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lighthouse-enjoyers-anonymous · 1 year

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The CSH pipeline (aka my downfall)(aka my favorite band ever)

Last year around June, I listened to Car Seat Headrest for the first time, I think starting with Sober to Death. I had seen mention of the band before in memes about it being "incel" "male manipulator" music, but it was associated with a lot of bands I already had an interest in. My first instinct when seeing that something is being shit on is to go and consume the media so I can judge for myself whether it's actually that bad or if the fanbase is just being characterized by a couple shitty fans and if it's being meme-ified like Weezer. This has lead me down some questionable paths but I ultimately like this way of consuming media because I do end up finding new stuff I enjoy without being restricted to what's popular. I started listening to Mitski because I saw a tumblr post about how people don't like her work. Idk. Anyways I loved Sober to Death and started listening to their other top songs to get a feel for it. I think I mainly just listened to Twin Fantasy and Teens of Denial at first, then ToS and MBIKMB after a while. I wasn't hardcore into it and I knew barely anything about the band except I had picked up somewhere that Will was a furry (I have zero idea when I learned this but at the time I thought it was the most hilarious thing I've ever heard). I was just focused on my other interests much more (you know how it is). Fun fact, my ex included "It's Only Sex" on our relationship playlist when we dated in March, which

1- is an absolutely insane red flag 2- proves I knew about the band earlier than I remember Flash forward to February. I must have seen CSH mentioned a lot more on tiktok or pinterest or something, because I suddenly had a lot of interest in it. Sometimes I get waves of "oh god i'm a fake fan for not knowing everything about this subject" and that spurs some manic search to CONSUME ALL. I started listening to every album available on spotify, learned about Will's pre-CSH projects, and was instantly hooked.

This guy had written songs that spoke to me in a way only several other artists had in the past. On top of that, he had lived less than an hour away from me for the majority of my life (until he relocated to Seattle in 2014), AND most of his music was written at the age I am now. There was something so personal to me about it. Obviously, it was a popular-ish band so it wasn't really underground or anything, but it wasn't known by everyone so I still had the opportunity to introduce it to my friends for the first time. That being said, I still got teased a bit for listening to "sad gay furry music" :/ Touché.

Anyways, I then learned about 1 Trait Danger. Oh boy. I had heard the "Timmis" sound going around on tiktok without realizing it. God Andrew Katz is amazing too. It was silly, it was stupid, it had a new plotline to follow for each album, there was a discord server, there were costumes, there was Will Toledo, there was SO MUCH TO LEARN. So naturally I joined the Patreon so now I get some sick behind the scenes video game development content.

Deeper into the rabbithole comes Cate Wurtz's comics, which are mentioned in several CSH songs, and generally help to contextualize Will's work. Holy Shit I love Crow Cillers. I only started reading it yesterday. I have yet to fully understand what's going on because there is such a mash up of themes. It's entirely possible I made a mistake and managed to skip some crucial lore, but I'll figure it out eventually. Ynce Iche is badass. Other things that this hyperfixation has caused me to get into:

Radiohead and Weezer. more stereotypical incel music but I D K

Costume design? I'm in the process of building a trait mask, and I will make another post about this because I need help!!

animation, possibly. I'm hoping to animate parts, if not all, of 1 Trait Bangers. I have no prior experience with animating so this will be.... fun...

video production. I am ALSO in the process of creating a series of tiktok style videos to all of twin fantasy. if each one is about a minute, I should have... 71 videos. 1 down, 70 to go! This is cool because I got to visit the spot in Harper's Ferry mentioned in BL-I-D.

CSH livestreams. I looove the acoustic sound. Do miss the other band members though. Lots of his covers have lead me to find new music as well.

Will Toledo's tumblr. I scrolled all the way to the bottom of it and i'm attempting to compile a playlist of every song he mentions on there.

Will Toledo's spotify monthly playlists. That funky guy is listening to soooo much welsh folk. This raises questions about what the possible new album will sound like, but I'm down for anything!

Andrew Katz's instagram reels. I love these funky little videos it's like a vine revival with all of our favorite band members.

Will Toledo's high school bands/comics. The Mr. Yay Okay facebook page is so blessed I love seeing shitty home video recordings of them playing with a Ouija board.

New friends! Shout out to the cool people on the 1td discord server. game nights are always hilarious

Pop culture references. I have been convinced to buy several books simply bc they were mentioned in a song or his tumblr. also I started NGE and I will eventually get to Twin Peaks.

That's all for now! I should be able to update as I find more stuff to deep dive into, and as my creative projects unfold. It's going to be a busy couple of months in my house though, as I prepare for college. If I end up switching hyperfixations before I complete anything, I must apologize. But I don't owe "you" anything. I say to my singular follower, cheezbot. Hi cheezbot.

#car seat headrest #cshr #csh #will toledo #infodump #1 trait danger

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barbasbodaciousbeard · 3 years

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The Iowa Caucus Happened

A job offer slides into Rafael’s DMs as he waits to find out if it’ll be a new start or prison on February 8.

Accidental Feminist Icon

Delete the Twitter app, Mr. Barba

“Mister Barba?”

Rafael didn’t like hearing his name from the young woman behind him, especially not given what he’d done. He’d texted Carmen on the first day of the trial, and she’d agreed to look into the offers from attorneys he knew, and some he didn’t, while he sat beside Dworkin and emotionally prepared himself to testify. The ones he’d looked at the night before came from people he didn’t like or were last resorts. He’d moved from his visceral response to finding law to back his actions. Applying logic could let him detangle himself from his conflicted emotions. Catholic guilt wrestled his humanity. That said, he also found himself desperate to introduce Ollie to music as Carmen worked from his apartment that first afternoon, not caring for once as the toddler drooled or sneezed or spilled all over him.

“Yes?” he asked, taking his coffee from the cart. “I’m sorry, have we met?”

“We haven’t. I follow you on Twitter.”

“Ah,” he said, shifting awkwardly. “It’s nice to meet you, Miss-”

“Rachel Sullivan. I have, like, a reading Twitter.”

“I’ve seen that! Read with Rachel? Your icon is a copy of Howl?”

“Yeah,” she nodded, chuckling. “I just- listen, I know it’s bad what’s going on and a lot of people are really hurt and going after you. Do I get it? No. But, I think you didn’t get a good choice, and you did what’s right for you. When it seems impossible, it’s not my place to judge something I can’t fathom. And a lot of people feel the same. A bunch of us have a group chat and we hope everything goes well and you get to start again.”

It was a stark contrast to his interaction with mami or emails from church ladies. There was an acknowledgement of disagreement, but he needed more people to respect that they weren’t there like she did. He also remembered watching his father die, and while he didn’t like the man, he regretted not ending that pain. It only drew out hurt for everyone.

“Thank you, Rachel. That really means the world to me.”

“Good luck today,” she said, giving him a wave when she took her coffee and left. By the end of the day, Rafael hated Peter Stone for being a damn good prosecutor, and he wondered if there were any cases he’d tried, especially the ones before SVU that he was wrong on. He made his way into a new bar, definitely not his usual during all of this, and he sat and drafted his resignation. It took longer than he cared to admit, and he restarted and reread it time and time again. By the time he was drunk, he’d written something he could proofread the next morning and ignored calls from Olivia, Carmen, and mami.

He decided it was time to do what he had been dreading, logging into Twitter. Since Carmen had cleaned it up, more people had found him, and he was able to easily ignore anything hateful by skimming for murder or murderer in the body of the tweet. He skipped those, and Rafael was surprised to see some apathy, sympathy, or respect for his reasoning. Lazily, he scrolled his direct messages. A select few of the people who knew him contacted him with revulsion, but his filtered messages were filled with vitriol. He found Rachel’s account again, following her back and deciding he could break his unspoken rule of only following people he knew or the occasional blog/podcast/museum/celebrity. If anyone contacted him with kindness, he was now more open to the reciprocity of Twitter; no one would be asking him to prosecute their case soon.

He saw a message from Tripp Greene. In Harvard, they’d had an unspoken alliance as the two scholarship kids in their cohort, a silent allegiance that continued into law school. There were very few people Rafael respected personally from Harvard, but Tripp had remained kind, even if he worked in something as ruthless as politics. They’d been reunited by Rafael’s uptick in Twitter popularity. He was more proud than he should be by the potential presidential candidates that had followed him. Rafael should have known Tripp would reach out; he was ever the silent cheerleader and had watched a sibling die on life support when he was at Harvard. They’d discussed the morality of pulling plugs and the selfish desire to keep people alive, though most of it had been Tripp talking and Rafael listening.

While moving to Iowa seemed extreme, he was acutely aware that he would end up haunting the DA’s office and Manhattan SVU like some ghost of ADAs past instead of moving forward. His mother had a boyfriend and looming retirement that seemed likely to take the pair to Miami, where she could play grandma to his grandchildren. There was nothing left for him here but Carmen, and while a great friend, she was not enough to erase the last twenty-one years of his life. When Carmen called for the fifth time that night, he ignored it, but it was quickly followed by Answer the phone or I tell Olivia I haven’t heard from you. With a groan, he answered when Carmen called again sixty seconds later.

“I’m fine. I don’t want to delve back into a play by play of my day.”

“That’s why you’re drunk at seven o’clock,” she said, her tone thick with sarcasm as she pretended that solved everything.

“It’s only been two hours?”

“You’re not at Forlini’s.”

“I’m not hanging out with Stone.”

“Send me your location. I just picked Ollie up from mom’s.”

“Take your son home, Carmen. I’ll be fine.”

“But we could talk about how much I also hate Stone. I’ll even stop and let you grab take out from that Cuban place you like.”

“Deal,” he acquiesced, motioning he wanted to close his tab. “Call me when you’re close.”

“Deal. ETA is about fifteen minutes.”

He polished off his scotch, signing the check and tipping well before taking his briefcase and leaning against the wall as he waited for Carmen’s SUV. She waved at him out the window, and he hurried into her passenger seat. Though he always knew that she was a great secretary and assistant, Carmen was proving to be the friend he needed right now. Olivia, in the few phone calls they had, was unwilling to discuss anything but the case. She was in cop mode, and she talked to him like she could swoop in and fix what he had done. While she thought he didn’t know, she’d talked to McCoy, talked to Stone, talked to anyone who would listen. But what she didn’t understand is that he’d accepted going to prison was a possibility, but it was one he felt was worth it.

“Barba!” he heard from the backseat, smiling softly to see Ollie more awake than he’d expected. He’d seen the boy periodically, mostly during evening handoffs when Carmen’s mother would drop him off so Carmen could take him home. There were a lot of single mothers in his life, and all were exceptional. The last few days, Carmen and Ollie both had spent a lot of time with him. He kept introducing Ollie to music and movies and foods like he could make up for everything Drew wouldn’t experience by making sure Ollie did.

“Oliver!” he smiled, twisting around to smile at him. The boy kicked his leg, and the blue stripe on the rubber of his sneakers lit up. “I like your shoes.”’

“Thanks,” he giggled, kicking again.

“You’re good with him,” Carmen smiled, the navigation now leading her to get his take out.

“He’s a good kid. Noah made me better with kids. Liv said I held him like a sack of flour at first.”

“You’ll be ready by the time you have your own.”

“I work too much.”

“That can change.”

“I don’t deserve to have a child,” he shrugged, and he could see Carmen purse her lips. “I don’t. I wouldn’t be good at it anyway. Wouldn’t be fair. Besides, I might end up like dad. No kid deserves that shit.”

“Bad word!” Ollie scolded, tablet in hand as he watched a movie.

“Sorry, Ollie. Stuff.”

“You’ve never told me what he did.”

“He wanted heterosexual, toxic machismo and got a swarmy, emotional bisexual.”

“You’re not that emotional.”

“He took care of that,” he said darkly. “I used to cry when he went after mami. That turned his attention to me.”

Carmen knew there was nothing she could say, so instead she silently took his hand, squeezing softly. He was taken aback at first, but he kept her hand loosely in his as his head lulled against the headrest. It was strangely grounding, the physical affection. He’d felt like he was swimming the last few days as memories of his father, his father’s death, his childhood, and each case he tried bubbled up. That wasn’t including the vision of baby drew and Maggie in the hospital room that lingered everywhere.

The conflicting guilt and conviction he’d done the right thing also broke a damn and the feelings he’d suppressed- loneliness, guilt, abandonment, distrust- were all bubbling to the surface. He’d spent so much of his life trying not to process them so he could focus on a conviction rate and moving forward that he didn’t have the tools everyone else did sometimes. Right now, Carmen felt like an anchor, and he was grateful for her.

He got out of the car when Carmen parked, ordering enough food for three adults, one take out container containing whatever he thought a toddler could handle. Soon enough, they were settled in his living room and eating, though Ollie had minimal interest in the pork, beans, and rice in front of him. The thought crossed his mind that when he took one of the out of state jobs, he wouldn’t have Carmen there like this. He was sure this friendship would be short lived; when he didn’t need her anymore, she’d leave him. That’s what usually happened, wasn’t it? She just felt bad for him.

“I’m moving to Iowa,” he blurted out before he was able to spiral into the self loathing he’d recently discovered.

“That’s far,” she said, and he thought he could detect sadness in her voice.

“There’s FaceTime.”

“Not quite the same, but I’ll take it.”

“Tripp understands,” he said, sobering up as the food hit his stomach. “He lost a sister. Watched someone dying like with my dad except she’d been born that way. It was years, Carmen.”

“That’s a lot. I’m going to miss you, Rafael. Ollie will too.”

“Come visit. If the tickets are bad, I’ll pay. Or cover renting a car.”

“You’re drunk,” she chuckled.

“Sorry. Best friend. It’s the rules.”

“We’ll come. But I can afford tickets.”

“Promise if it’ll make things tight, you’ll let me. You’re raising a kid. No kids means I can afford to get my friend the occasional plane ticket.”

“Deal.”

“Next week, will it be Des Moines or prison? Who knows! I’ll probably grow a beard either way. Think they’d recognize me in prison if I grow a beard?”

“I’ve never seen you with a beard. Stop shaving and we’ll find out.”

She could see Rafael getting tired, head leaning back against the couch and closing his eyes. She preferred when he joked about all of this. They were stuck waiting, and this time the next night they’d probably know. Ollie climbed between them on the couch, and she realized her boss wasn’t the only one almost asleep.

“You two can stay,” Rafael yawned, hand smoothing Ollie’s curls back.

“You’re sure?”

“Yeah. It’ll be nice not being alone in the morning. And you can stay here to work. We didn’t talk about it, but I know you hate Stone. He’s a good attorney. Doing his job.”

“His job is wrong.”

“That isn’t his fault. If another ADA had done what I did? I’d be prosecuting them.”

“Go get ready for bed,” she chuckled, rolling her eyes. As she scooped Ollie up, she kissed the top of Rafael’s head. “We’ll see you in the morning.”

“Carmen?” She turned in the doorframe. “Thank you. For all of this.”

“I’m glad to, Raf. Promise you’ll actually sleep.”

“I promise.”

“Night, Barba,” Ollie yawned, waving over his mom’s shoulder as they entered his guest room. Maybe Iowa was going to be too far if he didn’t go to prison. He was getting quite fond of having Carmen around quite quickly. He wasn’t going to be her superior anymore, so this friendship could be something he maintained.

Olivia would be a given; even if they were primarily united around work, she was also one of his closest friends and maybe not working together would make him relax. Hell, maybe the end of his life in the city would do it. Rafael couldn’t remember a time he hadn’t felt he was chasing an upward trajectory in New York City. Even at Harvard, the plan had been to return. Maybe coming into Des Moines established would let him feel comfortable just existing.

He liked cooking and reading in the park and going out dancing on occasion. He rarely had time for two options, and the latter made his cheeks red with embarrassment at the prospect of a colleague seeing him during the outing. In Iowa, maybe he could go dancing and take up a new hobby and wear jeans without feeling like something was out of his control.

He woke up before Carmen, excited to be able to cook for her. He appreciated the fact she was happy to help him, but she had paused her own life for the last few days. Their friendship was relegated to offices and dinners by the office. He’d come to her baby shower and birthday parties and even a holiday party, but that was it and that had other colleagues present. Except maybe the baby shower, but he was determined to buy up whatever was left on her registry when the day came, using mami, abuelita, and the older women at church as pseudonyms to pretend he’d just let family know.

“You can cook?”

“I just never had time,” he shrugged, tray coming out of the oven.

“You made pastries?”

“Pastelitos de guayaba.” Carmen didn’t miss how proud he looked as he admired them. They were something he’d always made with family. “They aren’t hard, but abuelita used to make them for me all the time. Puff pastry, sweetened cream cheese and guava paste. Cafe con leche on the way.”

“You couldn’t sleep?” He shook his head, pouring the espresso and adding the milk before placing mugs at the breakfast counter. His mouth was set in a line now, the corners sucked in as he focused on the countertop. Her hand rested on his, giving a squeeze and he rewarded her with a soft smile. “We’ll be helping you pack for Iowa in no time.”

“I hope,” he nodded, biting into a pastry. Ollie came out, eyeing the countertop. “Want one, Oliver?”

“What are they?”

“Delicious,” Carmen groaned, having torn into her own. That was enough for Ollie, who accepted a pastry from Rafael with a soft Thank you before biting into it carefully.

“Wow! It is good!”

“I’m glad you like it.”

It felt a somber affair, despite the pastries, when Carmen saw him off to court. She chose to wait in his apartment, ringer on high and news coverage on. Ollie was easily entertained by the toys she had in the car, and the phones were forwarded to be answerable on her cell phone. By the end of the day, she’d put dinner in his slow cooker and cleaned most everything at least once. And then her phone rang with his ringer. She’d picked one of the other presets for him long ago, and she watched Ollie with his blocks as she answered.

“Rafael?”

“Not guilty,” he exhaled, still unable to believe it as he surveyed his office to begin packing. Her desk was empty, and he didn’t mind today because if she had been here, McCoy would’ve had her helping Stone. Carmen was his assistant, his friend, and it was bad enough to know Stone would probably take his place at work.

“Thank God,” she whispered. “Did you turn the letter in?”

“I put it on Jack’s desk. I’m hoping to be gone buy his return. I think three heavy boxes will cover it. Plus anything I hung, but other than diplomas most of it came with the place.”

“I put dinner on. Ollie and I ran to the store and picked up short ribs and potatoes and carrots. I needed something to do.”

“Nervous you’d be visiting me in prison?”

“You know damn well juries can be swayed. You’ve done it.”

“And I’m safe. I’ll be there in a couple of hours, okay?”

“Okay,” she said softly. “I’m really glad you get to go to Iowa.”

#Rafael Barba x Carmen #rafael barba x reader #law and order svu #law and order special victims unit #svu

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screaming-reality · 3 years

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music that will always remind me of 2020: favorite pop/art pop/indie artists

So you know I’m all for lists and 2020 is the year I fell in love with music again so I couldn’t help but make some!

First one is about my favorite pop/indie pop/art pop artists plus 1 song I absolutely adored this year.

You will find my favorite and/or most listened tracks, favorite videos, favorite live performance and favorite lyrics.

Enjoy!

___________________________________

Angel Olsen

Most listened track (also most listened track this year):

Unfucktheworld (Burn Your Fire For No Witness - 2014)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT70RUV_9rw

Favorite track+clip:

All Mirrors (All Mirrors – 2019)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jjt698Zv5jQ

Favorite performance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IP7et0I844w

Favorite lyrics:

Chance ( All Mirrors - 2019)

‘ I wish I could un-see some things that gave me life I wish I could un-know some things that told me so I wish I could believe all that's been promised me ‘

https://genius.com/Angel-olsen-chance-lyrics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUkaa4-y0jY

Some Things Cosmic (Strange Cacti - 2011)

‘ I’ve felt my soul rise up from my body When I look into your blue eyes If cosmic force is real at all It’s come between you and I I want to be naked I don’t mean my body I don’t need my body I’m floating away I’m floating away I’m floating away ‘

‘‘https://genius.com/Angel-olsen-some-things-cosmic-lyrics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wML1hZYgoik

_______________________________

Lady Lamb

Most listened: Crane Your Neck (Ripely Pine – 2013)

Favorite track+Performance: Crane Your Neck

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZPWP12Z4iI

Second favorite song+Performance: Bird Balloons (Ripely Pine – 2013)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQbdeDuCK5s

Favorite Lyrics (also fave lyrics for 2020): Crane Your Neck

‘And how it hurts even in the sun It's a goddamn joke how we can hurt even in the sun For a heart beats the best in a bed beside the one that it loves Yes, a heart beats the best when in a head, death becomes irrelevant Cause if you're dreaming about dying, then you're not really living darling You've gotta be starving, you've gotta be starving for it And if you're crying by the moon, in the sun you better lift up that chin’

_______________________________

Caroline Polachek

Pang (2019)

Most listened: So hot you’re hurting my feelings

Favorite track: Ocean of Tears

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_VgkkURF_w

Favorite performance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsqObMOwmtE

Favorite Clip: So hot you’re hurting my feelings https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sn3cHUtNZKo

Favorite Lyrics: Pang

‘There's a look in your eyes when you're hungry for me It's a beautiful knife, cutting right where the fear should be’

_______________________________

FKA twigs

Mary Magdalene (2019)

Most listened: Cellophane

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkLjqFpBh84

Favorite track: Mirrored Heart

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5y6yXR8YEdI

Favorite performance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYkgMLDkcxw

Favorite Clip: Home With You

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2Rro6TQgpU]

Favorite Lyrics: Home With You

‘Never seen a hero like me in a sci-fi But I'd save a life if I thought it belonged to you Mary Magdalene would never let her loved ones down’

_______________________________

Miya Folick

Most listened track:

Give It To Me (Give It To Me EP – 2017)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOpQYqNfdnc

Favorite track+performance:

Deadbody (Premonitions – 2018)

https://youtu.be/1_D8K1lvuUI

Favorite lyrics:

Deadbody

‘I need you to know I'm not powerless My strength lies within my gentleness And I'm already hurt so now I don't have to hide And I hold all the heads of my brothers and my sisters high’

Give It To Me

‘Your head into my head Now I know I can never get out Your lungs into my lungs Now I know I can never get out Your fears into my fears Now I know I can never get out’

_______________________________

Car Seat Headrest

Twin Fantasy (2018)

Most listened Track: Sober to Death

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ydv6usKn2rg

Favorite track: Bodys

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvsQPCbgJOA

Favorite Performance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqT3U2UYS4k

Favorite Clip: ‘Hollywood’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ka9l8X8W03Y

Favorite Lyric: Bodys

‘Don’t you realize our bodies could fall apart at any second? I am terrified your body could fall apart at any second (Those are you got some nice shoulders) (I'd like to put my hands around them) When we dance (That’s not what I meant to say at all) When we dance (I mean, I’m sick of meaning, I just want to hold you)’

_______________________________

Sufjan Stevens

Most listened Track: All of me wants all of you (Carrie & Lowell – 2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se6-q57xJCg

Favorite track: Mystery of Love (2017)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WTt69YO2VI

Favorite Performance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uzgafg5TY1k

Favorite Lyric: The Only Thing (Carrie & Lowell – 2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adKEqin5SoI

https://genius.com/Sufjan-stevens-the-only-thing-lyrics

_______________________________

Weyes Blood

Most listened&Favorite track: Andromeda (Titanic Rising - 2019)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aki1Xn36eJ8

Favorite performance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCJHMkVQsPk

Favorite Clip: Movies (Titanic Rising - 2019)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFtRq6t3jOo

Favorite Lyrics:

Requiem for Forgiveness (The Innocents-2014)

https://genius.com/Weyes-blood-requiem-for-forgiveness-lyrics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bm7KLXXRIuU

‘ I will forgive you Days in my life Are numbered and so rare Holding pain Is not living in truth’

_______________________________

Mitski

Most listened+Favorite Track:

First Love/ Late Spring (Bury Me At Make out Creek – 2014)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovFVapCtMHo

Favorite Performance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEIaBUuXDkc

Favorite Lyrics: Cop Car (The Turning STK)

https://genius.com/Mitski-cop-car-lyrics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etKhIIJr0HM

‘I am cruel, I am gentle, I can make you laugh I am cruel, I am gentle, I can make you laugh I've loved many boys, I've loved many girls I don't think about the past, it's always there anyway Don't think about the past, always there anyway

And I will never die, I will never die I will never die, I will never die

I've preemptively blocked all the exits I've preemptively blocked all the exits So I will burn this movie theater, hey’

_______________________________

The Weeknd

After Hours (2020)

Most listened+favorite clip: Blinding Lights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NRXx6U8ABQ

Favorite track: In Your Eyes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqRZDebPIGs

Favorite performance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-g_SHNv5NI

Favorite Lyrics: In Your Eyes

‘I don’t regret cause my heart can’t take a loss’

_______________________________

Dua Lipa

Future Nostalgia (2020)

Favorite+Most listened Track: Physical

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HDEHj2yzew

Favorite Performance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4neLJQC1_E

Favorite Clip: Hallucinate

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcZ7e9EOQTY

Favorite Lyric: Don’t Start Now

‘Aren't you the guy who tried to Hurt me with the word "goodbye"? Though it took some time to survive you I'm better on the other side’

_______________________________

Doja Cat

Hot Pink (2019)

Most listened+Favorite track+Performance: Streets

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hD-Z1q_ZyI

Favorite Clip: Say So

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pok8H_KF1FA

Favorite Lyrics: Addiction

‘Bitch, I ain’t Gwen, but this shit is bananas’

_______________________________

Nalyssa Green - “Αγκαλιά’’ (2020)

(8th most played song)

https://nalyssagreen.bandcamp.com/track/--2

Η θλίψη λέει ν’άνοιγε τεράστια τα φτερά της Και να λέγε έλα μου εδώ κουτό μικρό κι αστείο Να ξάπλωνα ξαπόσταινα εκεί στην αγκαλιά της Πως γίνανε τα πούπουλα παρηγοριάς θηρίο Η θλίψη λέει ν'άνοιγε τα μητρικά φτερά της Και δυνατά να κάγχαζε ακουμπά στην καρδιά μου Τα δάκρυα, ποια δάκρυα, γλυκά μουρμουρητά της Να 'ρθει η ανακούφιση να πέσει εδώ μπροστά μου Να γίνω η βαρύτητα να πέφτω σα να είμαι Να ξεχαστώ και να αφεθώ με μάτια χαλασμένα Κλειστά, να μη σταθώ ξανά να ίπταμαι να κείμαι Να είναι αυτή η αγκαλιά η μοναχή για μένα Η θλίψη λέει ν'άνοιγε μακάβρια τα φτερά της Και να απαιτήσει μέσα τους την τελευταία μου ανάσα Και να ντυθώ αναφιλητά να ξεπιαστώ απ' τα πράσα Να με μυρίσουν οι άγιοι να πάψω να γελιέμαι Από ιαχές δεινόσαυρων να πάψω να κρατιέμαι Στο ράμφος της να σαλιωθώ να με περιφρονήσω Και για διαμάντια κι έρωτες να μην ξαναμιλήσω Τι να σου πω Πες μου τι να σου πω Τι να βρω να σου πω Και πως να σου το πω

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ohbillyboi · 4 years

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Lost Boy (Post-S3 Billy Hargrove Redemption) - Ch 1

Summary: Post S3. Billy's life has completely fallen apart after the events of July '85. He's started drinking, lost his job, and gotten kicked out of the Hargrove/Mayfield house. Luckily for him, word gets around in Hawkins, and Chief Jim Hopper has a more generous heart than advertised.

A story in which Billy faces his demons with the help of a police chief -- and the fourteen-year-old girl he fears most in the world.

Notes: I just really wish Billy had lived, okay?

Two other key differences from the show:

- Hopper survived the Battle of Starcourt, and he and Joyce are dating. - The Byers and Eleven are still in Hawkins.

This fic is largely unbeta'd, though I've worked hard to make it as readable as possible.

Index:

Chapter 1: Hopper Makes An Offer Chapter 2: The Cabin Where My Mind Was Flayed Chapter 3: He’s Your Brother

Chapter 1: Hopper Makes An Offer

“Rise and shine, Mr. Hargrove!”

Bang, bang, bang!

Billy jerked awake in the driver’s seat, hitting his browbone on the door. “Ow, fuck!” Holding a hand to his head - which was already aching from the night before - he squinted out the car window into the morning sun. There, framed perfectly by the too-bright light, stood the tall, imposing silhouette of a man in a sheriff’s hat.

Chief Hopper, looking none too pleased.

Billy scoffed. “Fuckin’ pig. Fuck off.” He turned over to go back to sleep.

“You know the rules, Mr. Hargrove, no sleeping off a hangover in a public park."

Bang, bang, bang! went Hopper’s flashlight, hitting the roof of the car. Billy's eyes flew open, and he shot upright, twisting to yell out the window, “Hey! If you dent my car--”

“Yeah, yeah, you'll sue me. Now get out of here before I bring you in for public intoxication.”

“What, is that supposed to scare me?” Billy laughed out loud. Closing his eyes, he settled comfortably in his seat. “You don't scare me.”

A beat passed. The chief muttered something under his breath. Billy smirked, about to say, What was that, chief? Couldn't hear you, but he never got the chance. The door flew open, and a pair of hands seized his shirt.

“Wha-- hey, get the hell off me!” he shouted, only to be dragged out of his seat and brought face-to-face with the chief. For the first time, Billy saw his face clearly, and what he saw sent a jolt of fear through him.

The man had a hard look in his eyes. Not the kind Billy’s dad got - a hot, murderous look that could explode at any second - but hard enough all the same. He breathed loudly through his nose, glaring at Billy with an unnerving steadiness.

“You wanna test me?” he said. “Go ahead. See how far it gets you.”

Fear gave way to contempt. Billy spat in his face.

The chief blinked in shock. He was actually surprised by Billy's defiance, a fact Billy found darkly satisfying.

Then his expression hardened. Grabbing Billy’s collar, he slammed him into the side of the car. The impact knocked Billy's teeth together in an all-too-familiar clack, and he laughed - a wild cackle that came from the back of his throat.

He couldn't stop laughing after that. He laughed as Hopper slapped a pair of handcuffs on him, and he laughed all the way to Hopper’s truck. When Hopper shoved him into the passenger seat and shut the door, Billy whooped so loud the cabin rang with it.

Oh, he hadn't been in a cop car in a long time.

This was going to be an interesting day - a real peachy, write-home-to-mama kind of day.

Billy kept his eyes closed, his head on the headrest, and a smirk on his face the entire ride. Sure, let the almighty Chief Hopper think this was a punishment. Let him think Billy was scared of a little jail cell. The joke was on him, because at least Billy would have a place to sleep.

The events of the past few weeks unrolled behind Billy's eyes like a slow-mo video reel.

The horrors of Starcourt. Endless bottles of booze. The angry face of his boss at the community pool as he said, “You're fired.” The even angrier face of his dad calling him a “no-good son of a whore.” Max screaming as Billy rammed his dad’s head into the wall. Slamming doors. All his worldly possessions (the ones he cared about, anyway) sitting in the passenger seat of his car. Sleeping under the stars. Susan's face when she opened the door mid-morning, letting him in for breakfast and a shower. Max shoving dollar bills into his hands, saying, “Here. You need it more than me.” Max hugging him, her red hair tucked beneath his chin.

Moisture gathered under Billy's eyelids. He bit his lip savagely until it dried.

Just then, the truck crunched onto gravel and stopped with a screech. Opening his eyes, Billy looked around to find they'd pulled into a private drive in the middle of the woods. Suddenly he felt stone-cold sober.

“What the hell is this?” He glanced at Hopper. “Where did you take me?”

Hopper turned off the engine. Hand still on the wheel, he stared out the windshield.

“I know what's going on, Billy,” he said. “I know about your dad, the booze - everything. Max told El.”

Billy rolled his eyes skyward, and his head fell back against the headrest. Of fuckin’ course.

“I'm fine,” he muttered.

“Like hell you are. A kid your age shouldn't be out on the street.”

“I'm not a fuckin’ kid.”

“You are if I say you are,” the chief retorted, voice raised. “Now shut up and listen. I'm feeling mighty generous after what you did for my daughter. And believe me when I say she is the only reason I'm here. Because let me make one thing clear.”

He leaned toward Billy, making the leather seat creak. Billy looked at him with wide eyes.

“I...don't...like you,” Hopper enunciated. He started counting on his fingers. “I don't like your shitty haircut.” One finger. “I don't like your shitty attitude.” Two fingers. “I don't like your shitty face.” Three fingers. “But you saved my daughter's life, and I can never repay you for that.

“So here's my proposition.” He straightened up. “You come work for me, help me patch up my cabin. I give you some money and a couch to sleep on. We continue this arrangement until you're back on your feet. On one condition.”

The chief lifted a finger in the air.

“You lay off the booze.”

Billy blinked. Thoughts and emotions roiled inside him. The chief was... giving him a job? As long as he could stay sober?

Fuck. That would be a tough gig. He couldn't remember the last time he'd gone a day without a beer. Lately it'd been a whole six-pack every morning and night, with who knew how many in between. To go from that to nothing would be…

Fuck.

Billy licked his lower lip. "And if I say no?"

“Then I haul your ass to jail for assaulting a police officer, and you continue your downward spiral into a life of crime.” Hopper smiled. "But hey, if you want it that bad, don't let me stop you.”

Silence fell over the cab. Billy chewed the inside of his mouth and flexed his wrists within the cuffs. God, these things were uncomfortable. An image flashed through his mind: him wearing an orange prison suit, and cuffs on his wrists all day, every day. Though he knew that wouldn't happen - even death row inmates didn't wear cuffs all the time - it made his stomach lurch.

He sighed heavily. Fuck this fuckin' shit.

“When do I start?” he grumbled.

“Good choice!” Hopper boomed, clapping Billy on the back. “You'll start today.”

As Hopper turned the key in the ignition, bringing the truck to life with a rumbling vroom, Billy sank into his seat. Somehow this felt like his lowest point. Not sleeping off a hangover in his car - this. Throwing himself on the good graces of Chief Jim Hopper...and sleeping on his fucking couch.

“Shit,” he muttered. As they peeled out of the drive, he looked out the window, watching the trees go by with hooded eyes.

This was shaping up to be another long, long year in Hawkins.

Next Chapter--->

#Billy Hargrove #Billy Deserved Better #billy hargrove redemption #billy hargrove fic #stranger things fic

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foryourimaginationonly · 5 years

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My Life Is Your Life - Part 14

WARNING! TALKS OF DRUGS, RAPE, AND ABUSE!! PROCEED WITH CAUTION!

Part 13

The drive to the restaurant was short and the extravagant look of the place never ceased to amaze you. You almost forgot who you were dating for a moment before touching the diamond necklace on your neck.

“I’ll never get over this.” You said under your breath.

Tom laughed. “Well, love, this is your life now.”

He got out of the car, valet opening your door, but before you could take the poor kids outstretched hand, Tom was there. “No need, boy. That woman only touches one man, and that’s me.”

The kid backed away, clearly aware of how powerful Tom was by the frightened look on his face.

“S-sorry.” He stuttered before backing away. Tom helped you out of the car and threw the keys to the valet. When the kid got into Tom’s car, you elbowed him.

“You are ridiculous. He was just being courteous.” You said.

Tom pulled you tight to him. “I’m sure he was, but I don’t want him getting any ideas about you. Those are my thoughts to have and act upon.”

His breath fanned across your face, making you weak for only a moment. His lips inches from yours.

“Then kiss your woman right now. Let the world know I'm yours.” You said, taunting him.

His lips connected with yours is a fiery passion. A clearing of someone’s throat is what brought you back to reality.

“Good to see he gets his good kissing genes from me.” Dominic said. A blush rose to your cheeks as you hid your face in the crook of Tom’s neck, stifling a giggle.

“Oh hush, let the kids have their moment.” Nicola said taking her husband's arm and pulling him up the stairs. Sam and Anna were not too far behind.

Anna grabbed your arm and pulled you away from Tom, earning a glare from him. “How long have you and Tom been dating?” She asked when you two were out of earshot from the boys.

“Seven months.” You said, not caring to explain that you two had broken up for a month because of her.

“Interesting.” She said. “Did he tell you about me?”

You nodded. “Yes, he was very upset.”

Anna nodded, stopping momentarily. “I’m honestly grateful that we didn’t work out. Sam is a wonderful guy and I am so happy with him.”

“Yes, I can see that.” You said, before taking a step to the side and letting Tom intercept.

“Anna.” Was all he said before wrapping an arm around your waist and rushing you into the restaurant.

“What did she say?” He asked.

You waved your hand in front of him. “Not tonight. It’s about Sam and Anna. Let’s just enjoy it.”

Tom looked at you for a moment before a smile crept onto his face. “Fine. But tonight, you’re telling all.”

The evening went by spectacularly with the lovely couple both being surprised by the amazing dinner and all the guests that arrived. Tom’s father and Anna’s father both rented out the entirety of the restaurant for the occasion, meaning all you can eat buffet and unlimited drinks at the bar. You didn’t know how much rum and coke your body could hold until that night.

“Babe, you’re a little sauced. We should go.” Tom said, excusing you two from the conversation you were having with Nicola. She was crying laughing at what you were saying and you had the cheekiest little grin on your face.

“Oh, darling, don’t be silly. We are having a great time.” His mother said, grabbing lightly onto his arm.

“I can see that.” He said, wiping a tear from her cheek. “But Y/N has work tomorrow and needs all the rest she can get.”

You pouted at Tom, earning him a dark and seductive look. “Come, my love, let’s go home.”

Taking his outstretched hand, he led you to the couple and said your goodbyes before being escorted out of the restaurant.

“Tom, I don’t wanna go.” You slurred, leaning into him. “I was having so much fun!”

He snickered before lifting you up bridal style and carrying you the rest of the way to the car. The valet looked at you two, less terrified this time.

“Hey!” You yelled at him. “This is my man. You can’t have him.” The boy looked at you confused. “Understood?” You snapped at him. His eyes went wide and he nodded.

“Good.”

Tom laughed, setting you down into the seat of the car. “Babe, I don’t think that he swings in that direction.”

You shrugged. “Never know.”

He kissed your forehead lightly before getting into the car himself.

“Tom.” You said.

“Yes, my love.”

You hiccupped, leaning your head against the headrest, looking at him lovingly.

“Babe?” Tom asked, looking at you weird.

“I want chicken nuggets.”

Settled into Tom’s bed, still in your dress, with a box of chicken nuggets, you ate happily, listening to the sound of piano playing through the speakers in his room.

Tom watched you silently, loving every moment of drunk you. The way you wiggled when you took a bite of a chicken nugget, how you hiccupped every now and then, making a shocked face when you yawned.

“Babe,” He said crawling across the bed to you. “Let’s go to sleep.”

You fed him a chicken nugget, patting him on the head. “No. I am eating.”

“Afterwards.” He said, resting his head on your lap. Finishing the last one, you ran your fingers through his hair, making sure not to get crumbs all over him.

“Tom, I love you.” You said, hiccupping.

You were too drunk for how fast he moved. His head was out of your lap and in front of you in mere seconds, causing you to spin.

“Whoa there, babe.” You said, holding onto the sides of his face. “I’m seeing two of you.”

Tom’s chuckle was followed by a little kiss on the tip of your nose, bringing you back to front and center with only one of him now.

“You love me?” He asked, the biggest childish grin spread across his face.

“Yes, I do. But don’t let sober me know. She didn’t want to say anything just yet.” You said, putting a finger to your lips and shushing him.

He kissed you gingerly before pulling you on top of him, a squeal escaping your lips.

“Do you really? Or are you just saying that?” He asked, pushing your hair out of your face.

“Tom, I love you. I was so afraid to tell you sober because of my past and I didn’t want that to interfere with my feelings for you now.” You said, hiccuping again.

He looked at you lovingly. “I promise, no matter what happened to you in the past, I will NEVER put you through it again.” He said.

You looked into his eyes and nodded. “I think I'm ready to tell you.” You said, sitting up a little.

“Babe, you’re drunk, maybe you should wait until you’re sober.” He said.

You shook your head. “I’d rather do it drunk so it doesn’t hurt as much.”

He nodded, waiting for you to start.

Sighing, you took a quick look at him before lowering your gaze to your hands in front of you.

“I met this guy, Adam, five years ago at an art studio my friend was working at. She was hosting a small party for her success and I was excited to be able to join her. Adam was friends with her boyfriend at the time and worked as a stylist for a men's clothing store.” You took a deep breath. “That was the first night I met him. I fell deeply in love with him. He would take me to all these extravagant parties to show me off, but I was too blind to see what his true intentions were.”

You paused, looking up at Tom before continuing. “He would put drugs into my purse to carry into events and then would sit down in a back room with a bunch of people and get high. He would make me steal things from these people while they were unconscious and then pretend like he didn’t know what happened.

“One night, after being with him for a year, we were in his apartment, watching tv, eating, having a few drinks. It was just a chill night in. He got a little too high and sauced and ended up getting into an argument with me. That was the first night he ever laid his hands on me.” You felt a hot tear roll down your face. “It wouldn’t be the last. Almost every night after he would abuse me in some form. Whether that be physically beating me or raping me, to mentally abusing me. He did it all.”

Tom grabbed your hand and didn’t let go, not saying a word. “One night, we had gotten into a really bad fight. This was after I got my job as a waitress with Harrison. Adam picked me up from work and was screaming at me in the parking lot, smacking me around and calling me names. Harrison saw all of it and tried to come to my rescue, only for Adam to pull a knife on him and then turned on me.”

You turned your arm to reveal a scar that was the size of your index finger. “His knife caught my arm and that's when he pushed me into the car. Harrison tried following us.” Tom pulled you against him as you realized you were full on sobbing. “It was the most terrifying moment of my life. I thought I was going to die. The smell of his cologne, his hot breath fanning across my face, his raspy voice, everything. It still haunts me.”

Tom shushed you as he rocked you back and forth. You calmed down a bit before pulling back to finish your story. “Adam had gotten us out of Harrisons sight and into some building where they kept my friends' artwork. He pulled me out of the car and into a small room where he set up a couple of chairs. He tied me to one of them and stuck a needle into my arm.” You were shaking now. “He was drugging me. He tried to drug me into an overdose.”

Tom stopped you. “You don’t have to say anymore.” He said, “I know what happened.”

You looked at him confused. “What do you mean?”

Tom sighed. “Harrison called me that night. Saying one of his girls had been kidnapped by her bf, and that her arm was bleeding and we needed to find him fast. So, I gathered my men and we went hunting. Found you messed up and halfway to death. I thought you looked familiar when I first saw you seven months ago but I didn’t want to bring up old memories.”

You were shocked. “Is that why we can’t find him? Because y’all took care of him?”

Tom shook his head sadly. “No, he was long gone before we got to you.”

A sob took over your body as you pushed your face into Tom’s chest. “I’m so sorry baby. I wish I had found him and taken him out.” He shushed you. “I promise nothing like that will ever happen again. I swear it on my life.”

You looked up at him, tears staining your entire face. “I love you more than you know and I would never let anything happen to you. Your life is mine and my life is your life. Forever. I’m not letting you go again. I’d have to be dead for that to happen.” Tom said, taking your face in his hands and planting a small kiss on your lips.

All the bad memories from before were washed away with every stroke of Toms hand in your hair and every kiss he planted on your body. The memoires of being in the hospital for weeks after that incident were washed away too, leaving you feeling blissful, almost serene.

“Thank you.” You said, pulling away and looking at Tom. “I love you so much. And I will tell you tomorrow when I wake up, sober. I love you so fucking much.”

That night, Tom slept with you pulled tightly into him. Nothing would ever pull you from him again and that was the first night in so long that you actually slept through the entire night without a single nightmare.

A/N: Ahh it feels good to be back. How are all of you? Hope you enjoyed this part of the story. I decided to go ahead and talk about Y/N back story and why she has PTSD. I too suffer from PTSD due to past traumatic experiences. If any of you do too, and need to ever talk to someone about it, please please please, reach out to me. I will ALWAYS be here to listen. Love you guys!

TAGS!

@captainpeggy40 - @trumpettay - @smashley816

#TOM #tom holland #imagine tom #tom x reader #imagine tom holland #mob tom #Mob!Tom #mob!tom x reader #mob!tomxreader #imagine #imagine if #drunk #drugs #angst #ptsd #ptsd recovery #writing #writer

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roccorrios · 5 years

Text

How to Escape a Sinking Car (& Get Out While Underwater with a Window Break)

Several months ago 2 cousins, just 19 years old, drowned when their car plunged into a pond.

The driver was traveling from her workplace at Amazon to a nursing home where the other cousin worked.

Medical examiners say both women died of accidental drowning and that no foul play is suspected. This was a tragic and devastating incident for the community – and it doesn’t happen to just adults.

Children and babies are frequently victims in water related accidents.

I was even more surprising to find out that over 10,000 auto accidents like this happen each year.

Some survive, others don’t.

And it made me think, “would I know what to do in a situation like this?”

“How would I save children or other passengers in a drowning car?”

We all like to think that we’d be able to escape a car crash in water.

But being in the moment, inside a car sinking in water is far more disorienting than you may think.

It happens fast.

And you may even find yourself upside down and in the dark – a panic inducing moment even without passengers.

So, how long does it take for a car to sink?

On average your window of opportunity will be between 30-320 seconds – it’s fast, and the water doesn’t need to be deep to cause problems.

Additionally, a recent study revealed that door panels get jammed after 120 seconds.

Do power windows work underwater?

You’ll find that you have a short window of opportunity before you lose all electrical systems in your vehicle.

As a driver, your knowledge of what to do in a sinking car will enable you to rescue your family and other passengers while waiting for 911 to dispatch ambulances.

This is why it’s important to know exactly what to do before you ever find yourself in a situation like this.

Do you have a plan on how to get out of a drowning car? Here’s some “escape the car” help.

How to get out of a sinking car: 4 Simple Steps

First of all, make sure you have a car safety kit. You can find our Ultimate Car Emergency Safety Kit here.

Next, make sure to memorize the following steps:

Seatbelts

Windows

Children Out

You Out

There are two different scenarios when it comes to getting out of a car sinking in water.

One of them is while the windows are still above water, the other is while you are submerged.

youtube

How to get out of a car underwater

Can you open a car door underwater?

Once a car starts sinking, water exerts pressure in all directions.

Imagine trying to open your car door but there are 10 quarterbacks pushing against it from the outside.

No amount of kicking will be able to rescue you because of pressure increasing each second.

What to do if your car is submerged in water

1. Secure your phone

Whiplash injuries might occur when a car veers off the road and lands into a large mass of water.

Drivers and passengers can also sustain wrist fractures as they hold onto the nearest object for safety.

Your phone enables you to get professional medical attention as soon as possible.

Switch off your phone, and if possible, remove the battery quickly. Doing this prevents short-circuiting as you swim towards dry land. Alternatively, you can switch if off and put it in the nearest plastic bag you can find.

2. Take a deep breathe

Sometimes, things aren’t as bad as they appear. If the accident happens while you’re sober, your mind can shift attention from the loud splashing.

It’s during this moment that you can stop and recall where you’ve placed your car window breaker.

Panicking works against you because it makes it impossible to cut the seatbelt.

It’s also hard to remember about water pressure when your mind is clouded with fear.

That’s why taking a deep breathe helps you to figure out the best course of action.

3. Be ready to part with your belongings

It seems rational to scoop up all your belongings when water flows into your car. Especially when they’re high-end items like designer bags or MacBook laptops.

However, you might only have less than a minute to rescue yourself, and holding on to your belongings will prevent you from using your hands to swim.

Your phone is what you need the most because an accident might take place at night or in secluded areas.

In such situations, it might take a while before other people come to your rescue.

4. Unbuckle your seatbelt fast

Once your car starts sinking, it becomes a hazard to your life.

So, you need to get out urgently by unbuckling your seatbelt.

But, you need to follow the second step in this list, which is taking a deep breathe.

If your seatbelts seem jammed, you’ll need a sharp knife to cut through.

That’s why you need a rescue tool in your glove compartment.

Also, don’t wait for water to get inside your vehicle because wet seatbelts are harder to cut.

5. Roll down your windows

Now that you know how water exerts pressure on submerged doors, you need another escape route.

Car windows are large enough for adults to swim through.

But, do you really have to break the glass in order to swim to safety?

No one wants to deal with cuts and stitches when they’re already trapped in a life or death situation.

When your car hits the water, secure your escape routes by rolling down your window.

Doing this enables you to swim to safety without bleeding on the way out.

However, it also lets in water at a high rate.

6. Use a tool to break a car window underwater

Let’s assume you don’t have time to roll down the windows because your vehicle rolled over several times and landed inside water.

Is it possible to break the car window underwater?

Yes, it is but you have to do it before any water gets in.

All you need is a car rescue tool to clear your exit. They’re usually the size of a key holder and contain a sharp razor blade to cut through seatbelts.

A spring-loaded tool is ideal because you only have to press it against the corner of your car window to shatter the glass.

3 tips on how to escape a car submerged in water

Top Gear Sinking Car

youtube

1. Equip each passenger with a spring-loaded rescue tool

A spring-loaded rescue tool costs anywhere from $30-$50. It’s really affordable and worth it – even movie tickets also fall within the same price range.

Plus, it’s easy to carry because you can just attach it to your key chain or attach it to the headrest for quick access.

Additionally, children aged over 7 years can use it easily because you don’t need to press the tool against the window forcefully.

When each passenger has a tool within easy access, all passengers have the best chances of survival without complicated injuries.

2. Avoid storing heavy objects near headrests

Sometimes we tend to place heavy objects on the space between the backseat headrests and windshield.

Doing this puts both you and your passengers at great risk.

When a fast-moving car loses control and swerves into water, you’ll notice that the car sinks in nose first.

Why is this dangerous?

Because the impact hurls everything to the front.

Any bottles, electronics, and other items pose a danger to both you and your passengers because they’re moving at a high speed.

So, to avoid hurting yourself or your passengers, keep heavy items in the trunk.

3. Open the sunroof fast

When you’re driving in cold weather, your windows will be shut to insulate yourself.

So, what happens when you lose control and your car starts sinking?

How do you get out of a car underwater?

Well, the best solution is rolling down the windows or using a rescue tool.

However, it’s possible that your windows might be faulty and there’s no rescue tool around.

Does this mean that all hope is lost?

Certainly not.

You can act fast by opening the sunroof while cutting the seatbelt.

Escaping through the sunroof is easier for passengers because the car’s tilted position forces objects towards the roof.

How to escape a sinking car with children

1. Don’t panic

Children are highly in tune with your body language.

They can tell when things are going wrong by just looking at your face and listening to the tone in your voice.

Their ability to cooperate with your rescue efforts depends on your state of mind as the car starts sinking.

Remember to take deep breathes as you unbuckle your safety belt and roll down the windows.

Don’t shout back at the children when they scream in panic because it will only make things worse.

2. Start with the oldest to the youngest

Earlier on, we saw that your window of opportunity closes after two minutes.

So, in order for you to increase your chances of survival, the best strategy is to start with more able-bodied passengers.

Why is this important?

Because they can help you rescue other passengers by moving them out or breaking nearby windows.

It’s impossible to swim to the surface and then back to the wrecked car to rescue other passengers.

In most cases, the survivor is still traumatized and this hinders their ability to make rational decisions.

Plus, it’s hard to break car windows from outside when you don’t have a spring-loaded rescue tool.

3. Get a booster seat with quick release technology

In a drowning car, you might need to rescue more than one child.

Sometimes, it gets challenging when you’re driving with a toddler or child with a physical impairment because they’re relying on you to swim them to safety.

In such a situation, trying to cut through the seatbelt can be tricky due to the numerous straps attached.

However, you can scoop your child and swim away by just pressing a button on the booster seat thanks to quick release technology.

How to rescue a drowning person without floatation device

So far, we’ve looked at how to get out of a sinking vehicle and rescue passengers safely.

But, what happens when some of your passengers can’t swim?

In case one of your passengers starts drowning here’s what to do

1. Offer reassurance

Deep waters are terrifying because we’re used to stepping and walking on solid ground.

The drowning victim feels overwhelmed with fear and this makes them sink.

Your job is to help them focus their attention on staying afloat.

As you swim towards the victim, encourage them with inspiring words.

Tell them that they’re doing a great job and you’ll get them to safety fast.

Calming down your passengers makes them more cooperative towards your instructions.

2. Use the chin grab

When swimming towards your passenger, you’ll notice that he or she wants to dive and cling on to you for safety.

If they actually get a hold of you, it makes the situation worse because you can’t use your limbs to swim back to safety.

What’s the best approach?

Dive underwater for the sake of your drowning passenger.

Swim towards him or her and then turn towards their back.

Then, grab their hips and slide your least dominant hand to their chin.

For instance, a right-handed person will use their left hand to hold their victim’s chin up.

This position enables you to swim to safety without the passenger pulling your limbs.

The best way to get to safety is by using either the back or sidestroke.

3. Talk to them

The best rescue situation is where everyone comes out unscathed and still conscious.

As you swim to dry land, keep on motivating your passenger.

This engagement prevents their brain from switching off, enabling them to keep breathing throughout.

How to give CPR to a drowning person

Here are some quick easy steps to help you revive a friend, passenger, or relative as you await an ambulance.

1. Open their mouth to check for obstructions

Water can flood a drowning victim’s mouth as they gasp for air repeatedly.

This blocks their airway and puts them in a life-threatening situation.

How do you ensure that their airway is clear?

First, lay down your passenger on solid ground far from the water.

Next, place your right hand on their forehead then use your left hand to tilt their chin gently.

Open their mouth by pulling down their chin.

If your phone is still working, use the flashlight to check for any obstructions in the throat.

2. Clean any fluids on the victim’s mouth

Drowning can induce vomiting because the victim is choking with water.

Sometimes, the impact upon hitting an obstacle or water can cause cuts or gashes to the mouth.

As a rescuer, your health always remains the top priority and that’s why you can’t proceed to giving rescue breathes.

Nowadays, you can get pocketsize CPR masks ideal for such situations.

If you lost it while swimming to safety, just use your handkerchief or t-shirt to wipe your passenger’s mouth clean.

3. Check for a pulse

Assessing the pulse rate enables you to determine whether you need to give chest compressions.

How do you check for one?

Place your index and middle fingers at the center of your passenger’s neck then slide them sideways to the muscle until you feel a small depression.

If you can’t detect a pulse, prepare to give chest compressions.

4. Start with rescue breaths

The aim of giving rescue breathes is to stimulate your victim’s lungs.

Doing this also ensures that the brain and heart still receive enough oxygen.

Start by tilting your victim’s head upwards then open their mouth gently to clear their airway.

Next, place your mouth directly on top of theirs then blow deeply.

Watch if his or her chest is rising before giving the next rescue breath.

Rescue breathes are effective in reviving victims who passed out just moments before getting rescued to dry land.

5. Give 30 chest compressions

Before proceeding to this step, locate the center of your victim’s chest.

Place your thumb at the victim’s armpit then follow a straight line towards the center, which is halfway below the sternum.

Next, place the heel of your right hand then place your left hand on top while interlocking your fingers.

Before pumping, make sure your shoulders are straight.

Proceed to the compressions at a rate of 100 per minute.

It’s advisable to take off any jewelry or ties hanging on your victim’s neck.

Mythbusters underwater car survival tests

Let’s look at some of the widely spread, but wrong ways of how to get out of a drowning car.

Mythbusters fall into water

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1. Myth: wait for the pressure to equalize

Some people believe that the best way to escape a submerged car is waiting for the water to fill up your car to chest level.

The inflowing water equalizes air pressure enabling you to open doors easily.

On surface level, it seems rational because it only takes a minute for water to fill up a car.

But, is it really a wise move?

As water fills up, it’s also carrying soil and objects of varying sizes.

The visibility inside deteriorates rapidly and this puts you at risk especially when you’re trying to find your car rescue tool.

Secondly, the incoming water adds weight and this can force your car to flip upside down.

It’s hard to rescue passengers when you’re stuck in this position.

2. Myth: kick out the windshield

Every major action movie star from Sylvester Stallone to Jason Statham have defiantly kicked out windshields in scenes involving submerged vehicles.

They make it look so easy that you immediately believe it’s a method that works in real life.

Unfortunately, it’s all camera tricks.

A windshield consists of two layers of thick glass and in between them is a layer of highly elastic plastic adhesive.

This design makes it able to withstand higher impacts from falling objects compared to your side windows.

Also, the steering wheel’s position makes it hard to thrust your legs with the required force.

3. Myth: break the side windows using your elbows

You’ve also seen this in a couple of movies. All you need to do is aim then strike the glass hard.

How effective is this method?

On a scale of one to ten, elbow strikes score a dismal three.

Why?

Because you’ll need to strike the window repeatedly to get a breakthrough.

Yet, you only have less than two minutes to get out of the sinking wreck.

If you somehow manage to break your window, you’ll be in a lot of pain and bleeding profusely due to the cuts sustained.

Finally… Rescuing yourself from a sinking car isn’t difficult as long as you retain mental composure.

It helps you to locate the right tools for the job as well as figuring out the best rescue plan for your passengers.

What’s the best way to prepare for these incidents?

Ensure that your car tires are in excellent condition when driving in snow or rainy weather, especially near rivers and lakes.

Finally, make sure there are a couple of rescue tools in your glove compartment in case your car gets submerged in water