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abstractnaturaldisaster · 1 year

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More Steddie Flower Shop / Tattoo Parlor AU

Part One is available here! Time for Steve’s perspective! c: (also available on AO3)

*** Steve had signed the lease on the studio space a week ago and he was gearing up for the opening, posting instagram updates for the followers he’d gained from his previous tattooing gigs. Steve had bounced around a few spots since he started tattooing, but he hadn’t found anywhere that felt like he really belonged. Most people assumed tattoo artists had to be overly masculine or into counterculture. Steve had never been all that alternative (other than a brief emo phase Robin has been sworn to secrecy about) and he didn’t have loads of tattoos himself. It had been a point of contention between him and some of his past coworkers who felt that a tattoo artist should wear their ink proudly.

Homophobia was also still pretty common in some of the more mainstream shops in town and Steve couldn’t handle some of the casual comments shop owners made about his more feminine style. To top it all off he was sick of having to tattoo tribals or dandelions on college kids as he “worked his way up the ladder” at some of the more established places. Steve had managed to garner attention for his original colorful floral work on instagram and was getting enough interest that he decided to take the leap and find his own space.

He was eternally grateful that his best friend, Robin, had agreed to help with the front of house and appointments so he could focus on tattooing. Robin and Steve had talked for hours about how to make Steve’s studio inviting and comfortable for anyone who dropped in. Steve felt strongly about gatekeeping in the tattoo community and wanted his studio to be bright and open and set people at ease who had never been tattooed or had been burned by more “hard core” shops.

Robin had taken Steve to hundreds of estate sales and thrift stores to find pieces that were homey and comfortable so that his new studio could reflect his tattooing philosophy. He’d filled the space with plants and soft fabrics and made sure that the studio had plenty of light. Steve had set up a nice waiting area that was more of a living room than anything else with loads of books and a record player to provide a soft soundtrack. He purposefully didn’t include any records heavier than Simon and Garfunkel to encourage a more relaxed atmosphere. He’d worked at a shop that only played metal and he basically lived on Excedrin to survive the headaches he’d get after a shift.

“Steve! It’s looking so good!” Robin said as she pushed through the door with the spoils from her Target run. “I really think it’s almost there. And just in time for our first appointment, tomorrow.”

“I’m really happy with it, Robs.”

“You should be! It looks awesome. Very instagrammable,” Robin added as she posed by the record stand. Steve snapped a quick pic before Robin could stop him.

“You’re right, very instagrammable,” Steve joked. He showed Robin the picture.

“Hey, that’s actually not bad. Send it to me and I’ll post it to stories to help drum up some business, kid.”

“I already had to close my books twice, I think we’re going to be okay, babe,” Steve laughed.

It was true. After he posted some of his favorite floral pieces his DMs had blown up and he already had a full schedule for the next couple of months. Robin had agreed to help Steve in exchange for the promise that he wouldn’t overwork himself and actually take days off, so they were already scheduling clients pretty far out. To afford the overhead and keep to a more limited schedule, Steve had to broaden his initial search for studio space. They’d ended up in a slightly less desirable part of the city but since it seemed like Robin was serious about limiting Steve’s schedule it was a deal they couldn’t pass up.

“Alright, I picked up drinks to fill the mini fridge, coffee, tea, and some snacks. I also got this very cute planner to keep track of all your very important appointments,” Robin said as she pulled everything out of her grocery cart.

“I feel like we have to be forgetting something, Robs.” Steve looked around the space. He’d fully outfitted his tattooing space with everything he needed, they’d set up the printer and iPad to do stencils, and everyone had places to sit, but it still felt like something was missing.

“I think you’re overthinking it. We double checked the list last night.”

Steve walked over to the window and looked out at the busy street. He noticed the flower shop across the way. “Wait, that’s it. I wanted to go set up a recurring delivery for a flower arrangement for the front desk for each week.”

“Wow, when you said you wanted to lean into the plant gay aesthetic you weren’t kidding, huh?” Robin laughed.

“I just think it would be nice to have fresh flowers in addition to all the greenery,” Steve added.

“You’re sure you’re not just looking for an excuse to talk to the guy you’ve been checking out who works there?” Robin asked.

“I’ve been doing nothing of the kind.”

“Then why are you blushing, babe?” Robin dramatically flung herself onto the couch. “I’m so glad we got some old lady’s fainting couch for precisely this moment. It is perfect for dramatically winning an argument.”

“You’ve won nothing, Robin.” Steve pouted.

“You know I’m just giving you shit. If you’re going to go you better go now. I think they close early.”

***

Hope you guys like soft Tattoo Artist Steve! Part 3 here!

Taglist: @maya-custodios-dionach

#my fic #steve x eddie #stranger things #steve harrington #eddie munson #steddie fic #steddie #tattoo / flower shop AU

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scattered-irises · 13 days

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hey! bishounen breeder anon here

i’m so glad you understand! but it sucks that your zexal era kaitos aren’t for public sale :/

see i wanted to breed my own original era kaito if possible because konami is absolutely cracking down on these kaito breeds, and it’s SO HARD nowadays to get anybody on board :/

i really thought you’d be on board too because i heard such good things about you

this culture of apartment style rival bishounens being more trendy really sucks. like, every other rival is available on the market for every era, ESPECIALLY setos. i just want the complete set for rivals, but 2011-2014 kaitos are such a rare find. the og features are just so much better than the revised, stretched out new era kaito >:(

i want my own original onion head. the other bishie breeders and konami constantly attack us, and those who still breed these 2011-2014 kaitos aren’t selling them either

feeling pretty disappointed overall :/ i thought i’d finally get some progress here because i joined this community so late. guess i’ll just look elsewhere

My good stockholder in HASDAQ (Hell’s Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations), the moment I announce that my poorly bred og Kaitos are for public sale, Konami will burst through my office in hell and confiscate all of them (Yes, they have people in hell…it is a corporation, after all). I cannot sell them to you even if I wanted to.

Due to my insistence on breeding and hoarding sickly Kaitos, I have become a pariah in the bishie breeding (BB, for short) community.

Yes, these new healthier Kaitos are very aesthetically displeasing. However, if you truly love Kaitos, you would buy a newer one for the sake of his health.

Another note, my Kaitos have a shelf life of maybe 7-8 days. I don’t think they are even worth purchasing. You may as well buy yourself a pack of organic strawberries, since they look and last about the same.

I wish you luck on your quest to find og Kaitos. I also hope you are prepared to handle the consequences that come with the og Kaito’s poor health.

Unless…you would be interested in purchasing a Christopher from me? He’s about as unhealthy as the OG Kaitos but I’m quite certain Konami has forgotten about him (I mean, there have not been any upgrades to his deck for about a decade now), so the Christopher side of the BB is a bit like the Wild West. Christopher breeders can do whatever the hell they want tbh. Here’s a selection of my Chrises:

#zexal #shitpost #christopher arclight #kaito tenjo #ask iris #bishounen #unreality/

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discluded · 1 year

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I was wondering, what are your thoughts on: Who might have bought Apo that green white crochet over shirt? From his IG story where he posted about it, it looks like someone else bought it for him. Since, he mentioned that it looked B***hy, and where would he wear such shirt. I have stalked fan sites and no one has mentioned that it as a fan gift. So, it must be someone from his circle! That shirt cost close to $700 US. So, who would buy him such provocative expensive shirt? Any thoughts!!

Oh friend, you sure sent me down a fashion rabbit hole for this one.

Apparently the MTL called it "super bitch" hahaha.

So you mentioned you think it might be a gift but no one's came forward to claim it, and I want to caveat: (1) I don't know if Thai fans post as much on Twitter if their present gets used, so maybe it is a fan gift and we don't know but (2) this actually made me check Bode's stockists, and lo and behold:

The only place in Thailand that carries Bode is actually *drumroll* The Decorum! Also known as the place that Mile and Apo have been going to get their fittings for the film festival debut. And where they got their Vogue Gala suits. 😊

Apo posted the story on November 23, and Mile's post about doing the fitting again (right photo) was posted November 30, so it's possible there was a week between fittings.

This also had me taking a poke at Bode's instagram page. And look what I saw here 🎯👀

Yes, it's the green shirt Apo wore to Universal Studios Singapore. They're from the same collection.

These were both posted to Bode's instagram mid June (15 and 16) and had the text:

First delivery styles now available online and in-store. To request upcoming arrivals, please contact our New York or Los Angeles stores.

So they arrived at the stockists circa mid June. By the end of July, their instagram had noted both these were out of stock at their online store but available in their in-location stores (they obviously do not track their stockists' inventory). So the earliest Apo could have had the shirt he wore in Singapore was late June as well. No fan claimed that one either, so he likely bought it for himself (or you know. sugar baby privileges 😂)

Just a cute thing I want to note but is meaningless to Apo's choice, the collection both items were released in was named the E.A.B.A. Wedding Collection.

So to answer your question, who do I think bought it for him, I'm just going to lay out all the possibilities:

Fan bought. Unlikely. A lot of fans are pretty conservative about the clothes they buy him and Mile. I'm going to change that and get Mile a tiddy shirt.

The Decorum's owner gifted it to Apo to clear stock. Unlikely. They are friends though, which is why Apo (and now Mile) frequents his shop!

Bought on sale at The Decorum. Most probable. Some places have discounted it for end of season sale where I've seen it available online still. To be fair, "Very naughty, how do I wear it!" has the energy of a girlie who found a good deal on the clearance rack but has no idea how to style this ridiculous piece. So I still think he could've bought it himself.

Bought at The Decorum, but it was a friends and family discounted offered to Apo to move the product 🤷‍♀️

As for whose wallet the money came out of Apo has his own money and job! But Mile's wallet seems to hurt a lot when they go shopping huh😅

Mile: i’m broke because of him ahah

Apo: ahahaha it’s payday i wanna do shopping ahahaha

#bode new york #apo nattawin #mileapo and fashion #super bitch shirt #claiming cris' name for it #the decorum bangkok #kpwt singapore #kpwt travel

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battlekilt · 4 months

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So, my Loungefly Winter sale order came in.

First of all, this 2022 LE Convention Exclusive (mustn't've been too limited edition to still be available. xD) It is Animated Boba Fett, and I've always loved his color scheme. It fits my pastel aesthetic better than most of Star Wars. Anyway, their deal was the bag was drastically marked down, and since I ordered other things, I got the wallet for free.

Next up is a second wallet. I wanted it for a while because it had Cody on it. Yes, sorry, @spacingstars and @marvelstars, I got it for Cody! I don't usually like LF's live-action prints because they always look cheap to me in pictures. But it really doesn't! The print is high quality, it has enough artifacts in it to look the movie's age. The colors pop, and there's JUST a touch of styling to make it... idk, look good.

Last up is the Vader keychain seen on the previous wallet. And oh boy, is he bigger than I expected. LOOK AT HIM. And he is heavy, too. I like the choice of gunmetal hardware for him.

I got all this for a ridiculous markdown, too!

#kilt's world

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sjsmith56 · 10 months

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The Shopgirl and the Sergeant - Part 3, From There to Here - Bucky Barnes One Shots

Summary - A shopgirl in Sparta, Wisconsin helps Sergeant Bucky Barnes pick out a birthday gift for his mother. They develop a good friendship while he is at Camp McCoy.

Length - 4.7K

Characters - Sergeant Bucky Barnes, named female original character, original female child character, Dum Dum Dugan, Gabe Jones, store manager, soldier and girlfriend.

Warnings - rude behaviour and comments regarding shopgirl’s height, use of term “Negro.”

Author notes - In several sources Dum Dum Dugan and Gabriel Jones trained with other units that were captured at the same time as Bucky Barnes, yet in deleted scenes from Captain America The First Avenger they knew Bucky by his first name during the battle of Azzano. For the purposes of this one-shot they are part of the 107th from boot camp and became friends with Bucky then. Military units during World War II were segregated and African American soldiers had their own, the 92nd Infantry Division. Racism was still rampant even in the northern states and I wanted to touch on issues Gabe Jones might have experienced being assigned to a Caucasian unit due to a clerical error. I like to think Bucky and Dum Dum would be supportive of him in small town Wisconsin, having had more exposure to black neighbours or friends. Most African Americans living in Wisconsin at that time were living in Milwaukee so it made sense that Eleanor's first actual encounter with a black man would also show Bucky the type of person she was. I use the term "Negro" as it would have been used in 1942.

****************

<<Part 2

Franklin's Department Store, Sparta, Wisconsin, November, 1942

"Hey Beanpole!"

I stiffened when I heard those words. It was bad enough I was tall for a girl. To be reminded of it as often as I was hurt every single time. Counting to three I plastered a fake smile on my face and turned around to greet the customer.

"How can I help you, sir?" I answered, addressing a soldier with a giggling girlfriend, named Evelyn, that I recognized from my old high school standing next to him.

"My girl wants a new hat but the one she wants is on that display up there." He pointed up to a hat stand on top of a shelf. "You tall enough to grab it for her?"

"Not quite but I'll get a step stool," I replied politely.

I went into the back room and came out with the step stool that would give me another foot of height to reach the display. As I stepped up onto it I could hear Evelyn whispering into her soldier's ear and him breaking out laughing. Ignoring what I assumed to be an insult whispered about me I picked the hat off of the stand and brought it down to them, offering it to her. She took it in her hand, put it on and looked into the display mirror. Evelyn made a face, took it off and placed it on the counter.

"No, I don't like how it looks on me. Sweetie, why don't we go get a donut and coffee instead."

"Anything for you, sugar," said the soldier, lightly touching her nose with his index finger.

It was enough to make me feel ill but with the manager watching I had to try and rescue the sale.

"Would you like to try on another hat?" I asked. "We have other styles and colours available."

The soldier looked up at the selection then at Evelyn but she shook her head and turned around. Ignoring me she put her hand in the crook of his arm and pulled him away towards the lunch counter. I heard a sigh behind me and turned to see the manager, Mr. Deakins.

"Miss Warren, you really need to try harder to complete those sales. With all the soldiers we have at Camp McCoy there's no reason you shouldn't be able to sell at least one hat every day. They all have a girlfriend, money to burn, and we have a good selection."

"Yes sir," I replied. "I did try to interest him in another hat."

"Perhaps you should bring that hat stand down and place it on the counter or on the display over there," he suggested, pointing towards a display of scarves and gloves for the discriminating lady.

"Mr. Franklin told me to put it up there, sir. But if you think it will be better down on the counter ...."

"No, if Mr. Franklin wants it up there then I guess that's where it's supposed to be," he answered. "Carry on."

Mr. Franklin, the owner of the department store, had waltzed through the day before ordering staff to put things on display in certain ways and places. Like the manager I thought the hats would do better on the counter or the scarf display but I really had no say in it. I stepped back onto the step stool returning the hat to its place then returned the step stool to the back room. Since I was low on stock I pulled out some ladies handkerchiefs to add to the selection I already had. As I came out of the back room I was bumped into by another soldier and the handkerchiefs were scattered on the floor. Immediately I kneeled down to pick them up and was joined by the man who bumped into me. The brim of his hat obscured his face but when he stood up to hand me what he had gathered I almost gasped. He was only one of the most handsome men I had ever seen with thick dark hair, bright blue eyes, strong cheekbones, and a chin dimple that I couldn't keep my eyes off of.

"Here, doll, sorry about that," he said with a Brooklyn accent. "I wasn't watching where I was going."

"Thank you for helping pick them up," I replied. "Is there anything I can help you with sir?"

A smile revealed beautiful straight white teeth. "I'm a Sergeant, not an officer. Just Sarge is fine. I'm looking for something for my mother. It's her birthday soon and I won't get leave to go home and see her. These handkerchiefs are okay but I was thinking of something nicer."

"We have these scarves and matching gloves." I gestured towards the display. "They would be good for wearing to Sunday service or to a social gathering."

"Yeah, they're nice," he agreed. He looked at me as if he just realized I was almost as tall as him. "Could I see how they look on you before I decide which one I want?"

I picked up one of the scarves but before I could put it around my neck he took it from my hand and draped it around my shoulders, gently using his hands to smooth it. It was close to taking a personal liberty and I'm sure if Mr. Deakins was there he would have raised his eyebrows. Personally, I didn't mind. I watched him as he looked at the scarf resting on my shoulders and upper chest.

"Could you put the gloves on that match this?" he asked, looking pointedly at my left hand as he did so.

I put them on and posed them next to the scarf. He smiled and said he would take them. As I removed them he picked up two of the handkerchiefs and put them on the counter.

"Will that be all for you, Sarge?"

"I wouldn't mind your name and phone number," he said casually.

"I could get fired for giving you that information," I replied truthfully.

"That is a problem." He leaned on the counter and tilted his cap back slightly. "When do you get off?"

He ran his tongue along the edge of his teeth when he asked but I wasn't sure if it was intentional or if it was just a habit of his. I smiled then looked away and saw Mr. Deakins nearby.

"I'll write your sales slip up, sir," I said as loudly as I could. "Would you like these wrapped up for the post? It will be an extra 25 cents."

"Will I be able to write an address label for it?" he asked, noticing Mr. Deakins watching me.

"Of course, that's covered in the extra cost. I have a small complimentary card as well if you wish to write a note to your mother."

He agreed to the extra cost and I provided the card and the address label. I waited while he wrote on the card then pulled out a box big enough to hold the items. I removed the tags then took the items with me to the back room. There was a roll of brown paper there and I pulled out enough to cover the box. Wrapping it around I folded the extra paper and sealed it with transparent tape. Mr. Deakins was still watching when I got back to the counter. I wrote up the items on the sales slip and paused before I began writing in the customer name box.

"Your name, sir?"

"Sergeant James Barnes," he replied. "I would give you a phone number but I'm at the base and only have access to the pay phone."

"Of course, sir. Your barracks number is sufficient."

"Hut E19," he replied, smiling at Mr. Deakins. "Do you need any more information, miss?"

"No, if you take the slip over to the cash register the lady there will ring it through. I'll finish glueing the address label on. We do have the post office next door if you wish to post it right away."

"Thank you, miss," said Barnes, politely. "You've been very helpful. I hope your manager realizes what a good employee you are."

"That's kind of you, sir," I replied, keeping it professional.

Barnes took the sales slip over to the cashier and pulled his wallet out to pay. He kept looking back at Mr. Deakins, still smiling politely at him. He then asked the cashier for a slip of paper and a pen, wrote himself a note, folded it and put it in his pocket. By the time he returned Mr. Deakins had moved on to observing another employee. He was still visible to the Sergeant so the younger man put his hand inside his pocket and pulled out the slip of paper, sliding it across the counter top to me. Taking his package and tipping his hat he sauntered out of the store. I slipped the paper into my pocket, not reading it while I was still on the sales floor. About 15 minutes later another clerk came to relieve me for my break and I hurried to the ladies room. Inside the stall I pulled it out and read what he wrote.

Meet me outside the Oldham Theatre at 6:30.

We'll grab a bite to eat and go see a movie.

Please don't stand me up.

Bucky

I had a date with a handsome soldier. Feeling giddy inside I put the note back into my pocket and left the stall to wash my hands. After having my coffee in the staff room I returned to my station and worked the remainder of my shift. When 5 o'clock came I slipped my time card in the punch clock and placed it in the Out slot. Quickly I walked home so I had time to change and make it back to the Oldham Theatre for 6:30. As I unlocked the door I was shocked to see my eight year old niece Stella sitting on the armchair reading a book with no sign of my sister.

"Where's your Mother?" I asked, surprised that my sister Willa left her daughter on her own.

I lived with her and her daughter while her husband was fighting in North Africa. Willa worked at the dairy on the production line.

"She went back to work," said Stella. "She left you a note in the kitchen."

On the kitchen table was a note from my sister.

Eleanor,

Sorry to spring this on you. The dairy was short handed for the evening shift so they offered me double pay to stay and work. They gave me time to get Stella from school and bring her home. I'll make it up to you, I promise.

Willa

I rubbed my forehead. Of all the days to work a double shift. I sighed as it looked like I was going to stand up the handsome Sergeant Barnes. I looked at the clock. At least I could take Stella with me and tell him in person. Then he would know I wasn't standing him up for no reason.

"How do you feel about dinner in the café?" I asked Stella. "My treat."

"Honest?" My niece seemed excited at the prospect.

"Honest," I replied. "I was supposed to go on a date but I'll have to meet the fellow first and ask him for a rain check. Since we'll be out we might as well treat ourselves."

With a smile Stella stood up and got her coat and gloves on. I turned on the outside light for the front door and locked it. Grasping her hand we hurried towards the Oldham. Twenty minutes later we arrived and I could see him standing there. He turned, saw me, and smiled that gorgeous smile of his then frowned when he saw I had Stella with me.

"I'm so sorry," I explained. "This is my niece, Stella. I live with her and her mother, my sister. She got called in for an extra shift at the dairy. I didn't want you to think I was standing you up. If you could maybe give me a rain check for another date I'd appreciate it."

He pushed his cap back slightly on his head and looked down at Stella then at me. Then he kneeled down to Stella's level and looked her square in the eyes.

"I don't even know your Aunt's name yet," he said gently. "Do you think she would mind if I took two beautiful ladies out for dinner?"

Stella's eyes sparkled. "Her name is Eleanor and I don't think she would mind at all," she replied with a grin. "Do you really think I'm beautiful?"

"Definitely," he stated firmly. "I'm sure you've broken lots of hearts already and if you haven't, you will. My name is Bucky and it's a pleasure to meet you Stella." He shook her hand, stood up again and smiled at me. "I have a younger sister. She's almost thirteen. Stella reminds me of her. I do appreciate you coming out in person to break our date."

He offered me his arm and walked us both to the café where we sat in a booth, with Stella and I on one side, and him on the other. Bucky took his cap off and placed it on the coat hook beside his seat. Stella and I did the same with our coats on our side of the booth. The waitress came with a coffee pot and filled our cups with coffee while Stella asked if she could have a strawberry milkshake. With the menus in our hands we made our choices and ordered the food. Bucky took a pack of cigarettes out and offered me one, then lit it for me before lighting his own.

"So, Eleanor," he began. "How long have you worked at the store?"

"Two years, since I graduated from high school," I said. "My parents have a farm about a hundred miles from here. Willa, my sister, married a fellow that worked at the dairy until he got drafted. He's in North Africa right now. I came here hoping to make some money for college. I haven't seen you around before. Have you always been at Camp McCoy?"

"I was here for boot camp then displayed some aptitude for marksmanship," said Bucky. "All those rigged shooting games at Coney Island helped, I guess. I was sent to a special camp to become a sniper and received a promotion to Sergeant. Now I'm back and have been assigned to a unit. We'll be here another five months at least before we're shipped off to England."

"I thought I detected a Brooklyn accent," I noted. "Can I ask why you call yourself Bucky when your first name is James?"

"Nickname from my middle name, Buchanan," said Bucky. "Not even my mother calls me James. Don't know why they named me that but ..."

He shrugged with a grin. His easygoing manner was as attractive as his looks. When other café patrons came in and noticed we were together I was aware of some whispered conversations over why such a good looking man was with one of the tallest women in town. He must have heard some of the words being thrown out and he leaned forwards.

"Don't pay them attention," he said. "You caught my eye as soon as I walked in the store. I can tell you that in Brooklyn you would have a long line of suitors at your door, not all of them tall either. Never did understand why some men had an issue with women who were taller."

"Aunt Eleanor is one of the tallest in town," said Stella, proudly. "She played basketball in high school and Mama said she was the best player, boy or girl."

"Well, I played basketball as well," smiled Bucky, "but I was one of the shorter players. We had several that were over 6 foot 6 inches. What position did you play?"

"Center," I shrugged. "You?"

"Point guard. We got to the city championship but lost in the final."

"We weren't good enough to get that far." I couldn't take my eyes off those blue eyes as I spoke. "Not that we were bad, just didn't have a lot of depth on the bench. When we played against the town team it showed. They wore us down. I enjoyed it though. Was hoping to get a scholarship but the only college that showed interest would only give me a partial one. It wasn't enough. Now that the war is on it seems most women's sports programs have been shelved or underfunded to the point they might as well fold."

"Yeah, there's a lot of that going around," agreed Bucky. "Do you dance?"

"Not very well, as most of my partners were my girlfriends," I replied, looking down at my hands. "I usually led, being taller."

"You come out with me to the next dance," said Bucky. "I'll make up for all of those guys who wouldn't ask you onto the dance floor."

Something inside me bubbled up. He was already talking about a second date, as if this counted as our first. Our food came and I could see he had good manners, as he kept his elbows off the table and didn't eat with his mouth full. He did tell us a story about him and his best friend in Brooklyn, a guy named Steve, who was a small sickly man that he befriended when they were boys. Apparently, Steve was bullied a lot because of his size, but also because he stood up for himself and didn't know when to stay down.

"I kinda liked the guy for that," said Bucky. "He would get back up from where he was bleeding, cock his fists, look at the guy and say "I could do this all day." They would hit him down again over and over."

There was a fond look on his face as he told us. "What unit is he in?" asked Stella.

"He was declared 4F," said Bucky. "But he keeps trying. He'll get arrested one of these days when they find out he's tried to enlist under false names. He just won't take no for an answer, crazy kid."

"Sounds like you miss him very much," I said. "You must have a very good friendship."

"Yeah, we are good friends. But I do have some friends in Camp McCoy. A guy named Dum Dum Dugan. His given name is Tim but he picked up the nickname Dum Dum when he worked as a circus strongman. He's married with two kids. Salt of the earth, except he cheers for the Red Sox but he's from Boston originally so I'll let him have it. There's another guy who I'm friends with, Gabe Jones. He's in our unit due to a clerical error, and the Army, in its infinite wisdom, won't reassign him to where he's supposed to be so Dum Dum and I watch out for him. Speak of the devil."

He looked out the window and smiled at the biggest man I had ever seen and a Negro man, of which I hadn't seen any being in a small town in Wisconsin. Bucky chuckled at the look on my face.

"Yeah, they put a black man in a white unit," he said. "Someone made a mistake on his enlistment form and marked him as white. It's even on his dog tags. He's a good man. Smart, college educated, speaks German and French."

The two men came in, removing their caps and stood beside the table.

"Sarge, we were looking for you," said the bigger man, who I assumed was Dum Dum. "Didn't know you had a date."

"Gentlemen, this is Miss Eleanor Warren and her niece Stella ...?" he looked at me.

"Stella Howe," I said, offering my hand to both of them. "Bucky was just telling us about you and then suddenly you were outside the window. You must be Mr. Dugan and you must be Mr. Jones."

"Corporal and Private actually," said Dugan, politely.

I could see the waitress in the café talking to the manager. They both had worried looks on their faces and were looking at the faces of the other diners.

"Would you like to join us?" I asked. "That's alright, isn't it Bucky?"

He looked towards the manager as well and stood up to sit next to me as Stella and I moved over.

"Sure, slide in there boys," he said. "We've already ordered. Miss? Could you please bring some coffee and menus for Corporal Dugan and Private Jones? I can vouch for their character."

The waitress looked at the manager and he shrugged then nodded his approval. She brought a couple of menus, and coffee mugs, pouring them some of the hot dark liquid. They both read the menu and Dugan looked up at her, ordering two blue plate specials. Jones ordered a cheeseburger and fries, making sure he said please and thank you. He was nervous and I caught his attention.

"Bucky said you speak French and German," I said. "We didn't have any foreign language classes at my high school."

"Yes, Miss Warren," he said, showing a nice smile. "I studied German in college but switched to French because it sounds nicer to the ear. They plan to use me to translate once our unit gets overseas, although odds are we'll be fighting the Italians first. We have a few second generation Italian Americans in the unit so I guess they'll use them once we land in Italy."

Our food arrived and both Dugan and Jones urged us to go ahead and eat. Their food came shortly after. Both men were very interesting, especially Dugan, with some of his circus stories which he kept clean for the benefit of Stella. Even the waitress came within earshot to overhear some of them, going back to the kitchen with a grin on her face. I could see why Bucky enjoyed their company as despite their different backgrounds they all had something in common; a desire to do right by others. Their core of basic decency was evident. When the bill came it was delivered by the manager who stood there a moment before addressing all three soldiers.

"Gentleman, please consider this an invitation to dine with us again, anytime," he said. "You are all a credit to the uniform you wear and our country is better because of good decent men like yourselves."

Bucky put his hand on my knee and squeezed it when the manager said the word decent. I almost laughed out loud but managed to suppress it with a cough. After paying the bill we all stepped out into the cool night air. It was too late to go to the movies and I needed to get Stella home soon as she had school the following day. As I looked at the three soldiers Dugan and Jones gave each other a knowing look.

"Well, I think we're going to head back to base," said Dugan, with Jones nodding. "It was awfully nice to meet you Miss Warren, and you too, Stella. You've been pleasant company. Sarge, we'll see you later."

They both shook hands with me and put their caps on, heading off into the night. It had started snowing and Stella lifted her face to the sky, opening her mouth to catch the falling flakes. A smile crossed Bucky's face when he saw her do that and he also lifted his face to the sky, trying to do the same. She giggled at his efforts and he smiled fondly at her.

"Come on, I'll walk you home," he said after a few moments, offering me his arm.

We took our time, not talking, just enjoying the wintry ambience. When we got to the house I unlocked the door and told Stella to take her boots and jacket off then to get ready for bed. She hugged Bucky and thanked him for the date. He rewarded her with a brilliant smile, and she headed inside, definitely in love.

"I would ask you in but Stella isn't the most discreet 8 year old girl," I said. "I'm sorry your plans got turned sideways."

"I still had a good time," he replied. "You are good company and you were friendly to Dum Dum and Gabe. That means a lot."

"They're good men," I said, then I looked away briefly. "Will I see you again?"

"Well, I meant what I said about the next dance," he replied, smiling in a way that almost melted me inside. "I would really like to take you out and give you the kind of date you deserve."

"I'd like that. You know where I work and where I live. We don't have a telephone that isn't a party line."

"I know where to find you."

He stepped closer and put his hands around my waist, drawing me in closer. When his lips touched mine he opened them and gently pressed his tongue against my lips. As mine opened I couldn't believe how soft his kiss was. His hands went around my back enclosing me in his embrace. It was the best kiss I ever had.

In the remaining months he was there until the 107th got their final orders we went out many times. He was a good dancer and made me a better one as well. We went to dinner, the movies, a few sleigh rides, and had a memorable weekend in Milwaukee before he left where he taught me about being with a man. After that first time together he told me about being a ladies man and admitted he initially saw me as his next conquest. I guess when I showed up with my niece and he had the good manners to adapt to the situation that he saw something more in me. Maybe not something long lasting but something satisfying all the same and I like to think we parted as friends. After he returned to Brooklyn for a week's leave then shipped out to England we did write each other, and I'm sure he laughed out loud over my description of Mr. Deakins and Mr. Franklin having a fist fight on the sales floor about how to dress the July 4th window display.

When his letters suddenly stopped in October, 1943 I was dismayed to see his name on the list of suspected POWs. Then I was ecstatic when I received a Christmas letter with a picture of him and his rescuer Captain America, who turned out to be his boyhood friend Steve Rogers, no longer a small, sickly man. It was Steve himself who wrote me about Bucky's death on a mission, early in 1945. He described how much my friendship meant to Bucky and promised to come and see me when the war was over. It never happened because he went missing a month later.

I never did go to college but I did move to Milwaukee and found work as a clerk in a lawyer's office there. One of the younger partners, Thomas Endicott, returned from his war experience a couple of months after VE Day. At 6 foot 5 inches he was taller than me, but I was taller than any of the women in the office and he must have liked that because he asked me out on a date within a couple of weeks of his return. I told him about Bucky and he told me about the realization that he could never hunt again after seeing all the death in Europe. He liked going to the movies, and dancing, and we cut quite the figure on our dates. We were married in August of 1946 and were happy. But I still remember James Buchanan Barnes, the first man who "noticed" me and who was my first real love even though I wasn't the only woman he dated. For those months we saw and wrote each other Bucky was the best thing that ever happened to me. I hoped that when he died he wasn't alone but I'll never know because even though Dum Dum wrote me he said Bucky's death happened on a secret mission that they couldn't talk about. He was the best of men and that's how I remember him.

Part 4>>

Series Masterlist

#bucky barnes #bucky barnes fanfiction #buckybarnes original female character #soft bucky #ww2 bucky #camp McCoy #basic training #tall girls

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trashbag-baby666 · 6 months

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George, Web, and the Costume Fiasco of 2023-Webgott and Luztoye.

Summary: here’s my Halloween Finale!!! Enjoy this silly story of a huge costume mix up!

WC: 1,410

C/W: NSFW dancing??

BofB Masterlist!

2:45 PM, October 31st 2023.

Webgott:

"Joe! we have to go get our costumes like now!" Web was standing at Liebs bedside and Lieb pulled the blankets back over his eyes.

"Jus' go I'm so tired." Lieb murmured waving his hand blindly at his boyfriend.

"No! Because you need to try on your size!" Web huffed getting frustrated. Last night Daisy and Lieb had smoked a lot of weed and then walked to 7/11. Where a guy cat called Daisy and Lieb decided that it was a genius idea to fight a guy. While he was too high to remember his own name.

Long story short Lieb had a black eye and he was still tired.

"Gott verdamme dich, Joe." Web said with a sharp frustrated sigh and put his hands on his hips.

Web got his phone out of his pocket and dialed the Spirit Halloween number.

"Toccoa Spirit Halloween," a less then thrilled voice came through the phone.

"Hi I was wondering if you could check if you had a costume please." Web said with his fake customer service voice.

"Yeah?" The guy huffed.

"The shark costume not the inflatable one the onesie style one." Web was crossing his fingers their costumes would still be available.

"We have one left in a size medium."

Web did a small happy dance, "Awesome! I'll be there to get it soon!" He turned and looked at Lieb who was looking back at Web with his one eye still swelled, "Get up. Now we have to find you a costume since they only have one."

2:50 PM October 31st, 2023

Luztoye

"Fuck," Joe grunted him and George were going to be roller blade Barbie and Ken. But now there plan was put on hold.

"What? Oh." George came out of his bathroom and saw Joe sitting on his desk chair. Not only had he ripped his costume he could see where his boyfriend was trying to put on his prosthetic and he was very much in pain.

"Hey, hey it's okay." George came to his side, "If it hurts, it hurts. If it's swelled, it's swelled. Don't worry about it." George checked his watch.

These were some of Joes bad days when he was in and increasingly higher amount of pain.

"Look Spirit Halloween doesn't close till 7 and we have plenty of time to go get us a new costume before the party. Plus! They're probably have mega clearance since it's Halloween!"

Joe smiled a bit, he knew George loved a good sale. He was just like Carwood, loved some couponing and searching for the best deals.

3:25 PM October, 31st

Webgott

Web barely had time to put his Tesla in park as he got out of the car storming towards the door and Lieb in toe behind him.

"Jesus fuck, Web." Lieb grumbled pulling his baseball hat down lower as they walked into the store.

Web didn't even have time to flinch at the clown animatronic jumping at him. Or the scarecrow yelling at him. He charged up to the counter, "Hi where can I find that shake onesie I called about?" Web smiled at the guy who looked like he was one more customer like Web away from quitting.

"We just sold the last one. Sorry man." He shrugged.

Web blinked blankly processing the information.

"Thank you." He put on a fake smile before grabbing Liebs hand and taking him to the corner of the store.

"You! Why couldn't you just pick up our costumes when I told you too!" Web pointed accusingly at the taller boy.

"Hell, how is this my fault? You're the one who wanted to dress up as two fucking sharks you should've came and picked them up." Lieb scoffed.

"Joe! I already had placed the order and you literally just had to come in and get them! You know I've had back to back tests this whole week! I didn't have time!" Web was damn near shaking.

Web broke his eye contact with Lieb as everyone in the store was staring at them.

"Look, there's not much left what's find what we can and get going." Web sighed shaking his head and dragging Lieb over to the couple costumes.

6:30 PM October 31st, 2023

Luztoye

"Wait I thought you guys were dressing up as roller bladder Barbie and Ken?" Daisy looked at her brother confusingly.

"Yeah Joes stump swelled and he couldn't wear his leg, so we just decided to do a different costume." George shrugged, "So yeah I'm the shark that bit off Joes leg."

"Wasn't he in a car aci," Daisy started. She was already a bit drunk and her brain wasn't making sense.

"Yes Daisy...the shark story is just something we tell Babe." George hummed and took a drink of his beer, "Where's Lieb and Web?"

It was weird to see Daisy without Lieb or Billy. Especially Daisy and Lieb at a party. They would sit on the couch sharing a cart or in the bathroom smoking a joint.

"I don't know actually," Daisy shrugged then skipped away back over to Billy who was in the kitchen.

5:45 PM October 31st, 2023

Webgott

Web walked into the Speirs house and he felt absolutely ridiculous.

The only couple costume in their size was a playboy bunny costume and Hugh Hefenor.

But mostly so Lieb could hide his black eye with the captains hat.

"God damn," a very drunk Babe in a 'sexy Chica' costume walked over to Web snapping his fingers.

"Yeah I know I look fucking terrible." Web shook his head. He found himself in a black satin leotard with a bow tie and the signature Playboy Bunny ears.

"Nah uh! Honey!" Babe snapped doing his best Ru Paul voice.

"Well thank you," Web giggled feeling a bit better till he saw George walk into the living room with his shark costume on, "George Luz Speirs!" Web gasped looked at the shorter boy.

"Oh hey Web," George waved.

"You're wearing my costume!" Webs eyebrows were raised so high they might as well just disappear into his hairline. Web had taken two shots of vodka on the way in the car. He was nervous about his costume, he always had body issues. Especially growing up as a ballerina and his mom berating him.

"What do you mean? I just bought this?" George looked at the shark onesie.

"Just bought it!? Were you the person who bought my costume?" Web stumbled a bit.

"Don't worry about him, he got drunk on the way here. It's a long story." Lieb walked over dressed as Hugh Hefner and grabbed Web.

"So was Web going to be Hugh Hefner's first 'Playboy Shark?" George snickered at his own joke.

"No we were going to be two sharks. I don't know some couple costume. But we didn't get our costumes in time and this is all that they had left in our sizes that remotely matched." Lieb shrugged sitting Web on the couch.

"Weren't you supposed to be Barbie and Ken?" Lieb asked as George sat next to Joe that had his leg off and fake blood on his shorts.

"Stump swelled, couldn't wear my leg then accidentally ripped it trying to make it work." Joe explained and George sat next to him snuggling right into his arm.

"And I bit him!" George chomped his teeth towards Joe, "Now you're a manwich." George snickered.

"Interesting, who's Daisy and Billy supposed to be." Lieb sat forward a bit. Web had completely melted into the couch and fell asleep.

"Finnick and Annie from The Hunger Games franchise. I bet you're confused by Babe and." George started.

"George I assure you that I did play Five Nights at Freddie's growing up. What I'm confused by is why a slutty Chica and Freddie Fazbear is bumping and grinding against Monty Alligator." Lieb snickered a bit.

"Man I really don't know," George shook his head and looked at Joe and he just shrugged, “Oh my god Babe what are you doing?” George whipped his head as he saw the red head wrestling one of George and Daisy’s dogs into a cupcake costume.

“Please just take my picture she’s part of my costume.” He picked up the small chihuahua that was growling at him and Babe held the dog posing for his photo.

“God damn I need another.” George shook his head going back into the kitchen.

#halloween fic #babe is dressed as chica #web and lieb fight #modern au #band of brothers #joe liebgott #david webster #george luz #joe toye #luztoye #webgott #babe heffron #eugene roe #baberoe #baberoe x male oc #OC’s of mine mentioned in the story

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fourseasonsfigs · 1 year

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Fig Fashion Week: Fendi Wolf Tail Zhe

This blog's Fig Fashion Week is all about the figs that celebrate our two favorites in their designer best. And who better to round out this week's series of posts than one of my favorites in this style!

This fig was part of the original 6-set Junzhe Fashion Show fig series I posted about back in October/ November of last year (wow, that seems like forever ago), but I didn't post about it then because I didn't have it. Like all of those figs, I missed this the first time it was on sale. Unlike those figs, this one was not easily available for a decent price by resellers on Xianyu, which was a huge bummer because it was my favorite one of the series! I finally found him for a slightly less unreasonable price bundled with some other items, so I snapped him up. Totally worth it! No surprise he was hard / expensive to find - I think a lot of people love this fig too.

And no wonder, when the inspiration for this fig is so fantastic.

(ooh these shoes!)

Do I love everything about this outfit on him? Yes. Did I save up every single picture of this outfit I could find? Yes! Can I stop posting pics? No!!

Well actually I am forced to stop now since I'm out of pics, which just means I need to switch over to video...

He looks fantastic. I'm not even sure I'd like this outfit on anyone else (well, aside from Gong Jun), but wow does he pull it off. It's just something with the very fitted pants through the hips that emphasizes his trim waist, while the softness of the sweater offsets the structured lines of the cropped jacket. This is my favorite type of look on Zhehan, where he looks out-of-this-world incredible and also very huggable. Strong yet soft!

The fig is so cute! No wonder he was so popular.All the little details plus the sweetest little smile!

Cats in the eyes are always a fan favorite in the Figthusiast household! I like having little pictures in the eyes. I have a whole series of dolls with intricate scenes in the eyes, which sounds a bit odd (and probably is!) but I think it is clever and adds so much interest. This particular look here is super cute.

He's holding the Fendi bag here that you can barely see in one of the pictures, of course upgraded with his own initials!

I'm going to have to find a better shot of the bag he's modeling. For the blog!

The fig maker did a great job with this entire fig, but I really like how they rendered his hair all the way around. The front is so cute with the silver-wrapped pieces, and same in the back.

He does stand up ok, enough to take pictures without a standee, anyway. He's another one of those figs that can stand but is not super stable, and if you accidentally bonked the end of a table he was on, he would definitely fall over.

He stands tall and handsome though, even with the big ol' cap, so this is some quality fig engineering for sure.

Fantastic job on the face and the soft little rose in the cheeks. I like the shininess of his shoes too, and the little shoe lace details.

The fig maker rendered the whole soft-yet-structured nature of this look beautifully. Fig Zhehan also pulls off this very elegant, soft slouchy style very well! And of course, his hair looks fantastic!

I'd love to have fig makers make more figs of this outfit! I'm really, really happy with this one.

This is a good shot to see how the hair comes off the neck and back in back.

And of course, his fancy ballcap, rocking his very own initials!

You might recognize the other 5 of the Junzhe Fashion Show in the series there! The box card didn't make it to me in my Xianyu purchase, which is a bit of a bummer but what can you do. It's not easy to buy from overseas, so I've learned to let many things go! Having the fig is what is most important.

Material: PVC

Fig Count: 335

Scene Count: 24

Rating: No big bad wolf here!

[link back to Master Fig Index for more posts]

#zhang zhehan #woh cast #word of honor cast #shl cast #junzhe #fig fashion week #figthusiast #bg photo credit arno senoner on unsplash

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invisibleraven · 2 years

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friday friday

“you were talking about that table there being a little…bare, so i got you some flowers to put in it’s space.”

flynn x reggie?

Reggie grinned as he stepped back, taking in his brand new office, ready for clients to come in and avail of his services. Finally it was all his. Sure it was a bit bare bones, with only the basic furniture and necessary equipment, but he was proud to have his own place, name on the door and everything.

"Looks good honeybear," Flynn said as she came up behind him, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "Proud of you."

"Thanks sweetness, couldn't have done it without you," Reggie replied. Flynn had been there for him through every college class, every exam and quiz so he could get his degree. Working late to help him pay the first down payment on this place. Her name was on the mortgage right alongside his.

"If you fail, then I fail," she had said as they signed the papers. "But you won't. I believe in you."

Her faith in him had spurred him on, kept him going. He grinned at her, pulling her into an embrace, pressing a kiss to her temple. "Want the grand tour?"

He showcased the waiting room, the comfy chairs he had gotten in an estate sale, none of them matching, but Reggie kind of preferred the eclectic style. He had a little shelf full of books and magazines, plus a corner stocked with simple toys. There was a coffee table there, and he told Flynn that it was a little bare now, but he was sure in time he'd find some décor to give the area a little life.

The receptionist area had the filing cabinets ready to be filled with new patients, though right now they were sparsely filled with the records of the patients who followed Reggie from his last practice.

The exam room was his pride and joy, having gotten a good deal on all the equipment, and Flynn all but threw herself into his chair, cackling with laughter as she spun it around the wide space.

"C'mon you imp, let's go home," Reggie said, pulling her towards the door. Locking the door behind them, the stark letters showing Dr. Reggie Peters, OD in a bright cheerful font.

It was a few weeks later when Reggie walked out to the waiting room and saw Flynn sitting there, hands hiding behind her back. "Hey sweetie, did we have lunch plans that I forgot?"

"Nah, I was just stopping by to give you these," Flynn said, pulling a bushel of sunflowers out from behind her back, already in a water filled vase. "You said you thought the table was a little bare, so I brought you some flowers to fill the space."

"You're the best Flynnie, I swear."

"And don' you forget it," she said, pressing up on her toes to give him a kiss. "You got some time for us to hang out doctor?"

"Sure, come on back. I'll even let you sit in my chair." Reggie grinned, wondering if Flynn would be willing to sit for an eye exam. Because he had the custom letter charts printed, and the ring waiting. Might as well take the chance. Flynn smiled at him, and then snagged one of the sunflowers, tucking it behind his ear and let him lead her back to the exam room.

And she passed the eye exam that Reggie made for her with flying colours.

#filled prompts #ficlet #fleggie #julie and the phantoms

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themadscene · 2 months

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Caravaggio: Swirl & Vortex by Larry Levis

In the Borghese, Caravaggio, painter of boy whores, street punk, exile & murderer, Left behind his own face in the decapitated, swollen, leaden-eyed head of Goliath, And left the eyelids slightly open, & left on the face of David a look of pity

Mingling with disgust. A peach face; a death mask. If you look closely you can see It is the same face, & the boy, murdering the man, is murdering his own boyhood, His robe open & exposing a bare left shoulder. In 1603, it meant he was available,

For sale on the street where Ranuccio Tomassoni is falling, & Caravaggio,

Puzzled that a man would die so easily, turns & runs.

Wasn't it like this, after all? And this self-portrait, David holding him by a lock Of hair? Couldn't it destroy time if he offered himself up like this, empurpled, Bloated, the crime paid for in advance? To die before one dies, & keep painting?

This town, & that town, & exile? I stood there looking at it a long time.

A man whose only politics was rage. By 1970, tinted orchards & mass graves.

The song that closed the Fillmore was "Johnny B. Goode," as Garcia played it, Without regret, the doors closing forever & the whole Haight evacuated, as if Waiting for the touch of the renovator, for the new boutiques that would open—

The patina of sunset glinting in the high, dark windows.

Once, I marched & linked arms with other exiles who wished to end a war, & . . . Sometimes, walking in that crowd, I became the crowd, &, for that moment, it felt Like entering the wide swirl & vortex of history. In the end,

Of course, you could either stay & get arrested, or else go home.

In the end, of course, the war finished without us in an empty row of horse stalls

Littered with clothing that had been confiscated.

I had a friend in high school who looked like Caravaggio, or like Goliath— Especially when he woke at dawn on someone's couch. (In early summer, In California, half the senior class would skinny-dip & drink after midnight

In the unfinished suburb bordering the town, because, in the demonstration models, They finished the pools before the houses sold. . . . Above us, the lush stars thickened.) Two years later, thinking he heard someone call his name, he strolled three yards

Off a path & stepped on a land mine.

Time's sovereign. It rides the backs of names cut into marble. And to get Back, one must descend, as if into a mass grave. All along the memorial, small Offerings, letters, a bottle of bourbon, photographs, a joint of marijuana slipped

Into a wedding ring. You see, you must descend; it is one of the styles Of Hell. And it takes a while to find the name you might be looking for; it is Meant to take a while. You can touch the names, if you want to. You can kiss them,

You can try to tease out some final meaning with your lips.

The boy who was standing next to me said simply: "You can cry. . . . It's O.K., here."

"Whistlers," is what they called them. A doctor told me who'd worked the decks Of a hospital ship anchored off Seoul. You could tell the ones who wouldn't last By the sound, sometimes high-pitched as a coach's whistle, the wind made going

Through them. I didn't believe him at first, & so then he went into greater Detail. . . . Some evenings, after there had been heavy casualties & a brisk wind, He'd stare off a moment & think of a farm in Nebraska, of the way wheat

Bent in the wind below a slight rise, & no one around for miles. All he wanted, He told me, after working in such close quarters for twelve hours, for sixteen Hours, was that sudden sensation of spaciousness—wind, & no one there.

My friend, Zamora, used to chug warm vodka from the bottle, then execute a perfect Reverse one-&-a-half gainer from the high board into the water. Sometimes, When I think of him, I get confused. Someone is calling to him, & then

I'm actually thinking of Caravaggio . . . in his painting. I want to go up to it

And close both the eyelids. They are still half open & it seems a little obscene

To leave them like that.

#larry levis #caravaggio

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fmhiphop · 9 months

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The Renaissance Of West Coast Hip Hop: E-40's Influence In The '00s

E-40, the rap legend, has been making waves in Hip Hop, especially with that West Coast vibe. As an "elder statesman" of the genre, he's been soul-searching while celebrating Hip Hop's 50th birthday. A true OG! At the ripe age of 37, and 38, E-40 released the "Ghetto Report Card." Boom! His career accelerated like a rocket on a mission. It was pure magic, baby! Not only was he part of the crunk movement, but he also rode the hyphy wave like a boss. The man was juggling "U and Dat," "Snap Yo Fingers," and more hits, taking the South and the West Coast with a bang! Now, for some funny facts! Can you imagine E-40 busting those rhymes at 37, still killing it like a smooth operator? It's like he discovered the fountain of youth, spitting fire and setting the stage on blaze. Age is just a number. He's got a whole rap legacy to look back on, and it's worth celebrating! So, what's E-40's strategy for staying relevant and strengthening his impact? How did he make an impact in not one but two hot rap movements simultaneously? He had to be twice as cool, twice as fast – and three times as fly! E-40's Rap Legend Status: How Streaming Could Have Elevated His '90s Classics Many artists would have been much more successful if streaming had been available years ago. For instance, with the ability to reach more people, it is likely that the success of his '90s classics like "Practice Lookin' Hard" and "Sprinkle Me" would have made him even more of an icon in the rap world. “Imagine if there was streaming back then when we had “Tell Me When to Go,” “Bitch,” and “Choices.” We would be diamond on each one of those records," said E-40. "I put new life into the West Coast in 2006. And that’s no ifs, ands or buts. Can’t nobody say I didn’t, with the help of Lil Jon. And not funny no more.” 50 Cent thought Juvenile's album "400 Degreez" would be laughed at these days. Yep, we can't help but chuckle at the thought! Juvenile stood next to his yellow Corvette, all shiny and polished. And what was the verdict? 50 and others laughed their hearts out, thinking he was a bit too "country." Oh, the good ol' days of rap! 50 Cent Followed Juvenile's Lead Since its release in December 1998, 400 Degreez has been certified 4x platinum by the RIAA. When the album sales numbers came rolling in, guess who was the first in line, asking for baby oil? You got it - our man, 50 Cent! It seems like Juvenile's shiny secret turned out to be a stroke of genius, and 50 was ready to shine bright like a diamond! By using baby oil, Juvenile was able to create a memorable appearance that was both eye-catching and easy to recreate, which helped to spread the word about his music and drive up album sales. 50 Cent saw the success of Juvenile's strategy and wanted to replicate it, which proved to be a wise decision as his album sales skyrocketed as well. How Rap Rivalries Pushed Artists To New Heights In the mesmerizing world of hip-hop, rappers find inspiration in the most unexpected places, often drawing from their fellow artists' unique styles and journeys. Take the iconic duo of Jay-Z and Nas, for example. When Jay-Z, another rap legend, released his classic track "Takeover," where he aimed at Nas, it sparked an epic rivalry between the two rappers. But instead of taking offense, Nas was inspired to hit back with his powerful response, "Ether." This fiery exchange fueled a creative fire within both artists, pushing them to new heights of lyrical prowess. Their mutual admiration and competitive spirit resulted in some of the most legendary diss tracks in rap history. Written by Nikiya Biggs | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter Follow and like FMHipHop on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, and YouTube! Read the full article

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the-firebird69 · 9 months

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There are several kit car companies online, what you need to provide is unclear the prices are very high it's their own homemade body and style I was just simply metal that's a little bit stronger and it uses available parts lots of times the body is almost fully Corvette parts. You do provide the shell and the frame is different than a regular Corvette but a lot of the parts are Corvette standard because we have huge stockpiles of them and we're not going to assemble the Corvette. This kit would once again go for about $2,300 and if you bought the chassis it will be about 6 grand total and it's going to be on a Camaro chassis and a several different versions it's small it's slightly is very fast and they tell you what tires or rooms to get in the kit and this is all such things and whale tails to make it look really cool and I'll tell you what we have the kit already assembled and several prototypes and we can go to these muscle car shows and sell them and he says my word of mouth alone it will take off in just a few days and put a website upand we do get that yes. We'll see more luck and the clones are trying to hold everybody hostage in the max wanted all for themselves so when you're doing now is just taking these to the stores and shops and they're going they're actually the full-blown version that we have and those going to run out soon and we won't be able to fabricate an entire Corvette because of chassis will run out before the bodies and it's not that many bodies so there's tons of Camaros and old ones too but new ones that the chances are sitting around and also mustangs it's one of the most prevalent chassis there's also small truck chassis you can use that would be driving yourself for trucks and we have a kid for that.

He wants to put these okay this is a good idea right now today as a test at used car dealerships and call them what they are the kit cars so I see him in his loaded up some trucks it's going to take it to this dealer and they're a good size in California so he's trying to get permission it is trying to express the insurgent it's urgent and people will demand it if we get them out there and now they're paying attention

Thor Freya

You have a lot of time and energy invested in this that you're right we have to start plugging and trying to each hole to get it in there and it's not going so far but we do hear your idea these are very hot cars people want these this network to sell them in not really there's no such thing as a kid car store hot rods it is used car lots that sell hot rods and if we put a bunch of them at each they'll be known as a hot rod Mecca because they're selling custom hot rods and these would be like a some sort of modification of the mustang and Camero. So we're going to send them out and we're going to see how they do he says it's like the Cobra that used to sell as a kid but speed shops were buying them and assemble them and so you can sell them at speed shops as well might be an idea and they have sales floors and they do sell this kind of car and they'd resell it after assembling it for more money and that's fine that's the way to do it so we'll look at that last option

Olympus

This is a great idea to sell at the speed shops because of tweak the motors and you put a 5 l in there and they'll do it up and the thing will go faster than the Corvette and it'll go faster than the stock gt Ford and this is exciting because they do have a way to sell them

Frank Castle Hardcastle

We might allow that because we feel we can keep it there and we're going to go ahead and do it I just wait to me this stupid things and we just left them there so they have this huge mile of chassis

Mac

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ecodweeb · 1 year

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Long Range EV recommendations (2022)

A long time friend of mine contacted me recently saying that his mother has decided that she wants an EV to replace the VW GTI she’s been using as a commuter car. I gave him my top three suggestions, which he asked me to text him. Instead, I’m making a post about it -- because why not have a link I can hand out to the next person who asks “What’s the best EV I can buy for under $40,000?”

New Vehicle Suggestions -- $40,000-ish

I’m going to be referencing a Car and Driver list, because I can’t keep up with all the models available today.

1. VW ID.4 - 275 miles for $42,525

It’s ironic that I’m starting with a VW given that the driver in question already has a VW and my friend is an independent mechanic for VW vehicles... however, this vehicle is the first suggested new vehicle on the C&D list. I’ve driven this car, and I was somewhat underwhelmed. It is by no means a bad vehicle, but it isn’t exactly exciting either. The base rear-wheel drive ID.4 lacks about 20HP compared to the 2017 GTI that she’s currently driving, but I don’t know that she’d really notice the difference. Also, this is a compact SUV -- so it’s really not a fair to compare it to a sport hatchback, but that’s kind of how real-world car shopping goes... right? My biggest gripe on this car is the fact that it has a lot of capactive-touch buttons (on the steering wheel, the door, etc) that can be flakly. I also really dislike the power window switch -- it only has 2 buttons to control 4 windows. You press a capactive touch “Rear” button to make the switches control the rear windows.... A bonus for this vehicle is that some models are manufactured at the Chattanooga, Tennesse plant -- making them elligible for the US Tax credit (but how much of that credit, I can’t really tell you). I found one new 2022 ID.4 for $42,900 on AutoTrader, and I found a Certified Pre-Owned 2021 Pro S model for $37,300 -- which I’d say is a pretty good deal. Here’s all the ID.4′s within 200-miles of my friend’s zipcode.

2. Hyundai Ioniq 5 - 220 miles for $41,245

The Ioniq 5 is actually the third-listed vehicle on Car & Driver’s list, but it’s actually the car I am most interested in: the hard edged 80′s styling, the very innovative interior, the 800-Volt drivetrain, ultra-fast 200kW DC-fast charging, and the Vehicle-to-Load functionality (which sharing power from the vehicle’s high-voltage battery to regular AC appliances via an in-cabin port or the external adapter that plugs into the charging port). I’ve owned a Hyundai Ioniq previously and was very impressed with the dealer experience (buying and servicing) and the company itself (they give Subaru a good run for the money on giving back to communities in which they sell their cars). Poking around AutoTrader, I found a single SE model for $42,995 in Roanoke, VA. This is one of the most popular cars for sale in the US right now, and dealers have waiting lists (I have a friend who is expecting the Ioniw 5 he ordered a few months ago to arrive in April). I couldn’t find a single used model within 300 miles, also worth noting that the Hyundai does not qualify for the Federal tax credit anymore.

3. Kia Niro EV - 239-miles for $41,285

Next up on my list is the Kia Niro EV. This is another vehicle that I have considered buying for myself. It’s only a 400-volt drivetrain, but it does feature 70kW DC-fast charging and a front-mounted charging port (which is, in my not-so-humble opinion, the best spot for the charging port). Looking at AutoTrader, I found a new 2023 model for $41,295; a Certified 2022 EX model for $41,477; and a used 2022 for $38,391. Again none of these cars will qualify for a tax credit. I also did not dig deep into the feature difference between the new, certified, and used vehicles -- that’s research for the buyer to dig into.

New Vehicle Suggestions -- $30,000-ish

1. Hyundai Kona - 258-miles for $35,295

The Kona and the Niro are sister vehicles, but I find the Kia has more interior room. Like the Niro, it has a 400-volt drivetrain and 70kW DC fast charging capability. Checking AutoTrader I found a used 2021 SEL model for $32,998. None of the new models had prices listed.

2. Chevrolet Bolt EUV - 247-miles for $34,495

The Chevrolet Bolt’s big brother - the Bolt EUV - is a new model that seems to have addressed many of the gripes that the Bolt had, namely, the seats don’t suck (as much). I like the taller stance of this vehicle, especially after seeing a few of them on the local roads. The downside to this car, which really doesn’t apply in this scenario, is that it only has a 50kW DC Fast charging capability, meaning it’ll be at least 45 minutes to 80% state of charge. That said, as a commuter, this is a pretty good option. AutoTrader tells me that there’s a new 2023 model in Raleigh for less than $30,000 - which is a pretty decent deal. There’s no shortage of these cars for sale within 200 miles of my friend’s zipcode, many of them at or below the MSRP of $35k.

3. Chevrolet Bolt EV - 259-miles for $32,495

The Bolt has been around since 2017 and, frankly, it’s a solid vehicle. I know a lot of folks with this car, and if you can get past the atrocious seats (which apparently can be improved by adding more foam to the seats - the covers come off shockly easily), it’s just a trooper. Being a small hatchback it’s the closest bodystyle to my friend’s mom’s GTI, and with 200hp on tap, it’s no slouch. Some of these cars can be had used for decent prices (to me that’s under $17k with a replaced battery pack). Checking AutoTrader I found several in Raleigh for under $30,000, this particular LT model is only $26,330. On the used front, I found a 2017 for $21,290 -- a hard price for me to swallow. For $16k? Sure. But not $21k when I can get a brand new one for less just a hundred miles away...

4. Nissan LEAF Plus - 226 miles for $36,040

Ah, the Leaf... one of the earliest Battery-electric vehicles to be sold in the US. I am a fan of the second generation styling, but the non-cooled battery pack and obsoleted rapid charging port are hard no’s from me. However as a commuter that’s only plugged in at home? It’s actually one of the first car I’d recommend because outside early pack degradation, these things are Energizer Bunnies. I’ve put a number of folks in Leafs, and my first EV experience was with a 2012 Leaf and I still have fond memories of that bug-eyed car. AutoTrader tells me that there is a new 2022 for $37,290, a Certified 2020 for $32,788, and a used 2019 for $25,900. Because these cars are assembled in Tennessee, I do think that new models qualify for the tax credit.

Other Suggestions

1. BMW i3 (2019+ with Range Extender)

I loved this car to much. The 2019-2012 models of this Carbon Fiber city car models have 126-miles of battery range and an additional 80-ish miles of range from the 2-gallon on-board gasoline generator. Make no mistake this is a Battery-electric vehicle with an engine that could be physically removed and the car wouldn’t care (unlike other Plug-in Hybrids). The cheapest one I could find was $33,499 in Charlottesville VA. It’s really hard to truly suggest this vehicle compared to many others in this list, but, it is a cool car and if you keep your eye out you might be able to score one for under $30k (which I think the car is 100% worth).

2. Some Tesla....

It’s no secret that I am not a Tesla fan, and I’m rather certain my friend isn’t either. That said, there’s two models for sale under $30,000 - but I caution that any repair will require a trip to Raleigh, and that they’re rather anti-independant repair - which generally goes against this family’s core values.

#buyingguide #hyundai #chevybolt #chevrolet #kia #niro #kona #2022

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ohcanadashop · 2 years

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Massive brands across the world are working with charities and help services to aid the LGBTQ community and display their assist this Pride Month 2022!

From Levi’s and Coach all the manner to Disney, the opportunity for allyship has never been stronger.

Many brands were closely criticized in recent years for waving the pride flag but doing nothing to aid the community long term.

However, this year purchasers are demanding greater transparency from our much-loved brands and we’re excited to mention we’re getting it.

When writing this, we decided to delve a touch deeper into those emblem collections to look at who the groups are assisting and how you can get involved!

Abercrombie & Fitch has had an incredible 11-year partnership with LGBTQ suicide prevention organization the Trevor Project. The Trevor task I changed into based in 1998 and is a main national employer providing disaster intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ teenagers below the age of 25. You can get worried yourself by volunteering as a Crisis Counsellor or partaking in the ‘We Are Here’ movement!

A&F has created a 24-piece tablet series including Best T-Shirts Online in Canada, Jackets, Pride Hoodies for Sale in Canada, Shorts, and Accessories in rainbow tie-dye and paint splatter styles. From this series, the brand will be donating another $200,000 to the Trevor task!

Balenciaga’s new Pride Month collection has formally launched – and what an iconic collection it is. Featuring GAP-fashion hoodies the brand has tapped into the nostalgic 90’s kids whilst concurrently confirming that they stand with the LGBTQ community. 15 percent of all sales also is headed directly to the Trevor Project meaning the more we shop, the greater we can assist the initiative with its combat to help the LGBT+ communities that want it.

The brand's style-controversial faux fur sliders have had a delight-themed upgrade added to you through Ugg’s team-up with Lil Nas X and Omari Douglas. The Pride 2021 campaign brings new slides and clothing in styles such as disco stripe, colorations of the LGBT+ and trans flags, and a sizeable platform. The logo is donating $25.00 of every sale of the disco stripe products to GLAAD whilst also making greater donations throughout the year to the Organisation for Human Health and Happiness in Germany.

One iconic brand, in particular, shows its celebration through acknowledgment and pride in a spectrum of gender identities. Levi’s manages to get this finished with the effortless cool the brand is famed for, beginning with a pronouns declaration denim jacket with ‘they/them’, ‘she/her’ ‘he/him’ ‘WE’ across the reverse of the jacket.

Levi’s campaign was through ways one of the most relevant to 2021 with pronouns becoming a massive conversation topic this year. Levi’s addressed the want to appreciate pronouns for everybody through their inclusive syntax and messages all throughout the campaign. Every buy shaped at the gathering equals a donation Levi’s is making to Out Right Action International, a company that fits to advance human rights for LGBT+ people all over the world.

Versace & Lady Gaga collaborated this year on a limited version piece series including the beret and unisex t-shirts. The series was released to have a good time each pride month and the ten-year anniversary of Gaga’s album Born This Way.

Donations have been made to the Born This Way basis created through Lady Gaga and her mother. The basis works thru high-effect programming, children-led conversations, and strategic partnerships to make kindness cool, validate the feelings of young people and take away the stigma surrounding mental health.

So many manufacturers these years have driven their own boundaries into what can and what's going to be carried out to reveal support for the LGBTQ network through real changes, donations, and hands-on help. In pretty latest dark times, this progress is a bright mild showing us how a ways society has come and the difference we can all make.

To reach us out in offline mode do not forget to visit

Oh Canada Shop PO BOX 71046 NEWMARKET SOUTH NEWMARKET, ON, CANADA L3X1Y8

Email: [email protected]

Visit Our Website- https://www.ohcanadashop.com/

#Pride Hoodies for Sale in Canada

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dont-have-a-clue-working-it-out · 2 years

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Daily Rundown #1

The first of these. Let's see if we can keep this consistent...

Today was pretty so and so all in all. I didn't think I'd be talking about this type of stuff this early into this blogging/journalling journey...here we go.

Nothing really prepares you for the heavy things in life:

I was hit with some pretty big news last night and haven't been able to fully process it quite yet. All I know is that the people that are affected, I hope they're able to and can continue the moments that they do have together. Because things can happen that put things in retrospect.

When I got the news, all I could think was Woah. Nothing can ever prepare you for bad news and there really isn't a one size fits all type of reply or response that we can have to this. No one can really prepare you for hearing that someone is dying.

All I know is that I want to uphold the underlying request my friend had as they were telling me all this: 'don't let this change the way you treat me, I don't want things to change'. I intend to keep this and have tried to keep things, whilst being sensitive to it, almost as they were. I guess time will tell how this goes, and what will happen if things get worse.

Less is more when we want to respect people's space:

To step away from the morbid, I received news of a sudden breakup earlier today.

Another one of my friends had let slip that she had broken up with her, I guess the term is 'situationship'? I'm not quite sure how to put it but I know that the guy was nice, respectful, and good to her. Not too sure how someone would react to this, I just did what I thought was the right thing in the moment and asked if she was doing ok, no reply just yet. I think I may have been ghosted but this is a normal thing in our friendship so I don't think I should read into it much just yet. Regardless, she deserves some space to sort through how she feels before talking to others about it. At least, that's what I found when I was dumped a couple years back...

One for the notes then, not asking a barrage of questions after someone drops that news on you is probably the best, and least invasive way to go about things. Or is it? I'm not too sure...still figuring this one out.

Dogs are great companions:

I know, a deal breaker for some. I have a little dog myself and I help walk a friend's when I get the chance. Today is one of those days.

We did a loop of the neighborhood and it really helped clear the head. I had been working on assessments and math questions all morning and needed to step away from it or I'd be sucked into the youtube procrastination whole for hours. Deciding to be more productive rather than not I thought, it's sunny, it's a great day let's go on a walk.

Let me tell you walking your own dog and someone else's is quite interesting. My dog trails beside me and walks when I do, the other one is off in his own world sniffing everything and anything. I could feel the exasperation coming off of mine when we stopped for the umpteenth time to smell yet another bush. He was adorable though so I won't hold that against him.

What I will hold against him, and in part my dog is the smell, to spare you the TMI I'll just say this: the smell is not pleasant (it's literally shit).

Despite all this, it was a great hour away from it all and I think if I can motivate myself I can probably keep walking him because his mother is away for work, leaving him with her parents for a couple months. Favors for favors in this world, she did me a solid walking my dog when she was in the city so I'll do the same.

Distractions can lead to new interests:

I was being the best student in the world yesterday. Translation: I was absolutely terrible and shopping whilst in a lecture.

Whilst shopping I found several pages of just watches on sale and was so fascinated by the different styles that they had available and the different vibes they had that I started looking into watch collecting.

The world of horology seems really cool. I've yet to really look into this world just yet but this is definitely something on the agenda to look into either tomorrow or sometime next week. I have a couple watches now that I wear quite frequently that would be a great way to kickstart this collection and this new interest. So if I do go through with this and get into it keep an eye out in the 'cool things' tag to see what else I have done/seen in this space.

New interests are always exciting because I can never seem to focus on more than one interest at a time. I want to try and change this because currently, that one interest becomes my entire personality.

By expanding my interests and hobbies I hope to bring more to the table than the latest updates on my latest hyper fixation.

Math...isn't that hard when it makes sense:

The same could be said about everything we learn in school but I stand by this.

Whenever there is a math test or something algorithm or logic-based, on the horizon I try to get started on preparations for these early. Reason being? I am notoriously slow at learning the basics and applying them in these exams. I typically look for online calculators and hope that they will be my savior for the exam.

This time round though? The calculators for these types of problems are far and few in between so I had to knuckle down and really dive into the theorems and lemmas relevant to the topic and you know what? Upon doing the practice run I ended up getting a 90%! Absolutely shocking for someone who starts off with 0-10% on these exams. Turns out looking into theorems and dissecting them to the very bone really seems to help with math. Probably self-evident to people that are good at that type of thing but I have struggled with this subject for the longest time this is such a revelation for me.

With this newfound confidence I've done a couple more practice exams and have actually put off my other subjects for it...probably not the best which is why I'm now scrambling to do some legal writing now before I get too tired to keep writing.

I'm not sure how I feel about how these are structured. If I manage to keep this up do expect some changes until I figure out what works for me. If anyone reading this has any suggestions though happy to hear from you! Let me know.

#Daily Rundowns

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