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sanjifucker42069 · 8 months

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Calm Him Down- Sanji x Reader

Word Count: 2000

Warnings: mentions of Sora Vinsmoke. Sanji has a panic attack. First ever hurt/comfort lmao, so there's that. Slight OOC as Sanji kinda breaks down, letting people in without costing an arm and a leg, the stubborn bastard. Reader's gender is not specified, but you do sleep in the women's quarters, which like, look at the gender ratio on the Sunny. There's heaps more room in the women's quarters, makes sense to chuck you there.

It's up to you how you read their relationship here. In my mind they're close friends pining for each other, but it could easily be read as platonic or established relationship.

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It was a peaceful day on the Sunny; the seabirds were squawking, the ocean lapped at the boat lazily, and Zoro and Sanji were arguing. Go figure. Your eyebrow twitched, where you say at the kitchen table giving you perfect access to the argument. You don't even remember how it started, probably something banal. Beside you, Chopper was reading a book, fully immersed in its pages. You tried tuning out most of the fight.

"You're lucky I don't come over there and kick the shit out of you. I've had enough of your disgraceful behaviour." Sanji growled.

Zoro regarded the blonde with a sneer. “What shit-cook, you gonna cry to mummy about it?”

CRASH. SLAM.

You whipped your head to the kitchen, seeing Sanji staring down the swordsman with barely-contained fury. Blood turning to ice, your breath hitched. You’d never seen the sweet cook look so murderous. There was a fire in his eyes that broke your heart, like it was a glimpse to the true man underneath. You swear you could catch a hint of vulnerability, but he was stamping that down, waves of violent palpable pain rolling off him.

“You know nothing about my mother, so shut the fuck up.”

The silence that flooded the room was suffocating. You flinched, physically feeling how all warmth was sucked from the air. Sanji growled, deep and furious.

“Get the fuck out of my kitchen. All of you.”

“Hey, I didn’t me-” Zoro started weakly.

“Sanji.” You breathed.

“Get. out.” The snarl that rewarded you knocked the wind out of you. Wordlessly you collected Chopper, taking him by the hand and helping him out of his seat. The reindeer looked shocked, tears threatening to spill. You rubbed small circles into the fur above his hoof with your thumb. Sparing him one last glance, you grabbed Zoro by the ear with your free hand, dragging the hissing man. If you purposefully pinched hard, then who was to say. Surreptitiously you flicked your eyes to the cook, but Sanji had his back to you, arms bracing the kitchen counter. His hands were clutching the wood in a vice-like grip, none too gentle. You sighed, hauling the two out of the galley. Softly, you let go of Chopper’s hand and pulled the heavy door closed. Your fingers pinched Zoro’s ear hard one last time, before releasing.

Before the swordsman could open his mouth, you shushed him. “I know. I know, okay, there’s no way any of us could’ve known. Just. Go cool down. It does no good, us being here.”

Zoro’s lips thinned into a blank stare. He muttered out a simple “Yeah,” before turning and leaving the immediate area. With a small nod you crouched down to the small doctor, cradling his little face.

“Hey Chop? It’s okay, okay? He’s gonna be okay. Do you think you could tell the others to stay clear of the kitchen for a while? Maybe you could make something to calm him down?” It was imperative you kept Chopper busy. The cute boy nodded, sniffing back his tears. You ruffled his hat against his head. “There’s our doctor! Thank you sweetheart.”

Once the small reindeer had left you leant against the door, heart breaking. In all your time as a crew, from Merry to Sunny, you had never seen Sanji so upset. Yeah, the man had a temper, but not a severe temper. Sanji could always be calmed down or diverted. It was clear. He was hurt. When you thought about it, you don’t think you’d ever heard Sanji talk about his family. You sat there in silence for a few moments before you heard it.

Tears?

No, fuck that. You don’t care if he banned you all from the kitchen, you weren’t going to let him cry alone. As quiet as you could, you crept back into the galley. Sanji was nowhere to be seen. Impossible. You’d heard him.

“Sanji?” You asked quietly.

The silence of the kitchen was unsettling. You weren’t imagining it, there was an almost imperceivable sniffle. The room felt suffocating, hurt and panic strangling the air. You began inspecting the room, making your way to the kitchen island. That’s when you heard it, a small voice, deep and rasping, but trying so hard to not be heard.

“Please go away.”

Oh.

You peered over the kitchen island to find him. Sanji was curled inwards, sitting on the ground. His knees were drawn to his chest, head lowered. He looked utterly defeated, slightly shaking as he held back tears. Before your brain could even process you had rounded the island at a rate of knots, sliding to a crouch. You held your hands out like you were trying not to startle him. Sanji flinched at hearing you, no, feeling you so close.

“I said go away.”

“I’m not leaving you Sanji.”

“Go. Away.” The mumble that escaped his crying form broke you.

“You would have to kill me for me to leave. Come here.” Sanji ignored you, his arms cradling his own body. A sigh broke its way out of your chest. He looked so small, like a boy trying hard to be brave. The shaking increased in frequency with your words. You couldn’t let him suffer like this alone. “I’m sorry Sanji, but I’m not leaving.”

The man jumped as if electrocuted when you wrapped your arms around him. You took advantage of his surprise, pulling his head against your chest. Sanji struggled, trying to distance himself, but you latched harder. The push and pull continued for a while, until you heard Sanji sigh shakily. He went limp, allowing you to pull him to you, one hand smoothing his hair, the other clinging to his back.

“You don’t have to tell me anything, just let me be here for you.”

That did it. Sanji grabbed at you, wrapping his hands around your back, crushing you. It was a desperate attempt, clumsy and clawing, clear the man was upset. You grunted quietly at the pressure, trying not to startle him. It was quickly apparent you didn’t have to worry about making a noise, as you felt your shirt become damp with tears, Sanji desperately trying to cry quietly. You knew what Sanji was like. It would scare him off if you acknowledged his tears. All you could do was try comforting him, rubbing his back and kissing his hair.

“She’s dead.”

Your breath hitched. No wonder he reacted the way he did. You tried to not feel furious with Zoro, he didn't know, but the anger was still there. Soft sobs permeated the air, each sound chipping at your heart.

"Oh Ji." You sighed, hugging him even harder. He'd have to suffocate soon with how tight you held him, but you noted how he clung to you, as if he was afraid you'd disappear. Sanji's words were clipped and shaky.

"Died when I was a kid. My fault she died, was too weak."

Shock invaded your senses, a freezing feeling travelling through your veins. You weren't sure what he meant, but you knew in your bones there was no way that was right. Sanji always struck you as a sensitive individual, all the more to cement your belief that he wasn't at fault for whatever he was thinking. "No honey, no, that's not true."

“I miss her.” Sanji’s voice was hoarse.

“I know.” You cooed softly, delicately carding your fingers through his hair. "She must have been an amazing woman if she birthed such a wonderful son."

That was the wrong move. It was like a dam burst. Sanji began crying hard, torn between seeking your comfort and escaping. You felt the tendrils of panic surfacing as you watched him struggle to breathe between sobs. Sanji's heart rate picking up, he began shaking in your arms. You watched horrified as he tried to downplay it and seem unaffected, but you knew better.

"Oh, fuck. Ji? Sanji? I'm so sorry. It wasn't your fault. It wasn't your fault, okay?"

Your attempt failed, and you felt Sanji pull away. Shit. Shit, he was having a panic attack. It shattered your heart as you watched him hyperventilate, unable to calm down. Without thinking you cupped his cheeks, forcing him to stare at you.

"Sanji. Honey. Its going to be okay. Breathe with me, okay? In through the nose. Out through the mouth. Try with me. Good." You coached him through, trying to encourage deeper breaths. Sanji's visible eye was bloodshot and frantic, eye flitting between your facial features. You noted his eye was not focused on anything in particular, he seemed distant. His nose was red, no doubt sore from sniffling. Shaky breaths escaped him, and you tried desperately to seem calm. "Eyes on me. Breathe. You're okay, you're here on the Sunny. We're here. You're doing good baby."

Breathe.

Breathe with me.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Sanji crumpled against you once his breathing was finally steady. You cradled him, rocking the two of you gently. You were certain Sanji would prefer to just exist in the silence, but you couldn't help the word vomit that escaped.

"You don't have to go through this alone Sanji. You have us, you have Zeff and the Baratie. You have Nami, and Robin, and Luffy. Usopp, Brook, Franky, Chopper. Fuck even Zoro!" You were rambling, tears of your own escaping. "And me. I'll always be here if you feel overwhelmed. You can't get rid of us Sanji. We love you."

"Why?" His voice cracked. "Why waste your time?"

Sanji froze as you tilted his chin up to stare at him. You eyes were serious and vulnerable. "Time spent with you is never wasted. You are capable of being loved, and I'll be damned if I let you think otherwise."

You watched as Sanji stuttered out a shaky sigh.

"Your mum would be proud of you Sanji." Anxious, you continued. Sanji's breath hitched. "I'm sure she'd see the man I see before me; who's kind beyond a fault, who is sweet and sensitive. Who can cook the most mouthwatering dishes, who protects and cares for those around him. You're a good person Sanji. You need to let yourself believe that."

You were rewarded with a teary smile, one not reaching the eyes. Sanji looked tired, dark under eyes and pale skin. With a smile back, you gestured to get up. The quizzical look he gave you warming your heart.

"C'mon. I'll kick the girls out for a couple hours. You look exhausted, come take a nap with me."

"Oh, no I couldn't. I need to finish making dinner, a-and it wouldn't be right for me to-mmph."

You silenced him with a gentle finger to his lips. "We're mostly adults Ji. One night of subpar food from Usopp's cooking is not going to kill us. Now c'mon."

Sanji let you lead him to the girl's quarters, specifically your bed. He watched where your hand held his, it looked like they were made for each other. In any other circumstance he'd blush and coo over the display, but right now he felt beyond exhausted, a weariness deep in his bones. He weakly protested as you took off his jacket.

"Get comfy. I'll be right back." Your voice was quiet and warm. Sanji wanted to melt. Instead, he nodded and sat down on your bed. In another situation, he might squeal and bury himself in your scent, or be embarrassed at how in charge you were. Instead, he removed his shoes, placing them neatly on the floor near your bed. He sat there awkwardly, eyelids heavy from tiredness and crying.

The door squeaked back open.

"Got you some water and some painkillers. I know I always get a wicked headache after I cry." Sanji gratefully took the pills, knocking it back with the full glass. He didn't realise how parched he was. Slipping your shoes off, you crawled behind him, making yourself comfortable. Sanji could see you spread out on the small bed out of the corner of his eyes. He watched you spread your arms out.

Wordlessly the lanky man laid down next to you, shuffling into your warm embrace. Sanji lightly startled when you pulled the blanket over the two of you, before you closed your arms, hugging him gently. The feeling of your hand back in his hair was comforting, so too was the small humming of Binks' Sake, lulling him gently to sleep. Before he could pass out he nuzzled against you.

"Thank you (name)."

"Anytime Sanji. Get some sleep."

And sleep he did, soon drifting off in your arms. Once you made sure he was fully asleep you frowned. Poor man. He really didn't know how precious he was. His soft snores rewarded you, and you felt your own lids get heavy. You couldn't help it, and so, cradling your own treasure, you fell asleep tangled around him.

#sanji x reader #one piece x reader #black leg sanji x reader #vinsmoke sanji x reader #hurt/comfort #ive bever written hurt/comfort before lmao be gentle #i hAVE SO MANY FEELINGS ABOUT THIS MAN #...bruh im actually hella hungry rn #i promise i dont only write whoreknee shit!

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ivory--raven · 14 days

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thoughts on ocean sunfish (mola mola)?

A controversial fish and one I have not seen in-person, though I'd like to. This post deserves a picture.

Mola mola is a huge planktonic bony fish - planktonic meaning it lives in the plankton, goes wherever the currents take it and can't outswim them. Most plankton are really small. Can't see them without a microscope small. The common ocean sunfish (mola mola) can weigh up to 1,000 kg. They look like giant heads - or moons. In French their common name is poisson lune, moon fish. They get their bad reputation because they're basically giant heads and they can't swim and they only reason they're not eaten is that they're too big to eat. It's an effective strategy. Natural selection doesn't care about coolness.

I do care about coolness, but my metric's weird. I think ocean sunfish are cool.

Here's a sea lion just chomping out of a sunfish. This is one of the perceived flaws of sunfish - but y'know, sea lions also straight up eat marine iguanas' tails for fun, so sunfish aren't uniquely bad for being eaten by them.

And ocean sunfish are cool. They're a member of order Tetraodontiformes, along with pufferfish, porcupinefish, and filefish (yes, filefish are a real fish). This order is one of ray-finned fishes and they're known for their weird body plans. Most fish are pretty predictable with their body plans, favour manœuvrability or cruising or acceleration. There's a cool diagram about that.

Tetraodontiformes, ocean sunfish included, are doing something else. If I had to put them on the diagram, it would be in the manoeuvrable corner, cause they're rubbish at everything else. I've scooped up a filefish with my bare hands.

The order name is more or less tetra + odont + iformes, meaning four + tooth + shape. And the whole ending in formes thing is pretty typical for orders - people like to name them "shaped like this" or what basically translates, in scientific latin, to "[example organism] and friends." For Tetraodontiformes, it's all about the jaw bone being formed into a beak shape with four chunks. Fish with beaks.

Beaks and weird body plans. I'm sold!

One cool thing about ocean sunfish is their spikes. Yep, spikes, like their relatives.

Left - a porcupinefish. Right - a pufferfish.

And a young ocean sunfish.

As young fish (the word is fry) they are spiky! And pretty cute, I think.

Ocean sunfish manage to steer themselves by squirting jets of water out of their mouths. They have very few bones, and no swim bladder, which is unusual for a fish that lives so close to the surface. They use cleaner fish to get the parasites off them and I'm a fan of mutualism. They also might use seabirds to clean themselves off, floating at the surface and getting the birds to pick parasites off. That's pretty cool.

So yeah. In general I'm an ocean sunfish fan.

#ocean sunfish #mola mola #thanks for this ask #i love talking about fish

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techs-ass · 1 year

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Shark Dump: Lemon Sharks!

Some of you seemed to enjoy my shark facts and honestly, if I can get the chance to rave about sharks, I will. So here are some shark facts starting with my favorite, Lemon Sharks!!

If you guys enjoy this, feel free to leave me a request with the name of a shark you'd like to learn about and I'll be happy to info dump on them. I'm thinking about posting one every Sunday (Shark Sundays!!! :D )

Technically I was supposed to post this earlier but I didn't lol oops-

Conservation Status: NEAR THREATENED

This cute guy here is a Lemon shark or Negaprion brevirostris! They get this name from their yellowish skin and yellow bellies but they can be anywhere from brown to olive colored. Lemon sharks are mostly native to the Atlantic Ocean and parts of the Pacific where they occupy coral keys, mangrove forests, bays and even docks. Most populations can be found in Gulf of Mexico, the West Indies, and the Caribbean.

They can grow up to 11 ft long which makes them one of the larger species of sharks but don't let their size scare you! These guys are mostly scavengers that hunt for food near sandy in-shore areas. Most of the lemon sharks diet consists of bony fish, crustaceans and stingrays although they occasionally snack on seabirds or smaller sharks. They hunt using electroreceptors on their nose, called ampullae de Lorenzini, which help them detect fish and other creatures, even buried in the sand.

(Remember, sharks don't have hands so they rely on their nose and mouth to explore the enviroment around them!)

Lemon sharks usually live in oceanic waters that are no deeper than 188 ft although some have been found in waters at depths of up to 300 ft. They are one of 43 sharks that can swim in freshwater but usually don't travel very far into these waters as they can't survive for long periods in them. If you see a lemon shark in freshwater, they're probably just there for a quick bite to eat before heading back to the ocean.

Fun Fact: Bull sharks are the only shark that can survive in both salt and fresh water! They're also one of the dumber sharks and will try to eat anything that fits in their mouths.

Despite how scary they look, lemon sharks are actually a favorite among divers and marine biologist because of their docile behavior! They rarely attack humans (As of 2011, researchers had found only 10 cases of lemon sharks attacking humans, and none of these cases were deadly), in fact, they are very shy and usually try to avoid us. Though if they do approach, they're usually just being curious and will bump you with their nose.

But my favorite thing about lemon Sharks? Once they get over their shyness, they LOVE getting belly rubs! They find the sensation very pleasant and will actively seek out the divers who pet them, even chasing other sharks away if they feel the diver’s giving them too much attention. Sometimes, if you rub their belly too much or if you stimulate the tiny sensory pores located on their snout, you can put them into something called tonic immobility.

Tonic immobility is a reflex that causes a temporary state of inactivity in an animal. Similar to hypnosis! Researchers aren't sure why sharks do this as it's usually thought to be a prey instinct so apex predators like sharks shouldn't have this. But most researchers have found that the sharks aren't stressed when they perform this behavior so it might just mean they're really relaxed! This is backed up by the fact that when in this state the shark’s muscles relax and their breathing becomes deep and rhythmic. Sharks usually enter tonic immobility in less than a minute and they can remain in this state for up to 15 minutes. It doesn't hurt them at all and researches use this to help subdue them.

Lemon sharks (like many other sharks) are imperative to keeping our reefs alive and healthy. Without them, we've already begun to see a major decline in coral reefs and seagrass beds. By taking these sharks out of the coral reef ecosystem, there's nothing to keep the larger predatory fish in check and they overfeed on the herbivores. With less herbivores, macroalgae expands and coral can no longer compete, shifting the ecosystem to one of algae dominance causing the reefs to eventually die out.

Now, back to lemon sharks and the most important fact I have about them: their conservation status.

Lemon sharks are considered to be near threatened. This means that they are likely to become endagered in the near future. This is because they are targeted by commercial and recreational fishermen primarily due to their highly prized fins. Their meat is also in high demand and is considered a delicacy in many areas. Further, the continuing destruction of their habitat has led to the severe decline of lemon shark populations.

But thankfully, there are steps already being taken to help protect these sweet sea puppies. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission prohibits the harvesting of lemon sharks in state waters. Any lemon shark that catches onto a hook is to be released immediately, either by removal of the hook from the shark or by cutting the shark free—whichever will release the shark quickest. Some countries are also slowly starting to put in protections for them as well.

You can also help! Many people view sharks as blood-thirsty monsters due to decades of slander campaigns and hollywood scare movies (I'm glaring at you Jaws). But we can change that view by showing the world just how beautiful and intelligent these creatures really are! The more informed people are about the sharks, the more we can do to help them. Just by reading this post and learning about lemon sharks, you're helping! Now, the next time you hear someone talking smack about sharks, you can smack them with some cool shark facts! Then hopefully with enough smacking, we can change how people see these lovely predators and get more support for their protection.

#science #marine biology #sharks #shark facts #marine life #lemon shark #conservation #shark conservation #i just love sharks man #sea puppies #that's all they are #sea puppies with very sharp teeth

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dogtoling · 3 months

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O the great splatoon-lore-knowing Dodo, bless me with your knowledge and tell me: do you think penguins went extinct in the splatoon universe? or did they evolved in an unusual way to adapt? why penguins? because they are cute

There's no solid yes-or-no answer to this one unfortunately, but there IS an appearance of penguins in splatoon:

this sticker on the Octostomp

I would probably guess they'd be extinct given there was insane global climate disaster and ice caps melted - but I think there's still ice continents on the north and south pole on the Earth texture and of course that ship stage... penguins are basically marine creatures themselves and were never (supposedly) in the middle of the conflicts anyway, so they have a pretty good chance of having survived and still existing. Idk, I'd give it a 50/50 - after all seabirds like seagulls are still fine and thriving.

Having an animal appear in a graphic isn't proof that the animal itself is extant as we know, it simply states that Inklings are aware of that animal's existence and whether that is from fossils and/or other preserved proof or from the animal still existing tends to vary!

#mailbox

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fowlblue · 1 year

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Artemis Fowl Winged AU:

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For obvious reasons, the Fowls are Corvidae- intelligence, curiosity, strong family bonds… and a proclivity for extreme mischief.

Artemis Fowl II- Western Jackdaw:

An underappreciated little corvid with glossy black feathers and bright blue eyes, perfect for Artemis! I've already mentioned corvid intelligence, but let me note in particular they are incredible problem solvers... and sometimes a little silly.

Artemis Fowl I (Fowl Senior)- Common Raven:

Clever? Check! Iconic? Check! Believed to be unfortunate to come across? Unfortunately, check! And finally, appropriately scruffy? Check!

Angeline Fowl- Barn Owl:

Well, some member of the family deserved to be an owl, and Barn Owls have the perfect mix of elegance, beauty and intellect to suit Angeline- they’re also quite cute, and can be very silly (spoken from experience!)

Myles and Beckett Fowl- Stellars’ Jay and Blue Jay:

Look at these birds and tell me it’s not the twins. Jays are known for mischief-making, extreme intellect (despite often being underestimated) and colorful, loud personalities- perfect for them!

Domovoi Butler- Golden Eagle:

A classic! While I was originally thinking ‘owl’, eagles have a certain reputation of nobility and power- they’ve also historically been used in falconry. They are fierce, protective, and incredibly strong birds.

Juliet Butler- Black and Chestnut Eagle:

While I was this close to going with a Crested Caracara or some form of kite, Juliet deserves ‘eagle’ status alongside her brother. Further research led me to various ‘hawk-eagles’, smaller than their more famous cousins and built just a little bit different- this bird is colorful and quick and still quite powerful. Though, in all truth, I imagine Juliet would dye her feathers green no matter what wings she’d have.

Holly Short- Common Kestrel:

A small bird for a small fairy! While a kestrel is one of the smallest raptors, they are nonetheless incredibly fierce and capable of some pretty fancy flying, including the unique ability to ‘hover’ in midair!

Mulch- Burrowing Owl

I don’t think I really have to explain myself here, lol.

(now… onto the villains! Be warned for some blood ahead!)

Opal Koboi- Little Brown Bat

Now, I know what you’re thinking. “Why not a vampire bat? She’s a villain!” And A. It feels too easy, and B. Vampire bats are highly social (which, granted, most bats are), and more importantly, known to take care of older or sick members of their swarm! That is too compassionate for Opal. So instead, I chose something known for being small, fairly ‘cute’, and, most importantly-

Absolutely full of rage.

Jon Spiro- Peregrine Falcon

A cosmopolitan bird, the peregrine falcon is a bird perfectly at home in the big city-in fact, peregrine falcons have been observed to fly faster and hunt more successfully when among the skyscrapered skyline! Primarily preying on other birds, the peregrine falcon is a serious threat, even if it's not particularly big or strong, and its urban lifestyle makes it well-suited to one Jon Spiro.

Britva- Giant Petrel

A relatively underrated villain in the series, but in my opinion the most grounded in reality and particularly intimidating. Given the Bay of Kola is his territory, a seabird felt appropriate, and these birds are big, bad, and brutal. A true scourge on other creatures, that's for sure.

Damon Kronski- Blood Pheasant

Finally, some Galliforme representation! These birds are relatively uncommon in the world of public knowledge, but very flashy- just look at it! The males are brightly-colored, but sharply-spurred, and can be quite fierce when disturbed.

Teddy Bleedham-Drye- Cape Vulture

I don't really think I need to elaborate here, lol.

#artemis fowl #I know i missed some people but I'm getting tired lol- I'll mention them here. Uncle Foxy is a European Magpie. Minerva is an African Grey #-parrot. Kong (i think that's the guy from TLC?) is a Striated Caracara. No1 is a Mourning Dove. The Major is a Martial Eagle.#Julius Root and his brother are Old English Game Bantams. Trouble is a Saw-Whet Owl.#i love wing aus so much! hopefully at some point i can write some fics for it #winged au

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birdusannus · 20 days

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4/14: cape cod?!

we wound our way to the very tippy-top of cape cod , MA in search of seabirds-- and seabirds we found! we spent more than four hours and walked more than four miles total through sand and seawater to find a bunch of cool species, many of which were lifers for me!

Bird 67: a Belted Kingfisher was perched in a marshy area not quite at the seashore.

Bird 68: Surf Scoters were floating out on the water, mixed in with Black and White-winged Scoters!

Bird 69: We spotted a few Piping Plovers running up and down the shoreline-- they were so cute!

Bird 70: Razorbill; these fellas were far off shore and hard to find, but we saw them eventually.

Bird 71: Laughing Gulls were- well, laughing! I think their black heads are very striking.

Bird 72: Ring-billed Gull

Bird 73: Great Black-backed Gull

Bird 74: Glaucous Gull; we saw at least one for certain. I'm awful at identifying my gulls, but I learned that GLGUs are large, chunky, and have all-white wingtips.

Bird 75: Iceland Gull; still not sure how to ID these guys, to be honest...

Bird 76: Pacific Loon; we spent most of our time searching for this bird specifically. The water was full of COLO and RTLO, but seeing as MA is on the Atlantic, PALO are understandably rare. We sorted through winter plumage birds for hours, knowing PALO were present from other birders we came across. We finally ID'd a winter plumage bird based on its narrow beak (relative to a conveniently placed nearby Common) and chinstrap... it was such an exciting moment when we finally got it!

Bird 77: Northern Gannet; there were dozens, if not hundreds, of these guys close to shore. They were gorgeous, bright white with stark black wingtips. I could have watched them gracefully arc in the air before plunging into the water for hours!

Bird 78: Bufflehead; sitting on a lake near the seashore!

#birds #birding #birdwatching #seagull #seabirds #cape cod

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talonflamee · 1 year

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i’ve been avoiding any scvi spoilers as much as i can, so i was lucky enough to not have had wattrel and kilowattrel spoiled for me. i still haven’t seen every new pokemon yet so i’m not venturing into the badlands (tumblr tags) but i still want to talk about these guys!

first off, very interesting choices of species to base them off of! most bird pokemon reference common and familiar birds, like a crow or a duck (/pos btw, this is not a bad thing) but i love that newer gen bird pokemon are including lesser-known species, like hawaiian honeycreepers and cormorants.

(baile style oricorio & ʻiʻiwi)

(cramorant & double-crested cormorant)

so wattrel is based on a storm petrel. there are quite a few different species, but i’d say the most direct reference is the leach’s storm petrel because of the forked tail and the general range of their habitat (although i don’t think that really matters much)

we’ve needed more flying/electric types for sure and this is a very silly fun little guy, exactly what i love in a first-stage, early-route bird pokemon. cute design with neat colors!!

👇

☝

they also incorporated petrel flight behavior into its animation which i’m a huge fan of! i can’t find any good videos or gifs showing their battle animations (and i also want to avoid searching for them) but they soar for a bit and then flap frantically like how petrels do to navigate through choppy water.

and kilowattrel is absolutely striking, pun intended. i’m extremely happy with this evolution

i never expected they’d make a frigatebird pokemon! frigatebirds are massive seabirds that have the largest wing:body ratio of any bird. they can have a wingspan of almost 8 feet! they can also ride air currents for days, weeks, even literal months without landing once. it’s insane to me

kilowattrel’s coloration is based on the female magnificent frigatebird. they have a beautifully angular shape and i think kilowattrel’s design captures that very well with the perfect amount of roundness

frigatebirds don’t typically show up near spain or portugal (where paldea is based off of) (so my attempt at guessing the storm petrel species didn’t really matter anyway lmao)

the few things that are weird to me about their designs are the eyes and yellow markings on the throat that go up their head. unfortunately, the eyes of every character in scvi (and pokemon legends as well) have issues with adapting to lighting and shadows. i think if this was addressed it’d look a lot better because they’re just way too bright sometimes. also the way the yellow comes up above the eyes should either be exaggerated or erased. i think it’s so subtle that it’s just unnecessary. but this is literally me searching for things to complain about if i absolutely had to say something bothered me about their designs. otherwise i think they’re fantastic, and as pretty mediocre as gen 9 is, i’m very happy we got these guys out of it

#this is so long and for what </3 #pokemon #talking #pokemon spoilers #pokemon scarlet/violet #wattrel #kilowattrel #i should finally do those bird pokemon reviews bc this was fun #also pic credits are included in the link

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ethereal-bumble-bee · 5 months

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Seabirds- Ralbert

This was originally written on Quotev as a request from someone, using one of their OCs x Race. I’ve changed it to be ralbert, as their OC isn’t mine and we kinda fell out of touch for reasons, so enjoy this cute little Ralbert fic!

“Al, would you look at this?”

Albert heard the awe in Race’s voice as he stared over the edge of the bridge, and he glanced over to see what his boyfriend was looking at. Their walk was supposed to be a short trip across the bridge, to Brooklyn and back to make sure Spot Conlon was still tolerant of the union, but the cool evening had set in and the sunset had caught Race’s attention. Albert loved that about him- how he always stopped to appreciate beautiful things.

Glancing over the railing, he could just barely see the sun, rays of light coating the world in an almost surreal shade of orange as it disappeared over the horizon. Race’s eyes sparkled with amazement, and he wrapped an arm around Albert as the redhead came to stand beside him. Despite the chilly air of the night as evening set in, Albert’s heart warmed his arms and legs as Race squeezed his shoulders.

“It’s wonderful,” Albert agreed after a moment, whispering so as to not break the magic of the moment. Race hugged him close, and for a while it was just the two of them, basking in the fading light of the sun. Somewhere in the distance, Albert heard a squawk and smiled as his eyes caught two seagulls flying side-by-side. They weren’t with any other birds, the expanse of the river their only companion other than each other. It seemed some sort of a beautiful symbolism- maybe those birds didn’t need anyone other than themselves. Now, he didn’t know where they were going, most probably south for the winter, but he found himself wishing he was going with them. Far, far away, where the stress of life couldn’t find where he was.

Briefly, he wondered if Race ever would be willing to leave with him.

“I wonder where those two birds are going,” Race commented absentmindedly, and it was as if he’d read Albert’s mind. Albert chuckled softly, shrugging.

“Me too.” Turning to face him, he planted a kiss on Race’s freckled cheek. “Who knows? They could be lovers, heading off to a new life together.” Smiling, he continued to speak, slowly getting lost in his own thoughts as he voiced them aloud. “Far away from the hustle and bustle of New York, where they can rest in peace and spend their bird-lives together.”

Race raised an eyebrow. “You’ve sure thought about this a lot, huh?” He nudged Albert with his elbow, grinning at him teasingly. “Is that why you’ve been so quiet?”

Albert blushed slightly, elbowing Race back and laughing. “I guess so.” He looked back out at the river. “I think it’s kind of a metaphor, you know?”

Race nodded beside him, humming in response. “I think I get it,” he said after a moment, his voice slightly wistful.

“Do you ever think we could do something like that? Run away together, I mean.” Albert glanced up at him, his heart rate suddenly picking up as the weight of the question hung between them. Race paused for a second, and Albert genuinely thought he’d messed up.

He’d already begun to open his mouth and formulate an apology when Race smiled. “I’d want nothing more, mio amato.”

Albert leaned his head against Race’s chest, smiling to himself, and Race hugged him close as the final bit of light disappeared, leaving the world shrouded in quiet darkness. Normally, the darkness enveloping them would be something for a man to be afraid of, a symbol of lost hope and danger, but those worries meant nothing to the two boys standing on that bridge together.

Albert liked to think that he and Race were like those seabirds, flying far away from the night, having only each other and their shadow-like outlines in the sky to let the busy world beneath them know that they were there.

#newsies #fanfiction #newsies musical #writing #racetrack higgins #race x albert #albert dasilva #albert newsies #racetrack newsies #race newsies #ralbert #bee writes stuff

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just-a-random-person24 · 1 month

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On a Rail episodes are next and I have SO much to say about those eps, those notes are gonna have more things to them but rn here's eps 15-22

Episode 15

“I last ate like, what? A day ago?” PLEASE EAT SOMETHING MY GUY

“Fucking hamdogs. That's racist.” He's worried about being racist to the literal aliens???

Casually picks up a shotgun off a dead security

“That is NOT a normal way to die!” The man violently ragdolled, that's definitely not normal

Episode 16

babygirl you've said fun 5 times too many

“I warned your kind what would happen if you jump me like that again.” I really don't think they can hear you

“A plain exposed door leading to where I need to be? Am I getting punked?” That door's always been there

“I wouldn't call 2 people a group.” What would you call them then?

“And by mental, I mean break down and cry.” I quote this way too much lmao

Episode 17

Logo change!!

Just, this whole beginning part. ‘Descent into madness schtick’

Just vent my man you need to </3

“The design for turning on the fan is balls.” It really is cause why is it under the fan blades??

“The amount of dead people in a single area may correlate to its significance. As dark as that may seem.” That is such a fucked up way at looking at it

“You know, I actually could go for a smoke right now.” Canonically smokes cigarettes (r.i.p man if the military doesn't get you)

“Now I have to look for scientists like they're lost 5 year olds. Fucking a.” He's a single mom 💔 (/j)

“They actually look pretty cute.” They're sleepy little puppy dogs ☹️

“Hopefully 2010 doesn't have me kickstarting the second apocalypse.” *que Half Life 2*

“But right now I am the judge, as well as jury, and executioner. With that in mind I hereby declare you all guilty!” He's losing it

Episode 18

“My autobiography isn't going to write itself.” THAT'S your biggest concern at the moment???

“Okay, fine, I'll do that. Since nobody would want to know what your condescending ass is here anyways.” YOU'RE BEING SUCH A DICK??

“I may not have the best sense of smell, but god this is rank.” ???

“I think they'd do well in the world of cinema.” For some reason I vaguely remember something about Mindrian wanting to be an actor or something. They should make a homemade movie together

“Jesus christ thats hot!” I hope fire is hot!

Episode 19

“I was originally gonna say that the guy who designed this ladder in particular should be fired. But that's a bit on the nose.” *ba dum tss*

“Guess I'm going the way of the radioactive road. Or the Seabird Street. The Transiuratic Turnpike. The Breckwell Boulevard.” I'm not putting all that bit here but you are saying a lot of things I do not understand (I also know I probably misspelled something)

“The n in fun stands for nuclear.” ??? that is not a saying my man

“That's uh… okay.” Again I just like the delivery he just, sounds small? you know?? Like shrinking down on yourself (I'm gonna shut up now)

Episode 20

“What are these? Cameras?” I have no clue what cameras you've seen but they do not look like cameras

“‘No smoking’? Thanks, I don't need any stress relief right now.” he's, such a dork sometimes

“Shame there's no rocket engine though.” I really don't think fire is effective against fire here

“Intruder spotter. *shoot* And subsequently eliminated.” God I hate him <3

“If you're really trying to kill me then try harder!” Don't hold your breath!

“I'm not taking your guns though, cause of blood and other bodily fluids.” But, the ammo that was also covered in that stuff is fine??

Episode 21

Give his ass a map please

I'm… not even going to attempt transcribing what he just said, boy I get it YOU'RE A SCIENTIST GOD DAMN

“Trauma doesn't have a beneficial impact on the human mind as far as I'm concerned.” Give him a therapist too, and a map

“Maybe I can stack dead aliens and use them as a ladder.” That's your first idea???

“Maintenance and pest control? I don't get paid nearly enough for this!” Well, you would if you didn't take a $150 bribe

Episode 22

“That's just a theory though.” A GAME- 💥 (The immediate explosion after makes me absolutely love this line cause man)

“I may have killed myself a while ago.” HEY?? 💔

“Anything to take down ‘The Free Man’ I suppose.” I cannot with him

“ Cut the bravado, you're not fooling anyone! It's just ME! I can HELP you! So either LISTEN TO ME, OR YOU'RE GOING TO-... going to… god damn it.” Anion when I fucking get you god damn

“I can't let you die. I won't let anyone else die, not again. Not now. Not ever. Please, listen to me.” ANION WHEN I FUCKING GET YOU

He ran for 5 seconds and he ran out of breath, fucking Alan Wake ass stamina

“TAKE IT ALL AND DIE!” oh my god

I don't know how to explain it, but there's like. A shift this episode? I don't know, this one and the On a Rail eps feel so different from the other episodes (in a good way)

The immediate laughter after killing something??? good for him

“The first act ends with not a climactic victory, but a somber progression.” God let him be happy

#stark's mind #mindverse #im so tired #I HAVE 10 EPISODES LEFT

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delicatebluebirdruins · 5 months

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the Hollow Boy book 3 reactions reading it for the first time

book 1 and 2

finally ready to type this up here we go page numbers are my copies

page 3 "I think it was only at the very end of the Lavender Lodge job, when we were fighting for our lives in that unholy guest house, that I glimpsed Lockwood and Co working together perfectly for the first time" Lmao

page 8 the owners of the Lodge description "If they resembled anything, it was a pair of elderly owls roosting on a branch"

16 we know who you are Lucy

19 "That's real bad. If I were you Lucy I would find a window and jump out." that is not a good thing is it

page 20 "however as the weeks passed and we'd got to know it properly, we'd learned to really despise it too" heartwarming really

Page 27 that is a lot of ghosts (example whatever I'm on this would be great to see this on screen the practicality of it though? nope)

38 "you chucked that bottle like a girl"/ "I am a girl" no comments let it speak for itself

49 "Outside the window a gale was blowing. Portland Row seemed formed of liquid. Trees flexed; rain pattered on the panes. Inside, it was warm; we had the heating on full blast." this is so cosy

57 "so Lockwood's proximity made me happy" 63 Skull being annoying and I love the background on the night taxis

66 insight into the past and the sorry fate of Jessica Lockwood.

72 Poor Lockwood standing there as Lucy and George bickered

74 I love this quote "It was a place of absence, we were in the presence of something that had gone. It was like coming to a valley where someone had once shouted, loud and joyously, and the echo of that shout had resounded between the hills and lasted a long time. But now it had vanished, and you stood on the spot, and it was not the same"

also Lucy thinking about Lockwood opening up to her more is so cute

82 Hi Kipps (lmao this is so funny when you consider how worried Lockwood was at the thought of Lucy leaving for Fittes "Bloody cheek. Lockwood said. He's talking nonsense as usual. Even so, he said little in the taxi, and it was left to me to give renewed directions"

85 "I smiled at him. There was a horror behind that door. I would see it in seconds. Yet my heart sang in my breast, to be standing beside Lockwood in that house. All was as it should be" aw the horrors but united front

86 I wonder why i was thinking of the Woman in Black

91 "My Talent could bypass such anxieties" can it? 100% of the time?

92 the skull is funny but also an jackass

96 testing Lucy's talent time... the skull is so funny

101 "it wasn't the easiest of homecomings" (typing this up I did not notice the Fittes ghost hunting board game which is basically surgery" 105 "I couldn't believe it. They'd actually done it. They'd tidied! they'd tidied up for me" and "Lockwood's favourites - the ones with almond icing that he rarely allowed himself- were on top" and "Portland Row was my home. My real family was here." I need a minute for that last one honestly

118 "her skin looked as smooth and delectable as coffee- coloured marble". interesting word choice (bisexual Lucy)

125 "I'd never thought to sit so close behind Lockwood that I could lean foreward and speak quietly in his ear, or, by virtue of my proximty to the leader, tactily became the second most important person in the room"

133 the tale is so eerie the casual callouseness of Mrs Wintergarden (thought she doesn't mean to be) and the haunting itself 136 "I gulped mine down like an antisocial seabird" also hello lyre brooch

142 Lucy talking and getting cut off by Lockwood.

153 time sickness

162 Ned Shaw dies and it is just go on as usual there'll be time to mourn later. I am really glad we got to see Ned and Lockwood fight together in the show

165 Neighbourhood Protection Leagues. I was hoping for something like this in the world at large

176 Holly wearing Lockwood's old jumper on the one hand makes sense because cold but also was it necessary for Holly to say it still smells like him? like it is really intimate wearing someone else's clothing and smelling them on it and of course the possibilty of her wearing Lucy's spare gloves is so *flails*

186 "there were bloodstained footprints all around my circle" how about? no 188 "or mimicking the sound of breathing" again no

192 "the ghost opened it's mouth. "I need YOU" it said" creepy. three steps at a time is huge (i want a Lockwood POV)

200 "were you feeling particulary abandoned or needy up there?" and Lucy not answering or looking at George. 205 Lockwood and Lucy arguing about Holly (not arguing per say but rumbles of thunder off in the distance)

209 I love this chat with the Skull. 211 "head wounds clearly suit you" the way i sputtered at this

216 I love the vastness of the Chelsea outbreak

219 Bad things happening? let's throw a party! well carnival you get the picture

224 FLO! we're going to see Flo... 228 "Don't worry about Locky. He must like you really. It's been eighteen months and you're still alive" lmao

233 Love Mrs Wintergarden inviting them to the carnival

236 George is protective of Lucy aw

241 hi sir Rupert... 244 they're tossing sources!

247 deadly hair piece NICE ("the band was a crescent- moon- sharp, made of silver. She held it like a knife")

253 "we [Locklyle] were in step together perfectly in sync"

259 I love the pictures of Lockwood in the newspaper

264 "[Luce] You're a star" a bit out of context but who cares? and then she goes into Jessica's room and finds out what she can

266 Lucy finds a necklace "a golden necklace with a dark green stone lay on a sheet of cotton wool" 269 poor little Lockwood

278 world building! finding where things are located! this is cool

281 smarty pants George but also teamwork with Flo

284 "Another point to Lucy. She's good at playing atrocities" now thing of the scene in the show where she and Lockwood roleplay relic men

287 misplaced trust in Barnes

292 Lucy telling Lockwood to join forces with Kipps and I really like the scene

Lucy: "I think we should take Kipps up on his offer. There are people dying out there, Lockwood, and we can't stand back from it. We need to act. We need to engage, even if that does mean making compromises. That department store is massive: even if we're just doing a reconnaissance, we need a proper team. And Kipps's team is good- we know that. If we have faith in George, in all the work he's done, we should do this. We owe it to him. More than that, we owe it to ourselves.

and Lockwood just gazes at her (Lockwood POV) and she gets flustered "I just don't think we have any choice" and I love it so much

and I love the reactions of everyone else

297 FLO! I feel so safe. 299 Flo is plesant to Holly Lucy is annoyed

303 haunting descriptions time "Mornings are all right' the attendant in Meswear said. 'And late afternoons, funnily enough when you get the sunlight streaming through the windows. It's noon I don't like, when the streets outside are bright, and in here it's full of shadow. The air goes thick. Not hot, exactly. Just stuffy."

312 Lucy paired with Holly and neither being very happy about it the skull being funny

317 i like this description from the skull "Because you're [Lucy] unique. You shine like a beacon, attracting the attention of all dark things" 319 "i missed him [Lockwood] at my side"

323 "And i watched that notch of darkness. I watched as something moved into it" how about nope

328 "with a fetch a ghost that makes a psychic bond with the onlooker and takes on the guise on the guise of someone closely connected to them" this would be horrible yeah (I would love to see it in the show)

338 Lucy telling Holly she should have told Lockwood no and Holly goes "like you do?" Lucy yelling at Holly and poor Bobby is injured and having to deal with these two

351 "truth is, it's everywhere. it's right on top of us. It coils around us like a snake. We're all inside it. It's already swallowed us whole." I LOVE THIS LINE

359 why is Lockwood's eyes sparkling at Lucy and then it all goes to shit the chapter ending with "both my mind and body were lost"

365 "rule seven (b), obviously, is to keep your matchbox well stocked."

367 "I looked at it. 'Hello,' I said. 'Sorry' The skeleton said nothing. It couldn't help it's bad manners"

379 Lucy recognising the voice being that of Lockwood. But it not being Lockwood

385 "you know I'd die for you" so Lucy see's the fetch ghost take on Lockwood's form and telling her Lockwod dies for her. Then she hears this from real Lockwood. If it were me the moment i was able i'd sit in the corner and rock. Also this is a crime that we don't get to see this scene and the lead up to it on the screen because Lockwood's actor is great and would knock it out of the park. (also Lockwood pov again)

390 "it's happened to me before. Losing someone dear to me. I can't let it happen again" see above Cameron and Ruby would be stunning.

394 Lockwood's first ghosts were his parents? yikes

413 creepy thought indeed missing mysterious people doing a ritual

417 "take your boyfriend Lockwood" lmao skull

419 and everyone is in shock and the book end.

#the hollow boy #lockwood and co #lockwood & co #lockwood and lucy #anthony lockwood #lucy carlyle #george cubbins #holly munro #quill kipps #quotes #ellie reads #you know as i was typing this 9th Jan 2024 the skull is a little bit like calcifer the fire demon

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bookaddict24-7 · 3 months

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REVIEWS OF THE WEEK!

EVERY WEEK I WILL POST VARIOUS REVIEWS I’VE WRITTEN SO FAR IN 2024. YOU CAN CHECK OUT MY GOODREADS FOR MORE UP-TO-DATE REVIEWS HERE.

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51. The Clue in the Diary by Carolyn Keene--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Four stars because I've been waiting to get to this one in the series. We finally meet Nancy's series boyfriend here and he is a very keen guy. So swell. LOL. To be honest, knowing that he becomes her series boyfriend made it all the more obvious because of his behaviour. While he wasn't the first guy to catch Nancy's eye, he's the one that was the most persistent.

The mystery in this was pretty good--it made me feel like I was watching a mystery show. I think it might be one of the more layered mysteries so far in the series. And I don't mean that in that it has multiple mysteries, but in the sense that it felt like it had more heart than some of the other books in the series (so far).

Anyway, this was the last audiobook at the library of this classic series, so I don't know if I'll be reading beyond this, but maybe one day I will.

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52. The Winter King by C.L. Wilson--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

I came across THE WINTER KING on Tik Tok and I remember thinking, "This sounds like a book full of tropes I'm going to love." I was correct.

Wilson has created a beautiful and fantastical slow burn of a romance where the spice and sexual tension may be immediate, but the romantic part of the story is a slower burn. And the best part is that while these two are coming together and pulling apart, there is an actual fantasy storyline happening at the same time. There was always something happening and it was all being told in dual POV, which I'm very grateful for.

I'm a sucker for a FMC who has always been underestimated and treated less than she deserves, only for her to prove everyone wrong and for things to finally go her way. This book was full of those moments and they were like catnip for me. The brooding hero making her feel like she isn't wanted, when he in fact is too scared to get close to her because he wants her? Yes please, melt me.

Also, the side characters were great! Especially a younger one that comes into the story later on. Everything just came together so beautifully and ugh, I'm so glad I finally read this.

I highly recommend this for anyone who wants a slowburn, but sexy fantasy novel that also has a pretty great storyline.

By the way, I went to bed very late last night because I kept adding ten more minutes to my audiobook timer. I couldn't stop listening!!

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53. The Language of Seabirds by Will Taylor--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

THE LANGUAGE OF SEABIRDS, right from the beginning, has this beautiful and nostalgic air to it. Over the span of a few days, we get to see the MC learn more about himself, what it means to speak up, and the power that words and actions can have. It also shows how infallible even parents can be when they are somewhat just as lost as we feel.

Dealing with divorce, a father who is acting differently than normal (given the circumstances and his one too many drinks), and that in between chaos of deciding what life will look like post-divorce, our MC's summer isn't off to the best start. When he sees a mysterious and cute boy running on the beach past his temporary summer home, it sets of a chain of events.

Their adventures (and misadventures) over those two weeks gave me the greatest sense of nostalgia for those summer nights that can only truly be experienced while being a kid. The ending took me out, emotionally, and had me teary eyed in bed at 330 in the morning.

Also, I want to say that this book is 100% a middle grade book because the characters are only 12, but this is probably one of the most beautifully written middle grade books I've read. It felt very literary and almost older than the intended audience--not because of content, it was all very age-appropriate--but because of that feeling it made me feel of summers lost, and the way the story is written and presented. I think this is a great book for people of all ages to read, especially those who want to reminisce on their first loves, especially those who couldn't pursue said first loves because sometimes there can be truly negative consequences, or simply the fear of acknowledging that love.

The author also included an author's note about what he wanted to invoke in this book and truly, he fully did his work. What a gorgeous and under-appreciated book.

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54. How to Bite Your Neighbor & Win A Wager by D.N. Bryn--⭐️⭐️⭐️

I'll be honest: I never knew this book existed until I came across it on Libby. It looked fun (from the cover alone) and listen, who doesn't like a vampire romance now and then? I will say, though, that while this cover is very indicative of the emotion between these two characters during this act, this book was surprisingly...not what I was anticipating?

I thought this book would be spicier and just MORE. By the end of the book, I felt both relieved and a little let-down. Relieved because I was counting down the minutes until the audiobook ended and a little let-down because, like I said, I wanted more. I wanted the climax of the story to give me more. I wanted the romance to feel more...passionate? I don't know. It all felt a little too easy? And at times, I totally forgot these characters were adults. I thought that this could have easily been a YA novel, the main difference is that these characters are old enough to work office jobs.

I did like the diversity (both racially and body-type). I also really liked the one MC's best friend, she was great and I loved that she kept that MC levelheaded.

I enjoyed how they fell in love. It reminded me of past novels I've read where one MC shouts out that they love one of the characters, which gives me that "Aw" feeling. But I'm still a little salty that this was a vampire romance and it wasn't very sexy.

Anyway, if you like contemporary fantasy novels with vampires and close door romances, I think you'll enjoy this one. Was it silly at some points? Sure. But well, it wasn't the worst vampire book I've read!

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55. Hideaway by Nora Roberts--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Another day, another Nora Roberts book I've thoroughly enjoyed. I'm beginning to see the somewhat formula behind some of these books and I'm not going to lie, for the moment, I'm really enjoying said formula.

One of the beautiful things about HIDEAWAY is the familial love and how thoroughly this MC is loved. And even though I had to suspend my disbelief in the beginning (how is a ten year old capable of so much???), I was hooked.

Roberts has such an addicting way of writing. Her books are so much more than the fluffy romances people have always classified them as. Yes, there's romance in this, but it's also a thriller with some people who would heavily benefit from serious therapy.

It was also interesting seeing such a wealthy family have such a warm core.

Will definitely be picking up another Roberts novel!

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56. You & Me by Tal Bauer--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

⬆️⬆️ Real footage of me after I finished reading YOU & ME after only sleeping for two hours because I couldn't put the book down.

Listen, I'm an avid reader. There are some books I love and then there are some books that make me say, "I don't care about sleep, give me all the pages." YOU & ME was one of the latter books for me. I wanted to know what would come next, I wanted to know if these cinnamon rolls would get their shit together, and I especially wanted to see the father/son relationship be healed.

This book has hype behind it and it is completely worth it.

This is like one of those rare books that you immediately know will both linger with you long after it's done, and will be something you're going to re-read in the future.

I loved their love, I loved their relationships, and I loved seeing the unravelling of the mess that we are introduced to in the beginning. This is a story about love, hope, friendship, and heart. I loved it so much.

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57. Barbarian's Prize by Ruby Dixon--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was excited for this one because LOOK AT THAT GORGEOUS COVER! While it's not my favourite book in the series, I found it did hold some pretty important themes.

The FMC is dealing with some serious trauma after being r@ped various times when she was captured at the beginning of the series. I think that's one thing that's easy to bypass in the past few books--the trauma these women went through after being capture is sometimes swept aside in order to get some sexy times. But I liked that Dixon let her FMC heal herself before she gave her heart to her mate. I'd call this book more a sobering moment in this spicy series.

I liked the MMC because he knew what the FMC needed and how to respectfully approach her. Maybe the bar is set in hell, but I thought it was sweet that he wasn't as pushy as all of the other male aliens around them. God, that's such a weird sentence to write. LOL.

Anyway, onto the next one!

___

58. Mindy Kim, Class President by Lyla Lee & Dung Ho--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I think that books like this one are such important reads for the little readers in our lives. Not only does it teach the reader more about a culture (key words and phrases and snacks), but it also teaches them the importance of kindness, bravery, and how to approach scary moments in life.

Mindy faces her class's presidential elections in this one and while the teacher comments on the importance of voting and using that right we all have, we also watch Mindy overcome her fear of public speaking and how it's okay to be an adult with fears (her father), or my favourite, how it's okay for adults to have stuffed animals.

I love seeing Mindy grow in each book and I will never get over how adorable she is! I think this is a great and under-appreciated series.

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59. Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

INDIAN HORSE is an emotional punch of a book. I think it's definitely one of those books that will haunt the reader for a very long time after the very last page. It was beautifully written, but it was also written with the phantom blood of those poor children who suffered, died, and were permanently scarred by residential schools.

Triggering is one of the first words that comes to mind when I now think of this book, but it's also so incredibly important.

This is the perfect of example of using and excelling at something to run and try to escape from the monsters in the dark, but that not even something you once loved can be a permanent escape. Monsters always find a way to find us in the end.

God, this was a beautiful and heartbreaking book--made even more so knowing that while this is a fictional story, the events are not wholly confined to this book. The horrors these children suffered will forever haunt our society. The cowardice and monstrosity of using religion to dehumanize people is something worth burning in hell for.

So, though it is triggering and traumatizing, INDIAN HORSE is a must read, since sometimes it is the most jarring books that have the greatest impact.

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Have you read any of these books? What are your thoughts?

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Happy reading!

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bzedan · 28 days

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[ID: A digital illustration of the Vault Boy condition image from the PipBoy 3000, a glowing green outlined figure on a dark screen with health metre indicators for head, body and each limb. Rather than the regular coverall-clothed guy, the figure is an outline of Garfield. All health indicators are full and he is smiling. Text below him reads "April 2024 - Level 41." End ID.]

A show came out for a game I've thought about 3-7 times every week for the past nine years and I've been completely normal about it. In my birthday month too! It influenced the playlist cover more than the contents, which are all indulgent as should be for a birthday month playlist. A lot of Carly Rae Jepsen this month, thanks to using her song titles as prompts for Storytelling Collective's April Daily Poem challenge (see results here). Two hours and 33 minutes but despite how I love playing with the length I shan't drop a one of these tracks to get to my birthday-day. Close enough, I say!

Related media to some of the songs:

'Two of Hearts' was in my mind thanks to a random video I'd encountered about the "I-I-I-I-I" sample in 'Groove Is in the Heart' by Deee-Lite, summarised over at Laughing Squid.

'Harder' was Medusa's I think birthday month track and had been out on Bandcamp for a bit but finally wended its way to Spotify, allowing me to drop it into a playlist. Their music is always a mood. They also have an At-Cost collection of merch specifically to make things available to more folks, with the option to pay it forward as well.

The way things go I think songs from a playlist I picked up from a Fallout: New Vegas fan artist are in May but heck there's a Nancy Sinatra on here so why not share now, 'Atomic Cocktail' is a very long, vibes-based playlist that is great to have going in the background.

Anyway here's a link to April's playlist on Spotify, with the track list below the cut.

Or embedded if you like that:

'Time to Pretend' - MGMT

'How Does it Feel' - Dizzee Rascal

'Free Animal' - Foreign Air

'Girl Inform Me - 2021 Remaster' - The Shins

'Complex' - Tristen

'Fun But Not Forever' - girlish figure

'Sociopathic Dance Queen' - Amaarae

'Jackie' - Scott Walker

'I Could Be Happy' - Altered Images

'GO! (feat. Karen O)' - Santigold

'Black Sheep' - Kailee Morgue

'Good Luck, Babe!' - Chappell Roan

'Me And My Shadow' - Peggy Lee

'Only A Fool Would Say That' - Steely Dan

'Seabird' - Alessi Brothers

'Thank You (Not So Bad)' - Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike

'Feels Right' - Carly Rae Jepsen

'Two of Hearts' - Stacey Q

'Hey Sorry' - Boy Jr.

'Houdini' - Dua Lipa

'Hard (er)' - Medusa

'i like the way you kiss me' - Artemas

'Really Big Deal' - Jake Shears

'Eye On The Bat' - Palehound

'Sunshine Superman' - Donovan

'Sunset Superman' - Dio

'Godzilla' - Blue Ã–yster Cult

'Shadow' - Carly Rae Jepsen

'Cute & Cruel (feat. First Aid Kit)' - Tove Lo

'Evil Eyes' - Dio

'Do Right' - Jimmie's Chicken Shack

'Dancehall Queen' - Robyn

'I'm Like A Bird' - Nelly Furtado

'Chemical' - Post Malone

'Juke Box Hero - 2008 Remaster' - Foreigner

'The King of Rock 'N' Roll' - Prefab Sprout

'Call Me Maybe' - Carly Rae Jepsen

'Bury Me With It - Jacknife Lee Remix' - Modest Mouse

'That Life' - Unknown Mortal Orchestra

'Oh to Be in Love - 2018 Remaster' - Kate Bush

'Sideshow' - Nick Lutsko

'Primadonna' - MARINA

'When I Needed You' - Carly Rae Jepsen

'This Hell (feat. CHANMINA - Gyarupi Remix - Spotify Singles)' - Rina Sawayama

#meche makes playlists #playlists #syndicated from subscription sites #Spotify

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chip-and-the-bastards · 8 months

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Alright jrwiblr,

Explanation for why I picked seabirds under the cut! Also I'm not counting Albatrio as a ship name, because its more the plantonic version of the trio (and I don't want to fill that tag with ship stuff)

So first I was thinking "how can I fit something to do either Jay into fnc?" And my first thought was seagull. Because they're notorious for stealing fish n chips from people, and it fits Jay's bird theme. Then I went, well Seagull by itself is decent, plus it matches the Albatross! Idk how i went from seagull to seabird, but I like Seabirds bc it's like lovebirds! While also having sea (gillion) and bird (jay)! And idk I think seabirds is cute teehee

#jrwi polypirates #jrwi seabirds #jrwi riptide #just roll with it

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watatsumiis · 1 year

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Valentine's day mutual ships (part 1)

First of all, happy Valentine's day, y'all, though if you don't celebrate it I hope you have a good day regardless <3

Here is part 1 of assigning my mutuals ships! You're absolutely free to reblog it, screenshot it, save it, do whatever you like! I just hope I gave you all characters that you don't totally despise! I tried to keep it mostly neutral so it can be read as platonic or romantic!

@puppy-boy-inc

Honestly, I think I’d pair you with Pantalone! I could see y’all spending the day together at one of his fancy private estates and eating fancy chocolate-dipped fruit or something like that. I dunno why, I just think Pantalone would mesh well with your silly puppy energy maybe he’d teach you to be a little less of a bully /j I’m sure he’d also spoil you rotten with gifts and sweet things, and would absolutely dote on you no matter what you did for him in return!

@uplatterme

I’ve gotta pick Aether, I don’t think it could be anyone else. I know that’s totally the obvious choice but I think you two would get along so well. I could see you two doing something almost painfully cheesy like going to a botanical garden or a couple’s pottery making class, then going home and you’ve both set up surprises for one another, it would be one of those painfully sweet interactions because neither one of you realised the other had done something for you, so it’s all cute shocked faces and big cheesy grins all around!

@genshin-projection

There’s something about your vibe that makes me feel like you and Sucrose or Albedo would get along extraordinarily well! I could see all three of you going to a zoo or doing research or experiments together, you’d bring along a packed lunch and sit somewhere quiet and just talk about your interests together! It would be a super chill, laid back sort of hangout. Though, I could also see you getting along with Xinyan, since you both seem to have a love of music! You two could go to a concert or just hang out and talk about all your favourite artists and instruments and stuff! :D

@that-foul-legacy-lover

Listen, I thought about it for a while, I truly did. I considered pairing you with Zhongli or Morax, then with Capitano, but in my heart you’re a Foul Legacy lover and it feels cruel to pull you two apart. I could imagine you two trying to make sugar cookies together but they come out a total mess because FL just wants to help but he’s far too big and clumsy in the kitchen, so all the measurements get messed up and there’s icing and flour and crumbs everywhere, somehow there’s egg shells on the wall, but you two had fun and that’s what matters! I could see you both going for a quiet evening walk together, maybe along the coast, watching the seabirds go by and maybe collecting seashells if you come across a beach together!

@zhongrin

Listen. I know you’re married to Zhongli, I respect that, you're adorable together, but I hope you don’t mind if I shake it up a little - I could see you and Capitano pairing together really nicely! You guys would bake sweets for all your friends and have one of those food fights like out of a hallmark movie where you flick flour on each other and it’s just heart meltingly sweet and adorable and the food comes out brilliantly. He’d also love to take you out to one of his favourite secluded spots, a nice little pond he discovered while on a walk, and you two could feed the ducks together! You’d give cavities to anyone who dares even look at you both, honestly.

I'm still working on the others at the moment, so if you commented on the original post or reached out to me, don't worry, I've got a list, I haven't forgotten you, I'm just sectioning it off at the moment :D Though if you happen to have any preferences on character gender or anything like that please shoot me a DM! I'd hate to accidentally put someone with a character or ship dynamic they dislike/are uncomfy with.

#general barks #my writing #valentines day event #general interacts #again i hope everyone has a brilliant day!!#this was really fun to work on honestly

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