#zoom in on him. marvel at him. i need to check the rules for the local fair entry

[milenadaniels]

Carve It Into Stone, 1574 words - Buck/Eddie + Chris, Sleepy Sickfic

(AO3 link)

Caught in the rhythm of routine, Eddie remembers a few moments too late that he’s meant to be entering quietly when he gets home from work. Or: a self-indulgent Buck and Chris napping together fic because of this post.

Caught in the rhythm of routine, Eddie remembers a few moments too late that he’s meant to be entering quietly when he gets home from work. The deadlock has already been turned but, wincing, he slides his key back out gently and palms the doorknob deliberately to prevent the familiar squeaks from reverberating through the house.

Once inside, he guides his duffel bag to the floor, not letting the strap clatter down as he usually would, and takes care as he bends down to unlace his boots and toe them off before padding into the living room, following the low sounds of the television.

On Thursday, Abuela asked for help figuring out the new tax software she wanted to use this year — it was very user friendly but she was very much in her 80s — and instead of subjecting Christopher to an entire afternoon and evening of boredom, Eddie asked Buck to pick him up from school and hang out until he could join them. He hadn’t known at the time that Christopher was sent home with a note saying he’d been sniffly and should be kept home until he felt better: new protocols in the mid/post-COVID-19 world.

Buck immediately got him a rapid test for COVID-19 and it was ruled out, and it didn’t present like a flu, it was just a hell of a cold. Mild fever, runny nose, body aches — the works. And Buck, who had been exposed for hours at its peak transmission period, did not escape it. Which made it handy when Eddie needed a sitter on Friday and Buck naturally had to call in sick himself.

Buck was sending him text updates all throughout his shift but they stopped suddenly a couple hours ago, so Eddie is not at all surprised to find them both out for the count.

Still, he’s not prepared to take in the sight of Buck stretched on his back, somehow fitting his 6’2 frame between each arm rest, and Christopher tucked snugly along his side, more on top of him than in the wedge between Buck’s body and the back of the couch. One of Buck’s hands is curled up by his face, while his other arm is holding Christopher to him as if there was a risk of falling. Christopher’s arm is tucked into his chest, and his head is resting against Buck’s collarbone, nearly tucked right under his chin and Eddie…

Eddie pauses.

He pauses and grapples with this picture of strength and fragility juxtaposed and blended together. Buck, built for strength and power, tenderly cradling his young son. Both of them unstoppable forces of energy and unrestrained joy, both cast down together by germs they just have to weather.

Both of them here, recovering together, safe under Eddie’s roof, under Eddie’s watch now.

He feels suddenly like he’s walked blindly into a moment in the course of his life whose significance he can’t yet pinpoint and he thinks if he just stays here, quiet, still, he might be able to reach out and understand it.

Christopher’s glasses are on the table nestled between a tissue box and two empty glasses of water, indicating one of them knew they were headed towards an extended nap before they settled in and somehow that detail tugs at his heart fiercely. To imagine Buck watching Christopher get sleepier and sleepier, carding his fingers through his curls fondly, and gently lifting his glasses off to make him more comfortable. Was he already settled against Buck by then? Or were they sitting upright until Buck started to lose his own battle with fatigue and rearranged them like this? Indulging both their need for cuddles when they’re feeling low?

It doesn’t matter, but Eddie wishes fiercely that he knew.

They’re both breathing easily enough, like most of the congestion has lifted, though he can tell by the amount of crumpled up tissues that missed the trash can Buck must have brought into the living room that they had a hell of a day with it. Their cheeks are a little flushed with fever still, and Eddie wants to check but doesn’t dare touch them for fear of disturbing them.

Instead, he takes in their pale skin, their dark curls, and their unguarded faces in sleep and marvels for the hundredth time at how improbable it is that they could look so alike and how strangely happy he is about it. By now he’s used to the guilt that accompanies this thought, and as always, spares a thought to Shannon, but then he lets himself linger on it like he doesn’t usually have the luxury of doing.

Usually their similarities strike him at the worst times: when he turns around in line to catch them making faces and laughing at being caught, and Eddie has to pretend to be grumpy and turn back around to play into their game; when they’re ordering ice cream and Eddie asks for strawberry and they both turn to look at him with identical expression of disappointment because fruit isn’t a treat even if it’s fake fruit; when he has to take a call from Carla as they’re walking into the museum and catches up to Buck and Chris just in time to hear the ticket taker say “you and your dad have fun!” because she has eyes and anyone on Earth would have assumed the same. These are moments Eddie has to let lie and move on from quickly. Moments he only gets to revisit when he’s laying in bed at night, trying to conjure up the visuals exactly as they were to reproduce the tightening in his chest he keeps experiencing, but failing every time.

But now, here, he can linger.

No, he can do more than linger.

Moving slowly as if any sudden movement could break this tranquility, Eddie slips his phone out of his pocket and double-taps the power button to bring up the camera.

He takes a single, wide-view shot of the whole couch, and admires it for a moment.

Then he zooms in on their sleeping faces and takes two more.

Three new pictures to add to the overflowing folder of pictures that will never go on Instagram.

He quickly sends Carla the wide-view shot because he feels the need to share what he’s come home to and she’s the only safe option. The only one who won’t read more into it than Eddie’s comfortable addressing.

Though if Eddie’s being truthful, he knows she’s just the only one who’ll keep it to herself until he’s ready to hear it.

Carla sends back three red hearts, and Eddie can’t help but agree.

He slips his phone back into his pocket and makes room to sit on the coffee table.

Buck’s hand is right there, open, palm facing up, waiting.

Eddie reaches for his shoulder instead, though he slips up and instead of jostling him gently like he meant to, his hand curves around his shoulder and his thumb glides back and forth against his shirt until Buck is snuffling and blinking awake.

“Hey,” Eddie says, smiling when Buck remains half-asleep, his body as relaxed as it was in sleep.

“Hey,” he croaks, gently clearing his throat and casting a nervous eye to Christopher who makes nothing of the disturbance.

“How are you feeling?”

Buck seems to mentally assess himself. “Fine, just crazy tired. Our little man here was a trooper, but he conked out a couple hours ago. Aw, shi--oot,” he looks at the television, “I was supposed to pause it when he fell asleep. I don’t remember which episode we were on.”

Eddie smiles. “He probably won’t even remember the episodes you did watch. You can start over when you’re both back on your feet.”

“Mm,” Buck hums, his eyelids already growing heavier again. “‘K.”

Eddie watches sleep take over Buck, until those tired lids are pried apart suddenly with mild alarm.

“D’you want m’to put him to bed?” Buck slurs. “Be more comfortable?”

Eddie shakes his head with a fond smile. “He’s just fine where he is.”

Buck’s eyes grow vulnerable in a way he’s been trying to hide lately when he’s in full control of his faculties, and the corner of his lips tugs up into a shy smile.

“Go back to sleep,” Eddie says, his voice pitched low to be soothing.

Buck obeys and within a couple of minutes his face is slack and peaceful, his breathing evened out, but some stray impulse shifts his hand away from his face and off the couch entirely to hang in the space between them.

Can Eddie really be faulted then for taking it in his hands and holding on for just a second — feeling the slight heat from the fever seep into his skin, feeling the curl of mildly calloused fingers against his, feeling the weight of it between his palms and deciding that he likes it, a lot?

He guides Buck’s hand back to its original resting place and doesn’t give in when his fingers want to explore the ungelled curls resting against his forehead.

He lingers, again, just one more time, and lets the knowledge that Carla’s talk will likely be coming sooner rather than later wash over him.

And by the way he only barely makes it to the kitchen before thumbing open his gallery and reviewing the three pictures he took, he figures he may just be ready for it.

#buddie #buddie fics #christopher diaz #buddipher #buddie and chris #my fics

[chadillacboseman]

Writer Wednesday Time!

Thank you, @autumnleaves1991-blog for this awesome idea. Please check out her blog and her writing!  I decided to go with Cal, because he’s my soft boy™ and he deserves to have fun. The photo for this week can be found HERE.

Pairing: GN!Reader x Cal Kestis Word Count: 1.1k Warnings: One mention of masturbation, the rest is tooth rotting. 

i.

With the holocron destroyed, Cal had started to feel peace for the first time in many years. He knew it wouldn’t last- there still loomed the threat of the Inquisitors and the Empire. But for now, there was peace.

And of course, there was you.

At first, it had started as a business agreement- Greez needed another hand on the ship, and they just happened to find you in a port city while docked for repairs. You had strode up to the Mantis as Greez and Cere worked, hooded and mysterious, before lowering your cloak and offering your knowledge of Latero ships.

Cal remembered that day. The way his heart had leapt into his throat when you lowered your hood, taken aback by the beautiful person before him. He had marveled at the way your hands went to work on the hull as if you knew the Mantis like it was an old friend. Greez, too, had been impressed, and offered you a space on the ship after some friendly, but thorough interrogation. 

It turned out you were a transient scrapper, taking odd jobs in shipyards and spaceports wherever the wind took you. Cal loved that about you- your willingness to be impulsive and your “itchy wings” as Cere often phrased it. 

It started off slow. So achingly slow. Cal felt like a Padawan again- all boyish grins and butterflies in his chest that he hoped didn’t translate to a blush in his cheeks. He found every excuse to be near you- bringing you ship parts, or collecting a trinket from a market stall he thought you might like. He loved the way you threw your head back and laughed when BD-1 would present the gifts to you.  

Cal loved everything about you.

And he knew that was dangerous. He knew that Jedi were forbidden to have attachments like that, and his heart ached at the thought of never being able to be with you. He found himself longing to pull you close, to hear the sound of his name on your lips with you pinned beneath him in his bunk. He prayed you didn’t hear him at night when he took his aching cock into his hands and bit back moans of your name.

It was Greez who had first pulled him aside and asked him how he felt about you. Cal had dodged the question, insisting that you were just a friend, but Greez was no idiot. 

“The Jedi are old, puritanical fools, kid,” he had grumbled, “And on top of that- most of ‘em are dead.” 

Those last words had stung, painfully, in Cal’s chest, but they were true. The Jedi no longer existed in earnest, and so, neither did their rules. Cal knew the dangers of the darkside- he had seen his own master gunned down at the behest of Darth Sidious, as well as dozens of his friends. 

But what if his attachments made him stronger? What if your light could keep him grounded? 

One night over dinner, he watched you, engrossed in conversation with Merrin. Your eyes were wet with tears of laughter, cheeks flushed and glowing, and he made his decision then and there.

As you headed to your bunk, Cal had grabbed you by the arm and spun you to face him. You had gasped and he silenced it with a desperate kiss, pressing you against the cold metal wall. When he pulled away, breathless, he had started to apologize, worrying that he had overstepped his bounds. 

And it was your turn to silence him.

ii.

Shore leave for leisure was rare, and the crew was buzzing for a peaceful night off of the Mantis. Merrin excitedly pulled up the ship’s holomap and giddily zoomed in to show the others that the city where you’d be docked was hosting a carnival celebration. 

Your eyes lit up as you spoke with Merrin, eagerly discussing your desire for good food and entertainment. 

Cal scrounged his bunk for credits, turning every container and article of clothing inside out. Damn it. He cursed himself for spending so much on new boots at their last stop. How was he going to make the night special if he couldn’t even afford the admission?

His feverish search was interrupted by Greez clearing his throat in the doorway.

“Here, kid,” Greez tossed him a credit chip with a grin, “Just don’t get me too far in the hole.”

iii. Your eyes were wide as you walked with Cal through the brightly lit streets. All manner of races and creeds were gathered, partaking in festivities to take their mind off the conflicts of the galaxy around them. 

“Ever seen anything like it?” He asked, nudging your side gently with his elbow.

“No-” You marveled like a small child, “Never.”

When you entered the carnival in earnest, Merrin excitedly pointed to a booth selling Dathomirian cuisine. She cried out in joy, her thick accent catching the ear of the vendor, who waved her over with a wide smile. 

You strode with Cal, his arm linked in yours, through the attractions. You could feel the cold hilt of his lightsaber, tucked safely behind his poncho and kept out of sight. He knew it was risky to come here in the open, but in that moment, he truly didn’t care. 

He watched your face light up when you spotted a booth selling model droid kits, and grinned when you turned to show him a small BD unit.  

“Do you want it?” he asked, and you nodded. When you moved to pull out your satchel, he stilled your hand and paid the merchant with Greez’s chip, silently thanking the maker for the pilot’s generosity. 

As you moved through the attractions, Cal found himself wondering how he ended up so lucky- surviving the purge, facing a sith lord, and now, standing here under the lights with you, with not a care in the world. 

“What?” Your inquisitive voice broke his trance, and he realized he’d been staring at you. You were smiling, your face lit by the bright string of lights above your head, and your eyes shone like gemstones as they looked into his.

“Just making sure I’m not dreaming all of this-” Cal’s words tumbled out awkwardly and he felt the heat of embarrassment creep into his ears.

“Well, if you are, I hope it’s at least a good dream,” you laughed, “Need me to pinch you?”

Cal chuckled and pulled you against him, his broad arms enveloping you in the safest embrace in the parsec. You rested your head against his chest and he hummed contentedly, the noise of the carnival melting away as he held you. 

“I’ll pass on the pinch,” he murmured, “Not sure I’d want to wake up.”

You snorted and pulled away, moving to place a kiss on his cheek. He reached out to take your hand and you led him onward further into the carnival. 

As he watched your delighted face take in the attractions, he made a mental note…

The crew definitely needed more shore leave. 

#cal kestis #gender neutral reader #fanfic #writer wednesday #star wars #jedi fallen order #i can only write cute shit for cal i s2g #my soft boiiiii #i love him #bonus can you imagine BD trilling excitedly at seeing the little model of himself??? #hello???

[redbokuto]

Awaited Encounter~ part 5

I kicked my legs in the air with my frail hands gripping onto the chains of the swing. A small smile graced my lips while I stared at the idiot in front of me. His booming laughter filled my ears as he ran in a straight line. “Kou, your shoes are untied.” I commented while the little boy dashed through the field.

The gray-haired boy ignored my words and continued to zoom around. It didn’t take long for him to trip and face plant onto the ground. “I told you.” I hopped off the swing and walked over to my best friend.

Bokuto picked up his head and looked at me as I took a seat beside him. The gray-haired boy giggled, causing me tilt my head in confusion. “What?” I asked before leaning my head back to look at the clear sky.

Small gushes of wind got caught in my hair, making my curls bounce in the breeze. The smell of fresh cut grass and mulch glided through the air. Along with your average kindergarten chatter.

“You always watch me.” Bokuto uttered. I looked down to meet his eyes, but instead I was met with his large smile. Bokuto’s toothy grin spread across his face, scrunching his slightly red nose. It was a marvelous sight.

My cheeks reddened as my dark orbs scanned his face. “You wouldn’t survive if I didn’t Kou.”

Bokuto only laughed, flipping over and landing on top of me. My arms supported my body to steady myself. Bokuto’s hair brushed against my chin as his hands wrapped around my back. His laugh only grew louder, which made me wonder what was so funny.

“You’re the best Keiji!” Bokuto exclaimed. Just when I was about to respond, Bokuto picked up his head and did something unexpected. Soft, small lips pressed against my uncovered forehead. My thoughts became hazed as my body became flustered.

Bokuto backed his head away and looked down at me, “my sisters do this to me all the time! They say it’s a way of showing you care about someone.”

I pressed two fingers on the spot Bokuto kissed. It still felt warm. “O-oh I see.”

Bokuto got off me and continued to waste his energy in the field. I sat there, watching him with a dorky smile I could not suppress. Kou cares about me.

“Look it’s him.” A voice from behind me uttered. From the soft tone I could tell it was a girl. “He’s so weird, I keep telling you we should stay away from him.”

I tilted my head to look who was behind me. I was not surprised to see two girls from our class a couple feet away. I didn’t remember their names. To me, everyone else in this school is irrelevant.

The girls turned their head towards me and jumped a little from my stare. One hid behind the other, whispering to herself. “H-hi Keiji!” Both girls said in unison. They both giggled as if I said something funny, but I only stared.

They walked closer to me, so I stood up to face them. One of the girls were taller than me while the other was an inch shorter. “Don’t call me that, call me Akashi.” I insisted with a monotonous tone.

Both girls grew more nervous from my voice. The one behind clung to the taller one in front. “Akashi then. Would you like to be friends?” The smaller one managed to push out. Her teeth dug into her bottom lip.

“No.” I responded simply.

The girls were taken back from my answer. Apparently being rejected was not something they were used to.

“Why? Don’t you want friends?” The one in front asked. She seemed to be the more courageous one of the two.

“I have friends.” Both girls looked at each other before looking back to me. “You mean the weird kid.”

This name is said often when it came to Bokuto. A lot of people find Bokuto’s mood swings and random boosts of energy to be weird. Which is why the nickname has stuck. The other kids shun Bokuto, but I don’t. And I never will.

“No, I mean Kou. I do not want to be your friend.” I stated with a tinge of disgust.

“But why!?” The shy girl in the back asked.

My answer came out without hesitation, “I find you both annoying and stuck-up people. I despise people like you. Don’t try talking to me again.” The girls were shocked by my blunt answer, but I meant it. Anyone that is mean to Kou will not be allowed in my life.

Both girls stepped back, one on the verge of tears and the other boiling in anger. “You’ll regret this!” The taller one stated before they both ran away.

I sighed at the meaningless threat and turned around. When I did, I got a face full of Kou. Kou was staring at me with wide eyes while biting his lip. “Keiji… do you think that way about me too?”

The question took me back. His expression made my heart buckle. “Kou…” The gray-haired boy closed his eyes, he looked like he was about to cry. So, I did the only thing I could do.

Pushing myself on my tippy toes, I squeezed my eyes shut. My lips tapped against his forehead, mimicking the action he did prior.

When my heels touched the ground, I opened one eye to see if Kou was still about to cry. The gray-haired boy had his large golden eyes open with tinted cheeks. His eyes sparkled as if he had just experienced a life changing moment.

“Does that answer your question?” I asked in a low whisper. Kou could only nod, keeping his awestruck look.

“Keiji… I-“

The loud beep of my alarm screeched in my ears. I groaned in displeasure before throwing my phone at my alarm. The sound of the device slamming against the floor made my shoulders relax. But then the beeping continued.

I stuffed my head in my pillow, annoyed from the fact I couldn’t finish my dream. It was one of my favorite memories of me and Bokuto. Back then I would always call him Kou, he did insist on it after all.

After a minute of constant beeping, I got up. First, I checked my phone to see if it was cracked; it wasn’t. The lock screen flashed before my eyes with several notifications from my mother. This was not surprising seeing that she obsesses over me.

My finger ran past my screen, not bothering to read any of her messages. I glanced at a new name that popped up on my phone. Bokuto. Me and Bokuto exchanged numbers the day the professor assigned me to him, though we have never texted.

Clicking the notification, my eyes squinted from the bright message in the dark themed chat.

Bokuto:

AKASHI LOOK LOOK LOOK

Akashi:

You haven’t sent anything yet.

Bokuto:

OH I FORGOT THAT PART

An image popped up on our near empty chat; It made me smile.

Akashi:

Congrats on your B Bokuto.

Bokuto:

I’M SO HAPPY! I TOLD KURO THAT I AM SMARTER THAN HIM NOW!

Akashi:

What did he say?

I sat my phone down and pulled out some clothes to change into. Once my dark blue, long sleeve settled on my shoulders, I picked my phone back up.

Bokuto:

HE TOLD ME I NEVER WOULD BE! CAN YOU BELIVE THAT?!

Akashi:

Yes I can, you’ll beat him one day Bokuto.

The texts never stopped. Today was my day off so I didn’t mind them. Like in real life, Bokuto led the conversation. He chatted about random things with unique emojis following behind. At some points you can catch me smiling from his words.

Bokuto:

Akashi, where do you live?

The question made my blink at my screen. Why would he want to know that?

Akashi:

Why?

This time Bokuto hesitated to type.

Bokuto:

I have a present for you…

And I have to deliver it personally.

Even though I was skeptical, I sent my address anyways.

We texted for another ten minutes before someone knocked on my door. I rose off my bed and walked to the front of my apartment. It was now the middle of the afternoon, what could Bokuto want to give me?

I pushed the wooden door open slowly, taking in the sight of the gray-haired man. Bokuto had on his signature grin, but he looked giddier than usual. “Thank you, Akashi!” Bokuto exclaimed before wrapping his strong arms around my frail torso.

The hug was tight and warm; it felt so familiar. “There is no need to thank me Bokuto.” I insisted, failing to hold back the ounce of happiness I was feeling. How could a hug feel so right?

Bokuto squeezed tighter as he stuffed his head between my neck and my shoulder. “Let me thank you. I don’t know why but being around you makes me feel nostalgic.” That statement slammed a weight on my chest. I was glad Bokuto couldn’t see my expression, I looked pained by his words.

Why am I doing this to him? Bokuto is such a nice person, he should never be lied to.

My recent dream came flashing through my mind, causing me to tug at Bokuto’s shirt subconsciously. The gray-haired man took this as a sign and released me. He stepped back and scratched the back of his neck with a nervous look. “Sorry Akashi, I forgot that you don’t like receiving attention from people.”

I looked down at the ground, my eyes trailing across the patterned wood. “Those rules don’t apply to you.” I mumbled under my breath. Silence floated in the air, causing an awkward tension to arise.

Bokuto stared at me, but I couldn’t see his expression. My gaze stayed tilted down, “you wanted to give me something?” I had to wait a couple moments before my words registered. Bokuto’s hands began fidgeting by his sides, “well you see. I couldn’t think of anything you like. Whenever we talk, I am the one doing most of the talking. I assume you like it that way?”

I kept my eyes down but nodded. “Good! Well, you know… Anyways I was thinking that we could go out for lunch. I at least know the kind of food you like since we ate together often during studying.” Bokuto stated shyly.

I nodded again and gestured for him to come inside. “I just need to get my wallet.”

Bokuto took a seat on my couch as I walked into my room. When I came out, he was waving something in his hand. “What’s this Akashi?” The gray-haired man asked with curious eyes.

“It’s a book Bokuto, have you not seen one before?” I took a seat on the couch next to him as he read the back cover. My best friend let out a hum when he was finished, “is this your favorite?” I lifted a brow at his question before nodding. “It’s a series called Witches and Wizards.”

“I never thought you would be into fantasy Akashi.” For some reason, Bokuto’s eyes lit up from his words.

“I don’t read it for the fantasy, though the world is interesting. I like the characters and the minor love story.”

“Oh, so you’re a romantic? That’s a shock.” Bokuto put the book on his lap, letting his eyes scan over it.

The room went quiet once again, only this time the silence was comfortable. Bokuto stayed staring at the book, as if he was taking in all the details he could. “It’s not that shocking.” I uttered in a low tone.

Bokuto picked up his head and started to chuckle, “yes it is. Anyways, let’s get going.” The gray-haired man sprung up from the couch and dragged me along outside. We walked together through the busy streets until we settled on a place to eat.

The café wasn’t fancy, I have never liked fancy areas. It was petite and quiet with dark red paint decorating the walls. Me and Bokuto took a seat in the corner on the cozy booths. “Are you ok with this place Akashi?”

It made me feel happy knowing Bokuto was always thinking about my feelings. It also made me guilty at the same time. Once again shame filled my stomach.

Back then I would never lie to Kou. I wouldn’t even dream of it. We were inseparable with him always making me happy and me making sure he stays happy.

“Akashi?”

My eyes blinked to adjust to Kou’s close face. His golden orbs laced over mine, causing a lump in my throat. “Nothing Kou it’s fine.” I squeezed out, not realizing my words till the last second. Blush spread across my face in moments, not just mine but Kou’s too.

I never thought Bokuto was capable of blushing, but here he is. Red faced and awestruck by the pet name. He’s so cute when he’s embarrassed.

My hands gripped my pants, struggling not to reach out a touch Bokuto’s flushed face. Why is that even an urge? Me and Bokuto haven’t had such a connection since we were young. Shouldn’t those feelings have faded by now?

The moment shattered when Bokuto’s eyes squeezed shut. The gray-haired man leaned back, clutching his head in pain from a sudden headache. “A-are you ok?” I stutter before reaching out to Bokuto.

Warm flesh brushed against my fingers, “Bokuto…” It seemed to calm him down. Bokuto’s hands slowly fell from his head as his eyes traveled towards me. I leaned down closer to him for my full hand to caress his cheek. “Are you ok, Bokuto?”

After what seemed like an eternity, Bokuto answered. “Yeah, I am ok, my head just started throbbing out of nowhere.” I sighed in relief before realizing the position I was in. Half my body leaned over the table that separated us. My hand was on Bokuto’s cheek, tilting his face upward to look at mine. Bokuto’s cheeks were still dusted with red while his face was inches away from mine.

“Hey Akashi, did I hear that right, or did you call me Kou?” Of course he would ask that question now. When my face is burning with embarrassment from the fact I want to lean closer towards him.

“Yes…” No use in lying about it. Another eternity of eye contact occurred. I tried to look anywhere but Bokuto’s eyes, but of course my gaze landed on something far worse. Bokuto’s lips.

I swallowed hard and tried to look back to his eyes. But it was too late, I was caught. Bokuto’s lips stretched into a smirk, making my face heat up more. I would have never guessed the ball of energy could make such a seductive expression.

“That’s very out of character for you Akashi.” Bokuto uttered as he leaned back away from my face. I leaned back as well, trying to collect my thoughts.

Looks like more things have changed about Bokuto then I thought.

#haikyuu ships #haikyuu keiji akaashi #haikyuu au #haikyuu fandom #haikyuu fanfiction #haikyuu akaashi #haikyuu fic #haikyuu scenarios #haikyuu #haikyuu koutarou #haikyuu fanart #haikyuu!! #hinata shouyou #hq art #hq koutarou #koutarou bokuto #bokuto x akashi #bokuto

[stubbedbakutoes]

Inked

pairing: kageyama tobio x reader

genre: tattoo artist au

masterlist

You could watch him all day.

The way he bites his lip gently, as his eyes are trained on the needle and the skin with such dedication, or the way he holds his breath when he makes the first mark and exhales only after he's put the needle down.

You wandered into the shop, marveling over the intricate designs that adorned the walls, tasteful photographs of the skin he's worked on hanging on simple frames, the pointed needles resting on the counter with the colored inks neatly organized in an extensive rainbow on the counter.

“Thinking of getting one?”  He grins at you, lopsided, pink-lipped – crossing his fully inked arms as he stands next to you, matching your gaze at the work that surrounded his walls.

“Yeah, still deciding. Did you design all of these?”

“Yep,” He replies with a shy proudness in his voice, giving you a quick side glance – this girl with the untouched skin.

You look back at him with awe in your eyes, a certain wonder for his work that makes his heart lift with pride from your appreciation.

You ask him shy questions, how he came up with that design, whether it was strange to tattoo a certain design onto a particular body part, laughing at the stories he tells about his customers, the peculiar meanings behind the more memorable tattoos he's done.

You're an avid listener, more than happy to hear his smooth voice.

It's been a year and you're still "deciding" on what tattoo you want to get.

You always visit his shop when you have a pocket of spare time, his face lighting up the moment he sees you walk through the door, putting away his phone or magazine, all his attention on you.

“Got a design already?” He asks you that every time, just to see the rose tint in your cheeks when you try to look away.

“Not yet.”

You think he knows you're not here for the tattoos, but the boy who creates it.

He doesn't comment on it, and he definitely doesn't mind.

Kageyama's more than happy to spend his afternoon with you, on quiet days where the store is still saved for your laughter mixing with his, on busy days when he asks you to stay for a moment, to which you always oblige, sitting on a chair and watching Kageyama prepare the equipment and draw the picture onto soft skin with the precision of a surgeon.

And you're the only person he tells the meaning of his tattoos to; full stories with no details uncut, embarrassing and intimate, his stories inked onto his arm like a biography, his innermost thoughts painted for you.

You're the only person he shows his black leather sketchbook to – “They're just... just mindless doodles, really” – because he wants to see that wonder in your eyes that you had the first time you saw his work.

He's always shy to show his more personal work; not simple designs, but complex scenes of stories that skin could never cover.

He watches you, biting his lip as you carefully flip the pages. “They're beautiful.”

He wishes he has the courage to say the same words back to you, but all he can ever manage is a thank you.

“There's a blank space.”

You notice it one day, a small chunk on the inside of his forearm a pale white, a stark contrast to the sleeves of color that covered his arms, making the art on his skin feel incomplete.

“I'm saving it for a special someone.”

//

"Still deciding?" His tone is teasing as he wiped the last needle clean.

"Yes. I do."

He looks at you with surprised eyes, putting the needles down to come to your side, peering over your shoulder at the printed paper in your hand.

You don't have to ask if he can do it, if he needs to practice – he's done things more complex, and what you wanted was a child's drawing in comparison to the art on his arms.

He gestures you to the padded seat, taking the paper from your hands and studying it for a moment more before sitting down on his stool, spinning slightly as he grins at you.

"Where do you want it?"

//

His touch is feather-light on your sensitive skin.

The needle pricks at the soft area that sends small spikes of fear and pain through you at first, but one look into his reassuring eyes is all you needed, grabbing onto the handle of the seat a little tighter.

"Ready?"

He's patient, caring; waiting for your little nod before continuing with the needle on your skin.

The pads of his fingers are lightly holding your skin in place, his touch warm in contrast to the cold metal and cool ink that he prints with precision.

And maybe it's just you, maybe it's just your nerves and your excitement – but there's something intimate about the way he smiles up from the curves of your body to check up on you, about the way his touch is gentle in handling you, a lover's caress and not a service requirement.

He finishes with a soft blow on the pink-tinged skin, the regular rules and responsibilities that he recites to you as he starts to put away the ink again.

"Do you like it?" He asks it casually, washing the needles but giving you a quick glance to gouge your reaction.

"I love it, It's beautiful! Thank you."

There's something about the thought of having you walk around with a piece of his art – a piece of him, almost – that brings a smile to his face.

"Do you like it?"

He's taken aback by your question – nobody's ever asked him that before, not when they're too busy fawning over their new tattoo – but you're sitting up with expectant eyes on his figure.

"It's every bit as beautiful as you."

"Was that a compliment to me or to you?"

"I'll take it as both."

You pull out your wallet, but he zooms over on his rolling stool, placing a hand on yours to stop you.

"I'd like to take my payment in another way, actually." Despite the grin on his face, his knees are shaking at what he's about to ask, hoping that you can't see the tremors through the holes of his ripped jeans.

"Don't be silly – I can't just not pay you after your beautiful work. How much will it be?"

"D-dinner." He says the words and there's no taking them back, staring at your wide eyes despite the heat that was creeping into his cheeks.

"Pardon me?"

"Dinner. With me. As in we can... we can go out and you can pay me back that way."

He's starting to trace the ink on his knuckles, a nervous tic – maybe he's read you all wrong, maybe you were just interested in the tattoos and not the boy like he thought, maybe he was being too straightforward, maybe he should've waited – "

"Deal."

A relieved sigh escapes his lips and a laugh trickles from yours at the tension that leaves his shoulders, the poor boy shaking his head with a grin that splits from ear to ear.

You extend a hand out to him and he takes it, his hand enveloping yours in the agreement.

You catch a glimpse of the patch of pale white on his forearm, and you smile to yourself when you see it.

You think you know the perfect design for it.

#haikyuu x you #haikyuu fanfiction #haikyuu!! #haikyuu angst #haikyuu fluff #kageyama tobio #hinata shoyo x reader #kagehina #hq oikawa #hq kuroo #hq fanart #hq imagines #hq ushijima #ushijima hcs #bsd atsushi #ushijima angst #ushijima fic #ushijima smut #ushijima scenarios #ushijima fluff #ushijima x tendou #bsd headcanons #bsd ranpo #bsd dazai #bsd chuuya #bsd fanart #bsd icons #bungou stray dogs #bnha #bnha fanfiction

[hangonimevolving]

Week 12-ish at home

Hello all!  Here in Florida, many aspects of quarantine life are purportedly starting to change “out there,” in the world.  In-house restaurant dining, salons, and misc businesses opened up a few weeks ago.  And this week, on June 1st, even more businesses began normal operations - children’s day cares, for example.  The beaches have opened.  Public parks are open, although there are restrictions on playground equipment, etc.  Most businesses have certain rules and restrictions in place, e.g. social distancing and mask usage.  But yep, they’re open.

However, our family is NOT :)  We have decided to act like nothing’s changed, at least for now - we would like to observe and see how things go “out there,” if the virus stays at a plateau in terms of numbers infected, etc., or if there is an upsurge.  If there is an upsurge, we are concerned with seeing how severe or widespread it might get.  In short - its too early for us.  We have too many factors to consider in terms of immune issues, family members with multiple risk factors, etc.  So, we continue on, living and learning within our own family unit.  And thankfully for us - this is not a huge deal.  Sure, we have our moments where we wish we could do regular things, like go hang around at a mall or a movie theater, or go visit a public playground.  Oh, how we miss eating out.  We REALLY miss seeing friends and having playdates - that part is hard.  But - its okay.  It won’t be forever.

So what are we doing these days?

I made air plant terrarium globes, and hung them around our breakfast area:

Vev participated in the virtual science fair through school, with his experiment on liquids, viscosity, and cohesion.  We tested out water, soda water, and oil.  I think he learned a good amount in the process!

We were excited when the U.S. Navy Blue Angels did a flyover in the South Florida region - and we got a killer view of the fighter jets as they zoomed over our backyard!!!

(Okay, I realize this picture isn’t that impressive - the Blue Angels are those series of dots on the blue part of the sky, surrounded by clouds.  But trust me, watching them tear across the sky in that formation was awesome).

There’s been more pancake art...

We attended a really touching event a few weeks back - a five-year-old boy in our community is undergoing treatment for a terminal brain tumor.  The entire community banded together, and threw him a socially-distanced celebration: a birthday parade comprised of fully-restored vintage cars and fancy, souped up muscle cars and vehicles.  It was an awesome, meaningful, and poignant event.

On April 30th, I finally faced the reality that quarantine snacking was getting the better of me.  I knew I had to make a change.  So I went keto on May 1st, and kept it up for 30 days.  It was honestly super hard.  But I pulled through.  There was a lot of eating like this.....

ramen soup with shirataki noodles

and.... basically just a ton of omelets.

I need to write an entire post - more like, a continuing series of posts - about how IN LOVE I am with my new Cricut Maker.  I am OBSESSED with this marvelous contraption, and have thoroughly been enjoying my time with it while at home.  I have made a couple of things thus far, and I can’t wait to show them to you.  But by way of a teaser - here are some koala and panda-themed sleep masks I made for the kids....

And here is a little bandana bib I made for Pixel, who actually seemed to enjoy wearing it!

Pixel acquired a new perch in our home.  For some reason, out of all the myriad cat beds we have bought her (memory foam, regular foam, fuzzy plush material, microfiber, etc.), her preferred toys and beds are all the ones made of corrugated cardboard. I have never quite understood why she’s so crazy about it - it looks, to my meager human eye, like a hard, cheap, NOT warm and fuzzy place to hang out.  But, she’s crazy about it.  So, I recently bought her this.

Based on the fact that she’s hardly moved from this spot in a month, except to eat 11 billion times a day - I’d say I have gotten my $12 worth already.

On the topics of cats, and crafting - my good friend Y had been telling me about her kitty and how he’s become the “loyal coworker,” since she and her family are all telecommuting these days for their jobs.  Apparently, Shams the cat perches on her cardiologist father’s desk, and oversees his daily rounds using telemedicine apps to check on his patients.  I decided to make Shams an appropriate coworker type outfit.  And again, yet another cat has surprised us by happily wearing the ridiculous outfits we humans are making for them!

What a handsome gentleman :)

What else.... ah, so Mother’s Day came along, with its customary breakfast in bed for yours truly, delivered by some other handsome gentlemen I know.

Dr. Spouse elected to disregard my keto diet, and prepare me a tasty meal of refined carbs - which I hungrily guzzled in appreciation.

Last but not least, for this post anyway - I ran my first “virtual race,” which is this deal where you pay a registration fee and are sent a race bib, shirt, and medal, but its sort of an honor system where you run the race/distance and then post to social media if you wish.  I ran a race called the “Crush Corona 5K”.  The experience of virtual racing was great.  My actual run on that day was surprisingly rough!  I left my house way later than my ordinary running time, and it was an extraordinarily hot day... I totally overheated, and between being carb-starved on the keto diet and also seriously premenstrual (sorry, TMI) - I was really glad when the run was done.  Oh well!  The proceeds of my race benefitted a good cause - a fund for healthcare and essential workers who have been on the front lines of the Coronavirus pandemic.  And bigger picture, I dedicated my race to my “Run Buchandi Run” race series which has been raising funds for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.  I also ran in memory of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd, and the missions of the #blacklivesmatter movement to end systemic racism generally, and police brutality against African Americans specifically.  

Multiple missions and causes, same heart.  They all overlap after all - we are all connected humans, and despite this, minorities in this country are not appreciated for being essential to our society, are also at higher risk of most health conditions, and have to live in fear of unjust targeting by law enforcement and other systems.  I believe it’s possible for us to make our personal efforts in the service of building awareness of this entire network of issues.  My heart - and my legs! - worked in service of this.

#quarantine #Vev #Dey #gardening #crafts #cricut #fitness #running #teamfox #mjff #crushcorona

[sugar-petals]

⏗ Choking Gold (m.)

⏗ pairing // sub!jin x dom!reader ⏗ summary // an obedient mouth is all it takes when the cameras are running. gladly, your co-performer jin musters exactly that. ⏗ genre // smut one shot — pornstar au ⏗ word c. // 1.7k ⏗ warnings // dom/sub, bdsm, cameras, sex toys, deepthroat, mommy kink, aftercare, femdom, facefucking, breath play, orgasm denial

⏗ note // the second of my writing exercises. the goal is to scratch what i rely on the most and see how it turns out. first i omitted dialogue in pump jack (m), now I ditch my usual plot shebang. take care with the warnings, and enjoy. 

„Take five — And action!“

It’s colder since someone ventilated the area. Dimmed lights. Cameras rolling. The voices around the set become hushed. It’s only you and him now.

„How’s my baby liking it so far?“

Jin sniffles. Moaning and gargling. His hands grab at the sheets.

„Oh right. Can’t say anything with a golden dick in your mouth, can we.“

He’s stretched out. Your hand remains firmly in place and prolongs the motions. Jin’s dark eyes turn bigger when he realizes how quick the stabs become. How deep.

„Wide. Wide, baby, wide open. Use teeth, you know what happens. Remember what I said. You know it.“

Indistinct nods. He’s barely keeping up. Since you removed the pillow, his head is in an awkward position. The vibrator won’t cram in as smoothly without the proper bend in his windpipe. The swallows are heavy. But Jin won’t use his teeth. His lips struggle to close that way, but that’s how the script goes. At least he tries. Bobbing his head and shoving more length down. You hum in content. He’s doing well. 

„I see you do. Mommy gives you something to feel good. A lil’ reward if you will.“

Jin shifts around on the bed. Adjusting the dildo seems a little harder than you thought. Well. You glance toward the assistant, draw the vibrator from Jin’s throat. Less content. With more indignance. So they did it again. You sigh out loud. The crew gets moving.

„Cut!“

„Hey, what’s going on, Y/N?“ the director mumbles from behind the lighting team. There’s commotion in the room again. More ventilation. Loud voices left and right. Chatter.

„Need more lube, he’s running dry. Look at that. Way more lube there. Where is it? We prepared the bottles, didn’t we? Thought we did.“

„Oh right,“ the director’s assistant comes around to rummage below the bed. „Didn’t think we need it today?“

„Really?“

„Jin’s not the type. Jimin earlier, he’s a waterfall, too. Schedule’s wet today, I thought. Sorry. My bad.“

„Always get it ready anyways. You never know. And leave it closer to me. Need a big portion, let’s see. Don’t spill that yet, Kim, keep it.“

The blue bottle clicks open under your thumb and its cold fluid eases into Jin’s mouth with a little squeeze to it already. Bubbles waver at the plastic opening when you finish filling him up by eye, with quite a lot of more pumps. Jin’s tongue is entirely coated by now. You check twice. Closed, the bottle returns to where it was with a bumping noise. Then, the assistant exhales, tinkers about once more, and places it next to you, out of frame, on one of the many pillows. It’s how you learn.

„Looks good,“ you test anew, help Jin adjusting his lips with two fingers, then turn to the camera team. „Gonna be one hell of a cleaning job. Anyway, run it.“

“Alright, Y/N. Should we wipe down the toy, first?”

“No, it’s good that way.”

The matte, golden-tinted shaft slips back into its former place. Jin is already agonizing with his tongue. It really was a lot of lube. He’s probably swallowed parts of it already. The familiar voice in the crew returns.

„Take 6 — And action!“

You lean toward him and growl, fingers looming at his already stuffed throat. Just a cherry on top.

„Y’know what Mommy will give you? Something nice. Curious, baby, hm? I’ll show you. But don’t mess up.“

Jin is preoccupied with the lube threatening to brim over while you concern yourself with the outer end of the toy where a petite black switch sits. One, two, three. The vibrations come in several augmentations and a fourth option which is heavy pulse mode. Now that would be a little too much, you think. Not with Kim, Park would like that, he’d gag himself into a delirium just for fun and a few bucks more. 

A little flick and the buzzing starts. You fumble at Jin’s face to direct his attention, turning the switch up simultaneously. He’s soft. He obeys.

„Breathe through the nose. Be careful, baby. The nose, yeah like that. We’re not missing a beat there, love.“

Only the third and most intense mode you deem fit to get his throat going. The dildo is harder to grip now that it’s oscillating back and forth so vigorously. However, it’s a nice hand massage. Even where the vibrator churns and whirs in his esophagus, you can feel the bumble through the skin.

„How you lovin’ that. Your ass would split in half if I plowed you like that.“

„Hn— Nnh!“

The sheets go into creases again. Eventually, lube and snot pools at his lips. You’ve been counting, it’s only been half a minute. Who can blame him, this is meant to be training. You want to tease him, nevertheless. It’s not in the script. But it still fits.

„So, you’re naughty, aren’t you.“

Given how the vibrations turn abrasive on his teeth and tongue, despite all lube, you stir in the shaft deeper, which in return, brings Jin’s mouth open wider. His lips are so deliciously plump now. You know it’s gonna be a great shot. What an opportunity with such a nice cushioning. You thrust the vibrator in harder.

The corners of his mouth are bubbling over. There it is. Gag reflex. He’s choking, holding his neck with two hands. Begging written all over his eyes. Your motions truncate his whines, the little whimpers, so luscious— into sloppy noise at the back of his throat. He can only do as much as nod and breathe along. So messy. Hands still holding his own neck. 

The lighting crew adjusts their angle behind you just a little, the shadows on his face change. You let the buzzing continue until the lube all runs out again, and Seokjin’s jaw turns looser than it was. He’s sniffling again.

„So cute. That’s a champ. Give me that sweet look you did again.“

Yes, Jin does. He’s blushy now. Gorgeous boy.

You have your fun drawing out the moving vibrator from his throat and poking his cheeks with it. Amazingly enough, he’s ticklish. Below his chin, too. Blush still lingering, you guide the tip, then the entire golden length, then, back in. Jin is eager to suck on it. You dial down the vibration to one out of three so it’s easier for him to get a grip on it. Like a pro. You praise him. Jin gags himself harder. The saliva runs on its own. It’s marvelous to watch. But the director already indicates the watch from the corner of your eye.

You retract the toy, place it next to the pillow with the lube on it. Jin’s coughing spit. His entire swollen lips and chin glaze over. The camera zooms in. Shaky, fumbling hands, looking for something. You close the distance, tap the spot before your knees with a flat palm.

„Deserving, aren’t you. My Jin. Sweet baby. Mommy’s holding you, come.“

He curls, albeit so broad, so tall, at your lap. Again, the lighting crew moves about ever so slightly, along with the audio team. 

„A brave boy,“ you murmur, now cheek to cheek. „I like that. You’ve been good. Taking so much. So good.“

„Thank, thank you. Mom. Loved it.“

His hair is half soft, half sweaty to the touch. Gentle. Massaging. You take your time with both hands working all over him. He’s pliant. Sweet and so dulcet. And fucked out. Rule’s to spend a quarter time of play as aftercare, screw the camera team getting limp arms and the movie getting ten minutes longer. Who among the viewers will be mad, anyway. 

The red fleece blanket, shoved into the frame by the assistant, is timely. Jin snuggles into it with his face right away. It gets all soiled, but you continue stroking him.

„Breathe easy, easy. We go step by step. Need a plushie?“

„Need, maybe, hug. Love hugs...“

„Easier done than said.“

Your arms snake around his torso, as good as they can since Jin is firmly nestled into the mattress with the blanket all around.

„Hug’s good, little one?“

You plant a kiss on his forehead where the blanket reveals it. 

„Just frustrated,“ he murmurs into the fabric.

„Oh why, Jinnie?“

„Still cum left, Mommy. I’m sorry.“

„That’s Mommy’s job, you know. Spoiling has two meanings. Next time I might ruin you less.“

„No, no! Not that.“

„More ruining?“

„I can’t… without this, just need more milking,“ he emerges from the blanket. „Mommy, please!“

„Probably makes you cum even if I say no, doesn’t it,“ you loosen the hug and tickle the sides of his torso. Well-built. But it’s no surprise, he hits the gym with Taehyung and Jimin every other day.

The complaint is almost instant. Jin wriggles around and looks up to you.

„Need your hands back. Mommy.“

You bend down to him now, fully leaning into the hug. You whisper. The sneaky camera audio shouldn’t capture it. Or so, you hope.

„The mistress after me needs some fun. Can’t hand you over all empty, Kim. That’s how it goes. Been bending the script for too much already. Next time we might get a chance.“

You return to an upright position, twirling Jin’s hair now.

„Whiny brats live harder lives. Hugs you’ll get.“

„And the plushie, ah!“

„Mh, want it now? Changed his darling mind there,“ you grin, and take the little green elephant toy from the other end of the bed. „Charlie, here he comes. Look at this cocky baby, Charlie. Demanding a lot today, can you believe? It’s only training and he’s trying to seize everything he can.“

You make Charlie sit on Jin’s broad chest so he can grab the plushie. He’s already tugging at the elephant’s giant ears and makes the toy walk around with funny noises.  

„First he gets his throat stuffed, then he wants release. Jinnie can be glad he gets what he gets. Look at him Charlie, those begging eyes. Isn’t he adorable this way? We’ll let him pout on, see how it goes. Really, so cute.“

Charlie gets a little deformed because Jin holds him tight. The lighting team gets into position to brighten the head lamp. Although Charlie is unlikely to suffer permanent damage, you loosen Jin’s fingers around the fluffy green animal gradually, alongside giving more hugs. The director rises from the seat at the back now. You pat Jin’s hair a few times. 

„And cut!“

© 2017-2019 submissive-bangtan. All rights reserved. Do not repost, translate, or modify my work in any way.

#jin smut #bts fanfic #bts smut #sub!jin #jin x reader #choking gold #jin scenario #jin au #bts au #dom!reader #bts reader insert #bts x you #jin x you #bts #bangtan #sub!bts #bts scenario #bts imagine #bts fic #bts fanfics #bts scenarios #bts reactions #bts imagines

[spiftynifty]

Hey there! I’m the same anon that sent that confusion ask to jojo. I saw your reply and Read your post about LGBT in kids shows and how (at the time) it seemed probable for a m|m canon. I wanted to ask what your thoughts are now? I personally think it seems most likely that Keith will end in a het. Relationship (despite it seeming a little rushed and lm and jds saying they wouldn’t) Keith ending with no one when such a strong relationship with shiro was built up just doesn’t seem likely either..

To be honest, I was worried about Kacxa at first too. Many, many other hetero romances have started with less than that and seeing underdeveloped relationships just happen because “he was a boy, she was a girl, can I make it any more obvious” is something we are extremely accustomed to. Heck the show kind of plays right into this with Hunk/Shay.

But Keith is different, he is a far more developed and story-focused character than Hunk is, and thus if he’s to be given a romantic partner then it needs to match that flow and level of development. One of the “rules” that we often get in media is that “romance is a higher level on the relationship chart than friendship”. And at this point, and even after 13 more episodes, there’s just no context this show could offer me where I could honestly believe that Keith could regard Acxa with a similar level of affection to how he regards Shiro, let alone higher. This was the biggest reason I stopped worrying; to be blunt, Kacxa doesn’t make sense on a narrative or character level. Keith aside, Acxa deserves to have a story told that doesn’t involve her following dudes around.

Also, revisiting the show I’m quite convinced that Keith is canonically in love with Shiro, that his feelings for him were intended to be read as so many of us do. There’s a reason so many people in and outside the fandom have written about their relationship with optimism and curiosity about where the show is taking it. It’s there, even for those who have never been looking for it. I know a lot of straight guys who have picked up on it despite never realizing Korrasami was a thing. 

But we definitely do a lot of speculating here in the Sheith fandom and I’ve seen some pretty elaborate meta for scenes that didn’t particularly resonate as shippy for me. So stepping back, shipping goggles off, speaking as a viewer and as someone who works in animation, there are really… 3.5 sequences that give me pause, that are so heavily coded and so… interestingly storyboarded and animated that I find it increasingly impossible to believe the showrunners and directors never intended for their relationship to be read romantically. They are:

Because there is something inherently romantic about the slow zoom on their smiles before the slow drift of them towards each other, the castle forgotten

Because this is blatantly highlighting how beautiful Shiro is and Keith staring at him in awe before he closes his eyes for the last time, resigned to their joint fate

Because I have run all the permutations and scenarios in my mind and there is literally no reason for Keith to stop mid lean, with his eye direction shifting lower than Shiro’s eyeline. It would have been faster and way less work to show him just hugging him without the pause.

And then this is the 0.5:

Because while the canon tempers this moment with “you’re my brother”, I am beyond convinced that that line was added because the scene was too romantically coded without it. And if you don’t believe me, check out this edit someone made of what the scene sounds like without the brother line. It’s incredible. 

But will we SEE canon Sheith? that’s… a little more complicated. 

My post ages ago about LGBT in cartoons was pretty optimistic but where I failed was considering the differences in studios. Some companies are a lot more chill about LGBT content in their shows. But they also aren’t the Big Two: Disney and Dreamworks, whose records of LGBT characters are utterly abysmal. Here are the two they had prior to July 2018: LeFou from live action Beauty and the Beast, and Gobber from HTTYD2 in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it line that was ad-libbed by the actor and left in. Arguments could also be made for the Sheriffs in Gravity Falls (that had to be Dumbledore’d after the fact by the show creator who alluded to there being a fight over it).

NOT great, especially when you consider Disney is not just Disney: none, NONE of the 19 Marvel movies feature an LGBT character, nor do ANY of the Star Wars movies. It’s utterly inexcusable. Shareholders in these companies make things more complicated because they help dictate the direction a company will take and if a large portion of their major shareholders are say, more conservative, we’re going to notice that there is one area on the diversity checklist that is repeatedly getting passed over. The bigger the company, the more complicated the relationship is with shareholders. That’s why it’s difficult to compare Korra’s achievement, through Nickelodeon, to the potential of an LGBT relationship on Dreamworks. We should absolutely hold them to the same standards regardless of company size but we can’t expect to get an endgame LGBT relationship just because Korra did, or because of the giant 20-gayteen celebration going on for two wlw ships at Cartoon Network.

But we also got THIS on Voltron.  

And it’s a start. I think it outlines pretty clearly where the limits are for Dreamworks at this time, especially since many casual viewers seemed to miss the romantic implications of Zethrid/Ezor, and a more alarming number somehow walked away from Adam/Shiro’s fight completely unaware they were a couple. Which honestly, was certainly Dreamworks’ goal. Keep it vague enough to fool the shareholders, but implicative enough to pat themselves on the back for their achievement. Even though it only exists because JDS and LM fought tooth and nail for it. But at the end of the day, we still have Shiro, Shiro our canonically gay rep, and that’s so huge. I don’t think people realize how huge that is, and I wish his coming out party hadn’t been so marred by toxic antis and even non-antis who decided to take a really big moment in cartoon history and make it all about themselves and their own pain over the “more” that they didn’t get. 

It’s incredible that we are getting LGBT in cartoons finally, properly. 2018 celebrated three massive historical achievement in kid’s animation: A strong, muscular, leader hero was revealed to be gay and have had a boyfriends, and two wlw couples kissed–one of them got married, onscreen. 

This is HUGE. Prior to 2018 the biggest LGBT cartoon moment we had was Korra and Asami four years ago. 

It was like for four years everyone fought and fought and fought and 2018 was the breaking point and we got this glorious explosion of LGBT romance as a result. Audience reception to these couples has been immensely supportive, which is something the companies are definitely noting if it’s translating into dollar signs. It’s something that makes me much more optimistic for the future of cartoons in years to come. 

But I’m just going to come out and say it: the road to mlm is just a little bit harder. There are a ton of reasons for this but I’d say the biggest two boil down to: classic, gendered homophobia (the white conservative straight dudes with money supporting the studios have an easier time with the idea of two women making out, cuz that’s “hot” than two men, cuz that’s “weird”), and also because it is easier for people to accept that two overly-touchy women are “just good friends” than it is for them to accept that two male characters doing the same thing are. Guys Don’t Get Affectionate With Each Other, after all, because that’s not the Masculine Way. Or something. Tons of people watched the end of Korra and assumed they were just friends. Replace those characters with Shiro and Keith and it raises eyebrows. 

So where does that leave Shiro and Keith? It’s really hard to say and at this point it’s anyone’s guess. I truly believe Sheith was intentionally coded as romantic, but getting the green light is another matter entirely. In addition to the DW shareholders, JDS/LM have to deal with the Voltron ones and since that would include conservative-minded folk along with some Japanese shareholders and Japan has complicated rules about LGBT content… it’s a hot mess. Realistically speaking if you were hoping to see Shiro and Keith kiss onscreen, it’s time to come to terms with the fact that there is a 0.0002% likelihood of it happening. I think the best outcome we can expect at this point is that they both end up single, with bonus points if they’re still alive and on the same planet by the series’ end. I firmly believe that this IS something the showrunners are and have fought for and will continue to fight for until the last retakes are done and the show has been approved and shipped off to Netflix for distribution. 

My tinhat theory is that there is one, single scene/shot, that is blatantly canon, that JDS/LM and KR animated on the sly, and have at the ready that they are totally prepared to replace another more platonic scene with– should DW give the go ahead. But I doubt that go-ahead will ever come. At the end of the day the shareholders are the rulemakers and unless they’re convinced it’s worth the financial gain, Sheith is forever bound to be the “will they won’t they” friends we have seen for the last 7 seasons. And I don’t think that potential financial gain of the kids’ animation world’s first mlm couple is big enough to convince them. But god do I ever hope I’m wrong. 

#sheith #voltron #meta #long post #my current mood: optimistic for something half a notch above ambiguous #0p0

[ghostmartyr]

Pokémon Black 2 Randomized Nuzlocke Run [Part 3]

With some interesting carnage leading us through it, the second badge has been earned. Better yet, we got a TM for a Special Poison move, so Caspet can now be a little more secure in her help.

Team as of the moment:

Stella (Poliwhirl)

Caspet (Gastly)

Okay then.

New routes please.

Hey me.

I have been invited to Pokestar Studios. It’s like Hollywood. Roxie’s dad ran off there to be a movie star. Roxie’s now running off there to talk him out of it. We’re going to run off there and have a terrible time with movies.

I don’t know why I remember the movie place. I think there was either some achievement or plot barrier there, and I hated the process but perfectionism insisted on trying again and... idk. Hopefully that distaste won’t be part of this run.

Can I please just be allowed to catch a third party member.

Is there any grass here. Please.

Stop dragging me to movies.

Stop dragging me to terrible movies.

Like there’s clearly some Emotions going on with Roxie’s father, but oh my gosh I do not play these games for becoming a movie star. ;-; Free me. ;-;

I have control of myself again, so I don’t know if I actually have to shoot a movie, but I feel like Roxie and her dad might require me to, and in any case, one won’t hurt too badly. I guess.

Wait, was it a medal thing? Is that why I made myself nuts over this?

Movie shot, script followed, yay, leaving.

Ahoy, plot!

Sequel Team Plasma is so very open about wanting to take over the world. How refreshing. They’ve gone from knights to pirates. Most excellent.

Pop Roxie is back to captaining, so it’s time to run off to Castelia and find another darn teammate.

And our first act of being in Castelia is a clown giving us a bicycle. Rocking.

A boat takes us to Liberty Garden. I think this is where Victini is if Victini is activated, but I’m not sure if that will be the case with this version. The important question is... does it also have other grass.

Fuckdamn it doesn’t.

Yay, entering random buildings in Castelia gave me an Exp. Share.

In keeping with me doing stupid things, I go to the Game Freak building and chat up some of the trainers who are not nearly as strong as they are post-game, thank goodness.

I really.

Really.

Would like.

More than two pokemon in my party.

I also finally gave in and talked to the medal guy in the Pokemon Center.

My achievement hunting tendencies are going to be the largest obstacle between me and any progress ever.

-whispers-

I want all of them.

Other conversations gave me an Eviolite, so that goes to Stella. ...Wait, no, Caspet. Uggggggh.

Burgh is missing from his Gym, which is fine, since I don’t think I’m ready for another round. I’m just walking around trying to check off whatever plot stuff I can that will let me catch something else.

Oh hey, I think talking to Iris opens up the sewers! I think that means I can catch something down there! !!!!

Pleeeeeease give me something.

Please, ominous guise of darkness.

Oh no.

Russell’s partnering with us, so. Uh. What’s the rule for this? I have to catch the first thing I see, but as long as I’m in a duo, I won’t be able to throw a ball very easily...

Fuuuuuuck.

Okay. We took out Panpour.

I have the ability to throw a ball, which means.

This is my catch option for the route.

Haaaa. And Russell’s Dewott is using Fury Cutter. Its damage will keep going up. I think I have two tries to catch it.

Yeehaw.

Try one is a bust.

Oh hey that’s neat! The Dewott used Razor Shell on Stella, because Stella has Water Absorb and had taken damage! That’s smarter than I expected from the partner AI.

And that means I can spare a turn or two trying to put Serperior to sleep. Since Stella still has Hypnosis.

Yo, it hit! And Dewott heals me again!

But. I need Serperior to be more damaged. I shouldn’t risk attacking. ...I’ll just keep throwing balls and wait for Dewott to hurt it a little more.

HECK YEAH WHO’S DA MAN.

Hot damn that was stressful.

Now I gotta give this girl a name.

Sylarana, wanna rock?

Also, now having Russell with me is a good thing, because this squad could use some levels.

What are you like, Syl?

She’s Careful and proud of her power.

Yeah, pride looks good on that sprite.

I don’t know what Serperior’s stats are with a neutral nature. That takes some stress off, since I’ll just go with the flow, but I prefer to know what I’m getting into, usually. Either way, Defense is stronger than Attack, and that’s just fine.

Female Nidoran are down here, too.

This is working out well enough. Yay for buddy healing. I almost don’t want it to ever end. It’s so convenient.

I shouldn’t do this forever, though. That would get boring fast.

My starter breathing. Also cool pirate outfits in Pokemon Go.

Mooks dispatched.

Gym Leader located!

Look at Burgh being all artsy with his tour of the sewers.

Huh, and Russell just hands us Strength. Because all our pals are true bros in this gen.

Then a dude with anime hair walks out of the hole in the wall.

YO NEW ROUTE.

‘ello there.

...I am possibly not going to be able to catch you due to lack of poke balls and you being remarkably stubborn.

Hey, there we go!

What to name you... what to name you... A magnificent sea serpent with a rainbow tail...

Nessy!

Without Russell healing us every fight, we can’t stick around. Back out of the sewers we go, to receive happy words from Iris. Well. Sort of happy words. She worries about Russell and tells us to challenge the Gym.

I, being a compliant sort, walk back into the sewers after healing.

Okay I guess it’s a cave. Sylarana out front, Nessy with Exp. Share while I contemplate what the heck this team does against a Bug Gym.

Ooooh, Forretress.

...

Is. is there anywhere I can go that can pave the way to me getting a Fire pokemon?

You know what, I don’t like things that blow themselves up at me. Guh, this is taking forever. I might need to buy a few Repels just so I can explore the cave properly... I believe there’s grass somewhere past the sewers, and if I could have a slightly more diverse team going into the next whatever, I’d like it.

Oh, and before I forget, Nessy!

She is Quirky and mischievous. She and Stella have half their personalities in common. Delightful. Marvel Scale is also a neat ability to have. Not one I can utilize properly because I’m a competitive failure, but still cool.

Neat, there’s Pidgeot down here.

Looks like there’s not much of the cave to explore at this point in the game. Ah well. Back to the sewers.

Hm. Would the desert north of Castelia be open to me yet? That could prove useful. Heck, is anywhere outside of this city open? I just need a little patch of grass somewhere new.

Bridge still being inspected.

A wild Bianca appears!

Dowsing Machine get!

Hello, this is new.

But there’s still spots of desert.

OH MY GOSH LOOK AT IT.

Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh.

Caught!

Your new name is Itsy, and you are much beloved!

Itsy is Modest and somewhat vain, and ouch that is not a nature I think I like for this little one, but adorableness beats everything, so we’re good.

Butterfree is also in the desert. Oooo Pawniard. Back to the sewers, though. Easier training fodder.

Grass located!

...And if I were a better trainer, I would go back and buy poke balls before exploring, but I have the impulse control of a toddler. Oh, and it’s dark grass vs. light grass...

Decision will be made by rapidly running between the two and seeing what triggers an encounter first.

Dark grass it is!

Aaaaaaaa fuck off.

I love Lapras so much. So so so so so so so so much. But I have two Water pokemon already, as well as an Ice one. I. can’t focus on catching the Lapras. It would be a bad idea.

You have never seen anyone so sad to encounter a Dratini during a Nuzlocke.

The wild Lapras fainted.

Oh fucking hell the Dratini knows Dragon Rage and both my pokemon are under 40 HP. Caspet’s turn on healing Caspet, Sylarana’s turn on getting her out of there.

Okay. Confused and slept.

Now I just. catch it. With four poke balls and two great balls left.

...Three poke balls, and guess who woke up.

Great ball. C’mon great ball.

..One great ball left.

Also if Dratini hurts itself in confusion one more time it is dead.

FORTUNE SMILES ON THE CRIMINALLY STUPID.

Now let’s run everyone back through the sewers and--

Did. did I really hit the no nickname option.

Ffs.

Okay, run back through the sewers, hit the Pokemon Center, and then name the critter. The Name Rater’s somewhere in the city, I think.

Heh. The guy in the alleyway still gives us Flash.

Congratulations, Puff! You are now eligible for activity!

Puff is Quiet and alert to sounds. An adorable addition to our squad. He’s going to be temporarily up front thanks to Dragon Rage. The Game Freak fights are once a day, and it’s been a day, so!

I believe in you, Puff!

Dragon Rage is so op this early. Dreamor agrees. But Puff’s ours, so that makes it okay.

Hm. I have six now. They could keep each other out of trouble.

There are so many areas in these sewers I can’t get to. Or maybe I can, it just involves more maze work than I’m expecting. ...Yeah, it’s looking like that side. Hey, a nurse guy! Yay for less walking up to the Pokemon Center.

Oh, and Poison... might be super effective against Bug? I think the whatsit thing he has is Bug/Grass, so that isn’t actually much of a confirmation. Eh, I’ll find out soon enough.

I’ve found a room full of Zweilous. That’s a safe grinding area, right? Itsy’s got Ice and everything. Vullaby and Dwebble are also here.

Heeeeeey, Caspet’s evolving!

And wants to learn another physical Ghost move.

Bye Lick.

Okay, Gym it is.

...Wow Burgh. Really went full Art on the place, huh? Did trainers complain that you were forcing them to walk through honey before letting them fight you?

Puff’s up first. I don’t have much type advantage here, so it’s just going to be hitting things until they break.

Burgh.

Hey Burgh.

This Gym is creepy.

The cocoons just suck you in and zoom you up. Only think Willy Wonka style.

Mooks have level 20s, so this should be a little uncomfortable for a few of the younger members, but Caspet, Stella, and Sylarana should be fine. For now, Puff’s still in front and Dragon Raging all the things.

And we’re going to the Pokemon Center after every fight, but hey. Baby steps in all things. Puff is on one of the slower exp tracks, so every little bit helps.

...Burgh. Buddy.

You want to talk?

This Gym feels like a cry for help.

In true shounen protagonist style, I will settle your troubled emotions through battle! Even if none of the dialogue will admit to how concerning the aesthetics of your chosen arena are!

Everything is hitting critical hits.

...Oh wait, I’m supposed to narrate these fights, aren’t I?

Uh. Swadloon down, Dwebble down, Leavanny left, Leavanny’s level 24. Caspet’s out to deal with it after Puff handled Swadloon and Nessy handled Dwebble.

Caspet one-shots it like a champ, and on we go.

Burgh, this trinket in no way makes me less concerned for you.

Still, though! Everyone’s alive, and we have a team full of six! Nice work, ladies and Puff. Five more badges to go! Let’s hope they go well!

#Pokemon #Nuzlocke Challenge

[comicsbeat]

  Why can’t the world just be ruled by cabals of mighty librarian queens? Organizing to create policies, looking out for the marginalized, fighting censorship, advocating for the education and literacy of all – we’d be led into a golden age of knowledge and peace.

Or at least that’s the fantasy I conjured after attending my very first American Library Association annual conference this past weekend in New Orleans.

Okay, maybe it’s just the exceptional people who I hung out with – the librarians driving the growing acceptance of graphic novel collections around the world. Whip smart and passionate about their advocacy, I soon came to realize the thing that was most powerful about this group: not only do they love reading, they love it when YOU read, too, and they do everything they can to help more people enjoy reading.

https://twitter.com/librarylandia/status/1011285466560237568

This was undoubtedly a banner year for the graphic novel pavilion at ALA. Perhaps it was the lure of the exotic New Orleans setting – supposedly attendance geos up whenever the ALAAC is held in the Crescent City. But maybe it was destiny. Not only was it my own first ALA (something that shocked everyone I told) but the number of publishers attending for the first time or returning after a long absence was much remarked upon. Titan, Rebellion, Humanoids, the French Comics Association, Europe Comics, Zenescope and several other were set up for the first time. Fantagraphics and Boom were returning after long absences. And even DC, long represented by distributor Random House, had finally returned with a booth promoting their Ink, Zoom and Black Label lines.

The only publisher missing in action? Marvel Comics, a fact often noted that drew some tough talk from librarians. But that will be returned to.

It wasn’t just publishers – the people who were attending for the first time, besides me, Berger Books; Karen Berger, Black Crown’s Shelly Bond, Lion Forge’s Carol Burrell, Aftershocks Steve Rotterdam, Dynamite’s Alan Payne and many, many others were experiencing the library market first hand for the first time, joining such veterans as our own Torsten Adair, and Random House Graphics’ Gina Gagliano.

They all came together in NoLA’s voodoo tinged fever swamp perhaps to present an alternative to the twitter culture wars and comics shop vs Wal-Mart narrative that was keeping everyone else busy. And it was also the cusp of a milestone obscure outside the library world but momentous inside it; the establishment of a Graphic Novel Round Table. In the hierarchy of the ALA this classification allows for membership dues, budgets and greater resources for organizing projects. The drive was spearheaded by Tina Coleman, who’s  been organizing the graphic novel pavilion and the artist alley at ALA for several years, with a bold squadron of graphic novel library knights behind her as shown in this photo.

The effects of this new roundtable may not be seen directly outside the library world, but we’ll feel its influence in future endeavors. It also marks a momentous trek from the base camp that began back in 2002, when comics first invaded the ALA with a presentation by Neil Gaiman, Colleen Doran, Art Spiegelman and Jeff Smith, four swashbuckling creators whose talents and charisma could not help but win over the library world.

Anyhoo, I know I’m waxing rhapsodical over a conference. Maybe it’s just the effects of dehydration and overheating as I wandered the 97-degree swamp of Chartres St – maybe it’s destiny.

So let’s go back! I arrived in New Orleans back on Thursday. Looking around the gate at Newark airport, most of my fellow passengers were women reading books. It was a very ALA bound crowd.

The event kicked off with a reception for the French Comics Association at the French Consulate in New Orleans. That was as swell as you might imagine, a huge, gracious mansion opened for the evening to the library cabal plus a few publishers and the French comics contingent of  Barroux (Alpha), Cati Baur (Four Sisters), Aurélie Neyret (Cici’s Journal), Benjamin Reiss (Super Tokyoland), Julie Rocheleau (About Betty’s Boob), Eve Tharlet (The Wild Cat: Mr. Badger & Mrs. Fox) as well as French BD industry folks.

Flore Piacentino of the French Publishers Association gave a little talk and mentioned the influence of manga, bande desinee and “comics” coming together. I’ve often heard the three great branches of world graphic literature around the world categorized like this, and maybe it’s time for us in the US to accept the “comics” name with pride for our bombastic yet fantastic strain of storytelling. Standing in the hot backyard of the manse, with its mix of Haunted Mansion moldings and mid-century furniture, it was fun to hear of the panels and meetings to come.

  After the reception, I grabbed some dinner with Karen Berger, Eva Volin and Robyn Brenner, Berger Books and the library world exchanging information over some super tasty shrimp and grits. Not only was this to be a weekend of smart talk, but a food marathon of surviving crusty bread, butter drenched fish and the occasional vegetable.

The next morning the conference kicked off. Here it must be mentioned that a teeny little con war broke out, GraphiCon vs Library Con. The first is a forum organized by the ALA GN interest group – and this year focused on adult graphic novel collection, a frontier topic where best practices are still being developed. Library Con was held across the hall and in somewhat the same time period and is organized by Random House.  There was some grumbling about the timing, although both programs were arranged to fill up the time before Michele Obama’s keynote and the exhibit hall opening at 5:30. There were some great panels on both programs, and certainly a lot to do. Random House did stack the deck a bit by offering a free boxed lunch. I decided to eat half of an egg salad sandwich from Starbucks instead. This delicacy is no longer available in NYC – probably because it’s too fattening for diet conscious New Yorkers – but one half made a great breakfast and the second half made a good lunch!

Graphic Con kicked off with a panel on “Building and Justifying Adult Graphic Novel Collections in Public and Academic Libraries” with Andrew Woodrow Butcher, Amanda Melilli (University of Nevada, Las Vegas) Marcela Peres (Lewiston Public Library, ME), and creators Ezra Claytan Daniels and Eric Shanower.

The main point of all the programming is that just as kids and YA collections – now well established at most libraries – started out slow, adult collections need to build on the success of those other age groups. Shelving remains a problem though. A recurring villain was “741.5” the Dewey Decimal category where graphic novels are shoved into one big blob. How to organize within this number – by author or series or age rating – is an ongoing issue.

Also what to collect is hard to pin down since there are more lists and awards for juvenile categories. (The Beat was mentioned several times as a resource for more information on graphic novels, giving me a serious case of “must do more!”) Adult collections are still built on a case by case basis. “Going online to find titles is not the best approach. One size doesn’t fit all since libraries don’t all have the same users and needs,” said UNLV’s Mellili. “You want it to be a reflection of the rest of your collection.”

Peres had a few success stories. She said the adult collection at her library has grown from 300 check outs a year to 1300 over the last five years. She’s also used innovative marketing approaches, such as a GN reading group held at a local brewery.

Shanower noted that his Age of Bronze was still finding an audience in libraries. “I don’t think there’s resistance like there might have been in 20th century, but there is still education that needs to be made.” Asked about whether his book has ever been challenged he joked “I wish it would be!”

Subsequent panels delved more into the topic from the publisher and creator sides. Image has a robust library program, led by Chloe Ramos Peterson, a former librarian herself, and the importance of catalogs, lists, newsletter and other resources for librarians was repeatedly mentioned. For creators, sometimes it does become a content issue – one scene may push a title from a comfy home in the YA section to an uncertain future in the adult collection, and it’s a decision creators have to weigh.

Reader resistance was also mentioned a few times. “Some adults are just embarrassed to be seen checking out comics,” said one librarian (sorry my notes don’t say who.) Overcoming this resistance with events and education is a slow but necessary step.

After the library conferences wrapped up everyone but me went off to see Michelle Obama speak. People had been lined up since 9 am – a different kind of Hall H indeed – and I didn’t want to get caught in a long line.

The exhibit hall for ALA has a kind of mini preview night – very mini as it’s only 90 minutes long – and after the keynote, everyone filed in. A big topic when I was around – maybe because I kept bringing it up – was the announcement of DC’s Wal-Mart exclusive. I had a lively discussion of the topic over dinner with retailer Brian Hibbs who, like myself, had been brought to the show by Lion Forge to liaise with the library world.  (Brian promises he’ll have one of his epic columns about the experience next week.)

As lot of our discussion can be seen in the piece that I wrote the next morning. Brian feels strongly that exclusives that the DM can’t get are the wrong way to build a bigger audience for comics, but that’s his story to tell and I’ll leave him to state his own case.

  Saturday, for me, was more of the same, wandering the vast hall to find the comics folks, and chatting them up. The Ernest Morial Convention Center – a place I haven’t been since before Katrina – is very very long and narrow and the show floor had the GN stage and pavilion at one end, with long stretches of library tech in between, studded with pockets of publishers.

Despite all the excitement over books, many exhibits at ALA are given over to actual library tech. I don’t really know what all those scanners and conveyor belt sorters did, so I will leave librarians to explain what they were looking for. Fantagraphics had set up with Norton, D&Q with McMillan, Uncivilized and Iron Circus in Consortium, Dark Horse and DC set up side by side in the Random House aisle. Some publishers made the decision to be in the distro area, but many other stuck it out in the GN pavilion, notably IDW/Top Shelf, Boom and all of the manga publishers on hand, Viz, TokyoPop, Yen Press and Udon. While it was all the way at the end of the hall, the Graphic Novel Stage served as a focal point.

There were many creators on hand, including a host of the DC Zoom and DC Ink writers, and of course the whole artist alley, which was small but significant. Due to the size of the hall, crowds would tend to come in waves. Much like BEA there were often long lines for signings, and librarians love free stuff just like everyone else.

  I did attend the presentation DC Zoom and DC Ink lines led by VP Michele Wells and featuring writers  Mariko Tamaki, Danielle Paige, Shea Fontana, Ridley Pearson, Kami Garcia, Meg Cabot, and Lauren Myracle. Unlike the long ago Minx (which this is often compared to) these lines feature veteran YA and kids authors who bring their own followings to an initiative aimed firmly at bookstores. It’s funny how retailers aren’t worried about THESE comics, isn’t it?

The mood was very different from the usual superhero hype panel, which usually consists of something like the following. “Remember issue #327 of Amygdala Man, where he finds a pair of underpants on the beach? Well in issue #600 we’re going to find out who they belong to and how it fits in with what Sprawlmeister has been up to.”

Instead the plans all spoke to the aspirational and emotional state of the young superheroes, with their motivations and family issues being covered to show how they overcame – or didn’t – problems to be heroes. Basic stuff really. The giveaway booklets for both lines featured sizable previews of most titles, and the art is sharp on these! As mentioned on twitter, DC Superhero Girls is the real disruption in the superhero biz, with thousands and thousands of copies sold and a whole generation of girls coming to love these characters.

Saturday night saw a sort of comics social event of the ALA, the Will Eisner Library Grant Reception, led by Carl and Anne Gropper and John Shableski. Grants were presented to two libraries for their projects, and a few speeches were made. Jason Latour (above) delivered a key note, noting how styrange it was “for a kid who spent a lot of time in detention to be talking to a room full of librarians.” Olivier Jalabert of Glenát also delivered some very funny remarks.

The event was another one where the spirit of Will Eisner was conjured. In a display of unique clairvoyance, he foresaw the rise of the graphic novel. Perhaps New Orleans was the place for his ghost to appear and see that his works were good.

  Sunday was pretty much just more of all of this. I did the “Underrated and Overrated graphic Novels” panel, a terrifying chance to go on the record with some disses, but I won’t reveal what was said. My fellow panelist Gene Ha did repeatedly ding Chris Hart, whose “anatomy books” for artists are cheesy and full of mistakes, so I’ll go along with that: Christopher Hart isnogood!

  I also popped into a panel featuring Mark Siegel in a panel discussion with First Second star authors Vera Brosgol and Ngozi Ukazu. At one point in the free-flowing conversation, Vera and Ngozi were asked why their artwork connects with readers both inside and outside the comics ‘geekdom’. Vera answered with a tip for young artists: “make the eyes bigger.” And the conversation went on into why humans are hardwired to love baby features, and sometimes cartooning might just tap into that – the appeal of “neoteny” in current comics styles hasn’t been much explored, so here’s your cue!

Also the great Raina, so often mentioned, was in attendance, although just to hang out, and led to this epic photo.

https://twitter.com/goraina/status/1010976229065940992

Sunday afternoon was also the big day for the presentation to the ALA governing board about the Graphic Novel Round Table. The librarians presenting the proposal had been nervous about it all weekend. Honestly no one thought it wouldn’t be picked up. When a call for interested parties went out they hoped for 200 responses but got 1000.

And that’s really the bottom line about the ALA. Librarians love comics not because it’s a secret hobby they try to fob off on other people – graphic novels are highly circulated books in libraries. There is an avid readership and a growing need for more information about all of it. I think a lot of first time ALA attendees thought that their job would be trying to persuade librarians to give comics a try, but the reality is that curators are way ahead of that – they’re always looking for MORE information about the publishers and authors their patrons are interested in, and more information to justify their purchasing budgets. They are hungry for more books that people can read and enjoy.

Far from the roil of the DM, graphic novels were clearly on the upswing “Graphic novels are big and they’re just going to get bigger,” someone at the Disney booth, of all places, told me.

Creator Frank Cammuso had an even more blunt assessment. “I think libraries saved comics,” he told me. Looking back at how comics emerged from the wreck of the post speculation market into the manga-fueled era of bookstore comics, and the recovery following Borders going under, library sales have risen steadily, an invisible but integral part of the business for publishers smart enough to get in on it. The numbers don’t lie: There are an estimated 119,487 libraries in the US, including 16,000 public libraries and nearly 100,000 school libraries. A hit in this market dwarfs the direct sales market, and doesn’t even show up on Bookscan.

So yeah, it was a good time. Despite all the shit going on in the outside world, I couldn’t help but feel optimistic as I made one last stroll through the feels-like-105-degree sauna of New Orleans. Perhaps I was just infected with a swamp dream, maybe it was just the low-stress experience of spending a whole weekend surrounded by smart, literate people. Maybe I was just bathed in the smiles and fellowship of people talking about the thing they love. For me, the ALA in New Orleans was the time and place to be feel good about what we’ve accomplished and look forward to doing even more.

  https://twitter.com/marcelaphane/status/1011631881396391936

  ALA 2018: Graphic novels shine in a very different Hall H Why can’t the world just be ruled by cabals of mighty librarian queens? Organizing to create policies, …

#alaac 2018 #First Second #gnrt #Graphic Novels #hall h #librarians #new orleans #tina coleman

[6stronghands]

please read. it’s long. but i need to say this:

Broken in the past year:

Dishwasher, refrigerator, microwave, furnace, water heater, toilet, gas fireplace, TV, 2 laptops, 2 cellphones, my eyeglasses, the locking system, door handle, driver window (stuck DOWN not up, of course) and catalytic converter on my 15 year old minivan and the other car, a 22 year old beloved 4 Runner had to be junked because it was so decrepit and unfixable (it’s a credit to those amazing early generation Runners though, because it made 260,000 miles and basically ran on Marvel Mystery Oil, Seafoam, and pep talks at the end), then I found out that my home has serious foundation issues, and now, NOW, the dryer. 

My new (used) Mustang got hit ONE WEEK after I bought it, by a drunk guy in a big ol F150, as I was my way home to kansas after caring for three (3!!!) family members in the hospital in Utah for four months. The whole time I was in Utah, I was like, holy god these guys are shockingly bad drivers (and I’ve driven extensively around a ton of states). There’s this move I call The Utah Special, a lane changing move where they don’t signal, they don’t check their blind spots, they don’t move vertically….they just horizontally zoom into a space they want in the next lane. I saw so many near misses and actual accidents during my time there. And lo and behold, LITERALLY AS I’M ON MY WAY OUT OF THAT HELL STATE, at the motherfreakin base of the canyon, four hours from Colorado and freedom from the religious insanity and repression that manifests as the angriest, most aggressive, flat out incompetent drivers I’ve ever seen, a jackalope did the Utah Special on me and my new car.  

It screwed up the alignment and tire pressure monitor and left a big dent on the drivers door. Luckily i didn’t run into the giant concrete wall that he spun me into, because I’m an experienced driver, esp in correcting a bad, fast turn, but it was close. The guy is now trying to avoid payment so I’ve been driving around with a beatup looking car. 

One month after i got back to Lawrence, a guy backed into me at the store, and I ended up using the 100 bucks he gave me for groceries, and trying to buff out the back myself, which didn’t work. This is my childhood dream car btw, the only nice thing I’ve ever owned (and it looks a lot nicer than it is, it’s very bare bones inside and out, it just looks slick. It took almost two years and three states of looking to find a good Mustang for such a low price). 

And now. 

Now I’ve got a gutted dryer, parts spread out to hell and gone, because Samsung dryers have the worst design and the cheapest parts (seriously, don’t ever buy Samsung appliances. Three different parts stores and repair people told me they refuse to work on Samsungs or carry parts for them any more because the design is so bad and the parts are so cheap). I thought I fixed it by replacing the circuit board, but now I think it’s the thermal fuse switch which is located UNDER and BEHIND the drum, not in the more accessible places other brands put it. But that’s not irritating enough, no no, now it turns out I have to learn how to solder because they didn’t use screws or plugs for the fuse mount, no no, they soldered it on, so I had to drill the fucker out and and buy a solder iron and now I’m watching how-to-solder videos on youtube. 

And (of course there’s an AND) the charging port on my 3rd used cell phone broke, and I don’t have time to order a replacement port and do it myself, so I took it into one of those overpriced walk in places (for $130 dollars!!! for fifteen minutes work). Picked it up five minutes before they closed last night, and now the screen is unresponsive. According to the good people of the internet, since I can’t get it to reboot, it’s probably a badly seated digitizer that got bumped when they did the replacement. I have to take a break from my how-to-solder videos and go in and convince a bunch of 20 year old guys to fix my phone and not charge me for it. 

So. This is a lot. 

And because we are in the aptly named bad timeline, my personal life has pretty much echoed all the broken down stuff. I have had some weird, hard to diagnose, health crap that cost me one job and has prevented me from finding another. So I just do a bunch of volunteer stuff now, and keep applying to worse and worse jobs, hoping someone, somewhere will take me. My new dog (who I adopted because I’ve been so overwhelmed and stressed, I was freaking out one day and my sister was like, I KNOW WHAT YOU SHOULD DO, YOU NEED A DOG, and she was one hundred percent right, everything is better with a good dog) got attacked at the park, by a Husky owned by a RedditGuy, who then RAN when I was trying to revive my dog, and drove away in a Mercedes with a license obscurer. The only reason I know who he is, is because a quick thinking teenager ran after him and tried to get his name (which the guy wouldn’t give) and the teen took pics of him with his cellphone (don’t shit on Millenials around me, just don’t. All I see are good kids doing good stuff under bad circumstances). (Also, just fwiw, there are all kinds of Huskies being surrendered at shelters and involved in attacks because, and this is so dumb it just kills me, people are watching Game of Thrones and deciding they want their very own Direwolf, without having the experience or willingness to take on a breed that needs a lot of training and reinforcement and care. Huskies are great dogs if they have great owners, like a lot of other great but high-care breeds). 

The medical bills were over $4000, which I had to take a loan out for. There was a court hearing, and the judge ruled in my favor, and ordered the guy to pay, by March 1st. You won’t be surprised at all, because FML, that the guy hasn’t paid, and is contesting it, which means more court stuff. This has all been stressful as hell, but this dog is genuinely the most amazing dog I’ve ever had; he is worth any trouble and expense. I would sell my Mustang, if I had to, to keep this tiny, adorable fuzzball (some kind of poodle-terrier mix, I think, I dunno. He was a rescue dog who was fostered with an inmate in a local prison, Safe Harbor Prison Dogs, check it out, they’re great) I’ve never had a companion dog before. I’ve had family dogs who have all been great, but I’ve never had one where they are bred to be a companion, that’s their work, like a work-dog needs work to be happy and sane. He is carrying my kid and me in his soft little paws; he does good work, this guy. He is always happy, very energetic when you want, calm and cuddly when you want, incredibly sensitive and attuned, unnervingly intelligent and a joy to train, and as soft as a bunny. I have to brush him every single day because of his crazy Fizzgig hair, but that’s fine. He rides on my shoulder in the car and fits inside a tote bag so I can sneak him lots of places. I’ve socialized him from the beginning (which is why I was at that damn park) so he’s totally silent in public places like stores. He loves people, especially kids, and if I ever get off the job-hunting, broken-thing-fixing treadmill, I’d like to volunteer him as a therapy dog in hospitals or wherever. He’s like my very own Daemon, my own Pantalaimon. A gift and a blessing at any time, but especially now, when things are Challenging. 

Then. Then the worst thing. Something really bad happened to my one of my kids. Something so bad that I can’t talk about it in a public place like this. I can barely talk about it in my Al-Anon support group. I spend a lot of energy not thinking about it. I have learned a lot of things in the past few years, like A LOT. I know so much more now, about so many, many things. But this bad thing is something I wish I never knew, and it’s not fixable, only recoverable. 

I have never, ever been so continually sad and angry. It’s been bad timing for my mental health, the Me Too movement. I had a friend visit and he was talking about it, and was telling me that it’s turned into a witch hunt, that things aren’t really this bad for women, that maybe women and men just speak different languages and have different needs and wants, that if things have been this bad, why didn’t women say something sooner, and I just….I couldn’t talk. He wanted me to give him specific examples of male violations in my life, and I literally didn’t know where to start. I can list so many, like every woman alive. I could list hundreds of small things, things where you just accept it because what else can you do, and other things, things that were not small, but you ignore, because you actually know the guy and you know he’s genuinely a mostly good guy, or trying to be, or will be some day, or has a family who loves and depends on him, or maybe I didn’t have the vocabulary or confidence or experience to safely call him out then, or maybe I didn’t know if calling him out would ruin his life, and for real, I could see that he would some day evolve into A Good Man, An Ally, and I didn’t want to jeopardize that. Because that’s real, that dynamic. It doesn’t fit into any black and white social media woke doctrine, but it’s real. I have hurt people through ignorance, and I have learned and evolved, and there have been a few specific times where I can look back in gratitude that someone educated me in a gracious, patient way, because it changed me for the better. Do men know this? That people like me aren’t calling them on stuff? That the problem is much, much worse than the revelations of the Me Too movement? That we let pretty much all the small and medium stuff go? Do they know? Are they so uneducated, so culturally indoctrinated, so blind, to other men’s bad behavior, to their own, that they really think that this is all an over-reaction or mixed signals or just women looking to be angry about something??? 

 I know it’s a lot more complicated than that, because goddamn life usually is. There have been hundreds of not-terrible and semi-bad violations in my 40 years, that I’ve just lived with, and then there’s been a handful of genuinely, life-altering-ly bad ones. The ones that teach you to to beware, that there are predators who prey, and you are just meat. But I couldn’t articulate any of this to this friend, this guy who feels so defensive and attacked by the movement. No one has accused him of anything, he’s just feeling defensive. He thinks people are unfair to men, that men are trying their best, that women need to explain more nicely. 

I have been so angry, about so much, for months now. I usually blow up fast and I’m done. I’m usually the poster girl for Onward And Upward, Life Is Beautiful, Everything’s Awesome. This constant anger is exhausting. And I wish I was only angry, but I’m also broken-hearted. Broken. Everything’s broken, everything keeps breaking. Bad people, careless people, indifferent people, they keep ruining things and getting away with things. The news isn’t good, not politically, not economically, not environmentally, not anything. All signs point to things getting much, much worse. 

I will say this, I am smarter than I was a year ago. 

I seem to only learn by doing, to learn the hard way. I know a lot more now. Like A LOT, in a pretty short span of time. I am not the same person I was a year ago. I am not as sweet, and not as optimistic, but I am seasoned. I’m better at problem solving. I know there's always going to be another damn thing, whatever it is. I know the importance of good tools and resources and support, whether it’s fixing broken cars or broken hearts. That came out trite, but it’s true. I’ve learned that sometimes the only good thing to come out of a bad thing is knowledge, if you use it to recover or evolve, or to help someone else. Sometimes the only silver lining is that you’ve got newfound empathy. We need more empathy in the world, so that’s not nothing. I am so, so worried about the future, about what my kids are going to have to learn in order to navigate their own personal and cultural despair. They’re gonna have to get tougher, faster, while protecting their gentle hearts and giving natures. That’s tricky. I hope they’ll remember that we’re in this together, that the only way to survive is by leaning on and helping each other. Another thing that sounds trite, but is the truest thing I know. I’ve learned to talk about things, to ask questions, to ask again if I don’t understand (and again, and again), and to say to people, I need you, I’m stuck, I’m headfucked, I’m heartfucked, help. Help me. Using your resources, whether they’re youtube how-to videos, therapy, doctors, friends, Al-Anon groups, dogs, whatever, is the only way I know how to get over and through. 

It’s kind of strange to FEEL how much stronger I am right now, than a year ago. Because things are much worse; something that would have broken me for good, if Then-Me had known. But Now-Me has soldiered through some shit by leaning hard on my resources, and because of those resources, not through inner grit or stoicism, but the resources, I’m tougher, smarter, better equipped. I am not exactly happier, but I do have happy moments. That’s a big deal. I am afraid for the future, but I know that, at least as long as I’m able to fight, I CAN fight. 

I have leaned on some of you here. Some of you are my safe places, are resources, tools, friends. Genuine, real ones. I am stronger because of you. I can write and write, but never truly articulate what that has meant, what it means to me. You know how vets are with other vets? The way they’ll meet up after they leave the military, and fall into each other’s arms, the way they trust each other for the rest of their lives? I feel that way about you guys. I’ve been in the motherfucking foxhole, and some of you guys climbed in and covered my head and held my shaking hands. I just have no words. The ‘no atheists in a foxhole’ thing isn’t true. I still don’t believe in God, but I believe in friends, in good people, in the righteous fighters who get no acclaim, no awards, but quietly, bravely, change the world around them a little at a time, to great cumulative effect. I can say I love you, I’m so grateful, you’re wonderful, but really, I have no words other than, thank you. Thank you. THANK YOU. 

#personal #thank you

[filmery]

Stream of Consciousness

from Iron Man

****WATCH OUT FOR LOTS OF GRAMMATICAL ERRORS****

fav marvel opener- flipping comic book pages -never read any whoops

no one is wearing black- back in black

sexist- driver woman

rdj is =iron man

peace sign kid holds- he dies so thats why tony does peace sign

"older guy cant work camera" clishe

uggggh shaky camera

why was he with the troops/ not in helicopter?

zoom into bomb fast- GREAT fast comedic moment just before sadness

he shud not have been conscious after explosion that close

WTF IS THAT UNDER HIS SHIRT WTF- IFITS ARMOR IT SHULD PROTECT HIM

al quaeda to soon

so hes steve jobs- made a frikin computer in his garage

ewww rbj with no beard- bad cgi :( cant u just shave and get over urself?

yes weapons are the key to peace hahahahahahAHAHAHAHAHAHAHhahaha

rip terrence howard as rhody

"too cool for award" cliche

"bald guy is bad" cliche

"hes always working" uhhh besides a few montages.... no he really just parties

only talks to cute girls....... uggggh

military funding? ha more like military debt ahahahahah 20 trillion is iron mans fault

jarvis is wing man after one night stand???? idve thought hed think tony was cheating lol

"girl wakes up with just guys shirt" cliche

"guy wakes up and leaves before girl wakes up" cliche

cat fight ha+2 points

literal and figurative island haha

so tony aint smart, he just uses jarvis

he obvi doesnt know how t4he faa works

i was gonna get REAL mad if tony didnt buy a painting cuz it was "too expensive" but we good

tonys a dick

yet pepper finds him attractive

ksorry

yaaaas rhody calling him a baby cuz he FING IS

im pretty sure laser shows in airplanes are illegal

"im not drinking them gets drunk" cliche

in my opinion from what ive collected, you cant be feared AND respected. fear takes over and you do things based on fear, not fromrespect - also how will blowing up people help them respect you? unless youre talking about getting respect from those u protect and those u kill cuz thats completely differeent then

"i respectfully disagree" or do you "fearfully disagree"

starts out as all techno talk, then turns into baby talk wtf

that shock wave conviently stopped right after it hit them

montage of painful surgeyr cliche

ewww that pipe in his nose as groooooooss

"dont do that but dontexplain" cliche

the dude cant understand english how did he know that tony refused????

why tf wouldnt u test it ANYWHERE BUT THE MIDDLE EAST?????

why cant they just wait and order the missile

k so this scene is srs and all but WATCHING HIM CARRYING THE CAR BATTERY IS SOOOO FuNNY I CANT

"no he wont" OK NOW U CANT UNDERSTAND U POS

"theyll never find u" cliche

why is his friend here?

how does he know how to build it? tbh he probs just had jarvis do it back home

how does the gov not know hes selling weapons to terrorists? we cant be that corrupt can we?

so hes building his ring thing but they DONT FING NOTICE THATS THERES NO MISSILES AT AlL??????

and they didnt question them the entire time

lemme peek but not go in and investigate

"i have steady hands" and then he crashes his car and LOOK! Doctro strange!

when a speech starts with a history lesson, u know its been rehearsed u poser

honestly... hot coal in mouth- worst way to die fml

props to marvel for not telling how fast theyre moving so i cant bust them for not being able to get it done

why the circle around the chest thing

wouldt one of their rules to be able to see u at all times

ctrl i is italicize hahahaha

why did the lights shut off but no the clearly hookedup laptop?

i enjoy the rock music as background music- not ur stereotypical ( yet awesome) hans zimmer score

yaaaaaas bitches run

gun shootsthen rebounds onto him- pretty sure thats not how physics work

if anyone should die, its tony tbh that whiny bithc

-2 for killing an actual good guy

how does not one of those bullets penetrate his suit?

----not enough use of the word penetreate

k no theyd keep shooting

tony: everythings on fire and im dying

ouchie that giant fall

how does he know hose helis are good?

DONT TOUCH HIS SUNBURNT AND BLISTERING SHOULDERS RHODY EWWWW

+2 for cheeseburger yas

-2 for burger king ew

doesnt sheild deal with aliens not terrorists?

newsreels? hes not THAT old

+10000 for ACCOUNTABILITY AND RESPONSIBILTY WOOOOO

k hes obvi doing the best thing here and now everyone gets pissed for him TRYING TO SAVE PEOPLES LIVES EHY IS THAT BAD?????? HE ALREADY HAS a shit otn of money LET HIM BE

fuck u and ur segway obidiah

the other thing..... dont put ur name on it

jokes on u! it was alqueade

+100 for mad money reference!!!!!

...so pepper didnt know about it so whyd he blame her for .3 seconds?

pepper is useless omg PUT YOUR HANDS IN HIS CHEST

why did he say dont take out the magnet but all of a sudden u dont need it?

i wonder if they actually built robots for tonys btterfingers

rhodeys we need pilots speech was just proven again by the aircraft landing in the hudson

so non military= humanitarian now? and if so why that bad?

honestly surprised that jarvis isnt some hot lady voice

k raza with sunglasses= morpheus

why is the mask the most vital part for raza?

tony crashing into wall is why u should ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET KIDS

obadiah is NOT playing the piano

+2 for not trusting obidiah

daaaamn if thats 1% whats 100% capacity

and he still doesnt wear a helmet

k his eye holes are so small how can he actually see?

run before walking leads to lots of problems later in life tony

at leaast he checked atc

goddammkit u made smol child drop ice cream

beginners luck

rip that baby grand he probs didnt know how to play

+2 for that fire extinguisher

+50 for Pepper being a cutie with that gift

how does tony not have his liscence revoked? hes a shit driver and can hire a chaffeur

STAN LEE BABE

RIP COLESON OMG :'(

so just fire pepper and marry her

pepper is totally right and tony should seperate who actually matter to him

how is a lot of olives 3?

im not my company- THEN TAKE UR NAME OFF HOE

no, modern day hell s walking those 15 miles and watching a car and heli and camera lady who are fine and can get there in 20 minutes

i sincerely hope that these footages were planned and not real

is this the news or a documentary?

just realized he never gave pepper her drink lol

yeah, let the kids watch their dad get shot thats fine omg

after that hit, he looks like a lion

why did he say colonel rhodes form weapons development? that name isnt that common

there was 0 time for radio contact omg

the only thing i could think during this scene was SERPENTINE SERPENTINE SERPENTINE

k now im getting a lil tired of the electric guitar

finally obi has been outted geez

im feeling some west side story WITH snaps

why is raza telling obi what he ALREADY KNOWS CUZ THEYVE BEEN IN CONTACT

how has no one noticed that obi just GOES TO THE MIDDLE EAST LIKE ALL THE TIME

this scene between pepper and tony is THE MOTHER of cliched lines

WHY DIDNT SHE SHUT DOWN THE COMPUTER STUPID WEIRDO

he tried to push his hair back hahahaHAHAHAHAHhaha

not scraps obi.... he had his own stuff

im just imagining obi hidig under toys couch haha

that dick took his shirt!!!

yaas beethoven reference

props to makeup people for his paralysis on point!

sorry but paralysis seems to me like U CANT FING MOVE TONY

i thought the old reactor needed a magnet

OF ALL THE CARS TO STEAL RHODY YOU STEAL THE AUDI

goddman all these chains

JUMP SCARE COMING HAHA I KNEW IT

-2 awful jump scare

yes middle age mom- honk at the GIANT FING ROBOT

nooo not the hydrogen powered bus!

gooood iron freezes before stainless tell

daaamn obi is a real bad shot

and radiation now floods the malibu land area and thosands are illed thanks to tonys reactor

sk glad hes corrected the mediait aint iron

coleson never briefed tham

that was longer than 90 seconds

iron man- STOP TRYING TO BE BATMAN

great ending 10/10

affter credit scene: 10/10 avengers yay

#film critic #tony stark #iron man #filmery #stream of consciousness

[newagesispage]

                                                                        AUGUST   2020

PAGE DEB

 There is a limited series coming to Showtime ,Blackbird: Lena Horne and America.

*****

Barack Obama joined a zoom call to Crip camp for the 30th anniversary of Americans with Disabilities act.** Hearing Obama, Clinton and even Bush speak as they remembered John Lewis reminds us how calming it can be to hear inspiring words.** Feel bad that Jimmy Carter could not attend since it was in Georgia. We miss ya.**John Lewis put his own words out there in the NY Times on the day of his funeral. He also wrote letters over the last couple of months to many activists to continue the fight.

*****

Racism is so American that when you protest it, people think you’re protesting America. – Romy Reiner

*****

Check our Smartless, the new podcast from Sean Hayes, Jason Bateman and Will Arnett. Each episode one of the hosts brings a surprise guest that answers questions.

*****

Opening some states is like opening a ‘peeing’ section of the pool. –Neil de Grasse Tyson

*****

Rumor is that Dave Chappelle will be on Letterman’s next batch of Netflix shows, My next guest needs no introduction.

*****

Check out the album Grandpa Metal from Brian Posehn, Brendon Small, Scott Ian, Al Yankovic, Corey Taylor and Jill janus.

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Reports have come thru that Brett Kavanaugh wanted the Supreme Court to avoid decisions about abortion and Trump’s financials.

*****

The Redskins have become the Washington Football team.

*****

Hulu will bring us Nine Perfect Strangers with Nicole Kidman, Melissa McCarthy and Michael Shannon.

*****

Days alert: I wish Bonnie would turn out to be Adrienne. If the switch was made when she chose Justin over Lucas,that would explain a lot. Eve is back for revenge but Ciara and Hope will find Ben. Will it be too late? I hope this brings Shane  and Teresa back to town.  Allie will have a boy but who is the Father? Rumor is that it could be Theo Carver or Parker Jonas or Tripp Dalton. Will Eli and Lani have twins? Sarah and Xander will reunite??

*****

Spencer Grammer was stabbed while trying to break up an altercation in NY. She is on the mend.

*****

The Green Banana is a sort of 425 foot bright blue sink hole that has been found off the coast of Florida. Divers say it is about 155 feet below the surface.

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The Department of Homeland Security has more law enforcement capability than all other branches combined.** Why aren’t the storm troopers working on real crime?? Fingers crossed for no more Trump troops for “Operation Legend.”

*****

Jim Jordan says that, “Big tech’s out to get conservatives.” The top performing FB posts that day: Ben Shapiro 2. Fox news 3. Dan Bongino 4. CNS news 5. Ben Shapiro 6. Ben Shapiro 7. Fox news 8. CNN  9. Blue lives matter

*****

2 million Americans do not have running water.

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Actor Bryan Callen has been accused of sexual assault.

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Breonna Taylor is on the cover of O.** The WNBA has dedicated their season to Breonna and the Black Lives Matter movement.

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Epix has brought us a sort of new look at Manson with Helter Skelter: An American Myth.

*****

Southern Crossroads has a slogan: Rednecks for Black lives!!

*****

Louis De Joy, the new Postmaster General has apparently shut down sorting machines and cut overtime so that mail carriers must leave mail behind.

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David Duke is permanently banned from Twitter.

*****

The Emmy noms are here: Netflix broke all previos records for number of noms. Leading the pack was Watchmen, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Ozark, Succession, The Mandolorian, SNL and Schitt’s Creek. The best drama category is the toughest with The Mandolorian, Ozark, Succession, Better Call Saul, The Crown, The Handmaids tale, Killing Eve and Stranger Things. Best supporting actor in drama and comedy is tough including Kieran Culkin, Giancarlo Esposito, Matthew Macfayden, Andre Braugher, Tony Shalhoub, Kenan Thompsonand Daniel Levy. The limited series or movie supporting actress is loaded with goodies too like Holland Taylor, Uzo Aduba, Margo Martindale, Tracey Ullman, Toni Collette and Jean Smart. How can you pick?? The 72nd Emmy’s will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel.

*****

A new low: College Covid parties in Alabama to see who can get it. I think we need to crack down on education because we have some pretty stupid people in this country. Why do we want to work the medical professionals within an inch of their lives??** 155 thousand dead. The total cases have dipped slightly but fatalities are up. ** Pelosi has issued mandatory mask order for the house.** In the new covid bill they want 1.75 bill for a new FBI building that will stay in the same place that it now stands?? This surely couldn’t be because it is across the street from the Trump hotel and he does not want competition and likes his special locale. **The Senate decided to take a long weekend and not deal with it until August. How do so many not care about their fellow man??** The longer it takes to get the virus under control, the more business’s we lose forever.

*****

The Catherine’s clothing chain is closing.

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We need more detective shows with real stories about cops that don’t do things by the book. We have all heard of the fucked up crime scenes like Jon Benet Ramsey or Jeff Macdonald and we know that is just the tip of the iceberg.

*****

There have been shootings all over the country at various gatherings which should not even have been held.

*****

There is a long history with these vipers, Bill Barr’s Father hired a 20 year old Jeff Epstein to teach at Dalton. He was a high school drop out with no degree.** The usual suspects, Nugent and Baio et al.will speak virtually for Trump at the Republican convention.** Contrary to what the administration said, Paw Patrol was not cancelled.** You knew he would get around to wanting to postpone the election. Too bad for him congress has to agree and if they can’t work it out  then the speaker may have to take over.

*****

Shep Smith has joined CNBC.

*****

Colin Kaepernick’s life will come to Netflix from Ava Duvernay. **

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The world hates us so much right now. We’ve been ruined in more ways than we know.** What kind of shithole President wishes a child sex trafficker well?

*****

Billy Eichner will play Paul Lynde in Man in the Box.

*****

The U.S. has told the Chinese consulate in Houston to shut down. Is this because of intellectual theft?? Now China has moved us out of our consulate there.

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Fairfax County will rename Robert E. Lee high after John Lewis.

*****

The Reagan foundation has asked the Trump campaign to stop raising money off of his name.

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I’ve been begging everyone for years; please wear a mask! –Emo Phillips** CVS and Wal Mart no longer require masks!!

*****

The company, Tele Tracking that took over control of the covid info is owned by Chris Johnson. The 10 mil contract went to the NY real estate dude.

*****

Funny how everything is a handout besides generational wealth.

*****

Hooray to the Yankees and the Nationals for taking a knee before the game.** Trump claims he was busy with Covid and could not throw out the first pitch. Come to find out, he was not asked. He made it  up.

*****

Favre and Trump golfing, yea, that sounds about right.

*****

A company can keep women from birth control if there are religious or moral objections. About 126 thousand women will lose coverage.

*****

Lt. Col Vindman had been approved for promotion but the President would make the final decision. The brave hero decided to retire.

*****

The Supreme Court ruled that Trump can’t block his records being released. It is in the public interest but Trump can try again to block with different tactics.** They also ruled that most of Eastern Oklahoma will remain Native American land.** The Esselen tribe of Monterey county have reclaimed land on  the Big Sur coast that was theirs 250 years ago. This was a cooperative effort between them, the California natural resources agency and a conservancy group.

*****

Trump calls the Black lives matter in front of Trump tower, “a symbol of hate.”** Cops shot, Cops killing civilians, mask confrontations: The mental illness in this country is officially off the charts.

*****

Biden claims he will use the Trump tax cuts to pay for 5 million new jobs in products and technology. The Dems released their agenda that touts free child care.** 100 days before the election, Brad Parscale was demoted.  Jared puts his friends in high places and it goes on.** They say John Kasich will speak for the Dem convention. **

*****

Hey Seth Meyers: I LOVE the sea Captain!!

*****

Muddy Water’s former Chicago home at 4339 S. Lake Park Ave. will be a museum.

*****

Sen. Tom Cotton called slavery, “a necessary evil.”

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Still advertising on Fox news: Verizon, Noom, Allstate, Pfizer, Ancestry, Honey, Poshmark, Purple and Sanofi. ** And we know never to eat Goya again.

*****

Jean Smart will star in Miss Macy.

*****

Oprah mag will stop print.

*****

It is so Scary Clown: The only thing the enemy can’t stand is being laughed at. –Mark Twain

R.I.P. all the Covid victims, Nick Cordero, Hugh Downs, Ennio Morricone, Bill Field, the elephants of Botswana, Ronald Schwary, Charlie Daniels,  Mary Kay Letourneau,  Max B. Bryer, Kelly Preston, Naya Rivera, Ben Keough,  Phyllis Somerville, Grant Imahara, Emitt Rhodes, Regis Philbin, John Lewis, John Saxon, Peter Green, Malik B., Herman Cain, Alan Parker and Olivia de Havilland.