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taranida · 8 days

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What exactly happened in the 70’s

I’ll start with The Poet and The Muse. I’ve written about the real Thomas Zane being a poet already, but left out this piece of evidence (not at all on purpose, truth be told), but I want to discuss it here, since it goes well with the point I want to make.

In the song we learn the story of a Poet living happily with his Muse and telling her stories about treasures beneath the waves. Then one morning the Muse goes to the lake and drowns. The Poet at some point realises that something happened and comes to the lake, calling for the Muse, but to no avail. Whole day spent in search, and in his desperation, he swears to bring his love back. He writes a story and succeeds to some degree. The husk of the Muse comes to him in the night, possessed by some dark force. The Poet takes her in, but in trying to fix his mistake, vows them both to silence beneath the lake. The story concluded with the peculiar:

Now if its real or just a dream One mystery remains For it is said on moonless nights They may still haunt this place

Now, what exactly the boys of the Old Gods of Asgard are hinting at here (aside from the existence of the Dark and Bright Presences) I can’t tell for sure: they might just toy with all those who have that buzzing question of “who wrote whom”, but I will treat the story of Thomas Zane the Poet as a true story, that happened without any help of tortured writers. Although I will use the manuscripts as well as every other source of information.

Prepare for a long read, since firstly, I would like to present all the bits and pieces that I’ve managed to collect, and then tie them all up in a version of events, I believe, happened in July 1970.

First, the dialogs.

Tor and Odin (whom I cannot stop lovingly call “the boys”) say this:

“Tom’s just lost, is all. Baba Yaga got to him too, the damn witch!” “She used us all, taken from all of us. Took my thunder, the witch.” “And my ravens, what was...what were they? Memory and Thought! The hag.” “She took something from you too, didn’t she? That’s what she does.” “Oh, we’re better off. This place, the lake, it gives you power. If you’re a creator.... An artist, a god!” “Nightmares shifted in their sleep in the darkness of the lake...” “Heh heh, yeah, that’s the one. She makes sure it comes out twisted and wrong. Just ask the Lamp Lady. She knows what happened to that other writer.”

Cynthia Weaver tells us:

“I knew them both. Tom and Barbara. I had such a crush on him...such a beautiful man. I was jealous. There was a part of me that was maybe a little glad when she had the accident. And then Tom started writing and woke the darkness up.... He tried to bring her back...but you can’t do that. There are no free rides like that.” […] “The witch looked like her, but it wasn’t. Barbara was sweet. He didn’t understand until it was too late. He tried to undo it, wrote himself, her, everything he’d ever written out of the world.”

We have Samantha’s dream in “This House of Dreams”, that gives us even more details:

“The diver told me that a dark presence had taken over his girlfriend (the woman in the photos). He’d tried everything he could think of to banish it from her, but everything had failed. In the end, he finally understood what he had to do, finally understood the true nature of the dark place that was hidden under the waves of the lake where they lived. The lake was an opening to dark place that was much bigger than the lake itself, in fact, much bigger than the whole universe we live in. He wrote one last poem, his masterpiece, a secret poem, a hidden poem, a poem that’s not among the poems I’ve found in the shoebox. And he took his girlfriend for one last dive. Together they sank down into the depths, far deeper than he had ever dived before.”

Then we have the manuscripts, that expand on the story:

More so, we have the dates and newspaper articles:

The last one is cut awkwardly, but, really, all I needed from it are the dates of publishing and of the seismic activity.

So, what really happened during this week? On the morning of 10th July Barbara went for a swim and drowned. As Cynthia notes in her article, Barbara was quite a swimmer and her death does seem odd. At the same time, we have another article (that I will put in the very end for those who are curious) about a writer visiting the area and encountering Taken — Robert “The Colonel” Hambleton dated 6th July 1970. Thomas even makes a snarky remark about not ever hearing about him and calling him “an uninvited guest”. All hints that with all the artists in the area: the boys of Old Gods of Asgard, Thomas Zane, Cynthia Weaver and Barbara Jagger, the Dark Presence still pounces on every other creator unfortunate enough to choose Bright Falls as a place to visit. Might’ve been because it could not make the gang mentioned above do its bidding?

The Dark Presence might be of a very different mind, alien to humans, but it’s cunning. As stated in one of the manuscripts, when it senses Alan, “all he'd need was a little incentive.” For Alan it had to drag Alice to the pier and into the lake; for Thomas it might’ve used the help of its ravens or some other means necessary to overwhelm Barbara long enough for her to drown, as at the time the Dark Presence had no physical body (but there might’ve been some other Taken swimmer around). And after Thomas spent the whole day searching for his lover, succumbing to desperation more and more, he got that incentive, the Dark Presence needed.

In the night Thomas wrote a poem to bring Jagger back. The Dark Presence plan worked and it was now in the world, almost free, wearing Barbara’s skin. But it was still constrained by the story Thomas wrote, and in his story he surely wrote something along the lines of them being together and in love again, therefore we see that the Dark Presence cannot do anything to Thomas as he ties it to the chair, carves its heart out and writes countless pieces to undo his mistake. It just couldn’t get out of the role of the loving Barbara, who would never hurt Zane. It had to go through the story in which, probably, Thomas and Barbara lived happily ever after and died on the same day, to be completely free. Which doesn’t mean that the very, pardon, presence of the Dark Presence in the world was not affecting Bright Falls at the time, the Taken might’ve been multiplying and awful things happening during this week. Yet, unlike Alan, Thomas didn’t go into the woods, fighting for his life, he searched for a solution at the cabin, armed with his typewriter and the (kitchen) knife.

The only solution he found in the end — one last dive. To bring this darkness back to where it came from.

There are still a few mysteries left:

in the guide for the first game we can read excerpts from the book “Taken by the Dark Presence” found in a shoebox that has no author, but has initials of T.Z. and J.Z. on some pages, apparently written in the late 1960’s. And, oh boy, I have lots of questions for this one!

the Bird Leg Cabin and the Diver’s Isle, that might or might not been retroactively removed by the eruption under the Cauldron Lake.

the extent of Thomas’ writing powers, since as much as it is stressed a lot that he wrote himself out of reality, Barry, with a little research, is still able to find out about his existence, yet Alan in one of the “Writer in the Cabin” TV’s claims “A story is a beast with a life of its own. You can create it, shape it, but as the story grows, it starts wanting things of its own. Change one thing, and you set off a chain reaction of events that spreads through the whole thing.” The chain reaction here never happens: we have hard evidence that both Thomas and Barbara existed.

But those are theories for another day. This is already a long enough read to throw those into the mix.

And here’s the article about Robert “The Colonel” Hambleton (spoiler alert: there is another one, confirming that he died):

#alan wake 2 #alan wake #thomas zane #alan wake ii #alan wake remastered #remedy entertainment #remedy connected universe #remedy games #RCU theory #alan wake game #tom zane

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lucakaneshiroswife · 10 months

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!- RANDOM LUCA KANESHIRO HC’S -!

Warnings: suggestive content

Genre: NSFW

Word Count: 553 words 3,102 characters

Published: 5th July . 23

! Minors and Blank blogs DNI !

"You are perfect to me..."

Despite being seen as ‘innocent’ or just ‘unaware’ of innuendos and certain types of remarks that he might parrot or say everyday, he does make them a lot, often leading to you being given hints without your knowledge until you come to him. That’s his way of showing that he wants something without being too straightforward about it, he is just smart.

Yet at the same time, Luca’s confident and charismatic personality shines through in the bedroom, his magnetic presence and captivating gaze make it impossible to resist any of his advances when he does decide to come to you and be straightforward. Be careful that only happens when the matter cannot wait.

His natural charm that is often noticed by everyone around him extends to the intimate moments he shares with you. He knows exactly how to make you feel desired and cherished, showering you with compliments and affectionate gestures that leave you weak in the knees.

Along with his mischievous grin and playful nature, Luca tends to enjoy exploring new experiences with you. Not only is he open-minded but he is also very adventurous, always eager to discover more about your interests within the bedroom and bring them to life in exhilarating ways that you can't even imagine in your wildest dreams.

As seen on several of his endurance streams, it’s fair to note that Luca is more patient than most people, while he does have his moments of getting pissed off at losing too often, he never gives up and keeps going, which also translates to when he takes his sweet time exploring every inch of your body, until he finds the spots that make you squirm and quiver with pleasure. So be prepared to lay in bed for hours on end without knowing when it will end, but you better trust that your mind would be too clouded by pleasure and just too distracted by the unforgettable sensory experience you will be having with him.

Communication is key for Luca. He values open and honest talk, constantly encouraging you to share more of your desires and boundaries. He would make sure to have ‘Secret meetups’ that aren't much of a secret really, simply to make you feel more comfortable about talking about what you wish to try and what you wish to stop.

He is such a sweetheart both in and outside the bedroom, would spend days between your legs without growing tired, he doesn’t even care about his own pleasure, surely sometimes he cannot take it anymore and has to take you the way he pleases but that's for another time to discuss as long as you feel worshiped and are gasping in pleasure, tears decorating the corners of your eyes serving as a testament of how good he is making you feel, he is more than satisfied.

Luca’s energy and stamina, oh god, both awe-inspiring. He is always ready to go the extra mile for both of your satisfaction. With him, pleasure becomes this marathon of intense connection as his one and only goal is to leave you breathless and craving for more, he wants your body to memorize how he makes you feel, he wants to cloud every one of your thoughts, that way he never leaves your mind, he thinks that is cute <3

A/N: Luca brainrot Luca brainrot Luca brainrot, I cannot even begin to explain how much of my brain he takes up daily, I had to get these out of my system AND THIS IS NOT PROOFREAD FORGIVE MY MISTAKES.

ART CREDITS: @/LoiS_loisss -> twt

#luxiem x reader #luxiem smut #luca kaneshiro x reader #luca kaneshiro smut #i love luca kaneshiro #more luca because oh my god he is so perfect

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little-peril-stories · 10 months

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Intro: The Queen of Lies

AU for The Prince of Thieves / WC: keeps changing, will let you know someday

Masterlist | Content Warnings | Mood Board | Vibey Song Lyrics | Ao3

I sold myself to a loveless thing / And I walk'd to the altar and there I lied

C.W.S., Harper's Weekly, 7 July 1866

At a Glance

Genres: romance, historical, whump

POV/tense: 3rd-person, past tense

Small main cast; single narrator two narrators lol

You can enjoy the story without reading TPOT - the side characters just won't feel nearly as fleshed out here (I think so, anyway.)

tbh it's a romance with added bonus of torture, captivity, dread, angst, intimidation, and fun whumpy happenings

Description

THE QUEEN OF LIES is a tale of quiet courage, inner strength, and forbidden love—and the ways we can change our lives for the better if only we dare to take a leap of faith.

Four years ago, Breanna Cooper made a choice that altered the course of her life forever.

She stayed.

Instead of running away from a man she knew did not and could not love her, she remained—and became Mrs. Breanna Hatchett. Now she exists quietly in a life half-lived, striving to be the perfect wife and always falling short.

One day, a chance encounter in Constable Baden Hatchett’s prison brings her face to face with a captured thief from the notorious thieving gang Iustitia aecum. Though she swears she will forget the boy to whose brutal punishment she bears witness, it soon becomes clear that forgetting him is something she simply cannot do.

On a whim, for the first time in years, Breanna takes a chance and seeks out the thief—and yet again, her life is changed forever.

Vibes & Tropes

Forbidden love

Tragic backstory

“Who did this to you?”

Gazing through cell bars

"I'll fight for you"

“Why are you helping me?”

Gloomy skies, autumn leaves, rain & thunder

Against all logic and reason…

"I will always find you"

Alternatively, if you are a music-minded person, I collected some song lyrics that make me think of this story.

Cast of Characters

Main & Major Characters

BREANNA HATCHETT: Our heroine. Four years ago, she married into an abusive relationship, and since then she has been going through her life like a ghost, doing as her husband says and trying to be the perfect wife. When fate sends her careening into the story of an imprisoned thief, her entire world is rocked to its core.

FOX/THE THIEF: Our hero. If you’re new here, enjoy spending 50% of the story not knowing his name. Sharp-tongued and defiant, impulsive and reckless, the thief is determined to take his secrets to his grave to protect his family, if that’s what it takes. He is slowly losing hope…that is, until he is granted unexpected kindness by the least likely person imaginable. Suddenly, there’s more hope and light in his life than he ever expected to see again.

CONSTABLE BADEN HATCHETT: Our bad guy. Breanna’s husband. Vindictive, controlling, and manipulative, he wields his power and influence inside and outside the prison where he works as a constable. Above all things, he despises disobedience and disorder the most. When Breanna begins to take her life into her own hands, he will stop at nothing to gain control over her once again. Whatever it takes.

JUNIOR CONSTABLE CURTIS LENTON: A constable who is not-so-secretly pining for Breanna. He is a friend to her in the only way he knows how, but this means he is sometimes overprotective of her—to a fault.

DR. ALLAN ARMSTRONG DALE: A newly employed doctor who has a habit of getting in over his head no matter what universe he's in.

SPIDER: An elusive woman who helps to run the thieving gang Iustitia aecum.

HARE: The fourth and final member of IA’s inner circle.

WOLF/THE THIEF’S BROTHER: A mysterious character whose identity the thief goes to great lengths to protect.

ALICE: Breanna’s friend who encourages her to take more risks in her life.

Other Characters

MRS. BRISTOW: A nurse working at the prison. Better at the job than the medic.

MRS. DENNISON: The Hatchetts' housekeeper.

MR. GYSBORNE: The prison medic.

JUNIOR CONSTABLE MICHAELSON: A vicious officer who works under Baden Hatchett. Notable for his leering gaze and sadistic tendencies.

MARGUERITE: Breanna’s other friend.

DR. RICHARDS: The other, not-so-nice doctor.

INSPECTOR BULWELL: The head of the prison where Baden works.

MISS DUGFORD: A cruel bully of a nurse

FAQ

What will I like about TQOL?

Well, if you liked the thief’s snark in TPOT, then it’s, like, tripled, especially in the early chapters here. But this is a different story—far more romantic—and you might like getting to see a much softer side of him, too.

You might like Breanna’s character development from a very frightened and sheltered wife to a courageous young woman who is willing to take risks and face her fears.

If you like romantic tension, forced proximity, pining, and lots of caretaking/comfort, then I hope you’ll like this story!

How do I know if this story is for me?

You can check out the Contents/Warnings here. There are spoilers in that post, so click at your own risk.

For TPOT readers:

>>>>>

stop here if you don't want any vague spoilers for The Prince of Thieves!

>>>>>

What are the biggest differences between TPOT and TQOL?

Shorter. Fewer but often longer chapters. 3rd-person past tense.

There's the whole name thing. The name "Cooper" only shows up 3 times in the whole thing. "Mrs. Hatchett," on the other hand...

In TPOT, we know the thief’s name right away because he and two other inner circle members are POV characters. Breanna is the only POV character in TQOL........uh....listen. We just have to wait until she learns his name. For stylistic reasons.

Since Breanna didn't run away and never joined IA, all her serendipitous meetings with the thief in her past never happened. Her first encounter with him is in Chapter 1.

Obviously, since they're married, the relationship between Baden and Breanna—while strained and 100% toxic, problematic, and unhealthy—is not as antagonistic as it is in TPOT.

In the beginning, we get a little less existential dread because the thief isn’t expecting execution but rather long-term imprisonment, labour, or exile to a penal colony (no actual plot reason for this, I just wanted to play with the stakes and see how it changed the dynamics. because I can). This means that Ezra Johnston (the captured runner from TPOT) was never hanged and so we catch up with the thief in a slightly better mental state than the same point in TPOT.

Wolf and Jr. Constable Michaelson have reduced roles (compared to TPOT), while Jr. Constable Lenton (who literally only appears in two TPOT chapters) has an elevated role and gets a first name.

The time period is slightly different (because of reasons), but I doubt this is actually noticeable in the writing, only in my brain. I had to do a decent amount of research for this one particular plot thread, so now I know what decade we’re in lol.

What’s the same between TPOT and TQOL?

Well, Hatchett is still an asshole, and actually, so is the thief (affectionate)...he's still a snarky, potty-mouthed rascal. The IA setup is pretty much the same, the tattoo hasn’t changed, and the thief’s determination to keep the inner circle safe and out of Hatchett’s clutches is as strong as ever. On the IA end, everything up to the flogging has played out pretty much the same (see above q for a few lil differences). It's Breanna's life that has been wildly different.

In terms of tropes/plots….yes, I repeated a few. I don’t want to say them here bc spoilers but if you really want to know, send me a DM and I’ll spill which TPOT parts get their own AU twist.

Thanks for reading! <3 Hope you like it!

If you've made it this far, here's your reward:

Image ID: a square image of the external wall of a brick building with barred windows. White text reads: “No, not a hanging. It’s not for ladies to see or think of. No need to trouble yourself with such things.” End ID.

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jjustcallmejuliett · 1 year

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22 f1 fic rec pt. III

Hey there!

It’s been a while since the last one but finally I’m here for the last fic rec of the year :)

I’m offering you ten of the best f1 fics I’ve read during the second half of the year (which I think you def cannot miss!!! )

so here we go...

- Sebastian and the Angel by Anonymous (Explicit)

This is a fic with an outstanding plot, an explicit and very detailed narrative that makes you feel like you’re whitnessing the story and all very ingenious characters. The emotional inteligence of the author is definitely something else.

- Every time I think the feelings fading I miss you (I miss you) by TheWiseOne12 (PG)

or a very sweet story about love, heartbreaking and refinding love even when everything is against you. It had me intrigued during all nineteen chapters and the strong point is definitely the hurt/comfort it offers, with a lot of angst but fluff on the same mesure.

- we can live in a world that we design by freed0m98 (T)

I have a soft spot on Carlos/Lando/Charles fic but this one is unexpectedly Carlos centered! I’ve never read one like this and the author definitely nailed it, the building is great (better than my own ficI’ll admit) and the ending is as sweet and you can expect it to be.

-Latibule by VettelMyPretzel (AndroidHeaven) (Explicit)

I’m obssessed with this fic!!! It’s basically Sebchal falling in love in the 20th century and again, the building and the sexual tension is otherworldly. One of my favorites of the 2022.

- I like you.. by formulacherry (T)

Or piarles confessing each other and it’s so godamn goals! they talk their past, their present and their future and the fic has an even bigger meaning if you read the fic before in the saga (a saga I highly recomend as well, but this work is my favorite of them) so go check it out.

- some of the best moments in life are the ones you can never talk about by Quagswagging (Explicit)

Or one of the hottest fics I got to read this year, and a very captivating sexting moment I have in my mind even after days of having read it. Definitely a sebchal ft Lewis jewel.

- e forse il mare è dentro di lui by DuquesaDeMiel (T)

One of the most well thought plots I got to read, where Pierre is a scientist and Charles is a lifeguard and the sea is.... well, the sea conects them and It’s all I can say without spoiling because I really want people to read this. It’s wonderful.

- First Love/Late Spring by blackest_eyes (Explicit)

Or my favorite Piarles fic of the 2022. It’s sweet, sexy, sad, and all the good S in there ;) (sorry for the bad pun). I love the nostalgia and how you can reflect on the characters’ feelings, fears and decisions. An emotional story with a hopeful ending that will leave you smiling for days.

- we do not perish. by Laeana (T)

Or the fic where Pierre and Charles live and die again and again untill they get their happy ending. There’s a lot to outstand in this fic; the originality of the idea, the narration, how it comes and goes in time, how sentimental it gets... It’s beautiful not just the plot but the whole aesthetic you get from it.

- it's better than regretting by FunkyinFishnet (M)

Or Lando and Charles get drunk and married in Vegas. Charles panics about it but everyone reassures him so he doesn’t fuck it up. Everyone in this fic has a role, and no detail is left hanging. I love that it shows the path of someone realizing that even when things look bad, there’s always something good in it and you have to make the most of it. My favorite Charlando fic so far.

This is it! Of course that if you’ve read these already and you’re looking for something new, you can go and check my stuff :)

Happy Holidays, Julie.

#RPF for ts #AO3 fic #f1 #f1 fic recs #sewis #piarles #sebchal #charlando #lewis hamilton #Charles Leclerc #lando norris #sebastian vettel

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hattywatch · 1 year

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J. Vesey - July for the Whole Year 4

A/N: Chapter 4. Tell a friend to tell a friend. Comments, critique, and conjecture encouraged. Jimmy's looking so fine these days y'all. NYC agrees with him.

<< Chapter 3

March 2020

Jimmy: The season is going to pause, wish I was back in ny. We’d have nothing but time to catch up on GoT now.

Like I’d let you in my bubble.

Jimmy: Who are you kidding, I’m the best bubble partner.

No comment. :P

______

April 2020

Do you have toilet paper, should I send you some? You never remember until it’s too late.

Jimmy: lol, my mom sent me some. Good looking out.

______

“I’ll tell you when to hit play! Don’t hit it without me!” It’s makeshift for sure, but you figured out how to watch Netflix together over video chat. Everyone has been going crazy over this Tiger King show and there’s literally nothing else to do, so what’s the harm. You haven’t seen another human in about two weeks, save when you went to the grocery store to pick up some essentials for Mr. Callahan and he waved at you as you left the package outside his door. Even that was exciting contact. Plus you’re missing Jimmy extra.

“I cannot believe you talked me into this. This looks like the dumbest thing I have ever seen.”

His laugh, you’ve missed that laugh so much. Your cheeks hurt as your smile stretches, “I miss you so much.” You don’t mean the words to blurt out like they do; honest and out there for him to hear, read into, draw conclusions from.

Jimmy’s face is a welcomed sight, so your smile doesn’t even falter when he pokes at you. “Oh my Godddd. Shut up! You get to pick the next one. Probably going to make me watch something Boston, so I have to listen to that terrible accent for hours on end.”

______

“Yeah, me too. Like a limb,” his smile is a little soft, a little sad, but he’s Jimmy and he’s notoriously stoic, so he straightens up on his couch and grabs his remote, “Alright, let’s get this over with.”

May 2020

Who do we cheer for now, Brady, Kevin? An unknown third party?

Jimmy: I’m gunna flip a coin. Tampa looks good though, hate to say it.

Gross.

______

October 2020

Jimmy: You gunna to visit me when the borders open back up? It’s pretty cool up here, I think you’d like it.

Only if you’re paying for Tim Hortons.

Jimmy: Not with this contract.

______

December 2020

Jimmy: Did you get a package 👀👀

I have to check the mailroom when I get home, why?? Did you buy me something! 🙃

Jimmy: Maybe. Keep an eye out.

______

As soon as you get in the building you rush to the mailroom and it’s there. A plain brown Amazon box, but when you open it, there's another box inside, shabbily wrapped in blue paper, tied in a white ribbon.

You snap a photo and send it to Jimmy,

It's here! Proud of your wrapping tbh!

Tucked under the ribbon, you start with the envelope, pulling out the Christmas card. It features a cartoon Santa proudly proclaiming "I hear there's some Hos in this house?" shaking a judgmental finger at the naughty list in his hand.

Jimmy's tight, sloppy handwriting covers the inside of the card and your smile grows, happy he thought of you enough to fill the left panel of the card entirely with a handwritten message.

When you finally tear the ribbon off and the paper open you're not surprised to see the bright blue jersey with the Leafs insignia on it. You are slightly surprised that Jimmy's name is across the back and his number is on the sleeve. You're warm to your toes thinking about him branding you in this way, even if you also have Kevin's jersey in the back of your closet and have never had a second thought about Hayes being stitched across your back.

(Y/n),

I thought you'd like this card, since I've seen your Spotify unwrapped and you've played this song more than any one person should. Freak.

Here's a new jersey so you can remember who your favorite player is. I had to change my number, which sucks, but I can't have you representing Philly. That's gross and blue looks way better on you anyway.

I know I said I couldn't afford Timmies on this contract, but here’s a bag anyway. Their coffee is really good and I don’t know when the country will re-open so you can visit and get a real one. I got you plain, French Vanilla is superior though. Even if you disagree.

We can’t have you embarrassing yourself at family skate again, so I hope these are the right size. Take them to the rink when it opens, have the blades sharpened and the skates baked. They’ll fit your feet better and they won’t hurt as much. Whenever I get to come visit we’ll practice.

Hope you like it, miss you.

Merry Christmas,

Jimmy

The skates do fit. He got you hockey ones so they’re chunky and black and not at all the sleek ice skating ones the rinks usually give you when you rent them. It’s so Jimmy that your heart skips at the idea of him spending time, thinking of a thoughtful gift, trying to figure out your damned shoe size, and wrapping the box alone in his apartment.

You’re not sure when you started sniffling, but the card is damp from the few tears that have slid down your face and you laugh in spite of yourself. The distance definitely hasn’t made any of this easier.

This is really thoughtful. I can’t wait to try them out. <3

Jimmy: You’re crying, aren’t you?

______

January 2021

Jimmy: Did you listen to this new Drivers License song yet? Seems up your alley.

RED LIGHTS STOP SIGNS!!!

Jimmy: I’ll take that as a yes.

______

The phone only rings once before he answers. “Hello?” His camera is facing the ceiling, so you can’t see his face, but it looks like he’s eating lunch.

“Watch Bridgerton with me?” it’s not really a whine, but it’s a little pitchy. He heaves a sigh and he picks up the phone so he’s finally in frame, munching on his pizza. You continue before he has the chance to turn you down, “Please? Everyone at work is talking about it, it’s only 8 episodes, please? You made me watch all those Ben Affleck movies last year! I barely even complained even though Matt’s the better actor.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’m off Sunday we can start it then,” he tears into a piece of crust.

Smiling, you remind him, “You’re my best friend,” before you hang up and send him a calendar invite.

______

March 2021

Jimmy: I take it back, you’d like Vancouver better.

Missing me, Jimbo?

Jimmy: Maybe

______

July 2021

With restrictions eased up, you find yourself toying with the idea of a weekend trip to Boston. You’ve typed out about 60 messages to Jimmy telling him you may be in town, but you backspaced each and every one, because you’re a coward.

You haven’t been in the same state in almost two years, stuck video chatting during lock down, which has become a weekly ritual that you haven’t dropped since the world began slowly opening back up. Still though, something about seeing him in person has your heart rate picking up and your palms sweating.

In the end you sleepily reveal it when Jimmy calls you to say goodnight.

Your phone jingled loudly in your ear, you could probably put it on silent while you slept, but then you'd miss these calls, Jimmy's profile picture smiling on your screen before you answer and clear your throat.

"Hey," you sigh into your pillow at the content feeling that blankets your body.

"Hey, I'm walking home from the bar and I wanted to say goodnight."

"Okay, goodnight," you're quietly breathing into the phone, smiling to yourself at the sweet gesture.

He laughs, "ooookay, you don't want to talk to me? You already asleep?"

"A little, but I always want to talk to you." You'll be embarrassed by your admission in the morning. In the dark it's just honest and you feel light saying it out loud.

He's quiet now and you hear the cars passing him by as he walks.

"I haven't seen you in forever," he trails off and your decision is practically made for you.

"I'm thinking about taking the day off Friday and shipping up to Boston for the weekend, but the hotels are so much money" you're slightly more awake now, nervous for some reason that you both will feel differently in person since it's been so long.

He takes in a breath, "Do it. You can stay with me."

"Okay," it's Jimmy, it's Jimmy, it's Jimmy- your heart thumps. No reason to be nervous.

"Okay!" You can hear his smile through the phone and when you both hang up you slip easily back into sleep.

______

Jimmy's laughter booms through your headphones, "What do you mean 'what if you don't recognize me?' We video chat like every day you know what I look like."

You're feeling silly and giddy and bubbly only 2 hours away from Boston according to your itinerary.

"I should like, bring a red rose like Lorelei and Rory do in Gilmore Girls, just in case. So you know who I am." You look out the window in the train, watching the landscape blaze by.

"Any excuse to bring up the fuckin' Gilmore Girls. I'm sure we'll be okay."

"I'm hanging up on you, you interrupted my music and now you're slandering the Gilmores. See you soon."

You cut off whatever he was about to say and hang up, cackling with delight as he calls you back immediately.

"This is (y/n), how can I assist?"

"I can't stand you. When is 'soon?'"

"Two hours. You better be ready to eat. I'm starving."

"Okay, soon."

______

South Station is pretty empty, which you expected considering it's noon on a Friday. You try to call Jimmy but his phone goes to voicemail both times you call, so you stand and wait, knowing he'd never leave you hanging, so you find a bench and open your phone, scrolling through mindlessly.

Someone sits down next to you so you slide a little to the left without looking up wondering if you should call Jimmy again, but the person clears their throat and shoves a bouquet of roses at you.

Pushing them to the side you see Jimmy's smiling face. "I figured it's been a while, maybe one rose wouldn't do the trick if you forgot what I looked like."

In that moment, Jimmy smiling at you in a train station at 12 on a Friday, it takes everything in you not to lean over and kiss him square on the mouth.

______

"So what do you want to do today?" Jimmy says around a mouthful of sushi. Between you and Kevin constantly shoving your rolls at him, he's by no means an aficionado, but he's come around.

"I don't know. Last time I was here we did a bunch of touristy things," you pause chopsticks halfway to your mouth, "Show me Harvard."

Jimmy's too happy to oblige.

The two of you pile into his Jeep and drive to Cambridge, stopping briefly to grab coffee. "I used to come here all the time," Jimmy places his order and lets you keep looking, "sit at that table and try to finish my papers before midnight. Is it weird that I miss it?"

"Not at all," you confirm. His eyes are fond and you're happy you're here to see this version of him. "Can I have the same?" You place your order to the young girl behind the counter, her glasses are wide and her chemistry book is sat next to her, pages face down, spine bent to save her place.

"You're going to hate it, it's sweet," Jimmy warns, but you shrug your shoulders and nod to the barista to continue making your copy of Jimmy's nostalgic order.

______

You spend your day traversing the campus, being suitably impressed by the history and slightly in awe by the IQs you're surrounded by. The art museum is a particular delight- full of classic Van Goghs, Degas, and Stieglitzes, but also housing fine Japanese art, Buddhist statues, and textiles you haven't seen before.

He sidles up behind you quietly and you don't realize until he whispers, bent down and leaning over your shoulder, "Four years here and I never came in here. Kinda crazy."

Swatting him you answer, "Uncultured swine," and grab his hand to pull him to the next room.

It's full of earlier photography, and you stop in front of Stieglitz's The Glow of Night, depicting an empty street, glowing in the evening; only a few horse-drawn carriages sit in the distance under the glow of the streetlights.

"I miss New York," Jimmy mumbles under his breath.

Your eyebrows raise, "You're Boston through and through, I can't believe you just said that outloud."

He shrugs, "I love it here, I do. But I guess I miss the early years. Us and the boys, young and stupid."

He sounds doleful and it stings your heart. "I think we all miss that," you reply gently, hand looping through his arm.

"Do you think you'd ever move," it's close to the topic at hand, but a distinct deviation, so you think on it, staring intently at the photo in front of you.

"I don't know. A few years ago I'd have said never..." Jimmy nods, seemingly content with your answer, but looks at his phone and notices the time.

"C'mon. They're going to close soon, let's go home."

You're not home.

You're about 200 miles away to be exact, but it certainly doesn't feel that way.

______

Sunday morning you're sat in a hole in the wall getting breakfast with Jimmy. Your train leaves in the late afternoon and Jimmy's trying to pack as much into the day as he can, so you appreciate the quiet time at the table with him.

He's fidgeting a little and you can't take it, a little on edge from the close proximity of the weekend.

"Just take the bed!" He's not shouting but it's definitely as close as you've ever seen him to being short of patience.

"No! You're letting me stay for free! I saved so much money not staying in a hotel, I'll sleep out here!"

Jimmy picks up your bags and tosses them onto his bed. "Night! There's clean towels in the bathroom. Shout if you need anything." He gently pushes you into his room and closes the door behind you.

His bed is plush and you snuggle in after huffing at your defeat, washing your face, and changing into your pajamas. You would have thought you'd fall asleep quickly, a long day of travel followed by a ton of walking typically tires you out, but you're in Jimmy's bed.

You're in Jimmy's bed and it smells like him.

You're in Jimmy's bed and it smells like him and you're having a crisis.

"Do you think you'd ever move?" His question replays in your mind.

A few summers ago you told Gracia never, but you're not so sure that you couldn't be easily persuaded if the right person asked.

"You're ignoring me." Jimmy flicks your coffee cup. The tinkling noise pills you from your daydream and you shake your head.

"Sorry, what?"

"I said," He repeats himself, "I'm a free agent in the fall… maybe I'll end up on the East Coast and we can do this more often…" he smirks, "you know, having breakfast and you ignoring me."

Desperately you wish you were annoyed at his teasing, but you can't find it in you, "That would actually be awesome. Is that a possibility?"

Stirring too much sugar into his coffee he looks optimistic, “Anything is possible.”

#christmas fic #jimmy vesey imagine #jimmy vesey fic #ny rangers imagine #ny rangers fic #hockey imagine #hockey fic #reader insert #writing #toronto maple leafs fic #vancouver canucks fic #mutual pining #idiots in love #idiots in denial

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forabeatofadrum · 1 year

Text

My fic year in review, 2022

I saw @captain-aralias doing this and I thought “hey, this is fun!”. So cool that you (aralias, you are the you here) do this every year.

Fics I wrote:

Learn to let go (929, T, CrisTales)

A rip in time (68K, T, Doctor Who Universe)

Zimbits April Updates (2.7K; T; Check, Please!)

che col tuo lume mi levasti (63K, T, Simon Snow Series)

At last (801, G, Glee)

e pare stella che tramuti loco (29K, T, Simon Snow Series)

Wielded by the righteous (2K, G, Simon Snow Series)

The Naked Truth (15K, T, Simon Snow Series)

Call Me Maybe (12K, T, Simon Snow Series, with @captain-aralias)

Barking Up The Wrong Bakery (8.7K, T, Glee)

These numbers could be lucky for you (402, G, Glee)

Then maybe time would not erase me (2.7K, G, Julie and the Phantoms)

Thinkin' about us (377, G, Our Flag Means Death)

All I needed for another day (768; G; Love, Victor)

Ebb & Flow (29K, G, Glee)

Dalton 8 Days of Pride (2.8K, G, Dalton)

Dalton 8 Days of Wrath (WIP, T, Dalton)

I can't believe it IS butter (1.111, G, Simon Snow Series)

Time After Time (18K, T, Simon Snow Series)

The Moon fic (49, G, Glee)

Stage Fright (12K, T, Glee, with all the authors of the @gleefrankenfic)

aap noot mies (8K, G, Glee)

A Grimm Christmas (5K, G, Simon Snow Series)

So Much Better (12K, T, Glee)

There's nothing ironic about show choir (14K, T, Simon Snow Series)

Ljubim te (WIP, T, Glee)

Holy moly. This is... more than I thought. I also just found out that you can filter your statistics page by year, so I don’t have to grab my calculator. AO3 tells me I published 319,614 words this year! “Published”, because I have a lot of unfinished WIPs that I wrote for. Meanwhile, Paradiso 2 was written in 2021 and part of Paradiso 3 as well. I’ve been writing A rip in time since 2017 and also I wrote the beginnings of the alien!Blaine fic and Time After Time in 2018 and 2021.

All Glee fics are about Klaine. Almost all Simon Snow fics are about Snowbaz, with Call Me Maybe as the exception. That is a gen fic. Same goes for the Love, Victor one, the JATP one and the CrisTales one. The Dalton ones are multiships. The other two ships I wrote for are Zimbits (OMGCP) and Gentlebeard (OFMD).

Some questions under the cut. Aralias, these questions are really good.

Best/worst title?

The best titles are Time After Time, The Naked Truth and A Grimm Christmas in my opinion, and I cannot take credit for those. Christina @facewithoutheart came with Time After Time (my working title was “damn Baz, you live like this?”), Pati @aristocratic-otter came up with The Naked Truth and Jas @aroace-genderfluid-sheep came up with A Grimm Christmas.

If I gotta pick my own work, it’s I can’t believe it IS butter. Okay, and I kept laughing every time I wrote There’s nothing ironic about show choir, because Rachel’s delivery of that line would play in my head.

The worst is probably Thinkin’ about us. That was definitely a last minute title. I mean, it makes sense to me, but it makes no goddamn sense for this fic. I chose it since it’s the lyrics of Just A Dream (UH UH UH I WAS THINKIN’ ABOUT YOU, THINKIN’ ABOUT ME, THINKIN’ ABOUT US yada yada) which is a huge inside joke in the Dalton Discord, but this fic has absolutely nothing to do with Dalton and its Discord. The fic is about waking up from a dream, hence the shit connection, but yeah... not the best.

Best/worst summary?

I am not the best at writing summaries, mostly because I tend to forget about them until I am ready to post and I’m like “oh SHIT oh FUCK”, so the best? Hmmmm. @cerriddwenluna really helped me out with the aap noot mies and the Ebb & Flow ones. But alas, if I have to pick my own work, I think it’s Time After Time.

Simon Snow dies in the White Chapel, and Baz has to live an immortal life without him. Or so he thinks. Every twenty years, when the Veil lifts, Simon and Baz are able to reunite. Something is keeping Simon from moving on, and Baz doesn’t know if he wants to find out what that is, because it would mean letting go.

And if there’s one thing Baz can not do, it’s letting Simon go.

Simple and straight to the point. It introduces what the fic is about and it also introduces the main source of tension: Baz doesn’t want to let go of Simon. Drama ensues!

Worst:

And finally, the end.

This is from the Zimbits Update fic and it means absolutely nothing. That’s because these Updates fics are collections of drabbles, so each chapter has a summary of its own. But as a result, I always put my own commentary in the summary of the fic as a whole. It makes some sense if you read the series in one go, which is something a lot of people do (and it always brings me joy when I get an AO3 e-mail with kudos and it’s clear that someone went through it all), but on its own it is terrible.

I just refuse to write “I am bad at summaries” in the summaries. I at least gotta commit to the bit 😔✊.

Best/worst first line?

All my first and last lines are very short. I realised most of the fics start with a short line, then a larger line that really kicks of the story.

There seems to be one exception, which is the Bakery fic. That’s why I think that’s the best first line.

There are many decisions that have led Kurt Hummel to this dog bakery, but the biggest one was his decision to move to Los Angeles to become a dog party planner for influencers.

And worst.... Hmmm. Like I said, most of the first lines are very similar: short and not saying a lot. I don’t think the beginnings of my fics are bad, per sé, because all the opening paragraphs are a decent way to start a fic. I’m going with At Last, since that is a missing scene from Glee, so the fic jumps straight into a scene:

“But... But what?” Kurt asks, desperate to make some sense out of this situation.

Best/worst last line?

The best is probably The Naked Truth, once again because that one is longer than 10 words.

I put my pencil on the paper, I look over to Simon who’s already flexing his upper body, and I start to draw.

But yeah, I don’t think of first and last lines, but I think of beginnings and endings in a larger scale, like a paragraph or a chapter. But this one is nice and it also says something about what the fic’s about, unlike other last lines.

I picked the upcoming worst line since I apparently used it twice.

All is well.

Again, my last lines are very short and again it doesn’t mean they’re bad, but sometimes they are. Sometimes it’s clear I was looking for a quick line that felt fitting for any kind of ending. So this is the end of A rip in time and The Moon fic. (And I won’t be surprised if I have used it more).

Looking back, did you write more fics than you thought you would this year, less than you thought, or about what you predicted?

Damn, I wrote a lot more than I thought. Over 300.000 words is insane, so yes, definitely more than I thought. I admit I don’t really plan my fics in advance. It’s changed a little bit since I started doing fests (more on that later), but most of the time I just start writing and I see when (or if) it sees the light of day.

What pairing/genre/fandom did you write that you would never have predicted last year?

Well, I couldn’t have written for Gentlebeard since the show didn’t exist last year, but jk jk. More seriously, I did write for three new fandoms: OFMD, JATP and CrisTales. And I got some returning ones (Dalton and Love, Victor).

The genre that completely threw me off was parenting fic or whatever you want to call it. I never even attempted a serious fic with any of my ships as parents. There have been kid OCs before (like, Julie for Klaine in the Myosotis series, or the unnamed twins for Zimbits in one fic that I can’t fucking remember right now), but I never wanted to do that, mostly because I don’t want kids myself so I never think about it.

And then my little Rosemary Snow happened. Maybe this is cheating, cause I did mention that I wrote part of Paradiso 3 in 2021, but oh MAN. OH MAN. How much love I have for this fictional child. If Simon and Baz are the dads, then I am the fairy godmother (who killed her biological parents oop-). She’s not real and yet I’d die for her. And not only is this a fic with a kid, but also it delves deep into adoption, another topic that I swore I’d never delve into. Alas, here we are.

Oh, and I wrote my first Main Character Death with Time After Time, but Simon is still constantly present in the fic as a Visitor.

What’s your favourite story this year? Not the most popular, but the one that makes you the happiest.

Paradiso series. And yes, I know, I wrote all of Paradiso 1 and 2 in 2021 and part of Paradiso 3 in 2021 as well, but I loved it. I had so much fucking fun.

I often say that Paradiso 1 is the amazing eldest child, Paradiso 2 is the awkward middle child and Paradiso 3 is the surprise youngest child. What I mean by this is that Paradiso 1 is probably the best and maybe I should’ve ended it there, but I wanted to continue so badly that I wrote Paradiso 2. Could that fic have been better? Definitely. I think it is quite messy. But I love it nevertheless and it still introduced a lot of cool things. Paradiso 3 was even more unplanned and since it took me on a journey, it was a surprise.

Okay, NOW your most popular story.

Everyone say “Thank you AO3!”

I usually don’t pay attention to my stats. I have no clue if something is popular because a) most of the time I do not know how many kudos etc. a fic has and b) even if I do have a vague idea of it, I don’t know what constitutes as “popular” in the grand scheme of things. I do sometimes associate one person with a fic and even if that one person was the only one loving it, I’d be happy.

So thank you AO3 for this goddamn great statistics page. Now, I do peek here maybe once a year, just out of curiosity (I think I may have made annual posts about that) and god this page is a godsend for having all the information in one place.

Here are the hits:

Note that a lot of people who read A rip in time read it in the beginning of when I started posting (2018). All the others got posted in 2022 only. Oh, well, Paradiso started posting mid-December 2021, but most of it was posted in 2022.

Kudos:

Same story here. I filtered the results on 2022, but since A rip in time did post in 2022, it is an outlier, like spider georg.

Comments:

Bookmarks:

And here again. If we disregard A rip in time, it seems like Time After Time is the most popular. Damn Baz, you live like this?

Story most underappreciated by the universe?

Call Me Maybe. Call Me Maybe! God, @captain-aralias already mentioned it, but yes, I totally agree that Call Me Maybe is the most underappreciated. And I know why. It isn’t a shippy fic. It’s a gen fic about Agatha, and Simon and Baz only make a “cameo” in the actual fic.

But I put my heart and soul in this fic. I projected on Agatha like a boss. I even tried to rickroll the fandom!

And this was the only time I was aware of it not being popular. Like I wrote above, I have two reasons that I am usually ignorant of how well my fics are doing. I don’t care. Yes, I’d like people to read my stuff. I always use the cake analogy. If someone spends hours baking a cake and no one eats it, then even when the baking process was fun, it stings. But even then, since I do not actively track my stats and I don’t look at other people’s stats either. I remain blisfully ignorant and I find that very freeing.

But this fic was part of a fest. All the fics of that fest were put together in one AO3 collection. And that made it very easy to see how this fic was not getting the hits that others did. It took a long time before this fic even got 100 hits, while others already had over 400 or so. When it hit 100, I was very emotional. I knew it wasn’t going to be as popular, since this isn’t a Snowbaz fic, but man. There were some huge differences.

Now, honestly, the most important thing to me was that @captain-aralias liked it, which she did. I am so happy she liked it. Even her comments in her 2022 review page make me feel warm and fuzzy and happy. But I also wished more people had the chance to like it as well.

I’ve talked about my approach to stats etc. several times with people. There I also said that no matter how true it is that 99% I do not care, there is also the 1%. I think every writer, even “chill” ones like me, is prone to some anxiety or disheartened feelings at one point about stats and Call Me Maybe was my fic for that situation. I just really, really wanted people to read it. I still do. I haven’t checked the stats ever since it hit 100 hits, since that was the milestone I had in mind when I realised Call Me Maybe was falling behind, and it happened, but I wouldn’t mind more people reading it.

Story that could have been better?

Without a doubt, it’s Ebb & Flow. It’s just messy. Even more messy than Paradiso 2. (Not as messy as A rip in time, though, but the whole idea behind A rip in time is that it’s kinda bad anyway, which is why I love it.) (If you love the Doctor Who universe, and mess, A rip in time is the fic for you!).

Or well, at least I think Ebb & Flow is messy. It had a beginning with a lot of info-dumping, a wacky middle where too much was going on, and a good ending that is only that good because I was inspired by another fic. It’s because I had a story to tell, but I also wanted to nerd out about Splatoon 2. Do I regret the nerding out? No, not at all, but it made it a bit messy, especially for people who do not know Splatoon 2 (I did provide a glossary, but still). Besides, the Big Sad of the story is that Burt is dead and I am not sure if I like how I handled the grief. @thnxforknowingme told me it’s fine, which was reassuring, but every time I reread Ebb & Flow, I have to stop myself from skipping to the last few chapters cause that’s the good stuff.

Sexiest story?

Gotta pass. Would you believe it when I say T-rated The Naked Truth is the most steamy I ever wrote? All because they were undressing each other! (Well, okay, look, Simon was naked for a lot of the fic but in relation to his relation with Baz, it’s only a scene where they start to take off to undress). I used the word dick for the first time! Wooooh!

Although I think an upcoming chapter of Ljubim te might surpass it. Not too big. I don’t think I’ll ever write E (or M. I gotta see how it goes with Ljubim te.)

Saddest story?

Time After Time. I mean, it’s MCD. I made people cry! Even though Simon is still constantly in the fic, he’s Capital D Dead as in No Amount of Magic Can Bring Simon Back kind of dead.

And on a personal note, Paradiso 3 was incredibly emotional for me, as an adopted person, to write.

Most fun?

Probably I can’t believe it IS butter. I want to write more of the Butter Saga, where Simon marvels over all the forms of butter!

Just... the image of Simon carrying butter packets with him everywhere, so that he can gnaw on them. I love this guy. I kept laughing throughout the entire writing process and I loved that I got to share it with the CO Discord, since the idea came from there.

Oh, and as a Glee fan, I absolutely loved There’s nothing ironic about show choir. I really tried to capture the crazy Glee dramatics for this fic and Simon and Baz’s feud. Ruta and Vitis forever!

Story with single sweetest moment?

Not to toot my own horn, but I am obsessed with this line from The Naked Truth:

Again, there’s so much laughter.

Is this what love is like? Endless exuberant laughter? I revel in the sound of his joy.

I mean, pretty swell for an aroace gal.

And I also got the comment that Time After Time is utterly romantic in its own way, and I have to agree, even though Simon is super dead.

Hardest story to write?

Ebb & Flow. It’s the unfortunate truth that I hated writing this fic. I complained constantly about it here and on The Lima Bean Discord. I don’t want to put it so crassly (”I hated writing that!”), because it was a fest so I wasn’t the only person involved, but it’s just what happened. I loved the prompt. I fucking ADORE the art that was created for it, but the writing.... Oh honey.

I got stuck a lot. Getting stuck isn’t new, but this was my first fest and it was nerve wrecking. I’ll get more into that later. But this led to this extra pressure and that only made the existing bad feelings even worse. Basically, when I ended it, I was so fucking done I couldn’t look at it, since it just made me anxious. I normally write and then polish my work before posting, but here I didn’t want to dwell on this fic. The day before posting day, I finally opened the document after 2 weeks (I think?) to do some final edits and that was it.

This also goes back to the whole “story that could have been better” answer. Is Ebb & Flow truly that messy, or am I just projecting my negative feelings on it? I did talk with some others about how I started to like Ebb & Flow after I got positive feedback, and how that also motivates me to comment more. The comments I got on that fic make my day and I admit I am surprised every time I get a positive one. Not that I expected negative ones, but I don’t know... I just didn’t like it.

I do now. Don’t get me wrong. I like Ebb & Flow since the people in this fandom really lifted me up, but I still think it could’ve been better. But I like it. It’s on my mind a lot, mostly because I am listening to a lot of Splatoon music and of course, Splatoon 3 has been released. Hmmm, maybe I’ll write that sequel one day (*wink wink nudge nudge* @cerriddwenluna).

Easiest/most fun story to write?

Barking Up The Wrong Bakery. I actually wrote Bakery fic to counter all the bad feelings that arose while writing Ebb & Flow. Instead of polishing up Ebb & Flow, as I should’ve done, I went head first into Bakery fic.

I even made a meme about it:

It was just so much fun. The whole idea of this fic was letting go of trying too hard and it was so worth it. And I had Cooper as a cartoon villain of sorts. I have more to say about it later, but crack is very relaxing to write.

Did any stories shift your perceptions of the characters?

Call Me Maybe definitely was a huge thing. I had written an Agatha saga in 2021, but I still think Call Me Maybe was the first time I gave Agatha the love she needs. And, yes, yes, projection on characters. You know how it is.

After Wayward Son, I was really rooting for aroace Agatha. So much that after I first finished AWTWB I was clinging onto the fact that Niamh wasn’t mentioned in the epilogue. As in “yes, yes, they kissed in the book but that doesn’t mean they actually end up together, Agatha can still realise this isn’t what she wants either!”. I came around because I too am obsessed with Niamh. If I weren’t aroace and if Niamh Brody weren’t fictional I’d also ask her hand in marriage. If Agga doesn’t want her, then I want her!

So yeah. Niamh Brody, amirite?

But still, I liked the idea of exploring the big What If. Originally, Call Me Maybe started out as Agatha realising she likes girls since she gets a crush on Penelope. @captain-aralias already wrote in the original CO WIP Adoption Fest fic that she was also fine with it being a friendship fic between Agga and Penny. I shifted the crush part from Penny to Ginger. I tried that for a while, which is why the beginning of what I’ve written is more about Agga having Feelings and Thoughts when she’s around Ginger.

But I suppose Ginger isn’t Niamh. I realised I wasn’t vibing with it at all. I already have issues with writing characters who fall in love because my aroace ass has no clue what that is. So I messaged Aralias again to tell her it was going to be an aroace!Agatha fic and I realised that I could use the Feelings and Thoughts from the beginning for that reason as well. Yes, she has Feelings and Thoughts about Ginger, but it’s not romantic and that bothers Agga, because she doesn’t know why she can’t just fall for her. As a result, I had to let go of the more flirty playful Agatha from AWTWB, but I worked out. So maybe it wasn’t a change in perspective, since I already had aroace!Agatha in mind after WS, but more a “coming back to that perspective”, after AWTWB changed it up.

Most overdue story?

A rip in time. I mean, I started writing it in 2017 and I started posting it in 2018. I felt incredibly empty when I finally finished it, but it was time. I knew I wanted to finish it before 13 regenerated, so I did.

God.

What a ride this was, though.

Did you take any writing risks this year? What did you learn from them?

Oh, yes, definitely. There are probably two big risks and one smaller risk.

The smaller one is that I branched out to new fandoms, but honestly, that isn’t super new. I also wrote fic for other fandoms in previous years. It’s just true that Glee/Simon Snow/Check, Please! are my go-to’s, even though I only wrote one Check, Please! fic this year.

The bigger ones are:

1. I participated in collaborative fests and challenges. I have been doing the Klaine Advent since 2015 and I’ve written for some other challenges, but this is the first year I collaborated. Call Me Maybe and Stage Fright are the only ones that I co-wrote, but the other collaborative fests are still collaborative in my eyes, because I wrote other people’s prompts or other people made stuff for the fic. But yeah, I had the 321 Klaine Reverse Bang, and the CO WIP Adoption Fest, and the Glee Frankenfic, and of course the latest Klaine Secret Santa. And oooooh boy, it was nerve wrecking. Not gonna lie there. I usually live by the “I write for me and ME alone” principle, and that obviously does not apply when you’re working with someone else. There have been moments where I was so nervous. I was constantly hoping that the others would like it, especially with So Much Better, because that was a holiday gift! I remember fistbumping the air when I got the news that I could use Legally Blonde for that fic. Sometimes that had negative consequences (yeah, again, Ebb & Flow), but I learnt a lot. I do think I ought to tone it down. I wrote a lot about my girlboss situation, which was basically that I took on too many challenges etc. and that I was girlbossing too close to the sun. I am just genuinely excited and I want to encourage people in the fandom to make more challenges, but woooh, maybe I gotta tone it down.

2. I wrote a surprising amount of cracky fics. Bakery fic, The Moon fic, Thinkin’ about us, Butter fic, aap noot mies, There’s nothing ironic about show choir... Heck, I still have the WIPs Hold on to that feeling and Just Some Guy. I started both this year and those are also cracky. I made Baz a Klainer 12! Check, Please!’s John Johnson is here! I usually write angst and serious stuff, like mental health issues, grief, broken friendships, internalised homophobia, questioning identity etc., so this was a huge departure. Not to say I’ve never written crack. The fic where Jack and Bitty almost adopt a donkey on the Sims 4 is a thing. But I didn’t see it as a genre that I write often enought to say that it’s a genre I write. Man, Bakery fic did me a lot of good, because I had a fucking blast writing all the crack stuff. I kept laughing a lot while writing the stuff and I am happy being also found it cracky. Kissy kissy smooch smooch! BONK!

This year’s theme and the story that demonstrates it most:

Kinda what I wrote above: crack and collabs. I don’t know if there’s one specific story that demonstrates it. None of the collab fics are the cracky fics. Although that being said, I shared a lot about writing the cracky fics, since I obviously didn’t have to keep that a secret until a post date. As a result, I did get fun feedback while writing it. I already made a mushy post a few weeks earlier about how I am so happy that fandom exists and yeah, yeah I am happy it exists.

What are your fic writing goals for next year?

please for the love of god let me finish my fucking zimbits fics oh GOD

This is a long post so if you made it to this spot, hi! Since it’s a long post, I wrote some little drafts for each answer and the sentence above is the draft for this one. Because yes, please, let me finish the two Zimbits fics that I’ve been writing since 2019. They aren’t my oldest WIPs, but I want to write Zimbits again because I miss these characters.

I don’t know when I’ll get to it, though. I currently have one WIP on AO3, which is Ljubim te, my Klaine Advent 2022 fic. I don’t feel rushed to finish it. After all, I finished my 2019 Advent fic in October 2020, but I want to finish it. And I really want to wrap up my CO textfic. I got very far into that fic, but then I put it away to focus on the fests and challenges that did have a deadline.

I‘ve also been thinking about bullet point fics/fic where the author just writes it down as “notes”. There are two big AUs that have been on my mind for a while, namely the Sarah Jane Adventures Extended Universe (SJAE, since 2017) and the Glee/Sense8 crossover (since 2020) and since these two are basically a collection of ideas, maybe it’s possible. I’ve never made a bullet point fic/”notebook fic” (no idea if that is an actual term), but I have read them.

Apart from that, I’ll see.

#..... this got LONG #i just have a lot to say #My posts #story extras

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nicka-nell · 2 years

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It's Kita Shinsuke birthday today(July 5). I was wondering if I could request of oneshot fic of him (please not the angst theme because I can't get over it easily 😅) It's okay if you publish it late. Thank you so much~~

btw I'm currently reading your Haikyuu fics. I commend your writing, it's really neat and not cringey to read ✨

Hi Anon, thank you so much, these are really nice words omg! 🥺

I made a little something even if this comes two days after his birthday but I hope that’s okay. I was really glad that you said I should write something without angst haha. 😅 But since I didn’t know exactly what you wanted, I just wrote about a fluffy random birthday with Kita and y/n. Just fluff, no angst. I promise! 😇 It might be a bit rushed because I didn’t want to finish it in two weeks, but I hope you like it anyway 💚

Pairing: Kita Shinsuke x reader

Words: 2k

Warning: just fluff, manga spoiler

⋮ ➛ Navigation | Open Collab - Three seconds

Today is Kita’s birthday and this time you will make sure that you celebrate it. Not like last year, when he used the work as an excuse not to party with you and your school friends. It is true that Kita cannot afford to stay awake forever, because a farm never sleeps. But at least on his birthday, he should not only take care of the work.

For today, you set the alarm clock earlier, hoping to get up before Kita. But pressing the snooze button was probably a mistake. Because when you open your eyes a second time, the place next to you on the bed is already neatly folded. There’s no trace of Kita.

“Ah damn it…” you curse quietly before you get out of bed and look at the clock. It is shortly after five, so Kita can not be on his feet for a long time. In July, he doesn’t get up until five o’clock in the morning.

Quietly, you sneak into the hallway past the bathroom and see a ray of light flickering under the door gap. You can also hear the shower. Kita should get out of the bathroom in fifteen minutes at the earliest. That’s how long he usually needs after his morning-shower.

On tiptoes, you go down the stairs, into the kitchen to prepare breakfast. A little muffin you hid in a tiny box in the fridge yesterday, a scrambled egg with tomatoes and spring onions and a warm soup. You know that Kita loves to start the day with at least a small, warm meal. According to him, he gets into the day much better with a soup than cold food, because his stomach does not feel so heavy after such a warm and light meal.

Everything is already on the dinner table. Only for the muffin you have to lighten the candle, before you want to put it carefully to the other things on the table, as Kita’s voice stops you in your motion.

“Why are you awake so early?” His calm, soothing voice enters your ears while he hugs you from behind and gives you a kiss on the temple. You realize that after all these years of relationship, the heat still rises in your face, the blood in your body flows faster and you feel like a little teen with butterflies in your belly, when Kita is so close to you. When you feel his body against yours and his breath tickles your skin.

With the muffin in your hand, you carefully turn around, look directly into his beautiful eyes and hold the mini cake towards him. “Happy birthday, Shinsuke my heart. Today is your day and I know you can’t take a day off so easily. That’s why I at least wanted to make your breakfast today. Sit down and eat a little something, so you can get your strength for the day.”

A stranger would probably not recognize it, but you see that he is touched, that he is even a little surprised. His eyes widen a bit before he tilts his head to the side and warmly looks at you with a slim smile. “Thank you for thinking of me, Y/n.”

As always, he’s not the best at expressing feelings, but you know his gratitude is full of love. Because that’s who he is. A quiet but loving and humble man.

Together you have breakfast, even if you are not hungry yet and actually only want to keep your birthday boy company before Kita gets up, washes the plates and sets off on the way out, to take care of the rice fields.

You take the opportunity to freshen up, ask Osamu if everything stays the same and if he comes over tonight with the food and the rest of the boys from the volleyball club. Everything goes according to plan. Kita is still of the opinion that the breakfast was his birthday present, and that the day will go like any other.

It has something good that Kita is outside during the day in the fields, because he hardly comes into the house. Most of the time he comes back for dinner, likes to eat your rice balls or Osamu’s Onigiri during the day, which he brings back from his shop for Kita to taste.

On the tip of your feet you stand in the living room on a chair, hang the last garland with the inscription ‘Happy Birthday’ on the lamps, when you hear the knock on the front door. These must be the boys, you think, as you get off the chair and push it back under the table before you run to the door. For a blink of an eye, you look out of the window, still can’t see Kita because he is probably far away at the last rice fields. The door opens with enthusiasm, and you greet your friends with a warm smile, asking them to quickly come in. As agreed, they parked the cars further away from your farm, so that Kita really does not notice the surprise.

“Wow, ya really put a lot of effort into Kita’s little birthday surprise, huh?” Osamu’s amazed by what he’s seeing while he and his brother place the food on the dinner table, still scanning the room. Colorful balloons fly on the ceiling. Some of them are attached to the chairs. Garlands hang everywhere and beautiful wildflowers decorate the living room and dining room table. On the living room table you put up a pin board with photos of your school days and the years after. It’s really pretty and something Kita would definitely like.

“Should we open the drinks?” Ojiro asks, pointing to himself and Suna, wanting to take some of the work off of your hands. Thankfully, you accept his offer, show them where to find the glasses and turn back to Osamu and Atsumu, who are still busy unpacking the food when you hear a key in the door. Directly you flinch, know exactly that this can only be Kita.

“Come on guys, let’s hide!” you whisper softly, wave your hand to make the men understand to hide behind the furniture. You all crouch down. No one talks.

“My love, I’m hom-”

“Happy Birthday~!” You all cheer and fall into his word as you jump out of your hiding places. First irritated, but then moved Kita thanks you. Wander over each one of you with his gaze before he studies his beautiful looking surroundings.

“Thank you so much… But… but why are you all here?”

“Well, what do you think, Mr. Robot? We are here to celebrate your birthday with you.” Says Suna, who approaches his old captain and gives him a friendly hug, wishing him all the best.

“You owe it all to yer lovely girl, my friend. She had written to us and prepared and organized everything.” Osamu adds and goes over to his old friend like Suna did before. Also Atsumu and Ojiro do not wait long before they take their friend in their arms until only you are missing.

Your eyes sparkle as you stand in front of him, lovingly congratulating him a second time. You look so happy that he can’t help but cover your cheeks with his hands and kiss you tenderly. No matter if his friends can see him right now. He just wants to show you how happy he is, how much he loves you.

Kita told you he didn’t want to celebrate, but he’s glad you invited his friends. It’s nice to have the people around him who are important to him, who want to celebrate this special day with him. Kita is glad that you sometimes just do what you think is right.

Until shortly after midnight, you celebrate his birthday as you all slowly get tired and say goodbye to each other. Only Kita and you stay back in the house, which was full of laughter and music a few minutes ago. You sit on the terrace of your bedroom, look up to the moon with your cup of tea in your hand, enjoy the chirping of the crickets, the chilly wind on your skin, as you hear Kita’s steps on the wooden floor. Without a word, he sits next to you, already wearing his sleeping clothes, and looks up at the moon like you did earlier.

“That was a wonderful evening Y/n.” your boyfriend says and you could swear that if it wasn’t so dark, you’d see him smile. You don’t answer him, just realize how happy you are as you move closer to him, your arms touch and you put your head on his shoulder.

Kita took a shower again, because he smells like pine cones and herbs, no more of dirt, grass and sweat. His breath and his scent calm you down. His gentle voice makes you just feel comfortable.

“Thanks for doing all this for me.” Kita’s hand wraps around your body, pressing your shoulder tight for a moment before you feel his warm lips on your crown.

Although you only see Kita through the moonlight, you still raise your head to look at him full of love. You’re just glad to see him so happy today. Almost nostalgic among the boys, when they reveled in old memories. Ironically, since the school’s motto was that you didn’t need memories. Maybe you also don’t need them, but they are beautiful.

“And I would make every birthday like this again for you, no matter how many times you would tell me that you don’t need a party.” You giggle, wonder if next time he would just say that he wants to celebrate.

“I know that and I appreciate that. But… The best thing today on my birthday is that I can now sit here with you on the terrace, shoulder to shoulder, silent while we enjoy the view.”

“But Shinsuke…” Touched by his words, you unconsciously put a hand on your chest, feel your heartbeat knocking faster against your chest. That he describes something you can do every day as the most beautiful moment... Even though he was so happy with all your friends, he enjoyed spending time with you the most...

“Y/n, you know I’m not a man of big words. All the more I love that we can just sit here, that it doesn’t feel weird to say anything, but just enjoy the closeness to each other. Sitting out here, feeling you next to me, hearing you hum makes me fall asleep with a warm heart. Looking from here at all the rice fields in the moonlight, knowing that all this is our future, our family will eventually grow even bigger, that’s what makes me most happy. You make me happy and you don’t need words, no cake, no surprise party for that. All you need is yourself. I love y-” he wants to say that he loves you, but you interrupt him, throw yourself around his neck sniffing, touched by the many words that otherwise so rarely come over his lips.

Your hug hits him unprepared. Kita stumbles as he falls back, can no longer use his arms in time to support his body when his back touches the hard wooden floor under him, you in his arms.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, did I hurt you?” you ask with concern in your voice, want to straighten up to help him up, but his arms pin you down to his body.

“I’m fine.” He whispers to you as he releases a hand from your waist, puts a strand of hair fallen into your face back behind your ear and pulls you down to give you a heart-melting kiss on your forehead.

It’s still dark, you can only see his outline, but you know he’s looking at you, looking for your eyes. “It’s already late. We should go to bed, don’t you think?”

Just as lovingly as his question came, your answer reaches Kita’s ears, before you give him a long and deep kiss that puts your mind back in high school time, because you still have this tingling in your stomach, like when he asked you if you could imagine a relationship with him back then.

“Yeah, let’s go to bed, my lovely birthday boy.”

#Haikyuu x reader #haikyuu x #Kita x reader #kita x

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macflorendo · 10 months

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THANK YOU to life!

This is my Eulogy.

First. I would like to thank Life and God for giving me the opportunity to live and experience a taste of this world.

TO MY FAMILY. Thank you for raising me well. I am not me without any single of you. I may not express as much as needed but I want you to know that I LOVE YOU. See you soon!

I may not be the best son, not the best brother. I don’t wish to be one but I would like to believe that we are destined to be the way we are. Well, that’s where I learn from my lessons from anyway - all my mistakes.

TO THE ENVIRONMENT. I am so proud to have joined Cuernos de Negros Mountaineers Club, Inc. of Silliman University for teaching me how to love the environment. Because of that, I was able to travel to 5 countries (USA, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand) for FREE to attend different environmental programs and its alumni engagements.

Aside from being able to see different parts of the world. I am fortunate to learn that there is a problem that we need to do something about. Our children’s lives are at stake.

MUSIC, MAGIC, & MOVING PICTURES. MY PASSIONS. I cannot thank you enough. We have been through the happiest and most difficult times of my life. When there’s no one else to talk to and hang out with, you were there.

You even got me jobs!

SOUTH KOREA. You are my second home country. You made me realize that I am part of the world, a global citizen. There is the potential of anyone to make a difference even to another individual in the world. Thank you Silliman University and Hannam University for this opportunity!

I am happy I am able to learn Korean so I could understand you. Now, I am giving back by learning your language too. South Korea is beautiful. I know most of you are tired of the pressure in your country. But please, never forget your passions and purpose. There’s more to the world than getting a “good” job and lots of money.

EVENTS.

2011 - Moved to Dumaguete to study in Silliman University, Dumaguete City. I lived in Vernon Hall inside the campus, lived in an apartment for summer class, and then lived with mom and sister until I graduated.

2013 - I was exchange student to Hannam University in Daejeon, South Korea. That was my first time abroad. I took up Korean Language classes, Faith and Film, and Advance VIdeo Production Class. I taught English to students during my free time and that’s where I got my allowance.

2015 - I became an academic fellow on Environmental Issues under Young Southeasts Leaders Initiative. We went to Hawaii, Colorado, and Washington DC.

- I founded Food Rescue Philippines (formerly Food Rescue ASEAN)

2016 - I graduated Cum Laude from Silliman University.

March 2020. There’s an ongoing virus called COVID-19 infecting people around the world. Who knows what will happen next? We will not be always safe. I live in a dorm, I live with other people. They may be carrying the disease. I hope not. I have one roommate who still goes to work at this time. I hope he won’t bring the disease in the dorm. There’s currently 187 infected patients in the Philippines and recovery rate has not moved at all.

July 2020. COVID cases are not easing down here in the Philippines. I heard stories of the government just making money out of this situation…

2021 - 2022. Met the worst person in my life. But thank you for making me wiser and way better.

MARCH 2023 - I got hired as Food Rescue Supervisor at Scholars of Sustenance. This is a dream come true. I used to bike and work with volunteers for this advocacy but I now work with a bigger organization that can create more impact.

JULY 2023. I will be turning 30 in 2025. I want to focus on meaningful and valuable work. I also want to create opportunities for myself and others to grow financially, and spriritually.

I am happy that I have experienced many jobs. I realized that I can do so much more, and at the same time, I know I will have options when any career I would choose won’t work.

LOVE. Love is a BURST of emotions that happen in your body. That feeling is temporary. When choosing a partner, remember BURST.

B - Believe in each other.

U - Understand each other.

R - Respect each other.

S - Support each other.

T - Trust Each Other

MEANING OF MEANING

Meaning starts with ME. Everything you do should start and would meaning something to you.

MEAN has three meanings.

1. what do you mean to say

2. you are so mean

3. what does it mean

MEANING is present tense. Is it something that you currently do. It should be something that you are doing now.

A MESSAGE TO MY YOUNGER SELF/TO MY CHILDREN/ TO YOUNG PEOPLE:

1. Exercise more. Play more.

2. Get long hair and donate.

3. Grow a beard! (DONE)

4. Talk to more people. (ALWAYS)

5. Go to more places. Be more adventurous. (BE MORE SPECIFIC)

A MESSAGE TO MY FUTURE SELF:

1. Hope you are still doing what you love; performing really good magic, doing something for the environment, helping people, and sharing what you know.

2. Stay fit.

3. Be financially secure.

4. Always learn.

5. Network more. Meet more people.

6. Don’t work for a boring company with boring people.

TRAVELS

Countries I traveled to..

2013 - South Korea - Seoul, Daejeon, Busan, Chuncheon, Okcheon, Jeonju

2015 - USA - Hawaii, Colorado, Washington DC

2015 - Singapore

2015 - Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur

2016 - Thailand, Bangkok

2016 - Cambodia, Siem Reap

2017 - South Korea - Seoul, Daejeon, Pohang, Busan

2020 - Japan - Osaka, Nagoya

2022 - France - Paris

2023 - Thailand - Bangkok

PHILIPPINES

1. Zamboanga

2. Dumaguete

3. Manila

4. Cebu

5. Davao

6. Iloilo

7. Palawan - Puerto Princesa

8. Baguio

9. Tagaytay

10. Bohol

11. Siquijor

12. La Union

13. Zambales

14. Dapitan

15. Bacolod

16. Boracay

17. La Union

18. Pampanga

19. Bulacan

To be continued…

Edited 5/9/2019

Edited 10/2/2019

Edited 3/18/2020

Edited 3/29/2020

Edited 7/23/2020

Edited 9/6/2021

Edited 1/1/2022

Edited 4/14/2022

Edited 7/11/2022

Edited 7/1/2023

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alicenowonderland · 1 year

Text

𝓹𝓪(𝓰)𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓪

Two words, 𝓹𝓪𝓰-𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓪 and 𝓹𝓪𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓪. Breathe and rest.

For the past few months I could feel that my mental health status is declining. I could not acknowledge it at first for the reason that I think that it is a sign of a weakness and I cannot show weakness since I am a Mom, I am the first-born child, I am the eldest sister, I am a social worker, and I am a mental health professional worker. I cannot give up. I have a lot of responsibilities in ny shoulder and I have to fight.

But sometimes, the more I hold on, the more I push myself into believing that everything is fine it becomes worst up to the point where I became anxious and stressed over the things that I cannot control anymore.

I get tired. I cannot breathe. It feels like even the air that I am breathing is not for me anymore. I feel like giving up. But God is really good. I prayed and he send people to help me.

I always tell my parents my plans as an assurance that their daughter still has a plan on her life and they would always make me feel their support and love. They always tell me that I should wait and take my time. Really, it is just me who is putting pressure to myself since I saw people at my age or younger than me achieved greater things that I was so blinded by it that I cannot see how far I have reached. Thank you Mommy and Dadi Mey for always making me feel loved, secured and heard.

Myy brother, Karl, he may not give me advices but he is still there to listen and to comfort me. Also, to confront me when I did something off.

I felt suffocated until I got the urge to tell Ate JenyBeth how I really feel. People see me as a happy and jolly person but my thoughts are eating me. Thank you Ate Jen for saving me while I am drowning in my thoughts thinking I am not good enough and I am not worthy since I am always comparing myself to other people’s achievements. Thank you for reminding me that we are all uniquely good and that I am me.

I wanted to rest.

And God gave that to me.

Kim, Ate Ran and I really has a plan to go on a trip to breathe and to take a rest.

But the Lord is good. He knows what I need. He knows what to do. He has plans for me.

A week before our trip, my friends from work asked me to go with them at La Union. Nature healing really works for me. I can breathe and at the same time, I can rest. Even if it is just a day, I coul feel the serenity and the peaceful life I can have and I can choose.

The week after, our trip was pushed through despite of a lot of obstacles due to work schedule. Thank you everyone in the trip, our organizer and coordinator Macoy Adventure, the three couples who are our new friends now, Ate Julie and Kuya Noel, Kay and Ron, and Ate Sienna and Kuya Wil. Thank you so much to my friends who got really the best chemistry of each other, my high scool tropa John Robert, my college best friend Kim Aguilon, my college friend Allen Dela Cruz and my workmate Ate Ran Odango (sorry hindi ko kayo mahanap sa tags huhu).

My two weekends has been fun. A lot of realizations come in and I took my time to realize and acknowledge that: 1) This is just a phase, this will pass through. 2) Acknowledging that something is wrong with me is not a weakness, but a strong will to live and change myself for the better. 3) I have a support system. I am not alone not like what I used to believe. There are people who loves me, supports me and cares for me. ❤️

With all that, I am not ready again to face adulthood together with my role as a mother. I am now ready to breathe again and re-focus my mind towards my goals without looking or comparing myself to others. 💗 Self-love must really comes first in that I can also take care and love the people who is always there for me.

To God Be The Glory! 😇🙏🏻

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jayjuno · 2 years

Text

Women’s Strike - 4th of July Boycott

Women in America should Strike until abortion rights are restored, starting June 27th 2022. One day strike will be the 4th of July.

Nurses. Teachers. Secretaries. CEOs- all women need to stand together. Let's see how long their beloved economy lasts without women behind it. Women should also refuse to have sex with men until abortion rights are restored.

Strike and sex boycott starts Monday June 27th, 2022.

For those that can only afford to strike for one day- everyone has agreed that the one day to strike will be the 4th of July. Use the hashtags #4thofjulyboycott and/or #boycott4thofjuly to spread the word! Don't work, don't buy fireworks, don't buy flags, and consider protesting instead.

Men- you are more than welcome to strike with us!

If you cannot strike, you can still help by spreading the word or through malicious compliance at your job (where you deliberately slow down/mess up your employer's ability to conduct business as usual). You can also boycott the following companies for donating to anti-abortion politicians-

Amazon, AT&T, Citigroup, Coca-Cola, Comcast, CVS, General Motors, Google, T-Mobile, Walgreens, Walmart, Wells Fargo and Verizon.

If we want abortion rights restored, we need to hit them where it hurts- their wallets. Why should Wall Street make a profit at our expense? I say we sink this economy until it serves the People instead of misogynists like Donald Trump or billionaires like Elon Musk.

We Americans are more powerful than we know. If we unite and stand together, they won't have chance.

We don't need this economy- this economy needs US.

We're not waiting until November to "vote" on this and then hope for the best. We voted already, in 2020- and where did that get us? It got us right HERE. If the Democrat Party wants our votes? Then they better get off their lazy butts and DO. SOMETHING. NOW. Biden can use executive orders- let the Republicans fight him in court over the legality of it. Biden can also expand the court and appoint judges who support abortion rights. Why won't he do this? So far, he's refused to do anything, other than beg Congress to do something. How pathetic!

If the Democrats are planning on waiting until November before dong something about abortion rights, then they don't deserve our votes! We're taking action NOW. Voting comes later.

We can do this! We WILL do this. Who's with me?

-----------------

Check out "We Won’t Go Back" to find protests happening in America right now- https://map.wewontgoback.com/

Know your rights when dealing with law enforcement- https://www.nlg.org/know-your-rights/

A women's strike worked in Iceland- https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-34602822

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trevel · 1 year

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So I'm pretty anti-evangelical (while unfortunately culturally christian) and so I haven't proselytized much about this, but does anyone know I started my own religion? Sort of?

I mean, I've started a couple, because the ideas amuse me, but this one is a simple one that I think could gain traction.

I'm a Pastrian. I call myself the primary potentate of Pastrianism, AKA the Pie Pope. We celebrate pi and pie.

Holy days are three: Pi day (March 14th), Two Pi Day (June 28th), and Approximate Pi Day (July 22nd). The days are celebrated by eating some pie, eating some of two pies, or eating something that is approximately pie.

I also like to do a reading from the digits of pi, which (since pi is infinite and non-repeating) means I can basically say whatever numbers I like and they'll be in there somewhere. (80085 is at position 125937, if anyone is interested)

When I worked at an office, I would buy pies for the office on my holy days. While working from home, I try to bake pie (since my partner is gluten free) but will buy some otherwise. The range of things that I have allowed as "approximately pie" is broad but I consider butter tart squares to be the most appropriate. Cake is also acceptable.

Sometimes I wear the box the pie came in on my head as a hat, because you can't really be a proper pope without a ridiculous hat.

Some would argue that this isn't a religion because it doesn't have a stance about gods. Well, true, I suppose, but it does venerate a fundamental constant of the universe -- something both knowable but unknowable, something infinite, something that makes the universe what it is. It describes planetary motion, electric force in a vacuum, magnetic permeability, particle uncertainty amongst others. It is immortal (in that it cannot be destroyed, only forgotten) and invisible (in that it can not be seen, although it's effects can be see everywhere) and while it might be difficult to describe a number as "wise" it does potentially contain all the knowledge in the universe (see above re: infinite and non-repeating).

I'm just saying, pi is pretty neat. And pie is delicious.

And all it asks of you is to eat pie two-three times a year and think about numbers fondly for a bit.

(Arguably the least religion-ish attibute of Pastrianism is its compatibility -- unlike most other religions, it's possible to be a Pastrian and basically any other religion as well. I'd say all of them, but there's probably a religion that forbids some element of pies (like enjoying food), and I believe there are some christian subgroups that insist on pi being exactly 3. There are also the groups that think Tau is better than Pi, but until they release some confectionery to support their position, I'm sticking with pie)

(Also don't confuse Pastianism -- root of "pastry" -- with pastafarianism -- root of "pasta". These are very different religions with very different practices. We can, I hope, still agree about the deliciousness of Macaroni Pie.)

Also if anyone has suggestions for how to add .14159 of a holiday to the annual rotation, let me know! The closest approximation I've got is celebrating something every seven years.

#pastrianism #pi #pie

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gatekeeper-watchman · 10 months

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Daily Devotionals for July 15, 2023

Proverbs: God's Wisdom for Daily Living

Devotional Scripture:

Proverbs 20:24-25 (KJV): 24 Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his way? 25 It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy and after vows to inquire. Proverbs 20:24-25 (AMP): 24 Man's steps are ordered by the Lord. How then can a man understand his way? 25 It is a snare to a man to utter a vow (of consecration) rashly and (not until) afterward inquire (whether he can fulfill it).

Thought for the Day

Verse 24 - Why was I born and what is my purpose in life? This question is one of the oldest asked by mankind. A man was created by God and his "goings" are laid out by Him. He created us to be like Him. Without God, we cannot understand life; why we were born, or where we are going. God created us to know Him personally. "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent" (John 17:3).

Sin separates every human being from God. With Jesus' blood, He purchased our salvation. By His death, burial, and resurrection, He broke the power of sin and death over us, making it possible for us to have everlasting life. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). To have eternal life, we must repent of our sins and ask Jesus to come into our hearts. When we do this by faith, we are "born again" into the family of God, and given His nature; we become a child of God. He will then show each of us our part in the scheme of His world.

In the Bible, we receive revelation about how God wants us to act and what we are to do. He shows us how we are to help others know His love and goodness. He gives us understanding and shows us what steps in our walk with Him we are to take daily. When we make mistakes and fall, He helps us to get up and walk on with Him. "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholds him with his hand" (Psalm 37:23-24). As we follow Him, He will show each of us our part in His plan for creation. We each have unique gifts and God has a plan and purpose to use us and our gifts.

Verse 25 - This verse warns us to be careful about what we tell God we will do. The Lord desires that we be like Him, and this includes keeping our word. Many people promise God that they will do something, but then fail to do it. It is bad enough when we treat other people this way, but when we do this regarding holy things, it is a serious matter. We are to reverence God, and not treat Him lightly. The Lord is merciful when we fail, but we should not tempt Him by making promises to Him that we cannot keep. We should be very serious about any vows we make to God. "When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither says thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?" (Ecclesiastes 5:4-6).

Prayer Devotional for the Day

Dear heavenly Father, thank you for saving our souls. We are so glad that You are my Father and we can come to You, no matter what kind of problem we have. You are always so kind and merciful to us when we fail and we do appreciate it. Help us, so that we will be able to walk in the straight and narrow way and not take steps that are out of the way. We want to please You and have our steps ordered for You. Show us what You would have us to do and then strengthen us to do it. Also, help us to guard our mouths and not promise things to others that we are not able to perform. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

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dailyaudiobiblechronological · 10 months

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7/4/2023 DAB Chronological Transcription

2nd Kings 9 - 11

Welcome to Daily Audio Bible Chronological. Today is the 4th of July. I'm Jill and welcome everyone. It's so good to be here with you on this day that in the United States, we celebrate our freedom, our independence. It's a lot of red, white and blue. It's a lot of barbecue, and it's a lot of blowing things up. And I also recognize that some of you do not Many of you do not live here and you're not celebrating. So you're like, what is this blowing up of business? We light money into the air. We set off fireworks on this day. A beautiful display of Color and booms that light up the sky at night. Some sparklers. I guess that's how we do it. Everybody's different. They all celebrate. But we do recognize our freedoms, our independence and our ability to be free on this day. And truth be told, I can't imagine living in a place where these freedoms were not available. And so we pause, and we recognize those that may not have the freedoms that we do. And we give thanks for that which we have, and we pray for those that have Not yet experienced the freedoms that we take so easily for granted. So I pray that however you're celebrating today, you are safe. You are safe. You are with the ones that you love, and you are content. Oh, we're here to read the Bible. We're reading in Second Kings Today, Chapters 9, 10 and 11 and we're reading in the Evangelical Heritage Version, Second Kings Chapter 9.

Prayer

Father, we thank you for your word today. Thank you for the freedoms that we have here. That we move freely. That we are not fighting too freedom here where we live. We are fighting to remain free. We remember those today that are still fighting for their freedom. We remember those today that are fighting for spiritual, religious freedom. And I pray God that we would just consider the weight of our privilege that we get to worship you freely. And may we never take that for granted. And I pray that we do not forget those that are still fighting. We thank you for this day. We thank you for Freedom in you, God. Because of who you are, We can be who we are. And we cannot be who we are Without you. We worship you, We thank you, And we love you. We pray this now in the name of the Father, the Son, And the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Announcements

Daily Audio Bible, That's home base. Check it out if you have not and take a look around at the website, the resources, the store. Lots of things for you to do there. Please note that coming up in just a couple of days, you might get a little sick of hearing about this, Until we experience it. But we have to make sure that everybody's tuning in will hear it so that everyone who wants to participate can. The Long Walk is coming up July the 7th, just a couple of days away. And if you're like, what is the Long Walk? It's a great question. It started years ago, With a walk that we experienced in Nashville in silence. It was a walk of repentance where we just walked through the city of Nashville and quiet and contemplative contemplation with a heart of repentance. All different denominations, race, People coming together for one cause for the cause of Turning to turn in a different direction, to consider who we are, to consider who God is, To consider our Part that we play in our own stories in communion with Christ. And so we as a community here at the Daily Audio Bible have continued that tradition for years and years. I don't know how many years I'll have to Get the facts and give them to a different day, but this is now something that we continue As a community, individually, collectively and in communities. So if you want to participate, you can. How do you do it? You walk, or you sit, or you roll, or you stroll or you drive. And we just encourage you to do it in silence. To be alone with your creator, and no better way to do that than in creation. And you know what? Sometimes it's good just to get a good sweat going, and so guaranteed to do that in most parts of the country. So that is this July the 7th, just a couple of days away. And we will Provide Facebook posts for you and if you'd like to Submit just a short little video of what you experienced, or a picture. We ask that you post right underneath that so that there's not a ton of scrolling down for people to you can you can scroll for lots and lots of minutes till you find something. So we're going to try to keep it nice and tidy and one place. So check out the social media platforms for that Daily Audio Bible and Daily Audio Bible Chronological DAB Friends and DABC Friends. I'll also post there at Daily Audio Bible Women, because what's better than a group of women passionately pursuing Jesus? That's our page to be there together, Daily Audio Bible Women if you would like to partner with us, We thank you so much for your partnership. We could not do this without you. If you're giving by mail, DAB PO Box 1996, Spring Hill TN 37174 or utilizing your mobile device, hit the give icon up at the top Right hand corner. And then lastly, look for the give icon on the website. If you need prayer, If you'd like to pray for someone that's previously called in several different ways for you to do so, 800-583-2164 or once again utilizing that mobile app, hit the red circle, And you have two minutes on the prayer line. At the end, Hit submit, Turn the wheel over to Chronological and it will get to the right place. Please speak clearly and concisely in your mobile device so that we can get everything that is being conveyed. That's going to do it for me today. I'm Jill. We'll turn the page together Tomorrow. I look forward to it, Lord willing And the Creek don't rise. I'm Jill until then, love one another.

Community Prayer Line

Hello, my name is Courtney. I am a missionary in the Dominican Republic. I am here with my husband and my aunt, my almost nine month old baby girl and my call is asking prayer for my daughters eyes. She has a version of strabismus. She was diagnosed, Around four or five months before we came here to the Dominican Republic. We felt like coming here, The Lord was telling us that we still were called here, we still were called to come here. So now we are seeking care here in the Dominican Republic, so we would appreciate prayers for finding a doctor. Finding care for her, potentially she'll need surgery, potentially she'll need vision therapy. We don't really know until we get her seen again around in the next month or so here because we can't really find a doctor that's willing to do, Virtual calls with us from the States just because of different reasons on the type of checkups you would need. So we would appreciate prayers for all of that. There's a lot of mental, a lot of emotional, a lot of spiritual attack in this area as we just try to be the best parents and the best Minister, as we can be here. Um, because we ultimately want the best for our daughter and the best for our ministry. But our daughter does come first, so we will go back to the States around a year and a half, And so for a period of time, so.Yeah.Just would appreciate prayers for all of this. Thank you so much. We love listening to this podcast and hope you guys all have a really great and blessed day.

I want to thank Amy and Wisconsin for praying for my daughter Samantha. And I will be praying for your daughter Samantha that she also is healed from migraines. I am sorry that your daughter has suffered this since early childhood like my daughter. Umm, and thank you to everyone that has prayed for my daughter. I just learned that she will be having a C-section in one week. Her due date is July 12th. They've been concerned for a while now that the baby is several weeks ahead of schedule. They've done all kinds of tests, so everything seems to be good, but they went through the pros and cons of inducing and the C-section with my daughter and her husband And so if she doesn't go into labor, By July 5th then the baby girl will be induced on July 5th. So I'm just asking for prayer for my daughter, for my granddaughter and for her husband, for the doctors and nurses and for God to Be there. No matter which way the baby is born, whether it be induced, natural, C-section that God's hand it's there in protects everyone involved. I appreciate your prayers. I thank you. I will.Update you when my granddaughter is here and let you know if the doctors are right. If she is a big baby, I will say my daughter is huge. She's very, very, very big.Um.And we'll find out. All right. Thank you all.

Hello to my DABC Prayer Warriors. This is Ted from Socal. I'm coming before you guys today on behalf of my best friend who I learned recently has stage 4 kidney failure. He's in his mid 40s and has four kids. Definitely not. Just time to go.If that's the Lord's will, we just pray into that, and it may require or transplants or some other sort of drastic fix. We just asking for your prayers over him and his family at this time, Lord. Thank you for all that you've done for us and my ABC Family. Thank you so much for this.

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suckitsurveys · 1 year

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When was the last time you went out of state? Last month when I went to Boston to see John Mulaney with my best friend who lives there.

And where did you go? Oh oops I already said lol.

What does the 6th text in your inbox say? Do ANYONE’S texts still work like this??? They’re all grouped by person and not text... Do you even like the person who sent you that text? For the sake of the question I’ll look at the 6th person in my inbox. That was a coworker. I don’t hate him.

Do you have more than one best friend? Yes. I have four. Sarah, Ellen, Mark, and Randal.

In public restrooms, do you flush the toilet with your foot? If possible yes.

What song is stuck in your head at the moment? The Man by Taylor Swift.

Name one thing you worry about running out of: Life.

Do you have a boyfriend/girlfriend? I am married.

Spell your first name without T, E, R, A, or L. Hnnh

How old were you when you had your first kiss? I was 12 or 13.

Do you ever save Aim conversations? Okay the text question makes sense now this survey was made in like 2002.

If you were a crayon what color would you be? Purple.

Do you wish your eyes were a different color? If so, what? No.

What is the 4th digit in your phone number? The person before me said they aren’t sharing that and I’m so confused? Like what is someone gunna do with that information? There are so many combinations of phone numbers it’s not like someone can take it and guess your number or any other information about you. Anyway, mine is 0. Have fun finding out where I live!

Who was the last person to comment you on Myspace? Wowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. Have you ever given someone a fake phone number? Yes.

Your phone’s ringing; who do you want it to be? Someone telling me I won free tickets to see Taylor Swift, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, and Lana Del Rey whenever she tours.

Have you lied to get out of a date? Nah.

Was your mom a cheerleader in high school? She was actually.

Do you still have pictures of your ex? No.

When was the last time you ate at McDonald’s? Last Wednesday. I take my nieces almost every Wednesday when I pick them up. Sometimes I get something for myself or I just munch on some fries.

Do you think more about the past, present or future? All of it all the time always.

Are you more of a talker or a listener? Depends on the scenario. What do you wear to bed? Usually a tshirt and undies.

Do you like ketchup or mustard better? Mustard honestly. Especially honey mustard.

Did you ever have a Furby when you were little? I did.

Did you eat a cookie today? Nope.

What do you and your parents fight about the most? --

How old will you be in 15 years? I’ll be turning 49 gross.

Is summer your favorite season? It sure the fuck is. I wish we could skip past this spring bullshit and go right to it being at least over 70F consistently.

Chinese, Mexican, or Italian food? Mexican. How many states have you lived in? Just this one.

When is the last time you saw your mom? July 18, 2013. I cannot believe it’s been almost 10 years.

Do you like the band Mayday Parade? Eh. What was the first thing you thought about when you woke up today? How much I did not want to go to work.

Do you think dance/techno music is annoying? Whatever.

What year were you born? 1989.

Do you shop at Hollister? No.

Grab the nearest book and turn to page 17. What is the 4th word? The only books near me are catalogs for products for work. What are you going to be for Halloween? I'm not sure yet. My friend Lolly and I briefly joked about being Timothee Chalamet and Pete Davidson’s characters from that SNL Rap Roundtable sketch (ya know, the YEET SKRRT one lol) but theres also like 7 months until Halloween so that could change.

How many times have you seen your favorite movie? A lot.

Do you own a Coach purse? Nope, not really a fan of the brand.

What’s your Myspace song right now? Don’t have a Myspace anymoooooreeeee.

Has a boyfriend/girlfriend ever given you a pet name? Yes.

–

Name a product you buy mostly because it has a cool package. I don’t really think there is something like that?

Are you purposely hiding something from someone? I’m hiding how much I fucking hate my fucking piece of shit brother in law from him and my sister and their kids.

What’s the most intimate thing you’ve discussed with a stranger? I couldn’t tell you an exact conversation.

What flavor cake do you like for your birthday? I like getting cheesecake or pumpkin pie.

Is your house usually too warm or too cold in the winter? It’s fine.

Have you ever been in love with someone much older or younger than you? Not unless you count Will Arnett hahah.

Are there any songs that make you feel angry inside when you hear them? Anything by Megan Trainer or however she spells her name. When was the last time you sat on the ground, outside w/nothing under you? I don’t remember.

Would you rather have someone ask to kiss you, or just kiss you? I mean, consent is always nice, especially if it is your first kiss, but being in an established relationship, I don’t mind my husband just kissing me.

What the most recent thing to needed an Rx med for? It’s been a whiiiiiiiiiiiile.

Have you ever had a job you loved? I really like this one.

What, if anything, do you substitute for fries? Tater tots sometimes.

Have you ever been in a building that was on fire? I don’t think so.

Are you in an argument with anyone right now? Nope.

What do you wish they would change or bring back on FB? I don’t care.

Would you change your partner’s hair color if you could? No.

Do you like “are we alike” surveys? No.

Have you ever written a poem for someone? Eh. Poem is a loose term.

What is a place you’ve vacationed at and would like to go back to? The Dells, always.

Do you eat samples at the grocery store? Sometimes.

Who’s the last person who cussed you out in anger? My fucking brother in law.

Have you friended your parents on FB? I am friends with my dad but he does ABSOLUTELY nothing on FB lol.

What do you absolutely have to have to make your birthday feel special? Balloons!

What’s the last tourist area you visited? I’m trying to remember if I went somewhere “touristy” here but I guess the last place would have been the Quincy Market when I was in Boston.

Where do you go out to eat for a special occasion? I mean, I like to switch it up but usually sushi lol.

When was the last time you went to a post office? It’s been a while.

Is there an item you are saving up to buy right now? A mattress. And also Lana Del Rey tickets if she tours.

Are you psychic in any way? Nah.

Do you prefer a laptop or desk top? Which are you on now? I work primarily on a desktop and honestly I prefer that to a laptop.

You find $20, spend it before midnight or it disappears, how do you spend it? Sushi.

Do you like wallpaper? I do.

Mice or roaches? Mice, as pets.

Did you give or get any Valentines this year? Yes.

Have you ever been in a submarine? Not an operating one.

What is the last lie someone told you, or you suspect they told you? I don’t know.

Have you ever received a gift and truly did not know what it was? Probably.

What’s your homepage? Just the default chrome homepage..

What was the last birthday gift you gave? Uhhhh I bought my cousin lunch.

Do you have dessert after breakfast? Is that a thing?

Is there anyone whose grave you visit? My mother’s, when I find myself in Tennessee, which might not happen anytime soon because fuck that state.

Would you rather drive during the day or night? Either.

Is there a thing you enjoy doing, but quit because you are not good at it? Everything I try hahahahahha.

#surveys

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