#Community cat support programs

[alleycatallies]

More than 1800 Cats Reached through Keeping Families Together™ in Iowa

Alley Cat Allies’ Keeping Families Together™ collaboration with the Animal Rescue League of Iowa this fall has provided incredible, no-cost resources to cats throughout the Des Moines area!

In just three cat food distribution events in October and November, the latest being November 8, we handed out cans of cat food to more than 540 households to help more than 1,800 cats and kittens!

Alley Cat Allies covered the costs of more than 26,000 pounds of cat food to be distributed over time. Right now, when many residents of Des Moines—and people across the country—are facing financial challenges, our work is critical to ensure people can continue to care for their indoor and community cats.

To that end, our Keeping Families Together program doesn’t just encompass food, but also veterinary services and other needed resources. That’s why we held a vaccine and wellness clinic with ARL on November 7, which provided 64 cats and kittens with care that may have otherwise been inaccessible to their families.

All clinic fees were waived thanks to an Alley Cat Allies grant! It was an honor to meet families and learn their cats’ stories. A beautiful and outgoing 6-month-old black kitten named Sheba, we learned, was heading back home vaccinated and healthy to her sister—her favorite playmate.

As the food distribution and clinic were underway, Alley Cat Allies also covered the costs of Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) for Des Moines community cats, as well as 14 brand new humane traps.

Through TNR, cats are humanely trapped, brought to a veterinarian to be spayed or neutered, vaccinated, eartipped, and microchipped, and then are returned to the outdoor home in which they thrive. With communities nationwide experiencing a shortage in both veterinarians and veterinary appointments—and with veterinary costs rising—no-cost and low-cost spay and neuter and TNR are invaluable.

We had the chance to watch community cat One Star return to his outdoor home, vaccinated and eartipped. His first order of business after his homecoming: a hearty meal!

Alley Cat Allies’ Keeping Families Together program provides food security, veterinary care, and other needed resources for cats during a time when economic uncertainty can make access to these necessities more challenging. Cats are family, too, and Alley Cat Allies’ goal is to ensure no one feels pressured to relinquish their cats to animal shelters or to stop caring for community cats.

Through Keeping Families Together, we’ve teamed up with organizations in states across the country to distribute cat food and other necessities and provide veterinary care for cats and kittens since the height of the COVID-19 crisis. Alley Cat Allies’ grants fund it all.

This lifesaving work is powered by our compassionate donors and supporters. Every gift has an impact. Give today at alleycat.org/Donate.

Content source: https://www.alleycat.org/more-than-1800-cats-reached-through-keeping-families-together-in-iowa/

#Alley Cat Allies success stories #Community cat support programs #Reuniting families with cats #Feral cat community outreach #Alley Cat Allies achievements

[afeelgoodblog]

The Best News of Last Week

TikToker raises $186,000 for woman, 81, to pay off her mortgage and finally retire. He saw her on break at Walmart and recorded her clearly having a bad day.

Devan Bonagura, 19, works for a third-party company that sells products to Walmart, and it’s at the retailer where he met 81-year-old Nola Carpenter.

One comment read: “GOFUNDME ASAP” — before going on to receive 130,000 likes. Devan would honor the request of his followers, and later set up a GoFundMe to help Nola retire. Needless to say, the response was overwhelming.

2. Grandma and man she accidentally texted for Thanksgiving to reunite for 7th year

An accidental text message has led to a Thanksgiving tradition that is now continuing into its seventh year.

On Tuesday, Jamal Hinton confirmed in an Instagram post that he will spend this Thanksgiving with Wanda Dench, who in 2016 thought she was texting her grandson to invite him to Thanksgiving when she actually texted Hinton.

3. Flossie, 26, officially crowned world's oldest living cat by Guinness World Records

British-born Flossie has set a new record as the world’s oldest living cat. Guinness World Records have officially awarded the title to the feline, who was born in 1995. The cat has had a number of owners during her lifetime, but currently resides in southeast London.

But she’s still got several years to go if she wants to beat the oldest cat ever recorded. That title goes to Creme Puff, who lived to an incredible 38 years and three days in Austin, Texas.

4. Nano-robot antibodies that fight cancer enter first human drug trial

Scientists in Israel have created the first nano-robot antibodies designed to fight cancer. The first human trial for the new nano-robots will start soon, and it will determine just how effective the antibodies are. What is special about these particular antibodies, too, is that they are programmed to decide whether cells surrounding tumors are “bad” or “good.”

The trial is currently underway in Australia and if it goes according to plan, the nano-robot antibodies will be able to fight cells around tumors that can help the tumor while also boosting the capability of the cells inhibiting the growth of the cancerous cells.

5. Nepal Fights Deforestation, and Wins

This transformation is visible across Nepal, thanks to a radical policy adopted by the government more than 40 years ago. Large swaths of national forest land were handed to local communities, and millions of volunteers were recruited to protect and renew their local forests, an effort that has earned praise from environmentalists around the world.

6. Amazing quote from Richard M. Fierro, the Club Q hero that probably saved dozens of lives

“These kids want to live that way, want to have a good time, have at it,” he said as he described the night. “I’m happy about it because that is what I fought for, so they can do whatever they hell they want.”

7. First Drug to Delay Type 1 Diabetes Approved by FDA

Last week, the Food and Drug Administration approved the first drug to delay the onset of Type 1 diabetes.

That’s it for this week. If you liked this post you can support this newsletter with a small kofi donation:

Buy me a coffee ❤️

Have a great week ahead :)

#best news of last week

[kth1fics]

Paw Prints Academy (BTS Collab)

❝Welcome to the Paw Prints Academy for Dog Training and Behavior Program! Thank you for taking part in our community of puppy adoration and love. Seven authors have come to participate in telling a brand new story for you all; confidently trained by the best dog trainers PPA has to offer! We will continue to support and resource you with the softest, fluffiest, and wholesome interactions as you venture deeper into your program! We strive to give you the best dog training (fics) experience possible!❞

Song Theme: Harvest Moon: Spring (Town) ♪

Sit. Stay.

⤑ Pairing: Kim Seokjin x F Reader ⤑ Genre: S2L, Fluff, Baby Angst, Smut ⤑ Author: @daechwitatamic ⤑ Summary: Your new puppy, Zinnia, has turned your world on its head. She’s ruined everything from your sleep schedule to your favorite shoes, and you know it’s your own failure to train her properly. When your cute upstairs neighbor tells you about a local obedience academy, he slowly starts to make himself a place in your schedule, your life, and your heart. After your last relationship went up in flames, will his affections be something else you can count as a failure?

Read Here 🐾

Training to Love

⤑ Pairing: Min Yoongi x F Reader ⤑ Genre: S2L, Fluff, Drama, Smut ⤑ Author: @jimilter ⤑ Summary: Yoongi knew he didn't have the kind of time on his hands that is required to care for a newly rescued dog, but didn't let that stop him from bringing a frightened and ailing Holly home. But now that his roommate's moved out and he's not any less busier than before, he turns to the avenue that is pet-sitting. You come highly recommended and…are uncannily good at managing his fussy puppy. Not to mention that you're also really beautiful, adorable, caring, with a laugh that tinkles like wind chimes, and—maybe Yoongi needs to look for another sitter before both him and his puppy get too attached.

Read Here 🐾

Best In Show

⤑ Pairing: Jung Hoseok x F Reader ⤑ Genre: S2L, Fluff, Smut ⤑ Author: @kth1fics ⤑ Summary: After gaining a new member to your family, you begin to attend puppy training classes to help your new baby learn some basic lessons. She’s fantastic; a very clever and smart dog as she wins the hearts of many! You think she can steal any show with her quick witted charm, but her trainer is a strong competitor with winning you over.

Read Here 🐾

Off-Script

⤑ Pairing: Kim Namjoon x F Reader ⤑ Genre: S2L, Fluff, Smut ⤑ Author: @sailoryooons ⤑ Summary: Namjoon has always been meticulous. He likes his life organized and he likes sticking to what he knows. So why is it that his new dog seems completely set on being unpredictable and untrainable? Thankfully, you seem to be the magic fix for Moni’s untamable side. You even manage to help Namjoon loosen up and live his life a little more off-script.

Read Here 🐾

Canine Conundrum

⤑ Pairing: Park Jimin x F Reader ⤑ Genre: S2L, Fluff, Smut ⤑ Author: @jeonqkooks ⤑ Summary: The perfect conundrum consists of three variables: You, Park Jimin, and a golden retriever who does not give a flying f*** where he takes a dump.

Read Here 🐾

Amaryllis

⤑ Pairing: Kim Taehyung x F Reader ⤑ Genre: S2L, Romance, Fluff, Smut ⤑ Author: @jeonjcngkook ⤑ Summary: As far as love goes, you have only known the feeling of it from the way cherry blossoms float in the air and the fluffy animals you spend your days with at the puppy training academy. But nothing could have prepared you for the blossoming warmth in your heart when an attractive stranger enters your life alongside his tiny Pomeranian and suddenly you’re reminded that flowers cant blossom without sunshine and you may have found your light in Kim Taehyung.

Read Here 🐾

Must Love Dogs

⤑ Pairing: Jeon Jungkook x F Reader ⤑ Genre: S2L, Fluff, Light Angst, Smut ⤑ Author: @sugalaritae ⤑ Summary: You are a cat person. You don’t get dogs or the appeal of them. High energy, slobbery, poo f***ing everywhere. You prefer the quiet of cats. The small bursts of energy that last an hour tops. They are clean(er) than dogs with a place where they know that they go to the bathroom. It’s preferable. So, you're not entirely sure how you got roped into looking after your best friend's dog for two months but when you meet Jungkook and his animal best friend - Bam - you think maybe you can pretend to be a dog person. What's the worst that could happen?

Read Here 🐾

© All rights reserved under all respective authors tagged within this post - do not copy, repost, modify, edit, or translate any of these works without author’s direct consent. Ownership belongs to each author tied to their original works.

#paw prints academy #kth1fics #bts collab #bts smut #daechwitatamic #jeonjcngkook #jimilter #sugalaritae #sailoryooons #jeonqkooks

[keyboardandquill]

On creating a wiki for your worldbuilding

Do you have a lot of lore to keep track of? Whether you're an author, a Game Master, or simply someone who really really likes worldbuilding, this post is for you.

Here's a quick overview of what I'll be talking about:

Platforms people use to create personal wikis

Formats and organization systems you may find useful when creating your own wiki

A brief look at the actual content you might put in your wiki (I'm planning a more in-depth post on that later with more images and demos)

And because this is gonna be a long'un, I'm putting a read-more here! I'll also make downloadable epub and PDF versions of this post available for free on my Ko-Fi at some point in the future.

(I'm also planning to reblog with a list of links later on, but I want this initial post shows up in search)

Also now that you're here, I'm going to say this isn't, like, super comprehensive or anything. I'm just talking about stuff I know a little about or have experience with. Please feel free to reblog with additions and/or corrections as needed!

What is a wiki?

According to Wikipedia, "a wiki is a hypertext publication collaboratively edited and managed by its own audience, using a web browser."

In this case, you'll likely be the sole person making updates to your wiki. The web browser part is optional these days as well, as you'll soon see.

Platforms for creating wikis

Websites for creating worldbuilding wikis

WorldAnvil

This one is actually designed for people who want to create big worldbuilding wikis.

Pros: Worldbuilding prompts! Those are great. It's got a pretty comprehensive set of article types too.

Cons: Kind of expensive to upgrade for features like making your wiki private, and it does NOT work well with adblock turned on, so if you don't want to pay for a membership you'll get inundated with ads. I'm not a huge fan of the interface in general and a lot of it isn't intuitive, but I like what they're doing so I support them anyway.

---

Tiddlywiki/Tiddlyhost.com.

In addition to having a cat as its icon and also a silly name, each 'article' you create with this is called a 'tiddler' which makes me think of Chuck Tingle. I haven't used it much myself yet, but I did make an account and it seems pretty neat.

---

Miraheze

A community-hosted wiki platform that runs on MediaWiki (which is what Wikipedia runs off of).

Pros: It's not Fandom.com.

Cons: You have to request a wiki and can't just make it yourself, as far as I can tell. I haven't actually looked into this one as much.

---

Neocities

An option for if you want to go super oldschool and create a website using only basic html and hyperlinks (without the handy shortcuts of bbcode or Markdown). Monthly cost is $5 usd if you want to have more space and your own domain.

Pros: 100% control over your content.

Cons: Doesn't support PHP databases for wiki software, and can be fairly labour-intensive to update if you break a link or something.

---

Fandom.com

Unfortunately, this one is the top result you'll get when you look up how to make your own wiki. I'm only including it here to tell you to stay as far away from it as possible!!

Its staff are known to ban wiki creators from their own wikis and a bunch of other nonsense that I'm not getting into here.

Programs and apps/web apps for creating worldbuilding wikis

Obsidian.md

My personal favourite. I'm planning to make a whole post about how I use it in the near future as part of this article series.

It's a markdown-based application that you can get on just about any platform (Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, Android, etc) which is great. Obsidian is really easy to pick up and use and also has great themes and community plugins!

Best thing is, it's FREE and you only have to pay if you use their publishing service, which... I don't, so.

---

Notion

I've heard this one is pretty good too. Idk if it costs anything. It's another "second brain" style app (might be markdown also?) and I think it might do more than Obsidian, but I haven't checked it out much myself.

---

Microsoft Word/Google Docs etc.

...Or just about any word processor that lets you create internal hyperlinks. Word may work best due to the collapsible headings so it doesn't get too unwieldy, but *shrug* whatever floats your boat.

---

Excel/Google Sheets etc.

Or, again, any spreadsheet creator that lets you create internal hyperlinks.

I'd recommend having some basic spreadsheet knowledge before doing this. It could get complicated. Before I started using Obsidian, I was using Sheets to keep track of my glossary, notes about characters, and plot ideas.

Types of formatting & organization systems

There are as many organization systems as there are people who want to organize their stuff. Everybody needs something a little different! I find the ones that work best for me are systems that have a lot of customization options.

Here are a couple I know of.

Johnny Decimal

This system is absurdly simple in its concept and yet so versatile. From their website (it's just johnnydecimal dot com but I'll link it in a reblog later):

Take everything you need to organise and sort it in to, at most, ten large buckets.

Make sure the buckets are unambiguously different.

Put a label on each bucket.

Their website has a better explanation than I can give in this post, but I'll sum up the appeal of this system as quoted from their site: "There's only one place anything can ever be."

Usefully, part of this method is creating a directory for the rest of the system.

So if you're like me and tend to shove things wherever only to lose track of it later, this is a great system—especially when used in conjunction with the Zettelkasten Method (see below).

---

Zettelkasten Method

Originally devised as an extensive paper-based knowledge management system, Zettelkasten is meant to easily add new entries to a knowledge base while giving each one a unique ID for easy 'linking.'

The creator of this method said 'it is not important where you place the note, as long as you can link to it.'

As with the Johnny Decimal system, I can't explain it super succinctly (nor can the website, if I'm being honest), so I'll include a link in a future reblog for a video that gave me an excellent run-down of the basics.

Setting up your own system

An organization system is only useful if you can actually, y'know, use it.

It can be fun to set up a super-detailed organization system with predetermined categories for everything, but is it easy for you to use? How will you navigate it?

Making decisions

There will be a lot of decisions to make as you set up your system. The only set-in-stone rule I follow is... don't set anything in stone. It's okay if you decide something that doesn't work later on.

Figuring out your categories

My advice: go fairly broad. You can always sub-categorize. I'm going to go over my own wikis for Athenaeum and Rocket Boosters in detail in a later post, but here are the starting top-level categories I'd recommend for worldbuilders:

A meta category for notes about your database, templates, and any relevant research you've done.

Characters, including main characters, minor characters, and important figures

Worldbuilding

In the last category, which is the main reason for the existence of my wiki, I might have:

Culture

History

Locations

Organizations

Lore (if relevant)

Technology

Transportation

I'll go over the nuances of these 'main' subcategories in that future post I mentioned. In other words, the stuff that actually goes in those categories!

Determining the importance and relevance of worldbuilding elements

You'll need to figure out whether a topic is complex enough to deserve its own entry, or if it should be a sub-heading under another entry. It's okay if you decide on both! I have short subheadings under some entries that amount to "see [link to main entry on that topic]."

I've also decided to expand subheadings into their own topics, and I've removed topics as their own entry and shoved them under subheadings. I do this a lot, in fact! So it's okay if you don't know.

Templates

Will you be creating several of one type of entry?

Individual character profiles

Towns and cities

Factions

(to name a few)

It might be handy to figure out the basic types of information you'll need about each of those things and create a template for them.

A character template might have spaces for the basics, such as name, role, age, and so on.

Some characters will have a lot more information, and some might have even less than what your template dictates! And that's fine.

A word of warning about using system-creation as procrastination

Creating a wiki can be a daunting task. You might decide it's not for you, and that's okay. But you might also decide to go headlong into the process and work on every minute detail, and that is also okay, but.

But.

Beware of using your wiki as an excuse to procrastinate your actual writing/session preparation. Yes, use it to keep track of all the lore you've injected into your manuscript/campaign/whatever, just make sure it stays in its place as a companion to your main project rather than becoming your main project.

How formal should your entries be?

Honestly this one's entirely up to you. I have a mix. Some entries are written like Wikipedia entries with a thorough explanation of the topic with proper punctuation and formatting, while others are simply bullet-point lists of thoughts and ideas that I can return to at a later date.

What methods do you use to keep track of your lore and worldbuilding? Let me know in a reblog or comment!

And please make sure to check the notes. I'll be reblogging with links, and then reblogging that reblog to make sure they're, y'know, actually visible in the notes.

#wiki #worldbuilding #writing advice #writeblr #writeblr community #resource #worldbuilding wiki #obsidian #zettelkasten #resource by keyboardandquill

[reasonsforhope]

In southern Africa, leopards have long been harvested for their beautiful spotted furs. These coveted furs are often used in ceremonial regalia by cultural and religious groups in the area, making it difficult to address the dwindling wild cat population in the area.

Bridging the gap between animal conservation and cultural heritage, Panthera — a global wild cat conservation organization — has partnered with area communities and world-class designers to instead distribute synthetic furs for ceremonial garb.

This approach is ground-breaking and shows potential to be replicated in other areas of the world. In fact, new data shows that these initiatives have tripled the leopard population in the region. 

Pictured: Two wild leopards are spotted in southern Africa. Photo courtesy of Panthera.

It started in 2013 when Panthera began its Furs For Life program when it was discovered that members of the Shembe Church were using as many as 15,000 leopard furs during religious gatherings. 

Working with the Shembe community, Panthera created high-quality (and affordable!) synthetic leopard fur capes — amambatha — known as Heritage Furs. Since then, more than 18,500 capes have been distributed. 

In 2019, Panthera extended these efforts with the Saving Spots initiative. The program was created in conjunction with the Barotse Royal Establishment of the Lozi people with the mission to preserve rich cultural traditions and declining wild cat populations.

Every year, hundreds of Lozi community members wear lipatelo, elaborate full-length skirts made of leopard and other animal furs, as well as mishukwe, lion-mane trimmed berets, as they gather for the Kuomboka Festival...

Pictured: Paddlers on the Nalikwanda Royal Barge wearing Heritage Furs.

Since implementing the Saving Spots program, the Barotse Royal Establishment has switched to over 1,350 synthetic fur lipatelo and 600 synthetic fur mishukwe. At a recent Lozi gathering, nearly 70% of participants wore garments of synthetic furs. 

The idea was to maintain the sacred relationship the Lozi people have with these animals. By using a high-accuracy design, these synthetic furs have become trusted regalia to pass through future generations — all without causing harm to the animals they revere.

“It is important to conserve nature. If you don’t take care of nature, then you are headed for doom,” Lubinda Nyaywa, the chairperson of the Mwandi Council District said. “It’s a learning process for our young generations, teaching them that they must preserve, one, their culture, and, two, their natural resources.”

With the support of both the Lozi and Shembe leaders, affordable synthetic furs are gaining increased acceptance and popularity as alternatives to authentic furs. Some groups have even banned the use of authentic wild cat skins at future gatherings.

This, in turn, majorly contributes to the protection and stabilization of wild cat populations in the region.

As mentioned, new data suggests that Saving Spots has helped triple leopard densities in the southern region of Kafue National Park. 

-via Good Good Good, May 4, 2023

#leopard #leopards #conservation #endangered species #environmentalism #regalia #traditional clothing #sustainability #ethically sourced #lozi #shembe #zambia #africa #good news #hope #sustainable clothes #fur #fake fur #faux fur #heritage #tradition

[duckprintspress]

In honor of the 54th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots – June 28th, 1969 – Duck Prints Press is thrilled to share with you how we’re celebrating Pride Month: with queer stories, of course!

Introducing our Pride 2023 Bundles: two collections of short stories, one general imprint, one erotica, each priced at a discounted $19.69, with all purchases benefiting two wonderful queer charities selected by the authors of the stories in the bundles: The Ali Forney Center and the Transgender Law Center.

We’ll be donating roughly 35% of the proceeds from these bundles to charity – the Press is donating 10% off the top, and many of the authors chose to donate part of their royalties as well, bringing the totals to approximately 40% of the list price of the erotica collection and approximately 35% of the list price of the general imprint collection.

How This Works

you buy one or both bundles between now and July 28th, 2023.

we tally up all the proceeds earned and do some math-e-magic to figure out how much we’re donating!

we divide the charity share in half right down the middle and, within the first week of August, we donate raised money to the Ali Forney Center and the Transgender Law Center; then, we post the proof we’ve done so.

you get fantastic stories!

we all get that happy, glowy feeling of knowing that money has been well-spent on fantastic causes!

About the Press

Duck Prints Press is a queer-owned indie press, founded to publish original works by fancreators. We’ve been in operation for over 2 years, and in that time we’ve worked with well over 150 creators to publish four anthologies and almost 70 other stories, from shorts to novels, and we’ve got more on the works (our fifth anthology is Kickstarting RIGHT NOW, as a matter of fact!). The vast majority of our creators and their creations are queer/LGTBQIA+ (maybe even all, but we don’t out anyone and we don’t ask demography because, frankly, it’s none of our business).

20 of our authors have chosen to include their short stories in one or both of these short story bundles, and these 20 and others nominated charities, then voted to narrow it down to these two! Participation in these bundles was entirely voluntarily, as was choosing to donate shares of royalties, which about a third of the authors have opted to do.

About the Charities

Note: These charities are not affiliated with the Press, do not know we’re doing this fundraiser, have not endorsed this in anyway and are, as such, utterly uninvolved in this beyond being the beneficiaries of our efforts! Text is from the websites of each charity and is being used under fair use laws.

The Ali Forney Center was founded in 2002. Committed to saving the lives of LGBTQ+ young people, our mission is to protect them from the harms of homelessness and empower them with the tools needed to live independently. A 24-hour program, The Ali Forney Center never closes its doors. We provide more than just a bed and food for those in need — from initial intake at our drop-in center to transitional housing and job readiness training, we provide homeless LGBTQ+ youth a safe, warm, supportive environment to escape the streets [of New York City].

Transgender Law Center is the largest national trans-led organization advocating self-determination for all people. Since 2002 we’ve been organizing, assisting, informing and empowering thousands of individual community members towards a long-term, national, trans-led movement for liberation.

About the Bundles

(this is getting long, so read more...)

We’re offering two bundles: one containing 14 stories from our general imprint, the other containing 11 stories from our erotica imprint. For all the deets, you’ll need to visit the page for each story, but here’s an overview…

Titles in the General Imprint Charity Bundle:

A Mutual Interest by Alec J. Marsh

The Problem with Wishes by Annabeth Lynch

Let the Solstice Come by D. V. Morse

Warmer Lights by Era J. M. Couts

An Odd Gathering of Peculiar Cats by J. D. Harlock

Dead Man’s Bells by Nicola Kapron

Widow’s Black by Nina Waters

twin flames by nottesilhouette

A Shield for the People by Puck Malamud

Much Ruckus by R. L. Houck

Bubble, Bubble by Sage Mooreland

Settling Down by Theresa Tanner

Best Friends AND… by Tris Lawrence

To Fill My Cup by Violet J. Hayes

Approximately 35% of the $19.69 list price of this bundle will go to the charities.

Titles in the Erotica Imprint Charity Bundle:

Pas de Deux by Aeryn Jemariel Knox

Study Hall by Alec J. Marsh

A Safe Place to Land by boneturtle

Clerical Error by Dei Walker

In the Moonlight by E. V. Dean

We All Need to Get By by Lyn Weaver

The Fated Prince by Mikki Madison

Lust by Nina Waters

No One Right Way by R. L. Houck

Easier Than Expected by Samantha M. Piper

Urchin Juiced by Xianyu Zhou

Approximately 40% of the $19.69 list price of this bundle will go to the charities.

What are you waiting for? Come get some great stories, support a queer-owned business this Pride, and benefit two fantastic causes. Win-win-win situations don’t get much better than this!

These bundles will only be available for one month, so don’t miss out. Visit our webstore between now and July 28th and get yours!

#duck prints press #our titles #read pride #short stories #queer fiction #queer short stories #queer business #queer authors #queer books #read queer #lgbtqia

[redheadspark]

I'm gonna need #10 with oliver wood 🫶🏻

A/N - This is great for Oliver! Thanks for your request, anon!

Luck

Summary - Two letters changed your fate, but in the best way possible.

Warnings - Just some great fluff for you!

“Babe?  You home?”

You clicked the door shut behind you and locked it with a flick of your wand, hearing the lock go in as you hung you bag and coat then shoved off your boots with your feet.  It was a sigh of relief when you got home, no longer needing to be buried elbow deep in paperwork at the Ministry of Magic and over at the Daily Prophet with your new article that was due in two days.  Thankfully, you had more leniency since you knew the editor in chief from your days at Hogwarts, as long as it was a good read and it would get people to buy copies he would let you slide from time to time.  You were 90 percent anyways, needing another hour before you could send it in for an editing session.

Your apartment was dark, flicking your wand to turn on some of the lights to a low dim and the radio carefully turning on at the lowest setting as you looked in the kitchen with no sign of who you were looking for.

“Another sign of progress at The Ministry of Magic as The Department of Magical Law Enforcement has reported to have several new Aurors that are new to the program.  One of the recruits is The Famous Harry Potter, two of his schoolmates Ron Weasley and Neville Longbottom have joined the Auror branch as well.  The Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt is in high hopes of the new recruits bringing a new wave of hope and law to our Wiazrding community…”

You tuned out the rest of the broadcast as you were looking into the smaller study that was next to the living room, not seeing him in there since you knew he would be in there from time to time to read up on old book and play.  You were confused, seeing that his shoes were perched where yours were and his Puddlemore United bag was next to the couch.  Maybe he came home early from practice, making you move over to the bedroom door that was partially open.  Poking your head in, your smiled and sighed softly in relief.  

Oliver Wood was sound asleep on the top of your bed, a blanket partially over him and you could hear a soft snore coming from him.  He must be in a deep sleep, you slipping into the room and keeping the door partially open as you tip toed to the side of the bed where he was.  HIs face was half plastered into the pillow, his soft brown hair that was starting to get too long for your liking was tickling your palm as you ran your fingers in his hair.  Almost like a cat he leaned into the touch, you grinning as his arm moved from under the blanket that was over his torso.  Along his tan forearm, right near his wrist and near a birthmark that you knew far too well, were two letters that were etched into his skin.

Your initials: Your soulmate mark.

You two knew each other since your first year in school.  He was kind to you and a good friend, though his mind was mostly on Quidditch and being success to Gryffindor house.  You liked the sport all the same, yet it wasn’t at the same level as Oliver.  Still, you would support him at games since you were in Gryffindor house  too, seeing that he was a natural on the broom and be was beyond happy while playing the game.  It didn’t help that he was easy on the eyes, though you never said it out loud.  You assumed he would never look your way in such a manner, and that was all you thought about really even after graduating Hogwarts.

But of course, your got your soulmate mark at the worst possible time.

It was right after you left Hogwarts and got an internship at the Daily Prophet.  You were running some papers from one reporter to another when you felt it: a dull sensation like a brand along you skin on the inside of your forearm.  Quickly, you ran into the bathroom and looked in the mirror, seeing the two letter there fresh along your skin and you heart skipped a beat.  

OW

Soulmate marks would come at random, there was no set rules to when you would get your mark and the initials of your soulmate.  But once you got yours on your skin, your soulmate would get theirs at the exact same time, almost sealing your fates together at the precise moment. You knew some of your classmates getting theirs when they were seventeen at Hogwarts, needing to meet with Professor Dumbledore to talk about registering as Soulmates with the Ministry of Magic and taking the protocols from there.  Yet most of the time, it happened with adults. 

So looking at the two letters on your forearm, you had no idea what to do.  There was no way to find your soulmate on your own, you had to go to the Ministry of Magic to register your name and then find out the name of your soulmate from there.  Taking in a deep breath, you try to recenter yourself.  It wasn’t a huge deal since you were already in the Ministry of Magic, you jut had to go to another Department and talk to one of the officers there.  So with permission of your boss, you went on your lunch to The Ministry of Magic Public Information Services.  

Walking through the doors of the smaller department, you noticed another person talking to the receptionist already.  You froze, knowing who it was from just seeing the back of him and his silhouette from behind.  Yet the receptionist perked up from seeing you.

“I’ll be with you in a second dear.  I take it you got your mark too, like this fellow?” She asked, gesturing to the man who’s back was still to you.  You were about to say something when the man turned around to look at you, his eyes big and he was holding his wrist in his hand in front of him. You locked eyes, your breath lost for a solid few seconds.

Oliver Wood, with your Initials on his wrist. 

“Mmmm, welcome home,” You heard below you as Oliver open his eyes from his spot on his bed.  You grinned, running your fingers in his hair again to hear him groan in relief, “What time is it?”

“5:45,” You hummed, Oliver rubbing his eyes as you cocked your head at him, “Did you have a good practice  match today?”

“Aye,” He replied, sitting up a bit on the bed and you moved for him, “My coach thinks I should be playin’ in the next match against the Chudley Cannons.”

“Oli, that’s great!” You beamed, giving him a light kiss as he grinned, “We need to tell Harry, Ginny, and the rest of them so we can all come and watch you,”

“Ron may be impartial to that since I’m on one of his opposin’ teams,” Oliver explained as you rolled your eyes, “They’re not too and this year anyways, it should be a good match,”

“I’ll write the owl,” You explained, “And we can go out after the match to celebrate, whether you win or lose. How does that sound?”  

Oliver just smiled at you, his goofy grin that he would only share with you as he reached over to touch your forearm where his initials were.  He traced the O and the W with ease with his pointer finger, a soft smirk on his face as he looked back at you with his soft eyes.  

“Perfect,” he replied.  

Once you and Oliver became soulmates there on that very day in that little Department, your future was still a bit unclear.  Neither one of you have spoken since you graduated from Hogwarts and tried to be in the real world, yet chatting together again seemed very easily and almost too good to be true.  Oliver was fine with the idea of you two building up your friendship first, a normal routine with new soulmates.  Yet at the same time, you were inwardly happy that you both were soulmates to one another.  Your friendship was building hard and fast, and even in the throws of the Ministry of Magic falling to the Death eaters and to Voldemort, you both wanted to say together.  

Voldemort even was threatening to find all the Soulmates and make sure that they were pureblood pairs, wishing to eliminate any pairings that were half blood or muggle born.  You were more worried since you were the only witch in your family, Oliver reassuring you that he would protect you and keep you safe.  And when Oliver was called by his old Gryffindor Quidditch mates to help defend Hogwarts from being destroyed, he wanted you to stay behind and hide.  Yet you denied that request, telling him you would follow your soulmate anywhere.

Your love for another came so organically after that. 

“We should make some dinner,” Oliver said to you as he was about to get up from the bed.  You just shook your head laid down next to him, feeling him wrap you up in his arms as your nestled your head on his chest.

“Let’s stay here for a bit,” You countered back, Oliver chuckling as his fingers moved up and down your spine while his other hand went into your hair.  You both were now more prone to the concept of peace, after all you went through and all you have to get together together not just as soulmates, but as a new married couple.  That scary night at Hogwarts and seeing it all in flames, knowing some of your old friends and schoolmates were killed in the battle, you both held onto each other and survived the longest night of your lives.  

But every time you looked at his initials on your arm, you were reminded on how lucky you were.  And you knew Oliver felt the same way about you.

The End. 

Soulmate Prompt Session

#oliver wood x female reader #oliver wood prompts #oliver wood fanfiction #oliver wood x reader #oliver wood #harry potter fanfiction #harry potter #hp fanfic #hp fic #oliver wood x y/n #oliver wood x you

[gloamvonhrym]

some birds with some basic bird conservation tips for earth day! 🥰

(ETA: managed to post this with a slide missing. it’s fixed now!)

alt text & relevant links below the cut

[a series of images with Serenes Forest as a backdrop, also featuring reyson, leanne, and rafiel from the fire emblem tellius games.

slide 1: reyson crouches singing to various songbirds. transcription: happy earth day! bird populations in North America have declined by nearly 3 billion in the last 50 years. habitat loss, pesticides, human infrastructure, and loss of food sources all contribute to decline. climate change is a thread multiplier. here are some simple actions you can take to help birds!

slide 2: leanne sits beside a window, nursing a head injury. transcription: windows! an estimated 1 billion birds suffer window collisions every year in the US and canada. lights can confuse birds - help by turning off your lights or drawing curtains at night. further birdproof your windows by using decals, tape, or paint to disrupt the reflections! (you can purchase window decals just for this purpose!)

slide 3: reyson recoils dramatically from ranulf in cat form, who mutters “bro I am just sitting here.” transcription: cats. domestic cats are not natural predators in north america, and kill 1-4 billion birds each year. many of these cats are feral or stray: support local shelters and rescues with trap/neuter/release programs to reduce feral cat populations. if you own a cat, don’t let your cat outside unsupervised! leash train your boi or build a catio.

slide 4: rafiel ruefully holds yune the bird in his hands; she is lying stunned. transcription: beware pesticides. insecticides are the biggest bird killer. neonicotinoids (or “neonics”), deveoped since the ban of DDT, are used everywhere in the US - farms, cities, and suburbs. they infect entire food chains systemically. avoid neonics in your own home and garden: if you buy plants, read labels to avoid neonic-treated specimens. buy organic produce if you can. the EU has banned outdoor use of many neonics, but the US has not - support local and national initiatives to regulate insecticide use!

slide 5: get involved! this is all bigger than the individual. climate change is a big issue and we can’t fight it alone. seek resources for native plants, bird feeding, and bird monitoring efforts in your area. be sure to look up: your local audubon society; conservation orgs in your area; and climate action plans by indigenous communities near you.

final slide: sources and resources to look up:

bird populations: https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/bring-birds-back/ pesticides: https://chicagobirdalliance.org/blog/2023/5/20/year-of-helping-birds-avoid-pesticides cats: https://abcbirds.org/program/cats-indoors/ windows: https://www.fws.gov/library/collections/threats-birds-collisions

cornell ornithology lab: birds.cornell.edu american bird conservancy: abcbirds.org national audubon: audubon.org hawkwatch international: hawkwatch.org

#fire emblem #tellius #reyson #rafiel #leanne #fe9 #making the birds into environmental stewards like bambi but angstier lets go

[dailydemonspotlight]

Barong - Day 25

Race: Avatar

Alignment: Light-Neutral

April 24th, 2024

I'd like to start this daily demon spotlight with an admittance of bias. Barong is my favorite demon in the series, bar none. In celebration of making it to 25 (!!) days of this series, I've decided to let the holy cat out of the bag. Barong is the demon that introduced me to Balinese mythology, has saved my hide several times throughout the series, and has an adorable and unique design to boot. He stands right next to, if not above Black Frost and Chernobog in my book. Past that, though, I would also like to say- thank you all for sticking with me for 25 days! It's been so damn fun, and I plan on continuing this series for months, if not years to come. I know it's a little early for the ivories, but the small community that has been built up over time has given me so much life and energy!

With that sappy stuff out of the way...

Today's demon of the day lies in the form of the great panther, protector of mankind, and host of all things good, Barong. Bali mythology is surprisingly easy to look through, having solid roots and foundations, as well as its origin being in a somewhat small subset of Indonesia, though this isn't to say it's not complex. Balinese mythology takes a unique form, one similar to the worship of Ame-no-Uzume, wherein several of its stories aren't plays nor grand tales, but rather, fascinatingly hypnotic dances. Barong's appearance in these dances is that of a glamorously decorated (and very ambiguous) animal that I would personally say looks somewhat, vaguely similar to a lion?

However, the type of animal it is isn't that important, and admittedly just makes me confused. What is important is Barong's role in Balinese mythology, that being of a protector of humanity itself- in the mythos surrounding Barong and its eternal rival Rangda, Barong represents good health, good fortune, and has reign over all the spirits that inhabit the small province. The most prominent myth featuring the great avatar is recanted in the famous Kris dance, a dance representing Barong battling with Rangda. During the hypnotic trawl, dancers bring swords dangerously close to hurting themselves, though they emerge unscathed, watched over by two dancers in an ornate harness holding up the avatar of Barong who dances furiously behind them.

The dance begins with two monkeys and Barong engaging in dance, though quickly escalates as witches sent by Rangda attack the frolicking group. The dance-drama escalates from there as Barong tries to reign back control over the kingdom, which had found itself under siege by Rangda, eventually leading to the most iconic scene of the play, wherein two palace guards stab themselves with kali daggers in a desperate trance under Rangda's control- though they emerge unscathed as Barong comes to the rescue and engages in battle with the witch, protecting the guards with his holy magic. After a long and fraught dance between Barong and its rival, eventually, the holy avatar emerges victorious, and the kingdom is returned to peace and prosperity.

Barong is not just an artefact of the dance, though- he's an important figure in Balinese tradition, one held in reverence and good spirits, and the dance is simply held to represent the eternal struggle between good and evil, as well as celebrate the triumph of the love and goodness that Barong represents. People equipped in Barong costumes even, on occasion, parade around Balinese towns in order to ward off evil spirits and bad luck. Barong is locked in a never-ending battle against Rangda and the forces of darkness, yet never gives up hope; As a Bali volunteer in the Bali Volunteer Program puts it, "Once the trance is over, Barong and his supporters finally overthrow Rangda. But she does not die. Instead, she reincarnates and Barong must defeat her again. The fight never stops. It is symbolic of light’s eternal strife against darkness."

In the SMT series, Barong is depicted faithfully, though far more blue than red. Decorated in jewels and studded in silver, the Balinese lion dances in combat, easily connecting to the dance-dramas the beast is so frequently depicted in. Interestingly, a common series staple is that of Rangda and Barong's fusion leading to Shiva, and while unconfirmed, I have an idea as to why this may be the case. While Barong and Rangda are from completely different mythologies, they both represent opposing forces of light and dark, something that Shiva, a god of destruction who is not evil, is an inherent blend of- Shiva is both light and dark, good and evil, while Barong is good, light, and Rangda is evil, dark.

All in all, Balinese myth's hypnotic dances and beautiful performances lend to an amazingly designed demon that truly fulfills all it sets out to do, represents an underrepresented mythology, and stands out as my personal favorite demon in the series. Next to Chernobog and Black Frost, of course. And also Parvati. And Mother Harlot. Am I just edgy?

#shin megami tensei #smt #megaten #persona #daily #smt nocturne #barong #bali #baliindonesia #balinese #hehe funny doggy.. #the dances that i talk about in this dds are really fascinating to look at #i didn't put any pictures of the dances themselves due to how most depictions are #very similar in appearance to self harm? #but if you can stomach it they are fascinating #self harm mention #tw sh related

[littleeyesofpallas]

Digging up these early scenes just reminds me how disappointing it was, not just that the whole Failsafe plot turned out stupid and drawnout and nonsense gibberish, but that it started off with SO MUCH potential.

Like, I actually do love the idea of Batman's Tower of Babel continency plan being brought back up to address the idea of what his own failsafe is. I love the idea that the whole scenario is actually a manufactured false positive on Failsafe's activation; that Bruce has been tricked into thinking he killed someone, and thus Failsafe has come online on the assumption that Batman has gone out of control.

Because if it weren't for the stupid introduction of Zur into this equation, I love that there should be a difference between the a real Bruce who is actually still abiding his code but has been implicated in a murder, vs the 12-move-ahead/5D-chess phantom of a purely hypothetical renegade Batman that Failsafe was supposedly programmed to take down.

Like, it could have been a great excuse to try and draw lines around how bad Batman is/isn't, because he's always going to be written such that goofy unaccounted for implications, bad writing, and fridge logic will make him out to be some kind of Frank Miller masked super fascist. But Batman having to outline for himself and for others what he would or wouldn't do, and how that defines what Failsafe's profiling, tactics, and capabilities are is a great excuse to address those things directly.

But more importantly, Failsafe's entire M.O. should have been very very clear. It doesn't need to be a fucking invulnerable super robot that can singlehandedly beat the JL; it doesn't need to have all of Tower of Babel rolled into it. It only needs to beat Batman, and by extension it needs to be built to keep the fight only between itself and Batman.

Like, after being immediately fought to a standstill in hand to hand, in gadgets and other hardware neutralized, and his navigation of Gotham either matched or cut off, Batman's next move should have been the contact the batfam, and he should have found his commlink blocked and hijacked by Failsafe. He should have made the move to contact Clark, and then the reset of the JL and found his emergency beacon, again neutralized. He should have been confident that the batfam or Supes would be able to deduce or detect that something was wrong when he went radio silent, only for Failsafe to be accurately mimicking his communications and life signatures. So not only can Bruce not ask for help, but everyone who tries to do any routine check ins only sees signs that everything is fine and normal.

The key to the entire fight shouldn't be Bruce thinking his way out on the fly, or having a plan, or being prepared, it should emphasize all the ways that once Failsafe is one step ahead, Bruce's only real plan B is his support network, and Failsafe should have cut him off from it. Because THAT's Batman's real weakness, that for all his planning and scheming, he's still just one guy and he knows it, and he trusts and relies on so many other people close to him to make up for that. And that as a theme is such a perfect antithesis to the Tower of Babel. The entire conflict should have been this game of cat and mouse of how Bruce survives without his teams, because in the situation where Batman would have to turn on the JL, that's the situation he'd be left in: without his team.

And more over, as the Most Dangerous Game routine drags on, it should also shed light on how, both in the past and the future, Gotham operates without a Batman.

But the real twist to the whole thing should have been Batman having to turn to Gotham's villains for help, not only because they know how to fight him, but because they're the only people Failsafe wouldn't have been designed to cut him off from. And other than just making for some fun team ups, ultimately his ability to communicate, negotiate, and empathize with villains is the thing that would prove he wasn't the heartless fanatical murderer that Failsafe was designed to stop in the first place.

#dc comics #batman #failsafe

[shig-a-shig-ah]

Emergency Fundraising!

Hey y'all--I know I haven't been nearly as active as I used to be, but I'm still hoping I might be able to leverage a little support from the community. Part of what's been keeping me so preoccupied is that my brother and I have been trying to get our disabled uncle into a more stable situation. He's been dealing with ongoing health issues and financial precarity for a while now.

Unfortunately, he was also just given a notice to vacate from the apartment he's living in. My brother and I are working to get him moved closer to us (we also happen to be in an area that will have better healthcare and social programs that could actually help him), but obviously this comes with costs.

I don't have the time to offer anything in return like I did when I was fundraising for my cat's dental surgery, but if you've enjoyed my writing in the past and want to help, please consider donating to my Ko-Fi! Any donations I get will go towards helping with my uncle's housing expenses.

And, if you need extra incentive to donate, please know that getting my uncle into a more stable situation will also mean more time and energy for me to work on the next chapter of Addicted to Bad Ideas. (Which I am, against all odds, still working on.)

#fundraising #donate #ghuleh.speaks #feel free to boost too if you want!

[yulsbabymama]

Disventure Camp Headcanons Part 1

AIDEN

Half Argentinian Half French Canadian

Had a huge TOP phase in middle school

Only child

Super good singer but hates hearing his voice

ALEC

Afro-Turkish and Japanese

Diagnosed w Autism when he was a child

Smokes

Started drinking shortly after he got married; relapsed after his separation w his ex

Has an older sister by 7 years

ALLY

Transgirl; came out to her grandfather and he was the only supporter she had

Definitely had obsessive love disorder when meeting Hunter the first time

Super fucking bad at dancing

Likes K-pop (Fromis_9, Stray Kids, Billlie, P1harmony, Enhypen, Stayc, aespa, ITZY)

ASHLEY

Country music defender

will actually die on the Country Music hill

like she's from Texas but she's FROM TEXAS ykwim

Transgirl; realized she was a girl at a young age and transitioned w a supporting family

Would probably roll her eyes at u if u assume she loved AppleJack when she was younger

I mean, she did

but not as much as ppl assume

CONNOR

Jewish

Despite having a booming business, he still doesn't understand technology

but he WAS a boss at programming his MySpace page

"programming is my passion" college dude

Nickelback liker

I'm so sorry

DAN

He and his sister shared a bedroom until she moved out

Actually convinced her to come back home bc he missed her

like

crying on his knees

"PLEASE COME HOME IT'S SO MISERABLE WITHOUT U THERE I MISS U"

blasting a radio to her favorite songs

did i mention he loves his sister

Pokemon kid

Oh, he's also autistic

DEREK

Half Filipino and half Columbian

Transguy; was an unhappy "girl" growing up and would refuse to listen to anyone who didn't call "her" by Derek

Facebook user

only to troll, tho

He tried trolling on Twitter too but Trevor had to pry the phone out of his hands

Secretly likes Trevor

and by secretly I mean he angry-cried while writing drafted emails of his confession

Barely cries or anything like that, emotionally, but angry-crying is his #1 basically

Is not a registered gun owner

DREW

Other than the notebook, he has a communication device

Adopted

Video games hurt his eyes

so do mobile games

Honestly i think he just needs glasses

likes dogs :)

ELLIE

Half Irish and Half Singaporean

Transgirl; came out in her last year of junior high

Middle child w two sisters

While struggling w her identity, she was a Pick Me girl to fit in #sad!

she ended up giving up on fitting in #gogirl

Malay's her first language

Mom passed when she was little

tolerates cats

FIORE

3/4th Italian 1/4th Chinese

hates horror movies

not bc she's scared of them or anything

she just thinks they suck

forced into a ton of shit to become normal

girlscouts, ballet, soccer, etc

she hated everything

but she can make a good cookie deal

GABBY

Has an unhealthy obsession w watching drag shows

she doesn't understand any of the lingo

she just thinks the outfits r pretty

LPS kid

also watches too much animal documentaries

will actually sit down and say "im bored, time to watch a 6 hour doc on cheetahs"

she just cray cray like that #loveher

unhealthy addiction to stickers

GRETT

Transgirl #slay

was a Toddlers & Tiaras kid

passenger princess

forces Yul to drive her places

they have almost broken up 5 times bc of this

she also genuinely forgot to tell him she was #trans

u should've seen the look on his face

when

..

yeah

#hedidnotcare

that's ooc but idc

she's bi :3

HUNTER

Half Chinese Half White

Dad left after his youngest sister was born

Lived in China until he was 8

He has autism

Christian btw

like pslam bunch-of-numbers in his bio

can quickly change languages like that

will talk to u in english then will answer his phone in cantonese

texts like a millennial

:/ sorry

smokes

the killers, staind, blink-182, and r.e.m fan

plays the guitar

JAKE

Half Korean Half Japanese

cannot speak those languages fluently, tho

sorry

he and his brother wrestled a lot

his brother would always win

anyways he was a theater kid

but quit bc of some drama

haha. get it ?

one of those gays who cries to mitski & ricky montgomery

but only listens to them when he needs to cry

which is often

JAMES

has been in cringe compilations before

imagine if i just ended this w just that hc

would that be funny

anyways

one of those middle schoolers who was violently supportive of the lgbtq+

like everyone knew he liked boys

except him

loves his younger sister

like a lot

they r bffies

will call her in the middle of the night randomly

"i just posted a new tiktok, go like it."

JENSEN

genuinely have nothing for him

like

can i just say he's dreamed of men shirtless before and end it at that

um so yeah

#disventure camp

[providencepeakrp]

“Despite the forecast — live like it's SPRING.”

As temperatures begin to warm and the last of the winter slush melts away, the city of Providence Peak is beginning to flurry with the activities of spring instead. Residence are cleaning up their homes, the city officials are cleaning up parks, and stores are fixing up their inventory to bring each and every person something new and exciting as Providence enters the Spring season at last! To help the adventure begin, the city will be hosting the annual Spring Extravaganza once more — the community working together to put on the biggest and best welcome to the new season!

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

All Week (April 5th - April 13th) — The downtown extravaganza will begin on Saturday and run all week long. This portion of the event fills the downtown square area of Providence Peak with vendors selling local goods and foods, stalls offering free merch, activities for the children, and even a petting zoo! You can find the full list of vendors HERE. Friday (April 5th) — Cuddle up with blankets and a movie under the stars with Starview Drive-In with an early showing of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. If you're looking for something a bit more family-friendly, follow the path of migration to their showing of Migration. Feel free to show up before dusk for a bit of fun with cornhole competition, a barbeque provided by the drive-in free of charge, live music, and half-priced snacks for later in the night. Saturday (April 6th) — Come one, come all to the annual reopening of Stomias Point Amusement Park where admission is always free and on this day only, so are the rides! Every two hours, Stomias Point will be offering free ride wristbands. Ride wristbands are good for two hours and each person can only receive one wristband. There is limited availability, so be sure to snag yours up to experience the thrills of Stomias Point Amusement Park’s opening day! Sunday (April 7th) — Meander downtown as soon as the sun rises to a true Holy Spirits' Sunday mass, complete with brunch offerings courtesy of Amelie's and spring-themed cocktails that will have the offering plate overflowing by the end of the day. Monday (April 8th) — Hopefully you’re not too tired from the busy weekend, because as the festival carries on downtown, Take It Outdoors is hosting a boat and kayak race across Summit Lake. Feel free to bring your own equipment or they’ll have more than enough for participants to rent during the event. And what’s the prize for crawling out of bed and standing outside under the sun all day only to row across the largest lake in Providence Peak? Well, two brand new personalized kayaks, complete with paddles and life vests, of course! Tuesday (April 9th) — In support of Providence Peak Memorial's new research initiative, find yourself a good seat at the charity baseball game happening at the local baseball field in Claret Park or, if you're feeling charitable, join in on a team and swing some bats around for the sake of raising money for several research study opportunities that are pushing toward a brighter future in the healthcare industry. Concessions will be selling popcorn, hot dogs, and soda pops with all proceeds going toward the hospital's research program. Wednesday (April 10th) —  Find your way to Mayor Harris’ stand in the midst of the festival for a spring raffle. Each person has the opportunity to purchase 5 raffle tickets and are about to bet them on a chance to win some of this seasons grand prizes. Then, join Keola and Mya for a dance party in the center of the festival where they’ll be playing all of the current hits and rocking along to each one with the citizens of Providence Peak. Thursday (April 11th) — Join Barks and Recreation for an adoption event like no other. The community of Providence Peak is welcome to come hang out at their adoption center's location for their outdoor adoption event! In addition to holding meet and greets withevery single dog and cat that's currently waiting to find their furever family, there will be fun carnival-esque games to play and prizes to win for the entire family. Feel free to find a tree and take a break to enjoy refreshments provided by Lunch Box, The Sweet Spot, and Hot Cocoa Stop's food trucks. Sponsored by Good Pets, each animal adopted will also be going home with an entire care kit full of essentials free of charge! Saturday (April 13th) —  As the downtown festival wraps up, join the city at Frederick’s Farm in Bighorn Hills where everyone will be treated to fresh popped popcorn, apricots picked that day, and lemonade while waiting for their turn to fly in one of dozen hot air balloons sponsored by Providence Peak University.

EVENT DETAILS

This event will be kicking off Thursday, April 4th at 12pm EST (noon). It will run until Sunday, April 14th at 12am EST (midnight). No new event starters should be posted after this time, but members may take the next few days to wrap up their threads.

Previous threads should be paused or completed by Wednesday, April 4th.

Activity checks will be held as usual. Acceptances will be on a rolling basis.

Dress is casual and temperature is expected to be in the mid 70s during the day, be sure to dress and plan accordingly!

Have fun and be sure to relax and enjoy this event! Please tag all event related posts with providence.event and be sure to check the starter blog for open event starters.

#city rp #oc rp #town rp #providence.event

[crashtestjeffy]

People sometimes ask or wonder... "Hey Potatoman, why don't you get therapy and work this stuff out?"

Well see, here's the thing. I have tried. I have tried and tried. I have paid for therapy, I have used free community clinics, employee assistance programs, I have gotten therapy in psych wards, I have had court ordered therapy, I have done group therapy, CBT therapy, trauma based therapy, residential therapy, inmate therapy....I I have been very, very therapized. Add to that somewhere around 10 turns at addiction and alcohol treatments, some up to 6 month stays. I once tried to figure out how long I have lived in rehabs and I just stopped when I added up to a certainty of two years and I kept remembering other tries and I felt embarrassed. I am now inadmissible to many rehabs because my previous experiences. They know there is nothing they can teach me that I don't know. That is not me exclaiming this, this is what they told me.

Fortunately I no longer abuse drugs and alcohol. But that cessation was not a conscious choice or commitment to "the program" or some therapeutic choice. I just no longer felt like doing it and no longer could do it.

That, I learned, is called "spontaneous cessation". It's a term studies and professional addictions folk call people who stop on their own with no external influence or supports or therapeutic interventions.

And if you dig into a bit of the literature and information available on rehabs, 12 step programs, church based sobriety groups, sobriety coaches and expensive new age and new tech addiction cessation concepts...Spontaneous cessation actually beats them all for long term sobriety. Probably combined. Which has led me to believe, nobody gets sober till they're done. And no amount of cajoling, and guilting and appeasing and interventions can bring that around, unless it coincides with the user being done. And sadly many, many people never reach done.

My father killed himself because he had a clarity that he would never be done. He had a knowledge that he will always want more and always need more. And he had the presence of mind to escape.

Anyway, maybe I got sidetracked there.

Therapy for me seems impossible. I have never walked out of a therapeutic session or program and thought 'I feel better' or even more important 'I think I have found the solution' or 'I have resolved something I really needed to'.

I feel certain there is no therapy that can fix things for me. And if there is it would be expensive and long term. And I just don't have the patience or trust or especially money.

Therapeutic success in our society has become the realm of the privileged and wealthy.

That is an unacknowledged fact most people who tell anyone they hear or see on social media who is struggling "Just go talk to someone", do not seem to grasp. And that is because "just going to talk to someone" has either never really been necessary for them or if they needed it, they had resources and supports most people do not. So I will spend my days broken and unrepaired. And trying to make do with my debilities. Kind of suffering and kind of just trying to fall slowly. With brief reprieves when i hit branches on the way down. Like this...

And the best I can hope for is to make peace with it before my heart finally gives out. Or not make peace and I take myself out. There is little else available as options.

Unless there is some unforeseen and drastic change in the way therapy and mental health are cared for. That is it.

The good part is I have stayed alive this long. And I got a chance to do some living. Some good living and I got to see things lots of folks never get to and I have loved and been loved. And I got to be a father and have a beautiful child who I was very fortunate was never too difficult or too frightening or sick. And cats. I have had some great cats. Cats have been some of my favourite parts of this thing.

But being better, it's not in the cards. And I get that for other people hearing someone say that can be discouraging and even distasteful..."Ewww you mean you are like this forever? Gah, I am so not there for it. This is exhausting to watch!" It is my life though, I was born a certain way, sensitive and acutely aware and very connected to the world, to parents who were brutish and violent and completely ill-prepared to nurture a child like me (ironically my brother was perfect for them because he feels nothing) and it started a rift inside me that time and people only widened more and more. And I accept that.

My friend told me this morning that I am not a nihilist, I am a fatalist. So this is fatalism with a bit of pragmatism. So we can call this the tale of the fatalist.

Or He Who Cannot Be Mend.

If you read this all I am impressed. People don't care for what I say much anymore because of all the stuff I mentioned here. So congrats. Do you got tacos?

[wordsmith-storyweaver]

Okay, so I saw a post on my feed, and I didn't want to hijack OP's post, but the gist of it was that people need to have their pain acknowledged and not swept away under the rug of positive thinking or "happy vibes"...

As someone who deals with the chronic pain of osteoarthritis and with clinical depression, I have a lot of thoughts on this issue that come from personal experience.

1) Yes!! Especially considering the fact that most people will be either lucky enough to not deal with a condition meaning they are in constant pain and/or will have their pain questioned or negated or denigrated by others (including professionals in the medical community), it is absolutely VITAL that conditions with chronic pain be acknowledged and validated.

2) For many of us, the sad facts are that: a) our conditions are mislabeled, misunderstood, or mistreated (even by the aforementioned medical professionals); b) the treatments are available, but unaffordable; c) the treatments are available, but we cannot use them due to adverse reactions, other underlying conditions, or (as is my case with my bum knees) the current treatments available have limited shelf-lives, and thus cannot be used until a certain age or catastrophic damage allows for an exemption; or, d) the treatment/science simply has not advanced to deal with the issue.

3) If you are dealing with a chronic pain issue, you ABSOLUTELY need people in your corner giving you positive vibes, happy thoughts, prayers, or even silly cat videos to help keep your spirits up! It does not invalidate your condition to have people in your corner, especially ones trying to inject positivity into your life. If I did not have a support group- and yes, there are plenty of bad days where it feels like I don't- then I would be much worse off than I am.

4) Cultivating a positive attitude takes a conscious effort. My biggest motivation in trying to stay positive is actually an inverse example of this: my grandmother worked hard her whole life until well after retirement age, but when she fell and broke her leg, she just gave up; instead of doing the PT exercises to get back on her feet, she relied on pain meds (ones that never really worked fully) to get through her days. Her singular goal had become "to not feel any pain". She stopped walking unassisted, and eventually stopped walking altogether, because "it's too painful". She was never a big reader, so all she did was sit in front of the TV watching game shows or news programs- things that only inspired envy or a doom and gloom mentality. For the last years of her life, she became someone I didn't recognize and someone I didn't want to spend time around. She was bitter, angry, self-centered, and lonely, and in spite of all the prescription drugs the doctors let her have due to her age, she was still in constant pain...

So, yeah, chronic pain sucks, and yes, positivity doesn't "cure" it. But wallowing in the pain, refusing to focus on ways to either mentally or physically alleviate the pain, makes you the kind of person who no one wants to be around. And no, it's not easy trying to stay positive either, but it DOES make enduring what cannot be treated easier. And it means that your support group is less likely to distance themselves from you.

#positivity #mind over matter #positivity in the face of chronic pain #chronic pain

[killingitreservoirdogsstyle]

a little something to apologize for my radio silence!

Hello all of my beautiful followers and newcomers, I hope you are all doing absolutely fantastic and are having a smooth transition into autumn time! I understand that I haven’t been active on @killingitreservoirdogsstyle for a very long time with regular posts and requests, which I have nothing but apologies for. Let me explain myself and why this is. I was given an extra year of high school from my district despite me being a legal adult in order to take the classes I would need to shoot for an astrophysics or theoretical physics degree in post secondary. I have a transcript that I have been told would land me a scholarship to Stanford or MIT without issue, which is not to brag of course, but to explain why I want to pursue my dream. Because of this, I am now doing a massive course overload with mathematics despite my intense trauma from math from my childhood. So it’s not only physically taxing but emotionally exhausting too, I’ve been having to devote all of time to my education. But it’s going very well. I also have been writing a book too, hoping to land a publishing deal within the next year or so to pay for college if I don’t decide to go back to the humanities.

I don’t mean to excuse myself from my responsibilities to you all on this blog. We’ve built such an amazing community here in this humble little corner of Tumblr, and I have nothing but gratitude for all of your continued support, follows, reblogs, and comments. Thank you SO much for everything, moots and longtime followers, you guys are amazing and I know I’ve dropped the ball in giving you the respect and appreciation you deserve. For that I am so sorry.

However, I want to remedy this and hopefully bring back some of you to create our beautiful environment of tolerance, love, and shared fandom for Reservoir Dogs. To do this, I’ve decided to post this little imagine I’ve written about the ResDogs. I hope you enjoy it and I hope it also makes it up to you for my poor behaviour and communication. So without further ado, let’s do this!

a reservoir dogs imagine-slash-songfic-slash-whatever-you-want-to-call-it!

Full credit to the owner/uploader of the GIF! FANDOM: Resevoir Dogs, 1992

GENRE: An imagine/songfic/headcanons

SYNOPSIS: The Reservoir Dogs getting away with a heist to a vibey song!

TRIGGER WARNINGS: Swearing for the song, but that’s it! :)

Please put on your headphones if you’d like and go into your music playing program. Look up ‘Pump It’ by The Black Eyed Peas as you read this to get the best possible ambience and vibes of this imagine! ✨

Imagine…

Molten adrenaline coursing through the veins of the Reservoir Dogs. Their hearts racing at breakneck speeds, thrumming in their chests like the strikes of hammers on their rib cages. Sweat glistening on their skin, dampening their pristine suits. They launch themselves into a stationary Cadillac, the engine a soft purr as it idles in wait for its passengers. The driver, a quiffed sunglasses wearing cat, gives a lopsided smirk. Doors slam. Machinery roars to life, Brown bearing his full weight on the gas pedal. Tires screech. The radio kicks to life, a juggernaut bassline and pounding beat shaking the speakers. Blonde, Pink, and Orange are thrown back onto the worn leather of the seats, bags of fat stacks of cash, glimmering jewels, and a stash of other valuables flying into the back trunk. Time and space seem to accelerate, gravity foreign to Brown as he floors it down the gritty rain soaked Los Angeles streets. Ripping around corners, the car teetering at dangerous angles as it speeds down the pavement. He nearly clips pedestrians, unhesitant in his wild yet somehow smooth jerks of the wheel. Nicotine, money, and the scent of danger thick in the air. An electrified excitement radiates from amongst them. White lets out a gruff laugh, grin boyish. All the Dogs join him, giddy and high on their success. There’s something beautiful about a job well done. Sirens begin to wail in the distance. A cruiser pulls out from behind a corner. Brown lurches the Cadillac to the side, leaning to turn the car. Pink rolls down his window, the cock of a gun like a Vivaldi symphony in his ears. Gunfire rings out. The acrid tang of burning rubber wafts into the backseat. The Dogs reach the freeway, weaving through the midafternoon traffic. The chase was on, the game at its hardest, the thrill tangible and delectable.

Well, ladies, gents, and others, I hope this was decent! If you guys have any positive criticisms or comments, please do not hesitate to drop them below for me; I'm trying to hone my craft, so any feedback would be most helpful! Thank you for reading, and please have a gorgeous rest of your day and week! I love you all a ton, you make my world a happier, better place, and I hope I do the same for you.

#killingitreservoirdogsstyle #quentin tarantino #reservoir dogs #mr blonde #resdogs #reservoir dogs headcanons #michael madsen #quentin tarantino characters #reservoir dogs fanfic #please like and share if you enjoyed #thank you all my beautiful people for reading