#Batch 217 | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

avoid-avoidance · 1 year

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I posted 722 times in 2022

That's 518 more posts than 2021!

108 posts created (15%)

614 posts reblogged (85%)

I tagged 719 of my posts in 2022

#misc - 316 posts

#transformers - 217 posts

#star wars - 79 posts

#megatron - 58 posts

#optimus prime - 51 posts

#optimus - 51 posts

#dnd - 32 posts

#d&d - 31 posts

#megop - 30 posts

#starscream - 29 posts

Longest Tag: 137 characters

#*sigh* preemptive disclaimer that i’m not trying to shit on op’s stance or read negativity/hostility into the orig post that wasn’t there

My Top Posts in 2022:

something something the visual impact of picturing Optimus and Megatron with their top officers by their sides

Optimus with his SIC Prowl and TIC Jazz, red white and blue flanked by monochrome. this guy who'd be perfectly happy to chill with his pals playing basketball, and his second and third trained and practiced in the ways of two different kinds of battlefields

Megatron with his SIC Starscream and TIC Soundwave, monochrome flanked by red white and blue. a warlord, THE warlord, and his second the former scientist, and his third the communications officer, both much more civilian-y backgrounds/roles.

and something something each commander looking to promote to fill the gaps not only in their own personal skillsets but also in their worldviews something something something

137 notes - Posted April 8, 2022

TFP Ratchet in an AutoBakery AU, pointing to the batch of bread he just prepared: I KNEADED THAT

175 notes - Posted January 24, 2022

I am frankly amazed that this picture, the ‘Wedding Picture’ Cybertronian Alliance handshake, does not have more snarky captions on tfwiki than it currently does:

249 notes - Posted March 27, 2022

Did any Star Wars material ever explain why C-3PO was specifically forbidden from impersonating a deity?

306 notes - Posted April 18, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Megatron, broadcasting on ‘Con comms while grappling Prime: *All units, be advised I’ve engaged the enemy!*

Soundwave, in his usual monotone but without missing a beat: *Congratulations, sir, we’re all very happy for you. Have you two set a wedding date yet? Is there a gift registry?*

Megatron, freezing in place long enough for Prime to get in a good punch to his face: (not you too, Soundwave, old friend? 😭)

759 notes - Posted April 14, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#misc #the robot blorbos have well and truly taken over

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hardcasey · 2 years

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Here's the last batch of introductions for Eon Company (so far, at least - knowing me I'll probably add a million more members). This time its all about the command staff, so we have our Jedi general, our padawan, and our clone captain.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Relka Vossh

Relka is a Theelin of about 217 years old (the Theelin equivalent of around 72 human years). She stopped counting after 200 though, so give or take a few years.

She has wrinkled, lavender skin. Her hair has gone white from age, though you can sometimes make out a few strands of the natural blue color in the right lighting. She wears it short on the top with the back portion pulled into a braid.

She carries around her lightsaber in the form of a walking cane. While sheathed, the hilt of her lightsaber acts as the the handle of her cane. The handle can be detached and the blade of her lightsaber is a vibrant blue color (think blue raspberry). The shaft the lightsaber connects to is made out of lightsaber resistant materials and can be used as an off-handed weapon while fighting and has a secret vibroblade attachment that can be deployed as needed.

Though she is still quite spry and agile, old age is starting to wear on her. She isn't the type to draw her lightsaber willy-nilly and prefers to save her energy for battles or for when she’s training Meeja.

Some may dismiss her when they first meet, seeing a weak, old woman who prefers to sit in a command tent all day looking on while her troops do all the work, but that's far from the truth. Should the situation require it, she’ll be right up in the frontlines leading her men.

Her command style as a General is usually to step back and allow her men to decide what plans to enact. The way she sees it, they are the ones that have spent their whole lives training and learning military strategy, so they are more qualified than her when coming up with battle plans. She serves more as an advisor than anything else at most times, offering her opinion when asked and acting as the go-between between the 97th and the Jedi Council.

She has a... complicated relationship with the Jedi Order as a whole. I started writing it out but it was getting way too long so I'll be saving it for another post.

Initially assigned to the 97th Mobile Corps, she quickly became disillusioned with the unit’s tactics, which focuses on completing missions no matter how high the cost. After befriending a clone named Alder, the two came up with the idea of converting the unit into something more focused on providing aid and disaster relief. Relka used the last of her influence with the council (read: kicked up such a fuss that they acquiesced just to get her to go away) to create the 97th Relief Corps and made Alder the Captain of Eon Company, the clone unit she would lead personally.

Relka is quite protective of the clones under her command and will go to great lengths to advocate for them. There was an incident where one of the newest members of Eon - a then-shiny Surge - was injured after an explosion went off way too close to him, leaving him initially deaf, though he did end up recovering most of his hearing in one of his ears. Still, the Kaminoan overseeing his recovery deemed him unfit for service and tried to have him decommissioned back to Kamino. She'd heard the rumors of what being 'decommissioned' really meant, and wasn't willing to risk the chance of any of them being true. Her disagreement with the Kaminoan started out civil enough but things did get... physical in the end. Let's just say that Surge was allowed to stay and the Kaminoans conduct their business with Relka through third parties now. This is one of the first stories Scarface likes to tell the shinies around the campfire.

She is also very protective of her current padawan, Meeja, who she believes has no place on the battlefield. Not because she doesn’t think the girl is capable but because she doesn’t think any padawans should be involved, especially ones so young. She strongly opposes replacing the usual training a padawan gets with battlefield experience is not only morally wrong (children shouldn’t be on the battlefield period) but is also bad for the Order’s future. An entire generation of Jedi that lack proper training is a disaster waiting to happen and she will not have a hand in it.

Meeja Farron

Meeja is a 13 yr old Cathar girl, and has been Relka’s padawan for about a year and a half.

She has brownish-yellow eyes and the primary color of her fur is brownish-red, with accents of white and black as well. She wears her hair loose and cut a few inches above her shoulders, with her bangs in a ponytail to keep them out of her face, which mimics the look of the tufts black fur that tip her ears. (Look up pictures of a Eurasian lynx for reference).

She uses a single bladed lightsaber that has a lighter green-yellow hue to it. Like her master, she has also incorporated an off-handed weapon into her arsenal, though in her case she either uses her claws or a wristblade.

Her clan came from the mountainous regions in the north of the planet Cathar, and because of this she is adapted for cooler climates and hates the heat. She also grows a winter coat in the colder months and sheds it in the hotter months. The clones always know summer is coming when they find fur all over their under suits, it's become a tradition of sorts.

Unlike some Cathar, she also despises wearing shoes and prefers to go barefoot whenever possible. When she absolutely has to wear shoes (like at certain Senate gatherings) she and Relka have compromised on sandals.

Because she's normally barefoot, she is incredibly stealthy and can sneak up on nearly anyone. She's also begun to show proficiency at force cloaking, making her even harder to spot when she doesn't want to be.

She also has slightly more advanced hearing than humans, so the boys need to watch what they say around her. Everyone learned this the hard way when Meeja overheard a few clones (*cough* Iris *cough*) talking about a recent hookup despite her being outside their tent, and Relka had to field quite a few questions that night that she really wasn't prepared to.

The boys all act as older brothers to her and are very protective of her, though she is especially close to Singer. She was also very close to Captain Alder, though he was more of a father figure to her than anything else, and she took his death hard.

Meeja struggles with letting go of her attachments, moreso than the average Jedi. Cathar are a very social species and form close attachments with their clans. Cathar babies are also born more developed and mobile than human babies (for example) and thus are able to form more permanent memories earlier in life. Meeja has memories of her family despite being taken in by the Jedi at 3. Relka has connected her with other Cathar Jedi that have dealt with similar struggles in the past, who have provided her methods of managing her attachments to others.

As a young teenage girl, she can throw some of the clones for a loop sometimes, as few of them have extensive experience with young girls, having grown up with only brothers all their lives (especially the shinies). Her horse girl phase was especially puzzling to them, though that has faded somewhat for an overall interest in bugs and plantlife.

Flint

Flint is the new Captain of Eon Company that took command about a month after Alder's death. He was transferred in from another unit after none of the clones with high enough ranks to replace Alder were willing.

Before transferring to Eon, Flint had worked with them in passing, though was not familiar with any of its members until his reassignment.

He's still settling into the new position, and feelings of awkwardness/insecurity linger despite his growing relationship with Eon.

It doesn't help that Alder had been with Eon since the very beginning and formed strong bonds with both his Jedi and his men. It is hard to fill the boots of someone who still looms so large in everyone's minds.

He's finding it hard to insert himself in an already established group with a clear hierarchy already in place. It is especially difficult with the older members of Eon like Scarface and Surge, who are used to the hands-off approach of command that Alder had with them. There is no outright disrespect/disobedience, but Flint is still keenly aware that he has yet to earn their respect as a leader.

He's much more by the book than Alder was and is still figuring out what sort of leader he wants to be. He'll eventually learn to loosen up, but for now he's trying to find the happy medium between following orders and listening to his gut/going with the flow.

Flint appreciates that Relka has gone out of her way to try and establish a relationship with him, setting up a time every week for them to chat and have tea together.

He's also managed to relate to Meeja by bonding over their shared interest in nature. Flint likes to take long walks around the forest to clear his head and Meeja often accompanies him. The two of them like to forage around for interesting plants/bugs/fungi to take pictures of.

Iris also sometimes tags along on these excursions, searching for any interesting flowers to add to his tattoo sleeve. Little does Flint know that Iris has ulterior motives in trying to get to know him better (though that is part of it). In Iris's mind, if the two of them are friendly, Flint is more likely to look the other way when it comes to Iris's more elicit dealings. Iris also made sure to learn Flint's favorite snacks as soon as possible, so he could show his new captain the benefits of his underground trade network.

#my ocs #eon company #relka vossh #meeja farron #flint

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if-you-fan-a-fire · 1 month

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"One of the hardest problems we encountered in trying to minister to human needs was the case of the “short-timer” and the “repeater.” In petty offenses the repeaters are, of course, much more numerous than in felony cases. They are picked up for vagrancy, drunkenness, petit larceny, and many other offenses, given from a few days to a few months in the jail or the workhouse, then turned loose, broke and homeless, and soon find their way back in. .... The trouble here was not entirely the fault of the courts or of the jails. The trouble lay in the fact that these human derelicts were turned loose after they had done time with no provision for their feeding, housing or employment.

There is not much to be done with a hardened reprobate, but there is hope for a big majority of the first offenders, most of whom are young men and women under twenty-one years of age. The solution is a job—honest work. That is what we tried to get for them, and when we succeeded they almost always made good.

We gave more than 100 pairs of shoes in one year to the men and women who were released from Occoquan, and other articles of clothing in proportion. Many, in and out of prison, were fitted with spectacles. This is only half of the story. The other half is that 75% of the repeaters were mentally defective. Many of them were hopeless. No amount of sympathy or punishment would cure them. There is no power on earth that can make a good man or a good woman out of a person when they have no brain capable of proper understanding. The best way to take care of wrecks of this kind is to put them in an institution and keep them there.

Each evening a new batch of offenders was taken down to Occoquan, and each morning a new bunch was brought up and set adrift.

“You're all free now to go your way,” said the guard to the group of short-timers whom he had brought up on the train and turned loose at the Union Station.

Free! The cold rain was falling and caused them to turn up their tattered coat collars. The water was splashing through their worn-out shoes. In the group of dejected colored and white men and women was a white boy, released from his first term in the workhouse.

“Where ya goin’, buddy ?”’

“I dunno,” answered the forlorn looking youngster.

It was true; he did not know. He, like the majority of the motley crowd from Occoquan, had no money, no job, no home. The stigma of the prison was upon him, but it was his first experience and his case was not hopeless. He did not like the workhouse and vowed never to return, but what could he do? He had been pinched for loitering when he was found asleep in someone’s garage. Where could he sleep this night? How could he earn enough money to buy food to keep his body and soul together? That is the problem. The Prisoners Relief Society has been helping tens of thousands of released prisoners, both male and female, to solve it. That is the problem that the public has not yet been able to solve for them.

If it had not been possible to extend relief to this youth he would have become one of the great army of second-timers and repeaters who are filling the filthy and overcrowded jails and workhouses throughout the land. A small amount of time and money, plus a little human kindness, saved this boy from a life of crime—and the public a lot of money."

- Earl Ellicott Dudding, The Trail of the Dead Years. Edited by William Winfred Smith. Huntington, West Virginia: Prisoners Relief Society, 1932. p. 215-217.

#occoquan workhouse #washington dc #prisoners relief society #prisoner aftercare #released from prison #ex-convicts #jailbirds #prisoner release #prisoners' aid #penal reformers #penal reform #american prison system #prisoner autobiography #history of crime and punishment #research quote #reading 2024 #trail of the dead years #short term prisoners #repeat offenders

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militaryleak · 3 months

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Babcock Awarded Contract to Supply South Korean Navy with Weapons Handling Launch System

Babcock has been awarded a contract for additional work on the South Korean Navy’s submarine programme. The seven-year contract, awarded by Hanwha Ocean, is to manufacture and install the weapons handling launch system (WHLS) on Boat 6 of the Jangbogo-III class boat. Boat 6, namely ‘Jangbogo-III Batch-II Boat 3’, along with the rest of the class, will use our proven air turbine pump and programmable firing valve launch system. Key elements of the WHLS will be designed and produced in the UK, with the remainder built under licence in South Korea. Babcock has been involved with the Jangbogo-III programme since 2011 and is currently more than halfway through delivering hardware for Boat 4, having completed all 217 milestones on time or early across the contracts.

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boostpalmbottomblog · 5 months

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LJR Batch Jordan 4: The perfect blend of fashion and quality

The LJR Batch Jordan 4 has become the center of attention in the trend world for its superior quality and design. Its unique look and extreme attention to detail is breathtaking. The texture of the shoe body, the iconic flying character logo, and the unique tongue design all show the unique recognizability of the shoe. More importantly, this is not only a fashionable shoe, but also provides an excellent wearing experience. Advanced technological materials and ergonomic design make it unique in terms of comfort. In terms of shoemaking process, the LJR Batch Jordan 4 utilizes advanced production technology and undergoes rigorous quality testing to ensure the consistency and durability of the product. This sneaker not only possesses high quality, but also follows the trend, always showing the novelty and fashion of the design. Overall, the LJR Batch Jordan 4 represents a perfect blend of fashion and quality, and is favored by trend lovers.

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#plants #nature #trigun stampede #across the spiderverse #kitty #digital painting

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freshnessofshoesblog · 5 months

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Crossing the pinnacle of fashion: the design appeal of the LJR Jordan 4

The LJR Jordan 4 is a fashion statement with its unique design and superior craftsmanship. The smooth lines of the shoe body, the innovative color scheme and the detailing show quality. The brand's extreme attention to detail makes each shoe a work of art and a trend-setter.

This is not just a pair of sneakers, but a fashion symbol. The unique look and individual design make it easy to incorporate into street wear and sports styles, making it a great tool for fashionistas to show off their taste. With the co-branding, the LJR Jordan 4 takes its status to new heights by collaborating with fashion brands.

LJR Jordan 4 represents an attitude of trendy culture, incorporating the pursuit of freedom, innovation and individuality. Its design concept has sparked heated discussions on social media and become a symbol of fashion culture. The continuous innovation of the design concept keeps it in the leading position and injects constant vitality into the trend culture.

Overall, LJR Jordan 4 is not only a sneaker, but also a part of the trend culture. With its unique design, superior craftsmanship and far-reaching fashion impact, this sneaker has crossed the fashion peak and become an indispensable highlight of the trend world.

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#yellowjackets #the owl house #donald trump #nature #star wars

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daydreamerdrew · 1 year

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Comics read this past week:

Fawcett Comics:

Special Edition Comics (1940) #1

This one-shot, published in June 1940, was a bit of a throwback for me. I had skipped this issue in my publication order Golden Age Captain Marvel readings, of which I’m currently in February 1943, because it’s not on any of the usual sites I read comics at. Only this past week did I see that archive.org had it. And I don’t ordinarily check creator credits for Fawcett comics but I did for this issue since it’s just one one-shot and according to the Grand Comics Database all of these stories were written by Bill Parker and drawn by C.C. Beck with Pete Constanza doing some of the inking.

I found the four Captain Marvel stories in this issue to be unique and delightful. I particularly enjoyed how these stories highlighted Billy's ingenuity and drive as a reporter and how they primarily used Captain Marvel as a plot device to support Billy as the child reporter protagonist (while still maintaining a good amount of Golden Age superhero fun). I think that this stood out to me because at the point where I'm at in my readings in 1943 it feels like Billy and his job are more often used as the set-up for stories about Captain Marvel.

Marvel Comics:

the Iron Man stories in Tales of Suspense (1959) #49-55

In this batch I went from October 1963 to April 1964. The stories were all written by Stan Lee. The first was penciled by Steve Ditko and inked by Paul Reinman and the rest were all penciled and inked by Don Heck. Notably, issue #50 was the first appearance of the villain the Mandarin and issue #52 was the first appearance of the Black Widow, then a villain but later a superhero.

I think the bit in this batch that stood out to me the most was from issue #49, which was a very silly story about Iron Man fighting a temporarily evil Angel (the X-Man), but had a striking conclusion in how Tony cured Angel by putting himself in very real grave danger to make Angel snap out of it and save Iron Man. Tony justifies this by saying that “Well, nobody’s getting any younger… and the only way to find out if a stunt like this will work is by trying it! So here goes!” And then when he believes he’s about to die he says to himself “It’s too bad I wasn’t able to help the Angel! The police are sure to shoot him down as soon as he flies within range!” and “Just another few seconds and it’ll all be over! I kinda wish I could have said goodbye to Pepper and Happy!” This character is just so absurdly focused on other people. He has such a laissez-faire approach to his own well-being and is entirely selfless.

The Incredible Hulk (1968) #215-217 and The Defenders (1972) #52-55 and What If? (1977) #3 and #5 and Inhumans (1975) #12 and The Champions (1975) #16

Within the main The Incredible Hulk book I went from June 1977 to August 1977. All of those issues were written by Len Wein, penciled by Sam Buscema, and inked by Ernie Chan.

The most notable moment for me came from issue #215 when the Hulk expresses that “Hulk is just tired, Jim… Tired of always running… Tired of always fighting… Sometimes Hulk thinks maybe it would be best just to go to sleep and never wake up… And leave this hateful little world to…” and he transforms back into Bruce who is then similarly depressed. The Hulk has been depressed before (notably when Jarella died) but I think this is the furthest it’s ever been taken, though Bruce has expressed suicidal sentiments on more than one occasion. Bruce actually contemplates purchasing a gun for that purpose not that many issues ago. I particularly like that this moment took the Hulk’s feelings very seriously and that it included both Bruce and the Hulk as Bruce follows it up with his own bit on the sorry state of their shared life.

All of The Defenders issues were written by David Kraft. The penciling credits were a bit all over the place- Keith Giffen, Dave Cockrum, Mike Golden, and Carmine Infantino all worked on these issues.

The Hulk highlight of these issues was in issue #54 when the Hulk saves a drowning Nighthawk and during so thinks to himself "Hulk is afraid for his friend!" and that "Sometimes Bird-Nose makes Hulk mad... But Hulk hopes... Hopes he isn't..." Very shortly after this, in his impatience to get to shore, the Hulk jumps off of the team's shared raft despite the rest of the yelling at him not to which of course plunges them back into the water. This causes a fight between the Hulk and Nighthawk in which Nighthawk yells that "I'm sick and tired of his insubordination! You're a member of the Defenders, Hulk- and I'm the leader, so from now on you'll-" and to which the Hulk responds that "Hulk came along to help Fish-Man because Fish-Man is friend- not because Bird-Nose said so! Hulk thinks group is stupid idea- always has!" I really enjoyed all this. I found the prior moment to be legitimately heartwarming and the latter to be really entertaining. The Hulk is such a versatile character and he can pull very different emotions out of me in a very short span of time. And I thought that this was all very much in-character: the Hulk's childishly simplistic thought process when he fears that his friend is dead and how he's inconsiderate to his friends shortly after that and how he explains that he helps because they're his friends and not because he believes in any sort of team with a hierarchy.

DC Comics:

The Human Target (2021) #1-8

This is all that’s currently out of the 12-issue Black Label maxiseries from writer Tom King and artist Greg Smallwood. I absolutely loved these issues and am exited to follow the rest of the series as it comes out. I have no prior experience with the main character Christopher Chance, the Human Target, but have found his portrayal here deeply compelling. And you can really see the effort that Greg Smallwood is putting into the art in this book and it is paying off.

I am really fascinated by how this book is approaching superheroes and the violence they inflict in that it gives violence a narrative weight and allows for realistic reactions to violence (as opposed to how a mainstream superhero comic might be expected to portray it solely through the lens of fun action). It's not necessarily a deconstruction of the superhero genre as much as it's a book written at an adult level for mature readers from the point of view of a character on the periphery of the superhero world looking in to observe and judge these superhero characters. It's also not that superheroes are seen solely through a lens of judgement (Christopher admires how powerful Ice is) but just that the story is taking superheroes' power and actions seriously. My thoughts on this aren't all fully formed yet and I need to wait until the rest of the book is out to form some kind of conclusion but I do have some parts I want to point out.

The opening scene of issue #3 where Guy Gardner breaks into Christopher's room and acts incredibly entitled because he’s a superhero really made an impression on me. He justifies breaking into breaking into Christopher's room because it's within the sector that he's a Green Lantern of as though that gives him free reign to go wherever he wants and do whatever he wants. Then when Christopher fires his fun and throws a punch at Guy, neither of which lands, Guy's response is to point out that he's a "genuine superhero" and that if "you disrespect a genuine superhero... they beat the shit out of you" and then does exactly that. It's worth noting that Christopher doesn't have any powers and that the immense power of a Green Lantern ring is emphasized through Christopher's internal monologues about it.

On that thread is how in this latest issue #8 Red Racer tortures Christopher for information (something that gets treated with varying levels of seriousness in mainstream superhero comics from forbidden to unquestioned run-of-the-mill procedure) and then at the end fully expects Christopher to forgive him to the point that he's completely caught off guard when Christopher attacks him when earlier in the issue Christopher wasn't able to get on the jump on him at all in a similar scenario. Red Racer also treats firing into Christopher's hotel room and knocking out Ice almost as something mundane and tells Christopher not to worry about it, though Christopher is actually very angered by it.

Also, issue #4 has Ted Kord give a monologue in which he says that as a superhero he does not kill people even though for someone like Lex Luthor "I would love to" simply because "It's really wrong. You can't kill people. That's the rule. So, I don't." This mentality is then purposefully contrasted with his position as someone who runs "a huge corporation that makes life-and-death decisions every day." Two issues later Christopher and Ice kill Guy Gardner when he breaks into Ice's home to beat up Chris which they then cover up because "killing's not standard procedure for JL members."

#comics read this past week #my posts

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sneezingcow · 2 years

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Valley Bookseller is carrying Hunker

Independent bookstores (and their handselling) are a writer’s best friend and a reader’s best helper. A big thank you to Valley Bookseller, who ordered up a batch of Hunker from us and put them on display in their beautiful store. If you’re in the area, drop in and grab a copy from them at 217 Main Street North Stillwater MN 55082. Ph: 651.430.3385. Open daily 10a-6p. You can also visit Valley…

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authoratmidnight · 3 years

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I keep meaning to ramble about the new chapters but I keep forgetting so, batch ramble time!

Spoilers ahead for Iruma-kun manga! (chapters 217 to 220)

So, starting with the Familiar summoning chapters 217-219.

I noticed a fair number of ppl didn’t like how that mini arc ended but like, i feel like it was kind of a given.

It was established as early as ch 2 that when the ritual used for a demon summoning a familiar is the same one that humans use to summon a demon. So like, it was pretty much a given that Iruma was going to summon a demon again as his familiar. And imo there was no way it wasn’t going to be Kalego.

1) because fluffy Eggy is like, the cute mascot character and a huge merch seller so why would you get rid of him? He’s popular

2) Iruma was going to get a familiar by the end one way or another. Either he resummoned Kalego before the 13 hours was up for one reason or another, or he preformed a new summon after, but it was going to happen. So not getting a familiar wasn’t an option, and if Iruma had to summon again, it was bound to go the same way as the first summon b/c

3) Kalego was overseeing the summoning, so even if he evaded the resummon during the 13 hours (which he did), he was going to get resummoned, see the point above about the ritual. It /was/ slightly different this time as Iruma didn’t use his seal (as he did for the first summon) but a blank one, but the result was still the same (it just grabbed the closest demon this time instead of the one whose seal was used)

So like, the outcome was a given from the start.

But, I don’t hate it.

One thing that puts it apart from the first time it happened is, Iruma and Kalego have a better understanding of each other now. They’ve had a whole year to understand each other better. And it shows in Kalego trusting Iruma enough to tell him that he does not have a familiar. HE. Naberius Kalego, one of the highest ranked teachers and probably one of the strongest as well and arguably one of the stongest characters overall, doesn’t have something as basic as a familiar. And for him to confide this fact in another person, in IRUMA who he claims to hate, is huge.

So I’m fine with Kalego being his familiar again. Also, since this summon was done AFTER the 13 hours was up that means it’s not a permanent contract but a 1 year one. Which means it can be broken again. :3c

Chapter 220 tho. oh man.

I was excited b/c finally we get to see torture class with Marbas sensei. Didn’t expect new teachers. and i sure didn’t expect them to be Shiida and Atori. I’ve been wondering for a while when we’d see any of the Six Fingers again (we did see Wett back at the end of the HF but that was it) and well, we got’em.

I do wonder how they got the jobs tho. Like, the positions are clearly meant to be specifically for training the Misfits, they said as much. And a teaching job, esp at a school like Babyls doesn’t seem like the kind where you just roll up and ‘eyy o I want a job’. Did someone recommend them for the positions? And if so who? I’m curious to see if these’ll be answered at any point.

Man tho. The ‘Shiida joins Iruma’s harem’ jokes sure aged like milk huh?

I mean no shade if that’s your thing, I just know a lot of ppl are squicked out by age gaps that large/by student-teacher pairings, and I know I saw a lot of jokes/comments about Iruma/Shiida, esp recently since the anime covered Walter Park.

Also, like, I gotta say this cause it’s bothering me but, ya’ll DO realize they probably have false profiles and backgrounds created for the purposes of things like background checks, right? ‘How did they get in?’ ‘Did no one do background checks’ DO YOU HONESTLY THINK THEY’RE GONNA HAVE THEIR AFFILIATION WITH THE SIX FINGERS THAT OUT IN THE OPEN????? BRO. It’s a secret terrorist org, they’re not just gonna, openly advertise being a part of something like that lmao.

#Mairimashita! Iruma-kun #Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun #Mairuma #spoilers

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opcovers · 3 years

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Last batch from Alabasta!

Chap 216

Chap 217

#monkey d luffy #one piece #one piece cover #one piece nami #one piece sanji #one piece usopp #roronoa zoro #ワンピース #one piece chopper #one piece manga #princess vivi #pirates #straw hat pirates #straw hat crew #friends #friendship #nakama #adventure

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isnt-it-loverly · 3 years

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little birdie (4)// five hargreeves

Warnings: blood

Summary: When Five lands in the Sparrow Academy, he must convince one of them to help him reset the timeline.

Word count: 1800

Author note: sorry if this is bad, ive been in a rut as of late. Once again thank you so much for all the love and support. I hope you enjoy :)

part one, part two, part three part five

You knocked softly on the door of apartment 217. An elderly lady opened the door with a bright smile on her face.

“Hello, my little birdie! It's been so long!” She said while pulling you into a bone-crushing hug. The wool of her sweater scratched against your skin, and the smell of freshly baked cookies and wild flowers filled your nose. She pulled away and placed her gaze on Five.

“Oh, you’ve brought a friend!” She added gleefully.

“Yes, Granny, this is um… Aidan! We met at the karate class my father has me in,” You explained. You hated lying to such a sweet old lady, but you knew the truth would be too much for her to understand. Plus you really didn’t have the time to explain everything.

You turned back to Five and have a shrug of your shoulders. He was right, he didn’t need a normal name. Five was just too fitting. She moved closer to him and grabbed his cheek, making him very uncomfortable.

“You’re father is just terrible for making you kids do that! Look how roughed up the pair of you are, come inside and we’ll get you cleaned up” She said solemnly.

Five walked beside you and grabbed your arm firmly. Pulling you to the side he whispered a quick “what the hell” in your ear.

“She thinks she’s my grandma,” you replied bluntly, “just go along with it.”

Five sighed in exasperation, this was not helping him find his siblings. He followed you into the apartment begrudgingly, trusting that you were not just yanking his chain. The old woman excused herself and said she would bake a fresh batch of cookies. After she left you grabbed his sleeve and whispered, “follow me.”

You lead him into a side bedroom. It was small and quaint, very homey compared to the academy.

“Remember when I said that I’ve lived a million lives? Gertrude was one of my first, I got stuck in her mind for weeks, and I learned a lot about her. Her husband died right before I got trapped in her noggin, so I switched some memories then added some new ones. I’ve been visiting ever since,” You explained.

“Do your siblings know?” He asked, worry dripping in his tone.

“Not to my knowledge, I don’t think they’d appreciate me having a life outside the academy,” you answered with a shrug.

Five was utterly perplexed by you. You were an enigma, so eager to trust others, so kind, and selfless. How did you end up so different from the others? He watched as you opened a drawer of the cedar chest that was in front of the bed.

“Sometimes, I like to take things from the people I’ve been. Just as little reminders. I think I have some clothes in here that might fit you,” you said with extreme focus. You pulled out a tee-shirt and jeans, something Five was not accustomed to. He turned his nose slightly.

“I’d rather choke on my own tongue than wear that,” He groaned.

You shook your head in annoyance, pulling out a set of clean clothes for yourself as well. You enjoyed civilian wear, it made you feel normal and secure- something your academy uniform could never.

“Just put on the damn clothes before I make you short stack,” you snapped back. Your eyes glowed s brighter blue for a moment and Five now knew he didn’t have a choice in the matter.

“At least turn your back,” he grumbled in response.

You gave him a small laugh and did as you were told. You crawled to the other side of the bed and slipped on your new clothes as well. After a few minutes, Five gave you the clear.

“Wow, unknit that eyebrow and wipe that frown off your face, and you look almost normal,” You said with a smile.

It was true, he looked like a regular ole teenager. Something you know that he has never been. You give him a look over before your eyes stop at his forearm. An umbrella tattoo, of course, he would have one.

Five noticed you staring, he followed your gaze to his arm. He lifted it so you could see it better, and an ever-present scowl on his face.

“Do you have one?” He asked.

You nodded solemnly and pushed up your sleeve. You placed your arm against his, the bird and the umbrella practically touching. You wondered why your Father loathed them so much and then it was quiet for a moment.

“The houses of Capulet and Montague,” you spoke up in a mocking tone.

“I didn’t ask you to betray your entire family,” He said. His voice was deep and rough, a sense of anger could be detected.

“No, but you really twisted my arm showing me the whole apocalypse thing. I’m an empath idiot, your feelings became mine,” You were quick to snap back.

Five liked that about you. You were nice and helpful, but you also knew when to stand your ground. He could compare you to a coin, two different sides yet well balanced. A perfect equilibrium.

“I’ve helped you,” you murmured, “now I think you owe me.”

He raised an eyebrow at you, curious and intrigued at what you were going to say.

“I’ve only done this once and it didn’t end well. I need you to keep me grounded, do whatever it takes to get me back. My father believes that I can project my consciousness onto someone without looking into their eyes, so I’m going to try to do that to your sister, Allison,” you explained.

“You said it didn’t end well? What happened?” Five asked, very concerned.

“It takes a lot out of me, I couldn’t get into anyone’s mind and it almost killed me,” You confessed.

“I’m sorry, did you say killed?” He responded wide-eyed. It warmed your heart that he was at least concerned about you.

“Look, do you wanna find your family or not? Unless you have a better plan?” You asked with a slight raise of your voice.

Five shook his head, knowing that this was the best plan You sat on the plush bed, curling your fingers around the soft comforter. You took a shaky breath and closed your eyes tightly. Running the fabric between your fingers you counted every stitch. You pictured his sister’s face in your mind, paying extra intention to her eyes. Five watched intently as you did, he was worried about you- you were an important asset and a powerful ally. It would be a shame if you died. Your eyes opened abruptly and to Five’s amazement and horror there was just white and a soft blue emanating from them.

When you opened your eyes again to find yourself sitting at a kitchen table. Looking up you see Allison sitting across from you, intently reading the newspaper. If she was there, then who were you? Looking down and the palms of your hands the words ‘hello’ and ‘good-bye’ were splayed across them.

“Well shit, I’m the pretty one,” You mumbled to yourself. Although you were very glad and very surprised that you had managed to pull this off, you would have to thank your father for the extra training the past few months.

“What are you on about now, Klaus?” Allison said utterly unamused.

“Actually it’s number five. Not your Five, the other five. Sparrow Five. Ya know what I’m rambling, I’m (Y/n),” You spit out quickly. Holy shit this man’s brain was fried. Everything was happening at a million miles an hour, you couldn’t keep up.

You watched as her expression changed, she stood up abruptly in the same fighting stance Five had used earlier. Her eyes watched you like a hawk and if looks could kill you’d be dead.

“Your family killed my brother, now I swear if you harm one hair on Klaus’ stupid head. I’ll end you,” She spat venom dripping in her words.

“He’s not dead! Five is very much alive, and we’re looking for you guys. So all we need is an address and we will be on our way,” You replied with a smile.

“Yeah right, why would I trust you?” She questioned.

“Look, Five is hurt really badly. This astral possession thing is gonna knock me on my ass, I won’t be able to protect him from my siblings. If you don’t help us, well, we’re both already dead,” You said in a somber tone.

You could tell that the gears we’re winding in her head. You felt a pain in your head that radiates in your chest, you coughed slightly and blood appeared on your hands. Shit its starting, you couldn’t stay much longer. You felt blood begin to slowly drip from your nose. Double shit with a cherry on top.

“What are you doing to him?” She yelled.

“Allison,” you choked, “he needs you.”

“Fine, just stop whatever you are doing to him!” She yelled in fear of her brother, Moments later she revealed the address, perfect that’s all you needed. Now you could get back and share your triumph.

You closed your eyes tightly and the world began to spin. Round and round, faster and faster. Until finally, you felt your legs give out but you didn’t hit the floor. You opened your eyes slowly to find yourself in Five’s arms. He was looking down at you, fear present in those emerald eyes. He let out a sigh of relief.

“Thank God, you started pouring out blood like a fountain. I thought you were dead,” He scolded. He sounded like an old man when he spoke, it was almost endearing.

You touched your nose and wiped away some of the fresh blood, staring at it intently. You felt so weak, that was too much and you vowed never to do that again. The cost was far too high. You sat up and you felt Five’s hand on your back- ready to steady you if you need it. You had really scared him, he didn’t know why. He had just met you, so why did the thought of losing you hurt so badly.

“I did it,” You mumbled hoarsely.

“Did what?” Five whispered in a soft voice. The tone was foreign even to him, but right now he felt like you needed a friend and not a sarcastic asshole.

“I found them, I found your family. They aren’t far from here,” You breathed out.

Five hugged you tightly and gave you a sincere thank you. You hugged back gently, you couldn’t remember the last time someone hugged you. It was a feeling you could get used to, warm, secure, and safe. You also couldn’t remember the last time you felt any of those things. Perhaps these umbrellas weren’t so bad after all.

“Come on,” You said breaking away, “let’s get some of those cookies, hit the road, and get you back to the right timeline.”

Taglist: alexander-hamilhoe

#number five #five x reader #five hargreeves #number five x reader #five hargreeves x reader #number five x you #five x y/n #five #Umbrella Academy #The Umbrella Academy #tua #aidan gallagher

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hoffyshomesteading · 3 years

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Turning Sap to Syrup

So you have decided to make maple syrup – Awesome! Here are a few things that we have learned along the way.

Finding Maple Trees

You might think it's easy to find a maple tree but it actually can be tricky in the Winter. We usually look at the bark but that can still cause confusion. I found this clue that could be a real game changer for you. Maple trees have opposite branches. See how each branch branches off into pairs? Maple trees are one of the only trees that grow like this.

Tapping a Tree

Now that you found a tree, it's time to insert the spouts. Drill into the maple tree approximately 3 feet high from the ground. Using a 7/16 inch drill bit, drill approximately 2 inches deep on a slight angle, into the tree for standard sized spouts. Use a hammer to help insert the spout and hang the bucket onto the hanger. Make sure there is a lid for your bucket; otherwise, you will get yucky rain water or lots of bugs collecting in your sap. Be sure to follow product guidelines.

In order for the sap to run, the temperature needs to be warm during the day and freezing at night. Sometimes your bucket will be full in only a few hours and other times you will not have much at all, and it will leave you pondering. It is recommended to hang your buckets on the south side of the tree.

Harvesting

Now it's time to harvest your sap. We used 19 litre paint buckets, with lids, to pour the sap into while we are in the bush harvesting. Empty each bucket you have hanging, into the collecting buckets (easy to transport). Sometimes there may be bugs floating in the sap, that's fine, just pick them out. If your sap is yellow, it could have been tainted with rain water. Yellow is fine within reason. You need to start worrying when the sap is turning cloudy.

Gather all of your sap into one large container, or several smaller ones, in a cool dark place before boil. A good rule of thumb would be to not leave sap in buckets longer than 7 days.

Boiling

You are now ready to start boiling. There are different options available for equipment depending on how much sap you are boiling. Remember sap to maple syrup is 40:1 the process can be daunting.

You can use a pot on the stove or even on a BBQ/propane tank. In our case we have approximately 25 trees tapped so we needed a larger pan and burner. We created an oil drum fire pit with a smoke stack and surrounded it with cinder blocks to retain the heat. Pour the sap in the pan and start your fire. This process can be extremely time consuming. If you keep adding sap to the pan it can take several hours if not days to completely boil down to syrup.

Now the waiting begins...and waiting...and waiting! Never leave your fire unattended. Your fire could burnout, or burnout of control or your sap could burn.

As you come closer to the end you need to keep track of the temperature. We use a BBQ reader but lots of other options are available like a candy thermometer. A good rule of thumb is to reach a temperature of 217-221 degrees fahrenheit. However a hydrometer would be recommended to control the density (we do not have one). Once you are close to the suggested temperature, in our case, we take it off of the outdoor burner so that we can finish bringing the sap to the desired temperature indoors (easier to control).

When we are ready to stop burning on the outdoor pit, we pour the sap into a bucket but filtering it at least once before we take it indoors. This is definitely a two man job! Once indoors, we start a slow boil on the stove. Bring the sap to a temperature of 221 degrees fahrenheit (that is the consistency we enjoy). Take the pot off of the stove and filter it again. We do this several times to make sure it is nice and clean. You now have Maple Syrup, but before pouring the syrup into the jars you must make sure the jars have been sterilized.

Sterilization and Canning

Soak the entire jar and lid in a boiling pot of water for 10 minutes and let air dry. Wipe residue off each jar.

Now it's time to pour syrup into jars. Let syrup cool down to 185 degrees Fahrenheit first. Then seal the jar with the lid.

Boom! Now you have canned maple syrup – congratulations! Be sure to clean all equipment thoroughly before you boil another batch or put away your equipment for the season.

#maple syrup #homesteading

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