#PROBABLY should not have been the takeaway from this conversation but here we are

[morethansky]

***TBB SPOILERS***

My primary takeaway from these last six episodes is that Hunter and Crosshair ARE SO MARRIED OH MY GOD. They do everything together, even little chores.

And my Crosshair-is-Hunter's-second agenda continues to thrive; since their reunion, Hunter has hardly made a decision without checking with Crosshair first.

The way I cackled at Crosshair looking up at a ship careening in the sky and being all put upon: "Uh-huh. That's the idiot I married. Unfortunately."

And then the way he hurriedly reached for his binocs when they saw the ship crash, and how the camera lingers on him to show his relief, sob. I see you and thank you for your service, shippers on the crew.

Finally a glimpse of the cadets! Thinking about them tasting ice cream for the first time makes me want to cry. How many clones have never tasted it...

I like that "Identity Crisis" was like a mirror of "Confined," but I think it could have been 15 minutes. To be fair to them, I feel this way about like 75% of the franchise.

So we were all very wrong about what was in the Vault. What was Palpatine even going in there for, honestly. I do quite like this foreshadowing of the Inquisitorius though.

The ominous hint about Emerie's past is interesting. Is the implication that Nala Se took Omega under her wing and abandoned the rest of the Omega clones? Like Jango, I guess.

I love that Tarkin's cameos are all about funding. Something about the Imps squabbling over government spending just delights me. I wonder if the end of that conversation actually means he's not going to be killed by the clones but by Palpatine instead? That'd be kind of disappointing tbh.

Hilarious to me that Fennec got an entire episode and Cad Bane got like two minutes of screentime. Like Asajj, he knows when to stay out of the plot. They did my boy Todo justice though, love that dumb droid.

I, a plushie enthusiast, approve of how this is adamantly a pro-plushie show. But how am I supposed to believe that Omega, who missed Lula so much she effectively cloned her, was just going to leave her there??? I guess that whole scene was just a way to remove her and the goggles from the ship before it exploded.

I'm in the middle of writing like five different Tech/Wrecker whump fics and even I wouldn't have written CX-2 effectively shooting Wrecker. My heart!!!

I was so worried about Gonky. Glad he's okay.

"Point of No Return" needed 15 more minutes, actually. I continually find it so jarring how quickly this show breezes through reactions. It would've been nice to see at least a little more from the Batch at the sight of their ship being blown up.

That ending...was not for me. Crosshair missing that shot after he was given an entire episode to figure out what was wrong and meditate is such a frustrating choice. What even is going to be the arc here? Is it really going to be him abandoning his weapon entirely? That should be an upswing in the plot, but at this point it'd be more believable for him to be like, "Man, fuck this, I'm over it," lmao.

I'm glad Omega at least chose to get captured. Everyone knows I've been pissed about the anti-heroic messaging of this show from the start, and given how afraid I was that they would just abandon the other clones, I'm very relieved Omega's had this arc of worrying about them. But it's so silly to retread this line of plot after the three kickass episodes covering this exact thing. These next episodes are absolutely about to be messy af, and it's a bummer how it'll take away from the impressive clarity of the first three.

Why does this show keep cutting the titular team off at the knees?? Seems like Omega will probably work with Emerie and Nala Se to contact the Batch and Echo/Rex with the coordinates, but that will mean that Hunter's group will once again be lost and searching in the meantime. And they didn't even get to find her the first time!

Truly the quintessential fandom show. Half of it makes me tear my hair out in frustration and the other half makes me shriek in delight.

#cloneshipping #the bad batch spoilers #tbb spoilers #the bad batch #amph talks #star wars #crosshunter #crosshunt

[rougevingirl]

bobal (9) - jenna ortega please? ❤️‍🩹

❝Unfinished Paths❞

Character: Tara Carpenter

Words: 1117

Warnings: none

Wine: Bobal

Number: 9

Prompt: exes to lovers - both ending up in the same small town 8 years later…what could possibly happen?

❝prompts with wine❞

I really tried to write for Jenna, but as the text developed I realized that it was better for Tara, nothing makes much sense, but I hope you like it. There's no happy ending here, just anguish.

"It's so strange that we've ended up here together after all these years, but you still don't want to talk to me. You're just going to spend the whole evening drinking wine and eating takeaway, aren't you?" she asked. You had no idea why you always had to talk about these things now, always at the wrong time. Why couldn't you just get on with it as an adult? 

"Are you sure you don't want to get drunk one last time before you leave for New York? We haven't done that since we graduated from high school." - It was true; you hadn't even realized it until now. Should you have known that your only friend and girlfriend, ex now, would be living in New York City after she finally graduated, after all the turbulent events how could she go on in Woodboro? You should have known that one day that relationship would end and leave a gaping wound in your chest, even after years it still hurt so much... And yet, he didn't seem to care. Could it be that she was so used to it? So used to it that she no longer missed him?  Miss the relationship they had?

No, it wasn't that at all. No. There was something else bothering her. The point was that there was nothing wrong with her. She had always been kind to you, and still was. She was kind and helpful and very pretty. But it was more than that. The way she said things made them seem a little different from what they really were. Not in a bad way, of course, because how would she know what she wanted if her life revolved around the past, around what other people wanted? She probably wouldn't understand that at all, she wouldn't understand herself. It was just that she seemed to expect you to respond in the same way that everyone else did. And that... wasn't right at all.

There was something else wrong with her, you realized now, something beyond all the troubled events of the last few years. The reason you never wanted to think about her again was because you knew exactly what it was. Because you remembered. You had been best friends before graduation. Girlfriends. And then she'd gone to New York City and you'd broken up and then barely talked for months. Now, suddenly, you were back in the same city? What had happened between then and now? Why did you feel so lonely? What was she hiding? What had changed? Why was everything so much easier before than now? Everything was still "the same", but it felt like things had changed so much. Why couldn't you understand? Why couldn't you see the signs? Why couldn't she? Was there a part of her that wasn't even there anymore? Something inside her was gone. You knew that. He had seen it happen many times before. But when? When? Where? Had it been before or after graduation? Had you even had a normal conversation? Or were you the only one who had noticed? It was so strange; you wished you could just ask her the questions you were thinking, but you didn't think she would answer them anyway. And you really didn't want to know.

"I'm sorry to keep bringing it up," she continued. "But it seems that every time I try to mention it, you run away like the plague. Remember our first date? Remember how uncomfortable we were at first? Remember how nervous and awkward we were when we tried to kiss? Can't we just start again?"

Yes. Yes, they could. You remembered. You also remembered that it had been amazing and wonderful, everything that should happen with a first kiss. So why did you feel so miserable now? You looked down at the table, remembering those days. Your eyes fixed on his face before you slowly shook your head in denial. "That's not it at all. We went on lots of dates and kissed several times. Don't get me wrong. I love kissing you. More than anything. And I can promise you that I would never push you away to avoid kissing you." It may have sounded silly, but honestly, you meant every word you were saying. You loved kissing her. It had been the only time you had really felt happy, fulfilled and alive. It had been perfect. And maybe you needed to go out with her to forget about it for a while and create new memories with someone else. Someone other than her. And Tara, someone who wasn't you. "But I can't. I really like you. But I can't..."

She frowned in confusion, also looking perplexed. "Why? If that's really the case, then why are you so determined not to see me, not to be with me?"

Because you couldn't do that. "Because I want to. Very much. I want to see you all the time. But I can't. Because my life is here in Woodsboro. This is my home. And I don't belong anywhere else. I mean, it may sound silly, but I love this town. It's where I belong. My family is here. And my work is here. And my friends are here, and my girlfriend is here..." You stopped when she opened her mouth to speak again. That was very difficult to explain. You had to find some kind of excuse. "And I've decided to stay here, I know everything that's happened has been terrible, but I'm just leaving here to pursue my life in Boston, where my girlfriend's family lives. And maybe I'll go on like this forever. Maybe it's selfish, but I'm not going to let anything else ruin my perfect life here in Woodsboro or Boston maybe..."

She stared at you, clearly not liking the answer that came out of your mouth. Her lips formed an "o", obviously not expecting it. "I see," she finally replied. She stood up abruptly and turned to leave the restaurant. "Well then, I guess we should move on. Goodbye, Y/n. Have a good night."

You said nothing. Simply watched her walk away. You hated yourself so much. You were a coward. It was just that you were afraid. Afraid to accept what had happened before your graduation. Afraid to accept what was happening now. Afraid that maybe it was a big mistake, a sign, something that would change everything. And, above all, afraid that you were falling in love with someone who wouldn't fall in love with who you were now. That was your biggest fear. That you would become just another person she would fall in love with, but who would never be good enough.

© rougevingirl - scream and horror writer

#scream #creative writing #scream fanfic #scream imagine #scream headcanons #scream one shot #scream movies #dialogue prompt #tara carpenter x reader #tara carpenter #tara carpenter x y/n #tara carpenter x you #tara carpenter x female reader #jenna ortega #jenna ortega x reader #jenna ortega x you #jenna ortega x y/n #scream 1996 #scream x reader #scream oneshot #scream franchise

[miraculouslbcnreactions]

Marinette and the Bias Against Female Leaders

I've recently been reading some studies on female leaders and it got me thinking about Miraculous because of course it did. The thing that stood out to me was the fact that female leaders are seen as more selfish than their male counterparts even when nothing but the name is changed. You can read up on one of those studies here and a more generalized study on the same topic here.

The big takeaway from these is that women are expected to be nurturing and compassionate. If they're too initiative focused, then they're judged as mean even if they're acting the exact same way as a male colleague who is well liked.

When women leaders are as assertive as men; they are seen as less likable. The fundamental attribution error is that when women lead with a confident direct style, they are self-serving. Conversely, when men lead in this same manner they are well intended strong leaders. Therefore women must work harder to be seen as well intended, likable leaders. To do this they must spend more time building relationships, especially with other female peers and subordinates.

This brings us to Marinette.

I've personally never understood why people were so harsh in their criticism towards Marinette for her actions in season four. Yes, she absolutely should have told Chat Noir about Alya, but that's not why he quit. He learns about the Alya thing in episode 16 and tells Ladybug that it was okay:

Ladybug: I'm really sorry, Cat Noir. I should've told you. I mean, if I found out that you told someone about your secret identity, I'd... probably be upset, too. I'm really sorry I hurt your feelings. Cat Noir: You didn't hurt my feelings. You did everything right. Paris will always need a Ladybug superhero to watch over her. It's just... I realized that if one day that hero wasn't you, m'lady, since we don't know each other's identities, that means... I'd never see you again. Ever. And now, I just don't know if I can bear it

The thing that leads to him quitting in episode 23 - and the main source of tension for the season - is that he's not special anymore. He's just another part of the team:

Ladybug: (from TV) Of course not, it's just that... umm, he's a partner like any other! The most important is to pick the best superheroes for each mission, with or without Cat Noir. No matter what, we've got a great team and we'll always be here to save Paris. (Adrien is shocked.) Adrien: (turns off the TV and sighs) "A partner like any other..."

This is it. This is the line that pushes him to the brink. This is not followed by him trying to tell Ladybug that he's hurting. It's followed by him trying to get her to let him collect some miraculouses for her so that he feels more special:

Cat Noir: Hey! Meow are you, m'lady? Ladybug: Great, thanks, but I gotta go retrieve all these Miraculous. Cat Noir: I could lend you a paw to help save time. Ladybug: Thanks, kitty cat, but it's a guardian's job to do it. Cat Noir: I know who some of them are, remember? I was there when you first gave them their Miraculous! Ladybug: You don't even know where their rendezvous points are, I don't have time to— Cat Noir: Playing cat and mouse is my forte, you know— Ladybug: (yelling) If you wanna save me time, stop wasting it in the first place! (Cat Noir gasps. As Ladybug swings away, Cat Noir clenches his fist.) Cat Noir: And take my Miraculous back when you're done! Ladybug: (swinging away) Okay, whatever, see you later! Cat Noir: I won't waste your time anymore, I promise. Claws in. (detransforms to Adrien)

It's worth noting that Ladybug isn't actually treating him differently than she did before here. He's never been involved in the guardian stuff. We've seen him complain about that fact, but only to Plagg. As far as Ladybug is concerned, this is just their normal dynamic and Chat Noir is being weirdly demanding when she's on a time limit. She only gets snappy when he won't let her leave. She doesn't berate him for missing the battle or anything like that. She even listens to him initially and only tunes him out after he keeps making the same demand that she frankly has a solid counter argument to.

In other words, Chat Noir completely fails to communicate his needs and then quits without warning because he's not feeling special enough. I don't think that I've ever seen a fic addressing that flaw in Adrien's character (though I'm sure one exists), but there are A LOT of fics complaining about Marinette's behavior. The issues of his poor communication and selfish way of addressing his needs are largely ignored by the fandom because he was hurting and Ladybug didn't see it and how can she call herself a good leader/partner after that?

That focus on Chat Noir's feelings has always confused me because they're superheroes. Doesn't Paris come before feelings? In my book, Marinette's only flaw was keeping Alya's promotion from Chat Noir because it almost cost them both the sentibubbler and the Hack San fight. Once the Alya thing was out in the open and Ladybug apologized and Chat Noir told her that he wasn't mad about it, she was in the clear. The only issue that she knew about was resolved. All of the other tension comes from things that she's entirely unaware of like Nino not giving Adrien the full context of his and Alya's identity reveal.

It might not be satisfying for the audience, but logically speaking, Marinette using her expanded resources to win fights is just effective battle strategy. Of course you'd bring more heroes or focus on the heroes who will best aid your strategy when trying to keep the world safe. She's also free to pick her own second in command even if we'd prefer it to be Chat Noir over Alya. An identity reveal would be nice, but that's her choice and she's not wrong for prioritizing safety over feelings. Basically, she's not doing anything objectively wrong at the point where Chat Noir quits.

Along similar lines, it's Adrien's responsibility to talk about his issues. The fact that he doesn't is a character flaw on his part, not a failing on Ladybug's. Especially since she does ask when she notices that something is off and he lies.

This is actually a lesson that I had to learn as a teen: don't expect people to read your mind. They're probably focused on their own lives and problems and will take your words at face value. If you need help or comfort, then you need to speak up and be clear about what you need so that people can make time for you. I think a lot of people go through a phase like that, so it's a good flaw for a character to have as long as you treat it as a flaw and let them grow.

After reading the above studies and others on female leadership, I wonder if the gender phenomenon is playing a part in this criticism dynamic. Would people judge Marinette this harshly if she was Marvin or would they be sighing over Adriena being overly dramatic and not communicating? Aren't women often told to say what they mean? That rule applies to men, too.

I don't have an answer to those questions, but I thought it was an interesting notion and I'm curious what others think! I do want to mention one more time that Marinette isn't flawless, she definitely made mistakes. I've previously mentioned that, at some level, she's actively written to be unlikable. I'm only focusing on Adrien's flaws because they're so rarely discussed in this context and I'm curious why that is. The fact that Marinette gets more screen time and focus on her flaws could also play a big part.

I tend to look at plots from a writing perspective, thinking about how I'd handle them, and I know that's not the average viewing experience, so that may also be why I look at this so differently from what seems to be the common opinion. If I were writing this, it would be a lesson on communication focused around Adrien's flaws, but learned by both of them because heaven knows Ladybug's out of battle communication skills aren't great. But since she's basically a military leader and not Captain of the friend squad, that's not a massive character flaw. It's just an area where she could improve.

#marinette dupain cheng #kuro neko #ml fandom critical

[tinybitsubby]

You have described yourself as "NOT a masochist" but enjoying rough (often very rough) sex. You have described your Husband as not only a Dom but a sadist as well. This is very similar to my relationship.

How does one balance the desire to [consensually] inflict pain on someone who is not completely wired to receive it? Conversely, how far will/do you let him go before limits kick in? Is that limit based on your desire to please or your personal, physical limit?

I have been with masochists before and the flow was very natural and easy. But with someone who is also self described as "not a masochist" AND me being a sadist who would not want to hurt anyone outside of a BDSM consensual agreement, I sometime find myself treading especially carefully.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

Hi Anon. I’m glad you wish to tread carefully! I want to give a thoughtful answer. Before I get to your question, I feel I should define my husband and myself a little better for clarity’s sake.

I say I’m not a masochist because I don’t enjoy the actual sensation of pain. I do however really enjoy that my trusted partner is either turned on or finds some other positive from inflicting those sensations on me when he knows he’s making me uncomfortable . For whatever reason, it’s the ‘he likes that I don’t like this’ that I enjoy. Does that technically fall on the masochist spectrum? Maybe??? It depends on which definition you’re working with. I’m just not a pain puppy. I don’t dream of physical pain and I don’t get off from the actual sensations of pain.

Now for the Hubs. Another writer used the term “sensual sadist” on here before and I feel that applies to him. If there were a sadist spectrum he’d be Sadist Light. He doesn’t desire to push me to see how much pain I can/will take for him. He does enjoy taking his pleasure from me in ways that are emotionally complex for me (us?). I get the great subby feelings that feed my soul, he lets loose the sexual side of his dominance. He does seem to be growing and exploring this side of himself. I wrote in another post that he’d probably have trouble answering the question “Do you like face/throat fucking me so hard that it hurts me?”. I wrote that I assumed my sweet hubby would struggle with how he feels about it, but I asked him the question a week or two ago and he answered with “YES”. I must admit I really liked his emphatic answer.

Ok, now that you understand us a little better, I’ll try to answer your question. For us, the balance is struck from years of growing into this together. He’s not the kind of sadist that simply wants me to suffer more and more for him. (There’s no judgement here for other types of sadists.) He has studied my immediate and long term reactions to the uncomfortable and painful. We have awkward conversations about us each being happy I hurt for him. He cares about my pleasure a great deal and has done an AMAZING job at exploring what feels good to him, turns him on, fits inside my pain tolerance, feeds my subby heart, and brings us closer together.

In our situation, our desires just seem to line up. We lucked out on that one. He hasn’t expressed any interest to explore inflicting more pain on me. If he did, I’m sure we’d talk it out a lot. I’d do my best to give him whatever I’m capable of. In our relationship, he does have the freedom to explore and push a bit, safeword at the ready. I’ve told him many times that I’d rather be in a situation where we need to talk about maybe reeling in a certain activity or intensity level than for him to ever feeling unable to express himself and explore. I encourage him to try new things and he welcomes honest feedback. I guess that last sentence might be the takeaway here.

I fear our situation may not be of much help to you, sorry about that. We’re all so different when it comes to this stuff, but I suppose there’s always something we can learn from each other.

Again, it’s good that you know yourself and want to tread carefully.

#24/7 d/s #d/s marriage #d/s real life #real d/s #dom/sub #d/s lifestyle #d/s #submissivewife

[clingyduoapologist]

Ok, since it’s been a bit and I’ve had some time to sit with it, here are my thoughts.

If you separate this stream from the greater narrative that Wilbur has been weaving, then it’s fucking superb. The c!Crimeboys parts are some of the best we’ve had in the entire history of the server, the Utah bit is fucking hilarious, and the overall message of the stream is so heartwarming, literally I’d have no problems calling this one of my top 3, maybe even top 2 c!Wilbur streams.

The issue is, that this isn’t a standalone story. This is the conclusion of c!Wilbur’s story on the dream smp. More specifically, it’s the conclusion of revivebur’s season 4 arc, and as an ending, it kind of makes no sense?

Like sure, the message of Wilbur freeing himself from the narrative by actually crossing over into the real world is cool, but at least to me it comes off as so much more of a downer ending than it was probably meant to. Basically, I’m left to assume that this guy who’s struggled for so long is now just sitting alone in a random gas station in Buttfuck, Utah? The final poem even goes so far as to suggest that he’s never going to forgive himself (which is also supported by the crimeboy’s conversation on the peninsula)? There’s no suggestion that he’s going to be doing better, which just feels like angst for the sake of angst.

That’s not even mentioning how this slots into the other apology streams. Like, this stream takes all the juicy character dynamics we got introduced to in those streams, and throws it out in favor of showing Wilbur being potentially miserable for the rest of his life? Like, looking at the Fundy stream in particular just makes this ending ring that much more hollow, as it’s just Wilbur leaving fundy again, showing that he’s learned basically nothing from any of those interactions?

To me at least, the point of the apology streams seemed to be showing how Wilbur’s negative self-image damaged his relationship with other characters, making these apologies extremely superficial and one sided. Inconsolable Differences especially seemed to prove this point, but now these streams just seem so much more, idk pointless? Like, they seem so boring in context of this finale.

Basically, this ending is the safest, and least interesting out for c!Wilbur in my opinion. The only logical takeaway this arc gives the audience is that if you think that you’re a bad enough person, you don’t deserve your friends and family and should

And again, in context of the greater narrative of not only c!Wilbur’s arc, but the entire dream smp, it just feels cheap.

Feel free to add on if you disagree but I just don’t think this ending works.

#discourse #negativity #to be clear I don’t think this stream is bad at all #I just think it fails as an ending #but again just my opinion #Dream smp analysis #c!wilbur

[angellayercake]

Sam and the Series of Disastrous Dates

Sam has watched her new best friend fall in love with the man of her dreams but when will it be her turn? For OC kiss week 2023 we will follow Sam from the Pastimes for a Retired Papa series on some of her dating adventures and see if she will ever meet her dream man.

Original Female Character x Original Male Character

Original Female Character x Papa Emeritus III

AO3

Day 4 - Charm

As he leant down and kissed her hand she realised she had forgotten quite how good looking he was. She could feel Emma next to her vibrating with the urge to ask questions but he quickly dismissed them, whisking her friend away in his fancy chauffeur driven car in a tactful way but with a strict air of finality. As the car drove off the gossip trio surrounded her and she knew that she wasn’t going to get away without giving them something. 

‘That’s the new boyfriend?’ Hannah got in there first, setting off a barrage from the other two.

‘Of course it’s the new boyfriend.’ Melissa said, rolling her eyes.

‘What I want to know is how you know him?’ Emma was fixing her with a predatory look. She knew she was going to have to tread carefully here. She didn’t want to accidentally make her friend look bad.

‘He works at a Spa outside the city that I have been to.’ She didn’t want to give much more away. 

‘Oh.’ Emma looked put out that there wasn't more to the story. They looked shocked, clearly expecting more from her. 

‘So…’ Melissa prompted her. ‘How did they meet?’ Sam was already ready to be done with this conversation.

‘I recommended the Spa to her and they hit it off. I don’t know what else to tell you I wasn’t there.’ She started to push past them already thinking about the quiet apartment waiting for her and whether she should stop and get a bottle of wine on the way or not. 

‘One more question.’ Emma grasped her arm as she walked past and she looked down at it shocked that she would be that forward. ‘What’s the name of this Spa?’

She took a moment to decide if she should tell her. It would probably come back to bite her whichever choice she made so she went with the easiest option. 

‘The Ministry.’ Emma let go of her wrist and she walked as fast as she could away from them. 

Later that evening as she curled up on the sofa with that bottle of wine she thought back to her visit to the Ministry. 

‘You are going to love it babe. Martin’s wife said it’s the best Spa she has ever been to and she is always going to these places.’ She held the phone tightly to her ear, slightly nervous to talk too loudly in front of the masked man at her door. 

‘I just wish you had given me a bit more notice Tom.’ She smiled at the man apologetically as she tried to pack her bag, remembering everything she would need. 

‘I wanted to make up for missing our anniversary babe. If I can’t be there to spoil you at least I can pay the best of the best to do it for me.’ She could hear the smug smile on his face down the phone line and she didn’t really appreciate the sentiment. Yes they both worked hard for their money but she would have preferred a card and a takeaway if it meant they could spend the day together. 

‘I just wish I could see you.’ She said quietly, trying not to sound too wistful. ‘Are you sure we can’t even video chat? I don’t mind waiting until later.’

‘I’m sorry babe but I’m slammed with client meetings all weekend. I told you this.’ She didn’t like being so needy but she missed him, being away as much as he was. He sighs starting to get irritated by the sound of it. ‘Look, just go to the Spa, have a good time and if you still aren’t happy I’ll make it up to you when I get back.’ 

‘I’m sorry I’m being ungrateful aren’t I?’ She tried to fight down the tears that were building.

‘A little bit but I still love you.’ She could hear voices starting in the background. ‘Look babe 

I’ve got to go.’

‘I love you too.’ And then he is gone. ‘Bye.’ She grabs her bag and coat and tries to smile at the masked man. ‘Sorry to keep you waiting so long.’ He just nods and gestures for her to follow. 

The Ministry Spa was everything Tom had promised it would be and more. The location was beautiful, the staff were attentive and kind and the treatments she had received so far had been perfectly relaxing. She was sat waiting in a private room now for her last treatment. The room was lovely. The dark wood panelling brightened with cream accents, her bare feet sunk into the soft pile of the carpet and she was able to curl up comfortably with her coffee in the love seat that was positioned so she could see out the window to the rose garden beyond. 

She couldn’t find fault with any part of her day and yet she felt hollow in her enjoyment. Before she could wallow too much there was a knock on the door and she could hear a man's voice asking for permission to enter.

‘Come in,’ she called, rising to greet him. He was stunning to put it mildly. He was older easily in his late fifties, but he was incredibly handsome with perfectly styled hair and an air of easy charm and confidence about him. He crossed the room quickly reaching out his hand as he approached. She reciprocated the gesture thinking he wanted to shake her hand but instead he bent down bringing her hand to his mouth and pressing a gentle kiss to the back of it, which in spite of all her emotional turmoil made her heart flutter. 

‘Welcome to the Ministry, Samantha. I am Terzo and I hope you are enjoying your stay with us so far?’ He gestured for her to take a seat and he followed suit sitting in the armchair across from her. 

‘It’s Sam if that’s ok,’ he nodded in acknowledgement. ‘It’s been lovely so far and I am so looking forward to having a massage.’

‘Sam, of course. Have you had a massage before?’ She had been curious when the nun that brought her up had said they would need to speak before the massage could begin but it seemed she was about to find out. 

‘Never a full body massage no. I’ve had my neck and shoulders done before and I had a boyfriend that liked massaging feet,’ she giggles not really sure why she shared that little titbit but he laughed low and fixed her with an intense look drawing her attention to his odd mismatched eyes.

‘Oh really? So you are familiar with massage in a more intimate context?’ The look he was giving her made her feel warm but a bit awkward as well. 

‘Um yes, as much as most people I guess?’ She wasn’t sure if she liked the turn of the conversation and wondered if she had made a mistake with her awkward joke. 

‘The relaxation experience was designed by me personally to offer a completely tailored experience and allow clients to get the experience they truly need.’ He was leaning towards her, watching her intently, she suspects to make sure she is listening to him properly. ‘So if someone has tension in their shoulders, they have a shoulder massage, if they have soreness in their calves, they have a calf massage. But if the tension is more internal, well I can help with this also.’ It took her a moment to figure out what he was suggesting.

No, definitely not.’ She couldn’t quite believe what she was hearing. ‘Is that what you do here?’ She looked around her, looking to see if she had missed any signs. She couldn’t quite believe that Tom had sent her somewhere that offered what he was suggesting! Feeling suddenly self conscious at wearing only a robe she pulled it tighter around herself.  

‘May I ask how you found out about this experience fiore mio?’ He looked at her, appearing confused by her reaction. ‘This particular service is well, let’s just say it is not advertised. Typically my clients are recommended by others that have already enjoyed the experience.’

‘My boyfriend booked it for me,’ she replied, still slightly in shock at his proposition.’ He said a friend's wife had recommended it. Oh god he didn't know did he? He said he would pay for someone to look after me because he wasn’t able to.’ Her eyes felt as wide saucers and a sick feeling began to grow inside her at the thought of Tom deliberately paying for some random guy to fuck her instead of spending the day with her himself. Tears welled up in her eyes and she started gasping in breaths in panic. 

In an instant he was knelt before her, taking both of her hands in his and over the thoughts buzzing in her head she heard him telling her to look into his eyes, breathe with him and that everything was ok. She didn’t know why this stranger was able to calm her down especially as he had offered to make her orgasm after only speaking to her for a matter of minutes but something about his steady mismatched eyes and low melodic voice cut through the haze. 

‘I’m sorry,’ she whispered, looking down at their joined hands.

‘No apologies needed Sam.’ He gently lifted her chin forcing her to lock eyes with him once again. ‘I do not know for certain fiore mio but perhaps your friend's wife was not entirely honest about her visit to her husband and your man, hm? I don’t imagine a man with a partner as beautiful as you would send her off to me if he knew?’ She couldn’t help but blush at his compliments but she was relieved to see his smile was soft and genuine now rather than the seductive smirk he’d been wearing before. She took a deep breath before replying.

‘You are probably right.’ She tried to return the smile but ended up grimacing at the feel of drying tears on her face. 

‘Si, I am often right in these things. Let me fetch you a tissue, Sam.’ He started to get up but let out a small oof and ended up having to haul himself up using the arm of the loveseat. ‘Sometimes I am forgetting that I am no longer a young man. I shall have to remember the knees are not what they were next time I need to comfort a crying lady,’ he laughed as he hobbled slightly towards the cabinet. He brought her back a handful of soft tissues which she took with gratitude, wiping her face and nose as he resumed his seat in the armchair. 

‘Now there are a few options available to you fiore mio. You may leave now but I think that I would not like you to end your day with us on this note so, if you prefer I can order us more coffee we can have a nice talk. I am as good a conversationalist as a lover I am told.’ He wiggles his eyebrows as he talks, managing to pull a laugh from her. ‘This is option one. Or, option two you receive your massage and only a massage.’ His expression snapped to serious all of a sudden and she appreciated all the effort he was going to to put her at ease. ‘Either from myself or if you would be more comfortable with another practitioner.’      

She took her time to think. If he had made the same offer before comforting her so sensitively she probably would have wanted someone else but he had done nothing but prove himself to be genuine and thoughtful so she actually felt comfortable with him in spite of his original proposition. And she really did want a massage.

‘I think I would be ok having a massage from you. As long as it is just a massage.’ She is sure he wouldn’t do anything without getting her consent but she felt better being upfront. 

‘Of course fiore mio, I would never touch you in a way to make you uncomfortable and you must just say if you wish to stop. At any time, si?’ He was so sincere she felt confident she could trust him so she nodded. He smiled as he rose from the chair and moved towards her slowly before he took her hand helping her to her feet and led her over to the massage table. He gave her privacy while explaining his process to her in detail as she got herself situated on the table. He worked quickly and efficiently asking for her preference of fragrances and oils and before long he was rubbing away all her stresses and worries with his strong hands. 

Now she had finally relaxed a tiny part of her brain piped up as he worked saying what if? What if she had taken up on his offer but she shushed it quickly while smiling to herself. She may be head over heels for Tom but she wasn’t entirely immune to an attractive, kind, older man running his hands all over her. She had never had such a thorough skilled massage before and she felt boneless by the time he had finished.

‘There, fiore mio all done. You may stay here as long as you need, just come down to reception when you are ready and they will arrange for a car to take you home.’ He was resting a hand on her shoulder and she felt a twinge of sadness that she would never see him again. ‘I will leave you now, Sam. It has been a pleasure.’ 

‘Thank you Terzo, for everything.’ Later she would blame her emotional state on all sorts of things, Tom’s continued absence, maybe PMT, but if she was honest it was that this man had shown her the most kindness she had experienced in far too long.  

#ockiss23 #pastimes for a retired papa #finally #the band ghost fic #my writing #ockissweek #sorry i'm so late

[progg]

Chapter 392 Breakdown

Another week, another exciting chapter. These are my thoughts on the latest installment of Hunter x Hunter. (Spoilers below)

Chapter 392 is entitled “Information”. Turns out, the “Clash” sequence of chapters didn’t run that long. It seems they were centered around the initial conflict between the Xi-Yu and Hei-Ly, while 392 shifts to broader strokes. I still get the sense that everything is building up to a major chaotic outbreak between the mafia families.

On the first page, similar to “Clash: Part 2”, emphasis is placed on the panic brewing belowdecks. I probably sound like a broken record here, but this all relates back to Mizaistom’s speech in Chapter 380.

Amidst the confusion, a guard approaches Hinrigh and offers him information on Morena’s hideout. This is likely the information referred to in the title. The guard in question is extremely suspicious, and not just because of his appearance. He uses knowledge of the Xi-Yu hideout as leverage.

He also accepts Hinrigh’s request that he personally escort him to Morena’s hideout.

Why would this self-serving guard offer to take part in the police raid? I’m not sure if he’s working for Morena, but his actions certainly don’t add up.

After this conversation, we learn the identity of the mysterious “Misha”, who was name-dropped at the end of 391. She is, in fact, a member of the Xi-Yu. Less expectedly, she is dead, and we get to see yet another instance of post-mortem Nen.

Post-mortem Nen has become extremely common since the Dark Continent Expedition Arc—a trend I’ve discussed in many of my posts.

From here, we jump once again to Zakuro and Lynch. We get to see their search strategy at work as Lynch knocks the wind out of some poor guy. Soon after, they make a fortunate (or unfortunate) discovery.

It’s Hisoka! All those theories about him being other people and he ended up being hidden in plain sight. I do want to acknowledge the possibility this is Illumi or maybe even a Troupe member in disguise.

Lynch’s question never actually goes through, which should at least make us question whether this guy is really Hisoka.

For now, however, I’m going to assume it’s actually Hisoka, since anything else would require considerable mental gymnastics.

Lynch is knocked out, and we’re left not knowing if Hisoka will cooperate with the Xi-Yu and listen to Zakuro. I suspect he will, since the Cha-R underboss, Ken’i Wang, remarks on Hisoka’s tendency to “put himself in unfavorable situations” almost immediately after.

From here, we cut to Tsudonke, the Cha-R’s supervisor, in conversation with a shopkeeper. There are a few takeaways from this conversation. For one, there isn’t perfect communication between the Xi-Yu and Cha-R. This shouldn’t come as a surprise if you’ve been following how they operate. The Cha-R isn’t really sure what exactly happened in Chapter 391, and I doubt that information would be readily shared by the Xi-Yu.

Next, the shopkeeper makes a comment that is eerily relevant to Hinrigh’s action’s at the beginning of the chapter.

It seems like Hinrigh might not be making the best bet.

The shopkeeper goes on to explain the predatory nature of her business, further reinforcing the idea that the lowest tiers of the boat have it the worst. They’re being heavily exploited by the Kakin royalty and merchant class. The class divide is a major theme of this arc with major implications regarding the Phantom Troupe.

Maybe this discussion about addictive substances could tie into Luzurus and Basho's?

The last takeaway in this conversation is a motivation for Tsudonke. He wants an autograph board, but perhaps more importantly, he wants an item only available through a high-class delivery system.

It seems important that we learn about this system, not just with regards to Tsudonke’s quest. Kacho and Fugetsu’s failed escape attempt can make it feel as though the ship is closed off from the outside world. That isn’t the case, however; it’s only the princes who are trapped. This allows for the retrieval of Kacho’s body. So, if somebody wanted to return to the mainland (such as a Zodiac or high-ranking official), I’m certain they could.

Next, we get a glimpse into the thoughts of the Cha-R underboss, Ken’i. As previously mentioned, he notes Hisoka’s tendency to put himself in unfavorable situations, then commends the Phantom Troup’s decision to stay at the Cha-R hideout instead of splitting up.

Hisoka, he claims, is the key to this whole situation and will enable the mafia families to destroy the Hei-Ly and the Spider, maintaining balance.

I’m not sure how Ken’i plans to negotiate with Hisoka, but the alliance between the Xi-Yu and Cha-R is sketchy at best. I expect things to go downhill very quickly.

In the last scene of the Chapter, we get to see Phinks, Nobunaga, and Feitan completing their rotation at the Cha-R hideout. Funnily enough, they’re discussing the exact thing Ken’i was commending them for not doing.

I don’t have much to offer in the way of analysis here other than I absolutely love how Luini is portrayed.

He trolls the hell out of the Troupe, then follows it up with a panel that is pure horror fuel.

Can’t wait to see where this goes!

#hunter x hunter #manga #breakdown #chapter 392 #succession arc

[cyberbenb]

Ukraine Conflict Monitor - 22 July – 28 July 2023 (Weekly update)

BLUF: Ukrainian forces made marginal gains over the past seven days. The operational focus remained unchanged as battles continued near Bakhmut, Velyka Novoselivka, and Orikhiv. To revive the attacks in the south and relieve the 9th Corps, Ukraine committed its second echelon forces to the battle, which delivered small territorial gains. The key aspect of Ukrainian operations is their ability to sustain a sufficient tempo of operations to exert continuous pressure on Russian forces. In the north, Moscow continued offensive operations in the Luhansk Oblast, where they also progressed.

Key takeaways from last week’s developments:

Russian forces continued ground and artillery attacks in the Kharkiv Oblast, but they delivered no frontline changes;

On the border between Kharkiv-Luhansk Oblasts, Russians launched counterattacks, which reportedly allowed them to capture almost 60 sq km and three villages;

Russian forces successfully crossed the Zherebets River southwest of Svatove and continued offensive operations, probably towards Borova in the Luhansk Oblast;

The frontline in the wider Donetsk Oblast remained unchanged; The scale and intensity of Russian attacks decreased;

In the Bakhmut area, Ukrainians made progress near Klishchiivka and Andriivka and, as of late week, were on the verge of capturing the former;

In the Velyka Novosilka in the southern direction, Ukrainians were confirmed to have captured Staromaiors’ke, a village which had reportedly been liberated two weeks ago; Ukrainians also extended attacks towards Urozhaine;

The Orikhiv axis, however, remained the priority, which was confirmed by the deployment of the 10th Corps; As a result of this change, Ukrainians progressed a few kilometres, but the sustainability of advance is a big concern;

No changes were reported in the Kherson Oblast; Ukrainians maintained their positions near the Antonovsky Bridge as Russians attempted to dislodge them;

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Executive summary

Last week delivered the most significant change in Ukrainian operations since the main phase of the counteroffensive started in early June. By Wednesday, Ukrainians rotated (probably the entire) 9th  Corps from the battlefield and replaced it with fresh 10th Corps. Some described this development as the main phase of the counteroffensive, but we will caution against using such a description. The 9th Corps had been in the battle for more than seven weeks, and its offensive potential was likely exhausted. To revive the counteroffensive and regain the initiative, at least in the short term, the Ukrainian high command had to deploy new and fresh forces to battle. However, by looking at the scale of Ukrainian losses so far (click here and here), they mostly included Soviet-era equipment, such as BMP-1s infantry fighting vehicles and some T-64 and T-72 main battle tanks. It thus appears that the corps is equipped chiefly with legacy assets, which, as the early June push showed, significantly reduce crew survivability. This, in turn, may significantly impact the tempo of attacks, especially since at least 16 BMP-1s were lost/damaged/abandoned. Russians, too, lost at least seven tanks but only two BMPs, which is not surprising given that the attacking side typically loses more manpower than defenders.

One aspect of the employment of the second echelon force is the scale of the attack. Various reports over the past couple of days suggested that the mechanised attack involved between 30 to 80 vehicles. The former figure suggests three companies, while the latter three battalions. Based on conversations we had in Ukraine a few weeks ago, we learnt that the initial push in June was conducted using reinforced companies as Ukrainians could not coordinate battalion-level (and above) operations. It is thus highly likely that even if Ukrainians suffered losses near Robotyne, they should still have enough manpower and equipment (and reserves) to keep attacks going.

However, operationally, the commitment of the 10th Corps changes a lot. Initially, Ukrainians wanted to establish three corps, but a lack of equipment delivered only two. They ultimately became the first and second echelon forces. The deployment of the 10th Corps means that Ukrainians do not have operational reserves earmarked for this operation. There is no third echelon force that would be a dedicated formation to reinforce or rotate the first two corps. It thus remains to be seen how Ukrainians will deal with this issue. We believe that fresh replacements will now be sent to the 9th Corps to reinstate their manning levels, but their training and overall preparedness level could be subpar. Regardless, most of the force allocated to the counteroffensive has now likely been committed.

Mechanised attacks showed they could deliver some tactical results. The 10th Corps pushed the frontline a couple of kilometres south near Robotyne as Ukrainians slowly approached the main Russian defensive lines. Some sources indicated that Ukrainians could be as far as south of the village, but this information has not been independently verified. It will nevertheless be difficult for Kyiv to maintain momentum as fortifications will become increasingly denser and probably better manned. Russians will always have new positions to fall back on to steadily degrade the Ukrainian tempo of attacks, their manpower and equipment. Ukrainians also suffer from mobility problems further compounded by Russian artillery and ATGM attacks.

The next few days will answer how the 10th Crops is progressing and what we can expect in the next couple of weeks.

Elsewhere, in the Velyka Novosilka axis, Ukrainians finally captured Staromaiors’ke. But this axis undoubtedly has an auxiliary role in the offensive as most forces and capabilities are deployed to the Orikhiv area. We have generally seen no significant shifts in how the battles near Velyka Novosilka were developing as progress is plodding.

South of Bakhmut, Ukrainians will likely capture Klishchiivka next week and extend attacks on Russian positions south of the city. As such, reports about a Ukrainian operational encirclement of the city are incorrect. While undoubtedly Ukrainian formations possess capabilities to strike Russian ground lines of communications around Bachmut, it does not mean that such attacks are occurring (very likely not due to a lack of barrels) and are cost-effective. Ukrainian artillery is predominately tasked with supporting ground attacks, which have been given priority. But to exert pressure on Russians in Bachmut, Ukrainians must restart attacks on the northern flank and push towards Soledar. So far, Kyiv places bigger importance on Bachmut’s southern areas.

Lastly, Russians have been conducting attacks southwest from Svatove in the Luhansk Oblast for over a week. Multiple Russian sources claimed rather significant territorial gains, some of which were confirmed by Ukrainian sources. However, no visual evidence was provided to substantiate these changes. Only on Friday (28JUL) did geolocated images surface, confirming Russian advances. Their units crossed the Zherebets River, which served as a natural barrier hindering Russian offensive actions. It is possible that Moscow may now build on these successes and deploy more forces into combat. We should also remember the context of these attacks. Ukrainian official military sources claimed that Russians gathered 100,000 troops between Kupyansk and Lyman, supported by more than 900 tanks and 370 MLR systems. Yet despite this, we assess that Russian gains were achieved by deploying a much smaller force. More importantly, the Russian 1st Guards Tank Army is predominantly stationed near Svatove and has not been sent to combat. If it is, Russian gains may accelerate.

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[marriagemyth]

7 Best Healthy Relationship Tips

You've probably heard the statistic that about 50% of marriages end in divorce. If you're in a marriage or even just dating someone, you may be wondering if that will be your relationship that ends in divorce. You may also be wondering how you can prevent a marriage from going that route - or even a relationship from going downhill as well! Well, to start out, you should follow these healthy relationship tips to make sure your relationship is on the right path. The more you make sure of that, the better off you'll be. So what are you waiting for...start reading this healthy relationship guide!

1. Communicate Always

We are sure you've heard that you should always communicate and that communication is key. This couldn't be more true for relationships. Without communication, problems will almost always arise. In fact, lack of communication is one of the leading causes of divorce. For instance, if you get upset at your partner for doing something and don't communicate it, how are they going to know that you were ever upset? However, you may feel that they should know and when they do it again, your frustration and resentment only grow. As this continues to occur without communicating in the proper way, problems will only get bigger and bigger. There is no discussion about values, expectations, or frustrations so the other partner can never fix anything they are doing. It's unfair to expect a lot from a partner without communicating. However, there's more to communicating than just your voice. You also communicate nonverbally through your language, tone of voice, and body language. That's why communicating in person is super important, and text messages and phone calls should be avoided as much as possible (although this isn't always possible).

2. Respect Boundaries

Another important aspect of a healthy relationship is respecting the boundaries of the other person. If someone tells you that they like this or that or need this or that, it's important to respect that. When you don't respect boundaries, this can become overwhelming for the other person as well as overbearing at some points. So what are typical boundaries that you might set in a relationship? Here are a few: - Wanting some alone time on Sundays to do a typical 'you' activity like going on a walk, running errands, reading a book, or playing video games - Giving space to process information after discussing and communicating before expecting a response (some people need more time to think things through) - Not wanting a TV in the bedroom These are just a few examples of what setting boundaries may look like, but there are many other ways to set boundaries as well! But when someone does this, the boundaries need to be respected by your partner. That is what ensures that you have a healthy relationship.

3. Arguing Isn't Always Bad

There have probably been times throughout your life when you've been told that arguing is bad. That is not true, though. Arguing can be good as long as that is constructive. The most important takeaway from this healthy relationship is to know how to argue. Arguing can often lead to constructive conversations that can help move the relationship forward. To do this, physical closeness actually helps. That means holding hands, sitting really close together, and talking in person can help make arguments more productive rather than get emotionally heated.

4. Always Make Time for Your Relationship

Your relationship may not be your only priority. But it should be one of your top priorities. Well dealing with your kids or staying late at work may happen from time to time, but you still need to prioritize your relationship, especially in times when you are being pulled in multiple directions. This will help keep the communication open and your relationship thriving. Here are a few ideas to help you prioritize your relationship: - Set aside one date per month ahead of time to block off just for you and your partner - Make 9:30 pm and after relationship time to either be intimate, have important conversations, or just be together without distractions Make sure that you have conversations to talk about what quality time looks like to each of you!

5. Focus on Financial Security From the Get-go

Many relationships struggled because of financial disagreements. To avoid this, you want to make sure you are financially secure from the get-go when you first get married. Even if you are not a millionaire or have a ton of money in the bank, as long as you have a plan and stick to it, that's what matters. The last thing you want is to let the debt grow. If it is, you need to have conversations about this consistently to come up with a plan to figure out how to decrease it.

6. Support Each Other

A healthy relationship supports one another in every aspect of their lives. This means you support their goals and dreams, their career, and their future plans. You have to be on the right page for the future as well as in the present to show the right amount of support that makes the other person feel valued and respected in the relationship.

7. Do the Little Things

Another great way to keep a healthy relationship is to focus on the small things. These small things can grow into much bigger things to show that you care and value your partner. This could be getting flowers on your way home, surprising your partner with a home-cooked meal when they get home from work or helping them with a project on the weekends.

Follow These Healthy Relationship Tips

Whether you are in a relationship now or hope to be in one in the future, following these healthy relationship tips will ensure that you are getting ahead with communication, support, and quality time spent together. Relationships are hard work! But you can make it easier on yourself with coaching or marriage counseling. Are you ready to get started? You can contact me to help you through it all!   Read the full article

#dating #relationship

[dailyaudiobible]

09/27/2022 DAB Transcript

Isaiah 45:11-48:11, Ephesians 4:1-16, Psalms 68:19-35, Proverbs 24:3-4

Today is the 27th day of September welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I’m Brian and of course it is wonderful to be here with you today as we gather around the Global Campfire and move forward together. And moving forward together looks pretty much the same every day. We pick up wherever we left off and move forward from there. And, so, that's what we’ll be doing today, which leads us back into the book of Isaiah. We are reading from the Good News translation this week. And today Isaiah chapters 51, 52, and 53.

Commentary:

Okay. So, we covered some pretty well-known territory in the letter to the Ephesians today about wives and husbands, probably territory that we have been through before at some point in our lives. I've heard this passage about wives and husbands my whole life actually, well before I ever knew anything about having a wife. And kinda as I came up hearing this, this being in church world culture, sort of the dominant piece was that the husband is the head of the wife. And, so, basically the way that everything was distilled down was…I mean…out of all of this the takeaway was the husband, the man of the house has the final. And, so, many years ago, a very long time ago now in the first few years of the Daily Audio Bible we come through this passage and I would read this passage and say, wait a second, and then kinda read it again…wait a second. Like that's not really the takeaway here. This isn’t the proof text for the power of the man of the house. Because so often I had just kinda heard it in this context that made it feel like, okay ladies, you know, stop griping and complaining and get on board. You're not the boss. What I began to realize just from reading this over and over is that husbands have an unbelievable role to play in this equation. And, so, let’s just take a look at this. “Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands as to the Lord.” Okay, that's a big deal. “As to the Lord.” That's a big deal. “For”…Paul says…“a husband has authority over his wife, just as Christ has authority over the church.” Okay, that's a big deal too. “And Christ himself is the Savior of the church's body. And, so, wives must submit themselves completely to their husbands just as the church submits itself to Christ.” So, since it comes first and it's shorter than the husband piece it was like that's where the whole conversation begins and almost that's where the conversation ends. But my goodness, let's continue now to the husbands. And I quote. “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave His life for it.” Okay, that's a big deal. And then jumping forward. “Men ought to love their wives, just as they love their own bodies. A man who loves his wife loves himself.” And, so, one take away from looking at the entire passage is that wives should submit themselves to their husbands as to the Lord and that husbands should love their wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave His life for it. So, basically if she’s supposed to submit herself to her husband as to the Lord well than the husband needs to act like Jesus, laying his life down for her. What Paul is discussing here is a beautiful submission to one another. And I need to just take kinda take a sidestep for just a quick minute because I’ve been around church culture for all my life like I said. And, so, invariably being in ministry you encounter situations that are actually abusive situations. Submitting harder doesn't make abuse end. And if you are in a situation and you’re just trying to submit yourself to the Lord and so you submit and you're being beaten or you’re being abused in some sort of way, then someone's not acting like Jesus. I mean to make that work out and say I just need to…to submit harder would…would force us to believe that Jesus would be willing to be abusive to us. Because the husband is supposed to love his wife just as Christ loved the church and gave His life for it. We don't have any examples at all of Jesus being abusive to anybody and there's good reason for that. He wasn't abusive. And, so, like pulling us back on track here, let's take another sidestep and backtrack into what we read in the book of Isaiah today. And…and…and I'm a husband. And, so, I can…I can call of us husbands to pay attention to this for a second because it's important that we do. And I quote from Isaiah, with clear allusions to Jesus here. “But He endured the suffering that should have been ours, the pain that we should've borne. All the while, we thought that His suffering was punishment sent by God. Because of our sins He was wounded, beaten because of the evil we did. We are healed by the punishment He suffered, made whole by the blows He received. All of us were like sheep that were lost each of us going his own way, but the Lord made the punishment fall on Him, the punishment all of us deserved.” Okay, that is how Christ loved the church. That is how we husbands…I mean with that level of commitment and endurance are to love our wives or quoting from Paul again, “husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave His life for it.” It’s way easier considering submitting to someone that you know has your best interest, that you know loves you with all of their heart, that you know would lay down their life to keep you safe. It’s very difficult to think about submitting to an abuser. So, when I read this passage of…passage of Ephesians I see that it is mutual submission, but I see that the husband has to lead the way by being Christ, by being Jesus in his home, and I don't mean that in some sort of weird way. But in so many ways because we are part of the body, we become the hands and feet of Jesus in this world. And if we are a husband, is there anyone we should be Jesus to more than our wife? And, so, let’s give that some thought today.

Prayer:

Father, we invite You into that. Anybody who’s married knows that it's complicated and has many many layers at any given moment, and there's all kinds of stuff going on as we try to intermingle our lives and allow that marriage to shape us into something different instead of us always trying to fill our brokenness with someone else. And, so, we acknowledge the complexity. We also acknowledge Your word. We also acknowledge Holy Spirit, Your presence. This is like everything else in our faith. We can't do this on our own. We can keep ourselves on the best behavior we possibly can. And it…it's easy when it's easy. But when it's not easy and it's complicated well then, it's complicated and hard. And usually in those times we are paying the least amount of attention. May we pay attention to our love for one another. May we love each other as You have loved us. We pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is home base, it’s the website, it’s where you find out what’s going on around here. The Daily Audio Bible app does that as well and you can search for that on the app store that is connected to your phone or your tablet or whatever device. So, check that out.

Check out the different sections like the Daily Audio Bible Shop. There are resources in that Shop in different categories that are for the journey that we are on through the Bible in a year. And, so, certainly check into it. Check it out.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, if being around the Global Campfire is meaningful and life-giving to you then thank you profoundly and humbly for your partnership. There is a link on the homepage at dailyaudiobible.com. If you’re using the app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner, or the mailing address is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee 37174.

And, as always, if you have a prayer request or encouragement, you can at the Hotline button in the app. That's the little red button up at the top or you can dial 877-942-4253.

And that's it for today. I'm Brian I love you and I'll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer and Praise:

I'm calling to respond to Big Dog. He called in and talked about the spiritual battles that are waged against him. And, so, I just want to call and give him some encouragement. My names Delta Alpha Foxtrot. I'm from a little town called that's just West of Corpus Christi, Robstown and just wanna encourage Big Dog that I…I understand where he's coming from. I know what he's talking about, and that know God is going to give him the strength to overcome all of those things. __ is a thing that, you know, is unfortunately out there in the world. It’s just like witchcraft and we can overcome it through the blood of…the blood of Jesus and the power of the cross. And, so, Big Dog I’m out there, I know where you're coming from I'm praying for you I'm going to send you a prayer that…that helps every day if you pray that prayer. You'll get that spiritual protection over your…over yourself, over your household, over your kingdom, over your domain. This is Delta Alpha Foxtrot calling from the southern Texas front. God bless you.

Hello DABbers, this is Joseph from Southeast Asia I'm a first time caller but I've been part of the community for the past 2 1/2 years and I'm calling in for a prayer request. I call myself Joseph because just like Joseph and Genesis went through being sold off as a slave and eventually through his persistence and faithfulness God turned it around, I'm praying that that would be the case for me. The year started off quite promising with a new business and partners but just turned horribly wrong and not as expected even though it's a good company and does a lot of good for the community. We have a good product. And I've just been completely caught off guard by this as well as the death of my father with the impact that financial pressures have on my family as well. I just pray your prayers. I also want to give a praise report. I've asked God to help me with wisdom and he's done that through your very good teaching and some of that may help some of the other prayer requests that came in. Patrick from Seattle. __ as well as Lisa the Encourager and Isaac from Saskatchewan. I've really learned the valuable lessons in the company that’s taken me about 20 years of breakthrough prayer and hopefully it will be a blessing to you as it was to me. I pray for my brothers. I pray for Isaac and I…I pray that there would be a breakthrough in wisdom for you just as there was for me and I pray for Lisa the Encourage just as the passing away of a family member of yours. I pray that you may be encouraged just as I pray for encouragement. Bless you all. Thank you.

Hey Val in Vegas this is your sister and voice Annette Allison from Oklahoma City. You know, you don't know how many times I got asked if I was going by a different name because people thought I was you or you were me. It's pretty funny. But anyways. Hey sister, oh I've been there, I've been there, I've been there, I've been there having surgery after surgery after surgery and years and years of sickness that nobody could figure out what was wrong with me. And boy you get that down in the dumps feeling and…and you just feel like you can't take another day. And sister, you can, and God would not put it on you if you couldn't get through it. And He's got some light at the end of the tunnel. I just know it's for you and I just want you to know you're not going through this struggle alone by yourself. Your sister Annette out here is praying for you, and I've got you covered, and it just warms my heart every time I hear your voice. You inspire me and I want you to know that I'm out here pulling for you, okay. And I was even looking at a trip to go to Vegas and I was hoping that you and I would someday get to meet, and I we just think that would just be the best. Alright. So, anyways. I love you I love you I love you I'm sending great big hugs and whenever you're having a hard time do you just think about me sitting right next to you holding your hand, okay? When it's hard I say Annette, I know you're there. I know you’re with me. The Lord is with us all. Okay? And he's there too. I love you and take good care and you’ll get through it. Okay? Bye-bye.

This is Peggy in Dallas and tonight I'm praying with Christy and with Tim in Kentucky. I heard the message as so many of us did and it's good to know that many of us are praying right now, that we are with You in heart, and we are seeking the Lord. Father, I pray in the name of Jesus that You will be with Tim in a very special way. We thank You for him and we thank You for Christy and we thank You Lord that they are seeking You. I ask though Father that the suspicion that the doctor has that there's a neurological problem that it will not be so. I'm asking for You complete healing over his body. I pray Father that You will touch him in such a way that his hands will not…will not have these symptoms, that You will minister to him in a very real way blessing him with health. And I ask this for Your honor and Your glory trusting You knowing that all things are possible with You. And Father, I pray for the young couple in Dubai and the mother who requested prayer for them and knowing all the stress that they're going through with the new baby and work and trying to get ahead and the great job and all that…all the pressure that they are…

Hello Daily Audio Bible family this is Connie and Walla Walla WA southeast Washington and I've been listening consistently this year and on and off for five years. I was just diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the last couple days, and I am…just turned 50 this year. Three children, two of which are teenagers and one of which is 20 years old and married to my husband for more than 20 years and together 25 years. I need your prayers. I need your prayers to help me continue to take this new condition I've been suffering for a few months I just found out now in the last couple days what the diagnosis is. And the prognosis isn't great. So, I need your prayers to deal with continuing and growing pain, numbing pain, an inability to eat. I haven't been unable to eat anything of substance for more than two months. I'm getting weaker. I'm going to have tests and to consult with a surgeon on the 28th and 29th of September at the best possible cancer center for pancreatic cancer. I suffer with the fear of leaving my family behind. I…I feel regretful and sorry and guilty for that, of the thought that my children won’t grow up without their mother. And I want to combat those feelings and believe in the potential of healing and the potential for…

Hi DAB family this is Celeste I'm on here asking for prayer for myself today. I'm pretty lost. My hearts really hurting right now because there's a lot of people that are trying to hurt me from my past mistakes. And they’re…I just think the enemy is recruiting people and they're using my children to hurt me. You know, about five years ago I made a mistake and it hurt, you know, my family and me and I've repented of those things, but I just feel like I'm still being punished for those things. And I'm in…I'm new in my faith, fairly new, about one or two years following Jesus but I feel like I've been lukewarm. And I just want so badly to just to be close to God and be obedient but in my flesh it’s hard. I'm in an abusive marriage and I've been fighting, you know, just to see my children for a couple of years. And I'm all alone and it's been so hard. So, please can you just pray for my faith and that I may be strengthened through Jesus. Thank you. I love you guys.

[fooltofancy]

“all right. all right. fine. but expecting to learn like that? it’s gonna get you fucking killed.”

#goals: make this idiot want to hit you #PROBABLY should not have been the takeaway from this conversation but here we are #fallen hero #aight can i sleep now brain is that cool w you we did the thing #martin basri #herald #vindraws #there were bodies and shit but cropping was ugly so here the fuck we are

[leejeongz]

fluffy a-z JAY (enhypen)

requested: yes, by anon

a/n: as if i didn’t have a phat crush on him before </3 jay tunnel vision shall continue until the end of time. thanks for requesting!

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

he’s very “selective” about his pda, an arm around your waist or your shoulder is enough for him and when he wants to be cute, a bop on your nose. when in private, he’s pretty much the same. he respects your personal space and doesn’t want to overstep any boundaries. when he’s “asleep” next to you though his arms MAY fall around you and start to hug you superrrr loosely :)). it’s not that he doesn’t like physical affection, he’s all for it, but he’s not sure if you are if you're not the one intitiating it. (taken from my enhypen as boyfriends post)

most of his affection is shown through endearing smiles and words of affirmation. he’s constantly staring at you with loving eyes, thinking of how he never wants the moment to end. he doesn’t say things when he doesn’t mean them, everything that comes out of his mouth is honest and sincere, when he tells you that he loves you, or that he’s proud of you, or that he’s happy to be yours, he really means it.

B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)

jay would literally start a conversation with anyone, he just happened to start a conversation with you one day, and you both realised pretty quickly that this wasn’t just going to be a one off chat. you were laughing and joking the whole time, and it became a regular thing whenever you saw each other since your schedules often lead you both to the same place at the same time.

i think he would be such a supportive best friend :(. one who knows you better than you know yourself, one who takes the time to learn every little thing about you, one who is literally like a brother to you. jay likes to teach you things, he likes to help you when you ask or when he can see you struggling. he is someone that you can rely on and someone that will listen and help you without judging you.

you become part of his friendship group since you get along with them all so well. he likes it that way as he can spend more time with you rather than having to disappoint one to be with another.

C = Comfort (How do they comfort their partner?)

he’s so concerned whenever he sees you upset or anxious :( he just wants to let you know that it’s okay to feel that way and that he’s here to protect you, but he doesn’t want you to feel suffocated by him when you’re clearly not feeling too good.

if he saw you crying, he’d be firstly asking what’s making you upset, asking “why, why, why?” in a cute tone with a little pout on his face. he’d have you in his arms too, holding your head closer to him so that you can cry onto his sounder or onto his shirt. his main aim is just to let you know that he’s there and that he’s all yours in that moment. after you’ve told him what was making you feel so upset, he’d either try to make a joke of the situation if it’s not that serious, or he’d help you come up with a realistic solution to your problem. he’d probably let out a lot of sympathy noises too, little “hmms” and “awws” because he wants you to know that he’s listening and hopefully you feel comforted by that.

if your ever feeling anxious, jay just wants you to know that he understands. he’s willing to help you in any way he possibly can (within reason) and helps you to push yourself whenever you’re feeling confident enough to do so without taking things too far. he always tells you how proud he is of you and how you’re doing so great. he wouldn’t laugh at you or try to make you feel silly for your anxieties and worries, however bizarre and foreign they may be to him, he actively tries to understand and sometimes researches more, not forgetting to tell you that you’re not alone.

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How about kids? Marriage? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

i mean, we all know he’s good at cooking! he likes to show off his culinary skills for you whenever he can and would rather have a home cooked meal over a takeaway too. he also likes the house to be clean and tidy, but whoever makes the mess should clean it of course, and he’s not afraid to complain when you leave a room with it looking like a pigsty.

settling down is a very very big thing for jay. he won’t think about it lightly. the relationship has to be special, he knows when the right time to settle down is and which person is the right person, he won’t rush into it with just anyone.

i don’t think he’d care for marriage to be honest. as long as he knows that you love him and that you know that he loves you, that’s all the matters, you don’t need a certificate or a ceremony for that. in the future, jay probably wants to have kids, just 1, maybe 2, but it’s not so important that he’d break off the relationship if you didn’t want to have kids.

E = Equal (Are they the dominant one in the relationship, or rather passive?)

he really wants it to be equal. he doesn’t want to feel like either of you have more power than/over the other. you don’t have to act in accordance with anything that he says and his doesn’t have to act in accordance with what you say, you may be in a relationship but you’re still two separate people and should be seen as that. so, for that reason, he doesn’t want a dominant/submissive (passive (?)) relationship with you in everyday life, he just wants you both to feel like you are your own people.

F = Feelings (How did the confession go down?)

he would get SO nervous whenever he thought about confessing to you, his hands would get all sweaty and clammy and he’d go completely silent. but, saying that, he is also rather excited to confess, because that’s one step closer to being yours <3. if it didn’t come out by accident, i.e him just spewing out “because i like you” after you asked him why he teased you, i think he’d do it in a rather meaningful way. just the two of you, alone, (so that you can kiss him if you want to hehe), maybe even buy you a small little gift and hands it to you while telling you how much you mean to him.

G = Giggle (What makes him laugh?)

when you compliment him. oh gosh this boy goes all blush and giggly when you compliment him, especially when you’re in the dating phase.

when you give someone a deserved shouting at. watching you stand up for yourself makes him overwhelmed with pride, but he can’t help but laugh at the person you’re giving the grief to, just because of how tiny and small you’re making them look.

when you wear his clothes for the first time. of course, you look cute, but the mismatch of items really makes him laugh, he just has to let it out while engulfing you in a hug.

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

aww jay is definitely a back hugger. coming up behind you, wrapping his arms around you and waddling around aimlessly with your back pressed against his chest. sometimes he says nothing at all, he just appreciates you and your complaints of how he’s distracted you. other times, he just asks about your day, general small talk really, before walking to bed with you to cuddle and chat some more.

less frequently, he’ll give in and hug you normally, resting his chin on your shoulder and smiling, wondering why he doesn’t do it more often. as he pulls away, he places a gentle kiss on your forehead and tells you that he loves you, or that he’s missed you while he’s been working.

I = Instant (Do they believe in love at first sight?)

claims that he doesn’t because he thinks it’s shallow to base your feelings off of just someone’s appearance. he’s a little confused as to how you can fall in love with someone just by seeing their face, not even talking to them ?

actually, he does believe in it, he just needed to experience it to know. the aura and vibes that you give off attracts him to you in that moment. he feels a connection without even having to talk to you, he just knows that there is something there.

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

he kind of loves it when he sees that people are interested in you. like yeah you’re hot, but you’re also all his, and he’s gonna show them hehe. he’d be all over your like a rash, kissing you delicately so that you don’t get suspicious or feel uncomfortable, or resting his hand on your lower back to let everyone know that they can’t have you.

if he sees you talking to a guy, he’s not gonna get pressed about it. he’s not going to ask you millions of questions about what you were talking about and who he is or whatnot, he actually loves seeing you smile from across the room and he doesn’t care who it is that is making you smile so yeah.

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

shoulder ❗️ kisses ❗️ when he’s spooning you while you’re sleeping. when he senses someone is interested in you in public he’ll just stand behind you and kiss your shoulder. god he’s so cute without even realising BYE. (taken from my enhypen as boyfriends post). he also likes to kiss your hand, prince charming, eat your heart out.

he likes to initiate kisses, all of them. he smiles as he leans in, his tongue pushing against the back of his teeth making his smile more radiant. he starts with a few tiny little pecks, reaching for your head whether you’re sitting or standing. the kiss naturally deepens and his body language mimics yours. when you kiss, you truly become one. kisses like this are heated, but don’t happen all that often.

L = Love Confession (How fast do they say the L-word?)

saying the L word is a very big deal to him, he really has to be in love, and he has to have been in love for a while before he can say it.

honestly, before he actually said it, he’d been thinking about it for days. every time he looked at you, he wanted to say it. you were talking to him, but he wasn’t concentrating on what you were saying, even if he really did look like it. you finished your sentence and almost immediately after you did so, jay said it, those three words. he was so content that he’d said it too, a small smile appearing on his face which grew bigger the more he thought about it.

M = Memory (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

the time you bought matching rings for you and him! he remembers you dropping off the small gift bag at his door a few days after you’d been shopping with your friends. he opened it up to find a black ring with a moon shape carved of it, and a picture of your hand wearing the matching ring. he’d be lying if he said that he didn’t cry, scurrying back to his room to put it on straight away. he’d constantly be fidgeting with it, spinning it around his finger and thinking about you as he does so. when you two were together, he’d bring up the rings a lot, he would never be able to get over how cute they were, but he’d always be a little bummed out that you were too shy to give it to him in person.

N = No (What's their pet peeve?)

dirtiness. leaving a mess anywhere. just clean it up if you can, stop relying on him to always pick things up when you leave them lying around. he can sometimes tolerate it, but it builds up to the point where he has to complain about it because it’s getting too much.

O = Orange (What colour reminds them of their significant other?)

green. sage green particularly.

everything with you is so natural and fresh. you were such a new character when you came into his life, you were and still are like no one that he’s ever met before. he felt he could trust you and be himself around you instantly. you bring him comfort even though you’re someone that he’s never seen before.

P = Petnams (What pet names do they call their other half?)

baby, babygirl/babyboy, honey, sweetheart, prince/princess all that good stuff.

his favourite name to call you, though, is darling. especially when you two are alone, he thinks “darling” is so much more classy, intimate and loving, which perfectly describes your relationship.

he also calls you beautiful a lot (because that’s what u are hehe). that’s more so for when he’s asking you a question, though, especially when he’s buying something for you. “do you want this, beautiful?” ahh he’s so cute :(

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)

he doesn’t have to remember, he just knows. knowing things about you is like knowing things about himself, he’s always ready and prepared for you to quiz him on anything because there’s no way that he can be wrong about it. even the stuff that you mention just briefly, he knows it. he’s also a very good judge of character, i think, so some things you don’t even have to tell him, he just knows.

oh and he LOVES to tell other people too. you’re his favourite topic of conversation, he could talk about you for hours and never run out of positive things to say.

R = Rainy day (What do they like to do on a rainy day?)

he doesn’t really care about the rain, he would just get on with his day as usual if he could. but not everyone wants to go out when it’s pouring down and he appreciates that so,,, did someone say karaoke??? he’s gonna be belting out high notes and rapping like his life depends on it. even if you’re not the usual type to join in, something about his energy makes you wanna get up and dance.

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

you're his pride and joy, he’s going to do everything in his power to protect you. he believes that you can protect yourself, of course he does, and he doesn’t want to hurt you more than the thing he’s protecting you from, but he’s ready to intervene when he senses that things aren’t going as they should be.

if he can tell that you’re getting uncomfortable by someone’s presence, he’ll confront them and ask them to give you some space. he can get a little loud and aggressive with it when necessary too because no one should be made to feel like that.

it’s quite clear that jay isn’t the controlling type of boyfriend and so you don’t have to be worried about him being possessive. although he’d appreciate it if you told him where you’re going, just for his own peace of mind that should something happen to you, he at least knows where to find you.

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

okay so i see jay as the type of guy who cares more for memories than materialistic things, so that would definitely be reflected in the gifts he gives too. would probably book a vacation for the pair of you, or a spa day for you or something along those lines for your birthday or big anniversaries. also for your birthday, he likes to write you handwritten letters every year, detailing how grateful he is to have you by his side and how proud he is of the person you are today. saying all that though, for 100 days together, he did buy you a giant teddy which he noticed you kept propped up on your desk chair. he even named it for you too :((.

dates with jay are really chill and relaxed during the day. they mostly consist of shopping or watching a movie at home and are very much “at your own pace”. he likes that you can both just be yourselves, especially when you are only in that dating phase, as he feels he can get to know you better. he loves to please you too!! he’d rather do something that you enjoy, even if he doesn’t particularly enjoy the activity himself, because he gets to see you smile <33. more intense dates usually come in the form of dinner dates, where you dress up and have a sit down meal somewhere. he puts in a heck of a lot of effort into these, he’ll be planning and arranging things for days before because he really wants to impress you (which of course, he does). he brushes up on his knowledge of the food that is on the menu and on the correct etiquette for the date because that’s really important to him.

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

he loves to game. he has games on his phone, on his pc, on the tv, just about everything he owns, he can game on. so sometimes you get ignored if he’s gaming :(. he’d LOVE LOVE LOVE if you joined in, or if you asked questions or what not, but when he’s in the zone, he’s there for a good while and you just cannot seem to get him out of it. (call jungwon to turn his game off if necessary ❗️he’s experienced and willing)

V = Vulnerability (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

he doesn’t want to tell you things too soon. he doesn’t want you to use them against him and hurt him just as he’s starting to fall for you. but he understands that the only way that things can develop is by telling you more and more about himself. i think you’d have to start it off, telling him some of the things that have shaped you into the person you are today, before he starts listing off the hardships that he’s had to endure in order to get to where he is now.

by the time you’re in a relationship, he trusts you completely. you know things about each other that no one else, not even the people closest to you, know.

W = Why (Why do they love their partner?)

you make him feel wanted, like he has a purpose, a role to play. when he feels like giving up, you’re there to help him back onto his feet. you give him a reason to do everything he wants to do and more. you appreciate him in ways that no one else has ever done, made him feel things that no one has ever made him feel, you’re someone he’s never had in his life before, and he loves you for it.

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

boyfriend jay gives you the best massages, out of the blue. when he sees you sat at his gaming chair, his hands immediately come to massage your shoulders. when you lie with your feet on his lap while sitting on the couch, he starts massaging them gently while you watch tv. just as you got done working out, he’s be there with a nice ice cold bath already run and some spa music playing in the background while he rubs your thighs and calves. he knows he’s good at them and puts his skill to good use whenever he can :D.

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, but other people love in a relationship?)

engaging in constant pda. just yuck, he wants his own space and he doesn’t understand how you can’t want yours either. he wants to eat and drink without you latched onto his arm, and he wants to be able to stand in line without needing to hug you or vice versa. it’s not that he doesn’t want to show off your relationship, he just doesn’t think that PDA necessary all the time.

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habit of theirs?)

sleeping with his eyes open lmao. kinda creepy but you know he can’t help it, he doesn’t even know that he’s doing it so 🤷🏻‍♀️.

to conclude, jay, this is an official proposal pls be our bestie/boyf

#enhypen #enhypen imagines #enhypen fluff #jay enhypen fluff #jay park #park jeongseong #jay #jay park fluff #jay park imagines

[anotherkindofmindpod]

In my endless ponderings about “what happened in India??” I hit upon this road block yesterday. If the whole impasse was something that happened in India that Paul is aware of (inserting all 4 theories explored) would Paul even bring it up so casually like he did in Get Back? Or would he more likely avoid that trigger fest?

Maybe he would..but very interested in what you guys think.

Hey anon! Phoebe here.

Welp, firstly I've never been of the firm belief that something necessarily happened in India. As a matter of fact, I’ve never gotten the impression that Paul necessarily pinpoints India as the place/moment where everything changed between him and John. However, I DO get that impression from John. So what does this mean?  It’s so hard to say! So much of this theory is conjecture already because there’s just so much we don’t know. But obviously you’re just asking for my opinion  :)  so I’ll attempt to answer the question.

I think it's fair to assume that in the multiple weeks of uninterrupted contemplation, probably John internally realized/decided some big things in India, confronted some realities, faced some demons, etc. I also think maybe Paul did the same (also internally). So maybe they reached different conclusions about their relationship (separately but simultaneously)? Maybe they were just too vulnerable to ever discuss it... Maybe each assumed he knew how the other felt, but really didn't.

The fundamental takeaway to me is that whatever "happened or didn't happen" (to paraphrase John) in India, John and Paul fell apart in a significant way soon afterward. The details leading up to that are unfortunately scant and subject to speculation, and so without more information we simply can’t know (sorry, I feel obligated to make this disclaimer every time!) but here are some possibilities:

It’s possible John and Paul had an Awkward Conversation in December 67 or January 68 and that during the trip to India they were still trying to work around/through it. 

Paul’s engagement to Jane coincided with John trying to revive his marriage with Cynthia (events that may or may not be related). John and Cynthia were apparently going through a crisis point in their marriage that spring; In India John kicked her out of their shared room (!) and upon returning home pulled a 180 and decided they should have more kids (!?).  So exactly what was going on in John’s mind is hard to gauge, but it looks like confusion, mixed feelings and possible panic. 

In other words, we don’t and can’t know what exactly was in John’s mind on the road to Rishikesh. Was he hoping that he and Paul could make the new arrangement (i.e. Paul’s marriage to Jane) work? Maybe Paul assured John nothing would change between them (see: Across the Universe) and they went to India with the intention of finding a peaceful way to all co-exist. But perhaps it was hurtful to spend extended time with Paul and Jane (something John had actively avoided for the previous five years).  Even though Paul and Jane were only months away from breaking up (!!), according to Paul Saltzman they were also the most affectionate couple in India (and of course both things can obviously be true- they could be a super tactile couple and trapped in a perpetual cycle of breaking up and getting back together). I know if I was in John’s position, though, I definitely wouldn’t enjoy witnessing their PDA (no matter WHAT I thought about their future as a couple). John wouldn’t necessarily have to confront Paul about those hurt feelings- he could’ve just internalized them, and they could’ve festered after Paul and Jane left. Maybe the big thing that happened in India was John privately deciding he had to make changes in his life in order to break the cycle of being hurt by a seemingly uncaring/unavailable Paul. Maybe he wondered how Paul would like a taste of his own medicine; how would Paul feel if he suddenly had to watch John pawing some woman in front of him?? (spoiler alert: Paul did not like it)

The other thing I think I should add is that I don’t necessarily think that even if India was the site of a confrontation between John & Paul, I don’t know that Paul would necessarily avoid mentioning it entirely. I point to Paul bringing up the whole “Hey Jude” guitar debacle with George (in Get Back) as proof that Paul doesn’t 100% avoid potentially touchy topics!  As we posited on the show, he may be more confrontational than we tend to give him credit for.

#India musings #AKOM #asked and answered

[worldsentwined]

Okay I have been making everyone look at this all day because I got hit with it as soon as I got to work and apparently I must make everyone else suffer. SO. Today a box arrived in the inter-office delivery for my boss, and as she was opening it we were speculating about what it was.

"Well they probably reused the box," I said, "because this says AC Bobbleheads and why...oh. Oh no."

Friends, this is what came in the box:

Yes, that's right. That's a bobblehead of capitalist nightmare Andrew Carnegie, whose claims to fame include 1) being a dick when workers attempted to unionize and 2) erecting a bunch of buildings for public use, slapping his name on them, and then turning them over to other people to maintain. (My organization is one of those - I have a coworker who likes to say that Carnegie built the libraries, but he didn't put any books in them).

Other key facts you should know:

My library unionized in 2019, we're getting down to the nitty-gritty ugly wages part of contract negotiations. Naturally, they don't want to pay us as much as we deserve.

The library is also celebrating its 125th anniversary this year, along with the museums (whose workers also unionized, Andy is rolling in his grave).

As soon as the library started posting about the anniversary, people started pointing out how uh, you know, millionaire capitalists shouldn't be lauded for doing a few good turns without acknowledging their flaws. Cue various "how to talk about problematic founders" conversations at some level, apparently

So clearly the takeaway from all of this was "ah yes, we need to make a bobblehead doll of this man". Like. Obviously. Nailed it.

Here, have some more photos:

I read the back of the box out loud to my boss which meant I had to attempt to say "quasquicentennial" twice, I may never forgive whoever's brilliant idea this was.

Apparently the way we're supposed to give these out is to have people "create their own library card" by drawing in a blank template. As far as I can tell there's no actual contest in which their design could become a library card design, we're just supposed to hang them around the branch. (I actually like this as a way to celebrate but the execution needs work). The first 18 people get a bobblehead, because that's how many they gave us. So of course...

I put my art degree to good use, designed a card that is both pro-labor and pro-library (may post that later) and now this guy gets to watch me have union meetings.

#life things #unions #libraries #the carnegie bobblehead incident #(that's what I'm using as my tag for this) #don't want to use any tags that will get noticed by my employer #although I know they're not on Tumblr

[theydontknowaboutusimagines]

I Love You, This Christmas - Harry Styles Christmas Series (#3)

Both Y/N and Harry have spent the majority of the year on tour, which means they’ve hardly been able to see one another except for a few days here and there. This of course has put a bit of a strain on their relationship, despite being together for over three years. Their love is still there, but sometimes that isn’t enough. So, with the holidays coming around and their  tours coming to end, they hope to use this time to reconnect and see if their relationship can make it through.

#1  #2

**

Things have been going great between you and Harry over the last few days. All the fears you had about the two of you drifting apart were slowly going away, but they still lingered in the back of your mind. You knew you two probably should have had a more in depth conversation about everything, but it was hard when neither of you knew why each of you were put on the back burner during the tour.

And maybe, it’s something you two shouldn’t really focus on anymore because you were together again and wanted to be together, so why focus on the past. Because it could happen again, you thought to yourself. Touring and being away from your families was a huge piece of your career, so eventually you would be gone again. So, will what happened last time happen again? Would it happen every time and then you two would just forget about it once you were home?

That wouldn’t be fair to either of you, which is why you really needed to have the conversation again, but you also didn’t want to ruin the holidays. Besides, there would be plenty of time to talk after the New Year, plus it would give you time to figure out where your head is at with everything.

You were humming along to the Christmas song playing from the stereo as you wrapped presents. Luckily, you were finished with your Christmas shopping besides maybe one or two things, so you were jumping ahead on the wrapping. Harry was at lunch with his sister, which was a good thing because you were able to wrap his first and not worry about him sneaking around and trying to figure out what you got him.

You laughed thinking about your first Christmas after you moved in together and how you caught Harry looking in every nook and cranny of the house for his presents. Apparently, snooping around was something he had done since he was a kid, so now you had to either hide his presents at Gemma’s house or hurry up and wrap them to put under the tree.

You had just put the final present under the tree, when Harry walked in through the front door.

“Hey, baby,” he said. “I brought you some take away for lunch.”

“Oh, thanks,” you smiled. “I didn’t even realize how late it was.”

“Busy wrapping presents I see,” he smirked. “Care to show me which ones are mine?”

“No!” You pointed at him. “And don’t you dare go through them and start shaking to see what’s in them.”

“Y/N, I am appalled you would think I would even do such a thing,” he gasped, putting his hand over his heart.

“Yeah, yeah,” you rolled your eyes. “Anyway, what did you bring me, I’m starving.”

“You’re favorite,” he smiled, pulling out the takeaway box. “Oh, by the way, Gem is hosting a little Christmas party tomorrow night and invited us. Nothing huge, just a few friends, ugly sweaters, games, and a little karaoke.”

“Ooh, sounds fun,” you smiled. “I can’t wait to see everyone. It feels like forever since I’ve been around friends.”

“I know what you mean,” he said. “Now, while you eat, I’m going to put some things away and change out of these clothes. It’s freezing outside and I need some warm clothes.”

You nodded, taking a bite of your food while he headed up to the bedroom.

**

Later that night, the house was illuminated in lights and cinnamon scented candles. Christmas music flowed through the house while you and Harry were baking Christmas cookies. You had mixed all the dough, laid out all the toppings, and preheated the oven.

“You know, we could just buy cookies on our way to the party tomorrow,” Harry said.

“Where’s the fun in that?” You laughed. “Didn’t you ever bake cookies and decorate them when you were younger? To be honest, I had more fun doing that than actually eating them.”

“Yeah, see that’s where we’re different,” he laughed, taking a bite out of one from the first batch.

You giggled, shaking your head. “Well, you don’t have to help, you know. You could just get out of my kitchen.”

“Oh, really? You’re going to mock me from the X Factor Days?” He gasped.

“Uh, yeah,” you laughed. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“Okay, okay, fine,” he said. “Have it your way…” he smirked, before grabbing a handful of powdered sugar and throwing it at my face.

You froze, slowly turning to look over at him. “What the fuck was that?”

“Oops, it uh… slipped,” he said innocently.

“Oh, you mean like this?” You smirked, taking a handful of flour and throwing it at him.

His mouth opened in shock and you laughed at the fact his hair and the side of his face were pure white.

“Whoops,” you said. “It uh… slipped… right into your face.”

“Oh it’s so fucking on,” he said, taking the bottle of sprinkles and pouring it over your head.

“Harry Edward Styles, I’m going to kill you! They went down my shirt!” You groaned.

“Maybe taking it off would help remedy that,” he wiggled his eyebrows.

“No, I’m thinking revenge will,” you smirked, taking some of the extra cookie dough into your hand.

Harry started backing away, “Y/N, let’s think about this,” he said, holding his hands.

“Hm… let’s see you threw sugar at me first, then poured sprinkles down my shirt… so you see I have thought about it and you oh so deserve this,” you smirked.

Harry dashed out of the kitchen and you chased after him. You two were making a mess all throughout the house. Sugar, flour, dough, and sprinkles covered the entire floor of the downstairs, but neither of you cared. When you finally caught up to him, you shoved the dough into his hair and he wrapped his arms around your waist, holding you to him.

His hands tickled you and you tried your best to get away from him, but he was holding you tightly. You were laughing so hard your stomach hurt.

“Okay, okay, truce,” you laughed. “Let me go.”

“Never,” he smirked, down at you. “You’re stuck with me forever.”

You looked up at him, the lights from the tree reflecting in his eyes, “Is that a promise, Styles?”

“You bet your sexy ass it is,” he smiled, brushing hair away from your face with his floury fingers.

“Hm, good because you’re stuck with me, too,” you smiled before pressing a kiss to his lips.

**

“Oh my god, you are NOT wearing that,” you laughed, when Harry walked out of the bathroom.

“What? It’s an Ugly Christmas Sweater party, so of course I’m going to wear this,” he smirked.

“Ugly doesn’t mean inappropriate,” you shook your head. “Where did you even find a sweater with that on there?”

“A shop across town,” he smirked. “You know it’s fucking hilarious, Y/N.”

“Yeah, if I was a twelve year old boy,” you said. “I’m a mature adult who is completely immune to a sweater with a Penis shaped Christmas tree with the words' Oh Dickmas Tree, Oh Dickmas tree 'on it.”

“Well, I guess someone has to be the mature one in the relationship,” he joked.

“Anyway, we better go or we’re going to be late,” you laughed.

“You look beautiful by the way,” he smiled, kissing your head. “I love that lip color on you. Can’t wait to see what it looks like wrapped around my Christmas tree,” he smirked.

“OH MY GOD,” You laughed, covering your face.

“It's a little early to be screaming that out, Y/N,” he wiggled his eyebrows.

“Behave!  I’m leaving now, “You laughed, pushing him away and heading towards the living room.

You got the plate of cookies while Harry got the dirty santa gifts before heading to the car.

“You know, I forgot to tell you that you were right yesterday,” Harry said, once you both were in the car and driving to Gemma’s place.

“Hm, since I’m usually right about most things, why don’t you elaborate,” you said.

He laughed, “About baking the cookies. It was a lot of fun,” he said. “It got me thinking…”

“Oh goodness what about now?” you giggled.

“Just how, we’ve been together for a while now and I think we should start our own traditions,” he said. “You know something we do every Christmas season, ones we can pass it down to our kids… you know, when we have them.”

You smiled at his words and you’d been lying if your heart didn’t skip a beat at the thought of having kids with Harry.

“I think you’re right,” you said, taking his free hand in yours. “And our first tradition should definitely be baking cookies and ending with a food fight.”

“Sounds perfect,” he whispered against your hand before kissing it.

**

Gemma’s party was a hit. Everyone was having a blast and of course everyone loved Harry’s sweater. In fact, he was declared the winner. You were in the kitchen helping Gemma bring out more food.

“So, how’s everything going with you and Harry?” She asked.

“It’s going well,” you smiled. “We’re happy.”

“I’m glad,” she said. “I know the last year was rough, but if anyone can make it work it’s the two of you.”

“Thanks for believing in us, Gem,” you said.

“You’re welcome,” she said. “But remember, the most important thing is that you two believe in your relationship.”

“I know,” you nodded. “And I do.”

“Good because the second you stop means there’s nothing left worth fighting for,” she said.

You were a little confused by her words, not sure what she was hinting at, but you decided not to focus on that right now. It was a party and you were having a wonderful time. You brought the food out and saw Harry shoving another Christmas cookie into his mouth. You laughed, wrapping your arms around his waist.

“You’re going to turn into a cookie if you keep eating them,” you giggled.

“What can I say? They’re delicious,” he said, wrapping his arm around your shoulder.

You smiled, “Having fun?”

“I am,” he said. “This is just what I needed. I’ve missed everyone.”

“Me too,” you said.

“Hey, what do you say we do a little karaoke,” he suggested.

“Hm, don’t mind if I do,” you smirked, pulling him over to where the machine was placed.

**

It was well after midnight by the time you and Harry strolled your way back into your house.

“Wow, that was so fun,” you smiled, handing Harry a glass of water.

“Hm, maybe next year we can have our own,” he said.

“Adding another tradition to the list?” You smiled.

“Yeah, I guess I am,” he nodded.

Your lips pulled into a smile as you cuddled up next to him. He wrapped his arm around you, kissing your head.

“I love you,” he whispered into your hair.

“I love you, too,” you whispered, closing your eyes.

Harry looked down at you, noticing you had fallen asleep. He sipped on his water and pushed hair out of your face. He knew you two should head to bed, but he didn’t want to wake you just yet. You looked so peaceful in his arms and that’s exactly when he knew he had a plan to make happen.

#Harry Styles Imagines #Harry Styles Fanfics #Harry Styles Fanfiction #Harry Styles Christmas Serires

[ironhoshi]

Boba/Cal & Ezra and Ezra untintentially instigating an old argument over who's the more reckless idiot?

You got it!!!

Under the cut and no major warnings apply.

His brows knit together while the plasma torch worked at welding the portion of durasteel together. Boba knew his goggles were going to need to be replaced soon, but they should last through this batch of repairs. He’d sort out acquiring a new pair later...maybe on the next job.

"Bu," a voice called out right before Ezra practically dropped down beside him. Boba swore and quickly cut his torch. He shoved his goggles up and fixed the problem child with a look. He made a point of glancing at the still blue hot tip of the torch before looking at Ezra again. The kid merely smiled in a smug way. It was like looking at a miniature version of Kestis. "Cal said to come back in, he has a lead-"

"Do you have no self preservation?" Boba interrupted. Ezra just kept throwing himself into situations that could end extremely bad. Kark, if he hadn’t been fast enough then he would have injured his ad! 

"I knew you'd turn it off, bu." The nickname made his heart do a complicated twist. Ezra wasn't quite willing to call him and Cal his parents, but the kid enjoyed pushing at that line. "I had a feeling."

"One of these times you aren't going to be right and you'll end up hurt," he countered.

"Oh? Will I get a cool face scar?"

No! Wrong takeaway. Boba just reached forward and grabbed Ezra by the back of the head, yanking him in for a quick keldabe kiss. The boy made a disgruntled noise, but didn't yank away. The plasma torch was tossed onto the work crate next to him and he didn’t even care if it melted a faint section as it cooled down. 

"Stop trying to mirror Cal, kid. He is a horrible influence." His riduur threw himself into danger without pause. Just ran straight at cliff edges and jumped with a kriffing smirk. Boba knew his jetii could handle himself, but still- he nearly choked on his heart at least once a month.

"I'm a what?” the topic of conversation asked while walking up to them. Kriff, he had probably gotten sick of waiting. BD trilled a greeting. Boba pulled away from Ezra before slinging an arm around the kid's shoulders.

"Horrible influence. Ezra here wants some scars like yours. He does have that ability to just hurl himself into dangerous situations-"

"Now hang on," Cal protested, "you are just as bad as I am!"

"Me? I use my head! I don't just jump at the first Imp I see," Boba retorted before he could stop himself. Cal raised an eyebrow while BD let out a whistle that let him know they were about to get in an uncivilized debate again.

"Oh? I wasn't the one who had the brilliant idea to sneak onto a star destroyer two months ago," Cal began, clearly gearing up to layout every single time Boba had dangerous ideas. "We barely made it out of there."

"Yeah because you thought it was a great idea to free everyone in the cells!"

Ezra leaned into his side and Boba glanced down. The kid was listening with a look on his face that he was filing this information away for later. Well, kark. “Cal, light of my life-” And then a finger was being jabbed into his chest while Ezra snickered.

“Boba, star that guides me, don’t even think about sweet-talking me after you just called me reckless.” “In my defense,” Boba said before he could stop himself, “you are!” “And so are you,” Cal said with a faint smirk. “Let me list the ways.”

Ezra made a sound like he was suddenly retching. Boba glanced down in worry, but Cal just burst out laughing. “No more flirting. I hate it when you two flirt!”

Oh.

Boba rolled his eyes and pointed at Cal. “He gets it from you. The dramatics. You jettise, always so dramatic.”

#boba fett #cal kestis #ezra bridger #kesett #send me an ask #this one was fun #ezra just wanted a cool scar for his face and instead he has ammo for the future #love me some kesett #hope you enjoyed <3 #star wars