gradual understanding. It adds a certain je ne sais quoi to their late series interactions, and feels oddly appropriate.

I like to think he realizes he’s not straight in whichever way and is in love with Hawkeye about a year or two after going home lol, amid a crumbling marriage. But I don’t endgame ship them, so I think this revelation comes too late, Hawkeye has already moved on, and he goes back to San Francisco and either saves his marriage or finds himself a nice boyfriend.

Charles:

Gay, aware but possibly refuses to act on it due to internalized homophobia and ~respectability~, or if he does, he’s very discrete and careful. On the hunt for a suitable lavender marriage.

Potter:

He’s the token straight to me, sorry.

Random related thoughts:

I think Hawkeye and Trapper and Henry and Klinger fostered the carefree anything goes atmosphere of the 4077 just by being the way they are and being chill.

I like to think there was a gay poker night once a month. Zale accidentally crashed it in Pay Day. Klinger goes even though he doesn't consider himself anything but a straight man at first, but he's always down for a poker game and he points out that he fits in just fine.

Whenever new lgbt people arrive at the 4077 they go to either Hawkeye or Klinger first since they’re so loud, and early on Klinger might point them in Hawkeye’s direction, and Hawkeye tells them where the Seoul + Tokyo bars are and invites them to the poker game.

I think Hawkeye's subplot in Of Moose and Men was coded homophobia. Textually it was the officer being offended that Hawkeye is insubordinate, but come on, "I don't want that man touching me," followed by a sex joke about Hawkeye giving him a sedative in the ass? Followed by dude continually being disturbed by him? They really made "goof off" sound like a slur lol. Rally Round the Flagg Boys also had a milder version of this with communist substituted. Idk if it’s intentional in either case, but the vibes were there.

Margaret found out that Hawkeye’s bi at some point not long after they slept together. I could see him coming out to her during one of their heart to hearts, honestly, maybe even by accident. Maybe it helps her come to terms with her own sexuality too.

By season 4 Hawkeye and Klinger are both aware of each others’ sexualities and sort of bond over being the only 2 somewhat out guys left in the main cast. The way they start hanging out more, for a while Hawkeye’s gay jokes come out more in scenes with Klinger than in scenes with BJ, and just in general their mid-show interactions tend to have that ‘the two out cousins at the family reunion’ solidarity vibe.

I think Hawkeye thinks BJ is straight throughout the whole run of the show, but also knows BJ is sort of using him as a platonic wife replacement. Actually I think Hawkeye encouraged it early on while lowkey trying to seduce him, eventually had to be like ‘damn guess he’s straight after all,’ but by now it’s too late to reverse course and so he’s stuck pining in this weird pseudo romantic friendship.

Aaaand okay I have to stop at some point so I’m sure I have more but let’s call it good.

#mash #text post #marley on mash #thank you for the question and sorry this took a day but considering how long it is i'm sure you can see why lol #ask #hawkeye mash #trapper mash #bj mash #henry mash #margaret mash #radar mash #klinger mash #charles mash #mulcahy mash #ship hb #ship ht #mash gs

[steveharrington]

every time a new piece of media joins in on the 80s nostalgia trend thats happening right now stranger things ends up getting dragged through the mud and i dont like that!! first of all i acknowledge that these movies are obviously banking on the success of stranger things. it 2017 takes place in the 80s rather than the book's setting of the 50s and it features finn wolfhard. fear street takes place in the late 70s/early 90s and features several stranger things actors, similar locations, and an overall very similar look. ready player one crammed so many 80s references in it inspired demi adejuyigbe's song that i think about literally all the time. and inevitably when people dislike these movies they tend to criticize the reliance on nostalgia and it alwayssss gets traced back to stranger things, which is then blamed for "banking on the nostalgia for the 80s" and implied to be nothing more than its references to the time. BUT

 here's the thing. stranger things has to take place in the 80s. a story about the government doing illict mk-ultra experiments to spy on the russians is inseparable from the politics of the 80s. a story about a young boy going missing and his friends riding around on bikes investigating depends on the lack of instant communication & constant monitoring of children that still existed in the 80s. if the story didn't depend on those elements and still took place in the 80s, sure, you could say it uses the time period for nothing more than marketing and nostalgia but that's not the case! and i see a lot of people bemoan what they consider to be references that are "too obvious" like the ghostbusters halloween costumes, the soundtrack in general, barb's whole look, etc. but...they're accurate to the time period! how could you have a show that takes place in the 80s and not feature accurate fashion from that time? music?? media??? obviously as more and more movies/shows jump onto the success of st, these references become less and less interesting and ultimately end up feeling stale, but how could you not have them? not to mention my mom was really excited to see barb carrying a trapper keeper <3

stranger things also challenges aspects of 80's pop culture with subverted expectations. the best example of this imo is obviously steve's entire character. typical jock all american boy bully that was wildly popular in 80s teen media, but within the first episode it's already made clear that steve is an actual person who exists beyond his archetype. he stumbles sneaking into nancy's window and points out the judgements she has against other girls she considers to be slutty and backs off on his advances and above all genuinely likes her rather than just using her for sex. he evolves a million other times as the show progresses because the show values its characters and the way they're written, which wouldn't be the case if they were just using the bare bones of 80s media tropes and calling it a day.

not to mention how stranger things' most iconic images are things entirely original to the show. the letter wall was everywhere and recreated a million times, el's pink dress + eggo box look was a million halloween costumes, the nail bat was so popular it made a whole reappearance in the season two trailer, i could go on. somehow the show managed to create these very iconic images that feel like they're from a classic 80s movie despite being made in 2016. it would be insanely easy for the show to just not even bother with coming up with their own visuals and instead go the ready player one route where the supposedly impressive scenes literally just feature a popular 80s character

not everyone is gonna agree obviously but i think stranger things is genuinely a well made show in season one, when the 80s trend kicked off after its enormous success. and im not gonna act like it never uses nostalgia as a draw-in because it definitely mentions star wars more than necessary and season three was clearly written around the concept of an 80s mall, but it's obvious that everyone involved with making the show cared about its quality rather than just slapping together some references because they knew it'd do well. it has a compelling story with a large cast of mostly well written characters and great actors and unique dynamics etc etc etc. you can tell when something is made entirely to bank off a specific aesthetic because it generally doesn't end up drawing people in and keeping them dedicated to the story. and stranger things did kickstart a long trend of nostaglia based media, much of which is unoriginal and mediocre, but it shouldn't be dragged down along with them

#yes this is because i saw people degrading it in the bad reviews for fear street so what!!!! #stranger things

[drpierceandmrhyde]

okay here’s me blathering about “Hawk’s Nightmare” for ~1350 words

I’m going to talk about Frank and Margaret’s conversation in post-op first because it doesn’t fit with the other themes of the episode that I want to talk about, but I still like that scene, so I want to talk about it anyway.

    Margaret’s “I happen to be an engaged person” is very Gender, but I also like her “I’m a one-man woman” because … well, she is. Sure, she had a long affair with a married man, but that affair could have been born from mutual loneliness as much as from attraction, and as far as I remember she is never in a relationship with both Frank and Donald. When it’s clear that Frank is never going to divorce his wife, Margaret calls their affair quits. And she commits to her relationships, even if the men with whom she is involved don’t share her commitment. She sticks with Frank through countless empty promises, and Donald leaves her, not the other way around. (Also, I hate to say it, but “I know God exists because you exist” is quite a romantic line.)

    Now for the on-topic stuff.

    From the opening scene we see the impetus for the themes of Hawkeye’s sleepwalking and dreams. The episode opens with Hawkeye lamenting on the age of his patient. This isn’t the first time this has happened; he and Trapper had the whole “I’d swear this kid is really a kid” scene in “Sometimes You Hear the Bullet.” But Hawkeye seems especially worked up about this patient’s age, even countering Frank’s claim that their patients are proud soldiers by saying that they’re babies. So it makes sense that this fixation on the youth of these soldiers would lead to dreams about people from Hawkeye’s own childhood.

    The youth of Hawkeye’s patient is further cemented in a later scene when Hawkeye is visiting with him in post-op. The patient hadn’t even heard of Korea before the war started. And when Hawkeye says that he’s from Crabapple Cove, the patient says that it sounds like a place where Winnie the Pooh hangs out. There’s something unnerving about a soldier talking about something as childish as Winnie the Pooh. It reminds you that he’s just a kid whose government forced him into this war.

    The episode is full of little moments that show the care that the 4077th has for Hawkeye. When BJ sees him asleep in bed without a blanket, he puts a blanket over him. When Klinger and Radar catch him sleepwalking for the second night in a row, they very calmly and gently get him back to bed without waking him up. When Hawkeye wakes up Radar in the middle of the night because he’s desperate to check on a friend back home, Radar places the call without hesitation, and Colonel Potter asks Radar to call Sidney but does so discreetly because he doesn’t want Hawkeye to know. Even Frank kind of tries to offer comfort depending on how you look at it. I know Hawkeye doesn’t take comfort from Frank saying that there’s nothing in the dark that isn’t there in the light, but in the right circumstances I could see how that sentiment could be comforting to someone. (And I have a weakness for Potter saying “Anything I can do, son?” while putting his hand on Hawkeye’s back and then encouraging Hawkeye to lie down for a while.)

    The episode has some good demonstrations of Hawkeye feeling like he has to be funny, whether the staff has imposed that expectation or whether he’s imposed it on himself. You have “Come on, don’t pull my leg. The shape I’m in, it’ll come off,” and he says “Frankly, I think I’m pregnant” when he’s talking to Margaret and BJ about his first nightmare. It could be humor as a coping mechanism or to keep up with his jokester expectations or perhaps both.

    But I also think it’s interesting that when BJ says there’s no need to make such a big deal out of a little sleepwalking and one nightmare, Hawkeye agrees with him and says that he wouldn’t if it were happening to anyone else. But wouldn’t he? At this point Hawkeye has a history of treating traumatized patients with compassion and taking their trauma seriously, even if he doesn’t always understand the trauma. “Mad Dogs and Servicemen” is perhaps a bit of an exception, but that was mostly because he was trying to follow Sidney’s advice when Sidney couldn’t show up to talk to the patient himself, and behind that firmness I think he still cared about the patient, and he thought that the patient probably didn’t like him because of his treatment.

    We get a taste of Hawkeye viewing his home and his childhood through rose-tinted glasses. He says that Toby Wilder was his best friend as a kid, but when he calls Toby to check on him after his nightmare, Toby only cares about the money that Hawkeye supposedly owes him. And then a few seasons later, Hawkeye talks about his love for his cousin Billy, who almost drowned him.

    I love the way that the writing describes trauma without using medical or psychiatric terminology. When talking about his fear of going to sleep, Hawkeye says “It’s one thing to live in a shooting gallery, but now I’m being attacked from inside. […] How do I defend myself from myself?” And there’s the conversation between Potter and Radar after Potter has called Sidney, when Radar talks about the fight against the war. When Potter says that the jokes aren’t working anymore and Radar says that the other side is winning, it reminds me of Alan Alda saying that Hawkeye doesn’t fundamentally change but rather that his coping mechanisms stop working. And Hawkeye openly says that he’s scared. I always love when characters express their fear outright.

    I love that Hawkeye and Sidney’s scene is framed as a conversation rather than a formal psychiatric appointment. Their friendship and mutual respect has been well established by this point, but this is the first extended scene of Hawkeye being a patient and Sidney being his therapist (we got a little of that in “O.R.” but not to this extent). Hawkeye is relieved that Potter called Sidney, and he quickly talks very candidly about his fear of falling asleep, and Sidney invites Hawkeye to share his own insight into his mental state without trying to twist Hawkeye’s words. “So you’ve been walking in your sleep. What do you think it means?” And as a bonus we get a taste of Sidney’s sense of humor with his “losing your marbles” joke.

    I haven’t seen “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen” yet and won’t until the 28th, but from what I know about Hawkeye’s arc in that episode, there is some foreshadowing/reversal in this episode. In this episode Hawkeye is worried that he’s going crazy and eventually asks Sidney point blank if he is crazy, but in GFA (from my understanding) Hawkeye doesn’t think he needs help. In this episode Hawkeye tells Sidney that he’s very reassuring and that he has a great warside manner, but in GFA he calls Sidney a son of a bitch. I’ll definitely revisit this episode once I’ve seen GFA.

    I also love and appreciate that Hawkeye’s sleepwalking and nightmares come from the trauma of the war without Hawkeye dreaming about the war itself. It’s a refreshing twist on war-related PTSD tropes. He dreams about childhood friends, and in the dreams they’re still children, and the dreams all end with the kids dying violently, and Sidney compares those dreams to the children that Hawkeye has had to operate on. And Sidney saying “But there’s a lot of suffering going on here, Hawkeye, and you can’t avoid it. You can’t even dream it away” is yet another indication of Hawkeye being fully, painfully aware of the war and another indication that Hawkeye is drowning in the war and cannot escape the totality of it.

    So overall it’s a great episode that presents it subject matter authentically and in ways that ring true to the characters’ personalities.

#anyways. fucking love this episode #* #M*A*S*H

[ziracona]

hoh I'm really sorry friend but you got Talbot's backstory kinda muddled. Some things you stated that he did, he didn't actually do for the reasons you stated. He didn't experiment on killers just for fun -- he ran from them. they hunted him. he experimented on them to find a dosage right for himself. he also didn't experiment on an animal for fun. it was dead. Vigo apparently talked about escaping and it had to do with serum. Its why he injected himself after tests. He wanted a way out.

I’m going to answer this in two parts since it’s stated in two. First, friend, I am going to have to operate on the assumption that you have very very strong feelings about Talbot and assume everything said against him is pretty much the same after a glance or something like it, because I never once said he experiments on the killers for fun. I said the Entity I think lets Talbot experiment on other killers now that he is one too as “punishment for them and fun research times for Talbot,” not that Talbot experiments on them for fun. I think he does enjoy doing his scientific research, but that aside, the above is just a description of the Entity’s reasoning in letting him do that/its POV.  I certainly never said he does it ‘just for fun’. In fact, I explicitly stated his motivation for becoming a killer was to attempt to protect himself. I have to assume you didn’t really read my post at all, or perhaps got it confused with another. I know my shit. I read up. Though it is true I say ‘animals’ when, while he canonically experiments on both rats and crows, only the one rat happened for sure before he moved on to the Trapper. Although, that’s kind of worse... Again though, I never once said he did any of this for fun. I know he injected people to see what the serum would do, in a very reckless and poorly thought attempt to escape the realm. I explicitly mention this. Perhaps you are confused because I describe him as torturing people, and he’s not just doing pain for fun--this is because torture is not limited to only pain inflicted on someone out of cruelty or a desire to manipulate them. The dictionary definition of the verb, to torture, is “To cause intense suffering. To torment”. And he absolutely tortures killers, survivors, and reanimated realm animals alike as a means to his own ends. Also, the Entity has not erased all his memories--I know the archives has some memory deterioration lore added, but much of what he did to others happened well before any of that began, and explicitly some of his own addons mention things he explicitly remembers. The Entity did of course leave him to suffer in the void, with is a form of torture, and used the medical affects of blight itself to help manipulate him. Unfortunately, being hurt yourself doesn’t excuse you from the responsibility of what horrors you inflict on other people.

For part two, I am sure my answer is coming off as a bit abrasive. I appreciate the apology, but yes, it is rather rude. Even without the lack of attention to detail. Let me try to say this more fairly though, because I don’t know you at all, and in all likelihood, you’re a very nice and decent person who doesn’t mean anything by this, and simply has deep feelings about this character. Also, this isn’t all directed just at you, but to some degree at everybody who has sent me one of these in the past, or will in the future, which I am very tired of. I am going to quit answering most of them from here on.

First of all, I understand feeling deeply about a character or topic. I understand being frustrated or even hurt when you see opinions that distress you, or seem unjust compared to what you believe. That’s natural, and even sweet. And I am all for talking about how you feel and think and why, and leaving that in the tags so other people might hear what you have to say. Even for messaging people to see if they want to have a discussion with you. It’s endearing when people love things and want to fight for them. I only describe Talbot as more interesting than many of the others, because I was not asked specifically about my sympathy level, and it doesn’t factor high in importance to me where he is concerned, but you’re not wrong that Talbot is more sympathetic--or, at least, depending on interpretation, much more capable of being written sympathetic while adhering to canon--than many of the other killers. That said, he’s also--completely in line with canon--interpretable as pretty monstrous. I don’t think I necessarily paint him heavily either direction. Simply I personally feel fairly little sympathy for someone who commits the kinds of dehumanizing acts of scientific research torture on war prisoners without a second thought, ignores the consequences of his actions, and so quickly casts his humanity aside when in tribulation. He devolves from someone who could have changed and been good, to a man who is a horrific monster and cares only for him self, with no lines he will not cross (his own words, and pre-killer even). And to some people, that is tragic. To me, I feel little kinship for the man he was before, and am simply disappointed in him for failing so easily and completely. I can see why someone might interpret his character quite differently, but my take is just as valid in line with canon, and it’s mine. 

I don’t mind people telling me their thoughts, and I don’t mind reading takes in the tags. And again, I very much understand the desire to stand up for something you care about if you feel it is wronged. But that’s not really what you’ve done here, messaging me on anonymous. To the best of my knowledge, I have never even interacted with you before. You didn’t open a discussion with me; you talked down to me, and you decided to argue with me about a topic I did not invite anyone into debate with myself. I am not an opinion blog, or a discussion blog. I am a personal blog. But still, you were discontent to not go into my space and try to scold me about my own opinions as a stranger. And you did all of it on anonymous, where there is no tag attaching anything you said even to your online persona, and no way for me to even be assured of you seeing an answer, or entering any dialogue with me. Which means that the goal, subconsciously probably since I know nothing at all about you and have no reason at all to think you’re anything but a decent person who is a bit carried away today with love for Talbot Grimes, but still the goal, was never to have a dialogue with me in the hopes maybe I would see and like your reasoning and we could talk about something we both have an interest in. It was that you felt so entitled to dictate someone you don’t know’s opinion about something they disagree with you on, that you felt compelled to leave a missive instructing me to correct my wrongs in my inbox. 

Which, well, is rude.

This is probably a bit more, uh, ‘icy’? Than is totally necessary. I really am not angry at all; I understand you probably had no real ill will towards me doing this. I just have this happen a lot, and I am tired of it, so I want an easy frame of reference to link back to for why I find this behavior rude and cowardly and an unasked for nuisance--badly intentioned consciously or not. I truly am sorry if this makes you feel bad or distressed to read, especially if you’re a younger fan. I truly am not mad at you--and I do not at all think or mean to imply you are a bad person. Everybody is occasionally thoughtless. It’s not remotely representative of character. But please don’t keep doing this to people who aren’t interested in a debate. And if you believe in something enough you want to take the discussion to someone else, sign your name to it. If you feel enough conviction to make something someone else’s problem, make it your problem for real too. I’m truly not mad though, and wish you the best.

(and my ‘if you are annoyed by this or any of my other personal opinions and desperately want me to read your thoughts on anon about that’ requirements below the cut)

It’s literally not worth my time to read anon hate or people upset I don’t like a serial killer, so if you for some wild incomprehensible reason really feel a need to see me read that and answer to you instead of just delete and/or block without a look, then either leave my $5 on my Kofi, or get used to knowing I didn’t even read it.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I have to actually get paid to not file that shit under ‘I’m not paid enough to deal with this’. 

#ask #anonymous #dead by daylight #talbot grimes #the blight #again Anon I know this might read very abrasive to you. Legit the only emotion I am feeling is mild annoyance #You're not a bad person for mildly annoying me and please don't feel too bad or dwell on this if u even #read it & care. Just. Please don't keep doing this to people #Anonymous

[angryhausfrau-writes]

You Can’t Cross the Same River Twice - Chapter 5

Hawkeye's first day at the South End clinic is a little rough. It's been so long since he's done anything but meatball surgery. And his first patient is a little girl who tripped in a storm drain and sprained her ankle - and scraped the hell out of her legs and her flesh is red red red against her dark skin and she screams when the nurse applies peroxide and Hawkeye feels like he's going to hurl. But he swallows down bile and wraps her ankle and sends her back to her anxious mother with instructions to take it easy and a lollipop. And then he has to go do supply inventory - counting bottles and boxes as they pass through his shaking hands - until he can breath again.

Fortunately, his next patient is elderly Mr. McCall, who's been battling pneumonia. It's summer so all Hawkeye thinks about is getting it licked before it gets cold and the pneumonia turns into something worse. And the routine of listening to his wheezing lungs, of prescribing antibiotics - and knowing he won't sell them on the black market - helps settle Hawkeye further. So he coasts along on a few more elderly patients with chronic complaints - arthritis is particularly prevalent - until he feels almost normal.

And then his shift's over and Dr. Wilson is calling him into his office with a genuine and jovial "Well, Benjamin, how was your first day back?"

Dr. Wilson reminds Hawkeye a lot of his dad. There are obvious differences - Dr. Wilson is Black and wears a mustache and three piece suit - but he exudes the same air of fatherly concern. And Hawkeye never wants to disappoint him, doesn't think he could handle that face turning stern and disapproving. So he tells the truth.

"There were ups and downs. I really liked getting to know the patients - Mrs. McBride especially! It seems like she came in more to gossip than for her rheumatism."

Dr. Wilson laughs. "That's Jenny McBride all right! She'll be trying to set you up with her granddaughter in no time."

Hawkeye smiles. Good luck with that.

"Well, I'm glad that's been an upside for you. A lot of the work we do in this clinic depends on good relationships with our patients." He pauses. "Now, what about the downsides?"

"I'm not good with kids," Hawkeye blurts out.

"Nurse Freeman said you did a fine job with Betty this morning. You were calm and reassuring and explained things so she could understand. I couldn't ask for more."

"I'm glad my bedside manner has such glowing reviews. But I meant that I struggle around kids."

"I suppose you didn't get too many over in Korea." Dr. Wilson's tone is understanding.

And Hawkeye doesn't disabuse him of the notion. Or go into details. Because as much as he likes Dr. Wilson, they're not that close. He's not Potter.

"It's something for me to work on, all right."

Something in his expression must give him away.

"Look, Benjamin." Dr. Wilson leans forward, looks Hawkeye right in the eye. "I hired you because you genuinely care about your patients. About this community. And I rehired you because that hasn't changed in the last three years. I'd be hard pressed to find another doctor with your skill set and your dedication. I'm not going to ask about what you went through over there. My nephew was in the Deuce. Whatever it is you need to do to be able to take care of the kids that come through here, do it. And if you need something from me to make that happen, tell me." He sits back in his chair. "Well, I won't keep you from the rest of your night, I'm sure you're eager to be home. See you tomorrow, Benjamin."

And it's a lot. The weight of Dr. Wilson's understanding and compassion. The weight of his regard. And he remembers - respects - the Hawkeye from three years ago. And Hawkeye is worried because that's not who he is anymore.

--

"How do you do it, Trap?" Hawkeye puts down his knitting and turns to Trapper expectantly.

Trapper looks up from his medical journal. "Do what?"

"Trauma surgery. Day in, day out for ten, twelve hour shifts. I would have thought you'd be sick of it after Korea."

"It was the only thing that felt normal, after I got back. Everything was so different. I had changed, my wife had changed, my kids had changed. Our relationships with each other had changed. And I didn't know how to go back to how things were. Or move forward to something new. So I latched onto work cuz that was the only thing I recognized."

"And now?" And Hawkeye looks desperately hopeful. But for what, Trapper doesn't know.

"I ain't still chasing the past. And I figure I got one hell of a future to look forward to." He squeezes Hawkeye's hand briefly. "As for staying in the ER. Well, I've always wanted to help people. It's why I became a doctor. And I'm a damn good trauma surgeon - better than I'd be at anything else. So I figure I can do the most good staying where I'm at."

Hawkeye looks down at his lap, shoulders slumping.

"I had a kid come in today. Sprained ankle, scraped up knees. Routine injuries. And I about lost my lunch taking care of her. I kept seeing that damn baby. And they're nothing alike. She was way older for one thing, maybe five, and not Korean. But I kept seeing the baby. And I don't know if I'll ever be able to see anything else."

"You worried you won't be able to take care of your patients?"

Hawkeye nods, looking miserable.

"When I first got back into the OR, I kept seeing kids I'd worked on at the 4077. Not their faces, but their injuries. I patched up a through and through on some kid's abdomen and I kept running and running the bowel, sure I'd find shell fragments. And a guy got his leg crushed on the docks and my first instinct was to amputate cuz that's what you do when someone steps on a mine. I know it ain't the same thing as with you, but I had to relearn how to do surgery. Had to keep reminding myself that I wasn't in Korea."

"How?"

"Well, all my patients are asleep by the time I get to 'em. But I'd kinda list out the injuries and what I knew of how and where they'd got 'em. Hard to be in Korea if your patient got hurt on a fishing boat or in a warehouse accident or whatever." Trapper pauses to think. "You've maybe got it easier than that, Hawk. Most of what you're doing ain't surgery. You can talk to your patients. Maybe ask 'em about stuff like their day at school or their friends - stuff that couldn't be in Korea."

"And have me become one of those annoying barbers who asks more questions about your background than the CIA? I hate that. They'd hate that. Me just poking at their injuries and demanding the names of all their goldfish."

Hawkeye's looking at Trapper again and making jokes and that seems like a positive sign so he keeps going. "Nah, kids love talking about themselves. Cathy can do a whole half hour on what she and her best friend did at recess. Besides, ain't the whole point of this clinic business getting to know your patients?"

Hawkeye lets out a wry chuckle. "Oh, I've learned more than I ever wanted to about Mrs. McBride's ongoing feud with her downstairs neighbors. She makes life at the front sound peaceful in comparison. And she had opinions about what I prescribed for her rheumatism."

Trapper laughs. "Sounds like a real tough customer."

"She's a force of will all right. Dr. Wilson warned me that she'd try to set me up with her granddaughter and if she tackles that anything like she tackles unruly neighbors, I'm halfway down the aisle already."

Trapper clasps a hand to his chest. "You're leaving me?" He effects mock outrage. "And for some hussy you've never even met! You cad!"

Hawkeye's laughing so hard he's about rolling off the sofa.

"Oh, darling!" He joins in on the game. "You know I could never leave you! She means nothing to me! Besides, the house is in your name."

Trapper grins. "I feel like we're role-playing Ferret Face and Mrs. Burns after she found out about Hot Lips."

"Ugh, never mind. If you're going to say things like that I think I will go marry Mrs. McBride's granddaughter."

That sets them both off again but they eventually collapse in a red-faced heap on the couch, wiping away tears of laughter.

"Thanks, Trap. I needed that." Hawkeye picks up his knitting again and the living room fills with the gentle click of knitting needles. But Hawkeye seems to be thinking something through, so Trapper doesn't pick up his medical journal just yet.

Sure enough, a few minutes later he's turning to Trapper, looking troubled.

"I spent so long talking things away in Korea. The war. Other people. My own damn self. All of what I was thinking and feeling and living. People were relying on me to keep them sane through the bad stuff. As long as Hawkeye's cracking jokes and raving at the brass, everything's normal, everything's fine. And I guess I got so good at lying to everyone else, I was able to lie to myself. And then I went crazy. And then I went sane. And then I didn't talk for a while - not about anything that wasn't work - not for the whole boat ride home. Because I was afraid I'd start lying to myself again."

He takes a deep, shuddering breath.

"Being crazy was terrible. Everything was hidden, muddled. I couldn't trust myself - and that made me distrust everything else. But being sane was worse. Going back to the 4077 a sane man was like that first day all over again. I could see. Like a spotlight had been put on everything. I could see. Everything in such close detail, in such clear focus."

Another breath.

"So I guess I'm looking for the right balance of sane and crazy. And I don't know what words go with that yet."

"And you're worried you'll maybe lose yourself in words again if you start talking to your patients?"

Hawkeye nods.

"Well, I ain't exactly an expert on words. But I think there's some pretty big differences between the two kinds of talking. You ain't gonna be talking to keep people away. You're gonna be talking to get them to talk to you. Talking to listen."

Hawkeye grins. "I've been told I'm pretty bad at that."

"I guess you'll just have to practice. And maybe it takes you a while to find the balance between talking and listening -"

"Between crazy and sane," Hawkeye interjects.

"- but you got time. The war. The war changed a lot of stuff real quickly. It makes sense that it'd take a while to find equilibrium. Hell, I've been back over a year and I'm still lookin."

"But Trapper," Hawkeye chuckles,"you have your shit so together."

"Ah, don't let my failed marriage, unhealthy work schedule, and occasional screaming nightmares fool you - I'm a fucking mess, Hawk. But I'm doing better than I was, and I figure that's something."

"Well, here's to being a fucking mess." Hawkeye toasts with an imaginary glass.

Trapper clinks his own imaginary glass against it. "Together."

--

Hawkeye feels a lot more settled after that conversation. And he knows it will take time and work to reach whatever new equilibrium he ends up at. But it's a relief to have things out in the open. A relief to know he and Trapper are still on the same page with all this. Still together.

Hawkeye may feel more settled, but Trapper is anxious, agitated. And Hawkeye understands. He'd done a lot of talking from the heart tonight. It's not that Trapper's bad with words, just that he's like Hawkeye - not great with emotional vulnerability. Though he tends to bottle things up rather than hide behind jokes and wisecracks. But he'd put himself out there for Hawkeye. Dredged up things he was happier not thinking about just to help and reassure him. So the least he can do is let Trapper get his own equilibrium back.

"Trap, you look about ready to shake out of your skin. Go punch something heavy for a while."

Trapper looks dubious. He obviously doesn't want to leave Hawkeye all on his own right now.

"Really, Trap, I'm fine. I'm feeling a lot better now. I just want to sit here and work on my knitting. Maybe listen to some music."

"No more confessions of deep-seated fears?" Trapper teases.

"Nope, I'm all confessed out. Now get out of here before I stab you for disturbing my peace and quiet!" Hawkeye shakes a knitting needle at him to show he means business.

Trapper laughs at him but he does leave for the gym. And Hawkeye has a very nice evening knitting Trapper's surprise sweater.

When Trapper comes home, he's sweaty and exhausted but he's calm. And Hawkeye can't even complain too much when Trapper pulls him up into a slightly damp embrace. Kisses him slow and tender and then deep and filthy. This is the kind of talking he and Trapper are both good at.

#mash #piercintyre #fanfic archive #you can't cross the same river twice #chapter 5

[superstarglow-blog]

Montana

What Can I Expect From Montana?

A View of the Mountain on the Side of the Road, Montana Best Time to Visit Montana Montana bordered Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. We didn't get a chance to go to a look out on one of the mountains in Missoula, Montana but from the lookout you can see Canada. Montana is the 4th largest state and the weather can vary. Recommended Clothing to Bring (check before coming) Spring/Summer t-shirts shorts sandals walking shoes Long sleeved shirts waterproof quality boots Other Accessories sunscreen sunglasses charging devices camping gears cooler For the Trip to the Mountain for Skiing / Winter down/insulated jackets parka or anorak jackets (preferably for winter) gloves warm hats long underwear wool socks snow pants Climate Montana weather can be extreme. In the winter, it can be below zero on the east side of the Continental Divide while the weather can be warm on the west in cities like Missoula or Kalispell. When I visited Missoula in July, it was beautiful, hot, and sunny. We visited Missoula downtown and drove through Glacier National Park. It was gorgeous at the park but finding a campsite was impossible due to 4th of July where every campsites were filled. History Native Americans have been occupying Montana for centuries. When Europeans arrived, their diseases devastated the native Americans who were not immune to their diseases. In 1804 - 1806 was the first European explorers to cross Montana. According to Montana Gov site, Roman Catholic missionaries followed trappers into Montana around 1840s. In 1860s, the discovery of gold brought many prospectors into Montana. In 1864, Montana became a territory. Conflict between the Sioux and Cheyenne led to many battles but in the end, the United States Army overpowered the natives. Montana cattle farmers took advantage of the public domain land in Montana and beef was a valuable commodity. Montana was the 41st state to be admitted into the Union on November 8, 1889. More can be learned from the Native Languages site. After World War I (1914 - 1918), the great depression (1929 - 1938), Montana economy suffered. Then World War II (1939 - 1945) happened which draw many young people to the west coast for service. Montana has slowly shift from an economy that relies on natural resources to service-based. When I traveled to Glacier National Park, I love all the signs with native American words and small town experience. 10 Interesting Facts about Montana Things to See and Do in Montana Typical Costs When Traveling Accommodation - You can stay at Airbnb, hostels, resorts, hotels, cabin, campsite, or motels. Montana is one of the less expensive states that I have visited. Campsites with electricity are around $35 for non-residents. You can even reserve campsite on the Montana State Parks site here. Depending on where you are staying, the cost can vary.Food - There are some interesting food in Montana. I really enjoy going to a local cafe for brunch. I like the rugged decoration at the West Glacier Restaurant. Huckleberry seems like a popular ingredients in candies, jams, syrups, and food dishes. With so many ranches, beef burgers, steaks, and ribeyes are popular. Transportation - Cars, trains, buses, Lyft, Uber, RV, and bikes are options of transportation. Due to vast size of Montana, I found having a car was necessary. You can rent a car or RV and explore the nature in Montana. Money Saving Tips What Can I Expect from Montana? I love Montana. I found Montana to be peaceful and quiet with so many amazing wildlife and parks. My favorite park was the Glacier National Park. It was massive and gorgeous. Montana is consider one of the Wild West states. When I think of the Wild West (1865 - 1895), I can definitely imagine the cowboys, ranchers, and outlaws in Montana vast flat land. If you ever wonder how simple and peaceful life can be, visit the parks and small town in Montana. Read the full article

[newstfionline]

In the deepest Arctic, sled dogs, polar bears and famed seed vault face melting snow and ice

By Andrea Pitzer, Washington Post, May 26, 2018

LONGYEARBYEN, Svalbard--Unseasonal winter rain had seeped along the floor of the ice cave, freezing the last incline. That had made slipping to the bottom easy enough, but finding a way out was now a problem. Ten miles outside the northernmost town on the planet, six travelers were trapped at the back of an ice cave.

The solution required cooperation. One man sat down to brace his back and feet against opposite sides of the tunnel, while others used him as a platform from which to push their guide, Marcel Starinsky, upward. He managed to pull himself the rest of the way along the slope, under a roof recently opened by rain. After reaching the top, he hauled the rest of the travelers up, one by one, into the polar darkness that blankets the region up to 24 hours a day in winter.

Such rain and ice cave collapses are not the only recent anomalies on Svalbard, an archipelago halfway between Norway’s mainland and the North Pole. Average January temperatures have been at least nine degrees above normal for the past six years. In late 2015, an avalanche reached homes in Longyearbyen, killing two people. A second avalanche damaged houses in 2017.

Climate change by some measures is happening two to four times as quickly in the far north as it is in lower latitudes. And the western side of the Svalbard archipelago is warming more quickly than the Arctic as a whole. The international director of the Norwegian Polar Institute, Kim Holmen, who lives in Longyearbyen, says of climate change here, “This town is certainly the place where it’s happening first and fastest and even the most.”

Holmen notes that Svalbard used to be where students came to observe Arctic conditions. Now it is the place they come to study a climate in transition.

Longyearbyen, population 2,160, has an airport, a library, a coffee shop and the church closest to the North Pole. The ways it is learning to cope may provide lessons about what climate change means, the possibilities and limits of technology, and the ways both are bound up with the transformation of the planet.

And then there are Svalbard’s polar bears, legendary since at least since 1596. In the first recorded sighting of the islands, Dutch navigator William Barents’s men spent hours trying to kill a single bear.

“One of our men stroke her in the backe with an axe, which stuck fast ... and yet she swomme away with it,” wrote an officer on the ship, immortalizing the creatures in literature as fierce, fearless beasts.

Searching for a northeasterly passage from Europe to China, Barents called the first island he discovered Bear Island and the second one Spitsbergen (the name means “pointed mountains”), then sailed on. There was no indigenous population, but Dutch whalers were soon fishing in the region, and trappers came to hunt on land as well. By the mid-1800s, scientific expeditions made their way to the islands. Before the end of the 19th century, organized tourism was underway.

In 1901, American industrial magnate John Munro Longyear headed to Svalbard as a tourist, returning later with excavating equipment, dynamite and dozens of miners. In 1906, the workers overwintered, and a company town--Longyear City, or Longyearbyen--was born.

“There’s this incredible difficulty of going to a place that’s not really suited for human habitation. You have to bring your environment with you,” says University of Hartford historian Michael Robinson. “Svalbard becomes almost a contact zone between the possible and the impossible.”

After World War I, Svalbard was placed under Norwegian sovereignty through an international treaty. Still in place today, the Svalbard Treaty guarantees nationals of all its signatories access and the right to conduct “maritime, industrial, mining, or commercial enterprises” on the archipelago.

Everyone comes to Longyearbyen to scry the future. Ban Ki-Moon, Ted Turner, John McCain, Hillary Clinton, Martha Stewart and Google’s Larry Page have all visited.

About 65,000 visitors disembarked from ships or planes at Longyearbyen in 2017--to conduct research, play with sled dogs or take a tour to see polar bears, whose population rebounded after gaining protection in 1973.

Intrepid travelers with some time to spare can go on multi-day dog sled expeditions to the interior, where signs of climate change are dramatic. Sections of rocky ground are bare, and rains scrape away what little snow remains in other spots, creating icy cover in low-lying ground. Asked what visitors will do when there is even less snow and winter here becomes more like winter in northern Europe, Green Dog Svalbard guide Starinsky notes that the huskies can also run on roads, pulling carts with wheels and hand brakes.

Arild Olsen was a miner here for 12 years and is now two years into his term as Community Council leader. Sitting in his office on the second floor of the bright red government center, Olsen acknowledges that climate change presents challenges. “It moves the fish in the sea and the herds on the mountains. It affects everything,” he says. “So of course it affects us here in Longyearbyen in every way.”

The town, for example, was not designed to handle rainwater running in the streets. Thawing permafrost stretches power lines and threatens to destroy pipelines. Roads designed for freezing temperatures are thawing. Longyearbyen’s buildings were built on permafrost when it was believed the ground would never melt. Mudslides now join avalanches as a threat.

Svalbard is best known for its Global Seed Vault, which houses samples from around the world. The constant cold made the region attractive for the global project, which aims to protect seeds from devastation caused by war or natural disaster.

The vault, which sits two miles from the main street of the town, has already had to deal with the consequences of climate change. At the end of a tunnel stretching deep into the side of a mountain, the seeds sit in an air-conditioned storage area. But permafrost thawing in recent years led to a growing problem with standing water in the entrance tunnel. Construction is underway to add waterproof barriers and other improvements to protect the facility.

Seed vault coordinator Asmund Asdal says the building has become a more potent symbol than its founders ever imagined, with people coming from around the world just to see the exterior.

It has also surpassed original expectations for its first decade: The millionth seed sample entered storage in February. Inside the vault, Asdal observes, “you have Russian seeds and Ukrainian seeds on the same shelves. ... South Korea and North Korea are quite close.”

Like Longyearbyen itself, the seed vault has roots in the mines. Before the vault’s construction, a Nordic gene bank sat not far away, in an abandoned shaft of Coal Mine No. 3. While that bank has since been removed, some samples remain as part of a 100-year experiment on how long seeds stored in permafrost keep the ability to germinate.

Svalbard is “a hotbed of scientific research,” says Mark Serreze of the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center. In May, the Norwegian Polar Institute counted more than more than 600 scientists from 23 countries doing research on and around Svalbard. Their 77 active projects deal with such issues as heavy-metal contamination of soil and the capture of ptarmigan chicks.

Serreze says that in the long term, there will be winners as well as losers. Polar bears are dependent on sea ice, which has been in steep decline in recent years. The maximum extent of Arctic sea ice for 2017 was the second-lowest on record. Serreze identifies the bears as one of the likely losers in climate roulette, but he predicts Russia will be a winner, because of increased use of Arctic shipping routes and expanded production of natural gas. Caribou, he says, will probably face hard times, but as the tundra changes to shrub vegetation, moose may find conditions more appealing.

Olsen realizes that, whatever adversity is coming, Longyearbyen will not have to deal with the tornadoes, severe flooding and forest fires that are likely to increase in lower latitudes. If there are winners and losers in the planet’s ecological turmoil, he says, Norway--including Longyearbyen--might eventually be one of the winners. Though residents are still working to adapt to their new reality, he thinks the town has gotten a head start in dealing with its challenges: “What we are seeing is the fact that we can cope with it.” He notes the increasing importance of Norwegian fisheries in the region, where commercial species have already become more abundant.

Kit Kovacs, research section leader for biodiversity at the Norwegian Polar Institute, focuses more on a litany of challenges for Svalbard’s nonhuman species, such as the ringed seals that have been forced to molt in open water instead of on sea ice. Yet, like Olsen, she reveals a streak of optimism. There are still things we can do to mitigate the larger crisis, she points out, such as reducing carbon emissions and carefully managing Arctic marine mammal populations. “The future is pretty bleak. But if we don’t start making changes, it’s going to be even worse.”

In early 2018, despite a handful of cold days, Svalbard was trapped in a bubble of extreme heat, with temperatures more than 20 degrees above normal in one 30-day period. On Jan. 13, in the dead of the usually frigid Arctic winter, the temperature reached 43 degrees.

A collapsing roof, a slippery slope and the promise of collaboration. Svalbard’s present, in which these consequences of climate change are apparent, is a window onto the future. In the northernmost town on Earth, and around the globe, it comes down to what is still possible and what people are willing to do.

#Svalbard #Arctic warming #longyearbyen #Global Seed Vault

[malachinski09-blog]

Essay 1: The Uncanniness of Bachelors Grove

    Located in Bremen Township, Cook County Illinois a cemetery known by its unearthly reputation, ghost sightings and being named one of the most Hunted places in America we come across Bachelors Grove.  When coming to Chicago Bachelors Grove is typically the first place mentioned when it comes to ghost hunting. The Grove was reported to have been the dumping grounds for victims of Chicago’s organized crime families from the 1920’s into the 30’s, however they hasn’t been proven fully. As we are digging through history we can find that the name comes from a group of single men who moved down here in the 60’s, but then we also have another none as the “Bachelders Grove” named after a family that settled in the 1800’s. Depending on where you research this cemetery you will get both arguments as well as a few other people mentioned. These legends that come with this cemetery all coordinate with the hauntings and vandalism of the property and throughout the year they haven’t changed drastically.  Due to the location of this place and the secluded areas within it became a place to cause havoc. Gravestones were destroyed, graffiti, some stolen. Graves where opened and caskets were also removed. Sometimes bones were found and to be strewn about the property. This all started to take place in 1960, and is to be believed is the main cause of the hauntings.  

               “Uncanny is what one calls everything that was meant to remain secret and hidden, and has come into the open”. This entire place itself is uncanny from the vandalism to the tie it was closed down from the public to hide these secrets about what happened here and the people that lay at rest.  The Grove had roads closed to it in hopes that it would just become a memory like the ones who laid at rest.  However that wasn’t the case, people would still find themselves venturing out there and today it is one of the most popular spots to visit. With the disturbance of the grave sites as we know it’s said to be the main cause of the hauntings. The began seeing numerical objects that they couldn’t quite figure out. However it’s not just the cemetery that’s haunted but also the roads near the grove is known for hauntings.

               There are multiple legends and hauntings around Bachelors Grove.  The Disappearing cars where multiple reports of late night drivers seeing a car pull over near the Turnpike and as they’d pass the car and look in the review mirror it would appear there wasn’t a car there. Then multiple accounts say there’s a car that would come up from behind them only to pass them and pull over in the same area. Then there’s the accounts of accidents that involve this “phantom car” driving straight at them and people veering off.  Then there’s the Phantom Farmhouse and the idea that if you enter this house you will never be seen again.  Then there’s the Unseen footsteps that are heard approaching you from the sides of the paths and make you feel “Like a bouncer right behind you, time to go” and “being escorted out”. The stories with these unseen footsteps are crazy and I definitely am out when it comes to that.  The legend of Al Capone, Mobsters ad The Pond is another legend told about the grove. Which we correspond with the idea of the dumping grounds.

               In conclusion there’s a lot of history and depth behind Bachelors Grove, and so much more research to do in order to tie in these claims. Although I am not the biggest fan of scary stories or going into cemeteries I think that I would be willing to take the risk with this place. Freud defines uncanny as “uncomfortable, uneasy, gloomy, dismal, uncanny, ghastly…”(pg125) There’s so much going on at this location and even the road coming to and from the Grove which adds into the Uncanniness of the entire place.

https://www.thepathtobachelorsgrove.com/legends-and-lore.html

https://www.prairieghosts.com/bachgrov.html

Video Links:

https://youtu.be/nwa3ZWwCCGE

https://youtu.be/bizSc6AjA-Y

https://youtu.be/T6C4mQqf93Q

            The lower left I.R. original, un-cropped  photo was taken on 2-18-12.

Kindly give it a close full review.   LOOK GOOD !

           Take a look at the above "family"photo, and look at the others again. Who - what is "peeking" around from BEHIND THE TREE?

Below and to the right are cropped and tonal curved versions to "highlight ", what is there

   original shot below 

​1.       original shot above

​

2-18-12 seemed to be a very active day if these photo's say anything of the day. This "shadow figure" was not seen when taking the photo. But fall 2013 and winter 2014 has had a number of first hand accounts of sightings of "a tall man in a brown suit " the shadow man".  We got our own official first sighting on 1-19-14 , a quick glimpse from a distance. After seeing it ourselves and showing this photo to the others we know that had a sighting,well it seems to be him making a return. We know of one other person that has, had a photo like this taken in 2012  also.

The three groups of photos above, middle & below were all taken on 5-13-12 with the I.R. - Bell & Howell camera.

As previously mentioned on the Legends and Lore page, it is often spoke of the feeling of "being watched' when at Bachelors Grove. Be it on the path,in the cemetery or in the woods. It doesn't matter where you are.

Well are we being watched??

These three I.R. shots were taken on 8-8-12 near the west fence line. This is possible Pareidolia for many say this "figure" is nothing more than the tree trunks. Follow them up and down. It is possible, but one thing. Why is the top rail of the fence seen going left to right. As the "figure" looks to be inside of fence line and tops of the trees look outside of the fence line. Bachelors Grove has a way of tricking , confusing the eye, mind. one person sees it as one thing and another person seeing something totally different. It's not just perception. The Grove has a little to do with it. But what does make this worthy of mention is that i did photograph a similar "figure"  with the "pointed shoulders" along the South fence line near the entrance on a different date.

This photo is up there on the ' oh wow " list. It was taken on 9-3-12 with the Bell & Howell I.R.  Standing on the main path, shooting to the immediate right (East)as soon as you enter the cemetery. Wheeler  marker in photo.Upper left is the original shot.

I was down low shooting about knee high for a different perspective. To the middle right of the photo, you will clearly see what looks to be two people in the grass.After reviewing this photo we returned the next week to "recreate" the shot. I know for fact, there were no "real people" in this shot when taken.  "These people" appear to be about 5 to 7 feet behind the Wheeler stone just off to the right.  When we did return , and stood in the close proximity of the area, and took the shot, "the person" was seen from the waist down.

And for a person to look that small in the grass, even standing all the way along the East fence,all you saw was from  waist and above.If you look closely you can see "they" are within the grass, some of it even obstructing them.Some describe these "people" as a possible Fur trapper or civil war soldier,by the looks of the 'mans hat". The woman as a 'possible Indian - guide "  As you can see the detail in his 'beard and facial features". There are many photos  of what seem to be "tiny people' taken within the cemetery area.  Are these two of them ?

#ils4180battistaspring18