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#I can’t even enjoy upcoming ‘holidays’ because my life is stuck. literally because of this shitty situation. can’t enjoy anything. can’t be
taeofcups-moved · 5 years
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Everything is dull.
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peace-coast-island · 3 years
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Diary of a Junebug
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A lesson in knowing your limits
Gyroid hunting, magic spells, mountain climbing, hanging with friends - all the makings of a fun campsite event! But as with all events, there's also the stress of getting things done in time.
Let's say that what happened earlier today served as a reminder to us that sometimes life gets too stressful and that there will be times where we don't have everything under control. That's not to say that this gyroid adventure hasn't been fun, but on top of all the other stuff that's been going on, it's hard to enjoy yourself when your mind is elsewhere.
Since opening the camp, I have developed a love/hate relationship with the holidays. And with this being a holiday event, we're in a bigger time crunch if we want to get everything set for Toy Day. There's also the fact that Daisy Jane and I are going back home to Rosevine for Emmaline and Minnie's wedding right after the festivities so that puts even more pressure on ourselves to finish things fast.
Joining us for our toy gyroid escapades are Almie, Pippa, and a new friend - Mariposa Silva! Her name means butterfly - isn't that pretty! Almie and Pippa talked about her a lot last time and I'm glad to finally meet her! The three are staying with us until Toy Day, which is in a couple days, so Daisy Jane and I will be leaving with them for home.
I can see why Pippa's all starry eyed over Mariposa and after what happened today, I think the two of them being friends is the best thing to ever happen to her in light of everything she's been through this year. Almie's been a good big brother to her but Pippa really needs someone who can understand her and Mariposa's the kind of friend who fits right in.
So Mariposa is a newcomer who's been living with Rosevine's notorious troublemaker witch Luna as her apprentice. Luna may act all tough but we all know she has a soft spot for us kids like Almie and Emmaline. Pippa's been training with Luna too as witchcraft and wizardry kinda overlap in some areas. I don't know what surprises me more - Luna taking in a teenage girl she randomly bumped into (literally) with no questions and teaching her magic or Luna agreeing to help Pippa (a wizard of all beings - in short, bad association with wizards) with her magic as well as teaching some witchcraft as well. Then again, for the latter, Luna and Almie are partners in crime so it makes sense that she has a soft spot for Pippa as well.
What makes Mariposa unique is that she's able to conjure magic despite not being magical herself, which takes a lot of work. It's not an easy feat for us ordinary people - believe me, I've tried (and tried)! Maybe there's hope for me but at this point I shouldn't get my hopes up too high. Because of life circumstances she has to bear since birth (she really has a way with words), Mariposa has mastered the art of improvisation.
Since she can't summon magic naturally like Luna and Pippa, Mariposa developed her own way of conjuring glyphs and such. So she has to do a little bit of extra work to cast a spell, which can complicate things a bit. There's a lot of things that can slow Mariposa down, however there's two that can't. First is the conjuring of spells - she's resourceful, creative, and super imaginative - when you can't make magic the traditional way, you gotta get crafty. Second is her right arm - or lack of.
In short, Mariposa was born with a bunch of health problems, a nonexistent right arm is one of them. At this point it's all just "blah, blah, blah" to her. She's spent sixteen years with one arm - her entire life - so whatever pitying thing someone wants to say to her, she's heard it all. Sure it might complicate conjuring magic in some situations but she just rolls with it. That's why she's so good at improvising, problem solving, and thinking way outside the box - something she believes is the universe's way of compensating for what she's been given.
For the past few days we've been hiking around the camp looking for gyroids. Mariposa and Pippa showed off some cool spells they learned from Luna while Almie told us about their latest shenanigans. Highlights include Pippa one-upping a frenemy of Luna's with a scalding hot burn, Almie offering to fix up Luna's car with some "embellishments" which may or may not have caused a wingbat uprising, and Mariposa accidentally awakening an ancient spirit while trying to impress Willow and Angie. And of course, we've been talking about the upcoming wedding.
Since I last saw Pippa, she's been getting her strength back. From being diagnosed with leukemia to suffering from complications as well as a near relapse, the past several months have been hard on her. Almie said that outside of family, Mariposa and Angie, and later Willow, were a great deal of help - especially Mariposa. It's so good to see Pippa out and about, almost like how she was before she got sick.
I guess sometimes we're so focused on trying to get things back to normal after getting thrown off that we don't always realize that in many cases, there's no going back. With Pippa keeping up with her studies, practicing her magic, and helping out with the wedding, it seems like everything's back to normal. Aside from having to keep up with meds and appointments and such, Pippa's well on her way to recovery.
Of course, looks can be deceiving. While Pippa is doing well, she still has to be careful not to wear herself out too much. The wedding's been a bit of an incentive for her to stay healthy, especially since she's a bridesmaid - so she's been keeping busy helping Soph with planning the reception and everything. Pippa's a hard worker but she has a bad habit of putting herself last.
The main reason why Almie wanted to come back to the camp was to give Pippa a chance to relax. He's been protective of Pippa since her hospitalization due to other people's carelessness regarding her health. So he wasn't too happy when Pippa admitted to him a couple days ago that she slipped up by missing her meds a couple times over the past few weeks. He said she'd tell him if something was wrong but seeing that she's been trying to keep on schedule for the most part, she should be okay.
While the past couple days were fun, it was clear that the cracks were starting to show. A combined mess of stress from personal life stuff, holidays, the gyroid event, and the upcoming wedding hit us all at once. My mind was elsewhere, worrying about getting stuff done - it can be draining.
Mariposa was the one who helped us refocus by sitting Pippa down and setting some hard truths for her. Almie was right to be concerned about Pippa overworking herself. I get that she's been feeling stuck in a rut so anything to break her out of that monotony is a welcome change. It's good to try to get back on track but you can't force it. From the way she was jumping up and down and climbing all over the place, you'd think we were being timed on finding gyroids.
Exhaustion has a way of wearing you down, physical and mental. If we had health bars hanging over our heads, Pippa's would be almost depleted. And if I'm being honest, mine's probably in the red zone too. Almie and Daisy Jane are likely in red too while Mariposa's probably in yellow. To be honest, I think everyone in the camp's either a red or yellow - it's just one of these days.
So Pippa overestimated herself and eventually reached a point where she couldn't just get back up and act like everything's fine. As in, she fell off a tree, landing hard on her back and was unable to move for a few seconds, scaring the hell out of everyone. Thankfully she doesn't have a concussion or broken bones but she'll be really sore and bruised tomorrow. By then I figured that we collected enough gyroids for the day so we headed back to the camp despite Pippa's protests.
Almie's usually a pretty chill guy so seeing him go off on Pippa was... let's just say I'm glad we all cleared out when they both started raising their voices. When things started getting out of hand, Mariposa decided to step in for a bit. What she said to Pippa had me thinking about accepting your limits.
Basically what Mariposa's saying is that we can't measure our worth by our productivity. If anyone knows how Pippa feels about stagnating due to circumstances out of control, it's Mariposa.
She got it through to Pippa that it's okay to fall short of expectations. I get that it's frustrating when you try to set goals for yourself, only to fail - but you just gotta accept that sometimes things don't work out and it's not your fault. I know that Pippa can be hard on herself, especially since this year has been turned upside down for her.
Mariposa also brought up a good point about the whole don't let your disabilities and illnesses stop you from being accomplished. It's one of those things that's supposed to be encouraging but does more harm than good. Because there will be days when your disabilities will stop you from achieving what you want. There will be times when you're forced to put your life on hold while the world is unsympathetic to your battles. You have to learn how to accept that it's okay to step back and accept that there are things beyond your capability - and that you shouldn't be shamed for that.
In other words, it's important to know your limits. Wise words from the witch in training, something we all need to be reminded of.
Once it seemed like Mariposa's words got through to Pippa, we stepped aside so the siblings can have a moment alone. To keep ourselves busy, I took Mariposa to the Marketplace to craft Toy Day stuff with Reese, Cyrus, and Jingle, which she had a blast doing. After making a bunch of toys we headed to the cabin and put together gift boxes.
It was nice getting to know Mariposa on a one on one basis during that time. Almie and Pippa weren't exaggerating with her wild, creative, and daring imagination. Who knew that there could be so many ways to wrap gift boxes? We got to talking about a lot of stuff, like how she's enjoying staying with Luna, Skully, and Owly, her magic training, Willow and Angie - she's only been in town for a short time and it feels like she's been part of the Rosevine gang since forever!
Also, she has met Emmaline and Minnie so she's definitely on the guest list. Actually she's coming as Luna's plus one since she met the couple after the list was finalized. Though knowing how Emmaline makes friends like bees to honey, Soph made extra sure to accommodate for a growing guest list - which I'm pretty sure has doubled since the invitations went out!
Once we finished with the gift boxes, we headed back to the campsite. Pippa and Almie finally worked things out and were back to their old, playful, bickering ways. They surprised us with desserts - Toy Day themed cookies and mochi! After having a busy couple days hunting gyroids, we decided to take it easy with a cozy bonfire dinner.
Nothing like freshly baked cookies and mulled cider to unwind after a stressful week!
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secretradiobrooklyn · 3 years
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The Singing Senator Edition | 5.22.21
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Secret Radio | 5.22.21 | Hear it here.
1. Dara Puspita - “Bertamasja”
Dara Puspita was an Indonesian band, active right from the start of rock n roll — like, they jumped into it in 1964. I love how it sounds like gnarly garage rock until the lead guitar tone pulls out and reveals a super VU sound. With a surf structure! It’s just about a perfect nugget of song. 
2. Yol Aularong - “Sou Slarp Kroam Kombut Srey (Rather Die Under a Woman’s Sword)”
Yol Aularong has the wildest voice, and total commitment to rock’s magic transformative power, even in a context where he was risking his life. He does things that would make Screamin’ Jay lean back and appreciate. The arrangements and his delivery just o’erbrim with life and character. 
3. The Psychedelic Aliens - “We’re Laughing”
This band is like Atomic Forest in that they’re just the answer to any collector’s wildest dreams of rarity: they’re a Ghanaian band who released exactly 8 songs and were big in the Accra scene. The groove of this song, especially in headphones, is just mesmerizing, and his delivery gets gradually more and more abstract. It sounds like Marijata and what I wish WITCH sounded more like. Undeniable.
- Glenn Miller Orchestra - “Sunrise Serenade”
4. Prewar Yardsale - “Turn On (Live Peel Session)”
We got into Prewar Yardsale through Jeffrey. Because we got into this band that he introduced us to, he said he had some rarities and other tracks. That he sent our way, and this is from that.  
5. Chai - “In Pink (feat. MNDSGN)”
I think first it was the New York Times, then the Guardian, then the New Yorker all writing about this band essentially in the same week — and we definitely had no idea what they sound like. This song had just debuted on YouTube 18 hours earlier. I think, especially now through repeated listens, it’s a rad track. I love the way MNDSGN winds his vocals into the song, then has his passage, then smoothly winds his way out again. It’s like meeting a really interesting person at an already cool party.
6. Waipod Phetsuphan - “Ding Ding Dong”
Siamese music — Thai music. The guitar part is so primal and the drums so bright in the fills and meanwhile it sounds like he’s casting a spell. And what a refrain.
7. Jacques Dutronc - “J’ai me un tigre dans ma guitare”
One of the greats — I have loved every song of his I’ve ever heard. This song really makes me appreciate his band, especially his drummer. 
8. Orchestra Baobab - “Kelen Ati Leen”
When we started WBFFing, it was partly because we were being blown away by the indisputable proof of James Brown’s influence on, and interaction with, the entire world. I don’t think I realized JB was a lot bigger than the Beatles in huge swaths of the world. This track is fundamentally expressing a JB groove and doing their own entire thing at the same time. The lead vocals’ flavor is just off the charts and the band is SO tight. 
9. Pierre Vassilou - “Qui c’est celui-là?”
What IS this song? It’s in French but it sounds like Brazil — I guess really it sounds like Os Mutantes. 
10. Betti-Betti w T.P. Orchestre Poly Rythmo - “Mahana”
The abundance of T.P. Orchestre keeps on giving. This beautiful, beautiful song is from an album they did with Cameroonian star Betti-Betti, who basically expressed the pain of her country so precisely that the whole nation mourned her passing when she died young. This melody is just stunning, and the harmony 
- Stunt Double - “Be My Baby”
Ace track from some of our favorite people in all of LA.
11. Bug Chaser - “Crowley’s Kids”
I don’t know if Bug Chaser is active at the moment, but some of our favorite STL shows have been watching and/or playing with Bug Chaser. We did the City Museum rooftop twice — and we split favorite VU songs at the Lou Reed Farewell show. Two drumsets, way too much information per track, and an epic live show with a lead character who knows how to lose himself in a song.
12. Eko Roosevelt - “Attends Moi”
We learned about Eko Roosevelt by glimpsing him in a movie about Betti-Betti. He’s a handsome bearded gentleman behind a piano. The first songs by him that got us were super heavy disco, but this one has its own special power. Lately Paige has been singing and playing it on guitar — I’m kind of hoping that we hear her version of “Attends Moi” in another broadcast.
13. Manzanita y Su Conjunto - “Shambar”
One of the sweetest musical gifts in our life has been the discovery of Analog Africa’s ever-growing musical jackpot. They sent their list a note recently about an upcoming record focused on Manzanita y Su Conjunto and their path through cumbia music, and there are two  tracks available now counting this one. We’ll be getting this record, this shit is amazing.
Paige: “I gotta get in touch with Mrs. Link.”
14. Lizzy Mercier Descloux - “Fire”
This song is from her 1979 debut, “Press Color,” and man, what an undeniable new character on the scene! She was based in Paris, hooked up with Michel Esteban, and together they not only established a store of crucial Parisian punkness but also published a fucking MAGAZINE called “Rock News”!! While making music like this! Eventually they moved to New York in 1977 (natch) and as far as I know just continued to be the coolest humans on Earth. I can’t wait to share some of her other tracks with you — besides the brilliant first album, there’s a whole record called “Zulu Rock”! 
15. Os Mutantes - “A Minha Menina”
And as always I think: What did the Beatles think of this music?! They must have known about it, they must have. To me it really brings a whole additional level that the Beatles wanted to get to but literally didn’t know how — and Os Mutantes did. 
16. Suburban Lawns - “Janitor”
Sometimes I wonder why something that sounds so objectionable can be the most vital music in the world. Like, nothing about the lyrics or the way this song is sung should be appealing — and instead, this song is brilliantly undeniable. It’s even better when you see them performing it. If you don’t know what they look like, I guarantee you she will be a surprising character.
My favorite words on it ever are something someone wrote as a comment under the video of their TV performance of this song: “Spent 15 years as a janitor. Can confirm every word.”  
17. Sinn Sisamouth and Ros Serey Sothea - “Mou Pei Na”
These two are just amazing characters in the pre-Khmer Rouge Cambodian music world. Ros Serey Sothea’s voice is totally unique, and Sisamouth has a sincere urgency that gives the whole song a surprising narrative shape.
18. Ranil - “Ángel Terrenal”
Analog Africa again — the cure for what ails you. They are truly combing the world for music that amazes. They played the length of the Amazon river and did their best to stay out of big cities after a bad experience with a record label. So they released these psychedelic jungle masterpieces on little slabs of vinyl that they sold up and down the river. Can you freaking believe that? 
- Salah Ragab - I believe you are responsible for telling us about Salah Ragab, Josh Weinstein. So good.
Also, as promised, further information about glue traps and why they’re so harsh (and how to pull off a successful rescue!) can be found here.
19. Dagi D - “Beka”
I feel like I knew my musical life had changed when I started thinking of every visit to an Ethiopian restaurant as a valuable moment to learn as much about the music as possible — especially Meskerem in St. Louis, it must be said. It turns out modern Ethiopian pop music is super addictive and can easily get stuck in your head for days. 
20. Raxstar - “Jaaneman”
We’re still pretty new to Kensington, our neighborhood in Brooklyn. We knew that a Muslim holiday called Eid al-Fitr was happening, and when it was happening, but we were still surprised by what a joyous holiday it was in our neighborhood. Everyone of all ages was out in their fines, which involved a whole lot of sequins and shining metallic threads. The men wore a lot of caftans and those excellent long shirts and/or jackets, most with beautiful patterns. We went for a long walk and just enjoyed seeing a holiday at full pitch — excited kids and tutting grandmas, people carrying big flower arrangements (in the shape of a crescent and star!), heavy-looking tins of food headed toward a feast, even fireworks overhead. We crossed paths with a group of dudes all dressed up in various states of celebration, from a sharp Western-style two-piece suit to an even sharper South Asian suit with a Nehru collar and snug caftan. It looked like they had just finished the parental part of the night and were deciding where and who to meet up with — exactly like, say, Thanksgiving night in your hometown. It felt like, from Coney Island to McDonald, Church to Cortelyou, it was New Year’s Eve for everyone but us. 
After our walk we returned to our apartment and set up a little folding table out back to enjoy a glass of wine in the warm air. Our neighbors across the fence were still in the midst of family time, with tons of kids running around, including a teensy little girl on a tiny little pink scooter and a gaggle of beautifully awkward teens in the posture and attitude that says “stand by your cousins and let me take your picture.” As the evening wore on and the parents drifted back inside, the young adult contingent got a speaker going, and soon we were catching tracks we’d never heard before. The one that made us first pay attention was “Jaaneman,” with the vocalist’s super-charismatic delivery and priceless accent. We found ourselves Shazaming song after song, and thus started learning about Desi hip hop, a whole world of East Asian immigrant tracks that offer a lens into life in the US and UK that I haven’t really seen since watching “My Beautiful Laundrette” many years ago. Fascinating!
“Jaaneman” literally means “soul of me,” but translates to “my love” or “my darling.” Check out Raxstar — I’d love to see him play SNL and get an impression of what he’s like live. Just last month he released “Forever Jaaneman,” which updates his original smash hit and is also a very strong track.
21. Nate Smith - “Spress Theyself”
One of the last shows we got to see in St. Louis was Nate Smith at Jazz at the Bistro, and holy smokes, what a pleasure to see him do his thing up close. I love this solo album because it sounds like a practice sesh that died and went to heaven. It doesn’t have a song’s logic, but it does follow the feel of a great intuitive exploration of a beat, wandering through subdivisions and feel variations with complete ease. 
22. Jefferson Airplane - “White Rabbit”
This is Paige’s call. I think it’s cool because I can hear the direct connection between this and Erkin Koray’s Anatolian psych rock style, which I previously had no idea about. This listen through, we’ve both been appreciating how overwhelming massive Grace Slick’s voice is.
23. Marie France - “Dereglée”
Another cut off the fantastic Born Bad Records comp “Paink,” and more proof that punk was happening in other languages at the same time. (Though I think they called themselves “méchant”… or denied being méchant, depending) The album art reveals that Marie France happened to look uncannily like a punk Marilyn Monroe, which only makes both MM and MF cooler. 
24. Operation Ivy - “One of These Days”
I was never for one second a punk in high school, but I knew that the Op Ivy t-shirt was the essence of functional punk.
- Shin Joong Hyun - “Moon Watching”
25. Shin Joong Hyun - “Spring Rain”
This guy has an otherworldly sense of melody and performance that indie rock only starting catching up with decades later. This is the guy sometimes referred to as the “Korean godfather of rock.” He was active from the early ‘60s til 1975, when he was arrested, tortured and banned in South Korea. Eventually, the leader who had hammered down on him died, and he was able to begin piecing his life back together. These iconic, evocative, cinematic recordings would sound great in any decade. 
Spoiler: it wasn’t! We walked across the bridge and it was a thoroughly magical New York evening. 
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issasdrarryficrecs · 7 years
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Anonymous asked: Hi! Got any good (and possibly long) fics for someone who is new to drarry? Thanks!
Hi anon, I’m sorry this is late. I took a super long time to put together this very long list. These are my own favourites. I don’t know how many words is long for you so I’ve assumed you mean more than 10k. This is in alphabetic order instead of my usual order (shortest fic at the top). Also, my links are at the sides of the titles instead of the bottom. Are you ready? Let’s go!
19 years by shilo1364 [88k] Read on AO3
Summary:
19 years ago, something happened between Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy - but the only one who remembers is Draco himself. He plans to carry the secret to his grave, but his careful plan is soon turned on its head. It’s bad enough that Draco is returning to Hogwarts as a professor, so soon after his divorce, even worse that his son Scorpius has befriended fellow first-year, Albus Potter. But when he realizes that Harry Potter, too, has returned to Hogwarts, newly-single, Draco fears for his sanity.
Meanwhile, first-years Albus and Scorpius navigate friendship, classes, and getting their idiot fathers together. They are joined by their mothers, Astoria and Ginny, retiring professor Minerva McGonagall, newly-minted professor Teddy Lupin, Headmaster Neville Longbottom, Blaise Zabini, Lawyers Pansy Parkinson and Hermione Granger, a handful of scheming first-years, and the inimitable Luna Lovegood.
Against All Odds by [53k] Read on AO3
Summary:
Beauxbatons is hosting the first ever Quidditch Summer School for children from all over Europe, and Harry has promised to enroll Teddy as his birthday present. Meanwhile, Draco is stuck in his office, putting together the first ever Quidditch Summer School for children from all over Europe during, when he should be enjoying summer holidays.
All Our Secrets Laid Bare by firethesound [149k] Read on AO3
Summary:
Over the six years Draco Malfoy has been an Auror, four of his partners have turned up dead. Harry Potter is assigned as his newest partner to investigate just what is going on.
Annus Mirabilis by Ren [39k] Read on AO3
Summary:
Harry and Malfoy are trapped at Hogwarts around the time the school was founded. Stuck with a different way of doing magic, with no chocolate, and with each other, they have to find a way to work together if they want a chance to go home.
Between Ink And Blood by Candamira [18k] Read on AO3
Summary:
“Yes. Just – how did you know? I didn’t know myself that I want a tattoo until I saw the Hungarian Horntail,” Harry said. Druid shrugged. “It’s hard to explain, my magic sings to me and then I just know. It’s a druidic gift passed on from father to son since the early days, together with a message every male in my family gets as his first tattoo.” He showed Harry the inner side of his forearm. The dark green of the calligraphic writing stood starkly against the pallor of the skin: Be careful with the lines you draw because there is a secret world between ink and blood where they will come alive.
Black Truth by InferiorBeing [104k] Read on FFN
Summary:
And, with bated breath, Draco traced the silver line down one more step in the family tree. Draco Lucius Malfoy… the third full blooded Veriae in the Malfoy family… and future life mate of Harry Potter. 
Bond by AnnaFugazzi [173k] Read on AO3
Notes:
I started to write this before HBP came out, and crossed my fingers that HBP wouldn’t make it totally non-canon. No such luck, I’m afraid. This, therefore, is an AU story, where (SPOILER) still teaches (SPOILER), (SPOILER) didn’t try to (SPOILER), (SPOILER) didn’t succeed in (SPOILER), (SPOILER) never dated (SPOILER), and most importantly, (MAJOR ENDING SPOILERS) never happened.
the title tells the story for this one
Crossing Lines by Ren [47k] Read on AO3
Summary:
While investigating a ring of smugglers, the Aurors receive a tip saying that the European Express is being used to move contraband across state lines. To solve the case, Harry has to unmask the smugglers and find the hidden contraband before the luxury train reaches Bulgaria. Draco Malfoy is also on board… but that’s just coincidence, isn’t it?
Dear Diary by AWickedMemory (ReadyPlayerZero) [20k] Read on AO3
Summary:
// This can’t possibly go worse than the last time I kept a diary. //
After the war, Harry picks up a journal to write in… and it writes back. Luckily, it’s not a Horcrux on the other end this time.
Draco’s Boy by emphathic siren [186k] Read on FFN
Summary:
A mysterious little boy named Harry moves in next door to Draco Malfoy, and he’s determined to make him his friend and learn all of his secrets. Years later, he’s determined to make Harry more than a friend.
Exit Wounds by StarAndMoon (TheDarkestStar) [21k] Read on AO3
Summary:
Harry and Draco are placed in one hospital room and team up to investigate a murder.
Freudian Slip by jennavere [10k] Read here
Summary:
Two years after graduating from Hogwarts, Draco Malfoy is still obsessed with Harry Potter. Fed up, his father makes him get therapy. 
Irresistible Potion by Rhysenn [123k] Read here
Summary:
Under the influence of a love potion, Draco learns that poison doesn’t always bring death – there are other ways to suffer and live. 
Malfoy Child by Vorabiza (Biza) [94k] Read on AO3
Summary:
A potions accident turns Draco into a four-year-old and Harry takes over his care for the next four months.
Mental by sara_holmes [186k] Read on AO3
Summary:
Harry has had quite enough of sharing his mind with someone else, thankyouverymuch. A miscast Legilimecy spell says otherwise.
Reparations by Saras_Girl [87k] Read on AO3
Summary:
Harry is about to discover that the steepest learning curve comes after Healer training, and that second chances can be found in unexpected places.
Running on Air by eleventy7 [74k] Read on AO3 or FFN
Summary:
Draco Malfoy has been missing for three years. Harry is assigned the cold case and finds himself slowly falling in love with the memories he collects.
Secrets by Vorabiza (Biza) [395k] Read on AO3
Summary:
Beginning with Draco’s unexpected arrival at the Dursleys, Harry’s summer after sixth year becomes filled with activity and many secrets. As his summer progresses, Harry generates several unexpected allies as he finds himself actively becoming the leader of the Light side.
Somebody to Love by khasael [31k] Read on AO3
Summary: 
Draco’s life after the war is quite different than it used to be. When he finds himself cursed, with little hope for lifting the spell, he sets out to make the most of the time he has left. Getting to know his Aunt Andromeda and his young cousin Teddy feels like a good thing to do, even if it can’t help him in the long run…or can it?
Talk to Me by Saras_Girl [15k] Read on AO3
Summary:
When the usual channels of communication are shut down, the most surprising people can find a way in. A strange little love story.
The Darklist by Cheryl Dyson [91k] Read on FFN
Summary:
When Draco Malfoy, wanted criminal, strolled into the Ministry to give himself up, he seemed destined for Azkaban until he offered to hand over information to avert an upcoming crime. Of course, he refused to divulge that knowledge to anyone but Harry Potter.
The Light More Beautiful by firethesound [81k] Read on AO3
Summary:
Thirteen years after Draco accepts Potter’s help escaping the horror of his sixth year, he returns to England where he makes the unfortunate discovery that Potter is still as obnoxious as ever. And worse, more than a decade overseas hasn’t been enough to dim Draco’s obsession with him.
The LipLock Jinx by Cassis Luna [21k] Read on FFN
Summary:
It’s a jinx that renders the victim mute, unless he/she serves the purpose of the jinx and kisses the person that they desire. It’s just Harry’s luck that he’s in love with Draco.
The Thread Through the Labyrinth by mindabbles [11k] Read on AO3
Summary:
Harry was twenty-one the first time it happened; he was twenty-one and falling in love for the first time. It seems he’ll go back, travel through time, until he finds the anchor that keeps him here.
The Venice Job by nishizono [25k] Read on AO3
Summary:
Harry Potter was one of the youngest Aurors in history. He was the Boy Who Lived, and the Boy Who Lived Again. He loved Guinness and Quidditch, and hated pineapple. He wrote letters to Hagrid every Thursday, and on Sundays, he visited Hermione and Ron. Harry Potter was also not gay.
Then Comes a Mist and a Weeping Rain by Faith Wood (faithwood) [21k] Read on AO3 or FFN
Summary:
It always rains for Draco Malfoy. Metaphorically. And literally. Ever since he had accidentally Conjured a cloud. A cloud that’s ever so cross.
Two Sides of the Same Coin by noiselessheart [117k] Read on FFN
Summary:
Harry and Draco find out the hard way that the line between hate and love is a fine one, and that somewhere between the Battle of Hogwarts and being thrust back together as Hogwarts eighth years, they may have just crossed it.
What We Pretend We Can’t See by gyzym [131k] Read on AO3
Summary:
Seven years out from the war, Harry learns the hard truth of old history: it’s never quite as far behind you as you thought.
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thiscruelearth-blog · 7 years
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Veni, Vidi, Vici - Tyrannus Mars x Jochabed (@onewiththeglow)
Yeah, I kinda got hooked into this ship really quickly, and its one thing that keeps me and this blog going even when my free time is slowly being choked away by my return to my university for the upcoming semester. Enjoy this ship meme between them. - Red
Send in two (or more) names and I’ll fill all this out about the ship! (Originally penned by Roleplay Memes For You)
General:
Rate the Ship -   Awful | Ew | No pics pls | I’m not comfortable | Alright | I like it! | Got Pics? | Let’s do it! | Why is this not getting more attention?! | The OTP to rule all other OTPs (Only because we’re being humble here)
How long will they last? - Don’t even ask this question, profligate. 
How quickly did/will they fall in love? - Slow burn. Can’t really love a guy quickly even if they rescued you from a toxic relationship by crucifying your ex. 
How was their first kiss? - Awkward as hell. Last time Mars kissed anyone, it was the guy who now wants to kill him. Nevertheless, it was somewhat sweet when they finally figured out how to kiss. 
Wedding:
Who proposed? - Mars
Who is the best man/men? - Yes Man, Arcade, Joshua, Jason Bright
Who is the bride’s maid(s)? - Cass, Veronica, Christine, 
Who did the most planning? - Yes Man (Because Mars had no idea what the hell he was doing)
Who stressed the most? - Mars (Because he didn’t know what he was doing at first and so he turned it over the Yes Man to figure out....reluctantly)
How fancy was the ceremony? - The entire New Vegas Strip was shut down for four hours for the wedding at the Lucky 38. Yes Man had the securitron army send invitations out to everyone that helped at Hoover Dam. Even word got out to Goodneighbor, the only place Mars stayed at during his trip to the Commonwealth. 
Who was specifically not invited to the wedding? - Vulpes Inculta and the remainder of the Legion.
Sex:
Who is on top? - Mars
Who is the one to instigate things? - Jochebed
How healthy is their sex life? - They are humping each other on the couch right now
How kinky are they? - With the exception of Mars’ pregnancy kink (apparently he never knew he had a kink until he met her)
How long do they normally last? - Mars once heard the song “Sixty minute man” when he was in Goodneighbor. He took it as literal sex advice. 
Do they make sure each person gets an equal amount of orgasms? - Mars tends to prioritize Jochebed more than himself
How rough are they in bed? - People who gamble at the Lucky 38 sometimes wonder how the place still stands after hearing all the crashing upstairs.
How much cuddling/snuggling do they do? - A little spooning at night, or on the couch, but not in public
Children:
How many children will they have naturally? Jochebed is prone to having twins. 5-6 would be a fair estimate, not counting the potential times pregnancy might occur to do a broken condom, etc. 
How many children will they adopt? - They will probably not adopt due to the number of kids they will produce naturally.
Who gets stuck with the most diapers? - Mars. 
Who is the stricter parent? - Jochebed
Who stops the kid(s) from doing dangerous stunts after school? - Jochebed; Mars would actually encourage them, saying that recovering from injuries will make them stronger men/women as adults.
Who remembers to pack the lunch(es)? - Jochebed
Who is the more loved parent? - Mars by the daughters. Jochebed by the sons.
Who is more likely to attend the PTA meetings? Jochebed; Mars attended one with her and was surprised when she wanted to throw hands with another mom. 
Who cried the most at graduation? - Jochebed. She’s proud that her children has chances that she didn’t personally have as a child. Mars would be proud as well, but he’d keep his emotions under lock and key.
Who is more likely to bail the child(ren) out of trouble with the law? - Considering Mars is a hero and “runs” New Vegas....
Cooking:
Who does the most cooking? - Mars and Jochebed do this equally.
Who is the most picky in their food choice? - Their children; They will never understand why their parents seem to love bloatfly meat when they could be eating brahmin steak instead. 
Who does the grocery shopping? - Mars would be hunting game. Jochebed would be the one trading at the Crimson Caravan. 
How often do they bake desserts? - Rare enough that the children understand that desserts = something really special has happened in the family....usually Jochebed and Mars announcing another addition to their family. 
Are they more of a meat lover or a salad eater? - Meat. 
Who is more likely to surprise the other(s) with an anniversary dinner? - Mars
Who is more likely to suggest going out? - The children; for some reason, they always insist on going to the Gourmand too. 
Who is more likely to burn the house down accidently while cooking? - Mars; he has the impression that a brahmin steak isn’t a brahmin steak unless it has been roasted by an Incinerator. 
Chores:
Who cleans the room? - Jochebed
Who is really against chores? - Their children
Who cleans up after the pets? - Mars; he wouldn’t trust any of his family around their guard-deathclaw. 
Who is more likely to sweep everything under the rug? - Their children
Who stresses the most when guests are coming over? - Jochebed
Who found a dollar between the couch cushions while cleaning? - Their children 
Misc:
Who takes the longer showers/baths? - Mars. 
Who takes the dog out for a walk? - Mars takes out their guard-deathclaw to the Thorn at times to make extra (albeit unnecessary) money in fights. 
How often do they decorate the room/house for the holidays? - Whenever an important holiday/occaision for Atom hits - Jochebed; Whenever an important holiday/occaision for Christ hits - Mars
What are their goals for the relationship? - See this video (Madeon x Porter Robinson - Shelter)
Who is most likely to sleep till noon? - Both, especially after sex. Mars during his time as a father.
Who plays the most pranks? - Jochebed. Mars once tried to play a harmless prank on her and she ended up crying and getting pissed off at him for a couple of days.
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male-emporium · 6 years
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The Sunday Series Vol. 5
Happy Sunday! We took a break from our Sunday Series last week because of the holiday, but we’re back today with a new list of things we learned or were inspired by this week. As always, please feel free to share your Sunday thoughts in the comments, too!
  Julia – Last week I had the honor of attending a lunch for Good Friends of the Lowcountry, a non profit organization in Charleston that raises money to help local low-income families who are in need. During the lunch, they had a few people come and speak who had been directly impacted by the organization. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room after they finished telling their stories and how they’ve been able to overcome some of their hardships with a little help. During one of the speeches, there was a quote that really stuck with me, and this is not word for word, but my takeaway of it- “It all starts with one woman. Many of us can look at our successes in life and pinpoint at least one woman that was there for us, believed in us or helped us.” Often times I think we can feel that as a single person, there isn’t much we can do to make a difference. When we look at all of the hurting and illness and violence in the world, it feels overwhelming to the point of not knowing what to do. This lunch was a great reminder that a single person can make a difference. Whether it’s a monetary donation, or a donation of time and support, there are ways we can directly impact those around us who are in need. Even if we’re only able to help one person, that one person can end up making a difference, too, creating a ripple effect to even more good. It was incredibly touching and moving afternoon and made me want to find out ways I can connect and help with the community even more.
  Thomas – Poor Snapchat, their “little” app only has 178 million daily users, an audience level that other companies would kill for, yet due to extreme competition from Instagram Stories, they are in desperation mode. This week they announced a major redesign of their app, the biggest ever, they claim. So the big question is, will this change propel Snapchat back in place to be an even more serious competitor to Facebook and Instagram?
  Instagram Stories now has nearly double the daily users of Snapchat Stories at 300 million vs. 178 million. Now with Snapchat’s redesign, which they are claiming separates the social from the media, they emphasize having friends on the left and media (brands, publishers, influencers) on the right. Snapchat is making a big bet with the hopes of capturing more and more of their current user’s time and getting back to the user growth rate that their investors expect. They believe that our private conversations between friends should co-exist as neighbors with professional content creators instead of having them compete for attention in the same feed.
  My guess is that this strategy will pay off in the short term, and it will bring back people willing to give Snapchat another try. But I believe the key to sustained success will be the right side, the media, part of the equation. There will have to be enough incentives for professional creators to care enough to figure out novel ways of participating on Snapchat in ways that they aren’t the same as Instagram Stories. Big publishers like magazines, television networks, and large content sites, will easily participate, hiring teams to support these efforts but the key will be if influencers most with no teams at all will come back.
  Despite being the foundation of what Snapchat is built on, they can’t just rely on more messages being shared among friends. That’s because a significant factor in revenue growth is how long users spend in the app, which allows them to serve more ads. New messages between friends will serve as the notifications on people’s phone that bring them back onto Snapchat continuously throughout the day, but people don’t talk to hundreds of friends at once, so the right side, the media side will have to keep people engaged on the app longer.
  If this strategy pays off for Snapchat, don’t be surprised if Facebook and IG follow. In smaller countries, Facebook has already experimented with placing content into a separate Explore Feed for Business pages vs. the standard feed for friends you follow.
  We spend a lot of time on our phones, so social media is not necessarily a winner take all space. But there’s not much room at the top and Facebook has no interest in sharing. Best of luck to Snapchat, who knows if they will succeed, but at least they are making things interesting for those watching. I might even go back to using it as an audience member and maybe eventually as a contributor. What do you think about Snapchat?
  Laura – I recently found out from two of my closest friends that they’re each expecting their first baby! Ah! They’re friends from different periods of my life so they don’t know each other but they each delivered their news to me around the same time. One of them has decided to not find out the sex of the baby until the day she goes into labor and the other friend hasn’t figured out what she’s having yet. However, I want to jump on the chance to get each of them gender neutral congratulatory gifts that are unique, cozy, cute, and fun for either a boy or girl! So I thought I’d share two pointers I keep in mind when looking for the right find; tips you can use if you have any pregnant friends too! First off, I don’t want to take the neutral part too literally especially when it comes to the color of the gift because it may feel a little boring if all the items are a muted tone. Instead, I look for fun patterns mixed with soft textures.
  You can’t go wrong with polka dots especially in the cozy form of this darling baby blanket (in flax) and this dreamsack in silver (the babies in this picture melt my heart). I love the stripes on on this bodysuit and this baby gown in a grapefruit color that is so different from the usual neutral and works for a boy or girl! And lastly, you have to keep the little ones extra warm with wool in this burnt orange cardigan (another great new neutral!) and this adorable bobbled sweater!
  I’d love to know if you have any favorite go-to shops or accessories for gender neutral gifts! I have a feeling I will need to be shopping for lots more of these with the size of my friend group.
  Margaret – This Sunday, I don’t have a new find or update in a certain area of interest, but I do want to share a few reminders for the holiday season. I tend to grow overwhelmed with the planning, gifting, and events and forget to enjoy the simple wonders of the day-to-day. In a season that is meant to bring joy, all of the good things can quickly lead to anxiety (not finding the perfect gift, outfit, feeling as if you’re not doing enough). In the midst of the rush, I want to slow down and be mindful of how I am exerting my energy. This is a special time that sets the tone for the upcoming year. Here are a few thoughts that shed light on the meaning behind words often found on Hallmark cards this time of year:
  Peace: A way I often find peace is by journaling, beginning or ending the day with time to reflect. By writing down fears and uncertainties, I am better able to face them. One way we can extend peace to others is by mending broken relationships. There’s a reason why the last scene in Home Alone, when the elderly neighbor reconnects with his family, is so heart warming.
  Joy: The holiday season is meant to bring joy, and the world needs a bit more of it. There are most likely areas in your life where you’ve been a bit half-hearted or apathetic. There’s no better time to identify those areas and fill them with the joy of the season.
  Hope: Many traditions center around ‘belief’ and ‘hope’. Childlike belief in your dreams, that you can make waves, conquer fear – I think we can all rally around that kind of belief. We can share hope by serving others as well, The Salvation Army Angel Program is one I love.
  Love: There are simple ways to love others this time of year. Here are a few ideas: Celebrate a neighbor with an easy homemade gift, reconnect with loved ones and old friends through a Christmas card so they know they’re on your mind, share a smile and word of encouragement to those working long hours. Sometimes, the perfect gift is a simple action to show you care.
The post The Sunday Series Vol. 5 appeared first on Gal Meets Glam.
First found here: The Sunday Series Vol. 5
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Japan...
I found myself in quite an emotional state today. I have noticed that S2 is getting itchy feet, and I'm worried that he's going to up and go, and I'll ever get to be with him... Yesterday he opened up a little to me about how he isn't happy in his new job and how he is considering jacking it in and finding something else. I wasn't horrifically worried at the time. Diva told him not to do anything rash, saying it would be a foolish idea to quit before finding something else first. I didn't say so, but I agreed. This seemed to quell his thoughts for the time being and we moved on to cheerier topics of conversation. This morning I awoke with a start at 5AM. I don't remember exactly what my dream was, but it involved S2 leaving work and me not knowing what to do. I ended up laying there, constructing a plan of action just in case S2 did decide to leave. I decided I would talk to him and tell him that I would still want to see him once he'd left, and to get him to tell if that was a realistic want or not. This simple plan did make me feel calmer, but I still couldn't sleep. I had started to think about his upcoming birthday (Saturday) and how I'd like to spend it with him. I daydreamed about going bowling together, and the idea stuck. So how would I make this happen? I didn't even know if he already had plans - he hadn't said anything, but then he rarely elaborates about things like that. The only thing I could really do was ask, and of course this made me anxious! It wasn't even the potential of him saying no because he already had plans; it was the worry that he might think it weird or too full on, and how that would devastate me. Ugh... but I just had to try... At work, I ended up going to sit with him at his lunch time club. I had a plan to try to work the conversation around to his birthday and slip the bowling idea in there, casually. The problem was, when I arrived, he instantly blindsided me and I was thrown off my stride. "Do you know anyone locally who teaches Japanese?" he asked. "No." I answered quietly, my heart sinking. "I really need to start learning Japanese." As he continued to talk about it, my heart was rising in my chest. He hadn't really mentioned Japan seriously for some time now, so I'd assumed he'd forgotten about the idea. Actively searching for a Japanese teacher showed me that he was serious after all... and my heart broke. I felt more in that moment that I was about to lose him. He then started saying how he was thinking of resigning from both our school and the sister school after the next holiday, and then we had a moment - he looked deeply at me as I looked deeply at him, pained by his words. Quietly, reluctantly, I squeezed out the most unselfish phrase I could. "You've got to do what you've got to do." I said, voice cracking. He didn't hear me and asked me to repeat myself. I did, and he continued to stare into my soul. I looked up at the wall above his head in an attempt to escape the trauma of the moment, then the first aid phone rang. It was almost as if S2 didn't want me to answer it. He enquires far too much about the call, which at the time I assumed was because he could see I didn't want to cut my lunch short and he was concerned for me. Now I wonder if there was more too it. Could it have been that he wanted to stare at me some more, to work out what I was really feeling? When I returned to his side after (not literally) throwing an ice pack at a student, I could barely muster up the enthusiasm to converse with S2. I just felt tearful and heavy hearted, and it was almost a relief when he had to walk to the other side of the room to deal with a misbehaving printer. I just sat and tried to enjoy a silly conversation with a boy, failing miserably. At the end of lunch, I asked S2 if he was coming back to our room. He said he would after visiting the bathroom, to make tea, but he never returned. He couldn't attend our department meeting, which in his absence, I completely zoned out of. I then had to co-run a group with Firebrand, and I could barely speak. I just wanted to sulk and cry and give up. After school, I went back to our room. S2 and Diva were getting their coats on to leave, and as I caught eyes with S2, he gave me a smile I'd never seen from him before - a sad smile. It was a smile that seemed to say, "I know you're sad I'm leaving", but didn't offer any solutions. No comfort. No clues. S2 and Diva had barely left the room before I broke down. I couldn't help but spill my sorrows (to a certain extent) to Firebrand. I eluded to the idea that I was worried about losing someone who wanted to move far away, and how I was scared I'd left it too late to try to get things off the ground with them. Firebrand was so kind and offered me some really comforting words. She pretty much told me to stop letting things control me, and to go for it. It really put things in perspective, but my problems still aren't solved. The problem is Japan. Living there is S2's dream and he seems to want to escape there as soon as possible. Now, in an ideal world I'd just up sticks and go with him, but I can't! I'm tied down with my godforsaken degree, and the even more godforsaken student loan! I still have three years of my degree left, then I'm forbidden from living abroad for a further four years due to stupid student loan rules! It's ridiculous, and I wish more than anything that I had known what the future held before I signed up for my course! I never would have started it - I don't enjoy it anyway, and now I no longer want to become a teacher, there seems no point in it. Ugh. I really have screwed up my own life!!! So, what can I do? Well, firstly I need to establish how S2 feels about me. There's no point even thinking about what I'm going to do about uni until then... But what can I do about uni? If I quit, I've wasted three years and got myself into a pointless debt. If I postpone my studies for a year or however long, I'd still have to come back and finish them as I have a maximum of sixteen years to complete it. And still there's a problem there as I don't know how living in Japan between studies would affect my loan. I'm so confused! I need a miracle, or for Japan to mysteriously disappear...
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