"came back wrong" what about Came Back Afraid. You used to be brave. Too brave maybe, defying the odds at every turn, a fighter, cocky, playing with fire, first to throw yourself at the enemy. Until one day it all caught up to you. You came back, somehow, but now you know all too intimately how it feels to lose, to die, to be destroyed. Now you flinch and freeze and cower at the slightest provocation. Who even are you now if you can't be brave? The grave may have let you go, but the mortal fear still grips you tighter than ever.

I'd just like to clarify some things about Senator Cory Booker's marathon Senate speech in protest of the present administration and everything they are doing to the American people.

Senator Booker was NOT allowed to sit down, eat, or use the bathroom during his speech. Sitting or leaving the room to use the bathroom would be considered yielding the floor. Eating would have interfered with his speaking and the person who has the senate floor must continue to speak, except when listening to questions that they will then answer.

He only took occasional sips of water.

The person who previously held the record for longest speech on the Senate floor did have bathroom breaks and also did things like read from the encyclopedia.

Senator Booker did not do that. His speech was to point out the damage that this administration is doing and he stayed on that subject.

Senator Booker's speech did reach many people. It wasn't a silly stunt that was done so that he could take the record for longest speech. He wanted to show the country that democrats will do something to bring attention to the problems we are facing. That democrats are listening to them.

Senator Cory Booker spoke for 25 hours and 4 minutes to "make good trouble."

Kiss kiss, pin your most hated enemy against a wall

he's beauty, he's grace

BLACK SAILS 2.04 “XII.”

I loveee fantasy settings doing magical exhaustion:

Druid, low on magic: I'm [coughs up flowers] fine.

Yaks at Baishui river, Lijiang, China

For those not in the know, Henry Ford was a rampant antisemite and Nazi sympathizer. He published a book entitled 'The International Jew: The World’s Foremost Problem' in 1920 based on the conspiracy theory known as the protocols of Zion.

Henry Ford is also largely responsible for pioneering the conveyor belt system and setting off the domino chain of industrialization that lead to previously valuable workers being classified as unskilled and replaceable.

He also tried to create some freakish American town in the middle of the Brazilian rainforest literally called Fordlândia in an effort to have his own supply of rubber. His refusal to even attempt to understand local culture and climate caused it to be an unmitigated disaster.

I knew Ford was antisemite because a couple years ago I visited garden of lawyer who sued Ford, but I didn’t realize Ford and Hitler were bffs

The Wrong Turn

Guess who's back here? I had a bumpy ride but I made it eventually.

Indian Spiny-tailed Lizards (Saara hardwickii), in a big time squabble, family Agamidae, Rajasthan, India

photograph by Pradyut Kumar Das

me when i fucking GET YOU

THE mechanic of all time possibly

:C

I’m so fucking sick of AI

If you see someone with a really bad fandom take, I’m begging you to open your emails and write a strongly worded missive to your local government official about something bad happening in your community or country.

If you’re in Canada you could email a rep about concerns about Elon musk interfering in our next federal election.

If you’re in the US the list is endless.

If you’re in the UK you could email about trans health care.

If you’re in Australia, what about dental care in Medicare?

If you’re in Europe, look into some EU initiatives of particular concern. Perhaps something to do with nature and biodiversity? Idk

Just today I emailed my local mla about coal mining in the Rocky Mountains and tomorrow I’m going to pick something else and do it again

Don’t get me wrong I love a fandom wank as much as anyone but perhaps you can take an iota of the energy you’re spending on that and put it towards making sure your elected representatives hear from you on a regular basis

Honestly this seems like a legit mental health emotional de-escalation strategy. New grounding technique just dropped and it's going to revolutionize the world at the rate I see bad takes as a regular tag scroller

THE ADVOCATE

Cover art I did for 'The Advocate' written by Daniel M. Ford, and published by Tor Books. This is the third book in the swords and sorcery series following Aelis De Lenti. Aelis returns home to Lascenise to clear the name of her mentor, accused of murder, and unravel a conspiracy of wizards and assassins. With no one she can trust Aelis enlists the help of old friend Miralla and old enemy Amadin. I didn't get to this one either but this time around I got very detailed descriptions to work off of. They are all at a dinner party where a fight breaks out, hence the formal wear. Aelis' motif is skulls and daggers, and Miralla's stars and eyes. Miralla is a diviner which is why her eyes are glowing white as she guides the other two. Amadin's main stand out comments were 'arrogant enough to fight with a glass of wine in his hand' and 'very punchable face' lol Other than that everyone's looks are pretty straight forward, verbatim as described. Thanks once again to AD Esther Kim!

A sketch of a dog poking his way through a page from the Book of hours, Flanders, c. 1485 CE (Kraków, MNK, 3025 I, p. 469-470)

sometimes I wonder how y'all are obsessed with specific characters and I'm like "why them" but then I remember that sometimes its literally not your choice you just look at them wrong and all of a sudden they're taking up your every thought forever

to quote someone who was a genius on bluesky: